Chapter 12: Gift Heart
After sharing the tenderest kiss Harry and Draco pulled apart and looked at each other. Harry leaned back against the wood planks of the bench and looked at the park.
"Draco, what do you want to do with your life now that you are no longer part of the famous Malfoy family?" Harry asked softly.
Draco stared out at the landscape as he thought over his future plans "I'm not really sure, after school I'll get a job. But I want to live with you in a place that will out of the public eye, in a place where we can enjoy our life together." Draco said softly as he laid his head down on Harry's shoulder. Sitting quietly with his boyfriend Draco noticed an owl flying in the sky and coming toward them.
"Hey that's one of my mother's private owls. She must have wanted to send something important" the blonde said as the owl landed on his knee, removing the letter from the bird's leg and slowly unrolled it. "It's an early gift, it's the deed to a cottage that she owns, and she's giving it to us." Draco said excitedly.
Harry took the letter and looked it over before smiling "This is perfect, we will be out of the public eye" he said calmly and got up from the bench and stretched. "We should be heading back now I'm sure that Dudley was forced to walk that dog by now" Harry said laughing as he and Draco slowly made their way out of the park as the clouds opened up and snow slowly started to fall.
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By the time the two teens
returned home they could smell dinner cooking in the oven. When they
walked into the kitchen their cheeks were red from the cold and their
lips were pale.
Draco sat close to Harry as everyone sat down and waited for dinner to begin. Petunia served the two teens first with two hot cups of cider to warm them up.
Harry looked the letter over once more before stuffing it away before his uncle saw it. Smiling he started to sip the hot cider to warm himself as he thought of the future that he wanted to have with Draco in a private home.
When the dinner was over, Petunia served a small dessert with coffee. Finally the last of the meal was finished with dessert, after that the Dursleys decided to turn in early.
Petunia put the last of the dirty dishes into the sink when she noticed Harry and Draco curled up together on the couch watching a movie.
Leaving the teens a couple extra blankets in case they ended up fall asleep on the couch.
Draco had found that the concept of television was interesting but at the same time completely boring when it came to some programs. As he lay on the couch, his fingers grazing the rug gently as Harry held him close. Harry pulled the blanket up some more and nuzzled Draco's shoulder as he watched the movie. Both teens drifted off into sleep as the movie ended and the credits rolled. The glowing light of the television bathed the room in a soft light. Outside the window fresh snow was falling, blanketing the city.
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By morning the early morning light number four Privet drive was quiet, until Dudley thundered down the stairs waking the whole house. When he entered the sitting room he saw the presents around the tree for him from his parents and aunt. Then his eyes fell on stacks and stacks of presents across the room that looked out of place.
Harry and Draco both sat up when Dudley entered the room and went over to their stacks of gifts.
When Vernon, Petunia and Marge had finally made it downstairs, the opening of the gifts was about to begin.
Draco tore open a package from his godfather; it was an advanced potion book that he had been talking to Snape about since the beginning of the term. Running his fingers over the cover he smirked as Harry opened the gift from Snape. Inside the box were two things, one was a vile of red beads with a letter of how to use the beads and the second gift was a potion book for children.
The blonde looked at his boyfriend and tried to hold in his laughter. "Don't worry I'll tutor you so he won't be able to make fun of you again." Draco said as he reached over and grabbed another of his gifts.
Harry and Draco hadn't even started un-wrapping their second gift and Dudley was done unwrapping all of his.
Picking up their gifts from Sirius and Remus they opened them at the same time. Harry received a detailed journal that his father had kept since he was eleven years old; Draco got another book this one was on advanced defense spells against the dark arts.
"You can bet Hermione sent you a book as well" Harry said joking around.
Draco smirked and opened up another box of Honeyduke's chocolate that was sent to him from family members, along with wizard chess sets, exploding snaps, new dragon hide gloves, and a new set of scales for potions.
Ron had sent joke pranks from his brother's private stash, Hermione sent both boys books on some subject Harry knew he would find boring. Both Harry and Draco were weary of the gift from Hagrid until it turned out to be butter beer candy.
When all the gifts were done Draco pulled a letter out and gave it to Harry. "This is for you, you should read it now" he said not carrying that everyone was still in the room.
Harry looked at Draco, he hadn't gotten anything for his boyfriend and yet the blonde got him something. Opening the envelope Harry found a letter from the national Quidditch team of England.
"This… this is a letter from the national Quidditch team of England … they want me to try out for the position of seeker for them during the summer. Draco you wrote to them didn't you?" Harry asked smiling.
Draco nodded "They would have asked you eventually, you are the great Harry Potter after all, best Quidditch player in how ever many years." The blond said.
Vernon at this point stood up and looked at Harry "Did you forget boy about no freak talk in this house." He said through gritted teeth.
Marge who was working on some leftover Christmas treats from the night before was looking at the boys "What the bloody hell is Quid-itch? It sounds like a rash" she said looking at her brother confused.
Harry knew his uncle was about ready to blow his top but Harry wanted to push the man and break every little barrier. The raven haired teen felt a new sense of bravery on that morning.
"Well Aunt Marge, Quidditch is a sport played on broomsticks that fly. Draco and I are both wizards in training. You know magic with spells and such." Harry said standing there.
Vernon jumped to his feet "Damn it boy, I told you not to talk about your freak life in this house." He roared making his way over to his nephew and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and carried him to the front door. "Get the hell out of my house" he yelled opening the door and throwing Harry out into a large snow bank.
"Potter what are doing out in the snow, I thought you would be inside taking in all the glory" a voice said.
Looking up Harry sighed and got up "Just great, I was hoping to avoid seeing you while on holiday." Harry said as he took the hand offered to him. "So professor Snape, what are you doing here anyway?" the teen asked that his potion master was standing in full wizard garb in the middle of a muggle neighborhood.
"Every Christmas morning I have breakfast with Draco even if he isn't at the school. If it means spending time with you as well then I guess I can stomach it" Snape said dragging the boy who lived into the house behind them.
Snape pulled the raven haired teen down the hall and into the sitting room where his family and Draco were.
Vernon was again red in the face "How many more of you freaks are going to be in my house?" he roared. Harry slid away from Snape and sat beside Draco, he was interested to see just how the potion master would react to his uncle's words."
The potion master just stood there "Against my better judgment I'm going to let that comment slide… only because I do not want to waste my time on filthy muggles that lower themselves to your level." The bat like man said turning his gaze on his students. "You two get ready I'm taking you out for the day." He said, giving no room for questions.
Harry closed his mouth as Draco grabbed his wrist and pulled him up the stairs to the room they shared. As they changed their clothes and got ready for their day in the city, heading back down the stairs Snape was waiting by the fireplace.
"If you two take up anymore of my time I will leave you behind and give you more than enough homework to last you until your final year of school" Snape said tapping his feet as the two teens walked up to him.