December 21 - Bonfire at the Burrow
"Does everyone have their coats on?" Harry asked as they stood in the drawing room in front of the fireplace.
"Yes, Dad."
"And your scarves and earmuffs?"
"Yes, Dad."
"What about your gloves and thick socks?"
"They have them all," Draco said, unable to keep the chuckle out of his voice.
"Laugh all you want, but I don't want anyone getting sick right before Christmas," Harry snapped.
"We're wizards," Draco reminded him. "We're going to a large bonfire. We can cast warming charms. They'll be able to go into the Burrow if they get too cold. Molly will never let them get cold or sick, and if they get the sniffles we can give them a dose of Pepper Up."
"I know, I know. I just don't want to even deal with that. Sniffles will make them grumpy too and Christmas is a lousy time to get sick. This was a bad idea."
"It was your idea."
Harry sighed. "Yeah it was, and you told me it was crazy. I should have listened to you."
"Maybe, but you didn't and now it's time to go."
"Daddy, aren't we going to Grandma Molly's?" Fiona asked.
"Yes, yes, we're going. Go ahead, start."
In short order, they were gathered around on cushions and couches that had been summoned to the edges of the garden of the Burrow where Arthur, Ron, and George had built a large bonfire. The flames reached nearly the height of the tallest addition of the building itself. Harry smiled to see the children curled up together and with family members on the seats. He looked for Draco but the man was nowhere in sight. He settled into a loveseat leaving room for the other man to join him.
He turned to check on the children, worried that they might start playing or wandering and get too close to the fire, but they were all safely ensconced in their seats.
"Drinks, my loves," Molly called as she entered the circle of seats with a tray, and Draco on her heels with another tray. "Hot buttered rum for the adults if they want it, and warm butterbeer for the little ones."
Ginny joined the two and began passing out mugs. Harry accepted his and took a sip feeling the smooth burn as it slid down his throat. Draco passed out the last cup and passed his tray off to Molly. He stood by the fire looking around and suddenly Harry was transported and he saw…
Malfoy with his arms around the unconscious Goyle, the pair of them perched on a fragile tower of charred desks, and Harry dived. Malfoy saw him coming and raised one arm, but even as Harry grasped it he knew at once that it was no good. Goyle was too heavy and Malfoy's hand, covered in sweat, slid instantly out of Harry's.
"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" roared Ron's voice, and, as a great flaming chimera bore down upon them, he and Hermione dragged Goyle onto their broom and rose, rolling and pitching, into the air once more as Malfoy clambered up behind Harry.
"The door, get to the door, the door!" screamed Malfoy in Harry's ear, and Harry sped up, following Ron, Hermione, and Goyle through the billowing black smoke, hardly able to breathe: and all around them the last few objects unburned by the devouring flames were flung into the air, as the creatures of the cursed fire cast them high in celebration: cups and shields, a sparkling necklace, and an old, discolored tiara
"What are you doing, what are you doing, the door's that way!" screamed Malfoy, but Harry made a hairpin swerve and dived. The diadem seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and glittering as it dropped toward the maw of a yawning serpent, and then he had it, caught it around his wrist
Harry swerved again as the serpent lunged at him; he soared upward and straight toward the place where, he prayed, the door stood open; Ron, Hermione, and Goyle had vanished; Malfoy was screaming and holding Harry so tightly it hurt. Then, through the smoke, Harry saw a rectangular patch on the wall and steered the broom at it, and moments later clean air filled his lungs and they collided with the wall in the corridor beyond.
Malfoy fell off the broom and lay facedown, gasping, coughing, and retching. Harry rolled over and sat up: The door to the Room of Requirement had vanished, and Ron and Hermione sat panting on the floor beside Goyle, who was still unconscious.
Harry came back to the present with a harsh gasp and stood as carefully and calmly as he could. He began walking away from the fire and the circle of seats until he was nearly out of the light. He dropped to the ground with his legs bent resting his head on his knees, breath ragged. He ran his hands through his hair and closed his eyes.
I'm fine. Hermione's fine. Ron's fine. Draco is fine. I'm fine. Hermione's fine. Ron's fine. Draco is fine. I'm fine. Hermione's fine. Ron's fine. Draco is fine.
He looked back to the bonfire where he could see all three.
We're all fine. We made it out. The war is over. We're all fine. We made it out. The war is over. We're all fine. We made it out. The war is over.
He took a slow shaky breath and began to run himself through the calming strategy Hermione had taught him.
5 things I can see: The Burrow, the bonfire, the chairs, my children, my family
4 things I can feel: the grass under me, the cold air around me, my sloppy hair, the rough sleeves of my coat
3 things I can hear: Ron joking, the crackle of the fire, the wind in the trees
2 things I can smell: the fire and… Draco, somehow I can smell Draco on my coat
1 thing I can taste: the butterbeer
What the hell just happened? I haven't had a flashback in well over a year. Everything's been fine since I finished training.
"Harry?" Draco said from behind him. "Why are you out here? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Harry replied. "Just needed some air."
"You needed air? We're outside, you know."
"Yeah, just away from the fire air."
"Harry," Draco said, dropping down to the ground beside him. "What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"I looked over at you and you'd gone pale and stiff, then you stood up and practically ran out here. What happened?"
"Nothing, just, it doesn't matter. It's over. I'm fine. You're fine. We're all fine," Harry replied.
"That doesn't actually sound fine," the other man observed. "Come on, Potter. Tell me what happened."
"I had a flashback. It happens, well it used to happen more often, but it's been a while. Usually, I can see what might bring them on and avoid it. This one I didn't see coming. I didn't even think it might happen. I just didn't… I don't know. It's passed. It's okay. I'm alright. I just need another minute and I'll be back."
"The war?"
"Yeah."
"What made you," Draco stopped and nodded, "the fire. Fiendfyre."
"Uh-huh. I just needed to remind myself that we made it, that you, and Ron, and Hermione, and I made it."
"We did. So you're okay."
Harry nodded. "I am."
"Well then," Draco said and stood. He opened his mouth, but then shook his head and walked back to the fire.
Harry took a few more deep breaths and returned as well. He went to his seat and looked for the other man, seeing him curled up in a chair with Caela in his lap and Conor next to him. Harry sighed and dropped back into his seat alone. His cup was gone. He didn't know what he'd done with it so he sat back and tried to relax.
"Here," Ginny said, handing him a new mug as she plopped into the seat beside him. "You dropped yours."
"Thanks."
"You okay?"
He looked over at her and nodded.
"Good, so are we just gonna sit here and stare at the fire? Shouldn't we do something?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know," she replied. "This whole thing was your idea."
"I hadn't thought about that."
Ginny laughed. "Of course not, and neither did anyone else. Mum and Dad jumped on the opportunity to have everyone here and didn't think about it beyond that. Well, bonfires are usually done in the fall or for Halloween and people tell scary stories. So, we could tell Christmas stories."
"I don't know any of those other than the ones we watch on the telly."
"Well, we should do something."
"What if we sang carols?" Harry suggested.
"Not a bad idea, but you have to start the first one."
"Why me? Never mind, I know the answer to that one. You'd just better join in."
"Promise."
Harry bit his lip and thought for a moment then began singing as loudly as he dared to try to stay on key. "Dashing through the snow."
Ginny kept her word and joined in, soon all of the adults were singing along. After Jingle Bells, Molly started Let it Snow, then Arthur chose Silver Bells. They sang through a number of others with only Harry and Hermione singing Do They Know it's Christmas before they began to run out of steam. The kids began to fall asleep in their seats. Harry and Draco each carried one of the younger kids through the Floo. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione helped get the others and the oldest three took themselves. While Draco set about getting the children ready for bed Harry stepped back through the Floo one last time to the Burrow.
"Thank you," he said to Molly and Arthur. "This was wonderful."
"It was," Molly smiled. "We'll have to make it a new tradition. Thank you for the suggestion, Harry. We'll see you on Christmas for dinner?"
"We'll be here." He gave them each a hug and returned to Grimmauld Place.