A/N: I am so sorry this has taken so long to get out! We've been moving and we went out of town for a weekend and well, my day consists of spending time with my daughter while my evenings can consist of writing after she goes to bed. I've also been working on a new story so that's been a bit distracting. Anyway, this chapter is rather fluffy and filler, but I'm really looking forward to the next chapter and that should be up a lot sooner than this one was ;) I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 23: Missing Letters

Harry was extremely depressed. He had not heard from Draco for days now and Christmas was fast approaching and he was wondering if he had done something wrong at some point between the time they last saw each other and when he got back. He had sent him several letters and received no response. What if McGonagall talked him out of being with me? What if he is so worried about getting in trouble that he won't respond to me? Harry's mind raced with all the reasons why Draco wasn't speaking to him anymore.

He had to go to Hogsmeade that day to get the last of his presents. At this moment he was dragging his feet down the road to Hogsmeade. McGonagall had given him permission to go surprisingly. He figured he'd have to ask her permission to go to the bathroom too. She had been particularly insufferable since she had caught him. She had put him to work in all matters throughout the castle. He had cleaned cauldrons, trophies, paintings (much to their displeasure), knights in not so shining armor, stones on the walk way, and even cleaned out some of the loos. She was really punishing him for coming in late. He didn't completely understand why. Okay, so he did. He got caught coming into his common room via the floo at three in the morning from a boy's house where he obviously was not wearing his own clothes. It's really not that big of deal, right? Harry snorted. Of course it was a big deal. He completely understood why McGonagall was so angry, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with it.

Besides, he wasn't really concerned about the busy work. Frankly, it wasn't much of a punishment since he grew up doing tedious work like that. Plus, none of his friends or Draco was at the castle so there really was no reason to find the work as punishment. If anything it just made the time go by faster.

Harry sighed as he thought about Draco. He missed him terribly and was really worried about why he wasn't responding to any of his letters. What if something had happened to him while he was at home? He didn't think there was a threat against him, but in those circles, you never know.

He tried to shake the concerning thoughts from his mind as he began window shopping, trying to decide what to get his friends and Draco for Christmas. He easily found gifts for Ron and Hermione. Finding one for Draco was considerably harder. He sat down on a bench between buildings. He tried to think of what he knew about Draco that would lead him in the right direction. He knew he liked Quidditch and was fascinated by potions so that could be something, but it didn't feel right. He sighed and continued to think about what he could get him. He glanced up and down the street and noticed a few people from Hogwarts out and about.

He was about to look back down at the ground when he caught sight of a shock of blonde hair walking along the street. He shot up and focused on the blonde hair and let out a gleeful cry when they stepped away from a bunch of people and he saw that it was Draco. He watched him for a moment and realized that he looked really upset underlying in worry and that he was moving rather quickly in the direction of the castle. Harry frowned and wondered if something had happened there and he hadn't heard about it. He hadn't been gone that long he thought.

He quickly shrunk the packages that he bought and placed them in his pockets. He jogged across the street. "Draco!" he yelled as he waved his arm in the air. Draco stopped and turned in the direction of the voice. His expression went through several different emotions: relief, love, happiness, and then anger. He rushed towards Harry, relief overpowering at the moment.

When he reached him, Draco threw his arms around his waist and lifted him off his feet and held him tightly against him. He sighed as he pressed a desperate kiss to his lips and then settled him on the ground and continued to kiss him. Harry was surprised by the reaction, but enjoyed it very much. After several moments, and several people staring they broke apart and looked at each other. They had completely tuned out the world around them.

"You're okay," Draco whispered as he cupped Harry's face in his hands and kissed him lightly.

Harry scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Of course I am, and you're okay too. I was worried," he replied as he bit his lip.

"Merlin, you were worried? Gods, I was going insane worrying about you! Why haven't you responded to my letters? I've written you at least twenty letters and I have received no response. I was freaking out! I've been wearing a path into my carpet and driving my mother insane! Why haven't you written me?" Draco exclaimed. He was upset, but he was not going to let go of Harry for one second.

"I never got any letters from you! I've written you at least that many times too and I received no response. I was getting worried too, but I couldn't get through the floo. I tried," Harry responded with the same concern as Draco.

"You tried to come to me again?" Draco asked in a quiet voice.

"Of course! I tried several times, but I could never get through. I'm sorry that you thought something happened to me. I'm alright, I promise. Besides, McGonagall has been working me to the bone for catching me coming back from your house. I suppose if anything had happened to me it would be the weariness of working so hard to deal with my punishment," Harry explained.

Draco stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then he smirked. "That crafty old woman. She's good," he muttered as he glanced towards the castle.

Harry looked at him in confusion for a moment. "What are you talking about?"

"Yours and mine letters, they were intercepted. You told me that McGonagall wasn't going to let me get off free either and that I'd be punished. Keeping our letters from one another was what she decided to do. That's rather Slytherin of her," Draco admired openly.

Harry grinned. "She is good. But if you weren't getting letters from me, why didn't you just send a Patronus or something to get my attention? I suppose I could have done that too though, but I didn't really think about it until now," he suggested.

"Ah, well, since you so nicely confiscated my wand, I have been using my mother's and it doesn't quite work well for me," Draco said in a teasing tone.

Harry felt the weight of Draco's wand in his pocket and blushed. He knew exactly what he was going to get Draco for Christmas since he already had a new wand. He just held on to Draco's for pure sentimental reasons. He ran his hand through his hair. "Well, about that. I misplaced it. I'm not sure what happened to it. I may have lost it during the war, but I'm not sure. Why don't you just get a new wand?"

Draco narrowed his gaze at him and frowned. "You lost my wand?"

Harry shrugged. "I said I misplaced it or that I may have lost it in the war. I'll look for it and see if I can find it, but I can't guarantee anything. Just get a new one," he suggested again.

Draco shook his head. "I'm not going to worry about it right now. Hey, there's McGonagall," he said as he moved away from the topic of his wand and gestured down by the Three Broomsticks where she was standing talking with a wizard. Harry looked down, more pleased with his plan for a Christmas gift for him.

"We should go talk to her," Harry commented. Draco nodded and they set off down the road. They stopped next to her and waited patiently for her to notice them. She did almost immediately and both boys caught the calculating glee in her eyes. She smiled kindly at them. They both shook their heads.

"Well, good afternoon boys. What brings you to Hogsmeade?" she asked nicely.

"We would like our letters, professor," Harry said without answering her question. Draco nodded in agreement.

"Your letters? I don't know what you're talking about it," she replied innocently.

Draco and Harry crossed their arms. "Professor, Harry and I were worried sick about each other because we were not getting any responses from each other's letters. I think that you've made your point clear enough. We broke the rules and it won't happen again. Can we please have our letters?" Draco reasoned with her.

She crossed her arms and looked down at them sternly. "Mister Malfoy, Mister Potter, what you did was unacceptable. It could have been very dangerous for Harry. Do you understand that? But besides that, I'm trying to understand your relationship. It's obvious that you two are a couple and while I do not judge whatsoever, not everyone shares that point of view. I intercepted your letters as a form of punishment for you and I'm pleased to see that it worked. Now maybe you'll understand the worry that I had that evening when Harry was nowhere to be found. You will receive your letters soon enough. Now, good day to you both," she calmly chastised before she entered the Three Broomsticks.

Draco and Harry stared after her and then continued to stare long after she had gone inside. They were both blushing profusely. "Well, now I feel like I'm five again. She sure does know how to say things to make the most impact, doesn't she?" Draco commented.

"Yes, indeed she does. Draco, don't make any plans for Christmas evening. You have the ball at the Manor on Christmas Eve, right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, of course. We don't do anything in the evenings on Christmas. That's when we enjoy our Christmas gifts and relax. Why?" he asked curiously.

"Just, don't make any plans, okay? I'll let you know more info by the end of today. I'll see you later. I love you," Harry said as he kissed Draco quickly and grinned slyly at him.

Draco narrowed his gaze at him. "What are you up to?" he questioned with a smile.

Harry grinned, kissed him quickly again and started walking away. "I love you!" he called out over his shoulder.

Draco watched him go and smiled broader. "Love you too," he responded quietly. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, his mind swimming with what exactly Harry had planned.

Neither boy noticed that Professor McGonagall had been watching and listening to the exchange. She smiled fondly at the two before she returned to her table.