III: Fool's Holiday

Harry wakes up before Draco on Christmas morning. He wasn't sure whether or not to wake him. He had put his drawing under the tree the previous night, and saw Draco's gift to Harry. It was a rectangular box, not extremely heavy, but not very light either. Harry had no idea what it was. He changed into his robes and sat on his bed and waited until Draco woke up. When he heard him doing so Harry surprised him with a hug and wished him a merry Christmas. Draco smirked at his best friend, who was so different from himself, and followed him downstairs after putting on his robes. Harry was told by Draco to open his present first. He found it and tore off the expertly wrapped present. The square shape he observed earlier came from a cardboard box. The contents of the box made Harry's mouth drop open. It was a small black coffin with a The Misfits logo at the top. He knew this was the box set his favourite muggle band had released a few months ago. This contained almost all of their albums from 1977-1983, a pin and a booklet with photographs, song lyrics, a discography, and a history of the band written by their photographer and associate Eerie Von.

Harry looked at Draco with eyes the size of quaffles. Draco laughed.

"You're welcome," he sang.

"This is incredible, Draco. That you would do all this for a muggle band," Harry laughed and forced Draco into another hug.

"The ridiculous look on your face was worth it. My turn," Draco said.

Harry handed him the drawing, which was wrapped clumsily. Draco opened it carefully, making a bigger effort in unwrapping it than Harry did to wrap it.

He slid out the piece of parchment and his eyes widened as he saw himself on it. He didn't say anything for a few minutes. Harry looked at him nervously.

"That day you said you were afraid that you know me better than I feel like you should, it was after you drew, this, am I right?" was the first thing he said.

Harry nodded quickly, but didn't reply otherwise.

"I understand that. It looks like you know me better than I know myself. I didn't even know I had that freckle there," Draco laughed. "I didn't know you draw this well, Potter."

"Thanks," Harry breathed, and smiled.

"Well that's enough sappy for one day, don't you think?" Draco was back to his usual drawl. Harry was relieved. He didn't know how to act around the other, softer Draco. He was afraid that he might catch an invisible signal that said Draco wouldn't be completely opposed to the idea of being with Harry. Anything other than the familiar sarcastic, mocking Draco was dangerous.

"Agreed," Harry laughed. Then he punched his arm and yelled, "race you to the lake!" and sprinted out of the dungeons. Draco cursed and followed him.

When they got to the lake they were both out of breath. They fell to the snowy grass and watched as the giant squid started cracking the ice. It was still relatively early and the wind was icy, but could only be felt every now and then. Other than that it wasn't too unpleasant out. There were large clouds in the sky, ones that didn't have any specific shape or form, yet they were constantly changing. The sun alternated between showing itself and taking a break behind the clouds. They sat there for a long while, just looking at everything. The wind whistled through the trees and swished through their hair. Harry looked secretly at Draco. He didn't get a chance to fix his hair after he got up as he usually did, and after running all the way here and having it played with by the wind, his hair was three different kinds of messy. Somehow he still managed to look perfect. Harry preferred him like this: before he had had a chance to look in the mirror and create what he thought people wanted to see. Of course he still looked beautiful with his hair all formal, but it made him feel a bit alien to Harry, because the immaculate image was a lot more Lucius than it was Draco.

"How is it that we are in Sixth Year and you still haven't said anything about the crush you have on me?" Draco asked casually. When Harry realized what he said he could swear that his heart stopped. His mind did as well. His entire body was as frozen as the lake. He was still looking at Draco. Then Draco was looking at him as well. Then Draco was gone and he saw the castle in the distance as his frozen mind realized that his frozen limbs were carrying him away from Draco and that question. He couldn't think. He heard Draco call his name for a while but then give up. Harry ran all the way to the owlery. He ran up the stairs and went to Hedwig. She always comforted him.

He stayed there all day. He was sure Draco wouldn't look for him. Luckily he knew Harry well enough not to. Harry wasn't easy to talk to when he was upset. Later that afternoon he wrote a short letter apologizing for running away which was delivered to Draco at Christmas dinner. Within a few minutes she returned with a reply from him.

'Get over here you stupid git.' Harry did so. When he saw Draco in the Great Hall under the starry roof he almost turned and ran again, but his brain was less frozen in the heat of the castle and it told him not to. He walked over to the otherwise unpopulated Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco. Harry's heart was pounding and his face was red. He took a bite of the roast beef he'd piled onto his plate and turned to his friend who was waiting uncharacteristically patiently.

"I was afraid you'd laugh. Or be disgusted. Or like me as well. I don't know which is more terrifying," he said eventually, looking down.

"Makes sense. I am terrifying, aren't I, Potter," Draco smirked.

"Maybe to Hufflepuffs," Harry teased. He smiled. "Sorry," he said again.

"If you're apologizing for being a cowardly bastard, not only for running away from me but not telling me that in the first place, then good," he said.

"You're not disgusted," Harry said.

"It seems your powers of observations of slowly returning, Potter," Draco smirked again. "I'll save you the trouble of doing the next one and point out that I'm not laughing either," he took a large bite out of his leg of lamb.

"I did notice that as well," Harry said, ignoring the blush forcing its way to his face. Draco laughed at that and they continued eating.