Kit here - We just want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and holiday and thank you so much for sticking around for all our stories! I'm glad to see that so many of you enjoy our AU - especially it's rewritten form - and we hope you continue to enjoy it! Enjoy your turkey (or ham, if you're like me)!

Or if you're allergic to turkey. What the both of us are thankful for this Thanksgiving is the time we spend with one another, constantly writing, and being able to never skip a beat. We're also thankful for all of our readers, across all of our fandoms. Even if you don't celebrate with your family, still have a wonderful day, and eat plenty. ~Kas

Kit here again - Enjoy your time with your significant others, too, even if they make you CRY while trying to write an AUTHOR'S NOTE. Happy holidays again and enjoy today's chapter!


"Harry, you've seen me in the mornings versus when I come out of the loo. Harry, my natural eyelashes are not black." There was a pause where Harry stared at him oddly before looking back to the mirror.

"It looks fine on you, but I'm still not wearing any makeup."

"It wouldn't be much." Draco put his hands on Harry's shoulders and looked at Harry in the mirror, smirking. "Just a touch of eyeliner, to really make your eyes pop... Maybe a little blush."

"Trust me, I don't need help with the blush," Harry swatted at Draco's hands, huffing and pouting. Really, he was acting as if this was torture. "No. Because the second I agree, it'll become a regular thing. I know you."

Draco stared at Harry before huffing. He grabbed the eyeliner and held it dangerously close to Harry's eye. "Eyes closed." There was a long moment before Harry reluctantly let his eyes slip close, arms crossed over himself as he leaned back a bit.

"If I look stupid because of this, I'm going to do something very violent to your wardrobe. Maybe burn everything." Draco beamed, putting just a touch of eyeliner at the corners of Harry's eyes before he set the pencil down and grabbed the blush brush. Maybe a nude lipstick... Play off that pure innocence. "I can hear you scheming."

"Don't worry about it... Don't open your eyes until I tell you to." Although there was another huff, Harry stayed still and allowed Draco to work in peace, only making a muttered comment about how strange certain things felt. He would definitely have to get Harry used to wearing makeup. "Aaand... Open," Draco said with a smile.

Sighing, Harry opened his eyes and looked to the mirror. The look of surprise on his face was something Draco hoped to remember for a very long time. "Bloody hell..."

Draco beamed. "I told you you'd look good. What do you think?"

"I...don't know." Harry stared at the mirror before shaking his head. "This is weird."

"You look amazing," Draco said in a hushed tone, giving Harry a tight hug.

"Yeah, well... As long as you think so I guess it isn't too bad," Harry laughed, relaxing at the hug. "How long until the ball starts? I still need to get my suit on."

"Another hour. Which is just enough time!" Draco tugged him up and smiled brightly. Surprisingly, Harry had been very sneaky when it came to his own suit, keeping Draco away from it and saying that Pansy and Narcissa were helping him with it.

"More than enough time. I'm still not letting you see the suit until the ball starts, you know. Pansy said it's supposed to be a surprise." Draco pouted, crossing his arms.

"Fine. Oh, and just so you know, I invited Granger and Weasley. I have to go get dressed, I'll see you soon!"

"Wha- Draco!" Ah, balance restored.

::

"Draco, darling! There you are!" Pansy was quick to wrap Draco up in a hug. "Just got finished with Harry. I'm guessing you did his makeup? He looks divine in it, doesn't he?"

"That's what I told him. He looks amazing." Draco glanced back at her. "I did the right thing, inviting the other Gryffindors, right?"

"I think you did. Blaise and Granger are already in a debate about something or other, and Weasley is actually very good at socializing. Must come from having so many siblings."

"Good. Good. So, where's Harry? He was excited to show me the finished product."

"Most likely? He's probably hiding behind your mother. I'll go see if I can't flush him out in time for the first dance."

"Please do so." Draco smiled and looked over towards his mother. It seemed as if she was quietly talking to Harry, who was indeed tucked behind her and neat completely out of sight. It was another moment before Narcissus moved to the middle of the ballroom.

"Welcome, everyone, to our Christmas Ball. We hope you enjoy yourselves during the next few nights. For now, I ask you to find your partners. Our first dance is soon to begin." Draco walked towards Harry as quickly as possible, smiling at him the closer he got.

"Harry... Bloody hell." While Draco had his doubts about muggle suits, they looked amazing the way Harry pulled it off.

"Pansy seemed to think this one looked best. They all looked the same to me, really." Harry's smile was almost shy, the child shifting nervously. "Just one dance, right?"

"Unless you want more." Draco couldn't keep the smile off his face, looking over Harry and holding his hand out.

"You're terrible." Harry took Draco's hand after a moment, smile nervous. "Help me not look like an idiot?"

"You don't need any help." Guiding Harry into position, Draco made sure Harry was balanced properly before noticing he was looking at their feet. "Remember. Just look at me. Don't worry about anything." Draco tilted his head up with a smile.

"Easy for you to say," Harry grumbled, looking up at Draco and smiling after a moment. "You look great by the way."

"I know. That's why I always take so long." Draco laughed and led them into the dance.

"Yeah, but... You look great even when you don't. Just... Yeah." Harry cleared his throat, looking over Draco's shoulder. Draco rolled his his eyes at Harry.

"You're a mess, aren't you?" There was a sharp pain from his foot, Harry smirking.

"Whoops. Guess that's what happens when I'm not looking down."

"I'll get you back, after this dance."

"Smile, Draco. We're in public."

"For now," Draco said with a smirk.

::

"How do you manage to take as long getting out of your clothes as you do getting into them." Harry was whining and groaning and pitching a fit as he rolled around Draco's bed, already dressed in his pajamas - although he seemed to have forgotten he had makeup on. Draco laughed quietly, shaking his head as he got a hand towel damp with warm water. The blond had finally dressed into his own pajamas, and was now walking towards Harry with the towel in hand. He sat beside Harry's head, towel hovering over him.

"Eyes closed." It was still startling sometimes when Harry obeyed his requests so easily, eyes closed and expression lax in utter trust. This never would have happened with Potter. Not in their lives. Draco smiled fondly, though the boy didn't see it. He only wiped the makeup off before dabbing at Harry's nose playfully. "There. Put up such a big fuss, and then you forgot all about."

"I didn't forget," Harry complained, peeking an eye open as his nose wrinkled. "I just, you know, forgot to remember is all."

Draco tossed the towel aside, smiling as he laid down beside Harry, immediately winding around him. "Mhm. I'm sure." Ah, Harry was always so warm and cozy and perfect to use as an extra pillow.

"Did you have fun? At the ball?"

"Loads. More than I've had in years." Draco leaned his forehead against the top of Harry's back, relaxing against him. It was nice to notice that Harry was just as relaxed under him, sleep thick in his voice.

"Why's that? You seem like you'd have fun all the time at something like that."

"The last one was my birthday ball... This one was fun because you were here." That earned a quiet laugh, Harry's back shaking a bit with the vibrations.

"Should I start coming to all of them, then?"

"I'd love nothing more."

::

"Uncle Sev! You don't normally come to these! Special occasion?" Draco beamed up at Severus, Harry close at his side. Severus glanced at them both, glass in hand as he absently watched the other dancers.

"Just the typical reason, Draco. Your mother being a vicious woman who has no understand of pity, or sympathy."

"Are you at least enjoying yourself? Mother went all out, this year." There was most certainly a reason for the ball being more lavish than normal, but Draco wasn't sure of it just yet.

"As long as she leaves me to my corner," Severus' lips twitched, the man nodding. "Then, yet. I suppose I am enjoying myself. You two?"

"We're having a marvelous time of it all, aren't we, Harry?" Draco smiled at Harry, their arms hooked together.

"Y-Yes. It's actually fun, spending Christmas like this." Hm. Still shy and quiet around Severus, but he was getting better at least. As proven when he took a breath, not looking at the ground when he spoke again, "Better than the Dursleys, definitely."

"Well," Deco declared offhandedly, "Anything is better than them. Where are my manners, can we get you something, Uncle Sev?"

"I'm quite alright." Severus flicked his gaze between the two, but he didn't press for anymore information about Harry bringing up his family. "Although I believe your friends might need help. Last I saw, they were being kidnapped by Slytherins."

"Ah, yes, thank you. Have a nice evening, Uncle Sev," Draco said as he tugged Harry along. "Let's go save your Weasel, Harry." That earned a snort from Harry, the boy happily following along after him as he called his own goodbye to Severus.

"You know if Ron was taken by Pansy then there's nothing I can do, right? There's nothing either of us can do."

"I know, but we can at least pretend to make an effort."

"'Pretend'." It was a few moments of searching before Harry nudged his side. "Pansy and Ron are dancing over there. Ron looks miserable but I'm pretty sure manners were drilled into him by his mom. Would make sense."

Draco looked him over before nodding. "I can take care of this." Draco walked over with a charming smile. "Pansy. Harry was just telling me he wanted to practice leading."

"Really?" Pansy was marvelous at keeping her excitement hidden. "I suppose since you won't do it properly, I'll have to do it myself." Letting Ron go, Pansy turned to Harry with a sharp smile. "Come on, then. Never keep a lady waiting."

"Ri-Right." Sweet revenge. Draco glanced to Ron and nodded away from the dance floor, smirking slightly. Ron was quick to escape, mumbling something about never saying a bad word about Malfoys again. Draco doubted it, but he was willing to show some goodwill for the holidays. "Um, you never taught me how to lead?"

Draco gave him a nod. "You'll do fine." Before he could offer any more reassurance, Pansy was whisking Harry off onto the dance floor. Poor thing, he'd be trapped like that for a while. "Oh Blaise~" There was a faintly muttered swear a few feet away, and a snort that sounded as if it had come from Hermione. "I would so love to have a dance partner, Blaise."

"You're rather terrifying, when you do that," Blaise's eyes were darting around, as if looking for an escape. Silly boy. "Are we sure the hat was right in putting you in Gryffindor?"

"Not at all. We know it wasn't right." A tense silence fell before Blaise sighed, defeated as he held his arms out.

"Fine, fine. You or Pansy were going to force me anyways."

"I'm much more preferable," Draco said with a sigh, leading Blaise into a dance.

"True. At least Harry can keep up with her." Oh. Harry, huh. That was good, that was very good.

"He can, can't he?" Draco smiled in Harry's direction softy. A snort from Blaise drew his attention back to the boy, Blaise just shaking his head in fond amusement.

"I want to say I'm surprised, but I'm really not."

"What? What are you surprised by?" Draco tilted his head with a slight smile.

"It's what I'm not surprised by," Blaise teased, switching their positions to where he was in the lead. "Now come on, let's go save your baby snake over there before Pansy devours him."

"He is a snake, isn't he?"

"About as crafty and sneaky as you." Draco gave a content sigh.

::

Draco whined quietly, rolling over in bed. It was too early to be up. Why was he up? There had- Harry. "Draaaco, come on. It's Christmas! You can't stay asleep forever." Draco finally sat up, sighing quietly.

"I suppose it is." Draco gave Harry a sleepy smile. Harry was beaming and looking much happier than he had a few days ago. The nightmares must have finally settled down.

"Well then come on. Wake up!" Draco let Harry tug him along until they got to the living room where the Christmas tree was set up as every year. Harry was near vibrating in excitement, wishing a happy Christmas to everyone they had passed in the halls - house elves included. He was rather certain Dobby had fainted. Draco couldn't help but to laugh, shaking his head at Harry.

"You're a delight." It was adorable the way Harry was bouncing around the tree, looking eager as his hands twisted his shirt.

"I'm just excited because I know I'll actually get something this year," Harry beamed, looking around the tree some more. "Did your mom put my pile somewhere else? I don't see it."

"Oh, they're probably all mixed in, lemme see." Draco sat down beside the presents, setting them into four different piles. It didn't take too long, although he was occasionally distracted by Harry's excitement.

"Is mine not here? Cause those are all big piles, so they're probably for you, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, and maybe Severus, right? Maybe she put mine in my room."

"What? Oh, no, that one's yours," Draco said, gesturing to the pile next to his own and sitting down to patiently wait for his mother and father before opening anything. It was a moment before he noticed Harry was staring at the pile Draco had pointed out, looking confused.

"Did... Did you get some of yours mixed up with mine?" What? Why would- Oh.

Draco shook his head, giving Harry a soft smile. "No, Harry. Those are all yours. I checked them over, myself."

Slowly sitting down on the floor, Harry tilted his head back to look at Draco, "There's so many of them."

"Mother thought you deserved it," Draco said, tilting his own head.

"For...what? I didn't do anything," Harry frowned, poking at one of the boxes almost curiously. "I mean, I don't think I did." Draco nudged at him.

"I think that's the point." This would probably still take Harry some getting used to, but he at least didn't argue back against all the presents. The wide grin was also a very good sign.

"That..." Moving to collapse against Draco's side, Harry shook his head. "I love this place."

"I'm glad you do." Draco leaned back against him, smiling. It was nice that he was able to give Harry things like this. Things he had always taken for granted in life... At least in his time Potter had the Weasleys. This time, though, Harry had...him. And honestly, Draco loved that.