Tom stared down at the pile of presents, the back up at Harry. His husband was grinning like a fool, eyes shining brightly, and Tom wondered if he missed something.

"Darling, what's this?"

Harry's smile dimmed and his shoulders slumped ever so slightly.

"It's December 31st," he said, like it held the answer to the universe.

Tom was ashamed to admit that his first instinct was New Year's Eve- Alexander's party and not the fact that it was his birthday.

Birthdays were just a reminder that he was alone and miserable. Last year, he had gone into his birthday alone and wound up getting drunk in a bar with strangers and not remembering too much else of the night. Not until the next morning when he woke up in Harry's bed.

Their bed, his mind corrected.

"It is."

"It's your birthday."

Harry was pouting now and Tom would have happily spent the day in bed kissing that look off his face. But they had the party tonight and they couldn't spent the entire day in bed. Maybe just the morning. Maybe after he opened the pile of presents.

"You know, Christmas was last week," he joked, but Harry glared. "Are these just from you?"

"It's your birthday," Harry repeated rather stubbornly, eyes narrowed and annoyance flashing through his tone.

If it wasn't so much fun to rile his husband up, he wouldn't bother. If he thought that Harry was going to leave him or get tired of him, he wouldn't have bothered. But they were bound together pretty tightly and he would be happy enough to make it up to him later, after the party. Unless, of course, they made use of Tom's old bedroom at Alexander's manor.

The first box he opened was a crown? He frowned, turning it over in his hands. It had a large blue gem and was shaped like an eagle.

From the next box, he removed a large cup… a chalice really. Likely medieval in origin. He turned it over and rolled his eyes.

"Did you really get me my other's self's future horcruxes?"

Harry grinned sharply, clearly pleased with himself for such a clever gift.

"Darling," he muttered, threading his fingers through Harry's hair and pulling him closer. "You are a marvel."

He caught Harry's lips with his own. The other gifts could wait until later.


Since joining the Wizengamot, Tom had been invited to more parties than he had in his time at Hogwarts. Of course, back at Hogwarts, he was a lowly student, the charity case friend for his Pureblood followers. Now, he was a lord of one of the oldest families in Britain. Few would dare to snub him with a conveniently forgotten party invitation ever again.

"Tom," Alexander greeted warmly upon Tom and Harry stepping out of the floo. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

The ballroom was crowded, filled with beautifully dressed people. For an orphan who always had nothing, Tom was used to making do with whatever he had. But one of his presents that morning has been new robes, deep dark green that shifted on black, hand-stitched with silver embroidery. Hand-stitched garments were considered more expensive in the magical world, considering the number of tradespeople who knew how to hand-sew were few and far between. Why learn when you could simply mutter a spell and have the robes done instead?

Tom actually knew how to sew, had learned with the other children in the orphanage. It was useful to know and he'd been able to fix his clothes and hem his garments properly even when the growth charms gave out. And later, when he learned runic magic, had began stitching that into his robes. Little things, like making them waterproof and fireproof and spell-resistant. It helped perpetuate the idea that he was constantly doing wandless magic as easily as breathing.

"Lord Slytherin, happy birthday," one of the attendees greeted him.

Tom bowed his head and muttered his thanks before he turned on Harry. "How did they know it was my birthday?"

It wasn't like he publicly broadcasted it. He wasn't a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake.

Harry shrugged, but Tom didn't believe his innocent act for a minute. Harry liked shoving his nose in places and causing trouble and other very Gryffindorish traits. Telling everyone it was his birthday was exactly something Harry would do.

"Could it have to do with the banner over there?"

Tom turned. A large banner proclaiming 'Happy Birthday, Lord Slytherin' floated over a table of boxes. No, not boxes, presents.

"Tell me you didn't."

Harry shrugged.

"I didn't. Nagini did."

Tom groaned. "I should have known."

It was just like Nagini to do something like this. Just like her to ignore Tom saying he didn't want to have a public celebration when she brought it up last month. He should have realized when Alexander conveniently announced his New Year's Eve ball just a week later. Who else would she have roped into helping her with this little occasion?

"It could have been worse," Harry said as he handed Tom a glass of champagne.

"How, exactly?"

"Slughorn could have thrown the party?"

Tom shot Harry a glare. He actually enjoyed Slughorn's parties. Back then, he had just been the brilliant student that Slughorn liked to show off.

"It's not so bad, is it? You like when they all bow and scrape to you. And they had to bring your gifts."

Tom felt the smirk forming on his face, almost without permission. "True. I do like that."

"And they have to do that all night." Harry smile was downright wicked.

"God, I adore you."

Harry leaned in and kissed him quickly, far too quickly for a proper kiss. If they weren't in company that would severely frown upon them being too affectionate —wixen were notoriously stuff about any form of affection and Purebloods were worse— he would have pulled on Harry's robes and pulled him closer.

"Go mingle. I know you love it."

"I really do."


An hour turned into three, which quickly turned to 11:55 and Tom hadn't seen Harry since dinner and the dance they shared earlier in the evening where Harry promised him a proper repeat of last New Year's Eve.

"He's over there, talking to Lord Longbottom," Nagini said before Tom could even ask her.

Without another word, Tom made his way across the ballroom, not bothering to stop and be distracted by any of the people wanting to speak to him. If they hadn't talked to him by now tonight, they didn't need to waste his precious last few minutes of 1952 on whatever nonsense they had to say.

"Excuse me, Lord Longbottom," he said as he slid his arm around Harry's waist, "but I've very much like to steal my husband away from you."

Longbottom was the biggest surprise supporter of Harry, and by extension, Tom. Despite being a Progressive, he almost always voted with Harry, which lead several of the other Progressives to turn their vote as well.

"Of course. Again, happy birthday and a happy new year."

"You as well."

And then, without waiting another moment, he pulled Harry away from the crowd and towards the corner of the room.

"Good birthday?"

"Easily second best."

"Second?"

Tom smirked as he shifted back slightly. "Of course, darling. Last year, I got you."

It was the right thing to say. He knew it immediately from the way Harry's eyes went wide and his mouth parted ever so slight and his cheeks flushed pink. He blinked and recovered a second later, but Tom lived for moments when he could leave Harry flustered, not matter how briefly.

"Excellent point."

He flung his arms around Tom's shoulder and pulled him close. Tom felt fangs nick his lip before a tongue invaded his mouth. Harry tasted of champagne and cake and copper and Tom wanted to devour him. They only needed to stay another fifteen minutes to a half hour tops before they could floo home and Harry could make good on his promise from earlier.

"Happy birthday, love."

Five…

When he graduated from Hogwarts, he had always pictured himself doing something grand. It hadn't gone exactly the way he planned, but Tom liked to think he was better off for it. If things hadn't changed last year, who was to say where he'd have been right now.

Four…

Well, Harry knew where'd he have been. Or at least, Harry had some vague understanding from horcrux hunting and other people's memories.

Three…

He liked where he was now. For the first time in his life, it felt like every one of his plans had somehow gone right.

Two…

Despite all the twists and turns, it had led him to this moment.

One…

As if reading his mind, Harry grinned.

"Happy New Year!" the people at the party shouted. It was strange to see them lose their Pureblood demeanor for one moment of humanness.

"Harry New Year, darling," Tom muttered and leaned back down to kiss Harry once more.