Chapter Text
“I still can’t believe you made me all of this last year.” Harry shook his head as he leafed through the pages of his advent book. Arthur, one of Draco’s many gifts from last year, clearly found herself a lot more important than the book and promptly sat down on it so Harry was forced to pay her attention. She was not the only cute, fluffy thing Harry knew with behaviour like that.
“Yes, yes I know. I’m amazing, fabulous, and the best you ever had.” Draco flashed him a quick smile before planting a firm kiss on his lips. “Though with this in memory my present this year better blow my socks off, or I’ll be very disappointed.”
“Don’t worry darling.” Harry forced out a chuckle as he immediately started worrying even though he knew Draco was joking, because to Harry, this was no joking matter at all. Twenty one of the most amazing, thoughtful gifts anyone could ever ask for were a lot to live up to, especially for someone who wasn’t much of a gift giver to begin with. Yeah, he’d given money to Fred and George which was a pretty big gift, but that had been easier than easy. His most thoughtful gift was probably that old book for Hermione he’d used his fame and name for to get last year.
“Oh, I won’t worry.” Draco grinned and pulled him in for a quick kiss. Intimacy still wasn’t the easiest thing for Draco, but he’d gotten a lot more comfortable with it since last year. When they broke apart, Draco’s eyes twinkled with happiness even as he was suppressing his big sappy smile. “I know I can trust you.”
“Always.” Harry quickly pecked his boyfriend back before slipping away from his grip. “I have to head out though. I need a bit of time if you really want the greatest Christmas present of all time.”
“Of course.” Draco waved him off with one hand while petting Arthur with the other. “See you later, babe.”
And with that, Harry was off and out the door. He didn’t have to go far. When the amount of panic attacks about moving away from Hogwarts in the eight year common room had gone past forty, they’d come up with a plan. Or rather Ron had, and with Harry’s help and money they’d realised it. A few months later, all eighth years were living on the same street in London, spread out over a few different flats and floors.
It meant his goal was just three floors and two doors away.
“Potter.” Pansy greeted him. She still refused to call him by his first name, and Harry was a bit too scared of her to argue about it. Draco found that hilariously funny every time he heard it. “What brings you here?”
“Panic, your sparkling personality, but mostly your in depth knowledge on my boyfriend.” Harry blurted as he stepped into the hallway. “I’ve been thinking about it since forever, and I do have some ideas, but none of them are anywhere near good enough for him. I can’t possibly live up to what he gave me last year. I’m not good enough.”
“Stop it.” For a moment Harry feared Pansy would smack him across the face, but she stopped herself at the last second and chose to just glare at him. “Sit down, on the couch, and don’t have a panic attack. I’ll be right back.”
With that she disappeared into her small kitchen as Harry awkwardly sat down on her couch. He’d been here plenty before but usually never without Draco. The place was cozy, though. Cleary designer, but it was cosy, fluffy, practical designer. It gave off a huggable Slytherin vibe, which was terribly confusing because Pansy was pretty much the opposite of huggable. Millicent, her flatmate, was quite huggable once she warmed up to you though, maybe she’d done the decorating.
“I disappear for two seconds and you’re already in a completely different place.” Pansy re-entered the living room with two steaming mugs of tea and an exasperated expression. “I swear to Merlin you have some kind of concentration disorder, Potter. I don’t know how Draco puts up with you. But anyway, tell me what you’ve got planned for his Christmas present, and I’ll tell you exactly how fucked you are.”
Pansy’s factual tone and clear lack of trust did nothing to ease his nerves. Not that he’d expected anything less. He had the strong impression that Pansy thought Draco was too good for him. Her hostility felt a bit like motherly overprotectiveness, but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant.
“I, eh, well I wanted to make his favourite meal for starters, on Christmas Eve. I tracked down the old manor house elves and got them to teach it to me. And I bought him a fancy piano, a custom suit, made him a photo album and, eh, I bought some other stuff.” Harry’s cheeks flushed until they matched Pansy’s red lipstick, which he supposed was fitting given the nature of his present. “But I just don’t feel like it’s anywhere near enough. Do you have any tips?”
“Other stuff?” Pansy raised an eyebrow, completely ignoring his question. “What did you get him that gets you all flustered? A dildo? Anal beads? Nipple clamps? A fish hook gag? A feather duster?”
“What even would you-” Harry began before cutting himself off. In all honesty he really didn’t want to know. “No, I’m not getting him any of those things. But I did get him something that’s, I don’t know, hard to explain I guess.”
“Well come on, Potter, out with it.” Pansy impatiently snapped her fingers. “What is this crazy complicated thing that you’re getting him?”
“I, eh,” Harry scratched the back of his neck, already knowing how his next words would be received. “I got him a makeover.”
“A what?” Pansy’s eyes became larger than teacups. “He’s going to hate you for that. No, seriously, you might as well break up with him now. And if he doesn’t throw you out for that I will do it for him. There’s nothing more rude and despicable-”
“No, no, no not that kind of makeover!” Harry hastily interrupted before Pansy could dish out an entire tirade.
“I meant with makeup. As in, we joined Dean and Seamus for pub night a while ago, only it wasn’t really a pub but more of a gay bar and I caught Draco staring at, well, more feminine people, I guess? I’m not sure how I should define them. But anyhow, I saw that and some other things and just got a sense that, even as just a bit of a joke, Draco would like to, I don’t know, play with…femininity. Try out lipstick or something. And maybe I’m getting this all wrong, and I’m worried to death that I’ll look like an idiot giving this to him, but I’ve talked to quite a lot of people about this topic, and they all gushed about how liberating it was to finally try it out, and if he does want to try it out then I don’t want to not give him that opportunity just because I’m too much of a chicken, and I’m scared I’ll make an arse of myself.”
The only reason Harry stopped his nervous word vomit was because he physically had no air left in his lungs. Otherwise, he could have gone on for hours. Especially because Pansy didn’t look like she’d respond to his idea any time soon, she was too busy gaping at him.
Just when Harry wanted to pick up where he left off though, she came back to life.
“If you would do that for him… It would mean the world.” She still sounded shocked, apparently baffled by how insightful Harry’s idea was. “I-, he’ll love that. If you explain it to him properly, no strings attached, no pressure. He used to watch me do my makeup back at Hogwarts, but he stopped when he started dating you. I think he’s scared of what he’ll find when he allows that side of him to exist. But if you’re open to it, if you can give him that freedom, make him believe that you accept him no matter what, get him to try it out… I doubt you’ll need more presents than that.”
“You-, you really think so?” Harry was quite shocked himself now. He’d figured Draco’s newfound interest had been awakened on that pub night a few months back, but this sounded like it ran much deeper. It made him want to give the present even more. “Because of course I accept him no matter what. I love every part of Draco. I just want him to be happy.”
And suddenly Harry doubted his guess that Millicent had decorated the flat, because out of the blue he had Pansy hanging around his neck, holding him tightly to her chest. “You really mean that don’t you?”
“I-, er, yes.” Harry gingerly put his arms around Pansy and loosely held her waist. “I think it’s pretty obvious I love him no matter what, right?”
“No, it’s not. Draco’s never going to think that. Hell, if I didn’t even think that then he definitely doesn’t either.” Pansy let go of him in favour of sitting next to him on the couch and gave him a serious look. “Everything in his life so far has been about the picture you present, the status you hold. You marry a name, money, status, not a person. You never show your true self in his world, always a mask. And people fall in love with that mask. He thinks you’re in love with his mask, with the self improving persona he’s trying to present, but you see right through that, don’t you?”
“I think I do?” Suddenly Harry doubted himself immensely. “I mean, I can see when he grows harsh, when he’s trying to suppress a smile or a laugh or a joke or tears or whatever. But I mean, that’s not that hard now is it?”
“Harry, it’s incredibly hard. I’ve known that guy for fifteen years, and even I can’t tell more than half of the time.” Harry didn’t know what shocked him more, the revelation or Pansy using his first name. “When it comes to hiding who you are and what you want Draco is the world champion. It’s uncanny. If Draco finds out that you can see through him and love him anyway…he’ll have the best Christmas of his life. Especially if you show it through a gift like that.”
“I don’t love him anyway. I love him because of that. I’m not making concessions by loving him.” Harry said, a little harsher than intended. “I mean yes, he’s annoying and far from perfect, but if he weren’t I’d get bored.”
“Relax, Potter. No need to get all up on your high horse.” Pansy chuckled, a surprised smile on her face. “But honestly, your present ideas are not a disaster, Potter. Far from it, even. Though if you still want tips I’d advise you to buy him something for in the bedroom anyway. If only for your own pleasure. Like that fish hook gag. Makes for excellent sloppy blow jobs.”
“Aaaaand I’m leaving.” Harry chucked back the remaining part of his tea and hastily got up. He and Draco might be a bit more intimate now than last year, but they had hardly reached the level of…whatever a fish hook gag was supposed to be. “Thanks for the tips, Pansy. I’ll see you ‘round again when you stop bringing up weird sex toys.”
“That would be never.” Pansy said with a smirk as she got up to show him out. “Have fun with your boring vanilla sex life then, and good luck with your presents!”
“And? Had a good shopping trip?” Draco asked from the kitchen when Harry got back to their flat several hours later. He’d went to talk to Audrey after his moment with Pansy, as Percy’s wife was the only feminine person he knew apart from Pansy, and he didn’t fancy getting makeup tips from her.
“Shopping tri-, eh, yeah, it was fine. Bit crowded and too cold, you know the drill.” Harry kicked off his shoes in the hallway and hugged his boyfriend from behind once he’d reached the kitchen. “How’s your day been?”
“It was good until you put your half frozen fingers on my hips.” Draco grumbled as he pried Harry’s fingers loose. Instead of throwing them off entirely though, the man simply turned around and wrapped Harry’s fingers with his own, blowing hot air on them. “Honestly, I give you a perfectly fine pair of gloves and you never, ever put them on. What’s the point of having something you never use?”
“Well, I can hear you complain about my bad habits and forgetfulness.” Harry grinned as Draco rolled his eyes. “And I get you to hold my hands and warm me up. As far as I can see that’s plenty of points for the not wearing gloves team.”
“You’re a disaster.” Draco shook his head, trying very hard to look annoyed with him and failing miserably as usual. Though with Pansy’s words still in the back of his mind, Harry thought maybe Draco’s attempt only looked faked to him. It hurt his heart quite a bit thinking that Draco was still trying to wear a mask around him. But if all went according to plan, there would be no need for that anymore after Christmas Eve.
Harry could hardly wait.
Which reminded him of something else he could hardly wait for.
“Oh, hold on I forgot something.” He wrestled his hands free from Draco’s grip and half sprinted back to the hallway. He’d almost forgotten the shrunken bag in his jacket pocket, filled with stuff he found on his way to Percy and Audrey. “I bought this adorable tiny Christmas tree, and fake snow and rainbow coloured baubles.” He explained as he re-entered the kitchen and unpacked his bag. “Plus some other stuff I found at a sale at a Christmas market.”
“Ah, because our living room doesn’t yet look like Santa uses it as a rubbish tip.” Draco rolled his eyes again, looking quite determined to be sarcastic about it all until he caught sight of the most adorable Christmas ornament he and Harry had ever seen. It was a sculpted glass ball, half open to reveal a pair of penguins looking lovingly down at their small chick. Both birds were wearing an adorable little blue bow tie and the side of the ornament read Happy Christmas To Families Of All Shapes And Sizes. A tiny pure smile took over Darco’s face. “I love that.”
Harry grinned, and kissed his lover’s cheek. “And I love you.”
“Oh, Merlin.” Draco shook his head with a sigh. “When the hell did we get so sappy?”
“That’s something you should ask yourself, mister I gave twenty one amazing presents and wrote twenty one heart felt anonymous letters to someone who treated me like shit just because I wanted him to be able to get out of bed in the morning.” Harry kissed Draco when the man started glaring at him. “Admit it, babe. You might want to be the aloof Slytherin ice prince but you’re the most sappy, cute person I’ve ever met.”
“I’m not cute.” Draco pouted, though pout may not be the right word for it. The man looked like he honest to God felt bad about being nice to Harry. “And I’m not sappy, I’m just… I don’t know, you’re nice so I’m nice back occasionally. Just let me be.”
“Hey. Hey, of course I’m letting you be.” Harry gently reached out for Draco and stopped him when he tried to move away. “I’m just saying that we’re both sappy, even though to the outside world we look like the complete opposite, and that I love that about us. I love you. Please don’t make yourself feel bad for doing things that I love.”
Draco didn’t respond to that. He just stepped closer to Harry, refusing to meet his eye, and buried his head in the crook of his neck. “I just don’t know how to do this okay? I wasn’t raised like this and I have no idea when the things I do are too little or too much. I know I say mean things to you, and I don’t ever mean them like that, but I’m not always sure how I come across so I compensate, but then I overcompensate and I get… I don’t know, a bit much.”
Harry weaved his fingers through Draco’s hair and massaged his scalp for a bit before he replied. “I know that, Draco. And I love ‘a bit much’. I much rather have that than just not enough, that would be boring. You’re never boring.” Harry put a finger under Draco’s chin and made him look up so he could kiss him. “I love you.”
“Thanks.” Draco averted his eyes again but he also wrapped his arms around Harry and held him close. “Sorry for being so sentimental and messy. I’m having a bit of a bad mental health day.”
“Well that sucks.” Harry commented, feeling like his words were woefully inadequate. He tightened his hold on Draco and kissed the side of his neck because now that Darco was standing up straight he could no longer reach the higher parts of him. “Is there a reason why?”
“No.”
“Something I can do to help?”
“Make the rest of dinner. I started on the quiche but….” Draco trailed off, which didn’t matter much because Harry already knew what he meant. Draco’s physical energy was almost directly linked to his mental state, meaning that all his boyfriend wanted to do right now was curl up on the couch and watch some low key TV.
“I’ll finish it if you set up something to watch.” Harry pulled back slightly to peck him on the lips. “Thank you for telling me.”
Draco shrugged, acting as if being open about his mental health issues wasn’t incredibly difficult for him. “Thank you for listening.”
Harry squeezed Darco’s hands before fully letting him go. “Of course, Darco. It’s what I’m here for.”
“I was lying before.” Draco said out of the blue, halfway through the fourth Great British Bake Off episode. “There is a reason for… this. How I feel.” Draco took a deep breath, and then added, “My mother officially filed for a divorce from my father today. And I know their love has been dead for ages, but it’s still no fun to know.”
“Oh.” Harry couldn’t really think of a more fitting response so he just sat closer to Draco and pulled the man to his chest. “That’s rough. I’m sorry.”
Draco shrugged. “I’ll survive.”
“Of course you will.” Harry planted a firm kiss on Draco’s temple, holding him even tighter. “But we’re supposed to get past survival mode remember? Really try to live. So if there’s anything I can do for you just say the word.”
“Maybe we can try to find the last two empty spots on the tree and hang up your awful Christmas decorations.” Draco suggested with a small smile on his lips. There was still clear sadness in his eyes, but if he was doing suggestions already then Harry knew he was going to be alright soon. “Put some music on, will you?”
“Of course.” Harry pecked Draco’s cheek before jumping off the couch towards their vintage record player. He’d found the thing in Sirius’ old room and had spend several weeks fixing it up with Mr. Weasley. It had been some of the best weeks of his year. Soon enough jazzy Christmas tunes were coming from the stereo, and Draco had returned with Harry’s purchases and, as a surprise, two mugs of hot chocolate.
“Chocolate has never made anything worse.” Draco explained as he put the mugs down on the table. Then, quite unexpectedly, Draco held out his hands. “Dance with me?”
“We both know I’m a terrible dancer.” Harry chuckled, but he stopped when he saw in Draco’s eyes how genuine the question was. “But of course.”
What they ended up doing wasn’t so much dancing, as it was standing close together swaying slightly to the music. Harry figured Draco needed to be close to him for a bit, to remind himself that love was still a thing even now that his parents hated each other. It made him go all warm and fuzzy inside, thinking that Draco would come to him when he needed that reassurance. Harry had always thought that only he had to be reminded that he was loved, given his and Draco’s background, but that turned out to be wrong.
Draco often needed more reassurance than he did, and after his talk with Pansy he was starting to understand why. Loving people’s mask instead of their true self had to be a terribly insecure way to live. The slightest change to your exterior could crack the picture and leave you with a broken heart. If Draco had been raised like that, completely absent of unconditional love without even realising it, then Harry didn’t blame him for being insecure or sappy.
But he also didn’t want Draco to live like that. He wanted the man to be free, relaxed, secure in knowing that Harry loved him today and would still love him tomorrow even if he sometimes acted like a grumpy sod.
Harry smiled into Draco’s neck when he realised he would get to make Draco believe all of that in just a few days. After all, Christmas Eve was just around the corner.
When the Christmas record ended and the living room was bathed in silence, the last ornaments had found their way into the tree and Harry was almost asleep on Draco’s shoulder. He would have truly slept, if it hadn’t been for Draco pulling him the slightest bit closer as he softly began to sing.
“He was just an ordinary baby, that’s the way he planned it maybe. Anything but common would have kept him apart. For the children that he came to rescue, limited to some elite few, when he was the only child who asked to be born.” Harry smiled as he recognised the song from a Christmas choir they’d run into last week. When it came to music, Draco really had an exquisite memory. “And he came to us with eyes wide open, knowing how we’re hurt and broken, choosing to partake of all our joy and pain. He was just an ordinary baby, that’s the way he planned it, maybe, so that we could come to him and not be afraid.”
Harry did end up falling asleep as Draco continued to softly sing to him. There was no better place for happiness than right there, curled up in Draco’s arms, his ear pressed against his vibrating chest as he listened to that beautiful singing voice.
When Harry awoke the next morning, he was no longer on the couch. Draco must have carried him to bed after he fell asleep, and that thought filled him with warmth. What did not fill him with warmth, was the fact that Draco’s side of the bed was empty and ice cold. Harry never tried to press Draco on the matter, but he hated waking up alone. He could never shake the fear that Draco might have come to his senses and left him, no matter how irrational he knew that thought to be.
Lucky for him he was soon distracted from his fear by Arthur nestling herself on his chest, loudly purring as she did so. The cat had grown from a tiny kitten into a less than tiny cat. She would never rival crookshanks, but she came closer than Harry would have ever thought. In her behaviour she’d never stopped being a kitten though, something Draco always said she got from Harry. You’re both equally childish, he always sighed, trying to look annoyed though the fondness in his eyes and voice always gave him away.
“Hey, girl, have you come to keep me company?” Arthur purred even harder when he began to talk, and nearly seemed to explode with joy when he scratched behind her ears. She was so happy with life it was infectious, and despite Draco’s absence Harry couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you did you know, because our owner has upped and left without a word, so it’s just you and me now.”
“I don’t own you, Harry.” Harry startled and looked up to find Darco leaning against the bedroom door with two mugs of tea in his hands and a cheeky smile on his face. He was fully dressed and judging by the pinkness of his cheeks he’d just come from outside. “And you would have murdered me if I’d woken you up at half past five.”
“Probably, yes.” Harry chuckled, sitting up so he could take a mug from Draco. Arthur shot him an offended glare when her petting suddenly stopped. Spoiled brat. “But why the hell did you get up at half past five?”
“Teddy woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, and mother insisted he needed hot chocolate. Problem is, she knows next to nothing about anything kitchen related and flat out refused to wake her sister, so I had to go out and help.” Draco untied his shoelaces and sat on top of the bed covers. His mother had moved in with Andromeda just after summer, to help out with Teddy and get away from the Bullstrode’s where she’d been living before.
Not that she’d disliked Milicent’s family, but they were mostly muggle and with plenty of war trauma to deal with. With a messy divorce and an unexpectedly gay son on her hands, it had all become a bit too much. Living with magical folks again meant that at least one aspect of her life was somewhat known to her. “And then of course when Teddy saw me he demanded to be held and didn’t let go until Andromeda came to relieve me ten minutes ago.”
“Well, at least my godson is plenty smart in that area.” Harry grinned as he moved himself closer to Draco and wrapped an arm around his waist. The chill of his clothes confirmed his trip outside, and Harry sat even closer to warm him up again. “I wouldn’t let go of you either if I didn’t have to.”
“You’re terrible,” Draco sighed, even as he put his hand in Harry’s hair and slowly began to mess up his hair even more.
“But you love me anyway,” Harry sighed happily, not needing Draco’s muttered yeah, but Merlin knows why to know it was true. Somehow, it was next to impossible to be insecure about Draco’s feelings for him when he held the man safely in his arms. Draco sadly didn’t stay in his arms for long though, as he moved away and began to remove his shoes and the oversized jumper he’d pulled over his pyjamas. Harry found it positively adorable that Draco slept in proper pyjamas, instead of an old shirt and joggers like he did.
“Move over, Harry.” Draco gestured at him to get out of the way so he could climb back under the covers. Harry smiled. At the beginning of their relationship Draco hadn’t been so keen on sleeping in, but now he simply refused to get out of bed before ten unless said bed was on fire. They really had grown up and closer together over the past year. “I wish I’d have taught my mother about stove tops sooner, then I wouldn’t have had to get out of bed so damned early.”
Harry chuckled. “Who knew I’d live to see the day when Draco Malfoy explains stove tops to people. Mrs. Weasley would be proud.”
“I got something for you.” Draco blurted, looking quite shy all of the sudden. It reminded Harry of the guilt ridden, self-hating boy the war had turned Draco into. Things were better now, a lot better, but Harry knew like no other that Draco was still struggling. “Or actually, I got you something last year, but I never got around to giving it to you.” Draco rummaged around in his nightstand until he found a small parcel neatly wrapped in Christmas paper. “It’s the one you missed, that day when you didn’t open your advent book.”
“The day you came back with a limp.” Realisation dawned on Harry. “You never told me how that happened. Not that you have to! And please don’t give me that present, I acted like such an arse to you that day. I don’t deserve it.”
“You didn’t act like an arse.” Draco’s voice was way smaller than it ever should be. On instinct, Harry grabbed Draco’s hand and pulled him close, hoping that his presence might be able to make Draco feel less shit. “Okay, well, maybe a little, but you also wrote me a note that… I don’t know. I’m not sure what it prevented, I just know I was in a terrible place that night. I spend the entire night studying, adding the final touches to that potions project I helped you finish, and I just-, I was so stressed that night, and I’m not sure why, but I was, and it made it next to impossible to focus. When I was walking down the stairs someone shot a slightly overpowered tripping jinx at me. I bruised my ankle and got two hairline fractures when I fell. It was nothing too bad, but I already wasn’t having a good day-”
“And then I went ahead and told you I didn’t care about you.” Harry was no stranger to how one’s mood could sink from bad to so much worse when someone kicked you while you were already low. Without even realising that he was doing it, Harry pulled Draco entirely into his lap and kissed his temple. “I’m so sorry.”
“Then you went ahead and told me you cared about me.” Draco smiled one of his brilliant smiles at him before hugging him back and pecking him on the lips. “You apologised. You told me exactly what I had to hear when I needed it the most. You’re quite amazingly good at that.”
“But Draco….” Harry couldn’t feel like it was all wrong. Draco didn’t understand. “You’re confusing normal human decency with being amazing. Anyone with half a brain would have done that. Should have done that, at the very least. But you shouldn’t think I’m amazing just because you have low standards after so many people treated you like crap. You should think that because I’ve done actual amazing things, and so far I haven’t done that at all because I don’t think I’m nearly as amazing or nice or considerate as you are.”
“Lies.” Draco uttered after staring at Harry in shock for a few seconds. Then, suddenly, he moved away and pulled at Harry’s knees so hard he was suddenly lying on his back. Without a pause Draco lay down on top of him and kissed him hard on the lips. “Those are lies, Harry James Potter. That’s my area, Slytherin territory. I won’t allow them. And I’ll let you know that I have very high standards, thank you very much.”
Draco pouted at that, actually looking offended by the mere suggestion. It was a cute expression in any circumstance and Harry couldn’t help but smile even though he still felt rotten.
“They’re not lies.” Harry reached up and brushed a lock of hair out of Draco’s face. “I don’t deserve even half of you, but I love you way too much to let you go.”
“Well, that’s the be more selfish part of your new year’s resolutions taken care of then.” Draco leaned his elbows on Harry’s chest with a soft smile on his face. “But only because you believe yourself to be selfish right now, not because I actually agree with you. I will never do anything of the sort. You get me breakfast, make me laugh, create the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. You’re endlessly patient even though I’m a disaster with everyall muggle appliances I’ve ever met and I still firmly believe your toaster has it out for me.”
“It does not,.” Harry laughed despite his best efforts to stay serious. “You just don’t know how to work with it.”
“There’s no working with that thing, Harry.” Draco snapped, though there was a clear hint of joy in his eyes. “It’s evil, and that’s that. You should have taken old Voldy pants out by firing toast at him. Quite sure that would have scared him to death all horcruxes included. But nooooo, you had to ride a dragon and die in a forest you dramatic prat.”
This. This is why Harry loved Draco. He made things easy somehow. He knew ways to joke about even the heaviest parts of the war, of Harry’s life, without being disrespectful but always with plenty of sharp, witty humour. Harry couldn’t begin imagine the horror of processing the war without Draco at his side. It simply wouldn’t work.
“If we’re talking about dramatic prat-y ness, you still steal the crown, darling. Don’t worry.” He reached up and firmly smacked Draco on the lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do anything mundane.”
“As is the way it should be.” Draco grinned and pressed Harry a little further into the mattress. “I’m above mundane things, as you well know.”
“Oh so I’m mundane now?” He arched a brow, or at least tried to. So far he’d never managed to just raise one eyebrow, which meant he looked surprised every time he tried to arch just one brow. Draco found it endlessly amusing, just as he did now.
Vaguely, somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered that he was trying to have a serious conversation with Draco, but he couldn’t be arsed to care about it now that Draco was covering his face with kisses while whispering about all the not mundane things about him.
Once again the Advent present was forgotten, but the circumstances were a million times better this time around. And that in itself was a present enough.
“You’re not escaping this, Potter.” Harry was stopped just short of the front door by Draco pressing a parcel into his hands. It was the present he’d tried to give him that morning, and last year. “I put too much energy in this thing for it to end up gathering dust somewhere. Take it with you, unwrap it when you get to the Burrow.”
“Yes, sir,” Harry chuckled and pecked Draco on the cheek. “You sure you don’t want to come with me?”
“Quite. I’m not getting up at five in the morning ever again to teach my mother the way around in the kitchen.”
“I could come with you, you know. I mean I know Andy’s got a magical kitchen not a muggle one, but you’re still no star chef.”
“Oh, shut up and go play with your friends, Harry.” Draco rolled his eyes and began to push him out of the door. “My mother and I could use a little bonding time, and as long as there aren’t any toasters involved we’ll be fine.”
“Alright, alright. Give your mother my best wishes.” Harry gave Draco a goodbye hug before coming to a halt once more. “That is, unless she doesn’t behave.”
“Harry, my father was in prison, she lost all her possessions, her money, she was traumatised and lost. I chose the worst fucking time to come out to her, she had ever right to be baffled for a moment.”
“Baffled for more than seven months, Draco.” Harry corrected. He still didn’t agree with how easily Draco had forgiven his mother for the way she’d treated him, but he figured he didn’t know the details of their relationship and past well enough to be a good judge. Plus, with everything else happening Draco deserved to have his mum to fall back on. Harry would be the last person to stand in the way of that.
“She came around, which is more than I could have asked for and more than plenty enough to make up for that.” Draco kissed him one last time before resolutely pushing him out the door. “Now go, Harry. Have tea with the ginger disasters. I’ll see you somewhere tonight.”
“Yes, sir.” Harry grinned as he saluted his boyfriend and left.
“A very good afternoon to you, my good sirs and ladies. It’s splendid weather today, don’t you think? Excellent for a nice brisk walk. Too bad I don’t have any legs, though, but a snowman can dream.”
Harry gaped in shock as the snowman in front of him greeted him with a jovial grin and a pat on the shoulder. He sounded like a gentleman from at least a century ago. Luna made a small noise of glee next to him and offered the ice creature her hand. “Nice to meet you, mister Snowman.”
“Very nice indeed, miss. Very nice indeed. And may I just say how much I appreciate the mistletoe branches in your hair, miss? They really do make the Christmas cheer on your face pop, as they say.”
“Well thank you, good sir.” Luna smiled widely at the compliments. “You’re really very kind.”
“So are you miss, so are you.” The snowman finally stopped shaking Luna’s hand with the wooden stick that served as his arm, but the grin never left his face.
Harry watched the exchange in pure bafflement. He’d expected a fun gimmick of some sorts after reading the letter that came with his very last Advent gift. There had been plenty of references to the magical hat from the frosty the snowman song in Draco’s writing, and Harry had half expected the freshly built snowman to dance and sing. What he had not expected was to be faced with a magical entity who talked and acted like a real person.
“Damn, Harry.” Fred let out a low whistle. “Are you sure Draco made this?”
“It’s what he said in the letter.” Harry looked down at his hands to check the words on the paper, but he hadn’t been mistaken. “He’s made nearly all my presents. Well, except for the clothes and Sandman’s dust. But he made everything with charmwork as far as I know.”
“Well then I suggest you hold onto that man for dear life, Harry.” Fred said quite seriously. “Because the second you loosen your grip on him, I’ll steal him from you.”
“Oi!” Lee Jordan exclaimed, a mock offended hand over his heart. Apparently he and Fred had been dating for nearly three years now, Harry had just never noticed. “I’m right here, you know.”
“I know, darling.” Fred shot a lopsided grin at his boyfriend. “But until you manage to produce a charmed hat that turns snowmen into conscious magical entities then that scarcely matters.”
“There’s no need to worry, Lee.” Harry said as he watched the snowman do a little waltz with Luna. They were both laughing and having a great time. Harry could very well imagine that a thing like that would be an excellent cure for a bad day in winter, as Draco had predicted. “I won’t let go of Draco until I’m dead for good, and so far no one has even managed to come close to making that happen.”