Harry pushed the doors of Grimmauld Place with his elbow while trying to balance all the bags of food and a few last minute gifts in his hands. He brushed the snow off his boots and entered the house, letting the smile which had been reappearing on his face while wandering around the town turn into an elated grin. He breathed his lungs full with the smell of cinnamon from the mornings cooking, his fingers slowly regaining some warmth after being in cold.

He let out a happy sigh, and as he was about to call Draco the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Harry closed his mouth and placed his bags and parcels on a cupboard. He caught the hat that he had placed carelessly before it could slip off the edge and threw it in an empty drawer, sliding it closed with a satisfying clink. Dumping his boots by the coat hanger he grabbed two bags of food and walked into the kitchen.

While storing away the food he shook off his new cloak that had been, according to Draco, 'a must have if I'm ever going out in public with you again.' Shopping with the royal Slytherin had been an experience Harry would remember for a long time. After Draco had proclaimed that Harry must acquire a suitable amount of clothing immediately, the blond had practically dragged Harry to the fanciest wizard cloth stores Harry never had known even existed. The next day Harry had returned the favour and introduced Draco to his favourite muggle shopping centres. At first the blond had been less than impressed by the 'low-level' muggle shops, but soon he had to admit that not everything was terrible; he had even ended up getting them matching t-shirts.

The cashier hadn't had any clue who was in front of her; she kept cooing about how KAWAII they both were and that they should come back wearing those shirts. Draco almost committed a homicide.

Harry had to drag him away while he kept bragging about how Malfoys were never cute or adorable. The girl couldn't be bothered less; she kept smiling sweetly wishing them a happy Christmas. Draco had still been fretting when they exited the shop, so Harry had rolled his eyes and kissed him, making the blond forget all about the girl. That was until they had been surprised by an over excited squeal from the other side of the glass. Draco had shot her his best death glare that would leave a man twice his size docile, but the girl had only grinned wider, and with her head crooked to one side, had waved her hand until they had left. Draco had almost gone back into the shop to clarify her place in the universe, but Harry had managed to distract him with the talks of home-made food.

Harry hummed quietly while placing the groceries; halfway done he got distracted by the fantasy book he had bought earlier. It kept him oblivious to the groan that came from the hallway a few minutes later.

"— Harry? I'm talking to you."

Harry gave a non-coherent answer not lifting his head. His eyes didn't leave the page even when Draco entered the kitchen

"You—" Draco let Harry's wide, green eyes met his, "left your boots in the middle of the hallway again…"

"Uhm, sorry, Draco," Harry murmured, looking as carefree as one possibly could. He shut the book and leaned back in his chair, turning his face to the blond.

"Don't pretend, Potter. You're just trying to make me lose my patience." Draco glanced around and noticed the wet cloak and the water dripping from it to the floor. "Can't you use any spells?"

With a swish of a wand the coat was dry and with another it was put in the proper place, and Harry couldn't help but wonder why Draco wanted everything so darn neat. Before the black-haired man could say anything Draco started rummaging through the groceries presumably…

Shit. Harry silently facepalmed himself.

"Where is my tea?" asked Draco, looking back at Harry expectantly. The special Christmas Killer tea was sold in one place in London, only for a couple of days before Christmas, and Draco had specially asked Harry to get it for him as it was the last day. Harry turned his face away guiltily, pushing the book in front of him forward.

"In the shop...?" he said quietly, bracing for a tantrum.

"Potter, I asked you one thing. One! Honestly—"

"I got us some green tea and black too—"

"No, I wanted that precise brand. Was it too hard for your quaggy Gryffindor brain to remember?"

"Oh, Draco, why couldn't you go get it then? I don't orientate well in your upper-class notorious herb shops. I couldn't find it."

"I asked you if you need directions! You know what you said?" he asked not giving Harry enough time to respond. "You said 'I never need directions.'"

"Yes—" Harry rolled his eyes.

"You're ridiculous." Draco shook his head and slouched down in a chair unhappily, toying with an apple.

"But I got you something else."

"I don't care," Draco spat angrily, though his eyes left the surface of the table for a second, his curiosity showing clearly.

"Uhh, but you will like it." At least I hope so. "Wait a sec."

Harry quickly walked back to the hallway, fished a parcel out of one of the shopping bags and trotted back into the kitchen. Draco was sitting expectantly with a look on his face that said: this better be good or you're sleeping on the couch tonight.

He tore the brown wrapping paper unceremoniously, revealing the back of a photo frame. Crooking his eyebrows at Harry questioningly, Draco slowly turned it over. Harry scratched the back of his head worriedly and bit his lip wondering if Draco would like the gift as the blond stood there, staring at the picture in his hands.

"Colin Creevey's brother, Dennis, made it for me. He has taken up photography after his brother—" Harry babbled as the silence stretched on for minutes. "I thought it would look nice in the hallway, next to the other photographs. I just, thought... but if you don't like it we can just…"

"Stop."

"I— Okay."

The picture in Draco's hands was from a windy day they had went out flying. It showed Draco laughing at Harry. The latter was lying on the ground, trying not to smile (unsuccessfully). The Slytherin had swept the other off his feet and had caught the snitch in two fingers. That was still one of Draco's brightest moments. He hadn't even noticed other people around.

"The frame is horrendous…"

Harry visibly deflated.

"But I love it." Draco finished, smiling at Harry who let a relieved breath out.

"I'm still mad about the CK tea, though." Draco dragged his fingers along the glass frame, watching himself laugh again and again, his blue hair surging around his head in the strong wind.

"Uph." Harry rolled his eyes but hugged Draco happily.

"Get off me you memoryless cat-head."

Draco then bullied Harry into helping him put food in place, all the while ridiculing the amount of tangerines he had bought. Harry argued that the amount of apples Draco had ordered him to get was no less ridiculous.

They spent the day in the living room, Harry wrapping presents, trying to make sure he hadn't forgotten anyone, Draco, seemingly calm, reading a book, his eyes only leaving pages when Harry frantically tossed some wrapping paper right at him. Harry asked whether it was really okay that he was here for Christmas no less than 3 times. Like each time before, Harry's face lit up with happiness when Draco said that there was no place he would rather be. Besides, as his mother was visiting friends in France, there was not much in the mansion except for cold hallways and rooms filled with nothing but memories, the bad ones far outweighing the good ones.

At least here Draco could forget most of his worries and rest. The end of the semester had taken a toll on him, it had gotten Harry to the point when he purposefully let Draco oversleep one day. After that he didn't hear the end of it for a week. Draco had bashed him for destroying his future and overall was a drama-queen at his best. Harry had only been glad that Draco had enough energy to nag him about it.

When Harry restarted shuffling trough the mess he had made of their coffee table and the rug under it, Draco's attention was caught by the tree standing in the corner of the room, the lights blazing irregularly. At the beginning of the break, Harry had pulled the tree out of a cupboard and put it together by hand, ignoring Draco's offers to cast a spell. Draco adverted his eyes, never in his life he had ever seen a tree decorated that sloppily.

In manor everything was color-schemed every year: the bobbles on the tree, garlands with not-melting snow, the wreath on their door, stocking hanging above the fireplace in the big hall, and even their house elves' hats. But this tree… Draco looked it up and down once again.

It was a disaster. There was not even a slightest hint at a pattern in which the decorations had been slapped on. His eyes traveled to the top of the tree, stopping at a figurine of what looked like was a man with white wings in a trench coat. Draco shook his head, disbelieving that he had actually enjoyed the practice that lefts such unsettling results.

Harry had turned on a cracking radio that played sweet Christmas songs and started to decorate the tree from a box filled with tangled baubles. In three minutes Draco had spelled the radio in order, and started trying to make the tree at least slightly aesthetically pleasing.

He only put up with the different trinkets because they looked new and Draco hoped he could make Harry buy something more suitable next year, little did he know Harry was never planning on throwing these out. He liked them. Draco had attempted to propose that they go out and get united decorations for the whole house, but Harry had looked at him offended and continued to purposefully cut snowflakes out of paper.

If Draco was completely honest he only irked because it was all different from how he had been raised up. Harry had his ideas about how he wanted to spend his Christmas and nothing could be amiss, he spent hours decorating the doors and windows from outside and after Draco cast a couple of handy spells that made the wreath on the door always look ravishing, he also had to admit the house looked if far from neat, definitely festive.

Some sort of 'festive' anyway.

Harry seemed to be delirious to organize everything. He wasn't at the Burrow helping to prepare for the Christmas dinner only because, when he had showed up at six in the morning, Molly had ordered him to get some rest and come no sooner than four in the evening. Harry had slept for an hour and then announced that he was going shopping and left a half-awake Draco murmuring about what he will do if Harry would forget his tea.

Now Harry was battling the feeling that he had forgotten someone, not being able to put his finger on who. Draco had tried to help by listing the Weasleys, but Harry only shook his head at everything. Draco gave up saying that Harry probably forgot his owl, in reply Harry threw a box of owl treats at him annoyed. They scattered all over the couch.

"Now I'm gonna stink of bird food, great job, Potter."

"Shut up."

Harry sourly got up to clean up the coach. Draco still annoyed, tripped him, causing Harry to land in the mess.

"Well then, we will both stink of bird food," he said leaning towards the fallen boy.

"Fuck you Draco Malfoy," Harry said against Draco's lips. Tossing the book aside, Harry claimed his rightful place in Draco's lap.

"Fuck you too, scar-head," Draco said ripping their lips apart for a second, Harry only shook his head and kissed the blonde again.

When the snogging session ended Harry made himself comfortable, resting his head on Draco's knees, his feet hanging over the side of the couch. Draco was deep in thought, his fingers playing with Harry's messy hair. Harry just watched Draco's expression, his silvery eyes were looking out the window, tracing the snowflakes and his brows were relaxed. Only things that didn't seem at peace were his flushed lips, pressed together tightly. If Harry thought about it, Draco had been more irritated than usual all day.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, his head instantly filling with the worst possible reasons for Draco's bad mood.

"Hmpf?" Draco looked at Harry, "I mean, what?" he corrected himself, crinkling his forehead, not content with the fact that he was mumbling.

"Is something wrong?"

Is Draco having second thoughts about us? Is he getting bored of me? Did I do something? Is Draco going to blame me for something I can't change anymore?

Shut up, Harry, he hasn't even said anything yet!

He stopped mulling about what he didn't know and waited for Draco to say something.

"It's nothing, really."

"Did I ruin Christmas? I just, this is my first Christmas that is my own. When I was little I could only get a faint whiff of the festivities and later in Hogwarts… it was wonderful, but this is my own. I know it's probably nothing like you are used to. I just wanted to…"

"Harry." Draco turned Harry's head so they would be looking one another in the eye. "Honestly, only you could be so full of yourself to think that you could unilaterally destroy Christmas for me. I admit it's nothing like I am used to… but discard a few things…" He eyed the tree again. "It's perfect."

"Okay, if it's not that…" Harry tried to keep his mind off the worst things Draco could say.

"It's nothing, okay?"

"Okay," Harry hoped his voice didn't sound as scanty as he felt. Draco frowned but didn't say anything else. When Harry couldn't stay still anymore he cleared his throat and lifted himself from the comfortable position.

"I need to finish these."

"You should have done it yesterday. Or last week like I did."

"I know, Mr I-always-do-everything-on-time."

Draco chuckled, Harry slipped down from the couch, settling on the carpet cross-legged. He tried to keep his thoughts on duck-taping the wrapping paper, but an unwelcomed voice kept a part of his mind occupied. After he ripped the paper in the wrong place three times in a row, he gave up and sighed.

"I will go make myself a cup of tea. Want some?"

"No. On Christmas I drink only CK tea."

"Oh, come on. I already apologized for that."

"Actually, I don't believe you did."

"Well, I am now. I'm sorry for ruining your Christmas, okay?"

"You didn't-" but Harry had already left the room.

Oh, what did I do?

Draco picked up the book, straightening the pages and closed it, using one of the paper strips as a book-mark.

Why does Harry even put up with me? Maybe I'm ruining his Christmas. Well, if not now, for sure when we get to Burrow.

Draco had been nervous about going to the Weasley family's dinner since the day he had been invited, but even more since his mother had said that she won't be able to make it. Now, when it was only a couple of hours away, he was stressing to the point when he considered faking illness and staying at Harry's place.

If he wouldn't get murdered by the Weasley brats, Mr and Mrs Weasley, who almost lost their children in the Battle, they for sure will at least maim him. Not only that, but Draco wasn't sure how to deal with the Weasel girl. She and Harry had been together, in Hogwarts Draco and her were on even grounds, but in the Weasley den, she could change her attitude. Besides he had a feeling that he could never fit in the Burrow's atmosphere. When more than two Weasleys had come over, he already felt uneasy and out of place. In a house packed with them… he didn't have a clue how to prepare for the mental trauma.

When Harry came back, Draco pleased registered that Harry didn't seem as upset anymore, what was more, he had ignored Draco's refusal and made two mugs of tea.

"Here you go, I know it's not the tea you wanted…"

"Shut up," Draco didn't let him finish and took he warm cup in his hands, "thank you."

"You're welcome," Harry placed his own cup on the coffee table smiling obviously pleased with himself. Feeling better Harry re-started wrapping the presents. When he was almost finished Draco interrupted him.

"Harry?"

"Mhm?" he said tearing a piece of tape with his teeth.

"You know there is a spell for doing that, right?"

Harry froze with one hand holding together the paper over the box and the tape hanging from his mouth. Slowly he turned and looked at Draco. He spat out the roll of tape and slurred:

"Seriously?"

Draco laughed. "Of course."

"Well, why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you knew and you were just doing it the muggle way for some weird reason."

"Why would I do that?" Harry shook his head. "Are you kidding me? Draco, what's the spell?"

Draco pointed with his wand at the disaster that was Harry's attempts at gift wrapping. After saying the spell the paper smoothed, sealed itself and a bow with a name tag hanging from it appeared in the middle.

"I could have been finished in minutes!" Harry took the neatly wrapped box in his hands and turned over the name tag. "Draco!"

"What? What?"

"It says Weasley brother Nr 3."

"Does it?" Draco raised his eyebrows, smirking and not looking away from the book in his lap.

Harry put the box down and jumped on the couch almost causing Draco to spill his tea.

"Harry! Be care…"

"Draaacoo, you have to change the tag. That's rude."

"Rude, is it? I think more rude is that they are all tall, red-haired and freckled. How do you tell them apart?" Draco said, but he was exaggerating slightly. One had glasses, one had a dragon tooth on his neck and shaved sides, another one had scars on his face and then the twins and then the Weaslel and the girl. He knew them alright, if he bothered he even could recall their names. Probably.

"It's for Bill and Fleur. You didn't even get the number right."

"Shut up, fine, I will change it." Draco willed the appropriate names appear, Harry kissed him on the lips briefly as a thanks. He was about to clean up the floor, but Draco took him by his waist and kissed again. When Draco lifted his lips from Harry's he kept his eyes closed, hiding his face in the crook of the other's neck. Harry settled in the hug contently.

"Harry?" Draco's voice was quiet, but didn't give away what he was thinking.

"Yea?"

"I have a bad feeling about going to the Weasley dinner." Draco straightened his back, scratched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "My gut is doing something weird, I haven't been this anxious about anything for a long time. It's ridiculous."

"No, it's okay. Draco, look at me." Harry lifted Draco's head by his chin, kissing his nose lightly. "It's okay."

"Maybe…" Draco didn't want to disappoint Harry by running away from the unpleasantries, but he was used to it. He had control, he could choose to ditch the family diner and go to a restaurant by himself, letting Harry enjoy time with his friends without Draco spoiling the mood.

Harry had guessed where Draco's train of thought was heading and, quickly running the numbers of what kind of present he would have to get Mrs Weasley for not being there, he decided.

"You know? Let's ditch the dinner. We can just have pizza. Or I can start cooking and we can have our own dinner. I should have thought that you wouldn't want to go there. Maybe next year." Harry leaned in and kissed the surprised blonde right on the lips.

All the astonished party could do was stare at the wildly-haired man, sitting in his lap beaming, hands around his neck, acting like what Draco had said was the simplest thing. Draco knew Harry was there, he felt his strong arms resting on his shoulders, his bum was comfortably placed on Draco's legs and Draco hands were still gripping Harry's waist, but at the same time it was like Harry was too good to be true.

Draco squeezed Harry tighter, earning a surprised glance, Draco shook his head, landing a kiss on Harry's lips. Harry tangled his hands in Draco's silky hair and arched his back as he felt other's strong arms on his back.

"Was…" Draco didn't let him finish, but Harry retracted his head again. "Was that what's bothering you?"

Draco nodded, his hands tightly around Harry, their chests pressed together moving together as they drew deep breaths. The blonde didn't meet Harry's eyes for a minute, Harry shifted his weight making Draco shiver.

"I'm sorry…"

Harry didn't let Draco finish.

"Nothing to be sorry about, I will just send these," he threw his head back to the presents on the rug, "with Lucifer and we can have our own Christmas diner."

Draco looked at the gifts as well. The first one that Harry had wrapped looked decent, then as Harry's patience ran out they became more and more chaotic. Draco recalled as Harry had mussed and praised Molly's cooking, the twins' Christmas crackers and seeing Teddy again. Draco couldn't keep him for himself.

"No, no, Potter. You go, I will have some me time."

Harry pushed Draco against the back of the sofa raising an eyebrow. "Last time I suggested that you take some time to yourself you hexed our hands together for four days."

As Draco recalled the last week at Hogwarts, his face involuntarily twitched in a sly smile. That sure had been fun.

"No seriously, Draco, I'm not spending Christmas without you."

Draco slouched his head down, his eyes first glancing at the ceiling then peeking at Harry who was waiting for him to say something with his head crooked. The black hair hanging around his head like a lion's mane, his eyes were bright, the Christmas lights' reflections glimmering in Harry's glasses. The blonde let out a sigh.

"Fine then. We will both go."

"Really?" Harry jumped up and down like an excited puppy.

"Yes. Yes. But you will promise me a couple of things…"

Harry kissed him. He had been completely ready to stay here with his boyfriend, but he also had been looking forward to spending time with Weasleys and Teddy.

After Harry had solemnly swore not to leave Draco's side at any cost, they both finished their drinks and Draco spurred off to decide what to wear. Harry left him at it to make some light lunch. When Harry was reaching for the bread that Draco had shoved on the highest shelf, the same devil barged in to the kitchen, his eyes warning about a murder about to occur.

"What is accustomed to wear to Weasley diners?" he asked looking down the gowns in his hands. "This one is probably too flashy," he threw the green one on the floor that left him with a silver one and a black one. "WitCH oNe?"

"Draco, calm down. A shirt will probably do."

"Really?" Draco looked over the clothes in his hands again. "When we got invited to Christmas dinner, we always had to dress to impress."

"You will impress everyone no matter what you wear," Harry said.

Draco forsake looking over the silvery cloak's sleeve and blushed. Harry glanced at him to see why he had calmed and rolled his eyes, saying:

"Oh, come on, it's not like you don't say stuff like that all the time."

"Shut up." Draco emptied his hands dramatically throwing the cloaks in the air and approached Harry. "I decided to wear the white shirt with the black buttons, the new one." He said before pressing Harry against the counter and kissing him senseless. After Draco had already danced out of the rom Harry was still panting, steadying himself against the sink.

They had lunch with several kissing breaks because Harry kept complimenting Draco. He couldn't help himself, the blonde in a tight button-up and dark pants that showed of his body as it was – flawless made him go nuts. At one point Draco had thrown their lunch to the floor and gracefully claimed the place on the table in front of Harry.

The time flew by and soon they had to get ready to leave. Draco's anxiousness came back, but Harry swept it right back out with a heated kiss. Harry's presents stacked in hands, Draco's neatly levitating beside him, they exited the house and left it behind, Disappariting in the dark.

They landed a couple of steps away from the Burrow's gate, knee deep in snow, which was still falling from the sky. Harry struggled to pick up a package that had escaped his grasp after landing, Draco stayed quiet string at the unfamiliar abode. The bright warm windows illuminated the yard, the Christmas lights shining in the nearby trees and around the house itself. Harry could see friendly shadows moving through the living room's windows. All Draco could see was the house looming over him, threatening to swallow him whole.

Straightening his back Harry nudged Draco with his elbow and called over the wind:

"Come on, let's go. It's freezing." He stepped forward but as Draco seemed hesitant, he rolled his eyes and taking one of the gifts in his teeth, grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him towards the gate.

They entered the Weasley territory, stepping on a cleaned out path leading to the house. The wind subsided.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked, but when Draco shot a desperate glance at him, grinned and opened the doors. Immediately he was affronted by a flushed richly-haired girl that hugged him, squeezing all air out of his lungs.

"There, there, Hermione, we only met a couple of days ago," Harry reminded hugging her back.

"Right. Merry Christmas." She let go, letting Ron reach their best friend, and turned to Draco. He opened his mouth to say merry Christmas, but didn't get that far.

"Draco. It's nice to see you," she said before leaning in and squeezing his torso, he stayed still until she let him go saying, "Merry Christmas."

"Thanks. You too," he said, running on autopilot.

She stepped away, nudging Ron who turned towards the ex-nemesis stiffly. Draco concealed the dread at the idea that the tall freckled man would try to hug him too.

"It's Christmas, not Suicide day, I'm not hugging you," Ron said extending his hand, Draco took it relieved and they wished each other the wishes of the season. While Harry was giving the presents to Ron and Hermione, a fast being with long red hair assaulted Harry and he got the air knocked out of him for the second time today. Ginny hugged him briefly and then stepped back looking him over quickly. Seemingly happy with what she saw she gave the same look to Draco who couldn't get his eyes to leave her head-decoration, a garland... or a couple swirled up in a turban and on top of it a pair of shining devil's horns.

"MERRY Christmas, boys!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, surprising Draco so much that he couldn't even muster a proper response. He jumped again when an unrecognizable noise came from what he suspected was some kind of living room.

Hugging? Shouting? Running? What is that roar? What kind of rave have I entered? I thought this was a dinner…

"To you too, Gin. Draco is also happy to see you." He glanced at Draco who was standing frozen, his face blank. "Here you go." Harry gave her the present.

When Harry entered the living room that was buzzing with people, he got his lungs deflated for the third time. Two twins hung to his neck, shouting his ears full of Christmas wishes. Other occupants of the room greeted Draco and Harry in a chorus, not leaving their places. Ginny finally decided to put a stop to her brothers' pesters and shoved both of them off Harry. They tried to make a move on Draco, but he swiftly got out his wand and put a reasonable distance between them. They gave up and settled back down after throwing a garland over Draco's neck. He tore it off and put it on the table next to him, with annoyance he noticed that his hands were shaking slightly. He clenched his fists and gripped his wand tighter.

What sort of freak show is this? Everyone is running around screaming, I will get a heart attack if one more person tries to hug me…

DRACO. Get a grip. Yes, okay.

The blonde drew a deep breath and calmed his face. Freak show or not, he was Draco sodding Malfoy and if there was something he knew how to do, it was how to make an impression. Clearing his throat he straightened his back and lifted his wand to his throat.

"Can I ask you attention for a second?" he let his voice – calm and confident – carry through the room. Waiting until everyone was watching him he took a step forward, saying:

"I am truly honoured to be here today, Merry Christmas everyone." The last words were accompanied by the presents wrapped in the trade-mark Slytherin green floating to their recipients. "Be welcomed to carry on with you evening," he said, letting his voice drop. Weasleys thanked him in a discordant mass of voices, he made a small bow and stepped back next to Harry.

"You're such royal damsel, Draco," Harry said against the blonde's ear, sneaking his hands around his waist.

"Well, somebody around here has to be, otherwise all tradition will parish."

"Harry, dear!" Molly Weasley made her way toward the boys and submerged Harry in to a heart-warming hug.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs Weasley," Harry said when she finally let him out of her arms.

"To you too, honey," she said, turning to Draco, "Merry Christmas to you as well."

Molly embraced Draco in a hug before he could save himself, holding him tight for a moment in her motherly manner. She let him go and looked him up and down, reminding Draco of her daughter.

Some assurance that Draco was in fact in perfect health and was eating properly later Mrs Weasley returned to the preparations diner. Harry and Draco settled next to Ron and Hermione, the Golden trio slipping back into rhythm of their talks, Draco kept quiet surveying his surroundings.

Trying to keep his mind open to the possibility that Weasleys weren't complete nutters he let his eyes wonder around. He froze when his eyes settled on their Christmas tree that was tucked in the corner, the top scraping at the ceiling. Gulping he had to physically keep himself from hexing the abomination in the space. He had thought Harry's tree was horrendous… oh, how wrong he had been. Next to this, the tree in Grimmauld place was a treasure. The branches of this poor Christmas tree were leaning down from the weight of the trinkets and baubles, and Draco couldn't see two decors that would even be remotely similar. Some of the trinkets looked like had been made by children, or more likely – trolls.

When Draco had finally started to feel comfortable, Mrs Weasley announced that she requires help with cooking. Ordering around her brothers and other guests Guinevere executed her role as the second in command perfectly. To Draco's horror his task was to peel potatoes with Harry. The Harry part he was fine with, but peeling potatoes? He hadn't dressed for dirty jobs. He was in a white shirt for crying out loud.

By the time that the food was ready Draco had given up on saving his shirt. Only thing that helped was that Harry didn't seem to mind him rolling his sleeves up and kept staring at him smiling like a dunderhead he was. Cleaning his hands, Draco wondered where the dining room was. He was hit by the realization, when they started to clean the table they had cooked on, that this was the place. Staring at the table trying to work out how all the people were going to fit there, he almost jumped out of his skin when Fred ran past him screaming his head off.

"Snow BATLLE. Pair up, ladies and gentlemen!"

"Fred! Quit talking and run." George grabbed him by the sleeve and they both fell out the doors, boots half tied, coats undone. Draco stared after them, dumbstruck. Just as twins disappeared from his sight the youngest Weasley came down thundering and Draco had to no less than dive out of the way as she growled about imbecilic brothers. Harry met Draco's eyes and dropped his last potato.

"I bet we can trash all of them," he said smiling as Bill and Luna ran past them out in the garden.

Mrs Weasley's voice could be heard from the living room.

"Snow only outside! No flake better land inside or you will all be grounded!"

Percy ran out of his mother's reach, his glasses askew.

"You can't ground grownups, mother!"

Draco was so unprepared that when he could respond to Harry the git was already pulling him outside.

"Wait… wait! Potter-"

"Look out!" Harry shoved him to the side and they both dove behind a snow pile next to doors. Harry threw a quick glance around and kissed Draco before pulling him back up and brushing his shoulders from snow. "Listen. We can disintegrate them."

Draco kissed Harry midsentence. "We could disintegrate an army. Cover me," he said jumping to his feet, ready to defeat Weasleys in a true Malfoy manner. Next second he was spluttering snow, his mouth and nose full and Harry was wheezing not being able to even get up. While disabled, Draco was hit two more times until he dived back in the hideout.

"What the fuck…" Draco looked at Harry who was still laughing.

"That's amazing… you have to AVOID snowballs…"

"Shut up," Draco said, shoving him with his free hand.

After that he was more careful, taking the screaming and shouting bunch of redheads seriously. Harry and Draco did trash others, but only because Draco started doing some sneaky trick that always jump-scared others, until they just screamed at the mere sight of something silvery in the corner of their eyes. Needless to say, in a field of snow, there was a lot of screaming and cursing. While Fred and George shouted and attacked a lump of snow, Draco and Harry were crawling on the other side of the garden about to attack Luna and Neville.

When Mrs Weasley opened the door piercing the uneven, dim lighting of the courtyard and called them inside, Harry was so focused on the game that, the second she made herself an easy target he dived over the bright patch of snow and sent a snowball hurdling right in her face. As he landed in a snow pile he saw her doge it with ease. Draco jumped to follow Harry and ended up on top of him.

Despite Draco's elbow digging in Harry's chest, he kissed him with a soft smile. They both were panting and wet, their fingers freezing. But happy. Draco drowned in Harry's eyes so green they could be photosynthesizing. In return Harry couldn't bring himself to look away from the silvery orbs that reflected every Christmas light in the garden.

"Hey, you two! I swear to Merlin's left buttock, I sometimes wish you were still killing each other."

Ron's annoyed voice, broke their silent moment. Draco snarled at him over his shoulder while getting up, Harry rolled his eyes and waited for Draco to help him get up. Hand in hand they walked inside, shedding their wet clothes and warming their hands against each other.

Draco had a surprisingly pleasant diner, if you didn't count the fact that twins found it endlessly amusing to make Draco's plate refill again and again until he was so full he had to write his last potatoes off to Harry. As good as the food was Draco was not going to overeat and then deal with a hurting stomach.

When they all settled inside the living room for after-dinner conversations, Draco noticed that he had already gotten used to the noisy atmosphere. He was still disturbed by how casually they were all dressed and how chaotic they were acting, but a mug of steaming hot chocolate calmed him.

Draco was sitting next to Harry when the third Weasley son popped out of nowhere and started a friendly banter with both of them. Draco could feel Harry's wish to leave Percy's career talks, to be honest he as well wouldn't mind talking to a different Weasley.

Pretending to be polite Draco listened to Percy talk about his job, excitedly his spectacles constantly slipping from his nose. When Mr Weasley called Harry from the other room, Harry shifted wanting to get up but Draco grabbed Harry's palm tighter behind their backs never breaking eye contact with Percy. Mr Weasley called from the kitchen again.

Don't you dare. You promised….

You little motherfucker.

He felt Harry squeeze his hand reassuringly and leave Draco stranded, to struggle and keep his forts. He watched Harry leave with the corner of his eye, gritting his teeth when the git had the nerve to show him thumbs up as Draco politely laughed about something he hadn't even heard.

Surprisingly he was rescued by Bill and Fleur who settled next to them. Bill winked at Draco and engaged in the conversation with Percy, Fleur batted her eyelashes and spoke up.

"So, Drrraco, how arre you doing?"

"Fine, thank you," he said evading a piece of Christmas cracker, that flew from the part of the room where twins were located.

"I underrstand, the noisiness of the Weasley familia was something to get used to forr me as well."

Fleur surprised Draco by guessing exactly what he was thinking.

After answering some questions about some muggle gadgets, Harry returned with a huge bowl of cookies. A cup of tea later, they were all immersed in a game of cards. Draco won three times in the row until Bill triumphantly put down the winning cards and announced the end of the game.

The room had slipped in to dreamy state of drowsiness, everyone's stomachs were full, minds at peace and bodies warm. Radio was playing Christmas songs, candles were burning out, Draco felt like he could fall asleep at any given second. That was until he divided the calm murmur of the talks behind him from a content chewing sound from his left. Lazily he turned his head to see Harry sitting cross-legged, eating from the enormous gingerbread bowl in his lap. Harry seemed no less sleepy than everyone else.

"Lay off those gingerbreads. I admit they are delicious, but you will get sick." Draco said noticing that the level of cookies in the bowl had lowered dramatically.

"No can do, I have no self-control," Harry said, taking a couple more.

"You kept your hands off of me for seven years. I call that self-control at its finest."

"Ghrumh!" Harry shoved Draco smiling.

"Weasley! Take-" Draco swallowed when about ten heads turned to look at him, "I mean Ronald…"

When others returned to their sleepy talks, Draco cleared his throat and finished, grabbing the bowl from Harry's grabby hands and pushing it in to redhead's hands. "Ronald. Put them somewhere Harry can't reach them."

"Okay," Ron said, first he stuffed his mouth then took a fist full of the cookies with one hand and with the other passed the bowl to Fred who was sitting at the table, "hey. Keep these away from Harry."

"There are only two left…"

"That's more than some have ears so it's plenty," George said taking one.

Over the evening everyone had already gotten fed up with their ear jokes, but everyone was too well-fed and content to do really care. Harry huffed at Draco for separating him and his cookies and shifted to get up but Draco caught him by the sleeve and secured him in the couch. Harry quit squirming when Draco let him hold his hand.

Three minutes later Draco was cruelly jerked from his thoughts and he could only wonder how the atmosphere could change so fast. In ten seconds everyone was perfectly awake and crowding around the drinks that Bill had levitated in the room.

Draco's senses were once again cruelly offended by the laughing, joking, talking and in general acting like a Weasley crowd. Despite his distaste of their customs he shuddered at the idea that he had been a part of something that wanted to destroy this. The smiling, rosy faces doing nobody harm, if you ignored the poor decorations of the house. Before his thoughts could get any more depressing his sensed something.

The twins were gone.

He skimmed the corners of the room, but no, they were definitely absent. He wanted to tug at Harry's sleeve but something held him back, in place of that he left the room his drink still in his hand. Zoning out the laughs from the living room he listened to the empty house.

It was a different kind of emptiness, the kind of that he had never experienced before. The halls of the Manor were quiet and cold, the columns holding up the ceiling with no fail. Stone and marble, glass and velvet. Dark draperies shielding the outside darkness from the dimness of the inside. He had always belonged there, in a suit, going to his room after the Christmas dinner.

In retrospect, this house was warm and he felt like wood was swirling in to a pattern meant to throw him off his sanity.

I mean. What is that?

He walked a couple of steps in the direction of the front door.

It's a sock. On an umbrella. That's a sword. That's covered in Christmas themed gun-shaped baubles.

He was still staring at that when he heard two people approaching the door.

It was Fred and George, seeing him in the warmly, but dimly lit corridor they snickered but didn't seem to want to kill him now. Still Draco felt affronted.

"What were you doing?"

"It's a surprise," Fred said shaking snow out of his hair.

"You'll see in a minute," George supplied winking at the blonde.

"Fine," Draco decided not to push the issue.

"The dark magic room is that way if you were wondering," George said as they slipped in to the living room.

Draco rolled his eyes following them inside.

Ten minutes later they heard the first crack. A sound that could even cut through the chatter of the Weasleys and co, sent even Draco wondering. Others seemed not so surprised. They took their drinks and chaotically filed on the porch of the house. The sound hadn't repeated until Fred had given the cue.

"Go! Evil-slay!"

Draco narrowed his eyes, but before he could complain the sky exploded with the famous Weasley fireworks. He had seen them in the fifth year, of course, but this was the next evolution.

Fiery dragons danced, breathing green flames. Flying pigs trotted in circles, giraffes in pink were having a race. Flowers bloomed, grew and exploded. Everything together making a complex circular pattern. A couple of minutes later it ended in a succession of smaller, louder explosions spelling Merry Buttsmas!

Everyone applauded, cheering.

"Thank you, thank you! The new and improved Weasley fireworks available in our shops soon! Be sure to drop by before the New years!"

"With a spelling like that no wonder you dropped out of Hogwarts!"

Draco had no clue witch of the Weasley brothers said that, but he was distracted by Harry. The raven-head hugged him tighter looking away from the sky.

"Was it okay?"

Draco looked at the wide-eyed boy.

"Harry, listen…" Draco felt the other deflate and his smile cracked. "It was wonderful! Are you kidding?"

"Prat!" Harry poked him in the chest. Draco kissed him in return, smiling smugly.

They returned home accommodated for the next week with the dinner leftovers, Harry's head was bobbing and Draco felt similar. They collapsed in their bed letting their bodies relax.

"We should get changed…" Draco yawned.

"We should do a lot of things… doesn't mean we are gonna…" Harry murmured.

"True," Draco smiled.

He compromised by just shedding the party clothes and snuggling under the covers in his boxers. He tugged at Harry who was sleepily removing his shirt.

"I didn't know Christmas could be like that…"

Harry looked at him from behind his askew glasses, sending his shirt flying to the ground.

"I didn't know for a long time either," he said, joining Draco under the covers.

They settled looking at each other in the dark room. For a second Draco thought Harry looked suspicious, but then something exploded in the room and the blond had more important matters to address.

Jumping to his feet in the bed, he barely avoided tangling in the Christmas stars, Harry had insisted should be hanged there. His eyes blinking, he saw a bright white firework jumping around the room, avoiding walls at its best. Harry laughed sitting up.

"Potter! You utter arse. I was about to fall asleep."

Draco dropped back in to the bed causing Harry who was still laughing to evade him.

"Sorry, Draco… I asked Fred and George to make it for you specially."

"Why…" Draco focused on the wild spark cluster, he recognised what it was meant to be and pouted. "Potter!" he cried, pushing the laughing Harry with his elbow. "You are so mean!"

"I am mean?" Harry tried to be offended but that doesn't go very well if you are laughing your arse off.

They struggled until Harry almost ended up on the cold floor, then Draco decided it was enough and pulled him in for a kiss.

They fell asleep in each other's arms smiling. No nightmare dared to show its head in their dreams that night. Maybe the ferret-shaped firework was their good luck charm, maybe the Weasley aura had rubbed off on them and had repelling properties, maybe it didn't matter, because they were happy and in love.

Heii!

I know i am a bit late for Christmas, but you know... at least i didn't wait until the next, right?

This fanfic was a long journey and as my first finished work i think it could be worse, but on to the next story now i go.

Hope you're having a great time,

please leave a review ^^

Rasa