Ficlet: "Christmas in March" [H/D]
A little gift ficlet for akahannah, as per her request from the other day :). This is potentially part one of two.
Title: Christmas in March
Pairing: H/D
Rating: PG-13
Category: Bebbehs!. Fluff.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, yadda, yadda.
~*~*~
One Saturday in late March, Harry came home from seeing the Cannons with Ron to find his flat completely transformed. Although he had become accustomed to Draco's sudden urges to redecorate, Harry nevertheless gaped at the full-blown Christmas decorations gracing every single room. A beautiful tree sat in its usual spot near the fireplace, complete with baubles and fairy lights.
"Draco, what's going on?" Harry asked cautiously.
Draco patted the spot next to him on the sofa. He had a single gift in his lap, a small rectangular box with a red bow. "Sit with me."
Settling into the couch, Harry noticed the apprehensive look on Draco's face. "Everything okay?"
Draco nodded. He took a deep breath and said, "Your Christmas present this year is a bit complicated. It has two parts, and one of them you need to get now."
"Okay," Harry replied slowly. "Is that it?"
"Yeah." Draco handed the box to Harry. "Happy early Christmas."
Harry noticed the slight tremble in Draco's voice, and wondered what might be in the box that could make his partner this nervous. "So…the second part, that'll be my regular Christmas gift, then?" Harry asked, trying to sound upbeat.
Draco's eyes remained fixed on the box. "If all goes according to plan, it should arrive then, yes."
Harry lifted the lid, revealing a small unlabeled bottle nestled in red satin. He frowned. "A potion?"
Draco nodded.
"What does it do?"
Draco reached for the bottle, weighing it in his palm. "It's…technically, it's not for you. It's for me."
Oh, this was just so typical, Draco giving Harry a gift that would benefit him just as much, if not more. "Is that so?" Harry asked in an amused tone.
Usually, Draco would try to talk his way out of the situation by making up elaborate reasons as to why he had chosen this particular gift, and why it wasn't selfish at all, and how Harry would realise all of this in due time.
Not today, however. After placing the bottle back into the box, Draco's hand lightly curled around Harry's wrist, thumb stroking over the bone there. A smile quirked the corners of Draco's mouth. "Well, yes. This gift requires some effort, and while I think you'd be perfectly capable of providing whatever energy is necessary, I-" He halted, his expression turning serious. "I want to make sure you get the second part of this present."
Harry's heartbeat sped up. "I'm not sure I understand."
"Remember what we talked about last Christmas after we came home from the Burrow?" Draco asked softly.
They had both had their fair share of spiced cider last year, and Harry's memories were a little hazy as a result. "We talked? Are you sure we didn't just shag?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "And here you are, always accusing me of a one-track mind. There was talking after the shagging. You wanted to go back to the living room and look at the tree one more time, so we sat down in front of it, and you started talking about how you wouldn't have been surprised if Hermione had had the baby right there and then, considering how crazy Christmas at the Weasleys always is."
As Draco spoke, images began to appear in Harry's mind. Huddling under a blanket with Draco. The soft light coming from the tree. The stillness of the flat and the hushed tone of their voices. "Yeah, I remember that. And then we fell asleep on the carpet."
"Almost." Draco's hand slid into Harry's, their fingers lacing together out of habit. "And then you said that you can't imagine a more perfect gift. A Christmas baby."
"I…I said that?"
"Most certainly." Draco steadily held Harry's gaze. "You might have thought that I was already asleep, but I wasn't. I heard you. You don't remember?"
The intent expression on Draco's face spurred Harry on to think harder. It was important that he'd remember. He allowed himself to sink back into the memory. They'd talked under the tree, words flying back and forth at first, then dwindling to phrases and fragments. Draco's head had ended up in Harry's lap, his eyes closed, the quiet night surrounding them and--
"Draco…" Harry whispered, understanding suddenly washing over him as the memories reformed in his mind. A tenuous wish had surfaced inside of his thoughts that night, and he'd spoken it out loud, just to hear how those words might sound, but certain in the knowledge that no one would hear them. "I didn't mean…you know I wasn't seriou-"
"Maybe not then," Draco interrupted. "But every time we go to visit Ron and Hermione, I watch you with the baby and…I know you've been thinking about it, thinking about what if we…" Draco trailed off, looking down.
Harry very much wanted Draco to continue, and waited a few moments. When no words would come, Harry said, "But I never mentioned anything."
"No, you didn't. I was waiting for you to bring it up."
Harry sighed. "I never expected you to even consider the possibility, but I guess I was wrong, hmm?"
Draco looked back up and moved closer to Harry. "You were," he mumbled before kissing Harry lightly on the lips.
Somehow, they ended up lying on the sofa in a tangle of arms and legs. "Are you sure about this?" Harry asked.
Calm grey eyes looked back at him. "I've thought about this for two months. I daresay I'm sure. But we still have some time to decide. The healer said it takes a week for the potion to reach its full potency, and I only picked it up today."
"You've already seen a healer?"
A slight smirk stole across Draco's features. "Malfoys don't do things half-way, you know that."
"Yeah, I do," was all Harry managed, the reality of what they were planning to do slowly settling into his mind.
"I also wanted to make sure that I could…that the potion would work for me," Draco explained quietly.
"And?"
"It will."
"Definitely?"
"Yes."
Harry studied Draco's face for a moment. The earlier apprehension was gone, replaced by determination and a low-running tension humming underneath, one that Harry felt echoing within himself. His hand wandered under Draco's jumper, fingers skimming across his belly. Harry tried to imagine what it would be like to feel a roundness underneath his palm there, to feel movement-life-under his fingers.
Draco blinked a few times as Harry's touch continued, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Thank you," Harry said quietly. "This is indeed the best gift I've ever received."
Draco acknowledged Harry's words with a nod.
Harry's hand moved lower, nails grazing the skin just inside the waistband of Draco's trousers. "You know," he began, enjoying how Draco squirmed against him, "I think we should practice. For when you take the potion. If it works perfectly, we should make sure that our…performance is perfect as well."
"What a reasonable suggestion. I couldn't agree more. And I think we need to start practising right now." Draco's eyes sparked with mischief.
Harry kissed the side of Draco's neck. "Yes." Draco's cheek was next. "Right…" Harry's lips brushed against Draco's mouth when he whispered, "Now."
Feedback is always awesome and very welcome!
Title: Christmas in March
Pairing: H/D
Rating: PG-13
Category: Bebbehs!. Fluff.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, yadda, yadda.
~*~*~
One Saturday in late March, Harry came home from seeing the Cannons with Ron to find his flat completely transformed. Although he had become accustomed to Draco's sudden urges to redecorate, Harry nevertheless gaped at the full-blown Christmas decorations gracing every single room. A beautiful tree sat in its usual spot near the fireplace, complete with baubles and fairy lights.
"Draco, what's going on?" Harry asked cautiously.
Draco patted the spot next to him on the sofa. He had a single gift in his lap, a small rectangular box with a red bow. "Sit with me."
Settling into the couch, Harry noticed the apprehensive look on Draco's face. "Everything okay?"
Draco nodded. He took a deep breath and said, "Your Christmas present this year is a bit complicated. It has two parts, and one of them you need to get now."
"Okay," Harry replied slowly. "Is that it?"
"Yeah." Draco handed the box to Harry. "Happy early Christmas."
Harry noticed the slight tremble in Draco's voice, and wondered what might be in the box that could make his partner this nervous. "So…the second part, that'll be my regular Christmas gift, then?" Harry asked, trying to sound upbeat.
Draco's eyes remained fixed on the box. "If all goes according to plan, it should arrive then, yes."
Harry lifted the lid, revealing a small unlabeled bottle nestled in red satin. He frowned. "A potion?"
Draco nodded.
"What does it do?"
Draco reached for the bottle, weighing it in his palm. "It's…technically, it's not for you. It's for me."
Oh, this was just so typical, Draco giving Harry a gift that would benefit him just as much, if not more. "Is that so?" Harry asked in an amused tone.
Usually, Draco would try to talk his way out of the situation by making up elaborate reasons as to why he had chosen this particular gift, and why it wasn't selfish at all, and how Harry would realise all of this in due time.
Not today, however. After placing the bottle back into the box, Draco's hand lightly curled around Harry's wrist, thumb stroking over the bone there. A smile quirked the corners of Draco's mouth. "Well, yes. This gift requires some effort, and while I think you'd be perfectly capable of providing whatever energy is necessary, I-" He halted, his expression turning serious. "I want to make sure you get the second part of this present."
Harry's heartbeat sped up. "I'm not sure I understand."
"Remember what we talked about last Christmas after we came home from the Burrow?" Draco asked softly.
They had both had their fair share of spiced cider last year, and Harry's memories were a little hazy as a result. "We talked? Are you sure we didn't just shag?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "And here you are, always accusing me of a one-track mind. There was talking after the shagging. You wanted to go back to the living room and look at the tree one more time, so we sat down in front of it, and you started talking about how you wouldn't have been surprised if Hermione had had the baby right there and then, considering how crazy Christmas at the Weasleys always is."
As Draco spoke, images began to appear in Harry's mind. Huddling under a blanket with Draco. The soft light coming from the tree. The stillness of the flat and the hushed tone of their voices. "Yeah, I remember that. And then we fell asleep on the carpet."
"Almost." Draco's hand slid into Harry's, their fingers lacing together out of habit. "And then you said that you can't imagine a more perfect gift. A Christmas baby."
"I…I said that?"
"Most certainly." Draco steadily held Harry's gaze. "You might have thought that I was already asleep, but I wasn't. I heard you. You don't remember?"
The intent expression on Draco's face spurred Harry on to think harder. It was important that he'd remember. He allowed himself to sink back into the memory. They'd talked under the tree, words flying back and forth at first, then dwindling to phrases and fragments. Draco's head had ended up in Harry's lap, his eyes closed, the quiet night surrounding them and--
"Draco…" Harry whispered, understanding suddenly washing over him as the memories reformed in his mind. A tenuous wish had surfaced inside of his thoughts that night, and he'd spoken it out loud, just to hear how those words might sound, but certain in the knowledge that no one would hear them. "I didn't mean…you know I wasn't seriou-"
"Maybe not then," Draco interrupted. "But every time we go to visit Ron and Hermione, I watch you with the baby and…I know you've been thinking about it, thinking about what if we…" Draco trailed off, looking down.
Harry very much wanted Draco to continue, and waited a few moments. When no words would come, Harry said, "But I never mentioned anything."
"No, you didn't. I was waiting for you to bring it up."
Harry sighed. "I never expected you to even consider the possibility, but I guess I was wrong, hmm?"
Draco looked back up and moved closer to Harry. "You were," he mumbled before kissing Harry lightly on the lips.
Somehow, they ended up lying on the sofa in a tangle of arms and legs. "Are you sure about this?" Harry asked.
Calm grey eyes looked back at him. "I've thought about this for two months. I daresay I'm sure. But we still have some time to decide. The healer said it takes a week for the potion to reach its full potency, and I only picked it up today."
"You've already seen a healer?"
A slight smirk stole across Draco's features. "Malfoys don't do things half-way, you know that."
"Yeah, I do," was all Harry managed, the reality of what they were planning to do slowly settling into his mind.
"I also wanted to make sure that I could…that the potion would work for me," Draco explained quietly.
"And?"
"It will."
"Definitely?"
"Yes."
Harry studied Draco's face for a moment. The earlier apprehension was gone, replaced by determination and a low-running tension humming underneath, one that Harry felt echoing within himself. His hand wandered under Draco's jumper, fingers skimming across his belly. Harry tried to imagine what it would be like to feel a roundness underneath his palm there, to feel movement-life-under his fingers.
Draco blinked a few times as Harry's touch continued, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Thank you," Harry said quietly. "This is indeed the best gift I've ever received."
Draco acknowledged Harry's words with a nod.
Harry's hand moved lower, nails grazing the skin just inside the waistband of Draco's trousers. "You know," he began, enjoying how Draco squirmed against him, "I think we should practice. For when you take the potion. If it works perfectly, we should make sure that our…performance is perfect as well."
"What a reasonable suggestion. I couldn't agree more. And I think we need to start practising right now." Draco's eyes sparked with mischief.
Harry kissed the side of Draco's neck. "Yes." Draco's cheek was next. "Right…" Harry's lips brushed against Draco's mouth when he whispered, "Now."
Feedback is always awesome and very welcome!