Title: Be home for Christmas
Author/Artist:
lyonessheartPairing(s): Ron/Blaise, Harry/Draco
Prompt: self prompt
Word Count/Art Medium: 1742
Rating: (G to NC-17) G
Contains (Highlight to view): *previous mprg, a little angst but has a happy ending*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: This little piece started out angstier than I wanted, but in the end cuteness and fluff reign. Merry Christmas :)
Summary: Sometimes it takes a little longer to figure out where your home is, and sometimes it takes only a little to make it clear.
He feels hollow, doesn't notice the cold seeping into his body. He is not the type to cry, the war has taken that away from him. It hasn't hardened him to the point though that he is not able to hurt. Words have power and in an argument he mostly looses, due to his temper. But that is what he gets for shacking up with a Slytherin.
He is lost deep in thought, wondering why on earth he even bothers. But then a warm coat settles around his shivering body and a forehead presses against his nape. The rough whisper reaches his ears and thaws something inside of him.
“I am sorry, love.”
Ron turns around. Looks at the man that can cut him to the bone with a few choice words. He loves him, loves him to the point of insanity, but a love like this, it leaves him open for pain.
“What exactly are you sorry for? For still not being man enough to tell your mother that you are living with me? Or are you sorry that I will not take another excuse from you?”
Blaise flinches, and for the fraction of a second, regrets shines through.
“Why is it so important that I do it now?”
“Because Christmas is coming up, and I want to spend it with you. I want to wake up on Christmas morning in your arms, make love and then apparate to the Burrow where we can unwrap presents and celebrate.” Ron can't say more, can't put into words why it is so important that Blaise is there and doesn't leave him alone come Christmas eve and morning. All that he knows it that he is tired of hiding, of lying to his family.
“But I always spend Christmas with my mother.” Blaise
“Who is throwing a party to catch Husband number eight? Showing you off in order to catch some heiress to bring in even more money.” Ron sounds bitter and he knows it.
“Ron, what are you saying?”
“Nothing. Go to your party. Hang about with your mother. Pretend to be the perfect son.” Getting up and heading back into their home, he doesn't look back. He grabs his scarf and apparates without waiting for his boyfriend. All that he knows is that he need to get away.
The small cottage is a cozy place. Decorated brightly with garlands of tinsel and wreaths of greens. Childrens laughter rings through the air and Ron feels his heart clench.
“Uncle Ron!” the tiny person that has spotted him runs towards him at high speed. squealing with delight as he scoops her up and swings her about.
“Do put my daughter down, before she brings up her dinner.” Ron grins at the man standing on the threshhold, watching with fond exasperation. He settles the small girl onto his hip and walks towards the house.
“Hello to you too, Draco.”
Draco smirks at him but only until he has taken the tiredness of Ron's face in. Then the pretense slips and he gently ushers his friend inside.
“Do you want a beer? Or does this require special attention?” that is Draco's way of asking if he needs to kill his best friend, and Ron appreciates the gesture. They have come such a long way “his favorite rodents” as Harry jokingly referred to them once.
“Thank you, but I would rather have a hot cocoa with the floaty white things, what about you Myra?” Ron cuddles the little girl close and inhales her sweet scent.
“Yeah, papa, can we please have some?” Large green eyes look pleadingly at Draco. He shakes his head and sets the pot on the stove. Some things are just better when not made with magic.
“Harry is still out, he is doing the round early this year.” Draco says softly as he stirs the hot liquid, adding a little more sugar to sweeten the drink.
“You aren't doing it on Christmas eve?” Ron is surprised. Harry always visits his parents on Christmas eve, just like Padfoot and Moony, Draco goes with him and pays respect to Snape. But then again Myra is two now and would ask questions that both men don't want to answer yet, so it makes sense Ron surmises.
“A little change in routine, nothing more. We'll spend Christmas eve with Mum and Andromeda. But I doubt that you are here because you doubt that we will be at the Burrow on Boxing day? You know that Harry would not miss it, for anything in the world.”
“And you either. Admit it Draco, you like our crazy family.”
Draco smiles, “You did grow on me after a while.” He bounces the small girl softly and smiles when she begins to yawn.
“Can I settle her?” Ron yearns for some minutes when he doesn't have to think about the mess that his life seems to be at the moment.
Draco settles the warm bundle in his arms and shoos him out of the kitchen.
“I'll be here once you are done.”
It takes a while, but once Myra has fallen asleep he steps quietly into the welcoming room.
Draco puts a bottle of butterbeer down in front of him and they sit in silence for a while, before Draco begins.
“Now spill, what is the problem? Has Blaise made a mess of things?”
Once Draco has voiced the question Ron finds it easier to put his pain in words. “He refuses to be with me on Christmas. He'd rather spend it with his mother.”
Draco lifts his eyebrow and coughs slightly. “No he doesn't”
“Then why is his so difficult about this?”
“Quite frankly, I believe he is scared.”
“What? Now that is plain ridiculous!” Ron cannot believe his friend.
“I was.” Draco looks at him and there is no trace of humor left in his face. “the first Christmas that Harry asked me to spend with his family. I was bloody terrified. I almost bailed.”
“But, you appeared so confident!”
“Yeah, I have always been great at faking that. Ron you know me almost as well as Harry does. We Slytherins have been taught to always protect our hearts. Once Blaise tells his mother about the feelings he has for you, and trust me they are very obvious, she will mock him. She expects him to marry rich and leave feelings out of it.”
A shadow crosses Draco's face and Ron grasps his hand. Lucius has never forgiven Draco for choosing Harry and it still hurts. Narcissa tries to make up for it, but the pain still lingers.
“What can I do?” An idea begins to form deep in the back of his mind. Ron smiles at Draco's next words.
“That is easy. Love him, and make it clear that you won't leave him, no matter how stupid he can be. At least that is how Harry did it with me. And look what it got him.”
“A wonderful husband and a gorgeous daughter.” Harry has entered the kitchen hearing Draco's last words.
He slaps his friend on the shoulder and kisses Draco softly, before he sits down at the kitchen table.
Ron smiles. “I think I know what to do.”
Harry guides him to the door. “He loves you, you know.”
“How are you so sure?” Ron is almost sure that he knows the answer, but getting the confirmation will be nice.
“Because he looks at you, like your father looks at your mum, and Ginny at Oliver.”
“I know.” Ron waves and leaves his friend smiling. Much more important is the look of love that Ron sees on Draco's face every time that he looks at Harry..
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The next morning finds Ron sitting at the table waiting for Blaise. His boyfriend comes downstairs, cautiously looking at him.
“Before you say anything, I want you to open the package.” he pushes the lumpy parcel toward Blaise.
Opening it cautiously, Blaise unwraps a gorgeous grey sweater, knitted from soft wool with a large green B woven into it. Looking up, questioningly.
“Mum says hi. She wanted you to have your present if you won't be there.”
“She made that for me?” And now tears are brimming in these wonderful blue eyes.
“It's her way of telling you that you belong to us now. If you want it.” Ron swallows thickly “Because she knows how much you mean to me, how much I love you. And that I won't stop doing that wherever you will spend Christmas. I am a possessive bastard who doesn't like to share you, especially knowing how much the meetings with your mother take out of you.”
“Shut up.” Ron finds himself suddenly with a lapful of crying Italian who almost tries to climb into his body.
“I love you. So much, but” Blaise tries to catch his breath and Ron strokes his back softly, he is a little surprised how deeply the gift has touched him, but they are alone and it is okay to fall apart when it is just the two of them.
Because of that it is easier to confess, “You are scared, I know, me too. But I am only scared that you will come to your senses and leave me one day.”
“Never.” Blaise looks at him and there is a determination in his eyes, that Ron has rarely seen before. “You are mine, like I am yours. I will tell mother that she can celebrate her ball alone. I don't need a rich husband or wife. I have the perfect partner already and I will celebrate Christmas with him and his family.”
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“So Blaise likes his Weasley sweater?” Draco laughs gently on Christmas day, wearing his own green sweater with the grey D in the middle, proudly.
“He does, after all he belongs to our clan, just like you do.” Ron is content in his own marron creation.
“That he does.” Draco looks at his friend who makes his way over to them with three mugs of hot chocolate.
Blaise settles next to his lover, handing one mug over.
“Are you talking about me?”
“Only about the fact, that some people need longer to figure out, where they belong.” Draco quips
“Well I belong right here.” Blaise says it quietly and Ron catches his lips. Letting him go only after a long snog.
“You are home. Merry Christmas love.”
And the room resonates with a cheer of “Merry Christmas.”