additional tags: mistletoe, Auror Harry, Ministry Official Draco

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Harry fought down as sigh as he filled out the incident report for what started as a squabble about snow globes and ended with four damaged storefronts, two destroyed carts, fifteen minor injuries, three significant injuries and one old woman transfigured into a chicken. Last Harry knew she was still in the spell damage ward trying to peck people to death.

Someone swept by leaving the scent bergamot and cedar in their wake that immediately made Harry look up. Draco headed to the head desk, a stack of papers in one hand and a long stick in the other.

"Hey, Ron?" Harry asked, setting down his pen.

Ron flipped to the next page in the case file, frowning in thought.

"Ron?" Harry asked again, wadding up a scrap of paper and flicking it at his head.

Ron startled, "Wha-? What?! Why you trying to scare me half to death?"

"I tried asking," Harry said and pointed down at the end of their sea of cubicles to where Draco was talking with Robards at his desk, "Why does Draco have a stick?"

"I think it's an old broomstick handle."

Harry gave him a look, "Yeah, but why?"

Draco turned, and Harry could just make out a green and white sprig of... something floating over his head.

"Mistletoe," Ron said, "Some bloke cursed it to hang over Malfoy's head until he's kissed."

Harry frowned, "Why hasn't he got rid of it?"

Ron shrugged, "Can't imagine he didn't try. I think it was one of the curse-breaker team that did it, they know their stuff."

Draco braced his arm on Robards' desk, leaning over, his perfectly tailored trousers hugging his perfectly-

"-you even listening, mate?" Ron prodded him in the arm.

Harry blinked, "What?"

Ron shook his head, "I can see it's the mistletoe you're concerned about."

"I am," Harry said firmly, "Why does he need a stick?"

"There's a betting pool-"

"What?" Harry frowned.

"-first one to kiss Malfoy gets the lot."

"He needed a stick," Harry said flatly, anger flaring in his gut.

"Malfoy doesn't hit anyone with it, just keep them at a distance. He's done a good job too, it's been a week now," Ron said.

"He needed a stick," Harry repeated, "That's not funny, Ron, that's harassment."

Ron brow twisted in confusion, "It's all in good fun. Just a prank."

"If it was me and the lads down at the pub and it was over at the end of the night, then it would be all in good fun," Harry snapped, his hand curling into a fist, "This is the entire department being arseholes."

Ron grimaced, "Err... more like half the Ministry from what I've heard."

Before Harry could ask more, he saw someone stand up from the corner of his eye.

Leon, one of the newer aurors, glanced around the room.

His partner Deacon grinned and nudged him, "Go on, he's distracted."

Leon nodded and started edging up behind Draco.

Harry's chair fell over as he stood and drew his wand. He hit Leon with a tripping jinx as he walked forward, an expelliarmus that sent Leon's wand flying, and an incarcerous bound his legs. Harry stood over the hapless idiot, trying to convince himself not to break his nose.

"I-" Leon started to say before Harry silenced him with another well-placed spell.

A weight pressed itself firmly in the centre of Harry's chest.

Harry blinked, eyes focusing on the stick, following it up to where Draco was holding the other end. He spared Harry a glance before looking around the room to make sure no one else was trying to ambush him.

"I was just-" Harry pointed down at Leon, "He was trying to sneak up on you."

Draco looked at Leon and back up at Harry, studying him suspiciously.

"I wasn't going to..." Harry felt himself start to blush and took a step back, "I'm just going to go back to my desk."

"Wait," Draco said.

Harry froze.

"It might as well be you," Draco lowered the stick, stepping on Leon as he closed the distance between them and grabbed the front of Harry's robes.

Harry's breath caught in his chest, "Wha-?"

All thought left Harry's head as Draco kissed Harry. His lips were soft and warm, Draco smelled sweetly of bergamot and cedar, and Harry could feel his fingers curling into the fabric of his uniform. All sound seemed to fade into static, the world around him losing its focus-

"Hey," Ron grabbed his shoulder.

Harry jumped, the world suddenly back, too bright and loud. All around other aurors were cheering or groaning or laughing, already starting to gossip.

Draco was gone.

"It's not just the mistletoe you were concerned about, yeah?" Ron said.

Harry swallowed hard as a hundred little things all seemed to connect into one very big nerve-wracking thing, a maybe liking Draco thing.

Ron sighed and patted his shoulder, "Robards was yelling for you."

"I'm in trouble aren't I?" Harry said faintly.

"With Robards, for certain. With Malfoy?," Ron shrugged, "I dunno. Guess you'll have to find out." He pushed Harry toward the front desk, "I'll finish the report, you do what you have to."

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Robard's gave yelling a good go, but Harry was so distracted he didn't catch a word of it. He was probably on probationary patrols or would have to do weekend training classes, Harry didn't care.

Ron had already left by the time he got back to his desk. Harry collected his jacket only to be stopped by a short blond witch with freckles across her nose.

She put her hand on her hips with a frown, "You're the one?"

"The one what?" Harry asked with a sigh.

She narrowed her eyes, "Cause of you I have to return everyone's money, it's a shite load of work. Next time join the betting pool or leave it well alone."

"Betting pool? You were the one running the betting pool?" Harry asked, straightening up.

"Yeah-"

"The one harassing, Draco?" Harry said.

She stiffened, "Look I just took the bets. I didn't curse him."

"Do you know who did?" Harry asked.

She glanced away, "No-"

"Then I'm going to turn you in to WR," Harry said.

Her eyes widened, "I didn't-!"

"I don't care," Harry said.

She frowned and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "...Cursebreaker Windershins," she said quickly, "Keep me well out of it."

"Can anyone corroborate your claim?" Harry asked, grabbing his notebook and writing Windershin's name down.

"His mate Sam, I think, he must have been there seeing as he told just about everyone about it," She gave him a look, "Not you apparently. I can see why."

Harry didn't rise to the bait, finishing writing down the names she had given him, "Your cooperation is appreciated. I'd avoid making any other betting pools in the future if I were you."

She sniffed at him and stomped off with a muttered, "hero my ass."

Harry went down to Wizard Resources, filled out forms and gave formal statements and emphasised his name a bit more than he was normally comfortable with until he was certain Windershin would see at least some repercussions for his blatant misuse of magic.

When he finally left the Ministry it was dark, he headed for the Leaky, getting a pint and sitting at one of the small round tables in the back of the bar.

"Enjoying your winnings?" Draco said behind him.

Harry jumped, beer spilling over on the table. He turned in his seat towards Draco, managing a weak, "No."

Draco's eyebrows rose, "Feeling guilty are we?"

Harry shook his head, "I wasn't in the betting pool. I kind of ruined it. She- the witch running it is giving the money back."

Draco went very still, "Lair. You were right behind me."

"The auror I stunned, he was trying to- I just didn't want him to kiss you," Harry said, embarrassed.

Draco stared at him.

Harry stared back.

"You weren't part of the betting?" Draco asked faintly, the tops of his cheeks flushing a pretty pink.

"Err, no. ...Do you want a chair?" Harry asked, hopefully pulling out the chair in front of him.

Draco stiffly drifted down into the chair. He clutched his knees with both hands, "If you weren't part of the bet what were you doing?"

"Helping?" Harry tried. He grimaced, "I went a bit overboard. I, uh, the woman who was running the betting pool told me who cursed you. I reported him. I hope that's alright."

"You were really trying to help me-," Draco said numbly.

"WR better follow through, or Windershin's is going to have mistletoe growing out of his nose."

"-and I just assumed-"

Harry ran his hand through his hair, "I just really, really didn't want him to kiss you."

"-that you were in on the whole thing."

Harry bit his lip, looking down at his hands, "I'm kind of a jealous person."

"I'm sorry," Draco said

"Why? I... I quite liked the kiss," Harry said.

The flush on Draco's cheeks darkened, "Oh."

"Yeah. Um-"

"I'm sorry about that," Draco blurted, pointing up.

Harry looked up and saw a sprig of mistletoe floating above his head.

"I thought you had..." Draco said weakly.

"Will you help me get rid of it then?" Harry asked.

Draco pushed up the sleeve of his jacket, trying to find his wand, "Yes. I'll take it off right away."

Harry grabbed his wrist, "I was rather hoping you'd kiss me, actually."

Draco froze.

"Only if you want to, of course," Harry added.

Draco looked at Harry's hand around his wrist and tugged it free.

Harry's face fell, "Oh... I-"

Draco clumsily tangled their fingers together, squeezing Harry's hand. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over Harry's, slowly deepening the kiss.

The mistletoe fell on Harry's head, making them both jump.

Harry grinned as Draco tried to pull the plant out of the tangle of his hair, "So... can I take out out to dinner?"

Draco smiled hesitantly, "I'd like that very much."