6. Christmas Presents

A/N: I would like to dedicate this to iamhuman101. Thank you for reading and voting:)

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"Rematch." Ron demanded when Draco leant back in his seat with a satisfied smirk.

Ginny, Fred and George groaned. "Can you please stop this braincells killing game and join us?" George asked. "This card game is boring with only three people."

"It's also boring with five people." Ron said, placing the Chess pieces back on the board that laid between Draco and Ron. Draco had won this evening, and he had to admit that he was all for taking a break from the concentration consuming game.

"Maybe we can play something completely different." Draco said.

"Like what?" Fred perked up. Draco shrugged.

"We can't use our wands, except for Fred and George." Ginny said. "And I don't trust any game where only Fred and George are allowed to use magic."

Ron, Potter and Draco nodded in agreement while the twins answered with an indignant "Hey!"

"Well, we could play a muggle game." Potter suggested.

"We don't know any muggle games." Ron said.

"Muggle games are boring." Draco said.

"Have you ever played a muggle game?" Potter glared.

"No." Draco held his nose up high. "Tell us about these games, Potter."

When he did not answer immediately, Draco eyed Potter, who looked down at his hands with an unreadable expressions. "I don't know... any. Except for Play Station. But you need, well... a Play Station for that."

"Well, I'm sure Fred and George can build a Play Station." Ron said. "What exactly does this station contain. Do we need a room for that? Or something bigger, like a train station?"

"No." Potter said. "It's electronic. And you need a TV."

"A tea-what?" George wondered.

"TV." Potter said. "Nevermind. It's not happening." Suddenly, something dawned on his face and he looked up directly at Draco. "How about... Truth or Dare."

"Sounds interesting." Ron said. "What's that?"

A smirk grew on Draco's face as Potter still had not broken eye contact with him. "Truth, huh? So obsessed with me that you want to force my dirtiest secrets out of me now, aren't you?"

Something started to darken in Potter's eyes, "Oh, I bet they're dirty." He smirked, taking Draco by surprise. Normally, it was Draco teasing him. "But I was thinking more about scaring you away with horrible dares."

Draco did not break eye contact when he leant back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You can try." He smirked.

"So, how does this game go?" Ron asked, obvious to the buzzing tension that he had broken now. Draco noticed Ginny shifting uncomfortably and Fred and George watching them with different degrees of curiosity and mischief.

Harry explained this muggle game "Truth or Dare" briefly. It was fairly easy to understand. Well, it was a muggle game after all.

At first, they had problems coming up with Questions or Dares that were not dangerous, but also not boring. When Mrs Weasley came down to send them all to bed, she found Fred wearing one of Ginny's dresses, Ron sitting on Potter's lap, George looking flushed from his underwear run around the house, and Draco attempting to imitate a chicken, but failing because he had too much dignity for that.

Mrs Weasley looked at them weirdly, and she did not even know what all the others had found out in the last hour. She did not know about Fred's biggest problem with George constantly around, wanking, that Ron and Potter had watched wizard porn together, and Potter did not like it, that Draco was not a virgin, and that Ginny thinks her second X chromosome is a great gift because she can think with her brain and not her penis.

(The boys had protested at the last one. "You've had more relationships than all of us when we were your age." Fred had said.

"Yes, and I chose got the boys with my brain, not my penis." Ginny had said. "If a guy comes to a girl with his penis in mind, she will know at once and you won't have a chance with a real lady." The boys had just looked at her blankly and Ginny rolled her eyes. "Boys...")

Fred and George were enthused by the game. "We should do this again." Fred said as they stood up from the sofas. "Next time, we can even get some Veritaserum involved." They were lucky Mrs Weasley went back into her bedroom as soon as she saw them getting up or else Fred's mouth would probably be hexed shut and he would get a lecture.

"I don't know if this is a good idea." Ginny said.

"Where do you want to get the ingredients from anyways?" Draco wondered. He remembered making Veritaserum and a few essentials were hard to get, some were even not completely legal.

"We have our ways." George winked.

Ginny was the first to reach her room and bid the boys good night. Next, they passed Mrs und Mr Weasley's room on the way up the stairs. "It's okay, Arthur." Mrs Weasley's voice could be heard through the door. "I'm sure Ginny will be happy with Muriel's old one."

"But we already couldn't get her a new broom last year." Arthur sounded resigned. "How come we can't get our only daughter a few nice new robes. Always the boy's old ones or yours. And what about Ron? We only have two days until Christmas eve..."

"Arthur, you work hard but the world is not fair." Mrs Weasley said. "Don't kick yourself for it."

"Molly, what if we cut out the Galleons at the-"

"Malfoy!"

Draco looked up to see Potter glaring down at him. He had not noticed that he had paused to listen to the Weasley parents discuss their money problems. Something heavy settled in the pit of his stomach. Those people could not even afford their own children, and they were feeding Draco?

"They do this every year." George sighed.

"And every year they think they're subtle." Fred laughed. Draco frowned. How could he laugh about that? He was poor. His whole family was poor.

"Stop judging, Malfoy." Potter glared. "Go to Bill's fucking room, sleep and mind your own business."

"Bill's fucking room?" Fred asked. "You reckon Draco and Bill have an affair?"

Draco grimaced. He could not deny that Bill was good looking, but... how could two males have an affair? Draco climbed up the stairs until he reached Bill's room. "Bill wouldn't be so stupid getting involved with him." Potter said.

"Hey!" Draco complained. "Who wouldn't want to be with me? I'm rich and good looking..."

"It's sad that you list those two as your qualities to be with." Potter said. "But maybe those two are really the only good features you have."

"No." Draco said, then realized something and let a smirk fall onto his lips. "So you think I'm good looking..."

Potter glared, but a blush covered his cheeks. "You're so shallow and insufferable."

Draco smirked, but his witty comeback was cut short when Mrs Weasley stuck her head out of her room. "Could you boys go to bed now? We all want to sleep."

"Yeah, of course." Ron said. "Come, Harry."

Draco opened the door to Bill's bedroom, but he slammed it closed two seconds later, a scarring image and disturbing sounds filling his brain. He hurried up after the other boys. "Umm... Potter?"

Potter and Ron, who had just reached the attic, turned around. "What is it, Malfoy? Scared of Bill's bed?"

Draco blushed, "Umm... Fleur is not in Ginny's room."

"So what?" Potter snapped. Fred and George were standing in the doorway of their room,watching the exchange. For some reason, Draco felt like all the Weasley's found conversations between Potter and himself as interesting as a theatre play.

"Umm, well." Draco said. "She's in Bill's bed and... I don't, I mean, I can't sleep when... she's there."

"Why?" Potter said. "I thought you and Fleur were best French friends now."

"Yeah, well." Draco said. "They're doing inappropriate things that I don't want to hear nor see. Especially women's moans always freaked me out..." Finally, realization drew on Potter's features and the three Weasleys burst into laughter.

"Come here, Malfoy." Ron laughed. "Let's help your scarred soul."

Draco hurried up to the other two boys. "But Ron." Potter complained as they entered the attic and put one of the mattresses on the floor.

"If you find it so awful, I can sleep with him on the mattress." Ron said. He had really opened up to Draco since they became Chess buddies.

"No!" Potter protested loudly.

"Why not?" Ron frowned.

"Because..." Potter glanced at Draco and then back at Ron. "It doesn't make sense. You're the one kicking everyone off in his sleep. I have to sleep with Malfoy."

Ron eyed his best friend carefully. "Do you want to sleep with him?"

"No!" Potter shouted.

Draco smirked. "Yeah, Potter. Do you want to sleep with me?" The other two boys picked up on the emphasis and Ron laughed. Potter glared at him and stomped over to the mattress on the floor. Draco swore he could see the blush creeping on his cheeks.

Draco went after him, laying beside Potter and watching Ron get into the real bed. "Don't touch me." Potter hissed before facing away from Draco.

"Don't get so big headed, Potter." Draco said. "Not everyone wants to touch you."

"Can you stop your weird flirting?" Ron said. "I want to sleep."

"We're not flirting." Draco and Potter said at the same time.

"Sure." Ron said. "Whatever you say. Good night."

Draco frowned but let it go. Instead, he thought about the conversation he had overheard. They were obviously struggling with getting their children birthday presents. At his home, it had never been a problem. Granted, Draco was the only child in the Malfoy home. But he got many presents, and expensive ones. Every single year. It was another thing Draco would miss this year.

But this year, Draco wanted to help the Weasleys have at least a decent Christmas. What was Christmas without proper presents?

#

Mr and Mrs Weasley rejected Draco's help resolutely. No matter how many times Draco tried to explain that money was not a problem for him, that Severus had the access to his vault in Gringotts and could get more Galleons any time and that he just wanted to help, the Weasley parents were adamant on getting presents for their children with their own money. Even if it was not as much as the Malfoys possessed.

"You don't have to feel guilty." Mrs Weasley said when Draco insisted he just wanted to help out. "We're managing. And our children know that Christmas is not about the presents."

Draco frowned. "What is it about then?" He wondered.

Mrs Weasley smiled indulgently. Draco could see something akin pity in her eyes. But what for? "Christmas is the happiest time in the year, isn't it?" She waited until Draco nodded before continuing. "But it's not because of the presents. It's because the whole family gets together and they show each other love. And we can push our worries away for a few days. Christmas time is the time of hope and happiness."

Draco frowned. "Okay..." He did not completely understand. "And this hope and happiness does not come from presents?"

Mrs Weasley shook her head. "No, my dear. The love that we get during that family time is much more valuable than materialistic presents."

"Okay..." Draco said slowly. It seemed like the Christmas in this family was a bit different than the one at his home. But he could have guessed. His family had way more money than them so the quality would be different. "Can I go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" It struck Draco that Christmas was two days away and he had nothing to offer to the Weasleys.

"No way! Certainly not." Mr Weasley cut in. "It's way too dangerous out there. Especially if someone recognizes you."

Draco frowned. "What if I use a glamour or something. Or polyjuice potion?"

Mr Weasley shook his head again. "I don't want anyone leaving the wards of this house. The world is dangerous at the moment, no matter what you look like."

"I have to agree with Arthur on that." Mrs Weasley said. "I'm sorry, Draco."

#

Sitting at lunch, it was hard to swallow the food. Guilt was weighting down Draco's stomach, more aware than ever about the family's money problems while he ate away their food. Food, that the family members cooked themselves instead of having a house elf make it. And he would be intruding into their Christmas family bonding time and did not even have presents. How did Potter cope with that?

After lunch, Draco grabbed Potter's sleeve and pulled him away from Ron. Of course, Potter did not let himself be dragged away without protest. "What do you want, Malfoy?" He pulled his arm back.

Draco stopped walking and turned to him. "I need to talk to you, Potter. Alone. So could we go outside for a second?"

Potter glared. Holding eye contact with Draco, he yelled, "Ron!"

"Yeah?" He came up behind Potter. "What's going on?"

"If I'm not back in ten minutes, Malfoy has killed me."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna kill you, Potter. I have more important things to do."

"Like what?" Potter glared.

"You'll see." Draco said. "If you come outside with me."

Draco held Potter's calculating gaze and after a few seconds, he said, still without breaking eye contact. "You heard me, Ron. If I'm not back in ten minutes, get help."

Ron snorted. "Honestly, Harry. You should be fine. As long as you stay within the wards nothing can happen. But if it makes you happy, I'm gonna come out in ten minutes to see what you're doing."

"We're just gonna talk." Draco said. "Don't listen or else it won't be a surprise anymore."

Potter followed Draco outside into the cold December weather. Potter was kind of adorable, the way he buried himself inside his robes. Draco cleared his throat to get rid of the weird thoughts. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Potter prompted.

"So..." Draco was not even sure what exactly he wanted. "It's just that... Do you sometimes feel like you're intruding?"

Potter looked surprised. He eyed Draco suspiciously, then looked thoughtful. "Kind of..." He finally said. "But I don't have a nice home life and they said I'm almost like a son to them. So... I'm okay."

Draco laughed, "One son more, nobody will notice."

Potter glared, "That's not true. Just because they're many doesn't mean every single son isn't special to their parents, Malfoy-"

"Relax, Potter." Draco said. "I'm just kidding."

Potter eyed him suspiciously. "If you were anyone else, I might have found it funny." Potter admitted.

Draco laughed. "I don't blame you." They reached a tree at the far end of the garden. Potter leaned against it but did not say anything so Draco wondered. "Okay, and how are you doing this Christmas present thing? Have you already gotten them something? What is it?"

"Not much." Potter said. "It's almost the same every year. Some sweets, books... I always get a Weasley sweater. I'm curious if you also get one this year."

"A Weasley sweater?" Draco wondered.

"It's a selfmade pullover from Mrs Weasley." Potter explained. "We all get one every single year for Christmas."

"Wow." Draco said. "That must be so much work... Anyways. Don't you feel bad? They struggle with getting their children even one present each and here I am, eating their food and using their toilet paper... You know what I mean? And I didn't know I would come here so I don't have any presents. And they don't want to take my money..."

Draco looked at Potter, who had a soft smile on his face. But when he saw Draco looking, Potter's face got neutral again. "I'm surprised." He said. "I didn't think you had feelings beside cowardliness and narcissism."

Draco glared. "I would be hurt, but I don't care about your opinion." Something in Draco's chest protested. "Anyways, that's why I wanted to talk to you. You're the only one who I don't care about in this household so I don't care about getting you a present."

Potter's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "You want to get them presents? You know that Christmas is in two days."

"I know." Draco said. "And Mr and Mrs Weasley prohibited all of us from leaving the house, or at least the wards. But I already have so many ideas. And you get in trouble all the time. Isn't there a way you could help me get presents. I would just have to go to Diagon Alley for an hour or something."

Potter looked wary. "I don't know... They're right. It's dangerous to leave the wards... And I don't get into trouble all the time."

"Yes, you do." Draco said. "Every year at least five times."

Potter rolled his eyes. "I do not. And if I do, then only in Hogwarts. I don't wanna cause trouble in the burrow."

"Okay." Draco said. "But don't you have any idea how I could get presents?"

"What do you have in mind?" Potter asked. "For presents, I mean."

"Oh." Draco started to list all the ideas he had. "Well, there are four Quidditch players in the family, right? Ginny, Fred, George and Ron. I thought they could use new brooms, maybe Nimbus or something. But like we heard yesterday, Ginny could also use new robes, so I don't now, maybe both? And then-"

"You wanna get Ginny more than the others?" Potter interrupted. "Do you like her?"

"No!" Draco said. "Why would you think that?"

"Well," Potter said. "We're always in such close proximity. It's hard not to fall for her."

Draco's head whipped to Potter, a weird, uncomfortable feeling spreading in his chest. "You like her?"

Potter shrugged. "I used to."

Draco frowned, eying him closely. "What happened?"

Potter's green eyes locked with Draco's, seeming to pierce through him, but at the same time looking far away. "I don't know." Potter said before breaking eye contact and looking down at his hands. "Anyways, you have more ideas for presents?"

"Oh, yes." Draco said. "So besides a broom, I thought Ron would also be happy with a new Chess board. His pieces are already falling apart. Bill, I'm not sure. But he works in Gringotts, right? So maybe he could use a new brief bag or something? Or nice shoes for his wedding next year? And I thought maybe a nice necklace for Fleur. And maybe also one for Mrs Weasley, although they have completely different styles so they would need different ones. And maybe some wine and chocolate for the parents. Or maybe, do you have a better idea? I'm not sure, you've known them for longer. What do you think?"

The look Potter was giving him was intense. It made Draco's skin tingle and something erupt in his stomach, being looked at so closely by these breathtaking, green eyes. "I'm impressed, Malfoy. I didn't think you would care this much."

"Well, I'm living under their rickety roof and eat their food." Draco said. "And they only wear second hand clothes. I'm pretty sure everything in this house is second hand. Or third hand. Or tenth hand."

Potter's mouth twitched, then he glared. "So you only care because you feel bad about their lack of luxury? They don't need your pity, Malfoy. Stop judging them."

"I'm not judging them, Potter." Draco defended. "You should stop feeling attacked every time I say something not completely positive."

"You never say anything completely positive." Potter argued.

"I do." Draco said. "You just interpret everything I say negatively."

"I do not."

"You do." Draco said. "But let's not argue about that. Can you help me get the presents?"

Potter continued glaring, so Draco put on his most innocent smile. Potter blinked, then looked away. "How do you imagine me doing that?"

"I don't know." Draco said.

"Why don't you just ask Snape to buy it for you?" Potter wondered.

And that... "That's a great idea. I mean..." At Potter's surprised look, Draco held his nose up high, "I've had this idea before, of course. I just asked you to see if you have a better idea."

Potter's mouth twitched into a reluctant smile. It was kind of soft, but maybe Draco only imagined that, because Potter looked away quickly. "Of course you did."

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