A/N: I would like to dedicate this to EmFelton101. Thank you for voting and reading:)

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"Arthur!“ Mrs Weasley chirped when the door opened and her husband stepped into the full living room. “You´re exactly on time for dinner.”

She was right. Everyone was already sat on the dinner table, including Lupin and Severus, a delicious Christmas eve dinner spread on the table. “Guess what I brought.” Mr Weasley grinned as he approached the table, holding up a green branch.

“A mistletoe?” Remus asked. He seemed to have good knowledge of plants. Draco would have not known which kind of twig this was.

“That´s right.” Mr Weasley said proudly, using his wand to attach it to the ceiling over the bottom of the stairs. “It´s a muggle tradition. If two people are caught under it at the same time, you have to kiss. This is a special one, though. You can´t leave unless you've kissed.”

“Eww, but dad.” Ron complained. “Most of us are siblings. This is weird.”

“Who says you have to kiss on the mouth?” Mr Weasley asked. “You can kiss each other´s cheek. It´s not a big deal.”

“Still.” Ron grumbled.

Unbidden, Draco´s eyes strayed to the boy opposite of him. His pink lips were pulled into a frown. Then, his face eased a bit and his lips parted. Draco had a flashing picture in his mind, him and Potter, kissing under this twig thing... Suddenly, green eyes looked back at him and Draco looked away quickly.

Severus gave him a questioning look but Draco just shook his head. He had no idea what he was thinking. And he was sure that pursuing these thoughts would not be healthy.

That was why he tried not to look at Potter during the dinner, but it was hard due to him sitting directly in front of him. More than ever, Draco started to feel cramped in the burrow and the many people suffocating him. It had happened before, especially when Mrs Weasley stressed everyone about the Christmas preparations, but now, that Draco was sitting between the boisterous Weasley twins and the watchful Severus, opposite of a boy he had just imagined kissing for some reason, and the voice of Mrs Weasley´s favourite singer Celestina Warbeck, it seemed to physically press against his chest.

Draco tried to concentrate on eating. It was really a great meal that Mrs Weasley had cooked, together with Bill, Ron and Potter. Mrs Weasley did not trust her twins in the kitchen so she had sent them and Draco outside to help Ginny decorate the living room.

Later, Ron and Potter had summoned them to help get some vegetables from the garden for the Christmas dinner. A gnome, who had bitten Fred in the ankle, ended up on top of the Christmas tree, acting as an angel. Not on his free will, though. He was stupefied, painted golden and dressed so he was no longer recognizable. Still, pretty was something different.

Draco lifted his gaze, a small smile appearing on his face as he remembered Potter trying to place the gnome on top of the tree, failing due to his size. But the way his biceps had flexed as he lifted the fat gnome...

“Draco.” He snapped his gaze to Mrs Weasley, licking his suddenly dry lips. “Do you want more pudding?”

Draco shook his head quickly. He felt like his stomach could not handle anything more at the moment. “No, thank you.”

“Are you done?” Potter asked. Draco looked at him, nodding quickly. “Can you excuse us for a few moments?” Potter asked everyone, not waiting for an answer as he stood up and grabbed Draco´s arm. Draco let himself be pulled outside into the cold, dark garden. Fresh snow lay on the unkempt grass. Breathing in deeply, Draco embraced the fresh, cool air.

They strolled around the small garden a bit before Draco decided to finally break the silence. “So, what´s up?”

Potter threw him a side glance before he looked ahead again. He seemed to be contemplating something, probably whether to tell the truth or not. “Did Snape get all the presents?” Potter finally said.

“Yeah, he did.” Draco said. “Sent me an answer as soon as he got my owl. He said something about how he had much more important things to do than buy presents for a bunch of Weasleys.” Draco laughed, hearing Potter snort amusedly. “But he ended up doing it.”

“Cool.” Potter said.

Draco eyed him suspiciously. It was weird, Potter talking to him without accusing him of something. “Is this why you´re suddenly nice to me, Potter? Because you´re hoping to get a Christmas present from me? Because sorry to crush you, but they´re already-”

“No, Merlin.” Potter laughed. “I don´t want a Christmas present from you. That would be so weird.”

“Hmm...” Draco hummed non-committally, watching Potter´s profile. He noticed his cheeks getting pinker than they had been just a few moments before.

“What?” Potter finally said, looking up.

Draco shrugged. “Just thinking about what I would give you for Christmas if I had to. Probably new glasses.” He laughed.

Potter glared, but Draco could see that it was not entirely serious. The black haired sighed in defeat. “I have to admit, my glasses are really old and only still alive because of tape and magic.”

“And they have zero style.” Draco added. “But well, so does the rest of you.” He eyed Potter´s loose, black robes and old, worn out shoes. He always seemed to wear his school uniform or some old shirt. Latter looked good on his arms though, Draco had to admit. He had a brief image of these arms around his waist from behind. Draco shook his head quickly.

Potter scoffed. “Who cares about style anyways.”

“I do.” Draco said. “At home, I have loads of different clothes and shoes. I love combining then into different outfits and stuff. Too bad we have to wear uniforms in school.”

“Hm.” Potter eyed him curiously. “I´ve never heard someone have this hobby. Except in these muggle magazines.”

Draco shrugged. “Pansy likes it. And I know Blaise does too, even though he won´t admit it.”

Potter nodded slowly. “Have you ever heard of the Half-Blood Prince?”

Draco frowned at the sudden change of subject but went along. “Sounds familiar. Why?”

“I just want to know who it is.” Potter said. “I´ve read it... somewhere.”

“Where?” Draco asked.

“Not important.” Potter said. “You know who it is?”

Draco furrowed his eyebrows. “I don´t remember. But I´ve heard it somewhere. Or read it. I don´t know.”

“Okay.” Potter said. “If you remember, please tell me.”

Draco just nodded, not asking further. They walked around the garden in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. Draco wondered how his parents were doing at home. He was sure his mother´s worries were more heightened on this special day. And he was sure his father was worried too. But he was probably more preoccupied corrupting ministry workers and serving the Dark Lord. For him, Christmas would probably barely even exist considering the Dark Lord could care less.

Draco noticed Potter burying his hands further in his robes and walking with his shoulders pulled up. Draco also felt the coldness settling in, especially in his fingertips. “So.” Draco said. “Was there something else you wanted to talk about?”

He saw Potter glance down where Draco was hugging himself, then he shook his head. “To be honest, I just needed to get out of there a bit. I mean, I love the Weasleys and I really appreciate Mrs Weasley´s efforts, and the nice food, but it was getting too much, you know?”

Draco nodded. “Me too.”

“But now it´s getting cold.” Potter said.

“How about we get hot chocolate and sit in front of the fireplace.” Draco suggested.

“Great idea.” Potter said and hurried back to the house. Draco smiled after him. This was the first time he had a conversation with Potter without any fight or accusation.

True to his word, Draco sat in front of the warm fireplace with a hot chocolate in his hands. Next to him sat Potter, on the other side George. The rest of the Weasleys and the guests joined them and a few minutes later, everyone sat around the fireplace with hot chocolates and Christmas biscuits getting passed around. Everyone was talking and laughing softly and Christmas music was playing in the background. It was almost terribly cheesy and out loud, Draco would vehemently deny the warm feeling in his heart and the gentle smile he sent to Potter.

Draco laughed, nudging Potter, and pointed at Severus. He was sitting on a wooden chair between Lupin and Fred, his face stoic and not looking away from the flames. Draco knew his godfather felt similar to him, unable to deny the serene feeling but adamant not to show it.

Potter grinned, grabbing a random piece of paper from the Christmas decorations, and threw it at Severus. He did not seem to notice, so Draco giggled and did the same. The loud laugh George barked out at the sight of a paper ball in Severus´ jet black hair made everyone look at them, including Severus. Draco and Potter let their hands with paper balls sink guiltily.

Severus glowered at them when Mrs Weasley gently told him about the paper in his hair. Draco laughed, trying to hide behind Potter´s shoulder. At the sight of his godfather´s expression though, he quickly froze in his actions, sat up straight again, and stopped his face from showing any kind of emotion. He felt Potter´s eyes on him. It was like he wanted to pierce through the wall and break it down, but Draco had learned his whole life how to prevent that from happening.

The mood was eased when Ron yawned loudly, and Ginny followed. “This is the cue. We should head to bed now.” Mrs Weasley said. “Tomorrow is Christmas.”

Draco yawned and followed everyone, who stood up from their comfortable seats (or in Ginny, Fred and Ron´s case, from the floor) and stretched before leaving to their respectable bedrooms.

When Draco came into the attic, already changed, Ron was lying in his bed while Potter standing with his back facing Draco, pulling off his shirt. Draco froze, watching the shoulder blades move and the muscles work as he reached for his pyjama shirt. His back curved and the line of his spine dented as he lifted his arms to pull the shirt over his head. Something stirred in Draco´s stomach. And this time, he was more aware of what it was that he would like.

Potter turned around and smiled when he spotted Draco. “Coming?” He asked, getting down onto the mattress. Draco tried not to think about other ways he could come. He nodded stiffly and went to blow off the candles. “Dra- I mean, Malfoy?”

“Hmm...” Draco hummed, ignoring Potter´s slip up.

“Why do you always change in the bathroom?” Potter asked, and when Draco came up to the mattress, he noticed him looking at the height where Draco´s forearm was. Self-consciously, Draco pulled down his sleeve further. He did not like that Potter seemed to suspect something. “Insecure?” Potter said nonchalantly when Draco laid down next to him.

Draco was quiet for a few seconds. “You could say that.” He finally said.

“I don´t get why.” Draco heard Potter whisper. He suspected that he was not supposed to hear that, so he did not answer. Not that he even knew what to say anyways.

“Merry Christmas, guys.” Ron´s voice came from the bed above them.

The two boys returned the sentiment, pretending not to know that they would wake up cuddling, just like the other two nights they had slept together on the mattress. Somehow, none of them was complaining.     
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