Very quickly, Draco realized that they simply weren't going to talk about it. The only acknowledgment was Harry winking every time they walked past the mistletoe. He was beginning to wonder if Harry was getting caught on purpose, working up the nerve to kiss him. And what a kiss it was. He needed to talk to someone, but who did he talk to when he couldn't talk to Harry?

It was either his mother or Luna, and he didn't think he could talk to his mother about this. Not right now when she was already suspicious over their relationship. Draco didn't think she would mind, in fact she would encourage it. He needed someone who would tell him like it was, and that's where his cousin came in.

If Narcissa could tell something was off while they were over, she didn't let it show. Draco was sure something was written all over his face.

"Draco, will you come outside with me?," Harry asked suddenly after checking the time for the tenth time that day.

"I suppose so..."

Draco wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it wasn't a giant Christmas tree loaded on top of a truck.

"Harry?," he asked, trailing off in shock.

"Happy Christmas love," he said endearingly.

Harry would've been snogged brutally had Narcissa not made an appearance at the front door.

"I trust they know how to bring this inside without breaking my door Harry?"

"No worries ma'am, we're professionals. Just point us to where you want the tree. We'll get the base set up and then position the tree to your liking."

Draco was absolutely giddy watching the tree be set up. He watched in awe, not even noticing that Harry had left again. Harry had left to retrieve the decorations as instructed by Narcissa, smiling as he snuck glances at Draco.

Harry couldn't believe he had kissed Draco. Being so forward was terribly unlike him, but he was sick of being stuck under the mistletoe and having to be freed. It gave him an excuse to get it out of his system, at least that's what he had told himself. The kiss was brief, but Draco's lips were oh so soft, and Harry had to stop staring at them while the other man talked.

What had he been thinking? He wasn't obviously, and he kept waiting for Draco to bring it up. If he did, Harry decided at that moment that he would confess his feelings for Draco. That couldn't be too hard right? Their first kiss was technically already out of the way. Shaking his head, Harry put all of his energy into moving boxes.

Checking the time, he ran to the drawing room to meet his guests at the floo. He simply couldn't stop smiling, especially as little Teddy crawled over to Draco, who picked him up in surprise.

"Well hello there Teddy," Draco cooed, kissing his cousin on the forehead. "Aunt Andy, I didn't know you'd be stopping by."

"Our Harry is full of surprises isn't he?"

"He certainly is," Draco agreed, smiling as he watched Harry pull faces at Teddy, Harry's face turning into a smile as he saw Draco smiling at him.

"You two better not spoil him rotten," Andy warned.

"He's going to get everything I never had," Harry promised softly, letting Teddy squeeze his fingers.

"He's going to get more than what I had," Draco replied, shrugging his shoulders to ease the tension.

"There isn't much you didn't have dear."

"Precisely. I need someone else to spoil you know."

Harry didn't miss the way Draco's eyes roamed over him, and he rolled his own in return.

"I told you-"

"When do I ever listen to you Potter?," Draco interrupted.

"You don't. It might do you well if you did."

"I can think of one situation where it was for the best that I didn't listen to you hmm?," Draco recalled, his eyes full of mischief.

"Maybe you can remind me later. We do have a tree to trim, don't we?"

"You will be visiting to check up on it won't you Harry? I'm afraid my gardening knowledge doesn't encompass tree care."

"Of course I will."

"What are your plans for the holidays Harry?"

"Oh. Erm, I don't quite know to be honest with you. I suppose I'm expected at the Weasley's for Christmas dinner, but this whole year has felt so off, I was thinking about just spending it at Grimmauld."

"Alone?!," Draco asked in horror.

"Well when you put it like that it sounds awful."

"If you think for one minute I would ever let you spend another holiday alone in this lifetime or the next, you've gone completely barmy! Were you just not going to say anything? I had assumed you'd be shacked up with the Weasley's or else I would've invited you to spend Christmas here!"

"I hadn't thought much of it with the ball coming up," Harry said defensively, rubbing the back of his neck.

"A ball?"

"Yes Mother, we'll be needing your catalogs. That's what I thought we were doing today. I didn't know Harry had this planned."

"Am I looking for four sets of robes?," she inquired, delicate brow raised.

"Just two," Harry replied with a goofy smile.

"Are you both going alone then?"

Draco knew his mother was going to make him say it, and she was going to drag it out as long as possible.

"I asked Harry, and he agreed to accompany me to the ball."

He didn't miss the flash of surprise quickly flicker over her face before she schooled her features back to an impassive view.

"Well, that's absolutely wonderful."

"I wasn't planning on going to be honest with you, but I could never say no to Draco. And he put a lot of effort into it, it was quite sweet."

Draco felt his face flushing, and was praying for a change in topics.

"Has Teddy started talking yet?"

"Harry, I have one last box I need help with. Do you mind?"

"Mother I can-"

"Nonsense, you just started a conversation with Andy. It would be rude to leave."

Harry was ready with the photo to show Narcissa once they had left the room.

"I haven't seen my son smile so much in years. Even the mere thought of you causes the corners of his mouth to turn upright."

"I can't say he doesn't have the same effect on me." Harry smiled goofily, just at the mention of Draco. "Maybe worse, he can at least school his expressions. I'm hopeless, I'm afraid."

"You just wear your heart on your sleeve. My Draco can be oblivious at times, especially in terms of others' feelings towards him. I'm proud of him for asking you. Is it a date then?"

"He didn't ask me on a date per se, just to the ball. I guess it technically could be a date," Harry mused. "Is it?"

"You would have to ask him."

"I suppose I would. Are the catalogs in here then?"

Draco couldn't stop watching Harry interact with Teddy. He was so gentle, and always spoke to Teddy like a grown person, the use of baby talk minimalized.

"He's going to be a good father one day," Andy commented to him.

"Won't he?"

"His future partner is very lucky."

"Oh, they will be."

Draco's chest constricted at the thought of Harry being with anyone but him.

"All it takes is one question, Draco. You need to be direct. Take him out and make it clear that he's agreeing to a date with you. That's the only way to know."

"It's easier this way, with less to lose."

"But think of all that you could gain," she retorted wisely.

As the day progressed, Draco made a list of all that he could gain. At the top of his list was soft kisses, his mind always drifting back to the morning's events. Then it was more wondrous, meaningful surprises. Draco didn't know how on earth Harry had gotten his mother to allow a real tree into their home. He handled all of the preparation with ease, and Draco's chest fluttered as he watched Harry gently remove a bauble away from Teddy, while he patiently explained what was happening.

They were trimming the tree now, and Harry seemed to be doing everything he could to bring Draco closer to him. Accidentally wrapping him up in lights, stringing garland around his shoulders and tugging it to free Draco, resulting in him landing in Harry's arms.

"Christmas must've come early this year," Harry teased, reveling in how good Draco looked adorned in the tree trimmings.

"I know I'm so much taller than you, but that's no excuse to keep mistaking me for the tree."

"Oh please you're not that much taller than me!"

"Then why do you insist on covering me in trimmings?"

"Your smile is so bright I mistook it for a Christmas star."

Harry's earnest expression had Draco taking a small step forward, only interrupted by Teddy's cry from the next room over.

"I'll see to him. You're a bit... wrapped up," Harry teased.

"Well, I'd love for you to unwrap me," Draco flirted back, waiting for Harry's return.

He did just so after getting Teddy settled, fingertips gently brushing stray pieces of garland out of Draco's hair.

"There we go. I think you look good sparkling."

"I'll take that into consideration darling."

"You should love. Help me put the tree topper on?"

"You could just levitate it you know."

"But where's the fun in that?"

That smile could get Draco to do absolutely anything. If Potter had been a blonde, Draco would have bet that he had veela lineage somewhere along the line. No one's smile should be that enticing.

The tree took hours to decorate, but Draco didn't care. Not with Harry humming along to Christmas tunes, giving Draco the occasional spin around the room. He certainly didn't mind Harry's leg pressed against his during dinner, a constant presence while he was feeding himself and Teddy.

It seemed they were saying their goodbyes to Teddy and Andromeda all too soon, and Draco couldn't believe how quickly the day had passed. He pushed away impeding thoughts of tomorrow, trying to focus on today.

"Are we leaving as well?," Draco asked Harry, glancing at the clock.

"Your mum said we could spend the night here."

"I couldn't ask that of you."

"You don't have to. I already accepted the invitation."

"If you feel for any reason that you can't, we'll leave immediately."

"Okay," Harry promised, pulling Draco into his arms. "Oh my gosh."

"What?"

"Draco it's snowing!"

Draco pushed Harry away to run to the window and check for himself.

"It's the perfect day," he said in awe, face pressed to the window.

"Almost," Harry promised. "Take a walk out with me?"

"You don't like the cold."

"But I like you."

If Draco had hung mistletoe in his own home, he would have immediately pushed Harry underneath it. Instead, he smiled at him and pulled on his boots. Harry grabbed Draco's hand in his own as they stepped outside, and Draco immediately tilted his face up into the falling snow.

"Absolutely beautiful," Harry said breathlessly, so quiet Draco thought he imagined it.

"Isn't it? I love snow."

The words "I love you" almost left Harry's mouth, and he bit down on his tongue. Saying it once to Draco was enough, and this wasn't the time or place, but it would be soon. He still had to confirm their plans for tomorrow, and didn't want Draco agreeing to anything because he felt obligated.

"So tomorrow," he began.

"My will has been updated and I have the preferred flowers chosen for my funeral. I trust you can cover the costs."

"You don't have to-"

"I don't have to do a lot of things, but I care about you, so I will. That's how I know I've changed. You've turned me into a bloody Gryffindor."

"You are a vision in red."

"I'm always a vision," Draco replied dismissively. "I just want you to be careful. You're playing a dangerous game."

"I've had my eyes on the prize for quite some time now. I've watched myself be revered and then made public enemy number 1 on multiple occasions. Nothing they say affects me anymore because I simply don't read it. All that's good is The Quibbler."

"I just don't want something to happen to ruin any of this."

"Nothing could ruin any of this. It's me and you until the end, remember? I love having you around, if you haven't noticed."

"After today, I don't doubt that. It's funny you know, I promised myself that I would give you the best Christmas ever, and here you are showing me up."

"If I knew it was a competition I would've upped my game more," Harry teased.

"Oh just you wait Potter. I've been scheming for weeks."

"I'll be waiting love. The night isn't over yet. I have one more trick up my sleeves."

"I bet you do," Draco muttered, leaning in closer to Harry for warmth.

They stayed outside for a few more minutes, and Draco truly was breathtaking with snowflakes caught in his eyelashes. His cheeks and the tips of his ears turned pink due to the cold, and Harry was suddenly struck by a vision of him in third year outside of Hogsmeade, a giggle escaping his mouth.

"Do I even want to know?"

"You had a very cute hat in third year that I was just reminded of. You wore it on a Hogsmeade trip."

"Don't make fun of my hat! It was real fur, I'll have you know. It's around here somewhere."

"Maybe you can let me borrow it sometime?"

"I may be persuaded. My ears are cold though, let's go in."

"You'll have to let me borrow some clothes. I didn't pack anything."

"There's other ways to ask to get into my pants you know," Draco teased.

"I'm still trying to find the best approach," Harry replied, brushing a snowflake off of Draco's cheek.

"You don't even have to ask," Draco's mind supplied.

Instead, he said "I hope everything fits."

"I can just steal back what you took from me."

"And where's the fun in that hmm? You can dress well above your means here."

"I have the means Draco, just not the want to spend so much money."

"It's a good thing spending money is my hobby. Come along before I have to defrost you."

What a tempting off that was. While Draco set off upstairs to retrieve clothes for Harry, he set to work on the last surprise of the evening. With the roaring fire completed, Harry having only briefly flinched, Athena was doing wonders, Harry set off to making hot chocolate.

"Grab me a book will you?," he called, stalling Draco while he finished making the hot chocolate.

"Clothes are on the bed for you," Draco called back, and Harry rushed to change as quickly as possible.

Grabbing the duvet on the way out and levitating two pillows, he rushed back to the living room before Draco could beat him to it. The curtains were drawn all the way open so that they could watch the snowfall. Harry was pleased, even more so when Draco gasped softly at the sight before him.

"You're right. This is perfect Harry."

"Come here love," Harry invited, opening his arms for Draco.

And when Harry fell asleep in Draco's arms sometime later after Draco read to him, he whispered "I love you" to Harry, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and then fell asleep on the rug in front of the fire, wrapped up with Harry under the duvet.