Harry Potter fiction: "Cold Outside"
Title: Cold Outside
Author: Clare_Lupin
Fandom: “Harry Potter”
Pairing: Harry/Draco; mention of Ron/Hermione; brief past reference to Harry/Ginny
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1000
Warnings/Spoilers: none
Summary: Somehow Harry and Draco keep ending up in bed together.
Disclaimer: “Harry Potter” definitely isn’t owned by me. No copyright infringement is intended by me and I’m not making any profit from this piece of fiction.
The snow lay thickly outside, glowing a shadowy purple in the moonlight. Inside the room a fire burned hotly and provided the only light.
They lay naked in bed together, Draco hovering above Harry in a predatory manner.
Harry said, “I don’t know why I’m here.”
Draco frowned. “Well, don’t look at me for a solution. I don’t have a clue why you’re here. I just thought you wanted meaningless sex.”
“Not exactly.” For that he could have gone to a stranger and saved himself the embarrassment of turning up at the door of his old enemy. Not that they were enemies any more. Exactly. They had run into each other at the Ministry of Magic enough times in the last year that they knew they could be civil to each other and even manage a polite conversation (“isn’t it a wet day?”, “wasn’t the Scottish Quidditch win unexpected?”, “yes, Florrie Arnbletter is the dullest Minister for Magic imaginable”). Harry had never imagined a day when he would be so lonely that he would look forward to encountering Draco Malfoy but then he had never expected to lose touch with Hermione and Ron after they moved in together or for Ginny to dump him either.
Draco was scowling now and the expression was so familiar that Harry felt a surge of affection. He pulled Draco down into his arms and kissed him until further conversation was limited to groans and sighs.
*
The snow had turned to a brown slush 9 days later when they somehow found themselves in bed together again.
Harry stayed the night. Draco snored.
*
“Hi,” said Harry on a morning 3 weeks later when the blond appeared in his office doorway.
“Good morning,” said Draco and shut the door behind him. “So, um… it’s the beginning of the Winter Solstice in 2 day’s time and I won’t be at work for a few days.”
“No. Me either.” Harry hadn’t been looking forward to it. He had booked the holiday months ago but now had know idea what he would do with 4 days at home apart from ironing all his shirts and catching up with the Quibbler.
“Right. Look, if you don’t want to come over then I may as well go and stay with my parents but if you do then I won’t.” Draco studied his polished shoes.
Harry stared at him and swallowed. “Yeah. Okay. I could maybe come by with some food to cook. Have you ever had a traditional Christmas dinner?”
“Is that the same as at Yule?”
Harry grinned. “Not quite but you’ll like it, I promise.”
“I can bring in holly and mistletoe from the garden and we could decorate the house,” Draco suggested, looking almost happy.
“Great!”
“Good. So, I’ll see you then.” Their smiles grew awkward and Draco backed out of the room at speed.
Harry returned to his work, typing up a report on his latest mission as an auror. Later he noticed he was humming “Winter Wonderland”.
*
“Where are you?” Hermione’s voice asked.
Harry looked at his mobile in consternation. He didn’t think “in bed with Draco Malfoy” was an answer she would appreciate. “Why? Where are you?”
“We’re at your flat, of course. It was supposed to be a surprise. I made a Yule Log for you.”
“That sounds great.” Harry sat up and ignored the protest from his lover. “I’ll give you an address. If you get a taxi you can be with us in ten minutes.”
“We could apparate there more quickly.”
Harry glanced at the sulky naked man beside him. “I think we’ll need ten minutes to get everything ready.”
“Who’s ‘we’?”
Harry bit his lower lip then said, “It’s a surprise.”
“Oh, that’s nice.”
She sounded pleased, presumably guessing that his new lover was someone she knew, and as he gave the address and said goodbye Harry felt a sudden panic.
*
Two hours later things were going unexpectedly well. The mulled ale Ron had contributed to the meal was probably a large part of that, warming up an initial atmosphere that a dementor couldn’t have made any colder.
“This Yule Log is the best I’ve ever eaten,” Draco said. (“Be polite to them,” Harry had begged earlier, “and later we’ll try out any sexual activity you like.”)
“Thank you,” Hermione said with a genuine smile. “My secret ingredient is cherry brandy.”
Draco smiled politely. “Lovely!”
Ron threw Harry another ‘are you barking?’ expression then winced when Hermione surreptitiously kicked him under the table. Again.
*
“… The weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
As long as you love me so,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”
Ron and Draco sang the song with a gusto which didn’t quite make up for the fact they were reading the words off cue cards and neither of them knew the tune.
Harry and Hermione giggled, drank some more mulled ale, and giggled again. They had taught Ron and Draco the game of Truth or Dare and it was a great success. At least, it was a success after some initial embarrassment and a heart-felt agreement that none of them actually wanted to hear the details of each other’s sex life.
And the mulled ale was a greater success. It was lucky Ron had thought to bring an extra barrel.
*
After Ron and Hermione apparated home and Harry and Draco slept and took a magical hangover remedy, the latter couple returned to bed.
“Thank you,” Harry said.
“They’re not actually that bad.”
Harry grinned at the grudging concession and kissed his lover.
Then he kept his promise about indulging in any sexual activity Draco wanted to try and the rest of the holiday was an ever bigger success than the mulled ale.