Birthday gift; DracoHarry100 Christmas Challenge #31
Title: Secret Santa Suitor
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco, Pansy, Harry
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Pre-slash
Word count: 1175
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
★ Birthday gift for taradiane, with a prompt of secret Santa
★ dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge #31 - Secret Santa
Summary: There's a formal pattern to the secret Santa gifts Draco has been receiving.
In normal years, Secret Santa gift exchanges were done within each House. This year, however, in an effort to promote inter-House unity, the Headmistress had decreed that there would be one large exchange that encompassed all four Houses.
Draco had drawn the name of a Second Year Hufflepuff, and he was not happy.
"Just do your best, darling," advised Pansy. She was rather pleased to have drawn the name of someone in Slytherin. Ignoring Draco's complaints, Pansy dragged him to Hogsmeade to buy the requisite five gifts for their respective recipients.
~*~
Despite claiming he was displeased with the entire process this year, Draco eagerly unwrapped the first gift from his Secret Santa. Everyone's gifts had been delivered by owl at breakfast that morning, and the sounds of tearing paper and exclamations of delight could be heard throughout the Great Hall. Draco opened his package and discovered a box full of expensive cheeses, gourmet crackers and decadent chocolates. He automatically slapped Pansy's hand as she reached for a chocolate.
"Don't be selfish," she pouted. "All I got was a pair of knitted mittens."
"Put them on, and keep your hands out of my chocolates," said Draco.
~*~
The following morning, Draco received a fine cashmere scarf in an exquisite dove grey color. Once more, he had to swat at Pansy's grabby hands.
"But, darling, it matches my coat," she whined.
"It matches my eyes," Draco countered, winding the luxurious scarf about his neck.
"Perhaps your Secret Santa fancies you," mused Pansy. "All I got were some boring old quills."
~*~
On the third morning, Draco received a finely crafted snowglobe that featured an adorable cottage scene.
Pansy paled when she saw it. "Draco," she gasped, "you've been receiving courtship gifts!"
"Rubbish," said Draco. Nevertheless, his brow furrowed in thought.
"You've been presented with gifts that represent food, clothing and shelter," said Pansy. "All that remain are wealth and magic."
"I'm certain some Muggle-born or halfblood drew my name," Draco said. "Someone who doesn't understand the import of the gifts he or she has given me." His words sounded doubtful to his own ears. Draco raised his eyes and looked around the Great Hall. No one seemed to be paying him any attention, involved as they all were with their own gifts.
What if he was being courted? A thrill of excitement raced up Draco's spine. Naturally, he would not accept the suit of just anyone. Still, it was an ego boost to think someone might be that interested in him.
Draco shook off his speculation and turned to Pansy. "What did you get today?" he asked.
~*~
Draco's fingers trembled slightly as he opened his fourth gift. Pansy hadn't even touched hers; she was waiting in breathless anticipation to see what Draco got. Draco pushed aside layers of tissue paper to reveal a Snitch ornament. It was made of real gold.
"Draco!" Pansy squealed. "You've been given the gift of wealth!"
Her exclamation drew the attention of some of their Housemates, and Draco quickly shushed her. "It's simply an ornament, Pansy," he said, trying to downplay the gift. "A rather common gift at Christmastime."
"There's nothing simple about it," hissed Pansy. "It's made of gold. Oh, Draco, you've captured the fancy of someone worthy of you, I think."
Draco couldn't imagine who it could be. "What shall I do?" he whispered.
Pansy patted his hand. "Enjoy it, darling," she said. "Tomorrow, you find out who's been paying court, and you can accept or reject the suit."
Draco nodded. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.
~*~
On the fifth and final day of the exchange, each student was to present his or her gift to the recipient in person. Draco got his over with early, taking his final gift to the young Hufflepuff girl and suffering through the shy hug she gave him.
Pansy accepted a lovely, flowering plant from Longbottom, and from the way her lashes fluttered, Draco suspected his friend would now be looking at Longbottom in a new light.
Throughout the remainder of the day, Draco made himself highly visible, anxious to find out who his Secret Santa was. It was Saturday, which meant no classes, but Draco sat in the center of the library for a couple of hours, pretending to study.
When dinner came and went with no sign of his suitor, Draco's hopes deflated. Apparently, the person had had a change of heart and no longer wished to go through with the courtship. Draco lingered as long as he dared in the Great Hall before giving up and leaving. As he trudged through the corridors, he heard a voice behind him.
"Malfoy, wait up!"
Draco turned, surprised to see Harry Potter rushing to catch up to him. "Potter," he greeted coolly. "What do you want?"
Potter tugged nervously at his collar before producing a wrapped gift from his pocket. "I wanted to give you your final gift," he said.
Draco felt his mouth fall open, and he closed it again with a snap. "You?" he blurted. "You're my Secret Santa?"
"Yeah," said Potter, shyly extending the present.
Draco took it from him and tried to calm himself. His heart was thudding in his chest, and his palms were damp from nervousness. Maybe Potter wasn't really courting him, and the gifts had simply been chosen at random. There was only one way to find out. Draco cleared his throat and opened his gift carefully. It was a small, green glass dragon, and Draco felt oddly disappointed.
"Thank you, Potter," he said woodenly.
"It's enchanted," said Potter. "Simply tap it with your wand, and it will become animated. It even flies and breathes fire."
Draco's pulse jumped again. "You've given me a magical gift?"
"Er, y-yeah," stammered Potter. He straightened his shoulders and composed himself. "Do you accept this gift, and the others, in the spirit they were given?"
Draco hesitated. His answer would have a profound impact on his life. He'd fancied Potter for some time, although he'd never dared to act on it. A future with Potter would certainly never be dull, and aligning himself with Potter would help restore his family's status. More importantly, Draco really couldn't see himself spending the next one hundred or so years with anyone else. Only Potter could prod his temper, fire his blood and comfort and soothe him all at once.
Draco looked at Potter, really looked at him. Potter's fantastic green eyes were wide with worry, and he was biting his lip in a manner most distracting. Draco fought the urge to soothe Potter's abused lip with a kiss. They were young, and this was going to be a slow, deliberate courtship, or his name wasn't Draco Malfoy.
Draco allowed a smile to tug at his lips, and he responded in the affirmative. "I do."
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco, Pansy, Harry
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Pre-slash
Word count: 1175
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
★ Birthday gift for taradiane, with a prompt of secret Santa
★ dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge #31 - Secret Santa
Summary: There's a formal pattern to the secret Santa gifts Draco has been receiving.
In normal years, Secret Santa gift exchanges were done within each House. This year, however, in an effort to promote inter-House unity, the Headmistress had decreed that there would be one large exchange that encompassed all four Houses.
Draco had drawn the name of a Second Year Hufflepuff, and he was not happy.
"Just do your best, darling," advised Pansy. She was rather pleased to have drawn the name of someone in Slytherin. Ignoring Draco's complaints, Pansy dragged him to Hogsmeade to buy the requisite five gifts for their respective recipients.
~*~
Despite claiming he was displeased with the entire process this year, Draco eagerly unwrapped the first gift from his Secret Santa. Everyone's gifts had been delivered by owl at breakfast that morning, and the sounds of tearing paper and exclamations of delight could be heard throughout the Great Hall. Draco opened his package and discovered a box full of expensive cheeses, gourmet crackers and decadent chocolates. He automatically slapped Pansy's hand as she reached for a chocolate.
"Don't be selfish," she pouted. "All I got was a pair of knitted mittens."
"Put them on, and keep your hands out of my chocolates," said Draco.
~*~
The following morning, Draco received a fine cashmere scarf in an exquisite dove grey color. Once more, he had to swat at Pansy's grabby hands.
"But, darling, it matches my coat," she whined.
"It matches my eyes," Draco countered, winding the luxurious scarf about his neck.
"Perhaps your Secret Santa fancies you," mused Pansy. "All I got were some boring old quills."
~*~
On the third morning, Draco received a finely crafted snowglobe that featured an adorable cottage scene.
Pansy paled when she saw it. "Draco," she gasped, "you've been receiving courtship gifts!"
"Rubbish," said Draco. Nevertheless, his brow furrowed in thought.
"You've been presented with gifts that represent food, clothing and shelter," said Pansy. "All that remain are wealth and magic."
"I'm certain some Muggle-born or halfblood drew my name," Draco said. "Someone who doesn't understand the import of the gifts he or she has given me." His words sounded doubtful to his own ears. Draco raised his eyes and looked around the Great Hall. No one seemed to be paying him any attention, involved as they all were with their own gifts.
What if he was being courted? A thrill of excitement raced up Draco's spine. Naturally, he would not accept the suit of just anyone. Still, it was an ego boost to think someone might be that interested in him.
Draco shook off his speculation and turned to Pansy. "What did you get today?" he asked.
~*~
Draco's fingers trembled slightly as he opened his fourth gift. Pansy hadn't even touched hers; she was waiting in breathless anticipation to see what Draco got. Draco pushed aside layers of tissue paper to reveal a Snitch ornament. It was made of real gold.
"Draco!" Pansy squealed. "You've been given the gift of wealth!"
Her exclamation drew the attention of some of their Housemates, and Draco quickly shushed her. "It's simply an ornament, Pansy," he said, trying to downplay the gift. "A rather common gift at Christmastime."
"There's nothing simple about it," hissed Pansy. "It's made of gold. Oh, Draco, you've captured the fancy of someone worthy of you, I think."
Draco couldn't imagine who it could be. "What shall I do?" he whispered.
Pansy patted his hand. "Enjoy it, darling," she said. "Tomorrow, you find out who's been paying court, and you can accept or reject the suit."
Draco nodded. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.
~*~
On the fifth and final day of the exchange, each student was to present his or her gift to the recipient in person. Draco got his over with early, taking his final gift to the young Hufflepuff girl and suffering through the shy hug she gave him.
Pansy accepted a lovely, flowering plant from Longbottom, and from the way her lashes fluttered, Draco suspected his friend would now be looking at Longbottom in a new light.
Throughout the remainder of the day, Draco made himself highly visible, anxious to find out who his Secret Santa was. It was Saturday, which meant no classes, but Draco sat in the center of the library for a couple of hours, pretending to study.
When dinner came and went with no sign of his suitor, Draco's hopes deflated. Apparently, the person had had a change of heart and no longer wished to go through with the courtship. Draco lingered as long as he dared in the Great Hall before giving up and leaving. As he trudged through the corridors, he heard a voice behind him.
"Malfoy, wait up!"
Draco turned, surprised to see Harry Potter rushing to catch up to him. "Potter," he greeted coolly. "What do you want?"
Potter tugged nervously at his collar before producing a wrapped gift from his pocket. "I wanted to give you your final gift," he said.
Draco felt his mouth fall open, and he closed it again with a snap. "You?" he blurted. "You're my Secret Santa?"
"Yeah," said Potter, shyly extending the present.
Draco took it from him and tried to calm himself. His heart was thudding in his chest, and his palms were damp from nervousness. Maybe Potter wasn't really courting him, and the gifts had simply been chosen at random. There was only one way to find out. Draco cleared his throat and opened his gift carefully. It was a small, green glass dragon, and Draco felt oddly disappointed.
"Thank you, Potter," he said woodenly.
"It's enchanted," said Potter. "Simply tap it with your wand, and it will become animated. It even flies and breathes fire."
Draco's pulse jumped again. "You've given me a magical gift?"
"Er, y-yeah," stammered Potter. He straightened his shoulders and composed himself. "Do you accept this gift, and the others, in the spirit they were given?"
Draco hesitated. His answer would have a profound impact on his life. He'd fancied Potter for some time, although he'd never dared to act on it. A future with Potter would certainly never be dull, and aligning himself with Potter would help restore his family's status. More importantly, Draco really couldn't see himself spending the next one hundred or so years with anyone else. Only Potter could prod his temper, fire his blood and comfort and soothe him all at once.
Draco looked at Potter, really looked at him. Potter's fantastic green eyes were wide with worry, and he was biting his lip in a manner most distracting. Draco fought the urge to soothe Potter's abused lip with a kiss. They were young, and this was going to be a slow, deliberate courtship, or his name wasn't Draco Malfoy.
Draco allowed a smile to tug at his lips, and he responded in the affirmative. "I do."