Better Than I Deserve (H/D, PG)
Title: Better Than I Deserve
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: 881
Challenges: enchanted_jae's monthly prompt, "You made my holiday ..." and my GJ 100_prompts table 025 - "Neutral." Also fits the harrylovesdraco December prompt, "Something to do with Christmas."
Summary: A continuation of A Christmas Surprise, in which Harry remains at Hogwarts for the holidays, knowing that Draco is spending Christmas there.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
To read the first part, see A Christmas Surprise.
"Potter!" Draco called down the corridor as he approached the Great Hall.
Harry turned around to see Draco storming towards him.
"What is the meaning of this?" he yelled, waving the letter Harry had sent him.
"Er ..."
"Well?" Draco demanded.
"I'd have thought it was obvious," Harry said, completely confused at Draco's reaction.
"I don't want your pity, Potter."
"What?"
"Your pity. I don't want it and I don't need it."
"And you don't have it," Harry said as calmly as he could manage, his temper threatening to boil over. "I sent it as a peace offering."
"Because you feel sorry for me," Draco insisted.
"No, because I know what it's like not to have parents," Harry explained. "I know how it feels to wake up Christmas morning knowing that they aren't there. I know what it's like to spend Christmas alone while everyone around you celebrates. I know what it feels like to be surrounded by joy, yet not feel an ounce of it inside. So, no, Draco, I don't feel pity. It's called empathy."
Draco stared at him, his face a mix of emotions while Harry had spoken.
"And," Harry added, "I've been thinking lately. A lot. About us."
"Us?" Draco asked. "There is no us, Potter."
"Sure there is. You and I have been at odds for so long, I don't know what it's like not to think about you. So I've thought about all that has happened, and what might have been different if I had taken your offer of friendship back when we were eleven."
"And?"
"And I don't know. Who knows what would have or could have been? I've run so many scenarios through my head it aches. What I do know is that we can't change the past. Only the future."
"And your point is?"
"A wise man once told me that it is our choices that make us who we are. So I choose to offer to you what I had once turned down. Friendship. I offer it with no strings, no conditions, and no pity. If you want to be friends, I'm willing to give it a try. If not, I'll understand. That's all."
Draco stood there looking at Harry, sizing him up, or so it seemed.
"Why don't you just think about it, then?" Harry offered. "I'm hungry, so I'm headed in for breakfast. Care to join me?"
"Sure," Draco replied reservedly. "Breakfast sounds good."
Harry sat eating, bemused by the look on Draco's face. He was clearly having an internal battle of wills. To friend, or not to friend.
"Potter?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't you usually go with the weasel to his hovel for Christmas?"
Harry scowled at the 'hovel' comment. "I go to the Burrow, yes."
"So why didn't you go this year?"
"I decided that I'd rather spend Christmas here."
Draco's mouth opened and closed, as if he were going to speak, but couldn't find the words. "You chose to stay here alone rather than spend the holidays with the Weasleys?" he asked incredulously.
"Yup. Only I'm not alone, am I?"
The rest of the week passed rather quickly. Harry and Draco had struck up an amiable enough relationship, though it was far from that of friends. They played wizard chess, and Harry, having lost every game, found himself thinking that Draco could be a serious contender against Ron, should they ever play against each other. They spent as much time as possible flying, until their Warming Charms just weren't enough, and they came back to the ground practically frozen to their brooms, but elated just the same.
They ate their meals together, much to the shock of the staff on hand, and they talked. They spent a surprising amount of time talking, though they always kept the conversation on neutral ground. By the end of the week, Harry was optimistic that it would only be a matter of time before he could consider the snarky Slytherin amongst those he called friend. All in all, he was very glad that he had chosen to stay back at school. But tomorrow he had promised Ron ...
"So what are we doing for New Year's?" Draco interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"Er ... actually ..."
"Oh, of course ... you have plans." Draco's voice rang of disappointment, despite his obvious attempt at hiding it.
"I promised Ron that I'd be at the Burrow for New Year's," he explained.
"Oh, right."
"You know what, I could cancel, and we could --"
"Harry, you have a family to go to. You go on ahead, and we'll talk when you get back."
"I'm sure it would be okay for you to come with me," Harry suggested.
Draco snorted at that remark. "No it wouldn't. But -- if you tell anyone I said this, I'll hex your bollocks off -- thanks for the offer anyway. And thanks for everything." At Harry's confused look, he explained, "You made my holiday better than I could have expected, better than I deserve. I appreciate it."
Harry smiled as he sent the letter off to Ron. He had made special arrangements with Professor McGonagall to ring in the New Year at Hogwarts, with all the Weasleys as guests. It might not be the best solution, but it certainly felt right. And he found himself thinking that Draco most certainly did deserve this.
.
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: 881
Challenges: enchanted_jae's monthly prompt, "You made my holiday ..." and my GJ 100_prompts table 025 - "Neutral." Also fits the harrylovesdraco December prompt, "Something to do with Christmas."
Summary: A continuation of A Christmas Surprise, in which Harry remains at Hogwarts for the holidays, knowing that Draco is spending Christmas there.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
To read the first part, see A Christmas Surprise.
"Potter!" Draco called down the corridor as he approached the Great Hall.
Harry turned around to see Draco storming towards him.
"What is the meaning of this?" he yelled, waving the letter Harry had sent him.
"Er ..."
"Well?" Draco demanded.
"I'd have thought it was obvious," Harry said, completely confused at Draco's reaction.
"I don't want your pity, Potter."
"What?"
"Your pity. I don't want it and I don't need it."
"And you don't have it," Harry said as calmly as he could manage, his temper threatening to boil over. "I sent it as a peace offering."
"Because you feel sorry for me," Draco insisted.
"No, because I know what it's like not to have parents," Harry explained. "I know how it feels to wake up Christmas morning knowing that they aren't there. I know what it's like to spend Christmas alone while everyone around you celebrates. I know what it feels like to be surrounded by joy, yet not feel an ounce of it inside. So, no, Draco, I don't feel pity. It's called empathy."
Draco stared at him, his face a mix of emotions while Harry had spoken.
"And," Harry added, "I've been thinking lately. A lot. About us."
"Us?" Draco asked. "There is no us, Potter."
"Sure there is. You and I have been at odds for so long, I don't know what it's like not to think about you. So I've thought about all that has happened, and what might have been different if I had taken your offer of friendship back when we were eleven."
"And?"
"And I don't know. Who knows what would have or could have been? I've run so many scenarios through my head it aches. What I do know is that we can't change the past. Only the future."
"And your point is?"
"A wise man once told me that it is our choices that make us who we are. So I choose to offer to you what I had once turned down. Friendship. I offer it with no strings, no conditions, and no pity. If you want to be friends, I'm willing to give it a try. If not, I'll understand. That's all."
Draco stood there looking at Harry, sizing him up, or so it seemed.
"Why don't you just think about it, then?" Harry offered. "I'm hungry, so I'm headed in for breakfast. Care to join me?"
"Sure," Draco replied reservedly. "Breakfast sounds good."
Harry sat eating, bemused by the look on Draco's face. He was clearly having an internal battle of wills. To friend, or not to friend.
"Potter?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't you usually go with the weasel to his hovel for Christmas?"
Harry scowled at the 'hovel' comment. "I go to the Burrow, yes."
"So why didn't you go this year?"
"I decided that I'd rather spend Christmas here."
Draco's mouth opened and closed, as if he were going to speak, but couldn't find the words. "You chose to stay here alone rather than spend the holidays with the Weasleys?" he asked incredulously.
"Yup. Only I'm not alone, am I?"
The rest of the week passed rather quickly. Harry and Draco had struck up an amiable enough relationship, though it was far from that of friends. They played wizard chess, and Harry, having lost every game, found himself thinking that Draco could be a serious contender against Ron, should they ever play against each other. They spent as much time as possible flying, until their Warming Charms just weren't enough, and they came back to the ground practically frozen to their brooms, but elated just the same.
They ate their meals together, much to the shock of the staff on hand, and they talked. They spent a surprising amount of time talking, though they always kept the conversation on neutral ground. By the end of the week, Harry was optimistic that it would only be a matter of time before he could consider the snarky Slytherin amongst those he called friend. All in all, he was very glad that he had chosen to stay back at school. But tomorrow he had promised Ron ...
"So what are we doing for New Year's?" Draco interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"Er ... actually ..."
"Oh, of course ... you have plans." Draco's voice rang of disappointment, despite his obvious attempt at hiding it.
"I promised Ron that I'd be at the Burrow for New Year's," he explained.
"Oh, right."
"You know what, I could cancel, and we could --"
"Harry, you have a family to go to. You go on ahead, and we'll talk when you get back."
"I'm sure it would be okay for you to come with me," Harry suggested.
Draco snorted at that remark. "No it wouldn't. But -- if you tell anyone I said this, I'll hex your bollocks off -- thanks for the offer anyway. And thanks for everything." At Harry's confused look, he explained, "You made my holiday better than I could have expected, better than I deserve. I appreciate it."
Harry smiled as he sent the letter off to Ron. He had made special arrangements with Professor McGonagall to ring in the New Year at Hogwarts, with all the Weasleys as guests. It might not be the best solution, but it certainly felt right. And he found himself thinking that Draco most certainly did deserve this.
.