Well, I don't have enough time to do a drabble/ficlet a day, so I'll have to settle for one each week. Combining all the prompts for days 1-7, here's my first Christmas post. Hope you enjoy!
Title: First Christmas
Author:
sesheta_66 Rating: PG
Word Count: ~1000
Pairing/Characters: Harry/Draco
Summary: Harry wants his first Christmas with Draco to be perfect.
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.
Challenges: Written for the first week of Christmas prompts as follows:
AWDT Christmas Quickies: #1 - "Only 24 days to go..."; #2 - Decorating the Christmas tree; #3 - Christmas lights; #4 - Advent calendar(s); #5 - writing out Christmas cards; #6 - Christmas parties; #7 - snowman.
dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge: icicle; Christmas tree; presents; stockings; Christmas lights; Advent; Christmas cards; reindeer; wreath; Santa Claus; garland; Christmas Eve.
slythindor100 Special Holiday Challenge: #1 - Christmas tree; #2 - A boyfriend for Christmas (some wishes do come true); #3 - candles; #4 - hanging stockings; #5 - snowy chalet in the mountains; #6 - Christmas lights; #7 - snow-covered house.
hd_fluff: #45 - first Christmas
adventdrabbles on IJ: #1 - Bah, humbug! #2 - a pile of presents; #3 - sleigh ride; #4 - snow globe; #5 - icicles; #6 - mulled cider; #7 - Silent Night.
First Christmas
"Only 24 days to go," Harry said to the empty house, as he returned from hanging the lights. He'd finished writing out his Christmas cards earlier, and now it was time to start decorating Grimmauld Place for the holidays.
It was his and Draco's first Christmas together as a couple, and he wanted everything to be perfect. He still couldn't believe he had a boyfriend. It was something he'd wished for, after a lonely Christmas last year, but hadn‘t really imagined would happen.
As he started to trim the tree, Harry thought about the upcoming parties. He'd considered having one of his own, but after envisioning how awkward it would be with all their friends in the same room together, he'd opted for a nice evening with just the two of them instead. They'd have plenty of time to socialise later, with the comfort of knowing they could leave if things got uncomfortable.
Once he finished with the lights, Harry moved on to the other decorations. He took his time unwrapping and hanging the ornaments, remembering each gift and each purchase while he did so. He had no happy memories from Christmases on Privet Drive, so he made the most of all he'd experienced since.
Harry smiled as he removed the snow globe Hermione had given him last year. When he shook it, a miniature Santa rode his sleigh over a snow-covered house while a snowman waved from the yard to the tune of Frosty the Snowman.
An ornament from Ron was next. It was a small stack of parcels tied together, about the size of his hand. Harry chuckled as he hung it, recalling Ron explaining its magic. "Just a wave of your wand, and you'll have a pile of wrapped and tagged presents under your tree," he had whispered, motioning towards Hermione and Ginny. "That way, no one will know if you've left your shopping to the last minute."
Next was a model of a chalet in the mountains that played Silent Night. He and Ginny had bought that during their last Christmas as a couple. They'd gone away together, and had realised halfway through their trip that it was over. But the split had been amicable enough; they'd stayed through Christmas Eve, and left in the morning to join everyone at the Burrow.
He also had a door chime from George, disguised as a row of icicles, that revealed the mood of the person passing through, and called out Happy Christmas! or Bah, Humbug! accordingly. Harry suspected it was a variation on something he and Fred had developed years before as a signal of Molly's disposition on a given day. He grinned as he hooked it up, trying to imagine Draco‘s face as he passed the threshold.
He glanced at the clock, and realised Draco was due shortly. With a few waves of his wand, Harry managed to get the tree completed to his satisfaction, hang some garland, put a selection of candles on the mantel and table top, and place a wreath on his door. Returning to the living room, he brought with him the purchases he'd made the day before.
He hoped it wasn't too much, that Draco wouldn't think he was too sentimental or too clingy so early on in their relationship. But he couldn't help it. He'd wanted to do all the decorating together, but he knew that was too much. This was his home, and Draco's was at the manor. But this … well, he just needed Draco to know that he had a place here, in Harry's home.
He took out the advent calendars. They were the type that had little pockets in which small gifts or chocolates could be placed. He had purchased a few little trinkets, some chocolates, and candies for Draco's, and had asked the store clerk to make up his, so that he would be surprised too. She had happily put together both calendars, which Harry now placed on the wall above the fireplace.
Next came the stockings. He'd bought one in red with gold trim, and another in green with silver trim. Cheesy, perhaps, but he just couldn't resist. As a final touch, he'd had their names embroidered onto the stockings and the calendars. Now all that was left was to hang the stockings on the mantel.
Harry had just returned from putting the empty boxes away downstairs when he heard Happy Christmas! from the front door. He laughed when he saw Draco's shocked face as he entered the hall.
"Merlin, Potter! What are you trying to do, scare away your guests?" He brushed off some snow that had gathered on his cloak and handed Harry a package while he removed it.
Harry leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. "What's this?"
"Mulled cider," he said. "I thought we could warm it up and drink it by the fire. Get in the mood."
Harry went into the kitchen, while Draco inspected the decorating in the front room.
Harry returned with two steaming mugs of cider. Draco had his back to the door, and was holding the green and silver stocking in his hand. Harry‘s heart began to race, hoping that he hadn‘t pushed too far, too quickly.
"So, what mood were you planning to get me in?" Harry joked as he walked up behind Draco.
Draco let go of the stocking and turned to face Harry. They looked at each other for what Harry felt was an excruciatingly long time, before Draco took both mugs and placed them on the mantel.
Draco turned back round and took Harry's hands in his own, linking their fingers together gently. "You hung a stocking for me too." It wasn't a question.
"Is it too much?" Harry asked, afraid of what the answer would be. "Too soon?"
Draco leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Harry's lips. He looked at Harry, his grey eyes reflecting the lights from the tree, and the flames from the fire casting a warm gold hue over his white blonde hair. His smile lit up the room. "It's perfect."