the one | h. potter

39. harry potter and the long shower

liz's pov

Harry's present is wrapped up carefully, hidden in an empty drawer in a room we haven't cleaned yet. Well, it was. Now, it's hidden deep in my purse (which is equipped with an undetectable extension charm, thanks to Hermione) along with all the other gifts I've packed in there for the Weasleys. It's Christmas Eve, and we're leaving for the Burrow soon. As soon as Harry gets out of the shower, we'll floo over, eat a big Christmas dinner, place our gifts under the big Weasley tree, and sleep over at the Burrow until we open presents tomorrow morning.

Sounds easy, right?

I'm shitting bricks. It's my first Christmas without my dad, and it seems rude to impose on the Weasley's even though Molly looked so happy to invite me. I wish Harry would get out of the shower already...

I spend fifteen minutes wandering aimlessly, willing the time to move faster; checking my purse to make sure I've got everything, debating whether to bring some sort of wine, and lingering outside the bathroom door to make sure Harry's still alive. He's taking way too long.

I pace for another two minutes in the bedroom until I decide, fuck it, and open the bathroom door. I'm hit with a gust of hot air and Harry turns around from the mirror to look at me.

"What?" he asks, smiling. He's not even fully dressed, the asshole. He's only wearing his good pair of jeans, the ones he wore on our first date.

"You're taking too long," I scoff.

"I've never complained about you taking too long."

"Oh shut up." I smile and he beckons me over. I sit on the counter in front of him and his arms automatically wind themselves around my waist.

"I wanted to look my very best for you tonight," he murmurs.

I bark out a laugh. "Can I do your hair?"

Harry's eyebrows arch up in surprise. "You can try."

I smile wickedly. I summon some hairspray and my hairbrush and get to work. Harry's hair, unsurprisingly, is really tangled, so it takes me five minutes to get all the tangles out.

"Ow!" he winces.

"If you keep moving, it'll hurt more."

Once I get all the tangles out, I brush it in an attractive way and spray some hairspray on top so it doesn't shift. Harry looks in the mirror and admires it.

"Nice, huh?" I ask.

"I look hot," he says.

I giggle. "Glad you've noticed. You better not play with it."

"I'll try not to." He slips his sweater on and smiles. One single strand has come loose, and it hangs over his face. My lips tilt upwards and I hop off of the counter.

"Look at you, you've already screwed it up," I say, and Harry makes a face. I smile up at him and give him a quick kiss. "Cmon, we're gonna be late."

"So what?" he says, and tries to pull me in again. I tilt my head so he kisses my cheek instead.

"So, we're going to the Burrow, and I'm not gonna be a bad guest and be late."

"Molly likes you, it doesn't matter."

"I want Molly to keep liking me."

"Just show up with that new cookbook you got her and-"

"Wait!" I screech. "How did you know I got Molly a cookbook?!"

Harry looks so guilty as he stutters a reply. "I- um, I-I saw you... wrapping the-"

"Bullshit! I wrapped them all together when you went out to the pub with Ron last week!"

"Uh..."

"Harry Potter, did you look at my gifts?!"

"No! No, I didn't see. I found the wrapped ones but I didn't want to open them and Reparo it after because I knew you'd notice... But I saw the corner of the cookbook because the wrappings got ripped just a little bit! I swear!"

I give Harry a disbelieving look. "Fine. As long as you act surprised when I give you my gift-"

"I didn't see my gift!"

I smirk. "I'll believe it when I see it." Harry scowls. I retaliate by grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the bathroom. "Time to go!" I crow and he groans.

"Nooooooo, can't we stay? Just a few more minutes! I gotta go get my gifts. Don't you?"

I wave my bag out in front of his face. "I put all my stuff in here while you were taking forever in the shower." Harry makes a face. "Go! Go get your stuff, you absolute heathen."

He runs downstairs and down one of the hallways. I climb down to meet him in the living room. He comes down a minute later, laden with several shopping bags filled with presents. They're hastily wrapped.

"You could have asked me to help you wrap those, y'know."

"I know." Harry sticks his tongue out at me and I stick mine out right back.

"So childish," I mutter. He flips me off and I do the same right back. "Right, time to go!"

Harry rolls his eyes and gestures towards the floo. "After you, m'lady."

I roll my eyes, cast a quick Incendio at the fireplace, and step through the green flames.