Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

XXXV: Christmas Day

"Harry!" Teddy shouted as he ran up the stairs before Draco or Remus could catch him. "Harry, wake up!"

Draco raced up the stairs. He had woken up early just so that Teddy didn't run into his room and jump on his bed like he usually did. But now, it was almost nine-thirty, but Teddy was already opening the door to Draco's room. He ran in and stood next to the sleeping form of Harry, who was quietly snoring.

"Teddy, " Draco coaxed. "Teddy, no."

"It's Christmas."

"Teddy---"

Teddy yelled as loud as he could, jumping onto the bed, "Harry, wake up!"

And Harry sat up quickly, feeling dizzy from the sudden blood rush. His eyes were a hard, dark colour like the outside of an avocado for a half-second before he saw Teddy. He rubbed his eyes and Draco noticed the dark bags and how Harry yawned.

"What time is it?" Harry yawned.

"Nine thirty, " Draco said.

"It's Christmas, " Teddy grinned. "And you have presents."

Harry blinked and looked at Draco, asking Teddy slowly, "Did you open your presents already?"

Teddy shook his head. "I was waiting for you to wake up."

Harry sighed and stood quietly and told him, "Lemme get dressed and then I'll come down."

Draco led Teddy out, telling him to go back downstairs as he shut the door, turning to Harry, who was tugging his shirt over his head. From his spot leaning against the door, Draco saw one scar about half the side of his forearm, slicing diagonally to the right. Draco wondered vaguely how Harry had gotten it and grimaced when Harry muttered, "Creep."

"Sorry, " Draco said unconvincingly. "I'm just wondering how you got your skin so evenly tanned."

Harry turned his head, a wicked smile on his face. "If I told you, " he said, "I'd have to get rid of you."

"Come off it, " Draco scoffed as Harry pulled a sweater on, not putting on a shirt underneath it. "Tell me, "

Harry shrugged, the smile still on his face, giving him the same devilish smile. "There's a roof on the Manor. And nobody's ever around except for the house-elves and the maids and butlers. But they never come up to the roof."

"What the hell do you do on the roof?"

Harry coughed, "Suntan. Duh, "

"That's not so bad, " chuckled Draco.

Harry added with a smirk, "It works better naked." And he left the room without another word, leaving Draco with a stunned, but amused look on his face.

He went back downstairs, where Teddy was ripping open presents and Harry drinking something steaming. Remus was telling him, "Say who gave you the present, Teddy."

"Uhm, " Teddy muttered. "This is from . . .Daddy, how do you say this?"

Draco sat down beside Harry as Teddy shoved the present in his father's face. "It says Harry, " Remus told the teal-haired child.

Teddy opened its contents, revealing a stuffed Niffler and a large, blue chew toy. "That bit's for Snuffles."

"What do you say, Teddy?" Sirius asked him.

"Thanks!" Teddy said, wrapping his arms around Harry's neck, making the other boy a bit uncomfortable, but he hugged him quickly.

"Open the rest of the lot, " Harry told him as he patted the little boy's shoulder.

As Teddy continued, Draco draped his arm on the back of the couch, his hand idly skimming Harry's shoulder. Harry glanced at him and scooted a bit closer, his other shoulder cutting into Draco's side, but he didn't mind.

Teddy finished opening his endless pile of presents but handed one to Harry, who was confused. Did he just want help opening it? But he opened the rest of them with no trouble.

"What?" Harry asked after a moment.

"Daddy says it's for you, " Teddy told him. "And you have some more."

"For . . .me? Are you reading the labels correctly?" Harry asked, sitting up and taking the present and reading the tag. To his surprise, it read To Harry from Draco and he handed it back to Teddy, muttering, "I think the label's mixed up or something."

Draco took it from Teddy and held it back to Harry, telling him, "I wrapped it for you. It's not a mix-up."

Harry hesitated before opening it, murmuring, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Harry, " he replied. "Open it up!"

Harry unwrapped it slowly and stared at what it was; a package of brightly coloured pens, that looked expensive. "They're not supposed to run out of ink and you can change the colour just by telling them a colour with your wand. Since you like drawing, I thought you might want some, " Draco rambled, a boyish grin crossing his face.

Harry looked at Draco, his face blank. "Yeah, "

Draco's grin wavered. "What? Do you not like them? I can go and return---"

"No, " Harry interjected. "I'm just not used to it. I really do like them."

"Oh, " Draco breathed out, relieved. "Okay, good."

"Sorry, " Harry murmured, watching Teddy hand Sirius a present.

"I'm not mad, "

Harry nodded and Teddy handed Draco a present that was from Harry. "I didn't know what to get you."

Draco opened the small, fist-sized present and was rendered speechless when he saw a small, folded piece of parchment saying, I'll give you your real present in a bit.

Draco looked at Harry, but he was scratching the back of his hand. He twisted a bit of his hair around his index finger and he started when he heard a knock on the front door. Sirius went to answer it, laughing and saying, "Good to see you! Yes, of course!"

He came back with a woman with long, curly hair and dark eyes. Harry saw her looking at him and he looked down at his hand, scratching it again. Draco put his hand on Harry's, subtly telling him to stop.

"Aunt Bellatrix, " Draco smiled. "This is Harry."

"I know who he is, " Bellatrix said distastefully. "And his father."

Harry twisted his hair again, looking down at the floor, his face on fire. He didn't expect everyone to like him, but he didn't care anymore.

"He's my boyfriend, Aunt Bellatrix."

The woman looked at Draco, who wasn't blushing or mumbling. He stared unblinking at his aunt and lightly touched Harry's hand.

Bellatrix Lestrange was silent for a moment before rushing over and hugging Harry tightly, saying, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Harry! I didn't realize---"

" 'S fine, " Harry murmured, feeling suffocated. "I need . . .air, though."

She released him, his lungs filling with a much-needed dose of oxygen. Draco smiled as she hugged him as well, patting his cheek and saying, "Oh, you've grown!"

Draco told her, "I've tried not to."

"Nonsense!" Bellatrix said.

It made Harry nervous, his heart pounding. He didn't speak, his inner voice telling him not to say anything, for fear of accidentally saying the wrong thing.

But Draco, always the positive talker, spoke confidently, his laugh filling the empty spaces of his mind, making him smile slightly.

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