sesheta66: (Highlands Sesheta)
[personal profile] sesheta66
Title: Winter Wonderland (9/15 of A Different View)
Author: [livejournal.com profile] sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: 625
Pairing/Characters: Harry, Draco, Narcissa
Challenges: [livejournal.com profile] awdt's prompt of "Christmas Carols," [livejournal.com profile] slythindor100's prompt #14 - "Mulled wine," [livejournal.com profile] hd_fluff's prompt 33 - song lyrics (Winter Wonderland), [livejournal.com profile] harrylovesdraco's "Something to do with Christmas," and my GJ 100_prompts entry #020 - "sunset".
Summary: Harry discovers that the Manor really is a Winter Wonderland.
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 see all parts of A Different View, click here.


Bundled up against the cold, Draco and Harry ventured out onto the grounds of Malfoy Manor. The air was crisp and caught in Harry's chest as he inhaled deeply. It was fresh and clean and smelled of pine and a hint of distant burning wood. The sky was clear and bright, the light from the sun reflecting like thousands of fairies dancing on the many snow-covered surfaces. The sparkling beauty went on as far as the eye could see.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed. "You weren't kidding."

Draco's face lit up, his eyes sparkling nearly as brightly as the freshly-fallen snow surrounding them. "Wait until you see the gardens," he said, leading the way towards what Harry had thought was a wall, but turned out to be a snow-covered hedgerow, two stories high. As they passed through the opening, Harry gasped.

"These," Draco said, spreading his arms and swinging them round, "are the Malfoy gardens."

Harry looked ahead of him at the fountain which had frozen, a stream of ice seeming to cascade out of the centre into a pond, equally frozen, forming a pattern on its surface more stunning than the finest of crystal. The hedgerow encased the gardens so well that it was as though they had ventured into another place, another world. Everything glittered, everything shone; it took Harry's breath away.

"It's breathtaking," he finally managed to say.

Draco smiled so widely that Harry felt his body flooded with warmth, despite the temperature. At that moment, he realized that the gardens dulled in comparison to the sight before him. And somehow, that didn't scare him at all.

They walked through the various gardens, Draco animatedly describing what was planted in each, and how the blooms would blossom, bringing fragrance and colour with them every spring. "You'll have to come back when everything is alive again," Draco insisted.

Harry nodded, thinking that he had never felt so alive.

"I didn't realize it was getting so late," Draco announced suddenly. Sure enough, the sun was kissing the horizon in the distance.

"Are you cold?" Harry asked. "Did you want to head back?"

"Soon. But if you don't mind, I'd like to stay to see the sunset. It's a truly spectacular sight to behold."

As the sun descended, everything around them turned from white to warm shades of orange and crimson, shadows dancing on every surface as though alive. Harry looked at Draco and saw the colours shimmering over his hair and reflected in his eyes.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful in all my life," Harry said, knowing that he was talking only in part about the setting sun.

As they approached the house, Narcissa greeted them looking stern. "I can't believe the two of you were out so long in this dreadful cold." She reached out to shuffle them both into the waiting warmth. "Follow me into the sitting room. I've had the house elves prepare some mulled wine to help warm you up."

Harry was taken aback by this version of Narcissa Malfoy. Perhaps it was the absence of Lucius that brought out the best in her. He knew she loved her son, and would do anything for him, but Harry supposed that he had never quite envisioned her as a maternal sort. He smiled genuinely at her, deciding that he could quite possibly grow to like this woman.

They entered the sitting room, greeted by the sounds of Christmas Carols playing softly on the wireless, and the scent of the hot, spiced wine. Memories of Voldemort and the events that had transpired here far in the recesses of Harry's mind, with a smile he took the mug that Draco offered him, and sat down to enjoy an evening with the Malfoys.

Part 10 - All in a Look

.

Date: 2007-12-19 03:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alaana-fair.livejournal.com
Awww... you did a fabulous job, sweetie! I don't know what you were worried about!

Harry looked at Draco and saw the colours shimmering over his hair and reflected in his eyes.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful in all my life,"


Beautiful, indeed!!!

Date: 2007-12-19 03:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Thanks, hon. I usually struggle with descriptive writing and end up putting myself to sleep, never mind the reader. But I was pretty pleased (shocked, actually) with how this turned out. Whew!

*hugs* ♥

Date: 2007-12-19 03:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] piratesmile331.livejournal.com
"I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful in all my life,"
Definitely NOT talking about the sunset here, are we?

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Date: 2007-12-19 03:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jamie2109.livejournal.com
Just read all these and this is turning into a gorgeous series. Love them!

Date: 2007-12-19 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Why thank you! I'm enjoying writing it. ♥

Date: 2007-12-19 07:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] svgurl.livejournal.com
Your descriptions are fantabulous! It was absolutely beautiful and I love Harry thinking that DRACO was beautiful. Then again, who could blame him? ;)

Words cannot describe how much love I have for this fic ... it's completely made of win and so are you! :D

Thanks for writing and sharing! :)

Image (http://pics.livejournal.com/svgurl/pic/0002x5pb/)

Date: 2007-12-19 07:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
*blushes* - you are too kind, hon.

I'm glad you're enjoying the series, and I'm especially pleased about this one in particular. Descriptive writing is something I struggle with (it's definitely not my strength), so I am a little surprised that I managed to pull this one off. *is relieved*
Edited Date: 2007-12-19 07:24 am (UTC)

Date: 2007-12-19 07:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] enchanted-jae.livejournal.com
That's so beautiful. *beams*

Date: 2007-12-19 07:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Thanks! I have to say I'm relieved, because descriptive writing isn't my strength at all. Yay!

Date: 2007-12-19 07:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] prettyhairs.livejournal.com
Aww! I want a winterwonderland too! Guess I have to wait for my vacation in the mountains for that:(

Really beauiful! I loved it:)

Date: 2007-12-19 08:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
*throws a snowball at you*

Take that! Feel better? I'm buried in the stuff!!!! Hee ... just joking (well, not about the snow ... I really am buried in it)! Enjoy your vacation in the mountains. Going skiing, I presume?

Thanks, hon. Glad you enjoyed.

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Date: 2007-12-19 08:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] winter-june.livejournal.com
Gorgeous scene, and yes, not all the beauty comes from the lovely landscape. Someone is falling for, and he doesn't seem to be the only one!

Date: 2007-12-19 01:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Mmm ... definitely not the only one. Draco's pov next!

Date: 2007-12-19 10:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thrnbrooke.livejournal.com
I sooo enjoyed this!

Date: 2007-12-19 01:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Excellent! Thanks ♥

Date: 2007-12-19 12:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ravenqueen55.livejournal.com
KISS! KISS! KISS!

I was chanting that in my head through the entire walk about the gardens...

I'm loving it all!

Date: 2007-12-19 01:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Hee! Glad you like. Next one up soon.

Date: 2007-12-19 12:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nocturnali.livejournal.com
Lovely imagery.
I love sparkling things and that would include snow and ice crystals in the sun.
And the contrast between the cold outside and the warmth inside, I can almost see it.

Date: 2007-12-19 01:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Lovely imagery - this makes me unbelievably happy, because it's something I struggle with when writing. So glad it worked! :)

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Date: 2007-12-19 01:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kaykayen.livejournal.com
What a beautiful scene. And I love that Harry's beginning to recognize and acknowledge his feelings towards Draco.

Date: 2007-12-19 02:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Thanks. Draco's pov next. :)

Date: 2007-12-19 01:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurliemoviegeek.livejournal.com
Your descriptive writing, honey, is flawless! I could see everything! Each sparkle, each glittering bit of ice! So gorgeously written, darling!

I also loved the coziness of sipping mulled wine with Narcissa as the doting mother... Beautiful!

I say this every time, but I cannot wait for more!

Date: 2007-12-19 02:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
*is elated* - thanks!

As soon as I see & weave in the new prompt, the next part will be posted.

Date: 2007-12-19 03:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nillaskye.livejournal.com
That was beautiful! I especially loved that cozy scene at the end.

Date: 2007-12-19 04:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Thanks! I just posted part 10 (http://sesheta-66.livejournal.com/142770.html).

Date: 2007-12-19 10:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] agr8fae.livejournal.com
I don't think I've commented on your journal before, although I hhave been following it obsessively. However, I'm really really enjoying this series, and I got all excited when the word 'kissing' caught my eye but you just describing the sun. It was very disappointing.
Thank you so much for this great series!

Date: 2007-12-19 10:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Awww ... sorry the sun kissing instead of the boys kissing was disappointing. I'm pretty sure they'll be getting around to some of that soon. Glad you're enjoying the series.

Date: 2008-02-18 10:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] andrea--88.livejournal.com
Yay! Harry is enjoying himself and is being made welcome
wonderful just what the two boys need

excellent

Date: 2008-02-19 11:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mtranc3.livejournal.com
I think your descriptive language is great; I could see everything through Harry's eyes, your descriptions were very vivid and beautiful!

Date: 2008-02-19 01:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sesheta-66.livejournal.com
Yes, Draco does seem to know what's good for Harry, doesn't he? Yay! And no, Harry shouldn't settle for Ginny.

I have to respond to this in particular, because I always find that my descriptive writing isn't that great. It's the thing I have the most trouble with, so I'm thrilled that you thought it was good in this one. *dances*

Thanks, hon.

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