Have Fun Trying (H/D, G)
Dec. 25th, 2007 02:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sesheta66Christmas Gift Drabble #21:
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sesheta_66
Giftee:dm_p
Prompt: Lonely boys running into each other on accident on Christmas
Title: Have Fun Trying
Rating: G
Word Count: 1153 (Drabble is used very loosely here)
Pairings/Characters: Harry/Draco
Other prompts: 100_prompts: 007 - "Companions":
Disclaimer: The author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country. 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 Christmas drabbles, click here.
It had been a rough year. Harry had finally managed to pluck up the courage to break things off with Ginny. She hadn't taken it well, but it could have been worse. In fact, it seemed that Ron had taken it worse than Ginny. He had always thought of Harry like a brother, he had told Harry one night, not long after the break-up, but now he just had to side with his sister. When Harry asked what he meant, he merely shrugged and walked away.
That was eight months ago. He hadn't spoken with Ron since. He had spoken to Hermione a few times in the two months following that, but it was always the same. "When are you two going to get back together?" About the tenth time she asked, Harry had walked away and not looked back.
Three years post-war and it was amazing how many people slip through your fingers. Harry didn't keep in touch with any of them. But he'd always had Ron there, but now ...
Christmas was approaching, and Harry couldn't recall feeling this lonely since discovering he was a wizard.
Draco had had a stellar year. His potion brewing business had really taken off, sales were up, customers were flocking to his establishment, he could barely keep up with all his orders, and he was miserable.
His father had died in Azkaban, at the hands of another Death Eater, a little over a year into his stay. His mother hadn't been the same since, and eventually succumbed to her grief. There was no other explanation for it. She had died of a broken heart almost a year ago.
All his school mates had either died, ended up in Azkaban, or left the country for better opportunities elsewhere. Draco was alone. And now, with his mother gone, he really felt it. And Christmas was around the corner. Perfect.
Harry had just finished his Christmas shopping, and decided to go for a Butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron. While he waited for his drink, he looked over his purchases. He would bring some into the office the next day, owl a few to those scattered across the country and further, and ... well, he didn't know what to do with the ones for the Weasleys. Maybe he would drop by when he knew Ginny wouldn't be there. He really wanted to see Mrs Weasley and wish her a Happy Christmas, after all.
Draco consulted his list one last time and was satisfied that he had purchased everything he needed. A few trinkets for his co-workers, some gifts for friends in distant lands, and a few extra bottles of spirits to have around the house, just in case. Right. In case someone would come back from the dead to drop in for a drink? Nonetheless, he had been raised to prepare for all circumstances, so prepare he did.
He entered the Leaky Cauldron to pass some time before heading home, and ... oh, it just figured, didn't it? Harry bloody Potter! Why couldn't he and his entourage be somewhere else? Well, the establishment was large enough and empty enough for them both. Draco sat at the bar and ordered himself a hot buttered rum.
"Malfoy." Just great. Why couldn't he just leave Draco be?
"Potter." Draco didn't bother turning around.
"Here on your own?"
"Brilliant powers of deduction. I see Auror training has honed your observational skills."
"Very funny. I just thought ... well, if you're on your own, perhaps you'd like to join me."
Draco was momentarily stunned into silence. Potter's entourage was nowhere to be seen. He was here alone. Well, what could it hurt to sit with him?
"Sure, Potter. Why not?"
The conversation was hesitant at first, but once they got over the initial discomfort, they found that they could actually converse. Without being reduced to blows.
"I heard about your mother," Potter offered. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Right."
"No, Draco, really I am. I know how much she loved you, and her death must have been a powerful blow to you. I'm really sorry about that."
Draco looked into earnest green eyes and nodded. "Thanks."
"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Potter asked.
"Where are your sidekicks?" Draco hastened to change the subject.
"Dunno." Potter's voice sounded wistful.
"You and the she-weasel getting married soon?"
"Broke up."
"Ahh." Draco studied Potter for a few moments before continuing. "So what are you doing for Christmas?"
"Dunno. I can't see myself going to the Burrow, what with Ginny being there and all."
"Surely the weasel would talk to --"
"I haven't spoken to Ron since."
"I see." Draco didn't see. He couldn't understand that the weasel, always professing to be Potter's best friend, would cut himself off from him. "What about Granger?"
"No." Harry took a sip of his drink and stared out the window. "Have you spoken to Parkinson, or anyone else lately?"
"Nah, she's in America now."
"Really?"
"Yes. It seems that all my house mates decided to leave the country."
"Listen, I know this will sound crazy, but --"
"From you?" Draco grinned. "Something crazy? Never!"
Potter grinned back. "Very funny. As I was saying, it's crazy, but why don't you come round for Christmas dinner?" At Draco's stunned expression, he continued. "I'm actually a pretty good cook."
"But --" Draco struggled for words. "But we hate each other."
"Doesn't seem that way to me."
"Oh, alright, we don't hate each other, but we certainly don't like each other either."
"No, but we can be civil."
Draco snorted. "Yeah, who knew?"
Potter grinned slyly. "I think we could stand being dinner companions for one evening. Back in school, we both ate meals with people we didn't particularly like, or even know that well, so why not now?"
"Because you're Harry Potter," Draco said, as if that explained everything. "And I'm Draco Malfoy."
"And we're both on our own, with no family, on a day when everyone is with theirs. Why not at least keep each other company? I promise not to hex you - well, if you don't hex me first - and I promise not to poison you."
"Now there's an offer I can't refuse," Draco deadpanned.
"Excellent. I'm at 12 Grimmauld Place, London. I'll make sure the Floo is open for you, and I'll see you at five o'clock, Christmas Day."
Draco wondered when exactly he had accepted the offer, but didn't argue the point. It really would be nice not to be alone on Christmas. "What shall I bring?"
"Just your charming personality," Potter suggested. Then he did something completely unexpected. Well, okay, the entire encounter had been completely unexpected, but this even more so. He held out his hand to shake Draco's. "Let's see if we can make it through a meal without killing each other."
Draco smiled and nodded as he took Potter's hand in his own. "Or at least have fun trying."
.
Author:
sesheta_66 Giftee:
dm_pPrompt: Lonely boys running into each other on accident on Christmas
Title: Have Fun Trying
Rating: G
Word Count: 1153 (Drabble is used very loosely here)
Pairings/Characters: Harry/Draco
Other prompts: 100_prompts: 007 - "Companions":
Disclaimer: The author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country. 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 Christmas drabbles, click here.
It had been a rough year. Harry had finally managed to pluck up the courage to break things off with Ginny. She hadn't taken it well, but it could have been worse. In fact, it seemed that Ron had taken it worse than Ginny. He had always thought of Harry like a brother, he had told Harry one night, not long after the break-up, but now he just had to side with his sister. When Harry asked what he meant, he merely shrugged and walked away.
That was eight months ago. He hadn't spoken with Ron since. He had spoken to Hermione a few times in the two months following that, but it was always the same. "When are you two going to get back together?" About the tenth time she asked, Harry had walked away and not looked back.
Three years post-war and it was amazing how many people slip through your fingers. Harry didn't keep in touch with any of them. But he'd always had Ron there, but now ...
Christmas was approaching, and Harry couldn't recall feeling this lonely since discovering he was a wizard.
Draco had had a stellar year. His potion brewing business had really taken off, sales were up, customers were flocking to his establishment, he could barely keep up with all his orders, and he was miserable.
His father had died in Azkaban, at the hands of another Death Eater, a little over a year into his stay. His mother hadn't been the same since, and eventually succumbed to her grief. There was no other explanation for it. She had died of a broken heart almost a year ago.
All his school mates had either died, ended up in Azkaban, or left the country for better opportunities elsewhere. Draco was alone. And now, with his mother gone, he really felt it. And Christmas was around the corner. Perfect.
Harry had just finished his Christmas shopping, and decided to go for a Butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron. While he waited for his drink, he looked over his purchases. He would bring some into the office the next day, owl a few to those scattered across the country and further, and ... well, he didn't know what to do with the ones for the Weasleys. Maybe he would drop by when he knew Ginny wouldn't be there. He really wanted to see Mrs Weasley and wish her a Happy Christmas, after all.
Draco consulted his list one last time and was satisfied that he had purchased everything he needed. A few trinkets for his co-workers, some gifts for friends in distant lands, and a few extra bottles of spirits to have around the house, just in case. Right. In case someone would come back from the dead to drop in for a drink? Nonetheless, he had been raised to prepare for all circumstances, so prepare he did.
He entered the Leaky Cauldron to pass some time before heading home, and ... oh, it just figured, didn't it? Harry bloody Potter! Why couldn't he and his entourage be somewhere else? Well, the establishment was large enough and empty enough for them both. Draco sat at the bar and ordered himself a hot buttered rum.
"Malfoy." Just great. Why couldn't he just leave Draco be?
"Potter." Draco didn't bother turning around.
"Here on your own?"
"Brilliant powers of deduction. I see Auror training has honed your observational skills."
"Very funny. I just thought ... well, if you're on your own, perhaps you'd like to join me."
Draco was momentarily stunned into silence. Potter's entourage was nowhere to be seen. He was here alone. Well, what could it hurt to sit with him?
"Sure, Potter. Why not?"
The conversation was hesitant at first, but once they got over the initial discomfort, they found that they could actually converse. Without being reduced to blows.
"I heard about your mother," Potter offered. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Right."
"No, Draco, really I am. I know how much she loved you, and her death must have been a powerful blow to you. I'm really sorry about that."
Draco looked into earnest green eyes and nodded. "Thanks."
"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Potter asked.
"Where are your sidekicks?" Draco hastened to change the subject.
"Dunno." Potter's voice sounded wistful.
"You and the she-weasel getting married soon?"
"Broke up."
"Ahh." Draco studied Potter for a few moments before continuing. "So what are you doing for Christmas?"
"Dunno. I can't see myself going to the Burrow, what with Ginny being there and all."
"Surely the weasel would talk to --"
"I haven't spoken to Ron since."
"I see." Draco didn't see. He couldn't understand that the weasel, always professing to be Potter's best friend, would cut himself off from him. "What about Granger?"
"No." Harry took a sip of his drink and stared out the window. "Have you spoken to Parkinson, or anyone else lately?"
"Nah, she's in America now."
"Really?"
"Yes. It seems that all my house mates decided to leave the country."
"Listen, I know this will sound crazy, but --"
"From you?" Draco grinned. "Something crazy? Never!"
Potter grinned back. "Very funny. As I was saying, it's crazy, but why don't you come round for Christmas dinner?" At Draco's stunned expression, he continued. "I'm actually a pretty good cook."
"But --" Draco struggled for words. "But we hate each other."
"Doesn't seem that way to me."
"Oh, alright, we don't hate each other, but we certainly don't like each other either."
"No, but we can be civil."
Draco snorted. "Yeah, who knew?"
Potter grinned slyly. "I think we could stand being dinner companions for one evening. Back in school, we both ate meals with people we didn't particularly like, or even know that well, so why not now?"
"Because you're Harry Potter," Draco said, as if that explained everything. "And I'm Draco Malfoy."
"And we're both on our own, with no family, on a day when everyone is with theirs. Why not at least keep each other company? I promise not to hex you - well, if you don't hex me first - and I promise not to poison you."
"Now there's an offer I can't refuse," Draco deadpanned.
"Excellent. I'm at 12 Grimmauld Place, London. I'll make sure the Floo is open for you, and I'll see you at five o'clock, Christmas Day."
Draco wondered when exactly he had accepted the offer, but didn't argue the point. It really would be nice not to be alone on Christmas. "What shall I bring?"
"Just your charming personality," Potter suggested. Then he did something completely unexpected. Well, okay, the entire encounter had been completely unexpected, but this even more so. He held out his hand to shake Draco's. "Let's see if we can make it through a meal without killing each other."
Draco smiled and nodded as he took Potter's hand in his own. "Or at least have fun trying."
.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-12-25 05:41 pm (UTC)Then ... relaxation time! :o)
Gotta go get the boys now (they called to stay an extra hour)!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-25 06:20 pm (UTC)Hee, I'm glad the boys had fun at their father's, though I know you're going to spoil them now. :D Have a Merry late Christmas celebration with your children! *snuggles*
no subject
Date: 2007-12-25 11:39 pm (UTC)They definitely slept in & needed a bit more time to gather themselves together today. They only start to eat around 9:00 Christmas Eve, so in fairness they don't really get much time to play with whatever they got before I pick them up.
Yay for 'together' time for wrapping, then almost immediately unwrapping gifts ... and dinner. Must. Keep. Eyes. Open. Must. Not. Sleep. *yawns* ;)