Christmas Story 2018 - In the Spirit, part 11 (H/D)

Title: In the Spirit – Part 11
Author: sesheta_66
Prompts used: slythindor100’s early bird prompt 7: Niffler (picture under the cut) and dracoharry100’s prompts 15: work Christmas party and 19: Secret Santa
Word Count: ~1K
Rating: PG, for now
Warning: none
Summary: Harry had a rough Christmas last year, to say the least. But things are looking up this year, and he plans to embrace the season, even if he is still single.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the slythindor100 Early Bird 25 Days of Draco and Harry and the dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge.

On LJ: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10

OR on AO3



In the Spirit – Part 11

Harry tried to focus at work, but his mind kept – quite unhelpfully – going back to the prior evening. He’d somehow managed to survive not only a pleasant meal, but a bloody snowball fight with Malfoy. And – who would ever have believed it – an entire evening with Narcissa Malfoy. Okay, he only ‘survived’ the snowball fight because neither he nor Malfoy was about to do anything to his mother. Who knew how it might have devolved without her intervention, but still. She’d turned out to be more like a real person that Harry had ever given her credit for. Sure, he knew she loved her son; she wouldn’t have lied to Voldemort otherwise. But snowball fights? And Slytherin champ to boot?

And what had come over Harry anyway? Joking with Malfoy. Messing his hair, for crying out loud. It was too bizarre. Perhaps if he’d been drinking, yeah, but that was just ... well. He and Malfoy had just been beaten handily by Narcissa and it somehow felt like the most natural thing in the world to tease him about it. Almost like they were friends.

Of course the look Malfoy had given him reminded Harry – now, if not the previous night – that at least one of them knew better. It had to be all this nonsense that Luna and Hermione were shovelling his way. Why he let them, and worse, why he allowed himself to think in that context, was another story. Best just to be polite and not think any more of it.

Except he couldn’t shake the image of Malfoy with his hair loose and all messy. Harry was losing his mind. That had to be it.

"You coming?" Harry looked up to see Ron standing at his door. "Meeting, remember. All hands."

Shit. He’d forgotten. "Yeah, sorry. Got distracted."

Ron scrutinised his desk. "Apparently so."

Harry followed Ron’s glance and realised, as he suspected Ron had too, that the selection of files – right down to the picture of a Niffler caught in a Muggle jewellery store atop the closest pile – looked exactly the same as it had when he’d walked in that morning.



He got up and made his way to the door. "Let’s go."

They managed to slip into the boardroom just before the meeting started. Robards ushered them in and began. "Right, then. With the Christmas season upon us, we’ve reviewed all requests for time off and have finalised the work schedules. Expect them posted later today. Thanks to those who volunteered to come in so that others were able to take time off."

"Tell me you didn’t volunteer again this year," Ron whispered. "Because if you did --"

Harry shook his head. "Relax. If I get called in, it won’t be my doing. Not this time." Last year, he didn’t bother to add, had been rather a different set of circumstances. He doubted anyone had wanted to see him and he certainly hadn’t wanted to show his face anywhere that wasn’t required by work. He’d been grateful to have his office to hide in and a handful of calls to respond to. He’d never told anyone else this, but his job had given him purpose, something to focus on, to get him through the holidays. It may even have earned him a bit of goodwill with others in the office, too.

"And, moving on," Robards said, "we have an update from our social committee. Julia."

Julia Montgomery stepped forward. "Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re all as excited as we are about this year’s Christmas party." Harry looked at the other committee members who looked decidedly less enthusiastic than she – and certainly not excited. Bradford, junior most Auror who’d been voluntold by his team leader that he’d be representing them on the committee, rolled his eyes and looked positively ready to gag at Montgomery’s cheeriness. Ron sniggered beside him. "After careful consideration, we’ve decided on a Secret Santa gift exchange to take place at the party. Everyone will draw a name from the jar at the back of the room as you leave the meeting."

Whispers of excitement mingled with a couple of groans and some concerned chatter. Harry suspected the ‘careful consideration’ consisted of Mongomery suggesting it and no one bothering to put up a fight. He didn’t care one way or the other. If he got someone he knew, great. Otherwise, he’d just ask Hermione or Ginny what to get. "Gifts must be tasteful and in accordance with Ministry policy." This got a few more groans, which she ignored. "They should be no more than five galleons, though we recommend two to four, and they should be wrapped similarly – we’ll have gift wrap samples posted later today – and should be brought to my office prior to the party, in order to maintain secrecy."

"What if we draw our own name?" asked someone Harry couldn’t see.

She looked smug. "We’ve charmed them so that doesn’t happen."

"Wow," Ron whispered in mock amazement. "She’s thought of everything, hasn’t she?"

Harry chuckled. "Give her a break. She’s just keen."

He coughed what sounded like "Percy."

They ended the meeting with Montgomery telling them to "Please wait until you’re back in your own office to read your giftee’s name. And don’t tell anyone whose name you draw."

When Harry got back to his office, he opened his slip of paper. Blaise Zabini.

He tossed the paper on top of the Niffler photo. He knew next to nothing about Zabini, except that he’d been arrogant in school and remained so. He doubted Ginny or Hermione would be of any help either, given how Blaise had loathed Muggle-borns and blood traitors back in school. Not that Blaise had said any such thing since the war – he’d never have been hired as an Auror if he had – but likewise he hadn’t said or done anything renouncing those ideas either. Hermione would probably recommend something supporting House Elf Rights and Ginny would likely suggest something nasty from Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes that would attack him. As amusing as the latter idea might be, it would likely be career limiting. Probably best not to ask either of them.

He glared at the offending paper. "What the hell am I supposed to get that git?"

Part 12