The Light Brings Truth Brings Joy [HIATUS]

Soft Days

It wasn't very long before others began coming downstairs one by one for breakfast. Draco greeted each with a 'happy christmas'. He had dried his tears and figured he didnt look that much like he had just been crying. No one said anything, after all. At most, he just looked tired.

"Where's Harry?" He questioned, looking at Ron who was the last to come downstairs. "He's dead asleep. Even snoring. I went in there to see if he wanted to send a bunch of howlers to his Aunt and Uncle." The boy chuckled, going to sit down next to George. "I'll bet he'll come down here by noon if someone doesn't go wake him." He was right, actually. Harry only woke up to someone's voice. Alarms never worked. Made him late more than once, unfortunately.

Draco just stood up when he said that - he already finished his breakfast so walked on upstairs and to Harry's room. The boy really was out for the count, sprawled across the bed, blanket half off his body. Draco thought it was cute though. He thought everything Harry did was just perfect.

"Harry..C'mon, Harrbear, its morning. Dont you want some breakfast?" He shook him slightly, the other barely stirred. "..If you wake up I'll give you some kisses." Draco tried bribery. That worked for him. Pansy would always come and wake him on the weekends that way - chocolate really was his weakness. Harry stirred again, eyes opening ever so slightly. "If you open your eyes all the way, I'll carry you down to eat breakfast." At that, the brunette rubbed his eyes and opened them more. "You would carry me anyway.." Harry mumbled, smile on his face as he reached up for the other. Draco was a man of his word - he lifted him right up, kissing his cheek. "You said kisses. Plural. I expect my payment." "Yeah, yeah, give me a moment." The blonde shifted Harry so he had easier access, leaning in and gently kissing his lips. Then he started all over his face, making him giggle happily. "Hey-" He squirmed a bit, feeling it tickle. "You asked for it. Careful what you wish for." Draco started to move back downstairs now, setting Harry down and sitting next to him.

"How the hell did you get him to smile in the morning? Usually he's a pain in the ass until 10am." Ron commented, getting waved off by Harry. "Kisses are a great remedy. Maybe if you had kissed me, Ronald, you wouldnt have to deal with me being grumpy." The brunette joked a bit. Now Ron was waving him off, shaking his head at him. "No way. Your lips are chapped half the time. Plus its cheating." He paused. "Triple cheating for me. That would be against Blaise, Neville and Neville again because he's sensitive."

Harry was going to respond to that with some remark on 'kissing your homies' but Molly put some breakfast in front of him. It was whatever. He was sure since it was a muggle joke, the others wouldnt quite understand it.

Harry didnt quite realize just how hungry he was until the smell of food was right in front of him. He dug in pretty quick, not really listening when the others started to talk amongst themselves. As soon as he - and everyone else - was done, they moved to the living room to exchange gifts.

I won't go over the details but it was certainly a lot of fun. Draco even got quite a bit from the others. He had just asked Harry about what to get each of them - he was clueless to their interests. Except Luna, of course. Actually, he was the only one who truly knew what she wanted. They grew up close, after all. Hermione came close however the Spotted Tree natural-lamp finder and maker was for oak instead of birch. Birch was Luna's favourite tree and she had wanted to make lamps out of the branches that would always fall off.

By the end of it, it was 9am and they all had some hot cocoa. It was pretty relaxed, actually. Then an owl flew right in through the window with a little package.

Bill was the one who stood and took the package from the owl. "Draco. For you." He handed it to him. There was still tension between the two. "Oh- must be my Mother. She said she would send something while I was here." He watched the owl fly back out the window before going to open it. "A present? It's small. I always thought your parents were obnoxiously extravagant in gifts and-- life." Ron tilted his head as Draco looked at the packaging. "Not really. But my Mom does buy me a lot of gifts. I think its just- the best she knows how to do for me. Help make up for my Father's behaviour. Make me feel better, I suppose. She tries her best." He lifted up a necklace. Black twine that held a metal pendant with some engravings on it. It looked like..some sort of language. But it was still beautiful if it wasn't. "Oh, this is so pretty..She always finds such nice looking things." Draco mumbled to himself, going to put it on immediately. "..Not to be rude but- a necklace? Your family is rich and your Mother sends you a necklace?" Bill chimed in, confused by it. He figured money meant expensive gifts. "I like it. I think just because I have the money, doesnt mean I need something that uses a lot of it. She gets me things with meaning. And I like that fact. It..feels more special." Draco smiled up at him before looking back down at the pendant, feeling over the design.

Harry knew just how much the thought really counted. He loved getting things with the thought rather than the expense. Hell, a first year brought him a bug they found because they thought he would like it. He's not a big fan of bugs but he was glad the kid thought of him. "It's nice. Any idea what the fancy language on it is?" He leaned over, head on his shoulder to see. "I'm sure it's just design." Draco wrapped an arm around him, accidentally knocking over the box. "Ah, shoot." When he picked it up, he realized there had been another thing inside. A note.

Draco,
I hope you like this. I was looking through some items from my school days at Hogwarts and this looked like something you may wear. Let's just say I never much liked the rules. Magical items weren't prohibited. Theres always a loophole, my dear. They never said anything about items that borrow magic from places - its not magic in itself. Simply enchanted. On the back of this note, I've given instructions on some things the pendant can do. Theres so much more though. Be your own wizard. Find out what it can do.

Love,
Mom

Draco smiled when he finished reading, flipping over the note to see some of the things it did. "Magic enhancer - odd she would give me it. Usually only Ministry people have stuff like this." He read through the instructions, smiling wider at the first one.

Use this duplicating wisely. Falling into the wrong hands has consequences. But I trust you. I know at the least, you're going to give it to Harry. I have no worries about that - he's a very good young man. Here's a tip: Duplicate with the person you're giving it to. Alone. It makes the duplicate work better.

"She thinks of you already. That means she likes you." Draco let Harry read, kissing his head. "We can do that later today. For now, I think some games are needed. Snowball fight?" As soon as the words left his mouth, half the group went to get on their winter clothes. It was already a weasley tradition to fight until the last man was standing. "I guess that was a yes." Harry laughed, standing to get dressed as well.

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"I can't believe you won-! This is- You traitor!" Ron huffed at Hermione who had actually strategized instead of just using magic and throwing snowballs as fast as she could. "What is so traitorous about winning? You're just a sore loser." She laughed, leaning against the house outside. It was cold but they could all manage out there. "Especially since you aimed for the face. Lucky for us, you're a terrible shot." Harry nudged him before going to play with the snow a bit more.

Draco walked over to Harry, leaning down with him and watching what he was doing. "How about a snow man? You make the middle, I'll make the body, yeah?" He smiled at him, going to do that while Harry excitedly started on the middle.

"How are you not freezing right now?" Ron questioned the blonde. "You too, Luna. Its super cold out and you're only wearing two layers." They just gave a shrug in response. "We just like the cold." Honestly, it was creepy that they could respond at the same time like that. "Are we sure you arent twins..?" He made a face, watching again. "They dont even have gloves, Mione. They're insane.." "Ron, you dont have gloves on right now. You forgot them inside." That made the ginger look down at his red, shaking hands. "That explains why they're so cold-!" Truly just an oblivious dummy at heart.

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1584 Words