Protected By Your Love

The Ups and Downs of Gift-Giving

     It was Christmas Eve Day, and as Draco would be leaving the following to go spend the rest of break with his mother, he decided now would be a good time to give out his presents. 

The past few days had been very fun for him. Debating with Hermione, two more chess games with Ron ( he had yet to win one of those),playing Quidditch with Ginny, talking French fashion with Fleur, holding his cousin Teddy, and Fleur's newborn girl,Victoire,  and of course spending a bunch of time with Harry. Whether it be playing a game or just sitting around talking and mocking each other, Harry's companionship was becoming a consistent comfort for him. 

The only people who hadn't warmed up to Draco, were Mr. Weasley and George. George kept his distance, every time Draco entered a room, he would leave it, except at dinner when they had to eat at the same table, and he just decided to sit at the opposite end. Draco was starting to get extremely frustrated with it, and was this close-- to just confronting him about it, when Harry told him he was still just depressed about the death of his twin brother, his other half, at the Hands of a Death Eater, which had all the anger coming out of Draco like a deflated balloon and leaving a sinking feeling in his stomach. As this seemed to be the same reason for Mr. Weasley, the other reason for his dislike of Draco was heavily based off of how Draco's father had mocked him in public and how Draco had as well, and even when Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all said that Draco was actually pleasant to have around Hogwarts now, Mr. Weasley still couldn't seem to see pass his name. However, Draco had a solution for this one. 

He walked down the stairs, holding a bag of presents that he was now much more confident in, and bumped into someone. 

"OW!" George Weasley yelped. 

"Sorry, Sorry!" Draco said hurriedly rushing to pick up the bag when he realized his small gift for George had fallen out. "Um...here," he said awkwardly handing it to George. 

George couldn't look more sinister. "Look, the others may be convinced that you've changed, but there's nothing you could say or do that would convince me you're nothing more than the slimy rude Death Eater you were back at Hogwarts. "

Draco felt the flare of anger rise in his chest again, and tried to subdue it," I have changed though! I'm trying! Can't you see how hard I'm trying? I want to  be better, I really do! But I can't do that if you won't even let me prove myself, " Draco explained. 

George glared. "I don't want you to prove yourself! I've said once, and I'll say it again. There's nothing you can do. Your father disgraced my family, and so did you, and there's  nothing you can do to change that, and most of all there's nothing you could do to bring Fred back! HE'S GONE!" George yelled. He stormed the rest of the way up the stairs and slammed the door to the room behind him. Draco stood in the middle of the stairs, barely being able to keep the tears from pouring down his face, when who should walk up but the Boy Who Lived. 

"Hey Ferr-what's wrong?" Harry asked, his happy tone Turning too worried.  

"Nothing," Draco said straightening his posture. 

Harry sighed. "You don't have to put on that face for me Draco, we're friends." He rested a hand on Draco's shoulder. 

Draco drew in a sharp breath, as Harry was staring at Draco with concerned eyes that suggested they were something else entirely. He was so close, nearly inches apart and he swore Harry's eyes glanced down towards his lips before they were interrupted with a loud cough. 

"'Erm....pardon me," Mr. Weasley said awkwardly pushing past them. "I'm on my way to work." 

"The day before Christmas?" Draco asked confused.