I think I really really really do

A thing for Hufflepuffs

Louis wakes up to realise that he changed positions during the night. Now he's turned to the other side and facing Harry's sleeping face. The boy's arm is thrown on Louis' waist but doesn't put any pressure to it. Louis lays like this in silence for a bit, observing Harry's messed up curls, careless sleeping expression and listening to the little sighs that escape his mouth from time to time. He smiles and can't believe in his own happiness. He's just about to reach out and caress the boy's rosy cheek when...

-ACHOO! - escapes him when his nose sneezes with a great power.

Harry jumps at that, brutally woken up from his dream, and turns to Louis with a terrified expression. Before he has a chance to say anything, another "Achoo!" breaks free from Louis and he's sitting, feeling his nose stuffed and unable to breath properly.

-Do you have any tissues? - he asks with a strained voice and sneezes one more time.

Harry seems to pull himself together at that because he reaches for a wand he left on the nightstand the evening before and he throws a quick Accio at a box of tissues. Soon enough Louis holds a handful of them and blows, feeling his head pulsing and aching. When he's done, breathing a little better too now, he lays back down with a moan of a sick person.

-Well, should I say it? No? I'll do it anyway – Harry snorts, smirking at Louis with smugness. - Who knew sleeping out in the snow will make you sick!

-I hate you – Louis groans and covers his face with his arms.

-Show me your forehead – Harry orders, not caring about Louis' comment. He reaches out and touches it with focus. - At least you're not burning up. So it's just a little cold and you'll be fine soon.

-A little cold?! Harry, I'm dying! - Louis moans and comes back to hiding his aching head from any source of light.

-Okay, okay... you stay here, wrap yourself in that blanket, ehmmm... Merry Christmas by the way... And I'll go and get you some nice hot tea, how about that? - Harry offers and he only gets a sneeze for an answer. He laughs indulgently and gets up from the bed.

Louis watches him putting some clothes on and preparing for an escapade to the kitchens, groaning some "This Christmas sucks" comments from time to time. When Harry is finally ready to leave, Louis' struck with an idea.

-Wait! - he groans, his voice harsh and strained. - Are you up for a visit in the snakes' cave?

In the Slytherin common room there's a special trunk in which he and his housemates gradually store up flacons with various potions. Those are mainly remedies for a hangover but there are also some other elixirs too. He instructs Harry how the sickness remedy looks like and how to enter the dormitory in the first place. The Hufflepuff finally leaves and it seems like hours have passed before he's actually back with the flacon, the big thermos of tea for them both and some cookies and sandwiches for breakfast. He starts to rail about letting some light into the Slytherin dormitory that is usually dark and drowned in shadows ("because it's a fucking dungeon", Louis points out) and improving the interior design from the cold stone tiles and lack of any decorations but Louis is just mostly relieved that the boy is not disgusted or scared after the visit.

Louis feels like shit and he wants to disintegrate and stop existing but Harry constantly leans over him sending a big bright smile or a concern look (in rotation) and Louis even earns some forehead or temple kisses if he groans desperately enough, so he cannot really complain this much. He's better very soon anyway, thanks to the elixir one of his housemates produced when the autumn season started. He takes a nap at some point, his sickness exhaustion taking control over him, and when he wakes up after a dreamless sleep, he sees Harry sitting on the opposite bed holding a laptop.

-Do you really have a laptop in the school? - he says with a sleepy strained voice. - And I thought I was the rebellious one in this relationship – he comments and Harry laughs at that, raising his eyes from the screen. - Wait, I just remembered – Louis gasps dramatically. - Hello, boyfriend – he emphasises with a wide bright grin.

-Hello to you too, boyfriend – Harry shakes his head with a disbelieving grin and hops back to his bed, squeezing in next to Louis. - So, I suspect you're feeling better already?

-Well, the elixir doesn't help for the general exhaustion and my heavy limbs but at least I won't sneeze anymore and my head is a little better – he informs while he throws a hand around Harry's waist when they are both propped with pillows on the bed's backrest. The boy leans out the bed to grab the food that he brought earlier and now that Louis got his appetite back, he consumes all of it. Harry digs more into the blankets and Louis' embrace and he chooses a Christmas movie for them to watch.

-What will your friends say about us? - Harry asks before he plays the film and he's hiding it well but Louis can tell that he's been wondering about that a lot.

-Fuck my friends – he snorts, bolting almost a whole cookie at once.

-Louis... Rules. We talked about it – Harry rolls his eyes.

-Just kidding – Louis lowers his hands and stops eating for a while. - I love my friends. And please don't fuck them.

-Aren't they gonna be... surprised? - Harry dwells the subject after laughing a little.

-Well, maybe. But they'll love you. And Slytherins got a thing for Hufflepuffs anyway. You're all like walking teddy bears – Louis comments with a grin.

-Oh... A thing for Hufflepuffs? Is that what it is? You have a thing for me? - Harry mocks him, acting offended.

-Oh, stop it - Louis groans when Harry starts to tickle his stomach a little. He's afraid of staining the bed with food. - You could put those lips to a better use, you know.

-Reeeallyyyy? - Harry extends, suddenly interested. He mocks him a while longer but then lowers himself and reaches for Louis' face, kissing him sweetly. When they're done, he puts his head on his boyfriend's shoulder, adjusting it to the perfect angle.

They spend the rest of the morning like that, cuddling on the bed, watching Christmas movies and kissing. A little after the normal lunch time they go to a Christmas feast together. They say hellos and Christmas greetings to the professors while trying to find their sits. Louis approaches the headmaster at some point, asking for forgiveness for not coming to detention the day before. He must still look pale and sick because she doesn't even comment on that, instead telling him Merry Christmas and late birthday wishes too. He thanks her politely and feels a burden disappearing from his heart. From that moment, everything feels light and celebratory.

These might not be the Christmas Louis thought he'll have when he came to Hogwarts on the first of September this year and maybe they're not dream ones at that. But he gets an amazing food prepared for him with love and he's surprised with a careless behaviour of his professors. They're all laughing, singing and reminiscing some fascinating stories from their past and Louis, along with other students, is enthralled with them. This is an amazing experience for him and he doesn't feel sorrowful at all, just like all those sad thoughts from the day before were erased by this cute charming wizard sitting next to him. He glances at the boy's locks gathered under a Christmas scarf in a desperate try of containing them, at those dimples that are constantly decorating Harry's face throughout the whole feast and at those pink lips with this stupid little tongue getting out with each bite. He remembers his birthday resolutions and when he's already rewarded for them than how can he ever forget them?

At some point Harry gets up and gives away the Christmas wreaths he prepared for everyone and when Louis gets his own one, he sees that it's decorated with glittery red hearts.

-It's the one you helped with. I just improved it a little – Harry whispers, leaning down to his ear.

He's the luckiest person in the world right now and he knows he'll be fine. They'll both be fine. He believes in the Christmas magic and he just knows the future holds happiness for them both.