Let Me Love You // DRARRY

Chapter Eighteen - First Moments

Harry was awoken to the irregular tapping on the bedroom window,  the small packets of repetitive high pitched sound drove Harry from his slumber which had been surprisingly uninterrupted by twisted nightmares. The light of dawn was managing to break through a gap in the curtains and flooded the room in a sea of warmth. 

Harry crawled out of his covers and bed, the slight temperature change sending a chill through him. Across from Harry on the other side of the room was Charlie Weasley, who ended up being the only other man in the house he could share a room with, all others having a bed to share. And of course, Teddy, whose miniature bed was at the foot of Harry's, sleeping soundly still after a night of pre-festivities which left him exhausted. 

Walking over the carpet to the window, Harry parted the curtains fully to reveal a rather big owl tapping impatiently with its beak on the pane of glass. Tied above one leg was a small envelope, sealed with green wax, a crisp 'M' standing prominent and proud. And tied to the other was a package which was crisply wrapped in brown paper, tied together with green string. 

Harry opened the latch to usher the bird through the window, as to unburden the bird of the letter and package, of which the latter seemed to be annoying the bird down substantially, the tell-tale sign being the rustling of feathers and constantly changing its weight from one leg to another. 

However the bird just nipped at Harry's fingers when he tried to navigate it through, so he had the struggle of trying to untie both items without disturbing the bird too much. Before he could even properly grip the small package, the owl flew off, nearly displacing the gift from Harry's hand. 

Closing the latch for the window, Harry cursed at the anonymous bird who had rudely awoken him and begun his day in such an unusual and unpleasant way, setting his mood uncharacteristically bad for the Christmas day ahead.

"What's that?" Harry turned around to see Charlie leaning on his elbow, already fully aware despite the fact that he was sleeping just moments before. 

"I don't know, I'll open it later." Harry lied, the bold use of colours and letters telling him all that he needed to know, but for the time being, he decided to stow it away. "Anyway, Merry Christmas!" Harry exclaimed, putting on a smile while his thoughts were swirling.

Why one earth was Malfoy sending him what seemed to be gifts? Had the evolved from a point of mutual respect? And if so, was he to get something for Malfoy as well, was that unspoken etiquette? 

There wasn't really a rule book for a situation like Harry's dysfunctional life. 

"Come on Teddy, you need to let go of it" Hermione whined for a fifth time.

A visitor would have entered to a scene of pure mess and chaos. Bits of wrapping paper, string, and jumpers - discarded for Molly's own - were all strewn across the living room floor of the Burrow, where everyone had opened all of their presents.

Harry greatly appreciated all of his presents; A book compiling the world's greatest Quidditch players, a vast amount of fire whisky courtesy of practically all the Weasleys, and of course, like anyone, a jumper, were just a few of the gifts Harry received. However an overshadowing feeling of anxious dread filled him throughout the day, but he just managed to suppress those underlying emotions. 

Teddy had received multiple presents as well but his favorite, Hermione's bane, was a miniature broomstick, enchanted to go far faster than was originally manufactured, and would hover little over a foot above the ground. The toddler would fly through the Christmas rubble with a scream of enjoyment and a fit of giggles.