It Started With A Closet. . . A Drarry Fic (No Smut!!!)

Day One

Harry's POV

Two days later, Harry was sitting and picking at his breakfast, still troubled as to why Draco was avoiding him still.

He jumped when an owl dropped a package, all wrapped up in neat red wrapping paper. A number 1 was written on it largely in curly, elegant quill-manship.

"What's that, mate?" Ron asked through a mouthful of bacon.

"I dunno, Ron. A Christmas present?" Harry guessed, feeling totally lost.

"Twelve days early?" Hermione said skeptically. "I don't think so. What's that written on it? Is there a tag?"

"No, there's no signage at all; just a giant number one."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"I don't know!"

"Oh! I bet it's for the Twelve Days of Christmas! It starts on the fourteenth, and ends Christmas day. Twelve days."

"So, I'm going to get a present every day from some random person until Christmas ends?"

"Not some random person," Hermione said. "A secret admirer. Harry, either someone likes you, or this owl got confused and delivered you someone else's package."

"Who?" Ron asked.

"We don't know, Ron!" they said together.

"Well, open it up, Harry! What're you waiting for?"

Slowly, Harry ripped open the package.

"A candle," he said curiously, lifting it up.

"Ooo, it's one of those ones that changes scents according to what you like, sort of like amortentia! This is the Christmas version, so it's things like sugar cookies and gingerbread and stuff," Hermione explained.

"Oh, look, there's a note attached. Dear Harry, Merry Christmas. This is your first present, and you will receive one from me every day up until and on Christmas day, when I will reveal myself. Enjoy the candle. ~Anonymous. Huh."

"So the owls didn't get confused then?"

"I suppose not, Ron," Harry said.

"Think we can guess who it is?" he asked.

"We could try, but after the war, it could literally be anyone. Including a guy. Or just some random younger year that admires your heroic deeds," Hermione pondered.

"A guy," Harry repeated slowly. He didn't know of anyone other than himself and Draco in the homosexual category. If he was honest, he'd never even thought about it.

"Yes, Harry. There are other gay, lesbian, and bi, and pan people at Hogwarts."

"Bloody, hell," Ron said. "I can't believe Harry has a secret admirer! I mean, plenty of people admire him, sure, but this one's trying to be a secret. Wouldn't someone just want to outright tell him that and give him one gift, on Christmas, like normal people?"

"Jealous you didn't think of it first, are you Ron?" Harry asked his best mate, smirking and amused.

"Whatever," Ron muttered. "What does the candle smell like, Harry?"

"For me. . ." He put the candle under his nose and inhaled deeply. "Pine trees." He smiled fondly, and Hermione took the candle and smelled it, too.

"Peppermint," she declared happily, handing it to Ron.

"Gingersnaps," he told his friends. "Like the ones Mum makes every year. And egg nog."

He gave the candle back to Harry, who broke the silence after a long moment of it.