Our First Noel

Title: Our First Noël
Disclaimer: I don\'t own Harry and Draco; they have only been borrowed for a little Christmas fluff. This is done in the spirit of fun. No money is being made at any time.
Author Notes: This is a companion piece to my little fic, “The Start of Something Beautiful”, which is archived at the Hex Files, HP Fandom, AFF, and the Silver Snitch. It’s probably a good idea to read it first, just to have the back story. Certain points will be clearer. Complete in 3 chapters. Hope you enjoy and your comments are most welcome (and very much appreciated!).

Chapter 1 – The Best Laid Plans

The yuletide season was fast approaching. It would be Harry and Draco’s first Christmas since getting together eleven months previously. The two had met up at their school reunion and to the great surprise of everyone, they fell head-over-heels in love with one another. No one had been more surprised than Harry and Draco themselves. Draco had come home with Harry that night for what both thought would be a quick shag (or two or perhaps even three, if they were lucky) and he had been there ever since. As the days went on, one or the other young man would always find an excuse as to why Draco should not go home. Any reason worked, no matter how feeble; it’s too cold, I’m tired, we haven’t finished watching that movie, it’s Tuesday.

Finally, after several months Harry finally said, “This is ridiculous, Draco. I want you to go home, pack up all your things and bring them back here. You’re moving in with me.”

Draco grinned and replied, “I thought you’d never ask!”

That very day, Draco apparated to Malfoy Manor and quickly gathered up all of his belongings. Said belongings consisted of some important family documents and mementos, a few photographs, and clothing – lots and lots of clothing. Once everything had been packed and shrunk down to a convenient size, Draco informed the house-elves that he would no longer be living in the Manor, but would be living in London in his boyfriend’s flat. He also instructed them to keep the place in order since he would return from time to time, hopefully with Harry in tow. He disapparated, leaving the poor house-elves to speculate what the mistress and late master would have said when they found out their one and only son was off to live with his boyfriend. They decided that it was fortunate that the master was indeed “late”.

Harry heard the pop of Draco’s apparition and ran out to greet him in the foyer. Gathering him into a bone-crushing hug he said, “Welcome home, love.”

“Hmm, I definitely like the sound of that – home. I am home, aren’t I?”

“Yes, Dray, you’re home all right. This is now our home – yours and mine.” Harry kissed Draco’s forehead, using his lips to brush aside the blonde silk fringe. “Are you sure that you won’t feel confined living here? I mean, you’re used to living in a manor house, not a London flat, no matter how large it is.”

“Harry, why would I want to live in that old house anymore? A place that holds more bad memories than good? Going back there today was harder than I thought it would be. It was different when I was still there on a daily basis, but today, I found that all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there. Mother should still be there. It’s not fair that she isn’t. As for Lucius, I half expected to run into his ghost,” said Draco with a shiver.

“I’m sorry this was so difficult for you, love. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked you to move in here.”

“Harry! How can you say that? This is where I want to be. I’m just a little sad. It’s not that big of a deal. Why don’t you kiss me and make it all better?”

Harry grinned and said, “With pleasure!” After he had snogged Draco almost senseless, he asked, “So, you won’t be going back to the Manor at all anymore?”

“I have to go back once in awhile to check up on the house-elves. Also, I was thinking that perhaps you and I could spend a little time there this summer. It is really quite lovely and the gardens are spectacular. It’ll be different if you’re with me.”

“If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do,” said Harry as he moved in closer to kiss Draco anew.

Draco sighed, “I was just remembering what happened the last time we snogged in here.”

“The last time we snogged here? Oh, yeah…that was our first night together,” replied Harry with a wicked grin. “That was when I gave you…”

Draco cut him off, “The best blowjob I’d ever had!”

“Was it really?”

“Uh-huh and you know what, love?”

“No.”

Draco pushed Harry back against the wall and gave his balls a squeeze, eliciting a squeak of surprise from the dark-haired young man. “I think I’d like to repay the favour.” With that, Draco undid Harry’s belt, then his zipper and pulled down jeans and boxers in one fell swoop. Draco fell to his knees and looked up, running his fingers lightly up Harry’s strong thighs as he did.

“Merlin, you’re beautiful, Harry! I can’t get enough of you,” said Draco silkily, watching intently as Harry’s cock twitched and grew larger with every caress. Draco nuzzled his nose in the thatch of wiry black hair before him and then let his tongue snake downwards to swipe playfully at Harry’s balls.

Harry caught his breath and then let it out with a hiss. “So good Dray, don’t stop,” he managed to say between moans. He was fully aroused now and was desperate for Draco to take him in his mouth. Harry angled his hips hoping that Draco would take the hint.

Draco knew full well what Harry wanted but was not ready to give it to him just yet. “Patience, my love. Good things come to those who wait.”

“Don’t want to wait. Please, love, don’t tease me.”

Draco ran his lips lightly up the length of Harry’s cock, but still refused to suck him. “Not yet,” he whispered. Draco pulled back Harry’s foreskin to reveal just the tip and teased the slit with his tongue, lapping up a drop of pre-cum as he did. Draco himself was hard as a rock and he let his free hand caress and squeeze himself through the thick material of his jeans. Each little moan and gasp from Harry’s lips only served to make him harder and harder. Ever so slowly, torturously, Draco revealed more and more of Harry’s weeping member until it was completely exposed. He pulled it down towards him and then let it go, causing it to slap against Harry’s own belly.

“You’re evil, Draco Malfoy, I hope you realize that,” hissed Harry.

“You knew that when we got together, my dear,” laughed Draco wickedly as he pulled down his zipper and took out his cock. Stroking himself he asked, “Want me to suck you?”

“Just fucking do it!” commanded Harry.

Draco decided to put Harry out of his misery and at long last engulfed his cock with his mouth.

“Oh, fucking hell! YES!” cried Harry. “SO good, oh yes, DRACO …YES… SO…DAMNED…FUCKING…GOOD.” Harry had a tendency to be a little on the loud side during sex and Draco loved it. When he was especially turned on, he became a talker as well. When Draco stopped sucking to turn his attention to Harry’s balls, he shouted, “THAT’S IT DRAY, SUCK MY BALLS. SUCK THE OTHER ONE NOW, OH YES.” Draco was very glad they had put a permanent Silencing Charm on the flat. Imagine if Mrs. Wagglesworth, the old Witch who lived across the hall, had heard Harry’s shouts as she walked by – Draco could just picture the look on her face. Yes, thank Merlin for Silencing Charms!

Draco had not stopped pumping his own cock and was getting very close to coming. He wanted them both to reach their completion at the same time, so grey eyes met green as Draco licked Harry’s cock once more and said, “I want you to fuck my mouth, love.”

Something about those words got to Harry, almost sending him over the edge. “You sure?” he asked breathlessly.

Draco licked his lips and nodded. “I want us to come together,” he replied and then opened his mouth.

Harry threaded his fingers through Draco’s hair and held him gently by the back of the head. “You have got to be the sexiest man on this earth, Draco Malfoy. Do you have any idea what you do to me?” Draco couldn’t answer because Harry had slipped himself into the waiting orifice and had begun to move, but in his head he replied, “Yes I do know, because you do the same to me.”

Draco found himself wishing for a mirror. What a picture they must make – Harry, legs slightly apart, holding Draco’s head and pumping into his mouth, Draco eagerly accepting the large cock as it slid in and out between his lips, Draco fisting himself in time with Harry’s thrusts.

Harry moved faster and faster, going as deep as he dared. He took great care not to cause Draco any discomfort by making him gag. Draco had his eyes closed and seemed to be taken away by his pleasure, so Harry knew his movements were fine.

“Getting close, love,” said Harry. “OH MERLIN, SO CLOSE…DRAY…MY SWEET DRAY…YES…OH FUCK, NOW!”

Draco put his hand on Harry’s ass and pulled him in even closer. Hearing Harry calling out and moaning and then feeling his knees buckle as he came, took him over the edge as well. They had come together – mission accomplished. Harry withdrew from Draco’s mouth with a pop. He slumped down against the wall and stared at Draco, breathing hard and quite unable to speak at first.

“That was,” Harry managed to croak. “That was…”

“Yes it was, wasn’t it?” said Draco. He leaned in and kissed Harry gently.

“Consider the favour returned, Draco,” offered Harry as he pulled the blonde to him. They sat in each others arms for awhile, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Harry was the first to speak, “I suppose we should unpack your things.”

“Do we have to?”

“Stop whinging and get a move on, me laddo.”

Draco grumbled but he got up, cleaned himself and then gathered up some of his things. Harry helped Draco carry some of the tiny bags into the bedroom. One by one, Draco restored them to their original size.

“Holy fuck, Draco!” exclaimed Harry. “How many clothes can one person have?”

“A well-dressed Wizard can never have too many clothes, Harry,” replied Draco haughtily.

“Um, Draco, love, in case you haven’t noticed, the closet isn’t big enough to hold all of this.” Harry spread his arms wide apart, indicating the veritable mountain of clothing Draco had unpacked and laid on the bed. “I need some room for my clothes, too, you know.”

“Yes, well, that’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. Your clothes, my love, uh…leave a little something to be desired.”

“Hey! What’s wrong with my clothes? I like them. They’re comfortable.”

“That may well be, but they lack style. You need a new wardrobe, Harry, and I’m just the man to help you out. Besides, if you’re going to be seen with me, you have to look like you belong on my arm.”

“Why you conceited, egotistical git!” exclaimed Harry, his eyes twinkling.

“I am not a git, Harry Potter, and I’ll thank you not to call me that. Conceited and egotistical?” Draco stopped to ponder. “Perhaps, but then you have to remember, love, I am a Malfoy. What you consider to be conceit and ego, I consider as being just statements of the truth. Whatever you might say about my father, you have to admit that he knew how to dress. I inherited his sense of style. And I am gorgeous, am I not? At least that’s what you keep telling me. Have you been lying to me? ”

Draco had him by the balls. Harry laughed and said, “I would never lie to you about something like that, Dray. You are the most gorgeous man I have ever seen in my life.”

“You see? Just speaking the truth.” Draco pulled Harry to him and kissed him passionately. “By the way, you are the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen, so we’re equal, love.”

After a round of serious negotiation and an even more serious round of fucking, it was agreed that if Harry allowed Draco to buy him a complete new wardrobe, Draco could have two-thirds of the closet (as opposed to three-quarters he had originally wanted) for himself. The rest of his clothes would be put back into their suitcases and shrunk down for easy storage. Draco took Harry on a shopping spree and they hit all the finest stores that London had to offer – both Wizard and Muggle. Harry had to admit, at least to himself, that he looked pretty damned good in everything Draco picked out for him. Draco had impeccable taste.

*****
The coming holiday had set Harry thinking. He had thought long and hard before approaching Draco with his idea.

“Draco?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“What about?”

“Christmas.”

“What about it?”

“I want to do it up right - the tree, the dinner, the prezzies, carolling, everything.”

“Carolling?”

“You know, singing Christmas songs.” With a fake baritone voice, Harry began to sing, “…Here we come a wand’ring, so fair to be seen. Love and joy come to you, and to your wassail too…”

“What in the name of Merlin is a wassail?”

Harry pondered and said, “You know, I’ve heard that song for years and I haven’t the foggiest.”

Draco laughed, “Do whatever pleases you, love. If you want to celebrate Christmas with a bang, it’s fine with me.”

“There’s just one more thing. I want to invite the Weasleys – ALL of them. I’ve spent the past five Christmases at the Burrow. I’d like to pay them back for their generosity. You know, show them how much it means to me. ”

Draco blanched, “I don’t know, Harry. Some of them are none to keen on me.” The thought of being in the same room with ALL of them was more than a little daunting.

“Don’t be daft. Just turn on the patented Draco charm and they’ll all be eating out of your hand in no time.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Ron and I get along okay now, but what about his parents and his brothers and sister? I don’t fancy being turned into a Christmas pudding by Fred and George.”

“I promise I’ll speak to them.”

“I’m still not sure.”

“Please?” said Harry, giving Draco his best sad-eyed look. When he got no answer he pouted and tried again. “Please Dray?”

“Harry Potter, you don’t play fair at all! You know I can’t resist when you call me that.”

“What’s that, D-r-a-y?” asked Harry, purposely dragging out the nickname.

He didn’t know why, but any time Harry called him “Dray”, he just went to pieces and was totally at Harry’s mercy. In fact, if Harry asked him to run starkers down Diagon Alley, he would do it, providing he heard that one little word in the request.

“Oh bloody hell! It’s against my better judgement, but okay. Invite the entire Weasel clan if that’s what’ll make you happy, Harry.”

“Brilliant! Love you,” grinned Harry and planted a big wet one on Draco’s lips. “I was thinking that perhaps your mum could come too.”

“You’d let her come here?” asked Draco incredulously. “Even if she’s…a little off?”

“Of course; she’s your mother. If you think she’s up to it and if you think she’d have a good time, I want her to come. After all, she is kind of like my mum too.”

Draco held tightly Harry and whispered, “Thanks. Love you so much.” Draco’s heart positively ached from joy. The fact that Harry welcomed his mentally unstable mother into their Christmas celebration blew him away.

Harry smiled and began his preparations at once, planning everything right down to the smallest detail. Draco sat and listened to Harry as he went on and on about the food, the decorations, the gifts! He was so excited. Draco calculated that spending the day with the Weasleys was a fair price to pay if his Harry was this happy. Sometimes a small thing meant so very much.

Two weeks before Christmas Harry said to Draco, “Can we go buy our tree today? Please? We’ve kind of been putting it off and I can’t wait anymore. What do you say, love? Can we do it right now, this afternoon?”

Draco laughed, “How old are you? Six? Next thing you’ll be asking me if I’ve written my letter to Father Christmas yet.” Harry pouted. “Okay, okay, I won’t tease you anymore. We’ll go now, if you want.”

“Yes! I’ll get our coats,” said Harry as he trotted off down the hall.

They set out on foot, deciding to walk instead of apparating to the tree lot on Diagon Alley. It was snowing, not hard and biting, but very gently. Huge fluffy flakes were falling oh so slowly, almost as if they were spelled to take their time. Sometimes they seemed to hang suspended in mid-air before continuing their lazy descent to the ground. Harry and Draco walked along, hand-in-hand, laughing and joking, Draco still teasing Harry about being so excited and Harry pretending to take offence. They soon arrived at the tree lot.

“I love that smell,” said Harry taking a deep breath. “There’s nothing like the odour of pine! C’mon, let’s go.” Harry grabbed Draco’s hand and pulled him in amongst the trees. “Merlin, there are so many, I don’t know which one to choose!”

“They’re all pretty well the same aren’t they, Harry?”

“More or less, but I want to find the perfect tree and I know it’s here somewhere.” Harry began his quest and started inspecting the trees one by one.

Draco stood back and watched as Harry rejected tree after tree. He decided to help out. “How about this one?” he called.

Harry said, “It’s nice, but too small. I want bigger.”

Draco rooted around and pulled out another. “This one big enough?”

“No, but you’re getting closer.”

“Bloody hell, Harry! I never realized you were a “size-queen”!

“Only when it comes to Christmas trees, love,” replied Harry with a grin. “Keep looking.”

“Okay, Harry, this has to be big enough,” said Draco as he showed Harry a humungous one.

“That’s what I was going for size-wise Draco, but it won’t do. Look at the branches; they’re all wonky. It has to be symmetrical.”

Draco sighed; when Harry had an idea in mind, there was no use to try and reason with him. “I’ll keep on looking then, shall I?”

“Yes please.”

Draco worked his way slowly through the forest of trees in search of “the one”. Draco was just about to give up when he spotted it; it was big enough, but did it meet with Harry’s other criteria? Draco pulled out his wand and spelled the tree so it would stand upright on its own. He sized it up – to him, it was fine, but would it be to Harry? There was only one way to find out.

“Harry, come over here!” he called. “Think I might have one.”

Harry came rushing over and stopped short. Draco heard his breath catch. Harry slowly walked around the tree and inspected it closely. “Oh, Draco,” cooed Harry. “It’s exactly what I want! Oh yes, it’s perfect, love!”

Draco couldn’t help but be caught up in Harry’s childlike enthusiasm. He really was just like a six-year-old. Harry was practically vibrating with excitement. His eyes were such a vibrant green that they shone brightly in the grey pallor of the late afternoon. Harry stood and gazed up at the huge tree in wonder, his cheeks pink with the cold and his hair frosted with a dusting of snowflakes. One or two were caught in his long dark eyelashes. Draco could resist no longer. He gathered Harry into his arms and gently kissed his closed eyes so that the snowflakes melted quickly on his lips. He slipped his hand behind Harry’s neck and kissed him, sighing contentedly as he felt Harry melt into his arms as if he were a snowflake himself.

“I love you so much, Harry,” whispered Draco when at last they parted.

“I love you too, Dray. Thanks for indulging me. Shall we take our tree home?”

Draco nodded. “You see anyone working here? No, me neither. HELLO, ANYBODY HERE?” he called out.

“Over here, luv,” came the quick reply.

Harry and Draco hauled their tree in the direction of the voice. They found an elderly Witch, warming herself over the blue flames of an everlasting fire.

“Can I help you lads?” she inquired.

“Yes, please,” replied Harry. “We’d like to buy this one.”

“Are you quite sure? That’s me most expensive tree. That’s a Nordmann fir, the best there is.”

“How much is it?” inquired Draco.

“Fifty Galleons, luv.”

“Fifty Galleons!” exclaimed Draco. “That’s a bit steep, isn’t it?”

“Now, Draco,” interrupted Harry, giving Draco a look that said quite clearly, shut your gob. “We’ll take it.” Harry took out his money and counted out the sum while Draco just shook his head. “Here you are, fifty Galleons and another ten for you.”

“Why thank you, luv! That’s most kind of you. Let me get the tree ready for you.” With a wave of her wand, the tree folded up its branches like an umbrella and then shrunk down to an eighth of its original size. “There you go, all set for easy transport. When you get it home, the spell Noëlus Balsamam will restore it to its original shape and size.”

“Right - Noëlus Balsamam - got it. Thank you. Happy Christmas,” said Harry as he took up his tree and Draco’s hand.

“Yes, thank you. Happy Christmas to you, Mr. Potter… and to your grumpy friend too.” Harry choked back a laugh.

“She recognized you,” said Draco.

“Still happens from time to time. I daresay it always will, too.”

“I’ll have you know, I am NOT grumpy.”

“Never said you were, love,” grinned Harry.

“Oh, okay then. You sure this thing is going to fit?”

“Of course it will. You just wait and see.”

Sure enough, Harry was right – it fit perfectly in the living room. It almost looked like it had grown there naturally. Harry brought out box after box of ornaments that he had painstakingly selected over the past few weeks.

“Will there be room for all that on the tree, Harry?”

“Trust me. There’s room for ever last one of these. You’ll see. I was right about the tree, wasn’t I?” Draco couldn’t argue with that.

One by one they opened up the boxes and got ready to decorate the tree. Harry picked up a green and silver bauble and held it in his hand, but did not hang it on a branch.

“What’s wrong, Harry?” asked Draco, noticing Harry’s hesitation.

“You know that I’ve never hung an ornament on a Christmas tree before. This will be the first one.”

“What do you mean, it’ll be the first one? Surely you must have decorated the tree at your aunt’s house when you were young.”

Harry shook his head sadly. “Nope, never did. I remember asking Aunt Petunia once if I could help. She just glared at me and said no because I would just break all the ornaments. Of course Dudley got to help and not one word was said when he broke more than his fair share. Year after year I hoped that she would let me hang one, just one lousy little ornament, but it never happened. It was so stupid too. There were plenty of them that were unbreakable. One in particular was my favourite. It was a little bird made out of a pine cone. It was all covered in silver glitter, with its wings spread and beak open. I always thought that it looked so happy because it looked like it was singing. I’d sit on the floor in front of the tree and watch it, never daring to touch it. After I went to Hogwarts, I always spent Christmas there and in all the years I’ve lived here, I never bought myself a tree. I figured why bother – nobody would see it but me. As I said, I went to the Burrow.”

Draco’s heart was breaking. Harry had told him about the miserable childhood he had had with his aunt and uncle and his tale of sad Christmases just drove the point home with a vengeance. Draco couldn’t get the image of a tiny Harry staring woefully up a Christmas tree out of his mind.

Draco pulled Harry close and whispered, “I am so sorry. I don’t understand how any adult could be so cruel to a child, let alone your own family. I hate what they did to you, Harry. I wish I could make all your pain disappear with a flick of my wand. If I could, I would, you know that, don’t you?”

“Yes love, I know.”

Draco took Harry’s face in his hands and kissed his forehead. “I never want you to be sad again. I promise to do my best to make you happy, love.”

“You already do, Draco,” said Harry with a smile. “These months with you have been the happiest of my life.”

“Me too, Harry.” After they kissed, Draco said, “Now, what do you say to a little decorating? If you would do the honours, Mr. Potter, please.”

Harry took the bauble he had been holding, picked out a branch and hung it. He stood back to admire his handiwork.

“How does it feel?”

“Brilliant!” replied Harry. “And the fact that it’s our tree almost makes up for all the ones I missed out on.”

Draco smiled and the two lovers set to work to complete the job Harry had just begun. At last they came to the last ornament – the star for the very tip-top of the tree. Draco handed it to Harry, but he just shook his head.

“No love, I got to put on the first so it’s only fitting that you get to put on the last.”

“Okay, then. Here goes – Wingardium Leviosa,” said Draco as he flicked his wand. The golden star floated upwards and Draco manoeuvred it into position. With a quick Finite Incantatum, the star settled in its rightful place.

“You get the room lights, Draco, and I’ll light the tree.” Nox was quickly followed by Lumos.

Draco came up behind Harry and put his arms around his waist and rested his chin on Harry’s shoulder. “That has to be the absolute, most beautiful Christmas tree I have ever seen.”

“It is rather nice, I have to admit.”

“Wherever did you find such unusual ornaments? These can’t be Muggle-made. I bet they must have come from Diagon Alley. Wait, is…is that a Golden Snitch I see flitting about?”

“Yup, it is. It is specially made to stay close to the tree. Do you see those little elves? Any minute now they are going to start moving about. They are supposed to wander through the branches and around the base of the tree.”

“Wow! Amazing.” Harry agreed wholeheartedly with Draco’s assessment. They snuggled down together on the couch, with mugs of hot cocoa and a plate of pumpkin cookies, bathed in the warm glow of the fireplace and their first ever tree.

As they sat quietly together, Draco came to a decision. Since Christmas day was going to be spent with a veritable troop of guests, he decided that he would do his best to make their Christmas Eve alone something special for both of them. The wheels in Draco’s head began to turn.

****
One bright morning, Draco padded into the kitchen and found Harry with a quill and parchment, working yet again on his plans for Christmas day. Draco could tell that Harry was getting more and more stressed as the big day drew nearer and nearer.

“Morning, Harry,” said Draco as he bent down to give Harry a quick snog.

“Morning, love. The coffee’s fresh.”

“Brilliant,” replied Draco as he reached for a mug. He sat opposite Harry and took a deep sip. Harry was studying his parchment intently. He needed a diversion.

Draco said, “Hmm, it’s the winter solstice today. Shouldn’t we be shagging like wild pagans or something?”

Harry didn’t look up from his writing. He said, “And this differs from every other day how?”

“Ah, you’ve got a point there,” replied Draco with a smirk. Harry returned to his parchment. He had not taken the hint. “Ahem, Harry? What about it?”

“What about what?”

“That, you know, pagan thing that I mentioned.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Later, Draco. I’ve got too much to do today. As a matter of fact, I have to be going. See you later, love,” said Harry as he planted a kiss on the top of Draco’s head and left.

“Oh well, I tried,” muttered Draco.

Later that morning, Draco, too, went out shopping. He had decided what he wanted to do on Christmas Eve but he needed a little help to bring his plans together.

Since Draco had been with Harry, he had been introduced to the world of Muggles. Although they lived in the Wizarding section of London, the flat was equipped with electricity and all the modern Muggle conveniences. Draco quickly became hooked on anything that was even remotely related to entertainment. Television had been his first discovery. Next came movies. Harry had suggested one evening that they watch a DVD. He selected “Star Wars: A New Hope” to be Draco’s first exposure to the cinematic wonders of the world. Draco had been blown away. When Harry told him that there were four more episodes in the series, Draco insisted that they watch them immediately. In fact, he would have watched them one after the other, non-stop, if Harry hadn’t put his foot down. Harry suddenly found himself with a veritable library of DVDs. However, the one thing that fascinated Draco the most was Harry’s CD player. The music it produced was astounding and he had spent many long hours listening to all manners – from classical to jazz to rock to punk to R & B, gradually working his way through Harry’s humungous collection. Draco had been bitten by the same music bug that had gotten Harry many years earlier. Now he needed to find a certain song, which one, he had no clue, but he would know it when he heard it. Draco walked into the music store hoping to find somebody that would be able to assist him in his search.

The shop girl looked up from the magazine she was reading and gave her co-worker a nudge, “Angie, get a load of him. He is bloody gorgeous! This one is mine.”

“Hey! No fair. You got the last one, Vera.” The first girl just looked back and smirked.

Draco looked particularly fine that day. He was dressed all in black – from his ankle-length woollen coat to his shirt and trousers. Even the scarf around his neck was black. The dark colour made him look reed-thin and even taller than he actually was. His white-blonde hair and pale skin made for a striking contrast to his habiliment.

“Good morning, sir. May I help you with something?”

“Good morning, Miss. Yes please. I am looking for a particular song.”

“Do you know who sings it?”

“No, that’s just it. I’m looking for a song I’ve never heard before.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Let me explain what I want the song for and then perhaps you might have a few suggestions for me.”

“Very good, sir.” The young woman listened to what Draco had to tell her, breaking into a grin when she heard the whole story. When he had finished, she thought for awhile and then finally said, “I think I might have just what you are looking for, sir. If you would come with me, please.” Draco listened to four songs that weren’t bad, but not quite right for his purpose. When the fifth song started, he broke into a huge grin. When it ended, he removed the headphones and said, “You, my dear, are a genius! That is perfect. I’ll take it.”

The girl blushed and replied, “Sir, is most kind. That will be fifteen pounds. If you would accompany me to the cash.”

Draco put his gloves down on the counter and reached for his money in his left pocket. He liked to keep his pounds separate from his Galleons; it was less confusing that way.

“My, those are lovely gloves. What kind of leather is that, if I may ask? I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“They’re dr…dromedary. Very rare.” Draco had caught himself at the last second. Muggles didn’t know about dragons. He said the first “dr” word that popped into his mind. He was greatly relieved when the girl made no further comment.

As she handed Draco his change, she said, “Your girlfriend is very lucky.”

“My boyfriend is very lucky,” replied Draco with a wink. “Thank you for your help, Miss. Happy Christmas.”

“Yes, to you too, sir.”

After Draco had left the shop, Vera shouted, “Bloody flaming Nora!”

“What’s wrong?” called Angie.

“You know that gorgeous blonde I was just serving? He’s bloody gay, that’s what’s wrong. Why do all the best looking men turn out to be poofs?”

“Serves you right. You got the last one. That’s what you get for stealing my sale.”

Vera sighed and said, “And I had this whole fantasy worked out, too.”