The game and love

29

It was a great Christmas time for Draco. Everything was set. He would play in the national title game. His family was all gathered in their mother's mansion for the two weeks before the game. Harry had occupied himself with helping Mrs. Malfoy with the cooking and spending free moments looking after the two young foster children. Draco had spent alot of time with his dad watching the different football games laughing and having a great time.

James and Sirius showed up later and brought some gifts. Their families had melded together easily as they shared the bond of Harry and Draco. Narcissa liked many guests during Christmas, having come from a large family. She greeted them warmly and set their gifts under the tree and went back to her cooking and baking without much of a word. Sirius had Joined Draco and Mr. Malfoy in the living room. James sought out Harry and decided to join in some kind of strange video game.

"Dad, you don't want to play us, you'll just embarass yourself." Harry teased as his dad scooped up a free controler. Tim and Liz giggled, Harry shook his head. His dad had no idea what he was doing. "No dad, use the joysticks." Harry snickered. The three masters laughed as the fumbling old man tried to grasp the idea of how to play. It got so bad that Tim had fallen on the floor and exploded into a fit of laughter. "He sucks so bad Harry." Tim chuckled. "Ow my ribs." Harry barely could contain his own laughter. James was not disheartened by this. They played for a few hours and James managed to beat Tim Once, making Liz extremly pleased. "Haha, he beat you loser." Liz sneered. Harry snickered. "Now liz, be nice or I'll take all your presents."

In the kitchen Mrs. Malfoy was working hard on Christmas eve dinner. Draco had slipped into the kitchen and began surveying the food. He got an angry glare from his mom. "You go away." Draco put on a pouty face. "But mom..." His lip was fat. She hid her smirk. "No Draco, out now, before I chase you out." Draco looked around once more but realized he was outmatched and went back into the livingroom.

When Narcissa decided to ring in the cattle it was like a heard of elephants came in. She had set up a nice table and all the food was on display in wonderous fashion, everythiing from stuffing to ham, pie, cake, turkey, a pot roast, mashed patatos with 3 kinds of gravy. It was a heavanly sight and so beautiful, Sirius stomach rumbled loudly and Liz giggled.

They all chatted giving "MMMMMs" and "Oh that's so good." to a pleased looking Narcissa. She ate a bit and noticed that her husband hadn't touched his meal. He looked paler than usual and she looked him over carefully. "Honey, are you alright?" He nodded, "Yes dear, I'm just a little tired. Draco looked at his father and for the first time in many months seemed to notice the illness to which his father was losing himself to. He had seen it before, but it worried him now more than ever.

Harry squeezed Draco's hand under the table as if to acknowledge that he sensed his lover's concern. Eventually everyone returned to eating and small talk, but lucius had withdrawn from it, seemingly distracted by his food, deciding whether eating it was a good idea or not. Then, he spoke out of no where. "Well, I think this has been a very loveky meal." He looked at his wife who smiled kindly at him. "Thank you darling." He nodded to here. "Now, I think we should all exchange one gift to eachother before we retire for the night." He smiled down at Liz. "Do you remember which ones I told you to get?" She smiled and nodded and imeadiately went to retrieve the gifts. She retured dutifully, arms packed and passed out each gift to it's owner.

After she had done her job, she sat down at the table, that was cleaned off while she was gone and looked at her box. Both boys had agreed to go last since their's was for eachother and it would be all soppy. Harry and Draco despite pretending to have patience made an effort to discover what was in the wrapping paper. Getting smirks from both sets of adults at the table. Finnally, after watching everyone, it was their turn. Harry opened his first, Draco always made him go first. Harry was more excited for Draco to open his gift so he hurried opening his.

"It's a set of headphones and some keys?" Harry looked confused. Draco smiled. "Remember how you wanted to work in a music studio?" Harry's eyes went wide and a smile shot over his lips. "You didn't." "I did." Draco chuckled as arms shot around his neck. Harry had been thinking of a singing career, but he just meant it to be a dream. He was so excited he forgot to let Draco open his gift. When he came back to his senses, he excitedly said, "Open yours now, come on, hurry. Draco ripped it open and inside was a jersey, not just any jersey, Troy Aikman's jersey. It didn't that special until Harry leaned over and said, Look inside the collar." Draco's eyes lit up. There was an autigraph there, it read: "To my biggest fan, Draco Malfoy, win a superbowl, your friend in football, Troy." His smile was huge. "Wow, how did you do that?" "I got a bit of help from your mom, but Troy was great about it when we met him at a UCLA game." Harry explained. Draco smashed Harry in a hug and soon the time came to retire for the night.

"This will be the best Christmas ever." Draco said to Harry as the laid down to sleep. Harry was already half asleep, spending most of the day playing with the kids. Draco cuddled his lover, it was a moment that he wished would last, because he was really starting to feel life pick up on him he didn't want to see these moments of innocence lost to the days ahead. He wanted to always be able to live in the simpleness of holding Harry. Or laughing with his brother and sister, his worst fear was the pros now, he hoped they didn't make these moments impossible.

He woke up slowly, still with the arms of his sleeping lover wrapped around him. Harry's soft breathing made it difficult to want to wake up, but it was light out, it was Christmas day, it wasn't legal to sleep too long. He did hear some people talking, though it was too quiet to tell what they were saying. Draco decided that he would get up. He tried to move Harry softly, this was a chore, but having spent so many years wrapped in him, Draco learned how to escape Harry's arms when he needed to. He never wanted to.

He spent a few minutes composing himself and put on a bathrobe. He saw Harry stir as he went for the door. "I'll be out with you in a minute Drake." Harry yawned hard. Draco smiled. "Ok love, see you in a minute." Draco walked out the door, he heard more distinct talking and noticed his mother was crying. He walked quickily to her. James stepped in front of her and intecepted Draco. "James, let him down easy." She sobbed. This terrified Draco, his eyes searched wildly. "Son, your dad....he um....passed away this morning." Draco stared into his eyes. "No...No....NO..NO.NO." He started to get angry. "Why now...?" He bit out. James tried to grab the boy's shoulder.."Don't touch me..." He spat and then without realizing it, he took off to the backyard. His rage controling him.

Harry sprang out of bed when he heard Draco's angry voice, he jerked on his own bathrobe and ventured out to see what was happening. "Draco's dad...he..." James said as Harry approached the obvious question on his lips. Harry knew imeadiately. "Oh my god, where?" James pointed out to the backyard where Draco had blazed an angry path. Harry took flight and followed Draco.

It took Harry a few seconds to realize where Draco had gone. He had a tire swing that he threw the football his dad gave him through. He was dead on, except that Draco was now trying to kill the tree with his fists. Harry approached cautiously. "Drake?" He faced the tree, not looking at Harry. "Go away, just leave me alone." He heard the lump in Draco's throat. "I can't do that." Harry was ice cold in his speech, it was his turn to be strong for Draco, the way Draco had been strong for him. "Why?" Draco said, part annoyed, part frusterated with his anger and tears. "Because Draco, I love you, and you need me." Draco turned to Harry in bitter fury.

"He promised Harry, he promised he'd see my first pro game." Draco's tears turned more desperate as if his feelings might change the fact that his father had just died. "He promised." Draco repeated. Harry approached slowyly and wrapped his arms around his love. "He loved you alot Draco, you don't need to wonder about it anymore." These seemed to be the right words. Draco let his gaurd down and returned Harry's hug. He just cried softly for a few minutes and eventually he calmed down. "Let's go inside Draco, I'm cold." Draco gave him a weak smile and both boys ventured inside, to see if they could salvage anythig good from this day.

End chapter 29

A/N I'm really sorry about the sad ending, but I wanted to make the father's death something more than just "Oh ok" he looked like he was dead who cares, because this story is important down the road. Anyway, hope you can enjoy some of it. Please review, chapter 30 is Draco's final game in college, will he go to the pros?