#25 days of draco and harry

[slythindor100]

Hello friends! I, along with my co-mod, timothysboxers, are thrilled to announce that 25 Days of Draco and Harry will run again in 2024. We want to thank navi1088 for creating our banner art. His work can be found at AO3 and tumblr under the same name. For those who may not be familiar with this challenge, we have included the rules at the end of this post, and we strongly encourage you to read these. And for the loyal fans of 25 Days of Harry and Draco: In 2024, we will be doing both Early-bird and Traditional prompts as usual. Again, we're running on LJ, DW and tumblr – the rules will be the same as last year. Because it seemed to work out quite well last year, the Early-bird Prompts will once again be available in October, and we will be including the Image Descriptions along with the prompts. Early bird prompts will be available no later than 13 October 2024, allowing creators over 7 weeks and some change to work on their posts. The signup period will open on 6 October 2024. Also, we will have the Discord server specifically for 25 Days of Draco and Harry participants. Like last year, this will be a place where early bird participants can discuss (in a channel just for them) the prompts and how they might use them. Traditional participants may join the Server at any time, and will also have dedicated channels for their prompts and discussions. The 2024 rules at a glance— Common Guidelines and Notes If you are creating individual works, please select "This Work is Part of a Series" to gather your works together. This will make them much easier to find in future!

If you are creating a multi-chaptered work, please use the "This Work has Multiple Chapters" option to ensure your chapters stay together.

An AO3 collection is available, and you are encouraged to post your works to it. Search for "25 Days of Draco and Harry 2024".

If you're not posting to the AO3 collection (but we really hope you are!) be sure to tag @slythindor100 on tumblr so we do not miss your posts!

The Early Bird and Traditional Prompt sets are different. We aim to have five or less prompts that appear in both sets.

More detailed rules and guidelines are further down underneath the cut.

25 Days of Draco and Harry 2024 - Traditional No changes from prior years. An image prompt is posted starting at midnight US-EST on 1 December, and you create a work based on that prompt and post before the next day's prompt goes up. Each of your posts can be part of a larger work or they can stand alone. 25 Days of Draco and Harry 2024 - Early Bird You receive access to all 25 photo prompts at once when Early Bird access opens. This is a similar timeframe as previous years. The idea is to give participants time to prepare and create something before the insanity of December starts. You will post one work per day for each prompt. This can be a stand-alone story or each day can be a part of a bigger story.

We also encourage individuals or a group to create a podfic of a past 25 Days story, subject to the consent of the author(s). ♥ The advantages are this: 1. you can use the picture prompts in any order you chose 2. you can start creating early and have many of your posts ready to go before December 1st. 3. you get the prompts all at once so you can pre-plan your story and how you will use each prompt.

If you have any questions, please email the 25 days mod account at potionsgod@gmail.com or DM one of the mods if you're on the Drarry Discord server, or the 25 Days Challenge server.

@sassy-cissa and @timothysboxers

Detailed Rules The basic rules of 25 Days of Draco and Harry – Traditional Edition: The challenge is to write a drabble, ficlet, story, create an artwork, a comic, etc. for the image posted each day from 1 December to 25 December. Written works for each prompt should be a minimum of 100 words, but there is no maximum. They can be twenty-five one-shots or each one can be a part of a bigger story. Pictures will be posted at midnight EST and you have until the next midnight to complete your work. You may combine this with other communities or tumblr prompts. Your work does not have to be a story of the picture – you can use any part of the picture, or take inspiration from what that picture says to you. Traditional Prompts must be used in their posted order. If you fall behind, you can post more than once a day to get caught up. You're also welcome to post as life allows, meaning you don't have to worry about being on time. You can also combine a few days or prompts into one work, but the true challenge is to post every day for 25 days within the 24-hour time frame. You do not need to sign-up for the Traditional edition, the prompts will be made available beginning 1 December at midnight EST. Early-bird Edition: After signups close you will be given access to the 25 picture prompts no later than Sunday, 13 October.

You may use these prompts in any order you choose – but each prompt may only be used once.

The challenge remains to post a daily work from 1 to 25 December using one of the provided prompts. Each should be posted between 12 midnight (EST) and 11:59 PM (EST) the next night.

For written works, the minimum word count is 100 words per prompt.

[drarrily-we-row-along]

It was difficult, shopping for someone who had everything already.

Harry loved Draco more than he loved life itself, but he was absolutely impossible to shop for. Every year, Harry dreaded Christmas and then six months later his birthday, and then six more months and it was Christmas again, and... well.

He was wandering uselessly down Diagon when a new shop caught his attention. He'd been here just yesterday and the shop hadn't existed at all. Over the doorway there was a sign that only said 'The Bookshop' in someone's hasty handwriting but Harry felt compelled, for no reason that he could comprehend, to wander in.

The shop was packed tightly with books of all sorts, there was, by Harry's estimation at least, no discernible cataloging system and it appeared that every book was in some varying state of use.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a woman called out, "here shopping for a lover, child?"

He turned at the sound of her voice and spotted her sitting amid piles of books. She was doing some sort of magic on them, but Harry wasn't sure what. Something about her reminded him of wide spaces, of giant trees, and crashing waves; maybe it was the way her curly brown hair cascaded over her shoulders and back like vines; or maybe it was the way her eyes seemed to shift colors, a verdigris mix of greys, and greens, and blues; or perhaps it was the deep wrinkles set into her face, lines for joy, and sorrow, and trials. Or maybe it was none of those things at all, but a deeper magic still. "Err-"

"Don't be shy," she said, beckoning him inward further with the crook of a finger. "Tell me, was I right? Is it a lover you're shopping for?"

And for a reason that Harry couldn't quite explain, he came toward her. "Yes," he said, as he stepped nearer. "My husband. But I haven't any idea what I'm looking for, so I'll just-"

"Hush," she commanded. "He's fair, this man of yours? Tall, slender, and pale?"

He frowned, "Yes, but-"

"Bright with a wild imagination?"

He nodded uncertainly.

She smiled, revealing perfectly white, sharp teeth. "The little dragon lord," she whispered, staring unseeingly at Harry for a long moment.

"Sorry, what?" he asked, taking a step back from her uncertainly.

The woman blinked, "It's a story," she replied. Then she held out her hand and a book that was lying open without any words on the pages, slid into her palm of its own volition. She hummed softly, a melody that left Harry feeling simultaneously afraid, hopeful, and just a little melancholic.

Naturally, those feelings stirred in him the desire to step closer and see what she was creating.

She glanced up at him, eyes warm and fond, before she looked back down at the book in her hands. Harry followed her gaze and saw that the pages were filling up with words, pages flipping themselves as the chapters were written.

A moment later the book snapped shut and she held it out to him.

Without really thinking about it, he took it and opened it. On the first page and written in a lovely curling script was

Le Petit Dragon-Seignior

"It's in French?" he asked, flipping through the first few pages and picking out a few of the French words he knew.

She nodded, "It's a French Story by tradition," she replied. "The first language it was ever told in," she hummed thoughtfully then added, "The only language it's ever been given in, in its entirety."

"I," he started before trailing off. "How did you-?"

"My father was a great seer, my mother one of the few dryads remaining in the forests in the Lowlands of Scotland where Merlin himself once lived," she said. "My gifts allow me to understand the heart of the intended recipient and give me power over the dead trees that have been preserved in the pages of these books," she continued, gesturing to the stacks of books all around her. "The door of my shop only appears to those seeking earnestly a gift that can only be given with great trust and love."

He blinked, glancing back at the door to the shop and watching as a group of people hurried past without seeming to notice the shop's existence at all. "So no one-"

"No," she agreed. "I'm alone here but for my books," one of her hands caressed the spine of one of those nearest to her. "But I don't mind," she added. "The wooden posts and door of this shop have given me sanctuary in a world that has often sought to destroy creatures like me."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed, he didn't like that. He didn't enjoy the thought of her here all alone, of the darkness that still pervaded this world.

"Ah," she said softly, mouth curving into a secret little smile at him, "he's found his knight, it seems."

"Sorry?"

"Go," she said, shooing him away. "You've much to do before the day's end. With Christmas tomorrow for you and your beloved," she added.

"Can I come back?" he asked, even as the door seemed to be getting closer without him having moved an inch.

She lifted a shoulder, "Perhaps. When the birth of a new star is on the horizon and you seek just as surely the gift of love in the form of kinship to the past, present, and future."

"What?" he asked, but before he could obtain any semblance of clarity, he found himself standing on the sidewalk staring at a brick wall with nothing but the book in his hand to prove that he'd just seen anything wondrous at all.

-----------------

One gift.

That was all that they allowed themselves to give to the other.

They'd learned their lesson early on in their relationship, if they gave more than one it became a competition. And they both already had too many things. And they were both difficult to shop for.

Harry couldn't say that he wasn't nervous about this year's gift exchange. In fairness, he always was, but the how of getting this gift for Draco only continued to seem more and more impossible.

Still, the melody she'd hummed had stuck somewhere in the back of Harry's brain, repeating over and over, comforting him in his indecision. And when the time came for them to exchange their gifts, still in bed with a tray of coffee and cinnamon buns half finished between them, he and Draco said at the same time, "You're a hard man to shop for."

Harry laughed and Draco rolled his eyes, leaning in to kiss the smile off his lips. "Would you like to go first?"

Draco shook his head, glancing off to the side nervously.

"Whatever you've gotten me," Harry said softly, "You know that I'll love it."

"I haven't actually bought you anything," Draco said, biting his lip.

"Well," Harry said, reaching over to the nightstand to grab the book he'd wrapped when he got home from the bookshop, "I didn't technically buy this for you either. It was given to me by someone who was either one of the most interesting people I've ever met or the most insane." He paused and tilted his head, "Either way, she is still probably among the most interesting."

"That's saying something," Draco teased, "you do so love to meet people."

He laughed, it was a long standing joke that they could never get out of a party in under two hours, no matter how they tried, because Harry always always found someone who was too interesting not to talk to. "I'll tell you the story after you open it," he promised.

Draco took the package and opened it, hands smoothing over the wooden cover binder before turning to the first page. Not a word fell from his lips, but his hand flew up to cover his mouth as he turned to the first page and skimmed through the words. "How-?" he asked, looking up at Harry with tears shining in his eyes. "Wherever did you find this?"

He set about telling the story of how he'd stumbled into the bookshop the day before and telling him all about the woman he'd met there. "She gave me this book and said it was the perfect gift for you."

For just a moment, Draco sat completely still and silent. "My grandmere used to tell me this story when I was a little boy," he said. "Whenever I visited her home in France, I'd get a new part of the adventure of the little dragon-lord," he said wistfully, eyes mostly closed in memory. After a moment he looked at Harry, "I've looked for this story," he said. "I've looked everywhere, I've even hired people who deal in rare books to find it. It doesn't exist," he said and a shiver slipped up Harry's spine. "I thought she made the whole thing up. A story to help me weather the storms of life that were headed my way," he added with a little smile, "to teach me how to love and how to know when I'd found the right man to love me in return."

Harry smiled at him and took his outstretched hand, "I wouldn't be surprised if that was true. The whole book wrote itself while I was standing there."

Draco hugged the book to his chest, eyes closed as he breathed through his nose.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

His husband nodded, a tear spilling down his cheek, "I don't think you'll ever be able to give me a better present."

"I gave you a ring for Christmas last year," he said, trailing a finger over the engagement ring entwined with his wedding band, "And you said that then, too."

Draco laughed, one eye opening, "I look forward to you upping your game next year, then."

Harry groaned, "Impossible."

The smile slipped a bit from his face and he said, "Now I really don't want to give you your gift."

Harry leaned over and pressed a kiss to Draco's lips, "I am sure that I will love it."

Wiping his eyes, Draco set his book carefully on the bed next to them before leaning over and opening his nightstand to pull out a small package.

Harry took it and carefully untied the bow and slid open the wrapping paper. The lid of the box was the next thing to go, followed by a few layers of tissue paper. Nestled in more tissue paper was a vial filled with an opalescent fluid. "Sorry," he said, looking up at Draco, "you're going to have to help me a little with what it is. Potions was never my best subject."

Draco took a deep breath and sat up straighter, like he was stealing himself. "It's a fertility potion," he said.

Harry tilted his head but before he could say anything or ask any follow up questions Draco continued.

"It's an old magic," he said. "Known in mostly only pure blood circles because you have to have quite a bit of generational magic flowing through your veins for it to work. And because it requires at least a little bit of creature blood in your ancestry for it to be safe," he rattled off, quicker than Harry could even process. "And we don't have to, if you don't want to," he added quickly. "It's just sometimes I see the way you look at Ron and Hermione with Rose and I want you to have everything you could ever want. And I love the idea of having kids, I've always wanted to have kids," he continued. "But if you don't then-"

"Draco," he interrupted, "Wait. This potion," he said slowly, afraid that he was going to get it wrong, "would let us-?" he trailed off uncertainly.

"Have a baby," Draco answered meekly, like he was afraid of the outcome. "I've got loads of generational magic in my blood and there's Veela blood on my father's side. Not a lot," he hastened to add, "like I'm not going to sprout claws or grow wings or anything. But enough to be a binding agent for this to work."

"I-" he started, shaking his head, "But it's dangerous?"

"No more than any pregnancy, my healer assured me before I brought it to you," he said. Then, "But if it's not something you want-"

"Draco," he breathed. "Are you serious?"

He nodded uncertainly.

"Is that," he broke off, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Is a baby something you want?" he whispered, terrified of his husband's answer.

Draco nodded again, tears spilling from his eyes again, "I do," he said. "But it's fine if you don't," he said, arms wrapped around his stomach. "I-"

Harry set the box over on his nightstand and then promptly tackled Draco to the bed. "I desperately want to have a baby with you," he breathed against Draco's lips.

"Yeah?" Draco asked, leaning as far back as he could so that he could see Harry's face.

He pulled back to make it easier, "Yes, Draco. Godric, yes. I'd love to have a baby with you."

"Okay," his husband whispered, eyes filling with tears.

"Happy tears?" he asked.

Draco nodded and dragged Harry's mouth back to his own to kiss him again.

-----------------

8 and 1/2 months later

Harry wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for to be honest. He'd just had this itch that was impossible to scratch, this urge to buy everything he could for Draco and the baby (Adhara, he reminded himself, the name making him smile; it was the brightest star in the Canis major constellation, close to Sirius. A name picked to honor the traditions in Draco's family and Harry's loved ones at the same time but without giving her anything to dictate who she'd become).

His need to provide (to nest, Draco had teased fondly, if a bit exasperated) was driving them both a little spare. But Harry couldn't help but wander through Diagon, just in case, waiting for something to jump out at him.

It was then, that the little bookshop appeared once more and her parting words came back to him. When the birth of a new star is on the horizon and you seek just as surely the gift of love in the form of kinship to the past, present, and future.

This time, Harry went in without any trace of uncertainty.

[devilrising]

Seasons of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

Hello everyone! It’s been… a while, since I’ve posted on here. Oops. Anyway, I’m here to let you all know about my new 25 Days of Drarry fic!! Here’s all the information you need, and the link to the first chapter. Merry Christmas if you celebrate, and Happy Holiday if not Xx

Title: Seasons of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

Word Count: ~62.5k

Rating: Explicit

Tags/Warnings: POV Harry Potter, Shop Owner!Draco, Ex-Auror!Harry, Suspicious!Harry, Explicit Sexual Content, Top Harry/Bottom Draco, Rimming, Oral Sex, Frottage, Anal Sex, see work for more tags

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51930307/chapters/131314198

[alindakb]

Title: 25 Years of Christmas - 2010 Author: AlindaKB Word Count: 12.352 (for now) Rating: Teen and up Prompt: Gingerbread Person Ornament A single gingerbread person ornament is hanging from a branch of a spruce Christmas tree. The gingerbread person has a red bow tie, three black buttons, and is holding a small red and white striped candy cane in their right hand. The ornament is suspended from the branch by a small piece of red and white string. There are no other decorations on the tree, save a single string of warm white fairy lights that weaves among the sparse branches from the top of the image frame to the bottom. Warning: No warnings apply Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. Author's Notes: This story is ongoing but mostly already finished (thank you NaNo) - tags on AO3 will update accordingly.

Summary:

Harry and Draco get the perfect Christmas present from their friends Ron and Hermione.

[melcarrianna]

25 Days is here!!

I’m so excited that’s it’s finally time to share this project with everyone, it’s grown so far from ‘wouldn’t it be a fun idea if I could get a bunch of podficcers together to record a 25 days fic’

I can’t even express how happy and grateful I am to everyone who not only came on board with this idea but were downright enthusiastic about it. You are all amazing and wonderful people and it has been such a joy for me to get to meet you all and listen all of your beautiful voices. Thank you for your help, understanding, and all the work each of you put in to making this happen. Now we get to share it with the world!

🎄

Chapter 1: Cuddleweather

Read by: Wianwriting

[beyondtheclose]

Everything, Slightly to the Left

Written for 25 Days of Draco and Harry!

M | ~20k in total | trans main characters, multiverse, fluff and light angst, friends to lovers, roommates, christmas | update everyday until December 25

Summary: Harry finds out there's multiple universes when his roommate kisses him. Because apparently him and Draco are married in another universe. The universe this Draco claims to have travelled from.

Christmas fluff with some multiverse shenanigans.

A big thank you to @basicallyahedgehog and @samyistrying for all your help!! <3

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

[cassiopeiasshadow]

Harry and Draco meet each other's friends and family for dinner.

“I don’t have any friends, Potter,” Draco says, and the last name hurts, is meant to hurt, even though Harry knows Draco is feeling defensive and vulnerable. Still, Harry feels a sting right through his ribcage. “How can this possibly be reciprocal? I can’t take you round to my friends, my family is -”

“You have friends,” Harry says, steadily. “And family. Andromeda and Teddy.”

“They like you better,” Draco pouts, and Harry feels affection bubbling up to the surface despite himself. 

“We’ll start with them, then,” he concedes. “And work our way up to Hermione and Ron.

Draco doesn’t say no, and Harry inwardly celebrates a small victory in getting Draco to come out of his cocoon of defensive self-loathing. 

[harrypotterfanfictionwriter]

First time

Draco was nervous, 2 days ago Harry had asked him out and he said yes. So now he was waiting for the man. He looked around and saw Harry walking to him.

"Wow you look beautiful, ready to go?" Harry greeted him, before offering his arm.

"Yes let's go."

"I aso know it's not traditional but can we start the date with a kiss instead at the end?" Harry asked.

Draco blushed but nodded and leaned in.

As their lips met the first snow of the year started to fall down. It truly was the start of a perfect date.

[romaine2424]

25 Holiday Scenes for Eight Days a Week

As part of @slythindor100's annual 25 Days of Draco and Harry, I'm posting additions to my fic Eight Days a Week. The genre of sentimentality seems to be running through most of scenes. Lots of love and family moments with Harry and Libby (transfem!Draco). I hope to post these in chronological order but no promises. LOL Hope you Enjoy!

Day 1: Good Days

[actorpotter]

Day 1/25 Days of Draco and Harry:

I Do Not Strut

Word count: 162

Read and comment here on Ao3! **

“I can’t believe how stubborn you can be sometimes, Potter—”

“Me?! That’s rich, coming from someone whose holier-than-thou attitude hasn’t changed since the day I met them.”

Malfoy scoffed. “���Holier-than-thou’ attitude?”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “Come on now, don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You strut around like you own the place—doesn’t even matter where we are! First Hogwarts, now the ministry…”

“I do not strut.”

Harry let out a loud guffaw. “Malfoy, I can assure you that you do in fact strut. Sometimes I can’t even tell the difference between you and one of those pretentious white peacocks you grew up with.”

It was Malfoy’s turn to narrow his eyes. He stood there for a few moments, trying to speak, but his mouth just kept opening and closing like a gaping goldfish. Finally, Draco snapped his mouth shut, turned on his heel and stomped away, the snow crunching loudly underneath his boots with every step…

Image description (Prompt I, Early Bird): An expanse of snow is disturbed only by a set of footprints leading away into the distance. The proximity of the footprints to each other indicates the person was taking shortish steps. The maker of the footprints is nowhere to be seen and there are no geographical features visible save for the flat expanse of white snow.

[digthewriter]

Prompt U—Snow-covered Pathway with Bright Lights for slythindor100 & newyearcntdown prompt: renew.

Fallen in love, is it? (AO3)

Walks in the snow when Potter was gone on his training were beautiful in theory, but there was a pang of longing Draco was never able to articulate. He had a lot of words, and feelings, for everything. But never anything for that emptiness.

Tonight, as he walked down yet another snowy pathway but with Potter, the feeling was different. The emptiness he'd felt — disappeared. It'd vanished the night Potter had walked into his pub and sat across from him.

He too, had been at the edge of his sanity because he didn't know when he'd fell for Harry Potter.

[slythindor100]

That's right! We'll be back again this year!!

Not much will change, except you'll get a bit more time to produce your work, so if you need basic information you can go to last year's rule post. Which can be found here.

If you have any questions, you can ask them here or if you're part of the Drarry Discord, feel free to ping either of us there.

We hope you're as excited as we are! 💙 💚

Your 25 Days mods,

@sassy-cissa and @timothysboxers

[drarrily-we-row-along]

cw: injury (not overly graphic, everyone is fine)

Of all the possible reasons to end up in St. Mungos, Harry was pretty sure that an icicle was absolutely the most unbelievable of them all. And the fact that the icicle was currently protruding from his abdomen after he slipped and fell in the woods, the thump of his body hitting the ground rattling the trees, and knocking loose a giant icicle, even more unbelievable.

Yet as he staggered into Mungos, a stasis spell firmly in place to keep the icicle from melting so he didn't bleed out, Harry knew the only option was to tell the truth.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter," he heard before he saw the other man, "What the fuck did you do to yourself this time?"

"Err," he said, looking up and seeing Draco stalking toward him, looking like an oncoming storm, people parting around him like the proverbial red sea. "Hi Draco."

"Healer Malfoy to you," he snapped. "What is this?" he asked, gesturing to Harry's abdomen even as his other hand pointed in the direction of the first open door down the hall.

Harry limped down the hall, keeping a hand pressed against his stomach, "An icicle?"

"Do I even want to know?" Draco groused, as he slammed the door shut behind them and vanished Harry's jacket, jumper, scarf, and shirt with one flick of his wand.

He shrugged as he struggled up onto the table, "Probably not. It was an accident."

"Of course it was," he grumped, "Lay back," he added, casting diagnostic spells. "How you're even still alive with the nonsense that happens to you is beyond me," he said. "Where was this icicle before it appeared in your body?"

He hissed as Draco poured a potion onto Harry's wound to sanitize it, "Hanging on a tree."

"What the fuck, Potter? Do you know how filthy-"

"I know," he said, gasped really as Draco pulled out the icicle and Harry's insides felt like they were being ripped out with it. "Fuck! Malfoy that fucking hurts!"

But Draco was already casting to close and heal the wound. "Drink this," he said, handing him a blood replenishing potion.

He grimaced, "Do I have to?"

Draco glared at him but didn't dignify that with a response.

Sighing, he reached out and took the potion, swallowing it down with a whole body shudder at the unpleasant taste and even more unpleasant texture.

"Don't be a baby," he said as he started casting cleaning spells.

"Draco-"

"Don't," he snapped.

He sighed, "Draco," he repeated, reaching out to grab the sleeve of his robe and give it a little tug.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. It was an accident," he said honestly. "I slipped and fell."

He shook his head, "It's always something and then I get a patronus that you're on your way. But what about the day you don't make it? Hmm?" he asked. "What about the day that you're out in that godforsaken woods of yours across the bloody ocean, with nobody around you for fucking miles, and you can't get here? How am I even supposed to find you?" He scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I can't keep doing this, Potter."

"Stop calling me that."

"No!" he exploded, casting a muffliato at the door. "No, Potter, I won't stop calling you that because I need some fucking distance from you." He shook his head, chest heaving, "I can't fucking breathe when you-"

Harry climbed out of bed and took Draco by the shoulders, trying to get the other man to meet his eyes. "I'm fine," he said.

Draco's fists hit Harry's chest, "This time." He shook his head, "Every time you show up here, you look at me with those fucking big green eyes, and you bat your eyelashes at me and I'm lost. And you flirt with me and tell me I'm pretty, you take me out to dinner and fall into my bed with me only to disappear again in the morning. Every time I fall a little further. Every time you disappear it hurts a little bit more. And every time you come back to me, so I can patch up your wounds, I'm a little more afraid." He firmly pushed back against Harry, breaking Harry's light grip on his shoulders. "I can't keep doing this," he repeated. He took another step back, "Find someone else to piece you back together so you can throw them away afterward. I'm done."

Without another word, he turned and left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Well fuck.

--------------

Harry stood at the bottom of the set of steps up to a muggle flat in London for several minutes, bouncing on his feet and debating, before finally summoning the courage to climb them and ring the doorbell.

"I'm not in the mood for carolers," that dearly loved voice said as the door opened, before Harry could even see his face.

"Well, I'm not the best singer, so-"

"For fuck's sake," Draco said, trying to shut the door again.

He reached out to stop it from closing, "Draco, please," he begged. "Hear me out."

"I can't just keep doing the same thing. I'm not a booty call-"

"No," Harry agreed. "Draco, you're so much more than that. I-"

Draco sighed and the door swung open, the pressure Draco had been putting on it to try to get it to close vanished. As the door swung open, it revealed Draco standing there in a pair of worn out old joggers and a Weasley jumper with an 'H' on the front. "I'm begging you, Harry," he whispered. "This is destroying me-"

"Come with me," Harry said desperately. "Let me just show you what I was going to show you in a couple of weeks at Christmas and if you still want me to go, I will."

He scrubbed a hand through his hair but shoved his feet into the boots by the door and followed Harry down to his car parked on the street. They drove in silence, and Harry couldn't help tapping the steering wheel nervously as they drove.

Fortunately their destination was only about 15 minutes away, just outside of London. He pulled up the drive to a cozy little cabin style home, gravel crunching under the tires. When he got up close to the house, he shut off the engine and turned to look at Draco.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "For not telling you how I felt, for not telling you that you're really important to me, for," he swallowed, "well for a lot of things. I've been pretty messed up for the past like decade since the war and I just needed time and space. I never planned on you-"

"Right. This is not-"

"Please," he said quickly, cutting Draco off. "Please just let me say this."

He nodded once, tersely.

"I never planned on getting to know you, getting to like you," he looked up and met Draco's gaze, "falling in love with you," he said softly. "And it scared the shit out of me. But I've finally gotten it together a little bit, started going to therapy and stuff, and I," he shrugged, "I bought this house."

"What?"

He looked at the little house in front of them, the smoke rising from the chimney, the pretty wreath on the red door. "I bought this house because I wanted to be closer to you. I wanted to try to have a proper relationship with you," he continued, "If that was something you wanted. I was in the woods behind this house today when that icicle impaled me," he added softly.

"You were here?" he asked, looking out the window. "You've moved to be twenty minutes from St. Mungos?"

"No," he said, wanting desperately to take Draco's hand, "I moved to be twenty minutes from you."

Draco turned in his seat to look at Harry again and then before Harry could so much as blink, he was diving across the console to kiss Harry, hot and sweet, and absolutely perfect. "You moved for me?" he murmured against Harry's lips, like it was the most unbelievable thing he'd heard all day (which Harry knew couldn't be true because he'd shown up with an icicle protruding from his stomach just that morning).

"Yeah," he said. "Sorry it took me so long."

Draco's eyes looked suspiciously wet when he pulled back, "Well are you going to give me a tour then?"

He laughed and nodded, "I'd love to."

-------------

By the following Christmas Draco had moved into the little cottage just outside of the city with Harry. And the Christmas after that, they got married in the back garden when it was covered by a blanket of snow.

(Read more of my 25 Days of Drarry)

[louis-arssets]

25 Days of Drarry - Day 12

Day 12 of 25 Days of Drarry

Prompt L -- Mulled Wine in a Copper Saucepan

Image Description: A round copper saucepan sits on a light-coloured, woven hessian trivet, on a worn wooden table. The saucepan contains a dark red liquid, and has several circular slices of orange and a star-anise floating on the surface. Two grey ceramic mugs are stacked inside each other to the top-right of the image, the upper mug is filled with red cherries.

Tags: Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Snogging, Boys Kissing, Pansmione, Blairon, Misunderstandings, Fluff

Read more under the cut or here on AO3.

The Christmas party is in full swing already but Draco keeps on lurking in the back of the living room, trying to be unnoticed. He didn’t even want to come but since Pansy is one part of the hosting pair he kind of had to. If he didn’t want to die a tragic death, that is.

Pansy is nowhere to be seen, she vanished from Draco’s sight, not a minute after she let him into her and Granger’s flat, muttering something about getting the mulled wine ready. Well, it is ready now. Draco can see several bowls, filled with the red wine and orange slices, standing on the big kitchen table that Pansy and Granger had carried into the living space and now use for the buffet. Next to the mulled wine, there are also pieces of gingerbread, pizza slices formed as Christmas trees, salads, breadsticks, and some crisps and cookies for snacks.

The flat is packed, with Granger having invited all of the former Gryffindors and the odd Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Pansy, of course, had invited the Slytherins, but since only a handful had come back to eighth year a few years ago, their group has sized down by a lot.

Not that that is a bad thing.

After the war, Draco felt like all of his fight has left his body and he remained a little… empty. It was part of his probation to go back to Hogwarts to finish his Newts, so that was what he did. He started the year by apologizing to everyone who would listen to him and then kept to himself, only ever talking to Pansy or Blaise once in a while. Otherwise, he remained in the library or visited Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing since he wanted to study the art of healing. She always tried to convince him to be part of the eighth year group which, surprisingly, formed pretty quickly after the start of term. After that they were pretty tight-knit, studying together, partying together, and all in all just trying to enjoy one normal school year in their life.

The only other person who was not part of that group since he didn’t come back to Hogwarts was Harry Potter. Draco doesn’t really know where he went during that year, some said he was already working undercover for the DMLE, others argued that he was away traveling. If Draco really thought about it, he was sure that Potter didn’t need his Newts anyway. He was rich, he was the savior. If he wanted to have a job he would get one, no matter how educated he was.

Someone bumps into Draco’s shoulder, nearly making him spill his still-full glass of mulled wine.

“Sorry mate,” none other than Ronald Weasley grins at him, cheeks flushed and hair mussed. “Didn’t see you there.” He doesn’t stop for a chat, which Draco, of course, is grateful for. He doesn’t want to be involved, especially not with a clearly intoxicated Weasley. After a few steps though, Ronald stops and turns back around, a questioning expression on his face. “Have you seen Blaise by any chance?”

It seems like his red cheeks get even redder, however that is possible. Draco shakes his head slowly. “No, sorry. Haven’t seen him all night.”

“Hm,” Ronald nods. “Tell him to come find me, if you see him?”

“Sure,” Draco easily agrees.

“Thanks mate!” Ron shouts enthusiastically and promptly pulls Draco into a one-armed hug. “But don’t tell him I told you that. He might think I want to meet him, ya know?”

Draco, thoroughly perplexed just keeps on nodding and Ronald vanishes in the crowd.

“What was that?” he asks himself and shakes his head. He didn’t know that Ronald was… interested in men? Much less Blaise? But does it really surprise him? After Pansy got together with Granger of all people? Probably not. Apparently, there’s some greater force having fun pairing Gryffindors with Slytherins. As if that made any sense.

*

Harry’s been at Hermione’s Christmas party for less than ten minutes and he already feels intoxicated by just breathing in the same air as his clearly drunk friends.

“Try the mulled wine, it’s a secret recipe!” Pansy had yelled at him when he’d just crossed the threshold to her and Hermione’s flat.

“Sure,” he had replied and that was apparently enough for Pansy since she nodded in reply and then promptly turned around to do who knows what.

Harry grins. Even though it’s still a bit new for him to be around the Slytherins all the time, since he hasn’t attended eighth year, he definitely likes the development. They are a fun group of friends to hang out with and he sees how happy some of them make his best friends. Hermione being the best example but closely followed by Ron. Even though his best friend doesn’t admit it, Harry knows that he’s hopelessly in love with Blaise Zabini and if Pansy was to be believed, and as the queen of gossip one definitely should believe her, Blaise felt the same about Ron. So it’s only a matter of time before those two finally make it official. When Harry turns to his right to check out the buffet table he notices Ginny next to the kitchen door, wildly snogging Theodore Nott. Another one captured by a Snake. He chuckles a little and continues to move over. If this is the result of having a bit of mulled wine he wants to have a taste. Even though he doesn’t have a Slytherin to snog or fancy. And maybe that’s a lie.

*

Well, that was fast, Draco thinks and quickly leaves the guest bedroom again. He just wanted five minutes to himself and thought that this room was his best chance. Turns out that Blaise and Ron were quicker and are now in the middle of something involving very little clothing. They hadn’t even noticed Draco which was probably for the better.

He turns around and crosses the hallway to the loo, hoping that at least that room is empty. The door is locked. Great. Maybe he should just leave. There’s no one he really wants to talk to, he’s not in the mood to get drunk or dance on the tables. He showed up, that should be enough for Pansy not to kill him.

So he turns around once again and promptly stops in his tracks, again, when Potter suddenly stands right in front of him.

“Hi, Draco,” Potter smiles, green eyes sparkling in the dim light.

Draco nods once. “Hello.”

“I was just heading to the bathroom,” Potter continues, right hand loosely pointing toward the loo.

Draco shakes his head. “It’s occupied.”

“Oh,” Potter softly says. “So, how are you? I haven’t seen you since -”, he abruptly stops talking and, to Draco’s horror, starts blushing.

“Please don’t remind me,” Draco begs. He’s cringing just at the thought of their last encounter. That being part of the reason why he didn’t want to drink tonight. At least not as much as at that stupid Halloween party at Theo’s place.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Potter says, blush still prominent on his cheeks but a cheeky grin back on his face. “It was just good fun.”

“For you maybe,” Draco spits and struts forward, intending to leave this conversation and this flat. He just won’t go to any parties anymore. The chance to run into Potter is too high nowadays.

“Hey,” Potter softly says and grabs Draco’s arm. “What’s wrong? You had fun, didn’t you?”

Draco stomps his foot. He knows that he probably looks like a child having a tantrum but this is just too much.

“Yeah, super fun,” he growls and yanks his arm back. “It was so much fun that I embarrassed myself in front of all of our friends. Drinking too much, dancing on the fucking table, and doing a near damn striptease for fuck’s sake. Only to fall and nearly break my fucking neck if it weren’t for, of course, you catching me like I’m a fucking damsel in distress and me being that stupid to actually --”

He stops talking. He can not believe that Potter once again made him relive that situation. It’s always him, of all people. Some greater god probably has a lot of fun, toying with Draco’s life.

“To actually kiss me,” Har- Potter says lowly. “I- I know that you didn’t actually mean it. It’s why I -” he shakes his head. “Listen, you don’t have to be embarrassed. I didn’t want to make things awkward between us and I don’t want to lose your friendship. You’re really important to me, Draco. And I know you don’t feel the same but I can keep myself in check, I swear!”

Potter is talking so much and apparently, Draco can’t really think because he really doesn’t understand Potter’s words.

“What did you just say?” he asks, eyes wide, and involuntarily takes a step forward. “You can’t mean that.”

Harry, no Potter - urgh who cares, raises his eyebrows in question. “I really want to be your friend, Dray.” He’s looking at Draco like a puppy would and suddenly Draco’s legs feel like jelly.

“I’m not talking about being friends,” he mumbles and takes another step forward.

There it is again, that blush on Harry’s cheeks. He frantically pushes his hand through his wild hair, making it stand up from his head. “I really like you, Draco. You know that, right? Merlin, when you kissed me… In front of all of our friends as well. I thought I finally went to heaven.” He clears his throat.

Draco takes another step forward. He’s right in front of Harry now, can look right into the other man’s eyes. “You didn’t kiss me back,” Draco whispers, hands shaking at his sides.

Harry groans, apparently seeing something in Draco’s eyes that makes him move his hands to Draco’s cheeks, softly cradling his head. “I was stunned, Draco. There you were, dancing and being happy and removing your clothes, for fuck’s sake. And then I saw you slip and jumped and actually caught you. And then your eyes… Fuck your eyes were sparkling and looking at me with so many emotions I couldn’t name. And then you kissed me and I was just - frozen. Fuck, Draco if you would’ve waited another second I would have carried you out of there to snog you into the next year!”

Harry’s words were coming out faster and louder with every sentence and Draco’s stomach filled more and more with butterflies.

“You are a piece of work, Potter,” Draco says and closes the gap between them.

“Draco,” Harry sighs into his mouth and finally kisses him back, tracing Draco's lips with his tongue, seeking entrance. Everything is hot after that. Draco presses his body forward until they’re completely flushed, his arms wound around Harry’s neck. Suddenly Harry’s hands are at his waist, pulling and pushing him until their positions are reversed, Harry now pressing him into the wall and kissing him until he can’t think anymore.

A loud moan coming through the guest bedroom wall makes them jump apart and they start giggling.

“I can’t believe this,” Draco grins, his fingers tracing Harry’s face, trying to ensure himself that this is real. “I thought you hated me after I kissed you. I didn’t even want to come today and face you.”

Harry pouts a little and presses another soft kiss onto Draco’s lips and then on his cheek and forehead. Draco’s insides feel like mush. “I’m sorry. I knew that something was off but I thought you didn’t want to see me because my feelings for you were so obvious and too much. I should’ve come to you.”

Draco shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter now.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Harry agrees. A little smirk grows on his face. “Sooo, can I call you my boyfriend now?”

“Merlin, Potter, always so straightforward,” Draco grins but relents. “Yes, you may.”

“Believe me, I will be so straightforward in this relationship, no more misunderstandings.” He emphasizes his words with another cheeky snog until they hear the next series of moans.

“Who is in there?” Harry asks, a little out of breath, and turns toward the offending noises.

Draco snorts. “Last I checked it was Ronald and Blaise. I think they also had a little talk.”

Harry laughs. “I knew it. Ron really thought that he could lie to me about his feelings.”

“Well,” Draco admonishes with a smile on his face, “you can be a little oblivious at times.”

Harry snorts. “Oh, do shut up, will you?”

“Make me.”

Harry makes sure that there are no more words being spoken in the next couple of minutes.

(Until Pansy and Hermione catch them on the way to their bedroom, right when the door next to them opens and two rumpled-looking men stumble into the hallway.)

Day 11 --

[alindakb]

Title: 25 Years of Christmas - 1999 Author: AlindaKB Word Count: 1090 (for now) Rating: Teen and up Prompt: Wooden Sleigh with Red Runners An old dark wooden sleigh is stationed in a snowy field. It has bright red painted ornate metal runners that curl up toward the front panels. Snow covers the seat of the sleigh and its backrest. The sky is overcast with clouds and fog, and fresh snow blankets a large group of spruce trees that stand around and behind the sleigh. The snow on the ground around the sleigh appears worn with light foot traffic. Warning: No warnings apply Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. Author's Notes: This story is ongoing but mostly already finished (thank you NaNo) - tags on AO3 will update accordingly.

Summary:

Draco, who hates Christmas, spots Harry among some spruce trees when he's out to find the perfect Christmas Tree with his friends Pansy and Blaise. Over the years they find themselves drifting together and building a life together. And somewhere along the way, Draco finds out that he loves Christmas.

[melcarrianna]

❄️Happiest of Holidays Everyone!❄️

One of my favorite advent fics and my own personal advent project for this year. Thank you Saras_girl for letting me have fun with your words. It’s been a dream to record this 💗

A new chapter will post every day through Christmas 🎄