salixbabylon: (hp harry draco)
[personal profile] salixbabylon
Title: Muggle Nonsense
Author: [livejournal.com profile] salixbabylon
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1055
Disclaimer: JKR owns everything. I just like to play naughty games with her dollies.
Summary: Wizarding traditions or Muggle nonsense? Harry learns a lesson at the Ministry Yule Ball.
Notes: For [livejournal.com profile] willowwing, who wanted fluff, discovery, and magical mistletoe. Beated by the very awesome [livejournal.com profile] helena_s_renn.


Muggle Nonsense


As usual, Malfoy was lurking around the edges of the party. This one was for the upcoming holidays and the Ministry Atrium was crowded with witches and wizards who'd had more than just a wee drop of eggnog. Not Harry, though, who had skipped the 'egg' entirely in favor of lots of 'nog' – or brandy, as the case may be. It had been six months and the Wizarding World seemed determined to make up for the bleak winter the year before with all sorts of extra holiday festivities.

Malfoy's eyes were always on him at these functions, Harry thought, as he weaved his way though the crowd, intent on refilling his glass. Whether he was talking to a friend or trying to get away from a well-wisher or taking Ginny for a turn around the dance floor, he felt that intense gaze following him, and had ever since the end-of-the-war celebrations had begun. Now that it was all said and done, Harry found that the fight had gone out of his interactions with Draco; they were politely snarky but not actually malevolent to each other. Hermione had suggested that it had simply been too exhausting to stay angry with each other; after all, their fates were now intertwined many times over, with the number of instances they had each tried to kill each other and then been forced to save each other's lives.

Still it was disconcerting to feel those familiar eyes tracking his every move and it seemed to get worse with each party Harry attended. Despite their tentative truce, it was hard to let go of subconscious habits, and in the past, Malfoy's eyes constantly following him had led to trouble.

As it was a Christmas party, it was also a ball. Harry had been forced to dance with every female he knew, despite having come out last month (albeit somewhat accidentally – Dennis Creavey's camera had caught him snogging a blurry-faced bloke outside the loo at the Newt's Eye). As usual, encounters with strangers were easier to arrange in the dark when he was some anonymous "speccy git" than when he was the guest of honor at a well-lit party. George had offered him a pity dance, but Harry had just laughed and decided to drink away the evening instead.

Harry had already burned up at least three of the floating balls of mistletoe that were hovering over the heads of random partygoers when he made his way back to the bar for a refill and missed the one that was floating just to its side. Unfortunately Malfoy was also headed to the same destination and tripped the tracking charm on the greenery as he passed under it.

The wizard manning the bar laughed at them. "Well, kiss him, Mr. Potter – bad luck if you don't. Not like you don't swing that way, eh? Not according to what I seen in the Prophet last month," he winked.

Harry blamed the nearly half-bottle of brandy he'd already consumed, undiluted, for the fact that he considered the idea for a moment, looking at the pale pink flush of Draco's lips. He caught himself with a mental shake as the lips twisted into a familiar sneer.

"No thanks; I don't believe in that stuff. It's just Muggle nonsense," Harry said, taking his drink.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Potter, if you knew anything at all you'd know that mistletoe is a powerful magical plant and very important potions ingredient, not just some sordid excuse for a snog. It's protective, although how that got bastardized into a form of entertainment better suited to preadolescents than a Ministry function is beyond me."

"Yeah well..." Harry flailed, trying to think of a retort. "You're the potions expert, not me."

"That is abundantly clear," Draco said. He raised his drink in a mock-salute at Harry's compliment and left.

For the rest of the evening, though, those knowing eyes followed Harry, seeking him out wherever he might go. Draco didn't shy away from eye contact, either, when Harry turned and caught him in the act; he seemed unconcerned whether Harry knew he was being watched or not. Or perhaps he was even pleased about it - there certainly was a glint of amusement lurking in his eyes, as if he knew a secret that Harry didn't.

It was really starting to bother him. It wasn't creepy, not exactly. But it did make Harry's skin prickle, not just on the back of his neck, but all over. It was almost like being touched lightly all over his body. Teased.

Caressed.

It was disconcerting to say the least, and once it was acceptably late and others were beginning to depart, Harry decided to take his leave as well. He hadn't felt those eyes on him in a little while, and it seemed like an opportune moment.

Of course then he would meet up with Draco in the cloak room.

Silently, they both Summoned their cloaks and struggled into them. Well, Harry struggled; Draco gave his a flamboyant swirl and stepped into its folds as if he were a prince. He hesitated though, fiddling with something in his pocket, and for the merest flash of a moment Harry wondered if Draco was going to give him a present. Or hex him. Either seemed equally likely.

Instead, Malfoy held out a small sprig of the mistletoe. "You seem to need it rather a lot," he said, with a slight twist at the corners of his mouth.

Harry smiled and took the greenery between his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, another ball of the stuff floated into the room and hovered meaningfully above Draco's head.

Harry sighed somewhat inside and gave up – after all, who was he to deny Fate?

"Sometimes kisses can be protective too," he said, moving into Draco's personal space.

The lips that his met had curved up into a definite smile. They pressed briefly together, hesitated, then met again more fully, lingering, testing, tasting. A firm hand wrapped around Harry's waist, while his own tangled in soft strands of platinum hair. A hum of something magical, something electric, swirled around them as they came together.

Both were flushed when they broke apart for air, cheeks still pressed together, bodies thrumming with newly-discovered possibilities.

"Sometimes," Draco agreed with a quiet smile.

~end~



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Date: 2007-12-23 11:39 pm (UTC)
megyal: (Default)
From: [personal profile] megyal
Awesome! I always love mistletoe fics! And this one felt so mature.

Date: 2007-12-24 04:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com
I love how Draco doesn't give a shit if Harry knows he's watching. The simultaneous challenge and dismissal in that is just awesome. Brilliant as always, my dear!

Date: 2007-12-24 04:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] helena-s-renn.livejournal.com
nice. this was the perfect h/d christmas fic. draco's a bold, snarky, totally unabashed little wanker when he wants to be and harry (and i) likes him that way, even though he's just realized it.

Date: 2007-12-24 04:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com
I think this wins my award for best use of Druidic traditions in a fic. Lovely writing capturing a witty and lovely seduction!

Date: 2007-12-25 08:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you! It was a fun challenge to use mistletoe as something other than an excuse to kiss, although of course the boys couldn't resist using it for that purpose as well. I hardly ever write (or read) PG-rated fics, so I'm very pleased that you enjoyed it!

Date: 2007-12-25 08:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
*laughs* You know, I didn't even set out to write a snarky Draco - his personality just comes out anyway, I guess. Good thing we all, and harry too, love his smart mouth. ;)

Date: 2007-12-25 09:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Hehe! I confess, sometimes it takes a reader's comment to make me notice something in my fics. It wasn't intentional on my part, so much as the natural side effect of Draco's smugness. I'm so thrilled it came out that way and that you liked it! :)

Happy holidays!

Date: 2007-12-25 09:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Hehe! Mature - moi? ;)

Thank you, seriously, though. It was fun to try and write something a little different than the typical drunken mistletoe snog fic. Too bad the muses decided they needed some privacy after that first kiss!

Date: 2007-12-28 05:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] willowwing.livejournal.com
*claps* Yay! It was perfect. Thank you for the present, my love. I hope your Yule was most happy. We had a beautiful moon. I love it when the full moon falls so close.

...bodies thrumming with newly-discovered possibilities. I could feel that energy. *hugs*

Date: 2007-12-28 08:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Oh good - I'm so glad you liked it. :) I do love playing with these two, and the moment of discovery, of transition, is so very much fun to write.

We had a lovely Yule - quiet and dark and then we went outside and played in the moonshadows, she was so bright and full. I hope yours, and all of the holidays, were wonderful! *smooch*

Date: 2008-01-11 12:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lijahlover.livejournal.com
Yummy!

Very nice first kiss!:D

Date: 2008-01-11 03:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cinnatart.livejournal.com
yummy! i love first kisses :)

Date: 2008-01-11 04:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hpstrangelove.livejournal.com
So I really don't know why I'm only reading this now, but it is excellent! I love how Draco keeps watching Harry subtly, letting Harry know it but not really 'attacking'. And the way they do end up together is so sensual.

I know the fic's not for me, but is sure feels like it is! I'll be imagining their next several hours together now. Great job.

Date: 2008-01-11 07:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thrnbrooke.livejournal.com
Oh that was lovely!!!

Date: 2008-01-11 07:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blonde-cecile.livejournal.com
Aw. This made me happy. Thanks for writing and sharing!

Date: 2008-01-11 08:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] enchanted-jae.livejournal.com
What a lovely, almost gentle, holiday fic.

Date: 2008-01-12 06:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kattiya.livejournal.com
Oh the love! Mistletoe and a voyeuristic snarky Draco always give me the warm fuzzies. :) This felt natural and unforced - a so very possible Six Months Later.

Date: 2008-01-12 08:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! :)

Date: 2008-01-12 08:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you! They're a lot of fun to write. :)

Date: 2008-01-12 08:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
*blush* Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story so much and am very flattered that it jogged your imagination. I had a lot of fun writing this. :)

Date: 2008-01-12 09:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
:) Thank you!

Date: 2008-01-12 09:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
I'm glad you liked it. :)

Date: 2008-01-12 09:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
I rarely write fluff, so it was a fun change. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)

Date: 2008-01-12 10:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you much - I'm flattered. :)

Date: 2008-01-14 01:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dio-elaclaire.livejournal.com
I can't deny it was a very enjoyable piece of muggle nonsense ;)

Date: 2008-01-15 04:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you! I think Harry might be changing his mind about mistletoe, too. ;)

Date: 2008-01-15 06:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] coffeejunkii.livejournal.com
[here via [livejournal.com profile] hd_prophet]

very sweet fic! those bunches of mistletoe were rather persistent ;). harry and draco should be grateful, really!

Date: 2008-01-16 12:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
You just can't trust greenery... It's always out to get you. ;)

Glad you enjoyed - thanks for commenting [and for letting me know where you saw the link!].

Date: 2008-01-17 04:59 am (UTC)

Date: 2008-01-17 07:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you! :)

Date: 2010-10-05 03:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wendypops.livejournal.com
This made me 'Awwww' a lot :)

Date: 2010-10-06 01:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] salixbabylon.livejournal.com
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

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