FIC: Rediscovering Joy [Harry/Draco]

[mini_fest_mod]

Title: Rediscovering Joy
Author: sassy_cissa
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Prompt: I used a prompt of my own...



Word Count: 3,500ish
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): *absolutely nothing but fluff*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to B for her never ending support and advice. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Happy Holidays!!
Summary: It wasn't that Draco had always hated Christmas.



Rediscovering Joy

It wasn't that Draco had always hated Christmas. For the first fifteen years of his life he adored Christmas and everything it involved. The presents stacked under the tree, most with his name on them. The House elves baking all of his favourite sweets and his mother indulging his every whim.

Then Voldemort returned and everything he believed was challenged, including his love of Christmas. During those frightening years, there was very little to celebrate and Christmas became just another day of hoping the Dark Lord and his followers would take little notice of him. Finally the war was over, and his family was safe but Christmas seemed to have lost its magic forever.

Against his parents' wishes, Draco returned to Hogwarts the fall after the war and along with several other eighth year students, he passed his N.E.W.T.'s and accepted a mundane accounting position at Gringotts. He moved out of the Manor and into a flat on Garrick Street near Covent Garden. The building was mostly filled with Muggles, but there were a handful of young wizards that lived there. Draco went to work every day; the repetition of balancing ledgers appealed to his need for order and he was good at his job. But there was very little joy in his life. Most of his friends were either dead or had moved away, unable to live with the vitriol spat at them every day from people who lost someone during the war. It didn't matter that they had only followed their parent's beliefs; pain ran deep and memories were long.

Christmas became nothing more than a day spent in the Manor, watching his mother as she pretended everything was fine. The fact of the matter was, she was a mere shadow of the beautiful woman she had been. In his youth the holidays meant every corner of the Manor was decorated. Fragrant garlands of balsam hung from the mantles, decorated with holly and ivy, the scent mixing with the spiced wine that was always on the side board. There had been a tree in every room, each one decorated with fairy lights and crystal ornaments that sparkled like diamonds. Now there was one tree in the parlour and while it was decorated perfectly, it had lost its sparkle for Draco.

Around him, the wizarding world celebrated peace on earth with a whole new enthusiasm. But even as much as he was glad Voldemort was dead, the Christmas' of his childhood were gone forever, and he wasn't certain of his place any longer. With so much changed, and so many gone, he didn't really feel as if he had anything left to celebrate. And he felt that way for a long time.

oo00oo

"Parkinson!" Draco shouted to his secretary. "For the love of all that is holy, get in here!"

"Well aren't we just the picture of peace on earth and good will to men?" Pansy quipped on her way into Draco's office. She was balancing a tray with a tea service and some biscuits in one hand and several pieces of mail in the other. She handed him the post and set the tray on the edge of his desk.

"Remind me again why I thought you working for me was a good idea?" Draco asked.

Pansy smiled brilliantly and lowered herself into the visitor's chair, nicking a biscuit off the tray. "Because there isn't one other person on the face of this earth who will deal with your crappy attitude."

Draco grunted.

"So what has your knickers in a twist?"

He held up the day's agenda and shook the parchment in her face. "Please tell me this is some sort of a joke?"

Pansy squinted at the parchment jumping in front of her face. She grabbed Draco's wrist and held the paper still, scanning the schedule. She cocked her head in reply.

"At two this afternoon!" Draco shouted. "You didn't honestly schedule me to go to that ridiculous joke shop this afternoon!"

Pansy sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. "Well I didn't think you'd want to go there first thing this morning."

Draco dropped the parchment and rubbed his eyes. "I don't want to go there at all. I told you to send Orla there."

"Can't."

Draco stopped rubbing his eyes and glared through spread fingers at her. "Can't or won't?"

"As much as I'd like to think I have that much say around here," Pansy laughed, "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is on the list of preferred clients and therefore must be visited by the head of the accounting's audit division. And that, darling Draco, is you."

Draco whimpered, his head thudding to his desk. He rolled his head to the side and looked at Pansy out of one squinted eye. "Tell them I'm sick, tell them I've come down with Dragon Pox. Merlin's saggy balls, tell them I died. Just don't make me go there again this year. Last year Weasley switched my wand for one that spat out rubber chickens!"

Pansy giggled. "You were quite the life of the party with that," she recalled. "Just keep your wand in your cloak and don't eat anything they offer you."

"You're not helping," Draco retorted. "I can have your arse canned, you know."

"You could, but you won't," Pansy replied confidently. "If you have me fired, you know they won't bother to replace me and then where would you be? You'd have to answer your own phones and fetch your own tea." She looked casually at her nails. "And the fact I'm sleeping with the grandson of the head of personnel does wonders for job security."

"Tramp," Draco muttered.

"Sex-deprived queen," Pansy retorted.

"Cow."

Pansy held up her hands in surrender. "We could do this all day, and have on more than one occasion, but it doesn't change the fact that you still have to audit the Weasley business this afternoon." She stood on her hot pink pencil-thin heels and straitened her black leather skirt, pausing at the door. "Do try to be on your best behaviour. We don't need any more complaints that you're, now what was that line... a fascist pencil pusher with the disposition of an enraged erumpent and the sense of humour of a banshee?

"Oh, do fuck off," he muttered.

"I will if you will," she sang, then paused on her way out the door. "Oh, wait; I do believe that might be the key to your charming personality." She blew him a kiss and sailed through the door.

Draco picked up a quill and threw it at her as she left. He looked at his watch. Four hours until it was time to go to that deplorable joke shop.

oo00oo

Draco entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes at precisely two. He looked around, expecting to at least be greeted by...which twin was it? Inside the store it was a cacophony of noise and colours that assaulted the senses from every angle. Ornaments spun and changed from striped to polka dots and back again. It was loud and obnoxious. But the one thing Draco noticed immediately was that every child and adult in the store was smiling. Draco sighed. He might not enjoy the insanity of WWW, but no one could deny that simply being in the store brought joy to everyone who entered. Well, almost everyone; it drove him spare.

The glimmer of hope that he might not have to deal with George died when Draco saw him walking his direction, a mug of something that was smoking in his hand.

"Malfoy, you old ferret," George exclaimed, holding out the mug to Draco. "Have a spot of holiday cheer!"

Draco stepped back instinctively, hands raised in front of him. "Not on your life, Weasley," he practically growled. "The last time I was foolish enough to taste something I sprouted wings and clucked like a damn chicken for an hour! And let's not forget last year's wand incident!"

"You seriously need to lighten up or get laid, Malfoy," George chuckled. "You're wound tight as a yo-yo string." He stepped closer to Draco and slapped him on the back.

Draco opened his mouth to reply when a voice floated across the store George, you're needed at St Mungo's immediately. Angelina is in labour and if you don't hurry, you'll miss the birth.

George stood, mouth open, for several seconds.

"Lovely impression of a fish, Weasley, but I think you need to go and we'll just reschedule for a later date." Draco was practically giddy with excitement at the prospect of not having to deal with this audit.

"Cancel? Never! We're required by law to have the audit completed by the end of the year. My partner is here and he can get all the records you need. He's in my office," George called over his shoulder. "Oh and Malfoy," George stopped at a display and pulled something out of a box, tossing it to Draco. Without thinking, Draco reached up and grabbed it out of the air, relaxing when he realized it was just a cigar.

"If you light it up after the baby is here, the smoke will be pink or blue depending on the sex of the baby," George shouted, taking the stairs two at a time. "I'll let Harry know you're on your way up."

"Harry?" Draco said. "Potter?" He hadn't thought his spirits could spiral any lower. He was wrong. "Oh just kill me now."

oo00oo

Draco trudged up the stairs to the business office of WWW like a man walking to his death. He stood outside the door for what seemed an eternity before taking a deep breath and walking inside. Harry Potter sat at a table with several ledgers spread out around him. There was ink on his nose and his hair looked like he might have a family of Puffskeins living in it. And Draco was completely smitten. Ever since finding out Potter was gay, Draco had wondered what sort of courage it would take to ask his former nemesis for a drink. Pretty clearly, he didn't possess it, whatever it was.

He paused for just another moment before giving himself a mental shake and stepping through the door. "Don't strain yourself, Potter, you just might pop a vein and the paperwork I'd have to complete is ridiculous." Draco managed a gratifying indifference he didn't feel.

Harry startled, knocking over the bottle of red ink near his hand. "Shit, shit, shit! Buggering fuck!" he shouted, jumping up and beginning to blot at the ink with a blank parchment.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Potter," Draco exclaimed, pulling out his wand. "Back away. With any luck I'll be able to save those ledgers." Pointing at the ink, Draco waved his wand in a complicated gesture and the ink siphoned off the page and back into the bottle. "You are a wizard, are you not?"

Harry exhaled in relief, pink dotting his cheeks. "Malfoy, you startled me."

Draco chuckled. "Really. I'd no idea." He moved over to the table. "How long have you been working for George?"

It was Harry's turn to chuckle. "Oh it's far more than that I'm afraid. I'm his partner. Back at Hogwarts I gave Fred and George my winnings from the Triwizard Tournament. They started up Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and insisted on me being a partner." He shrugged. "After the war George needed some help and it seemed like a good job for me."

"You keep the books? Why is it I've never worked with you before?" Draco asked.

"I didn't know if my being here would affect your report and George was willing to meet with you."

Draco rolled his eyes and sat at the table. "I don't work that way."

Harry nodded. "So George has said. I was glad to hear it."

Draco ignored that the unexpected praise made him feel almost giddy.

They worked companionably for several hours, chatting off and on about people they'd known at school. Things were going so well that Harry actually called him Draco a few times.

"That wasn't so painful, was it, Draco?" Harry had said with a laugh, when Draco finally used Harry's first name. Draco responded by simply rolling his eyes.

The audit was nearly done when the Floo in the office roared to life and an elderly woman and a small boy stepped through.

Harry looked up and smiled as the small boy ran towards him. "Daddy!" he cried, leaping into Harry's arms and peppering his face with kisses.

"Oh I'm sorry, Mister Harry. I thought you'd be finished for the day," she said apologetically. "Should we go back to the house and wait for you there?"

"Noooo." The little boy pouted.

Harry set him down and whispered into his ear. The child's face lit up and he nodded, crossing back to the fireplace.

"That would be great, Mrs Parker," Harry said with a smile. "We should only be about another twenty minutes or so." He looked to Draco, who nodded in confirmation. "Then I'll be right home."

Draco kept working as the pair left, not stopping when they were gone. His heart had sunk just a bit when the little boy had called Harry "daddy". So much for thinking about asking him for a drink after this, Draco thought to himself. And so much for believing the gay rumours.

"Are you going to ask?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Pardon," Draco replied, brow furrowed. "Ask?"

Harry looked towards the empty fireplace.

"Oh," Draco exclaimed. "You're waiting for me to ask you when you were married. Possibly you'd like me to ask if the stories about your being gay were a lie. Or perhaps ask when you had a child. Or the even bigger question of how in the world you've kept the story out of The Prophet." Draco set down his quill and closed the ledger. "All finished here. And sorry to disappoint, but the life and times of Harry Potter are simply not that interesting to me." He prayed his voice sounder calmer than he felt. What he wanted to do was to shout all of the questions, and then possibly scream in frustration.

Harry leaned back in his chair and scrubbed his hands ever his face. "Let's see; in order, never, no, I didn't, and apparently you missed the three-page layout when I adopted Carter." He smiled just a bit and waited for Draco's response.

His mind fixed on the 'no' in answer to the 'the stories about you being gay were a lie' question, but another word caught his attention as well.

"Adopted?"

"Adopted," Harry repeated. "He was at the orphanage where I do some volunteering and the third time I saw him, I knew he was mine. I petitioned to adopt him."

"So no wife?"

"No wife. Unrepentantly gay, as previously mentioned."

"Well then," Draco finally said, feeling flustered. "All right then. I'm finished here. As usual, the joke business is doing very well and their bookkeeper should be commended for the accurate records he keeps."

Harry pretended to faint and held a hand over his chest. "Be still my heart, was that actually a compliment, Draco?"

"Don't get used to it," Draco shot back. "My reputation as a bastard during an audit must be upheld." He stood and looked for his cloak. "I should be going; it's ten minutes past the twenty minutes you promised Carter."

"I was going to ask you for a drink, but I promised Carter we'd put up the tree tonight." He looked expectantly at Draco. "I don't suppose you'd consider going with us to pick one out and help us decorate it?"

Draco sighed expansively and began to search his pockets for something, avoiding Harry's eyes. "I don't really do Christmas," he finally said.

Harry laughed and Draco looked up and Harry winked. "Well it wasn't exactly Christmas I was interested in doing, but different strokes."

Draco stopped, startled, then began to laugh. The kind of laugh he'd not experienced in years, and it felt good. "If that's your best pick-up line, Potter, it's no wonder you're a single father."

Harry coloured. "I don't try to pick up men often. I might be rusty."

Draco was charmed in spite of himself. "Are you sure Carter won't mind?" he asked.

"He'll be fine," Harry replied. "I told him I was going to ask you when he was here."

Draco shot him a wry look. "Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

"No." Harry's voice was soft but there was a certain tone to it Draco couldn't identify. "Not sure, but damn hopeful."

Suddenly downstairs there was a small explosion, and Harry laughed aloud, then raced from the office. Certain the man he was about to pick out a tree with was out of his mind, Draco followed. They both stood at the top of the stairs as banners unfurled from the ceiling reading 'Hoy, hoy, it’s a boy!' and sparkly blue confetti rained down around them.

"Subtle," Draco drawled.

Harry laughed. "Subtle isn't exactly George's style."

After sending a message to the hospital to congratulate George and Angelina on the birth of their son, Fred, with a promise to stop by the next day, Harry and Draco went downstairs to lock up the store. As Draco waited in the street for Harry to secure the locks, snow began to fall.

Harry turned and pulled a surprised Draco into his arms. "Easier to side-along this way," he whispered into Draco's ear. "The side benefit is that you feel really good here."

Draco looked inot the green eyes, so close, and a small smile pulled at his lips. "Of course I do. The side benefit for me is that you do, as well."

Harry chuckled. "Best outcome of an audit, ever."

Draco arched a brow. "I'm very good at what I do."

Harry's smile turned wicked. "I'm counting on it."

He ran the tip of his nose along Draco's jaw. Gooseflesh broke out on his arms as the tugging sensation of Apparition yanked him even closer to Harry's hard body, and pulled Draco away from what he'd known and into his future.

Two years later

Draco looked out the window at the falling snow. If it continued to come down at the same rate, they'd definitely have the four to six inches that had been predicted. He moved to the fireplace and looked at the photos displayed there. Most of them were of Carter, many taken before Draco became part of their lives, but there were also several of Harry, alone and with his friends. In the past two years several pictures of Harry and Draco, and Harry, Draco and Carter had found their way to the crowded mantle.

Draco reached out and picked up his favourite photograph. It had been taken by Harry that first time they'd gone out, the night of the audit. After meeting Carter and his nanny Mrs Parker, they bundled up and Apparated to what he later found out to be Oxfordshire, to a Christmas tree farm that catered to both Muggles and wizards. There they tromped through the new snow and Harry "chopped" down a tree (with a little help from his wand). Carter had clapped his hands and bounced like a ball during it all. After they paid for the tree, Harry miniaturized it and put it into his pocket for the trip back home.

Harry and Draco stabilized the tree in its stand, but then Draco stepped back to watch father and son as they decorated it. Garlands of popcorn and ropes of paper chains were added. When they finished, Harry guided the faeries to the tree. Harry asked Draco if he recalled the charm that would light the trees, so he could get a photo of Carter. The resulting photo was in Draco's hand.

Carter had been wearing a Santa hat that was too big for him. When the tree lit up, the wonder of the holiday had shown in the eyes of the little boy. Draco felt strong arms wrap around his waist and he smiled as he rested against the sturdy chest.

"I love that picture," Harry said softly against Draco's neck.

"Yes, your photography skills are unparalled," Draco teased.

Harry nuzzled Draco's neck and kissed him behind his ear. "That's not why I like it, you prat."

Draco pressed back, tilting his head to allow Harry better access. "It is a wonderful photo of Carter."

"True, but still not the reason."

Draco turned in Harry's arms so he could look into the eyes that could see clear into his soul. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to enlighten me, Harry, I'm not going to perform Legilimens."

Harry laughed. "Well that's appreciated, although I'm pretty sure you know most of what's in there." He took the photo from Draco's hand and put it back on the shelf. "You were watching Carter and the look on your face at the exact moment of the photo...I knew we were going to be the ones to bring Christmas back into your life. And that you were going to bring much happiness into ours."

Draco considered a pithy retort, but realized he didn't have one. So he captured Harry's lips and kissed him with all the emotion he was feeling.

Christmas, he decided, really was magical.

finis

Comments

[robinellen.livejournal.com]

Oh, very sweet :)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks, now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

I'm glad you liked it. ♥

[alisanne.livejournal.com]

Lovely story!
it's always good to see Christmas magic will work on even the hardest of hearts. :)
Well done!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks,bebe, now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

I'm glad you liked it! ♥

[birdsofshore]

How sweet!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thanks! ♥

[felaine.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, sweet and loving, just what we all can use these days.
Love the WWW cameo and your way of working Harry into Draco's life.
Good work.

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thanks for the lovely comment, sweetie!! ♥

[nenne.livejournal.com]

Lovely! Merry Christmas. :)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thanks, sweetie! As always, your comments are adored and much appreciated. ♥

[nenne.livejournal.com]

<3

(Did you see my post about the calender? It has arrived and is hanging right beside me. :) )

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

YAY!!! I'm glad it's there! Enjoy!!

[nenne.livejournal.com]

I am! :D

[isinuyasha.livejournal.com]

Sooo lovely :D

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thank you hon!! ♥

[delphipsmith]

"I knew we were going to be the ones to bring Christmas back into your life. And that you were going to bring much happiness into ours."

Ah, this is lovely -- it's a Christmas miracle :)

I can actually see Draco working with money, numbers, ledgers -- as you say, he's got that sort of personality. The "a fascist pencil pusher with the disposition of an enraged erumpent and the sense of humour of a banshee" is the best insult ever :D I like Pansy as a secondary character, too -- the teasing relationship she has with her boss is great.

Harry chuckled. "Best outcome of an audit, ever."
Draco arched a brow. "I'm very good at what I do."

Awwwwww. And the connection to the photo you used as inspiration was excellent. Very nice indeed!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thank you seems so trivial for such a wonderful comment. It really made me smile, thanks for that! ♥

[susannah-wilde.livejournal.com]

Sweet fic! I loved how Harry and Carter were able to bring Christmas back into Draco's life. Also, I adored Pansy in this fic :)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Now that I can comment for real *headdesk*

Thanks! I love to use Pansy whenever I can and when she can be flip and a touch snotty...all the better!! lol ♥

[cindala.livejournal.com]

So delightfully sweet!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. ♥

[ceeceeblack.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier. This was such a sweet story. Your characterizations were so perfect. Your Pansy and George were great. Both of them had the right amount of snark/sass.

I love stories with Harry, Draco, and a child that brings them together. You've done this so well.

Love it!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie. It was posted as anon - so I'm not surprised you didn't catch it. And with all that was going on - I forgot to mention it.

I'm glad you liked it. ♥

[lijahlover.livejournal.com]

Wow this was so sweet and lovely. I fell all warm and fuzzy now :)

This fic was perfect and magical. :)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie!! *hugs* ♥

[clear-stream18.livejournal.com]

What a cute story! Besides the H/D wonderfulness, I thought you did a fantastic job with the supporting characters. Pansy was great and I loved the idea of George inventing the special cigars and banner to celebrate his baby and announce it to everyone.

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks honey! I love bitchy!snarky Pansy and George is such fun to use to create fun things!!! Thanks for reading! ♥

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!

*squishes them all*

*squishes you too*

That was so incredibly sweet, honey. ♥

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie...

I'm glad it made you smile. ♥

FIC: Rediscovering Joy [Harry/Draco]

[koshweasley.livejournal.com]

I love the banter between Pansy and Draco. And Christmas is a new :) Wonderfully done.