Rating:
G
House:
Astronomy Tower
Characters:
Draco Malfoy Ginny Weasley Harry Potter Parvati Patil
Genres:
Romance
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix
Stats:
Published: 11/23/2004
Updated: 11/23/2004
Words: 1,454
Chapters: 1
Hits: 1,543

Parvati Presents

a_linz

Story Summary:
Harry finds Parvati in the faerie garden, Ginny wears Slytherin and Draco is wittily sexy. Interesting Christmas gifts are exchanged. (Set in the Parvati Prevails universe, but not part of the story. H/P, slight D/G)

Posted:
11/23/2004
Hits:
1,543
Author's Note:
WARNING: Fluff ahead. For all the Parvati Prevails readers as a super early Christmas present (yay Christmas is almost here, sort of!) and an apology for the serious lack of updated chapters recently (they’re coming!). With lot of love, because you mean so much to me :D ~Linz

Parvati Presents

by a_linz

Your smile

Always brightens up my day.

I guess you know,

Because it shows-

You can see it on my face.

It's like you put a spell on me,

It's like you've captured me

And baby, this is how it feels.

Gabrielle -Don't Need The Sun To Shine

*~*~*

Parvati watched her breath rising in misted plumes, swirling into the morning air. Winter became the garden; icicles sparkled crystal against the backdrop of snow and the dew necklaces criss-crossed her vision in a dazzling web. She shivered; it was certainly beautiful and she would have liked to stay out here all day if it wasn't for the extreme cold and the mince pies waiting back for her in the Great Hall.

'You're an idiot. You know that, right?'

Parvati swivelled around. 'I'm reminded by people at least twice a day, but you should know that I forget things easily.'

Harry gave her a funny half-grin; he was wearing a dark cloak today, providing an easy contrast to the white snow all around him. Parvati noticed the green of his eyes was especially startling in this weather, but shortly after having made this observation she decided wisely not to dwell on it.

'I know,' he said. Parvati, who was thinking about other things (NOT the colour of Harry's eyes), was momentarily confused. Well, Lavender would say that she was perpetually confused, but that's besides the point here.

'What?' she asked, as Harry stepped closer and smiled disarmingly.

'You've forgotten your cloak.'

He was right, of course, that was the reason her teeth were chattering so badly.

'It's lucky you're here, then. I'll just borrow yours.'

'Hey!' Harry cried, taken by surprise as Parvati reached out to clutch the collar of his robes with both her hands. She began undoing the buckles of the cloak and then blinked up at him innocently.

'You don't mind, do you, Harry? It's really cold.'

Harry blushed, she could see the slight colour stained on his cheeks and when he answered his voice was husky, 'No, it's fine.'

Damn. He knew, the bastard. Parvati felt her face burning, and suddenly it didn't feel so cold anymore.

Her fingers dropped. Hurt flashed across Harry's eyes, along with uncertainty and awkwardness. She saw it plainly, and felt a slight twinge of guilt.

'Um, forget it.' Parvati drew back. 'We should go inside now, anyway.'

'If you want,' agreed Harry, and they walked back to the castle in silence, footsteps echoing in time.

*

Parvati loved exchanging gifts on Christmas morning, just to see the delighted faces as people tore into their carefully-wrapped presents. This year, just to be annoying, Parvati had all of hers covered with shiny gold and scarlet wrapping; a subscription to Witch Weekly for Delphi, an engraved bracelet for Lavender and a range of curl-control hair care products for Hermione.

In the common room Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys were opening their packages of customary Weasley jumpers and home-made treats. Parvati caught sight of the silver and green scarf tied around Ginny's neck and wasn't impressed.

'You should learn to be a bit more subtle, Draco,' she said to him later that day.

'Jealous, Patil?' smirked Draco.

'You can screw over whomever you like. I'd just prefer if it wasn't one of my friends,' she answered dryly. 'One of these days, Ron Weasley is going to kill you, and I'm certainly not going to be sorry.'

'You should really see someone about these jealousy issues. They're ruining your life.'

'What are you talking about?'

'Potter,' said Draco, and Parvati scowled.

'What about him?'

Draco gave her a derisive look. 'I should have known someone who was stupid enough to fall for him would be this thick.'

'This doesn't have anything to do with you!'

'I know, I was just kidding about the jealousy thing.'

'I meant it's none of your business, Draco. And what, now you're being serious about relationships all of a sudden?' she asked sceptically.

'Serious is boring, but a guy can't be wittily sexy all the time. Well, not the witty part, anyway.'

'You're a git, Malfoy,' said Parvati.

'And you, Princess, are a coward.'

'Don't pretend like you know me so well.'

Draco smiled as he turned to leave, 'If you want.'

'Why does everyone keep saying that? I don't know what I want,' Parvati muttered sulkily to the empty hallway.

*

It was a while after everyone else had gone to bed that Harry reappeared in the common room to find Parvati sitting by the fire.

'Couldn't get to sleep?' he asked.

'Yeah.'

'Can I join you?'

Parvati smiled. 'Do you even have to ask?'

Harry sat down on the rug in front of the fireplace next to her. The dying flames danced over the coals, the room was comfortably warm.

'So did you have a good day?'

'Yeah, it's nice staying at school for a change,' Parvati told him. 'You know, you still haven't given me my present.'

'I'm waiting for the right time, I think,' said Harry.

'Christmas is almost over.'

They both looked up to see the clock, and noticed something else above them.

'Mistletoe,' murmured Harry.

Parvati's head was spinning. Kissing Harry was soft, then hard but slow and laced with a subtle sweetness that was addictive. So much that she was close to whimpering in his mouth. Kissing Harry was something she could definitely get used to.

'Was that my present?' he asked, forehead resting against hers. His eyes seemed much darker in the firelight, almost dangerous. Sometimes she forgot just exactly who Harry Potter was.

'Yes, and I hope you appreciate it. It was rather expensive.'

Harry's lips quirked into that smile that made Parvati want to taste them again. 'How much did it cost you?'

'More than you'd think.'

'Ah,' said Harry. 'I do actually have something to give you.'

Parvati laughed. 'You shouldn't have.'

'Yes, I should have. Otherwise you wouldn't have let it go for the rest of the year.'

'Probably. Here, I'll swap you.' She took the small green box out of Harry's hands and gave him her gift.

'For me?' he asked.

'No, actually it's for Ron, I just wanted you to hold it,' said Parvati dryly, opening the green box. Inside was a silver brooch in the shape of a fairie, with a pearl enamel skirt and crystals glittering on her delicate wings. 'Oh wow...'

'Is it okay?'

'I love it...Harry, where did you get this?'

He looked a bit embarrassed. 'Er, well the thing is...I wasn't sure what you wanted so I asked Lavender to help me. She said brooches were in, or something, and that you'd like it.'

'And here I was thinking you really had taste, after all.'

Harry grinned. 'No, not really.'

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'

They looked at each other. Parvati raised an eyebrow.

'Aren't you going to open yours?'

Harry undid the red ribbon and gold wrapping. 'A necklace?'

'It's not a necklace, it's an amulet. Put it on.'

He obeyed, looking quizzical. The pendant was fairly unremarkable, a plain silver disk with the Hogwarts crest engraved on it.

'You wouldn't mind taking my new brooch and putting in the dorm with all my other presents, would you?'

'Okay,' said Harry. 'Wait, but you know I can't get up the stairs...'

She smirked. 'Try.'

Harry placed a foot gingerly on the girls' staircase, and climbed. When he was halfway up, nothing had happened yet.

'You mean this-? Anyone who wears this can-?'

'Yes,' she answered. 'But it's not an invitation. I just thought it would be easier if you didn't have to use your Firebolt if you wanted to talk to me. Or Hermione, or Ginny or something. Just don't let anybody know you have it, because you're definitely not supposed to.'

'Where did it come from?'

'There's only four in existence, one for each House. Padma confiscated one off a third year boy in her house who was using it to throw stink bombs at the girls while they were sleeping and I asked if I could have it. The other three are apparently in Filch's possession, but that probably means one of the Weasley twins still has one...'

'Or they gave it to Ron,' Harry decided. 'I guess that's the one thing he wouldn't tell me about.'

'I guess.'

Parvati yawned and stretched. 'I'd better get to sleep, then.'

'Hey...are you sure you want me to have this?'

Parvati leaned over and kissed the side of Harry's cheek. She was certain that kissing him on the lips would have been a mistake; she might not manage to stop the whole night.

'I'm so sure,' she grinned. 'Happy Christmas, Harry.'

~Fin~