The Bet

~~~~~

Chapter XXV - Holiday Plans

~~~~~

Draco, feeling a little nervous and not entirely sure why, walked through the main thoroughfare of the library, approaching the dark head hunched over parchment and texts in the back.

"Hello," he started, waiting for the head to rise.

Harry looked up from his work, smiling at the sight of Draco. "Hey Draco."

Draco sat down at the unspoken invitation and leaned forward. Harry's eyebrow raised and he leaned in a little too, wondering what to expect next.

"Harry...I was wondering what your plans for the Hols were."

"The holiday?" Harry asked, looking surprised. "Um...I hadn't really thought about it. I suppose I'll be spending it with the Weasleys, though it'll be a bit odd without Ron or Hermione there."

"So they will be gone on their honeymoon, then?"

"Yes. Draco, why are you asking?"

"Well, I... I'm going back to the Manor for the first time in a few years, you know, to go through things, and no one will be there, and so I was hoping," Draco took a breath and exhaled quickly, "that you might like to stay with me."

Harry's mouth parted in shock. He hadn't been expecting an invitation to Malfoy Manor. He quickly tried to imagine having Christmas in a big mansion, probably filled with dust and old portraits with temperaments like Mrs. Black, and a small supper made by house elves and dark corridors, and just the two of them: Harry and Draco, versus a Christmas full of puddings, and laughter, and shiny faery lights and bright wrapping paper and lots of people crowded around a table...and he didn't know if he could combine the two such different images.

Draco, picking up on Harry's hesitation said, "I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine. I'm sure it'll be a lot different than an affair with all the red-heads. No Molly Weasley at the stove all day or anything. I can cook something passable for Christmas supper though," he added, smiling shyly at the table.

Harry smiled, chuckling. "Yes, I'm sure it would be very different. I'd like to, Draco. We can't have you being alone in that big house all by yourself, can we?"

Draco nodded, feeling very satisfied. "Raven will be by at some point, and I was thinking, if we can clean the place up enough, that we can have a New Years party...you know, loosen up before our last term..."

Harry's grin grew. "That sounds like fun." His smile fell as he thought of Mikhail. "I...I should probably make sure Mikhail doesn't have plans for us, though..."

Harry didn't miss the dark look in Draco's eyes at the mention of his boyfriend. "He could come to the party, if he wanted." The invitation obviously didn't extend for the whole holiday.

"Well...I think we both know he wouldn't want to, but I'll ask. I've actually been wondering if he was going to ask me to his family's house for the holiday."

"But I asked you first," Draco said, mentally smacking his forehead at hearing how stupid and petulant he just sounded.

But Harry took it in stride. "Yes, you did. I might have to make a compromise. I'll ask him, and make him understand I have to be there for you. You're my friend, and you'll be all alone, and that's not right."

Draco smiled. "Thanks, Harry."

"No problem, Draco. I always wondered where you lived and what it was like."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Even when I hated you."

Draco preened, tossing his hair. "Well, I have always been enviable."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You think so? In what department?"

"All of them. Looks, charm, wit, intelligence, wealth, stature...skill with a broomstick..." Draco emphasised, throwing Harry a meaningful look that implied he was talking about more than Quidditch.

Arching an eyebrow, Harry replied, "I was always better than you in that department."

"Really?" the blond challenged.

Enjoying the banter, though knowing he shouldn't, Harry said, "You know I am."

Both smiling, they chuckled nervously; both feeling a little on edge at the flirtation, neither knowing where it was coming from, and one of them not entirely willing to admit that it was something he might want. Harry was sticking to his decision, and he didn't want to lead Draco on, hoping that the blond understood exactly where they needed to stand with each other, even if Harry wasn't exactly sure if that's where he wanted them to stand himself.

~~~~~

After Quidditch practice, Harry shot Draco a meaningful look, and stayed outside the locker room to talk to Mikhail.

"Hey you," Mikhail said, slinging an arm around Harry's shoulders and smiling softly down at him.

"Hey. Let's sit down." Mikhail led them over to a bench that was situated on the edge of the pitch. "I wanted to talk to you about the holiday," Harry said as they sat, straddling the bench and facing each other.

"Yeah...I was going to ask you to come stay with me and my family. I want you to meet my mum and my cousins. I think you'll like Michaela, Nikolai and Ana."

"Well, you see...Draco's already asked me to go stay with him."

"He has." Mikhail's voice implied that he was not happy about that bit of information.

"Yes. He's going back to Malfoy Manor for the first time in years, and he'll be alone, going through his family's things. I want to be there for him. He shouldn't be alone on Christmas."

Mikhail's jaw twitched, which Harry recognized as a sign that he agreed with Harry, but didn't want to admit it. "How about we make a deal."

"A deal?"

"Yes. You spend Christmas with me. Then you can spend New Years at Malfoy's."

"But he shouldn't be alone at Christmas-"

Mikhail held up a hand. "I'm not saying he should either. But I'm your boyfriend, and I think I should get first priority here." He leaned forward and lifted Harry's chin up with a gentle hand, kissing him slowly on the mouth. "I want you with me on Christmas."

Harry bit his lip adorably. "I want to be with you too...but Mikhail, my friends are really important to me."

"I understand that, Harry. I know you know I don't like Malfoy, but at least I'm letting him steal you away from me for the New Year. I could just say no."

Not feeling completely right about the situation, but not really feeling like he had any better choices other than fighting, which he didn't want to do, he nodded. "Okay. I'll let Draco know."

Mikhail smiled and kissed Harry again. "It's gonna suck, not being able to kiss you at midnight."

"I'll be thinking about you," Harry replied, leaning into an embrace. "But you don't own me, you know," he said, feeling he needed to get that point across. "If you'd have said no, I wouldn't have gone home with you at all."

"Is that so?" Mikhail said, running his hands down Harry's back and through his hair.

"Yes, that's so." Harry pulled back and put on his 'I'm-making-a-point-and-not-moving-from-it' face. "You know I like you, Mikhail, but I can't be owned. All I've ever wanted is to do what I wanted to do...not something dictated by others. So, just because you're my boyfriend, does not mean you can tell me what to do."

Mikhail chuckled. "That's what I love about you." He pulled Harry close and kissed him again, deeper this time, and they sat there for many minutes, enjoying the feeling of each other's mouths.

As they pulled away, Mikhail murmured, "I was thinking of letting Draco play this weekend."

Harry looked surprised. "Really?"

"Yes," the Captain said, nodding. "He did really well in Germany, despite our loss. And he did well in practice today and last week."

Harry arched an eyebrow. "You're not trying to win brownie points with me, are you?"

"Me? Of course not," Mikhail laughed, pulling Harry close to him once again, and watched the last of the sunset disappear from the sky, turning everything into shades of black and dark blue.

Harry sighed a little against Mikhail's chest, wondering what the older man was up to, if anything, but glad he at least came to a compromise with him about Draco. He had expected to have to fight him about the idea. He shivered in the late October cold, and with Mikhail, stood and wandered into the locker room, just as most of their team mates were on their way out.

~~~~~

"Come in."

Harry opened the door to find Draco once more curled on his bed surrounded by research. "Hey, Draco. I talked to Mikhail."

"And?" the blond said, looking up from his papers to smile at Harry.

"And...I'm going to spend Christmas with him and New Years with you."

Draco pursed his lips and looked back down to his parchment, scribbling a note. "I see."

"He had wanted to invite me to stay with him-"

"I get it, Harry. You had to make a compromise. It's fine."

"It doesn't sound like it's fine."

Draco let out a breath and looked up at Harry, staring at him a moment before smiling tentatively. "At least I get to kiss you at midnight instead of Chaikovsky."

Harry let out a laugh under his breath, shaking his head. "Fat chance, Draco."

Draco shrugged. "We'll see after all the alcohol I'm going to feed you."

"You really don't let up, do you?"

Again Draco shrugged. "Sometimes. I'm teasing, Harry. I'd be happy to have you over for even a little while."

"Then I'll be over a little after Christmas, okay?"

"Alright."

"But you'll still be alone on Christmas, won't you?"

"I sorta have a back-up plan with Raven. She's basically going to ditch her parents, but we're going over there for Christmas, and she'll be with me the rest of the time. She insisted, even though I didn't want her to blow off her parents like that."

"She loves you; she doesn't care what her parents think about that. I wouldn't."

Draco narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I know."

"Well, I've got to go, so I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay. Have a good night, Harry."

"You too, Draco. Don't work too hard."

"If I want to get this thesis done by next term, I'll have too."

Harry just rolled his eyes as he closed the door to Draco's room behind him.

~~~~~

"Oh Harry! It's been too long, dear, you really should stop by or owl us more often..." Molly Weasley said, pulling Harry into hug he wished he had the will to avoid, but some part of him loved the near-suffocation every time he met the older lady. She was the best thing he could come by for a mother, and he couldn't wish for anything more.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," he replied, pulling back and smiling down at her. "Things have been a little crazy lately."

Mrs. Weasley smiled up at him and rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "Oh, I've heard, dear. How is that handsome boyfriend of yours doing?"

Harry felt a blush grow on his cheeks. "Er...well, I suppose..."

"Mum! Stop bothering Harry about Mikhail! I let you come today because you said you had to talk to us about the reception," Ron said, turning back from leading Hermione and Ginny into Madam Malkin's for robe fittings.

"Ronald, I hardly get to see any of you anymore - all my babies are grown up. I have a right as a mother to wonder what's going on in their lives." She turned to Harry as they started walking towards the robe shop. "You know you're like my eighth boy, right, Harry?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley. You're the best mum an orphan could have." He smiled as a blush grew on Mrs. Weasley's face and she became a little flustered.

"Well," she hedged, smoothing down her skirt. "I try my best, love."

"I know you do."

"You're coming for Christmas, right? Even though the kids will be in Greece?" she asked.

"Er...actually, I'll be spending it with Mikhail." Harry tried to ignore the startled glances Ron and Hermione gave him and the raise of eyebrows from the Weasley women. He hadn't told them yet.

"Oh, well, I hope you have fun dear," Mrs. Weasley said politely. "You'll have to stop by for your presents, you know."

"I will Mrs. Weasley."

They entered the shop and adjusted to the dimmer light. The smell of fabrics and dust was something Harry would never forget from his first time in Diagon Alley. It was the first time he'd ever had clothes just for him, and other than the also memorable awkward meeting of Draco, he treasured that time so long ago when everything was new to him and he didn't even know who he was to the rest of the Wizarding World.

Harry sat down next to Ron, who watched as Ginny went behind the dividers to get her robes fitted. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione wandered around the shop, and Mrs. Weasley needled Hermione about the details of the wedding. Thankfully, Hermione was a detailed-oriented girl, or Harry wasn't sure she could have fired back the answers with such grace and calm.

"Nervous?" Harry asked Ron out of the corner of his mouth.

Ron stopped rubbing his palms against the legs of his jeans. "No..."

Harry grinned. "You're a terrible liar, Ron."

"Now why would I be nervous about trying on my wedding robes?"

"Because now you realise just how real this all is."

Ron swallowed hard and nodded, his eyes roaming the store. "I still can't believe sometimes that 'Mione and I are finally getting married. I remember when I couldn't even get up the courage to ask her out for the first time."

"I have a feeling she would have eventually knocked up you upside your head with a cauldron to get your attention."

"Oh, she's always had my attention," Ron said a little wistfully, his eyes trailing Hermione as she walked around the shop.

Harry chuckled. "I know."

Ginny came out from behind the divider, her robes a beautiful minty green, and even without her hair done, she looked like a beautiful wood sprite.

Ron and Harry stood, and Hermione and Mrs. Weasley came over to look.

"Oh, Ginny, dear, you look lovely," her mum breathed.

Hermione jumped a little, clasping her hands. "It's perfect, Ginny. You look wonderful."

Ron just stood there, mouth a little gape, like he had when he had seen her at the Yule Ball.

"Wow...Ginny...you look...beautiful," Harry said, staring at her like he'd forgotten how beautiful she was.

"Stop fussing," said Ginny, wiggling in place. "The pins are sticking."

"I'm sorry dear, but you didn't let me finish altering..." Madam Malkin explained.

"No, that's fine."

Harry moved forward and took her hands. "Now I feel bad for never taking notice."

Ginny blushed and squeezed his hands back. "That's okay, Harry. It never would have worked between us anyway," she said, smiling ruefully.

Dropping her hands, Harry stepped back and let Ginny disappear from view again.

"So, Hermione, I made up this list of food for the wedding reception," Mrs. Weasley said, bringing them all out of their thoughts. She produced a very long roll of parchment from her bag and offered it to Hermione.

Hermione took it while the men resumed their seats. Rolling it out, she didn't even bat an eyelash as it hit the floor and rolled past her feet. Harry raised his eyebrows, and Ron rolled his eyes, frowning.

"Mum, we really don't need that much food...there isn't going to be an army there!"

"Hush, Ronald," both Mrs. Weasley and Hermione said. They looked at each other calculatingly for a moment before smiling and leaning over the list together. Hermione conjured a never-ending-ink quill from her bag and started crossing things out and making little scribbles as she and Mrs. Weasley talked to each other in quiet whispers.

"No, we must have that, it's Ron's favourite," Mrs. Weasley was saying.

"Yes, but he'll eat anything," Hermione whispered back.

Trying not to laugh, Harry looked over to Ron, who was glowering at the two women. "They're conspiring against me, Harry. I just know it."

"I think you're being paranoid."

He snorted. "We'll see."

Ginny reappeared, dressed in her normal robes, and Madam Malkin ushered the two men into the back, leaving the women to their own devices.

Harry stood on the little stool, now towering over the smaller Madam Malkin, and slipped off his robes to pull on the dark green velvet ones the seamstress handed him. Ron yanked on the dark blue ones he had, emerging with his hair more ruffled than usual, and a distinct choking look on his face as he pulled on the high collar.

"Could you loosen this a bit?" Ron asked, and with a swoosh of a wand, it was loosened. "Thanks again, Harry," Ron said, raising his arms and letting Malkin pin and adjust until the robes were hanging right.

"For what?" Harry asked, waiting his turn.

"For paying for these. I know they can't be cheap."

"Hey, stop that," Harry said. "I wanted to. And I don't care about the price, Ron. My two best friends should have the most beautiful wedding in the world. They deserve it, more than any other couple I know."

Ron, in his usual bashfulness, rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Thanks, Harry."

"It's my pleasure. You should know by now that I'd give all the Galleons in my vault to you and your family if they would accept it. You are my family."

"We know."

"And I don't think any less of you for being proud and not accepting it. Just know that I'll help whenever you need me to."

Ron nodded, then turned to Harry and gestured to his newly fitted robes. "What do you think?"

Harry smiled as Madam Malkin moved over to him. "You look like a man who's ready to get married to the girl of his dreams."

Ron grinned widely and hopped off the stool to go show his new robes to the three women on the other side of the screen. Harry immediately heard 'ooh's and 'ah's over Ron, and he was pretty sure Hermione kissed him when he heard a loud smacking noise, and Ron saying feverously, "'Mione! Not in front of my mum!"

Again, Harry followed the madam's instruction, lifting his arms there, standing straighter here...waiting patiently as she went about her work. This was one thing he didn't feel he had to be rushed for. He could just stand here and let the woman do her work, and in minutes he'd have his very own clothes.

When she was finished, Harry hopped down from his own stool and went out to show everyone. Mrs. Weasley immediately gushed, remarking how well the fabric matched his eyes. Hermione ran her hand down his arm, and told Madam Malkin that she would like to see some white trim on Harry's robes, and silver on Ginny's. The woman nodded, and waited for Harry and Ron to disrobe before setting some scissors and thread to work on the robes.

Hermione was next, and she passed off the food list to Mrs. Weasley before Ron could snatch it and disappeared behind the screen. When she emerged several moments later, still wearing her normal robes, everyone looked at her oddly. Harry didn't bat an eyelash.

"Well, we want to see it dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "Is it not ready?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, it's ready."

"Well, then why didn't you show us?" the older woman asked.

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

"It's a Muggle thing," Harry put in.

"Don't worry, Ginny," she said to the perplexed girl, "I'll show you when we get home, okay?"

Ron threw up his hands. "Agh, whatever. I've got no say in anything anyhow."

Hermione stepped forward and put her hand on Ron's arm. "That's not true. It's just a thing...a small thing. Believe me. You'll want to wait until you see me at the joining ceremony."

"But you got to see me," Ron said lamely.

"Yes, but you wouldn't know if the robes were finished even if I told you so."

"Gee...thanks, love."

"No problem," she smiled. "Now, we've got to go see the florist, and the magistrate."

"I'd actually like to go shopping on my own, if you don't mind," Harry said.

"Can I come?" Ginny said.

"Sure."

"Alright," said Hermione, and she turned to Madam Malkin. "Will you be sending these to us?"

"Oh yes, dear, I can do that. I'll just need the final payment."

"I've already paid for mine," Ginny said as Harry stepped forward.

"I'll take care of it. Here you go," he said, once Madam Malkin gave him the ticket and he deposited some Galleons into her hand. "Thank you."

"It's no problem, dear. My pleasure."

Harry nodded, walking across the store to join his friends and family at the door. He bid her a wave goodbye and left the store; giving Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley a wave goodbye also, they branched off and went their separate ways. Mrs. Weasley reminded him to floo over more often, and Harry promised he would try.

"So, what kind of shopping are you planning on doing, Harry?" Ginny asked as they started down the narrow cobblestone.

"Wedding, mostly," he said, smiling. "But I should probably start on Christmas as well. I have no idea what to get Draco or Mikhail."

"How's that going, by the way?"

Harry sighed heavily, rubbing his face and running his hands through his hair. "Oh, fuck, I don't know."

Ginny chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

"This has got to be the most fucked up situation I've ever been in, Gin," Harry said with some trepidation, realising at the last minute that Ginny didn't know about what had really happened between him and Draco.

"And coming from you...that's saying something," she replied as they stepped into a gift shop.

"It is. I really like Mikhail, so I don't know why this is so difficult."

"I'm thinking it's because he hates Draco?"

"Well, yes, but even Ron's been able to get past that. For the most part."

"Don't forget the rest of your friends, Harry," she said, wandering around the collectibles.

Harry nodded, following her. "Yes, I know. You guys have all be great. Accepting Draco, I mean."

Ginny nodded. "And Mikhail doesn't have that background, though, does he? I'm betting, from his point of view, that Draco's just as annoying as he always has been to us. I mean, Malfoy hasn't changed that much, Harry. He's still an annoying, self-centred prat."

Harry had to smile at that. "Yes, I suppose he is. Though he doesn't annoy me...except when he does, if that makes any sense."

Ginny said, "Well, it doesn't, but I think I know what you mean."

"He doesn't like Mikhail, either."

"I've gathered that from Hermione."

"You guys talk about me?"

"We're girls, Harry. Of course we talk about you."

"Anything else I need to know?"

Ginny shook her head. "Not that I know of. I mean...is there something I should know?"

"What do you mean?" Harry said, picking up an inscribed silver serving spoon from a set and looking at it with more interest than was necessary.

"Harry, I know people keep their secrets. That's fine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a whole slough of things you've never told anybody. I don't care about that. What I care about is you, and how you're handling whatever is going on that the rest of us don't know about. I don't care what it is. I just want to make sure you're okay and not in over your head."

Harry nodded, setting the spoon down. "Thanks, Ginny. That means a lot. I'm just...not really willing to talk about it to anyone. But I'm fine, despite what I said outside. Yes, this situation is fucked up, but it's not impossible. I've been through worse. Much different, but worse."

"I don't need to send a bat-bogey hex at any male of the student body, do I?" Ginny pulled out her wand and fingered it suggestively.

Harry laughed. "No, no. Not yet, anyhow. It's mainly just got to do with Draco and Mikhail hating each other and acting like children about it. I just want Mikhail to accept Draco like you guys do, you know?"

Ginny nodded, putting her wand away. "I understand. He's been a big part of your life, lately."

"Yeah, he has," Harry said with a hidden smile. "So, how's it going with you and Seamus? I haven't really talked to either of you lately."

"Oh, we're doing fine," Ginny said, looking at a little tree that mimicked the weather outside. Currently, it was nearly leafless, its tiny leaves sitting around its base, and it was swaying slightly in a phantom wind, casting long shadows, as it was getting later in the afternoon.

"That's good," Harry said, and noticed a little charm box that had a card above it reading 'A couple puts all their thoughts and love inside, keeping what's written within alive.' "Hey, Gin, what do you think about this?" and he gestured her over.

Ginny looked at it and at the small wooden box, intricately carved with Celtic love knots and runes of longevity. "It's beautiful, Harry. I think you should get it. It'll do my brother good to write what's in his head down."

Harry smiled ruefully, picking it up. "Alright. I'll get it." He took it to the counter near the front of the store and set it on the counter. "I'd like to buy this, please."

"Would you like it gift-wrapped?" the young clerk asked.

"Yes, please."

Harry watched as the man whipped his wand through the air, sending silver tissue paper sailing over and wrapping the circular box nicely, topped with shiny dark red ribbon and placed in a square box which was also wrapped in a similar fashion.

"That'll be 15 Galleons, 5 Sickles, and 2 Knuts."

Harry counted the coins from his pouch and handed them over, thanking the clerk with a bright smile as he took the bag with the gift inside from him. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Harry Potter. Please, visit us again."

Harry's expression was startled for a second before he smiled. "I will." The clerk winked at him and he and Ginny left the shop.

"He flirted with you," Ginny said, smiling to herself.

"What? He did not!"

"Oh, Harry...you're still so naïve."

"Oi, watch it. I'm older than you, and better with a wand."

"I'm sure you are," she replied, snickering.

"Oh, shut up," Harry jabbed back playfully, taking the suggestive comment how it was intended. "It's not like I'm that experienced. In anything," he added.

Ginny put a hand on his arm. "Oh, Harry, don't think less of yourself because of that. I'm sure Ron still thinks I'm a naïve virgin."

"You're not?"

But Ginny caught the laughter in his eyes. "No, of course not, silly. You caught me and Seamus snogging, remember?"

Harry's face turned red. "Yeah, I remember." Then he laughed. "I also remember your faces when you saw Draco! That was hilarious!"

"Very funny, Harry. Anyhow, Ron would probably kill Seamus if he knew what he's done to his 'poor naïve little sister'. God knows he'd have killed Dean if he wasn't already gone."

"You loved, Dean, didn't you?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes. A part of me still feels a little strange, being with his best friend, but it was a long time ago, and Seamus and I are happy. I know that's what Dean would have wanted. Seamus grew on me, you know?"

Harry nodded. "I'd want my boyfriend or girlfriend to be happy if I died, too."

"Hm. Well, enough about that, the memorial is in February...we should prepare for that too. But first, let's get us some early Christmas shopping done!" Ginny clapped her hands and took off down the alley, her bright autumn hair bouncing with her swift gait.

Harry rolled his eyes and chased after her, enjoying the rest of his day with no worries on his mind whatsoever.