Ready, Steady, Play!

Secret Santa:

It was Christmas Day and the Great Hall was filled with the bubbling chatter of the students that had stayed over for the Christmas holidays; a large number this year since the War against Voldemort had been won, and the threat of death by Cruciatus wielding Death Eaters had passed.

The whole of the Seventh Year had all decided to stay to spend their last Christmas at Hogwarts together in the place that had become their second home. The excess noise was not, however, due only to the increased number of students: the air hummed with the excited murmurs of the seventh years as they waited for something from their Secret Santas. Yes, the Seventh Years had decided that Secret Santa was the perfect way to get to know the people of the other houses.

The level of noise rose even higher as owl post arrived and squeals of excitement rang through the air as each person unwrapped his or her present and saw the clues that would lead them to their Secret Santa.

Hedwig landed with her usual grace in front of Harry. A card was the only thing attached to her leg. Brimming with curiosity, Harry untied it from her leg, and fed her before she flew off back to the Owlery. He opened the card and stared at it.

'Harry,

Didn't think it would be that easy, did you?

Look for me high, look for me low,

I'll be in the first place you think to go.

Searching left and searching right,

It's not that hard, let ideas take flight.

Figured it out, have you? Go on then, follow the clue!

Your Secret Santa.'

Harry frowned. The first place he thought of was the Astronomy tower, but that didn't work with the rest of the clue.

"What have you got there, Harry?" asked Hermione, reading over his shoulder, holding her gift in one hand and a key in her other, "Oh, a riddle?"

"Yeah, 'Mione," Harry replied, still looking at the card. "What do you think it means?"

"What means what, mate?" Ron looked over Harry's other shoulder. "Oh...Quidditch Pitch."

"How did you..." Hermione started, but didn't know how to finish.

In the same moment Harry leapt up. "Of course! Looking and searching...what Seekers do...taking flight is flying...and 'the first place you think to go' means the place I would go to think! Ron, you're a genius!"

Grabbing his things, Harry all but ran from the Great Hall. Hermione was still looking at Ron as if he had grown three heads and a tail.

"What?" was the only reply from the red-head as he went back to eating. Hermione shook her head fondly.

Meanwhile, Harry had sprinted out of the Hall and out into the newly falling snow. He stopped short at the front doors just gazing out into the Hogwarts grounds, aware of the fact that it was his last Christmas at the school. Quickly, however, he shook himself out of his reverie, thinking that his Secret Santa was probably turning into a Secret Snowman by now, and rushed onwards to the Quidditch Pitch.

He slowed down somewhat as he neared his destination, a little afraid that it had all been a big joke to get him outside and cold...Maybe there were tons of people waiting to belt snowballs at him as soon as he stepped onto the Pitch. Harry mentally smacked himself; the War had made him far too paranoid for his own good!

Determination set in as he half walked, half marched in. His breath caught, again, as he took in the scene before him.

A lone figure stood in the middle of the pitch, facing him. He was adorned with a midnight blue winter cloak that shimmered as the light reflected off the white that surrounded him. His silver blond hair had already begun to sparkle slightly as the snow glided gently around him, creating an almost halo-like aura. An elegant eyebrow raised slightly, no doubt at the awed look on Harry's face, and a smirk was beginning to form on those red lips.

In the middle of the Pitch stood his Secret Santa: Draco Malfoy, looking for all the world like a snow angel.

"Took you long enough, didn't it?" His melodic voice floated to Harry, reminding him to breathe. The voice, however, didn't hold the malice it did when they were younger; instead it had an undertone of humour.

"Yeah, you know how I am." For the life of him, Harry couldn't think of anything remotely witty to send back. Instead he felt drawn towards the blond. In a few strides, he was standing steps away from the smaller boy.

The Slytherin's silver orbs glittered with amusement when he answered, "Yeah, I know."

Reaching into his cloak, Draco brought out a small package, wrapped carefully in silver paper. He handed it to Harry and gestured for him to open it. Outwardly he looked as calm and collected as ever, but the shaking of his hands as he handed the present to Harry betrayed the fact that the blond was actually very nervous.

As Harry slowly unwrapped the gift, Draco started to shift his feet slightly, betraying his anxiety even more. As the wrapping fell away, Harry gasped in surprise. Inside was the most intricately and beautifully woven dream catcher he had ever seen. Emerald eyes snapped up to meet guarded silver in awe.

"It's a dream catcher," Draco explained unnecessarily, his voice shaking slightly. "I had it made in Canada...real folk magic...it..." He began to struggle with what he wanted to say. "It's to keep away your nightmares..." He trailed off uncertainly.

Harry was still too stunned to speak. Draco cared enough about him to have something made in Canada to keep away his nightmares? Harry's mind was positively reeling. Contrary to popular belief, Harry was not blind (despite the glasses...he vowed to have his eyesight corrected as soon as he left Hogwarts). He knew the boy in front of him was positively gorgeous. Even if he hadn't been interested in boys, he still would have found the young aristocrat desirable; the fact that he was interested in boys made him irresistible. During the last few years, Draco had starred in many of Harry's dreams and fantasies. The thought that the blond felt something...

Harry's brain snapped back to reality as he realised Draco was still waiting for him to say something.

"Draco, it's..." Well...brain in reality or not, he was still without words. He looked back into those mercury eyes and saw a glimmer of guarded hope shining in them. It stirred his shocked brain into action. "I'm speechless...It's so beautiful. Thank you," he murmured sincerely, biting his lower lip. The jewels that were Draco's eyes lit up.

"Really? You like it?" he asked, sounding childishly happy.

Harry nodded, lowered his eyes and took a deep breath. "I feel a little awful though..."

"What Harry? What is it?" Draco's voice wavered a little, the joy of before vanishing.

Harry met his eyes again. "It's just...I'm you're Secret Santa and I..." Harry literally growled in frustration. "I haven't got you anything because..."

"Because what, Harry?" the Slytherin prompted gently, hope lacing his words.

"Because I wanted to get you something special, and I didn't know what you wanted" the brunette finished, resolutely looking anywhere but at the pale boy before him.

Draco grinned. "Why don't you ask me then," he whispered close to the Gryffindor's ear. Harry started a little and snapped his gaze to the boy before him so quickly, he nearly got whiplash. The most adorably cheeky half smile crept onto Harry's face as he closed the remaining distance between them in a single step.

He lowered his head to murmur softly into the blonde's ear. "What, then, Draco, is your wish this Christmas, hmm?"

Draco breathed in shakily and replied with an almost inaudible, "You."

"Granted." Having said that, Harry captured the small boy's lips in a sweet kiss, breaking away only to look for confirmation, before fusing their lips again and again...and again...