apples and scented candles • h.potter ✓

• twenty •

Corben unblinkingly watched the entire action. He has dated plenty of times before, with both boys and girls, but the amount of attraction he felt towards Harry seemed insurmountable. He racked his brains and tried to remember if he felt that way every time he got into a relationship, but he came out blank. None of his relationships has been serious – he had never had any intention to pursue a serious romance that may one day lead to marriage, but when it came to Harry, he found himself wanting to do things with him that would otherwise have seemed unimaginable.

And that was saying something, because they haven't even kissed yet.

"I like your morning voice," he said with a smile.

Harry looked at him curiously. "So you like my mess of a hair, and this ugly pre–puberty voice?"

"It's cute," he shrugged.

Harry came and stood close to him before pecking him softly on the cheek. "I would have kissed you if I didn't have morning breath," he whispered into his ear, then left the room swiftly, leaving Corben unable to breathe.

When he went downstairs after completely freshening up, he was greeted with a chorus of good mornings and Merry Christmases. He smiled and gave an awakward little wave to no one in particular, before flitting his eyes over the kitchen. But Harry was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Harry?" asked Ron with a frown.

"I ... don't know. He left before me, I thought he was downstairs."

"Oh, he will be here in a minute," Molly Weasley assured them. "Please join us, Corben."

He hovered near the doorway. He was practically an outsider at the Burrow, and Harry was the reason he has been feeling somewhat at home. But now that he was alone with all the Weasleys, he felt like an intruder.

But Ginny patted an empty chair. "Here. Sit down."

He took the seat, avoiding eye contact with anyone present in the kitchen. Mrs Weasley came over with a tray and scooped a large amount of food into his plate, completely deaf to his protests.

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror, Corben?" she chided affectionately. "You look like you haven't eaten in weeks. How can you be an Auror if you don't eat?"

Corben simply lowered his head and cursed Harry for taking so long.

But Harry appeared at the doorway soon. He hugged Mrs Weasley with a Merry Christmas, and began gathering food up from the counter. Corben stared at him disbelievingly.

Harry's hair was messier, way messier, than what it usually was. The pure black strands were stuck up randomly in every direction, bringing an unbelievably adorable look into his face. It was clear that he has done this purposefully.

Even when Harry came and sat down next to Corben, he was staring at him. That is, until Harry kicked his leg under the table. He quickly lowered his eyes and went back to his eating.

After breakfast, the crowd gathered into the living room to collect their presents. Corben pulled Harry aside. "What have you done to your hair?"

He touched his hair with an innocent look on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Corben brushed his hair with his fingers, messing it up even more. "Did you use magic?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Corben," he said and pulled him into the living room. "Come on, don't you want to open your presents?"

Corben went speechless the moment he entered the living room. It wasn't a very big room, but the gigantic Christmas tree standing in the middle of it reminded him of Christmas during Hogwarts. Fairy lights and baubles were hung on the walls, and the faint sunlight bounced off the decorations to make the air sparkle like a million little diamonds.