Flowers

~11-Draco~

I wake up to Harry sliding into bed next to me.

"Where'd you go" I reach out and pull him closer. He winces and I'm instantly alert. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No no. I'm fine. I just-" He pauses. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I sit up and tuck a piece of hair that had fallen in his face behind his ear. "You aren't still hurt?"

"I'm fine Draco." He says firmly. "Thank you for worrying about me."

"I love you." I kiss him softly. "How could I not worry about you?"

He pulls back and walks towards the door. "Better get ready quickly." He calls in a sing-song voice. "We leave for the Burrow in an hour."

I let out a groan "Do we have to?"

"Yes. I met your family, now it's time you met mine."

-————————————————

Harry grins happily as we walk towards the Burrow. A sense of dread grows in my stomach.

"Harry" I whisper. "What if they don't like me. I was a death eater and played a part in the death of Fred."

"Draco" he turns to face me. "It doesn't matter to me if they can't see that it was never your fault." He rests his forehead against mine. "It'll be their loss anyway."

I kiss him quickly before pulling away and continuing to walk. "Do they know your gay?"

"Molly was the first person I told." He smiles softly. "She's been nothing but supportive."

We reach the gate to the towering house.

"This thing is incredible," I say in awe.

"So glad you think so dear." A middle-aged woman says, appearing almost out of nowhere. "Harry, why didn't you tell us you were coming!?" She wraps him into a hug.

"I wanted to surprise you, Mrs. Weasley." Harry laughs, kissing her cheek affectionately. He turns to me. "You've met Draco, my boyfriend." He gives her a look.

"Of course! Harry's never brought a boy over before. Means he's serious about you young man." She gives me a stern look that says don't hurt my son.

"Well, I'm serious about him." I kiss the side of his head.

Harry turns bright red. "If you two are done being saps, I'd like to go inside now. It's rather cold."

The door flies open and the brilliant haired Weasley girl flies out of it. She barrels toward Harry. "About time you show your face around here Potter!" She exclaims "have you even stepped foot on this property since the wedding?"

"Ginny your hair!" Harry gapes at the girl's hair, which had been near to her shoulders the last I'd seen here. Now it was shorn in a pixie cut.

"Like it." She smirks, running her hands through it. "So much better for playing quidditch with. The Harpies have been checking me out at some of the games at Hogwarts and I thought I'd try to improve some over break. I read that short hair is helpful so..."

Molly sighs. "I told her not to but there's no stopping her once she's got an idea in her head."

"Oh stop Mum." Ginny snaps " I've wanted to cut my hair for years but you've always told me not to."

"Can you blame me for wishing I had at least one girl?" Molly sighs. "I guess it couldn't be helped with all your brothers."

"Oh don't be so traditional Mum" she rolls her eyes. "I'm still a girl, even with short hair."

"I'm cold" Harry whines, dancing from foot to foot. "Lets go inside."

"You baby." Ginny rolls her eyes. "I've been out on my broom since five in the morning." She links her arm in his and walks us into the brightly lit house.

——————————————————

"They're incredible." I let out an amazed laugh as I collapse on our bed. We'd stayed for dinner than apparated home.

"They love you." Harry shakes his head in disbelief. "After years of hatred between your families, who would have thought that a simple dinner would make you adore each other."

"Ron's still a git. But his sister is so funny! And her girlfriend! Who knew Looney Lovegood would turn out like that."

"Luna is struggling. Maybe even more than I am." Harry murmurs.

"My mother wants to spend the evening with us. It is Christmas Eve after all." I say, stretching my arms upward as I get up.

Harry yawns. "I suppose. Not too long though. I'm exhausted."

"Of course darling." I grab his hand and rush towards the door. "Who would've thought I'd be eager to see my mother?"

"Really?" Harry asks. "But you're so close."

"Wasn't always like that. She was pretty distant when I was a kid. A survival tactic with my father and everything." We turn into a sitting room. My mother is curled up on a couch, nose buried in some book.

"Hey," She says, looking up. "You're back."

"Whatcha reading." I flop on the couch next to her. A fire roars in the fireplace, creating a cozy atmosphere.

"A book on the history of the LGBTQ+ community within the wizarding one. It's completely fascinating. Did you know that Albus Dumbledore was gay?" she directs this question at Harry.

He blinks in surprise. "No, I did not. Though I suppose it makes sense. He said he was very close with Grindelwald."

"Yeah, it mentions their relationship." She buries her nose back in the book. Harry walks over and sits beside me, resting his head on my shoulder and letting out a small sigh.

"Do you boys want some tea?" My mother asks.

"That would be nice." I murmur and she summons the one house elf that had voluntarily stayed after she'd let them all go.

We sit in silence for a while, sipping our tea and listening to the random facts from her book. At last, I say,

"Jesus Mother, you'd think that you were the gay one."

"You don't know what I got up to before I married your father." She winks.

I jerk violently in surprise and splash tea on Harry while he lets out a small choking noise. "Mum!" I cry.

"What?" she sets the book aside. "I was joking. Sort of."

I shake my head as Harry wipes at the splattered tea on his shirt.

"It's late." He says the first thing he's said all evening. "We should head to bed."

"Of course." My mother says, waving her hand. "Don't let me keep you."

"Night Mother," I say as we wander out.

We walk to our room and get ready for bed in silence. After we've slid under the covers and turned out the lights I ask Harry,

"You've been quiet, are you feeling alright love?"

"I'm fine." He murmurs, shifting closer to me. I wrap my arms around him and pull him against me.

"Are you sure?"

"Draco, I feel fine. It was just- odd seeing the Weasley's together like that. It's their first Christmas without Fred and it just wasn't the same as it usually is." He whispers. "I don't know if they'll ever be the same. And I can't help but blame myself partly for it."

"Stop. If anyone should be blaming themselves it's me." I snap. "You have done nothing to deserve what has happened to you. You don't get to blame yourself."

"I'm sorry." I feel the tears sliding down his face.

"Don't be. Just try to get some sleep okay." I brush away his tears with my thumb. "Merry Christmas darling, I love you."

"I love you too."