Stjärnorna leda oss, vägen att finna,
bli dina klara bloss, fagra prästinna.
Drömmar med vingsus under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia.
. . .
The stars will guide us, the road to find,
become your clear torches, fair priestess.
Dreams with wings murmur, under us predict
Ignite your white candles, Santa Lucia.
"Sankta Lucia", Sigrid Elmblad
Draco's heart was hammering in his ribcage, and he could hardly focus on what Professor Flitwick was saying. He caught words such as "very good", "don't worry", "be fine" and so on.
They were all standing in the procession line in a corridor close to the Great Hall and everybody had one of Draco's candles in their hand, with a ring of thick parchment around it so when the candle burned, the candle wax wouldn't run down and burn one's hands. Everybody except Draco himself. He had something that looked like a crown on his head, made of candles and a wreath. He felt quite stupid wearing it, but he knew that it was crucial that he did, it was all a part of the ceremony.
Suddenly he noticed that Flitwick's lecture had stopped, and he heard footsteps heading towards them. Draco looked up over Flitwick's head, just like everyone else, and saw Professor McGonagall walking up to them.
"Now," she said, looking at each and everyone of them, "the rest of the school have gathered in the Great Hall and are waiting for you. As you may understand, they don't know what they are doing there. You can now light your candles now, but you can only begin to walk to the Great Hall when Lucia feels is the right time. And don't question Mr Malfoy if he makes you stand here for half a hour or so. Good luck." The corner of her mouth went up in a little smile and she flicked her wand at Draco's crown and lit up the candles.
"Thank you," he said quietly and he saw how the corridor became brighter as his classmates lit up their candles behind him. It was still dark outside, and Draco could only imagine how the students in the Great Hall must be feeling right now. He himself would be furious that someone had dragged him out of bed when it was still dark outside for an unknown reason and he just had to sit and wait for something. He would have refused.
"Just follow Mr Malfoy's lead," McGonagall said and then she and Flitwick turned around and started walked into the Great Hall.
Draco could feel all eyes upon him in the quiet corridor, the only sounds was people breathing and the professor's fading steps. He looked down at his gown and stared at the red ribbon around his waist for a few seconds. It was part of the apparel, and all the girls wore a ribbon too. The girls also had a wreath in their hair, but without the candles like Draco, and all the blokes had a white cone on their head. They looked rather silly and when Theo had put it on Draco hadn't been able to suppress his laughter.
He turned his head and looked outside a window at the end of the stars were shining bright in the sky, comforting and acting as a map to guide Draco to where he was going. He could feel the dark that was all around them, hanging heavily and oppressive over their heads. It was trying to get through the light and reach him, but the stars and the candles held it back.
It was time to obliterate it.
Draco closed his eyes and inhaled, his hands clapped together and a smile on his lips, and he began to sing.
"Sankta Lucia, ljusklara hägring, sprid I vår vinternatt, glans av din fägring."
He knew the words, understood exactly what they meant, and when he heard the others joining his song, he opened his eyes and took a step forward.
It felt as if they were floating, walking through the corridor peacefully with the candles lightning up their way.
Soon they came to the Great Hall. All the candles that hovered in the ceiling weren't lightning up the hall as usual, instead one could see the early morning sky clearly reflected the ceiling. Every head was turned towards them as Draco entered the hall. The candles in the crown on top of his head cast a white light across the great room and he kept his gaze straight forward, because he knew that everyone was gaping at him. Just like Flitwick had said, the staff table had been removed and there was plenty of space for the eighth years to stand.
Slowly the train of eighth years followed Draco into the hall, filling it with song. Draco could hear gasps and whispers and for a second he wondered what his Slytherins thought of this, but he quickly abandoned the thought. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Draco turned around like he was supposed to and watched as his classmates walked past him. Pansy winked at him as she walked past and Draco did the same, earning a suspicious look from Susan Bones that was walking behind Pansy.
Harry smiled brilliantly at Draco as he walked past, and Draco couldn't help but smile back, feeling the warmth spread through his veins knowing that that smile was for him and him only.
When the whole class had taken their places behind him Draco finally allowed his eyes to sweep across the room. Every eye was on him, looking at him with mostly surprise and astonishment.
The song ended and Draco could feel the entire choir relax a little, letting out a breath that they had all been holding as no one started to make fun of them. They then continued with their ceremony, singing song after song, and Draco could feel himself relax more and more as the world seemed to brighten up and the dark power vanish. It was like cold, dark pressure that he felt around them, outside the Great Hall, was slowly dissolved, the sun beginning to rise in the east, exterminating the dark that was trying to push through the walls of light.
It was all over in a flash, he didn't even notice that it was almost over until he found himself taking a step forward, beginning to lead the eighth years out of the Great Hall and completing the ceremony. The school watched in silence as they walked out, everybody realizing that this was the end of the ceremony. Draco continued to walk until the song ended, leading the train two corridors away from the Great Hall where they finally stopped as the song ended.
Silence filled the corridor and Draco turned around to find every single eighth year watching him.
"Is it over?" someone asked.
Draco took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He felt… normal. The giant shadow that had hovered over his head, ever present since the first of December was finally gone. He opened his eyes and smiled.
"Yes."
A cry of sheer joy broke out somewhere in the line and suddenly Pansy was throwing herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"Candles, Pansy! I still have lit candles in my hair!" Draco yelped and tried to pull away and regain his balance. But then Harry materialized beside him, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Keep still so we can blow them out then," he said, his eyes gleaming and Draco felt an urge to snog him senseless.
Without waiting for Draco's response, Harry began to blow out the candles, Pansy also assisting.
When they were done he pulled off the wreath quickly, feeling stands of his hair being ripped off his head by the branches entangled in his hair.
"Merlin," he whined, running a hand through his hair. "I have candle wax all in my hair!"
"Well what did you expect, going around with lit candles on top of your head?" Harry asked teasingly.
"Shut up, Potter. I'm in agony, can't you see?" Draco moaned.
"Aww, darling Draco has candle wax in all his hair, do you want a hug?" Harry said in a mockingly sweet way and Draco did not think twice before he punched him on the shoulder.
"Ow – what the hell, Draco? No need to get physical."
"You were mocking me, Potter. You deserve to die!" Draco said dramatically before he lunged for Harry.
He pushed Harry up the wall, holding both his wrists and trapping Harry's body there with his own.
"Dead yet?" he asked with a smirk.
"You'll have to try harder than that." Harry grinned back.
"Or not!" a disgusted voice exclaimed somewhere behind Draco.
He turned around to find Weasley and Hermione there, Weasley looking like he had done last night when he'd found them snogging, and Hermione looking utterly gobsmacked.
"Really, Weasley? You had to spoil everything just when it was getting fun." Pansy glared at the ginger angrily.
"Where exactly is the fun in seeing stuff like that? I've had my fair share, and it's printed behind my eyelids forever!"
"Glad that I could traumatise you, Weasley." Draco let go of Harry and took a step back, smirking.
"So it was like the book said?" Hermione suddenly asked, looking at Harry.
"Thought you'd have already figured that out to be honest," Harry answered her and smiled a little.
"What are you talking about?" Pansy demanded.
"I'll tell you later." Hermione winked at her.
"Okay! Now lets get out of these night gowns. The sun rising and I do not fancy being seen in this bloody dress more than required," Draco said and started to march towards the Eighth Years Tower.
"I'll help you get out of that dress if you want me too," Harry whispered in his ear, making Draco shiver.
"Well, since you're offering." He smirked back at the Gryffindor, feeling joy rush through him, knowing that he was falling head over heels in love with Harry Potter.