They had found a suitable pine tree in the grounds for the front of the manor and, Harry managed to hover it around the house and erect it under Draco's watchful eye while Narcissa retrieved the outdoor decorations and the boys were left to distribute them as they saw fit (under Narcissa's firm guidance). Harry insisted that Draco returned the favour and the following Saturday, Draco and Scorpius came over to help. Harry took them into London to find a tree from one of the sellers who sold trees on the outskirts of Battersea Park. They chose together and took it back on the underground, much to Harry and Teddy's amusement and the anxiety of Draco and Scorpius who had never travelled on underground trains before, let alone with a seven-foot Christmas tree.
Once more the boys were left to decorate, but without Narcissa's management the results were not quite so evenly spread and the boys soon got bored resulting in Teddy dragged Scorpius off to introduce him to Lego.
It ended up with Harry and Draco re-organising the decorations and finishing them together.
'Did you ever get to see your Shakespeare play with your mother?' Harry asked, as he stood on a chair hanging baubles near the top of the tree while Draco handed them to him.
'No,' Draco sighed. 'It would never have been possible in the years before the war, and afterwards, after house arrest was over, it all seemed so frivolous.'
'Oh. So, if I said I have five tickets to see Romeo and Juliet in Stratford-upon-Avon, do you think you and your mother and Scorpius might like to come with me and Teddy?'
'Harry?'
'Of course, it depends on whether you're all free on Saturday 29th December?'
'Well, I might have to check mother's diary but it's not like we're exactly flocked by relatives over the Christmas period so we don't tend to have fully loaded calendars.'
Harry smiled down at Draco from the chair, 'good, consider it your Christmas present.'
'But...'
Harry stepped down off the chair he was standing on and stood in front of Draco, 'I would like to take you all.'
Draco was looking intently at him. 'I would love that, my mother would too,' his voice was low and quieter than usual. He had, unconsciously, stepped closer, a little too close.
'We'll have to do some explaining to the boys, but it's a straightforward play for them to start with,' Harry couldn't help his voice dropping to meet Draco's. There was a surprising husky tone to his voice that he didn't want to think about too much.
'You know your Shakespeare?' Draco's smoke-grey eyes were flicking between Harry's, his pupils darker than usual.
'Yes.' He was close enough to smell Draco's aftershave and Merlin! it was doing things to his insides that weren't normal. 'I went to muggle school with a rather keen year-six teacher, and rather inappropriately for a cast of ten-year-olds, we put on a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Then Andy, I guess like your mother, was rather passionate about the Bard. She made me go to a few performances with her before she passed away. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favourites.'
'A story about star-crossed lovers? As a favourite literary text, it's nearly as bad as Jane Eyre. I hope you're not telling me something...'
Harry quirked a small smile, 'No. At least, nothing tragic anyway.'
'It's a date then,' Draco said quietly.
And there was that Funny Little Stomach Flip-Thing again, especially as Draco had reached out and was, slightly shakily, unconsciously fiddling with a small bobble of fluff on Harry's jumper.
Harry's breath hitched at the realisation.
'Who did you play then, in the school production?' There was a slight wickedness to Draco's smile.
'Oberon...'
'You played the king of the fairies!'
'Draco, I need to tell...'
'Dar,' the sitting room door was flung open. 'Oops, sorry.'
Harry stepped back rather quickly, making the decorations on the tree tinkle behind him as he floundered against the tree. And he and Draco were suddenly back to Not Looking at each other again.
'You okay, Teddy?' he mumbled.
'Yeah, can me and Scorp have a snack?'
'Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a pizza?'
'Can we? With Scorp and Draco?'
'If that's okay with Draco?' They were Definitely Not Looking at each other.
'Can we, papa?' came a voice from behind Teddy.
'Well, why not?'
'Yeah!!!!' The boys were jumping around together.
As they ate their dinner, talk was dominated by the boys who were oblivious to the fact that Harry and Draco were sitting opposite each other in a rather awkward silence and not making eye contact. It didn't help that Teddy kept winking unsubtly at Harry which he was fairly certain that Draco saw on more than one occasion. That resulted in Harry blushing profusely and more Not Looking at each other. He was going to have some serious words with Teddy when they got home.
Later, as Draco and Scorpius were about to step into the Floo to leave, Harry remembered he hadn't Draco told about his Apparation test. He grabbed hold of Draco's sleeve, catching him before he threw the Floo powder.
'You test date has been confirmed for Monday 10th,' he said, finally making eye contact with Draco again. 'I need to take you up onto the Brecons on Monday for your outdoor practical. I recommend you dress up warm on Monday, the first snow is expected up on the hills soon.'
Draco smiled at Harry, somewhat half-heartedly though.
By the Thursday, it was bitterly cold before they'd even left the university. The sky threatened them with occasional snowflakes but nothing of worth in the valley. Harry was feeling slightly apprehensive about what the weather would be like higher up. They were both warmly wrapped up in hats, scarves, gloves, and heavy coats and boots.
It was still slightly awkward between them after The Moment on Saturday but both of them were arduously ignoring it and were trying to carrying on as if everything were Completely Normal. Monday's lesson had been uncomfortably embarrassing but they had struggled through. Afterwards, Draco had said he needed to rush off so they didn't have lunch together.
Harry held out his arm to Apparate them into the mountains.
The Department of Advanced Magical Studies owned a large piece of rural land on the edge of the National Park. It was marked as MOD land with large signs up around the perimeter declaring warnings such as: 'DANGER! Keep Out!' and 'Ministry of Defence Training Grounds, DO NOT ENTER, Warning: live ammunitions used'. Of course, there was no such thing, the most dangerous thing that happened was the annual staff and student Summer Quidditch Match to raise money for St Mungo's, but the signs kept the muggles at bay.
It was indeed snowing heavily up in the Brecons with flurries swirling thickly through the air, and it caught them both off-guard as they landed from Harry's side-along. Draco stumbled and Harry caught him firmly, pulling Draco against him.
'Sorry!' they both muttered, each slightly flushed. Draco was still Not Looking at Harry and was gazing over his shoulder. Harry hadn't quite let go of Draco, holding him close, while Draco's hands were resting on Harry's chest from where he'd steadied himself. There was a reluctance to let go by either of them, partly because of the cold.
Harry studied the blond man intently. 'Draco, are you okay?' he asked softly. The freezing air turning their breath into a cold mist which curled around them.
'Yes, fine.' Harry couldn't fail to notice the reply was rather curt.
'Have I gone too far with the theatre tickets?' Harry knew it wasn't really that but he couldn't think how to approach the subject of what was going on between them. He wasn't even sure what was going on with the turmoil of emotions that were coursing around his own system, let alone understanding what was going on with Draco.
'No, no. It's me. I think it's the onset of another one of my periods when the Cruciatus catches up with me. I'm slightly unsteady at the moment, I feel a bit weak, and my senses are rather overwhelmed.'
'You should have let me know, I've been pushing you with the training and on top of your university work. I'm sorry, Draco.'
'No, it's fine, really.'
Harry reached up and brushed off the snow that was gathering in Draco's hair that wasn't covered by his hat. 'It's not fine. You don't need to lie to me.' His glove finger traced the line of Draco's jaw to his chin as he cast a wordless warming charm around them both. He hooked his finger underneath Draco's chin so he could lift it and hold eye contact.
'Look at me, Draco.'
'I-I...' the faltering, unsure Draco had returned.
'Did you get enough sleep last night?'
'No, I...' Draco was looking anywhere but at Harry, even at this close proximity and with Harry holding his chin.
'Why?' Harry asked quietly, concerned it might be from after The Moment on Saturday.
'Just restless nights... Rumination... I...'
'Come on, I'm taking you back to the manor.'
'What about our practice?'
'It doesn't matter. I don't want you splinching yourself if you're not feeling 100%. Anyway, they won't be able to hold the test next week in these conditions. And I have no doubts that, even if the snow miraculously cleared and without any more practice, you'll still ace the exam. No, you're more important at the moment.'
'My car... my things...'
'I'll bring over your bag later, do you need anything from the car?'
'No.' He paused and, suddenly letting go of everything ounce of dignity that had been holding him upright, Draco slumped and his head fell forward so his forehead was resting on Harry's shoulder. 'Harry, I can't keep putting you out.'
'You can and you aren't. Hold on tight.'
He felt Draco grip the front of his coat as he whisked them straight back to Malfoy Manor. Harry could tell that Draco's strength was seriously waning and he was practically carrying him into the manor. He did notice, however, that the Wards had been changed to admit him.
'Narcissa!' he shouted as he wordlessly undid their boots and shucked his own off before he managed to toe Draco out of his.
'She is being out,' said the House-elf that appeared at Harry's side. 'Is I needing to be getting Master Draco his potions?'
'For the Cruciatus? Yes,' Harry replied.
'Bed,' rasped Draco between chattering teeth.
'Wait! His room?' Harry called after the House-elf.
'It is being up the stairs, Mr Potter; it is being the third door on the right. I is right back straightaway immediately.' The House-elf disappeared as Harry was whipping off Draco's snow-covered hat and eased off Draco's gloves. Draco still had his head on Harry's shoulder and he was shivering chronically.
'Draco, do you normally get the shakes like this? Draco? Can you answer me? Shit! Come on!' he hoisted Draco into a bridal-style lift and stumbled up the stairs with him, flinging open the door to what he hoped was the right bedroom and taking him to the bed.
The House-elf reappeared as Harry was kneeling in front of Draco who was perched hopelessly on the edge of the bed, he was struggling to get Draco's coat unbuttoned. 'Is this normal?' he was trying hard not to shout at the poor elf.
'Yes, Mr Potter, Master Draco is getting the shakes when he is having a bad episode. He is needing his potions, first is the blue one and then is the green one after two minutes exactly.'
Harry held the vial for Draco because his hands were shaking so violently and he was unable to grasp the vial. He managed to tip it back into Draco's mouth. The shaking reduced dramatically, much to Harry's relief.
He watched Draco with concern as he waited.
'Now, Mr Potter!' The young elf shook Harry's sleeve and passed him the second vial.
'Ready, Draco?'
The blond man nodded and Harry tipped the second vial into his mouth. Draco grimaced but swallowed and then sighed.
'Sorry,' he muttered.
'Shh! Draco, don't apologise, it's not your fault.'
'Master Draco is needing to sleep, Mr Potter. The potions is always making him sleep.'
'Draco, let's get your coat off and get you into bed.'
'I is getting his pyjamas, Mr Potter.'
Between Harry and the elf, they managed to get the exhausted Draco into bed, though Harry insisted on turning around while the elf got Draco into his pyjamas bottoms. Once snuggled up securely under his duvet, Draco immediately closed his already drooping eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
'Thank you,' Harry said to the elf. 'Sorry, I don't know your name.'
'I is Elsie, Mr Potter.'
'Well, Elsie, thank you. When is your Mistress due back?'
'Mistress Narcissa is out for the day, Mr Potter, she is not getting back until after she is picking up Scorpius.'
'Okay, well that answers my next question. Right, can you stay with Draco until I get back.'
'Yes, Mr Potter. I is promising not to leave his side.'
'Thank you, I just have a meeting to go to and then I'll come straight back.'
*****