The soft jingle of bells sounded outside the kitchen window, coupled with the inviting, although sudden, scent of holly. Sudden, as if someone had grabbed an air freshener and spritzed it through Harry's open window while flying past. Which they had. Thirty two times in the past week.

Harry gritted his teeth as he watched the enchanted toy santa zoom into the distance, yelling "Ho, ho, ho" aggressively behind him. One of the wizards or witches in the area had decided to get into the spirit of the season with enough zest for the entire community, and their menagerie of magical decorations – invisible to muggles – was getting a little out of hand the closer they drew to the 25th.

Malfoy stepped up behind Harry, startling him. Malfoy moved so quietly these days that Harry was forever getting a surprise when he entered or exited a room.

"Morning," Harry said.

"Mph," Malfoy grunted in reply.

Harry frowned, but Malfoy was too busy staring at his tea to notice.

"I was going to do some shopping later, if you wanted to come," Harry said warily.

The now familiar blank look slid across Malfoy's face. Harry bit his tongue to prevent himself from acknowledging the expression. He knew that if he asked Malfoy what was wrong, Malfoy would only become more brooding and less inclined to talk. Besides, there was no point in asking. Harry knew what was wrong. Six years of sitting across from Malfoy in the Great Hall, watching care package after care package delivered for every occasion – particularly seasonal holidays – meant he'd have to be an idiot not to know.

The problem was that he didn't know what to do with the knowledge. His relationship experience was painfully limited. His relationship experience with Malfoy was still so absurd that the prospect of offering comfort for something so intense left him feeling mildly ridiculous. Malfoy had led them to where they were now. With Malfoy withdrawing from him, Harry had no idea where to move from here. He sighed and stood up.

"I might go now," he said. "Try and beat the crowds."

Malfoy nodded, but said nothing. Harry left him at the table and moved to the fireplace, thinking vaguely of Flooing Ginny to see if she was free to help him. He changed his mind at the last second and Floo'd Hermione instead.

"You still haven't done your Christmas shopping?" Hermione asked reprovingly. "Harry, there's only one week until Christmas!"

"Haven't finished shopping," Harry corrected her. "I've got most of it." He paused. "Well, some of it. Anyway, did you want to come or not?"

Hermione sniffed. "Well, I have to exchange Dad's present, since it was faulty. So sure, I'll come."

"Thanks, Hermione." Harry beamed. "I'll meet you outside the Leaky Cauldron in ten minutes."

Hermione gave him a final look and withdrew from the fire.

In the hallway, Harry paused. Should he go and say goodbye to Malfoy? Hermione was so much better at this stuff. He'd ask her. He walked out the front door and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

While he was waiting for Hermione, he decided to check his list.

Ron – Quidditch?

Ginny – Advanced charms spellbook

Hermione – Not a book.

Mrs Weasley – Lady Levina's Perfect Perfume

Mr Weasley – Muggle television

Hagrid – Something that won't kill him...

Teddy – Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes: something from the infant range

He still had no idea what to get for Ron, but he figured Hermione might have some ideas. He had seen Hermione eying off an expensive watch when they went shopping last. As well as telling the time, it reminded you when you had gone too long without completing an important task, like assessing your budget or calling your mother. Harry thought it sounded nosy and annoying, but Hermione had lingered over it almost lovingly, and he knew that although a book was always appreciated, she also looked longingly at the beautiful jewellery Ginny was always given. He'd tried to hint as much to Ron but had gotten nowhere.

He had left the rest of the Weasley siblings off his present list so that they didn't feel obligated to reciprocate, but Mr Weasley's gift had been easy. Harry had gotten his present first and was already looking forward to sneaking out to the shed Mrs Weasley pretended she didn't know about and setting it up for him. He crossed a line through Mr Weasley and then crossed a line through Hagrid's note and wrote "bearded dragon". Although it might not be a real dragon, it was at least legal and he knew Hagrid would appreciate the company as well as something to care for, particularly since Fang was getting older.

He gazed at the list and felt a pang as he thought of the people who would have been on there if not for the war. Lupin, Tonks, Fred, even Snape. Harry would have enjoyed giving Snape a present just for the look on his face. Most likely suspicion, mingled with poorly disguised disgust in an attempt at being polite. Or maybe Snape would have thanked him. Harry would never know.

He put the list away just as Hermione came up behind him.

"Hey," he said, standing up and giving her a smile.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione said, beaming, her ire apparently forgotten.

Harry realised it had been a long time since they had caught up as just the two of them. He had missed her.

"Where did you want to go first?" she asked as they made their way into Diagon Alley.

"Did you want to help me pick a charms spellbook for Ginny?" he asked. "She's been getting really good, I thought she might like to try some new, interesting ones."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "I know a really good one that's just been published," she said. "They're all tricky little charms that can be used to make games and things."

"Games?" Harry asked, following her to Flourish and Blotts.

"Yes," Hermione said. "Like charming masses of objects to fly at you and then shooting them down with sparks, that sort of thing."

It sounded like just the kind of energetic and vaguely destructive thing that Ginny would enjoy. It sounded perfect. Hermione found the book easily and suggested a Focus quill for Ron, who was sitting the auror academy entrance exam sometime next year.

"It's not cheating," she insisted. "It doesn't make you smarter. It just helps you concentrate."

Harry grinned at her protestations and, under Hermione's disapproving gaze, added a large pile of chocolate frogs to the bag with Ron's Focus quill. He knew she thought Ron ate too many sweets.

They finished off their shopping quite quickly, despite the crowds. Hermione politely pretended not to notice that Harry brought Jumping Jigglebugs Toddler Food for Teddy. Harry had read the note on the shelf and couldn't resist.

Upon consumption (by toddler): Jumping Jigglebugs will make even the drabbest of mums and dads jump and dance unwittingly for their toddler's amusement. Complete with discrete packaging to ensure an unsuspecting victim. The perfect purchase for the uncle or aunt with a sense of humour.

Since Teddy would likely be fed by the very proper Grandma Tonks, Teddy could be assured a rare and entertaining sight.

Finally, they settled for ice creams at the newly re-decorated Florean Fortescue's.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Hermione asked, sipping daintily at a Seven Mint Sundae.

Harry sighed. "I don't know what to do with Draco." He looked up at Hermione. Her face was set in a resigned, although slightly pained, expression.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to give the best relationship advice about-" she paused. "Draco," she finished. "But I'll try. What's he done?"

Harry laughed. "Nothing like that. He's depressed. It's family season. This is the first Christmas since the war, we're all feeling losses. But Draco has lost his father, and his mother is just as unreachable even if she is alive."

"Have you had any luck appealing her case?" Hermione asked quietly.

Harry shook his head, his face grim. "They've accepted that she made a 'contribution to the war effort' by saving me, but they're still tallying her war crimes," he said bitterly.

Hermione grimaced. "They don't want to let her go, do they?"

Harry shook his head again. There was a long pause.

"It's such a shame that Death Eaters are refused visitors," Hermione said suddenly, her voice light. "You would think that her 'contribution' would earn her that much."

Harry glance up, confused by her tone. She was staring at him pointedly. It clicked.

"Hermione, you're-"

"This sundae is delicious," she interrupted. "How's yours?"

Harry paused and then decided to let it go. He pulled a face. "Pretty terrible actually. Every Flavour Sundaes aren't as good as they sound."

Hermione laughed. They finished their sundaes and spent the rest of the afternoon buying little things to put in stockings.

Hermione gave him a big hug when they said goodbye. Harry appreciated it as her way of showing him support. She didn't yet like Malfoy, but she was trying for Harry, and he loved her for it.

When he arrived home, he could hear swearing coming from the living room. He walked in cautiously. Malfoy was bent over something on the coffee table, his back to Harry. He was muttering furiously under his breath.

"Draco?"

Malfoy jumped up and spun around, his eyes wide. He shoved his hands behind his back, looking like a kid who had been caught stealing cookies.

"Potter," he sneered, then seemed to catch himself. He frowned. "Harry." He made some kind of movement behind his back and then stood normally, his hands empty by his sides.

Harry frowned. "Are you alright?" he asked. Malfoy had been off for several weeks now, but he had never reverted to their past behaviour before.

Malfoy grunted, but it wasn't the vacant-eyed dismissals he had been giving to that question lately. He looked uncomfortable, like he wished Harry wasn't there.

"I'm fine," he said, moving toward Harry and looking slightly more normal.

Harry reached out and grasped his shoulder as he tried to move past, toward the door. Malfoy stopped and looked at him. There was a split second where Harry was sure he saw irritation in Malfoy's eyes. "You can talk to me, you know," he said, watching Malfoy closely.

This time, he saw pain there. "I don't want to talk about it," Malfoy said roughly, twisting out of Harry's shoulder and walking past.

The last few days until Christmas passed quickly. Harry was distracted trying to correspond with Shacklebot in secret. It took a surprising amount of convincing for them to grant his request, even with who he was and what Malfoy had done to help track down the remaining Death Eaters. It was a grim wake up call to the likely outcome of Narcissa's trial, but Harry tried not to dwell on that.

It was depressingly easy to hide what he was doing from Malfoy. Malfoy didn't seek him out at all. All he could hear from Malfoy's room were loud noises of things breaking and smashing, accompanied by Malfoy's swearing. Occasionally he would hear the same noises from the living room. Harry had no idea what any of it meant, and he tried not to dwell on that either.

On Christmas Eve, Ron Floo'd Harry.

"Hi, Harry," he said, grinning up from the fireplace.

"Hey, Ron," Harry said, grinning back. "Shouldn't you be helping your mum get ready for tomorrow?"

"Nah, I'm just getting in the way," Ron said, pulling a face. "She made come and Floo you. Said it was something I was sure to be able to manage."

Harry laughed.

Ron grinned and then looked suddenly hesitant. "Hey," he said carefully. "You never asked about Malfoy."

Harry stiffened slightly. He had assumed it was too much too quickly to invite Malfoy to the Weasley Christmas lunch given all the bad history between the two families. He hadn't mentioned it to anyone, but he had just assumed that he and Malfoy would have a quiet Christmas lunch by themselves. And hopefully neither of them would get too depressed at all the faces that should be there, but weren't.

"So I had to tell mum myself," Ron continued, glaring at Harry reproachfully. Harry frowned, confused. "So you owe me big time for that, mate. Making me talk nicely about that gi-" He made a strong effort to stop himself. "That person. Your-" he paused. "Person. Anyway. Having to tell mum you two were dating and then have her yell at me about why you weren't here telling her yourself and did you really think that she was that prejudiced to tar an entire family with the same brush because of one rotten egg."

Harry could hear Mrs Weasley yelling the words right now.

"Anyway. She said you should have told her earlier so that she could have prepared properly and she said to tell you to make sure you're here before eleven so that Draco can be introduced to everyone." He pulled a face as he said 'Draco', but despite that, Harry had to admit he was doing very well. He had accepted their relationship largely without drama, although he still had trouble using Malfoy's name in a polite sentence. Still, progress was progress.

Harry blinked down at him. "So, she wants us to come?"

Ron snorted. Then he seemed to fully comprehend Harry's words. His eyes bugged out of his head in alarm and he began to cough. "You weren't going to come?" he finally managed to say, still coughing. "Bloody hell. You've got a death wish."

Harry laughed. "Okay, we'll be there. But it will have to be at twelve. We've got to be somewhere at eleven."

Ron shrugged. "Fine, but you can explain that to mum when you get here. I've had enough of her yelling at me because of you."

Harry grinned. "Alright, we'll see you then."

Ron grinned. "See you then, mate."

Harry stood up and went to find Malfoy. A loud noise from Malfoy's bedroom led the way. Harry pushed open the door cautiously.

Malfoy's head whipped up at the noise of the door. He yelped and rushed at Harry. Before Harry could properly take in what was going on in the bedroom – although there was a large cloud of smoke covering everything – he had been pushed back out in the corridor.

"Learn to knock!" Malfoy snapped, slamming the door behind him.

Harry glared at him, hurt. "I didn't think there would be anything I'd need to knock for," he said pointedly, shoving Malfoy away from him. He stepped backward. "We're due at the Weasley's at twelve for lunch," he said, still walking backward. "And I've got something planned for us at eleven. So be ready by quarter to." He turned away and moved back to his bedroom.

"Harry," he heard Malfoy say behind him, but Harry kept walking. Harry knew Malfoy was depressed – he had every right to be – but Harry wished he would talk to Harry instead of secluding himself in his room doing god knows what and cracking it at Harry whenever they ran into each other.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, suddenly tired, and got changed and ready for bed.

The next morning he found Malfoy up and waiting for him at the kitchen table. Wordlessly, Malfoy passed him a cup of tea. Harry took it warily, but Malfoy seemed happy this morning. Or, if not entirely happy, at least not upset.

"Merry Christmas," Harry said, giving Malfoy a small smile.

"Merry Christmas," Malfoy said, suddenly bringing a hand around Harry's waist and pulling him in close for a kiss.

When they pulled apart several long, glorious seconds later, Harry's smile was considerably wider.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, several layers of meaning beneath the question. Are you feeling better? Are you ready to talk to me yet? Are we fine?

"Great," Malfoy said, leaning his forehead against Harry's and closing his eyes. "Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?"

Harry shook his head, their noses brushing slightly. "It's a surprise," he said.

"Damn," Malfoy said lightly.

Harry packed all his presents into a large basket, hoping he hadn't forgotten anyone's. He left Teddy's beneath the tree, ready for Teddy to find when he visited tomorrow. He picked up the basket and waited for Malfoy by the front door.

He was surprised to see Malfoy with a basket just as full. When he gave him an inquiring look, Malfoy just shrugged.

"I like Christmas," he said.

That admission just made Harry sadder and more grateful that he had persisted in his present for Malfoy.

He opened the front door and took Malfoy by the arm. A flying group of tin carollers flew up to them and launched into a high-pitched rendition of Silent Night. Malfoy batted them with his hand until they flew off to the next house, squealing indignantly as they went. Harry watched the light-hearted exasperation on Malfoy's face and felt suddenly nervous.

"It's not something that you're going to be suddenly ecstatic about," he warned Malfoy. "You might feel a range of emotions. Just be prepared."

Malfoy glanced at him curiously, but he didn't hesitate, grasping Harry's arm with his right hand and balancing his basket of presents on his left. Harry found Malfoy's trust in him almost sobering.

Harry shut the door and apparated them to Azkaban. When the cold walls of the interrogation room appeared around them, dripping and dank, he felt a sudden rush of trepidation. There was nothing Christmasy about this. This was a terrible present. It would only make Malfoy feel worse. Maybe he should have arranged for them to talk via Floo network instead.

"I'm sorry," he said uselessly as he felt Malfoy stiffen beside him. "It was the only place they would settle as a meeting room. There are no visitation rooms here."

He turned to Malfoy and saw his eyes were wide. He was rigid with tension. Harry gently reached out and took the basket from him before he dropped it.

"You might not appreciate it now," Harry said quietly. "But I thought, not knowing what might happen," he stopped himself, not wanting to make it worse by referring to the Kiss. Suddenly, this felt like a terrible idea. Malfoy liked Christmas. Maybe Malfoy had been hoping to pretend everything was fine, just for one day, and get caught up in the festivities. Maybe Harry had just destroyed that. "I hope I haven't ruined your Christmas mood," he finished lamely.

Malfoy grabbed Harry by the chin, effectively stopping him from speaking. "Harry," he said quietly, still staring straight ahead at the wooden table with two chairs, one on either side. "Sugar-coated presents are for people with sugar-coated lives." He turned to face him, his eyes shining. "This means everything to me. Thank you."

Harry felt his body relax, relief flooding through him. "I'm glad," he said, giving Malfoy a gentle kiss on the lips. "You have until twelve. I'll leave you to it."

Malfoy nodded and moved to the table. He looked as though he had barely even heard Harry. At that moment they brought Narcissa in. Flanked by two Dementors she looked cold and tired, but the Malfoy pride still shone through above all else.

Harry nodded to her and left for the corridor outside. He made himself as comfortable as possible on one of the wooden chairs down the corridor and settled down to wait.

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, Malfoy was shaking him awake. Harry sat up quickly, running his eyes over Malfoy, trying to assess if he was alright. He looked worn, but relaxed. Like a poison had been drained from his system.

"Let's go," he said, taking Harry's arm and smiling at him. It was a genuine smile with none of the forced emotion of the last few weeks.

They walked down the corridor to the foyer. You could apparate anywhere into the interrogation building, but you could only apparate from the main entrance, far away from the rooms. Malfoy apparated them away from Azkaban. Harry looked up, expecting to see the Burrow, but was surprised to see they were standing in a large meadow of freshly mown grass.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Near the Manor," Malfoy said. "I wanted to give you your present before we arrived at the Burrow, but I didn't want to give it to you at Azkaban." He reached into his basket and pulled out a small package, wrapped in red paper. As he handed it to Harry he looked almost contrite. "I need to apologise as well," he said. "It took longer than I thought it would, and it kept going wrong. You kept catching me working on it, and I'm afraid I've never really had to defend myself like that before, so I think I came across harsh." He had a puzzled look on his face. "I was only upset that you might see it early."

Harry laughed. "You mean, normally when you tell people to go away and leave you alone, they do?"

"Well, yeah," Malfoy said, his face still puzzled.

"Yeah, you're going to have to get used to that not happening anymore," Harry said lightly, taking the present. "I don't take orders well. And boyfriends don't give orders."

Malfoy made a show of being disgruntled, but his eyes didn't leave the present. Harry could tell Malfoy was eager for him to open it. He began to peel off the paper with deliberate slowness, although he was more than curious what it could be.

The paper fell away to reveal a small glass orb, like a crystal ball. Harry frowned at it, wondering what it was. As he watched, the translucent centre changed to reveal a scene. He leaned closer and with a shock saw Sirius and James running across a roof. There was sound too, although it was quiet.

"I couldn't get it much louder," Malfoy said, sounding exasperated. "But if you're in a quiet room you can hear it well enough. Right now they're laughing. They're daring each other to leap further distances."

Harry stared down at the ball in wonder. "How did you do it?" he asked, breathless.

"I found a store of memories in the attic," Malfoy said quietly. "It seems that your dad and your godfather were collecting them for their children. There's a memory in there that sort of explains it. They wanted to show their children what they were like when they were younger. Show that they weren't just old and boring."

Harry felt another pang of sadness. Neither of them had been given the chance to grow old and boring.

"So I thought I would try using the Elder Wand and see if I could make some easier way of viewing them, because a Pensieve is kind of annoying. I barely looked at them, so they're still private. Do you like it?"

Harry looked up to see Malfoy watching him almost anxiously. Harry smiled.

"I love it," he said, leaning in for another kiss.

When Harry opened his eyes, they were at the Burrow. The second they reached the door, Ginny tore it open, her eyes gleaming as she dragged Harry and Malfoy into the centre of what was obviously a very disgruntled group of present-openers.

"Mum said we had to wait," Ron said sulkily.

"Don't be ridiculous," Mrs Weasley said, swooping down to give Harry and Malfoy a giant hug. "You opened your family presents so early you were still half asleep. Welcome Harry, dear. Draco." She smiled at them both and passed them a large parcel each.

Harry fumbled trying to balance the parcel and the basket, while Malfoy smoothly levitated both. With a whizzing sound, presents from Malfoy's basket distributed themselves across the room. There was a second of shocked silence. Harry caught Ron's eye and saw surprise and a little guilt.

Hermione broke the silence by lobbing a medium sized present straight at Malfoy's head. He caught it at the last second, and it was his turn to look surprised. Then there were presents flying everywhere as first Ginny and then everyone else joined in. Laughing, Harry caught his presents dextrously and distributed his own – the breakable ones a little more carefully.

Soon the flying presents were replaced with torn wrapping paper, and the room was filled with cries of delight as people opened gifts, or cries of horror as one of George's joke presents exploded with a bang or something sticky.

"Harry!" shrieked Hermione, opening Harry's gift to her. "I had no idea you saw me looking!"

Ron peered over at the gift, looking perturbed until Hermione opened his own gift to her and saw the beautiful silver necklace. Her shriek of delight temporarily deafened everyone in the room as she knocked Ron over with a flying tackle.

"Good one, Malfoy!" Ginny said, grinning as she opened his present to her. A brightly coloured ball whizzed upwards into the air, sending mini fireworks in its wake.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It's a dessert ball," Malfoy said, watching and grinning as someone else opened theirs and a second brightly coloured ball joined the first. "They're filled with chocolate and sweets, but they only open after lunch and you have to chase them down and catch them."

A high pitched squealing had them all turning suddenly to George, who looked up with a guilty expression, a dessert ball held tightly in his hands. "They, er, don't appear to like being smashed into fireplaces," he said contemplatively. "Might just have to wait."

"Lunch is ready!" Mrs Weasley called.

Everyone dived to finish opening their presents before they had to go to the table. Malfoy held up a green scarf with a silver 'D' stitched carefully at each end and stared at it in astonishment. Across the room Harry saw Ron's expression of horror and burst out laughing.

"If I'd had more time I would have had a jumper ready, like Astoria's," Mrs Weasley insisted, giving Ron a glare as if it was his fault.

Harry grinned across at Astoria, who was already wearing her green and silver jumper proudly. She smiled back at him and clasped Ginny's hand. Ginny immediately drew Astoria into a one-armed hug and opened her final presents distractedly.

In the flurry of wrapping paper flying across the room, and dessert balls whizzing around in a show of sparks and noise, Harry strangely found himself remembering one of the first conversations he had ever had with Sirius. The ones that love us never truly leave us. He leaned back against Malfoy's chest and looked up at him, catching his face in one of the rare moments it was truly relaxed and free of tension. Malfoy looked down at him and smiled. Harry could feel Malfoy's heart beating against his back, strong and steady. And you can always find them in here.