herumtreiber

Title: The Solstice curse 25/25
Author:

herumtreiber
Word Count: 1,037
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Day 25 traditional - tropical Christmas
Warning: None
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns them, not me. This is for mischief's sake, not profit.
Author's Notes: This is for

slythindor100 's Christmas challenge picture prompts. Sequel of Part one, Part two, Part three, Part four, Part five, Part six, Part seven, Part eight, Part nine, Part ten, Part eleven, Part twelve, Part thirteen, Part fourteen, Part fifteen, Part sixteen, Part seventeen, Part eighteen, Part nineteen, Part twenty, Part twenty-one, Part twenty-two, Part twenty-three & Part twenty-four
My heartfelt thanks to the mods for the wonderful picture prompts :)

"Your report is quite detailed, Lovegood."

"I'm glad you think so, sir." Luna peered at her boss over the edge of her glasses.

Mr Bedloe gazed at the purple-tinted spectacles which had stems shaped like tentacles. He sighed patiently; Luna's strange ways made her a very good Unspeakable. No one had ever suspected she worked for the Department, except those pesky Weasley twins.

He glanced at the parchment, his thumb rubbing against an ink blot which resembled his daughter's Puffskein. "About Fred and George Weasley…"

"No one would ever believe them, Mr Bedloe," Luna said. "And I convinced them to keep their silence."

"Excellent, Lovegood." Bedloe leaned towards her and said in a low voice, "What about Malfoy?"

"He won't pose any trouble, sir," Luna said firmly. "He's busy with Harry Potter, and Narcissa Malfoy offered to run interference for me."

"That's good." Bedloe shuddered at his recollection of the poised and calculating Mrs Malfoy. Unfortunately, she had rebuffed the offer made by his predecessor to form part of the Unspeakables.

oOoOo

Harry sauntered into the bedroom, his shoes leaving a wet trail upon the marble floor.

"Did you have to hit me?" growled Draco, rubbing the edge of his fur hat. He could swear it was still wet from the snowballs, even after several drying charms.

"Reckon you shouldn't have built those snowmen."

"I had to seize the opportunity because the snow won't last forever, you know." Draco caressed Harry's shoulder before dashing towards the bathroom.

"It won't, but we'll have many more winters together," Harry said quietly, before noticing a postcard on the night table.

The dash of blue caught his attention and Harry peered down, sighing at the beautiful beach whose sand appeared as pristine as the snow, the sea just the same aquamarine shade of the sky on Christmas morning whilst he and Draco built snowmen. A Santa hat was on the beach, next to the 'Merry Christmas' someone had scrawled on the sand.

Harry smiled at the padding sounds coming from the bathroom, inhaling deeply the scent of cologne and wet snow that would be indelibly mixed with the memory of Christmas from now on.

"That's from Pansy," Draco said, peering over Harry's shoulder, his breath ghosting against the Auror's cheek. "She went to the Caribbean with Blaise."

"She did?"

"Pansy knows I get sad on Christmas," Draco explained. "It wasn't a very cheerful time for us when we were growing up, though Pansy always managed to cheer me up."

"Do you feel melancholy now?"

"Not at all." Draco's fingers traced a path along the stem of Harry's glasses before brushing against his cheek. "Now I have you, Harry."

"And you will, for quite a bit longer."

"I should hope for the rest of our lives." Draco stepped back, heaving a deep sigh. "Heard Mother on the Floo, she was talking to Mrs Weasley."

"Fighting?" said Harry.

"Not exactly; they were discussing the advantages of a June wedding."

"You heard Molly during Christmas dinner; she offered the Burrow for our wedding," said Harry, and then he grinned broadly. "Right before she scolded Fred and George for eating the roof of the gingerbread house."

oOoOo

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain
21 June

The monoliths stood erect in the distance, dark sentinels amidst a sea of green. The visitors for the summer solstice snaked their way amongst the menhirs, their clothes a bright dash of colour against the verdant grass.

"The reception is tiring," Harry said with a shrug. "I've been up all night because of wedding jitters, and having to stand there and greet everyone…"

"I know, Harry," Draco turned to face him and Harry's breath caught in his chest. The blond looked very handsome clad in Malfoy ceremonial robes, twirling his wand between his fingers whilst he smirked. "Brought you here so we could relax."

"The pesky reporters kept asking questions," Harry huffed. "Not to mention the Ministry workers fawning over me!"

Harry scuffed his dragonhide boots on the ground, breathing the scent of crushed grass that reminded him of Quidditch days, flying high above Hogwarts as he chased after the Snitch.

"Bores you to death, I know too well." Draco sighed, rubbing his wand on the soft cloth of the satin sash. "Dealing with my parents' guests is more nerve-wracking than breaking curses!"

"Any regrets, Malfoy-Potter?" said Harry, sticking his hands inside the pockets of his trousers.

"None whatsoever, Potter-Malfoy, except that we have to come back. You know Mother and Molly won't be pleased if we stay away any longer."

Harry searched the pockets of his robes and took out his shrunken broom. He enlarged it wandlessly and swung his leg over the hovering stick, calling to Draco, "Hop in."

Draco looked over Harry's shoulder towards the plain he'd visited as a child. The stone giants were the same, but his circumstances and feelings had changed so much it took his breath away. Sighing wistfully, he leaned forward to tap his wand against Harry, and then he twirled it around himself.

"Why don't we Apparate?" Draco shivered at the uncomfortable feeling of the Disillusionment Charm.

"I want to fly over Stonehenge," said Harry.

Draco nodded and mounted the broom, snuggling against Harry's back as he looped his arms around the Auror's toned abdomen.

The two wizards swooped up in the air and flew towards the summer clouds. Harry gazed at the circle of stones far below; they looked so small from this vantage point, he fancied they were Lego pieces abandoned by Dudley.

The wind flapped their robes, ruffling their artfully coiffed hair.

"This is familiar," said Draco loudly. "Do you remember the Fiendfyre?"

"I had to save you," Harry said absently as he stared straight ahead, searching for a break in the cloud cover; he wanted to swoop beneath the clouds and gaze once more at Salisbury Plain.

"I know." Draco held tight to Harry. "I love you."

"Love you too, Draco. Now hold on!"

Having looked upon the stone giants which kept vigil over solstices of magic and life, Harry reared up the broom which swerved towards the Manor.

Harry and Draco disappeared inside the wispy clouds woven out of summer heat, and dashed towards their future.

THE END