Third Place - Angst

"Um, Harry? You got another jumper."

Harry closed his eyes at the sound of Ron's voice and tried desperately to contain his blush. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and turned around with a gracious smile on his lips.

"Thank you, Lavender. But, you do know I'm not the thief this time, right?"

"Oh, no, Harry. I wouldn't dream of thinking that. It's just that you once commented that you liked that jumper so I thought you might like to have it. Think of it as a Christmas gift," the girl said with as much honesty that could be fabricated. She then giggled and scampered away to her waiting friends at the other side of the table. Ron grimaced as he passed the pink and yellow floral jumper to Harry.

"Well, it is really silky like," Ron offered. Harry sighed.

"You believe me, right, Ron? You don't think I'm the thief this time, right?" Harry asked desperately while unconsciously rubbing the floral material between his fingers. Ron quickly swallowed the juice he had been drinking and shook his head.

"Nah, you have better taste. I figure you'd have nicked my scarf again."

"Yeah, well, thanks," Harry grumbled. That made three jumpers, two scarves, and an old baby blanket that he had received as 'gifts' from his housemates. All within the breakfast hour. Harry had never been so grateful that the Hogwart's Express would soon be leaving and taking most of the students with it.

"Harry, I think it's rather sweet that they are actually offering you these things," Hermione said as she cut her eggs. "They believe you are trying to build another den. They just want to help."

Harry sighed. "I know, I know. It's just kind of embarrassing."

The Great Hall started to clear out as the students left to finish any last minute packing or gift giving. Hermione looked up at the large clock and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Harry, are you absolutely sure that you want to stay here? I thought you had finished with your depressing feelings." Hermione looked at him closely.

"Yeah, I am. But I still feel like staying here. The books don't have a whole lot of information about it, but I think it's that whole dumb nesting thing. I would just feel really uncomfortable anywhere else but here right now. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, mate," Ron said, wiping his mouth also, with the back of his sleeve. "Mum understands. She told me that the house was never cleaner then when she was pregnant with one of us. Said she wanted everything perfect for when it was time for us to appear." He shrugged. "Pretty normal thing."

Harry chuckled. "Good, at least for once I'm doing something normal."

"Alright, I'm going up to get my cloak. I'll meet you both down here in about fifteen minutes." Hermione stood up and left the table. Both boys rolled their eyes and smiled at Hermione's casually tossed out order.

"Potter!"

Harry looked up and saw a Slytherin uniform approaching and his heart sped up even as his instincts knew better.

"What do you want, Zabini?" Ron asked, instantly on the offensive.

"Stand down, Weasley. I'm here to give Potter something." Blaise held out a small box.

Harry looked at the box. "What is it?" he asked concerned. The nastiest surprises could come in the smallest packages.

Blaise had already started to leave but he turned back and shrugged. "Don't know. Just told to deliver it." Then he was gone. Harry looked over to the Slytherin table and immediately zeroed in on white blonde hair. But the silver eyes were trained on another Slytherin and the words and laughter were not for Harry.

"Are you going to open it?" Ron asked, staring at the box suspiciously. Harry bit the inside of his cheek.

"Yeah. I guess." Harry slowly pulled the ribbon off and lifted the lid. Inside was a small square of purple material. It was the softest thing Harry had ever felt. It had to be pure velvet.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron asked.

"It's a blanket. A velvet blanket with silk edging," Harry whispered. He stroked the material with one finger. Looking up at Ron's confusion, Harry smiled. "It's been shrunk to make it easy to box, I imagine."

"Oh, yeah. Right," Ron grimaced at his own stupidity. "So, you reckon it's from him?"

Harry studied the blanket. "This must have cost a fortune." Harry looked up into his friend's eyes. "And it is the exact same shade of purple as Draco's bedcovers."

Ron watched Harry stroke the velvet again and nodded. "You best not tell Hermione about it. She'd make you throw it out."

"Do you think I should keep it?" Harry asked, uncertain. Ron took a deep breath and scratched the back of his head.

"I think, Harry, that you should do what you want. It is a nice bit of fluff. And if it cost a lot, well, I'd take it like a gift and be gracious about it."

"Even if it's from him?"

Ron looked up at Harry. "Yeah, even if it's from him. I don't know about you, but it seems like the guy is tryin'."

"But I thought you hated him?" Harry asked.

"I do. I mean, I did. But I figure that the same things that are making you act kind of, well, different, are making him different too. I still don't like the way he was treating you and all..." Ron sighed. "But, you were pretty happy for awhile there and you haven't been happy since. So, I guess, I think you should do what ever makes you happy."

Harry smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Ron."

"Only really think about what you want, right? Hermione's not really trying to be cold hearted about it. You should have seen her after your fall. She blames herself, Harry." Ron's eyes were sad. "She feels that if she had been a bit faster or, Merlin forbid, smarter, she could have stopped it from happening. She loves you a lot. It's just got her a bit one tracked right now." Ron grinned. "All the same, I'd hide that away in your room or your surrogate Supero might sniff it out."

Ron laughed and nodded. "Right." Harry stuffed the box in his cloak pocket and again cast a look at the Slytherin table. Draco was still ensconced with the rest of the Slytherins.

"Don't worry, mate." Ron said, looking in the same direction. "I know when I mess up royally and feeling really guilt about it, I don't want to look at the wronged party either."

"Do you think I should go over and ask him about it?" Harry asked. After all this time, the idea of actually initiating a conversation with Draco had lost its appeal and was now just downright unnerving. "Do you think he is feeling guilty?"

"Malfoy? Hmm, probably not. But still, if that gift was from him, he's probably trying to win you back." Ron grinned evilly. "I think you should definitely hold out for more."

Harry grinned back. "What, think he'll get me my own flying carriage next?"

Ron looked thoughtful. "Don't know, but definitely worth finding out. If he got the Dursleys here, no telling what he might do next."

Stomping feet interrupted the two from their chuckling. An obviously infuriated Hermione stalked to them and glared across at the Slytherin table. Both Harry and Ron followed her gaze, but only a few first years were left. Harry felt a twinge when he realized Draco had slipped out without him knowing it.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron bravely asked.

"That bastard has decided to stay for the holidays!" Hermione seethed. "Never in seven years has he ever willing stayed more than a minute longer here than he had to and this holiday he has!"

"I'm guessing you're talking about Malfoy," Ron ventured.

"Of course! Well, if he thinks he is so sly as to get us out of the way then he has another think coming!" She glared down at Ron. "We're staying."

"What?"

"You heard me, Ron. Go owl your mum and tell her you are staying here. I've already notified my own parents."

"Hermione, you're being ridiculous. The bloke argued with his father. Lucius Malfoy. You know, the big scary inner circle Death Eater? I'd stay here if I were Malfoy, too."

"He's trying to get at Harry!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "I thought you were the one that said that Draco may not even want Harry anymore. So, now your saying that he does? Well, then the Dursley thing was a good thing then, right?"

"Wrong! Ron, he is a dangerous, conniving, violent, manipulative-,"

"Yeah, Hermione, we know the bloke," Ron cut in.

Hermione opened her mouth to blast Ron when Harry stood up and wrapped his arms around Hermione and squeezed tight. He pulled back and smiled into the dumbstruck face.

"I think it'll be nice if you stay, Hermione. But you don't have to. Snape is going to be here, you know. You don't have to worry about me, but thank you. I couldn't have a better pair of friends than you two."

Hermione searched Harry's eyes earnestly. Her face relaxed. "I'm so tired of seeing you hurt, Harry. In every sense of the word," she sighed. "Ron and I will stay and make sure you have a happy Christmas."

"Well, glad that decision was made for me," Ron grumbled. "Best toddle off and write my mum then, shall I?" Ron stalked off. Hermione's brow furrowed in concern.

"Oh, I suppose I did come off a bit high handed," she worried. Harry laughed.

"No more than usual, love," Harry chuckled and received a slap on the shoulder before Hermione bustled off to apologize to Ron.

Harry was able to steal away from his friends late the next day to the solace of his room. You would think that with the entire castle empty as it was, he wouldn't have to hide away like that. But Hermione had been determined that Harry had fun, and so the three of them had been having mandatory fun since yesterday morning. Finally, Harry had made a lame excuse while conspicuously rubbing his belly and escaped under the concerned eyes of Hermione and the knowing eyes of Ron. Since he had spent the night in Gryffindor Tower the first night of hols, Harry had yet to put his new gift on his bed. Taking the box out of his discarded cloak's pocket, he enlarged it and gasped. It was more beautiful and luxurious than its smaller size had indicated. Harry laid it on the bed and admired it for a moment. Then he sat on the bed, then he laid back on the cover. It was so soft and Harry was more than pleased when he smelt Draco's scent all over it. Without thought, Harry quickly stripped off his shirt and then squirmed down into the velvet, feeling it rub against his skin delicately, almost like fingers. He flipped over on to his belly and rubbed his cheek back and forth on the purple material. It felt so wonderful. Draco seemed to surround him. He could almost hear the blonde's voice in his head as he asked the questions; feel the heat as Draco's chest rested against his back.

Closing his eyes, Harry pulled the edges of the blanket up over him and fell asleep contentedly wrapped in Draco's scent and warmth.

Indago - Chapter 51

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