Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) 16th Chapter ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize is property of JK Rowling. Additionally this is not my story. I am uploading this to my own account in support of the author the story belongs to who has been struggling with hackers.

The thing I've most been dreading as a fan is that the story would be removed from the site by the hackers and the author wouldn't have access to their old chapters when the situation was eventually brought under control in the event the site moderators wouldn't be able to give the author their account back.

For anyone interested the author goes by Hancock23 on Fanfiction -dot- net. I will remove the story from my account when Hancock23 has gotten the story safely uploaded elsewhere or has been safely given their account back on Fanfiction -dot- net. Without further ado I give you a backup upload of: Behind the Fog by Hancock23.

PS: This Backup Upload contains minor edits for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Plus some rewording/restructuring of sentences so they make better sense and flow better. Hope you don't mind me becoming something of a Beta Reader for this Backup Upload Hancock23.

Chapter Sixteen - Christmas

Draco Malfoy hated Christmas. He hated the cheer. He didn't think the cheer was false for other people, but he had never really had anything to be cheerful about during that particular holiday. It was simply not his thing, but that did not mean he was spared from it. Someone knocked on his door, just as he was about to start working and he opened it to find Potter in his pyjamas.

Apart from the awkward greetings when they were forced to be together during meals, they had kept away from each other since that incident two days ago, but apparently; that was not reason enough to snatch away Potter's Christmas cheer.

"Let's go." The boy said, dragging Draco down the stairs and the blonde was only thankful that he had already gotten ready for the day, because he was not very keen on people seeing him in a state of undress. They entered the living room to find that everyone had already gathered under a massive Christmas tree that had not been there the night before.

"Why are you so disgustingly happy?" Draco asked, as he removed his arm from Harry's hand.

"It's Christmas." The Raven said, as if that was supposed to explain everything.

"Yes I know, but why are you so disgustingly happy?"

"Because it's Christmas." Harry said again.

"You are beginning to sound like a broken record Potter."

"Just sit down, we are going to open presents." Draco rolled his eyes, and did as he was told. "You have quite a pile."

"I thought no owls could locate me here?" He asked. Of course he knew Pansy and Blaise would attempt to send him gifts, but he hadn't thought they would succeed.

Potter did not elaborate on the issue and seeing no way out, Draco took his seat. The group took turns opening their gifts, and when his turn came, he noticed right way that he had not received the lumpy package that contained a Weasley sweater that everyone had gotten, but that did not bother him. In fact, he was somewhat relieved because he had only prepared a present for Bill.

Pansy and Blaise gave him a multitude of presents, and he smiled for every-one he opened. He got a beautiful ivory chess set from Snape and for the first time in a long time, he spared a smile for the man. Bill gave him a journal that would never lack pages, and he couldn't wait to start using it to write down ideas. He received a box of chocolate from Biddy even though he had asked her to save her money, and he was happy he had thought to send her a gift. After hours of thought, Draco had given her a photo album filled with pictures of himself-call it narcissistic but he knew she would love it.

The next box contained a whole assortment of sweets and a simple card from Frank and Alice Longbottom. Draco had not expected it but the simple 'thank you' written on the card made him smile from ear to ear, and he could finally say that he understood why people were so irrationally happy on Christmas. He had followed the progress of the Longbottom couple, but he had not thought that they would remember him despite his many visits over the years.

Marina also got him chocolates, and he was amused to see that she had bought him the exact brand he had gotten her.

No one noticed the sad look in his eyes when he arrived at the last box without having opened a single present from his parents, and even though he hadn't expected it, he couldn't help but feel the loss. Slowly, he unwrapped the last box and stared at the object within in shocked surprise, and a delighted smile spread across his face causing Harry to stare in awe. He never got used to the sight of Draco smiling, and he had seen him smile a fair amount of times over the past couple of months.

"You?" He asked, looking at Potter.

"Yes." Harry answered.

"How?" Draco queried.

"I saw them in one of the volumes and sent an order via owl service." Harry said with a small smile tugging at his lips. "I thought you'd like them."

Draco looked at the figurines of Yagami Light and L that were visible through the transparent box for a moment before he spoke, "You were right, they're perfect." He then turned the smile towards Harry, and the Gryffindor had to force himself to form words when all he wanted was to sit there and stare.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Harry asked, when he saw Draco staring and not making a move to remove the figurines from the box. Impatient, he tried to take the box from Draco, but the blonde slapped his hand away with a menacing look on his face.

"What are you talking about Potter?" Draco inquired in disbelief. "They are not meant to be opened."

Harry looked confused. "But how are you to enjoy them in a box?" He asked.

"I am happy enough to just look at them." Draco replied.

"Just open them." Harry said, trying to grab the box again.

"I don't think I will be able to forgive you, if you dare to remove them from the box." Draco said imperiously.

"But I am the one who gave them to you?' Harry countered, but it was quite weak.

"And now I am telling you that, they are not meant to be opened." Draco said, eyes imploring Harry to drop it.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. This is what I get for being thoughtful enough to get you a gift."

"Thank you for the awesome present Potter, but that does not mean that I will let you get your dirty hands on them." Draco said.

"I will take them to my room." He was gone before Harry could retort.

"Why did you even bother getting him something, if he was going to treat you like that?" Ginny asked, and Harry laughed.

"I should have expected it really." Harry answered, but there was no sign of ire in his tone. "The way he treats those books, you would think they are his babies, and I can't count the number of times I have been threatened with painful death, if I dared to leave a spot of dirt on them." Harry laughed again in good humour, and Severus narrowed his eyes.

"I will take these up to his room." Severus offered, and gathered Draco's pile of gifts. He could have banished them straight to the room, but he wanted a moment to speak with Draco before the day became hectic.

He was already walking up the stairs when he noticed the card on top, and before he could stop himself, the words in the very centre of the card registered in his brain.

Draco Malfoy,
Thank you for what you have done for us.
Good tidings on Yule.
Frank and Alice Longbottom.

At first, he didn't understand it, but with every step he took, snippets of conversation and actions began to come back to him.

The boil-curing potion; which had been prepared using a strange method, and yet had worked better and faster than the original.

All of Draco's mail that the school had been monitoring for months, and never got more than useless nonsense, which Severus now thought must have been spelled with that letter charm.

His Godson's insistence that he needed no help from anyone, and then the Cruciatus Cure potion coming on the market shortly thereafter.

Three million galleons, when Snape was sure that Draco had no access to the Malfoy fortune.

A way of playing chess that was genius if one was honest.

DRAGON WORLD.
Dragon - Draco. Draco's World.

Someone who would work with neither the Order or the Dark Lord.

Someone the Longbottoms thanked; But how had they known, when the rest of the Wizarding World don't?

Lucius taking Draco to St Mungos when he was five.

Bill Weasley offering to take Draco's pouch to his solicitor.

Draco asking Bill to go to a Quidditch game with him.

"You don't know the first thing about me, and you never cared to know."

DRAGON WORLD.
Dragon - Draco. Draco's World.

By the time Severus passed the threshold of Draco's borrowed bedroom, he was convinced of the truth, and when he handed Draco the pile of gifts with the card still facing up, he made no effort to hide his knowledge; and Draco only sighed when he saw this.

"Who else?" He asked.

"No one." Severus assured.

"I see." Draco breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly berating himself for being so careless and glad that it was his godfather who had seen the note and correctly connected the dots.

"I know everything." Snape said bluntly. "I used legillimency on Lucius."

Draco didn't seem surprised; he only nodded his head and said, "I see."

"I am glad that you are able to take care of yourself now." Severus said.

Draco looked at his godfather, really looked for the first time in a while and saw the sincerity there. Severus had not said he was sorry or even promised anything and Draco truly appreciated that; because he was not ready to believe anything that the potions master said. He had been disappointed far too much; and for far too long to take that risk so easily.

"Thank you for helping out with the potions." It was the only thing Draco could say.

"I still have not been able to figure out why most of the process is as it is." Severus admitted.

Draco smiled and went to his trunk, where he retrieved a book. "I will loan this to you; It should be of some use." He said, and handed over an old book he had found in the manor library many years back. "Learn quickly Severus; I will be in need of your assistance with another potion soon if you are willing."

Severus Snape nodded as he took the book, a painful lump in his throat preventing any sound from coming out of him. This was a start. A chance that he had not even dared hope for and it was the best Christmas gift he had ever been given.

"Let's go back." Draco said; Severus nodded.

They went back down, and found that everyone had moved to the kitchen for breakfast. Draco took the empty seat beside Potter.

"Potter, since you gave me such a good gift, and I didn't get you anything, I will allow you to ask one thing of me." Draco stated.

"No worries, just let me keep borrowing from your library." Harry answered.

"I am already letting you use it, and I won't stop unless you start mishandling my books." Draco said.

"Okay then; Can you tell me what you bought for three million galleons." Harry asked.

There was a sudden silence in the room, and Draco instantly regretted making that offer to Potter. Sighing in resignation, he leaned towards Harry to whisper.

"My own home." He said, and Harry shivered a bit, when he felt the warm breath on his ear.

"You are an extravagant git Malfoy; Only you would live like that." Harry said carelessly, but deep within; he panicked.

Malfoy was seriously planning a life without him; and Harry was just now beginning to think that, maybe that's not something he particularly liked. He did not let the others see even a gllimpse of that he had those sorts of thoughts though; he knew nothing good could possibly come from them knowing he felt such things for Malfoy.

The rest of the holidays went by pretty fast, especially after Draco discovered that Moody's eye couldn't see past his wards. Bill had given him the good news after he had heard Moody complain to Dumbledore; and although Draco had expected an interrogation as to what he spent hours doing in his room, none came.

He made potions, looked over the notes that were to be sent to Arwin about the Lycanthropy Potion, and made headway with the Valentine's product he had planned. Soon enough, the holidays were over and they were all heading back to Hogwarts but none of them could have foreseen the events that would take place in the next few months, before the summer holidays.

Uploader's Note: This Has Been A Backup Upload of Chapter 16 of Behind the Fog by Hancock23.