Dec 4 | for @bixgirl1

The front door opened and Draco froze. It closed again, a bit too hard for Grimmy’s tastes, if her resultant creaking floors and walls were anything to go by. Draco frowned at the floor.

“Let me sneak by, you old house! I’m not the one who slammed your door!” he whispered.

The house creaked again, and then, finally, went still and sturdy once more. Draco nodded once in satisfaction, and then tip-toed out of the bedroom to the landing. He peeked over the edge. 

Harry was still struggling to unwind his scarf from his neck. That would take awhile—the scarf had never quite warmed to warming Harry up again after that time he tossed it in the hamper with their worn pants. Draco still had some time.

He sneaked back into the bedroom, quietly flicking non-verbal spells all around. The ratty old cotton-poly blend duvet was replaced with a deep green velvet (goose down filled, of course). 

He’d nearly finished cleaning up the wallpaper and changing the pattern before Potter got home. Draco quickly finalised the last bits—changing the blood-dripping daggers motif to something more universal. He decided on frolicking fairies, but Grimmy gave an ominous creak when he did, so Draco quickly changed it to frolicking dryads. Grimmy settled. 

Draco had already made room in the wardrobe for his clothes (though it required several expansion charms and tossing out some of Harry’s most offensive items), redone the rug in a tight-weave cream and green tapestry design, revarnished the lovely parquet floors beneath, and fixed all the painted- and grime-shut windows. It was December, but Draco would not let a little inclement weather ruin his night’s sleep. A wizard needed fresh air, and that’s what Warming Charms were for.

The stairs creaked as Harry finally got his scarf off and started ascending. Draco gave Grimmy a pleased smile in thanks for letting him know his time was nearly up. The last touch was just a bit of mood lighting—and it was nearly Christmas, after all, so Draco could be forgiven a bit of uncharacteristic holiday cheer.

He danced his wand around the edges of the room, directing several strings of fairy lights in place. He flicked his wand and they turned on, casting the bedroom in a lovely, soft, sparkling glow. Draco smiled, pleased. 

The bedroom door jostled.

“Bloody fucking door,” Harry muttered just on the other side. “Why won’t you let me in? I barely slammed the door, and it was an accident, anyway! The wind caught it!”

Draco smirked. He gave Grimmy a nod and she let Harry open the door.

He practically fell through, falling against Draco’s chest, and blinking up at him with big round eyes behind his glasses. His eyebrows furrowed, though a smile was playing at his lips.

“What are you doing here, Draco?”

Draco smirked. “I couldn’t very well live in such squalid conditions, could I? I had to do some redecorating.”

“Live in…?” Harry broke off, finally noticing the state of the bedroom for the first time.

His eyes went even wider and his fingers clutched at Draco’s biceps. “You’re—you’re moving in?”

Draco pursed his lips. “Well my lease was up and you’ve been nattering on about it for literal years, and—”

“Shut up,” Harry said, and kissed him.

Draco grinned against Harry’s lips. “Merry Christmas, Potter.” Then he shut up, and kissed Harry back.