Auld Lang Syne

New Year. Out with the old, in with the new. A time of celebration, rejoicing, and family. Grimmauld Place was the venue for the evening. Harry had invited Hermione and the Weasley's, of course, their partners, the Longbottoms, the Thomas', the Finnigans, the Lovegoods, and Andromeda and Teddy. The drink was flowing, the music was playing, and the laughter was ringing loud.

Suddenly, the fireplace roared and out stepped a figure. Dressed all in black, the figure brushed themselves off and walked across the room to shake hands with the host. "Harry."

Harry returned the handshake, and added a small smile. "Draco. Glad you could make it."

"Thank you."

Hermione also stepped forward, but instead, gave Draco a hug. "It's so good to see you."

"And you Hermione." The blond replied, returning the hug. The other guests stepped forward and gave greetings as well, all except Ron.

"Harry, can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Sure." The ex-Gryffindor led his best friend into the kitchen away from everybody else. "What's the matter?"

"Why is he here?"

"Draco is here because I invited him, Ron."

"Harry, you've made friends with him, as has everybody else it seems, including my own family, but I can't. I was the one he picked on the most. I can't just forget that."

"I'm not expecting you to. All I want is for you to at least be civil to him."

"But Harry, its Malfoy!" Ron complained, as if the name alone was enough to justify his reasons.

"I know, Ron, I know. But he's changed. If I can move on from that and make friends, then so can you."

"Yes, but, that's the thing. The only reason you have is because he's actually apologised to you. Something he is yet to do for me."

"Well let me make that up to you now." The two men spun to see said-blond standing in the doorway, hands behind his back.

Draco stepped forward slowly, his whole persona open so as to show his true intentions. "Ron, I know I wasn't the nicest of people when we were at school. In fact, I was a bit of a prick really. Apart from Harry, you were my main punching bag, and some of the things I said pushed the boundaries a bit too much. I would like to make up for that now, if I could. Without my parents' influence, especially after their death a couple of years ago, I am a completely different person, someone who is accepting to everyone, and would simply like to be friends with everyone. I'm sorry for everything that was said and done, to you and your family, during our time at school. I apologise for being an idiot, and I would really like to start afresh, if I may?" At this, Draco held out his hand as a peace offering.

Ron stared at it for a moment, and then turned his eyes up to the blond, who never once looked away, instead allowing the red-haired man in front of him to find what he was looking for. Once Ron found it, he spoke. "I'm sorry too. I wasn't exactly a Hufflepuff either. Some of the things I said were pushing it a bit. Although I will never forget the hatred we used to have, nor the things you said to me, I will try and move on from it." He grasped the other's hand and they shook.

"Thank you. That means a lot. Now, shall we return to the party? It's getting close to midnight, and I think George is about to start the fireworks." The three grinned and returned to the main living room where the music was still playing loud.

After a few minutes, the music stopped, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight appeared on George, who was stood on a table.

"Oi! Any need for the drama you git?" Seamus shouted.

"Drama? Me? I would never dream of such a thing." George replied, in a mock voice with a hand to his forehead in fake, dramatised shock.

"And stop posing for the camera! Cat, don't encourage him." Angelina said jokingly, while her sister, Catherine, took pictures of her sister's boyfriend.

"I'm famous darling, how could I possibly not?" George replied in a camp voice and a pout, twisting this way and that in a mickey-take of muggle models. This made everyone laugh, until eventually, he stopped. "Anyway," he started, hushing the noise down, now with his normal voice, "it's time for the fireworks. Everybody outside, come on! Time for a shameless plug of my products!" This caused more laughter as everybody grabbed their coats and filed out to the back garden, where a large bonfire was blazing away. George took centre stage next to it, and started to lead the display. "Alright everyone, wait for it. Find a partner to swap spit with because we're about to start the countdown. Everybody grab somebody, quick!"

Harry watched as couples got closer, ready for the countdown. Suddenly, a voice behind him whispered "Shall we?"

Spinning around he came face to face with Draco. "What?"

"Oh come on Harry. I'm gay, you're gay, we're together, where's the problem?" In the background, George had started the countdown.

"The fact that our relationship is secret because you want to keep it quiet."

"I only said that because I wanted to wait for this moment. I wanted to kiss you, in front of everyone, on New Year's Eve. Please?"

Harry stared at him in disbelief for a second, before grabbing the lapels of his boyfriend's coat, and pulling him into a searing kiss. Above them, the fireworks started and people stated to cheer. The couple, however, were unaware that the cheers were for them until Neville spoke up.

"About time!" The couple broke to see everybody grinning at them.

"What do you mean, about time?" Harry questioned.

Draco started to laugh. "Harry, who do you think convinced me to come to this party? Believe it or not, it wasn't you. It was Ron. We've been friends for a while now, and it was his idea that we made this relationship public, properly, here. Everybody worked out we have been seeing each other, so it was just a case of making it official."

"Two years is a long time mate. I'm surprised you kept your mouth shut for that long." Ron agreed.

"But I thought you hated each other?" Harry asked, confused.

"You're not the only one who can keep a secret." Ron replied.

"Anyway, it wasn't you actually telling us that we needed." Hermione added. "It's the little things, like how your eyes light up when you talk about him, or how you stare at him a little longer than is friendly. The glances the two of you share when you think no one is looking. We've all seen it Harry, we were just waiting for the both of you to confirm it."

"But that's not all," Draco started. Harry turned around to face him to find that the other was kneeling on the ground, with a box in his hand. "Harry James Potter, for two years I have loved you, and for two years I have known that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you please, do me the honour, of becoming my husband?" He opened the box at this, to reveal a simple silver band with an emerald in the centre; not the same colour as the Slytherin house, but the same colour as the currently shocked ex-Gryffindor's eyes.

"Yes." Harry breathed. "Yes of course I will."

The ex-Slytherin stood, placed the ring on his fiancé's finger, and kissed him to rapturous applause.

"I know I said swap spit, but there is a line. You've just crossed it. Can we please get back to my fabulous, colourful fireworks? Thank you." George interrupted, restarting the fireworks. Angelina, for his rudeness, slapped him on the arm.

Harry and Draco, however, didn't care. They instead, just as the crowd started to sing Auld Lang Syne (actually, originally a Wizarding song), snuck back inside to Harry's room, and when they resurfaced that morning, they found a note:

Happy New Year boys. Enjoy it, and know that we are watching over you. Congratulations.

Your ever-loving mothers and fathers,

Lily, James, Narcissa and Lucius.

A/N: Now how did that note get there, especially if the four of them are dead? Hmm…Magic, I suppose. ;)

I know I said that I would not be able to update anything due to school work, and I still cannot, but a friend of mine has been having a horrible time of late, and I had to write something to make her feel better. I don't have to name her, she knows who she is. Love you girl. ((((((((((hugs))))))))))

Rest assured that I am still writing Fallen Angel, I just won't update it yet. Sorry.

xxxxx