“Neonpink?”
Draostoppedforamomenttothink.“No,notneon,thekindofpinkthatsays‘newbabygirl’.”Draoshuddered.“Itshedwiththeredsohorribly.”
Harryouldn’thelpithehadtough,pituringred,green,andpinkasChristmasolors.
“Harry,getup!Presents!”
Harrybarelyhadtimetoregisterwhowasspeakingbeforehefoundhimselffallingoffthebedandontothefloorwithastartledyelp.FixingagreattheMalfoywhosefaultthatwasthroughthemattressofthebed,hemuttered,“Youhaveakingsizebed,Drao.Wasthatreallyneessary?”
Draodidn’trespond,ashewasperhedattheendofthebed,adelightedsmileonhisfae.Wait…asmile?Harryblinked.Yes,DraoMalfoywassmiling,almostgleefully,asheshiftedthroughamountainofpresents.Harrywathedhimmethodiallytossingthetopmostpresentsbaktowardstheheadofthebed.
“Anyreasonwhyyou’redoingthat?”Harryasked,rawlingbakonthebed,barelydukingwhatlookedlikeaedbook.
“Retivesandfriends.Fatheralwaysputshispresentsunderallthisjunk.”
HarrylookedinshokatDraoastheMalfoysurfaedfromunderhthepileofbowsandexpensiveingpaperwiththreepresentsedinpinbkpaperwiththename“DraoMalfoy”writteninwhitealligraphyonthem.
“You’rekiddingme.”Harrymuttered,lookingbakandforthfromthepileofpresentsthatDraohadvirtuallydisregardedtothethreesimplelookingpresentsheheld.Herehewas,withmorepresentsthanDudleyhadgottenforthestthreebirthdaysandChristmasesombinedandallhearedaboutwerethosethree.
“Theydon’treallyputanythoughtintoitanyway,Harry.Sothosepresentsdon’treallyount.”Draoexpinedashelimbedoutofbedandmadehiswaytowardsthehair.“CrabbeandGoylealwayssendtheirpresentsbymail,soIdon’texpetthoseforanotherhouryet.”
SoDraoonlyaredaboutfivepresents?Startling.HarryfoundhimselfrespetingDraosomewhatforthat.ButasDraobegantolightlyremovethepaperfromthefirstofthethreepresentsthatLuiushadgottenhim,Harry’seyesfoundthepresenthehadgottenforDraointheseaofpresents.
“Youmightwanttoopenthisonetoo.”Harryspoke,pikingupthepresentandpingitonthefloornearthehair,beforerossingintohisownroom(notingthatitwassnowingouttoday)andlookingatthepileonhisownbed.MuhsmallerthanDrao’s,buteveryoneseemedtobeaountedfor…anditseemedbiggerthanusual.Ohwell,he’dfindoutsoonenough.Sostartingfromthetop,Harrybeganuning.
FredandGeehadsenthimaboxfullof“surprises”fromtheirshop(testiions,they’dsaidinanote).Mrs.Weasleyhadsentatinoffudgeandasweaterasshehadforthestfiveyearsrunning,andHarrygleefullystartedinonthefudgeasheturnedtohisotherpresents.Hermionehadsenthimabook(TheManyUsesofParseltongueinHistoryandTodaybySnoraSerpentis),andRonhadpakedahootefrogandaChudleyonsposterforhispresent.TherewerealsogiftsfromRemus,Tonks,andafewofhisdormmates,alongwithasmallpresent(andyofsomesortwithaard,mostly)fromeverymemberoftheDA.ThenwhenHarryremovedGinny’spresenttoseewhatwasunderhthat,hehadtoblinktwietobesurehewasseeingwhathethoughthesaw.