Just made it! This is my last ever Daily Deviant post, so a big hug to all the mods, writers, artists and readers who make this such a groovy asylum :)

Title: Footsteps in the Snow
For: suhk_yuh_buhs
Rating: R
Character/Pairing: Neville/Draco
Kink: outdoor sex, dirty talk
Holiday item or location: Christmas tree, in forest
Words: 2,500
Disclaimer: All familiar characters and situations belong to JK Rowling. No profit is being made.
Note: Mmm, well, the dirty talk is very short and is probably more playful than smutty. Actually, the whole thing ended up more about hints than actual kink. I hope despite that this pleases. Happy holidays!



The broomstick mounted figure on the edge of Neville's land slowly became more recognisable as the flyer approached, but Neville had known when the first tingle of the outer wards had shivered down his spine that his visitor would be Draco.

As regularly as the seasons, at the times when summer and then winter reached their peaks, Draco always came. Neville knew in that deep, body-clock sort of way that in June, when the sun had turned Neville's skin a dark nut-brown as he worked shirtless cutting flowers, Draco would come to purchase a bouquet of the finest from his crop for Narcissa's grave. Now, when Neville wore multiple layers and slowly cooked under his constant warming charms, Draco had returned again, this time for the Manor's Christmas tree. It was a cycle that had passed for many years, and one that Neville was about to break.

Draco landed just inside the gate, and leant his broomstick against the post. He was wrapped in a heavy grey cloak and wore a Slytherin-green scarf, but there was no hat on his head and Neville smiled a little at the pinkened ears that were bold against the shortly cropped blond hair. Draco's haircut didn't suit him, but Neville supposed it was better than Draco trying to keep it long. He hadn't a bald spot per se, but there were deep grooves either side of the forehead where the hairline had receded. The short crop wasn't as flattering as his more youthful hairstyle had been, but it was crisp and clean and leant Draco a professional air which Neville was certain no Malfoy had ever carried before. Then again, no Malfoy had really had to work for their money before, and Neville supposed that the no-nonsense aura Draco gave off nowadays was advantageous in the legal profession.

"Evening, Neville," Draco greeted him as he approached, expensive boots crunching in the thick layer of snow that began just inside the fenced and gated area. It was an unusual phenomenon to have thick snow so far south, but it was what happened when you grew so many magical fir trees in one place.

"It's good to see you, Draco. How's the family?" Neville asked politely, shaking the offered leather-gloved hand.

"Fine," Draco replied. "Scorpius is causing the usual Christmas havoc."

"How tall does the tree have to be this year?"

"I believe the cited measurement was a billion-katrillion feet."

Neville laughed. "I know the ballroom at your place is big, but I think that might be a stretch. How does eighteen sound?"

Draco smiled. "I think that should be sufficient. He'll quickly lose interest in how big the tree is once he has a pile of presents to size up instead."

Neville smiled. To many it might be surprising what a family man Draco had turned out to be. However, his mother, whose grave Draco religiously visited, had shown the wizarding world how fiercely she loved her family when she had double-crossed Voldemort. It was better, Neville thought, that Draco had taken after Narcissa rather Lucius.

The smile widened into a grin as Neville pictured Scorpius rushing about the Manor. Draco had brought the boy along to fetch the tree last year and it had been interesting seeing just how well Draco was going about correcting the mistakes that Lucius had made. Despite the interesting name, you wouldn't find a more normal and well-adjusted child in the Potter-Weasley household.

"How is Hogwarts?" Draco asked.

"Still standing when I left it on Tuesday," Neville responded. "Severus sends his love."

Draco laughed. "I don't believe you."

Neville was laughing too. "Well, I suppose it was more of a scowl and hiss. He did ask me to pass you his regards, though. He seemed to be aware that you would be coming here..."

Neville licked his lips and glanced sideways as Draco, but Draco was suddenly looking off at the thick shield of trees in front of them and he hummed noncommittally in reply.

"Well, shall we?" Neville prompted, and they began winding their way through the evergreen maze.

The trail could already have been laid out in their footprints, the familiar ease with which they wound their way...



Neville had felt the newcomer crossing the wards. Putting down the wad of orders he had been flicking through, he stepped out of the wooden hut and waved to show he was aware of them. He was shocked when he realised that it was Draco Malfoy at the gate.
Malfoy looked just as surprised: at least, there was a delay before the sneer settled over his features.

"What are you doing here, Longbottom?" he sharply questioned.

"Er, it's my land?" Neville hazarded.

That wiped the smirk off Malfoy's face again. "I thought you were teaching at Hogwarts."

"Ah, yes. This is more of a holiday hobby, or a retirement plan if you'd rather look at it that way."

Malfoy's expression made it plain that he didn't want to look at it any way. "I'm here for a tree," he stated haughtily.

"What else?" Neville muttered. "Of course," he said more loudly, grinning when he saw that Malfoy had heard his sarcasm. "How tall?"

"It's for the hall at the Manor."

Neville let out a huff of laughter and crossed his arms. If Malfoy thought they were still at school he was sadly mistaken.

"Unfortunately, I've never been invited to the Manor so I couldn't tell you how tall you need."

Malfoy looked like he was about to snap something back in reply, but he stopped himself and let out a heavy sigh instead.

He gave Neville a wry smile and flicked his gaze up and down Neville's body. Fortunately, it seemed that he was using Neville's height to calculate rather than eyeing him up.

"I think about eighteen feet should do it," he said.

Neville smiled. "No problem," he said, and beckoned Malfoy to follow him.

They walked through the small forest in silence, but conversation finally came to them while they were transporting the tree back to be shrunk and attached to Malfoy's broom.

"So," Neville began. "I heard you got married last month."

Draco nodded. "It's a good match," he said, then laughed at his own words. "I don't mean politically. Astoria... We get on well."

Neville smiled. "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you."



"How's Astoria?"

"Fine. She seems to have settled into life at the Manor well. My mother and father like her."

Neville frowned. "Are you two still getting along?"

Malfoy's smile disappeared. "I'm here for a Christmas tree, Longbottom, not marriage counselling."

Neville sighed. "Fair enough. This way."



Their shoulders bumped again, or rather, Draco's shoulder nudged Neville's bicep. Neither of them said anything or made to increase the space between them.



"Neville!"

The shout had immediately followed the loud crack of Apparation, and Neville looked up from the flowers he had been examining.

"Draco?"

"She's dead. I- She's dead!"

"Astoria?"

Draco fiercely shook his head. "Mother!"

Neville grabbed up his T-shirt and pulled it on. It immediately stuck to his chest and back, but for some reason he felt being half dressed was indecent when tears were now running down Draco's face. Not knowing what else to do, he strode forward and pulled Draco into a fierce hug.

Draco's sobs were loud and messy. Neville let him cry.



Neville couldn't stop his laughter, even when Draco glared at him. Shaking his head, but still laughing, Neville stepped forward and helped brush the snow off Draco's head. He tucked Draco's shoulder length hair behind his ears, then, noticing how red they were from the cold, cupped the sides of Draco's head to warm them.

His laughter suddenly died when his gaze met Draco's silvery eyes.

After a long breathless moment, Draco stepped back.

"Astoria's pregnant," he said.

"Right," Neville said. "Let's get your tree."



"How long have you been engaged?"

"I don't see how it's any business of yours," Neville snapped back. He didn't know how or why this argument had begun, but a deep part of him was hurting and he wanted Draco to hurt as well.

"You're getting married next month! You said nothing last time I saw you. Why did you hide it?"

"I didn't hide anything!" Neville shouted. "How's Scorpius?" he quickly followed. "Does he like his primary school?"

Draco gaped at him... and then, slowly, they both reined themselves in, straightening their aggressive stances and shuddering off the rage they had been passing between them.

"He likes it. I'm a bit worried about his fondness for Muggle sports, but all in all it seems to have been the right decision to send him there."

Neville nodded. "Good."



"Nice hair cut," Neville said with a grin.

"Fuck off," Draco griped, trying to tuck back hair that wasn't there anymore.



They walked in silence for a few minutes, both watching their step rather than each other. Neville didn't need to look at Draco to know that his nose and cheeks would now be as pink as his ears. He heard Draco's teeth chatter, and he didn't hesitate in wrapping his arm around Draco's shoulders even though the man was more than capable of casting his own warming charms.

"Don't," Draco murmured, but his voice lacked conviction and Neville knew that it was a token protest to assuage the guilt he felt.

Draco was truly a family man, and Neville thought that Draco was probably better than he was because of it. Draco hadn't known what it was that he had truly wanted when he had married Astoria, and when he had discovered what it was, he hadn't allowed himself to betray her. Neville had already known when he had settled for Hannah, but perhaps it was because of that he had been able to break away.

As normally happened, Draco finally couldn't stand his conscience and made to shrug Neville's arm off, but this year Neville wouldn't let him. He tightened his hold and heard Draco moan as the man stopped walking and slumped against him.

"Don't do this," Draco begged. "Not now. Not after all this time."

"I have to," Neville disagreed. "Especially now... I'm divorced."

He felt Draco stiffen in his arms and heard the sharp intake of breath.

"Divorced?" Draco questioned quietly, his voice a breathless whisper. Neville looked down at him and saw that Draco was looking up, his eyes wide and his face made fifteen years younger.

Neville nodded and prepared to give the speech he had been practising since the papers had come through. The persuasion was cut off however by Draco's much more eloquent press of lips. The shorter man surged into his embrace and Neville staggered backwards, desperately trying to keep his balance as he equally desperately kissed Draco back. He failed in the former, but it made the latter that much more exciting, on his back in the snow with Draco wriggling on top of him while they kissed like clumsy teenagers.

"Draco!" Neville gasped when the greedy lips began trailing over his jaw. "What about Astoria?"

Draco abruptly stopped and sat up, straddling Neville's waist.

"Do you want me to stop?" he sharply questioned, looking much more like the acerbic lawyer, and less like a startled child.

"No. Godric, no, but-"

"Then shut up," Draco instructed. However, he hesitated and there was no snap in his tone when he explained, "Astoria and I... have reached an understanding."

"When?" Neville demanded, his face clouding as he suddenly doubted what he had thought was crystal clear between them. A leather-gloved hand pressed against his cheek, reassuring him.

"Very recently," Draco said. "A couple of months ago. She- She's found somebody. She explained it to me and... We agreed that divorce wasn't an option for us, but that it didn't mean that we couldn't have our happiness. We've always got along well. Had I known at the time that you were separated..."

Neville hooked his hand behind Draco's neck and dragged him into another kiss. This time it was slower, less hectic and more exploratory. Neville discovered that Draco tasted of mint, and that one of his canines was wickedly pointed. Draco must have sensed that he liked it, because he raked his teeth over Neville's lower lip and then nipped at his jaw.

"Viper," Neville accused, his voice roughened by his stirring arousal.

Draco chuckled and Neville closed his eyes as he savoured the lazy arrogance in the sound.

"I'm hoping that you haven't got any swords handy," Draco whispered by Neville's ear while his wandering hand pressed against Neville's groin. "Otherwise I might be in trouble."

"I think the one in trouble is me," Neville replied, and with a groan he rolled them over.

Neville had awaited Draco's visit that day preparing for an argument and the possibility of permanent separation. He would never have imagined that in one wintry afternoon he would get everything he had wanted. Draco was wild and uninhibited, as though his relief at hearing that Neville was also free to do as he wished had intoxicated him. Neville responded whole-heartedly, pleased to see more of Draco's naturally sharp humour exhibiting itself now that he was no longer trying to reign himself in.

"Looks like you came prepared, after all," Draco commented, wrapping his hand around Neville's cock once they were both naked.

Neville thrust into the grip, pinning Draco's other hand above his head, and lacing their fingers together. With his free hand he returned the favour, letting his fingers get used to the feel of another man's penis.

"I think I'll let you off with a warning this time," he teased, leaning down to nip at one of Draco's nipples, which were as pink as the man's nose and ears were. "I'll leave the snake slaying for when we have a bed."

Draco laughed, and Neville grinned at the sound, his expression turning more smug as he rubbed their pricks together and made Draco choke out a groan instead. Draco did all he could in revenge to reduce Neville to gasps and yearning. However, he couldn't quite claim victory due to the surprised bellow that erupted from his own lips when the heat of Neville's semen hitting his stomach finally pushed him over the top and he came in Neville's fist.

Then the cold seeped in, and they hurried got to their feet and dressed.

"Well, I guess we'd better see about Scorpius' tree," Neville commented, smiling at the way Draco was trying to brush the snow from his clothing.

"About that," Draco said, giving up and grabbing hold of Neville's arm. "I'm not sure if eighteen feet will be big enough, after all. I wondered... would you come to the Manor and have a look for me?"

"Of course," Neville breathed.


The End