Two years ago they saved the wizarding world. They stopped Voldemort's daughter, they convinced their fathers to learn how to be more accepting, and they had remained best friends. They now sat across from each other in two, low-backed, leather chairs, near the common room fire. They played a game of Wizard's Chess under the green glow of the common room, a merman was watching the pieces get smashed through a round window. Scorpius's rook collapsed under a charging knight from Albus.
He grinned and looked up. "You're getting better."
"I was bound to at some point with someone so annoyingly smart helping me," Albus grinned in return. He frowned and glanced at the grandfather clock across the deserted common room. "Scorpius, we'll have to go soon, it's almost seven."
Scorpius groaned and leaned back, stretching in his chair. "Do you really think it's a good time to tell them? Our dad's hate each other."
Albus reached across the table and grasped Scorpius's hand. "They're better now- they only try to kill each other every other month."
Scorpius squeezed his hand and sighed again. "Well we might as well get this over with. You're sure that Christmas is the best time to tell them?"
Albus shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think there is a best time, McGonagall and Neville seem to think this is the best time. They'll be there and we know we have their support."
Scorpius smiled weakly at Albus. "We better head up then." They stood up, waved at the merman, and left the common room.
They ran into Peeves halfway up the stairs from the Great Hall. "OH-HO Pottey and Scorpion King," he leered at them, floating cross-legged blocking the stairs. He was wearing a green and red hat with flashing lights in honor of the holiday.
"Peeves get out of the way," Albus retorted.
"Ooh-hoo Pottey's got an attitude like his daddy," Peeves snapped back.
Albus rolled his eyes "Come on Scorpius," and he began to walk again.
Peeves darted in front of them, "Going to tell the world your secret? Why not let Peevsy do it?" Peeves flipped upside down and continued. "Peevsy makes any situation better and doubles trouble! Such fun it'll be!"
Scorpius glared at Peeves and drew his wand, so fast Albus and Peeves weren't sure they saw it. "Langlock!"
Peeves glared at Scorpius and sped off knocking over a nearby suit of armor.
Stashing his wand Scorpius looked at Albus. "We better clear out of here before Filch turns up unless you know a spell to pick up that armor, because I'm not strong enough to lift it."
The boys ran up the stairs and Albus guided them through a door pretending to be a wall and up the steps inside. They heard a distant curse as Filch found the knocked over armor. They looked at each other and grinned slightly, then resumed their hurried, anxious, journey. A few minutes later they arrived at the gargoyle for the headmistresses office. They looked at each other and squeezed hands again.
They looked at the gargoyle, who said to them both. "She's expecting you- I don't believe your parents are here yet." He looked at Albus, "Your siblings have beaten you though."
Albus nodded "Thank you, I appreciate the warning. I guess we better go up." The gargoyle nodded once and slid aside. They stepped up onto the stair case, which began to spiral up to an ornate door.
They looked at each other and Scorpius said, "We can do this, we will do this Albus."
Albus laughed with only slight amusement. "Since when are you the brave encourager- you're supposed to be the realist."
Scorpius grinned, "Well you know, I did defy dementors and Voldemort to keep you around."
Albus chuckled. "Ready?"
Scorpius mumbled, "Ready." Together they knocked and, when the door opened, walked in.
Lily ran up to Albus and hugged him. "oof… Ya know, you saw me yesterday" Albus responded to his sisters hug.
"Ya but it's Christmas and everyone gets a hug!" She said as she detached from Albus and, much to everyone's surprise, tackled Scorpius. He took a step back and his arms stiffened in surprise. Albus chuckled under his breath as Scorpius looked at him, unsure of what to do. Albus shrugged and Scorpius awkwardly patted Lily on the back twice. She once again detached and skipped backed toward the table.
James looked up from the most recent Quidditch Times. "Decide to stop hiding out in your common room and join the rest of the family?"
James smiled slightly at Albus, who rolled his eyes. "Don't make me curse you on Christmas, James."
James mumbled under his breath. "Like you could, Slytherin squib." Albus started to reach for his wand, Scorpius touched his elbow and shook his head. Albus sighed and they walked over to the table.
"Evening Malfoy. Potter. Your families should be here shortly, along with the Granger-Weasleys." McGonagall said from her desk, which had been moved to the corner out of the way. There was another knock and Neville Longbottom entered.
"Sorry I'm late Minerva, the Venomous Tentacula had gotten ahold of a spade and I felt it best not to let it keep it." He said as he hung a tattered brown cloak on a hook near the door.
Lily, who had been partially hidden behind the table and the large Christmas tree, jumped up and bear hugged Neville. "Hi Uncle Neville! Merry Christmas!"
Neville hugged her back, chuckling."Merry Christmas Lily. Merry Christmas Albus, James, Scorpius." Lily released Neville and returned to her secretive spot. Neville walked over to Albus and Scorpius, who were still standing slightly away from everyone else. He extended his hand to them each, saying softly, so not to be overheard. "You two doing alright? Relax, try to enjoy the holiday." Albus grimaced and Scorpius seemed paler than usual. Neville touched Scorpius's shoulder. "Breathe. Your dad is closed off, but he has a big heart."
Scorpius glanced up. "But I'm not the son he wanted…"
"You are what he needs. You are much more like your mother than him. Keep in mind his father was not near as accepting as yours. Its an area- for both of your dads- that they struggle with." Neville interrupted Scorpius's thought.
Speaking to both Albus and Scorpius, "They never had a good father figure, it's hard for them to have any idea of how to be that parent. But you have to admit they've come a long way since your little adventure a few years back." Albus and Scorpius chuckled softly, Neville continued. "Come on. Sit down and have a cracker!" Neville threw his leg over the bench and sat down, gesturing to the boys. They took a seat opposite him, sitting close to each other. He picked up two crackers, one in each hand, and offered the other ends to each of the boys. The boys solemnly grasped their ends and pulled. Each cracker exploded with a BANG, small amount of smoke and confetti. Scorpius's cracker had a set of emerald colored gobstones.
He smiled, "Good, Albus won the last of mine off me."
Albus's cracker had a few rare potions ingredients. "Yay maybe now I can finally make some Felix Felicis." Neville eyed him for a second and then chuckled. The fire suddenly turned bright green as a figure began to spin into view. The figure came to a halt and stepped out of the fire, syphoning ash off his robes.
Minerva looked up and set down her quill. "Merry Christmas Draco! Please make yourself comfortable, the others will join us shortly." As she finished and Draco moved toward his son at the table, the fire lit up green again, rapidly six more figures stepped out, one after the other. Ginny was hugging Lily, who was attempting to bear hug everyone who had just arrived. Harry was patting James on the back, Hermione was hugging Neville who had stood up to greet them, Ron was shaking hands with Draco, and Rose was lecturing Hugo in the corner about manners. Albus and Scorpius tried to shrink into the bench, finding each other's hands briefly on the bench between them before breaking apart.
Draco turned and went to Scorpius touching him on the shoulder before sitting down next to him. "How have you been son? I've missed having you at home. I hope your studies are going well."
There was very little accusation in his tone, but Scorpius still had to fight to tell the truth. "I've gotten much better with some of the charms I had missed. We have also been practicing Elixir to Induce Euphoria. Albus got a fit of laughter the other day that Madam Pomfrey had to fix- It was quite amusing. Professor McGonagall also gave me run of the restricted section, which I've been using." He said all of this while looking at the gobstones still in front of him and nervously rolling one back and forth.
Draco fiddled with a cracker and cleared his throat. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, you always were brighter than I was." As he finished Draco looked up and smiled at Scorpius. Scorpius gave him a weak smile in return. Draco turned to Albus, "It's good to see you too Albus."
Albus glanced at him suspiciously, then smiled slightly. "It's good to see you as well. Thank you for allowing Scorpius to stay over Christmas." Albus turned back to his new potions ingredients, inspecting them just to have something to do. Harry and the others sat down around the table. Harry sat down next to Neville and across from Draco.
"Merry Christmas Draco," he said holding out a cracker.
Draco glared at it for a moment before sighing. "Merry Christmas Potter."
Harry turned his attention to Albus. "Merry Christmas Al. We've missed you and Lily at home. I hope you both are having fun up here."
Albus, who had gained a slightly better relationship with his father, found it a bit easier to talk to him than Scorpius did with Draco.
"It's been good for my studies. Scorpius and I have been helping each other." Albus motioned to Scorpius as he talked.
A small bang erupted from where Lily was hiding and Albus continued. "I have no idea what Lily's been up to but I have a feeling it's more on the trouble making side of things." As he finished another bang and flash lit up the room.
McGonagall stood up, "Lily Luna Potter just what are you doing!?" and instead of a response a number of flashing, multi colored, glass ornaments floated above the table. Once they were in place they began to emit sparks that hovered near the ornaments for a moment before disappearing.
Lily emerged with her wand in hand, "Ta-Da!" She took a short bow and sat down next to James and her cousins at the end of the table.
McGonagall walked to the head of the table and sat, "Merry Christmas everyone! I thank you all for allowing me to be part of your family and for spending Christmas dinner here, at Hogwarts." She waved her wand the crackers and party decorations flew to a side table and were replaced by a feast. Scorpius leaned across Albus to get a bowl of mashed turnips.
He whispered quickly. "When should we tell them?"
Albus hurriedly replied, "After dessert and drinks." They ate in relative silence while everyone else talked around them. The boys heard none of the conversation, it was a meaningless drone around them. As the desserts were replaced with coffee and eggnog, Neville gave the boys a meaningful look.
Ginny turned to them. "Why are you two so quiet? Even Draco managed to get in the spirit enough to joke with Ron." Draco and Ron pointedly looked away from each other as Albus and Scorpius gave each other a look.
Scorpius found his voice first. "Well we, um, actually had something we wanted to tell you." He looked at Albus, who smiled and took his hand.
Albus spoke next, looking somberly at Ginny, who had always understood him better than rest of his family. "Well...we're sort of… going out… together."
Lily jumped up. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I knew something had changed with you two!" She rushed from the foot of the table and tackled both of them at the same time. She released them and skipped back to the end of the table before realizing that nobody else had said anything. She looked at Ginny expectantly.
"Well we already welcomed Scorpius and Draco to the family. I'm so happy for you two- I know how happy you make each other," Ginny said with a smile. Harry and Draco said nothing. Harry seemed to be struggling for words.
Draco spoke first to Harry. "Well it seems that no matter our differences your family is determined to invade mine."
Neville casually drew his wand.
Draco turned to Scorpius. "I didn't expect this, but you never cease to surprise me. As long as you're happy I promise not to curse them. I know you found this hard to do, your mother would be proud of you. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with." As he finished he patted Scorpius on the shoulder and turned to Albus. "Astoria would have liked you, and you are, by far, my favorite Potter- just no more adventures alright?" Albus nodded at Draco and smiled at Scorpius.
Neville raised his wand and sent glasses of eggnog to everyone, "Merry Christmas!" Someone had discreetly caused a bunch of mistletoe to float over Albus and Scorpius. While everyone turned their attention to gifts, they shared their first public kiss.
As they broke apart McGonagall appeared, "You know the rules-no PDA in the corridors." She smiled at them and motioned them to gather with their family around the Christmas tree.