A/N: Little Draco wants to see Father Christmas. Nice fluffy family fic of the Malfoys. Might be a bit too early for Christmas fics but I don't care. Now when I say 'fairy lights', I mean little dots of light strung together by an invisible string. RxR. FxF. I do not own Harry Potter.

Submission for:

Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: A family fic

The Animal Challenge/Competition: Rabbit: Alertness and nurturing. Write about a mother.

Fairy lights were strung around the tree, their shine illuminating all the ornaments and baubles that hung off its branches. Garlands were wrapped around all the railings and banisters, little berries lost in the green. Stockings were hung from the mantel of the fireplace and red, green and silver decorations were strung up in every place possible. The house was quiet as its inhabitants slumbered through the night. The morning would bring Christmas to the Malfoy household and one little boy was bursting with excitement.

He couldn't sleep. He sat on the little seat under his window and he watched the snow lightly fall onto his mother's rose garden, the flowers closed until February when the weather started to get warmer. Everything was frosty and white, just like the peacocks, who were also in their pen around the back of the manor. They too wouldn't be let out until the weather was better.

But Draco didn't care about that. Draco cared about Father Christmas. His mother had told him the story of the kind man who visited every little boy and girl bearing gifts and good cheer. The man must have been a wizard to go from house to house across the world all in one night, but his mother would never confirm this. She'd always chuckle, hand him a glass of eggnog, and all questions would be drowned by its creamy, cinnamon-y goodness.

Last year, Draco had stayed up, hoping to meet the man but fell asleep before he came. This year, the four-year old boy would stay awake. He was confident that this would be the night. He kept his eyes and ears open, waiting for the slightest disturbance. He and his mother had left out a plate of cookies for the man. She said that's how you paid him and Draco thought it so stupid that the man would exchange cookies for presents. Not that Draco was complaining about the presents, but it seemed like a very crummy business deal.

There was a clatter from downstairs. Father Christmas was downstairs right now eating the cookies. Grabbing his blanket, Draco raced out of his room. He would finally meet the man.

He landed at the bottom of the staircases and moved slowly, hoping to take the man by surprise. The fairy lights guided him through the dark house, and he almost ran back upstairs. He hated the dark but he was so close. He couldn't back down now.

He peered into the room and saw a shadow silhouetted against the fairy lights on the tree, but it was still too dark to see the man properly. His tiny feet padded on the floor and the figure turned towards him. Draco knew he had been seen and he darted forward. He wouldn't let the man get away. But he was too late. The man disappeared with a pop and Draco fell before the spot he had been. He was so close! Tears welled up in his before he started to wail.

Lucius appeared in his bedroom, the sound of his apparation waking up his slumbering wife. He knew his pops were quiet but even the slightest thing woke her up. The two of them could hear the crying from downstairs.

Upon her quizzical look, Lucius said, "Our son almost saw me, so I popped back upstairs. I think he needs you now."

She smiled before rising from the bed and drawing on her robe. She headed downstairs and towards the living room. The sight she saw almost broke her heart. Draco sat at the foot of the three, among all the presents, and instead of joyous as he would be come Christmas morning, he was just sitting there, ignoring the wrapped boxes as silent tears ran down his cheeks.

When he saw her, she crouched down as he rose from the floor and ran into her waiting arms. She held him close as he cried in her shoulder, mumbling over and over 'I saw him' and 'I was so close'. She just listened to him, rubbing his back soothingly to calm him down.

When he had finally stopped crying, she carried him over to the soft armchair before the fireplace. She lit the fire and then asked him what happened.

He sniffled before saying, "I heard someone eating the cookies. And I saw him. I almost caught him but he disappeared."

He looked like he was about to cry again but Narcissa said, "Wow. You were that close! That was much farther than all the other boys and girls. Even I've never gotten that close."

He smiled and said, "Because I was sneaky enough and he didn't hear me."

"But maybe he shouldn't be seen. If he's seen, then all the magic is gone and there'll be no more surprises on Christmas morning. Don't you like your surprises, Draco?" He nodded and snuggled into her. She continued, "Then we have to let him keep coming by, so we'll all be pleasantly surprised. But next year, you can teach me how you go so far."

He giggled and then began telling her how he had done it, embellishing the story with explosions and epic battles. Narcissa oohed and aahed at all the right moments, and he ended with the narrow escape of the elusive Father Christmas. By this time, he was barely awake and her lovely praises soon fell on dying ears.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps from behind her. She didn't turn as the newcomer stood next to her armchair and then leant down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He rubbed a soothing hand across his son's head, playing with the fringe above his eyes.

She pulled his face down and kissed his cheek before saying, "You need to be quieter, Father Christmas."