A Family Christmas

It had been a long exhausting wonderful Christmas day filled with merriment. It was Harry's fourth Christmas as Albus and Minerva's adopted grandson. And the five year old had had a glorious time gleefully tearing brightly coloured paper off present after present, as he greeted each new delight with cries of joy. Their grandson's sparkling green eyes, and beaming face had been thanks enough for Albus and Minerva, as they treasured each precious moment with the boy they both adored.

For once Minerva was content to let Albus spoil Harry as much as he wished, and so there had been chocolate, and treats galore, and many crazy games. Including a madcap race round the Christmas tree, which Harry won after Albus was overcome with dizzyness on the final lap, and collapsed on the carpet with his long purple clad legs waving merrily in the air.

It was well past Harry's bed time, the winter skies had long since darkened, and Harry had spent the last few minutes sitting quietly on the floor, gazing blankly into the distance. Albus light blue eyes softened tenderly as he knelt on the floor in front of Harry, "Come Harry, it's time for bed, you've had a long day, and it's very late now."

"I don't wanna..." Harry muttered.

Albus was surprised to see that Harry's bottom lip was quivering in a tell tale manner, and that tears shimmered in his eyes. "What's wrong Harry?" He asked gently.

"I doesn't want Christmas to end, and once I go to bed it'll end." Harry sniffled mournfully.

The large tear stained eyes gazing up at him were so sad. All Albus wanted to do was see his grandson happy once more. "Of course it won't my boy." He said firmly.

"It won't?" Harry's voice trembled.

"Of course not. After all there's tomorrow, and it's still Christmas tomorrow my boy. And anyway Harry Christmas is a state of mind, so if you want it to be Christmas everyday it can be." Albus smiled reassuringly at Harry, as his hand brushed lightly against Harry's chin, lifting the child's face up to his. "Happy now, my boy?"

"Is it really Christmas again tomorrow?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Of course it is."

"So, I get presents again tomorrow then?" Harry asked, as his eyes shone brightly up at Albus.

There was a surprised pause from Albus, then as Harry's face began to drop he said rapidly, "Yes of course you do, my boy!" Albus tried to ignore the cough from Minerva, who had heard what he said, and was now eyeing him disapprovingly.

Harry jumped up, and flung his arms round Albus' neck so tightly that he nearly strangled him, then bounced up and down in front of Albus. "And the day after that, and the next day, and the next day! Presents everyday!" Harry clapped his hands in delight, his eyes shining gleefully.

Albus shot a helpless look at Minerva, who was giving him her famed 'I told you so glare.' Albus cleared his throat uncertainly, "That depends what Grandma says Harry."

Albus shot another glance at Minerva, who had her arms folded across her chest, and was giving him a look which very clearly said, you got yourself into this mess, and you can jolly well get yourself out of it!

Harry was still bouncing up and down in front of him, and seemed to have made up a little song about presents and Christmas every day. Albus surpressed a groan, shot a final pleading glance at Minerva, who had her nose conveiniently buried in a book, and ran long fingers thoughtfully through his beard. As an idea sprang into his mind, his sapphire eyes regained their normal twinkle. Opening his arms he drew Harry onto his lap. "I suppose you think that having presents everyday would be wonderful fun, hmmm?"

"Oh yes!" Harry said happily.

"Don't you think it might get boring?" Albus asked gently. "After all if you were always having to open new presents, when would you get time to play with any of them?"

"Oh..." Harry muttered uncertainly.

"Shall I tell you a huge huge secret about presents my boy?" Albus asked, as he ruffled Harry's ever messy hair.

"Oooooo Yes!"

Albus leant close to Harry, and whispered in his ear, "They're much more fun if you only get them sometimes. After all they wouldn't be special if you got them everyday, would they?"

Harry frowned doubtfully at this, his tiny face crinkling in concentration.

"Today was really special wasn't it Harry? Today was alot of fun, because it was special to get presents today, because you don't get them everyday, do you? If you got presents everyday, then today wouldn't have been so exciting, because you'd just think, oh presents again, I get those everyday. Why, having presents would be as dull as bathing or putting on warm clothes or eating up your vegetables." Albus said persuasively.

Harry's nose had wrinkled in disgust at the mention of vegetables. "okay..." Harry said sleepily, as his head rested against Albus shoulder. Then as his eyes drifted shut, he whispered, "Do I still get presents tomorrow?"

"Of course you do, after all I did promise." Albus answered tenderly, as he picked harry up, winked triumphantly at Minerva, and carried Harry off to bed, pausing briefly to let Minerva bestow a motherly kiss on Harry's dark tousled hair.

Author's Notes

Written in a bit of a hurry, since Christmas is coming, and I'm in a mad rush to get all my Christmas stories finished, and published. *panics slightly* ;)

I love imagining Albus and Minerva with little children, and this cute idea just sprang to my mind. I'd love feedback. Merry Christmas Everyone.