Christmas Special!
Warning: LOTS OF FEELS AHEAD.
In which Scorpius finds a family within Albus' family, a while after his own mother's death
The snow was falling from the sky, covering the grounds around a busy wizarding neighborhood and on the buildings themselves. The sky was foggy and gray, clouded over so that no sun shone. Inside one certain house it smells of gingerbread and cinnamon. A Christmas tree is set up in the living room, beside a burning fireplace. There is a bowl of candy on the table that seems to not have been touched. Present flood the bottom of the tree. A woman is in the kitchen with her husband. Both are sitting at the table while pots, pans, and dishes float around and wash themselves in the sink. The man is reading a newspaper and the woman is chattering to him. She had long red hair and he has messy back hair, glasses, and a lightning shape scar on his forehead. These are Ginny Potter and Harry Potter.
Upstairs is the sound of loud nonchalant talking and playful squealing. James Sirius Potter is rubbing his little sister's head and she is playfully beating his arm, laughing loudly. James Sirius Potter has messy black hair and a playful grin on his face. Lily Luna Potter has red hair like her mother but seems to have kept her fierce personality.
In the other room, however, are two boys; one is sitting on the bed, staring out at the snow below the house. And the other is playing with a pure white ferret on the floor. The one on the bed has pure white hair and bright green eyes and the one with the pet has neat black hair and light green eyes. Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Severus Potter.
SCORPIUS: Thanks for asking your mother if I can stay for the holidays. I'm surprised dad even let me.
ALBUS: Yeah. No problem, Scor. I kind of thought your dad would be a bit more stuck up as well.
SCORPIUS: Mum told me he was a snob back in his Hogwarts days-but he seems-to be nicer now?
ALBUS: That's good!
SCORPIUS stops looking out the window and crawls over the side of the bed, laying on his stomach and watching his boyfriend play with the ferret.
SCORPIUS: Did you know my father was a ferret before?
ALBUS: Only about a million times. It's why Harry told me to get a ferret in fact; ferrets aren't even allowed at Hogwarts. He just wanted to make your dad mad.
SCORPIUS: I could tell. Ooh, the first day of Hogwarts was so funny-when my dad saw the ferret he fumed. But mum calmed him down. She had quite the way with him.
Albus shifts his foot uncomfortably at the mention of Scorpius' late mother. Astoria Greengrass had died from a sickness soon after Scorpius had started school. He knew his boyfriend wasn't quite comfortable talking about such a sensitive subject just yet. He decides to change the subject, seeing the crestfallen look on his face.
ALBUS: Scor, happy holiday eve.
SCORPIUS: Holiday eve? Oh. Happy holidays eve. I got you a present but you can't open it yet.
ALBUS: Ooh, a present? Can I see it? What is it?
SCORPIUS: It's under your tree. When I got here yesterday I hid it from you. Even your brother won't be able to find it.
Albus is quiet for a moment as he considers the options for the present before he continues talking with Scorpius. In the midst of their conversation they are interrupted by the door flinging open and a huge ball of snow flying in and whacking Albus directly in the face. He turns his head and looks angry for a moment before seeing Lily standing there, looking mischievous. Scorpius watches on.
ALBUS: Lily! Why are you throwing snow?
LILY: James and I went outside to snow fight; he told me to come get you!
ALBUS: Tell him I'll be there in a few moments.
Lily nods and runs out the room, leaving the two alone. Albus turns to Scorpius, who looks nervous but excited. Then the two stand up, help each other put on their jackets and gloves and scarves before running outside as well. As soon as they step out Scorpius watches awkwardly as Albus gets hit by some snow. He bends down right away and balls some up in his glove, throwing at James, who squeals and ducks. Scorpius watches as the siblings throw the snow around; he seems to be feeling out of place. But Albus notices right away and throws a snowball at him, causing him to join the snow fight. Scorpius picks some up and pretends to throw it at Albus, but quickly turns and hits Lily with it. She screams at him and throws some and soon the four are teamed up against the other and tossing snowballs at them. Harry comes out just as James is hit in the face.
HARRY: Kids, uh, Scorpius? Come in for dinner.
He is greeted by a snowball to the face from James, who laughs and runs past him. He doesn't get angry, he seems to understand it's the holidays. Of course they're excited. He wipes off their snow-covered clothes as they walk past but just pats Scorpius once on the back, quite awkwardly.
Soon the family and Scorpius are inside eating supper. Ginny is talking about Quidditch excitedly with James and Lily; Harry is eating, and listening to Albus and Scorpius chatter about the holidays. He finishes his bite and interrupts their conversation.
HARRY: Uh, Scorpius? Malfoy-Uh, Draco-uh, your father sent you a letter.
SCORPIUS: Oh, he did? Thank you-Sir. (He bows his head) I'll write back to him; oh, wait. Do you mind if I do it now? Please?
HARRY: Go ahead.
Scorpius gulps; he seems upset about something all of a sudden. He gets up and goes in the living room, writing something on a sheet of paper, before sending it off with a large tawny owl. When he comes back, almost fifteen minutes later, he is unusually quiet.
ALBUS: Are you okay?
Scorpius nods and his face heats up as the other family members look at him. Harry seems very concerned.
HARRY: Are you okay?
SCORPIUS: Uh, yeah...sorry. It's just-well, he's-dad's-did you know my mother made this exact supper before?
The family fell silent as they all realized Scorpius must be missing his mother. Albus takes his hand and grasps it gently; he seems extremely grateful. Ginny stares at his sad face and his misty eyes and waves her hand. The others take this as a sign to leave. They get up and slink off quietly. Albus pats his shoulder once and gives him a quick, warm hug before heading out of the kitchen. Scorpius looks up.
SCORPIUS: No. I'm sorry! I-
GINNY: I told them to go. Come here.
Ginny opens her arms, inviting him for a hug. He stares at her for a moment before leaning in, embracing Albus' mother in a warm hug. He stays there for a long moment and still doesn't leave. She doesn't budge or make him let go.
GINNY: I'm sorry about Astoria, honey...I barely knew her, but we spoke sometimes in school...she was kind and friendly, from what I remember...
SCORPIUS: I don't want dad to be without her for the holidays...
Ginny thinks for a moment and looks back at the living room before putting her hands on his face and lifting it up to hers. Her eyes are warm with kindness and love. Scorpius is confused; he'd always heard from his family that Ginny was fierce and not someone to mess with, but here she is, kind and loving to someone who wasn't even her own child.
GINNY: We'll invite him for the holidays...Harry can grow up and get out of that awkward phase; they were school bullies to one another; I think even he'll understand that nobody deserves to be alone for Christmas...
This makes Scorpius smile up at her and he takes her hug even tighter than before.
SCORPIUS: I think he'll like that...mum would too...
Ginny keeps him in her arms, hugging him tightly; but her eyes grow fierce as James pokes his head in the kitchen, seeing what's happening. He quickly exits and her face glows with warmth once more. They hug for a long time; in silence, and he lets his tears fall for a few moments, but soon wipes them away, sniffing a bunch of times. When he sniffs he notices something; Ginny smells sweet, and motherly; it reminds him quite a bit of cinnamon...He pulls away finally and looks at her.
SCORPIUS: You remind me of her, just-a bit...She smelled like that too.
He smiles bashfully as Ginny messes his hair up affectionately.
GINNY: Thank you, I suppose. You're sweet, Scorpius, you know that? I'm quite proud your parents managed to raise someone like you...You know something? Since you're dating Albus and everything, I'm kind of like a second mother? If you need to talk to someone you can come to me, anytime...
Scorpius smiles again and murmurs a very quiet thank you. He hugs her again, thankful that his boyfriend's mother is so kind, and so alike yet so different from his own mother. Nobody could ever replace her, of course. But she did remind him that his own mother wasn't alive, but he knew she'd be happy for him, which made him very happy, yet sad at the same time. Ginny called the others back in and he quickly stepped out with a word, writing a letter to his father again, begging him to come over for the holidays. He borrowed James' owl to send it off gratefully. Then he took a present from behind the Christmas tree and went back into the kitchen, putting it in front of Albus.
SCORPIUS: Open it. I got it for you. I was going to wait until Christmas, but I want you to have it now.
ALBUS: Uh, really?
SCORPIUS: Yes.
Albus rips open the package, feeling awkward with his family's stare, but beams when he sees a long, dark green box with his name en-scripted on the side. It is a wand box; he seems very happy about it.
SCORPIUS: I paid for it-when we went to Diagon Alley-uh, me and my father-we stopped and I bought you a present. I had Ollivlander put your name on it.
He beams brightly as Albus takes his wand and puts it in it, just to show how much he appreciated it. He hugs Scorpius and then the boy takes a seat and apologizes for interrupting dinner, even though they all insist it's alright. As he eats he can't help but smile up at Ginny again, thanking her for the comfort. She smiles back at him, winks, and then continues her conversation with Lily about Quidditch. Scorpius starts to finally look forward to the holidays, when he and his father will be with the Potters, a family once more.