CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: Christmas
Severus woke up to footsteps in his room. He tensed reaching for his wand which he kept under his pillow at night. His hand closing over the carved wood. His eyes opening only a slit. He stilled his movements as he realized that the form moving towards him was just a hesitant child. He blinked. What was a child doing in his room? Better question why hadn't he heard the door? Oh yes. Now he remembered he'd shielded the room last night so he could sleep through all the house noise. Blinking fully awake he had just pulled his hand out from under his pillow leaving the wand there when he felt something collide with his chest.
"Mor-Ufffff," Severus gasped. Trying to say good morning but failing at the sudden impact.
"Wake up Uncle Severus, IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Draco shouted jumping up and down on his chest. Ok that kind of hurt a lot. Severus sighed. At least the child was happy.
"Umm'ake" Severus sleepily mumbled out. Wondering why his words were coming out slurred when he was thinking them perfectly fine. Maybe he really wasn't all that awake. Draco flattened him with a tight hug and Severus gasped out as arms tightened around his neck. "antbeath," he tried to say: can't breathe. All that came out was unintelligent garble.
"GET UP!" Draco demanded from next to his ear. Severus had just about enough of this. A quick spell had Draco pulled off his chest and floating a foot in the air above him. Severus yawned and observed the squirming giggling child trying to get down.
"Dragon, I'm awake. You do not need to strangle, flatten or deafen me," Severus chided gently.
"How'd you do that? You didn't speak? You don't have a wand? Can I learn?" Draco babbled laughing down at his uncle.
"It's called nonverbal and wandless magic child, and yes when you're older I can teach you," Severus said gently.
"But I want to learn now," Draco pouted.
"Patience Dragon," Severus said wearily. He continued gently, "now why are you shouting? What has happened?"
"It's Christmas Uncle Severus and father will not let us open our gifts until you are downstairs and we have all had breakfast," Draco said by way of explanation. "Mother said to let you sleep, but I want to open presents. So I snuck in and decided to wake you up!" He sounded proud that he'd snuck up on his uncle. Given that Severus was notoriously hard to sneak up on. He wasn't going to mention there had been spells making that possible. Allowing the child to believe he'd managed the nearly-impossible feet on his own. He wasn't going to inform the child he'd been awake the moment he'd heard the first footfall long before being attacked by his godson. It was christmas after all.
"Alright well in that case go on back downstairs and let Lucius know I'll be done in a minute," Severus said. His eyes moving causing the boy to fly to the side of his bed and slowly be let down as he looked down towards the floor. It was easier to use the eye-contact as a way to guide the spell when he wasn't using his wand. Draco giggled and ran out of the room slamming the door noiselessly. That he could actually get used to. Noiseless slamming doors. Sighing he rose. Yawned and stretched. He debated taking a shower to fully wake up. Knowing Draco he'd be pounding on the washroom door in less then five minutes time. Sighing Severus decided to just get dressed and shower later.
A few moments later saw a still rather half asleep Severus walking down the stairs. Having no idea what time it actually was. Lucius laughed up-roaringly when Severus mumbled some form of good morning that sounded quite incoherent and then sat down with a huff.
"I see Draco dragged you out of bed this morning Sev," Lucius said. It wasn't a question. Severus nodded and grabbed the coffee.
"Draco!" Narcissa chided. "What did I tell you?"
"To let him sleep, but Mother!" Draco whined but was silenced by her hard look.
"Cissa it's fine," Severus said gently. Not wanting to see Draco loose his good mood or be punished for waking him. He was finally starting to wake up with the coffee warming his insides. He yawned. "Plus I got to fly him around my room a little like I used to do when he was little. I forgot how fun that was."
"Oh heaven, is he still begging you to teach him that?" Lucius asked.
"Why can't I learn it father?" Draco demanded.
"I don't even know the spell he uses Dragon," Lucius smiled. He gave his friend a one eyebrow raised stare. "Severus likes to make new spells and not teach anyone. He's rather mysterious like that."
"That's not fair!" Draco declared staring at his uncle.
"Dragon, your father is teasing you love," Narcissa said laughing. Severus smirked into his cup. They'd been doing that to him since he was a tiny infant.
"Professor Snape you can make people fly?" Harry asked with wide eyes.
"It's Uncle Severus when were not in school Harry, and yes I can. After breakfast I'll fly you both out into the living room so we can all open our present," Severus explained.
"I have presents?" Harry asked in awe. Severus looked at him startled. It was clear from Narcissa and Lucius's aghast look that none of them had been expecting that.
"Well duh, that's what everyone gets on Christmas," Draco said in shock.
"Draco!" Narcissa chided but never got to finish as Harry was answering Draco.
"I never did before," Harry whispered.
"Well you will now! Mother always makes sure everyone has lots of presents, Uncle Severus and Father do to. Though Father says it's proper to only buy three presents for everyone that way it's not a giant pile and everyone gets the same amount. Mother doesn't do that though. She likes to buy a lot of presents for us," Draco declared grinning at Harry.
"Alright boys eat your breakfast," Lucius said pointing to the still full plates of food in front of Harry and Draco. Severus had already half eaten his. Narcissa and Lucius were already done with their meal. Lucius returned to reading the paper while he drank his tea. Severus was just happy to sit quietly and drink another cup of coffee while the children finished up their food.
True to his word Severus levitated the two boys through the air and to the living room. All without saying a word or using his wand. He loved the shouts and bursts of laughter that ensued from the boys. All too soon they entered the large living room where a giant enchanted christmas tree sat in one corner. A roaring fire already dancing merrily in the fireplace. Stacks of multicoloured gifts sat under the tree. The dark black boxes sanding out against the cheery colors of the other wrapping paper. Severus smirked.
"Really Severus, your still using black wrapping paper? It hasn't gotten old yet?" Lucius laughed.
"Don't mess with tradition Luc. You know what they say," Severus said in response.
"What do they say Prof-, I mean, Uncle Severus?" Harry asked hesitating on the name.
"It's bad luck," Draco replied proudly.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"It's just a saying Harry," Draco said shrugging.
"Ok," Harry responded giving up. It wasn't worth trying to figure it out anyways. He'd never been part of any traditions before. Severus watched the exchange with a smug look on his face. Setting the boy's down in the centre of the rug. Harry just stood looking at the giant piles of presents. Draco had no such qualms. He walked straight to the pile and grabbed up boxes walking around handing one to everyone. Draco sat down on the rug and Harry followed suit. Severus, Lucius and Narcissa had all settled themselves in comfortable armchairs in a semi-circle around the boys.
Harry looked up at Draco wondering what happened next. The other boy wasn't paying attention he was too busy tearing into the package.
"Go ahead Harry, open your gift," Narcissa encouraged watching the two children. Their camera was busily taking pictures for them so they didn't need to worry at all. Narcissa would of course make a christmas album like she did every year. The manor held a whole row of them. It was another tradition. That particular shelf had followed through Lucius's family for generations. He'd not looked at all of them of course. There were just too many. The same couldn't be said about Narcissa. She'd looked at everyone of them.
Harry hesitated another moment before starting to unwrap the present with care. Draco had already uncovered his gift and was busily reading the back of the box. This was how the morning progressed with everyone opening gifts until only boxes for the children remained under the tree. Even then Draco kept handing them out one at a time.
"What's that Harry?" Draco asked when Harry had opened a mysteriously unmarked box to revealing a strange looking cloak.
"I don't know," Harry said frowning.
"That child is an invisibility cloak if I'm not mistaken. Try it on and lets see," Lucius drawled looking curiously at it. Harry didn't bother getting up he just draped it over his shoulders and closed the front over his legs. Everything except his head vanished.
"Wow, that's brilliant!" Draco announced, "Who's it from?"
Harry looked into the box and frowned. "It doesn't say. It just says that it was my dads and he gave it to someone, doesn't say who."
Severus had to occlude his thoughts quickly to keep the blank mask in place. He'd known the headmaster had the cloak. Or at least suspected he did. That he gave it to Harry. Now of all times. What was the old man thinking? Lucius was looking at him oddly. Severus shook his head.
"Oh well, lets just keep opening up presents then!" Draco said bored with the cloak already. He got back up and retrieved the last few gifts handing them out to Harry and himself before sitting down again. Tearing eagerly into his present pile. When they were done Narcissa handed them both a bag so they could put their presents in it to take them to their room. As the boys started to pick up their present pile to place into the bag, Narcissa walked towards the desk in the far corner, where Lucius had been doing some of his paperwork over the holidays, gathering up stacks of neatly folded white cards with fancy gold embossing on the front. She passed out a small stack to everyone.
Harry took his and looked confused, "what's this for ma'am?"
"It's so you can write a thank you note to everyone who sent you presents. We'll be sending them all out tomorrow," Narcissa instructed. Harry smiled at her. He liked that idea. It seemed like a really nice thing to do.
"We'll meet back here in an hour for some tea and a few quiet games. Were going out for a late lunch at a restaurant at around 1pm so you'll have plenty of time to play a few games," Lucius instructed the boys.
An hour later saw everyone gathered back in the clean living room. Draco and Harry sitting on opposite sides of a coffee table playing a game of wizards chest. Severus reading one of the rare books Narcissa had gotten him. Lucius doing some of his paperwork and Narcissa working on a bit of needlework. Embroidering a Gryffindor lion into what looked like a soft blanket.
Their quiet morning slowly tapered into lunch. The time seemed to melt away in the quiet hours finding everyone enjoying themselves. For Harry the peaceful Christmas morning was the most wonderful day of his life. He felt accepted and included and enjoyed it immensely. Severus had felt the same way the very first time he'd been present at the Malfoys for Christmas. It was something he looked forward too every year. Which was a strange thing seeing as Severus so rarely liked 'cheery' things.
Soon Lucius sent the boys upstairs to dress and everyone gathered their things. They would be heading to a restaurant at the resort for a late lunch. Just as everyone were entered the large foyer of the expensive restaurant both Severus and Lucius froze. Pain shot through their mark and both looked at each other.
"Narcissa we must be leaving. Stay and enjoy lunch with the boys," Lucius said. A moment before he could turn around he found himself wrapped up in his son's strong hold.
"Dad please," Draco almost begged in a pleading voice, "don't go."
"Shh Dragon, it's ok," Lucius said picking him up and hugging him tightly. "I have to go, you know that. Stay with your mother and brother. You have to take care of them while I'm gone. Now go and make sure they enjoy their lunch." Lucius's words were soft and gentle, as he gave his son yet another hug, before putting him down and pushing him towards Narcissa. Narcissa took Draco's hand and held him tightly at her side.
"Be safe, both of you!" Narcissa called as Lucius and Severus left. Their soft promise echoing back to her and she pushed Draco towards Harry. Lucius turned at the door one last time to watch as Narcissa guided the boys further into the room. An air of sadness had seeped into the family as the distance between them increased.
"It'll be fine Lucius, we need to go," Severus said gently putting his hand on the older man's shoulder. With one final nod Lucius followed Severus out into the cold to apparate away to the Dark Lord's side.
Author's Note: This chapter is suppose to be a bit of a fluff piece. Mostly I just wanted to do something cute and laid back and take a bit of a break from the drama that's in the story. Also wanting to show a bit of the Harry/Draco dynamics. What better way to do that then with a little Christmas fun! This chapter falling on 25 is a pure coincidence, but makes me giggle.
Guest: Thank you for pointing that out to me. I will try and keep that in mind. I'm not used to grammar in english so bear with me. Thank you so much for taking the time to review and pointing out my mistakes I greatly appreciate this. I will definitely go back at a later time and fix the previous chapters that contain mistakes in grammar/spelling.
Hope06: Thank you! I am so glad to hear you are enjoying the story! There will be more for sure!