"No, it doesn't look right there."

"Here?"

"No, still wrong. Try moving it more to the right?"

"Like this?"

"Okay, but perhaps a bit to the left?"

"How about now?"

"Perfect. Just a bit higher up. But not that much!"

Albus's patience was being tested mercilessly. If he hadn't known Scorpius well enough to be aware of his pedantic tendencies, he would have thought that James had put him up to this.

He sighed deeply and lowered the tinsel he'd been hanging around the Common Room. "Could you please explain to me again why we are doing this if we're going home for Christmas?"

"Because there's still some time left until we leave," chirped Scorp as he placed a stocking above the fireplace then took it off, clearly unhappy with the placement, then hung it back in the same place and smiled with satisfaction. He looked to Al, the reflection of the flames dancing in his silver eyes, filling them with an amused excitement. "And it's just something nice to do for all those unfortunate enough to have to stay here…"

"Two NEWT students."

"…and can't spend Christmas with their families!" Scorpius finished pointedly, folding his arms over his chest. "Even if it's just two NEWT students."

Albus rolled his eyes and dropped onto an armchair, the tinsel landing in his lap. Scorpius sent him a frown, looking like he was about to set his foot tapping on the floor impatiently.

"Oh, just let me rest for a bit, I feel like my arms will fall off soon," Albus groaned and tilted his head back dramatically.

"Al," Scorpius said, something urgent in his tone.

"Honestly, I'm sure the tinsel can wait for one second."

"That's not what I mean. Look!"

Groaning again he forced his head back upright and looked to Scorpius. He was staring at a small parcel which had appeared in front of the fireplace.

"Was it there before?" Al asked him, but Scorpius shook his head. Albus dragged himself off the armchair and kneeled in front of the package.

"Is there a note?" Scorpius asked, joining his side.

Albus saw that there was indeed a piece of paper tucked underneath the brown string wrapped around the parcel. He took it out and opened it, smiling at the familiar handwriting.

"It's from Rose," he said to Scorpius.

"What does she say?"

"Dear Al and Scorp," Albus started reading out loud, "I got this from mum today. Apparently, Nana Molly really wanted us all to get them before Christmas, so she's sent them already. No one really knows why," Albus grinned, but Scorpius urged him to go on. "I do hope you like them, and Scorp especially as I believe it's his first one. I asked a House Elf to deliver it to you now as I remembered you said you'd be decorating alone. Obviously, mum was adamant that I mustn't under any circumstances use an Elf, but I gave him something in return, so I suppose that's okay, don't you think? Dad told me to ask Flappy. An amazing creature, really. He bowed and thanked me about a million times and I only gave him a bar of chocolate… I think he added something for you from himself too, he was so excited! Anyway, I hope you have fun and I'll see you tomorrow! Love, Rose."

Scorp and Al exchanged a look of wild amusement, then threw themselves at the box at the same time, ripping the paper with childish impatience. When they finally got inside, they were both a bit confused at first, as it was filled with mismatched socks. Once they dug through them, however, they reached two smaller parcels, each addressed to one of them.

They unwrapped their gifts, and just like Al had suspected they each got a handmade Christmas jumper from Nana Molly. Both jumpers were emerald green, with an embroidered silver A and S for Albus and Scorpius respectively.

Albus grinned again, then threw the jumper on the armchair behind him. "Well, guess that was expected. Bless her heart, each year she sends them a day earlier. Anyway," he sighed, raising to his feet and grabbing the tinsel again. "Let's get this over with, shall we? Tell me again, where do you want this?"

Upon hearing no response, he tried the tinsel on different spots on the wall. "I think we could just throw it around here," he said, hanging it around the wall-mounted lamps, "and we could just call it a day! There," he stepped away to admire his work. "I think it looks great."

The tinsel was hanging miserably with one end touching the floor, and the other dangling lonely in the air.

"What do you think, Scorp?" Al asked him, grinning proudly. "Scorp?" he urged him when there was no response.

When once again none came, he turned around and found Scorpius still on the floor, clutching the jumper tightly, and staring at it wide-eyed.

"Are you okay?" Al asked and walked towards him. And then a thought hit him and he felt an embarrassed tug in his stomach. "I mean, if you don't like it, we could give it away or something… Nana doesn't even need to know. I'm sure Flappy would like it. I know it's a bit of a silly present, but it's a tradition, and so she does them each year, you know…"

He kneeled next to Scorpius whose cheeks were shining with tears.

"Silly?" Scorpius repeated quietly. "Silly? Albus, it's…" his voice broke and he couldn't continue.

Albus was struck with fear and confusion. Of course, the jumpers weren't anything special, but surely they weren't that bad… He didn't know what to say, so he just repeated: "Seriously, I'm sure Flappy would love to have it."

And at that moment a pillow flew through the room and slammed into his face with a quiet thud. Once the shock passed and the pillow landed back on the floor, Al gave Scorpius an offended glare and saw that the boy was trembling. Tears, laughter, Al didn't know, but after a moment he realised it was both.

"Scorp?" he asked, taking his hand. "What's going on?"

He sniffed and let out a small laugh. He turned his glistening, silver eyes to Albus. "You're such an idiot, Al," he said with a soft smile. He then grew solemn again. "It's just… It's the first jumper I ever got from your grandma."

"Urm," Albus muttered, still unsure what the issue was.

Scorpius chuckled again. "Don't worry, you wouldn't understand it anyway."

"Try me," Albus said, his eyebrows raising in a challenging way.

Scorpius looked at him sceptically, but sniffed again, composing himself. "I'm a Malfoy. Rose's dad hates me – no, don't deny it!" he added quickly when Al opened his mouth. "I know that's the case and that even though he tries to be nice around me he will never change his mind. I know that your grandparents hated mine, and let's not even start on my dad. But I've made my peace with it a long time ago, and I know that they will never fully accept me, or us. I know you may think a jumper is silly, but you cannot imagine how much this silly thing means to me. That your grandma thought about me and found time to do this for me. For me. For a Malfoy."

He was looking at the piece of wool in his hands with such affection that Albus almost grew jealous. There was something so warm and soft about that stare, and about everything he'd just said, that Albus found himself unable to respond with words. He brought Scorpius' face closer and kissed him gently.

"I don't have words for you, Scorp. You keep surprising me," he whispered, gazing deeply into the silver eyes.

"Who needs words when I have this?" Scorpius responded, smiling. "I'm sorry," he added, wiping his face away. "I shouldn't be this whiny at Christmas."

"Don't be silly," Albus said, cupping his face and brushing the tears away with his thumbs. He then frowned, in a pretend concern. "But you do like it, right?"

Scorpius laughed and smacked his shoulder lightly. "Of course, I do, stupid. I couldn't have dreamt of anything better," he said and pulled the jumper on.

"It suits you," Al decided.

"Thanks. Now," Scorpius said, returning his eyes to the parcel. "What on Earth are we going to do with all these socks?"