Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
Draco was working on his essay for Transfiguration when heard the door open. He set down his paper and stood, smiling as Cassius and Hermione entered. "There you guys are. Have fun?" His smile faded when he saw the grim look on Hermione's face and the upset look on Cassius's face. "What happened?" He asked, feeling a sense of dread.
"I'm sure Hermione will tell you everything," Cassius muttered as he ran to his room.
Hermione sighed. "Alecto Carrow showed up. Cass is fine," she said hurriedly at the panicked look on Draco's face. "She levitated him and then dropped him but the Weasley's twins caught him in time before he could hit the ground."
Draco paled.
"He's fine," Hermione repeated. "Except for being mad at me." she added ruefully.
Draco took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He should have insisted he go with his brother to Diagon Alley. The escaped death eaters had been quiet lately, he had thought it would be safe. His brother could have been...he clenched his fists at the thought. "Why is he mad at you?" he finally asked.
"Well, we had just come out of the twins shop and I told him to go back when she confronted us." Hermione explained.
"And he didn't," Draco said, resisting the urge to go right into Cass's room and giving him a good smack on the backside. He should have obeyed Hermione and kept himself safe!
"No," Hermione admitted. "He actually disarmed her. That was when she wandlessly levitated him. She threatened him and then left. I yelled at Cassius," she said guiltily.
"I'm about to as well," Draco said in angry voice.
Hermione smiled. "Don't. There was no way he could leave, it's just not who he is. Even the first time he was twelve, he wouldn't have been able to."
Draco shook his head. "I get that, I do. But he needs to learn to put his own safety first. If you told him to go to the twins, he should have obeyed you."
"Perhaps, but that's just not Cass." Hermione said. "Anyway, I better go. The Headmistress wanted my account of what happened."
"Thank you for protecting him," Draco said as he saw her out. He immediately went to Cassius's room.
Cassius was sitting on his bed and looked up warily as Draco entered. "I know you're mad but I just had to help, Hermione's my friend and I couldn't just leave her alone and -" He cut off as Draco surprised him by grabbing him in a fierce hug.
"I should have been there," Draco whispered into his hair. "I should have gone with you."
"Draco, there was no way knowing she would be there," Cassius said.
"I don't care, I still should have been there," Draco pulled back. "I'm supposed to protect you." He sighed. "But at least Hermione and the twins were there. But Cass..."
Cassius looked up a little guiltily at the firm tone of Draco's voice.
"I know it's hard for you to do, but if something like that ever happens again and you are told to get yourself to safety, you will do it. Do you hear me?"
"But -"
Draco reached around and swatted his backside, not breaking eye contact with his younger brother.
Cassius flinched. "But Dray, I can't just -"
With a sigh, Draco swatted him again only this time a little harder. "You will go to safety." he repeated with a stern look.
Cassius pouted and reached back to rub out the sting. "But -" he stepped back when Draco started to lift his hand. "Okay, okay. I'll get myself to safety." he said quickly.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "You better. You know what happens if you put your life in danger."
Cassius's eyes widened. "You mean you're going to -"
"I should," Draco said slowly. "You put yourself in danger by disobeying Hermione. But I do know how hard it would be for you to have left her so I'm going to let you off, this once. But Cassius, if there is a next time and you disobey an order to keep you safe, you'll find yourself over my knee for a sound spanking. Do you understand?"
Cassius flushed and nodded. "Yes, Draco."
Draco eyed him for a moment before nodding and relaxing. "Okay."
/
Finally it was Christmas break and feeling excitement, Cassius entered Malfoy Manor and looked around in awe. "Wow. It looks even more amazing with Christmas decorations." There was garlands of holly and ivy everywhere, over the mantle, intertwined on the banister, over the archways of each room. There was also wreaths of holly on practically every door. But best of all was the huge tree in the living room. It was tall and full and so green.
"It's not decorated," Cassius remarked.
"Not yet. I thought we could do that together." Draco said, smiling as his brother's eyes lit up. "We have a big box of decorations. And I picked up some new ones, as well."
"Brilliant!" Cassius said excitedly.
Draco was excited too. It was the first Christmas they would spend together, in the home Cass should have grown up in. He just wished their parents were here to spend it with them but he knew they were happy that he and Cassius were finally together. "Go and unpack, dinner should be ready soon. After dinner, we'll decorate the tree."
"Okay," Cassius grabbed his trunk and began running up the stairs, dragging the trunk with him.
"Cass, don't run!" Draco called after him in exasperation. "Crazy cub." he muttered to himself.
They had a fun time decorating the tree, with Draco talking about memories of their parents and some of the more special ornaments. They even had a tinsel fight and finally stopped when they were both covered head to toe. After they sat in front of the tree, drinking hot chocolate and watching the lights on the tree twinkle. Cassius ended up falling asleep with his head on Draco's shoulder.
"Already the best Christmas ever," Draco murmured as he carried his brother to his room and tucked him into bed. "I love you, cub. Sleep well."
/
Cassius woke up to a filled stocking hanging at the end of his bed. He smiled as he emptied it on his bed. There was some candy, a couple galleons, an orange, an apple and a new exploding snap deck. He grinned and ran out of his room, smacking right into Draco.
"Oof!" Draco grabbed him by the shoulders before Cassius fell. "Where's the fire?"
"It's Christmas!" Cassius said with excitement. "Happy Christmas, Dray!"
"Happy Christmas, cub," Draco said, wrapping his arms around him for a hug.
"Thanks for my stocking!"
Draco kept a blank look on his face. "What do you mean? Father Christmas must have left it for you."
Cassius snorted. "Sure he did." His eyes went wide at Draco's innocent look. He gazed back uncertainly. "There is no Father Christmas. Is there?"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Is there?" He walked around Cass and headed down the stairs, a grin on his face. Let his little brother wonder, it was part of being a kid. "You want breakfast first?" he called over his shoulder.
Cassius was about to say he wanted to do presents first but then he got downstairs and smelled the food cooking. His stomach growled loudly.
"Food first," Draco chuckled.
Cassius's eyes bugged out at all the food on the dining table. Fried eggs, bacon, fried bread, black pudding, toast, gingerbread pancakes, tea and pumpkin juice. "Yum," he said as he poured syrup over his pancakes. "Is Uncle Sev coming by today?"
"Of course. He will join us for dinner." Draco said as he served himself some eggs. "I thought later today we could play in the snow."
"Really?" Cassius beamed. He loved playing in the snow!
After stuffing themselves, they sat around the tree and opened presents.
"These are from Mrs. Weasley," Cassius said, handing Draco a package. He already knew it would be a jumper and he grinned in anticipation of Draco opening his.
Draco opened the gift and held out the green jumper with a silver snake on it. "Uh, it's very nice." he said with a slight grimace.
Cassius bit his lip to keep from laughing. His own jumper was the same. "Try it on," he suggested as he slipped his own on. He gave Draco a hopeful look. "Please? She works so hard on them."
"All right," Draco grumbled as he put it on.
"Millie!" Cassius called.
Pop!
"Yes, Master Cassius?" Millie asked.
"Can you take a picture of us? Really fast," Cassius began laughing as Draco gasped and began to struggle to get the jumper off. Before he could, Millie took their picture. "Thanks, Millie." Cassius snickered.
"You's is welcome, Master Cassius," Millie said with a fond smile before popping away.
"You little brat!" Draco threw a wadded up piece of wrapping paper at Cass, who playfully batted it away.
"I bet Mrs. Weasley would love a copy," Cassius giggled. "Maybe I could blow one up and hang it in the Slytherin common room."
"Don't even think about it," Draco warned good-naturedly. "Here. This is from me." He handed his brother a good sized package. He had planned to get his brother something else, but Snape had wanted to get it for him instead. So he had thought of this, he was sure Cass would like it.
Cassius opened it. "A sled!" he exclaimed. It was a toboggan snow sled that could fit up to two people.
"It keeps warm the whole time you use it," Draco said, pleased his brother liked it. "We can use it later today."
"Awesome! Thank you, Draco!" Cassius handed him a present. "From me."
Draco opened it. "Wow, it's wonderful, Cass." he said happily at the advanced potions journal. "I definitely can use this. Thank you."
They continued opening presents and Cassius was pleased that Draco seemed happy with not only the planner, but the broom servicing kit and the quill. He had also received the latest Quidditch book from Draco as well as a practice snitch. They opened their presents from their friends and after, the floor was covered in wrapping paper.
"What a mess," Cassius said lazily as he pulled the new Quidditch themed quilt Hermione had given him over himself. "You can clean it up." he smirked and closed his eyes, his head laying on the bunched up jumper he had made into a pillow. He wasn't surprised to be hit in the face with a ball of wrapping paper.
"There is this thing called a wand," Draco said as he waved his, vanishing all the trash.
"Well, you can do magic outside of school," Cassius said, opening his eyes. "That was the one thing cool about being seventeen. For the short time I was."
"Actually, if you do magic here the ministry won't know if it is you or me," Draco said as he began gathering his presents.
Cassius sat up. "Really?"
Draco looked up at him. "Really. But don't take advantage of it," he warned him. "Not much, anyway."
Cassius grinned.
/
Draco apparated them to a place with big, snowy hills and they had great fun playing with Cassius's new sled, sliding down the hills. They also built snowmen and had a snowball fight. By the time they returned to their Manor, they were cold, wet and exhausted but happy.
"Go change into warm and dry clothes, dinner shouldn't be too far away. And Uncle Sev is coming by," Draco said as he hung up his cloak. He turned around and chuckled. Cass was asleep on the sofa. He cast a drying charm on his clothes and hair and covered his brother with the quilt Hermione had made and then sat next to him, reading a new potions book one of his friends had gotten him while enjoying a hot cup of tea. An hour later, Cass stirred next to him.
"Awake now, cub?"
"I fell asleep?" Cassius rubbed his eyes.
"You were tired out from losing the snowball fight," Draco teased.
"I didn't lose! I totally won," Cassius protested with a grin.
"Whatever you say," Draco smirked. "Go change and brush your hair for dinner. And don't run!" he called exasperatedly when Cassius clamored up the stairs.
/
Snape flooed through holding presents, which he put under the tree. "Happy Christmas." he said to his godsons. "You both look to have had a good day."
Cassius beamed at him. "It was great! We went sledding with the new sled Draco got me and we built snowmen and I won the snowball fight!"
"I won," Draco spoke up.
Snape chuckled. It was wonderful seeing them both so happy. Draco had been so lost after losing his parents but now his eyes were full of life and happiness. And Cassius was blooming under his care. "It sounds like you have had a very nice day."
Millie popped in with a tea tray and plate of Christmas cookies.
"How is Hogwarts?"
"Not too many students stayed behind, so relatively quiet," Snape sipped his cup of tea.
Cassius was munching on cookies. "Christmas at Hogwarts used to be my favorite thing. Of course, it was the first time I had ever gotten presents," he said as he remembered his first Christmas there.
"Used to be?" Draco asked lightly, his chest tightening. Cass should have grown up experiencing wonderful Christmas's and birthdays. Those blasted muggles...
"Well, Christmas here has been brilliant," Cassius said a little shyly. "The best ever."
"For me too," Draco smiled.
Dinner was amazing, there was turkey, roasted potatoes, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, cranberry sauce...it was all so good! Cassius ate until he couldn't fit in another mouthful and then he handed Snape his presents.
"I needed a new set of these!" Snape said in delight as he opened his new vials. He opened the copper and motor and pestle next. "This is wonderful! Thank you Cassius."
"You're welcome," Cassius said happily.
Snape handed Cass a long, odd shaped gift. "And this is for you."
Cassius eagerly opened it and stared in shock at the new broom. A Thunderstruck broomstick! The latest broom he and Draco had admired a couple of months ago at the Quidditch shop. He looked at Snape with wide eyes.
"To help Slytherin win, of course," Snape said offhandedly, but his dark eyes were watching Cassius hopefully.
"I love it," Cassius said softly.
Snape cleared his throat. "I know how much your Firebolt meant to you and I'm not trying to replace it or Sirius. I know he meant a lot to you too. And I also know this broom, nor myself, can come close to what they meant to you but I hope – oof!" He grunted as Cassius threw himself into his arms in a big hug. He wrapped his arms around his godson.
"It's amazing, I really love it," Cassius said into his shoulder. He pulled back, tears in his eyes. "Thank you so much. And you do mean a lot to me. I'm really glad you're my godfather." he said honestly.
Snape hugged him back, sharing a smile with Draco who was watching them happily.
Cassius was examining his broom as Snape and Draco exchanged gifts. A self stirring cauldron for Snape and the latest Potions index book for Draco.
"I've been wanting this," Draco said enthusiastically. "It has all the latest -"
Cassius snickered to himself as they talked. "Potions geeks," he said in amusement.
"Did you know little bratty cubs don't get dessert?" Draco smirked.
"I'm not bratty. Just truthful." Cassius said cheekily.
"He can stand in the corner while we enjoy the pies and cake," Snape said smoothly.
Cassius's mouth dropped open. "You wouldn't!"
Snape and Draco began laughing and Cassius playfully scowled. "I'm going to go try out my new broom."
"Hold it!" Draco said sharply as Cassius stood up. "It's dark and freezing outside. You can try it out tomorrow."
"Aww," Cassius looked out the window. It was dark and it did look really cold.
"I believe it's time for dessert anyway," Snape said, gesturing to the table the house-elves had filled with pies.
Cassius perked up and put his broom to the side, hurrying to the table. "Is there hot chocolate too?"
"Of course," Draco said. He sighed. "You're going to be hopped up on sugar all night, aren't you?"
"It's Christmas," Cassius shrugged.
"True. And a very happy one," Draco murmured.
TBC: