Written as part of 25 Days of Drarry 2020.

* Please do not translate or repost this story.

Harry hadn't given Christmas much thought, because ever since Teddy had come to live with him, they had spent Christmas at the Weasley's. There would be presents, hot drinks, far too much food, and by the end of the night they would all be too stuffed and too tired to go home. So they would end up playing games, and they would fall asleep together in front of the fire. Just like every other year.

But this year the Weasley's had decided to spend Christmas abroad instead, and although Harry and Teddy had of course been asked to come along, Harry had taken it as the perfect opportunity to finally stand on his own two feet. So he had booked a trip for him and Teddy to somewhere far away, happy for Teddy to finally spend a Christmas in the snow. Perhaps they could spend their days building snowmen, skating on the lake he had seen in the brochure… He was just keeping his fingers crossed that Teddy wouldn't end up hating him for not going with the Weasley's instead.

"What do you think?" he asks nervously, looking down at the little boy standing next to him.

"It's huge!" Teddy grins, looking up at the manor, which is surrounded by trees covered in snow. It truly looks like a winter wonderland, and Harry can't help but smile at the look of awe on his godson's face.

"Do you think there's room enough for us?"

Teddy nods, still staring up at the manor, the smile on his face growing even more excited.

"Let's go in then," Harry laughs.

They make their way through the snow, and into the manor, where it's warm and cosy, despite the size of the building.

They check in, before going up to their room, Teddy immediately jumping onto his own king-sized bed. Harry breathes a sigh of relief when he sees how happy he is, because what if Teddy had hated it here? What if he had spent their time here, wishing he was with the Weasley's? With his family.

"Do you want to stay here, or do you want to go check out…"

"Let's go!" Teddy yells excitedly, before Harry can even finish the question. "Do you think they have hot chocolate?"

"I'm sure they do." Harry smiles, as Teddy comes up to him. "Let's go see if we can find some."

They go downstairs, and Harry had expected the hotel to be fully booked. The brochure had been beautiful, and although a room cost a small fortune, he still figured a lot of people would have come to a place like this to spend their Christmas. But as they make their way to the hotel bar, they only pass some of the hotel staff, and not a single guest.

"Excuse me?" Harry asks, and within seconds, a young man appears behind the bar. "Do you have hot chocolate?"

"Yes, we do," the young man smiles. "Would you like a small, or a large one?"

"The biggest one you have!" Teddy beams. "With marshmallows!"

"Oh, I'm not sure they have…"

"No problem." The young man smiles. "Is that one or two?"

"Make it two," Harry says, already getting his wallet out. "How much is it?"

"It's included in the room, sir. Take a seat, and I will bring you your hot chocolate in a minute."

Harry and Teddy sit down by the window overlooking the lake, and when they look out, Harry can't help but notice the figures moving over the frozen lake. They are too far away to see what they are, and for a moment he thinks he is imagining it. But when he sees the fascinated look on Teddy's face, he realises that he wasn't imagining it at all.

"What are they?"

"I'm not sure," Harry admits. "Maybe we can check it out after we've finished our drinks."

"Do you think they're ghosts?"

"No," Harry chuckles, but then he looks back at the lake, and he sighs. "I don't think so. We'll check it out later, okay?"

"They're not dangerous, are they?"

"I'm sure they're not." Harry smiles, as the young man sets down their drinks, which look like something straight out of a magazine. "Thank you."

"Enjoy your drinks." The young man smiles, before walking off again.

"Harry?" Teddy asks, wrapping his small hands around the big mug.

"Yes?"

"I wish my mum and dad were here," Teddy mumbles, and although the little boy says it just as he would say he likes chocolate or he wishes it were snowing, Harry knows how much hurt there is hiding behind these words.

"Me too," he sighs, before reaching out and putting an arm around his godson's shoulder. "But do you know something someone once said to me?"

"No?"

"That the ones who love us, they never truly leave us," Harry says, the young boy staring up at him with big eyes. "Your mum and dad are always there with you, even if you can't see them, they're there."

"I miss them."

"Me too." Harry nods, before kissing the top of Teddy's head, trying his best to blink his tears away.

"Do you think they have hot chocolate where they are?"

"I'm sure they do." Harry smiles to himself. "With the pink marshmallows, just as you like it."

Teddy gets a big smile on his face, and he picks a marshmallows out of his mug, and stuffs it into his mouth.

"These are the good ones." He grins. "I like these."

"Good," Harry chuckles. "So it's hot chocolate for breakfast, for lunch…"

"Ooh, chocolate for dinner?"

"Then what about dessert?"

"More chocolate!"

"Yeah… maybe not," Harry laughs, as the little boy stuffs another marshmallow into his mouth.

"Okay, for dinner we can have…"

"Vegetables?"

"No!" Teddy laughs. "It's Christmas!"

"We don't eat vegetables on Christmas?"

"Nope." Teddy grins. "Only cookies and chocolate."

"No ice cream?" Harry teases, the grin on Teddy's face growing bigger.

"And ice cream! Lots and lots of ice cream!"

"I thought so," Harry laughs, shaking his head. "So, how about we go check out what those figures on the lake are?"