Two days before Theodore Nott's tenth Christmas, his father had presented him with his first chess set. It was meant to be given to him on Christmas day but his mother's health was failing and as a child, his father believed it would do well to distract him from the truth. He absolutely loved it. The board was made entirely of black and white marble and the pieces were crafted in white and green jade stone. His father had proudly declared that he'd picked the set with the green jade because he just knew his son would be sorted into Slytherin, but his mother gave a weak laugh and said his father had picked it claiming green was a Christmas colour.

Theo remembered how he had spent hours playing chess by himself. The pieces were enchanted so that he could play without needing an opponent. He still had this chess set. It was probably the most beautiful gift he'd ever receive from his father, for the next day his mother would pass away and his father would become like Theo's beloved white King, a cold, colourless unyielding man. Theo had run into his parent's room, where she spent most of her time resting, to tell her he'd just won his tenth game. He would become the greatest wizard's chess champion! His smile faded upon entering. She was lying in bed, her eyes half-lidded, a sheen of perspiration on her face. She reached her arm out and told him to hold her hand, just until she fell asleep. So he did, and he watched his mother die with a small smile gracing her lips and her eyes only leaving his when they gently closed.

His father sent him to stay with the Malfoys that night while he made funeral arrangements. He hadn't known what to do with his son now that he had no wife. Theo's presence at Malfoy Manor was haunting. While he had always been a quiet child, now he was mute. Draco wouldn't have any of that. Nothing was going to ruin Christmas. Nothing. Christmas was, after all, the best holiday ever. Whenever his mother and father weren't around he'd talk to Theo as if nothing had happened and when Theo wouldn't respond, he'd go on as if he had. Christmas day came and went and his father still hadn't taken Theo home. Instead, he'd sent Theo the chess set. Narcissa and Lucius had bought him a remembrall which they gave to him with a sad smile. Draco had insisted they play a chess game despite not having known how to play. It forced Theo to teach him. He'd slaughtered Draco almost immediately but the little blonde-haired boy was in such high spirits because his friend was speaking again.

It would soon be seven years since his mother had died. He'd gotten up early, said a quick goodbye to everyone who was going home for the holidays. He and Malfoy would be the only two Slytherins staying back at Hogwarts. Walking back into the boy's dormitory he found Draco, surprisingly, still asleep. Theo was happy to find that his friend was finally getting some undisturbed hours of rest, so he decided to do some flying. Then he'd pop by the Owlery and check if Luna Lovegood had written him a letter.

Draco sat in the Great Hall, staring at his plate of food. He'd woken again a little after noon and found Theo, freshly showered, in the common room reading something. He'd put it away quickly and before Draco could ask what it was he was being shoved off to shower and then dragged off to eat lunch. Images of Granger still plagued him and he felt that if Theo so much as looked at him, he'd just know. He'd know that Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, had wanked off to—

"So did you finish?"

Draco flinched, his eyes snapped up to Theo's.

"What?"

"Y'know… whatever it is you're doing?"

Oh, that's right, that thing, the reason why he'd come back to the dormitory so late last night. He was trying to fix the Vanishing cabinet. He wasn't off holding hands with Hermione Granger.

"No."

"I could help," said Theo casually.

"No," he sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation.

"You don't trust me." A statement, not a question.

"I don't trust anyone right now Nott," Draco answered truthfully. "Not even myself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Head's a bloody mess."

Draco started playing with his food.

"This have to do with Weasley?"

"Weasley? I don't give a toss about Weasley," Draco said snarling. "Let him and Granger fight, shag, get married, fight again, have five or six babies. Fuck Weasley."

He caught Theo's stare. He looked taken aback. Pressing his lips together, he quietly corrected, "I meant Weasley senior, the one who keeps searching your house."

"Oh—I—no. No, not really," Draco was stuttering. "There's nothing to find, I'm not worried about that."

Theo's dark eyes narrowed, flitting across his face trying to read him. He opened his mouth and closed it. Then opened it again and in an apprehensive tone asked, "What have you done, Draco?"

"Nothing!" he snapped. "Just leave it." Thankfully Theo went back to eating but he knew the nosey bastard would be keeping a watchful eye on him. He already had to deal with Granger knowing everything, with Snape hounding him day and night with his incessant questions about his plans, he didn't need Nott butting into his business as well. Couldn't everyone just leave him the hell alone? Picking up his fork he began eating. Honestly, first the little Mudblood with her little muggle book and then — what did she mean by people will start getting ideas. Who was getting ideas — other than him, of course — who? Was she 'getting ideas'?

Dear Merlin... she knew. He'd kissed her after all. But that was different, that was a one-off. She couldn't know everything. But… what had Pansy told her—?

"I'm going to head to the library after," Nott said between mouthfuls "You coming?"

"Yeah," replied Draco. He had to retrieve the Picture of Dorian Gray. He didn't want to read the muggle book but maybe there were answers in there. He still couldn't figure out why she hadn't turned him in. There must've been a reason she wanted him to read it.

Theo who was walking beside him was telling an amusing story about Daphne Greengrass.

"She wants me. Her hands were everywhere, any excuse to touch me," he laughed. Draco scoffed as if it was hardly likely.

"Thought Daphne had a fellow over in Durmstrang."

Shrugging, Theo snickered, "Just can't help herself, can she?"

Draco snorted shaking his head, a smile tugging on his lips. Count on the arrogant prat to get a laugh out of him even in his worst mood.

Still smiling, he looked at Theo and admitted, "Well, she did ask me if you were staying back at Hogwarts for Christmas." Theo gave him an I-told-you-so look as they entered the library. Looking toward the shelves at the back of the library Draco said, "I just came to get a book."

Theo nodded in understanding and went his own way. Draco headed toward the shelf of lost things.

Draco had left the book hidden in his trunk because he couldn't have muggle paraphernalia just lying around. He was a Malfoy for Merlin's sake. And he hadn't found the energy to read it. He'd read and re-read the first lines but couldn't seem to make it any further. He just couldn't concentrate without thinking about his impending doom. He'd spent some time in the Room of Requirement the days before Christmas and finally, after months of trying, had managed to send an apple through. So for a little while, he felt he had some reprieve. He was getting somewhere… maybe now it was just a matter of time.

He didn't want to think about the Vanishing Cabinet any more. Today was Christmas. He woke up late morning to find Theo in the common room. He was waiting with the chess set his father had gifted him and it was with this chess set that they played, every single year. And each year, to his chagrin, Theo demolished him. Though Draco was fairly good, Theo was a chess prodigy. He didn't mind. Winning wasn't the point, it was upholding tradition.

"White or green?" asked Theo.

"Green, I'm always green."

Theo scoffed. "Forever a Slytherin."

"Merry Christmas Draco," Theo smirked as he called checkmate.

"Merry Christmas you tosser." Draco stood, giving Theo a quick hug.

Then suddenly they both heard the stone wall move and turned to see who was entering. Blaise stepped in wearing beautiful emerald green robes. The same robes he hadn't had a chance to buy at Madam Malkins. The rat bastard.

"Ho, ho, ho, you two whores, Merry Christmas!" They both jumped up, eyes alight with surprise and went over to hug him incredulously.

"Zabini, what the bloody hell are you doing here?" asked Theo grinning.

"Like I'd let you two wankers have all the fun. I brought eggnog!" Blaise said lifting a bottle out of his bag with triumph.

"That's firewhiskey," Theo said pointedly.

"Look," Blaise sighed with melodramatic flair. "I had an epiphany of some sorts. I definitely qualify to be in your little club—"

"There is no club," Draco interjected ready to argue.

"Well, there's not if I'm not a member, which I most certainly am. Slytherin- check, fatherless- check, tosser most of the time- check, alone on Christmas- check."

"Oh Merlin, I think he's trying to say he loves us," Draco frowned as if he had something foul in his mouth.

"There's the Christmas spirit!" Zabini chuckled wrapping his arms around Draco's shoulder and giving him a hearty shake. Malfoy tossed him off laughing.

"Thought you were with your mom for Christmas," Theo said, with a questioning tone. Zabini shrugged and told them she'd gone off with some new bloke skiing and he didn't really want to third wheel with them. This wasn't at all unexpected of Mrs Zabini, her behaviour was, well, inconsiderate, but Draco always thought that she was very good at finding new ways to disappoint her son. Theo frowned disapprovingly but then conjured three glasses. Blaise uncorked the whiskey and poured everyone a glass.

"A toast," said Theo, "to… to the chess club!"

Draco and Blaise smiled knowing all too well what Theo meant. The glasses clinked together and all three boys gulped down their drinks.