Chapter 9: Christmas Morning
The next few days were spent baking cookies—during which Hermione decided Draco's nose needed a bit of frosting on it, starting an impromptu frosting war—decorating the house, and just having a great time in general.
Finally Christmas morning arrived and Draco was jarred from his peaceful sleep and blinded when the lights in his room got turned on and something heavy landed on his stomach. "Oof. Wha-?"
He opened his eyes to find his girlfriend sitting there beaming down at him. She bounced up and down on his stomach and kept grinning. "Draco, get up! It's Christmas!"
"Oof. How old are you again?"
She giggled. "Eighteen."
"You sure about that?"
"Yep." She bounced up and down some more. "But Draco, it's Christmas! Aren't you excited?"
"Um, sure. Oof. Hermione, stop bouncing on me."
She complied and got off him, still bouncing slightly. He sat up, just realizing how dark it was outside. "What time is it, anyway?"
"Just after 4:30," came his girlfriend's far too chipper reply and he groaned.
"The sun won't even be up for another four hours! You're insane."
She nodded and stood. "If you get up I'll give you a kiss."
He gave her a look. "Promise?"
She crossed her heart. "Scout's honor."
He let out another growl at the insanity of it all and threw back the covers.
"Nope, you have to get all the way up," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"I'm working on it, I'm working on it," he muttered then finally forced himself to stand up.
She walked up and pulled him a few feet away from the bed so he wouldn't be tempted go back to sleep when she was done. Then she hooked an arm around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. His arms came around her waist and he pulled her closer to him.
Finally she broke away and said, "There, was that so terrible?"
He shook his head and let her lead him from the room and down to the living room. Her parents were already waiting for them, both in their pajamas and bathrobes, as were the teens. Hermione moved over to the fireplace and unhooked hers and Draco's stockings. "Here you go."
He held it uncertainly. "What is it?"
"It's a stocking, silly! Open it up, there's stuff inside!"
Draco eyed the red sock with his name stitched on it and suddenly felt very touched that he had been so thoroughly included. He opened it and found various candies and fun little toys in it. There was also a weird, rectangular-shaped piece of paper in the very bottom. He held it out to Hermione. "What is it?"
She looked at it. "Oh, that's a lotto ticket." She showed him hers and demonstrated. "You scratch off this part right here and you see if you win anything."
He did as instructed then held it out again when he was finished. "So, did I win anything?"
She took it from him and said, "Hey, you won two pounds!"
"Is that a lot?"
"Not really. Maybe a few knuts worth."
He smirked. "I'm rich."
"Apparently." Hermione agreed. Then she stood up and went over to the tree, quickly passing out all the presents until they each had a considerable pile at their feet. Draco had quite a collection as well and this had been the one year he hadn't expected anything.
Hermione looked at him. "When were you born again?"
"Um, November," he replied in confusion.
"Ha! I win! I'm December."
When he still looked thoroughly confused she explained. "We go around youngest to oldest and open one present at a time so that means I get to go first." She grinned and picked a box from the top of the pile, quickly ripping the paper off. It was a pair of pink pajamas with duckies all over them from her parents. "Oh, I like them! Thank you!"
Her parents smiled and she turned back to Draco. "Okay, your turn."
Draco nodded and picked up Hermione's gift to him. Inside was a leather bound photo album and a disposable wizarding camera 'to commemorate the hols' the card said. He smiled and snapped a picture.
"Eep! I'm blind now!" Hermione squeaked, covering her eyes.
"Whiner."
"Sadist."
"Pansy."
"No, I'm Hermione, thank you very much. Pansy's in Slytherin."
Draco shook his head and laughed.
Her parents both took their turns opening gifts, her father receiving some tooth flossing string mints from Hermione and her mother receiving a necklace with a diamond pendant from Robert. Then it was Hermione's turn again.
She picked up the present from Draco this time and opened the narrow box carefully. Inside was a beautiful gold locket. He snapped a picture of her reaction then said, "It's a magic locket. There aren't any pictures in it yet though."
"How do I add some?"
"Like this." He pulled out his wand and said the activation spell. "Then you just point the front at what you want it to take a picture of and it'll show up inside."
She pulled him into the picture with her and gave him a kiss on the cheek right as it took the picture. Then she opened it up and smiled. Their picture selves were hugging each other and winking up at her. "Oh, I love it. Thank you so much, Draco!" She threw her arms around his neck and he laughed again.
"Good, I'm glad."
Draco's next present was from the elder Grangers and was hard, flat and rectangular. He tore the paper off then stared in awe. Inside was a framed 8x10 Muggle photo. It was of the four of them from the previous day. They had roped a passerby into taking a picture for them while they posed in front of their snowman. Etched in the wood in the corner of the frame it said, "Love, your family."
Tears formed in his eyes as he ran his fingers over the etched words and he looked at Judith and Robert, completely at a loss for words. They smiled in understanding. Hermione had told them he didn't have much of a family left and they were more than willing to bring him into theirs.
Hermione saw what his present was and took his hand. He squeezed it in appreciation then watched as Judith and Robert opened some more presents.
The rest of the gift opening passed without a hitch and Draco found his gaze repeatedly straying back to the picture. They all looked so happy. Even him. Especially him. He didn't realize it was possible for him to feel so included, so much a part of a family he'd only met a few days prior. He pulled Hermione into a hug and kissed her cheek. This was by far the best Christmas ever.
