Chapter 1: Give Your Nana A Kiss!

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way-"

"Dad!" Draco groaned. "Please stop. You've sung that song five times already!"

"Well, fine," Lucius snorted. He twisted a garland around one of their banisters as he launched into another song. "Deck the halls with gasoline! Fa-la-la-la-la-lalalala. Light a match and watch it gleam! Fa-la-la-la-la-lalalala. Watch the hall burn down to ashes! Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. It's so fun to play with matches! Fa-la-la-la-la-la-LA-LA-LA!"

"Well, that's so nice and full of Christmas spirit," Narcissa said as she brought in another box. "That's the last of the Christmas stuff. Next time, we should decorate two weeks before Christmas, not two days!"

"Dad always works better when he's rushed," Draco looked up from the book he was reading, Various Ways to Inflict Pain. "Besides, that song was way better than fifteen verses of 'God Rest Ye Marry Gentlemen'."

"I didn't know there were fifteen verses…" Narcissa said as she began laying ornaments out.

"There aren't," Draco said dryly. "He made them up."

"I specifically told you, you could not read that book until the end of this year! You simply aren't mature enough! And it's Christmas, you need to help us with the decorations… and before your father strains himself too much and ends up in St. Mungo's for New Year's!"

"I will not! I'm perfectly healthy!" Lucius argued as he doubled up and started coughing. He straightened himself up moment later. "I am perfectly fine," he choked out. "I just need some water." He started coughing again.

"Oh," Narcissa sat Lucius down on the couch, "I warned you… Just stay here and NO more singing, understand? Draco, can you finish laying out the ornaments? Draco? Are you listening to me? Accio book!" She tucked the book under her arm and stormed off into the kitchen.

"Mum!" Draco called after her, "that's not fair!"

"It is so!" Narcissa snapped over her shoulder, "I've told you, you aren't allowed to read it yet! I've told you since you were SEVEN!"

"You always were a violent child," Lucius said hoarsely, grinning at Draco with pride as he helped Draco lay more ornaments out. "Ever since you were four and figured out how to make things explode…"

"Those were the days," Draco grinned. "D'you think you could-"

"No," Lucius said sternly. "I'm not going to ask your mother about that book. When she makes up her mind, nothing can change it. It is inappropriate and you're lucky we're even going to let you read it… Look, I'll get you a violent book for Christmas, how does that sound?"

"Okay…well, we're done. What do we do now?"

Lucius started coughing again. "Sit here, I guess…" he managed to choke out.

"Here," Narcissa handed Lucius a glass of water. "You're done? Good. I'll get the tree."

"Can I get it?" Draco asked.

"I suppose… But I'll have to watch you…. It's a particularly big tree this year and I don't want you to destroy anything…"

"I won't, I swear!" Draco leapt up. "I'll just run up and get my wand!"

"What wand?" Lucius asked. "I thought Filch broke it?"

"Oh, yeah," Draco's face fell.

"Well," Narcissa flicked her wand and a rectangular box flew into her hand. "We were going to give it to you for Christmas, but I think you should have it now." She handed Draco the box. "I'm sorry it isn't wrapped."

Draco opened the box, "It's a new wand! Thanks!" He smiled, "What's it made out of?"

"Same as your old one," Lucius smiled. "We looked just about everywhere; it's even from the same dragon…"

"Wow!" Draco grinned and swished it around. Green sparks flew out of it. "Thanks!"

"So," Narcissa asked gently, "are you going to get the tree?"

"Sure!" Draco ran outside and started to levitate the tree.

"Bring it in gently," Lucius said from the couch, "Don't-"

"Oops!" Draco muttered as he tried to maneuver the tree through the doorframe.

"-Hit anything," Lucius groaned as the tree bashed into the door.

"He is his father's son," Narcissa muttered.

"Ronald! Ronald Weasley! Come down here and give your Nana a kiss!" A shrill voice shrieked up to Ron's room.

"Great," Ron groaned, "Grandma's here…"

"Ha!" Ginny laughed, "She wants to see you, not ME! I laugh at your pain!"

"Shut up, Ginny," Ron muttered.

"Hi, Nana," Ron said stiffly as he bent to kiss a small, white-haired woman.

"Merry Christmas! And how's my Ronald?" She smiled fondly.

"Fine." Ron faked a rather large smile.

"So, what's happened since I was last her?" Nana handed Fred one of her bags. "Thank you, dear."

"Uh-" Ron began, but he caught his father's glance and quickly lied, "Nothing! Nothing at all. Everything's hunky-dory."

"Hello, Mother," Mr. Weasley gave his mother a hug. "How's everything at home?"

"Oh, fine, dear, perfectly fine," she said carelessly. "Now, where's Ginny? Oh, there you are! My, how you've grown!"

"Hi, Nana…" Ginny said awkwardly, "did you have a nice trip?"

"Of course, dear," Nana gave Ginny a tight hug. "Oh, I haven't seen you for so long! It's been what, five years?"

"Yes, Nana. I started school the next year…"

"Oh, hello," Mrs. Weasley walked in and noticed Mr. Weasley's mother. "Uh, Ron, you have a letter."

"Who's it from?" Ron asked as he tried to lug his grandmother's bag up the stairs.

"I'm not sure. I didn't recognize the owl or the handwriting," Mrs. Weasley handed him the letter.

"Thanks," Ron took the letter and completely abandoned the task of lugging Nana's trunk up the stairs, letting it slide down the stairs with a bang. "I'll read it in my room…."

"Alright," Mrs. Weasley winced at the dent made by the trunk. "Dinner will be ready in a half hour."

Ron shoved his half-wrapped presents off his bed. He flopped down and ripped the letter open.

HEY RONALD.

Merry X-mas. Guess who? So what've you done so far? I've managed to get 2 books confiscated (of course, you, being a Gryffindor, would never dream of getting books confiscated…) called Various Ways to Inflict Pain and Poisons and Potions. Hermione would be proud, me, reading over X-Mas holiday. And I've also managed to destroy our front door… again… This time, I was bringing in the Christmas tree and it was accident… now the time before… Dad's still having coughing fits and he can't do anything strenuous. (He still does though, he never listens…), but he's getting better. The first day, he couldn't even walk, but now he's running around singing Christmas carols about destroying things. (Very interesting, let me tell you that…) And guess what! I got a new wand! It's exactly like my old one! Same wood and dragon and everything! WOOOHOOO. So anyway, how's Harry and Hermione? Talked to them at all? I can't seem to get in touch with them… No one's at Hermione's house and Harry… well, Harry's Unplottable. How does he do it! HOW! Sorry… I'm a bit hyper… It being Christmas and all…

Bet you weren't expecting this, were you? Were you, punk! Christmas hyperness… sorry.

Mum's having a nervous breakdown because she has to "keep me out of trouble". What kind of trouble do I get into? And take care of Dad. (He said he didn't need it. Mum snorted. Very un-ladylike.) I got to go-Dad's just set the tree on fire. Just kidding… He actually just lit our couch on fire. Really…

See you at school.

-Draco

"Woah! Talk about unexpected," Ron said out loud, as he folded up the letter.

"Hey, lil' bro!" Someone tackled Ron from behind.

"Ow, hey!" Ron said. He looked up and saw Charlie's grinning face. "Get off me!" Ron grinned and shoved Charlie off him.

"Damn, you're getting tall," Charlie observed. "You're probably going to be taller than me!" He plunked down on Ron's bed. "Who's this from?" He scanned the letter. "Draco? Who's he? His name sounds familiar…"

"New friend… nearly got me killed two weeks after we became okay friends…"

"You just like dangerous people, don't you? Oh yeah, did you ever… how'd Percy phrase it? Oh yeah, 'sever ties' with Harry?" Charlie smirked.

"No way! He's over at Grimmauld Place for Christmas… So's Hermione and her parents." Ron said. "I'd tell Draco, but, well…"

"Oh, yeah, his dad's the one who killed seven Death Eaters and got hit with five Cruciatus Curses…"

"SEVEN?" Ron yelped, "I only saw him kill two!"

"Isn't he a Death Eater though?" Charlie glanced at Ron. "Wait, back up." He put his hand on his hand, "You saw him them?"

"Just two…" Ron blushed. "We were…uh…"

"Oh, yeah, now I remember, Mum told me about the whole "Kill Ron" fiasco," Charlie grinned.

"Actually, it was more along the lines of "Kill And Torture Draco Malfoy, Then Go Kill His Meddling Friends" fiasco, and then it turned into "First One To Kill Lucius Malfoy Gets A Prize!" fiasco," Ron explained as he turned an even darker shade of crimson.

"Lucius… what kind of name is that?" Charlie muttered.

"Well, on paper, it looks like "luscious"…"Ron smiled. "Wanna hear a joke?"

"RON! CHARLIE!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "DINNER!"

"I swear, she's louder than a banshee…" Charlie muttered.