APOV
"Merry Christmas Al"… I heard whispered from the other side of the listless mass. "MMMARG. Scor, I have the worst headache in the world!" I shouted, kneeing Scor in the back.
"Oww… what was that for…" He asked, turning around to look at me as though I were a blast ended skrewt.
"That... was for not telling me how you snuck up on me in your father's study last night. What did he want with you anyway?"
"Oh well he wanted to show me the gift you gave him… and, well I read that card you wrote too. It was really... um... sweet." Scor finished seriously.
Never did Scorpius Malfoy look as though the word sweet didn't immediately precede a fit of hysterical laughter.
Rose called Scorpius sweet once when he'd offered to help her on a charms paper. He had later laughed at that, stating that if he could determine how badly she would perform, he could gauge how much more work he'd have to do to barely outmatch her. 'No wasted effort' he would say. In the weird light it almost looked as if Scor was blushing.
"Argh that was supposed to be a secret! I thought your dad was cool smiling all warmly and with all his potions talk but really he went right ahead and showed you my present!" I thought after last night that Mr. Malfoy had more sense than that! Unless he did it to tease me.
"He spoke to you about potions? Wait my father, that is, the Draco Malfoy can SMILE?" Scor asked looking at me as though I had a bad case of dragon pox.
"Well yeah, actually you look exactly like him when you smile…" I commented, breaking off my observation…
"MERLIN WHAT TIME IS IT?" I queried, jolting upright as though lightning had shot through my entire body. I cast a mental 'Tempus' magically conjuring the hour…9:55…
Oh… we weren't late exactly, I thought laying back with a sigh.
"See we're fine…"
"You know I can never be sure with you. You'd sleep through anything."
"Seriously Al... the gift was spectacular and I… really did appreciate what you wrote."
He was staring at the side of my head so intently. It was as though he were willing me to turn and look at him. It was so weird.
"Oh stop it! I can't take this mushy Scor! I'm too scared you're going to realize I have leverage over you and threaten to hex off my face!" I could feel my cheeks getting warm too this time. Blast, there are only a handful of people that can still make me blush and I hate that Scor is one of them.
It takes Lils's insanity or Hugo's bluntness to evoke a similar flush. Unless of course I'm talking to Victoire or occasionally Aurora. Victoire is sooo pretty that I get all funny when she starts talking to me and I never seem to know how to make words come out properly. They even get jumbled inside my head. She merely smiles, calls me adorable, I get even redder and then higher brain function shuts down entirely. I would blame Veela magic except Aurora can do that too sometimes.
SPOV
"Al I… really don't know what to say—"
"—Lets go open presents! Race Ya!" Al shot, flying out of bed and bolting from the room.
"Al! No fair! You're cheating!" I called, running after him as he glided wraithlike down the stairs. I finally managed to tackle the little shit to the floor.
"YOU CHEATING SLYTHERIN" I roared laughing. Sometimes I forget how good laughing can be. "I am so going to get you for this you sneaky snake!" I shouted starting to tickle him.
"SCOR! STOP! Please, I yield… I yield. I can't take it anymore!" Al sputtered breathlessly through his giggling. He magically called for my scarf, which zoomed from the closet to wrap itself around my face, blinding me entirely.
"Al I can't see! I can't see. Oooh i'll get youuuuuuu!" I mumbled through the fabric, levitating some of the living room pillows around us only to pelt Al repeatedly with them. I couldn't remember having so much fun. It was like my whole—
"AHEM AHEM!"
"Oh shit."
The scarf fell from my eyes and I slowly turned to see a very mortified Father standing next to…an equally bewildered Harry Potter. Al's father looked like he couldn't process the sight in front of him. The thought of who was standing in our house finally registered and I immediately released the magic allowing the pillows to crash back down around us (Well not before hitting Al once more).
"Dad!"
"Um, how long have you been there Father?" I asked sheepishly, beginning to blush scarlet.
"Long enough to catch you running through my house yelling like a madman." Father responded raising an eyebrow.
"You two, have I not made explicit mention of wandless magic? In fact I thought I made it clear that even though the trace shouldn't work on our estate that you weren't to ever use any kind of magic inside the manse without me there."
"Sorry Mr. Malfoy, we were just playing." Al offered resignedly. I still feel like a child when Father scolds me.
"Draco… Draco…" Harry began, pulling Father's sleeve incredulously. No one would dare so much as touch Father, yet Al's dad had this look on his face that said he couldn't quite comprehend what was happening or that touching father was a very risky prospect.
"I saw them on the platform… but they look so much like you and me." Al's dad mumbled starting to smile.
"Yes, thank you for that enlightening revelation." Father replied, removing Harry's hand with mild disdain and a quick roll of his eyes.
"But… I mean… can you imagine? Had I started tickling you at any point during our school days… you'd have thought I'd gone mad and have cursed me off a cliff."
Father would not appreciate the irony I thought watching Mr. Potter burst into laughter. Father merely looked at Harry as though he already suspected the man had gone mad years ago.
"Um dad, you've met Scor, on the platform right?" Al inquired stupidly, blushing as well. "Yes I've already had the pleasure of meeting Draco's miniature."
Mr. Potter's upbeat character made it difficult to pick up on the fact that something was off, but I noticed it all the same.
"Seeing both of them happy like this almost makes me want to forget that letter you sent me last night." Father went even whiter than usual at that.
"Erm… well… Um… we can discuss that later perhaps?"
Father does NOT stutter. He never stumbles, and never uses the word Erm. I had been fairly skeptical before now that he'd even known what it meant. Something was off.
"Well alright… since it is Christmas and murdering you in your home in front of our children might not set such a great example. Not to mention the strain it would put on their friendship."
Harry Potter spoke so familiarly that I suspected he must have messed with Father like this often. It was a prospect I found entirely too disturbing for words and which did nothing to quell my suspicion at the impromptu visit.
"DAD!" Al whined embarrassed. "You wouldn't dare. Besides why would you kill Mr. Malfoy? He is soo cool."
"Wait until you open this then!" Father said tossing a wrapped present to Al.
"WHOA WHOA WHOA, DRACO MALFOY DOES NOT 'TOSS' ANYTHING. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO FATHER!" I shouted beyond surprised.
Father looked at me in that way he does when I forget myself and say something weird while Al's dad merely laughed.
"Buying my children presents to dissuade me from killing you huh ferret face?"
Did Al's dad just call Father…
"In light of the thoughtfulness of Al's gift, I decided it wouldn't be appropriate of me not to return the favor Scarhead. That is why I did not attempt to dissuade my son from giving Albus his own."
Whats going on here…
"What gifts?" Harry asked suspiciously at no one in particular but turning to face Al. Father merely turned to Albus who was eyeing his present eagerly.
Father simply tapped the side of his nose: "Its a secret right Al?" A smile. There it was. Draco Malfoy had smiled.
This is why Al is my best friend in the world. He could do the weirdest things to people.
Behind it all, I could still tell something was off. Father did not act like a dad. He didn't stutter. He didn't toss things. He didn't tap his nose. They were both being unusually warm…
"Would you guys like to stay and open presents?"
"That won't be necessary Harry. Albus is the only one who has bought Scorpius a present this year."
"What?" Al and Harry asked in surprise.
"Scorpius received his present much earlier. He asked for a large sum money so that he and Al could invest in some secret project I have yet to be informed of. As well as special permission for... well anyway... " Finished father knowingly.
Al turned to stare at me strangely and I realized that I had told him it was vault money that I had spent and not a christmas present.
"Well alright then. Onward to the madhouse!" Cried Harry jovially.
"Really Potter, it is more of a zoo or an abstract art exhibition than a mad house."
"Something isn't right." I whispered discreetly to the twit who nodded briefly in response. A macabre heaviness had seeped into the air and we had both sensed it. "Oh I know."
"Albus, it has been truly enlightening to meet you. I mean this in the most complimentary sense: you are absolutely nothing like your father. Not ever will I forget the kindness you've shown me. Nor do I think Scorpius will either. Thank you for that truly magnificent gift. I have some business to attend to, I trust you to see everyone out Scorpius. Enjoy your presents Albus. I hope you find them at least one tenth as spectacular as I found mine."
I watched Father return to his study while Al grabbed our presents for each other from beneath the tree. We made our way to the fireplace.
The Weasley's would kill me when they saw the two items I'd decided to give Albus.
"Albus Severus Potter what was all that about? I've saved ol' ferret face's life more times than I can count and he has yet to grace me with a 'thank you' in thirty some odd years, what did you do…"
"Oh Dad, you know amazing old me" Al teased interrupting his father as we threw floo powder into the fireplace.
"The Burrow."
