A/N: I'm not even going to attempt to write Hagrid's accent. I don't write out other accents, so I'm not doing it to his to make him sound uneducated. Please just assume he has his normal speech pattern, as necessary.
Chapter 20
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.
Where the treetops glisten, and children listen, to hear, sleigh bells in the snow."
Song - White Christmas, by Andrea von Kampen
"Harry!" Hagrid's large hands practically pulled Harry through the large iron gate, and Draco was left with no choice but to grudgingly follow.
He wasn't sure where his reluctance came from. It wasn't as though he'd not been to Hogwarts since his own time here. It wasn't even as though he hadn't seen the old groundskeeper. No, Hagrid and Harry visited from time to time, though it was usually at Grimmauld Place. And Draco had had to make potions deliveries from St Mungo's to Madame Pomfrey periodically. So his reluctance really made no sense.
Except, he hadn't ever really been here with Harry and Hagrid together, and it brought back memories of spying through the window of the hut, watching Harry inside with a dragon egg and the big man offering him tea and cakes. Eleven-year-old Draco had stewed with jealousy, watching little Potter get special attention from an authority figure — even if he was just the old groundskeeper at the time — and get to pet a baby dragon.
"Draco?" Harry interrupted him from his reverie. "Are you okay?"
Harry and Hagrid were both watching him closely, and Harry's green eyes looked concerned.
"Are you sure you're feeling better? We can go home and do this another time."
"I'm fine." And he was. Other than a small scratch in his throat, he couldn't even tell he'd been ill the day before. "But I would rather like a cup of tea and a fire."
"Of course," Hagrid said, shaking his head. "Come on, then. I have biscuits and tea all ready for you both." He began the trudge through the snow over to the cabin he'd rebuilt and insisted on still living in after the war, rambling about something Draco couldn't be bothered to listen to the entire way.
Draco's feet were practically frozen, despite his watertight boots and Warming Charms, by the time they arrived at their destination. Hagrid invited them in and settled Draco down closest to the fire. "Here you are," he said in his low voice, immediately pouring Draco a cup of hot tea and placing it before him.
Draco took a sip and smiled. "It's lovely, thank you. How did you know how I take it?"
He cocked his head in confusion, and Harry chuckled. "Are you sure you're fine? I just told Hagrid how you like it. You were right here, listening."
Draco sighed. "I apologise. My mind was elsewhere. Thank you, Hagrid. And thank you for inviting me."
"Of course, of course." Hagrid waved the thanks away. "You're Harry's, which means you're always welcome." He grinned. "It's always been that way, hasn't it, Harry?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah."
"Why, I remember the first time you snuck Ron and Hermione down here with you in that Invisibility Cloak of yours, and I thought I'd lost my mind. Of course, your ol' Dad used to do the same, sneaking around the castle in that thing, so I don't know why it surprised me."
Something about that statement had Draco pausing. What was it? Draco replayed it in his head, then nearly choked. "Invisibility Cloak?"
The biscuit halfway to Harry's mouth froze, and a mischievous smirk crossed his face. It reminded Draco of that cat in that story about Alice he'd been reading with Teddy. "Have I not told you about my cloak yet?"
Draco narrowed his eyes. "You did have an Invisibility Cloak in school. I knew it! You arsehole. No wonder you got away with so much!"
"Oh, I'm sure he still has it, don't you, Harry? It was your dear old dad's, after all. I think Dumbledore said even your grandad carried it around, though I didn't really know him well and couldn't say myself."
Draco wanted to roll his eyes at the man's lack of magical knowledge, but Hagrid was important to Harry, so he refrained.
"I do. I just keep it tucked away, mostly. Don't really have much need for it now that I can more easily cast spells that'll mostly do the same. They're much more convenient."
Harry was watching Draco for a reaction, he could tell. It was probably one of those stupid pranks he liked to play when he was with George, and Draco was being set up for a punchline he wouldn't see coming. Draco wouldn't bite, because obviously, cloaks didn't maintain their invisibility charms that long. However, something else Hagrid had said had caught his attention as well.
"I forgot you were friends with Harry's parents, Hagrid. Did you ever attend one of the Potter Galas?"
"I did! And I'm sorry I can't come to yours tomorrow, but Olympe is expecting me at Beauxbatons now that classes are out."
Draco waved that away, but he noticed Harry's sudden interest in the conversation with a smile. "Of course. Understandable. But perhaps you can share some memories of it? We've established the menu from old gossip pages and are recreating some of the decorations, but what stood out to you?"
Hagrid poured each of them some more tea and sat back with a grunt, tapping his large finger on his front teeth in thought. "Well, I remember that even though it was very fancy, they never looked down on me for the way I dressed. I'd wear my best clothes, of course, but they weren't like theirs. They never cared. Your grandparents and parents were gracious hosts, Harry," he said, patting Harry's hand. "They were wonderful at making everyone feel welcome."
Harry smiled. "What else?" Draco could hear Harry's eagerness in the question and reached out, lacing his fingers with Harry's.
Hagrid watched the gesture and smiled. "The music was lovely, generally very classical through dinner, then later in the evening, they'd include more pieces for the young people. Everyone loved to dance, and the room would be lit up with fairy lights, making it almost as impressive as Hogwarts' own Great Hall."
Harry sighed. "I wish I could have been to one."
"Oh! I almost forgot my favourite part. It wasn't really a big deal, but I found it touching and lovely."
"What's that?"
"They always left an empty seat at their table. Every year. They'd set an empty place setting and chair at whatever table they were at. They said it was to remember those who were no longer with them, welcoming their spirits to the family table."
Draco watched Harry, whose eyes had moved to the flickering fire. "Thank you, Hagrid. I hadn't heard about that."
Hagrid clapped Harry on the shoulder but didn't say anything, as if he knew Harry needed a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts. He probably did know that, actually, as he'd known him since he was a small boy.
Draco met Hagrid's eyes and gave him a little smile and a nod, hoping that conveyed his own thanks as well. He added the mental note for the seat to his list of plans for the next day, then decided to lighten the mood.
"All right, Potter. I know you're dying to gloat. Tell me about this blasted Invisibility Cloak and why you've never mentioned it before."
Harry just threw his head back and laughed before starting tales of some of the ridiculous trouble he and his friends had got into at school. Draco knew most of the stories already — some because he was there, some because he'd paid attention to Harry and his friends talking in the two years they'd been dating. But it made Harry happy to reminisce, and Hagrid had some amusing anecdotes to add to the tellings.
"I have to say, Harry, you three had some competition last year for the Most Troublesome Students award." He placed a plate on the table between them all. It held a wreath made of bread and what looked like a sausage mixture in the middle. It smelled divine. "Eat up. I had the house-elves bring it over from the school."
They each dug in, and Harry gestured for Hagrid to continue. It really was good.
"Anyways, we have this group of Hufflepuffs that I thought would push Minerva over the edge. And they were so sweet and happy about it, always meaning well, but always going about things in the worst way possible. They'd land themselves in trouble every time, but poor Minerva couldn't bring herself to punish them more than just having them fix the problems they'd created. And then last year, they decided to play at being Santa and managed to rig the fireplaces in the entire castle to allow them entry so they could drop gifts for everyone. Even the professors. They gave me the most delightful carving of Fang." He pointed to a spot on the shelf where a carving of Hagrid's beloved dog sat in a place of honour.
Harry seemed to be listening intently, now, however. All semblance of the relaxed man visiting his friend was gone and an Auror on alert had replaced him.
"What were their names?"
"Who?"
"The Hufflepuffs. Did you know them?"
"Yeah, of course, I did. There was Sally Jensen, Joel Hinde, Corrine Dogwood, and Caleb Martin. They were inseparable, just like you and Ron and Hermione always were. They all finished school last June, I think."
Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. "Fucking hell. It's a bunch of Hufflepuff kids."
Draco just watched Harry closely, then finally gave in. "What's a bunch of kids?"
Harry smiled and shook his head. "Tell you later. Hagrid, I have to go. I think I have a case to close."
"Sure, Harry," Hagrid said, sounding surprised at the sudden change of mood. "Draco, are you going with him? You're welcome to stay for a while."
"I have a party to finish preparing for, but thank you. I'll just make my way back to Grimmauld Place."
Harry leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Sorry, but if I'm right, I might be able to enjoy the dinner tomorrow without this case hanging over me."
"Go on and catch the not-so-bad guys."
Harry snorted. "For once, I'm glad I don't have to hand out the punishment. I just have to catch them and make them stop."
Draco pushed him out the door. "Send me an owl if you'll be very late." He watched Harry take off towards the gate while he leisurely put on his cloak and bundled his scarf about him. "Thank you for lunch, Hagrid. It was lovely."
Hagrid nodded, looking conflicted, then he seemed to come to a decision. "I wasn't sure about you, Draco, when you both started dating. I was holding out my judgement because Harry seemed happy."
Draco froze, surprisingly unprepared for this. It was stupid because he'd thought he was always ready for people's adverse reaction, but his general acceptance amongst Harry's friends was coming to be something he expected at this point. He'd been letting his guard down. What's wrong with you? You know better!
"I just want to say I'm sorry. You're really good together. It's good to see. James and Lily would love to see how happy he is." Hagrid's large black eyes were earnest and clear, and Draco couldn't look away.
Shoulders stiff, Draco nodded and reached for the door. There was a burning behind his eyes that told him he had to leave. Now.
"I've offended you," Hagrid continued as Draco let in the cold air and stood on the threshold of the tiny cabin. "I'm sorry, but I wanted to be honest."
He looked up at the school; his attention was pulled to the Astronomy Tower and a night long ago that still featured in his nightmares, as well as in his therapy sessions.
"No," he said, turning back to Hagrid. "No, I'm sorry. For everything. For that night. For the Hippogriff. For all of it. You had every right to doubt me."
"Thanks. You're a good lad. Take care of him."
Draco nodded, his throat tight, then he turned and left.
James and Lily would love to see how happy he is. The wind whipping into Draco's face caused his eyes to water.
A/N: 5 more days!
