When the morning came, Nadia yawned and stretched out. "Mornin' Kit..." She said, still half-asleep, only to not get a response. "Kit?" She asked again. Still nothing. Looking around, she frowned when she saw Harry was gone. Had he gone to the bathroom? She didn't hear anything...

She heard the sound of his coughing coming from the kitchen, and happily noted that it sounded significantly better than it did the past two days. But then she realized she smelled something cooking. Eyes wide, she hopped out of bed and hurriedly made her way downstairs, rushing into the kitchen to find Harry was cooking breakfast.

"Morning, Miss Nadia..." Harry mumbled, his small legs shaking somewhat as he was making some eggs. Nadia rushed over and scooped Harry up into her arms, looking him over, her eyes widening in horror and watering when she saw some burns on his tiny arms.

"Oh my gosh... Kitten, what are you doing...?! You shouldn't be cooking, you're WAY too little and you're too sick...!" She turned off the stove. "C'mere... Let's try and fix your burns now..." Gently, she held his arm under the sink nozzle and turned on the cold water, allowing the cool liquid to flow over his tiny arms.

Harry let out a small whimper and winced at the slight sting. Nadia frowned sadly and kissed his head. "Sorry kit..." She cooed softly, gently washing him over with cooling water. "I know this isn't comfortable... but we gotta make sure your burns aren't gonna get worse..."

"M'kay..."

She carefully rinsed over him with the water before opening up the cupboard and pulling out a tube of ointment. Gently, she squeezed some onto her palm, then gently rubbed it over the burns. Harry relaxed at the feeling of the ointment, feeling his burns cool almost instantly. Nadia sighed softly, then pulled the little boy into a tight hug."Aw, kit, what were you doing...?" She said softly. "Cooking is not a job for a tiny little guy like you..."

"But... I thought I had to." Harry softly replied.

"What? Why would you think that?" Nadia asked, genuinely confused as to why such a tiny boy would have to do such stren- It was his family. The thought hit her like a truck as everything seemed to connect just a little bit more, and with each connection, it felt like another nightmare opening.

She wordlessly snatched him up and cuddled him close to her shoulder. "Kitten... Cooking is the job of the grownups. You're just a little boy. You're too young..."

"But... But I always got in trouble if I didn't do it in time..." Harry whimpered. Nadia nuzzled him before pressing her forehead against his and looking him in the eye.

"They're bad people, kit... They hurt you for no reason..."

Harry didn't respond. He looked down sadly, and Nadia wasn't entirely sure what to say. Finally, she settled on kissing his forehead to try and cheer him up somewhat. It seemed to work, as Harry blushed sightly. But it didn't cheer him up the way her contact had recently. "Kit, is there something you need to tell me?" She softly spoke.

Harry looked up, then opened his mouth as if to speak, then whimpeted softly. Nadia carried him into the living room and took a seat on the couch. "Kitten... I'm listening... Go ahead. Tell me everything. I promise you won't get hurt for it... I'm here to keep ya safe. So go on... Let's hear it... What did they do to you...?"

Harry looked down, whimpering, then began to quietly cry. Nadia frowned and held him closer. "I...I'm scared..." Harry finally got out, not wanting to look up at Nadia.

"What did they do to you?" She softly asked, gently lifting Harry's head up to look her in the eyes.

Harry took a deep, shaky breath, then quietly told her everything. First their refusal to properly feed him, leaving him with some bread every day. Then, when his uncle started beating him. Nadia listened intently as he told her everything, her expression slowly molding into one of horrified anger as he described worse and more horrific scenarios. She wanted it to be fake... She wanted it to just be the imagination of an abused child... But the fear in his eyes and body language told her that it was true...

For the first time in a long time, Nadia didn't know how to respond, or even how to feel. She hadn't felt this kind of pain since she lost everyone close to her, and then being cut apart... But all that seemed to pale in comparison with what Harry went through. The physical abuse, the psychological abuse... It was horrific. Nadia remained silent, nodding every now and then to signify she was listening, and kept a warm grip on Harry, trying to comfort him.

When he finally finished talking, she tightened her hold on him, squeezing gently to make him feel safe. "Kitten... I'm... I'm so sorry... You shouldn't... Oh my God you poor little guy..." Harry whimpered, and Nadia noticed his trembling. "...Kitten...? You're bottling up your tears right now... Aren't you...?"

"I-I'm not allowed to cry... My uncle-"

"Isn't here." Nadia interrupted gently. "Your aunt isn't here. Your cousin isn't here. I am here. And I say it's okay." Still, he hesitated. "Kitten... Those people... They did terrible things to you... Things that would make a grown man cry... You're just a little boy... It's only natural you'd want to cry after all you've been through..." She held him up against her shoulder, gently rubbing his back. "Go on, kitten... Just go ahead...let it out...and have yourself a cry... You're in the perfect place for it... Nice and snug, in the arms of someone that loves you..."

Harry tried to fight it, but eventually all the emotional pain he had been through overtook him. Nadia watched sadly as Harry seemed to outright break, crying deeply into her chest, seemingly unable to control it. Nadia sat quietly, holding Harry comfortingly as he let everything out. His pain, his fear, all of it. Nadia wished this would help him... but she also knew that this was probably just the beginning of a long recovery. But she promised to herself and Harry that she'd be there for him the whole way.

She gently stroked the back of his head and squeezed him as tightly as she could without hurting him. Each sob hurt to listen to... But it was necessary... "That's it, sweetie, let it out... I gotcha..." She whispered softly. Then, she began to purr softly in her attempts to soothe his emotional state. Harry heard the low, soft rumbling, and it reminded him that he was safe and loved. As a result, it made him cry even harder because this wasn't how he'd felt for the first five years of his life.

Nadia sighed gently, continuing to hold him close. Nadia pulled the blanket over the two of them to try and keep him warm and snug. She didn't know if it would help, but right now she didn't much care. The poor little guy had been through so much, and only now was he ever allowed to open up and finally be honest about it. Not to mention the fears of them hurting him...

She cuddled him close for an hour, gently running her fingers through his hair, continuing her purring to keep him at least a little bit comforted. After what felt like an eternity, little Harry Potter finally stopped crying. Now, he was simply shaking violently in her arms, hiccuping from the hour of crying.

Nadia lay back on the couch, holding the whimpering Harry close to her chest. She held him in a tight hug as he continued whimpering. "Hey, it's alright sweetie..." Nadia cooed softly, rubbing his back. "I got you now kit. I'll keep you safe, and you'll never be hurt here." Harry didn't reply, and Nadia didn't expect him to.

She just laid there with him for another half-hour, cuddling him close and doing her all to make him feel safe and happy. His shaking slowly died down, and he laid atop Nadia, rock still. Nadia smiled sadly, then sat up. "C'mon, hun... Let's go get you some breakfast... Crying like that's always gonna make ya hungry... Heh..."

Harry didn't reply, but buried his face into Nadia's shoulder. She carried him into the kitchen, and didn't have the heart to set him down. So, she began making something for him (deciding on grilled cheese) while holding him. The kit needed it.

As the sandwich cooked, she took a seat in one of the chairs and gently scratched his tiny back. He was so tiny... So frail and delicate and damaged... It all made sense now... His fearful nature, his time on the streets, the injuries before getting put into the healing water... It all came from his own family...

She was still at a loss for words, she just wanted to keep Harry safe no matter what happened. She wanted to make sure no one would ever hurt him again.

She kissed his head gently and nuzzled him. "It's okay... I'm here for ya... I gotcha..." She whispered softly. Harry hugged back as tightly as he could. Soon enough, Harry's sandwich was done cooking. Nadia carefully put it down on a plate and carried it to the table. She considered setting Harry down... But she decided against it. She wanted to hold him more... Grabbing the sandwich, she held it up for him to bite into it, which he did thankfully. As he chewed his sandwich, he looked up at her with a look of pure adoration.

"Thank you." He softly said. Nadia laughed gently and kissed his head.

"Don't mention it, kit." She said, gently patting his back. "Just enjoy your lunch, then we'll talk afterwards." Harry nodded in understanding and went back to his sandwich, clearly enjoying every bite.

Nadia watched him eat fondly. She really cared about this little boy... And she wanted to protect him with her life. Harry ate quietly until the sandwich was gone. Nadia held him up against her shoulder and rubbed his back gently. "Atta boy, kitten... Eating all your food like a good boy..." She whispered softly. She smiled at his small, content hum, and kissed his cheek. "Okay... Okay, so I'm gonna make something very clear to you, Harry..." Harry looked up at her. "I will NEVER let those pieces of garbage hurt you again. EVER. If they try, they will be lucky to spend the rest of their miserable lives sipping food through a straw in the emergency room."

Harry looked frightened, and before Nadia could explain, Harry spoke. "But... I deserved it." That broke Nadia's heart to hear. She held him close again and nuzzled the top of his head.

"No you don't, kit." She whispered. "You never did, and you never could."

"But... But I... I..." Harry fumbled for excuses to defend his 'family', but found himself coming up short, no matter how hard he tried. Finally, he just whimpered.

Nadia tightened her hold on him and rested her chin on his head. "Harry... You live in my house... You're a part of MY family now... Not theirs." She kissed his forehead. "They don't deserve to be considered members of your family... If someone hurts you like that, they don't deserve to be a part of your life, and they never did."

Harry stared in disbelief, then began crying again. Nadia adjusted him in her arms and rested his head on her shoulder. She gently rubbed his back and let him cry it out. She knew this was the best thing for him. "It's okay kit, it's okay." She cooed softly.

He sobbed for fifteen minutes before calming down, burying his face in her shoulder and clutching tightly at her top. She nuzzled him gently and purred to comfort him. "You're okay, kit... You're gonna be just fine..." She whispered softly into his ear. He let out a soft hum in response but didn't reply, too tired out from crying so much.

Now the pair remained where they where, Nadia gently cooing softly to him, and rocking him in her arms. The poor thing needed sleep now... he was clearly emotionally and physically exhausted after what he had just told her about. She just held him close protectively, motherly...

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek gently, then pressed her forehead against his. "Go on and get some sleep, kitten... When you wake up, we'll so some fun stuff." Harry coughed lightly, nodded, then closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep in Nadia's arms. The feral's tail swished about behind her as she smiled lovingly at him. 'All right... Better think of some nice things to do with him when he wakes up...' She thought. 'Maybe dust off that old game console of mine...'

For now though, Nadia was content to just hold Harry close, thinking about what they could do later, but also keeping him cozy. Nadia was proud of him. It was clear it hurt what he had just talked about, but he got it out, and that's what mattered. "Huh... never really had a kid around here..." She mused. "Guess I never thought I'd be taking care of one..."

Indeed, her ways of entertaining a child were a bit limited. She'd have to get the boy some new toys so he could keep himself entertained... Then she remembered that there were only three weeks until Christmas arrived... And she hadn't begun decorating yet. Perhaps he'd enjoy helping with that when he was better! And then there was the idea of getting him presents... He deserved some nice new things. He deserved presents under the tree on Christmas morning...

She sighed and reclined on her couch, Harry laying atop her like a mattress as she absentmindedly rubbed his tiny head. God he was so tiny... He whimpered slightly in his sleep, and she tightened her hold on him and purred softly into his ear, soothing him into peace in her arms.

Harry's peaceful sleeping returned, and Nadia smiled sadly, happy to see him sleeping peacefully, but also saddened by the nightmares he was probably stuck with... Still, she'd help him overcome them.

"You're gonna be okay, kitten... Miss Nadia's here..." She whispered before turning on the TV. She watched the local news, and was pleasantly surprised at what she saw.

"...And in other news, the little boy rumoured to be wanderig homeless on Little Innsmouth streets has been confirmed to have been found and taken in by the city's very own hero, Nadia Fortune. I would imagine this incident has made her a true hero in the eyes of this child."

"Huh." She smiled. "Well, I hope this means I'm not gonna be swarmed..." She paused, half expecting that very thing to happen. But the silence remained. All that happened was a message for Minette saying 'Did you see the news!?' Nadia chuckled, she could reply later. She had a cozy kit snuggled up with her, and she didn't want to disturb him.

She spent about two hours lazily browsing channels until she felt stirring in her arms. Harry yawned adorably as he woke up, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "Have a good nap, kitten?" Nadia asked gently. Harry gave her a tired smile and leaned against her breast. Nadia's heart melted at the look of adoration on his face.

"Thsnk you, Miss Fortune... Thank you so much... For everything..." He said softly.

"Daw... Don't mention it, kit." She grinned, holding him close. "You're such a cute little guy... and you're so cuddly." Harry seemed to blush somewhat in his tired state, Nadia found it to be absolutely adorable. She let the tiny boy continue to go back and forth between waking up and falling back asleep. Finally, he managed to wake himself up.

He coughed lightly, and Nadia gave him a toothy grin. "Well, would ya look at that. All that bedrest totally paid off. You're already close to being better, kitten!" Harry perked up, realizing he was, indeed, feeling a lot better than he had been, his coughs coming less frequently and his sneezes as well.

"It's cause you and everyone else took really good care of me... Thank you, Miss Fortune..." He mumbled before burying his face in her chest.

At first, Nadia thought he was going to cry again. But then she saw his tiny, content smile. It was clear he was trying to hug her. Nadia chuckled softly and let him snuggle closer still. Who was she to say no to the kit? She patted his head, earning a tiny coo from the boy.

"Heh... You're such a good little guy..." She chuckled, stroking his back gently, lightly scratching it with her claws in a soothing manner. She looked up at the ceiling, trying to figure out something to do. The two of them ended up spending two hours just lazily cuddling each other in front of the TV. Eventually, Nadia got an idea. "Heeeey, kitten... How'd ya like to help Miss Fortune do a little baking?" She asked. "I know how to make one heck of a good cake."

Harry's eyes lit up at the question. "Yes please!" He said excitedly. "Uh... I mean... if you want me to..." Nadia laughed at his little excitement and adjusted him in her arms.

"Well, let's get to work." She said with a grin.

She carried him into the kitchen, giving him a pair of rubber gloves so he could help, as he was still sick and she didn't want to get cold germs in the cake. She grabbed a stool for Harry, then set him on it and grabbed the cake mix from the cupboard. "All right, chef Harry! You all set to get to cookin'?"

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded. Nadia smiled down at him and set to work. She had Harry break the eggs into the bowl, then she added the mix and some flavouring. Harry then stirred it for a bit until his arms got tired, then Nadia took over for him.

Nadia was quite impressed with just how on top of it Harry was at cooking. For such a little boy, he seemed to really know what he was doing. He had some really good ideas too. Marshmallows in cake wasn't something she'd thought of... But it sounded nice. He seemed to really enjoy doing it too. He looked visibly happy to be cooking with her. This was an interest she would have to nurture and work with him on... Yu-Wan very well might have a little rival in the making.

Eventually, the cake was in the oven, and Nadia turned back to Harry. She laughed slightly at the mess on him and scooped him up again. "C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up." She grinned, carrying him over to the counter and setting him next to the sink.

Wetting a washcloth, she gently scrubbed down his little face, cleaning off chocolate frosting and cake batter, smiling and nodding in content after finishing. "Clean as a whistle!" She chirped before picking him up and placing him down on a kitchen chair. "Now, whattya say you and I play some cards while she bakes?"

"I don't know how..." Harry mumbled.

"Aw, don't worry! I'll teach you." Nadia smiled. She set Harry down on a chair and sat across from him. She picked up a deck of cards and began shuffling it. She figured she'd teach him something simple first.

"All right, we're gonna play a game of go-fish." Harry blinked and tilted his head curiously. Grinning, Nadia explained the rules, and he seemed to catch on. The two played the game, and Nadia beamed when she saw that the little boy was having a good time. His cute little smile melted her heart.

Harry won the first two rounds, and Nadia decided to stop taking it easy on him. However, when she felt the next hand, Harry put two pairs down at the start. "But... how..." She muttered, looking at her own hand, which was a anarchic mess of suits, numbers and colours. "All right..."

Harry won again, and Nadia beamed at him. "Gotta say, kit, I'm impressed! No one's ever beaten me at cards before! Heh... You'll be a real winner at the casinos someday. Maybe get Miss Nadia into a super nice retirement home with all the money you'll make." She joked.

"Casinos?" Harry asked, confused.

"Oh, uh... you'll know when you're older." She chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright... How about we try another game?" Harry nodded eagerly and Nadia began shuffling the cards up again.

"All right, this one's called 'memory'." Nadia explained. And so this was how they spent the next couple of hours, just playing card games as the cake baked. "Wow, kitten, you're a good little learner." Nadia praised, ruffling his hair. Harry smiled at the contact, and then the ding of the oven notified them that the cake was done.

"Ooh! The cake's done!" Nadia grinned, getting up and heading back to the oven. She pulled the cake out and inhaled the smell. "This smells amazing, kit!" She said with a grin. "Let's let it cool, then we'll eat."

"Okay Miss Fortune." Harry nodded.

She smiled, set the cake down on the counter, then picked him up and took a seat on the couch. "C'mon, hun, let's watch some cartoons." Harry smiled brightly as the colourful cartoons came on the screen once again. Nadia chuckled in amusement at just how mesmerized he was.

Then again, there was the very likely possibility that Harry had never been allowed to watch them, and therefore had never experienced them. It was kind of heartbreaking to Nadia, but he was happy now, and that's what mattered most. She intended to make him as happy as he could possibly be.

She sat in place for two hours, cuddling the boy close and smiling warmly as she looked at the TV. These shows weren't for her age demographic... But hey... They'd help the kid learn. After an episode of Poppy Street teaching about the letter I, Nadia looked down at Harry. "So, whattya say, kitten? Ya ready to go and decorate that cake?"

"Yes please!" Harry said with genuine excitement. Nadia chuckled and picked him up, holding him in one arm as she walked back to the kitchen. She set to work gathering what they'd need, all the while making sure Harry was secure.

"Alright, let's see..." She mused, looking at what she had.

"Okay, icing, sprinkles, candies... Okay, we got this. What kind of icing do you wanna use?" Harry pointed to the vanilla icing. Nadia thought it was a bit odd to use vanilla icing on chocolate cake, but she decided it was healthy for Harry to experiment with his interests.

She held Harry as he spread the frosting around the cake. More than a few times Nadia blinked in surprise at how... almost professionally Harry did it. It seemed like he had been doing it his entire life- Right. He probably had... Nadia shook her head to make sure Harry didn't see her frown, and gave him a playful kiss on the head.

He giggled at the kiss and finished adding the icing. Nadia marveled at the sight of it. "Wow, kitten, good job. You're a real little baker, aren'tcha?" Harry beamed at her praise, then began carefully adding candy and sprinkles. Nadia watched him prepare the decor, and her eyes widened when she realized what he had made on the cake. A picture of them. Holding hands and smiling.

Nadia looked at the cake, almost in disbelief at what she had seen. Then she hugged Harry as tightly as she could, kissing his face all over. Harry was a bit shocked by the sudden tight hug, but knew Miss Fortune was being nice to him. "Do you like it?" He timidly asked.

"Kitten... I freaking LOVE it. You're such a good little guy, you know that?" The feral woman said with a warm smile before nuzzling his face gently. Harry smiled happily at the praise and shyly nuzzled back. Chuckling, Nadia picked him up, set him down at the table, and carried the cake over to the table. "Y'know, kit... This is actually perfect. Completely fitting... Because this cake is a celebration of me taking you into my house. Heh... You're a clever little guy..."

Harry blushed, looking down. He hadn't been thinking of that... he just wanted to tell Miss Fortune that he was thankful for everything she had done for him, and he didn't know what exactly he could do. So he had settled on making this for her.

Nadia smiled down at the cake before looking over at Harry. "Y'know, it's a real shame to eat this... How about sometime in the near future, I go out, get ya some crayons, and you can draw a more permanent picture?"

Harry perked up at the idea. "C-Can we put it up on the fridge...?" He asked timidly, remembering the fridge covered in Dudley's drawings back at the Dursley's home.

"Heh... Honestly, kitten? I might just end up framing it and putting it up in the living room." Nadia chuckled, messing with the boy's hair.

"Thank you." Harry said with a warm smile.

"C'mon, let's have some cake." Nadia grinned, setting Harry on the table as she began cutting herself and Harry some cake. Holding the two plates in one arm and Harry the other, she carried him back to the couch and sat down with the tiny boy on her lap.

Handing the boy his cake, she flipped the TV back on, and they watched while eating their cake. Harry was absolutely overjoyed to be spending this time with his caregiver. "Kitten? You are a genius." Nadia said with a grin, messing with his hair. "Those little touches you added really make all the difference. You'll make a great chef one day."

"Thank you, Miss Fortune." Harry said sheepishly. Nadia smiled and kissed him on the head again.

"Hey, don't be so timid. It's okay to be proud of what you're good at." She said.

"I... I didn't know I could."

"Well... You can." Nadia said simply, her ears drooping slightly. Harry seemed happy with her praise and ate his cake, content with his new quality of life.

"M-Ms. Fortune...?" He said timidly. Nadia looked down at him with a smile and tilted her head to show she was listening. "I'm... I'm really glad you found me... Thank you for saving me... You're... You're the best ever..."

"Aw, I'm glad I found you too, kit." She grinned, hugging him close. "You're just a sweet little guy, and I like having you here." Harry blushed and tried to hug Nadia's waist. The older woman giggled softly and hugged him a bit tighter. "You're a real cuddler. I like that."

They set their plates down on the table, and Nadia leaned back, content to snuggle with him. "Man... I need to break out those Christmas decorations..."

"Christmas decorations...? Can I help you put them up...?" Harry asked softly yet eagerly. Nadia gave him a toothy grin and bumped her nose against his lightly.

"Ya sure can, kitten. We're gonna turn this little house into a Christmas wonderland!" She said boisterously, getting the little boy to giggle softly.

"That a sound I like to hear." Nadia cooed, gently tickling Harry to try and get another laugh. Thankfully, her ploy worked and Harry giggled. "Ooh... you seem ticklish.." Harry giggled again and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck. It was an adorable gesture...

She cuddled him close and kissed his cheek gently. "Heh... All right, kitten, you think you're feeling well enough to get started?" Harry nodded.

"I-I don't feel as sleepy, and I think the cough is almost gone... It doesn't hurt as much as it did..." He said softly. Nadia's tail swished about behind her.

"Good to know... All right, you wait right here. I'll go and get the bins out." Setting Harry down gently, she made her way up to the attic to collect the decorations.

Harry remained wrapped up in the blanket Nadia had left him in. He felt safe and warm. Miss Fortune really did care for him, and he loved her for it. He didn't know what he did to deserve it, but maybe she was right, maybe he wasn't a freak...

Eventually, Nadia returned with two bins of decorations in her arms. She set them down and gave Harry a fanged grin before opening one up. "Sooo I don't have that much. Simple but effective. Just a buncha lights, some garland, a fake tree, all that good stuff." She explained, showing him some tree ornaments.

Harry seemed completely enthralled by it nonetheless. She smiled at the tiny boy and picked him up in one arm, and picked up some lights in the other. "Well, let's get to it." She smiled.

She got a little stool for Harry and had him hold onto the lights while she attached them to the walls. He was a good little helper, and it was so cute. After about two hours, the lights were put up all around the house, some of them mixed in with the garland. Now they were working on decorating the tree.

Nadia held Harry up as he put some more of the decorations onto the tree. He seemed to be meticulously placing them, as if this was a delicate procedure. Nadia was enjoying herself. This was a new feeling for her. Sure, she had spent Christmases with her friends before, but having a little kit like Harry around... felt right.

She quickly began thinking. Since he was now a part of her life, she would have to get gifts for him as well as her other friends. So what would she get him...? She began to make a small list in her mind of things she thought Harry would enjoy, her tail swishing behind her at the thought of his face on Christmas morning...

Harry had finished putting the ornaments up on the tree, and smiled, feeling satisfied. "Looks great, kit." Nadia said, kissing Harry on the head. "You did a great job."

"Thank you Miss Fortune." Harry said, liking the praise he got form Miss Fortune. It was new to him... and he wanted to make her happy.

Smirking, she carried him over to the kitchen, where the switch for the Christmas lights awaited them. "All right, let's light the place up!" With the flick of a switch, all the Christmas lights flipped on at once, bathing the entire house in a multi-coloured light of every colour imagineable.

Nadia always enjoyed this, but there was something so precious about Harry's reaction. His wyes went wide with wonder as he looked around. She had a bad feeling this was the first time he had ever been able to enjoy this time of year, but that made it all the more special. She held him gently in her arms and turned around, letting him take in the entire room.

"It's... It's pretty... So pretty..." He breathed, entranced by what he was seeing. Nadia chuckled and kissed his cheek gently, loving the wonder in his eyes.

"Yeah... It really is..." She agreed. "It's the best time of the year to be a kid, isn't it? Heh... Lots of snow to play in... Twinkly lights... Christmas coming up fast..."

"Christmas?" Harry asked, somewhat confused.

"Oh, have you never celebrated it?" Nadia asked with a cocked head. "Well, Christmas is a celebration when you spend time with the people you care for. And you play games and..." She trailed off when she saw Harry's excitement slowly turning to sadness. "What's wrong, Kit?"

"My cousin got to have that... Christmas I mean... But I wasn't allowed... I... I asked once and got beat up for it..." He looked down, and Nadia hugged him tightly.

"Well, Harry... You'd better be ready to have the best Christmas season ever." She said softly, gently nuzzling the top of his head with her cheek.

"Thank you..." Harry said quietly, leaning into the affection. Nadia was enjoying the cute moment, but also felt a fury of hatred forming inside her. How could they do this to such a little boy!?

'Whatever. He's safe now.' She reasoned. 'I don't think there's much you can do about them now...'

She bristled very slightly, gritting her teeth through a closed mouth. 'That fat bastard better not come back to this town, because if he does...' She raged inwardly. Harry seemed to pick up on her anger and flinched slightly, causing her to force herself to relax as she kissed his head. "Not mad at you, kit... Not mad at you..."

"Oh. Um... I'm not used to that." Harry said quietly, and Nadia frowned sadly at that remark.

"Well, don't worry. I don't think you could ever make me angry." She grinned at the tiny boy in her arms. "You're far too sweet for that."

Harry smiled in content and rested his head on her shoulder, allowing her to pick him up and carry him back to the couch. Taking a seat, she wrapped him in a blanket. "All right, kitten, I think it's a perfect time for you to take a nice nap." She cooed softly into his ear. Smiling, Harry closed his eyes and snuggled in closer, making himself comfy.

Nadia adjusted her arms so he was sitting in one and being held by the other. Looking down, Nadia let out a soft 'D'aw...' when she saw the tiny boy began absentmindedly sucking on his thumb in his sleep. He really was too cute... 'You enjoy your nap, kit.' Nadia smiled warmly. 'Now... what would a little boy want for Christmas?'

She rested against her couch and began formulating her plans to give Harry the best Christmas she possibly could. Minette already bought him plush toys... Maybe he'd be into action figures... Or those little toy cars... Or that play-dough stuff she used to have as a kid and absolutely did not eat at any point no sir.

She heard a soft coo and looked down to see Harry squirming for a moment in his sleep, then letting out a sigh in his sleep as he cuddled close to her. "Poor kit..." She thought. "He'd probably be happy with anything so long as I gave it to him..."

She chuckled softly and nuzzled him gently. "I'll just have to wing it... But I promise you'll like whatever I bring ya..." She whispered into his ear. Sighing, she looked at the ceiling and began thinking of all the other ways she could make this Christmas season meaningful for him... Perhaps Christmas baking...

He certainly seemed to enjoy making the cake for her. Maybe some Christmas movies? She cast a glance over to her shelf, she had 'Christmas Movies' but... she figured Harry wasn't ready for them. 'Die Harsh, no... Gremlinz... no...' she frowned.

She noted she needed to make a quick trip to the video store. She needed to find movies like Randolf the Crimson-Nosed Moose, Snowy the Snowman, Saint Nick is Coming to town, and so on and so forth. Then again, she could probably find these things on the TV. It was the season to play these films after alll... Grabbing the remote, she checked the TV schedule. This Saturday was a marathon of a bunch of Bankin/Rass movies. Looked like their plans for the weekend were set.

She liked this. Maybe being a mom was something she could do. Not just 'Miss Fortune' or Harry's caregiver... Maybe... maybe she could be a maternal figure to the small boy. 'Still, it'll be up to him to decide if he wants that or not.' Nadia mentally remarked. 'I don't wanna force anything on the kit...'

Chuckling softly, she rested her chin atop Harry's head and watched the television for approximately an hour, waiting patiently for Harry to wake up. She felt him stir in her arms and beamed down at him. "Up and at 'em, little kitten."

Harry yawned and began shaking his head, looking around timidly before looking up at Nadia. "Hi, Miss Fortune..." Harry mumbled.

"Hi to you too, kit." She smirked. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Mmhmm..." Harry nodded.

"Good to know, good to know..." The cat feral stroked his back gently as she rocked him to and fro in her arms. "Everything's good... right, little guy?"

"Um... If...If I'm here... With you... Then... yes..." Harry replied shyly, snuggling in closer. Nadia chuckled and kissed his temple gently.

"You are so sweet." She cooed. "You wanna help me make supper?"

"Okay." Harry nodded, still partially asleep, but he seemed happy at the prospect. Nadia smirked and carried him back to the kitchen.

"First, you need to wake up." She said teasingly.

Harry yawned and stretched his little arms, trying to force the sleepiness out of his system. Nadia chuckled in amusement and ruffled his hair when he finished. "I think that'll do, kitten. C'mon, let's go make some food. I'm gonna teach ya how to make my tuna casserole. Heh... My friends LOVE my tuna casserole."

"Okay." Harry nodded, letting Nadia set him down again. The two set to work. Nadia got the pot out and let Harry begin pouring the casserole noodles into a bowl while Nadia opened a can of tuna.

Nadia happily taught her little charge how to properly prepare the meal. "...And then we sprinkle in the green onions, like this... And then, a little beef..." Harry hung onto her every word and made sure to follow her instructions down to the letter, wanting to help make the food the best it could be.

This didn't go unnoticed by Nadia, who smiled and messed with his hair playfully. "Hey, don't worry Kit. Even if we make a mistake, I appreciate your enthusiasm."

"But... I want to make it right." Harry said quietly, looking down slightly. It occurred to Nadia that Harry probably had perfectionism forced into him by his relatives. She frowned slightly, then smiled again.

"Hey, don't worry." She said softly. "If you make a mistake, that's fine."

Harry nodded to signify that he was listening... But he also had every intention of making it the best he possibly could regardless of what his caregiver said. Nadia saw how hard he was trying and smiled sadly. Even if it was beaten into him... His perfectionism was not inherently a bad trait to have. But she would have to raise him not to go overboard with it... His health, both mental and physical, was far more important to her than perfection.

She hugged him close and patted his head. "Heh, you're too sweet, kit." She said softly, before turning back to the food. "Alright, next we need..." The two kept at it for quite awhile. When the casserole was finally in the oven, Nadia sighed and sat down with Harry on her lap again.

"All right, my little pro chef in the making, we got about thirty minutes before the casserole's finished cooking, soooo you know what that means... SNUGGLE TIME!"

"Yay..." Harry cheered softly, leaning against her contently.

Nadia smiled down at him, pulling him close into her embrace. She loved this... She really did. He was so tiny, so cuddly... she wished she could just hold him forever. Ah well, she'd enjoy every moment nonetheless.

She leaned down, purring and nuzzling his head, periodically giggling at how affectionate and cuddly her little guy was being. She was amazed at just how much she grew to love him... Harry was content as well, innocently closing his eyes and keeping his thumb in his mouth as she cuddled him close to her chest and stroked his head.

Was this what having a mother was like? Harry subconsciously wondered. Was that what Miss Nadia was? He didn't know how to react to it, he was so thankful, so happy, and he didn't want to make her hate him, and he was afraid she'd throw him away if he asked... But there was also something about her love, it seemed so genuine. Harry didn't know... he was confused. But also, he was happy.

He decided not to think about it any further and just settled for enjoying his caretaker's soft and warm embrace. He felt so safe and warm when she held him... Nadia kissed his head, and then her ears perked up at the sound of the oven finishing its cooking. "Oh hey, suppertime, kitten. C'mon, let's go eat."

Harry looked up and smiled at Nadia. "Okay, Miss Fortune." He said, happily leaning into the embrace of Nadia. She sat him at the kitchen table and went back to the oven. Pulling the casserole out, she set it on the counter, letting it cool for a moment.

When she was satisfied that it was cool enough to eat, she scooped two bowls full for her and Harry, setting Harry's share down in front of him. "There ya go, kitten, eat up." Nadia encouraged with a smile. Harry smiled back, then obediently scooped some of the casserole into his mouth. His eyes lit up instantly at the taste.

"It's really good." He said quietly, tasting the food.

"Indeed it is." Nadia grinned. The casserole tasted... better somehow, and she expected that was Harry's doing. "This is really good!"

"You think so?" Harry asked, looking up hopefully.

"Yeah, kitten, that little bit of bacon was a great idea! Really adds more flavour to this stuff, heh." She chuckled softly and returned to her meal. Harry did the same, taking pride in what he had accomplished with the meal, and they ate their dinner in a comfortable silence. When they finished, Nadia sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Ah, that really hit the spot!" She exclaimed. "Super filling though. I better be careful, or I might go pop! Heh." Harry's eyes widened in fear.

"You can pop just from eating too much?!" He said in a panic.

"Nah, I'm just kidding kit." She said reassuringly, picking him up and holding him close.

"Oh... okay. I'd be sad if you were gone..."

'This kid is too sweet for his own good... And I love him!' Nadia internally gushed, kissing Harry playfully. She decided to enjoy some more time with him, maybe tell another story to him, and carried Harry back to he room.

She laid flat-out on the bed, resting on her back with her head on the pillow, holding Harry atop her body, essentially turning herself into a makeshift mattress. "All right, kitten... I got a few new stories to tell ya all about how awesome I am. Lemme tell ya all about the time I made a fool out of some mafia goons..." And so, Nadia told the story of a cat-and-mouse game. She was the mouse...and she was also the cat. The thugs never stood a chance against her superior wit and cunning.

Harry seemed completely enthralled with the story, sitting on her lap, eyes wide, soaking in every word. There was something that Nadia found heart-melting about it. He was so pure, so sweet. "So anyhow, it turned out that the morons I was fighting were after some stone I had found like, a week before." She continued. "So, I had a choice; hand it over, or beat the daylights out of them. Naturally, I chose the latter."

She chuckled and remembered the one-sided massacre. "Heh... I gave one of those crooks an atomic wedgie... Another one got a shot to...well... a VERY sensitive area... Some chick was headfirt in a dumpster... It was awesome."

"But what about the stone?" Harry asked curiously. "What did you do with it?" Nadia blinked, then donned a thoughtful expression, ears twitching slightly.

"Let's see... Ah, right! I gave it to a guy called Big Bubba for safe keeping. He's a big goldfish guy who lives with his gang in a salvaged shipwreck."

"Is...Is that the ship with the scary snake person...?" Nadia blinked and tilted her head.

"Snake...? Oh, you mean Unagi! He's an eel. ...You've met him before...?"

"I...I was looking for food in the garbage can and his head came out the hole and roared at me..." Harry said softly.

Nadia blinked in surprise, then held Harry close. "Aw... Kit, I'm sorry..." She said softly, running a hand through his hair. She knew Unagi could be kind of mean, but she hadn't expected that... Harry looked up at Nadia and smiled slightly, leaning into her embrace. He liked when she held him like this, it was such a comforting feeling.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to scare ya, kitten... Unagi's job is to guard the entrance to the hideout... He kinda has a knee jerk response when anyone gets too close..." Chuckling, she kissed his cheek. "Heh... He did the same thing to me when they first moved in... Nearly jumped right outta my shorts." She reminisced.

"So... He doesn't eat people...?" Harry asked softly.

"He doesn't eat people." Nadia assured him, choosing not to mention that that was Bubba's thing. Didn't wanna frighten the little guy.

"Oh. Okay..." Harry blinked, deciding to trust Miss Nadia. She smiled and patted his head again.

"Anyhow..." She mused aloud, looking around. "Oh, it's getting kinda late." She remarked, seeing the clock on the wall. "You sleepy hon?"

"Um... No, I'm not tir-" Harry began before yawning audibly, Nadia chuckled and re-adjusted him in her arms.

"Well, you've had a big day kit." She cooed softly. "If you're sleepy, you can go to sleep, I'll take care of you."

Rising to her feet, she walked over to the lightswitch and flicked it off before climbing into bed with a feline yawn. "Ugh... I'm tired too..." She muttered. Climbing into bed, she wrapped him up in her arms and curled herself around him the best she could. "All right, kitten... G'night..." She said softly.

"Night, mommy..." Harry said sleepily before realizing his slip-up and opening his eyes in a panic.

Nadia blinked, but decided to act like she hadn't heard it. Harry breathed in a panicked tone, then seemed to calm down when he Nadia didn't react. He slowly snuggled back up against her and sighed. 'Oh my gosh... he thinks I'm his mama!' Nadia was mentally screaming. She felt he heart threaten to beat at a mile a minute, but she didn't want to spook Harry.

She took a deep breath and decided she couldn't ignore this. She needed to talk to him about it. "...Harry... Do you...really see me as a mom...?"

Harry winced slightly and covered his eyes. "Um... I...I..." He stuttered nervously, trying to find the right words for how to respond to her.

"Harry... You know... If you want me to be your mom, then... that's okay with me... More than okay, actually... I'd love to be your mom... Any woman would."

"R..re..re...r..." Harry began to stammer, eyes watering up at the thought. Nadia smiled and held him close, kissing him on the forehead.

"Really." She smiled down at him. "If you want to call me mom, I have no issues with it." Harry looked up in disbelief, then sniffed. Finally, he broke down, crying into Nadia's chest, it was clear he was happy, and Nadia felt like crying as well. The two remained in their tight embrace.

"There ya go, little guy, it's okay... Mama's here for ya..." She whispered gently into his ear. He clutched to her even tighter, his body racked with sobs. Finally, after fifteen minutes, his sobbing ceased, and he simply laid against her, snuggled up close with his face buried in her chest. Nadia chuckled.

"I...I love you... mommy..." Harry said softly.

Nadia wiped some tears from her eyes, then leaned forward, giving Harry a long kiss on the forehead. When she finally pulled back, she smiled down at the tiny boy who was looking up at her with wide, happy eyes.

"I love you too, sweetie." She cooed softly. "I love you too." Pulling her son close, Nadia nuzzled the top of his head and grinned. She was happy, and it was clear Harry was too. After a few minutes, she heard his tiny breathing, and noticed he was fast asleep again. Lying back on the bed, Nadia smiled, letting her eyes slowly close as she began to think about his happy future.