A/N Thanks to Tom, sabrina-luna-potter and ladybug28 for reviewing, and welcome to buford12. Updated chapter, although still an onion chapter as I heard it dubbed! Please read and REVIEW!

True winter finally arrived in the second week of December. Overnight, the freezing mud that had covered the grounds was transformed into a dazzling world of white. Temperatures plummeted and icy winds whistled around the castle, making Scorpius glad that he hadn't outgrown his winter boots from the year before, which came with adapted Warming spells.

And that we don't have Care of Magical Creatures as well as Herbology, he thought one day, looking out of the window of the DADA classroom to where some thirds years were trying desperately to stay warm, despite the 3 foot snow drifts.

But as if to combat the bitter cold of the outside world, inside the castle, decorations and cooking smells brought a wonderful hazy warmth to the run up to Christmas.

The Great Hall looked especially festive, with its twelve Christmas Trees, (courtesy of Hagrid) fantastical ice pictures and floating golden decorations. The corridors too looked amazing, as the suits of armour wreathed in holly and ivy, shone with little starry lights. This was still Hogwarts though, and its students still had to be on their guard against tenacious enchanted mistletoe, and the suits of armour which had a tendency to break into very loud carols when least expected.

Minna also provided some comic relief, since as Christmas drew closer she had taken to drifting around the corridors with a beatific smile, humming Christmas songs from the 1950's, surprisingly tunefully, much to the amazement of her students and colleagues. Her lessons too had taken a festive twist, and large parts of them had been taken up with eating obscene amounts of chocolate and stollen, whilst watching It's a Wonderful Life and Elf.

Victoire, meanwhile, had to have words with certain third years who had a ring dealing in goods from Hogsmeade for Christmas presents, and was most put out that she couldn't pin it on James and his friends, despite the fact that she was sure they had a large part in its instigation.

Life had overall all become very good for Mouse and his friends. After all, they had made up with Becky, the Siren seemed to be leaving them alone and it was nearly Christmas.

But it was a letter that Mouse received towards the end of term that made him sure that this would truly be a holiday to remember.

"What've you got there, Mouse?" Becky asked as she buttered her toast, throwing her crusts at Albus, who was demonstrating his ability to belch 'O Come all Ye Faithful'.

"Letter from my father." Mouse said frowning as he read it over. It couldn't possibly say what he thought it did, could it?

Dear Scorpius,

It may have come to your notice that letters from your mother and myself have been scarce of late. The truth is, communications out of China are currently being heavily monitored by their Ministry, despite so called diplomatic immunity. That is why, other than the occasional care package or note, we have been unfortunately deficient in our parental duties.

Of course that was the only reason Scorpius thought, somewhat bitterly. He returned to reading the letter.

I write now for two reasons. The first, as you may have gathered from this, is that your mother and I are back on British soil and have, bar a few embassy parties, two weeks of holiday, one before and one after Christmas. Therefore, we propose that you come and spend Christmas at home with us. It has been far too long since the three of us were together as a family. Then, this being the second reason for my letter, you spend New Year with your cousin Nathaniel and his his fiancée Minna, which he himself wrote to me requesting last week. I have no doubt that this will please you immensely, as I recall you tried to spend your every waking moment on that dratted boat two years ago, and will therefore leap at the chance to spend New Year with them.

As I understand that Nathaniel has somehow inveigled his way into a teaching position at Hogwarts, you may as well inform him of your decision yourself, and give Morpheus a few days rest

your ever loving,

Father

To this, a post script was added in a rounder, flowery script.

P.S I am counting the days 'til our little family is reunited once more.

All my love, Mother x

I guess it really does say what I think it says thought Mouse as he read it through again. He glanced up at the Staff Table, where Nat and Minna were, as usual just as close. Minna caught his eye and grinned, and a small paper aeroplane drifted over the Gryffindor table and unfolded itself.

You got your Dad's letter then? What's your answer? N+M

Mouse grinned back, then turned back to the debate his friends were having about the film they'd watched the day before in Comparative Cultures.

He waited until Nat and Minna left the Hall, then sprinted after them, catching them in the corridor.

"So...I'm guessing this is Mouse coming to say yes to our preposition?" Nat asked Minna, who had her mischievous smile on full wattage.

"Oh course I say yes you idiot! Why didn't you mention this sooner?" said Mouse, although the indignation he was going for was rather negated by the fact he was currently crushed in a hug, although he wasn't sure whether it was him or Minna who had started it, and Nat had definitely been dragged in to it afterwards.

Hooray for New Years! He thought hazily through the warm hug and the smell of Minna's perfume.

"So what are you doing for Christmas Becky? You never said." Rose asked, as she looked up from the corner of their compartment. Becky immediately went silent, and shifted in her seat, dislodging the empty box of Bertie Botts and pile of Chocolate Frog wrappers the four of them had accumulated during the train ride south.

"Yeah, Becks, where're you going? Me and Rosie are spending Christmas at ours, then we've got the Burrow Boxing Day Bonanza which will be manic as usual, and even Mouse hasn't shut up about the fact he's spending New Year's with Prof Carter and Miss Min." (Rose and Albus, unable to refer to one of their Professors by first name, even out of her earshot had resolved to address her as Miss Min, a fact Mouse found highly amusing, but refused to tell them why.)

Becky sighed unhappily.

"I'm not doing anything really. Probably the usual. Kind of wish I was staying really, at least Hogwarts food is good."

"What do you mean?" Mouse asked quzzically.

"My mum's just not a very good cook, we'll probably just get takeaway or something."

"At Christmas?" Albus asked incredulously, used to his mum and grandma Weasley's cooking.

"Yes, Al, at Christmas!" snapped Becky. "Not all of us have perfect families and I really don't want to listen to the Hogwarts Inquisition right now."

An uneasy silence settled over the compartment, highlighted by the rhythmic clacking of the rails beneath them.

Still, it was Christmas, and Becky had forgiven them enough by the time they arrived in King Cross to wish Albus, Mouse and Rose a heartfelt goodbye, and promised each of them to attempt to write. After that, Rose and Albus bid a hasty farewell, and ran over to where Albus' mum and sister stood waiting for them. Becky scanned the crowd, and as she did, her face fell slightly as she walked over to a woman, who looked a great deal like an older version of Becky herself. Curious, Mouse followed her, wishing as he did for Al's cloak.

He strained his ears to try and hear what was being said, but caught only a few words.

"Where's Mum?" Becky asked the woman.

That's not her mum? Mouse thought, confused.

"Couldn't come...ill again...both spending Christmas with us...why we have to travel so far...Uncle's waiting outside...all you've got?"

"Yes Auntie Rach."

Her aunt...

"Eavesdroppers never hear well of themselves." A voice near Scorpius's ear said, and he span around guiltily.

"Father!" said Mouse, his face flushing as he realised he'd been caught.

"No matter. You're obviously not completely a Gryffindor, then." Draco drawled, although from his tone it was obvious he was far happier to see his son than to catch him out.

Father and son crossed the platform, and as he did Mouse tried his very hardest to make eye contact with either Rose or Albus, a feat made harder by the fact that Albus seemed determined to make Scorpius laugh. All in all, he was very glad when they were out of the station.

Now I just have to get through a week with Grandfather without him starting another war because he finds out one of my best friends is a Muggle-born and the other two are 'blood-traitors'...

Christmas with his Grandparents was everything Scorpius had imagined. A formal affair, with a rigid timetable controlling everything, from when dinner was served, to when he could open his presents. It was rather different from how he imagined Rose and Albus' Christmas, or at least Boxing day, which apparently consisted of around twenty six people in their Grandparents' house, the Burrow. It was made worse by the fact, he hadn't received single letter, let alone present from Albus, Becky or Rose.

I thought they were supposed to be my friends? Scorpius thought after the stiff gift giving ceremony that was typical of his family. And now dinner will be miserable, Mother will be far too stressed, which is rich considering she has a house elf to do most of the work, and I'll have to make polite conversation with Grandfather and Grandmama. This really is going to be a holiday to remember...

"Father?" Scorpius got up the courage to ask during dinner, after Draco had apologised for his lack of communication. "If you knew that your letters were being read, couldn't you have written in code or something? People at school thought it was really weird that I got barely any post."

Draco looked surprised, and glanced at his father.

"I assumed that your Grandfather would write in my stead."

"I thought the boy des-needed some time to reflect on his choice of house, since you are always insisting he ought to be able to make them himself without extra 'influence', as you never could." said Lucius, icily.

Scorpius blinked, surprised. He'd never realised his father had fought to keep him free of his Grandfather's views in the slightest.

"Father-" started Draco, angrily, but Astoria's gentle hand on his arm halted him, and Draco sighed, resigned. "Let's not argue now father? It is Christmas after all."

Lucius smiled, a thin humourless smile.

"Indeed. He then turned to Scorpius, who hastily swallowed the Brussel sprout he'd been chewing, and fought to keep the look of disgust off his face.

I hate Brussel sprouts...

"Now Scorpius,"

"Yes Grandfather?"

"I trust that despite your...house situation, your schooling continues to be of a high standard?"

"Yes Grandfather. My partner and I even beat Rose Weasley and Potter in out last potions test."

"Excellent." Lucius smiled his not-smile again. "Of course it is hardly surprising that our natural superiority would win out against a couple of blood traitors."

Are you kidding me? Thought Scorpius, trying to keep a painfully straight face. I wonder what his reaction would be if I told him my Potions partner was a Muggle-Born?

All in all, Scorpius reflected, New Year simply couldn't come soon enough.