Christmas Eve, it had been explained to Draco and Scorpius, was a tradition at Hermione's. After her parents had died, Pansy and Ginny had taken it upon themselves to make Christmas special for her – after all it had been her father's favourite holiday, going completely overboard when decorating their house – and had invaded her flat on the very first one after they had passed, and even after James' arrival Christmas remained at hers.
And now, Christmas Eve was in full swing. She had shut the shop early and Pansy and Theo had arrived shortly thereafter; Harry, Ginny and James a little later when Harry's shift had finished.
Even Katie had decided to join them this year, bringing the new man in her life – Cedric – with her. Hermione got the distinct impression (and the silent conversation that was happening between her, Pansy and Ginny told her that they were all thinking the same thing) that Katie was serious about this guy and wanted to show him off, this being the first ever time she'd accepted their invitation. Of course, they weren't staying over, they were just staying for dinner. Clearly they had other plans for their own Christmas Eve.
Pizza and Chinese food were the order of the night much to Draco's amusement, but he was told in no uncertain terms, that it was tradition and that's what Christmas was all about - traditions.
"Chinese food is traditional Christmas fare?"
"Yes Draco," Hermione told him, "Are you not aware of the very famous Christmas story of the three wise men coming from the east and bringing with them Kung Pao Chicken and Dim Sum?"
"Ah, no. That's one I wasn't aware of." Draco said holding back a laugh and then arching his eyebrow, "And the pizza?"
"Oh, well, I guess you don't know that famous Christmas story either. The pizza delivery guy mixed up the address. He stopped at stable 12 when it should have been stable 21."
"So Mary and Joseph celebrated the birth of their first born with pizza, and possibly beer. And that tradition continues here." Pansy added with a jovial grin.
Draco laughed, "Mental, the lot of you."
"Aye, that we are my friend." Theo said slapping him on the back.
"Please do not tell me you do that weird thing where you all wear the same pyjamas," Draco said, his top lip curling into a sneer, "Because if you do, I will leave."
"Pansy tried to get us to do that, but like yourself, we refused." Harry informed him and earned a slap on the arm from Pansy.
"That was entirely your idea." She said looked at Draco and nodded towards Harry, "He's the girl in the group."
Scorpius, however, could have cared less. He was beyond excited to have so many people around him. And with pizza, Christmas at Hermione's and his best friend James, Draco was certain his son was wondering what more he could have asked for.
Both Draco and Scorpius were on the first week of their Christmas break from their respective schools, and had all but moved in, spending most nights at her flat and she loved climbing the stairs from the shop each night and having them waiting for her.
The pair had been spending more and more time with her. In fact it was rarer that they were apart than they were together and the trio had settled into an easy routine which remained almost the same whether they were at her flat or his, although mostly they were at hers. And she had to admit that she could get use to finishing work and not have to then worry about cooking for herself.
And as per Scorpius' request, she and Draco took turns reading to him each night and it had become a silent competition between the two as to who could be the most entertaining. And it hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone that the Malfoy boys seemed to be extremely reluctant to return to their own flat.
"Hermione?" James asked and pointed to the top of the tree, "Is that new?"
"It's for my mum," Scorpius answered before Hermione had the chance, "Hermione said I could put it on her tree, so her mum and dad and my mum can have Christmas with us."
Hermione indeed had suggested that Scorpius should put Astoria's decoration on her tree, but, regardless of the fact that they pair were spending most of their time in her flat, Scorpius had insisted that it stay on their tree until Christmas Eve. However, he had forgotten to grab it from the tree at their own flat the previous night and he had had a complete melt down. Hermione and Draco had managed to calm him, telling him simply that they would go back and get it, that his mother would understand that he was so excited for Christmas and he never meant to forget. Draco had explained that there were a few last minute things he needed to pick up for Christmas anyway, so he and Draco had retrieved it that morning and it now hung at the top with the red and gold baubles she placed on her tree for her parents.
"Cool," James said and then frowned, "Did your mum die like Hermione's mum and dad?"
"James!" Ginny admonished, but Draco touched her shoulder and shook his head, indicating it was fine.
"She died when I was a baby," Scorpius told him, ignoring Ginny, "I don't remember her at all."
"I'm sorry," James said, looping his arm over Scorpius' shoulders and giving him a friendly squeeze.
"Can we watch the movie now?" Scorpius asked, his mother and the significance of her being a part of Christmas all but forgotten.
The adults standing around the counter in the kitchen were watching the scene unfold in front of them with a small amount of amusement. The heart warming vision of James and Scorpius, topped off with typical seven year old nonchalance had them all smiling and shaking their heads.
"You sure can," Hermione told them, "It's all ready to go."
Along with the Chinese food/Pizza tradition, Christmas Eve tradition also stated that The Nightmare before Christmas must be watched. Scorpius had not seen it, and had been eagerly awaiting his first viewing after an extended explanation from James on the intricate details of the movie.
Both boys high-fived each other and flopped into the beanbag chairs in front of the television, whispering and giggling excitedly. Hermione pressed play on the DVD and the familiar sounds of Jack Skellington began playing.
"Sorry about that," Ginny said nodding towards James.
Draco smiled and shook his head, "Don't worry about it. Scorp is pretty open with what he tells people when they ask about her. He pretty much tells them what he just did, that she died and he doesn't remember her," Draco shrugged a shoulder, "And he doesn't."
"Sorry," Ginny said, "I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," Draco said, "I'd rather you ask me than think that's it's an awkward subject. Because it's really not." He glanced over at the boys, his son completely absorbed with the antics of Jack and the gang, oblivious to the conversation, "He doesn't remember her, because he never knew her, not really. He has his moments when he asks about her, but they're becoming less and less. And this is the first Christmas he's had that he can remember, where he's been surrounded by people, so I'm sure he won't give it another thought."
"And we're happy to be the people he's surrounded with," Hermione said and looped her arm around his waist.
Draco reached his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple, "Thanks. He's been looking forward to this for weeks."
"So it's always just you and him?" Harry asked.
"For Christmas, yes. Then he heads off to his grandparents the day after Boxing Day to spend the week with them." Draco explained then added, "His mother's parents."
"And you're left on your own for New Years?" Ginny asked and clearly she was unable to picture being all alone during the holidays.
Draco nodded, "It's not as bad as it sounds. And it's changed this year." He smiled at Hermione, "I'm not sure how I'll cope."
"I'm sure Hermione will find a way to entertain you." Pansy said with a wink.
Draco and Hermione looked at each other and burst out laughing, and Draco sputtered, "Yeah, because she's easily entertained."
"Okay boys," Theo groaned, wrestling the two boys off him. The pair had been teaching Theo how to play their crazy card game that seemed to be being made up as they went along, but they had quickly given up in favour of jumping him and wrestling him to the floor. The three had been raucously wrestling, until several grimaces and huffed groans coming from Theo indicated they had gotten a little too rough and his manhood was put at stake. "I think it might be time to calm down and get ready for Santa."
Hermione laughed, taking Theo's groans as her cue to take over, "Two books each," she told them, and they scampered off to make their choices. She strategically laid out the books she thought they might enjoy, and hoped they both would pick from those and she wasn't disappointed.
James came back with Bear Stays up for Christmas and The Polar Express, and Scorpius had chosen The Jolly Christmas Postman and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
"Right," Hermione said, "Pyjamas on and I'll be in to read these to you in two minutes. Go!"
They both ran off giggling, disappearing into the bedroom they would be sharing – an extra mattress brought in for Scorpius to sleep on, since he had insisted that James slept in the bed, telling him they could swap over the next year. Hermione had smiled (and held back the tears) at his comment, and told him that he was being very considerate, and yes, they would most definitely have to swap places the next year.
"Do you want me to come and help?" Draco asked, but Harry held up his hand.
"No, this is her thing," He said, "She'll just get pissed at you and your Christmas Eve will be no fun at all."
"Well, I certainly don't want that." Draco said resolutely sitting back on the sofa and grinning up at Hermione.
"Besides," Harry said glancing mischievously at Hermione, "If you stay here with us, we can fill you in on all the stories of her sordid past."
Hermione headed towards the waiting boys, poking Harry in the shoulder as she passed, "Hey buddy, I'm pretty sure that you were involved in almost all of those stories."
She headed down the hallway and smiled at the sight that greeted her. The two boys were settled into their respective beds, huge grins on their faces and excitement in their eyes, "Are you ready?"
"Yes!" they both cried and then Scorpius told her the reading order.
"Well, okay then," She smiled and sat on the floor between the two beds.
"Hermione?" James looked at her with a concerned face, "Will Santa know that Scorpius is here?"
"Of course he will," Hermione said, "But we left a note at his place, just in case." Scorpius had been equally concerned. Hermione had suggested the note and had been met with a sigh of relief.
"Oh, great idea," James said and handed her the first book.
"And since he knows where you are each year, I'm sure he'll find Scorpius as well." She added and opened the front cover of the book James had handed her, "So, how do you think this bear manages to stay awake for Christmas?"
45 minutes later, Hermione pulled the door ajar and heard the sniggered laughter from the group sitting in her living room. She eyed the bottle on the table – Pansy's not-so-traditional, traditional Baileys-nog – and, assuming it was hers, picked up the remaining glass.
"You got them both to go to sleep?" Ginny asked hearing complete silence from down the hallway, and looking suitably impressed. Ginny, Harry and Draco had all gone to say goodnight to the boys and had been met with much laughter and merriment and all had assumed that there would be no way that she'd get them to sleep so quickly.
"Both snoring like freight trains," Hermione told her, curling up beside Draco and draping her leg across his lap. He reached his arm over her, resting his hand on her on her hip,
"How'd you manage that?" Draco asked.
"I used magic," she said, "What did I miss?"
"Harry here, was going to tell us about his conversation with his son," Theo informed her, a sly grin on his face, "Apparently naked cuddling and yelling is a common occurrence at the Potter house."
"Are you jealous?" Ginny asked.
Theo gave Pansy's thigh a squeeze, "Nope. I've got my own naked cuddler right here."
"Anyway," Hermione drawled and rolled her eyes, "What did you tell him?" She took a sip of her drink, and choked out a cough, "Whoa!" she managed between coughs.
"Sorry," Pansy said, "I should have warned you. It's a little more potent this year."
"A little." She gasped, "One more of these and I'll be anyone's."
"Oh really?" Draco shot her an amused look, "Should I be worried?"
Hermione glanced deliberately at Harry, then Theo, and shook her head, "Not with anyone here."
"Nice," Harry said and tossed a cushion at her head.
She caught it and tossed it back at him, "You were telling us about James."
"Ah, yes," Harry mused, "The sex talk with my seven year old." He looked pointedly at Draco, "Make sure you keep the noise down, an awkward anatomical discussion with your son might be one to avoid."
Draco laughed, "Well, maybe James will fill him in and I won't have to."
"Oh, please," Ginny groaned, "Ask Harry just who talked to our son."
Pansy laughed, "You chickened out, didn't you?"
"The brave police sergeant chickened out," Hermione shook her head, mocking her friend, "I have to say, I'm disappointed in you Harry."
"What'd you tell him Gin," Theo asked shaking his head at Harry.
"Well, after his father here stumbled and stammered through a vast array of completely inappropriate innuendo's and slang terms, I sat him down and simply explained that it might be funny now to tell people that mum and dad cuddle and yell, but when he's older things will be a lot different, because he most certainly will want to do the same thing."
"I can't imagine has was impressed with that." Pansy noted.
"Um, no," Ginny laughed, "Not really. Girls have disgusting girl germs, did you know?"
"And did that led into the why questions?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, it most certainly did," Ginny said, "I simply told him that's how babies are made, that a penis is made to fit into a vagina sort of like an arm fits into a sleeve, and that dads and mums have to be cuddled up for that to happen. So my seven year old now knows all about eggs and sperm and how babies grow and I'm fairly certain I disgusted him to the point that he's not going to have sex with anyone until he's thirty!"
"Can I send Scorp over?" Draco laughed.
"And then there was the discussion regarding the fact that if that's what we were doing, was he getting a baby brother." Harry said.
"And will there be...?"
"No!" Harry and Ginny said in unison causing the others to laugh.
Hermione took another sip of Pansy's Baileys concoction - the initial shock of the potency of the mix having worn off – and she felt the warmth spread through her chest. Draco looked at her and smiled, and for a tiny moment, it was just the two of them in the room. He ran his hand along her thigh and leaned over to kiss her. It was just a quick press of lips, but both were completely oblivious to the exchanged smiles from the others.
Theo cleared his throat, and grinned at the pair. He held up two movies - Die Hard and Gremlins - and asked Draco to choose.
"Another tradition?" he asked and they all nodded.
"Two of the best Christmas movies you can find." Harry said, "And since you're new here, you get to choose."
"These are Christmas movies?"
"Ah, du-uh," Ginny said, "Only the best Christmas movies ever."
Draco looked at Hermione and raised an eyebrow, "Don't look at me like that," she said, "Ginny's right, you'll not find two better Christmas movies anywhere."
Draco shook his head and pointed at Die Hard, "I said you're all mental? Well, you can add weird to that."
Pansy grinned at him, "And we're happy to have you join the weird family that we are."
Hermione stayed in the kitchen with Pansy and Theo. The movie had finished, Pansy's Baileys-nog was long gone and now the three parents in the group were prepared the boys' stockings, chatting and laughing as they did.
As much as she wanted to be involved, she restrained herself, telling herself yet again that she wasn't Scorpius' mother, and that this was something that Draco should do on his own. She was aware that Draco wasn't concerned, he had even asked if she wanted to help, but she had told him (rather weakly) that the kitchen needed to be cleaned up and had hurried off leaving him to play Santa.
"I think he wanted you to help." Theo noted quietly as the three cleared away takeout containers and wiped down the counters.
"Why didn't you?" Pansy asked cautiously.
Hermione shrugged, "I'm still not sure how to do stuff like that. I feel like I'm interfering."
"It's not interfering when he asks you to," Theo said,
"I know, but," Hermione sighed, "It's all still confusing and I don't want to overstep."
"You're over thinking this. He's obviously not concerned with you being a part of this." Pansy said and reached over and squeezed Hermione's arm, "And this is something that you will have to get used to."
"How's that?" Hermione enquired.
Theo slung his arm around her shoulders, "Because that bloke in there isn't going anywhere. You're stuck with him now, because he's one hundred percent in love with you."
Hermione's cheeks flushed pink. While she and Draco had shared their feelings with each other, she'd not shared the discussion with her friends. She hadn't wanted to , not yet, and she didn't think that she and Draco had been any different with each other, but clearly they all sensed something. "I'm not sure if I'm stuck with him," she said quietly.
"Oh honey," Theo said affectionately and kissed her temple, "You so are."
Hermione finally made it to the bedroom, her need to have everything just right kept her another twenty minutes or so before joining Draco. To her surprise, Draco was nowhere to be seen, she assumed he was in the en suite bathroom, but there was a simple black gift box in the centre of the bed. She smiled as she looked closer; La Perla was written on the top, the bold gold writing the only decoration on the box. She lightly ran her finger across the embossed lettering, her teeth tugging at her bottom lip in anticipation of just what was hidden inside.
"Why didn't you want to help me play Santa?" Draco said quietly from behind her, slipping his arms around her waist.
She traced her fingers back and forth across his forearm, "I wasn't sure if I should. You're his father, it's your prerogative. And I didn't want to overstep."
"And you wouldn't have been." He insisted, "It would have been no different than reading to him like you do."
"I guess," she said, "This is all still new Draco and I'm still adjusting, and I don't want anyone to think-"
He silenced her, turning her to face him, kissing her. He cupped her face and looked her straight in the eyes, "I've told you, no one will think that you're taking her place. And neither will Scorp. Is this just because you're nervous about Tuesday?"
Astoria's parents were coming to pick up Scorpius for his week away with them and they had asked if it was okay with Hermione if they could meet with her. Draco had been tentative when he asked her knowing full well the possible reaction he would get, and after the dinner with his parents, he couldn't blame her if she refused to meet with them.
But she had agreed, deeming the request only fair, Scorpius was their grandson after all and they should at the very least know who she was.
And they had asked to meet her, not demanded, and in Hermione's mind, that was already a step up. Draco had assured her that they were completely different from his parents, and she had nothing to worry about. And if they didn't like her, well, that wouldn't change anything.
"Maybe," she said with a shrug, "It was nerve racking enough with your parents, and now I have to meet hers? Nervous might be an understatement."
"You know that it will be fine," he said, "Scorpius loves you and I know that alone will be enough for them."
"Yeah, I guess," she replied, "But it's easy for you. You don't have parents to meet."
"You're right, l don't," he smiled at her, "But I had that lot out there to deal with, plus Molly and Arthur, and not to mention everyone else in this town who love and adore you."
"This is true," Hermione tilted her head to the side and smiled, "Maybe I can help play Santa next year?"
He pulled her into a hug and smiled against her neck, "Most definitely next year."
"And who did Santa leave this for?" She asked nodding towards the gift box on the bed.
"I'm not sure," He said, "Maybe you should open it and find out."
"I love it," she told him.
He laughed quietly, "You don't even know what's in there."
"I don't have to know," she said pressing up on her toes to kiss him, "I know you have excellent taste."
"So you're not going to open it?" Draco asked.
"I will, but if that box has in it what I imagine it does, I will be waiting until we're alone before I wear it." She laughed at the face he made; an exaggerated frown and pouting lips. "I'm sure all protocols of knocking on that door will be forgotten in the morning, and I'm sure that you don't want your son to see me in whatever's in there."
"Good point," Draco conceded, "But, please open it."
She pulled the box towards her, tracing the lettering once more before lifting the cover. She sucked in a breath. It was the exact same set she'd been considering, as a surprise for him. How did he know?
She gingerly lifted the lingerie from the box, holding it up to admire it. The deep, emerald green bra had sheer cups that were exquisitely hand embroidered in a fine calligraphic motif. The matching thong had been left sheer, and would leave very little to the imagination.
"I'm not sure if this is a gift for me or for you," Hermione said looking forward to enjoying the feel of it on her skin, and looking forward to seeing Draco's face the first time she wore it.
Draco kissed her, "You like it then?"
She lifted up on her toes and kissed him, "Thank you. It's stunning. How did you know?"
He grinned, "I can read you like a book." She narrowed her eyes at him, "It's true. You thought you were being so covert, but I know you've been considering buying that for a couple weeks now. Only you've been looking at the white version."
She laughed, "I know you like white."
"I do," he said, "But I think I'll like you in any version of this."
She placed the bra and thong back in the box, and replaced the cover. She turned back to him, looping her arms around his neck, "I'm looking forward to wearing it for you."
"Merry Christmas," He said and kissed her.
"Not until tomorrow," she chided, and he laughed.
"Merry Christmas Eve?" he offered.
"Much better," she told him and headed for the bathroom.
She returned a few minutes later, dressed modestly in flannel pyjama bottoms and a simple tank and she laughed at the look of mocking disappointment on his face. She crawled into the bed beside him, telling him that what she was wearing was much safer for what she expected to be an early wake up call.
Draco curled around her, spooning his body with hers, wrapping her safely in his arms. She sighed and relaxed into his chest, shifting their bodies and tangling her legs with his. He breathed her in, dark waves tickling his face; her rear pivoting into his pelvis. She murmured an apology at his groan, feeling him growing hard against her arse.
"Don't apologise," he said moving his hand beneath her tank and sliding up to cup her breast, squeezing gently.
"Draco," she warned, "We can't"
He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, "Why not?"
"Everyone's here."
He snorted into her shoulder, "And that matters how?"
'Draco!" she hissed, "It does matter."
"You don't think they're doing the same?"
Hermione looked over her shoulder at him, clearly she hadn't thought of what her friends might have been up to, and judging by the look on her face, she didn't want to think about it.
His pressed a tiny kiss to the tip of her nose, his fingers slipping lower across her belly and teasing the waistband of her pyjamas. He ground into her flannel covered rear, his steadily growing erection pushing through the hole at the front of his sleep pants and pressing hard against her. A small gasp escaped her, and he was instantly aware that despite her objections, she wasn't as averse to doing this as she wanted him to believe.
His hand went lower still, finding her warm and damp, and he whispered into her ear, "Are you sure you don't want to?"
She reached back and grasped at his hip, "We need to be quiet," she whispered shimmying out of her bottoms and shoving at his own.
She shifted to turn, but he held her in place, "Stay there," he told her, gripping her hip and slipping inside. They both moaned quietly and Draco pressed his face into her neck, another groan vibrating against her skin.
She reached back, her fingers sliding through his hair and she hummed her approval at the pleasure of their new-found position. His fingers dug into her hip, holding her in place as he began to push into her until her rear was pressed hard against his pelvis.
"Draco," she gasped, the tip of his cock sliding against the perfect spot inside her. Her body shuddered as he thrust up into her, her hand surrounded his wrist as his fingers toyed with her clit and she squirmed against him.
"Fuck," he murmured, "So tight like this." He repeated the movement, each thrust harder than the last. Her hand scrambled back, gripping his hip as the pressure built, their hips slamming together as they rode each other. His fingers shifted from her clit, moving back to her breast, twisting and pulling at her nipple.
Hermione clenched her teeth, stopping the cries that were threatening to explode from her, "Draco, fuck!...You feel...oh, oh!"
He picked up the pace, sliding in and out of her at a furious speed, and it was all she could do to not scream out his name and wake the entire household.
"Come, Hermione," he hissed out, "Now!"
Her body shuddered at his command, clamping down hard and she groaned into the pillow. He pressed his face into her neck, muffling his own groan as he released inside her.
"Merry Christmas," he whispered against her shoulder.
She chuckled, "Merry Christmas indeed."
"Dad!" The loud voice startled them both from their sleep, "Dad! You need to wake up." Scorpius leaped onto the bed, landing on Draco and pulling a sleepy oomph from him, "Come on dad, wake up!"
"I'm awake," Draco told him, his voice gravelly.
"Hermione! Wake up," Scorpius scrambled over Draco, squeezing himself between them and wrapping his arms around Hermione, kissing her cheek, "You need to wake up. There's presents everywhere!"
Hermione cracked open an eyelid, 5.45am she read on the clock. Early, no earlier than her morning run alarm, but early nonetheless. She twisted around, smiling at the excitement all over Scorpius' face.
"Good morning to you Scorpius," Hermione said returning his kiss, "Just how many presents are out there?"
"Heaps and heaps!" he exclaimed, "James is getting Harry and Ginny. Come on, we have to get out there."
"Hey!" Draco grabbed his son and sat up, making him laugh, "You don't get to kiss my girlfriend before I do!"
"Then kiss her and get up!" Scorpius demanded, wriggling from Draco's grip, his bare feet landing on the floor.
Draco smiled at Hermione, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," Hermione said sitting up to kiss him. She nodded towards Scorpius, who was retreating towards the door, "Best we get out there. But you need to put a shirt on. I don't need Ginny and Pansy drooling all over you."
Draco nodded towards her chest, barely hidden behind the tiny tank she was wearing, "Best you do the same."
"Oh, I'm sure it will be fine," Hermione said kissing him again, "Pansy and Ginny have already seen them, and they're not interested."
10 minutes later, they were seated in the living room, appropriately covered up – hoodies over flannel pyjama bottoms for the pair of them – and enjoying the excitement of having two seven year-olds opening presents. Lego and books, video games and board games, and the most coveted gifts of all, the Nerf guns, which even had the older 'boys' in the room grinning at the prospective Nerf war that was sure to come later in the day.
Two identical, large presents sat under the tree, one marked To James, the other To Scorpius, both were from Hermione.
"These are for us?" Scorpius asked, his eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"They are," Hermione told him, "Merry Christmas."
The two boys glanced at each other and grinned, before tearing off the paper.
"You bought us magic magic kits?" James asked, looking completely astounded.
The boys had been prattling on over the last few weeks about a magic set they had both seen; the Fantasma Ultimate Magic Kit, magic wand and vanishing box included. They had both explained in great detail just how awesome it would be and they could learn over 300 magic tricks.
They both leaped on her, hugging her to within an inch of her life, "You're welcome." She laughed, "I expect a show next week."
"And here I thought the Nerf guns were going to be the big hit," Harry grumbled good naturedly.
Hermione presented Draco with two books. The first was a modern re-telling of the Trojan War; the second, a Greek-English translation of the same story. Draco laughed at the reference, but was quickly taken aback when he opened the front cover.
"It was my dad's," Hermione nodded at the surprised look on his face.
"Hermione, are you sure?"
"I am," she said, "You love this stuff way more than I do, and I could just imagine the cover stations the two of you would have had."
"Thank you," Draco leaned over to kiss her, "This is...thank you."
"This is for you Hermione," Scorpius said, "But you have to be really careful because it's really old-"
Draco covered his mouth with his hand, "How about we don't tell her what it is?"
Scorpius climbed onto Draco's lap, curling his arm around his neck and looking at Hermione expectantly, "Open it Hermione. Dad says you'll love it."
Hermione looked at the two boys sitting beside her, identical smiles on their faces, their blue-grey eyes shining with delight. "It's old, you say?" she asked, unable to stop her own smile from spreading across her face as Scorpius nodded eagerly and asking him what could it possibly be? She carefully opened the simple red paper, watching Scorpius from the corner of her eye as his smile grew wider. She was wondering what the pair had gotten her that could have him so excited.
She lifted the top off the gift box, and her heart stopped beating. She was stunned. Scorpius was correct, this was old. Very old. She lifted it carefully from the box, and held it up almost reverently. She dusted her fingertips across the cover of the book. She had recognised it immediately; a first edition of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.
"You like it?" Draco asked.
"Draco," she whispered, "This is too much."
"No," he said, "We knew you'd love it, so it's just enough."
"And we know how much you love old books." Scorpius added.
She opened the front cover; it wasn't an original first edition, but a first Bentley edition, third edition overall, also the first one-volume edition. And expensive, way too expensive for a first Christmas gift.
"Thank you," she said, her voice still barely above a whisper. The two blondes sitting beside her hugged her, but they were unable to distract her from the thought of just how much Draco had spent. She'd not ever considered that he came from money, even after he'd explained that his father's main prerogative in life was simply to make as much money as possible. And she wasn't sure that she could accept a gift like this.
"Draco, I'm not sure-" she said, but he stopped her.
"I am," he said, "And I won't hear any more about it." He held up her father's book she'd given him to prove his point.
"You can put it with that old book from your dad," Scorpius suggested, and she smiled up at him.
"I think that's the perfect place for it."
"So you like it?" Scorpius asked.
"I love it," Hermione told him.
Draco's phone buzzed, interrupting the conversation. The boys had helped Draco make Christmas tree and snowmen shaped pancakes for breakfast and they were all gathered around the counter enjoying what James claimed to be the best Christmas breakfast ever.
He picked up the phone and looked at the screen. He swore under his breath, and muttered what does she want? before looking up at Hermione, a heavy scowl on his face. She looked at the screen and saw his mother's name. She watched him as indecision furrowed his brow even deeper, before he huffed out a sharp breath and pressed accept on the screen.
"Mother," He said, walking down the hallway.
Scorpius looked nervously at Hermione, "Grandma never calls us on Christmas."
Hermione circled her arm over his shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, reassuring him, "I'm sure it will be fine."
"Yes, we're both at Hermione's now," They heard Draco say in a sharp voice, "Yes, we spent the night and we're now having breakfast with friends...I'm not really concerned with what you think about it...Yes, well you're not here, so it doesn't really matter, does it?...I'll see."
He returned to the kitchen, the scowl still on his face, "Scorp, can you please say hello to your grandmother?"
Scorpius took the phone with a reluctant sigh, "Hi Grandma," he said with very little enthusiasm, "Yes...Yes...No...Okay...Merry Christmas." He handed the phone back to Draco, who wished his mother the same, and pressed end.
"Sorry about that," Draco said into the awkward silence.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked pressing her hand to his lower back
Draco nodded, "She never calls, so I think she was trying to prove some kind of point."
"They don't ever spend Christmas with you?' Harry asked, a look of complete astonishment on his face. He, along with Hermione, knew the importance of family, since they were both essentially orphans, and he found it hard to believe that Draco's parents would put a trip to Spain before time spent with their only son.
Draco shook his head, and none of them missed the contempt in his voice when he told them, "No. Never. Spain is way more important."
"Do you need a minute?" Hermione asked.
He shook his head and smiled at her, "No. I'm fine. I didn't mean to be so sharp with her, she just surprised me is all."
"Maybe she's trying to change," Hermione suggested and Draco told her that while he appreciated the sentiments, his mother wasn't likely to change any time soon.
Scorpius looped his arms around Draco's waist, hugging him tightly, "Don't worry Dad, it's much more fun here without them."
He smiled down at his son, "You're right. Best Christmas ever?"
Scorpius nodded, "Best Christmas ever."