a/n: Many thanks to poka. These drabbles definitely left me with many avenues to explore the magical work.

Day 10 prompt: Celestina Warbeck's Christmas special. Write a drabble featuring Celestina Warbeck, and her latest and greatest holiday hits.

Chapter 10: My fragile heart is in your hand

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Harry drank from his steaming cup of coffee from his spot on the back porch. Pendle Cottage was everything he wanted. Privacy, peace, and serenity. Hermione needed that just as much, if not more than he did. He wondered if the stress he felt on her behalf was the same she experienced while they were in school and he was the focus of so much scrutiny. The Pendle Creek was frozen over finally. They'd be able to ice skate after some magical snow removal. Their corner of Godric's Hollow wasn't an area with many visitors. Some enchantments made sure of that. It was perfect.

"Daddy!" The desperation in the little voice had Harry turning with concern. Lily was standing in the patio doors, close to tears. Her hair a terrifying mess.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Harry asked, crouching down to look her in the eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a tone that made it crystal clear it should be obvious. "Look at me. Why is my hair like this. Shiloh's hair is all straight and soft. And mine is… this," she said gesturing to the untamed mane.

Harry knew exactly where that particular characteristic came from. There were times he had to do a double take, she was starting to develop features of her biological mother. It was something he and Hermione had worried about as their oldest grew. Most of the worry was directed at someone figuring out Lily's real parents. A small part of the worry was in how they would react to seeing a ghost of Bellatrix. It turned out, their love for their child was so intense there wasn't a negative emotion to be found. Lily was their daughter in absolutely every way that mattered. "Come here," he said sympathetically, taking the brush from Lily's hand. "You really shouldn't brush it." Harry knew that from the way Hermione handled her curls. They certainly weren't as unruly as Lily's but they did need more attention than Shiloh's effortless hair.

"It's terrible. Why can't it be straight?"

Harry led her to a large seating area in a climate controlled dome in the back yard. Turning on the radio, Celestina Warbeck's Christmas special started to play. Nothing Like a Holiday Spell, floated through the air. Harry smiled thinking about Molly Weasley and how much she liked Warbeck. He missed her. The only Weasleys who still talked to him were Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie. The twins insisted everyone else would come around eventually. That was nearly eleven years ago and it hadn't happened yet. He summoned Hermione's hair kit with his wand, knowing his wife wouldn't mind. "Come here," he instructed, had her sit in a tall chair. He wasn't unfamiliar with all the potions and contraptions in the pouch. He'd watch Hermione use them all enough. "Do you know the lengths people with straight hair go to to have curls?" he asked as he got to work. "Muggles. Witches. Even some wizards. They'd kill to have your hair. But you know what?" The curl enhancing potion was already working on the frizzy created from brushing.

"What?" Lily asked as she wiped the tears off her cheeks with her shirt sleeve.

Harry spun the chair so he could look her in the eye just as Accio Christmas started. The choir intro was his favorite part. "No one has hair like yours and that makes you special. People will see you in a crowd and know, there's Lily Grace Potter."

It seemed to get her wheels turning on a different topic for a minute. He combed a different potion through, smoothing it even more. Singing along, he kept an eye on his eldest. "Accio Christmas, come bring out the joy. Accio Christmas, every girl and boy…" Harry saw the moment she was focused on her questions again.

"Why doesn't it look like mommy's hair?"

At that he paused. He wasn't about to tell her it did. It was just a different mommy. "Your hair is dark and unruly like mine," he explained. It wasn't far from the truth. "Your Great Aunt Petunia was always trying to get my hair to lay flat and it just never did. I bet if I grew my hair out long you'd see the resemblance. Do you want me to? We can do our hair the same everyday."

The thought made Lily giggle. "No! You'd look silly with long hair."

Digging through the hair clips and bands, he found some that sparkled. He never saw Hermione wear them and wasn't even sure where they came from. Pulling back the top part of one side, he twisted the section and clipped it. Then he did the same for the other side. He wished he knew how to braid. He'd have to ask Hermione to teach him. Taking out a mirror, he held it up for her to see.

"Oooh, daddy. How'd you do that?" she asked genuinely excited.

Pointing is wand up at the top of the dome, large fluffy snowflakes started to fall. "Magic," he said. Right on time, Celetina's You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me started. Harry knew it was really meant to be a romantic song, still it was about love. Deep, unbreakable love. Lifting Lily up from the chair, "Dance with your dad," he requested, taking the lead and spinning her around in the falling snow.

The love he had in his heart for his entire family was so intense it was almost painful. He sang to her as they danced, "Your every wish is my command. My fragile heart is in your hand. And now, at last, I understand. The magic about you." Harry knew Lily would get her letter to attend Hogwarts in a few months. Next fall she'd be off to school. Time was going too fast for him. Despite his resistance to let Lily go, he was excited to see her find her way and experience Hogwarts for herself. Looking up to watch the snow, he caught Hermione watching them from the upstairs window. Her hand was pressed to her lips. He sent her a wink and spun Lily around in the spot, finishing with a great dip. The smile on Lily's face was all he needed.