'Stella Allbright…you are the most beautiful fairy in the whole dimension. Supermodels weep to see your radiant face. But it is nothing compared to…your beautiful heart.'

'Oh, Brandon…'

'And that is why…I got you more Christmas gifts than anyone else, ever…especially Mitzi, who is just a stupid face that nobody likes, because her face is so stupid.'

'Oh, Brandon!' Stella's face spilt into a shining grin, and she dove to kiss her Brandon among all her gifts. So many gifts…so, so many…suck it, Mitzi…

'Stellaaaaaaaaa!'

Stella groaned, blinking awake at the yelling. What…? What was happening? Where had all her presents gone? Where was her shirtless Brandon? It was her dream, shut up.

'Aw man…' she mourned, taking a moment of silence for her slain fantasy. Such a beautiful vision…

'Stellllaaaaa!' What the heck was that? Confused and bleary, she slid her eyemask off, blinking up at the sparkling lights strung up all over her bed. So pretty…

'Whoever's yelling, you better remember that I am not so nice when I'm sleep deprived…' she muttered, rolling out of bed and staggering across the room, shivering as her bare feet met the chilly floor. Where were her slippers? Why didn't she have carpet?

Hopping to keep her feet as warm as possible, she followed the panicked banging over to her window, the sleep fleeing her eyes as she took in the sight before her. Perched on her window ledge, panicked and covered in snow, was Duman.

'What in the- what are you doing out there, you doofus?!' She quickly unlatched the window, and he scrambled inside, shivering madly.

'You're gonna get pneumonia!' she chastised, grabbing one of her throws and swooping it over his shoulders. 'What was so important that you had to sit out in the snow like a loon?!'

'I did a thing!' Duman flapped his arms in a panic, and Stella had to clap a hand over his mouth so he didn't wake the others and have people ask awkward questions. People were so weird about the idea that two people could take a break from trying to kill each other when they wanted to hang out and gossip about boys or eyeshadow or the best way to defeat a dark lord in battle.

'I did a thing!' he repeated, though now it was rather muffled.

'What?' she asked quietly, glancing to the door. Good. She could still hear Musa snoring up a storm, nobody would hear them over that. 'What did you do? It can't be that bad, you already wiped out terrestrial magic.'

'Not reindeer magic!'

'What?' Was that a special wizard class? Had she slept through that lesson at Alfea? Probably. 'Look, whatever thing of Ogron's you've broken, I'll get my credit card and get him a new one before he notices-' she started, but Duman shook his head.

'You gotta come with me! Stella, I really messed up, c'mon!' He started pulling her towards the window. Okay, whatever he'd done had to be pretty important.

'Geez, I'm coming! Give me a second, I can't go out like this, I'll freeze!' She clapped her hands and her cutest winter clothes came dancing out of the closet, appearing on her body in a shower of sparkles.

'…Did…did that spell smell like cinnamon?' Duman asked, sniffing the air curiously.

'Mhm! I'm making my magic festive!' Stella looked him up and down. 'You'll freeze in that too. Hold on.' A quick spice-scented spell later, and Duman sported a far thicker outfit, including decorative faux fur. No winter outfit was complete without faux fur.

'There. No I don't have to be friends with a Duman popsicle.'

'Ooh…' Duman, despite his apparent rush, took a moment to stroke the fabric, shivering with delight. 'This is nice, Stell! Thanks!' Then his crisis seemed to return. 'But c'mon!' He turned and jumped back out of the window, flying back up as a snowy owl, rapidly gesturing her to follow.

'I'm coming, I'm coming…Winx Believix!'

She clambered out of the window with ease, having done the same from her bedroom on Solaria whenever her father hadn't wanted her at a party or a shoe sale. She hovered there for a moment, locking the window again with a quick spell, before turning and gliding after Duman.

'So…' she asked curiously, watching the snow settle over the city. 'Where are we goin'?'

'Gardenia Hospital!'

'The hospital?!' She almost stopped short and fell out of the sky. 'Why didn't you start with that?! Is it one of our friends?!'

'Not exactly…'

As soon as they landed, Duman rushed her inside, barely giving her time to turn human. She jogged after him through corridors decked with boughs of holly and dozens of festive lights that did a beautiful job of brightening up the drab building.

'Duman…'

Duman came to a rapid halt, almost causing Stella to crash into him.

'Duman!'

'In here.'

Stella followed him inside, staring with confusion at the man unconscious in the hospital bed. She…didn't know this guy. He was old…like one of the mages at the Council of Light. With a huge, bushy beard, and rosy apple cheeks, and a belly that suggested that perhaps he liked to indulge in the many festive treats on offer this time of year. He…did look oddly familiar, but she only really knew celebrities, and the cuteness cutoff was decades before this guy!

'…Duman…who…who is that guy?'

'You seriously don't recognise him?'

Stella shrugged. 'Is he from one of those 80's bands Bloom's dad likes?'

'No!' Duman grabbed something from a locker beside the bed. 'These were his clothes before they had to get him checked for a concussion! Which he totally has!'

Stella took in the clothes. Red and white…black boots…golden buckle…

'Duman, did you seriously crash into another fundraising guy?'

'No! And that was one time!' Duman opened the door to the room's bathroom. 'Had an awful time trying to smuggle this thing in here, but look!'

Stella's mouth dropped open as a reindeer walked out. A reindeer Bloom had been singing about non-stop for the past several weeks.

'…Duman…tell me you didn't kill Santa.'

'No! He's alive! They said so!' Duman looked utterly panicked. 'I was texting and flying, and then these geese just came outta nowhere, so I swerved, and then I hit Rudolph!'

Rudolph shot him an aggrieved glare, and Duman backed away slightly.

'Stella, it was an accident, what do I doooooo?'

Stella just gawped for a minute. She hadn't even known this guy was real. Though she supposed that as a fairy that flew around on wings made of magic, she was in no position to speak on what was real or fake.

Before she could come up with an answer, there was a soft groan from the bed. She and Duman exchanged a glance, before she moved closer.

'…Mr Claus?'