The 25th of December had finally arrived and everyone in the Manor was in a frenzy. The House Elfs could be found on every level of the ancestral home and multiple in the kitchen getting the food ready for the day and cleaning everyone so not a single speck of dust could be felt or seen.

"We're going to make you exquisite, dear." Alexandra smiled at her daughter as she sat down behind Hermione in front of her vanity mirror. "I've gotten you a new dress and you should be able to find it in the closet. A beautiful midnight blue."

"When is grandfather arriving?" Hermione asked as she handed her hairbrush off to her mother's gentle hands.

"Some time in the afternoon. You know how he loves to surprise us." her tone changed a bit before letting out a laugh. "Grandfather Septimus has been in a bit of a confusing mood the last few weeks. If he says something that makes no sense, go with it. He's losing it bit after bit every day." Hermione nodded at her mother's advice.

Septimus Brutus Malfoy was the current head of the Malfoy family. His snowy white hair hadn't changed in the last century of his life, and his cold grey eyes remained the same sharpness they held for as long. Hermione and Lucius didn't see him often, mostly only at their birthdays and Yule, seeing as it was getting harder to move the 112 year-old Head of the Family from his main residence to that of his descendants. Recently in and out of illness, the healers informed Abraxas and Alexandra Malfoy that he would likely pass in the next 10 years if he was lucky. The man was older than the Headmaster after all, whom was in his 80s. Today, he was as healthy as a horse. Yesterday, he couldn't get out of bed. It was truly strange for the entire family.

Weaving her fingers through Hermione's waist-length hair, she had began by making a long complicated plait using five strands of the snowy hair. "But do keep in mind that his sight is weakening with the years. Nothing too bright."

Hermione kept on nodding as her mother went on with things not to do around her grandfather until there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Her mother called out. The door opened and Lucius popped his head into the room. "Lucius, dear. Did you need something?"

"Father sent me. Grandfather is to arrive in the next few minutes." Hermione's mother tied off the end and stood up to leave the room, Lucius taking her place and continuing with his sister's hair. "Why mother..." He mumbled as he took a hold of the complicated plait.

"Four or five strands?" Hermione asked.

"It seems to be five," He mumbled, taking the hair tie off and strapping it his wrist. "Always the complicated hairdos." His fingers continued the long plait.

"All you need to do is tie it up and you're fine. Perhaps mother should start plaiting your hair as well."

"I would sooner cut it off than let her do that." Hermione let out a laugh before feeling a stinging in the back of her head.

"Don't pull."

"Don't laugh." there was a moment before the two couldn't hold in their laughter. "Alright, laugh for now." he told her as he finished the plat and tied it off. "Up or down?"

"Up please." she felt her braid be twisted and tied into a low hanging bun, sitting right at the nape of her head.

"Pins." He opened his hand and Hermione passed him a few. "If only magic could hold your hair in place, this would make my job much easier." Hermione shrugged as she felt one poked her head. "Stop moving or I'll pull again." She finally sat still like a statue as he inserted pin after pin and pushing the smaller stray hairs into the bun.

In the Old Present, Hermione couldn't even imagine being related to the Malfoys in anyway, much less having Lucius as family. She didn't have any siblings in the old time, and she very much wanted a brother or a sister, but her parents had then recounted to her the old legend in the family saying that someone had cursed her ancestor to only have one child, a daughter.

Now that she had the Malfoys as a family, it wasn't as bad as it seemed from an outsider's point of view. She had assumed they would be harsh and thought her parents would be as stiff as boards and wouldn't look at her, but she was wrong. Alexandra Malfoy was very similar to Hermione's old mother, Jane Granger. Vibrant, energetic but not too much, she loved to talk to her children. While Abraxas wasn't like Daniel Granger at all, he showed his own family affections in different ways. Hiding a new book for her in unsuspecting places, her favourite places, at random moments of the day, telling her of the new things he read in a book he had bought with her or even putting a hand on her shoulder, it was his way of showing it and Hermione took them to heart. Abraxas wasn't a very touchy person. He very rarely was touching anyone, even his wife, in public or even at home, but the hand on the shoulder spoke volumes to her and Lucius. Pride, affection, and protection. Those were what they conveyed in their simplest form.

The few memories of her grandfather that she had, she couldn't tell very much about him. A quiet old man who only spoke at the right time, Septimus Malfoy was a very secretive man. She remembered receiving a necklace with a sapphire as the centerpiece of the jewelry for her 10th birthday, but apart from that, it was glimpses of his appearances at birthdays or Christmas.

A small crack resounded in the room, making Lucius jab Hermione's head accidentally with a pin. "Oops." Was all he said as he fixed it.

"Missy Malfoy, Master Malfoy, yous grandfather is here." The elf informed them.

"Thank you Mipsy." Hermione smiled as the elf disapparated.

"Right on time." Lucius took a hand mirror from the vanity table and showed her the back of her head.

"It's perfect. Thank you." As they stood up, an owl began pecking on the window. A jetblack owl held two small letters and a package in his claws. Lucius dug into his pocket and took out a small velvet pouch and threw a small treat for the bird who immediately flew off, leaving the letters and package.

Hermione took the letters and read the names, passing the one addressed to her brother to Lucius and kept the other. She removed the wax seal and unfolded the paper and read it in her head.

Happy Yule Hermione Malfoy,
Or should I address the letter to Miss Malfoy? Too formal? Yeah, I thought so too. Mother won't stop getting on my case about formalities and why I should use them, but I don't see the use. I prefer using your name instead of your family name. Calling you Malfoy is still so bizarre and it doesn't feel right. Father isn't as forceful about the formalities but he still likes to remind me at every possible occasion.

This is a Christmas letter so I do have to send you good wishes. I hope you have a good holiday with lil' Lucy (Brilliant right?) and the large empty manor that has caused you so many nightmares.

You probably don't need to know this, but Bellatrix wouldn't stop looking over my shoulder while I was writing this. She's probably thinking I'm writing you some rubbish like a billet-doux or something. See, I can use fancy words too. Oh, now she's looking at me weird again.

Have I told you that Narcissa won't stop asking me questions about you? If she's not asking me, she's going to Bellatrix. The moment she found out that you and Andromeda weren't as close, she left her alone and came after Bella and I. An odd one she is. She really wants you to come and visit. She thinks you're going to absolutely love her so please pretend or actually love her. I find myself unable to make her upset. I swear, it's like Ginny all over again. Narcissa has got us all wrapped around her finger, well... All of us except Mother.

I told Narcissa to write a piece of parchment with questions she wanted to ask you in case you couldn't come and visit. She's penning it out as I'm writing and as I heard from Bellatrix who just got back, it seems to look like an essay at the moment. Have fun answering those. Now Bellatrix wants to write so I'm off. Toodles Happy Christmas, Frederick Black.

She folded up Fred's letter and continued reading the next one, letting out a small laugh at the opened of the second.

Greetings dearest roommates!
I apologise in advance for my twin's lack of social respect and his apparent lack of formalities. I suppose social grace only goes down the female side of the family. And I have not been looking over his shoulder, I was quietly observing his writing techniques and assuring he was proper in his writings. I have come to the conclusion that he lacks those as well. It's no surprise his work at school is so sloppy, I'm sure you are aware.

I've began corresponding with the Hufflepuff girl, Miss Abbott. She sent a letter a few days before and now I've found myself constantly answering her four-page letters every two days. Just do not tell Mother. She has quite the grudge against the Badger House of cuddles and camaraderie and she doesn't seem to want to tell me why.

I'm sure Freddie has already mentioned Narcissa wishing you to come and pay us a visit, so I formally invite you to come to 12 Grimmauld Place sometime during this fortnight before we return to Hogwarts. Write me a possible date and I shall inform my parents. Freddie wanted to send the invitation, but fortunately for you, you have me to keep him in check. A simple reminder of mother's want of wedding bells was enough to make him shut his trap instantly.

Have an excellent Yule and enjoy answering Cissa's kilometer-long inquiry.
Your absolute best friend, Bellatrix Black.

Hermione flipped the page once more and her eyes widened at the extremely lengthy page of questions.

* What is your favourite colour?
* Is your brother Lucius nice?
* When is your birthday?
* Do you like animals? If so, do you like kneazles or crups more?
* Would you want a kneazle or a crup?
* What colour would said kneazle be?
* What colour would said Crup be?
* Do you like brown kneazles? We have one, her name is Vega. She's brown with spots.

And the list went on for multiple pages, the writing seemed to become smaller as it came closer to the end of the parchment to allow more questions on the page. Hermione looked around and noticed that Lucius had already left her room with his letter, most likely to have brought it to his own room.

She folded up the letter and removed the lid to her small silver box. Moving the already folded letters, she made space for the two new ones and the interrogation of Narcissa at the very start so she could look it over in its entirety later.

Smoothing out her dress, she closed the box and left the room and went in the direction of the dining room. She observed the portraits of her ancestors who nodded and waved at her, some nodding respectively and others continuing their activities, like reading or talking with other portraits.

"Ah, here she is!" Upon entering through the large archway, Abraxas announced her arrival, Lucius and her mother already seated at the table with the eldest Malfoy at the end of the table.

"Come here." the old man said, his voice still soft, yet a commanding force behind it. She walked to his side where her grandfather gave her a kiss on her cheek and a pat on the back. "Happy Yule, my dear." he motioned to the opened chair beside her father and across from Lucius, to his left.

Today, Grandpa Malfoy was in great health for the holiday.

The House Elfs began bringing out the Christmas lunch and some wine for the older family members.

Back at Grimmauld Place

"Freddie! Wake up!" Fred groaned, his face deep in his pillow and he wrapped his blankets tighter around himself. "FREDERICK!" He cracked an eye open and turned just a bit to see Bellatrix seated a bit too closely to his bed, her face right in front of his.

"What?" He mumbled, earning a frown from his sister.

"We can't open gifts until you get your lazy butt out of bed." She flicked his forehead hard, ripping his pillow from beneath his head and hitting him with it. "We're all waiting!" She quickly ran away with the pillow and left their shared room.

'Well, I guess no more sleeping this morning...' He threw the blankets off and ran a hand through his dark hair. He stood up on the wooden floor, only to fall back onto his bed shivering. "MERLIN THAT'S COLD!" A small laugh outside his bedroom door and the small footsteps running away made him shake his head and grumbled under his breath.

"GET UP!" Bellatrix shouted from the stairs.

It finally took him 10 minutes to finally be able to leave his room, still dressed in his pyjamas on Christmas morning and walked down to the sitting room where his sisters were glaring at him next to the stack of presents. His mother was drinking a cup of tea beside his father who was reading the Daily Prophet. A grunt from his father made the girls immediately dash for their presents, Andromeda passing Fred's through the seemingly invincible wall that was his sisters around the mountain.

"I got a broom!" Andromeda smiled brightly, admiring the shine and cleanliness of the handle.

"I got more books!"

I got... 1... 4... 8 new hairbrushes!"

"8 hairbrushes Bella?!"

"My hair is like a carpet. It needs force." She quickly explained as she shook her head from side-to-side to show her hair moving as a single entity. "See?" The rest of the family nodded in agreement. "What did you get Freddie?" Bellatrix looked over to the small palm-sized box in Fred's hand.

"Don't know." He opened it and saw a small piece of paper on it. "I got a note." He unfolded the small paper and read it to himself. 'Come see me for you gift -Arcturus Black' Fred refolded the letter and put it in his pocket for later.

"Oh well, I'll share my hairbrushes with you if you want."

"I don't need any of your brushes Bella."

"Thank you for reminding me Frederick. It's time to get your hair cut." His mother's ominous tone resonated quite strongly in the back of his mind. He swore he could even hear the snipping of scissors in his head and he felt himself go cold at the thought.

"Perhaps later dear. Someone-" His father looked pointedly at Fred "has an emergency meeting with the Head of the Family." The expression he received was not a friendly one. "What have you done recently Frederick? Have you offended someone? You will tell me boy."

"I haven't done a thing father." Fred answered as he moved over to Andromeda to admire the broom. "Grandfather wishes to gift me something."

"Alright. If you say so." Cygnus folded up the newspaper and threw it into the fireplace and let it burn. "Your cousins Sirius and Regulus are coming to visit."

"Why Sirius?" Bellatrix made a face. "He acts so... Different." her voice was laced with disgust.

"Because he is still family." Druella scolded. "You will endure it. You're lucky you have an older brother or else he'd be the next Heir."

"The family would go to the dumps if Sirius ever became Head." Cygnus sneered. Fred decided to simply stay quiet and occupy himself with the broom, despite being part of the subject of conversation. "Regulus is too shy to ever take command. Thank goodness for Frederick." While he may have been supposed to feel flattered, he only felt the cold shiver of being a replacement. Perhaps in a different dimension, he'd have done anything for the praise, but here it was unwanted. Desperately unwanted.

"He'll keep us on the right path." He felt a hand ruffle his hand and knew it was his mother. He forced himself to smile through the interaction, knowing if he showed discomfort, his parents would question.