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It had been almost a year since the passing of his best friend, and Scorpius was still processing his grief and feelings. Scorpius struggled to come back to the Manor when the Easter holidays struck, but he understood that his parents were also mourning and struggling with the loss that Crookshanks had erupted throughout the Granger-Malfoy household.
He kept having to remind himself that he wasn't alone.
Kissing goodbye to his recent boyfriend and best friend, Albus Potter, at the Kings Cross floo station, a thirteen-year-old Scorpius moved through the floo before he was welcomed back into the warmth of the Granger-Malfoy Manor.
Home.
When the place was decorated for the festive season, it always felt ten times warmer and cosier. It was his favourite. He loved it so much.
The sound of Lyra's babbles was the first thing to hit his ears as he moved towards the living room, his Hogwarts trunk left behind for the house elves — who were freed and paid — to transport magically back to his home.
Scorpius moved slowly, his footsteps silenced as he leaned in the door frame, staring at his toddler brother and sister as they crawled and laughed at their parents — who had become entertainment for the twins.
"Is the welcome home committee that I get?" Scorpius smirked, the sarcasm rolling easily off his tongue as his family finally turned around towards his voice.
“Scorp!” His mother cheered, standing and throwing her arms tightly around her eldest son. She squeezed him, kissing his head as his father joined the cuddle, his arms wrapping tightly around the two of them, squeezing them all even tighter.
“Welcome home, son,” Draco smirked, kissing his son’s head as he removed his arms from the embrace.
“Scorpy!” Lyra bubbles, her voice lighting up Scrop’s heart as he kneels down to wrap his arms around the twins. He hadn’t realised how much he had missed them.
“Ly-Bug.” Scorpius chuckled, Lyra’s hand gripping his shirt in a sign that screamed that she never wanted him to leave again.
“Daddy said we were allowed to open one Christmas present when you arrived!” She cheered, shaking her twin brother as they both started jumping up and down on the spot.
“Snitch!” Draco grumbled under his breath as his hands shot out and grabbed Lyra, a tickle war commencing between the young girl and their father. Her giggles wrapped tightly around Scorpius’s heart and squeezed it into a warming hug.
“Not tonight anymore,” Hermione responded, the disappointment clearly instantly on the twin’s little faces. “Dinner will be ready soon and I’m sure Scorp wants to have an early night, no doubt he’s exhausted from travelling. Christmas is only a few sleeps away, my loves.” Hermione kissed their cheeks, smiling as dinner was announced by Dreamy — the house elf that had been with them the longest, she had practically raised Scorpius alongside his parents.
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25th December
“Scorpy, wake up.” Leo, the youngest Malfoy, shook Scorpius carefully awake. Scorpius blinked at the sudden brightness of his bedside lamp as his younger siblings rocked back and forth on his bed.
“It’s Christmas!” Lyra declared, her excitement not being contained at all. “Present time!” She cheered, her voice loud enough that it could potentially have already woken up their parents.
“Good morning Ly-Bug and LeLe.” The nicknames for his siblings rolled easily out of him as he cuddled them close to him, hoping that he could have gotten a few more hours of sleep but clearly, his brother and sister had other ideas.
The excitement was like a bubbling cauldron. Scorpius wouldn’t be able to put a stop to it without a Potions Master beside him to help and he didn’t fancy calling for his father or even his mother to help with the simmering excitement.
Before Scorpius could say anything, Lyra was clambering off of his bed and starting to exit towards the direction of their parents’ bedroom. He wouldn’t be able to stop her if he didn’t get out there now.
It was too late.
“Mummy! Daddy! Wake up! It’s Christmas!” Lyra screamed, her voice several octaves too high for this early in the morning.
Leo snuggled deeper into the many blankets that covered Scorp’s bed as he blinked before his eyes narrowed at the scenery outside of the window. It was snowing — a rare occurrence in Wiltshire — but one that was definitely welcomed, especially when it made the day feel extra festive and cosy.
Scorpius scooped Leo off of the bed before sleepily making his way into their parents’ bedroom. He yawned as he plopped his younger brother down on the bed before crawling to snuggle in on the large Granger-Malfoy sandwich hug that was happening.
“Is it present time now?” Lyra excitedly babbled, her eyes glazed as she stared at her mother and father, waiting for confirmation because she wanted to see her brother open the surprise that had been her idea.
“Yes, my darling love, it’s now time for presents.” Hermione laughed, cuddling Lyra close to her chest as she planted kiss after kiss on her only daughter’s head. She brushed her hands delicately through Lyra’s soft curly blonde hair before wriggling and declaring that she was ready to get up.
Draco, however, wanted to sleep for a few more hours but it was Christmas and he couldn’t be a miserable grumpy sod on this festive day. Especially, when his children were so excited for the day ahead of them.
“Come on Daddy!” Lyra pulled at his arms and that was all he needed to convince him. He was such a dad’s girl, he couldn’t even deny the fact. He pushed the blankets aside, conjuring his emerald green satin dressing gown before covering himself in the material.
“Alright, alright. I’m coming.” He chuckled, smirking as Lyra jumped into his arms and he carried his girl down the stairs and into the living room where the rest of his family was waiting for the two of them.
Lyra jumped in his arms, excitement filling the atmosphere and spreading to the other Granger-Malfoys.
“Calm down, Ly-Lys.” Draco settled the girl as he placed her down on the carpeted floor beside her twin while he situated himself closely next to his wife. She smiled as he grazed a kiss upon her cheek before placing another on her lips. “Merry Christmas, my love.”
“Merry Christmas, my darling,” Hermione replied, smiling as she snuggled up closer to her husband.
Lyra and Leo both started pushing a small square box towards Scorpius and it was clear that they wanted him to open the most special one first, which meant that Draco had to swiftly and quietly leave the living room to fetch the surprise.
Scorpius stared down at the wrapped box, lightly shaking it before reading the festive tag that had been cut from previous Christmas cards — a tradition that came from the Granger side of the family and something that Scorp’s nanny Jean and papa Richard still did.
“To Scorpius,” He started reading the festive gift tag. “Merry Christmas! Lots of love, from Crookshanks.”
His eyes glazed over with a shine of tears as he looked towards his mother.
“I don’t understand.” He questioned.
“Look inside the box, my sweetpea,” Hermione responded, smiling as tears started prickling in the corners of her eyes. She watched as he opened the box, ripping at the paper and picking out a small collar that looked all too similar to the one that Crookshanks had.
At the sound of his gasp, the living room door creaked open and in ran a small ginger kneazle kitten and Scorpius couldn’t keep back the tears. He shakingly lifted the kitten into his arms, hugging them close to his face as small meows wrapped around him.
“Hi,” Scorpius whispered, smiling at the cutest half kneazle he had ever seen — under Crookshanks of course if there was a scale. “Is this?”
“He’s from the same family that Crookshanks was from. His original owner contacted your mother a few weeks ago and told us that Crookshanks had some children and were we interested in adopting one.” Draco explained, entering the room and crouching near his eldest with an adoring smile plastered across his lips.
“So, he’s—” Scorpius was completly lost for words.
“He’s literally been sent from Crookshanks, my love.” Hermione sniffled, not so discreetly wiping away the tears. “He’s all yours. Not a replacement for Crooks, of course. We could never replace that bond you two had but he’s your familiar like Crookshanks was for me.” Hermione smiled at her son.
“Cinnamon,” Scorpius spoke carefully, nuzzling the kitten against his cheek. The magic buzzing through the room reached out and wandlessly engraved the name on the collar as the boy placed it delicately around the kitten’s neck.
“Beautiful choice.” Hermione moved onto the floor, cuddling Scorp into her arms and lovingly kissing his cheek. “Merry Christmas, my darling boy.” She snuggled her firstborn and his kitten close to her as Lyra, Leo and Draco watched.
"Merry Christmas, Mummy." He snuggled closer, sniffling. "Thank you for the best present ever."
"It was my idea, actually!" Lyra perked up, giggling as their father tickled her for her sudden interruption — her tone mirroring the one that Draco knew all too well from a younger Hermione Granger.
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