“Kwi-mas! Kwi-mas! KWI-MAS!!!”

“Hark! The herald Severus sings.” Sirius muttered, chuckling into the soup he was stirring.

Ginny rolled her eyes and shook her head as she pushed her Transfiguration book aside.

“Honey?!”

Harry’s voice called amongst the bellows of, “Kwi-mas! Kwi-mas! Kwi-mas!”

“We’re in here, love!” Ginny called back from the kitchen.

“Kwi-mas! Kwi-mas! KWI-MAS!!!”

“Are you all going to go out a pick a Christmas tree today?” Sirius asked, tossing some carrots into the soup.

“Yes, we are.” Ginny nodded. “You should come! Harry’s going to need a hand loading the thing onto the car, and with all the muggles around, it’s going to look weird if he can lift that whole thing up by himself.”

“So you keep the car for the muggles’ benefit?” Sirius raised an eyebrow at Ginny.

“It’s also easier on Severus.” The teen explained, “The floo and apparition don’t seem to agree with him at this size, so the car’s the best way to get into town.”

“Kwi-mas!” Sev cried as Harry walked into the kitchen, “Immy! Immy! Kwi-mas!”

The teenager chuckled, “I’ve never seen you so excited about Christmas before.”  

“That’s because he didn’t have a part in Sunday Services’ Nativity Play before.” Harry replied with a smirk.

Ginny gasped in excitement and instantly pushed all her books aside, giving her baby her full attention. “You got a part in the Nativity play?!” She asked, her eyes alight with joy.

“Uh-huh!” Sev nodded with a giggle.

“What part did you get, sweetheart?”

Harry choked back a snort just as Sev replied in a proud and tiny voice, “Wobstew!”

The smile on Ginny’s face froze in place and she blinked. “Lobster?”

“Uh-huh!” Severus giggled excitedly as he bounced in Harry’s arms.

“You’re a lobster?” This time, the smile struggled to stay on her lips as she tried to understand what her baby just told her.

“Wobstew WAM!” Sev added, holding up one finger and waving it in her face.

“Lobster number one?” There was a loud clanking noise and everyone turned just in time to see Sirius hightail it out the back door and onto the open back porch. Echoes of laughter trailed in his wake. Ginny turned back to Severus, confused. “There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?”

“Duh!” The baby rolled his eyes and wiggled to get down.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look as the former obliged him. “Just be glad he’s not the octopus, love.” She heard him tell her in her mind. “They want us to make their costumes. The octopus would’ve been infinitely harder to make!”

The absurdity of the situation finally caught up with Ginny and she found herself chuckling just as Severus wrapped himself around her legs. “Oh, my darling…” She sighed as she lifted the child into her arms and gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. “So you’re a little lobster, huh, love?”

“Uh-huh.” Sev replied shyly, his two fingers once again stuck in his mouth.

“My precious little lobster number one.” Ginny shook her head and nuzzled the infant’s ear, making him giggle.

As Ginny and Sev had a moment, Harry made his way onto the porch to find Sirius sitting on the swinging bench, admiring the view of the forest. “Calmed down yet, have we?”

Sirius smirked as he scooted over and waved for Harry to sit down, “Believe it or not, I was actually laughing at Ginny more than Severus.”

“Oh, I know.” The teen grinned, “Her face was priceless just now.” He agreed as he took a seat. “Couldn’t understand that of course there was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus. In fact, there were two!” Sirius snorted and Harry held up two fingers to tick them off. “There was lobster number one, otherwise known as baby lobster, and there was lobster number two, otherwise known as big daddy lobster.”

At that, Sirius threw his head back in hysterical laughter before lightly shoving his godson on the shoulder, “You’re in it with him?”

Harry shook his head. “How do you think we got him to agree?” The teen rolled his eyes as his godfather laughed so hard he started tearing up. “Let’s not tell Ginny this just yet, shall we?”

All of a sudden, Ginny’s vibrant laughter filtered out through the kitchen window. “Harry?! You got Lobster Number two, love?”

Harry scowled at the world in general and at Sirius in particular, as his godfather’s face began to turn red from laughter. “I hope you die from asphyxiation.” He grumbled and shoved Sirius none-too-gently on the shoulder.

“Severus and I are going to have so much fun making your costume, Harry.”

“I’ll help!” Sirius added with a snort.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up!” Harry popped his collar, zipped up his coat, and put his gloves back on. “I’m going to go warm the car!” He announced as he made his way down the porch and around the side of the house. “Be ready in ten minutes if you want to go to the Christmas tree farm with me!”

“Did you hear that, love?” Sirius heard Ginny whisper through the kitchen window. “We’re going to go pick a Christmas tree today!”

The animagus decided this was one thing he definitely couldn’t miss out on.

“Hello, Mr. Miller! Mrs. Miller!” Ginny waved at the couple across the field. “Sev, you want to say, ‘hi’?”

The infant shook his head and wiggled in silent demand to be let down. “Dowm, pea! Dowm, pea! Dowm, pea!”

Ginny sighed. “Alright, but no running!” After adjusting Sev’s tiny boots and making sure his jacket and beanie and ear muffs were on nice and tight, she placed him down on his own two feet. “I’m not kidding, Sev. No running!”

“Howd owy…” The infant consented, holding his hand up for Ginny to take and sending her a charming smile to boot.

The teen’s heart melted and she smiled down at him lovingly. “Yes, my love,” she replied, taking his tiny hand into her own, “hold only.”

Behind them, Harry shut the door of the car and clicked on the alarm.

“What is the point of bringing all this junk?” Sirius asked, eyeing the knapsack Harry had slung over his shoulder.

“It’s for cutting the tree down.” The teen shrugged, checking the car one last time before setting off to follow Ginny and Severus.

“Why can’t you just do all that the old fashioned way?” The animagus asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry rolled his eyes. “This is the old fashioned way, Padfoot.”

“Our old fashioned way, I mean.” Sirius pushed.

“I think this is more fun.” The younger wizard replied. “And besides…there’s something appealing about cutting a tree down with your bare hands. I can’t explain it.”

His godfather rolled his eyes and smirked. “You and inexplicable feelings.”

“I happen to consider inexplicable feelings my strength.” The teen retorted.

“Oh, you won’t get any arguments from me.” Sirius continued without missing a beat. “Remember? I get inexplicable feelings all the time.”

The animagus’ innocent remark seemed to have the opposite effect on Harry than Sirius intended and the animagus’ smile quickly turned into a frown as Harry deflated before him. “Pup?” He asked worriedly.

“Hmm?” The teen replied distractedly. “Oh…sorry, yeah?”

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I was just…” Harry stuck both his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “I was just thinking that…if I had listened to you in the first place—several months ago, then we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

“You mean with Malfoy?” The animagus asked, a bit confused as to what his godson was referring to.

“What else do I obsess over these days?” Harry grumbled. “I mean you’ve got bad feelings before. You didn’t listen to them then. Look what happened. Why didn’t I listen to you now?”

Sirius shook his head. “Harry, stop.” He ordered gently. “What are you going to do about it now? What’s done is done. And…” the animagus paused, “…I see where you were coming from back then. I mean…you didn’t want to get his hopes up only for them to be dashed away if you died.” He grimaced. “To be honest, if the Potters adopted me right before they died, I would’ve become quite the mess as well.”

Harry kicked at a lone can on the ground, propelling it into the air and directly into a trash can. “I still should’ve listened to you.”

“Pup, don’t worry.” His godfather replied. “I have full faith in our justice system.”

Harry snorted. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

“Alright, I have full faith in Dumbledore.” Sirius smirked, hooking his arm around his godson’s neck. “It’s all quiet on the Malfoy front now anyway.”

“It’s just the calm before the storm. I can feel it.”

“And when that storm does come, I can guarantee you Malfoy won’t settle for anything less than the Wizengamot. He’ll go for the highest court in the land to settle this dispute. He takes all or he takes nothing.”

“I’ll be damned if he takes all.”

“But, as the muggles say, ‘the ball’s in our court’ if he does that.” Sirius pointed out with a smile, “Dumbledore happens to be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.”

“We still need to put forth a good case.”

“Which we are in the process of building right now.” The animagus finished without missing a beat. He squeezed Harry’s shoulder supportively. “Don’t you worry the storm, Harry.”

“I intend to not be here when it hits land anyway.” The teen muttered under his breath.

Sirius froze in his tracks, making Harry pause along with him. “What?” He asked with a confused frown.

“I’m taking them away, Padfoot.” The younger wizard replied, gesturing towards the two people walking ahead of them. “By eleven o’clock, Christmas evening, we’re gone.”

His godfather stared at him for a long time, a look of confusion glued onto his face. “You’re taking them on holiday?” He asked, trying to sort it all out in his head.

Harry shrugged, pushing Sirius’ arm off his shoulder and resuming their walk through the Christmas tree farm. “You can say that.”

“Harry…you’re going to run away with them?!” The animagus murmured, trailing after his godson.

“I’m not going to let them take him!” Harry hissed in reply, his eyes flashing. “And besides…we’re not going away forever. We’ll be back right when the adoption papers come through.”

“Is that legal?” Sirius asked worriedly.

“He’s my ward. Of course it’s legal!” The teen scowled.

“Well, I know, but…where are you going?” He asked worriedly. The younger wizard paused for a second and gave him a worry-filled sidelong glance. Harry looked like he was trying to make up his mind about something. His mouth opened then closed then opened again. Several times Sirius heard a note or two escape his lips. However, after a slight hesitation, the teen pursed his lips and shook his head, choosing to continue on his way silently. The look on his godson’s face told him everything he needed to know. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Sirius answered aloud.

“It’s safer that way.” Harry sighed. “We’ll charm a telephone so we can call all of you and let you know when we get there and that we’re safe.” He shrugged as he readjusted the pack on his shoulder. “That should satisfy dad some.”

Sirius caught onto that line of thought immediately. “Did you already tell Molly and Arthur about all this?”

“Yeah.” Harry nodded. “Ginny too. She loved the idea. She’s looking at it like a holiday instead of the other thing. I told her it was half of my Christmas gift to her…” He shrugged.

Harry could feel Sirius’ eyes studying him from behind, trying to pinpoint just how he felt regarding his godson’s decision to flee the country. The teen decided to turn his attention to other things while Padfoot thought it out. Up ahead of them, Ginny had let go of Severus’ hand and allowed the child to explore the immediate vicinity. The infant had quickly found a large Douglas-Fir and instantly proceeded to play with its branches.

“Haweh!” He called, gripping one of the branches in his hand and jumping up and down excitedly, causing the whole tree to shake along with him. “Haweh! Haweh! Haweh!” 

“Hey, hey!” Ginny chided softly, “Gentle, sweetheart. Be gentle, please.” Taking a knee before the infant, she kindly pried his hand from the tree branch and began brushing away the dirt. “The tree didn’t do anything to you, love.”

“That’s a good-looking tree, I think.” Harry replied, winking at the infant. Severus grinned and giggled at him in return.

“Nothing I say is going to change your mind, is it?” Sirius’ voice interrupted his thoughts, causing Harry to glance back at his godfather.

“Do you really consider it a bad idea?” He raised an eyebrow at the animagus.

The older wizard shrugged and then shook his head. “Not really.” Hooking an arm around Harry’s neck once more, Sirius resumed their trek after Ginny, who had taken off after a running, giggling Severus. “So…this ‘holiday’ of yours is only half of Ginny’s gift?” The animagus asked with a knowing smirk. “Does that mean it’s safe to assume that the other half of her gift is small, round, shiny, and comes in a velvet box?” When Harry’s mildly shocked and highly suspicious gaze shot towards him, Sirius snorted. “Come on, pup, you wanted Remus and I to know. If you didn’t, you would’ve used a Muffliato when you asked Arthur for Ginny’s hand.” 

The teen blushed and ducked his head. “Caught…” he muttered under his breath.

“Most definitely.” Sirius agreed, messing up his godson’s hair with a laugh. “And Remus and I want you to know that we’re proud of you for being a gentleman and taking the traditional route.” The animagus lowered his voice to whisper in his godson’s ear, “She’s perfect for you, pup!”

Harry raised his eyes from the ground at the sound of childish squeals in the distance, only to find Ginny being chased by a giggling Severus around a large Scotch Pine tree. The redhead’s eyes shined with laughter as she pretended to run as fast as she could away from the infant behind her. Severus caught up to her easily, though, grabbing onto her legs and hanging on for dear life, if only to keep himself from falling down. Ginny laughed out loud and bent down, easily lifting Severus into her arms and nuzzling his ticklish tummy. The sight of Sev’s giant smile as he squealed with laughter caused a smile to erupt across Harry’s own face.

“There’s no one better out there.” Sirius added.

Harry snorted and peered at his godfather from the corner of his eye. “Thanks, Padfoot.” He replied earnestly. His godfather nodded in acknowledgement. 

“Harry!” Ginny called from her place next to the Scotch Pine. “Come look at this tree! It’s gorgeous!”

“Haweh! Haweh! Haweh! TWEE!!!” Severus happily added his input as well.

Harry adjusted the pack of tools on his shoulder and turned to smirk at his godfather. “Well…shall we, Padfoot?”

The animagus rolled his eyes. “I still don’t see why we can’t do it the old fashioned way.” He grumbled as he followed his godson.

Severus had a whale of a time watching Harry and Sirius chop down their chosen Christmas tree. At first, neither Harry nor Sirius could locate the base of the tree under all the thick bottom branches. They lifted and sifted for a good five minutes, trying to find it. Once the base was located, though, the challenge became actually getting under there to cut the tree down. After about ten minutes of whining and arguing (most of the whines coming from the mutt, who complained about tiny twigs and needles getting stuck in his long, curly hair), both Harry and Sirius got down and dirty, smearing themselves against the mud and braving the sharp needles and twigs of the lower branches in order to get to the base and saw the tree down.

“Harry! This would be completely unnecessary if we just did this the old fashioned way!” Sev heard Sirius whine under the mass of foliage.

“Padfoot, I told you—”

“My old fashioned way!”

“You know, this would go a hell of a lot faster if you would just shut up and help me saw!”

“Yes, underneath a Christmas tree, surrounded by mud and branches, is just the perfect place to have an argument.” Ginny murmured into Sev’s ear as the child giggled against her chest.

And the funniness didn’t end there, Severus recalled. After carrying the tree to the cash register and paying for it, Sirius and Harry debated on whether or not they wanted to trim the tree here or at home (“Let’s do it the old fashioned way!”), whether or not the tree needed a net (“What are you going to do that for? You’re just going to remove it once we get home anyway!”), and whether the tree should ride inside the car or on top (“You are NOT putting that thing inside my car! I am not dealing with branches and twigs and clean-ups. NOT inside my car! We are putting it on top like normal people!”).

By some miracle, they had all managed to find a tree and get it safely home all within a mere hour and a half. As Harry and Padfoot trimmed the tree the “old fashioned way” and set it up in the living room, Ginny and Severus busied themselves in the kitchen, making the best batch of Christmas cookies ever!

“How about some Christmas songs, love?” Ginny asked, setting the record player on the counter. “They’re great for baking cookies and decorating a tree.”

Severus looked up from licking his fingers to grin at Ginny. Christmas songs sounded like a great idea! He gave her a thumbs up.

“Excellent! Now…let’s see what we’ve got here, shall we?”

As Sev picked up the plastic Christmas-tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cookie dough Ginny had laid out on the counter below him, notes from a xylophone began floating through the air.

I don't want a lot for Christmas… 
There is just one thing I need…

“Come on, love, let’s make these cookies, shall we?” Ginny said, helping Severus press his cookie cutter into their ready dough. “Then we can decorate the tree with those wicked new ornaments we got on sale from IKEA!” The teen chuckled.

Severus grinned and began cutting out as many Christmas-tree-shaped cookies as he could.

I don't care about the presents… 
Underneath the Christmas tree… 

“Ready? On three, Padfoot,” Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself for lifting the heavy Christmas tree, “One…two—”

“Just levitate the thing, Harry!” Sirius replied with a roll of his eyes.

The teenager straightened his shirt and cleared his throat, trying to act like that was his intention all along. “I knew that!” He answered, turning away from his smirking godfather.

I just want you for my own… 
More than you could ever know…

Harry pulled out box after box after box after box of IKEA Christmas ornaments with a growing grimace. “How many did she get?!” He exclaimed, sticking his head inside the big plastic bag.

Just then, Sirius came down the stairs and threw two more big plastic bags full of ornaments at his feet. 

Make my wish come true… 
All I want for Christmas…is…

Ginny and Severus pulled the cookies out of the oven…

…You!

“Pew-feck!” Severus grinned.

I don't want a lot for Christmas 
There is just one thing I need 
I don't care about the presents 
Underneath the Christmas tree…

“Come here, Sev!” Ginny called, waving the infant over to the far side of the tree. “Help me hang some over here. It’s bare on this side.”

Sev held on as best he could to his two big, red Christmas ball ornaments as he toddled to Ginny’s side. “Hewe…” He said, holding one up for Ginny to take.

“Don’t you want to hang them up yourself, love?” The teen asked with a slight frown.

Sev peered up at her as if she had lost her mind. He couldn’t hang these things up! His fingers weren’t nimble enough for that kind of thing yet. “Uh-uh!” The infant shook his head in reply. “Too hawd…”

“Here, cub!” Sirius called, waving a box of candy canes at him from where he sat on one of the easy chairs. “These should be a little easier for your fingers. What say you?”

The infant grinned, dropping his Christmas balls and immediately running towards Sirius and his box of candy canes.

I don't need to hang my stocking 
There upon the fireplace 
Santa Claus won't make me happy 
With a toy on Christmas day

“Alright. Here we go. You have a good grip on that angel, cub?” Harry asked, checking for himself if Severus had the thing securely in his grasp.

“Me put up! Me put up!” The eleven-month-old reiterated, backing up against Harry’s legs and bouncing on the balls of his feet, impatiently waiting to be picked up.

“Yes, yes, you’re going to put the angel at the top. I just want to make sure you have a good enough grip on it.” In response, the infant hugged the ornament to his chest as tightly as he usually held his favorite lion cub toy. “Alright. Are we sure there’s absolutely nothing else we want to put on the tree?” Harry’s gaze moved from Ginny, who shook her head, to Sirius, who shook his own. “Okay…” The teenager bent down to lift Severus from behind, “…here comes the angel!”

The teen lifted Severus as high as he could go, bringing the infant right next to the top of the tree. “Crown it, cub!”

Sev giggled before gently placing the pretty little angel on the top of the tree. “Hewe go!” He smiled, giving it a kiss on the cheek.

The angel blushed and returned his smile. “Thank you, Severus.” She whispered as Harry lowered him back down.

Now it was Sev’s turn to blush.

I just want you for my own 
More than you could ever know 
Make my wish come true 
All I want for Christmas is you 

“Alright, my NEWT-level almost-colleagues, here be the final exam of the term.” Harry announced, waving a stack of parchment in the air before promptly passing them out. “Take it as you would a NEWT exam. Do your best, I have full faith in you, and once you finish with the written part, hand your exam to me and then proceed to the next room where Professor Lupin will be handling your practical portion. Any questions?”

Almost everyone looked like they were about to throw up.

“Take a deep breath.” Harry advised, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “This stuff should be easy. Good luck!” And with that, he allowed them to begin.

You baby! 

Severus toddled up from behind McGonagall and stuck his head through her legs in order to see what she was looking at in the dining room.

There he found Harry, Ginny, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore all gathered around a table full of parchment and big, thick law books. From what Sev could tell, Harry seemed the most agitated out of all them. His hair was a mess, he had a bunch of parchment in one hand and a giant law volume in the other, and he looked to be arguing with Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore all at once. 

“Come along, Severus.” He heard McGonagall say before she stepped back from on top of him. “Let’s go visit Aberforth, shall we?” Before he knew it, the old witch had picked him up and let go of the dining room door.

Sev’s last image of that particular group gathering was of Harry screaming at the top of his lungs and throwing the giant law volume against the wall in frustration.

I won't ask for much this Christmas 
I won't even wish for snow 
I'm just gonna keep on waiting 
Underneath the mistletoe 

“What do you think of that, Sev?” Sirius asked, pointing to the Snitch kit in the window display of Quality Quidditch Supplies. “I think it’s good for both Ginny and Harry, don’t you?”

“Uh-uh!” Sev shook his head in disagreement. “Haweh de-femp!”

“I already bought Harry a set of defense books a couple Christmases ago.” Sirius frowned.

Severus rolled his eyes. “Dummy!” He pointed out.

“Oh!” The animagus’ eyes widened and a smile blossomed on his face. “Good idea!” He pushed open the door to Quality Quidditch Supplies. “This will be Ginny’s gift then.”

I won't make a list and send it 
To the North Pole for Saint Nick 
I won't even stay awake to 
Hear those magic reindeers click 

“Ginny!” The teenager turned back from the window at the sound of her name to see Dean, Dennis, and a few other girls from Gryffindor that she knew coming into her compartment. “Why are you in here all alone?” Dean asked.

The teenager sighed. “Just worried…and thinking about stuff.”

“About your marks?” Dennis asked.

“No, not about my marks.” Ginny shrugged, turning back to viewing the landscape out the train window.

“Other people have other things to care about, Dean.” Hermione added, coming into their compartment as well. “Like their children.”

The young wizard grimaced. “This conversation is so…adult!”

“I haven’t even seen little Snape. No one has! When do you think you’ll bring him out?”

“Don’t worry, Ginny. The adoption will come through before anyone can take him away.” Hermione reassured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Wait a minute…you’re adopting him!” Almost everyone’s eyes widened.

“Don’t even start, Dean.” Ginny replied wearily, leaning her forehead against the cool glass window.

'Cause I just want you here tonight 
Holding on to me so tight 
What more can I do 
Baby all I want for Christmas is you 
Ooh baby 

Sev looked around at what he could see from Harry’s lap. The place was a bit dark, but the case displays, with their bright lights and gleaming merchandise, made up for that in spades. “Why bak-bak?” The infant asked, leaning back to look up at his guardian.

“Because I don’t want the press to spoil Ginny’s surprise.” Harry replied, eyeing an interesting little item in the case display next to them. “If I was seen at the front of the store, even for a second, everyone would know what was going on. There goes Ginny’s surprise.”

“Alright, here we are, Mr. Potter!” The owner said, a huge smile on his face. In his hands, he held a small, blue velvet box. The object of Harry’s interest lay nestled among the folds within. The owner popped the box open and laid it onto the bright case display before them. “Round brilliant cut, absolutely clear, absolutely flawless—you can check it for yourself, sir—one hundred carat diamond.” The seller’s eyes gleamed with pride and he lowered his voice to a whisper, as if he was imparting a great secret. “That right there is a paragon, sir—a perfect diamond! I set it within the body of a small, twenty-four carat gold snitch. The wings are sterling silver and run down the band of the ring. It’s just…” He took the box gently between the tips of his fingers and scooted it closer to the two of them, “…to your liking, sir.”

Harry smiled and exchanged a look with the infant in his arms. “What do you think, Sev?”

The infant grinned and began bouncing in Harry’s lap, “Immy!”

The teenager took out his money bag with a laugh. “Name your price, sir, and we’ll bargain from there!” The owner smiled and nodded.     

All the lights are shining 
So brightly everywhere 
And the sound of children's 
Laughter fills the air 

“Ginny!”

“IMMY!!!” Sev sat up in his sling and tried to wave her over. The moment he stuck his head out, however, there was a loud shout and cameras started flashing in his face. The infant dove back into his sling immediately. He could feel Harry wrap the sling tightly around him, making sure no part of him was left exposed.

Among shouts of ‘Mr. Potter!’, camera clicks, and girlish squeals of ‘How cute!’, Sev heard the one voice he had been waiting all day to hear. “Hello, my love.”

After Ginny said goodbye to the many friends that came over to wish her a good holiday (and to beg if they could see the baby, which she denied), Harry took his girlfriend’s hand and wrapped his arm around the bundle on his chest, “We’re about to apparate home, cub.” Sev heard him whisper.

The infant thought it couldn’t be soon enough.

And everyone is singing 
I hear those sleigh bells ringing 
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need 
Won't you please bring my baby to me... 

“Alright, everyone ready?”

Harry looked around. Ron was standing with his arms around an eager Hermione, Ginny stood next to him with an excited Sev in her arms, Sirius was smirking and had his wand at the ready, Andromeda and McGonagall were chatting next to a bubbly Albus and an Aberforth with a much put-upon expression, Teddy was bouncing excitedly in Tonks’ arms, Remus’ own arms were wrapped around his wife’s waist, Molly was chatting with Arthur, her camera at the ready, and Fred and George were standing next to them, butting in their parents’ conversation with comments every now and then. “I take that as a ‘yes’.” The teenager turned to his godfather. “Shall we, Padfoot?”

The animagus dipped his head in assent and soon the two men had their wands pointed at Harry’s house. “Let there be light!” And all of a sudden, all the Christmas lights Harry and Sirius had spent forever assembling lit up in a colorful blaze of glory. Applause erupted soon after.

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas 
This is all I'm asking for 
I just want to see my baby 
Standing right outside my door 

Severus toddled up from behind McGonagall and stuck his head through her legs in order to see what she was looking at in the dining room.

There he found Harry, Ginny, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore all gathered around a table full of parchment and big, thick law books. It was just like last time. This time, however, Harry looked a lot calmer. His hair wasn’t a mess this time, he had a folder in one hand instead of a bunch of loose parchment, and he was listening attentively to what Dumbledore, Sirius, and Remus were trying to tell him. Sev decided he liked this gathering a lot more than the last one.

“Come along, Severus,” McGonagall said, stepping back from over him, just like last time, and lifting him into her arms. “Let’s see what we can cook for this lot in the kitchen, shall we?” This time, she walked through the room instead of away from it. Sev took that as a good sign.

Oh I just want you for my own 
More than you could ever know 
Make my wish come true 
Baby all I want for Christmas is... 

“Who’s this gift for?” Sirius asked, shaking the box next to his ear.

Sev giggled. “Macgoogoo!”

“McGonagall?!” The animagus raised an eyebrow and picked up two more, shaking them both next to his ears. “What about these?”

“Dumb-dow! Dumb-dow!”

Sirius scowled playfully. “Hey! How come he gets two?!”

“Uh-uh!” Sev shook his head. “Wam go bffffffft…eh…wam go googoogoogoogoo!”

“Ah!” Sirius snorted, “One is for Albus and one is for Aberforth. I see…”

…You! 

“So…you think he’s going to like his new room, Harry?” Ginny asked, putting the finishing touches on the art station and the window curtains.  

“Yeah, he’s going to love it!” Her boyfriend replied confidently. Peering down, the teen wiggled his toes and marveled at the softness of the carpet they just installed. “He’s going to really love the carpet—that’s for sure.”

Ginny looked confused. “The carpet we have in here is the same carpet as we have in the rest of the house.”

“Yes, but now he has his own space to run around back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. He likes the whole wiggle-your-toes-in-the-soft-carpet thing.” Harry laughed.

Ginny sighed. “I meant do you think he’s going to sleep in here?”

At that, Harry shrugged. “Only time will tell, Gin.” He gave her a small half-smile. “He will one day.” 

All I want for Christmas is you...baby…

As the final notes floated through the room and the song came to a close, Harry and Ginny found they couldn’t stop swaying to the now non-existent music. The tree was decorated and beautiful, the angel up top smiled down at them with loving eyes, the stockings were hung on the mantle with care, and the fireplace roared with a real fire, warm and welcoming. Padfoot snored softly by the couch next to the hearth, and Severus lay asleep beside him, using the dog’s stomach as his pillow. Both had drifted to slumber after a round of hot chocolate, half a record of soft Christmas music, and five minutes next to a roaring fire. Now only Harry and Ginny were awake, slow dancing around the living room to music only they could hear.

“So…” Harry smiled down at his girlfriend.

“So…” Ginny echoed impishly.

“Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve and the Nativity play…”

“I got your lobster costumes all prepped and ready.” The teen chuckled. Harry rolled his eyes and groaned.

“Padfoot’s playing Father Christmas.” The young wizard whispered. “Don’t tell Sev.”

Now it was Ginny’s turn to roll her eyes. “That’s going to take some talking.”

“He’ll like it in the end.” Harry shrugged. “You know how he is. He’ll argue, he’ll say he doesn’t like it, and then he’ll see Padfoot all dressed up and he won’t stop laughing.”

Ginny giggled into his chest. The fact that Harry was spot-on just made everything all the more funny. “And then we’ll open presents and head over to mum and dad’s for the Christmas party.”

“And then…” Harry lowered his voice to whisper in her ear, “…New York!”

“New York!” Ginny smiled, leaning her forehead against Harry’s. “Two days and we’re free!”

“And when we come back…” Harry tightened his arms around Ginny’s waist; the feel of her body against his own giving him the comfort he so desperately craved. This had to work. This had to work! This just HAD to work!!! Harry didn’t know what he would do with himself if it didn’t; if Malfoy found the loophole before the adoption went through, and found all of them, and took Severus away, Harry was sure he would end up killing someone that day and his life would be shot to hell.

The teen could feel a lump forming in his throat, and he tried his best to swallow it down. He was stronger than this! He was! “When we come back…he’ll be our son.”

The teen could feel his girlfriend’s arms tighten around him and he drank in her comfort like a man dying of thirst. “It’ll work, Harry.” She whispered in his ear, her words easing his rapidly-beating heart. “It’ll work!”