Draco stared at the ceiling above him through the dark filling his room. He had no idea how long he'd been awake and staring, just that it'd been dark the whole time. He wished it was Christmas excitement keeping him awake, but, instead, it was nightmares and heartbreak. Such familiar haunts, but never any less excruciating.

His fingers danced lightly and absently over the bandages still covering his sternum beneath his pajama shirt as he remembered the nightmare that had woken him what felt like ages ago. He kept seeing his father and himself and the things he'd done. He kept seeing the way he had merged with his father while another version of his father screamed torturously as he laughed. He shuddered as the nightmare played again and again.

He tried watching the sleepy magic in the manor to distract himself. Magic never fully settled, he'd learned. It was always drifting around and all theirs was always searching for each other. It moved a lot slower, lazier as they slept, but it was still there at the ready. He'd figured out fairly quickly it wasn't a very good distraction because all he could see was Leif's and Alexei's magic, and all he could think about was the conversation he'd overheard the previous day.

So, not only was he stuck there in the dark with his terror, but also his resigned anguish.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he threw his blankets off with a huff, leaving the warm bed. He glanced across the hall at the closed doors of Harry's and Severus' bedrooms, and padded downstairs as quietly as possible. He ruffled his sleep-mussed hair, yawning. It had to be an ungodly hour in the middle of the night, making him silently curse nightmares and immortals for keeping him from sleep.

He rounded the railing, vaguely noticing the light of the Christmas tree streaming out of the sitting room, and made his way into the dark kitchen to make himself tea. He was surprised to find a kettle already on the stove, still steaming. Given the time, despite not actually knowing the time, he hadn't expected anyone else to be awake. Plus, he hadn't heard anyone pass his room, and Harry's and Severus' doors had been closed. Regardless of his surprise and needing something to help his insomnia that wasn't a potion-he'd already had the maximum Severus would allow for that week-he crossed the kitchen and proceeded to make himself a cup with the waiting water.

Cradling his teacup, he headed back to the stairs, intending on returning to his room, but stopped when he heard the smallest clink of porcelain on wood and a soft shuffling. Curious, he peeked into the sitting room. The Christmas tree was bright and glittery where it stood next to the fireplace, fairy lights and colourful baubles shining. He and Harry had decorated it a couple days earlier with Leif and Alexei after the immortals had convinced Severus, who apparently hadn't had one for ages, to have one for him and Harry for the holiday.

It wasn't the first tree Draco had had-Narcissa had always insisted on having one in the foyer, one of the ballrooms, and the dining hall-but it was the first time he'd been allowed to decorate. Narcissa had always made the house elves decorate the manor and he'd been forbidden from touching anything.

He moved his gaze from the tree, quickly becoming lost in painful thoughts again, and looked to the left where Harry was sitting. The Gryffindor was on the floor, back against the sofa and a blanket draped over his shoulders with his arms wrapped around the knees pulled to his chest. He was still in his pajamas, a cup of tea on the tiny sliver of hardwood not covered by the rug next to him as he gazed at the Christmas tree, its light shimmering in the green eyes and dancing over the curled up body.

Harry didn't seem to notice him, attention solely on the tree. Draco could see an awe in the Gryffindor, a childlike wonder, but there was also a sadness. Draco could imagine what was causing such despondency, between what they'd been through and what he'd heard had happened with Harry's godfather the day before. Once again, the conversation he'd heard between Leif and Alexei echoed in his mind.

He shook his head at himself and, cupping his tea, he silently joined Harry, sitting next to his friend with his legs crossed. He sipped his tea and mirrored Harry in gazing up at the twinkling tree, sitting in a comfortable quiet with the boy who had somehow become the brother he never even knew he wanted. Their magic tangled together loosely and contently, so naturally, as though this was how it was always meant to be.

"Christmas was the one time I could pretend things were okay and that my parents gave a damn," Draco said quietly after a long while, thinking back to all those past Christmases at Malfoy Manor. Harry didn't say anything or look at him, but there was a shift that brought their arms together. "They threw a huge party every year, and Mother was determined to be seen as the perfect wife and mother in front of high pureblood society. We were supposed to be what everyone else wished they could be. It was the only time they doted on me, that one evening for six to eight hours. It was the one time I could pretend I was happy and wanted. Of course, it all went back to normal the next day, but for just one night..."

He trailed off for a moment, feeling Harry lean against him a little more and reciprocating the weight, tea still cupped in his lap.

"I would spend all of that night staring at one of our trees, wishing the day could last forever," Draco continued. "Wishing they could just love me. Wishing I could fix whatever I'd done to make them hate me. Sometimes wishing I could just die so it could end. I just wanted something to change, but it never did."

They were silent for a long while again, never looking away from the tree and resting against each other. Draco thought it ironic that he'd spent years wishing on trees for things to change, but now he was wishing on a tree for nothing to change. He wished he'd just imagined what he'd overheard.

"Turns out we spent Christmas night the same way," Harry eventually responded. "I was usually locked in my cupboard for most of the holiday. The Dursleys didn't want to be reminded of my existence during such happy family times. I couldn't see anything from my cupboard, but I could hear. I would listen to them and pretend I was with them or that my parents were in my cupboard with me. I pretended things were okay."

Harry paused and Draco just waited, picturing a tiny black-haired boy alone in a cupboard celebrating Christmas with ghosts while he pretended he was the pride and joy of the Malfoy line. 

"When I was a little older, I learned how to unlock my cupboard and I would sneak out once my relatives were asleep. I'd spend all of Christmas night staring at the tree too," Harry added. "I would make a lot of the same wishes as you, including sometimes wishing it would all just...end. I'd also wish that my parents would somehow come back for me or that someone, anyone would save me. No one ever did."

They sat in a silence heavy with their admissions. Draco's heart clenched for the little boys they'd been, sitting in front of Christmas trees and wishing for the same things, things they knew would never happen. They'd been so similar and had never known. He looked down into his tea with a small frown. That little boy still existed inside him, still just as sad and afraid and lonely. He wondered if the same little boy still existed within Harry, the little boy forgotten in a cupboard. Thinking about all those Christmases alone and recognizing where he was now made that little boy inside him cry as he was reminded of what he'd learned.

"They're leaving," Draco said quietly and felt Harry turn to him, finally looking away from the sparkling tree.

"Who?" Harry asked.

Draco was sure he asked more out of a habit or in a vain effort to delay getting more explanation. The list of people he could be referring to wasn't exactly lengthy.

"Leif and Alexei," Draco answered anyway. "I heard them talking yesterday while you were at Grimmauld Place."

"There's not much left, is there?" he'd heard Leif say.

"No, I don't believe there is and given everything that's happened, I think this is the best option," Alexei had replied.

"So, you're coming with me then?"

"Of course. I haven't got much reason to stay."

Their conversation had continued, but Draco hadn't been able to listen more than a couple minutes. It was too much to accept, that Leif and Alexei were going to leave now their training was effectively over. To them, there was nothing more to keep them there. It was despairing, the mere idea of Leif and Alexei leaving. He'd been so sure he'd finally found a home and a family only for yet another family to decide he just wasn't worth it.

He turned to Harry when the other boy sighed, finding the green eyes gazing at the tree again.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised," Harry said. "I've always been left behind. There's always something or someone somewhere more important."

Draco frowned down at his tea again. "Think Severus has had enough too?"

"Wouldn't you have if you were him?" Harry replied. "He was discovered because of us and almost died."

Draco sighed and nodded sadly. "Really thought I'd finally found something. Thought I'd been given a second chance, you know?" He looked at Harry and swore he saw the tree's lights glinting off a single tea trailing down the Gryffindor's cheek.

"Yeah, me too," Harry murmured and turned his head ever so slightly towards Draco. "Will we still be brothers?"

Draco felt his own eyes burn and his fingers tightened around his teacup. "Yeah," he whispered, "we'll still be brothers."

No more was said. They leaned against each other, their heads resting together. They sat staring at the Christmas tree, relishing in the little bit of family they'd gotten to experience before it inevitably disappeared, and drinking their tea reheated using Harry's Fire Magic. Despite the somberness, it was still an extraordinarily content moment and it did distract from his nightmares at least for the time.

The darkness in the room eventually lifted slowly as the sun rose over the horizon. Neither of them noticed the hour or the footsteps descending the stairs.

"Please tell me you have not been awake down here all night."

Draco lifted his head from Harry's at Severus' voice and turned to the sitting room doorway, finding Severus, Leif, and Alexei, all also still in sleep clothes and gazing at them with what seemed to be fondness.

"Not all night," Harry told them and Draco wisely chose not to clarify at Severus' knowing look.

"Just continuing a tradition that we both apparently had growing up," he added instead and watched the men glance at each other, likely guessing at what he meant from what they knew of his and Harry's lives.

"Come have breakfast," Severus said. "We will enjoy Christmas after you eat."

Draco glanced back at the tree, looking at the wrapped boxes around its base. He wasn't so sure about their gifts for the three men anymore, not now he knew nothing was going to last. There was only one thing he wanted: he wanted them all to stay.

As he and Harry finally left their places on the sitting room floor and joined their guardian and mentors in the kitchen, Draco decided to try and enjoy whatever time he had left with the family he'd found. At least then when they left, he'd have the memories.

They arranged themselves around the table in their usual seats as Severus rounded the island into the kitchen, waving his wand to charm everything needed to prepare breakfast. Though tinged with sad anticipation that he was doing his best to ignore, the content atmosphere that had been with him and Harry in the sitting room settled over the dining room as Leif and Alexei talked quietly over their respective coffee and tea, and as Severus silently made breakfast.

When the Daily Prophet popped onto the table-along with a letter that floated to Leif-as it did every morning, Draco made to grab it only for Harry to swipe it away with a grin. With a smirk of his own, Draco reached across the table and snatched the paper from Harry's hand. He leaned back and held the paper high above him, well beyond Harry's reach from the opposite side of the table. He laughed when Harry hopped up out of his chair and circled the table to start wrestling Draco for the paper.

Suddenly, the paper was pulled from his hand and lightly swatted him and Harry over the head before settling back on the table.

"Oi!" Harry exclaimed and they both turned to Severus who just looked at them with a raised eyebrow from the kitchen.

Draco glanced at Leif and Alexei, finding they were still talking quietly while Leif held his now open letter, but were also watching them with amusement. Turning to shove Harry off of him, the Prophet's front-page story caught his eye.

"Fudge is missing?" he said loudly in surprise, quickly grabbing the paper again and unfolding it.

"Wait, what?" Harry spun around next to him to see the news story as well. "And Umbridge is in St. Mungo's?"

"What the hell is going on?" Draco's eyes darted across the print only for long fingers to pull the paper away again. He snatched at it as Harry tried to protest.

"Sit, eat, and we will tell you," Severus said as he set full plates at all five spots around the table.

Knowing they wouldn't get to know anything unless they did as Severus said, Draco picked up his utensils while Harry returned to his seat. As Severus read the paper, sipping his coffee, Draco buttered his chocolate banana pancakes and poured the strawberry syrup over them as Harry poured himself maple syrup.

"'Chaos at the Ministry'," Severus eventually read aloud after taking a bite of his omelette. "Fudge has not been seen or heard from in over two weeks. Umbridge has been removed from Hogwarts and is in St. Mungo's due to a persistent comatose state, though, should she wake, she will be under arrest for child abuse and the use of illegal objects on minor students. Also, a very late report on the Archives' attack."

"There is also news on the Department of Mysteries and Lady Magic's Prophecy," Leif added, holding up his letter.

Severus nodded and put the paper down, looking at Draco and Harry. "Where would you like to begin?"

"Fudge," Draco and Harry said in unison.

"We do not know all the particulars, but Fudge has, indeed, gone missing. He has not been seen or heard from since the attack on the Archives," Severus explained. "While we do not know for certain, we believe he has likely been taken by Voldemort as his use has come to an end upon Lucius' retrieval of the transcripts and magic records. It is very likely he is already dead."

"Bloody hell," Draco muttered. "So, he was under my father's Imperius Curse then?"

"Likely a Susceptibility Potion to have lasted as long as it did and at a distance," Leif replied. "Plus, he wasn't acting the way one does when under Imperius."

Draco chewed a chunk of pancake as the news registered. They'd known the Minister was being controlled by Lucius, but it hadn't actually occurred to him what would happen to Fudge if Lucius got what he was using Fudge for. He'd chosen to forget how his father treated those he had no use for.

"So, what's happening now?" Harry asked.

"An interim Minister though I'm sure he'll keep the position," Severus answered. "Rufus Scrimgeour."

"A fair bit more competent than Fudge with less interest in Hogwarts," Leif told them. "However, he does have an obsession with control and law and secrets."

"Meaning he will likely have an obsession with you two because of your magic and the Department of Mysteries because of the prophecy," Alexei added.

"I wish I could say I was surprised," Harry grumbled and Draco, despite feeling the same way, grinned around his forkful of food.

"Wait, so, what's happening in the Department of Mysteries?" Draco asked, looking at Leif.

"The Hall of Prophecies has become inaccessible," Leif explained. "You have all heard the entirety of Lady Magic's Prophecy now. The prophecy is protecting itself, waiting to be touched by Pure Magic, magic now possessed by the three of you."

"What is Pure Magic?" Harry wondered.

"It is the first kind of magic released into the world, magic only ever wielded by Lady Magic herself," Leif continued. "It's fallen to myth. It's mention in her prophecy is why her prophecy was never believed possible, one of the reasons anyway."

"It is magic made of pure emotion and intention," Alexei added. "Your compatible magic and Life Bond and personal feelings for each other allowed it to be created again."

"It is extraordinarily powerful magic," Leif said. "That being said, it also means that, aside from possibly some coordination training with Severus, we have nothing left to teach you."

Draco glanced at Harry, their eyes meeting sadly before dropping to their plates. Leif and Alexei had smiled at Leif's comment, seemingly proud, but Draco knew better after what he'd heard yesterday.

"Makes sense to leave then," Harry said quietly and Draco's heart clenched.

"Leaving?" Severus repeated. "Who is leaving?"

Draco sighed and dragged his eyes up to the immortals again. "I heard you, yesterday," he said, poking at his remaining pancake. "I heard you talking about leaving, that there's nothing left here and, after everything, it's the best choice."

"We get it and it's okay," Harry said, trying to sound convincing. "We'll be okay. We've managed on our own all this time."

"I do not recall being a part of their conversation," Severus protested.

"There's no reason for any of you to stay anymore," Draco said with a small shrug. "Like Harry said, we get it. We're used to it." He wished he was as confident and fine as he was trying to make his voice sound.

There was a brief silence in which Draco's stomach twisted itself painfully as he stared resolutely at his cooling pancake. He couldn't handle seeing whatever expressions were on the men's faces.

"I have told you not to eavesdrop and this is a perfect example of why," Severus said and Draco looked at the man with a frown, seeing what he thought was exasperation mixed with fondness.

"No one is leaving," Leif jumped in, pulling Draco's and Harry's attention back to him. "Now, I might not be at Hogwarts often for a little while as I have to put the Archives back together once I'm completely healed, but I am going nowhere. As a matter of fact, this was meant to be my gift to you, paidí. You know you have to have a supervisor as you complete your prerequisite education and training prior to your application and admission to the Crafters' Guild."

Draco gave the smallest, slowest nod.

"I have signed to be your supervisor beginning next year with your Magical Theory course," Leif told him and Draco couldn't help but gape.

"As for me, that has to do with Umbridge," Alexei said, gaining confused looks from the boys. "As Severus read, Umbridge has been removed from Hogwarts. She is no longer employed there nor at the Ministry. If she wakes, she will be arrested for child abuse and the use of an illegal Dark artifact on minors. This is because Severus enlisted Kingsley Shacklebolt to have her removed and provided memories of what she did to the two of you so she could be charged."

"What does that have to do with you?" Harry asked even as he looked stunned like Draco that Severus had done such a thing for them.

"Once school resumes in a week, I will be the new Defence professor," Alexei replied.

"What?" Draco gasped, eyes wide.

Alexei's lips turned up into a small, indulgent smile. "I was given the position yesterday. What I imagine you overheard was me telling Leif that I am leaving France and the French Ministry because I have no reason to stay there. I will be living with Leif outside Hogwarts until I find a new home. We were talking about this being the best option so we can still be around given everything that has happened recently."

"You're...you're leaving France?" Harry stuttered, so unsure. "Permanently? For...us?"

"And Severus since we left him once and I do not wish to go through that again," Alexei added.

"And, as I am sure you will still find ways to convince yourselves that we're going to leave," Leif said with a smile, gesturing to Severus.

Shocked and still confused, Draco turned to Severus with Harry. He watched as Severus waved his wand and two very slim boxes with green ribbons tied into bows settled onto the table next to their plates.

"These are copies of the filed requests," Severus said and Draco furrowed his brow, completely puzzled. "Given the current state of the Ministry, who we are, and Lucius, I anticipate the process will be quite lengthy. However, the intention is, I hope, clear and will relieve you of these fears."

Draco looked across at Harry who looked just as nervous and confused as he felt before they turned to their gifts at the same time. Draco pulled at the bow, unravelling its tie slowly, anxious about whatever lay inside. Simultaneously with Harry, he pulled off the box's lid and he gazed on the paper inside, sitting on a bed of soft tissue wrapping. It was a single piece of paper, clearly the first of what Draco could imagine was probably an otherwise thick package. His eyes darted across the page repeatedly, landing on key words again and again, trying to comprehend.

"Adoption?" he finally read aloud, echoed by Harry.

His eyes flew to Severus who was watching them calmly.

"As I said, it will be quite the process, but I intend on seeing it through," Severus said. "You will also notice the inclusion of Leif and Alexei."

Draco's eyes ripped through the document until he found what Severus was referring to. "Godfathers?"

"Black will still be one of your godfathers, Harry," Severus said to the Gryffindor. "A safety measure should the worst ever happen, but we also agreed it to be an adequate way to solidify the roles they have taken in your lives beyond mentors."

Draco couldn't stop staring at the adoption request dumbly, a similar silence emanating from Harry across from him. His heart was pounding, his mind was racing, and he swore he was on the verge of tears of disbelief. He couldn't believe it. Could it all, the entire last six months, be real? Could it be more than a temporary save? Could he actually get away from Lucius and do so by getting a real family? Could the way he and Harry felt, the things the Core of All Hourglass they'd gotten for Severus stood for, be reciprocated? Could Severus feel the same? Was it possible?

"Boys, look at me," Severus said gently and Draco looked back at the man. "You are not on your own anymore and you never will be. You are staying with me and we are staying with you. We've got you."

Overwhelmed, Draco finally got to his feet and wrapped his arms around Severus, Harry doing the same on the man's other side. Severus held them back tightly.

"We've got you."