Work Text:
Teddy grew up with more traditions than one would think an odd patchwork-family, made out of broken pieces dragged through a bloody war, could scratch together.
Perhaps it’s not surprising, considering Harry and Draco both (who, as Teddy is told periodically and shown through helpful, embarrassing pictures, only meant to take him for the duration of Andromeda's holiday and then refused to give him back) grew up with either no traditions at all or cold, stiff ones. They yearned to form their own traditions, build a family they would actually want to be that close with.
Yes, they do say that out loud and yes, they are always disgustingly sappy like that.
Yule (not Christmas, Harry insists, a form of protest against the obnoxious omnipresence and capitalistic corruption) has always been Teddy’s favourite. There is food to cook with Harry and lights to arrange for Draco, who of course isn’t pouting that Teddy is now taller than him. There is terrible singing and warm fires and the whole family slowly trickling in.
Teddy loves coming home for yule.
He doesn’t see Harry and Draco as much as he wants to anymore—a natural development when moving out of his parents house and looking to conquer the world, he’s sure—so yule especially has grown in importance. He takes time off and comes home, listens to familiar and well-loved banter and cuts grimaces when they sneak kisses, cuts them even louder when they don’t even pretend to be subtle about it anymore.
Sometimes, when Teddy is feeling nostalgic, he pulls out the heavy photo albums, to reminisce and listen to ever more absurd variations of what happened behind the pictures, the truth unimportant in the laughter.
What Teddy doesn’t know, is that his beloved home has become nothing but a stale illusion, a withered ruin of old glory.
What Teddy doesn’t know, is that in some ways, Harry and Draco return for yule, too, imitating a passion long lost.
What Teddy doesn’t know, is that they are doing this for him, hiding their fights and silences, stretching over the ragged cliffs separating them.
What Teddy doesn’t know, is that it’s only tradition that pulls them together, trapped.