Work Text:
Malfoy Manor spared no expense in decking its every hall, every mantle, banister, and even the grounds to celebrate Yule. Holly and pine scents carried across the air, followed by the warm scent of nutmeg and cardamon from the busy house elves baking in the kitchen.
Harry and Draco had spent the winter solstice playing in the generous heaps of crystal white snow that had fallen. Severus and Lucius watched them from the great windows of the Manor library. The two fathers sipped cinnamon tea as their boys dashed through the deep snow like a pair of untrained puppies, tagging each other and romping gently.
Draco tagged Harry just a bit too roughly for Lucius's taste and he stiffened. Of course Harry bounced back up like nothing had happened, giggling fiercely and chasing after his just slightly 'older' brother. Still, Lucius felt he should say something perhaps. Call out to the boys 'careful' or 'behave'. But instead he felt the strong arm of his husband snake around his waist and tug him closer.
"They're alright, Luce," Severus's deep voice reminded him. "Besides, think of how soundly they'll sleep tonight if we let them wrestle to their heart's content."
Lucius gave a gentle huff. "None of us shall sleep soundly if either of them gets a bloody nose, accident or not."
Severus pulled him in tighter to put a kiss on his husband's temple. "Perhaps I should fetch us something stronger than tea?"
Lucius let out an acquiescing sigh. "Oh alright. But if they get any rougher, you'll be the mean one and put a stop to it."
"Deal," Severus nodded.
Lucius and Severus settled down on a plush settee to enjoy a fine pour of a grossly expensive spirit, one they only indulged in for special occasions. Lucius had protested this upon their union. They were Malfoys and they could afford to drink any bottle they pleased, he had argued. Severus gave him a knowing smile and agreed, yes, of course they could, but wouldn't it be more special if they choose to reserve it? Lucius loved the man so despite their fabulous wealth he reluctantly agreed, as he did with most things his dark-haired husband desired.
Harry and Draco's game ended as they settled down to build a snow fort and a family of snowmen. Lucius was grateful to the break in rough play so that he could enjoy his spirit without the worried eye constantly turning a glance.
Severus was also pleased with the new game for the boys and sent out a charm to animate their snowmen, who proceeded to dance and twirl and play with the delighted children. Lucius gave his husband an appreciative look and Severus nodded his head in return, before pulling a small wrapped box from his pocked and presenting it to Lucius.
"Happy Yule, beloved," Severus said softly.
Lucius was surprised. Although they did tend to exchange their gifts in private apart from the boys, he was not expecting this now.
His fingers deftly opened the wrapping paper to find inside a long gold chain with a heavy ruby and pearl pendant. It was ornate, beautiful, bold; perfect for the Malfoy patriarch. He almost couldn't believe Severus would pick something like this.
"I love it," he breathed, as his fingers traced the pendent reverently. He lifted his gaze curiously though. He wanted to ask why his husband would choose something so impractical and out of character.
Severus seemed to understand. He cupped his hands beneath Lucius's to explain. "I had this commissioned and after its completion put a good bit of charm work into it. It's a protection rune."
Lucius raised a brow. As sweet as that was, it was a bit surprising considering he was an incredibly powerful wizard in his own right. Since the war had truly ended, it was hard to envision needing much added protection...
"Not for you, the protection properties, I mean. These stones here," Severus pointed to the rubies and pearls, "These are the boys' birthstones. Pearl for Draco, ruby for Harry. When you wear this, you will always know they are safe. It will connect you with them and if anything should happen, even risky behavior, it will glow and if you choose to use it, it will apparate the boys to you."
Lucius found himself speechless. A perfect gift all the more perfect. He wanted to spill a thousand thank you's to his husband but before he could, the necklace began to glow, interrupting their moment.
Both men jumped up and looked out the window to see that their children had abandoned the snowmen for a reckless snowball fight on their broomsticks, rough enough that Draco was dangling from his broom in the air and Harry was standing on his like a skateboard, both of them laughing and blissful, zooming around like madmen.
"Go!" Lucius barked, horrified by what he was seeing.
Severus was already on the move for the French doors that would let him out onto the snowy patio.
Lucius waited, unable to sit down until he saw Severus nearing the field, running through the snow toward the boys, clearly shouting at them for their attention.
Both boys stopped immediately and set themselves on their brooms properly. They had the good sense to at least look sheepish as they lowered themselves to the ground and dismounted. Lucius could tell even in the distance that Severus was indeed being 'the mean one', giving their boys the stern scolding they so richly deserved before banishing their brooms back to their rooms with a wave of his hand.
Severus then began ushering their children back inside and Lucius sat back down on the settee with a sigh. He took the moment to himself and put the chain over his head, feeling the lovely weight of it against his breast and allowed himself a small smile.
The doors opened and Harry entered first, followed by Draco, then Sev. The boys looked well chastised before their eyes raised to Lucius. Harry beamed at him.
"Papa!" the green-eyed boy exclaimed, running to sit on the settee with him, despite the snow still falling from his hair and robes.
"Harry, that's antique silk," Draco groaned, rolling his eyes as he meticulously removed his outer robes and boots, ever the neat little lordling.
"It's quite alright," Lucius replied as he opened his arms and allowed Harry to fall into them.
"Papa, did you see? I did a backflip and Draco..."
"Harry, shhh!" Draco jumped, shaking his head furiously.
"You did what?!" Severus gaped.
"It was so cool, Papa," Harry carried on, unperturbed, snuggling tighter against Lucius’ chest.
Lucius couldn't help but smirk at his son’s enthusiasm and youthful antics. It seemed to him that Draco, despite being only one month older, acted much older than Harry. The two fathers hypothesized that Harry’s terrible first seven years with those wretched Dursleys caused him to behave a bit younger now that he had a safe home and was able to have a true childhood.
Despite the worrier he was, Lucius was also ultimately the pushover when it came to the boys. He was unsurprised when Severus neared them with a strict frown.
“Up you go, come on,” Severus summoned Harry. “We are having a talk in your room about unnecessary and dangerous stunts. Let’s go.”
“Aw Daddy, noo!” Harry whined, hugging to Lucius for protection. “We were safe enough. Nothing happened, anyway.”
Lucius gave Harry one more squeeze and kissed the top of his head. “You certainly were not, little boy, and neither Daddy nor I are best pleased. Off you go, love.”
“Not fair,” Harry sighed, standing up begrudging. “It’s Christmas!”
“Almost Christmas,” Draco corrected.
Harry replied by sticking his tongue out as Severus put a guiding hand on his shoulder and ushered him out of the library.
With Severus and Harry gone for a chat, Lucius opened his arms to his firstborn. Draco liked to pretend to be too old for affection but in privacy he indulged, snuggling against his Papa warmly. The two cuddled, enjoying each other’s company in silence for several minutes before Draco looked up at his father.
“Happy Yule, Papa,” Draco said softly.
“Isn’t there something else you should be saying first?”
“Oh,” the boy blushed. “Sorry for being reckless, Papa. We only meant to have fun but… we may have gotten slightly carried away.”
Lucius scoffed at the understatement. “Do you have something to confess?”
“No…?”
“The stunt your brother nearly tattled on you for?”
Draco shook his head. “I’m certain I have no idea what you’re talking about, Papa.”
“Cheeky brat,” Lucius laughed, giving his son’s side a tickle. He then kissed the beautiful blonde hair that matched his own and decided to let it go. “Happy Yule, my Dragon.”
--
The next morning, the Snape-Malfoy family gathered in their family sitting room, the one that was designated only for them, no guests or formal functions. It was still opulent, like all of Malfoy Manor, but this particular room also contained baskets of children’s toys, family photos and children’s art on the walls. The Christmas tree here was decorated in multicolor madness, with handmade ornaments and hand-strung popcorn streamers. And beneath the tree seemed an endless sea of carefully wrapped boxes of all shapes and sizes.
Severus waved a hand and the fireplace roared to life.
The boys wore their matching green pajamas as they sat on either side of Lucius on the main couch and listened to the same story that Lucius always told on Christmas morning since Draco’s very first holiday.
Severus settled down with a cup of black coffee in the arm chair and listened in peacefully. In some ways, this gentle moment was his favorite part of the day, before chaos and presents took center stage. His Christmas cup of coffee and Lucius’s soothing voice regaling their boys with the story of the Fox and the First Yule was all he would ever need. He let his mind go quiet and enjoyed the moment at hand.
The story ended too soon and Draco was immediately focused on his prizes. “Can we start now, Papa, Daddy? Please?”
Harry cuddled deeper into Lucius’s side, always bashful rather than eager for gifts like his brother.
“Let’s wait until you both are ready, okay, Dragon?” Lucius tried to placate.
Draco gave him an incredulous look that was just one move short of a foot stomp. “We wait all year for Yuletidings and now you want us to wait more?”
“Just until you both are ready,” Lucius said patiently.
Harry turned his face in deeper to his Papa’s dressing robes. Lucius sighed, realizing that might be a while and understanding it would be agony for everyone else if Draco had to wait.
“I’ll take him and you two may begin.” Severus opened his arms from his chair. “Come here, baby.”
Harry popped up at the invitation, nearly jumping from Lucius into Severus’s lap before curling in deep. Severus stroked Harry’s back reassuringly and smiled gently at Draco, who cheered quietly before grabbing Lucius by the hand and diving into his gifts.
As Lucius and Draco chattered away happily between Draco unboxing his gifts with enthusiasm, Severus pressed a calm kiss to Harry’s head, nudging him gently to see if he could get the holiday shy boy to look up.
“Can you tell Daddy what you’re feeling? Maybe I can help.”
Harry mumbled unintelligibly into Severus’s robes.
“Try again, please,” Severus said, pulling the boy upright on his knee. Harry tried for a moment to dive back in for cover, but Severus held firm.
“Stupid,” Harry muttered.
“What is?”
“Me,” the boy grumped.
“Henry James. There will be none of that, little boy. You know Papa and Daddy do not allow such ugly self-deprecation.”
“But it’s true!”
“It is not true in the slightest. Now please, tell me why on Earth you would feel such a way about yourself.”
“Wrote a stupid list. Embarrassing,” the boy half whimpered, blushing from head to toe. Severus realized what was going on – their poor self-conscious boy was now regretting asking for muggle gifts on his Christmas list, gifts he knew his Papa wouldn’t approve of and Daddy and Draco couldn’t relate to.
“Harry,” Severus sighed. “There was nothing wrong with your list. You did exactly as I asked, didn’t you? Those were the things you wanted, weren’t they?”
“Yeah but…” Harry’s green eyes became watery with tears, his voice cracking quietly. “Was stupid, Daddy. Not gonna get dumb muggle stuff, I know that. Never got it before, why would now be different? Shouldn’t even want it. Stupid.” Harry wiped roughly at his eyes.
Severus’s chest ached at the sight. He took his son by the chin and tipped his face upward to meet each other’s eyes. “Darling, it wasn’t stupid, nor was it wrong to ask for any of those things. And I would never mislead you like that. You know that, don’t you?”
Harry gave a noncommittal shrug and sniffled.
Lucius and Draco had frozen, listening and watching the interaction in the armchair, both Malfoys looking horrified at what they had heard, Lucius hating himself for everything he had ever said about those muggle toys. He should have gone himself and bought out the store if that would have made Harry happy.
Harry looked over at them, noticing the silence that had set on the room. He saw their faces and realization of its own dawned on him. He began crying loudly.
“Sorry, sorry, Papa, sorry!” Harry wept. “I’m grateful, I promise!”
“Harry, hush, you’ve nothing to be sorry for,” Daddy said, hugging their child as soothingly as he could.
Lucius looked around the brightly wrapped packages, trying to remember which were which. He needed one of those blasted muggle toys Severus had gone out to buy and he needed it now. His eyes settled on one of the right shape and he snatched it, running it over to Harry and Severus.
He reached out, stroking Harry’s head gently.
“Sweetheart, please stop these tears. Daddy’s right, you have nothing to be sorry for, nor feel embarrassed by. We love you, Harry, and look,” he gave the boy the small package. “Look what Santa brought. I’m sure if you open this gift, you’ll see, no one here takes your whims for granted. Please, sweetheart, will you open this one, please? For Papa?”
Harry looked reluctant but he sniffled and began to peel the paper back.
Then the boy gasped, his eyes blown open in awe and his posture straightened.
“Papa, Daddy, look!” Harry jumped up. “Draco, look! It’s a yo-yo! Santa brought me a yo-yo!”
Draco put the expensive green dragon-hide quidditch gloves he was in the process of opening down to smile encouragingly at his little brother.
“It’s wicked, Harry,” he said kindly.
“Can I play with it now?” Harry asked
“Of course you may, darling.”
Harry unboxed the small black and lucite plastic toy with elation, still sniffling on occasion to clear away the last of his crying. He looked at the simple toy with the same adoration that Lucius had felt for his necklace from Severus and suddenly the formerly ‘blasted muggle trash’ looked like a precious gem to Lucius too, for it had to be to make his child so happy.
“Look, Papa!” Harry smiled, spinning the toy up and down, looping it over and around itself skillfully. “I still remember how to do it! Look, it’s like a magic trick, it’s a pendulum.”
“It’s brilliant, Harry.”
“Do you like it, Daddy?” Harry turned to his other father to show the trick again.
“Wonderful, darling.”
Harry stopped what he was doing and looked a bit bashful again. “I know it’s just a toy and it’s so small compared to… well, everything else… but…”
“Go on, love,” Severus said, pulling Harry back onto his lap.
Harry settled in and wiped his face again. “When I was little, it was all I wanted. The kids at school had them and I learned these tricks playing with my friends sometimes but I never had my own. And, well, for me it was like magic… Magic before I knew magic was real. So it was kind of like the first magic in my mind, even though I know that’s silly.”
“It’s not silly,” Lucius said, grasping Harry’s hand affectionately.
“But you don’t even like muggle things,” Harry said with a grimace. “I can get rid of it, Papa. I don’t need it to be happy. I’m sorry for crying about stuff… I know it’s just stuff.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Papa said firmly. “I love that—that—”
“Yo-Yo,” Severus supplied.
“Right. That. That Yo-Yo. I love it. I wish I had one, in fact.”
Harry smiled tentatively and held his up. “We can share mine.”
Lucius’s lip twitched for a moment before he bent to put a kiss on his son’s head. “Thank you, baby, but that one’s yours. However, I would love for you to teach me that ‘trick’ of yours after we finish opening presents, okay?”
“Really?” Harry beamed brightly.
Lucius nodded. “In fact, you can teach all of us.”
“Really?” Harry asked again, somehow even brighter.
“Of course, darling,” Severus agreed. “After we all try out our new bicycles.”
Both Harry and Lucius’s heads snapped to Severus, who smirked.
“You didn’t,” Lucius muttered as Severus waved a hand, revealing four beautiful painted dark green bicycles with white walled tired and wicker baskets.
Harry and Draco jumped up, running to see the family gift from Dad, blissfully unaware of the furious look Papa was leveling at him. Severus just grinned back widely. “It will be fun, I promise you,” he said.
“How could this be fun?! We’ll all break our necks together! My idea of a family vacation is not to St. Mungo’s!”
“Of course not, dear peacock. Which is why the second part of this gift is a summer trip to the French countryside,” Severus said as he put a kiss on his husband’s knuckles. “We will practice around the house until then, and once we are all ready, we shall enjoy these as a family.
“Severus…” Lucius tried once more to object, though he was growing weaker, seeing their children jumping around with their new gifts.
“Don’t worry, Luce. We can work on charming these together until they meet your safety standards.”
Lucius let out a gentle sigh and nodded. “Alright.”
“Alright?” Severus repeated, perhaps a bit surprised his husband gave in so quickly.
But Lucius just nodded again. “Alright,” he repeated.
A strong arm snaked around him again and the two husbands watched their children dive back into unboxing with satisfaction and love in the air.