ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀᴀᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʟɪʟᴀ ʜᴏʟᴍᴇꜱ || ᴅʀᴀᴄᴏ ᴍᴀʟꜰᴏʏ x ᴏᴄ || ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ 1-3

home for the holidays

I was never really a fan of the holidays. My birthday was on the 31st, which would have been exciting if it wasn't also the day my mom died (albeit three years later). It was a hard day for my father, so it never felt right to celebrate. I never knew her enough to mourn her like he did, but I still mourned her absence.

I loved my dad. Our holiday traditions were perfect as they were and he never failed to make them a fun bonding experience between the two of us. But I'd always wondered what it would have been like if my mom was there with us.

Regardless, I was excited to see my family. My father and my Aunt Kara were at the house and had probably already set up the Christmas tree. Christmas wasn't so much about the gifts (especially since I'd spoiled Santa for myself) but for spending time with each other. Each of us usually received one gift each, and the rest of the gifts were the memories we made together. My favorite thing to do was to have snowball fights in the backyard. I had the best aim.

We also made sugar cookies on Christmas Eve. Sugar cookies were my mother's favorite, and we always made them to honor her. They became my favorite too, though I also thoroughly enjoyed gingerbread.

I considered inviting Harry back with me for Christmas, but I wasn't sure if that was allowed. I imagined holidays would be hard for him too, but he was planning to stay at Hogwarts with Ron anyway. Hermione and I were both going home, but the two were planning to stay at the castle together to keep each other company.

He'd been telling me about this when Malfoy had butt into the conversation uninvited, making a snarky comment about how Harry had "no proper family" and this marked the first time in my life when I'd truly wanted to give someone a black eye. I didn't speak to him after that, but he hadn't been speaking to me either, so I wasn't surprised.

Later, we were in the library researching Nicolas Flamel after Hagrid had spilled, though it was to no avail. The teachers seemed to have gotten rid of all of the books that mentioned his name. They were onto us. I'd gone and asked a few Ravenclaws, but they didn't know anything very helpful about him. Only that he was a famous alchemist that worked with Dumbledore. If only I could ask Dumbledore himself.

Soon enough, Hermione and I were on the train back home. Most students had wanted to go home as well, but the train was much emptier than before. Seamus and Dean sat with Hermione and I in our compartment, and we'd been making light conversation. Seamus was quite a gossip, and surprisingly enough (to everyone but me), so was Hermione. Dean and I just exchanged looks and listened in.

Suddenly, a giggle sounded from outside the hallway.

"I think I'm most excited for dinner. Your mum always makes such good food, Draco. You'll sit next to me, won't you? You always do."

It was Pansy Parkinson. Whatever Malfoy said in reply was muffled by the distance, and I assumed the two of them had walked away from our compartment. Seamus made a face.

"Well there goes Hogwarts' least favorite couple," he remarked. "That'll be one ugly baby if I ever see one."

"Seamus!" Hermione scolded, but she didn't berate him.

"More like one ugly divorce," Dean piped in. "He's clearly not interested in her at all."

"You know, I reckon he's got eyes for somebody else and he's just using her as a cover," Seamus wiggled his eyebrows at me. I was about to defend Malfoy and say he wouldn't use people, not even obnoxious Pansy Parkinson, like that until I remembered what Dean had said to me, and I bit my tongue. However, I didn't realize Seamus' implications until moments later.