A Very Harmony Christmas

It Has To Start Somewhere

Prompt: December 17th. Potter-Granger Family Christmas traditions.

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It Has To Start Somewhere

The single tear running down Sirius' cheek was what caught Harry's attention. Mid-step, he changed direction, making an instant beeline for his godfather, Hermione right by his side.

"Sirius?" he asked tentatively.

"Oh, hey Pup, Hermione," Sirius said, quickly dashing away the tear.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

It was only as he asked that he realised what was in the book that was laying in Sirius' lap. Except it wasn't a book. It was a photo album. An album filled with pictures of Harry's parents with a baby.

"Is that...?" he blurted.

"Yeah, that's you with your Mum and Dad," Sirius replied with a sad smile.

He turned the book so that Harry and Hermione could see it more easily.

"You're so cute," Hermione grinned.

"Naturally," Harry replied before poking his tongue out at her.

"When were these pictures taken?" Hermione asked.

"Not long before Harry's first Christmas," Sirius replied.

He turned the page to show them a photo of baby Harry sitting on his father's shoulders while Lily was hanging a string of tinsel on the Christmas tree.

"Looks like that tree at the zoo wasn't your first time decorating one," Hermione commented.

"First of December," Sirius nodded. "It was a tradition in Lily's family that the tree was always put up on December First."

Harry stared at the photo. It looked so magical. His mother was laughing, her eyes, identical to his own, were shining brightly. James had a pained expression on his face, which was understandable considering that baby Harry had a fist full of his messy hair. And low in the background, a tabby cat was sitting up on its haunches, one paw batting away at a dangling bauble.

"Did they have any other Christmas traditions?" Harry asked tentatively, trying to imagine what he'd been missing out on all these years.

"Drinking eggnog and opening a single Christmas present on Christmas Eve, I know that one for sure," Sirius replied. "We were all there that year. I remember that Lily got us all matching pyjamas and a book. Apparently, that was something that her parents always did in her family, too."

"That sounds like a wonderful Christmas tradition," Hermione said. "I wish I'd had a tradition like that. Our family had the rule that no presents could be opened until after we'd gotten home from Church on Christmas Day."

"Do you miss that?" Harry asked, thinking of the last few Christmas mornings when he'd woken up to find presents sitting on the end of his bed to open immediately instead of waiting to open them together with family.

"Yes, I think so," Hermione replied. "Not that it's something that I've done in five years. But really, I like your mother's tradition, too."

"Maybe they could be combined?" Harry suggested tentatively, before rushing on. "I mean, not this year, well, not both. Somehow, I don't think we'd be allowed to go to Church with your parents on Christmas morning, but maybe one day?"

"I'd like that, Harry," Hermione replied. "But yes, you're right. Not this year."

"There's no reason that you couldn't still continue Lily's tradition if you like," Sirius suggested. "And we can see about Hermione's family tradition next year."

Harry smiled gratefully at his godfather. Church, religion, wasn't something that was even considered in the magical world and, while Harry had never been himself, not with growing up with the Dursleys, he did understand the concept, having spent so many years in the muggle world. Sirius, he knew, would have no frame of reference at all; the fact that he was trying to consider Hermione's feelings meant the world to Harry.

"Thank you, Sirius, that means a lot," Hermione smiled.

"Any other family Christmas traditions that I should know about?" Harry asked Sirius.

"Not that I can think of," Sirius frowned. "But your parents only had the two Christmas' together as a married couple before, well, before. There's no reason that the two of you can't start your own traditions, though."

"A tradition does have to start somewhere, somewhen," Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Like having new Christmas jumpers every year," Harry grinned mischievously, deliberately letting his eyes drop to the fact that they were both, once again, wearing their Ugly Christmas Jumpers

"If you think that you're going to get me to wear a new Ugly Christmas Jumper every year..." Hermione began fiercely. "... then you're absolutely correct."

Instantly, Harry had his arms wrapped around her and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Knew you'd agree with me," he said. "Oh, and Sirius, next year you'll be getting a matching Ugly Christmas Jumper, too, since it's going to be a family tradition."

Dropping his arms, he turned to Sirius sitting on one end of the couch, his jaw dropped, tears leaking from his eyes.

"Thank you, Harry, Hermione, you've just made an old dog's Christmas," Sirius choked out.

"You're welcome, Sirius," Hermione replied.

"Now, budge over so we can sit either side of you," Harry instructed. "And then we can start at the beginning of that album and you can tell us all the stories we've never heard."

"I'd like that," Sirius smiled, his eyes glistening.

Moments later, the three of them were seated together, the album resting in Sirius' lap had been turned back to the first page and Sirius laughed at the memory that it conjured for him before launching into it for their waiting ears.