Always (Draco x Reader)

5 (chapter 7)

"Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas. Here we go. Daddy's back. Sit down, everybody, sit down. That's it. Now, presents. And a nice big box for Ron. Big box for you. And... Fred and George. Y/N, this one's for you. Come on, open up. I want to see your faces" Mrs Weasley says as we are all gathered around the Christmas table. I open up my box next to Ginny. The boys pull out scarves and jumpers. "Yes. Try it on"

"Thanks, Mum. It's perfect" Fred says smiling brightly.

"Just what he wanted, actually" She says and hugs Mr Weasley who is healing nicely from the attack.

"Thanks, Mum" Ron says looking down at the hat. I pull out mine and it's a house scarf, mixed with all the houses. I smile at her happily that everyone accepts my differences.

"It's beautiful Mrs Weasley," I say. She smiles and hugs me.

"Come on, then, everybody. Let's clear this away. Oh, Harry, Harry. There you are" She says, Ginny and I start to clear the rubbish and I look over at Harry. "Happy Christmas"

"Thank you" He says, taking the presents.

"Lovely to have you with us" She says pinching his cheeks. He smiles over at me. Mrs Weasley asks me to help hand out the food.

"Now, Daddy. Pass that to Daddy. Thank you. Has everybody got? Fred? George? Hermione" She asks as we all sit around our plates. Mr Weasley raises his glass.

"A Christmas toast. To Mr. Harry Potter... without whom I would not be here" He says. We all cheers.

"Harry," Sirius says, looking over at him. We tuck into the meal and make occasional jokes. This is the first year I've had a big Christmas dinner. It's really good, all of us are on high spirits ignoring what's to come.

"I can't understand why you don't want to wear it, Ronald," Hermione says as we walk upstairs after the dinner.

"I look like a bloody idiot, that's why" He says pulling his hat off. I laugh at him.

"No more than usual, Ron" I say and he jabs me in the ribs with his elbow.

"Nasty brat, standing there as bold as brass. Harry and Y/N Potter, the boy and girl who stopped the Dark Lord. Friend of Mudbloods and blood-traitors alike. If my poor mistress only knew..." Kreacher starts. Ron and Hermione walk away.

"Kreacher! That's enough of your bile. Away with you!" Sirius shouts at him.

"Of course, master. Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black" He says and shuffled away as Sirius joins us looking at the wall.

"Sorry about that. He never was very pleasant, even when I was a boy. Not to me, anyway" He says smiling at us.

"What, you grew up here?" I ask him. He nods.

"This is my parents' house. I offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the Order. About the only useful thing I've been able to do. This is the Black family tree. My deranged cousin. I hated the lot of them. My parents with their pure-blood mania. My mother did that after I ran away. Charming woman. I was 16" He explains. I turn to him curiously.

"Where did you go?" Harry asks as we look at the wall.

"Round your dad's. I was always welcome at the Potters'. I see him so much in you both. You are so very much alike" He says. I smile at him. Harry looks troubled.

"I'm not so sure. Sirius, when I was... When I saw Mr. Weasley attacked, I wasn't just watching. I was the snake. And afterwards, in Dumbledore's office... there was a moment when I wanted to... This connection between me and Voldemort. What if the reason for it is that I am becoming more like him? I just feel so angry all the time. And what if, after everything that I've been through... something's gone wrong inside me? What if I'm becoming bad?" He says. I didn't realise this was bothering him that much.