Half Blood Royalty

Christmas Mornings and Gift Exchanges

Finally, the term ended and there was a sudden silence as the snow fell onto the castle and the grounds. There was just something about it that seemed... peaceful. Calming. The others had full rein of Gryffindor Tower, which Harry managed to sneak me inside for the holiday break. Hey. Barely anyone was on break, and it's not like Potter and his gang have been keen on 'following the school rules' before this. Besides, it's not like the portraits could do anything besides just sit on the walls and grumble as they watched the green and black robe colors enter the Gryffindor Common Room. Besides, Draco never really questioned much about it (all I had to do was convince him that I was helping my father in his office... any possible doubt to where I go during the day, solved - as long as he never actually confronted my father about it, himself.). All of the Weasley kids chose to stay at Hogwarts rather than go to Egypt to join their parents and another sibling (I couldn't even imagine what the Malfoys would've done if they had the Weasley brood to raise- Draco and I were already pretty exhausting ourselves), so the Gryffindor Common Room was livelier than the dungeons. Not to mention, Gryffindor Tower already seemed warmer than it had down in the dungeons; I doubt that had anything to do with actual temperature. Mostly, I was constantly convincing Harry to sneak me into the tower so that I could join the three of them with dueling practice. Gryffindor Tower was the best place for me to do this without my father walking in and putting an immediate stop to it. Fred, George, and Ginny occasionally would join us for practices or to play Exploding Snap, but the oldest, Percy, mostly spent his time in his dorm; he disapproved of what he called our 'childish behavior'.

**

By the time Christmas morning came, it was cold and white. Outside, at least. Inside the dungeons was cold and dark. I had been woken early by Draco, proving that I did in fact make a good choice in deciding to not spend the night in the Gryffindor dorm last night.

"Wake up." He shook me awake after pulling the curtains hanging from my bed towards the side. Standing next to my bed was a fully dressed blondie with a couple presents in his arms.

"Pretty sure you still shouldn't be in this dorm." I rubbed my eyes, "What if my father was to find-?"

"As if you'd ever tell him." He smirked.

"As if you think he wouldn't be able to sense that his daughter wasn't alone in her dormitory this morning." I chuckled, "Good thing he adores you."

He carefully tossed the presents into my lap as I sat up, "Shut up."

"Merry Christmas to you, too," I told him, "Ares paid us a visit this morning?"

"Snape did." said Draco, "Father must've sent it to him instead."

Translation: Lucius and my father had something they needed to discuss. I only hoped it didn't have anything to do with me... or the day I decided to let my anger get the worst of me. I've already had to talk to Dumbledore about that, I didn't want to have to sit down with the Malfoys as well.

"I got one as well," said Draco, "Mostly a care package filled with snacks. Your father did gift me that new Potions book I've asked for."

"He's going to expect you to use that for class, you know." I opened the present to find a bunch of candies, a couple bottles of butterbeer, and held up a book on the Dark Arts, "Did our fathers join forces for what to gift us this year?" Letting off a light chuckle, I tossed the book onto my bed as Ares flew into the room, with a small package in her beak and holding another package by her talons.

"Hey girl," Draco smiled, taking the packages from her grip to hand to me before letting Ares perch herself on his shoulder and giving her a small little head pat, "Sorry I don't have a snack for you yet." She nibbled at his ear in an affectionate sort of way.

"Morning, Ares," I smiled at her, "Looks like she found herself a snack anyway." In the small package was a tin of treacle fudge that Hagrid sent over, which I decided to leave alone until I was able to soften by the fire later. The bigger package had a note from Harry that read: "Mrs. Weasley knits these sweaters every Christmas and included one for you. Sorry.". I pulled out a forest green knitted sweater with a giant M knitted into the center. 

"Seriously?" Draco mocked jokingly, "You're going to wear that?"

"It's adorable." I answered him.

"Who is it from?"

"Just Potter." Last thing I need is for Draco to know one of the Weasleys gifted me a Christmas present. God forbid he let his father ever hear about that little detail. I folded the sweater back up, placing it on the bed next to the new book, "It's our House colors, at least."

"Sure."

"Hey," Draco flashed a smile towards me, "what's up with you?"

"Nothing.." I shrugged.

"Really?" He eyed me, sitting down on the bed adjacent from me as Ares landed herself on the covers between us, "You've never been this quiet during Christmas mornings."

"Why is it," I asked him, pausing to look at him before giving Ares a little pat on her head, "that I'm the only Witch at this school who seems to have that little problem of mine?"

"What problem?"

"You know the problem." I told him.

"I don't-"

"Draco." I shot him a stern look, "THE problem. Whenever I'm angered, or at least whenever I start to feel angry for some reason... It's like nobody else can get that angry. Almost as if-"

"Maybe they hide it better than you."

"I doubt every other student is just that much better at hiding that kind of anger."

"You are only a first year."

"Yeah." I told him, "A first year who can turn the world into her own little tornado whenever she feels even a flush of anger enter her. You had to have seen my father that day in The Great Hall; sent me to Dumbledore without another question as to what had just happened."

"Maybe he just didn't want anything to escalate." Draco tried to reassure me, "Things between you and the Weaselbee-"

"Please." I scoffed, ignoring the nickname he gave Weasley, "Ron got pretty heated too. I didn't see any of what happened to me happen to him."

Draco shrugged.

"Maybe that's a trait of the Heir of Slytherin..." I let out.

"You aren't the Heir." Draco answered quite quickly.

I looked to him, "You seem pretty sure of that yourself."

"Pretty sure the Heir of Slytherin would be a Pureblooded Witch or Wizard," Draco lightly pushed me aside, "for starters."

"How'd you know my father isn't partially from the Heir's family line?" I asked him, "He couldn't have gotten into this House just on pure luck alone... being half muggle, that is."

"Being half muggle is exactly what'd make the Heir of Slytherin not want you." Draco stated.

"Hey!" I let out in a joking tone, "You wanted me in this house."

"I'm just saying," He threw his hands up, "You aren't the Heir. Don't stress too much about it, Melody."

I let off a small smile, "Who do you think it is?"

"What?"

"The Heir." I spoke, "Who do you think is going around terrorizing the school this year?"

He shrugged, "I'm hungry. I'm sure your father would give us something if we asked."

"Probably," I answered, "if we agreed to help him prep his classroom."

"Fair enough," He headed out the dormitory.

"You still didn't answer my question." I followed him, but Draco didn't answer back.