Bound by secrets

Chapter 30

Christmas morning in Malfoy Manor was nothing short of magical. I woke up tangled in Draco's arms, the soft light of winter streaming through the heavy curtains of his room. His warmth against me and the faint smell of pine from the enchanted garlands outside made it impossible to move for a moment.

"Merry Christmas," I whispered, shifting to look up at him.

Draco cracked one eye open, his trademark smirk appearing even in his half-asleep state. "Merry Christmas, love," he murmured, his voice husky. He pressed a kiss to my temple before pulling me even closer.

As much as I wanted to stay in that cocoon of comfort, my stomach growled, reminding me of what Narcissa had promised—a Christmas breakfast feast.

"We should get up," I said reluctantly, poking Draco in the side.

He groaned dramatically. "Five more minutes."

"No way," I laughed, wriggling out of his grip. "There's food waiting for us, Malfoy. Move it."

The dining room was already buzzing with life when we arrived, the scent of warm pastries and freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. Narcissa sat gracefully at the head of the table, looking as poised as ever despite the early hour.

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" she greeted as we took our seats.

"Merry Christmas!" came a chorus of replies from our friends, most of whom were already tucking into the massive spread. There were platters of eggs, bacon, sausages, fluffy pancakes, and even a towering stack of fresh croissants.

"Merlin, this looks amazing," Blaise said through a mouthful of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Theo scolded, though he was doing the same.

I sat down next to Draco, who wasted no time piling his plate high. Pansy leaned over, nudging me with a mischievous grin. "So, how was your night?"

"Wonderful," I said, giving her a pointed look that made her laugh.

After breakfast, we moved to the drawing room, where a massive Christmas tree stood decorated with silver and emerald ornaments, its branches glittering with enchanted lights. The floor beneath it was piled high with presents, and everyone was buzzing with excitement.

"Alright, who's first?" Lucas asked, his eyes darting between the gifts like an overexcited child.

"Ladies first," Narcissa declared, gesturing to me with a warm smile.

I leaned down to grab the neatly wrapped gifts I had prepared for everyone. "Okay, here we go."

For Narcissa, I handed over a box tied with an elegant silver ribbon.  It held the hand-carved jewelry box enchanted to hum soft melodies when opened, and the lavender-scented silk shawl.. Her eyes widened when she opened it.

"Y/N, this is exquisite," she said, her voice soft. "You shouldn't have."

"You've done so much for me," I said with a shrug. "It's the least I could do."

For Draco, I handed him the sleek emerald-green leather-bound journal enchanted to never run out of pages, along with the platinum serpent-shaped quill. I also passed him the custom-made silver pocket watch engraved with "Yours, always. Y/N."

He smiled, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. "Perfect. Though you've already made this the best Christmas I've ever had."

Blaise unwrapped the bottle of aged Firewhiskey and the custom wand holster with his initials embossed in gold I'd found in Diagon Alley, and Theo received the rare edition of Advanced Defensive Magic and the hand-knit green scarf with silver threading. Lucas practically squealed when he opened his gift—the magical chess set that could replay his most victorious matches and give strategic tips with a cute photo of him and pansy in silver frame. Pansy gasped when she opened her pearl necklace with matching earrings, and her deluxe beauty potion set that included a charmed mirror offering daily compliments.