Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Toys in every store,
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

Johnny Mathis - It's beginning to look a lot like christmas (Well, more like boxing day, but nevermind :D Here it's still christmas soo...)

Two curious-looking persons strode accross the dark, abandoned house. A couple, man and woman, both blonde-haired and pale. The reason they looked so curious was because they both wore long, luxurious black cloaks over dress-robes from the finest, most expensive wools and silk. The woman's robes were full of lace, ruffles and silver embroidery, and her updo looked like she - or rather someone else - had spent a whole day working on it. They looked completely out of place in whatever place they ever went to, but especially in this very poor neighbourhood - and they loved it.

Narcissa Malfoy felt her elegance increase with every step on the dark, uneven cobblestones, as if it was an automatic antidote against the indigant Muggle surroundings.

"But Draco!" she cried out, clutching her small pale lace-gloved hands theatrically. "We can't just leave him alone, Lucius! It's yuletide!"

"He's not alone, Cissy" Lucius protested. "He's at Theodore's house, together with Vincent and Gregory. And I think he's rather be there than with us".

Narcissa sighed deeply. "I still don't know why we're here though. We could have spend the day in more luxury."

"I told you, dear. I promised it, very early in the year" Lucius said.

"Oh yes, in May!" Narcissa snorted. "It was a bright summer day, I bet Severus did that on purpose - hoping you would say yes without thinking it through, like you always do..."

Lucius looked into another direction deliberately. "You haven't forgot how he saved our son, have you?" he said, somewhat imperatively. "We won't stay long" he promised and knocked on the door.

For a while everything inside stayed dark and almost abandoned. Narcissa shivered and wrapped her cloak more tightly around her. Then a voice called: "Out of the way, Wormtail!" There was a thump and a yelping sound. Then the door opened, creaking loudly.

"Come in" A skinny man with shoulderlength, greasy black hair said. Lucius stepped in first, followed by Narcissa. Inside, another, short, twitchy, overweight man looked at them with a rather frightful expression, wearing a hideous apron with stains on it.

"Thank you for inviting us over at your... lovely home, Severus" Lucius said. The last two words seemed very forced, but Severus did not seem to notice it.

"Sit down, sit down" he said, beaming, pointing at the old couch. Narcissa grabbed her wand from one of the pockets in her cloak and flicked it. Two velvet cushions, adorned with silver trimmings, fell on the threadbare couch, instantly transforming it into something more cosy. Severus flushed ever so slightly, but did not say anything.

"Wormtail, bring us elven wine from the year-" he commanded the short man softly, but Lucius interjected: "No need, just make him bring some glasses. I brought some Banshee champagne with me"

"Banshees make champagne?" Severus asked, raising one of his black eyebrows.

"But don't you know! They're one of the best champagne manufacturers - unfortunately, very unfortunately, their champagne is very hard to obtain, lots of deaths had to be bewailed during the quest, that's why it's not quite... cheap-" Lucius began dramatically. "But the taste is really exquisite, Severus. I can't believe you never heard of it!" He pulled a big bottle with bubbling liquor from the inside of his cloak. Both him and his wife carefully hanged their cloaks on the hatrack.

"Alright, Wormtail, get us my finest glasses" Severus called in the direction of the tiny kitchen.

A few seconds later, Wormtail came back - grudgingly - with three crystal glasses.

"Wormtail has recently developed a love for cooking" Severus said, smiling viciously, while Wormtail send him a very murderous glare. "His skills do not only extend to disgusting cheese platters. Today he has made us a rather burned, but nonetheless edible, roasted pheasant".

"Like an unworthy Muggle... treated like a servant.. hate cooking...can't help I'm part rat.." Wormtail muttered under his breath.

Lucius filled their glasses and handed Severus the first.

"Doesn't Wormtail want champagne?" Narcissa asked, sending the cowering man a pitying glance.

"No need-" Severus began, but Lucius interjected: "As a fellow Death Eater who has succeeded in becoming more than an obstacle for our Dark Lord, Wormtail deserves champagne as well"

Immediately, Wormtails' face lightened up as he ran towards the kitchen to get a glass of his own. Lucius filled it for him and as soon as Wormtail had taken a sip, his eyes got a dreamy expression.

"This- this is indeed exquisite, M-Malfoy sir" he stuttered while his cheeks reddened. Lucius looked satisfied, but Severus didn't. "Go get the pheasant and my china, Wormtail. We're waiting" he snapped. He took a sip from his own glass and made a soft enjoying sound.

After they had eaten and Narcissa had wiped her mouth and re-adjusted her lipstick, Severus handed Narcissa and Lucius a small bundle.

Narcissa unwrapped hers and uncovered green earrings made of precious stones glowing brightly and mysteriously in the gloomy light. Lucius' present was a small vial with brightly colored purple liquid in it.

"Narcissa, these - these used to be my mum's. I've kept them for years, but I thought it was time to let go of it. Lucius, this is Conceiling Potion - the only thing besides the Invisibility Cloak that is able to make one invisible - with limitations, of course, since it only works for six hours." Severus explained.

Narcissa beamed at Severus, something very uncharacteristical of her since she wasn't used to receive second-hand presents, unless they were extraordinarily rare or powerful. But Narcissa, indeed, hadn't forgotten that Severus had saved her son. These earrings would be a reminder of it, and she was forever grateful.
So she did something she would have never done before - although having kneeled and sobbed at Severus' feet had already broken her pride in front of the man. She gave her husband's old schoolfriend three heartfelt kisses on his greasy cheeks. Not having expected this in the slightest, Severus' black eyes widened and she thought she saw the slightest hint of red shine through the pale yellow.

Lucius scraped his throat playfully; Narcissa stepped back, feeling caught. She felt foolish for having let her pride, her dearest quality, slip once again in a moment of sycophancy.

After he was recovered from his surprise, Severus commanded: "Wormtail, unwrap your presents as well", pointing with a long bony finger at a few gifts gathering dust in the corner.

Wormtail hesistatingly walked towards it and started unwrapping his first present, with a fearful look in his eyes.

It turned out to be a book that was called: Why You Should Never Betray Your Friends. From the sight of it, it was Muggle, because it did not move. Wormtails expression turned from fear into one of intense resentment and distress.

"This is no present!" he exclaimed, shaking from anger, before he violently threw the book away as if it were explosive.

"Give me the definition of a present" Severus asked silkily.

Wormtail emitted a furious cry, before he tore away the wrapping of the second gift as if wanting to destroy what was underneath in the process.

It was another Muggle book, called Schoolyard bullying and the deep emotional scars it leaves. Livid, Wormtail tore out a few pages, shredded them and threw them in the air, so that they whirled back down like snow.

"Tut, tut, now aren't we grateful at this festive day?" Severus mocked. "Go on, Wormtail. I bought you three presents."

"Bought them?! That's a bold stretch! You just happened to find them between Muggle trash!" Wormtail shouted.

"I did not 'happen' to find them." Severus defended himself.

"So you stole them?" Wormtail asked slyly.

"What do you care? They were owned by Muggles. I never knew you were above stealing from them. I think I should inform the Dark Lord about this. Open your third gift-"

"Severus!" Lucius interjected. Fortunately, Narcissa thought. No one deserved to be treated like this during yuletide after all. Receiving books once owned by Muggles... A cold shiver ran down her spine.

Severus looked at Lucius, distracted, and Lucius went on: "Don't force him to open his third present, if he doesn't want to."

"Very well" Severus said silkily and ripped the third wrapping himself. "Ah. Thirteen Ways To Cope With Being A Mediocre Wizard. Seems like that will come in very handy, Wormtail. And treat it with care, please. This one I have bought from my hard-earned Galleons."

Narcissa averted her gaze from Wormtail, who looked as if he was about to do an Unforgivable. Instead she looked questioningly at Lucius. He seemed to have got the hint.

"Of course you will get a present from us as well, Severus" Lucius said. Well, then where it is? Narcissa wondered. Instead, her husband gave her a conspiring look.

Narcissa gave him a conspiring look back, because she had no idea what he meant.

Lucius jerked his head in Severus' direction. Narcissa sent Lucius a burning gaze in return.

It was the look that, in their own house, said "Kitchen. Now".

In the end, it gave Lucius a very hard time explaining why he hadn't bought Severus any yuletide present, so he eventually admitted his totally failed plan. Severus wasn't exactly amused; he said icily that women were no possessions to lend others without permission and that he was no bloody welfare case. Narcissa sighed. She wasn't going to ridicule Lucius any more by revealing his secret quirk, and she didn't want to admit that she often participated in it, too.

Wormtail, who had disappeared through one of the hidden book-covered doors and had slammed it shut with a glass-tinkling BANG!, had now entered the room again, smiling from evil glee about the ruined evening.

"Wormtail, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! Go to your room-" Severus screamed. Still chuckling, Wormtail suddenly shrunk to the form of a rat and disappeared behind a hole in one of the plinths.

Lucius made up for his terrible mistake by continuing to fill Severus' glass. Great, Narcissa thought, there went their precious banshee champagne - it was not like they could afford so much more extra's with Lucius just being back from Azkaban and their house frequently being plundered by random Death Eaters.

The evening would never get truly convivial again. So after Severus had staggered towards the door to say them goodbye, Narcissa and Lucius left early to have some fun of their own.