December 08
Title: The Best Christmas Gift of All
Author: bunney
Rating: PG
Word Count: 947
Prompt: Frozen hearts
Warnings: Foul language
Summary: Draco is thankful for the blessings in his life.
A/N: Unapologetically sappy and fluffy.
It was Christmas Day and dawn was just breaking over the horizon when Draco awoke. He yawned and stretched out his arm, reaching for Hermione, coming fully awake when he realized that she wasn't there. Rubbing the back of one fist over his eyes, he sat up, the down-filled duvet falling to his waist. A quick glance around the room showed that he was alone.
"Hermione?" he called out, thinking that she might be in the bathroom, but only silence greeted him. Pushing the covers off, Draco picked up his wand from the bedside table and pointed it at the fireplace. The banked coals flared to life and the room quickly warmed.
Pulling on a thick robe, Draco padded over to the large crib placed on Hermione's side of the bed and peeked in, finding it empty as well. Keenly missing his wife and child, Draco went in search of them.
*****
He found them in the conservatory. Pausing in the doorway, Draco contented himself with silently watching the cozy scene. Several Christmas trees had been placed throughout the Manor, huge and lavishly decorated trees cut from the forest on Malfoy land, but the one in the conservatory was smaller, and decorated with heirloom ornaments and strands of soft lights in a rainbow of colors. Red and blue, then green, gold, purple...they twinkled and flashed, casting a soft glow over Hermione's face and sleep-mussed hair.
She was sitting in an ornately carved rocking chair that had been a gift from the Potters, one foot tucked beneath her, the other pressed against the floor to set the chair in motion.
In the stillness of the morn, she was singing a Christmas lullaby to the infant suckling at her breast. Draco smiled and he must've made some small sound, because Hermione looked up, her sleepy eyes alighting with pleasure.
"Draco, you're awake," she whispered. "Happy Christmas."
Draco stepped into the room and shut the double doors behind him. Crossing over to her, he leant down and gave her a lingering kiss, his hand smoothing over her bare shoulder and the top of her breast, before coming to rest on Brianna's small head. He bent lower still and kissed the child's flushed cheek. She was asleep, even though her tiny mouth pulled rhythmically at Hermione's breast.
"Happy Christmas to both of my beautiful girls," Draco said, drawing a nearby ottoman closer and sitting down. He leaned against Hermione's thigh and watched the sparkling lights play over his daughter's sleeping face. She was still so new, so miraculous and astonishing, that Draco could scarcely take his eyes off her.
Watching Hermione with Brianna brought Draco a happiness he never thought he'd know in his lifetime. Everyday he found himself reciting a litany of beatitudes to God for bringing Hermione back into his life and for opening her heart to him. Their early relationship had been challenging, but their marriage was as solid as a mountain and Draco couldn't imagine a life without her.
Now, they had Brianna. She was only three months old, but in that space of time, the last of the ice in Draco's heart had melted and the lightness that had filled him at her birth had nearly lifted him straight to Heaven. He'd never imagined, especially during the darkest days of his young life, that he'd know such joy.
"She's three months old today, you know," Hermione murmured sleepily, lifting her hand to caress Draco's cheek. "It's her birthday."
Draco nuzzled her hand, then reached out and grasped it, pressing a kiss to her palm, then each fingertip in turn. "May she have a hundred, a thousand more."
"A thousand! She would be quite old, indeed," Hermione said with a giggle.
Draco squeezed closer, until his cheek was pillowed on her other breast. He caught one of Brianna's tiny hands in his, smiling as her fingers wrapped around his. "Happy Birthday, my little Brianna. Your papa is loves you very much."
They sat quietly together; the motion of Hermione's rocking nearly put Draco back to sleep. He turned his head and looked at the tree, the floor beneath already covered with mounds of gaily-wrapped gifts.
"All of those presents and the best gift of all is this little one. Thank you, Hermione. Thank you for giving me Brianna."
Hermione leant forward and kissed him, her mouth soft and warm and full of love. When she pulled away, she gave him an impish smile. "Does this mean I can return that Galaxy 7001 broomstick and get my money back?"
Draco stared at her, gobsmacked. "A Galaxy 7001? Hermione, the 7000 Series is still in development!"
Hermione shifted Brianna into a more comfortable position, while the child still slept. "Not for a Malfoy, it isn't. But, if you don't want it..."
Draco had already scrambled off the ottoman and was sorting through the presents piled under the tree. He spotted the long, cylindrical package tucked in the very back and dragged it free.
"This is brilliant, Hermione, fucking brilliant!" Draco said after he had unwrapped the new broom and admired its sleek, scarlet shaft and heavy brass stirrups.
"Language, Draco," Hermione admonished, even though she smiled indulgently at him. "I knew you'd like it."
"Like it? I love it!" He looked up at Hermione, his elated grin fading to a softer smile. "No broomstick could ever replace you, Hermione. You and Brianna are the best Christmas gifts I could have ever hoped for."
He reached out and took Hermione's hand, bringing it to his lips. "I love you."
Hermione's face shone in the flickering Christmas lights, her smile beautiful and only for him. "I love you, too, Draco. Happy Christmas."