Stave Five - How it All Would End

Draco's heart was pounding when he woke with a start and realized that instead of a fence post he was actually clinging to one of his own bed posts. He took deep breaths, trying to reorient himself. He was in his own bedroom, in his own bedclothes with the earliest rays of sunshine making their way through his own curtains. He raised his own hand to his own face and let out a sigh of relief to see that his signet ring was still on his own fingers. "Okay. Okay. Okay. If she doesn't have it then she isn't in danger. Not yet. There's still time. Oh, sweet Merlin, let there be time."

He dashed across the room, threw open the door and began shouting for his head elf, Mimsy, who quickly apparated into the room. "Yes, sir. What does the Master require, sir?"

"Mimsy, dear Mimsy, please tell me - what day is it?"

The sound of Draco using an endearment when he addressed her obviously startled the elf. "S-saturday, sir?"

"No, Mimsy, the date. Please...tell me the date."

"December the twenty fifth, Master. Christmas day."

"Christmas day?" Draco ran his hand through his hair. "One night. One night. They did it in one night. Of course they did. They're spirits. They can do whatever they like."

The mention of spirits combined with Draco's erratic behavior caused the elf to make a mental note to inventory the liquor cabinet to see just how many bottles had been consumed since the day before.

Draco began pacing back and forth. "Right. Christmas day. Okay. Lots to do then. Lots to do. Mimsy, please round up the rest of the elves and bring them to my study as quickly as possible if you don't mind."

The elf raised an eyebrow at the sudden addition of the word "please" to her Master's vocabulary but set off immediately to comply with his request.

When the elves returned they found Draco in his study, standing in front of an open wall safe, filling bags of various sizes with galleons. "Everyone here? Excellent." Draco handed a bag to the elf nearest him. "Alright, Vilney. I need you to go the poulterers in Hogsmeade and buy the biggest turkey they have. Add in any additional items they may have to go with it. Make sure it's enough to feed at least twenty people and have it delivered to The Weasley residence, The Burrow near Ottery St. Catchpole. After all, this is a time for family, right? Can't have mine running out of food on Christmas day."

The elf in question stared for a moment then managed reply, "Y-Yes, master. Shall I have them say it came from Master Malfoy?"

"Oh, sweet Merlin, no. They'll think it's poison if you use my name. Tell them it came from...Father Christmas. Yes. That's it. Father Christmas. Got it?"

"Yes, Master. Turkey and fixings for twenty from Father Christmas to the Weezy family."

"Close enough." Draco grinned, a sight that confounded the elves to no end. "Now, Teeny." He turned his attention to the smallest elf in the room. "I recently saw an ad in the Prophet for a new toy store that has opened in Diagon Alley." Draco reached for another bag of gold coins. "I need you to go there and buy as many toys as is necessary to give the orphans at Lupin House a proper Christmas. Stuffed animals, games, dolls...what else do children like these days? I don't even know. Hell, just buy one of everything they have. That ought to cover it."

Teeny hesitated then asked, "B-but Master, will a toy store be open on Christmas Day?"

Draco patted her on the head. "Excellent point, Teeny. Bright girl. Clever girl." The elves' eyes widened, which was a feat in and of itself. Draco grabbed another bag and handed it over. "Wake the shopkeeper and give him this for his trouble. Then have everything delivered right away under the name of Father Christmas. Understand?"

Teeny bounced up and down. "Teeny understand. Buy many toys for the children at Lupin House and say they come from Father Christmas."

Draco hugged the little creature and at this point the others came close to fainting. "Very good, Teeny! Very good! Any brighter and they'll have you teaching at Hogwarts!"

He filled another sack as he called forth the next elf. "Hokey, I need you to go to Hogwart's and make sure this bag gets to Madame Pomfrey. Tell her it is for her research project. If she has any questions or if she needs additional funds, she is to contact me directly, okay?"

"Yes, Master. Miss Poppy at Hogwarts for her research."

"Brilliant!" He turned to the final elf. "Now, Mimsy, I have a very important job for you but it will require a bit of travel. I hate to ask this on Christmas day but I desperately need to reach a Doctor Sachs who resides next to the grounds of Durmstrang academy," Draco said as he filled largest bag yet. "Tell him that his presence is requested...no. Not requested. Required. His presence is required immediately at the bedside of Xenophilius Lovegood who is currently a patient in the Janus Thickey Ward of St. Mungo's hospital." Draco glanced at his ring then dropped it into the bag as well. "There. If I don't have it then she can't buy it. That ought to keep her safe," Draco muttered as he handed the money to the elf. "Did you get all that?"

The elder elf stood up as tall as possible. "Yes. Master needs me to find Doctor Sachs at Durmstrang and tell him he is REQUIRED to see Mister Lovegood at St. Mungo's right away."

"Excellent! Wonderful! I have a staff of geniuses at my disposal." Draco knelt down to their level. "And when you have accomplished these tasks I want you each to take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow too. Boxing day after all, got to have that off. When you return the day after that then we will sit down and make sure that going forward things are a bit more amenable for all of you around here. Would that be alright?"

The elves stared in disbelief until Mimsy, the oldest, said, "Y-yes, Master. That would be most kind of you. Thank you."

Draco shook his head. "No, Mimsy. Thank you. Thank all of you. Now, off you go. I have a very, very important appointment to keep." He leapt to his feet and was marching towards the floo when Teeny grabbed hold of his robe. He looked down and said, "Yes, Teeny?"

The tiny elf blushed and whispered, "M-master may want to change to going outside clothes before he goes to the very, very important appointment?"

It dawned on Draco that he was still in his pajamas and he laughed out loud. "Thank you, Teeny! Whatever would I do without you!" He leaned down and planted a big kiss on the top of the elf's head before bounding up the stairs to change.

The elves stood frozen for a long minute until Mimsy snapped her fingers and said, "You heard Master. Off we go!"

An hour later, Draco was standing at the front of Luna's little cottage. He opened and closed the gate a half a dozen times before working up the courage to walk up the path and ring the bell. He could hear noises from inside and then heard Luna's voice calling, "Ginny? I'm fine, really. There's no need to check up every..." The door opened and Luna stopped dead in her tracks.

"Draco?"

"Hello, Luna. May - May I come in, please?"

The little blond exclaimed, "Yes! Of course! Please! Come in! Come in!" as she quickly ushered Draco inside.

He stepped into the cozy foyer and awkwardly handed over a package. "Here. Happy Christmas."

Luna continued to stare as if trying to convince herself he was really there before she eventually managed to get out, "W-what's this?"

"It's a present." Draco shifted his feet. "I know that I've been out of touch with the world for a significant period of time but surely it is still customary for old friends to give gifts on or about December the twenty fif-"

Draco didn't get to finish the sentence. Luna lunged at him with such force that it was an effort for him to maintain both his breath and his balance. She buried her face in his chest and began to weep. Draco momentarily froze then slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Damn and blast, Luna. Don't cry. Please, don't cry." His voice thickened with emotion. "If you cry, I might start and Malfoys don't cry. It's a rule, you know that."

"No," Luna said, shaking her head firmly. "Not here. My house, my rules, remember?"

"Oh, I remember," Draco whispered as he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on her. "I remember everything."

They stood like that for a long while until pulled Draco back slightly and cleared his throat. "So - are we just going to stand her blubbering like idiots or are you going to open this present?"

Luna sniffed and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, Draco, but I'm afraid the only gift I had for you was rather irretrievably damaged and I don't have..."

"Stuff and nonsense. What I stupidly threw in the fire yesterday wasn't your only gift." Draco cupped her face in his trembling hands. "You have given me the gift of your presence and your friendship for lo these many years and I abused those things. Badly. Perhaps irretrievably so. The only thing I could ever have the temerity of asking from you is that to begin to consider the possibility of giving me a chance to make things up to you. Starting with this." He nodded his head towards the package that now lay on the table. "It's not much...but please accept it as a down payment on a debt that I can only hope to live long enough to repay."

Luna sat at the table and tried to still her shaking hands enough so she could untie the ribbon. She opened the parcel to find a leather bound portfolio and a stack of letters. She let out a small cry when she saw the handwriting on the top of the pile. "Mum's letters?!"

Draco nodded. "Not all of them, I'm afraid. Once Father issued his 'edict' he tried to erase your family from our lives completely. Mother managed to save some of her most recent correspondence and hid it away in her family's vault at Gringott's. Along with this. " He indicated the album. "Go ahead. Open it."

Luna did so and let out a squeal of delight. Inside were a series of pictures, including all of the Christmas photos, even the ones from before she was born. Draco smiled. "Xeno made Mother copies every year. There are even some of Mother and Panda from when they were at school. Apparently your father was a shutter bug back then as well."

They sat and pored over the pictures for almost an hour before Luna reached for the letters. Opening the one of the top, she pointed to the date and said, "I remember this one! I was curled up next to mother in bed as she was writing it. She thought I was asleep." Luna skimmed down to the end and read out loud:

"So as I close, I repeat once again, my darling Cissy, how much I miss you. But the truth is that it is our children's separation that most keenly tears at my heart - as I know that it does yours. Perhaps we can both look forward to the day when they can be the people they want to be rather than playing the roles which others keep trying to force upon them. It is my dearest wish that they can be there for each other when the rest of us are gone. Hoping to see you soon. All my love, Panda."

Luna reached for Draco's hand and smiled. "Looks like our mothers finally get their wish. I suppose better late than never, right?"

Draco caressed the back of her hand with his thumb. "Absolutely."

"Well, in that case, Draco Malfoy, would you please do me the honor of spending Christmas Day with me?"

Draco lifted her hand and gently pressed it to his lips. "The honor would be entirely mine."

They spent Christmas Day together reminiscing and visiting her father at St. Mungo's and Luna even persuaded Draco to make a brief stop at the Burrow - to the amazement of all in attendance. A week later Draco sold the Manor and moved into a country home not far from Luna's cottage. The following Christmas he plucked up the courage to kiss her under the (certified nargle free) mistletoe. The Christmas after that he proposed and to his great relief she accepted.

They were never able to completely restore Xeno to his former self but Doctor Sachs was able to make a great deal of progress. While Luna's father would forever require specialized care, he did improve to the point where he could speak and walk and was able rejoin the family on special occasions. He even managed to walk Luna down the aisle at her wedding.

Two years after that touching ceremony (and following the most nerve wracking nine months of Draco's life) Luna successfully gave birth to a set of twins, which they named Scorpius and Lyra. Everything went smoothly, thanks in large part to the ground breaking research of Madame Pomfrey and company.

That same year, as he stood at the door to their sitting room watching his wife and infant children staring up at the Christmas tree, a wave of pure joy washed over Draco. He closed his eyes and whispered a message to his former potions master. "You were right, Professor. I was an idiot but I did listen and I did learn. Thank you. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry that you never got your happy ending but thank you for making mine possible."

"Draco? " Luna called softly. "I think I've got the children settled. Want to try for the Christmas photo now?"

"Be right there, Love." Draco glanced at the bell on the wall -the one which used to hang in his old bedroom, the one that had started it all. It was the only item he brought from the Manor when he sold it. He reached up and gave it a little ring. "Happy Christmas, Severus. I won't take any of this for granted. Not now. Not ever. I swear it."

And, true to his word, Draco kept that promise until the end of his days.

The end.

Merry Christmas