Disclaimer; You and I both know I don't own these characters. So get over it and have a Merry Christmas!

A/N Ok, I know I told you all that I was done with this story but I got a brainstorm this morning and started writing this. I thought Arien would like to celebrate Christmas as well so here it is. I hope you all like it. It's just sentimental Christmas fluff, but hey, 'tis the season right? I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. Oh, and on a side note I did not get Tom Felton under my tree, so Santa screwed up! Happy reading and don't forget to review!

Jennifer

Arien's first Christmas

Arien was just a month old when we celebrated our first Christmas Eve as a family. Draco had the house decorated from top to bottom in celebration. I fussed over Arien in his crib dressing him in a red one piece sleeper. His silvery eyes sparkled beneath the twinkling lights Draco placed on the ceiling of his room to represent the stars. I picked him up and breathed in his sweet baby scent. He wrapped his tiny fist around my finger as I bounced him around the room.

"Time to go see the tree daddy decorated." I told him softly in his sweet baby ear. He smiled knowingly. I walked down the stairs and my eyes were filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas. Draco had brought home a giant tree, close to 9 feet tall. With the star on top it grazed the high ceiling of the living room. Tiny lights filled the branches and when I got closer I realized that they were tiny fireflies he had enchanted to sit at precise points and blink in patterns. Huge gold and silver ornaments glistened in the soft lights. Tinsel gave the tree an iced effect. The fireplace was also decked with live evergreen garland and tall white candles. Three stockings hung in a row on the mantel. The tiny blue one in the middle had Arien's name on it in silver glitter. There were small statues of St. Nicholas everywhere along with my snow globe collection my mum brought me from her house.

"The house looks beautiful darling." I told him as I kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Come here Arien." he said reaching out for our tiny sleeping son. He took him gently and pressed his lips up to Arien's forehead. I looked outside and a gentle snow had started to fall. It was going to be a perfect Christmas Eve. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Lavender and Blaise were coming over to see the baby and help us celebrate.

An hour after that Harry and Ginny arrived, first as usual. Ginny squealed when she saw me and flung her arms around my neck nearly knocking me over.

"Happy Christmas!" she said. Her pink cheeks and windswept hair made her look more beautiful than ever. Harry smiled when he saw me.
"Hi 'Mione. Happy Christmas." in his hand was a bag full of presents. "Where should I put these?" he asked.

"Over by the tree is fine." I said.

"Where in my nephew?" Ginny asked. I considered Ginny to be his aunt because she was like my sister.

"Draco has him in the living room. Go on and see him." I told her as I followed her into the living room. She smiled widely and made a beeline for the sofa where Draco was sitting with Arien.

"Is he awake?" she whispered.

"Yes, wide awake. He just wouldn't go to sleep when he heard his auntie Ginny was coming over." Draco smiled and handed her the happy baby.

"He is getting so big!" Ginny grinned.

"I know." I told her as I sat on the squishy chair by the fire. Ginny continued to cuddle Arien until Ron and Lavender arrived. Ron's smiling face warmed my heart. Lavender's face was glowing and she was just beginning to show.

"You look wonderful Lavender." I told her. "Do you know what it is?" 'Duh' I thought 'She is a psychic.'

"A girl." she said.

"How wonderful." I said. Ron was grinning ear to ear. "Congratulations Ron." he hugged me tightly.

"I am so happy Hermione." he whispered. "I am going to have a family of my own."

"Well don't just stand there," I said through teary eyes. "Come in and sit down. Especially you Lavender. Come and see Arien, you won't believe how big he had gotten."

Soon the six of us were sitting in the living room drinking egg nog and passing Arien around. I looked at my watch. Blaise was late.

"Draco, sweetheart. Blaise is still coming right?" I asked hoping nothing had happened to him.

"I talked to him this morning. He is coming." he said unworried.

"Alright." I whispered in his ear. "It's just I had enough with you disappearing, let alone our friends." he smiled and kissed my forehead. Lavender was coddling Arien when I heard a commotion outside. I went to the window and my mouth fell open. Outside in the falling snow was a horse drawn sleigh.

"Come over here!" I yelled and everyone flew to the window.

"Oh my." Lavender said startled. "How did that get out there?" she asked.

"I have no idea." I said. But just then a pop could be heard from the entry way.

"Ho, ho, ho!" someone shouted. "Buon Natale tutto!" (Merry Christmas everyone!)

I knew that voice. Blaise! I ran to the entry hall only to be greeted by Blaise dressed up like Saint Nicholas. He wore a rich red velvet coat and pants. Shiny black boots adorned his feet and a red velvet hat sat crookedly on his head. A big fluffy white beard was placed conspicuously on his smooth olive face.

"Happy Christmas Hermione!" he said kissing my hand sweetly.

"How have you been Blaise?" I asked.

"Wonderful. Where is Arien?" he asked.

"In the living room. Lavender is holding him."

"Ok," he said, "I brought him presents." he grinned.

"He is going to be so spoiled." I said.

"I know." he replied.

I walked into the living room and took Arien from a crestfallen Lavender.

"Look Arien," I said looking into his indigo eyes. "Santa is here!" He looked at me almost seeming to understand.

"Ho, ho, ho!" Blaise said. "Santa e qui portare a Arien il suo primo presente di Natale." (Santa is here to bring Arien his first Christmas presents!) He said jovially.

The room beamed at Blaise. Arien focused his tiny eyes at the approaching Santa. He dumped out his bag of presents near the Christmas tree.

"Good gods Blaise, what did you buy him?" Draco asked his friend.

"Just the basics." he winked.

I sat on the floor with the baby and opened the seemingly endless supply of gifts.

"You know Draco, dovreste cominciare insegnargli l'Italiano ora. I babmini imaprano piu rapidamente." (You should start teaching the baby Italian now, Babies learn quicker) Blaise told Draco.
"Si Blaise, so." (Yes Blaise, I know.) Draco replied with a wink.

"I also have a surprise for the two of you." Blaise replied.

"You didn't have to get us anything." I said blushing.

"Yes I did. The five of us are going to stay here with Arien and the two of you are going to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride." he smiled.

"Really?" Draco asked. We had not been alone since the baby, not that I was complaining.

"Really." he said. "Now go put some warm clothes on you two, its cold out there." I handed him Arien who was fast asleep from all the excitement, then I ran upstairs and changed clothes. I put on an off white cashmere sweater and brown stretch pants with brown leather boots. I also had an off white wool coat and matching hat and gloves. Soon I was downstairs. Draco already had nice pants and a shirt with a sweater on top so all he needed was a coat, hat and gloves which he got from the downstairs hall closet.

"I really appreciate this." I said near tears. I had not left Arien alone for a minute since he was born.

"He will be fine, now go." Lavender said. I smiled at our five friends and we walked out the front door.

"You know, we couldn't ask for better friends and family." I said as we walked off of our porch into the starry night.

"I know." Draco smiled.

Huge fat flakes of snow were falling, frosting all the houses and trees like gingerbread. In between the clouds bright stars were twinkling down on us. Draco and I approached the horse-drawn sleigh.

"Do you even know how to drive one of these things?" I asked cautiously.

"How hard could it be?" he said. "You tap the reins and the horses go." He helped me into the sleigh and sat down by my side.

"Giddy up." he said to the horses and they immediately obeyed. Jingling bells attached to the horses made the night feel even more like Christmas.

"This is beautiful." I said looking around at the snow crested houses.

"You are beautiful." he said nuzzling my ear.

"Still the charmer." I said playfully.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"You know you can."

"Are you ever sorry you married me?" he asked.

"Where is this coming from?" I asked.

"No, really. Are you?"

"Of course not." I said. "What made you ask that?"

"Well, you know the whole thing with your parents, your dad hating me. You could be spending Christmas with your parents if it weren't for me." he said sighing.

"I will see mum tomorrow when we go to her house. As for my dad, if he can't accept you, he can't accept me. You and Arien are my family now. I have to put you first." I said trying to comfort him. He smiled.

"I love you Hermione."

"I love you Draco." I replied. I laid my head on his shoulder as we rode up the deserted streets together.

After we were too cold to continue Draco drove the sleigh back to our house and we went inside. My cheeks were pink and my hair wet from the snow but I didn't care. We stripped off our outer clothes by the hall closet and came by the fire to warm up. Our house-elf had brought hot cocoa to the group and I grabbed a mug relishing the warm feeling on my hands.

"How was it?" Blaise asked.

"Heaven." we both replied.

"I hope Arien wasn't too fussy." I said holding my arms out for my precious son.

"He didn't stir at all." Ginny said handing him to me gently. When Arien felt himself in my arms his eyes opened up.

"Hello there little man." I cooed softly. "Did you have fun with your family?" He almost knowingly smiled.

"He was perfect." Lavender sighed. "I hope our baby is that content."

"With Ron for a father, don't count on it." Harry said smiling. Ron scowled.

"Oh Ronald, take a joke for once." I said, "After all, once you are a father a sense of humor is a requirement." He cracked a faint smile.

"Oooh, did that hurt your face?" I said playfully.

Draco turned on the wireless and Christmas music soon filled the room. We sang along to the carols we knew and talked for hours before we realized how late it was getting.

"It's time for our little man to go to bed." I said passing him around one last time for everyone to see and say good-night to.

"Goodnight Arien, Happy Christmas." everyone said as they begun to leave.

"Happy Christmas." Draco and I replied as the three of us saw our guests out the door.

"He looks beat." Draco said taking Arien from my arms and climbing the stairs to his nursery. I followed behind and sat in the rocker so Draco could hand him to me. Draco changed his diaper and brought him to me so I could nurse. As soon as he latched on he fell asleep still suckling. I rocked back and forth letting him eat until he was full and happy. Then we placed him soundly in his crib. His sweet angelic face tugged at my heartstrings as I watched him sleep.

"Goodnight Arien, happy first Christmas!" I said as I kissed my hand and placed it to his forehead.