Mumbo strolled along quietly in the back of the group. Grian and Iskall walked in front, shoving each other and laughing uproariously, Stress and Scar a couple feet behind, giggling softly at the pair, and then Mumbo, his hands in his pockets as his eyes followed the blond bunny back and forth across the path.

With Christmas holiday right around the corner, he had to drink up any and all opportunities to watch Grian before he went home for two weeks. And now, staring as Iskall threw a snowball that coated Grian's curls in white powder, smiling brightly with his cheeks and nose rosy from the cold, he looked just like a doll.

Do you hear how creepy you are?

Mumbo shook his head, having effectively made himself blush by his own chastising, and caught up with Stress and Scar, who were deep in conversation about their Christmas holidays.

"South America, huh?"

"Yeah!" Stress exclaimed. "It'll be summer there as well, which will be nice"

"You always go on such extravagant vacations" Scar said, shaking his head enviously.

Stress shrugged.

"Well my parents are journalists for the daily prophet, so that allows them to travel a lot"

Mumbo opened his mouth to reply, but yelped instead as a snowball struck his neck, the cold ice melting down the front of his chest in a very uncomfortable way.

He heard Stress, Scar, and Iskall's loud riotous laughter, and looked up in shock to see Grian giggling into his hand, leaning on Iskall for support as his legs began to give out under him.

"You... you should have... seen your face" he choked out between bouts of laughter. "So... so cute!"

Color flooded Mumbo's face as his friends began to roar even louder at Grian's words.

"Y-you guys are th-the worst!" He stuttered, covering his burning ears with his mittens.

"Aww" Grian cooed, smiling brightly as he stepped away from Iskall and threw his arms around Mumbo's middle, hugging him tightly. "I'm sooooorry. Do you forgive me, Mumby?"

"I... I-I..."

Despite the cold, Mumbo felt like his body was on fire. Grian pressed his chin into Mumbo's chest, staring up into his face with an importuning grin.

"Is that a yes?"

Mumbo clamped his hands behind his back and nodded wordlessly. As badly as he wanted to wrap his arms around the bunny, trying to control himself with this level of contact was already making him dizzy.

Grian giggled at his impossibly red face, and squeezed him once more before letting go and running ahead.

"Come on!" He yelled. "Last one to Hogsmeade is a blast ended skrewt!"

Stress giggled as Iskall and Scar ran after Grian, turning to Mumbo with a sly smile.

"So... when's the wedding?"

Mumbo's cheeks flushed darker and he sputtered as he tried to form a sentence.

"Y-you... I don't... sh-shut up!"

Stress laughed and nudged his shoulder gently.

"You know I'm only kidding Mumbo"

"Yeah, thanks" he grumbled, beginning to walk again. "Cause I don't embarrass myself in front of him enough as is"

"Aw come on" Stress said, catching up to him quickly. "It's not as bad as you think. Besides, Grian likes to tease you. I think he might like you too"

Mumbo tripped over his own feet at her words, and Stress brought a hand up to hide her smile.

"He... he doesn't... n-no, no Stress, he-he can't"

"And why not?"

"Because what in the bloody hell am I supposed to do then?!"

Stress shrugged.

"Hm, I don't know, maybe tell him that you like him??"

"Nope. Can't do that?"

"Why?"

"If he rejects me..." Mumbo hesitated. "I might die"

"And... if he doesn't?" Stress prodded.

"Then I'll definitely die"

Stress laughed, and Mumbo smiled softly. It was hard not to with such sweet laughter filling his ears.

After a few minutes of silence he sighed.

"You really... you really think he might like me? In... that way, I mean?"

Stress nodded, giving Mumbo her best and most sincere smile.

"I do"

The grin that stretched across Mumbo's face remained there for the rest of the trip.

~~~

"Mumbo look at this!"

Grian grabbed Mumbo's hand, pulling him over to look in the window of Zonko's Joke Shop.

"They have nose biting teacups!"

Mumbo chuckled at his unabashed enthusiasm and blushed as his hand was squeezed even tighter.

"Sounds... painful?"

Grian giggled and let go of his hand (much to Mumbo's displeasure) to step closer to the window.

"Yeah but you know how we've been transforming teacups in transfiguration, and tea leaf reading in divination? What if I replaced one of those cups with one of these?"

Mumbo's jaw dropped.

"You... you wouldn't"

"Wouldn't I?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe it'll be your  cup"

Mumbo gulped, making a mental note to keep an eye out for biting teacups in his classes.

Grian removed his hands from the glass and sighed wistfully.

"Oh well. Where do you want to go next?"

"Wait" Mumbo looked back at the shop. "Aren't you going to buy them?"

"Uh... no. I don't think I can spare the money with the holidays coming up. Christmas presents, you know?"

"Oh r-right"

So stupid! He doesn't have... his parents can't...

"Um, c-come on. It's pretty cold out. You want to get a butterbeer?"

Grian bit his lip and checked his pockets, pulling out a couple of coins.

"I think I have-"

"My treat" Mumbo cut in, placing his hand over Grian's to cover the money.

"Oh... are you sure?"

Mumbo nodded, and the bunny grinned brightly.

"How could I possibly refuse?" He chirped, winking up at the taller boy.

"Y- uh... y-yeah..." Mumbo stuttered, his eyes glazing over as blood rushed to his face.

Grian giggled and linked their arms together.

"Come on"

"Yeah..." he murmured dazedly, allowing the small Slytherin to drag him along through the snow.

~~~

"So... what do you and your siblings do over Christmas holiday?" Mumbo asked, wiping butterbeer from his upper lip. The noisy crowded inn, and warm sweet drink had knocked him from his stupor, although Grian's sated smile and flushed cheeks from the heat were beginning to become distracting.

"Well, most of us prefer to stay at Hogwarts for holiday" Grian explained, tapping his fingertips on the table.

Mumbo choked on his drink.

"You can stay at Hogwarts?!" He exclaimed after his coughing fit.

Grian chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, it's a lot of fun cause there aren't many people here. Why? What do you usually do during the holidays?"

"I study" Mumbo muttered dully.

Grian furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why?"

"My parents" he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"Oh, I see" Grian said, nodding sympathetically. "Well... why don't you just stay here over Christmas?"

"Huh?" Mumbo's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

"Stay at Hogwarts with me! We can hang out, and play pranks on my siblings together!"

"But my parents-"

"Just tell them you're staying... so you have access to the library!" Grian suggested with a shrug.

"That's..." Mumbo felt a wide smile stretch across his face. "A really good idea"

The Slytherin boy hummed in approval, going back to his drink as Mumbo leaned his hand on his cheek.

Christmas holiday at Hogwarts. Two weeks alone with Grian...

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please consider leaving a like and a comment to let me know what you think!