When they leave the dungeons at the end of the last Potions class before Christmas, they find a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound tells them that Hagrid's behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asks, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" comes Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose—that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dives at Malfoy—

—but Dayo holds him before he can get in trouble just as Snape's coming up the stairs.

"IROKO!"

"He was going to attack me!"

"He just tripped and fell, Professor, that was all."

Snape narrows his eyes but just says, "Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle push roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. 

"I’ll get him," says Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him—"

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," says Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

He manages a smile for Hagrid.

(It's just - exhausting, that no matter where he goes there will always be people like Draco Malfoy.)

So the three of them follow Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick are busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree—put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looks spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stand around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. 

It's very impressive.

Muninn takes off to inspect the trees.

They're very pretty! Some have tiny fairies in them.

Tiny fairies, goodness.

So tiny! Very shy. A more courageous one tries approaching him.

He lands on a branch and folds his wings.

The fairy blinks at him and reaches to touch his beak.

He permits this.