Celebration Cut Short
"Time for bed, Hugo," said Hermione, quite calmly despite the fact this was the tenth time she had told her son this.
"Awww, but I want to stay up! How come Rose and James and Al get to stay up and I don't?"
"You're not old enough, Hugh. Even if Mum did let you stay up you'd probably end up asleep on the couch before 11," Rose countered, and then added in a whisper only her brother could hear, "I did when I was your age. It was really embarrassing."
"This is the first time Al's been allowed to stay up. When you're his age, we'll let you celebrate at midnight. Go on Hugh." said Harry. Ginny nodded beside him. Ron and Hermione had spent New Year's with the Potters ever since the two couples had been married. Harry insisted. Christmas was always a big affair at the Burrow, but New Year's just needed to be more intimate. While Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place wasn't small by any stretch of the imagination, when the two families occupied the drawing room (and, for the younger kids, the bedroom across the hall) it was more what Harry imagined a New Year's celebration should be.
Hugo still looked unhappy, "Can I at least stay up 'til Dad gets here?"
Ron hadn't come with Hermione and the kids. He had been called into work unexpectedly. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. In fact, it had been happening more and more this year. But then, Hermione reflected, such was life being married to the Head of the Auror Training Academy. She glanced at her watch. 9:20. Ron was due any minute. It couldn't hurt. "Oh, I suppose." Hugo beamed.
Five minutes later, the doorbell rang. Harry rose to answer it, and was glad they'd finally managed to wrest Sirius' mother's portrait from the wall. It made life so much more peaceful.
He returned moments later, Ron following him into the drawing room, talking animatedly.
"…and you should've seen when Teddy morphed into Moody. It was—" he stopped short. "Hugo, what are you still doing up?"
"I wanted to say goodnight to you Dad."
Ron knelt and hugged his son. Hermione looked on with a serene smile on her face. Then she said, "Alright young man. Now it really is time for bed."
"Okay," he said, finally resigned to his fate.
"See you next year, Hugh!" called James and Al from the table where they were engaged in a game of Exploding Snap.
Hugo sighed as he quietly shut the door to the bedroom. As far as he was concerned, New Year's Eve 2019 couldn't come soon enough.
Author's Notes: Originally written for the LJ Community flashfic_rhr's prompt new year's day/eve in January 2008.