Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING in this story!!!!! Except for the idea, I suppose.
AN: I wanted to post a holiday story and came up with this. Takes place about twelve years after the war. H/Hr have a family and its Christmas… read and enjoy!
R/R Please, but be kind!
It was seven in the evening on Christmas Eve at the Potter house. Snow was softly falling outside the three story house in Godric's Hollow. It was peaceful outside, as lights on the houses flickered against the blanket of snow. The many different lights twinkled causing the darkness to not seem so bad. It was a bit over twelve years after the war, and the magical world had been saved. Looking in at the house numbered fifteen, was decked out with colorful lights galore. The snowman sitting on the front of the lawn was enormous and had been erected during the earlier hours. Snow angels of three sizes were littered all over the lawn, slowly getting filled in with each flake falling from the clouds. In the large picture window, you could see the Christmas tree sparkle with lights, tinsel, and Christmas balls. The angle on top of the tree sparkled gold.
A lot had happened over the years, marriages and births were the most noticeable. Hermione and Harry had married after a two year span of dating one another at the ages of twenty-three and twenty-four. Harry had become an Auror and had spent the past years rounding up the groups of Death Eaters still around. He worked his ass off to make the world a better place, and couldn't stop there. He loved his job, which only came second to his family and friends. Hermione had gone into the Department Of Mysteries, taking a job as a researcher. She adored her job and quickly became the best witch for the job. Two years after Harry and Hermione married, they began their family.
First, on April 21st, the twins, Nora Lillian and Alexander James, who was known by the family mainly as Alex, were born. They had turned four this past year. Next came Emma Molly on the 5th of November, two and a half year later. She was now eighteen months old. All three of the children had their father's and grandmother's emerald eyes. Alex was the spitting image of Harry, from messy black hair to the skin coloring. Nora looked like her mum with the exception of a mess of black curly hair. Emma was a mix of the parents. Her hair was her mum's, coloring was her fathers, and her features looked a bit more like Hermione, but changed every day. Alex was always looking for adventure. He loved Quidditch and couldn't wait to fly his own broom when he turned six. Nora also loved Quidditch, but reading recently became very important to her. She would curl up and read one of her many story books in front of the fire, or ask her mummy or dad to read to her. Emma was her own spirit. She adored being held and cuddled, but also had her independent moment. Much to her mum's dismay she had days where she tried to be two years old, six months early.
"Emma Molly!" Hermione frowned, waving her finger at her youngest daughter, "Don't even think about it young lady. You let the tinsel on the tree alone. I don't need it all over the floor."
"Mama!" Emma frowned, her lower lip sticking out, "Top!"
"Don't you tell me to stop." She said, walking over to her daughter, picking her up, "You stop."
"Down!" She squealed, "Down Mama!"
"You can come into the kitchen with me, then." She said, "Do you want juice?"
Emmy nodded happily, her mood changing instantly, smiling brightly, her curls bouncing on top of her head. Hermione sat her in the highchair, and walked to the refrigerator, pulling out the apple juice. She poured it into a cup and passed it to the baby. She cleaned up the kitchen from dinner using her wand, and talked to the baby until they heard the familiar pop coming into the foyer, "DADA!" Emma smiled brightly showing her teeth. She looked towards the door waiting for her father to appear, "DADA!" She called again, banging her cup onto her tray.
"EMMA!" Harry said, with just as much enthusiasm as she had said his name in.
"DADADADADA!" She squealed, raising her arms towards him. He lifted her up out of the high chair and kissed her.
"You're a bit late." Hermione smiled.
"I know. I had lots of paper work to finish, before I came home. I figured having a week off, I'd need to at least plan on getting most of the files finished." He said, walking over to kiss his wife, "Have a good night?"
Hermione nodded, smiling, "Your daughter has given me a run for my money though."
"What have you been doing Emma?"
"Paying!" She smiled.
"Playing with what?"
"Tee!" She smiled, and clapped her tiny hands.
"Pulling the tinsel no less." Harry smiled, kissing her forehead.
"She tried. I stopped it."
"And where are my two monsters?"
"Downstairs watching Rudolph. They have been completely off the wall today."
"No doubt." He laughed.
"They need to get a bath and then go to bed shortly. We still have things to do." Hermione smiled.
"Me too." Emma smiled.
"I'll give you a bath first Emmy."
"Kay." She smiled.
"If you want to now, that would be brilliant."
"You know what that means Emma. Mummy means…"
"Now!" She said, giggling.
"Right." He said, laughing, "We'll be back in a flash."
"Take your time."
Harry walked out of the kitchen and into the family room, stopping to look at the tree. The mantle held the five stockings, three having their children's names, "Dada, up!" Emma smiled, pulling him from his thoughts. He smiled and patted her back as they went upstairs. Harry drew the bathwater and got his daughter undressed. He placed her into the bath. She immediately began to splash and play in the water. He allowed her to do so, sitting back a bit to avoid the spray of water. He gave her the little yellow ducky, which after their children, Mr. Weasley finally knew the true meaning of the toy. She smiled happily as she pushed the duck through the water. Harry couldn't believe how big she was getting. She was beginning to talk a lot more, taking after Hermione with that part of her development. She would answer you when she could. Her hair straightened as it continued to get wet. She giggled as she splashed at her daddy, getting him wet. He humored her with an "Emma! You got me all wet!" She giggled and splashed him more. He gave up and sat down next to the tub, playing with the duck with her, his shirt getting soaked, "Father Christmas is going to be mad that you got Daddy all wet."
"No!" She giggled, splashing him again.
She wasn't nearly as excited as his two oldest. She didn't understand Christmas nor look forward to it. It was only her second Christmas. She would be more into it tomorrow, and probably enjoy the boxes more than anything. He got her washed, and then wrapped a towel around her, casting a drying charm on her so her hair was not dripping. He dressed her in her holiday pajamas, which were red and green with black reindeer all over the fabric. He zipped her outfit and picked her up, placing her onto the floor. She padded down the hallway in her feet covered pajamas and waited for Harry to hold her hand to go down the stairs. He held her hand in his and they walked back to Hermione.
"Daddy!" Nora shouted as she ran through the house, "Why didn't you say hello to me?!"
"You and Alex were downstairs watching television. I didn't want to bother you." He said, picking up his oldest daughter.
"I missed you." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I missed you too. Are you ready for Father Christmas to come?"
"Yup! I have been VERY good this year, haven't I?"
"I think so."
"Alex hasn't." She frowned.
"Yes I have!" Alex yelled at his twin sister. He was the oldest by five minutes and let his 'little sister' know that.
"No you haven't! You're mean!"
"No I'm not Nora!"
"Yes you are!"
"Stop it you two." Harry said, rolling his eyes, "Or I'll stay up late and make sure Father Christmas doesn't show up."
Nora and Alex quickly stopped their bickering and Alex leaned against his father, getting a hug around the shoulders from him.
"Dad, when will he come?" Alex asked.
"Not until after your sound asleep."
"I'm not going to fall asleep." He said quite sure of himself.
"Well then Father Christmas won't come."
"I'm going to go to sleep Daddy." She smiled sweetly.
"Me too." Alex decided suddenly.
"Good." He said, looking at the clock, "You both need a bath. Who is going to be first?"
"Me! I'm the oldest!" Alex said, as he ran upstairs.
"Alright, your next then Nora."
"Ok." She said, walking into the kitchen, "Mummy? Can I have a cookie?"
Hermione smiled "Yes you can. Go have a seat at the table."
"Chocolate chip please. Milk too."
"Juice!" Emma squealed from her high chair.
"You already have juice." Hermione said.
"Pease."
"You have juice. You don't need any more."
Nora happily ate her cookie and smiled talking to her mummy about Christmas, "Do you think that he will bring a broom for us?"
"I doubt it, because he knows that you and Alex need to be six to have your own broom."
"Oh. Do you think I'll get my doll?"
"I don't know. That's part of the surprise." She laughed, "But if you've been a good girl, you'll be happy with your gifts."
"And if you're like Alex you'll get rocks." She frowned.
"Nora Lillian!" Hermione said, getting her daughter to giggle, "You get into just as much trouble."
"No I don't." She smiled.
"The three of you are just like your father and your Uncle Ron. I don't know what I am going to do with you once you are off into Hogwarts. Poor Headmistress McGonagall will be writing me almost every day."
Nora laughed again as she drank her milk. Alex came running down as she finished, "Your turn Nora."
"Ok." She said, running upstairs.
Hermione completed the same routine for her son as he did for her daughter. After finishing her bath, Nora sat down next to her mum on the couch. Hermione grabbed a brush and ran it through her daughters ebony curls, "Ouch! Mummy!" Nora squirmed, "Stop it! You're hurting me!"
"We'll cut your hair then." Hermione said.
"NO!" She cried.
"Then, you're going to need to deal with the tangles." Hermione sighed. This discussion happened over and over again. Nora would cry, Hermione would be annoyed, and in the end, Hermione won, "Alex, come here."
"Mummy it won't help." He said, pouting.
Hermione smiled, and brushed his hair in vain. Her son was right, it wouldn't help. No matter how much she brushed his hair, it never stayed in place, just like his fathers. Harry laughed as he ate his cookie. Hermione looked at the clock as she saw Emma rubbing her eyes. It was eight o'clock. She released Alex's hair and went over to Emma, "Alright, bedtime Miss Emma." She told the baby as she picked her up, settling her against her hip. Emma lied her head down on Hermione's shoulder, not one to fight bedtime yet, Harry kissed his youngest and they went upstairs. Hermione gently put Emma into the crib and covered her up with the blanket. She kissed the baby and said, "I'll see you in the morning Emma, I love you."
"Love mama." She said, and Hermione turned out the light, closed the door and went back downstairs with her husband and oldest children.
Hermione picked up Nora and sat her on her lap as they watched another Christmas show together on the television. When that show finished, it was time for bed. The kids were not tired, but Harry and Hermione had too much to do to keep them up past their bed time.
"Mummy, I don't want to go to sleep yet." Nora said, "I'm not even tired yet!"
"Me either mum." Alex said firmly.
"Well, considering it is nine o'clock and you are four years old, you need to be in bed asleep. Plus we don't know when Father Christmas will be arriving so we need to make sure that you are in bed, asleep before he shows, otherwise, you're not going to be getting any presents. He'll have to pass right over our house."
Both kids' eyes got large and they bolted up the stairs, brushed their teeth and got into bed, waiting for their parent's to say good night. Hermione walked into Nora's room first and covered her up, "Now, you need to actually GO to sleep. Not just stay up here and play."
"I won't Mummy."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Ma'am." She said, "Can I read a book though?"
Hermione raised her eyebrow a bit first, "Well, if you can't sleep in a few minutes, yes, but only ONE book."
"Ok." She smiled, reaching her arms up to get her hug and kiss from Hermione, "Is Daddy coming in?"
"As soon as he's done with Alex, yes. Now, go to sleep."
"But I'm not tired." She said.
"Well then, read a bit."
She sighed, knowing better then to fight with her mummy. Whatever mummy said went. She agreed, and Hermione gave her another kiss, "I love you Nora, good night."
"Night mummy." She smiled.
She walked out of the door, leaving the light on for her husband to turn off. Hermione and Harry passed each other in the hallway as they entered the children's rooms. Hermione walked into the room and smiled, "Good night Alex."
"Night mum." He said, smiling. She hugged and kissed him, "Mum, can I stay up?"
"Absolutely not."
"Just for a bit?"
"Only if you are reading."
He frowned at this. He enjoyed reading, but not as much as his mummy and sister. He would rather be playing then reading, "How long can I read?"
"Ten minutes." She said.
"Fifteen?"
"Fifteen then. No longer." She laughed, knowing that she would have to come up in the designated time to make sure the pair were actually sleeping. Normally, they would be asleep before they were finished reading, but tonight would most likely be different. They would be wide awake listening for the sleigh bells and wondering what Santa would bring them, "I'll see you in the morning, I love you."
"I love you too." He smiled, "Oh and mummy?"
"Yes?"
"Tell Daddy he is not allowed to eat the cookies for Father Christmas."
Hermione laughed, "I will."
"Thanks." He said, as she kissed him one last time.
Hermione flicked off the overhead light, leaving the red and gold room illuminated by the small bedside light. She closed the door, half way, and walked into Emma's room to check on her. She was sleeping soundly, her breathing even and slow. She smiled and covered her up. She had a bad habit of kicking off her blankets at night, just like her daddy did on occasion. It was too cold to be sleeping without a blanket. With a final kiss on the forehead, she joined her husband downstairs, who was munching on the cookies left for Father Christmas, "I was told to tell you not to eat the cookies for Father Christmas."
Harry laughed, "He told me the same thing. I guess he figured he'd have a better chance with me listening to you rather than a four year old."
Hermione smiled and took one of the chocolate chip cookies off the plate, "I am going to check on them in fifteen and then we can get started."
"I have to assemble their bikes." He groaned.
"I'll help."
"I'm sure." He laughed, "You just worry about getting the gifts down from the attic."
Hermione nodded, "I can do that."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other as they heard footsteps walking from the far side of the house to the near side, "Alexander and Nora, you lot better be in your OWN bedrooms!" Harry called up to them, "Otherwise, I'm eating the cookies and telling Father Christmas to skip our house!"
"No!" Both voices squealed and footsteps and their doors close.
"You're next." Harry smiled.
She nodded and sat down next to him, pulling his arm around her shoulder, she leaned her head against his shoulder, "I can't believe it's Christmas already."
"I know." He laughed, "Emma will be more into it this year."
"It's going to be great." She smiled.
Twenty minutes passed and Hermione stood up, walking up the staircase to the check on her children. She was surprised to see them both asleep. Nora was buried under her blankets, while Alex was at the foot of his bed, no blankets, and upside down. Hermione covered him up with his golden snitch blanket and closed his door all the say. Wanting to wait another half hour, Harry and Hermione drank tea before they decided to start the gifts.
"Alright." Harry said, standing up, "I need to get the bikes done."
Hermione nodded, "Good luck with that." She stood up and quietly went to the attic, pulling her wand out, she levitated presents from the attic and brought them down to the first floor. She placed them around the tree in the spots that the kids have grown custom to over the years. Hermione always places the children's initials on the left corner of the package, so she read and placed. By the time Hermione came back down the third time, Harry was already cursing at the bike he was trying to put together. Hermione smiled at him, "Having problems love?"
"I can't do it magically." He groaned.
Hermione laughed, "Good. Read the directions."
"I am. Nora's bike seems a bit easier than Alex's." He said groaning. He pulled his daughter's bike out of the box and began to read the directions, "Look at this diagram! All the pieces look the same! Insert ball one into slot x. Why can't I put ball one into slot A. Wouldn't that make more sense?" Rolling her eyes, Hermione rearranged the packages, "Hermione, you should be doing this. You were always more into reading."
"Or, perhaps you shouldn't have procrastinated for weeks, like old times, to finish the task early to avoid all the stress."
"Will you ever change?" He asked.
"Will you?"
"No."
"Neither will I." She smiled, "Besides, you wanted to get them these bikes. We could have just as easily purchased already put together bikes. Not two bikes that require some assembly. Next time, don't put it off so long."
Now it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, before he went back to the task. Hermione smiled to herself, satisfied with his silence. His silence meant that he knew she was right. Finally, the purple and turquoise bike was finished, in just about forty-five minutes. He smiled victoriously and turned to his wife, "Well done Harry." She said, "No parts left over?"
"NO!" He said, in a playfully hurt voice.
"Good." She grinned, "One down, one to go."
"Bloody hell." He groaned, and got to work on his son's bike.
Hermione laughed a lot as he took almost two hours to assemble the bikes. He was quite proud of himself as the two bikes stood up and were properly assembled, "The kids are going to love them." Hermione smiled.
"Yeah, but we have a foot of snow out there. They are going to have to wait to ride them, or ride them in the basement."
Hermione nodded and yawned. It was eleven o'clock by the time Christmas finally arrived. There were lots of presents, equal numbers of packages, with the exception of Emma not getting a bike yet. Hermione sat down on the couch across from the dying fire and smiled, "They are going to be up early."
"We should probably try to get some sleep soon." He said, kissing her neck.
"Sleep eh?" She giggled.
"Well, after a bit of aerobic activity." He laughed. Using his wand, he put out the fire, and then with his hands, pulled Hermione up off the bed. They went upstairs, checking on all three kids one last time, the closed and temporarily locked the door.
"MUMMY! DADDY! It's Christmas Wake up!" Nora and Alex cried, running into their room, jumping on their bed.
Hermione opened her eyes as Nora lied across her back, "Do I have to?"
"Yes!" Both kids squealed.
"It's only six thirty you two." Harry groaned.
"But daddy, it's Christmas!" Alex said, pulling his father's eyes open, "Father Christmas came!"
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Yes!" They both shouted.
"Alright, go to the bathroom and we'll go down." Hermione said, wanting to get Emma up and changed. She sat up as Nora and Alex ran out of the room, and pulled on her housecoat.
She went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth and her hair, before going across the hall into the baby's room. Emma was already awake, lying in her crib still, "Good morning sunshine." She called as Emma stood up, smiling, raising her arms to her mummy. She and Hermione were both early risers. Emma was always a bundle of sunshine when she woke up. Hermione changed her and was joined with her other two children. Harry was already downstairs awaiting his family, "Happy Christmas." She said, kissing her family.
"Mummy! Look!" Nora smiled, and ran to her presents.
"Looks like you both were really good this year."
"And Emma too mummy." Alex smiled.
"Emma too." She said.
They took turns opening their presents, excited over every part of them, especially their bikes. Hermione and Harry got a chance to open their presents after the kids. Emma spent more time playing with the boxes the toys were in. She built houses with them and jumped into the big ones. Harry finally got the toddler to play with her toys instead of the cardboard.
Nora ran up to Hermione and sat on her lap, "Mummy, can I ride my bike?"
Harry laughed, "It's snowy outside."
"Please mummy." Nora begged, ignoring her father's comment.
"In the basement."
"Me too?" Alex asked.
"You too." Hermione smiled, "See if daddy can bring your bikes down."
"Daddy, bring our bikes down please!"
"Mummy can you help?"
"No." She said, shaking her head, "I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavy for a bit of time. Till the end of July actually."
"Why not?" Harry asked, his eyebrow raised, before he did the math and calculated the time, "You're pregnant?!"
She nodded, "Two months along."
"When did you find out?!" Harry asked, his mouth dropped.
"Since the first of the month." She grinned.
"Bloody hell."He cursed, "This is wonderful!"
"Mummy, you're going to have another baby?" Nora asked, smiling.
"Yes."
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Alex asked.
"We won't know that for quite some time." Hermione laughed.
"I want a boy." He said, "Daddy, we have too many girls as it is! Right daddy?"
Harry laughed, ruffling his dark hair, "Right Alex, but I'd love another girl as well."
Alex stuck his tongue out at Nora who threw a ball of wrapping paper at him.
"Well, we'll have to wait and see." Hermione laughed.
"Did you tell anyone?!" Harry asked.
"Only Ginny and Luna know."
"I can't believe this!" He said, kissing his wife, "Emma, you're going to be a big sister!"
"Me little!" She said, playing with her toy.
"For now."
They went down to the part of their basement that was unfinished. The kids road their bikes and Emma played with her doll on the carpeted part of the floor. Finally around noon, Hermione stopped the kids from playing and turned to her husband.
"We need to get them dressed for Grandmum's house." Hermione smiled, "We need to be at the Burrow in an hour." She stated, looking at the clock.
"Right. Alright you lot let's go." Harry said, "Girls' with mummy and the boy with me."
"Do I have to wear a tie?" Alex asked.
"Yes."
"I don't want to wear one."
"Alexander James, you are wearing your suit and tie. It is not going to kill you." Hermione frowned.
"But mum…"
"My word is final."
Frowning he followed his dad upstairs. Harry had Alex dressed in minutes, giving him a warning about not getting dirty, and he sent him downstairs to play. Hermione had the girls in green velvet dresses with a long red ribbon in Nora's hair, tying her curls back, and a small red bow tied in Emma's. Both girls went downstairs, while Hermione stayed in her room and quickly changed. She zipped her dress and felt her husband's hands around her waist. She smiled, and let him linger, "So, number four."
Hermione nodded, "Number four."
"Wow." He laughed.
"My thought's exactly."
"Three more and we have the Weasley clan."
"Don't push it." She laughed, "I mean, more would be great, but I think after how sick I was with the twins and Emma, four may be our magical number."
Harry laughed, "You said that with the twins and then with Emma."
"Yeah, but you didn't believe me then."
"Nor do I now. I think we'll end up with five. We're young enough."
Nodding Hermione smiled, "We'll see. I haven't been sick yet."
"It's worth it in the end."
"That it is." She said, turning into his arms, "Are you ready?"
"I'm ready for anything, as long as I go through it with you."
Hermione smiled and kissed him, "Ditto, now let me finish getting dressed."
"Right." He said, as he went downstairs.
The family of five apparate over to the Burrow, to the Weasley family which had grown over the years. A mess of redheaded, blonde, brunette and black haired children always ran through the house. Ron hugged his nieces and nephew as they arrived. Uncle Ron was the twin's godfather. Ginny was Emma's godmother. Ginny, who was now a Lawson, married a man who she had met on a work outing named Andrew, had one child who was only two months. Ron who married a witch from Ireland named Katie, had two children, the same ages as the Potters. The rest had one to four kids, and everyone was there for the famous Weasley Christmas. Harry and Hermione gave them the news that they were expecting, getting immediate congratulations hugs, kisses and pats on the back.
All in all, it was an exciting Christmas at the Potters, but as always far too quick. Their expanding family kept changing, and next year Father Christmas would have to bring another child a package. Boy or girl, it didn't matter to them. All they hoped for is that next Christmas they would be celebrating it with a healthy child named either Luke Sirius or Anna Genevieve. Time kept on changing for the better. The family was happy, healthy, and always full of love.
Hope you liked it! R/ R please it only takes a second!
*Stary