Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I want to though…
Author's Notes: This is probably filled with errors but I wanted this to be here before Christmas. My Christmas Present to all! Happy Christmas Everyone!
Happy Christmas
The living room was comfortably warmed by the enchanted flame in the fireplace. It was sized normally, fitting a large burgundy sofa and several other armchairs across the room. It was the kind of living room that was comfortable whatever the weather. It was great to sit in at night curled up in a book in the armchair near the lamp. It was wonderful to sit in with friends retelling old tales of mischief and embarrassment that because of time now got a room full of laughter. It was the first room seen when coming in the house from a hectic filled day and the first thing on the mind was "home at last." In fact, the living room was what opt Scorpius and Rose to buy this place for them. It was perfect.
Now at Christmas Eve, the living room provided warmth and that old warm and fuzzy feeling every time Christmas was around the corner. It's once neat and purposeful furniture were covered in reds and greens that it seemed like a painter wanted to cover the room with as much green and as much red as humanly possible. There were the usual Christmas decorations like the tree and socks on top of the fireplace, but there was also the charming ones, like the dancing ginger bread men above the fire place that would every so often jump into a new sock and the snowmen that fancy itself a snow ball fight. However, no amount of Christmas cheer could take away the charm of the living room. Indeed, even now, the living room was one of the warmest, most comfortable places in the house.
But whatever the living room projected was nothing compared to what its occupants now gave off.
The Weasleys sat on the sofa, in one side of the room and Malfoy sat in an armchair in the other. Tension filled the air, so thick it would put the fog outside the window to shame. In the middle, the Christmas tree hummed unconcerned.
"So Mal—Draco, where is your wife?" Hermione said finally breaking the silence. She was sitting, leaning against her husband, their hands intertwined. Ron was tense. He was trying to relax but it only made it worst. She squeezed his hand in comfort. He squeezed back in reconditioned but never took his gaze away from Draco.
"At the manor. I'm afraid she's feeling a bit under the weather," he said it rather regretfully; as if he wished he was at the manor too.
"Oh," was her rather lame reply and once again the room was quiet.
Draco stared at them with an unreadable expression in addtion to a scowl in his face. He was sitting rather stiffly, like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to sit back or to sit on the edge of his seat, so he just sat uncomfortably in the middle.
The Christmas tree now hummed Sugar Plum.
In the other room, the kitchen, behind a swinging door, a pair of eyes was watching with interest.
"How are they doing?" Scorpius asked as he took out a freshly baked sheet of cookies.
"Those still have a couple of minutes left in there," Rose said tearing her eyes away from the scene before her and instead looking disapprovingly at the cookies. "And fine. I mean they aren't tearing each other apart are they? Unless they can glare at each other to death I think they'll be fine."
"That's a good sign," Scorpius said taking a cookie from the sheet. "If you leave them in too long they won't be as chewy."
As if to prove his point he bit the cookie and started to chew it rather exaggeratedly. Rose rolled her eyes.
"Try it," he said handing her a cookie.
"But I like them crunchy," she said childishly.
"Try it," he said mocking a firm voice.
She took the cookie and bit it.
"See how it melts in your mouth? How the flavor travels thoroughly?" He said circling her.
She swallowed. "Yes… but I still like it crunchy," she challenged.
He grinned and without any warning pushed her on the counter and kissed her. Rose smiled in the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and she deepened it.
Suddenly the swinging door opened and the two barely had any time to pull apart before they were face with one of their parents.
"Dad!" Rose said disheveled. She pushed Scorpius out of the way. "What are you doing here?"
Ron who stood transfixed at the spot seemed rather to not have heard her. She said again carefully, "Dad?"
"I-B-bathroom?" He stuttered out.
"Oh, it's er… out that door to the right," Rose said awkwardly and pointing at a door.
Without further ado, Ron stumbled as if under the influence toward the washroom.
To be honest, Ron hadn't really believed all of this. When he got a letter from Rose saying that she was dating… M…Mal…that, he briefly wondered if it was George's idea of a joke. A short confirmation from Harry killed the happy little thought and brought what could be the closest thing he ever came from a heart attack.
He clumsily turned the washroom's door to open. He locked the door and went straight for the sink.
What did I do to deserve this? He splashed some water on his face and stared rather blankly at his reflection.
"You're looking rather pale dear," the mirror said.
Ron ignored the mirror and continued on with his thoughts.
A very strong image of Rose and Scorpius kissing popped into his mind. Ron had somehow convinced himself that Rose wasn't really dating… that. He somehow convinced himself that they were merely friends, acquaintances that lived together… living together… he didn't even want to think about that. If he ever got any time alone with that scorpion... He splashed more water to his face.
Indeed, they had the couple over for dinner once, Hermione's idea of course. She wanted to give Scorpius a chance. He watched Scorpius like a hawk that night. However, the two remain perfectly platonic that night, except that one time when Scorpius accidentally brushed Rose's arm. Deep down, he knew that Rose was probably toning it down for his sake but their actions that night supported Ron's happy little fantasy of the two being merely friends.
Friends he was okay with...alright fairly alright with. Anything more was just too much. What he saw in the kitchen earlier yet again popped his little bubble of fantasy. It brought him right back out into reality; that his little Rosie was dating none other than Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco Malfoy.
Draco Malfoy.
His son, Scorpius Malfoy.
Dating Rose.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.
"Merlin, I hope they don't last," he sighed aloud.
Back in the living room, the Christmas tree was now humming Jingle Bells.
Hermione was sitting alone in the middle of the large sofa. She stared at Draco as if she was trying to solve an Arithmancy problem.
He however just stared at her blankly. This silence was killing him. He should have told Scorpius that he was taking care of his mother. Or something else to get him out of this, anything! Why in the world would Scorpius want to date Rose Weasley was anyone's guess. Why in the world would Scorpius want to have them spend Christmas Eve together with the Weasley's was anyone's guess as well. He should have at least made his wife go with him. "No dear, you can go on your own. I'll be fine here." His wife knew this would be awkward for him. She was probably laughing about it with his parents. Sadists, the whole lot of them. This was torture.
Sure it was one thing that his only son, Scorpius, was dating a Weasley, he's already accepted that… sort of. He actually didn't mind her as much as he should. It's what she with that bothered him. The Potter and Weasley clan. It wasn't even about blood anymore. What did he care if his son was with a muggle? What did he care if his son was with a Mud - muggle-born? What did he care if his son was with a Half-blood? But a Weasley? A bloody Weasley? What the hell was Scorpius thinking? He thought violently to himself. Dating a Weasley?... Weasleys are taking over the world! I'm going to kill him! I hope they don't last.
In the kitchen, Scorpius was acutely unaware of his father's murderous thoughts and had consumed at least half a dozen cookies. This time Rose had convinced him to keep the newer batch in the oven longer. With an eager ting the cookies rang done.
"See," Rose said picking the freshly baked cookies. "They are better like this. Firmer, better tasting, and just better all around."
"All right, I don't care anymore," Scorpius said brushing the cookies away. "When will we tell them?"
"When Dad comes back from the bathroom." Rose said, and as if on cue, Ron appeared from the door and headed straight for the living room.
"Great."
The Christmas tree was now singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Hermione thought Ron looked like he got hit by the Knight Bus. Both she and Draco stared at Ron with one of their eyebrows raised as he came through the door, passed the singing Christmas tree, and sank down beside Hermione.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked concernedly.
"Mm…yeah right, fine… yeah." Ron said incoherently. Then Ron took a deep breath and reassumed his earlier pose of staring at Draco. Draco who still had his eyebrow raised saw that Ron was doing much better opt to reassume his position as well and they were all back at square one.
"Alright," Hermione said breaking the silence. "This is just not working."
She sat at the edge of her seat and looked at the other two expectantly. When the other two didn't give any indication that they were going to speak she continued. "We need to work something out."
The two remained silent and continued glaring at each other. Hermione sighed and slapped Ron on the shoulder. "Are you listening to me?"
"Well what would you have us do?" Ron said defensively. "Working with him is the last thing I want to do and I hardly think that he would want to do anything with us."
"Although that is true Weasley, I agree with Granger," Draco said.
That pretty much silenced Ron. Hermione took this as a good sign and continued talking. "I think we should have some sort of understanding since they," Hermione gestured towards the kitchen, "are together."
Draco nodded in agreement. "A temporary agreement of course, I hardly think they will last very long."
"Exactly, and honestly, as much as this loaded silence is enjoyable," Hermione said somewhat sarcastically. "I think we should at least try and relax ourselves."
Draco was about to comment on that but Hermione cut him off. "It is no secret," she said darkly, "that we all disagree with this… relationship for different reasons."
"Yeah, for good reasons," Ron added throwing a dirty look at Draco, but Hermione wasn't finished.
"My point exactly. Don't you see? It was only a matter of time until they got together," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"What are you saying… that they meant to be together?" Ron said confused.
"Yes. They are attracted to each other because of us. They won't last; it is merely a rebellion against us." Hermione explained.
"What do you purpose to do about it Granger?" Draco said cynically but there was a hint of curiosity in it.
"I think we should help them along." She said with triumph. "They are doing this for some sort of attention from us I think we should do the opposite of what they expect. They think we would be angered by this then we should be happy about it. They think we won't get along then we should get along. They will see that it is not getting the right reaction. . ."
"Then they will see how wrong they truly are for each other," Draco said catching on. Hermione nodded pleased.
"I have to say Granger, you're quite smart," Draco mocked.
"So what you're saying is," Ron said putting one and one together. "We should pretend that we are all friends so that they will break it off?"
"Basically," Hermione said.
"Alright then, this is probably the last time we'll be seeing each other. Might as well pretend to get along," Ron said agreeing with a grin.
Suddenly, the swinging doors opened and out came Rose and Scorpius with a plate filled with cookies.
"Cookies anyone?" Rose asked around hopefully. When no one wanted one, she set and cookies down and stood next to Scorpius.
"Well," Scorpius said. "I see you are all comfortable. We have some news."
"Yes," Rose said smiling at him.
"Dad," Scorpius said.
"Mum, Dad." Rose continued.
Then Scorpius said happily, "We are getting married!"
At those words, a shocked silence exploded from the room. It was like the epicenter of an earthquake, the rippling of movement was the rippling of silence around the room. If it was quiet before it was nothing compared to now. Even the Christmas tree stopped humming. It was silence that screamed.
"Well," Rose chirped at a completely transparent way to cover up the awkwardness. "Happy Christmas!"
Author's Notes: A review would be a nice gift (Hint, hint).