Sorry, I know I have been awol of late - I have been rather busy (and also a little disgruntled with the lack of reviews to my last story!) Being busy included looking after my disabled Mum and helping her prepare for Christmas, as well as get ready myself, but it's possible it also included 3 trips to see Fantastic Beasts and my 6th visit to the Harry Potter studios :p
Anyway, in-between being busy I have written you a little Christmas gift to thank you for your support this last year. It's just a silly, sappy, festive, Weasley family story to make you smile. I really hope you like it. And you know, since I am giving you a gift it is only polite to give back by leaving me some feedback (Please?! I am needy - I have no friends!)
Have a wonderful Christmas to those who celebrate and to those who don't, hope you still enjoy the break!
If there was one thing my husband hated more than shopping, it was Christmas shopping. And even more than that, he dreaded taking our children Christmas shopping. Diagon Alley was always so crowded in the last few weeks leading up to the big day - busy with manic shoppers and over zealous assistants wishing to push their wares onto strained customers. Our children, overcome with festive excitement, often managed to slip free of our hands, darting between the crowds to gaze longingly inside the brightly lit enchanting shop windows or see the spectacle of the stall holders each trying to outdo the other, leaving Ron and I on a frantic search to safely retrieve our children.
Even when we did mange to squeeze inside a busy shop, the children lingered for seemingly hours, deliberating over each gift - eager to find exactly the right present for people. I knew this frustrated Ron no end. He was rather impatient and finished up in a bad mood. I also knew he would leave all of his own shopping until the last minute, just like he did every year. Myself, just like every other year, had already completed my shopping for our children, Ron, both sets of parents, Percy (who I'd drawn this year) and a couple of friends we bought token gifts for – namely Neville, Luna and Hagrid. Every present had already been perfectly wrapped and hidden away.
Ron only had to buy for me, a couple of presents he liked to choose alone for Rose and Hugo, whichever sibling he'd drawn this year and a present for Harry – which he insisted he should be the one to buy. And, he'd still be frantically trying to wrap everything up on Christmas eve. Leaving things to the last minute delivered a mixed result – sometimes he got it spot on, choosing the exact present I would have bought for myself. Other times I couldn't believe he could get it so wrong and questioned my decision to marry him. Such as the year he had bought me a Muggle loo brush holder in the shape of a Christmas tree!
I suppose he did have good reason though. Most of the year, he only worked part time in the shop, so as he could be around for our children once they finished Muggle school for the day. It was something he had volunteered for when I had received a promotion at the Ministry, and he was more than happy with the arrangement. But, by the middle of November, the shop became so busy with Christmas shoppers that he was run off his feet and had to work all hours and many weekends just to try and stay on top of the demand.
Finally making it down Diagon Alley to the Wheezes shop, Rose, Hugo and I pushed our way inside, ignoring the heckles from people who had been queueing just to go in! The children began to wind around people towards the front in search of their dad, whilst I tried to politely excuse myself past people to follow after them. With this being the last Saturday before Christmas, Ron had promised to take a couple of hours off to help me take the children to do their shopping.
"There's daddy!" Hugo shouted excitedly, jumping up and down to see him, before darting ahead, ignoring me calling him back. He ducked beneath someone's arm as they reached up to a shelf and deftly skidded around a mound of packages someone else had left on the floor, before he nimbly leapt over a young lad bent looking at something on a bottom shelf.
"Hugo!" I yelled after him in a panic, expecting disaster any moment. "Be carefff..." I sighed in relief, when I saw he'd reached his Dad's side unscathed, then smiled as Ron picked him up and swung his six year old son up in the air.
"Hey buddy!" he laughed and kissed his cheek. "You here alone?" he wondered.
Hugo giggled as he shook his head – a mop of ginger curls bouncing wildly. "No daddy! Mummy and Rosie are here, look!" He pointed to where we were still battling our way towards him. It hadn't helped that Rose had been distracted by the Pygmy Puffs.
Ron shifted Hugo onto his hip and moved towards us to meet half way. "Hello love," he smiled when he reached my side and kissed my cheek.
"Hello," I returned. "Did you just see what your son did?" I asked, fixing Hugo with a stern look. He had the grace to look almost sheepish for a moment before looking nonchalantly over his father's shoulder.
"No, what did my son do now?" he groaned, knowing that if I was referring to Hugo as his son, he'd been up to mischief.
I rolled my eyes and gave him a replay of the death defying stunts Hugo had just pulled in skidding around and under people, and jumping over them in order to reach him before we had.
"Really?" Ron asked, looking rather proud. "You did all that buddy?" he asked our son.
Hugo shrugged one shoulder, casting me a nervous glance before slowly nodding his head.
Ron's grin widened. "You'll make a fine seeker with those reflexes son!" He beamed with pride as he tucked the little boy under the chin.
"Really Daddy? I can play seeker? At Hogwarts?" he asked, becoming excited and bouncing around.
"Please," I groaned,"don't encourage him. That was dangerous Hugo and could have been completely disastrous. You could have hurt yourself or someone else. And…"
"But, he didn't," Ron cut me off and returned his grin to his son.
I heaved a tired sigh, knowing this wasn't worth an argument right now. "Anyway, are you ready to go?" I asked, hopefully. The shop was the most crowded out of any other on the street and therefore, very stuffy. Rose, with a bright red face, was already unwinding her orange scarf and Hugo's hat and gloves had already gone missing. I hoped they were in his pocket and not scattered around the shop somewhere.
Ron gave me a rather sheepish look, resembling his son perfectly. "I, erm..." he stammered and shifted his feet.
"Oh Ron. You promised!" I hissed, annoyed with everything. I knew that he was working long hours right now and understood how busy he was. I also knew this was one of their most profitable times of the year. But, he had a family he'd made promises to as well – the children had been whining to come shopping for days.
"Yeah, yeah I know I did and I will. But, something came up, just give me 10 minutes? Okay?" he asked.
"Fine," I sighed, unwinding my own scarf. "But, can we at least wait in the back or something? It's pandemonium in here."
"Ouch!" Rose then shrieked as someone shoved past us. "Mummy, that great fat witch just squashed my foot!" she said, full of indignation and rather loudly. The witch in question turned, giving my daughter a snooty look.
"I'm sure she didn't mean to squash your foot. And please don't be rude, Rosie," I chastised her, sending the woman an apologetic smile. She scowled at us all, before sticking her nose in the air and strutting off. I called her something else under my breath.
"Right, yeah. Probably best you get out of the way," Ron agreed, comforting his daughter with an arm around her shoulder. "People are bloody crazy this time of year! Why don't you all go wait in my office? I'll only be about 10, 20 minutes tops, I promise!" Ron tried to assure me as he handed our son over and led us through to his office in the back.
It was over half an hour later before he finally returned, pulling on his jacket. "Right, ready to go?" He smiled brightly.
Rose looked up from where she'd been sat on the floor, making fuss of a new litter of pygmy puffs kept in a cage in the office. Hugo had been lolling in his dad's chair at the desk, bored rigid and in danger of nodding off, whilst I had kept myself busy tidying the mess that Ron called a desk.
"About time!" Hugo jumped up and began to pull his scarf back around his neck.
"That's mine!" Rose squealed at him and tried to yank it back, almost strangling the poor boy.
"Aargh! Rose!" He grimaced, wobbling along with her as she pulled at the scarf. "Get off!" He choked and aimed to kick her.
"Rose! Let go! And Hugo, you do not kick your sister!" I warned them both, fixing Rose with a stare as I unwound the scarf from her brother and passed it back before turning to glare at my husband. This shopping trip was bad enough without the kids starting off in a bad mood by making them wait.
"I'm sorry," he held up his hands in defence. "There was a problem I had to sort out. You know how crazy things get around here this time of year." He shook his head whilst pulling Hugo's gloves and hat that had gone missing from his pocket. "Lose something?" he asked his son, helping him on with them. Hugo giggled.
"Fine," I huffed, "it's not your fault I suppose. Anyway you can take Rose and…" I rummaged in my pocket for the lists I'd written, "here's your list. Rose drew James' name in the Secret Santa this year, so you need a present for him, as well as, well what you usually get."
"What do we usually get?" he frowned.
I rolled my eyes, putting my hands over Hugo's ears as he was adjusting his hat that his Dad had pulled on over his eyes. "A present from Rose for her brother and...let her choose one for me." I reminded him.
Honestly, we did the same thing every year with the children, or we had in the last few years. Between them, the children bought a token gift for Ron and myself, paying for it out of their own pocket money and putting both names on both items – usually it was just something like some sweets or bubble bath, but occasionally they got us something more interesting – like a special mug or a photo frame. Then, they also chose a present to give each other and whichever cousin they had drawn in the Secret Santa, which we gave them money for up to a budget.
Secret Santa had come about at my suggestion a few years ago when the Weasley family began growing at an alarming rate and Christmas became so expensive for everyone. Now, the children drew their cousins names out of the cauldron and they all bought one gift, so as each child got a present. Obviously, all the children had many gifts from their own parents and grandparents as well, but this was a tradition they all enjoyed now. We'd adopted the same position amongst the Weasley siblings and in-laws as well.
"Oh, yeah, right." He nodded, glancing briefly at the list before stuffing it into his pocket.
"We've got to find a present for Dominique from Hugo," I groaned, knowing that wasn't going to be easy. Bill and Fleur's middle child was somewhat precocious.
"Mum," Hugo whined, looking up from pulling faces at his sister. "I don't want to buy for Dominique. She's so…fussy!" he grumbled. "And girly!" he pulled a face.
I sighed and closed my eyes. We hadn't even started yet and I'd had enough. "Fine, swap with your sister then. You buy for James and Rose can buy for Dom, okay?"
Hugo nodded happily and returned to tormenting his sister.
"I have to help Rose choose girls stuff?" Ron hissed at me.
"You do live with two girls, I'm sure you'll manage!" I patted his back, unsympathetically. "Right, so when we're all done, why don't we all meet at the Leaky for an early dinner?" I suggested, whilst separating Hugo from his sister and helping him to fasten his coat since he was fumbling with gloved fingers.
"Okay," Ron nodded. "But," he glanced towards his office door, beyond which we could all hear the sounds of just how busy the shop still was. "We're not going to be too long, are we?" he sighed.
"It will take as long as it takes Ron. And whilst you're out there, you might try and get some of your own shopping done!" I suggested. "Right Hugo, off we go." I tookhis hand firmly in mine and fought our way out of the shop again.
I groaned inwardly as I idly followed Hugo around the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop yet again. It had been the first shop we'd headed to and he'd been circling the shop for the last 20 minutes or so. I hadn't a clue what or for who he was looking for, but he seemed to always gravitate back towards the same thing, touching it and then frowning at the price before giving a little huff and wandering away again.
"Hugo? Are you looking for anything in particular?" I asked, hoping to help since I was becoming tired of this shop – it wasn't exactly my favourite and I had also noted the shopkeeper keeping a beady eye on us.
He shrugged and made a beeline for the same display again.
"Well, whose present are you looking for in here?" I asked, hoping that might help narrow it down.
"Rose," he sighed.
That surprised me, considering the shop we were in, I expected him to say James or maybe his Dad. "Do you have any idea what you would like to get for your sister this year?"
"Well…" he began slowly and looked up at me hopefully. "I'd really like to get her...one of them," he pointed to the item we'd been coming back to for the past 25 minutes.
"A Broomstick servicing kit?" I realised. "But, Hugo, sweetheart, she has one of those. Your Dad and I bought it for her last Christmas. According to him you're never too young to start taking proper care of your broom." I realised then that Hugo was shaking his head. "Hugo?" I asked, warily.
He took a sharp intake of breath and looked down at the floor, pulling at a loose thread on his scarf. "Don't you remember?" he asked. "She, erm...she lost it, in the summer?" he chanced a glance up at me.
I groaned again, how could I have forgotten that! She had apparently lost it and we'd had huge tantrums from her over it. She claimed not to know what had happened to it and had thrown an even bigger tantrum when Ron had accused her of not looking after her belongings properly. Rose had had to suffer through a huge lecture from her dad about how he barely had anything as a child, so he always looked after what he did have and appreciated it. She'd argued back that she hadn't been the one to lose it, it had just vanished and I'd had to step in between the pair of them before things got ugly. As much as I loved them both dearly, Rose had inherited her father's temper and could be just as stubborn. They could keep a row going for months if left alone.
Now though, I was wondering if perhaps Rose had been telling us the truth.
"Hugo..." I began, "what exactly do you know about the missing kit?" I asked, gently, but persuasive.
He shuffled his feet a bit and pretended to be suddenly interested in a display of Quidditch books lining the shelf as he avoided my eye.
"Hugo?" I asked, a little more insistently.
"It wasn't my fault!" he burst out and stamped his little foot as he turned to look at me. "I didn't want to do it, but James and Freddie made me. They wanted to polish their brooms and they'd run out of their own stuff. So...they made me go get Rose's. Only, then they spilled all the handle polish. Freddie was going to fill it back up with that sleekeazy stuff, reckoned she'd never notice. Then, James was being silly and trying to cut stuff like his hair and the grass and a twig with the broom clippers. He broke them." he confessed, looking suitably guilty.
My eyes widened as his confession. "When did James and Freddie make you do this exactly?"
"In the summer. When everyone came over for that barbecue thing," he shrugged.
"Then, what happened to the kit after they broke it?" I wondered.
He shrugged again. "I don't know," he mumbled.
"Hugo. What happened to it?" I asked again, more insistently.
He looked up, his face alarmed. "Really, I don't know!" he almost shouted at me. "I...I was worried that Rose'd be mad with me and I knew I'd get into trouble. And...and then there was a crack in my room and...it…it just disappeared Mum!" he whispered.
I closed my eyes briefly, understanding that in his upset he'd had a burst of uncontrollable magic. "Oh Hugo!" I sighed, sounding disappointed.
"I'm sorry Mum." He hung his head, looking suitably sorry. "I know I shouldn't, but...they were being mean to me, saying I was a baby and I was too scared to do it. And..."
I sighed and placed my hand on his head. I knew all too well just how James and Freddie could be, especially when that pair got together – they often teased their cousins and ganged up on the younger ones. "Why didn't you tell me or your dad before now?" I asked. That was what had disappointed me the most – that he had tried to hide what had happened, rather than being honest. Hugo was certainly no angel – he'd got into more than his own fair share of mischief and been in trouble enough, but he had never blatantly lied to us about it.
He shrugged and looked rather miserable. "I'm sorry. Will Father Christmas still come?" He looked genuinely worried. "Rose says Father Christmas doesn't come if you're naughty. And, I didn't want to..." he looked up at me and seemed on the verge of tears.
"Well," I began, not wanting to see my own little boy so upset, especially not the week before Christmas. "I think Father Christmas will be glad that you have told me the truth now, so he'll probably take that into account. I know that things sometimes just happen and it's hard to be good all the time. I also know just what James and Freddie are like. But, we have told you countless times not to touch wasn't isn't yours and you should never lie to me or your Dad. I think that maybe if you admitted the truth to Rose and you apologise to her, then Father Christmas will forgive you." I told him.
"Okay," he mumbled sadly. "But I want to get Rose another one for Christmas. To make up for it. Can I?" he asked, hopeful. "This one says it's even better than her last one anyway. Please Mum?" he begged me.
I had to smile at him. That was my little boy – cheeky and always getting himself into trouble, but he had a heart of gold and always tried to do the right thing in the end. I glanced at the price on the servicing kit he was looking at and gave an inward groan when I noted how much it was. It was twice the budget that Ron and I had agreed on for the kids presents to each other.
"I don't know, it's a lot of money, Hugo." I began.
"I can help pay. I've been saving!" he insisted. "I have pocket money. I have almost three galleons. Look." He began to pull his change from the little sack his coins were in.
My heart melted at the sight of my almost six year old son, looking up at me hopefully and offering me all his money. I knew he'd done wrong in not being honest about what had happened to Rose's belongings, but how could I be mad with him when it was obvious he'd been saving all his pocket money to buy his sister a present and make right a wrong?
"Okay then," I smiled. "You choose one. But, don't forget you still need a present for your dad." I reminded him, ruffling his hair as he beamed and eagerly went to grab one of the leather cases.
"Oh! I already know what I'm going to get him! He'll love it!" he giggled, clutching the new broomstick servicing kit to chest.
"And what is that?" I wondered. Sometimes presents from the children could be rather...unusual, to put it nicely.
"One of those!" He pointed to another display in the shop and charged off ahead of me, already rifling through the rack of merchandise for what he wanted.
"What are they?" I wondered, once I'd caught up with him again.
"Quidditch team badges. Look, they have a Cannons one," he jumped up from where he'd been crouched on the floor searching for the right one and held it up to show me. "They're all charmed, so it cheers when your team wins, even if you're not at the match!" he beamed, finding the idea highly exciting.
"Oh, that's clever. Though, I suppose at least the Cannons one would be rather quiet then," I smirked at Hugo. He giggled, knowing just as well as I did how often Ron's beloved team failed to win. "But, you're right, he will love it. Is that the one you want?" I asked, watching him check over the one he'd pulled off. He nodded. "And is there anything in here you want to get for James?" I wondered, thinking I'd be lucky to get all of his shopping done in one fell swoop.
Hugo frowned and shook his head. "Nah, his mum and dad buy him loads of Quidditch stuff. I want to get him something different," he decided.
"Okay then, let's go pay." I smiled, allowing him to lead the way, clutching his purchases.
My heart felt light with happiness at how proud he looked putting his items on the desk to pay for them and taking his money from his pocket again.
"Here you go, Mum," he muttered, proffering me his heavy handful of coins. He looked down at them in sorrow, disappointed to have to let them go.
Could I really take all that money from my son? I was torn between teaching him a lesson on the value of things and letting him keep his hard earned cash. In the end, I only took two galleons and half a dozen of sickles from his little hand.
As we left the shop, Hugo peered inside the little money bag he'd just poured his remaining coins back into, seemingly confused. He looked up at me with his nose screwed up, "I think he did it wrong," he said, referring to the shopkeeper. "I've still got loads of money left!"
"Oh, well, that's because, erm...Rose's present was on sale. It was a bargain!" I fibbed to him, feeling a little bad that I had just lectured him about lying to us and here I was telling him a fib. But, it was the good kind, I decided. The kind that would make him feel good about himself and that was okay in my eyes so long as it hurt no one.
"Oh!" he beamed again. "Great! I can get Dad a chocolate frog now as well." He skipped ahead of me happily and I wanted to cry again. I'd thought he'd be wanting to buy himself loads of sweets or something with his change, yet here he was, thinking about his dad! My sweet little boy.
From the Quidditch supplies shop, we headed straight to Sugarplums, where he bought a chocolate frog for his dad. "I hope it's got your card in Mummy. Daddy likes that one best," he smiled as he carefully chose one. And then he also decided on a sugar quill for his dad and got himself a packet of fizzing whizzbees, saving the rest of his money for another day.
Now, it was just a search for a present for James, which thankfully didn't take long at all – I suppose boys knew what other boys liked, even if I did frown at the present Hugo decided to get him in the end. After we'd picked up a couple of bits I needed and knowing Ron and Rose would probably be some time yet, the pair of us headed to the Leaky Cauldron to warm up with a drink whilst we waited for them.
When they eventually turned up, Rose was skipping towards us ahead of her Dad, giddy with happiness, whilst Ron followed slowly behind, laden down with all the shopping bags and looking rather haggard. He dropped the shopping, unceremoniously, to the floor before falling into a chair himself.
"Rough shopping trip?" I asked him once he got his breath back and tried to hide my smile.
"Don't even ask!" he muttered before grabbing the menu and opening it sharply, signalling he would not be discussing the matter further.
Stifling a yawn, I noxed the light in the lonely bedroom and rolled over to find a comfy spot in the empty bed, pulling the covers up tight. Just as I was beginning to blissfully drift off, I heard the bedroom door open and the mattress dip beside me. I held my breath, thinking it was one of the children and that if they thought I was asleep, they might go back to bed.
Instead, the bed rocked more and then I heard muttered grumbling before a thud against the wall.
"Ron?" I rolled over, to find my husband sat on the side of the bed, pulling his boots and socks off. "Have you only just got home?" I asked, glancing back at the alarm clock.
"Yeah," he grumbled and flopped back onto the bed, the effort of removing shoes and socks seemingly exhausting him.
"It's almost 11.30!" I exclaimed. "Have you been working all this time?"
Sounding tired, he replied, "we were open until nine. Then I was trying to sort out orders and do a stock check and stuff. I've had no time for paperwork right now." he added, grumpily.
"Well, did you get something to eat at least?"
He nodded and rolled towards me in bed. "I grabbed a burger and chips on my way home from one them McDougalls places."
"McDonalds." I corrected him automatically. I should never had introduced him to the Muggle fast food establishment – it had become his quick answer to all hunger pangs! "Well, at least you had something, I suppose." I gave in graciously. "We missed you tonight. Rose wanted you to help decorate the tree. Apparently it's not as much fun without you," I smirked, sliding a hand across his chest and snuggling in closer.
"Is that because I usually get mad with the lights or because the damn thing is always too big and it takes me forever to get it to stand properly?"
"Erm, probably both," I giggled. "But, we really did miss you. She won't put the fairy on top until you're here to lift her up to do it. And Hugo hung your stocking up, because he was worried that you'd be too busy to do it and then Father Christmas wouldn't leave you anything."
"Bless him," he sighed and ran a hand over his tired face. "Bloody sucks that I'm stuck at work and missing out on all this stuff. I mean, I know we bring in more money in these last two weeks before Christmas than we do over the entire summer, but, I'm not sure it's worth sacrificing family time for. That's one of the reasons I quit being an Auror." He groaned as he burrowed his face into the pillow a little and tugged me closer. "Still, only a few more days..." he mumbled.
"You're not working Christmas eve, are you?" I asked, hopeful.
He rolled onto his back. "Not if George knows what' s good for him! He did suggest us staying open late again, reckons we could cash in on the last minute shoppers. But, I told him if he thinks I'm working till late on Christmas eve, then I'd hit him with something that would make Ginny's bag bogey hex seem pleasant! I want to be home, with my family. So, I'm closing at lunchtime whether he likes it or not!" He finished.
"Good." I muttered and kissed his cheek.
"And then I get a whole blissful week off. Thank Merlin he has the good sense to close Christmas week. I need the rest."
"Yes, before George's wonderful New Year sale," I reminded him.
"Oh, bloody hell!" he groaned again and tried to smother himself with his own pillow.
"Ron, please don't." I pulled it away from him and kissed his lips. "We kind of need you around here. Aren't you getting into your pajamas?" I asked when I realised he was still in his work clothes.
"Too bloody exhausted!" he grunted.
"Well, I can fix that." I grabbed my wand from the bedside table and flicked it towards Ron. All of his clothes, apart from his underwear, fell away and folded itself up on the chair in the corner of the room.
"Why! Hermione Granger-Weasley!" he exclaimed in some mock scandalised voice. "I'm shocked at you stripping your husband like that! And, if I wasn't so bloody tired, I might be inspired to have my way with you." he added with a wink.
"Promises, promises," I teased, meeting his lips in another kiss.
"Yeah, something else that is being sacrificed. Next week, I promise, we'll send our kids somewhere and we can enjoy a night alone. Naked and..." he broke off as he yawned.
"Go to sleep, Ron." I stroked his hair. "And I'll look forward to next week," I sighed, pulling the covers over us both and snuggling down with him. He was snoring before I'd even closed my eyes.
"Mum! Dad! It's Christmas!" Rose barged into our room early on Christmas morning, squealing at the top of her lungs.
"Wheeeen Santa got stuck up the chim-ney...he began to SHOUT..." Hugo followed after her, bellowing out one of the songs he'd learnt at school, and then bounded onto our bed. "...you girls and boys won't get any toyssss..."
"Wazgoin'on?" Ron leapt up in bed, alarmed by the sudden disturbance and instinctively grabbed his wand.
"Father Christmas has been daddy!" Hugo giggled as he bounced up and down.
"Our children seem to be a bit excited," I sighed, rolling over to face Ron. He was sat upright, rubbing his eyes, still not sure what was happening.
"It's Christmas Dad!" Rose hurried to his side and pulled on his hand.
He groaned then and fell back onto his pillows. "What bloody time is it?" he asked me, an arm covering his eyes as Hugo continued to sing and bounce in the middle of the bed.
"Time to open presents!" Rose squealed demandingly.
"Five forty," I answered Ron through a yawn.
"What?" he glared at me, flinging his arm off his face before turning to glare at the still darkened window. "It's not even light out yet!" he grumbled.
"They're excited," I muttered to him. "They're just children and it is Christmas."
"Huh, who's bloody daft idea was it to have kids?" he mumbled to himself.
"You know perfectly well it was a mutual decision. Besides, I didn't hear you complaining during the creating process." I reminded him.
He smirked to himself as Hugo's singing continued, singing the 'atchoo' part of the song much louder and longer than was necessary and then laughing to himself as he rolled around on our bed, not caring that he was squashing our legs and feet.
"Come on Mum, Dad..." Rose urged, climbing onto the bed herself. "Get up, we need to go."
"Yeah, back to bed," Ron mumbled.
"Daddy!" Rose giggled, tugging at the covers, thinking he was hilarious.
I sighed and lightly kissed my husband on the forehead, before climbing from the bed to visit the bathroom.
As I went about my business, I could hear the children still chattering and thought back on the lovely afternoon we'd had yesterday. Ron had finished work early, as he'd promised me. And, as a special treat, he'd brought lunch home with him – someone was spending far too much time in McDonald's! After we'd eaten, we got ready to head over to Harry and Ginny's and the little get together they always put on on Christmas eve – or had done since they'd married. Family and friends dropped in to the Potter's to relay their festive wishes and share a drink or two and some nibbles, whilst the children ran around excitedly, riling one another up as they counted how many more hours until Father Christmas came to visit.
Once we'd finally got our two back home, we'd enjoyed hot chocolate and Christmas stories by the fire that I had read to them, savouring some quiet family time in an attempt to calm the children down a little. The night concluded with Rose and Hugo proudly laying out a mince pie and bottle of Butterbeer for Father Christmas before we eventually got them settled into bed – which took some persuading and much longer than normal. Once they were down for the count, we placed all the presents under the tree, Ron and I shared the Butterbeer whilst he ate the mince pie, before we gratefully crawled into bed ourselves, anticipating a rather early start.
I just don't think Ron had been expecting it to be quite this early, I chuckled to myself as I returned to our bedroom, only to find my side of the bed completely taken over by our children.
"Comfortable?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the pair of the cheeky little nifflers! They giggled and wiggled in the bed, itching to get downstairs to their presents.
"Mummy, Daddy says that Father Christmas might have only brought us coal!" Hugo told me, eyes wide in alarm as the consideration dawned on him. "I don't want coal!" he pouted.
"He only brings coal to naughty children. Have you been naughty?" I asked, fixing him with a gaze.
He thought about it for a second. "Well," he began, "not reeealy..." he finished.
I laughed at him and went to grab my dressing gown off the door as I slipped my feet into my slippers.
"I hope he's brought me that special set of Gobstones I wanted," Rose sighed hopefully. Having just turned eight years old, I wasn't so sure whether or not she truly believed in Father Christmas anymore. But, in any case she kept up the pretence for her almost six year old brother, for which I was grateful. I was of the form belief that children should remain innocent for as long as they could and thought that believing in such things helped develop imagination. I mean, look at Luna!
"I know he's got me the bestest presents ever!" Hugo squealed as he kicked his legs, catching his dad in in the shin in the process.
"Oi!" Ron grumbled from the bed, having been pretending to be asleep again.
"Mum...dad won't get up!" Rose huffed.
"Oh, he will once he smells the bacon sandwiches I'm planning to make for breakfast," I grinned, sat at the dressing table to tidy my hair up a bit. "Now, why don't you two run and get your dressing gowns and slippers and then we can get downstairs and see just what Father Christmas has brought." I turned and smiled at them.
Neither child needed telling twice as they scrambled from the bed and almost tripped over one another to get out the door first.
"Are you coming?" I asked Ron, perching beside him on the bed.
"I'm not smelling that bacon yet," he muttered.
I smiled and brushed the hair off his face, glad that against the family genes, he still had a decent head of hair. Leaning down I kissed his forehead as he gave me a brief cuddle. "I know you're tired love, and I promise tomorrow you can sleep all day if you want seeing as my parents have gone away this year so we won't be going over for tea. But, come and watch the children unwrap their presents, you know you love it."
He sighed and rolled onto his back, looking up at me. "Remember our Christmas' past? Before we had kids I mean?" he asked me. "When we'd start the morning much later with a roll in the bed?" he added wistfully. "The good old days!" he sighed longingly as he rolled over again.
"You know you wouldn't be without Rose or Hugo, so shush. We'll get that roll in the bed, just a bit later. Now, come on," I slapped his backside through the duvet, "our kids are waiting."
"Ready mummy!" They arrived back at the door, as if on cue, all wrapped up in dressing gowns and Rose's pygmy puff, Elsa, was sitting on her shoulder. "Come on daddy!" Hugo squealed.
"I'm coming," he grumbled and slowly sat up in bed, rubbing a hand over his messy hair. "Two minutes!" he promised them, stumbling to the bathroom.
"The quicker you get downstairs and we open the presents, the sooner I'll make those bacon sandwiches!" I promised him, leading the children off.
Ten minutes later, we had all gathered in the living room together, Ron and I both nursing cups of tea on the sofa as Hugo and Rose sat by the tree on the floor, tearing into presents. So far everything had been met with giddy whoops of delight and the odd emotional thank you and a hug for us both. And that included Ron who had been delighted and utterly fascinated with the Cannons badge that Hugo had chosen for him, excitedly pinning it to his pyjamas and exclaiming that he couldn't wait for it to work. I smiled wryly to myself, wondering if that day would ever come!
And then Rose picked up the gift that I had helped Hugo to wrap and I waited anxiously. He still hadn't told her what had happened to her last broomstick servicing kit and I had told him he would have to explain things. I waited with baited breath as she checked the tag.
"To Rose from Hugo." She smiled at her brother before eagerly ripping into the package. "What did you get me," she muttered to herself, struggling with Hugo's over exuberance of spellotape. "It's...it's..." She turned it over, casting the wrapping paper aside. "A broomstick servicing kit?" she looked up, rather surprised.
Ron, I noted, also gave me a curious look, cocking one eyebrow at me. I ignored him for now – I'd confess later.
"Don't you like it?" Hugo asked, worried.
"I love it, it's great. I mean, I really needed a new one and…but..." she paused and then smiled. "Thanks Hugh!" she exclaimed then and, much to his surprise and disgust, she leapt on him and gave him a huge hug. Abruptly ending the hug after a moment, she cradled the small leather case in her lap, grinning away as she eagerly read the packaging.
"Actually," I began, "Hugo has a little confession." I eyed my son sternly.
"Muuum," he whined. "Do I have to do that now?"
"That was the deal mister. Go ahead Hugo. Tell your sister what actually happened to her first broomstick servicing kit."
Hugo sighed dramatically and I noted he scooted away from her a little before he began to explain how Freddie and James had coaxed him into letting them borrow her kit and what had happened to it. And then how he'd panicked and it had vanished.
"It was you!" she shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
"I wasn't the one who messed it all up!" he protested, hands out to protect himself.
"It was very dishonest not to tell us what had happened though Hugo. Not to mention you shouldn't have taken Rose's things without asking to begin with," Ron pointed out.
"I know," Hugo hung his head and I felt a little guilty for making him confess this morning. I didn't want our children miserable or fighting on Christmas day. "And I'm really, really sorry, I won't do it again," he apologised, sincerely, yet miserably.
"We've had a chat about it, he knows he did wrong." I told Rose and Hugo.
"Hang on, how long have you known about this?" Ron asked me, accusingly.
"Only since we went shopping last week. It was up to Hugo to confess. And, like I was saying, he knows what he did was wrong and he has been saving his pocket money for the last few months in order to buy her a new one. He is very sorry Rose, and he has learnt a valuable lesson, right Hugo?" I asked him.
He nodded. "Yeah! I have learnt that I am never trusting James or Freddie again!" he muttered.
"And?" I prodded, ignoring Ron's battle against laughter beside me.
"And I won't touch other people's things without asking ever again." he added. "I am sorry Rose. But, I wanted to get you a new one, is it okay?" he wondered.
She seemed a little torn – wanting to be mad at her brother for his role in her original missing kit and the trouble she'd got into over it because of him – but then also thrilled with her new present. "Yeah," she sighed. "I mean, I'm annoyed you didn't tell me. But, this one is great. Even better than my last one. It has a deluxe buffer for polishing the handle and self sharpening clippers for the broom twigs. And it says the polish is a new and improved recipe." She rambled on excitedly, reading from the packaging. "This should make my broom look brand new!" she grinned, opening the case to examine the contents and itching to go try it out right now. "Thanks Hugo," she hugged him again as he pulled a face. "Mum, can I..."
"Yes, go on and try it out." I smiled at her, glad things had worked out okay in the end.
"Thanks!" She eagerly scrambled to her feet and then paused. "Hugo, do you want to come? You can use some polish on your broom if you like?" she graciously offered.
"Yeah? Thanks!" He got up and went charging after his big sister.
Once they were gone, I used my wand to vanish some of the torn paper away, before I caught sight of Ron just staring at me. "What?" I asked him.
"Besides the fact you kept that from me for an entire week, aren't broomstick servicing kits rather a bit more than the budget we set the kids to spend on each other?" he asked.
I shrugged, focused on my task of clearing the living room floor. "I don't know," I added, distractedly.
"You know," he replied.
"Well, yes. But, didn't you just hear me explain how Hugo has been saving his pocket money in order to buy her a replacement?" I commented, hoping he'd let it drop. Even worse than the kids falling out on Christmas day, would be for us to have a silly fight.
"I did," he smirked, giving away that he wasn't really mad about anything, more amused by something. "But, I know you. He's your baby and I know for a fact you are not going to take all that child's money to pay for his sister's present." He knew me too bloody well.
I sighed and turned to look at him. "It's possible I only took a little from him and might have told him it was on sale to make him feel better about not paying for it all."
Ron laughed at that. "Honestly?" he shook his head. "You give him a lecture about dishonesty and then you go telling him great fat fibs yourself?" He obviously thought the idea was hilarious.
"It's not the same thing and you know it." I returned, folding my arms across my chest in defence. "I actually believe a little fib here and there to make someone feel better about something never hurts. And what I did made both our kids happy. Hugo confessed to his crimes, he understands he was wrong and all is well."
Ron smirked again. "So, is it okay me for me to tell you a fib? Like, if I say you look great in a new outfit, even though I don't really like it?" he asked.
I widened my eyes at him, stunned he'd admit to such a thing. "Yes, exactly like that. Just like when I tell you not to worry, the Cannons might win next time!" I shot back.
He looked wounded. "Touché," he muttered.
"I'm sorry," I quickly added. "I don't want to fall out with you, not today." I pleaded with him.
"Oh, I'm not not upset with you. Amused maybe. Those kids walk all over you."
"It was worth it!" I poked my tongue out at him, relived that he was only playing.
"Hmm," he murmured to himself and summoned a present from under the tree with his wand. "I wonder if you'll think this was worth it?" he asked, depositing the package on my lap.
"More presents?" I asked.
He'd already given me a bottle of perfume – thankfully he knew what I liked much better these days so the scent was divine, rather than usual. A couple of new books that I had mentioned. A bottle of the luxury, expanding foam bath bubbles that I liked. A gorgeous new red dress that he hoped I would wear to the annual Ministry New Years ball and a self inking/self note taking quill. So, yet another gift was a surprise.
"You've already given me far too much."
"Just open it," he rolled his eyes as he thrust it towards me.
Sighing, yet giving him a smile at the same time, I took the small box from him and pulled off the ribbon before tearing into the paper – his usual messy attempt - he always got into a mess with the spellotape. I looked up at his anxious, expectant face as I pulled the lid from the box and gasped when I found the jewellery laying on a satin cushion.
For a couple of moments I couldn't speak. I was stunned by the gift. It was beautiful and original and far too much for him to give me. "Ron..." I began. "I...I..."
"You don't like it," he surmised as his shoulders sank in defeat. "I know you're not usually one for jewellery, but..." he heaved a great sigh.
"No, I don't like it. I love it," I looked up at him. "It's just, it's too much. You shouldn't have."
"Nonsense!" he shrugged, reaching over me to take the gold necklace from the box and fasten it around my neck. "You deserve everything I can afford to give you. I mean, you've put up with me and all the shit I've put you through for years and..."
"I know that you love me Ron, without the need to give me expensive gifts," I smiled at him.
He snorted. "That's good, because it wasn't really that expensive. But, this is not just any kind of jewellery. Look closer," he told me, letting my hair fall back after he fastened the clasp.
I looked down at the little precious gems hanging delicately from the fine gold chain. "Oh, they're...they're all our birth stones," I realised, noting the aquamarine for March to represent Ron. Sapphire for my own September birthday. Opal for Rose in October and Topaz for Hugo in December.
"Yes, but look even closer than that." I noted the rather proud look on his face before I lifted the stones in my palm curiously, wondering what exactly he had done. It was only then I could see that in each separate birth stone, there were tiny little images of the four of us - Ron, Hugo, Rose and myself swirling around inside.
"There...there's pictures of us all inside each one." I gasped, amazed. I had never seen anything like this before. How had he got such tiny little photos inside a gemstone?
"Hold one between your thumb and forefinger," he instructed, "gently..." he added, waiting with that same smug look on his face.
I did as he asked and then gasped out loud, dropping the necklace back down with surprise. "What...what was that?" I asked him. As I had held each gemstone, a different image had been conjured in my head involuntarily. As though someone was playing a Muggle film right into my mind.
"Memories. Some of your favourite memories of us, all of us. I charmed them inside each one. Try it again." He smiled.
I touched Rose's and my mind was filled with memories of holding her as a baby for the first time. Being there for her first word and steps. The first time I'd found her sat absorbed in a book of her own choosing. Excelling in her spelling test at school the first time. Secretly watching the adorable games she played with her dolls and stuffed animals. And starring in her first school play. I smiled fondly at each memory.
I was eager to try them all now and touched Hugo's next. The memories swirled and changed to his rather frantic birth at home. The first time I had heard him really giggle. His first word and steps. The first Christmas together as a family of four. When he had made me his first Mothers Day card at school and handed it over so proudly. And, then the time he'd stolen his Dad's broom and zoomed off for the first time with the biggest grin on his face – even though I had been terrified at the time.
Next was Ron's. Many of our firsts together filled my mind – from becoming friends to our first kiss, the first time we'd made love and our first real date. Our wedding day in all it's glory and when we'd learnt we were going to be parents each time. And finally my own – when I'd discovered I was a witch and would be attending Hogwarts. Making real friends for the first time. Passing my N.E.W.T.'s with flying colours. Our honeymoon in France and obviously more images from our wedding day and special, intimate moments spent together.
"Ron..." I murmured his name, looking up at him with tears in my eyes. "I just..." I was smiling through the tears now running down my cheeks. I was beyond touched that he had gone to so much thought and effort, knowing it must have taken him ages. "Hold on, you said you charmed it?" I asked.
He nodded and grinned, pleased with himself. "I bought the jewellery, and it honestly wasn't very expensive. Then, I've been working on it for weeks to get my idea to work. I finally got the last charm to work just last night, your personal memories about yourself were a bit trickier. The others I knew because we shared them, but…" he faded off and shrugged. "Do...do you do like it?"
"How can you ask me that? This is the most thoughtful and precious gift anyone has ever given me. it's like my personal pensieve that I can carry around with me and dip into any time I feel down or alone. And...oh Ron, I love you." I sighed and fell into his arms.
Ron chuckled slightly as he wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. "I didn't want to make you cry. I just thought, when you're working long hours and you miss us and..." he faded off again. "I'm glad you like it though."
"It's perfect. I love it and I love you."
"Love you too," he murmured before his lips found mine in a tender kiss.
After a moment or two I pulled back and lay my head against his chest, sighing contently. "I've missed you this last week or so. Feels like I haven't really seen you in days," I murmured as his arms embraced me.
"I know, it has been rather manic. Next year I am definitely taking on some seasonal staff. I'm not working all hours like that again, I missed some of the best stuff at home this year," he grumbled.
"You did, you missed us trying to bake Christmas cookies, that was...interesting," I laughed lightly, remembering the disaster it had been.
"I never got any cookies," he complained, pulling back slightly to frown at me.
"That's because they were only fit for the bin. You'll have to make do with your Mum's baking later."
"Mmm," he moaned at the thought of his Mum's Christmas dinner and then kissed the top of my head again as he hugged me tighter.
"Ron..." I began, "seriously, I think you and I are overdue for some time together. Alone I mean," I added, lifting my head and giving him a shy little smile.
"Oh yeah?" he perked up at that idea.
I laughed once at his face. "I promise, later this week, someone is going to have our kids for the night at least. I'll bribe them if I have to. Then you and I can spend some quality time together and...I can thank you properly for my beautiful present."
"That sounds like the best present ever." He wiggled his eyebrows at me, placing a kiss on the end of my nose.
"What?" I asked in mock shock. "Even better than the Cannons season ticket I got you?" I laughed.
"Well..." he seriously pondered the idea.
"Oi!" I poked him in the ribs.
He laughed and pulled me onto his lap. "Kidding love, nothing is better than you," He murmured before taking claim of my lips once more. He kissed me soundly as my fingers raked through his ginger hair.
"Muuuum!" Rose called, speeding back into the living room, closely followed by Hugo on her heals. "Are you going to...oh gross!" she spat, catching the pair of us locked in a kiss.
I lifted my head reluctantly, the pair of us turning to find the disgusted face of our eight year old daughter and our six year old son giggling into his hand.
"What do you want?" Ron asked, annoyed at being interrupted.
"Huh!" she scoffed and stuck her hand on her hip – she was going to be such a stroppy teenager. "Well, I was going to ask if those bacon sandwiches were ready yet, because we were starving. But, I think I've been put right off!" she grumbled.
"I'm still hungry!" Hugo piped up and Rose glared at him.
"Oh yeah," Ron remembered and gave me a disgruntled look. "You promised me food!"
Rolling my eyes, I slid from his lap and adjusted my dressing gown. "Fine, I knew this was too good to last," I grumbled playfully, heading for the kitchen with the children.
Ron chuckled from the sofa, before getting up to trail after us.
As I waited for the bacon in the pan to fry, I turned to watch my family bustling around the kitchen – the children setting the table unasked as Ron refilled the teapot and I realised, not for the first time, just how richly my life had been blessed with love.
"By the way," Ron suddenly swept me into his arms, making me squeal in surprise, "Merry Christmas," he smirked, dangling a bunch of mistletoe he had conjured above our heads and kissing me again.
"Eurgh! Muuum!" Rose groaned.
"Daaad!" Hugo copied her before we all laughed and held our arms out towards our children. Laughing, they ran to join us and share in a group hug.
"Merry Christmas my lovely family," I sighed happily.
The End
Thank you again...feedback, review, show me some love!
I shall be back in the New Year with one more short story from my little series. And then I have a brand new multi chapter story to begin posting!
Happy Christmas xC