i. kiss
"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" There are hugs being shared, kisses, laughter, even tears.
She looks up at him and smiles, and whispers, "I'm glad you're with me this New Year's."
He dips her and kisses her, and he's glad too.
ii. new year
"What are your resolutions?" he asks her as they take a moment to themselves. Their second New Year as a couple – they couldn't be prouder.
"To stay with you forever," she tells him. "For another whole millennium." He blushes and smiles.
"Good, because I want the same thing."
She giggles. "I'm glad. Or else it would sort of ruin everything."
He can't help but laugh at her sunny disposition, and kiss her. "I love you," he whispers, "and I always will."
iii. ball
"Let's do it like the Muggles do!" Ron calls, his voice ringing over the throngs of people.
The couple hurries to the front, knowing that Ron's antics can't be stopped. Hermione takes a deep breath.
"Baby," she says, "stop, come now. Be realistic. Be rational."
He laughs at her and magicks a ball out of someone's champagne glass. Hermione looks half-angry, half-proud of him for doing something like this. He slowly raises it in the air. "Start the countdown!" he tells them.
The couple looks at each other, and he squeezes her hand. Loudly, his voice sounds. "Five! Four!"
Soon she's joined in, and then everyone else does the same. "Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
Ron drops the ball abruptly, at it falls, falls, and then crashes to the ground with a magnificent sound. Laughing, he gets rid of the glass and looks at his friend.
"Not bad, mate, eh?"
iv. scarf
"Gin!" he calls, rushing up to her as she Apparates in front of Ron and Hermione's house. "You forgot your scarf! You were going to show it off tonight."
She grins. "Nearly forgot, love, thanks." She takes it from him and wraps it around her neck, and then grins at him. "Ready for ball-dropping fun?" she giggles.
He smiles and takes her hand. "Always ready."
v. greeting
"Hey!" calls Hermione. "You're early!"
"Oh, that's a nice way to greet your best friends!" he says, kissing her on the cheek and taking off his coat. He shakes Ron's hand, as the taller man stations the giant ball above their heads. It's become a tradition, and they all enjoy laughing over it.
"Sorry, Harry, it's just that Ron is making me crazy with all the ball dropping stuff, and I called my mum earlier and she's just insane, all worried about everything now, and…"
Ron begins to massage her shoulders, and she collapses against him.
"Slow down there, Hermione," she tells her friend, and then she waves her wand. "See? The house is now all decorated!"
vi. statue
The party is dwindling down. Hermione is gathering all the champagne glasses and sending them to the sink, where they will wash themselves. Ron is clearing away all the residue of various things. It's just the four of them left, and the couple has collapsed on the couch.
"Some party," he says with a huge sigh.
Ron grins at him. "Did you see Dean? Still as a statue for hours, just waiting for the ball to drop. Strange man, eh?"
They laugh, and then Hermione says, "It's sweet how he and Parvati are going together now."
"When do you think the wedding will be?" he muses.
She smiles at him. "Soon," she says, and he knows she's hinting.
vii. party
"Can we have the party at our place this year? Please?" she begs. Hermione sighs.
"But it's tradition, Ginny!"
"Yes, but we can still drop the ball and such. Please? C'mon, it'll be my last party as a single lady." She spreads her fingers wide to show off her ring.
"Fine, but only this year," Hermione says. "And only because you're getting married soon."
viii. festive
It's strangely festive this year, the party at Ron and Hermione's again, wedding rings adorning more guest's fingers than ever.
"Mrs. Potter," he calls to her, "we've got to go!"
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Potter, but I must grab my shawl!"
He waits for her, and when she finally comes out of their bedroom, he grabs her hand and Apparates them to Ron and Hermione's flat. Hermione is crying, a huge, unmatchable smile on her face. He gives Ron a knowing look, and she looks confused.
"Hermione! What's the matter?" she asks, rushing up to her.
"Your brother! He just proposed to me!"
Well, to say festive is to say the least.
ix. drunk
She's giggling with Seamus, who's holding Lavender's bejeweled hand.
"C'mon, baby, we have to go," Lavender keeps reminding him, but she's giggling harder and slurring her speech, and Seamus can't leave her like this.
"Harry!" he calls over the din of the crowd. "Ron! Hermione!"
Ron and Hermione have long since disappeared, because they aren't hosting this party. Their new tradition is to switch off who's flat to have it at.
Neville hears the calling and rushes over. "What is it?" he asks frantically. He catches sight of her, staggering away, and hurries to grab her arm. "Hannah darling!" he calls. "Would you get Harry for me?"
He finally hurries up, grabbing her as she starts to fall. "Who gave her all this alcohol?" He puts his arm round her waist and thanks Seamus and Neville. "I think she's partied out." And with that, he brings his wife to their bedroom and sets her down, locking the door as the New Year's party sounds melt behind them. "Gin," he says, stroking her hair, "please don't get drunk next year…"
x. firewhisky
"To resolutions! To the New Year! To 2008!" Ron toasts, and then they begin the chant. The ball crashes to the floor, and he quickly cleans it up as cheers sweep the room.
"Happy 2008, Harry!" she says, kissing him. He takes the Firewhisky from her hand.
"Sorry, love," he says, "but I'm not letting you get drunk this year!"
xi. red
She's wearing her new red dress, the sexy one he bought for her this Christmas. He holds little James Sirius in his arms, a five-month old baby who's stolen their time, their freedom, and their hearts.
"He'll conk out at about eight. Did you put up the silencing charms around his room?"
"Yes, dear. I did everything you asked me to." He kisses her, and then whispers, "Stop worrying. He'll be fine."
"I love you, sweetheart," she says, and then the doorbell rings.
xii. purple
It's their fifth year as a married couple, their second New Year's with a kid, and they feel like seasoned veterans. They bring James to Ron and Hermione's place, a newer, bigger flat that they just bought. Hermione's expecting, and they know that this is her last year of being an adult. Next year at this time, she'll be a mum, a woman who can't drink too much or wear too fancy of clothes or anything of the sort. So she's going to go all out this year, and Ron seems to be doing the same.
She puts a purple tie on James's little neck, and he dons a similar one. She puts on her new purple dress, and when they get to Ron and Hermione's, they are laughed at.
"So that's what it's like to be a parent!" giggles Hermione. "You match!"
"Shut the heck up!" he says, catching himself before he swears in front of the baby. Little James toddles about, chewing on things of interest.
"Did you set aside a room for him, and put all the charms round it?" he asks, playing the part of a worried father effortlessly.
His wife grips his hand. "Let's not worry," she says, taking a deep breath.
Ron and Hermione might laugh this year, but next year it'll be different.
xiii. shoe
No one expected Albus Severus, but here he is, the tiny baby with dark hair and green eyes, the same as his. James is an expert at being an older brother after four whole months of it. His cousin, little Rose Ginny, makes three whole babies, not counting the many others that will attend the party. Parvati and Dean have a baby, Neville and Hannah have a two-year-old, George and Alicia have two kids, Bill and Fleur have children going to their own parties, Teddy Lupin is dropping in for a visit, Percy and his many children are coming, and Charlie and Valeria are in with their daughter Simone. The house will be overrun with kids, but it's just how they like it. They've set aside a room for tired kids, but the rest can just run about like mad.
Ron sends the shoes to the closet. Hermione makes food in the kitchen. She casts the charms on the Sleep Room. He tells the kids about the ball-dropping, and warns them to stay out of the way. The first guests arrive, and the kids begin to talk, and then run around the house like madmen, in the true spirit of childhood. The youngest ones stay in their parent's arms, as below them, children thread through the groups of adults in a mad game of something or other. Shoes fly, laughter is heard, the ball drops. Yet another New Year has passed.
xiv. bed
Exhausted, she tucks her babies into bed. "Goodnight, my sweethearts," she croons, kissing their foreheads. "Happy 2012." She turns the lights off and closes the door. Albus fell asleep at eight thirty, but woke up again, to everyone's dismay. All the kids were brought home, put in bed.
It is one o'clock in the morning, and she has never been so tired. She Apparates back to Ron and Hermione's flat, where the party has slowed down. Neville and Hannah say goodnight, with smiles. Luna carries a baby, as does her husband, Rolf. They kiss everyone goodnight and are on their way. Seamus and Lavender are still dancing, giggling and nearly falling over from sleepiness. Dean asks for some more Firewhisky, Parvati hanging on his arm, eyelids flickering. Percy and Audrey blow kisses as they leave, warning the eldest of their children not to get back too late. Simone, in from Romania, is chatting with them in the corner, as the elder cousins convene around them. Teddy and Victoire, alone in their own bit of the room, stand and say goodnight to everyone. It's only the children who aren't totally exhausted.
An air of general drowsiness has filled the flat, and she goes up to her husband. "Ready to leave, love?" she asks. He's talking to someone she doesn't know, probably a business associate. She has it in her to smile, but all she can picture is her bed.
"Yeah, Gin, let's go. Great to see you, Doric!" he adds over his shoulder, and then stands and stretches. "Happy 2012, everyone!" he calls to the sparsely populated room.
"Goodnight, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny!" a few kids call. He grins at them.
"Get some sleep, you all. Love you." He goes over and kisses each one of them goodnight, and they smile up at him, not ready for bed yet.
She's hugging Ron and Hermione goodbye. "Thanks for an excellent party, sis," she tells Hermione, squeezing her. They both hide yawns.
"Love you, kiddo," Ron says, kissing her cheek.
"See you." They all say at once. A collective smile passes through the four of them, and then they Apparate home, ready for some much-needed sleep.
A/N: For the New Year's Challenge at the HPFCF. Hope you liked it!