Theo and Millicent had a busy Christmas Eve. They had done dinner with Theo's father and future stepmother, and then had to floo to Millicent's family home for a big Christmas Eve to-do. Her mother always invited every family who wore a name from the original Sacred Twenty Eight. To some members chagrin, this included the Weasleys and the Longbottoms. But to Millicent, she wouldn't have it any other way.
She knew that even with all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holidays, when her father and his cohorts were falling down drunk from a century's old brandy, she and Theo would come home together. So for her, any stuffy Christmas party was tolerable.
She was currently wearing a sequined green dress, at her mother's request, playing the doting socialite daughter. Theo was across the room with Draco, Blaise, Greg and Vince, but his eyes stayed glued to her. She loved it. She sipped the sparkling cider and willed the clock to speed up.
Which it did; four hours later. Her father was slumped into his favorite cozy chair and nodding off. His mother was dismissing the party guests, and she and Theo were headed towards the floo to go home.
When they finally arrived back at their flat, Theo pulled her under the mistletoe she had hung several days before and kissed her sweetly. She pulled away and smiled.
"Do you want your gift tonight or tomorrow?" she called as she walked towards their sofa.
"That depends, is it sexy?" He loosened his tie as he toed off his shoes.
Millicent in turn removed her heels and shook her head to the negative.
"Nope, not sexy, try again," she began to pull off her panty hose. Theo watched mesmerized.
"Is it sentimental?" He strode toward her as he unbuttoned his vest and pulled out his shirt tails from his trousers.
"It's not right now but it will definitely be something we look back on in the years to come as a sentimental time in our relationship," she massaged her aching knees.
"So it's an actual gift?" Theo watched his fiancee intently. She nodded.
"There's a box under the tree with your name on it. Go and see," she placed her feet up on the coffee table and laid her head backwards, watching the man she loved hunt for his present.
After a few moments of struggling to find it, He found the small silver wrapped box. He scowled up at her when he realized the bow was completely in knots.
"Milli, what is this?" he asked, tossing the gift to the table. Millicent snorted.
"You'll need patience to untangle the knots in the bow to open your gift...without magic, and your gift will require a lot of patience as well," she eyed him. Theo nodded and picked it back up.
He began to untie the bow and in ten minutes time he had worked all the knots out. He looked up at his woman expectantly, only to find her face devoid of emotion. He pulled the lid off the small cardboard box and moved away the paper inside. As he did he noticed a small ceramic ornament.
It was a cherub. It had a cute chubby face, and exaggerated rolls and a sweet smile. Engraved in the cloud the cherub was seated on, was the coming year; 2006. He looked at Millicent.
"A cherub ornament?" he was confused to say the least.
"Oh come on. You can give it more than half a thought," she quipped playfully.
Theo looked at the strands of ribbon that had been the bow. It had been in knots.
He looked at Millicent again.
"Baby...knots? Knot baby…. We're finally going to tie the knot…" he wondered out loud. Millicent only chuckled at his ramblings.
"You're getting closer," she offered.
She smiled as realization decorated his features.
"Nott...baby. We're… oh my… Milli, We're finally having… a baby?" he looked up into her face. The smile she wore said it all.
"Correct. We are having a baby. I'm due in June," she watched as he climbed up onto the sofa with her and took her into his arms.
"I could not picture anyone I would rather mother my child. I love you Milli," he muttered as he kissed her temple.
"I love you too Theo," she replied as he tightened his grip.
"Happy Christmas Millicent Nott," he muttered as they watched the fire dance against the brick of the fireplace.
"Happy Christmas Theo," she answered.
"By the by, I think you carrying my child is very sexy," he buried his face on her neck.
"Theo!" she laughed as they dissolved into hysterics.
This was what Christmas was all about. Family.
