This was written by little sister. She owns nothing, nor do I.
Ginny sang to herself as she hung the stockings on the fireplace in Godric's Hallow. The decorations were finished and she breathed a half sigh of relief. She'd be fully relieved once she knew that Harry had finished the tree.
Just as she was about to busy herself with a few menial tasks in the kitchen, she heard Harry's "baby-talk voice", as the two so jokingly called it. She crept towards the living room to find a surprising sight.
Harry was standing proudly in front of the tree with Baby James in hand. "Aren't the lights pretty James?" He kissed his son's dark curls causing the little boy to gurgle in delight. "Yeah I agree. They're almost as pretty as Mummy..."
Knowing she'd been found out, Ginny joined them in the living room. "Are you nervous?" she asked, leaning a head against his shoulder.
He looked down at her. "Nervous, about what? Are you ner-"
She shook her head. "It's just that there are so many new things this season. James' first birthday is tomorrow, he took his first steps yesterday, this is our first Christmas dinner in our new house," Ginny paused slightly to kiss both of them on the cheek. "And this is our first Christmas a family."
"No one's expecting it to be perfect, you know. You worry too much," Harry told her in a mock reprimanding tone. "Look at this little guy, he's as happy and as carefree as can be. In fact," he said handing him off to Ginny. "You relax and play with him while I try to get his lunch off of my shirt."
Ginny received the boy in her arms and whisked him away to entertain him for the time being. The first guests had already begun arriving. Hermione bounded in the door with Ron, who was carrying a toy broomstick, following closely behind her.
"Thanks Ron," Harry said when he returned from the bathroom. He the broomstick and put it under the Christmas tree. "But you do know it's not necessary to get him a toy every time you come over, right?"
Ron shrugged and took James from his sister. "I know. But seeing that Hermione," he put a great deal of emphasis on her name. "Doesn't want to have one, I've got to spoil someone's kid."
Hermione shook her head. "I hope you're singing that same tune when he's asking for a SkyBolt. And you talk about children as if they're broomsticks Ron! 'Come on Hermione, let's get one!', it's a great deal of responsibility and not just-"
He rolled his eyes. "You've been spending way too much time around Mum."
Ginny laughed at the couple. "Wow," she exclaimed. "Eight years later and you two still argue like a mar-well, you are married so that analogy has gone out the window."
"Happy Christmas Potters!" Arthur's strong, familiar voice bellowed from the driveway. Molly and Arthur Weasley arrived hand in hand, smiling cheerfully as they strode into the house. Bill and Fleur arrived next, closely followed by Percy and Audrey. Everyone cringed as they heard arguing from the outside.
"How dare you blame my daughter!" Percy shouted at Bill. "Louis was obviously the one who-"
Bill slapped his hand against his forehead. "Molly's been hacking and wheezing since last week. Louis just started this week! And not only did your little brat make Louis sick, but it got to Dominique and Victoire too...so now I've got a houseful of sick children and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"Percy-" Molly tried to interrupt.
Fleur and Audrey exchanged exasperated looks as their husbands continued to bicker. "My fault-?" Percy began to respond but was cut off by a stern look from Ginny.
"My apologies Ginny," Percy apologized humbly. "But Bill here thinks that my Molly made his children sick. And are you saying that I'm unaware of what's going in my house?"
"If the shoe fits," Bill shouted back.
"BOYS!" Arthur shouted. "Christmas dinner? Harry and Ginny's house? Remember? Can we atleast get a Happy Christmas?"
Percy gave another apologetic look. "So sorry Harry and Ginny," He apologized and gave each of them a hug. "Happy Christmas. Ron and Hermione, pleasure to see you all. I wish the same could be said for our dear brother, Bill."
"You two are making my godson very fussy," Hermione said taking a crying James from Ron. "So Percy, shut up-do not look at me like that! You know perfectly well that you are being immature!"
Ginny gave Harry an unsure look. He did say no one expected everything to be perfect-but for her siblings to be at each other's throat on Christmas day? "So why don't we just wait in the living room for George, huh? How does that sound?" Harry suggested nervously.
"Harry, I'm going to give you your kid back now," Ron said as he held baby James an arms length way from him. He was looking away in disugst. "Take him before my eyes bleed."
Harry grinned knowingly when he saw that everyone sitting in the living room was now covering their noses. Just as he was about to take James back, Hermione swooped in. "I can handle it."
"Don't let her do it mate," Ron mumbled, earning a slap on the shoulder from his parents.
"RONALD! That is your wife!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. "She'll be having your kids one day. You'll have to trust her to change diapers, some day."
Arthur gulped. "Now, now Molly. Calm down. I'm sure Ron has his reasons."
Everyone looked at Hermione disbelievingly as she got up to go to the nursery. "Are you sure?" Billy and Percy asked together. "Changing a baby cannot be that hard!" Hermione replied and disappeared up the stairs with James.
"I don't believe you all," Ginny reprimanded as she began to mash the potatoes. "If Hermione can get straight Os in her NEWTS, surely she can change a baby's diaper. You all ought to have more faith in her." Fleur and Audrey, who were helping in the kitchen, muttered words of agreement.
Ron scoffed. "We babysat for our neighbors once and the kid's diaper ended up on his head."
Ginny's eyes widened. "Honey, maybe you should see if she's doing alright." Harry got up from his seat, leaving the rest of his family in the living room to laugh at Hermione as Ron told more stories.
"Um Ginny, can I borrow a shirt?" a nervous voice carried down the stairs. "Your son hit me square in the chest."
"Oh dear..." Molly sighed heavily. Ginny shook her head and stifled a laugh. "I think I know what happened, Mum. I'll be right up Hermione!"
Bill's eyebrows raised and he smirked proudly. "The kid's got aim, I'm proud."
"Where is George?" Percy complained.
Bill nodded. "Yeah for once I agree with Perc. I'm starving."
"We all are, Bill," Molly and Arthur said in unison.
"He's suppose to bring the turkey," Harry grumbled to Ginny. "What's Christmas without a turkey?"
Ginny patted him comfortingly on the chest, her son in tow. "Food doesn't make or break Christmas, Harry. But I'm sure George will be here any minute now. James is really looking forward to seeing his cousin, Fred."
"We are looking forward to seeing the food," Ron complained.
Hermione sighed. "You have a one track mind, Ronald. I swear you do."
Ron whistled. "I bet you like it when the one track mind is..." he dralwed, leaning in for a kiss.
"ENOUGH!" everyone said together.
Harry sighed tiredly. He had a house full of hungry people, no George and no turkey. He knew that this Christmas would be a bit different from all the others Christmases they had at the Burrow but he never expected it to be...disasterous. "Come on everyone, we can wait for him at the table."
They left the living room and sat at the dining table, which had been beautifully decorated by Ginny. Two bottles of apple cider sat on the table and Hermione reached for one. "How about we go around the table and all of us make a toast? While we wait for George?" she suggested. Everyone nodded in support of the idea.
"Hermione, would you do us the honor of going first?" Ginny asked, as they passed the bottles of wine around so each person could fill their glass.
"It would be my pleasure Ginny," she replied gleefully, raising her glass. "Here's to many more Christmases with the Weasleys and the Potters."
A hum of agreement came over the table and everyone look at Bill, who was next, expectantly. "To Baby James!" Bill raised his glass and placed a kiss on his nephew's head.
"Wow, uh Bill you took my toast," Ron stammered. "Here's to family."
"To family."
"To our family."
"To fam-GEORGE YOU IDIOT! IS THAT A LIVE TURKEY?"