A/N: Comps and Prompts at the bottom. No spoilers up here.
Her Year
AlwaysPadfoot
This year, it would be Rose's year.
All the birthdays, all the Christmases — every single time, Dad seemed to do better. Mum was always just that little bit happier, or she cried, or she got emotional, or she laughed until she was clutching her sides. She tried to hide it, insisting that anything Rose got her was, "Just perfect," but Rose could tell. Sometimes, Rose wouldn't know until she heard Mum casting a Silencing Charm on her parents' bedroom — then, she knew she had definitely lost.
She wasn't entirely sure how they had ended up competing to create the best present ever. It had probably begun when she was a child; she'd watch Dad creating treasure maps and making elaborate scavenger hunts where Mum would have to solve clues to receive her present. Rose had thought it was brilliant. She would get caught up in both sides, watching Dad as he planned yet another year's challenge, and then following Mum as she tried to beat the previous year's record for how fast she could solve the clues Dad had left.
As she'd grown older, however, she'd been desperate to match her father's genius. At just twelve years old, she'd spent weeks, months even, trying to create something that would rival his. She had drawn pictures and written riddles, and yet somehow, Dad had beaten her with a puzzle that involved runes. Rose hadn't even known he knew runes.
When Rose came of age, she had finally confronted her dad. "How do you do it? Every year, you do something amazing for Mum, and I want to know how."
He had smiled and tapped the side of his nose with a grin that reminded Rose of Uncle George. "That would be telling."
Rose had scowled, repeatedly asking him questions that he refused to answer. It had infuriated her; it had made her even more determined to best him, even just once.
At twenty-three, she should be able to beat her dad at logic puzzles. For Merlin's sake, he couldn't even do the crosswords in the Prophet.
When she arrived at the house for the holidays, it was surprisingly quiet. That in itself was unusual — Weasley-Potter Christmases were never quiet. Rose found it easy to breathe instead of being immediately overwhelmed with yelling and laughing and the smell of Grandma Molly's cooking wafting through the entire household. Even though she'd thought she was alone, she found her father in the kitchen, writing in a leather-bound book. Her dad snapped it shut when he saw her.
"Rose, you're early!"
He got up, strode over quickly, and embraced her in a tight hug. Rose breathed in; Dad always smelt the same — like mint and grass. It immediately put her at ease.
She sighed softly. "Hi Dad. Where's Mum? And Hugo?"
"Your mum took him out shopping because, as always, he has brought no Christmas presents yet."
Rose raised an eyebrow. Hugo did everything last minute, including getting presents last minute. Last year, he'd gotten her a random assortment of gifts that he'd bought from the nearby Muggle supermarket that was open 24 hours a day.
"Is he ever going to grow up?" Rose asked, shaking her head as they broke apart from the hug.
"I mean, genetics would say no; I'm the ripe old mental age of nineteen," Dad responded. "Would you like a hot drink?"
"Coffee please," she said. "Black, two sugars."
Dad frowned at her. "You drink coffee now?"
Rose nodded as she shrugged off her coat and tossed it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Being home was like an instant anxiety reliever; it smelt right, of home baking and Mum's perfume. Dad quickly explained that they didn't have coffee since no one there drank it, so Rose would have to settle for tea. That was fine — she would go out later to get her fix.
"So," Dad said as he placed a large mug of tea in front of her, "how's the Christmas Present Extravaganza going for your mum?"
Rose smiled as she cupped the mug between her cold fingers, enjoying the warmth against her skin. "Oh, I have a good feeling about this year. This year is going to me my year. I can feel it in my bones."
"Oh, is that so?" Ron grinned as he sat down with a plate of chocolate biscuits. "I believe you said that last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and all the years proceeding —"
"Alright, alright, give it a rest," Rose muttered, before clearing her throat. "No, this year, I will be better; this year, I have a secret weapon."
"What's that?"
Rose tapped the side of her nose and repeated what her dad had said a thousand times before. "That would be telling."
She noticed that he had put the journal away; however, this year, she felt no desire to cheat or know what he had come up with because this year, she had it in the bag. Rose and her dad spent a hour or so catching up before Mum and Hugo returned, their arms laden with shopping bags. Hugo looked as though he never wanted to go out again as he dropped the bags in front of the kitchen cupboards and collapsed into a chair beside Rose.
"Save me," he whispered.
"If you just did your shopping before the 23rd of December, maybe you wouldn't need saving."
When the four of them were home, it felt like Rose was twelve again — so giddy with excitement for the holidays that there seemed to be a perpetual spring in her step.
On Christmas morning, Rose woke her parents up with cups of freshly made tea. Hugo was still snoring in bed, which had been typical of him ever since he had become a teenager.
"Morning, Rose," Mum mumbled form under the covers. "You're usually not up this early."
"Ah, that's because this year, I'm going to beat Dad," she responded.
Her mum groaned and pushed the covers back. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's not a competition? You both always give me wonderful and thoughtful presents."
Her dad was looking at Rose curiously, a soft smile on his face. "You know, Mione, this year, I think she might have it."
And have it, Rose did.
Upon their arrival at the Burrow, each member of the family was squeezed into the small living room. Rose saw her mum frown. "What's going on?"
Uncle Harry stepped forward and embraced her in a hug. "Rose contacted us all about a month ago and asked us if we could all help her give you a Christmas present you will never forget."
Hermione turned to Rose, who was smiling widely.
"Well, Dad always does these amazing things for you," Rose began, "and I know you don't think we should compete, but let's face it, Dad and I are the most stubborn and competitive people you know. I asked every family member to write on these cards."
All of the people in the room held up a coloured card.
"They all have written down why they love you and what their favourite memory of you is," Rose explained.
"Rose." Her mum's voice broke slightly as everyone began putting their cards in a glass jar on the table. "You honestly didn't have to do this."
"I did, not because of Dad, well, just a little bit," Rose admitted. "This is because I love you and my family are my world, especially you."
Rose looked over at her father, who was wearing a broad, proud smile as he watched her.
She had won.
It was time to start planning for next year. Maybe, she would even be able to go two for two.
Comp/Challenge & Prompts:
Insane House Challenge: Genre - Family
365 House Challenge: 322. Trait - Family-Orientated
Going Going Gone: Character: Rose Weasley
Writing Club [Character Appreciation]: 34. Location - The Burrow
Writing Club [Disney Challenge]: Mother's Intuition - Write about a Mother
Writing Club [Showtime]: 10. Bright New Day - write about being hopeful for the future
Writing Club [Days of the Month]: Husband Appreciation Day - Write about a husband
Writing Club [CYB]: 1. Harry Potter
Writing Club [AAA]: 20. #RedRumRoses - Word: Invitation. Alt. Threat.
Writing Club [Lo's Lowdown]: 5. Steve Rogers: write about an underdog.
Word Count: 1305 — not inc. notes, titles, or ANs.