Chapter 2- Christmas Surprises
Ron stumbled down the stairs, stopping short on Ginny's landing.
'This isn't even funny,' He moaned, seeing the clothes just thrown the rest of the way down and out of sight. 'I don't know what's worse, walking in on them or the obvious signs of what they've been up to.'
He stepped over the clothes and made it to the kitchen, to find the only ones up were his mother and girlfriend. They were giggling over tea which stopped when he sat down.
'Breakfast, dear?' The elder witch stood up; looking over the food she was cooking.
Ron replied with a grunt before eyeing up Hermione who was using her mug to cover her smile.
'What's got you in a bad mood?' She asked sweetly.
'You cannot have failed to miss the piles of clothes on the stairs Hermione. And Mum,' He turned to her as she did more tea. 'How can you be so calm? You used to scream at me for leaving clothes on the floor in my room. How do you even put up with the thought of what they were doing?'
Hermione put her mug down now. 'Seriously Ronald, grow up. They were celebrating last night, do you expect them to come up tuck each other into bed and fall asleep by midnight? I heard Ginny about two o'clock, so they probably got in then.'
'And, I can guarantee those clothes will be gone by the time they come into this kitchen, your room would still be like that now if you hadn't cleared up,' Mrs Weasley put out plates for them and served a full English breakfast. 'Now eat your food, stop moaning and leave them be. They haven't disturbed us and aren't harming us. It isn't our fault you walked in without knocking the other day.'
Ron went bright red as Hermione starting laughing, making him snort and get on with his food, ignoring their laughs. Sure enough half an hour later the other couple came down, both looking immaculate and tidied their clothes up from early that morning.
'You two really need to stop doing that.' He grumbled as Ginny brightly sat down opposite him.
She smiled, twisting her head to the side. 'Bad night sleep Ron? I am not sure what we have done, do you Harry?'
Harry knew better than to help Ginny wind Ron up and merely shrugged, she could do that well enough on her own. He found safety by sitting in between Ginny and Mrs Weasley, pulling up conversation with the latter and Hermione. Unfortunately Ron was falling for Ginny's wind up.
'Going out, drinking too much and throwing your clothes everywhere. I could have slipped down the stairs!'
Ginny took a sip of her tea and sighed before answering. 'That would have been a shame, it would have been so quiet without you. And I don't remember it being much clothing, I was definitely fully clothed when stepping into my room last night, and so was Harry. So I couldn't have drunk that much. That only happens when people slip vodka into my drinks, remember?'
Ron shut up, fearing the glares of his mother and Harry at the memory. It was long ago, he and Charlie were messing around, and though it wasn't actually him he certainly hadn't helped the situation.
'Just don't do it again,' He mumbled, turning to Hermione. 'Shall we go to your parents? We have to be there before lunch.'
Hermione agreed and they both stood to leave. Mrs Weasley got up with still talking to Hermione.
'Remember you are welcome at any point over Christmas, and we'll definitely see you Boxing Day.'
'Of course Molly; and I'll pop over Christmas Day, I'm afraid I can't come tomorrow, doing family rounds.' She pulled a funny face before saying goodbye to everyone.
The following night came round fairly quickly and The Weasley family found themselves sitting around the fire chatting to each other. Harry was starting to doze when something hit his head.
'What? Teddy, throwing isn't good,' He gently told the young boy off before noticing Ginny by him. She too was sitting giggling away. 'Are you drunk?' He asked.
Ginny snorted, waving her hands in front of her. 'No! I haven't had enough for that, I don't think.'
Teddy laughed in glee at her wobbles, prodding her as she laughed more. Harry didn't find it amusing however. He looked over to Charlie who was watching them looking amused.
'Don't look to me, after last time not guilty. Though, it seems someone has slipped her vodka somehow along the line.'
Harry knew he could rule out at least half the room, leaving George and Ron the only ones who would do it. George was playing chess with Bill, and seemed too ingrossed to be watching the reactions of Ginny so it only left one person.
'Ron.'
Ron was pretending to read a quidditch magazine, but couldn't hide his guilt.
'George made me do it.' He blurted out.
The named turned in his seat, obviously more aware of what was going on than he had been letting on.
'Now Ronald that really isn't fair, I am trying to have a game of chess with our dear brother here, it is not my fault if you go and put vodka in our dear sister's drink.'
Ron gaped like a fish before looking furious, which changed when he saw Harry's furious look.
'Ginny what are you doing?'
Everyone turned to Mrs Weasley voice, seeing that Ginny had built a sling with Teddy, and they were both now trying to find someone to aim it at. Andromeda stepped in to remove Teddy while Harry grabbed Ginny's hands.
'Bed time I think,' He muttered while Ginny moaned like a small child. 'Ron, a word in private after.'
Half an hour later a very red Ron sat at the kitchen table.
'How an earth was I supposed to know you were doing that tomorrow! She'll be fine, just wait till the afternoon and any headache she has will be gone.'
'That is not the point Ronald!' His mother shouted, having joined Harry at some point. 'It is supposed to be a special day for a girl, and tomorrow is Christmas Day; she shouldn't be waking up like that! You will firstly apologise to Harry, then to Ginny tomorrow.'
He started looking nervous at the idea of apologising to Ginny. 'Can she have her wand taken off of her first? And why isn't George being shouted at, it was his idea.'
Harry laughed sourly. 'Because he just thought the idea up, he wasn't stupid enough to actually do it. I am going to bed.'
There was silence for a moment, the two left on their own. 'I only have one daughter, and no matter what you think Ron, no favourites. But something like this is different to a daughter; it is something she would have dreamed of. Don't ruin it for her.' She left to go back into the lounge.
Ron looked even more downcast. He would have preferred her shouting to the guilt. He hadn't known what Harry had planned, if he had then he would never have dreamed of tipping the vodka into her drinks earlier in the evening. She was having fun, laughing, so he hadn't seen what was wrong.
'Oh no, Hermione will kill me.' He moaned aloud, hiding his face in his hands.
Ginny woke up the next morning feeling she had been trampled on.
'Merlin, what happened?' She croaked out, slowly sitting up while her head spun. Her gaze finally settled and she saw Harry sitting on the edge of the bed.
'Good morning, drink this, it will help clear things up a bit.' He said soothingly, handing her a strange coloured drink.
Ginny sniffed it before drinking it in one go, it tasted vile. 'Why did I need that? What happened?'
Her voice was stronger now, and she sat up a little more, though she still felt odd.
'Because I have no sympathy for him, I'll tell you the truth. It is Christmas Day, and Ron thought it a great idea to put vodka in your drinks last night. So by the time we packed you off to bed it was pretty certain you would need it. Do what you would like to him.'
His explanation started to register with her, and she could hear the annoyance in his voice. 'Sorry Harry I should have realised, I didn't think I had that much,' Swinging her legs out of the bed she picked up her dressing gown and picked her wand up determinedly. 'Where is he?'
Harry tried to hide a smirk now. 'In the kitchen, Hermione has just arrived.'
She stormed out of the room to where he was, Harry following her at a distance. Charlie too spotted her and caught up with Harry.
'You told her? This could be fun.'
Ginny watched Ron cringe away as she stepped into the kitchen, Hermione recognising the behaviour and shooting him a glance.
'What have you done?' She asked quickly, taking note of the messy hair and pale face of the younger woman.
Ginny stepped forward once more, tapping her wand on her hand. 'He thought it would be clever to put vodka in my drink last night. Harry is really annoyed, we have been looking forward to this day in ages, and so far it isn't going like I had planned.'
Hermione looked annoyed, though Ron knew it was for different reasons to Ginny seeing the glance she gave Harry first. 'I can't believe you Ronald! Why on Christmas Day?'
He mumbled sorry over and over but in the end Ginny just grew more annoyed. Seconds later he was covered in bat bogeys while Charlie roared in laughter. At that moment Bill and Fleur arrived with Victoire, who giggled at the sounds and Ron's funny face.
'How have you annoyed Ginny?' Bill asked with a smile, with a wave of his wand Ron was free.
Ginny went to get changed while Ron tried talking to Hermione who steadily ignored him.
'You should have left it on Bill, he deserved it.' Hermione said while Harry started making drinks.
Harry gave her juice and put a hand on her shoulder. 'Don't argue with him today, he'll be miserable for the rest of it. Leave it to me to be annoyed, I think Ginny gave him enough.'
Hermione sighed as Ron looked hopeful, giving her a kiss on the cheek. 'You are impossible.'
After a hearty breakfast Ginny looked and felt better. She wore the outfit she had made for today, festive red shirt with a black pleated skirt, and joined in the fun of the day. Hermione left after breakfast to go home to her family, leaving everyone their presents. Soon it was time for the Weasley family to go into the lounge to open them all. Ginny still served as elf as she had done ever since she was small, finally sitting down to a generous sized pile of presents. She got the usual jumper, sweets, joke presents. Harry got her small pieces of jewellery and books that she had wanted. By the end Ginny was certainly a happy girl.
Harry however, was looking around her frowning. 'Isn't there an envelope anywhere there?'
Ginny picked up one she had placed behind her before, thinking it was a forgotten card. 'Sorry I forgot about it, it's from you!'
Harry chuckled as he watched her open it. Then it was her turn to frown as she found a set of keys, looking at him questioningly.
'There should be a piece of parchment there too.' He explained.
Ginny fold it folded up, opening and reading aloud. 'Potter Manor, Somerset. What?'
Harry now shook his head. 'Come on Gin, it is a house. It isn't the one I lived in as a baby, but I found it in the deeds when going through my vault. I have been redecorating it secretly, and extending it, it did need a lot of work. But, it is ready and basically furnished, ready for you to run riot-.'
He never got any further as Ginny jumped on him, sending them both back onto the floor as she kissed him, still holding the keys.
'Oi Potter, watch it!'
'Yeah, no mini Potter's yet please!'
The couple separated, Harry red from her brother's jests.
'What is it Ginny?' Her mother asked excitedly.
'A house!' She grinned in their shocked faces.
Ron's was the worst, spluttering and confused. When his father gave him a sharp look he shut up.
'Where Ginny?' Fleur asked, smiling at her.
'In Somerset, so it can't be far. Thank you Harry.'
She gave him a tight hug, he kissed the top of her head grinning. 'Well, what were you expecting?'
She looked a bit sheepish. 'Well, you usually get me a big present, and though I loved every else you got me I did wonder if you were hiding something. But this beyond anything. When can we move in?'
At this her mother burst into tears, realisation hitting her. Her family had to hold back laughter as they comforted her.
'I'm sorry,' She mumbled into a tissue. 'It is just my baby is growing up and moving out.'
Harry though still looked nervous, not that anyone had noticed.
'Ginny, I had the floor plan upstairs, do you want to see it now?' He asked her over the noise and laughing.
Ginny looked very excited, jumping up immediately. 'Yes!'
But as soon as she stepped into her room she stopped. The curtains were drawn, candles lit, and a velvet chair in the middle of the room.
'Harry, what's going on?' She asked, turning to her boyfriend more confused than earlier.
'Sit down and find out,' He said simply, watching her do as he suggested immediately, then wait for him to explain more. 'Any ideas at all?' When Ginny gave him an impatient glare he laughed. 'Okay, I hoped you wouldn't. Let's start at the beginning. Next year it will be four years since the war ended. I also see it as four years since I got my life back, since I got you back. I am still incredibly lucky you forgave me, because I didn't deserve it, and I still don't.'
Ginny went to interrupt. 'But Harry, I loved you.'
He held a finger to her lips smiling softly, kneeling in front of her. 'Hush, let me explain remember? I did that all for you, I knew I was taking a huge risk in that if I had lived through it, would I get another chance with you, because if I couldn't it would have all been for nothing in my eyes. But now, I can hardly believe where we are. Still together, still strong, moving in with each other,' He paused for a moment watching the delight in her face at the idea. 'But I still want more than that. Being with you is amazing. Perfect. But I want more with you,' He pulled out a small box and looked back in her eyes. 'So that is why I am doing this. Ginevra Molly Weasley, I love you with all my heart and I know I always will, so will you marry me?'
Ginny sat gaping for a moment, looking more shocked than ever. 'Oh Merlin,' She whispered before finding her voice. 'Yes, of course I will Harry.'
The ring was beautiful, a ruby with two emeralds either side of it. Harry pushed it on her finger, smiling at the perfect fit.
'I admit, this was my mother's. I also found it in the vault. I hoped you wouldn't mind it.'
A few tears escaped and ran down Ginny's face. 'Harry, it makes it all the more special, and it is just another reminder they are still in our thoughts and lives, even if they cannot be here themselves.'
Harry couldn't hold back the kiss he had been any longer now. When he let go of her she was still sniffling with tears, but looked incredibly happy.
'I need to go and show everyone, come on.'
Harry let her run ahead, hearing her shouting in happiness. As he walked into the kitchen she still had tears running down her face, but was now jumping up and down waving her hand in the air.
'You really are trying to show us up today.'
'How an earth did you pull that one out?'
Everyone was asking him questions but Mr Weasley pulled them away and grabbed Harry's hand.
'I am proud of you, and know you'll take care of my little girl. Congratulations Harry.'
'When are you going to announce it to your loyal followers?' George asked cheekily, earning him a rather sharp elbow from Ginny.
Harry merely ignored it and looked at her thoughtfully. 'Let's have a few days privacy, the ball the Ministry are holding?'
Everyone agreed to keep it quiet until then, letting them announce it in their own time. Soon the main lunch had come and gone, Mrs Weasley filling them as she did every year. Ginny huddled next to Harry by the fire, relaxing in his arms.
'Thank you for the best Christmas yet, Harry.' She murmured happily, letting herself doze into a comfortable nap.
Sorry I have been slow, laptop problems and this chapter and the next were saved on it. Hopefully the next chapter will be in the next few days. Keep reading :) x
