A Christmas Story
Chapter Two:
When the first few courses were done with, and the mood around the table had begun to calm, Bill stood up and chimed his glass against his teaspoon.
Every pair of eyes around the room quickly shot up to look at the eldest Weasley Child. He was the most definite reminder of the war in the whole room. Bill's once very handsome face would forever hold scars of Greyback's attack from some years ago. A long, wide scar now protruded from just below his right eyebrow and down to the corner of his mouth, where it zigzagged right to his lower chin.
He was still visibly handsome, but the scars made him seem older, and worn.
Bill cleared his throat.
"Ahem- hem." The usual Umbrige-impression was voiced. A few people around the table laughed, and George pretended to shiver. Bill smiled good-naturedly and began his obviously rehearsed speech.
"Right. Well, I'm sure most of the people around this room already know what I'm about to say, but we might just as well make it official. Fleur and I would like to take this opportunity to announce that- would you like to stand up, dear?- that we're going to have a baby!"
Loud claps were heard from around the table, and some wolf-whistles were even heard from Charlie and Ron's side of the table. ("That's my brother!")
Bill smiled again, his scar twisting uncomfortably, and began to speak once more, "Yes. Well, the approximate date is the first of May-"
"-which is Blessed Virgin Mary Celebration Day, and the International Worker's day!" Fleur piped up in excitement.
"-Yes, it is. Anyhow, a baby shower is being organized these days- it should fall just a week prior to delivery. Am I forgetting anything, Fleur?"
"Is it a boy or girl?" Ginny asked from a few seats down.
"Oh! I completely forgot. Sweetheart, would you like to-?"
"C'est une fille! It is a girl!" Fleur answered enthusiastically before Bill could even finish his sentence.
"Oh, a girl! How delightful!" Grandmamma Weasley fussed. "And how rare! A Weasley girl. Of course, with your genes, Fleur, I would expect nothing less."
"Oh! Do you reckon she'll be part-veela?" Ginny asked timidly. Fleur and Bill smiled and blushed, and Bill sat down promptly without answering Ginny's question, with only a small shrug to note that he had heard the question. Hermione, however, who was seated on Ginny's left, was happy to converse the question. This led the two girls into a full- blown discussion of genetics, and magical beings.
Harry, Ron and Charlie were left therefore to happily chat about quidditch, and auror training, which Harry was in the midst of.
After dinner was finished with, and desert was served (pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, rice pudding, and triple-layer chocolate cake.) the crowd slowly trickled into the living room, some staying back to help Mrs. Weasley with the washing up of plates. She, of course, rushed anyone who tried to help back into the rest room, and joined the family a short while later.
When everyone was finally seated comfortably around the room on either pillows or on armchairs and couches around the room, Mr. Weasley stood to speak again, the roaring fire illuminating him.
"So, now that dinner is done with, we'd like to start to open presents, if that's okay with everyone…?" Arthur's blue eyes scanned the room for objections before picking up the first package and calling out- "This first one is for…Bill!" and the box was tossed into the air, before it landed right in the man's arms.
And so the present-tossing continued:
"Ginny!"
"Molly!"
"Ron!"
"Grandmamma- this one's for you, mum."
"Oh, and one for me."
"Harry!"
"Hermione!"
"Let's see… Ginny again!"
By the end of the evening everyone around the room had a pile of discarded wrapping paper all around him/herself.
Harry had gotten a book about special warding spells from Hermione; a Chudley Cannons jersey from Ron with POTTER written across the back; A brand-new scarf from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; A beautiful black leather wand case from Bill and Fleur; And a Skiving Snackbox from George, whose smile wasn't all there.
Harry and Ginny had bought most of their presents together (an expanding warming cloak for Fleur; a bottle of firewhiskey for Bill ("Believe me, you'll need it."); and a winter-getaway-vacation package for Molly and Arthur.
Their presents for each other they had agreed to keep secret until Christmas morning, and Harry was holding to his word, much to Ginny's annoyance.
"Haaaarrrryyy!!! Please, will you just give me a hint? So what if we SAID it'll be secret? It's our decision. And I would really really like to know NOW."
"Ginny, no."
"Oh, Harry. Come off it!"
"Ginny, you know as well as I do that if I do give you your presents now, you'll be mad at me tomorrow for not standing up to you and giving it to you in the morning."
"What?! I absolutely will not be angry! Do you really see me as that fickle?"
"Yes."
"Harry!"
"Ginny."
"Fine. But just so you understand, this means that you and I are not touching a toe tonight." She whispered, so as not to be overheard. "I just won't have it." She went on with her natural voive. "A girl's got to stand up to herself."
Harry's smile widened.
"I don't believe you." He answered in an alluring voice. "You can't resist me."
At this, Ginny blushed as red as her hair and walked away in a huff, her chin raised and her shoulders back.
A/N: Don't forget to press that little blue button down there, at the bottom.
