Christmas Eve was always an interesting affair with the Weasley family. Even before he and Rose had started dating, Scorpius had come to Christmas Eve dinner with the Weasleys as Albus's best friend. Molly Weasley loved him of course- he had seven knit jumpers to prove it- and everyone else had grown more than accustomed to having a Malfoy at their table.

This year was different, however, because he wasn't just Albus's friend- he was Rose's boyfriend. It shouldn't have felt any different- really, it shouldn't- because it's not as though it was the first family dinner he'd had with them since gaining the new title, but there was something different about Christmas. The holiday, along with the added pressure of conversing with Rose's father, had Scorpius a bit more on edge than he found comfortable.

"You're going to be fine, Scorpius," Rose reassured him for what had to be the five hundredth time that evening. "It's no different than any other dinner!"

"I know! But I can't help it . . . I think I'm coming down with something," he coughed as they reached the door of the Burrow. "Maybe I should go home and sleep it off."

"You're not going anywhere!" She snatched him by the shirt collar just as he turned to run back down the cobblestone path. "It's just Christmas Eve dinner, love . . . Nothing scary about that! Nothing has changed and everyone loves you . . . Including me." She added as an afterthought, standing on the tips of her toes to press a comforting kiss to his chapped lips. "Can we go inside now? I'm bloody freezing."

"You're right," he said, for his own sake. He grinned then, and leaned forward until the steam from his warm breath mixed with the cold air right before her lips. "And I don't want you freezing your-"

"Oi!" James Potter shouted as he flung the door open. "You lot coming inside, or are you just going to stand there making eyes on the stoop?"

Scorpius blamed his blush on the cold and Rose launched herself at her older cousin as though she could somehow take him to the ground like when they were kids. She seemed to have forgotten that James was now a Beater for the Chudley Cannons, and was therefore much stronger than her.

"Stop fighting in my doorway and come inside! You're letting in the cold." Molly- Nana, as she was more often called these days- chided her grandchildren as Scorpius shut the door behind him to keep the snow from blowing into the sitting room.

"Sorry, Nana." The cousins said in unison, giving each other one last playful shove once the old woman's back was turned. Scorpius shook his head with a smile- Rose always became a child again around her many cousins.

Scorpius followed Rose into the sitting room where, it seemed, every Weasley had tried to congregate- as well as the Scamanders and Longbottoms.

"Scorp!" A familiar voice boomed from across a sea of ginger heads. "Long time no see!" Albus Potter waded his way through relatives and family friends without so much as a "pardon me", which was really more like something his older brother would do.

"If it isn't little Alby!" Scorpius crowed, his demeanor changing dramatically when his best friend appeared. "Still haven't hit that growth spurt yet, I see? Don't worry - it'll come."

Albus glared up at him. "I'm not that much shorter than you, you git!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Scorpius grinned.

"Do I even get a hello?" Rose implored, faking annoyance. "Or is my boyfriend leaving me for my cousin?"

"Oh, hello, Rose," Albus replied with a smile, pretending he hadn't exactly heard what she'd said. "It's good to see you too."

She rolled her eyes but grinned back at him. "You're lucky I love you, you know," she said. "I wouldn't share him with anyone else."

Scorpius considered mentioning to the two quarrelsome cousins that he was not some prize to be won, but he knew it to be futile. He might as well just accept his fate as the private property of Rose Nymphadora Weasley (and Albus Severus Potter, given the situation).

Dinner was, as always, more than eventful. Multiple households were represented around the Elder Weasley's magically extended dinner table (along with a few tagalongs).

Arthur and Molly sat at the head of the table where they could see all of their guests with ease. Among them were their six children and all of their families . . . And all of their families. Bill and Fleur's oldest daughter Victoire had married Harry and Ginny's godson Teddy Lupin the previous year and were already expecting a baby, and therefore accepting multiple congratulations from around the table. Their second daughter Dominique, who had graduated from Hogwarts with Scorpius and Rose, was trying (and failing) to caress her newest boyfriend's thigh under the table without anyone noticing. Their youngest, Louis, had brought his friend Michael; the two of them were laughing at their own private jokes. Roxanne and Fred - George and Angelina's twins - were arguing about something involving mashed potatoes while James ranted about how the Cannons should've beaten the Falcons in their last match. Albus shoveled food down his throat like a madman while his little sister Lily went between staring at him in disgust to staring at her parents with puppy dog eyes (surely begging for a Pygmy Puff). Percy and Audrey's daughters - Molly and Lucy - were huffing about the noise and reading a book, respectively, while Hugo, the Scamanders', and a few Longbottoms' seemed to be plotting something at the far end of the table.

Scorpius watched every Weasley with a bemused expression, wondering how they could understand one another with all of the ruckus. He didn't want to know what would have happened if Mr. And Mrs. Longbottom had brought all seven of their children instead of just the four still in Hogwarts.

Still, even though he took account of every person at the table, he only had eyes for Rose. She was laughing tearfully at every other sentence that came out of Dom's mouth and snorting unabashedly. Her face was as red as her hair and her eyes seemed to be permanently glued shut and crinkled at the corners.

Merlin, she was gorgeous. Scorpius thought it absurd that anyone could love someone other than Rose, but he was glad to have her to himself . . . He didn't want to share her with anyone else.

After dinner things seemed to calm down just a bit. Everyone was gathered in the sitting room once again enjoying a post-meal cuppa and scattered conversation. Teddy and Victoire had gone home straight after dinner, along with Dom and her boyfriend. Surprisingly, that seemed to lessen the volume by a much larger fraction than anticipated.

Scorpius had claimed the love seat and was lounging comfortably with Rose resting against his chest. At some point his hand had managed to find its way into her hair where he started to twirl the thick, copper red strands around his finger.

If someone had told him a year ago that he would be in such a state of public affection with Rose Weasley, he would have laughed . . . And also blushed. But mostly laughed. Six months ago he would've blamed his current state on his sleepiness or the coffee. Now? Now he knew there could only be one reason - he was completely, wonderfully, stupidly in love with her.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, Nana Molly came in to the sitting room and clapped her hands - the sound was something akin to a roll of thunder - and drew every eye in the room to her.

"The night is young, loves!" She cheered. "Who would like to grace us with some music?" The old piano in the corner (which was covered in just a light sprinkling of dust) creaked at the word "music", but Nana Molly continued to glance around the room, excitedly waiting for a challenger to accept the task she'd set out.

'Poor soul who has to play that thing,' Scorpius thought to himself, immediately letting his eyes fall once again.

Suddenly, the warm weight on his chest disappeared and his eyes snapped open again, only to find Rose walking toward the piano and hopping up on its ancient sable lid.

"GO ROSIE!" Albus shouted.

"SING IT, RED!" James whooped (with an added wolf whistle for good measure).

Rose smiled at her cousins for just a moment before turning to look Scorpius dead in the eye.

'No,' Scorpius thought. 'Please please no!'

All at once her playful smile melted away to reveal a positively evil grin.

"Scorpius!" She called. "I need an accompanist!"

"Not a chance, love!" He replied. There was nothing he wanted to do less. Public displays of affection was one thing, embarrassing himself in front of (almost) her entire family. Rose hadn't changed him that much.

"Awh, c'mon, mate!" Al badgered, knowing full well that Scorpius would have his head on a silver platter later.

"Scor-pi-us! Scor-pi-us!" James began the chant softly until he'd gotten almost everyone in the room to join in. "SCOR-PI-US! SCOR-PI-US!"

Scorpius could feel his ears growing red, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before the rest of his face followed suit. So, painstakingly, he rose from the love seat and made his way to the piano bench (much to the delight of Rose and company).

Rose leaned over the piano to whisper the song she wanted into his ear and he smiled, instantly recognizing that she'd chosen it because it was the first song her grandparents had ever danced to together (and also one of his personal favorites).

Scorpius played the intro as gently as he could, trying to familiarize himself with the feeling of the keys - it had been a long time since he'd had a piano at his fingertips. He'd forgotten how much he loved it.

Soon enough he was ready to really get the show started, and he played the opening notes once more with the gusto that always accompanied the great Celestina Warbeck.

"I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love

And it's bubbling for you!

Say incendio, but that spell's not hot

As my special witch's brew!"

When Rose started to sing, Nana Molly almost shrieked as she pulled Papa Arthur to his feet - forcing him to dance with her to their song.

"Mix a pinch of spice with a dash of charm and a sprinkling of romance,

They're why my cauldron's full of hot, strong love,

It's worth it, take the chance!"

Soon enough multiple people were dancing and laughing along with the music. Again, Scorpius couldn't take his eyes off of Rose. She was beautiful at any moment, but when she sang . . . She was incandescent. To Rose, nothing and no one else existed when she was caught up in the music.

"Oh, come and stir my cauldron,

And if you do it right,

I'll boil you up some hot, strong love,

To keep you warm tonight!"

Rose looked over at him with a smile unlike any he'd ever seen as she sang the last verse.

"Oh, such thrills await,

'Cause, together, we're ready to proceed,

Drink from my cauldron full of hot, strong love,

It's all the magic that you'll ever need!"

The room erupted into cheers as Rose hopped off of the piano to take a bow, gesturing to Scorpius and encouraging him to take one as well. Slightly embarrassed by all the attention, he humbly bowed his head and stood up from the bench to head back to his seat.

"Oh, Scorpius - that was lovely!" Cried Nana Molly as she clapped her hands together. "Would you play us another?"

"Oh, I'm really not that -" He began awkwardly.

"Nonsense! You're amazing, Scorp!" Rose interrupted as she pushed him back toward the bench. "Just one more song? Play that one that I like. You know? The doodily-doo one?"

Luckily for Scorpius he knew Rose well enough to know what she meant by "the doodily-doo one".

"If you insist," he sighed. "You're lucky I love you." He whispered the last bit so that only she could hear.

"Believe me - I know." She whispered back as she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Knock'em dead!"

Five songs, two cups of coffee, and one awkward conversation with Ron Weasley later and he was finally able to escape the bench and drag Rose home.

"But I don' wanna go!" She yawned. "This is fun! It's Christmas!"

"If we stay long enough it will be," he laughed as he lifted her into his arms bridal style. "Come on, you're exhausted and I don't think my hands can take much more piano playing."

"Such a baby," she sighed. "Fine we can go."

"We're already here, love. We went through the Floo just a minute ago."

"What?" Rose looked around to make sure he was telling the truth. Sure enough, they were standing in their flat that was just barely illuminated by the light of their Christmas tree. "How did I miss us going through the Floo?"

"You fell asleep," Scorpius chuckled. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to Apparate with you like that so here we are . . . I was hoping you'd stay asleep long enough for me to put you in bed, but you can't always get what you want."

"Oh," she yawned again. "Well, you're still a baby."

"And you're talking nonsense." Scorpius replied as he laid her on the bed and pulled off her boots.

"Ah but you still love me." She whispered as if she were in a dream.

Scorpius expected her eyes to be closed and her breath even when he looked back to her; instead her warm brown eyes were open, curious, and alight from the cool silver moon filtering in through the window. She seemed clearer of mind than she was just seconds before.

"Do you?" She asked quietly. "Love me?"

Scorpius looked at her incredulously before smirking as he tucked her under the duvet. "Now who's being a baby?" He asked.

"Scorpius, I'm serious," she tried to sit up but her tired body pulled her back down. "Do you love me?"

He considered her closely - perhaps more closely than he ever had before - from the tips of her bright red hair to the undeniable Weasley-ness of her nose to the constellation of freckles that adorned almost every available inch of her pale skin. He considered her kind, positive heart and her unfailingly Gryffindor spirit. He considered her unfortunate penchant for sarcasm and her annoying hogging of blankets and getting up too late. He considered her soft lips and small hands and all the power she held between each. He considered the good and the bad of her, the slow and the fast, the loud and the quiet, and -

"More than anything," he whispered. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Now go to sleep or St. Nick will never come."

"I love you too," she said, letting her eyes finally fall closed. The room was silent save for their collective breathing and the crickets outside the window . . .

"Baby."