Well hello! Thanks so much for the reviews on my latest chapter, you guys make me happy :)
WITH NAMES: I really want you guys to have a hand in this, so I'll make a list at the end of the bottom AN (PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR IT AND VOTE!) And I'd like you guys to vote for your top three! :)
THANKS TO: Tigermusic, PandaPillowPet, alicer718, TheFantabulousPotterHead, Hair Like Starlight, MemoirsofaLostCause, Jmvh, .3, YOU GUYS ARE THE BESTTTTT :)
Description: IT'S CHRISTMAS! (In case anyone's confused about the time scale, Hermione got pregnant in late September/early October, Christmas break is 3 weeks, they're in the middle/end of the second and she's currently around 11 weeks :D )
Disclaimer: No seriously, not JK Rowling I promise
REVIEW PLEASE?
Chapter 12
Hermione hummed some of her favourite muggle carols as she strung up some old fairy lights around the doorway to the main sitting room.
"Oh for Merlin's sake." Draco spluttered as the huge tree almost collapsed on him once again.
Hermione chuckled slightly, and peeked round the doorway to watch him struggling in the high ceilinged entryway.
She'd pleaded and pleaded for a huge, beautiful tree, all new decorations and even some old muggle tapes to really get in the Christmas spirit, she'd decided to think of the middle week in the Christmas holidays they were now enjoying as the start, as she'd decided the first of the three hadn't really counted, what with them being in hospital and all.
She placed a hand over her belly protectively as she slowly climbed down the stepladder, and went to direct Draco with the tree.
She'd demanded they set up the house without magic, as she'd explained it just made her feel at home.
Draco had been surprisingly compliant, promising her the best Christmas in years, and hadn't even complained about the huge tree he was forcing into place.
"Merlin's beard Granger do I have to?" Well, he'd managed not to complain for the most part.
"C'mon Draco you promised." She grinned, peering under several thick branches to see him glaring at her from under the tree.
With a laugh, she went off to make them some tea, still humming her favourite hymns as she went.
Hermione yawned and rolled over, blearily creaking open one eye as she saw the time on her alarm, and grinned.
She sat up, and was surprised to see Draco was still asleep.
She chuckled slightly as she admired the way his platinum hair stuck up in untameable tufts when he was sleeping, and grabbed his shoulder, shaking him awake.
"Draco, Draco!" He sat bolt upright, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he quickly scanned the room before turning to face Hermione.
"What is it? Is everything ok? Are you ok? Are the babies"
Hermione rolled her eyes and put a finger over his lips with a small smile.
"Oh just shut up, of course we're fine it's Christmas!" She grinned, pulling Draco into a hug as he laughed softly.
"Well merry Christmas Hermione, do you want to head down for breakfast?" She grinned and pulled herself out of bed, one hand over her bump as she pulled on her dressing gown.
"Sounds great! I really hope you like your present." Draco gave her a questioning look.
"Well why wouldn't I like it? It's from you." Hermione smiled and punched him lightly on the arm.
"You're so damn cute." She teased as he scowled, following her down to breakfast.
"Well what's that supposed to mean?!"
"Merry Christmas!" Ginny beamed, throwing her arms around Hermione as though she hadn't seen her earlier that week.
Harry appeared behind her, the first few flakes of snow mingling in his jet black hair.
He smiled and managed to get a hug in around his fiancé's incessant chattering.
"Great to see you Mione." She relaxed against his shoulder, glad to have one of her best friends back.
"Oh Hermione you look fantastic!" Ginny squealed, immediately placing both hands on Hermione's stomach, even though she'd done the exact same thing just days earlier.
"Thanks Gin," Hermione laughed, opening the door a little wider and inviting them in to her impressive home.
"Come on, get inside before you catch your death." She winked as Ginny and Harry marvelled at the tasteful grandeur of the Manor.
"Your place is gorgeous! Harry I told you we should go old fashioned when we buy." Ginny elbowed Harry as he chuckled and rolled his eyes.
"Please just come through to the main lounge, Draco's overseeing proceedings in the kitchen at the moment." Hermione explained as the doorbell rang once more.
As, unfortunately, the usual Weasley gathering had been split up this year, what with many people starting their own families and Ron's condition, Hermione and Draco were holding their own mini Christmas with several friends.
"I'll get it!" Draco came rushing through, wearing a Christmas present from Hermione.
"Oh Merlin." Ginny grinned, as Harry tried to stifle his laughter.
Draco looked confused, before he went bright red and hastily undid the "Kiss the Cook" muggle apron Hermione had insisted he wore.
Hermione shot them both looks and leant up to kiss him softly on the cheek.
"Ignore them, I think it's pretty sexy." She whispered, causing Draco to smirk and Harry to look away in embarrassment.
The pair went to greet their guests at the door, and welcomed Parvati, Dean and their tiny son into the house.
All three girls quickly began cooing over the sleeping baby, as the men stood rather awkwardly and tried to discuss Quidditch.
"Ooh Parv what's his name?" Hermione beamed down at the tiny olive skinned sleeping baby.
"We finally decided on Rishi, took long enough I can tell you. We were on our last day in St. Mungos, and they told us we either named him then or he'd forever be known as "Baby boy Thomas" we agreed pretty fast after that."
"Can't believe he's just three days old!" Ginny cooed, stroking Rishi's cheek gently as Hermione helped Parvati with her bags and through the door.
"Are we expecting anyone else?" Harry asked as the girls returned to the sitting room.
"Well, Lavender's spending Christmas with family while she works on her thesis, Cho's spending it with her girlfriend, and did Blaise get back to us?" Hermione turned to face Draco questioningly, who shrugged.
"I don't know, I think he said Mrs Zabini was rather busy." He winked, causing several jaws to drop.
"Blaise got married?!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione shot Draco a look.
"Yes, it was all very low key, only a few people attended, she wasn't exactly his family's preferred choice."
"Got married straight after the war, turned out they'd been dating a while without anyone even realising." Draco shrugged.
"Well who is it?!" Parvati demanded.
"It's not my story to tell, if Blaise shows then he obviously doesn't mind people knowing, if not the secret will stay a secret." Draco shrugged as Ginny and Parvati pouted sulkily.
Hermione clapped her hands, trying to decrease the tension a little.
"OK! So I don't know about you guys but I picked out a little something for little Rishi, mind if I give him his present now Parv?" Parvati smiled and nodded.
"Oh Mione you really shouldn't"
The doorbell rang.
Ginny and Parvati jumped out of their seats and rushed after Hermione.
"Do you think it's Blaise?!" They chattered away as she rolled her eyes and opened the door with a smile.
"Hermione! Great to see you old gal." The gorgeous olive skinned Blaise Zabini winked as he pulled her into a hug.
He raised his eyebrows when he noticed Ginny, Parvati and Harry trying to get a look past him.
"Well I have to say Potter didn't see you as the gossip hungry chap." Harry blushed and stuck out a hand.
"Good to see you Zabini." He nodded curtly, before Ginny pushed past him.
"So, I hear you got married?" She beamed as Blaise smiled in greeting.
"Nice to see you too Weasley," He rolled his eyes, before replying.
"Yes, tied the knot a few months back actually, and here's the beautiful bride." His smile widened as a beautiful, fair haired girl appeared beside him.
He kissed her tenderly on the cheek before nodding at Ginny, Parvati and Harry's open mouthed expressions.
"Well hello Hermione, Ginny, Harry oh and Parvati too how nice. I suppose I should really introduce myself as Mrs Zabini now shouldn't I?" She pondered in her usual airy way.
"Luna?!" Ginny choked as Blaise gave her a look.
"Well yes, Luna Zabini now, a little different isn't it?" Luna beamed, passing Hermione a rather lopsidedly wrapped parcel as they took off their coats and entered the manor.
"But, but why didn't you tell me?!" Ginny spluttered as Hermione sighed and shut the door.
"Well Blaise and I thought it would be best to keep our relationship secret, at least for a while. Oh, mistletoe. Watch out for nargles won't you Hermione?"
Ginny was still looking at her friend incredulously.
"But you two barely even spoke to each other when we went back to school, and I know for a fact Blaise has still been mouthing off in the way he normally does." She raised an eyebrow accusingly as Blaise looked away.
"It hasn't been ideal, I'll say that much. But I had to keep up appearances. And besides, Luna and I barely went a day without… seeing each other." He winked, pulling his wife in for a kiss as she giggled.
Luna turned back to her friends with a smile.
"What Blaise means by that is that pretty much every evening we'd meet and make love in the room of requirement."
Harry almost choked on his glass of champagne as Ginny threw back her head and laughed.
"Thanks for that Luna."
Hermione sat with Parvati, both exhausted and both spending a rather dull booze free Christmas.
After lunch which had been lovingly (not to mention laboriously) made by Draco as Hermione had never been much of a cook, they'd spent the afternoon opening various presents.
Hermione was wearing a pair of beautiful pearl earrings Draco had given her, and was extremely grateful for the multiple baby related gifts from her friends.
They'd set up the various couples in the guest rooms, as from the looks of it no one would be fit to apparate or heaven forbid drive back home.
The hours went on by, with idle chatter forming pleasant conversations and even a few debates between the men, mostly revolving around Quidditch of course.
It was well past midnight when the three other couples decided to retire to their rooms, leaving just Hermione and Draco sitting together by the fire.
"Thank you." Hermione said, kissing Draco on the cheek as he looked at her, slightly confused.
"For what?"
"For everything. You were amazing today, I love you y'know. I feel like I don't say it enough." He smiled and kissed her softly as the fire crackled before them.
"It just makes it all the more special when you do say it." He grinned as Hermione chuckled.
"You know, I never did give you the other part of your present Hermione." He smiled, standing up off the chez long.
"And I honestly can't think of a more perfect time to give it to you."
With a small smile, and his usual raunchy wink, he lowered himself slowly onto one knee as Hermione gasped and sat up.
"Hermione Jean Granger. I've loved you since I first set eyes on you, you're beautiful incredible, smart and perfect. I've never loved anyone more, and I was wondering if you'd do me the incredible honour, of becoming my wife?"
Hermione quickly batted at the tears in her eyes as she nodded, wrapping her arms around Draco as he kissed her sweetly.
"Yes. A million times yes." She grinned, her smile never faltering as Draco placed the ring on her finger and wrapped her in his arms again.
Hermione saw her rather hung over guests off amongst the various congratulations and thank yous, before sighing, almost in relief that she could relax once more.
"You know we haven't actually discussed names yet?" She called as she took her usual spot before the fire in her favourite arm chair, grabbing the heavily bookmarked baby names book as sipped her pumpkin juice.
Draco sighed and sat opposite her, smiling bemusedly.
"One would have thought you'd wanted to spend today relaxing and not discussing important decisions?"
Hermione snorted.
"One clearly doesn't know me." She winked, pulling out her list as Draco pulled out his own little scrap of paper.
Hermione stared at him, agape.
"You actually made a list?!"
He shrugged.
"It may surprise you to know I do actually care about the names of our children." He paused over his list as Hermione spoke.
"What do you think about the Black family tradition of naming children after stars or constellations?" He asked.
"I love it, I think we should definitely at least give the girls middle names after stars." Draco nodded.
"I'm good with that, I appreciate many of them aren't exactly attractive, so I don't mind if they're just middle names."
"Do you mind if I read my list?" Hermione asked, before pulling it out and ploughing on.
"Ok, I'll give you my top five for first names. I have: Meredith, Elektra, Celeste, Seraphina, and Magdalena."
"Magdalena? Bit of a mouthful isn't it?" Draco snorted as Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It would be shortened to Maggie, or Magda. And besides, all of my names are either stars or Latin. I wanted to keep them unusual and traditional."
"Well fair enough. Do you want my top five for first names?" Hermione nodded excitedly as Draco retrieved his list.
"Ok, so I chose: Gwendolyn, Renae, Bianca, Savannah and Camille."
Hermione grinned.
"I've got to say, I'm impressed Draco, those are all really nice!" She paused for a second before continuing.
"But, well I was rather surprised Narcissa wasn't included there." She said quietly as Draco looked away.
"I don't like the whole, naming children after dead people thing. I'd love it if one of our girls had Narcissa as a middle name though." Hermione nodded and smiled.
"Of course, that would be beautiful."
So, reviews:
.3 - well you got your wish and guessed my next big plot change! Clever ;)
Jmvh - Well, you never know, scans aren't always accurate... but thanks for reading so much :)
MemoirsofaLostCause - Ah I always thought there was so much potential in Lavender, saw my chance and took it!
Hair Like Starlight - Thanks for the review, and yes I love that, it creates such beautiful and unusual names :O
TheFantabulousPotterHead - yes, there will be more Ron drama, but he wont be violent when he returns.
alicer718 - haha no problem hun, you review I reply! And thanks, don't forget to vote for names!
PandaPillowPet - hahaa it was one of my favourite lines I'll admit ;)
Tigermusic - thanks so much for the review, and here's your update! Hope you enjoy :)
SO NAMES VOTE PLEASE PLEASE OPINIONS:
- Celeste
- Magdalena
- Meredith
- Elektra
- Gwendolyn
- Renae
- Bianca
- Savannah
- Camille
- Seraphina
VOTE YOUR TOP 3 PLEASEEEEEE? xo
