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Chapter 34: Christmas Eve

Hermione and Harry with Remus, Tonks and Teddy visited the Burrow briefly in the morning to have a meeting with Arthur Weasley as the Head of the Family as they needed sort out what they were going to do about the youngest two of the family.

Molly gave Hermione a particularly frosty greeting when she entered the Burrow. When the Matriarch attempted to boss Hermione and Harry round it was then that Hermione snapped reminding her that she was an adult who worked for a living and paid her own bills.

"Don't you speak to me like that to me you scarlet hussy you should respect your elders" whined the woman who had formally acted like a mother to her friend Harry.

"I see where your youngest son and daughter have got their self centred opinions from, their mother who thinks nothing of firing off yet another howler to embarrass her own children or take the same tone with two children who are not hers to interfere with. My mother is dead and you will never replace her. Hermione here has been loyal since day one unlike your fool of a son. He has been repeatedly disloyal to me for years? Did he tell you that he abandoned Hermione and I during the horcrux hunt because he was hungry?

And well if Hermione is a scarlet hussy your daughter is the slag of Hogwarts. She doesn't love me she just sees me as bank account and a way to have fame and glory by being my bed warmer. I have a girlfriend and we are quite serious, I believe you have been given the summons for the civil charges against Ginny and Ronald. I want them both to leave Hermione and I alone or I will call in the life debt that they both have with me.

I am sorry it has come to this Arthur but your children and your spouse need to learn anger management and boundaries," advised the young man.

Hermione was bouncing Teddy on her lap and he was blowing raspberries at her. It had been preplanned that the weakest would be together so the rest of the group could provide the best protection. Tonks and Remus both had their wands secretly ready for action since they had arrived in the Burrow, particularly when Molly started screeching. Hermione had also slipped her wand to where it was easily grab if hexes started flowing.

Arthur agreed that something had to be done about Ginny, Ron and Molly. "As Head of the Family I am ordering you Molly Prewitt Weasley to St Mungo's where you will undergo treatment. Ginny and Ronald will be joining you there as inpatients when they return tonight. If you disobey me on this I will throw you and the two youngest children out of the family so mote it be" snapped Arthur leading everyone to the floo.

oOoOo

Hermione, Harry and the Lupins returned to Grimmauld Place and Hermione took herself off to her bedroom she was emotionally exhausted and her back and hips were killing her. The sciatic pain had flared up. The more emotionally upset the individual was the higher the uncontrolled pain levels were. Hermione was already on her third oxynorm (her breakthrough opioid medication) for the day and she still was dancing on the ceiling due to the amount of pain she was experiencing.

At 5pm that afternoon Arthur sent through a note to the house advising that Ginny and Ron had now been admitted to St Mungo's. Hopefully everything was going to get sorted over the two weeks of the Christmas holiday break. Even though it was dark Hermione had rugged up and taken herself outside hoping that the change in environment would provide a suitable change of mental perspective. Looking up in the clear night she was starting to see the evening stars come out even with the light pollution of London.

Severus Snape had seen Hermione wheel out into the main garden from where he was seated. The wizard had needed some quite as the house was full to the brim. "Hermione are you feeling alright?" he inquired when he saw the anguish in her face.

"I am just missing my parents Severus. Christmas was always going to be one of the hardest times of the year for me. Today was my mother's birthday and the celebration of Christmas was always a special family time. We always went out to dinner for her birthday on Christmas Eve and then together we would go to Midnight Mass. I just miss them so much" she explained.

"Would you like to go with me to Midnight Mass tonight at Westminster Cathedral?" inquired the quiet man

"Yes thank you Severus that would be nice. I suppose we must go in and start the festivities come and help me be bossy to the boys and Harry as we decorate the tree."

There was much laughter and joy in the ballroom that had been set up with a 16 foot Christmas tree. Tinky, Winky and Kreacher were leading the decorating directions. The ballroom had been sectioned off into two and they had laid out large thick plush carpets along with a scattering of comfortable seating round the fireplace. There was a table ready for the day all prepared for the Christmas Luncheon. Duncan, Ryan, Luna and others had all been put to work helping the elderly elf round the house and they were excited for Christmas.

As the residents were finishing up decorating the tree before going upstairs to the living and open plan dining room Hermione asked the two boys if they would like to join Headmaster and herself at midnight mass.

"I didn't think wizards celebrated with church services and all that," explained Ryan.

"Pureblood families may follow the old ways but many also follow the traditions of their first generation spouses. As a result there are some families who follow a combined tradition," explained the Headmaster.

"My parents were Catholic are we going to a Catholic church?" inquired Ryan.

"Yes we are going to Westminster Cathedral Miss Mia's parents were also Catholic as well and I have always enjoyed the choir service at the Cathedral," advised Severus as they travelled up in the lift to the first floor.

After dinner the boys were sent to bed so that they could get some sleep while the various members of the household got down to the last minute gift wrapping. Everyone had placed his or her stocking on the mantle of the ballroom fireplace. Bonnie had been a key person in organising the stockings. Narcissa had pulled Severus in to a dance with her when he came to see if she was organised to go to Mass and he had seen the longing in Hermione's face. Just then the boys clattered down the stairs and it appeared that there was a large group now joining Severus and Hermione in attending Midnight Mass.

Hermione levered herself out of her chair and shrunk it before levitating the shrunken item into her coat pocket. Holding onto Severus the group worked out how they were going to get to Westminster. Severus had long ago made a friend with one of the Canons of the Cathedral and it was his office that the group were going to be apparating into tonight. Tinky was going to be busy shuttling everyone to the Canon's office as only Severus had been there before.

It was during the Carols that Hermione learnt that Severus had a lovely singing voice and he was not the only one who could sing. Apparently Ryan had been in his local church choir and Filius Flitwick was busy recruiting him for the Hogwarts' Choir when they returned to Grimmauld Place for a hot chocolate before bed.