The characters of the Harry Potter universe belong to Ms. Rowlings, and I'm borrowing them for my own imagination.
Chapter 38 – Christmas Eve
"Oh, it is so wonderful to have so many people here." Molly gushed as she busied herself around the kitchen of the Burrows. Andromeda and Augusta were helping her while the rest of the guest enjoyed themselves the living room.
When they rebuilt the Burrows after the war, Bill and Percy had taken charge of the plans. They had made sure the kitchen and living room were large enough to hold their enlarging family, but only had four bedrooms built so that the house was only two stories. Molly and Arthur's bedroom was now on the main floor, while the second floor contained Ginny's bedroom and two additional rooms that Percy and Patrick currently used.
Babies were being passed around, but Patrick didn't feel any lack of adult attention, as Lily, Delia, and Brian were keeping him well occupied.
"Did any of the boys know when they would be here?" Molly asked.
"No, their CO hadn't told them." Hermione responded from her seat on the sofa next to Fleur and Katie, who was currently holding Grace.
"Molly, are you sure you don't need any more help?" Anna asked from where she was sitting at the kitchen table with Tonks, Narcissa, and Mrs. Delacor. "I promise we will tie Tonks to her chair so she won't get in our way.
"Oi!" Tonks huffed as the others laughed.
"You're the one who likes to beat Remus home just to give him the fearful illusion that you might have cooked." Anna said grinning at her.
"That is a frightening thought." Remus commented with a shiver from his spot at a card table. He was playing cards with Mr. Delacor, Arthur and Severus.
"No, relax." Molly insisted.
"Mum's in her element." George called out grinning.
"From all Lily's talk, her element includes the classroom as well." Anna said smiled at Molly.
Molly blushed at the compliment.
"Delia feels the same way." Blaize added. He was sitting on the floor as he and Luna had joined the little kids in coloring.
"Something smells wonderful in here." They heard Ron call out as he entered the Burrows kitchen followed by Harry, Draco, Neville and Sirius. Molly screamed then engulfed both Ron and Harry in a tight hug. Narcissa and Augusta hugged their boys excitedly as well.
"Am I chopped liver?" Sirius muttered which an earned a smack on the arm from Andromeda before she hugged him.
"Can't breath, Mum." Ron muttered. Molly released them and Harry was immediately engulfed by a hug from Ginny.
Ron, Draco and Neville moved to the living room where Hermione, Luna and Hannah waited for them.
"I've missed you so much." Hermione sighed as she was wrapped in Ron's strong arms.
When he released her, Katie stepped forward with Grace in her arms. "I supposed you want to see her next." Smiling, she easily slipped Grace from her arms to his awaiting arms.
"Hey, sweetheart." Ron said quietly as he kissed her forehead.
"Unca Ron!" Ron looked down to see Patrick tugging at his pants leg.
"Here, let her godfather have her." Harry said as he approached Ron and Hermione.
Ron passed Grace to Harry then bent down to lift Patrick up to his hip.
"Like broom." Patrick told him happily hugging him.
"I'm glad. After dinner, you can show how well you ride it." Ron told him with a grin and Patrick nodded grinning.
"Come on, little one, you can't hog Uncle Ron. There are a lot of people who want to hug him." Percy grabbed Patrick and swung him out of Ron's arms. He lifted him way in the air before settling him on his own hip. Patrick howled with laughter.
Percy hugged Ron then moved to join Audrey with her family. He saw that Ron quickly reclaimed Grace before greeting the rest of his family.
"Thank you for writing me back." Delia was saying shyly to Draco who had knelt down to her level to accept a hug.
"I appreciated your letter. And Blaize was right I did miss my bed, but I missed you more." Draco told the little girl that caused her to beam at him.
"I think someone has a little crush." Audrey whispered to Luna who was smiling serenely at Draco and Delia.
"Will you be attending the family breakfast tomorrow?" Audrey turned to speak to Sirius.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it. Andy said you would be there." Sirius said.
"Yes. I'll be there." Audrey responded.
"Alone?" Sirius asked as Percy stepped up beside Audrey. Audrey frowned at Sirius.
"Yes, Percy has his own family plans in the morning. I'm joining the Weasleys in the evening for supper." Audrey reached over to tickle Patrick.
"I'm glad everything appeared to go well at training camp, Mr. Black." Percy said offering his hand.
"Thank you, Percival." Sirius shook his hand squeezing a little harder than necessary.
"I'm going to see if Mum needs help setting everything out on the table. Patrick, stay with Audrey." Percy passed Patrick to Audrey then moved to the kitchen.
"You should be nice to him. His influence is the only reason I'm giving you a chance." Audrey stated to Sirius then moved greet Ron.
"He's a good man." Remus said to Sirius.
"She's too young." Sirius muttered. "And he's too old."
"If you think that of them, then you must really despise me with Dora." Remus stated with a frown as he walked away.
"If you cause a problem in my marriage, I'll change your man's parts to woman's parts permanently." Tonks threatened Sirius and went after her husband passing Teddy to Harry on her way.
"I thought we had this planned where you weren't going to say anything to offend anyone for at least twenty-four hours." Harry approached Sirius with a smile while adjusting Teddy in his arms.
"I told you the only sure way he could do it was if we sealed his mouth shut." Draco said.
"Dinner is served everyone." Molly called out.
They all settled around the various tables set in the kitchen and living room. Percy left Patrick with his father at the Weasley table, joining Audrey with her family. The Snapes shared a table with Neville, Augusta and Hannah.
They were halfway through dessert when Fred and George with identical smirks on their faces said, "Well look what is above us."
Their wives wearily looked and smiled seeing the mistletoe above each of their heads.
"Oh, I suppose we should." Katie said as they each leaned in to kiss their husbands.
The twins grinned then with a flick of their wand the two mistletoes went soaring around the room, landing first over Neville and Hannah and Percy and Audrey. Both couples kissed, the first blushing a bit, before the Mistletoe moved on to other couples. The mistletoe continued to move around until every person whether part of a couple or not received a kiss whether it was passionate kiss shared by Bill and Fleur or the sweet kiss Delia bestowed upon her brother Blaize.
After dinner they all sat around the living room listening to stories of training camp, while they tried to catch the guys up on their own lives. As it grew dark, they began to migrate to their various homes. Harry agreed to stay with the Tonks instead of going to the lonely Grimald Place where Audrey, Narcissa and Draco were also staying. The Snapes were hosting the Lupins, Zabinis, Luna, Hermione, Ron and Grace. The Weasleys that had homes of their own returned to them for the night, leaving only Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Patrick and Percy at the Burrows.
Percy with a sleeping Patrick in his arms and Ginny stood smiling in the doorway of the living room watching their parents sway to Molly's favorite Christmas music, before slipping away to their own rooms for the night.
"Night, Ginny." Percy said tiredly.
"Night." Ginny responded before heading into her own room.
TBC