It was time for Christmas, Esme was bustling around the house when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Ben walked into his sister's house.
"Hey Benny, how's London?"
"I honestly don't like the bustling and loudness. It like quietness," Ben complained taking off his glasses and wiping them clean.
Just then Jessie started to cry and Esme ran to get her daughter. There was another knock on the door.
"Benny, can you get that?" Esme asked.
He nodded and walked over to the door and pulled it open to face Patrick.
"Oh, hello. You must be Ben. Esme has told me a lot about her brother."
"Yes, I'm Ben. Who are you?"
"I'm Patrick Thompson."
Ben smiled. "You know Patrick was our dad's name."
"Yes, Esme mentioned that the minute I introduced myself."
Ben nodded as Esme walked in the room holding Jessie who was wearing a Christmas tree onesie.
"Hey Mr. Thompson," Esme greeted her neighbor with a hug.
Patrick nodded.
"Let's get going."
The two men nodded. The quartet made their way towards the Burrow and Esme knocked.
"Hello Esme!" Bill said opening the door.
She smiled. "Hey Bill."
"Are you Patrick?" he asked.
"Yes, I am."
"You're not what I expected," Bill said holding out his hand for a handshake.
"What did you expect?" Patrick asked confused but accepting the handshake.
Esme rolled her eyes playfully. "He means he expected a much younger man that could be competition for Charlie."
"You called?" Charlie asked coming up behind Bill smiling at Esme.
A blush rose on Esme's cheeks. "Hey Charlie."
"Are you just let them stand out in the cold, William and Charles?" Molly scolded lightly.
"Come on in."
Esme walked in.
"You must be Patrick," Molly said bustling over to the group.
"Yes, I'm Patrick Thompson."
"I'm Molly Weasley, this is my husband Arthur. You've met our two oldest Bill and Charlie. Percy is on his way. My other four children stayed at school for the holiday."
"It's nice to meet you."
"You too."
Arthur led Patrick to the table and they began talking. Esme let out a sigh in relief.
"Were you nervous about my dad meeting Patrick?" Charlie asked.
"A little but it seems to be going fine."
Jessie began to fuss and Esme rushed to take care of her daughter. The little girl calmed down and Esme sat down between Charlie and Bill.
"So, tell us about yourself Patrick," Molly said.
"I'm a widower of seven years, I used to be in the British Air Force," he said.
Molly frowned. "I'm sorry to hear about your wife. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to Arthur."
"Do you have any kids?" Arthur asked.
"Dot and I were never blessed with children as much as we wanted them."
Molly frowned again. "That's devastating."
"How about we change the subject to something happier since it's Christmas?" Esme asked.
"That's a good idea."
"So, you said you were in the British Air force what did you do?"
"I was a medic," Patrick responded.
"What did you do after you finished your stint in the Air Force?"
Patrick said. "I helped my wife teach dance. She was a dance teacher. Though, she was always the better dancer. She was even a professional dancer for a bit."
"That's nice."
"You know I dabbled in tap dance when I was five but I didn't enjoy it," Esme said.
"Dot was a ballroom dance teacher more specifically the waltz and jitterbug." Patrick recalled.
"Do you remember any of the moves, Patrick?" Esme asked standing up.
"I do."
She smiled. "I need a partner. What do you say Bill and Charlie?"
"I'll probably step on your feet if you choose me," Charlie said.
Bill hopped up. "I'll take the first round."
"Okay," she sighed disappointedly looking at Charlie.
Bill rested his hand on Esme's waist and they started to learn to dance the waltz.
"Okay, move over Bill," Charlie said a few minutes later.
Bill smirked and winked at Esme. "I thought he'd see things my way."
Esme blushed as Charlie took Bill's spot and as cheesy as it sounds there was a bolt of electricity between them.
"You're actually a decent dancer, Charlie," she smiled up at him.
He blushed. "Thanks."
"Have you always been this good?"
"I was pretty horrible at the Christmas dance in my fifth year. I took Dora Tonks and I stepped on her feet most of the dance. I'm pretty sure I broke a couple of her toes."
Esme sighed. "I hated that dance."
"Why do you say that?"
"That's when I discovered my boyfriend was cheating on me. I skipped the second half of the dance to cry in my dorm."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Before Esme could respond they had finished their dance lessons.
"So, you are a good dancer, Charlie," Bill teased.
Charlie blushed. "Shut it, Bill. I have a reputation to maintain!"
Bill was about to tease him but he stopped since they were in the presence of a muggle.
They opened presents and Esme received a Weasley sweater much to her surprise. It was a navy blue with a small raven and a big bronze 'E'.
"You didn't have to make me one, Molly," she smiled at the Weasley matriarch.
"Nonsense, you've been a part of this family since Bill brought you home from Egypt when you got pregnant."
Esme slipped the sweater on, shot towards the Weasley matriarch and hugged her.
"Besides you're going to be an official part of this family anyway," she smirked at her.
"Not if bloody Chester Davies has anything to do with it!" Esme huffed sitting down between Charlie and Bill again.
"He still hasn't gotten the hint that you don't fancy him and don't want him to be Jessie's step-dad?"
"No, he hasn't, Molly. He even invited himself over for Christmas since he's alone because his little brother stayed at school for the Ball," she said.
"I'm glad he's not here," Charlie said pulling Esme towards him in a protective gesture as Bill smirked at them.
Esme didn't pull away. "I can handle myself Charlie but thanks."
"No problem."
Bill smiled at his little brother and his best friend. "I wish Fred and George were here. They would tease you two so much."
"Like you haven't been doing the same exact thing this whole time," Charlie rolled his eyes playfully as Esme rested her head on his shoulder.
After a few more hours, Ben decided to walk Patrick home since Esme decided to stay at the Weasleys.
"So, what reputation do have to keep, Charlie?" Bill teased.
Charlie puffed out his chest. "I'm a big bad dragon breeder, I can't let them know I'm good dancer."
"I think it's sweet," Esme smiled at him.
"So, what were you two talking about while you were dancing?" Bill asked.
"Just the fact that I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me at the Christmas dance during my sixth year."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that."
She smiled at him. "It's fine now. He ended up in the Hospital Wing a few days after the dance with bogeys flying out of his nose."
"You can cast a Bat Bogey Hex?"
"Yes, I can. I was taught by an older student in my fourth year," Esme explained.
Charlie nodded. "You're the second person I know who can cast that hex, the other is Ginny."
"Your sister can cast that spell?"
"Yes, she can. Size is not a guarantee of power when it comes to Ginny."
Esme nodded. "Well, I'm exhausted I'm going to get to bed."
"Goodnight, Esme," Bill said hugging her.
"Night Bill," she said trying to eye Charlie over Bill's shoulder which was rather difficult since she was only 5 '4 and Bill was nearly a foot taller.
"I'm quite tired too," Charlie yawned.
Esme smiled as Charlie followed her like a lost puppy.
"I can't believe your mum made me a sweater," she said pulling it over her head.
Charlie looked at her. "I think you look nice in it."
"You think so?"
Charlie wanted to say. "You'd look better in mine."
Esme sat down on her bed and stretched out. "So, you mentioned something about taking dragons to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament or more accurately the Quad-Wizard Tournament while you helped me move in."
Charlie frowned as he began running his hands through his hair. "I had no idea what those poor nesting mothers were in for."
"What happened?"
He sat next to her. "It makes me angry even to think about it and how dumb I was to go along with it."
"Charlie, you're not dumb," she assured him with a small smile.
"That's easy for you to say, you're a former Ravenclaw and got more O. than me," he huffed petulantly crossing his arms.
"You're still not dumb, maybe a little too trusting but I can't criticize you for that since I'm the same way," she sighed.
Charlie replied. "Bill is my older brother but he's always been the smarter one."
Esme said. "I never realized that you felt this way."
"Nobody knows I feel this way except you," Charlie said laying down next to her.
"I'm honored, Charlie," she smiled at him lying her head on his chest.
"It felt nice to get that off my chest," he said breathing a sigh of relief.
"So, tell me about the Triwizard Tournament."
"Let me explain what the task was. Each of the contestants had to fight a nesting mother and steal a fake egg. Viktor Krum used the Conjunctivitis curse which blinded the poor Chinese Fireball was confused and crushed half of her real eggs."
"That's horrible. I can't imagine anything happening to Jessie."
"I think you're a great mother, Esme," he complimented.
She blushed. "Thanks."
They fell asleep.