Christmas at Grimmauld Place

Ginny was sitting outside of Grimmauld Place, the snow was falling lightly, dancing in the air. The noise from the adults enjoying too much fire whiskey was filling the air when she felt a hand on her back. Harry couldn't help but smile a little as the ice of the snow juxtapositioned the fire color of her hair.

"You're going to catch a cold," Harry said from behind her.

"I never get colds," Ginny told him, turning around into his embrace, her hands running through his black hair before they landed on his chest.

"Well, things change," Harry whispered.

"Like what? Time? Everything's always changing, I'm surprised if something isn't changing." Ginny told him as he snaked his arms around her waist. "Nothing is ever still."

"You are. You're a constant in my life, that will never change." He told her, pulling her to his chest.

"You're about to change things, aren't you?" She whispered, her eyes fluttering shut.

"No, we both are." He whispered, putting his lips on hers. Ginny returned his kiss, her fingers clutching his shirt. His arms tightened around her, tipping her chin for a better kiss.

The snow kept falling around them as they stood there, keeping one another warm. Ginny finally pulled away, her lips chapped. "Merry Christmas, Harry." She whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Ginny." He smiled, bringing her back to him.

"Well, maybe not for everyone," a voice came from behind them.

Harry could feel his heart beating in his chest as he and Ginny turned around to see Draco standing by the door.

"Draco," Ginny said defeated, moving away from both boys.

"We can't do this anymore, can we?" Harry said with a bitter laugh.

"You mean pretend to hide our feelings and hurt?" Draco said staring at his friends.

"This conversation is going to be too intense to have out here," Ginny said walking past both of the boys and into a secluded room.

Harry and Draco shared a look before following her in.


"So, let me get this straight," Charlie smirked. "You stormed into her house after one of her most exhausting shifts ever, and she still decided to let you stay?"

"I have no idea why she did." Remus laughed.

"Moony!" Adara and Rigel shouted, launching themselves at him. "We've missed you!"

"Hey, you two! What have you been up to?" Remus grinned at them.

"I put green dye in Adara's hair potion!" Rigel cheered.

"I put glitter in his." Adara sniffed back.

"No, you didn't." Rigel looked confused.

"Yes, I did. It's charmed so you won't see it. That's why Harry is snickering at you. Right now." Adara corrected, putting her hands on her hips.

"You are getting good at controlled wandless magic, Adara. I'm so proud of you." Remus encouraged.

"Mummy says I'll be a Slytherin, just like Aunt Narcissa. I can't wait." Adara preened, twirling her dress back and forth.

"Hey, look! There's Livvie! Let's go see her!" Rigel shouted, running towards the Longbottoms. Adara shook her head, then followed him at a more sedate pace.

Olivia Longbottom took one look at Rigel's glittering hair and fell to the floor in laughter.

"Awe, c'mon! Dara! Take the glitter off! Take it off!" Rigel screamed.

"Now, now, Pup." Sirius came over to greet his guests. "You remember the family rule. Don't dish it out if you can't take it back."

"Dad! Glitter!" Rigel shivered all over.

"I know. You've been covered in glitter for days." Sirius' eyes twinkled. "You're getting old enough to know better than to prank your sister without expecting her to retaliate."

"Oh, you and James would have been a deal, parenting together. Do you know that?" Frank Longbottom asked, shaking Sirius' hand.

"We would have. Ready to quit the Ministry yet?" Sirius asked.

"We're not all you, Black. We can't all afford to live off the family vaults." Frank laughed stiffly.

"What if we go into business? I've got some ideas. Get us all free of the Ministry." Sirius offered. "But, it may involve some help from Neville."

"We'll talk later. Let's not ruin Christmas with shop talk." Frank agreed. Alice had already walked off to find Hestia and Molly in the kitchen.

"Oh, Frank. Be prepared. Bill's brought a French lass home, so Molly's got all the booze out so she can celebrate. The women folk are drinking heavy tonight." Sirius warned.

"We partied on bonfire night. It's only right they take Christmas." Frank said resigned.

Neville took off to find the other teens, knowing they would be getting up to some mischief if their dads were the ones in charge. Walking into Grimmauld Place's library, he found most of his friends, including Hermione and Fred.

"So, you decide to forgive him, did you?" Neville snickered, watching them snuggle into each other.

"Merlin! Neville, you scared me!" Hermione accused, holding her hand to heart.

"She's not completely forgiven me," Fred said, a cut of meat held to his eye.

"What's happened to you, mate?" Neville laughed.

"Charlie," was all Fred would reply.

"Yeah?" Charlie asked, walking into the library. "Oh, hey, Neville."

"What did you do to your brother?" Neville couldn't stop laughing.

"You mean 'brothers.' As in plural. Take a look around." Charlie smirked. Sure enough, Ron and George were also nursing wounds.

"Oh, shit! This is what Charlie was waiting on!" Neville laughed even harder, bending over and holding his gut. "I warned you! I told you he would wait until you weren't expecting it!"

"I wasn't expecting it in the first place, was I?" Ron shouted, kicking at Neville without actually making contact.

"Look. You were given clear rules to follow. And you're the only brother those two have at school to make sure they follow those rules." Charlie lectured.

"And I can make those two do anything?" Ron asked throwing his chunk of meat at Charlie. "Literally the only reason you and Bill can manage that is because you're big enough to beat the shit out of them! And even then, both of you leave before they have time to prank you back!"

"That's actually a fair point, Charlie-boy." George started.

"Why do the two of you never stick around long enough to get pranked?" Fred asked.

"Not that stupid. You two are too scary to stick around." Charlie shrugged.

"Okay, look. If you're too chicken shit to stay around, that's fine. But don't punish those of us who actually have to. You, obviously, don't understand the pain." Ron argued.

"I don't understand the pain? I'm a dragon tamer." Charlie enunciated slowly.

"Yeah?" Ron enunciated in the same voice, wondering how hard Charlie was about to hit him. "They transfigured my bear into a spider when they were five. And they've only got better."

Charlie knew that about the twins, but he didn't want to admit it. So instead, he said, "Oi, where's Ginny and those two idiots at?"

"There in the other room. Finally having that talk they need to have." Hermione answered. "Don't interrupt them, or I'll Bat Bogey helped me perfect it."

"Alright. Don't interrupt the lovely… whatever they are." Charlie replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey, have they thought about trying a triad situation? That would solve all their problems."

"Oh, please." Hermione rolled her eyes. "As if the heirs of the Potter and Malfoy fortunes would ever do anything so mundane as to share. She's the youngest of seven. She's worn Ron's hand-me-downs for most of her life. She's not going to want to share her love either." Hermione soothed. "Besides, it's their choice. We'll let them work it. As long as it's worked out by our OWLs. Now, everyone enjoy the party. We're ruining the atmosphere."

Down the hall, Ginny, Draco, and Harry were all shoved into the study.

"So," Ginny said staring at the two boys across from her. "Anybody want to back out now? Change their minds, forget this whole thing exists in the first place?"

"No," Harry said, shaking his heads.

"Neither one of us has any intention of letting you go," Draco stated.

"Regardless of what anyone else thinks," Harry added.

"Let's get one thing clear here," Draco said staring at Ginny from across the table then to Harry, sitting next to him. "Someone is going to get hurt here."

"Two," Harry corrected. "Two people are going to get hurt, right Ginny?" Harry said, looking up at her then down to his folded hands on the table.

"You aren't making this conversation easy," Ginny sighed. "But yes. I like you both. I really do. It's like having the great loves of your life all at once."

"Normally one crashes and burns before the other comes along," Draco smiled.

"Yeah," Ginny said with a weak smile back.

"I propose a balance," Harry said, staring at the two of them, trying not to get jealous. "You like us both, date us both, and then when you think you have this figured out, we move on from there."

"I can agree to that," Draco said.

"But you have to agree not to hate me," Ginny said, "If I have to choose, I don't want to choose to break off a friendship too."

"No, just our hearts," Harry said with a grin. "I could never hate you, Ginny."

"I couldn't either," Draco added pointly. "No keeping track of snogging."

"Just dates," Harry said. "And time. Equal dates and time. What happens on those said dates and time spent is between just the two."

"No asking about the other," Ginny said. "At least not to me. Or Hermione and Luna. Or anyone for that matter. Now, let's get back to the party."

Ginny led the boys to the library with the other teens. No one asked about their conversation and they didn't offer any information up. They all broke out the butterbeer and enjoyed each other's company.

"Draco, when's your mum getting here with the rest of the kids?" Hermione asked, looking up from where she was playing with Fred's hand.

"She'll be in later. Wanted to give the new tyke time to nap or whatever." Draco sneered.

"'The new tyke'? Do you mean little Xander?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Is that his name? Xander? Sounds plebeian." Draco commented.

"Merlin!" Ginny laughed, covering her mouth with both hands. "You're so jealous! You're so jealous of a kid that's not even one yet! It's fantastic!"

"I am not jealous," Draco argued, face reddening as he threw himself into an armchair.

"And you also know that Xander's name follows your mother's naming scheme more closely than the Black family. It's Greek rather than a constellation." Hermione stifled her own giggle. "Really, you need to get over it. He's not taking your place in your mum's heart. I promise."

"Oh, what do you know? You're an only child." Draco sneered, getting his bearings.

"Yeah, that's true. It also means my parents are more aware of every move that I make. That's why I'm grateful for a ten-month boarding school. Otherwise, I would never have a boyfriend." Hermione shuddered as everyone laughed at her plight. Just then, the doorbell rang and everyone knew that the Snapes had arrived.

Hestia, Molly, Alice, and Tonks were already in their cups when Narcissa arrived in the kitchen. She was aware that it was the menfolk were in charge of the children for the night, which meant that Aida the house elf would end up wrangling the youngest ones. When she entered the kitchen, Molly and Hestia cheered and shoved a glass of wine in her hands. She registered that it was a stronger wine, one that Hestia stocked when she needed to deal with the twins, Sirius, and Remus all at their finest.

"Can you believe it? The twins made it to Christmas hols without dropping out! I'm one term closer to seeing them actually finish school!" Molly screamed, pumping her fists in the air in victory.

"Oh, Molly, they're going to be entrepreneurs. And they're too smart to sit their NEWTs. You know they'd fail the tests on purpose." Hestia soothed.

"Besides, they don't want to be compared to Bill and Charlie! And who would? Have you seen Bill's hair!" Tonks interjected, her hair growing into a perfect replication of the redhead in question.

"Oh, quit it! I hate that mess!" Molly shivered, shaking her wine without spilling it.

"How about this hair?" Tonks laughed, turning her hair into an ice blonde flow down her back.

"Zhat looks familiar," Fleur commented, joining the ladies.

"Fleur! Oh, it's lovely to see you!" Molly wrapped her into a hug.

"I was going for Aunt Cissa, but you work, too!" Tonks laughed, moving in for her own hug when Molly released her. Narcissa rolled her eyes at her niece's exploits. "How are you? I thought you were going back to France for the holidays?"

"We're 'eading our tomorrow." Fleur smiled at Tonks as her hair morphed into its normal bubble gum pink spikes.

"Oh, yay! Have fun! Bill doesn't know a lick of French, so you'll have to translate for him." Tonks warned.

"No, 'e 'as been learning while 'es been 'elping me wis my Eenlish." Fleur blushed.

"Oh, that's wonderful. Which part of France are you from?" Narcissa asked, not having spent much time with the Tri-Wizard champion. The two then engaged in a conversation in French on one side of the kitchen, while the other three ladies in the kitchen were discussing Auror training and whether or not Tonks could convince Charlie that was basically the same as dragon training. Tonks disagreed and said that being an Auror was way harder than being a dragon tamer, which caused Molly to switch her point of view and start wildly defending her son.

Finally, Aida, the house elf, called for supper to be served and for the witches and wizards to get to eating. Narcissa thought that was a bit rude, but Aida was Sirius' elf and she wasn't there to judge… much.

"Oh! Before we eat! There's something I have to tell everyone!" Tonks squealed drunkenly. Narcissa was aware of Sirius' werewolf friend looking ashen at the comment but ignored it. "I'm getting married! In July!"


Gabs: Yay! Tonks and Remus!

Kat: Yay side plots coming together!

Gabs: Yay pretty much the only cannon relationship we've used so far!

Kat: Give Bill and Fleur some time… Thank you all for the reviews! We had more people review who don't normally review the last chapter and it was great!

Gabs: And thanks for all the favs/follows! We love you, too!

Kat: We own nothing!

XOXO

Gabs & Kat