I'll Be Home For Christmas
Chapter 2: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Disclaimer: Don't own HP and the version I used of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is sung by Judy Garland.
A/N: Well thanks for the fantastic response to chapter one. I'm sooooo excited that people like this story. It makes it even more fun to write knowing that people are actually reading it. So I hope you enjoy this Chapter and look for chapter three soon.
Saturday morning all of the Weasley women got an early start preparing for their day. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley were going to spend a day visiting Molly Weasley's sister and the rest of the women were Christmas shopping. By ten o'clock all of the younger Weasley women had their husbands lined up in the living room, each with his assigned child in his arms. Bill, who was the only one with two, had given his eldest for Ron to be in charge of for the day, and Ginny had put James in the care of Fred.
"Alright," Ginny addressed them men, "All meals and snacks for the day are in the refrigerator. Just use a simple heating charm and they'll be ready to eat. All of the changing supplies are in James' room, hopefully all of you know how to change a diaper by now. The names of each of our pediatricians are on the fridge. We'll be in Diagon Alley all day if there are any emergencies."
"You think none of us have ever seen a kid before? We are fathers you know," Fred rolled his eyes at his sister.
"You Fred Weasley are not a father yet and I swear if I find one scratch on my child you won't live to be one," Ginny threatened. She knew Fred knew she really did trust him though. She had left James with him on more than one occasion.
"Are we ready ladies?" All of the women nodded and apparated out.
When everyone met up again in Diagon Alley they pulled out their lists and decided where they each needed to go. They agreed to split up until 1:00 and then meet for lunch before going to the one store every one of them needed to shop in.
Ginny and Hermione wandered off together, Ginny slowing her pace so a waddling Hermione would be able to keep up with her. They went into Madam Malkin's where Ginny picked up some snow robes for James and some dress up robes for George's daughter Diana. Then the duo headed for Mumbles and Squeaks, a small toyshop where they found gifts for all of their nieces and nephews, and Hermione found something for Fred. In a fancy boutique that had only recently opened up they had found gifts for all of the Weasley women.
"Ginny lets go to The Weaze," Hermione said as they left the boutique. "I want to get a gift for my cousin there. Remember I told you he was accepted into Hogwarts this year? Both of his parents are muggles too. I think he sort of looks up to me now, being the only other magical person in the family."
"Why don't you just get Fred to get you something?" Ginny inquired. The Weaze was the family nickname for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Fred had George had started up the company straight out of Hogwarts. Although things had started off slow, mostly due to the war and the twins' large involvement in it, there were now many locations of the store and no one in the family could even imagine how much gold the twins had in their Gringotts vault.
"I've been asking him to bring things home for me to give him for weeks and he never has. I don't mind going to the store though. I haven't visited any of the shops in ages."
Hermione opened the door to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and little bells jangled as she and Ginny entered.
Ginny wandered through the store shaking her head at some of the items her brothers had invented. She frowned when she came to a seemingly innocent teddy bear. Deciding to examine it further she picked it up. No sooner was the bear in her hand did it turn in to a large spider. Ginny dropped it and shrieked before bursting out laughing.
"Ron…" she said to herself.
"Please don't touch the products. If you want to know what they do ask an associate," an employee scolded, watching her. She frowned. "Company policy," he added.
'Company policy my ass!' Ginny almost shouted. One of the twins' favorite pastimes was going to the shops to watch the pranks turn on curious customers.
"Excuse me!" Hermione called to the employee. "I'm looking for a good gift for an 11 year old boy. Something that will give him a taste of what wizard practical jokes are like? I'm the only other witch in the family. My husband said I wasn't allowed to get him a book. He said the Weasley Sampler would be perfect but I can't seem to find it…" Ginny wanted to laugh at Hermione's rambling.
The employee gave Hermione a dirty look.
"The Weasley's are a respectable wizard family. We don't sell things for mudbloods here."
"What did you just say?"
"I said, we don't service mudbloods here. Maybe you should try somewhere else."
Ginny's jaw dropped and Hermione's eyes flamed with anger.
"I don't think I will. And I think you're going to find the item I asked you for before I use an unforgivable curse at you." Hermione head her wand out and pointed at the man before Ginny could wink an eye. The employee didn't seem worried but he still reached up on a shelf near him and pulled down what Hermione had been looking for.
"Was that a threat to the manager of the store?" the employee/manager smirked as her led Hermione and Ginny to the register. He rung the item up and took Hermione's Gringotts key from her.
"You may have made your purchase mam but I'm afraid I'll have to report that threat to the owners of the company. They won't be pleased with a mudblood disgracing their store in such a way. You'll be lucky if they don't press charges of some sort. So I guess it looks like I won." He handed Hermione a bright orange bag (Fred and George has let Ron design their logo) and a receipt to sign for the withdrawal from Gringotts. Hermione picked up a quill and scrawled across the line "Mrs. Fredrick P. Weasley." She gave it back smiling. The manager looked at the name and his mouth opened a little.
"Oops," Hermione said. "It appears I've won. Don't worry dear. I'll be sure to mention you to my husband."
Ginny laughed as they left the store. Hermione never failed to impress her. She probably would have let the stupid manager kick her out of her own brothers store had he been speaking to her.
"Honestly," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Some people will try and pick a fight with anyone!"
"And they're the quality types Fred and George are hiring to manage their babies." Ginny knew Fred and George would have a cow as soon as they heard about her and Hermione's experience in the shop.
"It's almost one Ginny we should get to the Leaky Cauldron to meet everyone for lunch."
At lunch the women discussed what they has bought so far during their excursions and debated who had racked up the highest bill so far. Although Ginny hated to put too much emphasis on material things, she couldn't help but enjoy that no one in her family had to worry about money any longer. Her father had received a high position in the ministry after the war. It was a position that allowed them to live more than comfortably. More importantly in allowed Ginny to stay home with James, rather than working all the time in order to support them both. Bill had recently been made head of his department at Gringotts, and his wife Christine came from an extremely wealthy wizarding family. Charlie was considered on of the top dragon keepers of his time and was compensated well for his title. Percy had succeeded in moving up in the ministry and Ron made good money as the Quidditch reporter for the Prophet. Fred and George were by far the wealthiest of the clan but by how much remained a mystery.
The ladies finished eating and decided it was time. The gathered all their belongings and walked out into the street headed for Quality Quidditch Supplies. Angelina and Ginny, the only two of the group who had played Quidditch walked right in. Followed by the hesitant rest of the group. Once inside Allison waved to the rest of the girls as she headed for a bright orange isle of the store, dedicated to the Chudley Cannons. They all laughed and dispersed around the store. Ginny wandered around not really looking for anything specific. She came across some beater things she thought Fred and George might like and decided to go in search of a seeker gift for Charlie. On her way to the section where most of the seeker things were kept she passed Hermione and Angelina hovering over a display case whispering to one another.
"This is what Fred, Ron and George told me to get," Hermione said.
"Are you sure it's a good idea?"
"They seem to think it is. And they're as protective of James as Ginny is."
"It's not that I think it's dangerous. I just…. Don't you think he'll look just like a miniature Harry flying around in a Firebolt?"
"He looks like a miniature Harry all the time. But I see your point. Ginny might have a hard time dealing with it."
Ginny peered over to see what they were looking at. It was a miniature Firebolt. It looked just like Harry's, but smaller. She had read about it before. It was adjustable in size and grew with your child until they were big enough to ride a real one. She decided to speak up.
"I think that James would love it," she said to her sister in laws.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed.
"But they're far too expensive," she added.
"Money isn't an issue Ginny. And if you don't mind him having one, we're buying it for him."
"Well, if you are really going to buy one you should see if they have number 93." The other two girls looked at her curiously. "It was the registration number on Harry's," she said. With that she left Hermione and Angelina alone. She couldn't let them see that the vision of James riding like Harry in all honesty did make her want to cry.
When they arrived home that evening they were surprised to find most of the house quiet. Everyone had gone to bed. Ginny grinned at the idea of all her brothers going to bed before ten o'clock. Watching the kids all day must have really worn them out. She had to admit though, that they were a lot to handle when all of the cousins were together. She said goodnight to all the other women and headed up for James' room. When she got there however she found him and her brother sitting on the floor next to a nightlight reading a book.
"And what are you two still doing awake?"
"Mummy!" James ran to Ginny and leapt up into her arms.
Fred pulled himself off the floor and stood up. "Didn't want to go to bed until you were home," Fred explained, letting out a yawn. "Goodnight," he said wandering out of the room.
"You must be tired. You had a busy day with your cousins," Ginny told James, placing him down in his bed. "Let's try to go to sleep now," she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Will you sing me a sawng?" her son asked with his eyes closed. Ginny smiled and began to sing quietly. Her son smiled as he heard her voice begin to lull him to sleep. She once again found him reminding her of Harry. It was ridiculous how similar they were.
"Some day soon we all will be together," she sang quietly. "If the fates allow. Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow. And have yourself a merry little Christmas now." When she was done James was asleep. She got up from the bed and went and sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the room, watching her soon sleep, willing herself not to start thinking about Harry again and telling herself to go to bed, and not wait up just in case. She was starting to drift asleep in the chair when she heard a large shout come from down the hall in Fred and Hermione's room.
"He said WHAT to you?" she heard Fred voice boom. She smiled. Once again she noted that her family always found someway to cheer her up, even if they didn't realize it. She then closed her eyes and drifted in to a peaceful sleep.
A/N: So here's the second installment. I've now realized I'm really going to have to work my ass off to have this done by Christmas…. But I still plan to. Even if it means putting it before homework…like I am write now, or staying up till midnight writing…. like I have the past two nights in a row. Who needs sleep right? Anyway thanks again for the great response to chapter one….I hope you all will keep it up (hint hint).
Love Bella
Slytherin Punk Chick: My first reviewer! Yay! Hmm will Harry come home eventually? Who knows? (actually I do….)
Texas Emma: Is this soon enough? Hopefully! Thanks for reading!
Charmed4life43: Thanks! Keep reading to see if comes or not….
QuiddichQueen: Thanks! I got this up as soon as I could! Hope you liked it!
Martini: Glad you liked it! And look, I continued!
Julie fisher: Wow! Thanks! Ya know a good cry never hurts…. (j/k)
Skittle: Hey thanks! Hopefully I'll finish by Christmas….
Kyle mom: Thanks! I'm planning to keep going, as long as I don't have a nervous breakdown of some sort from school….
Crystal Millennium: Damn straight he better have a VERY GOOD reason for being gone. I love your predictions. We'll just have to wait and see what really goes down.
Aururadreamer: Thank you! Well I posted ASAP as you requested but if you wanna fight…. bring it. I could take you. Lol
GinnyPotter1: Thanks! Hmmmm will Ginny ever see Harry again? I dunno…(actually I do….)
ClairPotter: hehe thanks. Sorry to depress you. I'll try and make it up to you eventually. I promise.
Valkyrie1689: Thanks! I hope you liked this part too? Hopefully I posted fast enough!
Leonie: Thanks! I'm glad you like how I'm presenting Ginny. As to Sirius and Remus. I promise to answer your question eventually…. just not now.
Trina: Thanks a bunch! Here's some more for ya! Hope you liked it!
"blank" Wow. Thanks! I have to say after reading your review I actually considered leaving the story as is. But considering the effort I put into planning the rest out and how fun it is to write, I just couldn't do it. Hopefully you'll like where I take the story but if not, just forget the rest exists and pretend it's just the one chapter!
I'm a fan- Glad you like it! Thanks! I agree the faster I can get this all up the better. Just hopefully it will be by Christmas.
Martini- Is this the same one as before or are there two? Hehe either way thanks!
Ginny house 3: Thanks a lot! I hope you liked the second chapter! Hopefully the third will be soon!
Snow White: Thank you! Maybe there are some complaints this time? (the correct answer is "nooo none" ….(jk, constructive criticism is ALWAYS warmly welcomed)
Martini- hehe is this the same person still? Well I have to tell you for some reason this review gave me the final push to get crackin on this chapter. So thank you for the inspiration!
GinnyPotter10; Thanks! Fabulous predictions!! Trust me I'll have more to say about those in a few more chapters…
Marajade3081: Thank you! I absolutely LOVE the Weasleys too. Every single one of them!!! I often find myself jealous of Ginny when I read the book for being from such a fantastic family.
