Amo Cantus:  Well, honestly, who isn't pulling for a Weasley-Snape Christmas?  *rubs hands together and cackles evilly*

Jjadej1214:  Thank you very much.  I know what you mean about updating.  I'm reading my fair share that need to be updated, too.  This is why I try to update regularly.

Makalaseri:  I haven't focused on Hermione so much because she hasn't become a big part of the story.  I guess I'm separating the trio, but they really needed to be given their own identities anyway.  That and I don't have a story line for her that is a big part of the story.  She'll be a part of it, but I don't have any plans for a big involvement any time soon.  Sorry.

LaurenMalfoy:  I'm really glad you asked about the past sorting.  As far as I can recall, no one has mentioned it before, and it will come up in the story later on.  In fact, in chapter 27 if I remember correctly.  The story is coming, so I'm not going to tell you now, but thanks for noticing that.  It really made my day.

Skysong:  I have done no research on this subject ever.  Not for school, not for this story . . . nothing.  I don't know.  I'm just trying to write it the way I think it would go.  I'm glad it's following a good order so far.  It's actually a relief.

Tine:  No fear, I despise Michael Jackson.  Well, not really despise, just recent stuff.  I like Thriller and, you know, some of his stuff is okay.  I realize how awful Harry Potter is.  I saw bits of the movie before I read the books, and I was once very anti-Harry Potter, and look at me now.  The point is, I did not want to see that movie because of that corny, "I'm not going home.  Not really," line.  I was like, "The whole movie isn't like this, is it?"  *sigh*  The good ol' days before I fell head over heels with Ron/Rupert and Draco/Tom.  Memories.

The Insane Floo Pot:  Er – I'm not sure.  That was a very deep reading into that line.  I just wanted Harry to be stumbling over his words (like he so often does).  Yes, the boys will be together for Christmas.  A jolly good time will be had by all.

DISCLAIMER:  I don't own Harry Potter.  I do own a Draco figurine.  You figure it out.

Part Twenty-Four:  Pestering for Answers

Allowing the parchment to drop from his hands, Ron stared, open-mouthed, at Pigwidgeon.  The owl was still fluttering around Ron's head, hooting without relent, and occasionally swooping lower to nip at his fingers or steal some of his breakfast.  Swishing the bird away with his hand, he turned to his left to stare at Harry, then across to Hermione, until finally landing on Kali, who was seated on the other side of him.

"Er - Kali," he said, rubbing his hands over the parchment, "I wrote to my mum to tell her that you wanted to spend Christmas with your father but she insists that you still come.  She really must want to get to know you as she's - er - extended an invitation to your father as well."

Both Harry and Hermione snorted, a stream of milk shooting from Harry's mouth.  Kali didn't know whether to laugh at Harry or the tone of Ron's voice.

"Does she even know who my father is?"

Ron nodded, miserably.  "I told her."

"And she still invited him?  Has she gone mad?"

"I'm wondering that myself."

"A Weasley-Snape Christmas," said Harry, laughing.  "I'd love to be there to see that.  In fact, I'd pay to see that scenario.  Fred and George spending Christmas morning with Snape, all of you drinking hot chocolate and unwrapping presents under the tree.  Classic."

"It isn't funny," snapped Ron.

"Yes it is," said Harry, still laughing.  Looking across the table to Hermione, Ron sighed in exasperation as she gave him a polite smile and shrugged.

"My dad isn't that bad," said Kali, indignantly, before turning to Ron and wrapping her fingers in his.  "Do you really want me to ask my Dad?  I bet he'd give in if I bothered him enough about it, and I'd really love to spend Christmas with you."

Ron sighed once again, trying to ignore Harry snickering beside him and resisting the urge to glare at him.  "It wouldn't hurt to ask, right?  I'd really love to spend Christmas with you, too, even if it would be only slightly short of torture."

"Daddy wouldn't be that bad."

"No, but my brothers would be."

"I'll talk it over with him and try to convince him.  Perhaps Daddy will be easier to sway than I thought."

"Perhaps.  I hope you can convince him."

"Me too."

"Oh gods," muttered Harry.  "You two sound so pathetic.  If you get any sweeter, I'm going to get a cavity.  I hope Draco and I don't sound like that."

"Not yet," said Hermione, "but you're on the fast track there.  Watching you all makes me sick.  Blaise and I, being the singletons, talk about it all the time."

"I like being pathetic," said Kali, leaning her head on Ron's shoulder.

"Me too," he said, running his fingers through her hair.  "Speaking of pathetic couples - Hey, Harry, did you hear from Sirius about Draco?"

"Yeah.  He's coming back with me for Christmas.  It will be a jolly holiday, indeed.  Now all I have to do is tackle the problem of what to get him.  I hate Christmas.  I never know what to buy anyone."

"You never know what to buy anyone?  I've gotten you sweets two years in a row only because I couldn't think of anything else and Hermione won't let me buy you dungbombs and stink pellets anymore.  Expect more chocolate frogs this year.  I'm apologizing right now, Kali.  I am the worst gift-buyer in the history of Christmas gifts."

"Ron, I like your presents a lot more than I like the Dursleys.  I bet they don't even send anything this year now that I'm living with Sirius.  No matter, anyway.  All I got last year was a paper clip and that was bent.  I imagine they decided to send it to me instead of throwing it away."

"I'm not the best gift-buyer myself, so don't be worried.  And don't ask me what I'd like.  I never know what I want, either," said Kali.  "Besides, Daddy gets me everything I could possibly think of anyway."

"Snape?" asked Harry.

"Yes.  He spoils me rotten.  Between his gifts and Aunt Serena's, I never knew what to do with myself on Christmas.  I usually ended up donating most of my old things to second-hand stores because I didn't have enough room for all my new things.  I don't expect this year to be much different except perhaps Daddy won't be trying to compensate for absence with gifts.  Maybe I'll get another invisibility cloak," she said, wistfully.

By this point, Ron was blushing furiously and Harry guessed it had something to do with the mention of second-hand stores.  Ron was usually on the receiving end rather than the giving one when it came to those shops.

"We have a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend," pointed out Hermione.  "We'll have plenty of time to buy Christmas presents then."

"Not just Christmas presents," said Ron, proudly, his embarrassment forgotten.  "It's also the grand opening of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes this weekend.  Fred and George have been writing me twice a week, every week, since October to remind me.  They're starting to remind me of Percy when he was made Prefect and Head Boy."

"Don't tell them that," said Harry.  "They wouldn't speak to you for weeks.  Scratch that.  Make it months."

"I wouldn't even dream of it.  They're giving me shifts at the store on weekends and the last thing I want to do is to lose extra income.  Besides, they're intolerable as is.  I don't need to make things worse."

"You're working at the store?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah.  I worked it out with Dumbledore so that I can work Saturdays as long as my marks stay up.  I start after the holidays."

"That's wonderful, Ron," said Kali.

"I needed another income source.  I've been saving up since the summer before fifth year.  I did some filing for dad at the ministry over the summer.  I wanted to have money of my own for when I graduate."

Kali nodded.  "That's cool.  I respect that."

"Thanks," said Ron, blushing.  "I have to go back to the common room and get my Transfiguration essay.  I forgot it when I left this morning.  I'll see you lot in class."

"Bye," they called.

"I have to be off, too," said Kali, grabbing her bag.  "I've got stuff down in Dad's rooms and I have to leave him a note about holiday plans.  He better relent because I do not want to spend Christmas all by myself here at school.  Everyone is going home and I'm not going to be the only loser who's still at Hogwarts."

"Okay.  Bye, Kali," said Hermione.  Harry waved as Kali left the table and headed for the doors.  "Aren't they precious together?"

Harry nodded, shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth.  "Yeah.  I'm really happy for Ron.  Kali, too.  You know what he told me?"

"What?"

"He's falling in love with her."

"What!?  Harry Potter, are you supposed to be going around telling people this?"

"Probably not.  Don't tell Kali, okay?  In fact, you probably shouldn't tell anyone.  You know what, forget I even said it.  Ron never has to know I told."

"Harry!"

"Oh come on, Hermione.  If Ron said something like that to you, wouldn't you be dying to get out there and tell someone.  He's damn right lucky that I didn't tell Draco.  My boyfriend has a bigger mouth than I do."

Hermione gave Harry a disapproving look as she shook her head.  "You best not tell Draco.  I won't tell Ron that you told me but you better not tell anyone else.  Are you serious?  Are you sure?"

"Right as rain, baby."

"What?"

"I don't know.  I just always wanted to say that."

"Would you answer my question?"

"I did."

"Harry.

"Fine.  I'm sure."

"Harry, you get stranger and stranger as the years go on."  Harry shrugged.  "Love?  Really?"

"That's what he said.  You know, I freaked out, too.  It isn't every day that your best friends says he's falling in love with his girlfriend.  Snape's going to love that."

"It isn't funny, Harry," warned Hermione.

"Come on, Hermione.  Admit it.  It's funny.  Ron is falling in love with Professor Snape's daughter.  Our Ron.  Remember him?  Ron Weasley.  It isn't just funny; it's fucking hysterical."

Hermione shook her head as she continued to eat breakfast.

~*~

"Daddy," whined Kali, leaning back on her chair, loosing balance, and quickly toppling over.  Snape's soft laughter could be heard from his position on the couch where he was working on exams.  "It isn't funny, Daddy.  I could have seriously hurt myself."

"Because we all know that it's so difficult to heal broken bones," said Snape, mirth in his undertone.

"It could be."

"Only if you're Lockhart."

"Gilderoy Lockhart?" she asked as she set her chair upright.  "What's he got to do with anything?"

"Nothing, sweetheart."

"And why are you in such a good mood?  One of your students die or something?"

"It's almost Christmas.  It's a holiday disease that inflicts peace, love, and joy into the hearts of even the meanest of Potions Professors."

"I thought you didn't have a heart."

"I lied again."

Rolling her eyes, Kali shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.  "That and your writing out exams that are probably impossible and also evil.  That's it, isn't it?  You're torturing your students and that makes chipper."

"Chipper?  Who is giving you these words in your vocabulary?  I know it isn't me."

"No, Daddy.  You give me words like 'dunderhead' and other colorful adjectives that allow me to insult my classmates.  Thank you for those, by the way.  They always do brighten up my day."

"I'm glad to be of service."

"Good, then you won't mind doing me a favor."

"Favor?" said Snape, suddenly dropping the parchment.  "What about a favor?"

"It's just a small favor," said Kali, carefully choosing her words as she avoided his eyes.  "No big issue, really."

"If it wasn't a big issue, you wouldn't be dancing around the subject.  What is this favor you ask of?"

"Well - er - what were you planning on doing for Christmas?"

"The same thing I do every year.  Spend it at Hogwarts taking points off students who think that no classes and a holiday make it okay to ignore curfew.  Only this year I won't be worrying about you because I'll have you here in person to annoy me."

"You know you love me.  You were so much nicer when I lived with Aunt Serena."

"When you lived with Serena, I had you in small doses.  Where are you going with this?"

"Daddy, none of my friends are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas.  Draco is going home with Harry, Ron's going home, Hermione's going home, Blaise is going home, and I'm staying here.  We never get to spend Christmas together so I do want to spend Christmas with you, but, Daddy, I'm going to be the only one here."

"Where are you going with this, Kailah?  I want the short version."

"Mrs. Weasley invited me for Christmas and I really want to go."

"Kailah -"

"But I want to spend Christmas with you, too, and I told Ron that."

"What, exactly, is your point?"

"Ron wrote her back and told her that, and she - er - invited you, too."

Snape's entire face fell.  "Are you asking me to spend Christmas at the Weasleys'?"  Kali bit her lip and looked away, avoiding his eyes.  "You are.  You're asking me to spend Christmas at the Weasleys'."  She shrugged, still avoiding him.  "Mikailah Drusilla Strauser, I do not suggest you avoid me any longer."

Reluctantly, Kali turned her eyes to him and said, softly, "I can't believe you middle-named me."

"Kailah, why in Merlin's name would you think it would be a good idea for me to spend Christmas with the Weasleys'?"  She didn't answer, but fidgeted in her spot.  "Oh gods, you and Mister Weasley really are serious about this relationship, aren't you?"

"I really like him, Daddy.  I really do.  This isn't like Bryce.  This isn't even like Morgan.  I really like him."  Kali paused to watch her father rubbing at his temples and mumbling about a migraine.  Finally, she said, "Maybe more."

"More," he repeated.  "I don't even know why I'm asking this.  Don't ask it, Severus."

"Daddy, are you talking to yourself?"

Snape took a deep breath and said, "Would you elaborate on the more?"

"I think I love him, Daddy."

"Now I know I need medication."

"Please don't be like this, Daddy.  He really is a great guy.  He's sweet, and he laughs at all my stupid jokes, and he puts up with you threatening to poison him in class.  No one else would do that for me."

"You've been together for two months."

"How long were you with momma before you knew you loved her?"

This seemed to catch him off-guard and his hands dropped back to his sides.  "I don't know," he finally answered.  "Honestly, Kailah, I just knew I loved her.  I don't know when it happened.  It isn't something you think you know.  When it's real. . ."

"I do know, Daddy," she said, softly.  "I love him."

He looked at her with scrutiny, which turned into a silent acceptance and he nodded.  "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I just got my little girl and I'm losing her already."

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Daddy."

"I know.  I missed too much."

Her lips twitched as she cocked her head to the side and looked him over.  "You don't have to be so upset about it.  We saw each other sometimes.  I was okay, I was safe, and we're together now.  Just because I'm in love with Ron doesn't mean that you're going to lose me.  I'm always going to be your daughter."

He couldn't help but laugh at the earnest expression on her face.  "You don't need to tell me that, Kailah.  I'm well aware."

"I thought you could use a reminder."

"Kailah, you brat.  You know I hate showing affection or emotion yet you always seem to drag it out of me."

"Someone has to keep you in touch with the human race."

"Dru used to say that," he said, looking away.

"I know.  Aunt Serena told me."  Kali crawled off the chair and walked over to where he was seated.  Pulling his arms away from where they were wrapped around his torso, Kali sat down beside him and sprawled her torso over his legs.  "What was momma like?  I hear all sorts of stories about her but I never got to know her.  I wish that I could talk to her just once, even if it was only for a second."

"I try not to think about Dru," he answered.

"Me too.  It makes me sad."

"You aren't the only one."

"Aunt Serena says that you and momma were very much in love."

He barely nodded but instead gave a slight jerk of the head.  "We were.  She was everything to me."

"Was she as great as everyone always says she is?"

"Better.  Everyone knew Dru because she was nice to everyone and she was good at everything she did.  Most people thought she was perfect but don't let them fool you, Kailah.  Your mother was far from perfect but even her flaws were beautiful.  She was a damn bothersome pest, just like you."

"We have something in common," said Kali, grinning.

"That you do.  She wouldn't leave me alone and neither do you.  Sometimes I think Dru is up there in heaven making sure you drive me crazy."

"You miss her."

"So much it hurts."

"I can't even imagine what it must be like.  I don't know what I'd do if I lost Ron.  How do you keep on going?"

Smoothing back her hair, he said, "I have you.  When she died, I was a mess."

"I know.  Aunt Serena told me."

"Serena has a big mouth."

"I know, but Aunt Serena didn't have to tell me that."

"No, I guess not," he said, laughing.  "When Dru passed away, I didn't want to keep going.  There didn't seem to be anything to live for.  I was a Death Eater, Lucius had become the biggest prick I had ever met, and then I lost Dru.  All that there was left was you.  One beautiful girl for another.  I've come to see it as a blessing."

"Me?  The annoying brat?  I'm a blessing?"

"Yes, but this wasn't fair.  You used guilt against me into telling you that.  If you try to use it against me in the future, I'll pretend like this conversation never existed."

"I'll remember that," said Kali, a small grin gracing her features.

~*~

Groaning, Draco watched David's Queen smash his Knight to rubble.

"I'm never going to win against you.  Never.  I'm usually a good chess player.  Either I'm out of practice or you're a great chess player."

"I'm a great chess player," said David, "though I still can't beat Ron Weasley.  You ever try to play that guy?"  Draco shook his head.  "I wouldn't suggest it unless you want to embarrass yourself."

"Weasley's really that good?"

"Sure he is.  I hate him for it, too."

Draco laughed.  "I used to hate him for a lot more than being a superb chess player."

"Like being poor?"

"Yes.  Things like that."

"So how're you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you did try to end your own life a few months ago.  I was just wondering how you were doing."

"Oh.  Well, I'm okay.  Coping.  Dealing.  I'm in a bit of a slump right now but it's my first holiday season without my father around.  It's really to be expected."

"What are you doing for Christmas?"

"Going home with Harry.  You?"

"Staying here.  I usually go home if my sisters are going to be there but they can't come back this year.  They both work in France, though I couldn't tell you what they do.  Every year they come home and I ask them what they do for a living.  That is immediately followed by their yearly 'You still don't know what I do' look and I have to explain that I don't really care."

"Nice," said Draco, laughing.  "I don't have that problem.  I'm an only child."

"I'm the third of three.  My mum calls me her baby.  I hate it."

"Three isn't that bad.  Blaise Zabini is the second of five and his mum's pregnant again.  I keep teasing him about catching up with the Weasleys."

"What's the deal with Blaise, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" asked Draco.

"Checkmate," said David, grinning.  "What's the deal with Blaise?  I mean, I thought you were friends with Crabbe and Goyle but it's Blaise that you're always talking to and talking about."

"I used to be friends with Crabbe and Goyle.  If you can call what we had a friendship, anyway.  It was really more like a bodyguard relationship.  They don't even look at me in the hall anymore unless they're planning to curse me or their eyes accidentally fall on me.  Blaise and I weren't real good friends until last year."

"Did you date?"

"What?"

"Blaise came out as gay and then you came out by being with Harry.  I was just wondering if you were together."

"Oh.  Er - yeah.  We did.  We do not make a good couple.  Lots of tears, lots of heartache, most of it Blaise's.  I'm afraid that I was a rather cold and heartless boyfriend.  Why?"

"I'm bisexual."

"Really?"  David nodded.  "I would have never guessed.  You aren't. . .Are you interested in Blaise?"

David shrugged.  "I wouldn't say no."

"Are you asking me to hook you up?"

"Gods, no.  I can do that on my own.  Just do some research for me."

"Find out if he's interested?  Research like that?"

"If you're up for it."

Draco stared at him, open-mouthed, and then shrugged, nodding.  "Sure.  Yeah.  Okay."

"Okay," said David, and he began to set up the chess board once again.

Remember that pre-Hogwarts story I was talking about?  Well, I started to write it.  It's posted. You can find it by clicking my author name, going to my stories, and clicking on the title, Little Whinging Primary.  Please read, and be kind enough to review, both here and there.