AN: ANOTHER CHAPTER HERE. SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY

DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN 'EM, NEVER WILL

Chapter 20

Christmas morning, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, was not an entirely cheery affair. In fact, by some standards, the whole meal was looking to be positively gloomy. By all rights, the size of the gathering and their close friendships should have guaranteed some degree of camaraderie, but the hours that passed of that morning were long and silent.

The entire Weasley family, minus Percy, was gathered at Grimmauld Place, as were Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, both of whom seemed very uncomfortable. After some argument, Hermione's parents had agreed that the safest place for her was Grimmauld Place at that time, so she was there as well. Tonks had come to visit her cousin, but even the normally cheerfully metamorphagus was solemn, reflected by the sober black colour of her hair.

It seemed that they should be jubilant, if not for the celebration of the day, but for the Ministry's admittance of Voldemort's return. But even the increased Ministry vigilance could not dispel the feeling of uncertainty that threatened to overwhelm them all. Ron shifted slightly, trying to catch Hermione's eye, but failing drastically.

Suddenly, the grim silence of the room was broken with a familiar popping noise. Immediately everyone looked up and drew their wands, only to holster them again as they saw a now familiar couple appear in the living room. Buffy and Angel looked around and Buffy spoke,

"Hey, you guys don't mind if we come for lunch? We would have called ahead or whatever, but there was Hellmouth stuff to deal with, so we kinda got side-tracked. And we decided that we wanted to spend Christmas with Angel's family, so here we are. Is that cool?"

Mrs Weasley beamed at them and nodded,

"Of course, dear. Do take a seat, both of you, I'll just go set two extra settings at the table."

And with that Mrs Weasley beamed at them both again, glared at Fred and George, who were whispering quietly and drawing on a small bit of paper, and bustled out to the dining room. Angel and Buffy looked around and then curled themselves up on a leather divan, so that Buffy's head was resting against Angel's chest.

After a few minutes Mrs Weasley re-entered the living room and then Buffy whispered something into Angel's ear, who smiled and nodded, and then withdrew and enlarged a black bag from within his duster. Buffy practically beamed with joy and said,

"And now, we have presents!"

Buffy reached down to open the bag, causing a diamond on her right hand to glint in the light. Those who were astute enough to understand this, ie everyone except Ron and also the twins, who had stopped paying attention at the word presents and were now jumping up and down like kangaroos on speed, gasped at the significance of the ring. However, either Buffy and Angel didn't hear their gasps, which, given their preternaturally heightened senses, was unlikely, or chose to ignore them, as neither of them offered any explanation about the ring.

Buffy opened the bag and pulled out the first parcel. She checked the label and then tossed the parcel at Hermione, who grabbed it just in time. The rest of the presents were also distributed in this manner, though neither Ron nor Tonks managed to catch theirs, the reasons for which are obvious. Buffy leant forward, watching them all and said,

"Go on then, none of them are jinxed, except for the twins' of course."

The twins immediately looked at their packages dubiously. Buffy laughed,

"Just kidding. If your parcels were jinxed, you wouldn't be in top condition for my classes next term, and I'd be short two practise dummies."

The twins grimaced, their memories of being used as practise dummies in Buffy's classes all too clear. Madame Pomfrey hadn't been able to get rid of the bruises for hours. And knowing that mediwitch's ability to re-grow bones overnight, that was saying something.

Finally, Fred and George plucked up the courage to open their presents, proving that they were true Gryffindors through and through. They simultaneously tore through a different end of the wrapping on the package. They each held a book, though not of the Hermione or Giles variety. One was a large old-fashioned scrap-book, with the words 'One Hundred Greatest Pranks' emblazoned on the cover. Angel nodded and turned to Fred, whose package it was,

"That's a collection of the best pranks my friends and I did when we were at Hogwarts, they haven't been seen for two hundred and fifty years, it's about time they had another spin."

Fred grinned and George turned eager eyes to his book. It was a black hardback, with red gothic letters on the front spelling out the title; 'Hogwarts: The Unofficial History'. Angel smirked slightly and said,

"That'll tell you things about Hogwarts you wouldn't have been able to learn, even with the map."

The twins glanced at each other and then at their presents and then dashed off into a corner to devise dastardly deads. The others exchanged glances and started ripping the wrapping off their own presents. Mr. Weasley oohed and aahed over his book of weird inventions, while Mrs Weasley admired the beautiful green silk scarf Buffy had chosen for her. Tonks snickered as she read the writing on her new black t-shirt: 'I'm just smiling because they haven't found the bodies yet'. Bill looked more than happy with his new leather duster, though Mrs Weasley did not, and Charlie was looking far too interested in the new daggers that Angel had found for anyone's comfort.

Ginny gave Angel a questioning look as she opened her present to reveal a blank journal bound in emerald green leather with a silver snake clasp. He smiled slightly and said,

"I thought you'd like a journal that didn't talk back."

Ginny smiled and Angel turned his attention to the last four people in the room; his parents two best friends and the two people who had been his best friends lifetimes ago. Hermione opened her package to reveal a beautiful blue pashmina, which was so soft that she gasped to touch it. Angel smiled gently at her and then turned to Sirius and Remus, who had each unwrapped piles of drawings: drawings of Lily and James. Angel spoke softly, his voice filled with old pain,

"I tried to think of something right, but I couldn't think of anything but those."

Remus and Sirius smiled wordlessly at Angel, and both of their eyes were surprisingly bright. Ron looked down at his present, unsure if the vampire would still value him as worth such a meaningful or touching present as the others had received. His breath caught in his throat. Sitting before him was what had to be the most beautiful chess set that he had ever seen in his entire life. He looked up at the smiling vampire,

"You still owe me a game."

It was long and bloody and brutal.

Neither took any prisoners and there was no mercy.

It was chess.

And Ron lost.

"Checkmate."

Ron looked up into the eyes of his opponent, and smiled,

"Bloody hell mate, that was a damned good game."

Mrs Weasley scowled,

"Ronald Weasley, mind your language."

Angel smirked,

"It was my pleasure."

Buffy laughed from where she was curled up, with her head in Angel's lap.

"If you two are quite finished, we should be heading home soon, Cordy and I are looking over some bridal magazines tomorrow."

Angel paled,

"Bridal magazines."

Buffy smiled,

"I didn't know you could pale, Angel. But yes, bridal magazines, it is customary for when one is getting married, you know."

Angel looked almost afraid,

"You're not expecting me to be involved in that?"

Buffy rolled her eyes,

"I love you dearly, but you're a man."

Angel frowned,

"What does that mean?"

Buffy smirked,

"There's a reason women do these things."

Angel sighed in relief,

"Thank the Powers."

Buffy smirked even more,

"Don't thank them yet. Xander has decided to take upon himself the role of organising your stag night."

Angel looked distinctly ill. Buffy laughed,

"It could be worse."

Angel scowled at her,

"How could it possibly be worse?"

Buffy smiled,

"We could have asked Spike to do it."

Angel flinched,

"There is that."

Buffy turned to look at the gawping witches and wizards,

"What? We're getting married."

Before any of them could say anything, Buffy turned back to Angel and said,

"We really have to be going."

Angel nodded and then nodded to the others in the room, Buffy smiled,

"See you in January."

And the two of them disappeared from the room with a familiar crack.

TBC.