I'll be home for Christmas
Disclaimer: I don't own anything and use the elements of this story for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made off of this fanfiction.
The night was cold and dark at the Burrow. Trees cowered under a covering of spotless snow, and everything in seeing distance was brilliantly white from the huge snow that had occurred the previous day. Inside the Burrow everything was warm, although tense for the second war was waging with no end in sight. Christmas decorations covered every inch inside the home, including the massive Christmas tree decorated by the whole Weasley family, sans Percy, and their friends, sans Harry. Tinsel on the mantle glittered in the candlelight and the fire in the fireplace danced, reflecting in everyone's eyes.
"Mum, go to bed now. He isn't coming," Ginny said with a restless sigh. Mrs. Weasley frowned impatiently.
"I'm sure he's on his way, Ginny. He wrote and said he would probably come. I made his favorite pie, too," she said as if that was enough to bring Harry to the Burrow for Christmas. Nearly the whole Order was gathered and cramped into the Weasleys' home for the holidays this year; they all planned to take a break from the stressful war and celebrate together. Ginny and her mother sat another minute in silence before Ginny spoke a second time.
"No one can make him come; maybe he's busy doing something useful, unlike all of us lying around here uselessly," Ginny said passionately. Molly looked at her sternly.
"You of all people should know that he will be here. Just you wait and see, by morning he will have arrived and you'll be biting your tongue, dear." Mrs. Weasley stood up. "I'm going up to bed now. Try and get some rest before morning comes; there's no need to worry about him." Everyone else had gone up to bed ages ago, leaving Ginny to her own thoughts. She cuddled up with a warm blanket on the couch but couldn't sleep. Where was he? Did he not want to see them all? Hermione and Ron were so anxious for him to arrive. Did he miss them, and what was he doing? A million thoughts ran before her. Before long, a worn-out Ginny was curled fast asleep on the couch.
She stirred to a couple of quiet bangs! in the kitchen. He walked in like nothing, a cookie in hand, and grinned at the sight of her. She blinked, confused for a minute, and then realized: him. Ginny jumped up and latched onto him; Harry hugged her back fiercely.
"Didn't think I would come?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I just stole away. I was actually with Lupin, and I'm sure he'll be here come morning."
"What were you doing?" she asked breathlessly, hoping for some sort of answer to the mystery that seemed to be Harry Potter these days. She was almost envious of him gallavanting around thecontinent while she was stuck at the Burrow.
"That I can't say. Look at that tree! It's magnificent, did you decorate it?" Harry was always good at changing the subject if needed.
"Not by myself. Everyone had a hand in it, really. Oh, Mum'll be so pleased you came!" exclaimed Ginny excitedly. Harry smiled. "Hermione's here too," Ginny went on to say.
"That's brilliant, Ginny. I'm so tired, what do you say we lie down? Ah, this looks like a good spot," Harry said of the couch. Ginny pursed her lips.
"You know, there's a room we saved for you upstairs if you like."
"That sounds great, show me the way," he said tiredly. She took him by the arm and led him to a room he'd never been in before.
"Dad made this room a few weeks ago when we found out how many people would be staying here," she explained, opening the door to a room smelling of fresh paint and some wonderful perfume. "I've been staying here but I offered to take the couch so you could sleep in here."
"You didn't have to do that, I can sleep on the couch," Harry said valiantly.
"Well, I figured you've been off doing…whatever it is you're doing. You deserve a soft bed," Ginny said, crossing her arms. Harry sat down on the bed and held out his arms to her.
"Come here, you," he told her. She stepped into his embrace. "I've missed this place – and you." A hint of sadness flickered in her eyes for a second.
"It's past two in the morning now, and we should both get some rest before tomorrow." Ginny turned to leave but Harry held on tightly to her arm. Ginny gave him a puzzled look.
"Please stay," he said. One corner of her mouth turned up and she lay down beside him, turning off the yellow lamp on the night table beside the equally yellow bed. "Goodnight, Ginny." She didn't reply, but patted him on the shoulder, turned over, and fell asleep.
The morning came suddenly and the sun shone cheerily over the tall house. The Burrow smelled of cookies and candles and there was an air of extreme happiness. Mrs. Weasley burst into Ginny's new room with an enormous amount of Christmas cheer only to find, to her surprise, a quietly snoozing Harry resting beside her. Molly squealed so loudly that Ginny jumped and fell off the bed.
"Mum?"
"Harry! Oh, Harry!" Molly practically screamed with faint delight. He lifted his eyelids groggily. She clapped her hands together and grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, Arthur!" she called. "Come look, Harry's here!" Harry realized that Mr. Weasley, Ginny's father, was going to see him like this and he jumped up out of bed immediately.
"Mrs. W-Weasley," he stammered.
"Yes, dear?" she said, ready to cater to anything Harry needed.
"Never mind…" he trailed off, realizing it was hopeless and she was clearly off her rocker this morning, of all mornings. "Room's too bright…" he barely mumbled. Mrs. Weasley only smiled broader.
"Come on, Harry, I baked your favorite cookies and there's pancakes on the table," she told him, leading him through the doorway. Ginny, who had still been on the floor the whole time, stood up and rubbed her eyes.
After getting properly dressed, Ginny arrived downstairs to find a mess of people and incredible noise. Her father handed her a mug of steaming coffee for which she was eternally grateful. She sat down at the scrubbed, messy kitchen table and looked around at her surroundings. All of her brothers were here and they were all eating. Hermione and Fleur seemed to be discussing something, and Tonks was playing with one of Arthur's Muggle gadgets. Mrs. Weasley was busying herself with food. Even Professor McGonagall was here, sitting on the couch, studying a book of Percy's that remained at the Burrow. Then Ginny laid eyes on Harry. He was wearing what seemed to be new clothes, and a silver watch. Harry caught her eyes and smiled at her. She looked back for what seemed to be eternity, until she heard her mother calling to everyone.
"Now that everyone's up, we can all open presents!" she said excitedly, once again clapping her hands together; Mrs. Weasley was in her element clearly. Everyone crowded into the Weasleys' living room and opened their gifts, wrapping paper flying in every direction and people squealing in delight over their gifts. Amid all the hubbub, Lupin strode into the living room purposely. Everyone looked at him expectantly before he called out a "Happy Christmas!" and joined the crowd. Tonks particularly looked pleased at Lupin's appearance at the Burrow; he took her by the arm and chatted with her animatedly.
After everyone had opened their presents and taken them up to their appointed rooms, Ginny helped her mother and Fleur clean up the mess left behind. Now that Charlie and Fleur were married, they all got on a lot better. Fleur proved to be a good wife to Ginny's adored elder brother and over the summer Ginny had made friends with Fleur's sister Gabrielle who wasn't nearly as bad as Ginny thought she would be.
"Fleur, when will you and Charlie be leaving?" Ginny inquired from her newly acquired sister-in-law.
"I theenk we will go tomorrow morning," she said with a shrug. "We do not weesh to be a hinderance."
"Oh, but you're not at all!" Mrs. Weasley tried to insist. "We want all our children here for the holidays."
"That is very kind of you, Molly," Fleur told her. "Alas, we have meeny things to do around zee house and it's best to get zem done sooner rather zan later, no?" she said in her lilted French.
"Why, of course," said Molly understandingly. "I do hope you'll write, though." Fleur and Charlie had been staying in a comfortable flat in London, where they both worked, since their wedding.
"Gabrielle writes of you often, Ginny," Fleur spoke. "She enjoyed seeing you over the summer."
"Tell her I said hello," said Ginny to Fleur. "Perhaps we will see each other again soon?"