December came with the first snow of the year and the Christmas sales in stores. As she looked out the window, she thought about the previous year. Exactly a year ago she was sat in a tent examining her tiny baby bump. It wasn't long since she had told Ron and Harry that she was expecting, and not even longer since her and Ron had decided to be open about their feelings for each other and started a relationship in the middle of the horcrux hunt. She couldn't believe that it'd been a year since that Christmas, and only seven months since she had given birth to her beautiful daughter.
"So... I was thinking..." She heard a voice say. She turned her head to see the tall and lanky redheaded standing in front of her with two cups in his hands. He gave one to her and she smiled him thanks. "This Christmas would be a very special one." He started.
"Because it's our first Christmas together as a couple? Not really. That was actually a year ago." She stated. He shook his head.
"It doesn't count. We didn't even realise it was Christmas until we arrived at Godric's Hollow. We didn't have a nice meal or decorated a Christmas tree or exchanged presents. So that doesn't count. THIS... THIS is going to be our first Christmas." He said. She just looked at him. "And not just ours. THIS is our daughter's first Christmas AND the first Christmas we don't have to worry about Voldemort trying to kill Harry." He finished. She nodded.
"When you put it that way, it is a special Christmas." She said smiling a bit. He smiled back.
"So we have to do something special." He said. She looked at him, intrigued.
"What do you have in mind?" She asked.
"Well... I was thinking we could go and get a tree and put up decoration in it and around the house - the muggle way if you want to.- We could have a special dinner on Christmas eve, perhaps with our DA friends." He said.
"If Harry agrees, of course. Don't forget this is HIS house." She said. He nodded absentmindedly.
"OK, so... We could open presents on Christmas morning, we could (actually, we must, if not, my mother's gonna kill us) have brunch at the Burrow with all the family, and then have a quiet dinner, just the three of us... and Harry and Ginny, of course. What do you say?" He asked. She thought for a minute, then smiled.
"It's a wonderful idea." She said, then she kissed him. He kissed her back as they heard someone ask: "what's a wonderful idea?" They pulled away and looked at Harry.
"This Christmas is going to be our first..." Ron started before Harry interrupted him.
"As a couple? I doubt it. I vividly remember you two snogging senselessly when you realised it was Christmas last year." Harry said as both of his friends blushed furiously.
"That doesn't count. We didn't do any Christmassy thing." Ron retorted, then cleared his throat. "As I was saying, THIS Christmas is our first, not just as a couple for Hermione and I, but it's also Belle's first Christmas AND our first Christmas without worrying about saving your sorry ass from Voldemort." Ron explained. Harry rolled his eyes as they heard a screeching sound coming from upstairs. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breathe.
"My call. I'll be right back." she said leaving her cup on the coffee table and walking to the stairs. She came back several minutes later with a seven-month-old redhaired baby holding onto her tight, her head on her mother's shoulder, sobbing and hiccuping. Ron went to them immediately with a worried look on his face.
"Is she alright?" He asked. Hermione nodded, rubbing her daughter's back soothingly.
"Her teeth are bothering her a little." She said looking at the little girl in her arms.
"I'll get the potion." He said, then he summoned it and the little blue bottle went flying to them. He handed it to Hermione, who opened it and gently made Belle to drink it. The little girl just shook her head.
"Have you told him your idea yet?" Hermione asked as she tried once again to make her baby drink the beverage. Ron nodded. "I was thinking... maybe we could do the DA dinner on Christmas night instead of Christmas eve. That way, if somebody needs to stay here overnight, they won't have to leave in a rash the next day to meet their families." She suggested. Ron and Harry nodded. Belle winced and sobbed a bit when Hermione succeeded into giving her the potion. Then, she slowly stopped her whining and laid her head on her mother's shoulder again. Hermione smiled at her and kissed her head.
"So it's settled. Those are our plans for Christmas." Hermione asked. Ron and Harry nodded, smiling. "Good. So let's start with a list. We have so many things to do! We have to get a tree, and decoration, the presents! and we have to let everyone at the DA know and see who can come on such short notice, and..." She said as she walked away from them. Ron and Harry looked at each other and smiled. It was going to be a great first Christmas.