December 20 - Christmas Party

"Watch out, coming through," Harry called as he carried a large tray of steaming cups into the library.

"What is that?" someone asked.

As he couldn't identify the voice he answered to the room. "Smoking bishop, like in A Christmas Carol. No, I don't really know what it is. I asked Kreacher to make it and he seemed to know so he did it."

"Don't let the children have any," Molly advised. "It's an alcoholic beverage, and it also appears to be quite hot."

"They have their own bowl of punch," Harry assured his adopted mother.

"Good," she patted his cheek. "You are doing a wonderful job with them, and this is an excellent party. It reminds me of when our children were little, and we would host a large family party. We haven't done it in years, and we should. I don't know why we stopped."

"Molly, my love, come with me," Arthur said, pulling gently on her arm. "Fiona would like you to see her new drawing."

"Oh, of course."

"Molly's already been at the wine," Draco observed as she crossed the room with Arthur holding firmly to her arm.

"It appears so. I had no idea she could be affected by so little."

"Mum, rarely if ever has a drink other than a single glass of punch on Christmas Day," Ginny said, sliding her arm through each of the two men's. "We try to get her drunk whenever we get the chance, but she's usually on to us. "I think someone has given her an endless glass so, she can't tell just how much she's had a drink."

"Ginevra," Draco smirked. "You would do that to your mother."

"I did not," she argued and kept a straight face for only seconds before she burst into laughter. "It was Percy, believe it or not, but he let me in on the secret."

"Percy?"

"He's not always the stuffed shirt he appears to be," Harry observed. "I think he has more of the Weasley joking genes than he lets on. Marriage to Audrey seems to have helped loosen him up and find them."

"So, now I have to watch out for all of the Weasleys," Draco commented. "Good to know."

"Charlie and Andrei are here," Ginny said. "That was what I came to tell you. They're the last to arrive as usual, but they're here."

"What other Weasley tricks do we need to look out for?" Draco asked.

Harry laughed. "The point is not to look out for them. You won't find them anyway. They're too sneaky."

"I don't know of any others. Honestly, I don't," Ginny insisted when both men looked at her skeptically.

"Uh huh sure."

"Whatever," she shrugged. "I don't care if you don't believe me. I'm going back to the other room. I think there was a group in there planning on playing some games."

"What games?" Harry asked. "I didn't have any games planned."

"I think they got into the kids' board games," she said.

"We're having a Christmas party and they're playing chutes and ladders and Candyland?"

"Monopoly, I think it was."

"Monopoly?" Draco's face lit up. "I think I'll see if they've started yet." He headed out of the room.

"He should go into business with Theo," Harry said watching the other man go. "I think he might be more interested in property development than he lets on."

"Or maybe he's just competitive, and this is the only way he can do that anymore."

"Maybe."

"Why don't you go join in," she suggested.

"I need to keep moving and talking to people, and I need to go down to the kitchen to check on the food."

"Harry, just go sit next to him and help him win or distract him, whichever comes first."

"Maybe later."

Harry wandered down to the kitchen to find the door to the back garden open and several people gathered around a small fire in the back. Neville was expounding on the latest plant he had been caring for.

"It responds when I talk to it. It will dip its leaves and shake. It dances to music. I'm telling you it even talked to me," Neville insisted.

"Nev," Hannah said softly. "Plants don't talk."

"Mandrakes scream," Dean put in.

"That's not the same thing," she replied.

"It didn't scream," Neville clarified. "It squeaked but it squeaked the words 'I am' then something I didn't recognize."

"Where did you find this plant Nev?"

"It was sent to me by a friend in Sweden."

"You have a friend in Sweden?" Dean asked. "How did that happen?"

"We met at a conference in Paris."

"You went to a conference in Paris? When was that and why didn't you tell us?" Harry wanted to know.

"You and Ron were in training. You were a bit busy. We didn't talk much during those years."

"Sorry about that."

Neville shook his head. "No, it's ok. It wasn't like you were avoiding me on purpose."

"Nope," Seamus commented. "You were avoiding all of us."

"Do you really feel like I abandoned you all?" Harry frowned, upset that his friends would ever feel that way.

"Harry relax," Hannah said. "We all knew you were busy, incredibly busy, you and Ron both. Maybe we didn't see you as much as we'd have liked, but it wasn't like there was no reason and you aren't the only one we didn't see."

"Yes," Padma agreed, "I hardly ever saw Parvati, and we're twins. Healer training is nearly as bad as Auror training when it comes to time use."

Harry looked relieved then said, "I'm surprised. I would actually think that Healer training is worse with the hours it requires."

Parvati shrugged. "It might be with all the nights I had to do, but who knows. The point is it doesn't matter. We didn't see each other as often as we would have liked that's all. It's part of being an adult and having a real job."

"So Nev, let's get back to your friend from Sweden," Dean said. "Why did they send you this plant instead of keeping it themselves?"

"I think it's because it was so different, and they had never seen it before. They thought I would be interested."

"Weren't they interested?"

"Enough to pick it up, but he's more into the plants strictly for their use and not for growth. He thought I would be better to take care of it and raise it since it's a one-of-a-kind as far as he knows,"

"And what have you found out about it?"

"Not much yet, it's growing almost like it's a tree. It definitely looks like a stump and branches, but it almost has a head. I could swear it has eyes. I'm sure it's trying to talk to me. Luna, do you think Rolf could come see it when he's in town next? I'm starting to think it's more of a creature than a plant you know, kinda like a bowtruckle."

"I can ask him," Luna replied.

"Have you asked anyone else?" Seamus asked.

"Pomona obviously, other than that yes, I've taken some pictures. Pomona and I have sent them to magical botanists around the world. No one recognizes it."

"It will be pretty interesting to see if anyone anything about it. I still don't think it talked to you. Plants don't talk," Dean insisted.

Harry chuckled as the argument continued, then he returned inside. Hearing commotion upstairs he went to the drawing room to find George, Ron, Theo, Blaise, Oliver, Ginny, and Lee around a Monopoly board. Draco sat looking on with a cup of tea in hand. Things were becoming heated. Blaise and Theo sat with their heads together strategizing. George was counting his money. Ron was contemplating which properties he'd be willing to trade. Ginny was cackling as she looked at the two monopolies she already owned while no one else appeared to have even one. James popped up out of nowhere, grabbed a property card from in front of Ginny, and took off out of the room giggling.

Ginny jumped up and ran after the boy freezing in the doorway. "What's going on?" she shrieked trying to move into the hall or back into the room, but not able to go anywhere. She looked up and stared at the mistletoe hanging from the top of the frame.

"Harry!" she yelled

Harry put his hands up. "It wasn't me."

"Me either," Draco said quickly before she could accuse him.

Ginny looked over the occupants of the room finally snapping, "Ron let me out of here."

Ron grinned, "It's mistletoe. You have to get a kiss to get out."

"How did you do that?" Harry asked. "I came in and James went out, but it only stopped Ginny."

The redhead shrugged. "I don't know for sure. It's a spelled mistletoe, some special charm. It doesn't trap everyone. I do know it only affects adults."

"So, we never know who's going to be safe going in or out the door?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Nope, sorry."

"George," Ginny said, gritting her teeth.

"He didn't buy it from me I swear or from my shop."

"Only because you hadn't thought of selling it first," Lee whispered.

George grinned and shrugged.

"Somebody has to get me out of here," she insisted. "Just take it down."

"It doesn't work like that," Ron said. "You have to get a kiss."

She growled at her brother, aimed her wand at the mistletoe, and attempted to vanish it, then growled again when it didn't work.

"Ronald," she shrieked.

"I'm not going to kiss you," he laughed, then jumped as a stinging hex hit him.

Harry stood to cross the room to her.

"I don't think that's going to work," Ron told him.

"Why not?"

"Because you're not into girls, mate" his friend explained.

Theo rolled his eyes. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to get this game going again." He stood, crossed the room, and stopped in front of Ginny. "Shall I kiss you then?"

"I guess."

He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"It has to be a real kiss," Ron called.

"Just do it," Ginny said.

Theo stepped closer, placed a hand on her cheek, moved it around to the back of her head, and dropped his mouth to hers. A second later she was leaning into him. The mistletoe disappeared though they continued kissing.

"Oi, that's my sister!" Ron yelled. "You can stop now."

"It's your own fault, stupid," George said pleasantly.

Theo stepped back. Ginny looked at him a moment longer then looked up. "Good, it's gone. Thank you, remind me to return the favor if you get stuck," she said with a smile and went tearing through the house to find James and retrieve her card.

"Is it going to stay gone?" Blaise asked.

Ron shrugged. "Don't know."

"Why, and how don't you know anything about this?" Draco wanted to know. "And where did you get it?"

"I got it at one of those temporary stalls in Diagon Alley that they set up just for the holidays. I didn't ask. I just bought it. I thought it would be fun for the party."

Ginny came back into the room holding the card aloft triumphantly. "And don't think I don't know Ronald, that it was you who told James to steal this. You've never been any good at cheating or at losing. Prepare yourself because you're going to be bankrupt before you know it and all of it will be mine," she threatened.

The game continued for another hour. Molly and Arthur drifted in the room to observe for a little while then Molly shook her head and left. Angelina came to check on George. She also shook her head at the increasing competitiveness at the table and lamented that she hadn't been offered a chance to play when it started. Getting no sympathy she went to find someone to play chess with. Ginny made good on her threat and cleaned out Ron leaving him grumbling. Theo switched his allegiance from Blaise to her and together they were taking out everyone else.

Caela wandered into the room. Spotting Theo she came running over. "Come read to me please," she said.

"Theo's in the middle of the game right now," Draco told her. "It may not end soon. How about I do it?"

She screwed up her mouth for a moment and looked at Theo who smiled at her but gestured to the game board on the table. She shrugged and said, "Okay."

Draco followed her out only to find himself stuck in the doorway. Looking up he once again saw the mistletoe. Much as Ginny had done he drew his wand, aimed it at Ron, and sent another stinging hex at him, causing the redhead to again jump and yelp. The group around the table began to laugh.

Almost without thinking, Harry crossed the room to Draco until they were standing toe-to-toe. He looked the other man in the eye and leaned in, kissing him. Draco resisted for a few seconds then gave in and leaned into Harry. As the kiss went on both men seemed to involuntarily grab hold of the other, running hands up backs and through hair. Harry parted his lips and when Draco did as well he slid his tongue in the other man's mouth then pressed himself tighter against his body. Suddenly the blond pushed back. Looking pained he turned and took off in a rush leaving Harry standing alone.

"Draco," he whispered but didn't follow, frozen on the spot and not by the mistletoe.

Behind him, the room was filled with whoops and hollers. He turned and saw Ginny fanning herself with a fistful of Monopoly money. It was his turn to aim his wand though not at Ron, at the door frame, casting a spell to reveal the mistletoe that had gone invisible again which he yanked down by hand and stuffed in a pocket before running out the door.

He spent the next hour trying to track down Draco, but every time he would get close someone would stop to talk to him and he didn't feel that he could be rude enough to stop them, he was the host after all.

Finally, after everyone had gone and the children were in bed he climbed the stairs and knocked on the closed door across the hall from his but got no response.

"Draco," he called softly, trying to be loud enough to be heard but not loud enough to wake the children. When he received no answer he hung his head, went to his own room, turned to look over his shoulder once, closed the door, and went to bed.