Christmas Time

The next day was Christmas Eve and I soon realized that the students are good spies. Maybe Harry should hire them for the Order. They listened to the entire conversation last night. They found out exactly what happened. Knowing this, it felt good to just sit on my bed and cradle Matilda in my arms.

"Sam, unlock this door!" I heard Minerva yell from the other side of my bedroom door. I had locked it because I knew Minerva, Sybel, Poppy, or someone else was going to break into my quarters.

"Sam, please! It's almost noon, and you need to eat something!" Poppy said. Oh, maybe all three of them are here.

"Open this door or we will break it down!" Sybel yelled. Yep, all three of them. Sighing, I stood up and opened the door.

"We are going to dress you up!" Poppy said, beaming at the horrid thought. They aren't going to stop bothering me until I let them, so why not? What could possibly go wrong? Well, except for everything, nothing could go wrong.

"What horrors do you three have in mind?" I asked. They got started right away. They made me go shopping with them in crowded Diagon Alley. Everyone was buying last minute Christmas presents. I didn't have enough money to buy anything, but they forced me to come with them anyway. We got some diapers and two dresses for Matilda, and that's about it. After shopping, we went to a small, cheap restaurant and had a late lunch. Matilda was getting sleepy, so all of us headed back to Hogwarts. The students that were playing on the grounds were surprised to see that we were all friends.

"What now?" I asked cautiously. Who knows what horrors those three have in mind?

"We are going to get you ready for the dance!" Sybel said.

"You've got to be kidding me." I muttered under my breath. Matilda was sleeping in my arms. Lucky her. She doesn't have to get dressed up for a stupid dance. When we got to my quarters, I laid Matilda in her crib and took a shower like I was told to do. When I got out, they had moved my couch and chairs and put a table were the seats used to be. On the table was all sorts of beauty projects. Oh crud.

"Sit down." Minerva said. Oh no. I sat down and was instantly attacked by beauty products. Minerva painted my nails gold, while Poppy did my hair, and Sybel cooked diner.

"Where is all of your food go?" Sybel asked.

"I eat in the Great Hall." I said.

"Everyday?" Sybel asked, shocked. "Well I'll go grab some ingredients from my own quarters. Be right back." She ran out the door. Sybel had lost her big glasses and was wearing regular robes, which helped her appearance. I was shocked to find she was only 37, about my age.

The tortures went on, and soon I had on my slim blue dress and was heading to the Great Hall with my friends. I wanted to wear something else, because this dress shows off the scars on my neck, but the others said no. Why couldn't I have just worn my teacher robes? I like those robes. They're comfortable, but not dressy enough apparently.

"Wow." Tonks said when I walked in. "Sam, you look awesome!" everyone around us was also dressed up fancy, but I guess my "good looks" caught everyone's attention.

"Hi Tonks!" I said as we hugged. "How's Teddy? He's at my mum's house, right?"

"Yeah, my mum was too busy to watch him, and your mother loves kids and said she could watch him."

I talked to many people for a while, before someone came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Ivy! Richard!" I said as I hugged them. Some of the students seemed curious why Ivy, Richard, and I looked so much alike. They were staring at us with looks of intense curiosity.

"How's my favorite youngest kid?" Ivy asked.

"Well, Matilda's at mum's house, so I'm not sure." I said with sarcasm. She and Richard loved throwing it in my face that I was the youngest of the family. I don't really care that they rub it in my face, but it gets annoying after a while.

"You know she meant you." Richard said as he teasingly punched me in the arm. It kind of hurt. I talked and danced with my family and friends for about a two hours. It was around eight when the first slow song came on.

"He's going to ask you!" Poppy said.

"I don't think so, Poppy." I said. Severus was talking to Fillius and making no move to go ask me. In fact, it looked like they were arguing about something. Just then, Harry came up to me. He was wearing black dress robes that looked really nice on him.

"Sam, may I have this dance?" he asked as he offered his hand.

"Yes." I replied, taking his offered hand. Harry led me to the dance floor and we started dancing. He's a really good dancer. He led me gracefully to the tune of the music. It was nice. I did, however, see Severus glaring at us. Oh well. If he wanted to dance with me, then he should've asked me before Harry had. I could feel the eyes of the students watching me too. The song ended too soon for my liking. I was having fun dancing with "the Harry Potter".

"So, um." Harry managed to choke out when we were done dancing.

"Thanks for the dance." I said as I hugged him.

"Would you like to go out to dinner sometime?" Harry asked very quickly.

"Sure. When?"

"On the 26th maybe?" he seemed much calmer now that I said yes.

"That'd work. What time?"

"I'll meet you at the Hogwarts gates at six."

"Should I dress fancy?"

"No, your teaching robes would be fine." Harry said, smiling.

"See you then!" I said as I walked back to Poppy and Minerva. Sybel was dancing with Charlie Weasly.

"What did he ask you?" Poppy said. She sounded extremely mad that I danced with Harry instead of my true love.

"He asked me on a date." I said, smirking as the color drained out of her face. "And if you can't accept that Severus and I are not something, then keep it to yourself!"

"Bu-but" Poppy stuttered.

"No more of this conversation, okay? I don't really want to talk about whether or not Severus and I are meant to be!" I said firmly. I'm sick of her sticking her nose in my privet life! I get that she's my friend and all, but that's not much of an excuse to bug someone constantly about the same person!

"Fine." Poppy muttered. The party went on and Poppy didn't bring up Severus again. It was really nice, just dancing and partying with my friends and family. Richard and Ivy were teaching a group of students some defense spells.

"Whenever I try to teach them, they never listen. When you guys try, they hang on to every word." I said as I walked up. They instantly noticed the red scars on my neck. It's moments like these that make me wish I wore my teaching robes.

"It's because I'm extremely talented, handsome, amazing, awesome-" Richard said.

"Don't forget modest." I added.

"Don't push it, little sis." he said as he rubbed the top of my head.

"Sis?" some of the students exclaimed.

"Yep. Richard here is my oldest brother and Ivy is my oldest sister." I said.

"But you guys have different last names." a fifth year Slytherin asked. Ivy and Richard glanced at me.

"I changed mine. Didn't want to be associated with the Death Eaters." I said.

"What do you mean?"

"Should I tell them?" I asked Richard and Ivy.

"Why not." Ivy said, shrugging.

"Our dad and four siblings were Death Eaters. One of them tried to kill me yesterday." I said, much to their surprise. I guess they truly thought I was a former Death Eater.

"Wow." one of the girls said.

"Well, let's not end on that sad note! Let's keep this party moving!" Ivy shouted. The lessons continued and I helped out a bit. It was fun not having to teach strictly one thing at a time. At around nine thirty, my mum showed up with Matilda, so I decided to head to my quarters. There would be another party tomorrow anyway. On the way there, I was frozen in my tracks. Looking up, I saw the cursed enchanted mistletoe.

"Is there something wrong Sam?" Severus said in an icy drawl. I had never heard that much anger in his voice. Hopefully it wasn't meant to be directed at me.

"Look up." I said when he got closer.

"Well, um." Severus murmured as he looked up and a pale blush made its way onto his cheeks.

I put my hands around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss was very short and we quickly broke apart. The pale blush on his cheeks got darker.

"Merry Christmas, Severus." I said as I started walking away, still holding baby Matilda in my arms.

"Merry Christmas, Sam." He said, staring after my retreating figure. Instead of heading to my quarters, I made my way back to the Great Hall. The music had stopped and Richard was telling stories to everyone. Ivy and some of the teachers were trying to act the scene out.

"And my mother, carrying my baby cousin, Jasmine, ran into the room screaming, 'Who started the oven! It could've burned down the house! Do you guys know how hard I had to work to pay for this house and make sure your father never found us and harmed us?' and the crazy look in her eyes almost made us call someone for help."

I did what he said. I ran up to the middle of the Great Hall and said, "Who started the oven! It could've burned down the house! Do you guys know how hard I had to work to pay for this house and make sure your father never found us and harmed us?" the students were shocked, but then realized that I was also goofing off.

"Anyone else have a funny Christmas story?" Richard asked as he looked at us teachers.

"I do." I said. "And I know you guys will love it!" I pointed my wand at my throat and cast a simple spell that made my voice louder than everyone else's. "I was sixteen and home for the holidays. Four of my siblings, Vicky, Brian, David, and Hannah, decided it would be a good idea to trick me. They brought me to Godric's Hollow and said that we were going to church. Instead, they gave me to my father, a Death Eater. I had to duel him." I told them about the duel and how I lost to my father. "He forced me to tell them where Harry Potter was. I didn't know exactly where, but I knew it was in Godric's Hollow."

"Anyway, I told him where. He tried to escape to tell Voldemort, but I didn't let him." I described how the 2nd duel happened, using as many details as possible. I told them how some other members of the Order showed up, and how my dad died in the midst of it all.

"Wow!" said an excited 7th year. "That story was awesome!" people started applauding, which caused Richard to stare at me like a fish. It was hilarious.

"How did you do that?" he asked me.

"Through the power of magic and kittens." I replied sarcastically. "Let's sing some of the lovely Christmas Carols we know!"

We all sang carols. Matilda had fallen asleep, so I conjured up a crib for her and placed her in it. We made sure to sing quietly. Our huge group sang all the classics. Soon, however, I headed to my quarters with Matilda. I laid her down, singing her Jingle Bells in German. She quickly fell asleep. I headed to my room and made sure all the presents were ready for the house elves to take to the other rooms. I then laid on my bed and drifted off. I was thinking about Matilda, and her first Christmas tomorrow.

Author's Note: Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Please comment! :) Please!