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"I'll be home for Christmas.
You can plan on me.
Please have snow and mistletoe,
and presents on the tree.
Christmas Eve will find me
where the love light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas;
if only in my dreams."
-Walter Kent and James Gannon
Molly stands at the station, nervous in a strangely pleasant way. The train is due at any minute and for the first time in a long time, she is alone to her thoughts. Arthur had decided that the rest of the brood should stay home as the thought of getting all of them to the crowded station, let alone keeping them occupied until the Hogwarts Express arrived, is akin to getting teeth pulled. He volunteered to help the rest of the boys and Ginny put the finishing touches on Bill's Welcome Home! Party.
She clutches her large handbag to herself and glances furtively at the other awaiting relatives. There are a couple of small families but on the whole, there are single parents like her. It makes sense since the students' arrival has fallen on a Wednesday afternoon. She lets out a breath slowly and wonders if Bill will have gotten taller. She wonders if he's managed to outgrow his robes or if he's let his hair grow out too long as he has a penchant for doing.
Another mother ambles over to her, breaking her line of thought. "First time?" she asks, smiling.
"Yes, Bill's our eldest," Molly replies.
"My boy Angus is a fourth year and Agnes, my daughter, is a second. How many do you have?" The woman sounds nice but Molly still hesitates before telling her the truth. The realities of Molly's day-to-day existence often seem to baffle strangers and their surprised reaction at finding out the size of her family leaves Molly feeling freakish and uncomfortable.
"Seven. Charlie's after Bill and then Percy, the twins Fred and George and then Ron and finally my youngest, Ginny."
"Wow, that's quite a brood! I don't know how you do it. You must be praying for the day they're all in school."
Molly nods politely and gives the woman a smile. She does not want the conversation to go further and she breathes a sigh of relief when, a moment later, the train pulls into the station. "It was nice talking to you. Maybe we'll see each other here again," Molly says, extending her plump hand. "I'm Molly Weasley by the way."
"Angela O'Malley and I do hope to see you again!" She leaves Molly with a jaunty wave before moving quickly through the crowd of parents to the front of the mob. Molly does the same for lack of anything better to do and waits.
It is not hard to spot Bill. He is taller than the other first years and his brilliant red hair stands out in the sea of black robes. "Bill!' she exclaims. He blushes and averts his eyes but walks over to her, lugging his trunk behind him. In a second, she has her arms around him and plants a kiss on his cheek. She hadn't quite realized how much she's missed him.
"Mum!" he moans, wiping the invisible kiss from his cheek.
"You've let your hair grow out," she complains, batting away at the tears forming in her eyes.
"Yeah, I like it," Bill answers testily. "Can we go now?" Molly nods and they head toward the entrance back to King's Cross. She waves her wand at his trunk, making it suddenly weightless, much to his relief.
"I've missed you so much Bill!" Molly tells him softly, giving him a one-armed hug.
"I've missed you too," he whispers, though he won't look her in the face and instead focuses on the floor tiles.
They walk out onto the chilly street and find an alleyway where Molly can side-long Bill home. They arrive with a pop to a dead-silent house. Molly tries to hide her grin at Bill's shocked expression. "Welcome home Bill!" she says, triggering the lights to come on and various Weasleys to jump out from behind furniture and doors yelling the same. Bill jumps into the air in surprise but looks pleased and somehow much older than his eleven years.
A nice tea follows with lots of hot cocoa and cake and all of Bill's favorite sweets. The minute Bill sits down, Charlie is at his side and Ron crawls into his lap. He is absorbed back into the fold immediately, as if he has never left the Burrow. Molly sits on the sofa, surveying her newly united family lovingly. It feels so wonderful to have the whole family back together for Christmas.
A/N: This chapter is for my mother who has said the last line more times in the past five days than I can count! I hope you liked the chapter and please REVIEW!!!