Well, I picked up a few reviews. Thank you to that person and I hope that the fact they stopped a few chapters in doesn't mean you did. (Yes, I know this middle section's a bit slow. I've got this really clever twist ending coming up, honest.)

And thank you to everyone that's favourited or followed.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Christmas Cheer

"Kids, are you ready?"Harry called up the stairs.

"Just a minute!"James called.

"Just two minutes!"Albus amended.

There was a pause before Lily added,"There in a bit!"

With a weary sigh, Harry headed back into the front room where Hermione was waiting. "They might be a while."

Hermione looked nervous. "Are you sure this is going to be okay? I mean, I haven't met the Weasleys." She thought for a moment, trying to work out the right way to phrase it. "Well…I don't remember meeting them anyway."

Harry took her by the arms and softly kissed her. Over the past month, the intimacy level seemed to have increased, although they still weren't at the level they had been before. "You'll be fine,"he assured her.

James, Albus and Lily came hurrying in. "We're ready,"Albus announced.

"It's good we can go to Grandma and Grandad's again,"Lily added.

James glared at her. Harry winced. Hermione spun round on him. "What does she mean?"

"Oh, we didn't go last year,"Harry explained, trying to make it sound like no big deal. "Come on." He ushered everyone into the floo network.

The children had been reunited with Rose and Hugo, who were spending the holidays with Ron, at the house and had quickly retired, leaving the grown-ups alone. Harry and Hermione stood facing up to a large group of Weasleys. "Well, you remember Ron,"Harry told her, working his way around the group. "Those are his brothers, Percy and George." He paused, looking around to make sure he hadn't missed anyone. "Charlie not here?"

"He's in Romania,"Arthur explained. "Busy time for dragons."

Harry nodded, accepting the explanation, even though Hermione was looking bewildered. "And those are their parents, Arthur and Molly,"he concluded.

Hermione smiled nervously. "I'm pleased to meet you all."

"So you don't remember any of us?"George asked.

"I'm afraid not."

George grinned and rubbed his hands. "Suddenly all my tricks are new again."

Molly gave Hermione a hug. "I'm glad you could join us, dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Perhaps you could help me in the kitchen? I seem to be somewhat outnumbered again, what with Ginny and Fleur and…Well, never mind all that. Percy dear, would you show Hermione the way? I'll be through in a minute."

Arthur seemed to sense his wife's intent and put his arms round Ron and George's shoulders. "You know, boys, I think there's something interesting in my workshop."

Harry found himself alone with Molly for what he realised was the first time since he and Hermione had got together. It had been the tension over that which had caused the Potters to avoid the traditional Weasley family Christmas the previous year, although Molly had invited them to that year's gathering not long after.

"I am sorry about Hermione, Harry,"she said quietly.

Harry looked at her and realised she meant it. "Thank you."

"The children seem happy. Just…make sure you give them a good life." She seemed to run out of things to say at that moment, since she abruptly headed for the kitchen.

When the knock at the door came, Harry was the nearest and went to answer it, being greeted by the sight of his godson and niece. "Hi, Harry,"Teddy greeted him, giving him a warm hug, which Victoire repeated.

"Hey, you two,"Harry reciprocated. "Come on, Hermione's in the kitchen. I'll explain to her who you are."

James had left Albus to keep Lily and Hugo entertained, a task which he seemed to enjoy and which James himself lacked much talent at. He found himself wandering the upper corridors in a rather aimless fashion. Then he heard Rose's voice coming from her room. "We're going to be eating in a bit. It'll probably take ages since there's so many of us. What about you?"

To James' surprise, Scorpius' voice answered her. "Well, there's not so many of us. We're round Grandma and Grandad's. Auntie Daphne and Uncle Blaise are here with Apollo. I'm kind of avoiding everyone. It's big enough to do that."

James burst into the room to find Rose hunched over a mirror. "What are you doing?"

Rose sighed. "I'll have to call you back, Scorpius,"she said, tapping the mirror with her wand then holding it up to show James. "Two way mirror."

"Can I use it to call Emily?"

"Only if she's got one." Rose noticed James sag and looked at him more sympathetically. "You miss her, don't you?"

James nodded. "Pretty much all the time she's not here."

Rose put an arm around him. "Maybe next year we can get her and Scorpius an invite too."

"While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down and glory shone around!"

Everyone had had a very large Christmas dinner and drunk an awful lot of elderflower wine. The combination had led to the traditional Christmas sing song in the front room. The children were sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking slightly as if they felt they were too old to do so.

"Fear not, said he, for mighty dread had seized their trouble minds, Glad tiding of great joy I bring to you and all mankind!"

Harry glanced around the group, Arthur and Molly with contented looks on their faces, Teddy and Victoire still in the first flush of married life, George coming up with new ways to annoy Percy with false ears, Ron sharing jokes with his children.

"Thus spake the seraph and forthwith appeared a shining throng of angels praising God who thus addressed their joyful song!"

And Hermione, cuddling up to him, feeling well and truly as if she belonged there.

"All glory be to God on high and to the earth be peace! Goodwill henceforth from heaven to man begin and never cease!"

It had taken a while to get the children to go upstairs, with James and Albus insisting they were old enough to stay up and Lily simply too giddy to settle. Finally, Harry was convinced the noises from upstairs had ceased. He went back into the living room. "I think they've finally quietened down." Then he stopped. Hermione was asleep on the sofa.

Harry went over to her, brushed a stray hair aside and kissed her on the side of the head.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Potter."