Chapter 15 – All I Want For Christmas Is You


I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true

All I want for Christmas is you


Rose could not believe her eyes. It was like a throwback to moments long past. James Potter was sauntering into the Gryffindor Common Room like he owned the place, as he always had done but hadn't been able to for several months.

It would almost be comical if it weren't so deeply romantic. The way Bobbin was grinning, like she had executed the most genius chess move, and the way Ebony looked much like a Muggle-born first-year who had laid eyes on Hogwarts for the first time.

Rose's heart felt warm within her chest, surprised that her stupid cousin could elicit so much joy within her too. Maybe it was the way he and Ebony looked at each other, or maybe it was just that Rose hadn't realised how much him being there truly completed their Christmas.

Either way, she didn't think she'd ever felt so happy to see him. She had never expected this of Bobbin. And nor, by the look on her face, had Ebony.

Much like in Hogsmeade, Ebony ran to him once the shock had passed, falling into his arms with sheer joy and delight.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded through laughter, clutching at his face like she couldn't quite believe he was real.

"Bobbin knew it wouldn't be Christmas without me," James said with his usual gleeful grin, his eyes shining with awe as he stared down at Ebony.

"It is for one day only," Bobbin emphasised to the two embracing teenagers, but Rose could see how delighted she was at what she had done for Ebony. For both of them, really.

James, his arms wrapped tightly around Ebony—and Rose doubted he would ever remove them—offered a wink to his mother-in-law. "We'll see."

"We will not see," Bobbin denied, though she was still grinning. "Do you know how many rules I've had to flout in order for you to be here?"

"And I very much appreciate it," James said sincerely.

"Wait, so how did this happen?" Rose interjected, wondering when, exactly, Bobbin had arranged for James to spend Christmas in the castle. Had they been plotting and scheming for weeks or had it very much been a last-minute spontaneous invitation?

"Oh, Bobbin swung by the Burrow a couple of days ago and begged me to grace Hogwarts with my presence for the day," James cheerily explained.

"I extended an invitation to you," Bobbin rectified.

Ebony looked truly thrilled by the revelation, staring at her mother with delighted disbelief.

It was incredibly sweet, Rose thought. For Christmas, Bobbin had given Ebony the one thing she wanted more than anything else. The best possible gift. She had given her James.

Everything was all so perfectly coming together.

Rose found herself drawn to Scorpius, who was, of course, by her side. He looked surprised by James' unexpected arrival but just as delighted at seeing how happy Ebony was.

Noticing the new—or rather returning—setup, James' eyes lit up with excitement. "Is that—?"

"Yes!" Janey squealed. She was dressed incredibly festively, Rose thought with endearment, in shades of red and white like a walking candy cane. But she was happy. "Ooh, we have to do a song together!" she insisted.

Oh, Merlin, please not, Rose couldn't help but think. It was still too early in the day to be subjected to that just yet.

"Only if my dear mother-in-law lets loose and does one too," James said, offering Bobbin a cheeky wink. Ebony looked delighted at the prospect.

"Absolutely not," Bobbin snorted.

James didn't push her. Instead, he observed his group of friends rather fondly. "So what were you all up to before Bobbin finally let me in?"

It was Janey who answered. "Presents!" she squealed.

This only seemed to entertain James further. "Well, perfect, because now I can give Ebony hers."

Rose was rather worried this was some kind of innuendo, but surprising her more than even his grand entrance into the common room, she was completely unprepared for what happened next. James, looking more pleased than he ever had done in his entire life, for some initially incomprehensible reason, stared directly at Ebony with deeply tender devotion, before he sunk down onto one knee and withdrew a small ringbox from within his pocket.

Rose automatically turned her head to stare at Scorpius. He had done the same, his face reflecting the intense level of shock that Rose herself felt.

Rose turned back to the scene occurring in front of her, somewhat relieved to see that Ebony was regarding James, now on one knee, with the same complete and utter confusion that surely everybody observing in the room was now feeling. James was already married to Ebony—wasn't he? It seemed like the kind of ridiculously insane thing he would do—propose to her at Christmas whilst she was still a teenage student at Hogwarts—but that was because he'd already bloody done it.

"Ebony," James declared, looking truly giddy with excitement. "As you have now pointed out several times, I never actually proposed to you, so I—"

"But I didn't—I wasn't—!" Ebony interrupted in horror, apparently now realising exactly what James was doing and why he was doing it.

"Shh," James calmed her, looking jokingly annoyed by the interruption.

Bobbin was observing the scene with shocked concern, almost like she wished to intervene and stop it, like she was witnessing something that hadn't already happened.

Well, Rose realised, as James had pointed out, this hadn't happened—which was exactly why he was doing it. In a way, it was rather romantic. She found herself getting completely caught up in the soppy display, even if it was purely superfluous.

"Just imagine I'd done this six months ago," James went on, either not realising or not caring that Ebony looked positively mortified at being the centre of attention for such a personally emotional moment in her life.

But the more James spoke, the more intently she looked into his eyes, everybody else watching her clearly melting away to nothing as she focused on nobody but the person she loved more than anything. It was like, for her, they were the only two people in the room. Rose subconsciously felt her hand slip into Scorpius'.

"Ebony," James announced once more, "I honestly can't imagine my life without you, and I'm actually kind of pissed that nobody thought to introduce us sooner so I could have charmed my way into your heart years before I eventually did."

Rose wondered if James realised precisely how young he and Ebony were in the grand scheme of things, but she bit her tongue, eager to see where he was going with this.

"I am truly sorry that you had to watch me in the arms of so many eager young women when my arms were always meant for you, and that you felt you had to snog the likes of Malfoy before you knew what you were missing out on."

Rose heard Scorpius mutter something under his breath but she was too absorbed in James and Ebony to look at him.

"But fate bought us together," James declared with great passion. "And a lot of Firewhisky," he added with a wink.
Ebony let out a small laugh whilst Bobbin frowned.

"And I know that every moment in my life was merely leading up to the point where you entered it and irrevocably changed it for the better."

Ebony looked like she might melt, and Rose felt like she would. She wondered if James had prewritten this speech or if he was making it up on the spot. How did he know what words like 'irrevocably' meant?

"I know that I'm a lot, and I likely will continue to be, but you always inspire me to be the best version of myself, and I am so in awe of everything you do—the way you handle yourself with the cards life dealt you, the way you're so wise and graceful even when you're struggling most, the way you're the strongest person I know."

Rose actually thought she saw Bobbin welling up and wondered if it was out of endearment for what James was expressing to her daughter or guilt for her involvement in Ebony's need to possess such strength.

"And I would vow to protect you with everything I have," James said sincerely, "but you don't need me to do that. You have a strength within you that I can only envy, and I never want you to spend a day thinking that you're not far braver, or smarter, or kinder than any other person I know. Or vastly hotter," he added, and Rose was frustrated that he had to ruin such an otherwise beautiful sentiment.

But Ebony was laughing again, looking truly endeared, and as James grinned up at her, Rose realised that if he resisted saying something crude amongst the deeply poetic then he wouldn't be him.

"I love you, Ebony," James said in a suddenly very low, serious, and tender voice, and Rose found herself holding her breath, hanging on her cousin's every word. "And I can't ask you to marry me, because you've already shackled yourself to me for life—but I want you to know that I haven't regretted it one single second since we said our vows, and I never will. Life might be a bit of a struggle at the moment as we navigate what the hell we're doing, but I have every confidence that the eternity we're going to spend together is the greatest one I could possibly have been granted."

Ebony actually was crying, her eyes shining with tears but refusing to spill over. Who knew James could be so capable of saying such beautifully romantic things?

"You deserve the world, Ebony," James enthused. "And I am going to continue to dedicate my life to ensuring you never spend a single day not knowing how truly and completely loved you are. And maybe I should have thought all of this through before I asked you to marry me the first time—but I honestly have zero regrets. And I know you don't really care about a proposal or a ring, but you deserve it anyway—and I cannot emphasise how much money this cost so you have to humour me and act like it's the most important thing in the world because I won't be able to buy you anything else for a good ten years or so."

He flicked up the lid of the ringbox, and the look of shocked awe that flitted into Ebony's eyes was certainly not faked. Even from where she was stood across the room, Rose could see the dazzling sparkle of what appeared to be a huge emerald set into a delicate silver ring. It was so perfectly Slytherin. So perfectly Ebony.

Rose's heart lurched, somewhat out of awe, and somewhat out of jealousy. She immediately blushed, averting her gaze far from Scorpius even though neither of them had been looking at each other. Sweet as it was, getting married as a teenager was absurd, she reminded herself…

Completely ridiculous.

But as she watched James slide the ring onto Ebony's finger, Rose had to admit that the whole thing had been completely enchanting to observe. And even though it didn't really mean a damn thing, she cheered just as loudly as everybody else did, like the belated proposal they'd just witnessed had been completely authentic.

Rose stole a glance at Bobbin. She did not look as pained as she had when the speech had begun, but instead like she was looking at her daughter with pride. Or, maybe, Rose thought optimistically, even at James. Perhaps she realised how truly committed her stupid cousin was to his marriage. To Ebony.

But Rose hoped that wouldn't change anything with regards to James being allowed to stay in the castle on a more permanent basis. Maybe with this surge of reassurance—and her new cat—Ebony would have the strength to fully immerse herself in her last two terms at the school without being glued to James' side.

James was on his feet again and had swept Ebony up into his arms. Once he finally released her he turned to regard the entire room with an overly smug grin. "Anyway—carry on as you were. But try and beat that," he added with a wink.

Rose found her head turning to look at Scorpius, who still seemed rather dazed by it all.

Over his shoulder, she could see Sam and Janey sharing panicked expressions, like they too were now expected to offer lifelong declarations in such a way.

Rose herself felt a little deflated. Her present for Scorpius was surely going to fall flat after witnessing that.

"I did not get you anything that can come even remotely close to a massive emerald engagement ring," Scorpius told Rose with wide eyes.

Rose's heart had picked up pace at hearing Scorpius say the words engagement ring, but she tried not to let it show.

"Scorpius," she said with a kind laugh. "I do not expect anything remotely similar! I mean, I'm not even entirely sure how James has even managed to afford that…" She had no doubt it involved him now being incredibly in debt to his parents.

But her words had clearly done nothing to dissuade the unease in her boyfriend's eyes. "It's just—I thought so hard about what to get you for our first Christmas together, and none of it seemed good enough, and it still doesn't seem—"

"Scorpius," Rose interrupted, intending to calm him. "I honestly mean this. You could have bought me absolutely nothing and it still would have been the best thing in the world, because the only thing I truly care about is being with you."

Scorpius' panic seemed to soften ever so slightly, but he still didn't look entirely reassured. "Rose," he said weakly.

"I mean it, Scorpius," she assured him, offering a squeeze of their still-interlocked hands. "All I need for Christmas—all I ever need—is you."

The smile he regarded her with was almost tenderly shy in nature. "Well," he said slowly, "I do have something to offer you."

Rose tried to disguise the thrill of excitement she felt as Scorpius withdrew his own box. Much larger than the ringbox James had offered to Ebony, she noticed, and tried to ignore the slight sinking of her heart.

She was deeply curious though, having never been gifted jewellery before—which is what she assumed rested within the sleek black box. Holding her breath, perhaps never having truly released it from witnessing James' declarations, Rose opened the lid and found her eyes widening in much the same way Ebony's had.

It wasn't a ring, however—it was a necklace. A truly beautiful one with a heart-shaped stone as blue as the deepest ocean set within a silver encasement. Still feeling breathless, Rose lifted it from the box, almost too scared to touch it, but allowing the silver chain to run through her fingers. It was a pretty big stone, and she dreaded to think how much money Scorpius had spent on it, but she was completely awed. Rose never really wore jewellery—mostly because she didn't have any—and was surprised that Scorpius would think to gift her something like the necklace, but it also looked so incredibly familiar.

"Scorpius, it's beautiful," Rose breathed in complete awe, hardly daring to believe that she was the owner of something that looked to be so luxurious.

"Really?" he asked nervously.

Rose gently placed the necklace back into the box and looked up into Scorpius' glassy green eyes instead. It was rather endearing how uncertain he looked, and she had no doubt he had put a lot of thought into what to get her. "Of course," she assured him. She couldn't help but smile. "I wouldn't lie to you."

Scorpius looked to be somewhat relieved, but they also both knew Rose wouldn't exactly be brutally honest if she hadn't liked the necklace.

"I, ah, I knew I upset you before—when I bought the necklace for Ebony, and you assumed I'd bought it for you," Scorpius said sheepishly.

And Rose suddenly understood why the necklace looked so familiar. It was because Scorpius had once bought an almost identical one for Ebony a couple of years ago. Rose had witnessed him purchase it from Hogsmeade after the two of them had been on a date—an innocent gift for the Slytherin girl's birthday, which had become incredibly un-innocent when they had kissed at a ball that fateful Halloween evening.

Rose's heart involuntarily winced at the memories of that incredibly unpleasant chapter of all of their lives. She had wrongfully assumed that Scorpius had bought the necklace for her, not for Ebony, and given the events that had followed, seeing the Slytherin purposefully flaunting the heart-shaped jewellery around the school had been a bitter source of jealousy and pain for Rose. But that had been years ago, and Rose hadn't seen Ebony wear it once since she'd shortly after started seeing James.

Even still, she was a little surprised Scorpius would think to have bought such a gift given the connotations, but he was so simplistically caring, Rose realised. Unlike the one he had bought for Ebony, this version was slightly more subtle and slender than the gaudy rock of the other, and whereas the first one had been a huge emerald with a thick gold chain—perfect for the Slytherin—Rose wondered why Scoprius had not opted for a red alternative for her Gryffindor self. She wasn't complaining, because the sapphire blue jewel was truly beautiful, but she supposed it matched her eyes and that would probably be the reasoning behind the aesthetic decision.

Almost as though he could read her mind, Scorpius happily answered Rose's unspoken question. "I considered something red," he explained, "but I remembered that you thought I might have bought the green one for you because emerald is your birthstone."

Rose blushed, kind of wishing they would stop talking about the past and the piece of heart-shaped jewellery Scorpius had already bought for another girl, regardless of how much they had very much all moved on.

She then frowned, not following his logic at all. What did the blue represent then, if it weren't her house nor her birthstone?

"Blue," Scorpius went on. "Sapphire—it's, ah, it's the birthstone for September."

Okay, now Rose was even more confused. Neither of their birthdays fell in September, nor did anyone she could think of.

Sensing she wasn't following him at all only seemed to make Scorpius smile deeper. "We got back together in September," he finally explained. "I know we dated when we were fifteen, and then we kind of broke up and got back together and—anyway—it was all a bit confusing, but I feel like September was a fresh start for us. And we never really had an anniversary to celebrate, but now we can."

"Oh," Rose said, finally understanding and fully endeared. It was so incredibly thoughtful. "So it's kind of like the birthstone for our relationship," she said eagerly.

Scorpius smiled. "I suppose it is," he agreed.

Rose didn't think she had ever loved him more, and as Scorpius placed the chain around her neck, the sapphire heart resting perfectly between her collarbones, she knew it would be her most prized possession. Rose had never craved material things much, not like Janey, but It already felt completely right around her neck.

Scorpius let his fingers linger slightly against her collarbones as he let her hair fall back into place, and Rose rather wished they were not in such a crowded room. True, everybody was completely absorbed in their own conversations and exchanging of gifts, but she wanted to show him how much her heart was bursting with love. Instead, she turned her head to look at him, eyes brimming with gratitude and appreciation, wondering if he could possibly comprehend how much she truly loved him.

"I almost don't want to give you your present now," Rose admitted. She had been so proud when she'd first conceived the idea, but now seeing what a deeply meaningful (and no doubt expensive) present Scorpius had gifted her, Rose felt her own rather paled in comparison.

"Well, it's like you said," Scorpius urged her. "The only thing that really matters to me at Christmas—at all, really—is just being with you."

"Yeah?" Rose breathed.

"Yeah," Scorpius agreed. "But I should let you know that, actually, withholding Christmas presents is incredibly cruel, so I'd urge you to reconsider."

Rose laughed. "Alright," she conceded, reaching for her own hand-wrapped package, "but please don't compare it to what you got me, because it really can't compete."

Scorpius rolled his eyes and insisted that he would love it regardless, but Rose felt nervous, biting her lip in anticipation as she watched him unwrap it. Maybe she shouldn't have been so presumptuous in what she'd gotten him. Maybe she should have played it safe like the Quidditch gloves for his birthday. Oh, Merlin, she was instantly regretting her decision entirely.

Scorpius looked deeply intrigued as he revealed the mass of bottle green wool from within. Rose's heart was thumping in her chest as she scanned his face for any indication that he was unhappy or otherwise put-off.

He pulled it out of its wrapping completely, and the knitted garment revealed itself in all its glory. It was so simple, and incredibly underwhelming, Rose realised, immediately embarrassed that she'd thought this would actually be a good idea.

Scorpius' eyes gave nothing away as he scanned the item, taking note of the hand-crafted woollen jumper in its deep shade of green with the large 'S' in the centre.

"My grandmother made it," Rose suddenly burst out, unable to bear it any longer. She realised now what an incredibly pathetic and boring present it was and felt like she had to explain. Although, really, no explanation could do it justice. Not when he had bought her something so thoughtful and luxurious. When you compared the two, it was humiliating.

What had she been thinking?

"She knits them for us every year," Rose explained weakly. "The entire family—every single aunt, uncle, and cousin—she always has. And I just… I don't know. I thought, what with everything we'd been through—with everything you've been through—that I could… I could show you that you're part of our family too." Rose was burning up with the intensity of her own blush. "It was stupid," she mumbled.

But Scorpius wasn't looking at Rose. He was still looking at the jumper, letting the woollen fabric run through his fingers like it was actually made of gold or something equally as impressive. Rose herself felt rather subconscious as she stood there in her own maroon offering for the year. It had seemed sentimental when she'd first thought of writing to her grandma to ask if she'd consider knitting one for Scorpius too, but now it just seemed like a bit of a cop-out.

Finally, Scorpius looked up at Rose, and his eyes shone with something far deeper than simple gratitude.

"Your grandmother knitted this for me?" he asked, like he couldn't quite believe it.

"Yes," Rose confirmed, wishing she'd also thought to throw in some chocolate frogs or some other Quidditch memorabilia or something so it would seem more impressive.

"Rose," Scorpius said, and she wasn't sure if she had imagined the hitch in his voice or the glistening sheen of his eyes.

Without another word, he had pulled her into his arms. Rose was so surprised that she almost didn't react. Half a beat too late, her arms wrapped around his body in mild confusion.

For a while, they just held each other, and Rose thought she understood. It was more than just acceptance into the Weasley family, it was a sense of belonging where he had already lost so much. Rose knew how important family always had been to the Malfoys—they had just shown it in different ways. And while Rose knew the bond remained strong between Scorpius, his father, and his sister, she had wanted to show him that he would always have a place with them too, regardless of all the past tensions between the two magical bloodlines.

But he seemed to sense this, and it seemed to mean a lot to him. Rose felt relieved.

"You're the best," Scorpius murmured, still holding her tightly.

"It's just a silly old jumper," Rose dismissed, feeling embarrassed once more.

"It's not," Scorpius insisted. He held her by the shoulders, holding her stare with firm sincerity. "It really means a lot to me."

Rose felt herself blush once more. Her grandmother had been beside herself with excitement when Rose had asked if she would consider knitting one for Scorpius that year too, as though Rose had just announced that she and Scorpius were engaged or something equally as momentous. What she didn't yet know was if her dad or anyone else knew, nor what they would think of it, but she was sure that was all in the past.

Rose's lips curled into a smile. "There's no going back now," she said playfully. "You're one of us now, I'm afraid."

Scorpius laughed too. "I wouldn't have it any other way. In fact—" His grin only broadened as he slipped the jumper on over the shirt he was already wearing. It was a perfect fit.

"It suits you," Rose praised. And it did. She had no doubt her grandmother had intentionally chosen the Slytherin colours, and in a way that meant more than a lot of people would probably realise on the surface.

"I love it," Scorpius said sincerely, taking hold of both of her hands. "And I love you."

Merlin, it really was the best Christmas ever.

As they embraced once more, Rose couldn't help but let her eyes settle on where Sam and Janey seemed to be about to exchange gifts just behind them. Given how much Sam had stressed over what to get for Janey, Rose was deeply curious. She assumed that the reintroduction of the karaoke machine had been his gift to her, and she knew how much it had humbled him to return it to her—even if it was only temporary. She'd never admit it to Janey, but Rose had firmly been on Sam's side during the initial debacle and fully supported his decision to have it removed. Nevertheless, it had been a sweet gesture to let her indulge in it for another week.

Just so long as it was firmly hidden away again when it came time for them to study for their NEWTs.

Janey might love material stuff, but she also loved the thrill of performing—something Rose couldn't relate to in the slightest—and it was a testament to how much Sam really knew her.

"Rose," Scorpius said, but she shushed him, silently nodding towards to where Sam and Janey were curled up in an armchair over his shoulder. Looking confused and then amused, Scorpius didn't say another word, seeming to understand that she was intending to eavesdrop.

"I'm very fond of this get-up," Sam was saying, running his hand over the fur-trimmed red velvet dress Janey was wearing.

Rose frowned. Maybe she didn't want to listen in.

"It's festive!" Janey declared with excitement.

"It certainly is," Sam agreed appreciatively. "But I didn't think you were all that into Christmas?"

Janey looked slightly bashful. "Well, I wasn't until this year. It was always a bit lonely, a bit boring by myself in London."

Rose felt guilty. There would have always been a spot for Janey in the Burrow over Christmas if she had ever thought to extend an invitation to her friend, and maybe she should have. But she supposed Janey would have been rather overwhelmed with that many people all bundled up in one house, not to mention all the magical stuff she still felt a bit of a disconnect from.

Sam looked just as guilty. "You shouldn't ever have had to be alone on Christmas," he said sadly.

Janey seemed to consider something. "Well," she said tenderly, "maybe now I won't ever have to be."

Sam looked as surprised as Rose felt. The implication of what she'd said—it was almost like a commitment. It was almost like a vow—a promise of Christmases to come.

"And anyway, I never said I didn't like Christmas," Janey said quickly, clearly not wanting any sense of sentiment to linger. "I love presents! Who wouldn't?"

Sam rolled his eyes, and Rose smiled.

"You know Christmas is about more than just presents, right?" Sam teased.

Janey grinned. "You're only saying that because you didn't spend a penny on mine."

"I don't have a penny to spend—on anything," Sam reminded her. "And I haven't seen you complaining!"

"No," Janey agreed, smiling fondly. "I think if James is successful in convincing Bobbin to take the stage, this Christmas will cement itself in history as the one to beat."

"And if you'd really wanted a boyfriend who could shower you in expensive gifts then you should have looked elsewhere," Sam went on. "And you knew that, so that's fully on you."

"Well, luckily for you, and in spite of what you may think, money isn't actually everything to me."

Sam looked pleased to hear it. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Janey confirmed, looking at him tenderly through her long lashes. As if to prove her point, she pressed her lips to his, taking Sam by pleasant surprise.

Rose was worried they were going to start snogging, quickly dispelling the otherwise sweet romance of the exchange, but fortunately, they held off. Janey had pulled away, though she left a hand gently entwined in Sam's hair, staring into his eyes like she couldn't believe how lucky she was. Rose almost felt rude for watching such a tender moment, wondering if that's what she looked like when she looked at Scorpius.

"So can I give you your present now?" Janey asked eagerly.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "You mean this isn't my gift?" he teased, gesturing to Janey's furry festive ensemble.

Janey smirked, looking flattered. "Absolutely not," she said. "Unlike you, I actually spent some cash."

Sam looked taken aback, but he didn't say anything, perhaps knowing Janey was only teasing. Rose was now incredibly intrigued. Janey hadn't given anything away in what she may or may not have bought for Sam in the buildup to Christmas. Rose had never seen Janey buy a single thing for a boyfriend before, and she wondered what she might have spent said cash on—especially for Sam.

To both Rose's and apparently Sam's surprise, it was a similar box to what Scorpius had presented to Rose just moments before that Janey withdrew to give to Sam. She had bought him… jewellery?

Well, Rose recalled, Janey had insisted on her and Sam dressing up as some Muggle celebrity couple called 'Barbie and Ken' that Halloween in vibrant shades of pink, with glitter and minks galore. It had been especially amusing because no one in the wizarding world really dressed up in costumes for Halloween—that was very much a Muggle thing that Janey had desperately been trying to instate at Hogwarts since First Year. Sam had taken it in his stride though, so maybe this was just Janey's way of further dressing him up like some kind of doll. Although, what kind of jewellery did you even buy for a man?

Or maybe it wasn't jewellery at all, Rose considered, it was just a very similar-looking box.

But as Sam opened the box, frowning in confusion as he, sure enough, held up a delicate golden necklace, Rose felt just as bewildered as he now looked.

"Well," Sam said carefully, "it's not my usual style…"

Surely Janey did not expect Sam to wear a very delicate, feminine-looking necklace, Rose thought in alarm. Granted, she didn't think Sam would feel comfortable wearing any kind of jewellery, but the piece he was currently holding in his hand certainly looked like it had been designed to be worn by a woman. Maybe it was a test, Rose thought. Janey wanted to see how far Sam would go in his commitment to her.

"Look at the pendant," Janey urged, seemingly not at all swayed by Sam's reluctant confusion over the offering.

Sam obliged, holding up the chain to peer at the small circular charm swinging from the bottom. There must have been something engraved on it, Rose realised, but she was way too far away to see.

"It's an 'S'," Sam said fondly. He looked back at Janey's face, still bewildered but now a little amused. "Like the one I got you."

Ah. Rose had noticed that term that Janey often wore a near-identical necklace to the one Sam was now holding, though hers had a J inscribed on the charm. She hadn't realised it had been a gift from Sam and felt rather moved. It must have been a birthday present from back in the summer. Janey could be sentimental when she wanted to be, she just didn't often advertise it.

Even still, sweet as it was, surely she did not expect Sam and her to rock identical necklaces?

Sam seemed to have the same qualms, although he looked like he was trying desperately not to offend Janey. "Do you want me to… wear this?" he asked uncertainly.

Rose wondered if Janey said yes if Sam really would. Especially with James there, the boys would all mercilessly mock him. Hell, Jinx would too. But part of Rose felt like he genuinely would if it's what Janey truly wanted from him.

But Janey looked at Sam like he was deluded. "What?" she exclaimed, now looking thoroughly amused that that's what he assumed the intention was behind the gift. "No—it's for me!"

Sam frowned. "What?"

Janey looked delighted. "When you gave me the necklace for my birthday," she explained, "you said you went with a J because you knew I'd be freaked out if you got me one with an S or something related to us."

"Well, yeah," Sam admitted, looking sheepish. "We had only been together for six weeks—it seemed a bit presumptuous. We're not Rose and Scorpius!"

Rose immediately turned to look at Scorpius, mouth open in shock and offence, but he looked rather amused by the comment and raised a pointed eyebrow. She supposed they had said 'I love you' to each other after only two weeks of officially dating back when they were younger. And they were certainly way more romantically committed in their public declarations than Sam and Janey were, even though they'd been newly together for much less time.

"Well," Janey went on, "her voice kind and certain, and Rose refocused her attention. "I want to show you that I am more than happy to be publicly branded as your girlfriend."

Sam grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Janey said softly, letting her hand run through Sam's hair once more.

As they kissed again, Rose felt her heart swell. It was a big move on Janey's behalf. It was more than just a piece of jewellery, it was a very real promise. It was a commitment. The most serious one Janey had probably ever made. It not only said that she was proud to be publicly known as Sam's girlfriend but that she very much intended to be so for a more permanent ongoing basis.

But sweet as the gesture was, Rose was taken aback by one glaring thing. Sam apparently shared the same thought as he pulled away to look at Janey with a quirked eyebrow.

"So just to clarify," he asked, "for Christmas, you bought me a necklace… for yourself?"

Janey looked offended. "You gave me a gift that was already mine," she pointed out.

But they were both laughing together, and as Rose continued to observe them she rather felt like a proud parent.

"It is the sentiment," Janey insisted, her voice sincere once more, placing a hand against Sam's chest right where his heart would be.

"Alright," Sam said, still smiling. "So is this sentiment an assurance that you're not going to try and break up with me next week?" he asked hopefully. "Or ever again?"

"I promise not to break up with you next week."

"Or ever again?" Sam prompted.

Rose smiled to herself. Surely Sam knew better than to try and get Janey to commit to anything too long-term. Not verbally at least.

Janey apparently ignored him. "I think if we could make it this far, we might as well try and see this thing through."

That seemed to be good enough for Sam. "I think that is an excellent idea," he enthused.

"And, you know," Janey teased, "maybe next year we can get each other presents that we actually spent money on for each other."

"Hey, I actually got you something else, you know," Sam said.

Janey's eyes lit up with glee. "Yeah?" she breathed.

"Don't get too excited—it still didn't cost me any money."

But Janey was too excited to care. "What is it?"

Surprising both Janey and Rose, Sam pulled out a tiny bit of parchment from his pocket and handed it to Janey. Rose wished she could see what it said.

Janey furrowed her brow. "A phone number?" she asked, staring at the tiny scrap. "But I already have your number?"

"It's not my number," Sam explained, looking incredibly pleased with himself. "It's that producer guy that Gabe knows."

"Oh my God," Janey said, her voice small and her eyes wide. "Seriously?"

Sam couldn't contain his grin. "Yeah," he enthused, looking smug. "I think you've finally earned it."

As Janey pulled Sam's face towards her own and gave him a kiss far deeper and less reserved than the last one they had shared, Rose thought she understood what their hurried exchange had been referring to. It had long been a point of tension between the two over the years—the fact that Sam's stepdad supposedly knew some hot-shot Muggle producer that Janey was desperate to be put in touch with. Sam had lorded it over her, refusing to cave, even after they had transitioned from enemies to lovers.

It seemed to have always been, in Janey's mind anyway, her golden ticket to stardom, and one that Sam had vindictively withheld. In truth, Rose didn't really understand why it mattered so much to either of them, but even she understood the gravity of what Sam had finally relinquished to his girlfriend.

Janey pulled her lips away from Sam, appearing breathless and grinning like she was drunk. "Is this for real?" she asked, staring at the tiny scrap of parchment like it was actually a cheque for a million Galleons.

"You'll have to call and find out."

Janey let out a squeal of delight. "God, I wish I had my phone with me right now."

"It wouldn't work here anyway," Sam pointed out.

Janey looked back at Sam, her eyes shining with deep awe. Rose would never dare suggest anything akin to love had yet passed between Sam and Janey, but she rather thought the glistening of their eyes symbolised something far deeper than either of them likely realised. Janey reached out a tender hand to hold Sam's face and stroke his cheek with her thumb. "You're the best boyfriend I've ever had," she insisted in a quiet voice.

Sam instantly turned pink in the cheek. "I'm sure a lot of your exes could easily beat me up," he laughed nervously.

Janey just rolled her eyes. "Why do guys always value physical strength?" she asked sarcastically. "Rather than, like, actually being decent people? None of those guys ever gave me anything as meaningful as this," she insisted, indicating to the phone number.

Sam blushed even further at Janey's compliment, and Rose hoped he understood that Janey's sentiment far extended beyond the little bit of paper he had handed her.

"Well," Sam pointed out playfully, "that's two incredible gifts you've wrangled out of me—plus a lovely new necklace you've bought for yourself."

Janey smirked in response. "Now who's being materialistic?"

"All I'm saying," Sam said in defence, "is you could have at least gotten me something that was physically mine."

Janey looked thoughtful. "Meet me in the fifth-floor broom cupboards later and I'll give you something physical there."

Sam's eyes widened, and even from where she was stood, Rose could see him gulp. "That works for me," he said breathlessly.

"Alright, I'm very much done eavesdropping," Rose said abruptly, instantly flushing with heat as Sam and Janey started snogging in the chair.

Scorpius squeezed her hand in response. "Our presents were way better," he said in a low voice.

Rose smiled to herself. She was pretty happy with the way things had turned out. In fact, she thought, looking fondly around the room, everybody seemed to be pretty happy. Bobbin and Roberts were sharing their first Christmas together as newlyweds, and Ebony seemed to finally be on good terms with her mum. James' presence was making them all feel a lot warmer, but especially Ebony, it had to be said. The pair looked like they had just gotten engaged for real.

Gwen, Taylor, and Albus all seemed to be perfectly content. Rose knew she shouldn't put so much emphasis on romantic relationships as an indicator of happiness but the fact that all her friends were either in relationships or in the fresh new throes of romance made her heart feel warm. Albireo and Jinx too, even though the latter looked a little annoyed at having to be in the Gryffindor Common Room, seemed like the festive joy of the day was getting the better of them.

For once, there were no hostilities between any of them. Gwen and Janey were not only on speaking terms but seemed to have thoroughly reconnected in their friendship, and Rose only hoped it would extend into the new year. Their Quidditch victory had been a major boost to them all. Maybe Janey would be more humbled by her brief departure from the team and actually be more committed to their practices. And maybe with the confidence boost of their first win, not to mention whatever may or may not be happening between her and Frankie going forward, Gwen would be less uptight. Everything, for once, seemed to be going so well for them all. It was a true Christmas miracle.

Rose took hold of Scorpius' hand and led him towards where the others had convened, desperate to get away from the still-snogging Sam and Janey.

Ebony seemed happiest of them all, her kitten in her arms and the dazzling emerald on her finger, united with everybody she considered her family.

"That thing better be house-trained," Jinx said distastefully, eyeing the squirming creature in Ebony's arms.

"Do you mean the kitten or James?" Albus asked wickedly.

James looked like he was about to make some humorous retort, but the arrival of Rose and Scorpius caught his eye, distracting him. He looked Scorpius up and down, seemingly deep in thought, and it took Rose a moment to figure out why.

"I don't remember you marrying into the family?" he teased, clearly referring to the knitted jumper. "Unless you two would like to announce something you've been keeping to yourselves?"

Rose blushed and scowled at James.

Scorpius didn't seem perturbed by the comment so much as he was amused. "We'd never dare try and take the spotlight away from the pair of you. How many times are you planning on getting married, exactly?"

"Just the once," James answered calmly.

"Well," Ebony considered brightly, "it sort of would be nice to have an actual wedding which everybody could come to, and—"

"Ebony," James said in a panic, turning his head sharply towards his wife. "I wasn't kidding when I said I can't afford so much as a jellybean for at least a decade, let alone another wedding—I could barely afford the first one!"

"I don't think we need any more weddings for a while," Bobbin interrupted with a sly smile.

Rose could not help but wonder which of them might be the next ones to tie the knot, and then tried to bury the thought far away. Why had James had to put thoughts of engagement rings in her mind? Her hand subconsciously went to the new addition hanging from her neck. One beautiful piece of jewellery from Scorpius was more than enough for now, she had to remind herself.

"How come you guys all have matching jumpers anyway?" Jinx asked, eyeing Rose, James, Albus, and now Scorpius too.

Rose supposed the Slytherins would be unfamiliar to her family's customs and their grandmother's infamous Christmas jumpers.

"Because we're all inducted into the cult of Weasley," James said. "If you want in, you'll have to marry Albus."

Albus looked alarmed. "I have a girlfriend," he mumbled, as though Jinx might actually have been considering it. But her look of disgust at the suggestion seemed to say otherwise.

"How come Ebony doesn't have one then?" Jinx demanded, ignoring James' second comment.

"Oh, don't worry, she does."

"I do?" Ebony asked in surprise. She wasn't wearing one after all.

"Mhmm," James confirmed, beaming at his wife. "My grandmother made sure to send one with me, don't fret. But I was worried that if I gave it to you, you might put it on."

Ebony only looked further confused, a feeling Rose very much shared.

"Why can't Ebony wear one?" she asked, baffled as to why James wouldn't want his wife to be fully integrated into their family's Christmas traditions.

James looked at Rose like she was stupid and then very pointedly ran his eyes over Ebony from head to toe as though admiring a great work of art. Although, of course, for James Potter, he already considered the greatest works of art to be that of the feminine form. Particularly that of Ebony.

Rose just rolled her eyes as Ebony, in her figure-hugging black lace dress blushed under James' flattering gaze.

"I can't believe I was going to be denied of this," he criticised, still very much ogling his wife.

Bobbin raised an eyebrow but she said nothing.

"It's a shame Mason's not here too," Taylor was the one to say out loud, and like she almost had done in Hogsmeade too, Rose felt guilty for overlooking the one absent member of their party.

Despite having been the only other person besides Scorpius she had ever kissed, she had never really had much of a connection to the other Gryffindor boy, but it did feel weird without him. He had been a part of the Quidditch team, and he had been Gwen's boyfriend for a long time too.

"Well, it's just as well he's off skiing with his parents in Switzerland then, isn't it? Because from what I hear, Gwen's bagged herself a new toyboy, and he'd be heartbroken," James said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Mason will not care," she insisted. "And there is no relationship there anyway! It was one kiss."

Rose was almost tempted to echo Janey from earlier when Gwen had said the same thing, reminding the girl that it had actually been a pretty heavy snog, but as Ebony had also pointed out earlier, Bobbin and Roberts were still very much present. Distracted by something warm and furry weaving around her ankles, Rose looked down to see her tortoiseshell cat and eagerly scooped him up into her eyes.

From within her arms, the cat seemed to glare at and then release an irritated hiss at Scorpius being in such close proximity.

Scorpius side-eyed the cat with a frown. "Why does your cat still hate me?"

Rose had gotten Ember for her fifteenth birthday from her parents, and he had very quickly taken a dislike to Scorpius. Which, once he'd shortly after broken her heart several times over, had been a great source of comfort and amusement to Rose. But time had not lessened Ember's apparent hatred for the blond boy.

Rose stroked him affectionately. If the only tensions in her life were that which fell between her cat and her boyfriend then she was very happy indeed.

And truly, as the time stretched out on that blissful Christmas Day, and Rose enjoyed the companionship of her friends, her teachers, her cousins, her cat, and, of course, her beloved Scorpius, she thought the decision to spend one last Christmas in the castle had been rather genius. They talked, they laughed, they sang—(some more enthusiastically than others)—they drank. Bobbin turned a blind eye to the fact that not all of them had yet turned eighteen when James quite happily doled out the Firewhisky, perhaps because it might have definitely contributed to everybody's increasing willingness to make the most of the karaoke machine.

James was once more egging Bobbin on to serenade her students—a fate she hadn't yet succumbed to—with little success, though to much uproarious laughter from everybody gathered there as the snow continued to flurry outside the window.

Rose rested her head on Scorpius' shoulder, all of them now sitting cross-legged on the floor of the common room in a large circle whilst the fire blazed beside them, Bobbin and Roberts included. There would shortly be a massive festive feast in the Great Hall, but Rose wanted the moment to last forever.

"I'm really glad we did this," she said out loud, and everybody murmured their agreements.

"Me too," Ebony said, and it was hard to tell who looked prouder at such sincere happiness in the girl's declaration—James or Bobbin.

"I am incredibly glad," James chimed in. "And I think we should carry on the tradition and come back every Christmas for a festive knees-up in the common room for old time's sake."

"Absolutely not," Bobbin said, eyes shining with mirth. "This was very much a one-time privilege."

"Oh, but you're glad I came really," James provoked. "You know it wouldn't have been the same without me here."

Bobbin playfully rolled her eyes, and, unfortunately for her, no words needed to be said for them to all know how remarkably true the statement was.

"Honestly, James, you really didn't need to come and upstage us all by proposing to Ebony," Sam said, though he looked incredibly pleased by how things had turned out anyway.

"Hey," James said in defence, beaming just as wide. "The ring was Ebony's Christmas present, you all just lucked out that you got to hear my incredibly romantic speech too."

"Still," Sam teased. "You could have at least gone for something more achievable for the rest of us to compare to."

"Well, I'd happily give Ebony something else for Christmas, believe me, but Bobbin isn't letting me stay the night."

"James," Rose chastised in a groan as an automatic response, but she found she was drowned out by most of the others doing the same. Honestly, why did he have to make everything so crude and full of innuendo?

Ebony seemed to have found the comment amusing, whereas Bobbin looked like she was about to say something critical, but before she had a chance to, Janey suddenly let out an exclamation of surprise.

"I almost forgot," she explained when everybody looked at her with questioning eyes. She clambered to her feet. "I have something for you."

"For me?" James asked in surprise.

"And Ebony."

The couple shared a confused look, and Rose felt just as baffled by the comment as Janey hurried off to retrieve whatever she supposedly had for the married couple.

"Well," James said appreciatively, "that's more like it—nobody else got us a wedding gift!"

"You eloped with less than a day's notice," Taylor pointed out.

"Even still. Maybe we should have a second wedding," James mused, now looking thrilled by the idea.

But before anyone could pitch in on whether they thought it was a good idea or not, Janey had returned. Looking rather triumphant, she thrust something that appeared to be two pieces of parchment at James and Ebony.

They took them from her, staring blankly at the pieces of paper now held in their hands.

"Well," James said, frowning, "I was hoping this would be a cheque, but thanks for the spare parchment, Janey, I'm sure I'll put it to great use."

"It's not spare parchment, idiot," Janey bit back, not appreciating the sarcasm.

Rose realised, a beat before Janey announced what it was, exactly what, in fact, it was.

"It's a replica of the message paper I made when we went to Rosewood."

Both James and Ebony's eyes widened in appreciative realisation. "No kidding?" James said.

It was what they had used to communicate between the two groups of students—those who had gone on the Rosewood mission and those who had stayed behind at Hogwarts. But it had meant more than that. It had also been the only thing tying James and Ebony to each other when they had been separated. It had given Ebony strength in one of her darkest times, though no one had known the depths of what she was facing at the time. It had saved her. In a way, it had saved all of them.

But it had been lost and destroyed in the fire at Rosewood Manor which Astoria Malfoy had conjured and lost her life to, and Janey had shown no interest in replicating the device since. Not until then. Rose was impressed—she hadn't even known this was something Janey was undertaking in her free time.

"Yeah," Janey said, looking rightfully proud. "So you two losers can stop moping around all the time and ditch the owls."

No one looked more grateful than Ebony. She looked at Janey with breathless awe, like she couldn't quite conjure the right words to express how deeply thankful she was for what the girl had done for them.

It was Bobbin who spoke up, brimming with curiosity. Rose recalled how interested the Headmistress had been when she had revealed the nature of Janey's communicative invention once they had returned from their whirlwind adventure in the summer. The Head had urged Rose to encourage Janey to develop it further, to seriously consider pursuing it as a usable device within the wizarding community, but when Rose had relayed this to Janey, she had shown little interest. She had her sights set on one thing, and one thing only—Muggle stardom.

Rose didn't get it at all. The fact that Janey had so casually and effectively created something that could revolutionise communication in the wizarding world but which she didn't seem to care for at all, was baffling to her. It was like her attitude to Quidditch. To her studies in general. She was so much brighter than she allowed people to believe, but she did little with it.

"This allows you to communicate instantly?" Bobbin asked for clarification.

Janey looked a little flattered that her headmistress was showing such intrigue. "Yeah," she said bashfully. "It's not as good as texting, because you still have to physically write, but it's way better than having to wait around for owls. Honestly, I don't understand why nobody has done anything to speed things up around here. Haven't you heard of DMs?"

Everybody's blank looks answered Janey's question.

"Well—anyway." Janey shrugged like it was no big deal. "It was easy to make, and I thought you guys could put it to good use."

Rose felt her heart warming in much the same way James and Ebony's equal smiles seemed to suggest they were experiencing too, incredibly proud of Janey. How selfless of her. She really could be when she tried. But her bashful and dismissive attitude to it all suggested that she didn't want any fanfare around it, which was also very typical of the blonde girl.

"When did you even do this?" Rose asked, deeply impressed, both by Janey's creation and also the girl's motivation to recreate it.

"Well," Janey said slyly, "I had a lot of downtime whilst you were all off practicing Quidditch this week."

Gwen seemed to look guilty, but Rose noticed how proudly Sam was also regarding Janey. For all they did tease her, she truly would do anything when it came to her friends. And it must have hurt her a lot to have been excluded.

But that was all in the past. Or so Rose hoped. Janey didn't seem to be harbouring any lingering hostilities over her brief departure from the team.

"Well, thank you, Janey—we very much appreciate this," James said on behalf of him and Ebony. "Let me know when you've created something that can send pictures too," he added with a wink.

"James," Rose automatically groaned.

"What?" he protested. "There were zero dirty connotations in what I said—if you perceived anything differently then that's fully on you."

Rose just glared at him. But before she had a chance to retaliate, a sharp tapping at the window Ebony had opened earlier drew everybody's attention. An owl had settled itself onto the windowsill, shivering from the cold, and seemingly with a bit of parchment tied to its leg.

"Whose owl is that?" Albus asked, frowning in confusion.

Most of the Christmas letters had arrived at breakfast that morning, so who was sending post to the Gryffindor Tower that evening? The owl looked flustered, like it had travelled a great distance in a short space of time, but it looked somewhat familiar.

"Isn't that one of ours?" James asked.

Rose was sure it was. But there were so many different owls belonging to so many different Potters and Weasleys. She couldn't be sure who the sender was nor who the recipient might be, but she was sure it was from within their family. "Should I get it?" she asked, noticing the shivering owl's annoyance at being ignored.

When everybody agreed that she should, Rose went to retrieve the parchment. She shut the window to keep out the cold draught, and the owl gratefully fluttered to perch atop the fireplace, watched by the two eager cats.

"Who's it from?" Albus urged, but Rose ignored him as she hurriedly scanned the letter.

It hadn't been addressed to any one of them as such, but it had been written by Hermione. Rose recognised her mum's looping writing immediately. As she quickly read through the lines of text, taking in what was being revealed to her, her eyes widened with shock and delight.

"Victoire had the baby!" she gasped.

"Oh, yeah," James said, less swayed by the news than everybody else in the room now was. "She went into labour last night—I should have told you."

"Why the hell didn't you tell us straight away!" Rose accused.

James looked affronted. "I was distracted," he said, looking Ebony up and down once more. Rose was too excited and ignored the way his eyes very pointedly lingered on the plunging V-neckline of the dress his wife was wearing.

"And?" Albus prompted Rose, desperate for more information.

"She had it yesterday, just before midnight—Christmas Eve. Oh!" she gasped, still scanning the letter, her heart swelling with adoration for the tiny baby she hadn't even yet met. "It's a boy!"

The noise James Potter released, punching his fist into the air with overwhelming triumph, suggested he himself had just become a father or received some other such life-changing news. "I knew it!" he cried with sheer delight. "God, this is the best day of my life—Fred owes me a hundred Galleons!"

"And you're incredibly happy for Teddy and Victoire," Ebony reminded him.

"And I'm incredibly happy for Teddy and Victoire," James echoed, but the idiotic grin plastered on his face suggested he was still thinking of the huge sum of money he was certainly not going to be receiving from his cousin.

Rose was too excited to point out to him that Fred likely barely had even five Galleons to his name, still absorbing all the information her mother had hurriedly contained within the letter. "Oh, apparently he's perfect, and he has blue hair like Teddy! They've called him Felix," she said in awe, already picturing the tiny little addition to their family.

"That's so great," Professor Roberts enthused, looking as thrilled by the news as though the baby was part of his own family. Rose supposed, in a very convoluted way, he was, and the thought only made her smile deeper. "Hopefully he's in Hufflepuff," he added.

Rose was only temporarily saddened that she wasn't there in the Burrow to be celebrating with all of her family, as she took stock of the faces of all her friends. For all it was worth, it was like they had all just received the same exciting news and the addition to the family was one they could all celebrate.

But Rose knew she would have plenty of time to fawn over little Felix Lupin. But moments like that, with all her school friends, gathered in the Gryffindor Common Room, especially at Christmas, were ones to be cherished.

She found her eyes meeting Scorpius' once more, and he was beaming just as proudly. Rose knew it must have been hard for him, having to experience his first Christmas without his mother, but she hoped he had found a sense of peace, a sense of family, in what they had chosen to do that year. She hoped he knew that, in spite of all that had come to pass, she very much considered him to be her family too.

Wordlessly, Scorpius extended his hand to her, and Rose took it without thought, both of their smiles deepening even further.

"We should probably head down to the Great Hall for the feast," Bobbin announced to the gathered students. "But please pass on mine and Professor Roberts' congratulations to Teddy and Victoire, Rose."

"Of course," Rose promised, thinking she would try and write back to her mum as soon as the feast was done.

As they all began clambering to their feet, Rose didn't think there was a single one of them there who didn't seem ecstatically happy, and she could only hope it would continue long after the celebrations died down. Soon it would be back to business as usual. James would be returning to the Burrow, and they would all be thrown into Quidditch practice and studies for their NEWTs.

But right there, in that moment, everything felt perfect.

"You still owe us a song," James told Bobbin with his usual delighted smirk.

"Absolutely not. I've done you enough favours," Bobbin reminded him with a smirk of her own.

"A duet?" James suggested.

Bobbin just rolled her eyes.

Professor Roberts looked just as amused by the exchange and placed a loving hand on his wife's back, the pair of them preparing to head for the portrait hole. Bobbin lingered, her eyes locking with Ebony's as she prepared to pass. Rose didn't think she had ever seen the Head Girl look at her mother with such genuine warmth. She looked like she longed to say something but wasn't sure how to go about it.

"Merry Christmas, Ebony," Bobbin said in a low, tender voice.

Ebony did not reply. She looked as though to merely return the sentiment wouldn't be enough—like there was more she needed to say.

Perhaps feeling bold, Bobbin extended a hand to cradle her daughter's face. Ebony's hand automatically went to hold it there, the brand new superfluous engagement ring gleaming from her ring finger.

It was such a tender moment between mother and daughter that Rose almost felt she shouldn't be watching. It seemed like a beautiful picture of a beautiful family, with Bobbin and Ebony locked in a caring embrace, Roberts' hand on Bobbin's back, and James standing proudly just behind Ebony.

"Thank you," Ebony said quietly, and they all knew, Bobbin included, that the sentiment behind the words extended far beyond that of just well-wishes of a happy Christmas. Ebony's striking green eyes shone with all the awe-filled innocence of a child. "This really was the best Christmas ever."

Bobbin gave a small nod, no further words needing to be said, and Rose noticed her swallow a lump in her throat as though she would choke up if she did dare to speak another word.

Before anyone could really process what was happening, Ebony had flung her arms around both Bobbin and Roberts with just as much warmth and appreciation as she always had done James.

Bobbin did not react straight away, rightfully dazed by her daughter's sudden burst of affection, and there could be no doubt how truly genuine it was this time. Rose's heart soared once more as Bobbin moved to wrap one arm around Ebony, the other making its way to Professor Roberts' back. They really were a beautiful family.

Rose squeezed Scorpius' hand without even thinking.

The three of them stayed like that in a perfect, frozen moment. And then James, after a deep smile had broken out observing Ebony hug Bobbin and Roberts, flung his arms around the still-embracing trio, enveloping them all in an even deeper group hug. "Best Christmas ever!" he enthused, very much ruining the beautiful moment.

But everybody both in and out of the hug was laughing in delight.

"I need in on this!" Janey declared, as she too flung her arms around the back of James and Ebony, dragging a shell-shocked Sam along to join in.

"Alright, fine," Taylor sighed, after Janey very aggressively raised her eyebrows at her and Gwen in expectation.

As Taylor and Gwen joined the mass group hug, Janey turned her sights on her half-sister. "Jinx!" she barked, a demand rather than an invitation.

"Absolutely not," the Metamorphmagus said in disgust, sharing a horrified glance with her boyfriend.

"Jinx, you have to," Ebony said in a muffled voice from deep within the centre of the hug. "It's our last Christmas all together!" she reminded her.

Jinx rolled her eyes, let out a heavy sigh, and then dragged Albireo over to join the ever-expanding hug.

Rose couldn't remember a time she had felt so joyfully light-hearted, so wonderfully blissful and carefree. She turned to look at Scorpius, their hands still clasped, and was almost rendered breathless by the sight of his perfect green eyes gazing into her own. His mouth was curled into a smile, and Rose could swear she felt the cold metal of the sapphire heart he had gifted her for Christmas tingle against the skin of her neck.

Wordlessly, Rose turned her head to regard her cousin with the same unspoken question. Albus playfully rolled his eyes, and as Rose eagerly took his hand into her other one, she pulled the two boys towards the mass of bodies, completing their bizarre little puzzle.

Rose couldn't be sure of who exactly she was holding—whose various limbs belonged to whom, as they all tangled together, Ebony, Bobbin, and Roberts still very much at the heart of it—but she knew through it all she never let go of Scorpius' hand.

"This is a very nice moment," Ebony was struggling to say from within the depths of the entanglement, "but I can barely breathe anymore."

"And some of us are very hungry," Jinx's irritated voice murmured from somewhere to Rose's left.

"Let it linger," James commanded, the jovial lilt of his voice carrying through the common room.

And they did. Rose had never felt so warm, not physically nor emotionally. She had everything she needed right there in her arms, her heart full of love she knew she would feel for everybody there for a lifetime. The snow continued to gently fall out the window and the fire crackled, the perfect magical backdrop to a perfect magical Christmas.

She wished, if only for a few more minutes, she could pause time. She knew she would remember that Christmas, and that moment especially, always.

It was Roberts who cleared his throat, signalling the necessity for their huddled group of bodies to finally break apart. "James," he said awkwardly. "I'm assuming you think your hand is grasping Ebony right now—or at least I'm really hoping so—but I need to let you know that it is very much my bum that you're squeezing."

THE END


Author's Note: Alright, perhaps it was optimistic of me to assume I could finish this in time for Christmas, but I hope I've made up for the wait by the length of this chapter! Title and epigraph inspired, of course, by Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You.' Thank you to anybody who read and supported me—It felt really good to dive back into the creative space I lived in for so long. I hope you all had a phenomenal Christmas and New Year, and maybe, just maybe, I'll see you again soon...