"Wow, Ron, someone's gone overboard," George laughed when Ron returned to the living room carrying several large bags stuffed with presents.

"I've got a lot to make up for," Ron said, finding a small space on the floor to put the bags down.

"You didn't have to do all this Ron," Molly said. "You're family. You don't need to spoil us."

"I wanted to," Ron said with a grin. "What's that muggle dude called who gives the kids presents?"

"Santa Clause," Harry supplied.

"Just call me Santa Ron," Ron chuckled as he dove into the first bag of gifts.

Since Ron hadn't been sure on the names of all his nieces of nephews, he'd sorted the bags so that a whole families presents were in one bag, and he'd used different paper to differentiate between the children's gifts. Bill's family were the first recipients of Ron's generosity, and once they were sure they could open their presents, the kids tore into their gifts.

"Thank you Ron," Bill said, smiling at his brother as his children whooped with joy at their unexpected presents.

"No probs," Ron grinned as he started dishing out the presents to Percy and his family.

George's family came next, followed by the presents for Molly and Arthur. And luckily, Ron had bought something for Charlie, even though he hadn't expected to see his brother. His plan had been to either send his present on in the New Year, or to even pay a flying visit to Romania. But as luck would have it, his brother was here to receive his gift in person.

By the time Ron dove into the last, and largest, bag of presents, everyone was watching with interest as the entire family knew that Ginny was the one who was taking Ron's return the hardest. Aware that everyone was watching, and hoping that the gifts he was about to give proved once and for all that he truly accepted what had changed since he'd been away, Ron plucked out Ruby's gift and handed it over to the excited little girl.

"And this is for you, Scorpius," he said, pulling Scorpius's present out of the bag. "And this is yours, Ginny," he added, handing his sister a parcel, not noticing the surprised looks on people's faces when he gave Scorpius a present. "And Malfoy," he continued, producing yet another present.

"Well this is unexpected," Draco drawled as the bafflement in the room grew.

"And one final one," Ron declared, removing an envelope from the bag. "This is for you and Harry, Hermione," he said, passing it over to his friend.

"Me and Harry?" Hermione frowned in confusion.

"And the kids," Ron clarified. "Sorry, I didn't know about your son. I should have remembered to ask, and I could have picked up a couple of little gifts for your kids."

"Wow, Nate, look," Scorpius suddenly cried excitedly, drawing everyone's attention to him and the large present he'd just opened.

"Wow, a quidditch pitch," Nate gasped. "It's so cool."

"Isn't everyone else going to open their presents?" Ron asked, suddenly aware that Ginny and Draco were still holding their gifts in their hands.

Obediently they both opened their presents, with Draco giving a low whistle as he took in the expensive limited edition bottle of fire-whiskey he'd just been presented with.

"I wasn't sure what exactly you drank, but I figured Ogdens was the best and you're the sort of bloke to drink the best," Ron remarked.

"I do like the best there is on offer," Draco admitted.

"And is the jumper alright for you?" Ron asked his sister.

"It's lovely," Ginny said, running her fingers over the soft material of the jumper. "I love Daphne's designs."

"Daphne?" Ron frowned, feeling the name was one he should know but at the moment he couldn't quite place.

"Dazzle is her fashion brand," Ginny answered.

"You know a fashion designer?" Ron questioned in surprise.

"Yes, but that's not important now," Ginny replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"No, what's important is that we all have a good Christmas," Ron declared. "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving."

"Not so fast Ron," Ginny cautioned as Nate clamoured to his feet and trotted over to her.

"Does my new Uncle not like me?" he asked in a loud whisper. "I don't have a present."

"I think your Uncle Ron is a little bit confused," Ginny said soothingly.

"Uncle Ron?" Ron muttered.

"I think I see what's happened here," Ginny said, looking around to where Scorpius and Ruby were examining their new toys. "That day you arrived, Scorpius and Ruby were here."

"I know that," Ron said with a frown.

"I also mentioned I had a son and a daughter," Ginny continued.

"Oh, he's put Ruby and Scorpius together and come up with the wrong answer," Draco chuckled, the bottle in his hand suddenly making sense.

"You think I'm married to Draco and Scorpius and Ruby are our children, don't you?" Ginny asked her brother with a slight smirk.

"Aren't they?" Ron questioned, a sinking feeling starting to form in his stomach as he looked around the room and found everyone was watching him in bewilderment.

"Ruby is mine," Ginny said. "But my husband is Harry and my son is Nate."

"Oh," Ron muttered, gazing down at Nate without a present and feeling terrible for leaving out his nephew. "And Malfoy?" he whispered, glancing towards the blond wizard, who was sitting with a slight smirk on his lips.

"He's mine," Hermione supplied. "As are Scorpius and Lyra."

"You're not with Harry?" Ron checked, feeling stupid.

"Not last time we checked," Harry chuckled. "Why would you think we were together?"

"I saw you together at the shops, and I just presumed," Ron admitted quietly.

"I think you've done a lot of that since your return," Ginny chuckled. "Why didn't you just ask Mum what was going on? She would have explained everything."

"I'm an idiot," Ron muttered with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry."

Before anyone could react, he then turned and bolted from the room. For a second everyone sat silently, not knowing what to do, but coming to his senses, Harry jumped up and ran after his friend, calling his name. Minutes later, he came back shaking his head.

"He's gone," he sighed. "He just left before I could stop him."

"Idiot," Ginny snorted.

"Ginny, don't be so harsh on your brother, he was trying to do a nice thing," Molly scolded. "It wasn't his fault he got the wrong end of the stick."

"I didn't mean that," Ginny tutted. "Anyone can see the effort he's made, and the message he was sending. But he didn't have to run away."

"He was likely embarrassed," Arthur said. "Not to mention he must feel awful for leaving out Nate. Speaking of which. Nate, do you want to go and get some quidditch figures from the toy box and you and Scorpius can play with his new pitch."

"Go on," Ginny urged her son. "Scorpius, why don't you go with him."

Together the two boys went trotting off to grab some quidditch figures, but there was no denying the hurt on Nate's face.

"So what did we get, wife?" Harry teasingly asked Hermione, gesturing to the unopened envelope in her hands.

Opening the envelope, Hermione pulled out the voucher for the family photo shoot and showed it to Harry.

"Brill, you can bring your family and I can bring mine," Harry chuckled.

"I think it's time to eat," Molly said as the boys returned with some old quidditch figures. "Just remember to leave some for Ron."

"Will he even be back?" George asked.

"Of course," Molly replied, only she didn't sound too sure.

With the question of Ron's return hanging in the air, people grabbed some food and the festivities started again. The children were all happily playing with their presents, and even Nate seemed to have gotten over his disappointment of not getting a present from his new Uncle Ron.

"So what do you think Weasley thinks of us being together?" Draco asked his wife as he settled down beside her and Lyra, with a large plate of delicious food.

"I have no idea," Hermione replied with a shrug. "I just hope he doesn't cause trouble."

"Why would he?" Draco questioned. "When he thought I was married to his sister, he bought me an expensive bottle of fire-whiskey. So if I'm good enough for his sister, surely I'm good enough for you."

"Maybe he wanted you as a brother-in-law," Hermione teased. "Maybe he was thrilled to be related to the Malfoys."

"I doubt it," Draco snorted. "From where I was sitting, his gesture was to show he accepted things. It was a rather mature reaction, especially given how he used to be."

"It was until he ran off," Hermione pointed out. "That wasn't very mature."

"I guess that all depends why he ran off," Draco retorted.

"I never thought I would see the day you stuck up for Ron," Hermione laughed.

"What can I say, it's the festive spirit," Draco grinned, grabbing a quick kiss from his wife and handing over his plate. "I'm going for a drink, can I get you anything?"

"We're good," Hermione said, handing a sausage roll to her daughter, who happily wolfed it down.

Chuckling at his daughter, who held her hand out for another treat, Draco headed through to the kitchen for a drink. In the midst of pouring himself a drink, the back door opened and Ron entered carrying a large bag.

"Drink?" Draco asked the red-head.

"Not yet," Ron replied. "I've got some things to put right first."

Ron headed into the front room with Draco right behind him, and the second they entered the room, everyone fell silent.

"I was a fool, who should have asked before jumping to conclusions," he announced to the room. "But I guess I gave you all a good laugh."

"It was pretty funny," George admitted. "Especially when you thought Draco was our brother-in-law."

"Something I would have been perfectly okay with," Ron said, turning to Draco. "And I'm fine with you and Hermione."

"Really?" Hermione questioned, not sounding as though she quite believed him.

"Okay, fine might be a bit of an exaggeration," Ron admitted. "Truthfully, I'm still trying to get my head around it. I hadn't quite accepted he was married to Ginny, now I have to picture him with you."

"I don't think you have to go that far, Ron," Hermione chuckled. "Just accept that Draco and I are together and are happy."

"I can do that," Ron admitted with a nod. "I can now also finish handing out my Christmas gifts."

"That's why you vanished," Ginny remarked. "You went out to buy more presents."

"I did," Ron confirmed as he dove into his bag and pulled out his first gift. "Sorry it's not wrapped, Harry," he said, handing his brother-in-law a bottle of the same fire-whisky he'd bought for Draco.

"Thanks, but you really didn't have to do that," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Yes, I did," Ron said as he reached back into his bag and handed Hermione a bag containing a Dazzle scarf. He then gave Lyra a doll, and produced a second voucher for a family portrait. "Now both families can get their picture taken," he said with a smile.

"You really have gone overboard, Ron," Ginny said with an affectionate shake of her head.

"As I said earlier, I'm making up for lost time," Ron replied with a shrug as he turned back to his bag. "Nate, come over here," he called for his nephew. "I'm sorry I got confused," he said softly to the young boy. "But everything else in the bag is for you."

Delving into the bag, Nate pulled out a quidditch pitch like the one Scorpius had received. He then pulled out several packs of the figures that went with the pitch.

"Cool," Nate cried. "Thanks Uncle Ron. Come and look Scorp. I've got tons of players."

"Thank you Ron," Ginny said, hugging her brother. "I really am pleased you're back."

"So am I," Ron replied, tightly hugging his little sister. "This is going to be the best Christmas ever."

"I rather think it will be," Molly agreed from where she was sitting, a large smile lighting up her face at the sight of all her family gathered round to enjoy Christmas together. And it only got better when George and Angelina announced their news, revealing that the following year the family would be even bigger.

The End.

A/N – Thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed the story. I've got one more Xmas One-Shot to post on Monday and then I'm finished for the year.