Chapter 13

The next few days at home past quickly. Sadly after that night I did not get another chance to spend time with Scorpius. Not that if he came over I would have gotten any real alone time with him. The new rules that were in place made sure of that, (and really there was just one rule) No being alone with Scorpius.

Christmas Eve was always spent with my mother, father, and brother. It was never a big production or anything; it was just a night that was spent together as a family. Mom would have us all watch a Muggle Christmas movie, and dad would play chess, never letting anyone else win. Still it was fun to try and beat him.

This year was no different. Heather joined in and seemed to really enjoy watching Muggle Christmas movie. Also she played chess against my dad, she did her best but she ended up losing in less than five minutes. I went to bed that night more excited about Christmas then I could remember being in years. The reason was of course was that I was going to see Scorpius the next day.

When I woke up on Christmas morning the first thing I heard my mothers voice knocking on the door telling me to get up and get ready to leave for the Barrow; I just wanted to go back sleep. I turned over on to my side and closed my eyes. The light from the window was bright. I moved my hand under pillow, my intent was pulling my pillow over my face. But when my hand reached under I felt something, it was a present.

The idea of sleep left me immediately. I grabbed the small package and sat straight up. I must have been noisy because Heather sat up and looked over at me from her bed. She blinked sleep out her eyes looking confused. Then I saw her eyes move down to my hands and then began to laugh.

I ignored her and looked down at my present. It was flat and rectangle, it was rapped in green paper and gold ribbon. My best guess it was some kind of book. There was no note on it. I ripped open the gift and found myself holding a small book of crossword puzzles. I smiled and I opened it to the cover to find a note.

Rose,

I hope these help you if you have another sleepless night, and you are unable to find me.

Scorpius

I laughed and closed the book. Now I looked back over at Heather. She had now moved to the end of her bed where she also had a present. It was from her parents. Heather ripped the paper of the large box. She pulled out several new shirts and a new pair of pants. There was also a new set of earrings. At the bottom of the box Heather pulled out a letter from her parents. She read it for a few minutes a smile growing on her face. When she was done she folded the letter and put it on top of her presents and looked over at me.

"So it looks like you got a little something from Scorpius, what is it?"

I grind "It's a book of crossword puzzles, we were solving one the night we kissed."

"Wow. He can be a real sap sometimes can't he? Well if it makes you happy."

"He does. Looks like you got a nice haul from your parents."

"Yeah, they wrote they miss me and they hope I am having fun. So we got to get moving to leave for your grandparents?

"Yeah you know my mother, she always has to be right on time for everything." I said as I rolled my eyes.

With that we started to get ready. We took showers and got dressed. Heather decided to wear a red blouse and the dark jeans that were in her box of presents. I wore a green v-neck blouse that I had got as a present last Christmas. Like normal the house was hectic and my mother was bossing my dad trying to get him to move faster.

Ten minutes before eleven we were all standing by the fireplace. We all were feed, showered and Mom just pronounced use acceptable for the day. So with that we began to floo to the Barrow. Hugo went first, then Heather then it was my turn. I tossed a handful of powder into the flames and called out "The Barrow!" With that I was sucked spinning to my dads childhood home.

When I stopped spinning I stepped out in to a very familiar kitchen. It was warm and small, with a large wooden table that took up most of the room. Before I could take in the whole room I was caught up in a tight embrace. I knew it was nana Molly, I could tell by both the sweet homey smell and how I felt I was being squeezed to death. Before I lost any feeling in my body she let go. She kept her hands on my shoulder and moved back to look at me.

"Let my have a look at you, Ah you are growing up just as quickly as your father did. Sprouting up a few inches every few moths. And what's this I heard about you and that Scorpius boy? You are just like mum, your are. You have been friends with him for years and now this. Well at least he is a sweet boy."

Of course nana Molly would know everything by know. She was the sweetest woman in the world, though you would never want to try and cross her. Behind me my parents had arrived. Nana moved me so they could move out of the fireplace. As she moved me I could see around the room uncle George and aunt Angelina and their family were sitting around the kitchen. I looked back at Nana.

My dad moved forward in-between Nana and me. "Marry Christmas Mum, so did Ginny and Harry beat us here?

"No, Ginny and Harry and the kids are not here. And Teddy and Vicky said they were going to come instead of going to France to visit Fluer's family." Nana answered.

Just as Nana finished talking the fire turned green once more and two people stepped out of the fireplace. One was a beautiful blond woman; the other was a man with blue hair. His hair matched the women's dark blue eyes perfectly. They were my cousin Victoire and Uncle Harry's godson Teddy.

"Victoire, Teddy!" Nana squealed and moved on to hug and talk to the newcomers.

It was always a special time when Teddy and Victoire were there. Since I could remember they had always been joined at the hip. Two years ago during the summer they got married. The first year they were married they stayed home during the holidays. Also with such a large extended family on both sides they had a lot of different places to choice from.

After all the hugging and catching up was done everyone started to settle into the day. Nana molly started cooking with my mother and my aunt Angelina and Victoire. Uncle George and my dad started talking about the joke shop. Teddy joined them in the study where grandpa Weasley was talking a nap.

I sat down at the table with Heather and Hugo. Roxanna was there so it was good to catch up with her and talk Quicditch. Fred Jr. also joined us, her was on the house team when he was at school. He graduated the same year as Victoire, so I sadly never got to play on the house team together.

Just as the talk of quicditch was starting to slow the fire glowed green one more. It was James; he stepped in to the kitchen and like the rest of the family was immediately was hugged by Nana Molly. He talked to her like normal, and it seemed like he was a little better. That seemed to end when Albus came through the fire. When Nana moved on to Albus James gave use a small wave (which was a major improvement) and moved into the living room.

Nana hugged and kissed Albus and was just saying how happy she was for him and Heather when Scorpius came though the fire. I found myself running to the fire and pretty much jumping in to Scorpius's arms. I heard a few giggles and I let go of him and let Nana welcome him. Lilly soon joined us, and then Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Once everyone had been welcomed and wished a merry Christmas Ginny joined in helping Nana cook dinner.

The kitchen soon became very crowded and the table was needed to hold the food. So the rest of the cousins and me moved in to the living room. I never knew the barrow any other way but my dad told me that when my mother was pregnant with me my dad and his brothers and sister added on several rooms to the Barrow. This was one of the many rooms they added. It was a huge living room, it was large enough that about twenty-five people could gather and feel comfortable.

James was sitting at the end of the room, flipping trough some old quicditch magazines. He looked up when we entered the room and then rolled his eyes before he returned to his ignoring us. Fred was the only one who didn't know what had gone down the last couple of months. Everyone was starting to sit down clearing drawing lines between everyone and James. This seemed to peak an interest in Fred, and he broke the silence.

"Okay there seems to be something that I am missing."

Everyone looked at each other. I had taken a seat on a old love seat next to Scorpius looked at him he didn't seem to know what to say. That appeared to the case with everyone. Fred looked around the room and then looked back at James, who had stopped his reading.

"So James What did you do? That captain's badge going to your head?"

Fred had said it in a joking tone but it had seemed to be that final straw for James, because he began to talk.

"Fred if you want some answers I would ask the happy love birds. You see it seems that I mistook a drunken kiss for something more. But I guess after giving her private practice, flirting and helping her out with studying for tests for the past year. Well it just does not seem to be enough for her to see that I have had a crush on her for a pretty long time. Still I guess it was my fault and I deserved to get punch in the face by my brother."

Everyone sat in silence not seeming to know what to do. This was the first time anyone of us had heard James say anything about what happened in the locker room. Fred was the only one who was standing and he was just looking back and forth between James and Heather and Albus who sat next to each other. It took me by surprise when it was Heather got up of the couch and moved over to stand in front of James.

"James if had know you liked me I would have never kissed you that night. But I didn't and I mean it when I say I'm sorry for hurting you. You area brilliant captain and a great friend; I'm sorry." Heather finished and waited.

James looked at her then he stood up and gave Heather a brief hug. I could just hear him mutter, "I'm sorry" back at her. While that happened Al had gotten up. James and Heather broke apart, and the brothers faced each other. I thought that someone was going to get punched in the face, but I was wrong.

In true stubborn Weasley fashion they didn't say a word. They gave each other a quick hug. When they broke apart they gave each other a few playful punches to each other's arms.

"So is that it? Everything is going to be fine now? Well that's not fair I didn't even get to see a decent fight." Fred joked as he took a seat on the couch.

The boys looked down at the cousin and then back at each other. I saw the glint in there eyes for a split second. Then at the same moment they both pounced on Fred. Everyone started laughing, even the three boys were laughing as they were having a fun-wrestling match on the floor.

After the wrestling match died away it began to really feel like Christmas. James even suggested a snowball fight, boys vs. girls. When I pointed out that the girls were out numbered James agreed that if I could find another girl to play that would be fine. I had an idea, I told the boys to meet us out in the yard. When they had left I went into not the kitchen, but the study.

"Teddy could I ask you a favor?"

"What is it Rose? Are those Potter boys up to something?" Teddy said and joined me in the living room.

I explained my plan, which was brilliantly simple, and something Teddy had done before. Teddy was to morph in to a Victoire look a like. And since it was winter and it was getting dark meant that he just had to change his hair and were her jacket. He agreed with a laugh and we joined the boys out in the garden.

The snowball fight was massacre. With "Victoire" leading us we crushed the boys. To keep the secret Teddy left the garden a few minutes before the rest of us, with an excuse "she" needed to get back to helping cook dinner. When we reached the kitchen Teddy (back to his normal appearance) was sitting at the table talking to Nana about his work in the Auror department. I laughed a little to myself and I sat down next to Teddy to listen his stories.

With nineteen people at the barrow dinner was served in the family room. The couches and armchairs were transfigured in to two long tables and chairs. I sat between Scorpius and Heather along on side of the table. Dinner past and everyone stuffed themselves with the amazing dinner Nana had prepared. When everyone had eaten and had their fill, Teddy stood up from table and called for all are attention.

"So first I wanted to that Nana and Arthur for hosting this dinner, and second I wanted to share with you some news. This next time next Christmas there is going to be another person joining us." Teddy said and then looked down at Victoire.

Nana naturally was the first to say something. "Your pregnant!" She got up and hugged Victoire and Teddy. I looked over to Uncle Harry he was already heading over to where teddy was standing. Teddy's face was beaming as Harry embraced him. Uncle Harry was the closet thing to a father Teddy had growing up, so it must have been like the news of a grandchild to Harry and Ginny.

With the news of the tiny Lupin on the way the night ended in celebration. Everyone was ecstatic for the young couple. Around ten things started to clam down and everyone started to say their goodbyes. Uncle George and family were the first to leave. While everyone else made there way to the kitchen to say there far wells, and get ready to leave Scorpius took my hand and pulled me to a pulled me out the back door to the small garden. The garden was frozen over, and the snow was over two feet deep, and looked like a painting.

"So I never got to ask did you like your present this morning?" Scorpius asked as he pulled me in to a tight hug.

I giggled into his shoulder "Yes it was very sweet, are you going to help me solve them if I need help?"

It was nice to have a few minutes alone. We didn't say much more after the laugh about the crosswords. Mainly we just stood there in each other's arms. We weren't going to see each other again this break. The train would be leaving back to school in a week, on New Years Eve. He kissed my forehead and then moved to my nose and then he kissed me on the lips. I almost forgot where I was but he broke the kiss off and smiled at me.

"I'm going to miss this, to bad your Dad cares about you." he gave me another kiss on my nose. "Your starting to get frozen, I should take you back inside, but I just want to keep you here."

"I do to, but just think of how good it will be to see each other on the train." I said in to his chest. He was right though I wast really dressed for being outdoors.

We stayed like that for a few minutes later. I heard my mom call out the back door that I had two minutes until my dad would be coming out to join us. So we said are goodbyes and made are way to the kitchen and joined everyone again. Lilly was getting in to the fire when we entered. It was hard to watch as he got in to the fire and went back to the Potters. The day had been one of the best Christmas's I had ever spent. But I guess all good things must come to an end.