"It just doesn't feel right," Bill grumbled, watching as Victoire totted around the living room. "We always go home for Christmas."

"Yes, William, but I zink eet ees fair zat we visit my family for once, non?" Fleur asked impatiently, scooping Victoire into her arms.

"But they're coming to visit us," Bill protested. "And, as I've told you many a time before, Mum would be more than happy to have your parents and sister at the Burrow for Christmas."

"I couldn't do it to your muzzer," Fleur said. "She has enough on her plate as eet eez."

"But it won't be the same," Bill complained.

"William!" Fleur scolded. "You are acting like a child. We are seeing your family Christmas Eve, and we will see zem in zee New Year, oui? Now stop complaining."

XXXXX

Monsieur Delacour bounded down the stairs early on Christmas morning, waking Bill and Victoire (who promptly started screaming) in the process. Bill all but rolled from the bed and eased Victoire out of the travel cot they'd had to move into his and Fleur's room to accommodate Fleur's family.

"Come on, darling," Bill soothed, rubbing circles in Victoire's back in an attempt to silence her. When her cries persisted, he added, "Chin up, it's Christmas!"

Victoire continued to bawl. Sighing, Bill shifted her onto his hip and headed downstairs.

"Merry Christmas, Bill!" Monsieur Delacour cried as Bill entered the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas," Bill replied with not as much enthusiasm; he wasn't particularly comfortable with his father-in-law seeing him in his boxers. He crossed the room and picked out a bottle of milk for Victoire, and then sat down at the kitchen table. Cradling Victoire, he began to ease the bottle into her mouth.

Victoire's sobs subsided almost immediately, earning a small smile of satisfaction from Bill.

Bill twisted in his seat and turned to face Monsieur Delacour. "What are you doing up so early?" He asked.

"Eet's Christmas!" Monsieur Delacour beamed. "I am – how you say – I am surprised zat you are not all awake already! What time does Fleur usually awake?"

"Nine at the weekend," Bill informed him.

"Nine?" Monsieur Delacour's loud voice rung out in the small kitchen, causing Victoire to whimper.

"Yes, nine," Bill said, somewhat coldly. "Between work and Victoire, she doesn't have much time to herself, so I reckon it's fair that she gets a lie in, don't you?"

"But eet's Chrismtas!" Monsieur Delacour protested.

Bill looked at his watch and saw, much to his dismay, that it was five thirty. "Look," He said wearily, amazed he was having such a conversation with his father-in-law, "Why don't you go back to bed for a couple of hours? Fleur might get up earlier."

Grumbling, Monsieur Delacour left the room and trudged up the stairs, leaving Bill alone with Victoire.

"I know your Mum's right about spending Christmas with her family as well as mine," He said softly, stroking her tufts of red hair. "But it's not going to feel right, not being at the Burrow." Setting the bottle down on the table, he pressed a kiss to Victoire's forehead and lifted her to his chest.

XXXXX

It was halfway through the afternoon and Victoire was getting restless. She had been continually passed around the family as everyone tried to comfort her, and everyone had tried to get her to take an interest in her presents, but she wouldn't settle.

Mademoiselle Delacour, who was holding Victoire, put her back down on the floor with an exasperated sigh and watched as Victoire, whimpering, made her way towards her father, her arms outstretched.

"Hey there, little one," Bill smiled, reaching out his arms and pulling Victoire onto his lap. Pressing a hand to her forehead, he added, "Cor, you're boiling! Maybe I should take her for a walk..."

Fleur looked somewhat reluctant, but nodded. "Don't be too long."

Bill flashed her a smile, waved to everyone else and headed out of the room. A few moments later, they heard the front door slam.

Bill wasn't sure exactly where he was going, but his legs seemed to be directing him. Before he knew it, he ended up at the nearest Wizarding pub, where there was a Floo Connection.

"Guess I know where we're going then, don't I?" He murmured to Victoire, stepping into the pub and pushing past the punters until he reached the queue for the fireplace. The queue quickly faded, and within minutes Bill was stepping into the fireplace, floo powder clutched in his hand and Victoire pressed tightly to his chest. "The Burrow!" He cried into the flames.

XXXXX

The chattering that filled the Burrow subsided as green flames burst from the fireplace and, much to everyone's surprise, Bill stumbled out, holding Victoire.

"Bill!" Came a variety of confused cries.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, jumping up and kissing her brother.

"Err," I don't really know," Bill admitted, as Ginny gestured for him to take her seat next to Percy.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" George asked, looking up from where he was playing with Teddy on the floor.

"Well, it was a bit crowded at home," Bill said.

"So you came here?" Ron snorted, looking pointedly around the room, which was fit to burst with people.

"Yeah, all right," Bill huffed as Ginny sat on the arm of Harry's chair. "I love Fleur's family but her Dad's so loud and her Mum's just so..."

"Proper," Harry supplied, pulling Ginny onto his lap.

"Exactly," Bill agreed, setting Victoire on the floor, who immediately stumbled towards Teddy and George.

"Anyway," Bill continued. "Victoire was getting restless so I brought her here for a bit. I hope that's okay."

"You know it's always okay, dear," Molly said, stopping on her way to the kitchen and patting his cheek affectionately. "Christmas wouldn't have been the same without you."

"Don't say that, Mum, he'll think he's special or something," Charlie joked, winking at his brother.

"Thanks for that, mate," Bill grinned.

"No problem," Charlie shot back.

Bill smiled around at his family, all clad in Weasley jumpers, as the chatting started up again. It really wasn't right, spending Christmas without the utterly mad people he called his family.

"All right then," Arthur called, examining the pile of presents still under the tree. "Who hasn't finished opening? Come on, own up!"

"I don't think I have," George said, glancing up from Teddy.

"You would be correct," Arthur nodded, handing George a heavy, rectangular present.

"To George, from Percy," George read the gift tag. "So heartfelt, Perce," He laughed, pretending to wipe away a tear.

He placed the present in front of Teddy and Victoire. "D'you want to help me open this?" He asked them.

"Yeah!" Teddy cried, whilst Victoire giggled at his side. Teddy stretched forwards and began tearing hopelessly at the paper.

"I'll give you a hand, shall I?" George asked gently, carefully sliding his thumb underneath the spellotape and unfolding the wrapping paper.

"Err, wow," He said, lifting the heavy book from the paper and holding it out of Teddy's reach. "Tricks of the Trade: Pranks and Jokes," He said, reading the cover aloud.

"No problem," Percy said, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Who's that big one for?" Teddy asked excitedly, gesturing to a particularly large present under the tree.

"Err," Arthur checked the label. "It's for your Aunty Ginny. Do you want to give it to her?"

Teddy nodded, beaming with pride as he crossed the room to Ginny, despite the fact that he staggered slightly under the weight of the present.

"Dere you go, Aunty Ginny," He said, smiling widely.

"Aww, thank you, sweetie," Ginny said, ruffling his hair.

"Who's it from?" Asked Ron, his eyes on thepresent.

Ginny checked the gift tag. "Harry," She said in surprise. Turning to face Harry, she added, "I thought we weren't getting big presents this year."

"We weren't," Harry smiled. "Open it."

Grinning, Ginny tore off the layer of wrapping paper. "Oh," She said, ass another lyer of wrapping paper was revealed. Ripping it off, she laughed at the side of yet another layer of paper. "How many layers are there?" She asked Harry.

"A fair few," Harry commented idly.

Five minutes and thirty eight layers of wrapping paper later, Ginny peeled off the spellotape on the last layer of paper covering the gift, which was now much smaller than she had originally thought.

"Oh my –" Her voice died in her throat as a delicate engagement ring fell into her hand.

Harry gazed at her, losinghimself in Ginny's chestnut eyes. The rest of the family seemed to fade away; everything was about him and Ginny.

"Ginny," He said softly, taking the ring out of her hand. "You are so perfect. You are absolutely brilliant. Without you, I... Well, I don't think I'd still be here," He finished gravely, noticing tears shining in Ginny's eyes. After a long pause he took a deep breath.

"Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?"

Ginny gave a shaky laugh. "Yes," She beamed.

Grinning, Harry slipped the ring onto her finger, just as Ginny threw her lips around him, her lips crushing down on his. She entwined her fingers in his hair, pushing him back against the back of the sofa.

"Ahem," Arthur's polite cough alerted the two of them to the rest of the family's presence.

"Bugger," Ginny growled against Harry's lips, reluctantly pulling herself away from him.

"Congratulations, you two!" Molly squealed, half running across the room to embrace the two of them. "We must get some champagne out!"

"I'm on it!" Charlie yelled from the kitchen.

XXXXX

"Where've you been?" Fleur exclaimed as the click of the front door sounded in the hall.

"I popped over to Mum and Dad's," Bill said sheepishly, looking at his feet.

"Ah, 'ow are Molly and Arthur?" Mademoiselle Delacour asked.

"They're great, thanks," Bill said easily. "They send you all their love." He put Victoire down on the floor and turned to Fleur, stroking her hair absent mindedly. "I've got some news," He told her.

"Oui?"

"Harry and Ginny got engaged," Bill grinned.

"C'est fantastique!" Fleur exclaimed, jumping up and heading into the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Bill called after her.

"Write zem a letter," Fleur's voice floated back.

Shaking his head, Bill scooped Victoire into his arms and headed up the stairs. "Come on, little one, let's get you to bed.

Well, this is probably the last chapter before Christmas, seeing as I'm going out in a couple of hours. So thanks for reading this, and Merry Christmas!