Unexpected | Bill Weasley

~39~ Christmas Eve Gathering

On Christmas Eve, we were all sitting in the living room, which Ginny had decorated so lavishly that it was rather like sitting in a paper-chain explosion.

We were listening to a Christmas broadcast by Mrs. Weasleys favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck, whose voice was warbling out of the large wooden wireless set.

Bill and I were cuddling on the couch. Remus and Sirius were sitting quietly. Fred, George, Damon, Lucas, and Finley had started a game of Exploding Snap with Ginny. Ron kept shooting Bill and I covert looks, as though hoping to pick up tips.

"Stop looking at us." I said to Ron, nudging him with my foot.

"I'm not...." he said, turning slightly red.

"What, do you want to figure out how to properly kiss Lavender?"

"Shut up!"

"I bet you do, you have a very bad kissing technique." I said. "It always looks like you're inhaling her face whole- AGHHHH."

Ron had grabbed me and wrestled me to the ground, and he had me pinned there and was tickling me.

"RON STOP IT I SWEAR TO MERLIN I WILL GIVE YOU DETENTION WHEN WE GO BACK TO HOGWARTS!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at us as Ron tickled me and I laughed hysterically.

"BILL DO SOMETHING!" I cried.

"You're on your own on this one Fawn." Bill said.

Ron finally got off of me.

"Thanks for your help William." I said with a small "hmph," I got up and went to sit next to Harry instead.

Remus, who was thinner and more ragged looking than ever, was sitting beside the fire, staring into its depths as though he could not hear Celestina's voice.

Oh, come and stir my cauldron,
And if you do it right,
I'll boil you up some hot strong love
To keep you warm tonight.

"We danced to this when we were eighteen!" said Mrs. Weasley, wiping her eyes on her knitting. "Do you remember, Arthur?"

"Mphf?" said Mr. Weasley, whose head had been nodding over the satsuma he was peeling. "Oh yes...marvelous tune..."

With an effort, he sat up a little straighter and looked around at Harry and me, where we were sitting next to him.

"Sorry about this," he said, jerking his head toward the wireless as Celestina broke into the chorus. "Be over soon."

"No problem," said Harry, grinning. "Has it been busy at the Ministry?"

"Very," said Mr. Weasley. "I wouldn't mind if we were getting anywhere, but of the three arrests we've made in the last couple of months, I doubt that one of them is a genuine Death Eater — only don't repeat that, Harry," he added quickly, looking much more awake all of a sudden.

"They're not still holding Stan Shunpike, are they?" I asked.

"I'm afraid so," said Mr. Weasley. "I know Dumbledore's tried appealing directly to Scrimgeour about Stan...I mean, anybody who has actually interviewed him agrees that he's about as much a Death Eater as this satsuma...but the top levels want to look as though they're making some progress, and 'three arrests' sounds better than 'three mistaken arrests and releases'...but again, this is all top secret..."

"I won't say anything," I said.

"Me too," said Harry.

We stayed silent for a bit. Harry started talking to Mr. Weasley and I spaced out, not listing anymore. After a bit, I decided to back to Bill. When I sat next to him he scooped me onto his lap.

"Ah so you're not angry at me anymore?" he asked.

"I still am."

Bill chuckled. "You're so stubborn."

"I know."

After some time, everyone decided to go to bed. With Remus, Sirius, Lucas, Damon and Finley also staying for Christmas, I couldn't sleep in the same room as Bill since he was bunking with the twins and Damon.

We decided to stay on the couch. Bill laid down and wrapped me in his arms.

"It sucks you have to work at Hogwarts, I really miss you during the year." he said.

"Me too." I said.

"How come Hermione's not here this year? And who's this Lavender girl you mentioned?"

I snorted. "Ron started dating Lavender, a girl in his year, and now Hermione and him aren't talking because of it."

"Idiot." Bill muttered. "Ron is an idiot."

"I full-heartedly agree."

We stayed silent for a moment.

"I can't believe we only have about seven months left before we get married." he said suddenly.

I grinned. "It feels so far away, yet so soon."

"Ahem, mind if I join on this cuddle party?" someone said.

We looked over to see Sirius.

"Why don't you go get Remus then" I said with a grin.

Sirius flopped down on the sofa across from us. "How dare you."

Sirius fell asleep almost right away and I tried not to laugh.

"Did Sirius really just come here and fall asleep?" Bill whispered.

I nodded with a chuckle. "Sirius is really something else isn't he."

And Bill and I fell asleep too.