I'll Be Home For Christmas

December 24th

"At this rate I'm not even surprised that you haven't wrapped your gifts yet." Piper said as her and Harry lay cuddled up on the couch.

"I hate wrapping gifts. It always hurts my back being bent over for hours and I always end up cutting my finger at least once. Usually I give them all to Gem to wrap and mum wraps Gem's gift." He shrugged. Piper sighed and shook her head.

"Well it shouldn't take hours to do unless you've got like 50 gifts. This year, we'll wrap them together. Your mum said she's throwing a Christmas Eve get together so we'll have to do it soon so everything is cleaned up before guests start arriving." She said.

"You have a plan for everything." Harry grinned down at her before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"One of us has to." She smiled at him.

"Do we really need this much wrapping paper? I mean most years I just use the Sunday paper." Harry asked warily looking at the 4 rolls laid out on the table.

"Probably not but better safe than sorry, don't you think?" Piper asked. She'd already boxed up all the clothing they were going to gift and written what went to who on post-it's.

"If you say so." He said.

"A the self-proclaimed Christmas master, I do." She grinned proudly. Harry shook his head warily but went along with her directions.

"Now how on earth do your look so perfect?" He asked looking over at her. Her presents were perfectly square and perfect creases in her folds.

"My brother used to work at Barnes and Noble and he was in charge of the gift wrapping station at Christmas time. He taught me his ways."

"So pretty much everyone in your family goes gaga over Christmas." He said remembering her dad played Santa in the mall, her brother was in charge of the gift wrapping station, and her mom...? "What about your mother?" He asked.

"Mom always cooked the Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day dinner." Piper said.

"You weren't kidding when you said the Kendrick's take Christmas very seriously." He shook his head.

"No I was not." She laughed.

"Alright people will be arriving soon, so if you two would like to get freshened up." Anne said peeking her head into the living room. She watched as they laid all the gifts under the tree and could clearly see a distinction between who wrapped what.

"Yeah we'll go take a shower and get ready." Harry said. "Separately!" He exclaimed realizing he'd implied they would be taking a shower together. "Separate showers. One after another." He said.

"I take it you'll be taking separate showers?" Anne asked smiling. Harry flushed red and nodded. Anne giggled to herself as she walked away.

"Piper, this is my aunt Susan and uncle Donny." Harry introduced carefully. His aunt Susan was who he was most nervous about her meeting tonight. She wasn't always the most approachable when it came to new people.

"Lovely to meet you." She smiled offering her hand. They politely shook her hand and made pleasant conversation. Harry had watched on in awe as Piper effortlessly charmed member after member of his family.

"You sure you didn't get her a diamond ring for Christmas, because you look ready to marry her right here and now." Gemma said coming up next to him. They both watched as Piper regaled their aunt, who was known as the family grinch, with a story that required wild gesticulations and laughter.

"Woah, she charmed Susan?" Anne asked coming up next to her two children.

"That's what I'm saying. Told young Harold here that he should've gotten a ring for her for Christmas because he really looks ready to drop down to one knee right now." Gemma laughed. Anne looked at her son and had to agree with Gemma, Harry certainly looked awfully love struck.