The Hidden One (2)

dinner parties

"Harry, if you move that pillow again, I'll cut off your hands and make you eat them," Rose threatened. Harry quickly dropped the throw pillow with a scared look on his face.

"Merlin, Rose, why are you so tense?" James asked as he sat down on the couch, right where the throw pillow was supposed to go. Rose glared at him as she picked up the pillow and started hitting him. James shrieked and fell on the floor to get away from the pillow.

"Because," Rose said tensely as she placed the pillow where it belonged.

"Rose, it's not a big deal," Harry said as he pulled her into a hug.

"We're throwing our first dinner! It's a big deal!" Rose argued.

"It's not like you've never eaten dinner with us before," James snorted. Rose pushed Harry away so that she could glare at his father.

"Why are you here again?" Rose asked.

"Lily got annoyed and kicked me out," James said with a pout.

"Mum kicked you out?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"Well, she told me to leave her alone so I came over here!" James said with a smile as he rolled over onto his belly and started playing with Tillie.

"Mum is gonna be so annoyed," Harry said.

"Probably!" James agreed.

"Harry, can you please go make sure the bathroom is clean?" Rose asked as she started fluffing all the pillows.

"I doubt it'll have gotten dirty since the last time I checked twenty minutes ago," Harry sighed. Rose groaned and went to check the bathroom herself, Harry following after her. "Y'know, if I knew that you were going to be like this, I never would've agreed to have this little dinner."

"Harry, this is the first time anyone has seen our house fully decorated, and it's the first time we've organized anything as a couple," Rose said. "I just want it to he perfect."

"It will be," Harry assured her as he placed a small kiss on her nose. "The house is spotless and nothing is out of place. Dinner is in the oven, and we managed to make it without messing anything up. Everything is going to be perfect."

"What if Ron and Draco fight?" Rose asked worriedly. "It's been four months since the memorial, and they haven't seen each other since then, and there is still a lot of bitterness between them. Merlin, what if they ruin everything?"

"Rose, breath," Harry said calmly. Rose took a deep breath to try to calm herself. "I'll talk to Ron if you can talk to the Slytherins."

"See, this is what I mean," Rose said. "You called them the Slytherins instead of Draco, Blaise and Theo."

"Rose," Harry sighed. "It's just easier to say the Slytherins."

Rose mumbled a response as she blushed slightly.

"I promise that everything is going to be perfect," Harry said. Rose smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. His arms had just circled her when the sound of glass breaking could be heard from the living room followed by curses.

"Harry, go watch your father before I kill him," Rose said.

"Yep," Harry said before hurrying away to see what his father had broken.

"Hey, Tils," Rose said softly as the cat found its way to her. Tillie meowed happily as Rose scooped her up and held her like a baby.

"Rose, your parents are here!" Harry called. Rose sighed and took a deep breath as she placed a smile on her face before making her way into the living room.