Moments

57. A Surprise at Christmas

A/N Includes a bit of jumper swapping especially for @x_xdrarryx_x

(999 words)

Draco and Narcissa's invitation to The Burrow for Christmas was not one to ignore. There was, after all, something wonderful about a busy Christmas, even if it was surrounded with three generations of Weasleys. After Lucius's death, Draco had quickly realised how isolated their life had been at Malfoy Manor. And with that isolation came closed ideas about others outside their bubble. Draco worried that his mother was still isolated and he wanted her to return to England now her house-arrest had come to an end. He hoped, vaguely, that more contact with Aunt Andy and Molly might entice her back. He talked to Harry about it and Harry suggested they look at cottages near Otterly St Catchpole, especially as Molly had welcomed Narcissa into the fold.

They found a quaint four-bed thatched-cottage less than a mile from the Weasleys which Draco bought and renovated with funds from the Malfoy trust. He didn't tell Harry that the costs didn't even make an indent on the barrels of wealth he'd inherited since he'd come of age, but Harry never seemed that interested in money and Draco was aware he had more than enough in his own Potter and Black vaults.

Once Narcissa arrived, Harry drove them to Devon. The cottage was charming and Narcissa immediately fell in love with it. There was a slight initial misunderstanding when she thought it was Draco and Harry's new home together, but once Draco had explained, she told him she would think about it. He remained optimistic. Andy and Teddy stayed for the Christmas break too. It meant that in the morning, the five of them could easily walk to the Weasleys.

Christmas morning brought stockings and a plethora of Weasley jumpers, even for the rather shocked Narcissa and Andy. Once Narcissa tried hers on and found it warm, soft, and comfortable, she decided to keep on wearing it, nudging Andy occasionally to say 'what would Lucius think!'

'What about Aunt Wally?' Andy would reply and they'd collapse into peals of laughter.

Draco wondered if they'd been hitting the sherry bottle already.

At least his mother and Aunt Andy had reasonable coloured jumpers. Unthinkably, Molly had chosen bright orange with green stars for Draco. Nothing washed out Draco's pale complexion like orange. However, when he came out of the shower, he was surprised to find Harry wearing his jumper, and it looked enticingly cuddly.

'But I can't wear a jumper with "H" plastered on my front.'

'No one will notice,' Harry dismissed.

Draco harrumphed. The green stars matched Harry's eyes and the orange did suit him, and it matched his ostentatious car. He pulled on Harry's purple jumper, it fitted him rather tightly and already smelt of Harry. He inhaled happily.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco. 'How am I supposed to keep my hands off you?' he whispered huskily in a way which sent shivers through Draco.

Ron greeted them at the door to The Burrow.

'Er,' he started. 'Family crisis... mum won't stop crying; she's cut herself twice trying to prepare the vegetables and she's now given up. The turkey's in, but no one is quite sure what to do...'

They looked at each other in concern.

'Shall we go home?' Narcissa asked.

'No,' Ron said. 'That would distress mum more. We just don't know what time anything's going to be ready.'

'What's happened?' Harry asked.

'George just announced he and Pansy got married yesterday...'

There was a considerable number of surprised exclamations.

Draco was slightly miffed he wasn't there for his bestfriend's wedding.

'We don't know what's going on... They've been with dad in his study since and everyone else's trying to calm mum down.'

Andromeda and Narcissa pushed past Ron and immediately ejected eight-hundred Weasleys out of the way to get to Molly

Harry shrugged, 'I'll sort lunch. Dray, put the kettle on!'

Draco muttered at being ordered around as bloody Potter just 'sorted lunch' for the mere twenty-thousand Weasleys that were everywhere.

He helped Harry, only so he could listen in on the conversation between the three matriarchs. Tea was dismissed for mulled wine after Narcissa directed Draco to use the old Malfoy recipe (which was a highly-guarded secret, partly because of its potency). The kitchen was filled with the glorious smell of hot red wine and cinnamon and Molly stopped the really snotty snivelling.

Turned out Molly was upset because it hadn't been a proper family celebration (she didn't mind that it was Pansy, much to Draco's relief).

When George and Pansy were ushered into the kitchen by a surprisingly cheerful Arthur, everyone fell quiet. Remarkable really, thought Draco, considerably the kitchen was filled with three-million Weasleys who wanted to watch the drama unfold.

'What's going on...' Ron clamped a hand over Teddy's mouth.

'Mum...'

'Oh, Georgie,' Molly burst into tears again. 'How could you...'

Pansy walked around the table and knelt in front of Molly. 'Mum?' she said softly. (Draco melted a little at the hopefulness of Pansy's voice). 'We're sorry, it wasn't our intention to upset you. It's just George wanted to do the right thing... he was only thinking about...' she faltered and the kitchen was silent bar the bubbling of cooking vegetables. 'We promise to have a proper celebration in August after...' she looked at George who gave a fond smile. '...after Freddie Jnr has arrived.'

'Oh!' Molly burst into tears again and smiled wetly. 'A baby...' she cried and pulled Pansy into her lap. 'I'm going to be a granny...' she smiled through her tears.

'Mum, you're already a granny. Bill, here, can't control himself...' smirked George.

'Hypocrite,' muttered Bill.

'I know but Freddie Jnr...' she started sobbing all over again.

'Draco,' Luna piped up loudly amongst the babble of excitement. 'Why have you got an "H" on your jumper?'

Everyone fell silent and looked at him. He blushed furiously as he was stared at by billions of Weasleys.

Harry smirked, 'it stands for "Harry's! Hands off!".'

'More mulled wine?' Draco offered to no one in particular.

*****