Christmas was as happy a holiday as it could be. Happier today as two children commenced their plan.
Ron was trying to keep his anger and ignorance up but could not help wonder where the other part of the trio were running around. He had agreed to go to the Potter house.
He remembered being jealous of it as a child but had overcome it when he had seen how kind Harry's parents were. While he was never supposed to be jealous of a person he called his best friend, he was.
Then they went to school, and everything had been different. He treasured his friendships, he really did but he didn't look forward to spending the next years in the shadow of his friends.
He hated that people only knew his name after his friends. He hated how people thought of Harry as the chosen one, Hermione as the smart one and then Ron just being there. However, his friends never excluded him, not before he had his fight with Harry.
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Currently, the Hermione and the Harry were sitting near Remus and Sirius. Watching them exchange awkward glances was always a delightful part of any gathering. It was also majorly followed by Remus excusing himself and Sirius unabashedly checking the brunette out as he walked out.
Honestly, the pining had been adorable to the point where it is now unbearable and Harry is finally old enough to do something about it.
He got up and went to the Christmas tree, sneakily avoiding the mistletoe above him. "Hey Remus, help me unpack this?"
Remus innocently got up and cluelessly walked over till the time he found his feet frozen to the ground. He grunted as he tried to move and then heard Harry giggle. He gave faux betrayed glance towards prongslet and the little kid gestured upwards with his index finger.
Remus looked up and saw a mistletoe hanging down.
Sirius got up and rushed to Remus in attempt to help him but found himself stuck too. On the ceiling a little circle around the mistletoe glowed faintly and realisation slowly dawned on the brunette's face.
"Oh" he gasped and Sirius was about to ask what prompted such a response out of Moony.
Hermione giggled and turned to Sirius' confused face, "you have to kiss him Mr. Black."
"Hermione first of all, Mr. Black makes me feel old. Second of all", then he rose his voice and said "Who did this?"
Everybody in the house came to the living room.
"Well maybe Mione and I did", Harry said scratching the back of his neck and giving off a mischievous smile.
James running towards his son ruffled his hair and said, "Well done prongslet, well done"
Lily smiled and added, "this was awaited for a long time".
All this time nobody noticed the blush creeping up on Remus' face. Nobody other than Sirius as he was in a similar state. The place they were stuck in was tight and it seems as though Remus just realised how close they were standing.
In Sirius's head, his past's voice is screaming, Abort, abort! This fits into no plan! You can't make Remus happy. But there's a lot of rushing blood and tingling skin for the words to compete with. Then Remus's fingers land on his stomach and rational thoughts fly out.
He cupped the man's face with his hands. "You can think of Paris if you like", said Sirius.
Remus instantly replied with "I have never be-", but was interrupted when Sirius's mouth catches Moony's roughly. He spontaneously returned the kiss.
Remus half moans at the pressure as hands tighten on his waist. His lips part for the raven's tongue, the tang of beer and the herbal edge of gin tangling pleasantly in his mouth. This wasn't his first kiss, not even close but he wishes it was. He wishes all he ever knew was this igniting passion and this care, all the Sirius showed him through just a kiss.
Sirius broke apart and looked at a pair of disappointed brown eyes and said, "We can go to Paris together if you want". At that the other man simply nodded, speechless.
Both men were so consumed in the moment that they failed to see the Potter family gleaming, Hermione squealing and the twins exchanging money.
Molly stood there covering little Ginny's eyes and Arthur went back to the wine. Ron at the moment felt weird and went away. Men kissing? No that is not how it works. It's appalling and people were in there happy about it?
Ron had never witnessed such a thing, always taught that men and women belonged together, completed each other in all ways that mattered. This was new and that brought a discomfort Ron was not ready to face so he tried walking away from the scene.
Harry and Hermione followed their friend, underneath all that animosity they wanted to help the ginger if something was bothering him.
"What is it Ron, you seem ill."
"You guys were there, how can they kiss. I mean I guess kissing is okay but they are together now? That is disgusting", yelled Ron.
Harry was grateful for the silencing charms he had put in this room with the concern of ruining the christmas spirit by breaking out in an unintentional fight.
Maybe Harry and Hermione were more accustomed to the idea of men being together, they could understand if Ron wanted space but to try and degrade his godparents, Harry could not allow it.
"Get out of this house Ronald", said Hermione clenching her fists.
"You are going to throw me out of here? My parents were invited and this is Harry's house. You feeling like you own this place by staying here for a week? Get over it Granger, the Potters probably just did it as a charity case", Ron kept spitting these words out.
Soon the endless flow of words was brought to a stop when Harry punched Ron. "You git, Hermione is here because I love having her here. Also, she can easily thrown anybody out of this house because my parents and I already consider her family. Now before you say anything about my godparents or my girl, Get out of here"
Ron tried to go away with a steady posture and attitude. However, he had to keep wiping the blood of his nose and his hand kept blocking his vision making him tumble.
When downstairs, Harry noticed Molly kneeling next to the sofa where Ron was lying. Lily was angry and James had a straight face, giving his son the benefit of the doubt.
"You attacked your friend Harry? Why would you do that?", said his fuming mother. Shade of her face coming close to resembling her face.
"I can tell you but not right now"
"NO! you will tell us right now", said Arthur
"Do not raise your voice at my son Arthur, we will decide whether he deserves it or not after he explains", said James getting up and politely overshadowing Arthur with his height.
"Well Ronald here started saying things about Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black. I asked him to leave if he was going to dampen the event with his backdated ideals and he told me that I have no authority in this house because after all you have taken me in as a charity case. Then Harry did what I would have done if he would have waited for a few minutes", said Hermione.
"You could not", said Ron wailing from the couch.
"She totally could" said the twins in sync earning a glare from Arthur.
Molly got up from the couch and went to Lily, "Ron was out of line, I did not expect him to be disrespectful." She turned to Harry and said, "Kid, while that was true I really wish you hadn't gone to such extents."
"I am sorry Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley. However I will not apologise to Ron till he does so to my godparents and Hermione."
This took Hermione's mind to a few minutes back when Harry had referred to her as 'his girl'. She had felt her heart flutter. This winter had been great. She had gotten closer to Harry and know his family. She felt like home here, the way she did at her own or at Hogwarts.
She loved the library with books that had notes on the margins. Lily had read all the books in the room over the year and left small hilarious notes mocking the characters and plot lines. Then there was the fireplace that was the cosiest area. Also, there were small baby pictures of Harry giggling around him.
Most importantly she spent the holiday with Harry, something she had wanted to do for quite some time. She wanted some time when they didn't have to worry about schemes and attacks. When she could be a teenager and revel in the fact that she had her first kiss under the mistletoe. Also, that Harry called her 'his girl'.
Hermione was snapped out of the dreamland she was in as she felt breeze touch her face. She snapped her head and saw a red head angrily storm out of the house.
Harry turned and said, "I am sorry Hermione, he should have apologised. Maybe he will, I hope this won't ruin your Christmas."
She tugged on his arm and rested her head on his shoulder and said, "this Christmas was perfect".
Also, I know that the Yule Ball takes place during Christmas but in this story I want to keep it as a closing ceremony and I know that the first task was probably supposed to be before Christmas too but well we have altered the scheduled.
Mostly I wanna apologise if any of you like Ron. I don't like Ron much and also I don't think he has the emotional maturity to handle things that are new and unfamiliar. I swear he comes around.
Hope you liked this chapter.
xx