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"You two really don't have to do this," Ron said, and Eleanora and Bill both groaned. He'd been saying those same words over and over again all day despite Eleanora and Bill's protests.
Bill sat back on his heels in front of the fireplace. "Ron, if you say that one more time I'm sending you to Mum's," he said, casting an affectionately annoyed look at his brother.
"Be nice, Bill," Eleanora called from the kitchen. She'd never made a Christmas Eve dinner before in her life, and it was more difficult than she'd expected. "And Ron don't be stupid, of course we want you here."
"But it's Christmas-"
"Exactly why we want you here," Bill said, looking exasperatedly to Eleanora. "Now, if you really want to be of use, you could go out and grab some firewood from the shed. I can't-" he flicked his wand furiously at the fireplace, "-get it- to work right."
Ron immediately sprung from where he'd been sitting at the dining room table and grabbed his jacket and scarf. "Oh, and if it makes you feel better," Eleanora called to him on his way out. "I promised Molly that Bill and I would stop in tomorrow for Christmas lunch." Ron nodded in acknowledgement and slipped out the door, the blustery cold air blowing into the house for a split second before the door banged shut and the house was warm again.
Bill stood from his position in front of the fire and dusted off his jeans before joining Eleanora in the kitchen. He'd offered to help her cook, but Eleanora had opted for Ron's assistance instead. "Remember last year?" he said, wrapping his arms around Eleanora and moving the soft fabric of her sweater between his fingers.
"Ugh, don't remind me." Despite the constant danger looming over all of them at all times this year, last year still felt worse in Eleanora's mind.
"With Percy?" Bill said with a grim smile. Nobody had heard from the third Weasley brother since he left that day almost a year ago, but it was no secret how upset Molly still was over it.
Eleanora stood on tiptoe to kiss Bill, and then buried her face in his Weasley sweater. "And it was just the beginning of you getting sick," she murmured, not wanting to remember the dreadful months in which they hadn't been sure Bill would live to the next Christmas.
"That's right. But look at us now." Bill grinned and took one of Eleanora's hands, twirling her around so her hair fanned out around her and her socks slipped on the wood floor.
She giggled and fell back into his chest just as the door opened again and Ron re-entered, stomping snow off of his boots. When he spotted Bill and Eleanora in the corner of the kitchen, he stopped short, looking rather awkward. Eleanora laughed and pushed Bill away playfully.
"You two better have a fire ready by dinner- it's getting cold in here," she half-scolded, turning back to the stove with a lingering smile.
When dinner was ready and a fire was roaring in the grate, Eleanora, Bill, and Ron all sat down to their first Christmas Eve dinner without their family. It was nowhere near as much food, or as extravagant as Mrs. Weasley's annual feast, but it was enough for the three of them and they'd done the best they could. As they ate, the three of them cheerfully recounted stories from Christmases in the past, and it was the happiest any of them had been in a long time.
