Fool Me Once (Book Two) - Fred Weasley

Last Christmas

FREDS POV

I woke up suspiciously early on the morning of the twenty fifth of December 1996. Merlin, it was the twins first Christmas. Maybe thats why I couldnt sleep. Like the excitement you had as a child about Santa Clause calling to the house and delivering presents meant that you could never sleep. Especially not properly, and if you did ever manage to fall asleep, it never lasted log. You would spend the whole night tossing and turning in bed, trying to get some sleep so you could open the presents. 

I think I now had the same excitement once more. But this time it wasnt for myself. It was for the two sleeping ten and a half month old babies up the stairs. 

I thought about walking into the living room to get a better look at the decorations in the early morning sunlight. It was only seven thirty in the morning so it wasnt too bright. I decided that first I would have a cup of coffee and a cigarette to wake myself up and then I would go and have a look at the decorations, hopefuly in about a half hour there would be more sunlight for me to see the decorations better in the empty room. And if the twins kept to the same schedule they have been for the last month, they wont wake up until half nine. So, I had two hours to myself to ready the house for my girls first Christmas. 

I made my way into the kitchen switching on the lights and the kettle as I went. I walked over to the cupboard and took down a mug. I smiled to myself when I spotted the mugs that Aaliyah had bought us when the girls were born. FGW was on one mug. ABW was on another. And then there were two smaller mugs, one with EBW and the other with EAW on them. I smiled when I thought back to the time when we were just a happy family of four, struggling to learn how to cope, but coping none the less. 

I took down the mug with my initials on it and spooned some coffee and sugar into it before walking over to the now boiled kettle and filling the mug up with the boiling water. I stirred the coffee round to make sure it was disolved before splashing in some milk and taking a small sip to make sure the coffee was just the way I wanted it. 

I then took my lighter and box of cigarettes and made my way out the back to sit on the suite of furniture that we had out the back. It wasnt too cold this morning and as I lit my cigarette I let my mind drift to this time last year when me and Aaliyah were sitting down on the balcony in Grimauld place and just dreaming of this day. Our kids first Christmas.

-

'Freddie its cold' Aaliyah complained as Fred grabbed her hand and led her to the small balcony that was off his and Georges room. Mrs Weasley still didnt like the thought of Aaliyah and Fred having their own room. The two of them hated this. They were married after all, and its not like they could get any more pregnant than Aaliyah already is. Although , Aaliyah had to admit it did save some space when Aaliyah, Ginny and Hermoine could all sleep in one room. 

'Here princess this will warm you up' Fred told her as he took his own jacket and took it off and placed it on her shoulders. He pulled her closer and kissed her temple, muttering a 'Merry Christmas my love' into her hair. 

Aaliyah smiled as she felt a blush creep up her neck. Despite being with Fred two and a half years now, being married and being pregnant to him for the second time, she still blushes like a school girl when he kisses her, or calls her princess, mutters into her hair, or puts her hair behind her ears. 

'I got you a present' Fred whispered as he pulled out a small box from his jean pocket. 'Freddie I thought we said no gifts this year, with the shop, and the twins-'

She was cut off by him placed a small kiss on her lips making her chuckle. 'Its only small, and really its for the babies not for you sooooo'  he said as he pushed the box into her hand and waited like an eager child for her to open it. 

'Is it?' she asked as she looked at the small charms in her hand. 'Two little baubles, for a Christmas tree' he told her and she smiled at him with tears in her eyes. 'You dont like them?' Fred questioned with an audible break in his voice. 'I Freddie-' Aaliyah tried to say but was stopped by Fred who took the baubles out of her hand and held them tightly in his own.

'Frederick Gideon Weasley' Aaliyah said as she looked at him and Fred knew he was in trouble. 'Merlin Fred' she said as she sat in front of him and took his face between her two hands. 'When will you learn?' she asked him as he looked at her confused. She chuckled at him as she placed a long and soft kiss onto his lips. 'When will you learn that when it comes to you, especially when you give me presents, that I only cry happy tears baby?' she asked him and he looked at her in shock. 

'So you dont hate the present?' he asked as Aaliyah shook her head and tried to pry the baubles out of his hand. Fred chuckled as he opened his hand and let her take the small glass decorations off him. 'They are amazing'  she told him honestly. She really did love that he bought some presents for the babies. Even if they werent here to enjoy it themselves, Aaliyah would love the present with all her heart for them. 

'What makes you so sure they will be boys?' Aaliyah asked Fred who chuckled beside her and pulled her into his side once more. 'Weasley genes my princess. Mum and dad had six bys before they had Ginny. And they had one set of twins and that was me and George and we are boys' he said as if he was explaining the most simple thing in the world to his pregnant wife. 

'I suppose your going to say that they have to be ginger too' Aaliyah laughed and Fred nodded frantically beside her. 'Im telling you princess. Me and you, we are going to have an army of ginger boys, just like mum and dad have. Okay?' he asked as she snuggled in further to his side. 

'Okay bear' Aaliyah breathed as they watched the sun rise of London from their small hidden balcony. 

-

I laughed when I thought back to this time last year. I was so certain that I would be having two ginger twin boys that I didnt even think of the possiblity that I would be blessed with the two amazing blonde baby girls that I have now. 

I finished off my coffee and headed inside. I washed my mug in the sink and left it to dry on the draining board, deciding that now was probably the best to look at all of the decorations now. I was itching to go and get the girls. I knew that Santa had been and had left the presents under the tree, I saw them when I walked by earlier. 

I just wanted to run up the stairs now and wake everyone. Yell Merry Christmas at the top of my lungs and make everyone come down and open presents. But I knew my girls needed their beauty sleep. Not that they could get any more beautiful, at least not in my eyes anyway. 

Nothing could make my girls any better looking than they are now. And I dont think that in a weird way, but I think its only right for a dad to think that his kids are flawless. And they just look so much like their mother, especially Eden for some reason. I dont know what it is about my younger daughter but she looks one hundred times more like her mother than her older sister does. 

Maybe its just my brain playing tricks on me because Edens middle name is Aaliyah. I just, Im unsure. But for the first week I could hardly look at Eden without bursting into tears. I just missed Aaliyah that much. Over time, I think it got easier for me. I didnt blame Aaliyah as much for leaving, Merlin, I didnt blame myself as much for Aaliyah leaving. 

I just cant wait for her to come back.

I allowed myself a moment or two to collect myself in the foyer before heading into the living room to look at all of the decorations and the mountains of presents that were displayed under the tree. 

So this is the kind of bauble that I think Fred would have bought. (ignore the terrible photo shop. I couldnt actually find one that said Christmas 1996)