Meant To Be

Chapter 34

"What are you doing?" Tom asked looking away from the TV. He had turned his head to find Harry sitting cross-legged, sideways on the couch staring out into space.

"Trying to see where to put our tree," Harry responded.

"Our what?"

"Tree. Christmas tree," Harry said glancing at him. "I don't know where to put it."

"Why?" Tom asked looking around the vast hall, trying to see what Harry was, but couldn't.

"It's December Tom, Christmas is coming. We need a tree."

"We don't really need one, you know."

"Of course we do!" Harry admonished him, "Besides it's going to be Wynter's 1st Christmas, well actually 2nd, but still! And..." he stilled in realization and fell back onto the couch so he was lying down. "Oh god."

"What?" Tom asked slightly alarmed as Harry covered his face with his hands.

"The 13th. It's Wynter's birthday. She's going to be one."

Tom froze, "One?" he asked shocked.

"Yeah."

Tom slumped back and let the thought wash over him. His little girl was going to be a year old! He could hardly believe it. "Already?"

"I know, she's getting so big now," Harry commented looking at the baby monitor that was showing Wynter asleep in her crib, "Now we really need to get a tree."

"Where do you want to put it?" he asked, as the urge to make this the best Christmas ever took over him.

Harry sat up and grinned at him, knowing he was now on board. "I don't know. I was thinking over there by the staircase, but then it's blocking your desk. And if we put it on the other side it will block the bathroom. Or we could put it here by the window, but then we need to move the TV and the couches to make room..."

"Or..." Tom added thoughtfully, "We can put it right in the center."

"What do you mean?"

"We can move the couches and the table and just put it right in the center."

"Then what do we do with the couches?"

"We have magic, Harry. We can just shrink it for now and put it back later."

"Oh, yeah," Harry said sheepishly, but he sat up and looked at the sitting area and visualized the tree. "We can move the phone over to the table by the fireplace and use the entire area for the tree. How big do we get it though?"

"Big," Tom answered, "Biggest one we can find so we can see it up on the second floor."

Harry grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

xxx

Later that day after Wynter woke up from her nap, they went out shopping for a tree. It was quite different here in Australia with the sun beating down on them getting a tree, but it was a different experience. Wynter had no idea what was going on but had a lot of fun looking around at all the trees that were way bigger than she was. But eventually, they found the perfect fir tree to go into their living room. Thanks to magic, Tom was able to shrink it down and let Wynter hold it as they headed home.

"Tee!" Wynter exclaimed holding the small fir tree in her hands to show her mama.

"I see. It's a nice tree, huh, jelly bean."

"Ye!"

Harry laughed at her enthusiasm. "Too bad it's not snowing. It's so warm."

"The seasons are different here remember," Tom said using his wand to shrink the furniture in their sitting area and moving it to sit like a miniature set on the fireplace mantle. "It's snowing in London, yet over here it's a lot warmer. It's why most people here celebrate Christmas in July when it's cold."