Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

xxvi || christmas part 2

A grin stretched across Annabelle's face as she took in the rather cozy house that rested in front of them. She stepped away from the portkey, looking over to James as he stepped up beside her.

"Well, this is it. We spend every Christmas here at the Granger-Weasley's house." He looked at her. "I hope you enjoy it? I have a lot of family, and friends come too so it can be overwhelming. If it gets to be too much just tell me, and we can leave."

She shook her head rapidly and clasped her hands together. "No!" She exclaimed, and then backtracked slightly. "Sorry, but really it's okay. It looks so lively. My family hardly celebrates Christmas at all, and never like this. I think it'll be fun."

The boy next to her nodded and smiled softly. "Okay then. You deserve an exciting Christmas and well...I'm sure this will be interesting at least!" He motioned one front of him. "Let's head inside before mum wonders what we're doing out here in the snow."

James took the lead going inside, Annabella trailing behind him in the new environment. Immediately upon stepping through the front door, almost all of her senses were assaulted with the sheer number of things going on. The smell of delicious food wafted through the air, it was incredibly noisy and absolutely bustling with energy as so many people were going back and forth between the rooms.

Lily squeezed in between the two, making her way towards one of the rooms in front of them, with no regard to whoever was in her way. "She's probably off looking for Aunt Angelina, the two of them get along great. Both are very fiery people," James explained.

Scorpius and Albus were taking off through the house next, much more familiar with the layout than she was. That was to be expected though, as Albus was family and Scorpius had been spending Christmas with them for much longer than she had. Watching Scorpius pause by another head of blonde hair in a quick greeting before running off with Albus again, she turned to James to voice her question.

"Is that Scorpius's father? Mr. Malfoy?"

He glanced over to see where she was looking and nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. He hasn't got really anyone else to spend Christmas with, and the whole lot of us get together anyways so he's been coming ever since Albus and Scorpius became inseparable."

"Aw," she mumbled. "My own family hardly celebrates, I can't imagine how it'll be with multiple families coming together."

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, James laughed, steering her farther into the house. "It's definitely chaotic, in a good way though. But if it gets to be too much, please let me know."

"Will do. But I can already tell that I think I'll love it here."

Before James was able to reply, a squeal came from their right, and Annabella was nearly knocked over by two girls jumping on top of her.

"Annabella! You're here!" Natalie's grin lit up her face, and Olivia's was equal in enthusiasm.

Natalie's gaze slid to James, and the hand he still had on Annabella's side that came up to steady her from the force of the girls' excitement. Her expression turned teasing. "You know, I hardly believed Grant at first when he said you were having a girl home for Christmas."

"Yeah, and Annabella hadn't even said anything. We both found out from Grant," Olivia pouted.

"Why didn't you tell them?" James looked confused.

"I—um. I didn't want to be teased over it."

Natalie's eyes lit up. "Oh, so you're saying we would have something to tease you for over it? Is it perhaps that you li—"

"—okay. Enough of that!" A new voice joined the mix. "Leave the lovebirds alone," Rose scolded jokingly. Annabella's cheeks burned, facial expression becoming pinched as what Rose said was hardly any better than what Natalie was going to anyways.