Chapter 1

Christmas in the Burrow, Oliver had heard so much about it but had never been a part of it before. The way Fred and George always spoke of the holidays in their family home it was almost like organized chaos. Apparating to the Burrow garden Oliver stood staring at the giant structure, holding a bottle of elf wine and a desert. He was worried and sad all at the same time.

This was the first Christmas holiday without his parents. Both had been killed at the Final Battle and it was George who had found him hunched next to their bodies sobbing uncontrollably. Oliver returned the favor when his parents bodies were brought into the Great Hall and he saw Fred lying on the floor unmoving.

"Oliver?" The timid voice broke him out of his revere. "Aren't you coming inside? It's cold out here."

"Of course, just got lost in my thoughts. How are you Hermione?"

She was wearing a sweater with no jacket so she must have been cold, but didn't move them inside. "I'm alright, it's my first Christmas without my parents too Oliver, if you need someone to talk to I'll be here."

"I appreciate that." He wasn't sure if he should extend the same courtesy, she had Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasley's. "We should probably get inside before Molly has a fit about us getting sick."

Since the battle, the Weasley's had encouraged Oliver to come to the Burrow for dinner as much as possible. He wasn't a stranger to the family before but he didn't want them to pity him, especially after Fred. Having brought that up Molly and Arthur made it clear that though they had lost a son they were determined to make sure all of their children and their friends were safe and had a place to be. It had taken some time but Oliver finally felt comfortable.

"Look who I found standing in the garden." Hermione announced as they entered the sitting area.

"Happy Christmas everyone." He had sent over all of his gifts the night before to be opened in the morning and judging by the wrapping paper all over the floor there had been a massacre of gifts. "I've brought wine and a tart."

"Oh Oliver you shouldn't have!" Wrapping him a big hug Molly took the food from his hands and ushered him to sit. "Charlie will you get Oliver his gifts please?"

"You really didn't have to get me anything."

"Yes we did dear, now sit and open them!"

Oliver took a seat in a chair and began opening the gifts. He, like the rest of the room had been given a Weasley family sweater in Gryffindor colors as well as a few books on quidditch. It was nothing fancy, but he felt spoiled having gotten presents at all.

"Thank you everyone." He called taking off the button down shirt and pulling the sweater on instead. "Is it too early for wine?"

There was a chorus calling for it and so he and George brought out glasses and the wine Oliver brought as well as a bottle of firewhiskey for some of the guys.

"Hermione would you like some?"

"Yes, please." She was the last to be served and Oliver planted himself on the ground next to her filling up her cup. "I've never spent Christmas here before. I always arrived the next day. It's insane."

Laughing Oliver lifted his glass in a toast. "To finally seeing the craziness." They clinked the glasses together and drank deeply. "What did you get?"

"A sweater, some books, and Ginny got me a necklace." She pulled the ruby pendant out from under the color of her sweater which Oliver noticed were opposite colors as his.

"Very beautiful, it brings out your eyes." Watching as Hermione's cheeks filled with color Oliver continued drinking the wine.

The rest of the day was spent playing games in the sitting room and eating more treats from Molly. It seemed as though she had spent the entire day before baking because she just kept sending out baked goods. By mid-afternoon everyone was lying around the sitting room trying to take naps from being so full.

Hermione had her head in Charlie's lap her eyes getting heavier. Everyone was sitting around in a circle talking about what was going on in their lives. Being like her older brother Charlie was happy to be the brunette's pillow, even stroking her hair for a bit until her breathing evened out.

"She's having kind of a rough time today." He confided to the group. "I found her crying in the bathroom this morning."

"She cried a bit before bed last night too, she thought I was asleep and wouldn't hear." Ginny added, sadly looking at her friend. "I couldn't even imagine what she's feeling right now."

"And I hope you never have to," Oliver had been silent for the conversation, he wasn't having a great day either but didn't want to dwell on it. "It's not a great feeling but think of the fact that she and I are both here with people who care about us, that's what Christmas is about. We've all lost someone in the past few months but at least we all have each other still."

It wasn't a speech asking for pity, but it turned out that way. Oliver didn't want them to think he was ungrateful but just wanted to point out that everyone in the room had lost a loved one. It seemed to work as Bill cleared his throat and changed the subject until Hermione started snoring.

"Someone should take her upstairs." Harry laughed quietly.

Oliver sat down his glass and picked the small girl up. "Which room?"

"First landing on the right." With a nod, Oliver made his way up the winding wooden stairs. Finally getting to the first landing he pushed open the door and laid Hermione on the bed. Her brown curls spread on the pillow creating a halo around her head.

"I'm sorry you're going through this Hermione," Oliver whispered. "But I'll be here if you need me."

Making his way back to the sitting room Oliver saw George snap his head away from Charlie with a smile on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing, is she still sleeping?"

"Snoring like you after a quidditch game." The room laughed. "Anyone want to play a game of quidditch?"

Everyone jumped up to grab their jackets, hats, and gloves before running out to the broom shed and separating into two teams. Oliver and Ron took their positions as keepers, Charlie and Harry as seekers, with Ginny and Bill as the chasers. George played as the ref, being the odd one out and being the only beater. It worked out well that everyone had gotten their own positions matched. However, it didn't help that almost everyone had been able to play on the same team together. Charlie was the captain of the Gryffindor team his sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts with Oliver and the twins both on the team and of course Oliver had been captain for almost everyone else.

The game started off slowly but eventually everyone got into the spirit and everyone got very competitive. George had to give a few fouls to each team before the snitch was finally caught by Harry. Having been on the team with Ginny and Harry, Oliver and the older Weasley's were very disappointed which was only made worse by being called old.

When they returned to the Burrow and deposited their wet clothes and boots in the mudroom everyone was pleased to see Hermione awake again.

"Good morning sunshine!" Bill boomed giving her a kiss on the head. "Sleep well?"

"Why did you all let me fall asleep?"

"You were tired, why would we keep you awake?" Harry's logic was infallible to Hermione as she just smiled and shook her head.

"Well luckily Molly woke me up but you were all out so I've just been learning some spells to use in the kitchen. Dinner should be ready soon."

"Perfect!" The Weasley's all ran to the washroom to get ready for dinner while Ginny and Oliver helped set the table.

"Thank you again for everything Molly, you really didn't have to get me anything. You've all done so much for me already."

The blue eyes of Molly Weasley misted over. "Not to worry dear, you're part of the family now and we couldn't let you go without today. Now wash up dinner will be ready in a moment."

Dinner was fantastic, almost as if he were back at Hogwarts for the feast. There was turkey and ham, mashed potatoes, gravies, stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and finally dinner sausages. There was so much food on the table that everyone had to be careful not to knock something over, but as soon as the dish was emptied it was deposited on the counter creating more space. With twelve people the food disappeared almost in a flash and soon desert was being served, Oliver's berry tart as well as the apple turnovers and a rhubarb pie.

"These turn overs are amazing Hermione!" George said with a full mouth. "They taste just like mum's!"

"Thank you George."

"Since when do you cook?" Ron asked, also with a full mouth.

"Since this morning when I asked your mum to show me, I learned a lot."

"Did she teach you how to actually boil pasta though?"

The joke caused laughter around the table, apparently Harry and Ron had been subjected to a failed spaghetti dinner at some point.

When the table was cleared, once again everyone moved into the sitting room. Another bottle of wine had been brought out for everyone to enjoy and relax. Molly and Arthur announced that they would be going to bed an hour after dinner, both exhausted from the day asking the children not to be too uproarious.

Ron turned as they reached the first landing and cast a silencing charm on the stairs so they wouldn't hear them.

The group continued to talk for hours until they were all yawning.

"Time to go I suppose. I'm back to work in the morning." Oliver stood and began collecting his things.

"Me as well. The ministry doesn't wait for anyone!" Hermione rose from the carpet and bid her good byes. "I'll see you all at dinner on Sunday."

The Weasley's and Harry waved good bye to the pair as they headed out to the garden.

"Oliver," Hermione called after the Scot. "I just wanted to say thank you, I thought I was dreaming at first but I heard what you said. It means a lot to me." Standing on her tiptoes Hermione planted a kiss on Oliver's cheek before disapparating back to her flat. Oliver stood shocked in the garden until a chill ran through him and he also went back to his home.

Deciding that it was a better Christmas than he was expecting, Oliver set his books down and said good night to the picture of his parents on the mantle.

A/N: Sorry this is just a beginning chapter. More to come soon!