RP: Weasley Family Christmas

[shh_molly]

Date: 25 December 2004, early evening.
Characters: Molly & the clan.
Location: Molly's tent on the Burrow's property.
Status: Private.
Summary: Weasley Family Christmas Supper!
Completion: Incomplete.

Comments

[shh_ginny]

Ginny chuckled softly, seeing the flicker of apprehension on Katie's face as she glanced past her at her mother. "I should have owl'd you sooner, Katie. I'm sorry. Between work, classes and trying to fit in an hour with Jack, I'm afraid the holidays just leapt on me. I really did want to get together, have a drink and just catch up. Alicia was telling me about the Quidditch league. Maybe after the New Year, we girls can get together and have a proper get together."

Leaning in with a smirk, she repressed a sharp laugh at Katie's warnings of her brothers, for which she was entirely too grateful. Whispering discretely, Ginny asked, "Circling like sharks, are they? Well, I'm confident Jack can hold his own as long as they don't all corner him, which I'm trying to prevent. How are you doing, love? I know George told you not to be nervous but it'd be impossible not to be, yeah?"

"Oops, speak of the devil, here he comes. Just remember, be yourself, okay? Most of us are alot of bark and no bite." She gave Katie's hand a quick, reassuring squeeze before straightening up as George returned.

[shh_george]

George walked back up with two butterbeers, one for him and one for Katie, just in time to see his sister stop whispering something to Katie. "Do I even want to know what you two were talking about without me?" He asked with a teasing grin.

Handing Katie her butterbeer he slipped an arm around her waist and gave a slight squeeze, she still looked a little nervous. "Relax Katie," he whispered in her ear. "It's not a lion's den. Even if we all were former Gryffindors." He pulled his arm off her waist but stayed next to her and left the hand near her free in case she wanted to take hold of it.

[shh_katie]

Each individual Weasley alone wasn't exactly intimidating - with the possible exception of Molly from what she'd heard. But the Weasley's en masse when you were dating one of them was. Ginny seemed to understand that at least, but then again she had brought someone in a similar situation. "I'm normally good at 'barking' right back," Katie replied to Ginny quickly as George approached, "I'm not just not sure how good an idea that would be tonight."

And she was under the irrational worry that 'being herself' wouldn't be enough.

She hesitated when George wrapped his arm around her - she wasn't exactly comfortable with public displays even at the best of times, but certainly not with his mother standing just a few feet away - but he pulled back slightly after. "Just all your embarassing childhood secrets," Katie replied in response to his question, winking at Ginny.

Katie couldn't empathize with Ginny's busy schedule, but she could understand it. "I'd like that," she replied honestly, taking a sip of her butterbeer, "catching up, although I doubt it's going to work properly tonight. But if you've ever got a spare minute from - well, life - I'd take you up on that drink, and I know Alicia was very keen on having a girl's night sometime."

Although Katie had no doubt he wouldn't mind continuing as they had before, the drink was giving her a different crutch to use than clinging to George's hand. Sipping at the butterbeer gave her something to do.

[shh_molly]

Molly looked up from rearranging the veg plate to see George, Ginny, and a young brunette woman standing close together. She smiled brilliantly, curiosity leading her over. This must be the Katie George had mentioned.

"Darling," she said, approaching the group, and reached out to place a hand on George's elbow.

[shh_george]

George felt a hand on his elbow and turned around to see his mum standing there. He gave her a hug, "Happy Christmas Mum," he told her with a smile.

"Katie you remember my mum, Molly Weasley right? Mum this is my girlfriend Katie." George gave her a 'be nice' look before stepping back slightly and letting Katie say her hellos. He knew Katie was nervous but he was pretty sure that his Mum would behave herself. She had promised to in her owl at least.

[shh_katie]

"Nice to meet you properly Mrs. Weasley," Katie replied, wincing at how formal that sounded. "Thank you for including me tonight."

She held out the flowers she had brought as a gift for the hostess. "These are for you," Katie explained, holding out the bouquet to the Weasley matriarch. "I know they don't measure up to what you grow in your garden normally."

Politeness - check. Sincered compliment - check; she still had the flowers - although pressed that George had picked for her birthday from his mom's garden.

[shh_molly]

Molly took the flowers from her, smiling warmly. "Look how lovely you are!" she cried, and pulled Katie into a warm hug. "George must have you completely fooled." She pulled back, still holding onto Katie's hand. "Simply lovely. And thank you, dear, for the flowers. They're gorgeous. I was giving some serious thought to planting some gerberas, they are such a cheerful blossom, aren't they? Certainly warms up the place, what with all this cold. Yes, I think I'll put these above the mantel."

Molly pulled her wand from her pocket and summoned a vase with water. "I don't know if George has told you, but that mantel is an exact replica of the one at our old home. The Burrow, you know. Demolished, nearly completely. Very tragic." She put the boquet in the vase and walked over to the mantel, Katie and George trailing behind. "Anyway, I had to make all new stockings this year, and I hope you don't mind, Katie darling, but I took the liberty of making one for you as well." She placed the vase promenently on top of the mantel, peering at it critically, adjusting it a fraction of an inch. "Lovely," she finally muttered to herself.

[shh_katie]

Katie had to work to keep up with Mrs. Weasley, conversation wise. The woman was a tornado of speech and activity. "I'm glad you like the flowers," she managed to interject, although she didn't even pretend she had any knowledge whatsoever of gerberas, "most flowers cheer up a place, irregardless of kind though."

"George never told me about the mantel," Katie added as the older woman adjusted the vase she had picked for the flowers, "but it certainly is lovely - and large. It would have to be though wouldn't it, to fit all the stockings? I was very sorry to hear about the destruction of your home; you must be anxious to have it rebuilt."

Her heart leapt into her throat at the mention of a stocking for her. Katie swore a mile a minute in her mind, but forced herself to stay outwardly calm. It was technically a good thing, even if it had come without Mrs. Weasley even having met her. That didn't make her any more calm about it however. Inviting her along to this family event alone had seemed like more than a big enough step.

"That was very nice of you," was all Katie added to the comment about the stocking, determined not to worry about it.