Christmas Memories
By Misha

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling and is not mine, however much I might wish differently. However, I am not making any money off of this, so please do not sue me!

Author's Notes- I know that it's no where near Christmas, but I felt in the mood to write this anyway. It's just a sappy little Christmas story set in the future and featuring all our favorite characters. I was going to have some sad memories featured, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So, instead this is full of happy Christmas memories, though some are a little bittersweet. Well, that's all, enjoy!

Pairings- Harry/Hermione, Draco/Ginny, James/Lily, minor Molly/Arthur, Snape/Lily, Ron/Lavender.

Summery- As Christmas approaches, Harry and the gang reflect on the memories of Christmas past and prepare to make new Christmas memories.

Rating- PG

Spoilers- All four books.

Christmas Eve 2001

Harry Potter looked at his wife as she cradled their newborn daughter in her arms.

His wife. He still couldn't believe that Hermione was his wife, but she was and now they had a beautiful child.

Harry looked at the room around him, decorated for the season.

Harry shook his head with a rueful laugh, until he was eleven, he had hated Christmas, it served as a reminder of how alone he was.

Then he had gone to Hogwarts and met people who loved him, now he had a family of his own.

Just like he had had on the very first Christmas of his life.

Harry looked at Hermione again and smiled. She had given him back the memory of that Christmas. She had tracked down a potion that would restore forgotten memories (though it wouldn't reverse memory-loss charms), made it and given it to him on Christmas day in their fifth year of Hogwarts.

The day they become a couple.

It was the most thoughtful gift in the world, for it gave him something that he longed for: memories of his parents.

He closed his eyes now, as his mind wandered back to his first Christmas...

"Merry Christmas, Harry!" Lily Evans-Potter said enthusiastically, as she lifted her child up to show him the Christmas tree.

"I'm sure he doesn't even know what Christmas is, Lil." James Potter teased with a familiar smile.

Lily shot her husband a dark look. "He does too."

She looked down at her adored baby. "Don't you, darling?"

Little Harry merely gurgled in response.

Lily smiled and settled down in front of the tree with him in her arms. "Now, let's see what Santa brought you, why don't we?"

"Santa?" James asked in distaste. "Lily, why do you have to teach Harry that silly Muggle legend?"

"Because it's fun." His wife told him stubbornly.

She picked up the first present and opened it, as she nestled the baby in her arms.

"Let's see what we have here." She told the baby. "To Harry Love Uncle Padfoot."

Lily opened the present to reveal the tiny set of Gryffindor robes.

She shook her head. "He's not even hold enough to talk and Sirius already has him being sorted into Gryffindor."

"Of course." James answered. "Where else would he go?"

Lily just shook her head as she gazed down her son.

"Your Uncle Padfoot is silly. Yes, he is." She said softly. "But he loves you very much. We all do, Harry. Never forget just how loved you are, Darling."

There were tears in the older Harry's eyes as he snapped out of the memory.

For a long time, he had forgotten how loved he was.

But now he knew. Not a day went by when he didn't feel loved and not just by those who were with him, but also by those who could never again be.

He looked at Hermione and baby Lily and smiled as he thought of his parents.

Wherever they were, he knew that they would be happy that he had found a family and love. And that a part of them would always be with him.
***

Sirius Black sat in his home, looking out the window.

More than twenty years had passed since that last Christmas with James and Lily. That seemed hard to believe.

But it was true.

Sirius sighed. He had spent many of those years in Azkaban and many more on the run, but now he was a free man, he had been for a couple years.

Life was returning to normal.

But the holiday season still got to him. It reminded him of those who were gone, who had been gone for so many years.

But they weren't completely gone, Sirius knew that James and Lily lived on through their son.

He shook his head, how proud they would be of him.

Suddenly, he flashed back to Christmas Day twenty-two years earlier...

Everyone had finished opening their presents and sat there surrounded by piles of loot.

Suddenly, James stood up.

"We have one more present to give." He said.

"Oh?" Sirius asked eagerly. "Who for?"

"Everyone." Lily said with a happy smile. "Though it's not a real present, persay."

James and Lily exchanged looks.

"What is it?" Remus asked curiously.

Peter also looked eager.

"I'm pregnant." Lily said with a light laugh, her hand going to her stomach.

Everyone looked at her in shock.

"A baby?" Peter asked in disbelief.

Lily nodded happily.

Sirius stood up and wrapped her in his arms.

"Lil, that's fantastic!" He explained.

"It is." She agreed, sharing a long look with James.

Remus and Peter added their congratulations, while Sirius just looked at James and Lily.

A child... A way of carrying on the legacy.

Wow.

Sirius smiled sadly in the present.

How long ago that had been. James and Lily were gone. So was Peter, not that was a loss after the way he had betrayed them.

Only he and Remus were left, and Harry.

The child that Lily had carried that Christmas so many years ago, now he was a grown man with a family of his own.

Sirius smiled as he thought of little Lily, who he considered his own granddaughter, he'd see her tomorrow, as he had consented to spend the holiday with Harry and Hermione just as he had with Lily and James more than two decades earlier.

It was strange how things seemed to go around in circles.
***

Albus Dumbledore sat alone in his office.

It was Christmas Eve and for the first time in many years he would not be spending the holiday at Hogwarts.

But tonight, he would do what he did every year, sit and reflect on Christmases past.

There had been many in his life. Good ones and bad ones.

The Christmases of his youth. The first Christmas with his beloved Anne, the Christmas after he lost her. The Christmas when she was pregnant, the first one with Diana, then that horrible Christmas after her death.

Christmases spent with Diana and her family and then with her son, after her death.

The first Christmas after he lost even his beloved grandson and all the Christmases for the next ten years, as he worried about a beloved great-grandchild.

The Christmas when that child came to Hogwarts and he could at least see him, then the ones after the truth was revealed.

And now this Christmas which he knew would be a joyous one, spent with his great-grandson and great-great-granddaughter.

It was more than most men ever got to experience.

But, even as he waited the next morning, his thoughts slipped back to another joyous Christmas was a new child, over forty years before...

"See all the presents, Darling?" Diana Potter asked her infant son. "A lot of those are for you. You're a very well-loved baby, yes, you are."

Albus smiled fondly at Diana and baby James.

Jonas Potter laughed at his wife. "Diana, he's too small too understand what you're saying."

"He is not." Diana protested, then she looked at Albus. "What do you think, Dad?"

"I think that baby James understands as much as he needs to." Albus said with a smile. "And that is enough to know that he is very well-loved."

"He is." Diana agreed, smiling down at her baby before passing him to Albus.

Albus took him willingly. "I remember when you were that small." He said quietly.

Diana laughed. "That was a while ago."

"Yes, it was." Albus agreed. "And life keeps going, as it always will."

How right he was.

Life had continued on.

In the next years Albus lost a daughter and a grandson, gained a great-grandson and great-great-granddaughter and experienced many joys and triumphs.

They had been good years and terrible years.

But he had survived the sorrows, knowing that there was always hope in even the darkest of moments and he had lived to see that hope fulfilled.

Now, he believed he was reaching the end of this life.

He thought that this might be the last Christmas that he celebrated, but that was all right. He'd had many years on this Earth and had lived them to the fullest. He was ready, if it was truly his time.

He was just grateful that he was able to spend this last Christmas with Harry and his daughter. The newest generation.

Yes, life continued on...
***

Severus Snape sat in his room in the dungeons.

He was pondering the invitation he had received to spend Christmas with the Potters.

Surprisingly, he and Harry had become friends over the years. It had taken time for Severus to get over his antagonism, but he had finally realized that Harry was not his parents and it was not fair to punish him for things that had happened before he was born.

Still, though he was fond of the young couple, Severus was not sure how to respond to the invitation.

Christmas was not his favorite time of the year and he had grown accustomed to spending it by himself. He had, ever since he was a child.

Only once had he ever shared it with someone.

Severus closed his eyes at the memory...

"Do you know how hard it was to get my parents to agree to let me stay over the holidays?" Lily Evans asked with a laugh.

"You didn't have to." Severus told her. "I would have coped on my own."

"I was not going to leave you alone on our first Christmas together." Lily informed him. "And that is that."

Severus smiled. "You are stubborn, aren't you?"

Lily laughed. "Of course." She snuggled close to him.

"Besides, don't you want to spend Christmas with me?" She asked softly.

Severus held her tight.

"Of course, I do." He whispered. "More than I've ever wanted anything."

And for the first time in his life, he was actually looking forward to Christmas and all because of the girl in his arms.

Oh, how he loved her.

Severus sighed.

That had been a long time ago.

His fifth year at Hogwarts, to be exact. He and Lily had dated throughout the entire year, but it fell apart not long after.

In the summer between fifth and sixth years, he joined the Death Eaters and that put an end to his romance with Lily.

She soon began dating James Potter and that was that. He had lost her forever.

Yet, in a way, he had gotten piece of her back.

By opening his heart to Harry and accepting him for himself, and not another version of James, Severus had gotten a little bit of Lily back.

After all, his beloved lived on through her son and now, through her granddaughter.

With a small smile, Severus made up his mind. He would join the Potters for Christmas and this year he would celebrate for the first time in many years.

Just like Lily would have wanted.
***

Remus Lupin finished wrapping his presents.

He leaned back and smiled.

Christmas with Harry and Hermione, it sounded wonderful. Everyone together, gathered to celebrate the holidays.

It had been many years since Remus had experienced that. Not since James and Lily passed on.

Remus shook his head at the thought of his friends. He supposed it was natural that he would think of them at the holidays, for it was the time for family and friends.

Remus smiled as he thought of Lily and James and the first Christmas spent at their home.

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Lily said with a big smile.

"Merry Christmas, Lily." Remus told her. "I must admit, I'm surprised that you'd want us all here on your first Christmas as a married couple."

Lily smiled. "Of course we want you here, you're all family!"

James grinned over from where he was deep conversation with Albus. "She's right. Christmas is about family and you guys are ours."

"Your ours too." Remus answered for himself, Peter, and Sirius.

"We know." Lily told him with a bright smile.

Remus shook his head.

How long ago that was now. And how clear in his mind.

A part of him wished that Lily and James were with them, but at the same time, he knew that they were, in spirit. Somewhere, they were watching them with a smile.

Remus knew that Lily and James would be very happy that after many years, they were finally having family Christmases again, just like in the old days.

The family was a little different now, but the only thing that really mattered was love and they had plenty of that.

Remus smiled. Yes, this would be a good Christmas just like the ones of years long past.
***

Ron Weasley looked at his girlfriend with a smile.

"Are you ready for a Potter and friends Christmas?" He asked with a grin.

Lavender grinned back. "I think it sounds like fun."

Ron's grin widened.

Oh, yes, it certainly did like fun. Ron had been very excited when Harry told him that he and Hermione wanted to have everyone over for Christmas, just like his parents used to.

Though, this Christmas couldn't be as good as last.

Ron laughed a little as he remembered the previous year...

"Merry Christmas." He told his newly-married best friends.

Harry and Hermione exchanged smiles.

"Thank you." Hermione told him.

"How was Christmas morning at the Burrow?" Harry asked.

"Awesome." Ron told him. "You should have been there, Mum was upset that you couldn't make it."

"Sorry." Hermione said. "My parents wanted to see us. Especially since..."

"Especially since what?" Ron asked in alarm. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Harry told him. "Far from it."

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks.

"Ron, I'm pregnant." Hermione told him.

Ron stared at her. "Pregnant?" He asked in shock. "As in, with child?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

Ron swept her up in a hug. "Hermione, that's great."

As soon as he released her, he hugged Harry. "I'm so happy for you both."

"Thank you." Harry answered. "We're pretty happy ourselves."

"I can imagine." Ron thought, shaking his head. A baby, wow, time did go by...

Yes, it did.

Now Harry and Hermione were parents and he, Ron, was getting ready to pop the question.

Funny, it seemed like just yesterday it was their first years at Hogwarts, now they were all grown up.

Oh, how time went by...
***

Draco Malfoy sat in front of the fire, his arms wrapped around his wife.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you, too." Ginny whispered back. "And I can't wait for tomorrow. Our first Christmas as a married couple."

"Also our first extended Christmas as a family." Draco pointed out, referring to their plans to spend Christmas with the Potters.

Ginny smiled. "My mother's a little upset that Hermione won't let her help."

"I can imagine." Draco asked, knowing his mother-in-law very well. "But I can understand wanting to do her first family Christmas on her own."

"So can I." Ginny said. "It was nice of them to invite us all."

"Yeah." Draco said. "Like family."

Ginny laughed. "A strange family, you have to admit, but family all the same."

"Yes." Draco agreed softly.

The only real family he had ever known. Which was why he was really looking forward to this Christmas.

Maybe now the memories of the first Christmases of his life would be wiped out. Sure, he had had lot's of presents, those years, but no real sense of belonging or family.

Draco closed his eyes, remembering the year that changed. The Christmas of his sixth year at Hogwarts...

Draco made his way to the Gryffindor common room.

He had been given a note the night before with directions and the password, as well as instructions to come in the morning.

He had been surprised and flattered that his friends trusted a Slytherin enough to give him the password to their dorms.

He followed the directions, until he was in the boys' sixth year dorms. He was surprised to see the group of people waiting for him.

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

Three of the four were smiling, Ron still hadn't warmed up to him, though Draco and Harry had become friends the previous February.

"Merry Christmas!" Harry said excitedly.

"Merry Christmas." Draco said softly. "Why am I here?"

"Because it's Christmas morning and we wanted to spend it all together." Hermione said. "I even arranged for your presents to be sent here. So we can open them together."

"Thank you." Draco said, looking at the people who had quickly managed to become the best friends he had ever had.

He glanced at Ginny for a moment longer than necessary. She was so pretty...

She smiled at his glance and then leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Merry Christmas, Draco."

"Merry Christmas." Draco repeated with a grin.

And this year, he believed it might just be merry indeed...

Draco smiled at the memory.

He and Ginny had begun dating soon after that and now they were married. He thanked the lord every day for bringing her into his life. She was truly the most precious thing he had ever had.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked softly.

"That first Christmas we spent together, the five of us." Draco told her with a smile.

Ginny smiled in return. "That was a wonderful Christmas, wasn't it?"

"It was." Draco confirmed. "And so have all the Christmases since."
***

Molly Weasley hustled around her kitchen.

She had finally talked Hermione into letting her drink dessert, so she cooked up a numerous amount of items.

She was just beginning to finish now.

She was a little put out about not hosting Christmas herself, but she understood that this was the first Christmas with Harry and Hermione's new family and they wanted to have Christmas in their home, surrounded by the people they considered family.

Molly smiled, remembering the first Christmas after she and Arthur had started their family...

"Molly, the house looks splendid." Her mother said with a smile.

"Thank you." Molly said, looking around the home she and Arthur had just purchased.

Her eyes settled on her husband, who was holding their infant son in his arms and showing him all the presents under the tree.

With a nod to her mother, she approached the two.

"Hey." She said, taking the baby from Arthur.

"Hey." He said in return, wrapping his arms around both her and little Bill. "Merry Christmas."

Molly looked around the room, filled with both of their families.

"Merry Christmas." She whispered back happily.

What a wonderful feeling it was to be in her own home surrounded by those that she loved...

Molly smiled at the memory.

That had been such a special Christmas. And now it was time to pass the torch and let Hermione have the same special feeling.

Besides, it didn't matter where Christmas was held, as long as the people you loved were there.

And this year, there would be many people there, some who didn't get along, but who were all in some way connected. It was a strange bunch of people, but they were Harry and Hermione's family.

Molly smiled fondly at the thought of the young couple and hoped that their first Christmas was as happy as hers had been so many years ago.
***

Hermione Granger-Potter looked at her husband with a loving smile, as she finished nursing baby Lily.

Harry looked a million miles away and she knew he must be deep in thought. She believed she knew what his thoughts were about.

Christmas was always a bittersweet time of Harry, she knew that this was when he missed his parents most.

Hermione was so grateful that she had been able to help a little bit and give him back those memories of his parents.

She closed her eyes at the memory of that special Christmas...

Harry looked up from his gift with confused eyes. "'Mione, what's this potion for?"

"It's a memory recovering potion." Hermione said. "It used to recovered memories blocked by stress or trauma, or by time."

Harry paused. "You mean..."

Hermione nodded. "It will give you back the memories of your parents."

Harry's filled with tears. "Thank you." He whispered.

"You're welcome." Hermione told him. "I found the recipe in a book over the summer and I thought it would be perfect for you."

"It is." Harry told her. "It's such a thoughtful gift."

"I wanted to give you something special." Hermione said shyly. "To show you how much you mean to be."

Harry looked at her carefully. "'Mione?"

Hermione closed her eyes, she had been practicing for this moment for months.

"I really care about you Harry." She whispered. "And not just as a friend."

"I really care about you too." Harry told her. "Hermione, will you go out with me?"

Hermione nodded happily, she had been terrified of how Harry would react. He gathered in his arms and kissed her gently.

Hermione just rested there, she had never been happier than she was at this moment.

Hermione smiled at the memory.

Her life had gotten even better from there. She and Harry were married, they had a beautiful daughter, and the world was at peace. It seemed like a miracle.

"Hey." Hermione looked up to see Harry standing in front of her.

"Hey." She said in return.

Harry sat down next to her, placing an arm around her.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." Hermione told him.

Harry looked down at Lily. "Our life is perfect, isn't it?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, it is."

She leaned against her husband with a happy smile.

As happy as she had been that day years ago, she was much happier now. Life had just continued to get better and she was looking forward to the next day and Christmas surrounded by their loves ones.

It would be a wonderful day, she was sure of it.
***

Christmas Day

"Merry Christmas!" Ron said enthusiastically, as he and Lavender arrived.

Harry greeted him with a grin. "Merry Christmas, everyone else is already here."

"Well, we were saving the best for last." Ron said with a grin.

Lavender and Harry both rolled their eyes as they walked into the living room.

It was full of people, spread out all over the place.

Even Hermione's parents were there, though they had felt a little awkward at being the only non-magical people in the room. But Molly and Arthur had quickly put them at ease and the Granger's were now deep in convesation with Ron's parents.

Ron and Lavender found seats, while Harry sat down next to his wife.

"Merry Christmas." He whispered in her ear.

"Merry Christmas." She whispered back.

"Where's LIly?" He asked, noticing that she wasn't holding their daughter.

"Sirius has her." Hermione answered.

Harry laughed. "Of course."

His godfather was crazy about the baby and often monopolized her time.

"Now that we're all here, we have an announcement to make." Draco said, standing up.

Everyone turned to look at him and Ginny.

"Oh?" Harry asked curiously.

Ginny blushed. "I'm pregnant."

Hermione jumped up and ran over to her best friend. "Ginny, that's wonderful!"

In the next few minutes, everyone gave Ginny and Draco their congratulations.

As things began to settle down. Ron stood up.

"I have an announcement of my own to make." He told them.

"Let me guess, you're pregnant too?" Fred joked.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Umm, no. But Lavender and I are getting married."

"Ron, that's awesome!" Harry told him, going to give his best friend a hug. "Congratulations."

Ron smiled. "Thanks. Will you be my best man?"

"Of course." Harry answered.

The two friends exchanged smiles as everyone began giving congratulations and pestering Ron and Lavender with questions.

It took another fifteen minutes for things to settle down again.

"Any more announcements?" Harry asked with a grin.

Fred and Angelina exchanged a look.

"We were going to wait, but..." Angelina smiled. "I'm pregnant too!"

"That's wonderful." Hermione told her.

"Two more grandchildren!" Molly said excitedly. She looked at her other children. "Any other surprises?"

They all shook their head.

"I can only carry one at a time." Alicia said with a laugh, leaning back in her husband's arms.

George put a hand on her very-pregnant belly. "That's true."

"Same with me." Penny said, she was only a little less pregnant than Alicia. Percy wrapped his arms around her in a move of silent affection.

Molly looked at Bill and Charlie and their wives.

"One is enough for now." Charlie's wife Victoria answered, as she held their small son. "We'll have more when Ryan's a bit bigger."

"Same with us." Fleur Delcour-Weasley answered, she and Bill had married two years earlier and were the proud parents of a four-month old daughter.

Molly smiled. "Well, that's okay. I'm just happy that my family keeps growing."

"Yep, the Weasley's are taking over the Earth." Harry joked.

Molly looked at him. "You and Hermione are counted in that group, you know." She said. "I consider you both my children and Lily my granddaughter."

"We know." Hermione said with a smile. "And we're honored."

Harry looked at the round the room.

"Everyone here is family." He said softly. "It's an eclectic group, I'll admit, but family all the same."

Everyone smiled at that.

"Can we open presents now?" Ron asked.

Harry rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Thanks for ruining the moment, but sure, let's open presents."

With that people began to distribute their gifts.

Harry looked at Hermione. "This is a large bunch isn't it?" He asked.

She nodded. "Oh, yeah. But you're right, they're all family. And I can't think of a nicer way to spend Christmas then surrounded by the people I love."

"Neither can I." Harry answered, looking at the people who had come to mean so much to him.

He couldn't think of anything better than spending Christmas with them. It was what Christmas was all about after all, family.

The End