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All I Want For Christmas... | ||||
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Category: Post-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley Genres: Fluff Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: G Reviews: 13 Summary: Ginny and Harry grow closer, but when Christmas comes along, Harry can't come to the Burrow after all. Hitcount: Story Total: 5658 |
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Ginny Weasley lay on her four poster bed in the fifth year girls’ dormitory of Gryffindor Tower. As was the case many nights lately, she was having trouble sleeping. After the events at the Department Of Mysteries in the Ministry Of Magic mere months ago, she and Harry Potter had gotten along much better than they ever had. She no longer stuttered around him, or put her elbow in the butter dish. No, she had given up on her dream of Harry ever returning her love. Not that she didn’t still love him. Quite the contrary! But she had come to accept that she wasn’t able to change his mind, and even though it hurt not being able to call him hers, she wouldn’t change him one bit. He was as near to perfect as she could imagine. Except for not being in love with her like she was with him. Unfortunately, with the death of Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, she could feel Harry slipping further away, not only from her, but his two best friends, her brother Ron, and Hermione Granger. She had managed to get Harry to come out of his shell during the summer, something nobody else had managed to do, just by acting normal around him. His temper was showing more and more often, and everybody else pussyfooted around him. Not so with Ginny! Her temper was a match for his, just as quick to ignite and as fiery as her red hair. It only took a couple of outbursts at the onset of his stay at the Burrow for Harry to realize she wasn’t going to stand for his attitude. He gradually realized that he was angry at the wrong people. The rest of the summer had gone by more smoothly after that. They played Quidditch, did their summer homework (Mainly at Hermione’s insistence!), and swam in the stream near the Burrow. Harry hadn’t known how to swim as the Dursleys, his only living relatives, had never had him taught. They probably hoped he’d fall into some water one day and drown! Ginny took it as her responsibility to teach Harry how to swim. The basics at least as they didn’t have a lot of time. But once he got the hang of it, he enjoyed their time in the water, and even instigated a water fight once. Sadly, the return to Hogwarts wasn’t as bright an event as she had hoped it would be for him. Initially he was happy, the same as he’d gradually become over the summer, but little by little he regressed and was back to brooding or snapping at people. In fact, he had scared a few first years who had approached him to introduce themselves when he jumped up and shouted about how he just wanted to be left alone. It was now halfway through October, and Harry’s surliness was a match for that of Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian National Quidditch team’s Seeker and former Durmstrang Tri-Wizard Champion. The only things his new attitude had done were to alienate most of his friends to certain degrees, and gain him even more adoration from most of the female student population at school! Ginny herself was tired of Harry’s clipped, one word answers when he was addressed, but was truly annoyed when she caught girls watching Harry and giggling over what they wanted to do with him. Some of the girls had even gone as far as to ask Ginny if she could introduce them to Harry! She always told them no, though she wasn’t certain if it was for Harry’s benefit or her own. THAT was just another part of the ongoing problem that caused her to be lying awake while her dorm mates slept soundly around her. Why couldn’t Harry just notice her and fall in love with her as she dreamed? As a child growing up with stories of Harry Potter, she had fallen in love with the idea of him. He was a hero, plain and simple. When she got her first glimpse of him on Platform 9 ¾ when she accompanied her mother to King’s Cross Station for her brother Ron’s first day of school, she thought he looked quite handsome. He was also very polite, and seemed so ordinary for being the hero of her stories. Then he appeared almost a year later in her kitchen. She was struck speechless and became totally clumsy in seconds. But she could remember that while he noticed all of her behaviour, he never once made fun of her, or called her brothers’ attention to her antics. That was when she discovered he was also kind. By the end of the year, she knew that he truly was the hero of her childhood dreams when she awoke from her nightmarish ordeal in the Chamber Of Secrets to find Harry, badly wounded, dying even, sitting over her after having defeated the memory of Tom Riddle and the “Monster Of Slytherin”, the basilisk. The next two years were spent trying desperately to come to terms with the reality of her situation. Harry did not love her, end of story. Yet she couldn’t totally excise the hope from her heart that one day he would discover his “true” feelings for her. In the past few days, she had again taken up the challenge of bringing Harry out of his stupor. She had yelled at him when necessary, listened when needed, and just sat in companionable silence when that was what he unknowingly craved. He was still saddened by the loss of Sirius, as was she, Ron, and Hermione, but he was starting to heal those wounds. He was starting to realize that his friends were there for him, and that they meant a lot to him as well. Ginny got up and went to the seat on her window ledge. The moon was shining brightly over the grounds, and everything was peaceful. She sadly thought that she was far from finding that same peace within herself. *** The next morning dawned bright, waking Ginny from her slumber. She had fallen asleep in the window again, but found herself covered in a warm blanket from her bed. Since she didn’t remember bringing it with her, she assumed one of her dorm mates had seen her sleeping there again and had taken pity on her. None of them knew exactly what it was that Ginny was so consumed by, but they were willing to give her some time to come to terms with it, or ask for their help. She made a mental note to be nicer to all of them from then on. As it was Saturday, she was free to do whatever she wanted for the day. She had actually stayed up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and done her homework with them, so she had two days totally free of work. The Trio were likewise finished, so they had planned to spend the day together. According to the professors, it was to be a rare warm day for mid October, so they had thought a picnic near the lake would be fun. Dobby was contacted, and plans were made. So Ginny went and freshened up before getting dressed, and made sure to pack her bathing suit, a towel, and a few other odds and ends she might need for a day by the lake. When she came down to the Common Room, she found it nearly deserted. Realizing it must be mid morning by that time, she made her way to the portrait hole, intending to go to the Great Hall for a late breakfast. ‘Ginny!’ Turning around, her heart skipped a beat as Harry rushed to catch up to her, looking as dishy as usual. She dragged her eyes away from his mop of messy hair and put a friendly smile on her face. She thought he looked like he had also just gotten up, and found it strange that Ron and Hermione would leave without him like this. ‘Hi Harry. By yourself this morning?’ ‘Yeah. Ron and Hermione had “Prefects’ Duties” this morning, and left early. Honestly, I wonder what they DO whenever they’re gone like that!’ Ginny smiled to herself. She and Hermione had grown closer in the last year or two also, and she knew that there was a very good chance that the older girl and her brother would become a lot closer as time wore on. Not that Ron had done anything to show or tell her outright how he felt, but everyone who knew them had their own opinions on how long it would be before they were together. And the girl talk with Hermione showed Ginny just how much Hermione loved Ron. None of this showed on her face as she preceded Harry out of the portrait hole. It wasn’t her place to spoil their games. ‘It sounds quite dull, actually. Meetings, rounds, more meetings… You’re probably the lucky one, Harry.’ ‘And what about you,’ Harry asked. ‘Don’t you consider yourself lucky also? You’re not a Prefect either.’ ‘Yes, I am lucky too.’ Glancing sideways at Harry as they walked along, she thought, “If I were a Prefect, I wouldn’t have had this talk with you alone this morning.” They walked in silence for a while, then chatted about their planned picnic. Harry even agreed to bring his trunks to the lake with them in case it was warm enough. She fervently hoped it would be! As they entered the Hall, they looked around the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione weren’t readily visible, but as that wasn’t totally unexpected, it came as no surprise. Ginny headed to a seat near her friends, expecting Harry to be heading to a group of his own friends. She was slightly confused when the girls she was heading for stopped talking and looked at her with funny expressions on their faces. She stopped walking and turned to see Harry following her. ‘Is it ok that I sit with you today, Ginny? I know it I haven’t done this before, but you’re my friend too, and I thought it would be nice to join you for once.’ ‘Oh! Well, certainly Harry! Where would you like to sit?’ ‘You were going to sit with your friends, right? If it is ok with you, I’ll just join you. Unless you’d rather I didn’t, then I can go sit somewhere else…’ Ginny couldn’t believe Harry was asking to sit with her and her friends. He had never done that before! And he was even acting like he wanted to do it. She thought it was so unlike him to be this way, but maybe he was starting to come out of his shell again, and she wasn’t about to push him back in! ‘I’m sure nobody will mind. Come on, I’ll introduce you.’ With that, she led him over to the table and proceeded to do just that. Once the initial shock of having Harry “The Boy Who Lived” Potter sitting with them at lunch wore off, they all began chatting. With only a few furtive glances at his scar, Ginny’s friends treated him as just another one of the group. It was a new feeling for Harry. His own dorm mates and fellow Gryffindor sixth years treated him as just another student, but he still got the odd comment about his fame. The rest of the school, however, gawked like mad for the most part. He was used to it by now, but it still felt nice to be accepted without question. He even joined in their discussions on Quidditch and homework. When breakfast was over, they said their good byes and headed their separate ways. A couple of Ginny’s dorm mates gave her questioning glances, but she just raised her eyebrows as if to say that it was her business what she was doing hanging around with Harry. She knew she would be questioned later, but first she had to get her own answers! *** As they walked the corridors back to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny tried to think about how she could bring up the subject of breakfast without making him think she didn’t like it. In the end, she opted for the simplest approach. ‘Harry, how come you sat with my friends and I just now?’ With a sidelong glance at Ginny, Harry replied, ‘Well, you and I are friends, right?’ At an affirmative nod, he continued. ‘Since Ron and Hermione weren’t there, I thought I would do as I usually do, and sit with another friend. I didn’t think you would mind, but I won’t do that again if it made you feel uncomfortable.’ ‘NO! It was nothing like that! I really enjoyed it, but my friends are going to ask all sorts of questions later. I thought it was something like this, but I wanted to make sure.’ She gently took his hand in hers and squeezed as she said, ‘Don’t ever think you are unwelcome with me!’ ‘What about if you are with Dean? I’d be intruding on a date…’ Ginny stopped and laughed. ‘Harry, I only said that to annoy Ron! It seemed to work too, didn’t it?’ Harry’s face broke into a tentative smile. ‘You’re not seeing Dean?’ When Ginny shook her head in the negative, he started to grin. ‘Then yes, I’d say you made Ron VERY upset, but also gave me a good laugh at his expense.’ They continued on to the Tower, both with smiles on their faces thinking of what they could do to keep Ron guessing. Their contemplations were cut short a few minutes later when the object of their plotting and their other friend came into view approaching the portrait hole from another direction. They were carrying a rather large picnic basket between them, and talking. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but both of them had silly smiles on their faces. ‘Oi, what’s with the funny faces,’ Ginny called out. Both Ron and Hermione jumped as they had been so wrapped up in their conversation to notice they had an audience. ‘Nothing, nothing,’ Hermione said. ‘In case you hadn’t noticed, your brother ALWAYS has a goofy look on his face!’ Harry and Ginny just stared at the two of them in astonishment. Hermione, or all people, had just made a funny crack, and Ron didn’t try to defend himself! That kind of comment was usually used as a barb, and heralded one of their many rows. Looking back at each other, they both reached up and pretended to clear their ears so they could hear better, then looked back at their friends. Ron and Hermione had continued to the entrance to the Tower and had the basket through before Harry and Ginny thought to catch up. After explaining that the basket had a charm on it to keep the food fresh and cool, they stowed it in a corner of the Common Room for later. There were several people at the tables doing their homework, and Harry noticed the group of first years he had scared so badly a few weeks previously. With a quick smile to Ginny, he walked over to the table where the younger students were seated. They looked a little wary, but otherwise stayed where they were. They knew they weren’t doing anything wrong after all. ‘Hi guys. I’m really sorry about what happened at the beginning of term. I had a bad summer after losing someone very close to me, and I tend to snap at people I shouldn’t when I am in a bad mood.’ He said this loudly enough that his three friends could hear what he said, knowing they would understand that he was including them in his apology. ‘I’d really like to hang out with you guys sometime if you’re still interested. Maybe we can play some Exploding Snap or Gobstones sometime.’ The girls and boys at the table smiled, and he knew that they forgave him. They introduced themselves again, and Harry made sure he knew each and every one of them by name before he got up to meet his friends again. ‘That was really nice Harry,’ Hermione said. He could tell she meant about his apology to them, and the younger students. ‘Yeah, well I was a right prat about it, and I thought it was about time to change that. They really are nice kids. And you guys are my best friends.’ Without warning, Harry had engulfed all three of them in a big hug. ‘I don’t say it often, but I always feel I am very lucky to have all of you in my life. I couldn’t ask for better friends.’ Ginny was a little taken aback at being included in this emotional moment of Harry’s. She was happy, of course, and felt that she was wanted in the group. It was a big step away from feeling like she was only “Ron’s Little Sister” who had to follow them everywhere. She was sure she even felt a little squeeze on her shoulder before Harry let go. The four of them settled into some comfortable chairs around the fire. As they were done their homework, and even Hermione didn’t feel like revising ahead, they just played some Wizard Chess. They took turns playing, with Ginny even managing to give Ron a run for his money before he defeated her. Harry and Hermione, who were routinely beaten by Ron, enjoyed seeing him have to work for a victory. Eventually, the four friends packed up their things and decided it was time to go on their picnic. Ron and Hermione again carried the basket, which caused another look to pass between Harry and Ginny. Something was going on here, but they weren’t sure what. *** The day was as warm as they could have hoped for, and they quickly found a spot with ample shade, yet still near the lake’s edge. The giant squid was sunning itself out in the middle of the water, and the four friends watched for a while. Ron, of course, wanted food, so they all dug in. Dobby and the other house elves had outdone themselves with all the wonderful food. Everything was just perfect. Ron and Hermione spent a lot of time with their heads tilted towards one another, causing Harry and Ginny to wonder again. It didn’t take long, however, for them to have identical, evil grins spread across their faces. They quietly conferred with one another, then got up and pulled their clothes off down to their swimwear. Once they were ready, they nodded to each other and ran towards their friends. Ginny “accidentally” knocked into Hermione’s back on her way past, and Harry did the same with Ron. The result was that the two had been knocked together, and had their faces collide. Harry and Ginny were safely in the water and a little ways out before they dared turn around. Instead of giving chase, Ron had wrapped his arms around Hermione’s shoulders, and she had cuddled up to him. The two wet teenagers looked at each other with amused expressions. ‘I guess we didn’t have much to do to help them, did we,’ asked Ginny. ‘Nope. But everyone besides them knew all along that they’d end up together.’ Deciding that the two lovebirds on the shore weren’t going to be any fun in the near future, Harry and Ginny swam out a little further into the lake. Harry wasn’t as sure as Ginny, but she kept an eye on him to make sure he was ok. Eventually, the day had to come to an end. Ron and Hermione walked back to the castle hand in hand, leaving Harry and Ginny to carry the much lighter basket back. All in all, it had been a good day. The only down side for Ginny was that she saw how happy her brother was, and couldn’t quite push the jealousy down inside of her. How she longed to be walking hand in hand with Harry! Instead, there was a rather large picnic basket between them. Then there was the tiny little complication that he didn’t like her that way. Life just wasn’t fair! *** Halloween was just days away when the four friends sat down to breakfast one morning. Professor Dumbledore stood up before the food was served, and everyone sat still and quiet so they could hear the Headmaster. ‘As you all know, Halloween is around the corner. The rest of the faculty and I have decided that you the students needed something to take your minds off of recent events.’ At this, Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes settled on Harry and his friends briefly. ‘Therefore, we are having a Hogsmeade trip, followed by a Halloween Ball.’ Groans could be heard all over the Great Hall, and all of the voices were from the boys. The girls, naturally, were excited. Ron quickly leaned even closer to Hermione and asked, ‘Would you go to the Ball with me?’ Even though the two of them had finally stopped dancing around each other, Ron still looked somewhat nervous. ‘Of course I will,’ Hermione replied, kissing the tip of Ron’s nose before returning her attention to the Headmaster, who was trying to recall the students’ attention. ‘I knew that this last part would garner a mixed reaction, but I am certain that everyone will have a good time. Further information will be posted in your Common Rooms later today. Now, enough of an old man’s ramblings, let’s tuck in!’ The tables instantly filled with food, and everyone followed Dumbledore’s advice. It would be a long day of classes, and everyone was keen on getting in a good meal. Harry finished eating quickly, which wasn’t hard as he hadn’t taken a great deal of food. Excusing himself, he got up and left the table, but didn’t notice a pair of bright brown eyes following his movements towards the staff table. He stopped in front of Dumbledore’s seat and had a quick word, then nodded before heading out through the door that led to the room where the Tri-Wizard Champions had waited after their names had been drawn from the Goblet Of Fire. A few minutes later, Dumbledore himself got up and went through the same door. ‘What do you suppose that is all about,’ Hermione asked Ron. They started coming up with all sorts of ideas, and didn’t notice that Ginny wasn’t participating. She was staring intently at the door behind the teachers’ table, waiting for Harry to reemerge. ‘Um, excuse me, Ginny…’ Ginny turned around to see a boy from her year who was in Hufflepuff. He introduced himself as Matt Reid. She had seen him in a few of her classes, but had only spoken to him on a couple of occasions. ‘I was just wondering if you would be interested in going to the Halloween Ball with me?’ Ron had just taken a rather large mouthful of food when he started choking. Hermione pounded him on the back, telling him the entire time that he shouldn’t take such a large amount of food at one time. Matt was momentarily distracted by the outburst, which gave Ginny time to think about an answer. ‘I’m really sorry Matt, but I already promised to go with someone else.’ ‘Oh, that’s ok. You and Harry have a good time then.’ He gave a little smile and walked away. Ginny just gaped at his back until Ron brought her back to the matter at hand. ‘Just WHO are you going to the dance with?’ ‘Nobody, I just wanted to keep my options open. If it turns out no one else asks me, I can always talk to him later. I had thought that I would go with Harry if he needed someone to go with so he didn’t have to put up with all the girls throwing themselves at him.’ ‘Throwing themselves at who,’ asked Harry, arriving in time to hear the end of the exchange. ‘You, mate,’ Ron said. He proceeded to tell Harry about what happened. ‘So Ginny has decided to take it upon herself to save you from a fate worse than death, worse than UMBRIDGE!’ Hermione punched Ron on the arm, but was fighting a smile back anyway. ‘Of course, we know that Ginny has wanted to go anywhere with you for years… OW!’ This time, both Hermione and Ginny had punched Ron, and not very gently at that! ‘Ron, Ginny is just being nice. She doesn’t have those feelings for me anymore.’ Harry’s voice was firm, but there was a hint of sadness at the end that Ginny didn’t miss. ‘I’m sure she has someone in mind that she would like to go with, and just didn’t want you to know.’ “NOOOOOOOO,” Ginny screamed in her mind. “It is you I love Harry James Potter! Why can’t you see?” Out loud she said, ‘There really isn’t anyone special. If you don’t want to be bothered with all the silliness, I’d be happy to go with you. At least we’d both know we were there with a friend, so we would have a good time.’ Harry thought this over. He was slowly coming to realize that he had deeper feelings for Ginny than he had ever admitted, even to himself. She was nearly as smart as Hermione, brave, loyal, generous, powerful, and, if he was completely honest with himself, very beautiful. ‘You know, that sounds great! You’re sure you don’t mind putting up with me for the evening?’ ‘Of course not! We’ll have a blast. And we can make fun of these two,’ she said, motioning to Ron and Hermione, who had tilted their heads together again and weren’t paying much attention to anything else. ‘It’s settled then! What are you doing for the Hogsmeade visit,’ Harry asked. ‘Oh! I hadn’t really thought of that. Why?’ ‘Well, I just thought that since I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to, maybe we could go together…’ Can this be real?!? Is Harry asking me out? “Sure, as a convenient friend,” said a nagging little voice in her head. “But it is better than not at all,” she silently responded. Out loud she said, ‘That sounds like a lot of fun. The four of us can walk down together, then you and I can go wherever we want while they’ she pointed to Ron and Hermione, ‘go to Madame Puddifoot’s Tea Shop.’ ‘Hey!’ Ron and Hermione said together. This brought about a light banter between the four students until the bell rang. Picking up their stuff, Ginny suddenly remembered that Harry had disappeared. ‘Harry, what was up with your visit with Dumbledore?’ ‘Hmm? Oh, erm, nothing much. By the way, would you mind terribly if we had some friends come with us to Hogsmeade for a while at least?’ ‘Sure, not a problem.’ Did she really just say that? ‘Who are they?’ ‘I’ll tell you tonight in the Common Room, ok?’ ‘Ok.’ With that, she watched Harry dash away for his class, and realized if she didn’t get a move on, she would be late too! *** That evening, the Hogsmeade and Halloween Ball notices appeared on the Common Room notice board. Hermione, of course, got up and went immediately over to it. ‘This is odd,’ she said as Ron, Ginny, and Harry joined her. ‘This says that ALL students are allowed on this Hogsmeade trip, as long as someone in fourth year or above invites them! And the same with the Ball! As long as they’re invited, they can come, even if they aren’t the date of the person who invited them.” ‘Mental,’ Ron said. ‘Why would Dumbledore do that?’ Ginny just looked at Harry, knowing instinctively that he was the reason. His face was set in a carefully neutral look, but she could see the gleam in his eyes. He smiled briefly at her, then turned and headed for the table where the first years he had befriended weeks ago were seated. ‘Hey mates. Listen, the notice board says that younger students can come to Hogsmeade if they are invited by an older student. Would you guys like to come? Ginny and I are going, and you can hang out with us for a little while, then explore on your own if you’d like.’ The younger students just gaped at him. They glanced quickly at Ginny as she made her way over, not knowing what to make of it all. ‘What about Ginny though? Won’t she mind if we’re there,’ one of the girls at the table asked. ‘Wouldn’t she mind us being with you on your date?’ Harry gave a small half smile and said, ‘No, it’s not like that. We’re just good friends.’ He gave an almost inaudible sigh at the end, and his eyes seemed a little darker than usual. ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t mind you guys coming along. It would be brilliant!’ Ginny carefully concealed her disappointment to find out once again how Harry only viewed her as a friend. ‘Oh yeah, if you want, the Ball afterwards is similarly arranged, so if you lot want to come to that too, I’ll vouch for you.’ Ginny again looked at Harry. He was full of surprises today! The group of first years couldn’t believe their luck. They jumped up and thanked both Harry and Ginny profusely, then started talking quietly amongst themselves as the older students excused themselves. Sitting in front of the fire in their favourite couch, Harry at one end and Ginny at the other, both with their legs curled under themselves with their feet almost touching in the middle, Ginny gave the boy sitting with her a shrewd look. ‘That was quite a nice thing you arranged, Harry.’ He coloured slightly from the praise, and for being so easily caught. ‘I was so awful to them at the beginning of term, I thought it would be nice. And, everyone could use some relaxation these days.’ They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the fire. All of a sudden, Harry’s feet were kicked by Ginny’s. He tore his gaze from the grate to see a smiling, freckled face looking at him. Two could play this game! He pretended to smile and turn away, and just as she relaxed her guard, he kicked her feet also. Trying hard to keep a straight face, he continued gazing at the fire. Soon, there was a furious battle raging amidst the giggles and laughter as both kept trying to knock the other one off the couch fully. This continued for a few minutes until it was obvious they were at a stalemate. Both teenagers were stretched out on the couch with their legs twisted together. They both agreed silently that neither had won. Harry got onto his side facing the fire, with his legs at the other end of the couch behind Ginny’s head. She lay with her feet in front of Harry, but her feet only came to his chest. They resumed their contemplation of the fire in silence. After a few minutes of this, Harry’s hand snaked out and caught Ginny’s feet. Instead of tickling them as she thought he would do, he absently started to massage them. Ginny just lay there, enjoying the sensations. She hadn’t realized how much her feet ached from walking all over the castle and being in her shoes all day. After about ten minutes of his ministrations, she fell asleep, followed shortly thereafter by Harry himself. A couple of the first years Harry had invited came over and gently put blankets over the sleeping pair, smiling the entire time. *** Halloween morning dawned grey and chilly. All the students who were going in to the village of Hogsmeade made sure to take their cloaks to breakfast with them as they would leave right after eating. Harry’s first year friends joined him for breakfast, along with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. The younger students all chattered excitedly about being able to go into the village. Even Ron and Hermione had invited some younger students along. In fact, everyone in Gryffindor Tower was going as everyone had followed Harry’s lead and invited their younger Housemates. Finally, it was time to go. Harry’s group, which included some second years Hermione had invited, over Ron’s pessimistic comments, got up and headed for the Entrance Hall, getting their cloaks on as they walked. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, was at the doors to clear everyone through who were on his list. He was scowling more than usual as the younger students came up to him. When they got to the village, Harry and Ginny separated from Ron and Hermione, each taking their group of younger Gryffindors with them. Dumbledore had told Harry that the younger students could roam freely, as long as they were shown about and instructed as to where they could and could not go. That was a simple matter as most everywhere in Hogsmeade was allowed, except for the private homes and the Hog’s Head. Harry and Ginny bid their charges good day, and let them explore on their own. They did, however, point out the Three Broomsticks and told them to meet back there at noon. Harry even promised them lunch and a Butterbeer each. The morning was devoted to browsing, with Harry buying lots of sweets from Honeydukes, a new quill from Scrivenshaft’s, and, of course, a selection of Zonko’s Jokes. Ginny, never having had much, if any, pocket money, was simply window shopping. Harry offered to lend her some money, or even give it to her, but she wouldn’t do that. So, he instead watched what she was interested in and either filed it away for later use, or discreetly bought it for her. If Ginny had been hoping for a romantic day, she was disappointed. However, since she was used to such disappointments, she just enjoyed what she did have: a day with a very good friend. Lunch time was approaching, and they made their way to The Three Broomsticks. Their youthful charges were waiting for them, not quite sure about entering the loud, energetic atmosphere alone. They looked quite pleased that Harry and Ginny were there, and all started thanking him again for inviting them. They had a wild assortment of bags in their hands, which they gripped a little tighter upon entering the establishment. It was packed, as was to be expected during a Hogsmeade visit. Ginny herded the students to a booth at the back of the room that was, miraculously, free. Harry went up to the counter to place the order for the table, chatting with Madam Rosmerta for a few minutes while his order was prepared. She would, of course, deliver it to the table for him, but he knew she was busy and didn’t want to trouble her. He knew Ron, and most of the rest of the male population at Hogwarts had a “thing” for her, but he didn’t. Whenever he though of a girl, she always had flaming red hair. He knew he was pathetic, longing for her like this, but he couldn’t help himself. He glanced across the room at Ginny as she talked with their group. She looked up briefly and caught his eye. He found himself starting to grin like a fool, and quickly looked away to pick up the tray before making his way over to her. Their time in the pub passed rather quickly for everyone. The younger students went their own way after leaving the Three Broomsticks, promising to behave themselves. Harry and Ginny wandered around, not really having anything pressing to do. Eventually, they headed up the hill towards the Shrieking Shack. Ginny slowed a little with nerves, and when Harry noticed, he gently took her arm and assured her she would be safe. As they stood looking at the house, he slowly began to tell her about meeting Sirius there for the first time, and how he and Professor Lupin had revealed Scabbers to be Peter Pettigrew, his father’s former friend and betrayer. As they stood, each lost in their own contemplations, it suddenly dawned on both of them that their arms were still linked. Neither one made a move to change the situation, and both of them, unbeknownst to the other, were having similar thoughts on the matter. Eventually, though, they did move apart and head back through Hogsmeade to meet up with their younger friends and started their return trip to the castle. All the girls were chatting about the Ball that would be held in just a couple of hours, even Ginny entering into the gossip. Harry and the other boys, however, talked about Quidditch. It was no secret that the younger boys idolized Harry, a fact that made him ill at ease. However, he made the best of it, and entertained them with stories of his time with the House Team. Upon reaching Gryffindor Tower, Ginny told Harry she’d meet him in the Common Room at 5:30 so they could go down to the Great Hall together with their young charges, then the 8 students went their own ways to get ready. *** Harry sat on his four poster bed, shifting nervously. It was almost time to meet Ginny, but his nerves were getting the better of him. How was he going to manage going as “just friends” when he felt so much more for her? Glancing at his watch, he jumped up and started down. Even if they just remained friends, Harry didn’t want to miss out on ANY time with Ginny! Ron had used the Prefects’ bathroom to get ready, and wasn’t around to notice Harry’s distress, which was a good thing considering that his baby sister was the cause. The last thing Harry needed was a black eye for this Ball! When he reached the Common Room, the six first years who were going with them were already waiting. The boys looked rather handsome in their dress robes, while the girls looked very pretty in theirs. Harry didn’t know what he would have done if he had to attend one of these Balls in his first year! He sat and chatted with the group, even agreeing to dance with each of the three girls at some point in the evening. A noise from the girls’ staircase made Harry turn, then stand up with his mouth hanging open. Ginny had just entered the Room, and the sight was almost too much for Harry to handle. She came slowly down the stairs wearing velvet dress velvet in a beautiful emerald green colour that went beautifully with her brilliant red hair, which she wore loose with waves near the ends, and some sparkles all over. Her face, Harry noticed, was devoid of the make up he knew that most of the other girls would use, but that suited him just fine. Ginny needed nothing to make her face beautiful! For her part, Ginny had slowed down because of Harry. He looked handsome, as always, but he looked even better in his dress robes. They were still in a deep, forest green colour, which brought out his eyes amazingly. She could see that he no longer looked as skinny as he always did when coming to the Burrow for the first time each year after nearly starving at his horrid relatives’ place. In fact, Quidditch and other exercises he did regularly at Hogwarts were developing his body into one any girl would love, and many guys would envy. What really got Ginny, though, was his reaction upon seeing her. It made her heart swell, and made her forget for one glorious moment that they were just friends. How she wished she could see that reaction from him all the time! As Ginny stopped in front of Harry, they became aware that they were both staring. Harry sheepishly smiled before looking away, noting the admiring glances coming from the boys gathered around them, and the girls whispering to each other with smiles on their faces. ‘I almost forgot,’ Harry said. Taking his wand out, he pointed it towards the stairs leading to his dormitory and said, ‘Accio Ginny’s gift!’ Seconds later, a small box came zooming into Harry’s outstretched hand. He handed it to Ginny with a shy smile on his face. ‘You really didn’t have to get me anything, Harry,’ she said. Opening the box, she found a beautiful corsage. It was a deep red to complement her hair, and also happened to go well with her dress robes. She was delighted that Harry had been so thoughtful, then pulled him into a huge hug. ‘Thank you so much! Would you pin it on for me?’ Harry gently pinned the flower to her dress where she indicated, then stepped back. ‘I sure hope Colin has his camera with him tonight,’ he said. ‘You look beautiful, Ginny.’ With that, he held out his arm to her so he could properly escort her down to the Ball. Ginny was glad he offered his arm as she was certain she would have collapsed otherwise. “Harry Potter said I was beautiful!!!” she thought to herself, over and over again. She accepted his arm, and they started towards the portrait hole with the giggling first years behind them. They arrived in the Entrance Hall in time for the doors to the Great Hall to open. All the students milling around noticed Harry and Ginny coming down the stairs. The reactions varied from simple acknowledgment to outright jealousy. A good many of the girls in attendance tonight had sought Harry out in hopes he would take them to the Ball, but he had refused them all with some vague excuse. The Great Hall looked simply marvelous! Hagrid had outdone himself with the pumpkins, clouds of live bats flew around, and the sky, through the enchanted ceiling, was clear with a bright, full moon. The Hogwarts ghosts could be seen glowing softly in the crowd. Instead of the usual black attire, the Hall was awash in a wide variety of colours. All in all, it was a sight to behold! Harry led Ginny and their group to one of the many round tables that had replaced the long House tables for the evening. As at the Yule Ball two years previously, there were menus on the plates. Harry and Ginny scanned them while the First Years looked confused. After explaining how to order, they waited for everyone to be seated and for Professor Dumbledore to speak as he usually did before any Hogwarts Feast. ‘Welcome, welcome,’ Dumbledore began. ‘I see we have a great many younger students in here tonight. I’m so happy that someone convinced me that it was the right thing to do.’ He was looking straight at Harry when he said this, and that point was not lost on the First Years at Harry’s table. The look was brief enough that nobody else in the Hall realized what happened though, and Dumbledore continued his speech. ‘You arranged this, Harry,’ asked Cindy, one of the girls at the table. ‘Yeah, I did. I thought it would be nice to have everyone here.’ There was a general thank you for Harry at the table, and he blushed a little from all the attention. ‘Now, I’m sure that everyone is quite hungry after their day out in the village and fresh air, so, without further adieu, tuck in,’ Dumbledore concluded. He then sat and looked at his plate before saying ‘Pork Chops!’ Suddenly his plate was full of pork chops, potatoes, vegetables, and apple sauce. He picked up his silverware and began eating as if he weren’t the centre of attention in the Hall. ‘Roast Beef!’ Ginny looked at Harry just as his plate filled with his supper. It looked so good, and smelled even better, so she said the same thing to her plate. The First Years got the idea and quickly ordered their choices too. Once everyone at their table had food in front of them, Harry started eating with them. It was an enjoyable event, made even better with Ron and Hermione’s table very close to their own, and they could all talk to each other. Everyone laughed when Ron’s voice rang out ordering another supper while everyone else was only half done their own. Eventually the meal was over, though Ron could have eaten at least another plate full. His friends all smiled indulgently at him, and assured him he would not starve to death, even if he was a “growing boy”. At Dumbledore’s request, everyone got up so the tables could be moved to the perimeter of the Hall. ‘Wonder who they got for the entertainment,’ Ron said to Harry. ‘I don’t know. Anything is fine with me right now. Well, maybe not an orchestra playing musical saws…’ Ron just groaned, remembering the Death Day party they had attended in their second year. ‘Maybe it’ll be the Weird Sisters.’ Just then, Dumbledore called for silence. ‘Now that we are all fed and watered sufficiently,’ his blue eyes sparkled as they glanced at Ron, ‘we can start the Ball. Tonight we have the honour of welcoming the Weird Sisters to Hogwarts.’ The crowd erupted into wild applause as the group of witches came out and onto the stage where the Head Table previously sat. ‘Please enjoy yourselves. The area in front of the doors of the school have been transformed should any of you want to get some fresh air tonight. The teachers will be checking outside regularly for anyone not behaving in an appropriate fashion.’ There was a smattering of applause and laughter at Dumbledore’s last remark, then cheering as the Weird Sisters broke into their first song. It was a fast one, and Harry nervously looked at Ginny. Having grown up in the Wizarding World, she had listened to the WWN on her family’s Wizard’s Wireless. She obviously knew the song that was being played, and was tapping her feet to the beat. Ron had already taken Hermione out on the dance floor, and all the younger students who were with Harry and Ginny had gone out too. ‘I’m not really a good dancer,’ Harry began uncertainly. Ginny looked at him as he continued, ‘But would you like to dance? I promise to try and stay off your feet.’ ‘That’s sweet of you, Harry, but you don’t have to.’ Did she just say that?!? ‘I know I don’t have to. But you look as if you really like this song, and it is rather catchy…’ ‘Well, I’d really like to dance. Are you sure?’ She was looking at him hopefully. ‘Sure. But don’t say I didn’t warn you about your feet.’ With a small grin, he led her onto the dance floor. Ginny started to dance immediately, and after watching her for a moment, and looking at the other boys around him, Harry decided that there was really no set pattern to this kind of dancing, and he could do that. The song ended soon after the two teens started dancing. ‘I’m sorry Ginny. I should have asked you right away.’ ‘That’s fine Harry. And you dance very well!’ She had noticed his hesitation, but when he started, his face relaxed and he looked as if he were truly enjoying himself. She was glad. She liked being with him at any time, but loved being with him when he was having fun or being playful. Ginny started back to their table as the next tune started, a slower song this time. She figured Harry wouldn’t want to dance with her to this kind of music. To her surprise and delight, however, he grabbed her hand and asked her if she wanted to try a slower dance too. Half an hour later, Harry and Ginny finally collapsed into seats at a small table. Their friends were nearby, chatting away and sipping Butterbeers. That looked like a good idea to Harry, who was awfully thirsty after that much dancing. They had enjoyed dancing to the slow tune so much that they just stayed out there for several more songs, both slow and fast. ‘Fancy a Butterbeer, Ginny,’ Harry asked? ‘Oh, yes please! I’m so warm I could melt snow if we had any outside!’ ‘Would you care for a stroll outside to cool off while we enjoy our Butterbeer then M’Lady,’ Harry asked with a flourish and a bow. ‘Certainly, good sir.’ Ginny curtsied in return, and they both had a good laugh. They passed the refreshment table on their way outside, and neither was very surprised to see Ron and Hermione sitting at a table nearby, Hermione sipping a Butterbeer and Ron shoveling food into his mouth. Laughing as he grabbed two bottles, he gave Hermione an amused grin. She just rolled her eyes and continued sipping her drink. The area around the great oak doors had been decorated for the occasion. There were low hedges defining walking paths, benches here and there, and live fairies to provide light. Orange and black banners were strung here and there, and there were even many gigantic webs. There was a Warming Charm done in the area, but it was still cooler outside than in, and the pair found themselves a bench away from everyone else who had come outside. After the exertion from the dancing, it felt good to cool off. ‘It isn’t long until the Christmas hols are here,’ Harry said. ‘I’m not sure I am looking forward to them. Last Christmas was wonderful with Sirius. This year…’ Ginny put a hand lightly on his shoulder. ‘You’ll have a good Christmas, Harry. We’ll all make sure of that!’ ‘It’ll be rather lonely here without you lot.’ Harry tried to keep his voice even, but he heard the slight tremor in it. ‘What do you mean? Hasn’t Ron asked you to come to the Burrow for Christmas?’ Ginny was sure it would be ok with her mum and dad if Harry was there. ‘No, he’s mentioned Christmas traditions you have though. It sounds really nice. I’ll probably end up at Grimmauld Place.’ ‘Harry,’ Ginny said, ‘would you like to spend Christmas at the Burrow with us instead? If my git of a brother isn’t going to invite you, then I will!’ ‘I don’t want to impose. I’ll be fine. I’m sure Remus will visit me.’ ‘I won’t take no for an answer Harry Potter!’ Ginny smiled at him as she said this, letting him know she wasn’t angry, just teasing. ‘Then I guess I had better say yes, right?’ Harry’s whole face was lit up with joy. He was still unsure how to tell Ginny about his feelings for her. In fact, he was having trouble with them himself. But the prospect of spending time away from school with his friends, and especially Ginny, was truly a happy thought for him. ‘That’s right. I’d hate to have to Bat-Bogey you tonight. We are at a Ball after all.’ Harry shuddered. He knew all too well how good Ginny was with her trademark hex! ‘So what would you like for Christmas?’ Ginny looked at him for a long minute. ‘Just you,’ she finally said softly. Then her eyes widened as she realized she had spoken out loud. ‘I meant, just you to be there instead of being alone! You don’t have to get me anything!’ Her face was now almost a match for her hair it was so red. Harry sat digesting this for a minute. It almost sounded like she still liked him. But Hermione had told him she had given up on him. Could it be that Hermione was misinformed? ‘I know I don’t have to, but I want to. Isn’t there anything you need or want?’ Ginny tried to think. Of course there were things she wanted. With her family being so poor, there was always want. There was even need. But what could she tell Harry she needed that wouldn’t be too expensive? ‘Well, I could do with a new trunk. The one I have is held together with more Spellotape than anything else.’ ‘That isn’t very Christmasy, though. I can see I might have to do some research on this one!’ Harry pulled an overly serious face, which had the desired effect of making Ginny burst out in giggles. ‘You’re terrible! But that was funny.’ ‘I’m glad you thought so. Now, since we’ve finished out Butterbeers, shall we return to the Ball? I’d like to dance with my date some more, but I also promised the girls I’d save a dance for them too.’ ‘Well, by all means, we shall return. I will ask the boys to dance also then. I hope that won’t make you jealous though,’ Ginny said, giving Harry a sly look. Harry laughed, but a little nervously. Ginny noticed this and filed it away for later contemplation. She didn’t want to start analyzing every little thing Harry said to her in the hopes that there were hidden meanings! When they returned, Harry sought out their little group. He asked Cindy if she’d like to dance while Ginny asked her friend Matt. It was a fast song again, which suited Harry just fine. If he was going to slow dance with anyone, it would be Ginny. Luck was with Harry this time as all three of his dances were fast songs. All three girls giggled and thanked him before returning to their own partners. For their part, the boys looked quite pleased with having had Ginny as a partner for a dance. Another slow song started, and Harry turned to Ginny, held his hand out then bowed over her hand as she took his. ‘Would you care to dance, M’Lady?’ ‘Of course, good Sir,’ Ginny said as she dipped him a curtsey. They both laughed at this as they headed out to the floor. The six first years smiled at each other then broke into pairs for their own dance. A couple of hours later, midnight was approaching. The Weird Sisters announced their final number, a ballad called “Witch Way To Your Heart?”. Ginny almost squealed in pleasure. ‘I LOVE this one!’ ‘I am actually quite tired, Ginny. Do you mind if we skip this one,’ Harry asked. Ginny’s face fell for a moment, but she recovered quickly. ‘That’s fine with me, Harry. I’m a little tired too.’ She started back towards their table. Harry grabbed her hand, and twirled her back to him as the first notes started playing. ‘I was only joking, Gin!’ Ginny’s face lit up with joy as she realized she was dancing the final song, and a love song at that, with the boy of her dreams. ‘I’m going to have to get you for that.’ Neither of them spoke after that. They came together perfectly, her smaller frame fitting perfectly into the contours of his larger one. Ginny’s cheek was resting on Harry’s chest, and she closed her eyes, savouring the feeling that wouldn’t likely come again. Harry, figuring the same thing, lay his cheek on top of her red tresses, and closed his eyes also. *** A couple of weeks after the Halloween Ball, Harry and Ron were sitting in the Common Room together. Hermione had gone to the library with Ginny to help the younger girl revise for her O.W.L.s, giving the boys some rare time alone. After the Ball, Ginny and Harry hung out together more often, so it was odd for both of them to be alone. ‘Erm, Harry,’ Ron began nervously. ‘What’s going on with you and my sister?’ Harry’s gut clenched. He had tried so hard to remain just Ginny’s friend, not letting his feelings for her show. He was certain that he was doing a good job, but if Ron of all people noticed something, then he couldn’t have been as cautious as that! ‘What do you mean? ‘Well, you are spending a lot of time with her. It used to just be the three of us.’ Ron still looked a little nervous, but waited for an answer. ‘You and Hermione spend an awful lot of time together just the two of you. Ginny and I are good friends too, and she keeps me company when you aren’t around. No offense mate, but I don’t think I’d want to come along on one of your snogging sessions!’ With this, Ron turned absolutely red. He stammered a few times, trying to get words out, but failed. Finally he collected himself. ‘I’m sorry Harry! I didn’t realize we were pushing you away!’ ‘You weren’t! I’m happy for you both. You’ve been driving everyone mad for ages by dancing around each other. But when I’m lonely, Ginny and I have fun together, or just study.’ ‘You’re sure you’re ok with Hermione and I?’ ‘Yes, absolutely!’ ‘Thanks mate. And I wasn’t trying to be pushy about Ginny. You seem really happy lately is all. I was just curious. And I want you to know that, if anything ever did happen between you two, I’d be very happy for you both.’ Harry was flummoxed. He had never once mentioned to Ron that he fancied Ginny. In fact, he had never mentioned to ANYONE that he fancied her. After his gigantic failure with Cho the previous year, he didn’t want anyone to know who he liked. He was saved the trouble of trying to answer Ron when Hermione and Ginny entered through the portrait hole. Hermione came right over to Ron and plunked herself down on his lap. With a quick hello to Harry, she proceeded to say a much more personal hello to her boyfriend. ‘Did you get lots of revising done,’ Harry asked Ginny. ‘Yeah, loads. Hermione makes it sound so much easier than most of the professors!’ Further conversation was difficult because Ron and Hermione were starting to get noisy. ‘Oi! Get a room why don’t you,’ Harry laughingly called out to his friends. The four friends all had a good laugh, then headed up to their dormitories. *** ‘You can’t say no now,’ Ginny said rather forcefully to Harry the evening before the Hogwarts Express was due to take them all back to London for the Christmas hols. ‘I’m sorry Ginny. Something came up, and I can’t come to the Burrow for Christmas right away. Look, today is Friday, Christmas is on Monday. I should be able to be there Wednesday or Thursday and spend time with you all.’ ‘What “something” is it that came up?’ ‘I don’t know. Dumbledore told me just a little while ago that I can’t go. That’s why I missed supper tonight, I was with him in his office trying to find out why, or to get him to change his mind.’ Harry’s eyes were downcast, and it broke Ginny’s heart to see him so despondent. ‘Oh Harry, why do things always happen to you?’ Ginny threw caution to the wind and threw her arms around him. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears, but she was trying to keep them to herself so he wouldn’t be so unhappy. Harry noticed her sobbing, and was genuinely touched. It was the clincher in a long line of little things that told Harry she did still like him as more than a friend. In the last few weeks, he had put more effort into watching for any signs. At first he almost missed them, but little things like passing him the platters of food first at meals before taking her own portion, changing the topic of conversation subtly whenever she saw him getting tense while talking to anyone, not just her, and dozens of other things. They were small enough on their own that he had totally missed them before, but when he looked for them, there they were. His insides soared, knowing that his Christmas present for her would be well liked. ‘Hey Gin, c’mon, you have to cheer up! I’ll be sure to make it there by Thursday at the latest! Wild hippogriffs couldn’t keep me away!’ Ginny snorted with laughter into his shoulder, then stood herself up straight. ‘Promise?’ Harry swept into a low bow, and said, ‘M’Lady! I solemnly swear that I will be at the Burrow by Thursday, or earlier if I can manage it.’ Giggling despite herself, Ginny pulled herself together. ‘You’d better, or you and Professor Dumbledore will be in for it!’ They said goodnight so Ginny could go up and pack, and Harry went upstairs to see if Ron needed any help. ‘I can’t believe you aren’t coming, mate!’ Ron had been indignant on Harry’s behalf ever since he learned that his best friend wouldn’t be there for Christmas. ‘What is so sodding important that it can’t wait until after Christmas?’ ‘No worries mate. I’ve resigned myself to this. I’ll still be there for the rest of the holidays. I should be there by Thursday. We’ll still get New Year’s together!’ Ron grumbled a bit more, then sighed. ‘Well, if you can face it with good grace, then so can I. Hermione’s parents have agreed that she could come to the Burrow for Christmas Day. They celebrate on Christmas Eve, so it isn’t like she’s going to miss the big event at her place.’ Ron seemed to cheer up immensely at that. The next morning, Harry rode in a thestral-drawn carriage to Hogsmeade Station with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Ron thumped him on the back as he said good bye, then Hermione threw her arms around him in a big hug. They moved away to save a compartment while Ginny stepped up to say good bye to Harry. ‘You make sure you get there Harry. I’m not in the Christmas spirit anymore because you’re going to miss it.’ Ginny’s face was sad, but her eyes were dry. She was doing a remarkable job keeping herself from crying in front of Harry, and hoped it would be easier on the train ride. ‘Count on it Ginny. I’ll be there just for you!’ So saying, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. She stood there for one startled moment, then hugged him back fiercely. The train started making noises, and the doors were being closed. Ginny rushed to the door near the compartment Ron and Hermione had selected and hopped on. ‘Remember, you promised by Thursday!’ ‘I’ll be there. And if Malfoy gives you any trouble, hex him for me too!’ Ginny laughed as the train whisked her away. She closed the door after the train had turned a bend and she could no longer see Harry waving good bye. As soon as Ginny was out of sight, Harry went back to the carriage for his solitary ride back to the school. He went back to the deserted Gryffindor Tower, gathered some of his belongings for a trip, then headed for the Headmaster’s office. When he got there, he gave the password (Licorice Wand!), and rode the moving spiral staircase to Dumbledore’s office and knocked. ‘Enter,’ Harry heard the professor say. ‘Welcome, Mr. Potter. I trust everyone got away on time?’ ‘Yes professor. Here are the items I chose for my Portkeys.’ Harry put a pair of uncle Vernon’s old socks on the desk. ‘And I have permission to perform magic outside school,’ Harry asked. ‘Indeed. The Ministry is anxious to keep you happy after their treatment of you last year. You have nothing to worry about. Did you manage to make contact and arrange everything at the other end?’ ‘Yes. It was easier than I thought it would be.’ Harry gave an embarrassed grin. ‘Very good. Enjoy your holiday, Harry. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Give everyone my best.’ ‘I will,’ Harry said as he picked up his Portkeys, stuffing one in his pocket for later, and activating the other. *** Molly Weasley met her children on Platform 9 ¾ hours after their departure from school. She engulfed each of them, and Hermione, in a bone crushing hug. She noticed Ginny’s long face, but said nothing just then. She ushered them all through the barrier to the Muggle side of the station without incident, then into a waiting car. ‘Um, Mrs. Weasley, where are my parents,’ asked Hermione. ‘Well dear, I contacted them, and told them I would be happy to pick you up from the station. I was coming anyway, and we have to drive past your area to go home anyway. They were very thankful for it as they hadn’t quite finished everything they needed to do before you arrived, but could do so this way.’ Mrs. Weasley fished around in her bag for a minute, then handed Hermione a pouch. ‘Here is some Floo Powder for you dear. Your fireplace has been connected to the Floo Network so you can come to the Burrow on Christmas morning. I do hope you will be able to make it still.’ ‘Yes, that is still the plan,’ Hermione said. ‘And thanks for everything!’ They chatted amiably all the way to Hermione’s house. Except for Ginny, that is. Molly watched her only daughter with growing concern. She knew what the problem was, but not how to help her with it. Hermione got out when the arrived at her place, and Ron got out too. He carried her trunk to the front door, then wrapped her in a hug, kissing her deeply before letting go. ‘I’ll see you day after tomorrow, right?’ ‘Mmm. If your welcome is as good as your farewell, you’ll see me VERY early!’ ‘It’ll be better,’ Ron promised. The kissed quickly one more time before Hermione opened the door and went inside. Ron returned to the car, and they drove in silence to the Burrow. The Ministry driver helped unload the trunks, then tipped his hat at Mrs. Weasley before leaving. *** Sunday evening came, and Mrs. Weasley went looking for her daughter. She had gone to her room and stayed there as soon as they got back from King’s Cross the day before, except to go to the loo, or get the odd scrap to eat. It was high time she had a little talk with her. ‘Ginny,’ Mrs. Weasley called as she gently knocked on her daughter’s bedroom door. She heard a quite voice telling her it was ok to enter, and pushed the door open and stepped in. ‘Hi mum,’ Ginny said quietly from her bed. The room was fairly dark as the blinds were down, blocking the last bit of light coming in. There was enough glow to see where she could and could not step as Molly made her way over to sit beside her daughter on the bed. ‘Ginny, you should get up and come eat. I know you’re feeling depressed right now, but it isn’t the end of the world that Harry can’t be here. He will be coming later though. Aren’t we good enough for you anymore,’ Molly teased. Rolling over, Ginny sat up and hugged her mum. ‘Of course you are good enough for me! It’s just that I thought Harry was starting to like me, and now it’s probably going to take forever to get back to where we are right now, let alone get together! It’s not fair.’ ‘Well, Harry must like you sweetheart. He did send you a rather large present.’ ‘What?!?’ When did it get here? HOW did it get here?’ Ginny pulled back as she said this, looking at her mum with a hint of her old, feisty self shining through. ‘It got here this afternoon by delivery van. You weren’t downstairs, so you didn’t see. Why don’t you get yourself cleaned up and come down for some supper, then you can look at it?’ ‘Ok. I’m sorry I’ve been so depressed.’ ‘It’s ok, dear. I understand.’ Ginny washed up and felt loads better after a hot shower. She slipped into a comfortable old t-shirt and her pajama pants, then went down to eat. Her mum must have talked to the boys as none of them made any mention of her behaviour over the last day. The food was good, and Ginny realized just how hungry she was. She nearly kept up with Ron, and that was saying something! Gradually, she became excited about Christmas. It was her favourite time of the year normally, and this year was no exception. Mrs. Weasley left the dishes cleaning themselves in the sink as the family went into the sitting room where the tree was. There was a huge mound of presents, but nothing that stood out as “large” that would have been from Harry. ‘Behind you, dear,’ Mrs. Weasley said to her daughter. Ginny spun around and saw a box bigger than her school trunk. It was incredible! The paper had a Quidditch team zooming around, passing, throwing, or saving the Quaffle, hitting or dodging the Bludgers, and trying to catch the Snitch. There was a big bow on it, with a tag underneath. “To Ginny, From Harry. OPEN THIS FIRST!” was written on it in Harry’s untidy scrawl. ‘I guess you can go first in the morning,’ Mr. Weasley said to her. ‘It looks like Harry is quite anxious to have you open that.’ Ginny was speechless, so she just nodded. Soon after, everyone went off to bed. It would be an early morning as it was every Christmas Day at the Burrow. *** ‘GINNY! PRESENTS!’ Ron was always the first one up on Christmas morning. Every other day of the year he was a bear in the morning, and almost had to be pulled bodily out of bed. Of course, Hermione was due to arrive any minute, so he was even more anxious to be up. Ginny sat up slowly. She wasn’t really in the mood to be awake. Then she remembered Harry’s huge, mystery present. Suddenly she was wide awake and nearly as excited as her brother. The family was just sitting down around the tree when Ginny made her entrance. Hermione was already there, and Ron was offering her a bottle of warm Butterbeer. Then he sat down beside his girlfriend and looked at Ginny expectantly. ‘Go ahead dear,’ Mrs. Weasley told her daughter. ‘You open Harry’s present first.’ The twins, who had Apparated from their shop in Diagon Alley for the morning’s festivities, dragged the large present over in front of her, then sat down to watch. Ginny took the bow off and set it gently aside. She did the same with the tag, knowing she was going to be silly and keep these items for the rest of her days. Then she decided to become a true Weasley and tore through the paper like it was the only thing standing between herself and freedom. The box that was under the paper was plain, with no markings on it at all. She opened the top of the box and gasped as the beautifully carved wooden top of a brand new trunk was revealed. Suddenly, her hands a blur, she tore the cardboard away and sat gazing at the beautiful trunk. There were intricate carvings done all over the sides as well as the top. She stopped and looked at the top of the trunk more closely, and realized it was her on her broomstick, in her Quidditch robes, holding a Quaffle and apparently zooming along towards the goal hoops! There was so much detail in the carving that she could actually make out other players in the background. The sides had other wonderful carvings on them, including the Burrow itself, and Hogwarts castle. ‘Oh Ginny! That is absolutely beautiful,’ Mrs. Weasley said, admiring the carvings. Ginny noticed an envelope Spellotaped to the side and grabbed it. She opened it up to reveal a set of 7 brass keys on a ring, and a piece of parchment. She put the keys in her pocket, then read the note. “Dear Ginny. I hope you like the new trunk I got you. I also hope you weren’t making it up that you needed one! The keys you just put in your pocket (Yes, I know you well enough that you wouldn’t leave those lying around while your brothers were nearby!) open it. The keys are numbered 1 through 7 for a reason. Why don’t you try using them in order and see what happens. Happy Christmas! Yours, Harry.” Ginny fumbled for the keys as her mother and father read the note. She nervously inserted the first key into the keyhole and turned. The lock clicked and she opened the lid to find an assortment of all her favourite things from Honeydukes. Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands, Fizzing Whizzbees, Sugar Quills, and a whole bunch of others she couldn’t see from the top. Ron was looking in the trunk with wide eyes. ‘Whoa! Ginny, you have enough to last you the rest of the school year!’ ‘Try another key Ginny,’ Mr. Weasley said, indicating the note. Closing the lid and causing Ron’s face to fall somewhat, she locked the trunk and tried the second key. When she opened the lid, she gave out with a surprised ‘OH!’. Instead of the sweets, there was a new set of quills and ink, rolls of parchment in various sizes, and a small desk that could be put over her knees in bed if she wanted to write something while laying down. Closing the lid again, she inserted the third key. When she opened the lid this time, her eyes went round as she squealed in delight at the beautiful dress robes she found there. Underneath were several plain, black Hogwarts robes to replace the ones that were threadbare and too small for her. By this time the room was silent. Every eye was on her as she closed the lid and inserted the fourth key. Inside this was just a long, velvet covered box. When she opened this, Ginny found a thin gold necklace with a Gryffindor lion pendant. Where the eye should be was a small, perfect ruby. Hermione oohed and ahhed with Ginny over the beauty of the necklace, and even Mrs. Weasley was looking at it over the girls’ shoulders. With some trepidation, Ginny opened the lid with the fifth key. Inside she found a large, long package. When she took it out and unwrapped it, she had a broom in her hand. Not a second hand broom either, but a brand new Firebolt! Now her brothers were all oohing and ahhing with her. ‘Why did he do all this for me,’ Ginny asked her mother. She was overwhelmed with everything she found, and she still had two keys left! ‘Ginny, I think maybe Harry is trying to tell you something. You might find the answer with one of the other keys.’ Mrs. Weasley was nearly overwhelmed also. She and her husband tried to provide for their children as well as they could. They simply didn’t have the money to get them everything they wanted. Now to see their youngest child and only daughter receive so many expensive and thoughtful gifts warmed their hearts. This wasn’t charity. This was from the heart of a good and loving boy. The lid was once again closed and locked, then unlocked with the sixth key. When Ginny lifted the lid, she shrieked with joy and almost dove into the trunk. When she came out, she had what appeared at first glance to be a kitten. It had reddish fur with black spots, long, supple ears, and a longish tail that looked more like it belonged on a lion than a kitten. ‘Ginny,’ Mr. Weasley exclaimed, ‘that is a kneazle! You be very careful!’ There was no need to worry, however. The small animal took one look at Ginny and began to purr contentedly. Then it started to rub its head against Ginny’s cheek affectionately. Ron glanced into the trunk and pulled out a small, padded wicker bed obviously intended for the kneazle. ‘I guess we won’t have to worry about what it’ll sleep in,’ Ron said. Ginny snuggled the little creature closer, stroking the fur along its back. ‘She can sleep in my room, beside my bed. Then she’ll always be nearby. And I’m sure she’ll be comfortable in the dormitory at Hogwarts with me too!’ ‘Ginny dear,’ Mrs. Weasley said. ‘You still have one more key.’ Ginny set the kneazle on the chair beside her, then closed the lid. With her fingers shaking, she inserted the key one last time. The lock opened with a small click. Ginny took a deep breath, wondering what could possibly be in this last compartment. As she went to lift the lid, it started to open itself. She nearly fainted in shock as Harry Potter himself stood up. He had climbed a staircase that descended into a well appointed room that couldn’t possibly exist beneath that trunk, but in fact did. ‘Happy Christmas, Ginny,’ Harry said quietly. ‘I have one last gift for you, if you’ll have it.’ Ginny was shaking, crying tears of joy. She mutely nodded her head, not trusting her voice. With her acceptance, Harry leaned forward, wiped the tears delicately from her cheeks, then kissed her lips. She was in such shock that at first she didn’t respond. He pulled back slightly to look at her face to see if he had misunderstood her feelings. She quickly recovered and leaned into him for another kiss. If this was a dream, she was going to make sure she got her kiss from her prince! They finally broke apart and looked around. Molly and Arthur had their arms around each other with tears on their own cheeks. Ron and Hermione were embracing also, her with wet cheeks, and him with a shocked expression on his face. The twins had an arm around the back each other’s neck, but were blinking suspiciously bright eyes also. ‘You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,’ Harry said. ‘Then again, maybe you do. I was such a fool not to see you for the kind, caring, feisty, and beautiful girl you are. Will you be my girlfriend?’ Ginny wrapped her arms around him tightly and proceeded to kiss him deeply. When they finally had to come apart for air, he grinned and asked, ‘was that a yes?’ She just playfully punched his arm and said ‘yes.’ Harry finished climbing out of the trunk so he could be with her. ‘You didn’t have anything come up, did you?’ ‘No. I had to get Dumbledore’s help though. He made me a Portkey to get to Diagon Alley, and another one to get here. This trunk can be used to replace your old school trunk, but the imposter Moody in my fourth year gave me the idea for this. He had imprisoned the real Mad-Eye Moody in the final compartment of his trunk. But this way you can keep everything you need to take to school with you handy, and not have everything jammed into one trunk. And the final compartment you can use as a place to get away from things sometimes. That one will lock and unlock from inside as long as you have your key with you. I thought a nice sitting room would be better than the hole that was in Mad-Eye’s trunk.’ ‘This is the best Christmas ever, Harry! All I wanted for Christmas was you! Now I have you, and all these wonderful presents! Oh, and we mustn’t forget about Harriet,’ she said, picking up her purring kneazle. ‘Harriet,’ everyone asked at once, then laughed. Yes, this was the best Christmas Ginny Weasley ever had. |
| Reviews 13 |
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