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Author: Caitlyn Story: A Christmas Sweet Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 4 Words: 18,520
Chapter Five: Oh yeah Ron, a walk. Merry Christmas Baby, You Sure Do Treat Me Right. ~*~ Ginny hadn't moved for two hours. She had held Harry's gaze as he talked without stopping…filling in the gaps that she had always wondered about. She heard the complete stories of everything that had happened the past few years. She hadn't interrupted to ask a single question, and she knew Harry was grateful. "…and that's really it. Now you know." Harry sighed and leaned back on a chair, looking very tired. Ginny knew she wouldn't be able to say what she really felt, she doubted there were even words to describe the mixture of her feelings. "Are you okay?" asked Harry, "It's sort of a lot…I suppose. I'm sorry." Ginny couldn't believe it. After he had told her all of that, after he had to relive everything, he was concerned of how she was feeling. "Harry," Ginny began, "I don't think you realize…." "Realize what?" "What a wonderful person you are," finished Ginny softly. The fire crackled softly behind them. Ginny looked straight at him, for once not feeling a blush rising in her cheeks. Harry looked away, shaking his head. "I'm not. That's the thing, I'm not, and everyone expects me to do the brave thing, or nice thing, and sometimes I have to make myself do those things…because if I don't…." "And not everyone makes themselves do those things," said Ginny shortly. "You don't do them to look good, and you know it." Harry's mouth opened and Ginny could see him thinking. "Thank you," he said finally. Ginny laughed and pushed him playfully. "See? That wasn't so hard! That's called accepting a compliment." Harry laughed also. "You're a good listener," he said. "Thank you," Ginny grinned. "Oh, you accepted that quickly. Can I try another?" asked Harry. "Yes, complimenting games never get old," said Ginny smiling. "You can throw a mean snowball," said Harry. "And you're a good Seeker." "Wait, that's cheating!" cried Harry. "You didn't accept it." "Yes I did," said Ginny smugly, "You can accept a compliment by answering with another." "You're tricky." "Thank you!" Harry tossed the envelope that Sirius' letter had come in at her with a smirk. "You're pretty too." Ginny paused and reminded herself that she was being calm and collected. "That's a bad combination," she said without skipping a beat, "tricky and pretty." "Ha!" said Harry triumphantly. "You didn't accept the compliment." "It's a not a compliment if you don't say it sincerely, and you're merely trying to trick the other person," said Ginny crossly. "Who said I wasn't being sincere?" Ginny felt her heart do a flip-flop and opened her mouth to reply. Who cared about calm and collected now? "Hello!" called Ron coming through the portrait hole. Ginny could have cursed him. It was all a matter if she used words or her wand. When Ron plopped down between them, she had decided that both would be appropriate. "Hi, where were you?" asked Harry. "Hagrid's," said Hermione appearing in the common room also. "He invited us for dinner and watched Ron and I play chess." "How was Hogsmeade?" Ron said, reaching over Ginny to pull another orange out of the bowl on the table. "Fun," said Harry, "Madam Rosmerta let us try this new flavor of butterbeer, it was really good." "What'd it taste like?" "Bit like a strawberry cordial, I guess," said Harry. "Right, Gin?" Ginny nodded silently. This was not the conversation she wanted to be having with Harry right now. Her brother had messed up things for her again, and this wasn't just the last cookie or a fight over which WWN station to listen to. "Say," Ron said curiously, "what does that bring the number of different flavored butterbeer up to?" "Ah…," Ginny could see Harry performing the calculations in his head, "about a hundred and ten, give or take a few." ~*~ "Increbresco floris!" Harry prodded the petals with his wand and studied them hopefully. Nothing. Harry let out a loud sigh of frustration and turned back to the spell book. It should have worked, even though they were just petals…. But, they had remained completely the same, with the exception of becoming even brown and curling around the edges from being poked so much with Harry's wand. Perhaps he was saying it all wrong. "In-cre-bresco," murmered Harry, rolling the word on his tongue. "Incre-bre-sco…no, that isn't right either." Harry quietly cursed the fact that almost every spell was in Latin, the most non-sensible language ever. Typical of wizards to chose it. "In-cre-bresco floris!" Harry repeated, turning away from the spell book and poking a petal roughly. "Live!" he groaned, "why can't you just cooperate and LIVE?!" The petal smoked a bit but, nevertheless remained quite lifeless…and simply a petal. Harry halfway wanted to see it catch on fire, but it looked like it was simply going to smoke. No, he wouldn't be that lucky, of course he wouldn't be able to set it on fire when he wanted to see it…. Slumping over the spell book again, Harry tapped his wand on the table thoughtfully. He could do this. He could produce a full Patronus, yet…he was letting a stupid flower spell get in his way. Harry pushed up the sleeves of his sweater and decided to have one last stand off with the petals before lunch. "Hey, Harry!" Ron had entered the dormitory and immediately took interest to what Harry was doing. Harry swallowed hard, not knowing how he would explain this to Ron. He considered sweeping all the petals off the table so Ron wouldn't see, but he knew Ron would catch on rather quickly. "Hi, Ron, I thought you'd be with Hermione." "She's in the village with Gin." Ron squinted at the rose petals and then at Harry. "What're you doing? Making perfume or something?" "Uhh…Herbology…," began Harry, "yeah, Herbology practice!" "Herbology practice? She didn't give you extra credit did she?" Ron looked somewhat annoyed. "I need extra credit, I flunked that last quiz on the magical beanstalks…can't believe she only gave you the extra credit…." "It's not extra credit," said Harry hastily. "I wanted to be a bit ahead…so I don't have to study as much…." Harry avoided Ron's gaping look and nervously flipped a few pages in the spell book. "Okay," said Ron crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "I don't believe you. What are you really doing?" "Trying to see if I could get this to grow into a whole flower," Harry confessed, hoping this would not lead to further questioning. Luckily, this seemed interesting enough for Ron and he looked over Harry's shoulder at the book. "Let's see the spell, that sounds pretty neat." Harry sighed. "I can't get it right." "Maybe you've got to say it with feeling," With the word feeling, Ron snorted with laughter. "Like Professor Flitwick is always telling us to do…to make the charms more than words." Harry gave him a look. Still laughing, Ron took out his own wand and jokingly pranced around the room. Artistically waving his wand around, Ron bellowed the words, "Wingardium Levosia!" and clutched his chest dramatically after doing so. "Put my bed down," said Harry dryly, "you prat." "With feeling," repeated Ron, still laughing at him. "Anyone can do a Levitating charm," said Harry trying not to laugh. "Just try it," said Ron leaning on the table. "I want to see." Harry picked up his wand again and focused on the petal. "Increbresco Floris!" he bellowed, bringing his wand down with a sweep onto the petal. "Wicked!" Ron whispered, staring down in awe at the petal. Harry was astounded to see a soft red light appear around the petal and begin to pulse. Sort of like…a heartbeat. The petal swelled and twisted itself before their eyes and became two rose petals. Then three…four…until it was an entire rosebud. Harry held his breath. It was very pretty to watch. A stem began to push out from the base of the rosebud and tiny, perfect thorns began to rise from it. Harry watched beautiful green leaves unwrap themselves and the petals began to peel back away from the bud and the rose slowly bloomed before their eyes. Suddenly, the light stopped pulsing around it and it unceremoniously fell from mid air, back onto the table, but now…a perfect rose. "It worked," said Harry disbelievingly. He cautiously picked up the rose between two fingers and examined it. "Flitwick isn't full of it after all," laughed Ron. Harry nodded, still not believing he finally did it. "Guess not." "You've got to show Hermione, she'll go crazy not knowing how to do that!" The anticipation of Hermione's reaction was clearly now at the top Ron's priorities "I bet she demands to know the exact page number…." Harry was about to agree with him when he realized he couldn't show Hermione the charm. "I can't!" he blurted. Ron's face fell. "What! Why not!?" "It's…a…surprise," stuttered Harry. "You're giving Hermione flowers?!" Ron was utterly lost. "Are you trying to make me look bad or something?! What's Hermione going to do with some flowers?" "They aren't for her!" Harry held up his hands in a peaceful gesture, "Really, they aren't." "Then for who?" Ron demanded. Despite being in very hot water, Harry couldn't help but take a few seconds to reflect how very daft Ron could be sometimes. "The…dormitory," he said after a moments thought. "You're…decorating our dormitory with roses?" Ron took a large step away from Harry, eying him suspiciously. "W-w-why?" Harry was slightly annoyed that Ron would jump that conclusion so quickly. "I don't play for that team, you git." "Oh." The relief on Ron's face was very clear. "Git," Harry repeated, still very disgruntled. "Sorry, mate…erm…chap." Harry suddenly looked down at his hands. Was he just holding it too tightly, or was the rose becoming hot? He dropped it into the table and stared at it. "What?" Ron asked. Harry and Ron jumped back as the rose burst into flames. "Put it out! Put it out!" The rose began to turn a brighter red under the flames and it began to shudder. Ka-blam! Harry and Ron laid on the dormitory floor, hands covering their heads as bits of flaming rose petal rained down everywhere. "That," Ron said coughing, "is one wicked charm." "It wasn't supposed to do that." Harry was coughing also. "I didn't read anything about giant fireballs…." "Not exactly the flowers you want to give on a date, eh?" Harry laughed and brushed smoldering bits of flower off of his sweater. ~*~ Later, when Harry came down the dormitory steps, Ginny immediately assaulted him with a popcorn bowl. Harry groaned and tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. "Want to take that out of my stomach now?" "Sorry!" said Ginny happily. "You've been recruited!" Harry shot a questioning look at Hermione and Ron who were also both sitting by the fireplace with enormous bowls of popcorn. Ron was clearly being forced to do whatever he had been recruited for, because he was trying very hard not to scowl at his little sister. "For what?" asked Harry taking a handful of popcorn. Ginny lightly slapped his hand. "Don't eat that." Hermione was stifling her laughter in the corner while Harry stared at Ginny, still getting over the idea that she had just reprimanded him. "Well what on earth ELSE would I do with it?" Ron put on a very false excited voice. "We're making popcorn garland for the birds!" He held up a long strand of popcorn on a string with a needle. "Because?" asked Harry taking a seat, trying to hide a smile. "Because the birds are hungry and it's hard for them to find food with all the snow on the ground," said Ginny scowling at Ron. "It's a kind thing to do." "Goody," Ron said flatly. "I dropped out of Spell Scouts, maybe they'll let me join again if I tell them about this." "You were kicked out of Spell Scouts," corrected Ginny, handing Harry a needle and thread. She looked at Harry and Hermione. "Very bad incident with Spell Scout etiquette, probably best not to go into it." "Shut up," muttered Ron, stabbing a piece of popcorn. "I think," began Hermione, "that it's a nice way to spend our free time. We could be just sitting here talking, and not getting something accomplished." Ginny nodded and smiled at her. "Or we could have gone for a butterbeer," Ron said rolling his eyes. "Cheer up, you insufferable grouch," Ginny said, tossing a piece of popcorn at Ron and hitting him on the nose. Harry pushed his needle through a piece of popcorn and smiled. ~*~ Ginny leaned over and double-checked the line, to make sure it was even. She could never get eyeliner right. She then held two tubes of lipstick to the light, contemplating which color was better. Ginny lightly applied it and smiled happily. Perfect color. She was about to add another coat when Ron snorted in his sleep and rolled over. Drat, Ginny thought, she'd never finish with him on his side like that. Oh well, she could try. Just as she was adding the finishing touch of lip-gloss, Ron sleepily opened one eye and looked at her. "GINNY!!!!!!!!!!" "What? What? Who?" Harry had sat straight up in his bed and was looking around wildly, fumbling for his glasses. Ron was trying to lunge at her from his bed, and covers were flying everywhere. Ron landed with a loud thump on the dormitory floor, still shouting. Ginny made a break for the door, laughing hysterically. Quite disoriented, Harry placed his glasses on his face just in time to see a pastel yellow dressing gown sweep out of the doorway. He turned slowly to see Ron clawing at his face, saying very unkind things about Ginny. "Happy Christmas," Harry said, very amused. "You look quite made up for this time of morning." "Shut up, Harry!" Harry yawned and shuffled downstairs to find Ginny curled up on the couch, looking very proud of herself. "Was he mad?" Ginny questioned excitedly, as Harry took a seat next to her. "I don't think I've ever seen him get out of bed so quickly," smiled Harry. "What'd you do that for? It's Christmas." "Yes, Happy Christmas," Ginny said smiling and hugging him. Pleasantly surprised, Harry returned the hug and felt considerably less sleepy and a good deal warmer when he pulled away. "You avoided the question," he said glancing at her slippers, which were also pastel yellow, with tiny stars embroidered on them. "It's a payback," Ginny said nonchanlantly. "For a few Christmas' ago." Harry decided it was better not to ask and he grinned at her. "Holding grudges I see." "You would too," Ginny said stretching. "I wish the others would hurry up so we can open presents." "Good morning!" Hermione had entered the room, pulling her dressing gown over her pajamas. She warmed her hands by the fire. "I was having the strangest dream, all these people were yelling…and doors slamming…." "Oh," said Ginny innocently, "is that so?" "Happy Christmas," said Harry. "Yes, Happy Christmas," said Hermione taking a seat on the hearthrug. "Is Ron awake yet?" "A bit…," Harry lied. Ginny hastily turned her laugh into a cough and shared a smile with Harry. There was a loud clatter on the stairs, and the twins appeared, sporting identical smiles. "Happy Christmas!" "Happy Christmas!" they called back. "So, Ginny dear…," said Fred leaning his elbows on the back of the couch. "We awoke to the piercing cry of our little brother…and upon investigation…." "Bravo!" cheered George, interrupting Fred. "One of your best paybacks yet! Did you get a photo?" Ginny shook her curls, still a bit mussed from sleep. "I wish." "Ooooh," groaned Fred putting his hands over his face, "and we would have paid you good sickles for it!" "Have we taught you nothing?!" George sighed and rumpled her hair. "Always take a photograph!" Hermione raised an inquisitive eyebrow in Ginny's direction. "What happened to Ron?" "She attacked me, that's what!" came Ron's grumpy voice. He was still wiping his face with a damp towel, although there weren't any traces of makeup. "And you deserved it," said Fred sitting down next to Ginny, putting a protective arm around her. "Our favorite little sister and genius apprentice has made us proud." "Happy Christmas," said Ginny crawling to grab a present under the tree. She handed it to Ron and smiled sweetly at him. "Truce? It is Christmas after all." Ron eyed the present suspiciously. "Oh go on," laughed Ginny, "I swear that was the last thing I was going to do to you." Ron pulled off the bow and peered in the box. "Hey…thanks," he said slowly, turning a book over in his hands. "This is really cool!" "Show us what it is," said Hermione. "Quidditch tactics," Ron said. "Thanks, Gin!" "Pass out the rest of the presents!" ~*~ Harry yawned and laid his head comfortably on the arm of the couch. Ginny was admiring the bracelet Fred and George had bought her, and Harry really liked the monogrammed Quidditch equipment bag they had gotten him. The twins really had gotten them all nice presents…but Harry was certain they still had something up their sleeves. Harry lifted his head when he saw Ron hand Hermione a present. What had he gotten her? "Happy Christmas, Hermione," Ron said, playing with a scrap of wrapping paper on the floor. Hermione smiled at him and eagerly pulled off the paper. Oh no, Harry thought. "It's a…," Hermione held it in her hand, very puzzled. "Thing," Harry finished slowly. Ginny pressed her finger to her lips and gave Harry a "keep quiet" look. Ron had gotten Hermione the bookends that Harry had picked up in the shop. Ginny leaned over the couch and cupped her hand around Harry's ear. "I couldn't talk him out of it. He picked those out over a locket." The bookends twisted themselves into a very interesting, very odd shape…and Hermione stared at them. "Thank you," she said kissing Ron on the cheek. "I love them." Ron blushed to the tip of his nose and he grinned happily. "You're welcome! I thought of you when I saw them." Harry snorted loudly into the couch arm and bit his tongue to keep from laughing. Ron would learn, he supposed. "You haven't opened mine!" cried Ginny suddenly, pushing Harry. "Come over to the table!" Harry felt himself blushing again. Ginny had appeared to like the engraved wand box he had gotten her, and proclaimed it very beautiful. "Pull that box up," she said, pointing to the table. Harry obliged and stared down at what was under it. "Thank you," he said dumbly, not knowing exactly what to say. "It's a…." "Bowl of water?!" Ron exclaimed. "What?" Harry had to agree with him. That was what it was, a round glass container filled with water…with a few rocks in it. "It's not a bowl of water," Ginny sighed, rolling her eyes at them. "He's hiding." "He?" Harry repeated. "Yes!" Ginny bent over the bowl and tapped it gently. Harry now noticed a small castle in the water, and watched it carefully. "Come on out and meet Harry," Ginny said to the water. A tiny red fish literally peeped out of the castle. "It's alright…come on…." The fish slowly began to swim out of the castle, and Harry saw that he was not only red, but had yellow front fins, and a bright green tail and huge comical eyes. He timidly swam up to the side of the bowl that Harry was peering into and Harry swore the fish was sizing him up. "Isn't he adorable?" Ginny said happily. The fish did a small underwater loop and eagerly swam to the side to see Harry's reaction. Harry grinned. "What sort of fish is he?" "Oh, those are neat," Ron said, looking into the bowl. "They do tricks…like jump out of the water through hoops and stuff. Although that one looks a little…funny in the head if you ask me." Ginny shook her head and looked miffed. "Well, he doesn't do stupid tricks!" Harry watched the fish eagerly jet around and around in the bowl. "Then why'd you buy him?" Ron demanded. "Because he had personality," Ginny glared. "Those other stupid fish were too busy showing off to bother to meet me. He swam right up with his little cute face…." Ron laughed openly. "There you have it, Harry. Ginny bought you the special fish." "I like him," Harry said, not turning from the bowl. "I don't know what I'll call him." "I've named him." "Now you're really in for it," Ron added. "Look what she did to Pig's name!" "Shut up, Ron." The fish stopped doing laps and looked at Harry again. Much to Harry's surprise, he reversed to the back of the bowl, then suddenly slammed himself against the front of the bowl. "Hey, stop!" Harry said, "you're going to hurt yourself!" The glass was making pinging noises each time the fish hit it. Ginny stopped arguing with Ron enough to glance at the fish. "Oh, he's hungry, Harry. That's all. Feed him." She tossed a container of food. "Stop, stop…I've got food!" Harry dropped a few pellets into the water. The fish immediately stopped banging himself against the side of the bowl and swirled around the food happily. Harry pulled out a chair and sat to laugh at the fish. "What's his name?" "Amadeus," Ginny smiled. "I figured Mozart was a crazy genius, so it really fits him." "Amadeus," Harry repeated. "I really like it." Amadeus gave an enthusiastic wriggle of his back fin and set to doing laps again. ~*~ Ron was sleepily laying on his side, sorting through Every Flavor Beans, and Hermione was engrossed in a book Harry had gotten her. Ginny was writing with the new calligraphy set Hermione gave her and Harry was about to fall asleep with his head on the table. "Hey, Hermione," Ron said suddenly. "Want to go for a walk?" "Mmm?" Hermione said distractedly. "A walk," Ron repeated. "You know…a walk." Ginny began quietly giggling over her calligraphy. "Oh yeah Ron, a walk." "Okay," said Hermione shutting her book, "the castle is lovely during Christmas." "We'll be back before dinner." "Have fun," Harry yawned. He glanced at Ginny knowingly and smiled. "On your walk…." Fred and George had mysteriously left the common room, a few hours earlier,(Harry was sure they were plotting something, because gift opening had been very quiet.) so this left Ginny and Harry completely alone. "Did you have a nice Christmas?" Ginny asked. "Yes, thank you. I really like Amadeus." Ginny laughed. "So do I. You have to let me watch him sometimes." "Course," Harry said, rummaging in his stocking. "Sweet?" He offered her a Sugarquill. She shook her head. "That was nice of Sirius to send us all stockings, especially me…I've never met him." Harry shrugged. "Well, you're my friend, he probably felt bad about me scaring you about him. Maybe you can meet him soon, he's really nice." There was a tapping noise on the glass and Ginny leapt up to open the window. A gray owl swooped in and deposited a long green package at Ginny's feet. "For me?" she said frowning. "But everyone sent their gifts…." Harry leaned over and looked at the box. "It's got your name on it. Obviously it's for you." "Thanks," Ginny said sarcastically, "I could have never figured that out on my own." "Open it, then." Ginny untied the red bow around the box and pulled off the lid. "Oh! They're beautiful!" A dozen roses lay in the box, wrapped in pretty gold and green paper. "My father maybe? Bill?" Harry shrugged and watched her search for the card. "Here it is," Ginny said, opening it. This isn't being noble, is it? Ginny dropped the card and stared at Harry, open-mouthed. Harry thought she looked cute when she was surprised. "Harry! You sent these?!" Harry nodded and became very interested in the rug. "They look just like the ones outside of Hagrid's cabin! Almost the very same color." "I sent the florist a petal," Harry muttered shyly. "I guess she matched it." Ginny was staring, enamored at the roses. "That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me, Harry Potter." "You're welcome," Harry said, ripping a piece of wrapping paper in his hand. Ginny flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you!" Harry could smell the apple scent in her hair, and he returned the hug happily. "I'm glad you like them." Ginny nodded. She didn't seem to know what to say. "Want to go for a walk?" Harry suggested. "A…real walk, I mean." Ginny smiled. "I'd love that." Harry stood up and held his hand out to her, and pulled her to her feet. She laughed and stumbled a bit only keeping her footing because Harry had a hold of her hand. When they started walking toward the portrait hole, he dropped her hand, blushing still. But, as he was about to open the portrait, a small hand slipped into his own, and squeezed gently. Harry smiled shyly at Ginny. The End Author's Note/Disclaimer: The comment about being 110 flavors of butterbeer was intended as a reference to Princess of Venus and Magoo's list of butterbeer flavors on Gryffindor Tower. I simply borrowed. I hope they'll add Strawberry Cordial to the list. The joke that Ginny played on Ron belongs to me. I did same thing to Jilly at a slumber party, and her reaction was about the same. I can't quote her exactly, because she was shouting at me and I was laughing too hard. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart belongs to himself. The quote at the beginning is from a Christmas song. I'm pretty sure it's called "Merry Christmas, Baby." Editor's Note: That isn't exactly what happened at that slumber party! She was actually using a ballpoint pen!!! For those of you that haven't spoken to Caitie and I, this particular Ginny personality is very similar to us both. In fact, Caitie gave me a fish for Christmas once. (She named it, jokingly, after the band director.) Fish make excellent presents; people are honestly surprised when they receive them! You have all now experienced a glimpse in our lives…;)
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