a/n: i wrote this as a Christmas gift for FrozenCenterStage, because she's a sweetheart and an amazing writer and you should go read her fics.
The Great Hall was decked out in all its holiday finery. The scent of pine wafted from the twelve giant evergreen trees, stirred by the wings of the faeries dancing between the boughs. Slender white tapers hung in the air, their light kept low and soft on this last day of classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Many young witches and wizards had already left for home, so the Great Hall wasn't as full as it usually was at lunch. Kristoff sat at the Hufflepuff House table, twirling a glass of pumpkin juice between his hands. Students mingled between the tables on this day, since there were so few of them, but Kristoff sat at his own House table out of habit. That and he didn't have many close friends, even after being in the D.A. since it started last year. It was only him and his fellow sixth years Ernie MacMillan and Justin Finch-Fletchly, and they were both busily cramming their faces full of bacon and butterscotch trifle.
He could've left earlier. His parents were expecting him home to help with the family Yule celebration, and he as oldest had a lot to do. But he put off leaving as late as he could. Not that he didn't love his adoptive family, because he did. And it certainly wasn't because he hadn't given his gift to a certain redheaded Griffindor 5th year witch yet. Well, yes he hadn't given Anna her gift yet, but it wasn't because he felt like he was fighting a tongue-twister jinx every time she turned her perfect cerulean eyes to him, every time that freckled nose scrunched up like pygmy puff's whenever she smiled at him.
No, it certainly wasn't that.
He frowned down at his pumpkin juice as the doors burst open and a wave of sound crashed down on the quiet hall. A gaggle of chattering Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Griffindors wandered into the hall, presumably to grab a bite to eat before departing to wherever they were heading. Kristoff didn't bother to look up, until he heard a familiar voice in the crowd.
"It's ok Ginny, seriously. I'm not mad."
"But I'M mad, Anna! I really wanted you and Elsa to stay over for the holiday! But my mum says there's no room, what with everyone coming over and all."
The crowd all plopped down at the Hufflepuff table around the three boys. Kristoff blushed slightly, trying his best not to stare at the three witches sitting across from him. Well, at one in particular.
"Don't worry about it! Elsa & me'll just hang out here." Anna assured her friend. Elsa smiled at the two younger witches. "I have a few new jinxes I want to try out on ol' Filtch. Heh, maybe I can catch the great pink toad in a hex too."
"Anna, you're terrible!" Ginny giggled. "How can you plan on having so much fun without me!"
"I'll borrow Colin's camera and take pictures for you," Elsa promised.
Anna looked across the table, where the tall sixth year wizard just coincidentally was sitting. "Hey Kristoff," she grinned shyly at him.
Yah, totally coincidental.
"Hey," he mumbled, returning her shy smile with one of his own.
"Did you like that box of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes stuff I got you?"
Kristoff blushed. "Um, yah I did. Thanks," he said softly. "It was very thoughtful of you." She blushed prettily at that, ducking her face a touch. "My, uh, my cousins are gonna flip when I bring it home. Assuming my ma doesn't hex us until we all turn green or something."
She laughed at that, and he blushed even more. She was so pretty! And so clever. And so nice to him. And so far out of his league he might as well be trying to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. He thought sadly about the paltry little gift of her favorite chocolates from Honeydukes he managed to get for her, and wondered what made him think she'd actually want it from him.
"So you're going home for holiday?" she asked him gently.
"Yeah. Haven't been home in a while, what with everything going on and all," he mumbled. "Um, sorry about your holiday plans."
"It's ok," she waved it off with a smile. "Maybe Elsa can sneak us out to Hogsmeade again," she said with a grin, which fell a bit. "But I really should study for my O.W.L.s, I guess."
Ask her! Invite her to come with you! You'll never get a more perfect opportunity. Come on, you bumbling idiot, ASK HER!
He opened his mouth, and she looked at him expectantly, but nothing came out. He sighed and looked up, just in time to see the owls arrive with the late post. Parcels and packages dropped into eager hands, many of the festively wrapped with ribbons and bows. But one parcel, while bright red, was markedly less than festive. The screech owl who delivered it dropped it as if it were already on fire…
…right in front of Kristoff.
The entire table stared at it in varying degrees of astonishment.
"A Howler? You?!" Ernie laughed.
"What'd you do to earn a Howler?" Anna asked, eyes bright.
"I-I don't know!" Kristoff stuttered.
"It's starting to steam," Elsa calmly pointed out.
"What should I do?!" Kristoff panicked.
"You better just open it," Justin advised. "They just get worse the longer they sit."
"Oh yah they do! Remember when Ron got one for stealing my Da's Anglia?" Ginny giggled.
"It's ok, Kristoff," Anna said, patting his hand, sympathy in those beautiful blue eyes of hers. He gulped and put on a brave smile. For her, he could be brave.
He hoped…
Swallowing his fear, he nudged the Howler with his hand. The crimson envelope rattled and hissed steam before leaping off the table and morphing into a vicious parody of a mouth.
"KRISTOFF HALVOR BJORGMAN!" his mother Bulda's voice howled from the flaming red envelope. The entire table cringed, and every eye in the Great Hall was on him. "WHY AREN'T YOU HOME YET AND WHY IN THE BLOODY BLUE BLAZES HAVEN'T YOU INVITED THAT PRETTY ANNA YOU LIKE SO MUCH TO COME WITH YOU WHEN YOU KNOW HER PLANS WITH THE WEASLEY'S WERE CANCELLED! I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THAT, YOUNG MAN!"
Anna's eyes goggled in shock. Kristoff's face went from stark white to beet red in two seconds flat. Ernie and Justin were trying (and failing) to stifle their laughter.
The enchanted letter floated across the table. "Ginny, dear, give my love to your family. And if Molly needs any help with all those extra people to entertain, tell her to send an owl over."
"And as for YOU!" the letter whipped back into Kristoff's wide-eyed face. "IF YOU AND THAT SWEET ANNA AREN'T IN THIS HOUSE BEFORE SUNSET I WILL PERSONALLY CONFISCATE YOUR ENTIRE FIRE CRYSTAL COLLECTION AND SEND THEM BACK TO THE ROCK TROLLS!"
Kristoff stared in horror at Anna, whose wide eyes fluttered between the Howler and him, a small smile creeping onto her face. Kristoff groaned and dropped his head to the table just as Ernie and Justin lost it.
"SIT UP STRAIGHT AND ASK HER, YOU CLOD!" Bulda shrieked at him. He bolted upright with a panicked little squeak, then looked at Anna who was smiling shyly at him, ignoring Ginny elbowing her in the ribs.
"Uh," he gulped. "Ah-Anna, um…"
"Anna dear," the letter swooped over to her. "Please do join us for holiday. We've plenty of space and we'd love to have you over. I've already made all the foods Kristoff says you adore."
"Ma…" Kristoff groaned.
"DON'T YOU 'MA' ME YOU GREAT BIG LUMP!" the letter shrieked. "ASK HER!"
"Alright, alright!" he held his hands up appeasingly to the Howler. He looked over at Anna, who was both blushing prettily and eyeing the Howler with amusement. "Anna, um, would you like to join my family for Yule?"
"INVITE HER SISTER TOO, YOU INSENSITIVE CLOD!"
"Would-you-and-Elsa-like-to-join-my-family-for-Yule!" Kristoff blurted out quickly.
"I SWEAR, YOUNG MAN, WHEN YOU GET HOME I'M GOING TO…" And with a final hiss the Howler crumpled up into a ball and burst into flame, raining ashes down on Kristoff's blond hair. The entire Great Hall was stone silent for several heartbeats. Until Kristoff's head hit the table again, which opened the floodgates to howling peals of laughter. Ernie and Justin were clapping Kristoff on the back while Ginny and Elsa were prodding at Anna.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Kristoff mumbled into the table.
"Don't you want me to come?" Anna asked, a small hitch in her voice.
"Yes!" Kristoff raised his head, an anguished plea on his flushed face. But Anna's eyes twinkled with mischief. "I, uh, I mean yes I do want you. To come. To come to my house for Yule." He stammered. "Do, uh, do you want to?"
Anna glanced shyly down at her hands, "She'd love to," Elsa answered for her. "In fact, she's been waiting for you to ask her out for three years."
Anna looked at her in horror.
"More like four," Ginny grinned.
Anna's head whipped around so fast her braids slapped her in the face. The two witches smiled innocently. Anna dared to peek across the table, where a shy, lopsided smile spread across Kristoff's face. Anna felt her own lips twitch up into a grin. "Happy Christmas, Kristoff," she murmured.
"Happy Christmas, Anna."