Title: The Christmas Holidays

Rating: PG

Genre: General / Romance

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, they all belong to J.K. I'm only borrowing them.

Spoilers: Post HBP. AU from then on. No spoilers for DH.

Summary: An AU seventh year fic that focusses less on Harry's hunt for Horcruxes and more on what happens when he and Hermione spend the holidays at the Burrow over Christmas. Lots of Weasley fun, R/Hr and Harry's POV.

Author's Note: I'm not sure the start of this story really does what I have planned justice. So if you like it a little, stick with it. If you don't like it all let me know why constructively, or if you have any suggestions.

Prologue:

"Harry, hurry up the train's pulling in!"

Ron's voice rose across the drawn out blast of the train's horn and bubbling crow. It was loud enough to distract Hermione, and she looked up from the crook of Harry's elbow, her eyes red rimmed.

Harry looked down at her as she sniffed, bringing a hand to rub across her eyes.

" Sorry about this Harry. I know we're probably coming back but - "

She didn't finish her sentence but she didn't need to. Harry nodded. No-one knew anything for sure these days.

Glancing back towards the castle, towering over in a way that seemed much bigger than he remembered, Harry felt a tug of something in his stomach. Something that was doubt, guilt, maybe even regret.

" Harry! Come on!"

Ron's red flare of hair was visible approaching on the tops of the crowd. At Harry's side Hermione pulled away to wipe her nose on her sleeve then throw it around Harry in a lopsided but tight hug. Sniffing loudly by his ear Hermione said, in a voice strained by tears.

" Bye Harry. I'll see you soon."

Harry only had the time to bring one arm up before Hermione was withdrawing again and bending down to pick up her bag.

" Aren't you going to say goodbye to Ron?"

Hermione shook her head, and sadly glanced at Ron's, stlll reaching way above the tops of the people stretched out across the platform.

" I said goodbye after we got off the train."

" Well should I say something - "

Hermione glanced sharply back towards Harry.

" No. And don't tell him about this either, he doesn't need to know."

Harry didn't feel convinced but without another word Hermione turned around and plunged into the crowd, lopsided with luggage, and soon all Harry could see was a brown head bobbing up and down and jostling from side to side.

" Harry! There you are - been bloody looking for you everywhere, and it's no joke carrying this heavy bugger around. "

Ron's arrival distracted Harry. His gangly red-headed best friend had suddenly appeared to his right wearing a woollen bobble hat and a confused expression.

" Hang on - where's Hermione? I thought she was with you?"

" She was. She left. "

"What? Why? Was something wrong?"

" Uh - " Hermione had told him not to say anything but the image of her red eyes popped into Harry's head. Plus, if he didn't tell Ron the truth he would be driven to distraction for days. No doubt he would think Hermione was mad at him for some reason. Wait, was Hermione mad at Ron for some reason?

" Harry?"

Harry shook his head and faced Ron blinking.

" She was - a bit upset I think. She cried a bit."

Ron dropped his bag and straightened up.

" What?! Where is she now? What's wrong?"

The sheer number of Ron's questions felt overwhelming.

" Calm down mate, I think she was just emotional about leaving."

" What so she's already left?"

" Yeah, she told me she'd already said goodbye to you. "

Ron blinked and scratched behind his ear.

" Well yeah, but she wasn't crying then. Why didn't she not want me to know?"

Harry sighed. He had a feeling that unless Ron was absolutely certain that Hermione was alright, and equally certain he wasn't the problem that Ron was never going to shut up.

" I think she didn't want you to see her crying because she was embarrassed and she cares what you think. "

Ron in turn also looked very embarrassed, going red then reaching down to pick up his bag to have something to do. Shifting it onto his shoulder Ron cleared his throat.

" Yeah well, we'd better be going then hadn't we?"

Harry too picked up his own bag and followed Ron's lead. Other people's bags knocked into them and Hary could hardly see where he was going he just kept following Ron till they reached the edge of the platform where the crowds were thinning and the Weasley's were always stood waiting. The sight of 5 blazing heads of red hair set the family apart from the rest, and as soon as he spotted them a similar blazing started up in Harry's throat. It was time to go home.