Author's Note: This may or may not stay a one-shot story, depending if the feedback for this is good enough, and if inspiration strikes. I also had to clean this up considerably since I wrote it about three years ago and noticed so many things that needed to be fixed.
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"You're going to go by yourself to get them gifts? It's dangerous! Especially so early in the morning, dear! Are you sure you wouldn't like me to come along with you?" A motherly tone had whispered in the wee hours of the morning, the morning dew still clinging to the dampened grass."Well.. I suppose if you'd really want to.. I mean.. I can take care of myself-" but the younger female whisper was quickly cut off by the more adult tone once more.
"No, no..I'll come with you, I need to pick up a few things for Ginny, anyway. I think they've finally gotten it in stock, according to George. I've been waiting for weeks for it to come in," she explained.
"Er..well.. okay then.. Let's go then? I don't want Ron and Harry to figure out what we're up to, Mrs. Weasley," the bushy haired young woman said earnestly with a smile, Ron's mother bowing her head in a nod.
"Let's go then, dear." She stated in a swift, hushed voice as she through a bit of powder, which to common wizarding knowledge was floo powder, and dashed it into the flickering flames of the fire place. Within a matter of mere seconds, it seemed, the pair of them had vanished through the warm depths of the flames and to roam the quiet and deserted streets of Diagon Alley. Sure, Diagon Alley still wasn't the safest place to be at the present time, but where else were you to go to purchase gifts for the upcoming holiday for your loved ones? Exactly. At least attending with an adult was better than going alone, although this particular young woman could have managed it, but she adored Molly Weasley too much to turn down her offering to escort her.
They arrived in a grey puff of smoke mingled with red and green flames licking at their flesh, and stepped out of the fireplace. They brushed themselves free of the dust that had collected upon the fabric of their warm winter attire; Mrs. Weasley snuggled within a long overcoat in the colour of a dark blue, and Miss Granger nestled within the warm folds of her black coat, which zipped and buttoned up the middle and the hood was rimmed with faux fur. A pair of sweat pants fastened around her hips and covered her legs from the harsh snow - and of course shoes, gloves, and a black scarf to prepare her for the shopping that would be endured in the cold temperature. Molly lead the way out of the tiny shop they had arrived in, fingering the door handle for a moment before pushing it outward, snow immediately flying into their faces.
Hermione shielded her eyes with her gloved hands, wincing as tiny snowflakes seeped through or under her hands and into her unsuspecting eyes. Staggering for a moment while a gust of wind tempted to knock her off balance, she noticed the silhouette of Mrs. Weasley bending down to meet her eyes, and spoke loudly over the wind current that threatened to carry her voice away if she wasn't loud enough.
"Dear, I'm going to go to Fr- George's shop," she quickly amended with a disappointed blush. "I'll get your present for Ginny while I'm there. You wanted to get her another Pygmy Puff, right?"
"Yes. Female and preferably pink. Here.." Hermione replied, and lowered her shielding hand into her pocket, and handed Mrs. Weasley a few tinking coins to pay for Ginny's gift. "I'll be at the Quidditch shop.. is there anything you want me to pick up for you while I'm there?" she offered politely, bowing her head in the direction of her destination.
Molly seemed to think upon this offer for a brief moment before shaking her head in response. "No.. I've already got everything I need from there, I believe. I'll meet you back here in twenty minutes, alright? Be careful, dear!" And without waiting for a reply or an answer from her, Molly teetered off through the snow, which enveloped her in a white mask, blocking her from Hermione's view. Sighing heavily from deep within her chest, Hermione clutched her coat around her tightly and trudged off through the thick snow that was embedded on the streets, leaving foot prints from where she had been just a step before the next. Picking up a bit more speed, she rushed herself into the Quidditch shop, and shook herself about to shake the snow loose from her tufts of frizzy brown curls upon her head. Her cheeks were flushed a small tint of light pink, and her nose wrinkled from it's numbness.
The shop owner gave a low grunt of surprise, and turned his attention over to the young girl now in his shop. He was a tall, burly man, slightly aged, of course, and with a slight beginning of what appeared to be a firewhiskey-belly. He gave a jolly smile at the sight of a customer, and climbed down from his ladder, having been restocking his inventory. "Hello there, Miss. Anything I could get you?" He inquired cheerfully, wiping his hands off on the apron that he wore around his neck and waist.
Hermione smiled back appreciatively, and nodded meekly. "Yes, there is, actually. I placed an order for three gifts to be ready by Christmas about four weeks ago?"
"Mhm? Your name?" He scuttled himself over to a clipboard, already beginning to skim over it even though she hadn't yet stated her name to him.
"Hermione Granger.. I placed the order on November the twenty first for a Chudley Cannons poster and -" But she was cut off for the second time this morning, and looked taken aback by him already knowing her order.
"- and a rope chain pendant necklace, and a personal set of Quidditch balls, in a scarlet coloured case, am I correct?"
Hermione bowed her head in acknowledgment of him being correct. "Yes.. and the poster it is authentically autographed by the players, right?"
"Only the best, my dear, only the best. Now.. that'll be 72 galleons, 6 sickles, and 9 knuts. I'll go get your items while you're sorting that out, Miss Granger," he replied curtly, and scurried off into the back room to retrieve the items she had ordered for Harry and Ron. It had taken her forever to pick out these gifts for them and figured it suited them the best. Harry's gift was his own personal set of Quidditch balls, which she knew would be of use to him since they were no longer in Hogwarts. Ron's gift, however, had been the more difficult one to choose but she had finally made the decision, and surprisingly without any help from Harry or Ginny. The Chudley Cannons poster was moving, of course, but there was something much more to it than it just being a wizarding poster. It had the signatures from entire team, and was specially dedicated to Ronald Weasley. The next part of it though, was a bit more personal, which had been an even more difficult decision, given that it was reminiscent of Lavender Brown. It was a pure golden rope chain with a medium-sized pendant bearing the interlocking C's of the Chudley Cannons logo, also made out of gold, but with the appropriate colours for the logo. Along each C were encrusted rhinestones that made it sparkle in the light if you held it up in the sunlight. She desperately hoped that he liked them, as she remembered the atrocious necklace that Lavender had given him in their sixth year for Christmas. The very idea and thought of it made her want to wretch her early breakfast.
The shop owner scuttled back in with her parcels contained in a strong bag - prewrapped and everything! Perfect. Hermione dropped the coins into the palm of his outstretched and expectant hand. Before he handed the quite heavy bag over to her, he counted the coins to make sure the change was exact, offered her a jovial grin, and handed the bag over to her. "Happy Christmas!"
Hermione struggled with holding it when he first gave it to her, and it clunked against the floor - Harry's trunk, apparently. Heaving it up and off of the ground, she made her way from the store and back into the icy wind and snow of the alley. Blinking her eyes at a rapid speed to keep the snow from stinging her brown irises, she swiftly moved forward. She strode along as quickly as she could and pushed herself into the deserted shop where they had arrived just twenty minutes ago from the fire. Already inside was Mrs. Weasley, preparing the fire for their return.
"You get everything you need, dear? Oh, I forgot to ask you earlier, that package that arrived later in the afternoon yesterday, that was Arthur's muggle video game, right?"
Hermione smirked, and nodded. "Yes.. It came with the game console, and the game Mario Brothers.. I'm sure he'll like it.. And yes, I got everything." She indicated to the large bag that was now set on the floor beside her ankles.
"Right then.. we should be going.. come on, dear." Mrs. Weasley urged, and took her by the arm to lead her into the flames. Hermione held onto her bag tightly, closing her eyes as the familiar feeling of floo powder gripped her senses tightly until they had arrived safely back into the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Weasley's burrow.
"Quick dear, put the gifts under the tree and then go up to wake Harry, Ginny, and Ronald up for our Christmas breakfast, and then we'll open the gifts," Molly requested of Hermione, and she agreed politely.
"Alright..Here.." Hermione reached out, and took Ginny's gifts (a new Pygmy Puff and a daydream box), and set them around the rest of the presents around the tree, all of them shining in brightly coloured wrapping paper. The pygmy puff was in a hot pink box, air holes poked in it for the young magical pet to breathe correctly. Next, she pried out Ron's two gifts and placed them near the front of the plump array of gifts arranged around the base of the tree, and was finally able drag out Harry's. She it in beside Ginny's 'daydream in a box.'
Sighing again, she dispersed the bags in which they had brought in with the, from their journey to Diagon Alley, and hastily pulled off her winter coat. She shook her hair free of any stray snowflakes that may have stuck around for the ride. She had to look as if she had only just gotten up, though had the sneaky suspicion that her flushed cheeks and the dusting of freckles that were now prominent on her cheeks and bridge of her nose would be sure to give her away. Clearing her throat and straightening her dark pink sweater that Mrs. Weasley had undoubtedly knitted, with a large "H" imprinted on the front of it in gold thread, she ascended the stairs and poked her head into Ginny's room, and spoke rather loudly. "Ginny.. Wake up.. breakfast.. Happy Christmas!" she chimed cheerfully, and then closed Ginny's door.
Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, she inhaled a sharp breath, knocked, and probed her head through the crack between the door and its frame. "Ron.. Harry.. Get up.. time for breakfast.. oh, and Happy Christmas!" her voice echoed cheerfully against the walls of Ronald's room, reverberating back and around, loud enough to wake the two of them up, that was if they weren't wearing ear plugs or anything, which she suspected they hadn't been while sleeping for Christmas eve.
Pulling the door back to a close with a mildly loud snap, signaling the door locking into the frame, she took the steps two at a time and her untamed tresses whipped about madly in her face as she descended the stairs. Pausing at the threshold to the kitchen to observe the presents arranged beneath the tree, she eyed them thoughtfully, but mainly locked her eyes on the two gifts she had purchased for Ron. She hoped he liked them. A hoard of butterflies seemed to have been conjured into her stomach at that precise moment upon realizing she would get the chance to see Ron's reaction to her slightly expensive gift. A slight panic arose in her, but she wouldn't let it bother her, instead, she entered into the kitchen, and the wonderful scents of Mrs. Weasley's cooking filled up her senses, causing a slightly dazed look to gloss over her now half shut eyes.
"Oh! Hermione dear, you woke them up? Good, good.. Everything is already on the table, dear, no need to set it. Were they suspicious of anything?" Molly ambushed her all at once with all of these questions, all the while her cooking had ensnared her. Didn't she have the slightest clue as to what she was inflicting upon her? Apparently not, as she took Hermione by the shoulders and steered her into her normal seat at the long family table. Seeming to knock herself back into consciousness, she shook her head in response.
"No.. they didn't notice.. they were asleep when I woke them up.. they should be down soon, though.. I said it loud enough," she informed Molly, and took her cloth napkin from the place setting in front of her, and folded it neatly across her lap. Pulling a few pieces of toast onto her plate, along with a spoonful of light yellow coloured scrambled eggs and lightly dusted it with a shower of salt and pepper. She then proceeded to butter her toast, and take a small bite from the corner of the slightly crunchy bread. Now, it was time to wait for the rest to come down, eat, and build up the anticipation before Ron would unwrap his gifts from Hermione.