A/N I got this done just in time for ChristmasJ I would like to thank everyone who made me stick it out and get my story done, and a special thanks to Carrie for helping me with plot ideas. Merry Christmas everyone!!
A Holiday Fluff StoryGinny stared at her Herbology book until her eyes blurred over. She suddenly realized she had been reading the same sentence over and over for the past two minutes. Sighing, she closed the book, and looked up to her good friend and homework companion, Collin Creevy.
"I can't believe all this homework has been sprung on us only two days before holiday! I have to get it done…there's no way I'll have time finish it at home."
"You were just saying the other day how boring your holiday was going to be at the Burrow," Collin stated, closing his own Herbology book and tossing it by his bag.
"Yes, but that was before I found out…" Ginny staled to look around the room. Once she had confirmed to herself that none of the other Gryffindors were anywhere around hearing distance, she lowered her voice and continued. "Harry and Hermione are coming to the Burrow for Christmas."
"Oh," Collin said, giving her a knowing glance. "When did you find this out?"
"This morning. I kind of accidentally eavesdropped on their conversation."
"You? Accidentally eavesdrop on Harry? As if that isn't the understatement of the year," Ginny heard a voice say. It took her a few seconds to realize it wasn't Collin's voice, but as soon as she did, she knew exactly who the voice belonged to.
"Ron! What are you doing sneaking up behind me like that?"
"I was sneaking up on you. I just accidentally eavesdropped on your conversation. Ginny, please promise you're not going to follow Harry around like a lost puppy dog the whole holiday again. It's so annoying," Ron said, plopping himself beside Ginny on the couch.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting here for Harry to come down with the chess set. And then, you're going to move, so he can sit there."
"Fine! And I do not follow Harry around like a lost puppy dog. Besides, what's it to you Ron? You usually could care less about where I am as long as I'm not around you," Ginny replied, pushing herself up from the couch and away from her brother. "Come on Collin. We'd better leave before Harry comes. Wouldn't want to intrude on their exclusive chess match."
Ginny led Collin over to another corner. Stomping her feet one by one, she didn't notice someone coming down the boy's staircase until she walked right by the base. Suddenly, she felt a strong force knock into her, and the sound of something clattering to the floor.
"Excuse me." As soon as she heard the voice, she knew whom it belonged to.
"I'm sorry Harry," she mumbled, attempting to pick up some of the chess pieces Harry threw all over in their collision. She looked up and saw her twin brothers laughing at her from across the room. She looked back down at the ground, and concentrated on picking up every last piece.
"You don't have to do that Ginny. I got it," Harry assured her.
"But she wants to Harry. For you," Fred called across the room, Ginny had to take a deep breath in fear that she was going to walk over and attack her brother.
Instead, she got up, and mouthed the word sorry to him. He just smiled in a way that made her want to melt, and nodded. She smiled back quickly, so her brothers wouldn't catch it, and retreated with Colin to another corner of the common room, far away from her brothers and Harry.
When she sat down, she noticed the corners of Collin's mouth where slightly starting to curve up. She stared at him for a moment, which made him completely lose it. He started bellowing so loud, she was sure the Slytherin dungeons could hear.
"Do you really think it was that funny," she asked.
"The look on your face…" Collin managed to squeak out.
"Okay," she said, "maybe it was a little funny…alright, a lot funny. But, why do my stupid brothers have to come in and ruin every moment. Sometimes I wish I was born first just so I didn't have to put up with all this nonsense!" Ginny's smile faded as she thought about how embarrassing it was to have older brothers.
"I know you don't mean that Ginny!"
"Well, it's just, I miss being their little sister. Now all I get is tossed around, teased, and forgotten. See; look at them now. They were just teasing me two seconds ago, and now I'm forgotten again." Across the common room, Fred and George were huddled together, probably working on some more Weasely Wizard Wheezes. In an adjacent corner, Ron and Harry were concentrating on a game of chess. Her friend Hermione was sitting across from them, reading in one of her schoolbooks.
"They haven't forgotten you."
"Oh yes they have. Why should I care anyway? I thought maybe it would be fun to have Harry and Hermione coming to the Burrow this Christmas. I wasn't thinking about Harry at all, just how nice it would be to have a full house again for Christmas. I thought maybe Harry and Hermione could fill in the void of the rest of the family not coming home," she said, glancing at the twins. "Fred and George are staying here to be with their girlfriends, Bill has to work this Christmas, and Percy probably won't take the whole day off from the ministry, and who knows about Charlie. He may show up, he might not. I thought I'd be fun to have at least someone home for the holidays, but I know they are just going to go off and exclude me. I'd be better off going home by myself. At least then I wouldn't get my hopes up."
"Ginny, trust me. You are going to get on that train tomorrow, and you are going to have a good time."
"Thanks Collin, I hope so. At least I'll be catching the early train. That one is always so much more peaceful."
"Yeah, and no Malfoy to worry about," Collin added, remembering a certain mishap they had two years ago when they rode the same train back as Draco Malfoy.
"Very true," she answered, opening up her book to begin studying.
***
"You two had better hurry, because I'm not going to stand down here all day for you. You may miss the train, but I'm not."
"Calm down Hermione, isn't not like there isn't another train in the afternoon," Ron said, trying his best to close the lid of his suitcase over an untidy pile of clothes.
"The afternoon train is always crowded. Besides Ron, Ginny is going on the early train. Do you really want her to go all by herself?"
"Doesn't matter to me."
"Oh honestly Ron, it does too. With Voldemort, and all these Death Eaters out and about, it's much easier for us to stick together."
"Finished," Harry stated, closing his trunk.
"Good for you Harry. Now if he'll just…"
"I've been finished," Ron said, pointing to his luggage at his feet.
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Because it was funny seeing you squirm."
Sighing, Hermione pushed her friends through the portrait, pulling her luggage behind her. She was excited to be going to the Burrow for Christmas, but she had a feeling this was going to be a very long trip.
***
"Have a good holiday at home Ginny. And don't chase Harry too much…but, if possible, could you take a few pictures for me?"
"Very funny Collin. I don't think I'm going to be around Harry very much to begin with. Have a happy Christmas Collin."
"Happy Christmas Ginny."
She gave him a quick hug, and walked off, turning only once to wave to her friend. She boarded the train quickly, and was surprised to find herself a larger compartment. She began to stuff her luggage overhead, which was really high up, and was apparently for thinner trunks than the one Ginny had. She was so busy trying to figure out how to fit such a big trunk in such a small space that she didn't notice someone else enter her compartment until she slammed her elbow into him.
"Oh, excuse me," she said, turning to find herslef face-to-face with Harry Potter.
"Sorry. I guess I kinda startled you."
"It seems like we're always running into each other," Ginny said, temporally forgetting her shyness. As soon as she remembered it a few seconds later, she immediately wanted to hit herself. That almost sounded like a pick up line.
Before Harry could answer her, she hear two more voices entering her compartment.
"Is this one empty Harry?" The voice was unmistakable voice of her brother, Ron. He and Hermione poked their heads in, and Ron was quick to spot Ginny. "Oh, it's only Ginny. Hey Gin," he said, walking in to face her. "Why don't you let us have this one and you can find one of your own?"
"Why can't you go find your own compartment," Ginny huffed.
"Because the only compartments left are the smaller ones, and we need more space for our luggage since there's three of us and only one of you."
"But I just hauled my trunk…"
"S' okay. We can leave, right Ron," Hermione demanded, pulling him back out by the arm.
"Yeah, we don't want to trouble you or anything," Harry added. She noticed the sadness in his eyes that seemed to hang around more and more ever since You-Know-Who was back.
"No, never mind. You three can have it. After all, you need more room," Ginny said, trying to pull her trunk back out of the small space she managed to squeeze it in. She managed to get her trunk out, and left the compartment without a glance back into the room. She made sure to stomp past Ron when she passed him on the way out. It wasn't too hard to find an empty compartment. The new one just wasn't as comfortable and roomy as the first. Too exhausted to try and stuff her trunk into another overhead compartment, she lay down across the seat and was soon asleep.
As soon as Ginny left the compartment, Hermione started after her. However, Ron quickly intercepted her. She glared quickly at him, and turned to find Ginny already long lone. Hermione gave up and stomped into the compartment.
"What," Ron asked, following her in.
"Ron, how could you be such a git?"
"What did I do," he asked, looking truly confused.
"You just chased Ginny out of the compartment she was in first. That's what you did. That was rude."
"Well, all she ever does is get in the way. Right Harry?"
"Well actually," Harry responded. "She wasn't hurting anything Ron." Ron just slumped down. Hermione could've been mistaken, but she thought she could see a little bit of guilt wash over her. 'Good, he deserves it,' she thought, before curling up in her seat, and closing her eyes.
Hermione couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour when she was awoken by a hard jolt from the train. The next thing she knew, she was thrown on the floor, and the lights started blinking on and off. After a few seconds of this behavior, the lights stopped working all together. With the exception of the sunlight that peeked through the train windows, which wasn't much considering it was setting, they were surrounded in complete darkness.
"What's going on," she said aloud to no one in particular.
"I don't know. We just came to an abrupt stop," Harry informed her. "I should go check it out."
"Harry, be careful. You never know what could have caused this." Hermione felt slightly jittery. Something had to be wrong.
"I'll be right back Hermione," Harry said, stepping out of the compartment.
Hermione sat back for a second, and suddenly jumped up, remembering something.
"What's wrong now," Ron asked.
"I just remembered. Ginny. She's all alone somewhere."
"So?"
"So Ron, we can't just leave her. She might be scared."
"Listen, I know Ginny. If she gets scared, she'll come and find us."
"Well, maybe she would normally, but after you kicked her out of this compartment earlier…"
"Alright. Fine, fine, we'll go find her. Come on," he said, waving his arms about so Hermione could find her way to him in the dark.
"Here," she said, grabbing onto her hand. "This way we'll be sure to stick together." Hermione felt an odd sort of tingle when she touched his hand, but she decided to ignore it while they searched for Ginny. She was getting rather good when it came to ignoring these funny feelings she got when she was around Ron. They made their way out of their compartment and started their search for Ginny.
Meanwhile, Ginny decided she wasn't going to sit there any longer. She had to go and find out what was going on. She slowly slid open her compartment door, and was a little unnerved by the fact that everything was so dark and quiet. She had no idea where she was walking; she just knew she would eventually have to run into somebody. That is literally what she did just a few minutes later.
"Ouf, sorry."
"Ginny, is that you?"
"Yes…Harry?"
"What are you doing out here in the dark?"
"Trying to find somebody to tell me what's going on. What are you doing?"
"Same thing. Are you having any luck?"
"No, you're the first person I've ran into."
"You should go back into the compartment with Ron and Hermione. I'll let you guys know as soon as I get it figured out."
"I would, but I have the feeling that some people do not want me in their presence," Ginny said defectively. "Can't I go with you?"
"Er…okay. I think we should go this way." Ginny couldn't tell where he was pointing seeing as it was way to dark to really see anything.
"Um, okay. Which way? I can't see you Harry."
"Come on," he said, holding out his hand. "Just follow me." Ginny hesitated slightly before taking his hand. It felt warm and safe. She followed Harry toward the front of the train. They didn't run into anyone on the way.
"Excuse me," Ginny said as she felt someone run into her left arm. "Can you please tell us what's going on?"
"Back to your compartments kids," she heard the sweet voice of an old lady say. "I just talked to the conductor, and it doesn't sound like we're going anywhere tonight. There's been a huge avalanche; it's best if you just stick together where you're suppose to be."
"Can't they just magic their way through it," Ginny asked. She had seen her father lift snow several times when she was little.
"Not with that much snow. A couple inches would be no problem, but ten feet would be impossible."
"Ten feet? We will get back by Christmas, won't we?"
"I don't know little girl. I didn't ask."
"But you saw it. What do you think," Harry asked. Ginny felt Harry squeeze her hand a little tighter. She figured Harry must have really been looking forward to going to the Burrow for Christmas. He's never seen a real family Christmas before…well, a semi-family Christmas. Ginny didn't think they'd ever have the whole family home for Christmas again, much to her disappointment.
"Sorry dear. Christmas is in two days. I think we'd be lucky to get out of here by next week."
"Oh," Ginny sighed. She didn't have any idea what they were going to do now. Christmas was defiantly ruined.
"Don't look so glum now. After all, at least you have each other." Ginny blushed at this comment making her glad it was too dark for Harry to see her face.
"Thanks," Harry said to the lady. "We better go back and tell our friends what's going on." He grabbed Ginny's hand again, and turned toward the compartment door.
"Happy Christmas dears," Ginny heard the lady call out.
"Happ…" But when Ginny turned back to say it, the old lady was gone. "That's odd," she said to Harry. "She sure left fast for a woman of her age."
"What exactly was she doing on the Hogwarts Express in the first place," Harry thought aloud.
"Poor lady. She must be going to visit her grandkids or something." Harry and Ginny walked back to the compartment Ron and Hermione were in only to find it empty.
"Come on," Harry said. "They probably went to look for you."
"I doubt that," Ginny mumbled, thinking her brother Ron probably couldn't've cared less where she was. Sure enough though, when they walked into Ginny's compartment, Ron and Hermione sat there waiting.
"You had us scared to death," Hermione gasped when she noticed Ginny.
"Where were you," Ron demanded.
"I went out to look for someone, and I ran into Harry. Why do you care?"
Ron ignored her question and looked instead to Harry. "Did you find out why were are stopped?"
Harry explained to Ron and Hermione what the old lady told them as they went back into the bigger compartment. Ginny followed them with her trunk, and heard no protests of her staying in their compartment for the night. They tried keeping busy by telling stories and playing chess and Exploding Snap into the night.
Hermione was the first to fall asleep, and Ginny and Harry laughed as her head bobbed to Ron's shoulder as she dozed off. Ron gave her some sort of offended look, and quickly told her to get her head off his shoulder. She responded my mumbling something that sounded like, "boys", and moving to lie across the seat. Harry shot a look between the two, then glanced at Ginny, causing her to work really hard in order for her to stifle her giggles.
"I suppose we should all get some sleep," Harry said when he noticed Ginny try to hide a yawn.
"No, no. I'm good. I could play with you well into the night…er…I mean…"
Ginny wished at that moment the floor would swallow her up, and the fact that her brother was across from her laughing so hard tears were coming out his eyes did not help a whole lot.
"Ron! You know what I meant!" She deterred her attention away from Harry and glared at her brother. She did not even want to know what Harry thought of her at that moment.
"Do I?" Ginny couldn't take it anymore. She moved towards her brother, pretending that she was about ready to slap him. After a few seconds of hesitation, she dropped her hand, and started tickling him. It only took a few moments until she too was giggling so hard she could barely catch her breath. Ron tried tickling her back, but seeing as she was a lot quicker than he was, he was the first to call for a truce. She then climbed back into her seat besides Harry. That was when she heard something she didn't even think Ron had heard in a long time: Harry was laughing.
"Boy Ron, I think your little sister just got the better of you."
"Shut up Harry. I'd like to see you try to take on the little wench," he said, pointing to her. "She's a lot tougher than you think."
"I can't believe that one," Harry said in mock laughter.
"Oh yeah," Ginny retorted. "We'll see about that." And before she knew it, she was tickling Harry Potter. He immediately squirmed around and grasped for breath. He tried unsuccessfully to catch his breath and turn on her, but she pinned his hands down behind his head. "You can't get me like this," she teased.
"Yeah, well, at least I got you to stop tickling me."
"Oh just admit it. I am the tickle champion."
"The only thing I'm going to admit is that it's time for me to get some sleep," he said, struggling out of her gasp, and then laying a blanket down on the floor. "You take the other bench Ginny, we can sleep on the floor."
"Um, okay," Ginny said, suddenly shy again. 'Why did she always have to get so nervous whenever she tried to be serious around him?' "G' night, Harry."
"G' night Ginny. Ron," he said, nodding towards each of them in turn.
"Night Harry. Sleep well. I guess it's just me and you now Ginny."
"Mum would be pleased," she giggled remembering how much of an early bird her mother was, and how she always complained that whenever Ginny and Ron where around for the summer, she was kept up all night by bedroom lights and feet pounding on the stairs. She suddenly wished she could be there now. Although she was feeling quite cozy and accepted at the moment, she thought she could use a good shower, and some clean robes that were not locked in an overstuffed trunk. "I wonder if mum knows," she said to her brother in thought. "I mean, I wonder if they were able to contact everyone's families, and let them know their children were safe, just stranded."
"I'm sure she knows," Ron comforted her. "They wouldn't just let them to worry."
"But what if they couldn't contact them. Poor mum. I mean if she thinks we're dead or…"
"Then she'll be all the more happier to see us. Besides, the clock in the kitchen will tell her if we're in mortal peril. Right now our hands are obviously pointing towards lost."
"You're right. I suppose we too should get some sleep." She really wasn't tired just yet, but she could tell Ron was trying to hold down a couple yawns. "And Ron," she said as she pulled a blanket around her on the seat. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For being an annoying tag along. I was excited for Harry and Hermione to be coming to the Burrow for Christmas because we would have a full house again. I just didn't want to be stuck at home, alone. I really don't mean to follow you guys around and everything."
"Ginny, you're not an annoying tag along. I'm the one that should be sorry. Hermione was right. I was being a prat earlier."
"You mean that?"
"Yeah. I mean, for a little sister, you have got to be the coolest one around. In fact, I can safely say that you are my favorite little sister."
"I'm your only little sister Ron."
"Well, you know I'm telling the truth then." Ginny simply smiled at her brother, and closed her eyes. Remembering one last thing, she opened her eyes back up and propped her head up on her elbow to look at him.
"Hey, Ron?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you think we'll ever all be home for Christmas again? I mean, the whole family?"
"Gosh Gin, come to think of it, it would be great to have everybody home for Christmas again some day. I can't remember the last time we were all together."
"I do," Ginny said sadly. "It was the year before Grandma Weasley died. Percy was just a first year back then. I must've only been six at the time. Gosh, it seems like it was only yesterday, but then again, it seems like an eternity ago…Does that make sense?"
"Maybe not, but I know exactly what you mean. I really miss Grandma."
"Me too. I'll never forget what she said that night, when we were all together, watching the Christmas star."
"What was that?"
"That you could only appreciate something that special with the ones you truly love."
"Night Gin."
"G' night Ron."
***
"Come on Ginny, wake up. We're going to see if we can find some breakfast." Ginny mumbled a few incoherent words before turning around and falling back to sleep. Hermione looked down on the floor and saw that Harry was having no better luck with Ron.
"I don't think they're going to get up Harry. Honestly, what time did they get to bed?"
"I suppose we can bring them something back," Harry suggested.
"By the time they get up, it'll probably be lunchtime." Hermione tried to sound annoyed, but it really wasn't working to well. She thought it was sort of cute the way Ron pulled the blanket up over his head as the light hit his face. "Okay Harry. Let's go find those food carts without them."
"Good, 'cuz actually, there's something I need to talk to you about." Harry's face looked a little red.
"No problem Harry. You can talk to me about anything. However, Ron and Ginny are our friends too, so I'm sure you don't have to keep a secret…"
"I just need to talk to you first."
"What is it?" Whatever was bugging Harry was making her feel alarmed. Hermione was always concerned for her best friend, especially now that You-Know-Who was back.
"It's nothing to worry about," Harry said, opening up the compartment door and stepping out. "Come on and I'll tell you."
On their way, they spotted an old lady walking towards their compartment. Harry seemed to recognize her because he walked right up to her.
"Hullo dearie. I was just coming to check up on you and your little friends."
"Hi. We're doing fine, thank you."
"Well, that's good. And how is the little red-headed girl?"
"She's still asleep, but she's safely in our compartment, along with her brother. We were just venturing out to find some breakfast."
"Oh, I just came from there. They had quite a selection on the carts this morning. Eat well dears. I'll check back on you later."
"Thanks," Harry called back as the woman walked off. Hermione turned to ask whom that lady was, but Harry apparently already anticipated what she was going to ask. "I'm not sure who she is. Just some sweet old lady I guess. She was the one that came out and told Ginny and I what was going on last night."
"Oh, I see. Mighty suspicious, isn't it? Why would she be on the Hogwarts express."
"Don't know. But, she seems harmless."
"I suppose you're right. Now, what were you about to tell me?"
"Er, well…It's sorta strange…but, I've been getting these weird feelings lately…"
"Oh no. Is it your scar," Hermione asked, placing her hand on his forehead.
"No, nothing like that…feelings for somebody…it's just, I don't know where they came from…just all the sudden, they were there…"
"And why did you come to me and not Ron?"
"Well, you see…I don't know how Ron'll react…the feelings…er, they're for Ginny."
"Ginny Weasley," Hermione asked, mentally slapping herself. Of course he meant Ginny Weasley. How many other Ginny's were there? Harry nodded, and Hermione couldn't resist it anymore; she broke down and hugged him.
"Oh that's so great! You two are both the sweetest people I know."
"But, do you think she still likes me? I know she used to have a crush on me, but that was so long ago. And, what do you think Ron will say?"
"Why don't you ask Ron yourself? He's not going to get mad if you just ask him Harry. In fact, you might be pleased with how he reacts. And as to Ginny, she would be pretty stupid not to still have a crush on you…and from what I've learned, Ginny is a very smart girl."
"Thanks Hermione."
"No problem."
"…umm, Hermione? Could you please let me breathe now?"
"Oh sorry," Hermione said, loosening her grip around his waist. She just couldn't be happier for her two friends. Even though Harry hadn't talked to Ginny yet, she was sure they would happen soon. 'Now if only Harry could help someone else get a clue,' she thought, remembering her other best friend.
Christmas Eve day slowly wasted away. Hermione kept gesturing to Harry to find a way to talk to Ron about Ginny. He seemed to be ignoring her for a while, but he finally got a determined look that assured Hermione that he was going to talk to Ron soon. Hermione worried slightly that if it took Harry this long simply to talk to Ron, it might be an eternity before he rounds up enough nerves to talk to Ginny. At nighttime, Hermione finally stepped up and decided that since Harry wasn't going to find a way to talk to Ron, she'd find a way herself.
"Erm, Harry? Maybe you should go get some snacks from the carts? We haven't eaten since noon."
"Er…okay," Harry turned to leave.
"Ron, go with him."
"Why should I…"
"Because Harry shouldn't be wondering off on his own."
"Alright," he said, getting up from his seat. "I can't see why the one wanting the snack couldn't go…"
"Because you'll end up eating twice as many sweets than I do anyway."
"Fine. Let's go Harry."
Hermione smiled as they left the compartment. Boys can be so stubborn sometimes.
"What was that all about," Ginny asked beside her.
"Oh, nothing. There's just something I know Harry's been meaning to tell Ron."
"What's that?"
"You'll find out soon enough. Let's finish out their game while we wait. You can take Harry's pieces, and I'll take Ron's," Hermione said, gesturing towards the chess board.
"Sure, you only want Ron's because he's winning," Ginny teased.
"Maybe so, but if you happened to get your chess skills from Ron, it could be my only chance."
"Well, I've never beaten him before, but I can usually put up a pretty good game against him. I've came close several times. Besides, I'm up to a challenge. I'll take Harry's pieces."
They played chess for a while. Hermione noted that Ginny was rather good, and Ron's chess pieces were very sore losers. Ron and Harry seemed to be taking a very long time. Hermione gave up and decided to go to bed, and Ginny promised that she would get some sleep to as soon as she finished reading a couple chapters in the novel she was reading. Ron and Harry still weren't back when Hermione saw Ginny put out her wand light, and turned over to go to sleep.
Hermione awoke later that night to the door opening as Harry and Ron entered the compartment. All her worry left as she noticed they both seemed to have smiles on their faces. She looked across the room and saw that Ginny was fast asleep.
"What happened to you guys?"
"I think that's none of your business," Ron told her.
"Well, it is if it involves Harry and Ginny beings as he talked to me about it first," she said, careful not to wake Ginny.
"You what? You told Hermione about Ginny first."
"Quiet down guys," Harry whispered, pointing his thumb towards Ginny. "You'll wake her up and ruin everything."
"Sorry Harry. But, what did take you guys so long?"
"We were only chatting, that's all. Now go back to sleep Hermione," Ron hissed.
"I
was just worried Ron, that's all. Am I
not allowed to be worried?"
"Well, don't worry. Everything is fine. How exactly did you get Ginny to go to bed
before you?"
"I didn't. She read a while after I went to sleep. I just woke up when you came in."
"You couldn't have worried too much since you were able to go to sleep."
"Let's just get some sleep guys, before you wake Ginny up," Harry suggested.
"Night Harry," Ron said. Hermione noticed he didn't even attempt to say goodnight to her.
"Goodnight Harry, and sweet dreams," she said before closing her eyes. She fell asleep before she could hear Harry say, "G'night Hermione."
***
Ginny awoke to sunlight in her face, and knew already that it was going to be a great day. That was before she opened her eyes and remembered where she was: still on the Hogwarts Express, and it was Christmas!
When she lifted her head, she saw that Ron and Hermione were gone, and that Harry was seated across from her, attempting to read out of his Transfiguration book. She realized right away however, that his mind was on something different.
"Um, Harry?"
"Oh, hi Ginny," he said, smiling up at her, then looking back down right away at his book.
"What are you doing," Ginny asked.
"Reading. What does it look like?"
"Do you read upside down often?"
"Oh," he said, his face turning red. "I was…er…just thinking."
"About what? Something must be going on. First you and Ron were out all night last night when you were supposed to simply be going for snacks, then I wake up to you reading your book upside down." She couldn't help giggling at the last part of her sentence, although she figured whatever he was thinking of couldn't be too humorous.
"It's not as bad as you're probably thinking…though, I guess it could be…"
"What is it? I know I'm not as close to you as Ron and Hermione are, but I hope you know you can still tell me anything."
"Well…er, there's this girl…"
"Oh." This was defiantly not what Ginny thought he had on his mind. She didn't know how she could handle talking to Harry about other girls seeing as she was pretty sure she was in love with him. Sure, she always knew she had a crush on him, but after spending only two days with him, she started wondering if maybe it wasn't a little bit more than a crush. Her dreams that night pretty much confirmed it. She now wished she could go back to sleep and dream of him, instead of talking to him in real life about another girl.
"I can't quit thinking of you Ginny," he said in a quick rush.
"What?" Ginny couldn't tell if she heard him wrong, or if this conversation just took a drastic change.
"I mean…I don't know where all these feelings came from, but all the sudden, I can't think of anything else."
Ginny hesitated for a few moments while she tried to regain her thinking, and her voice, which both seemed to go out at the same time. "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"
"Well, er…I'm pretty sure it's not bad…unless, that is, you, er, don't…you know."
"Erm…actually, I don't know."
"It's just…I think I like you…in that way."
"Oh." Too many thoughts were going through her head to think of what to say next. She was just waiting to be rudely awaked from this wonderful dream. Although, everything felt so real. She then realized Harry was probably waiting for her to say something more. "In what way is that?"
"I don't know…I guess…as a girlfriend…"
"Well, that is good news because I sort of like you too," she managed to get out.
"Can I…er…" Ginny had a pretty good idea as to what he was asking because he was leaning towards her, and managed to come closer every second to completely closing the gap between them.
"Yes," she whispered, just before his lips were on hers. It was amazing, being connected to Harry Potter in such a way. Even though the kiss only lasted a moment, and it was about as innocent as any kiss on the lips could be, it felt more wonderful than anything Ginny had ever felt before. By the smile on his face, she was pretty sure that he thought the same thing. It was confirmed a second later, when Harry leaned in to kiss her again, this time much deeper and longer than the first. Ginny was so afraid that she would wake up soon, however, she could not wake up from sweet reality.
Hermione and Ron were sitting in the small compartment that Ginny rode in before the avalanche, playing a game of chess. They told Harry they were not going to go back to their compartment until he told Ginny exactly how he felt. Hermione had a feeling they may be in there all of Christmas.
"Do you suppose she's even awake yet," Ron asked.
"Even if she is, I'm sure Harry will beat around the bush as long as he possibly can."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Hey, Ron? What exactly did you and Harry talk about so long last night if you're okay with Harry going out with Ginny."
He swallowed at her question, as if he needed time to think about it. "Just guy stuff."
"Why do you two have to refer to every secret you keep from me as guy stuff?"
"Because it's usually stuff you wouldn't understand."
"Don't you ever think I have girl stuff? Who do you think I discuss that with?"
"Very good question Hermione. Who do you talk to?"
"Never mind Ron. At least Harry isn't afraid to come to me with all his problems. After all, he came to me first about Ginny."
"Which is one of the things we talked about, Hermione. You know how screwed up that is, that he could talk to you before he could talk to me?"
"It's not that screwed up."
"That's what he said.
"…I mean, I would come to Harry about something like that first…"
"What," he looked a cross between anger and hurt. "I thought I was your best friend too."
"You are, Ron. It's just, Harry is like a brother to me."
"And I'm not," he asked, half-yelling.
In order to answer his question, Hermione breathed in all the courage she could muster. "The feelings I have for you, Ron, are far from brotherly."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"Do you have to be such a git Ron? I like you as more than a friend, but not as a brother. Do I have to spell it out any more?"
"You mean you…"
"Yes, now you know. And now we can change the subject? Or would you rather play a game of Exploding Snap?"
"How about a game of chess," Ron asked. He had some silly sort of smirk on his face that Hermione desperately wanted to wipe off.
"You'll only beat me anyhow." Hermione found the wall a lot more interesting than anything at that particular moment.
"Hermione? If you really want to know what me and Harry talked about last night, I'll tell you."
"What," she asked, her attention only deferred from the wall for a second to look at Ron before it found its way back.
"We made a sort of pact. I said I'd tell you how I feel about you if he tells Ginny how he felt."
"So what were you going to tell me? That you hated me?"
"I feel the same way, Hermione."
"Oh Ron! Do you really mean it?"
"Yes, I do." Ron leaned over to kiss her for proof. It was all the proof she needed, and the most wonderful proof she had ever gotten at that.
Sometime later, after Harry went to get Ron and Hermione, the four watched out the window of the train. Ginny was cuddled up to Harry, who had his arm wrapped around her. From across the seat, Ron and Hermione also looked very comfortable together.
"Hey look," Ginny exclaimed as she was watching the snowfall out the window. "It's the Christmas star. Grandma Weasley used to tell us that you could only appreciate something this special with the ones you truly love."
"Well, that certainly fits the occasion beautifully," Hermione stated as they all watched out the window in wonderment. They were interrupted a few minutes later, however, by a knock on the door.
"How is everything going," said the voice of the old lady.
"Great," Ginny answered, opening the door. "How are you?"
"Just enjoying a wonderful evening with my family."
"Well, that's great," Ginny exclaimed. "Merry Christmas to you."
"Merry Christmas to you, dear. My, are you watching the Christmas star?"
"Yes, we are. It's very beautiful," Hermione replied from inside the compartment.
"I suppose I should get back now," the lady said. Ginny smiled once more at her, and closed the compartment door. Harry and Hermione were still looking out at the star, but Ron seemed to be staring at the door.
"What is it?"
"That old woman. Do you know who she sounded like?"
It all seemed to hit Ginny all at once. "Grandma Weasley," they both exclaimed at the same time. Ginny pulled open the compartment door once more, but the lady was nowhere to be seen. As she closed it, Ginny was thrown to the ground at a huge jerk from the train. Suddenly, the lights turned on.
"Ginny, are you all right," Harry asked, bending down to help her up.
"Yes I'm fine. What happened?"
"We're moving," Hermione exclaimed. And so, they were.
Ginny got off the train with Harry's hand in tow. She really hoped her parents got word of them arriving. She didn't know how they were going to get to the burrow at that time of night on their own.
She spotted her mum walking up to her, and Ginny ran up to hug her.
"I'm so glad you're all okay," her mum cried, pulling all four of them into hugs. "We need to get home, everyone else is waiting to open their presents."
"But Christmas is almost over," Ron said. Ginny however, was concentrating on the rest of her sentence.
"Everyone else," she asked.
"Yes, we all waited for you to get home to open presents. Our Christmas will just be a day late, that's all. Besides, I got all I need for Christmas already. All my children are home."
"All of them? But how did…"
"When we heard that your train was stuck, we were all so worried. Fred and George came home on the evening train, and Bill and Charlie took a week off of work. Percy even took a couple days off work, and he won't be going to work tomorrow either, or it'll be over my dead body…"
"They all came home for us," Ron asked.
"Of course. We wanted to make sure our two babies made it home safely," she said as she started pulling Ginny towards the car.
"We're not babies anymore mum," Ron called behind her.
Ginny didn't protest though. She didn't mind being the baby if it meant her whole family would come home to see that she arrived safe. Before they got in the car, she lent down to whisper in Harry's ear, "You'll get to see a full Weasley family Christmas after all."
Harry smiled at her before replying, "and hopefully I will get to see many more."