Author's Note: Ficlet idea popped into my head yesterday and I had to write it. I'm not sure it's quite as well executed as I'd hoped, but it's here.

A Jumper

Ron looked at Hermione and Harry. Hermione was already done with her essay of course, and was in the midst of correcting Harry's. His own essay sat half-finished. Really, who needed history of magic anyway? Next to his neglected essay was the letter he'd been writing. His mum complained in nearly all of her letters that she didn't hear from him nearly often enough. Well, what was there to say usually? Class was boring, the food was good, trolls invaded the school and Nicholas Flamel had a secret. But Christmas wasn't too far away, so at least there was something for him to look forward to. He wouldn't miss Hermione's nagging voice while she was gone for the holidays.

He was going to miss his mother's roast though. Mum's last letter had said that she and Dad and Ginny were going to visit Charlie and make sure he was settling in okay. It had been full of the usual questions—was he eating enough? Bathing regularly? Was he feeling homesick? If he was homesick, they could arrange something and he could come home for the holidays if he needed to. He did wish a little that he could see the look on Ginny's face when she opened the gift he'd made her—it wasn't anything impressive but he thought she'd like it. It was a marble that could float. She was annoying, but not that bad for a little sister. Still, fortunately Fred and George would be here, and (unfortunately) Percy. And Harry.

He'd take the letter to the Owlery tomorrow.

Dear Mum,

Yes, I'm studying. No, I'm not in trouble. Thanks for the cookies. Class is okay. I'll be fine here for Christmas. Fred and George are talking about having a snowball fight with everybody that's left. Harry's staying too. Say hi to Charlie for me. And don't forget the present I made for Ginny.

I don't think Harry's going to be getting many presents this year. His aunt and uncle are Muggles. I know Dad says Muggles aren't bad, just different, but they sound bad. I don't think his aunt and uncle like him very much. They hate magic. Could you send him some of your fudge maybe?

Ron

Molly set down Ron's letter on the table next to her tea. His letters were always short compared to Percy's, but at least he wrote a little more often than the twins. She was lucky if the twins sent a letter each term between them. She did feel rather guilty to be leaving him at Hogwarts after his first term away from home, but they couldn't afford to take everyone, and she was so worried about how Charlie was settling in in Romania. She read the second part of the letter again to herself. "That poor boy."

"Who? Ron?" Arthur asked, startled. "I thought he was adjusting well to Hogwarts? No nightmares like Bill had his first week, or teasing like Percy had his whole first month. And he doesn't seem to have gotten into any fights like Charlie did."

She set the letter down and took the eggs off the stove-Ginny would be down shortly for breakfast and her reading lesson. "No, not Ronald. His friend Harry. I don't know why in Merlin's name he'd have been placed with his relatives. They do sound horrible from the little I've seen in Ronald's letters. And they just left him at the station before he'd even found the platform. He looked so underfed, and all alone. Any family in our world would have taken him in."

"Not any family," Arthur corrected. "But many would have been willing. You would. You have a big heart."

She gathered the rest of the breakfast things and settled at the table next to her husband, smiling as he took her hand in his. "Well, we will have to have him over in the summer. And maybe invite him for Christmas next year. There's still time now before Christmas. I can make one more sweater. And of course I'll send some fudge as well. A boy his age should have something to open on Christmas."

"Make it green, Mum, like his eyes!" Ginny said excitedly, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"What? The fudge?" Arthur asked with humor.

"No, the sweater. He had such green eyes. Like…like a toad. And he was Harry Potter!"

Molly looked at her daughter severely. "I think I will make his sweater green. But don't harp on his celebrity. He's a normal person, just like you and me. And I imagine he's very been very alone. Putting him up on a pedestal will only make him lonelier. Now, eat your eggs. I'm going to go see what yarn I have upstairs."