Author's note
: This is Chapter one and yes it's rather short. Anyway the next may be longer. I really hope that you like it…and of course these Characters don't belong to me but to Jo Rowling. Enjoy.-Scott
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Chapter one: The End of Term
The flames danced and twirled, jumping onto the crumbled paper and quickly devouring it. Just then another piece of parchment fell victim to the fire, and like its predecessor was quickly turned into ashes and smoke.
"Argh," exclaimed Hermione Granger who was sprawled out on an ancient wool rug in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. "That's no good, I'll just have to start over."
She reached over and pushed her cat Crookshanks off of the thinning stack of parchment to her left. The cat stretched and meandered around her to curl up in the folds of her lilac dressing gown. Hermione reached for the ink and dipped the long quill with which she wrote into it, flipped the pages of her History of Magic book and began to write once more.
"Hullo Herm what are you doing?"
"Oh, Ron I'm trying to write this extra credit paper for Professor Binns on the Unicorn Preservation Project of 1773, and I can't find anything in this book!" She didn't bother to look up but instead flipped furiously back and forth.
"Hermione we had our last exam today. It's Christmas holiday we're all going home tomorrow. That means no classes, and no classes means no work and no work means-"
"I know that Ron, really I'm not a total git you know. The thing is I want to turn this in because I didn't do as well as I thought on that last test and I need the extra points."
"Hermione did I hear you say that you needed extra points?" Asked Harry jokingly as he approached from the common room entrance.
"Shhh," admonished Ron, "the genius is at work."
Harry couldn't help but laugh at that, though he was quickly silenced by a knowing look from Hermione. The common room was full of chattering groups each with an undertone of excitement. The next day was after all Christmas Eve and there was a general buzz in the air.
"So Harry are you finished packing?" Ron questioned.
"Not yet." Harry answered, glancing across the room at Dean and Seamus who were playing a game of Table Quidditch. They motioned for Harry and Ron to come and join them.
"See you Hermione."
"Hmmm."
Harry climbed into bed that night excited that he would really be spending a Christmas with a family, the Weaselys.
"G'night Ron," he whispered and then drew the curtains of his own four poster.
The Great Hall was decorated stunningly for Christmas as usual but instead of the typical legion of trees there were only five. One towering tree soared almost to the tip of the vaulted enchanted ceiling. It was covered in over a thousand floating candles, one for each of the student and staff at Hogwarts. Around it there were four smaller trees, though each was still taller than even Hagrid. There was one for each House and each was decorated in the House colours.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron had gotten dressed and come down to breakfast earlier than usual as the Hogwarts Express was due to depart at nine that morning. A grand breakfast at been laid out and they helped themselves to the many different dishes. Afterwards they said goodbye to all of their friends who were going to stay at the school and climbed into the carriages that awaited them. Everyone was bundled in their warmest jumpers and thickest cloaks as the frigid air whipped and stung the faces of those brave enough to venture out into the elements.
"Blimey it's cold," remarked George as he, Fred, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry climbed into a carriage.
"You can say that again." Said Fred.
"Blimey it's-"
"Sock it."
Ginny was shivering and looking out of the small curtained window. "Not that I don't like the this weather or anything but if it's going to be so cold I at least wish it would snow."
"Yeah me too." Agreed Hermione. "Now there is no reason for us to all be freezing. Calefacio." Hermione pointed her wand and out jumped tiny sparks of light that came together in the air to form a small floating orb of radiating heat.
That's better."
"Yeah thanks Herm. You always have just the right spell."
At that moment the carriage started to bump along the hillside, down past the partially frozen lake and into the town of Hogsemeade. They stopped in front of the station house and began to collect things inside the carriage and then clamber out. The other kids who were traveling home had also congregated on the platform.
"Hey Weaselys. Actually going home for Christmas? I didn't know your Mummy and Daddy could afford to have you!" It was Draco Malfoy.
"Ignore him." Harry whispered to Ron.
The train let out a great gush of steam and the doors opened for the passengers to board. Ron, Hermione and Harry made their way to the back part of the train and settled into an empty compartment at the front of the last car. One they had sat down their trunks appeared and a short fat wizard, the conductor, came in to get their tickets.
"Happy Christmas" he said.
"Happy Christmas to you too!" Smiled Hermione, and Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.
"Look!" Exclaimed Ron in sudden excitement.
"What?" Harry and Hermione inquired in unison.
"It's snowing. See."
Sure enough large flakes were falling with rapidly increasing speed. The train gave a lurch and then set off. Harry pressed his face against the window and watched as the station disappeared from view amidst the thickening trees and falling snow. For the first time in his life he was going to have a real Christmas with a real family. It was something that he'd never had with the Dursely's and that his Christmases at Hogwarts, which had been wonderful, had been lacking. He couldn't wait to wake up on Christmas morning and find something under the tree. He knew that he was getting his Christmas wish and so was Ginny he though as the snow was now so thick at he could barely see out the window.