Author's Note: Hello again! As always, anything that you recognize is the property of the amazing JK Rowling and I'm only borrowing them to have fun, not make money.
Also, I know that in fifth year Mr. Weasley was attacked before Christmas and none of the children spent Christmas at the school. This story is slightly AU.
And of course, the companion piece to this can be found with my friend Evan Mers ( u/7371564/Evan-Mers)
Enjoy!
Hagrid stepped carefully through the forest, listening to the light layer of snow crunching beneath his boots. He looked up as he heard the sound of trees breaking nearby, apparently Grawp had heard him coming. Hagrid felt bad for leaving his brother out in the cold, but he had to be kept a secret. Luckily, no one seemed to notice the smoke from the small fire pit Hagrid had made him.
A moment later Grawp appeared on the path, green eyes shining as he greeted his brother. "Hagger!" Grawp cried before wrapping his arms around Hagrid and lifting him from the ground.
"There, there." Hagrid said, patting his younger brother on his back. "Put me down and let's get back ter the fire. I'va got something for yeh." Grawp nodded, but instead of placing Hagrid back on the ground he proceeded to carry him through the forest. Hagrid now knew how his father had felt when he would pick him up and place him on the dresser; it was a strange mix of fun and embarrassing.
A few minutes later found the two in the middle of a small clearing of trees, a small fire burned in the center, helping to warm the area. Grawp took a seat on the ground near the fire and Hagrid sat on a nearby rock.
"What Hagger got?" Grawp asked. Hagrid smiled, his brother's English was becoming better day by day. It was already far more advanced than when he'd found him in the mountains and even his temper was beginning to improve. He rarely hit Hagrid anymore.
Hagrid smiled as he dug through his pockets, looking for the box he had for his brother. "Do you know wha' today is, Grawp?" he asked. Grawp just stared at him curiously, not answering. "'S Christmas."
"Crissmah?" Grawp asked, his confused look only growing.
Hagrid just continued to smile. He knew that the giants didn't celebrate holidays. "Yes, Grawp. Christmas. 'S a time o' year when we give gifts ter the people we care 'bout." Hagrid handed Grawp the box he'd found in one of his many pockets.
Grawp reached for the box and examined it, twisting it one way and then another, before holding the box to his nose to sniff it. Upon sniffing it, his face broke into a grin and he opened the box, tearing the lid slightly as he did so.
"Cookies!" Grawp cried happily, grabbing one and eating it before looking at Hagrid, a sad expression beginning to overtake his joy. "Grawp got nothing for Hagger."
"'S okay, Grawp." Hagrid tried to reassure his brother, who looked like he might be close to tears. Grawp glanced towards his brother before looking around the clearing, his eyes beginning to water. Finally, Grawp looked to his box of cookies and pulled out one of the larger ones, handing it to Hagrid.
"Grawp share." he stated simply.
"Okay." Hagrid agreed, accepting the cookie from his brother. "Merry Christmas, Grawp."
"Murry Crissmah, Hagger."
Hagrid sat with his brother for a while, talking about what was going on in classes and any creatures Grawp had seen in the forest. Hagrid took his time to tell Grawp the names of everything he'd found, being careful to get his pronunciation right. After a while, Hagrid stood from the rock and began to brush off his coat.
"I'm afraid I've got ter go Grawp. I've gotta friend ter meet."
"Grawp meet Hagger friend?"
Hagrid frowned. "I'ma afraid yeh can't. Maybe one day. I'm sure o' it. We'll find a way ter make it happen." Grawp smiled at Hagrid from the ground.
"Hagger ride?"
Hagrid shook his head at his brother's offer. "I'm okay. Thank yeh, Grawp."
"Hagger come back?" Grawp asked as Hagrid began to leave. Hagrid walked over and hugged the giant.
"Of course. I'll come back later. See if I can't get us something from them kitchens for Christmas dinner."
Grawp smiled happily as Hagrid began his trip through the forest, checking his pockets for another package as he went. When he made his way out, he took a moment to look over the lake and at his small cabin. Instead of returning home, he made the trek around the lake towards the castle. Once he entered the castle, he slipped through the door hiding the staircase to the basement.
Hagrid walked carefully through the hall, not wanting to disturb the barrels that he knew led to the Hufflepuff common room. Near the barrels was a picture of a bowl of fruit. Hagrid approached it and tickled the yellow pear. Suddenly, a doorway appeared before him and he stooped to enter the high-ceiling kitchen.
Upon entering, he was greeted by a familiar house elf named Smitty.
"Hagrid. The young miss is not here yet." Smitty said as he bowed to the half giant. "I have prepared the usual table for you two. Would you like to call her?"
"Thank yeh, Smitty. I think I'll wait though. Would yeh get me a cuppa tea, though? Almost froze jus' walking o'er here." Smitty nodded in acknowledgement to the request and Hagrid wandered into an out of the way corner of the kitchen close to the sinks. He took his seat and shortly after, Smitty appeared with his tea. Hagrid thanked the elf and handed him a large box of cookies.
"For yeh and the rest." Hagrid said in way of explanation.
"Thank you, Hagrid." Smitty said before bowing again and joining the other elves at the prep table. Hagrid relaxed while he waited for his friend to join him.
He didn't have to wait for very long. Before his tea was half gone, a misty form began to emerge from the kitchen sink faucet. The form began to take shape as more of it was exposed, turning into the image of a squat young girl with glasses.
"Myrtle. 'S good to see you." Hagrid greeted the ghost. Myrtle looked over at him with a smile on her face. She was usually rude and standoffish to the students of the castle, but she had known Hagrid for years.
"Merry Christmas, Rubeus." Myrtle said in way of greeting as she drifted over to the chair and made it appear as if she were sitting.
"Merry Christmas to yeh too." Hagrid replied. He took a moment to examine the girl before him. Myrtle looked the same she always did. Well, except that she was a pale grey color as opposed to the pale girl with dark hair she'd been.
Hagrid reflected to his days as a student. He'd met Myrtle Warren on the train to Hogwarts. And even though she'd been much shorter than the average student, and he much taller, they'd formed a friendship. They'd continued to be friends even when they were sorted into different houses; Hagrid into Gryffindor and Myrtle into Ravenclaw. Myrtle had been one of the smartest witches he'd known and Hermione had reminded him a lot of her.
Throughout the years, they'd only grown closer, mostly because they didn't fit in anywhere else. Hagrid was taller and wider than any other child in his year and was often picked on, while Myrtle was picked on for her glasses and acne. She would often run off to cry, and Hagrid would stand outside the bathroom and try to comfort her until she'd come out again.
He wished he'd been there the day Olive Hornby had decided to pick on Myrtle for her glasses, yet again. Instead, he'd been off finding a place to hide Aragog. If he'd been there to see her run into the bathroom, he'd have stayed with her and Tom would have never been able to sneak into the girl's bathroom.
It had been horrible to have Dumbledore find him in the common room and tell him his only friend at school was dead. Overcome by his grief, he'd spent more and more time with Aragog and had been less cautious. Tom had been able to trail him and find the giant spider. Tom had then proceeded to accuse Aragog of Myrtle's death, but Aragog would never kill a friend of Hagrid's.
Then, he'd been expelled and his wand snapped. He'd been so thankful to Dumbledore for taking him on as the ground's keeper, even though he was only fourteen at the time. He'd been given his hut, and he'd watch out the window as all his classmates continued to learn and would often see Riddle as the boy made his way to Care of Magical Creatures. Riddle would always give him a smug look. Hagrid should have known the boy was pure evil.
And then, one afternoon as he made his way back to the cabin, he'd opened the door to find a grey, misty form of his best friend standing by the fire. He'd begun to cry and she'd tried to comfort him, her pale limbs slipping through him.
And everything had been more okay after that. Myrtle would often visit him when she wasn't tormenting Olive or going on an adventure. Being a ghost reduced the boundries she had. Then, the day came when Myrtle said she was going to crash Olive's brother's wedding. Hagrid had begged her not to, begged her to just stay in his hut, but she'd gone anyway. Olive responded to the attack by going to the Ministry and receiving an order that bound Myrtle's spirit within Hogwarts castle.
He saw her less often after that. He rarely had reason to be in the castle and the students he'd known would still glare at him and make fun of him, now for not having a wand. However, one Christmas morning he'd woken up to find a note on his door, teaching him how to get into the kitchens. When he'd gotten there, Myrtle had been waiting. She'd explained that she'd been trying to flow through the pipes to the Prefect's bathroom, but the castle had led her to the kitchen instead.
That was the first Christmas they'd spent together in the kitchen's and it had become a bit of a tradition. They would meet for other occasions as well and Hagrid would often find her to say hi when he was in the castle, but Christmas always had a special feeling to it.
"How've yeh be'n, Myrtle?" Hagrid asked.
"Oh, I've been good. There have been plenty of girls crying in the bathrooms for me to tease." Myrtle said, a small, wicked smile playing across her lips.
Hagrid frowned a bit at that. When Myrtle had been alive, she'd been a sweet girl. The circumstances of her death bothered her and now she not only hated girls that reminded her of Olive, but girls who reminded her of herself. Hagrid wished he knew a way to ease her spite.
Myrtle seemed to notice her friend's discomfort and the smile fell from her lips.
"But really Hagrid. I've been good. They're fixing the pipes on the fifth floor, so getting around is a bit harder, but it will be nice to not have to pass through that fuzz."
"That's something."
"How have you been, Hagrid?" Myrtle asked.
"Oh, I've be'n well. Be'n keeping an eye on me brother and Harry. Have ter go talk ter the giants again soon."
The two continued to chat, catching up on what had been going on in their existences. Hagrid found that he usually had more to say, and it made him angry to know that such a sweet girl's life had been cut too short. It only made him more resolved to make sure Tom Riddle was brought to an end.
Their conversation continued in a pleasant manner until a boy with shocking violet hair burst through the entrance and to the five tables in the center of the room. Hagrid looked at the boy for a moment. What was he doing here?
"Harry Potter's friend!" an elf called from the corner. Hagrid and Myrtle looked over to see a house elf wearing an alarming amount of socks and hats walking towards the boy at the table. "George!" the elf exclaimed. "Is there something Dobby can do for you?"
"I've got it, Dobby." Dobby nodded and joined the other elves preparing for dinner that night. Hagrid watched as the elves ignored George's presence in the kitchen before approaching the boy himself.
"George? Why are yeh in the kitchens?" George turned to look over at Hagrid.
"I could ask you the same thing, Hagrid." George looked behind Hagrid and saw Myrtle still near the table in the corner. "Merry Christmas Myrtle!" he shouted as he waved at her.
"To you as well, George." Myrtle said, a shy smile on her face as she waved to the boy.
"How do you...nevermind." Hagrid turned his attention back to the boy. "What are yeh doin' in here and why's yehr hair purple?"
"I want to get something for Fred, but I need to be able to mix a potion into it without him noticing. This hair is compliments of him, actually." George explained as he began to reach for a plate of Christmas cookies.
"Then why're yeh grabbin' cookies? There's nothin' teh mix it in with and he'll be able to tell they're soggy. Here." Hagrid reached for a platter of cupcakes further back on the table and presented it to George. "These will work better. He shouldn' be able to taste it in the frosting."
"Thanks Hagrid!" George said, grabbing two of the cupcakes and setting them on their own small plate before pulling a small vial of yellow potion from his pocket.
"Wait. I shouldn'ta told you that, George. Stop it." Hagrid tried to reach for the plate but George covered it first before turning to face the half giant.
"It's nothing bad, Hagrid. I'm just trying to keep my brother warm." George said with a smile.
"George, I've known yeh too long teh think yeh mean that in an innocent way." Hagrid looked down at the boy who continued to give his most earnest smile. "I still don' believe yeh. It won't be anything too bad, willit?"
"Of course not Hagrid. He's my brother after all. Now, if it were Umbridge…" George trailed off, a wicked smile crossing his face.
"Yeh can't talk like that." Hagrid tried his best to sound serious, but a smile crept on his face despite his best attempts. "Anyway, get that potion in there and get outta here." Hagrid began to walk away before turning back to the boy. "And if anyone asks, I didn't see you."
"Of course not." George replied, uncorking the potion. "Oh, and Merry Christmas Hagrid."
"Merry Christmas to yeh, too." Hagrid replied, returning to his seat next to Myrtle.
"I like those boys. They cause mischief, which is entertaining, but they're not mean about it. But they also have no shame, so it's no fun to tease them."
"You gotta stop watching boys through 'em pipes, Myrtle." Hagrid said, a small smile on his face.
"Never." Myrtle replied. "I never got to see a boy while I was alive and now no one can stop me. Besides, it's entertaining to watch them blush." Myrtle let out a small giggle and Hagrid just continued to smile at his friend.
"Sir Nicholas is having a party today." Myrtle added, in way of conversation. "He invited me."
"Do yeh need to leave?" Hagrid asked, disappointed that their time would be cut short.
"It's not until later. I probably won't go anyways. It's odd. Either way, I'm the youngest. I died the youngest and I've been dead the shortest amount of time. It's frustrating to be treated like a child."
Hagrid nodded, unsure of what to say. He'd never thought much about how the other ghosts would treat Myrtle. He surely wouldn't want to still be treated like a child. He frowned as he realized this was something that would never change for Myrtle. She would always look the way she had when she was fourteen.
The conversation shifted to more pleasant topics and the pair chatted for a while before Myrtle's smile faded. She turned to Hagrid with a somber expression.
"Rubeus, how do you think our lives would have played out if Dumbledore hadn't brought Riddle to Hogwarts?" She gazed at him with sad eyes.
Hagrid sat stunned for a moment. How often had he thought the same thing, before Riddle had been Voldemort? How many times after? It had been a constant plague on his mind for a while. He would never have been expelled and he would have finished his schooling. He'd probably have still worked for Dumbledore, but maybe he'd have been a more respectable teacher.
And as for Myrtle, she'd have been brilliant. She had wanted to go on to get her Arithmancy Masters and perhaps a Masters in Transfiguration, she'd never been sure. She was smart enough that she could have done whatever she wanted. And she'd have been his best friend. She still was, even as a ghost, but perhaps things would have progressed differently if they'd both been alive. He took a sip of his tea before answering.
"Myrtle, I think even if Tom Riddle hadn't been in Hogwarts, we'd still be doin' this."
Myrtle looked up at him with a flash of hurt and anger in her eyes. "What do you mean? You think I'd have found a way to die anyway?"
"O' course not!" Hagrid rushed to explain. "I think that you'd be alive an' brilliant an' doin; whate'er yeh wanted to. I meant that we'd still be friends and we'd still be spending our Christmas together. The important things wouldn't have changed a bit."
Myrtle smiled at him. "I'd like to pretend our Christmas wouldn't be spent in the kitchens of Hogwarts."
"O' course not, we'd 'ave it at the house." Hagrid paused as the words slipped. Myrtle just smiled and the two continued to enjoy their Christmas together.