Written for eyesofbatterycity on tumblr.
Not too heavy in the shipper department, just kinda friendly with shipper undertones.
Winter Wonderland
Harry loved the grounds at Christmastime. Snow blanketed the grounds in white, though just enough paths were cut out by Hagrid. Many of the trees had lost all their leaves, but there was something beautiful about the way their branches were lined with the snow. The whole atmosphere of winter was peaceful. Even the Whomping Willow had a more pleasant demeanor.
He walked through the grounds, crunching through piles of snow and dead leaves. Everything was quite. Hogwarts was closed, not just for the holiday, but since the Battle with Voldemort the spring before. Even with magic, repairs were taking a long time. Harry, along with many other students, had volunteered to help return the school to its former glory, but Harry knew it would never be the same.
Hogwarts had been ancient and beautiful. Its age and its mystery had been what made it wonderful. But now, so much had been destroyed.
"It will never be the same, will it?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Hmm?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from the castle. "Oh, hello, Luna. What did you say?"
"That it will never be the same. We can rebuild the walls and the enchantments, but in the end, it will only be a replica of what once was."
Harry nodded, looking back to the school. It was nearly finished now, and would certainly open the following September. New students would make their way across the lake, as he once did, and old students would return to a new school.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence between them. "I thought everyone had gone home."
"My father is traveling for the next few months, so I asked Professor McGonagall if I could stick around here for the holidays. It's been my second home for so long, I don't really want to leave."
"I know the feeling," he nodded.
"What about you? I thought the Weasley's were having a get together."
"Yep. I'll be leaving to join them a little later. But I've spent nearly every Christmas here since I was eleven. Like you said, I don't really want to leave. Not yet. I told McGonagall I'd help finish up repairs, but she wouldn't have it. She demanded I take at least a few days off."
"She's right. The holidays are time to spend with family."
"Will you be joining us? I know Mrs. Weasley extended an invite to you, but I heard you declined."
"I didn't want to impose," she said, shaking her head.
"Nonsense," Harry replied. "You are part of the family. You were invited because we want you there. Please come."
"Will there be enough food if I do?"
Harry laughed lightly. "Mrs. Weasley has a tendency to overestimate proportions. I expect she'll be cooking for thirty. And, last I saw, the guest list was no more than seventeen long. Please?"
Luna smiled. "Very well."
Harry smiled back at her. "Good." He took her hand in his and the pair of them continued on their walk through the grounds.
Even in the dark times, the winter had a way of making him see happiness.