For Camilla – The girl who's addicted to fluff. Merry Christmas x

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. All rights go to JK Rowling/Warner Bros. I do not profit in any way.

Flying

Friday 29th April. The first Hogsmede weekend in two whole months.

Harry bounced out of Charlie's old bed that morning, all traces of insomnia washed away by the anticipation of the day. He showered quickly in the bathroom (which he didn't have to wait for once – apparently Ron was already up), dressed, and went down the stairs, missing the odd step in his haste.

"Morning Ron," Harry said as he entered the kitchen. Ron was already shovelling down his bacon and eggs with a dopey grin. Harry laughed, and grabbed a piece of toast from Ron's huge pile. It earned him a glare, but he didn't try to grab it back. Apparently Ron was in a good mood; food theft from his best mate would usually not be tolerated.

Harry couldn't wait; he and Ron were almost bouncing in their seats as they ate breakfast together, the only topic of conversation being how they were finally going to see their girlfriends again. It seemed like eternity since Ginny and Hermione's last Hogsmede weekend.

The boys had missed the girls dreadfully. The four of them had spent the whole of the long, hot summer together, so at first their absence was strange. Especially Hermione; Ron and Harry had never spent a term away from her, after all. It was like losing their personal organiser and best friend in one.

Still, they respected Hermione and Ginny's wishes to complete their education. Harry and Ron weren't sure at first whether to go back or not. Surprisingly, Hermione had been impartial, saying it was their own decision to make.

Incidentally, Kingsley had approached them a couple of days after the war. He had been appointed Minister of Magic, and was insanely busy with the rebuilding of the shattered Ministry, but he found a few moments to appear at The Burrow, and offer his condolences.

It was the time in which you couldn't speak to Molly Weasley without her bursting into tears; the time where George locked himself in Percy's room for hours on end, because he couldn't face facing the memories in his own, or in the small flat above Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.

It was a dark time, that was for sure, and even though Ron and Harry were burning with victory and love, the aftermath was far worse than the war itself. Could they really leave the family at a time like this?

Just before Kingsley left, he had beckoned Harry and Ron to the kitchen.

"Do you two still harbour the ambition to be Aurors," he asked bluntly, as soon as the kitchen door was shut behind them."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances, and nodded simultaneously.

"We're still not sure if we're going back to school yet though, sir," Ron had replied, looking out of the kitchen window at his suspiciously red-eyed mother hanging up the washing by hand. Harry noticed a crease appear in his brow, and felt a lump appear in his own throat; seeing Mrs Weasley looking so wounded was painful.

"I know," Kingsley said. "Fact is that we lost so many Aurors during the battle, and we need our numbers up. There are still Death Eaters around, ones that haven't been caught, and weren't killed; we think that they might be even more dangerous without a leader, they're desperate. And desperation is dangerous."

He surveyed them seriously.

"So this year, we're taking people on that fought in the war without the usually necessary qualifications. You'll only do one year of training, and then you'll be a fully qualified Auror.

What do you say?"

"Yes," they said at the same time.

"Great," he smiled. "I'll see you in the Ministry on Monday morning."

And they did. Ron and Harry had been in training for seven months now, and loved every minute.

"C'mon Harry, let's go! They'll be there any minute! You can have food there!"

Harry chuckled. His best friend had certainly missed Hermione. As had he, of course.

"Okay," he said, and spun on the spot, concentrating on the high street outside The Three Broomsticks.

When their feet landed on the ground, there was a loud squeal, and an arm around each of their necks. Hermione was clinging to them, her legs dangling a few inches off the floor. After a few moments, she released her arm from around Harry and clung to Ron. He spun her around, face buried in her bushy hair, and pecked her on the lips as he set her down, the tips of his ears turning a delicate shade of pink – the same as Hermione's cheeks.

Harry grinned at seeing his best friends so happy. They were staring into each other's eyes now, and he hated to ruin the moment, but he had to ask...

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione grinned at him, and averted her eyes to behind Harry, but before he could turn, something jumped on his back and kissed his neck.

"Gotcha," Ginny whispered in his ear, and Harry laughed and pretended to stumble under her weight.

"Watch it," she said, and slapped his shoulder as she jumped off him. She put her arms round his neck, and stared up into his eyes.

"I missed you," she said.

"Obviously," he grinned at her.

She stood on her tiptoes, and he leaned over as she captured his lips with hers. There was that flowery scent that he'd missed so much, the soft skin of her neck, the sweet taste of her lips. All of his senses engaged by her; the way that she caught his lips with her, the way that he could feel her smile against his skin, he could feel her raised heartbeat through her cloak, perfectly in time with his.

They were finally together, and Harry never wanted to let go.

"Hem hem," Ron interrupted, sounding so much like one of their past Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers that Ginny and Harry sprung apart instantly.

"Not funny," Ginny said, as Ron and Hermione burst into laughter.

Harry was just about to kiss her again, but Ron poked him.

"Enough! There's only so much of seeing my best mate snog my sister that I can take!"

Harry grinned, and met Ginny's amused gaze. He decided to maintain his best mate's sanity, and slid his arm around Ginny's waist.

"Butterbeer?" He asked the two Weasleys and Hermione, who nodded. It was cold for April, and they'd been stood outside for a while now.

They nodded, and they walked inside, Ron's arm around Hermione's shoulders. Harry noticed how Hermione's head leaned against his shoulder, and smiled. After all these years, it was nice to see Ron and Hermione actually together; after all, everyone had seen it coming.

The four spent the rest of the afternoon chatting, Harry and Ron explaining what they were doing in Auror Training at the moment, Hermione and Ginny filling them in on what was happening at Hogwarts.

"McGonagall's still headmistress," Hermione said, smiling. "She's just as good as Dumbledore, honestly! She doesn't harbour any prejudice against the Slytherins that came back."

Malfoy had come back for his final year, his parents having escaped imprisonment. He was far more subdued this year, Ginny had explained, and the words 'Weasel' and 'Mudblood' had not been uttered thus far.

"Everyone stares at us now," Ginny said, swiping her finger over the Butterbeer froth and licking it off. "Not people who were at the battle, but all of the first to fifth years. They look at us like heroes or something."

"You were heroes," Harry said, before cringing at how cheesy it sounded. The whole table burst into laughter.

"Okay, let's stop there, before Harry makes us all puke," Ginny grinned at him, her eyes sparking mischievously.

He stuck his tongue out at her immaturely, and she laughed.

It seemed all too soon that the sky was darkening, and it was time for the girls to walk back to Hogwarts.

Harry and Ron walked them back through the April evening chill. Harry offered Ginny his cloak, to which she rolled her eyes and made a crack about his chivalry. Nevertheless, when he put his arm round her and pulled her to his side, she didn't protest.

They were soon in view of the magnificent castle, and Harry looked at it sadly. So many memories were made between those walls. The good times and the bad; the laughter and the tears, magic and blood.

He wasn't ready to go back yet, but he would one day, he was sure of it.

"I'll miss you," Harry said sadly, as they reached the gates.

"As I will you," Ginny replied, her arms tight around his waist. Harry buried his face in her hair, and then tilted her chin up so she was looking directly into his eyes.

Harry silently lowered his lips to hers once more, and they were flying.

A/N: I'll be the first to admit that this isn't my best work, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Camilla, here's the second part of your present, thank you for being an amazing Tumblr best-friend :D

Everyone else, feedback is always appreciated, positive or negative. :)