Hey guys, this story was written for Taragh McCarthy's Dirty Santa Competition. Happy Christmas, and I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer, I do not own Harry Potter.
Bookworm Santa
It was Christmas time as happiness filled the halls with happy students. The whole of Hogwarts was decorated beautifully, and there was not a sad person in sight. Even though some had their suspicions of Voldemort, for Harry Potter claimed that he has come back, no one wanted to be brought down.
Fred Weasley stared at his present, completely flabbergasted. A Special Edition of Hogwarts, A History, with special colored pictures lay in his hands, still partially wrapped in wrapping paper. The book was silver and shining, with Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuffs moving faces on the cover. He tossed it in his hands, with no interest to open it. He figured George drew his name and got him the lousy present, and that the real one was waiting with him.
Earlier in the month every Gryffindor, fifth year and up drew names of others in their house. The person they drew, they had to buy a present for, but they had to get it to them secretly. After the person receives their present, they had exactly seven days to guess who bought it for them.
Fred himself drew Dean Thomas. He easily gave Dean some of the products he and George made, like Puking Pastilles and Extendable Earlobes, which he figured anyone, would love. He did not care if Dean guessed it was him or not.
He never thought that he would get a lousy book that he would never read. It was the book Hermione Granger always rambled on about to his brother, Ron and Harry Potter. He scoffed and had the temptation to throw the book away in the fire, but he knew it was wrong, especially if it was not George who bought it for him.
He opened the book and the room filled with the aroma of the fresh pages, yet Fred was still irked. The book looked nice and expensive, but he just could not make himself like it. The one thing he hated about Secret Santa games, anyone could get you.
He settled on asking George if it was him who bought the lousy book.
He ventured further in the common room searching for his twin brother, George.
He saw Hermione Granger, with Harry and Ron, who grinned wildly at him, which he creased his eyebrows at. She was very cute, smart and happy. Fred, realizing what he was thinking about his kid brother's friend, shook his head abruptly, and erased all those could not help himself from looking back at her again to see that smile.
Then he saw George, showing off some products to some little first years.
"Eh, George!" He called, and George turned.
"Yah Fred," George replied leaving the first years with a few products.
"I was wondering if you were supposed to be my 'dirty' Santa?" Fred asked with the book in hand.
"No, no I got Katie," George responded, "Well, what did you get?"
"I got a book, Hogwarts A History, Special Edition, to be frank," Fred scoffed.
"Seriously? And you thought it was me? I'm shamed brother," George laughed.
"Then I'm not sure who got me," Fred said unwittingly, "Maybe it was Ron," he pondered.
"Eh who knows," George said.
"I'm gonna ask him, I've got seven days, bet I'll be the first person to find out," Fred replied walking towards where he saw his brother, Ron before, sitting with Hermione and Harry. Hermione turned and smiled widely at him, and Fred had no idea why, but he returned the smile. He could not help it, she was contagious and to him, beautiful. He shook his head once more. She's his kid brother's friend, nothing more, nothing less.
"Ron, were you my Secret Santa?" Fred asked.
"No," Ron said quickly.
"Yah, I should have figured that even you wouldn't get me something as lousy as this book," Fred snarled and held it out for everyone to see it.
"You thought it was lousy?" Hermione blurted angrily.
"Yah, who in their right mind, would give this to me?" Fred scoffed. Hermione stood up and stood right in front of Fred, even though he towered her.
"Me!" Hermione yelled, and Fred turned scarlet up to his ears, "You bloody jerk! It was special edition too!" The whole common room turned and stared, even George tried to hold back his laughter.
"I'm sorry Hermione it's just-I-," Fred tried to say.
"You what! Are an arse!" Hermione yelled, "I'm sorry you can't appreciate a good present!"
"I don't particularly like books!" Fred complained.
"You don't go yelling around, I hate my Secret Santa gift! You should have kept it to yourself!" Hermione yelled. Her burning passion took him by surprise. She was even cute when she was angry.
"I didn't know you were my Secret Santa!" He yelled back, frustrated with the beautiful fifth year. He was captivated with her.
Hermione stared at him, and the whole common room was silent, concentrating on this fight. Fred stared back softly.
He towered her in height, but not in nerve or intelligence. He was awed by her, and before he could help himself, he snatched her face and kissed her full on the lips. The common room yelled out catcalls and whistles and some clapped. Ron turned red and Harry clapped while George whistled.
Fred let go of Hermione and her eyes were widened.
"That was unexpected," she said, mostly to herself, while the common room still cheered, "Happy Christmas."