Christmas Alone, Together

"I don't want any of you slacking on exercise during holiday," Gwenog said for the tenth time after dismissing the team on December twenty-third.

"Real holiday," Irene muttered on their way to the lockers. "Two days. You'd think we could at least sleep in Boxing Day."

"You were the one who signed up for it," Audrey said as she passed. She gave Ginny her usual glare, then walked off, her chin jutted out in superiority.

"At least you don't have to spend it with that," Ginny pointed in the direction Audrey had stalked off. "Christmas cheer will have a new meaning this year."

"I'm going to meet Trevor's family." This from Tasha. Ginny and Tasha had been out with Lee and Trevor between games and Tasha seemed to hear wedding bells already. Ginny enjoyed the dates, but had difficulty not comparing Lee to Harry.

In her mind went off a lot of flags she couldn't put aside. Harry doesn't talk about himself so much… Harry doesn't let me win on purpose... Harry would have known I loved strawberries and cream… Ginny tried to be fair to Lee. For one, most of what Harry would have done was a result of the years they'd known one another and spent together, even before they were dating. Lee was also fun and easy going, but something kept bothering her, nagging from the back of her mind.

"See you cows later," Ginny said, grabbing her things and going back to her flat to pack.

She was putting in the last few necessities in her bag when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." She figured it would be Percy, coming to check in before getting Audrey to take home.

The door creaked and there was a deep, sure voice coming from the living room. "Ginevra?"

Ginny looked up and over through the door. Of course her underwear would be sitting right on top. She only hoped that Tasha had put away anything magic that he might see. She put her wand in her bag and zipped it before leaving her room. "Hi Lee, what are you doing here?"

He stood with one hand on his hip, the other holding a bouquet of flowers. Harry would have brought me an ice cream sundae. "I just wanted to come see you before Christmas." He handed Ginny the flowers.

"Thank you," she smiled and smelled them. There were roses, orchids and several blooms Ginny didn't recognize. "What are you doing for the holiday?" Ginny walked into the kitchen, grabbed a vase and began to fill it with water.

"Going home," Lee ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I was sort of wondering if you'd like to come for a bit. It's just me and my parents, but..."

Ginny turned on the water, trying not to look awkward about his suggestion. "I don't know."

"Not for all of it. I mean, I know you're excited to see your own family," Ginny was surprised he'd noticed. Lee had only met Percy, and only once or twice. "But I was just wondering if maybe—"

He sighs like Harry when he doesn't know what to say next. "I-I would, but," Ginny wasn't sure what to say herself. "My mum's got all sorts of things planned. Even my brother Charlie's coming home."

"He's the animal trainer in Romania, right?"

Ginny was astonished he remembered. Even if it was her muggle adaptation of the truth Lee knew. "Right." She walked into the living room, placing the flowers on the mantle.

"Well," Lee said. "I guess I expected you'd be busy. Can I at least take you out for the New Year?"

Ginny smiled. "Sure."

Lee stepped in and gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek before turning around and walking out the door without another word. For a moment Ginny wondered if it had even happened. She went back to her room, grabbed her suitcase and thought about her first kiss with Harry. A full room of people. The victory of Quidditch. The unrestrained want. Harry wouldn't have been so timid about kissing me.


As Ginny stepped into the Burrow's kitchen, she breathed in the scents of roast, ham, potatoes, gravy and the assortment of pies her mum was preparing for Christmas Eve dinner that night. "Brilliant," she said. Hermione was sitting at the table, peeling carrots.

"Oh, Ginny, you're here," Molly came up to kiss Ginny on the cheek, leaving a spoon stirring the gravy. "Audrey and Percy came in just five minutes ago."

"Lovely," Ginny muttered, dropped her bag and straddled the bench opposite Hermione.

"How have the Harpies been?" Hermione asked.

"Good," she replied. Although Hermione couldn't always follow Quidditch Ginny continued about the games, practices, plays they were practicing until she couldn't talk anymore.

"So do you think next year you'll start every game?"

"Hard to say," Ginny shrugged. "This is Olivia's last year, so maybe. But Gwenog keeps on me about hovering."

"Hovering?" Molly asked.

"Yeah," Ginny picked up a raw carrot, taking a bite into it. "She says I tend to fly just under everyone else."

Hermione looked confused. "What's wrong with that?"

"It's predictable and she says there are medics to worry if anyone falls off their brooms."

"Ridiculous. There isn't anything wrong with you being protective of your teammates," Hermione protested.

Ginny smiled. Of course Hermione wouldn't see anything wrong with it. She'd missed this kind of argument from Hermione. The kind that made her seem like a heroine even if it didn't change the fact that Gwenog chewed her out every time.

"How many plates did you need?" Ginny pointed her wand at the cabinet, opening the one with dishes.

"Fourteen. George said he's bringing an old friend and I invited Harry, of course," Molly said, looking over. "That is alright isn't it?"

"Of course," Ginny said, trying to sound normal despite the chaos of emotion erupting inside of her. She looked over at Hermione. "Someone should probably warn Ron, though."

"Warn Ron?" Molly asked, tending to self-stirring spoons and magically peeling carrots. "Why on earth would anyone need to warn Ron?"

Hermione and Ginny met glances, arguing silently who would tell Ron, whose laughter floated in from the living room. Both went back to helping with dinner, letting Ron figure it out for himself.


Ginny carried in a tray of meats and cheese when George walked in followed by Angelina Johnson. Ginny watched as they came in, George holding onto her hand, playing with her palm and looking happier than she'd seen him since the war. "The idiot didn't recognize me at first," Angelina teased, making George pull her closer as she told how they'd met up again.

She didn't look the same. Her hair was short, cut longer in the front and straight. Ginny was surprised what years had done to make her look more mature in her face. "It was Halloween. She was wearing some kind of mask," he explained, planting a kiss on her cheeks.

Ginny noticed how everyone looked on, happy for George. Ron and Hermione mimicked the closeness while Molly looked like she wanted to throw a wedding right there and then. Charlie kept making jibes only to get them right back. Percy was all eyes for Audrey, as usual, but the later was shockingly pleasant. Ginny's mind wandered until longing threatened the mood. She wouldn't think about being alone this Christmas.

As if on cue, the door opened showing Arthur with a hand gripped on Harry's shoulder. "Look who I found trying to work overtime on Christmas Eve," Arthur said, then turned to let Molly remove his coat and scarf.

Harry stood, awkward with his hands in pockets, eyes peeking over the tops of his frames. "Oi, Harry," George said. Angelina said an enthusiastic hello as well, but Ron was glaring as Harry looked towards him. Ginny figured he was hoping to be forgiven before allowing himself to join the group. Ginny ached to leave, let him be a part of the festivities and seclude herself safely away. She wanted to be somewhere she wouldn't be tempted to run up and confessing every feeling she had for him.

But she couldn't leave. Not with Ron acting like a tiger ready to pounce. Peace between them would be up to her pretending she felt nothing. She forced a smile and stood up, walking over to throw her arms around Harry. "Happy Christmas," she said pulling back.

Harry's expression was one of gratitude. Whether for her embrace or quelling Ron's anger she didn't know, but she tugged him by the arm bringing him to sit near her by George and Angelina.

"How do you know Harry Potter?" Audrey whispered in awe to Percy. Ginny smiled to herself as Percy replied, his tone too hushed to hear.

"Glad to have you here," Angelina said, George barely letting her go to hug Harry.

Besides Ron's stubborn grimace, the mood returned to a happy one. "Where are Bill and Fleur," Harry asked while teaching a muggle card game to Arthur.

"They're spending the holiday in France," Hermione said, hanging another string of lights on the tree with her wand. "They came by this morning and dropped a few things off."

"Ted and Andromeda are coming by in the morning though," Molly added.

Ginny loved that Harry's face lit up at the comment.

Ron didn't seem to share the same sentiments. "So why didn't you invite that Muggle boyfriend you've been seeing," he asked, earning a subtle pinch on his arm from Hermione.

Ginny could kill him. Heat rose to her face and she could see Harry's smile drop from the corner of her eye. "Boyfriend isn't even close to the right term, Ron." How had he known anyways? The last time he'd come to Wales was when Tasha had forced her to go meet Lee in the first place. She hadn't even told Hermione about Lee.

"You've been out with him a few times though, haven't you," Audrey asked, taking a cup of hot apple cider from Molly. The small comment seemed friendly, but Ginny figured she must have caught onto what was happening and thought to help Ron. Either that or her brother had enlisted her earlier.

Ginny shrugged. "Just a few times. Mostly double dates with Tasha and Trevor."

She hoped this would make everyone switch topics, but Audrey wasn't finished feigning friendship. "But they're getting pretty serious, aren't they? I mean, she went to his family for Christmas."

"New Year's what's most telling," Charlie pointed out.

"Yeah," George said, looking at Angelina. "You know those New Year kisses."

Ginny knew they were just being like her brothers usually were, but she wanted to strangle them, Christmas or not. "So how about it, Gin," Charlie asked, leaning forward. "Got yourself a New Year's date?"

"Do you?" She countered.

"Not unless you count a clan of dragons," he admitted. "But don't avoid the question. Who's the guy you're dating?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not dating anyone, but if you must know I am spending the New Year with a friend named Lee."

"Like Lee Jordan?" George asked.

"No," Ginny said. "He's Muggle."

After a couple questions from her dad, everyone finally seemed bored with the subject. Harry's mood dulled and Ron seemed pleased with himself. At dinner, Ginny made a point to kick his shin under the table.

Harry, Hermione and Ron were the last ones left as people filed off to bed one at a time. Harry tried to excuse himself to go home for the night but Molly wouldn't hear of it. "Come on. Let's go for a quick walk," Hermione suggested to Ron, standing up.

"I don't want to." Ron was still irritable and unwilling to leave Harry and Ginny alone. Not that Ginny minded that too much. If only Ron could manage civility. "I want to stay right here."

He stuck his feet up on the table and put his hands behind his head. "Now," Hermione said, pulling her wand out and lifting his entire body from its place.

Hermione had been trying to get them alone since dinner ended. Ginny wasn't sure if this tactic was in hopes of them dating again or simply to clear any awkwardness that still lingered. As far as Ginny was concerned, they'd done a fantastic job of acting natural. That was until Ron and Hermione went out the door, Hermione still threatening to force him out with her wand while he argued.

The crackle of the fire popped loudly as Ginny stared into it, unsure what Hermione expected her to do at this point. Several minutes passed, Harry on one side of the room while Ginny just thought. Part of her wanted to tell him how much she missed him. But that wouldn't do at all. She took in a deep breath, then looked towards Harry. "I'm pretty sure Santa won't come if we're still awake."

The corners of Harry's lips rose a little, even if they were forced that way. "I suppose he won't."

"Well, I'm off then," Ginny decided, pushing up against the arm of her chair and walked towards the stairs.

Harry was a step behind a moment later, as if escorting her to her bedroom. "I've heard great things about the way you've played for the Harpies."

"Well if you're hearing it from Mum or Hermione, you should know not to believe a word of it," she said.

"I doubt that," he said, cutting her off on the landing. "Besides, there're plenty of people talking about how great you are." He stopped, looking down and running his fingers through his hair.

"Thanks," Ginny said. "How's work been for you?"

Harry just shrugged. There was another lull as Ginny looked up, her eyes locking just above their heads. Harry looked up too.

"Well, I wonder who thought that'd be funny," Ginny said, still staring at the mistletoe. She was sure it hadn't been here before. Maybe Charlie thought it would be a good joke. Maybe Hermione thought it could get their relationship mended. She was sure Ron had no idea about it. She looked back at Harry, whose eyes were already locked on her. Go on, kiss me, she thought—hoped. Please.

Harry leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead before wishing her a good night and taking strides up the steps towards another one of the rooms.

Audrey was already asleep on Ginny's bed when she stepped inside. She wished it was just Hermione and her sharing this time. Not that she wanted to talk. Maybe she could just sit and listen to Hermione's affirmations that Harry would come around. But if he planned on coming around, why such a brotherly show of affection? With no one else around?

Ginny climbed into one of the cots, pulling the blankets up to her chin, leaving on the clothes from the day.