Chapter Seven

The Christmas holidays were upon them and students were getting excited about going home. The Great Hall was decorated with huge pine trees hauled in by Hagrid and made beautiful with Professor Flitwick's charmed ornaments. The students going home were packed and ready to go. Like always, Harry was staying at Hogwarts for the holidays, without his friends this year but with Belana. Ron and Hermoine had already wrapped Harry and Belana's gifts and placed them under the tree to torment their friends.

"Remember, use protection" Ron warned jokingly.

"Got it covered" Harry replied. "Say hi to everyone and happy Christmas for me"

"I will" he promised. "Belana, if he doesn't, let me know and I'll beat him"

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on sleeping with him" she laughed.

"If, in the event, it does happen, I'll be the godfather"

"Thanks Ron, get lost" Harry shoved him away.

"Bye" Ron and Hermoine said.

"Make sure you do some research on that thing" Hermoine added.

"Don't worry have fun" Harry yelled over Dumbledore's announcements.

After they left Harry grabbed Belana's hand and dragged her off.

"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere, we have almost the entire castle to ourselves" Harry said. "Including the sixth year's boy's dormitory"

"That means lots of privacy," Belana noted. "Because I can go in there"

"You got it"

"So what are we going to do now that everyone is gone"?

"I don't know"

"I want to run around and make a lot of noise" Belana decided and began to run.

Ron and Hermoine sat on the train quietly with all the other sixth year boys and some other sixth years. The other boys were chatting away about holiday plans. Seamus was off to Ireland. Neville was skiing with some cousins and staying at his grandmother's. Dean was going to his Grans place and hanging out with his cousin. Ron and Hermoine were doing nothing special.

"My cousin is teaching me this muggle sport…uhh…bowling. You guys want to come?" Dean asked.

"No thanks, I've been bowling, it's not my thing" Hermoine replied.

"Send me an owl before you go and I'll go with you" Ron said. "Might be exciting"

"All right cool"

The compartment door opened and Cadance came in. She looked tired and kind of sad. She sat down next to Dean and put her head on his shoulder.

"What's up?" he asked her stroking her hair.

"I don't want to go"
"Why not?"

"Kelly is going to be there"

"How do you know?"

Cadance handed him a piece of parchment, which he read over.

"Great, there goes my whole vacation" Dean sighed.

"Ha! You don't have to share a bed with the little brat. Don't complain" Cadance replied

"There's always the option of sleeping in my room. There are two beds but I snore"

"So does Kelly and she hogs the blankets because we happen to only have the one bed. Ever wonder why I come home from Grans sick all the time?"

"Cool"

Cadance just sat there for a while silent but started talking again. Dean was looking around at who was most shocked out of his friends. Ron definitely won that battle, but his shock was kind of interesting.

"So, when are we bowling? I invited Ron, I hope that's not a problem" Dean told her.

"It's fine. I haven't quite decided. I need to call the alley and find out everything"

"Where's Malfoy?"
"Gay"
"Really?"
"No but he should be"

"Nice"

"I just felt like talking to you and your wiener friends"

"Thanks, you're sweet"

Cadance sat with Dean the entire rest of the trip even though Draco continued to attempt to drag her back to his compartment. So, the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws sitting in there got to spend time with a single sweet Slytherin.

"I'll send you and owl when she figures everything out" Dean told Ron as they got off the train.

"All right, see ya and happy Christmas" Ron called back.

Mr. And Mrs. Weasley were waiting for their children at the platform and embraced them plus Hermoine then headed out to meet the Grangers. Ron told his dad about the sport Dean invited him to go play and his dad approved it.

Two days later Ron received an owl from Dean informing that everything was settle and that he was welcome to arrive that night or the next day whenever he felt. He decided it might be fun to spend the night at Dean's so Ron packed some clothing and traveled by Flo Powder through the fireplaces. He arrived in their fireplace and startled Cadance who had been reading silently in the living room. When she heard him come down the chimney she jumped and looked to see who was here. He looked astonishing in baggie jeans and a green tee.

"I'm never going to get over that!" she exclaimed.

"What? People traveling through the fireplaces?" Ron asked as if it was the most normal thing ever.

"Yes, it's very strange and abnormal" she replied and went to the bottom of the stairs. "Dean! Ron is here!"

She settled back into her chair with her book. Ron watched her closely and couldn't help but notice how cute she looked with her hair in braids and her pajama's on. Her pajama pants lied he noticed. They said Angel all over them and were purple but she was no Angel. Her pajama top was a pale blue with two little stars on either side of a half moon. It was low cut with spaghetti straps.

Dean ran into the room and interrupted Ron's thoughts. He'd just finished checking out Cadance and was looking around the living room. It was quite unique with it's dusty rose walls and gray borders and it's paintings of odd looking people. They had many couches in the large room of all different coloured stripes and lots of pillows covering them. Two recliners sat in each corner, one occupied by Cadance. A window seat looking at the little lake behind their house filled with pillows as well. The window had a stained glass owl on it that looked like it was made by unskillful hands. A large carpet was sat upon the hardwood floor. It was oval shaped with different shades of pink circling around. Some oak tables were scattered here and there and some plants to fill ugly empty spaces.
"I like this room" Ron said out loud.
"Thank you Ronald" Dean's grandmother said.
She had just entered the room to see who had come down the chimney.
"We're glad you could come. Dean will show you were you'll be staying"
"Follow me" Dean motioned.
"Cadance, go with them. Get your nose out of that book awhile. You could use some work on your social skills"
Reluctantly, Cadance got up and put her book on the table. She straightened out her pajamas and followed the boys quietly.

"Is it a good book?" Ron asked.

She nodded.

"I bet it's a romance" Dean gagged. "Here's the bathroom"

"You're grandmother has a pretty good sense of style" Ron informed.

"Ya, but I prefer clusters" Dean said.

"Same" Ron agreed. "Must be a guy thing"

"Does Malfoy like them?" Dean asked Cadance.

"I don't know, I guess so" she answered. "I never paid much attention"

"Neither would I to him anyways"

"I'm going up to the attic," Cadance informed.

"Let me know if you find something interesting" Dean said.

"Ok"