Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

So sorry for the lack of updates, everyone! School is such a drag! Well anyway, I did my best on this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy!


"Could you pass the eggnog?" Ginny said slyly, raising her eyebrows at Ron, who was secretly feeding Hermione pudding with his own spoon. Of course, this was not missed by his sister.

"Oh, yeah, right," Ron muttered. Hermione laughed.

"Reminds me of our third year," Ron said. "Ginny would never stop interrupting us."

"Oh shut up," Ginny said, glaring at Ron and turning back to Harry.

"Her problem," Ron said, shrugging and looking gently at a cheerful Hermione. "if she wants to interrupt us, fine, but we won't be interrupted."

And with that, he took another spoonful of chocolate pudding and held it in front of Hermione's mouth.

"No!" Hermione said, still laughing. "You need to eat some desert too!"

"Nah, ever since I hung out at George's joke shop I've realized my stomach's shrunk," Ron said.

"What d'you mean?"

"Well, you know, they never have food there, and George never allows me to go on lunch break for some weird reason... and well, the only good food place in Diagon Alley is run by this weird, cackling witch and it's near Knockturn Alley, so I wouldn't even bother passing by there for some lunch."

Hermione couldn't stop laughing, and Ron grinned.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Mrs. Weasley said, leaning across the table to get a closer look at Hermione. "but lately, we haven't been in touch with any one since... well..."

Hermione nodded, immediately knowing that Mrs. Weasley was talking about Fred. "Yes?"

"...and there's a boggart up in one of the old storage rooms, I think the one right across Ron's room," Mrs. Weasley said. Hermione's heart lifted. Finally something to do this Christmas! She had been spoon-fed for the past three days that she had come here. And with no regrets.

"Oh, I can do that, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said. She pushed back her chair and stood up.

"Oh no, no, no! Not now, we're still having dinner! Oh, Hermione, dear, I think it best if you start working on it after we unwrap our presents."

"No, Mrs. Weasley, I think it's best if I get rid of the boggart now," Hermione said, nodding importantly and shooting half-a-glance at Ron. I'll be as quick as I can.

Ron nodded slightly and turned back to his pudding, now able to feed himself more thoroughly without having to feed Hermione.

Hermione laughed as she imagined Ron spoon-feeding her if they got married as she climbed the stairs to Ron's room. She walked across the landing and pushed open the door across Ron's room, and in fact, there was a small, rattling drawer in the left side of the room. This must be the boggart.

Hermione drew out her wand from her back pocket and slowly approached the rattling drawer.

"Okay, stay calm," she muttered to herself. She mustn't panic!

Hermione pulled open the drawer quickly, and immediately dropped it, screaming in shock.

There, right on the floor near the dropped drawer, were the two bodies of Harry and Ron both dead, a trickle of blood oozing from each of their foreheads.

"R-Riddikulus!" Hermione whispered, her wand arm shaking so badly as she stared at her worst fear. "Riddikulus!"

Nothing happened, except that Hermione sobbed even harder.

"Riddikulus!"

The problem was that Hermione was not thinking of anything funny. "R-Ridd--"

"Riddikulus!"

The two bodies disappeared, leaving Hermione sobbing on Ron's already-wet shoulder, due to his and Ginny's earlier water fight.

"Don't worry, Hermione, I'm here," Ron whispered, patting her gently on the shoulder and escorting her out the room. "I'm not dead, Hermione, I promise."

"Oh, R-R-Ron! It was -- horrible! I c-couldn't think of a-anything funny," Hermione said. "oh, this is such a flaw in my magical education!"

"No, Hermione, stop being so hard on yourself," Ron muttered, now stroking her hair gently. "nobody can get used to a boggart. That's what there for, aren't they? For showing us what we really fear so we could get scared to death?"

Hermione let out a watery laugh and Ron patted her on the shoulders again as they descended the stairs.

"Don't worry, Hermione, I'll always be here."