Disclaimer: You know the drill.
A/N: Please let me know what you think of this story. I really enjoy writing it and appreciate all the feedback I've gotten—it makes me even more excited to write it.
P.S. I've been putting songs at the bottom of the story lately, and I was wondering if you had any songs that remind you of the story? Just curious :)
P.P.S. I took some liberty with a couple details here and there—it's a fanfic, please bare with me.
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Ettie's eyes opened to a still-dark room. Ginny was fast asleep in her bed, so when Ettie got out of hers she took special precaution.
She slid into a pair of slipper-flats and headed to the bathroom with an armful of clothing. She twisted the doorknob on the bathroom door and was hit with the feeling of steam. Her morning grogginess still had the upper hand, and it took her a moment to react.
"Oh my God…I am so sorry!" She slapped a hand over her eyes and turned around on her heels.
"Et, it's okay. I have a towel on." George chuckled. "Happy Christmas."
"I'd say," Fred jested as he walked by with a bagel in his hand. "Maybe you don't need the gift after all, George." He winked and George threw him a dark look, though his lips held a hint of a smile.
"I guess I'll just wait on taking a shower." Ettie blushed to a deep scarlet color.
"You sure? There's enough room," George joked.
"Yeah, I'll pass." Ettie managed a twitch of her lips, still paralyzed with embarrassment. "Just let me know when you're done."
"Will do."
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Ettie returned to Ginny's room, utterly mortified.
"Oh no, what happened?" Ginny asked, as if she were a telepath.
"You're up now?" Ettie teased. "I just walked in on your brother in the shower. Thank God he was done."
"I think I would have died. Gross!" Ginny stuck out her tongue.
"I guess he doesn't lock the door, huh?"
"Apparently not. Guess you don't knock?"
"Fair enough." Ettie conceded. "Still not a good way to begin Christmas."
"Aw, c'mon. I see that look in your eyes. Don't pretend like you didn't enjoy it." Ginny chuckled.
"Okay, a second ago you were just saying it was gross."
"Gross for me. You're the one who has the hots for him."
Ettie tucked her clothes under her arm again and thought of an appropriate answer.
"I guess it wasn't a terrible way to begin Christmas."
"Ettie?" George knocked on the door, even though his head was already poking through the doorway.
"Done?"
"Yep, it's all yours now."
"Thanks." Ettie waved to Ginny, and then walked passed George.
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Once she was showered and dressed in her finest (a pure white, mid-thigh dress with modest ankle-high boots), Ettie joined Ginny at the kitchen table. The boys had all eaten and were off doing who-knows -what, and Molly was holed up her in bedroom. She would not say why, and Mr. Weasley didn't say a word either.
Ginny and Ettie mused about what they thought the day would be like. Would Molly break down, or would her spirits stay as high as they were the night before?
"Mum was honestly a wreck when Ron left…now that it's Christmas, it may get disastrous."
"Your mom is amazing. She's so caring. I'm sure she'll pull through. If Ron was my son, I'd be proud." Ettie said with her whole heart.
"You haven't met Ron though," Ginny grinned. "I'm sure you will soon enough. Hopefully Harry and Hermione too."
"I remember you mentioning that they were his friends. I'd love to meet both of them…but meeting Harry would be an event. I know what it's like, to a slightly lesser degree. You-Know-Who didn't try to kill me, but he still killed my parents. That's what I'm 'known' for."
"I think he'd like to meet you too. I miss him."
"You mean Ron?"
"No, Harry. But I miss Ron as well."
Ettie peered over at Ginny, who suddenly was preoccupied with her cereal.
"You love Harry, right?"
"Yes."
The two sat in silence for a couple moments before Arthur came back downstairs.
"Mum will be out in a few minutes, then we can get started with the festivities." He clapped his hands together and was grinning like a fool. "I think we're going to play Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess first."
"Really?" Ettie beamed.
"Of course, it's tradition." Arthur answered, pleased with her enthusiasm.
"I love games. My family used to play them all the time."
"I'm just going to get those boys." Arthur said, and walked off.
"Excited are we?" Ginny asked.
"You have no idea. I haven't been in a situation that's felt so natural as this before."
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"Who knew you were a chess champ, Ettie?" Charlie slapped her on the back.
"I played it all them time when I was younger." Molly was glowing as she watched the scene play out.
"How about some presents now?" Arthur proposed.
"Yeah!" Fred yelled and pumped his fist into the air.
"Alright then." Their father got up off the couch and picked up a couple presents and distributed them among the boys and Ginny. Molly did the same, handing the last one to Ettie. It was soft and felt like clothes underneath the wrapping paper.
Ettie tried to open it as civilized as she could—the wrapping paper was beautiful.
"Oh, just rip it, Ettie!" Ginny urged. Molly watched with her hands clasped in front of her. When Ettie removed it from the paper, she saw it was a sweater just like the ones the other Weasley's had, only hers was cobalt blue with a bronze 'E' on it.
"It's wonderful." Ettie said, and immediately tugged it over her dress. She could almost feel the care that went into its making. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, just call me Molly."
"Okay, Molly." Ettie got up and hugged the woman warmly.
"I had to finish it this morning. I wanted it to be perfect."
Ettie's lips were stretched so wide that her cheeks began to ache. "Thanks." She sat back down next to Charlie and George and watched them open more gifts from their parents.
Soon, it was her time to give gifts. Ginny and George had already picked theirs out. Ginny had gotten some sweets and a book on Quidditch, and George had loaded up on various Zonko's products.
"Maybe we can use these fireworks later tonight." George suggested with a hopeful tone of voice.
"I don't know, George. We have people watching us. We're in enough danger as it is." Molly advised.
George looked put out but nudged Ettie and said, "We'll save them for some special time."
Charlie was happy with his sweets, and Fred was as well. Fred had been given a couple fireworks too, something George had insisted on.
It was Molly's turn to open her gift. Ettie had gotten the Weasley matriarch some flowers that would never lose their fragrance, and also a simple silver bracelet.
Ettie watched her in anticipation; she desperately wanted her to like the gifts.
"Thank you so much, Ettie. This is gorgeous," she lifted her wrist, which was now adorned with the jewelry. "And the flowers are too."
"I have something for you too, Mr. Weasley."
"You didn't have to, Ettie."
"Of course I didn't; I wanted to." She said and handed him a bag.
He rummaged through the tissue paper and pulled out the first box.
"What's a stah-pler?"
"A stapler." Ettie giggled. "It allows you to put papers together, so you can look at them easily. It's a Muggle object."
At this his face lit up.
"Fascinating! You're half Muggle, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"I like you." His eyes twinkled and he pulled the other thing out of the bag. It was a heavy book. "'The Nature of Technology.'" He read aloud.
"It's a book all about Muggle technology. Our way of making things work and move, a science we use to make life easier. Our 'magic,' so to speak."
His eyes were round like saucers as he flipped through the book. It was filled with colorful photos of power plants, computers, and MP3 players.
"I'm glad you like it." Ettie smiled broadly, and felt George's arm encircle her shoulders. She tilted her head up towards him and they shared an intimate glance.
"George, didn't you have something for Ettie?" Ginny asked, deliberately to remind him.
"Oh! Yeah."
He pulled his arm back and leapt to his feet. He picked up the last present under the tree and placed it in Ettie's hands. It was long and thick, and on top was another package, which was shorter and thinner.
Ettie used the same precaution while opening it as she did with Molly's. George was watching anxiously.
"A Jane Austen anthology!" Ettie enthused. "Ginny must have told you."
"She did."
"It must have been hard to get it. I'm sure Flourish and Blotts doesn't stock these," she gestured to the book.
"It wasn't that hard." George shrugged. "Open the other one." He nodded to the smaller present.
Ettie opened it to reveal a picture frame. It was a plain black frame with a black and white photograph inside. The people were shifting minutely and smiling into the camera. All except for one person: Alastor Moody.
"The original Order of the Phoenix." Ettie muttered. She was entranced.
"We had the picture with us when we formed Dumbledore's Army. You were out of school by then, though. We made a copy of the picture because our mum and dad were in it. We thought you might like a copy of it, too. We know how much he meant to you." Ginny answered with a sympathetic half-smile.
Ettie pressed her lips together and shut her eyes for less than two seconds and then embraced George. He returned the hug, and patted her back.
"Sorry he couldn't be with you today. We need him the most now." George whispered into her ear. She shook her head and inhaled.
"No. That's the way it was meant to be." She looked around at everyone with watery eyes. "This is a great gift. Alastor wasn't exactly fond of taking pictures." Ettie laughed. "This is even more rare than Jane Austen in Flourish and Blotts!"
"I'm glad you like it," George smiled lip-sidedly, apparently not sure which emotion he should be displaying.
"I wish we could blow off those firecrackers; it would be a proper send off for a great day."
"I wish we could too. We will, soon." He laced his fingers with hers and they turned to face the family who were gearing up for another round of Wizard's Chess.
A/N: Playlist songs!!!
Seize the Day-Avenged Sevenfold
Born For This-Paramore
Papercut-Linkin Park
River Below-Billy Talent
Breathe-Anberlin
MK Ultra-Muse
Homecoming-Hey Monday
The Stone-ASHES dIVIDE
What You Waiting For?-Gwen Stefani
321.-Hawthorne Heights
Reviews please?