"How could I be asleep for five weeks?" I ask Madame Pomfrey after Ron had left.
"There was a spell cast on you, it would have kept you sleeping until it was taken off." She answers
"So the caster took the spell off?" I ask hopefully.
"No. Professor Dumbledore broke the spell. The effects were hard on your body resulting you to sleep for weeks. I don't know why you woke up now and not later."
"Did you expect me to sleep longer?"
"Yes." She looks at me. "I expected you to sleep until the end of the year."
Okay, now I'm frightened. She thinks I am supposed to be sleeping my usual sleep, but I'm awake. How? What?
"Do you know who cast the spell?"
She waits a moment, looks at me and says, "No."
"You don't have any suspicions?"
"No."
"What about Quirrell?"
"Poor stuttering Quirrell? No. Why would anybody suspect him?"
"Because it is him." I say quietly when she is gone.
…
I am free to go the next day, once Madame Pomfrey checks me. She was surprised that I could walk after five weeks of unmoving sleep and all the broken bones I had. She told me that I had broken 6 ribs, my collarbone, and both my arms and legs. She also told me that the red-headed boy (Ron. She didn't know his name) came by every day to see me and he ended up leaving early because he couldn't bear the sight of my broken body.
"You may leave now, Miss Smith." Madame Pomfrey told me once I walked to her from the other side of the hospital wing. "You'll make it just in time for dinner."
"Thank you for all you have done!" I shout as I leave. She waves back at me.
…
I was glad to make it back to dinner. It seemed to have just started before I opened the large double-doors. Their creaking alerted everyone in the room. It was silent before the entire Gryffindor table began to cheer. I felt a force run into me and pick me up. I'm tossed over the same person's shoulder so I look down and find George's smiling face gleaming up at me. He starts carrying me over to the Gryffindor table but the Gryffindor table comes to us.
"Katie! Katie!" Some of them called.
"Hey." I say to them. Then I stop. "George! What were the results of the Quidditch game?" The Gryffindors around me went quiet.
"You caught the snitch!" It sounded as if all the Gryffindors shouted at the same time. "We won!"
"We did?" I ask. I don't remember catching anything. I just remember falling.
"Yes." Ron says. He is now facing me.
"We were all worried you wouldn't wake up before Christmas." Hermione says next to him. "They would have moved you to St. Mungo's if you didn't wake by the time break was over."
"It's a wonderful Christmas present." Fred says standing next to his twin.
I'm set down on a wooden bench facing the rest of the room. Everybody is so excited and they all want to sit next to me. Ron and Hermione end up next to me and the twins are across from me. I see Harry out of the corner of my eye; he keeps glancing over at me. It's like he's worried that I'll fall and hurt myself.
Piling food onto my plate, I see Malfoy walk over with his cronies. I groan. "What is it Malfoy?" I say once he is close enough to hear.
"Such and attitude on such a happy holiday." He says coyly.
"What? It's Christmas already? I lost all that time to brag about the Quidditch game and all that time to show you how pitiful you are." I sigh and give him my best disappointed look.
He growls. "It was just luck. You didn't have the skill to beat Slytherin. Just. Dumb. Luck!" He storms away. I stick my tongue out at him. Fred and George laugh at me.
"So," I start. "Are you all staying for Christmas?"
"No." Say all the Weasleys.
"Mum and Dad were going to go to Romania to visit Charlie but she wanted us to come home instead."
"No." Hermione says. "My parents are taking me skiing." That's actually a disappointment. I was hoping someone who knew who I was would be here over the holidays.
"Okay." I say to her. "Are you leaving in the morning?"
"Yes. I'm already packed."
"Cool."
"I wonder…" Ron thinks aloud.
"Wonder what?" I ask.
"If mum will make you a Weasley sweater." Ron says.
"She better!" Says Fred.
"You're practically part of the family!" George says.
"I'm not that close to you guys." I say, flicking my hand down.
"Ron writes about in practically all his letters to mum." Fred says.
"She's always writing how we should get to know Ronnie's friend." George continues.
"She wants to meet you really bad." Fred says.
"Oh." I say. I'm not quite sure if I'm blushing but I feel slightly warmer in my cheeks.
…
When we're back in the common room, I see Aglaia with at least five letters in her beak.
"What have we got here?" I mumble to myself as I sit down at a table. I summon some bread and water and feed it to her in trade for the letters.
Dear Katie,
Ron has told me so much about you! I really wish to meet you. He says you're one of the only girls who are willing to talk to him. Many girls don't. I'm not sure if it's because of how he acts, which is like a 2-year-old, or the way he looks. Maybe it's because he's a Weasley. Thank you anyways for being there for him.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Weasley.
My mistake, there were only two.
Dear Katie,
Ron has told me your first Quidditch match is today. I hope you the best of luck! He also told me that Harry Potter quit being a seeker the day before the first match and you were chosen. I hope you have enough practice, after all, one can be good, but one cannot be great without practice! I don't mean to ruin your confidence. Well, good luck and may your broom fly fast.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Weasley
"Okay," I say to Aglaia, "How long have you been keeping these letters from me?"
She looks at me innocently.
"Ron's been hiding them." Fred and George walk over and sit in the chairs next to me. "She sent them to Ron to send them to you, but Ron never gave them to you."
"Okay." I say to them.
"She sent us this one just know because she knows Ron hasn't been giving them to you." George says to me as he hands me a letter.
"Read it." says Fred.
"What did you think I was going to do?" I reply as I tear open the letter.
Dear Katie,
I hear you've woken up after your long rest. How does it feel to be up and about again? It's wonderful isn't it? Anyway, I was hoping that you could spend the Christmas holidays with the Weasley family, unless you had plans. I hope this isn't to soon for you to get ready, I know the train leaves early. Please let me know as soon as possible.
Yours truly,
Mrs., Weasley
I replied as soon as I finished.
Dear Mrs. Weasley,
I would love to spend the holidays with you if you don't mind my presences and my awkwardness. I did just wake up after all.
Yours truly,
Katie Smith
"Here, Aglaia." I say as I give her the letter and let her fly off.
"What did you say?" Fred asks.
"What do you mean?" I reply.
"We know she asked you to spend the holidays with us. What did you say?" George asks.
"I said yes of course." I give him my best 'obviously' look and they both smile.
"Yeah!" They both shout.
"What would happen if I said no?" I say warily
George stops laughing but still smiles. "You would have to dance again." Now I laugh.
It's not long before Aglaia taps the window with another letter. "Oh, lets see." I say letting her back in and land on the table. This one is ripped open in less than two seconds.
Dear Katie,
Oh, I'm so happy you're staying for the holidays! Fred and George have been talking about you too and I'm sure they'll be more than delighted to have you for Christmas. Don't tell Ron though! He's already embarrassed writing about you as it is. It's cute actually. Just tell him you're leaving Hogwarts for the holidays. Don't tell him where though. I want to see his face when we pick you guys up at the station. I can't wait to see you tomorrow!
Yours truly,
Mrs. Weasley.
I can't help but laugh out loud a little. "What?" The twins say at the same time, resulting in even more laughing.
"No telling Ron!" I say. They nod. I race off, but not before saying, "I got to go pack!"
I leave the twins laughing hysterically behind me.
READERS! Oh, I can't wait for the holidays. I need a fun fluffy chapter after all the seriousness that's been going on. It's hard being serious. Hahn. Ah, well. Review please! Thanks! –wolfhound22