A/N: I don't own Harry Potter

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Writing Club December

Amber's Attic: 9 - The Cramps: Write about one of the Founders.

Film Festival: 23 - (word) problem

Winter Funfair

Southern Funfair – Magical mistletoe – Hermione/Helga Hufflepuff

Northern Funfair – Christmas Sing-Along - Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid - "Feed the world" - Write about helping someone in need

Eastern Funfair – Advent Calendar - 13. (character) Helga Hufflepuff

Word Count: 770

Sixteen. Sixteen was the magical age where everything that had gone horribly wrong finally went horribly right. Hermione stood outside the cottage, her clothing nothing more than rags, and her face smeared with ashes. Sixteen. She would be sixteen tonight.

In the distance she could hear the clock chiming seven. She smiled. Five hours, it would be twelve in five hours and then, then she would finally have her happily ever after. That was how things always worked wasn't it?

The prince was throwing a ball tonight. She had been invited in a round about way, the invitation had said all eligible maidens. She certainly fit that description. She wondered how it would all suddenly fall together. Would she look into the prince's eyes and fall head over heels in love? She shuddered slightly. She knew that was what was supposed to happen. She was supposed to fall in love with the prince.

There was only one problem with that... that problem was the fact he was a prince and not a princess. Hermione wondered how hard it would be to convince herself to love him. Could she do that?

Suddenly the air swirled around her. It was time. She held her breath as the swirls stopped revealing a woman in a full yellow dress with black petticoats. The dress sparkled in the moonlight. Hermione couldn't help but find herself drawn to the woman.

She had a roundish face, soft blond hair, and eyes that sparkled in a way Hermione had never dreamed possible. Why couldn't this be the prince? Hermione had never believed in love at first sight before, but now, now her mind had been completely changed. This woman, this beautiful woman in yellow, with the soft face and kind eyes, this was the kind of person with whom she had always dreamed of being with.

"Miss Hermione?" the woman asked. Hermione nodded not trusting the words that might fall from her lips.

"Good, you're still here."

"Where else would I have gone?" Hermione asked before even thinking.

"I was worried you'd have tried to sneak off to the ball on your own. I know being sixteen is hard, but there are proper ways of doing things. Although, we're already off to an unusual start."

"How so? I'm poor, wearing soot, and you must be my fairy godmother."

"There lies the problem. See, you were selected to be the goddaughter of Fairy Father Godric, only he's gone missing."

"Oh?"

"Therefore I've come to give you your happily ever after with Prince Ron."

"Do you have to? I mean, the ball sounds wonderful, but what if Father Godric needs rescuing? You said he's missing!"

"That is a mission you could undertake, but it'll be dangerous and fair warning, it is completely traditional to fall in love with your fellow rescuer. We could swing by the palace at midnight and convince Prince Ron to come?"

"I would rather go with you if I'm to fall in love with someone. Prince Ron is... well, he's a boy."

"He'll grow into a man."

"That's not the point, the point is... well, maybe if it was Princess Ron?" Hermione admitted. The woman's eyes widened and her mouth formed a small 'o'. "Do you have a name by the way?"

"Helga. I am called Helga of the house Hufflepuff."

"Well then, Helga, would you like to accompany on a dangerous mission to rescue Father Godric from wherever and risk falling in love?" Hermione asked holding her breath that Helga would say yes.

"In all my years as a fairy godmother, I've never been on a quest myself," Helga admitted. "It might be scary."

"I'll be right by your side, I'm not afraid," Hermione stated reaching out and taking Helga's hands. "Can fairy godmothers fall in love?" she asked softly.

"With the right person, yes. There are stories where a godmother or father falls in love with a hero. I could train you as my assistant if we survive?"

"We will survive, and yes, I would love to be your assistant, and more, " Hermione agreed. Helga blushed slightly but nodded.

"We should go before anything else befalls Father Godric."

"Lead the way, Helga!" Hermione stated smiling as the air swirled around them.

Sixteen. Sixteen was a magical number. At sixteen, a girl is supposed to find her happily ever after, and Hermione knew, standing next to Helga that she had found just that. She would be going on an adventure, saving someone important, all while with the woman she had already fallen in with by her side. Yes, sixteen was a very magical number.