It was the Christmas Dinner, Christmas Eve. At five pm, the guests began to arrive – sweeping in in coats and scarves and gloves, all discarded at the entrance to the tent and hung up on floating hooks. The warming charms had finally managed to work, and the tent was practically glowing.

Harry arrived ten minutes late, and headed straight for Ron. "Sorry I'm late mate. What'd I miss?"

"Nothing much," said Ron with a chuckle. "The night's only just starting!"

"Glad of it," grinned Harry. "Where's Hermione?"

"No clue," returned Ron. "Probably fussing over the dinner table. Ahhh, Muriel, how are you?"

"That's Aunt Muriel to you," said the old lady, bopping Ron on the head with her umbrella – a feat indeed, as he was considerably taller than her.

Harry made his escape before Muriel could coax him into revealing how he was faring after the war. He spotted Hermione across the room, and managed to make his way over to her with barely any small talk. "Hermione, how are you?"

"Fine, good to see you Harry!" Hermione looked him up and down, hands on hips. "I suppose Auror training went alright, then?"

"Yeah, and you know I'm sorry that I couldn't help set up," said Harry quickly. "I couldn't get off, not even for this."

Hermione's face broke into a smile. "You know I'm not mad," she laughed. "But you better be good!"

"Promise!" winked Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes with a grin, and then gasped, hurrying away to greet guests.

Anna arrived a few minutes late, but Hermione had waved aside her apologies and dragged her along for introductions. "This is Molly Weasley, who's hosting," she said.

Anna put her hand out with a small smile. "Pleased to meet you."

Molly shook it warmly. "Pleased to meet you too, Anna. Glad you could make it." Good grief, her eyes are as cold as the weather, she thought to herself. Anna's smile faded.

"Indeed."

"Come on," said Hermione, not sensing the sudden chill. "I'll introduce you to George. George, this is Anna."

So it went on. Anna was introduced to the rest of the Weasleys, Luna, Hannah Abbott, and Parvarti. "I heard you're good at making tea?" said Parvarti, taking a sip of champagne.

"Every good secretary should be," said Anna. "What about you?"

"Can't stand the stuff. Hermione has to feed me hot chocolate when I come over," said Parvarti, laughing loudly.

Anna gave a polite smile, chilly enough to quench even Parvarti.

"At least it's good hot chocolate," grinned Hermione, not noticing Anna's expression. "You like it."

"That I do," said Parvarti, giving Anna a raised eyebrow. "It is good."

"Harry!" Hermione had just spotted him; she seized Anna by the wrist and pulled her along behind her. "You have to fix your meeting," she hissed.

"It'd be my pleasure!" whispered back Anna, grinning.

Harry turned away from a conversation with Hagrid about mischievous third years in his cabbage patch – right into Hermione. "Merlin, 'Mione!"

"Sorry Harry – oh my goodness Justin, where did you get that pie? They're not meant to be out till later!"

Hermione disappeared into the crowd chasing a small Weasley cousin, leaving Anna and Harry standing alone.

"Um." Harry ran his hand through his hair. "Hi."

"No, allow me." Anna shook his hand, smiling a genuine smile. "I'm dreadfully sorry about the last time. We got off on the wrong foot."

"No, it was me. I'm really sorry, I don't know quite what came over me! Just yelling all over the place …" Harry trailed off. Enough was said. It had been but a simple mistake. Merlin, had he been an idiot!

They stared at the party. Harry took a sip of his firewhiskey. "Do you want me to get you something?"

"What?"

"Something to drink."

"Oh. No, thank you. I don't drink." Anna shrugged.

"Fair enough," said Harry. "Probably a good call."

"'A loss of mind equals a loss of time'," quoted Anna. "My old guardian used to say that all the time. I just don't like losing control."

"A bit of drink doesn't mean you lose control," argued Harry.

"But a bit leads to a bit more."

"I guess …"

"Don't mind me." Anna smiled. "I get carried away with my lecturing sometimes."

"Don't worry, it's all good."

"Thanks."

Harry swirled his drink, then put it on a nearby floating tray. He cleared his throat. "So … what's it like working for old 'Mione?"

"She's a great worker, is Hermione." Anna grinned. "Sometimes she works a bit too hard …"

"And forgets to eat."

"Or sleep."

"Hope she doesn't drag you down with her!"

"She does sometimes," said Anna hesitantly. "But I don't mind. It's good to work hard."

"It is … but it's also good to get some rest sometimes."

"Hey, I'm getting some now!"

"I hope you are," said Harry.

"I am, now that I'm done talking to those ol' chatterboxes."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Which ones?"

"Oh, you know – the redheads. That blonde one. The one who wouldn't stop talking about plants."

"You mean the Weasleys."

"Oh Merlin, I didn't mean to offend!" said Anna, obviously sensing Harry's irritation. "I just meant – "

"It's okay," said Harry. He grabbed a drink off a passing tray and took a sip; the alcohol slid down his veins. "I don't mind."

He hurried off in search of someone more interesting to talk to. Hermione's secretary was, in his humble opinion, a bit of a cold-hearted git.

She's pretty though, a little voice in his head whispered. He whisked it away with a curse, and went to find Neville. He'd have some interesting conversation at least.

/

The party was over. It was past three in the morning, all the guests had left, and the Weasleys were stacking dishes in the kitchen to be done overnight.

Hermione was incredibly tired. It had been a long evening; full of talking and organising and straightening stained tablecloths. She trecked from the tent to the house, her arms full of dirty tablecloths. She opened the door with a whispered spell, and trudged up the stairs, dumping the material in the laundry. On her way down the stairs, she heard her name.

She paused, just out of sight of the kitchen, where she knew that the Weasleys were assembled. "I don't know why on earth they put me next to Hermione's friend," Percy was saying. "She wasn't at all interested in what I had to say."

"Normally I'd agree with her," came George's voice, "Except she was a bit strange, wasn't she. One moment she was happy and cheerful and the next, she was glaring at you with those blue eyes of hers."

"Like ice," came Percy's voice again. "That's what they were like. Ice."

"Look," came, to Hermione's annoyance, Fleur's voice, "I'll admit she isn't the nicest person. But she had to sit next to someone, didn't she. And it had to be you!"

"Well, I didn't appreciate it," said Percy.

"I'll bet she didn't appreciate being sat next to you. What does she know about the ins and outs of the Ministry!" said Molly. "And that's all you ever talk about."

There was a groan of "Muuum," from Percy, and a "Hush darling, I'm too tired for your nonsense."

"Well, apart from Anna being there, it was quite a nice evening wasn't it." This was Bill talking. Hermione fumed.

"It wasn't like you had to talk to her," sniffed Percy.

"I did too!" insisted Bill. "Stuck with her for at least twenty minutes, after desert. She was a bit up herself, wasn't she?"

Hermione would have actually murdered someone at this point. She was sorely tempted to storm into the kitchen – but she held back, biting her lip.

Tears filled her eyes.

With a large crack, she apparated away.

/

To write this chapter, I listened to all the songs I used to listen to when I was 14. Wow was that a nostalgic mistake. Brb while i cri

P.S. sorry I'm uploading so many chapters all at once, I figured I might as well finish posting this story tonight

Review? xx