Chapter 28
Gift Hunting
Harry Frowned as he read a passage of text in his transfiguration book and checked it with his note from that week's classes.
'Harry.' Ron said from beside him, where the redhead was supposed to be working on his own essay.
'Hmm.' The boy hero answered picking up his class notes to read them over, struggling with his own hand writing.
'What do you get a girl for Christmas?' The redhead asked.
'Chocolates.' Harry answered as he pulled the textbook closer to him and read the passage again.
'No, I mean a girl you really like.' Ron persisted.
'Something she's interested in.' Harry answered, and rolled his eyes at the textbook. 'Would help if you were on the right page Potter.' He muttered to himself and flicked the page over.
'Well what are you getting the girls?' Ron said slightly annoyed that his friend wasn't really listening to him.
'I dunno, I haven't really thought about it.' Harry said Scribbling an important note down on a separate piece of paper.
'Mate, you haven't thought about it?' Ron said his voice scandalised.
'I've got time. Harry said flicking back a couple of pages in his textbook. Wishing he'd chosen to go to the library with Hermione at this point rather than the great hall, where the professors were milling about should a student need help during study hall.
'Potter.' Blaise Zambini said from across the table. 'You do realise that Christmas is less than two weeks away and the last Hogsmade trip is tomorrow right?'
Harry Froze, his eyes locked to the textbook, his quill paused in the act of getting ink.
'You didn't know the date did you Potter?' Draco Malfoy said as Harry slowly looked at the two Slytherin's across the table.
'Shit…. Shit, buggering Shit.' Harry said his face filled with panic.
'It's fine Harry just get them something tomorrow.' Ron said patting his back gently.
'I have Detention with Snape tomorrow!.' Harry hissed.
'You are screwed Potter.' Blaise said with a smirk.
'Crap, Mate, Gin's gonna kill you.' Ron said with a pitying look.
'I'd be more worried about your Slytherin's Potter.' Zambini said as Harry saw a movement from the other side of Draco.
'Shame it wasn't McGonagall, she'd let you do it in the new term.' Rom muttered and Harry glared at his friend.
'Not helping.'
Ron shrugged and returned to his work as a petite girl returned to sit beside Draco.
'You are to be at the potions Classroom, at 6pm this evening, you will stay there until the cauldrons are cleaned by hand, and McGonagall advised that Gryffindor has lost 50 house points. For a lack of organisation in regards to husbandly duties' Astoria said primly to the boy who lived.
'Err.' Ron said blinking at the girl.
'Draco you have to help the professor brew on Sunday.'
Draco glared at his fiancé and then at Potter. 'Why am I being punished?'
Astoria levelled a stare at her fiancé. 'You need to better control your witch, apparently.'
'Anyone ever told you your rather scary pintsized Greengrass?' Zambini said blinking.
Astoria sniffed. 'My sister was raised to a high standard I will not let some foolhardy Gryffindor ruin Christmas for her, particularly in her current condition.'
'Right.' Ron said, blinking at the younger girl.
'You will meet, Draco and I at the entrance hall at ten thirty. We will assist you in picking out gifts for your mates.' Astoria informed the chosen one and left the table.
Harry watched her go with his mouth hanging open.
'Well great.' Draco muttered Glaring at Harry. 'Now how am I meant to get Tori her gift?'
'Ten points from Slytherin Mr Malfoy. I believe Mr Potter can tell you why.' McGonagall said as she walked by them, and Malfoy all but growled as Ron and Blaise burst out Laughing.
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Harry waited patiently at the entrance hall, for the pair of Slytherin's he was due to spend the day with.
His hands ached from a night of scrubbing cauldrons and a night being woken up by his two pregnant mates.
'Well at least your on time.' Draco Muttered as the unlikely trio made their way into the carriage and into the village.
'Do you have any ideas?' Astoria said looking expectantly at him.
'I know I want to get them sweets, but other than that not much.' Harry muttered and Astoria rolled her eyes.
'Men.' She muttered and Draco glared at him.
'Stop pulling the side down will you.' The blonde muttered in a hushed tone. Before adding. 'We should start with the mud….Granger since you know her best.' And pointing to the bookstore.
Harry nodded. 'Yes, there is a book she'd been wanting.' He muttered as they made their way into the bookshop and quickly sourced the book that Hermione had been after.
Ginny was also an easy buy as her broom was looking a bit worse for wear and she had been moaning about having to use a school one during practise. Whilst in the quidditch shop Harry noticed Astoria sneakily purchasing some seeker's gloves for her fiancé and smirked to himself. It's wasn't just men who were disorganised it would seem.
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'Now we need to think about Pansy.' Astoria said as she linked arms with Draco and looked up at the blonde.
'She likes hair things. Sparkles?' Draco said with a shrug and Harry sighed rubbing the back of his neck.
'Jewellery store it is then.' Astoria said rolling her eyes at the pair of them and dragging Draco in the jewellery store.
Harry had a look around but nothing really jumped out at him, apart from a small necklace with a black paw print hanging from it. Harry remembered that Hermione was descended from the Black paw line and couldn't resist purchasing the necklace.
When he was at the till Draco came sauntering over to him and whispered in his ear. 'Emerald Set, third cabinet from the right, get it and I'll get you the money.'
Harry raised an eyebrow but did as the blonde as and the other boy nodded in thanks, as he was handed his items and Astoria came back over to them.
'Well I suppose I got something for mother even if we didn't get anything for Pansy.' She said with a sigh.
'She likes Painting.' Draco said suddenly. 'Her Father didn't approve since she liked to use something called water paints, but she does enjoy it.'
Harry grinned and Astoria grabbed bother their hands and dragged them to back to flourish and bolts, to get Pansy some art supplies.
'She's enjoying this far too much isn't she?' Harry said as He allowed the younger girl to pick out a water colour paint set, a brush set and some sketch pads for his mermaid mate.
'Totally, I think it may have endeared her too you.' Draco said with a smirk.
'What you mean she didn't like me before?' Harry said with mock hurt.
'Of course not. Your family is the reason her sister's a vampire. Didn't you know?' Draco said with a slight frown.
'No.' Harry said shaking his head, remembering that Daphne had told him her family had been cursed by another noble line. 'Though it explains my aunts dismay at Daphne being pregnant.'
'That's saying something, everyone was stunned when she chose you as a mate, it was more or less a cosmic two's up to your ancestors.'
'My entire life is a cosmic two's up, Malfoy.'
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'Perfume, Daphne loves Perfume, do come along boys, this is so much fun!' Astoria said and the two boys dutifully followed her as she all but skipped down the street.
Astoria pulled the boys down a side street and into a custom perfume shop that had Harry's head spinning.
'What do you smell when you think of Daphne?' she asked waiting patiently.
I'….'
'Can't we just do the Amortentia method?' Draco asked noting Harry's panicked expression.
'He's has five mates, that's not going to work. Now Potter think of my sister and tell me what you smell.' Astoria ordered.
Harry looked between the two Slytherins and sighed closing his eyes.
'Vanilla, and cloves, with an under lying hint of copper, and the barest hint of honey.' He said and turned to see the perfumes pulling down bottle of scent that he had named.
'That's odd.' Draco said and Harry shrugged.
'How does someone smell of copper?' Astoria asked with a frown and both boys turned to level her with a look. 'Right sorry.' She said with a blush.
Harry watched in fascination as the perfume maker mixed the scents he had named together.
'Marquis, is a Genius, he'll get you a completely unique perfume.' Astoria said with a smile as she too watched the man work.
When he was done he put a drop onto a piece of parchment and allowed Harry to smell it. When he did, all he could say was his Vampire's name and nodded.
The Man placed the scent into a fancy bottle and used his wand to inscribe the girl's name on the bottle before gift wrapping it and handing it to the boy.
'Four down one to go, now what do we get your Elven girl?'
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'Well We can go to the Antic's store whilst you have a think about it.' Astoria said. 'I wish to get your mother a hatpin Draco.'
'Like she needs another of those.' Draco said rolling his eyes and he led his fiancé to the antiques shop. Harry trailing behind them.
He wracked his brain for something but found himself coming up blank. He had no idea what to get his Elven mate and found himself internally panicking at the idea that the morning was drawing to a close and that he hadn't saw anything that would appeal to the little elf.
Harry watched at the two Slytherin's poured over he selection of antique hat pins and wondered closer to a cabinet of antique Jewellery hoping that it would spark his imagination.
His eyes caught a pair of triangular earrings that were a funny shade of brass with a funny greenish tint, the metal was in a filigree pattern and had a few sliver wire flowers on each piece, with some more brass, swirls going down from the triangle.
'Beautiful aren't they.' The shop keeper's wife said causing Harry to jump.
'They are.' Harry agree, turning back to the case, worried the old woman was trying to sell him the earrings. His suspicions were conformed with her next words.
'Shame they'll never be sold.' She sighed shaking her head.
Harry decided that it would be no harm to indulge her a little. 'Why?'
'Who but an Elf would wear Avalonian Cuffs?' she said with a soft chuckle and Harry blinked.
'They're not earrings?'
'Of a sort, they are, I suppose, they go round the tips of elven ears, rather than through the lobe like us witches. It's said that a Mate should give a pair to their elf when the consummate the Mating bond, though Merlin knows that's just tall tales' The woman said with a shrug.
'I'll take them.' he said suddenly knowing that they would be perfect for his little Elf, a part of her own culture that he could give her without ever having to cross to Avalon.
The woman looked Surprised, but said nothing as she removed them from the case and wrapped them in their wooden box as Harry handed over his money.
'Honey dukes then?' Draco said and Harry nodded, knowing that all need needed to get now was a box of Bert's bolts. A couple of Chocolate Frogs, A bag of jelly slugs, some Cauldron cakes and a bag of Real Blood Pops. Then he could go and meet up with his girls for lunch happy in the knowledge that he had gotten each of them the perfect gift.