I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 16 – Shopping Sprees

Angelina walked down the street with a slight frown on her face. If she was being honest, she had no idea what to get Harry. She had already planned on getting him something before, but being reminded that it was going to be his first proper Christmas, she wanted to get him truly special.

Problem was, she did not know Harry as well as she liked to get him something special.

She had planned on getting him sweets, which little boy does not like sweets after all? That's what she got her little cousins every year after all. Honeydukes was one of the best candy shops she had ever been to and she knew Harry would like loads of things from there.

She wanted Harry to love the gift though.

Angelina still felt incredibly bad over what happened when they first met. She knew it was not her fault. She knew that he knew she meant no harm. As they have gotten closer, he had not remotely acted like that around her. He had willingly let her hug him after the match and since then he had not stiffened once at a pat on the back or another hug. He felt comfortable leaning against her from time to time. Something that made her feel very happy.

She still remembered the fear in his eyes though that first time. The way he curled up. The way he shook like a rabbit.

A rabbit.

Angelina liked rabbits. They were cute little things. She liked how soft they were. How their noses twitched. Her cousins had pet rabbits and she loved to play with them when she visited them. Seeing them hop about and eat things always made her happy when she was little. Thinking about them now still did actually.

Now she had an idea and it led to a destination. She walked down the streets until she found the store she was looking for. She never went in herself before, she had a bit of a reputation she wanted to keep of being a tough Chaser that tolerated no disrespect, but she always did look in whenever she walked past. Now she finally got to go into Magical (stuffed) Menagerie.

The store was busy, mostly with parents and smaller children running about. The shelves were lined with all sorts of stuffed animals both mundane and magical. The air tingled with charms and enchantments and Angelina could not help but smile at all the toys on display.

She found a shelf bursting with all sorts of rabbits. Some looked alive, as if they would hop about on their own. Others had cartoonishly enlarged features. Some were ginormous, others tiny. All looked so soft and huggable.

"Can I help you?" The store clerk was dressed in long dark green robes and had a sincere if somewhat frazzled smile on her face.

Angelina smiled back. "Hi! Uh yes, I'm looking for a gift for a friend. He's eleven and I was hoping to find an…appropriate rabbit gift for him."

The clerk's smile was warm and friendly. "Oh I'm sure we can. You're never too old for a stuffed companion. We have all sorts of charms and enchantments for all sorts of wants and needs. Did you have something in mind?"

"Something not overtly magical, he lives with Muggles. Nothing too big, don't want him to be too embarrassed. Something soft." She hesitated. "Do you have something that can help him feel less anxious? Something to feel safe?" She blushed. "Sorry if that's a bit vague."

The clerk shook her head. "Not at all. Plenty to work with." She looked up and down the shelves and pulled out a gray rabbit with outstretched limbs. The ears hung down like a Holland Lop. "Here's one of my favorites. Doesn't need a Durability Charm since the giftee is older. Can also skip on the Self-Cleaning Charm and the like. For nerves I like to enchant the toy with an Aroma spell. It can be released when hugged and lasts almost as long as the toy does. Certain scents really do wonders to soothe the mind."

"That sounds excellent! He loves Quidditch and his broom."

"We can certainly enchant it with the scent of the broom! Maybe a little something green for freshness like a Quidditch Pitch."

"You're incredible." Angelina hesitated again. "Maybe a Warming Charm for when it's hugged? Can you do that?"

"That's one of our most popular ones. Not a problem."

"You're a life saver. This will be one of his first real gifts and I want it to be good." She blushed yet again. "How much?" She knew it would not be cheap, custom gifts rarely were. She was prepared however. She had meant it when promised to get him something excellent.

The clerk smiled. "I can tell you're a student and you're being incredibly thoughtful. I can offer you a discount."

It turned out to be within Angelina's budget and she happily paid. The clerk said she would do the enchanting immediately and Angelina fidgeted happily. Her only regret was not seeing Harry opening it on Christmas day but she hoped he would like it.

The clerk returned soon with it and offered it for a test hug. It was more than Angelina could have hoped for. The rabbit was so soft and it felt pleasantly warm in her arms. The smell of fresh grass and polished oak filled her nostrils. She reluctantly let it go to be wrapped up.

One day I'll get one for myself, she promised to herself.

She walked out of the store, the rabbit safely in her arms, and she imagined she could feel the warmth through the wrapping paper.

"Never thought I'd see the day!" an unfortunately familiar voice sang out.

"I guess you have a soft spot for soft things," an unfortunately familiar and similar voice said.

Angelina scowled at the grinning Fred and George. "You'll both find sore spots from my hard fist if you both don't leave me alone."

"Awww don't be like that Angie," Fred said.

"Nothing to be ashamed over," George said.

"Having a cute and cuddly companion is nothing to hide."

"Always good to have something or someone to squeeze here and there."

"Don't mind them Angelina," Alicia said, coming to the tall girl's rescue. "They're just jealous."

"Jealous, us?" the twins said at the same time, pointing at one another.

"Of course you are. People rather hug something cute than you two wankers," Alicia said.

"Ooooh, skewered!" Fred said admirably.

"I think I could use a hug now after that," George said trying to look hurt. "Perhaps we should go inside Fred and find some warm friends that are supportive instead of insulting."

"It's for Harry," Angelina said defensively. "For Christmas."

The twins turned thoughtful. "Ah, well that makes sense," Fred said. "He's a lad that could use a soft friend. He probably never had one before. That was a good idea."

Angelina looked pointedly away, still annoyed at their teasing earlier.

"We were just being idiots," George said trying to placate her. "We didn't mean anything by it. If you want one too then you should get one." He looked chagrined at her continuing to ignore him.

"Let's scarper, brother," Fred said in the ensuing pointed silence. "I have just the idea for ickle Harriekins."

"Nothing dangerous!" Alicia yelled at their backs. "Who am I kidding, it'll be dangerous. The only question is to who."

Angelina grunted.

Alicia hugged her. "You know they're just being their usual dumb selves, right?"

Angelina grunted again.

"I personally think Harry is going to love it and I think no one would think twice if you got one for yourself."

Angelina grunted a third time.

Alicia squeezed as hard as she could, making Angelina cough.

"Ouch, leggo you limpet!" Angelina said half-heartedly.

"Hey you finally made a different sound than a grunt! I wonder what'll happen if I tickle you."

"I stick you in a snowbank head down and watch you kick," Angelina threatened with a smile. "Thanks Alicia." She hugged the short girl.

"Anytime. Wanna see what I decided for Harry?"

Angelina nodded eagerly and laughed at the set of quills Alicia had picked out.

"They're Kleaner Kwills," Alicia explained. "Oliver's right, Harry's handwriting could use a bit of work so these are charmed to help clean up your handwriting. I never thought about how much harder it is to learn how to write with a quill if you didn't grow up using one."

"So you got him kiddie quills," Angelina said with a grin.

"They don't look it at least," Alicia giggled. "They have them for adults too. My da has awful handwriting. We don't use his recipes for potion making if he didn't dictate the recipe."

"What, like a quote quill?"

"No, like an actual other person to write it for him. We got him quote quills and dictation quills before. They still write terribly for him somehow. His magical handwriting is so bad it ruins enchanted objects. I get him the most garish looking kiddie quills I can find. He loves them. Sticks them in his pocket or behind his ear."

The two ended up in the Three Broomsticks like all students eventually do, a way to escape the cold and the snow and warm up with drinks or butterbeer before heading back to the castle. Oliver was already there, waving them over when they walked in.

Soon after the twins showed up, sheepishly handing a round of butterbeers to Angelina and Alicia. Angelina took her revenge by gulping her tankard and belched loudly, blaming it on the twins. Which they gleefully accepted the blame and started a rather boisterous belching competition in the bar before being told off by Madam Rosmerta, the proprietress of the Three Broomsticks. They were then recruited to help serve customers for a while, much to the rest of the team's amusement.

The quartet eventually made it back to Gryffindor tower, Oliver having successfully rebuffed all attempts by the twins to try and learn about their presents from Harry. They found Harry and Katie doing homework together with Hermione.

"I have returned and have managed to fend off all these nosy nellies," Oliver said dramatically, handing a large bag to Harry. "Personally, I think you should withhold their presents Harry, for trying to ruin the fun."

"Don't listen to him Harry!" George said.

"He was the one trying to tell!" Fred said.

"We were trying to stop him from telling us!"

"Punish him!"

Katie's glare made them go silent. "Are you saying you two tried to ruin Harry's Christmas?"

"No, if you were listening, we were trying to stop Wood from ruining things-" Fred stopped talking and started running. He and George dodged the things Katie chucked at them, running about the tower while being chased by the irate girl.

Angelina stole Katie's seat, sighing with relief at how warm it was. "Alicia and I tried to ask Wood about our gifts," she confessed to an amused Harry. "He said the same thing Katie said so we clammed up. Sorry about that."

Harry's grin warmed her as much as the crackling fire in the hearth. "That's okay, it's all in good fun." He tentatively opened his arms and she happily enveloped him in a hug. "Ooh! You're freezing!" he exclaimed, feeling her still chilled wraps.

"Sorry! You've been in the warm tower all day, it's frightful out there." She began to let him go.

He hugged her tighter, squeezing her through the wraps. "Does that help?" he asked.

"Very much," she replied, her cheeks becoming dusky red.

"Oof, watch out there! Budge over a bit will you?" Oliver said as he ducked an errant roll of parchment.

The projectile battle had become more intense, with the twins retaliating gleefully. An empty ink pot had knocked over Hermione's carefully arrayed study materials and she joined a still irate Katie in peppering the twins with Alicia joining in the fun.

Angelina pulled Harry into her lap and Oliver took Harry's vacated seat. The older boy then used his wand to deflect any errant missiles heading their way and they watched and laughed as the rest of the tower dissolved into merry havoc.

Things finally ended how they typically did: with the guilty parties being harangued by Percy. He had all the malcontents lined up and he was in the middle of lecturing them all, including a very confused Ron who had walked in at the end of it and was used as a very unhappy human shield by the twins.

Oliver chuckled as he set things right with his wand while egging Percy on by agreeing with him loudly and waggling a finger at those being lectured.

Angelina snorted at the looks of indignation from Katie and Hermione while Alicia pretended to be apologetic, failing as miserably as the twins.

"Feeling warmer?" Harry asked her. He was sitting comfortably in the tall girl's lap. Not once he had tried to squirm away or felt anxious. Instead, he was surprised how nice it was to sit with Angelina like this. He felt safe. He felt content.

She wrapped her arms a little tighter around his waist. "Perfectly toasty," she said.