This chapter has some text from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

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November faded into December and suddenly the world was covered in Christmas.

"I love Christmas!" Gwendolyn exclaimed as she and Betty walked to the Three Broomsticks in the snow. "Everyone's always so happy and there's peppermint candy and sparkling lights! I love it!"

"What are you doing for Christmas? We're having an office party the day before Christmas Eve, don't forget."

"I won't. I guess I'll go visit my dad." They reached the little pub and got a table.

"If that doesn't go well, you're welcome to come to my place!"

Gwen smiled at her. "You're a sweetheart. I'd love to, but Bill's family invited me over as well."

Rosmerta came over and took their orders. When she left, Betty winked at Gwen. "How is that going?"

"Wonderfully," Gwen said with a content sigh. "I always knew we weren't finished, you know? It's been a bit crazy- Bill's been so busy training this new recruit and you know how things have been at work."

"I'm so happy for you, Gwennie," Betty said gleefully. Their lunch arrived and they ate it and then stayed in the pub chatting about the boys Betty had been seeing.

"You're too pretty to even deal with boys," Gwen said. It was true. Betty had blonde hair and the prettiest brown eyes. She carried herself in a manner that made every wizard fall at her feet, but none were good enough for her. She glamorized the single life.

"Ah, but it's fun! I'm not ready to settle, Gwen, I'm too young!" She took a gulp of her mead. "No offense to you, that's you. But I can't…. I never see myself getting married or anything. I need constant excitement. All these boys are so boring."

They started talking about the boys at work, laughing and imitating them. The pub was warm and covered in Christmas lights. Everyone was laughing and eating and outside, the snow was falling gracefully. If someone had taken a picture, it would've been fit to put on a Christmas card.

Gwen was happy.

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The weeks would have been perfect, had the attack on Arthur Weasley not occurred. Bill came to her flat at around 2 in the morning one night, panicking about his father's condition. Gwen hurriedly dressed and they went to St. Mungo's to see his father in horrible condition.

She had never seen Bill so broken, sobbing at the sight of his father. Arthur was unconscious, but the Healers assured them that he would be alright. Gwen tried to be positive and encouraging towards her boyfriend, but Bill seemed to just push her away.

The next day at work, Gwen had an odd feeling about Bill's behavior. But she knew she was over thinking it- Bill's father had nearly died that night. But he was okay now. It would all be alright.

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"Merry Christmas, Gwen!" Ginny exclaimed, as Gwen stepped into Grimmauld Place on Christmas Day. The place was decked out in Christmas decorations and lights and it smelled delicious. The two girls hugged and Gwen took off her coat and hat hung it in the hall. Bill appeared in the hall and smiled at her.

"Merry Christmas, dearest," Gwen said sweetly, hugging him enthusiastically. He seemed a bit stiff.

"Merry Christmas. Everyone's in the kitchen." They went to the kitchen and everyone greeted Gwen. They sat down to eat dinner.

"I'm so happy I was able to make it," Tonks said in between bites. "I visited Mum and Dad last night."

"How are they? I haven't seen Andi in ages," Sirius inquired.

"They're good. I wish I could tell them you missed them, but…" Sirius waved it off.

"I saw my dad yesterday too, Tonks," Gwen said.

"Where does he live?" Mrs. Weasley asked from down the table.

"He's in Scotland now."

"Where's Hermione?" Remus asked Ron.

"She went on ski trip with her family."

"I've always wanted to ski," Gwen responded.

"Muggle sports have always fascinated me!" Arthur exclaimed at the end of the table. He was covered in bandages, but seemed well recovered from his incident with the snake. Gwen glanced at Harry Potter, who was sitting beside her, looking absolutely miserable.

"I hope you aren't upset because you're sitting next to me," she said softly and directly to him. He looked up.

"No… I'm just… It's nothing."

"You like Quidditch, don't you?"

"I love it," he said, perking up immediately.

"Do you follow it internationally?" she asked smiling at him.

"A bit, yeah."

"Well, seeing as I work at the Prophet, we get all the firsthand information about who's being drafted to the teams," she explained. "I've also got lots of unpublished stats and interviews from players that got cut from the sports section." He seemed extremely interested. "If I brought them over tomorrow, would you care to take a look?"

"Yeah! Absolutely," he said, sounding mildly excited. "Thanks!"

"I know this war is difficult, Harry. It's the little things that make it better." She gestured down the table at their family of misfits and Weasleys.

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A few days after Christmas, Gwen was at Grimmauld Place, enjoying her week off, reading a book in the sitting room. It was a lovely winter afternoon. The kids were upstairs playing wizard chess and Mrs. Weasley was upstairs with Mr. Weasley. Tonks and Bill were at work and Remus was upstairs taking a nap, while Sirius was eating in the kitchen. There was a knock at the door.

Gwen put the book down and got up to get the door, surprised to see it was Snape. "Er, hello Snape. There isn't a meeting today."

"I'm aware," he said. She shut the door behind him and he stayed in the hall. "Is Potter here?"

"Yes, he's upstairs. Is anything wrong?"

"I have to speak to him, on Dumbledore's orders," Snape explained. Sirius walked in from the kitchen.

"What are you doing here, Snape?" he demanded. "There isn't a meeting today."

"I am perfectly aware that there is not a meeting today," he spat.

"Then you have no reason to be here," Sirius hissed.

"He needs to talk to Harry," Gwen explained and Sirius's eyes filled with rage.

"No, he does not!" Sirius said angrily.

"Sirius, you'll wake Remus!" Gwen snapped quietly.

"I do not have all day," Snape said. "The headmaster has ordered me to come here and speak to Harry Potter and that is what I intend to do, if Black can stop acting like a child!"

"I will be there," Sirius declared. "I'll be there when you talk to him."

"It is a private matter, Black-"

"I don't care!"

"Suit yourself," Snape said impatiently, looking at Gwen. "Can you please tell Potter that I await him in the kitchen? Before tomorrow, if that suits you."

She wanted to retort, but was too weary and instead silently climbed up the stairs. She heard voices from Ron's room, so she poked her head in and saw that they were still very much involved in their game. "Harry," Gwen called. "Could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

"Squash him- squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot- sorry, Gwen, what did you say?"

"Professor Snape is in the kitchen. He'd like a word."

The group of children stared at her in horror, mouths gaping open in shock and fear. Gwen wanted to burst out laughing. She would have had the exact same reaction if Snape had appeared at her house during holidays. Snape's reputation had certainly not changed since she had left Hogwarts. But she knew that Mrs. Weasley wanted the children to respect Snape, so she did not laugh.

"Snape?"

"Professor Snape, dear," she corrected. She nearly lost her self-control. It was just too funny. "Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long." She left the room and went down to the kitchen, where Snape and Sirius were seated at the table, staring at each other. "Er, Harry's on his way down right now." Neither of them said anything, so Gwen went back to the sitting room to read her book.

She heard shouting coming from the kitchen, unsurprisingly. She didn't get up to see what was wrong, for she knew Snape and Sirius were always going at it. She continued reading as the shouts got louder. She continued reading when she heard Mr. Weasley break up the fight. And she continued reading when she heard Snape storm out of the kitchen and slam the front door on his way out.

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Besides Arthur's hospital visit and Snape's fight with Sirius, Gwen would have been able to say that it had been one of the best Christmastimes she had ever had.

It was New Year's Eve at Grimmauld Place and everyone was gathered in the living room, drinking and listening to the radio. The kids were playing with Crookshanks on the floor. Bill and Gwen were wrapped up in each other's arms on the couch and Gwen noticed Remus and Tonks were deep in conversation and she smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" Bill asked. She looked into his eyes.

"I'm just happy to see others are on their way to being as happy as us." Bill didn't respond.

The New Year hit and everyone drank. Tonks and Remus disappeared, to the glee of Gwen, and Mrs. Weasley sent the children upstairs to bed. Sirius was drunk out of his mind and went to his room and Gwen felt nostalgic. It was just like the Halloween party, where they had started.

"Hey, Gwen," Bill said. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," she said sweetly. There were a few stragglers in the sitting room, so they went in the kitchen. Bill seemed terribly uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

Bill didn't speak, then looked at her. "Gwen, I… I feel like I've been doing you wrong."

Gwen took his hand reassuringly. "No, you're not. This has been-"

"Please, let me finish." She looked at him alarmed.

"Bill, what is it? You're… you're scaring me." Her stomach was turning quickly.

"Gwen… we need to break up."

They fell into a dead silence and Gwen felt her perfect holiday being shattered to the ground.

"What?" she whispered.

"This was a mistake," Bill said softly, looking distraught. "Please, Gwen, I just-"

"Stop."

"But I-"

Gwen pushed past him, slamming the kitchen door, not caring who saw, not caring what anybody would say. She grabbed her coat and ran outside, into the London snow, hearing distant, drunk voices still singing. Auld Lang Syne.

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