JKR owns the people and places, I own Karista, Julia, Amaia, Vanessa, some chick named Jolene and the dream...

Author's Note: I owe plenty of credit to Prongs here on ff.nt. I love his/her story so much that I decided to pay tribute to it. I tried very hard to make it my own, even if some things are just a bit too similar. Oh yes, and Julia, I hope you forgive me for Sirius' description of Julia, yet I think I have more that made up for it in the last chapter...

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Chapter 17: A Marauder Christmas

Time flew faster than was usually called for at Hogwarts, including since the snow began falling sooner than anticipated. Hogsmeade was now decked out with green, red and gold along with enough mistletoe to begin an outbreak of Mononucleosis through the town. Ah yes, all was well. That is, unless you count for the Marauders…

"No pranks since when, Prongs?" Sirius mused in front of the Teacher's common room fire. James and Remus were enveloped in a rather spiffing game of chess while Sirius was catching up on 'The Married man's life; how to be yourself'.

"I'd say since the flea powder incident. But then again, un-explodeable bubbles in this lounge were a nice touch to the décor," James mumbled under his breath as he moved his rook forward.

"Yeah, even when they went over into Snape's area and we made them turn bright green," Sirius laughed as he set down his book and walked over to the two men playing chess.

"So, what do you want us to do, Sirius?" Remus asked as he moved his queen to take James' rook.

"Well, Snapey hasn't been giving us his usual dirty looks…I kind of miss them," Sirius muttered through mock tears.

"What do you suggest?" James grinned, turning his attention towards Sirius.

"Remember the pictures?" Remus snapped his fingers, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Ah, yes…the pictures…" Sirius laughed as the three bent down into a huddle.

***

The last carriages pulled out of Hogwarts. Only Karista, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco were staying at the castle that year and they stood upon the stairs waving frantically at the carriages until they had turned the corner and bounced down the lane towards Hogsmeade.

"Alright. Does it seem strange to anyone that my whole family is coming to Hogwarts this year?" Ron asked as the group turned and walked into the entrance hall.

"Not really. I actually think it will be a cool experience," Harry mused as they sidled their way up the stairs. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Karista had already left the entrance hall, leaving Draco and Ginny behind.

"Hi Ginny," Draco answered. He looked a bit pale yet flushed as if he had been running. His hair was a bit of a mess and his eyes seemed to be glowing strangely.

"Draco," Ginny mumbled. It was hard for her to not notice exactly how attractive he now was. Almost as tall as Ron and definitely as tall as Harry, with wispy blonde hair and an athletic build. Suddenly she shook her head. Virginia Anne Weasley, don't you dare think like that, she thought to herself with a sheepish smile crossing her face.

"Um…you look…pretty tonight," Draco Malfoy, looking embarrassed? Shy? What was the possibility of that happening! She thought wildly.

"Thanks," she said quietly, turning to leave.

"I'll…talk to you later, then," Draco said pensively as he turned quickly and headed towards the dungeons.

"Jesus, Malfoy, she isn't your first girlfriend, so why do you have to act this way?" Draco cursed as he neared to a sprint. "But damn is she beautiful."

***

"Dungbombs, paste, canary creams, fake wands, color-changing almonds, plastic food," Remus checked off the list as Sirius held up the object. The night before Christmas signaled the day before the big bang, tentatively titled by James. It was his idea of a Christmas present to his son, but lord knows he had at least fifty of those. "All set then?"

"Yep, just need to mix together the invisibility potion so that we can go…you know, invisible as we no longer have James' cloak," Sirius mumbled as he placed the contents he had just pulled out back into the box.

"Harry would let us use it, wouldn't he?" James asked tentatively. Although he had spent the last few months 'bonding' and making up lost time with his son, he still couldn't help but feel that he didn't know him that well.

"Yeah, but he would know that we were up to something," Remus explained as he hauled the box out into the corridor and motioned for them all to follow. "Julia said we could use her office then, right?"

"Yes actually, she did," Sirius laughed as they turned down the DADA corridor and entered Julia's unlocked office.

"Then are we ready to get started?" James asked as he and Remus gingerly set the box down on the desk.

"Let's get cracking then, boys," Sirius said, rubbing his hands together and looking mysteriously like Dr. Evil.

***

Ginny burst through the common room to see Ron, Hermione, Karista and Harry sitting and laughing in various chairs with their pajamas on.

"Can you believe how fast this year is going?" Karista had asked before Ginny came running in, her face red with what looked like embarrassment. "Ginny, what happened?"

Ron looked up at his sister concerned as she ran towards the girl's dormitory and out of sight. Hermione and Karista jumped up and followed.

"Wonder what's under her bonnet," Ron mused as he and Harry launched back into Quidditch talk.

***

"Ginny-poo, come on, tell us what happened!" Hermione said lightly as she sat down on Ginny's bed.

"Alright! All right. Malfoy stopped me in the hall," she whispered, fearing that her brother might be listening in.

"That slimy git! I'll wring his neck myself!" Karista said hotly as she stood up from her seat and began to cross the room.

"NO! No, nothing bad happened. Actually, he told me I looked pretty tonight," Ginny said quietly as she hid her quickly reddening face from view. Karista and Hermione's jaws dropped.

"He said you look…pretty?" Hermione asked astonished. "GINNY! What did you say?"

"Thanks."

"And that's all?" Karista asked, waving her hands in front of her.

"Yes."

"OH GINNY!" Hermione squealed as she pulled her into a hug. "He likes you!"

"You figure?" Karista asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Then, if you consent, we will help you."

"Help me what?"

"Fix you up with Malfoy!" Karista giggled as she crossed the room towards Ginny's robes. "First, we'll make you fifty times prettier and send you down to the Great Hall for dinner. Basically, we will test his reaction."

"Hmmm…sounds like a fair idea," Hermione answered, smiling wickedly. Ginny simply moaned and slapped her forehead as the two girls pounced on her and began to do what every girl does…makeovers!

***

Christmas evening…

The great hall was empty when it came to the students, yet there were more adults than anyone could shake a stick at. Harry knew that they were the Order of Phoenix member's back in force and he looked around the long tables for the Weasleys, where they all were sitting with the additions of Penelope Clearwater and Angelina Johnson.

"HARRY!" squealed Angelina as she embraced him in a hug. "How are you!"

"Great, great thanks," Harry said happily. Angelina immediately engaged him in a conversation about how the Quidditch team was doing when Ron and Malfoy entered.

"Ron! Hi there," Angelina said as she hugged Ron. She then glanced up to see Malfoy, shuffling uncomfortably before them. "Malfoy! What are you doing here?"

"Just don't ask. Ginny threatened me to be nice to him or else…" Ron mumbled in her ear. Angelina nodded her head.

Draco sat down on the outskirts of the Weasley family and began picking at his food when the door opened again. This time, Karista and Hermione entered the Great Hall with their dress robes on followed by Ginny.

Her dressing gown was a deep white color while her hair was pulled off her face causing little ringlets to fall and frame her cheeks. Her eyes were accented with a dark green eyeshadow and her lips barely covered with lip-gloss. She looks simply stunning. The whole hall turned upon their entrance while eyes flicked back and forth between the three women walking by. Draco's heart seemed to stop in his chest and he couldn't seem to quit staring at Ginny. Oh Ginny, you are so beautiful, he said to himself as the three marched over to where the Weasleys, Harry and Draco sat, all staring up at them.

"Hell, its Christmas. We had to dress up," Karista laughed as she sat down across from Harry. Hermione sat down next to her, across from Ron while Ginny gently sat down, blushing lightly, across from Draco, who couldn't leave his eyes off her.

"When your jaws finally close," Hermione giggled as she broke a piece of bread in half. Ron and Harry's jaws snapped shut, yet Draco couldn't move. "Goes for you too, Draco."

Ron and Harry turned to look at Draco, whose face was flushed. He gently closed his mouth yet his eyes didn't leave Ginny. She blushed harder and kept spooning potatoes on her plate. Realization struck Ron hard. It was as if a brick had hit his head when he stood up, glaring at Malfoy.

"Quit looking at my sister, Malfoy," Ron seethed. Malfoy didn't move his eyes, yet his mouth played into a smile.

"Make me," he taunted, his voice equally as low.

Ron nearly lunged at Malfoy before Harry caught a fistful of the back of his robes. Karista stood up and come around the table, grabbing Malfoys robes. He was trying to get out of her grasp, yet was unsuccessful. By now, most in the hall had turned to see what was happening. Karista jerked Malfoy back and spun around to meet his face.

"I may be shorter than you, and not as 'strong' as you, but I can hex your arse faster than you can breathe," she muttered. Malfoy stopped his rage for a second and looked in her eyes. He jumped back out of fear as she turned her gaze to Ron who instantly stopped his struggle against Harry and drew back in fear also. She could feel the power and anger surging in her veins and wondered if she hadn't grown horns on her head. "Listen to me. If it isn't obvious that Malfoy likes your sister and she likes him, I am going to run out to the Quidditch pitch and get a bludger and bat and beat the crap out of you until you can understand this. Listen Ron, it's her life. Let her live it."

Ginny, once drawn back in fear with Hermione, smiled at her words and glanced at Malfoy, who after his look of shock, came to his senses and chanced a glance at Ginny.

"Now. I could either hex you two arses into shaking hands and calling a truce or we could do this painlessly. Your choice," Harry muttered, raising his wand. Draco approached Ron who was still drawn back yet angry and put out his hand. Ron took it then let go. "Thank you."

Harry now sat between Ron and Draco, yet couldn't get over the look in Karista's eyes when she had turned around on them. She looked and sounded just like Voldemort, he thought lightly picking at his food. That is why everyone listened to her…hell, if looks could kill, everyone in the hall would be dead right now. The meal passed uneventful until they all got up to sleep.

"Ginny, can I talk to you? Outside?" Draco asked her quietly as she nodded her head and followed him outside. "You…you look…stunning."

Ginny giggled lightly as she stepped outside with Draco. He took her arm into his and led her to the lake. So this is what it feels like to be in love, she thought as Draco gently lead her to a bench.

"About tonight…or rather, yesterday afternoon," Draco grinned to himself before regaining his composure. "I'm sorry if I offended you or anything."

"Oh, Draco, it's alright. I was just…surprised, I guess."

"Well, at any rate, I am sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course. Yet that won't really help for what I might do."

"What is that?"

Ginny leaned in to him and gently whispered "this" before giving him a soft kiss on the lips. Draco closed his eyes as electricity shot through him. When he opened them again, Ginny was smiling to herself, obviously happy. He leaned in and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She tensed slightly before leaning into him.
***

"Alright, when will it be ready, Sirius?" James asked as he entered the room from the Christmas feast.

"Should be before everyone comes back from Christmas break," he motioned towards the cauldron.

"Good."

***
"Night, Hermione," Karista muttered sleepily as she curled up into a ball and covered herself for sleep.


She wasn't far away from deep sleep, yet she could tell that something was happening around her. She could hear someone calling her.

"Help," said a strangled voice from her left side. At first, she had no clue what it was, yet she figured it was a woman. She followed the voice until it grew louder. Finally, she realized she was in her out of body form, and could explore.