Time seemed to creep forward after that for Ivy. She continued to take Lupin's Magical Booster potions, and Rose began to instruct her in a Kwickspell course. Harry came to visit her the first Hogwart's Weekend, and Halloween came and went. The date for her confrontation with Zack Zonko was officially set for the fourth day of January. Arthur Weasley had met with Zonko's barristers and set up a time for Ivy to be tested before them all: the Zonkos, their attorneys and several of the oldest and most upstanding of Hogsmeade's citizenry. Professor Dumbledore had promised to be there as well, for he hadn't forgotten asking Ivy to take on a Professorship for the upcoming school year.
Sirius Black had not come anywhere near the Three Broomsticks since the new school year had begun, and for all intents and purposes, Ivy was alone. She watched Rose and Remus, happy that they had each other. They had constructed a steel room underneath the pub, where Remus went once a month, after drinking Rosmerta's perfected Wolfsbane Potion. He always emerged pale and weakened, but soon recovered. They tried hard to draw Ivy in, to include her, but they were wrapped up in each other, and Ivy understood. They got married on Christmas Eve, in a sweet little wedding at the pub, Professor Dumbledore officiating. Ivy and Renaldis Renfroe took care of things while they took a short honeymoon.
Ivy heard rumors that Hagrid had gone back to haunting the Hog's Head, although she never saw him in Hogsmeade. The one time she'd seen him emerging from the forest path he'd Apparated when she'd called his name.
The most ironic part of this whole time of Ivy's life was that she began to show quite a bit of skill with magic. The things she'd always longed to do suddenly became easy, as if in consolation for all that had been lost. Sometimes she caught herself looking over her shoulder, sure that someone, probably Sirius, was helping her along. But there was no one. When January came, she was confident she'd pass the magic test. Then at least she could have her house back, and quit feeling like a third wheel at Rosmerta's.
The magic test was set to occur in a back room at the post office, at 7 pm. Mr. Cornelius had offered it as a place of neutrality, and everyone had agreed. Zack and his father showed up early, the younger Zonko crashing into Ivy and nearly bowling her over to make way for three of the 'Wizards at Real Estate Law", who introduced themselves as Humphrey, Baggette and Bone. The Honeydukes entered next, as friendly as Ivy remembered them. Mrs. Honeyduke patted Ivy's hand reassuringly as they moved forward to take their seats.
Zeke showed up later, and made quite a show of sitting on the opposite side of the room from his rotund brother. Molly and Arthur Weasley were there, as were Rose, and Remus. Professor Dumbledore had graciously given Harry permission to attend as well. Ivy looked them over gratefully. It was nice to know she had so many staunch supporters, but the absence of Hagrid and Sirius Black left her feeling more than a little empty.
At a few minutes after 7, the proceedings began. Zack Zonko's barristers stood up and reminded everyone that Hogsmeade had an illustrious history as the only all-wizarding community in Europe. They rolled out endless parchment, citing precedents for their actions, until Arthur Weasley stood to his feet and argued that first of all, Ivy was not NON-Magical, and secondly, she had not been asked for proof-of-power at the time the house was purchased.
Finally, the question of the magic test was brought up. Ivy agreed to perform a few simple charms, to dispel the rumor that she was a Squib. She took her wand out of her robes and pointed it at a portrait of an ancient previous postmaster.
"Finally got a wand, Ivy?" Zack Zonko sneered, smirking around the room. For a minute Ivy thought he knew more than he was letting on. His smile was more confident than she'd have thought, but then, he had no way of knowing all she'd gone through to be able to produce a little magic.
Arthur Weasley stood up, glaring at Zonko. "There will be no commentating from the opposition, please."
Zonko raised his beefy hands in mock surrender. "Sorry," he said, looking around. "But you should all remember that I'm doing this for your own good. Once we start letting one person with no magical ability live in Hogsmeade... why it won't be a year before the place is crawling with Muggles."
"Ms. Ollivander is NOT a Muggle," Arthur countered. "She is part of a venerable wizarding family that predates yours, mine... probably everyone in this room. The Ollivanders have been making wands since 300 AD. I think you are in the minority when you assume that Ms. Ollivander will be a detriment to this community."
"She's been here 3 years, Zonko. Why can't you leave her alone?" Rosmerta's voice came from the back of the room. Ivy swung around to look, smiling when she noticed Lupin's restraining hand on Rosie's shoulder.
Zonko stood to his feet. "I will not go down in history as the one who let Squibs and Muggles take over Hogsmeade. Ask her..." he demanded. "Ask her where she lived before she came here. She'll tell you. With Muggles. She taught at their schools, she lived in their houses. She's not one of us."
"Are you finished?" Mr. Cornelius's voice cut across the room. He stood to his feet. "I have known Ms. Ollivander's family for many, many years. I went to Hogwarts with Ivy's great-grandfather. I have lived quite happily in Hogsmeade with Ivy these past three years, and see no grounds for your attempt to take back her home. The reflection it makes upon you and your family...."
At this point Zeke Zonko stood up. "My brother has made it a point to say that he does not wish to go down in history as the one who let Ivy live Hogsmeade. Well... I would like to go down in history as opposing him whole-heartedly." He flashed Ivy a sheepish, long-toothed grin, then sat back down. "Not all the Zonkos are in agreement with these proceedings."
"Noted, noted," Professor Dumbledore finally spoke up. "I have a stake in these proceedings as well, as I have asked Ms. Ollivander to teach at Hogwarts next term. As I cannot preside over events in Hogsmeade with any authority, I would like to say she has been unanimously accepted at Hogwarts."
This announcement was met with a long silence, then Arthur bowed to Ivy. "Would you mind showing us a Levitation charm?" he asked, most politely. "Nothing advanced, of course, just a simple...."
"Wingardium Leviosa," Ivy spoke to the portrait. She swished her wand and flicked it upward, brow creasing when nothing happened.
"Accio?" she muttered, shaking the wand. A few sparks fizzled out of the end, landing on the floor and sputtering into ash.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" she spoke with more authority this time, glaring at the portrait, to no avail. It didn't even tremble. She stomped her foot impatiently. "Why won't it...?"
She sent a panicked glance toward Remus, who headed toward her. By then a low murmur of voices had begun to fill the room. Ivy's cheeks started to burn.
"Try it again," came Zack Zonko's sneering voice. "We're in no hurry. Show us the grand Ollivander legacy."
Ivy stretched out the wand again, but knew it was no good. Her hand trembled as she whispered, "Incendio." She wasn't pointing at the portrait anymore, her aim had shifted to the left, her wand directed at Zonko. He smirked triumphantly, giving Ivy a mocking look that plainly asked where her magical powers had gone. She turned her back on him, shame flooding her face. How had she ever fooled herself into believing she was magic? How could she stand in front of all these people, people who were her friends, and make an utter fool of herself? She heard the murmurs, the laughter, saw the pity in the eyes of those who came to her side, as her fist opened and her wand clattered to the floor.
"Forget about it," Rose muttered, placing herself between Ivy and everybody else. "I have seen Ivy do magic," she insisted. "So has Remus, and Harry. I don't know what's going on here...."
At that moment Dumbledore crossed the room and bent to speak in Arthur Weasley's ear. A moment later he approached Ivy.
"May I have your wand, Ivy?" he asked kindly.
She looked toward where it had fallen to the floor, just as Harry thrust it into her hands.
"Thanks," she mumbled, surrendering the wooden instrument to Professor Dumbledore. She had no business keeping it anymore, now the whole town knew she had no magic. Keeping the wand seemed like heresy anyway.
Dumbledore gave her a half-bow, reaching out to squeeze her hands as he took the wand. He tried to hold her gaze, but she couldn't look him in the eye. The others surrounded her then, the Weasleys, Mr. Cornelius, Remus and Rose, each one doing their best to console her, to no avail. She had no words to say to them, no excuses, no explanations. Rose continued her mantra that she had seen Ivy's magic, but Ivy only wanted to go home. To hide from the curious eyes, the piteous glances.
Arthur continued to defend Ivy before the barristers while Rose and Harry ushered her out of the room. They were back at the pub in minutes. Ivy tried to excuse herself and retreat, but Rose wouldn't let her go any farther than the back side of the bar. She poured a goblet of elderberry wine, which Ivy politely refused. The Weasleys showed up some time later, Arthur gently informing them all that in the best interest of the village of Hogsmeade, the Zonko's complaint had been upheld. Zack had his house back.
"With all due respect, Ivy," he said. "Professor Dumbledore has given his permission for you to come and live on the grounds at Hogwarts. In the suite of rooms he intended to offer with the Professorship. I don't know if that would be of interest to you...?"
Ivy only shook her head, staring at all of them with over-bright eyes. "I'd like to stay with Rose for a while," she told them. "There are some who might be uncomfortable having me at Hogwarts. I'll think of something."
"Ivy," Rose murmured. "You are welcome here for as long as you want to stay. That's why I had an extra room built on the pub this summer. For you." She reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from Ivy's cheek, and that's when the tears started. Ivy clung to Rose, hiding her face against her best friend's shoulder. The others shifted uncomfortably in their seats, until Remus wisely offered them a round of drinks. As her tears subsided, Ivy rounded the bar to address the group.
"Thank you all for standing up for me," she said simply. "You'll never know how much your friendship has meant. I didn't think it would end this way, but I do appreciate everything you've done. Arthur... Molly, Remus." Her eyes filled up again, but she managed a watery smile.
"I hope you don't mind, but I..." she shrugged, raising her hands in surrender. Then without another word, she retreated to her room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The weather turned wild and stormy in the middle of January. A blizzard hit Hogsmeade full blast for three days. The pub was mostly deserted, except for a few travelers who'd gotten caught in the storm. Ivy'd finally come out of her room when the snow stopped flying. She fixed a pot of hot chocolate and gazed up the road toward where her house had once been. Despite the weather, Zack had made arrangements for the little cottage to be demolished. For once Ivy was glad it had been situated too far down High Street for her to see it from the pub. Seeing what was left would be too hard for her to bear.
She'd gone to pour a tankard of ale for one of the patrons when a hooded figure pushed open the door, trudged in, and sat at the bar. Ivy paid him no mind, until he spoke in a voice that she remembered well.
"It's true then," the hooded figure spoke. "Ivy Ollivander really has left Australia to live in Hogsmeade."
The tankard Ivy had been filling clattered to the floor, and ale went in every direction. Her skirt soaked with it, she turned around to face her father.
"Hello, Ivy," he said, pushing the hood onto his shoulders. He was thinner than she remembered, and his hair was nearly as gray as her great-grandfather's. His eyes beheld her with a warmth that was unfamiliar.
Ivy stared at him, hopelessness settling over her as she finally reached the end of her rope. No doubt he'd come all this way in a storm for only one reason. To demand she leave Hogsmeade. Not that it mattered to her anymore. She'd nearly come to the conclusion that she'd be better off among Muggles anyway. She'd only needed an impetus to do it. To leave her dream of living in the magical realm behind. Seeing her father on the other side of the bar was more than enough to push her that way.
"I happened to see a few papers go across my desk at the Ministry that were meant for Arthur Weasley," Augustus Ollivander explained apologetically. "You remember Arthur, don't you, Ivy?"
Ivy nodded, suddenly disconnected. How odd it seemed to feel like a disobedient child before a man she hadn't seen in 16 years. Part of her wanted to be happy to see him, but the fear she harbored in her heart, and the old bitterness at being sent away, rose up at the sight of him. She gripped both sides of the bar, knuckles whitening, as Willa scrambled behind her, cleaning up her mess.
"It's good to see you," Augustus said quietly. He gave her a wry smile. "How long have you been back?"
"Three years," she told him, offering no apologies. "I suppose you want me to go back home with you, now, though." She picked up a towel and rubbed at the bar.
"Well," Augustus started. "What I'd really like is a bite to eat. Fighting this storm was tiring. I'm famished."
Ivy stared at him.
"You mean you haven't come to take me home?"
"I've come to get my daughter back," he told her. "But we can talk about that tomorrow. Gray-Grand should be here by then."
"You told him you were coming?"
"Yes," Augustus smiled. "Funny thing, that.... He practically begged me to wait until tomorrow. I told him I would, then promptly Apparated. You two are in this together, aren't you?"
Ivy didn't return the smile. "Don't be angry with Gray-Grand. He had nothing to do with this."
"Tomorrow, Ivy." Augustus insisted, wearily. "Right now I'd like to sample the steak-and-kidney pie."
It was late when her father retired for the evening, but as soon as he was settled Ivy kissed Rose and Remus goodbye. She pulled on her heaviest robe, then ventured out into the snow-covered village. She knew her father would ask her to leave with him in the morning, and there was only one person left that she needed to see. She headed toward Hagrid's cabin, hoping that he might change his mind and give her a reason to stay.
Boots crunching over new snow, Ivy headed up High Street. Clouds scudded across the moon, blown by a bitter east wind. She could have gone the short route, past the train station and up the road through the winged-boar front gates of Hogwarts, but her heart was heavy and as bitter as the wind. Sorrow demanded it's fill tonight, and so she headed in the opposite direction. Past the place where her house had stood. She wanted to see the ruins with her own eyes, for they would mirror the shambles that was her life.
When she got there, Ivy had to rub her eyes to believe them. Parts of her old picket fence still stood, leaning crazily against the wind and drifts of snow. There were piles of the rock foundation huddled here and there, and a great gaping hole exposed the basement. Tears filled her eyes and froze on her cheeks when Ivy crouched to look into that hole. The resemblance to her heart was too obvious and painful.
The wooden table she and Harry and Sirius used to sit around was still there. One chair was broken, tipped over on its side. The others were gone. She crouched in the snow, fingers numbly tracing over a bit of rubble. When she looked down, a gasp of surprise escaped her chest. Her hand rested on a piece of the bedroom wall. She knew it was the from the bedroom by the wallpaper. An emerald green dragon lay at her feet, complete with maiden on its shoulder. She peered closer, brushing away snow until she exposed all the edges. There was the knight in shining armor Charlie Weasley had used to decorate her walls. She held up the paper and plaster, laughing bitterly. "Your were right, Charlie. Dragons are not tamed. Even you couldn't fix this one."
She flung it away from her and stood to her feet, then just as quickly changed her mind, stumbling to the place where it had landed. She picked it back up and clutched it to her chest. Peeling the paper away from the plaster, she folded it up and stuck it in a pocket. Then she wiped her face and set off across the stream to the forest path. In her heart of hearts, she knew this would be the last time she'd ever walk this path. Her feet grew heavier with every passing step.
Halfway across the stream, it happened. Her feet slid on slippery rocks and snow-covered robes. She landed face first in the stream. Its thin coating of ice broke upon her impact, and freezing cold water gushed in on her. Pushing up with her hands, Ivy knelt, dazed, in the stream bed, her mind already numb from the cold. By the time she heaved herself onto the opposite bank, she was soaked to the skin. Her breath went before her in short, ragged puffs that were snatched by the wind.
Stuffing her stinging hands under her arms, she trudged onward, trembling, her heart nearly as numb as her feet. The path seemed to elongate before her, and for a while Ivy was sure she was trapped in a dream. A nightmare where she would keep walking forever, but never, ever make it to Hagrid.
She did make it to the end of the path eventually. Hagrid's cabin stood as it always had, looking like an icing-covered gingerbread house in the moonlight. She mounted the back steps heavily, raising a hand to knock even as the door opened before her.
"My father..." Ivy managed, through chattering teeth. "He found me. I just wanted.... I wanted -" She stepped across the threshold, pushing past Hagrid to stand by his fire. The giant stood aside, staring sadly down at her.
She returned his gaze, pleading with her eyes, begging him to give her a reason to tell her father she was staying in Hogsmeade. But Hagrid turned away, staring instead out his window. Taking this as his answer, she tugged at her sleeve, reaching inside it to pull the gold band from her wrist.
"You'll be wanting this back, then," she whispered, offering it him. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want me wearing it anymore...."
Hagrid turned to face her. For a moment he looked as though he might reach out to her, take her in his arms and make everything right between them, but then something clouded his features. Memories that Ivy couldn't see surfaced in his mind, renewing his resolve.
"I don't know what happened," Ivy said. "But know this. I love you, Rubeus Hagrid. Everything about you. I'm not giving this back because I stopped loving you. You should know that, before you take the ring out of my hand."
She stretched her arm toward him, the band of gold glittering in her palm.
"Ivy..." Hagrid breathed. "I can't let yeh...."
"Then take it," Ivy challenged. A deep-seated shiver began in the depths of her being, but she couldn't tell if it was induced by the cold, or the intensity of emotion that had risen within her. Staring at Hagrid had brought all the old longings up inside her. She wanted to whine, and beg him to take her back, but she remained silent.
"Yeh say yer dad foun' out yer in Hogsmeade?" Hagrid sweated, one minute looking as though he would reach for the ring, the next minute stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Ivy nodded. "He'll want me to go back to the Muggles, I'm sure. There's no reason for me to stay now. I'll be leaving in the morning."
"It's fer the best, Ivy," Hagrid whispered, shoulders sagging.
"All right, then," she whispered in surrender. She carefully place the ring on his scrubbed wood table. When she opened the back door to leave snow swirled in with a vengeance. The storm had started up again. In just a few steps the world she knew had disappeared. Just a few more and she was totally lost in the forbidden forest.
She lost the path early, turning too far north, which only led her deeper into the woods. Walking had become difficult by this time, so she stopped often to rest, reaching down every now and then to brush at the icy coating that advanced upward as her wet robes froze. More than once she fell, but her heart was too heavy to worry about the snow that filled her clothing.
It was over, as far as Ivy was concerned. Hogsmeade didn't want her. Hagrid didn't want her. How had her Gray-Grand put it? 'It seems this Hogsmeade experiment has failed.' That was it. Ivy congratulated herself for remembering. She sat on a fallen log, so cold that she didn't even notice she'd slipped off it, until her lap was completely buried in snow. Panic seized her then, but it came too late. Sleep beckoned with greater promise. She gave in, slumping over in the snow, while more of the cold white blanket drifted around her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at Hagrid's, the half-giant had gone to fetch more wood for his fireplace. He bent to add it to the pile on his hearth, noticing for the first time the puddle that had accumulated where Ivy had stood. His fingers swept across the wetness, as confusion furrowed his brow. Fang had begun to bark from outside by that time, and a curse slipped past Hagrid's lips.
"Ivy," he whispered.
Standing to his feet, he pulled his heavy moleskin overcoat back across his shoulders, opening his door and leaning into the wind. The moon had been obliterated by fresh onslaught of snow-laden clouds. Fang raced into the woods, scented the air, then lumbered back to Hagrid.
"Fin' Ivy, Fang," Hagrid told him. "You go get her. Good dog."
Fang barked once more, then set out. Hagrid could barely discern the depression in the snow that had once been Ivy's trail. He lowered his lantern toward the ground, searching for a clue as to which way she'd gone. He soon found the place where she'd left the path, but the swirling snow had covered any trace of which way she'd headed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ivy dreamt the dream where she and Hagrid rode the wild hippogriff. Only deep inside her heart she knew it was only a dream. Interspersed within it came the voices. First Hagrid reminding her that everything was better off with its own kind, then Rose telling her to believe, lest she become the Muggle her father had tried to make her into. 'This Hogsmeade experiment has failed,' echoed mercilessly in her brain, until she raised her hands to her ears to make it stop.
'I've come to get my daughter back,' spoke Augustus Ollivander, as Ivy descended into an even deeper sleep. 'This Hogsmeade experiment has failed.' Even Hagrid chimed in, with 'Everything's better off wi' its own kind. It's fer the best, Ivy. It's fer the best.'
For a while there was silence, and then Ivy imagined her mother calling to her. She tried to turn her head to see where the voice came from, but moving took too much effort. She gave in to the peacefulness of sleep, even ignoring Elana as she yelled her daughter's name.
"Ivy!"
She heard someone call her name again, but knew there was no point in talking back to dreams. Something warm pushed at her hand, then the dream came back. Hagrid scooped her up. Only he didn't put her on a bed of flower petals this time. He maneuvered her inside his coat, pressing her against the oven-warmth of his chest.
Ivy smiled. It had been so long since she'd heard his heartbeat, but she remembered its cadence. The coat covered her, and she found herself in a dark, warm cocoon where only the rhythm of Hagrid's breathing and heartbeat kept her company. She shivered, pressing herself ever deeper into the moleskin, relaxing to the rhythm of the rocking hippogriff.
Sometime later, she felt as though someone was stabbing her feet and hands with pins and needles. She cried out, opening her eyes to find herself in Hagrid's arms. He was mounting the back steps to his cabin. She saw the moon for a moment, then they were inside. A roaring fire welcomed them as Hagrid deposited her onto his quilt-covered bed.
"Yeh din't tell me yeh were soakin' wet, Ivy," Hagrid said angrily, pulling off his coat and standing by the fire. He stripped off his waist-coat, vest and shirt, shivering in the firelight. Bare-chested, he bent to add a huge log to the fire, then crossed the room to yank a nightshirt off its hook by the bed.
"Co... cold," Ivy managed. "My feet hurt."
"You'll be lucky if yeh don' lose yer toes an' yer fingers," he returned, bending down to pull off her shoes. Her socks were a mixture of ice and slush as he peeled them away from her skin. Ivy groaned in pain as his fingers kneaded her flesh.
"How'd this happ'n?" Hagrid muttered.
"I fell in the stream," Ivy said dreamily, reaching out to slide a hand across Hagrid's shoulder. He reached up and caught her hand impatiently, swearing under his breath again as he felt her icy fingers.
"Yer gonna hafta come out a those wet clothes."
"Why don't you love me anymore?" she asked, hypothermia still slowing down her senses.
"Take off that robe," Hagrid countered, ignoring her question. "An the rest a that stuff. I'll turn my back."
"But I don't have anything else to wear," Ivy pointed out.
Hagrid tossed her the nightshirt.
"I have one of these!" Ivy said, grinning. She made a pitiful picture, shaking like a leaf, hair flying out in all directions as she clutched Hagrid's nightshirt to her chest. She fumbled with her buttons, but her hand-to-brain coordination left much to be desired.
"I can't get these buttons," she complained. "My fingers hurt. I could just swish-and-flick, but I didn't pass the magic test. I can't make my clothes all dry anyway. I don't know the Charm." She stood to her feet, swaying dangerously toward the fireplace.
"It's warm over here," she whispered, and if Hagrid hadn't known better, he'd have sworn she'd been after his mead. She crouched by the fire, arms stretched toward the flames. A new puddle began to form around her feet as her clothes thawed out. Even this close to the fire, she shivered. So much so that Hagrid finally crossed the room and began to unbutton her shirt.
"Yeh gotta get out a these wet clothes," he repeated.
Ivy only stared up at him, wide-eyed.
"I forgot.... You don't love me anymore." She blinked, looking down to watch his huge fingers trying to unbutton her shirt. Her fingers entwined with his own as she smiled down at his hands.
"I missed your hands, Hagrid," she continued. "And your heartbeat."
Hagrid grunted, pushing her wet shirt off her shoulders. A chill went through her again. Gooseflesh covered her skin as Hagrid threw his fire-warmed nightshirt over her head.
"I'm cold," Ivy repeated for the hundredth time, as she struggled with the nightshirt's sleeves.
"Take them wet clothes off and get in my bed," Hagrid said, turning her in that direction. "I'll make some tea. That'll warm yeh up."
Ivy tugged and pulled at the skirt underneath Hagrid's nightshirt, peeling off everything wet. Then she did as she was told, curling into a ball under Hagrid's patchwork quilt. But her time spent frozen in the snow had taken more out of her than Ivy knew. Her body was wracked mercilessly by shivers. Her teeth clattered together so that she found it hard to catch her breath. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get warm.
"I'm cold. I'm cold. I'm cold," she mumbled continually into Hagrid's pillows.
When the tea was ready, he propped her up in bed, the quilt pulled up underneath her chin.
"I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold," she whispered, obediently sipping at her tea as Hagrid brought the cup to her lips. Drowsiness overtook her as the tea spread its warmth to her insides. She slid down into the feather mattress, still shaking uncontrollably.
"I'm cold."
Hagrid slid into the bed beside her. As much as he told himself it was better for them to remain apart, he couldn't let her lie there, unable to get warm. He'd nearly passed right by her, in the woods. If Fang hadn't noticed her hand in the snow.... He shuddered to think what had almost happened. Maybe he'd said goodbye to a life with Ivy as his future, but... tears came to his eyes when he remembered feeling for a pulse as he'd dragged her stiff, cold body out of the snow.
Ivy muttered something in her sleep, and Hagrid pulled her against him.
"I'm cold."
"Lemme warm yeh up," he said softly, cradling her against him.
"Why'd you stop loving me, Hagrid?" she asked, eyes closing slowly.
He grunted a little, then kissed the top of her head. "Never said I stopped lovin' yeh, Ivy."
He held her against him as the night wind howled. Snow began to swirl outside again, even as Ivy's tremors lessened. She relaxed, pressing her cheek against his chest. The roaring fire and Hagrid's body heat slowly worked their magic. Ivy's temperature gradually returned to normal, and she slept soundly in the giant's arms.