Harry never thought he'd ever say this but he was happy to see Snape and his other teachers. His homework finally began to make sense after he sat in the classes and actually learned it. He's day was going good until Divination.
"You poor boy!" Professor Trelawney said hugging Harry and crying. Harry looked to Hermione and Ron for help but they watched him struggle, trying to hold in their laugh. It was entertaining. "Though you haven't left us yet you're life is still in danger. You poor thing!"
"Uh...thanks for your concern. Could you stop squeezing me so tight?" She backed off of him and began to cry again.
"Death dances around you! You are doomed! Both of you! Doomed!" she yelled walking away. Hermione followed.
"Where are they going?" Harry was new to this.
"I don't know. They walk away together everyday. It's strange," Ron said sitting down. Harry was still hanging on Trelawney's words. Doomed? He shook his head and sat down. They were assigned another star chart for homework and Harry looked at Ron with an evil smile. Ron smiled back.
The castle emptied the next week. Harry and Ron sat down to play a game of chess as Hermione read by the fire. Harry actually won that time and he spent the rest of the afternoon rubbing it in Ron's face. Ron's wand started to act up again over vacation and he no longer trusted it. Ever since everyone could hear him say "Now I have to do things the Muggle way!"
It was Christmas Eve and Ron wanted to play a little joke on Hermione and Harry. Surprisingly not everyone knew about Harry and Hermione's relationship and Ron was going to make it known. He hung mistletoe above Hermione and Harry's usually meeting spot in the common room. His plan backfired when he found himself standing under it with Hermione that night.
The snow fell heavily that morning. Harry woke up early to find Hermione and Ron to open presents. He looked everywhere, but there was no sign of them. He packed on his clothes so he wouldn't freeze and headed out. He saw smoke coming from Hagrid's hut. Maybe they are there, he thought, and approached the door.
"'Arry! It's great to see yer! Merry Christmas!"
"You too, Hagrid. It's been a while."
"Come on in! Have some tea!"
"I would but I'm looking for Ron and Hermione. Have you seen them?"
"They just left. Hermione said she was goin' bug hunting. She said you would know what that meant."
"Bug hunting...oh...ok. Well I'll see you later."
"Ok, Harry. Bye!"
"Bye, Hagrid! Bye, Fang!" Fang barked back.
He walked around a bit and headed back to the common room. There he saw Hermione and Ron looking at a glass jar on the table.
"Looks like we have a visitor for Christmas," Hermione said with big grin on her face. Harry walked over.
"Hey Rita. How's it going?" He looked to Ron. He looked a little upset.
"Let's open some gifts," Ron said to them.
Harry handed Ron the newest edition of the Chudley Cannons book. Ron began reading it right away. He turned to Hermione and handed her a little box. Inside contained a ring with her birthstone and unicorn earrings.
"They are beautiful, Harry! Thank you!"
"You're welcome! I saw them and I thought of you. Sirius got them for me, since I was locked up." Ron crossed his arms.
"Hang on! I have to get yours!" She ran up to her dorm to get them. Harry and Ron opened their sweaters. Hermione came down with a little box and two books. He handed the books to Ron who looked at them. He received Quidditch through the Ages and Hogwarts: A History. "It's so you can brush up on your history," she said. Then she handed Harry the box. He opened it and his eyes widened. He took out a long chain with a phoenix pendant on it. Its body and tail were wrapped around a polished quartz crystal. It looked like the one Sirius had on his ring, that was now gone. Inside he could see smoke circling.
"Hermione, where did you get this? It's awesome."
"That's for me to know and you to never find out," Hermione said to him, teasing.
"Hey, Harry," Ron said (one of the few words he spoke all morning), "Why a phoenix? Why not something cool like a dragon?"
"Well," Hermione said clearing her throat, "It was my idea." She went into the whole explanation and Ron was not amazed. "And he's faced Voldemort..."
"You-Know-Who, please," Ron interrupted.
"And never died. He's really powerful."
"No, he's not. He's just famous. That's why everyone thinks he's powerful. It's an illusion," Ron yelled standing up.
"Ron, please," Harry said starting to get up. Ron ran out before Harry could catch him. "What's gotten into him?"
"Well, there are some things I need to tell you first. I suggest you sit down." She turned to the jar and saw Rita writing things down, "And you, cut that out." Rita stopped writing.
"When I looked into the mirror, I didn't see a library..."
"Then what did you see?"
"Myself marrying...Ron." Harry turned to her. He couldn't believe it. "I told him last night. He had just broken up with Lavender..."
"What?! He went out with Lavender?!"
"It's a long story... Anyway I went down to get a drink when I saw him hanging up mistletoe. And...well... we talked and I told him about the mirror and...well...according to tradition..."
"You kissed him..." Harry said trailing off.
"Then he got this crazy idea that I was only with you because you are famous," Hermione said quickly, "You know that's not true, Harry. And when I got up this morning he kissed me and I tried to explain to him and he ran off. That's where I was this morning. Looking for him."
"One day he'll understand us. Just give him time."
"Yeah...maybe."
The rest of the morning was quiet and peaceful. There was nothing more to say to each other.