A/N: I do not own any of these characters except for Brianna.
"Well? What do you want to do now?" Harry had a note of teasing in his voice and Brianna laughed.
"I dunno. What about you?"
Harry grinned wickedly. "I have this incredible idea. Think about it. We're nearly alone in Hogwarts. There's no one else around. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Brianna grinned. "Yeah; let's have some fun!" She grabbed Harry's hand and pushed him out the doorway into a snow bank. He protested gently as she began tossing handfuls of light snow at him.
"That's not what I had in mind!" he cried, jumping out of the snow bank, brushing himself off. He grabbed a handful of snow and thrust it down the back of Brianna's shirt. "That's what I had in mind!" he yelled, running further onto the grounds. Brianna followed him closely, still tossing snow.
The two of them laughed and giggled their way across the grounds, shivering underneath their clothes for lack of winter wear. They stopped when they approached the gamekeeper, Hagrid's, hut. Harry looked almost sad for a moment.
"This will be the first Christmas that Hagrid isn't here," he said. "He's gone off to spend it with that Maxine teacher from one of the other wizarding schools." His eyes fell towards the ground and Brianna moved closer to him.
"Aww, poor baby," she said soothingly before shoving a pile of snow down Harry's shirt. She took off and he began to chase her, his sad feeling gone now for he had his best friend there with him. And she was all he needed.
Once back inside the castle, Harry and Brianna headed towards the Gryffindor Tower to change out of their wet clothes and sit in front of the fire in the Common Room. It was only after they got back from their dormitories that they realized they were the only two Gryffindors left. All the others had gone home for the holidays.
"Oh well. More room for us, I suppose," Harry said, stretching out on the lounge chair. Brianna grinned and flopped down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her and together they watched the flames from the fire dance.
"I'm really glad you stayed with me, Bri," Harry muttered into her hair. Slowly Brianna opened her eyes, feeling exhausted from their romp around the grounds.
"What else are friends for?" She tilted her head towards him and smiled. Just then the Gryffindor portrait swung open and Professor McGonagall marched in. Stopping short at the sight of Harry and Brianna, she smiled (which was a rare sight) and motioned for them to get up.
"There is a gathering in the Great Hall," she told them in her brisk tone. "I suggest you attend. It isn't mandatory, but it would be a bright idea." With that, she clamoured back out of the portrait hole and Harry smiled at Brianna.
"Did she seem a bit.tipsy to you?"
"I think someone's celebrating Christmas a little early," Brianna said quietly, nestling her head back on Harry's chest. "I don't know why that surprises us. She's done it every year since we've been here."
The rest of the evening was a blur to Brianna as she drifted in and out of sleep in Harry's arms. At times she woke, frightened as to where she was, then realizing Harry was beside her, settled back down to sleep again. Morning came quickly and before Brianna knew it, Harry was stirring her awake.
"Come on, sleepy head. Breakfast is in twenty minutes and I'm guessing you'll want to get ready." He grinned gently. "That means we should only be forty minutes late by the time you're done."
Brianna struggled off the lounge chair and placidly pushed Harry away from her. "Shut up," she muttered, stumbling up the steps to her dormitory. While washing her face in her sink, she looked in the mirror above and smiled. She was so glad she stayed at school. Being with Harry was ten times better than any of her parent's banquets that they had dragged her to in previous years. She hoped that Ron and Hermione had made it safely home and were enjoying their Christmas Eve Day. After she was ready (and it only took her fifteen minutes) she skipped down the stairs to join Harry. He took her arm gently and they began their journey to the Great Hall. Brianna felt that nothing could spoil her happiness.
She was wrong.
Upon entering the Hall, she noted that Professor Dumbledore had whisked all the tables used for House seating at meals into one corner and several chairs had appeared at the Head Table. She glanced around eagerly at all the Christmas decorations, feeling the spirit of the holiday boil up inside her. But it fell suddenly when she noticed Draco Malfoy seated further down the table. She stopped in her tracks as he grinned evilly at her. Harry, realizing her hesitation, stopped too and upon following her gaze, came across Malfoy's sneering face.
"Ah, our last two have arrived," Dumbledore greeted, a small smile playing his lips. He followed their gazes to where Draco was seated and his smile faltered a bit. He looked almost apologetically at Harry and Brianna, as if promising them that nothing would happen with Draco. Harry nodded ever so slowly and once again, began leading Brianna to the table.
After the food had been served, neither Brianna nor Harry had much of an interest in the food. Both of their appetites had decreased suddenly and they spent much of the early morning feast, staring at their hands, which they gripped under the table.
Dumbledore spent much of the time telling anyone who would listen about the big Feast that was planned for that evening. He went around the table in turn, asking each individual what their plans for the day were.
"Well, sir," stumbled a small second-year, "I was planning on reading up a bit on Quidditch. I've heard it's a fearfully exciting game and I wouldn't mind learning the rules a bit."
Dumbledore nodded genuinely. After asking the boy a few questions about what he already knew about the sport, he turned to Harry. "Ah, young Mr. Potter. What do you have planned for the day?"
"I-I don't really know yet, sir," Harry replied, looking down at the table. "I'm not totally sure."
"Why don't you try playing in the snow for awhile? You two seemed to enjoy it yesterday." Dumbledore smiled, his eyes smiling with him. Brianna grinned from ear to ear. No matter what the situation was, Professor Dumbledore could always make her smile.
"We'll take that into consideration, sir, thank you," Harry said, smiling back at the Headmaster.
The pair excused themselves from the table before Dumbledore got around to asking Malfoy what he was doing. As soon as they were out of ear shot from the table, Harry leaned over to whisper in Brianna's ear.
"I find it strange that Malfoy's staying. He's only ever stayed once before. And even then, he had a good reason."
"I not only find it strange that he's staying," Brianna replied as they rounded the corner, heading to Gryffindor Tower, "But I find it even stranger that Crabbe and Goyle aren't staying with him." Crabbe and Goyle were Malfoy's two bodyguards, as Ron often called them. They were around him day and night, and were ready to fight anyone that dare challenge Malfoy.
Harry nodded in agreement and told the Fat Lady the password. She swung open to let them inside. The fire was still roaring and there were two steaming fresh mugs of hot tea waiting by the fireplace. Brianna knew that the Hogwarts' house-elfs had gone to a lot of work to make sure they were both happy. Brianna couldn't help recalling the previous year when Hermione had tried to protest the use of house-elfs and cruelty against them. Brianna agreed with the cruelty part but it seemed cruel to deny them doing any work because it seemed to be what they loved. House-elfs were very helpful, even if it meant being hurtful to themselves.
Brianna picked up her book entitled Magical History: A Documentation of the Salem Witch Trials and sat down on the couch, preparing to read in front of the fire with a cup of tea in her hand. Harry sat down behind her and, reading over her shoulder, they immersed themselves in the past of Massachusetts.
"Well? What do you want to do now?" Harry had a note of teasing in his voice and Brianna laughed.
"I dunno. What about you?"
Harry grinned wickedly. "I have this incredible idea. Think about it. We're nearly alone in Hogwarts. There's no one else around. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Brianna grinned. "Yeah; let's have some fun!" She grabbed Harry's hand and pushed him out the doorway into a snow bank. He protested gently as she began tossing handfuls of light snow at him.
"That's not what I had in mind!" he cried, jumping out of the snow bank, brushing himself off. He grabbed a handful of snow and thrust it down the back of Brianna's shirt. "That's what I had in mind!" he yelled, running further onto the grounds. Brianna followed him closely, still tossing snow.
The two of them laughed and giggled their way across the grounds, shivering underneath their clothes for lack of winter wear. They stopped when they approached the gamekeeper, Hagrid's, hut. Harry looked almost sad for a moment.
"This will be the first Christmas that Hagrid isn't here," he said. "He's gone off to spend it with that Maxine teacher from one of the other wizarding schools." His eyes fell towards the ground and Brianna moved closer to him.
"Aww, poor baby," she said soothingly before shoving a pile of snow down Harry's shirt. She took off and he began to chase her, his sad feeling gone now for he had his best friend there with him. And she was all he needed.
Once back inside the castle, Harry and Brianna headed towards the Gryffindor Tower to change out of their wet clothes and sit in front of the fire in the Common Room. It was only after they got back from their dormitories that they realized they were the only two Gryffindors left. All the others had gone home for the holidays.
"Oh well. More room for us, I suppose," Harry said, stretching out on the lounge chair. Brianna grinned and flopped down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her and together they watched the flames from the fire dance.
"I'm really glad you stayed with me, Bri," Harry muttered into her hair. Slowly Brianna opened her eyes, feeling exhausted from their romp around the grounds.
"What else are friends for?" She tilted her head towards him and smiled. Just then the Gryffindor portrait swung open and Professor McGonagall marched in. Stopping short at the sight of Harry and Brianna, she smiled (which was a rare sight) and motioned for them to get up.
"There is a gathering in the Great Hall," she told them in her brisk tone. "I suggest you attend. It isn't mandatory, but it would be a bright idea." With that, she clamoured back out of the portrait hole and Harry smiled at Brianna.
"Did she seem a bit.tipsy to you?"
"I think someone's celebrating Christmas a little early," Brianna said quietly, nestling her head back on Harry's chest. "I don't know why that surprises us. She's done it every year since we've been here."
The rest of the evening was a blur to Brianna as she drifted in and out of sleep in Harry's arms. At times she woke, frightened as to where she was, then realizing Harry was beside her, settled back down to sleep again. Morning came quickly and before Brianna knew it, Harry was stirring her awake.
"Come on, sleepy head. Breakfast is in twenty minutes and I'm guessing you'll want to get ready." He grinned gently. "That means we should only be forty minutes late by the time you're done."
Brianna struggled off the lounge chair and placidly pushed Harry away from her. "Shut up," she muttered, stumbling up the steps to her dormitory. While washing her face in her sink, she looked in the mirror above and smiled. She was so glad she stayed at school. Being with Harry was ten times better than any of her parent's banquets that they had dragged her to in previous years. She hoped that Ron and Hermione had made it safely home and were enjoying their Christmas Eve Day. After she was ready (and it only took her fifteen minutes) she skipped down the stairs to join Harry. He took her arm gently and they began their journey to the Great Hall. Brianna felt that nothing could spoil her happiness.
She was wrong.
Upon entering the Hall, she noted that Professor Dumbledore had whisked all the tables used for House seating at meals into one corner and several chairs had appeared at the Head Table. She glanced around eagerly at all the Christmas decorations, feeling the spirit of the holiday boil up inside her. But it fell suddenly when she noticed Draco Malfoy seated further down the table. She stopped in her tracks as he grinned evilly at her. Harry, realizing her hesitation, stopped too and upon following her gaze, came across Malfoy's sneering face.
"Ah, our last two have arrived," Dumbledore greeted, a small smile playing his lips. He followed their gazes to where Draco was seated and his smile faltered a bit. He looked almost apologetically at Harry and Brianna, as if promising them that nothing would happen with Draco. Harry nodded ever so slowly and once again, began leading Brianna to the table.
After the food had been served, neither Brianna nor Harry had much of an interest in the food. Both of their appetites had decreased suddenly and they spent much of the early morning feast, staring at their hands, which they gripped under the table.
Dumbledore spent much of the time telling anyone who would listen about the big Feast that was planned for that evening. He went around the table in turn, asking each individual what their plans for the day were.
"Well, sir," stumbled a small second-year, "I was planning on reading up a bit on Quidditch. I've heard it's a fearfully exciting game and I wouldn't mind learning the rules a bit."
Dumbledore nodded genuinely. After asking the boy a few questions about what he already knew about the sport, he turned to Harry. "Ah, young Mr. Potter. What do you have planned for the day?"
"I-I don't really know yet, sir," Harry replied, looking down at the table. "I'm not totally sure."
"Why don't you try playing in the snow for awhile? You two seemed to enjoy it yesterday." Dumbledore smiled, his eyes smiling with him. Brianna grinned from ear to ear. No matter what the situation was, Professor Dumbledore could always make her smile.
"We'll take that into consideration, sir, thank you," Harry said, smiling back at the Headmaster.
The pair excused themselves from the table before Dumbledore got around to asking Malfoy what he was doing. As soon as they were out of ear shot from the table, Harry leaned over to whisper in Brianna's ear.
"I find it strange that Malfoy's staying. He's only ever stayed once before. And even then, he had a good reason."
"I not only find it strange that he's staying," Brianna replied as they rounded the corner, heading to Gryffindor Tower, "But I find it even stranger that Crabbe and Goyle aren't staying with him." Crabbe and Goyle were Malfoy's two bodyguards, as Ron often called them. They were around him day and night, and were ready to fight anyone that dare challenge Malfoy.
Harry nodded in agreement and told the Fat Lady the password. She swung open to let them inside. The fire was still roaring and there were two steaming fresh mugs of hot tea waiting by the fireplace. Brianna knew that the Hogwarts' house-elfs had gone to a lot of work to make sure they were both happy. Brianna couldn't help recalling the previous year when Hermione had tried to protest the use of house-elfs and cruelty against them. Brianna agreed with the cruelty part but it seemed cruel to deny them doing any work because it seemed to be what they loved. House-elfs were very helpful, even if it meant being hurtful to themselves.
Brianna picked up her book entitled Magical History: A Documentation of the Salem Witch Trials and sat down on the couch, preparing to read in front of the fire with a cup of tea in her hand. Harry sat down behind her and, reading over her shoulder, they immersed themselves in the past of Massachusetts.