The weeks passed quickly with a routine of classes, Quidditch practice and games, and snogging, for the three girls and their men.
It wasn't until the Christmas holidays that a notable event arose. The announcement came on the first Monday of the two weeks the students had for holiday.
"If I may have your attention," Dumbledore's now familiar voice called from the head table.
The Gryffindors that had stayed at school were, by far, the largest of all the houses, with Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Angelina, Lily, Ivy, Cat, Oliver, Seamus, Neville, Parvati, Lavender, and Dean all staying behind.
Draco, his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, Blaise, Millicent, Pansy, and two newer girls, Fiona Clarkson, and Ruth Crichton, stayed behind in Slytherin.
In Ravenclaw, there was Cho, Topaz Becker, Celeste Cassidy, Jack Taylor, and Peter Madison stayed back.
Finally, Hufflepuff had even fewer students, with only Justin Finch-Fletchly, Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbot still at school.
All 32 heads turned to face the headmaster as he made his announcement.
"Now, as it is the school holidays, the Professors and I have arranged a little competition to while away those long hours."
George groaned, quietly muttering, "What's wrong with just sitting around?" to himself. Lily, who sat beside him, elbowed him in the ribs, only to have him wrap his arms around her waist and tickle her with no mercy. Before she could stop herself, she squealed, instantly clapping her hands over her mouth and blushing the same colour as her boyfriend's hair. Everyone in the Great Hall turned to stare at them.
"When you two have quite finished, I'll continue." Dumbledore said. Lily grabbed George's hands and stopped squirming, and glared at all the students until they turned away.
"Now, it has become apparent that there is rather a large number of Gryffindor's here for these holidays. There is actually the same amount than there is of all the other houses combined. Therefore, we have decided to create two teams, one of Gryffindors, and one of Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherin together."
The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws looked at each other nervously, while the Slytherins glared menacingly.
"As this has not been previously attempted, there is a small surprise planned for the last Saturday of holidays. Now, for the finer points of the competition. It will work like the house points, and the winning team will receive 200 for their house, as well as 10 points for each smaller competition won. These games will consist of several components. Each day or two, a new contest will be presented to the teams. The first is today. A Snowball Fight." Dumbledore announced, cheerfully. "In your teams, you will each build a fort, and use it to protect yourselves. Admittedly this is a reasonably basic game, but the competition will become more serious, as the days progress."
Lily and Ivy glanced across the table, at the mention of Sirius, at a newly interested Cat.
"The fight begins at noon. You have until then to prepare. Good Luck!" beamed Dumbledore, dismissing the students.
* * *
The two teams looked as if they were marching out to war. They each walked down to opposite ends of the Quidditch Pitch, which was blanketed in a good five feet of snow.
Ginny had missed out on the explosive height gene, which showed in all of her brothers, and was almost swamped. Harry, who was walking behind her, deliberately trying not to let his eyes wander, caught her as she stumbled, throwing his arms around her waist.
Ginny looked up and over her shoulder, only to find that Harry's sparkling emerald eyes and hard lips were just inches from hers.
"Thanks," she breathed.
"Anytime," he answered huskily, his breath visibly mingling with her own in the crisp December air.
They both stood like that, Ginny's petite body braced in Harry's strong arms, for several moments, faces barely apart, just staring into each other's eyes. Ron cleared his throat, loudly and harshly.
"Would you mind extracting your hands from around my baby sister's waist, Harry?"
Ginny glared at he brother, but stood up, nonetheless.
Witnessing this exchange gave Lily and Ivy an idea. A shared glance, a wink, and a nod in Hermione's direction with a raised eyebrow, was all it took for them to decide to play matchmaker. Lily went after Harry and Ginny, while Ivy took care of Ron and Hermione.
"Despondeo Verusum Amoris" Ivy muttered, pointing her wand under her arm at the chatting friends. The charm hit Ron square in the back.
"Hermione…" he had started, before finishing with, "I think I love you," Ron looked flabbergasted. What am I saying, he said to himself.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock, "Co- could you repeat that?" she stuttered.
Ivy tweaked her wand again, walking, seemingly innocently, past the pair.
"Veracis cor Cordis" she whispered. This time, the spell hit Hermione.
"I love you too, Ron," she replied, before she could clap her hands over her mouth.
Ivy twitched her wand a third time, "Sonora"
Hermione's last comment was amplified so that the entire Gryffindor group overheard.
"'Bout bloody time!" they all called in unison.
Ron and Hermione blushed furiously. They hadn't even admitted their mutual affection to themselves, let alone to each other or anyone else. Neither knew what to do. They just stared at each other and gaped, until Angelina yelled at them, "Oh, just kiss her and get it over with."
Unfortunately for Angelina, Fred seemed to think she was talking to him. He wrapped his arms around her body, swept her back and kissed her firmly on the lips. As quickly as it began, he stood her back up, wiggled his bright orange eyebrows at her, and jogged away. Angelina blushed brightly, and took off after him.
Hermione, never one to be bested, grinned. With a barely visible shrug, and in a spurt of uncharacteristic mischief, she cupped Ron's cheek in her hand and pressed her lips to his. Ron froze, but after a few startled seconds, wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned the kiss.
Wolf whistles and cheers erupted around them, but Ron and Hermione were oblivious to anyone but the other.
Ivy sidled over to Lily.
"Well?" she whispered. "Tell me I'm good."
"You are good," Lily responded, slapping high fives with her friend.
"Your turn," Ivy said, motioning at Harry and Ginny, standing off to one side.
"With pleasure," the auburn-haired girl replied, with a mocking bow.
Lily stepped into a hollow in the snow. Pointing her wand at herself, she took a deep breath, and recited,
Whisper in a lonely ear,
Truth that must be told.
Let love come forth to lonely hearts,
And make the lovers bold.
Having successfully completed the spell, Lily was able to whisper bodilessly into both Harry and Ginny's ears.
She perched on Harry's shoulder first, saying to him. "You think she's beautiful, don't you?"
Harry snapped his head around, to see where the voice was coming from.
"You love her, don't you?"
"Do you hear that?" He asked Ginny, who was absent-mindedly moulding snowballs for the upcoming fight.
"Hear what?" she asked him, puzzled.
"Oh, uh…nothing," he replied, still bothered.
Lily's voice jumped to his other shoulder. "You two are destined for each other."
"Who?" he asked the voice.
"Ginny" The voice smirked, he could hear it, "You'd know that if you paid attention in Divination."
"Ginny?" Harry was confused. Where was that voice coming from?
"Yes, Harry?" Ginny looked up. Hadn't he called her? Harry was acting very strangely. Why, why, why did I have to fall into his arms?, she thought to herself.
"Nothing," he said, distractedly.
"She loves you too, Harry. Ignoring it won't change that. So what are you going to do about it?" Lily spoke, emphasising that last part with a spark of courage from the spell.
Next she flew over to Ginny.
"You've always loved the-Boy-who-Lived, haven't you, Ginny?"
"Who said that?" She asked, startledly looking around.
"You think he's never even looked twice at you. But you're wrong Ginny. You aren't just 'Ron's little sister' to him. He loves you. What more could you need? Don't fear him, Ginny. Follow your heart. Don't lose your chance. It could be your only one."
With that Lily gave Ginny a spark of courage, as she had done to Harry.
Her work finished, the voice cited, "Let it be so," and returned to her body.
Lily stepped out of the cave, just in time to see Hermione and Ron gasp up for air, and Harry to take Ginny's hand and lead her around a bend in the path, in the snow.
"Who's da man?" she asked Ivy.
"Well, not you, or George will be in for a nasty shock." Ivy replied, tartly.
"Oh, can it, you."
Sure enough, barely ten minutes later, Harry and Ginny returned to the group, hand in hand and standing decidedly closer than normal.
"Nice work," Ivy said to Lily.
"Likewise," came the reply.
Time, however, had got the better of the Gryffindors. With all of the antics going on in their undeveloped fort, only a handful of snowballs had been made, when the bell rang twelve times, announcing the beginning of the fight.