In Dreams
Chapter Five
Christmas morning was celebrated as it had been for the past five years. Lots of laughter and ripped wrapping paper filled the Gryfinndor common room. However there was a marked difference from the previous year. This year two more of the Weasley children had graduated from Hogwarts-Fred and George. It was a somewhat sobering and sad reminder that after this year they only had one more year before graduation. At least Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be graduating together next year. The following year would be an even harder one for Ginny, a thought that flitted through her mind from time to time.
But those thoughts were pushed aside by the three as they laughed at some gag gifts that the Weasley twins had sent them all from their newly opened joke shop. Of course they all got sweaters with their initials on it from Mrs. Weasley. Luckily both Harry and Hermione's sweaters were different colors else there could have been some confusion over which "H" belong to him or her. There were their gifts from each other and from their families and friends.
They continued to open up their presents, but Ron kept covertly trying to peer over at Hermione as she opened her presents. It was not out of fear of his dream, in fact he had managed to put even that out of his mind having accepted that it was in fact just that-a dream. No his worry was more over what Hermione would think of the present he had gotten for her.
He was too distracted to even notice the yelp of delight and big hug Ginny gave Harry upon opening Harry's gift to her. Although somewhere in his mind he knew he had to speak to either or both of them about it. About what he wasn't quite sure but he would speak to them. But right now he was more focused on the little wrapped present with the blue ribbon that Hermione was opening at just that moment. It had taken weeks of agonizing thinking. He hadn't known what to get her but when he saw how much she liked the necklace that the old witch was selling at Hogsmeade's, which she stopped herself from buying, he knew he had to get it for her. So, after borrowing money from Fred and George, which he didn't know how he was going to pay back at present, he had snuck back and bought her the necklace. But the way Hermione's eyes lit up with her smile as she turned to look at him, Ron knew that the present had been worth every sickle.
When she turned and found Ron had been looking at her as she opened her present, Hermione blushed and stammered, "Ron, you shouldn't have..." She didn't want to mention that it cost way too much. She knew he was sensitive about his and his family's financial status. But his money, or lack thereof, had never mattered to her. It was his thoughtfulness that did.
Ron just shrugged and tried to cover up the pink flush that past over his own face. "I knew you liked it," he mumbled.
Hermione smiled as she unlatched the clasp of the necklace. It had a silver chain and the pendant was a black onyx ball held by a dragon's claws. She didn't really know why she had taken such a fancy to it. The witch who was selling it had told her the necklace had a wonderfully history of muggles using them to ward of bad witches and spells. It just seemed like it had a lot of history behind it and that had caught her attention.
She tried to fasten it around her neck but for some reason was unable to clasp the two pieces together.
"Here, let me," said Ron suddenly. He moved behind Hermione, gently pushing her long brown hair to the side. He felt his heart racing as his hands brushed against Hermione's as he took the two ends of the necklace from her. His hands were sweaty, which caused him a little bit of trouble getting the necklace clasped together. But third time was the charm, and the necklace clicked into place.
"Done," said Ron beaming.
Hermione craned her neck to look back at Ron as she fingered the pendant. Her face mirrored Ron's own in its brightness.
And that's when everything went black.
Chapter Five
Christmas morning was celebrated as it had been for the past five years. Lots of laughter and ripped wrapping paper filled the Gryfinndor common room. However there was a marked difference from the previous year. This year two more of the Weasley children had graduated from Hogwarts-Fred and George. It was a somewhat sobering and sad reminder that after this year they only had one more year before graduation. At least Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be graduating together next year. The following year would be an even harder one for Ginny, a thought that flitted through her mind from time to time.
But those thoughts were pushed aside by the three as they laughed at some gag gifts that the Weasley twins had sent them all from their newly opened joke shop. Of course they all got sweaters with their initials on it from Mrs. Weasley. Luckily both Harry and Hermione's sweaters were different colors else there could have been some confusion over which "H" belong to him or her. There were their gifts from each other and from their families and friends.
They continued to open up their presents, but Ron kept covertly trying to peer over at Hermione as she opened her presents. It was not out of fear of his dream, in fact he had managed to put even that out of his mind having accepted that it was in fact just that-a dream. No his worry was more over what Hermione would think of the present he had gotten for her.
He was too distracted to even notice the yelp of delight and big hug Ginny gave Harry upon opening Harry's gift to her. Although somewhere in his mind he knew he had to speak to either or both of them about it. About what he wasn't quite sure but he would speak to them. But right now he was more focused on the little wrapped present with the blue ribbon that Hermione was opening at just that moment. It had taken weeks of agonizing thinking. He hadn't known what to get her but when he saw how much she liked the necklace that the old witch was selling at Hogsmeade's, which she stopped herself from buying, he knew he had to get it for her. So, after borrowing money from Fred and George, which he didn't know how he was going to pay back at present, he had snuck back and bought her the necklace. But the way Hermione's eyes lit up with her smile as she turned to look at him, Ron knew that the present had been worth every sickle.
When she turned and found Ron had been looking at her as she opened her present, Hermione blushed and stammered, "Ron, you shouldn't have..." She didn't want to mention that it cost way too much. She knew he was sensitive about his and his family's financial status. But his money, or lack thereof, had never mattered to her. It was his thoughtfulness that did.
Ron just shrugged and tried to cover up the pink flush that past over his own face. "I knew you liked it," he mumbled.
Hermione smiled as she unlatched the clasp of the necklace. It had a silver chain and the pendant was a black onyx ball held by a dragon's claws. She didn't really know why she had taken such a fancy to it. The witch who was selling it had told her the necklace had a wonderfully history of muggles using them to ward of bad witches and spells. It just seemed like it had a lot of history behind it and that had caught her attention.
She tried to fasten it around her neck but for some reason was unable to clasp the two pieces together.
"Here, let me," said Ron suddenly. He moved behind Hermione, gently pushing her long brown hair to the side. He felt his heart racing as his hands brushed against Hermione's as he took the two ends of the necklace from her. His hands were sweaty, which caused him a little bit of trouble getting the necklace clasped together. But third time was the charm, and the necklace clicked into place.
"Done," said Ron beaming.
Hermione craned her neck to look back at Ron as she fingered the pendant. Her face mirrored Ron's own in its brightness.
And that's when everything went black.
