Chapter 2
It was 11:30 on the eve of December 24th; Hermione, Ron and Harry lay sprawled out on various chairs and couches in the cozy and deserted Gryffindor common room. There fellow students still at school had gone to bed long ago, hoping to prove the old saying true, "The sooner you go to bed, the sooner it will be Christmas morning." These three, however, could not find it in themselves to drift off to into the Christmas dreamland as the others had done. They were all too anxious to figure out what Hermione's 'extra special' gifts were, although, she didn't really understand why the boys had such a vested interest in this mystery. Perhaps they were just as excited about opening their presents, as she was to open her own.
Hermione lay on her back in the comfy, overstuffed, red velvet couch that faced the blazing fire in the hearth, currently being tended to by the House elf, Dobby. Harry occupied the other end of the couch, practically unaware of the feet resting under the blanket on his pajama clad lap or maybe he just didn't mind because of whom the feet were attached to. Ron, on the other hand, sat slouched deep into a huge red velvet armchair, also facing the fire, his feet perched on the matching ottoman while his flaming red crowned head rest gently in his hand. Each looked bored out of his or her mind as he or she stared blankly at the dancing flames, casting flickering shadows across their emotionless expressions. Dobby managed to startle them slightly when he spoke up.
"Can Dobby fetch Harry Potter or his friends something from the kitchens before I leave for the night?" The House elf asked kindly, eyes wide with admiration for the Boy-Who-Lived.
"I'm fine, thanks Dobby." Harry murmured, settling back into his daze.
"Could I have some hot tea, Dobby?" Hermione asked quietly. Dobby nodded his head vigorously as Hermione gave his a thankful smile, before turning his large eyes to Ron.
"Anything Dobby can get for you, sir?" Ron simply shook his head 'no'. Dobby bolted out of the room only to return just minutes later with a steaming cup of herbal tea for Hermione. She breathed in the warm air rising from her cup, cradling the cup to warm her hands.
"What time is it now, Harry?" Ron whined. Hermione turned her eyes toward Harry as he shifted to look at the face of the Grandfather clock behind the couch.
"It's only 11:45Are you sure we can't just open them now?" He asked Hermione while tugging on her feet to get her attention. She rolled her eyes leaning forward to slap his hands away from her feet. Harry's eyes twinkled as he smiled in the sweet way he reserves for Hermione, trying to avoid collision with her hand.
"No!! We only have 15 minutes until Christmas day, then we can open them. 15 minutes won't kill you."
"We know that, but, come on, who is gonna know if we open them a little early?"
"I don't care…I will know. I happen to respect my parents' wishes, thank you very much, unlike some other people here." She pauses to glare at Ron, a red tinge creeping up from his collar into his smug expression. "Anyway, if I opened it early it would ruin the whole magic of opening it on Christmas morning." Harry turned again to view the clock. Hermione's heart skipped a beat when he turned back, the firelight glinting on his handsome features and playfulness glittering in his emerald eyes.
"Well, we don't have to wait anymore…seems you can make time fly. It's one minute to midnight." She sat up in anticipation, all three shifting their eager eyes to the clock. The second the first chime sounded marking midnight, they pounced on their presents under the tree. Harry and Ron were the first ones to get all the wrapping off, bits of paper still stuck in their hair and on their pajamas. Hermione's parents had gotten Harry a beautiful, leather bound journal with his name embossed on the front cover at the center of a Celtic design. The amazing thing was that the pattern seemed to move as he ran his hand over the delicate artwork. She tore her eyes from Harry's present just long enough to see Ron's. Mr. and Mrs. Granger gave him a gift certificate to Zonko's.
"All right! I can't wait for our next trip to Hogsmede. Maybe I can find something to get back at Fred and George." Hermione smiled at his excitement. Her parents' had asked her earlier for ideas for Ron's gift but never for Harry. She shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind as she turned to her gifts. Next to her lay two gifts; one, a small rectangular box that was of medium weight and a second, a huge box about 4 feet by 2 feet and about 6 inches high. She passed over the smaller box to pull the card off the large box. The boys waited in anticipation. She tore open the envelope and extracted a worn looking piece of paper along with a new sheet of stationary. Harry caught a glimpse of neat scribbling as she unfolded the delicate note. The firelight twinkled in her eyes as it caught on what Harry though to be tears. Moments later, with a shocked and oddly fearful expression, Hermione jumped up and ran out of the portrait hole without even stopping to consider that it was way past curfew. Harry and Ron rose with her but couldn't make a move to stop her.
"Well, that was an odd reaction to a Christmas present…" Ron managed to say after recovering from his own shock. Harry slowly bent over to pick up the letters she had thrown on the crimson carpet. The nice page read like this.
Our dearest daughter,
We have been waiting for the perfect time to give you this. It isn't actually a present from us but rather a present from your Grandfather. When he died we found this among his possessions but you were too heart broken at the time to want this. We feel that you are becoming such a wonderful young woman and we know that he would be proud of you. Maybe it's time you let him back in your heart and continue the gift that he loved so much in you. We love you darling and we hope this will bring you some closure.
With all our love,
Mum and Daddy
Harry scrunched his forehead in confusion. Hermione had never mentioned a Grandfather. Ron grabbed the top sheet out of his hand so he moved onto read the worn yellowing parchment. He read silently as he walked back and forth in front of the fire. He desperately wanted to learn what could hurt his love so much.
Darling Hermy,
If you are reading this, I am no longer with you. I don't know how I departed from the earth but I want you to know that, wherever I am I am missing you. I am leaving this item to you not just because I know you like it but because I know you have a gift. Music is the window to the soul as someone once said. I was never good with words so when I needed to say something I used music, in fact that was how I asked your grandmother to marry me. Hermy, there will always be times in your life when you can't find the words to say, I learned long ago to never keep anything inside. Don't run from what you feel, just find a different way to express it when words escape you. I saw so much of myself in you and I couldn't have asked for a better gift from God than you. Use this well and let your heart guide you. I will always be watching over you until the day we meet again.
Forever,
Grandpa
Harry folded the letters up and placed them in the pocket of his flannel pants. He disappeared up the stairs to the dormitory, going to retrieve his invisibility cloak from the chest at the end of the bed. He returned to the common room shortly. Ron watched Harry with wide eyes as if his best friend was insane. Harry continued to the portrait hole, stopping just before he stepped through.
"Ron, I have to find her. I'll be back later. Cover for us if anyone comes." With that, he stepped through the whole into the waiting darkness. Ron opened and closed his mouth a couple times before throwing his hands up in defeat.
"Mental, those two. Absolutely mental!"
