Chapter Thirteen: Finding the Perfect Gift for the Holidays
Hermione walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to find everyone laughing. "What's so funny?" she said, sitting down at the table.
"Nothing." Everyone replied. Hermione began to nibble on a piece of toast when Lavender arose the question.
"Hermione, I love that shade a of lipstick on you, what color is it?"
"Oh this, I think it's berry."
"Yes, I agree that's a good color for you, but it looked great on Harry too," Ginny said laughing.
"What are you talk-" Hermione's voice trailed off, and flashed back to a few minutes ago. She blushed so deep that she matched the Weasely's hair and continued to eat her breakfast.
Harry, after getting all of the lipstick off his face, entered the kitchen once more. Everyone glanced at him, gave a chuckle and continued with their breakfast.
The morning was filled with decorating the house for Christmas. The afternoon was a little more eventful. Since Harry's return, no one had had a chance to go out for gifts. So the inhabitants of the Burrow were on the search for Christmas' presents.
The group separated into smaller groups and set out to find their gifts. [Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny. Judy and Molly. Harry and Ron. Michael and Arthur. Fred and George.]
*~*~* Hermione, Lav and Ginny set out to buy their holiday gifts. Their first stop was to the nearby muggle shopping center. There they fought against the crowds and bought some of their gifts. Still having presents to buy, they made their way over to Hogsmade. They walked the deserted streets of the magical village and stopped in some random stores. Hermione got herself a few new books, and picked Ron up a copy of the latest edition of 'Cannons, the Legacy'. Lav picked up a nice new dress robe for Molly and a box of assorted jokes for Fred and George. Ginny picked up some new spices for her mother and a set of new plugs for her father.
A while later the only things left to buy was the ones to their significant others. Lavender searched and found a signed jersey of one of Ron's favorite Quidditich players. She was the 1st of the bunch to be done. Ginny, who still did not reveal who her significant other was, found a handsome new cloak and bought it. Hermione, on the other hand, had a tuff time finding Harry a present. She walked around, going in and out of almost every store. When all hope was gone, she walked into the last store on Main Street. It was a small, old looking store. She pushed open the door and heard the bell above the door ring. An old man popped out from behind the register and asked, "Hello, how may I help you?"
"Just browsing" Hermione, said walking in. The three walked around the stuffy isles and came to the back of the store. The back was somewhat of a mess, and everything was scattered around. Under a bunch of papers, Hermione spotted a small wooden box. She picked it up and noticed the magnificent carving on the top. The large P on it also struck her attention. She opened the small box and investigated the inside.
There was nothing too special about it, but Hermione had a feeling that this box meant something. So far she couldn't find it. She examined the box and noticed a small tab. Hermione hesitantly pulled the tab and was taken back at what was inside. Inside this hidden compartment, was a picture of Lily and James. She took the picture out and watched as the forms of Lily and James laughed and James kissed Lily on her forehead and placed his hands on her stomach. Ginny and Lav, who were looking at it, were dumfounded.
How could this precious box get into this store?
There was no doubt in Hermione's mind that Harry needed to have this, so she approached the counter and set it down.
"How much?" She asked.
"I'm sorry, this is not for sale." The man said, snatching it behind the counter.
"Sir, I'm sure you'd could part with it. How about 20 galleons?"
"I'm sorry, Miss, this is not for sale!"
"Why not?"
"I was instructed not sell this box until the man who sold it to me came back. He was going to pay me triple to keep it safe." The man said in a smug voice.
"I'm willing to play four times as much, Sir."
"I'm sorry, Miss, I can not sell this to you!"
Hermione went into her pocket and grabbed her moneybag. She took it into her hands and slammed it on the counter. "Sir, I Need this box. It is very dear to me."
"Miss, you just encountered this box, how can it mean that much to you?"
She pulled the box closer to her and revealed the picture inside. "This is a picture of my fiancé's parents', who are deceased. He never knew them, and I would like him to have this for Christmas" Hermione said, fuming as a tear slid down her face. The shopkeeper was taken back at this hidden treasure, but something else caught his attention. It was the ring on the young woman's hand. It was so familiar. Then it hit him. That was Lily Potter's ring. How could he ever forget his best costumer of so many years ago? But for this woman to have her ring, she would have to be.
"Who is you fiancé?" the man asked.
"I will tell you on one condition."
"What?"
"That you will not tell a soul."
"I promise."
" Harry Potter." The man's eyes almost popped out of his head, "Oh, my! Yes Miss, by all means, take this."
Hermione took the box into her arms, wiped away a tear and turned to leave. The man at the counter called her back and handed the money back to her. "Your money is no good here."
*~*
Ron and Harry had the dastardly task of shopping alone. Harry had an idea of going to the mall, and since Ron had never been to one, he didn't oppose the idea. Harry and Ron patrolled the mall looking for anything that seemed an appropriate gift.
Not even a half an hour after they had entered the mall, Ron was complaining that he was hungry. Harry, knowing that ignoring it would only make it worse, took Ron to eat. Harry had forgotten that Ron had never been in food court, so he laughed as Ron's eyes wandered along the chain of food places. After Harry had introduced Ron to a Big Mac, French fries and soda they continued to shop.
They had both had only one person left to shop for. Ron, having seen a beautiful dress in a window, went to see if he could purchase it. It was a little too expensive for him, but Harry slipped him just enough. There was one person left for Harry that just so happened to be the most important. He passed by a jewelry shop and decided to have a look inside.
"Hello Sir, how may I help you?" the middle aged woman roaming the store asked.
"I'm just looking, thank you."
Harry and Ron looked around the store and could not find anything that they particularly liked. Another worker saw their predicament and walked over to the young men.
"So, who are we shopping for, young Sirs? Mother, friend, girlfriend?"
"Well, I'm shopping for my fiancé," Harry said.
"Wow, you seem so young. Anyway, what did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking a bracelet, one that would match her ring."
"All right, what kind of ring does she have?"
"It's a gold band with an oval diamond, and two emeralds on the sides."
"Wow, a ring like that doesn't come cheap. Where did you get one?"
"It was my mother's."
"Oh, well, we have a large variety of bracelets over her, Sir," the clerk said, guiding them to a counter.
Almost immediately, Harry found the bracelet he wanted.
"Sir, I would like that one, please," Harry said as he pointed to a gold bracelet with a diamond and two emeralds that matched Hermione's almost perfectly.
"Sir, are you sure about that one? It is rather expensive."
"Money is not a problem," Harry said.
"If you are sure, Sir. The cost of this bracelet is 1700.00."
Ron, who did not understand muggle money, did not notice how much the bracelet truly was.
***~~~~~***
Hermione walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to find everyone laughing. "What's so funny?" she said, sitting down at the table.
"Nothing." Everyone replied. Hermione began to nibble on a piece of toast when Lavender arose the question.
"Hermione, I love that shade a of lipstick on you, what color is it?"
"Oh this, I think it's berry."
"Yes, I agree that's a good color for you, but it looked great on Harry too," Ginny said laughing.
"What are you talk-" Hermione's voice trailed off, and flashed back to a few minutes ago. She blushed so deep that she matched the Weasely's hair and continued to eat her breakfast.
Harry, after getting all of the lipstick off his face, entered the kitchen once more. Everyone glanced at him, gave a chuckle and continued with their breakfast.
The morning was filled with decorating the house for Christmas. The afternoon was a little more eventful. Since Harry's return, no one had had a chance to go out for gifts. So the inhabitants of the Burrow were on the search for Christmas' presents.
The group separated into smaller groups and set out to find their gifts. [Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny. Judy and Molly. Harry and Ron. Michael and Arthur. Fred and George.]
*~*~* Hermione, Lav and Ginny set out to buy their holiday gifts. Their first stop was to the nearby muggle shopping center. There they fought against the crowds and bought some of their gifts. Still having presents to buy, they made their way over to Hogsmade. They walked the deserted streets of the magical village and stopped in some random stores. Hermione got herself a few new books, and picked Ron up a copy of the latest edition of 'Cannons, the Legacy'. Lav picked up a nice new dress robe for Molly and a box of assorted jokes for Fred and George. Ginny picked up some new spices for her mother and a set of new plugs for her father.
A while later the only things left to buy was the ones to their significant others. Lavender searched and found a signed jersey of one of Ron's favorite Quidditich players. She was the 1st of the bunch to be done. Ginny, who still did not reveal who her significant other was, found a handsome new cloak and bought it. Hermione, on the other hand, had a tuff time finding Harry a present. She walked around, going in and out of almost every store. When all hope was gone, she walked into the last store on Main Street. It was a small, old looking store. She pushed open the door and heard the bell above the door ring. An old man popped out from behind the register and asked, "Hello, how may I help you?"
"Just browsing" Hermione, said walking in. The three walked around the stuffy isles and came to the back of the store. The back was somewhat of a mess, and everything was scattered around. Under a bunch of papers, Hermione spotted a small wooden box. She picked it up and noticed the magnificent carving on the top. The large P on it also struck her attention. She opened the small box and investigated the inside.
There was nothing too special about it, but Hermione had a feeling that this box meant something. So far she couldn't find it. She examined the box and noticed a small tab. Hermione hesitantly pulled the tab and was taken back at what was inside. Inside this hidden compartment, was a picture of Lily and James. She took the picture out and watched as the forms of Lily and James laughed and James kissed Lily on her forehead and placed his hands on her stomach. Ginny and Lav, who were looking at it, were dumfounded.
How could this precious box get into this store?
There was no doubt in Hermione's mind that Harry needed to have this, so she approached the counter and set it down.
"How much?" She asked.
"I'm sorry, this is not for sale." The man said, snatching it behind the counter.
"Sir, I'm sure you'd could part with it. How about 20 galleons?"
"I'm sorry, Miss, this is not for sale!"
"Why not?"
"I was instructed not sell this box until the man who sold it to me came back. He was going to pay me triple to keep it safe." The man said in a smug voice.
"I'm willing to play four times as much, Sir."
"I'm sorry, Miss, I can not sell this to you!"
Hermione went into her pocket and grabbed her moneybag. She took it into her hands and slammed it on the counter. "Sir, I Need this box. It is very dear to me."
"Miss, you just encountered this box, how can it mean that much to you?"
She pulled the box closer to her and revealed the picture inside. "This is a picture of my fiancé's parents', who are deceased. He never knew them, and I would like him to have this for Christmas" Hermione said, fuming as a tear slid down her face. The shopkeeper was taken back at this hidden treasure, but something else caught his attention. It was the ring on the young woman's hand. It was so familiar. Then it hit him. That was Lily Potter's ring. How could he ever forget his best costumer of so many years ago? But for this woman to have her ring, she would have to be.
"Who is you fiancé?" the man asked.
"I will tell you on one condition."
"What?"
"That you will not tell a soul."
"I promise."
" Harry Potter." The man's eyes almost popped out of his head, "Oh, my! Yes Miss, by all means, take this."
Hermione took the box into her arms, wiped away a tear and turned to leave. The man at the counter called her back and handed the money back to her. "Your money is no good here."
*~*
Ron and Harry had the dastardly task of shopping alone. Harry had an idea of going to the mall, and since Ron had never been to one, he didn't oppose the idea. Harry and Ron patrolled the mall looking for anything that seemed an appropriate gift.
Not even a half an hour after they had entered the mall, Ron was complaining that he was hungry. Harry, knowing that ignoring it would only make it worse, took Ron to eat. Harry had forgotten that Ron had never been in food court, so he laughed as Ron's eyes wandered along the chain of food places. After Harry had introduced Ron to a Big Mac, French fries and soda they continued to shop.
They had both had only one person left to shop for. Ron, having seen a beautiful dress in a window, went to see if he could purchase it. It was a little too expensive for him, but Harry slipped him just enough. There was one person left for Harry that just so happened to be the most important. He passed by a jewelry shop and decided to have a look inside.
"Hello Sir, how may I help you?" the middle aged woman roaming the store asked.
"I'm just looking, thank you."
Harry and Ron looked around the store and could not find anything that they particularly liked. Another worker saw their predicament and walked over to the young men.
"So, who are we shopping for, young Sirs? Mother, friend, girlfriend?"
"Well, I'm shopping for my fiancé," Harry said.
"Wow, you seem so young. Anyway, what did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking a bracelet, one that would match her ring."
"All right, what kind of ring does she have?"
"It's a gold band with an oval diamond, and two emeralds on the sides."
"Wow, a ring like that doesn't come cheap. Where did you get one?"
"It was my mother's."
"Oh, well, we have a large variety of bracelets over her, Sir," the clerk said, guiding them to a counter.
Almost immediately, Harry found the bracelet he wanted.
"Sir, I would like that one, please," Harry said as he pointed to a gold bracelet with a diamond and two emeralds that matched Hermione's almost perfectly.
"Sir, are you sure about that one? It is rather expensive."
"Money is not a problem," Harry said.
"If you are sure, Sir. The cost of this bracelet is 1700.00."
Ron, who did not understand muggle money, did not notice how much the bracelet truly was.
***~~~~~***
