Disclaimer: Gimme a J – "J!" Gimme a K! – "K!" Gimme a "R-O-W-L-I-N-G"! Why are we cheering? Cause she wrote Hp!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter 9 "Presents"Harry and Ginny had remained asleep in the common room waiting for Hermione to return. Ginny's head was resting comfortably on Harry's shoulder when her and Ron entered silently. Smiling, the two newcomers marched over to the window as the sun was now settling in the sky. Hermione looked at the grounds on Christmas morning as Ron gently hugged her from behind. Everything was so dozy… no one had gotten up yet. Ron placed his head at the birth of Hermione neck and gave her little kisses. She laughed and inadvertently, woke someone up.
"Oh… Ron? Is - is that you?" said a sweet little voice.
Ron turned around and smiled as Ginny got up. Harry was still deep in dream as the girl ran up to her brother and held him tightly. Hermione felt wonderful. Ginny laughed gleefully and soon the messy haired boy rose from his slumber.
"Ron! It's about bloody time you came back!" he said sportingly hugging him.
"I guess I – I didn't know what I was missing being away," he said as he looked into Hermione's eyes.
"You brought him back didn't you?" said Ginny to Hermione, still ecstatic.
"Yes, and he's staying," she said lovingly.
Ron's eyes gazed softly at Hermione. Ginny instantly knew that things had gone right that night, although Harry was still too sleepy to make the effort of figuring it out.
"So are you two going out or what?" he said, yawning, as Ginny looked at him disbelievingly.
"Yes… We are," said Ron feeling his heart beat after finally saying it himself.
"Well, then… Happy Christmas! To both of you!" said Harry smiling.
"Happy Christmas," everyone repeated in chorus.
There were only 4 people, other then themselves, in Gryffindor that were staying for the holidays. Excited, they went to get their presents in their dorms and spread them out in the common room. Each returned with about 5 parcels. Ginny felt invigorated! Having her brother back was definitely the best present she could have wished for and she was sure that the others felt the same.
"This is great!!" said Ginny beaming as Harry smiled at her adorable nature.
"It is! So do we all go at the same time?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah! Let's see. It looks like the usual," said Harry looking at the 4 cushiony packages that lay on the floor,"
"Mum!" said Ron with a sigh. He knew what these were.
They ripped the wrapping paper to reveal brightly colored jumpers. A green one with the image of a yellow snitch stitched on the back for Harry and a crimson one with the image of a kitten for Ginny. Hermione had begun receiving her jumper only last year and was happy to find a purple one with the image of a pretty quill on the back. Ron just looked at his package.
"Ron? Why aren't you opening yours?" asked Ginny.
"Don't have to. I know exactly what it is! A MARROON jumper with a quaffle on the back,"
"Don't be so glum! It's Christmas! Go on!" said Hermione cheerily
"Ok, I will, but I'm telling ya it's -" Ron held his breath. "It's BLUE! I can't BELIEVE IT! It's dark BLUE!" he said astounded.
Ron's eyes danced. The jumper still had the quaffle on it, but the fact that it was blue seemed to make all the difference in the world. They quickly grabbed their other presents. Seeing they all seemed to have gotten one from Hagrid they opened it together with great excitement. Hagrid had decided to live out the remainder of his years helping the giant and wizard community get along. After the way they had helped them during the rise of the Dark Lord, wizards had begun to put more faith in these enormous people. Hagrid had gone to a secret colony to help things move along. Professor Kettleburn's son, Daniel, had taken Hagrid's place after he left.
"Oh look!" said Hermione as she opened her gift.
They were all the same: four handmade frames all holding a picture of Hagrid waving happily next to 3 giant children. (you could only assume they were children because of their teething smiles and that they were sucking their thumbs.)
The next gifts were from…
"Fred and George? This looks suspicious to me," said Ron as he and Ginny took out strange looking fudge bars and other assorted sweets.
"Where's Croockshanks? Here boy!" cried Ron.
"Hey!" said Hermione hoarsely.
"I'm only kidding… I owe my life to the stupid cat and my heart to its owner…" he said but then blushed. "I shouldn't say things like that in front of them," he thought as he looked at Ginny and Harry a bit embarrassed.
They both smiled instead of remark on Ron's obvious corniness. This had the effect he had wanted to make however as Hermione flushed and reached into her own pile and pulled out a flat envelope. She looked at the back and looked quite shocked. Ron nudged closer to her to see from who it was.
"Ugh! Krum!" he said as he sat up straight.
"I thought you two were friends?" said Hermione to Ron.
"Yeah, sure. I won't go out and pick a fight with him but that doesn't change the fact that he still has eyes for – for MY girlfriend," said Ron in a bit of a scowl.
"Well, that's not my fault is it?" she replied in a playful tone.
"Oh, but you keep contact with him," he said in a malicious smile.
"And what are you going to do about it?" she grinned.
"I'll just have to pick a fight with you instead," he continued as he ambushed Hermione in a light-hearted play-fight.
Harry reached into his things and found new Quidditch gloves for seekers from Sirius, expensive Quidditch goggles which Hermione and Ginny had put their savings together to buy and finally an interesting luminescent device from Remus Lupin. Harry turned it around left and right but couldn't figure out how to work it. He decided he'd play with this later and put it aside with the remainder of his things.
Ginny proceeded by unwrapping three gifts from her friends. (A new witches makeup kit and pretty silvery watch that would tell her what she should be doing at which time.) She also received a mysterious letter to which she hid out of sight before the others had even glanced at it…
Ron had opened up his present from both Hermione and Harry. He had gotten a new chess set and a book on the greatest plays and strategies. (Not that he really needed it) Hermione took Harry's gift that was thick yet very small. She burst into laughter when she found about 40 or so bookmarks of different colors and shapes which all seemed to be enchanted in one way or another to keep her pages. Then, there were the last presents for Harry, Ron and Hermione that all had official seals in the shape of a phoenix.
"Well – open it!" said Ginny intrigued.
The boxes were very small. Each person tore open their parcels to find rings with a brilliant phoenix spread across the front. Only Harry had gotten a letter.
"Dear Mr Potter, Weasley and Miss Granger,
We have assumed that you are all together to read this so only one copy of this letter has been sent. For your tremendous aid in the service of the Order of the Phoenix we bestow upon you all 3 rings that allow recognition to the Order. You are now members. Congratulations to our youngest freedom fighters and newest wizards and witch of the Order of Merlin first class. We are proud to have you with us.
Sincerely yours Albus Dumbledore and the Order of The Phoenix
P.S. These rings also have magical properties that I believe your should all discover for yourselves. Happy Christmas,"
"Wow! We're part of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Harry as he stared at his ring.
"I wonder what properties these rings have," mused Hermione.
"Come on Hermione, let's just enjoy the presents and every minute of today! I still have to head back to fix things with the Malfoys! Oh, that's right! Harry listen, the Malfoys -"
"Ginny and I know about that," said Harry smiling.
"That's right. We'll tell you both about what happened with us when you both do," she smiled. "Well, we should get Christmas started already!"
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A/N: I've also started to post up my Fan Fiction about Bill Weasley! It's a pre-book 5 and features original characters of mine, Belladona Nightshade, Acacia Nightshade and Christopher Hagens!
It's the first story in a series of 3!! And has won many FF contests. It's about 2-3 years old so I'm reposting it and refining it! So, I hope you can support me in reviewing that story!! I'd really appreciate it! Check out my ID for "Nightshades and Moonlight"
~*Burning Artist*~