Disclaimer: Yes as a matter a fact I do own these characters. I own them because, you see, this is all just my dream…that's right…you are all just figments of my imagination!! Dear god, that's a horrifying thought. I think it's time to go back on the meds…
(*This applies to the last chapter as well…thanks for the reminder Emmy*)
A/N: Happy Halloween!! Being that I am in an especially good mood, it not only being my favorite holiday- I'm watching 'Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin' as I type this, but also the fact the I just got my midterm grades, I give you a special treat, another new chapter!!
*A Night By the Fire*
"Making yourself some tea dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked her daughter as she walked into the kitchen later that evening.
"Nope, no tea. I was in the mood for hot chocolate." She told her mother as she went back to rummaging through the cabinets.
"On the top shelf of the cabinet above the stove, sweetie." Mrs. Weasley knew exactly what Ginny was looking for and sure enough when her daughter turned back around she had her Twizzlers in hand. A few years ago Harry had brought back some strange muggle candy that he had taken from his cousin. Ginny was the only one of the Weasleys brave enough to actually try them and had immediately taken a liking to them, especially with her hot cocoa. She tried explaining her odd habit of drinking her hot chocolate through the candy, but no matter how hard she tried to explain it, everyone else still thought it was disgusting. Regardless of that, Ginny placed three long pieces of the red licorice into her cup and asked her mother where the rest of her family was.
"Well, your father is asleep and Percy and Penelope have already gone up for the night. Fred left to go visit Angelina's for a little while…and I think the rest are still in the living room." Mrs. Weasley replied.
Ginny grabbed the steaming mug and walked to the living room. Upon entering, she saw Charlie sleeping stretched out on the sofa, his feet dangerously close to the face of George, who was also fast asleep, lying at the other end. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the floor off to the right of the fireplace playing a game of chess; for once Hermione was actually winning. Bill and Harry were looking out the window at the snow while talking animatedly about Quiddich. Setting her drink down on the table, Ginny went over to the sofa and grabbed two blankets off the back. She unfolded one and placed it gently over her two sleeping brothers, then wrapped the other one around her shoulders as she curled into her favorite overstuffed armchair. Cupping both of her hands around her cup, absorbing the warmth the cocoa was giving off, Ginny eyes glanced around the room and landed on the handsome, dark-haired boy at the window.
Bill was diagramming a Quiddich play called the 'Krazy Kamikaze Khaser', a move he had made famous during his bout as a chaser on the Gryffindor house team back in the day. Even from across the room Ginny could see the way Harry's face lit up when talking about his favorite game.
They are so adorable when they are talking about Quiddich. They're like the puppies in the box your neighbor has on his front porch when you walk up to them…they get the big puppy dog eyes, and their tails start wagging so hard their entire bodies start to move with them…
Ginny yawned and placed her drink back on the table; pulling the blanket tighter around her as she drifted off into sleep. She was in the middle of a dream, in which she woke up on Christmas morning to find a small puppy with black fur and vibrant green eyes wrapped in a red bow waiting under the tree for her, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Any chance you could spare some room for me?" Ginny blinked a few times before her eyes adjusted and were able to meet the striking emerald ones that were leaning over her.
"For you? Nah," she yawned, "I don't wanna sit near you. You smell." Although even as she was protesting, Ginny was already scooting over for him. She stretched out her legs and rolled her neck as Harry wedged himself into the seat next to her. The chair was big, but even so, finding a comfortable position was not easy. It took a few moments to finally arrange themselves in the chair; Ginny had turned to the side, lying across Harry, draping her legs over the edge of the cushion, and resting her head against his chest.
"So since it's almost Christmas eve…did you ask Santa for anything special this year?" She asked him once they were situated.
"Oh, well, being that I already got to see you in a towel and dancing like a fool in the kitchen I can't think of anything else I could possibly want," he joked, earning him a slap upside the head by Ginny, who also couldn't help but laugh a the situation as well. "What about you?"
"Hmm…lets see, not only did I get to sleep with the most eligible wizard in London but I also go to see him naked…nope, I can't think of anything else either." She replied, feeling rewarded when she noticed the blush beginning to work its way up Harry's neck.
"Oh ha ha ha. You're real funny, you know that. Absolutely fucking hilarious," his voice dripping with sarcasm, "You just wait. You'll get yours."
As they sat, Ginny noticed how quiet the living room had gotten. Apart from the rhythmic sounds of breathing from her human pillow Harry, the only other noise was the occasional crackling of the fire.
"Where'd everyone go?" She asked as she lifted her head and looked around the room. Charlie and George were still sleeping, but Ginny could detect the sounds of light snoring coming besides the couch, not on top of it. She pushed herself up a little further, trying to ignore the feel the well defined muscles underneath her hands, to look over the coffee table. As interesting as their chess game was, Ron and Hermonie had both fallen asleep. Hermione had stretched out along the length of the hearth, while Ron had curled himself into the fetal position, their foreheads just barely touching.
Wow, I think this is the longest time they've ever shared the same air without hurling insults or obscene comments at each other. Harry thought to himself. Ha, who woulda guessed Hermione snored…and is that…oh sweet Merlin, is Ron sucking his thumb?
He tried to hide his laughter, but the silent shaking of his chest under Ginny's hand gave him away. Ginny too was having a hard time containing herself, but she wanted to be courteous of the rest of her sleeping family members.
"He's had that habit since he was little. I was pretty sure he stopped when he started at Hogwarts, but I guess being back home and all…" she attempted to whisper. Unfortunately she was also still trying very hard to suppress the giggles lingering in the back of her throat, so it came out somewhat mangled.
"Oh, just wait until we get back to school...he doesn't have a teddy bear or anything that I should know about does he?" Harry said in mock seriousness. Ginny shook her head and laid back down against him. They just sat, watching the flames dance around the fireplace.
"So where's Bill? I heard him talking your head off when I came in. I don't think he realizes how boring he is sometimes. Did he run out of stories from his youth to dazzle you with?" she asked in a joking matter, not expecting the somber look that came across his face.
"I could listen to those stories all day…it's what I never had. Did you know that Bill knew my parents?" Ginny shook her head and he continued in a low voice.
"He was in his first year when my parents were in their last. That move he was showing me when you walked in, my dad taught him that…" his voice dropped even more, to just above a whisper, "It's different than just hearing about them from one of their teachers or a shopkeeper who knew them. It's from someone who looked up to them, got to learn stuff from them…stuff that they would have taught me…" His voice began to crack and Ginny could see his eyes start to well.
She reached up and placed both her arms around Harry's neck, nuzzling her head in the crook between his shoulder and head.
"I wish I could have met them. I've seen pictures; back at school…your mum was really beautiful. They would've been so proud of you." Ginny could feel the tears begin to burn in her eyes, and shut them as one tear escaped, rolling down off her face before being absorbed by his shirt.
Neither really knew what to say, so they sat in silence in each other's arms as the snowflakes whirled around outside the window.
A/N: Awww…how sweet. I know this was incredibly cheesy, but I just couldn't help myself. Anyway I'm working on the next chapter and I hope to have it out soon. Plus I'm starting an update e-mail thing if I can get it to work, so if you'd like to get on the list just let me know!