Title: Christmas Surprises
Chapter: Seven – Nothing Funny!
Author: SnakeEyesHannah
Spoilers: OotP
Disclaimer: I do not own anything involving Harry Potter. This does all our favorite author, JK Rowling, bless her soul.
Author's note: I'd like to thank Metal Dragon1, RonLuver2005, Nat and milky way bar for the encouraging reviews! I squish you to death now!
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Both Ginny and Hermione fell panting down on the couch after running around a good five minutes. They only stopped because the other Gryffindors staying for the Yule Ball or just over the holidays began filling down, complaining they woke up by noise from downstairs. But Hermione had barely sat down before she jumped up and sprinted across the common room toward the dormitory stairs.
"Hermione?" Ginny called, turning in her seat to follow her friend with her gaze. Hermione only turned her head for a short second, not slowing down.
"I'll be right back, I just forgot- …" She was abruptly cut off as she fell to the floor with a squeal after running into something solid.
"Merry Christmas!" Hermione heard Ron's voice under her. She felt her cheeks heat up. Not only did she have to run into him, she had to fall on top of him!
"Merry Christmas, Ron", she replied in a squeaky voice. She cleared her throat and looked down into his eyes. They twinkled with amusement. Dammit! He thinks this is funny! But she felt better when she noticed that both his ears and his cheeks were deep red. Now she realized their faces were only inches apart. Her cheeks heated up again and she felt her heartbeat quicken. Ron seemed to have realized it too, his smug smile faded and she saw him bite the inside of his cheeks.
"Oi! You can snog after breakfast!" Harry's teasing voice snapped them both back into reality. Hermione jumped up, brushing her hair, straightening her clothes. Ginny, who had walked up to them and stood next to Harry, giggled and hid her face behind said seventeen-year old.
"Money … Daily Prophet … Right back!" Hermione's rambling got to Harry and he tried his very best, a lousy attempt I should add, to look innocent.
"Shut it. I don't want to hear it!" Ron snapped as he got up.
"I never said anything!" Harry protested mildly, setting Ginny off on another laugh attack. Ron narrowed his eyes at the couple and a smile played in the corner of his mouth. Harry looked confused at him.
"Well, well, well … Cozy are we?" he asked. Ginny's laugh had subdued and she looked at her brother with a puzzled expression. Then she slowly turned her head to Harry, her eyes widening as she did so. Without any of them really noticing, Harry's arm had encircled Ginny's waist and she had leaned her head on his shoulder. Harry quickly dropped his arm, taking a step back. His eyes dropped to the floor.
"Cute slippers", he commented when he spotted Ginny's bunny slippers. Ginny laughed and looked down too, the embarrassment not so important anymore. She shifted her weight to her heels and waved with her toes so the bunnies bobbled. A genuine laugh bubbled up from Harry. Ginny's smile widened stupidly, she got Harry to laugh …
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The Great Hall was as usually decorated with the normal Christmas trees in the corners and garlands of holly hung beautifully all around the Hall. It was buzzing with talk when the four entered. By the looks of it, almost all 6th and 7th-years had stayed, even Malfoy, much to Harry and Ron's displeasure. And it looked like a majority of the 4th and 5th-years had stayed too. Before they even reached the Gryffindor table, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil had dragged Hermione and Ginny away from the boys, two other 7th year Gryffindors. The boys helped themselves to toast, bacon, pumpkin juice and everything else they wanted after sitting down next to Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom, the remaining 7th year boys in Gryffindor. When the first hunger need had been put out, the conversation was steered onto topics as Quidditch and the upcoming Yule Ball. They had all gotten dates (even Neville, to Harry's surprise), and they all dreaded the evening; what if they screwed up?
"So what's up with you and my sister?" Ron asked bluntly. Harry almost choked on his pumpkin juice. The conversation between Neville, Seamus and Dean stopped and the three boys looked at Harry, wide-eyed. Neville had his fork with bacon halfway up to his mouth, but he seemed to have forgotten all about it.
"Wh-what?" Harry spluttered, taking his time to reach for a napkin and drying up the juice he had accidentally spilled, avoiding Ron's gaze at all costs.
"Yeah, how do you feel about Ginny?" Ron elaborated. He didn't seem very angry, as Harry had pictured he'd look, but he had on this 'protective brother'-look. On impulse Harry glanced over at Dean and he was almost sure he saw jealousy flash in his eyes, but he waved it away as a shadow. Dean should have been over Ginny by now, shouldn't he? They had broken up two years ago …
"S-she's nice", Harry replied vaguely. Ron shook his head.
"No, no … Do you like her?"
"Of course I do!" Harry exclaimed. "She's the sweetest, kindest, funniest person I know!"
"Thought so …" Ron mumbled, mostly to himself, returning to his breakfast.
"You thought what?" Harry asked, suddenly angry with Ron for putting him on the spot like that. Ron seemed to pick up on the tone in Harry's voice because when he looked up he had on an apologetic smile.
"Sorry mate, I just had to know that you weren't going to do anything funny with Ginny tonight", he excused himself, once again returning to his food, once again ending the conversation with stepping on Harry's nerve. Harry stared at his best friend for a moment before turning back to the table, staring unseeing in the jug of milk in front of him. This was him, Harry, he was talking about! Another impulse made Harry look over at Dean again. The boy seemed to have forgotten he was among people; he stared murderously at Harry. And he didn't look one bit embarrassed or apologetic when he saw Harry look; on the contrary, the glare got more evil. What's his problem?! Harry thought, slightly scared of Dean now.
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"So, where to?" Ron asked as he, Harry, Hermione and Ginny made their way out of the noisy Great Hall forty minutes later when the girls finally returned from Lavender and Parvati.
"Actually, Ginny and I were asked to get ready with Parvati and Lavender", Hermione stated.
"And that's like an honor or something?" Ron mocked. Hermione chose to ignore his sarcastic comment and continued right ahead, climbing the marble stairs.
"So you are free to do whatever you please. See you tonight!" she told the boys, grabbing Ginny's arm, picking up a fast pace. Ginny, who had been daydreaming about a certain raven-haired boy walking next to her, squealed in surprise but quickly calmed down when she noticed what was happening.
"And you need a whole bloody day to get ready?!"
Hermione only raised her hand, waving back to the boys over her shoulder, not looking back. The girls soon disappeared behind a wall and left Harry and Ron standing in the middle of the stairs, looking dumbly after their dates.
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Author's note: I thought this was the best place to end this chapter. I have the beginning (and probably the middle) of the next chapter ready, though, so you don't have to worry about waiting a loooong time for an update. And I still want those why's and suggestions!
Author's note II: Sorry about uploading this twice ... I saw some spelling errors ... Stupid me!