AN- Yes! Rolled up sleeves are totally quintessential to Ron! Hooray, Christmas has come early and it's in this chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, you guys friggin' rock!
Chapter Seven - This Is Where You Belong
Authors Note: The title of this chapter is a line from my second favorite Christmas song called At Christmas, by Hanson. Yes, my musical tastes are wide and questionable. Enjoy this chapter and please review!
December's second half had brought with it endless snow squalls that showered the classroom windows with flurrying white powder. The chilly wind had put a definite bite to the air as sign up forms were passed around for those who wanted to stay at Hogwarts over the winter holiday. Harry, of course, signed up at once and was followed by Ron and Hermione. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy signed up also. After his absurd proposal, he had been nearly expelled if not for Snape insisting that Hermione had somehow provoked him. He had been suspended for a week, faced multiple detentions, and was banned from all future visits to Hogsmeade. With all the trouble he had been in at school, and the fact that his father had landed himself in Azkaban that caused many an argument at home. The rumors that spread around the school told that Malfoy's parents were on the verge of divorce. He could be seen sloping about the school, if possible, even sulkier than before.
In contrast, the spirits at Gryffindor tower were quite merry. Professor McGonagall had taken 250 points from Slytherin, and had sworn that Malfoy would be expelled if he so much as looked at Hermione. They were still slightly edgy about Trelawny's new prediction, but that fear was made marginal by Professor McGonagall's latest debunking on the practice of divination when they expressed their concern. "Highly unpredictable." She muttered, looking her most disapprovingly. "Naturally, the next trip to Hogsmeade is still on."
The state of the castle began to reflect their cheery mood when Hagrid dragged in the freshly cut evergreens, to be propped up and decorated with huge gleaming metallic globes, dazzling silver tinsel, and wonderful, magically sparkling lights. It was too bad that most of the students had gone home before festive glittering boughs, and innumerous-ribboned wreaths decked the great hall.
It was Christmas Eve at Hogwarts, and Ron lay awake in his bed. He has steeled his resolve to give Hermione the Protamour Charm tomorrow morning. Although McGonagall had pooh-poohed Trelawney's prediction, a small and persistent voice in the back of his mind still insisted it was a good idea to give it to her. He practiced over and over again in his mind how he would do it. He had wrapped the charm up in a small box with a bit of shiny pink wrapping paper and a little gold string. He knew he had to give it to her with no one else around, not even Harry, who had chucked so heartily when Ron confided his intentions until Ron threatened to smack him upside the head with his mighty History of Magic text.
He toyed with the idea of just leaving it at the foot of her bed for her to find, but would she accept anonymous jewelry? Would she wear an innominate necklace? Worst yet, would she wear one from him? The questions made him swallow hard as he stared at the ceiling. He drifted into sleep, and a few hours later, found himself awake at dawn's first light. His and Harry's pile of presents had already appeared at the foots of their beds. He quietly dressed into his favorite and most comfortable faded jeans, and his newest warm Weasley sweater. Harry snoozed on as Ron took his cleansweep from his trunk, took the wrapped up Protamour Charm from its hiding spot, and paused for a moment, his back to the room, before setting out the door.
With his heart thumping loudly in his chest, and his stomach already growling for Christmas breakfast, Ron jumped on the cleansweep to cross the stairs to the girl's dormitory. He landed and nervously knocked on the door to Hermione's room. He was glad none of her roommates had elected to stay over the holidays.
She came to the door, awake and yawning. She brightened at the sight of him. "Happy Christmas, Ron! What are you doing up so early? Isn't it customary for you boys to sleep in?"
He just stood in the doorway, his mental preparation having ended at this point. She just laughed. "Has Crookshanks got your tongue? Come and sit down." She motioned for him to have a seat on her bed. He remembered the present he held in his hand.
She took a seat and he walked over to her, opening his palm. Her face slowed. He extended the gift to her. "Happy Christmas, Hermione."
Her eyes danced and she smiled, gingerly accepting the gift. She unwrapped it and put on a quizzical face when she saw the box the paper had concealed. She paused for just a moment before lifting the lid and gasping at what was inside. Her whole face lit up as she lifted the petite gold heart necklace and held it dangling from her hand. A soft awe became her.
Ron shuffled his large feet. Hermione leapt up and threw her arms around him, a practice that always left Ron feeling a little awkward. But he hugged her back anyway, and then she retrieved her gift for him.
He unwrapped a large box of sugar quills, and a bottle of Warlock Dond's scented shaving lotion. "Your beard is starting to grow in." She said shyly. Was that a blush?
After a while, they mutually decided to go rouse Harry. After they all finished exchanging gifts, to the relief of Ron's stomach, went down for breakfast. The whole day was an enchanting affair, truly a Christmas to be remembered. It was spent as the holiday was meant to be spent; in peace and contentment. At the end of the day, went they were cozy up on a squashy common room couch, Ron didn't think anything of it when Hermione nervously asked him to go with her to Hogsmeade on New Year's Eve. Of course he'd be going with her. Her and Harry. Wasn't even sure why she'd asked. Yet since he'd given her that necklace, she'd had this funny twinkle in her eye.
AN- Attention, contingency police. My book is at home, was it a cleansweep that Ron got in book five? I thought it was...then again I'm a spaz. WHEEE review please!