......................................THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS...............................................
Jessica woke up the next morning, putting on a black V-neck button up sweater with white snowflakes embroidered on it with black dress pants and her boots. She pulled her hair up in a high ponytail and added some small silver hoops in her ears. Then she held out her arm and Nick jumped on it, climbing up to her neck were he curled his body around the back, his whiskers and tail slightly tickling the sides of her neck. As she looked at her reflection, her mind drifted back to the letter and Starlight.
She tried to wrack her brain of who could possibly have grown to like her so much that they would refer to themselves as her 'true love'. Sure, she believed that there was someone out there for everyone but she seriously doubted that she could find that someone while she was still in school. Then again, it was her last year here. She had tried to narrow it down to a list of certain boys but it was hopeless. If she became really desperate, she might go around and start checking boys handwriting but that would be going too far.
She'd even borrowed Hermione's revealer to check for any invisible ink.
Nothing, Nada, Zip-O. No invisible ink or any other ink whatsoever.
Whoever had sent her Starlight did not want her knowing their identity.
She had to know who to thank though and it was driving her mad.
On her way down to breakfast, she wracked her brain again trying to think of who would spend galleons on her. It had to be someone who had the kind of money she was thinking of and that narrowed it down but the first two people that came to mind were Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Now they both had their strong points. Both were handsome, both were well off, and both were popular in their own way.
Harry was her friend but she could see herself liking him or loving him. His messy black hair was sexy, his emerald green orbs were perfect for this time of year, and his glasses were adorable on him. He was muscular but lean from so much Quidditch and was smart in the subjects she liked. Draco, on the other hand was more like a casual acquaintance and it would be difficult to love him but she kind of liked him. She definitely thought better of him since he had renounced his father and proved that he did not want to be a Death Eater or part of Voldemort's circle. His blonde hair was parted instead of gelled back now and it hung right above his blue gray eyes which swirled with the emotions and inner torment he held inside. He too was muscular and lean from Quidditch and was also very smart even though he didn't show it.
She thought about it some more. It could be one of Fred and George's spontaneous gifts that they liked to send to her, Oliver, the trio, or Ginny occasionally but she highly doubted it.
"Hey Jessica! Jessica, wait up!"
She turned and hurrying towards her was none other than Neville Longbottom. She didn't really feel like talking to him right now but she didn't want to be rude so instead she smiled and waited for him to reach her. He'd grown taller but was still a little shorter than her and was adorable, she had to admit, and sweet. "Hullo Neville."
"Alright Jess?" he asked smiling at her. "We're in the same year and both Gryffindors and I saw you walking by yourself so I figured I'd walk with you down to breakfast. Is that okay?" he asked looking at her anxiously. She was mean or cruel enough to refuse so she smiled again and said "Sure Neville"
"C'mon let's go get some breakfast." she said. He fell in step beside her practically beaming but by now, she was again deep in thought and not really noticing.
What if it's Neville? She thought. He wasn't the only boy who wanted to walk with her if they got the opportunity but by the way he was acting, he was a strong candidate for being the guy who sent her that note and Starlight. She glanced down at Nick and he looked at her skeptically. She doubted he had the sort of money that it took to buy an owl like her but you never know...
She needed some way to find out if it was him. She sat in between him and Ron at the Gryffindor Table. Ron was deep in conversation with Hermione and Ginny and Harry was sitting on Hermione's other side talking to Dean and Seamus who were in front of him. She looked across the Hall and saw that Draco was also in conversation. He was talking with Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, his other best friends besides Crabbe and Goyle and dorm mates. Then she noticed something.
Everyone was talking to more than one person. She shook her head and rolled her eyes but smiled. This school was sometimes the most ridiculous place to be.
"Are you thinking about if it's Neville?" Nick whispered in her ear. "Partially." she replied.
The more she thought of it being Neville, the more her heart sank if it was.
Just then Starlight swooped down in front of her with a small package wrapped in red paper lined with gold.
Now's my chance..she thought turning to Neville. "Neville, this is my new owl Starlight, someone sent her to me yesterday. I only wish I knew who though so I could thank them properly." She berated herself for her hasty words. What would she do if it was him?
Thankfully, Neville either didn't know what she was talking about, or was determined to act like it. "That was nice of them." She breathed again. Jessica sucked in her breath when she saw what her owl had delivered. It was a small, neatly wrapped red package, along with the same red and gold envelope she had received yesterday. There was no name, but Starlight seemed to know that it was for her. Jessica sneaked a quick look around the table and the hall, but no one was even looking at her. Surely her 'Secret Santa' (That is what she had started to refer to them as, whoever they were) would be watching to see her reaction. That is if they were even present.
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What Jessica didn't realize was that her 'Secret Santa' was indeed watching her, very closely at that. He had known the instant she had entered the Hall with Longbottom. Jealousy had enveloped him, a feeling he was definitely not used to, and did not welcome. He had felt it before but didn't like the feeling It should be him she was coming down to breakfast with. It should be him she talked to so casually. It should be him she shared all her secrets, fears, joys, and problems. He had had his moments with her sure, but this was different.
He watched as she fed Starlight a piece of toast before heading out of the Great Hall with the package he'd sent her, stopping to have a word with her brother, who had just entered the Hall. His heart lifted at the sight of her looking at the owl so affectionately. He had wondered what she would make of his gifts, hopefully, she would feel the same way when he revealed himself to her.
I mean, why wouldn't she, right?
Don't get ahead of yourself. He told himself firmly. That time was still quite a long ways away.
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Jessica untied the parcel and headed out of the Hall. Neville didn't ask where she was going. He was now in deep conversation with Luna, who had come over to their table right before she'd left. Jessica was oblivious to everything except the desire to be alone when she opened today's gift.
She had not expected another one, even though she was familiar with the song. The owl had been too much money as it is, that a person was going through all this trouble for her was unimaginable and yet, she figured she deserved it. She knew that expecting something like this to happen her was kind of selfish but she couldn't help it.
There was no mistaking that particular envelope, it had to be from the same person.
Jessica closed herself in the empty Transfiguration classroom. She set the package down, and opened the envelope with shaky fingers. Once again, she found the small slip of parchment with the beautiful green writing adorning it.
On the second day of Christmas,
your true love gave to you
two of your favorite treats
Jessica let out the breath she had been holding, it was almost identical to yesterday, including absolutely no clue about the sender.
Your favorite treats... Jessica read the line over again. How does this guy know what my favorite treats are?
Jessica put the note into her pocket, and grabbed the slightly-bigger-than-palm sized gift box. Lifting the lid revealed to her two Muggle candy canes.
How did he know... She thought dazed.
She popped the candy cane into her mouth and then pulled it right back out. It was rainbow colored but it tasted like chocolate.She broke a piece off and was surprised to see her other favorite treat, chocolate, dripping out of the center. She laughed. Whoever was sending her these gifts, they certainly were creative.
"You know a girl needs to work to keep her figure!" Her friends and dorm mates, Parvati and Lavender's voices rang in her head. "You'll be bigger than a whale if you keep it up." Jessica smiled at her friends' threat. She had luckily inherited the skinny genes in her family, no matter what she ate she wouldn't gain a pound. Then again she was a Dumbledore and like her grandfather, Professor Dumbledore, she was very powerful and could probably come up with a magical way to lose weight. Don't push it. She told herself mentally.
She picked up the other candy cane. It had a chocolate colored stripe on it. She tasted it and laughed again. It tasted like rainbow.
Definitely creative, whoever they are...she thought grinning
On the way back to the common room, her thoughts drifted back to the person who could have possibly wanted to go through so much trouble for her.
I finally get noticed by someone who actually likes me for me, and I don't even know who they are. Jessica sighed, enjoying the last bit of chocolate and rainbow melting on her tongue.