...................................THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...........................................

..................................................................Or...........................................................................

......................................................(THE REVEAL)

Jessica was in her dorm the next night waiting for another envelope or at least a note from her 'Secret Santa'. Hermione and Ginny were waiting with her because they wanted to see just what was in store for her tonight. She sighed and was about to suggest that they go do something when she saw Starlight fluttering on the other side of the window with another red and gold envelope.

She jogged over to the window and let Starlight in. She landed on Jessica's trunk andJessica picked up the envelope from her trunk. Mione and Ginny got on either side of her as she opened it and read the note, her heartfluttering wildly.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

your true love gave to you,

twelve nymphs dancing.

Go to the edge of the forest in fifteen minutes and Isis, the head nymph, will take you to the clearing where they dance.

Feel free to bring your friends again. I know they'll enjoy it as much as you will.

Then afterwards, go down to the big tree by the lake where you like to sit sometimes and wait for me there.

Oh, and Merry Christmas love.

Jessica couldn't stop smiling. Mione and Ginny let out dreamy sighs at the same time.

"What no lucky bitch this time Gin?" Jessica mocked her friend playfully.

Ginny just swatted Jessica on the arm. Mione grinned at Jessica and asked the other two, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Ginny and Jessica looked at Mione in shock and all three of them laughed.

They snuck out of the castle again with Harry's cloak again. This time they'd just taken it because they couldn't find him anywhere. ("Probably snogging Parvati in a dark closet"..Jessica muttered scathingly) When they got out of the castle, sure enough, standing at the edge of the forest was a nymph. She was beautiful. She had long straight soft blonde hair with pointy ears like an elf's. Her skin was a soft green and she was wearing what looked like a soft brown petal dress. She had willow patterns on her skin.

I guess she turns into a willow tree...Jessica thought as she noticed this.

Nymphs had the ability to transform from a thing like a rock, a tree, flowers, or even water and take the form of beautiful young women. But they could instantly transform back into their natural form whenever they wished.

Jessica, Mione, and Ginny all followed Isis through the trees to a familiar clearing. They sat down leaning their backs against a huge pine tree, Jessica holding Harry's cloak in her lap. Isis gave a strange sort of whistle and all sorts of nymphs began appearing. There were ones made completely of flowers, other kinds of trees, water, rock, and even earth. They formed three individual lines, one behind the other and began to dance. Sometimes the lines would go through another and sometimes some nymphs would switch places. There was no music but there was no need for it. They danced in perfect rhythm and harmony.

The girls didn't know that this only went on for two hours, to them it seemed much longer than that. The all of thenymphs, one by one, swept down into graceful curties and the girls clapped enthusiastically for them. They smiled and then disappeared back into the forest. Isis beckoned to them with her long willowy hand and they headed back to the castle grounds. When they finally got out of the forest, Isis turned to Jessica and spoke for the first time that night.

"This is for you my dear." She handed Jessica and leaf and wood whistle.

Jessica looked at Isis quizzically. "This is so if you should ever need to call upon us again just blow through the whistle and we'll come to you immediately. A certain young man wanted to make sure you'd never forget this experience."

So Isis knew who her 'Secret Santa' was. She wasn't even gonna ask because she knew she wouldn't get a straight answer.

"Thank you Isis." Jessica said sincerely.

"It was truly not all my doing my dear, but I'm glad you girls enjoyed yourselves. I must be going now, Farewell." And then Isis disappeared back into the cover of the woods.

The three girls then walked down to the lake. Jessica sat down in front of the tree facing the lake so she could she the reflection of the stars and crescent moon gleaming on it's black glassy surface.

"So you're just gonna wait here for him?" Mione asked her.

Jessica nodded.

"Well good luck Jess, I hope he's everything you want." Mione said sincerely. "Me too." Ginny added smiling. She stood back up hugging her friends and handed them the cloak.

"Just make sure you two aren't caught okay?" Jessica grinned at them.

They just nodded back to her smiling and then headed back towards the castle. Jessica went back to the tree.A cushioning and warming charm kept her bottom from freezing off, and any one looking would see a person sitting just inches above the snow. Remembering something, Jessica darted a glance in every direction to make sure she had built her icysnowman far enough away from where she sitting to remain in peace.

She sighed in relief when shesaw itresting far in the distance. Now she wouldn't have to move.

Jessica just sat, not moving a muscle, completely at ease. The night sky was beautiful; she berated herself for never bothering to watch one before, not even in Astronomy.

I probably wouldn't have seen it the same way as I do now. That thought struck Jessica as odd, but she knew it was true.

Her emotions were running high lately; in the past she had kept them well in check.

Who is this boy who can make me all mushy inside without even showing me his face?

But that wasn't completely true, chances were, she had seen his face…she was just unaware at the time.

As if he had heard her silent question, a figure emerged from behind the oak. He stood quietly behind Jessica, not knowing what to say.

Jessica heard the snow crunching behind her and tensed imperceptivity. Her first thought being, oh my god, I'm about to be attacked. But when no curse was bellowed, and her body stayed miraculously intact, her mind began to get other ideas.

Maybe Hermione and Ginny changed their minds and came back for something…but they would have said something…

Maybe it's Snape waiting for me to turn around so he can deduct 50 house points to my face…

Just stop being a chicken and TURN AROUND.

Jessica, however, chose to ignore the insistent voice in her head, if the person behind her had something to say to her, they could do it to her back…or walk around her and say it to her face.

Hours (which were really only seconds), later Jessica got fed up with the tension and whipped her head around to glare at the person disturbing her peace and quiet.

Instead of seeing some Prince Charming standing there, she saw messy black hair and brilliant green eyes. In one hand he was holding a red rose, in the other was an envelope, the same kind of envelope which had held the last twelve messages.

Which could only mean one thing…

Harry Potter was her Secret Santa.

All thoughts were banished from her mind except two, holy shit and what the hell?.

(A/N: I was going to leave it here and make one more chapter but thought that would be too short and too cruel…)

"What the hell?," Jessica spoke up, unable to contain that thought from making it to her lips.

Jessica stood, in complete shock.

"Harry, I don't understand. You'd better do some fast explaining." she said putting her hands on her hips. But she didn't give him a chance to explain.

"How…why would you…?" Jessica began, not sure what to do. Her mind was extremely conflicted; on the one hand, she had seen him with Parvati with her own eyes. On the other, he had spent so much time and money on all her gifts, how could someone who did all that be with someone else? She was seriously confused.

Jessica looked up at Harry startled. "In the classroom…that was you?" Jessica asked cautiously, instinctively already knowing the answer.

"Yes." Harry replied without embarrassment, making Jessica's cheeks go red.

A faint smile touched his lips at the memory of them snogging in the dark. He silently hoped it wouldn't be the only time.

"Why?" Jessica finally choked out. "Why would you do all this, for me?"

"Because I wanted to," Harry said truthfully, not knowing what else to say.

"Because you wanted to…" Jessica repeated disbelievingly, anger flaring in her eyes. "Why don't you tell me what's really going on?" She demanded, her temper finally going off. There was no way she was going to be made a fool of by her so-called friend. "Why would you send me amazing gifts and let me see all these wonderful things if you're with Parvati?" He was about to say something else, but Jessica wouldn't let him get a word in at all. "Was this all some sort of sick joke? Or were you trying to bag both of us? Would that just give you a sick kick?"

"Jessica wait-," Harry began but was cut off by Jessica's furious rant.

"I bet you thought it was hilarious, didn't you? Can't wait till you get me and her both? I can't believe you're with that little floozy-," This time Jessica was cut off, but not by Harry's voice. Rather his lips meeting hers in a furious kiss.

That ought to shut her up. Harry thought triumphantly, but that thought fled his mind when he felt Jessica's warm lips pressing against his.

Dropping the envelope and rose, Harry brought his arms tightly around her waist, desperate for the same warmth she had given him selflessly in the Transfiguration classroom.

Jessica's first reaction was complete and utter shock.

Next came the outrage. How dare he presume he could just take advantage of me this way…

Then next, to Jessica's total dismay, was pleasure. She felt her body melt into his when he wrapped his arms around her waist, her lips responding to his hungry demands.

Her mind, however, disapproving of her body's traitorous actions was soon nothing but an unheard voice at the back of Jessica's head.

Jessica was completely wrapped up in how good Harry felt this close to her. He was so warm, and his body was hard and masculine, with a faint smell of wizard's cologne that suited him perfectly.

Jessica made a faint sound of protest when Harry finally broke the kiss; this was soon replaced by a moan of pleasure when his lips trailed down her neck. She was actually shivering with pleasure.

"Cold?" Harry asked, and Jessica, in a flash, was pulled up against his muscular body and his cloak was wrapped around her while she was being held against his chest. His piercing emeraldeyes were boring straight into her blue ones.

Harry sat down where she had put her cushioning charm, bringing Jessica with him so she rested on his lap.

Jessica looked like she wanted desperately to protest, but that would have proved to him how much being near him was affecting her. Harry smiled, She's going to fight this tooth and nail and want a long explanation, he thought grimly. Wasn't that one of the things he had liked about her? She was so different from the pliant swooning females that had thrown themselves at him all his life just because of his fame.

"What are you thinking?" He finally asked, breaking the tense silence.

"I'm confused as hell." Jessica answered truthfully, a slight quaver in her voice.

"I can tell you're attracted to me but you're thinking I'm trying to be player and get both you and Parvati?"

Jessica looked up at him surprised, but nodded none the less.

"Harry, what's-?" butHarry cut her off with a brief kiss on the mouth.

"You'd better calm down and let me tell my story, love." He told her, smiling at her shocked/outraged/pleased expression.

"Harry-" Jessica started to warn, her voice getting steadily louder. I can't let him get to me like this…

But Harry's mouth came down on hers before she could finish.

"Jessica, please let me explain." He pleaded again. His voice getting husky.

"Fine." Jessica reluctantly gave in, not wanting to be distracted by any more of his kisses. She needed to think through this clearly. Not that being on his lap was leaving her with a clear head. He's not holding me down…just get up and get some distance. But Jessica found she really didn't want to move.

"Now that's a fine start." Harry commented, trying to fight the urge to kiss her again. She needs to understand first. Harry told himself firmly. Before he could lose his nerve, he dove headlong into his story. He told her about how he'd fancied her when she'd first came and then as he spent more time with her, come to love her. Finally he wanted to show her that he really cared about her. He'd seen and heard other guys wanting to be with her but it was because they only wantedthat one thing from her and then they'd kick her to the curb. Harry wanted to be with her for real so he came up with all this. And then he'd pretended that he waswith Parvati to make her jealous and she if she really cared about him. He told her that he knew that she didn't really mean what she'd said that day in the dorm.

It was a few minutes before Harry had finished talking and was looking at her expectantly, his face startlingly close.

Damn, he looks good. Jessica's cheeks burned at that wayward observation.

"Well?" He asked, a tad bit impatient. It wasn't everyday that Harry would pledge his love to someone.

"I…" Jessica began. What the hell was she supposed to say? Finally, she decided on something, but it wasn't words. Leaning in, her body swaying towards him as if on it's own accord, Jessica felt his arms wrap around her, his hands moving up her back to tangle in her hair. Looking directly in each others eyes, they moved in for a kiss.

Harry had seen everything he needed to know in her expression before their lips met. Of course it couldn't go too far seeing as how they were in view of anyone coming out of the castle. She made another sound of protest when he broke this kiss. He bent down and swept up the rose, handing it to her. She didn't even smell it. Instead, she grabbed his shirt and pulled his lips back to meet hers.

When Harry finally pulled back, he looked at Jessica's dazed expression and smiled.

"Happy Christmas, Jess." He whispered in her ear, moaning as she joined their lips for more.