Chapter 10: Admitting It Is The First Step To Recovery

Two weeks later, Maggie dreamt of Fred. He was kissing her again, but, not like before. Jaques was also there, taking turns with Fred to kiss her. She didn't know which she wanted more.

Jaques made her feel so happy, but Fred made her feel wanted. Which was better? Maggie didn't even know which she wanted more. Finally, in her dream, it was time for her to make a decision.

But, before she could utter a name, a squeel woke her from her dream. As usual, she was left without a name, and without a hope. It was Christmas day. She would go to the dance with Jaques, and she would have to see Fred go with his date. How depressing that would be.

With a scowl, she saw Kaite Bell fling herself from her bed to unwrap the presents around her. Maggie looked down at her trunk and saw four presents neatly wrapped in crimson and gold wrapping paper. As usual, they were from her parents. There was two from her sister who lived in America, and one from George and Fred. Lee hadn't gotten her anything! And she bought him a box of candy!

Saving the twins' gift for last, Maggie tore open the red and gold wrapped boxes first. She recieved a hair comb from her mother. It was white and had crimson and gold pearls making the shape of a lily. They turned an irredescent color before going back to their original state. Her father, who was a muggle Lawyer, gave her a novel by an English author. It was one she had been anticipating for months, and thankfully, she had it. The other two were clothes, and jewelry as usual.

Grabbing the box from her sister, Maggie tore the paper from it's surface. A wide, rectangle box was exposed, making Maggie feel very exciting. She had written her sister weeks before, telling her that she was going to attend the Yule Ball, and she had replied with what she was getting for christmas.

Maggie tore the tape from the corners of the box and slid it open, revealing a very red dress. The chest was facing upward, along with the shoulders. Maggie could see green, velvety trimming along the neck, and suspected it went all the way around.

With her mouth agape, she pulled the garment from the box and gasped. Holding it to her shoulders as she stood from her bed, Maggie was stunned at the length of the gown. It slid along the floor as she turned around, looking at the full length mirror that was placed between her bed and the closet. The skirt belled out a bit, not too much, and not tight fitting on her legs.

"Oh wow!" Katie guffawed, dropping the pair of socks she had in her hands. She raised herself from her bed and walked over to Maggie's mirror. "That is gorgeous! Are you wearing it tonight?"

"I suppose. It's all I have." Maggie could only whisper as she took the sleeves in her hands, stretching them so they were the length of her arms. At the end, and around the wrist, they belled out, covering her hands. In the back, near the veins of her wrist, sat two silk bows.

"Try it on!!"

"I can't right now. I will later though." Maggie said, turning to lay the dress across her pillows. "What all did you get?" She asked Katie. She dropped her hands from her hips and strolled to her bed, picking up a pair of socks. "Not much, just the usual. Jewelry, clothes, Quidditch strategy book."

Maggie smiled and turned to the other box from her sister. She tore it open and found a necklace on the inside, with a note.

'Dear sis.

I know you don't make a big fuss about balls, but I figured you could have my old dress. Mom bought it a few years ago, so hopefully it isn't too out of date. Also, I'll let you have my necklace I wore at my wedding. I thought it went with the dress and the comb Mom gave you. You're just getting alot of hand-me-down's this year. Have a nice time at the ball, and don't break too many hearts.

Alannah'

Maggie set the note down and looked at the necklace in her hands. It was a choker, red velvet with a green vine weaved into the material. Maggie could barely hold in her excitement long enough to open the twins' gift. She imagined it to be a can full of snakes that popped out when she opened it, it was not what she had expected. And, it was exactly what she expected.

It was a small peice of parchment. Fred's signature in the left corner, and George's in the right. Between the two signatures, was this:

'The Weasley Twins hereby state you with a coupon of love. Use it wisely and you have one turn with each of us. Not reffundable, nor exchangable.'

Maggie narrowed her eyes and set the "coupon" in her nightstand drawer, rolling her eyes at their joke. She had gotten them a serious gift and here they were, joking even on Christmas day. It would be her wedding day and they would have given her candy to turn her into a slug.

"Well, I'm going to get ready for tonight." Katie said, standing and running to her closet. Maggie smiled to her and narrowed her eyes. She didn't exactly know what to do to get ready, as Katie had said. She supposed she needed a shower, and a good dose of perfume, but...

How would she do her hair?

Maggie stood from her bed and walked to her mirror, grimacing at her makeup-less face. Well, she would just have to ask for help...

Around 12 in the afternoon, Maggie left her room to find George. He still had her potions notes, and she had forgotten all about them.

As she made her way across the cold Common Room floor, she yawned, stifling it with her hand. Just as she rounded the corner to the boy's staircase, a body slammed into her. Maggie yelped and grabbed at whoever was in front of her, bringing them down to the floor.

"Sorry!" She said in a rush, standing to her feet before the person could even grasp the fact that he had been knocked to the floor. Maggie looked down to see Fred sprawled out. His feet were on the stairs as his back was on the floor. He looked up at her with a smile before rising to his feet.

"It's ok. Happy Christmas."

"You too. Er, I need my Potion's notes from George. I forgot he had them." Fred nodded at her and turned to go back up the stairs, telling her he'd fetch them. As she let her eyes travel over the back of his body, she let them rest on his rear end, smiling to herself.

'Oi, Maggie. You are hopeless!...He did have a nice arse though..'

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