Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! Sorry it took ages and ages to update, but my second story is finally posted and now I have to take care of two, so yeah. Anyway, hope you forgive me and enjoy the chapter! (Also, don't forget your review. Hint, hint.)

Chapter 13: Christmas Eve

Saturday, December 24th

10:16 PM

Woke up surprisingly early. Christmas eve dinner tonight! We give the presents tonight also and there is the fancy dinner mum cooks.

The stay so far has been embarrassingly awkward. It feels like the ice is never broken. Except for Di. She seems to have adapted to life here easily and it doesn't feel strange. Harry seems unusually quiet, sometimes smiling at me or Ginny. We haven't really talked and I feel so angry at myself sometimes. This vacation has hardly been special, and I already received the letter that says the Hogwarts Express will be boarding on January 9th at king's cross. There will be barely any time after New Year's. I have to do something. Fast. Ugh, not too fast. Ow, my leg.

Well, after a boring breakfast, pointless morning and awkward lunch, Di suggested we play a wizard chess tournament. So, we used Ginny's old set and Di's new one. The first game I lost (surprise, surprise) against Di. I was barely paying attention as I watched Harry and Ginny flirt with each other. Well, Ginny was hyper enough, but Harry was actually a little quiet.

As Ginny and Di fought for the final, me and Harry played a match. He was winning when suddenly a tower crashed into my hand. Tears filled up in my eyes. It hadn't even hurt that much, but I was fighting back sobs.

Ginny broke her vortex of fixation in the parallel chess world long enough to ask, "Are you alright?" Oh, yes, I'm perfectly fine, you twit.

I just mumbled something about getting a band aid and walked out. AS I searched my bathroom cupboard for one, I sobbed a little. Suddenly, I saw Harry reflected in the mirror. When I turned, he smiled a little. "What happened? Please don't cry," he said, stepping towards me. I managed a half-smile and also moved towards him.

"It's just…well, this Christmas truly hasn't been what I was expecting," I explained as I brushed away the tears on my cheeks. "Really? I think it's been brilliant. I've really had fun. Plus, your parents are nice. Although your dad's a bit on the strange side." he said. I laughed a little.

Then I noticed how close we were standing. I looked up and felt like his green eyes would drown me. We stared into each other's eyes for ever and when our lips met it felt so good and so right I never wanted it to end. He was unlike any boy I had ever kissed. it was so fab!

At one point we heard a yell of triumph from my room and we broke apart. He looked embarrassed, but glad on some level. Then the bathroom door burst open as Ginny rushed in announcing her victory. "That's great," mumbled Harry as Ginny told him and gave him a hug. He shot me an apologetic look and instantly guilt filled me. What on earth was I doing? Oh, marvy, I was stealing my friend's boyfriend, that's what I was doing.

After the tournament, I told Di, in private, what had happened. "Oh my word. You little sneak! And when do you plan on telling her?" was her reaction. "Er…how about, never?" was my plan. Di just shook her head and said, "Not a clever plan, Jules. You have to tell Ginny! She doesn't deserve this. If you had told her before, she would have chucked him right away. That's how loyal she is to her friends." She was obviously hinting off that I wasn't too loyal, and I can't say I disagree. Still, thanks a bunch, Di. I might as well have Jenna for support.

Anyway, I just sniffed pathetically and wailed on about how everything's screwed up and it's all my fault. And yet…oh, it was such a perfect kiss. What will he do now? Oh God, will he tell Ginny? Surely not on Christmas Eve? Oh God, I feel terrible. I must tell her. But not today, unless she wants a Ginny-like breakdown for a Christmas gift. Oh, I can't possibly face either of them now…And yet…oh, bum. Mum called through the stairs, "Julia! Get yourself down here this instant! We've got about an hour to cook Christmas dinner, and you promised to help me!"

I staggered downstairs depressingly, avoiding the room where I could hear Ginny's animated chatting. Good, he hasn't told her then. Yet. Oh God, if he tells her she'll kill me. if I tell her, she'll kill him. I', not totally selfish…oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to tell her. Just not now.

I helped mum make the dinner and we ate in an animated chat, very Ginny-like. Harry and I were quite silent, and as I helped myself to more of the goose stuffing, I suddenly felt the table quiet down and all eyes were on me. "What?" I asked, avoiding Harry or Ginny's eyes. "Well, er…I believe you volunteered to hand out the presents, Jules, darling?" Mum asked. "Oh, er…right. Ok."

We finished dinner and I handed out the presents. So, everyone sat in our living room sofas opening presents and hugging each other.

Ginny loved her make-up kit and immediately started applying eye shadow to her cheeks. Di loved her present, too. Dad hugged me till I begged for air and mum beamed at the dishes. Harry opened mine carefully, then looked over at me and grinned. Oh, his smile is so beautiful!

Anyway, I then got down to opening my presents: a new ultra hip nail polish from mum, a new set of dress robes from dad (surprisingly), who made me put them on right then and there over my regular clothes, a book on finding your true wizarding job (from Ginny), a mega bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a book on love spells (from Di. I nearly killed her after reading the back of the book).

And finally, a small parcel wrapped in blue was waiting to be opened. It was from Harry. It was the exact same shape of the parcel that had had my jade necklace in it for my birthday. My heart leapt as I imagined the necklace I had seen in the antique shop inside the box…but as I removed the lid, I saw it was just a pair of earrings. But what a pair!

It had tiny silver hearts hanging off of it. And as I put it on, it changed from silver to white gold to pure gold. "It keeps changing colour," Harry explained, grinning at my awestruck face.

Ginny observed me, and for the first time since I had known her, I saw jealousy in her eyes. She was holding a small pink bottle of perfume in her hands, which read, 'Magike'. She seemed to finally begin to understand… "Ginny! Er...I, uh, need to talk to you," I said. Harry seemed to become pale but he didn't say anything.

Ginny looked quite angry by now and when I led her upstairs she promptly asked, "What's going on?" I took a deep breath and made up my mind. "Ginny…er, I er…I think I'm starting to like Harry." Well, at least it's part of the truth. Ginny's expression seemed to soften somewhat. "Really? Jules, since when?" she asked. "Er…since I've known him." was my embarrassed reply. "Oh god…why didn't you tell me before?" she asked. "Because I knew you would care too much about me and you'd break it off with him. And, well, he really likes you," I said, feeling worse by the second.

She just shook her head and said, "Not anymore, Jules. I feel like we're drifting apart. It's not like it was in the beginning, we both had so much fun and our relationship felt really strong. But now…oh now, it's all wrong. he's just silent and I do the talking. I feel like he never really liked me…" I hugged her because I saw she was nearly in tears. "Oh, Ginny…I know why he's been like this," I whispered into her ear. "and I'm so, so, sorry, but…the reason is me." She broke apart and wiped her cheeks. "What?" Oh, joy.

"Well…er…we, um, sort of…kissed." I winced as Ginny backed away, looking like I had slapped her. "I…what…you…how?" she stammered. I shrugged and muttered, "Today. I was just healing my finger and he appeared and it sort of happened." I was starting to feel like I was on that ridiculous American show, Oprah. Ginny looked angry, jealous, and desperate all at once.

"But…you were my friend," she said sadly. I shook my head and said, "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I told you because you are my friend and I couldn't bear to see you like that." There was a curt silence, broken by mum's laughter and dad's loud voice in the dining room. Oh god, Harry and Di were still in there. Must do damage control.

"Er…maybe we'd better go back…" I suggested to Ginny, who sniffed and stormed out. When I went back to the dining room, I found her explaining to my parents that she had received an owl from her family and that they had returned early, so she was going home in the morning to celebrate Christmas Day with them. It was a flimsy excuse, but my parents bought it and said it had been wonderful to have her over and they'd be sorry to see her leave.

Basically after that everyone made agonizing small talk and went to bed early. But when I was sure Ginny and Di were asleep, and I couldn't hear anything from my parents' room, I sneaked over to James' (Harry's) room. I saw he was also lying awake. "Hi," I whispered. he looked surprised to see me. "Hey," he whispered back, "What are you doing here?" I smiled slightly and said, "I told Ginny what happened. I'm sorry."

He studied my face intently and finally whispered, "This has been all too confusing. Maybe she should have known, and maybe not." I frowned and said, "But…me and you…do you…I mean, I like you a lot, you know." I kissed him. Lightly. Impulsively. More kisses. Yum yum (and a plate of chips, please).

Finally I looked at James' old soccer alarm clock (pathetic, isn't it?) and saw it was nearly two in the morning. I gave Harry a last kiss and rushed off back to my bedroom. Heaven! But then I saw Ginny's troubled face (even when sleeping). God, what am I doing?