Chapter 21
"Hey, what're you doing down here?" Oliver was surprised to see Katie curled up in a blanket on the couch, in front of the still-roaring fire. They had eaten a quiet dinner with Katie's family, who, in all honesty, really liked Oliver. Patrick and Daniel (Katie's father) were doing their best to ignore the fact that he was Katie's boyfriend, for the time being. It would be easier for everyone if they liked him as Katie's friend and then acknowledged the fact that he was Katie's boyfriend. Aimee, on the other hand, loved the idea that Katie and Oliver were dating. They had spent dinner talking about a variety of topics, including marks, Quidditch, Puddlemere United, and Daniel's work at the Ministry. All in all Oliver had given everyone a good impression, and was feeling quite a bit more confident about being around Katie's parents.
"I couldn't sleep," Katie said softly, not turning around. "What about you?"
"Same." Oliver smiled as he sat down next to Katie; she opened up the blanket she was wrapped in, allowing Oliver to snuggle into its warmth. He wrapped his arms around her as she laid her head on his chest. "Sickle for your thoughts?" Oliver asked as he kissed Katie softly on the forehead.
"I was thinking about you … and us."
"Really? And what about me … and us?" Katie shrugged and smiled mysteriously. "Oh I see, playing hard to get are we?" Oliver leaned over and tried to kiss Katie's neck, but she pushed him away.
"Oh thanks for reminding me, you're in big trouble!"
"Why? What did I do?" Katie gave him an annoyed look and then turned so he could see the other side of her neck.
"You gave me a bloody hickey that's what you did." Oliver bit his lip to stifle a laugh. "I look like a damn leper."
"But hey, a hickey from Kenickie is like a Hallmark card."
"Yeah, well you're not Kenickie and I'm not Rizzo, so keep 'em to yourself." Oliver grinned and traced her jaw line with his finger.
"Ah, but something tells me that I'm not the only one that enjoyed that."
"Prat," Katie stated as she snuggled back into him.
After a few moments of silence, Oliver asked, "Katie, I thought we could go out, just the two of us, on Christmas Eve."
"That's tomorrow."
"I know. Would you like to?"
"Sure. I want to give you your present away from the prying eyes of my family anyways." Katie smiled coyly.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really." Katie laughed as she rested her head on Oliver's shoulder, sighing contentedly.
The Next Morning, Christmas Eve; The Burrow
"Hi, we're looking for Fred and George."
"Come on in." The redheaded man who had opened the door smiled and opened the door wider so that Angelina and Alicia could step inside. He motioned for them to take off their coats and took them once they had done so, hanging them up on the coat rack behind the door. "Ah, yes you must be Angelina and Alicia. I'm Charlie, the twin's second oldest brother. Sorry for my lack of tact, but which one is which?" The two girls laughed.
"I'm Alicia," said the girl on the right. She had long black hair and deep brown eyes and was, strangely enough, wearing a traditional Weasley jumper with a large 'G' on the front.
"And I'm Angelina," said the other girl. She had wavy dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes; she was also wearing a Weasley jumper, but hers had an 'F' on it.
"Good to meet you." Charlie shook hands with both of them, smiling. "I'm assuming by the jumpers, that you're George's girlfriend," he motioned to Alicia, "and you're Fred's girlfriend," he motioned to Angelina. "Am I right?"
"Uh-huh," Angelina answered with a smile.
"Gred, Forge! Get your arses downstairs!" There was silence for a few moments before Charlie yelled again. "Gred! Forge! Get your lazy arses out of bed!" Again, there was silence. "FREDERICK ANTHONY WEASLEY! GEORGE CHRISTOPHER WEALSEY! GET UP!"
"Oy Charlie! It's early!"
"Why do you always have to wake us up this early?!" Fred and George whined as they stumbled down the stairs, rubbing their eyes. They were both dressed in their pajamas; Fred in a pair of red flannel pants and a rumpled, blue and silver, Appleby Arrow's shirt and George in a pair of blue flannel pants with a, black and scarlet Ballycastle Bats shirt, half-on.
"Well, I suppose I could have told your girlfriends that you were asleep and to come back later." Fred and George were immediately wide-awake; having had their eyes only partially open because of the bright lights, they hadn't noticed the girls in the room. Their faces lit up at seeing Angelina and Alicia standing there. Charlie smiled and tipped an imaginary hat to the girls before leaving the room.
"Hello," the twins said at the same time.
"Good morning," Angelina and Alicia said with coy smiles.
"Oh screw the formalities!" Fred yelled. The girls laughed as the their respective boyfriends scooped them up simultaneously, kissing them.
"Ah, now that's better," Fred said with a smile.
"Now go get dressed, we have a surprise."
"But, wait, Angel, what are you two doing here?"
"Yeah, I thought you both had to stay home with family?"
"Well, we got one day to give you two your Christmas present, so go get dressed!" Alicia turned George around and nudged him towards the staircase.
30 Minutes Later
"Oy! Mum! We're going for a walk … or something," Fred yelled in the direction of the kitchen.
"We'll be back for dinner!" George held out his hand for Alicia and their fingers entwined automatically as she took it. The four of them stepped out into the cold, snowy world and started towards the village at the bottom of the hill.
"Actually," Angelina said as she and Alicia stopped abruptly once they were a few yards outside of The Burrow's front gate. "We'll be going to Hogsmeade, by Portkey, more specifically." She smiled deviously as she took a battered-looking quill out of her pocket and held it out for them. They all put a hand on it and in moments, felt that familiar tug at their navel.
When they were all on solid ground once again, they looked around. They were standing in the middle of the main street of Hogsmeade. To their right was Zonko's Joke Shop (which made the twin's eyes light up and Angelina and Alicia snicker quietly) and to their left was Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions (which made Angelina and Alicia's eyes light up and the twins pale slightly).
"Okay, I suppose now's as good a time as any," Alicia said, smiling mischievously as she and Angelina pulled matching black scarves out of their coats.
"What're you doing with those?" George asked warily.
"Oh come on. It won't be a surprise if we don't blindfold you!" The twins started to back away slowly, but their girlfriends were much too quick for them. They whirled the two Weasley boys around and tied the black scarves around their heads tightly, but not so much so that it would cut off circulation. Then, Angelina and Alicia started to lead them carefully down the street. Having been spun around several times in the attempt to get them blindfolded, the twins had absolutely no idea where they were going or where they were … other than that they were walking down a street in Hogsmeade. Angelina and Alicia were conversing quietly behind them, so quietly that they could only catch small bits of the conversations.
"… a year …"
"… beautiful place …"
"… so surprised … hope goes well …"
"… finally get started … it will …"
"Fred, stop trying to listen to our conversation!" Angelina cried indignantly, smacking her boyfriend upside the head from behind.
"Well I know why we've nicknamed you 'Angel'. Our sarcastic tendencies really coming out there," Fred stated with a smirk.
"Oh! We're here!" George could hear the smile in Alicia's voice as he felt himself being led inside, evident by the fact that the air was a much warmer temperature.
"Can we take these things off yet?" George asked impatiently.
"No, not yet. Just wait one more minute." Alicia and Angelina disappeared and a few moment's later, Angelina's voice rang out again "Okay, take them off!"
Within seconds the blindfolds were off and the Weasley twins were looking around, quite confused. They were in a shop; there was a counter a few yards away from them, behind which Angelina and Alicia were standing. There was a large window behind them and four, plain, gray walls around them. They could see a doorway behind the girls, which they assumed led to a back room or storage room of some sort.
"Happy Christmas!" Angelina and Alicia said together, grinning like fools.
"But," George began.
"I don't understand," Fred continued.
"Oh, I'll be happy to enlighten you, my dears." Alicia smiled even wider, if that was possible, as she came out from behind the counter. "This is a shop, a prime spot in Hogsmeade. It is of good size, particularly for a business that is just starting out. It is very near the center of the town."
"And, the day after our graduation, next year, this shop will belong to Mr. Frederick and Mr. George Weasley. It is a three year lease, with room to expand into the neighboring shops, if you so wish." Angelina giggled slightly as she finished her little explanation.
"You bought …" Fred was hopelessly unable to string more than two words together and George was much the same.
"For us?"
"All for you! Happy Christmas!" the girls chimed together. Fred and George ran to them, scooping them up in their arms and covering them with kisses, while the girls giggled. The rest of the day was spent exploring the shop and planning out exactly where everything would go. Along with some butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks and a good snog or two, of course.
A/N: Sorry this took so long; I've been super busy. I'm also really sorry because this chapter kind of sucks … a lot. Okay! Fine! It sucks ass! But I'm sorry! If I didn't post it like this and tried to re-write it, it wouldn't have been posted until after the 17th! And I don't think any of you want that! So please review, even if it is a flame (because I have some marshmallows I'd like to roast). Much thanks to HarryPotterFan670 and The-Dark-Rose-of-Insanity for their loverly reviews. To the rest of you:
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Kale: WEE! I own Harry Potter!
Pia: ::knocks Kale out with her frying pan:: Neither he, nor I, own Harry Potter. So don't sue or I'll knock you out with my marvy frying pan of justice. Oh yeah babay! :)
