Christmas Explanations

3

They arrived at the burrow a few minutes later. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and Periwinkle Anne Potter was fighting for her life. When this thought hit everyone, all arguments were temporarily forgotten. Everyone stayed silently in the sitting room, freely crying. Periwinkle was the youngest and most innocent out of all of them. She was so energetic and full of life and bliss.

The next day, James and Lily's owl, Nemmet, came to the burrow.

Dear Potters' and Weasleys'

There had been a Christmas Miracle. Periwinkle has made a full recovery and is being released in around two hours. We'll be there for the Christmas Eve Dinner as soon as she's released. And Molly, we'd really love to have you and the family over for Christmas! As soon as we're done eating we can all troop back to the Manor. There's room for all of you. Even Bill and Charlie, but we don't know if they're home.

Perry told us to tell you all to have a happy Christmas Eve, that she loves you all, and not to worry about her! As the twins always say she's a fighter. Always has been-always will be.

Blissful Christmas Wishes and Much Love,

James and Lily

There were tears of happiness, and lots of hugs. Ginny wrote a letter to the Grangers' to let them know that all is well with Perry. An hour and a half later, James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, and young Periwinkle came through the fire. Everyone embarced Perry, and then they all sat down to a dinner. All though Ginny and Ashley were still mad at Harry and Ron they decided that they wouldn't start an argument--For Perry and for a peaceful holiday.

After dinner, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Daisy, Harry, Ashley, Andrew, Rose, Periwinkle, Sirius, Lily, James, and Remus all trooped back to the Manor. They had found a way for everyone to fit comfortably. Ashley and Ginny were in Ashley's room. Ginny was on the couch that folded out into a bed. Harry had two beds in his room because of how often Ron was over, and two couches that also folded out into a bed. So Ron took the second bed and the twins took the couches. Each Guestroom had three beds. Two on the left with an end-table in the middle and one on the right. Bill, Charlie, and Percy took the first guest room. Molly, Arthur, and Remus took the second. Sirius slept on the parlor couch, so everyone fit perfectly.

The next morning, everyone gathered around the christmas tree. Because the conservatory and the family room were connected, they put the christmas tree there so everyone would fit. Ashley first opened a card that said WE'RE SORRY. LET US EXPLAIN IN THE PARLOR. Ashley sighed and looked at Ginny who seemed to be reading the same thing. Ginny met her gaze and shrugged. Ashley nodded toward the parlor, and Ginny understood.

The girls walked to the right, and slipped out of the door. They walked straight across into the parlor where Harry was standing by the coffee table and Ron was sitting on the beige suade chair. When they noticed their entrance they looked up. All four of them were still in their pajamas. Ron had on black sweat-pants and his maroon sweater made by Mrs. Weasley. Harry was wearing his green one, and blue sweat pants. Ginny was wearing a purple t-shirt and matching flannel pants. Ashley had on a pink night-gown. Both girls had their arms crossed.

"Explain away," said Ginny, sitting on the couch. Ashley took a seat next to her.

"Now, you may think that we acted like that because we're overprotective brothers. Well that's half of it, and we really are sorry about that. The other half is-well..." Ron trailed off.

"Let's put it this way. Didn't you wonder why I was beating up Dean and Ron was pounding Seamus?" Harry asked. The girls thought for a second and slowly shook their heads. Then it clicked in Ashley's mind, and her mouth dropped open. A moment later Ginny caught on, and her mouth fell open too. Ron liked Ashley, and Harry liked Ginny!

"Oh, Merlin. No, no, no, no," said Ashley and she slowly walked out of the room followed by Ginny. They each picked up a package and a card and went back to Harry and Ron. Ginny handed Harry her card, and Ashley handed Ron her's.

"Dear Ashley, I hope you like this necklace and accept what we talked about the other night."

"Dear Ginny, I really liked spending time with you. I was wondering if you would want to be my girlfriend. Hope you enjoy the bracelet."

"Er-You're dating Seamus?" Ron asked.

"I'm sorry, but you're like family. And...he got to me first," Ashley said. She left the room crying.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I've gotta go," said Ginny following Ashley.

The girls ran all the way back upstairs to Ashley's room. Ashley and Ginny say on the couch, and then they saw the presents. There were two packages, and two letters on the table.

"Go on. Read yours first," said Ginny to Ashley.

"It says: Ashley, I know that you are furious with me right now and want nothing to do with me. I know what I did was wrong and I handled the situation totally stupidly. I know I should have said this a long time ago, but I like you so much, and I was just to nervous to tell you, so instead I'm writing it. I hope you can forgive me, and I know that you think of me as a brother and that's probably how you'll always see me, but I just had to tell you. I'm really, really sorry, Ron."

"Oh my god, call the Daily Prophet, my brother has a heart," said Ginny.

"Well, Read yours!" Ashley told her.

"Ginny, It wasn't until last summer that I realized that I may have feelings for you. I tried to tell myself to think of you as my sister, but I couldn't help myself. I am so sorry about what I did the other night, and I deserve to be yelled at and...punched. Even though Ashley has so kindly demonstrated that already. I know I don't deserve to talk to you after what I did, but I can't stand that we're not speaking. It's twice as worse than I'm not speaking to my sister, who I'm normally so close to, and now you. It's really killing me, Gin. If you don't ever speak to me again I'll know I deserved it, but it won't keep me from hoping that you will. Harry," read Ginny who was crying like a baby.

"Oh my god, my brother wrote that?" Ashley asked alarmed.

Ginny nodded, more to reassure herself than Ashley.

"Now, what? I mean, who do we pick?" Ashley asked.

"We'll go back to Hogwarts, and have a date with the guys. Now, we'll rate the date. If we give it anything below a 5 we give one of the other guys a chance, but if it gets above a 5 then we stick with them unless we get another reason to break-up. Because I really like Dean, but I kinda like Harry too," said Ginny.

"Yeah, I like Seamus and Ron," sighed Ashley. The girls looked at the presents and unwrapped them. Ashley gasped at her golden charm bracelet. It was absolutely gorgeous. It had six charms on it. One was a potions bottle, one was a wand, one was a book, one was a cat, one was an owl, and one was the letters VAP. Violet Ashley Potter.

Ginny got a beautiful silver necklace with diamonds every three centimeters. Hanging in front was a 'G' made of diamonds. The girls put them in their pockets and ran downstairs. Harry and Ron were in the parlor still, gloomily playing chess.

"These are lovely, guys, but we can't accept them," said Ashley.

"Why? They're your christmas presents, even if we're still...friends...you can still accept a christmas present from us, right?" Ron asked.

"Well, I guess," said Ginny, admiring the necklace.

"Thank you so much, guys," said Ashley. She awkwardly hugged Ron and Ginny awkwardly hugged Harry.

"No problem," said Harry.

"Ron, I'm really sorry that I shoved you, and Harry, I'm sorry for punching you," said Ashley.

"Yeah, sorry for the punch, Ron," said Ginny.

"Er-It's okay, we deserved them. Did you-er...get the..." Harry trailed off.

"The letters?" Ashley asked. They nodded.

"Yes, and they were wonderful and it-" said Ginny.

"Takes a lot of guts to be-"

"Able to-"

"Write that-"

"So-"

"Thanks" Ashley finished.

"Twins, I'm telling you," said Ron, shaking his head.

"I don't think I like the idea of you thinking of us as twins," said Ginny, shaking her head.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Because then-" Ginny began.

"You would think-"

"That your own sister-"

"Is good-looking and it's like-"

"Dating your own-"

"Sister" Ashley concluded.

"Ew, nothing of the sort! There are many differences between you two!" said Ron.

"Like?" Ashley asked.

"Okay, Ginny's got brown eyes. Ashley's got hazel. Ginny's hair is elbow length while Ashley's is an inch longer. Ginny's best in arithmancy and transfiguration and Ashley's best with potions, charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Ron.

"And a few more. Ginny is a few centimeters shorter than Ashley. Ashley is a good singer and kick-boxer while Ginny is good with cooking and house-stuff. Ashley knows everything about muggle stuff, while Ginny has a lot to learn. Ashley's got hair about a shade lighter than Ginny's, and her skin is a shade or two darker," said Harry.

"Satisfied?" asked Ron.

"That'll do. Now...who's better at Quidditch?" Ashley challenged, smirking.

"Can't answer that one because you guys are good in different ways. Ashley's not as good at Seeking as Ginny, bur Ginny isn't as good at keeping as Ashley. You're both the same when it comes to chasers and beaters though," said Ron.

"Well let's go have breakfast," said Harry, and they all walked toward the kitchen. Everyone was already seated. There were pancakes, waffles, french toast, baccon, eggs, pumkin juice, and Lily bought apple and orange juice.

"Where did the four of you get off to this morning?" Lily asked.

"Oh, we just-er-"

"Went to send thank-you notes to our friends from school who sent us stuff," Ashley finished for Harry who was having trouble. He mouthed a quick thank-you, and stuffed some eggs into his mouth. After breakfast, Ashley and Ginny went into the conservatory. Harry and Ron caught up with them. Ron wanted to talk to Ginny alone, so Harry and Ashley went into the parlor.

"Listen, Ashley. I hope you're not still mad at me, just because I have a thing for Ginny doesn't mean I wasn't still upset we weren't speaking anymore," said Harry.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'm not mad at you."

"Good."

"Now admit it," said Ashley.

"Admit what?" Harry asked.

"Admit that I'm your favourite sister," said Ashley, smiling.

"You're my favourite sister, Happy?" Harry asked smiling.

"Thrilled," and she hugged her older brother.

Meanwhile, Ginny and Ron were in the conservatory.

"Ginny, are you angry with me?"

"Nope, not anymore. How long have you liked Ashley?" Ginny questioned.

"Do I have to answer that?" Ron asked.

"Yep."

"Since my second year."

"WHAT? When that year?" Ginny asked him.

"Well when the whole Chamber of Secrets thing was going on. When I heard that you and Ashley had been taken to the chamber," Ron replied, staring down at his feet.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry about this whole thing," said Ginny and she hugged her brother.

Right at the moment of love and peace everything quickly fell apart.