Yuugiou!
Episode Nine and Three Quarters

Sorry about the gap in updates. I'm starting to work on another video game based on my favorite two characters from Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. Hopefully I'll actually be able to finish this one.

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter. And no complaining about how it ends. XP

CHAPTER EIGHT – CHRISTMAS

Malik could not help but turn around in his seat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and stare at the Ravenclaw table behind him. Over the course of the weeks following Harry's mid-air dangling, the young wizard and Yuugi both had been noticing that Kaiba was… well, being friendly. Malik did not want to believe it at first, but the fact that Kaiba was currently sitting amongst whom had obviously become his friends, chatting amiably…

"He snapped," Malik muttered, sweatdropping as the young businessman stuffed a whole piece of toast in his mouth in a very un-Kaiba-like manner.

"I told you so," Harry said, watching over his shoulder.

"I think it's great that he's finally loosening up," Hermione said happily from beside Malik. "He was such a prude."

Malik and Yuugi exchanged worried looks. They knew better; when someone's personality suddenly took a dramatic one-eighty, it was usually because that someone was not in charge of their body anymore. Speaking of which… Bakura chose that moment to come over and flop down next to Yuugi, waving a hand toward the Ravenclaw table.

"Anyone worried about the human garbage can over there?" he asked.

"Human garbage can?" Ron asked around a mouthful of bacon.

"Um-hum," Bakura replied, swiping a piece for himself. "I've caught him in the kitchen more than once, always leaving with food crumbs around his mouth. Not to mention he's being very not like Kaiba," he added, giving Yuugi and Malik a pointed look.

"Well, maybe he's decided to try to be friendlier to people," Hermione said.

Bakura, Yuugi, and Malik exchanged looks. Kaiba was not the type to suddenly be nice and friendly, but they did not get the chance to point it out before the bell rang, indicating the start of class. As people started to get out of their seats and head off to their classes, the three of them lingered behind, watching Kaiba as he clumsily gathered his belongings.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Atemu whispered, switching places.

"Oh, hooray for over used movie lines," Malik commented dryly. "Okay, why do you have a bad feeling?"

Atemu rubbed the back of his neck. "Umm… well… I ah… kinda gave Kaiba the Rod…"

The two of them stared at him like he grew another head. "You did what!"

He winced, holding up his hands. "The Millennium Items have been glowing ever since the Quidditch match; maybe even before that. I took the Rod with me in hopes of finding out why. It started glowing again when Kaiba and I were… 'talking'. I was mad at him, so I just… threw it at him."

"Oh how very pharaoh-ish of you," Bakura replied dryly.

"What if the other me is still in there?" Malik hissed softly. "I know you sent him to the Shadows, but what if a piece of him remained behind in the Rod?"

"I… didn't think of that."

"Obviously!"

"Hey, guys, what's up?"

The three of them whirled around and eeped softly when they saw Kaiba behind them… smiling bright and cheerfully. He let out a sound that was as close to a giggle as the young businessman could get, making all three of them take a big step backwards.

"Erm… Kaiba…" Malik began warily. "How… have you been feeling lately…?"

"Anyone hit you on the head really hard?" Bakura ask bluntly.

Kaiba blinked, looking almost adorably confused. "No… why would they?"

The three of them laughed nervously; okay, no way in hell was this the same Kaiba they were used to dealing with. Before they could press further to find out just whom they were talking to, however, Kaiba started off, waving to them.

"Don't be late for class!" he called cheerfully.

-.oOOo.-

The first snow fell shortly after that incident, blanketing the grounds of Hogwarts in several feet of fluffy white snow. It was a bit of a shock for Atemu and Bakura: the winters they witnessed in Japan had all been mild, with next to no snowfall. The tomb robber quickly got over his shock, however, and was pegging the pharaoh with snowballs at every opportunity, sometimes enlisting the aid of the Weasley twins. They got in trouble once with Professor McGonagall, however; the twins had enchanted some snowballs into floating around behind Atemu indoors, plunking him in the back of the head. After that, they made sure to keep their fun outside, much to the pharaoh's displeasure.

Of course, cold snowy days also meant time next to a warm fire. Harry and Ron caught Malik sitting in front of the fireplace in the common room one night, Hermione curled up next to him with her head resting in his lap. The results of that… were less than pretty…

"I would have killed them," Malik snarled after telling Yuugi what had happened, wiping cream from his face and hair. "They're lucky Kaiba has the Rod now. Screw the Shadow Realm, I would have just killed them."

Christmas approached, and a sign-up sheet was passed around for those who would need to stay at the school for the holiday. Yuugi, Malik, and Ryou signed up right away, neither of them wanting to go through the hassle of having to take the train ride back to London and then a plane back to Japan. Harry and the Weasley brothers also signed up; the Weasleys had to because their parents were going to Romania to visit their elder brother Charlie for the holiday. Harry did not have to stay at the school, but he said he wanted to – he did not want to have to spend another depressing Christmas at his home on Privet Drive.

"I'm pretty sure all I'll hear from Uncle Vernon is how I'm a freak of nature," he said in Potions the Friday before break, measuring out powdered spine of lionfish.

"Don't let it bother you so much, Harry-kun," Yuugi encouraged, stirring the contents of their cauldron. "You know that you're not. Hey, Malik-kun, pass the spider legs."

"Yugi-kun, how are you going to do your Christmas shopping this year?" Malik asked, handing over a small box with some spider legs poking over the edge.

"I sent 'Jii-chan a list of things I wanted to get and told him to take it out of my allowance," Yuugi explained, handing the box to Harry to take out what they needed. "He's been putting my allowance aside since we left for this country."

"Oh, so you should have stuff showing up soon, hunh?" Ron asked. Yuugi raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, no jumping the owl before it can give me everything to wrap," he warned. "I won't forgive you if you peek."

They did not find out until after Potions ended that day, that Kaiba was also staying for winter break. Most of the students that were leaving that evening were already packed, but the tall boy smiled at them warmly as they entered the Great Hall for lunch, waving and saying he hoped to see them over the holidays. Malik and Yuugi smiled in return… but once they were settled down at their seats, they exchanged weirded out looks.

"I'm scared," Malik murmured.

"Me too," Yuugi agreed as Hermione came up, tugging her trunk behind her.

"Have a good holiday, everyone," she said warmly. "You will keep looking in the library while I'm gone, wont you?"

They had been searching in the library for who Nicolas Flamel might be ever since Hagrid let it slip that he was involved with whatever that three-headed dog was guarding. So far, they had not had any luck, but they were determined to keep searching, especially Harry. He swore he had seen his name before, and poured over every book he could find, trying to remember where he had seen it.

"We'll do our best," Malik said, standing up to give her a hug.

"Anyway, Hermione, why don't you ask your parents who Flamel is?" Ron asked. "It should be safe to ask them."

Malik glared at him as Hermione giggled. "Yes, very safe. They're both dentists."

-.oOOo.-

The first day of Christmas holidays was bright and cold, and found Atemu aimlessly wandering about the grounds, so lost in thought he surprised himself when he shivered from the cold. What surprised him more though, was when he found an extra winter robe draped over his shoulders, a Hufflepuff badge on the front. He turned quickly, almost smacking a grinning Bakura in the face with his hair.

"Careful, your worship," he said. "Wouldn't want to get a royal cold before Christmas now."

Atemu frowned at him, but tugged the robe a bit closer to himself. "Thanks," he replied. They started walking off together after a moment, Bakura clasping his hands behind his back, not looking the least bit cold despite the weather.

"It's colder here than in the desert, 'ya know?" he asked after a moment. "Probably 'cause it's wet and cold at the same time."

"Mmm…" Atemu agreed.

Bakura glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before he stopped, forcing Atemu to as well. "Look, pharaoh, I'm sorry I blew up on you after the Quidditch game."

Atemu raised both eyebrows. This was a first… the tomb robber, apologizing! He almost wished he had a calendar handy so he could mark this day down on it.

"What was that all about?" he asked, trying not to let his amusement at his previous train of thought show.

Bakura looked uncomfortable for a moment; obviously, as he was not the type to just bare his soul, especially to someone he had been at odds with for the past few thousand years. Finally he put his hands on his hips, looking Atemu square in the eye, his gaze almost making the shorter man fidget.

"Pharaoh, if Dumbledore hadn't stepped in, what would you be doing right now?"

The pharaoh blinked in surprise, totally caught off guard. "Well… I… I wouldn't. Before now, Yuugi would have gone to Egypt and… put me to rest," he said.

"I knew it…" Bakura muttered, before saying louder. "Are you okay with that? Just dying?"

"Just dying?" Atemu echoed. "Bakura, I'm already dead. You're already dead."

Bakura held up a finger. "No, we're not, pharaoh," he said, continuing quickly before Atemu could object. "We're still alive. We still exist; as long as our souls are still intact we are still living, breathing people."

"How can you say that when we have to survive on someone else to exist?" Atemu objected. "We're parasites, Bakura, whether we like it or not. Our bodies died ages ago—"

"But we still exist," Bakura repeated. "We still feel and breathe and live. We're still people."

"But…"

"Pharaoh, aren't you entitled to having a life?"

Atemu paused, blinking. A life…? The only life he had known was… well, with Yuugi… and before that, it was living in the palace and protecting his country. He had lived his life as best he could, but it had been short. It… was supposed to be short. That was his fate; he was not about to argue with it. Bakura seemed to sense where his train of thought was going because he grabbed him by his face.

"You can't honestly tell me you're content with being a slave to your fate," he snapped, pushing him away and turning to leave.

Atemu stumbled a bit, barely able to catch his balance as he caught sight of Bakura bending down. That was the only warning he got, before he suddenly found a snowball in his face. He growled in irritation, wiping the cold powder away from his face, before kneeling down to scoop some up; that was it! He had had it!

Next thing Bakura knew, a snowball was splatting against his chest, thrown by a rather irate pharaoh. He smirked, scooping up another snowball, and before either of them knew it, they were in the middle of an all out snow war. Atemu was ducking under Bakura's throws, aiming in his own attacks at Bakura's chest and back. The tomb robber was taking it all in stride, not even really trying to hit him, just enjoying watching the pharaoh take all his frustration out on him.

Finally though, he got tired of the little game, and rushed toward Atemu, catching him off guard and tackling him into the snow. The pharaoh yelped as they rolled down a small hill, getting soaked with snow as they went, before they settled near Hagrid's pumpkin patch… with Bakura on top. He stared up at the tomb robber, eyes wide with surprise.

Bakura grinned, settling his hands over Atemu's arms lightly, staring down at him. "See?"

"See what?" Atemu replied, adding mentally, Besides you on… nonononononooooo! Not right!

The tomb robber smirked. "You get angry. You feel cold, and pain… you blush."

Atemu turned redder when he said that. "So?"

"You still feel," Bakura said softly. "Doesn't that mean you're still alive?"

The pharaoh stared up at him in surprise, blinking. He groped for the right words to say… but found himself at a loss, his expression turning rather dumb looking. Bakura chuckled, but before he could say or do anything else…

"What'r yeh two doin' there?"

Bakura looked up as Atemu leaned his head back… and groaned. There was what looked like a walking tree behind them, but anyone that had been paying attention at Hogwarts knew better.

"Hi, Hagrid," they said at the same time, before Bakura answered, "Nothing really."

Hagrid did not look convinced, though that might have been because Atemu was blushing hard enough to melt the snow around him. The giant set his tree down as the boys got up, and ended up scrambling off as Hagrid shooed them away. They did not stop running until they reached the short steps leading into the castle, brushing each other off before entering the school.

"Umm… here," Atemu said, taking the robe off and handing it back to Bakura. The tomb robber took it, slinging it over his shoulder. "Thanks."

Bakura looked down at him, expression unreadable. "Don't die," he said, turning and starting off up the front foyer stairs, heading off to the Hufflepuff common room. Atemu watched him go, face neutral for a moment… before he smiled softly.

-.oOOo.-

Harry turned over in his bed on Christmas day; he knew it was a special day that day, but he was not counting on getting anything, so he had every intention of sleeping in that morning. Happy shouts woke him up earlier than he planned, however, and he groggily sat up… only to see a small collection of presents at the foot of his bed.

"I've got presents!" he exclaimed, suddenly very awake.

"What did you expect?" Ron asked from his bed, opening up some parcels of his own.

Harry beamed, before grabbing the top most package, tearing it apart to reveal a roughly whittled flute and a note from Hagrid wishing him a Merry Christmas. He blew into it, grinning privately as it let out a sound reminiscent of an owl. He went for the next parcel and saw Yuugi grin happily.

"That's my present; I hope you like it," he said, and Harry ripped the bright packaging apart to reveal a starter deck of Duel Monsters cards.

Harry's eyes widened. "Are you going to teach me how to play?" he asked excitedly.

"Of course!"

The four of them continued opening their presents. Ones labeled "From Hermione" mostly contained chocolate frogs or Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, but Malik's obviously contained something different, judging from the sudden blush that came to his cheeks. The others tried to get a peek inside the box, but he snapped it closed before anyone could get a good look, the red tint never leaving his face as he set it aside.

Ron blushed as Harry and Yuugi each went for a large package in nondescript brown paper wrapping.

"Oh, no… mum sent you Weasley sweaters," he moaned.

"Weasley sweaters?" Yuugi asked.

"Yeah," Ron glowered, opening one with his name on it. "Mum always makes us sweaters for Christmas. Mine's always maroon."

Everyone opened their "Weasley sweaters"; Yuugi got a purple one, Malik got a lavender one, and Harry got a green one. Yuugi laughed happily, pulling the sweater over his head, his hair flopping out over the top before pulling it down over his face.

"Wow, these are warm!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah, warm…" Ron muttered, picking at his maroon colored one.

Harry chuckled, going for the last of his packages. He frowned; it was very light, almost like there was nothing inside, and when he tore about the packaging, something silvery and fluid slid out and onto his lap. Ron's eyes widened.

"Is that…?" he asked softly. Harry frowned, gripping the edge of the fabric and pulling it up over his head… only to be able to see Malik across the way through it. The older boy's eyes widened as well, staring at him.

"Harry… all I see is your fingers…" he muttered. Harry pulled the fabric down out of reflex, staring at it.

"I knew it!" Ron exclaimed. "That's an invisibility cloak!"

Before Harry could comment further, the door to their room burst open. He shoved the fluid material under his pillow as Fred and George burst into the room.

"Merry Christmas!" George exclaimed.

"Heeeeey…!" Fred cooed. "Harry's got a Weasley sweater too!"

The twins were wearing sweaters as well; blue ones with a gold initial on it, F and G respectfully. George picked at his, a bit of a frown on his face.

"I don't know why Mum always has to put a letter on ours," he said. "I suppose she thinks we forget our names."

"Really," Fred chimed in. "We know we're called Gred and Forge."

Yuugi giggled as the twins went over to Ron and pulled him up out of bed. "C'mon! They've got a feast down in the Great Hall."

They carried Ron out of the room, Yuugi and Malik scrambling out of their beds to follow. Harry grinned, moving to follow… when a folded piece of paper flopped down to the floor. He frowned, reaching down and picking it up. Unfolding it revealed a neat, flowing writing.

Your father left this in my possession
before he died. It is time it was returned to
you. Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.

Harry stared… Use it well…

-.oOOo.-

The Christmas feast was greater than any of them had ever had. Fat, roasted turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, boats of thick, rich gravy, and cranberry sauce… Yuugi and Malik tried to eat heaping handfuls of everything they could get their hands on. There were also plates of wizard crackers, strange little party favors that, when pulled apart, went off like a cannon blast before revealing various prizes, not to mention several life white mice. Ryou grabbed one of the mice that escaped from his, grinning and putting it in his robe pocket.

After the turkey was desert; flaming Christmas pudding with little surprises hidden inside, as Percy Weasley found out when he nearly cracked his teeth on a silver sickle. Up at the teacher's table, Hagrid was getting more and more red in the face as he called for more wine, before giving Professor McGonagall a kiss on the cheek. Malik made a freaked out face as the professor giggled, a bit pink in the face herself.

By the time Yuugi and the others left the Gryffindor table, they were laden down with prizes from the wizard crackers. The shorter boy bit his lip a moment, before giving his prizes to Malik.

"Could you put them on my bed?" he asked, hearing Atemu let out an inquisitive noise in his head. Malik gave him a strange look, muttering a "sure" as he headed off.

Aibou… what are you doing? Atemu asked.

Nooooothing, Yuugi replied innocently.

Right… the pharaoh muttered, not believing him.

Yuugi just whistled, an amused look on his face as he kept looking back toward the Great Hall. After a moment, he spotted a head of white hair walking up the stairs, leading to the hallway he was standing in…

Ryou blinked. One moment, he saw Yuugi grinning at him strangely, the next minute, he was falling over face first. A second later, he heard the tomb robber cackling in his head, making him sweatdrop. He swore the Ancient Egyptian got off on things like this.

Try not to kill anything, he murmured as he always did when he retreated to his Soul Room. Bakura smirked, now in control of their body, waltzing up to the fallen boy casually, catching the occasional dark murmur from him.

"And how may I help you, your clumsiness?" he asked slyly, grin broadening as Atemu tilted his head up to glare at him. Bakura shook his head in amusement, finally offering a hand to help the pharaoh get to his feet. He grumbled as he stood up, brushing himself off.

"Why am I getting the impression he's trying to plot something?" he muttered.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Now why would your 'innocent' outer half do something like that?"

Atemu gave him a dull look. "He is far from innocent."

The tomb robber sniggered. "Hard to imagine tha—"

He was cut off as something that looked like a weed suddenly fell from above, landing in Atemu's hair with enough force to flop a spike in front of his face. Bakura snorted, lifting the weed out of the pharaoh's hair and looking it over as he attempted to return the spike to where it was supposed to be.

Who the hell hangs a weed…? he asked Ryou, sweatdropping when he heard the boy giggle.

It's not a weed! he exclaimed. It's mistletoe.

And… what do you do with it? the tomb robber asked, noticing Atemu catch site of the weed and noticeably pale.

Well… nothing, really, but if you stand under it with someone you care about, you're supposed to give him or her a kiss, Ryou explained.

…Really? Bakura asked, sounding like a kid that just hit the candy jackpot.

Uh-oh… Ryou murmured. Hey, this is my body, remember!

Can it, Bakura remarked, holding up the mistletoe and wrapping an arm around the pharaoh, who looked like he was going to bolt. Atemu stiffened, trying to back away.

"Bakura…" he began, voice quavering slightly as the tomb robber came a bit closer.

"What? Frightened?" Bakura asked, his usual intolerable smirk on his face.

"I…I…"

Atemu felt like he was going to faint; this could not really be happening… He… he hated Bakura… and Bakura… hated him… right? And… and… Good gods he was really close and… he felt like his heart was going to pound out of his chest and his face was so warm and he knew he was so frighten… not that he would admit that aloud… He nearly jumped, feeling Bakura's lips brush against his softly… softly, something unexpected from him…

"STOP!"

Atemu and Bakura jumped apart, spinning around to the source of the shout. There was someone tall standing at the end of the hall, in a student's robes, and holding something glowing in their hand…

"Kaiba?" the pharaoh asked, blinking in confusion. What was he…?

Bakura suddenly shot an arm out, pushing Atemu behind him protectively.

"Bakura, wha—"

"That's not Kaiba."

Atemu's eyes widened, before looking back to "Kaiba" as he came closer; a dark, dangerous scowl on his face. Bakura took a step back, forcing the pharaoh to do the same as the taller man held up the Millennium Rod glowing his hand, grabbing the other end and unsheathing the dagger hidden within.

"Get away from the pharaoh…" he snarled, holding up the Item, "…you disgusting tomb robber!"