The snowflakes danced around her as she walked across the grounds. There were children running around playing tag, and teenage lovers showing their affections by the nearby trees. There were young women skating across the frozen lake, gossiping all the while. There were young men watching these young women with a satisfactory grin on their rosy faces. One of these young men was sitting with his legs crossed, watching a particular young lady pick herself up from the ice on which she had fallen.

But our lead female character wasn't playing tag, or skating. Nor was she one of those lucky girls being kissed and caressed, though she wish she were. Those girls had the man they loved for themselves. She on the other hand...

She had a glimpse of red hair, and immediately hid behind the nearest tree, her heart racing. She peered behind it looking for red hair. She let out a sigh. It had only been a first year boy, being chased by a curly haired brunette. She heard a loud 'hem hem' from behind her.

She whipped around. Lying against the trunk of the tree was a blonde boy and a black haired girl. The boy was in Ravenclaw, and had a book propped against a tree in which she had almost stepped on. The girl, who was leaning over onto the boy's chest, had a Hufflepuff crest on her robes. They both looked around fifteen.

She backed away, not wanting to start a conflict. She made her way up the steps and through the oak doors into the castle. Students were running up and down the stairs, singing carols at the top of their lungs. She snorted at their immaturity. Surely one of them knew the dangers of running around a school filled with teachers just waiting to pass out dententions? It wasn't until one little girl passed a box wrapped in gold and red to another girl did she reminisce the day.

Almost everyone was cheerful on Christmas, but not her. Her thoughts dwelled on the past, and on the one present she had been waiting for for seven Christmases now. Sure, that may make her seem egocentric, but she knew better. She spent all of her time worrying about others, while seldom worrying about her own troubles.

She climbed the stairs, passing many ecstatic students, and even an ecstatic transfiguration teacher. She kept climbing the stairs until she was in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, behind which the access into her common room was hidden. She muttered the password, and the portrait swung open, revealing a crawl space behind it. She climbed through it.

There were many people conversing by the fire, or on the opposite wall. She scanned the room, looking for anyone with whom she wished to talk to. Just as she had placed one foot on the staircase to the girl's dormitories, deciding to go to bed, she heard someone call her name.

" Hermione, over here!"

She turned, taking her foot off of the stair, her stomach suddenly swarming with butterflys. She walked over the the freckled red head and sat down next to him.

"Hi, Ron." she said, staring at his blue eyes and almost drowning in them. She heard him gulp, but tried to omit if from her thoughts. He reached down and put a hand inside his bag. He withdrew from it a a small box wrapped in silver. He also dug a hand into his robe pocket and pulled out an envelope, sealed with a silver star.

He stood up sudenly.

"Here. This is for you." he said, handing her both the box and the letter. "I'll-er-see you at dinner, I s'pose..." With that, he turned and walked towards the portrait hole. She noticed that his ears were pink.

She turned to the package and letter, wondering which to open first. She decided it would be chaste of her to open the letter first.

She pulled back the star, being careful not to rip it, and pulled out the letter. Her eyes darted from left to right as she read it, her eyes widening.

iDear Hermione,

You may or may not realize how I truly feel for you. There have been nights where I couldn't sleep, for thoughts of you kept filling my head. There have been other nights in which I have dreamt of you. Not the typical dream in which you are most likely thinking, but dreams in which I had you, had you to myself and able to do whatever I pleased with you. I used to wake up acting disgusted, ready to vomit on the floor, but, in reality, I loved those dreams. I loved having you to myself, loved kissing you, loved playing with your hair. I was in denial, Hermione. I didn't want to admit that I had more than friendly feelings towards you.

At first, I didn't want to admit it because, well, at eleven you're expected to think that girls are icky. Well, I did think that, but you were the exception. Then, in our fourth year, you went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum, my idol. That was when I realized just how beautiful you are, both on the inside and outside. I guess seeing you with someone else opened my eyes a bit, but still they weren't opened enough. I dealt with it the only way I knew how: by arguing with you, by telling you you were fraternizing with the enemy. I was wrong to say that, and I am sorry.

It is true that we have always fought, but it wasn't that to me. Now, to you it may have been a just fighting, but to me it was like flirting. Fighting was the only way I could let out the bit on tension I had been holding up by not telling you. I love you, Hermione Jane Granger! But, how do you feel? I need to know. It's killing me, not knowing. I must know what you think of me. Friend? Enemy? Lover? Crush? Acquaintance?

Love,

Ronald Bilius Weasley

P.S. Merry Christmas no matter what your reply is. I hope you like your present. If you feel the same about me, bring it down to dinner./i

She had tears in her eyes. She ripped the paper off of the package, opened the box and peered inside. Wrapped in white tissue paper was a silver necklace with a diamond heart charm. She gasped at it. She hadn't exepected this. He couldn't afford it.

She quickly ran up the girl's staircase bringing her necklace and letter with her. She sat them on her bed and went through her trunk, looking for the make-up she never wore. She made her cheeks rosier with a bit of blush, covering it up with powder. She then grabbed a tube of lip gloss that tasted of strawberries. She didn't dwell on her make-up like most girls, she left it simply at that.

She walked back over to her trunk and slid the make-up back inside. She then pulled out a small bottle of perfume, the same bottle infact, that Ron had given her in their fifth year. She sprayed a bit and was immediately surrounded by the smell of strawberries. She too stowed this in her trunk. She then pulled her hair out of its haphazard bun, and ran a brush through it.

She turned to face the mirror. She didn't know why she was so worked up. She knew Ron very well, and his feelings wouldn't change no matter what she looked like. She glanced at her bed. The locket was lying on it, gleaming in the light. She grabbed it, placing it around her neck. It looked so beautiful there, as if it had been made for her. She hid it in her shirt, deciding to toy with Ron a bit.

Instead of making her way to the Great Hall, she instead made her way to the owlery. She pulled out a bit of parchment and quickly scribbled:

iWhat do you think, Ron? OF COURSE I LOVE YOU! Have you not caught on by now?

love, Hermione G./i

She gave it to a old barn owl, instructing it to deliver it within a few minutes, and practically skipped to the Great Hall. AS she entered she saw Ron look up anxiously, a grin on his face as he saw her. His face fell as she swept past him and sat at the opposite end of the table. He looked as if he were about to cry. A girl with firey red hair that she sat down next to gave her a half furious, half confused.

"Calm down, Ginny. I know what I'm doing." Hermione whispered to the red head.

She then waited for the owl to arrive. After about five minutes a hooting noise was heard above the tables. Many people looked up as the owl mysteriously flew around the room. Post usually came in the morning..

Ron looked shocked when the owl landed in front of him. He read the letter and then looked straight at her. She grinned and bidded Ginny goodnight and sat in the seat next to Ron, pulling the necklace out of her robes as she did so.

"What were you playing at?" he snapped, though he had a slight glint in his eye. She shrugged.

Just at that moment, one of the fairies some of the students had bewitched to fly around carrying mistletoe flew overhead. She looked up at it, bringing it to his attention. He grinned.

He pulled her a bit closer to himself and tilted his head a bit to the left. They kissed. There was a surge like electricity running through the two of them. They pulled apart after a few minutes, both panting.

"I love Christmas.." whispered Hermione.