Chapter 69
Christmas with the Longbottoms
When Ginny got off of the train at Kings Cross with Neville, she said good bye to the rest of her family and friends. They walked over to the older looking lady in the flowered dress. Ginny stood there demurely beside Neville, acting like a proper lady in front of his Grandmother. "Good evening Mrs. Longbottom, I'm Ginny. Thank you for allowing me to join your family for Christmas vacation this year." She gave her a bright smile and offered her hand to the elderly Mrs. Longbottom which she took with a smile herself.
"It is a pleasure to meet you young lady. It is my pleasure to have you with us this holiday. I have wanted to get to know you better, ever since I had heard that you and Neville got closer. Well shall we go? We will be flooing from the floo network that is set up here on platform nine and three quarters. If you two will follow me, Neville be a gentleman and help her with her trunk." She cast a feather light charm on the two trunks to make it easier for Neville to move them, but still had Neville take the two trunks while she talked to Ginny on the way to the Floo. "So Ginny, I know your parents and some of your brothers. It is nice to meet the youngest of the family. How has your school year gone so far?" She actually seemed to be interested in what Ginny had to say.
"Well school has been great this year. We seem to have an interesting pair of DADA professor's this year. The former escaped convict Sirius Black and his friend Remus Lupin are teaching this year, and they are great." Ginny was enthusiastic to talk to the older witch, and genuinely liked her. It seemed that the feeling was mutual, and Ginny could actually see herself one day possibly becoming part of this family. "So what is Christmas like around your house Mrs. Longbottom? I know what wizardring Christmas is like, at least in a big family like mine, but I don't know what it would be like in a smaller family like yours."
"Well Ginny, we will be doing little differently this year, but we will be visiting Neville's parents at St. Mungo's, and maybe doing some shopping afterwards. We will then get a tree, and set up some decorations on and around the house and it. I will read the poem twas the night before Christmas on Christmas eve, and we will have a small dinner before going to bed that night. Christmas day will be a bit hectic, but I guarantee that you will have fun. We will be opening presents in the morning, and having an early dinner before going to church in the evening for Christmas service. Then the rest of the day is for you two to do what you want, and if I understand it right, you and Neville will be spending Boxing day and the rest of the holiday at the Burrow with your family. Well here we are at the floo, shall we get home?"
They took the floo network to Longbottom house, and Neville showed her to the guest room. Ginny gave him a kiss on the cheek and said. "I'm going to take a quick nap before dinner Neville, will you let me know when it's ready please?"
"Of course Gin, have a good nap. I will let Grandma know that you were a little tired from the train ride, and wanted to take a nap before dinner.
Ginny lied down, and was fast asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was having sweet dreams about meeting Neville's parents finally and how she would handle it. Neville had explained to her what she should expect, and that they wouldn't know who she was, but that they would like to meet her still the same. She thought that it would be nice if there was a Christmas miracle this year, and maybe Neville's parent's would come back to them. She didn't know it, but there was someone up there that was listening to her, and decided that the family needed a Christmas Miracle this year, and that they would come back to their senses this Christmas. There was a small voice that no one could here, but it was whispered into the air. "Sleep well young one, your Christmas wish will happen this year." Ginny slept well, and was awakened a couple of hours later by Neville for dinner that night.
The next day found them going into Muggle London to go see the lights, and do some more shopping. While they were out, they found their way to some of the more fashionable stores along one of the main streets. As they were eating lunch, they heard a 'hello' from a table next to them. When they looked over, they saw Draco, Pansy and Draco's parents eating lunch at the table next to them.
"Good afternoon Mr and Mrs. Malfoy, Draco, Pansy. Are you all out shopping also?" Mrs. Longbottom didn't know that they were all friends with the Malfoy's now, and was a little surprised that they were civil to them.
"Hey Ginny, Neville, and this must be Mrs. Longbottom, how are you all doing? Yah we're just out doing some last minute shopping ourselves. Mrs. Longbottom, I don't know whether you know my parents or not, but these are my parents Lucious and Narcissa Malfoy, and this is my girlfriend Pansy Parkinson." Draco seemed like a very nice young man, much more friendly than Mrs. Longbottom had heard them to be. She thought that it must be true that they have changed.
"It is nice to meet you Draco, Mr and Mrs. Malfoy, Pansy. I'm glad that we were finally able to meet. I like to meet the family of friends of Neville's." She was courteous and friendly to the Malfoys, and Pansy. She genuinely liked these people now that they weren't sworn enemies of her or her family's. "Won't you please join us for lunch today?"
"It would be a pleasure, please call me Lucious, and my wife is Narcissa." They sat down and had a pleasant lunch together. If any other witches or wizards were to come across this scene that didn't know the situation, they might have thought that they had lost their minds. They seemed to get along like old friends.
After lunch that day, they promised to get together again sometime to talk about different things. Neville, Ginny and Mrs. Longbottom finished their shopping for the day, and then decided to visit Neville's parents before they went back home.
What they found when they got to St. Mungos would change their lives for ever, and for the good. They walked into the room and found Frank and Alice Longbottom sitting up chatting with each other and the nurses. When they walked in, they turned towards them and smiled. "Hey Neville, mom. Look it's a miracle, we woke up this morning with our minds back. Oh who is this young lady Neville, she looks a lot like one of Arthur and Molly's kids, is this their youngest." They smiled at them and hugged them as they ran over towards them.
They spent the rest of the day with the Longbottoms, and then made their way back to the house. The Longbottoms were released that night, and there was joy all that Christmas, and the holidays went quite well. Ginny went home to the Burrow, explaining why Neville couldn't make it but without any sorrow. Everyone was happy for Neville, and sent their congratulations to the Longbottoms for the recovery of Frank and Alice.