Chapter 38 - Christmas at the Thomas's

I woke up before Hermione, the only other girl still in the dorm, and left after dressing silently not saying good bye. I had said my good byes to Uncle Moony last night and given him his present, he was sad to not spend Christmas with me but he understood my wishes to get away. Seamus, Dean and Samantha were waiting in the common room for me. I grinned at them excitedly and went to follow them before looking up at the stairs to the boy's common room. Harry was standing there. I narrowed my eyes at him slightly before turning and following my friends to the Great Hall where we boarded carriages to Hogsmede to start our Journey on the Hogwarts Express to London. The journey felt shorter without the guys but I still happily chatted with Seamus, Dean and Sam as she prefers to be known. Apparently the name Samantha is too long, she's trying to make the nickname stick. We were picked up by Dean's parents and headed to his four-bedroomed detached house in Croydon. Dean's step dad, Daniel, was the muggle version of an Auror, quite high apparently while his mum, Jane, was a Chef in a Restaurant in London so they earned quite a lot. Daniel had dirty blonde hair that was quite long, he had piercing pale blue eyes with a large amount of stubble while Jane had gorgeous chocolate brown hair with that fell to just below her shoulders in ringlets with mocha coloured eyes which where the opposite to Dean's grey eyes which was the same for Dean's pale skin colour contrasting to Jane's tanned skin. Her high cheek bones and love heart lips that always seemed to be grinning. Dean had three younger sisters, all in Junior school, named Mary-Jane, Elaine and Grace with only a year between each of them that were all the spitting image of their mother except for their Father's dirty blonde coloured hair. They were nice enough but they seemed a little spoilt, all in a private school and all seemed to push Dean out of everything even though he was their elder brother. The first thing Dean showed me, after I'd get my stuff settled in the spare room with Sam, was something called a lap-top. It was incredible, it ran off muggle electricity and could tell you loads of information and you could owl people instantly. It was amazing what muggles had come up with, I wanted one but magic interfered with all decent muggle electrical objects. Dean showed me Alton Towers, the place where we were going the day after, on a map and a whole 'website' dedicated to it which told you all about the differed rides. Seamus, Sam and I were all bouncing with excitement. Daniel and Jane treated us to a Chinese Take-Away were I fell in love with Sweet and Sour Prawn Balls before we watched a film called the Lion King on the television, which was awesome but and almost completely reminded me of Harry! We watched another film called Homeward bound which was about the cutest animals ever that became my favourite film ever. It was quite late when that finished so Dan and Jane sent us all up to bed to be ready for the morning.

-.-

After waking up far too early, I sat in the seat of Dan Thomas's car for nearly four hours to get to Alton Towers but Merlin was it worth it. After we all got a bracelet to queue jump and Jane and Dan paid for us, we went under the sparkly red entrance that honestly made the place look magical. The three younger Thomas's ran off almost immediately with Sam chased after by their mum while Dean dragged me, Seamus and his Dad on the tallest train-like thing I had ever seen for our first ride. It was called Dynamo and gods was it terrifying yet still incredibly exhilarating! It was almost as fun as Quidditch! After riding on Black Hole, the Corkscrew, the Thunder Looper and the New Beast, it was time for food at the Burger King which was inside the Theme Park, it had the most amazing burgers I had ever had the joy of eating. After going on a few more rides, including the brand new Nemesis about a hundred times thanks to Dean and going to the gift shop and buying loads of stuff for extra Christmas presents, much to my dismay we had to go home. It had been one of the best days of my lives and, as far as I was concerned, I was forever indebted to Dean for bringing me to Alton Towers. I leant my head against Dean's shoulder as the three of us squished into the back two seater while watching the four sleeping little girls in the seats in front of me while smiling softly. They looked knackered, like nothing could wake them up, I caught Jane's eye in the rear view mirror and mouthed 'thank you' to her and grinned, and she winked back at me while I closed my eyes and napped the rest of the way to the Thomas's. The next day was the beginning of the countdown to Christmas Day, Daniel took us to his friend's football match which was brilliant and he taught us to play pool in the local pub. Even though I was in the muggle world I was never bored which was a shock to me because that is what I was worried about a little bit but the days where just full of muggle stuff to do. I didn't know muggles had so much stuff and who knew making cakes was so much fun because I certainly didn't. M.J., Elle and Gracie made them all the time with their mum, it makes me wish I didn't have a house elf to make me them growing up but Sam and I still had fun making a triple chocolate fudge cake for Christmas Eve dinner. Jane was making a Lasagne which was gorgeous! I can understand why she is a chef because she is so good at cooking it should be illegal. However the most interesting thing on Friday the twenty-fourth of December was after desert and after all the girls had gone to bed. I had just finished helping Jane clean up in the kitchen and make a start on the Christmas dinner for the day after when I bumped into Dean in the door way.

"You and mum finished now? I was just coming to get you to see if you want to play on the PlayStation." Dean asked grinning, he knew I would say yes, ever since he showed it to me and Seamus we had become addicted to the little grey game box.

"Try and stop me." I grinned at him when I noticed something above our heads. Dean noticed where I was looking. Mistletoe. Dean looked at me and smiled before he slipped his hand into mine and stepped forward. My eyebrows were firmly high up on my forehead in shock at the turn of events. I noticed just how much taller Dean was compared to me as he inched his lips closer to mine and then it happened. My first kiss. I never believed that when a girl has her first kiss her foot pops and sparks fly like in those silly veela written romantic stories than witches like Narcissa Malfoy read but Merlin... sparks flew. And it felt like it lasted an age before he pulled away.

"Merlin Ash, I've been waiting to do that for months." He grinned at me. "PlayStation?" I nodded and Dean walked to his living room the grin still on his face. If I'm honest I was still in shock and I didn't think about moving until after Dean had entered the living room. That's when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned around and remembered Jane. It's fair to say I blushed immediately.

"Saw that, huh?" I asked her, my cheeks burning. She nodded grinning. "I'm not sure what just happened."

"Would you like me to tell you?" Jane replied. I nodded. "My son has a crush on you and has done for a little while I believe. He's so much like his dad sometimes. Cheeky and Confident, that's definitely one way I would have described Reggie." She sighed reminiscing.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" I offered. It seemed like Jane wanted a chat.

"Please, love." She smiled at me. Milk and 2 sugars, she didn't need to tell me anymore, I've made loads of teas for both her and Daniel since the Sunday arrived.

"What happened to Reggie?" I asked her. She smiled back at me sadly.

"Regulus was a Death Eater." Jane told me. I couldn't hide my shock. "His family forced him, he never had anything against muggles or muggleborns, but his family did and it was all he knew. When he was forced to take the Dark Mark, he cried. He had planned to run away with me but then his mother put him under the imperius curse, just to make sure. He passed away before he even found out I was going to have Dean. I just hopes he watches his son from above."

"That's terrible. Ever since we were chased out of England because of the Death Eaters I've been taught that they were all terrible people, that they all deserved their fates. But I'm sorry about your Reggie." I sympathised with her. "I'm sure he watches over Dean."

"I'm being silly." She muttered wiping away a tear. "He was my first love. But my Dan, he's my heart. Go on, go play your PlayStation." She chuckled and I knew when I had been dismissed and joined the boys playing crash bandicoot, not making any eye contact with Dean, before we all went to bed, ready for Christmas Day.

-.-

It was the usual Ice cold but no snow weather for Christmas Day of '93 when Sam and I woke up. She woke me up of course with her excitement but I was truly excited too. I love Christmas! Daniel had put a Christmas tree in the spare room where Sam and I were sleeping for our presents and for Seamus's as well. Dean had gone downstairs with his sisters so open the hundreds of presents their parents had got for them while we opened the presents from our family. I opened the first present from my parents, they'd got me a magical mirror where I could say what I want to change about my appearance and it would give me a preview before I actually went through with it. From my twin I received a pair of leather boots that I'd been pining over for ages and from Abe I got a personalised ruby red quil set which was similar to what I had given Sam except with any personalised parchment and ink plus hers wasn't red. My next present was from Hermione, she got me a beautiful purple ornate hair piece which I slid in my hair straight away and a book called 'The Idiots Guide to Herbology' which I assume was a joke similar to the kids potion set I had given Seamus. From Ron I got some New Quidditch gloves and from Mrs. Weasley the usual purple knitted jumper with a silver 'A' on it and finally from Moony, he got me the most beautiful purple jewellery box that sang the tune to 'This is the Night' by the Weird Sisters, my favourite ever song and a pair of purple cubic zirconia heart shaped earrings, they were definitely my favourite presents, well until...

"You've missed one, Ash. Right at the back there..." Seamus told me as soon as he spotted it and sure enough there was a long present hidden behind the tree. I managed to manoeuvre it, I wasn't sure how it could have got back there, when I noticed it shape. It was a broomstick.

"Oh, my God." I said grinning. A new broomstick, when I really needed one, but who sent it? I didn't get anything off Adair but I didn't really except nor off Harry, my parents and Moony already got me expensive gifts without getting me a broom...

"What are you doin'? Open it!" Seamus ordered grinning.

"Do you wanna help me?" I asked and the Finnigan's nodded eagerly. I placed on my bed and the three of us got to work ripping off all the packaging. I couldn't find a card or anything while I was opening it but then I read the name on it.

"It's a... It's a..." I stuttered staring at my new broom.

"Firebolt!" Seamus shouted as soon as he read it.

"OH MY GOD!" I shrieked in delight. "SOMEONE GOT ME A FIREBOLT!"

"There's no card?" Sam asked shocked.

"No!" I said squealing and jumping around in delight. I had a Firebolt! The most wanted broomstick in the world today! It's a world-class broomstick and the fastest broom, capable of going from nought to one hundred and fifty miles per hour in ten seconds. It has an unbreakable Braking Charm, superb balance and precision, and hovers at reasonable mounting height when let go. It's the fastest broomstick in the whole world and it's mine! Rumour has it the Bulgarian and Irish Quidditch teams had all bought them for the world cup next year.

"What's going on in here?" Dean asked as he opened the door to the scene of me jumping around like a lunatic and Seamus and Sam just staring at my broom that was hovering above my bed now.

"Someone got her a..." Seamus started.

"A FIREBOLT!" I repeated, still squealing, still bouncing around.

"Wow!" Dean cooed and came in the room to look.

"It's anonymous too." Sam added. Dean walked up to the bed and stared at the broom.

"You have a Firebolt, Ash." Dean stated in shock. Even though he was a muggle-born he knew just how good it was.

"I know." I sighed happily. "I can't wait to try it out. I might fly it to Hogwarts and beat you all there when we have to leave." We all laughed at that.

"Come on downstairs, you can open your other presents from us. Not that they'll be any better than that." Dean said setting us off laughing again.

"You two go on ahead. I want to talk to Dean." I grinned at Dean who grinned back.

"Alright then." Seamus and Sam went downstairs leaving us alone.

"So…" Dean started. Then I kissed him. He was the shocked one this time. "Be my girlfriend?" He asked me after his shock wore off.

"Alright then." I replied. I felt like I was flying on cloud nine. He kissed me then slid his hand into mine and we went downstairs to here Seamus and Dan talking.

"So what's this I hear about a world-class broom in my house?" Dan asked.

"I'm not even kidding, it's like the Lamborghini of brooms." Dean stated whatever that meant but Dan whistled low to it so it must be good.
"Aye, the entire Irish Quidditch team has them for the world cup." Seamus repeated my thought from earlier.

"I can't wait for the cup! I might just get me a box ticket." I grinned at Seamus.

"You can afford a box ticket!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Of course I can, I've been working at Ollivanders for the past two years and have had nothing to spend all my galleons on except for a broom and now I don't need to do that." I squealed happily again making Jane and Dan laugh.

"So, who's it from?" Jane asked.

"I haven't a clue. No card or anything." I told her.

"Must be a secret admirer." Dan winked at me while Dean's face grew stormy at that thought.

"Ah well, I'll just have to let them down and keep the broom." I replied and nudged Dean. Dan and Seamus both raised an eye brow while Jane noticed us holding hands and smiled brightly.
"Come on, let's open the rest of our present." Jane cooed and gave Seamus, Sam and I an envelope each. I opened and saw a £100 voucher to Waterstones, the huge muggle book store that Jane had told me about and I was dead excited to go to next week.

"Thank you." I grinned at them then Dean passed me a little box. I unwrapped it and opened it to reveal and gorgeous silver heart necklace. I hugged him and he put it on for me. I got a mood ring I had been eyeing up at Alton Towers but didn't get and some sweets from Seamus and Sam got me the Alton Towers Charm for my bracelet. Dan loved the book on Dragons I had got him thanks to Dean and Jane, the snowdrop necklace which was the same one I sent to Mum with a framed photo of me with the Thomas' and the Finnigan's enjoying my Christmas without them which was my way of putting it to my Dad. I sent Moony a framed photo of me and him with a wolf teddy I had got from alton towers which is similar to what I got for Allie, Abe and even Adair. Allie got an Eagle for Ravenclaw, Abe got a Badger for Hufflepuff and Adair got a Rat. Because I don't like him. I also got Hermione an Otter Teddy from Alton Towers with a Ruby Bracelet that I knew she'd love and Ron got a Lion teddy with a box of sweets similar to the boxes I gave to each of Dean's sisters. I actually bought two lion teddies, one for Harry if we made up not long after Christmas. The last present I gave was to Dean, I had got him a personalised Quidditch Set which came with a cheap broom so he could play Quidditch or just with the Quaffle or snitch but no one who wasn't asked to play with it by Dean could see any of them, I thought it would be good for the summer so muggles wouldn't see him play.

"The brooms not quite good enough to play on the team but it's okay to just mess around with." I grinned at his shocked face. He hugged me tightly and thank me profusely. We but all our stuff in the bedrooms so any muggle visitors during the day wouldn't see them that Jane, assured me, there would be plenty of then I helped Jane start cooking the Christmas Dinner. It was finished at around 2pm after at least ten visitors throughout the day so far. After dinner we spent the day playing games well into the night where I fell asleep in front of the fire snuggled up with Dean thus ending my Christmas.