Christmas presents

Myrtle moved among the flood of students returning to Hogwarts after Christmas vacation, a small wrapped package clutched in her left pocket.

'Bakura, I got you something for Christmas.' 'People normally get each other things for Christmas; I got you this.' 'This is for you.' Myrtle's fingers curled and uncurled around the package as she walked up the stairs to the library.

'How was Christmas vacation?' 'Did your special classes go well?' 'Did you miss me?' It didn't take long for Myrtle to find him; she already knew that he would be in the back somewhere. "Did you find out what we needed?"

Bakura looked up from the parchment he had been carefully writing on. "Yeah; it was in the final volume." Rolling his eyes, he placed the quill aside. "Did you get what we needed?"

"Yes." Myrtle nodded hastily, and sat down across from him. "I left it in my trunk though; do you mind?"

Bakura shook his head. "We should try it tomorrow; if you don't mind."

"I finished all my homework before I left." Myrtle paused; thinking about the package, probably melting, in her pocket. "How did your classes go?"

"Well enough; I really think I could be catching up soon, if my classes this summer go as well."

"So Christmas vacation went well?"

"I guess so; it was sort of boring though." Bakura offered her a half smile; breaking a very bored look that had stretched out uninterrupted until that point.

Myrtle couldn't help but smile; that was probably the closest to 'I missed you' she would get, or be willing to dig for.

"Dinner is in a few minutes." Myrtle noted, her eyes falling from Bakura's face, to the parchment he had been scribbling on. "What were you doing?"

"Just taking some notes for potions; I'm taking a progress test on Sunday." Bakura replied, checked the ink, and rolled up the parchment; dropping it into his bag.

"Perhaps you should check the pot; we could go down to the common room and I could go get it." Myrtle suggested tentatively. She should give him the present; what was she saying?

"I'm sure it's fine." Bakura's tone was somewhat clipped, but then he sighed; visibly relaxing. "The feelings are getting stronger, but it can all wait for tomorrow, and then it'll all, hopefully, be over." He paused for only a moment before moving quickly on to another topic. "By the time we get down there, it will probably be dinner time."

"Ok." Standing at the same time, Myrtle accepted his offered hand, and leaned into him slightly as they walked down to the Great Hall; even with all her family around her, there was nothing to replace this feeling.

"So, what did you do over Christmas vacation?" Bakura asked as they sat down; their arrival in the entrance hall had been only a few moments before the Great Hall's doors opened to admit the students to dinner.

"Well…" Myrtle thought over his question as she served herself mashed potatoes and chicken. "My brother was home; so we all went to see the Nutcracker." Bakura's blank look interrupted her. "It's a performance; a sort of dance thing with music and singing." Myrtle quickly explained, to his near satisfaction; some things seemed impossible to explain to him. "On Christmas we visited my mother's mother and father, and my two aunts, and three cousins were all there; we had a huge dinner."

"Sounds interesting," Bakura nibbled at a roll; his eyes turning somewhat vacant, as if his mind was far from there.

"Bakura." Myrtle took a deep breath as the boy's eyes refocused on her. "People give each other things for Christmas; so I got you something."

Reaching deep into her pocket, it took Myrtle a moment to retrieve the package; dropping it in front of Bakura as if it had bitten her. "I hope you like it; I couldn't think of anything at first, and…" Myrtle trailed off nervously, wondering if he would blow up at her for being timid.