Chapter 10
Christmas Day arrived crisp and clear, a fresh coating of snow covering the hills around Jessica's house. She jumped up, put a winter robe on and went for a walk in the powdery snow. The sun blazed down on her face as she made her way toward her favorite spot on her entire property: the spot where James had proposed.
Her eyes leaked tears on her chilled face as she stood by the oak tree where it all had happened. In her mind, she saw him bend down on one knee, jabbering on unsure of himself. When he had finally let the question drop, Jessica had gasped out a yes. He had jumped up and whirled her around through the air, her feet never touching the ground as his strong arms encircled her waist.
Finally, she gathered herself up and apparated to the Burrow, where the Weasley Headquarters was. The door was decorated with a wreath of mistletoe and garland, making her feel as though it was finally Christmas. She balled her fist to knock, but her hand never reached the door. It swung open, revealing Fred who was wearing an unusually large grin. Before she realized what had happened, she had punched Fred in the face.
"Nice to see you, too, Jess!" Fred laughed, rubbing his face and grimacing.
"I am so sorry, Fred!" Jessica said, hugging him.
"No, you aren't! You've always wanted to do that!"
"Well, yes, but not on Christmas! Where's the family?"
"Come in, they're all dying to meet you." Fred led her into the living room. She looked around at all the happy faces, most of them framed in red hair, standing around the Christmas tree. The room might have been shabby, but Jessica would have never noticed, because of the current of excitement running through the occupants. A round, smiling woman came and shook Jessica's hand.
"I'm Mrs. Weasley. So pleased to finally meet you, Jessica, the boys speak of no one other than you!"
"Then they must bore you immensely, Mrs. Weasley, because what conversational topic could be more boring than me?"
A hearty laugh spread across the room.
"I am sure that they do not exaggerate!"
"You have no idea, Mrs. Weasley."
Everyone laughed again, and Mrs. Weasley began the introductions. There was Ron, his fiancé Hermione, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Ginny who stood proudly by her fiancé, the famous Harry Potter. Jessica shook each of their hands in turn, smiling shyly.
"We've heard so much about you, Jessica!" Ginny said, raising her eyebrow towards the twins.
Jessica looked at the twins suspiciously. "What have you told her?"
"Only about those times when you fell over the dungbombs—" Fred said. George caught on.
"—and the time you ate both a Fever Fudge and a Fainting Fancy at the same time—"
"—and that time that you set the Canary Creams on fire—"
"—and that time that you whacked Fred over the head with The Monster Book of Monsters—"
"—and the time I whacked both of you coconut heads with a coconut." Jessica finished.
"You whacked them with a coconut?" Ginny smiled. "They definitely deserved that one."
"Not yet, but one day," Jessica winked at Ginny. She giggled.
Ron stared at Jessica. "Are you the one that George will not stop talking about?"
Behind Jessica, George was making a line across his throat, mouthing the words shut up, Ron.
"George talks about me? What does he say?" Jessica asked, interested.
"Well…" Ron was enjoying this. "He says that you are beautiful, but he only can see your face—"
"I do not say that, Ron!" George said heatedly.
"No one ever told you that you talk in your sleep?" Ron smiled maliciously.
"All right, I'll unjinx your Cleansweep 13!" George exclaimed.
Ron winked at Jessica. "Ahh, blackmail."
Harry and Ginny collapsed in giggles while Bill and Charlie chuckled. Hermione took Ron's arm and gave him a Look.
"So, Jessica, Fred tells me that you are half muggle," Mr. Weasley said smiling. "Tell me, how do fellytones work?"
"Telephones?" Jessica smiled. George had told her that Mr. Weasley was in love with anything muggle. "Well, they run on wires through electricity."
"Ecklectricity?"
"Yes. I don't know exactly," Jessica said sadly.
"Well, that's all right. Can you tell me the function of a compluter and the interweb?"
"Well, muggles don't use books as much anymore, they go on to the internet on their computer where they can find everything out. It also runs on electricity."
"Come, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. "I am sure she does not want to go into too much detail of the muggle world."
"It's all right, Mrs. Weasley," Jessica said, amused. "Anytime, Mr. Weasley."
"Absolutely."
"Well, I'm off to turn the ham," announced Mrs. Weasley.
"Would you like any help, Mrs. Weasley?"
"No, dear, I'm sure the boys would want to give you your presents."
"But do you need any help?"
"In all honesty, another girl back here would help immensely."
Hermione, Ginny, and Jessica headed back into the kitchen. The scent of cooking ham and chestnuts wafted up to their noses and they inhaled deeply.
As Mrs. Weasley checked the ham and the chestnuts, the girls set the table and put out the side dishes. Finally, all was ready for dinner. They all sat down and dug in. Everyone sang Mrs. Weasley's praises as they tasted the delicious ham, potatoes, chestnuts, green beans, and much more.
"So, Jessica, the boys tell me that you work for them almost every day," Mr. Weasley said. "How do you survive?"
Jessica almost snorted into her pumpkin juice. "They aren't that bad once you know what to expect. Maybe I'm just immune to annoyance now."
"Believe me, Jessica, you aren't immune," Fred put in, laughing.
"How often are you at work?"
"Every day but Sunday; that's my day off."
"Interesting. What do you do on your free day?"
"Honestly? I sit around and wish I was at work. Life is pretty boring without one or both Weasley twins around."
Mrs. Weasley smiled fondly. "Yes, the boys can be a bit rowdy, but life almost seems too quiet without them."
"Aww, mum, you never told us that! We'll have to come home more often!" Fred exclaimed, looking touched.
"Play a few pranks here and there!" George added.
"Hey, Ginny's wedding seems like the perfect opportunity, it's not too far off!"
"Good idea, bro!"
"Guys, if you ruin a wedding, you have me to answer to!" laughed Jessica with an evil gleam in her eye.
Fred and George sobered up slightly. Harry jumped in to the conversation. "Have they attacked your home yet? They came up to Ron and my flat the other day and splattered some sort of foul smelling swamp over the kitchen."
Jessica looked at the twins who attempted to look innocent. "No, they haven't, and they still don't know my address."
"Not true, Jessica, that one night you flooed me over there and I remembered the address," George laughed.
"You didn't!"
"I did!"
Jessica slapped her forehead. "Oh, well, I have enough security around my house. After all, there's a ghost that protects me!"
"Really?" asked Ron.
"Well, you'd have to try to pull something on me to find out."
Laughter spread across the table. Christmas cheer was infectious.
After dinner, everyone got up and headed back to the living room. Jessica reached into her pocket and retrieved an assortment of small, odd items.
"All right, I have gifts!" Jessica announced to the surprised faces around the room.
"But you've never even met us before, Jessica!" protested Ginny.
"I went shopping with George and he told me what you would like." Suspicious glances were cast about the room. "Don't worry, yours is not jinxed, hexed, or in any way prank related."
Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione gave nervous laughs. Jessica pulled her wand out and transfigured a miniature teapot into a beautifully wrapped gift. "This is for Mrs. Weasley. Thank you so much for having me!"
Mrs. Weasley unwrapped her gift to find a new apron. It was candy cane striped with red apron strings. "Thank you, so much."
Jessica blushed as she transfigured a pen into another gift. "This is for Mr. Weasley. George told me all about your fascination with muggle artifacts, so I found the perfect one. I hope you don't mind that they aren't new."
The green paper fell to the ground to reveal a box full of electric plugs and batteries. Mr. Weasley's face glowed with pleasure as he thanked Jessica over and over.
Another gift was transfigured to yet another gift which was handed to Hermione. She opened it and gasped with delight. Contained in box was a necklace with a single initial on it. It had an 'H' on it in a swirling script. She put it on immediately, thanking Jessica.
"All right, Ginny, yours was the most fun when I found it. I hope you don't mind that it does not say this intentionally, but apparently, there's a whole line of items related to it."
Curious, Ginny ripped the paper open and laughed out loud. She held up a baby blue t-shirt that said 'The Future Mrs. Potter'. Everyone else had a good laugh over that one. "Thanks, Jessica!"
Ron opened his gift next to find a set of quills and inkwells of red and black no-spot ink. "Sorry, Ron, but George told me that you have a tendency to have lots of spots on your parchments."
"No, it's great, Jessica!"
Harry got the same gift, only his had green and black ink. He smiled and thanked Jessica. Charlie and Bill opened their gifts up next, smiling as they picked up their Firebolt 2 models.
"I'm sorry I couldn't find anything more manly, but I hope you like these," Jessica apologized. She did not have a need to. Bill immediately got his out and watched it zoom around his head after the small snitch enclosed in it.
"And last, but not least," Jessica said with a smile, "My favorite twins."
She carefully transfigured two identically wrapped gifts and handed them to Fred and George. Trying to hold a smile back, she watched as they unwrapped them.
Two hats fell out of the paper. They looked at her, identical eyebrows raised. "Come on, put them on!" she encouraged. With a suspicious look at their friend, they put the hats on their heads. At once, the identical heads turned into identical coconuts. The room burst out in laughter. Mr. Weasley, though laughing, was looking around confusedly.
"Is there an inside joke I'm missing?"
"Sorry, Mr. Weasley, but the answer is yes," gasped Jessica through her laughter.
The boys snatched the hats off and looked menacingly at Jessica, though their own withheld laughter was breaking through. "Clever, clever, but wait until you see our gift to you!"
Jessica stopped in mid giggle. When George came back with the gift, Jessica was relieved to see that it was merely an envelope. She opened it slowly. Out fell a key and a note. Being polite, she read the note first before examining the key.
Dear Jessica,
After all your long and hard work at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, we have seen fit to offer you a ten galleon raise. The key enclosed is the key to the vault at Gringotts where your bonus is included.
Jessica looked up in surprise. "Ten galleons and a bonus?" The twins merely pointed down at the rest of the letter, smiling.
You have been such a great friend to us, and we fear that we have not been as great of a friend in return. (We fear that eight non-annoyance hours are not enough to show how much you mean to us) In addition to your pay raise, we would like to invite you to the Bahamas when we take a break in March. Lee will be invited.
Your dear friends,
FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY
Jessica stared at her friends for a moment. "You mean that?"
"Of course!" they exclaimed together. "Will you come?"
She stood up slowly, overwhelmed by the friendship they were showing. "Absolutely!"
She wrapped the both of them up in a hug and before they knew what was happening, she kissed them both on the cheek and squeezed them again. After they were released, George's face turned as red as his hair and he tried to turn away, but Jessica was too excited to realize his expression.
The rest of the evening was filled with games and Christmas merriment, and as Jessica was about to apparate home, Mrs. Weasley stopped her.
"I have never seen my boys so content, George exceptionally so. I am sure that your friendship means so much to them."
"I don't know what I would be without them. They are wonderful boys. You have raised them so well." Mrs. Weasley blushed. "Thank you so much for your kindness."
She hugged Mrs. Weasley and stepped out the door to apparate home. Barely three steps outside, George appeared behind her.
"Jessica," he said, slightly nervous. She turned quickly.
"Yes?"
"I know that Fred and I gave you a gift, but I have one from just me."
"You didn't have to do that, George," she said, her eyes misting over. Without thinking, though, her hand had closed over the small package. Tears came to her eyes as she saw the gift. It was wrapped painstakingly well. "It's the most beautifully wrapped gift I've ever seen."
"It's even more beautiful on the inside," George smiled at her. Almost afraid to ruin the beautiful wrapping, she carefully opened it and slid a small white box. In the box was the necklace that Jessica had coveted when they went shopping. It glittered in the cold sunlight and Jessica held it to her heart. "May I?" he asked softly. He took the necklace from the box and Jessica lifted her brown locks and turned around. George's breath hitched as he reached around her exposed white neck and secured the jewelry. As Jessica turned around again to face him, George explained haltingly. "I saw you when you spotted this. I've never seen you want something like this so much. As soon as I noticed it, I got it for you. I don't know why I did it, but you deserve something more than money."
Sniffling, she threw her arms around George's neck. "It's the most wonderful Christmas gift I've ever gotten," she choked out into George's ear. She did not let go immediately, but the two of them found peace just sitting there, arms wrapped around each other. George closed his eyes, breathing her in, but Jessica came to her senses and let go, her cheeks a little pink, and apparated.
From the window, Fred watched the exchange with utter delight. Things were going perfectly.
A/N: Whoa, I put my note at the END this time! Anyway, I was feeling very Christmasy (I'm home from Japan on break!) so I decided to update before going caroling! Thank you so much to my reviewers, I love you all! Merry Christmas to all!