Day Twenty - Christmas Break at Hogwarts

The Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione are the only ones left in Gryffindor tower over the Christmas break, so they have a Christmas sleepover in the common room and wake up to exchange presents.

A/N: So this is in a world where it follows canon until the end of like GOF, and they're spending this Christmas at Hogwarts in the trios fifth year, which obviously they didn't in the books/films. We'll just take this as Voldemort was defeated at the end of GOF :P It's also a bit of a longer one, but my brain was running with the ideas.

'Don't get me wrong,' Ron began, 'I like our Gryffindor friends and everything, but it's really nice having the common room to ourselves over Christmas.'

It was Christmas Eve and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George were the only ones left in Gryffindor Tower. The Weasley's hadn't gone home because Mr and Mrs Weasley were visiting Charlie in Romania. Harry, of course, would much rather spend Christmas alone at Hogwarts than with the Dursley's. Hermione had asked her parents if they wouldn't mind her staying with her friends, and they were sad to not see her but accepted that she wanted to spend the holidays with her friends this year.

'It is nice,' Ginny admitted.

'You know what we should do?' Fred asked, a twinkle in his eye as he shared a look with his twin.

'What?' Everyone asked.

'We should have a sleepover tonight in the common room,' George finished Fred's thought.

'Yes!' Hermione shouted suddenly, surprising everyone. 'Sorry, it's just, it'd be nice to do that instead of sleep alone in my dorm room.'

'Agreed,' said Ginny. 'You guys all share your dorms but me and 'Mione are alone in ours and it feels weird over Christmas when we're so used to sharing our rooms at Hogwarts.'

Hermione nodded in agreement.

'Yeah, alright then,' Harry and Ron agreed.

'We should sneak to the kitchens and get some snacks and stuff,' Fred suggested to George, who nodded.

'I'll do it,' Harry offered. 'I have the cloak, after all, so it'll be easier for me.'

Later that evening, after dinner, the gang worked together to bring their mattresses down to the common room along with their duvets and pillows.

It wasn't until they dropped the last of the boys mattresses onto the floor that they realised there was a much easier way than carrying them downstairs.

'You could've just levitated the mattresses, you know,' Hermione told them.

'Is that how you and Ginny got yours down here so quickly?' Ron asked furiously.

'Yeah, because we used our brains, unlike you lot,' Ginny laughed.

'Why didn't you tell us?' Ron complained.

'Because it was funny to watch you struggle,' Ginny shrugged.

'And it's your own faults for not thinking it through,' Hermione added.

'Rude,' Fred and George said together.

The girls just laughed while the boys grumpily went to fetch their duvets and pillows.

They set their mattresses with the bedding on top out in a circle in the common room, moving some of the sofas and chairs out of the way so they could be a bit closer to the fireplace for warmth. They set the coffee table up nearby with extra supplies and put a bunch of snacks and drinks in the middle of the circle.

'Anyone fancy a game of wizards chess?' Ron asked once they were all settled on their stomachs on the mattresses.

'I'll have a game,' Harry replied. He knew no one else would bother.

Fred, George, Ginny and Hermione decided to have a few games of exploding snap while Harry and Ron played wizards chess.

'You know, I really miss my parents, but I'm still so glad I decided to spend Christmas with you guys,' Hermione stated as she took a sip of Butter Beer. Fred and George had hidden a stash in their room after the last Hogsmeade visit so they didn't have to keep stealing out to get them.

'Me too, it's nice having another girl around here,' Ginny told her.

'How dare you Ginny,' Fred said.

'Are went enough for you?' George asked in mock despair.

Ginny simply laughed and rolled her eyes at them.

'Anyone fancy a different game?' Ginny asked when they concluded their fourth game of exploding snap.

'What were you thinking?' Asked Harry. He and Ron had just finished their second chess game and were getting a bit bored.

'I dunno, just fancy something different,' Ginny shrugged.

'What about Never Have I Ever?' Hermione suggested. When she got puzzled glances in return she explained. 'It's a muggle game. You start by saying 'never have I ever' and say something you haven't done before, but that someone else might have. Whoever has done that thing, they have to take a drink. The aim really is to try and come up with stuff everyone else has done to get them more drunk than you.'

'Why Hermione, a drinking game?' George asked with his eyebrows raised.

'Never would have guessed that from you,' Fred said impressed.

'I've only played it once over the summer with a few muggle friends, and we didn't drink alcohol like you're supposed to, but it was still quite fun,' Hermione shrugged.

'Okay, let's play that!' Said Ginny enthusiastically. 'We'll use the Butter Beer cause it's not too strong.'

'Yeah, we don't want to be too hungover on Christmas morning if someone drinks loads,' Hermione agreed.

The boys looked a little put out that it wouldn't be the proper drinking version of the game but they agreed all the same. They made sure they each had a bottle of Butter Beer and decided Hermione should go first.

'Okay, I'll start simple I guess. Never have I ever spent Christmas at Hogwarts,' she said.

Everyone took a sip.

'That one was rubbish, 'Mione,' Ron complained.

'Well I thought I wouldn't start by trying to get everyone else to drink but me,' she shrugged.

'Fair enough. My turn,' he said. 'Never have I ever played Quidditch.'

Everyone but Hermione took a sip.

Harry went next. 'Never have I ever lost points for Gryffindor.'

They all drank again.

'Never have I ever got detention,' Ginny said.

Again, everyone drank.

''Mione, you've been in detention?' George asked in confusion.

'Yeah, remember in first year when me, Harry, Neville and Malfoy had to go into the Forest with Hagrid one night because we were caught out of bed?'

'Oh yeah,' George mumbled. 'Sometimes I forget our perfect Prefect Granger is a bit of a bad girl.' He sent her a wink. She simply rolled her eyes at him in response, though he cheeks did turn a light pink.

'Okay, you next then,' she told him.

'Okay. Never have I ever saved the whole school from a giant killer snake.'

Harry drank.

'Hey, Ron needs to drink for that too, and Hermione!' He said when they just sat there.

'Why?' They chorused.

'Hermione, we wouldn't have figured out it was a Basilisk if we hadn't found your notes after you got petrified. And Ron, you went with me into the chamber.'

'But I didn't really help kill it,' Ron argued while Hermione accepted her fate and took a sip.

'All who vote Ron should drink?' Harry asked the group. Everyone held up their hand.

'Okay. I see how it is,' Ron said as he drank.

'My turn,' said Fred. 'Never have I ever… fallen off my broom during a Quidditch match.'

'What is this, gang up on Harry day?' Harry chuckled as he took another sip. 'That was low, Fred, I was attacked by dementors!'

They all laughed.

'Back round to you now, 'Mione,' Ron said.

'Thank you. Never have I ever followed spiders into the Forbidden Forest and almost died,' she said, giving Harry and Ron a smirk.

''Mione, I'm offended,' Harry said as he and Ron both took a sip.

'Okay, if that's how it is,' Ron said. 'Never have I ever illegally snuck a dragon out of the castle.'

'Ron!' Harry complained as he and Hermione both took a sip.

'I'm sorry, what now?' Asked Ginny, Fred and George.

'Hagrid had a baby dragon, and we didn't want him to get in trouble, so we asked Charlie if he'd take it,' Ron explained. 'Some of his friends came to fetch it the night in first year I was in the hospital wing, so Harry and Hermione had to sneak it up to the Astronomy Tower. That's the night they got detention for being out of bed.'

'Bloody hell,' chorused Fred and George.

'Lucky you didn't get expelled,' Ginny said in awe.

'Okay, my turn,' said Harry. 'Never have I ever brewed an illegal Polyjuice Potion.'

Hermione blushed as she took a sip.

'Hermione!' Ginny said shocked. 'When?'

'Second year. We were trying to find out if Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin. And Harry and Ron should have to drink for that too because they helped!'

Harry and Ron tried to argue against it, but the others insisted that they should drink as well.

'That was not fair,' Ron said as he laughed.

'That's what you get for ganging up on me,' she replied smugly.

'That was Harry, not me! You're in for it now, 'Mione,' Ron told her.

She looked less smug now.

'Okay, my turn,' Ginny cut in before they could start arguing. 'Never have I ever snuck into Hogsmeade.'

Everyone but her drank.

'When did you to sneak into Hogsmeade?' Fred asked, gesturing to Ron and Hermione. They knew Harry had, since they gave him the Marauders Map in third year, but as far as they knew Ron and Hermione had never needed to.

'Back in third year, me and Harry followed Sirius and Ron into the Shrieking Shack,' Hermione explained. 'So I guess you can't count Ron for that one since he got dragged through the tunnel, but he already drank.'

Ron groaned at that realisation.

George was next.

'Never have I ever played a giant game of wizards chess.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione drank.

'Never have I ever done something illegal in school,' Fred said smirking.

Again, Harry, Ron and Hermione drank.

'Say what you will about Freddie and I, at least we don't do illegal things,' George said sternly.

'Shut up you two,' Hermione said. 'Okay, never have I ever snuck into the Slytherin common room.'

Harry and Ron both drank.

'Second year, with the Polyjuice Potion disguised as Crabbe and Goyle,' Harry explained before the others could ask.

'You asked for this,' Ron told her. 'Never have I ever stolen supplies from a teacher.'

Hermione groaned before she took a sip.

'Hermione!' Fred said, impressed.

'Who did you steal from?' Ginny asked.

'Snape in second year. We needed supplies for the Polyjuice Potion.'

Fred and George exchanged impressed looks.

'Never have I ever,' began Harry, turning to look Hermione in the eye, 'turned into a part cat.'

'Harry!' Hermione complained before she took a sip. The others all burst out laughing.

'When was this?' Ginny asked through her laughter.

'Second year, I used the wrong hair in the Polyjuice Potion,' she grumbled.

'What the hell?' Fred laughed.

'Your second year was a right crazy riot,' George told the trio.

'Okay, okay,' Ginny said as she calmed herself down. 'Never have I ever pulled a prank on a teacher.'

Fred and George both drank.

'What prank did you pull?' Hermione asked.

'Too many to remember, 'Mione,' Fred told her with a wink. She knew she wouldn't get anything else out of them at the moment.

'Never have I ever been the youngest child in a family of seven kids,' Fred smirked at Ginny.

'Git,' she glared at him. 'Of course I'm the only one who can drink to that. 'Mione, the boys are ganging up on us.'

'It would appear they are,' Hermione agreed. 'We'll just have to go against them too.'

George was next. 'Never have I ever got a tattoo.'

No one drank this time and George groaned.

'Damn, I was hoping to catch someone out with that. Worth a shot!'

They had made it back around to Hermione again, who thought hard before she remembered an obvious one that would catch out just Harry and Ron.

'Never have I ever flown a car to school because I'm an idiot,' she stated bluntly.

Both boys drinks as the rest of them laughed.

'Bit harsh there, Hermione' Ron coughed as a bit of Butter Beer went down the wrong way.

'Yeah, we didn't have many other options,' Harry defended.

'Hmm, let's see,' Hermione asked in mock thought. 'You could've waited for Ron's mum and dad to come back through the barrier.'

'You could've sent Hedwig to the castle telling them you missed the train,' Ginny suggested.

'You could've not flown the car to school without us,' Fred and George told them. They were clearly still upset that they missed out on such a fun school arrival.

'Anyway!' Harry put a stop to the responses. 'It happened, it's in the past, let's move on please.'

The rest of them giggled before they moved on to Ron's next go

'Never have I ever kept someone in a jar,' Ron said smugly.

Hermione blushed as she took a sip.

'What?!' Fred, George and Ginny shouted.

'Who?' Fred asked, looking impressed and a little scared.

'Rita Skeeter,' Hermione confessed. 'I found out how she was spying on peoples private conversations. Turns out she's an illegal animagus and I caught her in her beetle form and kept her in a jar until we got off the train at King's Cross.'

'Wow. Remind me to never piss you off,' Ginny laughed.

'She asked for it,' Hermione defended. 'Oh, and don't tell anyone, because I told her not to write stuff about us anymore or I'd rat her out, and if someone else rats her out she'll no doubt come after us again.'

'So you not only kept her in a jar, but you're also blackmailing her,' George clarified. 'I feel I've underestimated you, Hermione.'

'Shut up,' she said simply.

They finished the round, and did a couple more before they finally decided to call it a night.

They further discovered that Ginny was just as mischievous as Fred and George, if not even more so sometimes. She had apparently pulled multiple pranks on Filch, claiming it she didn't have to drink in the previous round of pulling a prank on a teacher because he technically wasn't a teacher. She had also pulled many pranks on all her brothers, mostly Ron, for which Fred and George always got blamed for.

'Mum wouldn't believe us when we told her it wasn't us!' Fred exclaimed when Ginny owned up to replacing Ron's shampoo with pink hair dye one time. 'We thought it was Charlie!'

'It was always easy to get away with stuff,' Ginny shrugged. 'I'm the only girl in a house full of idiot boys, two of whom are some of Hogwarts greatest pranksters, so why would they even think it was me?'

'Well, Hermione, we have to thank you,' George said. 'This game is a good way for us to find out who pulled the pranks we got blamed for, and it turns out they were all Ginny.'

Fred, George and Ginny further found out about the time Hermione punched Draco Malfoy in the face, which Ron always loved remembering, and that the trio had gotten into more trouble than the rest of them put together, at least if you counted the fact that the trio's wrong doings bordered on and passed the line into illegal.

'I still can't believe you guys snuck an illegal dragon out of the castle,' Ginny recalled at the end of the game.

'I'm just impressed by all the crazy stuff Hermione has done,' George announced to the group.

'Yeah, me too,' Fred agreed.

'Oh wait!' Ron suddenly shouted, startling them all. 'I forgot the best one of Hermione's!'

'What was it?' They all asked.

'No! No, the game is over now!' Hermione tried to stop him.

'You don't have to drink for this, I just think it's something everyone should know,' Ron shrugged. Hermione sighed in acceptance.

'Okay, you don't have to drink 'Mione, cause everyone knows now this was only you, but I'll say it this way cause it's more fun,' he smirked over at her as he remembered one of Hermione's best moments.' Never have I ever set a teacher on fire.'

'WHAT?' The others all shouted at once.

'Who?' Asked Ginny.

'Why?' Asked Fred and George.

'When?' Asked Harry. 'And also, why don't I know this?'

Hermione sighed again before she answered their questions.

'It was our first year, when Harry's broom was being jinxed. That's why you don't know, and we forgot to tell you afterwards after the excitement of you winning anyway and everything,' she told Harry. 'Obviously it was Quirrell, but me and Ron thought it was Snape,' she told Fred, George and Ginny.

'I'm sorry, you set Snape on fire?' Ginny laughed.

'Yes. But in my defence, it was only the blue flames that you can hold in your hand, so he was never in any actual danger! I took them off him and slid them into a jar once everyone noticed it. I only needed him to be distracted long enough for Harry to get back on his broom. Luckily, even though it was Quirrell, all the teachers got a bit distracted and Quirrell got knocked over so it still worked even though I got the wrong target.'

'Defend it however you want to, Hermione. You still set a teacher on fire,' Harry laughed. 'And Snape at that! We have to tell Sirius sometime, he'll be best friends with you when he hears that, they hate each other!'

They all laughed, and Hermione finally joined in.

'Okay, yeah, it was kinda funny,' she giggled.

'And badass,' Ginny concluded.

'Thanks,' Hermione blushed.

They all calmed down a little and finished off their butter beers and had a few more snacks. They all decided to have one last game of exploding snap with all of them before they settled down on their mattresses and got comfy.

'Night everyone,' Ginny mumbled sleepily. They all responded with something similar before drifting off to sleep themselves.

The next morning, they all woke up to find a large pile of presents under the tree in the common room. The house elves had obviously seen them sleeping in the common room and decided to leave their presents under the main tree instead of at the bottom of their beds in the dorm rooms as normal.

'Merry Christmas everyone!' Ginny announced as she sat herself up and stretched.

'Merry Christmas!' They all chorused back.

'Who wants some food?' Fred asked from next to the table full of food. He passed around a couple of things for them to snack on while they opened their presents.

'Who wants presents?' Ron asked. Since he was closest to the tree, he took it upon himself to pass out the presents.

Hermione received multiple books, as per usual, for casual reading and learning. She also received a friendship bracelet from Ginny and some new products from Fred and George that they were trialling specifically for witches.

Ginny received her own friendship bracelet in return along with a book on the Holyhead Harpies from Hermione. She, too, received some of Fred and George's new products, and she was given a new (and definitely not possessed) diary from Ron and set of her own Quidditch robes for their games at The Burrow from Harry.

Fred and George received a muggle pranking book from Harry, a book on advanced spells and potions specifically for mischievous misbehaving from Hermione, and from Ron and Ginny they received a bunch of their favourite sweets and prank products from Zonko's.

Ron received a book about the Chudley Canon's from Hermione, a new pair of Keeper's gloves from Ginny, some of the twins new pranking products, and some protective Quidditch gear from Harry.

Harry received a book on defence skills, since his favourite subject was Defence Against the Dark Arts and he was considering becoming an Auror. He also received some of the twins new pranking products

Harry also got a gift from Sirius: a two way mirror which, according to the letter attached, was used by his father so he and Sirius could communicate when they were stuck in separate detentions.

'Genius idea,' Fred and George announced while they took a good look at it, already thinking up new ideas for their shop.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all received some of Hagrid's homemade treacle tarts which they softened by the fireplace in order to share out after breakfast.

Finally, they had all been sent a selection of homemade mince pies, homemade fudge, and a Weasley jumper from Mrs Weasley herself.

They all gathered up their respective presents and returned them to their dorm rooms, and worked together to get the mattresses and bedding back to their rooms. They then got changed, all adorning their new Weasley jumpers, and headed down to breakfast in the Great Hall.

After breakfast they went back to the common room to enjoy the now softened treacle tarts from Hagrid. The rest of Christmas Day passed by with a few games of exploding snap, a very delicious Christmas Dinner in the Great Hall, and an afternoon snowball fight in the grounds. Dinner was a mix of sandwiches and things, since they all ate so much at lunch, and they spent a pleasant evening enjoying their new presents and just relaxing in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room with Mrs Weasley's fudge and mince pies.

'I almost don't want anyone else to come back,' Ginny spoke into the silence.

'Me neither,' Hermione agreed. 'It's so peaceful and quiet, and I can actually get some reading done here instead of the library.'

Just then, there was a shout from the boys as the house they had been building with the exploding snap deck of cards exploded.

'You were saying?' Ginny laughed.

The room quieted down again for a short while. They all eventually rounded off Christmas Day with a final mince pie and a Butter Beer each before heading up to bed sleepily and full of delicious Christmas food.

By the end of the Christmas break, the peaceful quiet had lost some of it's charm and they were ready to see their other friends again and get back into their lessons and learn some more things, and Fred and George were looking forward to expanding their range of products and having more people around to test them on. While they were ready for it to be over, it had still, all in all, been a very good Christmas break at Hogwarts.