Day Twenty-One - Sleigh Ride
Ron books a sleigh ride for him and Hermione through Hogsmeade.
'What do you think?' Ron asked hesitantly.
'Oh, Ron, it's a wonderful idea!' Hermione gushed, turning to give him a hug. He stumbled backwards a little, too relieved to say much.
He had booked a sleigh ride for him and Hermione through Hogsmeade. It would take them through the village streets, and then it would take off and give them a good view of the mountains surrounding the village. He wasn't sure she would like it since she wasn't the biggest fan of heights, but she seemed to be thrilled at the idea.
'Are you sure it's okay? You're not scared?' Ron asked her.
'Of course I'm sure! I'm a bit scared to take off in it, but you said there's seatbelts, and you'll be there with me, so I'm sure it'll be okay.'
Ron helped her into the sleigh then climbed in after her. They fastened the seatbelts and set off as Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders. The village was covered in snow, and Hermione marvelled at the decorations that had been put up everywhere.
Ron spent half his time looking at the scenery and the other half watching Hermione look at the scenery. Booking this sleigh ride was definitely worth simply for the look of awe on her face.
The sleigh took them through the Main Street of shops and then through the rest of the village where the students never really went, since it was residential. Hermione was enjoying seeing how each house had decorated for Christmas. In the Main Street of shops the decorations were all the same, which was lovely to see, but she also liked seeing all the different ones from the residents as they were pulled through the streets.
Once they got to the edge of the village, Ron felt Hermione tense up beside him. He pulled her closer to him.
'Don't worry, 'Mione, I'm right here, and we're strapped in, you'll be fine,' he told her reassuringly. She simply nodded and burrowed into his side as much as she could as they set off into the sky.
The sleigh took them up to a decent height to skirt around the mountains that surrounded the village.
'I think that's where we went with Sirius that one time,' Ron told her as he pointed out a particular spot in the mountains.
'I think you're right,' she responded, just before they turned and were given a view of Hogsmeade village from above. 'Oh! Look at it, it's gorgeous from up here!'
The snowy village looked like something you'd see in a muggle store on display for the holidays. The snow sparkled in the late afternoon sun which was setting rapidly, and the Christmas lights that had been put up dotted the village with different colours.
'And look over there!' She shouted suddenly. 'You can see Hogwarts and the lake!'
The sleigh then took them to the edge of the grounds of Hogwarts, since it couldn't go within the boundary, and then took them alongside it back towards the mountains. After going around a couple of times, they came back in to land at the edge of the village where they had originally started.
'That was fantastic, Ron!' Hermione said joyously as he helped her down from the sleigh.
'Really? It wasn't too scary in the air?'
'No, it wasn't anywhere near as scary as I thought it would be. The gorgeous views helped distract me, I think,' she told him as she pulled him into a hug. 'Thank you so much for arranging that.'
'Anytime, 'Mione,' he told her happily, hugging her back. 'Anytime.'