Chapter Seventeen.
Christmas Holidays.

Ginny sat in shock, a look of horror on her face. She was sat on a table opposite Harry who was sat on a table with his legs rested on a chair. Harry had told her about the prophecy and the horcruxes, as he had told her Ginny had sat in silence looking more distressed by the second. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Harry not liking the look on her face but knew he had done the right thing. Even though Dumbledore had only given him permission to tell Ron and Hermione, he knew he had to obey that order, but he also knew Dumbledore was gone and he had to start making his own decisions. He had left out the part about him being a possible horcrux but everything else she now knew.

"So you have to…either kill or be killed?" Ginny finally spoke looking up at Harry who nodded. "Aren't you scared?"

"I was when I first heard the prophecy, but now I'm not afraid and neither should you be." Harry said now moving across to sit on the desk next to her and putting an arm around her. He knew now she understood why it had taken him so long to tell her and was relieved he finally had. Before he had told her, he had made her promise that she wouldn't insist on helping him like Ron and Hermione had done. They sat in the classroom for what felt like hours just sitting in silence next to each other. It was like they had an unspoken understanding and they didn't need to discuss it for hours, they already knew what was on each other's minds.

"Do you hear something?" Ginny said breaking the silence. Harry who had been sitting lost in his own thoughts listened hard and heard a faint voice shouting his name. He looked around and then realised. He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the mirror Sirius had given him and saw Ron's face staring back at him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you." Ron said looking sheepish. "You've been gone ages, Hermione wanted to come and look for you but I remembered I had this."

"It's ok, the party over?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, a few people left here but most people have gone to bed." Ron replied, Harry could see in the corner of the mirror a fraction of Hermione's hair and knew she must be next to Ron.

"Well, were on our way back…" Harry glanced at Ginny who shook her head and smiled. "Uh, actually we might have a few more things left to discuss. Don't wait up for us." Harry grinned into the mirror.

"Merry Christmas mate." Ron said and his face disappeared from the mirror.

"What's that?" Ginny asked her eyes on the mirror.

"Sirius gave it to me fifth year, and we found the other one in Godric's Hollow." Harry told her now walking back over to the desk she was sitting on. "So why don't you want to go back yet?" Harry enquired half smiling.

"Because when you said 'find a classroom' I didn't think you meant to talk."

"Well, no I didn't." Harry said putting his arms around Ginny standing opposite her. She put her arms around his waist still sat down and he leaned down and kissed her for at least five minutes. "I've been waiting to do that all day." He said grinning when they broke apart. She grinned back at him and they kissed again. Harry didn't know how long they were there, but he didn't care about losing track of time. Later on he finally glanced at his watch, it was five in the morning. He couldn't believe they'd been in the classroom for five hours, it had felt much shorter.

"We'd better be getting back I suppose." Harry said disappointedly. He didn't want to leave and he could tell she didn't either, despite the fact that they were both exhausted.

"Why don't we just sleep in here, we don't want to be caught by filch walking back to the common room." Ginny suggested looking at Harry fondly. Harry could tell she didn't care about getting caught walking back. He nodded his head in agreement and she laughed.

Harry was woken up that morning by the alarm he had set on his watch; he had only gotten two hours sleep but felt wide-awake. His arm was numb where Ginny had been laying on it and he pulled it out from underneath her, which made her open her eyes. She stood up and helped him put the cushions they had been sleeping on back onto the shelves.

"You think anyone will notice we were gone?" Harry asked her.

"We'll just have to find out won't we?" Ginny said cheerfully. Harry grabbed her hand and they walked back to the common room. When they climbed through the portrait they saw the common room was empty with no mess from the party the night before. The house elves must have cleaned Harry thought. It was still quite dark and Harry quickly kissed Ginny before they went there separate ways up the dormitory stairs. Harry found Neville and Seamus still asleep but Ron was sat on his bed ripping open his pile of presents on his bed. Harry saw a large pile of presents on his own and strolled over to them with Ron watching him.

"Thanks for this Harry!" Ron exclaimed holding up the miniature version of the Chudley Cannons team flying around playing quidditch that Harry had got him.

"No problem." Harry said sitting down on his bed and ripped open some of his own. Harry eyed Ron suspiciously; as soon as he had walked into the room he had expected Ron to explode about him being gone with Ginny all night.

"So Er…you have fun with Ginny then?" Ron asked. Harry could tell that Ron was trying very hard to sound casual.

"Yeah I did, I actually ended up telling her everything." Harry said unwrapping his usual sweater from Mrs Weasley. This wasn't a surprise to Ron as Harry had already discussed with him many times whether he should tell Ginny. Ron's only problem with it was that she would want to help them with their search for the horcruxes and Harry had assured him he wouldn't be letting Ginny come.

"And that took all night did it?" Ron said still trying hard to sound casual.

"No, we just slept after that." Harry said.

"You chose a hard classroom floor over a bed." Ron said looking up and was now frowning slightly.

"Nothing happened Ron. Not what you're thinking anyway. I'm your best mate, you should know me a bit better than that." Harry reassured him. Relief spread across Ron's face and he laughed. They finished opening their presents, got dressed and went down to breakfast seeing Hermione and Ginny in the great hall. That day the four of them went outside and ended up throwing large snowballs at each other after Ron had playfully thrown one at Ginny. Hermione won by bewitching snowballs to be thrown automatically at the three of them, which Ron pointed out was technically cheating. Surprisingly they didn't get into a fight over it and Ron and Hermione had been extremely nice to each other all day.

"Ginny came back very early this morning." Hermione muttered to Harry as the four of them were walking back from the grounds to the common room all of them very wet and cold from the snow.

"Get to your point Hermione." Harry said looking at her knowingly.

"Well, don't you think you were being a bit irresponsible staying in that classroom…" Harry cut her off.

"Nothing happened and like you wouldn't have done it if it was Ron." Harry smirked at her. Hermione turned slightly pink.

"Well, that's a different…" Harry interrupted her again.

"It's the same and you know it." Harry looked at her triumphantly as her face lightened and she grinned mischievously.

"Just don't make a habit of it, you don't want to be caught out of bed at night." She said sternly.

"Yes Hermione." Harry said still grinning and ran to catch up with Ginny who was walking ahead.

That evening the four of them were once again sitting by the fire. Ron had got the bottle of firewhisky Hermione had gotten him and put out three glasses.

"Why's there only three?" Hermione asked him.

"Ginny's underage." Ron said as if it was obvious. Ginny looked at him furiously and opened her mouth to protest.

"But as its Christmas." Ron said putting another glass onto the table and smiling at Ginny. They sat and picked up there glasses.

"Cheers!" Exclaimed Harry raising his glass into the air. Hermione took a gulp and spat it back out immediately looking revolted. Harry who had tried this before when Aberforth had given it to him knew he didn't think it was the best tasting drink in the world, but it was very likeable though strong and left a warm feeling in your throat as soon as you tasted it. Ron kept re-filling his and Harry's glass, Ginny refused to drink any more as she said one glass was enough for her to know she wasn't too fond of it. A couple of hours later after they had sat and talked and when the bottle of firewhisky was nearly all gone Harry was feeling light headed and very tired and he looked up to see Ron close his eyes and lean his head on Hermione's shoulder.

He mumbled something Harry couldn't hear. Hermione rolled her eyes but had a slight smile on her face as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ron's head. She muttered a spell. Seconds later Ron opened his eyes and shook his head. Harry knew it must have been a spell to take away the effect of firewhisky. He had a feeling she had looked this up as soon as she had given Ron the bottle. She then pointed her wand at Harry and did the same thing, he felt his head immediately clear but he still felt tired. An hour passed and Ron was asleep with his head still rested on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione chatting away to Ginny with her arm now around Ron, her hand placed on his shoulder. Harry got up and bade everyone good night kissing Ginny, remembering he had had hardly any sleep the night before and walked slowly up the stairs falling asleep quickly. That night he had no dreams of Dumbledore or Sirius, which was unusual and had the best nights sleep he'd had in a long time. The next day Harry awoke early and walked down into the common room seeing Ron wasn't asleep in his bed. He was just wondering where Ron was when he saw Ron and Hermione asleep, Ron still leaned on Hermione's shoulder and Hermione's head leaned over to Ron. He smiled at them both and went to sit down as Hermione opened her eyes yawning.

"How come you slept there all night?" Harry asked her curiously.

"Well, Ron was still asleep when Ginny went to bed and I didn't want to wake him." Hermione said innocently.

"Right." Harry smirked giving her a significant look.

"Don't give me that look Harry." Hermione said raising her eyebrows.

The next week went by quicker than any week in Harry's life. Him, Ron, Hermione and Ginny spent most of their day's together either visiting Hagrid or wandering around the grounds. Harry was spending a lot more time with Ginny but he occasionally went off with Ron and Hermione to practice the killing curse, which was the only part of the week he didn't really enjoy. He and Hermione had nearly mastered it and would be happy when they finally did. Ron was still having a lot of trouble. Ron and Hermione still barely argued but Harry wondered how long it would last, knowing them he knew probably not for long. As the week drew to a close Hermione constantly nagged him and Ron to make a start on the homework they had forgotten as the exams were coming nearer and nearer. Harry wasn't too bothered as the exams were still months away. He was still having nightmares but they seemed to be happening less and less. Harry wondered again if they were just bad dreams. He didn't spend too much time thinking about it as he had just had the best Christmas of his life.