a/n: A Christmas fic for all of you. Merry Christmas!!!

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. You should know that by now.

Shake it all off. Come on, Potter, you can do it!

"Yeah, I can do this. I can do this!" Harry wobbled like a hot dog. "I can do this!"

No, you can't.

"Damn it. He's right." He instantly stopped wobbling, not only because he realized that there was no reason for wobbling anymore and also partly because the portraits started staring.

No, Potter. He's not. You can do this.

"How're you so sure about that?"

…

"Oh yeah sure! Just blank out on me! FINE!"

Harry left the corridor by his room, leaving the paintings to ponder on how they have disappointed him in his desperate need for help and advice. "Portraits." He mumbled as he went down the stairs heatedly. "Can't even get decent answers from THEM!" Harry missed a step and fell down the stairs. Not a scene that he would like anyone to witness. Thankfully, no one was there.

He wiped his brow as he stood up and regained his composure. "Whoo… I'm fine," he said to no one in particular. He ran his hand in his hair and he continued his journey down the stairs, careful not to slip again.

Oh how this was very un-Harry-like. Heck! His behavior would be worthy of his father during his younger years. In all honesty, Harry had been like this ever since…

Thud.

"Accident prone me." He rubbed his shin which recently made painful contact with a stool.

Ever since he received that first letter from her.

"Hi. Thanks for saving my life. –Gabrielle" Was what it said.

It took him quiet a long time before realizing that that Gabrielle was in fact Gabrielle Delacour, sister of Fleur who is in fact the wife of Bill Weasley. Perhaps it took him that long to figure out since he got the letter at the age of eighteen. Meaning, Fleur and Bill were already married, four years have already passed since the act of lifesaving had happened, and many other things have already occurred.

Ever since he sent that reply of "It was nothing. Don't' mention it. –Harry" his life had never been the same. Their correspondence may have started with short notes but eventually he started to "feel something for her". He never knew he could develop such feelings just by writing to someone on a regular basis. At first, he thought it was silly and perhaps he was just misinterpreting his feelings, it was probably just close friendship. But when Christmas time came and he got to spend time with Gabrielle for the first time ever since the start of their correspondence, he knew. He knew that he had already fallen for her.

Thud.

"Ouch." To prevent himself from any further injuries Harry ventured straight to the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. His hands were literally shaking as he poured himself a glass. Nerves.

'Oh how they control our every movement.' He thought bitterly. Which is actually true since it is the nerves that sends the messages from the brain telling us what to do. If the nerves were damaged then we would be in a coma, not doing anything… But that's not the point.

This was the night. This was the night. It was December 24th and he had to tell her tonight. It would be now or never. He swore only a few days ago that he would not let Christmas pass without telling her. He had been putting it off far too long. For twenty four days to be exact. But that's not the point.

He can do this!

"I can't freakin' do this." He drank the water in one huge gulp. He then laid the glass down, still shaking, causing a small clinking sound.

Maybe he could just mail it to her. Like a card with his gift.

Gift. DAMN!

Harry panicked and ran all over the house. He zigzagged from one side of a room to another. What the hell was wrong with him?! He stumbled a few times, hitting almost every piece of furniture imaginable until he finally tripped thus stopping him in his manic craze.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

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"A whole hell of a lot is wrong with me." Harry muttered darkly as he fought the blizzard. He hugged himself tight as he fought hard against the cold wind the plastered itself on his face causing him to chatter incessantly.

His sight was blurred as his glasses were almost frosted with the cold. Finally a glimmer of hope! A store! He hurried (as much as he can hurry at least) to the door and pushed it open causing a soft clinking sound of the bell.

Harry surveyed the store and resisted the urge to say, "It looks like Santa threw up in here." The cliché was just too much for him to handle so he kept his mouth shut. Christmas décor was hung everywhere. There were a few wreathes here, bells there, plastic turtle doves there, and of course the occasional mistletoe.

Not wanting to walk under any mistletoe, Harry unwisely kept his gaze on the ceiling for maximum avoidance. He, of course bumped into a few things, mostly people and merchandise. It took a trip over a tiny wooden rocking horse to the carpeted floor for him to finally realize that he should in fact keep his gaze in front of him and not on the ceiling.

Grumbling at the soft red carpet he was surprised when a cold hand touched his thickly layered shoulder. He rolled over seeing the one and only…

"Gabrielle? What… What are you doing here?" he asked dumbfounded, not even bothering to remove himself from his position from the ground.

"Well," Gabrielle started whilst kneeling beside him. "I'm helping you stand up, that's what I'm doing here." She laughed as she heaved the accident prone Potter from the ground.

"Thanks." Harry mumbled with a smile as he dusted off his trousers. "Rocking horses, you know." He laughed nervously as he adjusted his collar. "So, umm… what are you really doing here?" Without even a thought, he reached down to pick up Gabrielle's Christmas shopping for him to carry. "Isn't it a little too late for Christmas shopping?"

"Look who's talking." Gabrielle raised an eyebrow as she tried to reach for the bags in Harry's hands.

"No, I'll carry them," he smiled playfully as he put the bags behind him, moving here and there so as Gabrielle wouldn't be able to retrieve the bags.

"Harry! Come on. Just give it to me please." She pleaded as she made another attempt.

"No. I insist."

"Harry please." She pleaded… begged even. "Your gift's in there." She admitted.

"Oh really?" Harry quickly turned around, his back to Gabrielle as he pretended to look for his present.

"NO!" she almost lunged at Harry as she saw him peek at one of the many paper bags.

"I'm kidding!" He quickly turned around just in time to meet the panicked Gabrielle Delacour who had made an attempt to recover her shopping.

Seeing Gabrielle's still distraught face, Harry spoke again, "Alright. I'll make you a deal. I'll give you the bag where my present is, everything else I'll carry. Deal?"

She hesitated for a while before finally saying, "Alright. Deal. Now hand me that brown bag with the little pink frills on top." She pointed to the aforementioned bag as she waited for Harry to hand it over.

Harry's eyes widened as he laid eyes on the said paper bag. "Why does it have pink stuff coming out of it? Are you sure that's the right one?" he asked, dreading that the answer would be yes opening the possibility of Gabrielle thinking he just might be batting for the other team.

"Yes, I am positive." She answered as she snatched it from Harry's unsuspecting arms. "It's with a few other gifts. So don't worry. The frills aren't for you." She added quickly, putting Harry out of his misery at once.

"Oh good." He let out a sigh of relief. "So… are you finished with your shopping or do you still have to buy a few things?"

"I'm actually done. I just paid for these a while ago." She smiled.

"Oh." He followed her as she made her way to the exit. "So, where are you off to now?" he inquired.

"Home supposedly. But now that you've come into the picture, I think it best if we grab a drink first. Don't you think?"

"That'd be great." He grinned as he opened the door for her, the soft clinking of the bell ringing in the background again.

But in truth, it wasn't as great as Harry said it was. Now, he had to leave the shop. Now, he can't buy a gift. Now, he would be probably spending almost the entire night with Gabrielle Delacour with his mind nagging him every five seconds saying "Tell her!"

This was far from great. And yet, he continued walking through the blizzard with her by his side. They chatted whilst they walked, to get their minds of the cold. And of course, catch up on a few things.

"Oh," Gabrielle suddenly stopped causing Harry to almost collide with her. "Are you finished with your shopping?" she looked down at the bags Harry held. All were hers and none was his.

"Uh… yeah. I actually just dropped by just to make sure that I've got everyone a gift." He replied. Of course, he still had no gift for Gabrielle but she didn't know that. And he would honestly rather spend time with her with that nagging voice at the back of his head than frantically run around the store looking for the perfect gift for her. This way he could find out what she wanted.

Harry had always enjoyed being in Gabrielle's company. He felt like he could talk to her about anything. He could share things with her. Things that bothered him and things that could make him laugh. But at the same time, speaking wasn't necessary for him to enjoy her company. They could just be standing here in the snow building a snowman in silence, and his heart would still be skipping every other beat because he still had that sensational feeling he felt whenever she was near. Heck! She didn't even have to be present! Just the thought of her made him happy. Just seeing his owl come at the dead of night with Gabrielle's reply to his last letter made him grin like a boy who just found out that Christmas came early.

Still with frosted windows as glasses, Harry had no idea where Gabrielle was leading him. He just eventually found himself suddenly engulfed by warmth and chattering people.

"Two butterbeers please."

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"So what is it?" Harry brought up the topic of what's-my-gift again.

"Do you honestly think that asking me that question for the twenty third time tonight would make me tell you what I bought you?"

"Uh… yes?"

"No."

"Fine." He pouted as he took a sip of his drink. After a total of five seconds… "Oh come on please! I wanna know!"

"No," she laughed.

"Why not?" Honestly, Harry was acting like an eight year old. She had that effect, and many others, on him.

"Think of it this way; would you like it if I asked you what you got me for Christmas?"

Harry fell dead silent. He tried his best not to let his eyes go as wide as dinner plates as he remembered that he still had no gift for her. Swallowing as inaudibly as he can he replied, "You have a point."

"So does that mean you'll drop it?"

"Yes Ma'am." He finished his drink with one huge gulp. He started shaking again.

"Are you alright."

"No – I mean. Yeah, I am." He ran his hand through his haphazard hair. "It's getting late." He took a look at his watch-free wrist. "Best be going. We wouldn't want to keep you up too late."

"Oh, yeah you're right. Christmas with the Weasleys tomorrow morning." She stood turning his back to him while she picked up the packages.

For a moment there Harry thought he heard disappointment in her voice. He was silent as he helped her gather the bags. They exited the pub and were once again greeted by the cold winds and perpetually white snow.

Harry couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked with the snow surrounding her. Almost like a Snow Queen, except soft of heart. Her rosy cheeks stood out of her usually very pale skin. Her blonde hair danced with the wind as she tucked a few strands behind her ear. And her smile, oh that smile that made him fall in love with her over and over again with every meeting they had just… just tortured him to tell her.

He could almost hear the portraits back home yelling at him to tell her.

"I'm this way." He pointed to the left as he handed Gabrielle her bags.

"I'm this way." She pointed to the right.

TELL HER!

"Well, see you then." He started to turn when he heard her voice.

"Wait!"

"Yes?" he quickly turned back. He wanted to stay. But he also couldn't take the torture anymore. JUST TELL HER!

"What time are we supposed to be in the Weasley's again?"

"Around nine in the morning I think." He answered. "I know it's early. But it's for maximum togetherness. At least that's what Ginny said."

"Alright then."

"Okay."

"See you tomorrow." They bid good bye in unison.

Once again, both turned their separate ways.

"Wait."

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Alright. Take a breath. You can do this. Just say it

"I think- No, I know."

"Know what?"

"Just a moment."

"Alright."

Just say it.

"I love you."

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'Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.' Harry couldn't stop muttering that mantra as he trekked back home. He hesitated a good number of times on going back until he finally found himself in front of his home.

He fiddled with his keys and stuck them in the keyhole opening his abode. He hastily removed his coat and scarf. He couldn't believe that just happened.

Oh hell. Tomorrow!

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Harry sweat profusely as he stood at the front porch of the Weasley household. It was the day after the confession and he had no idea if he could act normally around Gabrielle let alone face her.

"Hey Ginny!" He greeted embracing his dear friend. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas Harry! Come on in." She took his coat and placed it on the rack. "I trust you know where everything goes."

"Ginny! Is that Harry?"

"Yes Mum!"

"Harry, dear, would it be absolutely alright if you adjusted the lights up front?"

"I'll be more than happy to Mrs. Weasley!" Harry grinned as he lay the presents under the Christmas tree, very careful to place a certain package hidden from view. The gift was for Gabrielle of course.

Oh yes, Harry finally got Gabrielle a present. Socks actually, very unconventional socks. One couldn't have too many socks... Alright fine! He was desperate and only had five minutes before closing time to get whatever it is he could grab. Unfortunately though the store closed on him, leaving him with nothing but panic. So he went home, stared at knitting needles (Dobby gave them to him the previous Christmas) for a few good minutes and eventually knitted a pair of socks. It took him the whole night; thankfully he emerged victorious as the socks looked like socks, though not perfectly but socks nonetheless.

"Sorry." Ginny shot Harry an apologetic look as her mother once again enlisted the help of Harry in the preparations for the party.

"It's fine. Christmas wouldn't be complete without it." He laughed.

"Thanks so much Harry." She sighed in relief. Who was she kidding? They needed all the help they could get. She started making her way back to the kitchen when Harry spoke.

"Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"Could I talk to you later?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." Harry exited the house and proceeded to fixing the lights just as he did every Christmas.

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"Oh hi Harry!" someone called from the bottom.

Harry looked down from his ladder and saw whose voice it had belonged to. Of course he already knew. But he wanted to look down and see her face.

"Hey Gabrielle" he smiled. "Bill and Fleur are already inside." He said as he tried to untangle a set of wires.

"Oh thanks. And Ron and Hermione?" she inquired.

"Yeah. Actually, they just arrived a moment ago with the twins. Which reminds me, Fred and George are testing some new products of theirs so try to steer clear from them." He informed smiling.

"How're the twins?"

"They're great. It's actually their first Christmas." The twins they were pertaining to were of course the twins of Ron and Hermione… not Fred and George. "They look so adorable in their little Santa hats." He laughed. "You should go inside. It's cold out here."

"Aren't you going inside?" she said as she drew her coat closer to herself.

"In a while. I have to finish this." He said as he held up a whole bundle of entangled wires with a few twigs sticking out. "I'll see you inside okay?"

"Sure." She smiled weakly as she approached the front door. "Oh and merry Christmas Harry!"

"Merry Christmas."

Harry waited for the sound of the front door closing before he started talking to himself again.

"Oh great. That went absolutely brilliant!" He said as he hit his head on the eaves of the roof. "Absolutely brilliant."

He climbed down the ladder finally finishing the lights. "Absolutely freakin brilliaHHHH!" he slipped and fell flat on his arse as he saw Gabrielle sitting outside the porch.

"Gabrielle? What… What are you doing here?" he asked dumbfounded, not even bothering to remove himself from his position from the icy ground.

He had a strange feeling that this had happened before.

Gabrielle knelt at his side as she helped him up. "Helping you up that's what."

"I-I thought you were inside."

"Well, I was. And then I came back out to keep you company."

"Oh," was all he could say as he brushed the snow off his coat.

"Hey Harry."

"Yeah?" he looked up not really wanting to make eye contact.

"I meant what I said last night." She turned and walked back to the front door.

Oh so it really did happen. He was sure now. Gabrielle Delacour confessed her love for Harry Potter last night in front of a pub and Harry freakin' Potter didn't say anything in return except, "I'll see you tomorrow okay?" and left the premises muttering "Oh God" over and over again until he reached his flat!

It was good that he had that talk with Ginny then. Telling her what he thought happened the night before, asking her for advice on the matter. Ginny was the best friend that Harry could talk about anything with. Ron and Hermione had their limits. As much as he would like to deny it, it was true. Harry couldn't talk about anything and everything with Ron and Hermione, especially now that they're married.

It seemed like forever for Gabrielle to reach the door. Harry only watched her retreating back as he held his breathe for what seemed like an eternity. Thoughts rushed in his mind. Flashbacks, in particular, kept flashing back on him (hence, the term flashback).

Ginny was right. If he didn't tell her now, then when? If he didn't tell her now, she just might walk away. And as much as Harry would wish that she would come back she wouldn't. She had to run after her. She had to make her turn back.

"Gabrielle?"

"What is it Harry?"

"I… uh…."

Oh great! Stutter now! Hesitate now! Damn it Potter just say it! It seemed like all the portraits were screaming at him all over again.

She was just standing there waiting for him to speak. He knew she wouldn't wait forever so he had to take his chance now. Twenty five days of stalling were more than enough.

Just then snow started falling lightly and Gabrielle's hair was suddenly iced with a few snowflakes. Her pale blue eyes shone as she stood there waiting. Could he honestly let her go?

"I love you too."

a/n: Hope you liked it:D Review please!!! PLEASE!!! In the spirit of Christmas, please review:D