Muggle Magic – 5

A/N – Thanks so much to those who have reviewed – you have encouraged me to keep writing this. I think it will get better as it goes along.

Oh, and I don't own anything.

Chapter 5 – Ally

It was nearly Christmas. The street outside the shop window was covered in snow, and the sun glittered off the laden tree branches on the common. It was beautiful. For Ally, it was hell.

For Ally it meant another year stuck in the village, another week of little old ladies and the local farmers flooding into the shop to post their Christmas cards, desperate men who had forgotten to go shopping and were now stuck buying slightly battered boxes of chocolate for their loved ones.

Ally was sat behind the counter, staring aimlessly into space when out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a flash of fire. She turned her head sharply and grinned. Coming across the common towards the shop was a very familiar figure.

The sunlight was catching his hair, making it glow like flames. He was trudging through the snow, arguing with his twin brother. He kept throwing his hands up and making big exaggerated gestures. Ally couldn't help but smile.

Moments later the bell above the door tinkled and the two boys came in, stamping snow from their boots. They were flushed with the cold, that air of exuberance about them that a cold winter day sometimes gives people.

"We thought you might be bored and lonely," George said with a grin, even as he nudged Fred towards the counter. "So we came to entertain you."

Ally grinned at him, but her gaze quickly moved to Fred. "Oh? And how did you plan on entertaining me?"

He grinned back down at her. "Oh…I think we could come up with something."

They chatted quietly for a little while as George roamed around the shelves, laughing quietly to himself. Ally kept shooting him curious glances, wondering what he was laughing at, but she only ever saw him holding perfectly ordinary things like batteries or hair products.

"Oh," Fred said suddenly. "I almost forgot. I brought you a Christmas present."

Ally's eyes widened. "You shouldn't have…I…well, I haven't gotten you anything,"

"That's ok." He reached into his pocket and drew out a package. Ally frowned slightly. It looked far too big to have been tucked away in his pocket, there hadn't even been a bulge.

She shook off her confusion however as he pushed the package across the counter towards her.

It was roughly wrapped in brown paper, but tied with a green velvet bow. She tugged the bow and the paper came away. Inside was a crystal, perfectly carved into the shape of a rose, just opening it's petals.

"It's…it's beautiful."

"Just like you," Fred said, before groaning. "Sorry, that was really cheesy."

Ally looked up at him, eyes sparkling. "That's ok. I thought it was quite sweet actually."

Fred made a face. "Sweet? Ergh. I don't do sweet. Now, debonair, suave, sexy…"

Sexy, definitely sexy. Ally blushed at her own thoughts and saw Fred frown at her. "Well, suave then. I guess that'll do."

He laughed and lent his elbows on the counter, then he lent in so that his mouth was right next to her ear. "But you really are beautiful…"

There was a snort of laughter from the shelves and Ally pulled away turning red. Fred snatched the wrapping off the counter, balled it up and lobbed it at the back of George's head.

"Git."

Ally meanwhile was trying to get her heartbeat back to normal. How did he do that? How could just a whisper in her ear get her heart beating so wildly.

"Ah customers. Always good."

Ally glanced up and swept the crystal rose into her bag in one motion, she caught Fred's frown but gave him a tiny shake of the head.

"Dad, what are you doing here? It's far too cold for you to be out and about." She hurried across the shop, slipping one arm around her father's waist. He was trying to be cheerful and upbeat, but his skin was an unhealthy grey colour.

"Come on now, Allison. It's Christmas, I can't leave you in the shop on your own all day."

"She wasn't on her own, we were here. Ouch!" Fred grimaced and hopped away slightly as Ally stepped heavily on his foot.

Her father peered at the two boys as he settled himself behind the counter. "Do you boys live in the village?"

"Just outside actually," George said quickly. "Um…just beyond Greenfields Farm."

Ally just caught the look that flashed between the twin and then they both moved towards the door.

"We should be getting back actually…see you soon Ally." Fred gave her a quick wave as the door shut behind them.

Ally watched them set back off across the common. "Um, Dad, would you be alright on your own? Just for a minute?"

"I should think I could manage that. Why?"

But Ally was already out of the door. She shivered as the freezing air hit her, but she ran across the road and onto the common.

"Fred! Fred wait just a sec…"

She saw Fred turn towards her and she slowed to a jog.

He was laughing. "You're going to freeze out here dressed like that."

She grinned. She wasn't exactly dressed for winter weather, but the shop got so hot that she had stripped down to a thin cotton t-shirt that rode a little high and revealed a stretch of stomach, and a tiny fairy belly button stud.

"Look…I…I just…I wondered…doyoufancygoingoutsometime."

"Sorry, what was that?" George asked with a grin.

Fred elbowed him. "I understood just fine. And yes. I'd love to."

"After Christmas? Maybe we could go to the cinema or something?"

"Cinema? Yeah…um…sure…" He nodded, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice.

"Or anything you fancy really…pop in the shop after Christmas and we'll arrange something."

Fred nodded and before Ally could move he had dropped a kiss on her cheek. Her cold skin tingled as he winked and walked away.

A/N – Oh…ok, now I'm getting into it! Reviews welcome!