A/N: Thanks to all of the reviewers. I didn't want to spend too much time at the Burrow because I run out of ideas so I decided why not go ahead and make it Christmas? I'm not good at thinking up gifts in any story so please bear with me.
Warnings For This Chapter: cutting mentioned
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter Twelve
"JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS. . . ."
Ginny groaned, rolling over in her bed and pulling the covers high over her head. It should be a crime to wake someone up Christmas morning by singing carols.
"JINGLE ALL THE WAY!"
All hopes of returning to a deep slumber left as the singing came closer to her room. Finally, Ginny heard the door open and the song continue.
"OH, WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE-"
"Will you please shut up!" Ginny's head emerged out from under the covers. She glared at her elder twin brothers, willing them to go away so she could get back to sleep.
"Wakey wakey, Gin-Gin!" Fred went to the windows and opened the blinds. Bright light streamed into the room causing Ginny to groan.
"It's Christmas morning, Ginny! You know what that means?" George bounced on his knees on Ginny's bed.
"Time to sleep?" Ginny muttered.
"Nope," Fred continued. "It means . . ."
The twins joined together and yelled, "PRESENTS!"
Ginny groaned once more before ducking her head back under the covers. "If you leave now, I promise not to Bat-Bogey Hex you both."
George gulped, turned to look at his twin and stood up. "Sounds fair enough."
"Yes, but seriously, Gin, Mum wants everyone up for breakfast. You know we can't open presents before breakfast, so get a move on." Fred and George hurried out of the room before Ginny could change her mind and hex each of them in turn.
She pulled the covers back and looked over at Hermione in the camp bed next to her. Hermione smiled weakly. "I guess they're still working on their subtlety."
H/G
After breakfast, the family, still clad in their pyjamas, ventured into the sitting room. Once everyone was settled, Fred and George merrily bounced around the room handing out gifts.
The twins were very adamant that everyone open their Weasley sweaters first so they could put them on immediately. Each sweater was a different colour, and had a different letter in yellow emblazoned on the front. Molly and Arthur's sweaters were both red with a 'M' on Molly's (for Mum) and a 'D' on Arthur's (for Dad). Bill's sweater was black with a large 'B'. Fleur's was pink, Charlie and Anneliese's were orange. Fred and George wore matching blue sweaters with a large 'F' on Fred's and a 'G' on George's. Ron's sweater, as always, was maroon. Hermione, who was very surprised to have received a sweater, unwrapped a scarlet sweater. Harry's sweater was, of course, green ("to match your eyes dear.") Ginny's was purple with a 'G' on the front. After all the sweaters were being worn by their respective owners, Fred and George passed out the remaining gifts.
Everyone received a book of some sort from Hermione. Ginny's was a new Muggle romance novel, while Harry received several Defence Against the Dark Arts books. Bill and Fleur gave Harry a fancy wrist watch, while Ginny received a beautiful gold locket from the couple. Charlie and Anneliese gave Harry and Ron each a pair of dragonhide boots, while Ginny received a pair of dragonhide Quidditch gloves, and Hermione a dragonhide rucksack to carry her books around in. Fred and George gave everyone a variety pack of their work (Harry receiving the biggest). Ron had bought Harry a book on different Quidditch plays, while he gave his little sister a Broom Service/Repair Kit. Ginny gave Harry an ivory-handled knife, similar to the one Sirius had given him. A tear fell down Harry's cheek as he kissed Ginny tenderly and thanked her.
Ron's gift to Hermione was the last one. He gave her a pair of beautiful sapphire earring. Hermione gasped when she unwrapped it and – to Ron's surprise – flung herself into his arms and kissed him in front of his entire family. Everyone, save Harry and Ginny, were shocked into silence. Harry and Ginny laughed quietly to themselves.
Ginny noticed with disappointment that no gifts were left, and she had yet to receive one from Harry. She chanced a look at him, and saw he was carrying on a conversation with Charlie about the Gryffindor Quidditch team that year. Ginny forced her tears away and sighed heavily. She would have to ask him about it later.
But all of her hopes returned when everyone began to gather wrapping paper and their gifts to clean up.
"Wait a minute. One gift is left." Harry reached behind him on the sofa and gave Ginny a small box. He smiled and nodded for her to unwrap it.
Ginny tore the paper off of the box and smiled when she saw a jewellery box. She opened it slowly, expecting a pair of earrings like Ron had given Hermione. What she saw instead caused her tears to spill over, and a lump to form in her throat.
"Harry?" she asked.
Harry took the box from her, pulled out an emerald and diamond emerald-cut ring, and slipped it onto Ginny's left ring finger.
"It's not an engagement, Ginny, but a promise. It's a promise for us to always be together, never apart. The short time we spent apart this year killed me, and I never want to be without you again. So this is a promise for each of us to stay with the other . . . forever. . . ."
When Harry was finished Molly, Fleur, Anneliese and Hermione had tears in their eyes. But not one person was crying as hard as Ginny when she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and pulled his lips down to hers in a passionate kiss. The twins cat-called while Ron, Bill, Arthur and Charlie each turned away. When Harry and Ginny finally pulled apart, everyone oohed and ahhed over Ginny's promise ring, and Harry's "speech" that went along with it.
The girls spent the rest of the day baking, while the men cleaned up the living room and put all of the presents away. After dinner, everyone retired to their rooms, each and every one of them filled with Christmas treats.
H/G
Ginny was admiring her ring in the moonlight when she heard her room door creak open. She rolled over and smiled when she saw Harry. Harry smiled back when he saw her awake, put a finger to his lips, and motioned for Ginny to follow him. She eagerly slipped out of bed, grabbed her dressing gown and followed Harry down the stairs and out of the house.
"Where are we going?" she asked once they were in the garden.
"Shh," Harry whispered. "Just follow me."
Harry held his illuminated wand in front of them for light. It wasn't long before Ginny heard rushing water and realised they were going to "their spot" by the river.
Once they were there, Harry took off his cloak, transfigured it into a blanket and laid it down on the snow. He cast a warming charm on it before he sat down and pulled Ginny into his lap.
"What's all this about?" Ginny asked quietly.
"I missed you and our alone time. I thought this might be a good time to get you on your own." Harry continued to whisper, even though they were a ways away from the house.
"You thought you'd come and get me out of bed in the middle of the night, drag me off into the cold winter night, just to be alone with me?" Ginny stifled a laugh.
Harry pushed Ginny off of his lap and began to stand up. "Well, if you want I'll take you back home."
"Oh no you don't!" Ginny pulled Harry back down, forcing him to sit down before she climbed onto his lap.
"You know this ring has protective properties?" Harry spoke into Ginny's ear. He held her hand in his, gazing at the ring on her finger happily in the moonlight.
The woods were so peaceful; surrounded by snow, trees, and ice they were completely alone. The only thing missing was the rush of water from the nearby river, which had frozen over.
"Really?" Ginny said against his chest.
"Yup." Harry nodded. "It protects against minor spells, curses and hexes. No one can cast any of those on you while you're wearing it. At least, if they do, it won't hurt you."
"You had that done specially for me, didn't you?" Ginny asked
"Yes, I did. Bill told me that your necklace protects against poisons, not only the locket but the chain does as well. I got the idea from him. This way, I know you're protected, even when I'm not with you." Harry lowered their hands and kissed the top of Ginny's head. "As long as you never take either one off, you'll always be protected."
"I never will, Harry. Never." Ginny paused before asking. "Where do you see us in five years?"
Harry smiled before answering. "Well, in five years I'll be 21 and you'll be 20. I see us living in a nice little house in the country, where we won't be bothered by anyone. I'll be an Auror, helping hunt down the Death Eaters that survived after Voldemort was defeated; and you'll be perfectly all right. You won't have anything to worry about. You won't even think of harming yourself anymore, and all of this pain you feel will be a distant memory. You'll be my wife, and I'll be your husband, and we will be ridiculously happy."
Ginny smiled. "I like the sound of that."
They continued to talk for several hours until Ginny finally drifted off to sleep. Harry put an arm behind Ginny's back, raising her enough to pull the transfigured blanket out from under her. With a flick of his wand, the blanket was once again a cloak. Harry draped it over his shoulder before he put his other arm under Ginny's legs and carried her back to the Burrow.
Once she was safely tucked in bed, Harry kissed her lips softly before he left the room and returned to his own.
This Christmas had been a wonderful Christmas after all.