"Merry Christmas!" Toni cried as she pulled me into a hug. "Try to stay out of trouble, and don't have too much fun without us."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll try," I said as I awkwardly patted her on the back a few times before she released me.
"It's gonna be so weird without you showing up at my apartment these next few weeks! Oh, Rue, I'll miss you," Lara said as she pulled me into a tight hug from behind. I suddenly understood how Meister Eule probably would have felt all those years being squeezed.
I squirmed out of Lara's embrace and placed my hand on her shoulder, "You'll survive." Lara swatted my hand away and rolled her eyes.
Sean took my hand in a firm shake, ever the professional, "Happy holidays, Rue. Take it easy, you deserve it."
"Er, thanks, Sean."
"Well, ladies, this is us," Sean said, checking his watch before he motioned to the ratty old hat sitting on the table in front of them.
"Bye!" Toni and Lara sang in unison before grabbing onto the portkey at Sean's insistence.
Robbie and I watched them disappear. "Well, I'll be seeing you in the new year," Robbie said, giving my shoulder a squeeze.
"Yeah, happy Christmas, mate."
He smiled back at me before turning to leave. I rolled my shoulders and walked out the back door of The Leaky Cauldron. Rose and Fiona were going to meet me for dinner in an hour, so in the time until then, I figured I would pay a visit to George.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was mobbed with packs of school kids who had just returnd from Hogwarts for the holidays. Instead of tracking George down, I meandered up and down the aisles for a bit. I was bound to bump into him or Ron eventually.
"'Scuse me- Rue?" I looked up from a jar of jumping snakes to see Ron staring at me over the top of a large box.
"Need help with that?" I offered, reaching for the bottom.
"Yeah, actually."
He nodded towards a stool near an empty shelf at the end of the aisle, "There."
I barked at some twelve year olds who were running down the aisle yelling. They stopped when I roared that I would hex them into finals week if they didn't turn their arses in the other direction. Ron laughed, "Don't remember you always having such a way with kids."
"Oh, you didn't know 'expert child handler' was on my résumé?"
He smiled and we set the box down. "So what're these then?"
He pulled back the top flaps to reveal miniature chests.
"Quidditch sets for goblins and house elves?"
"To be honest," Ron started slowly, "I'm not really sure. You'd have to ask George, he only just invented this a few weeks ago."
"Ah," I said, helping Ron and placing the chests in a neat row on the shelf. "Speaking of, where would I find him?"
"He's working the register."
I nodded. We continued working quietly, though I occasionally yelled at rambunctious teens as they wandered by us.
"Thanks," he said as we finished.
"Yeah, no problem."
"So you off work now?"
"Yeah, for three weeks."
"That'll be nice," Ron said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Sensing the awkwardness that settled over us, I quickly excused myself and went to the register to find George. The queue had dwindled and there were only the three young students I had told off earlier. They cowered in fear as I glared evenly at them.
"Hey, Georgie," I sang happily.
"Rue, my dear! Lovely to see you," he said as he bagged their purchases and slid them across the counter. "There you go."
One of the boys snatched the bag and the trio dashed towards the door after one last glance at me. George raised an eyebrow, watching them go, "What was that all about then?
"No idea," I shrugged.
He leaned over the counter, "Can I help you find anything?"
"No, just waiting to meet up with Fiona and Rose."
"Ah, the gang reunites, eh? Minus Carrie?"
"She's got night duty, unfortunately. The trials of being a healer and all that."
George suddenly perked up. "You wouldn't believe who was in here the other day," he started. "But, before I get to that, you saw the mini Quidditch, yeah?"
"I helped Ron pull of the chests, yeah."
"Want a demonstration?" George was practically bubbling with excitement.
I laughed at his eagerness. It was refreshing to see him this happy again. "Sure," I smiled gently.
He reached under the counter, pulling out a board, a box, and one of the chests. He unfolded the board and, with the flick of his wand, goal posts were erected on either end. Next, he opened the black box, two teams of Quidditch players on broomsticks zooming out and onto the pitch. I recognised the teams immediately- Gryffindor and Slytherin. Sometimes, George was quite predictable. The players, if you could call them taht, were no bigger than the palm of my hand. George then opened the chest, releasing two tiny bludgers, a miniscule snitch, and a small quaffle.
"Get our your wand, we're playing."
I smiled before reaching into my pocket.
"Now, you control the team with you wand, obviously. You're in charge of all the players, and you can be as brutal as you like," he instructed.
The match lasted about twenty minutes. Ron sat and watched us for half of it until my beater accidentally bashed in the head of one of George's chasers. The chase for the snitch had been fast, and I was barely aware of what had happened because I had been concentrating on my chasers. So George won because, apparently, he had the better seeker. Personally, I think he rigged it, and it's a wee bit difficult to play two positions at once. Nonetheless, it was probably the most exciting and entertaining game I had recently played.
"That was bloody fantastic. How much do these run?" I gestured to board as George took the small balls from the players' hands.
"Free for you," George said.
Ron snorted from the back room, "No one else gets free merchandise. Why's Rue so bloody special?"
"Because she's the most brilliant witch I know," George called back, giving me a wink. I rolled my eyes.
George shuffled behind the counter before handing me a box wrapped in purple paper, "Everything's inside. You've got the Ravenclaw-Gryffindor set. Happy Christmas," he smiled cheekily.
"Thanks, I love it," I laughed, setting it on the counter in front of me.
"Now, to the other news, Oliver was in here just the other day."
I raised an eyebrow, not sure why George was bringing this up. Surely he knew about the entire predicament. "Lovely," I said dismissively.
"So?"
"What?"
"He broke up with Bray. You're both single now."
"Oh, he didn't tell you, did he?"
"Didn't tell me what, Rue-Rue?"
I stuck my tongue out at him before composing myself. "He proposed," I said softly.
"He what?" George asked, eyes wide.
"He proposed," I repeated.
"Did he?"
"He did."
"Just like that?" Understanding washed over his face.
I nodded, "Just like that."
"Blimey, thought I told him to wait-" he said softly.
"Well, he came to The Moorings and, wait, you what?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head," he said, waving me away as I leaned closer to him over the counter.
"You told him to propose?"
"Well, I didn't think he was going to run off and do it immediately, did I? You can't blame me, Rue. So what did you say?"
"No, of course! You're such a twat, George," I sneered.
He shrugged, "He even have a ring?"
"No!" Was that really so important?
"What's that around your neck then?" George asked, reaching forward and lifting the chain I wore. He turned the silver band between his long fingers. "The nightly heavens are not more beautiful," he read softly. "Now that's horribly romantic. Who's this from?"
I looked down at it. "Oliver gave it to me years ago," I said softly.
"Ah, and you still wear it?"
I glared up at George before tugging it from his grasp. "I've really got to be going. Thanks for the present. See you around," I said quickly, grabbing my box and hurrying out the door as George chuckled behind me.
"There she is! We thought you got lost or decided to go back to Boston with those Yanks," Fiona laughed as I approached their table.
"I was visiting George, don't worry."
"How's he doing?" Rose asked. "He still single?"
"Hell if I know, Rose. Don't go chasing after younger men, it's uncouth," I said jokingly.
She made a face at me before taking a swig of beer.
I pulled out a chair and sat down. "Sorry I kept you waiting."
Fiona smiled, "Don't worry. You fully recovered yet?"
"Tip, top shape."
Fiona and Rose exchanged looks. "Carrie said otherwise," Fiona said.
"And how would she know?"
"She maybe peeked at your file or something," Rose said.
"That sneaky little-"
"Now, now, she was just checking up on you."
"I know," I sighed. "I'm just tired, all the time. And recent... events haven't helped any."
"Oh?" Rose asked just as Tom approached the table for our orders.
"Well, I had work the past two days, and I'd rather not talk about the other happening."
"Wouldn't have anything to do with Oliver, would it?" Fiona asked, her eyes fixed elsewhere as Tom left.
"Actually, yeah."
"Something bad?"
"I'd say so."
Rose elbowed Fiona, bringing her from whatever had entranced her.
"Out with it then," Rose encouraged. "We're used to the ranting."
"He proposed."
Fiona choked on her drink and Rose's jaw dropped. "He what?" they cried in unison.
"After the Bray thing?"
"You aren't even dating!"
"What in Merlin's name was he thinking?" Fiona hissed.
I threw my hands up in the air, "I have no bloody clue! It's absolutely ridiculous!"
Fiona groaned, sliding her hand over her face.
Rose sighed, "Why are you two so messed up?"
"How do you mean?"
Rose gave me a pointed look, opening her mouth to say something when Fiona suddenly shot up from her seat and bolted. I turned to watch as she disappeared behind the staircase, someone stumbling after her.
"Er, what's Fi up to?"
"Don't you mind."
"Right, anyway, you were saying?"
"You two! He's desperate to have you back, and you're as stubborn as ever!"
"I don't think 'desperate' is the right word."
"Yes, yes it is! Knowing both of you, that's what it's fated to be. And you can't stop thinking about him, can you?"
"How did you-"
"Rue, I've known you for a very long time."
I grunted. Rose rolled her eyes.
"So what's your plan?"
I shrugged, "Trying not to be bothered."
"Difficult for you, eh?"
"You might say that," I conceded.
She sighed, "Well, do whatever it is you do, Rue. I know you won't take too kindly to what I have to say, so I won't say it."
"Right you are, Rose," I smiled.
Fiona eventually returned to the table, and she fidgeted throughout the rest of our meal. As we finally stood to leave, saying our good-byes for the time being, I turned to look at the bar.
There he sat, flanked by two other blokes who were talking animatedly. His eyes, however, were glued to me. I could hear my heart pounding.
He stood and began to cross the room. My mind was racing. What was he doing here? How long had he been sitting there?
I must have looked murderous as Fiona wrapped her hand around my arm and started pulling me towards the door. Rose stood in front of him, preventing him from getting any closer.
His lips moved, but I couldn't hear him. I opened my mouth to shoot something back when it registered that Oliver must have been the one Fiona had snuck off with so suddenly.
Why she had been so antsy and distracted. They must've talked.
I turned to look at Fiona. She too was frantically saying something, her hands on my shoulders. I shrugged her off and pushed passed her, infuriated that she was essentially fraternising with the enemy.
As soon as I stepped outside, I concentrated my thoughts on Chilverton Elms, momentarily dispelling the close encounter from my mind, and disapparated.
Sorry for the wait! I was visiting the Wizarding World in Orlando again, and now I've got to head back to school. I'll have another update out tomorrow, though, since I've got a long plane ride ahead of me. Hope you enjoyed. If you haven't, it might be a good idea to scoot on over to Twelve Days of Christmas and read chapter 12- it'll actually be pertinent to this story in the next two chapters and I'm not planning on reposting it in here, unless everyone would like me to. Now, as you know, JK Rowling owns the HP Universe, I own that which you don't recognize. Please review! Yours.