Chapter 11- Christmas surprises

Harriet's P.O.V

Hermione didn't need to shake me awake this year, I was up before the others and down in the kitchens collecting food for breakfast. About half eight the twins came stumbling in, still half asleep. "Hay look." George grinned at me. "Harriet's beaten us too it." Fred finished. "You bet I have." I grinned, hands on hips. "But, now that you're here you may as well make yourselves useful." Fred and George helped me carry all the food back to the common room, where we started heating everything up while waiting for the others to wake up. As I put the final crumpet on a plate, Harry, Ron and Neville came stumbling down the boy's staircase. "Food." Ron mumbled. "Coming right up." George presented him with a plate of breakfast and Ron threw himself into a chair to eat. Harry and Neville both took a full plate and curled up in chairs. About five minuets later Hermione came down the girl's staircase, fully awake. "Morning." She grinned, taking the last plate and sitting on the floor. "Marry Christmas." I grinned back, we ate our breakfast's quickly and turned our attention to the piles of presents. "Is it just us." Fred said, head on one side. "Or is the huge present pile.." George continued, head to the opposite said as Fred. "Bigger then last year?" Harry and I said together. "Yeah. It is." Hermione said. Ron rolled his eyes at Neville and scrambled over the back of his chair to reach the presents. "Idiot." I mutter to Neville who giggled slightly and went to sit next to Hermione on the rug in front of the twinkly Christmas tree. "Who starts?" I asked. "We should all open one present each at the same time." Hermione said. "That way it's fair." We all nodded in agreement. "Just remember to check the names before opening them." I said, passing Neville a squashy parcel. "Yeah, don't need to find Ron's socks." Fred grinned, handing Hermione a present. "Jesus!" George exclaimed, lifting a lumpy parcel. "This one's heavy." He check the tag. "Good luck Harriet." He grinned before passing it over. "Bet it's from Percy." I grinned, watching the wrapping shimmer in the morning light. "Everyone got something?" Harry asked, peering round. "Yes." Neville said. "Ok. Ready?" I asked. "Ready." Everyone replied. "Go!" Hermione said, and there was a flurry of ripping. There was a glimmer of bronze as my present tumbled into my lap. "I knew it!" I grinned at the armour. "I told you it was from Percy." I looked at my friends who were starring in wonder at my armour. "Try it on then." Harry urged. I quickly stood up and slipped the breast plate over my head and pyjama top, next was the arm, shoulder and wrist guards and then the leg protectors. With a bit of help from Harry, I successfully managed to get the bronze armour on. "Well, if we were in battle then I'd run away." Ron said as the bronze reflected onto my face. "Thanks." I grinned, running my hands over the sea themed decoration on the armour. "Is it heavy?" Fred asked as I sat back down. "Not really." I shrugged with a clink of metal. We turned back to the present's with relish. The only sound that came for the next half hour was of ripping paper and calls of thanks. From Hermione I got a book filled with spells to help with injuries, from Ron I got a huge bar a chocolate (probably from Honeydukes), from Neville a new quill. "It doesn't break or smudge. You're always complaining that yours always break and um, you work is always really smudged so I wrote to Gran and..." Neville trailed off after the longest thing I'd ever herd him say. "Thank you Neville." I smiled. "Its perfect." Neville blushed at turned back to unwrapping the jumper Molly Weasely had made him. Speaking of Weasely jumpers, I too had one. It was bright green with gold words on the front. 'I hate Gilderoy Lockhart' "Ok." I grinned. "Who dares me to ware this to lunch?" I held it up so my friend could see it. They all burst out laughing, even Hermione. "You'd get detention for the rest o the year!" George chortled. "Probably." I laughed and tugged the jumper over my armour. The most surprising present I had that morning wasn't the dung bombs from the twins or the wet start fireworks from Lee (who we'd explained mine an Harry's parentage too after our unorthodox Hogsmead trip) or the photo album of my mortal parents from Hagrid but it was the soft, blue covered scrapbook from Ginny and Collin. Every picture was moving and of my friends and I. None of them had been posed for and none of them had been spared the flash of Weasley red hair. "Whoa, how'd he do it without us noticing?" My friends leaned over my shoulders as I looked at the picture of Harry, George and Fred flitting through the sky at a quidditch match with me, Hermione, Ron and Neville cheering them on in the background. "No idea." I said as Percy entered. He scowled at my jumper and informed us that we'd better get changed as lunch was nearly ready. Hermione and I raced up the stairs and started getting changed. I found a white ruffled skirt, a dark blue t-shirt and a fluffy white jumper laid out on my bed. "I figured that, as it's Christmas you'd want to look more civilised then you usually do. Although I'm sure Dumbledore would be thrilled if you turned up in a t-shirt and a pair of ripped and muddy jeans." Hermione grinned and I rolled my eyes. "It's better then my jumper." I grinned, tugging my breast plate over my head. With Hermione's help I managed to get all my armour off. "Can you pass me my White ribbons?" I asked Hermione while pulling on dark blue long socks. "What me to do your hair for you?" Hermione asked. "Ok, if you're ready to face hell." I grinned, Hermione laughed. To my surprise Hermione easily brushed my hair and then plated it with a dark blue ribbon and a white ribbon. "You're really good at doing hair." I said as we left our dorm." Hermione blushed and grinned at the floor. "Thanks." I smiled at her and felt my play drop over my shoulder as I bent to do my laces in my boots. "Are you ready yet?" Harry called up our stairs. "There's a surprise down here for you Stripes!" Neville called. I grinned at Hermione and ran down the stairs. the boys were gathered around two long parcels and an eagle. Fred turned to grin at me and his jaw dropped. "What?" I asked, smoothing my skirt. "You look like a Christmas angel." He whispered in my ear. I blushed and glanced at the floor. "Not too bad yourself Forge." I grinned them turned to Harry. "What's you dad's eagle doing here?"
"Christmas." Harry grinned handing me an envelope that shifted like the sky. I tore it open and unfolded the letter. 'Dear Sea Princess,
We managed to hear your wish yesterday over the wind and Hecate called for a vote to let you fly on magical transport, this includes brooms. I'm not sure how you managed it but it seems you have enchanted over half the council, Arise likes you because you're as fierce as any of his children, Aphrodite likes you because she's thrilled with your love life, Athena likes you because you use you Brian to get you out of trouble, Artemis likes you because you stand up for your friends and you won't stand for sexism, Apollo likes you because he says you're cool, even Dionysius doesn't mind you. But we still put it to a vote and I myself voted to let you fly, I admire your spunk and am grateful for your protection of Harry so I have sent you both a gift that I think you'll both enjoy,
Your shocked King and Uncle Zeus.' My jaw dropped. "No way."
"What?" The others looked at me. "Read this." I handed Harry the letter and knelt next to the parcels. I knew what they were before opening the one with my name on but still. Harry looked up from the letter at the sound of ripping paper and gasped. "Oh my gods." He said, eyeing the Nimbus 2001, a rainbow of ribbons hung from the smooth handle. "You're dad if officially awesome!" Ron grinned at Harry. "Ok, you lot at going to teach me how to fly." I said as Harry ripped the paper off his own Nimbus 2001. "Hay Ron." Harry grinned at his best friend. "Want my Nimbus 2000?" Ron nodded, unable to speak. "Lunch. Now." Percy glared at us from a corner. "Fine!" Harry and I got to our feet and soon we were laughing around the small table in the Great Hall, I didn't even mind that I was opposite Dumbledore. "I hear that you got a broom Miss Potter." Dumbledore said, near the end of the meal. "Yeah, it's from a friend in America." I grinned at Harry. "I thought you couldn't fly." Snape said. "I think I'll be able to now." Ron was stuffing his face to stop himself from laughing. "I'd like too see you fly." McGonagall said. "Thank you Professor." I smiled and stood up. "I'm stuffed. if you'll excuse me." I said and left. Yawning I made my way up to Gryffindor tower where I kicked off my boots and fell asleep in one of the armchairs.

I woke to someone poking me. "Geoff." I mumbled and rolled over. I hit the rug and sat up, rubbing my arm where I'd landed on the floor. "Are you ok?" Fred asked, crouching in front of me. "I was better off sleeping." I grumble, but let him pull me to my feet. "You better warp up warm. We're going outside, it's time for you final Christmas present." Fred grinned. "I've had them all." I yawned. "Not quite. Now go on, don't want you catching a cold now." He gently pushed me towards the girls stairs. "Ok, ok. I'm going." I giggled slightly and opened my dorm room door, Hermione was sprawled out on her bed fast asleep. I grinned while tugging on a jumper. After a moment of thought I buttoned a coat over the top, added my cloak and scarf. Then I grabbed Fred's Christmas present from under my bed and quietly left the room. I pulled my boots back on just as Fred came down the boys stairs. "What took you so long?" I grinned, grabbing his present before he could get a hold of it. "I, was finding my layers underneath all the mess in our dorm." He grinned. "What's the box?" I grinned slyly. "You'll have to wait for that surprise." He laughed and we made our way out the portrait hole where the Fat Lady was singing (badly) with a friend. "I whish she would stop." I said once we were out of earshot. "Well, we can't all be singing geniuses like you." Fred grinned. "Hay, I'm technically part Mermaid, Poseidon can become a Merman so I am part Mer." A nearby picture of a Mermaid scowled at me and Fred chuckled. "I don't think your sister likes that idea."

"Nope." I laughed as we passed the third floor corridor. As we walked down to the large oak doors at the front of the school, Fred kept trying to nick his present, but I'd spent two months with the Stoll brothers so I easily fended him off. "Keep that up and you won't get it." I said haughtily. "And I'll kick your ass." I grinned. "Don't I know it." Fred grinned back, opening the doors a crack and slipping outside. "Hagrid's been keeping them safe for me, I didn't know what else to so with them and they couldn't come in the castle." Fred said as I followed him down past Hagrid's hut. "Keeping what for you?" I asked as he slipped out of sight around the trees. "Jeez." I muttered and jogged after him, I rounded the trees and stopped dead in my tracks. In a small makeshift paddock stood two foals, one was the colour of wet sand with a black mane and tail, a white muzzle and three black socks, the other was a shimmering black, with a white blaze and a white patch on it's rump. The black one nickered. 'Hello daughter of the sea.' I smiled at it. "Hello yourself beautiful." I said as it pressed it's warm muzzle into my palm. 'I'm a BOY.' I protested. "You're still beautiful." I shrugged, the foal snorted but let me scratch it behind the ears. "Fred, you can come out from behind the tree now." I called over my shoulder "Damn." He muttered and leaned on the fence post. "Where did you get them?" I asked, running my fingers through the sandy one's mane. "I found them wondering in the forest." He grinned. "Well, I guess you desire this then." I put his present in his hands and turned back to the foals. "Whoa! This thing's heavy!" Fred said. "How did you manage to carry it all the way from Zonko's to Gryffindor tower?" He asked, peeling off the spellotape. "Practice." I grinned. He rolled his eyes and continued to peel the tape. "Oh just get on with it!" I said, slightly frustrated for no reason. "Fine!" He grinned and tore the paper, the box fell and I dived to catch it. "Careful with that! We don't want to explode the trees."

"You gave me explosives." Fred asked, eyes wide. "Kinda." I shrugged. "Now take it." I put it back in his hands and watched his jaw drop, again. "I saw you eyeing it n the shop and so I had to get it without you noticing. Just don't blow anyone up." I said. "I promise, just so long as Flitch knows what a real prank is."

"Deal." I grinned. Then peered threw the tree's at Hagrid's house. "Think Hagrid has apples?" I asked, before a bucket of apples appeared under my nose. "Who need's Hagrid's apples when you have mine?" Fred grinned, clutching his dangerous present to his chest. "Not me." I smiled, taking the bucket and grinning at my living present. "Who want's apples?"

'Stupid question.' The black said. 'Apples, ripe rosy apples. Like the ones in your cheeks Princess.' The sandy said. "Do you have names?" I asked, feeding them each an apple. 'No.' The black one said. "Do you want names?"

'Yes.' The sandy said. "What some help?" My dad asked in my head. "No thanks. Marry Christmas Daddy." I thought. "You to Harriet." I smiled and looked thoughtfully at the foals. "Camelot and Sweet Ginger." I said suddenly. 'I like those." The sandy one said. 'But who's who?" The black said. "Take a guess." I grinned. 'Well, I don't want to be called 'Sweet Ginger' for the rest of my life." The black one said. "I guess you're Camelot then." I stroked his ears. 'So I'm Sweet Ginger?' I nodded and she pushed her muzzle into my hand. 'I like having a name.' She said happily. "Good." I smiled, then glanced at Fred who was looking very confused. 'You're mate is strange Princess.' Camelot snorted. "He's not.. Oh never mind." I rolled my eyes and grinned at Fred. "I can talk to horses."

"I noticed." Fred laughed. "We better get going. The other's will be waking up soon." He glanced at his watch. "Probably." I gave the two baby horses a final pet, put the apple bucket in the paddock and followed Fred up to the castle. "Thanks Fred." I said. "Least I could do." He smiled at me, we walked in a comfortable silence until we got to Gryffindor tower, where the Fat Lady had disappeared. "Oh, yay." I said sarcastically. "We could go prank Flitch." Fred suggested. "not today, let him have one day of peace before you wreck havoc on his life." I grinned. "You're too kind." Fred said, with a mocking bow. "I know I am." I said, puffing my chest out like Malfoy . "I like to strut around like a fashion model because I think I look cool." I said, imitating Malfoy's voice. "Miss Potter!" McGonagall said from behind me. "Yes Professor?" I said innocently. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Having fun Professor." I said truthfully. "No more mocking of other students Miss Potter." McGonagall said before leaving with a sweep of her robes. I glanced at Fred and we burst out laughing. "What are you too so jolly about?" The Fat Lady had returned. "It's Christmas." I laughed. "Fairy lights." Fred grinned at the picture swung forward. Everyone was still asleep judging by the empty common room. "Gryffindors sure like to sleep." I said. Fred snorted. "Yeah, but the Slytherins like it more." I laughed and picked up my new broom off the floor. "True. Lazy buggers." Fred said through his laughter. "Well, I better go put this away before someone steps on it." I said, indicating the broom over my shoulder. "Wouldn't want that to happen." Fred grinned. "Uncle Zeus wouldn't be too happy." I grinned back. "Nope. We'd have to hide you under the sea so that he couldn't get to you."

"We could build the first underwater school for magic." I giggled. "You dad could teach."

"And my step-mum."

"And Percy."

"And Tyson."

"And your step-brother."

"And, I'm outa ideas." Fred snorted. "I don't believe you."

"Well you better, before I shut up for not trusting me."

"How would you do that?"

"Like this." I leaned over, grabbed the front of his coat and kissed him. A heartbeat later he responded. I let go of his coat and wrapped my free arm around his neck, little fireworks going off in my heart, he slipped his own hands around my waist and pulled me closer.

Hermione's P.O.V

I woke with a start, the sun was setting in the sky behind the window and Harriet's bed was empty. However, her cloak, coat and new Weasely jumper were missing from the end of her bed so I figured she was outside, hell was I wrong. I yawned and swung my legs off my bed. My warm, bare feet rested gently on the cold stones of the floor for a second, before I stood up and stretched. I smoothed the creases out my clothes and tried to flatten my mane of hair, as always, it was no use. I sighed and slipped on some shoes before leaving the dorm. I quickly walk towards the common room, where I left most of my presents. As I turn the final corner of the slightly spiralled staircase, I stopped dead. Harriet and Fred are standing at the bottom of the staircases, kissing. Both of them are covered in snow, wearing their outdoor clothes and Harriet has her new broom over one shoulder. I slowly and quietly walk back up the stairs, not wanting to invade their privacy.