Chapter 13

Christmas Holidays that year.

Charlie's POV.

I had managed to get holidays over the Christmas week, apparently I must have done something that the boss liked and he told me to head home for the week. I didn't question him as only a few people were permitted Christmas holidays. I flooed home and as soon as I landed in the fireplace, I heard mum shouting.

"Alexis Fuller! Get out of the snow before you catch a cold!"

I walked into the kitchen and mum hugged me excitedly.

"Charlie dear! What are you doing home?"

"The boss gave me the week off this year."

"That is so wonderful, you never have Christmas off." She glanced out the window and shook her head, "That girl and snow will be the death of me."

I followed her gaze and saw Alexis making snow angels in shorts and a singlet.

"Every Christmas it's the same thing."

"Has she ever gotten sick?"

"No but that is irrelevant, she could. Perhaps you could get her to come inside or out some warm clothes on at least."

"But mum…"

"No buts. She won't even suspect a thing."

I sighed and headed into the backyard, trying to avoid the snow angels that were everywhere. Alexis was laying in the snow with her eyes closed, her cheeks were pink and she had snowflakes in her hair and eyelashes. I felt myself smile at the sight of her.

"Hey Alexis, mum wants you to put something warm on if you're going to be making snow angels."

"What are you doing here? Its Christmas, you are never home for Christmas."

"The boss gave me Christmas week off."

"That's pretty cool."

"That's what I thought. Now you need to put something warm on or mum will kill us both."

She opened her eyes, "But I'm not even cold."

"That's irrelevant. Mum wants you to be warm, she thinks you'll die."

She laughed, "Alright, whatever."

I held my hands out to her and pulled her up to avoid the hand print that she had in all of the other snow angels from getting up herself.

"Where are the twins?"

"Didn't your mum tell you? They left school early and started up their joke shop. Your mum wasn't happy but they are doing really well, especially since its Christmas tomorrow, everyone wants to give new prank products."

"Did you leave as well?" I asked, hoping that she would have stayed in school.

"Nah, I thought about it though and I miss them heaps sometimes but I still have all the girls and Lee."

"Are you here all day tomorrow?"
"After lunch sometime. Why did you get me a trip to Romanina for Christmas?" she grinned.

"No. Never again, I don't want to hurt you like that again."

She stuck her tongue out at me, before running upstairs to change. She came back a few minutes later in jeans and a jacket with a pair of ice skates in one hand.

"Mum will kill you." I commented, gesturing towards the skates.

"Not if she doesn't find out," She responded with a wink. "I do this every year and have never yet been caught. And you aren't about to tell on me are you?"

"Never in a million years. Can I watch though?"

She blushed, "I'm not very good."

"I don't mind."

She shrugged, "Whatever."

We snuck out to the pond which, thankfully, was not visible from the kitchen window. We sat on the small bench and Alexis quickly changed into her skates. She made her way to the pond slowly before skating faster and faster around the outside. She leapt into the air and I almost covered my eyes, thinking that she would land wrong, but she landed perfectly every time. She moved into the centre of the pond and began spinning on one leg with the other stretched out in front of her. She got faster and as she was spinning she slowly made her way down until she was almost sitting on the ice before suddenly jumping up and landing on the very tips of her skates.

"You lied. You're awesome at skating."

"I'm not really."

"Yeah you are, that was brilliant."

She shrugged, "It was alright."

I shook my head at her modesty and I was hit with a marvellous idea. If she would agree to teach me to skate I could spend time with her without it being weird.

"Lex can you teach me to skate?"

"Of course I can." She smiled.

I was stoked; I didn't even have to try to convince her. I quickly transfigured my shoes into ice skates and Alexis helped me onto the ice.

"You just kind of push with one foot and glide with the other and keep alternating that. Does that make sense?"

I nodded and tried to do as she instructed but ended up on the ice. Alexis helped me up and slowly began to skate backwards, holding both my hands as I tried to move my feet properly. She told me about the toad teacher at Hogwarts and the twins departure. She laughed when I fell over and begged for me to tell her about the dragons on the reserve. Everything was good.

"Well well, how predictable, Alexis is skating." Fred commented as the twins came towards us.

"Hi guys, I'm teaching Charlie."

"Never offered to teach us." George complained.

"You never asked."

"Alexis, teach us?" They asked in unison.

She nodded as the two of them transfigured their shoes, she let go of one of my hands and helped the twins onto the ice. She took George's hand and instructed Fred to do the same.

"But how come George and Charlie get to hold your hand and I don't?" he complained.

"Just shut up Fred or she won't teach you." George answered for her.

Fred pouted and took his twin's hand as Alexis began pulling us around the ice slowly.

The twins somehow managed to get caught in each other's skates and fell, pulling Alexis and I down as well. I fell on Alexis, my lips inches form hers. My heart started to beat faster as I did the only logical thing I could think of. I crossed the space to her mouth and kissed her gently. As I went to pull away, her hands found my head and pulled me back towards her. I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, asking for entry that she willingly gave. We explored the foreign territory of each other's mouths with our tongues before breaking apart for air. I looked deep into her eyes and whispered, "I love you Alexis."

"I love you too." She whispered back.