Thank you for all the follows/favourites and reviews! This chapter is just fluff. Pure fluffy fluffness.

20. Presents

Cosy was one word to describe how I was feeling during that half state of consciousness upon waking up. I didn't want to wake up. The foggy remains of my dream were slowly fizzling out of my memory, leaving behind faint traces of emotions: happiness, bliss, elation. Warm – that's another word to describe it. I recall feeling this internal warmth what felt like lifetimes ago in Hogwarts, and it was back in full force, possibly even more.

I could have slept for the rest of the day, snuggled up with the thick blankets and cushions on the plush armchair. I rubbed my nose deeper into the soft fabric to avoid the object poking my cheek, but it was persistent and getting harder every time I moved, determine to rouse me from my state of utter ecstasy.

"Darling, time to get up."

"No, Nanny. More sleep. S'warm," I said, sleep fogging my brain and slurring my speech.

"That's because you're blankets on fire."

My eyes opened in a glare and met the mischievous smirk of one George Weasley.

"Sod off, you idiot. Lemme sleep," I said, snuggling back into the crook of the armchair.

"Oi, how's your morning wood?" he asked, prodding me again.

"I'm still sleeping, I'll let you know once I've had a morning."

"I wasn't talking to you. I said, how's your morning wood?"

I frowned, and then my arms shot open as something tugged me closer to the chair from my waist. I jumped forward; the blankets were constricting me as I trashed.

"Bloody hell woman! Stop, I'm trying to sleep," another sluggish voice said.

"Freddo, how's your morning wood?" George laughed.

The blankets finally opened, allowing me to shuffle out and punch George in the arm.

"Not today, dear brother," Fred said. His arm hung over his eyes, shielding it from the glare of the sun.

"You two are disgusting," I said, discreetly taking a peek at Fred to make sure he was telling the truth. "You disturbed me for nothing!"

"Not for nothing," George said, pointing to a large pile of colourfully wrapped boxes and packages under the pathetic tree beside the fireplace. "Can't have you sleeping away Christmas morning."

"George, I'm afraid it's Boxing day today. Christmas was yesterday."

George shrugged. "Didn't see you yesterday, now, did I? Thought I'd make up for it today."

"Aw, Georgie! You're so sweet," I cooed, pinching his cheek hard.

"Ow! Ok, ok, you got me back, stop!"

I removed my hand and looked back to Fred. He was still lying in the armchair, his eyes peeping from under his arm and messy hair, and his lips turned up in a small sleepy smile. Adorable summed up his image.

"You guys are stupid," he said.

"Love you Freddie," George yelled.

"Bonnie!" George called. The little house elf appeared instantly. "Some breakfast for the lovebirds, I believe, dearest Bon Bon."

"Yes Mister Wheezy, sir!" Bonnie ran to retrieve a tray from a long table in the kitchen and returned, thrusting it into my arms. "Enjoy, Miss Ella!"

"Thank you," I giggled. "Come on, Fred, up."

I kicked Fred's leg off the arm of the chair and squeezed in beside him. The sweet aromas flying off the plates seemed to sober Fred; he placed the tray over both our laps, with the plate of pancakes drenched in cream and strawberries on my side as he took the eggs and bacon. George stole a piece of the greasy meat, receiving a smack in return.

"I can't believe you guys eat bacon," I said.

"I can't believe you don't," Fred retorted.

"How can you eat a cute little piggy?"

"S'not so different to you eating lamb, beef and chicken," George chuckled through a mouthful.

"Of course it is!" I exclaimed. "I just…have a different experience with pigs."

"Oh yeah, tell me about it again, I don't think I told Fred this one."

"No."

"Aw, come on! Didn't you get chased by a herd of pigs and then fell face first into a giant pile of –"

"As much as I'd love to continue this smashing conversation while I'm eating, I think present time is more important," Fred said.

"Pancakes first," I said.

"You and your bloody sugar addiction."

"D'you what this needs? Nutella. Lots and lots of Nutella. God, I should have brought some from Ottery, I feel like I'm dying already." My eyes closed as I relished the sweetness of the golden cake.

"You're nutty enough."

"Hurry up and eat your pancakes!" The boys – mainly George – continued bugging me to finish my breakfast. I kept my eyes on him as I slowly brought the fork to my mouth, put it through my parted lips and savoured the sweetness, making sure to wipe the fork clean.

"You do know how erotic that looks, don't you?" George smirked.

I retorted by opening my mouth wide, food half chewed and strands of saliva webbed in full view.

"Definitely George's idea of erotic," Fred laughed.

"Ok, you're done, present time!"

George grabbed the tray off our laps and slid it across the floor. He pulled my hand and led me to the tree. I took the first present, a wide box wrapped in sparkling blue paper with blinking and zooming stars. I pulled off the silver ribbon.

"Oh, yes!" I yelled.

"What is it?"

"A Honeyduke's deluxe package! With all the sweets tripled. Wow!"

"Who's it from?" the twins asked as they sat cross legged on either side of me.

"No name. I think it's from Dumbledore though."

"What makes you say that?"

I shrugged. Carefully placing the box in my lap I moved onto the next box. This one was in purple and orange rough paper. I loosened the string and pulled out a green knitted jumper.

"For a second I thought this was from you boys," I said.

"Hm, those colours are definitely us, wouldn't you say Georgie?"

"Most certainly. Green and orange maybe as well?"

"And magenta."

The twins looked up and grinned. "Brilliant."

I rolled my eyes. "Where are your presents then? Seeing as you're so desperate for me to open yours."

At that the two boys leapt up and shovelled through the few presents and behind the tree before exclaiming, "Ah-ha!" and pulled out a package each. I took the present from the twin on the left first: red and gold with flying broomsticks.

"What are you waiting for?"

I looked up after eyeing the box. "Can I trust it?"

He gasped, held his hand to his heart and cried. "Oh, my poor wounded heart! It won't blow up if that's what you mean, Weasley's honour."

Ripping the paper off revealed feathery quills, a comical apron and a sparkly hairclip.

"I know it's not much, but we're, uh, a bit short of money and had to make do with what we had. The girls chipped in a bit for the hairclip; I was meant to give that to you before the ball, but, y'know, whatever." From his nonchalant attitude I guessed it was George.

"This is wonderful! If you had money issues you didn't need to waste what you had on me, honestly, I would have been happy with an apple," I laughed, remembering his present to me as a child. George accepted my hug with a squeeze, lifting me off the ground for a second.

"Now mine!" Fred said, shoving his present into my hand. It was remarkably smaller than Dumbledore's, Bonnie's and George's, more jagged and thick. He, too, had red and gold paper, the broomsticks on George's replaced with flying, fire breathing dragons. It took longer to open his present.

"You read my mind, Weasley," I said, holding up a gleaming red apple. George laughed.

"I know they're your favourite," Fred winked.

"I love it, Freddo, thanks." I hugged Fred – still in his dress shirt and loosened bow tie, now rumpled – and he rubbed his nose into my messy hair.

Before I could unwind my arms he whispered into my ear: "That's only one, you'll get your proper one later," and with a chaste peck on the cheek – so soft it may have been an accident or a bump of the nose – he let go.

I opened the rest of my present from the girls and Lee, pleasantly surprised at everyone's creativity at thinking of different gifts with the limited stores of Hogsmeade. Alicia had even gone so far as to owl order my gift from her Wonder Witch magazine, a rose scented perfume with a matching silk scarf.

"So, where are our presents?" Fred asked once all the wrapping paper had been disposed of and we were each with a drink: the boys with a warm butterbeer and me with a hot chocolate.

I bit my lip. There hadn't been anything extravagant that caught my eye when I was perusing the shops in Ottery, nothing that screamed out 'WEASLEY!' Everything was either too plain, or too small, or too ordinary. I had even played with the idea of making them something other than cookies and brownies, but the numerous nicks and cuts on my fingers proved how terrible I actually was at crafts. In the end I had to settle with menial muggle gifts, but I hoped the one magical gift I did manage to get was appropriate. Dumbledore had proved incredibly helpful in his suggestions and connections.

"They're in my dorm."

"We can get them later. I promised Lee we'd be back by now," George said, noting the time. "Actually, it's more like twenty minutes ago."

"Oh well."

The Gryffindor common room was lively with students abandoning their homework and using their free time to relax. The girls and Lee were seated in their usual space on the sofa and armchairs, Angelina opting to lay on her stomach before the fireplace.

George hopped over the sofa between Alicia and Katie.

"Hello, ladies. Lee," he greeted.

"Wotcher, Weasley," Lee grinned. "Ella! How fantastic to see you again! Merlin, it's been too long."

Lee pulled me by the hand and into his lap, engulfing me into a tight hug.

"Mate, you're killing her," Fred said.

"Woops. Sorry." He immediately loosened his grip, allowing me to breath.

"I missed you too, Lee," I said.

"Ella, I cannot believe you didn't go to the ball!" Katie said.

"We looked everywhere for you," Alicia said, batting George's straying hand away from her knee.

"You left me with that idiot all night," Angelina exclaimed, glaring at Fred. He winked and blew a kiss in response. She sat up. "Where were you?"

"Umm…" I watched my thumbs as they battled each other in my lap. "I didn't go."

"Why not?"

"Didn't feel like it," I shrugged.

"Bullshit."

Fred was staring at me.

"Tell them the real reason, Ella," he said.

I couldn't open my mouth.

"Ella."

I shook my head. Fred sighed. In quick steps he crouched in front of me and held onto my knees for leverage.

"Tell them," he whispered.

Without looking away from Fred I told them everything, from my first meeting with Darren to the previous night and the encounter with my sister. Everyone was silent when I was finished.

"So…yeah," I finished lamely. Fred smiled, gave my hand a squeeze and pulled me up into a side hug.

"See? Don't you just feel a hundred times better?"

"No."

"Well tough."

"Ella," George said. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You didn't ask."

He frowned. Slowly, he stood up, and without a word went up the stairs to his dorm.

"Oh dear. Probably going to go break something," Angelina murmured.

"Why? Why would he do that?" I asked.

Alicia sighed. "He feels guilty. Whenever he feels guilty he takes it out on himself. Doesn't tell us though; he'll come back looking all better as if nothing happened."

"I should go and see him," I said, removing Fred's arm.

He told me which door led to their dorm. I imagined hearing bangs and growls as I approached the door, but it was eerily silent. I knocked on the door.

"George?"

No response. I knocked again, louder.

"George."

Still nothing.

"I'm coming in," I said, and pushed the door open.

CRASH!

Glass shattered beside my head, freezing my movements.

"Shit! Oh, shit, Ella are you ok? Did that get you?" George was in front of me in seconds, his hands tilting my face this way and that. "No cuts. You're good. Merlin, I thought that hit you for a second."

"Are you ok?"

"Am I ok? Merlin's bloody ball bags, I almost hit you and you're asking me if I'm ok?"

"Ok, you're not ok."

George sighed and sat on a bed. He buried his face in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I sat beside him. "Like I said, you never asked. And I didn't want to remember that. I'm sorry."

"You've never had a problem telling me anything before. You tell me everything. You know what I'm like. There was no reason to feel ashamed for a fucking little shit like him. Or that cow you have the misfortune of sharing genes with. Ella, we're best friends."

We sat in silence for some moments before George did what he did best - make people cheerful.

"Can I say I told you so at least?"

I laughed, causing him to laugh. It was in these moments I forgot that the Weasley twins weren't always so happy. They had moments of doubt too, they had dark and dreary emotions just like the rest of us. They just had a better control of it and refused to look at the negative aspect of things, preferring to resort to jokes and laughter. It was what made them special.

"In your dreams."

"C'mere." George pulled me into his side, resting his head on mine. "You're amazing, y'know that, right?"

"Of course I do."

"Cheeky sod."

"Ginger wanker."

"Only to Ali. Well, I tell her that. She'd kill me if I actually told the truth on that."

I pulled a face and pushed myself away from George. "So how's it going with you two? Did you make your move at the ball?"

A flush crept up his neck, only slightly covered by his hair. My mouth dropped.

"Oh my god. You're blushing!"

"What? Pfft, no I'm not," he waved his hand in the air, batting away the silly comment.

"Yes you are! Yes you are! Oh my god, George Weasley is blushing!" I chanted.

George stared at me, unimpressed as I laughed it off. He rested against the headboard, his ankles crossed, and twirled with the ends of his hair, waiting for me to finish.

"You done?" he asked menacingly as I coughed myself free of mirth.

I nodded.

"Yes, I did make a move. And we are now officially together."

Despite the suddenness of the news, it didn't seem like much of a surprise. A few months ago I would have possibly drowned in jealousy and sadness, the thought of my best friend with another. But a stupid grin took over my face and I couldn't be happier for them. They fit together perfectly. And they were a hot couple.

"So, how did you do it?" I asked, hands clasped together, listening intently.

We spent a few minutes longer discussing their night at the ball and how exactly George managed to woo Alicia into agreeing to be his girlfriend (turns out she didn't need much persuading). We returned to the common room shortly after noon and found that many of the students had left to go lunch.

"Sorted yourself out?" Fred yelled over to George.

"Don't worry, only managed to damage your glass…thing before Ella decided to save the rest of your belongings."

"Oi! Why'd you have to go through my stuff?"

"Less sentimental value to me," George smirked and twirled his wand; he had magically repaired the glass object before returning to the Gryffindors.

"Well, I'm hungry and going down for lunch," Katie said, stretching as she stood. Her top slipped up, baring her toned stomach. The boys whistled.

"Perverts," Angelina spat, pushing past Fred as he attempted to grab her.

"Go on Alicia, punish George for ogling your friend!" Lee said. "Reckon he deserves a spanking?"

Alicia's hand flew through the air and smacked against Lee's head.

"I'm not going to blame him for something I would do," she muttered, following the girls out.

George smirked at Lee, then, suddenly realising the meaning of Alicia's words, ran out after her.

"This better not mean you're going to check out Diggory's arse! Oi – I mean it! Ali!"

Lunch, it was soon decided, was to be had in the kitchen. It was the first time the entire group was down there together. I helped the elves dish everything up, showing everyone what is was I actually did; they clapped and whooped every time a new dish was served. As soon as everyone finished eating – the boys and Angelina consuming platefuls and Katie demolishing the cake – the conversation steered to the second task. The ideas ranged from fighting banshees to battling Hagrid's Blast-ended Skrewts against each other. As far as they knew, the golden egg from the first task hadn't helped very much in preparing the Triwizard champions for their upcoming task, and poor Harry Potter was still as clueless as ever. And his friend Hermione Granger hounding him every moment was apparently not helping either.

Lee brought up having a snowball fight once he caught Alicia staring out of the enchanted high window at the falling snow. Everyone jumped up excitedly in the conquest of beating the opposing gender. One by one everyone left the kitchen.

Fred held me back until it was just us on the excuse of wanting to pocket some snacks.

"Ready for your proper present now? I don't think there'll be another opportunity." He pat his pocket.

"Sure. I have yours in my dorm. Come," I said, leading the way to the cupboard before remembering its enchantment.

Bonnie had to charm the cupboard door into allowing Fred in. He was just as amazed as George was once he straightened out from the small corridor. His eyes looked over every little thing until falling on my half empty bag on my bed.

"Here." I held out a wrapped box to him. Fred wasted no time in ripping it open.

"It's amazing! I've always wanted one," he said, grinning, turning the box around to inspect every side. "What is it?"

"It's an assortment of muggle magic tricks. I did try to look for something special, but Ottery isn't very well known for providing many options in gifts. If you don't like it I could take it back and get you something else. I know it's nothing special but –"

I was interrupted by his hand over my mouth.

"Shut up already, woman. I said it's amazing. You'll have to show me how to use them one day."

"They have instructions. I'm sure you can learn for yourself. Oh," I pulled out another box from under my bed. "Almost forgot. Present number two. After I realised how crappy that and unoriginal that actually is I thought I'd treat you to something better. I hope you didn't get one already."

"Look at you, all prepared for plan B if the muggle magic didn't go down well," Fred smirked.

"Shut up and open it."

I didn't have to tell him twice. My hands were fidgeting with the edge of my sleeves as he opened the box. This time, his mouth fell open, his eyes widened, and he looked absolutely gobsmacked.

"Ella, how did you get this?"

"Got a little help from Dumbledore," I said, smiling as his hand traced over the wood.

He pulled out the beater's bat and dropped the box. He grasped the narrow end firmly and swung it around him.

"Holy...this is great!"

"Glad you like it. I got one for George as well. And look," I grasped his wrist, stopping his swinging and pointed to the side of the bat.

"Merlin's tits! Is that…that is! How did you get Joey Jenkins to sign this?" he gasped, fingering the permanent mark of the Chudley Canon's beater.

"I know Dumbledore supports Puddelmere United, but he pulled in a favour. Look, you missed the other one."

If it were possible Fred's eyes bugged even wider as I pointed to the other engravings. "That's Quigley and Connolly from the Irish national team."

"Again, you have Dumbledore to thank for that. I brought the bats, he got them signed."

Fred pulled me into a hug – an excruciatingly painful yet comforting hug.

"You're the best! I can't wait to start Quidditch again."

He swung the bat around a few more times before realising he hadn't given me my present yet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brown bag, enlarged it with his wand.

"Sorry there's no box, it cost extra."

Inside the bag was a silver chain with a small rose pendant, glimmering in red jewels.

"I coordinated with Alicia. Actually, I kind of steered her in the direction of roses. Are you ok?"

No, I most certainly was not ok. It was too much, especially if they were having money issues.

"Fred, I can't take this, it must have cost you quite a bit."

"It was no problem. A pretty Princess deserves pretty things," he winked. He carefully placed his new bat on the ground and held his hands out. "May I?"

He took the necklace from my hands and moved behind me, gently pushing my hair over my shoulder. I lifted it up for him as he locked the chain behind my neck. His hands weighed down on my shoulders and his breath tickled my ear and neck as he whispered. "Now you have a fancy bracelet and necklace."

The chain and pendant was cold on my skin, flushed from Fred's close proximity. I held my hand up, my sleeve rolling down slightly to reveal the bracelet him and George had got me from Egypt years ago.

"It's perfect," I smiled.

"Right then!" Fred boomed and clapped his hands. "Don't want this moment turning soppy. Let's get going shall we?"

He strode over to the bag on my bed and threw out clothes. "Where are your gloves and hat? And you'll need a scarf – quite nippy outside."

"I'll get it, leave my things alone – Fred! Don't throw my knickers!"

Fred stopped. He stared down at my bag as I gathered my clothing from the floor. When I stood up he was holding a black plastic bag and lifted out a gold dress. "Was this the dress you were going to wear to the ball?"

"Yes."

He looked up. "You'll wear it one day."

"Oh yeah?"

"Of course. You'll look smashing in it on our wedding, love."

And with a wink, that terribly obnoxious wink, Fred threw my hat and gloves at my head and left the dorm, leaving me speechless and grinning like a fool.