It is Christmas break at Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny are taking the break at the Burrow, home of Arthur and Molly Weasley and their children. They walk into the smell of Christmas goose baking, cookies. An array of colorful decorations on displayed in every room and in the center of the living room, an enormous Christmas tree decorated in tinsel, holly, lights, and homemade ornaments from past Christmases.
Ginny and Harry get hugs from Molly Weasley as they came in. "Happy Christmas," she greets Harry.
"Hello everyone," Honey says shyly coming in the door last.
The Weasley's all turn around and look at Honey Malfoy shocked and surprised. They did not know she would be coming with Ginny and Harry, but they all smiled and waved at her
"Honey! How are you?"Fred asked while George laughed. "I thought Malfoy's weren't allowed here,"he chuckled. "We're glad to see you though!"
Hermione hugged her as well. Nice to see you."
Ron shook her hand"Umm... Good to see you!" he sputters.
"Everyone, I want to make an announcement," starts Harry as he puts an arm around Honey's waist. "I just want to tell you all… Honey and I have been dating for a while now," Harry states proudly. "I wanted to introduce her to the people that I hold most dear in my heart and who I consider my family."
Ginny grins widely,"Welcome to the family!"
Fred and George high five each other and hug her."Congrats Harry!"
Hermione smiles warmly."This is wonderful news!" She turns to Harry. "But, why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" she says sternly.
Ron nods his head."Yeah! You think you would at least have told your best mates!"
"Fred and George, hands off! She's mine, mates!" He turns to Hermione and Ron sheepishly, "Umm… Sorry. We didn't want to tell everyone because her family is opposed to us being together. Except Draco. He already knows, but he is okay with it."
Fred and George laugh as they let go of Honey and back away playfully."All right mate, no need to get rough!"they tease him jokingly."We're just happy for you!"they say together.
"Malfoy knows already! Now I'm really pissed," says Ron.
Hermione smiles warmly at both of them."It's lovely to see you two so happy,"she says softly.
Molly smiles warmly at Honey and pulls her into a tight hug, patting her gently on the back."Welcome to our home, dear. I'm so glad to see Harry has found someone who makes him this happy."
Arthur grins and shakes Honey's hand heartily."You're more than welcome here anytime, love. You're part of the family now."
Ginny giggles and hugs Honey tightly.I'm so jealous! I wish Fred and George would stop teasing me about finding a boyfriend!"
Fred and George roll their eyes playfully at Ginny before turning their attention back to Honey. "So,what brings to our humble home anyway? Doesn't your family celebrate Christmas?"
"To be honest, my family doesn't celebrate Christmas like this, and Ginny tells me your mom is the world's best cook. When she invited me for the holidays, I just couldn't say no," replies Honey.
Molly blushes deeply and waves her hands dismissively."Oh, don't listen to her. she's just trying to flatter you."
Arthur chuckles and puts an arm around Molly's waist."She's not wrong though. Molly's cooking is legendary."
Ginny rolls her eyes playfully."Yeah, Honey. You won't regret it."
Fred and George nod enthusiastically."Going be great having another girl around the house. Less cleaning for us."
"You wish," declares Ginny sarcastically.
"Mrs. Weasley, is there anything I can do to help?" asks Honey.
Molly beams at Honey and claps her hands together."Why, thank you dear," giving Fred and George a knowing glare, "Why don't you help Ginny set the table?"
Ginny grins and leads Honey towards the kitchen."Come on, I'll show you where everything is."
Fred and George watch them leave before turning to Harry and Ron."I bet they'll be best friends within minutes," George says with a smirk."
"We already are," Ginny calls back to them.
Fred and George burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back."See? I told you!"George says to the Fred.
Molly shakes her head fondly as she watches Ginny lead Honey towards the kitchen."Those two girls will be thick as thieves before long."
Arthur chuckles and ruffles Harry's hair affectionately."See what happens when you fall for a pretty face?"
Molly shakes her head but there is a smile on her lips."Boys, always falling for the first pretty girl they see."
"She's way more than just a pretty girl. She is smart, she is clever, and she plays Quidditch like a pro," Harry explains.
Arthur raises his eyebrows in surprise."Really? Honey plays quidditch? Well, that explains everything," he chuckles.
Molly looks equally surprised but quickly recovers, smiling warmly at Harry."Isn't that wonderful? I'm sure she'll fit right in with our family then."
Fred and George exchange glances before grinning broadly."She sure does. Fred and I have a hard time keeping the bludgers away from Harry since she's joined the Slytherin team. She may be his girlfriend, but it doesn't stop her from trying to take his head off during Quidditch," says George.
Ginny comes back into the room, wiping her hands on a towel."What are you guys talking about now?"
"We're talking about Honey's deadly aim with a bludger. You'd never know she likes Harry," says Fred.
Molly smiles proudly."Well, if she's good enough for the Slytherin team, she must be quite skilled."
Arthur chuckles and rubs his chin thoughtfully."I wonder if we could persuade her to switch teams..."
Fred and George groan dramatically. "Hey! That means one of us would be off the team!"
Arthur holds up his hands in surrender."Just thinking aloud, boys."
Molly sighs and shakes her head fondly."You three are going to be the death of me."
Ginny grins mischievously."Maybe we should have a little match between Honey and you guys to see who deserves to stay on the team?"
Fred and George gasp dramatically."No fair! We can't let her on our team! She's not a Gryffindor."
"Can you imagine a Malfoy being in Gryffindor? Such a scandal. My father would have a heart attack," says Honey overhearing the conversation.
Fred and George snicker, clearly amused by the idea.
"Heart attack or not, she'd fit right in,"chuckles Ron.
"Well, we've certainly shaken things up around here,"laughs Arthur.
"I hope you know what you're doing getting herself into joining this family, Honey,"says Molly with a warm smile.
"I absolutely adore your family Mrs. Weasley. I've never seen anything like it," remarks Honey.
Molly blushes and fusses with her apron." Oh my, well... I'm glad you think so, dear."
Arthur grins and pats Molly's shoulder. "She'sgot good taste, that's for sure."
Fred and George elbow each other, smirking."She's got good taste in food at least."
Ginny rolls her eyes playfully but cannot hide her smile.
"And if I ever dump Harry, I have other boys to choose from," she teases as he takes Fred and George each by an arm.
Fred and George laugh loudly, high fiving each other.
"You wouldn't dare!"Ron exclaims, looking horrified.
"We'll see about that,"Harry retorts with a playful grin.
Molly laughs softly and shakes her head."Boys, don't encourage her."
"I'm sorry Ron, I didn't mean to leave you out," Honey kisses him on the cheek.
Ron blushes furiously and tries to hide behind Harry. "It's ok, I understand," he mutters, still blushing.
Harry pretends to look outrage."Wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?"
Fred and George start cracking up, pointing and laughing.
"You're the one who brought Honey here, remember?"Ron teases him still blushing from her kiss.
"Don't worry Harry, you're still my favorite," teases Honey.
Harry grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest."I'll remind you of that later."
Molly giggles softly while Arthur hides a smile behind his hand. Ginny rolls her eyes playfully and nudges Honey with an elbow.
"Oh, I almost forgot," says Honey. "I brought you all Christmas presents."
Molly's eyes widen in surprise."Oh, how thoughtful of you, but that was totally unnecessary."
"Oh, but it was Mrs. Weasley. You and your family have opened your home to me."Honey hands out presents to everyone.
Molly Weasley opens her package to find a large, framed picture of her entire family waving.Her eyes fill with tears as she looks at the picture, hugging it close to her chest."Oh, my dear, this is such a lovely gift. Thank you so much."
Arthur Weasley finds one of those little model airplanes that you need to assemble yourself.He looks at the airplane and chuckles."Well, this is just magnificent. Thank you so much Honey."
Fred and George eagerly opened their gifts. They each received a magical clipboard, which to a muggle, would look like an electronic notebook, but these required no batteries and no internet.
They bothsqueal with delight as they discover the magical clipboards inside their boxes."Wow, look at this!"George exclaims, flipping through the pages of the device. "This is amazing!"Fred chimes in, already busily scribbling down notes on his own clipboard. They immediately start arguing over whose clipboard is cooler, completely oblivious to everything else around them.
Ron's eyes light up as he unwraps his box, revealing a beautifully crafted wizard's chess set. "Whoa, look at this detail!"he exclaims, running his fingers over the pieces. He carefully sets up the board and starts playing against himself, murmuring strategies under his breath.
Ginny's gift was a pair of softened dragonhide Quidditch gloves with her name on them.Her face lights up as she sees the gloves, holding them up to admire the craftsmanship."Ooh, look at these!"she exclaims, trying them on immediately. she makes a few practice catches in mid-air, grinning widely.
Hermione's eyes sparkle with excitement as she unwraps her box, finding a beautiful set of specialty quills and inks. "How gorgeous!"she remarks, handling the quills delicately. She starts writing random words just to test out the different ink colors, humming softly to herself.
"There is even invisible ink as well," Honey points out to her."
Hermione's eyes widen in excitement at the mention of invisible ink."Really?! This is amazing!"she exclaims, quickly dipping one of the quills into the special bottle of ink. She starts writing something on a piece of parchment, then holds it up to show everyone - an encrypted message only decipherable when held over a candle flame.
"And for you Harry, a new pair of designer sneakers and jeans. Happy Christmas," says Honey and she hands him a package and gives him a kiss.
Harry's eyes widen as he unwraps the box, finding a brand-new pair of designer sneakers and jeans inside."Wow, thanks, Honey,"he says, trying on the clothes immediately. He models the outfit for everyone, striking various poses.
"And I have a very special present for you, Honey," Harry says as he hands her a beautifully wrapped box with a red and silver bow.
Honey's eyes light up as she receives the gift from Harry."Oh, thank you, Harry!"she says, carefully unwrapping the box. Suddenly, her face lights up as she discovers what is inside - a stunning locket on a delicate chain. "Oh my gosh, this is beautiful!"she exclaims, putting on the locket immediately. She turns around to show off the necklace, smiling happily.
Seconds after Honey puts on the locket, her eyes glow red. She pulls out her wand and points it at Harry."STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Honey warns.
Everyone gasps in shock as Honey's eyes glow red and she points her wand at Harry."What's going on?"Molly cries out, rushing towards Harry protectively.
Honey points her wand at everyone as she backs up to the door. "I'm warning you all. STAY BACK!"
Everyone freezes, looking at Honey with fear and confusion in their eyes."Why are you doing this, Honey?"Molly asks, her voice trembling. The Weasley twins take a step forward, prepared to fight if necessary.
Honey points her wand at the boys threateningly."You're not fooling me, get back!"The twins exchange glances, then slowly retreat, backing away from Honey's wand.
Honey takes a quick look outside once she reaches the door and then runs out.
"We should go after her,"Ron whispers urgently to Harry. "Shouldn't we?"
Everyone nods in agreement, casting worried glances at the now empty doorway.
"Harry, where did you get that locket?" asks Arthur.
Harry frowns. "I... I got it from a second-hand shop in Diagon Alley,"he admits hesitantly, his eyes flicker back to the now vacant doorway, worry etched onto his face.
"The ministry has received reports of cursed items being sold recently. You may have just given one to Honey," Arthur muses.
Harry's heart sinks as Arthur's words sink in. "Oh no..."he mutters. He rushes outside, determined to find Honey before anything worse happens, quickly followed by everyone else,wands at the ready, but Honey is nowhere to be found. They scan the area, their hearts pounding with worry.
"Fred, George, check the garage, the rest of us will search around the house, directs Arthur." But before anyone could move, a loud sound came from the garden.
"OUCH! DAMN GNOMES!" screams Honey.At the sound of Honey's scream, everyone rushes towards the source - the garden.
"Are you hurt, Honey?"Arthur calls out, concern etching his features. He quickly casts a non-verbal 'disillusionment charm', making himself invisible so he can sneak up on her more easily.Honey waves her wand around looking for the source of the voice while trying to avoid the biting gnomes.
"Honey!" calls Harry.She turns and sends a Bat-Bogey Hex towards him.Harry ducks and rolls to the side, avoiding the bat-bogey hex.
"Hey!"he shouts, pulling out his own wand and firing a counter-jinx at her. The Weasleys join in, casting various spells to disarm Honey and end this conflict peacefully.
Honey deflects the incoming spells while keeping the Weasley's and Harry at bay. They continue to cast spells at Honey, but she manages to deflect each one effectively. "Come on, Honey, we don't want to do this,"Harry pleads, trying to reason with her.
Arthur Weasley silently creeps up behind Honey and casts the 'Incarcerous' spell.Thin cords shot from Arthur's wand, and next moment, Honey was wriggling on the ground bound and gagged.
Molly sighs with relief, rushing over to remove the cursed locket from around her neck. Everyone gathers around in a circle, exchanging worried glances.With the locket gone, Honey stops struggling and relaxes.
"Are you okay?"Harry asks, kneeling beside her.
Honey looks at him and mumbles a reply.
"Oh yeah, right."Harry casts a spell to remove her gag and release her from the spell.
"What happened?" asks a confused and dirty Honey.
"You were under the influence of a cursed object," Molly explains gently. "We managed to get it off you before it caused any permanent damage,"she adds reassuringly.
"Oh? OK. Then why do I feel like I have been bitten all over?" she asks.
The Weasley family and Harry look at each other, sharing a silent understanding."Well, it seems like those gnomes decided to take advantage of your situation,"Harry chuckles awkwardly."You've got a few bites here and there. Nothing serious though,"he assures her.
"But they did help us find you quickly. I may never de-gnome that garden again," saysMolly chuckling lightly, brushing some dirt off her dress."I suppose we should thank them for their help,"she teases, giving the gnome infested bushes a pointed look.
"Honey turns to Harry," so why did you give me a cursed locket?" she asks accusingly.
Harry fidgets uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact."It wasn't intentional,"he stammers out apologetically. "I thought it was just an ordinary piece of jewelry when I bought it,"he explains further.
"I'll need to report this to the Ministry," says Arthur carefully taking the locket from his wife. "This situation was entirely too dangerous. Fortunately, no one got hurt."
"Says who?" Honey observes rubbing the gnome bites.
"Look at the bright side," says Harry. "Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial!"
Everyone looks at Harry, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Really?"Ron questions, skepticism clear in his tone.
"How so?"Hermione adds, curious despite herself.
"Umm… well that's what Mr. Lovegood told Luna," Harry mumbles.
Everyone shares a puzzled glance, not quite sure how to respond.
"OK! Well, I guess we'll take your word for it, Harry,"Ron chuckles awkwardly.
"For now, let's just focus on getting these gnomes off our clothes,"George adds, swatting at a particularly persistent gnome.
"Yes, let's hope the rest of Christmas is less eventful," says Molly. Dinner is ready if not overcooked."
Everyone nods in agreement, ready to put the day's events behind them and enjoy the rest of their holiday together.
"Let's go inside then, "Arthur suggests, holding open the door for everyone. "And remember, no more cursed gifts!"he jokes weakly as they head back into the house.
Honey pulls Harry aside. "I don't know who sold you that cursed locket, but I'm going to find out and make them pay for what they did today," Honey says with a dangerous gleam in her eye."
"And I'll be right there beside you," he promises.