A Christmas Break

One Year Later.


Chapter 5.

Ginny had a warm fuzzy feeling as she entered the kitchen of the Burrow, and it had nothing to do with the roaring fire that was spreading heat throughout the house. Her feeling was coming from the memories of last night when Harry had visited her room. Her skin tingled as though his fingers were still running across it. It wasn’t the first time Harry and Hermione had swapped rooms in the middle of the night, although she didn’t really want to think about what Hermione and her brother got up to.

There was almost a routine to it now. Hermione would slip out, a few minutes later Harry would appear, and then she was transported to heaven and back. Each time they made love was better than the last, and if things kept going at the same rate she reckoned she’d die of a heart attack before too long. It would be a hell of a way to go.

“Happy Christmas Ginny,” her mum said breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Happy Christmas mum.”

“What were you smiling about then?”

“Oh nothing mum.”

“Didn’t look like nothing to me,” Molly said. “Sit down and eat your breakfast dear.” Ginny sat down quickly glad that the questioning was over and that she didn’t have to think up a lie. It was too early in the morning to get away with one.

“Has Hermione gone back to her parents?”

“No she and Harry were up and about an hour ago, and they both went outside. Hermione’s parents will be along later for lunch.” Ginny immediately stood up wanting to go and see them.

“I didn’t cook that breakfast so you could abandon it half way through eating it young lady, besides it’s a cold frosty morning out there, you need some good hot food in you before you go out there,” Molly said and Ginny sat back down again, knowing this was an argument she had no hope of winning.

Her thoughts drifted back to last night. She couldn’t remember Harry leaving or Hermione returning. Hermione always slipped in, as the silencing charms prevented them hearing her knock, and then Harry would kiss her goodnight and be gone.

Once or twice, when they were engaged in round two, Hermione would slip back out the door again without comment, until Harry gave her the all clear. She had found it hideously embarrassing being caught like that the first couple of times, but Harry and Hermione never seemed to be bothered. This was why Hermione always made the first move, because she had no intention of catching her brother in the act, nor did Ron want to catch her and Harry either, and Harry had made it quite clear he’d rather not see Ron’s backside anymore than he had to.

Harry and Hermione’s deep friendship had become a source of wonder and mystery to her. It had clearly evolved into something much deeper and more significant over the last year. In previous years they had often niggled each other and sometimes fallen out, but no longer. The beautiful thing though was that she didn’t feel threatened by it. They had something special and unique, and she was happy for both of them. Together they were going to do great things for the Wizarding World over the next few years. In fact they had already started, by suggesting long needed basic reforms that looked as though they were going to be enacted thanks to their reputations. Ginny was just happy to be the woman behind the great man. Something Hermione would never stand for.

“So what are they doing out there?” she asked

“Oh, Harry said something about recreating last Christmas, and having even more fun than last year.”

“Well that wouldn’t be difficult,” Ron said entering the kitchen bleary eyed, but with a self satisfied grin on his face.

“Merlin preserve us Ron’s up and about before midday. It must either be his birthday, or Christmas,” Ginny said.

“Yea, well a happy Christmas to you too squirt,” Ron said sitting down next to her.

“Why, what was wrong with last Christmas Ron?” Molly asked placing a huge full plate in front of him.

“Thanks Mum that looks great,” Ron said lifting up his knife and fork. “Well last Christmas Harry and Hermione had a fight with You-Now-Who’s snake, and then had to dive out a second floor window to escape him.”

“You’re not serious. He’s never told me that.” Molly looked startled. “I can’t believe it. They dived out of a top floor window!”

“And apparated away in the process, you didn’t know mum,” Ginny said surprised.

“I expect he didn’t want to worry you mum,” Ron said between mouthfuls.

“That would be just like the dear boy. He never wants to cause a fuss,” Molly said staring out through the window, as though she could see them. “I hope you two realise how lucky you are to have caught those two, just don’t mess it up.” She directed the last part mostly to Ron.

“Yes mum,” they chorused. Both of them knew when to just agree with their mother.

Despite having started before him Ron finished his breakfast at the same time as Ginny so the two of them went out the house together wrapped up warm at their mother’s insistence. There was a rock hard frost on the ground, but the sky was beautiful crystal blue, and once the temperatures it would be a pleasant windless winter day.

“What do you reckon they’re up to?” Ron asked.

“I’ve no idea.”

“He didn’t tell you last night.”

“I fell asleep. I never heard Hermione come back in, maybe they planned something then.”

“Yea they might have. I fell asleep too.”

“You always fall asleep Ron.”

“I do not. Hermione is very demanding, she needs to do some sport to work off the extra …” The morning air was suddenly rent by a high scream followed by a deeper laugh. The two youngest Weasleys broke into a run towards a thin screen of trees, as they burst through this they stopped to a shuddering halt at the amazing sight they saw. Hermione and Harry were in a naturally dip in the landscape of about an acre in size, that Ginny knew of old as a frost pocket. It was covered in a layer of two to three feet of snow with a battered old tent pitched in the centre of it. Hermione was busy shaking snow out of her hair, while Harry looked on laughing already forming another snowball in his hands.

“Sweet Merlin look at how much snow they’ve both conjured,” Ron said in awe.

“Mum’s right they’re both exceptional. To have conjured all that snow in just an hour,” Ginny added.

“Hey what do you think you’re up to? Get your hand out of there,” Ron suddenly yelled. Harry had snuck up behind Hermione, snowball in hand, and unceremoniously shoved it down the front of her jumper, hand as well. The scream Hermione let out was ear piercing, but there was laughter in her eyes.

“Stop it,” she screamed wriggling to get away.

“Get your hand out of my girlfriends … just … just get it out of there.”

“Hey Ron final got out of bed then,” Harry said still laughing but withdrawing his hand, minus the snow. Hermione promptly began to leap up and down squealing and shaking the snow out.

“What do you mean by sticking your hand down … down there,” Ron spluttered.

“Oh I didn’t have my hand down you girlfriend’s jumper. I had …”

“Yes you did.”

“I had my hand down my best friend’s jumper.”

“That’s what I said.”

“No you didn’t there’s a difference you know.”

“No there bloody isn’t.”

“I think you’ll find there …” The words a laughing Harry were about to say were lost as he was tackled from behind by Ginny and Hermione. Unbalanced Harry twisted on the way down, landing on his back, and was promptly jumped on by the two girls. Hermione immediately began to stuff snow up Harry’s jumper, but Ginny went straight to stuffing it down the front of his trousers. The bellow Harry gave was enough to resurrect Voldemort himself.

“Ron help!” he shouted.

“You’re on your own mate I’m not mixing it with those two. They play dirty, and you bought it on yourself.”

In a surprising short time Harry had snow in places where he didn’t think it was possible, and he wasn’t sure his flexible friend would be able to come out to play ever again. The girls though weren’t satisfied and as one leaped up from the defeated Harry. Ron was a little slow on the up take, too much breakfast he would claim later. Ginny’s snowball landed hard right between his eyes. Years of playing Chaser had given her deadly accuracy and power.

Blinded he never saw Hermione push another in his open mouth muffling the swear words that were trying to come out. She then stuck out a foot and with a push tripped him. Pinning him to the ground more snow was shoved up another jumper. Ginny laughing her head off stood there watching.

“You’re an evil little minx,” Harry said standing next to her pulling chunks of snow out.

“Spank me later.”

“I may just do that,” Harry said lowering his head for a kiss. “Do I get a good morning hug?”

“You’re covered in snow and soaking wet.”

“Really I hadn’t noticed!” he said. “I demand a kiss and a hug, now.” The idea of being hugged by a half snow Harry didn’t appeal to Ginny in the slightest.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Ginny then turned and ran pursed by Harry. It was a race she knew she never going to win her legs weren’t long enough, but that wasn’t going to stop her trying. In the end it was the depth of the snow that was her undoing. Stumbling to her knees in an extra deep bit Harry pounced and rolled her screaming through the snow until they were both covered from head to foot.


Eventually Harry got his kiss and hug, and they only stopped when the cold ground became too much for them both and they were forced to stand up. Meanwhile Ron had turned the tables on Hermione, and was shoving snow in much the same manner Harry had moments before except in far larger quantities.

“RONALD WEASLEY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!” A voice screamed from the line of trees above them. Harry quickly stood behind Ginny as he saw who was screaming. Molly Weasley had obviously been attracted by all the screaming and shouting that had been going on. She was not alone, next to her was Arthur and strung out in a line was Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, and a glum looking George. Ginny couldn’t remember the last time he had seen him smile since Fred had been killed.

“I can’t believe your disgraceful behaviour, Hermione is a guest in our house.” Ron, who was still straddling Hermione, looked like the proverbial rabbit in a car’s headlights. With the attention all on Ron Ginny began to tidy herself up as much as possible to avoid any awkward questions, so she never saw the snowball thrown.

That snowball would eventually become a Weasley family legend. In its retelling there would be talk about how it glittered in the sun light dazzling everybody before it hit its target. Its size would grow to be compared to pumpkins, and it would turn from one, to up to a dozen launched by catapult. What never changed in the story was who it hit, and who threw it.

The future generation of grandchildren would be more impressed by this act of heroism than any other. The fool hardy courage of this act they could understand, Granny Weasley was something they could relate to. Voldemort, a thirty foot Basilisk, the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and a lake full of Inferi these were things out of a book. Granny was real, and at times each one of them had been scared of her.

The silence that reigned after the snowball hit Mrs Weasley on the nose echoed around the Burrows grounds. Ginny suddenly realised that all eyes were on her, and it slowly dawned on her that Harry, her Harry, had been the one to cast the fateful missile. Without thinking about it she stepped away from Harry not wanting to be found guilty by association.

“Well boys he may be the hero of the Wizarding World,” Mr Weasley said in a firm voice, “but are you going to let this insult to your mother stand, or are you going to do something about it.”

The first to charge into the snow filled dip was Charlie followed a split second later by Bill. Ginny watched as Percy looked at George, and her heart soared when for the first time in months the old wicked smile was back on the single twin’s face, and George charged in too. The pregnant Fleur stood on the side lines, but Ginny was the only person who saw her hit Arthur on the back of his head with a perfectly aimed snowball.

Harry vanished in a hail of snow and bodies, and Ginny decided to stand by her man and jumped on Charlie’s back. Eventually, as these things always do, the snowball fight got out of hand and the little dip at the back of the Burrow became a mini snow hurricane. Afterwards nobody would admit to being the first to use magic, but before long everybody had their wand drawn, and snow was whizzing around in all manner of ways.

The fight only petered out when the snow was used up. Molly had eventually joined in with gusto once Arthur had rolled her to the ground. George too was yelling and screaming in the same way he used to, and Ginny’s heart exploded with happiness. She knew on some deep level that a corner had been turned in the family’s grief. It wasn’t the end, but it was perhaps the end of the beginning.

“Alright everybody inside and get warmed up,” Molly commanded brushing the last flakes out of her hair. “There’s plenty to do before Christmas dinner.”

Ginny, chilled to the bone rushed back to the house desperate to get out of the cold and grab a place by the fire before it was blocked by a horde of large brothers. The kitchen began to fill with steam as the heat from the fire and numerous drying charms. Hot tea was soon circulated and Ginny stopped shivering. Only now did she think to find Harry in the noisy and crowded kitchen. Hermione and Harry though weren’t anywhere to be found. She was about to get worried when the pair walked into the kitchen in fresh clothes, and bone dry.

“Where have you been?”

“We dried off in the tent,” Harry said.

“We remembered that we had a spare set of clothes still in it,” Hermione added.

“What’s that around your neck?” Ginny asked.

“Oh this,” Hermione said fingering a mini metallic hour glass on a silver chain. “Well it’s …”

“It’s my Christmas present to her,” Harry said interrupting. “I saw it in a shop window and knew that it was meant for Hermione. You remember me telling you about our little time travelling adventure.”

“It’s one of my favourites.”

“This is a fake time turner.”

“Cool,” Ron said joining them and reaching out to touch it. Hermione though quickly slapped his hand and slipped it quickly back under her clothes.

“You know Harry we could have lots of fun with a real time turner, and never run the risk of getting caught,” Ginny said in a low whisper that only the four of them heard. Both Harry and Hermione glanced at each other.

“I don’t want to hear this,” Ron said.

“Oh quiet you,” she continued ignoring Ron’s look of disgust. “We could have spent last night in that tent, and no one would have known because we were here with witnesses.”

“I can’t believe that tent wasn’t destroyed in the snowball fight,” Ron said.

“I put a notice-me-not-charm on it,” Hermione said. “I thought things might get out of control.”

“So what do you think Harry?”

“About what?”

“Using a time turner so we could spend the whole night together undisturbed. I mean we could have slipped out last night, entertained ourselves until dawn, and then travelled back just after we left and slept in till this morning.”

“Well I guess we could have, but it’s not a real time turner though is it.”

“I know that.”

“Hey guys and girls thanks for that,” George said grinning from ear to ear. “Fred would have loved it, and Mum’s face Harry I don’t think I’ll ever forget that as long as I live, brilliant utterly brilliant, can we do the same again next year?”

“Oh George,” Ginny said hugging her brother. It wasn’t until she saw him smiling and laughing in front of her that Ginny realised how much she’d missed the old fun loving George.

“What do you think Hermione?” Harry asked his arm around her shoulder.

“Why not Harry, why not, after all anything’s possible with magic.”


Did they, or didn't they? You decide.