The Holidays Are Here

Chapter Seven

Draco was so angry he couldn\'t see straight. He had yelled at Crabbe long enough to lose his voice. “You were supposed to be on look-out! Where where you, that you couldn\'t see that Weasley scumbag? Answer me!” Crabbe couldn\'t find an answer that Draco would accept. “I was looking out the window, just as you told me to. I never saw anything.”

Of course, Draco knew why Crabbe wouldn\'t have seen anything. “Weasley was using Potter\'s famous invisibility cloak.” He still felt like taking it out on someone else. It made him feel less like a moron. “We\'ll have to do something about them. We have to make sure they are shut-up for good.”

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The next morning, Harry woke up to find Ron already gone. He remembered Ron telling him something about the library, Hermione, and way too early in the morning for homework. On top of that, it was Christmas Eve. Harry and Ron both wanted to take a trip into Hogsmeade for some last minute shopping, as the girls might not forgive them after receiving what Ron and Harry originally bought for them. He grabbed his quill and a piece of parchment, and scribbled a quick note.

“Hagrid, Ron and I need to go into Hogsmeade for some last minute gifts. Would it be alright if He and I went after breakfast? Your Friend, Harry”

Harry dressed himself, and went down to the common room to find Ginny already dressed and sitting by the window, staring out at the wintery sky. “It started around three this morning. I couldn\'t sleep after Hermione got up, so I came down to watch. And to think about everything that happened yesterday” She turned to look at her new boyfriend.

“Only the good parts, I hope.” Harry smiled, and looked past Ginny to find it had been snowing moderately. Perhaps a snowball fight might be on the schedule for this afternoon. “I\'ve got to go to the Owlery. Why don\'t you come with me. After that, we\'ll pick up Ron and Hermione and have breakfast.”

“Sure, that sounds great.” Ginny felt a need to be close to Harry. “Who are you sending an owl to?”
“Hagrid. Ron and I need to go into Hogsmeade for some last minute shopping, and I would rather have permission than sneak out.”

“That sounds like fun. We can all go together.” she liked the the idea of spending a day shopping with everybody. Harry, feeling guilt tug at him, told Ginny that she and Hermione had to stay.

“Why?” Her smile quickly dissipated.
“It\'s a secret. Please, don\'t ask, and I won\'t tell.” He flashed a cheeky smile at her. She seemed to understand now, and returned his smile, batting her eyes playfully. “Have I been a good girl this year?”

Harry shook his head. “No Ginny, you have been very naughty. But don\'t worry, naughty girls get better presents.” He walked over behind her, and wrapped his arms around her stomach. “How do you feel today?”

Looking back out the window, she smiled and said, “Like a new person Harry, thanks to your love. I feel liberated somehow, but I can\'t quite explain it.” Harry knew exactly what she meant. He felt the same way. “I meant this.” He moved his hand down between her legs, and gently laid it on her pussy.

She tensed, afraid he wouldn\'t be gentle enough with her. “It\'s...well, it hurts a little. I\'ll be walking funny for a day or two. But don\'t worry Harry, I wouldn\'t trade yesterday for anything in the world.” Harry hugged her tightly, and looked to the window. He was barely able to make out their reflection in the window. Amazingly, it reminded him of a photo of his parents. He saw his mother, reflected in the innocence of Ginny\'s face.

“We should get going.” Harry let go of Ginny\'s waist. She got up stiffly, and they both left together.

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Ron was nearly falling asleep in his breakfast. He wasn\'t as well suited for early hour studying as Hermione seemed to be. He was woken up by owl dropping a parcel on his head. He shook himself alert, and looked down at the letter.

“Well,” Harry said, “Open it. It must be from Hagrid. Ron peeled the letter open, and read it aloud.

“Harry, it would be fine with me. Your Friend, Hagrid. P.S. - Don\'t get into any trouble. In and out if you can.”

“Great! Ron hurry up and finish, we need to get going.” Harry was excited by Hagrid\'s response. He rubbed Ginny\'s leg under the table. “We\'ll be back soon. You two might want to stay out of sight until we get back. You never know when Malfoy will pop up again.”

Harry and Ron caught the witch\'s bus to Hogsmeade. They wandered around the shops several different times, not having any luck figuring out what they wanted to get for their new girlfriends. The snow had picked up a bit, and they were both anxious to get back as soon as possible.

“Harry, we have to be clever about this. Bill told me that he gave a girl the wrong present once for Christmas, and she wouldn\'t speak to him for two weeks.”

“I think I\'ve got it.” Harry pointed down an alley they had missed the previous times they had wandered the streets. The sign hanging above the door was covered in ice, but the words were still legible.

“Hogsmeade Jewelers. Gifts and accessories for your loved ones.”

“Bloody good find Harry, come on.” Ron quickly walked into the alley, and Harry followed suit. They both entered the shop, seeing glass cases full of rings, bracelets and necklaces, as well as many other items.

“I\'ll be right there,” a voice called out from the back. “Go ahead and look around, though it won\'t do you any good.” As Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks, an elderly woman appeared from behind a curtain that separated this room from the back.

“Of everything in here,” she continued, “you will find only what your true love\'s heart will desire. Simply ask the room what it is your love would like the best.” She smiled, and went on. “You two have both found new love recently, haven\'t you? I can see it in your faces.”

Ron and Harry both smiled and replied, “Yes ma\'am.”

“Be warned, then.” She now had a more serious tone. “If you do not truly love the girl, you will end up with the wrong gift. I had a customer several years back that didn\'t truly love his girlfriend. He came back after the holidays, said she didn\'t speak to him for two weeks. He kind of looked like you, you know.” She pointed to Ron.

“Right, better get on with it then.” Ron began to feel nervous. “Room? What would my true love like the best?” The room dimmed, and the objects began to fade from sight. After a minute or two, only one object remained. A silver and gold, matching quill and diary set. On the cover, the words \'lesson notes\' were inscribed.

Harry nudged him in the arm. “Good find, Ron. That fits Hermione exactly.” Ron sighed in relief. He was certain that she would love it. But then, his spirit sank. “I can\'t afford it Harry. I\'ll have to find her something, well, else.”

“No you won\'t. I won\'t let you. I\'ll pay for it, and we\'ll call it my gift to you.”

Ron shook his head in disagreement. He recalled Malfoy\'s words from yesterday all too well. Harry, being insistent, told the elderly woman that he will take it, as well as whatever the room tells him to get for his new love. After she removed it from the case, all of the objects re-appeared, and the room lit back up.

Harry cleared his throat. “Room, what would my true love like to have above all others?” Once again, the objects began to fade, until an old worn locket remained. Harry\'s heart sank. Why would a cruddy old locket appear? Maybe Ron was right, after all. Perhaps this place was a bust. Or did it meant that deep down, he didn\'t truly love Ginny? Ron shot an accusatory glare at him.

He had felt like fate just stepped on his heart, but his curiosity got the better of him. “I\'ll take it.”

As the elderly woman took it out of the case, she seemed puzzled as well. “I don\'t remember this locket at all. It surely must be older than the two of you, and to top it off, it still has the old pictures in it, see?” She handed it to Harry, and he turned it to the light to get a better view. He almost fell over. Turning it to see the back, he found an inscription, and read it aloud:

“To James, whom I love above all others, for eternity. -Lily”

Harry\'s eyes began to tear up as he turned away. He gave Ron an entire pocket full of gold coins, put the locket in his pocket and left. Ron looked to the woman and explained to her who James and Lily were. She smiled, and rang up the bill silently. As Ron walked to the door, she spoke to him one last time. “His love for her must really be true you know, to have found that.” Ron looked back and said, “It better be. She\'s my sister.” They exchanged smiles as he thanked her. “Cheers,” she replied.

Exiting the shop, Ron found Harry crouching against the wall. “You all right?” Harry took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. “Yeah. Never better. Let\'s go, the snow seems to be getting worse again.”

As they headed to the edge of town, an owl swooped by, and dropped a letter in Harry\'s hands. He and Ron exchanged puzzled looks as Harry opened it. He wasn\'t quite sure to make of it. Ron was dying with suspense as he grabbed the letter from Harry. He read it aloud:

“Potter – Bring your poor Weasley friend out tonight after supper, to the Shrieking Shack. It\'s time we settled this for good.”

The morning snow had just turned into a full-on blizzard. Harry held his wand hand out and waited for the Witch\'s bus to arrive.

-End Chapter