The Weak Fall First

Ok guys… this one is a bit short, it was going to be part of the last chapter but I forgot to put it on! Oops!

Christmas shopping

 The next day a notice went up in the common room announcing that third years and above may go to Hogsmeade on both Saturday and Sunday, rather than just on Saturday, as was usual. Everyone was delighted to hear this as they all had loads of Christmas shopping to do.

 Hermione was quite puzzled about what to get Harry for Christmas, obviously she couldn’t get him the same kind of present that she had on previous years when they had not been dating. This time she wanted to get him something really special. She had consulted Ginny but found she wasn’t much help as she was too busy worrying about what to get Malfoy.

“Well we’ll go together anyway, so we can look around and share ideas.” Hermione told her grumbling friend. They had decided to have a girly day shopping on Saturday to buy the boys’ presents, and then Hermione was going back to Hogsmeade again on Sunday with Harry and Ron to get other presents and maybe go to the Three Broomsticks in the afternoon because there was a band playing and they looked quite promising. (i.e. wasn’t called ‘Wailing Wayne’ or ‘The Warbling Weirdos’) So Hermione had reserved a table, they could at least have a place to sit down and talk if the band were awful.

Hermione glanced at her watch and saw that it was 7am. She sighed and grudgingly got out of her nice warm bed and hastily pulled on her dressing gown to ward off the December chill. She looked around the room and scowled at the other girls who were still asleep; warm and cosy in their beds. Hermione hated getting up early at the weekend, especially when everyone else was asleep. But she had promised Harry and Ron she would come to watch their Quidditch training this morning – apparently they had thought up some new moves they wanted to show off.

Grumbling to herself, Hermione walked wearily down the girls’ staircase and met Ginny half way down, hurriedly pulling on her quidditch robes over jeans and a thick jumper. Her head emerged from the top of the robes and she pulled a face at Hermione. “I’m late again! Harry’s gonna kill me! As usual.” She said over her shoulder as she clattered down the stairs, forgetfully leaving her broom propped against the wall. Hermione picked it up and carried on down the stairs into the common room and out the portrait hole.

 She ran into Ginny rounding a corner and sent her flying. “Oh sorry Hermione!” Ginny said catching her breath. “I forgot my -”

“Broom?” Hermione finished, holding it out to her. Ginny smiled and said a hurried ‘Thanks’ before sprinting off the way she had come, back out towards the Quidditch Pitch.

“All right! Enough for today!” Harry yelled to his team and sped back towards the ground. Hermione was waiting for him with a stack of toast and a smile. “You guys are getting lots better” she said, eying the rest of the team heading towards the changing rooms. Harry frowned and surveyed his team. “Yeah, I s’pose.” He said and took a bit of toast. “But we’re missing Eric Reynolds again” he grumbled. Seeing Hermione’s questioning expression he explained. “He’s a second year, and a brilliant chaser. Really amazing, almost as good as Ginny.” He scowled suddenly at his toast. “But he hardly ever turns up for early morning practices, apparently he stays in bed ‘til lunch time!” Harry said and went off to the changing room, still muttering about Reynolds.

 Hermione waited until Ginny came out the changing room and jogged towards her. “Hey! It’s nearly half nine Hermione, and they’re all going to Hogsmeade at ten!” she said and hurried off towards the castle, Hermione not far behind.

 The two girls spent the day in Hogsmeade, looking in every shop for presents for the boys. Hermione saw a set of Chudley Cannons figurines for Ron. They moved around and flew miniature broomsticks. Ginny offered to go halves on it and so they bought it as a joint present. Ginny got Harry a big box full of sweets from Honeydukes and then disappeared for a while to get Malfoy’s present, refusing to tell Hermione what it was. Hermione just raised an eyebrow and grinned at her before setting off to find Harry something.

 She was getting increasingly frustrated. By mid afternoon she still hadn’t found Harry anything. She was wandering aimlessly down a side street when she spotted something catching the light in the shop window. She smiled and pushed open the door of the shop and stepped inside. The shop was dark and she could see dust particles floating in the rays of weak sunlight coming in through the grimy windows. Hermione looked around curiously and examined some odd looking items on display.

“Can I help you?” said a voice behind her. Hermione jumped and spun around. A little old man stood before her blinking from behind thick glasses.

“Erm..er… yes…I…in the window, the two-” she broke off as the little man scurried over to the window and pulled out two items from the display.

 “These, my dear?” he asked politely, blinking at her. Hermione smiled and nodded, hopping Harry would like it.

Harry and Ron walked aimlessly through the busy streets of Hogsmeade, looking for presents for Hermione and Ginny. Harry decided to get Ginny a big box of Honeydukes sweets and Ron got Hermione the same.

 Harry was then hopelessly aware that he still had no idea what to get Hermione. He wandered up a side street with Ron and peered through the windows of some murky antiques shops. Harry was just about to give up and get her a book when he found the perfect gift. He grinned and called to Ron before going into the shop and asking for the beautiful item displayed in the shop window. The woman behind the till smiled and said that whoever she was must be a very special girl. Harry smiled and said that she certainly was.