Worlds Apart, Hearts Close
Hermione Potter
Chapter 7: Jingle Bells
'Knock, knock'
Hermione opened her eyes slowly, rubbing sleep from them. She got out of bed and opened the door before being swooped into the air.
"Good morning!" Harry's happy voice said, swinging her around.
"Harry! What are you doing?" she asked, softly laughing.
"We're going to decorate the house for Christmas! And you're helping!" he laughed along with her as he set her down on the floor.
"That's great. Just let me get dressed," she replied, going to her closet.
"Of course. See you in a few minutes milady," Harry bowed.
"Thank you, sire," she curtsied with a laugh as he shut the door behind him.
Hermione shook her head and looked through her clothes figuring what to wear. Most of them were her old clothes. She didn't want to wear them because they weren't good enough for Lily, James, and especially Harry.
Then she saw the outfit that Anastasie made for her a while ago. It was a red long-sleeved blouse with white snowflakes that had a matching long skirt. On the collar of her blouse was a single silver bell that had a beautiful ring to it.
She bit her lip before slipping it on and putting her hair up. Hermione took a long breath before walking out of her room and walking down to the kitchen where she saw Harry, his back facing her. Obviously he didn't hear her come in.
"Good morning, Harry," she greeted, watching him turn around.
"Good morning, Mio-wow," he stumbled, dropping the piece of bread he wwas holding.
"Do I look okay?" she asked.
"More than okay. You look brilliant," he grinned, giving her a piece of toast.
"Thank you," Hermione smiled, munching on her breakfast.
"My mum and dad are in the other room, putting the tree up. Do you want to go decorate that first?" Harry asked.
"Oh, sure. That'd be great," she answered, smiling softly at him while she followed him into the living room.
"Good morning Hermione," Lily smiled at her as she hung tinsel around the pine tree.
"Hi Lily. James," she bowed politely.
"Hello Hermione," James greeted as he lit the fireplace.
"Oh before I forget, this is for you," Harry turned to her and took out her necklace.
"Oh Harry! You found it! Thank you!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a tight hug.
"You're welcome. Here, I'll put it on for you," he said softly, linking it around her neck.
"This really means a lot to me. I don't know how I can repay you," she whispered tearfully.
"Hey, hey. No need to cry. It was nothing. I'd do anything for you," he murmured in her ear as he watched her blush before a cough interrupted them.
The two looked up to see Lily and James looking at them, James with a grin and Lily with a loving smile.
"If you two love birds don't mind, we'd like to get the decorations up before Christmas," James chuckled as they both became embarrassed.
"Sorry...," Harry apologized taking some ornaments and hanging them on the tree. Hermione avoided his gaze shyly and decorated the fire place.
"They really are quite obvious, don't you think?" Lily whispered in her husband's ear.
"Absolutely. Maybe like us," he grinned as she shook her head at him.
"Insatiable," she stuck her tongue out at him before going into the kitchen do bake some cookies.
As Hermione moved around the room, her little silver bell rang like sleigh bells which relaxed her a bit.
Hermione looked through the window to see snow falling from the sky. She smiled before walking outside and spinning in the snow.
"Snow...it's so beautiful. Mum used to take outside and we'd play all day. I'd make snow angels and snow men," she sighed, laying back in the snow before moving her arms and legs to make a snow angel.
"Mum...Dad...I wish you were here with me. But I know you're watching me now," she said looking up at the skies.
"Sickle for your thoughts?" a voice asked next to her. Hermione turned her head and saw Lily sit beside her in the snow.
"Sure...I was just thinking of my parents," she sighed.
"It was cruel that James and I got to spend so much time with your parents and you so little. But you know, loved ones never really leave. They're always in your heart," Lily said. (A/N: Haha! From Prisoner of Azkaban at the end.)
"I know. I always think of them. My mother loved the sound of bells. Especially at Christmas time. They always brought a jingle into our house," Hermione smiled softly.
"Well, you'll always have a family here," Lily replied.
"I know. I have a new family that I'm spending Christmas with."
A/N: I'm up to a rocky start because I'm STILL saving my old files to my computer. So I'm a little rusty. Please review. Be nice. It's almost Christmas!