From Me To You by Jenna Kathleen Rating: PG Ship: Harry & Hermione Canon: Books 1 - 5 Genre: Romance Status: Complete Length: 2,570 words in 1 chapter Published: 26 Dec 2004 Last updated: 26 Dec 2004 Harry and Hermione spend a very memorable Christmas at Number 12. From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/3482/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. From Me To You Here is just a little Christmas ficlet. I am posting it the day after Christmas because the end happens on the day after Christmas. Disclaimer: I am not, nor will I ever be, J.K. Rowling. I don't own the characters except Brad and since he was supposed to be French, I used my French teacher's name. Other than that, the title comes from a Beatles song. Thanks to seanbiggerstafflover for being my beta! From Me to You Christmas dawned too early at 12 Grimmauld Place. Much too early for Harry's liking, but now that he was up he could worry more about Hermione liking the present he got her. He thought it amazing. He, Harry Potter the twenty-four year old boy-who-lived-turned-into-the-man-who-saved-the-world, was so worried that she wouldn't like her gift. He didn't have to worry long. Not five minutes after he woke up Hermione came bounding up the stairs from her room. “Harry, wake up, it's Christmas!” she exclaimed from the other side of his door. “I'm up, `Mione. Come --,” he was barely able to utter before she opened the door and ran full force at him then jumped on the side of his bed, “on in.” “Come on, Harry. Let's go down stairs and open our presents.” It never ceased to amaze him that the older she got the more excited she got about Christmas and all that happened during the holidays. “Alright, Hermione. If I have to,” he joked. He than grabbed her hand and with just as much enthusiasm ran down the stairs to the formal living room where they had decided to place the Christmas tree this year. “Harry, slow down, we can walk,” she said as she put just enough force to pull him to a walk. “But a fast walk,” and she speeded up just enough to where they weren't walking, but they weren't running. By the time the two made it to the living room they had absolutely forgot about the no running pact they made upstairs. They were now racing each other to see who could be the first at the tree that stood over six feet tall and was covered from top to bottom in fairies that varied in colors. “Ha, Harry, I beat you!” squealed Hermione as she jumped up and down for finally beating Harry at an athletic task. “Yeah, well that is only cause I let you win,” Harry countered as Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. “Well, even if you did; this is my victory today. It can be your Christmas present to me.” “No it can't. Your present is already hidden under the tree, and all those presents?” He was shocked by just how many gifts they had received by owl within the past eight hours. “It looks like the Weasley's sent us presents again this year. I told them not to.” “Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's get the paper off these boxes and see what goodies we have.” she said not able to hide the excitement once she sat on the floor in front of the tree. ---------- Two hours later, Harry and Hermione had finally finished off the last of the boxes. They were extremely fortunate to have families like they did. Molly and Arthur send them each a hand knitted sweater, Harry's a dark blue and Hermione's in a rose pink, and treats and sweets to last them until the next Christmas. Ginny and Draco, who were married right after Ginny finished training to be a Healer, sent them each a one hundred galleon gift certificate to anywhere in Diagon Alley with a note attached saying that this way Harry and Hermione could buy anything they wanted and didn't have to exchange anything to achieve that. Ron and Luna, who also married after Ron's first season as the Cannon's keeper, sent each Hermione and Harry season tickets to see the Cannon's play and a nice long letter asking if they would be godparents to the baby he and Luna just found out they were going to have. Among the rest of the gifts was a few tins of fudge and a couple Black Forest cakes from Hagrid, and a few well wishes and knickknacks from Remus, Dumbledore, Bill, Tonks and their kids, Fred and George's joke shop, and the rest of the Weasley's and, surprisingly, something from Professor Snape. “Can you believe all this Harry? I think everyone we've ever met sent us something for Christmas.” Hermione looked under the tree again. “Harry, where's mine? You said it was under everything else.” Harry rolled his eyes at her, she was really into this. “Look carefully `Mione. It's there I promise.” She glared at him for a moment before getting on her hands and knees and crawled under the tree in search of her present. She looks so cute like that. I wonder if our kids will have her excitement on holidays. Whoa, where did that come from he wondered. But as he thought about it again, he did wonder whom their kids would take after, if they did get together. “Found it!” she screamed as she backed out from under the tree. “You are a sly one hiding it under your invisibility cloak. I would have never found it if my hand didn't slip on its fabric. “I found the one I got you under there too. Maybe it got caught under the cloak when you tried to hide mine.” “Yeah maybe,” Harry replied as she handed him his gift. Once the package was in his hands he looked up to see Hermione turning back around to sit beside the tree to unwrap her gift. “On the count of three?” Hermione asked. “Uh, yeah sure.” Harry replied while not even taking his eyes off her. “One…two……three.” Immediately she opened the envelope with the Christmas card inside that said With Love from me to you…Harry'. She soon forgot about the card and picked up the box and unwrapped it. To her surprise it was a jewelers box. Maybe this is what I hope it is…No it can't be, Harry doesn't think of me that way. All her doubts flew out the window when she opened the box and found a silver necklace with a small charm shaped like a time-turner on it. Tears formed in her eyes instantly as she was reminded of the events that took place during her third year, and their mission to save Sirius. “Oh, `Mione. If I knew it would make you sad I wouldn't have gotten it. Come here,” he said as he pulled her to sit in his lap where he would rub her back and give her a shoulder to cry on at the same time. It took several minutes for the sobs to quiet in her soul. That necklace was the nicest thing anyone could have gotten her. She knew if someone else had given it to her it wouldn't have meant that much. But Harry gave it to her and that just meant too much to her; more than anything. “Thank you, Harry. For the necklace, the shoulder to cry on, and the past thirteen years of friendship,” she said as she battled yet another sob trying to escape. Luckily she hadn't said what else she had on her mind just then. Harry probably couldn't deal with a confession like that. She thought about the last part she wanted to say as she climbed out of his arms. I love you. She did love him with all her heart, but that was one thing Harry would never know because she just knew he'd reject her. Once her thoughts were back in working order she looked toward the floor beside Harry to find the gift she had gotten him still in the box and wrapped. “Harry James, didn't you promise we'd open the presents at the same time?” “Yes,” he said until the realization dawned on him. “I'm sorry, I wanted to see you open your, and just think I wouldn't have been able to hold you while you cried.” “Good point,” she laughed. “Now open it!” Harry tore off the paper, pulled open the box only to find a smaller box. He opened the second box slowly; unsure of what Hermione could be giving him that would come in what could only be called a jewelry box. When he finally had it open, Harry could only stare. Inside was the most exquisite watch Harry had ever seen. It had a fine silver band and a large black face showing the date and time. There was also a compass - which could come in very handy on long trips on his broom. “It's a perfect present, Hermione. I love it!” He smiled one of his rare genuine smiled that had her stomach doing flip-flops. Now if you loved me just as much, Harry. ---------- Later that night they both lay in their respective rooms thinking about the day's events. Both got wonderful gifts from the other, but not what they truly wanted: the heart of the givers themselves. Around two in the morning, Hermione was awoken to a familiar sensation that she felt so much earlier in her life she knew she would ever forget it. The necklace. It was a real time-turner. Harry never said it was real or not, but somehow she knew it was no fake. Before she was able to sort fully through her thoughts, she was standing in a jewelry store somewhere in a wizarding village in Europe. It wasn't Hogsmeade nor was it, Diagon Alley. It was somewhere, by the way the wizards and witches dressed, in France. “That will be one-hundred and fifty galleons, Mr. Potter.” A man behind her said to someone she knew must have been Harry, but she turned around to make sure. Yep, it was Harry all right. And there was the necklace she got for Christmas. What happened here? One moment she was lying in bed thinking about how blessed she was to have wonderful friends and family like she had, and the next minute she is standing in some jewelry store in wizarding Paris. And better yet, why is she standing behind Harry while he was paying for her necklace? “Thank you, Brad. This is just what I was looking for. Thanks for having it made on such short notice.” “It was our pleasure to have someone such as yourself come to us specifically and have a charm made for your girlfriend.” “Oh, she isn't my girlfriend. Well, she isn't yet. I just haven't had the courage to ask her yet.” His voice got soft as he said the last part, almost if he were afraid that someone who knew that girl would find out and tell her. “Well, Mr. Potter, as soon as she sees this, I am sure that she will be the one that comes to you,” Brad the clerk said as soon as he finished ringing up the necklace and making correct change for Harry. “Good luck, Mr. Potter, and Happy Christmas.” “Thanks, Brad! You too.” Harry turned to walk out of the store and Hermione had to run out onto the street to where he didn't see her. Never let anyone you know see you when you go back into time. The consequences can be deadly. She remembered the heed from Dumbledore those eleven years ago. Amazing what time will allow you to remember and what time makes you forget As soon as Harry left the store and the door shut, Hermione was transported back to her room and to the exact spot before she even left. She didn't even have to touch the necklace to do that either. “I have to get to the bottom of this,” she whispered to herself as she got up and walked out of her room and treaded lightly until she stood right in front of Harry's door. “Harry, wake up. I need to talk to you,” she said to the door, but not even three seconds after she spoke, Harry threw open the door and worry was etched across his face. “And, no, nothing is wrong. I just needed to ask you a few questions.” “Come on in then. You know I am always here,” he said as she walked into his room and started pacing the floor. “`Mione, what is wrong? Just tell me.” She came to a stop right in front of him and she started to open her mouth, but quickly shut it. “Harry, where did you get my necklace?” Harry paused a moment wanting to refuse to answer her question, but the look she had on her face made him tell her the truth. “Paris.” “Is it a real time-turner?” she asked. Worry bringing out the greens and golds in her eyes. “The manufacturer didn't say, but it isn't supposed to be one. Why?” “I woke up about twenty minutes ago to the feeling of being transported in time. To the day you bought my necklace, to the exact place you bought it.” She tried to calm her voice, but she didn't know how to do that without bursting out into tears. “I heard everything you and Brad said that day. You meant for this necklace to be for a girl you wanted to ask out. Why did you give it to me?” Harry laughed at that. “Harry, this is not funny. Why would you do that?” “I did buy it for a person that I have feelings for, but I didn't know if she would like it as a token of my affection or not,” he said as Hermione's eyes started filling with tears. “And I gave it to her today for Christmas, but I couldn't pep myself up enough to tell her how I felt. I did leave a card with it, but I don't think she got it.” With each word he said, he was looking deep into those brown depths and wiping each single tear that slid down her face. “Hermione, that card you opened today said it all. `With love from me to you.' It said in a card what I couldn't say to your face. I do love you, Hermione,” he finished explaining to her as her tears came to a halt. “You really mean that, Harry? You love me?” She asked, not really wanting to know the answer just in case it was no, but she stayed rooted to the spot until she saw Harry nod his head yes. Hermione then grabbed Harry and placed him in an almost bone crushing hug. “I love you, too, Harry.” Then she brought her mouth up to his for the first kiss of many, many more. All in all things happened the way things were meant to be in those few short hours of the Day-After Christmas. Harry and Hermione finally found what they were searching for after years of no luck. They finally found the love that each person is destined to find. Their Christmas was a very memorable one, as well as every other holiday during the year following that night, and for many years to come, Harry and Hermione would always think of that one fateful day where she was transported back to another place for one last time. ---------- Well, that was it! I know it is short, but please reply! Jenna