Chapter 18 Happy Holidays part I.
***************Somewhere**************************
December 21, 2005
In a dimly lit room somewhere in Europe, a hooded figure sat. The sullen red glow that came from under the hood hid the features of the face beneath. The room itself fit the figure; the only light was from a fireplace in the corner of the room and a pair of small oil lamps along the walls. The person, if it was one, seemingly spoke to the air. "Wormtail, are the preparations ready?"
And with that statement, a rat that had been scurrying along the baseboards stopped, looked at the man and...slowly transformed. Doubling, tripling, quadrupling in size and slowly changing to the shape of a short, stooped man. "Yes, Sire," the man/rat, answered. "Dumbledore has pulled his champions in to the so-called protection of the school. All are out of the way for our strike."
"Good," Voldemort replied in a hiss. "With Arthur Weasley, and Potter, along with the rest all combined at Hogwarts, few will remain to guard the Ministry itself. Potter and his friends may have defied me before, but there are other secrets to be had there. Secrets which even that old fool does not know about his precious school."
*****************************Hogwarts***********************************
Harry was sleeping. Ever since his mastering of Occlumency, the shared visions from Voldemort that once plagued him were no more, and while nightmares were not uncommon, tonight this was neither. A pure spike of emotion from his foe snapped through his mind, and his infamous scar suddenly burned with a white-hot flame. Harry snapped awake with a screamed "NO!" Sitting up and cradling his head in his hands, he heard the sound of bare feet running, and a second later Hermione dashed into the room.
"Is it?" She whispered, a touch of something coloring her voice.
"Yeah the scar hurts." Harry muttered, annoyed.
"But no thoughts got though?" She inquired worriedly. Hermione bit her lip nervously, as she stood waiting for his response.
"No, but I can tell the fucker is happy about something. I'll tell Dumbledore in the morning." Harry reassured her, with a grimace.
Pensively Hermione met his eyes, she asked softly, "Harry, can I stay?" as she sat down beside him on the bed.
"Please" He replied. Since they were after all, Head Boy and Girl they at least pretended to obey school rules, and for the most part they at least started the night apart. However tonight, as with many nights, they ended up together before the night was through. Most of the time the intent was not even carnal, though it often ended that way, but that they needed the physical contact to hold the nightmares at bay. This, on occasion, had ended up with a reprimand or two, the most famous of which had been a thirty minute spleen venting session by McGonagall, after she came to get Hermione's help with a first year female student, that was homesick one night, and found Harry holding Hermione in her room. But even then McGonagall had only about half her heart in it, and she later apologized after the safehouse raid. By then the war had given everyone enough nightmares.
Hermione curled up against him and Harry pulled the covers over them both. Harry kissed the top of her hair snuggled into his chest. After a moment she fell asleep, and Harry followed soon after, the dreams held at bay for another night.
December 22, 2005
Ron, had it a little tougher, as he and Luna didn't share a separate common room like the one the two Head students shared, not to mention the fact that Luna lived with 2 other girls. Though if he really wanted to, he now had the magical skill to get up the infamous girls stairs, he had learned from Harry and Hermione after all. Dumbledore was once overheard muttering to McGonagall that after this group finally graduated, he was going to have to improve all the magical charms. After all, between, Harry, Ron and Hermione, he wasn't sure if there was a magical charm, guard or ward on his school that they hadn't defeated yet, except the anti-apparation ward, and he wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't defeat that too. Actually he was privately convinced that Harry and Hermione probably could by main force if they thought they really needed to, it was after all, one of the ways way he did the trick of getting around the ward, though the least subtle.
Although Ron had been disappointed about not leaving school for Christmas, he had gotten over it quickly. For one brief instant, he had thought of the possibilities of sharing a more or less abandoned dorm with his girlfriend. In fact he was on the verge of talking to Neville to arrange some sort of signal, when his hopes were crushed by a kind thought.
Dumbledore had reasoned that since the Weasleys were forced to spend the holidays at Hogwarts, then he would magically attach the visitors' quarters to the Gryffindor common room. Which since Hogwarts was continually rearranging itself anyway, was easily enough done. This kindness, of course, had squashed any idea of easy midnight trysts with Luna. In fact he had looked so downhearted when he received the news of the rearrangement and worked out the implications, that Harry had for a second, almost offered his room for Ron to share with Luna, and he would stay with Hermione. But just as soon as the thought crossed his mind he dropped it, unmentioned, almost as fast. For two reasons, first it would be unfair to Ginny and Neville and second, he like any relatively sane individual did not want Molly mad at him.
The rest of the castle was almost abandoned of students. Except for Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny, all of the rest of the Gryffindors had gone home to their families. With the current times, most Wizarding families wanted their entire families home for Christmas if at all possible. The remainder of the castle was similarly empty; there was a single Ravenclaw student staying, and a couple of Hufflepuffs. And to everyone's unstated relief, there were no Slytherins remaining over the holidays for once. Even Draco had gone home, supposedly, though both of his parents were on the lam together. Lupin and Tonks had tried to follow him to see if he was meeting up with them but they lost him after the third apparation he performed in a row to throw off pursuit. Disgusted, they gave up and came back to the castle.
Of the professors, however, the majority was present and except for Snape, was ambling about the castle with an air of the Holiday sprit, even though several of them were obviously forcing it. Hagrid had just dragged a giant tree in from the forest, seemingly big enough to almost reach the ceiling in the Great Hall and Professor Flitwick and Tonks were trying to decorate it. Finally, they gave up on trying to levitate up to the top of the tree, it was twenty feet up, and had Harry fly up to the top on his firebolt, to the applause all of those present. Upon witnessing Harry flying in the hall on a broomstick, McGonagall was overheard to say "Hell what's one more school rule," as she sipped a cup of hot chocolate.
In a way, despite the lack of students, the castle was actually crowded for Christmas, especially with Charlie, Bill, Fleur, George, Fred, Molly and Arthur in the guest quarters, along with Remus and Tonks who had quarters as adjunct professors and Moody, who just had quarters here, Arthur's protective detail of five Aurors, and the entire teaching staff along with the students that had stayed. Counting everyone, the castle probably had the most people it had had for Christmas for many years.
Harry and the rest of the remaining Gryffindors went down together for breakfast and found the entire Weasley clan in attendance and in rare form. Molly was busy arguing with Arthur over something. His Auror protective detail was obviously debating if they should try to protect the Minister or themselves; they wisely chose the better part of valor and retreated. Fred and George were trying to convince Charlie that if he could get them some dragon blood, it would make a fine ingredient for some of their products. Fleur was sitting with her husband Bill, and was clearly wondering once again what she had been thinking when she married into this family. As the students came into the hall, Molly smiled and waved them over, immediately dropping the argument with Arthur, much to his relief. The only awkward moment came when Molly noticed Ginny holding Neville's hand, with a slightly defiant air. Fortunately for Ginny's continued normal blood flow, Molly just leaned over and gave her a hug, kissed her cheek and whispered, "congratulations Ginny, he's a good one."
Ginny looked shocked for a second, she had been gearing up for something, like when Ron had had Luna over and had been almost been caught in a compromising condition, by Molly. Molly's continued bliss had been saved by a one-minute delay to pick up a pile of discarded clothes. Fortunately for her non-married children's hormone levels, Molly had relaxed a great deal since the events of this summer. Now as long as her kids were happy, then she was fine with it, they were still alive to be happy after all, assuming that they didn't push it, like Ron obviously sleeping with Luna in the same room would have done. Arthur, however still occasionally caught her acid tongue, as she probably would have exploded otherwise.
After the new arrivals sat, "May we join you? Dumbledore asked from behind Harry, accompanied by McGonagall, Remus and Tonks. "Yes, please," Harry, responded and the group shuffled around to allow them to sit. As there were only a relatively few present, Dumbledore had had the normal great tables removed and a smaller table suitable for those that remained to dine together.
"Ah bacon, I love bacon" Dumbledore muttered as he dug in. Harry smothered a laugh at his Grandfather. A relationship that he had not yet revealed to anyone including Hermione, it just hadn't seemed the proper time yet for some reason.
"Harry, have you gotten your shopping done yet?" Remus asked when Hermione stepped out for a second to go to the bathroom. Of course, this comment instantly drew the attention of several of the people at the table, including most of the Weasleys and Tonks, who was almost sitting in Remus' lap.
"Umm, yeah" Harry replied and the group went back to what they had been doing with an audible sigh, what was that about? As Hermione came back into the room and Harry's gaze automatically went to her, OHH, I know what they were all wondering.
"What who was wondering dear?" Hermione responded verbally to his thought without thinking. The jaws of the older Weasleys dropped, they hadn't seen the mental shorthand of the two in action before and they weren't used to the half spoken, half silent conversations the two of them would occasionally have with out realizing it.
"Nothing dear heart" He replied, careful to keep his thoughts neutral.
"Ok then." Hermione shrugged as she sat back down next to him, "Harry can you help me wrap the rest of our presents to everyone?"
Somewhat exasperatedly, to the amusement of the other breakfasters, "Mione, we are wizards, how much do we have to wrap that it would take more than one person." Harry inquired, an eyebrow raised.
"But they are so much more personal when you hand wrap them." Hermione replied with a lightly hurt look.
"Okay then" Harry gave in, though there hadn't really been any doubt, and from the quickness that her expression changed he knew that it had been an act.
The rest of the breakfast finished quickly with the Gryffindor students along with the older Weasleys agreeing to a pick up Quiddich game, heck they did have the whole field to themselves. The teams were short, with only five per so they agreed to play without bludgers or beaters. In the end, Harry, of course, caught the snitch, narrowly beating out Ginny, who was perhaps the second best seeker in the school after Harry. Even Hermione was playing on Harry's team, she had become much, much more proficient on a broom after she became an animagi a year ago, Harry hadn't been lying to Dumbledore when he had told him that Hermione was more than qualified to land his broom during the safehouse raid.
Dumbledore knew quite well her animagus abilities, he had been trying to win with a loosing hand, and had to try to make up an excuse to keep her back, but now she was probably as good as any except Harry on a broom. She even had her own broom now, a twin to Harry's firebolt, that he bought her when she truly got the hang of flying, on a broom that was. She had protested the cost slightly, but had been mollified that it wasn't like he would miss the money; the combination of the Potter and Black fortunes that he had inherited from Sirius was substantial and kept growing, he would be hard pressed to spend the interest alone.
Of course, the more persuasive argument, that he sincerely hoped that someday it would be hers as much as his someday anyway actually held the most weight. And actually unknown to her, it was already at destined for it to be hers whether or not he survived to share it with her. If he didn't survive long enough to give her the contents of a certain ring box that currently resided in his Gringott's vault, he had secretly, with Dumbledore's assistance, arranged for his will to name her as his main beneficiary. If Voldemort got him, at least she would be taken care of. Harry made sure that he tried not to think about those subjects while she was around lest he reveal their existence. But to make it even it more difficult, he was thinking more and more about that ring and he was going to see if he could arrange to retrieve it soon.
After the game ended, Harry sent Hermione back up the castle with the rest of the crew, as he explained that he wanted to ask Dumbledore something. He had come down to watch the impromptu game, as it was the majority of the entertainment at the castle for the few days before Christmas. "Professor, can I?"
"Harry there is no one else here."
"Ok," with a smile, "Granddad, can I ask a favor?"
"Yes, Harry." Dumbledore replied, twinkling.
" I know that you don't want us, or rather me, to go outside of Hogwarts or Hogsmeade during the school year, but I was wondering if you would..."
"Be willing to escort you to pick up a certain item at Gringott's? Certainly, I have already talked to Lupin and Moody and they think for such a vital purpose we could risk such a mission." Dumbledore pronounced, grinning for all he was worth.
Harry rolled his eyes, as if to ask for strength from above, "How long have you known?"
"That you would marry the girl, oh since about your first or second year, No definitely your second year, I wasn't quite sure that first year." The Professor responded, looking back over memories. "Harry have you noticed that sometimes it's not the happy events that drive us together but the sad ones. Fortunately you two have had both, I think I knew when I saw her in the hospital waiting for you to wake up after the your first encounter with Riddle, here. I was sure, after she was paralyzed in her 2nd year and you snuck in to be with her. I remember that Poppy used to come to me and complain about you two always sneaking right back in if she kicked one of you out, when the other was in the infirmary. I understand she has beds named after you two and Ron now."
"Unfortunately" Harry groaned
"Putting that aside, when do you want to go get that item?"
"After Christmas, before classes really begin? But we will need to come up with something to keep her here, otherwise she will want to go along with me." Harry responded thoughtfully.
"Don't worry, I will have Minerva have her do something or other, it is good to be the Headmaster. Come on your friends are waiting." Dumbledore headed off towards the castle whistling a jaunty tune, his robes billowing a bit in the December breeze.
**************************Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts**********************
December 24, 2005 Christmas Eve
11:45pm
"Night Ron, Gin, everyone." Laughter and jokes about just what he would be doing for the night followed him up the stairs. He chuckled as he closed the door to the stairs, just barely clearing Crookshanks' tail as he swung the heavy oak door shut. Crookshanks looked up at him reproachfully and Harry just shrugged. The wizard and the familiar turned together towards the fire and the couch positioned in front of it. The flames were roaring, providing the majority of the light in the room, which was plenty for the cat and the animagi to witness a head of brown curls, bent low.
Hermione's shoulders were shaking slightly and small weeping sounds came from the young woman as Harry and Crookshanks shared another look and without a pause, the pair sprinted towards her. She had been fine just a half hour ago, when she had bid the rest of them good night in the main common room below. As Harry came around the couch, he saw that Hermione was sitting curled up, her legs pulled under her, looking down at what seemed to be a photo album, and from the fact that none of the pictures were moving it must be a muggle one.
Crookshanks leapt up on the back of the couch and sat peering over his mistress' shoulder at a picture of him in the arms of a few years younger Hermione, she was smiling hugely as she held up the cat to the camera. Crookshanks had a Santa hat on, and Harry smiled briefly as he remembered the picture. Hermione had had him take it with a muggle camera to send home to her parents, that year that Sirius had escaped. The picture next to it, showed a much younger Hermione grinning hugely and missing her front two teeth. In the picture, Roger and Jane had their arms around their daughter laughing, while a huge tree glittered in the background. Harry sat down next to her silently and waited for her to speak.
She turned to look at him, and gave him a sad little smile. Silver tracks of tears traced down her cheeks as she wordlessly collapsed into his shoulder. Quiet sobs racked the otherwise silent room for a long few minutes before she finally spoke. "I had this plan...I was going to invite you over for Christmas this year. You know how I like to plan..." Harry just nodded in response. "I mean I got to have Christmas with them last year, but we know how that came about, don't we?"
"Yeah, Mione, we do." Harry replied softly, as he kissed the top of her head.
"I was going to give you a normal Christmas baby." Hermione whispered, "I mean you've been to the Burrow for the holidays, but you never just had a nice, normal quiet Christmas."
"Hermione"
"Yeah, Harry"
"What was it like?" Harry leaned back to lay down on the couch lengthwise, gently pulling her down with him. "I mean what was it like to...you know."
Hermione leaned back into his chest and burrowed into his arms. Harry tightened them in response. "It was warm, and I don't mean the temperature." She nodded slightly as to herself, "Mum would always cook entirely too much for Dad and I and we used to exchange presents in front of the fire. They would always be there, both of them made sure that they wouldn't get any calls or interruptions. Then after we exchanged presents we would go and dad would read Dickens, or mum would play the piano and we'd sing along to carols." She sighed heavily, and choked down a sob, "I miss them so much Harry."
"Dumbledore told me something once." Harry whispered to her, "The ones we love, never really leave us. We keep them inside ourselves for when we truly need them."
"Thanks Harry." Hermione murmured, her tone turning brighter.
"For what?"
"For being you dear." She gave him a little grin as she curled in a tightly as she could possibly do so. Her hair fell forward with her movements, hiding her face as she pillowed her head on his shoulder. "g' night Harry." Harry replied similarly as he took off his glasses and tossed them under the couch onto the floor, and closed his eyes.