All I Want for Christmas

A/N: This is my first attempt to write fan fiction of any sort. Plus, I don't have the knowledge that most of you do about Harry Potter, as I've only read fan fiction and seen the movies. I've tried to be as true to the series as I can considering my knowledge, but the story may be slightly AU. Please be constructively critical of my work. Thanks in advance for your kindness. Maybe I'll write more of these in the future if this one goes well.

Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far. I really appreciate hearing from all of you. You help to keep me going. If you've been bothered by the shortness of my chapters, then you aren't going to be happy about the length of this chapter, and Chapter 14, which should be the two shortest chapters in this story. I separated them for reasons I explain at the end of this chapter.

At the suggestion of one of my reviewers, I'm going to ask people to include their guesses as to when Harry and Hermione are going to get engaged in their reviews. I look forward to reading your guesses. I will say that I will not comment on them, so as to keep you all guessing.

If any of you want to try to figure out where I'm going, you might want to read my replies to people's reviews, as I will occasionally drop a hint in there. However, be wary, I have been known to toss out some red herrings too. Speculate at your own risk.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. All characters belong to J. K. Rowling.

All I Want for Christmas

Chapter 13: A Surprise Letter

Harry was sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room deep in thought after the conversation he had with Mrs. Granger a few minutes earlier.

Hermione fancies me, but may not have realized it yet? How is that possible? She's the smartest witch of our age. If anybody knows something, it's her. She has been acting a bit strangely today, but I figured that was because she didn't sleep well last night.

She certainly doesn't need to get me anything for Christmas, because she's all I need for Christmas. I hope she'll be willing to take a chance on letting our relationship become non-platonic. If only I could find the right time to ask her to be my girlfriend. I wish I had a way to go shopping to get her something to help me tell her how much she means to me. I love her…

Harry's thoughts were broken into by a tapping from the window. Hedwig had returned from The Burrow with a pair of envelopes.

Puzzled, Harry went over to the window and let Hedwig in. I thought that Hermione only sent a letter to Ginny. Ron never owls without me owling him first. Did Mrs. Weasley or Luna send Hermione a letter too?

Harry looked at the envelopes and had his mouth drop open in surprise. Here's one for Hermione from Ginny…and one addressed to me in what looks like Ron's handwriting?! Why would Ron choose now to write a letter to me when I hadn't written to him first? I'd better take Hermione her letter.

After doing so, Harry sat on his bed and opened the letter addressed to him. The letter was in Ron's handwriting as well.

Hey Mate!

I bet you're surprised to be hearing from me when you didn't owl me first for once. My family adores Luna, and she's having a great time here. Just like you said would happen. She's even got Fred and George humming “Weasley is Our King” whenever I walk into the room now. I don't care, though. I like her too much to let that bother me.

Now, getting on to why I owled you in the first place. What I'm about to say may come as a surprise to you right now, but it's something I need to say. I know that you fancy Hermione, and I know that you also don't want to hurt my feelings by getting together with her because of my past with her. Towards the end of when I was dating Hermione I could tell that she fancied somebody else instead, so we talked about it and mutually decided that it would be best if we went back to just being friends. I realized how attractive and fun Luna was shortly after that, but you knew that. Luna has been the best thing that has ever happened to me besides you and Hermione.

I don't know if you've noticed me observing Hermione since we broke up, It was so I could figure out who the bloody git was that stole her heart from me. At first, I wanted to kill the bloody bloke, but a month ago I realized who she fancies, and much to my surprise…it's YOU!

You lucky stiff. I can't kill my best mate. Not that I'd want to kill the bloke anymore either anyway. I've completely gotten over my fancy of Hermione now, thanks to Luna. Go for her, mate. You two deserve to be happy, and over the last six and a half years, I've come to realize that what makes you two happiest is each other.

Your best mate,

Ron

Harry's mouth hung open in surprise at what Ron had to say.

Ron, who has the emotional depth of a teaspoon, realized that Hermione and I fancy each other before we did? We've both been extremely dense if that's the case. Or maybe, like Mrs. Granger suggested, we've been too close to the situation to realize what was developing between us.

Harry flopped onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

When did I fall in love with her? How could I have possibly failed to realize how I feel about her before last night?

“I have no bloody idea,” Harry said very softly to himself.

There's so many times it could have been…like when she fell at the Department of Mysteries…or at the Yule Ball…or when we had to part just before I faced Voldemort first year…I don't know that I'll ever be able to pinpoint when I fell in love with her was, though subconsciously at the time.

Harry had a slight smile cross his face. Ron's fallen hard for Luna. I'm glad for him. He deserves to be happy, and the happiest I remember seeing him has been when he's with her. If only Hermione and me could have that sort of relationship with each other…

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. “Who is it?” he inquired.

“It's time to go, Harry,” Mr. Granger's voice came from the other side of the door.

“All right, I'll be right down,” Harry responded.

Harry folded up the letter from Ron and stuck it in his stuff. Grabbing his wallet, he headed towards the door.

When should I tell Hermione that I love her?

A/N: Sorry this chapter's so short, but it needed to take place in a pretty quick timespan, so it couldn't be too long. Some may say that I could have put this chapter together with the next one (which will finally be Ginny's reply to Hermione) to form a longer chapter, but I didn't want to have the drastic POV change mid-chapter, so I thought it would be best to make them two separate chapters. I'm going to try to post the next chapter tomorrow, because I'm making good progress on Chapter 15.

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