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'm glad that people are enjoying what I have posted so far. I hope the rest of the story won't disappoint you.

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

All I Want for Christmas

Chapter 3: A Surprising Conversation

Harry's face went ashen, like he was looking at the scariest thing he'd ever seen. “I told Hermione I'd wait here while she went up to wash her face before we went to help your wife with dinner,” he stammered.

“It'll be alright,” Mr. Granger tried to reassure him. “I'll explain why you weren't waiting here for her later. Come on.”

What does he want? Harry pondered as he followed Mr. Granger up the stairs and into Mr. Granger's bedroom. Does he think I made Hermione cry? I don't know that I should be the one that explains why she was crying. She should do that. But why else would he want to talk to me alone? This could be really bad…

Mr. Granger sat at his desk and motioned for Harry to sit in a chair on the opposite side of the desk. Harry did so slowly. At least the desk is between us now. Why am I so scared of what he wants? I've never been this afraid of Voldemort.

“Relax, Harry,” Mr. Granger told him smiling reassuringly. “You're not in trouble. I just wanted to talk with you privately.”

Harry swallowed hard and tried to relax. What does he want? Why couldn't he talk with me about…whatever it is that he wants to talk about in front of anybody else, that he had to bring me into his bedroom to discuss it. I'm not going to mention that Hermione was crying if he doesn't.

Mr. Granger reached into his desk and pulled out a picture that clearly was typically on his desk by the frame it was in, Harry noticed. He must have been getting ready for this conversation earlier when he went upstairs while Hermione and I were talking in their living room.

Mr. Granger smiled at the picture, and then handed it to Harry. “This is a picture of my wife and I from before we were married.” Harry looked at the lovely young couple, very much in love in the picture with a slight smile and a slight smile came across his lips as well.

They look so much like the pictures I see of my mum and dad. Young and clearly in love with each other.

“How old do you think we are in that picture, Harry?”

Harry looked up at him blankly. Why in the world would he ask me that? Harry looked back down at the picture. “Maybe 19 or 20,” Harry answered him hesitantly.

“Gee, I know we were told that we looked old for our age, but not by that much,” Mr. Granger laughed, causing Harry to give him an uneasy grin.

“How old were you?”

Mr. Granger held out his hand, and Harry handed the picture back to him. Mr. Granger took the picture out of the frame and turned it over and handed it back to Harry, backside up, with a big smile on his face. “Read this.”

Harry looked at him with a puzzled expression, but took the picture from Mr. Granger. Why doesn't he come straight out and tell me how old they were? Harry then looked down at the picture. This handwriting looks a lot like Hermione's. Harry looked up at Mr. Granger with a mixture of surprise and confusion on his face.

“Read it.”

“The love of my life, on her 17^th birthday, just after I proposed to her.”

Harry looked up at a now beaming Mr. Granger. “That's right, Harry,” Mr. Granger informed him, “We got engaged when we were 17. Our folks did make us wait until we were 18 before we were actually married, but she was well worth the wait. Our little pride and joy came into our lives a year after we were married.”

Harry looked at Mr. Granger with a puzzled look on his face. I knew that Hermione's folks were quite young, but I didn't realize they were that young. Why would he be telling me this? Harry turned the picture back over to look at the beaming couple. They seem so content. So in love. I wonder what that's like…to love someone, and have them love me back.

Harry saw Mr. Granger reaching towards the same desk drawer that he pulled the first picture from out of the corner of his eye and watched him pull out another picture that looked like it typically was hung on the wall. “Look at this picture now,” Mr. Granger told Harry as he handed the new picture to Harry. Harry tried to hand the first picture back to Mr. Granger, but he refused, “No, no. Just hang on to that one for now.”

Harry looked at the new picture. A fond smile immediately came to his face as he instantly recognized the picture. This is that picture that Colin took of Hermione and me at the end of fourth year. Harry looked at their beaming faces as he smiled at the memory.

“See any similarities, Harry?” Mr. Granger broke through his reverie.

Harry looked up at Mr. Granger with a confused look etched on his face. What? Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened, as he realized what Mr. Granger was talking about. Harry quickly put the two pictures next to each other and looked at them. My goodness! The poses are identical! This is some strange coincidence. Is Mr. Granger trying to hint at something?

Harry looked back up to be greeted by the knowing smile of Mr. Granger. “My wife and I both immediately recognized that the poses in these two pictures were identical, but we've never told Hermione. We figured that we would wait for the right time before revealing our revelation to the two of you. It's clear that the two of you are very fond of each other by the way you interact. I also see that Hermione has inherited her mum's willingness to provide a love tap to the one she loves when they deserve it.” Mr. Granger added a clearly amused tone to his last sentence.

Harry chuckled, knowing exactly what Mr. Granger was talking about by “love tap,” after seeing Mrs. Granger give him one on their way into the house. “The one she loves”? Harry's face scrunched up in thought. Does Mr. Granger really think that Hermione loves me in that way? Has he gone mad? There's no way that Hermione loves me like that. We're merely platonic best friends. That's all we'll ever be.

Mr. Granger smiled knowingly as he watched the confusion etched on the features of the young man sitting in front of him. “Harry, I know this all has been thrust on you rather suddenly, but I want to ask you something. Maybe you won't have an answer for me now, but maybe you will by the time you and Hermione go back to Hogwarts.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “Do you love Hermione?”

Harry's mind raced off as his eyes grew as big as a snitch. He has seriously gone daft. Why would he ask me a question like that? What should I tell him? No? Yes? Maybe? Well…to be honest, none of those answers would really be truthful, because I've never really thought about it before. I don't want to get on Hermione's folks bad side, so I probably better be honest with him.

Harry took a moment to make sure he was composed before answering Mr. Granger, “Well, to be perfectly honest sir, I've never really thought about it before.”

Mr. Granger nodded, as if he had been expecting an answer like that, “That's what I figured, since the two of you and what's-his-name have been so busy fighting to save your world that you wouldn't have had time to sort through any feelings that you may have realized that you have towards her. You should try to take some time while you're here to think about it. The power of the love between a man and a woman can probably beat any spell or curse that your world has.”

Harry's thoughts immediately turned to his parents. They certainly loved me. Their love was what saved my life the night that Voldemort murdered them. If Mr. Granger only knew how right he is…

Harry didn't even notice that Mr. Granger had stood up and had moved to behind Harry until he put a hand on Harry's shoulder. “I think I've given you enough to think about for right now. Come on, let's go see if the ladies need any help with dinner.”

Harry smiled at Mr. Granger in gratitude. He then stood up, and followed Mr. Granger out of Mr. Granger's bedroom and down the stairs to rejoin the ladies.

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