Blue Christmas

Harri didn't cry as she packed her things. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Crying because she had to go "home" for Christmas, even as all the other girls in the dorm talked in loud excited voices, did not solve anything; Harri was resigned, Dumbledore would not be swayed. Besides, the last thing she needed was for Hermione and Ron to worry about her when they should have been enjoying their Christmases.

She wrapped up her Invisibility Cloak and labeled it, For Gred and Forge, Get up to lots of mischeif for me. Next she labeled her Nimbus 2000, For Ron, Don't be sad K, I love you and take care of Hedwig for me. Then she took out her brand new set of signed Lockhart books, For Ginny, I don't know you really well, but Ron's been worried about how down you've been and I thought you'd enjoy burning these, destruction always makes me feel better. Last, she set everything in her trunk and with a spare piece of parchment she wrote out, Mione, by the time you get this...I'm going to be dead. I want you to have everything I didn't wrap. Do me a favor and burn all my stupid clothes from the Dursleys (it's good therapy, Ginny has things to burn too, maybe you can do it together). I don't really know what to say except you're the best friend I ever had. I love you. Please don't cry too much. I'll miss you. I love you.

All the excited girls had vanished to the Great Hall for breakfast by then. Harri felt even more like crying, but she refused to allow the tears to come, once they started, they'd never stop.

"Harri, are you coming?" Hermione had come back for her.

Harri banished her morose expression, in favor of projecting her love onto Mione. "Yep!" She smiled, putting the rolled parchment in her trunk and closing it.

Hermione smiled back. Coming forward she wrapped her arms around her best friend, "Love you, Hare-Bear," she said, "And don't you worry about going back to the Dursley's, Fred and George have already set up a plan to rescue you."

Harri smiled sadly, "Love you too, Mione. You go on, I'll be down in a minute."

"'Kay," Hermione pulled away, casting one last glance behind, she vanished too.

Harri set one last bit of paper on her trunk. On it was written, to whoever takes our trunks to the train: please leave mine here, I don't need it and would rather it be here. There are Christmas presents for my friends at the top, they are labled.

Everything done, Harri went down to breakfast.

...

"See you guys next year!" Hermione joked, running off to her parents.

They were all saying good-bye to one another at train station under the sharp watchful eyes of the teachers, every single one had been on the train, including Dumbledore. Currently, he was in the midst of a heated debate with Malfoy's snobby father back on the platform. On the muggle side of the platform, Snape and McGonagall were keeping a sharp eye on the departing children, giving occasional assurances to stressed parents.

Harri's smile was tight as she hugged George, then Ron, then Fred. "S-see you guys."

"See ya later, your Snakiness!" Fred bowed with a flourish.

"Until we meet again, Lady of Darkness!" George followed just after, going even as far as to kiss her hand.

"Ignore those prats, Harri. Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?" Ron said.

"I'm good," Harri assured falsely. "Professor Dumbledore said we have to go home to our families."

Ron frowned, but George patted his shoulder. "Don't worry so much, Ronnikins, we're prepared to launch another rescue attempt. It's even wilder than the last one."