(1) Lux Brumalis (R. Weasley)

Chapter Forty-Four

A/N – So in my head, I would like Ron and Pixie's relationship to pick up a lot sooner than when his and Hermione's did. It just seems to fit Pixie's personality better. She's a lot more confident and forward. Looking to be at the end of year 4 or beginning of 5.

- It's looking to be Pansy for Hermione's pairing. (And I would like to keep the Lavender jealousy thing for Hermione, so Pansy and Lavender will have a thing too)

- Pixie's Yule ball date will be Krum, just for Ron's jealousy (thinking it would be enough to push him to admit that he likes her as something more than friends)

......

The bright spring sun shines through the windows in the library and onto the herbology book open up in front of Ron who sits with his head resting on his hand, elbow on the table. He's read the same thing about fifty times. Finding it difficult to concentrate on the words when all he wants to do is going outside and enjoying the warming air after a freezing winter.

"I'll never remember this," Ron whispers as he stares down at the book in front of him. He hasn't turned a page in a while, stuck staring at the information on the page directly in front of him, he's stuck staring at a page about Dittany.

"Hey" Hermione greets as Pixie moves towards them. She's only been back a couple of hours. Long enough to find Neville and give him his cacti and to change out of her travel clothes.

"Hi" Pixie counters and looks over all the books on the table. "Leaving your homework to the last minute again?" She teases and Ron gives her a look.

"We can't all be geniuses" Harry points out and Pixie smirks at him. "You finished your transfiguration homework, haven't you?" He asks, she hums and nods. "Can you....?" He stops and gives her a look

"You want some help?" She finishes for him.

"Please" She moves to join them, sitting next to Harry at the table and across from Ron.

"How was it going home?" He asks and she knows he's just waiting to say something if she tells him that something happened. Well, it didn't. It was the same as it was every year. Too much chocolate.

"Uneventful" She answers with a pleased sigh. "I mean mom shouted at me for getting into a fight but other than that"

"Why did you tell her?" Ron argues, she snorts.

"I didn't" She admits. "But I think Snape did; he saw me with my broken nose so...that was fun" Ron snorts and leans back in his seat, his eyes moving past his friends though.

"Hagrid!" Ron points out seeing the huge man behind them, sneaking around the stacks. "What are you doing in the library?" Harry, Pixie and Hermione turn to watch as Hagrid shuffles into view, hiding something behind his back.

"Jus' lookin'," He answers, sounding as shifty as he looks. "An' what're you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," Ron points out, Pixie clears her throat. "Ah, Pixie did" Ron corrects, she smirks. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St..."

"Shhhh!" Hagrid scolds him. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," Harry adds. "About what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy..."

"SHHHH!" Hagrid is more insistent this time. "Listen, come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh....'

"See you later, then," Harry promises, the four of them watch as Hagrid shuffles off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Pixie asks as she leans on the back of her chair.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" Harry counters. Given recent events, they are all inclined to agree that that would be the most likely reason as to why Hagrid would be here.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," Ron offers, quickly moving to his feet to disappear in the direction he had seen Hagrid coming from. Pixie shares a look with Hermione who opens another book on the table.

"How long have you guys been in here?" Pixie asks.

"Since after breakfast" Harry answers. "Why what time is it?"

"Nearly dinner" She looks at him and raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, that's why I'm so hungry" Harry complains, clutching to his stomach. Ron returns to the table with a pile of books in his arms and slams them down on the table.

"Dragons!" He whispers to them. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide." Pixie reaches over and picks up one of the books.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," Harry informs them.

"But it's against our laws," Ron counters. "Dragon-breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden....anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" Harry asks them.

"Of course, there are," Ron answers. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our lot have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione ponders, Pixie lets out a breath.

"Gonna say, nothing good" She answers and sets the book down. "But can we worry about it after we've eaten? Dinner's about to start" She asks them, Ron snorts and then nods in agreement.

....

Unfortunately being in separate houses means that they can't even sit together at dinner. But Pixie does have Pansy to keep her company. She honestly doesn't know how lonely she would be if she was stuck with Slytherin and no friends within the house. She can see Neville showing off his new cacti whilst reading from the book on them that Pixie had also given him, she thought it would help him look after it if he had some instructions. She'd never actually seen someone so excited over something so ordinary. At least she is a good gift-giver, thankfully not inheriting her father's penchant for excessive gift sizes. She smiles to herself as she picks up a cupcake from the table to eat. Pansy is nattering away about the upcoming exams, she's a little worried about her charms work, it's a subject she struggles in, she's not a bad student, Pansy is actually breaching the top of the class right behind Pixie, Hermione, and Draco, but charms she still gets stuck on.

"I'll help" Pixie assures her with a smile, frosting on the corner of her lips. Pansy lets out a relieved breath and leans into her friend. "You can help me with something too, as payment" She teases, Pansy gives her a look. "Oh, it's nothing dangerous, I just..."

"This thing you're working on at night when you think we're all asleep?" Pansy asks and Pixie looks rather caught out.

"Okay, yes" Pixie admits. "I need an extra pair of hands...as helpful as Kaa is..." Pansy smiles.

"Then it's a deal" Pansy offers as she points to her own lip and then at Pixie's. Pixie chuckles as she uses her finger to clear the frosting away.