Love Potion #9

Chapter Six: Grimmauld Place

DECEMBER 24, 1996 – Grimmauld Place

Harry made his final decision about his NEWTs just before Hogwarts broke up for Christmas. In a sit-down meeting with Headmistress McGonagall and Hermione, the both of them agreed to take their NEWTs, and Hermione was officially offered the position of Transfiguration professor once her NEWTs results were in. Harry was just relieved that, in a matter of months, he wouldn't have to see Severus day in and day out anymore. The moment he got his NEWTs, he would disappear for a while, only to return on his seventeenth birthday and get some Galleons out of Gringotts and get away from England.

Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place on schedule with Remus, and went directly upstairs to his bedroom with Hedwig. Letting her out for a hunt, Harry proceeded to scour the Owl-Order catalogue for Madam Malkin's, knowing that he had to get new dress robes for Sirius and Gwen's wedding, as well as a Christmas ensemble for the Burrow. He also ordered all of his Christmas gifts for his friends and those he considered his family, and filled out the order forms to be given to Hedwig the following day.

Harry spent much of the next several days lying on his back in his bedroom at Grimmauld, just staring at the ceiling and try to manipulate his thoughts against Severus. He had seen him once during the holidays before the wedding, given that Dumbledore had called the Order together. It hadn't taken much effort not to even look at the man, even when he let it slip that he was researching into the Hogwarts founders to figure out if Voldemort had created another Horcrux from one of their artifacts.

On Christmas Eve, Harry awoke late and got into the shower; he was numb, and, thankfully, his prick was cooperating with him, and he used Occlumency to distract himself from any thoughts pertaining to Severus. The wedding guests would arrive for dinner, they would eat and have toasts and whatnot, and then the ceremony, performed by Arthur Weasley, would begin. After the ceremony, Sirius and Gwen would take their International Portkey to the Black family property in the South of France, and Harry would be going to the Burrow with the rest of the Weasley family.

"How are you, mate?" Ron asked, arriving earlier than the rest of the guests, Hermione in tow, to get ready for the evening ahead.

"Fine," Harry said, accepting Ron's clap on the back and returned it. "You?"

"All right," Ron told him.

"This is all so magical," Hermione said, positively beaming as the threw her arms around Harry in a moment of pure joy. "I saw Gwen's dress before we came up here. She's going to look absolutely gorgeous," she gushed.

"'Mione, Harry doesn't want to hear about Gwen's dress," Ron said, rolling his eyes in a moment of annoyance.

Hermione shoved Ron gently. "I'm sure if he didn't want to hear about it, Ronald, then Harry would tell me. Harry?" she asked, turning to look at him. "Do you mind that I mentioned Gwen's wedding dress?"

Harry shook his head. "Of course not. Brides are supposed to look beautiful on their wedding days, aren't they?"

After catching up for a good twenty minutes, Remus knocked on the door and told them that it was time to get dressed for dinner. Scurrying towards an unoccupied guest room, Hermione and Ron left Harry alone to get into his new dress robes, and Harry made sure his shields were in place before he headed down the stairs, Ron and Hermione at his heels.

"All right?" Draco asked, embracing Harry cordially, and Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry directly afterwards.

"All right," Harry confirmed, and turned to Ginny, hugging her back. "Merlin, you look lovely, Gin," he told her, and she did, the dark green of her dress really suited her.

"Don't be salivating about my girlfriend, Scarhead," Draco said, putting an arm around Ginny's waist with a grin.

"Wouldn't dream of drooling over my own sister, Ferret," Harry said, and Ginny and Hermione rolled their eyes at one another, while Ron mimed gagging behind Harry.