Ron Weasley X Reader 1 | A Wild World, A Wad of Wizards, And A Wonderful Weasley

Chapter 27

Christmas wasn't all that far away, and I couldn't be less excited. Christmas was awful. It always had been.

Honestly, it might have been my least favorite day of the year. Or perhaps it was second to Dudley's birthday. They were both so dreadful I couldn't decide which I liked less.

Snow used to be something I didn't like, too, but at Hogwarts it wasn't too bad. Hermione took me out to make snow angels once, and I had a wonderful time. I'd never made snow angels with anyone before.

Still, no matter what, I did not like the cold—not at the Dursleys, not here at Hogwarts, not with Harry, not with Hermione. I did not like it.

So, I was happy that there were fires roaring in the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall.

On the other hand, the corridors were already no fun to navigate when it wasn't terribly cold and didn't have a bitter wind running through them, which also made all of the windows in the classrooms rattle irritably; now they were just much, much worse.

Worst of all, however, was being down in the dungeons during potions class where every student huddled up beside the flame underneath their cauldrons and where every breath turned into a cloud right in front of us.

"I do feel so sorry," Draco Malfoy started, sounding anything but sorry, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

"Very creative," I muttered under my breath as Malfoy and I made eye contact from across the room. He'd been glancing at me and Harry as he said it, clearly just trying to get under our skin.

On Harry, it wasn't working; as for me, I was slightly bothered. Malfoy's comments didn't impress me, and I didn't think they would have bothered me if I wasn't already in such an awful mood.

Believe me, no one was happier than I was that I wouldn't be going home for Christmas break. His stupid talk about not being wanted at 'home' didn't hurt, either, because it was true and I also did not want to be there.

Additionally, it wasn't home. It was the Dursleys'. It would always only be the Dursleys'.

"Ignore him," Hermione told me, so I did.

"You'll have fun here, I'm sure of it," she continued, probably in an effort to comfort me. I didn't really think I needed comforting, though.

Christmas always sucked. I'd get over it.

I shrugged. "It'll be alright. Not having to deal with Dudley's always great."

She gave a small smile, and I knew then that she genuinely did feel sorry for me, like Malfoy had claimed. I wished she wouldn't. I didn't feel sorry for me. Neither did Harry.

In fact, Harry was excited, especially since Ron and all his brothers would be staying at Hogwarts, too. I knew Harry told me why, but I hadn't been listening.

No offense, but I wasn't particularly interested in the Weasley family and their business.

When Potions was finally over and we were allowed to leave, we found Hagrid huffing and puffing behind a large fit tree I assumed he must've carried all the way into the castle.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron stuck his head through the branches as he made the offer.

Hagrid refused almost instantly, "Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Malfoy's grating voice sounded from behind us. Something that could almost always be said about him was that his voice was cold—yet another reason to dislike the cold itself.