The second of December Hogwarts woke up to find themselves Covered in snow. Petunia elected to ignore class that day and go play in the snow with December, much to Hermione's annoyance. That weekend she made snowballs that the twins bewitched to hit Quirrel's turban repeatedly and which they were forced to stay inside the rest of the weekend for. Which Petunia rebelled by hitting people with snowballs through the windows in the Gryffindor tower and was then banned from going one foot near any windows as well. It went on like this until Christmas.
The Weasley clan and Harry had all decided to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas since Molly and Arthur were spending their vacation time in Romania with Charlie.
It was just after potions class as Petunia and the trio that they stumbled upon a large, moving fir tree blocking their way. From the loud grunts and two humongous feet stumbling around, they quickly deduced that it was Hagrid moving the large tree.
"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, poking his head through the branches.
"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron." Hagrid smiled, stumbling away from the four.
"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."
Ron went to dive at Malfoy but Harry held him back. The boy's cock smile got under Petunia's skin and before anybody could stop her she picked him hard right between the legs. He went down like a rock, groaning in pain as Petunia's friends tried to control their laughter.
"POTTER!"
Petunia's smile slid off her face when she saw Snape's white face. Why did he always avoid looking directly at her?
"She was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' her adoptive family."
"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily, eyes darting around everyone but Petunia. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere. Petunia let herself smirk at Malfoy's cowboy-walk.
"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"
"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape." Ron nodded along. Petunia couldn't make up her mind if she hated them.
"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."
So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where McGonagall and Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree -- put it in the far corner, would you?"
The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.
"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me -- guys, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."
"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.
