Harry Potter and the Year After

Chapter Fifty-three: Happy Christmas

Chapter 53: Happy Christmas

Harry woke up on Christmas morning on a cot in Ron's old bedroom. He and Ron had ended up playing Wizard's Chess for a few hours until he forgot that he had wanted to go back to Godric's Hollow. He had been so tired by the time Ron won the best of three games that he hadn't even considered Apparating home.

Ron was still sleeping when Harry woke up. At the end of his bed, Harry saw the usual sort of presents. He couldn't help but smile. He got a new emerald green knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley, this time with the symbol of the Deathly Hallows knit onto the front. Ron had gotten him a book all about the Chudley Cannons, Hermione had gotten him a wand polishing kit, and there was a small parcel that was from Ginny. It was a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

He might have been offended by the generic nature of the gift, except for one thing: he'd sent her the same thing. He'd had no idea what to give her or if she would even get him anything... so that's what he'd decided on. Looking down at the box, he couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny? Get a bogey flavored one?" Ron asked as he stretched.

Harry heard someone stomping up the attic stairs. He only had a few second to guess whether it was Mrs. Weasley or someone else when Hermione burst into the room.

"A copy of the kamasutra?" Hermione said, holding a book against her fluffy blue robe as though she was trying to hide it while she glared at Ron. But then she held it up to emphasize the fact that she was reading the front cover, "With Magical Addendum."

"Oh, yeah," Ron said, laughing, "Just a joke, 'Mione. Relax."

"Ron, your mother saw this on the end of my bed."

"Oh, oops." Ron's ears immediately turned beet red. Harry tried to hold in his laugh.

"How am I ever going to show my face in front of her again?" Hermione said, sitting down on the end of Ron's bed in a huff.

"You know, not to be gross," Harry said carefully, "But Mrs. Weasley's had seven kids. I think she probably knew you two had at least snogged."

"But doing some sort of weird sex contortions?" Hermione yelled in a whisper.

"Oh, is that what that is? The bloke in the shop recommended it when I said I wanted something for my fiancée... I honestly didn't really know what it was other than a book about sex."

"Ron!" Hermione said between her teeth and then smacked his knee.

"What? It might be fun," he said, laughing and winking at her. Quietly, while Hermione continued fighting with Ron, Harry slipped out of bed and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. He couldn't help it when he glanced at Ginny's shut door to her vacant bedroom as he headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Happy Christmas!" Mrs. Weasley said when Harry came down.

"Happy Christmas," Harry said back. "Thank you for the jumper. It's great."

"Ah, you're welcome. Thank you for the new witch's robes. They're a beautiful shade of green, like your eyes."

"Thanks," Harry said, feeling hot around the collar. "I just thought... they would match your hair."

"Ah, yes, that too!" she said, smiling. Harry turned away because Mrs. Weasley made him think of Ginny then and his heart hurt.

"Harry! Thank you for these 'Popular Mechanics' magazines! They're absolutely splendid!" said Mr. Weasley.