Counting Stars || Poppy Snape

CHAPTER 14

I awoke the next morning with a cough. Great, I probably shouldn't have been outside for so long yesterday. I thought to myself, yet I couldn't help but let the butterflies flutter around my stomach as I thought of my afternoon with Cedric the day before.

Before I could go back to bed I heard a knock on the door. I got out of my warm cosy bed and standing by the door was none other than sweet little Harry.

"Merry Christmas Poppy!"

Before I could do anything, the raven haired boy hugged me around the waist, catching me off guard. I hugged him back, loving the feeling of this. I had wanted a younger sibling my whole life and after all, Harry was technically my half brother. I wondered if he knew that.

"Sorry to disrupt you on Christmas morning," he said, backing away.

"Not at all kiddo, I had no one to be with anyways" 

"Want to come with me and Ron?" He said sweetly.

I smiled at him "Sure, I'll open my presents really quickly and I'll go have breakfast with you guys"

"Awesome!" He exclaimed but that's when his grin dropped a bit.

"Hey is everything okay kiddo?"

"It's just... I didn't know I was supposed to get people presents"

I let out a laugh and he turned pink. "Hey it's okay, besides you couldn't go out to Hogsmeade or anything so it would have been quite hard for you."

He smiled at me, "I'll get you something for your birthday then"

"Sounds like a plan, I'll see you soon Harry." and with a grin on my face I turned to go by my bed where I had seen some presents piled there.

I was shocked at how many gifts there actually were. Lanti had gotten me some of her favourite Zonko's products, and Pen had gotten me a new set of quills since mine were completely ruined (it's harder to write with feathers than with pens).

Father had of course gotten me a Potions book that he said would be very useful for me in the upcoming lessons. I wasn't exactly jumping with joy at that.

My Dad's gift however, was the one I was anticipating the most. He was the person who knew me best in the whole world. He never failed to impress me either. So as I ripped open the carefully wrapped paper, my insides filled with excitement.

Inside there was a crimson jumper with a faded yellow stripe going across the chest. The Gryffindor colours. It seemed worn, but I loved it nonetheless. When I picked it up to examine better something fell out from inside the folded jumper. A bar of chocolate. I let out a laugh, of course Dad had gotten me chocolate, he loved it.

Attached to the chocolate there was a small note. "This jumper belonged to someone once very special to me, I now pass it on to another really special lady who entered my life"

I had one word for this: cheesy. Extremely cheesy. But what had I been expecting, my dad was like that.

I got up to get dressed but I noticed that there were still more presents. Odd, I don't know who else would bother getting me a gift. 

One of them was more simple, it was a flower. A poppy to be exact. It was a deep blood colour, contrasting the jumpers faded red. And attatched to it there was a brown piece of parchment with the words "A beautiful Poppy, for an even more beautiful Poppy." I blushed as I read that, and I turned it around to see Cedrics name carefully written on the corner. The same butterflies from before filled my stomach but I forced them down.

I found an empty vase on one of the bedside tables and filled it with a bit of water. Then I gently placed the Poppy in with a smile.

I forced myself to look away from the flower to open the last remaining present. A small box. The wrapping was horrible. But I was going to rip it open anyways so what did it matter?

A smile crept onto my face as I saw a broom care kit. I definitely needed one, and it looked very fancy. God this must've been expensive.

There was a small note stuck to the side, "To my favourite Quidditch player, Oliver"

I opened it straight away and I was shocked at how many tools it included. Oliver had been so generous, meanwhile I hadn't gotten him anything.

Him or Cedric. I felt horrible. They had gone through all that trouble to get me a Christmas present, and I hadn't even thought of them.

What a great friend I am. I thought as I left the room. Well, no point in mourning over that now. 

And with that final thought I started heading to the Great Hall, ready to meet Harry and his redhead friend.