Chirstmas Chocolate

Christmas Chocolate

Chapter 2

Eileen woke up very slowly. She found it difficult to open her eyes. Although it wasn't that early, she was the first one up. It was cold. Oh, the window is open. And there was something on her head. There was something on her head! She panicked and tried desperately to swat it off. Aileen's owl Lucy flapped around and landed on her lap.

Eileen sighed. "Lucy... She trained you to do that just to me, didn't she?"

Lucy hooted softly at her, and held out her leg. Eileen untied the letter, and put Lucy onto the owl perch by the window. Eileen's owl Aeris was probably enjoying field mice outside of Hogwarts. Eileen shuddered and opened the letter.

Dear Ei,

Glad to hear you're doing alright! Doing well is an understatement. Claire and I are having a ball. Now, if we can just find someone for Claud who isn't a werewolf, think of the wonderful triple dates we can have! Claire says hello.

Hugs,

Aileen

Eileen grinned. Claudia's passion for a certain werewolf teacher was fairly well known, but it put Aileen off of her lunch. "I mean, sure. He may... you know," she'd said, pausing and grinning, "like a wolf, but what if he turns while she's there? He's a little old, isn't he? Maybe she should find someone a little closer to her own age."

Eileen couldn't care one way or the other. If she agreed with her sister, she'd be a hypocrite. Eileen had briefly dated one Severus Snape. It was nice. He wasn't quite as snarky in private. But once word got out, they'd had to call it off. Some of the Slytherin girls had taken to stalking her to find out if it was true. Nothing sends a Gryffindor girl running like 4 or 5 rabid Snape groupies.

Hermione woke up after Lucy had flown. Eileen smiled at her. "Morning."

"Morning, Eileen. Was there an owl here earlier?"

Eileen looked puzzled. "Yeah, how did you know?" she asked, curious.

Hermione shuddered. "I had the dream about the flying textbook again. The flapping pages...."

Eileen smiled. "Oh. Wingbeats."

Hermione nodded.

Ginny woke up, looking around blearily. "Time's it?"

Eileen shrugged. "Time to get up, I'd imagine."

They all got up and started to get dressed. Eileen need to get to the bathroom, and bumped into George. Quite fiercely. In fact, it knocked both of them over. Eileen blushed furiously. George was wearing nothing but a towel. He was embarrassed, but gave Eileen a grin. Eileen mumbled something resembling an apology, and hurried into the bathroom. She shut the door and locked it. When she'd gotten her breath back, she brushed out her hair. There was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" Eileen said, a little nervously.

"Er, it's George. D'you think you could pass me my shirt?"

Eileen looked around, and there was indeed a red shirt in the bathroom, folded neatly on the floor. Eileen flushed. That means he's standing outside the door with no shirt on! In one fluent motion, she unlocked and opened the door, threw the shirt out, and quickly shut it and locked it again.

George stood outside, bewildered. "Um...Thanks!"

At breakfast, everyone looked dreadfully tired. Even usually perky Molly seemed worn-out. Ron looked deep in thought. This worried the rest of the room. Suddenly, he sat up. "Let's go for a walk!"

Hermione looked pleased. "Ron," she said, "that's a great idea!"

Ron grinned. "In the woods."

Now Fred and George looked pleased. "Great idea, Ron! Just think of all the horrible things that we could see," Fred said, grinning at his brother. George returned the grin.

Ginny shook her head. "You both know there's nothing in there. Just some frogs, and maybe the occasional gnome."

Eileen had drifted out of the conversation again. She wasn't sure, but it felt like Aileen was trying to find her. She closed her eyes, and sighed. Suddenly, a wonderful feeling of happiness swept over her. She smiled.

"What's so funny, Eileen?" asked Harry.

Eileen's eyes snapped open. "I, uh, nothing," she stammered, "it's nothing, Really."

No one besides Claire and a few others knew about Aileen's telepathy. Both Claire and Aileen were telepathic, making love at first sight, and they both knew it. Aileen must have been really happy for Eileen to feel it. Eileen looked at the others.

"So, we're going then?" she asked them.

The others all nodded. Molly turned from her work in the kitchen. "Make sure you all take a sweater. They're calling for snow later."

Hermione and Eileen rummaged around in their trunks for sweaters, Eileen finding a dark red one, and Hermione finding a blue one. Hermione looked at Eileen, frowning.

"Hermione, what is it?" asked Eileen.

"Well," Hermione began, " I was wondering if I could ask you for your advice."

Eileen looked perplexed. "Advice on what?"

"Boys."

"Oh. Oh dear. What do you want to know?"

Hermione fidgeted. "What do you do if you like two boys?"

Eileen smiled. "You like two boys. And then eventually, you only like one. Or neither." Or girls, she added mentally, thinking of Aileen.

"I was hoping that would be the answer," Hermione said, smiling, "I don't want to make a choice right now."

They moved towards the door.

"Come on," said Hermione, "Let's go."