Kiss Me at Midnight

Kiss Me at Midnight

It was a bright and beautiful (but very cold) December 31 morning as I awoke to the sounds of shouts and banging in hallway. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I lifted myself out of bed and headed toward the commotion. As I predicted, my twin brother George was hogging the bathroom yet again and our younger brother Ron was throwing a hissy fit.

"George, honestly! It's been ages, save some water for the fishes!"

"Listen, Ickle Prefect Ronnikins. I will take as long as I need to and you won't stop me. Besides, I won't be much longer, relax!" George shouted over the running shower water.

"Ron, let it go. Once he gets in the bathroom, forcing him to come out only makes it worse."

"Shut up, Fred."

"Fine, Ronnikins, I was only trying to help."

Realizing that it was going to be a long time until the bathroom was available, I headed back to my room and reviewed our plans one final time for their New Years Eve celebration. Normally, our dear mum would've strictly forbidden anything of the sort. But the war was over, the Dark Side was defeated, and now that the threat was gone mum looked after her children in an entirely different way.

I took a sheet of parchment from their table and looked it over. It had six names on it; Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger, the only invitees to the New Year's Eve get-together. George and I had sent invitations to all of them via owl, and all had accepted. Continuing to look at the list, I noticed that they had an equal number of males and females. To me, it was a perfect opportunity to weasel (hehe) a confession out of our little brother-in-denial.

After Ron, Ginny, George and I had been in the shower and ate breakfast, we disposed of our plates and began our party decorating. We undecorated and dismantled the enchanted Christmas tree, its tinsel shining radiantly in protest. George hung a large silver, metallic banner that read "Happy New Year!" and the couches and chairs were strategically placed to our (my brother and I) liking.

"I don't think that chair looks good there," Ginny scowled.

"Be quiet Ginny, this is our party. You're just an invitee. And you're lucky you got that far!" I said annoyed as I continued making a splendid seating arrangement with blue beanbag chairs and a minute round table.

Several more hours passed and the Burrow had been transformed. The clock was placed in plain sight (for the midnight countdown), silver streamers littered the railings, and a miniature disco ball twirled inches from the ceiling, kept suspended in midair by a nifty spell of mine.

"Well, dear brother, ready the fireplace! Our guests should be arriving any minute now," I said enthusiastically.

Sure enough, the flames George had just lit in the fireplace glowed a brilliant emerald green and Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell stepped into the room. Angelina was dressed in beautiful crimson robes and casual blue jeans underneath. Katie was dressed similarly, only her robes her midnight blue. Both of the girls glowed with gorgeousness.

"Hey Angelina, Katie. You look great!" I greeted, rather nervously.

"Thanks Fred. You and George don't look too bad yourselves!"

So the party had begun. Harry arrived not fifteen minutes after Angelina and Katie, and Hermione shortly after him. Ron sat his best friends down in the bean bag chairs George and I had cleverly came up with, and kept them there a good while before Ginny convinced Harry to get up off his arse and dance with her to her favorite Weird Sister's song.

"This stinks, Hermione," Ron said miserably, watching Harry and Ginny.

"It sure does, Ron. Why don't you ask someone to dance?"

"Who?"

"Oh I don't know, someone who you've known for ages and are really comfortable with. Someone really close to you..."

"I'm not dancing with Harry...or Ginny."

"I'm talking about me, you prat!" Hermione spat.

"Oh! Right, sorry about that. Um...would you like to dance, Hermione?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Hermione squealed as she grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him to the open area in the middle of the room.

Oliver Wood arrived last, claiming that 'fashionably late' was how he liked to do parties (which I highly doubted), and Alicia Spinnet had come with him. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking, and George and I had plans for midnight. 11:30 had hit, and we had only a half an hour until the New Year was upon us. Busying Angelina and Katie with drinks, we made our way to every attendee, starting with Ron.

"Okay little brother, we've only got a half an hour until midnight, and when that clock hits everyone must have someone to kiss."

"Says who?" Ron said, looking flabbergasted.

"Says us. Now, who will your lucky lady be?"

"Hmne," Ron said, barely audible.

"What's that you said, Ron?"

"Hrmone."

"Speak a little louder."

"Hermione!" Ron shouted over the music.

"Yes, Ron?" Hermione asked as she approached.

"Good luck, little bro." I said and went back to dance with Angelina.

"Did you want something, Ron?"

"Yeah, well, ahem! That is, uh, if...oh bloody hell! Fred and George want everyone to kiss someone at midnight so can I kiss you?" Ron got the final sentence out in one big breath.

"Of course Ron!"

"Oh good."

Now the clock read 11:55, and all the couples had paired off and were preparing for the final seconds of 1997. Ron was (with red ears) standing next to Hermione, Harry with Ginny. George and I had, of course, paired off with Angelina and Katie (Angelina for me, Katie for George), and Oliver was, obviously, with Alicia. We all watched the clock eagerly as the last minute wound down. Forty-five seconds, thirty-five seconds, twenty-five seconds...

"5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Everyone shouted the familiar phrase, and then turned to their partner. I must say, Ron and Hermione's had to have been the most awkward. Angelina and I had no problem, nor did George and Katie or Oliver and Alicia. Harry, I must admit, was nervous, but he conquered his kissing fear in the end. Ron and Hermione were the last ones (next to Oliver and Alicia) to break apart if you would believe it. I think he finally got done what he'd wanted to do since his third year at Hogwarts. But what came next shocked even me.

"I love you, Hermione," Ron whispered, still only inches from Hermione's face.

"I love you too, Ron."

And so it was a lovely end to a lovely night. Angelina and Katie Flooed home near 2:30 in the morning, and Oliver and Alicia left soon after. Harry and Hermione were invited to spend the night, and both took us up on that invitation. I just hoped that we wouldn't be hearing any coitus noises coming from Ron's bedroom later on in the early morning hours. Other than that, the night went well in my book.

~The End~