Christmas Caring

"Hold on!"

"Come on, just hook it right over that branch!"

"Where?"

"THERE!"

"But..."

"Here," She grabbed his wrist and directed his hand that was still holding the chain around a branch so that the lights hung like fairies. He blushed slightly at her touch, and looked shyly at her after she'd let go.

"Thanks, Hermione."

"Sure, Ron." She turned pink as well.

They were at the Grangers' house with Harry and the rest of the Weasleys, decorating the tree. Hermione, Ron, and Bill were on separate ladders, putting on the hard-to-reach lights and ornaments. Hermione's parents had invited them all to stay for the holidays, which Mr. Weasley had been particularly excited about.

"We'll be doing everything like Muggles!" he had shouted happily. And so they were. Fred, George, Ginny, and Charlie were making a master gingerbread house with Honeydukes sweets. It stood on an enormous platter on the floor. The floor of the candied house was two square feet, and it stood three feet high. The twins were eating more candy than they were putting on the house. Ginny had frosting on her nose and cheek, and Charlie had powdered sugar all over him. Harry and Mr. Weasley were handing up ornaments to Ron, Hermione, and Bill, and Mrs. Weasley and Mr. and Mrs. Granger were supervising everything.

At an odd splattering noise, Harry looked around. Fred had just thrown a blob of icing at Ginny, and it hit her on the forehead. As Hermione climbed down from her ladder to get another ornament, Harry went quickly over to stop Ginny good-naturedly throwing a handful of icing back at Fred. He took a towel and gently wiped her clean, then kissed her happily. He was having the time of his life. Ginny smiled at him.

"You don't need icing to make you sweet."

He went back over to the towering tree because he could see Ron's ladder start to wobble. It was Hermione, however, who steadied him, avoiding a crash. Ron looked down at her, then quickly looked away, catching sight of Harry.

"Chuck me another bauble, will you?"

The festivities went on all day and into the evening. It was Christmas Eve. The mistletoe had been hung, the tree was up, the gingerbread house looked splendid, and Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger had cooked a spectacular dinner for all of them. Mrs. Granger had made them all place cards for the meal, and they sat down. On one side, Charlie was on the end, then Ron and Hermione, Fred and George, and Mrs. Weasley. On the other side Bill was opposite Charlie on the end, than Harry and Ginny, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Granger, and Mrs. Granger. Everyone had a wonderful time, laughing and chatting, until there was a crash from the front hall and the Granger parents went to investigate. As soon as they were out of sight Mrs. Weasley whipped out her wand from under the table and cleared the dishes off the table with one sweep, then put a warning finger to her lips.

"Hurry up!" she whispered to the dishes as they began to rinse themselves and load into the dishwasher. The last plate slid in and the dishwasher door closed just as the Grangers walked back in.

"Just the umbrella stand falling over... My goodness, it certainly is clean in here," remarked Mrs. Granger. She looked curiously at them all, then seemed to decide it was nothing to worry about.

Dinner was finished with a round of delicious desserts, some of which they had never tried before. The Granger parents, who were dentists, relaxed a little and brought out a spectacular selection. The Wizarding World didn't have strawberry shortcake or chocolate truffles, both of which Ron stared at, fascinated. Hermione explained what a truffle was, and he immediately picked one up and shoved it into his mouth. Hermione gave a tinkly laugh, like bells, and Harry laughed, too.

"You're supposed to eat them in two bites, not wolf them down," she giggled. Picking one up between her fingers and demonstrating, she took a dainty bite.

"Raspberry," she said. "Very nice."

Ron watched, then tried to imitate her. He sat up very straight and stuck his pinky out, looking down his nose at the chocolate square. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Bill, and Charlie roared with laughter.

After the desserts had been demolished, too, Ginny gave an enormous yawn and put her head on Harry's shoulder. He put his arm around her, sleepy himself. Hermione sighed contentedly. Ron had already fallen asleep, his head on the table. The adults were talking amongst themselves, but when Mrs. Weasley's sharp eyes spotted Charlie slip off his chair accidentally because he had fallen asleep, she immediately ordered them all to go to bed. Hermione rubbed Ron's back gently to wake him up.

"Ron? Ron, your Mum says we have to go to bed."

"Love you, Hermione," Ron mumbled. Hermione blinked.

"Ron? Ron, are you in there?" She nudged him softly, but he slept on. Then Fred came up from behind and hit him hard on the elbow. Ron started, and awoke. Staring around, he caught sight of Fred grinning, and blearily chased him up the stairs, swinging his arms. He clearly planned to get Fred back. Hermione suppressed a laugh, and followed them.

Harry picked up Ginny and followed Hermione upstairs. Ginny's head rested in the crook of his elbow, and she smiled with her eyes still closed. Harry kissed the top of her head and brought her to her room. Everyone was sleeping on mattresses on the floor, as the Grangers simply didn't have enough bed frames. Lying Ginny down gently on her mattress, Harry pulled the covers up to her chin and kissed her on the cheek.

"'Night, Ginny," he whispered, and left. He met Hermione in the hall, already in her nightgown. They smiled, and he hugged her tightly.

"'Night, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Harry. I'll see you in the morning."

He went to his bedroom, and she went to find Ron. She found him sitting on the floor in Charlie's room already in his pajamas, staring glassy-eyed at the wall opposite him. Smiling faintly, she took his hand, lacing her fingers through his, and led him back to the room they shared. He seemed to come to himself a little as they walked down the long hallway, and as he realized who was leading him, held her palm more tightly. They finally reached their room. Ron dragged his mattress closer to Hermione's. Their mattresses touching, they got into bed, pulling their blankets over themselves. Hermione lay down facing Ron, but Ron, fully awake now, propped his head up on his hand.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I... I... love..."

"Ron?"

"...you"

Hermione sat up completely, staring at Ron, her soft lips parted, her face glowing in the moonlight streaming through the window, her heart beating fast. The line from Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet popped into her head. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand...

"What?"

"I said... I said... that I... love you."

"What did you say?"

"I... love you."

"Ron? Say that again."

"I love you. I love you, Hermione."

Hermione threw the blankets off herself, leaned forward, and kissed him. It was long and deep, and seemed to contain years of love they had never confessed to each other. She pulled back after what seemed like hours.

"No," Ron whispered, and pulled her back to him, kissing her passionately. She returned it with equal intensity, her heart pounding. He put his hand on the small of her back, drawing her closer. Finally breaking apart after a long, long time, Ron reluctantly lay down, patting his mattress invitingly. She took his invitation, and they both lay under the same blankets. She snuggled up to him, her arm draped around his hips, lying close to him. She marveled at how perfectly they fit together, like puzzle pieces. He kissed her gently goodnight once more, and they fell asleep.

Outside, a lone pair of birds began to sing, their voices harmonizing perfectly, like the two humans inside the room of the windowsill they perched upon.