Under the Mistletoe at Midnight

Under The Mistletoe At Midnight

It was New Years Eve, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione found themselves sitting in the nearly empty Gryffindor common room. Ginny and Neville were chatting animatedly in the corner, and a few first and second years were engaged in a rather heated game of exploding snap. The trio was busy discussing their resolutions and eating various delicacies pilfered from the kitchen.

"This year, I want to have a normal life," Harry said. He paused for a moment and added, "Well what most people would consider normal. That means no headaches, no nightmares, no deaths, and most of all, no Voldemort." Ron and Hermione nodded sympathetically.

Ron cleared his throat. "For my New Year's resolution, I want-" He broke off mid-sentence with a worried look on his face. "Promise me you won't laugh?" When his friends nodded, he sighed and then continued, "I want to kiss a girl. A real kiss, none of those pecks on the cheek, like you get from your aunts." Ron wrinkled his nose as if reliving one of those "aunt-kisses." Hermione and Harry looked at each other a few seconds, and then they lost control. They burst out laughing, and it took them a good five minutes to stop. Ron glared at them the whole time with his arms crossed. Finally, he broke into their giggles, "Are you quite finished? If you are, I'd like to hear Hermione's resolution. Go on then, tell us if yours is so much better."

Hermione turned up her nose indignantly. "Well, if you must know, I intend on getting an outstanding on all of my NEWTS." Ron's and Harry's mouths both dropped open in shock. That was outrageously ambitious, even for Hermione! She suddenly stiffened, and they knew that wasn't a good sign. "What? You don't think I can do it?" she asked. She looked crushed, and the boys realized they had to reassure her.

"No, Hermione, it's not that," Harry said truthfully. "You're the smartest girl in Hogwarts, and if anyone can do it, you can." This seemed to pacify Hermione, and she opened her mouth to speak again, but Ron cut her off.

"You're mad. Did you know that?" Ron paused to stuff a few pumpkin pasties into his mouth. "Really, you push yourself way too hard." Harry signaled for Ron to stop, sensing Hermione's growing annoyance.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I actually care about where I wind up." Hermione glared at them a few seconds before continuing her rant. "Without the proper schooling, how do you expect to get a decent job? Ronald Weasley, if you don't smarten up, you'll end up serving drinks at the Three Broomsticks with Madame Rosmerta!"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione! You sound like my mum. Besides, look at the twins. They didn't get an outstanding on all their NEWTs and they're doing well!" Harry chocked on his butterbeer, and Hermione raised her eyebrows, but no one was willing to argue such a sensitive issue with Ron.

"Come on, you two, stop fighting. Its nearly midnight!" Harry said, gesturing toward the clock. The three best friends stared at the old wooden clock with anticipation as the countdown began.

"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

As the clock struck midnight, streamers erupted, showering everyone with confetti. Everyone was ecstatic, Ginny pulled Harry into a hug, and Neville hugged both of them at once. Amidst all the noise and commotion, Ron and Hermione embraced fondly. It was only after they pulled apart that Ron noticed the mistletoe.

"Now, we've done it!" Ron said turning bright red. Hermione looked up, and to her amazement she saw the sprig of mistletoe she'd been carefully avoiding all break.

"Well, it appears as though you'll get your kiss after all, Ron!" Before he had time to protest, Hermione had locked him in a kiss. Ron was startled, he'd never kissed before, and he never imagined his first kiss would be Hermione. Well, that's not entirely true; he didn't think his first kiss would be Hermione. He'd imagined it quite a few times.

When they broke apart, neither knew what to say. Ron was grinning as if Puddlemere United had just won the Quidditch cup, and Hermione looked as if she'd just become Head Girl. They were both still grinning stupidly when Harry, Ginny, and Neville, walked over to join them.

Ron faked a yawn and mumbled something about a Herbology essay. Hermione did the like, but favoured Arithmancy as her excuse. After the two had walked off rather dreamily to their dorms, the three remaining Gryffindors raised their eyebrows.

"What was all that about?" Neville asked, scratching his head rather comically. It was Harry who spotted the mistletoe first, and he and Ginny exchanged glances.

"You know," Harry stretched melodramatically, "I think I feel a yawn coming on. I might as well just tuck in now." Harry gave Ginny a wink that assured her he'd share all the gossip in the morning and headed off toward the dormitories, in search of Ron. In truth, Harry was tired, but he knew no one if Gryffindor would be asleep for hours!

After Harry had "gone to sleep," Ginny looked at Neville for a few seconds as if appraising him. She smiled and looked into his eyes, which were a clear blue, not quite as nice as Harry's green ones, but nice nevertheless.

"Hey Neville," she said flirtatiously, "We're standing under the mistletoe."