Under the Mistletoe

Hermione sighed. The heavy workload was really getting to her. As she shifted around stacks of parchment looking for the notes that would help her write her History of Magic essay, she was interrupted by the opening of the portrait hole.

Harry and Ron walked in, their cheeks pink and their hair windblown from the cold weather outside. They were talking and laughing as they made their way to the table that Hermione had claimed as her own.

"Hermione, why are you working so hard?" Harry asked her. "It´s Christmas break! You should be enjoying it."

"How can I when there´s so much studying to do? We have to take N.E.W.T.s this year! Do you realize that these tests could decide our futures?!"

"Calm down," Ron advised her. "We don´t have to take the N.E.W.T.s `til June."

"That´s only about six more months away!" she snapped irritably. "If you want to fail and spend the rest of your life washing dishes at the Three Broomsticks, then that´s fine with me! But don´t blame me for wanting to have a respectable job!" She gathered up her books, notes, quill, and ink and stormed up to her dormitory.

"I just don´t know what gets into her," said Ron with a sigh. "The N.E.W.T.s are half a year away! And she´s the smartest seventh year. What does she need to be studying for anyway?"

"I don´t know," replied Harry. "Sometimes I just don´t understand her."

"Sometimes? How about all the time?"

********

Why can´t they leave me alone? Hermione thought to herself. If they don´t understand the importance- but wait, what if I am being silly? Ron´s right, the N.E.W.T.s are half a year away-that´s a long time. And when the tests are closer, I´ll know what I need to study. Maybe I should take a break.

Hermione went back downstairs. Harry and Ron were playing chess at her deserted table. They both looked surprised when she came over to where they were sitting.

"What, you;re not busy memorizing The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven?" Ron asked sarcastically.

"I´m sorry," Hermione apologized. "I´ve been acting a bit stupid, and I wanted to make it up to you by taking a trip to Hogsmeade."

"But we can´t go, it´s not a Hogsmeade day," said Harry, trying to concentrate on beating Ron at chess.

Hermione sighed and pointed to the bulletin board that hung in a corner of the common room. "The sign says that seventh years can visit Hogsmeade any day during Christmas break. Don´t you two pay attention?"

"No," Ron and Harry replied in one voice. They got up from their table even though they were still in the middle of their chess game.

"Hey!" Ron´s knight called to him as they exited the common room. "Don´t leave now! Do you not realize that we are winning?"

********

Hogsmeade looked like a picture on a Christmas card, with snow covering the ground and falling from the gray sky. Christmas decorations hung in every store window and the houses down the street were also decorated festively.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked down the snow-covered street to Honeydukes, followed by a visit to Zonko´s. After leaving Zonko´s, they continued to Gladrag´s Wizard Wear, as Hermione said she needed a new cloak. While she tried on cloaks and talked to the saleswitch, Harry and Ron admired the Quidditch robes, Ron enviously eyeing the Chudley Cannon set. After Hermione had found a cloak that suited her, they trudged through the snow in the direction of the Three Broomsticks for a warm mug of Butterbeer.

"Ahh...that really hits the spot," said a shivering Ron after Hermione had purchased the drinks from Madam Rosmerta.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed thoughtfully. "I can´t believe that this is going to be our last Christmas at Hogwarts."

"It seems like we just started here. I can´t believe it´s almost over," said Harry.

"Cheer up, guys," said Ron in between sips os his Butterbeer. "We still have six more months at Hogwarts."

"That time will go by quickly," Hermione said quietly.

********

The Gryffindors, eager to open their presents, awoke early on Christmas morning.

"Harry, this is awesome!" cried Ron as he unwrapped his first present. "I can´t believe you got me Cannon Quidditch robes! This is the best present ever!"

"You didn´t read the card correctly," said Harry, recognizing the robes but knowing that they weren´t from him.

"There´s a card?" Ron asked as he ripped through the pile of wrapping paper that lay around him. "Oh, here it is." As he read the name on the card, his face turned red. Getting up, he went over to his trunk, and a few moments later, he straightened up, holding a small, wrapped box in his hand. He looked set and determined, but also nervous, and Harry, knowing what Ron was going to do, smiled encouragingly.

The common room was empty, but as Ron stood at the foot of the stairs that lead to the girls dorms, Hermione appeared at the top of the staircase, wearing a new Weasley sweater.

"There you are, Ron," she said, smiling and starting down the stairs. "I wanted to thank you for the new ink bottle, it´s beautiful."

Ron nodded, his face growing even more red. The words "you´re welcome" formed behind his lips, but would not leave his mouth. He felt as though several snitches had decided to have a fly around his stomach.

"Are you all right?" Hermione came further down the stairs. As Ron wasn´t sure if he was indeed all right, he didn´t answer.

"What´s that?" she asked, motioning towards the package in Ron´s hand.

Ron swallowed and held out the present. "It´s for- it´s for you. I´m sorry that it doesn´t quite measure up to Quidditch robes."

It was Hermione´s turn to go scarlet, but she accepted the box with a smile. She carefully removed the wrappings and lifted the lid from the box. Hermione studied the contents with a look of confusion, and then glanced up at Ron. He met her gaze, his eyes searching hers, and a look of comprehension dawned on Hermione´s face. She removed the sprig of mistletoe from the box and tentatively held it up, between Ron´s head and her own. Ron´s expression softened as he reached for Hermione, and she stepped towards him, releasing the mistletoe, which remained suspended in midair by magic. Just before their lips met, Hermione whispered "This is much better than Quidditch robes."