A Christmas Spent Together
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They are the property of one very creative person. This storyline, however, is my own work.
This is a story that I wrote for my best friend, Jessica. It may not be very good but I did it! It will be her Christmas present. I hope some of you readers will enjoy it.
It was December. The cold air flowed freely through Hogwarts, making the young witches and wizards' ink bottles freeze up. Nobody was in the mood for learning anymore. All they could think about was the warm fireplaces of their commonrooms and of the upcoming Christmas holidays. It was no different for Harry, and Ron, they just couldn't wait for it to come. Even Hermione didn't feel her usual zest for learning.
"Ahhh! Why can't the holiday come faster? I can't stand any more of this bloody waiting!" Ron whined. The three best friends where sitting in the Gryffindor commonroom.
"Oh Ron, it's only two more days," replied Hermione. "I am positively sure that you can wait. It'll go by fast and then you can have all of the fun you want."
"That's easy for you to say Hermione. You two get to go home this Christmas. I'm stuck at the school again. Not that I want to go back to the Dursley's, but I still want to at least spend some time with people."
"You could come back to the Burrow with me if you want," Ron offered to Harry.
"I don't want to be a bother to your family."
So, the two days did go by fast as Hermione predicted. Hogwarts emptied as the students went home for the holidays. Ron and Hermione left Harry with a promise that they'd send him great Christmas present. After saying his goodbyes to them, Harry went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
As he entered, he admired the beauty of its decorations. There were Christmas trees, ten feet high, all decorated with thousands of lights and ornaments. The ceiling reflected the scene of a light snowfall. It was perfect. The long tables where no longer there. They were replaced by one small round table in the centre. It was set up with wonderfully delicious-looking food.
Clearly, the small table meant that almost all of Hogwarts students had left. Harry sat down, wondering if there would still be anyone else staying at the school like him. Suddenly, the doors were burst open. There was Draco Malfoy. He strolled in with a sneer on his face.
"What are you doing here Potter? No one wants to spend any more time with you than necessary?"
"That's not true, but I guess it is for you since I see your still at here," Harry replied.
"That's enough. Christmas is definitely not a time for arguing." Dumbledore walked into the room. His voice was quiet and yet it demanded respect. "It is a time to spend together with others and since you two are the only students left at Hogwarts this year, I think it'll be perfect if you spend the holiday together."
"WHAT!" said Harry and Draco simultaneously. They were quite surprised.
"Yes. I think it would be perfect. You two could help decorate the school some more, bake cookies, sing carols, wrap presents, build a snowman, and do so much more. All together. Yes it would be perfect." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he said this.
"B b bbut Profeesor…" Harry started.
"No buts Harry. And none from you either Draco. Do as I say, and no more arguing." With that Dumbledore left the room, leaving the two dumbfounded boys.
Draco was the first to regain his wits. "If he thinks that I'll spend any bloody time with you, then he has gone loopy."
"Right," replied Harry. They both sat down and began eating in silence, neither one even acknowledging the other's presence.
The next few days passed with the two boys still ignoring each other. Every time they saw each other, they would just continue on their way, never stopping. Try as they did to avoid each other, Harry and Draco still had to endure each other during every mealtime. Three times a day, they would have to share a meal, sitting directly across from each other at that small table.
On the third day of them ignoring each other, Dumbledore came once again.
"I see you two didn't take my suggestion." Draco and Harry looked up. They didn't say a word. "Maybe you just can't decide upon all of the nice things you could do together or when you could do them. I think that I shall help you," with that, Dumbledore lifted his wand. "Circumstatic synctilcinq!" A blinding red light surrounded the two students and when it subsided, Dumbledore was gone.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco asked.
"I have no idea. It must have been some spell."
"Well that was obvious! ugh You really are dumb."
"I am not dumb! It isn't like you got a better answer!"
"I'm leaving. I can't stand you Potter." Draco started to march off. After ten steps, he seemed to have walked into an invisible wall and fell backwards.
"Did you forget how to walk Malfoy?" Harry said laughing.
"No! There is something blocking me." Harry walked over to where Draco still sat on the ground. He felt the air, but there was definitely no invisible barrier there.
"You're acting crazy Malfoy. There's nothing here."
"I swear that there bloody was!" Draco protested, standing up. He waved his hands, and felt nothing. Harry shook his head and decided that he had more productive things to be done than to watch Draco being weird. He walked away when suddenly, he too hit a barrier.
"What is this?" Harry wondered.
"See, I'm not crazy!" proclaimed Draco.
"It must be Dumbledore's spell," Harry deducted. After a while, the two found out the limits to the spell. They could not go more than ten steps away from each other. It was Dumbledore's way of ensuring that the two enemies would spend time together. They were not at all happy about it.
"My holiday is ruined, and it's your entire fault Potter!"
"Me? It's not my fault at all."
"Well, I'm blaming you! My holiday is ruined! I can't believe I'm stuck with a stupid snot like you Potter." They both sat down and contemplated possible ways of getting rid of the spell. Neither of them knew a counter-spell nor did they think that it would just make it wear off in a few hours.
"What if we did what the Headmaster wanted? Spent time together, and do some happy Christmas-type things. Maybe Dumbledore will take the spell off?" Harry suggested. Draco stared at him, horrified at the very thought. It was worth a try though, since there was no other plan.
And so, Harry and Draco spent their holiday together. They helped decorate the school some more, baked cookies, sung carols, wrapped presents, built a snowman, and did so much more. All together. At first it was all done grudgingly, but the spirit of the season eventually got to them. They were actually having fun. Though neither one would ever admit it, they were enjoying themselves together. It was perfect.
Christmas Eve came and the two boys where having their nightly feast in the Great Hall. The hall was even more grand and beautiful, if that was at all possible. Tonight the table didn't have the usual mountain of food in the centre, but an elegant centerpiece with flowers and candles. Two places were set up with silver plates and glass goblets.
They took there places across from each other, still smiling and talking with one another. A great dinner was shared between them.
"Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore exclaimed as he once again surprised the boys. "I trust you've both been having a good holiday."
"Yes Headmaster," they both replied simultaneously. They had forgotten that they didn't like each other.
"Ahh good. I see that my spell did help. I was afraid that it would wear off before you two had made such lovely friends." Dumbledore flipped open his pocket-watch and looked intently at it. "It's been five days already."
"Five days?" Harry asked.
"That's how long the spell lasted for. It already wore off hours ago, but I see that you two no longer need a spell to keep you spending time together. That's nice," with that, Dumbledore left.
"WHAT!" said Harry and Draco simultaneously. They were quite surprised, again. They stared at each other.
"So I didn't have to spend all of my afternoon with you?" Harry said quietly.
"What a waste of my time!" Draco bellowed.
The two then headed straight for there rooms, no longer speaking to each other. They slept unwell that night. There was something bothering the both of them.
When Christmas morning arrived, Harry was woken up with a very loud and excited scream.
"Christmas is here! Wake up Harry!" It was Ron and Hermione.
"What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be home with your families!" Harry exclaimed. He was quite happy to see them.
"We couldn't just leave you at Hogwarts all by yourself for Christmas!" said Hermione.
"Come on Harry, let's open our presents." The three best friends leapt off of Harry's bed and went to find all of their gifts. Harry received a book from Hermione, a bag of candies from Ron, and another jumper from Mrs. Weasley.
When they finished with their presents, they decided to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The hall was bright this morning. The small table in the middle had vanished, giving way to now two round tables. Draco had already arrived before them. He was sitting at one of the tables, but he was not alone. Crabbe and Goyle were with him and they were already eating.
"What are they doing here?" Ron asked. He was vexed by their presence.
"We're eating, stupid," Crabbe said.
"Are you bloody blind?" said Goyle.
And so they began fighting once again. Harry and Draco did not join in this morning, but they let the other four have at it. These two remained silent and just finished their meal. After fifteen minutes, the arguers had finally run out of breath and sat down, but it was clear that they would start it up again soon.
Harry and Draco had had enough of listening to them this morning. Draco had left the room without a word. Harry finished his food and stood up.
"Harry, where are you going?" Hermione asked.
"I forgot something in my room. I'll meet you guys later," he made up an excuse.
Harry walked up to the Gryffindor tower and to his room. He needed some time alone. As he opened the door to his room, he saw something on his bed. It was a present, carefully wrapped in red paper with a golden bow. Harry opened it. Inside was a snow-globe with an animated scene. It was of two boys building a snowman. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. Smiling, Harry read the card.
"Merry Christmas Harry,
I hope you like this present. It'll remind you of the fun we had together.
Love from a friend."
In the cold tower of Slytherin, Draco was looking at a similar card.
I really hoped that my story brightened up somebody's holiday spirit.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!