It was certainly going to be a white Christmas, there was no doubt. Overnight, four inches of snow had fallen, creating a lovely, soft layer of white fluff on the ground. It was not windy, but the air had a distinct chill and the trees were coated with fresh powder. There were three people walking through this winter tableau, one of whom was carrying a large and lumpy package.

“It’s bloody freezing.� Ron muttered this into the warm confines of the thick scarf tucked around his neck.

Hermione replied in a bubbly voice, “You’ll have to speak up, Ron, I can’t hear you when you mumble.�

Her remark earned a snort of laughter from Harry and an indignant grunt from Ron.

“Surely we could have come on his birthday, Hermione,� Ron pleaded. “He wouldn’t have minded.� He looked plaintively at Hermione, doing his best impersonation of ‘puppy-dog’ eyes. “I mean, it’s too cold to be out here.�

“Ron,� Hermione said with asperity, ignoring the look on his face, “It’s our first Christmas without him. It’s the proper thing to pay our respects. People are doing it all over the Wizarding world!� She angrily pulled her knit hat down lower on her forehead. “And besides, this isn’t about you, for once!�

She stomped off, putting a slight distance between her and her male companions.

Silence followed her slight outburst and, for several minutes, the only sound was the slight crunches that their shoes made in the fresh snow.

Ron turned to Harry and raised his eyebrows. Harry shrugged slightly and whispered, “Loosen up. It’s a good thing, mate. Plus, you already picked out his present.�

“I know, I just wish it weren’t so damn cold.�

Hermione whipped around with a quick response, but her voice was higher than it had been previously and it had lost its venom. “Ron, it’s Christmas time. It’s about what you give, not what you get. He gave his life for us. The very least we can do is visit and leave some semblance of holiday cheer.�

A rather uncomfortable silence descended on the group. Ron reached out to take Hermione’s free hand, but she pulled it away and placed it in her pocket. With a sigh, Ron placed his hand in his own jacket pocket and continued to walk.

“Ah…I think we’re here.� Harry nodded his head in the direction of a small cottage.

Hermione nodded her head and shifted the bag she had been carrying.

Harry, for the sake of having something to say, asked them, “How many months has it been since we were last here?�

He, of course, had not forgotten the agonizing period of time that they had spent only several months earlier. And he knew that it was impossible for either of them to have forgotten either. However, Hermione shrugged and Ron shook his head in the universal “no�.

They had stopped about thirty feet from the picturesque cottage and Hermione peered about indecisively. It was quite obvious that she wasn’t sure as to where she was going.

Harry, noticing her confusion, pointed to a spot in the yard, about ten feet away. “I think it should be right about there.�

Hermione nodded, handed Ron the package that she had been carrying, and walked towards where Harry had indicated. Bending down, she dug her gloved hand into the snow and pushed some of the newly fallen snow away.

In the area that she had cleared, there was a small, stone marker resting in the frozen earth. It felt as if it had been decades since they’d last seen that marker, although it had only been a smattering of months. Harry cleared his throat noisily as Hermione turned to Ron for her package.

Ron took a look at her outstretched hands and noticed how pleading the gesture seemed to be. His gaze traveled upwards and he saw the sheer amount of caring that shone from her eyes. It slowly sank in through his thick skull that Hermione was really doing this as an act of love. Ron mentally berated himself for being so slow to realize how insensitive he’d been.

Silently, he handed her the contents of the bag – a wooly, knit hat, a bottle of butterbeer, and three pairs of socks. All of the socks had vivid colors and patterns, though none of them matched. Hermione cradled the objects in her arms and bent back down. Carefully, she put the fuzzy hat next to the marker. She sighed and then stood up again.

With a small cough, Harry took the socks from Hermione and gently laid them next to the hat. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Dobby,� he said thickly. He remained in a squatting position for several moments more, his fingers tracing the marker.

“I hope….I hope that you’re happy, wherever you are.� The last few words came out as a choked whisper. As he stood, he removed his glasses and surreptitiously wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

The three stood there for several long minutes, staring at the gifts that they had deposited upon the grave. Hermione wiped several stray tears from her eyes. Noticing this, Ron wrapped a comforting arm around her and she moved closer in order to rest her head on his shoulder.

Everyone was at peace.

Despite the fact that he was standing at a gravesite in the frosty weather, Ron felt as if the world couldn’t get much better. Slowly, so as not to disturb Hermione, he shifted his weight and was quite unexpectedly poked in the side. With a small gasp, Ron realized that Hermione was still holding the bottle of butterbeer.

He cleared his throat gently and reached for the bottle. Realizing what she was holding, Hermione gave him a small smile, and held the butterbeer out to him. He grasped the bottle and bent down to look at the small stone marker. With a small clunk he placed the bottle in the exact center of the tablet.

“I thought you might like it,� Ron murmured. “I figured that after all you did, a stiff drink might hit the spot.�

His remark earned small smiles from Harry and Hermione.

Quietly, he continued, “Merry Christmas, Dobby.�