Christmas finally arrived for Hermione, after a long afternoon of suffering. She took a long time to get ready, fearing what she may find downstairs. Every part of her dormitory was straightened and cleaned. When she felt like had wasted enough time up stairs, she slowly sauntered downstairs to the common room and to her surprise found it completely empty. The tree sparked, lights twinkling gaily, shiny bulbs an ornaments hung from the tree limbs, and a fancy angel sat upon the tree gracefully. The presents sat under the tree, and there were quite a bit considering the numbers they had in the Gryffindor tower. There was also an extra table set off to the side with breakfast pastries, muffins, fruit, juice, eggs, sausage and other items, set up especially for Christmas. She passed that, and over to the tree and found that there was a letter sitting on the limbs almost towards the middle of the tree. She hesitated a moment, but then reached for it, pulling it from the tree. It was addressed to her, but before she grabbed it she was almost sure of it anyway. She decided maybe she could open just this one without Ron and Harry. She curled up in the closest chair, and opened the letter. All that was in the letter was words to a carol, Hermione had heard many times when with her parents for Christmas.
Hark how the Bells
Sweet Silver Bells
All seem to say throw cares away
Christmas is here bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold
Ding-dong; ding dong that is their song
With joyful ring all caroling
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere filling the air
Oh how they pound raising the sound
O’er hill and dale telling their tale
Gaily they ring while people sing
Songs of good cheer Christmas is here
She read it over and over again wondering who could have sent the letter. It was like a time turner, moving back years ago. She realized she hadn’t heard a real Christmas carol in a long time, not a muggle one anyway. Somehow reading these words made her feel warmer inside, a kind of tingling was sent through her body. She tucked the letter away again, and after looking at the tree again one last time she headed to Harry and Ron’s dormitory. She could hear from outside, that they were arguing. She banged on the door with her fist and yelled from outside.
“For the love of all that is good, will you two stop arguing and come out here and spend Christmas with me?” shrieked Hermione from the other side of the door. Everything halted inside the room and things went into a slow silence for a minute. Ron opened the door to the dormitory; Harry pulled a shirt over his head. Both looked at her with a kind of annoyed and surprise stare.
“What made you think we were arguing?” asked Harry, raising his eyebrows innocently.
“I’m not going to answer that,” replied Hermione coldly, pausing then continuing in a pleading manner, “please just pretend that you don’t hate each other for one day, for me, please. You have no idea what I’ve got through the last week, with you two acting like children.”
“I don’t hate…” started Ron, looking guilty, trying to avoid Hermione’s eye contact.
“We haven’t…” started Harry at the same time looking just as guilty.
“I don’t care!” exasperated Hermione, “just come down with me and pretend like you are going to enjoy Christmas with me.” Both the boys looked between each other guiltily, Ron’s look turned into a glare, telling Harry he was not forgiven. Harry smiled back sarcastically then put on a friendly air for Hermione not saying another word. Ron did likewise. Hermione led them down the stairs, feeling rather pleased with herself. As she led them downstairs, she came into view with two very strange sights. One was a huge black dog, and the other was a scrawny brown dog, that looked almost like a wolf, except for that it was quite a bit tamer.
“Sirius?” asked Harry hesitantly behind Hermione, not recognizing the other dog. The brown dog came up and nudged Hermione’s leg, and Harry grabbed her shoulder, as if he would hold her back. Hermione just bent down and petted the brown wolf-like dog. The dog barked happily, and Harry and Ron just stood behind Hermione perplexed; then the dog transformed into a familiar human form.
“Lupin!” gasped Ron, looking at him wide-eyed.
“You three were sure making a large racket up there,” he commented lightly, looking mostly at Ron and Harry. They avoided his eye contact guiltily.
“Well what are you just standing there for, breakfast is waiting,” invited Lupin warmly, waving his arms towards the table of food. Harry laughed as he saw Sirius, still in dog form, chomping on a piece of sausage from the table.
“Sirius! Where are your manners?’ scolded Lupin. The dog looked at Lupin guiltily, and then Sirius transformed into human form again.
“Of course Remus, would you like some?” he asked offering his half eaten sausage to Lupin. Everyone laughed and finally dug into the food. Even Ron and Harry seemed to enjoy themselves, and didn’t have to feign happiness. After a large breakfast, everyone opened gifts. It wasn’t an orthodox way of opening gifts everyone just kind of opened things at once and it made Hermione a little wary. But being the only girl there, she couldn’t expect it to get much neater. Even through the mess, she was overjoyed with the gifts she received. After opening Harry’s, he was tackled to the ground in a hug.
“Oh Harry, it’s perfect, I love it,” she said kissing him on the cheek.
“Please,” snickered Ron, “lets save all that for somewhere private.”
Hermione glared at him and blushed bright red. She turned the knob at the bottom winding up the music, and then she let go of it, letting it play a haunting Christmas melody. On the inside of the music globe, were moving pictures of her family, and of Harry and Ron. She smiled at it warmly, forgetting the other presents lying at her feet. Soon the guys were finished opening gifts, and Ron nudged her, and she opened her remaining gifts. From Ron she got a book on house elves, Lupin gave her the book Transfiguration for the Experts, Ron’s mom sent Hermione scarlet robes.
“Wow Ron this is beautiful,” she remarked, trying it on. Harry started to say something but bit his tongue; Sirius glanced at him giving him a chuckle.
“She has picked up on hand-making robes lately, it’s her new hobby I suppose,” replied Ron casually, also noticing Harry’s falter. He and Harry also both received new robes; Ron’s were black, and Harry’s golden yellow. For a while everyone played with their new gifts, boxes and paper lay everywhere. Sirius and battled a game of wizard’s chess. Hermione curled up and started reading her books, while Ron munched on chocolate frogs watching Lupin write a letter. After a while of this, Sirius and Lupin had to report back to Molly’s for a Christmas dinner. Hermione’s heart fell, she didn’t want them to go, for if they went then, it was just the three of them again. Nothing would distract Harry and Ron from their anger. She looked sadly at them as they disappeared through the portrait hole. She sight reluctantly, and there was a cold silence in the room. Hermione could tell she wasn’t the only one who missed their presence. Now she was angry, and would not put up with this any longer.
“Do you two insist on ruining my winter break?” she asked them with no response, so she continued. “What could be so big that even you two can’t get over yourselves and fix it? Well you know what? If you two hotshots think you can make my life miserable, I can play your game just as well. Unless you two can think of something clever and get your acts together, I won’t speak to either of you, because I am not choosing sides. And maybe you’ll learn to be lonely.” With that she stomped up the stairs carrying her musical globe in hand and two books under her arm.
“I’m sick of her being mad at me Ron,” said Harry glaring at Ron angrily.
“I bet you are Harry,” replied Ron, picking apart his chocolate frog.
“Then what do you want from me?” implored Harry gritting his teeth.
“I want you to tell me the truth,” said Ron standing up, feeling threatened under Harry’s stature.
“About what?” asked Harry in a low voice, trying to be intimidating now.
“Let’s see, how about, why you let me tag along for so many years if I wasn’t worth your time? Or why you don’t think you have to go to practice? Or why you’ve developed Hermione’s study habits. And why you have a problem with Kira…. let’s start with that,” designed Ron dramatically moving his arms as he spoke, pacing around the common room.
“Why are you playing martyr Ron? I didn’t let you just tag along, because I could have found other friends in a heartbeat,” returned Harry defensively, not enjoying being placed in a tight place.
“Even when everyone in the school thought that you were the heir of Slytherin? Or when everyone was rooting against you in the Tri-wizard Tournament, or how about when everyone thought you were crazy when you said Voldemort was back? Did you have a lot of friends to choose from then Harry?” asked Ron seething. Harry didn’t respond, deep down he knew Ron was right but the way he was being interrogated did not make him want to join Ron’s side. He paused and then spoke before he thought he would regret it.
“You weren’t on my side about my getting selected for the Tri-wizard tournament, you were jealous, like always,” snarled Harry, eyes narrowing.
“Why would I, just a mediocre wizard be jealous of you going off to see if you could get yourself killed in everyway possible…I don’t want that Harry. Believe it or not I don’t want to be stalked by Voldemort, and have him come after all my friends and family. I don’t want to be you Harry! So get off your pedestal!” bellowed Ron his tone getting louder as he spoke.
“So, you finally are starting to get it Ron, it’s not easy being Harry Potter. And the reason I quit coming to practice and the reason I’ve been struggling in all my N.E.W.T courses is because I don’t want to fall behind…while Voldemort kills everyone I care about, I will not lose another battle to him Ron!” yelled Harry, not really mad at Ron anymore but at himself and his life. He fell down on the couch, and covered his face with his hands, running them through his hair.
“I get it Harry, I really get it, your life is hard. But there are other people who are going to do something, when you finally get rid of Voldemort, there are going to be other great people, I don’t understand why you have to be the only one. Why can’t I be just as good as you, just because you were born with a prophecy and a scar on your forehead? I think it was all of us that fought past the devil’s snare, the chessboard, and the flying keys. I was the one who went in the forest with you to find Aaragog, even though we nearly were killed, and I was the one who pulled rocks back, dreading that you wouldn’t come back from Tom Riddle alive. And even if I was entirely worthless at the Department of Mysteries last year, at least I was willing to try,” rejoined Ron, “I’m sick of being in your shadow Harry, I am sick of you thinking that I’m not good enough. I realize the world will never see me as your equal, but I was hoping you, my best friend, would.” The silence as those last words fell was deafening, Harry looked up at Ron and was at a loss for words. Even Ron seemed to have nothing to say, amazed at his own boldness. They stared at each other for a minute, and Ron looked down, feeling uncomfortable, inferior in Harry’s gaze. It was a moment of silence that was different from the ones they had before now, it was more real, more thoughtful, bitter and sweet at the same time.