CHAPTER LIV:
christmas in grimmauld place

( December 1995 )

      A WEEK HAD PASSED AND SOON ENOUGH, CHRISTMAS MORNING HAD ARRIVED. Ginger awoke to her warm blankets being ripped off of her body and two redheads hovering above her with matching green sweater vests and hats.

"Happy Christmas!" they singsonged in synchronization.

Two pillows were immediately from across the room by Ginny. "Sleep! Sleep is what we need!" she groaned sitting up rubbing her eyes.

"I second that," Ginger groaned turning over.

The twins frowned, "fine." "We'll give you a few more minutes." And then they walked out of the room. Though, exactly three minutes later, they came barging in once more with the exact same energy and this time all three girls in the room threw pillows at them before getting up.

No matter their protests, the girls eventually did end up getting out of bed to get dressed and go downstairs.

      Ginger simply threw on one of her gray pleated skirts and, deciding to wear something other than blue, pulled a red and white sweater vest with a button-up beneath it. She put black tights on her legs then paired them with her Mary Janes which clicked with every step she took. Her hair was in a high ponytail at the top of her head nicely finishing off the outfit.

Ginger stepped down the staircase that lead to her temporary room with Sirius Black in her sights leaned against the doorway of the dining area. A small box played at her hands, covered in red wrapping paper and sealed with a dainty white bow. The man kindly nodded, expecting her to walk past him and into the dining room to give her friends their gifts but he was mistaken.

"Happy Christmas, Sirius." She held out the box for him to take. With his interests piqued, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and took it in his hands. She watched him unwrap it with a small smile awaiting his reaction when he uncovered a golden pocket watch. "I noticed once or twice that yours was cracked and didn't move all too well," she stated as he twirled the chain connected to it between his fingers while observing the item.

      "Ginger! Come on over to open gifts!" Molly beckoned. Before Sirius could even utter a thank you to her, she was clicking her heels into the wood flooring. "Alright, sweet girl, here's your gift especially from me." Molly put a wrapped item in the girl's freckled hands.

      "Oh, Molly you didn't have–"

      She waved a hand around. "Nonsense! Now open it, will you?"

      Ginger tugged the rope that tied it together off and pulled at the red wrapping paper. Inside lay a royal blue sweater made with some of the softest material Ginger had ever felt reminding her of George's sweater he had given her. She pulled it out of the paper and held it up to reveal her initial in golden yarn, dead center of the sweater.

      "Molly, I love it! Thank you." She smiled brightly. "But how did you know these were my favorite colors?"

      George leaned down to her ear, "I may have mentioned it once or twice to her." She beamed up at the redhead, engulfing him in a hug.

"Alright, Lovely, this gift here is from Lee," Fred said as he came around the table with a small and glittery box in his hands. She shuffled the top off to reveal a silvery charm of a star. "Next comes my gift, we both pitched in for each other," he happily said while handing her a box the exact same size. Once again, she opened the small box to reveal yet another charm, except this one was of a sun. Her eyes immediately flickered to George at the thought of him being like the Sun to her. She caught her thought process just before it could spiral and she masked it all with a beaming grin up at Fred.

"Now, best for last." George handed her a box that was significantly larger than Lee and Fred's but not too big. Within the box lay a shiny and silver dreamcatcher woven into the shape of a crescent moon with a star dangling from it. Her eyes glimmered at the sight of it, she knew for a fact she would hang it up as soon as she got home. Ginger quickly wrapped her arms around George, almost knocking him over.

"My turn!" She pushed over two different sizes of boxes. The bigger one with purple wrapping paper and the smaller with orange. The twins opened their gifts, George getting the purple one and Fred getting the orange one. Inside George's held the warm sweater he had lent to Ginger during their sixth year. Fred's held a rewards membership for Dervish and Banges, a shop for quidditch gear and brooms. "I didn't know exactly what to get you so I hope you like it," she said to Fred as he inspected the gift.

He shook his head, "no it's great. Not like I'll need it for this year, but definitely after we graduate." He grumbled the middle with irritation for his ban from quidditch.

      The day went on as any other Weasley Christmas had after Ginger had gifted Ginny and Hermione memberships for shops in the town so they could all have a girl's day out together. Over the day, they continued playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, dancing to old Christmas songs, Molly scolding the twins for putting handfuls of snow in Ron's coat, and concluding with a feast. The whole day, Ginger spent it laughing until her ribs hurt, and for the first time in a long time, she hadn't thought about Cedric.

NOTE. babe wake up, mercurypoisons posted 😧 im SO sorry it took this long to update this. it wouldve been out sooner if i couldve figured out what to gift people but i couldnt 😭 i already have the next chapter planned so dont worry, it'll hopefully be out soon but im not making any promises

QOTC. ASK ME A QUESTION ABOUT ANYTHING 🙏🏽 it could be about this book, my other books, or even a personal question 😋 not too personal tho 🧍🏽‍♀️