Year 5 - Stockholm

Chapter 16

Late December Flurries

Hogwarts castle was decorated for the upcoming holiday. Red holly berries hanged from their strips of greenery, lined every door and arch way. Garlands of every house color lined columns throughout the school. Glittery evergreens dressed in their holiday best boasted in alcoves and classrooms for a dash of Christmas cheer.

Frost of early morning windows swirled in patterns of snowflakes. It greeted each student. Their splintered decorations of ice melted away with the rising of the daily sun, but was charmed, each morning, to grow icy fingers into wintery scenes for their enjoyment.

The Great Hall was the best decorated of all the castle. Icy blue and white trees almost touched the ceiling. Little candles scattered throughout their limbs flickered soft yellow light. Ornaments glistened. Enchanted reindeer grazed upon the needles of the tree and fidgeted their red noses.

Center of the archway into the hall was the largest bloom of mistletoe. It dangled like a teasing reminder for all who entered were expected to kiss. The source of the plant was mysterious. It was removed by staff multiple times a day but grew back with ease. The stunt reeked of a Weasley twin production. Hermione Granger eyed their two snickering mouths as they entered the sparse hall during a free period. Under their arms were books that had been seldom cracked that year. She smelled mischief.

Hermione sat just below a beautiful chandelier coated in shimmery tinsel. Bits of the decoration fell atop her assignments and coated them in whatever it was that made tinsel impossible to remove. Her ink was filled with the small golden debris.

It was supposed to bring her a bit of Christmas cheer, but it defeated her holiday spirit with it's constant downpour of frustration. When nobody was looking, she zapped a charm to keep the tinsel from falling on the table. Ink was one thing. The last thing she wanted for a meal was a coating of gold tinsel stuck in her teeth.

Harry and Ron had homework to do. They were hunkered down in the library trying to learn what they should have in class. She opted to take the Great Hall, so they found the answers on their own. It was not fair to carry their course load for them.

Luna and Neville and Ginny had plans, too.

It left a surprising amount of alone time. Quidditch practice was lengthy; Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were bound to be gone for another hour. That left a chance to reply to Viktor's letter.

It was filled with seasons greetings and his favorite things about the holidays. She smiled as he spoke of hot chocolate with a Russian vodka tossed in. He wrote his regards to Harry and Ron. His words were kind and genuine. In their time together, she'd never known him to be distrustful in any way.

Viktor Krum was a wonderful wizard. She wished the previous year had went better. It ended with Cedric's horrible death, a thought that plagued her. Things were difficult those last days. He was thoughtful to respect her choice whether she wanted to write him by giving her his address.

She grabbed a fresh piece of parchment and wrote of her most favorite holidays past. A smile found her face as she expressed her love of hot cocoa during cold winter days just as he did. She answered his questions, though not as personally as she used to. Draco still read through her letters before they were sent. Though it was possible to send them in secret when he was at practice, he would not miss the fact that she always replied to letters.

Trust was required for any sort of freedom. Draco watched over her more closely when he was suspicious.

Viktor had turned to a dear friend within their letters. He knew many things about her that were easily forgotten by her other friends. The thoughtfulness into every moment he experienced, Viktor remembered everything. He loved to hear what book she'd read and how she liked them.