Healing the Broken

Chapter 22- Christmas at the Burrow

"Harry."

"Go away."

"Harry."

"I said go away."

"Harry, get up."

"No."

"Get out of bed- it's Christmas Eve."

"That's nice." Harry mumbles, turning over on his pillow and adjusting his blankets. He ends up just pulling the blankets over his head, for Ron had turned the lights on.

"Harry, I really think you're going to want to get up."

"Why?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you... but you can see it if you just come downstairs."

"Liar."

"Harry."

"Ron I'm trying to sleep."

Ron huffs and stomps towards the door. "Fine, I'll have her wake you up then."

Harry smiles to himself, happy that he can go back to sleep. In the back of his mind he's wondering who 'her' is but he doesn't have to wonder long. As soon as he pushes the thought even further away, the door opens and Harry groans.

"Ron I'm not getting up."

"I think my name's Hermione, actually."

Harry's eyes fly open and he jerks out of the bed. He had felt her sit down near his abdomen, and sure enough, there she sits. Harry flings himself onto her, crushing her in a Hagrid worthy hug. She lets out a choked laugh and hugs him back too, and as soon as he feels her beneath him all of his senses go alert like usual. Suddenly he's aware of everything. Hermione's hair smelled like vanilla. She was warm.

"Harry you're acting like I just came back from war."

He smiles and lets go of her, sitting back onto his ankles. "I haven't seen you in ages."

She chuckles. "It's been three days."

"I know!" And then he shrugs and looks at the ground. "I just like seeing you."

She gives him another hug and then takes his hand and pulls him to his feet. "I like seeing you too. I'm starving- let's go eat breakfast."

They open the door and step out onto the landing. Naturally, since Harry was staying in Ron's oom rather than his own while Christmas guests stayed in he and Hermione's rooms, they were on the very top floor. "Who's up?" Harry asks Hermione as they start down.

"Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and my parents. We should be quiet so that we don't wake up anyone else." Hermione whispers to him.

In the Burrow, the stairs are one shot upwards- they don't circle around like the ones in Dumbledore's office, and they don't turn any corners like the dungeon stairs. Every seven or so steps is a landing, and it has two doors- a bedroom and then some other room, like a bathroom or a storage closet.

On the first landing, even though they tiptoed, they woke someone up. George opens his door wide, looking joyful, and raises an eyebrow at them.

"Blimey, you tip toe that loud? How loud do you walk then? Or run? Or hug? Is it really loud when you hug to? Does it sound like a big gush of air coming our of an instrument?" George asks, a teasing grin upon his face. "Or when you snog?"

Hermione frowns. "I'm sorry we woke you up George."

"I'm not. I love teasing you two lovebirds." He says, ruffling their hair as they continue down to the next landing. "Honestly though. Is it loud when you snog? Does it sound similar to the noise Ron makes while devouring a turkey leg?"