Magic? || Years 1-5

Christmas Morning: Year 4

"Well -- you can come with one of us!" He replied.

"No, I can't," She shook her head.

"Oh come on, we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has..." Ron complained.

"I can't come with you because I'm already going with someone," She argued, a faint blush on her cheeks once more.

"No, you're not! You just said that to get rid of Neville!" Ron shot back.

Oh dear.

Abort mission, Ron, abort mission.

"Oh did I? Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!" Hermione snarled, her eyes glinting.

Ron grinned up at her.

Idiot.

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you! I'm going with someone else!" She growled, fuming, and stomped up to the girls' dormitory.

"She's lying," Ron decided the second she was out of earshot.

"She's not," Ginny replied.

"Who is it then?" Ron asked, as if proof was necessary.

"I'm not telling you, it's her business," Ginny crossed her arms defiantly.

"Right, this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just -- " Ron began.

"I can't. I'm going with -- with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought... well... I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year. I think I'll go and have dinner," Ginny sighed, getting up and leaving.

Amisty knew what was happening before either of them even looked in her direction. She braced herself, waiting for the question.

"Amisty -- " Ron sighed, beyond annoyed now. "Could you just come with one of us?"

She stared down at her hands, fidgeting uncomfortably, "I'm really sorry, Ron, I just don't think I can..."

"But why?" Ron groaned.

"Because," And then George walked into the common room, closely tailed by Fred, "she's coming with me."

Amisty stared at him, bewildered.

He winked discreetly, tugging her to her feet and pulling her between Fred and him.

"You've got to be kidding me," Ron sank low in his chair, hands over his eyes to muffle another groan.

"Sorry..." Amisty mumbled, and George and Fred whisked her away off toward another corner of the common room.

"Thank me later," George grinned, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"You have no idea," Amisty sighed, throwing a glance over her shoulder at the two boys.

Ron was sulking on the couch and Harry had disappeared to who-knows-where.

"Seeing you dancing with either of them?" Fred laughed. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

-=+=-

"Merry Christmas!" A voice whispered in her ear, and when Amisty opened her eyes she was eye to eye with a very awake Hermione.

"Hi, Hermione!" She exclaimed, jumping and rubbing her eyes. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

"Well, come on! There's presents to be opened!" Hermione tugged at her wrist. Amisty rolled her eyes, forcing herself to get out from the warm cocoon that was her bed. There was a pile of presents at the foot of her bed, all wrapped in festive colors and... a certain emerald one that seemed to be missing.