ghost stories - h. potter

Nineteen

It was safe to say that Pansy had fallen in love with the kitten. Unlike Nixie, who was entirely black, Tigger, as Pansy had called him, was black and orange.

"Is this just a way of asking me to give you back Nixie?" Pansy asked as she gently pulled the kitten from the box.

"Maybe," Belle teased, causing Pansy to laugh.

"Thank you, Belle. I love him."

Belle smiled as she handed over the small gift voucher that she had purchased.

"This is for Magical Menagrie, in Diagon Alley. You can get baskets, cat food, everything you need there." Pansy was speechless. She'd never had anyone who'd done this much for her in her life.

Belle had seen the best of Pansy when everyone else saw the worst. She'd become her best friend and someone that actually cared about her. She'd invited her back to her house for Christmas, given her a second family that cared about her even more than her first one did and, finally, Belle had given her a kitten - a companion so she would no longer get lonely in the Slytherin common room as she reminisced about the times she spent there with her friends who no longer attended.

"I don't know how to thank you enough," Pansy whispered, stroking the kitten's head gently but Belle only smiled.

"You've done enough for me already."

The two girls spent the remainder of the day inside the house, though they'd ventured outside to throw snowballs at each other at one point. Pansy was completely entranced with the kitten and was more than content when Nixie had been introduced to Tigger and had taken the smaller feline under her hypothetical wing.

Belle, however, had spent the entire day wrapping presents for each of the Weasley's as a thank you for having them over for Christmas, and Harry and Hermione. She'd left the room to speak to her spiritual family at one point and had stared crying when they told her that they were proud of her and wished they could be there in person to wish her a Happy Christmas.

That evening, when the clock hit seven, Belle, Clarice and Collette left the Frenche household to go to the Weasley's. She had bid Pansy a goodbye only a few hours before as she left for her girlfriend's house.

When they had arrived outside the Burrow, Belle first noticed Hermione outside, waiting for them.

"Hermione!" Belle called, alerting the brunette Gryffindor. She smiled widely at the sight of Belle and had run forwards, enveloping the girl in a hug. 

"Happy Christmas, Belle," Hermione beamed, in jolly spirits and Belle returned the smile.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione."

"Oh, Belle!" At the mention of her name, Belle peered over Hermione's shoulder to see that the whole Weasley clan and Harry had come out to greet the family of three. Fred was standing there beside Belle and she sent him a gentle smile, one that only very few other people understood.

"Thank you for having us, Mrs Weasley," Belle said kindly, before being swept up in a bone-crushing hug by the woman. She choked, causing the corner of George's mouth to turn up in a smile as they made eye contact.

"Please, dear, just call me Molly. And you must be Clarice and Collette!"

As the two families became acquainted with each other, Belle bid Bill, Charlie, Percy and Fleur a happy Christmas, before turning to George. The elder red-head had swept her up in a hug, causing her to laugh, and thanked her for encouraging him to come back to the Burrow for Christmas - it definitely wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

Finally, when the introductions were over, Belle was left standing outside with Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Where's Pansy?" Ron asked.