Melanie Granger?

Chapter 21: Christmas Shopping

Hi guys!  I know it's technically no where near Christmas, but I saw that I haven't updated this book in awhile and I thought that it was about time that I did.  Plus!  It's July, so I guess you could say that this is appropriate.  You know, Christmas in July?  Eh?  Heh sorry for my lame attempt at humour.

Anyway, let's get on with things!

-/-/-

'Come on, Mione, let's go!'  I grabbed my sister's hand and dragged her to the front door.

I had finally asked our parents if we could go Christmas shopping and surprisingly they said yes! Unfortunately though, this meant that we were going to be going shopping on a Saturday and that meant there would be lots of crowds, unless we got there early.  Which was why I had got up and got ready early so that we could go out because the last thing I felt like doing was fighting my way through crowds while trying to look for presents for my friends.

'Alright, alright, I'm coming!'  Hermione laughed as we finally made it to the car.  'Honestly, Mel, you could have waited a few minutes longer.  Mum and Dad aren't even out of the house yet.'

'So?  Now that we're out here hopefully they'll hurry up.'

Sure enough, just a few moments later our parents walked out and unlocked the car so that we could get in.  Once we all had our seatbelts on, Dad started the car and we were on our way to the shops.

'So, what's the occasion, Melanie?  I haven't seen you so excited about buying presents in a long time.'  Mum asked.

'I just...'  I hesitated, suddenly feeling embarrassed about being excited to get things for my friends at Hogwarts.  They would probably think it was silly.  'I don't know.'  I finally shrugged.

'Oh well, it's the season to be jolly, so let's just enjoy it.'  Dad suggested and turned on the radio just in time for them to start playing It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year.

'It sounds like the radio agrees with you.'  I said, making us all laugh.

Maybe it wasn't so bad to be excited about all of this.

When we got to the shops we had to fight for a park because, surprise, surprise, there were already people out doing their shopping.  It took us nearly twenty minutes, but when we finally got one we all quickly got out and went into the shops.

Once inside we split up, each of us going into a separate aisle.  The shelves were stacked with all sorts of muggle gifts from toys for young kids to cheesy Santa ceramics.  I walked through the rows and rows of Christmas themed knick-knacks, occasionally pausing to examine one or two of them before I kept walking.  Now, I had already tried to think about what presents to get my friends, but now that I could see what was available, nothing really seemed right.

'I don't know what to get them.'  I sighed when I came upon Hermione.

'I don't either, but we have to get them something.'

'I just wish I knew what.'

'We probably should have gone shopping in Diagon Alley.'  She whispered and I nodded.

'Yeah.  Do you think Mum and Dad would let us go back there and look?'

'Maybe, but let's keep looking here first.'

'Fine, but if we don't find anything then you have to be the one to ask them.'

'Why me?'

'Because they'll say yes if you ask.'