Christmas! Christmas morning, even when the whole castle was still asleep, no matter if you were at Hogwarts or the Burrow or your grandparents', there was always an air of mystery, surprise and dormant excitement misted over everything.
Katie was already waking up, and you all woke the rest of the girls as well. Despite your teasing last night, most of the tower had already gotten up themselves, and there was a bit of traffic as every floor began making their way down the stairs to the common room.
It was one of the time only times the common room was so crowded, because the younger kids were there as well, in their own little groups in every corner.
Secret Santa started as soon as everyone sleepily came down the steps, and every time somebody appeared, the rest of you lounged all over the floor would laugh and point them out like "There's Seamus! About time you got up, Ron, eh?" until all but the twins were surrounding the fireplace.
Dean swiped a section of the presents over, leaving our normal gifts from home for later.
"Everyone come get your gift so we can take turns giving them to our person."
Soon, each of you were holding something, you balancing a medium sized holo bag neatly lined with tissue paper.
"Let's go around the circle," said Dean, as he pointed in a clockwise motion and leaned forward on his knees.
Alicia gave Neville Longbottom a mini travel size plant care kit, including a small watering can, seeds, sunlight orbs and trimmers. Ginny, the youngest of the Weasleys, gave Lavender a blue pendant mood necklace, whom the latter squealed over.
"Mione?" You whispered to her next to you.
"Yes, what is it?" She had a carelessly happy face on.
"Have you seen Fred and George at all? They'd never miss Secret Santa."
Hermione shrugged. "Haven't seen them since yesterday morning. They're probably just fine, Y/N. Not exactly the most punctual pair."
You decided to trust her, and changed the subject.
"I've never seen you so happy," you teased, seeing Hermione's rosy cheeks grow scarlet.
"Is it the date? Viktor Krum, is it? Going for the champion." You looked away knowing this made her even more embarassed.
"Shush up! He asked very nicely, for your information, unlike someone else," Hermione shot a look at an oblivious Ron.
You shook your head. "Doesn't Krum watch you study?"
Hermione frowned. "...Yes, but he really is very polite. And asking him about Bulgarian wizarding traditions was interesting." She was adamant.
"Alright, Hermy-own," You snickered. When were her and Ron going to realize they shan't need to make each other jealous to get together?
Come your turn, you gave Katie a bracelet with several charms, each of a different magicreature that would make a different little sound depending on which one you touched, and a container of Honeyduke's Best Chocolate.
You finally reached the last person in the circle, aware that you and Angelina had not gotten gifts, and immediately putting together that the twins had you two as their Secret Santa's.
Oliver Wood was in the middle of rolling out the collection of Quidditch posters Ron had gifted him when the portrait hole swung open aggressively, and you couldn't help but laugh in relief seeing your twins tripping over one another into the room with a loud thud.
The whole room looked over to where Fred and George were tussling on the ground and erupted in a familiar laughter.
"We didn't miss it, did we?" Fred exclaimed, and you noticed how he and George sported matching smudges of soot and gunpowder dusted on their freckled faces. Weirdly, it kind of made them look more handsome.
"Nope, just in time," you said. Because being late was on time for the likes of Fred and George.
"Brilliant," George said, snatching his gift from under the tree as Fred did the same. Nobody questioned them looking like Seamus after a potion gone wrong, and after Oliver finished reveling over his new Puddlemere United jersey, George eagerly handed Angelina's gift to her.
Your heart skipped, figuring that Fred had gotten you and that you would be last to go. George had stocked a full stocking of sweets from lollipops to taffy for Angelina, all her favorites, as well as copies of pictures they had taken together with us, and a corsage to match with him later that night.
It was finally your turn to open your gift. Fred looked around at anything but you just to annoy you before you pushed his face in fake annoyance and opened the large box he placed into your hands. Aware that everyone was looking at you.
Inside was a large collection of small, cute goodies: a pack of fall-themed lotions and perfumes, a few rings of candy bracelets, a small stuffed hippogriff, two packs of Drooble's best blowing gum, and a note.
"God, I've gotten gunpowder all over my hand," you used this as an excuse to try not to squeal over the gift box he had so elegantly put together, something very unlike Fred, wiping your hand on his shirt, to everyone's laughter once more.
"Read the note," Fred leaned into your ear and whispered, causing your fingers to shake as you reached for it.
"Yes, read it!" A chorus of voices echoed. You felt his arm find its way around you as it always did, thumb rubbing your cheek.
"A special show for a special girl." was all it read.
You read his handwriting, realizing it was written in the same red ink the parcels had been marked with.
"Look behind you," Fred put on his deeply flirtatious voice, and you turned to see him reaching out to you with one hand extended.
You tried not to blush as everyone looked giddily in amusement and excitement for you, being as used to Fred's antics as you were.
"Where are we going?" You said as Fred took your hand.
"You'll see." Fred motioned at the others still scattered on the ground,
"C'mon, you lot, this is Y/N's Christmas gift, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss it," Fred said with a wink, and everyone did not hesitate to get up and trail excitedly out the common room, Fred and you parading in front as he led you out to the clock tower courtyard.
You remembered the way you had walked there the night before, and though the sun had come up already, the whole sky was still pretty darkened in a hazy gray. Bits of snow lined the edge of the hillside you walked down.
Fred never let go of your hand, and as your group reached the edge of the bridge, to where you could see Hagrid's Hut and the Owlery, Fred placed his other hand against your eyes, almost causing you to roll off the hill from the sudden lack of vision.
He balanced you gently, and whispered to you above the chatter of your friends behind you: "Trust me, love."
You nodded before he continued.
"You're not leading all of us into the Forbidden Forest to die, are you?" You said, still being unable to see but aware you had been walking for a while.
"Physically, no. Emotionally, yes," Fred said, and you bit your lip. Smooth.
He uncovered your eyes, stepped behind you, and you became aware your friends had disappeared. You were standing in a very large clearing you had never seen in the forest, dark shadows cast on every surface.
For a minute it seemed like you were completely alone, then a shrill sparkler noise sounded. You saw a shot of a spark come toward you, and right before you were about to dodge it, it slowed down and gently flew into your outstretched hands.
Periodically, more and more started shooting toward you, faster and faster. You were by yourself, but the small yellow fireworks began circling you almost like another being was watching you.
A large plume of purple and red shot up from a good distance away from you, cascading in the sky. More assorted colors flew up faster and faster, until the noise had you totally entranced with a grin glued to your face, the other fireworks still circling you and making it so the only way you could look was up.
The noise grew deafening, and the entire sky as you could see it suddenly exploded in rainbow. The bellowing multicolored Whizzing Whizbangs you recognized the twins had been working on for the last few months. The Crystal Incantation Rockets that sounded like wind chimes instead of fireworks, bathing you in a loud sweet noise. The Thestrals Thrashers and Silver Sparkling Snakes created little dancing creatures in your eyes, you nearly going bog eyed from trying to follow all of them. The Loonar Loop Luminators that swirled in random shapes and kaleidoscope patterns. All the things that would later become a part of the twins' Explosive Enterprises.
Bright lights of the Diabolical Dare Devils fell from the sky, disappearing right before the edge of the trees, and little hearts and stars exploded out to you too. The little sparks seemed alive, wanting to follow you like a lost puppy, while the giant explosions in front of you seemed like the world's biggest firework display, except this one was just for you. You could smell the smoke, and it was the same type of feeling you got whenever you hugged Fred close to you.
Lines. Letters, words began to form.
"Yu...le.." you whispered with a smile at the flaming words in the sky, illuminating the dull gray background of the air and reflecting in your eyes.
"Ball...." realization hit you and you swelled with warmth and love. "....with....me?"
The sparklers were dying down; you were no longer trapped in your fiery glowing cylinder. Now they were dancing and wriggling toward the sky, forming little arrows pointing at the question.
You could make out a tiny figure flying in figure eights among the words, and you immediately recognized it to be Fred. He must've stored his broom out here somewhere.
He threw out the last exploding words into the sky by himself.
"Your....Freddie," you read breathlessly, barely speaking the words out loud.
A whoop of cheers exploded from behind you you'd nearly forgotten your friends had witnessed it too—from where they had been hidden in the trees—but not quite as magically as you had.
You felt your friends' arms circle you in excitement and chatters of "That was amazing!" "You're so lucky, Y/N!" "You better say yes!"
And as Fred swooped down from his broom, most of the gunpowder now blown off of his face, him sweeping off the rest with the back of his hand, you already knew exactly what you were going to do.
"What about it then, love?" His wind swept ginger locks combined with the way he was out of breath but smiling widely made your heart pound with happiness, and you knew right there.
Without words, you pulled Fred down toward you, and he wasted no time on dropping his broom to the ground and circling your waist with both hands, leaning you down as he very gratefully kissed you, your lips in a perfect rhythm, his touch gentle yet passionate, as Fred had wanted this for ages, and so had you.
He pulled your waist close to him, tilting his head to fit where yours was. You had your arms around his neck, finding his hair in your grasp but still being more focused on his soft lips smiling against yours in pure euphoria and love.
The fireworks you felt inside of your body almost matched that of the ones you had just seen.
When the two of you pulled away, you put on a pretend face of disgust and said, "Of course I'll go with you, dimwit."
More cheers, more of Fred's charming face grinning madly at you, his eyes lighting up and proceeding to pull you in for another kiss.
"Alright, alright," George sighed, though a smile tugged at his mouth as well. "You know, I helped him do half of that. Where's my thank you?"
You laughed and let go of Fred for a second, much to his protest, and hugged his twin as well before returning to Fred's arms as all of you began finding your way out of the clearing.
"That was absolutely fantastic, Freddie," you laughed into his chest. "So the Fred Weasley can be excited for something other than a prank?"
You could feel his mouth smile against where it was pressed lightly on your neck.
"Well, it isn't most days I find someone as adorable as you," he said softly. You had never heard him sound so seriously affectionate before.
"I guess you aren't so bad-looking yourself," you grinned.
He hugged you into his side with one arm.
"Wicked."
And SCENE. (Sequel maybe with the Yule Ball??)