Together We Are Strong

Mrs. Weasley invited me to stay at Sirius' over Christmas but I refused. I wanted some time alone.

I was still unsure of where Draco and I stood. Were we going out? Were we just friends? Friends don't kiss each other. But he isn't a very nice person, I've hated him since he arrived at Hogwarts. Or maybe Fred and George were right two years ago. Maybe I was just mad at him because I liked him so much. I sort of wished I had told him to stay so we could've talked about it because now I'm just confused.

Christmas morning, I went downstairs and found some presents under the Gryffindor tree. I sat and opened them all up, I was the only one in our house who stayed.

I got a few chocolate frogs, some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, a sweater with an 'H' on it from Mrs. Weasley, a necklace from Mum and some other little things. After putting my things by my bed, I walked out of the common room.

"Happy Christmas." I said to the Fat Lady. She kirtsied.

"Happy Christmas to you as well." She said. I walked over to the seventh floor and went into the room of requirement. The wooden death eaters were in there and I sat by the fire and lined them up in front of me.

"Evanesco!" I shouted and one of them disappeared. "Flagrate!" Burn marks appeared all over another death eater. There was only one left. "Geminio!" The death eater multiplied. "Expelliarmus! Rictusempra! Stupefy! Impediamenta! Reducto!" I yelled. I sighed. It isn't as fun when there's no one there to watch you.

I decided to go back into the common room and put snowflakes all over the tree with my wand. Soon the whole tree was almost completely white.

I got bored with this and decided to send the twins a letter. I walked across the bridge but looked down at Hagrid's hut before I went up to the owlery. Smoke was coming out of the chimney. I quickly ran down the hill and knocked on his door. Hagrid opened it up.

"Hagrid, you're back!" I said and gave him a hug.

"Hayley! Thank ya' for the welcome back!" He said and boomed his loud laugh. I smiled.

"May I come in?" I asked.

"O' course! O' course, come in." He said.

"Where have you been?" I asked and sat in an armchair.

"This is top secret. Alrigh'?" He said. I nodded. "Dumbledore sent me ter' party with tha' giants."

"Giants?" I asked. "You found them by the looks of your eye." He had dark purple bruises on his face and he pressed a slab of meat to his eye.

"Well, they're not tha' hard ter' find ter' be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? Ben' tryna convince 'em ter' join tha' cause. But I wasn't the only one tryna win them o'er. Death eaters. Tryna persuade 'em to join You-Know-Who."

"Did they?" I asked.

"I gave 'em Dumbledore's message. S'pose so of 'em remember he was friendly to 'em." Hagrid said.

"And they did this to you?" I asked.

"Not exactly no." Hagrid said and Fang barked at him. "Go on, you have it then." Hagrid threw the slab of meat to Fang. "Dozy dog." Hagrid stood and looked out his window. "It's changin' out there. Jus' like las' time. There's a storm comin', Hayley. We all best be ready when she does."