Emerald and Scarlet ~ Drarry

Ferret Meets the Weasels

Harry awoke on Christmas Eve clutching his duvet around him. He curled himself into a ball as his conscious mind made him so much more aware of the freezing temperature. He looked up to the window to see nothing but white sky. It was snowing.

He made a dash for his slippers and his robe, pulling it around him to conserve the small amount of heat that he had. He headed to the door to make his way to the bathroom but as soon as he opened Ron's bedroom door the smell of bacon, eggs and toast filled his nostrils.

He dashed back over to Ron's bedside and shook him awake. In the Weasley household, if you wanted the best serve of breakfast and you wanted it hot, you had to get there first.

Ron batted his hands away but his eyes soon snapped open when he smelt the one thing that guaranteed a response from Ron; food.

Hermione, Ginny and Percy were already in the kitchen with Mrs Weasley when Harry and Ron arrived at the bottom of the stairs. Upon their appearance, Mrs Weasley ordered them to lay the table, pointing her wand toward a cupboard while asking Ginny to take the eggs off the flame.

While arranging silverware around the table, Harry watched Ginny. Her red hair was tied up haphazardly and her white dressing gown was tied tightly around her, accentuating her waist nicely. He frowned as he remembered how infatuated with her he once been. He wondered why the feeling had faded. Love in the books he had read as a child promised a feeling that was true and never ended. He straightened a fork that was angled slightly odd before Ron elbowed him, noticing his strange behaviour. Harry smiled thinly as to reassure him that everything was fine. But was it? Harry wasn't really sure.

"Come on you lot," Mrs Weasley announced. "I think it's ready."

Harry eagerly grabbed a plate and loaded it full of bacon, eggs and two slices of toast before sitting down next to Ron at the table. Mr Weasley, followed shortly by George, arrived in the kitchen as Harry buttered his toast, watching the butter melt slowly into the bread before taking a bite.

Harry froze as George Weasley sat next to him, eagerly digging into his breakfast. "Oi, Harry. Could you pass me the salt?"

Harry extended his arm in front of Ron's plate and picked up the glass jar slowly. He turned to George, watching him carefully as he extended the jar toward him. George smiled at Harry as he took the salt and poured it over his breakfast in alarming amounts.

Harry had still not spoken to George after nearly a week after returning to the Burrow. He had avoided both the Weasley twins, the living and the ghost, for so long that the idea of talking to George made him feel sick to the stomach. It was the same feeling he got when he had to speak to Dennis during Quidditch practice or a game. Perhaps he had been forced to get used to speaking with Dennis, he didn't freeze up or feel the need to vomit anymore but every encounter left him with a shaky and hollow feeling. But Harry was too stubborn to see the logic in forcing himself to speak to George, so he didn't.

+ + +

Harry was helping shovel snow from the Weasley's front garden when he spotted Pigwidgeon flying overhead toward Ron's bedroom window. The small owl, though not very smart, realised that Ron's window was sealed closed to ward off the cold and rerouted himself to the kitchen. Harry stuck his shovel in the snow and walked toward the tiny owl shivering in the cold. He pulled off his gloves and stuffed them into the pocket of the coat before carefully untying the ribbon from Pig's leg and letting him fly inside to warm up next to Errol, Hermes and George's new owl Athena.

Potter,

After you have berated me with letter after letter, (I have no idea how that tiny owl flies across the country in barely a day) I have to concede to say no, I am not coping. The quiet castle is just making my thoughts louder. I don't know how long I can take it. I cannot go home, that will not make the situation any better. Perhaps write back with book recommendations for me? Or maybe some sweets, but I doubt Weasley's idiot owl could carry them.