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Harry Potter and the Expert Potions Master	By : SickPuppy Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 21304 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 4 - A Very Unmerry Christmas

In the week that followed, Harry became expert at avoiding Ginny. She seemed to have a piece of mistletoe always on her person, and if she captured him it was whipped out and a long passionate kiss was forced on him. As well as the mistletoe, she appeared to have gained a couple of extra arms as she was forever touching him. He'd be in the kitchen and suddenly there'd be a hand on his ass and a voice purring in his ear that they were alone.

Harry still felt a mixture of excitement and irritation that Ginny had forced the issue of their physical relationship and had brought him to climax despite his own objections. Still, he could hardly criticise her, especially when he remembered how wonderful it had felt to release that pent up tension and relax completely.

Christmas morning was both fun and heart breaking as the Weasleys received their usual jumpers and came down wearing them. The large “F” on a jumper was horribly noticeable by its absence and no-one was able to ignore that missing person as they squashed around the table to eat breakfast (generally chocolate or sweets) and share what they had been given.

Although invited, neither Hermione's parents, nor Andromeda Tonks had accepted. The Grangers had replied by explaining that they would see Hermione and Ron in the morning before letting them go to the Weaselys. Andromeda had merely sent back a simple, 'No, thank you'.

George had come down reluctantly, quietly thanking his mother for the jumper, his other presents in his arms. He had opened them listlessly, the only person still to unwrap his gifts. His thanks had been low and melancholy to each person.

Mrs Weasley, eyes suspiciously bright, had suggested that the youngsters should go outside and enjoy the fresh air.

Arthur had glanced out of the window, and seen the icy frost clinging to everything and added, “You might want coats.” Other than that, he expressed no opinion about his family's activities.

Harry led the way out, feeling slightly out of place. Hermione and Ron had said they would come over later, but wanted to spend Christmas morning with Hermione's parents. Idly, Harry considered how much of that was their joint decision, and how much had been Hermione riding roughshod over Ron. Not that Harry minded overly. Had he had a family to go back to, he would have preferred spending his time with them, rather than as an extra, no matter how liked, at another family's celebration.

In the large and untidy back garden Harry cast his gaze about looking for a ball or some other item to throw about. Ginny, as usual, crowded close to him, looking for an excuse to touch him. George was mooching along, idly kicking at the long tufts of grass, not really paying attention to what was going on around him. Fleur, who had wisely decided to remain in the warmth, watched Bill bend and pick up a small ball and call something to the others.

Soon a game of catch was taking place – with the added wizarding bonus that if you dropped the ball someone (or several someones) would hurl a charm at you, making it much harder to catch anything else sent your way.

“You're useless at this, Harry!” Charlie said as two small balls whizzed at his face and he neatly caught them both whilst Harry sat on the ground, having missed one of the balls and been slammed onto his ass by a well placed charm.

Rubbing his sore backside, Harry stood up ruefully and snatched wildly at one of the balls that had just whipped past his glasses. “Hey!” he yelled, surprised that he had grasped the ball and promptly dropped it. Ginny, Percy, Bill and Charlie all sent spells at him.

“You were meant to be a good Seeker!” Charlie laughed, “What happened?”

“Am I on a broom?” Harry muttered rebelliously as he again righted himself and threw the dropped ball vaguely in Percy's direction.

Ginny was laughing, but she defended her boyfriend, “In fairness, Charlie, we've played this game for years, and Harry has never had to catch two snitches at the same time.”

Charlie shook his head and launched a ball at her. Ginny neatly plucked it out of the air, stuck her tongue out at him and passed it to Bill, who had just sent the second ball on its way and wasn't expecting another.

“Oy!” Bill shouted as the ball just missed taking off his nose. He made a wild lunge for it and missed, but before he could be charmed he had his wand out and had cast protego. His would-be attackers all gave yelps and cries of pain as their charms backfired.

Harry ended up, yet again, flat on his back. His glasses had fallen off in the process and now he began scrabbling about searching for them in the grass.

Ginny hurried over and helped him look. She gave a crow of triumph when she spotted them and eagerly brought them over to Harry, saying throatily, “What reward will I get for finding these?”

Harry flushed and put the glasses back on. “Thanks, Ginny,” he gasped, getting up yet again.

“That's all I get?” Ginny said, her eyes lustful, “I just get 'thanks'?”

She leaned in and kissed him. Aware of her brothers watching them, Harry couldn't just push her away, but he was also aware that her brothers were watching and he had no interest in them deciding to jinx him for daring to touch their little sister.

He kept his mouth closed and just kissed her gently, not even pulling her into his arms.

Annoyed, she pulled away. “What's wrong with you?” she huffed angrily.

Harry sent a swift glance to Percy, Bill and Charlie, who were all clustered together, very determinedly not commenting on their sister. “Ginny,” he said, a little desperately, “not here, ok?”

Ginny's eyes flashed and she stuck her fists on her hips. The three Weasley men all recognised the pose from their mother and shot Harry a sympathetic look.

“Let's grab George and get a cuppa.” Bill said, very loudly and very obviously before heading in the direction of the door. Charlie slid an arm through George's on the way in and fairly tugged him inside.

Harry, blocked by an angry woman, could only watch in envy as they escaped the awkward confrontation.

“What?!” Ginny snarled once her brothers had gone. “What is wrong that you go hot and cold on me?”

“I'm not, Ginny, I swear.” Harry said, his cold hands shoved into his jacket pockets. “I told you last week I didn't want people watching us. And I don't think it's … respectful … to do anything in your parents' house.”

“Ron did!” Ginny snapped.

Harry considered, wondering how to put his ideas into words. “Yes, he did. But it's his house. It isn't mine. I didn't grow up here, and your Mum and Dad aren't my parents. I can't take advantage of their kindness by...by...”

“Giving me what I want?” Ginny asked dangerously. “I should matter more than Mum and Dad.”

“It isn't like that.” Harry felt awful but he wasn't going to have sex with Ginny just because she was trying to force the issue. He knew that made him weird, as what guy his age would turn down sex from a willing, beautiful woman? But he couldn't feel comfortable doing something so private and personal in a house that wasn't his. And certainly not in the house of his girlfriend's family!

“Oh, isn't it?” Ginny said. “It seems to me that you've done nothing but avoid me since the war ended. You don't seem to care that I love you and want to be with you. And what's so wrong about that? Mum and Dad got together when they were at school, do you really think they waited until they were married before doing it?”

“It's not about marriage.” Harry wanted this conversation over. How on earth had the dreaded word 'marriage' entered their discussion?

“No? Aren't you going to marry me?” Suddenly Ginny looked scared and upset. She spoke much more quietly. “Is that it? You don't want to marry me?”

Harry couldn't meet her eyes. He stared at the frosted grass and wished he was anywhere but where he was.

“I - I thought,” Ginny sounded stricken, “I thought we were going to live happy ever after. You and me, and our children.”

Still Harry said nothing. It had been his dream whilst in his sixth year – wanting Ginny and imagining their future together. But now he couldn't face such a thought.

“Look,” he said as the silence stretched out, “I wasn't kidding when I said the war had messed me about. It did. It does. I just need to get my head back together and then...”

“Then, when you've had time to think and do what you want, then you'll have time for me again? Then you'll care about us?” Ginny's voice was filled with more pain than Harry had ever heard in it before, and he felt like a flobberworm. “Don't do me any favours, Harry. Don't let me, and our life, interfere with your great plans to rebuild the wizarding world. You carry on and let me know when you can fit me in.”

“Ginny,” Harry moaned helplessly. “Please.”

Heart breaking, Ginny stomped off into the house, leaving Harry behind to slowly follow, dreading the rest of the day, and dreading the reaction of the rest of his surrogate family when they found out he and Ginny had split up. Have we split up? He wondered. Is that what just happened?

Inside, Ginny was nowhere to be seen, so Harry settled at the table, drinking down a glass of eggnog and then a second glass, before sinking into depression.

Mrs Weasley, who had seen the entrance of her daughter, and now saw how distraught Harry was, shook her head sadly. Even the best couples quarrelled, she knew. Take her and Arthur: before their marriage they had been staying with his parents and she still remembered one row they had had about his tendency to leave his underwear on the headboard. His argument had been, “Well, I might need to get up in a hurry!” She had been less than pleased with that and they had come close to splitting up. Molly smiled fondly, thinking about her own impetuousness. Her daughter was more like her than either of them cared to admit.

At the table, Harry listlessly joined in with a game of cards before agreeing, reluctantly, to taking part in a game of Merlinopoly. He was agreeably surprised to realise it was almost identical to the Muggle game of Monopoly, except with charms and jinxes in place of houses and hotels. Plus, of course, the locations were magical ones, rather than “Old Kent Road” and the like. Interested, despite his own troubles, Harry was soon owner of Godric's Hollow, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade Village, and the Ministry of Magic. He groaned when he landed on Hogwarts, handing fifteen sickles over to Percy and glaring at the older man irritably.

Molly smiled warmly at them before taking one last glance at the items bubbling on the stove and deciding that she could spare some time for counselling her youngest child. As she left the room she said, “Remember Ron and Hermione are due soon. Make sure you give them their presents.”

By the time she returned, her face rather set, Harry had talked Percy into trading Hogwarts for two of his properties, and was now placing charms on the two most expensive locations. He glanced up and his heart sank. Mrs Weasley was glowering at him in a way that made him sure she had spoken to Ginny and discovered some of the things they had argued about. He hoped that Ginny had been smart enough to keep her mouth shut about their activities the previous week. Maybe that was what was turning Molly's face so rigid.

“You need to clear that away!” she said, looking like thunder.

Her sons stared at her in surprise but obeyed meekly, even though Bill felt a bit rebellious – Charlie had just landed on one of his squares and was about to be bankrupted.

“Harry, you go and put the plates out.” she ordered. “Don't use magic; there are too many things whizzing about in here.”

With not one word of complaint, Harry did as told, frightened by her anger. The simple white plates were stacked in one of the cupboards and he had to kneel to reach in and hold the weight of the pile of plates. He groaned as he got to his feet and staggered across the small space to put them down.

Charlie smiled at him and counted them. “Sorry, Harry, you're still three short.”

Mentally complaining, Harry got the last three items and returned to the table. He spread them out and prepared to sit back down.

“Cutlery!” Mrs Weasley snapped and Harry moved across the room to dig out the metal implements.

“What's Harry done to piss off Mum?” Bill asked quietly.

Percy and Charlie both shrugged. “Dunno.” Charlie said. “Maybe she heard about Ginny and Harry arguing outside.”

Percy pushed his glasses more firmly on his nose. In the heat of the kitchen they were slipping. “Perhaps, but would that be enough to cause her to behave like this?”

Harry returned to them, arms filled with shining metal utensils. They helped him tug the items into place, and under cover of the resultant noise asked, “Why's Mum pissed at you?”

Flushing, Harry shook his head and said nothing.

“Bill, you go and get Ginny down while I start serving up.”

About to suggest that Harry would make more sense, Bill saw the glint in Mrs Weasley's eyes, shut his mouth and obeyed his mother.

He was gone a few minutes longer than necessary. He came through the doorway, back ramrod straight, and a wolfish look in his eye as he spied Harry. Behind him, Ginny slid onto a chair, her face puffy and red.

“Charlie, help me get the crackers.” Bill said. The two disappeared into the small pantry. Upon their return, Charlie's glower matched Bill's and his mother's. Gulping, Harry pretended he couldn't feel the waves of hate coming at him and stared fixedly at his plate.

In the corner of the kitchen, Molly was speaking furiously to her husband. He glanced at Harry, surprise and upset on his face. His placating tone was too quiet to be heard. But he soon stopped speaking and his expression thoughtful, he sat down next to Harry, who had empty chairs on either side of him.

Harry attempted a wobbly smile at Mr Weasley, but let it slide off his face at the other wizard's stern expression.

Whilst Harry had been distracted by trying to listen to the two parents, Bill and Charlie had hissed a few sentences at Percy, who now joined his brothers in glaring at Harry.

Into this frigid atmosphere burst Ron and Hermione, arms full of presents for those they were visiting.

“Hello!” Ron cried, hugging his Mum and Dad and shoving presents into their arms.

“Hello,” Hermione echoed, her face glowing. She took care to hold the parcels carefully, letting the ring glinting on her left hand show without calling attention to it.

“'Ermione!” Fleur cried, standing up and hurling herself at the younger woman. “You are engaged, yes? Ronald 'as proposed?”

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees as everyone turned to stare, not at Hermione and Ron, but at Harry and Ginny.

“Excuse me,” Harry muttered. “I'm really not very hungry.” He fled from the room, allowing the others to remember their manners and congratulate the pair.
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Harry Potter and the Expert Potions Master