Merry Christmas one and all, sorry I'm running a bit late in posting this, I hope that you you all enjoy it.

Gentle white flakes drifted down out of the nearly crystal blue winter skies, coating the lands surrounding Hogwarts with a light blanket of white that brought a peaceful air throughout Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the various dorms, students were just waking up to the glistening sunshine dancing upon the snow. But in the Astronomy tower, there was one person watching the entire scene with a smile that rivaled the snow for twinkling light.

Harry had been up for nearly three hours now, and had done some of the exercises Professor McGonagall had requested the entire team to perform daily. Normally, he would have done these starting about now, but he had special plans for his day today. Plans that required him to be up and about early, and ahead of one other person. Looking up, he smiled as a snow white form pierced through the blue and cruised towards him on silent wings. "Hey Girl, safe trip?"

Getting a soft bark of acknowledgement as she nestled against his cheek, he chuckled as he held out a few pieces of cold bacon for her to eat. He'd saved it from yesterday, and would give her something fresher later, but for now she was giving him a rolled up scroll. Unfurling it, his smile lit up even more as he saw a key part of his plans was ready and would be on time.

Turning around, he decided it was time to get back to Gryffindor Tower, hopefully his friend Dobby would have the cups of hot chocolate mixed with coffee ready for him. Of course, when had Dobby not been anything but wonderful since the whole… debacle second year?

His exit was stalled by a familiar blonde head coming up the stairs, a timid smile on her face. "Hello Harry, the Dabberblimps suggested I might find you here. I was wondering if I could ask to assist you in your plans."

Harry paused, staring at her in silence for a moment as he parsed her words. "What plans?"

"The ones that have you getting Hedwig to visit you up here so early," she commented as she held out a napkin with fresh bacon in it to the owl. "Instead of having her meet you in the Great Hall later."

"Walk with me. I think you can help me with something," he said, accepting his fate with relative ease. Luna was a bit strange, but always helpful and a good friend.

Maybe he could 'help' her along with something else as well.

Back in the common room, he smiled as Dobby stood next to two steaming mugs with sticks of peppermint jutting out of the whipped cream on top. The house elf gave him a knowing smile being winking and popping out of the room. "I will have to get him more socks for Christmas. I hope the owl orders will be able to ship them to me in time."

"I'm sure that they can, especially if you go with the Americans and their mismatched socks," Luna commented as a third mug appeared next to the other two, a special mug with a raven perched on a lion's head on the side. Picking it up, she stirred it with the peppermint stick. "Do you want me to wake Hermi-"

"No need," Hermione interrupted as she exited the stairs, rubbing her eyes. For being a morning lark during the school year proper, the holidays seemed to bring out a night owl in Hermione. Getting to the mugs, she blinked as she pointed towards the two on the table. Harry picked one up and handed it to her, allowing her to wrap her hands around it and inhale the smell of the chocolatey mix with a happy sigh following. "Mine."

"Yes Hermione, it's yours, and plenty of time to enjoy it before breakfast," Harry agreed as he guided her towards their loveseat. At least that's what Fred and George had dubbed it long ago, and no other Gryffindor decided to counter it. Perhaps because they were almost always sitting on it together, or with Ron nearby. "Ron should be down about five minutes before they open for brunch in the Great Hall, and then he wanted to do something with Seamus and Dean."

"Homework?" Hermione asked as Harry sat her down with a pillow to support her as Luna pulled out a brush and began to try and style her hair while she was half asleep. The bushy mess was made… less… yeah, it was an uphill battle that. But Hermione seemed to enjoy it as she gave a happy little smile.

Harry watched for a moment as he sipped his own drink before answering, "He finished a bit of it last night, and I think it looked okay. He said he was going to look at it again tonight before asking you about it tomorrow."

That had been an excellent investment of three chocolate frogs, and a couple hours with his broom, well spent. The three of them were key parts of his plan, and he hoped that they were going to be up and ready in time. Perhaps he should go up and, ah there they go. Early.

"Mmm, good, if he stays on schedule, he will be much better off, and can have days where he can hang out instead of rushing it at the end," Hermione agreed with a yawn barely hidden behind her mug. "Honestly, it is like he doesn't understand that this is important."

Luna leaned forward to set the brush down, having surrendered to the tangle for the time being, just in time for another red head to catch her attention emerging from the girl's stairs. "Oh, hello Ginerva, did you sleep well?" she asked softly as she picked up her drink and turned to address her properly.

Ginny turned and gave her a surprised smile at seeing her in the Gryffindor Common Room without her having brought her in. Her pleasure was genuine though, since she loved having her there. "Hello Luna, I slept well enough. Thank you. And you?"

"Good, good," she offered while adjusting her blonde hair back behind her ear.

"Are those new earrings?" Ginny asked, leaning in closer to inspect the silver bell shaped earring. "I love them. They're very cute."

"Thank you, I made them myself," Luna confessed as she blushed slightly at the praise, her silvery eyes darting to Harry and Hermione that were sitting nearby before she held out her drink. "Would you like some? It's a drink Harry introduced me to. Hot chocolate, coffee, and a little peppermint."

Ginny took the mug in her hand, smiling warmly at Luna before taking a drink. Lowering the mug, she smiled broadly, either not seeing or not caring about the dollop of whipped cream on the end of her nose. "It's pretty great. Thank you, Luna."

Luna looked at the dollop for a moment, before letting out a soft giggle and pulling out a tissue from a pocket on her jumper. "Here, let me help you," she offered as she swiped the nose clean of cream.

"Thank you again. I'm going down to do some laps on the brooms before brunch. Would you like to meet up later and do something?"

"Oh! I think that would be a good idea. Perhaps around noon? By the great hall entrance?" Luna asked, her silver eyes barely flicking over to Harry who gave her a lazy thumbs-up behind the loveseat while he helped Hermione wake up.

"Sounds great," Ginny agreed with a bright smile. "I might just have a light breakfast then, and a bit of lunch, and then we can figure out from there."

"I'm sure we will," Luna agreed with a matching smile.

With that, Ginny returned the mug to the blonde, before heading out for the morning. Luna waited a few seconds after she had left before turning back to the loveseat and slumping over the back of it. "Harry…"

"You did great Luna, and I'm sure you'll have a banger time this afternoon," he offered with a hopeful smile, though Hermione seemed to be lost in thought about something. Luna honestly half expected her to have an Arithmancy book in front of her with how focused she looked.

Before the brilliant witch could ask a question, Harry cut in. "Well, I need to shower after my workout this morning. Hermione, would you mind helping Luna out? I think she needs to get ready too."

"I? What? Harry, I don't know if that is such a good idea," Hermione countered while pointing to her hair. "I'm not versed in Wizarding fashion, and…"

"Could we try some Muggle looks?" Luna asked quietly. "I quite liked that one I saw in the magazine a girl on the train had… I think I the jumper would work for it…"

"I… won't promise anything Luna, I'm not the best with fashion in the Muggle world either."

"But I trust you."

Harry smiled as he saw the softening of Hermione's features into a fond, almost sisterly smile. She always did have a soft spot for the blonde, as some Ravenclaws had found out when they had picked on her in Hermione's hearing. He wasn't entirely sure what spells were used, but he was pretty sure they managed to get things sorted back out.

Ginny's Wedgie hex later that day was probably overkill, but he wasn't about to say it to either of them.

Slipping out of the room, he went to prepare for the next phase of his plan.

A few hours later, Harry smiled as the clock chimed twelve in the Great Hall. it was time. Looking towards Luna standing by the front door, he smiled as he saw her playing with the hem of her jumper, looking down at the nice slacks and boots she was wearing. Beside her was a stack of blankets he had arranged for Dobby to have ready. It was time.

Ginny was rushing in just as the final bell chimed, skidding to a half in front of Luna while breathing heavily. He couldn't quite hear what was being said, but the chiming of sleigh bells filling the air made Harry realize that it was fine. Everything was fine.

As a grin spread over his face, he turned just in time for Hermione to look at him with a suspicious look on her face. "What did you do?"

"I talked with the professors and, using a little of my funds, set up a special event to cheer people up," he commented as the doors opened to reveal horse drawn sleighs pulling up in front of the steps of the castle, with Ron, Dean, and Seamus acting as footmen in a cross between tuxedos and dress robes.

"Oh, this is… Harry, you shouldn't have," Hermione seemed lost for words as Harry led her over to the doors, taking a blanket from the stack. Ron gave him a smirk and a nod before helping the two of them into the second sleigh, the first one already off with Luna and Ginny.

Harry curled up next to her, laying the blanket over the pair of them before nodding to the driver, who set them off with a ringing of the bells, turning left instead of right after the first sleigh. "I don't know, this weather is too lovely to not have a sleigh ride together with you."

Hermione seemed ready to say something as her cheeks began burning with a blush, before curling up against his chest and just enjoyed the sleigh ride. It was nice and peaceful, and Harry was right.

It was lovely weather for a sleigh ride together.

Other couples, riding other sleighs would agree if they were asked, but a man standing behind broad windows stroked his white beard with a smile curling his lips. "Very nice young Mr. Potter. Ho ho ho. Very nice indeed."

And with a wink and a twinkle, the man was gone.

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night