A week before Christmas, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley came to stay over at the Potter household. They were soon to be joined by their families to celebrate all together, their parents were good friends. Lily got along well with Hermione's muggle parents as she was a muggleborn. The trio would spend their day having snowball fights, drinking hot chocolate by the fire and helping Mrs Potter around the house. As soon as James got home from his work at the Ministry with Sirius, they would play Quidditch with Harry and Ron outside. During this, Hermione would either read or help Lily in her preparations for Christmas.
On the second day of their stay, the three teenagers were sitting in front of the fire in big, cosy armchairs.
"We should go shopping for presents soon" announced Hermione. "Christmas is only a few days away now."
"Yeah, we really should" agreed Ron. "With all the siblings I have it's going to take quite a while."
"How about we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow then?" suggested Harry.
"Yes, that'll be good" replied Hermione.
The next day Hermione along with Mr and Mrs Potter were up early to go Christmas shopping. Ron and Harry were still asleep. Hermione noisily walked up the stairs and into the boys' room to wake them up.
"Wake up! Wake up!" said Hermione poking the boys with her wand.
Crookshanks climbed on top of Ron's head and started playing with his hair. In his sleep, Ron absent-mindedly started swatting through the air with his hands and mumbling under his breath.
"furry… spider… gerroff… mione… help.. arry… mione…" mumbled Ron, just audible enough for Hermione to hear.
"Ronald Weasley" announced Hermione. "If you do not wake up this instance I will personally summon every spider in this house and invite them into your bed" she threatened. She sounded just like Mrs Weasley.
Ron jumped out of his bed and a startled Crookshanks hissed angrily at him.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!" he said, his eyes half closed. He looked towards Harry's bed and saw he was still sleeping.
"How come he doesn't get threatened?" he said glaring at Hermione and rubbing his eyes.
"I thought I'd get the hard part out of the way first" replied Hermione coolly. She walked towards Harry's bed. "Wake up, Harry!" she said.
Harry woke up much easily than Ron and didn't seem to be as annoyed for being woken up so early. Hermione gave Ron a knowing look and walked out of the room. She could still hear Ron complaining from the corridor.
"Just get ready! We need to get there early!" she called out.
"Alright! Alright!" answered Ron. "We're coming!"
Everyone was sitting around the table having breakfast, they would soon be on their way to Diagon Alley.
"What's up with you?" asked Harry looking curiously at Ron as he poured himself some orange juice. He looked much more annoyed than usual.
"Let's just put it this way, I'm only a morning person on Christmas morning" replied Ron grumpily.
The trio spilt up in Diagon Alley to buy their presents without the others seeing. One by one they stepped into the fireplace and used the floo network to get to Diagon Alley. When they arrived, the trio spilt up in Diagon Alley to buy their presents without the others seeing. They decided to meet at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in an hour. Individually they visited Honeydukes to buy chocolates and sweets for various people (and themselves). They also visited Quality Quidditch Supplies, Flourish and Blott's, Slug and Jigger's Apothecary, Twilfitt and Tattings and many more.
Once their Christmas shopping was done, they met back in the parlour and slumped onto the chairs.
"Blood hell, I'm exhausted" grumbled Ron.
"So am I" replied Hermione as she placed all her shopping bags on the floor.
A waitress came to take their orders. "What would you like?" she asked with a big smile on her face.
"Can I have an extra extra large chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce please" answered Ron.
"I'd like a medium vanilla and raspberry ice cream with chopped nuts please" said Hermione.
"I'll have a large vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce and sprinkles and a cherry on top please" Harry added.
The waitress jotted down the orders, nodded politely and walked away from the table.
"What a manly choice of ice cream toppings" said Ron grinning at Harry. Harry punched him playfully on the arm while Hermione burst out laughing.
After they had eaten their ice creams they went back to the Potter's and slouched on the various arm chairs.
"I-am-knackered" groaned Harry as he massaged his arms. "I didn't know Christmas shopping was so tiring, I always went with mum."
"Well, now you know" said Lily Potter from the hall way. "If you're tired then I suggest you sleep, tomorrow is going to be a very long day."
"Why what are we doing?" asked Harry.
"Buying essential Christmas stuff of course! A new tree, decoration, food, the lot!" replied Lily.
Harry and Ron moaned and slid further down into their arm chairs while Hermione laughed at them.
"Come on off to bed you two, otherwise you'll be moody as ever tomorrow morning!" said Hermione.
Little did the boys know that they would be woken up at 6 in the morning by Hermione so they could travel to the other side of the city for a new Christmas tree.