Title: Harry Potter Advent Challenge: Fudge Pt. 9/24

Author: Deathangelgw

Disclaimer: They aren't mine, but damned if I didn't wish that they were.

Warnings: AU, sap, fluff, silliness

Pairings: Trio, Neville, Ginny

Rating: PG

Summary: Day Nine of the Advent Challenge-> Explorations of the way of fudge-making.

Beta: none since I want to get this posted right away, so any mistakes are all MINE!

A/N: This is for an Advent Challenge that I had posted/taken up. Each day will be a different person/pairing from Harry Potter. I'd like to thank Iniquity for keeping this up and wish everyone a blessed Christmas! Enjoy! Please review!

“No don’t leave it on the burner like that!”

“Ow! Watch it, Neville, with that spoon!”

“Harry, why are you making mini Draco cookies?”

Silence fell over the kitchen as four pairs of eyes focused on the now blushing Harry as he hid the cookies he had started cutting in the sugar cookie batter. Ron cocked an eyebrow as Ginny giggled. “Yea mate…what’s with those wonked out cookies? I thought you were doing Christmas trees,” he asked with a smirk while crossing his flour and butter caked arms over his chest.

“Well I um…nothing er…yea…” Harry flushed even more as his friends laughed at him. He grinned shyly at them and shrugged playfully. “What can I say?”

“Ya got bit by a snake, that’s what you could say,” Ginny retorted with a giggle before she began stirring the fudge that Ron had abandoned to burn.

“I don’t think we want to know about Harry’s sex life right now,” Neville commented as he also returned to stirring the frosting that was to go on the cookies. Hermione giggled and patted him on the head before resuming her chopping of cherries, while Ron began to help with the cookie cutting.

Harry smiled softly as he put aside the Draco cookies and began making the trees and bells he should have been doing, listening to them talk. Hermione showed Ginny how to make sure the fudge didn’t burn before she put in the cherry bits and the marshmallow fluff. Ron pulled out one of the sheets of cookies that had been baking to cool before putting in another sheet. Hermione charmed the old hand held radio to play carols and she sang along, teaching the two Weasleys and Neville the words.

Focusing back on his cookie cutting, Harry felt at peace as they focused on this fun tradition. They had started sneaking into the kitchens at Hogwarts back in their Fifth year when Hermione had made mention of making fudge for her friends in the Muggle world. Since then, it had become a tradition and the House Elves had enjoyed watching them bake and provided them with whatever they wanted. In its own way, the tradition had given them the necessary stability in the times that assailed their world and home. For that, Harry was grateful.

As they finished their sweets, he gently packaged away the Draco cookies and smiled as Hermione came over to him. She kissed his cheek, then whispered, “Next time…ask him to join us.” She grinned as she went over to Neville to help cut the fudge as Harry stared after her in surprise. Sometimes he really wondered on her…

~Fin