FIC: Winter Kept Us Warm (Neville/Ginny)
To: coffee_and_cocoa
From: Your Secret Santa

Title: Winter Kept Us Warm
Author: mosaic
Pairing(s): Neville/Ginny, side pairings of various Weasleys (mostly canon)
Summary: Neville and Ginny's first Christmas as a couple starts out a little rocky, but becomes wonderfully memorable.
Rating: NC-17
Author's notes: (if any) 6220 words. Little bit of fluff, lot-a bit of smut. I hope you enjoy it, coffee_n_cocoa!! I had a blast working on it. Yes, I left Victoire in there, even though you asked that I ignore the epilogue. But she's a different age than she would be if I followed the epilogue, so I did, in a sense, still ignore it. :)
Title is taken from a line of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land.



Diagon Alley was freezing. From the overcast sky, snow hurtled to earth, smothering the brightly colored shops with white. Shoppers hurried along the street from awning to awning, trying to stay dry. Few succeeded. The strong wind knocked several people off-balance and made them stumble as they fought their way through the crowds.

And in the midst of the storm and the chaos, Ginny Weasley was having a horrible day. Her mother was still trying to pressure her into spending Christmas at the Burrow, she hadn't gotten to half of her gift list, the decorations at home were nowhere near done, and she still hadn't the faintest idea what to give to Neville. She had looked in nearly every store in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for the perfect gift, but nothing stood out to her. There were only five days left until Christmas, and she was starting to worry.

She had just left Eeylops and was crossing "Percy" off her list (her brother had been dropping hints lately that Hermes needed a new cage), when a particularly strong gust of wind knocked a large wizard into her. Her parcels and gifts went flying, and as she bent to pick them up, she called out a few choice words to the man, who hadn't even stopped or said a word of apology. Frustrated, cold, and exhausted, Ginny made sure that she had everything she had dropped and then spun on the spot and Disapparated home. She was officially done for the day.

The crack indicating her return echoed dully in the small house. Neville abandoned his work cutting up vegetables for dinner to welcome her home. She was already collapsed on the couch with her arm slung over her face when he approached from behind.

"Busy day?" His voice startled her, and she sat up quickly.

"What are you doing home?" she asked with an unintentionally accusatory tone.

"Let me go home early," Neville replied jovially. "I finished all my work early, and it's Christmas, after all!"

He stroked her hair tenderly as she leaned back against the couch again. She didn't cover her face with her arm again, but she closed her eyes and let Neville's touch slowly relax her.

"I'm glad you're here," she said after a moment. "Diagon Alley was a madhouse." She sighed heavily. "Why do I always save my shopping for the last minute?"

Neville chuckled in response and kissed Ginny's hair. "Do you want me to put the gifts away for you or is there something in there you'd prefer I not see?"

Ginny smiled for the first time in hours at his sweet innocence. "I'll do it. I need to reorganize it all anyway, since some wanker knocked into me and scattered everything."

After another quick kiss on her forehead, Neville retreated to the kitchen to finish chopping carrots and potatoes for the soup.

~*~

A couple of hours later, after they had eaten and cleared away the dishes, they sat together on the couch wrapped up in each other's arms. Ginny sipped a mug of coffee, Neville, hot cocoa. Staring into the crackling fire, Ginny said softly, "Mum still wants us over on Christmas Day."

Neville made a small noise between pursed lips before speaking. "Even after you told her why we want to spend it alone?"

"Yup. 'Your first Christmas together only counts if you're married,' she said. I'm really tempted to tell her we'll come to make her shut up and then just not show up."

"She'd send a search party after us if we did that," Neville laughed, and Ginny with him.

"I'll guess have to grow the bollocks to tell her no once and for all, then," she said as she lifted her mug for another warm sip. After swallowing, she continued, "I'm working on convincing her to be happy that we're at least coming over on Christmas Eve."

"Would your dad be any help?" Neville offered.

"Maybe..." she muttered noncommittally. She didn't really want to talk about it anymore. Neville gave her shoulder a light squeeze of understanding and said nothing more about it.

"Hey," he said suddenly a moment later. "Let's decorate the rest of the house. I'll put on some music and we'll finally get our tree set up and decorated."

Her mouth spreading into a grin, Ginny quickly agreed and hurried to the bedroom to fetch their decorations and the tree they had bought but hadn't yet had time to set up. Neville already had the music playing when she returned; a beautiful piano and guitar rendition of "O Christmas Tree" filled the room.

They agreed on a place to put the tree and Neville cast an Engorgement Charm on it to return it to its original size. The needles were as brightly green as ever, thanks to a well-placed Preservation Charm. The tree rose nearly to the ceiling, and they wasted no time in covering it liberally with lights, tinsel (a fair amount of which also ended up sprinkled in Ginny's hair), and ornaments. Ginny took a long time deciding where to put her beloved Holyhead Harpies ornaments, which she had had since she was seven. Neville, for his part, stood for a long moment staring at a large red ornament. When Ginny went to his side to see what the ornament was, she was startled to see a moving photograph emblazoned on it. It showed a round-faced woman, a handsome man with a goatee, and a small, chubby baby. In gold lettering was the caption, "Neville's First Christmas, 1980."

"You okay?" Ginny asked cautiously after a moment, resting her hand on Neville's forearm. He nodded slowly.

"Gran just gave me a box of Christmas things that she didn't want when I asked to borrow decorations to use here. I didn't know... I've never seen this." He continued to stare at the photograph that his parents waved from. The slow, beautiful melody of "Silver Bells" emitted from the wireless.

"Where do you want to hang it?" she asked. Without speaking, Neville stretched up and placed it near the top, right in the front. The red globe swayed on its branch, and as it came to rest, Ginny slipped her hands around Neville's middle. She rested her cheek against the rough wool of his sweater vest and with him surveyed their Christmas tree.

"It's perfect," she whispered.

~*~

Ginny spent the next few days of her holiday from work rushing about, trying to finish everything there was to do. Her family gained at least one new member every year, it seemed, and sometimes Christmas felt like more of a hassle than anything else. But no matter how harried she grew during her days of shopping, signing cards, and wrapping presents, Neville was there to help her relax in the evenings. He loved Christmas, Ginny knew, and he had told her more than once in recent days how excited he was to spend it with her. The world seemed to slow down when she was with him. There was all the time in the world to relax over a hot dinner and a cup of coffee without worrying whether or not the shirt she bought for George's daughter was the right size. The snow falling outside was no longer a torrent, but a swirling dance of white flakes that cascaded past the window. Neville made everything right in her world.

When Christmas Eve finally arrived, Neville and Ginny Flooed to the Burrow, weighed down by the load of presents they carried. Charlie, having run into the living room upon hearing their arrival, greeted them by sweeping first his baby sister, then her boyfriend, into his tight embrace. He chattered away, catching them up on family news as he helped them arrange their presents under the tree. Just as they were finishing, Molly swept in smelling of flour and chocolate.

"Been making the cake for tomorrow night," she said as she hugged each of them warmly. "You two sure you won't join us fo-"

"Molly, dear," Arthur interjected carefully as he entered the room behind her, "they've made up their minds." Molly closed her mouth and gave a motherly, "I-was-just-asking" shrug, but she let the subject drop.

Ginny flashed her father a grateful smile as she went over to wish him a happy Christmas. Neville hung back near the hearth, his hands buried in his pockets, as he watched Molly fuss over Ginny while Arthur and Charlie worked on pouring several glasses of wine. As the glasses were passed around, Bill and Fleur joined them, Fleur holding two-year-old Victoire on her hip.

"Aunt Gin!" the little girl cried, stretching her arms toward Ginny.

"Hey, love! Happy Christmas!" Ginny cooed to her niece, taking her from Fleur as Bill stuck out his hand to welcome Neville.

"Kiss-mus! Kiss-mus!" Victoire echoed as she clapped her hands. Ginny plunked down on the floor with her and started to tickle her. Her shrieks of laughter rang out, and Neville smiled watching the two of them.

"Well, sit, everyone, sit!" Molly ordered with a wave of her hands. "Dinner should be ready very soon. I'll just check to see how Percy and Lucia are doing with everything." Lucia was Charlie's new wife, and she was nearly as adept in the kitchen as Molly was. The two women had taken to each other right away when they first met and had spent hours upon hours together in the last few days cooking and baking like mad.

"Is anyone else here?" Neville asked as a lull settled following Molly's departure.

"Not yet," Bill replied. "Ron and Hermione are with her parents tonight, and George, Eve, and the kids are opening their presents at home. They'll all be here tomorrow."

Neville glanced uneasily at Ginny, but she merely smiled back. She already knew, mostly because Molly had told her over and over, that the only day the entire family could be together was Christmas Day. Undeterred, Ginny hadn't changed her mind. She could see her family any time, but there would only be one first Christmas with Neville.

"I need two people to set the table, please!" Molly's voice rang out from the kitchen a few minutes later. Charlie and Ginny quickly volunteered, and Ginny deposited Victoire back on Fleur's lap before she headed into the dining room.

"So, kid, how're things with you and Neville?" Charlie asked as they laid out silverware and plates.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased, elbowing him in the arm. They laughed, and then she continued more seriously, "They're great. The house is perfect for us, and it's... yeah, it's really good." She smiled at her brother a little shyly, but they were interrupted by Percy, who was precariously carrying in the platter of ham. He set it in the center of the table as Ginny made a face at it. She didn't really care for ham, but she supposed that her mother was saving the more traditional turkey for tomorrow's dinner.

Lucia and Molly followed Percy with trays of their own, Lucia stealing a quick kiss from Charlie before she set hers down.

As they continued to bring out the food, Ginny returned to the living room to fetch everyone else, but she paused in the doorway when she saw something she did not expect. Neville had taken her spot on the floor, his back against the couch, and was holding Victoire in his lap as he read aloud to her. Bill, Fleur, and Arthur were discussing something tedious about the Ministry and didn't appear to be paying much attention to the two on the floor. Ginny immediately recognized "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" and listened for a moment. Victoire giggled in all the right places as Neville's resonant voice recited Beedle the Bard's words.

"Ginny?" Molly called from the other room. "You lot coming?"

"Yeah, Mum," she replied, turning over her shoulder. "Dinner's ready," she told the others. Bill got up to take Victoire gently from Neville so he could get off the floor, but the toddler cried out as she was lifted up and reached toward Neville, straining in her father's arms and whimpering.

"I can take her if you want, Bill," offered Neville timidly as he stood. The moment Bill handed her back, she fell silent.

Bill laughed and clapped Neville lightly on the back. "She's all yours, mate!"

Ginny was waiting for Neville in the doorway. "When did you become so good with kids?" she asked, grinning as she fell into step with him a few paces behind the others.

"She just came up to me with the book," Neville said with a slight shrug and a dazed expression. "I set her on my lap and... started reading. Dunno why she picked me."

Ginny went up on her tiptoes to kiss Neville's cheek. "I do," she whispered as they entered the dining room. Molly ushered them to their seats, and Neville sat with Victoire still perched on his lap.

"Really quickly before we eat," said Arthur when he was the only one left standing, "Ginny and Neville won't be with us tomorrow, so I'd like to offer up a quick toast to them. We're very glad you're both happy, and we hope you have a wonderful Christmas together." He raised his glass and drank to them; the rest of the family followed suit. Ginny turned Neville's blushing face to her and kissed him briefly. Lucia let out a soft "aww."

"Tuck in!" said Molly, gesturing for everyone to serve themselves. Instantly, the table was a chaotic jumble of hands passing dishes and utensils scraping against bowls. Neville had a bit of trouble maneuvering trays and serving himself around Victoire, so Fleur, much more adept at eating while holding a baby, took her off his hands. Once Neville's lap was clear and the passing of food had settled, Ginny slid her left hand covertly onto his upper thigh. He jumped so hard that the peas leapt off his fork.

"All right, Neville?" Percy asked from his seat directly across the table.

"Fine," Neville squeaked. "Random muscle spasm, I guess." He ducked his head and hurriedly shoved more vegetables on his fork. Ginny let her hand linger on his leg for a moment and then began to move it again. She glided her palm down to his knee and back up toward his hip, never taking her eyes from Lucia and Charlie as they conversed about their plans for New Year's Eve. Biting her cheek to keep herself from smiling, Ginny pushed her hand between his thighs and felt him through his zipper. Under the guise of readjusting his napkin, Neville grabbed her hand and pulled it gently away. His ears had gone bright red, and he didn't look at her. Ginny complied and returned her hand to her own lap. She had really only wanted to tease him anyway; she wasn't foolish enough to try to do more than that with her entire family there.

After they had all eaten their fill (and Ginny had tried once more to see how far Neville would let her go), the younger generation moved back into the living room while Arthur and Molly prepared a tray of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate for everyone. Fleur took Victoire upstairs to put her to bed, and everyone else fell into pleasant, but not terribly exciting conversation. Ginny tried to keep up, but the combination of the rich food and the dull dialogue was putting her slowly to sleep.

About a half an hour after they ate, Ginny was tired of sitting around and fighting to stay awake. She excused herself to go to the bathroom. Just outside the doorway, she stood where only Neville could see her and motioned for him to follow her. He, too, excused himself and followed Ginny silently up three flights of stairs and to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

The instant the door was closed, Ginny's lips were on his. Neville let out a surprised, muffled cry and tried to step back, but she just pressed him against the wall. Her fingers threaded into his hair, holding his face against hers. She circled her hips forward into his, eliciting a quiet groan from his captured lips. He pulled his mouth away from her just enough to speak.

"What are you doing to me, love?" he half-complained. His hands had wandered of their own accord to her hips, which she still circled against his.

"My family," she said breathily between kisses, "is so... bloody... boring." She pulled one hand from his hair and caressed his chest. His nipple rose under her deft fingers until it was hard enough for her to feel through his shirt and sweater. Neville groaned again and gripped her hips firmly to still them.

"Ginny..." He tried to control his breathing. "Unless you want me to take you home right now, you need to stop."

She stepped away suddenly, and Neville's expression was somewhere between relief and concern. Ginny grinned wickedly at him until Neville's expression changed to confusion; he had played right into her hands.

"Then," she replied, "I guess I should just go back downstairs." She planted a chaste peck on his cheek and left the bathroom with a glance at the bulge in his trousers, grinning all the while.

When she returned to the living room, she feigned interest in the conversation until Neville returned about four minutes later. His cheeks held a faint blush, and he only made eye contact with Ginny, who winked at him as he sat down. In their absence, Molly had served dessert, so Neville helped himself to a piece of elderberry pie. Ginny noticed that he ate rather quickly for someone who tended to savor sweets, and she couldn't help but wonder if he wanted to get home as soon as possible.

Indeed, moments after he had finished his slice of pie, he said that he and Ginny should be getting home, that they wanted to wake up early to open their presents.

"Oh, presents!" Molly cried. "I almost forgot!"

She rushed over to the Christmas tree and quickly found every gift addressed to Neville, Ginny, or both of them. Handing them the pile, she smiled and said, "Since you two won't be here tomorrow to open presents with the rest of us, take these home."

Neville stood up and thanked her, and a chorus of "goodbyes" and "Happy Christmases" broke out among them. It took another several minutes before they had hugged everyone good night and Ginny was able to make her way to the fireplace for a handful of Floo Powder.

Carrying the stack of gifts, Neville followed Ginny back home. He had barely stepped onto the hearth when Ginny came flying at him, her festively colored sweater already unbuttoned. The presents went tumbling out of Neville's arms as he grasped wildly for her.

"Leave them," Ginny commanded as she roughly pulled Neville's sweater and shirt out of his trousers. Her hands found his skin and roamed over his stomach and chest. Neville helped her by pulling off the sweater and quickly unbuttoning the shirt. Ginny hummed with approval, her fingers exploring his nipples as they had in the bathroom at the Burrow. She bent forward as Neville combed his fingers through her hair and let her mouth take over for her hands. Her tongue flicked against the hardened nub as she worked Neville's flies open.

"This isn't quite fair," he breathlessly joked as his trousers and pants slid down his legs. "I'm nearly undressed and you only have your shirt open!"

Smirking, Ginny straightened up and pushed him back into an armchair. She quickly tore off her sweater and bra as he bent to fully remove his clothes but kept his eyes trained on her. Before opening the front of her jeans, she turned around. Bending completely at the waist, Ginny ran her thumbs around to the back of her hips and slowly lowered her jeans and knickers, baring her arse to Neville. She yelped when his palm came down hard on her flesh.

"Overeager..." she teased, turning over her shoulder to smile at him through the curtain of her hair. She could already feel her skin growing warm where he had spanked her. Stepping out of the clothes around her ankles, she kicked off her high heels and was left naked before him. She braced herself on the arms of the armchair and bent to kiss him. His hands went immediately to her arse where his calloused fingers ran gently over the red handprint he had left.

"Do it again," Ginny growled, gripping the upholstery in anticipation. Neville pulled his hands from her arse, but didn't spank her right away.

"I thought it was 'overeager' of me," he protested with a little laugh. Ginny groaned; she knew he was paying her back for teasing him the way she had at the Burrow.

"I just like to know it's coming is all," she said impatiently, nipping at his bottom lip.

"I thought you liked surprises," he said, emphasizing his final word with a firm slap on her arse. Ginny gasped at the pain and then moaned as her flesh began to tingle.

"Again, Neville, please," she begged and pushed her hips back closer to his hand. She dropped her forehead onto Neville's shoulder, leaning on him, trusting him. Several more loud smacks resonated through the room in quick succession, matched in volume only by Ginny's cries. Not until she was panting hard, nearly gasping for breath, did Neville let up. He gave her a moment to regain her breath before he touched her again. His fingers massaged her gently, and when he laid his palms flat on her arse the heat felt soothing on her reddened skin. Ginny moaned softly and lowered herself onto his lap with one leg on either side of him. She lifted her head from his shoulder and gave him a sloppy kiss.

"You liked that, didn't you?" said Neville throatily. Ginny's "yes" was more a sigh than an actual word, and she melted against him as they longingly kissed again.

"Bedroom," she whispered as she slid back off of his lap. Keeping their lips pressed together, she drew him out of the chair and they moved toward their room. They stumbled over the discarded presents, too distracted by one another to worry too much about where they were stepping.

When they reached the bedroom, Ginny pulled Neville toward the bed, but he countered her, pulling her the other way. He turned them around and pressed Ginny's back against the wall, making her gasp at its coolness. His hands were all over her, his fingers roaming over her skin unpredictably. He grasped her breasts all of a sudden and ran his thumbs back and forth across her nipples until Ginny's breathing became a pant.

"Nev..."

He gave her a soft kiss and then dropped to his knees, his hands splayed across her hips. Her eyes drooped closed, and she spread her legs, a lecherous smile appearing on her face as she guessed what he was planning. Neville's kisses started on her left thigh and traveled up, across her stomach, and down to her right thigh. He reversed direction, stopping as he reaching her navel. He nipped gently at her delicate skin and let his tongue drag down her belly to her cleft. She gasped and bucked her hips sharply away from the wall as his tongue slid inside her.

He quickly found her clit and licked it in languid strokes. Ginny shuddered and pressed her shoulders harder into the wall, twisting her fingers into his hair, silently urging him for more. He complied and thrust his tongue increasingly faster into her until her legs were shaking. With a cry, she came moments later, grateful for the support of the wall behind her. When her fingers loosened in his hair and she breathed his name again, Neville stood up, grinning silently as he kissed her and took her, finally, to the bed.

Ginny's hand wrapped around Neville's erection the moment they lay down. He sucked in a breath as she rolled him onto his back and started stroking him. Her movements stayed teasingly gentle; she didn't want him finishing too soon. She ran her free hand over his chest, feeling it rise and fall as he took quick, shallow breaths.

Leaning down to him, she whispered breathily in his ear. "I've been waiting all day to have you, you know. Just you and me, alone... not busy with Christmas preparations, not worrying about my family. That teasing at dinner... it was just as hard for me as it was for you. You looked so handsome tonight, and I just had to touch you. Merlin, Neville, I wanted you to start shagging me right there in the bathroom. I wanted you. I want you."

Her thumb made one last sweep over the tip of his cock before she moved her hand and swung her leg over his body to straddle him. She hovered just above his stomach for a moment and let heat radiate between them.

"Ginny..." Neville managed to gasp. "I... w-want you... too...."

Sitting up a little, Ginny lowered herself onto Neville's erection and started to roll her hips. Moaning, Neville thrust up to bury his length completely inside her. They fell into a quick rhythm, and he watched as she rode him, her eyes closed and her mouth half open. Lost in her euphoria, Ginny cupped her breasts and ran her fingers over her nipples until they contracted. From underneath her, Neville grinned.

"You put on a good show," he commented around his labored breathing. Her eyes fluttered open, and she bent over him, her hands moving to the bed to hold herself up.

"And to think I wasn't even trying," she replied with a throaty laugh. They kissed again, noses repeatedly bumping from the reckless movement of their hips. Neville's hands wound into Ginny's hair, pulling lightly as he let out a deep groan.

Concentrating carefully, Ginny contracted her muscles surrounding Neville's cock. Almost as a reflex, he cried out suddenly and let his back arch away from the bed. Pleased with his reaction, Ginny contracted again and again, timing her actions to the rhythm of their movements. Neville swallowed hard, writhing under her.

"Don't stop, Ginny!"

His hands slipped quickly from her hair and slid down to grip her arse. She was still a bit sore from where he had spanked her, and she let out a gasp as his fingers dug into her flesh. Biting her lip, she watched as his nose wrinkled and his eyes squeezed shut. She gave him one last muscle contraction, and he was lost to his orgasm with a shuddering breath and a guttural groan. The warmth of Neville's come filled her as she continued to roll her hips violently over his. Still panting, he plunged his first two fingers into Ginny's cunt and ran them erratically over her clit.

She hadn't expected his touch, and with it came the sudden, familiar rush of her climax. A high-pitched moan escaped her throat. She caught Neville's wrist, hardly knowing she was doing so, to press his fingers even harder against her. His fingers flew; ecstasy washed over her until she was utterly spent.

Releasing Neville's arm, she collapsed next to him with one leg still draped across his waist. He discreetly wiped his hand on the bedcovers and wrapped Ginny in his arms. Their skin was damp and sticky with sweat and come, and they lay in silence for a moment before Ginny planted several delicate kisses along his shoulder and neck.

"I love Christmas," Neville muttered as he tilted his head for her. Ginny continued up his neck and across his jaw, hovering for a moment above his lips. Taking the initiative, Neville lifted his neck and captured her mouth with a deep, passionate kiss. His tongue mingled with hers in a sort of dance until Ginny grew too weak to hold herself up any longer. She flopped next to him again and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

He dozed off before she did, but the soothing sound of his quiet snores lulled her to sleep soon after.

~*~

Ginny woke up alone the next morning, but the sounds of movement on the other side of the door told her that Neville was close by. She gave a wide stretch and nestled herself more deeply under the covers, not quite ready to get up yet. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling and thinking back on the night before, she slid reluctantly out of the warm, cozy bed. In the cold room, she shivered as she put on her robe, having decided not to bother with pyjamas. It was Christmas, after all, and she could wear what she wanted.

She found Neville in the warm kitchen, dressed only in his pyjama bottoms and rinsing dishes in the sink with his back to her. The smell of coffee was strong, and Ginny could detect a hint of something sweet mingled with it, though she couldn't quite place it.

"How long've you been up?" Ginny asked with a yawn, leaning against the door frame.

Neville started a little at her voice but turned to smile at her. He quickly abandoned the dishes, dried his hands, and gave Ginny a quick good morning kiss.

"About an hour," he replied with a grin. "Happy Christmas, love."

"Happy Christmas, Neville," she said. Reaching up, she caught the back of his neck and drew him down for another kiss. His arms tightened around her, his palms lying flat against the small of her back. She hummed softly and let her fingers comb tenderly through the ends of his hair. After a moment, they pulled apart, and Ginny rested her cheek on his chest, inhaling the warm, earthy scent of him.

"I love you," Neville whispered as he held her.

"I love you, too."

After a pause, Neville spoke again. "We have about twenty minutes before the coffee cake is rea-"

"You made coffee cake? Is that what I smell?" Ginny's eyes widened as she pulled back to look at him, making her look very child-like in her excitement.

"Gran made it every Christmas morning when I was growing up," he explained with a lopsided grin. "I thought I'd share the tradition with you."

Ginny was beaming. "I haven't had coffee cake in ages, love, thank you! But I'm sorry; I interrupted you."

"S'all right," he said. "It's still going to be a while 'til it's ready, so we can open presents while we wait, if you want."

"No, Neville," Ginny said sarcastically, "Let's sit and stare at the oven instead."

After taking a quick detour to get a mug of coffee, Ginny led Neville by the hand to the living room, which was still scattered with clothing and gifts from the night before. They sat on the floor together and began cutting ribbons and ripping paper. Ginny's parents' gifts were predictably boring – pots and pans and other household things that Molly thought they would need – but her brothers, as always, had come through. Ginny's favorite gifts were a beautiful blue dress robe from Bill and Fleur and a bottle of expensive Romanian wine from Charlie and Lucia. Neville, on the other hand, had taken a break from opening his presents to page through Percy's gift – the latest hardcover edition of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

Soon, there were only two presents left: Neville's gift to Ginny and Ginny's gift to Neville. Grinning nervously at each other, they swapped gifts.

"You first," Neville insisted, rather pink-cheeked. Ginny ripped anxiously at the red paper and gold ribbon. She opened the box, and pulled out a long black strip of velvet fabric. Confused, she peered back into the box and drew out more fabric – pale blue and satiny. As she unfolded it, her eyes went wide as she recognized what it was. Neville had gotten her a bustier and a blindfold. She looked at him in shock.

"There's one more thing," he encouraged. His face was still tinged with pink, but there was a hint of a grin playing on his lips. Plunging her hand back into the box, Ginny felt something long, wide, and hard. Her jaw dropped as she pulled out the dildo, and she stared at it for a minute, barely comprehending.

"It vibrates," Neville ventured, his small grin having been replaced by a worried frown. "Do you like them?"

"I..." She couldn't seem to find her voice, nor could she look away from the gifts she had received. "I had no idea you..." Unceremoniously, she dumped them back into the box and lunged at Neville. Holding his face between her hands, she kissed him deeply and then sat back on her heels to look him in the eye. "I love them. Can we try them out tonight?"

Neville was still flushed, but his grin had returned. "That was kind of the plan," he admitted sheepishly.

"Brilliant," Ginny said as she pulled out the dildo again. She weighed it in her hands, and a tingle swept up her spine at the thought of Neville using it on her. Breaking out of her reverie, she turned back to Neville, stashing her new toy back in the box for safe keeping. "Your turn."

He carefully tore the paper from the bottom and unwrapped it from around the flat rectangular box. Ginny bit her lip, but Neville was too busy with his present to notice. He lifted the lid and revealed a gleaming pair of large gardening shears. For a fraction of a second, he hesitated before saying an ecstatic "thank you," but his pause was just long enough for Ginny to feel awful.

"I'm sorry, love!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea what to get you!"

"Don't be sorry, Ginny," replied Neville with a loving smile. "I can always use another pair of shears, and I've been meaning to get my oldest pair replaced for a while now anyway. Thank you." He picked them up and turned them over and over in his hands, his expression changing as he examined them in the morning light. "Merlin... these are beautiful. Where did you get them?"

"Dervish and Banges," she answered, starting to feel a little better about her present. "They said they were goblin-made."

"They're amazing," Neville said, a hint of awe in his voice. "A bit of a surprise, but lovely nonetheless. Thank you, Gin." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. At that moment, the timer on the oven went off, and they returned to the kitchen to enjoy their Christmas breakfast together.

They ate in relative silence, watching the snow fluttering down through the window. Ginny indulged herself a bit and had three pieces of Neville's delicious coffee cake. She leaned back in her chair upon finishing, so full that she felt she could go back to sleep.

Neville, though, had other plans. "It doesn't look terribly cold out," he said. "Do you want to go for a walk or something?"

Ginny's mouth twisted as she thought for a moment before answering. She had been hoping for a refreshing shower. But on the other hand, if they went outside and let themselves get a little chilled, a warm shower together would feel even nicer. Her mouth untwisted and curved into a smile.

"Sounds brilliant," she said. Not having their wands on them, they carried the dishes to the sink and then returned to their room to dress and bundle up against the winter weather. Hand-in-hand, they headed out the door and began to walk down their street. The other houses on the block in the little wizarding neighborhood were decorated like mad with fairy lights, Christmas trees, and floating ornaments. One of their neighbors had even charmed everlasting candles to move and spell out various holiday greetings and Christmas carol lyrics. Neville and Ginny took a turn around the block and wandered into their backyard when they made it back to their house.

"Let's make a snowman!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed. "I haven't made one since I was at Hogwarts!"

"Neither have I," Neville admitted, grinning. "Sounds like a great idea." They found a good spot, squatted down, and started packing snow together until they had a sizeable ball. Ginny glanced at Neville as they started on the torso. He was biting his tongue in concentration, and his cheeks and nose were red from the cold. She gave a little laugh and smiled lovingly at him. Together they lifted the torso and then the head onto the base, and Ginny conjured buttons and a carrot to make a face. They named their creation "Herbert" for no particular reason and stood back to admire him.

Under Neville's arm, the chill in the air seemed to disappear. Warm breath curled before their faces in ethereal wisps. Snowflakes drifted slowly past, settling in their hair and surrounding them. The hills around the house were blanketed in glistening white powder.

And in the midst of the silence and the beauty, Ginny Weasley was smiling.