Merry Christmas

      Peridot is very happy to stay for a Christmas in Hogwarts, and not see relatives, which instead of giving a present for the holiday would ask dryly about her progress in school. And although Peridot still had to take extra potions lessons to skip the trip home, the Christmas vacation period seems the most wonderful time to her.       Firstly, because now it’s quieter in Hogwarts than usual. In the Slytherin living room there are no annoying first-year students, no one is running around in the corridors, and no one is getting on her nerves.       Secondly (in fact, it’s firstly, but Peridot doesn’t want to admit this), Lapis Lazuli stays in Hogwarts for the holidays too. And Peridot definitely, 100% didn’t start to make a Christmas present for her from November.       Lapis wants to use this vacation for a good rest, the opportunity to sleep (she doesn’t want to consider the fact that she already sleeps more than she stays awake), opportunities to practice Patronus and, of course, to meet Peridot more often. This is much more important than sleep or Patronus.       Despite the fact that there are not so many students in Hogwarts now, and it was quite possible to meet in the Ravenclaw living room (Lapis’ classmates have long been accustomed to Peridot and have even stopped trying to tease them) they still meet in the Room of Requirement. This is familiar and comfortable for them, and on December 25 the room itself is imbued with a Christmas spirit, and decorates itself with Christmas trees and Christmas toys.       Peridot is not used to giving or receiving gifts. She has no idea if Lapis will like this gift, has no idea how to give it.  "Hey Lapis, I accidentally have a present for you!“ - Peridot knows that if she says something like that, she will want to impose a spell of silence on herself forever and ever.       Lapis knows and sees all these Peridot’s problems, so she makes a gift first.       "Merry Christmas, Peridot,” she says and wraps a green Slytherin scarf around Peridot’s neck, and before Peridot has time to understand anything, Lapis pulls her by this scarf and kisses her tenderly.       Peridot melts and pulls Lapis closer, enjoying every moment. Room of Requirement makes the Christmas lights dimmer and hangs a mistletoe above them.       After a delightful minute, Lapis takes a step back, fixing the scarf around Peridot’s neck.       “It’s special,” Lapis smiles. “It feels the temperature around to you, and becomes perfectly warm to warm you up in any cold. Or even cool you in the heat. So even when I’m not around - my warmth (and coolness) will always be with you.”       Peridot buries her nose in a soft cloth and laughs. Lapis always curses if she sees her on a cold street without a scarf, and now Peridot will have a special reason to wear it.       “That’s cheating, Laz.”       Lapis smugly smirks, shrugging.       Peridot sighs and realizes that now it is her turn to give a present, and she takes a small box from her mantle, holding it out to Lapis.       “Merry Christmas. I don’t know if you will like it, but…”       Peridot doesn’t have time to finish, Lapis already opens the box, taking out an hourglass with incredibly beautiful sand inside – as if the whole universe and billions of stars fit in one glass vessel. In each half of the hourglass there is the same amount of sand, but it doesn’t move, although nothing prevents it.       “So beautiful …” Lapis whispers, and Peridot can’t help smiling.       “It’s special too. It doesn’t just count minutes or hours, it counts the time until a certain event. Touch it with your wand and say how much you want it to count. For example, "until the end of the holidays,” or “until my Patronus is perfect”, something like that. The sand will pour at the same speed, but it won’t end until the time comes.”       Lapis puts an hourglass on a coffee table next to the chair, and ponders for a moment. What date to choose? Something special, or simple? Lapis looks at Peridot, at the way she tries to hide her excitement and at the same time interest.       “Alright, I chose.” Lapis pulls out her wand and touches the hourglass. “ Until Peridot loves me.”         The sand starts to run, not decreasing and not adding. Peridot feels her cheeks and ears blush. Lapis uses a reduction spell on hourglass, reducing it to the size of a pendant and conjuring a thin rope in the air.       “I’ll wear it like this,” says Lapis, showing Peridot a hourglass that has now become an adornment.       Peridot had no idea that everything could be like this, that Lapis would come up with this idea, and damn it at the same time very pleasant and somehow strange, and Peridot can’t even figure out what to say in response.       “Good job, Lapis…” she says, looking away in embarrassment. “Now you have an eternally running hourglass.”       Lapis forgets how to breathe for a whole second.       Peridot realizes what she said.       But it’s too late to retreat.