Jingle Bell Rock

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. This story was inspired by the song "Jingle Rock." I do not own anything.

Author's Note: I can't believe the holidays are here already!

Time: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Genre: Romance, Drama, and Friendship

Rating: PG-13

Date Finished: December 16, 2012

Bold: Flashback

Marcus Flint walked across the snow covered Hogwarts grounds from the Quidditch pitch to the castle. He had just gotten done with the final Quidditch practice of the year. The holidays were upon them and that met that his final year at Hogwarts was halfway over. In twenty-four hours he would be back at his parents' estate in Devon and would be forced to suffer through Christmas balls. Time had a way of flying quickly.

At least, he had Katie to rely on to make him feel better. He had began to date Katie Bell last year shortly before Christmas. The couple had became public at the start of this term. People made jeers about their relationship all the time and told them that it would never last. They couple wanted to prove all of the haters wrong.

Part of the problem was that they were from different worlds.

Like most Slytherins, he was form a wealthy pureblood family. He was the result of his mum and dad's second marriages. His dad had been married to some crazy Polish woman for five years and they had a daughter, Alice. Alice was thirteen years older than he was and he had only met her twice. His mother had been married to his dad's brother for eleven years. Then, he was murdered by the Death Eaters. (His uncle, mum, and dad were Aurors.) His mum and uncle had six sons: Brain, Luke and Logan (twins), Shawn and Nathanial (twins) and Ryan. They were anywhere from eleven to three years older than Marcus. Well, Marcus's mum and dad overtime fell in love and got married two years later. A year later that Marcus was born. Then, four and a half years later Marcus's sister, Haley, was born. Most of the time none of them was around. His parents both worked seven days a week and were only off for holidays. His half-brothers moved out right after Hogwarts and only came home maybe twice a year. He and Haley were close. His parents' jobs also made the family move many times. He had lived in three different countries (Ireland (was born there), Italy, and England)and was fluent in Irish-Gaelic, English, and Italian.

Katie was from a middle-class half-blood family. Both of her parents attended Hogwarts. Her mum was a pureblood witch and her dad a Muggle. Her mum's family didn't approve of the relationship. They had two children: Katie's older brother, Anthony and Katie. When she was five, her parents got a divorce. Shortly after the divorce, her mum remarried. She had one son, Seth. Three years after it, her dad remarried. He had two daughters: Sierra and Zoey. Katie lived with her stepmum, Jenna, and her dad. She didn't get along with her stepdad, Mike. She had been born and raised in the Kent area. Her stepmum worked as a clerk in a shop in Diagon Alley. Her father worked at for the Ministry of Magic in the transportation branch called the Broom Regulatory Control.

He really did not care what the haters said. All that mattered was that they were together. Christmas was another issue in itself. He had no idea what to get her. The clock was ticking. Last year for Christmas, he had gotten her a Christmas bear and a book on a Quidditch. He felt that both of these items were not acceptable gifts. Females had always been hard for him to buy for and he really did not want to have to ask his sister to pick out Katie's gift. That was just too far below the belt for his liking. No, he wanted to pick it out for himself.

Marcus reached the castle and pulled the door open. This was going to require expert help. He was really beginning to understand why members of his gender did their Christmas shopping together. Unlike females, this was not a social outing; this was serious work. Christmas shopping for a girlfriend was the boyfriend's own personal hell.

He headed down to the dungeons. The good thing about being in a House that was located in the dungeons was that if offered more privacy. He had always felt that because the Slytherin House was isolated from the rest of the school allowed for a closer bond to be formed among each other. He could not even think about asking a Gryffindor what he was about ask, could not even dream of it.

The common room was packed with his fellow housemates. Their conversations buzzed about the upcoming holidays and the Slytherin's victory over Ravenclaw last weekend. Many people stopped Marcus to greet him and to wish him a happy holiday. It took many minutes for him to reach the staircase that led to his dorm. He hoped that the aid he so desperately needed was around. He really did not want to look for them in the packed common room. Plus, he did not want to be seen discussing this problem. It did not matter how close a house was. There was just some things that were not meant to be discussed in a public manner.

He opened his dorm door and was relieved to find Chris Derrick (Slytherin Beater) there and that Aiden Pucey had decided to pass the evening in the seventh year dorm instead of the fifth. Marcus closed the door softly behind him.

"You look like hell," Aiden commented.

Marcus threw his Quidditch gear down on his bed. "Not for from it."

Chris was reading a thick Charms book. "Why?" He did not look up from his book.

"Women," Marcus replied as he changed into sweat pants and a T-shirt. His muscles were still sore from practice and the last game.

Chris shut his book. "They always seem to the cause behind all of our sufferings."

"Can't live with them, can't live without them," Adrian remarked. "So, what seems to be the problem?" He rolled on Marcus's bed over so that he was facing Marcus.

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. He was not sure how to address this. Most of his friends mocked him for dating a Gryffindor and a Gryffindor Chaser at that. People who were not his friends and people who he did not even know mocked him. Those he normally did not pay any mind too. No, he had to take that back. There was that one Hufflepuff who said something after Marcus had failed yet another Muggle Studies test. Marcus may had punched the kid and broke his nose and may had gotten written up for it. He tried to block out those mirror details.

"Marcus?" Adrian asked again. He was staring at the other boy.

Marcus stopped rubbing his neck. "Um, I need help."

"Try telling us something we do not already know," Adrian said.

Chris smirked over at them. "Be nice. It is almost the holidays."

"And I suppose you are going to tell me that I had better watch out because Father Christmas is watching me?" Adrian inquired.

Chris sighed. "It's not like he was going to bring you anything away."
"Hey, I am not the one punching little Hufflepuffs in the hallway," Adrian objected. He looked pointedly at Marcus. "That would be that one over there."

Marcus pushed Adrian off the bed. The other boy landed on the floor, swearing, with a bang.

"Are you ready to listen to listen to me?" Marcus asked Adrian.

Adrian climbed to his feet and narrowed his eyes at his friend, but did not say a word.

"I need help Christmas shopping." He paused. "I have no idea what to get Katie for Christmas."

The other two stared at him. It was clear that they did not know what to make of his request. They had never mocked him for dating Katie, but had never said that they approved of the relationship. Really, Marcus did not care about how they felt about the relationship, but he did feel that the owed him. He had spent many nights making sure they did not wander into the Dark Forest after getting drunk over some girl and listening to all things that they had/had not done with their current girlfriend. He had even gone Valentine Day shopping with them.

Sure, he had girlfriends before Katie. His last relationship before her had lasted over two years. He had cared about them, but they had not had the same chemistry that he and Katie had. It may had something to do with the fact that he was a Slytherin and she was a Gryffindor.

"Well?" Marcus asked.

Chris and Adrian exchanged looks. "Sure. What do we have to lose?"
"Our pride," Adrian muttered.

Marcus hit him over the back of the head.

"When do you want to go?" Chris asked.

"This weekend," Marcus answered quickly. This weekend was the last Hogsmeade weekend before the Christmas holidays.

"You want me to go Christmas shopping with you and give up my last Hogsmeade weekend?" Adrian protested tormenting tone.

"Or I could schedule practice on Saturday," Marcus shot back in a non-tormenting tone.

Frown lines formed on Adrian's forehead. "No, that is quite alright. I do not you to strain yourself." He paused. "You really should not be practicing anyway."
Marcus gave Adrian a pointed look. He really did not want to discuss that now.

"What's going on?" Chris asked. Marcus had not told him what was going on yet. Chris tended to panic rather easily. If he knew what was going on, he would not even let Marcus move.

"Nothing," Marcus and Adrian said quickly.

Chris looked at them. "Tell me."

"Um, it is not that big of a deal," Marcus stared it. He was already out and into the frying pan anyway. "They are just watching it after all. It really could be nothing."

"Watching what, Marcus?" Chris asked coolly.

"My stomach has been bothering me and there is a slight chance that I could be developing appendicitis," Marcus muttered.

Chris looked at him. "They do not know for sure."

Marcus bit his lip. He really did not want to talk it. He was stressed out enough about it and that was part of the reason he did not tell Chris about it. Chris would ask daily how he felt. "No, they still want to run some more tests."

Chris nodded. "Just take it easy."
Marcus nodded. "I do not want everyone to know, yet."
Chris nodded. "Okay."

"So, back to Christmas shopping," Adrian said changing the subject. "What did you guys get me?"
Marcus looked at his old friend. "If you keep on talking, I am going to take it back."

Adrian smirked. "I will be quiet."

Chris was staring at Marcus.


"No, I do not have an answer."

"If they have to take your appendix out, can you get some of those potions that put people to sleep and give it Adrian? We could use some peace and quiet."

"I will see what I can do.

Adrian flipped them both off.


That Saturday at Hogsmeade, the three boys wondered from shop to shop without a lot of success. At noon, they stopped for a butterbeer in Three Broomsticks.

Marcus allowed the cool drink to run down the back of his throat. He had hoped to find something for her by now. He had not seen anything that screamed Katie to him. Christmas carols played in the background as he watched people enter and exit the pub. Chris and Adrian were talking about this and that, but he found that he could not add to their conversation. His mind was elsewhere. His mind was back on the very first time he had kissed Katie.

Marcus had just gotten done with a rough practice and he was sore. Bole had hit him in the back of the head. It knocked him out for a few minutes. Even though he should have gone to the hospital wing, he hadn't yet. It was a place he tended to avoid.

Since he had to gather the balls up, he would be the last one in the locker room. If he took his time, then he would be the only one in there. He really didn't want to listen to the others complain about their problems. He already had a headache and really didn't want another one.

It took about twenty minutes to gather the balls. Slowly he walked toward the tunnel. His skull felt like it had been cracked in two. Instead of his head feeling light, it felt as if he weighed the amount of two bricks.

When he came out of the tunnel, he saw her. She was leaning against the exit like she had been waiting in him. Her smile revealed her prefect teeth. It was also the kind of smile that said she wanted something.

"Yes?" he asked.

She walked over to him. "You're hurt."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your pupils are dilated."


"It would take something really big and/or hard to hurt you're thick head."

Marcus smiled. "Are you saying that it's my brain that's big?"

She was really close now. "No." He could see every individual lash. "I'm just saying you have a big head."

Wait! Marcus froze. This was sweet, innocent Katie Bell. He couldn't do anything to her. Yet, it seemed like she was hitting on him. This wasn't right, but, yet, it felt so right.

"If my head didn't hurt, I would feel insulted by that little remark."

She leaned in so that their foreheads were touching. "So, are you going to do anything about it?" she whispered.

"Yes," Marcus whispered back.



"Stand here and talk to me."

No, I mean this."

And he kissed her.

The kiss was a shock, but she couldn't pull away. She was surprised that he had made the first move. She was surprised that he was kissing her.

She kissed him back and ran her figures through his hair. She was completely aware of the fact that at any given time anyone could see them. Yet, she didn't care. He was the only one she saw.

Marcus broke the kiss. "What about Wood?"

"We broke up."

He looked relieved. "Good, I didn't want him to kill me."

Katie laughed. "Kiss me."

And he did again.

Marcus did not really want to give Katie just a kiss for Christmas. He knew that some girls would enjoy kissing their boyfriend under the full moon and a night filled with stars with the snow falling fresh all around them. That just was not his scene and he was pretty sure that it was not Katie's.

"What about getting her a sweater or something?" Chris asked, interrupting Marcus's thought process.

"Nah, I don't think she is a clothes person and I am not sure what size she is," Marcus mused as he took another drink.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Not a clothing person, hey? I would like to be in a relationship like that."

Marcus gave Adrian a look. Sometimes his friends just drove him up the wall.

Marcus rested his hands on the table as he pushed himself up. He needed to get out of this pub and into the frosty air. Perhaps the coolness of the air would help clear his head. The deadline to find the perfect gift for Katie was coming rather quickly. He needed to find the solution to this problem and he needed to find it now.

"Are you going somewhere mate?" Adrian asked.

Marcus took a deep breath and inhaled the foul smells of the bar. "I need some air."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "You? You never need air, even when you are so drunk that you don't know who you are."

Marcus threw some money on the table as he shrugged his shoulders. "Things change."

"I will say they do," Adrian muttered to Marcus's retreating back. "Someone is loopy."
Marcus pretended not to hear that as he let the pub door slam behind him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he roamed the streets of the village. Displays with a Christmas theme dotted the front of almost every shop and people singing Christmas carols stood at almost every street corner. The wanted posters of Sirius Black were almost covered up by the Christmas wonderland.

He put his head down and stared at his feet as he turned onto another street. He really needed to figure out what he was going to do about Katie's gift. She was really special to him and he did not want to screw this holiday season up.

Marcus leaned against the side of an empty building. People had always told him that the best gifts come from the heart. But what about those who could not come up with anything from their heart? If was not as if he did not have a heart; he was just not good at expressing what was in his heart. Stupid emotions...

His breath shone in the crisp air with every breath he took. All of this thinking was making his head hurt. He watched as a few people stared at him as they passed. He also hated whenever people stared at him; they probably just assumed that he was up to no good.

What made them think that?

Marcus pushed himself off the wall with ease. He was not going to get anything done by standing here and thinking about the gift. He actually needed to be doing and not thinking. He turned back the way that he had just come from and walked at a rapid pace. The faster he was moving, the more clear his head was.

Marcus passed shop after shop. A few he ducked into, but saw nothing of interest. He sighed. He was probably going to end up giving Katie some kind of crappy present. Defeat was coming to him quickly.

He ducked into a second hand store. He really did not know what he was looking for. He had only been in this shop a couple of times; there was something in here that was drawing him to this shop. The store was filled with all kinds of strange magical items that no one knew what they were or did no longer want those items. He strolled through the aisles with his hands in his pockets.

There was something here that he needed.

He approached a shelf with a many glittering things. The brightness from the objects almost blinded him. He narrowed his eyes as he locked at the objects. He moved a couple of the larger objects to the side until he found it. It was prefect, just wonderfully prefect. He pulled it out and went up to pay for it.

After leaving the shop, Marcus went into another shop that he had seen Christmas bears and bought one to go with his little trinket. He knew that she would love it. He knew that some things just were not an option for her with her background. She deserved to be spoiled every once in a while.

Marcus swung the bag as he made his way back to the castle. Christmas was going to just fine after all.

Christmas Eve

Marcus exited his family's manor in Dover and Apparated to Katie's house. Even though, he had turned of age last summer, the effects of this method of travelling still bothered him. He rested his hands on his knees on as attempted to regain himself.

After a few moments, he walked up to the Bell's two story home. It was just a simple place with nothing fancy. He could see the Christmas tree shinning through the window. He raised his fist and knocked on the front door. He stepped back and waited.

Katie opened the door within seconds. "Hey," she stepped back to let him. Her long blond hair was loose. She was wearing a blue and white sweater that brought out her blue eyes. "I was not sure if you were going to make it."

"They will not miss me for a few hours." Marcus's extended family was so large and they really did not know how was present at family gatherings and who was not.

Katie looked at him. "Okay, then." She stepped toward the living room. "I will tell them that you are here and we can go up to my room for a bit. Take your coat off too," she called as she disappeared into the room.

Marcus shrugged his coat off and draped it over his arms. He felt extremely awkward around Katie's family. He was not sure what they thought of him yet.

Katie came back out. "Okay." She led the way upstairs.

Marcus followed closely behind her. Once they reached the room, Katie shut the door behind them and turned on the light.

She went over to her desk and picked up a package. "This is for you." She handed it over to him.

Marcus nodded his thanks as he opened it. Inside there was a pair of gloves and a thick book.

"I am getting sick of holding your cold hand and I thought that you would find it very entertaining to read a Muggle fantasy."

It was a little known fact that he did actually read. "The Lord of the Rings," Marcus read slowly. He had never heard of it.

"It is a very good series," Katie said.

Marcus nodded and handed her gift. He was just going to have to take her word on the book.

Katie opened it and gasped. She was holding the bear and looking at the locket around its' neck. She took the locket off the neck. "Will you put it on me?"

Marcus walked to her and brushed her hair aside. He clasped the chain together.

She turned to him. "I did not put anything inside," he said.

Katie nodded. "I will just have to find something." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Marcus said back.

She deepened the kiss as the soft tune of "Jingle Bell Rock" drifted up through the floor. After a few minutes, she broke the kiss. "We had best get downstairs before Dad comes up here and threatens to murder you in your sleep."

Marcus laughed.

Katie started toward the door. "Oh, the bear is the same one you got me last year."

Marcus followed her. "Oops."