Christmas Eve it was.

The next day would bring presents delivered by Santa, family celebrating together, and newly fallen snow that was just waiting to be stepped in. Three children this night were very excited. Their laughs could be heard around the mansion as they ran around the large Christmas tree in their pajamas, trying to tag each other. One of the boys broke the circular formation and jumped onto the sofa and started bouncing. His sisters followed suit. "Aiden, Kira, Jane no jumping on the couch." scolded their mother as she entered the room.

"Mummy will you tell us a story?" asked Kira who ran over to her mother and looked up at her with Bambi eyes. "It's getting late honey and you need to go to bed soon." The three siblings groaned and complained that they weren't tired at all.

Hermione Granger smiled at her young ones. Ever since they were born, she hadn't stopped smiling even when they were running around all bonkers just like before. Of course motherhood wasn't the easiest job in the book, but in the end it was fun getting chocolate kisses, drawings that were only scribbles in crayons, and waking up to their smiling faces every Saturday morning when they want pancakes for breakfast. "Please mummy, pretty pretty please?" they all cocked their heads to the right and clapsed their hands together as if they were about to pray. Hermione tried hard not to laugh but had very little success. "Alright but one story and then it's off to bed otherwise Santa will know you are awake and pass this house."

The four of them sat on the sofa, Kira and Aiden curling up on both her sides and Jane sitting on her lap. "What story shall we have? 'Twas the Night Before Christmas?" Kira vigorously shook her head. "I don't like that one."

"I do." said Jane.

"But you chose last night. It's my turn." Kira stuck her tounge out at her sister who just glared. "No fighting otherwise no story." warned Hermione. "What story would you like to hear Kira?" They little girl began to think and had just come up with one when the door to the room had opened to reveal a dashing man dressed in a suit. The quartet turned to look at whoever it was. "Daddy!" screeched the girls. They hopped off the couch and ran to their father's waiting arms. He hugged them close then kissed their heads. "You're a bit late." Hermione said looking at the clock on the mantle which read 9:30. "Meeting ran late love. Sorry." He got up from his crouching position and went over to kiss his beautiful wife before sitting down next to her. Aiden climbed into Hermione's lap while the girls cuddled up to their father.

"So what were we about to do?" he asked wrapping one arm around Hermione and the other around Jane. "Kira was about to choose what story she wanted to hear before bed." explained Aiden. All eyes turned to Kira who tried to remember what it was she wanted to hear. "Come on Kira you're such a slow poke." Jane teased. Kira only glared at her sister. "I know!" They all waited for her answer. "I want to hear about mummy and daddy's first christmas."

The adults looked at each other. That story was long and though appropriate for the holiday season, if it was to be told then their rugrats would be up longer than they hoped. Hermione hoped to have a little peace and quiet with her husband and a glass of wine before placing the presents under the tree. "Please daddy, can we hear it?" pleaded Jane. Of course Jane was such a daddy's girl. She was the youngest out of the triplets so that made her the baby and her father's little princess. Hermione had no trouble telling apart her children, especially Kira and Jane who looked very similar. Jane took after her father. Very spoiled and a drama queen. Kira was more grounded and independent though she was a mischievous little devil and Aiden was a little more reserved than his sisters but a complete sweetheart and very protective of his sisters though he likes to tease them constantly. Kira retalliates while Jane cries for her parents to do something.

"I guess it would be okay." Sucker.

Hermione shook her head and chuckled. He was wrapped around his daughter's little finger.

Jane clapped and snuggled closer to her father. He turned to Hermione, silently asking her to start off. With an exasperated sigh she agreed. She had to do everything.

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November was coming to a close and December was creeping up slowly. Snow started to grace the presence of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Everyone was excited for the first snow fall, that is all except one.

Hermione Granger was Head Girl. At the top of her game she deserved this position. Her grades were more important now than ever. She wanted a good job once her year was done and her hard work showed how dedicated she was to whatever she did. This cold evening, she sat by the fireside of her private common room, looking over her Charms essay which was due tomorrow. Her solitude was disrupted when the portrait door slammed open and let in a cool breeze that made her shiver. "Could you please shut the door? You're letting the warmth out." she said without looking up from her work. She didn't need to see the person to know who it was. "Working hard again Granger? Do you even have a life?" teased Draco as he plopped onto the couch placing his hands behind his head.

"I do have a life but right now school is more important." she was silent after that, the only sound was Draco's snickering and then light breathing. Hermione turned around and saw he had fallen asleep. In the fire glow he looked so handsome.

Not that he wasn't always handsome but he looked so....innocent for lack of a better word. Whenever Hermione saw Draco Malfoy, he always wore a smirk and held a look of mocking in his piercing gray eyes. Now that he was lying on the couch, eyes closed and facial features relaxed, he looked even better. Too bad he couldn't be like this all the time thought Hermione. She turned back to her essay enabling her to miss Draco crack one eye open and smirk before closing his eyes for real.

When Draco woke up, he notice Hermione lying down, her back towards him. Glancing at his watch he noticed they both missed dinner and his stomach was well aware of this fact. He hoisted himself up from his position off the couch and walked over and stood in front of the sleeping girl. He observed her sleeping position: her right hand sandwiched between her head and the floor, her other curled into a fist laying on an angle away from her body, and her bushy locks covering part of her face. Draco crouched down and brushed her hair back behind her ear, allowing him to see her flawless pale skin.

Ever so slowly he let his fingers caress her cheek. Hermione stirred but never awoke. Draco quickly withdrew his hand asking himself what the hell he was thinking. Ever since they have been living together as heads, their hatred had melted into tolerance. At first they were ready to kill the other but to make it much easier for them, they called a truce and he liked how things were. However now he felt himself drawn to the witch. He craved her company when he was alone or with his dumbass friends, to even hear her annoying screeching was something he anticipated when he returned to their quarters after classes had finished. He didn't understand what was happening but it he didn't like what this girl was doing to him.

Draco was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice Hermione opening her eyes. At first they were fluttering to get used to the dim light, but when she fully opened them, Draco got the biggest scare of his life.

"MALFOY!"

He jumped so high that he could have touched the ceiling but instead he fell back onto his bottom and looked at Hermione with wide eyes. She had her hands on her hips and was yelling at him but he didn't hear a word she said, his mind was still trying to find its way back to his body. What the hell was he thinking? "Malfoy are you even listening to me?" she huffed. Her face was beet red which Draco couldn't help but find comepletely adorable. She looked like a china doll.

"I was trying to wake you up. We both fell asleep and missed dinner. I was going to go down to the kitchens and get something and I thought you would want to join me." Hermione didn't expect that to be his answer but it didn't calm her down any. Seeing him looking at her as she woke up scared her silly yet she found it a little endearing. "Whatever." she turned on her heel and walked towards the portrait but stopped when she noticed he wasn't following. "Are you just going to sit there and starve or do you want to eat?" Draco knew he should have replied with a witty comeback but the rumbling in his stomach made him realize how hungry he was.

Quickly he jumped up and followed her out. The walk was silent as both wondered what the other was thinking after the little incident but they had a good feeling they were thinking about each other though they knew they would never admit it.

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