Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world are entirely owned by J.K. Rowling, I am just helping them share Christmas cheer.
The Wisdom of Gift Giving
Part of the eighth year Muggle Studies homework due the week before the winter break was to read a winter or Christmas story and write a synopsis to share with the class. One of Hermione's favorite Christmas stories was the O. Henry classic, "The Gift of the Magi". She had chosen it partially for the familiarity and partially for the message it imparted.
Harry had chosen the children's story of the "Little Drummer Boy" and Ron had chosen "Frosty the Snowman". Many of the wizards and witches who were unfamiliar with the muggle stories had chosen children's stories, but Hermione had been mildly surprised when Draco Malfoy had chosen the "Nutcracker". She had said nothing, but he surprised her by whispering that he had seen the ballet. From time to time she still had problems believing that they were no longer enemies, but tentative friends. She whispered back that it was a favorite ballet of hers. Professor Greene asked, "Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, do you have something to share with the class?" At the shake of their heads, he went on, "I thought not. Please pay attention and stop whispering. Five points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin." Embarrassed red crept into her cheeks while a sly smirk appeared on his face.
After class she joined her friend Ginny at the Gryffindor table for lunch. Ginny was sitting back to back over their shoulders with Luna who was at the Ravenclaw table. Neville sat next to Ginny and tried to flirt with Luna. When addressed by either girl his ears turned a lovely shade of beet red. For a man who had whacked off the head of that nasty snake, he still had little bravery where girls were involved. Hermione told the girls which stories Harry and Ron had chosen and was greeted by rolling six eyes from the three companions. "Which story did you choose, Neville?" asked Luna.
Jokingly he responded, "Well, I thought maybe 'Snow White'."
Before he could finish Ginny butted in, "That's not a winter or Christmas story!"
"It wasn't even an option," he continued, "so I chose the story of the opera, 'Amahl and the Night Visitors'. It is by Gian Carlo Menotti was done for American television originally.
"I like that one," responded Hermione. "Not many are aware of it even in the muggle world." She smiled and added, "I would like to have it on DVD if it comes out.*"
"Your collection of DVDs and CDs rivals your personal library," Neville stated. "Where do you store it?"
"I have become quite adept with the undetectable extension charm and various permutations and combinations thereof," laughed Hermione.
"You got extra credit for that in charms from Professor Flitwick, didn't you?" asked Luna.
Pleased that someone knew, but still trying to be humble rather than proud, she answered, "Yes, he said that he was going to recommend extra points when I take my N.E.W.T.s."
After lunch, Hermione returned to the Head's Dorm to put away the morning's books. She thought she would read for a while since she had a free period after lunch and before her next class. Turning at the sound of footsteps, she saw Draco enter the Common Room behind her. "So you saw the 'Nutcracker' ballet," she said. "Where was that? Or better, when was that?"
Setting his book bag on the nearest chair he replied, "The Christmas before I started Hogwarts Father had business in New York City and took Mother and me along as a treat. We spent the entire week before and after Christmas there and saw plays and shows and all that in the evenings. The museums and galleries were wonderful as well. We did all the muggle touristy things, but please don't let anyone know."
"I am surprised. I really cannot imagine Lucius Malfoy hanging out in muggle any city. It just seems against type. On the other hand, your mother seems the type to fit in easily in any cosmopolitan clime."
"Don't judge books by their cover, Granger," he smirked. "Father discovered culture crosses all realms and that is why we have so many of the famous muggle painters hanging at the Manor."
"The artists or their paintings?" she queried. "Just joking, Malfoy. Don't get your knickers in a knot."
"Don't get me wrong," Draco explained. "He likes the music, art, theatre and literature. He just doesn't like to think that they can also be good at magic." He looked at her chocolate eyes and thought how beautiful they were. "What are you going to do over the holidays?"
He was surprised at the change in her countenance and the sad look that crept into her eyes. "I will have to remain here."
"You aren't going home? What about Potter or Weasley? Do you not have anyone else to spend the break with?" The questions fell from his mouth in cascades.
"Harry is going to Weasley's since he and Ginny are going to be engaged and Ron is his best friend. There is no one at my home. There is no one else," she answered quietly, choking back a tear or two.
"I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't mean to make you sad."
"You couldn't know. Hardly anyone knows what happened to my parents."
"I know somebody said that they weren't here anymore. Where did they go?"He asked hoping she would say they were fine.
"Let's sit," Hermione said quietly. After taking a chair across the table from where he took a seat, she drew a deep breath and said, "When Harry, Ron and I were preparing to go on the great horcrux hunt, I knew they would be targets. I obliviated them and sent them to Australia. They no longer know that they have a daughter. Kingsley sent Aurors to find them, but there has been no trace of the Wilkes'." A tear welled up in her throat. "After we opened the Chamber of Secrets during the final battle, Ron and I kissed in the heat of the moment. We both decided it was like kissing a sibling, so there is no Ron and Hermione. Harry is going to propose to Ginny, so I don't want to go to the Burrow and be in the way of the excitement and celebration." She had blurted out the previous statements hurriedly, and then added sadly and quietly, "I would just be a wet blanket on the fun."
He ran his fingers through his long blonde hair in order to give himself a chance to think. "I knew that things had been rough, just not how rough for you. Do you think that they will find your parents?"
Hermione shook her head and whispered, "No." Her tone was sad as though she had given up hope. "What are you doing for the holidays?" she asked changing the subject.
"With Father in Azkaban, Mother and I were going to go away. Too many bad memories here," he added. "She can stay at any of the family estates as long as she checks out with the Ministry here, floos directly to the new Ministry and checks in. This is an advantage of being a wealthy witch under house arrest. She has a lot of houses to be arrested in." He gave a small chuckle at his joke. "She is staying here while I am at school. We spent last summer in France."
He watched Hermione for a couple of long moments, then said, "You do know that as the head of Malfoy Enterprises, Ltd. I do have obligations and a lot of work to catch up on over the break. Mother is acting in my stead from home offices and everyone has to come to her. It sounds like we both have boring times ahead."
The next Muggle Studies Class arrived sooner than most of the eighth years wanted it to. Each student was called on in order and asked to give their synopsis orally before turning in the papers. When it was Hermione's turn she rose, cleared her throat, then told the story of sacrifice made by the couple in order to purchase the special desire of their partner. Young Jim's wish was a fob to go with his heirloom watch and Della's was to have combs for her long hair. Della sold her hair to buy the watch fob for Jim and he pawned the watch to buy to combs for her hair. Hermione summed up the moral of the story, a person is willing to give up that which is most dear to them so that the person they love can have their heart's desire.
When she sat down, she knew what she was going to do. Draco had commented from time to time on her computer. She said that she could use it to write as a word processor powered by the energy of the sun stored in its batteries within Hogwarts. It would also play music CDs and show movies from DVDs. She said that she also could use the computer functions to conduct business and research libraries all over the world when she took it to muggle coffee shops, libraries or stayed in muggle hotels. She erased all the personal information and passwords from the laptop, then wrapped it and put it under the large tree in the Great Hall. (Since the war many of the things that had been done within the Houses were being done in the Great Hall as a shared experience and one Christmas tree for the school was part of that new system.)
After class Draco went to the Headmistress' Office instead of returning to the Head's Dorm. He asked Headmistress McGonagall if he could talk with first his mother by floo, then to Minister Shacklebolt. The Headmistress said that it would be fine and placed a privacy spell so that he would not be overheard. When he finished he asked her to listen to what the Minister had to say. The Headmistress agreed to keep his secret until gift giving day on the day before the winter break.
The morning before the break the students packed their trunks for the break and then came down for breakfast. Professor McGonagall asked the teachers to hand out the presents from under the tree so they could be added to the trunks before boarding the train. Since Hermione was not leaving she hadn't bothered to pack. Piles of gifts were given to the students from friends and a glittering crystal snowflake from the staff at Hogwarts. Everyone was told to return to their rooms and bring their trunks to the entry hall where they would be magically transported to the train. The thestral drawn carriages pulled up to the gates to take the students to the train.
When Draco got to the Head's Dorm he found Hermione sitting on the sofa staring at her pile of presents with tears in her eyes. He knelt in front of her and placed an envelope in her lap. He asked her to open it. Inside was a signed letter from the Ministry giving her permission to go with the Malfoys to their home in Australia. "I thought we might start looking for your parents now rather than later," he said. "Mother will act as chaperone."