A.N. I was in Christmas mood when I started writing it, so it's not the best of my work:)

But since I've written it, I decide to post it as well. Who knows maybe some of you will like it:)

And since English is not my native language I apologize for any grammar/spelling errors you can find here:)

Disclaimer: Sadly those characters belong to J.K.R. :(

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„ Galleon for your thoughts" Harry Potter approached the young woman sitting alone under the window.

Hermione turned her head from the window and smiled at the sight of familiar green eyes hidden behind funny glasses. Harry was never the one to follow the fashion.

„ Too much of festive atmosphere?" she asked moving on the bench on which she sat, making a room for him.

Harry sat down with relief, leaning his back against the wall. From their spot both had a perfect view on the living room in which, around the Christmas tree and the festive table, the entire Weasley's family was crowded.

" A little" Harry admitted lightly shrugging his shoulders, as if stating something what was obvious.

Hermione raised her eyes amazed upon hearing it, she's always been convinced that Harry's and Ginny's marriage was ideal. They both behaved as completely happy and in love. Or rather, as Hermione become aware in that moment, it's Ginny who's happy. Today for the first time she saw the truth that Harry's been hiding for the last five years. And it was so obvious, his slightly blurred look, lowered shoulders and that sorrow always fixed in his features. An identical as the one which was written all over her face.

„ Who are you missing?" Hermione asked impulsively. Harry looked at her shocked.

" I'm sorry it's not my business" Hermione quickly started to withdraw seeing the expression on his face "I only..."

"You're waking up every morning hoping that you'll see someone else's face next to you. You're falling asleep every night thinking what could have been " Harry sadly shook his head.

Hermione nervously bit her lip. " Why did you married Ginny?" she asked

„ And why did you married Ron?" Harry lifted his eyebrows.

This time it's Hermione who shrugged her shoulders

"After the war I didn't want to be alone and Ron loved me.Back then I thought…" Hermione took a deep breath "I thought that with time it would pass , that we would be happy that I'd forget "

„ Ron said that you're thinking about children" Harry said gently

Hermione shrugged.

" No...I...I just can't „ she hidden her face in her hands.

Harry in silence looked at her bowed head.

„I don't want them to have red hair and freckles" her muffled words reached him " It's not the way my children should look "

Harry didn't have an answer to that. Instead he simply enveloped her shoulders with his arm and hugged her .

Hermione laid her head on his chest breathing in familiar since always smell and slowly calmed down. Harry gently stroked her, his unseeing eyes were fixed on cheerful picture of the happy family in the room opposite them.

„ The worst is that I can't make her happy the way she deserves " he admitted bitterly .

"Ginny loves you" Hermione assured him

"I know but she isn't happy" Harry explained "She loves attention, being the guest of honor, balls and interviews"

"And you can't stand that" Hermione completed

"As strongly as you you hate Quiddich" Harry pulled one of her locks jokingly

"Who are you missing?" he asked repeating her prior question

Hermione slip out out from his arms and yet again turned toward the window. Harry could only see her profile .

" Hermione?" he whispered

Hermione closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the pane

"He came to me when I patrolled corridors, on our seventh year, when both of us were Heads" she began, her fingers clenched on her dress " He came to ask me for a chance, because ... because he fell in love with me"

Harry sighed .

„He swore that he and his family wanted to fight for our cause" Hermione wiped away a single tear "I didn't believe him, I said…" she choked a little „ I said that I never again want to see neither him nor his family, " Hermione bit her bottom lip until drops of blood appeared on it " I laughed at him and his confession" she ended whispering

„ Why?" Harry asked „ I mean,you wanted it. For the entire seventh year, since you both decided to work together as Heads you've been waiting for him to make that decision"

" Hermione clenched her eyes shut

" Because I was a coward!" she revealed „ I was afraid what others say, I was afraid that they wouldn't understand"

Hermione opened her eyes and Harry could see her pain and sorrow

„ I can still see, his changed face, I can hear the sound of his steps when he was walking away" Hermione hung her head " And till today I regret those words, my cowardliness " she took another deep breath " That night Death Eaters attacked his home and I've never seen him again . Can you understand?" she asked

Harry nodded his head

"It's on the same night when Draco left "he started „I accused her that she still loves him, I practically demanded from her to choose between him and me"

Hermione flinched. Again her fault, if not for her cowardly act, everyone would be happy. Why wasn't she able to trust her own heart?!

Harry removed his glasses and began wiping them with a scarf

"She asked me what I would do if it was you or Ron….she said… that I of all wizards,should be able to understand what the friendship and loyalty means " he smiled a sad smile „ She had so much fire in herself "

„ And what happened? Hermione asked although she suspected that she already knew all the answers

Harry put glasses on " I was a fool" he explained briefly. I refused to help and I forbidden her to go there"

„ She didn't listen " Hermione stated

Harry smirked „ " She said that she had never been the one to follow the orders" he smiled sadly for his memories. „And the rest you know "

Yes, the entire magic world knew the continuation. Bodies of Draco, Lucius, Narcissia, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle had been found in ruins which had been left of Malfoy Manor. It'd looked like , that Death Eaters had used older Malfoy's to rule young wizards into the trap. Students had died in fight.

Hermione remembered headlines of newspapers:

" The end of Malfoy's!" and " Justice triumph" had been only few of them .

„If only..." she whispered

„ Yes, if only" Harry repeated after her.

Both were too deep in their thoughts to notice a single star shining high in the sky which for a moment glowed almost as brightly as sun…..

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Hermione blinked not knowing what had happened. Only a minute ago she'd been sitting beside Harry , talking about the past and now in a flash she's looking straight into the eyes of the man whom she's been mourning for the past five years .

Her heart fluttered as a bird, and her hand as if being driven by it own willpower rose and rested on his cheek.

„ Draco" she whispered still not believing in what her eyes saw, what her hand felt.

He wasn't an apparition, a vision. His body was warm, she's touching him, she smelt him so familiar distinctly mainly smell.

„ Hermione?" he asked puzzled, only a minute ago her eyes were full of suspicions, and now she was touching him and her marvelous brown eyes emanated with joy.

"Will you trust me?" he asked afraid of a her reply

Hermione swallowed violently, with some miracle they got a second chance. Somebody or something granted her wish.

„Draco" she whispered again as if his name was everything and without hesitation threw herself onto his neck.

It only took Draco a second to shake off from the shock and soon he's returning her hug , still not quiet believing his own luck.

For several dozen seconds they'd stood in each other arms before Hermione reminded what was supposed to happen that night.

„ We have to go Draco!" she shouted pulling out from his arms and grasping his hand "We must find Harry and Pansy, Death Eaters are about to attack Malfoy Manor!"

„ How can you be sure?" Draco responded

„ Trust me!" Hermione said and she drew him toward the hallway in the end witch dark-haired pair stood kissing.

Harry's and Hermione's eyes met. Both knew what they had to do. This time they didn't intend to let Voldermort's servants kill their beloved ones.

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Five years later on the Christmas Eve Hermione's sitting in the comfy armchair and watchein her family.

Knowledge how her life could have looked like caused that she fully appreciated the gift she'd received .

It had taken one good decision to make all of them happier , her, Draco, Harry and Pansy, even Ginny who's making a dazzlingly successful career as a model and Ron fulfilling his dreams about being a professional player .

Life was good.

"Galleon for your thoughts" Harry Potter smiled sitting down next to her

Hermione burst out laughing . It was almost the same, another Christmas Eve and two of them talking. But now both of them were smiling.

„ I'm thinking about how lucky we are" she said looking at her three year old blond little angel who was at the moment sitting on the floor next to his father and playing with one of many toys he had received .

Blond heads of father and son were so close that it wasn't possible to guess where hair of one was ending.Scorpius Lucius Malfoy was a absolutely exceptional child. How otherwise one could explain the fact that he had his dangerous and commanding respect grandpa Lucius wrapped up around his little finger practically from the day of his birth. " A born leader" Daily Prophet already has called him.

Harry examined people gathered in Malfoy Manor.They're now his closest family. Never once he regret the decision he'd made five years ago. Never once he regret trusting those people. It occurred him that Dumbledore had been right all along with his dreams of unity. It was the only thing that could only bring down Voldermort but also save the Wizards World from destroying itself as well.

Almost three year old girl came up to the two of adults with the look of the determination on her child's face.

" Daddy up!" she demanded stretching her tiny shoulders out to him

Harry laughed as he seated his daughter on his knees. Lilian Potter was a person none could ignore. Dressed into a new dress, already slightly cowered with chocolate which she got from her gramma Cissia she looked like the little cherub. Harry smiled, his daughter could look like a cherub but she was stubborn and determined minx just like her parents and when today at the dinner she had announced that in the future she'd marry Scorpius non of adults gathered by the table hadn't have any doubts that this small spitfire would make it .

Harry flinched at the thought. But at the moment his little princess was still only his.

Harry buried his nose in his daughter fragrant hair stared into the dark eyes of his wife .

" You're right Hermione" he whispered "You are absolutely right"

Hermione smiled and got up without the word to join two the most important men of her life.

Lily still sitting on her father's lap turned to the window and smiled widely at the sight of twinkling star hanging high in the sky.

" I like you" she decided

Star blinked in response, almost like twinkle in someone's eye.

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SO???????

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