The click-clack tapping of Hermione's strappy heels were the only sounds that echoed in the empty hallway that night. Her pale hands pulling on her cloak tighter around herself, the red satin gown she had donned for the party serving no protection against the December cold.
It was the first Christmas since the defeat of Voldemort and everyone was in a festive mood. The Great Hall was ostentatiously decorated, reminiscent of the Yule Ball in her fourth year with the charmed snowflakes and ice sculptures.
With the reopening of Hogwarts, Headmistress McGonagall had invited almost everybody to celebrate the merry holiday. The Great Hall was filtered with laughing witches and wizards with glasses of spiked punch. The culprits she knew to be Fred and George, having seen the two standing by the buffet table earlier.
Despite, the constant joyfulness and glee that surrounded her, Hermione had only sat on one of the empty tables, sipping some of that cursed punch as her friends danced with their respective others.
She did not feel very up for Christmas that year and it seemed neither the charmed mistletoe nor the one dance she shared with Seamus (after persistent pleading from him, of course) could do anything to change her sober mood.
As soon as she saw the twins coming towards her table, she had all but grabbed her cloak and purse and ran out of the Great Hall.
Afterwards, she had wandered the castle aimlessly before finding herself in front of the familiar painting of Barnabas the Barmy. She paced to and fro in front of the empty wall before the door to the Room of Requirement appeared. Grasping the doorknob, she quickly entered.
The first thing she saw was the fireplace the room had utilized that not only provided light for and warmed the room but gratefully also heating her chilled skin.
She had slowly moved towards the couch before stopping in her tracks as she noticed the other occupant in the room.
The light coming from the fireplace did no help to reveal the face of her mysterious companion, the shadows hiding his face. She could make out that he was male and simply had on Muggle jeans and a white oxford shirt. Even with how far she was from him, she could deduct that he was quite tall, maybe even a foot taller than her at the least.
"Who are you…?"
He stepped forward the yellow light of the fireplace finally revealing his face.
She gasped.
Grey eyes looked bemusedly at her.
"Now Granger, just calm-"
"CEDRIC! But you're…you're…."
"Dead? Yes, I quite know that."
Hermione stared at him with wide eyes, not comprehending why he smiling at her as if waking up from the grave was an everyday occurrence.
"But, how…?" Her voice trailed off, looking at him pleadingly for answers. She needed answers; nothing was making sense for Merlin's sake!
He sighed before motioning towards the couch and she reluctantly took the seat beside him, her hand fisting the material of her gown in anxiety.
"Listen Granger, I don't really know how this is all possible but they just told me that I was going to be here tonight for somebody."
"Who is they?" she asked.
"I can't tell you." he replied, shaking his head.
"Well, what can you tell me then?" She could feel her frustration growing. She knew she had to be either mad or seriously smashed to be having hallucinations about the late Cedric Diggory of all people.
If it was the latter then she was seriously killing Fred and George the next time she saw them.
"Look, I know, this may be very disconcerting but..." Cedric said. "I sort of have a time limit."
"Time limit?" she repeated.
He nodded. "Some twisted version of a fairytale, I'm only here till midnight."
Things had just gotten stranger. "Are you…are you a ghost?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like a ghost to you, Granger?"
She blushed at the foolishness of her own question. "…No."
His trademark easy smile was back on his face. "I'm fully corporal. Want to see?"
Before she could even think, her hand had grasped one of his biceps and she found that it was warm, hard muscle, the one of a live person.
She withdrew her hand. "But still, this doesn't make sense."
"Always have to know everything, Granger?"
"Yes."
He chuckled to himself. "Of all the people they could have put me with…."
She huffed at his statement and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him and his annoyingly perfect smile. "What happens, now?"
He shrugged. "What do you want to do?"
"Are we just going to sit here all night?"
"Well we could but you'd be just wasting the gift."
"What gift?"
He sighed. "Don't get it yet, Granger? I told you I was sent here for someone, that someone is you."
She almost gapped at him. "And why would they –whoever they are – send you to me?"
He grinned. "To keep you company on this Christmas night."
Before she could make a though to that, he stood up and offered her his hand. She merely stared at him.
"Come on, Granger, where's that infamous Gryffindor courage?"
He was challenging her; she knew it but she was stubborn and he knew she could not help but rise to the challenge.
She placed her hand in his and he effortlessly pulled her to her feet, leading her to the empty space of the room near the Christmas tree she hadn't noticed before.
She swallowed the surprised squeak in her throat when he had tugged her against him, pulling her to his chest. She could smell his scent and she felt blood rush to her cheeks because of their proximity.
She felt a hand on her waist and she let him lead her into a simple dance. Simply swaying side to side to the soft music the room had provided.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
She looked up from the floor and could not help but blush at the look in his grey eyes. It made her skin tingle in a way that no other boy could do before.
Let your heart be light
It was too odd and impossible everything that was happening right now. It had to be a dream, an illusion, or a practical joke by the twins. She wouldn't let it pass them.
"Stop thinking."
"Huh?"
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
"You think too much..." he said. "Just relax."
She stared at him for a moment, eyes searching into his. "Okay."
From now on
Our troubles will be miles away
She rested her head on his shoulder, reveling at the warmth his body provided.
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
"How long…?"
"Just until midnight."
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
She could live with that, just a few hours of him, of him all to herself.
Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow
"Mistletoe."
She looked up and saw that there was indeed mistletoe above them.
And then he kissed her.
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
She couldn't really understand it. Everyone thought he was dead. But for this one special Christmas, he was very much alive and all hers.