Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of it's affiliates.

Housekeeping: One: I apologise for the format, usually I have the format perfect, but today this chapter just doesn't want to work with me, so it's either this, or all bunched together, and frankly I think this is best, I will endeavour to make sure that future chapters are not like this. I hope everyone can overlook it in the meantime, and just enjoy the story.

Two: Thank you to Demma Lova, who asked me to write this, gave me an awesome prompt, and also edited! Most appreciated, and I really hope you enjoy the rest of this story (when I get around to writing it.)

Three: As always, updates on any chaptered story will be erractic - No they will not be years in between! That I promise you. But they will not be weekly, or fortnightly, usually - you never know I may get on a roll.

Four: This is AU. And I have not written a HP fanfic in a long time, so I apologise in advance.

Five: Any questions, comments, concerns are more than welcome. :D

Six: I really hope you enjoy this. :D

Chapter one.

Hermione watched in growing disbelief at the rate in which her work in-tray was piling up. She could feel the brown strands of bushy hair fall off her head due to the stress.

She clenched her recently clipped nails into the wood of her desk with frustration.

"Why? Why, why, why, WHY! Do people leave their work till the last minute!" Her voice became shriller with each 'why.'

Hermione worked in the Ministry under the Department for the Care of Magical Creatures. Being a relatively new department, there was a lot of general (and boring) housekeeping to take care of. Many of those in the older departments had been set in their ways and found it hard to adjust (re: didn't want to!) to a new set of rules that upset the old system.

Obviously, this resentment had been growing without Hermione knowing. And now, a couple of days out from the Christmas break here she was with what could be construed as months of work.

She felt like crying.

She had been looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas. She even had it all planned.

Finish all work by December 23rd. December 24th would be for wrapping presents. She would spend Christmas Eve cuddling up with Crookshanks in front of her roaring fire with a hot chocolate watching her favourite movies from both the Muggle and Wizarding world.

The 25th would consist of spending the day with her Mum and Dad. On Boxing Day she would then spend with the Weasleys and the extended family (Harry.) Where she would no doubt be coerced into staying until New Years where she would join them in the festivities. (Normally she would invite her parents but since they were getting a very nice cruise from her for Christmas she suspected they couldn't accept regardless.)

Unfortunately, her carefully constructed plan had now gone up in smoke. She turned her eyes on the foreboding pile of papers and wished they would go up in smoke. And flame.

Her diary, one that Harry had bought her as a joke for Christmas last year as a reminder that she was the only one of their acquaintance that would ever use one, lay open with her plan written in neatly and with festivity. It was mocking her with it's deficiency.

She could hear it's words now "Did you really think that despite the time of year and how neatly everything is written in that diary, that you would really be able to enjoy this miserable time of year?"

Yes she did.

"I thought you were meant to be smart?"

Harry had a penchant for picking out mean, talking diaries, ones that sounded familiar too.

It wasn't till Hermione noticed the hand waving in her face that she realized the diary Harry had given her hadn't been talking. She had been answering the questions of Ginny who had arrived in her doorway.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked warily looking at the diary Hermione had been glaring at potently. "Maybe Dad should look at it?" She sat down on the edge of Hermione's desk and crossed her legs.

Hermione smiled at that and finally turned to look at her friend. "No, no it's fine. It's just-" She gestured a hand to her left and the towering stack of work she had.

Ginny's mouth dropped open, "What the hell is all of that? Don't tell me you have to sort all that out?" Before Hermione could dive into a detailed
explanation of just how that monster pile of work had appeared at her desk, Ginny had already leapt up from the desk, marched towards the door, flung it open, and walked out.

Hermione sighed, Ginny loved Christmas, it was her favourite holiday. She had said everything good had happened to her around Christmas. So Hermione had no doubt that this amount of work had put a serious dent in whatever she was planning.

She reached for one of the many unopened envelopes when Ginny came marching back to the doorway puffing heavily with her anger, "Don't even think of opening any one of those!" She enunciated each word and poked her finger out in warning before turning on her heel and marching back out.

Hermione laughed as she paused in opening the seal of the envelope. She heard a commotion down the hallway and strained her ears to listen, "Don't you dare let her do any of that work! You know she hates leaving things unfinished and once she starts she won't ever stop. Go! Go!"

"I never thought there would be a day where I was taking directions from a Weasley." Hermione grinned at the familiar drawl that came down the corridor towards her office. Draco was back.

"God, no wonder she has so much work, these photos are so distracting." Hermione held in a giggle. The photos were of many magical creatures that had been submitted to indecent acts of violence, torture and disfigurement. Draco often noted the pictures and made comments that would scandalise the rest of her work mates. Some of her favourites included:

"Is that you Dawes? It's not?...Really?"

"Doesn't that look like great fun? I mean take out the pliers and we would all have a jolly good time."

"Doesn't that brander have any taste? What a boring symbol, I mean what's that...Granger? Who was that Muggle that had those two stupid lines? This is even worse than him! What happened to creativity!"

"Oh Dawes! Your daughter must have had a great time at this camp. Or is that you again? You know I can never tell. You should really shell out for better cameras, I mean what are people going to think? These photo's are only half-rate. The picture is not even clear!"

She saw his shadow outline through the frosted glass window she had, He had stopped outside her secretaries office. Draco knew that Dawes hated him, it was a mutual thing, Hermione had know idea why they disliked each other so much. Draco made every effort to antagonize him, and usually (meaning always) he came away the victor in their squabbles.

"Dawes! How are things? Wife leave you yet?"

"Malfoy, things would be better if you had just died."

"So she has left you? My Condolences. I have a lovely fruit basket given to me from the Amazon witch doctor. Do you like Papaya?"

There was a silence, Hermione held in her giggles, she could imagine the puce colour on Dawes' face. She waited for the inevitable blow up.

"Come come now old boy. I don't have a lot of time, it's a simple question, do you or do you not like Papaya?"

There was still no answer, Hermione heard shuffling of papers as Dawes tried to ignore the figure leaning in his door way. Hermione could feel the smirk on Draco's face fighting to get out.

"Oh... I see. Your wife must like Papaya. Well in that case how about-"

"I don't have a wife you ignoramus! I don't care about fruit! Just go and die you disease!"

Hermione stifled her laughter with a fist in her mouth. She heard the chair scrape backwards and Dawes' puffing from his exertion.

"I was just going to suggest coconut's but if you feel that strongly aboutfruit well how about...Celery?"

There was a short pause followed by a loud screech of frustration. Hermione heard the door close and something shatter on it. The jaunty footsteps came her way and stopped outside her door. She got the cursory double knock before the door was thrust open and slammed closed.

Draco's delighted smirk came into view as the door shut, "Hey baby, miss me?"

She shook her head smiling. "You shouldn't have done that."

Draco scoffed loudly as he strode around her office fiddling with one of the many envelopes left for her to sort through, "Please, he was the one who said 'I want a wife,' and then burst into tears."

Hermione stood up from her chair, "He was drunk at that Christmas party, and you took advantage of it."

He turned around from the photo of Harry and Ron he was defacing on her Mantelpiece. "I was trying to help him, I hadn't gotten him anything for
Christmas so I asked him what he wanted.

As he turned back to the photo Hermione moved closer to him exasperated, "You set him up with Millicent! Millicent Bulstrode! "

There was a pause and Draco turned around. Hermione could see one of Harry's eyes scuttle towards his neck. "I thought they would make a beautiful couple."

Hermione scoffed loudly. Millicent Bulstrode was at least three heads tallerthan Dawes, and twice as wide. She met Draco's eyes as he turned around, his innocent look melted into a quirk of his lips into the smirk he reserved for her.

He held his arms open and she went into them. "I did miss you." She squeezed him tight and inhaled in his scent and warmth. He squeezed her back. "Good."

"This is unacceptable!"

Blaise watched the tirade of the red-head in front of him continue. She was uncaring that important members of the American, Australian, European, African, Pacific and Asian Ministries were currently sitting next to him watching her with varying degrees of shock.

"I have spent months Blaise! Not days, not weeks, but months preparing for this, and I'll be damned if some lazy, old, angry, misogynistic, ungrateful, resentful, ignorant-"

One of delegates awed that this woman would not only address the Minister by his given name, but would launch a tirade towards him. He leaned in towards a mate sitting next to him and tried to whisper quietly "Do you think she's pregnant?"

There were glares from all the women in the room. Some of the men shot him warning looks and others just put their heads in their hands with resign.

The room was silent. The raging red-head had stopped talking, her fists were clenched at her sides. Those that sat next to the man who had spoken leaned away from their friend.

"Traitors!" He yelped quietly as the woman turned she look in the general direction of his voice, everyone on either side pointed at him.

He looked at them shocked by their desertion. "I jus- uh, I…" he stuttered bringing his hands up to his neck as she glared him. He turned to look at the Minister for help however he was looking far more menacing than the girl.

The red head swing around, her pale pink skirt followed the movement. "Blaise?"

There was a pause where everyone in the room held their breath. He lifted a finger from the desk and motioned for everyone to leave.

As quietly and quickly as it was allowed, all the delegates left the room, the bodyguards followed, Blaise motioned to his own and they bent down as he whispered instructions. The were the last to leave Ginny and Blaise alone in the large meeting room.

"It's not that obvious is it?" Ginny asked fearfully and gently pressed the wool of her turtleneck to her stomach that revealed nothing.

Blaise smiled, "No darling, you don't look pregnant, but that was one impressive rant." She raised an eyebrow and he returned it.

Blaise pushed back from the large desk and motioned to his lap. She smiled and moved around the tables to sit down. "Now, wife." He sighed and smelt her hair as she got comfortable sitting sideways. "Do continue, I was most enraptured."

She snorted but nevertheless continued as he laid a large, warm, long-fingered hand on her belly. "You should see the amount of work she has. It's crazy, and unfair. And you know once she starts she won't stop till she finishes! It's easily enough work to last her through all of the holidays! And she really deserves a holiday, as do we all."

She was snuggling into her husband as he took in all her words. "I really wanted us all to enjoy this Christmas, relax. Especially us since Mum is going to go nuts." She added dryly. Blaise chuckled.

Molly Weasley had made no bones about wanting Ginny pregnant as quickly as possible. Blaise had no problem with agreeing with it, however his main goal in life was to make his wife as sublimely happy as possible. And that included complying with her wishes to decide when she wanted to get pregnant. Not when her mother demanded it. They had, like many, held off during the war much to Molly's consternation. However Blaise had put his foot down, and had been joined by the rest of the Weasley clan. He did want children, but he also wanted his wife safe.

The baby currently enjoying itself in Ginny's womb had been a slight surprise, they had stopped birth control only a couple of weeks ago, and lo and behold, here she was a week or two into their first pregnancy. They had decided to not tell anyone until after Christmas and let that furor die down.

It had been just down the hall in his office when she had told him. He had been going over his notes for one of the hearings he had to go to when she had been let in by one of the guards. She had solemnly asked Nott to vacate the room as she had something very important to discuss with her husband. The seriousness of her tone, features and the fact she had used the word "husband" not 'minister' had Nott out of there faster than a Firebolt.

She had tortured him mercilessly before she finally spilt the beans. Nott and the rest of the guards had burst in when they had heard her cry but had only found her being hugged and twirled around in delight.

No one but the two of them, and Nott knew. Nott being assigned now to protect the Minister's wife had to know the details and had acquiesced rapidly to go under the unbreakable vow to keep his silence on the matter.

Ginny knew that their secret would be a hard one to keep, which was why she had decided for this Christmas to invite those whom she could trust on a holiday. Like she said, she had been planning for months. Looking for the right place to stay, what was the best time to go, what the prices were, who would be coming. She had finally hashed out all the details, made sure everyone could go but didn't know about it, had told all the parents and had made sure the trip would be the most relaxing time they would ever have.

And now, due to the ridiculous attitudes of the other departments in the ministry, her plans were derailing fast.

"Blaise, you have to do something! Anything!"

"Anything?" Blaise brought a hand to his chin making Ginny laugh.

She pushed at his chest lightly, "Please Blaise."

He sat pensively for a moment. Ginny could hear the cogs in his brilliant brain turn. "Malfoy's back yes?"

Ginny nodded, "He was going down the corridor to see her when I met him, I encouraged him gently to make sure she didn't work."

Blaise knew gentle encouragement was not something his wife had, nor promoted. "I hate to break it to you darling, but Draco knows about the trip."

"What?" She met his eyes dismayed. "But you promised you wouldn't tell him!"

He wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed her head. "I know I did, but he wanted to work and refused to say no unless I gave him a good reason. You know he's impossible to lie to, why else would I employ him." He snickered delicately, enjoying one of the few insults he managed to get in about his friend.

"What kind of lunatic wants to work on Christmas?" Ginny asked indignantly to no-one in particular. Blaise didn't answer and allowed her to continue her tirade. The heat was off him and that was all that mattered.

"Honestly, you'd think he'd want to spend time with his friends," Ginny huffed. Blaise conveniently forgot to mention that of the few friends Draco
Malfoy had, most of them were either in Azkaban, in hiding, or going to the Weasleys. Where he was definitely not invited.

Arthur still held a grudge against Lucius Malfoy, and while he respected the help Draco had been in the War, the two of them had come to a silent
understanding. Try to avoid one another at all costs.

It doesn't matter at this point what Draco's Christmas habits are. He is coming, and he will no doubt coerce Hermione into coming as well."

"With no work?" Ginny asked peevishly.

Blaise let out a boisterous laugh, "Hermione will find a way to sneak some in and Draco will enjoy himself by burning it in front of her, have no fear my dear. They will both enjoy this holiday.

"I can't believe you poisoned the water supply of three villages. Draco! Stop fiddling with Harry's nose!

The sigh the echoed in Hermione's office was one of suffering, as though not being able to dismember Harry's face was something of great joy and
importance.

"Really Granger, it's not as if I did it on purpose. The nose is just begging for it!"

"Draco!" Hermione hissed out his name in annoyance. His nonchalance in poisoning three villages of witches and wizards, that the ministry needed to assure all was well, was grating upon her psyche.

He smirked at the picture of Harry and Ron. The two in the picture were glaring up at him as best they could. He had moved their mouths to where their noses were supposed to go. Ron had an arm coming out of his ear with one eye in the palm. His nose had completely disappeared. Harry had one eye in the middle of his forehead and the other on his cheek. His nose was dangling by a thread from where his mouth had currently taken up occupancy.

"You worry too much, chocolate!, I apologized naturally and had them all cured, enjoyed a couple of shags with the Chiefs daughter, made sure they believed the ministry was doing things in their best interests and came home. Piece of cake."

Hermione ignored being called a piece of confectionary, and tried hard to believe that he didn't shag anyone on his trip. She reached for the envelope Ginny had forbidden her to open, it was quickly slapped out of her hands. "Malfoy!"

"Oh, last name! Should I watch my cheek?" He asked trying to make her laugh with the double entendre.

He succeeded. Remembering him holding his cheek in third year was enough to make her at least crack a grin. He nudged his head gently and she obliged by moving out of her large chair. The one he had decided to give her for her birthday two years ago. He sat down and got comfortable. "Alright." he said finally and Hermione sat sideways with her knees over the armrest. He anchored her back against his arm which enabled them to see each other.

"Too much chocolate, chocolate?"

She wiggled around painfully in his lap and he winced, "Made your point dear."

He reached over her for the envelope and opened it. "Dear Granger, blah blah blah. I don't really care about magical creatures, blah blah blah. My work is far more important, blah blah blah. I just found out my girlfriends a lesbian, blah - Really? Well not surprising for one and two she's not really your girl now is she mate? Blah Blah. Since I no longer have anyone will you be my crazy shag bunny? Blah - Now Granger was that really necessary? I may have a paper cut!"

Hermione had grabbed the note out of his hands with a shriek, "It does not say that!"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "But you believed everything else?" She ignored him and scanned the letter. She got about halfway before it was snatched out of her hands, "Hey!"

"I bet the lesbian shagged Dawes too, poor thing, no wonder she's decided to get a machine to do all the work for her."

Being several inches taller than Hermione, Draco was able to keep the letter out of her grasp by using one arm to raise it up and the other to lock her waist to his. "Draco I need to work!"

"And I need to know what you're doing for Christmas but you don't see me hurting you to do so!" He gave a grunt of pain which made Hermione gasp and stop struggling.

"Are you alright?" She asked clutching at his shirt. "I didn't, you know?" She broke off awkwardly and gestured to his privates.

Draco let out a laugh, "Trust me Granger had that happened, the floor would be most delighted." She furrowed her brow in confusion. "The floor would see your bum up close, keep up Granger!"

She rolled her eyes and sat back carefully, "As you can see Malfoy I am working this Christmas." Her tone was despondent and she waved a hand in the direction of the tower of terror.

"And here I thought you were wrapping presents, sitting by the fire with - Granger you actually wrote that in your planner?" His mocking laughter continued ever though she grappled the diary out of his hands. "Give me that!" She growled. He stopped laughing and smiled down at her.

"As fun as all that sounds, how about," he brushed some strands of hair out of her face, "you join the rest of us for a nice relaxing holiday."

"Sounds delightful," Hermione grinned resisting the urge to stretch out like a cat, "but I can't I have-"

"Granger notice how my voice didn't go up at the end? Not a question. You are coming."

She raised an eyebrow and he lifted his hand apologetically, "I'm just the messenger, Weasley's the one who planned the whole thing. She and Blaise decided that we all needed to go to the middle of nowhere to relax. Not my idea of a holiday but nevertheless we have been summoned."

"I'm afraid to ask what your idea of a holiday is, and are you ever going to stop calling her by her maiden name. Ginny is a Zabini now."

"Don't change the subject, and a holiday for me? At home, never having to leave bed. And no."

There was a sudden knock on the door, the two of them stopped their banter and shouted, "Enter."

Blaise and Ginny walked in, "I thought it was Hermione's office?" Blaise asked with a grin. Draco returned it and motioned to the chairs. "Come, sit."

"Comfortable?" Ginny asked coquettishly, referring to Hermione still being on Draco's lap. She was rewarded with a peevish look.

"What's this about a holiday I know nothing about? Somewhere in the middle of no where, and apparently I have to go?"

Draco nodded, "The lady wants us all to go, and I don't go if you don't. Oh! Granger say no. Think of it. You, me, and my favourite holiday." He waggled his eyebrows at her and Hermione smiled helplessly.

"Oh no you don't! You are both coming, even if I have to drag you myself. Don't think I won't. And I can't believe you told her!" Ginny turned red with frustration.

"Calm down Mistress of Blaise," The Minister sputtered at this. "You told me to get her there. I mean have you seen her diary, look at what I'm working with, I had to tell her!" He tried to offer the planner to the couple in front of them but was stopped by a blushing Hermione.

Ginny grit her teeth, "I told you to make sure she didn't work, not to tell her about the whole damn thing! It was meant to be a surprise."

"Well I didn't get a surprise!" Draco pouted.

"And who's fault is that!" Ginny snarled at him, Blaise held her back gently by the elbows and shook his head at Draco's impudence.

"I think they're angry at me." Draco spoke to Hermione matter-of-factly. She looked as exasperated as Blaise and Ginny did.

Blaise rolled his eyes, "I don't know how you put up with him Hermione." Hermione shrugged her shoulders and went to speak but was interrupted.

Draco's smirk was malicious. "Well I did recently hear that I am a terrific shag," He suddenly frowned, "at least I think that was it, I mean they don't really give their women a great education, even her - and she's the Chiefs daughter!"

Blaise looked horrified. "You didn't!"

Draco examined his nails., "Well if you had been there, like they had asked of you instead of sending me. You would know for sure then wouldn't you?"

The Zabini's stood there mouths agape. Draco mock sighed, "I told you not to send me, but would you listen?" He shook his head in the negative and mouthed 'no.'

Hermione tried to silently send a message to the no doubt enraged Minister. 'Please don't kill him, please don't kill him.'

Draco wrapped his arms tighter around Hermione, "Well? Don't just stand there. Clean up my mess."

Blaise closed his mouth and let out a puff of air. One hand gripped the arm of his snarling wife who was trying to climb over Hermione's desk to strangle the blonde shouting obscenities and things like "You know how important this was," and "Is your pecker that small that you have to make up for it?"

The other arm was lifted up and Blaise rubbed his temples knowing (hoping) Draco was only playing with him.

"Granger, Malfoy, get as much of this work done as possible. I want to see you both bright and early here on the 26th ready for the Portkey. No exceptions. Pack lightly." He spoke sternly to both of them.

Hermione blushed realizing he meant little books and nodded meekly, he was using his Minister's tone. Draco had sometimes mocked it calling it a "Steal of Molly Weasley's." Draco waved his hand agreeing to the early rise.

Blaise laid a hand on Ginny's back and gently led her out the door. She was still yelling down the corridor as they left.

Draco tilted his head to lay it gently on Hermione's. "Now Granger, that is a beautiful couple."