Merry Christmas, Granger.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; it was J.K. Rowling's fantastic idea.

He wandered around the streets of Diagon Alley aimlessly. It was Christmas and snow was falling tick and fast. It settled on the ground, piling up gently so it was at least a foot deep. The streets were empty, of course- who would be walking around the streets alone when it's Christmas? - apart from him. The Malfoys were never one of Christmas,, with Narcissa tucked away in Azkaban and Lucius dead, Christmas was probably the loneliest time ever for him.

Lucius Malfoy. Draco winced. Lucius had gotten himself killed in the Final Battle. After Voldemort died in the hands of Harry Potter's Expelliarmus, Lucius had let out a scream of mirth before directing his wand at the Boy Who Lived. Before Potter could so much as look up, a Killing Curse was sent directly to his heart. Minerva McGonagall reacted at once, slashing her wand through the air and Lucius was dead quicker than you could say 'Quidditch'. This created an expected uproar and Narcissa grabbed her son before slipping out of sight. They didn't get very far, however, and were called for an official hearing barely 3 days after. Since there was no Potter to confirm that Narcissa had, in fact, saved the Chosen One's life, she was given the full punishment- lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban. Though Draco hated to admit it, he doubted his mother would last 5 years there. And Draco's reason for not being chucked into prison too? He was a boy. Just a boy, barely grazing the age boundary of a man. According to the Wizengamot, he and no choice.

'I had a choice.' He had thought bitterly. 'But my choice was to save my family.'

So, here he was. Strolling around an empty street in the freezing snow. He knew his skin was paler than it already was, he could feel his breath hitching from the cold. He had checked the time before he came out. 9:00 pm. It was now past 11. He had been out for over 2 hours. It felt like forever.

That was when he spotted her. Hermione Granger. She was sitting on a bench by herself, her cheeks pink; her nose red; her lips slowly turning blue; a thin, soft layer of snow coating over her. Her head was bowed, her eyes focusing on absolutely nothing.

The war had not done her any good. Though her hair was expected to be tamed through her years she grew, it had not. Her was bushier and longer, barely hidden by her hood. Her eyes were still that deep brown but it had lost its spark. It was blank and dead, as if staring but not seeing. Under her eyes were dark eye bags, which looked more visible on her recently paled skin. Her mouth was curved into what looked like a permanent frown. In the cold- and Draco shuddered to admit it-, she looked like an angel. A beautiful, broken angel.

He knew Ron Weasley was killed in the Battle. Before Potter and Voldemort died. It was printed all over Wizarding news- numerous headlines for months in the Daily Prophet; hell, even that lunatic magazine, The Quibbler, printed several articles on it. He also knew that she was not doing well at all since then. The moment the War was over, she detached herself from everything. The Golden Trio was no more; only one left of them, and yet it seemed like the world had lost her too. She stopped talking to family and friends. She did not show up for public appearances and obligations. She did not meet up with anybody, nor speak to anyone. She didn't even return to repeat her 7th year at Hogwarts, though everyone thought this would finally snap her out of her dazed, most unlike herself trance.

Hesitantly, almost unwillingly, he approached her. He did not say a word, only casting a non-verbal spell to wipe the snow off before taking a seat on the bench.

'Hello.' She whispered, not glancing up.

He only nodded in acknowledgement.

There was a silence before she broke it in a hoarse, low voice. 'Are you going to hurt me?'

'What? No-'

'Please don't hut me.' She whispered in a soft tone. She sounded so scared. Vulnerable.

He inwardly cringed. How... strange it was to see her like this. He was used to brave, confident, witty, and annoying Granger. 'I'm not going to hurt you.'

He could see her icy breath of relief from her and, for the first time, she looked up, saying blankly 'Malfoy?'

He conjured a smirk; his mouth aching as he did the familiar action that he had not done in quite a while. 'The very same.'

Something flashed across her face- anger, perhaps- that reminded him of the old Granger. The one he used to hate. But, as quick as it came, it went, leaving him back with this new timid ghost-of-a-girl. 'Oh.'

He wrapped his coat around him tightly as a particular cold breeze kicked up. 'What, no happy greeting?'

She flinched slightly, something that didn't go unnoticed by him. She shook her head slowly.

'Why are you here?' He asked, more out of curiosity than his ability to care.

She shrugged, her face drooping considerably.

'Ah, come on.' He coaxed. 'I thought you'd be celebrating with the Weasels by now.'

Her eyes pooled with tears. She turned away.

'Hit a nerve, have I?' He smirked, knowing it was riling her up. But he didn't care. Her wanted to anger someone, for him or her to feel how he was at the moment. Isolated. Abandoned. Lonely. Unwanted. Looked down on. Nothing to the recently happy society.

Her shoulders were shaking but she surprised him by starting to talk. 'Please, don't-'

'And I'm going to listen to you because?' he inquired.

'Stop, please-' Her voice started to waver between small sobs.

'Nope, don't think I will...' He smirked again.

'You said you weren't going to hurt me.' She said desperately.

'Not physically.'

'Because they were his family!' She gasped, bursting out suddenly. Her voice was cracked and croaky from the months she had not uttered a single word. 'They were his, not mine! My connection to them was through him! And I won't be doing them any favours by joining them! You-'

'Granger-'

'Haven't seen them!' A sob caught in her throat. 'Bill's trying to drown his grief with Fleur, Charlie can't face coming back, Percy is piled with guilt over Fred, George is still in his state of mourning and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are put into shock that two of their sons are now dead, not to mention Harry! And Ginny? Poor girl, she's in blooming hysterics! Meanwhile, -'

'I-'

But not she had started she was on a roll. '-I am stuck here! In this pathetic excuse of a better world! With Ron and Harry having left me here! They're probably having a laugh in the afterlife, whilst I am stranded here, trying to cope with them being gone! Do you know how many times I have turned to tell them something, only to remember they're not here anymore? Do you know how much I want to hear one of Ron's sarcastic jokes? Or Harry's comfort? Do know how much I was to hug them both right now? Do you?'

'No, but-'

'Well, you know what? I do. And I also know it hurts like hell. I can't even handle facing any of my friends anymore.' She broke down, sobbing, causing her head to slowly fall forwards and reveal her wild hair.

He gingerly touched her arm. 'Granger-'

She wrenched her arm from his grip, her eyes flashing angrily; the most emotion she had shown in months. 'Shut up, I'm not done!

And then you come waltzing in here, demanding answers from me like we're best friends. Well, I haven't forgotten who you are. You're Draco Sodding Malfoy; the boy who's called me Mudblood for the last 8 years, the boy who took every chance to insult me, the boy who's nose I broke back in 3rd ear, the boy who let the Death Eaters into the castle, the boy who tried to kill Professor Dumbledore, the boy who's father killed my best friend.' The rip of the wind struck across her face like a blunt knife.

He lowered his voice, his smirk dropping. 'Don't you dare talk about my father.'

'Hit a nerve, have I?' She mimicked.

He frowned. 'Look, you didn't have to tell me-'

'What?' She shrieked. 'You manipulated me into telling you, you foul beast!'

'I was only meant to annoy you!' He shouted back, his voice echoing. 'It's not my fault you're so defensive-'

The slap from her hand to his face vibrated loudly in the silent streets. All the anger she had been feeling evaporated into the hit.

'Oh, Godric.' She whispered mortified, staring at her hand. 'I'm sorry...'

'Save the apologies.' He interrupted, barely flinching. It stung a bit when the harsh wind whipped around it but he held her eyes with his. Steely grey met her chocolate brown.

With a sharp intake of cold air and breaking eye contact, she looked away. 'Did you do that on purpose?'

'No.' he said simply. 'I just wanted to annoy you.'

She mumbled something inaudible but he was pretty sure he caught the word 'Ferret.'

'Hey!' He cried in mock-outrage. 'I thought our Hogwarts days were behind us!'

She frowned, retreating back into the shell of her former self. 'Can we please not...'

He sighed loudly and dramatically. 'And I thought normal Granger was back.'

The corner of her mouth twitched upwards a fraction, tugging to form the smallest smile ever but a smile nevertheless. She shuffled slightly closer to him and her arm bumped against his in a timid gesture.

'Malfoy?' Her face was warming.

'Yeah?' He cocked an eyebrow.

'Merry Christmas.'

'Merry Christmas, Granger.'

Thanks for reading! I'm sorry the end was so cheesy, gahhh! Leave a review please, it would mean a lot:)