Author's note: Written for the dramionedrabble christmas challenge. The prompts were: Santa Claus, awkward. Happy early Christmas :)!
Hermione stared in fascination at the scene in front of her.
From December 21st to the 24th, the Ministry held Christmas festivities to 'get into the spirit.' Personally, Hermione thought it was a thinly disguised attempt for the older Ministry members to get a little tipsy and have an excuse for it. She had endured awful Secret Santa gift-giving exchanges, ranging from awful to just-have-to-laugh-it-off gifts. She'd played, "Pin the Tail on the Reindeer" too many times to count, and magical chairs where she'd been groped 'accidentally.' Although she would admit that in those occasions, their, ahem, privates, wouldn't be rising anytime too quickly.
Now, however, she thought the Ministry had gone just a little bit around the bend. No, scratch that. They were that far around the bend, they couldn't even see it anymore. Currently, Gregory Goyle was sat on a large chair, dressed as Santa Clause. Complete with hat, coat, reindeer, and elves – she identified two of them as Lavender and Padma at this point.
There was a line of at least 50 giggling witches waiting to sit on 'Santa's Lap,' and tell him their Christmas wish. She stared in revulsion at the line. Gregory Goyle? As Santa Clause? She shuddered delicately in disgust and turned away from the sight in front of her.
"Well, Granger, did I miss your Christmas wish already?"
Hermione turned to see Draco leant against a pillar barely an arms-reach away from her, and eyeing the line. "No actually," she gave a delicate sniff, "I can safely say that this is one Christmas event that I'm going to have to delicately decline."
He smirked at her. "Pity that, Granger. I was really looking forward to hearing it as well."
"Sorry about that." She gave an insincere smile and made to move past him.
"Also a pity, because it's mandatory."
She turned back to face him. "What do you mean, mandatory?" She snapped.
"Well, it means that you have to do it-"
"I know the definition, Malfoy. What I'm asking is why and who made it mandatory?"
He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "Oh, right!" He smiled. "It was me."
She spluttered at him. "Why?"
"A little festivity?" He smiled innocently. "Speaking of which, looks like it's your turn!" He grabbed her elbow and dragger her to the front of the line, ignoring the protests from the next witch in line, leading her right up to Goyle, and pushing her on his lap.
Hermione spluttered in shock, and closed her eyes in mortification. She was sitting on Goyle's lap, in front of a large amount of Ministry employees.
"Come on love, we haven't got all day, open your eyes and tell Santa your wish!" Boomed Gregory in an attempt at Santa's deep baritone.
She scowled and opened her eyes. "I wish that I was off your lap, and in my office, doing my work." She ground her teeth in frustration as his arms were still wrapped around her waist.
"That won't work, sweetheart."
Hermione groaned in annoyance, why must things be so awkward?
"Is there anyone special in your life that you'd like to notice you?" He gave her a leering grin.
Hermione appeared to ponder for a second. "Yes actually." She beckoned for him to lean closer, and he bent his ear to her mouth. "If you don't let go of me in one second, you're going to suffer a very unfortunate accident down there." She indicated with her head towards his crotch.
"Ahem!" He squeaked. "I mean, ahem." He tried to lower his voice again. "Alright, I'll try and grant that for Christmas, off you go!"
His arms disappeared from around her waist, and she finally stood up, glaring dangerously at him. She made her way over to the lifts, back to where that traitor stood, with the ever present smirk still on his face.
"Happy?" She spoke through gritted teeth. The empty lift opened and she stepped inside, Draco following her.
"Not quite."
The elevator started moving. Hermione stared at him, one eyebrow raised, waiting for him to clarify. He took another step over to her, his face two inches away from hers, and he reached around her, pressing the emergency stop button. The lift juddered to a halt.
"What are you doing?" She asked incredulously.
He wagged his finger at her. "You still didn't tell Santa what you wanted."
"I don't want anything, Malfoy." She shivered at the glint in his eyes.
"Sure you're not lying, Granger?" He smiled dangerously.
"Of course not. There's nothing I want for Christmas." She sighed in exasperation, and reached around to restart the lift. He quickly placed his hand on the button, preventing her from restarting the lift.
"Well, don't you want to hear what I want?" He whispered huskily in her ear.
She shivered at the feel of his breath against her ear and turned back to face him. "Is it going to get this lift start working again?" She inquired snarkily.
"It just might." He grinned at her and reached to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
She gulped. "Well?" She whispered, too aware of his proximity to her.
He leaned around, moving so that his mouth was right next to her ear, and lightly kissed her ear lobe. He took his hand off the button and moved it to her waist, moving his other hand to her lower back, and pulling her flush against his body. "I just want one thing for Christmas." He kissed the edge of her jaw, right underneath. She moaned. He deposited butterfly kissed, sliding along her jaw, and reached her mouth, kissing the corner. He leant back slightly, noting with satisfaction the little hitch of her breath, and her dilated pupils.
She wound her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his ear. "Well, what do you want?" She whispered huskily. She placed a feather-light kiss underneath the hollow of his ear, and softly placed kisses on his jawbone, back to his mouth.
"You tell me first." He grinned softly against her lips, and pulled away slightly to look at her.
"I wish, that you would start kissing me again," she whispered, emboldened by the glint in his eyes, the flush of red along his cheekbones, and his slight pants.
"I wish, just for you, Granger." He whispered harshly, turning his face to the side to fully capture her lips with his own.
"What is taking so long today with the lifts?" Gregory grumbled. "Damned awkward things, you can never get one when you want it. All I want for Christmas is for the bloody lift to work!"
Wow! This plot bunny just escaped (I blame it partially on exams)! I really hope you liked it, and Happy Early Christmas! Reviews are fantastic gifts :)!