The following weekend, Harry invited Ron over to discuss their game plan for confronting Malfoy. With Hermione now working at the Ministry and Ron putting in extra time at the joke shop because of the holiday, they had been unable to meet until now to plot their approach. Thoughts of the party had distracted him all week, causing him to fall behind on his work. Malfoy simply had to have an ulterior motive, no matter what Hermione said. Harry wouldn't put it past him to remain under the radar for years as he perfected his plan for revenge.

"Something smells great," Ron remarked as he removed his rucksack and dumped it on the living room floor.

"I told Kreacher you were coming, so he made all of your favorite foods."

The house-elf scuttled over to where they stood and bowed deeply. "Breakfast is ready, young masters."

"Bless you, Kreacher." Ron gratefully patted him on the head. "You really know how to spoil us."

They sat at the table and enthusiastically began to eat. "You're sure Hermione doesn't know you're here?"

"Positive, mate. I left before she woke up." It had been bloody difficult to leave Hermione's warm bed and even harder to pry himself away from her without jarring her awake. "So how do you want to handle this Malfoy situation?"

"I didn't exactly come up with a plan," Harry said apologetically. "I was so caught up in thinking about how the party had to be a trap that I forgot to come up with a strategy."

Ron shrugged. "That's fine. We've broken into Gringotts, Harry. I'm sure we can handle Malfoy. Besides, it's not like we aren't prepared."

He retrieved his rucksack and began unpacking it. It was full of Dark Detectors and Defense Objects from the shop. Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Sneakoscopes, and Decoy Detonators were now scattered on the table along with gloves, hats, and cloaks that were enchanted with a Shield Charm. "It doesn't hurt to have added protection," he said, nodding towards the articles of clothing.

"Brilliant. We mustn't forget this, of course." Harry added his invisibility cloak to the pile. "Plan or no plan, I think we're ready, don't you?"

"I'd say so. It's about damn time that Malfoy finally gets what's coming to him. Let's do it tonight."

"Why don't you come by after you close up the shop? You can have dinner here, unless Hermione is expecting you."

"She is, but it's nothing I can't get out of," he said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "I'll come up with an excuse."

"Make sure it's a good one, preferably not involving me. We don't want her suspecting anything. The last thing we need is-"

Harry was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. "Who could that be?" he wondered. "And at this early hour?"

"You're not expecting anybody?" Ron asked, the look in his eyes was wary as he pulled out his wand.

"No, hardly anyone knows I live here." They cautiously approached the door, wands ready. Harry opened the door and a knot immediately formed at the pit of his stomach. "Hermione."

Hermione took one look at their guilty expressions and quickly surmised that she had caught them doing either something that they most likely aren't supposed to be doing or something that she wasn't supposed to know about. She had a feeling that it was both. She looked from Harry to Ron, who received the brunt of her steely glare.

"I knew you were up to something when you snuck out without saying goodbye!"

It was a safe bet that if Harry had somehow miraculously acquired the skills to practice Legilimency, he would hear Ron conjuring up a storm of profanities.

"I didn't want to wake you?" Ron said feebly.

"Oh, please." Hermione barged inside as Harry and Ron quickly retreated, knowing better than to underestimate her ire. It is certainly a blessing to be friends with the brightest witch of their age, but needless to say, the circumstances would be dire if she was crossed.

"How about some breakfast?" Harry suggested with forced cheer.

She glanced at the bounty of food on the table and grew even more irritated with the pair of them. "Isn't this supposed to be Kreacher's day off?"

"Er, he and I never really discussed which days-"

She caught sight of their equipment. "Just what is going on here?" She answered her own question almost immediately. "This has something to do with Malfoy."

Harry silently swore at Hermione's uncanny ability to connect the dots before he could even form a lie. "And what if it does?" he retorted defensively. "We have every right to find out what he's up to."

"It's simple. He is throwing a Christmas party. Do you two plan on spying on everyone who's in the holiday spirit?"

"Only when it's Malfoy. He wouldn't know what holiday spirit is if it kicked him in the face."

"Aren't you setting a fine example then, with your hatred and prejudice?"

"It's not prejudice when he has proven time and again that he can't be trusted. Why are you so convinced that he has nothing else up his sleeve?" Harry demanded.

"Because so much time has passed since we were all in school together. People make stupid mistakes when they're younger; we've all done it. Besides, do you know how ridiculous this all looks?" She gestured at the objects on the table. "You two won't even fit together under the cloak anymore. This party is a gesture of goodwill," she said assertively. "Why can't you see that?"

Harry gawked at her, eyes wide behind his glasses, unable to believe what he was hearing. How could she sympathize with someone who had been a thorn in their collective sides for years? He glanced at Ron, who had been intently studying Hermione since she launched into her tirade. "You know, you can step in at any time and offer your opinion, which, by the way, is aligned with mine," he told Hermione.

"Getting you to see reason is like talking to a bloody brick wall. Actually, I would probably have better luck with the wall! Are you two so incredibly close-minded that you can't even consider the possibility that Draco is trying to set things right?"

Harry made a sound that showed his skepticism. "With a Christmas party? Like that will make up for everything he and his family have done."

"It's a start, at least. It takes a bit of courage to reach out to the people who despise you. I think it's admirable."

Her utter defense of their enemy finally provoked Ron into breaking his silence. "You seem pretty damn sure that we're wrong about Malfoy."

"Just like you're convinced that I'm wrong!"

Ron shook his head. "That's different. Like Harry said, Malfoy has shown over and over again that we can't trust him. There's something you're not telling us, Hermione. Something happened that makes you believe that Malfoy is now a decent person. It's not even about the party anymore, is it? It was never about that at all. You're sticking up for him, talking about him as if you actually know for a fact that he's changed. And that's because you do know," he plowed on before either of them could interject, "since you helped him put this party together."

Harry started to tell Ron that he had gone too far with the accusation, but the stunned look on Hermione's face stopped him. He realized that much like how she had correctly interpreted Ron's behavior earlier, Ron could read her like an open book. "So it's true, then."

"Yes, I helped arrange the party." Hermione tried not to sound guilty, but the disapproval written clearly on their faces made it difficult. Still, she wasn't going to back down and was prepared to defend her decision.

It explained why she had gotten so defensive over the invitations. The gold ink and overly proper wording that he and Ron ridiculed was probably her idea. "How long have you and Malfoy been friends?" Harry inquired.

"I wouldn't call it that, exactly. He contacted me not long ago and I only met him once. It's more like we reached an understanding, but I think we will eventually come to friendlier terms. You could too-"

"Not bloody likely!" Harry declared. He was appalled that she would even make such a suggestion. Be friends with Malfoy? Was she daft? To say that he was surprised by this newfound information would have been a massive understatement. Hermione was the rational one in their group, her levelheadedness sometimes annoyingly inflexible. But right now she was making as little sense as one of Luna Lovegood's conspiracy theories.

"Don't you have any faith me?" she asked.

"Yes, but-"

"So why don't we all just go to the party and you'll see-"

"And see that it's a trap?" Harry interrupted incredulously. Honestly, what was she thinking? Had Malfoy somehow brainwashed her into thinking that he was someone worthy of her trust?

"It's not a trap!" Fed up with Harry, Hermione glowered at Ron, whose steady silence completely unnerved her. She knew that he was livid and the fact that he wasn't shouting or showing emotion of any kind only proved to her just how furious he was with her. "Aren't you going to say anything? You're not going to lecture me about fraternizing with the enemy or accuse Draco of using me to get to you two?" she demanded, recalling their argument about Viktor Krum during their fourth year.

Ignoring her barbs, Ron said in a voice that shook with barely restrained fury, "You put yourself in danger by meeting him alone. You didn't even tell me and Harry; what if Malfoy had tried something? We would've had no idea that you were in trouble."

"Don't be foolish-"

"If that's how little you value your safety, then I'll stop caring, too." He shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "If you can forget that he's called you names and that you were tortured under his own roof, then-"

"I didn't forget," she interrupted heatedly. "How could you even suggest such a thing?"

Harry thought it was best to alleviate the growing tension before their argument grew out of hand. "Hermione, he's right," he said carefully.

"Of course you'd take his side!" she exclaimed spitefully.

"This isn't about whose side I'm on. It's about Malfoy and the threat he poses. A leopard can't change its spots."

Hermione looked at Ron. "We have living proof right here that it can, metaphorically speaking."

Ron stared at her with an incredulous expression on his face. "That's different!" he objected, offended that she would compare him to their school rival. "I grew up."

"Yes, people grow up. People change. We all have, maybe even more so because of the war. Why can't it be the same for Draco? Why do you think I gave him a chance? He reminded me of you."

That seemed to be the last straw for Ron. "You know what, if he reminds you of me so much, then go be with him. Have a nice time at the party." He Disapparated before Harry or Hermione could say another word.

With a sigh, Harry retrieved one of the linen napkins off the table and handed it to her only to discover that she wasn't crying, though her back was stick straight and her hands were balled into fists. It was obvious that she was exerting a great amount of effort not to break down in front of him.

"Please don't hate me, Harry."

"I don't, and neither does Ron." Although frustrated with her, he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But you have to understand where we're coming from. Hermione, he is our enemy. He always has been and as far as I'm concerned, he always will be."

"The only enemy we had was Voldemort and he is long gone. But as long as there is hate and animosity in this world, he might as well still be here."