Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters... Draco and Hermione belong to J. K. Rowling, who had quite a few opportunities to make Dramione a reality... But she didn't. So I'm doing it instead :) A part of Draco and Hermione's conversation about (Spoiler!) was inspired by a Tumblr post. Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas!
The Gift~ Part Two
Hermione sighed wearily. She had no idea what to wear for her mother-in-law's Christmas party later that night. At least she wouldn't have to worry about coordinating her outfit withher husband's... Seeing as he wouldn't be coming... A fresh wave of tears threatened to fall. She whipped them away angrily. She didn't understand... How could he hate Christmas so much? And how was she supposed to figure out why he hated the holiday if he never talked with her about it?! She threw her black heels across the room in frustration. She figured a steamy shower would help her calm down.
When Draco cautiously opened the master bedroom door he was greeted by the sound of Christmas carols and running water. It was like music to ears; he didn't have to face his wife... yet. He gently set down the exquisitely wrapped gift onto the cremé and gold coverlet and made his way to the walk-in closet. Dresses and shoes had been pulled carelessly out and strewn hastily across the floor. Draco bent down, picking up the dresses, and placed them carefully onto their appropriate hanger. After he had cleaned up his wife's various articles of clothing, Draco proceeded to rummage through his side of their closet, searching for a white, collared dress shirt and black trousers. He suddenly realized how quiet the room had become... The shower and music had shut off. He grabbed his black shoes and bolted for the door, closing it behind him.
The first thing that caught Hermione's eye when she opened the bathroom door was the gift that had been beautifully wrapped and placed on the king bed along with a bouquet of red roses. She knew that it hadn't been there twenty minutes ago before she had left the bedroom to take a shower. There was a gold tag attached to the cylinder box. "For You" it read. Hermione's curiosity got the better of her. She tore off the wrapping paper and lifted up the lid. Inside, nestled between rose-colored tissue paper, lay a set of lingerie. Lacey, Slytherin green lingerie. She recoiled in disgust, shoving the lingerie back inside and slamming the lid back onto the box. Her husband was such a perverted pig!
She sat on the bed, glaring at the box. There was no way in hell she would be caught dead in such a ghastly color. And there was no way in hell her husband would be seeing her in it tonight! To think that he thought buying her a dozen red roses and some overpriced, uncomfortable lingerie would solve all his problems... the nerve of that man! Hermione laughed out loud. Draco Malfoy was sadly mistaken.
Although the roses were a little romantic... Hermione sighed, looking at the box that seemed to be calling her name. She supposed it wouldn't hurt if she just tried on the lingerie, you know, just to see how it might look if she decided to grant Draco's wishes one night. Not tonight, though. Because she was still mad him.
Hermione stood in front of the mirror, admiring her physique. It didn't look half as bad as she expected... Maybe Draco had been right about one thing... Maybe green was her "color" after all. And it wasn't uncomfortable either... Quite the opposite actually. Hermione sighed, a small smile on her face. Her husband may not know much about the Muggle world, but she had to give him credit... Draco Malfoy certainly knew about lingerie. She walked back over to the box and pulled out the remaining rose tissue paper. She gasped at what she saw. In the bottom of cylinder box lay a stunning evening gown. She lifted it out of the box. It was the Emilio Pucci dress she had said she wanted. She squealed in delight and ran into the closet to put it on.
When she emerged, Draco's throat constricted painfully and it became difficult to breathe. She was wearing the slinky, dark bronze, asymmetric Grecian dress he had bought for her. The silky gown had chained straps and crystal embellished detailing which skimmed the floor, and featured a gold satin-sheen layer and bronze wrap fabric that cut into a high slit to reveal her long, graceful legs. She was beautiful. And she was his. He cleared his throat.
"It looked like you were struggling to find the right outfit to wear tonight..." Draco observed, not glancing up and continuing to button his white dress shirt. His wife started, looking over her shoulder at him.
"Did you do this for me?" She asked him, softly.
"I'm sorry, my love... I- I shouldn't have snapped at you... I was just so angry-" Draco clenched his hand into a fist at his side. Hermione walked over and took his hand into hers and laced them together.
"Will you explain it to me, then?" She asked, stroking his jaw with her thumb. Draco closed his eyes, and felt a silver tear fall onto his cheek.
"I cannot." He whispered.
"Draco. Draco, look at me." His wife's beautiful hazelnut eyes were filled with tears as well. "I want to help you," she whispered, wiping away his tear with her thumb. "But you would have to trust me to do that, wouldn't you?"
Draco sighed, turning his head to avert his wife's gaze. Hermione's hand fell to her side. When Draco stepped outside, onto their balcony, Hermione followed. He leaned against the marble rails, looking down at the garden below.
"I haven't always hated Christmas..." He began, sensing his wife's presence behind him.
"That's kind of hard to imagine," Hermione replied, wrapping her arms around her husband and pressing her cheek against his back.
"Is it? I loved Christmas as a child... See, I always got the newest broomstick." He cracked a smile when Hermione snorted.
"You are so spoiled..."
"I was. Especially at Christmastime..." Hermione didn't need to see her husband's face to know that he was no longer smiling.
"Then what went wrong?" She whispered. Draco took a deep breath and looked heavenward.
"I didn't get a new broomstick Sixth Year..."
"What did you get?" She pried, gently. Draco remained silent but looked away from the sky, turning his icy, cold gaze to his hands. He glared at his left wrist in disgust. Hermione's hands flew to her mouth.
"Oh, Draco... I- I had no idea... Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to have to carry that burden... It was never yours to bear."
"When are you going to understand that you don't have to do everything on your own anymore? I'm right here beside you... And I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon."
"This time of year just makes me remember how much I hated myself, how much I still hate myself and all the bad decisions I regret making..."
"No," Hermione shook her head. "No, you're different now. You are a good person..."
"Being a good man for a hundred years will never make up for what I've done in the past!" Draco yelled. "One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness!"
"Though it seems enough to condemn him." Hermione shot back.
"Indeed it is, darling." Draco snarled at her.
"Look at this." Hermione demanded.
"Hermione-"
"No, Draco. Look at what it says on my arm... Read it to me."
"No..." Draco shook his head vehemently.
"It says, 'Mudblood.'"
"Don't you dare call yourself that!"
"Look at it!" She cried. He took her right arm in his hands and gently turned it over. He heard her suck in a breath. He stroked her pale skin with two fingers, tracing the ugly scar.
"It doesn't mean anything," he whispered against her ear. Hermione shivered against his body but didn't respond. She grasped his other arm and pulled it toward her so his Dark Mark was bared. She mirrored his actions, running her fingers in soothing circles against his wrist.
"But don't you see, Draco? Neither does yours." She paused, looking up at him with those wide, brown eyes. "This Mark is a symbol of hatred- of an elitist mindset that is determined by society and prejudiced beyond excuse... It's meant to tear our world apart... It was meant to tear us apart... It's what you once thought you were..." She trailed off, brushing her thumb against the skull of the Dark Mark. She looked up at him, a radiant smile lighting her face. "That's not who you are, Draco. Remember that."
Draco stared at his wife with his piercing grey eyes before leaning down and capturing her lips with his. "I love you," he said breathlessly. "So much... I hope you know that."
"I love you too, Draco," Hermione whispered. "Thank you for telling me why you don't like Christmas..." Draco laughed softly, wrapping his arms around Hermione's smaller frame and pulling her against his chest.
"What? Did you think I was a Scrooge just to piss you off?" He winked at her.
"Well darling," Hermione laughed, "With you I can never tell." Draco smirked.
"I'm just full of surprises aren't I?" There was a strange gleam in her husband's eyes. "Come here. There's something I want to show you..." Draco took Hermione's hand and led her back into the bedroom, in front of the mirror. "Now close your eyes." He instructed.
"Why?" Draco rolled his eyes at his wife's stubbornness. "Just do it." To his surprise, she complied. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his mother's necklace, unclasping the golden chain. Draco swept his wife's long, tamed auburn hair over her bare shoulder, exposing the back of her graceful neck and shoulder blades. His fingers lingered on the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. He placed the ruby necklace around her neck, nipping at her ear. Hermione's body went limp in his arms. "Open your eyes, my love," he whispered.
Hermione gasped when she saw the necklace Draco had placed around her neck. "Oh, Draco..."
"That's 14 carrot gold right there," Draco said, watching his wife's reaction in the mirror. "I bought it when I was ten with my very own money." He sounded proud. "It belonged to my mother... She wants you to have it now."
"Draco... This necklace... It's stunning... It must have cost a fortune!"
"If you were to sell it, we could probably buy a 27,000 square foot house in Turks and Cacaos, just putting it in perspective for you, my darling." He flashed her a smile.
"Draco, I can't accept this," Hermione said, turning to face him.
"You don't like it?" Draco asked.
"No!" Hermione reassured him. "I love it! But Draco... I- I can't wear this necklace. I mean it belonged to your mother and we could feed a whole third-world country with this piece of jewelry!"
"Or buy a house on the beach," Draco interjected. "I love the beach... I know you do too."
"Draco, I don't deserve a piece of jewelry that's this expensive and this nice!" Hermione tried to talk some sense into her husband's thick head.
"No you're right," he conceded. "You don't deserve this necklace... You deserve every jewel in the whole world and I'm sorry that I couldn't get you that."
"What? Draco, that's not what I meant-"
"You are worth every jewel in this world to me, Hermione Malfoy. Without you, I'd be nothing. Without you, I probably wouldn't be here today." Hermione was speechless.
"Draco. I really love the necklace-"
"And me. You love me too."
"Yes," Hermione waved him off. "That too. But I can't take this necklace..."
"For the love of God, woman! Just take the damn gift!"
"I said no, Draco!"
"That word is not in my vocabulary."
"Well then maybe, I should start using it more often..." Hermione snapped at him.
"Fine. I'm prepared to offer you a deal, Mrs. Malfoy... If you accept, and wear, this necklace, I will donate 20% of this necklace's value to a third-world country in Africa. How's that?"
"25%" She said.
"15%" Draco smirked.
"30% or I will burn that lingerie you gave me." Now Hermione was the one who was smirking.
"Fine. 30% and you have to wear the necklace and lingerie."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry, darling," Hermione replied causally. "I already am." Draco stared at his wife in awe.
"What? Why are you staring at me?"
"Because you're beautiful... And your mine." He growled. Hermione blushed.
"I must say though Draco, you have an exquisite taste for women's lingerie, dresses and jewelry it would seem..."
"Only the best for the wife of the Malfoy heir." Hermione laughed.
"And Malfoy's only get the best that money can buy." Hermione stated.
"Now you understand!" Draco replied, ecstatic that his wife was embracing the oldest and noblest Malfoy tradition. Hermione laughed again, throwing her arms around Draco's neck. Draco decided he would do whatever it took to hear that beautiful sound everyday of his life.
"Merry Christmas, Draco." Hermione said, standing on her tip-toes to give her husband a peck on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Beautiful."
...
A/N: So I thought this might be a nice way to close the Holiday Season... As previously mentioned, this FanFiction is going to be a collection of totally unrelated Christmas one (or two) shots, updated during the Christmas Season. I will be adding my other Dramione one-shot, The Christmas Shoes, tommorow night. I hope you enjoyed this two-shot and a good Christmas Holiday! Please R&R!
~Katherine