Well of course my continued thanks for your lovely reviews, follows and favs. I feel even more guilty now that I didn't get to post this at Christmas.

So as I said last time I do feel a little guilty when I retell and old story, as someone described it in a review...but I really hope you will enjoy the retelling of this old story and the fun behind it. As always I apologise for any errors whatever they might be...and before anyone says it there is a little film/book mix here... that said lets get on with it and the telling of tales...

It was like a Quidditch match, all eyes had shifted once more from Lucius Malfoy to her. Hermione's own eyes sparkled at the memory, she couldn't help but wonder how that particular conversation had come about, but more to the point she couldn't help but wonder how Draco's telling of events compared to her own, the real story. A tiny grin tugged at her mouth, she chewed on her bottom lip desperate to stop it from becoming a full-blown smile. Oddly it was Draco's father's words which turned it into precisely that, as he once again seemed quite adept at reading her thoughts.

"I cannot help but wonder if your stories will match?"

There was a sly, daring almost humorous tone to his voice now, and it was an invitation if ever she had heard one. Clearly, he was as keen as Scorpius and his fellow students to hear her version.

Unlike the few minutes in Flourish and Blotts, when Hermione Granger had slugged Draco Malfoy square on the nose, the train of events had been the best part of an afternoon and some of the evening, twice over!

It might be Christmas Eve, but it was getting late, and Hermione really wasn't up to telling the complete story, once, let alone twice. She decided the abridged version would be better and equally as entertaining, and just as Lucius Malfoy had omitted the part from his recollection, of Tom Riddle's diary in Ginny Weasley's cauldron, she would leave out the part about Minerva McGonagall's time turner, and the fact she not only got to punch the insufferable blonde once, but twice.

The Dark Wizard gestured the spot in front of the roaring fire, as if he were offering her centre stage. She took his place, but acciod a chair, sitting just to the side of the great fireplace, watching as he made himself comfortable in the chair she had previously been occupying. She cleared her throat.

"Well, like all good stories, I really need to start at the beginning, take you back to how this particular afternoon and incident, came about in the first place."

Having Draco's son, not to mention his father, listening to her recollection of events was to say the least, daunting. But Scorpius seemed ridiculously excited to be hearing tales of his father's time at school and Lucius Malfoy, well he appeared just as bizarrely enthralled and still somewhat amused. Glancing at all of the other eager faces, Hermione could see why the Dark Wizard had enjoyed himself so much.

"During my third year as a pupil here at Hogwarts… all those years ago…"

There were collective giggles, and some blushing from Scorpius, but it was all good natured. Hermione was pleased to see him looking so much happier than he had done a few hours earlier, thanks of course in part to his grandfather's presence.

"Hagrid, who was full time gamekeeper at the time, took on a teaching position"

There were some oohs from the small audience.

The 93-year-old half giant was still Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts, and when his rheumatism allowed, he kept his hand in with a bit of gamekeeping, and general jobs around the school, like the overseeing of Christmas decorations. For a very large nonagenarian, he was still remarkably spritely. The staff and even some of the students frequently visited him at his hut for tea and rock cakes if they knew no better, Hermione and the Headmistress amongst them, he loved every minute. And despite the often-cold days and his advanced years, he was nearly always at the Quidditch matches. As Harry had once told the lovable, bearded half giant, Hogwarts wouldn't be Hogwarts without him.

"The Care of Magical Creatures." Hermione added, catching Lucius Malfoy's knowing eye.

"It was a beautiful day and for our very first lesson with him, and he'd taken us to the paddock on the edge of the forbidden forest. Your father was already less than impressed."

She once again directed her comments at the youngest Malfoy.

"He felt that Hagrid teaching classes was beneath Hogwarts and that once his father, found out he would have fit."

Hermione might have been a teacher, but the majority of stories that she told came from books, and if she did recount the odd tale of Muggle life it was usually very brief and equally generic. So really, she was as new to this as Lucius Malfoy, but just like he had obviously done, she found herself easily slipping into the role, and enjoyed setting the scene, padding the tale out with flourishes and incidentals.

"After solving the mystery of how we got safely into our copies of The Monster Book of Monsters, he introduced us to our first magical creatures, Hippogriffs."

A few more gasps and oohs rippled around the great fireplace, she wasn't entirely sure if they were meant for the spiteful book, or the strange looking creatures, which as mostly first and second years, they wouldn't be actually acquainted with either yet.

"I don't know how much you know about Hippogriffs, but as Hagrid told us, the firs thing yeh gotta know about Hippogriffs is they're proud."

There were collective giggles from her audience at her attempt to imitate Hagrid's gruff country accent and she did her best to carry it on, wagging finger as she spoke…

"Don't ever insult one, he told us Cos it just might be the last thing yeh do."

The eyes focused on Hermione got bigger, and the shared aahs louder.

Everyone's that was except for Lucius Malfoy, oh his eyes were focused on Hermione alright, but in a completely different way. An alien warmth spreading through his body as he watched her speak animatedly. Enjoying the pretty flush on her face and neck, which for some reason, like himself, he felt sure had nothing to do with the blazing fire. He really didn't care if her story was the same as his son's, in fact he was certain it would bear little or no resemblance at all to Draco's account of events, the notion amused him all the more and he continued to listen with intent, what kind of intent? Well that was a very different story. Like his Grandson, the older Malfoy was beginning very much to enjoy this Christmas.

"Hagrid introduced us to Buckbeak, a particularly majestic Hippogriff, I think we were all very nervous of the large powerfully winged creature."

Remembering that afternoon and the tea leaves Professor Trelawney had read to Harry, she thought terrified would have been a more accurate description, but she didn't want to scare the younger students too much, stop them from taking the class when their time came.

"You have to allow them to make the first move and you must bow to them, its polite."

Obviously Magical Creatures wasn't her subject of expertise, but Hermione remembered enough from her own school days and even now she was still a bit of a swat, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them was always a book she liked to reread from time to time.

"Harry…Potter." She added without really needing too.

"He was very polite to Buckbeak, he bowed and after a few moments Buckbeak bowed back, so far so good. Harry petted him carefully and gently on his enormous beak. His reward a ride, the beautiful creature took off with Harry between his wings for a ride around the paddock."

The awe in the faces of those sitting before her was evident, even Scorpius was enthralled. Hermione avoided catching his grandfather's eye.

"However, not everyone was as respectful as Harry. Draco thought that Hagrid had exaggerated somewhat and that befriending a Hippogriff was in fact ridiculously easy, striding up to him arrogantly, as only Draco Malfoy could. Buckbeak didn't take kindly to being insulted, and when Draco said he wasn't dangerous and called him an ugly great brute. Well Buckbeak retaliated with a flash of steely talons and Draco ended up on the floor curled up in the grass clutching his arm and screaming I'm dying! It's killed me!"

She rolled her eyes and gave her captive audience a disapproving smile, still avoiding Lucius Malfoy's ever watchful grey eyes.

"Sufficed to say, Buckbeak hadn't killed Draco, but of course your father was milking it for all he was worth. Swathed in bandages as I recall and having Madam Pomfrey running around after him, like he was in fact dying."

She shook her head at Scorpius, smiling at him none the less, he looked so much like his father with his blonde hair and finely chiselled features, but there was a warmth about him which she knew was inherently from his mother.

"It was only a couple of days before he was holding court, in this very hall, telling half of Slytherin House, how only moments longer and he would have lost his arm. An arm he now wore in a sling like a badge of honour… Anyway because of the severity of the incident the school governors had been informed and of course Draco's father did indeed hear about it."

This time, Hermione's gaze came purposely to rest on Lucius Malfoy, their eyes clashing once more. Hermione just couldn't resist.

"So how are the recollections matching up so far Mister Malfoy?"

The Quidditch match continued and all eyes once again returned to the Dark Wizard.

He angled that famous blonde head of his at a familiarly haughty stance, Hermione saw his mouth twitch and his nostrils flare sneeringly, but his tell belied his facial expressions once again.

"There is perhaps a discrepancy or two." He conceded in his famous icy, clipped manner.

Hermione was itching to ask, such as?

"Like what Grandfather?"

Despite the Lucius Malfoy she had seen so far this evening, Hermione Granger was still exceedingly wary of the man of old. Whatever fear Scorpius might have of him, curiosity about his father, far outweighed it. The older Malfoy shot his grandson a look which quite frankly scared the living daylights out of Hermione, but clearly in this instance Scorpius was not going to be deterred and two sets of Malfoy Grey eyes clashed head on, two very determined blonde heads tilted upwards. Hermione could actually see more of Lucius in the younger man, than she could Draco. Since the first day she had met Draco Malfoy, he had relied on who his family, who his father was, Scorpius had a very different inner strength and stubbornness, which Hermione again suspected came from his mother.

She saw Lucius eyes soften somewhat indulgently on his grandson, and then she saw him smile, the action far more disconcerting than the steely look he had given him moments earlier, his broad shoulders lifted in a resigned shrug.

"Like it would seem Scorpius, most of it."

The Dark Wizard admitted with surprising candour and even more surprising good humour, taking over part of the account from Hermione.

"The Governors, I amongst them of course, had been informed by the Headmaster that there had been an incident at the school during a lesson, involving my son and a Hippogriff, and that Draco had sustained a minor injury. Which is more in keeping with Professor Granger's account here. However…"

He too paused and took in the sea of faces watching him attentively.

"Well rather than digress into yet another tale of Hogwarts days of yore, let's just say following a happening the previous year, the then Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and I were not on the best of terms."

He traded another look with Hermione. Happening being somewhat of an understatement considering the chain of events which had occurred the previous term, but that really was another very different story.

"I therefore assumed, wrongly, that the Headmaster was covering up the severity of my son's injury to protect Hagrid. On seeing Draco in agony in the hospital wing, swathed in bandages I took his word about what had actually happened."

His eyes briefly met Hermione's once more, before he volunteered Draco's inaccurate account of the lesson.

"Which involved my son basically being singled out of the class and told to catch and tether the vicious creature whilst Mister Potter and his friends looked on, and when the Hippogriff got out of hand Draco was left to fend for himself. Before help finally arrived and he received medical attention."

Save the crackling of the fire, the great hall was silent, and Lucius Malfoy couldn't fail to hear the shocked intake of breath from Hermione Granger. Obviously, it was the first time she had heard Draco's version of the story. His almost sheepish silvery grey gaze carefully met hers. It glistened more fiercely than the fire. Lucius silently thanked himself he was not recounting this some twenty or more years before, she would have surely hexed him without a second thought, not to mention Draco, and she hadn't even got to the interesting bit yet. His focus shifted to a clearly shocked Scorpius.

"It would appear Scorpius your father, could tell a much better tale than I. He certainly had a flair for storytelling and his embellishment it would appear, was second to none."

Still glaring at the senior Malfoy, although not entirely in disbelief, she had after all spent six years at school with Draco and knew exactly what he was capable of, lies included. She resumed the story.

"Because of the severity of Draco's injury." She frowned at Lucius Malfoy.

"The fact that his father had indeed heard about it, was on the board of School governors and at the time wielded an inordinate amount of influence with the then Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, Hagrid had to appear before the Ministry committee for the Destruction of Dangerous Creatures, to defend both himself and Buckbeak."

Even in the relative dimness of the fire and candlelit hall, the Hogwarts Professor once more felt the penetrative gaze of the former Death Eater upon her.

It was strange, despite her admonishing Scorpius for his terminology, it really was a very long time ago, but she could remember her words to Harry and Ronald when they found out that Buckbeak was to be executed. Just because Lucius Malfoy was sitting here, and his grandson was a pupil she wasn't going to hold back. The pattern for the evening continued.

"Is that why you punched my father?" Scorpius asked, perhaps a little too gleefully.

"Partly." She admitted truthfully.

"Your father's lies, and exaggerations had put Hagrid before that Ministry of Magic committee. They had also put your grandfather before them, who as I recall told them, Buckbeak was a deadly and dangerous creature who would kill you as soon as look at you. The fact of who your grandfather was, and the influence he wielded, scared the committee in condemning Buckbeak to execution."

There was another of those collective gasps, once more the volume had risen. Hermione went on quickly before any more questions arose.

"The day Buckbeak was due to be executed, myself, Harry and Ronald Weasley were on our way to see Hagrid, to see if there was anything we could do to help, he was of course very upset. On the way to his hut, we caught your father and a couple of his friends joyfully watching and waiting for the horrible deed. I overheard your father, telling his cronies, that his father, had promised that he could keep the Hippogriff's head, and Draco was going to donate it to the Gryffindor common room."

Hermione noticed Scorpius wrinkle his nose in distaste, pulling a suitably disgusted face he cast a sidelong glance in his grandfather's direction, for the first time she noticed the Dark Wizard look distinctly uncomfortable, as he shifted on the chair, his long pale fingers tightening around the dark ebony cane.

After some rather childish name calling, which included, foul, loathsome, evil and cockroach, I threatened him with my wand.

This time the gasps came from students, as they eagerly awaited what came next. Even Lucius Malfoy had seemingly overcome his discomfiture and was keen to hear what did indeed happen next.

"My friends were horrified, assuring me Draco Malfoy really wasn't worth it, I grudgingly agreed, knowing the trouble I would get myself in, pulling your wand on a fellow pupil, as you all know is bad enough. Seeing him snivel in fear was quite sufficient."

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Lucius Malfoy's blonde head shake, the movement was almost imperceptible, but she seemed oddly quite attuned to him. Hermione expected to see disappointment on his face, but instead it was a combination of resignation and understanding, not to mention the merest hint of amusement.

"So I put my wand away, but as I started to walk away, Draco began to laugh, I was so mad, so... I…turned and punched him on the nose."

Amid the laughter that ensued, a watery eyed first year by the name of Jason Thompson anxiously asked after the Hippogriff.

"What happened to Buckbeak?" He asked his big blue eyes bright with tears.

Hermione gave him a reassuring smile and a conspiratorial wink.

"I am not entirely sure." She said very convincingly.

"All I know is that some time during the Minister of Magic's visit with Hagrid, Buckbeak escaped, thus avoiding a grisly fate."

Jason Thompson looked decidedly relieved, along with the other students, a big toothy smile replacing his sad watery eyes. She could have sworn even by only twinkling Christmas lights, candles and a roaring fire, Lucius Malfoy looked just the tiniest bit sceptical, and had a question or two of his own.

Deciding it was now definitely late and time for the evening to draw to an end, Hermione promised them all a Christmas treat of a hot chocolate to take to bed and ushered everyone off in the direction of their respective sleeping quarters Scorpius and his grandfather included.

Back in the kitchen, the house elves were a little surprised at being dispatched at such a late hour with steaming mugs of chocolate but being house elves they still did as they were asked. All that was except for the those to be taken to the Slytherin dormitory, they had heard of Lucius Malfoy's presence in the school and subsequently Slytherin house and no amount of persuading or sweet talking, even by Hermione was going to get them to go there. That of course left only one option.

Hermione shook her head, muttering a little under her breath as she gave the Slytherin password and was given access to the dungeon area common room, two mugs chocolate floated in front of her, leading the way.

A rather sleepy looking Scorpius was seated next to his grandfather on one of the large green leather sofa's. He smiled at Hermione as the steaming drink planted itself on the low oak table before him.

"You remembered." He said, his voice sounding just as tired as his eyes looked.

"But of course." She said returning his smile.

She noticed Lucius Malfoy's line of vision had drifted to the bedtime drink, the pile of marshmallows floating on the top sprinkled with a dusting of more chocolate. Of course, he'd overheard their conversation in the kitchen earlier in the day.

Scorpius took an even sleepier mouthful, a happy grin on his young face, as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

The older Malfoy picked up his own mug and raised it to Hermione. She imagined him with a milky marshmallow moustache, trying to avoid the steely gaze of his which was fixed on her.

"Thank you, Professor."

He said simply, adding nothing more, his eyes speaking for him, Hermione knew his gratitude was not really for the chocolate. Warmth spreading through her as she continued to remain his sole focus.

"It was a pleasure Mister Malfoy." She offered quite honestly if a little breathlessly.

"Happy Christmas." She said before taking her leave, as unflustered as she could manage.

"Merry Christmas to you too Hermione Granger."

His voice was quiet, and Hermione was out of earshot as he spoke, her slender figure retreating through the heavy oak door and back up the stone staircase. Lucius Malfoy watched her every step of the way until she vanished from his line of sight. What a beautiful and intriguing woman she had become.