Much awaited *cough* authors note: thank you to the lovely people that reviewed. I'm very proud of this and I appreciate your comments v. much. ^_^
Chapter 4- Christmas

Harry Potter sat at the desk in his study writing Christmas cards. Wizarding cards were, as usual, different to Muggle ones. When you wrote in them the ink disappeared and the card said or sang your greeting. Harry had already dispatched Hedwig with cards for those that weren't coming to the appartment for the day. Now it was just the guest's ones left: Cho, Helena, the Weasleys- Ginny, Ron, Fred and George (the others couldn't make it), Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Neville Longbottom. He and Cho had bought them all presents and asked Helena if she wanted to sign the tags. Since she didn't know most of them, she wasn't obliged to buy them presents, but she willingly signed the cards anyway.

Helena. Woah- wasn't she weird? She seemed to know that Snuffles was really Sirius and she had a charm over him that scared him. And that thing at breakfast the other day. What did it mean? Was she interested in him? He shouldn't like her *that* way since he had Cho, or he shouldn't let it on anyway. All the same, he couldn't help thinking about her eyes. They haunted him. And she really looked like Hermione Granger- ugh. No. We don't think about her, remember, he reminded himself.

It seemed that Helena was making excellent progress and would be going back home just after Christmas. It so turned out that Harry wasn't the only one who thought he would miss her- Cho had told him that she would really be upset when Helena left. Privately he agreed. She made him curious and he wanted to find out more about her mysterious past that she wouldn't speak about. But he knew it would take time...

***

Cho was in a panic. It was now two days until Christmas and she hadn't got a present for Helena. She didn't know enough about her to know what she would like. Whenever she mentioned this to her, Helena would tell her that they needn't buy her anything. But Cho was determined.

Now she had too much to do so she asked Harry to go out and get her something. He agreed somewhat reluctantly. Harry hated shopping, especially for other people. She shoved him out the door and he went to Diagon Alley.

For the rest of the day she planned Christmas dinner and how she was going to decorate the hall.

Harry came home at three o'clock in the afternoon with a small parcel. Inside it was a box containing a charm bracelet. There were already three charms on it: a dolphin for intelligence, a lion for braveness and a dove for peace. Each was set with a different stone and it sparkled and gleamed in the light. They thought it would be perfect.

***

On the 25th of December, Hermione woke up to the sound of church bells peeling outside her bedroom window. She sleepily opened her eyes remembering what day it was. There was someone knocking on her door.

'Come in?' she said groggily.

'Happy Christmas!' chorused Harry and Cho as they entered and threw her a present.

'What's this- I told you, you don't need to get me anything!' she cried.

'Well you'd better open it or I will.' laughed Harry.

She pulled off the wrapping to reveal the bracelet. 'Wow!'

'I'm glad that you like it.' said Cho.

'Like it? I *love* it!' she exclaimed. 'I just wish I'd got you two more than what I have got you.'

She reached under her pillow and brought out two gift bags. One for each of them. Harry's contained a bottle of his favourite Muggle drink Baileys, a shot glass and a box of real jelly snakes from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (Hermione had asked Ron to get them for her). Cho's a beautiful silver photoframe that had crystals in the corners. They both loved their presents and Harry wondered how she knew his favourite drink was but didn't question it.

That morning Cho was in an impossible mood. She was trying frantically to prepare the food (dismissing any help Harry or Helena would give) and enjoy Christmas at the same time. This was turning out to be a very bad idea, she was now thoroughly pissed off with both of them.

'Okay. Will you both like go on a walk or something? 'Cos I don't mean to be nasty or anything but you are really starting to bug me!'

And with that she bundled them out of the door.

***

Christmas was definately the most beautiful day of the year, Hermione decided. It had dawned white and crisp. Snow covered the streets and icicles glistened at the windows, Harry and Hermione's breath rose in clouds as they trudged down the path towards a meadow. It was deserted of cows- the farmer was obviously taking a well-earned day off. They clambered over the locked gate and sat in the snow which Harry had warmed with heating charms.

He decided to break the silence.

'I just want to say that I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to do what I did.'

She looked at him hard. 'Neither did I. You have Cho... I don't want to take her away from you.'

She smiled but Harry noticed that her grin didn't *quite* reach her eyes which remained emotionless.

'So do you have a boyfriend back at home then?' he asked.

'No. I always live alone. I'm an amitious person, relationships tend to weigh me down, so I remain single and independent.'

'Have you *ever* had a partner then?'

'Oh yeah. But he was at my school, Hog-' she realised too late what she had said.

'Hogwarts? I went there too. How come I never met you?'

'I kept a low profile. I was clever. Not nearly as clever as Hermione Granger.'

He looked shocked. 'You knew Hermione.'

'No. I knew *of* her- she was your friend wasn't she?'

'Was, yes. Not anymore.'

'Hmmmm?'

'Can you keep a secret?'

'Of course.'

'You'd better. I can and will rip you limb from limb. So will Cho. She doesn't know about this.'

'Okay...'

'Well, back in my final year of school, Hermione and I dated for a short while. I was always loved and respected her. She was stunning. But then she did something I could never forgive.'

'What was that?' she prompted gently.

'She cheated on me with that Slytherin scum Draco Malfoy and became a Death Eater.'

***

Hermione was shell-shocked. She let out a loud gasp of shock. What? She'd never done such a thing. Seething, she turned on him.

'Who told you about this?'

'Draco's current girl, Blaise Zabini.'

Hermione snorted. She knew that girl.

'And you *believed* her?'

'Course! She felt as bad as I did. So we dumped our 'partners' and good ridance to them!'

***

Harry was confused. He had spilled his story to Helena and here she was getting upset about it and sticking up for Hermione. Why?

***

Hermione was pissed off. Fuck that stupid bastard Malfoy, he must've made the whole thing up. He really needed to be slayed. She ground her teeth angrily, watching Harry. He looked as though he was about to say something when the gate was flung open by a angry-looking Cho.

'Bloody Hell, Potter! It's been THREE HOURS! The first guests are arriving soon. Come on back, both of you.'

As they left the field, Harry turned and whispered in Hermione's ear.

'Remember. No talking.'

***

The party was now in full swing. Cho was already drunk after consuming too much Muggle Rum. She was giggling uncontrollaly to no-one in particular and lying sprawled on the sofa. Fred, George, Ron and Neville were eating; Ginny was chatting to Remus Lupin; Hermione/ Helena was reading a book of Charms for Christmas and trying them out on random objects and Harry and Sirius were talking.

'So, how is she?' Sirius was asking.

'Fine. She seems to have got over it. She's going home soon.'

'So what's she been doing since she left school?'

'She's a Charmer. They invent charms and test others to see if they work.'

'Hmmmmmm. She was always good at Charms in Hogwarts wasn't she?'

'Yeah- *What*?'

'Good God, Harry, haven't you guessed? That isn't a girl called Helena. It's Hermione!'

'YOU'RE KIDDING??!!' (a/n- I LOVE exclaimation marks!)

'No. Go over and ask her if you must. I must say I'm surprised that you and Ron never recognised her.'

'She's a Death Eater!'

'Yes Harry. Why else would she get herself into your home?'

Harry turned white. He had been outwitted by an old friend. A Death Eater, non-the-less. He strode over top the sofa where Hermione sat and rapped on her shoulder.

'Hello Helena. Or should I say Hermione.'

**********************

Oooooh!

Next chapter- What will Hermione do? Not only has her cover been blown, she also faces Azkaban if she confesses.

Disclaimer- It's J K Rowling's books and Warner's film (lucky sods...).