Okay, so I forgot to mention in my last chapter that Hermione's parents live somewhere warm, and that it is close to Christmas while their there, so the conversation at the end is just the day after. Thank you to Angelo'sGma for bringing that up. This is not my best chapter, but I think some of you might enjoy it..
Music filtered through the small radio in the corner of the large room. McGonagall just stood there, watching the party underway. It wasn't very big, then again, there weren't that many teachers. A huge tree towered over them, lit and glittering as if someone had sprinkled glitter over it in buckets. Everyone had mingled, breaking off from their small groups of close colleagues to spread the Christmas joy. Draco was having a very animated discussion with Professor Flitwick about pretty much everything while Hermione was in a heated debate with Professor Trelawney and Professor Sprout. All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening.
Hagrid came over to stand next to her, offered her an eggnog. "No, thanks." She smiled a little.
He looked at her for a moment, nodded, and let his eyes scan the crowd. "Why aren't ya enjoyin' the party?"
"I'm just not in a Christmas spirit, not since..." She let her voice fade, remembering the last time she enjoyed the holidays. It'd been comfortable, just her and Dumbledore sharing a drink in his office, toasting to the one holiday he ever truly seemed to get into. But that was a long time ago, the year before he'd died.
"Yeah," Hagrid watched Hermione for a minute, noted the way she'd glance in Draco's direction every so often. She was lost on him, that was easy enough to see. " It's been kinda empty without 'im 'ere."
"I remember this one year, he insisted that everybody must buy one present, and then we'd each get one randomly. Everyone thought he was insane, but it became tradition." She adjusted her glasses as an excuse to wipe her suddenly moist eyes. "Well, that's all in the past."
"Not all of it." Hagrid shook his head and looked at her in one of those moments that you know whatever he's about to tell you will be something you should hear. " We can't let memories get in the way of Christmas, 'e wouldn't like that very much."
Meanwhile, Hermione broke away from her conversation and slipped out for a brief second. A few minutes later, she came back with several small packages. She walked around, giving one to each to each person. Most of the packages were green, but there were four gold ones. Grinning, she handed one to McGonagall and one to Hagrid. And she left them, staring at the packages in their hands.
She waited across the room, pretending not to watch. The other two presents were down beside her where she was sitting on the couch. Draco came and sat next to her, tried to figure out what she was staring at. "You're one strange lady." He told her finally.
"Shhh." She put her finger to her mouth as she watched. Hagrid's face lit up when he saw the photograph in the wooden frame. It was a collage of pictures, including one that Harry and Ginny had just sent her where she definitely had a bump. And McGonagall seemed happy with the golden apple and first edition of A Christmas Carol.
Draco just smiled, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear when she looked at him. "That was nice, really nice."
She laughed, once. " I had to get it all in now, I'm spending Christmas Eve and half of the morning with my folks."
"And I don't get one?" He teased as she just looked at him with such a serious expression and shook her head. It wasn't until he actually started to believe her that she reached down and handed him one of the presents. He ripped the gold paper open, stared at the football with humor in his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Hermione. A reminder that although I'm good on a broom, I can't play sports on my feet."
"Your welcome, just don't throw it indoors, trust me." She held the last package, thought about it for a second before genuinely smiling. "Want to take a little walk?"
"Why not?" He couldn't figure out who the other package was for, certainly not a teacher or a student. And as she grabbed her coat and hat, he followed. Once they were completely bundled up, he tucked the football under his arm and they headed out.
It was a long and very cold walk, but soon they were in Hogsmeade. Thick Hollywood flakes fell around them, covering them. She'd have said something about it, but saying anything might break the beauty of the moment. The glow of the lights inside the Hog's Head reflected off of the snow and it looked like it might have in an illustration for a book. Now he knew where they were going. They were going to see Aberforth.
The pub was as quiet and empty as it usually was, half hearted decorations brought only the tiniest bit of spirit to the patron's hearts. There was a skimpy tree in the corner, no more than five ornaments hanging from it. Aberforth looked up from where he cleaned a portion of the bar. "Well, what'll you both be having?"
"Hey, Aberforth," She slid into a stool, kept the package tucked inside her jacket. "I take hot chocolate, if you have any."
"If I have any." He muttered distractedly as he turned away from her to look at Draco. "And you, boy?"
"The same, thanks." Draco laughed at the look on Hermione's face as she watched Aberforth. He'd have no idea what was coming, and she acted so cool about it. They could have just come in for that drink by the bland stare she wore. But he could see it in the slight upward curve of her lips, in the way her eye brows drew together. It was almost incredible.
Aberforth stayed and chatted with them, though he tried to look like he'd rather do anything else. She knew better, continued to keep the conversation flowing when it lapsed into silence. After the last of their chocolate was gone, she just smiled and set the package down on the bar. "Merry Christmas, Aberforth."
He stared dumbly at it, what was he supposed to say? Nobody'd bothered to give him a Christmas present in ages, even his own brother had forgotten in the end. Not that he blamed him, too much was happening at the time. But now she stood there, just smiling. And then they were gone, leaving him alone with the foreign object.
She was giddy as the night air chilled her to the bone. With a laugh, she turned to Draco, the white fluff powdering her hair. "Let me see the football." She held out her hand.
Cautious, he handed it over, did as he was told when she told him to back up. When he was a few meters away, she just looked at the ball. "To Draco." She told it. The ball seemed to flash in her hand for a brief second, causing Draco to blink. Then she threw it, widely to the left. He watched it as it seemed to completely turn midair. With very little effort, he caught it, flipped it over in his hands. There, in letters that were hardly readable, it said...brought to you by Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
He just laughed when she walked over to him and looked down at the ball, "Now how did that get on there?" She feigned innocence. "You better not let my dad see that next time you drop by."
He didn't really think, all he could see, smell, taste, and think was her. And as he cupped her face with his hand, he couldn't care about the consequences. Their lips met, so chaste, so gently that they'd barely touched. But it was enough to cause butterflies in her stomach.
She touched his arm, too wrapped up in him to see the logic that she cared so much about. It was this she'd dreamed about every night, this one moment amongst a lifetime. When he pulled away from her, he looked stunned, speechless. He broke away from her, walking quickly back up the path as she stood there trying to find level footing.
He'd kissed her, he'd actually kissed her. And then he'd walked away as if it hadn't affected him at all. She just watched him, piecing her shattered mind back together. One thing she knew for a fact, that man could kiss.
There was a commotion in her class room, being the first day back to class. "Please try to pay attention." She glanced at Mel's seat, slightly disturbed to find it empty. There was a quiet knock and she turned. "Well, there you are."
"Sorry, Professor Granger." She ducked her head. Draco stepped up behind her, patted her shoulder.
"It was my fault, I kept her after a little longer than I realized." He filled in. Hermione couldn't get her mouth to work. They hadn't spoken since that night, and he seemed to disappear every time she found him. And now, the only thing she could see was their lips meeting, his hand against her cold cheek. She cleared her throat, pushed the memory from her mind.
"That's quite alright." She nodded, turning back to the class. " Chapter thirteen." And with that, Mel slipped into her seat and Draco disappeared once again. Hermione knew her cheeks were hot, and by the whispers of her class, they saw it too. Great, terrific, another reason you don't get involved with another professor.