Wow… so I haven't done a thing to this story in a while… Guess this is the time to start it up again! xD Enjoy
Draco sat stoically in the stiff material that made his chair. He'd ruined everything. Like the drunk bastard he was, he'd kissed Hermione, and now she hated him.
Sinking lower into his dark and oppressing thoughts, he was startled by the loud tap of an owl's beak on the kitchen window.
He didn't move. It was just the letter from Azkaban.
Tap… tap…. TAP!
Silence. Draco heaved a sigh and stared into the barren fireplace, desolate as before.
And just like that, a large cloud of soot filled the air. Draco shot up, yanking his wand out of the front pocket of his robe. A black blob landed unintelligently on the stone floor, and seemed still for maybe a second.
Up popped Scooter, Hermione's frisky owl. He was no longer a mousy brown but a dark black. His wide eyes blinked frantically, and there was a soot covered letter bound to his foot. It was quite the pitiful sight, Draco thought.
"Is she mad at me?" he asked wistfully, but also a bit angrily. The bird coughed and then held up it's leg.
After unlatching the letter, Draco read slowly.
Draco,
I'm sorry about what happened at The Wand. You were drunk, and it's not your fault. I know why you drank in the first place.
He paused, heeling his jaw clench in anticipation.
I am terribly sorry about your parents. They may have done bad things, but they were still parents. And seeing how much you've changed over the years makes me wonder if they could have changed too.
If you're feeling up to it, meet me at my house for those muggle cookies. Bring your patience. Come around at 7 this evening.
Hermione Granger
Draco read it once more. Twice more. Hermione was actually apologizing for the thing he had done, and she had written down exactly what he'd thought days before. She had never liked his parents, but somehow she could write how it wasn't right.
Before he knew what he was doing, he held out his arm for the sooty owl, who hopped on suspiciously. Draco gently dusted off some of the coal and walked him into the kitchen. It was cold outside, and if he was going to be going to Hermione's anyway there was no point in letting him go right this second.
"Here," he said, flicking his wand at the sink. Warm water appeared out of nowhere, and Scooter threw himself into it gratefully. He started cleaning himself vigilantly.
Draco's owl, Thorn, gave his companion one measly look before flying to the other side of the room.
"Come on, now, Thorn, he's Hermione's owl," Draco chided. Instantly he felt stupid for defending Hermione's owl, let alone talking to them.
Hermione watched Scooter fly off before sighing. She had another four hours before Draco would even come… if he even wanted to. It seemed too quiet now, and her present from Ron lay where she'd left it before – on the counter. It haunted her, as the moving pictures brought on unexpected memories.
Shaking off the emotions that threatened to take over, she decided she'd visit Harry again. She hadn't given him her Christmas presents as she probably should've the other day, but it wasn't too late.
As usual, the Potter's were pleasantly surprised to see her.
"Oh, Hermione! I'm so glad you stopped by… in fact, we were going to drop your present off later."
Probably a good thing she'd stopped by then. Wouldn't it be pleasant if they came in while she and Draco were making cookies.
"Oh, um, thanks. I brought yours too," Hermione admitted, and pulled out two presents – one for Harry and Ginny, the other for little James. James was playing with moving puzzle pieces on the floor, laughing hysterically as they darted away from his tiny hands.
They exchanged gifts, and Hermione watched as the two of them opened their gift. It was a miniature replica of Hogwarts, one that had taken her almost an hour to intricately build even with her magic. Small row boats floated towards the cliff, and Hagrid sat in one, the water almost to the rim.
"This is excellent, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "It must have taken you forever."
"It was nothing," she replied modestly.
"Open yours," Ginny said breathlessly, grinning. Hermione tore the neatly wrapped gift open and felt a grin crease her face.
"The Muggle World, Volume II. How'd you know I needed this?"
Harry laughed. "It was a lucky guess. I hoped you hadn't already had that one."
In fact, she did. But she thanked them and knelt down to James, who was too young to open his gift.
"James, look what I brought for you!" She opened his present, which was long and fairly large. A toy broom.
Harry was clearly astonished and struck with emotions. His way of handling that was to gruffly say, "I can't believe you found one."
James reached up and probed the broom's handle, awed. He bounced up and down, in what Hermione hoped was enthusiasm.
"He'll probably have to grow up a little before he can use it," she told Ginny. "Don't let Harry get him on it too soon… we don't want him to get hurt."
Ginny nodded seriously, but Hermione could already see the longing in Harry's eyes behind his round glasses.
For the next few hours, Hermione talked and laughed, enjoying James' company and leftover Christmas cookies. But when she checked the clock, it was already almost six.
"Well," she said, "I'll let you guys get back to Christmas vacation."
"Oh, why don't you stay for dinner? I'm making pie, too," Ginny added, winking.
Hermione forced a smile. "No thanks, Ginny, I've got to be getting home."
Harry frowned. Suspicious. She tried to keep the look on her face neutral as he started to speak.
"We insist," he said. It was a test, she could hear it in his voice.
"I've got errands to run, actually," Hermione said, and he didn't look convinced. He looked at Ginny.
"If it isn't a big deal to you, would it be okay if we stopped in to visit tonight?"
"Er," said Hermione nervously, "the house is a mess. I'd rather it not be tonight."
Ginny put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, she doesn't want company tonight. We can visit later, alright?"
He seemed sincerely frustrated, but hid it well. "Yeah, yeah, I suppose so. We'll see you later, Hermione." Was that a threat?
She said goodbye and apparated back to her house. It was unusually cold. In fact, it was icy cold. Her breath caught in the air, a familiar feeling making the hairs on her arms rise up.
She saw the dark hooded figure almost as soon as she drew her wand and swore.
