Just as it had done at Halloween, the days remaining until the winter break flew by – except this time, Hermione enjoyed every minute. Holiday cheer had spread through the halls of Hogwarts like wildfire, the celebrations contributing to a student body Hermione truly thought was happier than any she'd ever seen. Oh, she and her friends and housemates had definitely had their fun at the holidays, but they'd also had the burden of war looming ever closer with each passing year, the bleak headlines and the scary reality of life outside Hogwarts dampening their spirits all too often. Hell, they'd spent Christmas Day itself of her fifth year at St. Mungo's after Mr. Weasley was attacked by that horrid snake during his work for the Order – the threat had been real, and not even something like Christmas could've stopped it completely. Now, however, the Wizarding world had had some time to heal, and while they still had a long way to go, the happy smiles Hermione saw on her students' faces were like the sweetest elixir. It was an indescribably wonderful feeling to be able to celebrate the most magical time of year at such a magical place, without any mysteries, threats, secrets, or other dark spots holding her back.
Most of their plans for holiday-themed activities had gone rather well. They'd made ornaments in class one week, the students free to create whatever they'd liked, and those two bare Christmas trees were now a proud testament to the many cultures and traditions represented by the Hogwarts student body. Hermione thought they were wonderful, and she'd heard many complimentary remarks about them from others as well, students and staff alike. The caroling trip had unfortunately been canceled due to a bad snowstorm, but the students had merely shrugged it off and sung around the school instead. It wasn't quite the same as going door-to-door, but as long as they were having fun, Hermione didn't mind – it was much better than listening to the charmed suits of armor like she'd had to do all through the Triwizard Tournament, at any rate. There had been snowball fights and sledding on the lawn and ice-skating on the lake, and the house-elves had supplied endless pitchers of their unparalleled hot cocoa recipe every night.
The Hogwarts staff had had a small party on the last night before the train's departure, and Hermione had received some very thoughtful gifts from her fellow teachers. Gemma, having learned of Hermione's love of baking, had found her a Wizarding cookbook – Hermione had immediately begun paging through it, noting several recipes she was eager to try – and Neville had given her a plant with lovely purple flowers and many natural calming properties. Professor McGonagall presented each member of the staff with a good-quality bottle of wine and a tin of biscuits, and they all took the time to exchange well wishes for the holidays and a happy new year.
Hermione had now been home for a few days and was completely immersed in all the holiday fun with her friends. She'd just managed to return home in time for the last performance of The Nutcracker – Heather had danced the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy this year, looking lovely in a sparkly white and silver tutu – and she'd finished up the last bits of her shopping, making sure to stop in at the joke shop to say hi to George Weasley. She and Draco had gone to the Christmas tree farm and chosen two trees, one for Hermione's flat and one for Star Cottage, both of which had since been decorated. Presents were wrapped, cookies were baked, and now, it was Christmas Eve.
"Hermione!" A short, dark-haired young woman squealed with delight as she threw herself into Hermione's arms for a fierce hug. She squeezed Hermione until neither girl could breathe, then drew back and met her gaze.
"Oh, it's so good to see you!" Cat Bradley gushed. "Those letters you send are great, but they're just not the same!"
"It's wonderful to see you too!" Hermione agreed. Cat had been exceptionally busy in the short while Hermione had been home, and they hadn't yet had a chance to see one another – they hadn't even gone to the same Nutcracker performance. It was easy enough for Hermione's Wizarding friends to pop up to Hogwarts or Hogsmeade for a day, but as far as her Muggle friends were concerned, her location in northern Scotland meant she'd only be around at holidays, and they were eager for the long-overdue chance to catch up.
"Heather's in the kitchen," Hermione said as she took Cat's coat. As was tradition, she and Heather were hosting their Christmas Eve party.
"And Draco's already here!" Cat finished, spying the blond as he strode into view. Hermione chuckled.
"Yes, Draco's already here." Draco stepped up beside his girlfriend, grinning broadly, and accepted Cat's kiss to his cheek.
"How are you, love?" Cat asked. Draco laughed.
"We did just have tea last week, Cat," he reminded her. Cat brushed him off with an impatient hand gesture.
"Details," she muttered. "Am I not allowed to ask after my good friends?" They all laughed again, and Hermione encouraged Cat to come inside properly and offered her a drink.
It wasn't long before the rest of the guests had arrived and the party was in full swing. Harry, Ginny, Dave, Lauren, Chris, and Astoria had all come, and Hermione had been shocked but pleasantly surprised when Theo Nott had arrived with the younger Greengrass. Theo was quiet compared to most of the other guests, but Hermione could see that he was already forming positive relationships with some of her Muggle friends. Of course, Draco must've been the one to introduce them all in the first place, and she smiled when she realized how far Draco himself had come with this group, the blond having formed close friendships with Cat and Dave in particular.
When it was late enough, the friends bundled up in coats and scarves and made their way down the street to the little stone church, which held a Christmas Eve service Hermione adored. It was a simple service, with seasonal music performances and the reading of the Christmas story, and it always ended with the church bells tolling midnight. Hermione's favorite part of the service was the carols by candlelight – no matter how many times she participated, no matter how much she already knew to expect, it was always a magical moment. The sheer joy she felt as she sang the carols, coupled with the sight of dozens of candle flames flickering gently, was something that couldn't be duplicated, and she looked forward to it wholeheartedly every year.
"Happy Christmas, everyone!" Lauren said as they stood outside the church after the service had ended. "Let's all try to meet up at least once more before New Year's, yeah?" Various murmurs of agreement passed through the group, and they split up to go their separate ways, Hermione and Heather thanking everyone for joining them for such a wonderful evening. Once they'd waved goodbye to Harry and Ginny, Heather, Cat, Hermione, and Draco made their way back to the flat. Heather and Cat hurried forward, chatting excitedly about Christmas, while Draco and Hermione walked a few paces behind, enjoying the walk in spite of the chilly night air.
"Come back to Star Cottage with me?" Draco asked quietly. Hermione looked up at him.
"Now?" she asked. Draco nodded.
"I'd like to give you your gift tonight, if that's alright with you."
"It's awfully late…" Hermione began, but there was very little effort behind the argument. She very much wanted to go.
"It's up to you," was all Draco said. Hermione nodded.
"I'll come with you," she said after a moment. "I just need to tell the girls first." Draco smiled softly and dropped a gentle kiss on her lips before following her into the flat.
"I'll be back in a minute," Hermione whispered, and she trotted up the stairs. Heather's door was open, and Hermione knocked on the frame to get the other girls' attention.
"I'm going out with Draco for a bit," she told them. "Just…so you know where I am."
"We won't wait up, love," Cat said with a knowing smile. "I'm staying the night anyway, so it's not like Heather will be alone."
"But I might-"
"Hermione, don't worry about whether you're coming home or not – we trust Draco to take care of you, so just go enjoy yourself." Hermione smiled softly.
"I promise I'll join you for a proper sleepover sometime this week," she said. She stepped into the room and hugged them both.
"Happy Christmas," she whispered.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione."
Hermione soon returned to the main living area, a small bag slung over her shoulder.
"I brought your gift as well," she explained to Draco. He chuckled, and the two left the flat, making sure the street was deserted before Disapparating. They landed in the lane just outside Star Cottage, the little home Draco had built for himself on the grounds that had once housed Malfoy Manor, and Draco opened the front door and led the way inside. He did not turn on the lights, opting for just the soft glow of the Christmas tree.
"Master Draco is home!" a high-pitched voice squeaked. "And Miss Hermione!"
"Hello, Posey!" Hermione replied. Posey beamed, always happy to see Hermione, and Hermione couldn't help but return the infectious grin.
"Posey, you didn't have to wait up," Draco gently admonished. "It's very late."
"Posey is just wanting to see Master Draco home safe," Posey said. In spite of her cheerful demeanor, she did indeed look very tired. "Posey is glad that Master Draco is here."
"Posey, go get some sleep," Hermione said softly. "We'll still be here in the morning." She blushed as she realized her mistake – she shouldn't assume she was staying the night! – but neither Draco nor Posey commented. Perhaps they hadn't even noticed.
"Ok. Posey is being ready for bed," Posey admitted. "Goodnight, Master Draco. Goodnight, Miss Hermione."
"Goodnight, Posey," they chorused. Posey smiled one last time before shuffling down the hall and up the stairs to bed.
Once Posey was gone, Draco took Hermione's hand and led her to the couch.
"Your present is in my room – I'll just be a minute," he said. Hermione nodded, and Draco disappeared for a moment to his bedroom at the end of the hall, returning shortly with a box in his hands. It was wrapped in striped paper with a white ribbon tied in a bow and was no more than eight inches long, if Hermione had to guess. Without another word, Draco sat beside her and handed her the box. Hermione hadn't the faintest idea what was inside, but Draco looked almost…nervous?
"I almost don't want to unwrap it," Hermione said with a little laugh. "The bow is so pretty." She managed to slip the ribbon off without untying it and carefully opened the paper at both ends – aside from wanting to preserve the wrapping, she was also mindful of Posey trying to sleep. After setting the wrapping paper and ribbon aside, she opened the box. Inside was an old-fashioned key. It was long enough to cover her hand from her wrist to the tip of her fingers, and it was very heavy.
"What does this go to?" she asked, looking to Draco.
"Look at it again, Hermione," he said quietly. Hermione obliged, and she noticed what she'd missed before – the top of the key was decorated with tiny stars.
"What does this go to?" she repeated, this time in little more than a whisper. She had a sneaking suspicion, but should her heart dare hope? Draco had never mentioned anything like this before…
"It doesn't open anything, not really," Draco replied, his own voice equally quiet. "Star Cottage doesn't have keys in the conventional sense."
"Draco…" Hermione's eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Of course, you already have keys, if you will, but I want you to have permanent ones – a home." He swallowed heavily. "And I suppose I should tell you that this gift has two parts." Draco slid from his place on the couch to kneel on the floor beside Hermione, taking her hand in his. She gasped when he raised his other hand, which held a much smaller box than the first one. Draco flipped open the box, and even in the dim light, Hermione could see the sparkle of the ring within.
"I want you to have a home here," Draco said, his voice low. "A home with me. Maybe I'm being completely selfish, because I honestly can't say what I've given you in return that's worth even half of what you've given me, but you've changed me, Hermione, in ways that I can't even begin to express. What started out as an educational exercise has entirely changed my life, and I cannot imagine going forward without you by my side. Hermione Jean Granger, will you continue to put up with that selfishness, as my wife? Will you marry me?" Hermione nodded.
"Yes," she whispered, choking back a sob. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "Oh, gods, Draco, yes! I will." With trembling fingers, Draco removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger, where it sized itself for a perfect fit. He kissed her fingertips reverently, his own eyes shining with tears, before he hoisted himself up onto the couch at Hermione's side and bent his head to connect their lips. One hand cupped her face while the other tangled in her hair, their tears mingling as they poured every ounce of their love into that one kiss. When they finally broke apart, Draco pulled back just enough to meet Hermione's eyes.
"Thank you, Granger," he whispered. "Thank you for loving me and for giving me a second chance." Hermione smiled and reached up to run her thumb across his cheekbone, wiping away a stray tear.
"You're not the only one who got a second chance," she said. She kissed him again, briefly, sweetly, then tilted her hand so that her new ring flashed in their peripheries. "I love you."
"And I love you – more than anything."
As neither one of them wanted to ruin the moment by moving too far, the couple just quietly repositioned themselves on the couch, Hermione's back to Draco's front, and intertwined their fingers, the light of the Christmas tree reflecting gently off their faces. Neither had any idea of the time, nor did they care – they were together, and they were at peace. Just before they drifted off to sleep, they broke the silence one last time:
"Happy Christmas, Draco."
"Happy Christmas, Hermione."
A/N: Has anyone else been waiting for that moment as long as I have? I may or may not have teared up a bit while writing it... 3
Thank you, again, for all of your support. It means so much!
JKR owns all things Potter, I just play. Please R&R, & enjoy! :)
