Chapter 10 The Long Holiday
Authors note: SORRY! I'm not even going to lie. I've been watching Harry Potter movies this week and crying in all of them. But this chapter is the longest yet and I think you will realize it's worth the wait! Enjoy!
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When Hermione's eyes started to crack open on Christmas morning she practically ran downstairs to the tree. Being the only Gryffindor that stayed over the holiday was just a bonus.
She threw herself down by the tree and eyed all her presents before opening them. She made a mental check list of everyone she had to thank. Her parents got her an extra pair of robes. Mrs. Weasely gave her, her signature sweater. Harry gave her an old copy of Hogwarts of History and Ron gave her a box of chocolates. What a surprise. After opening various other presents from family members, a small black box caught her brown eyes.
She picked it up and read the small note, before proceeding to open it.
Merry Christmas Hermione. From you know who.
She chuckled to herself thinking it was a Voldemort reference from one of her friends like Ginny or Harry. She slowly pulled the black silk bow off the top.
She started to pull back the black tissue paper when BOOM!
Green and sliver dust came shooting out, coloring her face, hair, clothes, and carpet around her.
She looked down and saw that the magical powder had turned her pajamas into those of a Slytherin.
"Malfoy!"
Hermione spent the next two hours trying to remove the powder and sparkles from her mess of hair. Finally she gave up, threw on her new set of robes and went down to try and catch the end of breakfast.
Draco was eagerly waiting at the Slytherin table for her entrance. Finally, she walked in, and he looked very closely until noticing a greenish tent to her hair. He let a smile play on his lips when he grabbed his pumpkin juice.
Inches away from his mouth he magically let the juice spill all over himself, staining his white shirt. "Wait!" He spoke quietly to himself as he looked up and saw Hermione running out of the Great Hall with a piece of toast in her mouth. He started cursing Granger under his breath before muttering numerous spells to clean his now orange shirt.
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Hours later Draco found Hermione bundled up standing by the black lake.
"Flipendo."
He watched in amusement as his spell threw her back a few inches. Causing her to topple over and fall into the black lake. She screamed and tried to get out of the freezing cold water as fast as she could.
The sound of laughter filled her ears and she looked up to find Malfoy hunched over clutching his sides. She stormed over to him with her hands on her hips.
"Why are you so wet Granger?" He was laughing in between words.
"Oh no reason Malfoy. I was just thirsty and couldn't find any cups so I just decided to jump into the black lake."
He was still laughing and not caring that she was looking at him with daggers.
"Aquamenti."
Draco was hit with such a force of water he wet stumbling backwards and fell into a heap of snow.
"Why are you so wet Malfoy?" She expressed the you greatly with a smirk on her face. She didn't even wait for a response before skipping back into the castle, soaking wet, but with a smile on her lips.
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The last week of break continued this way. The teachers were informed of the 'pranking war' between the two enemies. But with Dumbledore's orders they were not allowed to do anything about it.
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Three days until her friends would be returning from break Hermione was smiling while walking to the library. Only hours before she performed a jelly leg jinx on Draco causing him to fall down a flight of stairs. The image still hot in her brain.
She was steps away from the library when peeves starting singing.
"Granger! Granger!"
"What peeves?"
"Granger! Danger!"
"Wha." - Before she could respond a bowl of chocolate pudding was smashed into her face. She stood there stunned for a moment before another bowl hit the top of her head. She reached up and scraped the goo covering her eyes.
"Peeves! You're going to pay for this!" She started chasing after them, wand in hand, but they were ghost and able to fly through walls. Something she could not do. When she rounded another corner still covered in pudding she found Malfoy there with a smirk.
"You!" She stormed up to him and thrust her wand at his neck like in 3rd year. "How did you get the peeves to listen to you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Liar."
"Granger if you put the wand down before or eyes turn black or my wings shoot out, I would be glad to tell you."
She blushed and placed some distance between them.
"Just kidding!" Using his Veela speed he ran for another corridor missing her hex by inches.
"Malfoy you git!"
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The second to last day of break Hermione had the perfect final prank. During her research, she came across a piper up spell. Similar to the potion, but it fills the person with overwhelming joy for 12 hours. In that time, they can't control their joy level so they will say anything and do anything. In her opinion Malfoy needed something like this. And it would ware off tomorrow. So, what was the harm?
She was eating toast, sipping on pumpkin juice with a book on the table waiting for Malfoy to appear. Once he had she once again waited for him to feel secure and start eating.
She carefully grabbed her wand and pointed it under the table at him.
"Felix Fiat." Gold sparks shot from her wand and entered Malfoy.
At first Malfoy looked confused then a wild grin spread across his face. His head shot up and he waved at Hermione before skipping out of the Great Hall. Hermione couldn't miss this so she chugged a glass of pumpkin juice and shoved the piece of toast in her mouth before running after the blonde.
She found him outside in the snow making large snow angels with a smile on his face. Cautiously she approached him.
"Hermione!" He jumped up and interlaced their fingers. "Have you ever seen the Slytherin common room?"
"No but I don't think they would want a mudblood like me to anyways."
Draco stopped pulling Hermione and spun around with super speed. His face looked shocked and his eyes started to water. "Hermione! Never call yourself something so bad. It makes me so sad and I want to be happy!" He squeezed her hand and smiled as hard as he possible could at her.
She covered her mouth with her free hand when she started to laugh. "Okay Malfoy."
"Draco."
"What?" He was pulling her down a flight of stairs to the common room.
"My name is Draco. Use it."
Hermione smiled wildly to herself at his new attitude. Draco was drunk happy and she loved how he was still his cocky self. Five minutes later they reached the common room and entered. Hermione took in the view. The seating area was so large and the windows shown into the black lake.
"So what do you think?" He was jumping up and down with a nervous smile waiting for her answer.
"Breathtaking." He squealed like a girl and dragged her away from the window. They were going down a long set of stairs until he swiftly turned and continued to pull her into a room with six large beds.
"So this is my bed and those are my posters, … Oh and these are my books and that's my trunk!"
Hermione was silently laughing to herself. "Very nice Draco."
He beamed when she said his first name and pulled her onto his bed. They were sitting shoulder to shoulder and Hermione's eyes turned black while she was looking at his rather large book collection.
"Draco …?" She looked over and saw him staring intently at her.
"You know what makes me really really happy Hermione?"
"What's that?"
"You."
She stared at him in disbelief before he tucked a curl behind her ear and kissed her cheek. She blushed and reached up to touch the place his lips once were. Quickly she stood from the bed realizing she was on a bed in the first place.
"I'm going to the library now."
"What why?" Draco shot up from the bed, grabbed her hands, and looked down into her black eyes.
"I want to read."
"But … but you could read here!" He grabbed his wand and quickly changed his sheets to red. "See, there Gryffindor, just like you like!"
"That's very sweet Draco but I'd rather go to the library."
In a split second he fell to her feet and grabbed her hands. A tear rolled down his pale boney cheek. "Do I not make you happy?"
Hermione was taken back by his question and stared at him gaping like a fish before dropping to her knees beside him. She cupped his face with her hands and lifted his head to look into his eyes. "Draco you do make me so happy, and if you want you can join me."
"Really!" He yanked Hermione from the floor and held on to her hand tight. As he pulled her down different corridors she couldn't help when her mind drifted. She knew he was a Veela and was forced to love her but did the wizard part love her as well. She had to admit this Christmas break had been the best one in a long time. And the sight of Draco crying broke her heart. Crap was she starting to fall for the ferret. I guess she's made up her mind on the matter of mating with him or letting him die.
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Once they entered the library Draco led her to her favorite section. A red comfy chair that looks out over black lake. They stood their hand in hand looking at said chair. He sent her a mischievous smirk before sitting down in the chair. She rolled her eyes and went to grab another chair when two pale arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
"Malfoy!"
He pulled her closer. "It's Draco to you." She huffed before grabbing a book and beginning to read. Every so often she looked up to find him smiling at her. When the spell affects wore off she would be in a world of rage. She tried not to imagine the pay back he would get as she leant against his chest. He was tangling his hands in her hair. Playing with various curls.
"Hermione why aren't you paying attention to me?" His words sounded so hurt as she looked up from her book to see puppy dog eyes. Strangely they were still black like hers and she wondered if it was due to their proximity.
"Because I am trying to read."
"But I want to talk to you!" He sounded like a toddler who wasn't allowed to have ice cream before dinner.
"About what?"
"Oh I don't know." His frown changed to a smile once he got her full attention. "We could talk about you."
"What about me?" Hermione was leaning against his chest twisting a button on his shirt.
"Well your hair is very interesting, your eyes swirl with gold flakes when your excited or passionate about something. Um you are drop dead gorgeous and you don't even wear makeup! Plus, you are smarted then me, smarted then everyone!"
Hermione started to blush. From her reaction Draco started to purr. "Wait are you purring?" A girlish smile sealed her lips.
"Yes, it's a Veela thing. It only happens when I'm happy."
"So your happy right now?"
"Well you are currently in my arms which makes me pretty happy."
They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Hermione was having an inner battle. She could ask him anything and he would tell her. She wanted to know but debated if it was right. Sure, enough Draco would tell her sooner or later.
"Draco?"
"Yes?" He was twirling one of her curls around his finger.
"Did you want to be a Death Eater?" She looked away as his face showed an inner battle.
"Well it's not like I had a choice."
"What do you mean?"
"The Dark Lord was punishing my father and needed things done at Hogwarts, so he made me a Death Eater. I couldn't say no. My fate was already decided."
She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. His face turned red but he still smiled like a mad man. She stood up and grabbed his hand.
"Let's go to dinner."
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Hermione convinced Draco to sit at the Slytherin table. She had agreed to meet him in the Room of Requirements afterwards.
She watched as he ate all his food with supper speed. It kind of reminded her of Ron but at least Draco had manners. He winked at her before leaving the Great Hall.
She however took her time eating before heading up to the 7th floor.
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Upon entering the room Draco grabbed her hand and dragged her past the king size bed and into the bathroom she didn't know existed.
"Draco what are we doing?" He made her sit on the stool facing the mirror.
"I'm going to braid your hair."
"What?"
"Yeah. My mom used to braid my hair in first and second year. So, she taught me how to braid hers." Draco's face got noticeable redder as he let a secret slip.
"That's so cute!" She was gripping the stool trying not to fall off from laughter.
The bathroom experience went as anyone could predict. Hermione was holding in laughter the entire time while Draco tried to braid her hair, with such concentration on his face.
They moved from the bathroom and onto the kind size bed, deep in conversation. The braid had fallen out and they were left with Hermione's normal crazy curly hair.
They talked about various things such as spells, potions, teachers, gossip on other students, and life outside of school. Draco was very cautious with what he revealed. But both students didn't notice the day slipping away.
Hermione looked at her watch and saw that it was already one am. Her friends would be getting here, along with all the other students around dinner time tomorrow. She let out a yawn before starting to stand from the bed.
"I think I'm going to call it a night."
"Okay." Draco patted the spot on the bed next to him. She turned her head a him in a confused manner.
"Hermione sleep here tonight. Next to me." He let his sweet smile turn into a smirk.
"I don't know." She took a step away from the bed.
"Please Hermione. It would make me the happiest person alive! And what harm could come from it?"
She started to consider it. Malfoy was already full of joy from the spell but she was curious. No one would see and a night with Draco Malfoy made her heart skip a beat. "Fine! What the hell!"
Draco smiled ear to ear. "Let me just change out of my school robes first." He shook his head in agreement, smiling like a crazy person while she walked by and into the bathroom. Moments later she walked out wearing an oversized t-shirt and shorts. He was wearing a black shirt with some green boxers.
She laughed at his appearance. "Really, do you always wear house colors?"
"Honestly Hermione you can't tell me you don't own a Gryffindor piece of clothing."
"Fine." She pushed herself from the doorway and got into bed. The opposite side of him. They said their good nights and started to go to sleep with a large gap in between them.
An hour later Hermione was still awake when she felt two arms wrap around her waist. They pulled her to the opposite side of the bed, and into Draco's warm embrace. She melted into him and pretended to be asleep.
"You make me the happiest man alive and don't even know it. You deserve the world and more." He kissed her on the forehead before starting to fall asleep as well. Hermione let a smile dance on her lips as she replayed his words in her head.
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Hours later the normal Draco woke up. The spell had worn off and he remember everything. At first he was mad then embarrassed but when he looked at the small Gryffindor sound asleep in his arms he couldn't help but smirk and be filled with an emotion he didn't recognize. She truly was brilliant and he meant everything he said yesterday.
He started to poke and tickle Hermione until she started to wake up. Once she was flat on her back he moved on top of her. This ripped her from her daze.
He dove for her soft baby pink lips. At first Hermione was stunned but soon started kissing back with as much emotion and intensity. Both their eyes turned black and she snaked her arms around his neck, and his wrapped around her waist. Bringing the other person as close as possible. Hermione felt his tongue demand entrance and she complied. Draco thought her mouth tasted like honey. Everything he and is Veela were dying for. Suddenly his wings shot from his back as their tongues were in a battle for dominance. They broke apart and Draco flopped down beside her laughing.
"What was that for?" He could hear her small gasp of breath.
"Revenge for yesterday." He smirked a god like smirk the founder of Slytherin would be proud of.
"So are you going to sprout wings every time we kiss?"
"God I hope not." Quickly Draco shot up and locked eyes with Hermione. "There will be more kissing!"
She sat up and stole another swift kiss from his lips before heading to the bathroom. He wanted to follow her in so badly and finish was they started moments ago. She was just a tease. But he loved it!