A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Littlemulattokitten because she is a sweetie x

The Tenth Day of Christmas

On the Tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten lords leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree

.~~~~~.

Hermione padded down the stairs, the hum of chatter drifting up from the kitchen, bringing with it the pleasant aroma of coffee and pastries. Smiling, she pushed the door to the kitchen open, greeted by the sight of Pansy, Blaise and Draco sat around the table, breakfasting.

"There you are!" cried Pansy, dramatically. "I was starting to wonder if you were ever coming down!" She opened the box of pastries, pushing them towards Hermione. "Blaise picked these up from that new bakery you are so in love with in Diagon Alley," she told her, as Hermione reached into the box selecting a treat.

She moaned as she bit down on the pastry, closing her eyes, feeling the delicate flakes melt in her mouth, the flavours exploding on her tongue. "So good," she murmured, as she brushed the crumbs from her lips with her thumb. She glanced over at Pansy who looked as though she was about to burst into laughter at any given moment.

"What?" she asked, dropping the pastry onto a plate and retrieving the coffee pot.

"Nothing," Pansy chuckled softly, shaking her head before turning to kiss Blaise, her hands splaying across his cheeks.

"Must you two do that?" Draco drawled with mocking disdain.

"Oh, shut it you," Pansy retorted, sticking out her tongue. "Right," she announced, standing. "I have to get to the office."

Hermione's forehead creased as she poured coffee into her favourite mug. "But it's a holiday and it's almost noon."

"I know," Pansy sighed, picking up her briefcase. "But clearly my boss did not get the memo. I blame you for this," she told her, giving her a pointed look.

"Me? How can it possibly have anything to do with me?" Hermione cried, putting the coffee pot back and sliding into the chair next to Draco.

"Let's integrate muggle technology, she said; it will be fun, she said," her mocking tone exaggerated. She rolled her eyes. "He's got me coming in for a conference call with the sponsors for the Quidditch World Cup, Mia. On the holiday," Pansy informed her.

"Oh," Hermione murmured, sipping her coffee.

"Oh, indeed," Pansy muttered. "Anyway, I'll see you later," she told them, kissing each of them on the cheek before striding over to the floo, disappearing in the green flames.

Blaise leant forward in his seat. "Okay, now that she has gone, I need your help, Draco."

"It's too late," he chuckled, eyeing the tanned wizard over the rim of his cup. "That girl's got it bad for you, there is no escape." His eyes danced with amusement as he sipped his coffee.

Blaise laughed. "No, I meant with her birthday. I want to surprise her with a trip to Italy," he smiled, turning towards Hermione "So I will need your help as well."

Hermione set her cup down, clapping her hands excitedly. "That sounds wonderful, of course I will help."

"She's been embracing all things muggle lately, so I thought we could travel to Italy the muggle way," Blaise told her as she polished off the remains of her breakfast.

"Oh, that sounds so exciting," she grinned, rising from the table. "Let me go grab my laptop and we can have a look at flights," she told him, darting from the room.

"You certainly know how to get her excited," Draco told him, raising one eyebrow at Blaise.

"Jealous?" Blaise responded, mirroring his look.

"I'm saying nothing," Draco muttered, snagging another pastry, avoiding Blaise's look as he hummed his reply.

Upstairs, Hermione turned into the library where she had left her laptop yesterday afternoon. As she approached the desk, she saw the familiar envelope, her name in emerald script waiting for her. Smiling to herself, she picked it up, noticing the tarot cards on the ink blotter. She tried to suppress the snort, as she opened the envelope, sliding out the card and two tickets.

Dear Hermione,

As it is the Tenth Day of Christmas, I gift you tickets to the all-male performance of Swan Lake at Sadler's Wells. Ten for the Celtic reading, I wonder what's in the cards for us?

Sighing, Hermione placed the card down on the desk and turned to the bookshelf, her fingertips tracing over the spines until she located her old divinations textbook. Pulling it from the shelf, she quickly found the chapter on tarot cards and turned over the first card.

"Temperance, inverted," she muttered to herself, finding the correct page, reading the passage.

Now is a time of disorder and emotional disarray. Let things be harmonized and use reason without being influenced by unbridled emotions.

"The High Priestess," she muttered.

Tells of extreme introversion and prudence that hinders openness. Be more receptive and more communicative to share the great wisdom you have, which with you face different types of situations.

"Justice, inverted."

Tells of chaos in a decision or situation; a period of disparity that will soon get its normal balance again.

"The Empress."

Tells of a period of time in which the results of actions have been blooming. An elder woman has provided support, safety and shelter in order to act firmly, kindly and resolutely today with situations that you face.

"The Magician."

The cause of your concern lies in the past, where self-sufficiency and great skills in all areas were learned. Describes a past where the roots were characterized by success, and the experiences learned today give endless possibilities by using eloquence and intelligence.

"The Star."

Indicates that a wonderful period is on the way. Love is absolutely requited; you feel you are fulfilled and happy. It is a card that describes your heart as pure and clean and full of faith and hope to continue growing with a life in harmony.

"Strength, inverted."

Shows personal motivations are influenced by situations in which the stubbornness to handle situations stand out; situations in which reason and emotions played an important role. Caution is required not to repeat patterns of behaviour.

"The Lovers, inverted. Typical," she snorted.

Indicates environment divided into two contradictory situations, which brings about a widespread disorder that could cause a break mainly at the emotional level. Frustration can also be seen at all levels if things are not handle calmly.

"Wheel of Fortune."

Shows that hopes lie in the fact that future changes bring success and evolution in all senses.

"The Hierophant."

Patience and wisdom in view of the situations that come up with. It indicates marriage.

She sat back, eyes wide for a moment, before pulling out the desk drawer, shoving the cards and the book in. She shut the drawer again, quickly, remind herself that she didn't set much store in divination, anyway.

A/N: The reading given at the end was not something that was made up for the sake of it fitting with the plot. I actually did a Celtic reading while focusing on the characters and their plots (which is all you do for a real person anyway, focus on who they are and their personality and the situations they are in) and this was the result.