Short Author's Note:

I don't have much to say today, except I'm wondering if anyone actually noticed that I missed last week's posting... Sorry, I had a big history project that I literally spent the WHOLE weekend working on.

As many of you Potterheads know, our beloved Snape, Alan Rickman, died a couple days ago from cancer. While Snape isn't in this chapter, this is dedicated to him. Raise your wands in tribute to this terrific man, who we will always remember, Always.

Also don't forget to follow and favorite TigerL1ly81 and Daughter of the west wind! My two favorite people on this whole site!

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Christmas Alone~ish

The train at Hogsmead station had left early that morning, with many students in tow to return to their families. Relaxation came upon me at once when I sat down near the Gryffendor fire, the tower deserted besides myself.

All the Weaslys had departed for the Burrow, Mrs. Weasly insisting they all came home this year, but with no real family to go back to, Harry stayed with me and the numbered other Gryffendors. The Weasley's had suggested we come too, but I had declined, and Harry didn't want to intrude on the special celebrations they were having with the whole family.

Right then, every student in the castle was outside having another snowball fight, their number all together only around 20 to 30 at most. Harry had tried to convince me to join again, but this time I was persistent, not letting him know, however, that I had better plans. I had the tower completely to myself, that was, until the soft noise of the portrait hole opening stirred me from my thoughts.

My smile lit as I saw Draco quickly shut the door and turn to me, a slightly worried look on his face as he asked, "I got your message, no one else is here?"

"Yeah, just me. Did you have any trouble getting here?" I asked in turn.

"Besides your blasted Fat Lady questioning my motives," Draco complained, "everything went smoothly."

I stood up to meet him, and he held me in his arms, no real reason but to want to be with me, and I with him. "Here," I said pulling away from him and grabbing his soft hand in my own, "in case someone comes inside."

He followed me as I led him up to the Girl's dormitories, careful to keep him close on the steps to prevent them from turning into a slide. "Hermione Granger, the chances of someone coming inside at this time are very slim. Is this some sort of excuse to get me into your room?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

I swatted his arm and walked over to my bed, sitting down against one of the posts and facing out the window. Almost a bit timidly, Draco sat down next to me, playing with my hair and pressing kisses on my neck whenever he moved a strand away. I turned my attention towards him and kissed him on the lips, letting a small laugh escape as I did.

"What's so funny?" He asked as he pulled away slightly.

"I don't really know, it's just, whenever I imagined any scenarios with you involved, it never included you, in Gryffendor tower, soundly snogging me." I laughed.

He leaned back and took a moment to pause. "Never did I imagine to have feelings for someone like you, my father always brought me up to think I was above muggle-borns or anyone who's blood was less pure," he said quietly, "and his reaction if he found out about this would be far from pretty. However, you've changed my viewpoint considerably, and every time I make you smile, it's like something new all together, a good new."

I pulled at his neck to come closer, and kissed him again on the mouth, while the familiar warmth filled me up inside. "What was that for?" Draco asked, puzzled.

I thought back to our words in that dark room, many nights ago. "For acting like a proper human being." I smiled.

"Me? Human? Never." He swore.

The rest of the hour was spent just talking, and occasionally snogging, but mostly just leaning against each other, and sitting in silence. This was what it felt like to slowly be overtaken by love.

"Isn't that a bit over dramatic? I mean, sneaking around for a few weeks hardly qualifies someone to already be in love." I defended.

"Oh, Hermione, if you could see it how I see it, you are most definitely in love with him." Florence squealed again.

"I don't-I-can we talk about something else for awhile?" I stuttered out.

She sighed, "okay, fine, but I'm not letting this drop altogether just yet."

"Fine. Now we need to discuss those shoes, how in the world can you be wearing heeled boots on break?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't know if we've talked about it a lot, but one thing you need to know about me is, I love shoes. Any kind of shoes, if they're in style, I probably have a pair. Every year I bring two trunks to Hogwarts, one with all my clothes and supplies and things, the other filled with shoes. I wouldn't call myself a girly-girl, but I am obsessed with shoes."

"I really would have never guessed. But, I suppose everyone has their passions." I accepted. We continued talking, and I realized how much I needed this, a break from school just to be with Florence and also with Draco. It was... Special.

Breakfast ended and I stood up, starting to leave my friend with words explaining that I hadn't seen my other Slytherin companion.

"You miss him, don't you? It's been a whole night and half of a morning and you're rushing off to see him?" Florence smirked.

"You realize that this break is the longest we get to be with each other, right? I'm making my time count." I answered.

"Just sounds like you miss him, to me." She giggled.

Rolling my eyes I departed from the great hall and started to wander towards the Slytherin Common room. However, when I checked, he wasn't there. "Is finding you really that difficult?" I chided as if Draco were there. As I rounded corner after corner of the halls, I finally caught sight of him meandering down with his back to me. I started walking towards him, and was about to call his name, but suddenly Harry appeared, walking in my direction, leaving me to duck into the classroom nearest.

"Malfoy." I could hear Harry growl in passing.

"Potter." Draco spat.

"Harmed any innocent first years today?" Harry asked accusingly.

Ugh. Boys. Would they ever give it a rest?

"If I wasn't... Let's just say you're lucky I'm not inclined to hurt you."

Did he just.. Is he saying that the only reason he's not hurting Harry is because of me?

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about-"

"Do you ever?"

I spared a glance around the doorframe and saw Harry grab his wand and point it at Draco's chest. While I couldn't see his facial expression, I could tell Draco was restraining himself. His hand was in a fist, and I could see the muscles popping out in his arms.

"What really is your problem, Malfoy? Do you just enjoy offending and hurting others."

"Actually the number of people I enjoy offending has gone down recently. Mostly it's just you." Draco said with a slight shrug, taking his wand out as well.

"Don't play yourself to be a good person, it really doesn't suit you." Harry said, his face set, determined.

I couldn't stand to see them just argue without point, and I most definitely couldn't just watch as one fired the approaching first spell. I took out my own wand and hurried towards them. Harry noticed me and his arm went slack as I came to stand next to both of them. "Will you two just cut it out for one day? I'm sick of you being at each other's throats all the time, when really, both of you are more similar than you'd like to think."

"Herms-"

"Hermione-" they both said as Harry stared at Draco, questioning silently why he had spoken to me in that way.

"Please. Just, all I ask, is that the next time you're simply walking down a hallway, not to immediately go to insulting each other. Can you at least try to do that? I'm going to be in my room," I hinted at for one present, "so please try not to kill each other." I turned, sighing, and walked, maybe a little too dramatically, away from them.

Once I got to my room, relieved that everyone else was either still at breakfast or off doing who knows what, I lay down on my bed and put a hand to my forehead. My intentions weren't to change Draco, I didn't want him to change for me, but I wanted him to realize that silly things like these were something you had to put behind you.

A thought suddenly occurred. I had told Draco to come up here, but how was he-

"Ow! Urgg!" I heard the angry yelling and the crash from downstairs.

I quickly slid down to find Draco lying in pain on the ground. "Oh! Yeah, sorry! I just forgot about the stars thing. Are you hurt?" I started to panic.

"I'm fine. Nothing hurt but my pride, and you know I have way to much of that." He joked.

A real smile spread across my face as I helped him up.

"Listen, Darling, I'm sorry for what-"

"No. It's really ok- I know you can't just suddenly start liking someone who you've hated for years, and I shouldn't expect you to."

He face reflected my smile. "You're really amazing, you know that, right?"

"The idea has come to mind once or twice."

He pulled me in for a hug, and we stood there in each other's arms. "But, please, for my sake, don't try to pick a fight. I'm going to ask Harry the same thing, but just try your best. Ok?" I asked hopefully.

"I'll try. For you, though. Not for Potter."

"Now get out of here, Malfoy, I'm surprised no one's walked in yet." I teased, playfully pushing him away. His hand came to rest quickly on my cheek as he kissed me gently. I smiled into the embrace and he finally let go, leaving the way he came.

Would the butterflies in my stomach ever give it a rest?

Stay Awesome,

ThePondFamily3