Chapter 25: Christmas Break Part four
The day of the New Year's party had finally arrived and Hermione was nervous.
"Hermione dear calm down, I think the necklace is burning a hole in my chest." Narcissa joked.
"I'm sorry Mom; I am just worried that Ron will pull a stunt like the one at the ball, or what if the Dark Lord tries something, this is the perfect opportunity to get to ninety percent of his enemies."
"Baby, we are on our own turf, Ronald wouldn't dare cross your father, as for the Dark Lord, I have a feeling he will be quiet for a while, he wants the ministry to weaken your grandfather even more."
"I know, but that still makes me worry, what if they would."
"Then I would hex Ron and Arthur couldn't say anything about it, as for you-know-who, Gramps would kick his ass in any duel." Lucius joked before leavening to the study.
"Why don't you go rest Baby, we will wake you before dinner."
"Ok." Hermione walked up to her room where she laid on her bed praying for sleep to overtake her; she didn't even feel herself fall asleep.
She was standing in the middle of a dark room; she heard whispers that were indistinctive.
"Hello?" Ron appeared behind her with his wand drawn.
"You are a traitorous bitch Malfoy, you and your family have to die."
"What?"This couldn't be real, it felt real but it couldn't be.
"You are going to be the last to survive, I want to make you suffer, and you tore my family apart!"
"No you made your choice," Hermione said shaking her head, trying to hide her quickly growing panic.
"No, you made them choose! Now I am going to make you pay for what you did." A light appeared behind Ron and tied to five chairs were her parents, grandparents and Draco.
"Let them go!"
"Avada Kadavra!" Ron shouted, his green stream turned into five and killed all of them at once.
"NO!"She couldn't move, her feet were glued to the ground
"Now it's your turn! Crucio!" her body hurt as she twitched in agony after collapsing on the floor. He eventually released her and she got up on shaky legs. "You lied to me! You lied to Harry, you are the reason he won't make it through this war!" He made a move that indicated a rape but she quickly reacted. "This should prove to you how worthless you are."
"No," she said again, this time she ran and the scene changed to one of woods, ones she recognized as the forbidden forest, she jumped over roots and dodged trees. The sound of a battle going on in the background, she dodged more trees and strewn bodies as she ran. She was going so fast, she didn't pay attention to all the roots; she tripped and fell, as she made to get up, she heard a sudden crack behind her and turned to see what had caused the sound and Ron appeared above her and pointed his wand at her, "Stupify!" she screamed. He dodged it and she took her opportunity to run, she continued to run until she hit a clearing. She wanted to scream; Harry was lying dead in the middle of the clearing with a dark cloaked figure that she assumed was Voldemort standing over him smirking. She ran over to him and cried, she didn't even hear Ron come up behind her and point his wand at her. She turned around when she felt a slight pressure on her neck.
"Good bye Malfoy scum, Avada K…." She screamed as the light came toward her, everything echoed...
Narcissa was startled from the book she was reading when Minerva, Albus and Snape came running through the fire place almost at once, "Minerva, what are you all doing here?"
"We should be asking you why we shouldn't be here, one of you is in distress! Can't you feel it?" Severus replied breathlessly.
"No I had to take my off momentarily, Hermione's emotions this morning had practically burned a hole in my chest it was so hot."
"Is that who that was?"
"Yes. Lucius must not be wearing his either or he would be down…."
Lucius came bustling in, "Is everyone alright?"
"We haven't gotten used to who feels like what to us yet I suppose." Severus said.
"Yes dear, we are all fine in here."
"What about…"
"My hand is on fire, who is in trouble?" Draco and Blaise came into the kitchen.
"Where's Hermione?" Albus asked.
"She's upstairs asleep…"
A blood chilling scream came from upstairs, "HERMIONE!" Narcissa yelled leading the group sprinting up the stairs to her daughter's bedroom. She rushed into the room, Hermione was sitting on her bed drenched in sweat and panting. "Baby are you alright?"
"I… I… I don't know. What is everyone doing here? Did I oversleep?" She suddenly panicked about something completely new.
"No baby," Minerva said approaching her granddaughter. "We all felt strong distress and panic coming from our jewelry. Are you ok?"
Hermione's eyes glistened with tears, "It was Ron."
"What?" Blaise asked, shocked by her answer.
"He killed you all and then tried to kill me and I couldn't do anything, he HATES me, Harry is going to face death in the final battle because of me, and it's all my fault, it's all going to fail because of me." Hermione leaned into her mother and cried.
"Oh baby it was just a dream, it's ok, nothing is your fault." Hermione cried uncontrollably into her mother while her grandmother rubbed comforting circles on her back. The men left to the sitting room where they discussed the enchanted items of jewelry.
"So how are we supposed to distinguish who's who and what is a dream and what's from a real experience?" Draco asked.
"Remember Hermione's letter? Father said that we would know, we just had to let love guide us."
"Oh, how though?"
"Just focus on the emotion, it will lead you straight to the heart of the one feeling the emotion." Albus said.
"So Hermione is extremely upset right now, and I can feel that but I don't understand how I can let my heart guide me to her. The only reason I know what she is feeling is because I saw her face, I saw the pain." Draco said.
"Focus on another emotions streaming through the ring." Blaise suggested.
"Ok well Black is appearing on my ring, ok clearing my mind and focusing on the emotion." Draco was quiet for a moment before opening his eyes. "Grandpa, why are you angry?"
"Do you have to ask," his grandpa asked over his spectacles.
"No I don't suppose so."
"Hermione's calmed down now," Severus said.
"Wow you're a fast learner Uncle Sev."
"No, I'm looking at her." The group looked around and saw Hermione walking down the steps, her eyes all puffy from crying.
"Hey you, are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm better."
"Come here Mia Bear." Hermione walked over to her father and sat in his lap, "You are to have fun tonight, no exceptions."
"Ok," she smiled at him and laid her head on his shoulder. Everyone was in deep study on how to interpret the emotions and colors. Before they knew it, the time had come where they had an hour until the party. They all dispersed to get ready and met back up in the room just in time for the Weasley clan to arrive. The Weasleys were followed by Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and other Order Members. After everyone had made attendance, Narcissa served dinner and everyone chatted joyfully ready to ring in the New Year. About an hour later, everyone was doing something. There were games all throughout the house and Albus and Narcissa were snapping pictures of everything capturing the moments as they passed, around ten o'clock everyone went outside for a game of quiddich. Severus wasn't a big fan of quiddich so he sat on the sidelines cheering on the Malfoys with Minerva and Albus and Fleur who cheered on the Weasleys. Lucius, Draco, Narcissa and Blaise, Hermione, Tonks, and Sirius were against Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Harry, the twins, and Bill. Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Hermione, Lucius and Narcissa played chasers, Fred, George, Sirius and Blaise played Beaters, Tonks and Bill played keepers and Draco and Harry played Seekers; The game lasted for one and a half hours before Draco had grabbed the snitch.
Afterward the Malfoy children went in to grab things for the firework show brought to the party thanks to the Weasley twins. Hermione ran to her room grabbing some quilts from her closet while Draco and Blaise grabbed the blankets from theirs. The trio ran down the stairs randomly strewing the blankets among their guests. Remus and Tonks got one, Sirius got another, The Weasley couple got one, Draco, Blaise and Hermione passed out others to random couples that their parents hadn't already gotten to and then there were three left, one for each of them. Soon it was ten minutes till midnight and Narcissa, Minerva, Molly, Ginny and Hermione came out with fire whiskey, butterbeers, wine, sparkling grape juice and hot chocolate for later. The ten minutes passed fairly quickly and before everyone knew it they were counting down the seconds.
"10…9…8…7…6…5….4…3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!"Everyone shouted. Couples kissed and Hermione and Draco both received hugs and kisses from their parents and grandparents. Hermione received hugs and kisses on the cheek from the Wealseys, Sirus, Tonks and Remus. She was utterly shocked when George came up to her out of nowhere and planted one on her. She didn't pull away but kissed him back.
"Happy New Year Miss Malfoy."
"Happy New Year Mr. Weasley." He kissed her again which made her smile.
He looked on with pure jealousy, he could feel it though the ring how content and loved she felt. He wished he could be the one to give it to her but he knew that it could never be.
She and George hugged for a moment before parting; she looked up and smiled at him. She would have liked to have stayed with him under the blanket but he and Fred had to run the show, she also figured that this was her chance to cuddle with her parents without Draco or Blaise being too big of babies about it. Lucky for her, when she went over to her parents, they were sitting next to her grandparents. Hermione planted herself right in between her mother and grandmother under her blanket. They in turn expanded both of their blankets and wrapped their arms around her. They watched the show for a while before Hermione felt something on her chest; it was sadness, as they had discussed, and she focused on the emotion and discovered that it was coming from her father. She stood and moved her position so that she was now in between her parents; Draco had thankfully moved to sit between their grandparents so Minerva still could coddle one of her grandchildren.
"Daddy?"
"Yes Mia bear?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
"No you're not I can feel it." Lucius stayed quiet watching the show that the twins had put on, vaguely aware of the cheers they were receiving from their friends and family. "Daddy, please tell me, is it something I did?"
"No," Lucius refused to look at her.
"Daddy, please, don't do this, talk to me."
Lucius still refused to look at her but he spoke, "I feel like I have missed so much and right when I got you back, I am already loosing you."
"What do you mean? I'm not going anywhere."
"You are a young lady Mia, I felt what you felt when you are around Mr. Weasley. He makes you very happy."
"Yes but Daddy, I feel good around him like I do when I am around you. No matter how old I get or what happens, I'm always going to be your Mia Bear."
Lucius finally looked at her, his eyes swimming in tears; he pulled her to him kissing her hair, "I love you."
"I love you too Daddy." Neither was aware that Narcissa, Minerva, Albus and Draco were watching them. Nor were they aware that a pair of black eyes had watched the whole scene unfold from behind a tree.
When the show was done, everyone gave the twins a standing ovation and they bowed in response. They started picking up, which thanks to magic it didn't take long; when they were done, Hermione looked at her father who nodded. She ran to the twins and jumped into George's arms.
"That was brilliant; you two did a wonderful job!" George kissed her.
"Thank you beautiful, you know, Fred and I had a lot of fun with this, and we even discussed having our joke shop include them."
"That would be wonderful." She hugged him and held him close as her parents came closer.
"Well, Mr.'s Weasley, that was the best firework show that we have had here in a while, well done," Lucius said.
"I must agree, I think we should make this a continuous tradition," Narcissa suggested.
"And we could test out your new inventions," Blaise suggested.
"I don't know if we want to go that far," Hermione said looking up at George.
"I agree," Molly said, "I know the trouble that you both get into at school, I can only imagine the havoc you will wreak on the Malfoy Manor."
"Hey," Fred exclaimed, "We are not that bad," George finished.
"We might have to compare notes by the time we rid the school of Dolores," Minerva said.
"Here, here," her students said.
Numerous people started departing from the grounds after thanking the Malfoys for a wonderful celebration. Soon all that were left were the Malfoys, Minerva, Albus, Blaise and the Weasleys. All started going around and gathering cups and blankets bringing them inside to be washed.
"You know Molly, you and Arthur could leave the kids here for the night, and you could have an evening together. Well I suppose the rest of the day together and we could bring them back on the second."
"That would be wonderful but I don't want my children to impose."
"It would be no problem at all Molly, our kids adore hanging out with your children and I assume Harry is one of them too." Lucius said entering the room.
"Well I will just take them home and have them grab their things and then I will send them right back."
"Wonderful."
"Kids could you come in here for a second," Molly called. Soon a herd of feet could be heard heading their way, "Weasley children and Harry, I want you to go and grab an overnight bag packed for two days max. Off with you." The Weasley children and Harry quickly left the room and they heard the fireplace roar.
"Mother, what's going on?" Hermione asked.
"You are all going to stay here for the night and we will return them on the second."
"Really?" Blaise asked.
"Yes," Narcissa confirmed.
"Yes, now we can practice."
"Practice what?" Lucius asked.
"Uh…. Nothing." And the two fled from the room.
"Mia do you know what's going on?" Lucius asked.
"Unfortunately not." She frowned feeling warmth on her chest
"What?"
"Feel the emotion from your ring and necklace and then you tell me." They parents looked at their daughter and then they realized that she was right, the emotion of mischievous.
"Oh, boy,"
"No, not even close;" There was a loud rustling upstairs, "CRAP!" Hermione bolted from the room. The parents looked at each other for a moment before they heard Hermione yelling at her brothers, "SHUT UP! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, GIVE IT! NO, STOP, MOTHER!"
They stood for a moment smiling before they heard the boys yell, "HERMIONE AND GEORGE SITTING IN A TREE? WHAT'S THIS MIA, FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND?"
That was when the adults heard a horrific sound, Hermione screamed extremely high pitched, "DADDY!"
"I'll take care of it," Lucius said.
"You can't do anything Lucius, we have already invited them ov…"
"Who said I was going to do anything?" Lucius got his Slytherin look in his eyes before sweeping out of the room.
"Now that's where they got it from, I knew it wasn't me," Narcissa said.
"Got what?"
"Wait for it…" they listened for the conversation about to occur on the upper floor of the manor.
"What are you boys doing to your sister this time?"
"Nothing, it's not our fault that she left her journal out. And you know what we found out? She really, REALLY likes George Father, so we were just going to help them along."
"Daddy, you have to make them stop."
"No I think it's a brilliant idea."
"WHAT?" they heard Hermione scream, "You are all ridiculous, I can't believe that you are just going to let them get away with this." They heard Hermione stomp down the hall.
"Well she may not get the Slytherin trait from you but she certainly got your temper," Severus joked.
"Shut up Sev, it's not something I brag about."
"So Narcissa, are you going to explain to us what you meant by what the boys inherit from Lucius?" Molly asked.
"What… oh yes, the teasing, they want Mia to crack and hex them all, Lucius and Ohmare used to do it to me all the time, and as I recall, growing up, Sirius and Regulus did the same thing."
"Yep that sounds like Sirius," Harry said coming into the room.
"Hello Harry, do you have everything?"
"I believe so." Just then he was almost run over by an angry Hermione.
"Mother are you going to do anything?"
"I will take care of it Mia just be patient."
"I never thought I would say this but I would give anything to be an only child again, they are going to embarrass me mother." Tears started glistening in her eyes as she talked.
"Dear, if I know your mother as well as I think I do, she won't let you get embarrassed." Minerva stated.
"They have my journal!"
Narcissa got a deadly look on her face and swept out of the room it was one thing to tease but a girl's journal is something too personal. "Suckers, I told them to give it back."
"Hermione what's going on?" Ginny asked.
"Brothers, how did you survive Gin? I only have two and I am losing my mind."
"Years of practice and screaming." Suddenly they heard Narcissa upstairs.
"You boys are to get yourself downstairs this instant and greet your guests and you are to leave your sister alone. And you! You are her father and you are supposed to keep her from being badgered too much by her brothers!" Lucius said something no one could hear, "Don't you think I know that she likes him? You are all to leave her alone tonight and are NOT to help this along. Now downstairs all of you, and give me your sisters journal!" The boys joined them in the sitting room moments later.
"Sorry Hermione."
"Yeah sorry Mia, but we really think it's cute."
"Oh my gosh, someone call Rita Skeeter, a Slytherin thinks something is cute!" Hermione and Ginny laughed. When the laughing died, Hermione said, "Just promise you will leave well enough alone."
"Deal." The three shook hands just in time for the twins to walk through.
"Ok well we had better be off, you children behave yourselves, am I understood." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Yes ma'am," all the children said. And the older Weasley couple was gone.
"We had better be going too dears, we want you all to have fun tonight." Albus said.
"Grandpa do you have to go?"
"Yeah you are a lot of fun!" Draco said.
"Oh well I think I know where loyalties lie in this family," Minerva put her hand on her chest I mock hurt.
"Oh Grams, the boys can have him and Gin and I can have you!"
"As much fun as that sounds, I am afraid that we both must get back to the school in fear that whatever students are remaining will burn it to the ground."
"Ok." Hermione said hugging her grandmother and then her grandfather.
"Actually, if we can trust the children here for a few minutes not to kill each other, Lucius and I would like to join you for a moment."
"Of course Cis, you all be good."
"We will!" and their grandparents, Severus and the Malfoys disappeared through the green flames one at a time.
"Yes alone at last!" Blaise said blaring his music, "Party."
"Whoo-hoo!" the kids danced around for a good hour wearing themselves out and laying around various places in the room.
"What time is it?" Draco asked from his upside down position on the couch.
"Two-fifty." Hermioen said looking at the clock.
"Holy crap, that explains why I am so tired."
"Really, it has nothing to do with the fact that we were just… what's the muggle phrase Hermione… cramming out?"
"Jamming out."
"Yeah that one." The group laughed.
"So Hermione, what was with you and Draco calling our professors 'Grams,' and 'Grandpa'?" Fred asked.
"Yeah that was a bit odd." George said, Harry and Ginny were eagerly nodding their heads.
"Shall we tell them?" Draco asked from his upside down position.
"I suppose that they can be trusted enough," Hermione smiled at George who smiled back tenfold and kissed her cheek. "You guys have to promise not to say ANYTHING, They could get into some real trouble and they have a lot of enemies, and Draco and I are already in danger enough with our father and with Harry."
"Our lips are sealed," Ginny said. Draco and Hermione explained the whole Christmas scene to the group who listened intently.
"Wow that was really nice of you Draco, I mean we would expect something like that from 'Mione but from you it's a total shock." Ginny said.
"I have my soft spots," Draco said smiling an upside down smile at her.
"Yeah like his head," Blaise said as he came running down the stairs with a few pillows, which he dutifully chucked one at his brother and one at his sister. No one even noticed him leave.
Hermione squealed as one hit her and then she threw it at Harry, and before they knew it, a full on pillow fight broke out; Hermione ran upstairs to go get more pillows so that it was fair. When the fight was done, feathers were everywhere and the group was back on the floor laughing.
"That was fun," Hermione said breathlessly.
"Everything seems more fun now a day," George said kissing her.
"Yeah even with the return of You-Know-Who." Fred continued.
"I agree, when I am with this group, I don't feel like the world is on my shoulders; like the world doesn't rely on my ability to control my magic to beat him."
"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione said.
"For what?"
"That I burned that bridge between you and Ron before the war, you need both of us and I am just really sorry that I ruined that for you."
Harry got up and pulled her into a hug, "Mione, you didn't ruin anything, Ron is a prick. I don't NEED anyone there; I want people there, like you, Draco, Fred, George and Ginny, that's all I need to make it through this." Hermione smiled at him and leaned into him for another hug.
"Hey Mia,"
"Yes Blaise."
"Shouldn't your parents have been back by now?"
"Yeah, but they are probably in deep conversation avoiding us while we party." Draco said.
"They have never left us at home alone for this long before." Blaise pointed out.
"Blaise they are fine, besides, Hermione's here and she's just like Mrs. Weasley in the motherly department. They knew that she was responsible enough to keep us out of any major damage." Draco said.
"On that note, chop, chop it's time for bed." Hermione said clapping her hands.
"OH man," the boys whined. Hermioen used her wand and quickly repaired the pillows handing a good number to the boys. She and Ginny followed a few moments later grabbing their own pillows and heading to Hermione's room. After they were dressed, they laid in bed and simply talked.
"Hermione, do you like George?"
"What?"
"Do you like my brother?"
"Yes, I mean, he is someone I can feel comfortable around and laugh and cry and not worry about how I look."
"You always look great."
"That's not what I meant, I mean I don't have to worry whether or not I look weak or strong, you know?"
"Yeah, do you see it as a 'forever' thing?"
"I don't know, it's always a possibility."
"Yeah I suppose." They laid in silence for a moment before Ginny asked, "How are you holding up?"
"With the whole, 'you're adopted and your biological parents are the Malfoys' thing?"
"Yeah."
"Surprisingly well, I mean I am happy and Mother and Father are extremely loving."
"That's good; you know that you can always come to me if you need anything right?"
"Yeah," she grabbed the young girl's hand, "I do, thank you."
"You're welcome." Little did they know that a similar conversation was going on next door.
"George, do you like her?"
"Your sister? Yes."
"Will you take care of her?" Blaise asked.
"Of course, Hermione has been part of our lives for the past five and a half years, that's not going to change even if we don't work out."
"Promise?" Draco prodded.
"Yes. It's weird to have a sister to look after now isn't it?"
"Yea a bit, I mean I just don't want to see her get hurt."
"Yeah we all feel the same; about both Ginny and Hermione." Draco nodded.
"So how is the adjustment coming?" Harry asked.
"With Hermione?"
"Yeah."
"Good, she seems better, happier, she even seems like she is warming up to Blaise and I ganging up on her sometimes."
"Yeah, no one says anything, but that's the best part," Fred said.
"It is, when she doesn't drag Mother in on it." Draco said.
"Yeah, try and avoid that." George shared a knowing smile with his brother and then the room fell silent.
A/N: Hey all, I hope you all have had a marvelous summer… Here is the last installment of the first Christmas, Next chapter everyone returns to Hogwarts. However, this will be my last chapter update until probably September, due to a family vacation. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thank you all again for all the favorite story adds and alert adds! Have a great rest of your August!
Puppyluv09