A/N: so this is a nice lengthy chapter I hope you like.
Chapter 25
Draco laid there in bed next to Hermione, who lay sleeping on his chest. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't get his mother out of his head. Huh, he thought, nice thing to think about while you here lying with your girlfriend. He hadn't seen her since that time that Dumbledor had let him leave to see her around thanksgiving. St. Mungo's had said she was getting worse. Back then her lips were cracked and white, her face pale and her eyes weak. The healers had said that her lungs were failing, then a week later after his visit he got a letter saying that they had found a great medicine that she was reacting to. He was curious, had she gotten better, had she been improving that whole time he had been in school.
Hermione stirred in her sleep and Draco looked down at her. It was about five in the morning. In two hours everyone will be up for Christmas. He had brought a nice present for his mother, and he was glad that he would have a chance to give it to her personally. He sighed and forced himself to smile. His mother was out of St. Mungo's because she was better, he should accept it, this Christmas would be…eventful and, he looked down at Hermione, loving. He thought of everyone who was here, Pansy, Blaise, Hermione; he was even happy that Potter and that crazy red head, Ginny, was here. He was going to love sharing the day with everyone, the atmosphere would be, happy, happier than anything that he had experienced in a long time, and he was going to bask in every moment of it.
-CHRISTMAS-
Draco fell back asleep an hour later, and was awoken at seven fourteen by a very jumpy Hermione.
"Wake up, it's Christmas," said Hermione jumping up and down on the bed like a little kid. He pulled her down and wrapped his arms around her and give her a deep kiss and smaller ones that he trailed her jaw with.
"Merry Christmas Hermione," Draco said. Hermione smiled and pulled him into a sitting position. "Do you always jump on the bed at Christmas?"
"Yep, ever since I was four," said Hermione. She jumped up and off the bed and threw on her robe. "I'm going to put on something warm, you better get up I expect to meet you down stairs with everyone else".
Draco nodded not really in the mood to challenge her, he got up as she closed the door. He pulled on a sweat shirt and freshened up in the bathroom, before going down stairs.
Hermione came out of her room and bumped into Narcissa Malfoy. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Malfoy."
"Yes dear, you too," said Narcissa smiling at Hermione before continuing down the stairs.
Hermione checked inside Draco's room, seeing that it was empty before making her way downstairs. She came downstairs entering the living room shortly after Mrs. Malfoy. She smiled as she walked over to the tree. It towered over them, reaching up to the high ceiling. It was decorated in immense detail and there seemed to be an ornament in all the right places. It was decorated on a classical theme with garland and angel ornmets. Hermione smiled as she watched everyone laughing while opening their presents. She approached the group that were still oblivious to her presence.
"Merry Christmas guys," said Hermione finally making them aware of her presence. Ginny and Pansy came up to her with presents and hugged her. Hermione hugged them back and put her presents down sorting them into a pile as she received them. She handed Ginny and Pansy their presents and they quickly tore the covers of. "I put a lot of work into wrapping those."
"Sorry," said Ginny as she opened up the white box under the wrapping. "Huh, how the hell…"
"I saw you looking at them when that lady took the last pair of them, I hunted down the makers and I bought a pair for you," said Hermione opening her gift from Ginny. She pulled out a dark green pea coat.
"I figured since you were dating a slytherin, you can do it all the way," said Ginny smiling as Hermione hugged her.
"I love it," said Hermione folding her present back into the box. Draco came over and wrapped his arms around Hermione pulling her down on one of the many comfy couches that were placed in the living area for today.
"Merry Christmas," said Draco squeezing her tighter.
"Merry Christmas," said Hermione smiling. She grabbed the box she had got from Pansy and opened it. Inside was a charm bracelet with five charms on it, two lions in different forms, a snake, and a heart of crystal. "This is wonderful Pansy, thanks."
"No thank you, where did you find this dress? Its perfect and oh so gorgeous oh my god, feel this," said Pansy rubbing the green material against Ginny's cheek.
"That's really soft," said Ginny taking the dress from Pansy.
"It's from a muggle store that I know you would like, well I hoped you would like," said Hermione as Pansy hugged her.
"The Bracelet by the way is like a connection. I got Ginny and myself one, we all have the same charms, its supposed to be good luck and help us stick together, its made of some sort of special metal," said Pansy showing of her bracelet along with Ginny's. Hermione put hers on and smiled admiring her friend's taste.
"Where's my gift?" asked Draco into Hermione's ear.
"Where's my gift?" said Hermione raising her eye brows at Draco tone of voice.
"You first," said Draco.
"Ok," Hermione said getting off of Draco's lap. She searched around in her pile till she found his gift; it was a small red box. She handed it to Draco. And he chuckled at the wrapping.
"Very Gryffindor," said Draco noticing the gold. He unwrapped the paper and opened the jewelry box. He smiled at Hermione and pulled out the ring putting it on his finger. It was a silver ring with a Dragon encrusted on it that twined up the band and stuck out on his knuckle.
"I was going to get you a snake, but that would be too typical and slythe…and well your names Draco and in Latin it means drag…" Hermione was cut of by Draco's lips.
"I love it," said Draco breaking the kiss.
"Good, now me," said Hermione. Draco smiled and pulled her into another kiss.
"Is that my present said Hermione smiling. "I love the thought you put into it," said Hermione kissing him again.
Draco chuckled. "Um, no, this is your mysterious present." He slowly pulled out a long, dark blue velvet jewelry case. He opened it and showed her the gift inside. It was a gold chain with a heart and a key sealed together. On the heart was Hermione's name, the key had three small rubies embedded on it.
"It's a way to remind you that you always have the key to my heart," said Draco taking it out of the box. By this time Harry and Ron and Blaise had come over and were watching as Draco clasped the chain around Hermione's neck. "And I have another gift for you."
Hermione gasped. "But I didn't get you another gift."
"Well I have been meaning to give this to you for a while but I didn't know how so I decided to leave it for Christmas. Remember that day in the shop when you tried on that beautiful black dress, but you didn't buy it?" Hermione gasped as Draco opened another box and pulled out the flowy material. "I want you to wear it tonight to dinner, show everyone just how beautiful you are Hermione".
Hermione almost cried when she saw the dress. Ginny and Pansy gaped at him before turning to Harry and Blaise.
"Look what you've done mate," said Blaise.
"Malfoy, always showing people up," said Harry.
"Not true, I loved your gift," said Ginny.
"Me too," said Pansy as Blaise wrapped his arms around her.
"Well I love Hermione so I couldn't just do anything," said Draco watching as Hermione admired her necklace.
"Wow, he said the L-word," said Pansy awing with Ginny.
Everyone laughed and smiled. Pansy and Ginny kept patronizing Harry and Blaise, trying to make them say how they feel about them, while everyone exchanged more gifts. Narcissa Malfoy came over and hugged her son wishing him a happy Christmas. Her eyes drifted to Hermione's necklace and she looked at Draco.
"I'm glad you found someone to love Draco," Said Narcissia hugging her son. "And I love my present also." She held up her arm and showed everyone the emerald bracelet that she had gotten from Draco.
After more chatter and exchange of gifts they ate a large breakfast. Hermione ran upstairs with all her goodies in her hand. Ginny and Pansy had already gone upstairs with their things, so when she got to her room she found them admiring their gifts in more depth on her bed.
"So Hermione your beds made and the house elf's haven't come to clean yet," said Pansy smirking.
"Which means you didn't sleep here," said Ginny.
"Which also means you were with Draco," said Pansy.
"Which also, means you owe us a story missy," said Ginny smiling mischievously.
-Dinner-
Hermione smiled at herself as she slipped on the straps of her dress. Pansy had decided to wear her dress too and Ginny, who had brought a new dress, also wore it. They had all been informed that relatives and friends of the Zabini family were coming over and there would be a formal dinner that evening.
Hermione smiled approvingly at her outfit. She stepped out of her room meeting Ginny and Pansy.
-Downstairs-
All the men were downstairs already dressed and welcoming the guests. Pansy's parents flooed in with her cousin Nicole, who was the same age as Pansy with long black hair and deep Blue eyes. Draco cringed as she entered the foyer where they were waiting for everyone else.
"Here comes the ex girlfriend," said Blaise giving Draco an encouraging pat on the back. Nicole came over and tried to kiss Draco on the lips, but Draco turned just in time.
"Nice to see you Draco and you to Blaise," said Nicole her hand on Draco's chest. Draco gave her a half hearted smile and removed her hand. "Why so distant?" Nicole took a step closer to Draco in her black heels, smiling seductively at him. Just on que, his mother came down the stairs. Draco smiled at his mother complementing her elegant attire.
"Thank you but you haven't seen the girls they look wonderful, me and Molly hurried down as quick as we could," said Mrs. Malfoy laughing. "Look for yourself." Everyone turned around and watched as Pansy, Hermione and Ginny descended the stairs as if on a run way. Nicole snarled, not liking how this was turning out. Draco stared at Hermione, the dress made her look like she was floating down the stairs.
Hermione grinned as she saw Draco's face. She stepped down the last step and walked over to Draco. Nicole stared at Hermione in disgust daring her with her eyes to come closer to Draco, but Hermione had eyes for no one else and didn't see Nicole.
Nicole did not know who she was but sure that she had made a mistake choosing Draco. Hermione smiled and walked up to Draco. Nicole tried to wrap herself around Draco, who shook her of, before stepping toward Hermione and pulling her into a hug, Nicole watched in disgust as Hermione and Dracos lips connected.
Blaise stood stock still as Pansy came over. He stared at her stunned. Pansy took it as a good thing and took his hand. He responded by wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You look gorgeous," said Blaise making Pansy smile.
"Yes, she does," said a tall women walking over to them. Blaise smiled and showed of Pansy to his mother.
Harry pulled Ginny over to him quickly; he was stunned by her appearance and pulled her into his arms. "You make me want to skip dinner Ginny," said Harry kissing her lightly, trying to hold back. Ginny smiled and pulled him along with the stream of people heading to the dinning area.
Nicole approached her cousin and pulled her into a hug and out of Blaise's arms. Pansy looked shocked as she realized who she was hugging her eyes immediately found Draco who was holding Hermione tightly and looking very tense.
"So Pansy who's the slutty brunette who's screwing my Draco?" asked Nicole staring dagger at Hermione's back. Pansy thanked Blaise, with her eyes, as he pulled her away from Nicole, leaving behind a very angry Nicole.