Draco was silently cursing whomever designed French cuff dress shirts. No matter how many times he had to wear them for formal diners, he always struggled with getting the chain link cuff links through the four layers of fabric. Draco had gotten one on completely but while he was pushing one end of the link through the hole, he heard a snapping sound.

Draco pulled his hand away to see one end of the cuff link in his hand while the other dropped to the floor. "Bugger." Draco bent over to collect the other end of the cuff link and he started to inspect the broken link, wondering how to fix it before Crewe came to inform him dinner was ready. Lucius knew Draco struggled with cuff links every time he had to wear them and always berated him for it, saying he was completely useless in the simplest tasks. As he let his head roll so he could look up at the ceiling, he couldn't help but feel like Lucius was right at that moment.

He undid the one cuff link that he had managed to get on and search his drawer for another pair. Merlin, please let me have another gold pair. Sapphire, opal, diamond, ruby, jade and a bunch of other gems and stones but Draco only had the one pair of gold cuff links- the only pair that would have matched the decorations in the manor and the ones Narcissa asked him to wear. Draco slammed the drawer shut and put his head in his hands, the sleeves of the shirt completely loose and unfolded again. Draco heard a knock on his door and walked over to open it but hesitated just before reaching for the knob.

"Who is it?" He stood close to the door, willing with all his might his father's voice would not answer him.

"Your knight in shining armor!" Letting out a breath he did not know he was holding, Draco swung open the door to reveal Blaise, leaning against the door frame, Theo standing upright with his hands in his pocket, and - much to his surprise- Hermione, arms crossed over her chest. "Ciao."

Draco stared at Hermione, partially because he was still miffed from her accusations the other day and partially because she didn't look half bad in a dress with her hair under control. "Come in." Draco stepped to the side and let all three of them enter. He wasn't sure why the three of them were hanging together but he didn't have to ask as Theo gave an explanation anyway:

"I was in the foyer when Lucius asked for me to get us all together so we can enter simultaneously. I didn't think you were still half dressed, though." Theo had a teasing smile as he looked at his friend. Blaise threw himself on to Draco's bed and Hermione stood by his dresser.

Draco huffed as he walked back to his cuff links drawer, located by the dresser. "I'm not half dressed," he grumbled as he angrily sifted through his cuff links. "My bloody gold cuff link broke." Blaise jumped up from the bed and joined Draco to see what his collection looked like. Hermione watched as they both would pull out random cuff links then shoot them down almost immediately with reasons like 'too tacky', 'father would kill me', 'that's a summer color', 'mother would hex me', 'that will just blind everyone at the table', and so on. Draco was starting to have an internal meltdown and he could hear his father's voice already, telling him he was not worthy of the Malfoy name. In the back of Draco's mind his calm voice told him it was not about the cuff links.

After a few moments, Crewe walked into Draco's room to inform them that they were needing them downstairs and Draco groaned, not caring Hermione was there to watch him.

"If it's that much of a bother, why not just wear red or green ones so we can match?" Hermione reached into the drawer and quickly withdrew a ruby cuff link and an emerald cuff link.

Draco chuckled darkly. "And why would I want to match with a mu-"

Blaise put a hand over Draco's mouth. "That's actually a great idea. This is about an orphanage, right? One that your parents are opening because Fudge is forcing them to become more public about the whole adoption-"

"What do you know about Fudge?" Hermione took a couple steps closer to the boys staring at Blaise before looking at Draco. "What did you tell them?"

Draco rolled his eyes, choosing to be annoyed by her rather than acknowledge that his business was, in a way, her business when it came to her living arrangements. "They know the basics."

Theo walked over to them then, standing behind Draco. "We're not going to tell the whole school, Granger. Draco filled us in as it was easier than walking around eggshells for the two weeks we were here."

Hermione was going to say something else to Draco but Crewe walked into the bedroom. "Young Master, your father is waiting." Crewe glanced at the door nervously. Both Draco and Hermione knew the look and she thought back to when she had exited the maze in the summer, watching Draco get hit by his father was not something she wanted to witness again. Blaise started rolling up the sleeve closest to him as Hermione reached over to do the same. Draco was not only surprised that she knew how to deal with the French cuff dress sleeves but that she instinctively started to help him.

He wanted to push her off from annoyance but it was never wise to keep Lucius waiting. Both Blaise and Hermione secured the link at the same time and when Draco looked to see what color they chose, he wanted to scream seeing that he had both the Ruby and Emerald one on. "You've got to be bloody kidding."

Hermione put a hand over her mouth trying to stop herself from laughing as Blaise patted one of Draco's shoulders. "We don't really have time to deal with those sleeves again." Theo handed Draco his jacket and Hermione ran into the bathroom quickly.

"Granger, you're not serious right now?" Draco slipped on his jacket angrily but was surprised when she came out seconds later, eyes wet and pinching her cheeks.

"If they ask why we're late we'll just say I started to freak out." Her eyes met his and he understood. Draco hated the idea of having people do things for his sake but he let it slide, reassuring himself she was only doing it because she technically owed him a couple apologies. As they walked, Hermione went from pinching her cheeks to rubbing her eyes to make them look red.

"Perhaps the sorting hat is wrong sometimes?" Blaise said to Theo, half joking.

Theo gave a curt nod as he watched Hermione with pursed lips. "Ravenclaw or Slytherin?"

Blaise never got the chance to answer as they entered the small drawing room, the one that was often used when the Malfoy's had small formal dinners. Draco and Hermione entered side by side, in front of Theo and Blaise. In the drawing room, Narcissa was sitting on one of the sofa's while Lucius was standing by the arm of it. Across from them, sitting on the other couch, was a very tan man, woman and child. The man and his son, who looked to be about eight years old, both wore a deep blue suit, probably out of courtesy of English formal wear as the woman was wearing a traditional blue Luau dress. The dress looked to be made out of the finest silks and she wore jewelry that Draco knew would sparkle even if all the candles were to be blown out.

Narcissa and the guests stood but Lucius strode past them all, switching to a glower once they could no longer see his face. "What took you so long?" He growled low so only Draco, Hermione, Theo and Blaise could hear.

Hermione rubbed a dry, pink, eye and made a point to sniffle before answering. "I was having a bit of a meltdown, do you mind?" Lucius and Draco both had a look of shock on their face. What is she doing? Draco could not help but think she was completely barmy for provoking his father.

Lucius, being the suave business man he was, swallowed his anger and turned around, smiling as he looked back at the guests. Blaise and Theo moved to stand by Hermione's side as they were introduced. "And these are the children we have been telling you about!" Lucius placed a firm hand on Draco's shoulder. "This is Draco, Hermione, Theodore, and Blaise." Draco did not miss how his father worded the introductions so he did not have to refer to anyone as his children. Draco heard Blaise his something that sounded like a command to Hermione and the four of them bowed in sync as the young boy translated what Lucius said to his parents.

Draco wanted to groan. When ever a translator was involved, it always made the dinner twice as long and twice as boring. "Children, this is the Mahelona family, they had come all the way from Hawaii to talk about the orphanage. We have the pleasure of serving Keanu," hearing his name, the older man nodded. "Ona," the beautiful woman who rivaled Madam Rodemerta's beauty gave a shy wave. "And Lono."

The young boy gave a slight bow himself. "Good evening, and Merry Christmas." His parents echoed his Christmas greeting with broken English but with a substantial amount of confidence.

Draco smiled in response as he, Theo and Blaise said "Merry Christmas" themselves but the room went quiet when Hermione gave a greeting of "Mele Kalikimaka."

Blaise and Theo looked at each other as Draco glanced at his parents for a reaction. Even Lono did not know what to say as he looked up with his parents. Suddenly, Ona came forward and hugged Hermione, then turned to her husband while keeping one arm around Hermione as she spoke in her native tongue to Keanu. Keanu and Lono laughed as she finished what she said.

"I'm sorry," Hermione didn't step out of Ona's hold but was uncomfortable with the situation she was currently in. "What did she say?" Lono opened his mouth to translate but Ona decided to answer herself in perfect, unbroken English.

"I said, 'I'm finally happy that Keanu has brought us to a dinner where our hosts aren't ignorant and dismissive of other people's backgrounds.' It's something I was talking to him about today."

Hermione gave a tentative smile and even with her buck teeth, Draco saw what Blaise meant when he called her pretty. Draco immediately tried to shove the thought away, trying to convince himself his nerves were driving him mad. "I only know of it from an old Christmas song-" Hermione was cut off again by Crewe appearing in front of them.

"Master, dinner is ready."

"We will sit together, yes?" Ona looked at Hermione whose face was nearly as red as the plaid design on her dress. Hermione nodded but it did not matter as Ona did not wait for a reply, looping an arm with hers. Draco thought he saw a look of distaste on Hermione's face but was unsure. Traditionally, Lono should have been escorting Hermione while Ona was escorted by her husband but Ona did not seem to be one for rules, nor being overly polite. "I really like your dress, most of the time, the daughters of our hosts are forced to wear something plain like black or white. Hawaii is full of color and it can be a bit of an eyesore to see young children being forced into dreary clothes." Narcissa was walking with Lucius but glanced back at Ona with a raised eyebrow, saying nothing. Draco was quite unsure how the dinner would go as Hermione had, once again, upset the natural order of things.

Blaise leaned into Draco, whispering into his ear, a mischievous tone in his voice that rivaled the thickness of his accent. "Don't you think she looks rather nice, Draco?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "Ona is beautiful although she is a bit older than what I'm used to."

Blaise shook his head, grinning. "You know who I mean."

Draco did and he looked at the back of Hermione's head, seeing an unshaped curl had already made it's way free and sat at the base of her neck. "I suppose she cleans up rather nicely."

Blaise snorted but did not say anything else. When they made their way to the bigger dining room, one they had been using all of the winter holiday instead of the smaller one that was made for four people, Lono pulled a chair our for Hermione and Draco pulled one out for Ona.

"Is it safe to assume that Keanu also speaks English?" Narcissa asked Ona as she rang a bell for their first course to appear.

"It is." Keanu answered. "It's a bit of a game we play when we meet with potential business prospects. If we find them worthy, we'll switch to English. It also keeps Lono engaged in the conversation so he can learn as much as possible about these things." Keanu smiled at his son lovingly and Draco felt a pang of jealousy that hit deeper than the ones he felt with Harry Potter. Lucius never looked at him like that.

"I see." Lucius took a small sip of his wine.

"I hope you are not offended?" Keanu swirled his glass of wine as he watched Lucius.

Lucius smiled but Draco knew it did not reach his eyes. "Of course not."

By the time the third course was done, Hermione was completely socially exhausted. Ona sat on her right, chatting off her ear worse than Lavender had and only stopped talking to her when the pleasantries were over and the got onto the serious topic of the orphanage.

The Mahelona family, Hermione learned, were half bloods who had opened up orphanages around the world and the Malfoys were willing to offer them a portion of the orphanage's ownership if they were to offer their guidance in the non-prophet work and become a spokesperson. The Mahelona family were respected by the wizarding communities and was a recognized name- not as recognized as the Malfoys but just enough for them to be considered one of the elite via climbing the social ladder.

"I do not understand why you had come to us, Lucius." Narcissa rang the bell for the fourth course to appear as all eyes fell on Keanu. "You seem to have done your research and do not really need our guidance. I feel as if there may be another reason you're wanting us to merge?"

Lucius took a deep breath and looked at Narcissa.

"The orphanage we're wanting to open would be a muggle one." Everyone stopped eating at that point to look up at Narcissa. Lono was the only one who continued eating as all eyes fell on her. "Most of the orphanages your family has opened has been muggle ones, completely uncharted territory for us, I'm afraid." Narcissa took a sip of wine, never dropping her pleasant mask. Hermione admired how she could keep such a strong poker face and hoped one day she could be just as good.

"That's interesting." Ona finally said. "I had always heard that the Malfoy's were a proud pure blood family." She looked at Hermione then back at Narcissa. "I should have known that was not true though. Taking in a muggle born with the rumors we heard flying around just did not make sense." Hermione glanced at Lucius who drank deeply from his wine glass to distract the flash of disgust in his eyes that Hermione did not miss. Hermione had stopped eating after the second course as her stomach was clenching and unclenching from her nerves when they were only making small talk. Now, Hermione could feel herself become physically ill as she hated being the center of attention with strangers and hated even more it was about the worst part of her life. Hermione glanced at her plate and wanted to scream at the realization they still have two more courses to go.

"I think it was the best thing we've done in quite a while. Children are blessings and her situation was quite unfortunate." Narcissa spoke quietly and Hermione refused to look anyone in the eyes, even after Narcissa's kind words. She knew if she were to look up she would only see pity or distaste, neither of which she felt she could handle right now.

"So why did you adopt her?" Ona asked boldly. Her tone sounded almost flat, clearly not believing Narcissa.

"I'm sorry?" Narcissa, and everyone but Keanu and Lono, was surprised at Ona's directness. Hermione noted Keanu looked almost smug.

"It's a sensitive topic but I feel it's one that should be answered if we are to consider this deal seriously. Orphanges are non-profit, there really isn't too much in it for us other than being able to say we've worked with Lucius Malfoy on something. It's not something that we would mind so long as the intentions are genuine- as genuinity is what we find all of our orphanages on. There is no reason to build a home for dozens of heart broken kids on a foundation solely relying on images and names." Ona waved a hand, cutting off her own rant. "You understand, right?"

Ona smiled sweetly but it was the same smile that Pansy Parkinson gave every time she said something that was insulting but was said in a roundabout way so the insulted did not realize it until they thought about it a while later. It was a belittling smile and while Hermione knew Narcissa could handle herself- Narcissa's eyes had turned into pin points and her mouth was open to reply- Hermione did not like that the closest woman to a motherly figure she had in her life was on the receiving end.

"You think they adopted me because they had ulterior motives like looking better to the public?" Everyone looked at Hermione as she confronted Ona. If they were shocked before, now they were flabbergasted. 'Sensitive topic'? She has no clue! Ona started to answer but Hermione cut her off, trying to mimic Draco's condescending attitude as best as she could. "That's the third time you've insulted us tonight, I think. Pretending you don't speak English? Childish." Lucius drank from his wine glass at that and Draco silently cleared his throat remembering when they spoke French in front of her. "Making a comment about our clothing choices when four of us are wearing that color? Completely indelicate. The Malfoy's had everything to loose and nearly nothing to gain by taking me in, yet, you want to question their intentions? In front of me?"

"I only wanted to make sure their intentions were genuine. Which judging by your actions they-" Ona's cheeks had a pink tinge as she tried to back peddle.

"And who are you?!" From the corner of her eye she saw Narcissa act as if she was about to stand but Lucius held a palm up, a glint in his eye Hermione did not recognize. "If your intentions were only to insult the people who were kind enough to take me in then you should never have came." Hermione stood, throwing her cloth napkin over her plate. "Excuse me, but I've seemed to have lost my appetite." When she stood, her chair fell back and turned into the smaller blocks her desk chair had fell into in the summer. Hermione jumped over the remnants of the chair and stormed out without looking back. Walking into the foyer, she felt herself come down from her adrenaline rush and the Christmas decorations whelm her again. Hermione walked up the stairs slowly, refusing to let herself think about what had happened or what that meant for Lucius and Narcissa until she was in bed.

When Hermione had made it to her room, she collapsed on to the floor. She didn't cry but she stayed there on the floor for a while, her emotions weakening her. No one came after her and she was grateful for that. One emotion that she seemed to feel over the rest was shame as she had never acted out like that before and felt as if Narcissa would hate her now. Hermione tried to think of techniques to take her mind off of what would happen tomorrow or even tonight if Narcissa were to approach her but they were no use. Her stomach turned to the point she had ran into the bathroom and vomited the few courses she was able to eat. She thought puking was the worst feeling in the world and thought about the times she would lay sick in bed, her mother reading a book as she watched Hermione, her father playing the cello for them to have music as white noise.

Hermione got up, brushed her teeth then washed her face. She looked at her hands to see them shaking and slowly walked out of the bathroom as she thought back to her memories of being sick in bed. The want to play slowly crept up on her and she was moving to closest before she had time to talk herself out of it. Hermione pulled the cello case out from the closet and threw it gently on to her bed. She unclasped the clasps and carefully lifted the cello out of it's case releasing the end pin.

Hermione sat on her desk chair by her bed, Cello secured between her legs, with the bow in one hand while her hand tuned the strings with the other.

Draco sat there, staring at the space where Hermione and her dining chair were. If his parents were not upset about her outburst, they were going to be upset about the value of their dining room set dropping.

No one moved at first but then Narcissa flashed a smile at the stunned Ona. "Fourteen year olds and their hormones. You understand, right?"

Lucius choked on his wine but no one laughed as no one knew what else to do. Ona flashed a smile herself after she got over the shock of what happened, and Narcissa resumed small talk with Keanu as if nothing had ever happened. Lucius, Draco and Theo stayed quite while Blaise chatted with a nervous Lono, who had never seen his mother be yelled at before. After the last course finished, Narcissa stood.

"I think it would be best to move this back into the drawing room. Theo, your father tells me you put angels to shame with how well you play the harp."

Theo smiled, "it would be an honor to play for you, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Perhaps we should call it a night-" Keanu glanced at his wife who almost looked like she was sulking.

"Nonsense! We still have much to talk about!" Narcissa returned the smile to Theo the looked at Lucius. "Lucius, can you guide our guests to the drawing room while Draco and I get our drinks?"

"Of course, my love." A look passed between them that Draco recognized all too well.

Draco followed his mother into the closest kitchen and watched her conjure mugs and tankards that had gems in them. "Place your hands on two of the mugs and think of a color, Draco." Draco did as he was told and Narcissa waved her wand over them. "Notez Moi." It was a spell they had performed before, it was used to mark the mugs to tell whose drink belongs to who, but Narcissa altered it so that only the person who is touching the object at the time the spell is able to see the markings. "Lono is going to have pumpkin juice so you'll be able to tell his mug from the ones filled with coffee."

Narcissa was casting a series of non-verbal spells and Draco watched as coffee started to pour into the two marked mugs and two unmarked mugs, chilled pumpkin juice from the fridge poured into one and four tankards were filled with butterbeer. "There is an extra tankard." Draco cocked his head to the side and looked as the drinks finished filling.

Narcissa cast the last of her spells to put the drinks and their ingredients away before casting heating charms on everything but the pumpkin juice, which earned itself a chilled charm. "No, you'll need to bring Hermione her butterbeer."

"Oh." Draco pursed his lips, wondering if he should ask is mother how she felt about her outburst at dinner. She was in a good mood, one he suspected had to do with the wine she drank and the fact she had always been a light weight.

"I found it to be both hilarious and touching."

Draco looked up at his mother who was reaching for a potion all the way on the top shelf. It was a pretty periwinkle color and not one that Draco recognized. "What did you find to be hilarious and touching?"

"Hermione yelling at Ona." Narcissa had a smile on her face and her eyes twinkled as she held out the potion to Draco. "One drop in the marked drinks and the pumpkin juice." Narcissa then handed him a dropper.

"How did you know I was thinking about that?"

Narcissa laughed and Draco couldn't keep a smile of his face hearing it as it was one of his favorite sounds. "You're my son! I'd be damned if I couldn't keep up with you. Can you imagine all the things a growing boy would get himself into if I just let him run all over me?"

Draco shook his head, still smiling and eyed the potion. "What is this? I don't recognize it as the one we used before."

Narcissa sobered up but a shadow of a smile was still on her lips, tucking a piece of stray bang behind her ear. "We call it Fickle Me Happy. It's an old Black recipe but it makes anything that would have made the person upset or angry in the last twenty-four hours find it to be amusing. They'll remember everything that happened but it will just be funny. They'll go into fits of hysterics if the memory is supposed to be bad enough." Narcissa pursed her lips, watching her son use a dropper on the three drinks, a strange look in her eye. "I think I'll use this one instead of the memory altering one from now on. It's a bit much for little fits at dinner parties and a lot less work to brew."

Draco put the cork back on the potion and handed it to his mother who sent it back to the shelf it belonged. Narcissa then levitated the drinks, following Draco who held open the doors for her as she walked, back straight, and shoulders squared- as if she was a queen.

"I'm so happy to see someone putting that Harp to use other than me." Narcissa said, stopping in between Theo who was almost done playing Duex Arabesques by Debussy and everyone else who was sitting on the couches watching him. Once she stopped walking, Draco understood that was the cue to start handing out drinks. To avoid raising suspicion, he gave Lono and Ona their drinks first, then Keanu. He then gave Blaise his butterbeer, and put Theo's by him for when he was free from playing. Draco gave Lucius his coffee last, and his mother plucked her own from the air, leaving him with the two floating tankards.- one for him and one for Hermione. Draco took one in each hand and looked at his mother who nodded.

"I'll be back." He said more to her than anyone else.

"This is very good coffee, where is this from?" Keanu leaned over to Narcissa and Draco did not miss Ona drinking from her own cup or how Lono was nearly done with his pumpkin juice already. Narcissa grinned and leaned forward to talk to Keanu as Draco slipped out of the smaller drawing room.

Draco counted each step he climbed thinking about what he should say to Hermione. As Draco walked down the hall to her room he scrunched up his face, wondering what state he would even find her in. When he neared her suite door, he saw the door was cracked and could hear music playing. He pushed open the door with his shoulder and walked in. He placed one of the tankards down and closed the door behind him quietly so he did not alert her. When he walked past the gramophone after picking up the tankard, he noticed nothing was playing and stood before her bedroom door where the playing was the loudest.

His mouth dropped once again as realization dawned on him. She was playing, and she was good. Not even good, but great. Draco set a tankard down on the table as he grabbed a chair and moved it a few feet over so he could listen to her play. He had never heard a cello by itself before and it intrigued him. He thought he heard her play one or two notes off key but he was unfamiliar with the song she was playing and the emotion behind it was so powerful that he could hardly complain if she did. He listened to her play a couple songs for what seemed like a few minutes but had to be more as when he tried to take another drink of his butterbeer, it was empty. Draco felt calm even though he knew he should have returned downstairs a by now and supposed it was the bit of alcohol that butterbeer had in it. The more Draco thought about the Mahelona family, the more he did not want to return downstairs. He never would have thought he would take Hermione's side in anything but he was grateful she had said what she did. Draco looked at her butterbeer and considered drinking it himself then leaving just so he would not have to stop her from playing but knew it would have been too easy for his parents to find out what actually happened. He took a deep breath and got up, holding the one tankard in his hand and stood in front of her bedroom door. He wiped a sweaty hand on his pants and went to open the door but remembered her comment about knocking.

He quickly rapped on the door and with was for sure an off key note, the playing stopped. "Ye-yes?" Hermione's voice sounded squeaky and when he opened the door she stood on the other side, hands clasped together in front of her, while the cello was propped against the bed and one of the bed posts. She sighed with relief seeing that it was Draco- something he was sure neither of them thought would ever happen. "I thought you might have been Narcissa. Or Lucius." Hermione grimaced and Draco flinched knowing what she was thinking. He looked at her and again he was reminded of her lack of confidence.

"Mum thought it was funny, and father did not let her stop you when you were ranting. I don't think you'll have much to worry about." He held the tankard out to her. "She wanted me to deliver this to you."

Hermione's grimaced disappeared as her eyebrows shot up from her surprise. She took the tankard from him and took a sip. "Is this butter beer?" He nodded, putting his hands in his pockets as he did not know what to do with them now. "I've never had it before. It's rather good." Hermione sat back down on her bed as she continued to drink the warm, sugary beverage.

"Have you not been to the Three Broomsticks?" Draco did not mean to sound accusatory, more questioning as that was always the place students from Hogwarts went to when there was a trip to Hogsmeade.

"My stomach wasn't up to it." Her reply was short and she did not look at him as she set the tankard on her desk and she sat in her desk chair again.

Draco understood the reply was meant for him not to pry and he respected that. Not thinking of anything else to say, an awkwardness started to settle over him. "I'll head back down and let mother know you're alright." He turned to leave the room, not convinced he will actually be able to make it downstairs if she started playing again as she was that good.

"Did you not want to hear me play?" Draco turned around, but did not speak as he was unsure of how to respond. He was expected to be downstairs, not stalling by listening to her play. Hermione grabbed her cello and placed it firmly between her knees. "It's what you said before. You're a bully and a prat but what I said was uncalled-for. Both in the library and at your bedroom door the other day, I shouldn't have stooped so low." Hermione had a haunted and far away look. "My parents would not have approved." The last part was said in a whisper, more to herself than to him.

Draco thought about going downstairs again but looking at Hermione, he did not want to leave her alone. He could hear Narcissa's words in his head about mental health and Hermione was currently a DSM definition of not being in a good head space. Then there was also the fact that he realized he didn't just want to avoid going down stairs, he wanted her company. There was no Harry or Ron here nor was there Pansy and the rest of Hogwarts for him to uphold a reputation too. The only one to stop him was himself. "Okay."

Hermione looked up at him then and gave a quick nod. She had not expected him to accept her offer but if she was being honest with herself, she did not want to be alone anymore and was relieved he did. She missed her best friends and even though she Harry and her had apologized via owl, her anxiety told her she ruined her friendship and he now hated her. A part of her felt weird about using Draco as a stand in for her friends but she turned her attention back to the cello. She watched him sit on her bed, across from her and before playing, she felt a corner of her mouth come up in a cynical smile. Funny how I said I could never see myself playing in front of him.

Draco watched Hermione start a song he recognized as the second part of Vivaldi's Winter and he immediately wondered how his father would react to hear her play his favorite composer so effortlessly. Draco had gotten the feeling that Hermione saw the extension of her body, not something that she simply played to keep her hands busy. Draco stared at the floor, choosing to listen at first rather than watch, getting a feel for the sound of a cello.

When she finished playing the first song, he gave a tiny clap. "Brilliant."

Hermione blinked several times, coming out of her trance, and grinned. "Was that a compliment, Malfoy?"

Draco was taken aback for a second. He had complimented her. "I meant the instrument is brilliant."

Hermione laughed and although it was not a beautiful one like his mother's, Draco couldn't deny it was a far cry from Pansy's chortle which was very nice. "It's OK, I know I play well. I don't need you to tell me."

Draco shook his head smiling, it was nice to see a part of her that seemed to have disappeared from her. "I don't know if I could say you're good after hearing you play one short song."

Hermione gave a playful scoff but nodded. She could not tell if it was bait for her to keep playing but she took it anyway. Hermione brought the bow to the cello again. Hermione played the first first few cords of Aurore Dassesse by Gaspar Cassado and immediately became succumbed to her playing, focus and muscle memory taking over. It was a somber piece although it was difficult. It matched how she was feeling perfectly and offered her a validation in her feelings she had not felt for the longest time. Her father always said that music was magic and she believed it. Hermione loved the feel of the vibrations that seemed to resonate with her very soul itself and said the things that she did not have the words to say or could not say as her body would become overwhelmed with sobs. The cello was not just an instrument to her, but a healing tool and she would berate herself later for not choosing to play it sooner.

Draco watched Hermione's playing intensely. She was playing one of the songs he heard her play before he came in but he did not mind. He did not blame her for refusing to play for him before as he felt he was watching an intimate part of her and wondered if she ever played in front of Ron or Harry. It was as if she was playing her heart and soul, not an arrangement written by a wizard or muggle composer. By the end of the song, he had his elbows on his knees and his head rested on his fist. Being able to properly listen to her play instead of hiding behind a door, he thought the cello to be a fantastic solo instrument, hitting notes he had not heard any other instrument reach on their own before. Then again, he realized, he only knew piano, his mother and Theo knew the harp while Pansy played the violin. Daphne claimed she had a voice that rivaled a siren's, but had never heard her sing. Crabbe nor Goyle had the determination or discipline to even properly hold an instrument.

When she finished the song, he was at a loss for words on how to describe her playing. Hermione stared at the floor for a moment, then looked up at him. She had tears in her eyes from the emotion the piece pulled from her and knew from looking at Draco he had felt at least a of fraction of what the piece meant for her. Hermione suddenly felt embarrassed and rubbed the unshed tears from her eyes. Somewhere, a grandfather clock struck midnight.

"It's later than what I expected it to be." Hermione stood and started to put the cello away. Draco knew that he was going to be in trouble at this point regardless how late it was as he had already been gone for over an hour if it was already midnight. Draco looked at the foot of her bed and watched as her presents slowly started to appear at the foot of her bed. Hermione closed the cello case and watched the presents herself. His eyes flicked over to her and he realized he never got her one. He did not know why this caused panic to rise in him but his quick thinking Slytherin brain came up with an idea.

"I want to show you something."

Hermione looked at him, confusion on her face. "Now?"

He nodded, looking bashful. "It shouldn't take too long as it's not far from our rooms..."

Hemione looked back at the presents, hating that they were there, letting her know it was a sign that the worst Christmas she was ever going to have had finally arrived. "Okay." It was an echo of him accepting her invitation to play for him but neither of them acted like they noticed. "Let me just..." Her voice trailed off as she put the cello back in the closet. When she came back out, he was waiting for her at the door of her suite, looking down the hallway to make sure it was clear.

Hermione lightly cleared her throat behind him and he slipped out into the hallway. When she followed, he placed a hand on the door and silently closed it, not releasing the door handle until the latch was perfectly lined up with the strike plate in the door. "Why do I get the sense you're going to have us sneak around?" Her voice was slightly disapproving, slightly playful, but mostly curious.

Draco rolled his eyes before turning to her and grabbing her wrist. "Come on," he whispered back. Draco did not think about the fact that he was supposed to avoid touching her at all costs as she was dirty, or that they were both ignoring the distaste they held for each other to give each other peace for once. He just thought about how he had felt lonely at the manor for years and didn't want them to keep fighting since she was going to stay with them until she was of age.

Hermione resisted his pull at first but she followed him, allowing him to sneak them down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they stayed crouching as Draco listened for any footsteps. When he heard a distant laugh from the drawing room, he pointed to the hall that was by the stairs. They both fast walked over and he glanced behind them as they turned down the hallway. Hermione appreciated he was much more cautious when having to sneak around as Ron and Harry hardly cared unless someone was two feet away from them. Granted they had the invisibility cloak but that did not stop them from being heard.

When Draco finally released her wrist, they had stopped in front of a pair of double doors that were almost as wide as the ones for Lucius' study. Hermione tried to read the plaque by the door but the hallway was too dark. She took a step closer to it, squinting but Draco threw a hand over it. "Don't read that."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Why not?" As much as she loved adventure, Hermione hated the idea of not knowing what she was getting herself into when the knowledge was right in front of her.

"Because this was partially thought through and is hardly a Christmas gift as is." His voice had a slightly annoyed tone to it and he stood in the middle of the hallway, before the double doors. "Can you stand here?"

Hermione was surprised at his answer so she did not reply as she did what he asked. A part of her started to feel guilty as she had not even thought to get him a gift either but it was all forgotten when he threw open the double doors in a dramatic fashion.

Hermione's mouth and arms dropped simultaneously as she stepped into the Malfoy Library, her body immediately becoming saturated in the blue moon light that of the wide windows at the top if the Library's ceiling. There were crystal chandeliers at the ceiling of the Library and there were easily tens of thousands of books as the library seemed to run the remaining length of the manor.

Malfoy was grinning, at the astonished look on her face was completely comical. He was satisfied with the result of showing her the library even if it was- quite literally- a last minute thought. "You hate it?" Draco teased as he closed the doors behind them after making sure the hallway was still clear.

She turned around, putting her hands to her face. "No, no, no! I'm just- It's a lot- I didn't know." Her eyes drifted the shelves again. There were literally books everywhere. "Why is it called a manor when this is obviously a mansion?"

Draco shrugged. "Because it used to be before it was expanded by a Malfoy several generations ago." Draco pointed to a large portrait by the right door behind them. There was a woman sleeping in a gold, corseted, Victorian dress. Her matching fan was nearly slipping out of her hand on to the floor, but the ruffles in he dress seemed to hold it in place. "She wanted to make the manor so she would never have to leave it as everything she needed would be here. She made it difficult for the rest of the Malfoy women to leave their mark as it is tradition for them to make an expansion or create a room. It's why you'll see most of the portraits in a room being a woman or a woman with her family while the men line the hallways." Draco spoke in a matter of fact tone and when he didn't hear a response, he looked at Hermione. She was staring at him, completely Godsmacked. "What?" He narrowed his eyes at her and gave her a once over, not liking the look at all.

"My family traditions included making a souffle on mum's birthday or letting mum be the one to put the star on the Christmas tree," Draco wondered if Hermione noticed she was talking about her mother without having a breakdown but let her continue. "And you just told me, your family tradition is to make an expansion to your mansion?!" Hermione was not yelling but was astounded at what she had heard.

Draco grinned and looked at his feet before looking back at her. "Or the property. Mum did the inner and outer gardens."

Hermione could not believe her ears and she held her face in her hands as she looked back at the library- her now favorite place at Malfoy Manor.

He let her stay like that for a few minutes but knew that they did not have much time to waste. He opened his mouth to say they should go but it seemed she remembered the same thing too as she turned back to him at that same moment. "I suppose I couldn't spend the night in here, could I?"

Draco smirked and shook his head, already walking towards the door. "You can come back nearly anytime though. There isn't a restriction on this library like there is on the other one."

Hermione looked at him wondering if he was joking before rolled her eyes playfully, as he reached to open the door. "Of course there's another Library. Tell me, is there-"

Hermione was cut off as the door opened and in front of them both was a very angry Lucius.