Day 11 of my 25 Days of Draco and Harry. This takes place during chapter 3 (the epistolary chapter) of Seven Months. Harry is away on a long Auror mission and Draco has had enough. As always, you can find a link to the entire series in my Author profile.

December 2012

Image Inspiration: Grinch Tree with a Single Bulb

"Hermione," Draco says with a sigh, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice, "please don't. It's really not necessary. It's just me here, and I'm honestly not feeling like it."

Hermione narrows her eyes and scowls. "That's exactly why you need it." She reaches in her bag, pulls out another strand of fairy lights and a pine garland. She begins to wrap the lights around the pine without looking, keeping her gaze on him. "I'm not going to let you sit around this house and completely ignore the holiday. Harry may not be here, but you are not alone."

"Merlin knows," Draco mutters, running his hands over Cat's ears and eliciting a purr from the pile of fur on his lap.

"What was that?" Hermione asks, her voice dangerous, but he's feeling irritable and nasty and willing to push her.

"I said it's quite obvious I'm not alone. Every time I turn around there's a bloody Weasley here, or my aunt and mother are insisting I take them shopping, or Pansy needs my help decorating her nursery. I can't get a moment's peace."

Hermione hums in agreement and walks to the mantle over the fireplace, positioning the lighted garland behind the family pictures and artfully placed candles. It looks good, and his mood sours further.

Draco jumps up off the sofa, the cat hissing as he displaces her from his lap. "I don't need to decorate. I don't need Christmas music, or a tree, or fucking fairy lights. I don't need to be coddled and babysat!"

Hermione just watches calmly, and he begins to pace.

"You all want me to keep going like it's a normal holiday. 'Oh, Draco, come spend Christmas Eve with us; we'll have ever so much fun,'" he mocks, nailing her accent and voice. "And it's all fine for you because your husband hasn't been gone for months in some gods-forsaken place that you're not even allowed to know about. You don't have to go to bed every fucking night by yourself wondering if tomorrow is the day you're going to get a message that he's never coming home. You don't have to wonder who he's with, what he's doing, and if you're even a thought in his mind. And if you are a thought in his mind, is it making him miserable and miss sleep and will that be the thing that gets him killed?"

Draco's nearly out of breath now, his chest tight, and he takes a deep breath, glancing at Hermione.

And feels like shit.

She's watching him, a wreath in her hand, with tears running down her face. Her brown eyes look devastated, and he feels like a monster.

"Fuck. I'm sorry, Hermione. Gods." He walks over and pulls her to him. Her arms wrap around him.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, then clears her throat. "I don't know why I'm crying. I want you to be honest with me about how you're feeling. You haven't talked about it much. I can't imagine how hard this is."

Draco sighs, thankful that he and Hermione have gotten so close over the last few years. "You make this easier, gorgeous. And I know it's hard on you and Ronald. Harry's been yours longer than he's been mine."

She shakes her head and pulls back. "No, you're right. He's your husband, and it's more than three months now, and it's Christmas. It's not the same." She wipes her face and forces a smile. "But we're trying to help. Harry wouldn't want you sitting here moping. He loves Christmas with you, and he'd want you to still enjoy it."

"I know. He said as much in his last letter." Draco looks around the room, the soft glow of the fairy lights over the fire beginning to warm his mood. He heaves a sigh. "All right. You win. This does look good, and it kind of makes it feel like he's here." He walks over to a box and pulls out a few of Harry's favourite ornaments. "Will you help me put up a tree? I think I want to put it in our bedroom."

Hermione gives him a smile, her eyes glistening dangerously. "Definitely. And Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I worry about him too. You don't have to keep it all inside, you know. I can't promise I won't be emotional, because, for some reason, I seem to cry for no reason the last couple of weeks, but I can promise I'll listen and not try to brush it off and tell you he'll be fine and not to worry."

And Draco realises that that's what he's needed all along, just someone to listen and understand. He looks at the best friend he inherited with his marriage and smiles.

"Thanks, Hermione. Now, let's get this tree set up so you can get home before the Weasel thinks you ran off with me."

"As if," she says with a laugh.

He pretends to be affronted and takes the ornaments up to his bedroom, Hermione chattering behind him.

Harry might not be home for the holiday, but Draco is, and he's going to do his best.

A/N: The Draco/Hermione special friendship was not something I'd planned when writing this series. It sort of emerged subconsciously during And Thirteen Days and Ron's Adjudication (I didn't write the series chronologically, remember), but it didn't completely take shape until American Honeymoon. It became one of my favorite parts of the series to write (outside Harry/Draco, of course), and I like to think that it'd drive Ron NUTS.

11 Down, 14 to go. And crap, only 2 weeks until Christmas?! I have so much to do!