It seemed the holiday season went by so quickly, Jade thought that since the holidays were coming the teachers were giving them more work to keep them focused on school. Her days went by on repeat, wake up, eat, go to class, do homework, eat, do more homework, go to bed. It had fully begun snowing, one morning in the middle of December, it snowed several feet the previous night, the lake was now completely solid and the poor owls that flew back and forth in the cold had to be nursed by Hagrid. Jade was grateful, Ezekiel hadn't been looking too good for a while. Christmas was approaching and everybody was excited to go back home, everyone except Jade. Jade's parents had sent a letter, they would be out of the country during Christmas and she would have to stay at Hogwarts instead of coming home. Jade had been really upset at this, it kept her up when it was time to go to bed, she couldn't help but feel like they just didn't care about her anymore. Pansy had tried to make her feel better, every day she had something different that might lift her spirits. The Common Room and dormitories were warm from the constant fire in the fireplace and Jade found listening to the fire comforting but the rest of the castle was freezing, the worst was in the dungeons, in Snape's class she could see her breath as she worked on her potions and tried desperately to stay close to her hot cauldron. She had paired up with Draco during Potions, he was the best and the quickest at Potions which Jade had admitted wasn't her best subject, Jade had slowed down on her work and decided that pairing up with Draco would give her a little leeway to be lazy.

"I do feel sorry," Draco spoke up during class while he moved the cauldron off of the heat before adding the porcupine quills, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." Draco was sneering at Harry when he said this but Jade's heart felt heavy in her chest and felt tears in her eyes. She knew he hadn't meant to upset her, how could he, he didn't know she would be staying. Crabbe and Goyle were chucking behind them.

Jade didn't talk for the rest of the class, which Draco found odd but he didn't ask her what was wrong. At lunch, the Professors available were helping Dumbledore set up Christmas decorations, festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. Jade made her way up to Professor McGonagall and asked to sign the parchment that listed all of the students who would be staying over Christmas and Professor McGonagall silently gave it to her to sign, she watched Jade with sad eyes as she added her name to the list. Jade's eyes flicked up to the name above hers and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Thank you, Professor." She muttered and then made her way back to the Slytherin table, Draco stood up and started leaving the Great Hall, "Where are you going?" She asked and he turned to her,

"Finally talking now, are we?" He grinned and Jade rolled her eyes,

"I'm just not feeling well." She told him and he looked her up and down,

"I'm going to the dormitories, trying to find Crabbe and Goyle."

"Aren't they usually stuck to your side?" She asked and Draco grinned again as he turned to go,

"Funny." Jade hurried to his side and walked with him, when they turned the corner, a large tree blocked the way. Jade saw Harry and Ron talking to it, she looked closer and saw hands around the tree and feet sticking out underneath, it was Hagrid.

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Draco sighed and Harry and Ron turned to face him, "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose?" Ron narrowed his eyes and balled up his fists, "That hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

"Draco, would you-" Jade started at him but then Ron threw himself on Draco and Jade gasped.

"Weasley!" Jade heard a booming voice and she jumped a little as Snape made his way to them and Ron immediately stood down,

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," Hagrid said, sticking his face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid." Snape said slowly, "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more." Ron and Harry hung their heads, "Move along, all of you." Draco pushed roughly past them with a smirk on his face and Jade followed silently.

"You should probably stop bullying them," Jade spoke up as they made their way down to the dungeons, "Snape isn't going to be there to save you all the time."
"I didn't need saving. I could've easily taken Weasley. I'm glad I didn't. Otherwise, Snape would have no choice but to take points from his own house."

"Oh, well, in that case, how thoughtful of you." She said sarcastically and he gave her a look that she returned dramatically.

"What's been up with you the past few days?" He asked her and she paused for a moment,

"My parents will be out of the country during Christmas, I'm to stay here during the holiday break." They stood at the entryway to their Common Room and Draco looked stunned for a second,

"I'm sorry." He said and she was shocked, he'd never apologized, for anything. He wasn't sarcastic, he was genuinely sorry and this made Jade's heart swell again. Draco could be a jerk most of the time but Jade had the privilege of being his friend, he wasn't friends with a lot of people, it made her feel special and his apology impacted her more.

"Thank you." She smiled a small smile, "It's okay, I'll have all break to finish the ton of homework I know we're going to receive." She said and Draco rolled his eyes as they entered the Common Room,

"Don't remind me." Crabbe and Goyle were arguing about something on one of the couches near the fire and Draco went towards them, Jade spotted Blaise sitting in a chair at one of the corner desks and walked towards him,

"How are you feeling?" Blaise asked without looking up from his book, "Pansy said you haven't been feeling well." Jade nodded and sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

"My parents are leaving to go to the States over Christmas break, they're not taking me. They're making me stay here." Blaise had opened his mouth to speak, "I was really upset about it because I thought I'd be all alone and that they didn't want to spend any time with me." Blaise was looking at her with sympathy, "I don't know if that's true but at least I know I won't be alone because you'll be here to keep me company." She ended with a satisfied smile. Blaise closed his mouth and smiled,

"My mother is celebrating her honeymoon." He explained and Jade leaned in, her smile widening,

"Where'd they go?" She asked and Pansy grabbed a chair and scooted up to the table noisily,

"Where did who go?"

"Blaise's mother got married and she's on her honeymoon." Pansy gasped and turned to face Blaise as well,

"Yes, where did they go?" Blaise looked back and forth between the two girls,

"Paris." Both girls smiled and fell back in their chairs,

"Paris." They exclaimed at the same time with the same enchanted tone.

"Does that mean you're staying here for the break?" Pansy asked, the break started in two days and Blaise nodded.

"I'll be here too." Jade butted in and Pansy looked at her,

"No fair." She grumbled, "I'd rather stay here than go home and spend time with my family. The whole lot is unbearable." Jade laughed and Pansy looked at her and then eased into a light laugh herself.