The house quickly became decorated for the holidays, as that was one of Hermione's many strengths. They all learned countless new charms from her before Christmastime.
Leonora requested a visit to Hogsmeade alone to buy more gifts and was surprisingly allowed, accompanied by Snape of course. He helped her pick out nice gifts for everyone and he even let her go into a few stores alone, knowing she was buying a gift for him.
Leonora even managed to wrap all of them on her own, but her vision hadn't gotten better since her last exam with Snape. She was realizing she may have omitted an important piece of information when she first became blinded-- Snape did not know she had been affected by the Cruciatus Curse before being blinded.
On Christmas morning, Leonora was woken up to Harry and Ron trying to get her up.
"Leo, it's Christmas!" Harry said excitedly, but she just groaned and turned her back towards them. She didn't care for the holiday enough to wake up so early.
"I'm bringing Masmi and Silon downstairs without you," Harry said, and his cousin finally got out of bed.
"Get the fuck out! I'll be down in a few minutes," She pointed towards the door where the two boys retreated to.
She hadn't even began to get dressed yet when there was another knock on her door. She immediately recognized who it was by the rhythm and she let Draco in.
"I was just violently woken up by the children who live down the hall," He groggily said, also still in his sleepwear.
"Join the club," Leonora replied, picking out an outfit for the day.
"Before we go downstairs, I want to give you your gift."
Leonora looked at him and realized he was carrying a blurry box. Her head tilted in confusion as she took it from his hands.
She carefully removed the lid from the box and revealed a pile of books. She could barely contain her excitement as she tried to read the names of them.
"It's not much, but I know you like to read and considering you're getting your eyesight back soon I know you'll want to make up for lost time. That one there is my personal favorite," Draco pointed, and the pair spent a little over ten minutes talking about the books before someone barged into the room.
"Don't mean to interrupt," Harry cleared his throat, and Draco backed away from Leonora. He hadn't realized how close he had gotten. "But we're all waiting, and breakfast is ready."
Leonora apologized on Harry's behalf and they split up to get dressed and meet everyone downstairs.
After they arrived to the table, everyone dug in. Even Snape seemed to be enjoying himself and company that morning.
Then, everyone began to exchange gifts in the sitting room. Harry and his friends exchanged their many gifts and opened some from other family while Leonora and Draco sat together with Masmi on the couch.
"I'm shocked that this isn't the first year we haven't spent Christmastime together, considering," Leonora said, thinking back to all of her past holidays. Her family was very close with the Malfoys.
"I always pitied you during Christmas," Draco admitted, making his friend laugh.
"I pitied you, too! Your parents spoiled the hell out of you and that only made you feel entitled, not loved. At least I didn't feel entitled."
"At least I got actual gifts, instead of just clothes you hated to wear," Draco teased her and she playfully punched him.
Once the trio settled down, Snape cleared his throat and handed out gifts. They had no label on them, but they all correctly assumed it was from Snape himself.
Ron and Hermione got the same gift-- a guide to beginners potions and a new set of quills. The gift was obviously just a formality.
Harry received a gift a little more thoughtful, which was a little pocket compass which he quickly realized pointed towards his friends. It was nicely made, too, and looked expensive.
Draco and Leonora received the same gift and they were over the moon about it. It was an enchanted notebook that never ran out of pages, and an ink pot that never ran out of ink. She couldn't even imagine how expensive these luxury items were.
As the only ones who got Snape a gift, Draco and Leonora watched him open the boxes to reveal an astronomy book from Leonora and a snake watch from Draco. They could even see a little smile pulling one corner of his mouth upwards.
And much to Leonoras surprise, Draco pulled out another gift for her as she gave him his. It was a lovely emerald green knit sweater with matching knit socks. He knew she loved comfortable clothes over style, and the green was more of a symbol of acceptance than anything.
Leonora had almost given him the same, but it was a green knit coat with endless pocket space. She had shoved a few candies in the pocket, but who knows when he'll find them.
Leonora gave Harry the protective amulet, and the three of them couldn't stop smiling at her.
"What?" She asked, then seeing that Harry was handing her a sheet of paper. It had words on it, but they were too small for her to read, so Draco read it for her.
"Congratulations on finalizing your adoption. Wishing you and Masmi happiness and health."
Leonora couldn't believe it.
"Wait. . . Harry? You paid for Masmi?" She asked, her mind blown.
"She's all yours," He said through a grin, and she couldn't contain her happiness. She hadn't shown this much emotion in front of anyone in the room before, so they were shocked once she started jumping up and down and getting Masmi riled up with her.
"Harry. . I can't thank you enough," Leonora said to him, not knowing what to say or how to show gratitude. He just laughed and told her to go spend time with her wolf.
It wasn't long before Leonora had glasses and they were back at Hogwarts. Masmi was still allowed at Hogwarts, but he couldn't accompany her to her classes anymore. And her roommates were complaining about his smell and the fear of him eating their pets, so Dumbledore proposed he stay in Draco's room during the day.
She was oblivious to the fact that Draco had his own room in the castle, just like the professors did. But it made sense-- Dumbledore was probably scared that the Slytherins would make attempts on his life, and Draco couldn't switch houses of course.
"How do I look?" Leonora jokingly asked Draco, making weird faces while wearing her glasses. They were in the courtyard, enjoying the cool air and playing with Masmi.
"They suit you really well," He replied. The round glasses complimented her sharp jawline and sat perfectly on the bridge of her nose. They were definitely not as round as Harry's, they had more surface area and an overall rectangle range with rounded edges.
Not expecting that response, she looked down at Masmi and changed the subject.
"Professor Dumbledore told me that you have a private room," She began, and Draco nodded.
"I do. I was given one after Crabbe and Goyle tried to poison me while sleeping," He confided in her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. ." She replied
"It's okay. Why do you ask?"
"Dumbledore suggested the idea that Masmi stay in your room during the day so he doesn't get into my roommates stuff or intimidate their animals. Would you agree to this?"
"I definitely would love to have Masmi during the day," Draco agreed, and Leonora was relieved. She did not want to leave him unaccompanied all week at Grimmauld place.
"Thank you, Draco. I'll bring him over Monday morning before breakfast. Are you coming, uh, home this weekend?" Leonora asked, the Fidelius Charm preventing her from saying the address.
"I'm planning on it. Nothing much to do here besides study," Draco said, and she understood. It was hard being an outcast at Hogwarts.
"I have my Occlumency test tonight with Snape, but I've finished my homework for the week so I'll be free all weekend."
Draco smiled, knowing that he'll probably beat her at chess a couple more times this weekend.
That night, Snape and Leonora sat on opposite couches in the sitting room for her test. She had been practicing Occlumency in all of her free time and she was happy with the results. But, she knew she still had a chance of failing. And that Snape hadn't been pushing her as far as he could.
He gave her five minutes to prepare and block out reality. Her mind was empty. She had never been this focused in her life.
She almost didn't realize when Snape started looking through her mind. It felt like an itch in her head, a slight discomfort. Leonora honed in on him and observed his attempts to break down the wall.
Leonora lost track of time, but Snape had been in her mind for at least an hour. He knew the Dark Lord would be as persistent.
What weakened her was her drowsiness. She barely slept, and when she did, the quality was not enough to sustain her. She was distracted enough for Snape to finally see a crack in the wall.
He entered her mind in a rush, and everything came crashing down.
Fifth year Neville put his hand on the back of Leonora's neck and pulled her up for a kiss. It didn't last long, and Leonora pulled away first and stared at her friend with wide eyes. Her face morphed into Snape's godson's face.
Ten year-old Draco Malfoy sat on his own seat in her house, surrounded and engulfed in gifts. Leonora got one set of fancy dress robes for when guests were at the house. She never loathed an article of clothing more.
"What do you say, dear," Rician Bishop asked his daughter, faking friendliness.
"I hate this."
Rician's eyes flashed anger and he quickly dragged her upstairs by one arm.
Suddenly, Leonora was back to her sixth year self, but it was the beginning of the year. She was sat on her bed, face empty of emotion, and holding a knife to her wrist. Just before blood oozed out, Snape was dragged back to Rician dragging his daughter upstairs.
"Please, I didn't mean it," Little Leonora was crying, but Rician ignored her. He threw her onto her bed and began undoing his belt.
The sounds of the metal belt turned into train whistles and he watched Neville and Leonora share a compartment on the way home from their fifth year.
"Neville, I. . . don't have feelings for you. I just want to be friends," Leonora confessed, and the look on Neville's face could make anyone cry.
The compartment window turned into Leonoras bedroom window, and the scene was ungodly. Rician was forcing himself onto his young daughter as a form of punishment.
Snape had enough. Leonora didn't fight back this time, he suspected she didn't have the strength to. He carefully exited her mind and snapped back to reality, and Leonora sat across him with tears streaming down her face.
Not only was she disappointed that she failed, she was ashamed at what she let Snape see. She wasn't able to muster up any anger to force him out.
"Leonora. ." Snape began, saddened by what he saw. He never would've expected that she was a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of her father.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," Leonora weakly apologized, but her words were drowned out by her sobs.
"Never apologize for that. I'm just worried about you. Can I see your arm?" He asked his student, and she slowly nodded and gave him her arm.
He pulled back her sleeve to find countless horizontal scars all over her arm. Snape held in a sigh.
"Please, Leonora, take the Trauma Diminution. I don't see any fresh wounds but I know the temptation is still there. I wish no ill upon you like your father. I hope I've proven myself worthy of your trust."
Leonora nodded. She knew he was different from her father, different from what people thought of him.
He helped her up and brought her upstairs to her room. She paused before the doorway, not seeing comfort in her bed. Snape understood.
"I'll turn a blind eye for tonight," He told her, and looked at Draco's door. It was cracked open slightly and Draco lay sound asleep. Leonora blushed, not even thinking of that. Once Snape turned the corner and she downed some of the potion, she slowly walked into his room with Masmi by her side.
Draco woke up to the sound of the creaking floorboards by his bed and to the sound of someone softly crying. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"What's wrong?" He asked, moving over to make room for her to sit.
"I failed the test. And Snape saw some of my worst and embarrassing memories," Leonora told him, and he understood. He knew what her father did to her. Her family bragged about it whenever they got the chance.
"You don't have to be embarrassed, Rician is the one who should be embarrassed. He is vile." Draco tried to comfort her.
"I know," She said, accidentally letting out another sob. Hearing Leonora cry broke Draco's heart.
"C'mere," Draco said, helping her onto the bed and under the covers. Masmi followed suit and laid on the other side of Leonora.
Draco let Leonora cry on his shirt as he held her in a comforting hug. They fell asleep soon after, both thinking this was the comfiest and safest they had felt. In each other's arms.
"Where's Leo?" Harry asked Draco who ate breakfast with him.
"Sleeping still," He replied, and snuck a piece of bacon in his pocket to give to Masmi.
"I'll go wake her up, she'd want to eat while it's hot. I'm shocked she's slept in this late," Harry said, getting up from the table.
"Actually, I wouldn't. I think she had some potion to help her sleep or something." Draco covered, not wanting Harry to find her in his room.
"Oh, she finally took it, then. She's been resisting for months," Harry said, and sat back down.
"Why? She never gets any sleep," Draco curiously asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Harry said in an accusing tone, and the friendly breakfast conversation was over as they ate in silence.
Once they were finished, Draco read a book while Harry did some homework. It was almost noon when he decided he needed to check up on his cousin.
"I'll go check on her," Draco volunteered himself, and Harry laughed.
"Why, you want to find out if she sleeps naked?" Harry joked, and Draco just shook his head and sat back down. Anything he did now would look bad and would get Harry angrier. He prepared himself for what was about to happen.
"She's not in her room!" Harry called from upstairs, and Draco cringed. Then silence. He must've found her.
"Malfoy!" Harry yelled as he came running down the stairs.
"What did you do! You sick bastard, you knew she took a sleeping potion!" Harry screamed in his face, but Draco kept his cool.
"We both just slept, nothing else, I promise you, Harry," Draco defended himself, but Harry was seething with anger.
"Don't you fucking call me Harry."
"What's going on?" Leonora called from the staircase, her bed head crazy as she stretched her arms.
"Leo, please tell me you didn't sleep with him," Harry said.
Color drained from her face as she realized what her cousin saw.
"Harry," Leonora said as she walked down the stairs, "We only slept, that was it. I wanted company after taking Trauma Diminutive and we fell asleep."
"How could you trust him to be around you in that state!" He said, and Leonora gasped.
"I can't believe you're really going that far. I trust him with my life, and you should too. He saved our lives and he continues to help us. How can you believe he did anything to me when there was a wolf mere inches from us! Get your head out of your ass, Potter," Leonora scolded him, but he was still angry. He ran up to his room, passing Snape who was watching through the kitchen doorway.
Snape didn't say anything but instead just raised his eyebrows before disappearing into the basement.
"Why did Snape let us off the hook?" Draco asked, knowing his godfather would take any chance to take off points.
"He approves," Leonora said, which made them both blush. After eating, they spent their day reading together and playing chess.