After spending a whole day resting in the head dorms, Hermione decided that her ankle was up to venturing further afield. She'd thoroughly enjoyed the previous day getting to know Draco. There'd even been visits from his friends, who had teased him about the way he was fussing over Hermione, and a visit from Harry and Ginny. However, neither of them had mentioned the kisses they shared, although Hermione suspected a few of their friends had their suspicions that something was going on.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Draco asked with concern as he checked Hermione's bandage on her ankle.
"Yes," Hermione replied with a firm nod of his head. "With your help, I'm sure I can manage to make it downstairs. Besides, it's Christmas Eve. I don't want to be stuck up here all alone on Christmas Eve."
"What am I, the invisible man?" Draco pouted. "I'm not going anywhere, Granger. And our friends could always come to us like they did yesterday."
"If I struggle, we can come back, but I at least want to try," Hermione said. "Please Malfoy. Help me."
"You don't need to beg," Draco chuckled. "I was always going to help you. I just wanted to be sure that you really wanted to do this."
"I do."
Holding out her hands to Draco, he helped her to her feet and she gave him a grateful peck on the cheek as he wrapped his arm around her waist to help support her weight. Carefully the pair left the head dorms for the first time since they'd arrived following Hermione's accident, and with Draco taking the burden they made it down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs they paused for Hermione to catch her breath and readjust how much she was leaning on Draco.
"Are you okay?" he checked.
"I'll be better once I'm sitting down," Hermione admitted.
Not wanting Hermione on her feet any longer than was necessary, Draco helped her towards the Great Hall, well aware of what sort of reception they would get. Sure enough the second they entered the room all conversation stopped and everyone turned to watch their entrance. Several of the Professors were at the table, as were Hermione's friends, but there was no sign of any of the Slytherins.
"Hermione, what happened?" Professor McGonagall gasped as Draco helped Hermione settle in the chair beside Harry, before sitting down on the other side of her.
"I fell over on some ice the other day and sprained my ankle," Hermione explained. "Draco's being looking after me."
"Has he now?" Professor Snape drawled with an arched eyebrow.
"That was very chivalrous of you, Mr Malfoy," McGonagall said with an amused smile. The thought of the Slytherin looking after anyone would have been laughable, if she hadn't noticed the way he'd been looking at Hermione since the start of the year.
"I was hardly going to leave her lying in the snow," Draco muttered with a shrug.
"It was very nice of you to offer your assistance," Dumbledore offered.
"And he's been looking after her ever since," Ginny added with a grin. "He's like her own personal slave."
"Yeah, and what is he doing it for?" Ron snorted, shooting daggers at the blond head boy.
"Excuse me?" Draco snapped, glaring back at Ron. "What are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting that you're a selfish git who wouldn't help anyone if there wasn't something in it for you," Ron shot back. "So why are you helping Hermione? Are you trying to get into her knickers?"
"Ron," Hermione gasped.
"Mr Weasley, that is enough of that sort of talk," McGonagall scolded sternly.
"He's after something Hermione," Ron warned, ignoring McGonagall and focusing on his friend. "He's not looking out for you out of the goodness of his heart, because he doesn't have a heart. He's an evil, soulless bastard and the only interest he has in you is in getting you into bed."
"Not everyone has their minds constantly in the gutter, Ronald," Hermione informed her friend. "Draco has been nothing but a gentleman. Unlike some people, I could mention."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Ron demanded angrily.
"You know exactly what it means," Hermione replied. "At least Draco doesn't try and force himself on me. When I kiss him, it's because I want to, not because he won't let me go."
"Fine, do what the hell you want," Ron snapped, jumping to his feet as his face flamed red when everyone gaped at him in disgust. "But don't come crying to me when Malfoy kicks you to the curb the second he's had his wicked way with you. If you're stupid enough to fall for his good guy act, then more fool you."
Turning on his heel, Ron stormed out of The Great Hall, almost crashing into the arriving Slytherins as he did so.
"What's eating Weasel?" Blaise asked as the four Slytherins settled down at the table for breakfast.
"Ignore him, he's just being an idiot," Hermione said.
"Let's guess, he disapproves of you getting friendly with Draco," Theo guessed.
"Something like that," Hermione muttered as she turned her attention to the breakfast spread out in the centre of the table.
"Very friendly at that," Ginny offered to the new arrivals. "They've been kissing."
"At the breakfast table?" Blaise queried.
"No, not at the breakfast table," Draco answered. "You know I'm sure there's something else we can talk about."
"Better than you and Granger kissing, I don't think so," Pansy snorted. "This is juicy gossip."
As everyone began to gossip about the head students, not bothering that they were still sitting at the table, Draco turned to Hermione and asked about Ron. Hermione assured her fellow head that she'd dealt with the Ron situation, and she didn't want anything else done about it, and while Draco agreed to let it drop Hermione knew he would say something if Ron continued to be aggressive. But for now, everyone else seemed perfectly happy and the Gryffindors and Slytherins seemed to be communicating pretty well.
"Since everyone is here," Dumbledore began, clearing his throat. "Or almost everyone," he muttered, suddenly remembering Ron storming out. "I want to announce I've arranged a carol service this afternoon here in The Great Hall. A choir from Hogsmeade will be in attendance, and there will be refreshments. Please come along and enjoy the afternoon."
"Sounds like fun," Daphne said. "Are we all going to be there?" she asked, looking more towards the head students.
"We'll be there," Hermione replied.
"Where else would we be?" Draco asked.
"Creating some Christmas memories by making use of the privacy of the head dorms," Pansy suggested with a wicked smirk.
"Attending the carol service will be making memories," Hermione pointed out.
"Not the same sort of memories," Pansy argued. "Nothing beats sexy memories."
"Hold on, we're nowhere near that stage yet," Draco cautioned his friends. "We haven't even decided what we are. If we even are anything."
"This might all fizzle out," Hermione agreed, even though she didn't think it was likely as Draco had told her enough for her to know that he'd liked her for a while.
"My money is on you two making it last," Blaise said. "And let me be the first to say, you make a damn good couple."
It was a sentiment several other people agreed with, and finding themselves at the centre of gossip, Hermione and Draco decided it was time to leave. Promising to be back for the carol service, they headed up to the head dorms for a bit of peace and quiet.
"Well, I think we're well and truly outed," Hermione chuckled as Draco helped her get settled on the sofa.
"And without even going on a date," Draco remarked. "Something I think we should remedy as soon as possible. When this snow had gone and your ankle has healed, how do you fancy going down to Hogsmeade together?"
"I'd like that," Hermione replied with a smile, holding her hand out for Draco to sit down next to her.
Joining her on the sofa, Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder as the couple settled down to continue to get to know each other some more. With Hermione's limited mobility, it was the perfect time to just sit and talk and they were both confident that by the time her ankle was healed they would know a hell of a lot more about each other, and they would be a lot closer than they'd ever imagined they would be.
When Draco and Hermione returned to The Great Hall for the carol service they found the entire room had been overhauled. The floor was covered in fake snow and there was even more fake snow falling from the enchanted ceiling, stopping just above their heads. The focus of the room was the giant Christmas tree which stood at the back of the room. The choir, who were all dressed like Victorian style carollers from the muggle world, were clearly going to set up in front of the tree and Professor Flitwick was tuning up his piano, just off to the side of the tree. Chairs were set up in front of the tree, and all their friends had already arrived. Harry and Ginny were sitting with a sulking Ron, with two empty chairs beside Harry. On the other side of the empty chairs sat the Slytherins, and Blaise was leaning over one of the chairs to chat with Harry.
"Looks like we're the last to arrive," Draco remarked.
"Looks like it," Hermione agreed. "But at least they've saved us a seat each."
"And together as well, it looks like our friends are learning to co-operate," Draco noted.
"Scary, isn't it?" Hermione chuckled. In fact she was rather taken aback by how casually everyone had accepted her and Draco growing closer, with Ron being the only exception.
Making their way to the two empty seats, Hermione and Draco settled down between their friends. Noticing the way Ron was still glaring at her, Hermione quietly asked Harry if there were any signs of their best friend settling down and accepting that she just wasn't interested in him, and was in fact interested in someone else.
"To be honest, I'd give him a few days to cool off," Harry advised quietly, not wanting Ron to overhear them talking about him. "You know he lets his temper get the better of him. Right now, he can't thinking clearly. But give him a few days and he'll realise he can't force you to like him, and he can't stop you from liking Malfoy."
Hoping that Harry was right, Hermione turned her attention to the choir, who were getting into place in front of the large tree. A few moments later, Dumbledore got to his feet and after thanking the choir for coming, he handed around song booklets and urged the small handful of students who had remained behind for Christmas to join in with the singing. Flicking through the booklet, Hermione was pleased to find the choir were singing a mix of magical and muggle carols, meaning she would at least know some of the songs she was expected to join in with.
As the first song began, Hermione was surprised by how many people seemed to be joining in from the audience. With only a handful of students at the castle, most of the audience were staff and they seemed to be approaching the carol service with gusto. Just from glancing around Hermione could see the only Professor not singing was Snape, although when Dumbledore nudged him in the ribs his mouth began to move, but she suspected not a lot of sound was coming out of it.
Turning away before she began to giggle, Hermione turned her own attention to singing, but she was quickly distracted by Harry beside her. As much as she loved Harry, she could admit he had not being blessed with the gift of song. In fact he was tone deaf and couldn't sing to save his life. However, you couldn't knock his enthusiasm and even though his singing wasn't the best he was still giving it his all.
Smiling at Harry's enthusiasm, if not his skill, Hermione once again tried to focus on her own singing, but yet again her attention was diverted, this time by the wizard on the other side of her. Unlike Harry, Draco could carry a tune perfectly and while he wasn't singing anywhere near as loud as Harry and some of the others, he was really rather good. Turning her head slightly, she gazed at him in amazement.
Sensing her watching him, Draco turned his own head and ceasing singing, he leant forward so his lips were against Hermione's ear. "What's wrong?" he whispered.
"You can sing," Hermione whispered in awe as Draco pulled back far enough to look her in the eyes.
"I have a very talented mouth," he returned with a delicious smirk. "I can do all sorts with it."
"Sounds promising," Hermione purred softly.
Without a care for the fact they were not alone by any stretch of the imagination, she brushed her lips over Draco's. Draco briefly deepened the kiss, before pulling away and with a smirk he went straight back to joining in with the singing, picking up perfectly with the song. Still amazed that Draco could sing, Hermione quickly worked out where they were in the song and joined in herself.
The rest of the carol service passed quickly enough, with Hermione being treated to Draco, who could sing on one side of her, and Harry, who really couldn't, on the other side. To be honest the difference in the two wizards singing ability proved a bit distracting, but it didn't take away from the festive feeling the service created. By the time the choir ended their concert, Hermione was feeling very festive and totally ready to celebrate Christmas.
After the concert, the Hogwarts elves appeared bearing trays of hot turkey and stuffing pasties, warm mince pies, spiced cranberry cider and orange spice hot chocolate. The food and drink went down a treat with everyone, and Hermione even saw Ron crack a couple of smiles before he headed off back to Gryffindor Tower. He didn't speak before he went, but after he'd left Ginny had reiterated what Harry had said and claimed that all Ron needed was some time to calm down. Hermione hoped that was the case, but even if it wasn't, she wasn't going to apologise for choosing Draco over Ron.
After several hours in The Great Hall, Draco helped Hermione back to the head dorms, and after getting ready for bed, they settled down in front of the roaring fire to enjoy the last few hours of Christmas Eve together.
"I just wish I had a present to give you tomorrow," Hermione said with a sigh.
"I don't need a present," Draco said. "I've already got what I want for Christmas."
"And what is that?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"You," Draco answered, smiling back at Hermione. "For months my friends have been trying to set me up with various witches, and all I kept thinking was that I wanted a witch more like you."
"You mean an annoying, know-it-all," Hermione joked. Even though she was perfectly happy with who she was, she knew she had flaws and she knew someone people found her annoying, and even she couldn't deny she was a bit of a know-it-all with her overwhelming need to share her knowledge with people.
"I actually meant feisty and opinionated," Draco laughed.
"But you're not going to argue over the annoying and know-it-all?" Hermione checked, her smile letting Draco know she was just teasing and wasn't really offended.
"You can be both of those things, but it's part of your overall charm," Draco said. "We can't all be perfect like me."
"You, perfect?" Hermione snorted. "I hate to burst your bubble, Malfoy, but you're far from perfect. For one thing your ego is out of control, and you can be a bit of a git."
"I can be your git from now on," Draco laughed.
"I guess you can," Hermione replied with a smile. "And I couldn't ask for a better Christmas present. Merry Christmas, Draco."
"Merry Christmas, Hermione."
As their lips met yet again, neither of them knew what the future held. Their Christmas romance might well be a short lived affair and would die out as quickly as it lit up. But on the other hand, it could turn out to be a long term thing. Either way, neither of them cared much at that moment. All that mattered was the here and now, and right there in the head dorms, they were together and it was a perfect Christmas.