It was two weeks later when Hermione finally found the time to create her new room. Tomorrow the essay of A History of Magic was due and people were either stressing in the library or their common rooms. No snogging couples in the corridors or first years running about. Everyone had some assignment to finish before the holidays. She basically owned them, and had a hard time keeping her gait normal and the huge smile off her face.

Draco's message had given her the inspiration she needed; she would make her secret room in the broom closet. But with a twist. She wouldn't enter her room as she entered the closet, but rather as she left it. That way she made sure that no one saw her enter anything else than an ordinary broom closet. And from there she'd enter her room. Brilliant, even if she said so herself.

She was almost skipping through the hallways, unable to hide her excitement. This was some next level magic and she was ready to test herself.

When she passed Malfoy in the hallway she went rigid, as if everything she were planning was written on her face. Her heart thumped in her chest so loud that she thought he might hear. He passed her by without a second glance. Strange, perhaps she should follow him. He was looking rather gloomy and ever since Harry had tried to convince them he was a Death Eater, she had noticed that Draco had been looking nasty, more so than usual.

How come every time she was up to no good, he wasn't either.

"Whatever," she sighed. "Let him do his evil Malfoy stuff."

It took her all of five hours before she finished all the enchantments. She was tired and hungry, but when she finally saw the result she was flooded with happiness. It wasn't a big room, maybe about the size of her bedroom at home. And just like that one it was hers, and hers alone. It still needed decorating, of course. But it was perfect.

She sat down on the cold stone floor and enjoyed the space for a while. She truly was the brightest witch of her age. Although no one would never hear her admit that.

"'Mione, where have you been. We missed you at the library," Harry greeted her as she entered the Gryffindor common room.

She slumped down on the couch. She was drained. "Oh you know, just enjoying the .. weather."

Both Harry and Ron looked outside and back to Hermione. "It's been pouring all day," clarified Ron, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Hmm, very enjoyable," she agreed and drifted asleep.

She slept the whole way home, asking Ron to take over her Prefect duties to patrol the train. Both Harry and Ron were a little confused, but they let her sleep nonetheless.

"She must have worked really hard on that essay," Harry said to answer Ron's question. They walked past the various compartments, checking if the other students weren't wrecking too much havoc.

"She does realise she can't earn more than a hundred points, right?" Ron asked. Harry just shrugged, it wouldn't be the first time she did. Every compartment they came across he would look and check inside, not really listening to Ron's continued ramblings.

"Are you looking for someone, mate?" Ron eventually asked, noticing Harry wasn't really interested in whether Hermione might be secretly dating McLaggen.

"No.." he answered, a little distracted, because he had been looking for someone, and he had finally found her. Now the only thing he needed to do was getting rid of Ron.

"Look," he pointed behind his friend, "I think I saw Lavender exiting that compartment." Ron, looking around in a panic, managed to let out a "see you later," before disappearing in the opposite direction. Harry smiled a little guiltily, before he entered the almost empty compartment in front of him. The girl put down her magazine and smiled. "Hi, Harry," she said in her sweet voice, making him forget his previous guilt.

Draco Malfoy was roaming restlessly through the train. He was sick of his friends' festive spirits. They didn't understand that the times coming would be dark and hard. How could they celebrate Christmas if they knew what lay ahead. The Dark Lord had returned and he was growing stronger every day. However much Draco wanted to tell them that he had been chosen, he couldn't. The task that he had in front of him was not an easy one, but it was crucial to the Dark Lord's plans. Dumbledore must die, and he was the one to do it.

He had noticed that he had entered the Gryffindor part of the train, but most people stayed put in their compartments. He didn't need to be seen here by Potter or his accomplices. Suddenly, a compartment door opened and a waft of laughter reached his ears. Was that Potter? He shot into the first seemingly empty compartment he could find and closed the blinds. Not that he was scared, no a Malfoy was never scared, but he was too tired to confront Potter alone.

A soft 'meow' distracted him from his thoughts and looking down he saw an ugly red cat sniffing his leg. He turned around and his heart jumped at the sight of another person in the compartment. No movement, it was barely a person at all. Just a heap of cloaks, functioning as blankets, and a waterfall of brown frizzy curls coming from underneath.

"Hello?" Draco called softly. No response. He decided it was safe to stay, picked the sad excuse for a cat up and sat down. Flat Face stationed itself on his lap and immediately started to purr.

"Well, you're not a hard one to please." He looked over at the, he was fairly sure it was a girl, again and wondered who it was. His questions were answered when she moved a little and a piece of cloak fell from her face, leaving Malfoy shocked.

"Granger!" he let out a loud whisper. How come he had had a multitude of awkward encounters with her this term. He looked back at the cat, who had started to 'meow' for attention and let out a smirk. "You look just like her," he sniggered.

When she moved again he decided it was too risky to stay and left the compartment. But not without noticing the faint smile that played around Hermione Granger's lips.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had all found each other again just before the train boarded Kings Cross station. Together they waited at the platform, ready to collect their bags.

"McLaggen is really into you," Ron noticed and nodded to someone behind her. Before Hermione knew it she had already turned around, locking eyes with McLaggen who waved enthusiastically. She gave him a polite smile before turning back around.

"Yeah, I've noticed, but he's not exactly my type." It was true that she had asked him to come to Slughorn's Christmas party with her, but it had been a disaster. Yes, he was handsome and his smile could make any girl's heart beat faster, but getting to know him was a whole other matter. The only thing he could talk about was Cormac McLaggen. Even his cheesy pick-up lines ended up as a compliment to himself. And she had tried to look past that, truly she had, just for the sake of his handsomeness. But the fact that he was a bad kisser, trying to grope her all over and slobbering all over her mouth, had been a real deal-breaker. She glanced over at him once more, noticing the horde of girls that had assembled themselves around him to wish him a merry Christmas. She couldn't help but wonder whether they would still swoon over him did they know.

"I'm going to miss you guys," she said, putting McLaggen off her mind, and she pulled her best friends into a hug. "Even if it's only for a week."

"We'll miss you, too, Hermione," Harry said, trying not to get choked in her embrace. Ron could only nod.

Draco exited the train looking around, knowing he shouldn't expect his parents to be here to pick him up, yet still unconsciously searching. Instead he found one of their house-elves standing next to his already collected luggage. He had greeted his friends earlier on the train, but still looked around, not yet wanting to part. He knew what awaited him at Malfoy's manner, and he wasn't as pleased with their new house guest as he was supposed to be. Sure, he followed and respected the Dark Lord, but the dude sure was creepy and with his father in Azkaban he had to hold high the family honour.

As his eyes slid over the many reunions and hugs he found Hermione staring at him, giving him a faint smile. Did she know? That he had watched her sleep in her compartment. He shook his head, she couldn't have. He got distracted by the enormous amount of giggles that came from behind him. Then he saw McLaggen, and it clicked, she must have smiled at him. He had seen those two together, after he had been thrown out of the Christmas party, snogging in the corridor.

"Of course she wouldn't smile at you, you buffoon," he whispered to himself before making his way to the house-elf. It offered it's hand, which Draco reluctantly took and with a 'pop' they stood in front of the gates of Malfoy Manner.

"Welcome home, master," the house-elf said, his voice raspy and not very welcoming. Draco gave it one revolting look before walking through the iron gate, making his way to the front door.

Sitting in the back seat of her parent's car, Crookshanks purring on her lap, she felt like a normal girl again. No N.E.W.T.s to worry about, no magic and no Voldemort. It might come as a surprise but Hermione felt it to be a relief to not have to use her wand for a week or two. To just be that muggle, being able to pretend to be oblivious to the war that slowly unravelled around them.

And besides, creating that room had been a serious drain on her energy, she needed the rest.

The first thing she did while back in the Muggle-world was going grocery shopping. At a normal British Tesco. No magical candy that would bite your fingers off if you didn't watch out, or chocolate frogs that would jump away the moment you opened the package. Just plain old biscuits. And pounds, yes pounds. It was like heaven on earth being able to spend pounds again. Always those damn galleons and sickles and knuts. Oh, how she loved being home again. She never really thought about it at Hogwarts, but those wizarding folk sure were a weird bunch.

The streets were filled with people when she and her mother went Christmas shopping. Getting something for Mr. Weasley was easy, he'd be happy with the most ordinary things. Ron she got some ballpoints, he always smeared ink all over his hands and papers. She got a pretty necklace for Ginny and some Muggle prank stuff for Fred and George. For Molly she bought a pink shawl. Harry she got a little Father Christmas who sang 'merry Christmas'.

Hermione held her mother close to her as the crossed the cold streets, snow swirling down and their breaths leading the way before them. She did so very much love Christmas.