At 5:45, Hermione picked up Draco's gift and started off to the astronomy
tower. Since Hogwarts was practically empty and Harry and Ron spent all of
their time over a chessboard, the two of them no longer had to sneak out in
the middle of the night. They had planned to meet before dinner tonight so
they didn't have to worry about being out of bed after hours. She heard
footsteps making their way up the iron staircase and waited to see Draco's
face turn the corner, however, the person who turned the corner was not
Draco; it was Harry.
"Oh, hi, Hermione," he smiled. "What are you doing up here?"
"Er-" Hermione paused nervously, "I was just thinking. What about you?"
"Homework," Harry held up his textbook and parchment.
"Oh, well, I'll leave you to do that," Hermione started to stand up.
"Wait," Harry grabbed her arm, "Could you just help my with this one question?"
"Uh, sure," Hermione walked over, "But could we do it quick? I have something to do before dinner."
Harry looked at her inquiringly, but nodded. "Ok, if that star right there is Jenssen, how am I supposed to locate Ascella? "
"Here," Hermione began flipping pages in his textbook. She stopped on the page with a map of all the stars. "This will tell you everything you need to know."
"How did I not see that page before?" Harry looked down at the page.
"It's enchanted. If you don't know what's on it, you will only see a chapter review," Hermione explained. "I have to run," she turned around and rushed down the stairs. She turned down the hallway and was about to break into a run when a strong hand grabbed her arm and swung her around.
Draco sat there, leaned against the wall, a haughty smile on his face, "Looking for me?"
"Yes! I thought you were going to come up there and Harry came up and if he caught us."
"Don't worry," Draco stood up, "I heard Potter's plea for help on astronomy and figured I'd wait down here."
"Oh no," Hermione sighed as she saw the gift under Draco's arm, "I forgot your gift upstairs. I'll be right back," she hurried off in the other direction. She reached the top of the stairs after what seemed like a lifetime of climbing and saw Harry facing the window. "Harry, did I leave-"
"You got a gift for MALFOY?" Harry asked in utter disbelief.
"Yes, why?" Hermione challenged and grabbed the gift from his hands.
"Hermione, he - he's a prat! He's called you a Mudblood for years and now.you're buying him gifts!"
"Harry," Hermione screeched, "It is MY business who I buy gifts for and who I am friends with other than you."
"It's Malfoy!"
"No, it is Draco," Hermione snapped and ran back down the stairs. "Thanks for putting a damper on my Christmas Eve, Harry," she muttered as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Something wrong?" Draco took her hand as she reached him in the hallway.
"Just Harry, no big deal. You want to meet up there after dinner or find somewhere else to go?" Hermione tried to push the topic off her fight with Harry.
"Let's just find a classroom somewhere. It's not like anyone is here to see us," Draco dragged her into the nearest room. "Easy enough, eh?"
"I suppose so," Hermione smiled. "Here," she held out the gift-wrapped package to Draco, "Merry Christmas."
"What is it?" Draco held out the gift in front of him.
"Open it, silly," Hermione laughed. Draco carefully took off the wrapping paper to reveal a book.
"Should've figured," Draco smiled jokingly at her and opened the book.
"It's a history of Quidditch in Hogwarts," Hermione tried to explain. "It updates itself as things happen. You're in there and I figured since it was self-advertising, you might like it," she smirked in a way that Draco thought only he could.
"You've been spending way too much time with me," he chuckled. "Thanks, Hermione. I really like it," he held out the gift in his other hand to her, "your turn."
Hermione peeled the wrapping paper off the package and yet again a book was exposed, however hers had no markings. The first page simply said, "For all of the pages you may have filled because of me. Merry Christmas, Hermione. Love, Draco."
"A diary?" Hermione looked up, intrigued.
"Not just any diary, when you write, it supposedly replies so you can have conversations with it. You don't have to; it's just an option. And, just to clear it up, I didn't mean what on the first page in a cocky way. It stands for both good and bad."
"I know, Draco," she smiled. Her hand found its way to the back of his head and rested on his silver-white hair before pulling him towards her. Her lips met his in a short, intimate kiss. At first, he was taken aback and just stood there, surprised, but then he caught on and placed his hand on her waist, urging her closer. Hermione pulled away quickly, blushing furiously. "I-I'm so.thank you," she held up the diary. "I have to go though." She ran as fast as her legs would carry her out of the room. She heard Draco's voice calling after her, but she kept running until she reached the Fat Lady, now with tears cascading down her face. "Tarrytown, Tarrytown, Tarrytown!" she yelled.
"What's wrong dear? You were so happy earlier."
"That's the problem," Hermione called after her as she ran to her bed. Once she reached her scarlet four-poster, she seemed ready to collapse, and did just that. She lay down on her bed and cried into her pillow. "I can't do this! This isn't real and it's wrong and I'm losing control!"
"Hermione?"
Hermione shot up in her bed to see Draco at the entrance of her dormitory. "How did you get in here?" she snapped, quickly wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"I heard you yelling the password halfway down the hall, and I figured we needed to talk," Draco stepped tentatively into the room.
"You're probably right," Hermione admitted and sat up on her bed.
"So.why did you kiss me and then run away?"
"I don't know why I kissed you. I'm not sure what I'm feeling or how to sort it out, and I'm sorry, I know running away probably wasn't the best way to deal with it, but I didn't know what else to do," Hermione babbled.
"Hermione, what was so wrong with what we did? We simply kissed, it's nothing to overanalyze," Draco snorted.
"That was attractive," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Of course it was, I did it," his cocky grin overtook his face.
"You're right, Draco. I'm overreacting. It was just a kiss."
"That was not just a kiss," Draco laughed.
"Wait a second, is Draco Malfoy admitting to enjoying kissing me?" Hermione smiled innocently.
"Thoroughly enjoying it," he took her hand and ran his thumb over it. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Hermione gulped. "Just confused."
Draco stood up. "I better get out of here before I'm caught. See you at dinner," he dropped her hand and the world seemed ten degrees colder. Hermione lay back on her bed and wiped the traces of tears from her face. She picked up the journal Draco had given her and took a quill and bottle of ink from her bag.
Hello.
Hi. What's going on today?
A lot. It's Christmas Eve and, earlier, my friend Draco and I kissed under the mistletoe and it was amazing. I was floating on air by the time I got back up here, and I told the Fat Lady (she guards the Gryffindor common room) that I was in love. The thing is, I can't be in love with Draco. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but he didn't used to be. My best friends don't get along with him at all and he used to be really rude to them, so if they found out, they wouldn't talk to me. Also, he's a Slytherin. If anyone found out the king of the Slytherin house was going out with the goody-goody of Gryffindor, it would be considered some sort of sick joke and once they found it wasn't, we would both be exiled. Plus, today, I kissed him. I don't know why. I couldn't control it. I can't do that! I need to have control over myself.
Merry Christmas. Ok, to the pressing issue at hand, it sounds like you're more worried about your social standing than your feelings. I know it is a tough position, you just need to find out which means more to you, your life as it is or your life as it could be with Draco. It's going to take time, but you seem like a smart enough girl.
But both of them are important to me and it's my last year here! It's not like I have forever to decide.
You'll know. Just follow your heart. You better run off to dinner now. You're watch says its about time to leave. Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Hermione closed the diary and got up to get ready for dinner. She splashed her face with a bit of cold water to get the redness out of her cheeks and walked down to the common room. Harry and Ron were sitting there in the corner, playing a game of chess. Hermione watched as Ron's queen shattered Harry's knight before walking over to them.
"Hi," she said nervously.
"Hello," Harry mumbled without looking up.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron said brightly as he watched Harry direct his castle.
"Harry, could I talk to you?"
"We're in the middle of a game, Hermione."
"Fine, I'll see you at dinner," Hermione sighed and walked back out of the common room. It was Christmas and everyone was mad at her. Draco was mad because she ran away, Harry because she got Draco a gift, and Ron would be as soon as he found out. In the Great Hall, the four tables were kept out as usual this year because a bunch of third years were going on a Hogsmeade trip so they had stayed behind. Hermione took a lone place at the table and took out parchment and a quill.
Draco,
Meet me in the astronomy tower after dinner. We need to talk.
Hermione
She saw Draco walking down the hallway and got up. They passed each other under the entrance to the Great Hall and Hermione shoved the paper in his stomach, causing him to double over, and she kept walking. After a few minutes, she turned around and went back into the Great Hall, taking her place again at the same table. Harry and Ron came in a few minutes later and took a place across the table from Hermione and Harry had barely sat down when Hermione began.
"Harry, look, I'm sorry. I got too mad when you started yelling about me getting him a present and you're right, he's never shown you a reason to like him. But, you haven't talked to him at all this year. No arguments, no fights, no threats, none of it. Don't you see that he's trying to be civil around you? And, he's been nothing but nice to me. I'm sorry if you took that offensively or something, but please don't be mad. I'm confused enough without that," Hermione spoke unnaturally fast and in two large breaths.
"Hermione, I don't care. Get whoever you want a gift. It is Christmas, after all," Harry tried to be sincere.
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione smiled and sat back in her chair, relieved.
"When's dinner?" Ron asked, completely oblivious to the tension between Harry and Hermione.
"Now, Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed through the Great Hall. "It's Christmas time again!" he clapped and the food bowls filled. "And a merry one at that. Enjoy!" he took his place at the head of the faculty table.
Hermione, Harry, and Ron had all helped themselves to liberal amounts of food before Hermione stood up and said she had to leave.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked between bites of his ham.
"I have a few more gifts to wrap and give out," Hermione lied as she picked up her bag and rushed out of the Great Hall. "I've told more lies in the past month than the rest of my life," she muttered as she climbed the stairs to the top of the castle. It took a full five minutes to reach the astronomy tower and Hermione immediately sat down when she got up there, disgusted by her lack of physical stamina. A quick patter of footsteps could be heard on the stairs and Hermione immediately stood up and began pacing.
"Hey, you wanted to talk?" Draco asked as he reached the last step.
"Er- yeah. Draco," Hermione began nervously, wringing her hands together and pacing still, "is this real?"
"Is what real?" Draco chuckled, confused, as he sat down by the large window on the far side of the room.
"Our.whatever it is," Hermione stomped her foot angrily.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just hear me out and don't overreact, okay? We're opposites. We come from completely different sides of the world. You come from a family who despises mine. In your house, I am forbidden. I come from a family who doesn't even know the difference between the words mudblood and pureblood. You're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor. I'm just asking.is what we have real or a trick of the saying "opposites attract'?"
"Wh-what?" Draco stuttered, completely thrown off. "Are you saying that our feelings aren't real, but a trick played by our hormones?"
"I don't know! I just.I don't understand. How did we of all people end up together?"
"Hermione, It doesn't matter where we come from, or the people we surround ourselves with, what matter is us, and as far as I can see, besides our past, which is behind us, we fit together perfectly fine. Why are you suddenly questioning all of this? Is there something wrong I don't know about?"
"No, Draco! You're misinterpreting what I said," Hermione's pacing quickened.
"No, I think you're misinterpreting our relationship."
"What relationship?" Hermione raised her voice, now angry. "What we have isn't a relationship, it's a scandal! We sneak around behind people's backs and lie constantly just so we can sneak off and have occasional conversations and now kisses."
"So that's all you consider this? A scandal? You haven't seen anything yet, then, my dear," he laughed snidely, walked over to her, and leaned down, kissing her quick and hard before pushing her away from him sweeping off in the other direction.
"Oh, hi, Hermione," he smiled. "What are you doing up here?"
"Er-" Hermione paused nervously, "I was just thinking. What about you?"
"Homework," Harry held up his textbook and parchment.
"Oh, well, I'll leave you to do that," Hermione started to stand up.
"Wait," Harry grabbed her arm, "Could you just help my with this one question?"
"Uh, sure," Hermione walked over, "But could we do it quick? I have something to do before dinner."
Harry looked at her inquiringly, but nodded. "Ok, if that star right there is Jenssen, how am I supposed to locate Ascella? "
"Here," Hermione began flipping pages in his textbook. She stopped on the page with a map of all the stars. "This will tell you everything you need to know."
"How did I not see that page before?" Harry looked down at the page.
"It's enchanted. If you don't know what's on it, you will only see a chapter review," Hermione explained. "I have to run," she turned around and rushed down the stairs. She turned down the hallway and was about to break into a run when a strong hand grabbed her arm and swung her around.
Draco sat there, leaned against the wall, a haughty smile on his face, "Looking for me?"
"Yes! I thought you were going to come up there and Harry came up and if he caught us."
"Don't worry," Draco stood up, "I heard Potter's plea for help on astronomy and figured I'd wait down here."
"Oh no," Hermione sighed as she saw the gift under Draco's arm, "I forgot your gift upstairs. I'll be right back," she hurried off in the other direction. She reached the top of the stairs after what seemed like a lifetime of climbing and saw Harry facing the window. "Harry, did I leave-"
"You got a gift for MALFOY?" Harry asked in utter disbelief.
"Yes, why?" Hermione challenged and grabbed the gift from his hands.
"Hermione, he - he's a prat! He's called you a Mudblood for years and now.you're buying him gifts!"
"Harry," Hermione screeched, "It is MY business who I buy gifts for and who I am friends with other than you."
"It's Malfoy!"
"No, it is Draco," Hermione snapped and ran back down the stairs. "Thanks for putting a damper on my Christmas Eve, Harry," she muttered as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Something wrong?" Draco took her hand as she reached him in the hallway.
"Just Harry, no big deal. You want to meet up there after dinner or find somewhere else to go?" Hermione tried to push the topic off her fight with Harry.
"Let's just find a classroom somewhere. It's not like anyone is here to see us," Draco dragged her into the nearest room. "Easy enough, eh?"
"I suppose so," Hermione smiled. "Here," she held out the gift-wrapped package to Draco, "Merry Christmas."
"What is it?" Draco held out the gift in front of him.
"Open it, silly," Hermione laughed. Draco carefully took off the wrapping paper to reveal a book.
"Should've figured," Draco smiled jokingly at her and opened the book.
"It's a history of Quidditch in Hogwarts," Hermione tried to explain. "It updates itself as things happen. You're in there and I figured since it was self-advertising, you might like it," she smirked in a way that Draco thought only he could.
"You've been spending way too much time with me," he chuckled. "Thanks, Hermione. I really like it," he held out the gift in his other hand to her, "your turn."
Hermione peeled the wrapping paper off the package and yet again a book was exposed, however hers had no markings. The first page simply said, "For all of the pages you may have filled because of me. Merry Christmas, Hermione. Love, Draco."
"A diary?" Hermione looked up, intrigued.
"Not just any diary, when you write, it supposedly replies so you can have conversations with it. You don't have to; it's just an option. And, just to clear it up, I didn't mean what on the first page in a cocky way. It stands for both good and bad."
"I know, Draco," she smiled. Her hand found its way to the back of his head and rested on his silver-white hair before pulling him towards her. Her lips met his in a short, intimate kiss. At first, he was taken aback and just stood there, surprised, but then he caught on and placed his hand on her waist, urging her closer. Hermione pulled away quickly, blushing furiously. "I-I'm so.thank you," she held up the diary. "I have to go though." She ran as fast as her legs would carry her out of the room. She heard Draco's voice calling after her, but she kept running until she reached the Fat Lady, now with tears cascading down her face. "Tarrytown, Tarrytown, Tarrytown!" she yelled.
"What's wrong dear? You were so happy earlier."
"That's the problem," Hermione called after her as she ran to her bed. Once she reached her scarlet four-poster, she seemed ready to collapse, and did just that. She lay down on her bed and cried into her pillow. "I can't do this! This isn't real and it's wrong and I'm losing control!"
"Hermione?"
Hermione shot up in her bed to see Draco at the entrance of her dormitory. "How did you get in here?" she snapped, quickly wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"I heard you yelling the password halfway down the hall, and I figured we needed to talk," Draco stepped tentatively into the room.
"You're probably right," Hermione admitted and sat up on her bed.
"So.why did you kiss me and then run away?"
"I don't know why I kissed you. I'm not sure what I'm feeling or how to sort it out, and I'm sorry, I know running away probably wasn't the best way to deal with it, but I didn't know what else to do," Hermione babbled.
"Hermione, what was so wrong with what we did? We simply kissed, it's nothing to overanalyze," Draco snorted.
"That was attractive," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Of course it was, I did it," his cocky grin overtook his face.
"You're right, Draco. I'm overreacting. It was just a kiss."
"That was not just a kiss," Draco laughed.
"Wait a second, is Draco Malfoy admitting to enjoying kissing me?" Hermione smiled innocently.
"Thoroughly enjoying it," he took her hand and ran his thumb over it. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Hermione gulped. "Just confused."
Draco stood up. "I better get out of here before I'm caught. See you at dinner," he dropped her hand and the world seemed ten degrees colder. Hermione lay back on her bed and wiped the traces of tears from her face. She picked up the journal Draco had given her and took a quill and bottle of ink from her bag.
Hello.
Hi. What's going on today?
A lot. It's Christmas Eve and, earlier, my friend Draco and I kissed under the mistletoe and it was amazing. I was floating on air by the time I got back up here, and I told the Fat Lady (she guards the Gryffindor common room) that I was in love. The thing is, I can't be in love with Draco. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but he didn't used to be. My best friends don't get along with him at all and he used to be really rude to them, so if they found out, they wouldn't talk to me. Also, he's a Slytherin. If anyone found out the king of the Slytherin house was going out with the goody-goody of Gryffindor, it would be considered some sort of sick joke and once they found it wasn't, we would both be exiled. Plus, today, I kissed him. I don't know why. I couldn't control it. I can't do that! I need to have control over myself.
Merry Christmas. Ok, to the pressing issue at hand, it sounds like you're more worried about your social standing than your feelings. I know it is a tough position, you just need to find out which means more to you, your life as it is or your life as it could be with Draco. It's going to take time, but you seem like a smart enough girl.
But both of them are important to me and it's my last year here! It's not like I have forever to decide.
You'll know. Just follow your heart. You better run off to dinner now. You're watch says its about time to leave. Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Hermione closed the diary and got up to get ready for dinner. She splashed her face with a bit of cold water to get the redness out of her cheeks and walked down to the common room. Harry and Ron were sitting there in the corner, playing a game of chess. Hermione watched as Ron's queen shattered Harry's knight before walking over to them.
"Hi," she said nervously.
"Hello," Harry mumbled without looking up.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron said brightly as he watched Harry direct his castle.
"Harry, could I talk to you?"
"We're in the middle of a game, Hermione."
"Fine, I'll see you at dinner," Hermione sighed and walked back out of the common room. It was Christmas and everyone was mad at her. Draco was mad because she ran away, Harry because she got Draco a gift, and Ron would be as soon as he found out. In the Great Hall, the four tables were kept out as usual this year because a bunch of third years were going on a Hogsmeade trip so they had stayed behind. Hermione took a lone place at the table and took out parchment and a quill.
Draco,
Meet me in the astronomy tower after dinner. We need to talk.
Hermione
She saw Draco walking down the hallway and got up. They passed each other under the entrance to the Great Hall and Hermione shoved the paper in his stomach, causing him to double over, and she kept walking. After a few minutes, she turned around and went back into the Great Hall, taking her place again at the same table. Harry and Ron came in a few minutes later and took a place across the table from Hermione and Harry had barely sat down when Hermione began.
"Harry, look, I'm sorry. I got too mad when you started yelling about me getting him a present and you're right, he's never shown you a reason to like him. But, you haven't talked to him at all this year. No arguments, no fights, no threats, none of it. Don't you see that he's trying to be civil around you? And, he's been nothing but nice to me. I'm sorry if you took that offensively or something, but please don't be mad. I'm confused enough without that," Hermione spoke unnaturally fast and in two large breaths.
"Hermione, I don't care. Get whoever you want a gift. It is Christmas, after all," Harry tried to be sincere.
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione smiled and sat back in her chair, relieved.
"When's dinner?" Ron asked, completely oblivious to the tension between Harry and Hermione.
"Now, Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed through the Great Hall. "It's Christmas time again!" he clapped and the food bowls filled. "And a merry one at that. Enjoy!" he took his place at the head of the faculty table.
Hermione, Harry, and Ron had all helped themselves to liberal amounts of food before Hermione stood up and said she had to leave.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked between bites of his ham.
"I have a few more gifts to wrap and give out," Hermione lied as she picked up her bag and rushed out of the Great Hall. "I've told more lies in the past month than the rest of my life," she muttered as she climbed the stairs to the top of the castle. It took a full five minutes to reach the astronomy tower and Hermione immediately sat down when she got up there, disgusted by her lack of physical stamina. A quick patter of footsteps could be heard on the stairs and Hermione immediately stood up and began pacing.
"Hey, you wanted to talk?" Draco asked as he reached the last step.
"Er- yeah. Draco," Hermione began nervously, wringing her hands together and pacing still, "is this real?"
"Is what real?" Draco chuckled, confused, as he sat down by the large window on the far side of the room.
"Our.whatever it is," Hermione stomped her foot angrily.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just hear me out and don't overreact, okay? We're opposites. We come from completely different sides of the world. You come from a family who despises mine. In your house, I am forbidden. I come from a family who doesn't even know the difference between the words mudblood and pureblood. You're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor. I'm just asking.is what we have real or a trick of the saying "opposites attract'?"
"Wh-what?" Draco stuttered, completely thrown off. "Are you saying that our feelings aren't real, but a trick played by our hormones?"
"I don't know! I just.I don't understand. How did we of all people end up together?"
"Hermione, It doesn't matter where we come from, or the people we surround ourselves with, what matter is us, and as far as I can see, besides our past, which is behind us, we fit together perfectly fine. Why are you suddenly questioning all of this? Is there something wrong I don't know about?"
"No, Draco! You're misinterpreting what I said," Hermione's pacing quickened.
"No, I think you're misinterpreting our relationship."
"What relationship?" Hermione raised her voice, now angry. "What we have isn't a relationship, it's a scandal! We sneak around behind people's backs and lie constantly just so we can sneak off and have occasional conversations and now kisses."
"So that's all you consider this? A scandal? You haven't seen anything yet, then, my dear," he laughed snidely, walked over to her, and leaned down, kissing her quick and hard before pushing her away from him sweeping off in the other direction.