(TFG: Okay, I'm going to try to put some "fluff" in here somewheres... I'm SOOO sorry it took me FOREVER to update! Really, I am! I was going to update before I went on vacation (went to California) but the site wasn't working, and it was supposed to start working again on the day I left or day after or something, and then I was over at my dad's and have lots of school work and... I'm SO SORRY!

Clare-Thanks! Don't worry, I won't let it go.

Rainchild-Thanks!

Windwalker-yeah, I know I should've, huh? I dunno... ask the stupid Slytherins that did it! *points in the general direction*

Slim-Shady's-Modeling-Baby-Thanks! :D Sorry about scaring you! I kinda had a feeling some people would think it was him.

Starry Skies-I know...

Lauren-Thank you so much! I will!

lazy-thanks!

Dark Queen of Roses-Yeah, I know how you feel...

Silver Dragon Goddess-Thanks! lol! Aaah! I think I've seen one with a wooden mallet before! One of my friends is really random, too... heheh... she wrote in my yearbook "I am not a mushroom!" lol! I'll be waitin' for the next random review! :D

plastic-thanks!

JoeBob1379-You're speechless??? *gasps along with the crowd* Thanks!

BraveSpiritGryffindor-Thanks!

SnapeGirl-lol! I'll keep that in mind about the stray dementor! Thanks!

alix-Thanks!)

Discoveries-28-Christmas Day

It had been almost a month since Craig's death, and it was also nearly Christmas. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve Day, and the next day, of course, Christmas itself. Hermione was really glad it was the holidays, but at the same time really sad, and wished her friend could be here to share it with her. She'd only known him for such a short while, and still couldn't believe, when she thought of the whole thing, that he had to die so young. Now she was officially against the Slytherin house, now and forever. Every single one of them... except for Draco.

It was then that Hermione remembered she needed to do some shopping for presents. She hadn't bought anyone a single gift yet, and there would be no more trips to Hogsmeade. Frustrated, she sighed, and stared at the wall, still thinking. Then it came to her. She leapt out of the chair she had been sitting it, and ran to find Harry. He was in the Gryffindor Common Room, where she expected him to be, sitting and playing a game of Wizard's Chess with Ron. "Hey, Harry, can I borrow the map?"

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Ron said.

"But there's nobody in this room besides us!" Hermione said, bewildered.

"Oh... right," Ron said, blushing.

"So, can I? I need to go to Hogsmeade to buy some things..."

"Of course... lemme run upstairs and get it," Harry said, going into the 7th year boys' dormitories. He came back moments later with a blank piece of parchment in his hand. "Here you go."

She took it, kissed him on the cheek, and said "Thank you!" Then she left.

~*~*~*~

In the cellar of Honeydukes, Hermione looked around, before entering completely, then seeing as nobody was there, climbed out of the secret door, and made her way up the stairs, slowly. She opened the door slightly, slipped through, and closed it shut. Then she sneakily backed up from behind the counter, and started looking at some candy that was right beside her.

Hermione went from store to store, looking at everything. She needed to get gifts for all her friends, and she needed to find them somewhere within the village of Hogsmeade. She had no time to go anywhere else. And she wanted to get everyone stuff that they'd actually use. Not just something that would be hidden in their trunks.

She found what she needed for everyone, then left for Hogwarts, through Honeydukes.

~*~*~*~

Christmas morning, Hermione woke up early. She had forgotten to set her alarm clock, but she was used to waking up early on Christmas, so it was just out of habit. She loved Christmas! It was her favorite holiday! Time with friends and family... just the people she loved the most. And giving and recieving gifts. Decorating the tree. Snow on the ground. Just a happy feeling about it all. She lay in bed, and smiled to herself, thinking about it. After a few minutes, she got up and went to her dresser. She opened a drawer, and pulled out some clothes... A soft white sweater, and a pair of faded blue jeans. She slipped into them, then found the brush on the dresser, ran it through her tangled hair, then pulled it back into a simple ponytail. She brushed her teeth, then went back to her room to get her presents.

"Good morning, Draco!" Hermione said, merrily, as he exited his room.

"Oh, you're up," He said.

"Yep! I didn't think you'd ever wake up! I was just about to come in there and drag you out of bed!" she said, and laughed. He grinned, and came over to sit by her, his hair still a mess, and still in his boxers and tanktop.

As soon as he was sitting down, she handed him a present, wrapped in green wrapping paper, with a silver ribbon. "Happy Christmas," she whispered. He looked at her, took it, and tore off the paper. It was a small box. He lifted the lid, and pulled out a silver necklace with half of a silver heart hanging on it. He looked at her questioningly, and she smiled, and reached around her neck to show him an identical necklace, with the other half of the heart. He smiled, put it around his neck and kissed her. "Thank you," he said, quietly.

Then he left, going into his room and emerged just after, holding something behind his back. He sat beside her again, and handed her a gift he'd been holding... wrapped in (TFG: you guessed it!) red paper, with gold ribbon. This was about the same size as the one she'd given him, and she wondered what could be in it. She opened it, and gasped. While she was staring at it, he reached over, took it out, and put it on her. "It's a charmbracelet. Read the inscription on the heart charm," he instructed. It read: 'My love for you is forever... -Draco' By now she was crying, and she looked at him, tears streaming out of her eyes. "Every year, this time, we'll get another charm for it, and add it on. Pretty soon you'll have a bracelet with lots of memories on it. Then you can look at it fifty years from now and say 'I got this from my first true love!'" Draco said, saying the last part like an old lady. She laughed, he grinned, and a few more tears spilled out. "I love you Hermione," he said, then kissed her.

~*~*~*~

Later that day, Hermione gathered her friends presents, and headed up to the Gryffindor Common Room alone. She reached the portrait of the fat lady in the pink silk dress and said the password. The portrait swung open, and she entered to find her friends sitting there. "Happy Christmas!" she said, making them turn around and look.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione!" Ron said.

"Happy Christmas!" Harry and Neville said. This was the first time Neville had stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays, but everyone was glad to have him there.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, she's upstairs," Ron replied. "GINNY!!!!"

"What do you want, you-!" Ginny began, coming out, but then stopped yelling when she saw Hermione. "Hey, Mione! Happy Christmas!" She ran over to her, and hugged her. "I was wondering when you'd come!"

"I've got presents for all of you," Hermione said. "Here," she handed Harry a box and sat down, beside him. He opened it, and his eyes widened. "Thanks, Hermione!" he said, excitedly.

"What is it?" asked Neville.

"It's a set of Quidditch balls!" he said. Just like he said, there was a quaffle, two bludgers, and a golden snitch, all inside a box, and belted down. Well... the bludgers, anyway.

"I figured you could use them... or at least the snitch to practice for quidditch," Hermione said.

"Yeah, I can! Thanks!" he said, hugging her.

"You're welcome," she said, then handed something to Ron. The box had holes it in, and everyone saw it shake a little.

"What is it?" he asked, worriedly.

"Oh, it's nothing to be worried about," Hermione said. "Honestly."

He didn't look like he believed her, but he opened it anyway, with a trembling hand. When he saw what it was, he relaxed, but looked happy at the same time. It was a black rat. "Thank you!" he said.

"No problem." She knew he missed Scabbers, even though he really was the evil Peter Pettigrew, in animagus form. And since Pidwidgeon, also known as Pig, had flown away two summers ago, when Ron had gotten it angry and accidently left a window open, she figured he needed a pet... Pig never had came back.

"Here you go, Neville," Hermione said.

He opened it, and smiled, a big toothy smile. "Thanks a lot, Hermione!"

"It's a new model of the remembrall. This one actually shows you what you've forgotten to do, and the smoke turns green, instead."

Instantly, the smoke turned green, and an image appeared. "Oh, no!" he groaned.

When Ginny opened her present, she turned a little pink, but quickly got over it. Hermione had given her a potions book, and on the cover, it showed a love potion. Hermione grinned and whispered, "You know... you could always try that potion out on... someone..."

Ginny blushed furiously now, but luckily, the guys had gone back to talking about quidditch, so they didn't notice. "Thanks," Ginny whispered.

(TFG: Well??? Great to get away from the angst again! Don't worry! There won't be any more angst in this story! If there is, it'll just be something small, not like huge like Craig's death. Nothing to cry over or anything. Please REVIEW, though!)