Chapter 9: Usu Venit
Sometime near dawn, she was aware that Draco woke up and kissed her on the cheek.
It had been a night of few words after that talk by the lake.
They had gone back to their rooms desperately clinging to each other, as if losing physical contact would break the special bond that had been created between them that night. The connection between them was like a newly forged chain- still warm from the forge, its links still soft and beautiful from its recent birth.
She had felt the need to strengthen it as much as he had.
Draco Malfoy had loved her fiercely - again and again - until the Slytherin felt no doubt that at last, this beautiful Gryffindor was his forever. She remembered crying out his name in her need for him…
Then they had fallen asleep, still holding each other…the newly forged bond bright and strong.
Hermione smiled in her half-sleep and returned Draco's kiss as she buried herself in his chest. She happily returned to dreams of blonde hair and gray eyes.
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When she awoke, Hermione didn't need a single moment to remember the events of last night. The passions had been so strong, Draco's love-making so overwhelming. She smiled as she reached for him.
He wasn't there.
With a small cry of distress, she sat up, desperately searching his room for signs of Draco. Her eye rested on the pillow next to hers where there was a small piece of parchment and a little gold-wrapped box. Allowing herself to feel slightly relieved, she read the parchment quickly.
Dearest Hermione,
I am so very sorry that you had to wake up alone this morning.
I tried to wake you earlier but you looked so peaceful I let you sleep on.
My father has summoned me to Malfoy Manor today as he sometimes does on Christmas.
It was very sudden.
I hope this present helps make up for my absence this morning.
Happy Christmas!
From Your Loving
Draco
PS: I don't think it's anything to worry about (you know what I mean).
I should be back by evening.
She couldn't help but feel worried by the last line but telling herself to be strong for him, she put her fears aside for the moment. She took the gold box carefully in her hands and unwrapped it slowly.
Her first ever present from Draco!
She gasped when she saw what he had given her.
It was a beautiful silver necklace with a diamond-studded pendant. The pendant was shaped like a dragon and every detail of it was perfect! Its scales were each set with a tiny diamond and it's eyes were two beautiful rubies. Hermione jumped out of bed and pulled back the curtains so that the light of the morning could help her see better. In the pale morning light, it glittered fiercely as she held it out on her palm.
Thank you, Draco. She thought. I shouldn't accept this, it is must have been very expensive. There was an ache in her chest when she thought of how he had loved her so tenderly last night, as if he were afraid to hurt her. How he had cried out her name again and again as she had his own. She shivered as she remembered his kisses on her cheeks. The memory was so vivid she put a hand up to touch her cheek because she still felt something there.
Silver-blonde hair shining in the moonlightht, a lean, muscled body and gray-blue eyes that sparkled as he told her he loved her. "Draco…" Hermione breathed his name softly.
Suddenly, she felt a movement in her palm. The little diamond dragon began to move and she was so shocked she nearly dropped it. Holding her hand as steadily as she could, she watched it stretch its horned back like a cat and stretch out its front claws. Then, she could have sworn she saw it yawn! It turned its head around slightly to look up at her.
"Why, hello," she whispered to it. So it was a charmed pendant!
The little dragon blinked its ruby eyes then rubbed its head against her palm.
"You're cute!" she said to it.
Then suddenly, as quickly as it had come to life, it lay down again in her palm and she felt it snuggling up to a comfortable position. It stopped moving.
"Hello?" she said to it, but it didn't move. "I guess you're asleep again" she said, smiling, as she opened the clasp and put on the necklace. The pendant hung on her collarbone, feeling unusually warm and comforting. She hoped with all her might that Draco was going to be all right at Malfoy manor. She supposed he must be all right since he mentioned that it was not the first time that Lucius had summoned him back there on Christmas Day. No harm had come to him before. She realized uncomfortably that she never really knew or cared where Draco Malfoy had gone on Christmas Day. She usually spent it totally wrapped up in Ron, Harry and Ginny.Which reminded her it was present opening time, hey it was Christmas Day…her last Christmas at Hogwarts!
After a quick shower, she ran all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Snowballs!" she said to the portrait of the fat lady and instantly, the portrait slid back to reveal a scene of utmost chaos! Harry and Ginny were shouting out muggle Christmas carols at the tops of their voices as Ron chased Parvati around the large Christmas tree, brandishing a large bunch of mistletoe. Parvati didn't appear to be trying very hard to escape. Neville and Padma had been pulling Canary Christmas Crackers and the whole room was covered in yellow feathers and it sounded like a million birds were singing. Other Gryffindors were tearing open presents and Lavender had just received a very loud singing Christmas card from Ginny which she was trying desperately to shut.
She only had about five seconds to process all of this because as soon as Hermione entered the common room, about ten people leapt on her at the same time yelling "HAPPY CHRISTMAS HERMIONE!" and she had great difficulty hugging and wishing everyone at the same!
"Pity you missed the Yule Ball last night, 'Mione" said Harry, after handing her her present. "It was great! Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, loads, thank you! I mediwitched myself better …I have no intention of spending my last Christmas at Hogwarts in bed you know!"
"Happy Christmas, 'Mione", said Lavender as she shyly handed Hermione her present from under the tree.
"Oh thanks, Lav. Here's yours," said Hermione happily, pulling out a slim package from under the tree and handing it to Lavender. Lavender opened it quickly and grinned with happiness when she saw that Hermione had bought her a pair of beautiful wool gloves, charmed so that they would always match the colour of whatever she was wearing when she put them on.
Hermione and her friends all exchanged presents. They all laughed to see that Mrs Weasley had again sent Ron and Harry woolen jumpers. "You must put it on, guys, for old times sake! After all, it's our last year here."
After Neville said this, there was a silence in the room. Everyone suddenly seemed a bit uncertain. Parvati's nose began to turn red.
"Hey guys," said Harry, trying to cheer everyone up - his voice was a bit unnecessarily loud- "Next year you guys can come over to my place for Christmas! Sirius has just bought a really nice place in the country!"
"Thanks Harry" said Padma softly as she put her arms around her sister Parvati, who smiled through her tears.
"Yeah, thanks Harry" said Ron. "By then you'll have enough Weasley jumpers for all of us so we all look alike on that day!" That made everyone laugh.
Hermione felt terribly sad and yet, very happy. She looked at the beautiful silk scarf Harry and Ginny had given her, magically scented so it suited the wearer's mood (picked by Ginny of course, Harry never really understood 'girly' things) and kept stroking it in her hands.
"Hey," she looked up to see Ginny next to her. Ginny was already wearing the muggle hairclip that Hermione had bought her- it was a beautiful gold filigree leaf that suited the autumn hues of Ginny's hair. "You look a million miles away, 'Mione."
"It's nothing. I was just thinking of something."
"Or some-one. And I bet I know just who he is! You two looked great last night, 'Mione. Really in love it was pretty sickening really. You should have seen Pansy and Millicent glaring at the two of you the whole night!"
Hermione giggled. "Really?"
"Yeah, and *all* the Professors noticed! I can't believe HE looked so in love." Ginny lowered her voice even more. "He looked crazy about you 'Mione. Since you told me that day, I could hardly believe you…but now I think…I think I see what you mean."
"What are my two girls whispering about here?" said Harry, with a rather silly smile. He smelled like Butterbeer.
"Eew Harry, have you been drinking butterbeer already? You've not even had breakfast yet!"
"Butterbeer makes a good breakfast, wouldn't you say?" said Ron, putting his arm around Harry. Ron gave a loud buuuuurp.
Everyone burst into laughter. Parvati said, "Eeew…not you too Ron!"
"Here I come Parv!" said Ron, brandishing the sprig of mistletoe like a sword and starting to run after her again. Parvati shrieked and ran away laughing.
Hermione and Ginny grinned at each other. It was truly Christmas at Hogwarts again.
The rest of the day was spent in its usual way. Pansy and Millicent looked really sour at the breakfast table. Aside from their presents, the hottest topic was Draco Malfoy's hot date at the Yule Ball. Since they thought she had missed it, Hermione had to sit through about five different groups of people telling her how romantic Draco and herself had looked last night and how everyone was shocked that Ferret Boy actually appeared to have a heart somewhere inside him!
"Pity you were ill….You should have seen them, Hermione. They were all over each other…and Dean Thomas said he saw them making out by the lake afterward!" said Justin Finch Fletchley as he came over to wish the Gryffindors a Happy Christmas. "Dunno where The Amazing Bouncing Ferret is today though…probably getting over the effects of his exciting night."
The Gryffindors sniggered and some of the younger girls who liked Draco turned red and giggled. Hermione buttered her toast happily as she relived last night over and over again as each person told her the news. She was very aware of the conmoforting diamond dragon against her neck. She only hoped Draco was having as happy a breakfast and that she would see him soon.
The Slytherin table was equally abuzz with the gossip. "Wasn't that Helen Greenleaf beautiful?" said Crabbe to Blaise Zabini.
"Like you would know" said Blaise rudely. "But yes, I guess she looked pretty good…Draco seemed to think so." Blaise said, deliberately raising her voice so that Pansy couldn't help but overhear. Pansy turned red and sulked.
"Albus, the girl?..." even the Professors were talking about it. "Who would have thought it of Mr Malfoy." wondered Professor McGonagall aloud and shaking her head.
"Minverva, Christmas is a time of miracles, you know."
Dumbledore chuckled as he passed around a plate of sausages to the other Professors.
"Well, I'm that pleased for Mr Malfoy, Professor" said Madam Pomfrey. "It's about time that young boy had some affection in his life. And I should know- lord knows the number of times I've had to tend to him. I've always had my suspicions..."
"Where is Mr Malfoy this morning?" said Professor McGonagall. "I haven't seen him at all."
The other professors scanned the room, looking for the Head Boy.
Snape cleared his throat loudly. "Mr Malfoy is paying his family a visit back at Malfoy Manor. Lucius seemed to…miss him." He looked uncomfortably at his hands after this short announcement.
There was a silence at the table. Professor Flitwick swallowed his boiled egg whole. Professor McGonagall's cheek twitched. A very grim expression appeared on Dumbledore's face as he continued eating his scrambled eggs.
