Author's Note: Well, here we go again!  This chapter is finally done!  It took me awhile.  But I did it.  And instead of cookies I made super fudgy brownies this time around!  'Grins and puts them out' Look!  Still warm.  Enjoy them and the chapter.

Disclaimer:  All I have are my college loans.  You want them?  You don't have to sue me to get them!  I swear the only thing I own is the plot and now Mione's cousin Meghan.

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Hermione woke up to a bird tapping on her window.  It was a very large owl.  She made her way groggily to the window to let the poor thing in.  She gave it some owl treats and it soon flew off.  She conjured herself a cup of coffee and climbed back into bed to read the letter.

'Hermione~

I can't believe Lucious Malfoy would do that to his own flesh and blood.  OF COURSE he can come here for the Christmas holidays.  Him being friends with Ron and Harry did come as a bit of a shock, but I suppose that being around you so much can be a positive experience.

Now I am assuming no one knew you wrote to us so I have written everyone involved and made it seem like it was all my idea.  Thought you might like that dearie.  I hope to see YOU as well before the Christmas Holidays are over!  Harry is coming this year as well.

Charmingly yours ~ Molly Weasley'

Hermione squealed and ran over to Draco's room.  Totally forgetting that Molly Weasley had told all of the boys that it was all her idea.  Mione just wanted him to know she had helped him not be alone at the loneliest time of the year.  She ran over to his door and said his password 'sex god' with a roll of her eyes and ran in and jumped onto his bed.

The silver headed Slytherin was already awake and reading his letter from Molly.  He looked up at her with a look of disbelief on his face.

"They asked me to join them for Christmas.  Hermione, the Weasley's have invited me into their home for Christmas.  This solves all my problems about where I could go.  Because Merlin knows I do not want to stay here all alone." Draco said with what looked to be a happy smile on his lips.

"I know I was just invited as well.  I am going to my parents' house till Christmas then going to the Burrow for New Years' Eve.  Isn't it exciting?" Hermione said.  Thinking fast to hide her involvement.  Draco looked so happy, that she didn't want anything to ruin this.  'Thank you Mrs. Weasley!" she thought to herself.

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"Bloody hell Harry!  My mum has gone and invited MALFOY to Christmas at the Burrow." Ron exclaimed and fell back against his pillows in shock.

"Well, think about it Ron.  He was disowned.  Where could he go?  Sirius and I are going there for Christmas as well, and I bet Hermione will show up there eventually.  Your house is pretty much holiday central." Harry said as he read his letter from Mrs. Weasley and munched on the fudge she sent along with the note.

"Did my mum send you fudge Harry?" Ron asked hearing the munching.

"Yes she did.  I like this new recipe.  I hope she keeps using it." Harry replied as he tossed Ron a few pieces.

"I swear Harry she likes you more than she likes me!  I rarely ever get fudge." Ron grumbled getting out of bed and getting ready for shopping in Hogsmeade with Harry and Draco, "Hey Harry?"

"Yeah Ron?" Harry replied as he climbed out of bed as well.

"When did Malfoy become Draco?" Ron asked as he dug under his bed for his other shoe.

"I don't know.  It feels weird and right at the same time though doesn't it."

"It does.  But if he hurts her I will still kill him." Ron said standing up full dresses and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and hair.

"I am sure you will, if Hermione doesn't beat us to it." Harry said as he followed right behind Ron and the two finished quickly and headed to knock on the Prefect room door.

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Draco had long since abandoned Hermione in his bed to get ready.  He was to go Christmas shopping with Harry and Ron today.  And he did not want to piss Ron off and have his respite from Hogwarts taken away.  To his total shock he was looking forward to going to the Burrow for Christmas.

"So, what are y9ou going to get Mr. And Mrs. Weasley for Christmas Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked as she snuggled under his covers and watched him run around getting ready.  He stopped suddenly and groaned.

"This means I have even more shopping to do.  How many of them are there?"

"Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Bill, Charlie, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.  Hahaha!  You have to do even more shopping!!" she giggled.

"Just for that I may forget a certain present Ms. Granger." He growled playfully.

Hermione just stuck her tongue out at him, "Okay.  Just remember they LOVE me and if you forget to get me something they will be VERY disappointed with you." She shot back smugly.

Draco groaned and fell back on his bed, "I am not good at this whole thing.  People actually spending the holidays together.  I had no idea they still did that."

Hermione placed a small kiss on his forehead as they heard banging on the portrait downstairs, "And there they are now." And without thinking she grabbed his sweatshirt and threw it on as she ran downstairs to let her friends in.

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Ron and Harry's collective jaw dropped as they saw Hermione there in a Slytherin Quidditch sweatshirt with her Gryffindor flannel p.j. pants.

"Uh, Mione luv?  That is a Slytherin Snakes sweatshirt." Ron muttered as they entered.

"I know.  I forgot to grab mine.  I went to talk to Draco about the letter I got from your mum this morning Ron.  I will be there the day after Christmas." Hermione replied with a smile.  Her mind was full of plans.  Especially on eon how to tell the girls of Gryffindor that Blaise Zabini would be joining them on their little trip to Diagon Alley.

She waved the boys off and then darted into the Gryffindor Common room and up the stairs to Ginny's room.

"GINNY!!!  Wake up we have to get going!!!" Hermione said as she jumped onto Ginny's bed only to finds there was no Ginny in the bed. 

"Over here Mione." Came the voice of an amused Ginny Weasley.  She was already to go, as were Lavender and Parvati.  Hermione looked at them and grinned. 

"You guys know that normally I would never do anything like add a person to our shopping trip without asking right?"  She started out with.  Her three friends shared a looked and motioned her to continue, "Well, Blaise Zabini was in my group yesterday.  And I heard that she was planning to shop alone because no one in her house really celebrates Christmas.  But her family really gets into it.  SoIinvitedher."

"Come again?" said Lavender in shock.

"I invited Blaise Zabini to join us on our little shopping trip.  She is really nice once you get to know her.  And she beat Ron at Wizard's chess."  Hermione said quickly.

"She beat my brother at Wizards' Chess?" Ginny said in awe, "She is okay with me then."

Lavender and Parvati shared a look and shrugged.  It was only days out of their lives anyway, "So go get ready Hermione.  Precious time is flying by when I could be getting gifts complimentary gift wrapped."

Hermione grinned and darted out of Ginny's room again and down the stairs to her own rooms.  There she pulled on a denim mini skirt, a cute little t-shirt that declared her angelic and a hooded sweatshirt.  Then she added blue and white sneakers and grabbed her purse. 

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"SO what does your mother want for Christmas Weas –Ron?" Draco asked as the three boys walked around munching on ice cream before they got really into serious shopping.

Ron shot him an odd look before seriously considering the question, " I honestly don't know.  Harry always gets her a new magical cookbook, and I always seem to get her something for her knitting obsession.  My mum is obsessed with knitting.  You will get your Weasley sweater this year."

Draco almost choked on his ice cream, "Weasley sweater?"

Harry grinned thinking of his growing collection of them in his trunk, "Every yea Mrs. Weasley knits everyone on her list a sweater with the first letter of their name on the front.  Ron here always gets maroon."

"SO I am going to get a sweater with a large D on the front?" Draco asked torn between disbelief and wonder that someone would go to all that trouble for him.

Ron and Harry nodded, "Yes.  And then we all wear them to dinner and then she gets a picture after that."

Draco looked at them and smiled weakly, "Well, swell."

Harry and Ron looked at him and cracked up, "Don't worry.  Once we are here we generally hide them till the next cold day when we see her."

Draco sighed in relief.  That was a load off of his mind.  He did not want to seem ungrateful but at the same a sweater with his initial on it was not really his style.

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The girls were having a lovely time in Diagon Alley.  Blaise seemed to fit right in.  Once she let down her Slytherin protective attitude everyone rather warmed up to the girl.  She did a great imitation of Pansy and had more gossip about the Slytherins that Lavender and Parvati could remember, so they had started taking notes.

"So then, Snape walk in on us in Myrtle's bathroom.  And there we are trying to brew this highly illegal love potion for Pansy to use on Draco.  Then it gets spilled on him and he falls for Myrtle – only temporarily though.  SO now she hates him even more because he broke her heart!" Blaise said in a fit of giggles.  Parvati and lavender cracked up as well.  Then the three of them looked around for Ginny and Hermione, and they found them looking in an old store window.  Hermione had found Draco's gift at last.

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The three men were heavily weighed down with packages and were getting ready to leave and head back to Hogwarts when Draco stopped suddenly and darted into a store.  Finally he had found Hermione's gift.

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AN: sorry this on e is shorter than most.  I just really was on the mood to update!!  I hope you liked it.  And you won't find out what everyone gets for at least two more chapters.  Hehe!  Now remember a happy writer is an updating writer.  SO please review.  Thank you!