First of all I want to thank all my reviewers! I love you guys so much!! ::curls up in ball and cries:: I never can thank all of you enough for the tremendous support! And thanks to all the readers who don't review (please do if you haven't already, or just keep reviewing all the time! Makes me SOO happy!!)
I also want to add that if, IF this story ever ends (LMAO) I will personally thank EAVH AND EVERY ONE of my reviewing readers in a final chapter. You mean so much to me. But hey, I'm not saying its ending soon! Lol!!
Disclaimer: I haven't done one in awhile. I should, shouldn't I? Well, I'm NOT JK Rowling. Don't own the Harry Potter series (or Draco, sad as that is) but I do own the plot here and the characters whose names you don't recognize, like Stariss Skygazer and Tobias Gaisbourough (though I can't remember how I spelled half their names . ) I am doing this purely for fun and to appease my muse Faylinn. I am making no profit from this whatsoever.
Faylinn: Trust me, she's not. You should see what she's wearing.
FAYLINN! It's NIGHT! Course I'm going to be dressed casually at this hour!
Faylinn: Just get on with the story.
The last week of school before break finally ended and everyone cheered as they went to their last dinner before they went home. The next morning they would all be up early for an early meal and then head to the train to go home. The entire Great Hall was happy. No decorations were up yet but everyone was getting in the Christmas spirit. From the enchanted ceiling snowflakes fell just as they were doing outside.
Draco sat with the other Slytherins and next to Blaise as Pansy went on and on about what she's going to do over vacation. He looked pointedly at Blaise and rolled his eyes. "My poor Draky has to spend his vacation here! You can come with me." She said, winking at him. He barely kept his food in his stomach.
"Uh, that's okay Pansy. He'll be fine. I'm staying too." Blaise said as Pansy moved her leg under the table and rubbed Draco's. He grimaced, head lowered gagging this time.
"Are you okay Draky?"
"Sure." He said, standing. "I have to go." He said, his face almost green. Blaise couldn't help but laugh as he stood and ran out the Great Hall. Hermione watched him run by briefly and then looked back towards his table where Pansy looked confused. She snorted and finished her food.
"So what are you doing Ron?"
"I'm staying here."
"Why?"
"I just didn't want to go with them to visit." He shrugged. Once Ron had found out Hermione and Draco were staying for vacation he told his mom he couldn't go to visit his brothers because he had work to do. Ginny, however, was going.
"Have fun." Harry smiled, biting into his food. Ginny nodded.
"I don't know why you don't want to go Ron. It'll be fun!"
"Nah." He said, and kept eating. Ginny sighed and finished her food.
"Well I'm going to head to bed. Gotta get up early you know. See you all tomorrow!" She said, and popped up from her seat smiling before heading out the door. They watched her leave.
"Ron, really. Why are you staying?" Hermione asked, putting down her fork. "Is it because Draco and I will both be here?"
"No." He lied, his ears betraying him.
"Oh honestly." She said, slamming her fork down. "You should really grow up!" She stood and left the table angrily. Dean looked over at them.
"What did you do now?"
"Cared." Ron answered simply. Dean shrugged and turned back to his conversation with Seamus.
Somewhere far away from Hogwarts a silver haired man kneeled before a cloaked one trembling with rage. "Why did you force me to leave? I had them all scared and unsuspecting." The cloaked one looked at him and hissed.
"Your son knew you were there as did Dumbledore. You are foolish to have stayed that long."
"Let me go back. I can take care of them!"
"No! You will wait till their break begins and half the students leave."
"But master, with half the students gone that's less for those bumble-headed professor's to worry about!"
"I know what I am doing. How DARE you question my authority!" He held up his wand and pointed it at them man. "I'm tired of your insolence. CRUCIO!" He yelled while the other man yelped in pain.
"Forgive me master." He managed to gasp after the round was done.
"Get out of my sight. I will call for you when the time comes."
"Yes master." The man stood and ran from the room as fast as he could, his body still reeling from the shocks of pain.
The next morning Hermione woke to find her room empty. All the girls were gone and she dressed, going down to the Common room. Harry and Ron sat there, the only other two there. "Didn't anyone else stay?" She asked, frowning.
"Yeah. Stariss Skygazer did. As did another first year and second year but they went down to breakfast." Harry answered.
"Well let's go. I'm starved!" Ron said, standing. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
"You're always starved." They headed out the portrait and walked down to the Great Hall. They took their seats at the long table and looked about. Nearly the entire room was empty, and it had been decorated with a large tree that was currently being decorated by Professor Flitwick. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables both had a few students sitting around and talking, but Slytherin was virtually empty. Except for two boys.
"Why the bloody hell did Blaise stay?" Ron asked, already beginning his feast. Harry shrugged.
"Does it matter?" Hermione frowned. Ron shook his head.
"Jus' askin'." He sputtered. Hermione looked at him disgusted and turned her attentions to Draco. She grabbed a bite of food before excusing herself.
"Where you going?"
"To see Draco." Ron almost choked on his food and Harry had to hit his back.
"Why?" Ron demanded.
"Because." Was all Hermione said, wandering over to him. He had been turned facing Blaise when she got there and had to clear her throat to get his attention.
"Eh hem." She said. He turned, grinning.
"Hello Hermione." He said pleasantly and pulled her onto the seat next to him. She smiled as Blaise rolled his eyes.
"Good morning Blaise."
"Mornin'." He said lowly and turned to his plate.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Draco asked Hermione. She shrugged and shook her head.
"Nah. I did have a little."
Later the two of them sat in the library talking by the fire. There was nothing to do and Hermione could actually say she was bored out of her mind. She didn't think it would be dull to stay behind. The last time she had stayed was to help Harry with something, and she had been busy. Now there was nothing to do. Except get ahead in her studies. Draco frowned when she told him this.
"Why don't we go DO something." He said. "Let's go outside for a walk or something." He suggested. Hermione nodded and jumped up.
"Alright. I'll meet you outside in fifteen minutes." She said and left to dress more appropriately. Draco grinned and walked back to the Slytherin dorms to collect his warmer clothes.
Fifteen minutes later they were outside walking away from the school towards the lake. It was a beautiful, cold day. The sun shone off the white ground almost blinding them and the lake was frozen over. Draco gave his impish half smile and stepped onto the ice, walking a ways out. Hermione stopped for a moment, a bit tentative at first. "Oh come on! It's fun." He promised and walked back to take her hand. She took it and stepped onto the ice, laughing as she almost fell. They walked out a bit farther and Draco pretended to be sliding. "I used to love doing this as a kid. We used to put blades on our shoes and go out onto the pond in the yard and skate around."
"Ice-skating." Hermione offered. He turned.
"What?"
"It's what muggles call it. Ice-skating."
"Makes sense."
"There are many competitions to see who's better. It's so beautiful! The costumes are elaborate and the skating is amazing. The jump and spin in the air, the men throw the women and catch them." She sighed. "It's romantic." He laughed.
"You seem really into it. So can you?" He asked. She frowned.
"No I don't have enough bravery to do the things they do. Besides, there was no ice-rink or pond around my house. I think I went once with my parents when I was seven or eight." She said and tried to slide forward like he did. She merely succeeded in falling flat on her butt. "Oh ow!" She said rubbing her bottom with one hand as Draco tugged at the other.
"You okay?" He snickered. She nodded. As soon as she stood again, however, she slipped and fell into his arms with a little scream. He tried to catch her but lost his footing too and fell onto his back. The two of them burst out laughing laying on the ice, Hermione on Draco.
"Cold?" She asked, blushing a little.
"Slightly." He answered, feeling his own rear starting to freeze to the ice. "If you don't get off me in a second I might be out there till the spring thaw comes!" He said pushing her up. She stood carefully and watched as he slid his way back onto his feet.
Somewhere away from the castle almost two dozen people stood in a circle around a dark hooded figure. "The time has come. Lucius." The figure said, beckoning for the silver-haired man who stepped forward. "You may go." Lucius bowed and apparated away, heading towards the school.
Back on the pond a strong, cold gust of wind came almost throwing Draco off his feet. Hermione slipped again and latched onto Draco's arm who caught her and held her up. They turned into the wind, hair being blown back by the wind. "That's odd." Hermione said, frowning as dark clouds started rolling over the mountains in the distance and the snow started to fall. It fell slowly at first and then quickly in a matter of minutes. Draco worried.
"We need to get inside. NOW!" He yelled as a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky. "He's back." He said, mainly to himself as he dragged Hermione along the ice behind him. She struggled to keep up without falling.
Once they were back on the solid ground they flew as fast as they could towards the school, the snowing falling so rapidly they could barely see the dark grey building in front of them. "Hurry!" Draco urged as she frantically clutched at his hands.
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest a figure emerged in a black cloak, the hood drawn over his head so his face wasn't visible. He could see through the falling snow to the school and saw two small figures run into the school. He laughed evilly and slowly started walking towards the school. Nothing would stop him this time and his reinforcements were lying in wait just in the shadows of the forest. The minute he got to the school they would come and fight by his side.
LMAO!! AHAHAHAHAH!! Is that a cliffhanger or what? But its not as evil as another I've read so don't kill me! I'll have the next chapter up soon! I promise! I just felt like ending in there. Hehehhehehee.