The wind was rushing in and the gale was pounding against the windows of the tiny office. A lone worker sat staring at his watch. When the door swung open and Graham Pritchard walked in, the lone worker started to shout.

"Where have you been? We have work to do!" Graham started to sputter, but he was cut off. "I don't care about your feeble excuses!"

"But Mr. Malfoy, it is Christmas Eve." Graham said sorrowfully. "And my son got in an accident."

Draco Malfoy's face contorted in fury. "I don't give a damn about your wretched son! This is your job and you can't let your personal life interfere with your business. Since you are late, you will stay late tonight." Draco's face turned into a smirk. "Yes, that is good. You can finish all of the filing without magic. God knows we have fallen behind and I am no good at keeping track of what people owe me."

Graham gulped. "Actually Mr. Malfoy, I wanted to ask you something. Seeing as tomorrow is Christmas and my son had an accident, I was wondering if I could perhaps have tomorrow off?" He looked hopeful. "I'll even work extra for the next few days."

Draco's smiled. "Of course."

Graham's face lit up. "Really?"

"No!" Draco spat. "And since you have asked such a senseless question, be here tomorrow at 6:00 AM instead of 8:00 because that filing is going to take awhile!"

Draco walked the length of the room and opened the door. "Seeing as filing is all that is needed to be done, I'll be going now. See you at 6:00 AM." Draco disapparated with his trademark sneer in place.

"Bye. Merry Christmas." Graham said dejectedly. He went into the backroom to take in what he had to file. The place was a mess. Covered in paper with no rhyme or reason.

"Good Lord, it looks like a niffler hit this place. And what is with the no magic rule? It's like I'm back with Snape." He muttered. He then bent down and began to sort through the papers.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Draco sidled up to a bartender. He had apparated to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. "Ogden's Old Firewhiskey! Hurry up!" he commanded. The old bartender named Tom handed him his drink.

Draco was just getting comfortable when the door swung open and Roger Black came in. Roger was Draco's second cousin once removed. When Draco had switched to Dumbledore's side, he found that his Uncle Regelus had a son. This was Roger. Draco ignored him at all costs, but he was the only family that hadn't disowned him, but that didn't mean anything to Draco. Draco felt that he didn't need anybody. He had managed to get by without anyone so far, so he didn't want to change the trend.

"Hey there Draco. Marie and I would love it if you'd come by for Christmas dinner, even if it was just for a little while. Considering you are the only family that hasn't disowned me, I think that we should act like we know each other at least."

"This is the ninth year you have asked me, and my answer is always the same. NO! Now leave me alone."

Draco turned around to ignore Roger and looked around the bar. He was looking for someone. Someone who always came here on Christmas Eve to be with her friends. Finally, he spotted her. She was sitting in a booth with her 3 best friends.

Draco walked away from Roger and snaked his way across the room to her booth. One of her friends was telling a joke.

"...and then the leprechaun asked the fairy, 'Well how do you like them apples?'" The entire table broke into hysterical laughter and Draco just took in the beauty that encompassed her. Her brown hair settling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her sparkling brown eyes that he spend hours staring at. Her soft skin as fair as ivory and her perfectly straight pearly white teeth.

Draco smiled to himself when he realized that her teeth hadn't always been that perfect. It pleased him to know that he had indirectly made her teeth better, not that he intended to at that time.

The entire table was still laughing when Hermione Granger noticed his appearance. She stopped laughing immediately and Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Ginny Potter followed the suit. Ginny and Ron were shooting Draco daggers with their eyes and Harry was searching through his coat pocket. He withdrew a wand and Draco just stood there.

"No need for that Potter. I just need to talk to Hermione." He said, staring pointedly at her.

"And what if she doesn't want to talk to you?" Ginny sneered at him. Ron was rubbing his knuckles menacingly.

Hermione shot a furtive glance at her friends and sighed. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, come find me. We'll be outside." She edged her way out of the booth and headed towards the door. Draco followed. She pushed open the door. The temperature had steadily dropped and the rain from only thirty minutes earlier had turned to snow.

She stepped outside and faced Draco. "What do you want?" she asked in a business like tone.

Draco couldn't answer. He was staring at the snow softly falling on her hair. "Merlin, you are so beautiful," he breathed.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Don't try to sweet talk me. That might have worked before, but it isn't going to work now."

"I've changed, please, please just go on a date with me. Please? I've changed, I swear. Coffee, just once. Please, I'm begging you and we all know that English gentlemen do not beg." Draco begged her.

"No Draco, we've been through this. You haven't changed. You are exactly the same. The same greedy, slimy person I knew from Hogwarts. And I don't know what you mean by 'English gentleman,' because English gentlemen are polite and do not take things they do not earn."

"No, I've really changed. How can I prove it to you?" Draco asked.

"You don't need to prove it to me. Once you have really and truly changed, I'll be able to see it."

"Come on Hermione, you know that you love me. I've changed. I promise."

"That's just it. Goodnight Draco." Hermione turned her back on him, wiping a single tear that slipped down her nose.

"Hermione! Please! Tell me what I can do!"

She turned back to him. "I can't tell you what to do, this isn't school anymore. You need to figure it out on your own. I can't hold your hand for the rest of your life."

"Yes you can! Tell me what I need to do. Anything!"

Hermione sighed. She almost smiled. What a sight! The infamous Draco Malfoy practically groveling at her feet. The feet of a mudblood. She winced when she thought of the name he had called her for four years.

"Draco, figure it out for yourself. And one tiny thing that you could do is give Graham Christmas off."

"Graham? Who's he?"

"Your assistant. You are horrible! He's worked for you for 6 years and you don't even know his name. And I'm not trying to help you. His son was in a horrible accident that I'm sure you know nothing of. His wife, Rachel, really needs him now." With that, Hermione turned her back on Draco and ignored his calls to her. She walked back in the bar and sat with her friends, a forlorn look on her face.

Ginny noticed it immediately. She went to Hermione's side of the table and put her arm around the girl's shoulders. "What's wrong Hermione? Did he say something terrible to you?"

Hermione shook her head and buried her face in Ginny's shoulder. "He was trying to convince me that he changed, but I don't believe it. I want to believe it Gin, I really do. I love him. I love him with all of my heart but everything is too difficult. Maybe he'll come to his senses some day."

Ron was trying to look sympathetic, but it took a lot of self control. "Go ahead Ron. Say it. Say, 'See Little-Miss-Know-It-All, you don't know everything! I was right! Malfoy was no good and he is just destroying your life. I told you so.' Go ahead, say it." Hermione mumbled.

"No Hermy." Hermione looked up at Ron's use of the nickname she acquired in fifth year. She hated it, but she was touched that he remembered, even twelve years later. "I wasn't going to say that. Well something along those lines, but we're always here for you. Everyone makes mistakes and you've been here for ours, so we'll be here for yours."

Harry nodded in agreement and Hermione smiled and hugged Ron then reached across the table to hug Harry. She tried to hug Ginny but all she got was her bulging abdomen. Ginny moved back to her seat and Hermione wiped her eyes and looked at Ginny and Harry. "Well, enough of that. It's Christmas! We should be happy. This is your last Christmas without a little one running around! How does it feel?"

Ginny smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. "Pretty good. I can't wait for these kids to come out."

Ron was interested in his food but looked up when Ginny said 'these kids.' He tried to swallow his food, but his mouth was too full, but that didn't stop him. "Wahdaya meawif deskiz?" He sprayed turkey sandwich all over Harry. Everyone looked at him dumbfounded. They had no idea what he meant. He swallowed. "Honestly Ginny, after 26 years with me as your brother, you'd think that you could speak Weasley by now. Anyway, I asked 'What do you mean with these kids?"'

Ginny and Harry broke into identical mischievous grins. "Oh Gin, did you forget to mention something? Something that you found out 4 months ago?"

"Why Harry maybe I did forget to mention something, but I can't remember what it was."

"That's funny me neither. I think it had something to do with the twins growing inside your stomach right now-"

"TWINS!" Hermione and Ron shrieked at the same time.

"Oh my God! Congratulations!" Hermione was screeching. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Harry just placed his hand on top of Ginny's stomach and smiled. "We were worried about Ron's reaction," he said.

Hermione looked over at Ron, expecting him to be gibbering about what a great uncle he would be (better than Fred or George , of course), but was surprised to find him speechless. She waved her hand in front of Ron's face but he was staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. "Time to call Padma." Hermione muttered and whipped her wand. "Comunnicus Padma Weasley." She held up her wand to her head and started using it like a muggle telephone device. She talked to Padma for a few moments and a few minutes later, Padma herself apparated to bring Ron home.

"Congratulations Harry and Ginny. Sorry he can't be more supportive." Padma said jerking her thumb at her practically comatose husband.

"Don't worry about it. Wait until it sinks in. He was practically over the moon when I told him I was pregnant. Just beware for tomorrow. Are you coming to dinner with the kids?"

Padma laughed. "Of course! See you tomorrow! Bye." She grabbed Ron's arm and helped him disapparate back to their home.

Hermione sighed wistfully when Ron and Padma left. Ginny noticed. "He'll come around soon Hermione, don't worry."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks Gin."

Harry got up and hugged Hermione. "We'd better get going. We don't want the pregnant lady out too late."

Ginny stood up as well. She waddled over to Hermione and embraced her. "Come by tomorrow for Christmas dinner, everyone will be there. Fred and Angelina, Bill and Fleur, their kids, Ron and Padma and their kids, Percy and Penny. You should come. Mom and Dad would love to see you."

"Of course I'll be there. Now leave! Don't stay outside too long." Hermione pressed.

"Bye." Harry kissed her on her cheek and walked out the door, Ginny at his heels.

"Don't forget! Tomorrow at 5!" Ginny yelled over her shoulder.

Hermione settled herself back in the booth and ordered another butterbeer. After drowning her sorrows in the delicious drink, she walked out the back entrance into Diagon Alley. She went to the book store to see if it was open, but it wasn't. She checked the library, but no avail. Everything was closed. It was late at night on Christmas Eve, of course it's closed! Hermione just turned and walked back to her small apartment next to the Daily Prophet office. She flopped onto her bed and slowly fell into an uneasy sleep.

Author Note: What do you think? Please Read and Review!

Moony2187