-Johari's Window-

December 1998-

The snow fell softly outside Hermione's window, and had been falling for most of the night. Already, it had covered the grounds of Hogwarts in about an inch of snow. Hermione awoke to giggles as some the first years gazed out the window, excited by the snow. Hermione could see the simple joy reflected on all of their faces.

"Hurry up Sarah!" One said excitedly. "Some of the guys said they're having a boys versus girls snowball fight! Come on!"

"Hold on," Sarah said. "Give me just sec." She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and slipped a pair of ear muffs over her ears. "Okay. Let's go." She grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her out of the girl's dorms. Hermione could hear them laughing as they left the common room. She smiled appreciatively.

Today was the day she was to go to Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron, she reminded herself. She was so excited to spend time with them she could barely contain it. She missed them so much.

She dressed quickly, pulling a hat down over her bushy brown hair. It looked really cold outside, but Hermione loved this time of year. The snow had a certain elegance, and Hermione loved it. It was pure and beautiful white, Hermione's favorite color. Of course, it wasn't quite a color, Hermione reminded herself. It was all color.

The seventh year hurried down the staircase from the girl's dorms and into the common room full of excitement. Today would be wonderful.

"Hey, 'Mione," said Harry in greeting.

"Hi Harry," said Hermione appreciatively.

"Morning Hermione," Ron greeted Hermione.

"Hey!"

"Anyway, is everyone ready to go now that Herm's here?"

"Yes!" came the chorus of voices.

"Alright, then I think we can go," Harry finished. Hermione was simply beside herself with joy. She hadn't been so happy in what seemed like ages.

The group of five reached the heavy oak doors along with the other third through seventh years in a huge mob. They pushed through everyone to the front and out the massive doors. The sharp, chill air rushed through to meet Hermione's cheeks and nose, biting them. Hello, Jack Frost, Hermione thought. Then, she felt a snow ball hit her in the small of her back. "Hey!" she shouted to her assailant. It was Harry. "You're gonna get it now!" she shouted to him.

"I tremble in terror," he said, teasing her. He was silenced by a snow ball in her face from Hermione. Spitting snow the whole way, he began chasing her. Hermione screamed and ran, throwing her head back and laughing. Thus, the snowball fight began.

"Harry, you can be such a child sometimes," commented Ginny.

"Hey, don't forget me!" Ron laughed and threw a snowball at his little sister, hitting her in the back of the head.

"Ron!" Ginny yelled, gathering some snow in her hands and preparing to make a snowball of her own.

"Honestly, you too?" asked Lavender.

"Yes, dear, me too!" shouted Ginny, throwing her prepared snowball at Lavender, who shrieked. Ron ran a tackled her. By this time, she was laughing and screaming at the same time, a very odd combination.

The snowball fight lasted for a good while before all the other students were making their way to Hogsmeade. The group of five trudged along with all the others through the snow, soaked and contented. Hermione was the happiest of all.

After what seemed like ages, Hermione, Lavender, Ron, Harry and Ginny and rest of the students had completed the journey to the little wizard village, which was decorated for the holidays. Green and red tinsel twisted up street lights, and Christmas music leaked out of all the little shops, creating a very cheery and festive atmosphere.

"So, Honeydukes first?" asked Harry, referring to the famous sweets shop.

"Honeydukes it is!" replied Ron, and the group headed in that direction through the snow, which was falling again, softly, in little drifts. It was so good to be back. The group found a little table in the back and squished around it.

"Butterbeers all around?" asked Harry.

"Yes!" came the reply in unison.

"Hermione, do want to come and help me carry?" Harry suggested.

"Sure, Harry." Hermione followed Harry back to the front of the sweets shop to put in their order.

"Five butterbeers, please," Harry said politely to the bartender, who took one look at Harry's forehead and said hurriedly and nervously, "It'll be just moment, Mr. Potter." He went away behind the bar to make their drinks.

Harry said to Hermione, "So, how is everything? It's been so long since I've had a chance to talk to you."

"Well—I'm sorry." Hermione realized that Harry had said 'I'm sorry' at the same time she had. "Sorry for what?" they both said, again at the same time. "You first." Again, in unison.

"Okay," said Hermione hesitantly. "I'm sorry for not being supportive of you and Ginny. I really love you guys, I do. I just feel—"

"Lonely?"

"Yeah," she said, surprised at Harry's perceptiveness once again. He always knew. "I have been lonely, to say the least. I don't want to lay any guilt on you, Harry. I love you and Ron dearly, and these are your lives. Live them how you want, whether or not they include me the way I want to be included," she finished quietly.

"Hermione, Ron and I love you too. No need to worry about that. It's just hard right now. I'll work harder to include you. I promise. I don't want to lose you." Hermione walked over and embraced Harry tightly, not knowing when she would get do it again. He hugged her tightly back. "I've missed you," she whispered.

"So sorry to interrupt, Mr. Potter, but your drinks are ready," broke in the voice of the bartender.

"Yes, yes of course. Thanks so much. Come on Herm."

"Oh yeah. Here, let me grab those," Hermione said, referring to two of the huge mugs of butterbeer as Harry struggled to handle three. Hermione giggled at Harry looking so awkward.

"Oh shut-up, Hermione," said Harry good naturedly. Hermione smiled at him.

When they reached the table, they passed the butterbeers around and the table burst into life with laughing and conversation.

"So, Hermione," Lavender started. "What's it like to work with the hottest guy in Hogwarts. I envy you. How did you manage to get him as a partner?"

"Who? You can't mean Malfoy!" said Hermione, genuinely surprised.

"Don't play coy with me, Hermione. Why else would you want to work with him?"

"I didn't want to work with him at all."

"Sure you didn't. Only the entire female population of Hogwarts fancies him," said Lavender, and then adding quickly, "But not me, of course," with a quick glance at Ron.

"Whatever." Hermione sighed. Sometimes Lavender was impossible.

"Hey Harry?" asked Ginny. "Would you mind coming with me to pick out some new robes? I need a boy's opinion," she said sweetly, batting her eye lashes at him. Ron made a gagging noise.

"Yeah, me too. Won't you come Ron?" Lavender pouted.

"Oh, um, okay," said Harry, who was already being dragged by his elbow out of his chair.

"You don't mind, do you, Hermione?" asked Ginny, seemingly oblivious. Obviously she minded. But she said, "No, of course not. Why would I mind?" It was rather unconvincing, but Ginny seemed to buy it.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," Harry mouthed to her on the way out.

"See ya, Herm," said Ron. And then they were gone. They had left their half-finished butterbeers and their chairs half pushed in. Hermione was alone. She sipped at her butterbeer, feeling the loneliness setting in again.

"Without your crew again, Granger?" It was Malfoy.

"You without your cronies again, Malfoy?" she answered his question with a question.

"What's your problem Granger? Potter and Weasel abandon you again?" She hated how he knew and asked anyway. He lowered himself into the chair opposite her, taking a sip out of what was Harry's half-finished butterbeer.

"If you must know, they went with Lavender and Ginny."

"And abandoned you. So I was right, wasn't I? They left you here." Her look said it all. They had left her. "Mind if I stay awhile? I've got nothing better to do. We could discuss potions or something," he finished sarcastically.

"Alright." She was not in the mood to argue with him. She could only hope that he would leave.

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After another round of butterbeers and about and hour later, he was still there. The conversation was good, and Hermione found herself enjoying his company.

"Johari's Window," she was saying now.

"What the hell is that?" He watched her intently, noticing her crinkle her freckled nose as she thought. She leaned forward on the table, and he could smell her. She smelled faintly of vanilla.

" 'Johari's Window is based on the principle that of all the things about us that exist can be found through positive and honest information. The theory consists of four windowpanes," Hermione recited from a website that she had located earlier that year.

"English please, Granger," Draco said, mildly impressed.

"Well, like I said, Johari's Window is based on four windowpanes, if you will, that all people have. It's completely metaphorical. Anyway, there is the pane that is that part of you that is known to others and to yourself. Then, there is the part that is known only to you and to no one else. There's the part that is known to others and not to you, and finally, the part that is unknown to everyone."

"Well, Granger, tell me something about me."

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me something about me that I don't know." She was caught off guard. Hermione found herself thinking deeply, having trouble with his question.

Draco loved that he was making her think. Everything came so easy to her, and now he had presented her with a question that she was actually having trouble answering. He enjoyed watching the concentration on her face, her nose crinkled in thought again. Finally, she spoke.

"Well, you always put your hand on the side of your face when you're thinking," she began slowly. "And it's always your left hand. You like things like the rain and pretend you don't so others won't think you're soft. You like watching others and guessing at what they're going to do next, and you are wrong much of the time. Sometimes you're right, and that's what keeps you going." He stared at her in disbelief. How did she know these things? As he thought about it, they were all true. "Your turn now," said Hermione. "Tell me something about myself."

Like Hermione, he found himself thinking deeply. He noticed too late that his left hand was cradling his cheek as he leaned on it, and Hermione was giggling at it across the table.

"Think you're clever, do you?" He began. "Well, you always scrunch up your nose when you're deep in thought, you don't like me but like my company, especially for the meaty arguments. You always giggle and then look away when you find something highly amusing." She thought about it, and all of his claims were correct. How did he know? There was an awkward silence and Hermione looked down into her mug.

"Well, um, thanks for this," she started, not sure exactly what to say.

"Sure. At least this trip wasn't a complete waste of my time. So, have any plans for the break?" He was referring to the Christmas Vacation which was coming up in the next couple of weeks.

"Nope. I'm staying at school. I figure I'll work on the potion a little, you know, stuff."

"You mean we'll work on the potion."

She looked at him, surprised. "You're staying?"

"Why not? It's not like they want me home anyway." She noted the bitterness in his tone. She wanted to ask him what it was, but chose not to.

"I should probably get going. I guess I'll see you back at the castle. Tonight in the library?"

"'Course. See you then. Bye Hermione."

She looked at him in shock, disbelieving her ears. But then she recovered, saying with a shy smile,"Bye Draco. See you." He watched her go, a bit reluctantly. Now there really was nothing to do. He was glad she had been here.

Johari's Window. He would have to read up on that.

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Hermione hurried away from Honeydukes in the snow which was falling harder now. She was happy, and happier than she had been all day. That thought didn't occur to her until later, and even then, its importance didn't quite register. She had spent time with Draco outside of school and enjoyed it. She wrapped her scarf tighter about her neck and began the journey back to Hogwarts castle, full of a life she had forgotten existed. She skipped most of the way through the cold, the tails of her scarf and her long hair flying out behind her.

A/N: Thanks for the quote about Jahari's Window. I find that theory so interesting that I just had to include it in my story. Patience reviewers, the fluff is yet to come.

Please leave me a review!:)

Forever,

-Ella-