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All You Wanted Chapter 6: The Box of Psyche

Christmas was coming up fast for the students. Hogwarts was becoming the wonderland that always wrapped around at this time of the year. It was hard for anyone to be in a foul mood when the grounds were crystal white and the sky clear. On such a day was the last Hogsmeade visit before the holidays.

Hermione and Harry made their way into the Wizarding village. Hermione was worried for Harry's feelings. Christmas was hard for him since Sirius had died. She knew he thought about the first present that he got from his godfather. And of course the first Christmas that he spent with him was one of Harry's best. Sirius was the closest thing that Harry had to family. God knew the Dursley's weren't.

"Harry, lets do something fun. You need it. We'll do anything you want. Just name it," Hermione suggested.

"There's nothing that I really want to do Hermione. Are you done with your Christmas shopping? I know I'm not. Let's just get that out of the way. Maybe I'll want to do something after that," he said sounding very down.

"Are you sure? Okay then."

They spent the day shopping for their friends and family, rather Hermione's family. About noon Hermione stretched and suggested a butter beer at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione got two mugs and brought them from the bar to a table by a window. Harry was quiet for a moment or two when they saw a platinum blonde walk into the pub alone.

Harry raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened with you and Malfoy?"

"What are you talking about," Hermione was caught completely off-guard by his question.

"Well, what happened? You two don't even make eye-contact at each other anymore. Quite honestly, Hermione I thought that you two would be together by now. I don't know if I like that idea very much, but I swear that I thought that you two would be snogging by now."

"I can't believe you said that Harry!! Have you believed everything that Ron has been saying about me? Snogging! Right, that'll happen."

"I didn't mean any offence by that. I just have a lot on my mind. That just happens to be one of them."

"He simply doesn't talk to me anymore," Hermione said with a shrug.

"Do you know why?"

"It's not my place to try and figure out what goes on in his or any one else's mind."

"You should find out. Don't be stupid Hermione. He for some reason is avoiding you."

"What are you talking about, Harry?"

"Look, Malfoy was genuinely scared for you. I've seen him slip now and then and look at you. There is something that is going on with him. I seriously doubt that he is plotting to continue where Pansy left off. Just go slow with it. I don't think that he's to far from slipping back into the Malfoy everyone knows and hates. But he's not that guy right now. At least it's a start."

Hermione tried to swallow her butter beer with out choking on it. She mumbled something about needing to buy Harry something still and left the pub. She didn't notice Draco's eyes on her when she left. Harry had noticed. Harry knew that he had made the right choice telling Hermione. Of course he didn't know why Draco didn't talk to her anymore but as far as he was concerned. If they both felt the same about each other then Hermione should be happy. Even if he himself couldn't be.

Hermione had already bought Harry's gift by mail order, but she had to get away from him. What she really wanted was a cigarette. She smiled thinking how she and Draco had come to a real friendship over a simple pack of cigarettes. She sat on a stump down a lane that was apart from the rest of the village.

Draco came up behind her so quietly that Hermione never heard him. She jumped to her feet when she finally heard someone. She was scared for a second until she saw who it was.

"Want one," Draco asked offering a pack of cigarettes to her.

"Thanks," she took one from him, sitting back down.

Damn she's so hot, Draco thought lighting her cigarette. It was in that moment that he completely forgot his name. The last few weeks just about killed him. Last week he was afraid that he had cut himself too deep. The bleeding wouldn't stop. But he had suffered through with a vague wish that he'd live.

Hermione sighed, "Draco, what are you doing? Do you find it best to talk to me when it's most convenient for you? That's pretty mess up you know."

"No, Hermione, that's not it. It's best if we don't talk."

"Why did you offer to light me up then?"

"You looked like you could have done with the nicotine."

"Sure.

Hermione smiled at him. She hoped Draco would stay with her. But her smile made his eyes go to the oh-so-familiar cold glare. Draco hung his head and turned to leave.

"Don't go," Hermione said almost pleadingly.

"I'm sorry," Draco continued away. He couldn't put her through the suffering that his family would surely give her. He knew that caring that much for her was too dangerous for Hermione. He shouldn't have followed her from the pub. He should have never let himself be around her.

Hermione sat staring at him. She told herself over and over again for the past few weeks that she should forget him. It was hard when every thought that went on in her mind was about the Malfoy prince.

Finding new strength in the nicotine Hermione walked through Hogsmeade with her head held high. As she passed a shop on the left something caught her eye. It was a tiny silver box with an intricate gold Celtic design around the lid. It looked like a thousand others, but this one was calling to her. Obviously there was some force telling Hermione to look at it, so she went into the store to identify the box.

The clerk looked at her under veiled eyes, and a voice that sounded almost like Professor Trelawney, "Can I help you, miss?"

"Can you tell me about that box?"

"Ahhh, that is the Box of Psyche. One would put something that they would hope to have one day. Legend has it that Psyche fell in love with Eros. But she disobeyed a promise to not see him ever. One night she couldn't take not seeing the face of the love of her life. She went looking for him. When she found him in his sleep, she knew that she loved him more than anything. He left her, for breaking her promise to never look upon his face. Psyche couldn't bear it. She knew that she had to find Eros again. She went to Eros's mother, Aphrodite. Aphrodite was so jealous of the beauty of Psyche that she didn't want to see her son with her. Aphrodite gave her three impossible tasks. The last one Psyche had to go into the Underworld and retrieve a box from the goddess there. This saddened the girl, for no mortal could enter the Underworld and return. Eros whispered in her ear how to avoid the perils of the Underworld. After returning curiosity overcame her and she had to open the box. Eros rushed to her side and saved her. He asked the gods to appease his jealous mother. The gods did what they were asked and helped the beautiful Psyche to her precious self. Eros and Psyche lived together happy forever."

"So this is really the box from the Underworld," Hermione asked skeptically.

"Not precisely, it is a box that has part of her soul, and some of her hope. Those who possess a box like that have that extra bit of strength to get through the day. There have even been instances where the person has overcome death completely with this."

"I think I'll take it," Hermione said deciding that a present for Draco would be nice. Even though he was acting strange lately.