CHAPTER NINE: Winter Snowflake

After, the death of Ron Weasely, Hermione and Harry barely talked - they were extremely quiet. I guess I was too. Ron's and my father's death affected me badly. After all, I had murdered my own father with an illegal curse.

Two days before Christmas, I invited Hermione to spend Christmas with me, at the Manor. Now, that my father had gone, the atmosphere in house was jolly and gay; my mother was bustling around making last minute Christmas preparations. The house-elves were busy preparing foods that needed to be prepared in advance.

And, Harry was spending Christmas with Sirius for the first time since his name was cleared.

On, Christmas day, there was going to be a big dinner party held at our manor: Harry, Sirius, Hermione and her family and all the Weasely's were coming.

'Hermione, wake up, its Christmas day!' I said to the sleeping Hermione, shaking her awake.

'Mmmm - sleep - sleep,' Hermione mumbled under the covers.

I drew back the curtains, so the pale sunlight poured into the room, it was snowing gently outside and the ground was covered in snow like a white blanket. I pushed the covers off her, so she couldn't hide under them. She grabbed them off me.

'Hermione, if you don't get up, you'll be sorry!'

'Whatever,' came the reply.

Right, I had told her nicely. I took out my wand and I pointed at the ceiling, 'Icius Waterus!'

'Arghhhhhh!' Hermione screamed, as a gush of cold water fell on to her and she jumped out of bed and glared at me.

'Draco Malfoy!' She screeched at me.

'I warned you!' I said to her, through fits of laughter at her angry wet face.

'Stop laughing this moment, Draco Malfoy, or I am going to kill you!'

I stopped laughing and smirked at her, 'And, what is Miss Hermione Granger going to Mr. Draco Malfoy?' I said cockily.

'Kill you with my bare hands!'

'Dryali Repello!' I whispered, pointing my wand at Hermione.

There was a big puff of smoke and when that had cleared, there left standing was a dry Hermione in her dry pajamas.

'There - you aren't wet anymore, you can't kill me now,' I said smugly to the dry Hermione.

'That is no excuse, Draco Malfoy!' She said.

'Come on, let's go downstairs, presents, that was why I woke you up!' I said to her, running downstairs before she could react and do something to me.

We went outside after we had opened our presents; I wasn't going to give Hermione's present to her yet till later - and she hadn't given me mine.

We were wrapped up in thick clothing and we rushed outside. We spent the morning making a snowman, the muggle way, for Hermione refused to let me use my wand.

As, we were about to go in, Hermione threw a snowball at me. Malfoy's do not get things thrown at them. Hermione was going to pay! I grabbed a handful of snow and chucked it at her. She screamed and ducked.

'Draco!' She screamed as she chucked another snowball at me.

I ran after Hermione, as we screamed and laughed, I grabbed her coat and pulled her to the ground rolling down the slope hill as we did so.

When, we stopped I was on top of her.

'Get off me!' Hermione said laughing.

'No!' I whispered.

I bent my head down and kissed her.

'What do we have here?' came a voice.

After, the big dinner party which was a major success and all the guests had left except for Hermione, I went to give Hermione her present which I had saved till we were alone. I found her at the front door waving goodbye to Harry and Sirius.

'Hermione, I want to give you your present,' I said to her.

She closed the door and turned to me, 'Wait. Let me go and get yours and we give each other's together,' she said before dashing upstairs.

When, she came down again, I led her out to the garden, which was lit by faeries and was covered in magical plants of all sorts of colors. Well, it was a garden, after all.

We sat down on a bench enjoying the comfortable silence.

'Can I give you yours first?' Hermione suddenly piped up.

'Yes, of course,' I told her, I was planning to give her, hers last anyway.

She handed me a gift wrapped in green with a sliver ribbon attached to it.

'My favorite colors,' I said, as I unwrapped the present.

'I know,' Hermione said.

Inside, was a CD, the same CD by Mandy Moore, the muggle singer, Hermione had leant me back in hospital. I smiled and I opened the case. Inside was a note, it read:

Dear Draco,

Thank you for being there for me. Who would have guessed that we end up together, the two enemies of Hogwarts.

Listen to track seven 'Crush'; it's about how I feel about you.

I'm not sure if I ever told us this, but 'I love you'.

Love from,

Hermione

I looked up at Hermione and smiled.

'Thank you,' I whispered, 'I love you too.'

'Me too. You will be able to listen to it because I bought you a Walkman with a little help from your mother - I didn't have enough money.'

I nodded, then, I got up off the bench and went down on the floor on one knee, Hermione was looking at me with amusement and curiosity.

I reached into my pocket and took out a little blue box, I held out Hermione's Christmas present to her and she took it.

She opened the box and there laid a diamond ring, a diamond engagement ring.

I cleared my throat, 'Hermione, will you marry me?'