Author's Note: I feel the need to apologize for last chapter. I felt like you all had higher hopes for it and I let you guys down, so I figured that I could try and make it up to you with a quicker-than-usual update. Okay so in this chapter Draco and Hermione kiss! Oh yeah! I knew you were waiting for it. -Wonders how many reviewers will be dancing.- Anywho, This is a pretty long chapter. Just over six pages in word. You should be pleased. Yeah, I hated the last chapter, obvious reasons. This one should be better. And I actually got some more writing for later chapters completed, so update should be frequent and regular, hopefully!! Okay, sorry about the long A/N... do read on!
Thank you guys for all of the wonderful reviews. I swear I post a new chapter and when I get home the next day I have all of these compliments and stuff. So thanks to you all!! I really appreciate it. Okay so now the list: Lady Paine (Well, Draco has feelings for her, but he's not sure of himself and with all the mixed signals he's a little confuzzled.), Miss.Hermione.G-Malfoy (Yeah, I didn't proofread as much as I should have on that last one. Perhaps I'll post a better edit later. I don't have the time now, I'm too busy updating. I'm sure that will console you.), shedraconis (Yes, we all need a little fluff sometimes, even if it is my horribly written fluff.), marba50 (I love how you put that!! Sandpaper and plastic!! Awesome. That would make a really cool one-shot idea if you expanded on it.), midnight solitaire (You get my longest response! I knew I'd get that comment from someone and I do agree with you. I know he has good intentions, but I think that Hermione would be rather uncomfortable with it, at least right then she would. If you remember, they've only just been at her parents' for one day, she is a little stressed. I wanted to draw it out longer, I have something in mind for later that wouldn't work if I had them in the same bed now. It's more emotional stuff than plot. Gosh that was long. Sorreh.), Jexi, Sparkles3, babmidnight (I don't know about the tapping. Just something I imagine her doing. I don't like when a character is just sitting and not doing something. I was out at B & N when I was brainstorming for that chapter and I saw a girl tapping her foot. Subliminal messages.), mesmer (Glad I made you giddy!), sweet_77_thang, pretendingtobesane, and last but not least KrisKG. And sorry if anyone else reviewed and I missed them. It takes a day for my chapters to show up on the FF.N system and I sometimes miss one or two reviews.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. ----- Chapter Nine: A Romp in the Snow and MistletoeDiane decided to make Hermione's favorite thing for breakfast, as there were no objections. So while everyone was eating their French toast, Hermione's father announced that they'd be getting the Christmas tree that morning. He would always say it like that, every year, like it was some big surprise. But everyone knew, or at least every Granger knew that it was a Family Tradition to pick out a tree on Christmas Eve and then decorate it later that night.
So once everyone was done eating their breakfast and drinking their tea (and, yes, Draco did make Hermione's for her) they went to get ready.
Draco was the second to enter their room and he found Hermione flinging items from her bag, obviously in search of something.
"I know I packed them." She said to no one in particular, as she threw a tube of toothpaste over her shoulder, almost hitting Draco, had he not been watching. "Where are they?" She asked again just before she flung a hairbrush behind her, which Draco caught.
He grinned and crouched down beside her and whispered in her ear, "I don't know. What are you looking for?" She jumped a mile in the air, figuratively of course.
"Don't do that again." She warned from her spot on the floor and he gave her a playful innocent look that clearly meant 'Do what?' "I can't find my boots." He then stood up and sat on the edge of the bed closest to her.
"Well that's no reason to throw things." He said, and then received an embarrassed smile from Hermione as she took the various items from him and set them back in her bag. "Anyway, they're in the car, aren't they? So they wouldn't muck up your clothes."
"Oh." She said simply, hoping she had covered the sheepish smile that threatened to form on her face, "I knew that."
"So if you're looking for boots I better put mine on." He said and went over to the inside of their door grabbing the shoes from behind it and pulling them on. "Where exactly are we getting a tree from?"
"Oh, one of my dad's patients owns a tree farm so we get one for free every year as a thank you gift." She smiled and then led the way downstairs.
Draco stood at the top of the stairs for a moment longer than Hermione. This whole trip was so confusing. It hurt him when he knew everything she said was a lie. That the smiled that she gave him the night before at dinner was forced. That she didn't care about him.
He shook his blonde head and tried to rid his mind of that rather unpleasant notion as he started down the stairs. He decided that he shouldn't concentrate on the reality of this situation. If he played along and didn't think about it, he would feel better. Yes, he decided, just don't think about it. Live it as if it were real.
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Everyone hit the downstairs closet to get bundled up before they went outside to face the winter winds. Hermione was the last one ready, securing her scarf around her neck and pulling on a matching hat which Draco thought made her look rather adorable, but he wouldn't admit that.
They decided on taking Hermione's car as it handled better in the snow and they were all just about to walk outside when Draco felt Hermione tugging on his arm.
"What?" He asked then noticed her wiggling her socked feet. And with that he scooped her up and carried her to the car, all the way joking about how he might just drop her, which made her tighten her hold on him. He was grinning madly at her and she nestled in closer towards him.
She realized rather quickly that she liked being carried and was disappointed when he plopped her down in the car. She scooted over to the left seat as he took the one next to her, closing the door behind him.
After she pulled on her boots she buckled herself in and was quite content to watch the white snowy scenery whizzing by as her father drove happily down the road.
During the ride, Draco stole a few glances at Hermione. Her eyes were shining as she was reveling in holiday spirit. He knew he was supposed to be acting and not thinking about it but he couldn't help himself. He kept going through this whirlwind of emotions. It all felt real. He knew it wasn't, but for some reason, like when he carried her to the car, he almost believed that everything was real. And he found himself wishing it were.
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Before they knew it they had just passed the sign, signaling them that they had arrived at Stevenson's Tree Farm. Peter found a nice parking spot and everyone got out of the car. They all took the gravel road that winded up past the house and the barn, whose red paint stood out as a bright contrast to the white snow. Draco found himself reaching out and taking Hermione's hand as they walked. And as he did he felt a surge of warmth that he had never felt before flow throughout him. It coursed through his veins and he never wanted to let go.
They met Joe at the barn and he gave Peter a handsaw and bid them on their way. As they continued down the road the sparse scattering of trees soon grew into a think forest. Hermione's pace quickened and she dropped Draco's hand, much to his disappointment. But when she tapped him on the shoulder, calling out, "You're it", his smile returned. He chased after her down the gravel path for a ways until she dashed into the trees, leaving him to follow her.
Peter and Diane smiled at their antics, but kept walking at a leisurely pace, leaving the game to the young 'couple'.
Draco was searching for Hermione through the trees. He could hear the snow crunching under his feet, but he could also hear the snow that was crunching underneath her's. He darted past tree after tree until he caught a glimpse of her brightly colored scarf. Then all of a sudden he stopped and everything was quiet. She wasn't moving, he knew that much. He silently moved behind one of the trees and saw her through the branches. He noiselessly circled it until he was beside her.
Tapping her on the shoulder he said, "Now you're it!" before running off, Hermione close on his tail. They both ran for a good minute or two before Draco wondered is she'd ever catch up to him. He threw a glance over his shoulder and because he wasn't looking he tripped over a branch that was hidden beneath the snow.
Hermione found him lying on the ground and stopped, looking down at him with a gleeful grin on her face.
"Pitiful really," She said, trying to keep up her mock scornful attitude as laughter threatened to break through. "A fine wizard like yourself can't even play a simple game of tag." She finished, and then held out her hand to help him up, but he had other plans.
"Oh, pitiful, am I?" He asked playfully. When he took her hand, Draco pulled her down on top of him. This sent them into another bout of hysterics, and when their laughter subsided to a quiet chuckle Hermione found this situation a little, no, a lot awkward. But he was just staring up at her, and for the first time she could detect a hint of blue in his eyes.
Alarm bells should have been going off in her head at that moment, but they were silent then. She didn't know what was happening to her. This is a lie, she told herself as he brushed the side of her face lightly. It's not real; she tried to convince herself as his hand settled itself at the nape of her neck drawing her ever closer. But something in his eyes said differently, and they were close enough that Hermione could feel his warm breath on her lips when…
"Hermione, Draco. Where are you? We think we've found a keeper."
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Hermione closed her eyes, groaning silently at her parent's inopportune moment to show up. She knew she had to get up, but did not want to in the slightest. This time when she held out her hand Draco took it and got up. Peter cut down the tree and Draco helped him carry it back. And for that Hermione was glad, she didn't want to face him right then.
He just got caught up in the moment, Hermione thought. He didn't really want to kiss her. He was just so busy acting that he forgot that they were alone. Right, that must have been it, Hermione rationalized.
Hermione wasn't the only one glad for the separation between them. Draco was silently cursing himself for almost kissing her. She would never feel the same way about him. Everything was all just a big lie. If something had happened she would never believe that he had really meant it and it wasn't just pretense. He would just have to remember that it was an act. She could never love him.
The car ride back was silent and neither Draco nor Hermione dared to look at each other.
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Back at the Grangers', Peter and Draco were lugging the tree inside and trying furiously to get it to stand up right. Diane and Hermione were in the kitchen making some hot cocoa and putting a selection of cookies on a tray.
"You know, Hermione, I really like him. And he really loves you." Diane smiled as she popped some marshmallows into the steaming mugs, and then looked over at her daughter, her eyes shining. "You've made me so happy."
Hermione tried her best to give her mother a convincing smile, even though she felt her eyes welling with tears.
"We'd better bring these in." Hermione said, glad for the distraction so she could wipe her eyes.
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Upon entering the ladies found that the tree was looking rather straight and Peter had begun stringing the white twinkle lights. This job was always assigned to Hermione's father as, 1) Diane made sure that he had to participate, and, 2) he found that stringing lights was a manlier job than hanging ornaments.
After the tree was illuminated Diane and Hermione started hanging the ornaments and Draco found himself sitting on one of the armchairs in the room, mug in hand, unable to take his eyes off Hermione.
Time seemed to fly by and the tree was almost entirely decorated. The only thing that was missing was the star to top it all off. Hermione searched the ornament box and found it way at the bottom. She took it out of its protective wrapping and looked down at it, smiling. She was always the one to add the star. When she was younger her father would help her add it to the top, now that she was older she would climb up on a chair to gain the height she needed.
But on this Christmas Eve, Draco got up silently, without being asked, picking up Hermione and they added the star together.
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They all remained around the tree exchanging stories until late in the night. Finally, around eleven o'clock, everyone decided to head up to bed. Hermione and Draco stood at the foot of the stairs, saying goodnight to her parents. Hermione watched her mother expectantly waiting for her to return the sentiment, but she received none, as Diane was distracted. She was smiling and looking at something over their heads… literally.
They both looked up and dangling above them tied in gold and red ribbon was a bunch of mistletoe. They both quickly averted their eyes from it.
"Hermione, you don't…" Draco whispered into her ear, only loud enough for her to hear, but she quickly shook her head and smiled.
"No, It's perfectly alright…" Draco looked down at her, surprised; even though he knew at one point or another this charade would probably include a public kiss between them. But he was surprised none-the-less.
She stood up on her tiptoes, fully intending on just giving him a quick peck on the lips, but when his lips lowered onto hers she found herself wanting to kiss him so badly. The kiss was gentle and sweet, alluring and surely addictive.
When Draco was kissing Hermione under the mistletoe, he had a mix of emotions running through him. He liked kissing her. Loved it. Wanted to kiss her whenever he wanted. Then, secondly, he realized that he couldn't, he'd never be able to. She was only kissing him because they were a 'couple' and they had to.
After a few moments they parted. Hermione muttered a "G'night," to her parents if they were still there. She didn't wait around long enough to find out. She ran upstairs grabbing her pajamas and locking herself in the bathroom not wanting to face him.
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Draco rolled over trying to find a comfortable position on the uncomfortable cold, wooden floor. But it wasn't only the floor keeping him awake, his mind was on the girl sleeping in the bed next to him. He finally decided to get up, his back aching, and sat in her small armchair.
He watched her slumbering form, wishing he didn't have to sleep on the floor. Wishing that he really were a part of all of this. But, most of all, wishing that he could kiss her for real. Not just when there was mistletoe above them.
He knew he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, so he quietly moved over to his suitcase. Buried at the bottom were the Christmas presents that he and Hermione decided to give each other. She got him a new sweater and he bought her a new set of leather bound books. He put the two presents in his arms, figuring he'd put them under the tree. Draco looked down at them, a halfhearted smile on his face.
Yes, he decided. He had made up his mind. He quietly put the box containing the books back inside his suitcase, and took the box holding the sweater and carried it downstairs, setting it beneath the tree. Then he hurried back upstairs, needing to get some more wrapping done.