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A Christmas Gift
Chapter 4: Troubling Discoveries
Author: Dizzy
Disclaimer: Own nothing.
Rating: PG-13 for now

"Planning to sleep all day Granger?" Hermione opened one experimental eye at the sound of the low drawl. It had broken through the slight haze that muddled her brain, casting the last vestiges of her dream away. Draco stood above her, clean now and perfectly coifed once more. His food-spotted robes still left something to be desired however; she figured he hadn't yet stolen a clean set.

"Hmmm," she rolled over. "Go away." She had been rather enjoying her lack of responsibilities that morning. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed the comforts of a good lie-in. Something like six years sadly enough.

"Did you conveniently forget that we have work to do?" She really didn't care for his tone. Extremely superior, it broke through the fog between sleep and wakefulness, yanking her back into reality.

"At this moment Malfoy, I don't much care," she murmured, rolling onto her back. "Let me be."

"No." She felt the left side of the bed sink under his weight and groaned. Letting her be didn't appear to be on his agenda for the day. He seemed intent on annoying her until she did as he asked. She opened her eyes.

The infirmary was nearly empty save for the two of them, and to the eyes of anyone in this world it was still empty. Sunlight filtered through the drapes, obtrusive and unwanted as far as she was concerned. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to ignore it. She'd just pretend he didn't exist for the moment. He was perched sullenly on the edge of the bed, glaring down at her as if that alone would rouse her. She was almost clenching her eyes shut now, her teeth gritted determinedly. He wasn't there. Just to piss him off she yawned, stretching her whole body lazily before she snuggled deeper into the bed, her hand snaking under the pillow, her legs, bare up until her skirt, brushed against the fabric of the covers. They had that soft gentle feeling of being the perfect temperature. Draco gave a growl, low in his throat.

"Get up." He bit out through clenched teeth, obviously not used to being defied. She shook her head, scrunching her nose cutely. "Fine." He gave a disgusted noise and stood, his weight letting the bed rise up again. Apparently even Draco Malfoy could get a point. She closed her eyes, finally peace. She really didn't get enough sleep she mused, fully prepared to remedy that.

Unfortunately she wouldn't be starting that particular practice, not on this morning, for just as she thought he had taken his leave of her he made his presence unpleasantly known. Draco gripped the edge of the covers, where they draped over the bed and gave them a good hard yank towards him. Hermione gave a shriek and shot up in a tangle of flailing limps and hair as the cold morning hair hit her full force.

"You-you bastard," she sputtered, pink-faced, her hair wild as she glared at him in a way that was almost comical. He simply smiled lazy at her.

"Join me for breakfast?"

Hermione's hair hung in wet strands down her back, her eyes blazing with fury at the boy across from her. He made no show of noticing her, simply dipped his spoon into his oatmeal once again, his eyes trained on the book beside him. He had obviously paid a visit to the library while she had been in the bathroom.

"Why couldn't you have just let me sleep?" She muttered, taking a sip of her milk. He didn't answer her; he just lazily flipped a page.

"I thought I'd try a few more books," Draco said after a moment of scanning the page. "See if there isn't a way to get out of here without trying to figure out the bloody lesson."

"I doubt there is," she pushed her bowl away.

"Might as well KNOW there's not," he flipped another page, eyes raking the page.

"We should attend a few classes today," Hermione said. Draco looked up then, his expression clearly telling her he thought she was mad.

"Can't you go one day without worrying about school?" Hermione sighed.

"Not to learn," she motioned around the hall, her hand taking in the students and faculty. "To observe. See what else has changed."

"I seriously doubt my presence has affected much more." He turned another page.

"It seems to have had a big affect so far, no point in not researching it further." At his skeptical glance she sighed.

"If we don't learn anything we can always just leave."

"Hermione Granger leaving in the middle of a lesson?" He put on a shocked face, replacing the skepticism. "Never."

"I have more important things to worry about then lessons," she stood up. "Like getting out of here. Frankly I'm already sick of this place."

"Not enjoying my company Granger?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Most definitely not." She turned, fully intent on following the rest of the students to their lessons as they slowly trickled out.

"I don't see how you intend on going to a lesson if there aren't any." Draco had stood as well, closing the book and tucking it under his arm. Hermione looked at him confused and then it dawned on her. The students were still on Christmas break, the new term wouldn't start for weeks. She let out a frustrated snarl and stamped her foot.

"What now Granger?" She sighed.

"Well," she thought a moment. "We can always just follow them around." She looked to the retreating students. "Listen in on their conversations. See what's changed."

"Your plan is to eavesdrop?"

"Well it's not as if they're REAL people," Hermione snapped. "And it might give us a better idea of what's happened." Draco shrugged.

"If it's all you've got..." Hermione glared at him.

"Do you have a better idea?" Draco thought a moment and then shook his head, taking the book from under his arm and placing it back on the table.

"Who first?"

Despite his protests Draco still found himself the very last place he wanted to be. There was a certain logic in being here, however flawed it was. And he suspected Hermione's utter desire to go was more about her missing her friends then anything. So he'd followed her up the stairs, to the portrait of an absolutely immense woman in a red dress and waited patiently for someone to come along. It didn't take very long, Seamus and Dean were eager to get back and continue their explorations of their new presents. They were discussing nothing of major importance, Quidditch or some such nonsense they knew nothing about and gave the password "Fire Breather". The portrait swung open and he before he knew what was happening Hermione had pushed him inside the place he despised more then anything. The Gryffindor dormitories. Before he could change his mind and make his exit the portrait swung closed behind them. Hermione smiled at him.

"There's nothing contagious in here Malfoy," she made her way up the steps towards the common room, following the excited voices of Dean and Seamus. Rather then stand there stupidly at a loss Draco followed her, a little bit curious to see how the room differed from his own.

Not much as it turned out. The place was brighter, warmer in decoration in the Gryffindor colors instead but its basic set up was still the same. He looked around. It was much friendlier here, people milled around chatting with friends, curled up on couches to read, or simply enjoy the fire that blazed in front of them. There had to be at least 20 people there, a sharp contrast to the 5 or so that lingered in the rather uninviting Slytherin one. Hermione's eyes lit up when she spotted them and Draco scowled. Potter and Weasley. He sighed, wanting desperately to leave again but Hermione had him by the sleeve of his robe and was dragging him over.

"Who better to watch then the people you made most miserable?" She smiled over her shoulder. So here they were, deep in the lair of the enemy, not three feet away from the people he despised most in this world.

"Where's Hermione?" Potter was saying, moving a pawn, he and the Weasel were fairly engrossed in a game of wizard's chess, the game in Weasley's obvious favor.

"She got a dress," Ron said absently. "Her and Lavender are up in their room giggling and wouldn't let me come in. She doesn't want to see me till we get ready to leave for Hogsmeade" He sighed. "I should keep her from that girl." Harry grinned at him, moving a pawn.

"You like it admit it," Harry watched as Ron's knight sent the poor pawn all over the board in shattered pieces. Hermione leaned in wondering what was going on. The closest thing she had come to a dress was the mandatory skirt all girls at Hogwarts were supposed to wear and her dress robes of course. Draco was leaning in as well, just as interested as she was.

"Of course I do," Ron said returning Harry's grin, triumph made his eyes glitter. "Who wouldn't?" In mere seconds Ron had Harry's king in jeopardy and Hermione couldn't help grin as he won for what had to be the millionth time. His natural skill at chess was surely a sight to behold.

"Where are you taking her?" Harry asked frowning at the board. Ron smiled.

"The Three Broomsticks." Harry looked at him like he was mad.

'That's your idea of a romantic outing? The Three Broomsticks."

"Kidding Harry, only kidding. Think you'll manage without us?" Hermione was confused. From what she could surmise she was up actually GIGGLING with LAVENDER about a dress she didn't own, and she was planning an outing with Ron to Hogsmeade without Harry. She looked to Draco who raised an eyebrow at her.

"Something you haven't shared with the rest of the class Granger?" She shook her head.

"I've managed to make it through walking in on several of your snogging sessions and quite a number of awkward moments of waking up to Hermione in your bed, I think I can handle one date," Harry was saying. Hermione's eyes widened and she gasped. Draco almost laughed at the expression on her face.

"Well Granger that's unexpected. Sleepovers with the Weasel..." he shook his head. Her jaw had dropped in shock, and he smiled at her wide eyes.

"I...I never..." she sputtered. She looked at Ron and then looked away, a blush tinting her cheeks. "Never." She said firmly.

"I think the facts speak for themselves," Draco said, and sent Ron a scowl. "So I'm the person holding you back from running around with Weasley?" Hermione glared at him.

"Oh you wish." He motioned to the smug, if not slightly embarrassed expression on Ron's face, telling them that everything Harry had said was true.

"How do you explain this then?" Hermione shrugged, struggling for words.

"I...I don't. It's impossible." She shook her head standing. "I'm not even ATTRACTED to Ron." She muttered more to herself then to him.

"You obviously are here," he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Any particular reason why my not being here has suddenly spurned romantic feelings for him?" He waggled his eyebrows at her. "Secret crush perhaps, Granger?"

"No." She glared at him. "Maybe we never pursued anything because we'd have YOU there breathing down our necks every day about it." He shrugged.

"Minor detail. So you admit you're attracted to him."

"I'm NOT," Hermione snapped. "I was once, but..." she struggled. "Things change." Draco sized her up. She wasn't lying, but the fact that she HAD at one time harbored secret feelings for the youngest Weasley boy WAS interesting.

"What changed?" Hermione shrugged.

"He's like a brother to me," she wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, I snogged Ron." She felt a shiver of revulsion pass through her. Incestuous as it was, in this world it was true. Draco nodded.

"I share your disgust," He looked to Weasley. "I take it you've seen enough here?" She nodded, obviously a bit uncomfortable. He grabbed her arm.

"Think I can steal a broom?" he was saying as they waited patiently for someone to open the portrait hole. "I wanted to get a bit of flying done." Hermione looked at his robes.

"Might want to steal some clean robes first, seems to be a bigger priority."

He was really quite magnificent when he flew. Like Harry, he had a natural skill for handling the broomstick that she had never mastered; he wasn't as risky as Harry could be though, and she figured his inhibitions were what kept him from being the boy's equal. Still he was graceful and quick, zipping through the air at lightening speed. Why she was still here she didn't know; she hugged her robes around her, brushing snow off the seats of the Quidditch pitch. It was just less lonely here, near the only person she could talk to. At least he could see her, know she was watching him and know that he could talk to her if he wanted too. He had been strangely pleasant this past day and a half; realizing, like she had, that it would not do to alienate the only person he had. Being completely alone could drive a person crazy, which was why she expected she was here, book in hand, glancing up now and then to watch him soar through the sky.

He was insane that was for sure. It was freezing out, even on the ground, and there he was whipping through the air at high speeds, seemingly unaffected by the cold. Then again it seemed to go with his personality. Cold, unyielding, not really caring how it made you feel. She sighed, turning a page, not really reading a word. She really needed to get out of here. Being on good terms with Draco Malfoy was the last thing she needed. He would twist and mold it into something horrible only to spit it back into her face.

It was twenty more minutes before he finished, landing close to the bleachers, his hair wet with sweat and windblown, his usually pale cheeks rose, his lips almost blue. His eyes were sparkling though from the exertion, from the thrill of it, and Hermione almost gave him a smile.

"Finished?" She closed the book and he nodded.

"I thought we might get a bit more done in the library," Hermione said. "Like you suggested this morning, perhaps we'll run across something." Draco nodded, brushing a stray blonde hair from his forehead, his breath coming out in short pants and gasps. He dropped the broom into the snow, where it sunk and after a few moments disappeared completely.

"You've been here all this time?" he said, his voice was practically gone from breathing in the harsh air. She nodded.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." He looked at her, his eyes locked with hers.

"Why didn't you grab a broom?" Hermione snorted.

"Me? I can't fly," he gave her a look that suggested she had just informed him the sky was purple and any second unicorns would be raining from it.

"Everyone can fly," he said after a moment. She shook her head.

"Not me, I'm hopeless," she sighed. "I can get about this high." She held her hand just above her head. "And then I fall off." He shook his head.

"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard." She glared him.

"Not everyone can be as naturally skilled as you Malfoy." He smirked at her, raising his eyebrows.

"You think I have skill Granger? I'm flattered." Hermione didn't respond she merely turned around; book clutched in her fingers and stalked towards the school.

Just like the previous day not an hour passed before Draco was complaining about his boredom. He growled, slamming another book closed and shot her a look. She was ignoring him it seemed, leaning back comfortably in her chair, her feet hooked around the first two legs, biting her lip as she rocked gently back and forth. Her eyes darted across the page with amazing speed, taking in the information on it, her fingers flipping the pages every so often. There were at least 40 books on the table, all just as useless now as they had been yesterday. Not a word of information in them that could be even remotely helpful unless he wanted to rid himself of acne he didn't have, or perfect a charm for cleaning his wand. He reached for another book. If he didn't get out of here soon he would promptly go mad. Having no one but Hermione Granger for company was enough to send him to the St. Mungo's. She looked at him briefly, lowering her chair to the ground as she continued her search for information that simply wasn't there. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear and bit her lip. He watched her for a moment, and then tore his eyes away, returning them to the book. It was the same one she had found the spell in the previous day. Perhaps she had missed something.

He opened it, absently flipping the pages. His eyes caught the spell and he opened the book, settling back in his chair, propping one booted foot up onto the table. She eyed him for a moment with displeasure but continued to ignore him. His eyes raked the page, nothing useful here. He looked at the ingredients, the procedure, the brief explanation of the spell and it's effects, lesson learned, revelation blah blah. Then he saw it. Down at the bottom of the page was a small footnote, so small in fact he had to lean closer just to read the tiny print.

"For further information on the complications of this spells and the reason for its dangerous reputation consult Wizarding Blunders: Spells that Ought Not Be Meddled with by Carlton Franks." He narrowed his eyes and closed the book.

"I'll be back." He stood, tossing the book onto the table, and before she could question him he had disappeared into the stacks.

"Useless git," she murmured, turning a page. Although she wasn't of much use herself. There simply wasn't anything anywhere about this stupid spell. Nothing useful anyway. There was a brief mention of a man who had become trapped in the world he had created, going slowly insane with every passing day, until finally after twenty years of wandering he had finally come across the answer. His mind was too far gone by then to have it make much difference. The story wasn't in the least bit hopeful. Being stuck here for twenty years with Malfoy was enough to make her want to throw herself off the cliff into the lake. Minutes passed and still he didn't return. Hermione looked at the stack of books on the table, disgusted. Never in her years at Hogwarts had she had so much trouble finding something, and now that it was most important she was useless.

"Malfoy," she called and stood. "Are you still here?" She walked over to the shelves, looking down one row, and then going to another. She knew he was still in the room, that tugging feeling in her gut and the reassurance of this fact in her mind told her that. She just seemed to know where to find him, or where he was generally located. She moved from row to row, finally seeing the boy, his eyes wide, his expression troubled. He was leaning against a shelf, a book opened on one of the ledges, his fingers following the words with desperation.

"Malfoy," she said. He looked up, dropping the book. His mouth opened and closed for a moment and for the first time in all her years there she was standing before a speechless Malfoy. His eyes raked her face for a moment, as if searching for something.

Draco's mind spun, troubled with feelings he couldn't quite place. He looked over her face, searching for a sign that what he had read was true. She did indeed look paler, her eyes a little tired, but he had woken her up rather early that morning, and they had been pouring over a bunch of useless books for the better part of the hour. He prayed that it was just his imagination.

"Are you feeling all right?" he blurted out, taking a step towards her. Hermione looked at him like he was insane.

"Fine," she looked at him. "Are you?" He nodded, running a nervous hand through his hair. He couldn't tell her what he'd found, he could barely believe it himself. He didn't WANT to believe it. He picked up the book, quickly returning it to the shelf.

"What were you reading?" She took a step forward, but he stopped her, blocking her view of the book by grabbing her arm.

"Quidditch strategies," he said hastily. "Look there's nothing here that will help us. Why don't we go find something to do?" Hermione cast a look behind her, but allowed him to drag her out of the library. As they walked, his steps quick, hers struggling to keep up. His expression was an odd one, no longer superior, no longer contemptuous. He looked almost fearful. And every few minutes he would cast a look at her, one of almost searing concern. Something was wrong.

"Malfoy?" She reached to touch the hand that gripped her arm. He ignored her, continuing to drag her along.

"Let's go to Hogsmeade," he was saying. I'm sure we could hitch a ride on one of the carriages, maybe swipe some candy from the shop."

"Malfoy what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with me," he snapped.

"You're hurting me," she said quietly as he continued to drag her along. Immediately his grip lessened, becoming almost gentle, and he placed a hand at the small of her back.

"Is anything wrong with you?" He asked her quickly.

"No, again, I'm fine." She stopped, refusing to go further. "Tell me what's wrong." His eyes caught hers, and she could see the guilt and concern in their depths, the troubled expression on his face. It was the most un-Malfoy thing she had ever seen, completely out of character for him. It was very unnerving.

"Nothing," he said. Hermione knew that he was lying, something WAS wrong, something that had him so worried he was actually being nice to her. His hand went to the small of her back. The urgency in his touch sent a bolt of fear through her. Something was horribly wrong indeed.

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