They landed near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, out of breath from their sprint. Snape placed the portkey into his pocket before smoothing out his robes. Hermione, panting, clung to Draco's side as they slowly started toward the castle. The potions master paused at the door to wait for the two battered teens to catch up before quickly leading them down the hallway. Hermione sent Draco a worried look before they stepped through the massive doorway. She looked around, confused. She had been expecting the hallway to be filled with students and yet it was deserted. Draco pulled her closer to himself as they hurried to keep up with the professor. They continued down the empty hallways, the only sound being their footsteps echoing against the old stone. A cold breeze drafted by sending shivers up Hermione's spine. Hermione glanced at a clock in one the classrooms, void of people, that they passed. 11 o'clock, classes should be letting out in another fifteen minutes for lunch, providing that it was a weekday and not a weekend. She tried to remember just how long they had been captured but she soon lost track She shivered again, but not because of the cold this time. Draco held her even closer as they made their way through the school that was eerily empty. By this time, Snape had gotten quite far ahead of them. Hermione looked around for him and felt her stomach knot up. 'Where did he go?'

"Draco." she called out in a whisper. Her voice ricocheted off the walls, magnifying it. She cringed at the loudness.

"Yea?" came his equally loud response.

"W, what happened to Snape?" Draco looked down at her with an odd expression.

"What do you mean, he's right," He looked up. "Oh." Draco stopped and stared at the spot that his godfather should have been. "Well, er, that's odd."

"Draco,"

"Hmm?"

"I'm scared." Draco turned Hermione so that she was facing him and wrapped both arms around her. "Where is everyone?" she said, muffled by his shirt.

"I don't know. Maybe we should keep walking, someone has to be here." Hermione nodded and pulled herself away from Draco's embrace. They started on down the hallway in the direction that they had last seen the Slytherin head of house. They rounded yet another corner, with still no sight of anyone.

"Where could he have gone?" Hermione whispered. Draco just shook his head and reached for her hand. One of the portraits looked up as they passed and watched them with interest, but never spoke out. Hermione eyed them warily. "Maybe we should ask a portrait where all the students are." She started to drift off towards the nearest one, dragging Draco along with her.

"Hermione, don't bother. They won't have anything to say but to ramble on about their past as if anyone cares. Come,"

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Black, I would have thought you two could manage such a simple task as to keep up." Hermione whipped her head around at the sound of Snape's voice.

"Sir, we just"

"Save it, Miss Black. The headmaster awaits. I would advise you to not fall behind again because I certainly will not come back after you again." With that the Slytherin turned on his heel, robes billowing after him as he quickly walked through the halls. Hermione and Draco speeded after him. "Reece's" The gargoyle jumped away from his post as the muggle sweet was called out. They hurried up the stairs to the headmaster's office.

"Ah, Severus, it is good to see you back and in one piece. Mr. Malfoy, Miss Black, how do you fare?"

"Well, we've been better." Draco sneered as Hermione sent him a warning look.

"Just fine now, thank you, Headmaster."

"I trust that you did not have too hard of a time then, Severus?"

"Oh, no trouble at all, just you know, being chased off the property by a hoard of anger deatheaters shooting spells at our backs." the snarky potions professor replied with an heir of indifference.

"Yes, yes, no more than could be expected." Dumbledore nodded his head. "So are you two up to telling your story or would you rather wait?"

"Well, sir, I suppose it would be easier to just get it over with now." With a sigh the two teens started on their tale.

Some time later, as the night drew in they finally ended, both weary and looking forward to a nice long shower and an even longer sleep.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Black. I suggest you head to your rooms now. Rest assured, you are safe now." They shook their heads and walked to the door. Draco reached for the doorknob just as Hermione turned back to face the elder men.

"Excuse me, Sir, but where are the other students? We noticed that their was no one here on our way to your office." Dumbledore stood up with a twinkle in his eye.

"Do you have any idea just how long the two of you were captured?" With a shake of their head the headmaster continued on. "The other students all went home for Christmas break, no one remained because of the attack. To be more exact, today is Christmas eve." Hermione stood with her mouth agape.

"But, but what about Harry? Surely he wouldn't have returned to his aunt and uncle even with the threat!"

"Oh, no, he is staying with the Weasleys." Hermione shook her head slowly and turned to follow Draco out the door. As the door closed shut a call of "Merry Christmas" came through. The couple walked back to their room in silence, neither knowing what to say.

Hermione walked into her room and threw herself onto the bed. She sighed contently as she felt the soft feather mattress under her. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, taking in her home away from home. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed Hogwarts while she had been captive. She breathed in, smiling at the fresh clean scent of her room, which reminded her of just how badly she needed a shower. She rolled herself off the bed and onto her feet. She slowly made her way over to the dresser, grabbing the first pair of clean clothes she had seen in probably weeks. She kicked off her dirt streaked tattered shoes and walked into the bathroom.

She dropped her pajamas onto the counter and looked up into the mirror. Her hair was now even frizzier than it had ever been when she was younger and now had streaks of dirt running through it. Her face was smeared and her clothes definitely had no hope of ever being cleaned enough to wear again. She tore away at the torn cloth and stepped into the shower.

She closed the door behind her as she existed the bathroom, smelling of vanilla. She looked at the clock to realize that her shower had lasted for an entire hour. She ran a hand through her hair, thinking about just how much better that hour had made her feel. She curled up in her bed and drifted off to a restful sleep.

She awoke the next morning to a pair of silver eyes. She jumped as the form above her laughed.

"Good morning, Herm." Draco called softly.

"Morning." she sleepily replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come greet my girlfriend on Christmas morning?" he sulked.

"Well, yea, but do you have any idea how freaky it is to wake up and see someone staring at you?"

"I was not staring."

"Were too."

"Was not!"

"Were too now end of discussion, get off."

"No I don't think I will." he smirked at her.

"Brat, get off of me!"

"I'm not a brat!"

"You are too, now move!"

"Why should I?"

"Cuz I said so." Hermione stuck her tongue out and pushed her boyfriend off the bed. He landed with a loud "thunk" on the floor.

"Ow…"

"You deserved that." Hermione jumped off the bed and rushed into the bathroom before Draco could chase after her. She reemerged a few minutes later with her teeth brushed and her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail to keep it out of her face. Draco sat in the middle of the bed watching her slowly cross the room. She crawled up on the bed and laid her head against his chest. "Mmm, Merry Christmas, Draco." He wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey, Herm."

"Hmm?"

"I got you something." She looked up confused.

"But, how?"

"I got it in Hogsmead before the…" he trailed off knowing that she knew what he was referring to. He pulled a box out from his pocket and handed it to her. She carefully took the gift from his hands and slowly lifted the lid. She gasped as she pulled out a hand crafted necklace and pendent. The pendent was in the shape of a flying dragon, the dragon being inlaid with emerald and the wings with sapphire. She held it up so that it caught the light.

"Oh, Draco, it's beautiful! I love it!" She flung her arms around his neck and gripped him in a crushing hug. She pulled back with a troubled look.

"But I don't have anything to give you." Draco pulled her closer and unclasped the necklace and put it around her neck.

"You've given me more than I could ever ask for already, Hermione." he whispered in her ear before pulling her into an intense kiss.

AN hey there! yea yea I know, it's short.... :( I am so sorry it took me this long to get it out! I'm sure some of you thought I'd given up:S I was swamped with school and friends and I seemed to have something going on every weekend! And plus it didn't help that I was grounded from the computer several times and had a major case of writers block :( Sorry! But there we go! finally Christmas :) So tell me what ya think, am I moving to fast? to slow? to much goin on, not enough? what!?!?! I need some feedback people! And any ideas on what to do next would be really really great! I have no idea what's gonna happen :P

OKAY, to my fantastic reviewers! thank you thank you thank you! :D

zeldarose: um, they didn't apparate cuz I'm just kinda assuming there are wards on the grounds and plus Herm and Draco haven't had the test to apparate yet... they do get that in 7th year don't they?

timra: mmk, yep poor Snape blew his cover so no more spying for him :S but I think I have a twist that will make up for his lose of recieving info, you'll just hafta wait and see ;)

tollehousecookie and FreckledIrishMaiden: I think I need to make a special award for the two of you! You guys are deffinately the best reveiewers I've ever had! I love you guys! :D

and now to everyone else that has reviewed, im sorry I don't have time to list all of you but thank you all so much! You guys are what keeps me goin! LOVE YA! :D

and now to the rest of ya who have read this and have yet to review, HELLO! a little input would be nice... I want to hear what you all have to say! I need to make sure I'm not just wasting my time with this cuz I could think of a lot of stuff I could be, and should be, doing instead. So please please please tell me what you think, I don't care if it's "hey yea so I reviewed keep going." just something... hell, flame me if ya want! just something to let me know what's going on out there! You all should be thanking the reviewers I have, if it weren't for them I would have quit back at the first chapter! don't doubt me... that's what happened to my other story, Nagrom. btw... I don't know if one of you were the one to read send me a review a few weeks back but you were the first one I got on that beside's one from my friend and I've had that posted for prolly over 5 months now, just to let you know if you are reading this, I am NOT continuing Nagrom, I let it go for to long for me to pick the story line back up. I'm working on deleting it soon.

Hey, I think this is my longest author note yet... yay! er, well mayb not... im sure you all are getting mad at me for going on and on and on and on... and yea :S anyway, i can't promise another chapter anytime real soon but I will really try to not take this long again! :) thanks for putting up with me! :D