Disclaimer: Huh? What do you mean I don't own any of this? What? Not even the songs "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" are mine?

Warnings: AU and sap overload. ENJOY!

The walk back was a very short one. Their minds were reeling so fast that they didn't pay attention to how they got back to the Head's common room. Draco was troubled to say the least.

It felt nice to hold her and smell the faint scent of her shampoo. He knew the instant that she had embraced him that he loved her. He had come to terms with that. He was swimming with emotions that just felt so new and exciting. He was happy. He didn't want to be anywhere else at that moment.

What troubled him was that he knew that he could not be with her. She deserved so much more than him. He couldn't make her happy. They were too different and he knew that that would never change. They would never change. He felt sick to his stomach. He felt something creep back on to him. Loneliness and emptiness consumed his thoughts about life with out her.

"Break, break, break,

Oh thy cold gray stones, O Sea.

And would that my tongue could utter

The thoughts that arise in me...

But the tender grace of a day that is dead

Will never come back to me."

He soon found that they were sitting together at a comfortable distance on the couch in the dorm, staring at a lovely fire.

The room was beautiful. The moon was now shinning in through a window and mingled with the lights of the Christmas tree in the corner, and the flickering light of the fireplace. Their forgotten food laid...forgotten.

He looked down at the black leather bag that graced his feet. He reached down and picked it up.

"Here. This is yours." He said.

"When did you get this?" She asked.

"I snuck out of the book store while you were in the back."

"Cheeky bastard." She grinned as she took the soft bag from his hands.

There was a knock at the door. Annoyed, Draco got up.

"Don't open it yet. I really want to see your face when you do."

She nodded as she looked over the bag. It felt heavy. She wondered what was in it.

She heard some mumbling coming from the portrait. She waited patiently, looking at the fire and feeling very happy indeed.

"Turn the bag around." He said softly into her ear. She closed her eyes at the feeling of the wonderful goose bumps that went down her neck and spine. She opened her eyes to look at the gift and turned it.

As she did, she saw a beautifully embroidered seal. A figure of a serpent loosely coiled around the body a beautiful lion, which were facing each other. The lion with it's mouth open in a great mighty roar, and the snake with it's forked tongue tasting the air. It shimmered with the light of the fire. Underneath the seal in Slytherin green and Gryfinndor gold it read,

"Regret Nothing." She said in the smallest of whispers.

He grinned. He had taken her words away from her, as she had done to him.

"There are carolers at the door, they're going to sing for a bit. Open the bag." He urged her as he resumed his seat.

Outside, Ron and Harry were joined with Lavander, Parvati, Dean and Seamus. They cleared their throats.

"O holy night

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth…"

She slowly opened it. She reached inside and pulled out a small camera. She looked wide-eyed at it.

"This way, you'll always have something of Hogwarts to take with you when we're through here. You won't have to forget anything about this place."

No words came to her. The only thing she could think about was… She leaned forward and gently kissed his lips.

"…Fall on your knees

O hear the angel voices…"

It was a soft and tender kiss. There was no smoldering, unbridled passion or lust, just pure love and tenderness. It was breath taking.

They pulled apart when the song ended. He felt worse than ever. He needed to hold himself together for what he was going to kill himself for doing. Break her heart.

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He buried his face in her shoulder as she held him. He smelled the same feminine scent that hung around her. He wasn't crying. But he was shaking as if cold…

"Draco?" She had never said his name before.

Outside, the group began a new song.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight…"

"Draco, what's wrong?" No answer. "Draco-"

"Do you love me?" He said, his voice shaking, as he still was.

"…Next year all our troubles will be miles away…"

She was too shocked to answer. She held him closer. He in turn clutched on to her harder. She felt she knew why he was doing this. He was letting her go. It hurt too much to answer.

"…Faithful friends who were dear to us

Gather near to us once more

Someday soon we all will be together

If the fates allow …"

"Answer me. Please I need to know…"

"It would hurt too much to say." Silent tears were threatening her pretty face.

He broke out of their embrace to look at her.

"…Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow…"

"Yes." She said. He kissed the top of her head.

"…So have yourself a merry little Christmas now."

"Please Draco. Don't do this." She pleaded, taking in everything about him she could. His cologne, the feel of his arms around her, the feel of his lips. This would be the last time she would ever feel him holding her.

"We have to. You know that."

"But…"

"I can't make you happy. We wouldn't work. You must understand that." He said pulling her back to him.

"So this is Christmas

And what have you done

Another year over

And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear ones

The old and the young…"

"Let's spend the rest of the time we have here. Just like this." She said as tears broke through and showered her face. The truth was, she knew he was right. It killed her but, it was the truth.

She snuggled up close to him again and laid her head on his chest. He held her.

"…A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear…"

She wanted to remember today. She didn't regret anything about today. Deep inside, underneath her sadness, which was deep, she was happy. She had done something wonderful. She let him know that he was loved and cared for. How could she not be happy?

She pulled herself out of his loving grasp and pulled out the camera and loaded it with the film. Tears running…

"…And so this is Christmas (War is over)

For weak and for strong

For rich and the poor ones (War is over)

The world is so wrong…"

She shakily got on her feet and walked over to the mantle of the fireplace. She aimed the camera at the couch, set the self-timer, placed it on the mantle and walked back.

They held each other as the carolers continued singing.

"…And so Happy Christmas (War is over)

For black and for white

For yellow and red ones (War is over)

Let's stop all the fight…"

"I love you." She whispered into his shoulder over and over again.

"I know Hermione." He whispered into her neck as he gently kissed it.

"…A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear…"

The camera shutter clicked.

A/N: Cry, sniff, heartbreak. I can't tell you guys what a thrill it has been to write my very first completed story, and to actually be happy with most of it. The ending was a bit sad I know, but read the "Long Answers" section to know why. It explains most everything in it. I really hope I didn't kill the Christmas spirit now. I feel horrible for ending it this way, but I feel like this is the most believable way. You are more than welcome to flame me for it too. Do you guys want the epilogue? Please review! I've gotten almost 2,000 reads and not even 30 reviews! Credit for the seal on the bag actually goes to the author of "Deceptions." In that story, Hermione's House pin, has been changed to show a snake around the lion. I thought it was a great idea, so...