A/N: Yay! People like the story!

Enjoy!

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II. Christmas

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"Happy Christmas, Harry," Hermione laughed playfully as she came down the stairs. Ron and Draco were there as well, all surrounding the festive tree. Draco looked up at her and shied away from the lights to a chair in the corner. Three bloody months had passed and he still was embarrassed from the awkward attempt to kiss her. She hadn't mentioned it which made him wonder if she had even realised his actions.

"Happy Christmas, Ron," she smiled, and then sat next to him, lacing her fingers with his. They were still together, much to Draco's disgust. Maybe she wasn't as smart as she seemed, he mused.

The trio ignored him as they set to looking at the tree and all the gifts scattered beneath it. A few minutes later, the rest of the Weasleys made their way into the living room. Mrs Weasley acted as 'Santa,' passing out gifts to everyone in attendance. Mr Weasley's gifts were silently placed aside so that he could open them whenever he returned from his station at the Ministry. He hadn't been to the Burrow but twice since Draco had moved in.

Draco watched as everyone ripped open their gifts from each other. He hadn't received anything—which didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was that as he headed up the stairs to get away from the commotion that excluded him, Mrs Weasley's voice called his name, sounding confused. He stopped on the stairs and turned to look at them. Mrs Weasley was holding up a small package, extended towards him.

"For me?" he asked dumbly.

Mrs Weasley checked the tag. "You are Draco Malfoy, are you not?" she asked sarcastically, but with humour.

Draco took the box from her and nodded in appreciation. There was no mark indicating who it as from, so he hurried up the stairs to open it in peace.

The box was wrapped in silver paper and had a green ribbon tied around the outside of it. Once he was on his bed, Draco removed the ribbon and opened the box. Laying inside was a gold pendant. Draco picked it up and examined the engravings. There was a dragon with a ruby eye, and along the circumference there was a message.

Draco Dormeins, he muttered as he read the Latin marks. He flipped over the gold coin and smirked at the words on the back. Happy Christmas, Draco. And then, engraved in her smooth cursive was her signature. "Hermione," he whispered and smiled in spite of himself.

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Hermione was leaving to visit her parents for the day when Draco returned downstairs. She gave him a shy smile goodbye and he raised his hand in a return farewell before she left the Burrow with her guard, Remus Lupin.

Avoiding the hateful glares of Potter and Weasley, Draco stole away to his room. He would wait until she returned to properly thank her. She returned, however, much sooner than anyone had expected.

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When she returned to the Burrow, it seemed to the ones who had seen her arrive that Remus had apparated back while holding her, instead of each apparating separately. Hermione was silently crying with a look of shock plastered on her face. Remus was keeping everyone else away while he made Hermione comfortable on the couch. Her face was wet with tears—but blank as Remus explained.

"You've only been gone five minutes!" Molly exclaimed when she entered the living room, not having seen Hermione on the couch.

Remus quieted her. "I know…there was…" he shot a look to Hermione. "Let's go in the other room," he suggested.

When they had left the girl alone, Remus explained what had happened to Molly, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and the twins.

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"You've only been gone five minutes!" Draco heard Molly shout. He headed down so that he could properly thank her for the gift. When he got downstairs, it was deserted.

"Her—er—Granger?" he called quietly, not wanting to attract the others attentions. He heard someone sniffle from the couch so he went over to inspect. It was her.

"Granger? What's wrong?" he kneeled down by her and waited for her to talk to him. She blinked back her remaining tears and wiped her sleeve along her nose. "Granger?"

"The Dark Mark…" she whispered. "It was over their house…"

Draco shook his head. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. "I wish I could help you somehow."

"Let me use your pensieve?" she asked.

Draco looked at her to see if she was serious. "You won't forget," he reminded her.

She sat up and wiped the stray tears from her long lashes. "I don't want to, I can't forget. I just need to dampen the memory." She was begging him with her eyes. "Please, Draco."

"Of course," he nodded and took her hand to lead her up the stairs.

Suddenly Hermione pulled her hand away and stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he turned around to face her.

"I'm dizzy," she replied. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was tilting to one side. Draco's arm automatically shot out to catch her right as she lost her balance. "Thanks," she murmured as she tried to stand straight again.

"Oh no," Draco laughed. "We'll see to that pensieve when you can walk." He lifted her off of her feet to carry her back to the couch.

"Thank you," he said softly when he reached the couch.

"For what?"

"The gift. It meant a lot."

Hermione blushed. "I wanted you to know you weren't alone."

"I'm not," he admitted. He would have liked to have added how having her in his arms made it the best Christmas ever but he wasn't in Slytherin for his courage. That, and the rest of the Burrow entered at that moment.

"Malfoy, drop Hermione," Harry shouted.

"What nice friends, Granger," Draco smirked. "As long as you don't mind, I think I'll just set you down." When he was away from Hermione he felt a binding spell set on him.

"What the hell?"

"Accio wand!" Harry shouted. Draco's wand flew out of his pocket and into Harry's hand.

"What's going on Potter?"

"Harry! What are you doing?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

"We heard what happened, Hermione," Ron explained. "There's one obvious answer!"

"You think I—" Draco started.

"Who else, Malfoy?" Ron accused angrily. "Who else would call such a vicious attack? Someone with an obvious dislike for muggle-borns! That's who!"

"Or perhaps a Death Eater?" Draco shot back. "It was their bloody mark!"

Harry sent a spell to Draco that somehow pushed his sleeve up to reveal the red tattoo.

"Perhaps you've forgotten, Malfoy. It's your mark now, too," Harry sneered quietly.

"I haven't forgotten, Potter," Draco growled. "I daresay I never will."

"Stop it!" Hermione screeched as she unwillingly looked at the Dark Mark. "Just stop!" She glared at Ron and Harry. "I'm about fed up with you two jumping to conclusions over Malfoy! It was my parents, my parents, who were killed and you don't see me lunging at the nearest Death Eater that I see! Just stop it!" She began to sob and quickly escaped the room.

Draco, still bound, waited for Weasley and Potter to decide their next move. Finally Harry faced Draco with a glare.

"I told you that I would kill you if you ever double-crossed us. Don't forget that." The spell lifted and Ron tossed Draco back his wand.

Not trusting himself to say anything, Draco sauntered back to his room. When he got there he fell on his bed and sighed. He pulled out the pendant he had tied onto the green ribbon and ran his fingers over the engravings. She had called him a Death Eater. That was all she thought of him; perhaps that was all he was.

A/N: Amber wants me to tell everyone that on Sunday she will be 17. She will finally be able to legally write our M rated stories!

Lemons and Sporks!

Brittany and Amber