Chapter 7
The second weekend in December found Hermione, Theo, and Daphne walking around Hogsmeade. "Do I have to get a present for your friends?" Hermione groaned as the trio walked into another store. "Won't it be weird?"
"We are hosting a Christmas party," Theo said. "And as the ones hosting it we give gifts to everyone who is coming, our parents are taking care of the adults and we are taking care of the teens. Last year it was Drake's job, but with his father…" Theo trailed off.
"I still don't understand how his father ended up in Azkaban but ours didn't, he was at the Ministry too." Hermione said. "I should know I was there."
"I think he just got out before Malfoy did." Theo said. "But do not ask him, Drake's still upset about it."
"I honestly wasn't planning on it, he's still stand offish to me. Parkinson is nicer to me than Malfoy is. In fact most of your friends are nicer to me than him." Theo and Daphne shared a look but neither said anything.
"Do you know what you want to wear to Slughorn's party?" Daphne asked, changing the subject.
"Not really, I was hoping you'd help me with that." Hermione told Daphne.
"Of course, are you taking anyone?"
"I wanted to go with Ron, but he was being such a baby about not being part of the Slug Club, so I ended up asking McLaggen." Both Theo and Daphne looked at her in shock.
"McLaggen?" Theo asked. "Cormac McLaggen?" Hermione blushed. "Why didn't you ask me? I would have gone with you."
"I didn't want to take my brother, that's kind of lame." Hermione said.
"I think I have an idea of what you can wear." Daphne said, handing Hermione an emerald green long sleeved off the shoulder sweater with a halter accent and a red pleather mini skirt. Hermione thanked Daphne and went to try it on. "McLaggen, that girl is in for a rough night." Daphne said, shaking her head, to which Theo agreed.
The day of the party had arrived and Hermione was regretting asking McLaggen. Every chance he got he would try and make a move. Thankfully Hermione found a mistletoe that was made by Fred and George, it traps people under it until they receive a kiss. So Hermione managed to get him trapped under one and disappeared. She spoke with Harry and Luna for a little while, before noticing that McLaggen had gotten a kiss so she said goodbye to her friends and joined the crowded part of the party. Eventually she found Ginny and Dean. "Are you having fun?" Hermione asked them.
"We are," Ginny answered. "Are you?"
"Not really, I'm too busy trying to hide from McLaggen. Remind me why I came with him?" Hermione asked her friend as they headed to the drinks.
"Because my brother is an idiot, and you thought it would be lame to come with your brother." Ginny answered. "What was all that with Malfoy and Snape?"
"Who knows, but you know Harry is going to say it was because Malfoy's a Death Eater." Hermione groaned. "You will probably have to hear about it over Christmas break. Feel free to come and escape with me." Hermione looked around her. "I better go before McLaggen finds me, if you see Harry tell him I'll see him after the holidays, I'm supposed to ride with Theo and Daphne so they can explain some rules for the party my family is hosting." With that Hermione left the party, waving goodbye to Luna who stood by herself at a table, with a shake of her head Hermione continued. As she walked down the hall Hermione took a quick glance behind her and groaned, McLaggen had evidently seen her leave. Quicking her pace, Hermione did not see Malfoy until she literally ran into him. "Watch it Granger." Malfoy groaned. "Why are you in such a rush? Shouldn't you be enjoying the party like everyone else?"
"I'm trying to get away from McLaggen, can you help?"
"How could I do that?" Malfoy asked. "You're the one that was stupid enough to ask McLaggen as your date. Theo would have gladly come with you, even Blaise would have come, but you asked McLaggen?"
"Going to a party with my brother is lame, and how do you think people would have reacted to me coming with any other Slytherin? At least McLaggen is from my own house. Will you help me or not?" Malfoy looked up to see McLaggen getting closer.
"Fine, but you have to trust me and not say a word, understand?" Hermione hesitated, quickly going through the pros and cons, before nodding. A second later Malfoy was bending down and giving her a kiss. She almost let out a yelp in shock when she heard McLaggen behind her. "Excuse me." Malfoy broke away and glared at McLaggen. "Do you mind? I was greeting my girlfriend." McLaggen looked slightly confused glancing at the two.
"If she's your girlfriend, why was she my date to the party?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"Because we only started going out, we are not quite ready to make it official, and with our history it would be quite a big thing for the school, don't you think? And she was just telling me how you behaved while together, I suggest you go before I hex you for being on a poor date." McLaggen glared at Malfoy for a second before walking away.
"You didn't have to be that mean." Hermione scolded Malfoy once McLaggen was far enough away. "And was that the only thing you could think of?" Malfoy shrugged. "You do realize that everyone will know you said we were dating by the time we return from Christmas?"
"Eh, we can have a huge fight and you can break up with me in front of the whole school, use it as a chance to get all your anger out over Potter and Weasel, now I have to go see you at the Notts." With that Malfoy walked away, a smirk on his face, leaving behind an annoyed Hermione.
"You look suspiciously happy." Daphne commented as Malfoy walked into the common room and sat on a couch opposite her and Theo. "Did you finally get a decent start on your assignment?"
"No, Filch caught me and Snape yelled at me and offered to help."
"Then why are you in such a good mood?" Theo asked. "You're practically smiling."
"I was able to help a damsel in distress." Malfoy shrugged.
"How Gryffindor of you." Pansy jokes. "Do we know this damsel?" Malfoy just looked at Theo, a look that everyone understood, instantly Theo got up.
"I knew she shouldn't have gone with that creep, what did he do?" Malfoy motioned for him to sit down and Daphne took Theo's hand.
"I honestly have no idea, after my fight with Snape Hermione was rushing down the hall and ran into me, quite literally, and asked for help. Of course I had to give her some crap for inviting McLaggen, but I did what I thought was an excellent idea, I kissed her and told McLaggen we were dating." A few seconds after the sentence was out Malfoy was taken aback by a punch from Theo. "Yup, I knew I was going to get something like that." Malfoy said, standing up. "Do you need to do that again? Or would you have preferred I left her with McLaggen?"
"You just wanted an excuse to kiss her." Theo snarled. "You've liked her since third year and just wanted a reason to try it and have an excuse."
"See, it was a win - win, I finally got to kiss the girl I like and I got to protect my best mate's sister." Daphne forced Theo down beside her.
"How did she react? Should I expect an angry Hermione when I get to the train in the morning?" Daphne asked.
"She was a little annoyed, scolded me about how now everyone is going to think we're actually dating. I told her if they do, we could have a huge fight when we return from Christmas and she could use that as a way to get all her anger about Potter and Weasel out of her system." Daphne groaned and looked at Theo.
"You might want to sit with this idiot on the train, I'm pretty sure I'll have my hands full with an annoyed Hermione and you probably won't be much help."
"It'll sit for a little while," Theo said. "See how she's doing then decide." With that Theo went up to his room.
"Thank you though," Daphne told Malfoy as she started towards her own room. "We never thought she should have gone with McLaggen, but she decided before we knew. Have a good night Drake, be careful when you see her tomorrow on the train, she might not be nice."
The next morning Hermione went into Ginny's dorm early in the morning, after shaking the younger girl up Hermione informed her she would be in the common room. While anxiously awaiting her friend Hermione paced and chewed absent mindley on her thumb. "Okay," Ginny groggily said, walking into the room. "What was so important you woke me up at six in the morning when I was up practically all night with Dean?"
"Malfoy kissed me last night." Ginny froze.
"I must still be asleep, did you just say Malfoy kissed you last night?" The two girls sat on a couch and Hermione told Ginny what happened the night before. "Wow, I wonder how long he's wanted to kiss you?"
"Oh don't be silly." Hermione said. "Why would Malfoy want to kiss me?"
"That was what he thought of to get McLaggen off your back, I'm sure he did that because he wanted to kiss you." Ginny said.
"I doubt it, but I had to tell you before you left for the Burrow, obviously Ron and Harry can't know."
"Of course, can you imagine their reaction?" Ginny laughed.
"Right, well I'm going to go to breakfast then I'm going to the library to get a start on my homework. That and I don't particularly want to be here when Ron and Harry wake up. I'll see you either at the Notts or after the holidays. Have a good Christmas." Hermione gave Ginny a hug.
"You too. I'm going to try and sleep a little longer." With that Ginny went back up to her dorm and Hermione walked out of the common room and down to the Great Hall. She was in the middle of eating when Daphne sat down in front of her. "You do know you're at the Gryffindor table?" Hermione asked her.
"I'll move to the Slytherin table in a minute, Drake told us what happened last night." Hermione sighed.
"How did Theo take it?"
"He punched him, I personally thought it was hilarious, Theo's reaction, how are you though?"
"Shocked, was that really the only option he could think of?" Hermione groaned. "I mean, he's Malfoy, he could have hexed McLaggen or something. Did Theo really punch him?"
"Yup," Daphne said with a nod. "Right in the face. He'll probably have a black eye today." Hermione laughed. "As long as you're not too upset, Theo and I were worried you might be."
"No, I'm just confused, but I'm sure Malfoy and I will have a chance to talk about it over the break."
"Okay, well I'll see you on the train, don't forget we have to go over Pureblood party rules, we don't want you to make mistakes at your first party." With that Daphne got up and walked to the Slytherin table leaving Hermione alone.
The train ride to Kings Cross was fairly normal, Hermione enjoyed learning about different Pureblood rules. Theo alternated between sitting with Daphne and Hermione and sitting with Malfoy and his friends. Upon arriving at Kings Cross the twins went straight to their parents who happily hugged them both and asked how school was going. "I have a question." Hermione looked at her mother. "I don't want to scare my adoptive parents walking up to them looking different, can you put my glamor back on me? Just for today?"
"Of course," Adrianna took out her wand and waved it over Hermione, returning her to the girl from the beginning of the year. "Now let's go meet the couple that raised you." With that the four of them walked through the wall leading to the muggle world, and Hermione instantly found her adoptive parents sitting on a bench reading. "Mum, dad," Hermione said, running up to the couple.
"Hey Pumpkin." Mister Granger said hugging Hermione before switching places with his wife.
"Hello sweetie, how was school?" Miss Granger asked, hugging her daughter.
"Great, may I introduce my biological parents Theodore and Adrianna Nott, and my twin brother Theo." Hermione said. "Mister and Misses Nott, these are my parents, Hank and Jean Granger." The two couples shook hands.
"Thank you so much for inviting us for the holidays." Jean told Adrianna.
"Of course, you raised my daughter, I only wish I could explain how grateful I am that you did that." Adrainna replied. "And we will explain tomorrow why you had to do such a thing, but first let's get home. I'm sure these two are exhausted from the train ride." With that the Notts and Grangers walked out of Kings Cross. "Theodore and I take our car, and you two can follow in yours. We will make some brief stops to make sure you are still behind us."
"Sounds good." Hank said, leading his girls to his car.
"Severus made a good choice." Adrianna told her husband as they walked towards their own car. "Did you see them reading?" Theodore just laughed as he started the car and drove off.