"I'd like to see you over Christmas," he said to her. "Do you think we can do that?"

She chewed her lip lightly as she thought, "Well, I'm starting the holiday with my parents. I'll spend a few days there, then head off to the Burrow to spend time with Harry and Ron and Ron's family."

"The Burrow?" Harry smirked.

"Hush, obviously she...I… whatever, couldn't tell him the truth. Besides didn't we plan on meeting there?"

"I don't remember."

The girl was still speaking, "While I'm with my parents, I could possibly get away for a few hours and meet you somewhere. You won't want to meet in the Wizarding world anyway so that we're not seen together. Would you be okay with meeting somewhere in a muggle Cafe maybe?"

"As long as you're there to help me I'll be fine. When are you going to the Weasleys?"

"My family does presents on Christmas Eve," she said. "I'll be going to meet with Harry and the Weasleys on Christmas Day, at least that's the plan right now."

"So could we meet meet on the 23rd?"

"How will you get away?"

"Oh that'll be easy enough. I'll just tell my mother and Lucius that I'm running to Diagon Alley to pick up a few last-minute gifts. I'll stop there too just to be sure I'm seen by someone there. I could always meet with Blaise or Theo first before I meet you."

"So we need to meet somewhere close," she said. "Close enough that you can walk and get there without taking too long, but far enough away that any witch or wizard that happens to be in the Muggle World won't see us together. I suppose I could always meet you somewhere and take you on the Underground to some place a stop or two away."

"Whatever you think will work best."

"Let me think about it for a bit, and I'll give you a location to meet me you just tell me what time."

"What time of day would we be the least noticed?"

"On the 23rd?" She laughed, "Nearly any time I would think. However, if we want to be able to actually hear each other I'd suggest a little after lunch time."

"So maybe around 1?"

"That sounds good."

"I'll let you know where to meet me before we get on the train."

The next memory found them in what appeared to be the arithmancy classroom. It was very short, just long enough for the two adults to see the two teens swap a small piece of parchment. Neither could get a glance at it, but we're both sure it was the place where the young lovebirds were going to meet on their break.

The Leaky Cauldron materialized around them and they saw the bright blond head of Draco standing with a nervous look on his face in the hallway that led back to the entrance to Diagon. He peered into the room and he pulled at his robes looking down at them questioningly. His face lit up when he saw young Hermione walking towards him. She said not a word, merely dropped a bag in front of him as she stepped into the ladies room. He picked up the bag and looked inside then stepped into the men's room.

Not long after young Hermione came out of the ladies' room and walked straight out of the Leaky. It was only a few moments later that Draco did the same walking with is chin down the whole way. The older two followed him. They walked three blocks north, turned to the right, and walked an additional two blocks, then ducked into a small alley. As he walked down the street from the Leaky Draco had removed his robe rolled it up and put it in the bag Hermione had dropped at his feet. Underneath the robe he had been wearing a pair of dark denims with a white button down shirt and a navy blazer. When he reached the corner and met bushy hair girl she gestured to take the bag from him and added it to the one she was carrying then held out her hand. He entwined his fingers with hers. They walked another two blocks to a small tea shop peering in before they entered. They took a table in the back corner of the room where they could see the door and everyone who entered or exited.

When a waitress had come by and taken their order for tea and biscuits Draco relaxed a bit leaned over and gave Hermione a quick kiss before sitting back in his chair.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"I hadn't really thought this through fully when I suggested it. I hadn't thought about how I would look entering another world dressed the way we do. I hadn't thought that someone might see me leave the Leaky."

"Do you think you were seen?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I wasn't looking. I was just trying to get out of there quickly."

She placed her hand on his forearm, "I wouldn't worry about it too much. It was very busy in there but most everyone was looking at their own things. This time of year everyone's worried about themselves and their shopping. If you're worried about being seen and it getting back to your parents before you go back in, we could always cast a quick charm to change your hair color."

"You know how to do that?"

"I haven't tried it," she replied, "but I know the theory and the incantation. We can try it before you go back through the Leaky."

"No offense but…" he trailed off.

"What if I get it wrong?"

"Not that I think you would, but what if I couldn't reverse it? I don't want to have to explain it to my parents."

"I'll try it myself first," she offered. "It's not completely unheard of for Muggles to have crazy colored hair. My parents will be wondering why it took so long for me to have a teenage rebellion, that or they'll just think I made a mistake trying something new."

"I don't want to ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask; I offered."

The waitress approached with their order. Each took a biscuit from the plate and a sip of their tea.

"Wait," Draco said, "we can't do the charm."

"Why?" She asked, "no, wait, that was so obvious. We're on a school break and not in a place where that would go unnoticed. The Ministry would have a fit, Harry is proof of that, twice now they've gotten on to him."

"Speaking of Potter, he and the Weasleys disappeared right before break. Is everything alright?"

"I don't know for sure. I think so, but something happened. Don't ask me what, I don't know."

"And if you did, you wouldn't tell me," he guessed.

"Maybe, maybe not, it would depend on what it was about," she replied honestly.

He nodded, "I can respect that. So how has your break been so far? You didn't have to sit alone on the train did you? You know I'd come sit with you if I could."

She patted his hand, "I know you would. When I sat in the cabin I had Luna and Neville to keep me company, but with Ron not there I did more rounds of the train to cover his prefect duties as well as my own. You know you really should do more yourself," she scolded lightly.

"I know, maybe on the way back we can schedule our duties at the same time. I've heard there is a small closet in the third car that's empty," he nuzzled her neck.

"Draco," she pulled away, "stop."

"Yes please," said Harry hopping away from the hand that flew in at his arm.

"What?" he asked, "Do you know any of these people?"

"No, but it's just not right and it's a good way to draw attention to us. It's not like it's Valentine's Day and everyone is doing it."

"Okay fine, but you're going to meet me on the train right?"

Her cheeks turned a dark crimson but she attempted to answer flippantly, "Well I suppose if I can't find anything else to do I just might find myself wandering the halls checking out all of the compartments and other doors and who knows what I would find and need to investigate."

"That's my girl," he smirked taking a big bite of a stocking shaped biscuit and getting red icing all over his mouth.

She began giggling and quickly passed him a napkin and the compact mirror from her purse, "How has it been at your house?"

"Mother is pretending nothing has changed and treating Christmas as we always have though the ball tomorrow night will be smaller and I worry about who will show up. I know Blaise, Pansy, and Theo will be there to keep me company but I wish you could be there."

"If things were different I'd be with you in a heartbeat but we both know it isn't safe."

"So why do we keep doing this? Why do we keep seeing each other when it's not safe? When it's such a bad idea?"

"Because neither of us is the type to let others dictate what we can or can't do if we disagree with their choices. We're fighting back in our own way, and with everything happening we refuse to give up something that makes us happy," she answered.

"Really I'm just too selfish," he replied, "if I weren't I'd never have made a move towards you. We could both wind up dead for this, for just being an us."

"It hasn't come to anything that bad yet," she protested. "It might not ever come to that."

"You don't really believe that," he said. "We both know it happened that way last time and it looks like it's headed that way again."

She frowned, "Maybe something will happen and it will all end before the body count gets any higher."

He put his arms around her and pulled her close, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't mean to bring us down. We've been having such a nice time."

"It's not your fault," she reassured him as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I asked the question. Let's just agree to focus on now, one day at a time and enjoy every chance we get to be together."

"Good plan," he kissed her cheek. "Oh! I have something for you, just a second."

He reached for the bag holding his robe and carefully rummaged through it finally pulling out a small white box with a red and green bow on top.

"You didn't have to get me anything," she said, "but I also have something for you."

She pulled a small wrapped package from her bag and passed it over to him.

"You first," he said.

She laughed and suggested, "How about we open them at the same time."

He tore the paper while she lifted the lid of the box.

"Oh Draco. It's beautiful, it's too much though."

"Nonsense, it's really not much at all," he said putting down his present and lifting the chain from the small box she was holding, as he fastened it around her neck the other two could see that it was a gold chain with a small oval sapphire pendant surrounded by tiny diamond chips. "I hope you like sapphires. I thought it was appropriate as it's your birthstone."

"I love it! Thank you!" she kissed him seeming to forget that it was she who had told him that they shouldn't be doing that here. "Now finish opening yours."

He pulled the rest of the paper off and held in his hand a thin book, "William Shakespeare? That name sounds familiar."

"He is one of the most famous writers in the world, long dead mind you, but still incredibly popular."

"How long? Was it before the Statute?"

"Yes."

"And he's from here, from the UK right?"

"Yes."

"Ok so that's why I've heard of him. I think Mother may have a volume of his writing somewhere or maybe it was Blaise's mother that had it. I know I've seen the name before. So what is this book exactly?"

"This is a collection of some of his sonnets, poetry. He also wrote a number of plays that are still performed today but I couldn't decide which one would be best to introduce you to his writing. This seemed a better start. If you can't take it home, I understand. I can hold it for you until we're back at school," she said.

"No," he said quickly, "I have just the place to put this. Thank you!"

Hermione looked at her watch, "We should probably be going."

"What time is it?" Draco asked.

"2:30," she answered.

"I hate to do it, but you're right."

Hermione signaled for the waitress. They asked for the check when it came she pulled out the money to pay the bill. Draco protested but she told him if he was really concerned he could pay her back later. She'd tell him what the exchange rate was, but she really wasn't worried about it. This time could be her treat. They gather their things and headed for the door. As they walked away down the sidewalk hand in hand the mists rose again.

"So," he began. "Any of that ring any bells? Any of it familiar?"

"I wish it were," she said. "Absolutely none of that is here in my head."

"Somehow I didn't think you'd have any of those memories simply modified. I figured they'd all be gone. Were you able to hear her thoughts at all?"

Hermione shook her head and commented, "It seems odd to refer to the girl we see as her when we know it's me."

"It does, but I don't know what else to 's like watching a movie. It's you but it's not. It doesn't seem right to say you when we're talking about that version of you. She or her just makes more sense."

"No I know," she said. "I know it's me but it's so odd. I think I'm going to take some time and just think about everything we just watched. I'm guessing the next time will be the rest of fifth year."

"He originally planned on sending the whole year at once but decided it was too much so I think the rest of the year should be next, though he could change his mind. Maybe he'll think of something else that could cause a reaction in your head, a memory with all of us in it again. "

"I don't know," she said. "I'd really rather just keep going and finish the year. I think it would make more sense."

"It might, it seems that that's the year that you had the most memories of him so it's the one that had the most removed. Before you disappear, I have something here for you something of yours and something from Draco."

He gave her a small roll of parchment. Inside was the necklace they had seen her younger self receive only a few minutes before and written on the parchment were three words: Remember me, Hermione