Hello all, sorry that it has taken so long to update but i've just been so busy that i haven't had to oportunity until now to actually sit at my computer and write. The next chapter, hopefully won't take so long to get out and will have more Dramione action for all those readers patiently waiting for them to get together.

I can't believe how popular this story has become, over 350 reviews, i'm humbled and appreciative of all the reviews and the readers that enjoy reading my story.

To all those that have asked, No this story is not abandoned and never will be, i will complete it, it may take a while but it will be finished never fear.

Typical disclaimer, i own nothing to do with Harry Potter.

Thankyou to all who have continued to read this story as well as my others i thank you and will endeavor to update quicker from now on.

Thankyou

Angelrider93

Chapter Seventeen: Christmas Eve: Part 2

Severus Snape didn't know what he expected to see as he flooed into the sitting room at Malfoy Manor that night. All he knew that it wasn't the sight that graced his eyes as he straightened and dusted himself off. Narcissa and Hermione were standing in the middle of the room attempting to control their laughter as they tried to direct a huge Christmas tree that seemed to have sprouted four legs into a corner near the huge bay window. Hearing the floo roaring behind him, Snape stepped out of the way and nodded in greeting to Blaise as the teenager stepped out of the fireplace and brushed the soot off his robes.

"No, Draco you have to step to the left, its still too far from the window" Hermione directed as she struggled to hold in a laugh. The tree hesitated for a second and mumbling could be heard from the branches before Draco's voice called out.

"Who's left Mia? Yours or ours?"

"Mine" Hermione replied.

"That means our right then" Draco could be heard saying to the other person in the tree.

"Tell me again why you wouldn't let me levitate this thing into position" Lucius demanded as he and Draco moved the tree towards the window.

"Because just for curiosity's sake I wanted to experience how the muggles do it" Narcissa answered her husband.

"Then why aren't you the one in the tree?" Lucius replied as he and Draco finally set the tree down in the correct spot and waited for the two witches to secure it with their wands.

"Because you two had to find the biggest tree that you could, I wouldn't have a hippogriffs chance at moving it manually" Narcissa responded. "Besides its too much fun watching you two trying to work together to move it" she added. Blaise and Snape glanced at each other, Blaise grinning in amusement and Snape smirking.

"Next year I'm levitating it" Lucius stated as he and Draco emerged from the tree. Narcissa, Hermione and Blaise all burst into laughter at the sight of the two male Malfoys. They each had fronds and twigs sticking out of their hair and both were looking quite ruffled. Draco, upon hearing the male laughter, turned to his best friend.

"How long have you been there Blaise?"

"Long enough" Blaise answered with a grin.

"Hello Blaise, Severus" Narcissa greeted as she helped Lucius pick the debris out of his hair.

"Narcissa" Snape greeted.

"Hi Narcissa" Blaise grinned. "Thankyou for having me over for Christmas" he added.

"You're welcome Blaise" Narcissa replied as Dusty arrived to take Blaise's trunk up to his room. "Your room is next to Draco's, Blaise, and Severus, you're in the green guest room" She added as Ziggy grasped the small trunk that Snape took out of his pocket and enlarged. Snape inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Hi Blaise, Professor" Hermione chirped as she walked over to Draco and began to pluck the twigs from his hair.

"Hey Hermione" Blaise grinned as he watched her motion to Draco to turn around and begin to brush off his back when he did so.

"Miss Granger" Snape replied stiffly, as he watched the interaction between her and his godson with barely concealed curiosity. Hermione finished brushing Draco's back off and smirking, slapped him sharply on the butt.

"Oww! Hey! What was that for Mia?" Draco exclaimed as he turned around to face the brunette behind him.

"No reason really, it was just too tempting an opportunity to pass up" Hermione replied with a smug smile. Draco scowled at her.

"Just you wait, I'll get you back when you least expect it Mia" he retorted. Blaise, Lucius and Narcissa all chuckled while Snape smirked. Ziggy arrived to inform everyone that dinner was ready and they all headed towards the dining room.

"So Severus, what did Albus say when you told him that you were coming here for Christmas?" Lucius asked with a grin halfway through dinner. Snape scowled at Lucius.

"The old coot had quite a lot to say about it, mostly at my expense" Snape replied.

"I'll bet he did, he certainly enjoys making a joke" Lucius replied with a chuckle.

"Yes well, I blame you entirely Lucius. Merlin! Did you have to send the owl care of Albus? I know that you did it on purpose!" Snape replied with a scowl.

"Consider it payback for all the times you taunted me while I was trying to capture Narcissa's interest in school" Lucius smirked.

"But that was actually funny! It was however, not funny, that you wrote your letter like a simpering fool asking me to please grace you with the pleasure of my company for a Christmas dedicated to family and togetherness! Albus had a field day!" Snape scowled.

"Lucius you didn't!" Narcissa giggled. Lucius grinned at his wife.

"I did indeed, oh how I wish I was a fly on the wall when Albus got that owl and informed you Sev"

"Laugh it up Lucius, just don't come crying to me next time you're in the doghouse with Narcissa, and end up with pink and purple striped hair again!" Snape sniffed haughtily. Lucius flushed pink, while Draco and Narcissa laughed gleefully. Blaise and Hermione glanced at each other in confusion before Hermione turned to Draco.

"Care to inform us lesser mortals as to what's so funny?" Draco was unable to control his laughter so Narcissa replied in his place.

"When we were in Hogwarts, Lucius and I didn't get along well, as you know. Well one year he caught me under Dumbledore's enchanted mistletoe and kissed me. Once I managed to escape, I hexed him so that his hair was bright pink with purple stripes! It took Severus over a week to brew the potion to return his hair to its normal colour, so now, whenever I'm angry at him, I hex his hair that colour" Hermione and Blaise joined in the laughter as Lucius grumbled under his breath.

After dinner the six of them moved to the sitting room and began to decorate the tree. Lucius and Severus were working at the back, exchanging banter and picking on each others decorating skills. Hermione, Draco, Narcissa and Blaise were on the other side, comparing decorations and levitating them to the branches that they couldn't reach. The three teenagers were thankful that after the defeat of Voldemort, the Ministry had amended their laws regarding underage wizardry, fifteen and sixteen year olds were now allowed to perform magic in their own homes or under the supervision of a consenting witch or wizard of age, though the consequences of abusing this new freedom were severe, they found that it had made their lives just that much easier. In Hermione's case, being that she lived with muggles, she was only allowed to perform magic when she was alone, the laws were put in place to make it easier for students to be able to practice the spells that they were instructed by their professors to learn over the holidays and to prepare for the coming year.

"Okay the decorations are all on the tree, who's going to levitate the star to the top?" Draco asked as they all stood back and admired their handiwork.

"Traditionally it's the father that does so" Hermione commented softly, feeling just a little homesick that she was not able to spend the holidays with her parents. So caught up in her thoughts, Hermione didn't notice Narcissa nudge Lucius with her elbow as he raised his wand to levitate the star into place.

"What is it Cissa?" Lucius asked his wife quietly.

"Hermione is missing her parents" Narcissa replied softly with a pointed look at the distracted girl.

"That's understandable my dear, just because she's missing them, doesn't mean that she hasn't been enjoying herself" Lucius reassured his wife.

"Oh I know that Lucius, I just think that maybe we should put the star on the muggle way" Narcissa smiled. Lucius stared at his wife in shock.

"And how do you propose we do that? The tree is a good bit taller than any of us"

"I have an idea" Narcissa responded with a grin, then called out to Hermione before her husband could say anything else.

"Hermione dear, Lucius needs your help to put the star on the tree" shaken out of her thoughts, Hermione looked over at Narcissa.

"How come? Can't he just levitate it up there?" Hermione asked perplexed.

"Yes he could, but I want to do it the muggle way, since Lucius is the tallest out of himself and Severus, and you being the lightest, you need to hop up and sit on his shoulders to put the star on the tree" Narcissa replied with a grin. Draco and Blaise burst into laughter at the flabbergasted look of Lucius's face and the shock on Hermione's.

"Narcissa, I don't thi…" Hermione started but was cut off by the grinning Narcissa.

"Come on dear" Narcissa chimed, then she turned to her still flabbergasted husband "Lucius squat down so Hermione can climb onto your shoulders, Draco you help her balance as your father gets to his feet" Narcissa was in her element directing the various members of her family. Grumbling under his breath about how Narcissa would pay for this, Lucius squatted down and waited for Hermione to climb onto his shoulders. Snape stood to the side and suppressed a chuckle at the elder Malfoy squatting down, a position, he was sure, that his friend had never before found himself in. Draco chuckled as he took Hermione's hand and helped her to climb onto his father's shoulders. Lucius was surprised at how little Hermione weighed and rose to his feet easily with the young witch perched precariously. Grabbing Hermione's ankles he made his way over to the tree and waited while Draco handed her the star.

"Well this is awkward" Hermione mumbled under her breath.

"You're telling me" Lucius replied "You don't weigh much Hermione" he added.

"Thanks, I think" Hermione replied with a blush. Lucius nodded then stopped dead when Hermione let out a small squeal and grabbed hold of his chin when the movement upset her balance.

"Sorry" Lucius quickly spoke as he regained his balance. Snape, Draco and Blaise had long since given up on controlling their laughter and were openly showing their glee at the funny picture that was Hermione and Lucius. Narcissa took the opportunity to snap a picture of them and grinned when they both scowled at her.

"What? It was just too irresistible not to take a photo" she defended herself. Grumbling to himself again, Lucius turned back to the tree.

"How far away are we?" he asked the witch he was carrying.

"A little to the left" Hermione directed as she reached forwards. Lucius shuffled to the left and was relieved when Hermione cried out.

"Got it, its on"

"Wonderful, now for the next problem" Lucius answered.

"And that would be?" Hermione wondered.

"How to get you down, I don't think I can squat down without the two of us going tumbling onto the floor"

"Oh dear" Hermione murmured as she glanced about the room, trying to see if there was a piece of furniture high enough for her to climb onto.

"Don't worry dad, I'll catch her" Draco stated as he moved to stand behind his father and Hermione. Lucius nodded in understanding and waited till Draco was behind him. Hermione however was a bit perplexed as to what he meant.

"Draco, what did you mean you'll catch me" she asked, then her eyes went wide. "Oh no! Lucius don't you dar………eeeeeeeekk" she squealed as Lucius pushed her backwards off his shoulders and she fell through the air, to be caught in Draco's strong arms. Breathing heavily Hermione allowed her heart to slow down before she looked up at Draco's grinning face.

"You prat!" she growled as she slapped his chest, totally oblivious to the fact that she was still in his arms.

"Mia take it easy, I caught you didn't I?" Draco replied with a grin.

"That doesn't mean that I wasn't petrified for the half a second that I was falling through the air" Hermione retorted crossing her arms over her chest with a scowl.

Shaking his head Draco lowered Hermione's feet to the floor.

"Women!" Hermione gasped and glared at him.

"I'll give you women, Draco Malfoy!" Draco paled and bolted, Hermione close on his heels. They were brought up short when they arrived in the doorway to the entrance hall. Narcissa had discreetly taken the opportunity to place a sprig of Dumbledore's enchanted mistletoe in the doorjamb.

"What the?" Draco queried when he found his feet stuck to the floor. Hermione looked up and blushed.

"Er Draco" she began. Draco glanced down at her.

"Yes Mia?" Hermione pointed upwards.

"Look up" following her pointed finger Draco did as directed and his cheeks turned pink when he saw the mistletoe.

"Alright, which one of you was it?" Draco asked addressing his parents and godfather, even though he would admit to himself that he wasn't exactly despairing that it was there, it gave him an excuse to kiss Hermione.

"Me" Narcissa answered with a giggle.

"Why?" Draco asked, although he had some idea, especially after the talk he had had with his father the other day.

"Dumbledore told me that the two of you were the only students in the whole of Hogwarts who hadn't been caught by the mistletoe, so I promised him that I would catch the two of you" Narcissa replied with a shrug and smile. So she had embellished the truth a little, but she was a Malfoy by name and was using the situation to her advantage.

"That's not true, Harry and Ron didn't get caught either" Hermione stated.

"Actually Mia, yes they did" Draco corrected. Hermione glanced up at him.

"They did?"

"Yeah, Ron got caught with Hannah Abbot the same day I got caught with his sister Ginny" Blaise answered with a slight blush.

"How do you know that Blaise?" Hermione asked, filing away the information that Blaise had blushed while saying Ginny's name to analyze later.

"That's how Ginny and I got caught, we were both there watching Ron and Hannah argue before kissing and bolting in opposite directions"

"And Harry?"

"Harry was caught with Luna Lovegood on their way to catch the train home for the holidays" Blaise answered. Hermione smiled at Harry's good fortune.

"Harry would have been pleased with that, he's had a thing for Luna since fifth year when she explained Thestrals to him, no wonder he had a big grin on his face when he got into the carriage"

"Harry has a crush on Luna Lovegood?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep, surprised you didn't notice, he goes all googley eyed whenever she's near him" Hermione replied with a sigh. "I just wish he's ask her out already, she's just as bad about him"

"But I thought that Harry would get together with Ginny Weasley" Draco commented.

"No, Harry sees Ginny as a sister, and vice versa, Ginny was actually complaining the other day that there were no decent guys in her year to date, she asked me what she should do about it"

"And what did you say?" Blaise asked interested. Hermione smirked inwardly but answered.

"I told her to look in the year above her, that there was sure to be at least one single guy who would treat her the way she wanted to be treated'

"And what way is that?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The same way every girl wants to be treated" Hermione replied with a grin.

"And that way is?" Draco asked curiously.

"Every girl wants a guy who likes them for them, that doesn't ask them out just because they are pretty or popular, that treats them like they should be treated, listens to them, comforts them when they're upset, supports them in their decisions, confides in them and lets them confide in him, someone who stimulates our minds as well as our hearts, no lies, no secrets, just open and honest, caring and trustworthy, and not only after a quick shag etc"

"Are the two of you going to kiss anytime soon, or are we all going to stand here until morning?" Snape asked with a scowl at the two teens standing in the doorway and blocking the exit. Draco and Hermione flushed as they realised that they had both forgotten that they were stuck under the mistletoe. Hermione turned towards Draco, expecting just a quick peck on the lips to free them from the mistletoe's spell, so when he wrapped a hand around the nape of her neck and lowered his lips to hers to kiss her deeply, she was shocked. Draco, unable to resist the temptation, kissed Hermione properly, he did however resist the temptation to slide his tongue into her warm mouth when she began to return his kiss. Aware of their audience, he slowly pulled his lips away from hers and when she opened her eyes he smiled down at her. Hermione stared up into his silver eyes and gave him a small smile. A clearing of somebody's throat broke them out of their moment and thy both turned to face the four other people in the room. Blaise had a knowing grin, Lucius had a slight smile and Narcissa was grinning madly. Snape, who had been the one to clear his throat, had an unreadable look on his face as he looked at the two teens. Hermione could feel a blush painting her cheeks red. So with a whispered goodnight to everyone in the room and a quick peck on Draco's lips for a goodnight kiss, she left to head to bed and contemplate on the meaning behind Draco's kiss.

Well there it is peeps, a little action for Draco and Hermione leading up into the next chapter, i hope you enjoyed it, please read and review, but no flames, i'm critical enough of my work as it is, i tend to write and rewrite the chapters at least twice before i post them. I'm off to begin on the next chapter and hopefully will have it out soon if time permits.

till next time, i hope you enjoyed this chapter and thankyou for your continued support.