Borrowed Hearts

Summary: 'You know how you like to make up stories sometimes honey? Well this is going to be just like that. We're going to pretend for a little while.'
Based on the Christmas movie by the same name.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I own the rights to neither the Harry Potter books nor the movie Borrowed Hearts
Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for the delay in this chapter but I've been feeling rather uninspired recently. (I think it's the knowledge that I have to go back to college soon that's depressing me.) Anyway, I'm back now with a nice little chapter to get the plot rolling. I hope you all enjoy reading it. Please review and let me know what you think!

Chapter 6: Preparations

The next day was chaos, filled with the constant drilling of information and curling irons as they prepared for Del Campo's arrival.

"How many years have you and Draco been married?" Blaise asked as he suddenly appeared in the doorway of Hermione's room. Hermione jumped, causing the woman working on her makeup to smudge her eyeliner.

"8 years," Hermione replied with a sigh.

"Where did you go on your honeymoon?"

"To Italy and a swear to Merlin, Blaise that if you barge in here one more time I'll make you wish you were living in another country!"

Blaise held up his hands in defense. "Just doing my job here! I've got to make sure you know this stuff!"

"I knew all this three hours ago when you informed me of mine and Draco's make believe life the first time. You're quizzing me more on this than I quizzed myself for my O.W.L.S."

"Hey, better safe than sorry!" Blaise assured her.

Hermione glared as the stylist shoved a stack of outfits in her face for her to choose from. "Yes, well go harass Malfoy for a little bit." Blaise shot her a look. "Errr… I mean Drakie."

Blaise chuckled, relaxing slightly. "I'll make you a deal. I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day if you promise to call Draco, 'Drakie' while Del Campo's here."

Hermione smiled. "Deal."

Draco, meanwhile, was wandering about the mansion, watching in horror as his furniture and decorations were exchanged for "a more inviting, and homey look" as Hermione put it.

Workers scuttled about throughout the rooms. Every so often, Hermione would appear briefly to wave her wand and offer rather unwanted advice.

"Popcorn garland?! Are you mad Granger?!" Draco cried as he entered the now transformed parlor to see Hermione trimming the tree.

Hermione pouted her lips slightly. "Why Malfoy… that's not a very nice thing to say to your wife."

"Don't say that horrible word," Draco said shuddering. "I still have six hours to be a bachelor and damn it, I'm going to enjoy them!"

Hermione frowned as she continued to move about and decorate the tree. "Language dear, you don't want Josie to hear you."

Draco glared at her. "No."

Hermione turned to face him once more. "No what?"

"No this!" Draco waved his arm at the tree. "I'm a Malfoy! We use gold and silver and other outrageously expensive things to decorate our trees! Not edible bits of food! For Merlin's sake Granger it's a Christmas tree, not something you eat!"

Hermione glared at him. "If you're done being a childish prat, I've got things I need to do." Hermione returned her attention to the tree once more, leaving Draco to merely glare viciously at her.

In no time at all, five o'clock rolled around and Del Campo arrived with a pop outside the drive. Blaise, who had been peering anxiously out the window, spotted him the second he arrived.

"He's here!" He shouted as he bolted from his post to go and alert the rest of the group. "Del Campo's here!"

Draco sighed from his seat in the parlor. Downing the last of his firewhiskey, he got up to go meet Blaise in the entry hall. 'Here we go.'

"Del Campo's here!" Blaise called again as Draco entered the hallway.

"So I heard," Draco drawled. "Where's Granger and the kid?"

"Hermione! Josie!" Blaise corrected sharply, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Shit Draco! If you can't even get their names right then we might as well just tell Del Campo everything the minute he walks through the door!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You are such a drama queen."

A knock sounded on the door and one of the house elves went to get it as Blaise and Draco waited.

"Wait!" Blaise cried suddenly, causing the house elf to freeze with his hand upon the door knob. "Don't let him in yet!"

Draco sighed. "What now?"

"Your ring!" Blaise dug around frantically in his pocket before finally grabbing hold of the ring and shoving it onto Draco's finger.

"Ow! Blaise that's the wrong finger!" Draco cried, yanking the ring off his middle finger and placing it correctly in the right spot.

Both men nodded toward the house elf, who turned back around and opened the front door to reveal Del Campo.

Del Campo was an older gentleman somewhere in his fifties. His hair was graying, as was his goatee. He wore a long black jacket with a matching hat and walked with a dark mahogany cane. He smiled at the house elf as he entered, thanking it as it took his coat and hat for him.

"Señor Del Campo!" Blaise greeted, stepping forward. "Welcome!"

"Ah! Señor Zabini! What a pleasure it is to see you again!" Señor Del Campo smiled kindly before turning his attention toward Draco. "And Señor Malfoy."

Draco smiled, stepping forward to shake the older gentleman's hand. "Señor Del Campo, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"And you as well Señor." His eyes moved past Draco towards the stairs and the man smiled. "Ah, your family!"

Draco and Blaise both turned to see Hermione and Josie descending the stairs. They were dressed to the nines, Hermione in a red satin dress that flowed gracefully as she walked and Josie in a deep purple dress that looked like it was fit for a princess. Even Draco had to admit that they looked the part. He thought back to his years at Hogwarts, remembering Hermione's sudden change from bookworm to beauty queen for the Yule Ball in their fourth year.

"Señor Del Campo," Hermione said, smiling graciously as she arrived at the bottom of the stairs. "I'm Hermione Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She extended her hand for him to shake but instead Del Campo brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. "Ah no, the pleasure is all mine."

Hermione blushed slightly. To distract from her discomfort she turned her attention to Josie. "And this is my… our daughter, Josie."

"Buenos dias Señor!" Josie said, curtseying.

Del Campo smiled. "What a charming child! But I thought you had a son?"

Draco shot Blaise a look as he stumbled for an answer. "Um…"

"Well," Hermione offered. "Josie is such a little tom boy."

"Right," Draco said, smiling gratefully. He breathed a sigh of relief when Del Campo seemed to accept this without question. "Let's have a drink in the living room before dinner, shall we?"

Del Campo nodded in acceptance, offering his arm to Hermione which she accepted graciously. They headed off toward the living room, talking amongst themselves.

"A son?" Draco asked, glaring at Blaise once Del Campo was out of ear shot.

Blaise shrugged. "Forgot."

Josie followed behind her mother and Señor Del Campo as they walked across the hall and into the living room. As they passed underneath the chandelier in the hallway the crystals twinkled together in the faint sound of music.

Josie looked up excitedly. "Mommy! Did you hear that?!"

But Hermione was too engrossed in her conversation with Del Campo to hear Josie.

It didn't matter though, Josie knew what it meant. An angel was here!

Author's Note #2: So I know we're into January now and this is a holiday story that I didn't get done in time but if you guys want me to continue and finish the story, review and let me know. I'll be happy to so long as I know that I have readers who want me to, despite the holiday season being over.