Even though the Half Blood Prince has come out, I will continue to write this story my way. :-) But expect new stories coming soon!

Amy

AKA
RootbeerFloat

While Draco had not meant to be so rude to his fellow Slytherins, he could not enjoy the peaceful company of Blaise and Crabbe (Goyle was in the Hospital after a rough bludger incident.) All that boiled on his brain for three days was Granger. He had purposely tried ignoring the fact that Goyle had gotton hurt, and in a desperate attempt to rid himself of Granger from his memory, he avoided the hospital wing at all costs.

When a week and a half went by, and news that Hermione Granger was nearing magic lessons, Draco could no longer ignore a feeling that had been embedded in him since Granger had tried to say what she had wanted to that day. The feeling was strong, adamant, like a beast inside of him that growled up every time he saw Blaise go to bring Granger flowers, even though Blaise had claimed they were for Goyle.

"Draco," Said Blaise, scratching the back of his hand and getting packed up for Christmas Holiday, "Just admit it, mate."

"I'm not admitting anything." Grumbled Draco, and he made a very rude gesture towards his friend. The two were on speaking terms with each other, but nothing more. Their friendship had all but obliterated, and the nerves of both men's prides were growing by each minute that ticked by. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you do," Blaise said calmly, "That little Granger has you wrapped around her finger." Draco scoffed at the idea. "Oh, you think not? Tell me then, Mr. Malfoy, why I found this," He revealed out from behind his back a small package dressed in Christmas tissue paper, "Under your bed?" Draco's eyes went wide immediately.

"Where did you find that?" He screamed, and then tried to play it cool, "Er. I mean, I've never seen that before."

"Of course you have." Said Blaise. "This is marked-"

"-I don't want to hear this-"

"-'To Hermione'-"

"-Stop it right now-"

"-'From'-"

"-I mean it-"

"-'Your Draco'." Blaise finished with a tremendous smirk. "Your Draco. How good would it be to just show this to everyone in the common room?"

"Don't you dare!" Shouted Draco at once, "I'd die!"

"Just admit it." Blaise egged Draco on, " Your Draco doesn't sound to me as if you really wanted to stop those lessons." He handed the package back to Draco. Draco eyed him up a moment before hiding the box back under his bed. "So, you-?"

"Not going home for Christmas this year." Answered Draco before Blaise had finished. "Mum's gotten into the brandy cabinet lately and since Dad's in Azkaban..." He trailed off. Blaise looked to him a little before smiling.

"Don't worry about it. You'll have plenty of fun here. I hear Potter's going to be away with Weasley for Christmas..."

"And I would want to know this why?" Asked Draco.

"Because, more time to fondle Granger." Smirked Blaise, zipping up his suitcase. "And I've got to go. The train will be here soon. -I hear Granger's going to be taught some magic soon?"

"Yeah, by some doctors at St. Mungos." Said Draco with a slight hesitation in his voice. "You couldn't... possibly run the package down to the infirmary while you're on your way...?"

"Nope." Answered Blaise, "You'll just have to give it to her yourself... if you're man enough."

Draco scowled.

"Hey Blaise?" He asked right as Blaise was about to leave the room. Blaise stopped and turned around. "Has Granger said anything to you?"

"Word is she hasn't said a word to anyone." Blaise said. "She'll write stuff down all well and good, but as far as her vocal voice goes? I think you're going to lose that bet with Pansy. -But good luck anyways."

"THE BET!" Draco shouted, realizing Blaise had found him a loophole. "Pansy's on her way to her parents' house, isn't she?"

"I reckon so." Said Blaise.

"And the bet is in four days!" Draco's lips turned into a sly smirk. "And if she's not here to see the bet happen..."

"... you'll have to postpone the bet!" Finished Blaise. "Brilliant!"

"I'll say." Said Draco. "A week ago Pansy and I agreed if I lost I'D have to dress up in tights."

"Bloody Hell..." Said Blaise softly, "And you agreed to it?"

"Got nothing to hide." Smirked Draco.

"True. -Well, I'll see you around, Draco."

"Yeah, same here." The two friends nodded to each other before Blaise left the boys' dormitory. With that Draco grabbed up a bit of parchment and wrote an owl to Pansy, telling her the bet was postponed, and she could go shove it up her tight arse, wiggle it around, and orgasm if she didn't like it. He signed it 'sincerely Draco' and after a brisk walk to the owlry, gave it to his owl Gord. Gord, a big, coal black owl with fiery brown eyes took the note with glee. Twenty minutes later Pansy wrote back,

"Dearest Draco, I see your humor hasn't changed, even though your infatuation with Granger has taken a subliminal amount of time off your schedule. I'll agree to the postponement only because I know I'll win. Hope you have a very merry Christmas.

Pansy

P.S. Instead of me shoving it up my arse, why don't you try shoving Potter up your arse? You and him would be great together. Besides, two beautiful men kissing would be hot."

Draco crumbled the note up with a roll of his eyes and decided he needed to hire someone to check Pansy's room for any porn he might be able to borrow. He was sure she'd have the PlayWizard editions with the girls naked in the centerfold instead of the guys anyways.

Two more days went by and every Slytherin knew to leave Draco Malfoy alone at the moment. They figured the bet was on his mind, but the truth was that something bigger was on his mind than Pansy in a tutu or him in tights. He only could think about Granger, and this fact was driving him bonkers. When he closed his eyes he saw her. When he opened his eyes he'd close his eyes again to see her. This beast that was growing inside of him only was satisfied when he thought about her eyes, and her soft lips made the beast seem to pur. He had this feeling before only once, and that was when... well, feelings tended to be mistakes, right?

Christmas time was approaching now, and it was the day Draco had made himself get out of the common room and force himself to the Hospital wing. His feet seemed to slush beneath his feet as he slung his book bag over his shoulder and out past the painting from the Slytherin hall, past the great hall, and towards the infirmary. He told himself he was only going to go to see Goyle -who had healed up quite nicely but insisted that his skull was cracked beyond repair so Madam Pomfrey was obligated to keep him for another few days.

Mistletoe hung everywhere above every great arch in the castle, so much that it made Draco sick to his stomach. Christmas was usually about presents and candies, but this year seemed to feel different. He wasn't anticipating the sweets he'd be getting, or the random notes asking to meet him under the mistletoe in half an hour (he had thrown every one of those away). Instead the monster inside of his emotions raged on, screaming and throwing fits everywhere he went.

Colin Creevy appeared turning down a hallway, his camera sagging on his left shoulder. "Hi Malfoy." He said exasperated, and Draco noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Asked Draco, not really wanting to know, but curiosity seemed to get the best of him.

"Malfoy, I've got to talk to you about that ring -None of the Gryffindors are missing one. Nor are the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. In fact, the only person I've seen on Quidditch not wearing this ring is-" But right before Collin got to finish, Lavender Brown and a bunch of Gryffindors who had stayed for the remainder of Christmas appeared, and Draco, not wanting to be seen talking to Collin, said, "Tell me later." And took off.

"But Malfoy!"

" Later !"

When Draco arrived at the Hospital wing doors, he was surprised when right before he opened the door, the door opened for him, and Madam Pomfrey stepped out, followed by a small brown headed girl dressed in a white fuzzy sweater and white pants named Hermione Granger. Draco backed up, expecting to get screamed at by Madam Pomfrey, but instead was greeted with, "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, what a refreshing time to see you."

"Excuse me?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow as Granger refused to look him in the eyes.

"Well, you see, Mr. Thomas of Gryffindor was trying to cast a spell on a box of treats to make them do dances when Neville Longbottom opened up the box -but unfortunately the spell backfired and Neville hasn't been able to stop tap-dancing since. We've had him in the wing for a couple of hours, but his feet have knocked over everything in the infirmary. I was just about to take Ms. Granger to Professor Dumbledore's office to ask him to watch her until I could calm Mr. Longbottom down, but... since you're here, dear, I suppose you wouldn't mind...?"

"Well, actually," Said Draco quickly, "I'm here to see Goyle." Madam Pomfrey looked a little disappointed.

"Well, I let Goyle out three hours ago, you've just missed him." She said stoutly. "Now, would you please take Ms. Granger out for at least an hour or so? I know, I know, you've had nothing to do with her for quite a while now," She dropped her voice low, "But I think it would mean a lot to her if you did something special for the holiday. With Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley gone she's been quite depressed."

"But..." Draco was confused. "I thought she didn't like...?"

"Oh, well, after you left she seemed to warm up to them quite easily." Spoke Madam Pomfrey. "Now chop chop! I haven't got all day and neither have you! Just... take her for a walk outside? I never thought I'd say this, Mr. Malfoy, but I trust you." And with that she shoved Hermione close toDraco and bid her farewell before slamming the door closed. Draco stared at Hermione a few awkward moments before saying, "Er... Merry Christmas Eve." Hermione said nothing to him, only crossed her arms and stared off to the side. "What? Don't I get a welcome back kiss?" Again, Hermione didn't answer him. Draco couldn't really blame her because the beast inside him was on cloud nine, and when the monster was tame with his emotions, he didn't want to disturb it. "You want to go outside?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter." Hermione whispered softly, her voice hoarse.

"Damn, you really have to talk more." Draco said, smirking, before walking down the hall, hoping she would follow. She did, and he was very pleased as she uncrossed her arms as well. She followed him outside, where a cloud hovered over Hogwarts, ready to release at any moment. The wind that gave a light breeze was icy cold, and Hermione stayed very close to Draco as they made their way outside near the lake. Draco stopped abruptly and said, "The bet was postponed."

"Is that all you care about?" Snapped Hermione, her voice still raspy and light, "A stupid bet?"

"Wow, no pauses this time," Replied Draco, "That's got to be an all time Gryffindor record. Tell me, are you the smartest one of the trio again? Because surely Potter or Weasley couldn't get through a simple sentence like you." The words were seeping with sarcasm and direct sardonic threat. Hermione glared at him as the wind nipped at both their faces.

"And tell me, Draco, is that gel in your hair trying to look suave? Or is it there to try to call attention away from your skinny twig of a body?" Hermione's comeback was very much like her old self that Draco had to do a double take to make sure this was in fact, the new Hermione. One search of her brown eyes told him it was.

"I should ask you the same question, frizz for hair." He smirked.

"Oh, that's got to be an all time low..." Hermione began, but when Draco began to chuckle to himself, the hate in her eyes subsided to curiosity. "What's so funny?"

"You're acting," Draco laughed, "Just like your old self. -We used to argue like this all the time." He placed his hands in his pockets. "Course, my comebacks always made you sputter and you'd give up trying."

"That's not what Harry and Ron told me." Answered Hermione.

"So, you're speaking to them too?"

"No. -I've only been writing things down. I haven't used my voice in weeks."

"Not even to Blaise?" Draco inquired.

"NO, Not even to Blaise." Hermione's voice was becoming stronger by the moment. "So what did you come here for? -To tell me how I'll never understand magic no matter how much I try? To tell me that they're going to... put me in St. Mungo's soon? Or was it because you couldn't stop from in-insu-in-"

"Insulting you." Draco finished her. "And no, none of those things. Quite on the contrary, I do believe its YOU who can't keep away from me." He knew this was a lie, but lying had always seemed to get him far before.

"I think you're thoroughly mistaken." Growled Hermione, bundling her arms around her to keep herself warm as a nippy wind gust blew against her body.

"Look, Granger, I only came down today to visit Goyle." Draco said sharply. He looked to Granger to see a little whelm of disappointment cloud over her eyes. "Nothing more." He checked his watch and looked up to the sky. "The Prophet says they've got a scheduled snow storm for Hogwarts in three minutes."

"Don't tell me, with magic?" Hermione said crossly. Draco nodded. "I hate it."

"Hate what?" Draco asked.

"Magic." She said, sitting down on the ground. "I can't do it."

"Well, no one gets magic right away." Said Draco truthfully. "I hate to admit it, but you're the smartest soon to be St. Mungo's patient I've met."

"Gee, thanks." Hermione seethed.

"Look, you've just got to embrace-"

"Don't tell me I have to do anything!" Yelled Hermione, startling Draco. "You don't know what its like not to have a memory of anything! You don't know what its like to sit there day after day wondering if something you see in your mind is what has happened or some cheap imitation! My mind can't grasp this... magic! I don't even think it exists!" She said the last part with a snip and glared out at the lake. Draco stood there in utter shock.

"Excuse me, Ms. 'High-On-What-You-Think-Is-Reality', but magic DOES exist! I've been trying to learn how to brew an anti-death potion for years!" He said sharply. "All you're hung up on is the fact that right now your mind doesn't know about the magic inside of you. And how DARE you even say magic doesn't exist?"

"I dare VERY good, thank you very much." Said Hermione. "What if you're all figments of my imagination? What if I've lost it? Gone mental?"

"You haven't gone mental." Draco said, sitting down next to her. "You're just confused."

"Yeah? Well..." Hermione sighed. "I hate being confused."

"As do we all." Answered Draco, looking down to the ground next to him. "Look... if it makes you feel any better... here." He took the book bag off of his shoulder and put it on the ground in front of him, searching for something. When he found it, he smirked and brought it out of the bag. It was a small, beautifully blue wrapped package; the same one Blaise had found under Draco's bed.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, looking suspicious.

"Its a bomb -what'd you think it is? Its a Christmas present." He placed it in her hands. It wasn't that large; in fact it was quite small. "I was sort of... planning for you to open it when I wasn't around but..." He said between clenched teeth, "Go ahead." Hermione looked curiously to the package and read the inscription on the top of it. With a slight smile she opened the top, while Draco's heart, for what seemed to him no reason at all, began to race. It was very unlike himself, but he was nervous beyond any repair. He refused to look at her as she brought out a gorgeous gold bracelet with two small charms hanging off the edges; one a book, the other a snake. "Its... its..." She stuttered, looking to the bracelet, to him, to the bracelet again, "It's pulchritudinous!"

"Oh, you don't like it?"

"It means its beautiful, Draco." Hermione's smile couldn't have been bigger. "Thank you."

"You're..." Draco tried to say it without it coming out as a rude comment, because he wasn't used to saying the word, "Welcome." Just then, as irony goes, the sky above them began to drop soft snowflakes above the two and one landed on her nose. "We best get inside." He said after a few moments of pause, as if the fact that she was elated with joy didn't make his mind go numb in the least, "Madam Pomfrey would kill me if you got a cold." They both stood up, Draco picking up his book bag and Hermione her small box (now with her charm bracelet on her wrist) and without a word to each other they began to walk back towards the castle. Draco's awkward feelings didn't subside as he noticed the mistletoe hanging above the doorway to the inside, and he didn't know what he was doing when he pulled on her arm right before she reached for the door to go inside.

"What?" She asked, raising both eyebrows. "Its snowing. And from what I hear snow is cold; I'd rather not stand in the cold, thank you." She moved again to go inside, but this time Draco shut the door and blocked her way in. "What's wrong?" Draco didn't want to tell her about the mistletoe hanging above their heads, so obvious that he knew if he took one step back he'd be directly under it, which was what he was trying to avoid. He was trying to stop himself from slamming Granger against the doorway, right under the mistletoe, and snogging her right there in plain sight.

No, you'd rather do it in public wouldn't you?
I would not, I'd rather not do it at all!
Of COURSE, that's what you say every time until...
Oh, go shag off!
Right after you.
But she's GRANGER.
She's different.
BUT SHE'S GRANGER.
However, she's changed!
Yes she has... mentally. She doesn't know all the fights we've been through.
And you like that about her. You like the fresh start. So just...
SHE'S GRANGER! THERE'S NO JUST---

But before he had a chance to get his mind in order, he was shoved, pushed, and slammed (any way you'd like to put it) against the wall and his shoulders were being pressed back. Hermione Granger was inches from his face; her breath could be seen so lightly touching his lips. For a moment he wondered what was going on and why he was in the reverse position his dirty mind had created until she slammed her lips onto his, pressing her body against him and making his insides go to mush. It felt as if his stomach melted and when their lips pulled mere centimeters away from each other, Hermione whispered, "Christmas Eve Gift."

Please R&R

Amy

AKA
RootbeerFloat

Don't forget to tell me what you think!