Ch.13: Christmas in the Country

Hermione cracked an eye opened groggily.

Why. Must. Sun. Exist. She thought grumpily.

Her eyes landed on the pile of packages that had been placed at the foot of her bed and her mood brightened.

Throwing back the covers, she reached for the present on top of the pile. Ripping open the brown paper around it, she smiled as a sweater tumbled out. It was royal blue with the letters "HG" in fancy script on the front. She tugged Mrs. Weasley's sweater over her head and reached for the next package.

The paper on this package was a bit worn and rustling suspiciously. A quick glance at the tag revealed the present to be from Fred and George. She opened it carefully, and shrieked several times as two mice tumbled into her lap. They began to scurry around the bed, bumping into each other, and then froze. Hermione looked at the slip of paper that had fallen out:

Three piercing screams will turn these rodents into sugary confections.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione gingerly picked up the mice and placed them in the garbage.

The next gift had her name scrawled on it in Harry's messy handwriting, and she opened the red paper carefully to reveal a copy of Advanced Practical Charms. She restrained herself from opening the crisp cover immediately, instead opening what she assumed must be Ron's gift from the messy wrapping.

Ron had gotten her a Self Inking Eagle Quill, which she was had be looking at in Hogsmeade on their last visit.

From Ginny there was a pair of slippers that warmed themselves with a simple incantation, and from Draco there was simply a card.

Opening it, a slip of paper fell into her lap, and she picked it up. As her fingers touched it, the paper seemed to melt in her fingers. It then burst into a single blood red rose.

Thinking this an odd gift, Hermione put it aside.

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In the room adjacent, Draco had finished unwrapping his gifts, and was currently staring at the note Hermione had given him, wrapped in up in a box.

Meet me outside the Room of Requirements at 4'o-clock sharp.
HG

He smiled at the fact that Hermione's initials reflected both her name and her position, and tucked the note into his pocket. As he thought of her, he wondered if she had figured out the gift he had sent it.

She must have. She's the brightest witch of our age.

He wondered why he had sent such a thing, and what her reaction would be when she saw what he had sent.

What if she laughs at me? Or doesn't like it? I'm a bloody idiot.

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Hermione tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for Draco to arrive. He was five minutes late, even though she had seen him not half an hour before in the Great Hall. Hermione did not like being kept waiting.

Finally, she heard hurried footsteps coming towards her. Draco rounded the corner, out of breath and red faced.

"Sorry Hermione, I got caught up discussion Quidditch with Harry and Ron. I didn't realize the time." He panted.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, we're late, but no matter. Now, we're going to walk past the Room of Requirements three times. I want you to think very hard about the fact that you must be with Hermione Granger. I tried it with Harry last night, it should work." She said

Draco looked at her quizzically, but at her slightly annoyed expression, he nodded.

The two paced back and forth in deep concentration, and when the door materialized, Hermione looked a bit nervous.

Draco watched as she bit her lip softly, her eyes gazing intently at the door.

She looked over to him, and said, "Well, here goes!"

She took Draco by the hand, which startled him, and then threw open the door.

Pulling him inside with a quick tug, Hermione dropped his hands and the two stood there in silence and wonder.

They were standing in a wonderland. The sky was blue, the grass green, with hills in the distance.

Perfect. Hermione thought as she surveyed the table set before them. A tea table set for two.

"It's just like Mary Poppins!" Draco exclaimed.

"Well, you had said that sometimes you wished you could get away, and I thought that…" Hermione trailed off. Was her gift silly?

She was startled by the quick hug that Draco gave her.

"It's great Hermione. Thanks." He said quietly.

Relieved, she gestured to the table, "Care for tea?"

The two sat down and dug into the cakes and sandwiches, chatting happily as they ate.

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As Draco polished off the final cake, Hermione sipped at her third cup of tea.

"Now all we need are tap dancing penguins!" Draco joked.

Hermione jumped up.

"I almost forgot!" She exclaimed.

She walked over to a corner, were four wooded penguins that Draco had not noticed before were standing. Tapping each on the head with the tip of her wand, Hermione muttered softly to herself.

As she stepped back, the penguins sprang into motion.

Sitting down across from Draco, Hermione watched his usually tense features relax into an expression of delight as the chubby penguins leapt about.

Without the hardened expression Draco had worn lately, he looked much younger and happier. Hermione admired the curve of his lips as they spread into a smile of childish excitement.

Looking over at Hermione, Draco caught her eye briefly. She colored slightly before focusing on the penguins. Seeing her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling with excitement, Draco realized exactly what that odd feeling he felt around her must mean.

Knowing now that his Christmas gift to her was appropriate, he suddenly realized that she might not feel the same about him. Perhaps she had figured it out, and wasn't mentioning the gift because she found it inappropriate. Perhaps she would laugh at him.

A tight feeling of panic seized his throat momentarily, and he almost choked on his own tongue.

The penguins slowed their dance, until one by one the stopped moving all together, and the only sound in the room was the enchanted sound of birdsong resonating from the enchanted walls of the room.

Draco heard Hermione clear her throat softly, and he noticed that he was standing next to her.

"Happy Christmas, Draco." She said softly.

"Happy Christmas Hermione." He said before continuing awkwardly, "Erm, did you, uh, get my present?"

She looked at his oddly, and then said, "Yes, it was a very pretty flower. Thanks."

Relief flooded through him. She hadn't figured it out.

"Oh…Hermione. I thought you would have figured it out. The flower isn't the gift. I transfigured it. If you tap it with your wand and say Reverso, it should reveal itself."

"Oh. Of course. How silly of me. I should have…" Hermione trailed off. Draco had stood, and she suddenly noticed how tall he was.

He was looking into her eyes, and she felt her stomach turn in a not wholly unpleasant manner.

Draco felt his heart rate soar as he looked into her eyes. He knew that everything would be all right.

He bent toward her.

Hermione's eyes widened as his face came closer, but her voice felt trapped in the back of her throat. She closed her eyes.

He stopped just as their lips touched.

"Hermione." He murmured, and she shivered at the thrill that traveled down her spine as his lips brushed hers.

She wanted to move her head to his, to press her lips against his, but she couldn't move.

"I suggest you go open your present." He said, pulling his head away from hers.

Movement restored to her body, Hermione nodded blankly, eyes wide open once again.

"O…okay." She managed, and walked out of the room quickly.

Draco sat down on the chair, and put his fingertips to his mouth, which felt as though it were on fire.

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Back in her own room, Hermione grabbed the rose off her bedside table with trembling fingers. She placed it on her quilt.

"Reverso," she whispered, tapping it with her wand.

She watched the rose widen, elongate, and distort, until it became a rectangular green velvet box, embossed with a silver rose.

Opening it, she gasped slightly.

Resting on a black cushion was a silver chain from which dangled a delicate pendant. A small, rectangular cut emerald was set into the pendant, surrounded by several smaller pieces of onyx.

She touched the jewels gingerly, as if afraid they would break.

Lifting the delicate silver chain from the box, Hermione clipped it around her neck, feeling the cool metal against her skin.

She looked down at the box again. The letters NBM were embossed in tiny silver letters in the corner of the cushion.

NBM…NBM…Narcissa Black Malfoy.

Hand to her collarbone, Hermione rushed downstairs. She could see Draco's white blonde hair from where she sat on the couch.

Sitting gingerly next to him, she waited for him to acknowledge her presence.

She's going to laugh at me. Or say she hates it. Draco though miserably. When Hermione said nothing, he looked over to her.

Instead of being fully of laughter or spite, Hermione's eyes were filled with tears.

Oh no. She REALLY hates it. Draco thought in a panic.

"Look, Hermione, I'm really sorry. I can take it back if you don't want it. I should have known it was stupid." He said in a rush.

"Stupid?" Hermione said with a quavering voice. "Draco, it's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me."

"Oh." Draco said, feeling stupid.

"It's just that…I can't take this from you."

I knew it! She does hate it! He thought.

Instead he managed to say, rather miserably, "Why not?"

"Well, it's just that this was your mother's, wasn't it?

He nodded, waiting for her to go on.

"Well, I can't take something of hers away from you. You loved her so much." She said softly.

"Hermione," Draco began in a slightly strangled voice, "my mother was the only person who ever really loved me. She was the only person I'd ever loved. Because of that…I wanted you to have something of hers. Because…because…"

He didn't have to say anything more. In fact, he couldn't say anything, because at that moment, Hermione silenced his strained speech.

Draco's insides melted as her lips covered his.

When they finally pulled away, he looked into her eyes and saw the fire that burned in his own stomach glowing back at him.

He leaned into her once more.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Between the holidays and heading back to University, I've been bogged down. I've an incredible amount of reading for school as well as rehearsals for a play I'm in, but hopefully updates will not be too sporadic. Cheers!

Julia and MysteryGalWolf: Well, we have finally come to the part of the story where they get together! Huzzah!

KtotheT, College-Mischa, and Kill-me-if-Harry-dies: Glad to see you are still with me! Sorry for the long wait you guys!

MiKaYGiRl: Ginny is indeed smart. I think she is a very good character overall, and wanted to work her into the story somehow.

Elizabeth