Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter except for my books unfortunately.
A/N: Sorry for not writing for a couple days but I'm moving and I'm trying to spend as much time with my family before I go. Thanks for the reviews and those of you that added me or the story to your favorites
Chapter#9 – The Best Christmas Gifts
Blaise and Pansy left the next day, to spend time with their families. Leaving Hermione and the two Malfoys, to really get to know each other. It also left her time to despise herself.
The Malfoys were great to her. Narcissa, she learned had the best taste in fashion. Her walk in closet was full with so many exquisite pieces; all Hermione could do was stare at them in awe. Hermione, who had never been one to wear much jewelry, was breathless, when showed the priceless stones the older woman had. But what got to her was when Narcissa told her she was welcome to borrow any of then if ever needed. Hermione was speechless.
Draco of course was a prat, teasing her about not knowing how to fly, but without his old venom. So she just pouted slightly and told his mom. Which earned him a smack in the head and an innocent smile from Hermione.
They were kind and understanding, and made her feel like a total monster, unworthy of it all. She couldn't understand why they treated her so nice. 'I Killed your husband for goodness sake' she thought when Narcissa asked her what she wanted for Christmas, the day before. She knew Draco despised Deatheaters, but Lucius was still his father. So today, instead of going shopping with Narcissa, she stayed home and cursed herself.
Hearing yelling out side her window, she went to it. Seeing two brooms zoom by at full speed, she smiled thinking of Harry and Ron.
"Hey!" she yelled smiling.
"Hey yourself." Blaise said flying back to her window ceil.
She smiled." I didn't know you were here."
"I just came." He flashed her a dazzling smile. " Why don't you come out and fly with us."
"I can't."
" Sure you can, there are extras in the broom shed."
"She doesn't know how to fly." Draco laughed, as he flow over and hovering besides his friend.
"Really?" Blaise said turning his attention back to the beauty in front of him. He watched her blushed and got a sudden idea. "I'll teach you, if you want."
Hermione smile" no I'm okay, I'm not really fond of heights."
" You'll never get over your fear unless you try." Blaise encouraged.
" Man, leave it, she'll probably just fall on her ass." Draco laughed
Hermione looked at him wondering how long it would take him to hit the ground if she stunned him right then. " I'll do it."
O0o0o0o
Draco smirked watching his best friend smile at the girl genuinely. ' Hermione you don't know what you got yourself into' he thought taking off for him room.
Draco wasn't stupid. He could see the interest in his friend's eyes. He also knew what ever Blaise wanted he went after until he got it. 'Granger doesn't stand a chance.'
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Hermione looked down from the window ceil to the ground. "You want e to do what?" she choked.
"Look don't worry, just flip your leg over my broom and I'll take you to the shed to get one."
"Look Blaise, how about I just walked down and meet you there."
"It will take you longer, just get on." Blaise said grabbing her arm.
Hermione sighed and looked at the grown once more, before doing as he instructed. She kicked her leg over the back of his broom and quickly grabbed a hold of his waist taking a deep breath. The Broom swayed from side to side and she gripped him tighter
"Now don't look down, just enjoy the ride" Blaise said before taking off full speed.
Hermione let out a squeal and buried her face in his back. She could hear Blaise laughing openly, she wanted to hit him but didn't want to risk letting go of him and falling of the speeding broom.
She could feel the wind wiping through her hair and a relaxing feeling taking over her. She opened one eye and looked at the beautiful landscape in front of her. She breathed in the fresh air of the Mountains and suddenly understood why Harry and Ron loved flying so much.
O0o0oo0o0o
It was almost an hour before Blaise flow back to the broom shed. He was enjoying the feel of Kacy's arms around him too much to let it pass. So he took her on a ride through the mountains that surrounded the Malfoy manor. He could feel her slowly relaxing and enjoying the ride. To his pleasure she never let go of him, she keep her arms wrapped securely around him the whole time. To say the least he was starting to regret offering to teach her. It meant no longer giving her a ride for she would be able to do that on her own.
He came to a stop in front of the broom shed and steadied the broom for she could get off. Blaise opened the shed and choose her a cleansweep " okay now hold it up and put it in between your legs, yeah just like that" as he watched her thoughts of her straddling him that very same way, began feeling his mind. He shook his head trying to stay focused.
'Now push off."
"Blaise I can't." She pouted, " I'm scared."
He walked behind her " scoot up a little." He straddled the broom behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Now your going to have to kick of hard, I'm going to keep you steady but your controlling the broom, okay"
"Okay." He could hear her taking a deep breath before she kicked off. They slowly began climbing higher into the air. " How do I make it stop going higher?" she asked
" You have to level it, point it straight a head, leveled with the ground. There you go." He said when she got the broom to go straight. " Now lean forward against the broom."
0o0o0o
Hermione followed his directions and couldn't believe she was actually flying a broom. She leaned forward and realized quickly that they were going faster and faster. She tried to pull up to make the broom slow down but stopped as Blaise whispered in her ear.
"Don't be afraid, I wont ever let go."
Hermione didn't know where she got the courage but she looked back at him. " Never?" she asked
"Never"
" You promise"
Blaise smiled at her." I promise."
0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o
"Bye Blaise, thanks for the lessons" Hermione smile while watching her friend step into the fireplace.
"Yeah thanks for not letting her fall on her ass." Draco smirked sarcastically.
Hermione watched Blaise laugh as she smack Draco on the arm.
"See you later guys" He waved before dropping the floo powder" Zabini Manor." The flames engulfed him as him gave one final wave at the two of them. When he was gone Draco turned to Hermione.
" You know you didn't have to flirt with him so much, he already likes you."
"I wasn't flirting!" Hermione blushed.
"Yeah whatever, next time just snogg him and get it over with."
" Like you do Pansy." Hermione retorted. " You know you should really place a silencing charm on the bedroom next time."
It was Draco's turn to blush," You heard us?"
" How could I not?" Hermione said. She was enjoying teasing Draco for a change. " The real question is whether your mother knows are not." Her time for teasing ended quickly for the next thing to come out of Draco's mouth was.
" That's because I have skills." He smirked walking out the room. He turned at the door and looked at her over his shoulder. "You better hope Blaise is as good as I am." Then he laughed walking out the door, leaving a red faced Hermione standing there dumbstruck.
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The next few days went on with out incident. She spent the Days with Draco flying, with the occasional visit from Pansy or Blaise and once from Crabbe and Goyle. The visits with Pansy were usually short for Hermione, seeing that Draco would eventually drag her off to go and shagg. The nights however were spent in the company of different pureblood wizarding family's. Narcissa thought it would be best if people got to know Hermione, that way there would be no need to believe rumors because they'd know first hand. She was actually really serious when it came to her reputation so Hermione stayed on her best behavior at all times.
When they went to meet the Zabini's Hermione was slightly intimidated by Blaise's mother's beauty. The older woman just smiled at her knowingly making Hermione blush but at the same time putting her at ease. The only strange part in the meeting was that when she went to shake hands with Blaise's most recent step father; Draco grabbed the mans hand before she could then pushed her aside. She just gave the man a polite smile and looked a Draco like he was crazy. The rest of the night Draco, Pansy, and Blaise himself all stirred her clear of the man. She gave Draco a questioning look and he told her he would explain later.
Later never came and Hermione forgot all about it. It was two days before Christmas and she was now walking to the sitting room where Narcissa had summoned her. She got to the door and opened it; there was a couple sitting on the sofa with their backs to her. She looked to Narcissa, who smiled at her.
" Come Hermione, there's some friends of mine I want you to meet."
Hermione stopped in her tracks, staring at the smiling woman. She began wondering if Narcissa had lost her mind for using her real name in front f strangers. She gripped her wand just in case this was some kind of trap.
" Come dear." Narcissa said in a reassuring voiced.
Hermione walked to her slowly and turned to the woman and man in front of her. She stopped dead and stare. She could feel her breath picking up and her muscles tense. She thought about running but instead she looked at Narcissa and Draco, they both we wearing smiles. Narcissa gave her a nod and a little push forward and Hermione ran to the couples waiting arms.
" Mom, Dad!" She shouted as her parents embraced her tightly. " Oh I've missed you guys so much."
" We missed you too honey!" her mom choked squeezing her tighter. "Now let me get a look at you dear." She said as she pulled Hermione out of her hug.
" I see you finally learned how to control that puff." Her father joked tugging on her blonde locks. She swatted his hand away from her head smiling. " Oh honey, stop teasing her." Her mother said coming to her rescue.
" Hermione we thought about it and figured this would be the best gift we could give you." Narcissa said smiling
"It is." Hermione said smiling up at her parents
"Well we'll leave you guys to catch up." Narcissa said ushering Draco out the room.
"No stay!" Hermione turned to them. "I want to spend the day with my family." She smiled at her parents, and then looked to the Malfoys. " All of them.
Narcissa had tears in her eyes and Draco wore a silly gin.
"Well in that case-" Narcissa said smiling at Hermione fondly. " Who wants tea?"
"My pumpkin on a broom?" Hermione's dad asked teasingly after all the tea was handed out " We had to force you on the airplane when we went to our trip to the Bahamas."
"We'll Mr. Granger I don't know what a airplane is but Hermione here isn't that bad a flyer." Draco boosted for her. She couldn't help but smile at him.
"And I have you to thank for her transformation?" Hermione dad asked looking at Draco.
" No, my mate Blaise is the one that taught her to fly."
"Blaise huh, and I'm correct in thinking this Blaise is a young man?"
"Daddy!" Hermione shouted looking completely scandalized.
"What, I just want to know who got my baby girl to over come her fear."
"Well if anything Draco did."
"Me?" he said looking at her confused.
"Yeah." She smiled at him. "Don't you remember, you said that I would just fall on my butt."
"Draco you didn't?" His mother scolded.
Hermione laughed
"Ma, didn't you hear her, if I didn't say what I said she would have never concurred her fear." Draco smirked
Hermione father laughed at the two of them. " You guy remind me of your aunt and I when we were younger, always fighting, trying to get the other in trouble." He smiled. " Well pumpkin, come show me what you can do with a broom." He stood turning to Draco. " You said you can fly out here right?"
Draco stood also." Yea I'll even show you how, that is if you tell me why you call her pumpkin."
"Don't you dare dad!"
"Well you see, when Hermione here was little she had the biggest head in our county, like a little pumpkin." He father finished and Draco laughed.
"I'll never hear the end of this dad."
"It's the truth, you should be proud of your big head baby, well former big head." He smiled
They headed to the Quidditch patch where Hermione's dad started of on a broom with her. But he got the hang of it quickly and soon Draco was going over the rules.
"Man, If Blaise was here we could go two on two." Draco sighed.
"Why don't you call him, I'd love to meet the boy my daughter fancies." He smiled
"I don't fancy Blaise dad." Hermione blushed. " Besides Blaise doesn't know about this." She said gesturing to her body.
"Hermione!" The three of them looked down to see Narcissa and Hermione's mom walking on the patch below them. " Were going shopping, come down." Her mom called.
"Eww." Hermione turned to her father who ad snorted and laughed.
"Well you don't have to come Henry." Her mom said hearing him also.
"Do I have to go mother?" Draco asked.
"Well we don't really need you guys so if you want, you can stay here." She hadn't finished her sentence before Draco and Hermione's father were back on their brooms.
"Men." Her mother snorted.
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"Oh Kacy that is beautiful on you!" Hermione's mother exclaimed from behind her.
"It sure is dear." Narcissa added.
They had been shopping for hours. Her mother and Narcissa were just basically throwing dresses at her to try on. Not that she was complaining. So far she had 3 dress robes, 5 new skirts and 15 different tops, not forgetting the 3 pair of shoes.
Hermione was in heaven. Blaise was coming over for Christmas and she wanted to look good for him and Pansy. Not that she liked him or anything. So she smiled and tried on anything they gave her. After they paid for the clothes they bought out of that store they walked outside.
"Hermione isn't that Harry and Ron." Her mother asked pointing to the two red and one raven head people walking in their direction.
"Mom don't let them see you." Hermione said grabbing at her mothers arm. It was to late for the next second she heard Ron.
"Mrs. Granger is that you?"
Narcissa grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her back in the store. Her mom looked to make sure she was safely out of sight before turning to her friends.
"Hello Ron, Harry." She just smiled at Ginny.
"What are you doing here Mrs. Granger?" Harry asked her confused. "Are you here with Mr. Granger?"
"No, Mr. Granger doesn't know I'm here, I wanted to get a book for Hermione's grave." She lied. " I believe her favorite was Hogwarts; A History and I couldn't find it in her belonging the headmaster sent me. So I was going to buy a new one."
Ron and Harry looked down and Ginny just smile lightly.
"We have it Mrs. Granger, we wanted to keep something." Ron confessed.
"Sorry." Harry added.
"We can send it to you when we get back if you like." Ron offered.
"No, that's fine I'm sure she would want you to have it, well bye you guys."
The three of them turned to leave before Harry stopped. "Mrs. Granger would you mind having lurch with us. We could swap stories."
"Yeah, you tell of about Hermione before Hogwarts we tell you about her there." Ron added looking hopeful.
Her mother smiled at her two friends. "Maybe next time guys."
Harry and Ron looked disappointed but they said nothing else and turned to leave.
Hermione felt horrible as she watched her friends walk away miserable and because of her. She could see the hurt and Harry and Ron's eyes and it took all of her self-control not to run to them and tell them the truth.
"Your friends really love you Hermione" Narcissa whispered as her mother walked over to them.
" I know." She sighed sniffing back tears. " Can we go home, I don't really feel like shopping any more?"
"Sure honey." Her mother said running her hands through her hair soothingly. Hermione leaned into her mothers touch and enjoy the closeness.
Later that night Hermione said goodbye to her parents, promising to keep writing as much as possible. When they finally left she turned to the Malfoys and thanks them for being so friendly, she even went so far as to give Malfoy a big bear hug, which he said if she ever did again he'd hex her into next year. She had just laughed and kissed him on the cheek before running off to her room.
O0o0o0ooo0o0o0o0o0o
"Thank you Drakie." Hermione sang as she opened her Christmas gift, which happened to be Hogwarts; A History.
" Stop calling me that." He scolded
"Pansy calls you it." She teased.
Just then the fireplace roared and Pansy stepped out. "I do what." She asked coming to sit beside Draco.
A second latter it roared again and Blaise stepped out smiling at them all. "Where are my presents?" he asked rubbing his hands together.
Hermione laughed and handed Pansy her present before walking over to sit by Blaise. " Turns out it wasn't refundable, even though you didn't get me anything." She smiled handling him his gift.
Blaise took and looked at her. He tore off the wrapping and stared down at the gift. "It's a sketch book. I've seen you doodling on your parchment in class, these are muggle color pencils to color in your drawings, and there's also this spelled I found you point at the drawing and say 'Copino' and then point your wand at the sketch book and say 'Pastio' and It'll appear on the sketchbook so you don't have to hand it in with your notes." She watched him stare at the sketchbook and trace his hands over the color pencils. When he didn't say anything her smile faded. "Do you not like it?"
Blaise looked at her and smiled " I love it, thanks." Before returning his eyes to his gift.
O0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o
It was later that night when Hermione finally headed to bed. She walked in her room to see a little box sitting on her pillow. She picked it up to see a note attached.
Dear kacy,
I hope you like this I had it made just for you
Blaise
Hermione couldn't believe her eyes as she opened the box. There, sparkling, was a golden necklace with red rubies incrusted on each side; one in the beginning and end of her name. She smiled taking it out the box. Running her finger over the cursive lettering that spelled out Kacy.
Hermione put the necklace around her neck and looked in the mirror. Slowly it started to change. The metal began turning sliver and the rubies turned into green gems. She smiled as she watched it change back and forth from Gryffindor to Slytherin colors.
Getting in bed she held her new present, thanking the Gods in heaven for the best Christmas presents she could ask for.