Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. She smoothed her hands over her hair and turned this way and that. "Stop fretting," Kellie said, coming to stand next to her. "You look beautiful. So stop hogging the mirror and let the rest of us have a go."
Hermione stepped back sheepishly and let the other Gryffindor girls fix their hair and make up. Pansy waved her over to the sofa she was reclining on and Hermione sank down next to her. Pansy was sitting with her legs crossed. In her outfit, she looked as if nothing could ever faze her. Calm and collected, she sat back and watched the younger ones fuss with their appearance in front of the large mirror they'd conjured in the Gryffindor's Common Room. They'd all decided to get ready there. No one had really minded Pansy being there. They were getting use to the weirdness of the holidays at the castle.
"You really do look beautiful," Pansy said, smiling at Hermione.
Hermione fiddled with the sash around her waist before folding her hands in her lap. "I'm starting to rethink this outfit," she said. "What if we're too formally dressed?"
Pansy jerked her thumb to the other girls. "They're all wearing dresses perfect for...what is that thing you said high school students went to? That dance thing."
"Prom," Hermione said.
"Yes," Pansy said. "Prom. They look like they're ready for that." She shook her shoulders in a saucy move and said, "We just look delicious."
Hermione laughed, feeling her tenseness fading from her body. She'd been tense since Draco had proposed. She'd been filled with doubts. What if he changed his mind? Would he dump her like last weeks Posions homework? Would he break her heart in two? She'd die if he did. It had just seemed so unreal. The Malfoys were the most prestigious wizarding family in blood, status, and money. She was only a muggle-born who had captured the heir by kissing him on the Quidditch field. What if they didn't like her? What if they stuck their noses up at her and ordered Draco to leave her? She'd fight for him, naturally, she wasn't going to be giving Draco up so easily; but would that put her on their bad side? Draco had reassured her that his mother would love her, but it was his father that troubled her the most. She'd met Mr. Malfoy a time or two in the past years when she collected her things for the school year with Harry and Ron; and he seemed the kind of man that was stuck in his family's ways.
Pansy snapped her fingers in front of Hermione's face and she jumped, pulling herself out of her thoughts. "Come one," she said. Grab your presents and let's go. All the other girls have already left."
Hermione looked around and noticed the Common Room was empty. She stood up, smoothed the wrinkles from her dress and took one last look at herself in the mirror. She nodded her head at her reflection, showing her confidence, and turned to Pansy. "Come on," she said. "Let's go surprise my fiance." Oh, how she loved saying that word.
Draco knew that everyone in the room was staring at him, even if they looked as if they were enjoying the party. A few brave souls had come up to him to tell him how much they liked the room and how it was decorated. He'd given all the credit to Hermione, saying he just put up the snowflakes. He checked his watch now.
"Dude," Blaise said, coming up to him and pushing a glass of white stuff into his hand. "Relax. She'll be here. Drink some egg nog."
"What is egg nog? And why would I want to drink something made of eggs?" Draco said, looking into the cup at the milky drink.
Blaise chuckled. "Don't think about it. Just drink. It's actually tasty if you add enough brandy."
Draco smiled. "My kind of drink," he said before taking a sip. It was actually not that bad. "Is this a muggle drink?"
Blaise nodded. "Pansy went out to buy a gift for the gift exchange and found a sale of this stuff. She bought a lot. I provided the brandy."
Draco patted Blaise's shoulder. "Good man," he said.
Blaise put his own hand on his friend's shoulder and said, "Lucky man, you. You've got yourself one heck of a looker."
"Wow," Crabbe said behind Blaise.
"Yeah," Goyle said.
Draco raised an eyebrow in confusion, but Blaise jerked his chin to the door.
Draco turned and caught his breath. Hermione stood in the doorway. Her hair was soft and pulled back by a silver clip, the rest falling around her shoulders and showing off the white of the pearls around her neck. The dress showed off her legs and the heals didn't hurt either. She held two presents in her hands, one she handed to Pansy who walked over and put it under the Christmas tree they'd decorated not too long ago.
Hermione looked up and spotted him. She smiled and Draco couldn't help smiling back. One thing he'd always loved about Hermione, from the first match they'd played against each other in Quidditch, was her smile. He'd seen it when she'd caught the snitch for the first time. Even if she had been on the other team, Draco liked seeing that beaming smile. And it was now directed at him as she made her way across the room.
"I'm going to help Pansy with the presents. Help me, will you, Crabbe, Goyle," Blaise said before walking off. The two others paused a moment, but followed.
Draco barely registered his friends' absence. His eyes were glued to Hermione. Had her hips always swayed like that when she walked? And he just wanted to touch those smooth legs. She stopped in front of him and smiled. "Like what you see?" she asked.
"You have no idea," Draco said.
Hermione laughed and held out the present she held. "I got you something. It was when we went shopping. I saw it and thought you'd like it."
Draco set his cup of egg nog down and took the black box. It was thin and wide. He took the top off and laughed at what he saw was in it. Laying on a thin pillow of black paper was a tie that was stripped in blood red and emerald green. Gryffinor and Slytherin colors. The pattern swirled around the tie, never ending and sometimes blending with the rows below or above it. Draco looked up and said, "I don't know how you found this tie, but I love it."
Hermione smiled. "I thought you would," she said. "It's payment for that snake cupcake you made me."
He smiled. "You liked eating it. Don't deny it."
"I won't," she said.
Just then, Pansy clapped her hands. "Hey, people!" she called. Students stopped their conversations and turned to her. She was standing in front of the tree with Blaise beside her, holding an old wizard hat. "We're going to play the gift exchange game. Blaise will fill you in on the rules as you take a number from the hat."
Blaise started to call out the instructions as he walked around. Kids took a scrap of parchment. Blaise returned to Pansy, who flicked her wand and christmas music played over the boombox they'd left in the room.
"Alright," she said. "Who's number one?"
A Hufflepuff girl walked up and took a small wrapped present. She opened it and smiled. "Magic changing mood nail polish," she said.
"Number two?" Blaise called.
The Ravenclaw boy jumped up from his seat and picked up a present. After unwrapping it, he raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" the other Ravenclaw asked, twister her head to get a better look.
He held it up and said, "A matching princess necklace and earring set." His face turned red as people started laughing.
"I'm stealing that," the girl said. "I'm number three."
She reached for the set and the boy mouthed 'Thank you'. She blushed and shrugged before returning to her place. The boy reached down for another present and chose a big one this time. It was a deluxe box of pranks from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They'd had a sale so everything was practically a steal, or so Hermione had been told by Ginny in a letter a few minutes ago. The Ravenclaw's eyes went wide and he smiled as he stepped away for number four.
It was Kellie. She walked forward and picked up Hermione's present. She opened it and laughed. She pulled out a T shirt and read it. "I know Karate...and two other Japanese words." The wizarding kids were confused, but the muggle-borns laughed. After a few seconds of explaining the joke, it was number 5's turn. It continued, one after another, for about an hour and a half. Kids stole from others or took presents from under the tree until all the presents had been moved to their max potential.
Draco had stolen a bottle of Veritaserum from a Hufflepuff, who hadn't tried to take it back, and had spent some of the party spiking people's butter beers and egg nog. Then Blaise and Pansy had stolen it from him and vanished off somewhere. Hermione had gotten stuck with a pair of magically enchanted, not-to-break, fuzzy handcuffs. When she'd opened the package, she'd gotten a few winks and a couple wolf whistles. "Bet those will come in handy on the wedding night, huh?" Pansy had shouted. Loudly. Hermione had blushed and tried to get other people to steal the gift. No one had even tried. They liked seeing her embarrassed.
"Fifteen minutes till midnight," Draco said. "And fifteen minutes to Christmas morning."
Hermione smiled at him and nodded. "You know," she said. "I've noticed you didn't call me a smurf tonight."
Draco smiled and said, "Because I have something for you." He took her hand and walked her over to the christmas tree. He reached into the branches and pulled out a blue wrapped package. "For you," he said, handing it to her.
"You know," she said, opening the wrapping. "You're suppose to put the gifts under the-" her words were cut off as she saw what the present was. She bit her lip and looked up at Draco. "A smurfette doll," she said.
"Yeah," Draco said. "I looked for it, Pansy helped, and I found it. You look like smurfette in that dress. And that's a compliment," he added quickly.
Hermione smiled and hugged the thing. She looked at Draco. "I forgive you," she said. "Not because you gave me a doll. But because you went and found something outside your comfort level and got it for me."
Draco smiled. "Well, that's good, because I have another surprise." He turned and said, "Come on in, Pansy. We're ready."
The door opened and Pansy and Blaise came in, followed by Dumbledore. The students stopped their talk and watched as Dumbledore stood in front of the tree. He smiled at Draco and Hermione. "I believe you two wish to marry?"
Hermione stared at Draco. "Now?" she asked.
"We'll stay in Hogwarts and get our education," Draco said, taking her hand. "But I want to marry you and I'm not letting you get any doubts or second guess this. I love you and I want you as my wife."
Hermione smiled and nodded, touched by his sweet words. "I was having doubts," she said. "But I'll marry you. Now."
He smiled and nodded to Dumbledore. Pansy took Hermione's doll and stepped back. Now everyone was watching the two. Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "We are gathered here this night to join these two in marriage. Not the first couple you'd ever expect, but the most perfect for each other. They will face hard times and good times, but stay firm at all times. Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take Hermione Jane Granger as your wife?"
"I do," Draco said.
"Do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take Draco Lucius Malfoy as your husband?"
Hermione licked her lip and nodded. "I do," she said.
"By the power invested to me," Dumbledore said. "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride now, Young Mr. Malfoy. And congratulations, Mrs. Malfoy."
Draco leaned forward and kissed Hermione just as the Christmas Bells rang from in the village. She felt her stomach fluter and she kissed back. The kids watching clapped and cheered. Pansy and Blaise threw confetti over them. Hermione laughed as she pulled back from Draco. Crabbe and Goyle ambushed her and pulled her into a large hug. She then received hugs from Pansy, Blaise, Kelly, and Rowan. Hermione turned back to Draco and saw him pull out a gold band. He slid it onto her ring finger and held his own up. He already had a ring on.
"Alright," Pansy said. "Party continues in the Gryffindor Common Room. Leave the newlyweds to their night. Hermione has to make use of those handcuffs."
There was laughter as everyone grabbed the food, drinks, and gifts, and left. The moment the door closed, the room changed into one of someone intent on seduction.
Draco picked up Hermione and walked over to a queen sized four poster bed. He set her down on it and smiled. "I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," Hermione said. "But no strip tease."
Draco pretended to look hurt. "And I so enjoyed that show," he said, laying down next to her.
"Maybe for an anniversary," Hermione said, pulling him down and kissing him.
Draco wrapped and arm around her back and smiled. "How's this for our first Christmas?"
Hermione pushed his jacket off his shoulders. "I love it," she said. "I wouldn't change any of it."
Draco smiled and kissed her again as the candles began to dim.
AN: Okay, so sorry it was long, but what do you think? How sweet is that? And he got the right smurf! Next chapter gets good. Ron appears. 0_0 Review and hear more.