The next day saw students going home for Christmas Break. Draco and Violet were so excited because they were going to tell their parents that Draco gave Violet a promise ring and that they'd be married after Hogwarts. Daphne and Astoria Greengrass looked forward to seeing their parents and spending time with their boyfriends, Samuel McNair and Kaliban LeFebvre. Pansy and Theo were planning on hanging out together as well. Blaise and Jackie also planned on hanging out, with Blaise hoping not to get killed by Marcus. As for Harry and Hermione, Hermione planned on spending time with Harry at his Aunt and cousin's and then Harry would spend the rest of break with Hermione and the rest of their friends.
The 12 friends sat in one compartment on the Hogwarts Express and they all talked about their plans.
"So you'll be with us for Christmas Harry and then you'll be going to your aunt's right?" Draco asked Harry.
"No, I'll be spending Christmas with my aunt and cousin, then Hermione will come on Boxing Day and stay with me for a few days, and then I'll be over for the last few days of break," Harry explained and everyone nodded.
Arriving at Platform 9 ¾, Violet, Theo and Draco said goodbye to the others and went to their families, who were standing together. Daphne and Astoria said goodbye to their boyfriends and went and joined their parents to go home. Samuel, found his parents and they disapparated away. Blaise and Kaliban went to stand with their mothers, while waiting for Hermione to say goodbye to Harry, who walked over to his aunt and cousin.
"Hey aunt Petunia, Dudley," Harry greeted his family.
"Hello Harry, Hermione. How have you two been doing?" Petunia greeted her nephew and his girlfriend warmly.
"We're doing great, Mrs. Dursley," Hermione said, as she shook hands with Harry's aunt.
"Call me Petunia Hermione," Petunia said to Hermione, who smiled.
"So I guess I'll see you in a few days Harry," Hermione said to her boyfriend.
"I'll see you soon, I cant wait for you to visit Hermione," Harry said, as he kissed his girlfriend.
"See you later Hermione," Dudley said to the girl that he considered a friend.
"You too Dudley," Hermione said as she waved goodbye to Harry and walked towards Blaise, Kaliban, her mother and Phoenix.
"Ready to go home darling?" Claudia Zabini asked her only daughter.
"Yes mom, I cant wait to go visit Harry and his family after Christmas, but I wouldn't trade spending Christmas Day with you for anything in the world," Hermione told her mother.
Claudia smiled and they all apparated back to Zabini Manor, the manor that Antonio Zabini died in. Hermione grabbed her trunk and brought it up to her bedroom. She decided not to unpack her stuff because she'd be going Harry's in a few days.
Hermione then decided to enter a room that she never had before. It was the room that her father died in. The room was once the nursery and Hermione felt like she needed complete closure now that her dad's murderer is serving life in Azkaban.
Hermione walked into the room and saw a still opened closet, the closet that Hermione knew her mother hid with her and Blaise, while her father was murdered. She looked around and sat on the floor right where she imagined her father would have fallen had he unconsciously been trying to protect his family.
"You've grown up," Hermione heard a voice and she jumped when she saw a figure standing in the room.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked, confused, but she felt she already knew the answer.
"I haven't seen you since you were just a baby," the figure said before it stepped into the light and Hermione gasped
In front of her stood her father, the man that she had always wanted in her life, but was always deprived of.
"Daddy!" Hermione said in a small voice that made the spirit of Antonio Zabini smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"I'm so sorry you never got to know me Hermione. Had I taken more precautions to keep you and your mother and brother safe, I would still be here and you would have grown up with us," Antonio said sadly and Hermione shook her head.
"You did all you could, you could never have thought that Dumbledore would become that evil. I've always wanted a father and nothing can ever change that, but I know that you died to save us and I can never thank you enough for what you did," Hermione cried.
"What else is a father supposed to do for his children and wife? I never thought about saving myself, you three were my top priority. I knew I was going to die and I wanted my legacy to live on in my children although you never got to know me for who I really was," Antonio told his only daughter.
"I know who you are, a loving husband and an even better father, you gave your life to save us, and that shows your bravery and courage," Hermione said and her father smiled at her.
"You coming into this room, Hermione, has put me at peace. I can now rest in peace without haunting this room," Antonio said, as he began to fade away.
"But Daddy, I need you, why can't you stay?" Hermione pleaded with her father.
"I'm finally at peace, I'll be with your grandparents and Harry's parents, and all those who died trying to take down Voldemort, but I'll be there for trying to protect my wife and children against Dumbledore," Antonio said and his daughter nodded.
"I'll always love you Daddy, and I'll never forget you," Hermione said, as Antonio smiled kindly at her.
"We'll see each other again one day, but I hope and pray that it wont be for a very long time. My only prayer for you is to grow to adulthood, get married, have children, and live happily ever after. That was the dream your mom and I had, but we never got to fulfill. I'll always love you too Hermione, with all my heart," Antonio Zabini said one last time before he faded away and left Hermione alone in the former nursery.
Suddenly, Hermione heard her mother call her name from downstairs, so she walked out of the nursery and quietly shut the door. Blaise and Kaliban were outside playing Quidditch, and Phoenix and her mother were in the kitchen preparing supper.
Hermione wanted to keep this experience to herself because all her life she was deprived of the love of a real father and now she heard, with her own ears, that he wouldn't have done what he did any other way.
Hermione walked down the stairs, with the same grace that her mother did and walked into the kitchen. She hid the fact that anything happened by smiling like she normally does.
Her violet eyes, inherited from her father, seemed brighter though, her mother noticed, but she chalked it up to Hermione being happy to being away from Ronald and Ginevra Weasley and the fact that she would soon be seeing Harry again.
Hermione went to sleep that night and dreamt of her conversation with her father. She kept her mind closed, so no one could see what she was dreaming about. She then made a silent vow to herself that she would get the happily ever after that her parents were deprived of. And she knew she wanted to spend that happily ever after with Harry.
