Dec. 25 Christmas

Ron looked out his living room window, and smiled wistfully. He watched as snowflakes fell softy from the sky, and land on the windowsill.

"Ron?" He turned to see his best friend sit beside him.

"Hiya Harry." He turned back to the window. "Do you think that she is okay Harry?"

"Sure she is." Harry looked at the people in the room. "She has to be."

Ron sighed, and looked away from the window again. He also looked at the room, and felt a small smile form. "It's weird not having her this year. I'm so used to having her sitting beside Ginny. Heads bent and talking about whatever it is girls talk about."

Harry looked at where Ginny was sitting, and noticed that she was laughing at what the twins had said. He noticed that her head turned slightly, to where Hermione would usually be sitting, and then he watched as she subtly shook her head. It was as she was saying 'That's right. She isn't here.'

"I know what you mean mate. Ginny probably would as well. So used to having her being in the room with us. Laughing, smiling and really just being herself."

Ron laughed. "She is always herself, Harry. Just when she is here she was calmer. Not stressed."

"I know." Harry turned to look at Ron. "This always baffled my mind Ron. Why didn't you ever get with her? It's obvious that you love her very much."

Ron looked at Harry and smiled. "I do love her. Very much, as you said, but not in the way that you hoped. It would have been great. It really would have."

"So why not?"

"If you looked at it really closely Harry, you would have saw that the attraction was there. That for a brief time we both liked each other more than friends. But the thing is," He paused to think of the right words. "The thing about it was that, it was mere curiosity, more like friends wondering if they could be more than friends."

"Oh. I see now."

Ron scoffed. "No I don't think you do. We tried to be intimate with each other once. Just tried kissing each other, and we did kiss. But mate, it was kissing Ginny on the cheek. And for her it was like kissing her cat. We both laughed and we weren't offended by the fact that we could be nothing more than friends."

"Then the more I thought about it, the more I knew that we were right. What if we did try to have a relationship? It would be a relationship, because that is what people expected us to do. It would have just be a publicity stunt and we would both have hated each other. things would have ended Harry, and you would never have us in the same room together again."

Ron looked as the door opened, and his eyes brighten when he saw the girl that he loved. "And that's why we didn't try. Also it didn't help that I was starting to think about that girl in the doorway, and her thinking about an arrogant ferret."

Harry looked at Lavender and saw her brighten up when she saw Ron. He then looked at Ginny, and saw her give him a soft smile when there eyes met. "I guess, no I know, your right Ron. I just always wanted my two best friends to be happy. And I guess that you are."

Ron nodded. "I am Harry. Very. Hermione is too, but she is so damn stubborn to admit that she likes ferret boy."

"How do you feel about them?"

"How do you feel, Harry?"

"I don't know how I feel about it. Will I stop talking to her because she likes, possibly loves, him? No, I can't even imagine my life without her in it. Do I like the idea? No. Will I become 'best buddies' with him? No I don't even think that I could. But I will be respectful to him because Hermione is with him." Harry leaned his head against the cool glass behind him. "I love Hermione, and that is enough for me."

"That's how I feel too, Harry. I love Hermione as well, but that doesn't mean that I like Ferret boy." Ron made a fist and punched it into his flatten palm. "It also doesn't mean that he will be exempted from a beating if he hurts her."

Harry laughed. "You get first hit." He then walked off to go sit with his beloved.

Ron leaned back against the glass, and watched with adoring eyes as Lavender came to stand in front of him.

"Hi."

He watched as a small blush formed on Lavender's cheeks. "Hi."

He grabbed her hips and brought her into the "V" of his legs. He leaned his head against her belly and sighed when one of her hands came to his head. "I love you, Lav."

"I love you too, Ron." Lavender said wistfully.

Ron then gave a sigh, and laughed when one of his brothers made a comment. He thought This is how it is.

******

Narcissa sipped some of her tea, and smiled from behind the rim. Her eyes were full of amusement and it was directed at the young witch in front of her.

She was delighted that the girl in front of her was Draco's fiance, and even more delighted over the fact that she was a Zabini. Well Zabini-Craig, but she could look over that little detail. Yes, Narcissa was happy indeed.

As she placed her cup, down she cleared her throat a bit. She smiled slightly when the girl looked over and a blushed started to stain her cheeks.

"So I hear that you and my son are," She watched as the girl shifted slightly in her seat. "Together."

"Yes Ma'am."

Narcissa was a little disappointed in the answer. So she turned up the questioning a notch or two. "You know that it will never last, right?"

The girl looked up, and Narcissa was immediately pleased with the fire in her eyes. So she continued, ignoring the fact that the girl was to be the daughter-in-law. "He does have a fiance, and you are just his little 'tart' on the side."

She did give a gasp when the girl abruptly got up from the table and slammed her hands on the table. "You know I was hoping that we could work things out Mrs. Malfoy. I really did. But I will have you know that this 'tart', as you so eloquently put it, is his fiance. And i don't care that you are his mother, but I will not take this crap from you nor will I from him."

Narcissa calmly folded her hands together and placed them on the table. She then looked back up at the girl and smiled. "You passed." She laughed at the expression on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"You passed, Maria." Narcissa kept smiling as Hermione fell to her seat.

"It was a test?" Hermione looked dumbstruck for a moment. "Why?"

"Well, personally, I don't want to have a girl that cows down to what I have to say. Sure I would like us to agree on stuff, and I would like us to be friends even. But I would not want Draco to have a woman that, what's that muggle saying again?" She paused for a moment. "Oh yes, doesn't not have a head on their shoulders, or however that saying goes. But I just want a girl that matches him. Not in beauty, but in smarts."

"I see." Hermione looked up warily at Narcissa. "And you think that I am that girl?"

Narcissa laughed. "My dear when you where one years old you adored my Draco."

"You mean I meet Draco when I was young?" Hermione shook her head. "Wait you know who I am?"

"Of course my dear. How could I not know who you are?" She chuckled. And how did you think that betrothal happened in the first place?"

"Because your family is friends with the Zabini's?"

"That was only partly why. But the other part is because of you. When you were almost one years old and Draco was born, you came over the manor. We brought you over to the bassinet that Draco was sleeping in. You had looked down from your father's arms. You then looked right into Lucius and my eyes and said 'Mine.' It was then that your mother and I brow beaten both our husbands for the contact. ''

"Then why wasn't I like that with Harry?"

"Potter?" Narcissa watched Hermione nod her head. "Oh, well you didn't really like him that much. Your mother could never understand why. Daniel and Potter had always gotten along, so they assumed that you would have like the Potter child better. But it turned out the you abhorred him. Tanya used to tell me all about it."

Hermione smiled. "Nan told me about that too. She laughed that it surprised her that we are the best of friends."

Narcissa sighed, from what she was going to tell her and also from how much longer she had before the rest of the household woke up. "Maria..."

"Hermione." She interrupted.

"Sorry?"

"I know that my biological name is Maria. But the only name that I have ever known, and hope to still know is Hermione. So please call me Hermione."

Narcissa nodded her head. "Of course. Hermione. Now I want you to know that I don't blame you nor Potter for the Dark Lord's demise."

"Well I thought..."

"I know what you thought my dear. And that's fine. But I wanted you to know that I don't blame any one of you for that. In fact I don't even blame you for the fact that my husband is in Azkaban for the rest of his life." Narcissa saw Hermione's face. "I think I shocked you."

"Damn straight you have!" Hermione blushed at the look. "Sorry. Yes you have."

"Because I don't blame nor have any hard feelings against you?"

"Well...yes?"

Narcissa chuckled. "Well I can see why you would. But I don't. But at the same time I will let you know that I don't like the fact that my husband is in Azkaban. I know what he did was very wrong, and that their is no hope for him. But does that mean that I don't love him? No. I still love the man very much. I knew what I got into when I married him, and I know that he is, wasn't, the best of husbands. But I love him."

"And does he know that?"

"No. He has been reduced to a vegetable state of mind. He thinks that the Dark Lord will come back, and that he will be set free. He knows who Draco and I are, but he think Draco is fifteen again. That is hard for me. Draco could care less. He in sense loves his father, but he can't forgive him. I don't push the matter."

Hermione stared at the woman before her. "Then what will he think about his son marrying a 'mudblood'?"

"But your not a muggle born my dear."

"I know that. But if what you say is correct, than when he finds out that Draco is marrying me, won't he go crazy?"

Narcissa laughed. "Of course he will go mad. But he can't do anything to Draco or you, Hermione. So don't worry about him."

Hermione shrugged. "If you say so."

"Ah. Happy Christmas Isa." Narcissa smiled when she saw her friend walk into the room.

"Happy Christmas Cissa and Hermione." Isabella answered when she sat down. "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Nothing that you don't know already." Narcissa took another sip of her tea. "Hermione and I were having a lovely chat. Isn't that right Hermione?"

"Yes." Hermione still stared at Isabella.

Isabella shifted a bit in her seat at the stare. "Is everything alright Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head lightly. "I'm sorry. I kind of doze off, I didn't mean to stare. You just look a lot like Blaise."

Isabella gave a genuine laugh. "I should hope so! I am his mother dear."

Hermione laughed softly. "Oh I didn't mean it.... Well you see...Shoot."

Isabella reached a hand across the table. "I know what you mean."

"Really?"

"Really."

Hermione smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted when Blaise and Malfoy walked into the room. Nan was close behind.

"Happy Christmas everybody!" Blaise said in a jolly voice, he walked over to sit beside Hermione, and chuckled when Draco growled. "I got here first!"

"Shove it Zabini." Draco said as he moved to the foot of the table.

"Now children." Nan said as she sat at the head of the table. "Hermione is a person. Not a thing."

"Now Nan..."

"Don't you 'Now Nan' me, young man." She placed the napkin on her lap. "You know very well that you sat beside your cousin because it would upset Draco."

"I did no such thing!" Blaise exclaimed. "I wanted to sit beside Hermione. Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes." Draco mumbled under his breath.

"Blaise, Draco!" Both mother exclaimed at the same time.

"What?" They both answered.

Hermione then started to laugh. Everybody stopped what they were doing to look at her. She felt tears run down her cheeks, and the stitch start on her side. She didn't care, because she thought that this Christmas would be different, not as loud as the Weasley's but still different. She was worried that it would be a very polite day. Soft words and soft voices. She was surprised and very happy about it.

"Is everything okay Hermione?" Blaise asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Hermione looked into the faces of everybody around the table. She saw a mixture of confusion, worry, and annoyance from Draco. She looked back up at Blaise and saw the amusement.

"Yes." She wiped at her eyes again. "It is now."

"Well that's good. I thought that you were going crazy or something. Wouldn't want to take a trip to St. Mungo's."

"Blaise..." Isabella said with some exasperation in her voice. "Please!"

"Well you knew when you had me that there was a possibility that I was going to be like this." Blaise paused when the food appeared in front of them. He took a bite of the toast, and continued. "So you knew the consequences, but you still kept me."

"Now I start to question whether that was a smart idea." Isabella stated. "But remember Mister. I brought you into this world..."

"Ya, Ya. You can take me out of this world. Sometimes I wonder if you actually love me." Blaise held a twinkle in his eye that bellied his statement. "Really mother. All you do is threaten to take me out of this world."

"Well I am sure that she wouldn't have too if you kept your bloody mouth shut Zabini." Draco growled from his spot, still annoyed over the fact that he wasn't sitting beside Hermione.

"And you!" Blaise pointed at Draco. "All you do is growl at me lately. It upsets me Drake! Makes me feel unwanted and that you don't love me anymore."

"Anymore?!? When have I EVER loved you?"

Hermione turned away from the two fighting and looked at Nan. She noticed that she was eating, along with Narcissa, completely ignoring the fight happening between the two boys.

"Do they not care that their mothers are here?" Hermione whispered to Nan.

Nan finished what was in her mouth before she spoke. "Nope. But then again you know that they are always like this."

Hermione shrugged. "I thought that they would be a little different from how they were in school."

"No. They grew up together Hermione." This came from Narcissa. "And since they are both the only child, they fight like brothers. Isabella and I decided a long time ago that we would always spend Christmas together."

"So they have been together since the day Blaise was born." Isabella answered after deciding that it was useless to interfere with the boys.

"Blaise is the youngest you know." Nan spoke as she wiped her mouth.

"Yes, Draco was always jealous over that little tidbit." Isabella nodded in agreement with Narcissa's statement.

"But then again Blaise always did start the fights." Isabella looked over at the now quiet boys, noticing their glares. "Well it is true dear. No bothering denying it."

"Well she doesn't need to know everything." Blaise pouted.

"I agree." Draco glared. "Mother."

"That look stop working a long time ago Draco." Narcissa placed her napkin on her plate and got up. "Now I think now that Isabella, Nan and I are all finished, we will retire to the family room. When you guys are finished, join us, and we will open presents together."

The three teenagers watched as the adults moved out of the room. Hermione watched as Isabella and Narcissa gave her a little smile, also gave her a look of apology. She watched as Nan gave her a wink. Hermione smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" Blaise turned his pout to her.

"Nothing. Just thinking that this is a lot like a Weasley Christmas." She snorted when she saw the twin looks of disgust on the boys faces. "Well it is true."

"Oh please! With those low life's." Draco murmured under his breath.

Hermione gave the 'if looks could kill' glare on Draco. "Pardon me?"

"Well it is pretty obvious that you heard what I said. So why bother to repeat it?" Draco gulped.

"I will have you know Malfoy that those 'low life's' are my family. And because they are my family, they will be apart of my life till the day I die."

"And that has to do with me how?"

"Quit while your ahead." Blaise whispered.

"Oh I don't know. maybe because we are betrothed, and because we are, that means you are a part of my life. And because you are a part of my life, it means that the Weasley's are going to be a part of yours." Hermione then smiled evilly. "And that means Harry is going to be very much a part of your life as well. So get used to it!" She then walked out of the room.

"Oh and Malfoy." She had stopped at the doorway and waited for Draco to look at her. "In cause you are forgetting Ron is actually a distinct cousin of yours. And if that makes your blood boil a little then you will also like to know that Parkinson is also a distinct cousin of mine." She left after that.

Blaise broke the silence. "I told you so, but did you listen? No No. Just had to go and get her mad."

"Shut up Zabini."

"And if you think that your going to be getting 'any' anytime soon. Well your very wrong about that." Blaise patted Draco's fist. "Your right or left hand is going to be your best friend for a while Mate."

Draco dropped down into his seat. He tilted his head back, and sighed. "How do you think she found out about that relation?"

Blaise leaned back in his chair. "Well hate to tell you this once again. She is the smartest witch of our age."

"Don't I know it."

"So how are you going to make it up to her?" Blaise inquired.

"Like I have a clue with that woman. If she was any other women I could have just bought her some sort of jewelry and everything would have been fine." Draco pointed in the direction Hermione had just left. "But that woman would throw it back at me, and slap me in the face."

Blaise nodded his head in agreement. "True. But I will leave you to your thoughts. I'll go and try to calm her down a bit." He left the room.

Draco leaned forward and placed his head in his hands. He then ran them through his hair. The only thought that was going on in his head was the fact that Granger had gotten that mad at him. The last time she was remotely that angry was in third year, when she had slapped him across the face. Now instead of threatening her and running away, he had to deal with the mood. And he wanted to whine at the fact that he wouldn't be 'getting' any. Sure it wasn't all about the sex, but he enjoyed it just as much as she did.

He smirked at the last thought. He would give it a day or two. Maybe even three, before she came back asking for it. He got up and walked toward the hallway, when he got there he heard her laugh. He shook his head.

"Woman!" He muttered.