Chapter Thirteen

Falling

"Hermione, are you crazy?"

Hermione had woken up early that day, and shook Draco awake as well. She ordered him to put on his swim shorts. It took nearly half an hour to get him going, but eventually he was ready, and the moment he was outside his bedroom door where Hermione waited, she grabbed his hand, and dragged him outside.

She continued to drag him across the muddy ground, and wet grass (it had rained the night before), towards the pond. The air was chilly, tiny bumps traveled over her skin. She wore her yellow bathing suit, and was starting to wish she put on a shirt.

Draco groaned as he caught on what she was up to. "You are thick! It's too cold to swim, it's November!"

They reached the pond. "Exactly, and you haven't swimed yet since we've been here!"

He pointed to the pond, "I'm not going in there!"

She smirked, and before he could answer she shoved him in, a short scream escaping him. She laughed.

When his head popped back to the surface he yelled, "Granger, I'm going to kill you!" He shook all over from the cold.

Hermione proudly shrugged. "You had your chance."

Draco jumped up seizing her hand, and tugged her down. Hermione gasped as she lost her footing, and fell in. Ice prickled on her skin like a thousand needles. When she swam to the surface she panted for air, and caught sight of Draco in a fit of laughter.

"Oh, you think it's funny, do you?"

He nodded vigoursly. "Yeah."

She swiped her hand in the water splashing him. He put his hands up defensively, but then gave her his famous Malfoy snarl, and splashed her back. That's when the water war started. Back, and forth they splashed each other. He got close enough once to press his hands on her head dunking her under.

Underneath the water Hermione grabbed his legs, and grazed her fingertips over his feet hopefully. He jerked, and laughed. When she reemerged, she spit up some water, and raised an eyebrow at him. "Ticklish, Malfoy?"

"You're going to pay!" He lunged at her, but she sidestepped him, and he tumbled face first in the water.

"Nice try," she mumbled.

He grabbed her waist, droplets falling from his blonde lashes. A droplet trailed over his lips, and Hermione gently kissed it away. He pushed her hair from clinging to her face. They were lost in each other not noticing that another presence had been watching them.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

They whirled around, and saw Dumbledore on the patio, looking over his half-moon glasses at them interestingly. Hermione thought she had never been redder, even Draco looked like he would burst into flames.

"Now, don't be embarrassed. I myself like to take a nice long swim. But if you do not mind, I would like you two to dress. I have some news for you." He strolled into the house leaving them wide eyed.

Hermione hoped that the pond was muddy enough that her almost naked body was covered. Her headmaster had seen her in her swimsuit! Ginny Weasley was right, she was a prude, but this was the headmaster.

Draco, and her got out shivering. He flicked his wand, muttering a couple of spells. Their clothes flew out of an upstairs window, along with two towels. They dried, and dressed as they discussed what Dumbledore wanted with them.

"Maybe Potter's saved us all again, and we can go home." Draco put on the last article of clothing, his shirt.

Hermione put on hers, pulling up her jeans, buttoning, and zipping. "I don't think so. We would've read about it in the Prophet." She collected her hair together in a high ponytail. The Dailey Prophet, a wizarding newspaper was their only source to wizarding world aside from Harry, and Ron.

They walked inside to the sitting room. Dumbledore sat in one of the chairs comfortably, grinning knowingly when they came in. They sat a good feet from each other on the couch.

"What's this about, sir," Draco asked with much more respect than he had for him only months ago. "Is Voldemort gone?"

Dumbledore's smile faded. "I'm afraid not. I am still working on that with Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley. No, this is about Christmas."

"That's a month away," he stated confused.

"True, true, but I feel that you two should know now for less confusion in the future. You are not to live this premises for the holidays. Not even to visit your families."

Hermione try to protest. "But, sir -"

Dumbledore held up a graceful hand for silence that made Hermione snap her mouth closed. "I understand your want to be with your parents."

"Sir, we didn't leave for Halloween, why should we assume we'd leave for Christmas," he glimpsed questioningly at Hermione.

"Because," she started, "it's Christmas, it's a time to be with your families."

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger. I will be sending a letter to your parents explaining the situation."

Hermione shook her head, "please, sir, don't tell them about the war... I don't want them to worry."

"You haven't told your parents," Draco asked amused.

"They're Muggles, they sent me off to school expecting I would be safe. They'd go insane knew all of this."

Dumbledore twirled his thumbs. "What would you like me to tell them?"
"Tell them..." Hermione thought for a moment. "Tell them I have a lot of studying to do, and I can't make it out there. They'll believe that."

"And you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Tell them the truth."

Dumbledore raised his brows amusingly. "You're father wouldn't approve of that."

"I don't care..."

He sighed deeply. "In that case... Miss Granger's parents will have their memories modified. I cannot know how you're father will retaliate, and knowing his son is living with someone he would disapprove of will likely set him off to do anything. Miss Granger, will you sign a consent form for authorities to do this?"

Hermione turned to Draco. "Are you sure you want your father to know the truth?"

"Can't hide it from him forever, can I? But if you much rather have your parents be left alone, I won't do it. It's up to you, Hermione."

"Once this war started I knew sooner or later it had to be done. I mean, being Harry's best friend, and muggleborn, it was only a matter of time." She addressed Dumbledore, "sir, send me the forms as soon as you can."

Dumbledore stood, Draco, and Hermione politely following suit. "I'll leave you now," he said on his way to the front door, but stopped, and turned halfway to them. "May I present some advice?"

"Of course, sir," Hermione said.

"Love is the most complicated, beautiful feeling in the world. It has to be treated with care, and only then can it survive the most vicious of storms. You will not find this easy, but I believe that you two can be. If you want it enough." The wise old wizard left then, and the couple stood alone.

Minutes of silence passed. Draco broke this. "Are you alright with this?"

"Do I have a choice?" She was angry. "I'm sorry, Draco, I just want to be left alone. Excuse me." She rushed up the stairs to her room leaving him bewildered. She didn't want to say anything that she would regret later.

Hermione shut the door. Once she signed those forms, her parents wouldn't remember her. She would be an orphan. She laid on her bed, forcing the tears back, but they fell anyway.

She heard the door behind her creek open, and she knew it was Draco. There wasn't anyone else it could be. He crossed the room, and she felt the side of her bed sink down as he laid next to her, an arm slinking around her waist. She wanted him to go away. He'd seen her tears once, that was bad enough.

"Hermione," he said softly. She didn't speak, but he went on. "I'm sorry that you don't get to spend the holidays with your mum, and dad."

She hiccupped hiding her huff of disbelief. He didn't sound sorry, and she pointed this out. "You sound it."

He sighed, "there's a reason for that... I'm not."

She turned around, and glared at him. How dare he! "That's rich!" She went to get up, but he pressed her back down.

"Just listen... Please?"

Hermione stopped resisting, but the fire didn't leave her. She listened resentfully.

"You don't know this about me... There's a lot you don't know... But, my holidays weren't what you'd expect. The mansion would be professionally decorated, including the tree. We would have a large dinner, loads of presents, but my parents wouldn't speak to each other. Christmas was nice only because it was the one holiday where we spent the most time together. After the presents were open, and the food was ate, we would each go into separate rooms. I never had a real Christmas."

Hermione shifted awkwardly. She did know this about him, he wrote it in his journal. He was wrong, there was a lot she knew. The guilt bubbled.

He went on, "spending Christmas with you will be the best Christmas I could ask for. It's not ideal for you, but it is for me. I can't be sorry that it happened this way. Maybe I'm selfish." He ran his thumb over her cheek wiping a tear streak away.

"No, you're not. Someone selfish wouldn't throw away the Malfoy fortune for a muggleborn."

"Not just any muggleborn. The smartest, and most beautiful muggleborn ever." He kissed her, and she forgot why she was upset, or where they were. His arm tightened around her waist drawing her closer. His teeth grazed her lips, a low moan breaking from her. Without realization he rolled on top of her, holding the back of her neck as he gave little kisses down it to her collarbone.

Instantly he stopped pulling away from her. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Hermione took in their position, and nodded sitting up. "Yeah..."

He went to leave, but she gripped his arm. He looked at her oddly.

"Stay, please? Just for a while?"

Slowly he nodded lying on his back next to her, and she curled up in his arms, her head on his chest. They were there for a long time, she was close to sleep when he spoke.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"... I love you."

Taken aback she titled her head up at him. "Oh..."

Draco sighed closing his eyes. "I... I didn't know the right time... I haven't done this before, Hermione."

"Draco, look at me."

He opened his eyes, and she could see there were no guards up. He was vulnerable, like a wolf showing his belly to the Alpha. She beamed. "I love you too."

Relief waved over him. He held her face, and snogged her hard. "When," he asked against her lips.

"I don't know... I suppose it started when you didn't let me fall down the stairs," she chortled. "When was it for you?"

"When I realized I couldn't let you fall."

Hermione knew then that no matter what happened when they returned to their lives outside of the house she wouldn't forget that moment. If they didn't survive their friends, or their enemies they would at least have that moment.