AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, all! So I've decided to start off with a bit of a fluff, but it does get a tad darker moving on in the chapter! Thank-you so much for the lovely reviews, they're really what are pushing me to write this story. ^_^ Enjoy! xx

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CHRISTMAS IN THE CASTLE

The holidays had arrived, and snow decorated the grounds while the castle's interior was frosted with baubles of gold, red and white, tinsel and springs of mistletoe. The latter was beginning to cause a bit of ruckus however, with the girls seeming more assertive this year, and it was with great surprise and a tad of indigestion that Hermione found Millicent Bullstrode attempting to smack the lips off Theodore Nott one afternoon.

Harry and Ron were off to the Burrow as usual each Christmas, and to their surprise, Hermione declined their invitation to come along. Harry nodded understandingly, while Ron muttered darkly under his breath. Harry thought he knew why: Malfoy was also, most unusually, staying in the castle over the break.

On Christmas Eve, Malfoy and Hermione walked to their common room together after the first Christmas feast. Hermione was chatting happily about treacle tarts and house elves, while Malfoy half smirked, half grinned at her. She was wearing one of those – in his opinion – god awful Christmas sweaters. He was pretty certain it was one she made herself and not one she usually received from Ron's mother, and this idea erased Malfoy's scowl.

They reached the portrait to a very intoxicated King and Queen.

"Oh dear," Hermione said, giggling.

"Draco Granger," Malfoy said. To his surprise, the portrait did not swing open. Instead the Queen let out a hiccough.

"Not so fast," said the King in his booming voice, chortling and spilling a bit of what Hermione was certain was Firewhiskey from his glass. The Queen gave a lopsided smile that Hermione never thought she would see and pointed to something a little above their portrait. Malfoy and Hermione looked up and saw a little spring of mistletoe. The King winked.

"Well, what about it eh?"

Hermione blushed scarlet. Malfoy was taken aback: she had seemed so in charge that night when she lured him into her bedroom. Grinning mischievously, he pulled her towards him and dipped her while kissing her passionately, putting on quite a show for the King and Queen. The royal couple in the portrait let out cheers and hiccoughs, and swung open to let Malfoy and Hermione in.

Once inside, Hermione plopped herself on the couch and began knitting sweaters and hats for house elves. Malfoy gave her an exasperated look and opened up a book. There was silence for a few minutes, and then Malfoy conjured two bottles of Butterbeer from the kitchens, and handed one to Hermione.

"I have something for you." he said, a bit nervously. "A gift, I mean – I know we should wait until tomorrow morning but I just can't-"

Hermione's face broke into a wide smile. "I got you something too!" she said. The two hurried to their dormitories and returned to the common room, Hermione holding a small gift wrapped in purple and gold, while Malfoy held something large and quite bulky, wrapped in silver and blue.

"Ooooh," Hermione said, eyeing the Malfoy's package – er the gift, he was holding. They sat down on the sofa and Hermione began to unwrap the bulky present, tearing apart the paper and ribbons. She gasped.

"Is this-"

"It's the entire Tomkink collection, third edition," Malfoy said eagerly, trying to detect if she was pleased or not. Hermione squealed happily and ran her fingers along the spines of the volumes, "But Malfoy-this is really rare-"

"It has a special chapter from his personal journal too," Malfoy said, relieved to see Hermione looked happy, "and of course, Hogwarts: A History."

Hermione looked up at him, "No one ever gets me books even though that's all I ever ask for!" Malfoy eased into his seat. It was Hermione's turn to be nervous.

"Well, about my gift…I made it, you know, er," she stumbled. Malfoy grinned and took the small box from her. To be quite frank, Hermione was on and off with her affections for him, and he was very pleased to receive anything from her at all.

Malfoy unwrapped the box and opened it. Inside was a little vial filled with a golden liquid.

"Felix Felicis?" he said in awe. Hermione nodded.

"You know how to brew this?" he asked, impressed. An avid potion maker himself, he knew the liquid luck took months to make. Hermione nodded again.

"I figured you could use it, knowing your luck," she teased. Then she turned serious. "Do not use it during Quidditch or for any tests or exams." Malfoy laughed. No, this potion would have to be used for something much bigger…

Malfoy's mind drifted a bit more and he caught himself making a realization.

"Granger…" he said slowly, as Hermione took a sip of Butterbeer and beckoned for him to continue, "Didn't you get an 'Exceeds Expectations' for Defence Against the Dark Arts in fifth year?"

Hermione spluttered on her drink, clearly remembering her words of no sooner falling for Malfoy than getting a grade lower than 'Outstanding.'

"Erm.."

Malfoy grinned and his heart beat in his ears as he leaned over the loveseat and kissed Hermione.

IIIII

The next morning, Malfoy awoke to a heap of gifts at the foot of his bed. Smirking at the usual sweets, money and new robes from his parents, he headed down to the common room, where Hermione was, waiting for him nervously.

"Granger, what's wr-"

"I want to talk to Blaise. Today." Hermione said. Malfoy's stomach lurched, and a knot tightened. He was afraid of how much Blaise would say. Was this the true reason Hermione had wanted to stay in the castle – to talk to Blaise, since he'd be staying over the holidays as well? Malfoy scolded himself for thinking she had wanted to stay for him.

"Uh, alright," Malfoy said, nodding. He knew Hermione deserved to find out as much as she could.

"We can go now," Hermione said, and pointed to a funny map with little dots showing the locations of everyone who was at Hogwarts. It was Harry's Marauder's Map. Malfoy saw a little dot with the name "Blaise Zabini." He was in his dormitory, alone. Malfoy panicked but nodded again, and the two of them set out for the Slytherin common room.

On their way to the dungeons, Malfoy glanced about, worried someone might spot them, but Hermione seemed quite at peace: she was holding the map and could see where everyone was, and so they reached the common room without any problem. After giving the password, the two found themselves surrounded by green flames and leather couches. Malfoy began to feel slightly sick, and they walked up the steps to Blaise's dormitory.

It all happened very fast, in Malfoy's opinion: Hermione had swung open the door and shouted "Expelliarmus!" It appeared Blaise had been near the door as the force of Hermione's spell pushed Blaise to the opposite side of the room, and knocked him out unconscious.

"Tie him up," she said calmly. Malfoy complied instantly, and cast a set of invisible ropes around Blaise. They sat in silence and waited for him to stir. When Blaise opened his eyes he saw Hermione standing over him, and Malfoy to his left, his wand stuck to his chin. He saw Hermione had his own wand in her left hand.

"I thought you would come," Blaise said.

"Why did you kidnap me?" Hermione asked, her face blazing with intensity.

"I was not going to do you any serious harm," Blaise said. Hermione thought him to be telling the truth. "I just wanted to frighten Draco – to remind him."

"Remind him of what?" Hermione asked at once.

"To remind him what hurt feels like."

There was silence.

"Why did you make an Unbreakable Vow with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, this time, curious.

Blaise looked hesitant, and Malfoy pulled his head down by his hair until Blaise answered, "Alright, alright! I wanted to get back at him, I was furious, I didn't know if he'd succeed or not, I just wanted revenge-"

"Revenge for what?"

Malfoy closed his eyes, dreading Blaise's next words.

"For touching Luna Lovegood."

Hermione looked startled and then looked at Malfoy, "I see," was all she said.

"Grang-"

"Blaise, what does Malfoy have to do exactly, in order to stay alive?"

"He has to make you fall in love with him by the end of June."

Hermione nodded. "And this is between you two, yes? No one else is involved?"

At this Blaise began to laugh, and his bruised eyes popped like he was insane. "Tell her, Draco."

Malfoy slackened his grip on his wand and avoided Hermione's eyes. Hermione began to panic.

"Tell me what?"

Blaise grinned maniacally, struggling to open his swollen eyes. "If you don't fall in love with him, he won't be the only one dead."

"STUPEFY!" Malfoy shouted, and the spell hit Blaise so squarely on the face he was afraid Blaise was actually dead.

Hermione whipped her head around at Malfoy. There were no words to explain the grief Malfoy tried to quell in his stomach when her eyes, like venom, looked at Malfoy closely. She got up and walked from the room, leaving Blaise's wand behind. Malfoy wondered furiously what to do, and after a split second ran after her.