Author Note: I appreciate all the warm comments and know that quite a few of you are looking forward to another chapter.

A special thanks goes to: MrsCatalyn, n75326tv, bakiboi2.0, danielledanielle1, SakuraMikan2015, Annie801, leahmalfoy24, Loverbooks, 45, Tillyann19, The17o, LightofEvolution, .89, smallwren, enchanted16, queenvampirebarbie, monsucre, Draconian666, JayPratt, Cotton-headed Ninnymoggins, Dramonie shipper17, RandiLynnie, Rhavaniel, and hellokitty49 for becoming followers to this story.

Another special thanks goes to: MrsCatalyn and LightofEvolution for the wonderful reviews. You're kind words mean the world to me.

Chapter 2:

November 29th

Hermione left her office a little after 7:30 with her large bag safely under her arm. She turned back to lock the door, her heels clicking against the floor for a brief moment. Once the door was locked, she turned to head back to the crossroads. It was there that she would be able to leave the Ministry. Letting out a sigh, a few of her reports remained on her cluttered mind in hopes of depriving her of precious sleep.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Harry speaking to Draco privately. She mentally thought about her miniscule meeting with Draco earlier that day. He had teased her about the mess in her office and actually found humor in it. She didn't know why she got all defensive. Maybe it was because of all the days they had spend at Hogwarts or maybe it was because she just didn't know how to handle a little bit of teasing anymore. Her life had grown chaotic, sometime too much for all that needed to be done. Though, most of the time she wanted to bury herself in work so as not to think about anything else that bothered her.

Harry caught her eyes as she passed them. She waved halfheartedly before disappearing in a puff of smoke. It left the two men to speak alone once more. Harry's eyes shifted away from Draco's as he handed him a small stack of papers. "No rush on this, just investigate it privately and please don't get caught. It's not exactly in our jurisdiction." Harry declared cryptically.

"Shouldn't you be trusting her with this information?" Draco countered with his own question.

"She's got so much on her plate as it is. Adding this, would only overload her. I think you know how stubborn she can be."

Draco did know; but it didn't keep him from wondering why Harry was trusting him with the assignment instead of his best friend. Hermione would no doubt be the better candidate for what the report in his hand called for. Without another word spoken, Harry left him. Looking down at the bundle of papers in his hand, he discreetly tucked them into the side pocket of his bag.

He then turned to leave. Once outside, the bitter cold wind hit him instantly in the face. The sudden chill took his breathe away momentarily. There was dozens of people roaming the sidewalks, scattering all over to their destinations; but not him. There was just too much on his mind to just go home. If he did that then all he'd do was drink.

Stumbling across the intersection that would lead him to the park or the cross-way that would lead him home, he glanced over at the park. Hundreds of people were gathered to see the official lighting of the tree. In the mix of them all, he could see her chestnut hair in large curls down her back.

Seeing her made him think about the papers that were secretly hidden in his bag that were meant for her viewing. He contemplated on telling her and going against what Harry told him to do. When the tree came closer into view, he wondered when he had decided to walk over there. Leave it to his brain to make decisions for him. Hermione stood only a few feet away with her back to him, not realizing that he was there just yet. He still had time to leave before she'd notice he was there.

She turned her head slightly just to catch sight of him. Too late to retreat now."Draco?" She called turning a little more to see him standing there with his hands in the pockets of his dressy winter coat.

"Granger..." He replied acknowledging her.

They stood in silence for few awkward moments before she turned completely around to face him. She couldn't stand the tension any longer. The look in his eyes made her breath hitch in her throat. He was starting at the tree and an expression of longing that left her feeling confused as to what he thinking. She wondered if his family even celebrated Christmas and wondered if he would listen to her if she spoke of what was heavy on her heart? Because it was there on the tip of her tongue just begging to be spoken. Before the inner battle ended, her mouth opened to speak. "You know...this time of year...I think about my parents. I sometimes regret not giving them their memories back...just so I had a place to go..."

Draco could hear her words and was completely surprised by them. He never expected her to be so open with him, especially with everything he had done to her in the past. Studying her face, he noticed the hope that was lit up behind the soft brown of her eyes. "But I know they are better off not knowing I exist. It's safer for them." She continued.

"I wouldn't say that. I assume they loved you very much."

"Well...yeah..."

"If they were shitty parents, then I can understand not wanting to give them any memory of you; but they weren't, maybe you should reconsider."

His words caught her off guard a little. The stormy gray of his eyes were filtered with emotions she had never seen before. It got her thinking that maybe he was a decent human being underneath all the crap his family had drilled into his mind growing up. Even Harry had once told her that he believed that he was a good person deep down.

Voices of awe escaped around them when the lights were finally appearing on the tree. Hermione and Draco turned to view it more fully. He could see the lights sparkle in the center of her eyes and immediately couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful they were reflecting in her eyes. It added layers of beauty to her already flawless features.

"I never noticed how pretty these things really were..." Hermione commented.

Draco said nothing, he couldn't stop looking at her. He mentally cursed himself for even thinking the smallest compliments when it came to her. He was Draco Malfoy, one of the wealthiest heirs within all the pure-bloods; but for some reason, he couldn't seem to shake her image right then. He was really starting to question his mental stability. "Well, as pretty as they are...I should head home. Another long day tomorrow..." She said again, snapping him out of his private thoughts.

"Yeah...same..." He replied proceeding to walk after her.

A smile came across her face when she realized that he was walking with her. Heat crept to her cheeks, hidden under the cold that had reddened her skin. She supposed that he was only walking with her because he had to live somewhere in the same direction and that thought put a damper on her mood. Clenching her hands tighter in the confines of the pockets of her coat, Hermione tried not to let the lack of conversation bother her.

Draco had no idea what to say to her. The only thing that came to mind was the hidden report in his bag that was meant for her. He didn't know who to listen to. Harry was his boss; but at the same time, he had no clue where to even start with the assignment, where Hermione would. The street lights lit up the walkway, catching just the right way to bring out all the details of her face. A face that had haunted plenty of his dreams over the years.

"Well this is me..." Hermione stated stopping in the middle of the path.

"So it is...have a good night, Granger." He stated turning away.

"Do you...do you want to come in? I could make some hot chocolate or something."

He turned back around to look at her. Yet again, she surprised him by her boldness. Asking him inside her own private home completely astounded him to no words at all. Studying her face, he could see how bad that could go. His primal instincts were now kicking in and that was something he didn't want. He didn't want to attempt anything that he would regret later on. "I don't know if that's a good idea." He answered honestly.

"How about a shot of tequila?" She offered in return.

Draco perked at the offer, not understanding her reason for offering anything. Did she think he'd respond better to alcohol than to just a traditional drink? Was he that transparent? Or maybe, she was just as alone as he was. "Again, not a good idea. Why is it that you want me to come inside?" He asked curiously, holding back the smile that was tugging at his lips.

"You look like you could use the company...and I guess...maybe I don't want to be alone."

"I'm not the best company, Granger. Everyone knows that..."

Hermione sucked her bottom lip inward, contemplating on what to say next. She never realized just how stubborn Draco could really be. She was trying to be nice and brush the past behind them, with him only to reject her peace offerings. Before she knew it, he was standing only inches away from her. As if he could feel her disappointment. His warm breath brushing across the tender skin of her neck. "Goodnight..." He whispered, tucking a strain of her hair behind her ear.

Her mouth felt dry, words void of her. He turned away to never look back one. She stood alone for a few more minutes before pushing the button for Aiden to allow her access to the grounds. Her hands were shaking and there were probably several reasons as to why that was happening. Dropping her things beside the door, she kicked her heels off and padded across the floor to open one of the top cabinets for a small glass. "Well if he doesn't want a shot...I'll just drink one without him." She told herself, pouring clear liquid into the small glass. Lifting it to her lips, she let her head fall back swallowing the warm fluid in one gulp. The contents burning the whole way down.

xx—xx—xx—xx

Draco stepped inside his flat raw of emotion. He had come so close to just kissing Hermione mere minutes before that. Those urges had never come to pass in the past and he had no idea what had changed to make his body want her now. The slightest touch sent sparks right through him, to the point where he was willing to test the limits of it. Even when his brain screamed at him that it was a very bad idea.

Collapsing on the sofa, he leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. He was trying to regain his composure and get the right state of mind on his shoulders. Opening his eyes wide, he leaned forward digging into his bag for the report Harry had given him earlier. Glancing at the first few words, he knew that it had to do with a Magical Creature. One that Hermione would have more expertise than him. "Damnit..." He cursed softly leaning his head back.

He knew he had to come up with something soon. Despite the fact that Harry had told him to take his time with it, he also knew that Harry wanted it done without Hermione knowing about it. The question now was, could he really do that? Could he not involve her, when she held the answers he needed to complete the assignment.

A flash of her face appeared behind his eyes, bolting him forward once again. He ran a hand over the top of his head, his fingers flowing through his pale blonde locks with ease. Reaching down to the side of the sofa, he pulled up the nearly empty bottle of liquid he had been drinking the previous night. Staring at it, the sound of her voice asking him to come inside repeated inside his head.

"Damn it to hell..." He muttered before taking a drink straight from the bottle head.