A/N: Hello my beautiful readers! Thanks so much for sticking with me and reviewing! I'm very close to the 50 review mark I believe; my next target is 60! If I get 60 reviews, I will write 2 or 3 chapters while I'm away this week and publish them on the same day! So review my lovelies! Mmmm hokey pokey ice cream...!
ON TO THE CHAPTER! :D
Chapter 11
For the first time in his life, Draco was happy. Hermione had agreed to be his girlfriend, he had a kind of truce with Potter and the Weaslette, he had fully recovered from his attack by the library, and it was nearly Christmas. He was obviously staying at Hogwarts this year, but he wanted Hermione to stay with him. Draco knew that she would go to the Weasley Burrow for the holidays, and he had no idea how to ask her to stay. The two had not gone public with their relationship yet, and Draco was concerned about how people would react to the news that the Gryffindor Golden girl was dating the Slytherin Snake.
As he walked the halls of Hogwarts, looking for Hermione, he considered convincing his new girlfriend to go public. It would be best to get it over and done with, and the people who really mattered already knew. Potter grudgingly approved, while Girl Weasley was ecstatic. Blaise was shocked but happy for his mate. Weasley was enraged, but after a few calming words from Potter, Ginny and Hermione, he accepted it. Theo and Daphne were bewildered but knew that their friend deserved some happiness, from wherever, and they fully supported Draco.
As he was walking, Draco didn't see the shadowy figure following. Just as they raised their wand, Hermione came bounding around the corner, knocking into Draco. The figure slowly retreated, stowing their weapon away.
Hermione was rushing to find Draco, her excitement causing her to almost skip, as she put a letter she just received into her pocket. She rounded a corner quickly, bouncing straight into her boyfriend. She looked up and beamed as his strong arms caught her and held her up. A flash of a cloak caused Hermione to look over Draco's shoulder. She saw a person putting something into their robes and backing away, their eyes on the couple. Her eyes narrowed as she put her arms around Draco's neck protectively.
"Hey, Hermione," Draco smiled slightly, the corner of his mouth quirking upwards, missing what she just saw.
"Hello," Hermione breathed, her excitement mounting again. "I have the best news!"
"Uh oh. What did you do?" Draco joked.
"Thank you for your undying trust! I, for your information, have pulled off the impossible!"
"Of course you have. And, incidentally, what is the impossible?"
"A Malfoy and the Weasley's spending the holiday together!" Hermione whispered.
Draco just stared at her, at a loss for words. "I – uh, what? – you?"
Hermione looked worried. "I mean, is that okay? I owled Mrs Weasley to tell her that I would be staying here for the holidays and she was guttered, and asked why. I told her the truth, she is like another mother to me, and she invited you!"
"Um, did you tell her it was, well, me?" Draco asked.
"Yes! And she seemed very enthusiastic in her reply. She said to tell you that you are more than welcome to come and stay with us and that she would love to meet you."
Draco looked worried. "And, how many Weasley's will there be?"
"Um, all of them, plus spouses." Hermione gave an innocent smile.
"ALL? Merlin, I have to deal with all of them at once? They absolutely despise my family."
"Well, they did, but Mrs Weasley has promised that they will all be on their best behaviour, and that the war is behind us now, so there should be no more rivalry." Hermione looked hopeful.
Draco sighed. On the one hand – he would be spending the holiday with Hermione, and a family. But on the other – it was a family who hated him, no matter what. Then he had a conniving thought.
"Okay. But on one condition."
Hermione's eyes widened with excitement, and she nodded with enthusiasm.
"Right, we go public. Today, at dinner. We will walk into the Great Hall at dinner, holding hands, and I will eat dinner with you at the Gryffindor table." Draco stated, as he watched Hermione's face fall slightly, her smile fading slowly.
"You – you want to do that today?" Hermione gasped.
The blonde nodded.
"Okay then. Let's do it!"
Later that day, Hermione secretly met with Draco in an alcove near the Great Hall.
"Ready?" Draco smirked.
Hermione took a deep breath, straightened her robes and patted her hair. "Yes." She said simply.
He took her hand and led her towards the doors. A few people were near the doors, and they halted, staring with mouths open. Draco smirked again at them. Hermione's hand was trembling a little, and he rubbed smooth circles with his thumb. They entered the Hall and were greeted with silence, then mutters and glares and stares. Then there was a wolf whistle from the Gryffindor table, and the hall erupted into chatter. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and they moved to her House's table. The Slytherin's watched with disgust and disdain as their fellow housemate sat with the enemy. In a show of loyalty, Blaise stood from where he was sitting with Daphne and Theo, and walked to sit beside Draco, next to Potter. His two friends followed suit, sitting in between Hermione and Ginny. The Hall watched again as Harry Potter shook both Theo's and Blaise's hands and greeted them all warmly.
What. The. Hell.
There were many gasps, mutters and bewildered faces as the two Houses of Hogwarts united. But what shocked the majority of Hogwarts was when the rest of Gryffindor house welcomed the four Slytherins with pats on the back, and shoulder clapping. Obviously, Harry Potter influenced his House.
Up at the Staff Table, Professor McGonagall watched with a small smile.
"There you go, Albus. It has begun."
A/N: I am so sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I am deathly tired and stressed with school. Wish me luck on the next couple of chapters! Please review,
KaylaKay xxx
