On Christmas Day, the Burrow was in quite the mood. Molly and Fleur were in the kitchen making dinner while Angela and George were decorating the sitting room. The storm had dissipated to a light snowfall so the rest of the house had dug their way out and were engaging in a snowball fight in the orchard. Well, everyone save Hermione, Draco, and Blaise. Hermione and Draco were in the yard while Blaise was nowhere to be found.

The snow was so high that anything in the yard was completely blanketed, with only the taller trees and fence tops still visible. Hermione was perched on the stone wall by a tree heavily laden with snow, watching as Draco walked out into the yard.

"Where the hell are you, Granger?" he muttered. She smiled, taking hold of the limb as he crossed underneath the branches. The next thing she heard was muffled curses as she shook kilos of snow down on top of him. His arms were the only thing visible and were flailing about in an attempt to dig himself out. The sight was so absurd that Hermione fell off the wall laughing.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." She started digging him out. He spluttered and coughed, rolling onto the snow with a flushed face. He finally sat up and glared at her as she continued to giggle.

"This is the second time!" she gasped, falling back into the snow. "You are just too easy, Draco!"

He threw snow onto her face. "You're a right little witch, aren't you?"

"Quite." She started making a snow angel, mouth wide open to catch flakes. "It's good to be out of the house."

He readjusted his hat, looking over into the orchard where people were yelling. "At least Weasley's somewhere else."

"Has he been awful?"

"I almost killed him last night."

"I heard he almost killed you."

"Somebody was going to die," he muttered. "But talking about the stupidity of your ex is lowering my intelligence."

He tackled her, pushing snow into her hair. She squealed, scrambling away while chucking snow back at him. He tackled her again, rolling her onto her back before holding her arms down.

"You are just uncooperative!" he said and she smiled as he leaned in, kissing her cold nose.

"I didn't think you were much of a romantic."

He shrugged dropping down onto his back beside her. "I'm not. I just like your nose."

She turned her head to him, smiling when he opened his mouth to collect snow. "Can I ask you something?"

"Why not?"

"You said that your mother was still in France. Why is she still there?"

He brushed some snow off his face before looking at her. "My mother was never very attached to Lucius. Snape was always her favorite. Father found out and he came for her. So I took her to France. When word reached us that Snape was dead, she decided to remain in France while I returned to school."

"How long will she stay there?"

"Well, if my reception at Hogwarts is any indication, she will be there a while. But, since we are on the subject, where are your parents?"

She sighed. "The war. Things were so dangerous and they didn't understand. I didn't have a lot of time to explain before they left."

"Have you talked to them since?"

"I got a letter three months ago explaining how I would not be receiving anymore letters."

She propped herself up on her elbows, taking in the white landscape. That soft patter of snow plus the distant laughter of a snowball fight were the only breaks in the gray quietness around them. It was one of those great scenes, quite like the one they had shared in the castle. She sighed.

"Do you know what would make this perfect?"

He sat up. "Easter."

She nodded. "It was perfect, wasn't it?"

"You don't remember half of it."

Laughing, she tossed snow at him. "I shouldn't have said anything to you about that. Well, from what I do remember, it was perfect."

When they fell quiet, she leaned her head on his shoulder, linking her arm in his. "If they catch him-"

"They won't." He glanced down at her. "Granger, if we say nothing, then they can't do anything."

"You don't want me to tell the truth?"

"I don't want you getting expelled for something that's not your fault."

"We knew he might be dangerous."

"You said it yourself that it didn't make sense," he snapped. "We both thought he was fine. We didn't think he would do something like that."

"And if he hurts someone like he hurt you? You are willing to risk someone else getting hurt so that we don't get expelled!"

"What is telling them going to change? They'd be no closer to knowing what he is then we were and even if they knew, it won't change anything. They'll be exactly where they've been. And, for the record, I never said we. I said you."

A little flush from his words and the cold, she got to her feet. "That's sweet, but I would rather be expelled than have a life on my head."

He actually smiled while standing. "I'm glad to know how my death would be honored."

She pushed him lightly, a wistful smile on her face. "Don't think so highly of yourself. I wouldn't have been so devastated."

"Of course you would, Granger. If I had died, then you'd live the rest of your life wondering what that moment behind the castle had really been like."

"You egotistical…" She chucked snow at him. "Egotistical prat!"

He tackled her again, leaning in and kissing her softly. "I'll take prat any day out of these lips."

She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't turn romantic on me."

"Why?" He rubbed some snow into her face. "I think romantic's perfect."

"What did you two do, bathe outside?" Blaise inquired as Hermione and Draco came inside. Draco just smirked while Hermione started shedding her wet outer clothes.

"Someone was being uncooperative."

"Someone thought snow down the shirt was a sign of affection," she snapped, her shirt sticking to her. At Draco's curious gaze, she blushed violently and snatched up her coat. "Don't even think about it."

"I wasn't."

With a dark but amused look, she hurried up to her room. She found Luna reading in bed.

"You didn't go out?"

Luna shook her head, glancing over her magazine at Hermione's wet appearance. "I see you did."

"I was just out in the yard…Malfoy's a jerk."

"I've heard as much."

Hermione was just changing into some dry clothes when something about the room suddenly seemed out of place. She turned around, looking at Luna closely.

"Luna, what have you been doing?"

"Reading."

Hermione tilted her head to the side. "Um…what happened to your neck?"

Luna bit her lip, holding the magazine further up to block Hermione's view. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Luna!"

"Shh!" She scrambled up to close the door. "Hermione-"

"I can't believe you!"

"Oh, now don't you dare-"

"No, no!" Hermione pulled Luna back down onto the bed. "You're misunderstanding me! How long?"

Luna blushed and shrugged. "Nobody notices if I slip off to the Library or the lake to read or draw. I think he was looking for Ginny, but he…it was very strange at first, him being around. But he…he was very passionate."

Hermione's eyebrows rose and Luna shook her head furiously. "Not like that. I just mean, he goes after what he wants. I suppose I was what he wanted."

"Luna, he didn't force you-"

"Oh, no. He never made me do anything silly, Hermione. He likes to talk and I like to listen. Today, however, he got very...well, as you can tell, he doesn't like the snow."

Hermione had to hide a smile as Luna ruefully rubbed the bruise on her neck. "I do wish he would not be so enthusiastic. I think the Weasleys would be more than a little upset to find all their guests taken by Slytherins."

"DINNER!"

Hermione and Luna came down to the sitting room. Draco sidled over as Weasleys started traipsing in.

"You don't expect us to stay here, do you?"

"I don't know if either of us will be allowed at the table."

Draco's eyes passed over her. She was in a lilac turtleneck now and dark jeans. "How disappointing."

She frowned. "I think I look nice."

"That's what's disappointing."

Ron came in just as Draco had pulled Hermione closer to him. His lip curled.

"Spare us, Malfoy. Nobody here wants to see you and her together."

Hermione rolled her eyes, taking Draco's hand. "Come on, Draco. Blaise. We'll go eat up in your room. We'll be able to see more of outside from up there."

"Hermione, please," Molly said, looking around at the crowded kitchen and sitting room. "This is Christmas and I will not have it ruined over whatever reservations you have for each other, no matter how deep they run. I have made dinner and you all will eat it. Civilly."

"I'm not sharing food with Malfoy and Zabini for anything," George growled.

"We wouldn't want to deprive you of the little you have," said Draco while moving towards the stairs.

The fireplace flared and Charlie appeared. He dusted himself off as he stepped into the room.

"Hello, mum. Sorry I've been gone, but I just came from Hogwarts."

Everyone looked to Hermione and Draco briefly before crowding in around Charlie. "What have you heard, Charlie?" Bill inquired. "Do you know what it was?"

Charlie glanced at Hermione before shaking his head. "They had a few ideas, but nothing concrete. But it's irrelevant now. Whatever it is, it is no longer in the castle."

Hermione felt Draco stiffen. "It's gone?" she whispered. "Are you sure?"

"Castle's been scoured three times. It's gone. We found a hole scratched into the bottom wall on the west side of the castle. We're confident it has left, but as a precaution the Ministry will be posting officials on the grounds."

"That means we're going back to Hogwarts!" Ron whooped. Everyone turned to Hermione. She pursed her lips, feeling tears coming for unknown reasons.

"So the castle's clear?"

Charlie's eyes got dark. "Hermione, I spoke with Headmistress McGonagall. Your refusal to tell the truth in the matter could come back to hurt you. The Ministry is seeking full action in whoever released the creature into the castle in first place. You're on the top of their list."

Hermione huffed and stormed up the stairs. Draco followed her up to the attic room, closing the door behind them. She curled up on his cot, glaring outside when he sat beside her.

"Hermione-"

"I should be happy. I should be relieved that he's gone. That he's at least away from Hogwarts. But…well, you know what I'm thinking."

"They're still looking to put the blame on someone."

"Well, I'm sure they'll have no trouble pinning it on me."

"You're incredibly pessimistic."

She threw up her hands. "I don't know how I feel! I want to be mad or relieved or something! I can't figure it out, Draco."

Draco looked outside. It was still snowing and the ground reflected the barely visible moon's light so that there was a sort of glow. "Granger, let's just be glad it's not in the castle anymore. It's Christmas. Even I know you're supposed to enjoy yourself on Christmas."

She smiled as he leaned in. "You want to enjoy yourself a little too much," she muttered, putting a hand on his chest to stop him. "I think you've had enough."

"That's cold."

"I thought you were a patient person?"

He rolled his eyes, lying back in the bed. "Patient," he grumbled. "Patience is me slowly shoving a broom up Weasley's arse."

"Draco."

"Oh, lighten up, Granger. I'll say what I want about-"

"Draco, shut up and look!"

Frowning, he sat up and looked out the window. His eyes widened. "Holy shit."

The Weasleys and their guests were about to start eating when Hermione and Draco came barreling down the stairs. They flew through the kitchen, flinging open the door and letting flurries of snow in. Any uproar was ignored as the two stumbled through the snow, not dressed to be outside but neither caring as they went out into the orchard.

"Do you see anything?" she called, rubbing her arms furiously. "Draco?"

"Over here!"

She pushed through the snow to his side and muffled her gasp with her hands. Draco cautiously approached the collapsed body, watching for any signs of life. There were none. The mouth hung open, tongue blue as it lolled out onto the cold ground.

"He's dead."

Hermione hurried to the creature's side, horrified at the blood that caked the torn body. "Oh Easter," she whispered, reaching over to touch the chest. A sharp intake of breath caught Draco's attention. "Draco, come here. Put your hand here!"

Draco placed his hand beside Hermione's. It was faint but they could both feel it. Hermione got up, snatching up the tail. Draco knocked it out of her hands.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"We have to get him inside!"

"There are people in there, Hermione!"

"I don't care! Look at him, Draco! Look at him! He'll die-"

"He almost killed me!"

"He saved your life!"

He shook his head. "Are you even listening to yourself?"

She stamped her foot down, unable to control her tears. "You help me, Draco Malfoy! I can't explain it to you, but something…you have to trust me!"

"Damn it, Granger! You bloody witch!"

He picked up the tail and together they dragged the massive weight across the snow towards the yellow light of the kitchen door and the anxious faces of their unsuspecting housemates.