A/N: So here is the New Years Chapter. I really hope you enjoy it, it's my longest chapter of this story. I am also looking for a Beta reader, let me know if you're interested.

This chapter is dedicated to: -jalice-carter, Jade2099 (Who is an amazingly detailed reviewer), ICorona23, alexybath and omggorgeous for reviewing. Thank you to everyone who also alerted and favourited. You lot are my favourite people in the whole wide world.

I hope you guys have had an awesome year, and hope 2011 goes great for you! Please review!

Chapter 11: What's so Happy about the New Year?

Hermione:

Waking up to a familiar ceiling in the room I'd always shared with Ginny whenever I'd come to the Burrow for a visit the next morning turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I was attacked immediately with sounds of excitement and clamour downstairs and the wafting of breakfast smells.

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was barely a bit past nine and I was surprised I'd slept in this long without Draco helping me. I must have been exhausted from all of the travelling. Most likely from the sheer bliss of being back in familiar surroundings.

Yawning, I hurried to the washroom and ran through my morning ritual of showering and brushing, taming my hair to something acceptable, which took a bit more effort than usual because I was distracted. More than once, I accidently twisted my hair into a bigger knotted mess with my wand rather than combing it into submission.

Hearing a knock on the door I whispered, "Bugger," then a bit more loudly, "Just a second! I'll be right out,"

I heard a polite mumble of ascent and I assumed it was Mr Weasley. Not wanting to keep him waiting too long, I quickly finished making my hair look presentable, and did a quick once over in the mirror. Not too Shabby, Granger. I heard a voice echo back at me in my head, that wasn't quite my own...

Wrenching open the door in my hurry to get downstairs, I didn't realize I had walked straight into Mr. Weasly until I was on the floor on my arse. "Sorry, Mr-" I looked up and found not Mr. Weasley, but Ron. What an awkward situation. "Oh, Ron, it's just you. I guess that's alright then," I grinned, hoping to diffuse the very undesirable situation.

The poor chap was beet red. I took his offered hand, patted him on the arm when I'd righted myself and head towards the staircase for a quick getaway. But he beat me to it.

"Hermione?" I heard him call. I slowly turned, dreading the expression on his face.

"Yes, Ronald?"

"I'm sorry," he stuttered quietly.

This did shock me. I thought he'd have yelled at me already for bringing another man to his family's home. "What?"

He sighed and turned another impossible shade of red. "I'm sorry things between us didn't work out. But if you could just give me another chance I-"

"Hermione, dear! Is that you? Come on downstairs and have some breakfast, and tell Ron to hurry along, the food shall get cold," Sang Mrs. Weasly up the stairs. I had never loved her more, that wonderful god send! Giving Ron one last apologetic look, I hurried downstairs.

I wondered if I should have just pretended not to hear him and continued walking downstairs. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't make a scene in front of the entire family. That would be a pot for disaster, and with Draco here too...

Then it dawned on me why I was so nervous and excited, so impossibly distracted. Draco fucking Malfoy was here with me, visiting the Weasley's. At the Burrow. A place and people he'd scorned for most of his life. With me, a muggleborn. My heart would have burst if I'd had a second more to think about it, but by that point I'd reached the kitchen and was assailed by Mrs. Weasley trying to pile my plate with half of everything, insisting America had made me peaky and the sight of Dobby being held hostage by the rest of the Weasley clan, telling his story.

I did a double take at the second one, as I hadn't seen Dobby since he'd rescued us during the war... he had taken us to Bill and Fleur's, then mysteriously vanished. Then it dawned on me. Dobby was Draco's elf!

"Dobby!" I rushed over and hugged him. He responded as usual, lovingly and adorably as all elves are. "I didn't know you were working for Draco!"

"You didn't?" asked Harry, curiously. More like in his as always suspicious manner.

"I guess it never came up," I shrugged back.

"Yes, miss! I has been with Master Draco since the startings of the war!" The elf looked positively thrilled at mentioning this to us. George just shook his head.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Came a voice from the doorway. Everyone turned except for Dobby, who nearly leapt on Draco, slinging his arms around his neck. I nearly drooled. His hair was tousled, and he still had some sleep lingering in his eyes. He had lifted the clingy elf to his back. I found him positively attractive...drop dead gorgeous... Slytherin sex god? He was smiling, genuinely pleased to see Dobby, and that fact made me positively... hot, as weird as that revelation was.

"We've been trying to get the little bugger to tell us the story for an hour, but everyone keeps interrupting," moaned George, glaring at the lot. He seemed slightly sleep deprived. I found out that was because Dobby had apparated straight into his bed and disrupted his routine of sleeping until noon.

"Well," Draco began, and everyone fell creepily silent. "They'd captured Dobby and brought him to the manor, because he'd been out searching to help you three," he stared at me, Harry and Ron respectively. "And I suppose I took him under my wing-"

"Master was most kind!" the little elf pipped up.

"I told you not to call me that!" Draco lifted the elf off his shoulders and shooed him away. "Go help Mrs. Weasley," and when the elf had gleefully sprinted off, he continued. "When they had got you two locked in the dungeons, I felt it my responsibility to get you out of there and so I begged Dobby to help, who was there, by the way, just invisible,"

I saw everyone's jaw drop and realized I was included.

"He came back eventually, but had to be kept hidden at all times. And now, well, I'm utterly useless at cooking and the sort, so he helps me around and doesn't exactly leave, even when I tell him to take a vacation," he finished, shrugging.

"Vacation?" I asked, intrigued.

"I found one of those pamphlets of yours, for protecting elves rights, back in our sixth year... SPEW, was it?"

I was slightly shocked, but not enough to correct him, "That's S.P.E.W! Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare!"

"Ridiculous name," he responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Finally! Someone agrees!" Harry interrupted my rant and I just rolled my eyes at which they two hoodlums grinned. "She's a bit delusional, she is."

"Oh, tell me about it-"

I cleared my throat and they both stopped, smiling amusedly at me. "So? You found my pamphlet."

"Oh yes. So I remembered the ridiculous name and researched a little bit, and your charity work as well as the petitioning you did at the ministry four years back or so came up. I just took a few of your ideals and applied them. The bugger really likes his freedom, I didn't want him to bond himself back after all he'd gone through to get rid of it and all." By this time, he'd taken a seat in Ron's usual spot, unbeknownst to him, munching on some toast.

I came and sat next to him, in complete awe and slight arousal. "So, which ideals?"

"Well, all of them," he supplied and I choked on the bit of egg that I'd been chewing on. Harry, unhelpfully, pounded on my back until I'd calmed down and taken a sip of pumpkin juice to ease my aching throat.

"All of them?" He just shrugged and gestured to the elf. "He doesn't take much, that one. He said no to the 12 galleons per hour and as much vacation time as he likes. So I let him have whatever he likes. Little bugger does steal too many of my socks, though, unfortunately."

Everyone burst out into laughter and surprise. Everyone had come to the conclusion that Draco Malfoy was a changed man, if he could treat an elf that his family had abused, in such a manner. I couldn't help but hug him briefly. He was, perhaps, the best thing that had ever happened to me since Hogwarts.

No one noticed Ronald Billus Weasley lurking at the doorway of the kitchen, where we all sat and merrily laughed and ate. He took no part in the joy, but only glared at the man who occupied his seat at his family's table, with his girlfriend, his friends and family and thought, well... the fucker's got to pay.

December 30th:

I began to have such a great time here that I started to wish I could stay forever. With the happy Weasleys, and Draco charming everyone and snow. The Burrow always looked wonderful this time of year. Sort of like a lopsided gingerbread house. It was as if life were perfect again, before Voldemort's presence had become a part of my life.

Everything was perfect, except for, of course: Ronald Weasley.

He increasingly spent long quite moments, brooding. When he wasn't brooding he was most definitely glaring. The main object of his attention was, of course, none other than the youngest Malfoy himself. The Weasleys and Harry knew exactly why Ron was so bitter, of course. It was even obvious to me. He was jealous. It was safe to say that Ron and I had ended things on a rough patch, but the man needs to toughen up! I swore I could hear him muttering death threats and planning something rather nasty. Which I would make sure I'd prevent if it was the last thing I'd do!

The day before New Year's Eve was filled with cooking and planning. Mrs. Weasley had decided that this year she wanted to throw a splendid little get together because she had all of her family under one roof, which was a brilliant feat in itself. It couldn't hurt to bring some friends in too, could it?

Apparently, to the remaining inhabitants of the Burrow, it most definitely could. Mrs. Weasley was nothing if not tireless. She shepherded everyone into their places while she cooked and cleaned, and everything else imaginable. I was almost glad when she sent me down to the cellar to see why Harry and Draco were taking so long to bring up the crates of wine that she had ordered a week previously.

Harry and Draco had, unexpectedly, taken rather well to each other. It irritated Ron to no end when he became the butt of their suddenly long list of jokes. It was nice to see, if anything, that my best friend of all time could enjoy the company of the man I was...starting to love?

When I walked down the steps to the cellar and caught sight of Draco's broad back lifting what looked like a really heavy box, my heart fluttered. I hadn't had the chance to spend much time with him since we'd arrived here... not to mention, it would be completely inappropriate to invite him to my bed, while all of the Weasley's could barge in at any moment, even if I gave Ginny a sleeping draught.

"Draco?"

He immediately swivelled on the spot and I could hear the clanking of the bottles of wine in the casket. He had his wand, that I'd insisted he carry with him, clenched between his teeth. The man was absolutely adorable. "...'Ello," he managed to speak around the wood.

I giggled and he smiled. Walking over to him, I took his wand from his mouth and smoothed his hair away from where it had fallen over his forehead. "Where's Harry?" I suddenly realised, stepping away from the moment and his intense gaze. Surveying the rather small cellar I was immediately presented with the fact that he wasn't down here. Unless he was hiding under that invisibility cloak of his...which would be rather embarrassing if you ask me.

"He said something about Weaselette and a bedroom." I raised an eyebrow at him, folding my arms over my chest. He laughed, "Oh and lots of intercourse-"

"Draco!"

"Hermione!" he mimicked. Setting the casket down, he walked towards where I was standing, leaning against the wall. I shivered, as I saw him stalk closer... he looked fucking gorgeous. He came as close as he thought I was probably comfortable with and put his hands on either side of me. "Hermione," he whispered, enunciating every syllable, this time with his face inches from my neck.

"Merlin, I've missed you," he breathed so quietly, I'm not sure I even heard it correctly. He pushed closer to me and I weakly put my hands on his chest.

I'd never seen him behave this way before, not with me anyways. His pupils had dilated, his eyes are dark metallic silver and I nearly moaned. He lightly pressed his lips first to my forehead, then to each cheek before taking my face in his hands, gently, as if I were made of glass before-

"Ahem."

My heart must have burst, but Draco looked as calm as ever. When he'd moved out of the way I saw Harry leaning against the door to the cellar with his eyebrows raised.

"I was just...helping with the-"

"Uhuh," he cut of, grinning. "If you two love birds are finished here, Bill and Fleur have just arrived, you lot should come say hello... if you're not too busy, uh, with each other." Draco had the good nature to laugh.

"Oh shut up, you hypocrite. Ever heard of a shower? You smell like sex!" I could hear him laughing as he ran all the way up the stairs before I could lay my hands on him. Standing there, I just shook my head in his general direction, sighing at the situation I'd gotten myself into. I'd never hear the end of it, I knew it.

As I was just about to make my way up the stairs myself, Draco called, "Hermione."

When I turned, his hands were once again on my face, cupping my cheeks and his lips pressed against me, taking something I didn't know I had to give him. It was over before I could really respond do anything or gather anything of myself. He quickly picked up the casket he was holding and made his own way upstairs, leaving me in a confused state of shock.

Draco: December 31st

With all the work that I had been put through these past few days, one would come to the conclusion that I would hate this place. But that conclusion would be wrong. These people were genuinely nice and loving. Even Potter, imagine that.

Despite Ron hating me for stealing, what he assumes is his girlfriend, I suppose I have had a better time here than all of the years spent with my own family all those years ago. These people actually knew how to have a good time, and let me in on it too, despite the fact that I have always been a complete prat to them. It was amazingly surprising and I was thankful to every God in existence that Hermione had had the decency to make me come here with her. How much I would have missed in misery if I had not listened!

But the nagging thought remained in the back of my mind that I did not deserve any of this. Not a single drop of the liquid gold that these people were. Despite the seeds that were there, buried deep within my mind, I fit right in. Jolly well good. It made me wonder, if I had perhaps been a bit nicer... or perhaps not so prejudiced, would I have had this all my life? It made my heart ache that I had wasted so much time on absolute bollocks. Bollocks!

The party was, with my help, fabulous. I had the Harpies come play after a phone call to their manager, who cancelled their previous engagements without further encouragement. The cooking Mrs. Weasley insisted she could do herself, but Dobby had insisted that he help, which turned out marvellously. The tent we had put up ourselves. They had told me it was slightly reminiscent of Bill and Fleur's wedding, who were brilliant people themselves as I had come to know in such short a time.

I felt as practically normal, it was almost scary.

When the party began all of the guests were shocked to see me there, and I would have loathed to go through such an ordeal again if it were not for Hermione and Harry diffusing the awkward situations as they came.

And who can forget Mrs. Weasley? The woman was a life saver, taking people off my hands, pushing them around as needed. A treacle tart here and a refill of cognac there was remedy enough.

After dinner, there were a round of toasts. I debated whether or not I ought to participate. It seemed right, but I was a nervous wreck at the thought of it. It isn't like you have anything to prove to these people.

What don't you have to prove to these people? Buck up!

What will you even say!

You're a writer, fucker, get a grip.

And just as the last toast was being made I shot up in my seat, startling Hermione who was sitting next to me, and causing a grin from Harry. Clearing my throat and gathering even more attention than was necessary from the people who had clearly paid more attention to dessert than to the speeches being made, I began to make a fool of myself.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sure you know, my name is Draco Malfoy and I am a complete, utter foolish arse." At first there was a moment of silence and then a roar of laughter. I was relieved and slightly embarrassed at my own nerve. Raising my hand for silence, I continued, "Yes, many of you might know me as the pompous git, the arrogant bastard- pardon my language ladies- or maybe even the slimy ferret." The laughter continued and I waited a moment. "I am all of those things, I completely agree, mostly because I have given up the opportunity to know all of you."

Complete utter silence.

"With this fast approaching new year, I realize I've wasted time, so much precious time. The company I've been in for the past few days has made me realize how poorly I've spent my life, and so my personal New Year's Resolution is to make amends, to all of you." Pausing, I took a deep breath, surveying the room. They seemed intrigued, some were smiling, others were just plain surprised that a Malfoy was doing something so odd.

" My most sincere apologies, and my greatest thanks to the Weasleys for having me and to Hermione Granger, with whom second chances could never be better," I glanced around and people were stunned. Hell, I was stunned too. Staring at Hermione I found her blushing and I found myself glad that I had risen to the occasion or whatever it was that the woman kept spewing at me all these days.

"Have a happy New Year, everyone, cheers," I finished, lamely but was met with applause. Slightly pink from the attention, I whispered a quick word to excuse myself and headed out for some air.

Sucking in gulps of cold air I attempted to calm myself down from the nerves I had built up making a spectacle of myself. I ran my fingers through my hair, knowing full well I would look messy when I got myself back inside, but finding I didn't care. Hermione found it charming, anyways.

I walked towards what looked like a pond that hadn't completely frozen over. It had little plates of ice floating over the surface and I came to the conclusion that it was actually quite charming.

"You think you've got everyone fooled, don't you?" I spun around and found Ron standing there, glaring murder at me with his hand clenched in a fist around his wand.

"What?"

"You think you've fooled everyone, acting grand. But you haven't fooled me. I know you're still a smarmy git with an agenda. And you're going to tell me what it is, right now," he growled at me.

The man was obviously bonkers.

Before I could even reach for my wand he had me standing there, bound. Damn him and his damned Auror training. No, damn me for not keeping up with training defence! "You're still a no good Malfoy, you slimy git. What have you got to do with Hermione?"

"Hermione-"

"Don't say her name! You're not worthy of it, you fucking bastard!" And that remark stung a little bit. In the back of my mind I could feel the planet seed sprout some roots and take place in my brain.

"Well, she and I are friends. Look, Ron, I know we've got bad blood between us-"

"Bad blood! You fucking bet we have bad blood between us. And don't you dare lie to my face, damn ferret. You called her a mudblood, that's all she is too you, isn't she. Tell me what you want from her, now." I cringed at the word.

"I'm not like that anymore, really. Just untie me, alright? Before anyone finds out and we'll put it behind us," I pleaded with him. I had a feeling if anyone walked out of the tent at this moment it would end badly for the both of us.

"I told you not to fucking lie to me! You're really good for nothing, aren't you? Living off your good for nothing death eater daddy's money. Tell me, what have you planed for Hermione?" And the seed grew its roots deeper.

And deeper.

"Nothing," I choked out.

"Well, good, then. Guess we won't be needing you around, will we. Petrificus Totalus." And with that he tossed me backwards into the shallow pond of freezing water, in which I lay barely breathing in the cold water, for which I was thankful. It numbed me.

I began to feel my surroundings float away, one by one, my worries, my thoughts... Very soon it was only me, myself and I with nothing as it should be.

"You're a good for nothing bastard," I heard him call.

I was in a timeless lock of apathy, beyond even carelessness. But then, even the concept of self began to float away.

"Stay away from all of us, understand, you fucking bastard?"

But really, there was no Draco Malfoy. I felt my very soul begin to ebb, and then just as my consciousness too was about to take its leave-

"Draco! Ron, what the fuck?" And suddenly, I was wrenched from the water. My mind screeched, it absolutely went haywire. It could not understand how I could not let myself slip into the bliss that solves all problems. But hearing her voice grounded me and I felt I couldn't possibly slip away into bliss when bliss itself was willing me to stay awake. I stared up at her, blankly, as if she were the only thing worth staring at. Later I realized I must have looked dead.

No disappearing into unconsciousness could wait for a more appropriate time.

"Draco, please, say something!" she begged of me, rubbing her arms over whatever she could reach, attempting to provide me warmth. When I tried, all I could do was sputter and heave, cough up water ungracefully. Violent shudders wracked my body and suddenly I felt quite a lot warmer. Hermione had cast a heating charm and potter and draped his robes over me. Glancing up I saw two other Weasleys restraining Ron.

Hermione dried me and between the two of them they managed to get me inside the house where Dobby forced me to down a pepper up potion. I instantly felt better and smiled at the elf gratefully, who beamed back. "Why is Harry Potter's Wheezy not liking you, sirs?"

Patting him on the head, I whispered back, "I seem to have aggravated him, I suppose."

"Dobby is releasing the bludgers on him sir!" At which everyone present in the kitchen laughed to the elf's utter confusion.

Hermione:

Ronald Weasley was going to die tonight. I'd planned it and everything. The bastard was going to get his! I was on a rage. Once I'd made sure that Draco was comfortable and in one piece I set out to search for the goddamn bastard so that he could meet his maker. Fortunately for the rest of the Weasleys, George and Bill had dragged him into the kitchen before I could exit.

"Ronald Billus Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley and I shouted in unison. But even Mrs. Weasley cringed at my yelling and backed off.

I stalked toward him with my wand pointed at his chest.

"How. Bloody. Dare. You!" I enunciated each word, jabbing my wand into his chest at each word for emphasis. "How could you hurt him like that? HE COULD HAVE DIED YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" At which I slapped him. I could see everyone cringing in my peripheral but no one intervened. Not even Harry, at whom Ron was staring pleadingly for help.

"Explain yourself!" I raised my wand about to curse him to hell and back so I could do it over and over again when I felt a pair of hands grab me and force me to lower my wand.

"It's alright, Hermione," he soothed. "It's okay, I'm alright, see? Let it go."

"He could have killed you!" I seethed, glaring at the monster in front of me.

"He was only trying to protect you, really, it was just a disagreement. Misunderstanding. It's fine, really. No harm done. Let's all just return to the party, okay? We have guests that are probably wondering where we've gone."

Twice tonight, Draco had proven how mature he had become since his days at Hogwarts. I flushed at how wonderful it was to have someone like that be with you. Not some immature bastard who pushes people into freezing water so that they could drown to death! I shivered at the thought.

We all filed out of the kitchen, except for Ron, who I glared at before marching primly out. He stayed in the house, realizing he wasn't wanted. Good riddance too! Damned bastard.

/

It was a quarter to midnight when I found myself caught in Draco's arms, swaying slowly to a tune I was unfamiliar with on the dance floor. He was as graceful as ever, catching me when I stumbled, guiding me where I should be.

"You're really a klutz, aren't you, kitty," he chuckled, teasing me, while stroking a pattern on my back to soothe me.

"You're really a bastard, aren't you, mongrel?" I quipped back, sticking my tongue out at him at which he laughed some more.

"That's Mr. Bastard to you, sweetheart," my heart fluttered like a teenage girls would. He called me Sweetheart, oh my god. Rolling my eyes at myself, I attempted to continue concentrating on my dancing, which was rather horrible, now that I think about it. But a certain thought was bothering me. I decided to ask him, anyways.

"Were you going blank, Draco?"

"Hm?"

"When I pulled you from the lake. Were you pushing everything away and...you know, using your coping strategies?"

He looked surprised for a second. "How did you know?"

"You had that same far away expression on you as you did when I bumped into you at the park and when I found you bleeding... It scares me, so much; tell me you're not going back to that. I can help you, just-"

"I'm alright, really," he cut in quickly, pulling me from the dance floor and getting us both a drink. He downed his in one go, which concerned me even more.

"But really, Draco, you can tell me-" But he wasn't listening. He grabbed me back and pulled me towards the exit of the tent where everyone was rushing towards.

"What's going on?" I asked.

But he just motioned for me to watch. People started to count down to midnight as the New Year approached. I felt Draco pull me towards him and trap me in his arms. I nearly melted.

"Three...Two...One! Happy New Years!" Screams of joy and wishes spread everywhere and fireworks exploded in the sky, no doubt George's handiwork.

I'd only caught a glimpse of the spectacular display when Draco pulled my face towards his and kiss me full on the lips. It was the single most pleasurable feeling of my existence. I melted into his touch, being putty in his arms, and not even being self conscious of who might have been staring.

He pulled away after a moment, panting. We both were flushed and grinning. Leaning close, he whispered, "Happy New Year, Hermione."

I smiled, brightly. "Happy New Year, Draco."

Before I pulled him back in for another mind blowing kiss.

A/N: So what are your resolutions for the New Year? What do you think I should make Draco and Hermione do next?