At this rate, I should be done soon. I hope you have been enjoying this story so far. :)

Chapter Seven

Caring

Christmas Eve finally rolled around. It found Hermione sat in the window of the Gryffindor Common Room staring out of the window and ignoring all peers as they did her.

She sighed softly, she seemed to be doing that a lot. All around her, people were talking about what they hoped their families would send them for Christmas.

Sadness washed over her. Although it wasn't her first Christmas without her parents, it was her first Christmas without Harry and Ron to keep her mind off it. She didn't want to impose on the newly formed friendship between the Slytherins and Luna. Severus wasn't going to be at Hogwarts, he went to visit his sister at Christmas.

Harry and Ron sat by the fire, their usual spots, and were looking longingly at Hermione. Ginny was elsewhere, studying she had said. They had noticed how ill Hermione was getting, but Ginny had told them it was a glamour and she had been lying. She said that Hermione had used the same thing to get her to forgive her.

Of course, the boys thought the red headed girl had no reason to lie, so had believed her. If only they knew. Harry huffed slightly. "I kind of miss Hermione not being with us."

"Yeah, me too. I know Ginny's great and all, but Hermione kept us grounded and helped us." Ron agreed.

"She looks so ill."

"It's just a glamour."

"You really think so?"
"She did hurt Ginny, didn't she?"

"I guess." Harry had recently been having doubts on the stories Ginny had told them. It just didn't seem liked Hermione.

"Harry?"
"Hmm."
"You don't doubt Ginny, do you?"
"I don't know, Ron. I really don't know."
Hermione moved from her spot in the window and trudged to the portrait hole. She climbed through and began her usual walk to the Hospital Wing to get her potions.

Half way there, she ran into Peeves. "Hi Hermy." The poltergeist greeted.

Hermione smiled. "Hi, Peeves."

"What 'cha doing?"

"Going to the Hospital wing."
"Are you sick?"

"No, just need to rest." Hermione lied, using the same excuse she used for everyone who asked.

"I'll let you go then, Hermy. Sleep well."

"I will. Goodnight, Peeves." Hermione waved to the Poltergeist before continuing on her way. She greeted the Mediwitch and collected her potions.

The walk back was silent and undisturbed. Once she got back to her room, she took the two potions and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She wasn't looking forward to the next day, it's not like she would get anything.

The sun streamed through the curtains and onto the sleeping girl in the bed. Hermione blinked open her eyes and stretched. She sat up and her eyes widened. A small pile of presents lay at the end of her bed.

"They can't be mine." She whispered.

Hermione leaned forward and read the label. They were hers. There was one from Draco, one from Luna, One from Severus, One from Pansy, One from Blaise and One from all the staff members that she was friendly with. A note lay on top of them all.

Dear Hermione,

Meet us in the Room of Requirement. We're going to make this day the best Christmas you have ever had. Bring your presents, we'll open them together.

Love From

Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Luna

Hermione smiled softly and took some presents she had gotten out from under her bed. She had bought the staff and her new friends presents. She waved her wand in an intricate pattern and the presents disappeared to land wherever the receiver was.

Hermione scooped up her presents, shrinking them to fit in her pocket, and headed out of her common room. She entered the Gryffindor Common Room and was glared at harshly by several students. She shrugged it off and headed to the ROR.

She paced in front of the wall and a door melted into the stone. She pushed it open and gasped. The floor of the ROR was oak and the walls were wooden as well. There was a roaring fire place with three settees around it. A Christmas tree stood to the right of the fireplace, which had a moose's head over the top.

The kitchen was off to one side, along with a door that led to a bathroom. Outside the fake windows was a view of mountains that were covered with snow and skiers.

Overall, it was an idyllic little ski lodge that just screamed homeliness and Christmas. "Wow." Hermione gasped.

"Surprise!" Her four friends cried.

Hermione laughed. "This is amazing, thank you."
"We just want to make this a Christmas to remember." Draco told her, his silver eyes sparkling. "Now let's get to the present opening."

After a while, all the presents were open and sat next to their respective owners. Hermione had given Pansy and Luna two necklaces she had seen and thought they would love, and had given the boys two cloaks. Blaise's was a royal blue, to match his eyes, with a silver clasp and Draco's was a forest green with a silver clasp. Hermione had gotten Severus the same thing, but in black with a platinum clasp.

She had received books and other small tokens relating to the subject they taught from the Professors, a Phoenix from Professor Dumbledore which she named Amber, a ring from Severus that had Celtic designs on it that linked to his ring to tell him, by the crystal in the centre turning red, if she was in danger and vice versa.

Pansy had gotten her a beautiful dress that was in a deep ruby red and had a corset top before flowing gracefully into the skirt. The corset was incrusted with gold and the skirt was trimmed with gold too. There was a slit in the skirt that ran to her thigh on one side. The sleeves were fitted until her elbow and then flowed out in medieval style.

"Oh Pansy. I can't accept this." Hermione gasped.

"Of course you can. There is a ball in February to celebrate Valentines Day. Wear it then."

"Thank you. I will treasure it."

Luna had gotten Hermione a bracelet fashioned out of gems she had found when she went on a trip to find the Crumple Horned Snorkack with her father. She had made it herself.

Blaise had gotten Hermione a journal, so she could 'record every minute she had left of her wonderful life so that others would know just how brilliant and kind she was'. Hermione hugged him tightly, weeping as she thanked him.

Draco had bought her a gold necklace that had a lioness on the end. The Lioness looked up at them with ruby eyes that shone slightly. "A lioness for a true Gryffindor Lioness." Draco murmured as he fastened the necklace around Hermione's neck.

The others all exchanged knowing looks as they watched Hermione and Draco. Hermione looked up at them all with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, I just don't know why you would do this for me."

"Because we care." Blaise told the girl, smiling.

"You do?"

"Of course we do." Draco smiled.

Draco began to get lost in his thoughts as he watched Hermione. It was true, he did care for Hermione. But lately, he was wondering if the amount her cared for her was more than platonic. He began to wonder if she felt that connection as well. The feeling of rightness when they hugged or the feeling of the world melting away when they looked into each others eyes.

Sure, it sounded really corny, but that was what he truly felt. Draco jolted with a start. He was falling in love with Hermione Granger.

Hermione smiled as looked at her friends. They really did care for her, and she cared for them too. She gently stroked Amber's feathers as the bird preened. Some more than others.

Her thoughts turned to Draco and her smile became softer. She felt this kind of electricity whenever they touched and the sound of his voice made her melt. She felt warm whenever he smiled at her. Her feelings were more than platonic for the Slytherin Prince. She was falling in love with Draco Malfoy.

Pansy handed out some Hot Chocolates. Hermione took a sip and let out a contented sigh. It made her think of home, when she had spent her Christmases with her parents drinking Hot Chocolate by the fire as they watched TV.

Henry Granger handed his smiling wife a cup of his famous Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon added to it. His warm eyes the colour of chocolate staring into her blue eyes. They slid to their eleven year old daughter, Hermione.

Hermione drank from her cup, curled up on the sofa beside her mother. Her father picked up the remote and turned the TV on. The familiar tune of Wallace and Gromit came on. Hermione giggled. She loved the Plasticine figures of the inventor and his dog.

The kindly man sat in his armchair and observed his family. Hermione was the perfect combination of him and Jenny. She had her father's eyes and her mother's hair. Her brains came from them both and her pale skin came from Henry. The adorable freckles across her nose came from Jenny.

Henry sighed, his life was perfect now.

Hermione's eyes drooped as the time wore on. Henry walked over and scooped his dozing daughter into his arms. He took her upstairs and laid her on her bed. He brushed her fringe off of her forehead and placed a kiss to it. "Goodnight, Hermione. Merry Christmas"
"Merry Christmas, Dad. Love you." Hermione whispered, teetering on the edge of sleep.

"I love you too, Hermione."

But it was all gone now. Hermione looked around. No, not all gone. Just a little different.

Please Read and Review. I hope you liked this chapter and the next Chapter should be up soon. I'm sorry for all the flashbacks If you guys don't like them, I think it adds a little depth to the story. Anyway, Next Chapter: Hermione and Draco get set up by Pansy, Blaise and Luna.