A/N So, I took a break from all the work I have to do and pumped this out - and I loved every second of it - including the time I spent looking over my shoulder to make sure my parents didn't see me procrastinating on my homeowork. I like this chapter, and I have a clear idea where the next chapter is going... and maybe you do, too. Thanks for all who've reviewed, I appreciate it. Enjoy, and don't break the habit - review! Ciao. JM.

When Draco and I finally made our way into the dining room, I gasped at the sight that met us. Molly really went all out. I mean, it looked like Hogwarts does at Christmastime, but without the caroling suits of armor. There was garland strung around the room, and candles of red and green in beautiful iron sconces surrounded the table. It was even snowing above us, and behind the head of the table where Arthur sat was a large fireplace, adorned with gold tinsel and a snowman figurine singing 'Let it Snow!' as it danced along the ledge.

I quickly ran my eyes around the table, and found there were forty people sitting, and still more places set, ready to take the guests who were still milling about. I led Draco to a place half way down the table, across from Reums and Charlie.

'Well then, now that we're all finally here,' Molly sighed, hovering at the top of the dining room, her apron now gone. 'Everyone sit, eat, come on now. There's enough food for fifths –'

'–and I'm sure we'll all be eating said fifths–' Draco muttered into my ear.

'–so I expect everyone to eat your share. Harry, dear, you're looking much too thin, come now, eat up.'

'I think I'd be Dudley's size if I ate all that she wanted me to,' Harry said to Ron, starting to pile food onto his plate. They were sitting down and across the table from Draco and me, presumably because they were nervous I would get them into a really enjoyable conversation again. And from there, maybe, they'd become friends... which, of course, is a bad thing. Old habits die hard, I suppose.

From my place, I could hear all sorts of conversation going on around me. Draco and Charlie and Remus were talking about a new policy Arthur had made regarding half-breeds and werewolves. I, however, was watching the dance that was going on between Arthur and Molly.

'Molly, sit down,' Arthur cooed from his seat at the top of the table. 'You've been cooking all day. You deserve a rest.'

'But I-'

'Molly, dear, come now. Relax. It's Christmas.'

'But Arthur-'

'No, I insist.' Standing, he pulled out the chair on his right, and nodded his head encouragingly for her to sit. She seemed to struggle with some sort of internal conflict, and sat gingerly down, closing her eyes for a moment as if her chair was going to combust. She sighed, and Arthur told her, 'There, dear, it's not so bad, is it?'

'Yeah mum,' Fred told her. He and George were sitting on their father's left, dressed in their Christmas jumpers. 'Sit.'

'Eat,' George added, heaving a large piece of turkey onto her plate.

'Be merry.'

'You deserve a break.'

'What with having to put up with us.'

'With you maybe, Fred. I'm a perfect angel.'

'You? George, everyone knows I'm the good one. You're the trouble maker.'

'Let's agree to disagree, Fred, and give mum her present.'

'Remus! Come now, you can eat more than that. You're almost as thin as Harry…' Molly called down the table. She had been looking to ensure everyone was eating. 'Present?' Molly asked, turning to her sons. 'Boys, it's not time for presents yet. And besides, you don't have to give me anything.'

'But we wanted to, mum,' George told her. 'For everything you did to us in our youth.'

'Don't you mean did for us, George?' Fred asked, shooting his twin an inquiring look.

'Of course. Anyway, Fred, give her the present.'

'Ah, yes, of course. Merry Christmas, mum.' In his hand, he held a silver heart shaped locket on a braided chain. 'From both of us.'

'But it was my idea.'

'Was not.'

'Was so.'

'Was n-'

'Oh, boys, it's lovely,' Molly interjected, lifting the piece delicately and holding out in front of her.

'Well, I guess it was both of ours,' George said shrugging. 'There're pictures of Ginny inside.'

The table fell silent and everyone looked up at Molly. She opened the locket as they spoke. Her face went pale, and her eyes had started to shine. 'Oh, boys!' she croaked, and she stood up, ran around the table, and pulled them into a tight hug.

'Oi, mum, you're strangling us,' one of them said from the tight confines of Molly's hug.

'Boys, that was… you're… oh, boys.' She released them after one final squeeze, and went back to her place. She shook herself, and called down the table in a rather strained voice, 'Come now, everyone, there's plenty of food, and more courses coming, eat up.' When she stopped, the conversation started, and soon everyone was laughing again. I snuck one last look up, though, and saw Arthur was holding his wife's hand under the table and talking to her quietly.

'That was sweet of them,' Remus said, scooping mashed yams onto his plate.

Charlie, who I knew had already shed his tears for his sister, was handing out broccoli and said, 'Draco, are you alright?'

At his words, I turned and saw that Draco had gone paler than usual, and was staring down at his plate as he picked at the steaming vegetables Charlie had just given him. 'I'm not particularly hungry, actually,' Draco mumbled. 'Excuse me.' He stood up, dropped his napkin on his chair, and slipped out of the dining room.

I, of course, followed.

'Draco?' I had tracked him into the living room, where he stood in front of the roaring fireplace hung with stockings. Beside him, the Christmas tree stood tall and proud, adorned with family photos, popcorn, candles, and ornaments. 'Draco, are you alright?'

He snorted, but didn't turn to face me. His silhouette was tense, and his arms were crossed in front of him defiantly. 'Draco, please. What's wrong?' I walked slowly up to him, and put my hand gently on his shoulder. He tensed even more at the touch, and inclined his head towards my hand. Then, I did something I never thought I would do, especially with Draco Malfoy. I quoted the bible. '"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."'

'Pardon?'

'It's from the Christian bible. A muggle religion.' I stood beside him now, standing with my shoulder pressed against his.

'You have it memorized? You're not-'

'No, I'm not Christian. I just like to read.' I looked up at him, and saw how overwrought he was. He wasn't crying, but he looked as if he might. 'It means that you have to stop blaming yourself for what your father did. You're not your father.'

'I know,' he told me quietly.

We stood like that for a moment, just watching the fire. He stole a look at me, and reached over my shoulder, hugging me to him. 'Hermione, are you sure about this?'

'Sure about what?' I asked, though I knew what was coming. How are the boys in my life so predictable?

'Sure about this. Us. About me.' He wasn't looking at me anymore. His eyes were burning into the fire.

Before I answered, I turned round to face him. I took his face in both my hands, and, catching his eyes, I said, 'Draco Malfoy, I love you, and I have never been surer of something in my entire nineteen years on this earth.' I smiled shyly, and added, 'But if you really can't stand me, I guess I can leave.' I let my hands fall away from his silky smooth skin, and started to turn away from him.

Before I could take even three steps, he grabbed my wrist and spun me around into a tight embrace, my arms pinned to my sides. He rested his head on my shoulder, and murmured, 'Granger, don't even joke about things like that… I love you so much it hurts.'

We stood like that for what seemed an eternity. My head rested on his chest, his head on my shoulder. The faint sound of laughter and the crackling fireplace were insignificant behind the symphony that was out hearts beating in time with one another.

I was surprised when Draco muttered, 'I suppose we should go… they're going to be sending out a search party soon if we don't get back in there.' He gently moved me away from him, but still held me close so we were almost nose to nose. His eyes met mine, and he said, 'What do you think are the chances of us spending the night together?'

'I'd say pretty good,' I replied, a blush creeping up my skin.

'I don't mean… I mean, we don't have to do anything if you don't… what I mean to say is…'

'I'd say pretty good,' I repeated, and I took his hand in mine.

He smiled, kissed me gently, and we moved back out into the dining room.

'Where've you two been?' Charlie asked as we sat down.

'Living room,' I replied as Draco pushed my chair in for me.

'Doing?'

'Talking,' Draco said, sitting down himself.

'Don't look now, but I think Molly noticed you were gone,' Remus chuckled, finishing up the last of his supper.

I did, of course, look, and I saw Molly bending forward over the table, trying to look inconspicuous as she inspected us.

'Excellent turkey, Molly,' Draco called up the table, and he raised his glass as a salute.

She turned a bright shade of pink at being caught, and replied, 'Thank you, Draco, dear. Have you tried the yams?'

'They're next,' he called back, grinning famously.

'Hermione, I hope you're not holding back eating for the sake of that dress,' she called to me.

'I'm not, Molly, I promise,' I replied, smiling. 'Everything's so delicious I don't think I would be able to hold back if I wanted to!'

She smiled back at me, and eyed us again before turning to her husband and piling more mashed potato onto his plate.

'Mr Malfoy, so good to see you again,' a bright, chipper voice said from behind me. I turned, and my jaw dropped. Rita Skeeter was standing behind me, adorned in robes of ruby red trimmed with what looked like ermine, her faithful photographer trailing her. 'Mind if we got a quote and a photo for the Prophet? How well do you know the Weasleys? And who's this lovely young lady you arrived with? Friend? Girlfriend? Granger?!' I had turned around fully, and she finally recognized me.

'Hello, Rita,' I said, smiling at her. 'How's the tabloid business going?'

'Very well, thank you,' she replied, a little cooler than before. 'I suppose I should thank you… that interview got me my job back… though, I wouldn't have needed to get it back if you hadn't lost it for me in the first place.'

'Still scurrying around for stories?'

She pursed her lips at me, and then went back to her winning smile. 'So, what is your newfound relationship with Mr Malfoy here? Friends? Lovers? That's a beautiful necklace, by the way. Who gave it to you?'

'I did,' Draco drawled superiorly, 'and I would ask, Rita, that you would refrain from interrupting Hermione while she is trying to spend quality time with her friends. Isn't there a specified time for press after dinner?'

'Of course, Mr Malfoy, I just wanted an exclusive, you know.'

'Leave us alone, and I may perhaps consider giving you an exclusive on my future plans once I'm out of school… you know the public is always eager to hear about the progress of my family and me. Especially as the anniversary of the Dark Lord's fall looms nearer.'

Rita's smile never wavered as she floated away to the other end of the table where her photographer was now setting up his camera.

Draco smiled apologetically at me, and said, 'Sorry about that. The Prophet is impossible. Especially her.'

'Why're they interested in you?' Charlie asked as the table was cleared to make room for dessert.

'I'm the last Malfoy. I'm young, handsome, rich, and powerful… I used to be a… a… well, never mind that part… and now that I'm dating one of the golden trio I'm just that much more alluring. I'm the society pages' wet dream incarnate.'

'You're so modest,' I told him as I watched all sorts of puddings nestle themselves around holiday crackers littering the table.

'He asked, I was just honest.'

I simply smiled in response as I picked up a large cracker. 'Merry Christmas, Draco.'

A/N Soooo? Was it a worthy procrastination? I thought so. And I really wish I could procrastinate some more so I could write the next chapter. But I can't. But the more reviews I get, the faster I'll get my homework done, and the faster you'll get to know what's coming next...

Oh, and btw, if you're Christian or antiChristian, don't mind that quote Ezekiel 18:20. I just needed a quote on the sins of the father not being transfered to the son. If you have any qualms about me using an excerp from the bible, just write it up in the reviews page and I'll amend it. But for now it's staying. Coz it works. Ciao, and review! You know you want to. Jm.