24 December, Friday, 1800 GMT
Draco disembarked from the Hogwarts Express. He looked up and down the nearly empty platform. Only a handful of passengers were aboard the regularly scheduled Friday train trying to make it home before the Christmas holiday. As one of the newer professors, Draco felt he should be one of the last to leave.
As a student, he hadn't realized how many of Hogwarts' student body actually stayed at the castle for the holidays. As a professor, he noticed quite a few students were left at Hogwarts. He hoped they would have a happy holiday.
His first teaching term under his belt was one of the most interesting and gratifying experiences he had ever had. Draco enjoyed teaching. He had even found parallels between his group of first years and his own classmates.
He smiled to himself. He probably wouldn't get an 'attaboy!' from his parents, especially from his father. There was one person's reaction he would have wanted to see, except he hadn't been able to get any return correspondence from her. He sighed as he pulled out his wand and apparated to Malfoy Manor.
o-o-o
1 January, Saturday, 2000 GMT
The winter holidays were festive. Neither of the older Malfoys even mentioned his stint at the Wizarding school. His parents kept him quite busy compelling him to "perform" his Pure-blood duties with function after function. He rubbed elbows with other Pure-blood witches and wizards.
His old Slytherin mates and their families were at every holiday party. Gregory Goyle, one of his closest friends since before their years at Hogwarts, was now a mediwizard dividing his time between Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Madame Pomfrey's hospital wing at Hogwarts, and his half-blood St. Mungo's mediwitch wife Joanna, a former Ravenclaw and their two sons, Greg, Jr. and Jacob.
Blaise Zabini, a Ministry obliviator working in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, was always part of his circle. So too, was the dark-haired former Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson, now an inspector with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Tonight, the two of them were linked arm-in-arm as they finally "tied the knot." Draco smiled as the two former Slytherins kissed each other after addressing their wedding guests. The crowd applauded.
The room was full of family, close friends and Ministry dignitaries. Even Mr. and Mrs. Potter were in attendance. Draco made his way over to where the Potters and Goyles stood conversing. Both families had babysitters tonight. The platinum blonde wizard kissed Joanna and Ginny on the cheeks before shaking hands with their significant others.
"I'm glad those two finally got the chance to make it official," Draco said as he accepted the glass of fire whiskey from Gregory.
"Yeah, it's been a long time coming," Greg answered sipping his Guinness.
"They both wanted to wait until the end of the war," Harry said as he nodded to the happy couple as they danced on the dance floor.
"Thank Merlin, everything was able to work out," Ginny said.
"So, should we be expecting the next nuptials to be between you and Roxanne?" Joanna half-joked.
Draco was speechless for a moment. Harry noticed his old nemesis falter. Harry put his arm around the former Slytherin. The scarred wizard smiled, pointing to the dance floor, "I think Kellen might have something to say about that."
"I guess he beat me to it," Draco laughed, good-naturedly. The group laughed collectively. Draco shrugged. "Besides, Roxanne and I haven't been together since before last summer,"
"Well, then, let's not let them have all the fun," Ginny said as she squeezed Harry's hand trying to deflect the attention from the Pure-blood wizard.
Draco nodded his thanks as he watched the two couples enter the dance floor. He sighed, taking a sip of his drink as he thought about the brunette Muggle-born witch.
o-o-o
1 January, Saturday, 2209 GMT
Draco and Harry leaned against the bar of the wedding reception sipping their drinks as they watched the couples on the dance floor. The ballroom was still pack with guests, the younger ones at least, even as it was quite late.
"The Zabinis and Parkinsons really know how to throw a party," Harry said.
Draco nodded. "'Tis the season, right," Draco said, sipping his fire whiskey.
"So all Pure-blood parties are like this?" Harry asked, joking.
Draco laughed. "I don't know. You should come to our annual New Year's party at the manor to find out. It's on the evening of the fifth."
"I think we'll pass this year," Harry smiled, joking as if the Half-blood was always invited to the Malfoy celebrations. Draco laughed.
They both watched the dance floor again in silence. Draco blew out a breath.
"You alright?" Harry asked.
Draco nodded. "So how's Hermione doing?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. He shrugged as he took another drink. "She's fine; pretty busy with the holiday season."
"She seeing anybody?"
Harry paused for a moment. He smiled. "Nobody that I know of," the scarred wizard said. "Haven't you spoken with her lately?"
"No. She hasn't returned any of my owls since November," Draco said looking down into his drink. He looked up. "I'm not exactly sure if I wrote something that offended her."
"I'm sure she's just been busy, Draco," Harry tried to reassure him without giving away too much as he kept his promise to his old friend.
"Yeah, I guess," Draco said, a little down as a group returning from the dance floor approached.
Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek as she joined him at his side. The bridegroom shook hands with both Harry and his old Slytherin mate. Harry kissed the bride's cheek in greeting. Gregory, Joanna and Roxanne joined the crew. Draco took in an unnoticed breath as he greeted his former girlfriend.
Roxanne gently tugged on his sleeve as she flirted with her old beau. "Shall we dance," she asked not even waiting for an answer as she dragged him towards the dance floor. The rest of the couples shrugged and followed the pair to dance the rest of the night away.
o-o-o
1 January, Saturday, 2349 GMT
Hermione had offered to work the overtime shift as many of the doctors with families wanted off on the New Year's Day holiday to spend with them. She would be back on site the afternoon of the third.
The time and a half was good money. Far be it for her to turn away from a financial opportunity. She ran her hand over her midsection. 'No,' she thought. She would make sure the child would have some money to start with. She shut her eyes for a moment. She pictured the baby girl being cared for, happy.
Hermione sighed as she looked at the clock, 11:58 p.m. on the first day of the New Year. "Happy New Year, Drew," she said softly as she looked down at her overly plump abdomen. 'Everything will be all right,' she thought as she rubbed her tummy. She shut her eyes to get some rest before the next new patient would burst through the ER entrance doors.
7