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Merry Christmas!
December 19, 1998
Early on Tuesday morning, before any of the others had woken up, Draco heard a buzzing sound coming from inside the drawer of his bedside table. He quietly groaned and rolled over, careful to not wake Hermione. Reaching out, he opened the drawer and pulled out the MAC which had a new note from Dario on it. Draco rubbed his face tiredly before squinting his eyes to read it.
Draco – Blaise is doing well and is rather insistent on leaving. As I am headed to a meeting at the Ministry, I am unable to oblige him by giving him an escort to the Manor. Would you be able to come up to the Hospital and accompany him your home?
-Dario
With a quiet sigh, Draco rolled out of bed and silently got dressed. It was while getting dressed that he noticed the holiday differences in his bedroom.
The House Elves had spent the entire night decorating each room in the Manor, including the corridors.
Draco looked around and saw a Christmas tree standing by his fireplace with red, green, and gold décor as well as a few gifts placed beneath it. There were garland and candles hung around the room, giving the already warm room the coziness of Christmas spirit.
He glanced back at the bed where Hermione was soundly sleeping and smiled to himself. He knew she'd wake up with a wide smile upon seeing the décor.
As he walked out of the room and down the corridor, where garland and candles lit the way, he thought about how the Manor had never had the feeling of true Christmas spirit.
As a child, he grew up spoiled, so there were plenty of gifts and under a tree no less, but that was all there was. The love that one is supposed to feel, especially during the holiday season was never present within the walls of the Malfoy Manor.
When he entered the library, he was taken aback by the beauty of the adornments in the room. It was evident to him that the House Elves had worked extremely hard to make the Manor look lovely for them.
The large, twelve-foot tree in the library had gold décor on it and the gifts beneath it were wrapped in brown paper but had colorful ribbons. The windows and bookshelves had garland and candles hanging along them which brought the room together perfectly.
All of the décor lifted his spirits but seeing the time, dampened them once more. He quickly left, flooing to St. Mungo's to get Blaise.
When the two blokes arrived back at the Manor, Blaise looked around in awe. "This place looks brilliant!"
Draco nodded, "I know. Pippy and the others had to of done it all while everyone was asleep last night."
Blaise nodded as the made their way straight up to the corridor where their bedrooms were located.
"Is Cordelia in my room?" Blaise asked as they walked toward the end of the hallway.
With a nod, Draco replied, "Yea, she is." His voice held a tone that Blaise couldn't quite place.
"All right." Blaise muttered with a furrowed brow, "Thanks, mate. I'll see you in a bit, at breakfast."
As Draco entered his room, the one beside Blaise's, he found Hermione sitting up in bed, fiddling with her fingers.
She looked over at him and exhaled before asking where he had gone.
"I went to get Blaise from St. Mungo's and didn't want to bother you." He replied as he walked over and sat beside her on the bed.
She nodded before asking, "Is he in there with Cordelia now?"
He nodded silently.
She nodded before looking over at the Christmas tree by the fireplace, "Did Pippy do all of this?"
Draco nodded, "I assume so." He said, "The entire Manor is decorated."
She smiled, "I'm sure it looks lovely."
He nodded and gently grabbed her hand, "It does. We'll go see it in a bit." He muttered before leaning in to kiss her lips.
Meanwhile, Blaise quietly entered his room where Cordelia was lying in bed, wide awake, having barely slept all night and witnessed the House Elves at work. She turned toward the noise, her eyes widening in shock, "Blaise!" She exclaimed as she jumped out of bed, tears streaming down her face. She hugged him somewhat gently, not wanting to hurt him.
He smiled and pulled her tighter against him, "Hey Darling." He said, "I'm sorry that I scared you."
She sniffed, continuing to hold onto him tightly, "You shouldn't do that."
With a nod Blaise said, "I know. I didn't intend for it to happen."
As they separated, she licked her lips nervously, "I erm…we need to talk, Blaise."
The wizard furrowed his brow, "What's the matter, Cordelia?" He asked, concerned.
The blonde veela-witch took his hand and pulled him over to the foot of the bed, where they sat on the antique trunk. He looked at her, expecting her to speak, but she remained silent.
"What's happened?" He asked. "Have I upset you?"
She shook her head, "No. No, not at all. I was terribly concerned, but that's not what this is about."
"Okay…" He murmured, still holding her hand, "Then…what is it abo…"
"I'm pregnant." She blurted out, anxiety taking over her body as she held onto his hand tightly.
Blaise's breathing halted for a moment before he suddenly stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of the Christmas tree that had been set up in his room, decorated with blue and green décor.
After several minutes of her watching him, waiting for him to speak, he finally did.
"How's that even possible?" He asked bluntly, looking at her with confused eyes. "You said that you were on the monthly potion. I…I just don't understand."
Cordelia swallowed, "Well…apparently, I missed the past couple of doses…" She said quietly, "Blaise, I am so, terribly sorry. I can't even express…" She broke down into sobs.
Blaise swallowed, attempting to calm himself.
"I erm…I need a bit of air." He muttered, before walking out of the room.
Cordelia sobbed into her hands, hating herself and feeling dreadful.
It was nearing eight in the morning, and everyone was gathering in the dining room for breakfast, yet Blaise was nowhere to be found.
As they all sat down, Draco overheard Cato, Arthur and Molly discussing how to go about destroying the Dumbledore portrait that Ezra had taken control of, while Ginny, Pansy and Narcissa were discussing the beauty of the decorations. While listening to the different conversations, Hermione nudged him in the side, catching his attention.
He looked to his right with confused, furrowed brows.
The brunette nodded toward Cordelia who was sitting across from them, silently pushing her food around on her plate.
Draco frowned and nodded, standing up while chatter continued to fill the room. He walked around the table and over to his sister's chair before he crouched down and asked her what was wrong.
The half-veela bit her lip nervously, "I told him." She whispered.
Draco nodded, "What did he say?"
She shook her head, "He said that he needed some air. I haven't seen him since."
The wizard tried to control his emotions and temper. He knew that he couldn't blame his best friend for being in shock and simply reacting to such drastic news, but this was also his little sister. He was protective of her, and he would do anything and everything he needed to in order to care for her.
"I'm going to go and find him." Draco whispered before leaving without another word.
As he exited the room, Molly spoke up.
"Narcissa." She said, "We're going to be leaving tonight. My other children…my five oldest sons are all able to come home for the holiday. Bill and Fleur will be there. Charlie and Adrian will also be there. Percy apparently has a new girlfriend who we are supposed to meet. The twins have an announcement that they'd like the entire family to be there for."
Narcissa nodded, "I understand. I am sad that you all will not be here, but I hope that you all have a splendid time."
Molly sighed with a nod, "So, we'll leave tonight. Me, Arthur, Ginny, Ronald, Harry, and Pansy, should she choose to come along."
Pansy, hearing the conversation, smiled, and nodded, "I'd love to, Mrs. Weasley."
Molly smiled and nodded at the young witch.
Meanwhile, Draco had begun searching the Manor for his best friend. He checked up in the bedrooms first, before going into the library. Afterwards, he went into the Humidor Room and still, there was no sign of the other wizard.
As he began to worry that Blaise may have left the Manor entirely, a thought occurred to him, and he went down to the cellar. He walked into the massive cellar and over to the chamber where they stored their collection of liquors, wines, and spirits. Upon entering the chamber, he saw Blaise sitting in the far corner with a bottle of five-hundred-year-old Firewhiskey in hand.
Draco let out a quiet sigh and walked over, sitting down next to him on the floor.
Blaise exhaled, "I suppose that you want to throttle me now." He muttered, not looking over at Draco as he raised the bottle of Firewhiskey to his lips and drank heavily.
Draco let out a huff, "I suppose I should but…I don't blame you, mate." He said.
Blaise's head jerked toward Draco, "What?" He asked, confusion covering his face as some Firewhiskey dripped down his chin.
"Well…I…" Draco sighed, looked over at the wall cleared his throat. "I know what happened. I know that she didn't take the past few monthly potions, and though I don't see why you couldn't simply use a quick Contraceptive Spell, I just…I can't blame you, Blaise."
Blaise swallowed, "Draco, it is my fault, though. I should have known better. I am dreadfully disappointed in myself and I'm so terribly sorry, mate. I've messed up. I've messed up far more than I ever have before." He said before taking a large gulp from the bottle.
Draco inhaled and looked over at his best friend, "So…what are you planning to do?"
Blaise sighed, looking down at the stone floor, "I erm…" he paused and swallowed. "I don't know. What would you do?"
Shaking his head, the blond wizard exhaled, "Mate…I can't answer this one for you."
"I suppose I ought to go speak with Cordelia now." Blaise said through a long exhale while looking into the bottle of half-drunken Firewhiskey.
"That's a good idea." Draco replied, looking over at the other wizard. "Just know that…" He sighed before swallowing, "Mate, I'm here. I know this is a terribly difficult situation, but like we discussed on the train, you're my brother and I'm here for you."
Blaise nodded and stood up, Draco following his lead.
"I'm truly sorry, Draco." Blaise said. "I know that I've let you down. You trusted me with your sister and now…"
Draco inhaled slowly before exhaling even slower while nodding, "Come on. Let's get back upstairs."
When they entered the dining room, they found it to be empty.
"I suppose she's up in my room." Blaise muttered.
Draco nodded, "I'll see you later."
Blaise nodded and walked up to his bedroom. He stood outside in the hallway, trying to contain his confused emotions. He inhaled deeply before entering the room where he found Cordelia sobbing into her pillow.
He walked over to the bed and sat beside her on the bed.
Cordelia pulled her face from the pillow and looked over at him, sniffing, "Blaise? Where have you been?"
He licked his lips, "I needed to think for a moment. I'm sorry. It's just…that was quite the shock."
She nodded, "I know. I'm so sorry, Blaise."
He nodded and reached over, taking her hand in his. "We should discuss it. Don't you think?"
"Yeah." She sighed.
"So, erm…are you certain that you're erm…that you're pregnant?" He asked.
She nodded, "Yes. I took a pregnancy test with Hermione's help. It's the kind of potion test that gives you all sorts of details. However, all I know is that I'm pregnant. I don't know the gender or any other details."
He nodded, inhaling, "Well, erm…clearly it happened the night of the Yuletide Ball."
She nodded, "Yes. Apparently, it takes muggles a bit longer to realize they're pregnant due to the lack of magic."
"Well, how did you come to realize?" He asked softly.
She bit her bottom lip nervously, "To be honest, me and the other girls were all discussing what occurred after the Ball. They asked if we used the spell and I explained that I took the monthly potion, but Hermione asked me when the last time was that I took it. That's when I looked back and realized that I hadn't taken it in a while."
He nodded, pausing a moment before asking, "Have you thought about what you'd like to do about it?"
"I have, but I'd first like to know what you want to do."
"Cordelia, Darling, it's not my body, it's yours." He said, gently squeezing her hand. "I can't tell you what to do."
"That's sweet, Blaise and I appreciate that you are so considerate of me, but I simply want to know if you would want to keep the baby or not." She replied.
He swallowed, "I do want children…always have. I just never expected them to come so early in my life. If it were my decision, I'd keep the baby, but I'll agree with you no matter what you decide and there will be zero judgement. I care for you; you know that. Whatever you decide, will be what is best. Okay?"
She nodded, swallowing and squeezed his hand, "I erm…I think that I'd like to keep the baby as well. I don't know how to raise a child with one parent going to Hogwarts and the other having already graduated, but…"
"We'll work it out." Blaise said, turning towards her, "I'll get a job of some sort immediately after graduation. I also have my trust fund from my family. It is a large sum so there's no need to worry."
Nodding, Cordelia asked if he meant for them to get married.
Blaise froze for a moment, "I…I didn't, but if you feel that you need that security, I'll do it."
She shook her head, "No. I don't. I trust you."
He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips before saying, "We'll be okay, Darling. I'll make sure of it."
"So…obviously we aren't in love with each other but…." She began.
He nodded, "I know, but I could fall in love with you. I have no doubt that I will. I care so deeply for you and now you're the mother of my child."
She smiled and leaned in, kissing his lips. As she pulled back, she asked "Would you want to know more information about the baby?"
He realized she was talking about the parchment Hermione had and nodded. The couple walked hand–in-hand out of the room and over to the next bedroom.
Blaise knocked on the door and Draco came to answer it, "Hey. Come on in." the blond wizard said, moving aside for the couple to enter the room.
Hermione was sitting on the sofa by the fireplace with her legs curled beneath her.
"Have a seat." Draco said, nodding to the other sofa.
Blaise and Cordelia sat across form Hermione while Draco sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"We've talked." Blaise said.
Cordelia nodded, "And we've decided the despite the struggles it will bring, we're going to keep the baby. We aren't certain of how we're going to go about it but we're going to figure it out."
Hermione nodded and looked at Draco, squeezing his hand supportively.
"Well, we're here for the both of you and the baby, of course." Draco said with a nod, surprising Hermione.
A tear slipped from Cordelia's eye which was soon followed by several more.
"Thank you, Draco." She said, sniffing.
Blaise nodded, clearing his throat, "Thanks, mate."
"I love both of you." Draco said. "Cordelia, you're my little sister. I'll always be here for you. And Blaise, mate, you might as well be my brother. You're the best friend I could ever ask for. I'm here for you both."
Hermione inhaled. "So am I." she said. "You two are not alone, no matter what kind of other reactions you get to this news. Don't forget it." She said before adding, "You should be prepared for a multitude of reactions, though. Some people will be supportive, while others may refrain from speaking to you two again. Judgements are made in these types of situations, and they can be quite hurtful, but try to ignore them."
Cordelia nodded, "We know. It won't be easy, and some people might even make it more difficult, but we still want to keep the baby."
Hermione nodded, "Does this mean that you would like that piece of parchment?"
Cordelia nodded, "Yes." She replied with a nervous smile.
Hermione nodded and stood up, walking over to the bedside table. She opened the drawer and pulled out an envelope with Cordelia's name written on it. When she handed it to Cordelia, the younger girl, inhaled anxiously and squeezed Blaise's hand.
Blaise nodded to his girlfriend before she opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment. Her hands shook a bit as she unfolded the parchment to reveal the elegant scrawl on it.
Miss Cordelia Badeaux,
You are pregnant.
It is a girl.
The father is Mister Blaise Zabini
She was conceived early in the morning on December 16, 1998
Your probable due date is September 10, 1999
Cordelia's eyes widened in shock, "A girl?" She breathed with a smile.
Hermione nodded, "Apparently." She replied with a small smile, "Since it's so very early in the pregnancy you should go see a Healer soon."
Blaise nodded, "I think that's a good idea, Darling." He said, looking at Cordelia before looking back at Hermione, "Are muggle pregnancy tests this detailed?"
"Not even close." Hermione replied, shaking her head, "Muggles can't be sure their pregnant until at least two weeks into the pregnancy and that's still considered early. Muggles also can't tell the gender until at least sixteen weeks into the pregnancy."
"Bloody hell." Blaise muttered.
Draco met Cordelia's eyes while Hermione and Blaise talked.
Cordelia stood and walked over to his sofa before sitting beside him. "Are you okay?" She asked him.
He huffed, "You're asking me that?" He asked. "I should be asking you that question."
She smiled and rolled her eyes, "I'm okay. My biggest fear was one of you hating me. None of you appear to feel that way so, yea, I'm okay."
He nodded, "I'm okay too. Honestly…I'm just worried about you."
"I love you too, Draco." She said quietly. "You're my big brother and I appreciate that you are so protective of me. It helps me feel safe."
He smiled and hugged her.
"So, are you two telling anyone? Or are you keeping this a secret for a while?" Draco asked.
Blaise and Cordelia looked at one another.
"I think we're okay with telling the group, but once we get back to Hogwarts…well, no one other than the group for now." Blaise paused, looking at the blonde witch.
Cordelia nodded, "I'd rather wait on everyone at Hogwarts knowing…at least for a month or so. Veelas don't become very big during pregnancies, so it won't be too noticeable for quite a while."
Draco nodded, "Okay. Well, I'm not going to say anything. You can tell the group whenever you're ready."
Blaise nodded.
They continued to talk for a while before going downstairs to join the others for lunch.
After lunch, Cordelia pulled Hermione aside and whispered, "I want to tell the other girls about it."
Hermione nodded, "Okay." She replied thoughtfully, "Erm…go on up to Blaise's bedroom and I'll have them meet us in there."
Cordelia nodded and made her way up to Blaise's bedroom.
A few minutes later, Hermione, Pansy, Luna, and Ginny walked into Blaise's bedroom. Hermione placed a Silence Charm on the room and nodded to Cordelia while the others finished their conversation.
"So, Theo and I will be leaving tonight as well." Luna said, "Theo needs to get his family's castle because his brother is currently there all alone."
"Are you all still coming over to The Burrow for Boxing Day?" Ginny asked.
Hermione shook her head, "No, I haven't talked to Draco about this yet but…erm…I'm leaving on Christmas night with my family. I'll be at the New Year's Eve Bash but until then I'm going to be spending time with my family. I may even spend the last few days with them after the New Year's Eve Bash." She explained.
"I understand that." Pansy said before noticing Cordelia nervously biting her bottom lip. "What's wrong, Cordelia?"
The blonde witch-veela looked over and inhaled nervously, "Oh erm, well…I…I took a test."
Ginny's eyes widened, "You're pregnant for sure?"
Cordelia nodded.
"Blimey." Pansy said.
"Have you spoken with Blaise yet?" Luna asked quietly.
She paused for a moment before nodding and replying, "I have."
"How did he take it?" Pansy asked.
Cordelia licked her lips nervously, "Well, at first, he didn't take it too well. He needed some time to breathe so he left. But after Draco talked to him…"
"Wait!" Ginny said, holding up her hand.
"Draco knows?!" Pansy and Ginny asked together.
Cordelia nodded, "Yes…"
"Bloody hell!" Pansy said, "And he hasn't throttled or cursed Blaise yet?" she asked, pure shock evident on her face.
Hermione shook her head, "No. Draco has handled this situation rather well. He is concerned about Cordelia and Blaise, but he loves both of them."
Luna nodded, "Of course he does." She said with a smile.
"Have you and Blaise discussed what to do about the baby?" Pansy asked. "There are options. You could take the potion or put the baby up for adoption…or you could keep it."
Cordelia nodded, "We've discussed it. We decided to keep the baby. We know that of course it will be a challenge, but…" She paused, inhaling deeply, "neither of us wants to do the other options."
Luna smiled, "Well I think that the two of you will make splendid parents once you've learned a few things. It'll take some time, but that's how it is for all first-time parents."
"Thank you, Luna." The mum-to-be said.
Luna smiled as Ginny asked about Cordelia's due date.
"According to the pregnancy test, I'm due around September tenth."
"You took one of those detailed tests?" Pansy asked, intrigued.
Nodding, Cordelia replied, "I did. Hermione helped me."
"So, then you know the gender." Pansy said with a curious expression.
Cordelia nodded, "We're having a little girl."
"Blaise is going to have a daughter." Pansy smirked, "That'll be something to see."
"Are you going to tell Narcissa soon?" Hermione asked.
Cordelia, surprised by the question, paused for a moment before replying, "Erm…well…yes. I do hope she doesn't hate me after I tell her."
"There's no way that Narcissa will hate you, Cordelia." Pansy said. "She'll be confused, worried and even have a motherly concern for you, but she won't hate you. She's changed too much to hate you."
Cordelia nodded and the girls continued to discuss the situation for a while before making their way down to the library where Draco and the other blokes were chatting.
Hermione walked over and sat beside Draco in the large, high-backed chair he had been occupying.
"Are you all right. Love?" He asked her quietly as the others conversed amongst themselves.
She nodded and leaned over, kissing him softly on the jaw before whispering, "Cordelia told the girls."
Draco's brow raised as he nodded.
"…and you lot can just Floo on over to the castle on the morning of New Year's Eve." Theo told everyone.
"Do you need anything?" Ginny asked. "Or do you have all the supplies for the bash?"
Theo smirked, "Oh Gin, come now." He chuckled, "Don't you know me at all?"
"Yes." Ginny smirked. "Which is why I'm checking to make sure you have everything." She said, making the others laugh.
Theo nodded, "We're all set."
The group continued to chat until dinnertime.
Later, after dinner, when everyone was making their way toward the library, Molly pulled Draco and Hermione aside.
"Is everything all right, Molly?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes, Dear. I simply wanted to give the two of you your gifts since we won't be seeing each other on Christmas Day." Molly replied, waving off the concern.
Draco's eyes went wide, and he asked her to wait there for one moment. He quickly ran up to his bedroom before returning with a wrapped gift in hand.
Molly's eyes widened at the sight, shocked that they had evidently gotten her a gift as well.
"We both wanted you to know how much you mean to us." Hermione said.
Draco met Molly's eyes, "You taking me in this summer…it changed my life in ways I never imagined possible. I hope that this gift shows at least a small piece of my gratitude." He said, handing her the wrapped box.
Molly's eyes watered a bit as she took the box and unwrapped it. Inside was a golden box, engraved with the words, 'Thankful for You'. She swallowed and opened the box, revealing a magically blooming lavender rose.
"You two…this is stunning." Molly sniffed as a tear fell from her eye. "Thank you so much."
Draco nodded as Hermione hugged the shorter woman. As they separated, Molly sniffed and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief from her pocket.
"Now that you two have sent me into sobs…" Molly smiled, "I have a gift for each of you." She said as she handed them each a wrapped gift.
Hermione smiled and watched as Draco opened his gift.
His hands paused in their movement when he spotted a dark green knitted jumper with a light green letter 'D' knitted into the chest. He knew well that the Weasley family had a tradition of having knitted jumpers every Christmas, but the only people he had ever seen wear them besides the family were Potter and Hermione. Draco swallowed and looked over at Hermione who smiled at him.
He turned his head and looked at Mrs. Weasley, feeling the emotion fill his chest.
Inhaling slowly, he quietly said, "Thank you." His voice held such emotion that Molly's eyes filled once more with tears as she pulled the tall, blond wizard in for a hug.
Hermione smiled, feeling immense joy at the site.
It was nearly midnight when Hermione and Draco went to bed. As they pulled the covers of the bed back, Hermione spoke up, not yet meeting Draco's eyes.
"So erm…" She said nervously.
Draco looked over at her as they both slid into bed, "Yes?" He replied, curious of her clear anxiety.
She sighed and scooted sideways to face him before speaking, "I erm…I think that after Christmas…that evening, I'm going to…I'm going to spend some time with my family." She said before quickly adding, "I've missed Granddad and Grandmum dreadfully and, of course, I've never even known Great-Grandmum. So, I'd love to spend some time with them before I return to Hogwarts."
He nodded, "I think that's a good idea." He replied, shocking her with his response, "Love, I'm not going to keep you from your family. I know that you want to spend time with me but right now, it's important for you to spend time with them."
She exhaled, feeling relieved as she nodded, "Thank you, Draco. I love you so much. You do know that don't you?"
"I do know that." He grinned, "And I love you."
She smiled and leaned forward, kissing his lips before saying, "I've thought of a plan that may work…but I'll miss Boxing Day at The Burrow."
"Okay." He nodded with a thoughtful expression, "Tell me your plan."
"Well, I thought that I would stay here for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Then on Christmas night, I'll leave with my family. We'll go back to my parents' house and spend time together until New Year's Eve. I'll Floo to Theo's castle that morning and spend the night there with you before returning to my parents' house until the seventh. On the seventh, I'll simply meet you lot on Platform 9 ¾ to go back to Hogwarts." She explained, "I know it's a lot of time apart from one another…and I'll miss you terribly but…"
He nodded and leaned over, kissing her lips, "Love, you need to do this. It's important."
She smiled and nodded, "At some point, I'm going to take all of them to Diagon Alley to get each of them a wand and some books."
"That's a brilliant idea, Love." He said with a wide smile.
December 24, 1998
Draco woke early on Christmas Eve and saw that it was still mostly dark outside with just a hint of light appearing along the horizon. He looked over at the doors that led out to the terrace and saw that the snow had built up a bit more overnight and was continuing to fall heavily onto the grounds of the Manor.
There was a slight chill in the air of his bedroom, so he grabbed his wand from the bedside table and sat up, lighting a fire in the fireplace across the room. He laid back down and scooted closer to Hermione, who was still sleeping comfortably underneath the thick layer of quilts on his bed.
The warmth of her body spread through him the moment he touched her. He smiled to himself, and pressed a kiss to her cheek, causing her to hum and slowly open her sleepy brown eyes.
He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Hermione looked over at the clock and furrowed her brow, seeing that it was still quite early, having only just turned five o'clock.
She cupped his jaw and furrowed her brow, "Why are you up so early, Love?" She asked in a quiet and concerned tone.
He shrugged, "Just woke up and couldn't resist it when I saw the most beautiful woman in the world lying beside me."
Hermione blushed while smiling. "You're sweet."
He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, "I'm sorry that I woke you up. I shouldn't have." He said halfheartedly.
She shook her head and pulled him into a deep kiss.
Draco pulled her body completely against his own and groaned when, in response, she wrapped her left leg around his waist. She moaned and deepened the kiss while her nails dug into his bicep.
He moved his lips along her jaw and down her neck as she quietly moaned before suddenly stopping him, "Wait." She said, pushing his shoulders back slightly.
Draco pulled away with a look of disappointment evident on his face.
She smiled and kissed his lips, "Stop frowning, Love." She whispered, "I've got an idea."
He smirked and raised his brows, "And that would be…"
Nearly ten minutes later, after sealing the bedroom up with privacy charms, the couple stepped into the steaming shower; water raining down on them.
Draco grinned and pulled her close, "I like your ideas." He said, pressing a kiss to the top of her nose.
She laughed and nodded, "I have been known to be rather bright at times." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I'm aware." He chuckled as he held his hand out and a bottle of liquid soap flew into his palm.
They slowly showered for nearly an hour, snogging, and making love throughout that time. When they stepped out of the shower, Draco wrapped a large, fluffy, grey towel around the brunette and kissed her cheek.
It was later that night, after the large Christmas Eve Feast, that Draco and the other men, made their way to their Humidor Room to pick out some cigars before gathering in the Smoking Lounge.
As Draco lit his cigar, he met Cato's eyes, and nodded. The two of them had grown closer and Draco truly approved of his mother's choice of a boyfriend.
"So, this is all yours now?" Leo Granger asked Draco before puffing on his own cigar.
Draco nodded, "Well…yes. Lucius lost his right to the family enterprise so I'm now in control of it all."
Leo looked over at Ezio, "Why didn't you get control of it? I mean, wouldn't you naturally be the next in line?"
"My father banished me and my sister years ago, which left only Lucius as a 'appropriate' and 'acceptable' option." Ezio chuckled, "Honestly, I'm thrilled that Draco is the head of the family now. He will do the right thing by it, whatever that is. I trust Draco more with the Malfoy name than I ever trusted Lucius." He said before adding, "I think that Draco is doing a splendid job with it so far and I cannot wait to see how he handles the challenges he'll undoubtedly face in the future."
Draco smiled at his uncle and nodded at him, silently thanking him for his kind words.
It was nearing midnight when Draco decided to bid the others goodnight and head up to his bedroom. Blaise smirked at him as he left the Smoking Lounge, but Draco simply ignored him and swiftly walked out of the room and up to his bedroom.
He was disheartened to find that Hermione wasn't in there when he entered but then he heard her quietly singing.
He looked around and spotted her lying beneath the Christmas tree, looking up into it, at the beauty of the lights. She evidently hadn't noticed him yet, so he sat on the sofa and listened to her sing to herself.
"I am dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white"
He furrowed his brow, confused, having never heard the song before, but he loved hearing her sing. He quietly cleared his throat and she jumped slightly.
"How long have you been there?" She asked, not moving from her spot.
He chuckled and walked over, joining her underneath the tree, "A few minutes. What song was that?"
"It's called 'White Christmas' and it is from one of my absolute favorite muggle Christmas films." She replied, turning her head to look at him. "We need to watch it sometime soon."
He nodded but was so focused on her beauty that he didn't reply. Seeing her in the shimmer of the Christmas lights warmed his heart. He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.
As the separated, Draco quietly said, "I must tell you…I am madly in love with you, Hermione Granger."
She smiled, blushing, and nodded, "That's good, because I am madly in love with you, Draco Malfoy." She breathed.
He smiled and nodded, grabbing her hand in his and gently squeezing it.
"I'm going to miss you terribly after tomorrow." She said, her voice breaking slightly.
"Me too, my love." He replied quietly. "But I think that you will truly enjoy the time with your family."
She nodded, "You're my family too, Draco. Don't forget that."
"Never." He replied.
She nodded and looked back up into the tree with a quiet sigh escaping from her lips.
"You know…" he said, wanting to make her smile. "I've never done this before."
With a furrowed brow, Hermione asked what he meant.
He chuckled, "I mean that I've never laid beneath a Christmas Tree. It's rather nice. The lights are lovely."
She smiled and rolled her eyes lightheartedly, "I suppose it's a muggle thing."
"Muggles are rather ingenious." He grinned.
She smiled, looking at him with such love.
He nodded and squeezed her hand, "May I give you your gifts now?" He asked.
She blushed and nodded, "I suppose so…it is past midnight. I'm glad that your mother decided to not have a large gift opening ceremony in the morning. I wasn't able to get a gift for everyone and I don't want some people to feel left out."
He nodded, "That's exactly why she did it. There was no way everyone could purchase a gift for everyone else. There's too many of us." He said as he rolled out from his spot before grabbing a small, wrapped package from underneath the tree.
They remained sitting on the floor as they opened their gifts to each other.
"Okay…" Draco said, grinning as he handed her the first gift to open.
Hermione laughed, and opened the small box, revealing two charms for her charm bracelet. One was a tiny broomstick representing how he taught her to fly and the other was a lion which represented her new Patronus.
"Draco, they're lovely. Thank you!" She beamed and kissed his jaw. "You next." She smirked, reaching under the tree.
She grabbed a small box and handed it to him while biting her bottom lip, nervously.
The wizard grinned and opened his gift. Inside was a silver, chained necklace with a wax seal-style charm that had the letter 'H' on it.
He grinned, "I love it, Hermione." He said, leaning over to kiss her on the lips before slipping the chain over his head.
Once he had the necklace on, he rubbed his hands together eagerly and grabbed a larger box from under the tree before handing it to her with a smile on his lips.
She opened the box and smiled, seeing a snow globe inside, but as she pulled it out of the box, she noticed that it had nothing within the globe. Her slightly furrowed brow made him grin as he watched her examine the globe closely. She looked over at him with a confused expression.
Draco chuckled, "Have you got your wand, Love?"
She nodded and pulled out the Celestial wand, which she had been using since the Skye Castle.
"All right." He said, "Tap it twice on the globe whilst thinking of a specific memory that you would like to see again."
She did so and the scene of their first kiss appeared within the globe. The bedroom Draco had lived in while staying at The Burrow filled the globe with them in the center. Snow globe-Hermione was gripping the front of snow globe-Draco's jumper while he cupped her jaw and kissed her.
The memory bloomed within her mind. Details stuck out, such as Draco's busted lip, which was thanks to Ron's rage, the twins' fireworks exploding outside the window as they kissed, and the fireworks that exploded within her at the feel of his lips.
"It's sort of like a Pensive, but it has a few distinctive differences." Draco said.
She beamed and met his eyes, "Draco, this is utterly remarkable! Thank you so much!"
He smiled, "You're very welcome."
She cupped his jaw, "I love you so much."
Nodding, her pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, "And I love you." He said quietly.
Her eyes became a bit teary, and she sniffed as she pulled her hand back and began searching for Draco's next gift.
Furrowing his brow, Draco scooted closer, "Hermione, Love, what's the matter?"
She shook her head and wiped her eyes, "Nothing…I'm fine."
"Hermione…" He said with more evident concern.
"It's just that…I'm going to miss you." She said, not meeting his eyes.
Draco sighed and scooted closer to her.
"Love…" He said, "I'm going to miss you too. Just remember that it's only for a few days and then we'll be together again."
She sniffed and nodded, hating that she was getting completely emotional over a few days without Draco.
She smiled and leaned over, kissing his lips. As they separated, she looked him in the eyes and smiled, "I have one more gift for you."
He nodded, "And I have one more gift for you."
She reached over, picking up another box. She handed him the gift and waited while he opened it, eagerly watching him.
Draco's eyes widened when he saw what was inside.
"Is that a…?" He began as he looked over at her.
The witch nodded, "Yes. I wanted us to able to converse a bit more than simply writing letters." She replied with a smile.
He beamed, pulling the dark green muggle, Nokia cell phone out of the box. She watched as he examined it closely.
"You're going to have to explain exactly how to use it." He chuckled, "It looks a bit complicated."
She laughed, shaking her head, "It's not too complicated. I hope you like it and don't mind using a muggle object."
He rolled his eyes, "I absolutely adore it, Hermione and I'm eager to use it." He grinned, "But not so eager that I wish you to leave now."
She smiled and pulled her own phone out. It looked the exact same as his except for the color; it was light blue while his was dark green. He remembered how her parents had purchased it during the Summer while they were all in Lorne, Australia.
"Okay, would you like me to show you how to use it right now, or later?" she asked.
Draco shook his head and reached over to the tree, grabbing another, even smaller box than the others. "I would like to give you this gift first. If that's all right with you." He said.
She nodded, noticing how anxious he had suddenly become. Via the Cor Nexum, she could feel that his heart was thudding at a rapid pace. She put her phone away and tilted her head, looking at him with calm, loving eyes.
Draco inhaled anxiously and licked his lips before meeting her eyes, "Hermione, you and I are still rather young, yet we already know that we are foretold…meant to spend our lives together." He smiled and took her hand in his, "I personally believe that even with a prophecy, people still have some say in what happens with their lives. I love you." He said. "I love you in a way that I never thought I could ever love another person. You have truly taken over my heart and soul. I'm not asking you to marry me…yet." He smirked, making her smile. "But I would like to ask you to be mine…formally. You've mentioned a muggle tradition called 'Promise Rings' to me before. I'd like to do that."
Draco opened the box and held in out, "I had these made."
Her throat caught in an emotional pause as she looked into the deep blue, velvet box. The rings inside were beautiful. One was silver with a beautiful Rainbow Moonstone in the center of a few small diamonds. The band had a woven design to it and the beauty of it took her breath away.
The other ring was clearly meant for a man to wear, as it was much bulkier yet also stunning. It was silver and woven lines along the edges and a large deep blue sapphire in the in the middle.
"I thought we could wear them as a symbol that we are promised to each other and only each other." He said, "Mine has a sapphire which is your birthstone, and your ring has a moonstone which is one of the options for my birthstone." He explained.
She smiled, her eyes a bit teary and nodded, "Draco, this is incredibly sweet of you." She said as she reached out and grabbed his ring, "Give me your left hand."
He grinned and held his left hand out to her. She slipped the sapphire ring onto his ring finger.
"It looks dashing on you." She said with a smile.
He grinned and asked for her left hand. She held it out and he slipped the moonstone ring onto her ring finger before kissing her knuckles.
"I love you." He said.
She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. Both quickly forgot about Draco's need to learn about the phone. They spent the early morning hours making love before they finally fell asleep around five o'clock.
December 25, 1998
It was just past nine o'clock on Christmas morning when Hermione woke up to the sound of pecking on glass. She opened her eyes and suddenly realized that the covers had fallen off her bare chest. Quickly, she covered herself with Draco's dark green sheets and looked over at where the noise was coming from.
Athena was pecking on the glass doors that led in from the terrace. Hermione looked over to her right and saw that Draco was sound asleep next to her, completely unbothered by the noise.
She smiled and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his bare back before grabbing the Celestial wand from her bedside table. She aimed it at the terrace doors and opened them, allowing the bird to enter before she quickly shut them, not wanting to let the cold in.
The owl flew over to Hermione and dropped the letter onto the bed before flying over to land on her perch. Hermione looked at the letter and saw that it was for her.
For a moment she was distracted by the ring on her left hand, a wide smile appearing on her lips. She blinked, attempting to refocus on the letter. She opened it, seeing that it was from Ginny and Pansy.
Mione,
First, make sure no one else is reading this letter.
Pansy and I have been discussing Cordelia's situation. While we will support her no matter what, we are concerned that perhaps she doesn't fully understand the drastic changes that will occur in her life if she has and keeps this baby.
She and Blaise have only been together for a very short amount of time. Blaise is great, he's one of Pansy's best friends, but he's not all that mature. And Cordelia is only 16 years old. We think that she needs to speak with either my mum or Narcissa.
What do you suggest?
Ginny and Pansy
Hermione sighed, understanding their concerns. She too had felt those concerns when Cordelia and Blaise had told them that they were going to keep the baby.
Draco had been surprisingly supportive about the entire situation and, though she hadn't yet spoken with him about it, she was a bit confused by his pure supportive behavior. She knew that he wanted to be a good brother and best friend.
Hermione however was a bit more bothered by it for a few reasons. She had told Blaise to be responsible and the girls had all spoken about the birth control spell prior to the Yuletide Ball.
Hermione sighed to herself again, thinking that Cordelia truly should have known better, and Blaise should have shown better judgment.
Draco began to stir a bit and rolled onto his side to face her, only to find her sitting up in bed, covered by the sheet. He looked up at her with an adorably sleepy and confused expression, making her laugh.
She set the parchment on the bedside table and laid down beside him, turning to fully face the wizard.
Draco smiled and leaned in, kissing her lips before slowly pulling back to meet her eyes. "Happy Christmas, Love." He said with a smile.
She smiled and replied, "Happy Christmas."
He tilted his head a bit, "Why are you already awake?" He asked her as his hand lightly rubbed the curve of her hip under the covers.
Hermione sighed, "Athena came with a letter for me from Ginny and Pansy." She replied.
He furrowed his brow, "Is everything okay?"
She nervously licked her bottom lip, not quite meeting his eyes.
"Hermione?" He said worriedly.
She finally met his eyes. "Ginny and Pansy expressed their concerns about…about Cordelia's and Blaise's decision to keep the baby." She said.
Taken by complete surprise, Draco leaned up on his elbow and looked at her, "Really?"
She nodded, "Yes…and Draco…I don't want to upset you at all, but…" She paused, her anxiety building.
"You agree." He said. It wasn't a question. Draco simply made the statement, and it caused her heart to thud heavily in her chest.
"I do…" She said nervously.
He nodded with a thoughtful expression, "Okay. Could you tell me why?"
Hermione cleared her throat before inhaling deeply and responding, "Well, there are several reasons. One is that they are so young. She is only sixteen and Blaise only just turned nineteen last month. She and Blaise have only been together for a short amount of time, and I truly don't believe that she understands what being a teen-mother entails. Another reason is that…" She sighed and shook her head, looking down.
"What?" He asked.
She sighed. "Before the Yuletide Ball…all the girls talked in Pansy's dormitory. We discussed the importance of the birth control spell, knowing full well that we'd all likely be having sex the night of the Ball. Cordelia had every opportunity to mention that she was taking the monthly potion and ask us for advice, but she never did. She only mentioned it when we were on the train, leaving Hogwarts. After it was too late." She explained.
Draco sighed and sat up running his hand through his messy hair.
"Draco, I love you. I love you more than anything in the world and I know that she is your sister, and he's your best friend. But Love, I don't feel that they have thought any of this through." She said, sitting up beside him while still covering her body with the sheet.
He nodded but didn't speak, so she continued.
"I know that you are trying desperately to be understanding and supportive but sometimes…sometimes the support they need, is a reality check." She said quietly. "She's clearly going to have the baby. She started with firm conviction that she didn't want to take that potion, but she needs to consider putting it up for adoption or any other options there might be. And honestly Darling, Ginny and Pansy think she needs to speak with either Narcissa, or Molly and I completely agree. We all might be rather mature for our ages and able to handle more severe situations than others, but this is a baby, it's an entire other life. A parent's point of view might come in handy." She hoped her words hadn't been too harsh but rather, simply been utterly honest.
Draco nodded, and exhaled, feeling extremely overwhelmed.
Hermione placed her hand on his bare back, gently rubbing it supportively.
"All right." He said. "Let's talk with them today before you leave with your family. We can suggest that they speak with Mother or Molly."
Hermione nodded and the couple began to get ready for the day. They got dressed and were just about to step out of the bedroom when Draco grabbed Hermione's waist, pulling her against him.
She looked into his eyes, "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned that she may have truly upset him.
He sighed, and nodded, "I am. Love, you simply pointed out what I was trying desperately to ignore."
Hermione reached up and cupped his jaw, "I love you and I understand why you were ignoring it. I truly do."
He nodded. "Come on, my love. Let's go celebrate Christmas." He said, turning his head to kiss her palm.
She smiled and leaned in, kissing his lips. As they separated, she whispered, "Happy Christmas, Draco."
He smiled, "Happy Christmas, Hermione."
They made their way down to the Dining Room where they found everyone sitting and chatting while they ate a Christmas brunch.
Draco pulled Hermione's chair out for her before sitting beside her.
"Well, we will miss all of you dearly, but you are always welcome to return any time you like." Narcissa told Jean as they ate.
Jean smiled, "We have felt quite comfortable here but are eager to return home. We would love to return sometime soon though." She smiled and glanced at Draco and Hermione, who were talking to each other. "I have a feeling we're going to be in each other's lives for a long time."
Narcissa smiled, "I agree." She said, looking at the young couple.
When brunch was over, Narcissa, Jean, Hayden, Draco, and Hermione went into the library to give each other gifts.
The five of them gathered by the large Christmas tree with cups of tea in their hands.
"Who would like to go first?" Narcissa asked, smiling.
"We can." Jean spoke up, reaching over to pick up a gift from under the tree. She handed it to Draco with an eager smile on her face.
Draco smiled and opened the package, finding a book titled, 'The Hallmark to Healing' by Tara Rothco.
"Thank you!" He beamed, "This is marvelous!"
"We're both thrilled that you like it, Dear!" Jean said. "I know it is about muggle healing methods, but Minnie said that you find that intriguing as well."
"Very much so." Draco replied as Hermione reached underneath the tree for a gift.
The brunette witch handed it to her father with an eager smile on her face. Hayden grinned as he began unwrapping the gift.
"It's from both me and Draco." Hermione said.
Hayden nodded as he opened the box revealing a watch. It was silver with a brown leather band and had words engraved on the back in Hermione's handwriting.
Magical Christmas – 1998
"It's also a wand holster." Hermione said, showing her father the detail Draco had gotten added to the watch.
"It's lovely. Thank you, kids." He smiled at both of them.
Narcissa accio'd a small, wrapped package from beneath the tree. She looked at Hermione, "This is for you, dear girl. I do hope that you like it." She said, handing over the gift.
Hermione took it, thanking Narcissa as she began opening it. Inside, she found an elegant, silver, oval locket a pearl in the middle of its face. Hermione's eyes widened at its beauty.
"It's absolutely gorgeous!" She breathed admiring it as she opened the locket, revealing a magical photograph of Draco just slightly younger than he currently was. Her heart melted, seeing his handsome face. She looked over, meeting Narcissa's eyes.
"It's a locket from my personal collection. I thought that you would appreciate it." Narcissa said with a smile.
Hermione nodded, holding it to her chest, "I do. Thank you so very much."
Narcissa nodded as Draco grabbed another gift and handed it to his mother.
Narcissa smiled as she lifted the lid, finding a beautiful cloth photo album. It was green and cream colored and the word 'Happiness' sewn into the cover. It was nothing like the Malfoy family's photo albums that had always been filled with dark photographs of an expressionless family.
Hermione smiled, "It's for you to fill with your new, happy memories. Draco and I wanted you to have a brighter album to keep them in."
Narcissa sniffed, nodding, "Thank you both. You two are simply the most thoughtful…" She shook her head, overcome with emotion. "Thank you."
Hayden retrieved a gift from beneath the tree while Narcissa thanked the young couple. As Narcissa set her photo album on her lap, Hayden handed Hermione the gift.
Hermione smiled at her father and unwrapped it. When she opened the package, she discovered a beautiful wooden box with a quote engraved on the top. She smiled, recognizing the quote.
There's the whole world at your feet
As she opened the wooden box, her smile widened as a tune began to play. She immediately connected the quote and tune to one of her favorite childhood films, Mary Poppins.
She looked over at her parents, "It's Chim Chim-er-ee!" She said, confusing both Draco and Narcissa but causing her parents to smile wide and nod.
She turned to her boyfriend, "Draco, this tune and quote are from one of my very favorite muggle films. I've told you about it before. It's called Mary Poppins."
Draco grinned and nodded, remembering that she had mentioned it a few different times. "What's a Chim Chim-er-ee?" He asked.
"It's one of the songs from the film." She replied. "My favorite song from the film."
He nodded, intrigued.
They continued to give each other gifts until it was nearly noon.
Afterwards, Draco and Hermione went to find Blaise and Cordelia. However, when they arrived in Blaise's bedroom, they only located Blaise.
"Where's Cordelia?" Draco asked as they entered the room.
"She went down to the kitchen to get a snack." He replied, "She'll return soon. Is everything all right?"
Draco looked at Hermione before the couple sat down to explain their concerns. Blaise was stunned by their disclosures and sat down on the window seat, exhaling.
Draco, knowing his friend well, could see his mind working, attempting to see ways to argue with their words, but struggling to find them.
Finally, Blaise spoke up, "I…I hear what you two are saying and I understand what you mean, but I'm going to do whatever she decides. It's my fault. I should have either decided to not go through with it or said that we must use the spell and I didn't do either of those. I'm not going to walk away from my child, or Cordelia. I simply cannot do that, so…I'll do whatever she decides."
Draco nodded, respecting his best friend for not turning his back.
Cordelia entered the room, finding them. "Hey. So, Narcissa just offered to let me stay here over the summer if I want."
Draco, not too stunned by his mother's offer, nodded, "Mother could do a lot to help you over the summer…if you two decide that's a good idea of course. You two should discuss it. You also might should talk with her about the situation."
Cordelia considered the idea before nodding, "I'll speak with her…after the new year. We are all coming back here, correct?"
"Yes. We'll be returning here on the twenty-ninth." Draco replied. "Then we'll go to the Nott family castle on the thirty-first before coming back here late on the first."
Cordelia nodded, "I'll speak with her after the first."
Draco nodded, feeling relieved as he looked over at Hermione, who discreetly nodded and squeezed his hand.
Later that evening, after dinner, Draco and Hermione went up to his bedroom to gather all her things and pack them in her beaded bag. When they finished, she turned to the wizard, setting her bag on the bed as she walked toward him.
She sniffed, "I'm…I'm going to miss you terribly." She said in a soft, sad voice.
He pulled her into a strong, loving embrace, swallowing his emotion, "Me too, Love. You're coming to Theo's for New Years, correct?"
She nodded, pulling back enough to look at him, "I am. I'm in no way missing out on New Year's Eve with you." She smiled.
He nodded, cupping her cheek, "I love you." He muttered before kissing her tenderly on the lips.
As they separated, she whispered, "I love you too. Happy Christmas, Draco"
"Happy Christmas, Hermione." He replied before kissing her again and with more passion.
She hummed, as Draco brought his other hand up so that he was cupping both of her cheeks. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, causing her to moan against his lips.
As they separated, he nudged her nose with his own, "Come on, Love."
She nodded but rather than moving, she simply kissed him again.
Draco groaned and kissed her in return, his left hand moving down to her arse as he pulled her completely against him.
When she moaned, he felt himself growing far too aroused and pulled back, "I love you and if we had more time…"
She nodded, "I know. I love you too. I'm so grateful that we had last night…it was perfect."
Nodding, Draco pressed a soft kiss to her lips, "Come on, Love. Your family is waiting for you downstairs."
She nodded and together they walked back down to where the other Grangers were waiting with a portkey in the library.
Hermione hugged Narcissa before hugging Draco once more. They kissed gently, ignoring the others around them.
"I'll see you soon." He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.
She nodded, "I'll see you soon."
He watched as she and her family vanished with the umbrella portkey.
Once they were gone, he swallowed and turned to go back to his bedroom to get ready, however, Narcissa asked to speak with him for a moment.
He nodded and she handed him an envelope.
He furrowed his brow and opened it, his eyes widening when he discovered that besides the other properties the Malfoy family owned, there was one he hadn't known about.
"It's always been known as the Malfoy Estate House." Narcissa said. "I thought that perhaps…after some much-needed renovations, you may want to live there one day with Hermione. I won't mention it to her. I thought that you may want to keep it as a surprise. It could be a lovely home with the proper touches."
He smiled and hugged her, "Thank you, Mother. This is wonderful." He said before asking, "Will you and Cato be staying here, at the Manor?"
She nodded, "So long as you're all right with it…"
"Of course." He said. "Wherever you want to live." He shrugged. "I simply want you to be happy. Cato seems to help with that…"
She smiled and nodded, "He does."
Draco smiled, "I'm glad. He's a good bloke."
She smiled and hugged him once more, "Thank you, Dear. Now, go get ready. You're supposed to be at The Burrow in an hour's time."
He nodded and headed up to his bedroom to pack his things.
An hour later, Draco, Blaise and Cordelia arrived at The Burrow, greeted eagerly by Mrs. Weasley.