Disclaimer: all characters and the wider wizarding world belong to J. K. Rowling.

Hermione was the last to leave the hall. She was eventually ushered out by Professor McGonagall shortly after 1am, insisting that she stop trying to tidy the Great Hall before she retire for the evening, or Head Girl or not she was going to be in detention.

She was surprised to find that the entrance hall was not completely abandoned as she'd expected. A tall, blond Slytherin was waiting, leaning nonchalantly against the bannister at the foot of the stairs.

"You didn't have to wait for me, you know. I'm a big girl, I'm sure I can find my dorm on my own, not to mention it's terribly out of your way."

He smirked and shook his head slightly, so his hair fell into his eyes again.

"I told you, Granger, my mother taught me better manners than that."

"Hermione," she corrected him, with a smirk of her own.

"Indeed, Hermione."

She took his offered arm and they walked up to Gryffindor tower talking about their favourite bits of the evening. They both tactfully avoided any mention of the Ron episode.

Finally, they stopped in front of the portrait of the fat lady.

"Thank you for accompanying me tonight, Draco. I know you didn't need to; it was awfully kind of you to help me out."

He smirked at her and shook his head again. She really had no idea how nice it was to have an intelligent woman on his arm, who didn't spend the whole night asking about his vaults or subtly telling him her ring size. It was naive, too innocent for someone who had survived a war, who had suffered through unspeakable horrors. He found it rather endearing.

"The pleasure was all mine," he said, a genuine smile blossoming on his face. "Anyway, amazingly I had a good time tonight. I wasn't even intending to go, to be honest, but the damsel in distress act was too much to resist - I am turning over a new leaf after all, thought I'd see what all the fuss was about."

"Well, how does it compare to being the one causing the distress?"

"I'll let you know."

He took her hand and moved the corsage so it wouldn't tickle him when he kissed her knuckles. The motion drew her attention back to the flowers adorning her wrist.

"Thank you for the corsage," she said as she pondered what Luna had said. She knew all about the meaning of flowers, of course, although not everything had to be analysed to the fine details - but that did explain why she recognised her birth flower. Perhaps he'd just had someone make it for him and he had no idea of the meaning.

Maybe some poor house elf had slaved over it. The smile on her face slipped slightly at that thought.

"Who made it? I mean, did you just happen to have one that magically matched my dress or did you dispense an elf for it or-"

"It was my idea," he cut off her increasingly negative train of thought. "My Mother helped with the execution. She called in a favour with the florist of the moment, hence Pansy's envy." He had wanted his message to be subtle, for her to figure it out when he wasn't standing there like a lemon. He had to try and be careful not to let too much away from here.

"Oh, I can't imagine your mother would be happy knowing who's wrist you tied it to then," Hermione tried to take back her hand but he gripped it a little tighter as he nudged at the flowers in the corsage, almost as if he were inspecting it for some minuscule flaw.

"Actually, she knows exactly whose wrist I tied it to. I have no idea how she found out when your birthday was, but the asters were her addition. The rest was all me."

She looked up to find his mercurial eyes staring at her - almost like he could see right through her - and she gasped. So it did have a hidden meaning; Luna was right. He held her gaze for a moment longer before dipping his head to her hand and kissing her knuckles lightly, not once breaking eye contact.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

He turned to leave but he hadn't made it two steps before her hand caught his arm.

"Draco, wait."

He looked down at her petite hand gripping his left forearm. So pale against the black of his robes, hiding something even darker. She seemed to realise, and her grip became tighter.

"I forgive you," she whispered, so quiet he could barely hear. She quickly leaned in close, brushing her lips against his cheek for a chaste kiss, before scampering back to the portrait and through the doorway to the tower before he even registered she was gone.

Draco failed to contain the grin that spread from ear to ear and he wore it all the way back to the dungeons. Blaise and Theo would be unbearable, but they could wait. He slept soundly for the first time in years.


Blaise and Draco stepped off the train at King's Cross, bid goodbye to Theo and scanned the crowds for their respective mothers.

Elvira Zabini was stood in a group of pureblood parents, house elves off to one side, ready to collect trunks and other belongings and whisk them away.

Narcissa Malfoy stood alone, a few steps away from the pureblood elite. She held her head high, her blonde hair pulled into an immaculate twist, but Draco could tell she was simply pretending not to notice the gathered masses beside her.

The young men parted and shook hands before heading off to their respective parents. Draco embraced his mother, causing her to smooth non-existent creases from her fine, navy robes.

"Mother, I told you you didn't need to come. I can apparate now, I'd have made it home alone."

Narcissa's mouth curved upwards in the smallest of smiles.

"What kind of mother would I be if I didn't meet my only son off the train? I haven't seen you in months. Honestly, Draco, it's like you're embarrassed by me." She protested. The smile grew to a smirk, clearly a Black trademark as well as a Malfoy one. "Besides, I was so hoping to bump into Miss Granger while we're here."

"Mother," Draco warned, "Why on earth would you want to bother the Head Girl, I'm sure she has better things to be doing than talking with parents of her delinquent classmates."

Narcissa swatted her son's arm playfully, which only caused him to roll his eyes.

"In all seriousness Draco, I heard Miss Granger is spending the holidays with the Weasleys...and my sister."

The penny dropped. Draco sighed and ran his hand through his hair. There wasn't really anything he wouldn't do for his mother. Prince of Slytherin he may be, but he was a mummy's boy through and through.

"Well, when you put it that way, it seems I forgot to wish my date a Merry Christmas last night, mother. I hate to impose on you, but I really ought to make sure I correct that egregious oversight."

His mother's eyes twinkled in a way he hadn't seen in years and he smirked at her in response.

Hermione was busy thanking Molly Weasley for her generous hospitality for the fourth time when the noisy group around them suddenly fell quiet. Molly's face fell slightly but she managed to maintain her smile. All the colour seemed to have drained from her face - and poured into Ron's which was rapidly turning an impressive shade of purple. There was only one person who could have that effect on the whole group.

"Granger, my mother reminded me I neglected to wish you a Merry Christmas last night. Horrible breach of manners, obviously. She wanted me to apologise in person."

"Is that right, Malfoy?" She replied, a smile creeping over her face. "And tell me, what does manners have to say about calling people by their last names after they've asked you not to?"

Hermione finally turned to face her friend - only to come face to face with his mother

"Oh! Mrs Malfoy, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were there, I was just, um, what I mean to say is-"

Narcissa held up a perfectly manicured hand.

"That's quite alright Miss Granger, my son seems to have forgotten his manners yet again."

Narcissa swatted Draco on the arm, earning another eye-roll. Hermione looked between the two like she was seeing them for the first time.

"I hear you're spending the holidays away from your parents, is that right?" Narcissa enquired.

Hermione nodded mutely. She hadn't found her voice.

"Hermione will be spending Christmas with us, Narcissa," Molly interjected. "As ever, we're happy to have her. She's like a daughter to me."

"I'm glad Miss Granger has such wonderful family and friends around her. Family are so very important at this time."

The two women surveyed the other carefully, sizing the other up.

"Anyway, I just came over to wish you greetings of the season, seeing as I was dreadfully remiss last night," Draco ventured, desperate to cut the tension. "Obviously, that extends to all your family and friends."

"Oh yeah? Well we don't want your seasons greetings, or any other greetings from the likes of you, for that matter!"

Molly's face went red as her youngest son's outburst sunk in.

"Ronald Weasley! Apologise this instant!" She screeched, turning to Narcissa, "I'm sorry Narcissa, I did teach my boys some manners, but they do seem to forget once in a while."

Ron looked like his eyes might pop out of his head as Harry tugged on his arm to get him away from the blond.

Narcissa smiled the tiniest of smiles.

"Well, boys will be boys, won't they? I practically had to drag Draco over here to make amends for his poor manners with respect to Miss Granger here. No harm done, I'm sure. Merry Christmas Molly, Miss Granger, and be sure to pass on my good wishes to all who share in your festivities."

The women nodded to one another and Narcissa departed, telling Draco she would take care of his trunk while he wished his friends farewell.

Molly started gathering her brood together. Ron was dragged away by Harry as Ginny wiggled her eyebrows at Hermione before retreating a few steps, leaving Draco and Hermione a little space, what counted as privacy on the packed platform.

"So, want to tell me what that was all about?"

Draco smirked. She wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing.

"Well, my mother wanted to impress on me the importance of manners and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas."

At the incredulous look she gave him, he tried to contain his laughter and continued.

"Very well, Granger, that isn't the full story. My mother finds herself a lot more introspective of late. She's impressing on me the importance of family."

Hermione shot him a quizzical look and he ran his hand through his hair again.

"Come on Granger, don't make me spell it out for you," he tried. "My family is very small, it's not advanced Arithmancy."

Hermione's eyes widened and she spluttered a moment.

"Andromeda?" She gasped. "But the Blacks disowned her, you've never even met her - oh Circe! You never even knew Tonks! And now there's Teddy! Oh Draco!"

"Calm down, Granger. Don't upset yourself," he whispered as he pulled her over to a quieter corner. "I'm not about to mourn a cousin I never knew, but family is important, more important than blood status and prejudice and hate. My mother realises that now, but knowing her, she probably worries it's too late."

"So...well, not to be indelicate, but what do you want?"

He smirked at her.

"What makes you assume I want something?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Bloody Slytherin," she grumbled. "Why does it always have to be so difficult with you lot? When normal people want something they just ask."

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair again. She wondered briefly if he did this before he started talking to her so much. He was more like Harry than he wanted to admit.

"Just don't be afraid to mention us, in conversation, in passing. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to mention how I've changed my ways, we both have. And, of course, how polite and handsome I am. That sort of thing."

She tried to contain her giggles, but her shoulders were bouncing with the effort. His smile broadened and before long they were laughing aloud.

"So you want me to sell you. The new improved family Malfoy?"

He shrugged.

"Something like that. I'm sure you'll excel at it, Granger, you always do."

She gasped and swatted his arm playfully.

"An actual compliment from the prince of darkness himself." She whistled low, whispering, "I'm choosing to ignore the sarcasm."

He shook his head and rolled his eyes at her.

"Have a good Christmas, Granger."

She smiled and her whole face lit up. He smiled goofily back. She knew their friendship was newly forged, not that either of them had admitted to being friends, but she was afraid the break would set them back, and they'd made such good progress. She summoned all her courage.

"Will you write?" She asked, tentatively. "I always used to try and get Ron and Harry to write but they were hopeless. I'm sure your owl would be able to find the Burrow, but I can get someone to give you the address if you'd like."

He flashed her one of his brilliant smiles and her breath hitched at the sight. He clearly had no idea how much that changed him.

"If you'd like, I'm sure Bubo will have no trouble finding you. I'd even suggest a visit, but I suspect Weasel would do himself an injury." He paused and rubbed a hand across his chin in an exaggerated display. "Actually, that seems like an excellent reason to visit…"

"His name is Ron. And mine is Hermione," she said as she walked away. "You should really try harder to remember that; I'm sure your mother would be most upset if you let those impeccable manners slip!"