Author's note: Hi lovelies, happiest of holidays to you all. I've been posting but not super focused on my main wips for right now. We had another family tragedy to end out our year. I'm still writing but my passion projects are going to sit for a minute because i don't want my grief to interfere with them. I've put so much effort into them, and the way i'm feeling lately i would likely just kill off the characters and end them all on cliffhangers. This piece i had actually planned to let out last Christmas but only half way started. I am a lover of groundhog day retellings so this was a great project to focus on. That all said i truly hope you have a lovely holiday, hug your family members tightly.
Xoxo
Catstclaire
Chapter 1- The 1st, 12th day of Christmas
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It was the most wonderful time of the year just maybe not for Hermione Granger.
It had been a decade since the war ended. People said they were living in peaceful times, so why didn't it feel like that for her? She felt like she was just going through the motions at her ministry job, when all of her friends seemed to have moved onto the next stage of their lives with ease.
Kids and happy marriages.
Harry and Ginny had just asked her to move out of their shared apartment the prior week, because they wanted to start a family of their own.
Hermione understood. She did. But it sucked all the same.
-and before she left the comfort of the Potter home in the weeks to come, Harry had a grand idea.
It was Christmas time and, this holiday would be the last one the golden trio could spend together before Harry's life was taken over by sippy cups and nappies.
'Let's rent a cabin' Harry had said.
The idea of spending Christmas with both her cherished childhood friends in some snowy cabin was favorable to her. Hermione had agreed as soon as Harry had asked.
They decided to spend an entire week together at the cabin starting the morning of Christmas day.
When Neville was invited, Hermione had thought 'All the merrier.'
When she'd been told Luna would be included it felt it might crowd the cabin just a tad, but it was still fine.
Then the morning of Christmas finally came and Hermione was meant to floo over to the cabin, but Ginny let slip they'd somehow ended up inviting Draco everloving Malfoy along.
Draco. Malfoy.
Hermione had made it a big point to avoid him at work. He tried to approach her sometimes. Their offices unfortunately were on the same level and Hermione had begun to get very creative with all the ways she steered clear of the Slytherin.
Pretending to be in a foul mood usually did the trick to scare him off when he tried to seek her out, and he wouldn't dare come near her while Hermione was ranting and raving over her paperwork.
She would borrow Harry's invisibility cloak. Levitate herself down the sides of the building.
Once when her secretary had warned her he was standing around the corner looking round for her, Hermione even resorted to using polyjuice potion to slip passed him.
When Ginny told her their Christmas would be celebrated with the world's biggest daddy's boy, Hermione began plotting ways she could avoid the occasion the same she did him at work.
"Sorry, Gin-" Hermione coughed to add to her performance. "must have picked up a cold from someone at the office."
Harry and Ginny called her on the cabin phone, they'd decided to go a day earlier than everyone to set things up.
Hermione had made herself a cup of hot cocoa, and decided today she would just lounge around the couch with crookshanks. Probably do some reading.
"Oh no, do you need me to come home? I could make you some soup and take care of you." Ginny was going to be an extraordinary mother.
"No!" Hermione said a little to quickly dropping the sound of her fake congestion. "I um- i can manage."
"Well if you're sur-" There was a small commotion in the background. "Harry where are you going?" She heard Ginny ask.
Then the fireplace lit up. Green flames burst unexpectedly and Hermione jumped up, and poor Crookshanks went running.
"Harry!" Hermione scolded when she saw him step out of the floo. "You scared the daylights out of me."
"Funny, what you just told Ginny. You don't look very sick to me right now, and what happened to your sniffles?"
Most days Hermione loved that Harry could read her like a book, and shared an intimate knowledge of her as a person that no one else did. However in that moment she despised that she never seemed able to pull one over on him.
Her cheeks reddened at being caught in her lie. She folded her arms across her chest stiffly in challenge.
"Hmph!" If she were still five she might have even stomped her foot for emphasis.
Without saying a word to her Harry grabbed her and threw her up over his shoulder.
"Harry James Potter! You put me down!"
He walked them back through the floo, and she was staring at Ginny faster than she could even put up much of a fight.
Hermione smiled sheepishly at Ginny who looked less than impressed with her effort to ditch them.
...
That afternoon Ron arrived and as he wrapped her into a crushing hug in the kitchen, Hermione could see Harry through the window. He was outside weaving his wand up and down to hang the Christmas lights.
"Merry Christmas Hermione!"
To her delight Ron twirled and danced her around the kitchen, all the while filling her in on the latest Weasley joke shop creations. It was a very happy moment.
Perhaps even Malfoy's presence wouldn't spoil the Christmas she had looked forward to sharing with her friends, after all.
Neville came that evening with creamy white fudge to share with everyone, he made it himself. Hermione had her eye on the treat up until the moment Ron took a bite into one of the squares and it cracked his back tooth.
Were the things made of cement?
Discreetly Hermione disposed of her portion in the garbage as Neville profusely apologized to Ron.
"Guess i must have cooked them to long." Neville scratched his head for so long Hermione was sure he'd have a bald spot.
Ginny pulled Harry underneath a bit of mistletoe, and they all cheered them on with 'oohs and awws' as they kissed.
Someone turned music on. Then renditions of classics Hermione had heard all her life played. 'Jingle bells, frosty the snowman, even Santa clause is coming to town.' It must of been Harry who had turned the music on because they were mostly muggle songs.
Neville had passed out shot glasses, and anytime they heard the phrase Merry Christmas they had to drink. Needless to say it wasn't long before they all began to feel very relaxed.
The window had just been opened to let some cool air in, and as soon as he saw his chance Errol flew into the room.
How was he even still alive?
Old age had made him even clumsier, he lost his balance and went crashing into the Christmas tree knocking it completely over. The presents sat under it were smashed, and the sound of bulbs bursting ruined Hermione's buzz.
In the midst of the chaos as everyone ran about the living room the song switched to 'All i want for Christmas is you.'
Ginny chased Errol across the room, as he continued to knock into more things. She threatened to cook him more than once as she grabbed at him in the air.
Ron and Harry worked together trying to right the fallen tree.
Neville took at least 2 more shots during the new song. He would regret that, come morning Hermione thought as she watched along.
Hermione debated if she should help someone, and who she should help but she never got the chance to decide. -that was when Malfoy and Luna popped in, both having shared a port key.
Luna took in the scene around her, and giggled mumbling something about fairies enjoying walks on the beach while nude.
Ginny caught Errol.
The tree was standing back up.
Then there was Draco Malfoy with a red sack tossed over his back like Kris Kringle himself. Only much better looking Hermione thought to her own chagrin. Really with as much money as the Malfoy family had, did they really have to be as good looking as they were? It seemed entirely unfair. Money and looks.
Malfoy seemed quite unsure of what to do or say, and Neville helped him along by shoving a shot glass into his hand. Malfoy seemed much more at ease after that.
Everyone began to exchange pleasantries with the new arrivals, and the same old 'How have you been,' and 'glad you could come.' Hermione only greeted Luna, with a gentle hug. She avoided the gaze Malfoy gave to her as she retreated outside.
It was to loud. Hermione couldn't think straight, and she thought she might have some tea on the porch before bed. It was snowing but just barely. She watched as fluffy snowflakes drifted down into her hot tea, melting away on contact.
After awhile Malfoy stepped out onto the porch. Hermione dipped back inside before he could say anything.
Neville had been making steady work of his supply of alcohol while she had been outside. He ranted to her about his new crop of students at Hogwarts.
Neville had been made the head of Gryffindor house the year Minerva retired.
"No ambition, i tell you-" He slurred falling against Harry laughing. "the lot of them are lazy. Godric would be ashamed." Someone helped Neville to bed when it was finally clear he needed to be.
Luna had dozed off to sleep while no one was watching. Her tiny figure was cramped in the recliner, and Ron hovered her over to the couch with his wand.
As the original intention of this trip had been for the golden trio plus Ginny, they had only reserved a 3 room cabin. Hermione did the math in her head. Damn.
Ginny and Harry would share of course. Neville was already asleep and occupying one of the rooms. That only left one room among Ron, Draco, and Hermione.
"Rock, paper scissors for it?" Ron asked them.
"Why not Weasley?" Draco shrugged in a devil may care kind of way.
Draco seemed eager, like he already assumed he would win. Hermione though knew first hand how very good Ron was at games of all sorts. Chess, hopscotch, he'd even once bested her in a frivolous staring contest.
"Best 2 out of 3?" Hermione supplied deciding to just play along.
The first round went to Ron. His scissors beat the paper both Malfoy and Hermione gave.
The second round went to Ron as well. His rock crushing both the scissors that were used.
"Damn." Malfoy said in defeat. "That was lucky."
Ron grinned something that was tantamount to the Cheshire cat.
"Luck had nothing to do with it, hope you 2 enjoy the basement. I'd cast some heat charms before you fall asleep, if i were you. It's freezing down there."
Being around Malfoy was not what she wanted to do. The thought of being alone with him made her want to make a bolt for the front door. But where would she go? Harry had left her wand behind in their apartment when he'd forced her here, and she hadn't had a chance to return for it.
She followed Malfoy to the basement. Ginny had said there were pullouts downstairs. The room was pitch black, and the door screeched when they opened it. Malfoy flicked on the lights, and Hermione cursed Ginny. It wasn't pullouts, it was a pullout as in singular.
When she spared a glance at him, he to looked quite perturbed at the thought of having to share a bed with her.
"Cast a replication spell on the pullout would you?"
"Yeah of cour-" Momentarily he looked relieved but something occurred to him mid sentence, and whatever he wanted to say died on his tongue. "Damm."
"What's wrong?
Malfoy patted at his robe pockets.
"I don't have my wand. I must have left it in Longbottoms room earlier."
"What?!" She hissed. "What kind of a wizard doesn't carry their wand on them at all times."
He narrowed his eyes at her nonplussed with her scolding tone.
"Well where's your wand then, Granger? You replicate the stupid couch."
Loathsomelittle cockroach.
Hermione held her chin high and admitted. "I don't have it."
"Really, what kind of wizard doesn't have it on them at all times?" Draco singsonged taunting her.
"Whatever," she waved the air around her like she could dispel his words. " just hurry up and go get it."
"You want me to go wake that oaf up after he's sucked down an entire bottle of fire whiskey? No thanks, i'd rather not get clocked in the face tonight."
"Neville isn't that bad when he's drunk." She lied.
Draco gave her a withering look that told her he called BS.
"Then why don't you go up and get my wand."
Hermione plopped onto one side of the pullout.
"If you set even 1 toe on my side of this bed, you'll wake up in the middle of the black lake."
"That's fine. I can swim." He joked.
"I hope you also know how to hold your breath properly because i never said i'd put you on the surface of the black lake."
Malfoy raised his brow as if to say 'fair enough.'
Hermione didn't even care that she was still wearing her clothes from earlier. Jeans, and a Christmas sweater that lit up with ornaments. She felt like her makeup had probably smudged, but she was so tired and drunk enough she couldn't be bothered to get ready for bed in earnest. She rolled into her side of the pullout, and when her head hit the pillow it was pure bliss.
"You're sleeping in that?" Malfoy asked in a very unsure voice.
Growing up as well off as he did, he was probably appalled by the thought of someone going to sleep without silk sheets, and matching pajamas. Hermione thought that was funny, and so she snuggled in deeper to the bed.
"Sure am."
Hermione heard him rifling through a bag.
"Don't look." She would roll her eyes if they hadn't already been shut. "You're not looking are you?"
"No."
She heard clothes hit the floor as he pulled them off, then the sound of fresh clothes as they slipped over him. When she thought he was done dressing she turned to look at his sleeping clothes, so she could laugh when she told Harry later. Maybe they could even make bets on how much Malfoy paid for them.
Her breath got stuck in her throat. When she looked up he was so startlingly beautiful she couldn't help it.
The clothes only made it more apparent. Shiny emerald green on both top and bottom. Gold buttons lined the front, and back pockets.
Then he was scrunching his nose at her like she had just dribbled on him. "I said don't look." His arm shot out to cover the wrist of his other arm. He had not really cared about her watching him undress, it had been about the dark mark. Malfoy didn't want her to see it.
"I'm-" she started but then blanked. She rolled back over, and closed her eyes.
How awkward was this?
Malfoy flicked the lights out, casting them into darkness. She felt the bed dip below her as he slid in next to her. He took great care to stay on his side. The blanket hardly moved from her.
Hermione tried to get herself to fall asleep. She laid there for what was either 5 minutes or an hour. She sighed out loud without meaning to.
"You still awake Granger?"
If she didn't respond to him maybe he might buy that she was asleep. But she couldn't fall sleep, and she was pretty bored by that point.
"Yeah."
"Is it hard for you to?"
Her mind went to the gutter.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
He snorted.
"Sleep, i mean sleep. Is it hard for you to fall asleep?"
Her cheeks felt red. What kind of messed up head did she have that she only had to hear one tiny word and she leapt to a level of inappropriateness that she had?
"Oh. Sorry. Yeah, it's hard for me to sleep."
"Because of the war?"
Malfoy was getting a little to bold with his line of questioning, and she started to have a sinking suspicion she knew where he was headed with it.
"I'm not going to talk about the war with you."
"Oh sorry I didn't mean to ask you something private, -i didn't mean to overstep, i'm sure it's something you only feel comfortable talking to Potter or Weas-"
"I don't talk about the war with anyone." She clarified. To her it was best to shove the war down in her head when thoughts of it came.
There was a pause, and Hermione wondered if Malfoy hadn't fallen asleep for a moment.
"That seems terribly unhealthy."
"Meh, but you are probably right." She allowed.
"Why don't you go to the healers at St. Mungos i go quite often myself."
"What part of not talking about the war did you fail to understand?" He was grating very close to her last nerve.
Malfoy went quiet again.
Hermione guessed then why it was Malfoy seemed to appear in her path at the ministry far too often for her liking. Why it was that his attempts to talk to her had grown more and more frequent. He wanted to bring up that night, when they'd been captured and brought to the Malfoy family manor. The night Bellatrix- she refused to finish the thought.
She started to think about all the times Malfoy had nearly cornered her, and she got a nagging feeling at the back of her head. He couldn't have possibly orchestrated this night, could he have? No. Why would he bother to go to such lengths just to bring up something that happened 10 years ago. She was just being paranoid.
Hermione decided to resort to the one method of putting herself to sleep that worked most often. She repeated the ingredients to polyjuice potion in her head.
To her chagrin the 5th iteration of the potion had still not lulled her to sleep.
Hermione sat up and threw back her covers. Fine then she thought, perhaps she'd go for a little walk, the cold didn't bother her. Neither did the darkness of night.
"You all right?" Malfoy asked rubbing sleep partly out of his eyes.
"Fine. Go back to sleep."
She went up the stairs all the while she could hear Malfoy stirring behind her. He wouldn't be going back to sleep. How annoying.
Hermione passed by a coatrack in the hallway and she pulled Harry's cloak on herself from it. Even though it was much larger than her, and it trailed the ground it would keep her warm.
Hermione was only a few steps away from the living room entrance when she heard it. It was a strange sort of sound.
Breathy and low.
"Luna, are you allright?" Hermione walked into the living room concerned her friend might not be feeling well.
Hermione's face heated, and she turned quickly on her heel.
"Hermione- oh - ah- sorry!" She could hear Ron call out from behind her as she fled.
Honestly. She didn't care that they were doing that. She just wished they had the where with all to have their coupling somewhere more private, so Hermione wasn't embarrassed for them.
She could hear the ruffling of clothes, and blankets tossed about from the living room, and then sound of a belt being rebuckled. She quite thought Ron meant to pursue her. To talk to her, explain whatever she just saw and embarrass the both of them much more than necessary.
It was no surprise to her that Ron be caught in a compromising situation- but Luna? Sweet Luna? Ron was suck a slag.
Hermione descended the steps a little to quickly in her haste to evade Ron. Malfoy's head popped up in the shadows of the still dark room. He hadn't gone back to sleep like she guessed he wouldn't.
"Hermione?" Malfoy asked, taking in her desperate attempt at running back down the stairs. "What's happened?"
Then Hermione's foot tangled in the fabric of the to long cloak, and she slipped forward. Falling downward at a dangerous angle, and she couldn't catch herself. She thought perhaps a look of horror went across Malfoy's face but she probably imagined it. Then she felt her face smash into the wood. Had she screamed or was that Malfoy?
Everything went black.