"What is this place called again?" Hermione asked as she and Draco ate their breakfast in the penthouse. "The place we're supposed to Floo to in Cologne?"
Draco looked across the table at her, raising his brow, "Oh. It's called Die Rote Tür." he replied before taking a bite of sausage.
"The Red Door?" She remarked and the wizard nodded. "So, where are we going from there?" She asked.
Grinning, he chuckled slightly and said, "Well…do you truly want me to tell you everything now? Or would you rather it be a surprise and have me tell as we go?"
She looked at him, considering her options, then sighed, smirking, and nodded, "All right. Tell me as we go."
He smiled, "I truly believe that we're both going to thoroughly enjoy today."
Nodding, the brunette said, "Despite not knowing a damn thing, I agree."
He laughed and nodded, "Merlin, I love you."
"I love you too." She replied with a smile.
He winked at her before taking the last bite of his breakfast.
When they finished breakfast, they both began to get ready for the day. They both headed up to the bedroom and changed their clothing to get ready for their day. Draco grabbed his empty rucksack and pulled it onto his back before turning to Hermione.
"You look lovely." He said with a smile.
She leaned up on her toes, pressing her palm to his chest as she kissed his lips.
They walked down to the lounge, and she asked what the Floo address was for the Pub.
"It's just the German name." he replied.
She Floo'd first, arriving at Die Rote Tür to find it only halfway full. When Draco arrived, she asked where they were headed next.
"Oh." He frowned. "You didn't just want to bum around here all day?" he asked before smirking.
She laughed, "Draco, Darling, I love you dearly, but tell me where we are going now."
Laughing he nodded, and cupped her cheek, "I love you too." He said quietly before leaning in and kissing her lips.
As they separated, Hermione smiled, looking him in the eyes but she didn't speak, feeling her heart thudding heavily in her chest.
He smiled and said, "We're going to Heinzels Wintermärchen first."
The brunette's eyes lit up with excitement, "Heinzel's Winter Fairytale Christmas Market is supposed to be one of the loveliest markets in Germany." she said eagerly.
Grinning, Draco replied, "Well, let's head there then."
They both walked out of the Pub as Draco pulled the map of Cologne out of his chest pocket.
"All right." He said, "Heinzels is this way." He nodded to the left.
Hermione nodded and together, they made their way down the street.
When they arrived, Hermione beamed excitedly, looking from stall to stall as she said, "This is wonderful!"
Draco grinned and nodded, "Where should we go first?" he asked, looking at what he figured to be nearly 150 stalls.
"Let's get something hot to drink and then just meander about." Hermione replied, "This is much larger than the ones in Munich."
He nodded as they made their way over to a Glühwein stall.
"Why don't you go explore some of the nearby stalls while I get our drinks?" Draco asked her once he saw how long the line was for the Glühwein.
She tilted her head and bit her bottom lip, glancing around before asking, "Are you sure?"
He nodded, "Of course. Just stay within a few stalls from here so that I can find you." He replied.
Smiling, she leaned up on her toes, and kissed his lips before walking away.
He watched her go, smiling to himself.
Hermione found that within the few stalls she visited, the main theme of the Market was more of a woodland fairytale. Gnomes were a rather large part of Heinzel's Winter Fairytale Christmas Market, and she thought that they were all rather adorable.
She purchased several of the beautiful, handmade, wooden Gnome Christmas ornaments, wanting to give them out as gifts when they returned, along with the several other gifts they had purchased.
She was admiring a bundle of the star-shaped paper lanterns when Draco walked over. She had seen the colorful lanterns at every Market thus far and every time they caught her eye, she smiled.
"Hello, Love." She heard, and turned to see the wizard she loved standing there with a mug of Glühwein in each hand.
She smiled and took one of the mugs, "Hey you." She replied before taking a cautious sip of the steaming liquid.
He noticed her staring at the lanterns and asked if she'd like one.
"Yes. But I don't want to have to worry about it ripping throughout the day." She replied.
Draco nodded and took a sip of his drink.
As they continued to stroll through the Market, looking at each stall, Draco spotted something interesting in the distance. He grinned and nodded before turning to Hermione, his grin widening.
Looking down at her, he held out his empty hand and said, "Come with me?" in a gentle tone. His grin widened even more when he saw the look of confused suspicion on her face.
"Where are we going, Draco?" she asked, looking around for some sort of clue.
With a small smirk, he met her eyes and replied, "Well, we've been doing a lot of shopping and eating. And that's great. But perhaps an activity would be nice. What do you think?"
Hermione nodded, "Yeah. That sounds lovely, but erm…what sort of activity are you thinking?" she asked.
The wizard nodded toward the Ice-Skating Rink where several couples and families were skating.
Hermione's amber eyes lit up with pure excitement. "I love ice skating!" she said.
With a grin, Draco replied, "Then I'll take that as a yes…?"
"Absolutely!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her toes with joy.
He chuckled and nodded.
Together, they walked over to the stall, finishing their beverages along the way. Draco paid for them to skate for up to an hour with the option to pay extra to add on more time. There were storage cupboards where they left their boots and the rucksack.
They sat down in the bench section and began to pull on their rented ice skates.
Once they had their skates tied, they both got onto the ice. Draco held his hand out toward the brunette as they skated along on the ice.
She smiled and slid her smaller hand into his palm. Feeling him give her hand a loving squeeze, she looked over at him with a raised brow.
"This is nice." He said, "Where did you learn to ice skate?"
"Yeah, it is. My erm…my father taught me when I was young." She replied, a hint of sadness in her tone.
He nodded, knowing that she missed her parents. Due to their memories of her being gone, it was practically as if they didn't exist. He pulled her closer and kissed her cheek as they continued gliding across the ice.
They skated for nearly an hour before getting off the ice and changing back into their boots.
"What's the plan now?" Hermione asked.
Draco looked at his wristwatch and replied, "It's about time to head to the next Market. If we leave now, we can stroll rather than walk briskly."
She nodded and they strolled to Weihnachtsmarkt am Dom, which was known in Christmas Market at the Cathedral.
"This is the most popular Christmas Market in Cologne." Draco told Hermione when they arrived. "It's also the largest." He explained as they admired over 200 stalls.
Hermione looked around, loving the beauty of the Cathedral Market, and making a mental note of just how different every market had been.
"What would you like to do first, Love?" he asked her as they wandered through the Market, holding hands.
Just as she was about to respond, her stomach growled loudly from hunger. They both laughed and lifted their linked hands, kissing the back of hers.
"Food then?" he asked, smirking.
She nodded, blushing, "Yes, please."
He chuckled, "Let's do it."
"What should we get to eat?" the brunette asked.
"I thought, perhaps, we could each get something different and share."
She nodded, "That sounds like a good plan." She said before asking him what he would suggest they get.
"How about you go to that stall and get a Nuremburger? Make sure to get some extra Senf on it." He replied, pointing to a stall on the left.
Hermione nodded, "Let's meet up at that star-shaped table over there."
Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her temple and said, "All right, Love. See you soon."
Draco walked over to one of the stalls on the right and waited in line.
As he waited, he thought over the next few days and what their plans were going to be. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the big questions for him. He knew they'd be going back to Britain on Boxing Day, and he wanted to keep their schedule, while in Germany, rather busy, so that they could do and see as much as possible.
Once he ordered, paid, and received the food at the stall, he headed to the table where the beautiful brunette was waiting for him.
"So, what did you get?" she asked with an intrigued smile.
"Reibekuchen." He answered. "They are sort of like shredded potato pancakes, fried with applesauce as a dipping sauce. You can get a different dipping sauce, like sour cream, but applesauce is the traditional option." He replied.
"This all looks and smells so delicious." She said, looking at the food they held.
Draco nodded, grinning, "You go first."
Hermione smiled and took a bite of the Nuremburger in her hand. As she chewed, she nodded and wiped some Senf off her lip before swallowing. "Merlin!" She said, "That's fantastic!"
He chuckled and nodded, "It's by far one of my favorite foods in Germany."
"Here." She said, holding the Nuremburger out toward him, "Take a bite."
He leaned in and took a large bite, making her laugh. Nodding, he chewed and swallowed, "Yeah. That's good." He smirked.
"You've got Senf all over his lips." Hermione laughed.
He leaned further in, "A little help?" he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
She pursed her lips and shook her head, with a small, knowing smile, "You are too mischievous." She said, before grabbing a napkin and wiping his lips for him.
He smiled, "I love you." He said quietly.
"I love you too, Draco." She replied, smiling.
He grinned, "Now, you must try this." He said, holding up the plate of Reibekuchen.
She picked up one of the patties and dipped it into the applesauce before taking a bit. Her eyes rolled back, "Bloody hell." She murmured. "Germans know how to cook."
Draco chuckled and nodded, "Yes, they certainly do."
When they finished their food, they went to get some Glühwein from a nearby stall. While drinking their Glühwein, they strolled through the aisles, admiring everything the Market had to offer.
"Draco! Look!" Hermione said, pointing toward the huge Christmas tree. "They're taking people's photographs in front of the Christmas tree! Come on!" She said, pulling him in that direction.
He chuckled and together they made their way toward the tree.
They waited in line for nearly 20 minutes until they were at the front. They watched as a family of four got their photo taken.
Once the family's picture had been taken, Draco and Hermione walked over to the marked spot and stood close together, smiling at the camera. Draco paid an attendant and was given a ticket for them to return in the next 30 minutes to retrieve the photo once it was printed.
"Danke." Draco said, thanking the attendant in German while he took the ticket from her.
The couple walked away and began to shop, strolling through the aisles, admiring the stalls.
"Are you wanting to buy anything for Mister and Missus Weasley?" Draco asked, taking Hermione by complete surprise.
She looked over at him but didn't reply.
He stopped walking and pulled her to the side, out of the path of the people walking.
"Love…" He said gently. "I know that you and Weasley aren't on good terms. However, I also know that you care deeply about the entire Weasley family. And that the Weasley parents are practically your second parents." He said, looking into her eyes, "With your parents' memories as they are…you told me that the only family you have is the Weasleys. I thought you might want to get them something."
She looked up at him and he could see the emotions swimming in her amber eyes. "Draco, I don't want to upset you by getting them anything…"
He shook his head, "It won't upset me. I swear."
She bit her bottom lip, anxiously meeting his eyes.
Giving her a comforting smile, Draco quietly spoke, "Hermione, love, I'm glad that you've got people in your life that mean so much to you. The fact that it's your ex-fiancé's family might should bother me, but it doesn't. I trust you." He said with a shrug. "So, how about we find some gifts for the Weasleys and the Potters?"
A wide, relieved smile, formed on her face as she nodded, "Okay. But how about only Arthur, Molly, Ginny, and Harry?"
He nodded, "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."
"I love you, Draco." she said quietly.
He nodded, "I love you too, Hermione."
They moved through the Market, purchasing gifts, not only for Hermione's friends, btu also Draco's closest friends. As they shopped, the sun set, and they began to hear Christmas carols being sung nearby by a local choir.
Hermione smiled, "That's beautiful."
The wizard nodded and glanced at hist wristwatch. He turned to the brunette and said, "We should go pick up our printed photograph from the stall near the Christmas tree. It ought to be ready and we need to head to the next Market soon."
She nodded, but furrowed her brow, "Are we on a schedule of some sort?" She asked.
He smirked but didn't answer her question. Instead, he simply took her hand, and said, "Come on."
Her brow furrowed even further as a small smile formed on her lips.
They walked, hand-in-hand, toward the large Christmas tree, and over to the Printer's Stall which was nearby. Draco handed the male attendant their ticket and waited while the man turned around and grabbed their picture which had been placed in a lovely, wooden wreath frame.
Draco thanked the man and walked back over to Hermione, handing her the wreath-framed photograph.
She beamed. "Oh! It's lovely!"
Grinning, Draco nodded, "It is." He said, "Not only did the photograph turn out well, but the frame is really quite lovely. You look beautiful in it. I suppose this is our first photo together."
"I suppose it is." Hermione said, smiling, "We'll make a copy of it later."
He nodded, "All right."
"So…" she said, feeling eagerness filling her chest. "Where to now?"
Draco grinned, "Well, there's a Christmas Market Tram that we need to buy tickets to get on. There's a stall for it over by the entrance to the Market."
Nodding, Hermione asked, "All right. Where is this Tram taking us?" She asked as they walked.
"To the Hafen Weihnachtsmarkt." He answered. "Otherwise known as the Harbor Christmas Market."
Hermione amber eyes lit up with interest and excitement.
"I hadn't realized there was a harbor Christmas Market."
"It's near the Chocolate Museum and supposedly has this whole nautical theme." He said as they made their way to the Tram stall near the front of the Cathedral Market.
"Are we going to the Chocolate Museum while there?" the brunette asked as they stepped into the line at the Tram stall.
"Well…" Draco sighed, "the museum will be closed by the time we get there, but luckily the gift shop will be open."
"That is the most important part of the museum." She smirked, making him chuckle.
Once they bought the tickets, they went to wait at the Tram stop with the other people who had purchased tickets.
When it arrived, they took their seats and waited until the small, colorful train took off at a slow pace. The ride was a bit bumpy, but the Christmas music helped create a more pleasant atmosphere.
They arrived at the Harbor nearly 15 minutes later and got out of the Tram.
Hermione looked around in awe of the Harbor Christmas Market. The white sails that were above each stall gave the feel of a fleet of ships. About three of the stalls were large, genuine, wooden boats and there were a few big lighthouses scattered throughout the Market.
The Christmas lights that clung to everything, brought the beauty of the nautical theme to a new level.
"This is stunningly beautiful." The brunette breathed.
Draco nodded, also quite amazed by the sight before them.
"I love the Ferris Wheel." Hermione said.
"We'll be sure to take a ride before we leave." The wizard said, looking down at her.
She smiled and nodded, smiling, "Lovely!" she said eagerly.
"So, Love…" Draco said, "Where should we start?"
"Let's check out the Chocolate Museum's Gift Shop first. Then, we can spend the rest of the evening out here." She said.
He nodded, "Sounds good." Grinning, he held his hand out to her.
After buying more chocolate than either one of them could or should probably ever eat, the couple made their way outside. Draco stepped out of view, crouched down, and put their purchases into his rucksack. He knew it was a good thing that he had placed an Extension Charm on the bag, since they had made several purchases throughout the day.
As Draco stood back up, he noticed Hermione attempting to hide that she was shivering. He glanced around before discreetly placing a Warming Charm on the both of them.
The brunette inhaled deeply, smiling as the charm took effect. She looked over at him and smiled, "Thank you, Love." she said, quietly.
He winked at her and took her hand before they began to stroll through the Market.
"Would you like to get something hot to drink?" Draco asked, his eyes focused on a specific stall.
She looked at him and nodded before following his line of sight.
"What is that?" She asked, intrigued.
"I haven't got a bloody clue, but I think we should find out." He replied.
The brunette nodded, "Absolutely!" She laughed.
They walked over to the stall which had a long line of people who were also staring eagerly at the fire within the stall.
When they got to the front of the line, Draco asked the attendants what the drink was. They explained that it was a Feuerzangenbowle which was a Glühwein with a flaming, rum-soaked sugar cube dropped into it.
"Blimey!" Draco breathed after taking a sip from his mug. "This is bloody fantastic!"
Hermione nodded and took another sip of her own steaming drink. Once she swallowed, she looked over at the wizard and said, "This is by far my favorite drink. I wish I knew how to make it."
Draco grinned as they continued to stroll through the Market, sipping their drinks.
After spending some time shopping, they headed over to the Ferris Wheel.
Hermione waited while Draco paid for them to ride the Ferris Wheel.
Once they were led into the small compartment, they sat down close together. As the Wheel, turned, Hermione looked out over the sights and smiled.
"This is quite romantic." She said before laying her head on Draco's shoulder.
He smiled and kissed the top of her head, "It is. It's lovely up here." He said as they got to the top and the wheel stopped for a bit.
They rode slowly around the wheel four times, loving every moment of it.
Once they exited the Ferris Wheel compartment, Draco thanked the attendant. They made their way back through the market and bought two more mugs of Feuerzangenbowle.
"So…" Draco said. "We've got one last stop tonight before we go back to the hotel."
Hermione's eyes snapped toward him in confusion, "Where?", she asked, having expected the harbor market to be their final stop of the night.
He smirked, "It's a surprise. We'll need to take a taxi to the location, though."
Hermione smiled, "You are always up to something."
Chuckling, he said, "I simply enjoy doing things for you, Hermione."
She nodded, and leaned up on her toes, kissing his lips. "Thank you for that."
He smiled.
They made their way back through the Market as they finished their drinks. Draco saved their empty mugs, putting them in his rucksack, before hailing a taxi.
While Hermione slid into the back of the vehicle, he quietly spoke to the driver, telling him where they needed to go. Draco joined Hermione in the backseat before the driver headed across the Deutzer Brücke (Deutz Bridge).
"So, which Market was your favorite today?" Draco asked the brunette as they traveled over the bridge.
Hermione smiled, "I loved all three of them. I had favorite parts of each one. They were all quite different while still having a lot in common."
The wizard nodded, "I completely agree. Though, I can say that the Harbor Market had my all-time favorite beverage."
"Oh! Absolutely!" She beamed, making him chuckle.
When the taxi parked in front of Lanxess Arena, Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.
"What are we doing here, Draco?" she asked, confused but with a hint of excitement in her tone.
The wizard smirked, "Come on, Love." He said before paying the driver. He grabbed his rucksack before sliding out of the backseat. Hermione followed him.
As they walked, Hermione looked at Draco, "Love, why are we here?"
Grinning, he said, "Well…we're here to pick up our concert tickets."
The brunette attempted to contain her smile but failed, "Tickets? For what concert?" She asked.
Draco chuckled, "How do you feel about the Counting Crows?"
Her amber eyes brightened with pure excitement, "When?" She asked. "When is the concert?"
Chuckling again, Draco replied, "Tomorrow night."
"I cannot believe you kept it from me!" She exclaimed.
The wizard smirked and replied, "I wanted it to be a surprise." He said. "I hope it's a good one."
Nodding excitedly, Hermione said, "Of course it is!"
Draco grinned, "Good. I'm glad." He said before adding, "Now come on, Love. Let's go get our tickets."
Together, they walked over to the Ticket Office and stepped up to the window. Draco gave Hermione a wink, making her laugh.
"Hello." Draco said. "Do you speak English?" He asked the attendant.
The attendant smiled kindly and nodded, "Yes sir, I do."
"Brilliant!" The wizard said. "I reserved two tickets for the Counting Crows show tomorrow evening. The tickets are reserved under the name Malfoy."
The attendant nodded and turned to the right, flipping through a box of reserved tickets.
While the attendant retrieved the tickets and Draco paid for them, Hermione admired the posters for the upcoming shows.
Once he had the tickets, Draco walked over to Hermione and asked what she'd like to do for dinner.
She met his eyes and smiled, "Let's just go back to the penthouse."
He nodded and they got another taxi and headed to a muggle location near Die Rote Tür (The Red Door Pub). They arrived outside a muggle restaurant and Draco paid the driver before they got out of the backseat.
Together, they walked back to the Pub.
"Did the tickets cost too much, Draco? I don't want you to spend too much money on…"
The wizard looked over at her and shook his head, "Love, believe me, it was well worth the cost to see the look on your face earlier."
She smiled, "That's sweet, but you do know that you don't have to spend so much on me to make me happy, right?"
"I know that, Love. I simply enjoy getting you things, especially if they are things we can enjoy together."
She smiled before they entered the magical Pub.
They didn't bother lingering about. Instead, they made their way over to the large fireplace and Hermione Floo'd to the penthouse, closely followed by Draco.
They each slipped off their coats. Draco placed the rucksack on the floor beside the sofa and grabbed the menu off the wet bar so that they could order dinner.
"What would you like me to order, Love?" He asked.
Once they ordered their food, they sat together on the sofa.
He was about to speak up when she leaned over and kissed his lips, taking him by surprise. He smiled into the kiss and pulled her closer, deepening the snog. It was nearly 10 minutes later when their food arrived. The knock on the door caused both of them to groan and pull apart.
Draco stood up, walked over to the door, and let the hotel worker bring the food inside and place it on the small dining table. Once the hotel employee had left, Draco asked if Hermione would like to eat on the sofa rather than at the table.
They both decided to sit on the sofa while they eat dinner.
"What time is the concert tomorrow?" Hermione asked as they ate.
"It starts at 7 o'clock." The wizard replied before taking a bite of his food.
The brunette nodded, "What time do you think we should leave here to go to the concert?"
He thought for a moment as he chewed before answering, "Probably about 5 o'clock so that we have plenty of time to get there, get some drinks, and find our seats."
"So then, what would you like to do all day tomorrow?" the brunette asked.
Draco smirked, meeting her eyes as he shrugged, "I don't know, Love. What would you like to do?"
An incredibly mischievous and sexy smirk formed on Hermione's lips, making Draco grin, knowingly.