It was possibly the coldest and emptiest Christmas that Hogwarts had ever had. But it was understandable as everyone wanted to be with all the family they could. Last year's war had been beyond devastating and the yearning to be with family was stronger than ever. Yet some of the few students that wanted to stay were unable to, because in the empty halls, a feeling of sorrow echoed off the walls so those that had the option to leave, took it.

Only a smattering of students at Hogwarts remained, their numbers less than ten. Among them were Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy.

"Granger stop staring at me like that," Draco wanted to growl but instead chose to keep his voice even as they both read their individual books in the common room of the eighth years' tower.

"I bought you a present but I'm starting to wonder if I should give it to you. I know you're trying to be more interested in muggle things to keep our truce but I'm starting to wonder if I'm pushing the line."

Draco's head shot up. His grey eyes widened as his thoughts exploded with a silent curse. "You are such a bleeding heart Granger," He mumbled.

"I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment this time. Anyway we're already spending Christmas together. It's just appropriate," Hermione said but avoided his gaze anyway, cursing herself, thinking maybe it would have just been better to surprise him instead of warning him so he couldn't insult her. And really, did he have to insult her because she was starting to care? Merlin the guy thought everybody's actions were fueled by sympathy. Couldn't he accept that just some people liked being nice and polite?

Closing his eyes Draco stood up. "Fine, just make sure it's not something disgusting like a hand knit sweater with an M on it, or whatever you Weasley cult people like to gift each other. Anyway I'm going to go take a nap in my dorm." He said looking at Hermione with a bored look.

Hermione's jaw dropped at his audacity. "Draco Malfoy!" She exclaimed outraged. "You, you," She sputtered. "I would never spend that much time or heart trying to knit you one in the first place, you ungrateful git! I have a mind to just, just!" Hermione yelled after him but Draco never turned around, just waved her words away. "Arghhhh! Git!" She yelled, resisting the urge to stomp her feet childishly. When Draco disappeared to the boys dorms, Hermione huffed, gathering her stuff to head to the library where at least she could do something productive and start on her applications for the ministry!

Unbeknownst to her, ten minutes later a certain blonde Slytherin was seen making his trek to Hogsmeade to find any last minute shops that were still open. As he lifted one leg in front of the other rather slowly, plowing through the knee high snow, Draco couldn't help but curse the much too conscientious heart of Hermione Granger. Two days before Christmas! It would be a bloody miracle if he even found one damn chocolate left at Hogsmeade!

!

The next morning Hermione tried to quietly get through the girls dormitory to not wake the other remaining girl, a Ravenclaw whose parents weren't ready to be parents yet, still mourning the death of their youngest. However hearing a creak behind her, Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin before whirling around, her wand at the ready.

A bored meow and an unimpressed look, Crookshanks stared up at her before his tail swayed and he strutted past her. Wincing at her overreaction, Hermione pocketed her wand back into her robes and relaxed her hold on the present in her arms.

Making her way to the common room, where the Christmas tree was lit twenty four hours by magicked candles; Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at seeing a shivering Draco Malfoy in a large blanket and his pale pallor slightly tinged with a mix of red and yellow, sitting as close to the fire as one could. Whilst looking utterly miserable with Crookshanks on his lap.

"Malfoy?" Hermione echoed before jumping as he let out a loud sneeze that also made Crookshanks stand up before settling down even more in the blanket.

"I think I'm allergic to your cat, get the blasted thing off me." Draco nasally said, only to sneeze afterwards.

Placing the present down on the table closest to her, Hermione approached Draco. "You're not allergic to Crookshanks, allergies don't just develop over night." Hermione brushed his words away as she got closer. "However," She said placing the back of her hand over Draco's forehead. "Your forehead is burning," She said shocked by how hot it really was. "You have a cold."

Draco tried to snort but ended up doing a combination of both snorting and sneezing so Hermione jumped back. "I still blame you and your damn cat,"

"Excuse me," Hermione rolled her eyes, not knowing how true the first part of his accusation was. "I'm your best bet to go down to the Hospital Wing to get you the cold remedy so I would be nicer." Hermione cocked her head.

Instead of taking heed of her words, Draco just glared before getting into a sneezing fit.

A snort, an almost smile, but at last Hermione could not help it as she let out a few laughs. Draco Malfoy just looked so beyond pitiful that she couldn't take his attempts at glares seriously. Shaking her head, Hermione turned her back and headed back to her abandoned present. "You know it doesn't take anything but," the rest of her words were lost however as she placed the gift underneath the tree only to spot two impeccably wrapped presents in Slytherin green with her last name on them that had not been there the night before. Amused expression softening, Hermione shook her head. With a sigh, Hermione stood up. "I'll be back," She said looking quickly over at Draco before leaving, trying to hide the smile that had made itself present on her lips so Malfoy couldn't see and try to defend himself by trying to insult her.

!

Unfortunately for Malfoy, the cold potion was all gone. The last remaining batch having been depleted before the holiday when a flu had broken out amongst the second years.

Throwing her head back with a groan, Hermione said a small goodbye to Madame Pomfrey.

"Sweetie, why don't you try to ask Professor Brundy if he can make you a small batch?" She offered.

"Wait he's still here?" Hermione's eyes widened in shock and excitement.

Madame Pomfrey nodded with a small.

"Thank you!" Hermione said before running off to her Potion professor's quarters.

"Ah, Ms. Granger what do I owe this visit for?" He asked, adjusting his necktie with a small smile.

"Malfoy caught a pretty bad cold and Madame Promphrey ran out of cold potions but she said that you may be able to brew one, please?"

A broad grin appeared on Brundy's face. "Sadly Ms. Granger I am leaving this afternoon for a few drinks with Flitwick however you have access to the classroom's supplies to make your own. And if Malfoy does get better by tomorrow, I may be able to gift you with extra credit on your next essay." His eyes twinkled with a knowing humor as Hermione's lit up with excitement.

"Of course! Thank you, I won't disappoint you!" Hermione smiled at the prospects.

!

To Hermione's confusion, after getting all the supplies needed, not a cauldron could be found. With a huff, Hermione shrunk all of the supplies she could and made her way back to the common room.

"One minute," She said placing the supplies on the nearest table to Malfoy before disappearing and coming back down in five minutes levitating her cauldron in front of her. With a look of utter confusion, Draco stared at Hermione as she settled on the floor of the common room.

"What in Merlin's name are you-" He finished with a sneeze.

"Brundy told me that I could try my hand at making the cold potion and if you get better I could get extra credit on my essay." Hermione said placing all the ingredients in order.

Malfoy's eyes nearly bulged out. "What?!" He cried. "What about Pomfrey?"

"She ran out with the second year epidemic," Hermione said measuring.

Draco groaned. The potion would take at least half an hour to make and not only that, but Granger would get extra credit. He would bet, at extra credit, Granger lit up and didn't even ask if Brundy had extra supplies somewhere in his emergency kit like he had burn relief when Finnegan had nearly burnt Abbot's elbow. "Don't poison me by accident," Draco decided on finally saying, thinking that outright insulting Granger as she was making him medicine wasn't the brightest idea at the moment.

"I'm resisting, don't worry," Hermione calmly replied back without even glancing at him.

A long withdrawn sigh, Draco just watched closely, correcting Granger when he couldn't see what exactly she was doing.

"The professors don't consider me the smartest of our age for nothing," Hermione growled when Draco had demanded she stop because it looked like she had put in a little too much Ginger root. "I know what I am doing! I have made this several times for Ron!" Hermione snapped with a glare his way.

At Ron's name, Draco stopped the insult on the tip of his tongue about being the teachers' pet. "I'd say you should've at least tried to poison him once for sending you a Howler because you're my partner in Potions."

Even though Hermione knew she shouldn't have, it was rather a terrible joke at Ron's expense, Hermione let out a small laugh. "Oh I was very tempted to send him a curse or two. He just has a tendency to overreact to me and my proximity with other males."

Draco couldn't help but snort at that, clearly remembering the howler that one breakfast. It was also the start of the gossip that him and Granger were in a torrid love affair if Ron Weasley had such a bad reaction to the two being forced to be partners by Brundy.

"But it's his own way of caring," Hermione sighed thinking of the past too. "And I love him for it, even if it's beyond frustrating at times." Hermione finished up just for a hush to settle across the pair because neither knew what to say next as the awkward topic of Ron lingered in the air, since his outright dislike of Draco or even the idea of the two being together in any capacity was as infamous as Umbridge's matching pink outfits.

At last, Hermione finished stirring the potion five times for it to let out a small puff of smoke, signaling complete.

"Thanks Granger," Draco said at last when Hermione handed him a vial of the potion.

"You're welcome," Hermione said before curling up in the chair across from his, deciding that she would clean up in a bit. When Draco finished, Hermione spoke up at last, a hint of amusement yet sadness both in her tone. "Almost every Christmas, my dad would get sick." She began. "He was definitely one of those last minute shoppers. He dreaded shopping but he never quite understood the value of finding presents early so not to have to be in the terrible crowd of those on crunch time. He still doesn't actually." She let out a small laugh while Draco's eyes widened before cringing, his cheeks tinted with pink because he now knew that Granger knew how he got his cold, to his immense embarrassment.

"So he would be out until midnight shopping and the next day he would catch a cold," Hermione smiled, remembering the memories. "But he always did get the best presents for me. He knew next to nothing about magic or Diagon Alley but he always took me there, asking those around us, and would be pointed to the best products for school aged witches." Hermione finished, choking up slightly thinking that this would be the second year ever that she did not see her parents at all over Christmas.

Swallowing, Draco uncomfortably squirmed in his seat that was now starting to grow hot as his body temperature began to even out with the help of the potion. Even though he didn't want to, Draco felt like as if he needed to say something to distract Granger from her heavy thoughts of her parents. Her bleeding heart was starting to affect him in more ways than he cared for. "Um," He coughed before blurting out the first thing he could think of, one of the rare memories of him and his father. A story that of course fascinate Hermione as she never did get how the family trees of the old pureblood families worked, still wishing til this day that she could have asked Sirius about it.

!

Draco nearly jumped out of his bed in relief when he felt no symptoms of the cold from the day before. Still he put on his warmest clothes before making his way to the hall for breakfast.

Getting there, Draco stopped midway to the eighth years' table when he realized that he now owed Granger. Making a face Draco didn't know what to think of the thought but finally just sighed. Granger wasn't as unbearable as when he was younger… but he knew that he wasn't either.

"Mr. Malfoy must you stop in the middle of the hallway?"

Draco turned around to see that it was the McGonagall with a look of impatience. "I-" Draco was about to say but his words were cut off by the naïve first year whose parent was the new Defense teacher. "Mistletoe!" Rin Youngst yelled causing all the professors and students present to stare at him, then to where he was pointing to which Draco Malfoy and Headmaster McGonagall were standing.

!

Absolutely mortified, Draco came to sit across from Hermione Granger whose hand was covering her mouth to hide her laugh.

"Shut up," Draco growled despite Hermione saying nothing.

"Sorry," Hermione apologized just because she knew her expression was hiding none of her amusement. "But that,"

"Granger, I will find your cat and turn it against you," Malfoy threatened because quite frankly that cat liked him more than he was comfortable with.

Hermione snorted but didn't continue what she was about to say. With a roll of her eyes, Hermione just took out the present she had lying beside her. "Merry Christmas Malfoy," She shook her head.

Draco's eyes widened. "What but yours is still in the common room!"

"Its fine, this is just part one of your present." Hermione grinned thinking that the image of McGonagall kissing Malfoy's cheek while he turned a shade of red that would rival any Weasley's, was more than enough of a Christmas present in itself.

The gift had been Slytherin silver colored shoe laces to Draco's confusion that was until he had finally opened the shoes underneath the Christmas tree whilst Hermione got a box of chocolates, chocolates that were actually filled with an energy potion for studies as well as a cat toy for Crookshanks. Two gifts that Hermione had not been expecting but loved just because of that same reason.

At the time, Draco hadn't been that impressed with his gift, but he had realized later that night that the real Christmas gift hadn't been the muggle shoes and the laces, but the fact that even though Hermione Granger had the option to be with her pseudo family, the Weasley's, where her boyfriend was, instead she had chosen to stay and most of all, chosen him…

!

Coming back from checking on Draco and the girls, Blaise sat down with the rest of the adults. "You know I always did wonder what you two did that Christmas." Blaise said tapping his chin with a knowing look over their lunch as Hermione shook her head.

"Blaise, we've told the children the story many times, don't make it dirty just to amuse yourself." Hermione sighed.

"I don't know, isn't that when Draco first began to feel something for you?" Luna couldn't help but support her husband. "When we least expect it, feelings seem to emerge out of nowhere."

Hermione groaned. "Luna,"

"This is why I love you, your unwavering support." Blaise grinned before pecking his wife's lips. "And the fact that you find me hilarious when even my best friend doesn't." He pointedly looked at Draco who had just joined them upon the three girls falling asleep.

"I only just got here so I'm not sure what's going on but I sometimes think you're hilarious when I'm not the butt of the jokes," Draco joined them too, kissing Hermione's side before wrapping his arms around her, his thoughts still lingering in the past at the moment he had discovered he was starting to have feelings for the last person he had ever expected to have feelings for.

"The girls are all taking their naps?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"Yes," Draco nodded. "The boys?" he then asked Harry whose hair was looking quite frazzled.

"Terrors, they all launched their toys at me when I suggested the word nap and I had to put a binding spell on James so that he wouldn't sneak in to try to do something to Lyra," Harry's eye twitched.

"But you know I never heard this part of the story where you and McGonagall were underneath the mistletoe until today." Blaise spoke up after they had all chuckled over the much too love struck Potter child while Harry nearly choked hearing this for the first time.

Any amusement drained from Draco's face to be replaced with annoyance because it wasn't really his choice, it was all Hermione's fault for telling the story to Lyra when she had asked what mistletoe was. But then again that was all James Potter's fault for trying to kiss his daughter under a mistletoe. But since then, if he tried to avoid that part of the story, Lyra would give him the Malfoy smirk and tell that part herself, and in more detail than he liked.

"That's because Draco threatened each and every student present that breakfast," Hermione said with a laughing smile while Harry looked like he was going to die of laughter.

~~

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. I really did have too much fun if you guys hadn't noticed 

Sorry that it has been so long, but I will try to update once more this weekend as I promised!