Amid the Falling Snow

Chapter 7: The Serpent Has a Heart

Draco sat on the edge of his bed and watched Hermione's chest rise and fall as she breathed. To him, she looked so peaceful, so angelic. So beautiful.

It had pained him that night to see her surrounded by those men, so helpless and fearful. After all that she had been through, her life was threatened all over again. It just wasn't fair to her. She deserved so much more than that. She deserved to be cherished and loved. Protected against everything bad in the world. And he felt as if it was his job to protect her, to make sure nothing was to happen to her again.

She turned over, opening her eyes. "Hi," she whispered, a small smile spreading across her face.

Draco returned the smile, brushing a few stray hairs from her face. "Alright?"

She nodded. "Coffee?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get you some. Wait here. Do you want anything else? Sausage, biscuits?"

"No, just coffee," she answered, closing her eyes again and curling under the covers.

Draco started the coffee and stared out the window. How much he would give to wake up every morning next to her. To see her smiling face, to hear her whisper in his ear, to feel her warmth next to him. She meant the world to him. She was the only one that made him weak in the knees whenever she was around him. The only one who could make butterflies swirl around in his stomach. The only one that understood him, the only one who could light up his day. The only one that could make him go crazy by just speaking to her.

Draco poured the finished coffee into the two cups laid out in front of him and brought them into his room. Hermione sat up and took one, sipping it graciously, while Draco just stood and watched her.

"What are you looking at?" Hermione asked curiously.

"What?"

"Do I really look that bad?"

Draco was silent. He was fighting what was about to come out of his mouth. He couldn't very well tell her that she looked absolutely stunning, could he?

"No-er-not really." He was stuttering. Malfoy's did not stutter!

"Then what?" she demanded.

"You look beautiful," he told her. Did he just tell her that? Oh god.

Hermione blushed furiously, and looked down, pretending to examine a fingernail. Silence ensued.

Clearing his throat, he sat down in a chair and looked up at her. "Erm, if you don't mind me asking, why were you alone in the middle of the night?"

"What? Oh, well..." She blushed again and looked away. "I was on a date. He was walking me home when those...Death Eaters just surrounded us. They turned to Aaron--that was his name, the bastard--and told him that if he gave me to them, then he wouldn't be harmed. So he did and..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes brimming with tears.

Draco hurried to her, wiping the tears from her face. He lifted up her chin with his hand, looking into her eyes. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you."

As she sobbed, he pulled her close, comforting her. Unlike before, when he didn't know how to help her, he felt he was able to care for her, make her feel safe.

"My parents, they were killed by Death Eaters," she whispered suddenly. "It was my fault, too. If I hadn't left them alone..."

"As much as anyone would like to, they can't keep their loved ones from dying. Don't blame yourself, Hermione. It wasn't anyone's fault."

At that moment, Hermione pulled Draco in for a kiss. He started to kiss her, but then moved away, shaking his head.

"No," he started, "this isn't right. You're vulnerable. I'd bet that if that bloke Aaron was here with you, you'd kiss him, and he left you to die!"

Hermione looked as if someone had slapped her in the face. "How can you say that? We've been pulling away so much, and then when I finally get up the nerve to kiss you, you pull away again!? You are a bloody arsehole. Don't ever speak to me again!" She got up from the bed and stormed out of his room. The door slammed shut, and all was silent.

Draco had to admit that if it was up to him, he probably would have kissed her until the sun went down. He couldn't use her like that, not in the state she was in. They both knew it was a good idea to stop, yet Hermione got mad at him. Could he really have messed up? Maybe he should talk to her about it. No, it'd just make it worse. Let her come to him. In time, she would realise that he was being sharp about things.

***

It was Christmas Eve, and one week since Draco and Hermione had the argument. He had to find a way to talk to her. She had overblown the whole situation, and he needed to fix it. He decided he'd go over to her house and try and reason with her. As he opened his door to leave, Hermione was on the other side.

"Draco," she started, giving him a feeble smile, "can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure, sure. I was about to go outside for some fresh air," he lied. "Care to join me?"

She nodded, and followed him out the door and into the frozen air.

"Listen, Draco. I may have been overreacting a bit last week. I didn't mean to...attack you like that. Will you forgive me?" she asked quietly.

"I was never mad about it, Hermione. There's nothing to forgive. Are you alright, though? I'm worried about you."

"Yes, I'm fine. It's...just that...I'm afraid the Death Eaters are going to attack...soon."

"Why'd do say that?" Draco tried to act calm and nonchalant, so that she wouldn't suspect he knew anything.

"There have been a few other confrontations from so called Death Eaters since mine. Nothing serious, but ever since the Daily Prophet wrote a news article about it, people have been acting crazy."

"Well, I can assure you they aren't getting anywhere."

"Really? Have you been talking to your father, then?"

"My father has nothing to do with these Death Eaters," he told her, mocking the word. "I merely know that Voldemort is dead. Death Eaters aren't stupid enough to attack innocent people now. Not with no one to back them up."

"Yes, I suppose you're right..." she stated, shivering from the iciness in the air. "So, Draco. Ginny and Harry are having a huge Christmas party. They've invited you. Would you be willing to come with me?"

Draco hated parties, but where there's a party, there's alcohol. "Sure, love to."

"Your answer wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that there will be an open bar, would it?" she asked, smiling.

"Why, I would have thought you were cleverer than that, Granger. Me, accepting an offer based solely on the free drinks? Never assume I'd just be there for you?"

"Not a chance, Malfoy. I have to go to work, so I'll see you there around seven, alright?"

"I'll see you then," he answered. Hermione waved goodbye and walked away, leaving him alone in the middle of the town.

***

Draco waited in front of the building, worried that he was being stood up. He had been waiting for at least fifteen minutes, the time slowly inching away. He quickly decided he'd give Hermione five more minutes and then he'd go back inside and have himself some firewhiskey and fall asleep on the floor.

Five minutes passed, and as he started to walk towards the entrance, Hermione strode out. Draco had to admit, she looked absolutely breathtaking. Her dress was a deep green that flowed just above her ankles. Her hair was halfway up, strands of hair falling perfectly around her face. Even though she wore no make-up, he knew she was the most beautiful woman he would ever lay eyes on.

Instead of telling her exactly what he was thinking, he said, "Took you long enough. I was about to leave."

"Well, wasn't that thoughtful of you. I wouldn't expect any less of you, Malfoy," she responded coolly.

Draco laughed as he put his arm towards her, daring her to link hers in his. "Shall we go, then? Wouldn't want to keep precious Potter waiting, now would we?"

The two Apparated to the house, bright lights hung everywhere. Hermione commented, saying how beautiful a sight it was, but Draco rather thought it was something straight out of thriller novel. Joy and holiday cheer written all over it.

As they walked to the front door, Draco was lectured on how much he was not to drink. "I know it's very tempting, but do try and stop yourself from drinking the whole bar in one sitting. You have a serious problem, and you need to find some help on it. I won't drink if you won't. Do we have a deal?"

Draco wasn't sure how they went from trying to drink only a little to stopping all together, but he didn't like it one bit. "Yes, we have a deal," he replied lazily. Did he just agree to that? What was getting into him?

"Good. I promise you won't regret it. It can still be fun!" she told him as she knocked on the door. "Stick with me, and you'll be just fine."

"Fat chance," Draco mumbled under his breath.

Ginny answered the door, greeting Draco--not Hermione--with open arms. "How are you? Good?"

Draco gave the woman an awkward hug, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. As he did so, he glanced over at Hermione, who was throwing daggers at Ginny with her eyes. He smiled, suppressing a laugh. It seemed as though some of Draco was starting to rub off on her. Ginny ran back inside, and Draco just noticed that she was getting a bit of a bulge in her tummy area. Potter was in for a long ride, that was for sure, and this only made Draco smile even wider.

"Do you want something to drink, Draco?" she asked, smiling widely.

"I...er...eggnog?" he requested, looking worried.

Ginny gave him a puzzled look. "Eggnog? No firewhiskey tonight?"

"No," Hermione started, cutting in. "He's agreed to stay sober for a change."

Draco frowned, trying hard not to speak his mind about what he wanted to do. "Yes, for a change. By tomorrow I'll have gone insane. You wait!" he cried, mostly to Hermione.

Harry entered, followed by Ron and Helena, grinning when he saw his wife. "Quite a party, love," he whispered, kissing her and rubbing her belly.

"Get a room if you don't want to make me sick," Draco sneered, disgusted by the view he was given.

"Shut up!" Ron cried, giving him a look to kill.

"Draco, don't even start. I swear, both of you act like children!" Hermione reprimanded, shaking her head.

"Harry! Ginny!" a plump woman with greying red hair cried, bursting into the house with a smile. "I'm so happy for you! A baby!"

Draco realised that this woman was Ginny's mother. It was amazing how he hadn't figured that out before then, being as every member in the Weasley family had red hair. After her, four more fire-haired adults walked in. Draco counted in his head. There were a total of nine Weasels, but only seven were there. Draco's head ached as he tried to remember something vitally important. Ah, yes. Percy, the prat that strode about the castle with his nose in the air as if he was better than even Draco, had died at the hands of Voldemort. There was still one unaccounted for, but who could it be?

"Hermione, there's one missing," he whispered to her.

"What? One missing of what?" she asked, confused.

"The Weasels. I counted seven, and Percy died. Who's missing?"

She raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Why do you care all of a sudden? Could it be you have a heart after all?"

"Did you just say Percy, dear?" Mrs. Weasley questioned.

Hermione's eyes widened and she put a hand over her mouth.

"No, of course not, Polly," Draco started, trying to calm her. "I was just saying how I was thirsty. I would see how you could get that confused." He had a hard time remembering the names of all of them, but Polly seemed right to him.

"Oh, yes, of course..." she whispered, trailing off.

Hermione grabbed Draco by the hand and dragged him through chatting people and into an empty room.

"I didn't know you wanted me that bad, Granger, but I'm willing to if you are," he purred, smirking.

She slapped him, her eyes still wide. "You idiot! You know very well why I brought you up here."

"Do you honestly think that if I knew that, we'd be having this stupid conversation?"

She sighed, flopping on the bed angrily. "You are such a pain, you know that?"

"What did I do?"

"Why'd you have to go on about the bloody missing members of the bloody family? She was just starting to forget..."

"You aren't honestly suggesting this is my fault, are you? I am by no means at fault here. You could have told me to shut up instead of gloating about how Draco Malfoy actually cares a fucking rat's arse about people!"

Hermione looked taken aback, but quickly hid her surprise. "Draco," she started, looking at the ground, "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. Could we just put it behind us?"

"I keep trying, but you continue to give me more. I'm losing room back there!" he answered seriously.

Hermione laughed. Draco decided that he should make her infuriated more often. He loved how lovely she looked when she was angry.

"I forgot I had gotten something for you," he told her.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Malfoy."

"I know. It's not much, but it's something." He pulled out a small box from his coat and handed it to her.

She untied the ribbon slowly and lifted the top just as carefully. She pulled the item out, revealing a silver necklace with a miniature silver book with a green serpent around it.

"Draco, I don't know what to say. It's beautiful. Than-"

"Keep it with you always. It'll protect you," he whispered and after kissing her lightly on her forehead, he walked out of the room.