A Lonely Christmas

A Lonely Christmas

    Danielle was working again and again on her stupid research for Potions. She wanted to do anything but this research. But, she had no choice. She had to do it or she would lose points for Hufflepuff, which was the last thing that she wanted to do.

    She was working in the library one cold December evening when she heard someone walking from behind. She turned around to see Harry there.

    “Hey, Harry…what are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

    “I was looking for Hermione. What are you doing in here? Couldn’t sleep again?”

    “No, I was working on my paper for Snape, that’s all. You have to do your paper too?”

    “No, but thanks for asking.”

    “If you’re looking for Mione, she might be back in the girls’ dorms. I was in here with her earlier and she went off to bed about an hour ago.”

    “Thanks…do you need your cloak?”

    “Do you have it here with you?”

    “I brought it so that you wouldn’t get caught after hours, you know.”

    Harry handed Danielle her invisibility cloak, which she placed it on the chair that she was in.

    “Thanks, Harry. Well, you better get going.”

    “Okay…see you in the morning.”

    And with that, Harry vanished within his invisibility cloak’s concealment. Once again, Danielle was alone. She began working on her paper again.

    About a half hour later, she was finished. She packed her books up and put her cloak on. She began walking through the library and was on her way to her room. She stopped and slapped her forehead. She had forgotten that she was a prefect.

    She took her invisibility cloak off and placed it in her messenger bag. She summoned her bag back to her room and began her nightly patrol around the school.

* * * * *

    Draco was working on research on his Muggle-born and Muggle-Lovers report. He had been doing this since third year. He had done in at night because he wanted the privacy and the free time to do it in.

    He was looking through all of the files that he had made a copy from when he came across Choy’s files.

    ‘Oh, this is a good one to do tonight.’

    He began to look through them.

    The file read:

Name: Danielle Marie Choy

DOB: 10/13/87

POB: Bronx, NY, US

Parents: George Choy and Leah Elisabeth Maxell-both decreased

Siblings: Christopher Michael Choy and Stephen Patrick Choy-both decreased

    ‘That’s funny; I never knew about her family... But then again, I never heard her speak of them at least once here.’

    Draco skipped the boring gossip and read about the information for her family’s death.

    (On September 17th, 1988, there was a murder involved for the Choy family…the death of Leah Elisabeth Maxell-Choy devastated her husband, George, and her sister-in-law, Christine Peterson. Luckily, all three children, Christopher, Danielle and Stephen, were safe with their father...)

    (On July 18th, 1997, a murder case was postponed due to lack of evidence to the murders of George Choy and his youngest son, Stephen. The older children, Christopher and Danielle, were not present when the murder occurred. Danielle was staying with her aunt, Christine Peterson, in England when the murder happened…)

    (On August 16th, 1997, the murder of Christopher Michael Choy devastated his younger sister, Danielle, and his aunt, Christine Peterson. Danielle was at the scene when her older brother was being tortured by a cloaked figure. She, in return, had received what looked like a moon mark on her back left shoulder and a star mark near her right eye...)

    Draco looked up from the information. He never knew how Choy got her scar, but now he knew…she was a victim of the dark lord, Voldemort. She, her aunt and Potter were the only ones to survive from the dark lord’s attacks.

    Draco took all the research that he had, took them to the dying embers in the fireplace and threw them in. He watched as every information was burned in the firey fingers.

    ‘I hope that I never learn about anyone again.’

    Draco got inside his covers on his four-poster bed and fell asleep.

* * * * *

    “Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, you have no right to be out of your dorms after hours. That will cost you two ten points each from Slytherin.”

    Danielle had spotted the two Slytherins going back to the Slytherin common room.

    “Gee, we didn’t know about that.”

    “We’re sorry, miss. We’ll head back now.”

    “You better or else…I’m keeping an eye on the two of you.”

    Once that was settled, Danielle sat on one of the steps to her house common room and she closed her eyes. There, she mentally looked at Hogwarts a whole new way. She saw every nook and cranny in the castle; she even knew how to get to certain rooms using the secret passages that she saw in her mind.

    She settled on Crabbe and Goyle, like she said to them. She saw them making their way to their common room. She looked further and saw the cold common room empty. She ventured on and she noticed that she was looking in the boys’ dormitory. She happen to see Draco still up…he was reading something. He then got up from his bed with a bunch of papers and he threw the papers into the fireplace.

    ‘That’s odd; why did he do that for?’

    Danielle opened her eyes. She got up from the stairs and she walked back to her room and fell asleep.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

    Two days until Christmas. Danielle was staying at Hogwarts for the holidays, as usual. She stayed with Harry, Hermione and Ron because everyone in Hufflepuff was going home for the holidays and it didn’t seem right for her to stay in her dorm all that time.

    She was in the library, reading a book when she heard someone coming into the spot where she was in. She looked up from her comfy chair; she wished that she didn’t look up. In front of her…was Malfoy.

    “What do you want, Malfoy?”

    “It’s nothing in particular, Choy. Are you alone in here?”

    “Does it look like I have company here, Malfoy?”

    “Of course not, you just want to be alone, huh? Well, don’t mind me then. I’m just gonna keep you company since you’re alone.”

    Draco sat across from Danielle and he took out a book and began to read it. Danielle glanced at his book; the title of the book was unknown, but it was a shabby old book.

    “What book are you reading, Choy?” Malfoy asked; his voice hinted a softer side to Danielle.

    “It’s called The Arabian Nights. Why did you ask, Malfoy? Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden? You have a scheme that you are going to use against Harry and the rest of us?”

    “I don’t have a scheme against you or at any of your friends, Choy.”

    “That’s comforting to know, Malfoy.”

    “Oh. That book’s your favorite?”

    “Must you have to ask?”

    “I’m just curious, that’s all.”

    “If you insist…No, I like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.”

    “You’re joking, right? They have a book based on Potter’s life?”

    “Yeah…I happen to have all five books already. I have to wait for the sixth book to come out.”

    “You’re serious, right?”

    “I’m pretty much sure about it, Malfoy. Besides, most of the HP fans love you.”

    Danielle got up and she walked out of the library, leaving Draco in their spot.

* * * * *

    Danielle was in the Gryffindor common room, playing Wizard’s Chess with Harry. She was thinking of her next move when Harry took her knight.

    She smiled as she moved her pawn and turned it into a bishop, making her win the game.

    “I can’t believe that I didn’t see that move.”

    “Don’t worry, Harry. At least, you’re better than Ron nowadays. Why, as a matter of fact, where is he, Harry?”

    “I think that Ron was at Hagrid’s hut the last time I remember.”

    “Well, I don’t know. I was just there not too long ago…Speaking of which, where’s Hermione?”

    Harry and Danielle looked at each other and then they got up quickly and ran out of the portrait.

    “Please don’t tell me that Hermione was with Ron…”

    “Ummm…He was with her last, Danielle.”

    Danielle stopped in front of the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore’s office.

    “Harry, check the hut for me; I’ll go to Dumbledore’s office and try to see if they’re there.”

    “You got it.”

    Harry ran off, leaving Danielle to catch her breath from running. She didn’t go to Dumbledore’s office, but instead, made her way down to the Slytherin portrait. Once she got there, she took out a flask of Polyjuice potion, and flipped her school robe inside out, revealing a Slytherin robe, which was enchanted inside her own robes. She drank from the flask after putting the robe back on.

    She held onto the wall as the Polyjuice potion took effect. No longer was she her normal self, but she was disguised as Pansy Parkinson, Draco’s ex-girlfriend and Danielle’s now-a-days close friend.

    Danielle moved towards the portrait and said the password to the Slytherin common room. As she entered the room, she felt the cold air as she once did in Hogwarts a few years ago. She looked around the common room, trying to figure out if anything changed within the months that she had been in here last.

    “Forgot something, Parkinson?”

    Danielle turned to see Draco behind her.

    “Oh, yes. I just forgot my bracelet that Daddy gave to me last year, Draco.”

    Danielle hated it when she had to lie…especially to a Slytherin, whose cunningness was present within their soul and their tongues.

    “I see.”

    “Um, Draco, Choy bumped into me and she was wondering if you saw Weasley or Granger while you were here.”

    “I did remember seeing Weasley and Granger in one of the classrooms on the first floor. That’s what I remember, Parkinson.”

    “Thanks, Draco…Oh, now I remember…I left it in my room. Silly me. Bye, Draco.”

    Danielle left the common room and she walked towards the stairs.

    Harry…Harry, can you hear me?

    She felt a reply in her mind.

    Harry, Ron and Hermione are in one of the classrooms on the first floor.

    She felt another reply in her mind.

    Meet me in the Entrance Hall. I have a little problem with something and I don’t remember how to get rid of it.

    Danielle made her way to the entrance hall. She didn’t know how to break it into Harry that she used the Polyjuice potion again.

* * * * *

    Draco was sitting in the common room when he heard the portrait opening. That was funny for him, because he, Crabbe, and Goyle were here besides a handful of lower-year Slytherins.

    He hid near the door and waited as a young girl about his age entered the common room. He easily recognized her as Parkinson…but, didn’t she left for the holidays yesterday?

    After talking to Parkinson, she left the common room. Draco narrowed his eyes when she was leaving…didn’t she wear designer clothes, not street clothing?

    He put on his trademark smirk…it had to be someone that used the Polyjuice potion to get in here. He wondered how this person got their password. He narrowed down to five people that weren’t in Slytherin house. Those five were the trio, Choy, and the head of Slytherin house, Snape.

    ‘It had to be Choy…but, damn! She got some curves on her.’

    Draco grabbed his school robe and he left the common room.

    He was walking when he heard Potter. He stopped short and peeked from the corner. Sure enough, it was Potter and Parkinson…they were talking about something.

    “Oh, dear…that’s a tough one to crack, Danielle. I remember that it lasts for an hour…but, why did you do it?”

    “I had to ask Malfoy if he knew where Ron and Hermione were. Besides, do you think that I would enter the Slytherin common room as my normal appearance? I would be lucky if I came back in one piece. I’m just lucky that Snape’s on vacation and not here, otherwise I would have detention throughout the entire break.”

    “I agree…would Madam Pomfrey…?”

    “Don’t even go there, Harry. I’ll be lucky not to get in trouble before Christmas…but then again, I wouldn’t mind. I don’t believe in Christmas anymore…not after what happened when I was ten.”

    “You have to forget about it, Dani. I’m sure that you’ll find the person that was responsible for your family’s death.”

    “Harry… (Sighs) we better get Ron and Hermione back in Gryffindor Tower. Dinner’s in an hour and I really feel that they’re gonna get in more trouble than before.”

    As Harry and Danielle were leaving, Danielle changed back to her normal appearance. She had her medium, layered brunette hair in a low ponytail. Her curves were hardly unnoticeable. Her skin bore a bronzed look. She switched the robes back to her house robes.

    Draco found himself staring at Danielle in a way that he never had before. He continued to stare at Danielle till she made a turn on the corner across from where Draco was.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

    Christmas Eve; the day before Christmas. Danielle woke up to find out that it was snowing. She got out of bed, got her things for a bath and made her way to the prefects’ bathroom.

    She walked through the cold and freezing corridors as she began to shiver slowly, and then gradually growing quicker by the second.

    She made it to the prefects’ bathroom before she could turn into ice. Once she got inside, she felt better and warmer. She walked towards one end of the pool that was in the prefects’ bathroom and wet her foot in the warm, bubbly water.

    She took off all of her clothes and she placed a bikini top and border shorts on. After she did that, she dove into the warm swimming pool. She swam in it as she felt her body feel better.

    What she didn’t know was that Draco had already been in the pool and he was still in there when Danielle entered the prefects’ bathroom. He drifted to the surface and saw Danielle in the pool.

    He swam towards her and placed his arms around her, catching her by surprise. Danielle let out a scream that could wake up the entire castle. She turned to see Draco behind her.

    “What the heck were you trying to pull, Malfoy?”

    “I’m not trying to pull anything, Choy…”

    Danielle glared at the boy that scared the crap out of her. He did look cuter with the wet look: his hair was layered and separated; his muscular body was noticeable through a white shirt, which stuck to his body.

    “You know, you look cute with that outfit that you have on, Choy.”

    ‘Since when did Malfoy compliment anyone about the way they look in a bathing suit?’

    “Well, if you ask me, I’d think twice about your taste in a swimsuit.” Danielle said before she noticed that she was flirting with her friend’s adversary.

    ‘Oh, why did I just say that?’

    “Thank you, Danielle. I’m glad that you really think that I’m charming.”

    “What did you just call me?”

    “What, I can’t call you by your first name, Danielle?”

    “Well, since when did you get the ‘happy’ bug, Draco?”

    “What? It’s the day before Christmas…can’t we at least be at a peaceful truce?”

    “Since when did you get all soft to me, Draco? You don’t have to be soft on me, you know.”

    Danielle swam towards where her stuff was. She got out of the pool and summoned a curtain, which she changed into her muggle clothes.

    “Why the Scrooge façade all of a sudden? Lost your sense of Christmas?”

    “I lost that a long time ago, Draco. I don’t want to talk about it. I lost family through it. I no longer have a family to call my own. The only people that consider themselves family are Harry, Hermione, Ron and my aunt. I have no father and no mother, unlike you. I lost two of the best brothers a girl could have. The only thing that I have left is the sense of vengeance and death.”

    Draco got out of the pool and walked up towards the angered girl. He tried to take her hand, but Danielle fought Draco. Draco stepped to the side and let Danielle miss. He grabbed Danielle and pulled her towards him. He held Danielle in his arms. She soon calmed down and began to cry into his wet shirt.

    He stroked Danielle’s soft, silky hair and he soothed her as they both sat on the wet floor. He held onto Danielle no matter what. He wanted to keep Danielle in his arms forever and he wanted to tell her how much she was to him.

    “Danielle…there’s something that I want to tell you.”

    “What?”

    “I…I… (Gulps) I really, truly… (Shakes his head a bit) I-I love you.”

    Danielle stops crying. She looks up towards Draco’s face. In his eyes, she saw that he meant it. Her eyes felt like tears were about to form up again, so Danielle took her hand and ran it through Draco’s hair.

    Draco could see the forming tears in her eyes. He lowered his head and kissed Danielle’s sweet and soft lips for the first time. He felt like he was on fire when he kissed her.

    Danielle took her other hand and entwined it with the hand that was running through Draco’s hair. She deepened the kiss as best as she could.

    The two kissed vastly strong as their hands met and entwined with each other. As they part, they both look into each other’s eyes and saw a little spark inside those eyes.

    “Whoa…was that your first, Danielle?”

    Danielle nodded her head as she kissed Draco’s cheek and she left a trail of kisses down to his neck.

    Draco took Danielle’s head in his hands and raised it towards his and he kissed her again. She felt light to Draco and he lifted her from the floor, not breaking for air as he and Danielle rose.

    Danielle parted the kiss and walked over towards her stuff.

    “I better get going. Harry and the others are up by now.”

    Danielle turned towards Draco, who just got into a black shirt and black denim jeans.

    “What time should I be at the Slytherin common room, Draco?”

    This sparked Draco’s face quite brightly.

    “Same time that you came in yesterday.”

    “I didn’t go to the Slytherin common room yesterday.”

    “You were disguised as Pansy Parkinson…Be her when you get to the portrait…Come dressed in your pj’s.”

    With that, Draco left the prefects’ bathroom, leaving a stunned Danielle behind.

* * * * *

    Throughout the entire day, Danielle was trying to avoid suspicion from the trio and she was shocked that Draco knew that it was she that entered the Slytherin common room and not Pansy.

    ‘Looks like I have to tell Pansy to get me another person for me to be disguised as of next week.’

    By the time night fell, Danielle was a nervous wreak. She wondered what caused her to meet Draco in the Slytherin common room. She wore the Slytherin robe and brought the flask of the Polyjuice potion with her. She placed a small present in her pocket; this was for Draco, even though she tried to forget about him, but she couldn’t…not after what he said to her.

    Draco was waiting patiently in the cold common room, waiting for Pansy…waiting for Danielle to arrive. He had hidden a present that was for Danielle. He ran through his head the plan for that night.

    ‘Let’s see…dinner in the Astronomy Tower…then, an evening ride through England…ending it with a snogging fest…No, the ride’s first, then dinner, followed by the snogging fest…Oh, this is not good.’

    Just then, he felt someone kiss his hair. He looked up and saw Pansy in a breath-taking outfit; she was wearing a black peasant top with a black miniskirt. She wore no make-up…or was it nude make-up?

    “Danielle…you-you look…”

    “Breath-taking, huh? Look, just tell me this…do you really think it’s necessary to be disguised and not be yourself?”

    “Umm…”

    “Here…let me put it in simple terms: Why the disguise? I want to look like myself instead of Pansy.”

    With that, Danielle changed into her normal self. This made Draco drop his mouth even more.

    Danielle was no longer sporting the bad-girl look, but she was wearing a denim skirt and a white peasant top. He wore nice sneakers instead of sport sneakers. Her make-up was consist of glitter and lip gloss.

    “You look like a…”

    “…An angel? Come on, Draco. This is me when I go out to a fancy restaurant with my aunt and uncle. Even Uncle Charlie gagged when he saw me in this.”

    “He was amazed of how eye-catching you look?”

    “Not really…I told him ahead of time that he might be shocked to see me in a skirt…Although, I don’t wear them around the house or anywhere else…Just; don’t tell the others about this.”

    “You got it. So, you’re ready?”

    “For what, Draco?”

    “For our date.”

    “Since when have we started dating together?”

    “Since this morning.”

    Draco wrapped his arms around Danielle’s waist. He felt Danielle’s hands move towards the back of his neck.

    “Oh, really? That’s what I thought, too.”

    Danielle gave Draco a peck on his lips and Draco felt weak in the knees. Draco grabbed Danielle and brought her to the couch without breaking eye contact. He lay on top of her and kissed her lips first before his strong fingers found the drawstrings on her shirt and began to untie it.

    Danielle jerked her head up and moaned softly as Draco ran his fingers across her tan abdomens and her tummy.

    “Keep on doing that and I might end up being very sensitive towards you, Draco.”

    “That’s what I’m aiming at.”

    Draco removed the Slytherin robe from her long, tan arms and he felt Danielle unbutton a few buttons on his black shirt.

    “If you’re trying to get me in bed with you…it seems like it’s working.”

    Danielle kissed Draco and removed his shirt to reveal his well-built chest. She moaned softly as Draco continued to kiss her and removing her shirt and bra…

    Danielle woke up to find herself in the arms of her best friend’s adversary and that she was in his bed, with nothing on but a tee shirt. Danielle turned to see Draco still asleep.

    ‘He looks so handsome when he sleeps.’

    She got on top of him and woke him up with a kiss.

    “Good morning, Draco.”

    “’Morning, Danielle: what time is it?”

    “It’s seven in the morning. I have something for you.”

    Danielle summoned a small present from the Slytherin robes. When she was about to give it to Draco, he had a present for her too.

    “Merry Christmas, Danielle.”

    Draco handed Danielle her present while she handed him his present.

    “Merry X-mas, Draco.”

The End