Charms

Hermione awoke to the sound of hail hitting the windowpanes beside her bed. Rolling onto her side, she looked out over the grounds...or what could be seen of them. She could barely make out the Astronomy Tower, and she knew that it was only about 20 metres away.

*~ What horrible weather today. Thank goodness for my cloak.~* Stretching, she accio'ed her slippers, and crossed to the fire that was already lit in their room. As she approached the chair that the girls were keeping their clothes on overnight (they were kept much warmer being by the fire than when they were in cold wardrobes), something sparkling in the firelight caught her attention. She bent down to get a closer look, when she noticed the elegant white envelope beside it. Still looking curiously at today's gift, she opened it and pulled out the short note.
On the seventh day of Christmas

My true love gave to me:

Seven swans a-swimming..."

Hermoine picked up the tiny crystal swan that was refracting the firelight in order to get to her clothes.

*~ It's so beautiful...so delicate...~* Much to her surprise, it moved, seemingly rustling it's 'feathers' as it settled more comfortably into her palm, and gave her a curious look before it tucked it's beak under it's wing and went back to sleep.

*~ It must have the same charm as Harry's dragon...~*

********

Draco sat, bitterly cold, waiting for Potions (the first class of the day) to begin. Snape had not arrived yet, and he was the only one who could work the warming charms on this room; Draco had tried. As he sat, alone, waiting for his classmates to arrive, his thoughts turned inwards to the letter his mother had sent him that morning.

Dearest Draco

I hope you are looking forward to Christmas. I know you wished you could have been coming home this year, but with your father gone I am going to visit your aunt Desdemona in Greece. You know she doesn't like visitors.

As the man of the Manor, there are several things you will need to know in order to keep the Estates running smoothly. I will take charge of these matters while you are at school this year, but you will eventually have to take control. I suggest reading some books on estate management in the Library; they may be outdated slightly, but they are a starting point.

I hope you are having luck with that girl you are trying to impress; it took me simply an age to find the cloak like the one that you wanted. It certainly was beautiful, a photograph of you two together, with her in that cloak and you in your best robes would be stunning indeed. I am sure she is very pretty; however, I cannot remember seeing her at any of the social functions, or hearing her name anywhere. Is she foreign?

Please make time to go and visit Lucius these holidays. I know he is the last person you want to see right now, but please, he is your father.

With love,

Mother.

Draco was now totally sure that his mother had been under some sort of curse. **She was never that friendly when Lucius was still at home, she never even let me call her Mother. I suppose all charms were broken when they snapped the bastard's wand.** He was still musing when the rest of the class walked in for Double Potions. Hermione actually had to wave her hand in front of his face before he blinked and began to once more pay attention to what was going on around him.

Hermione, noticing the letter he was clutching tightly in his hand, and the glassiness of his eyes, asked gently: "What's wrong?"
Draco shook himself: "Huh?"

She gestured to the letter in his hand and asked if it was bad news.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm fine. The whole fucking world is fine, so just...don't ask. Please."

Hermione was shocked. She had never heard Draco swear before. Nor had she ever heard him say please. Wisely, she kept quiet about the letter, and concentrated on adding the next few ingredients to their Polyjuice, and began to concoct their Animagus transforming potion. Draco helped, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that something was still bothering him.

********

After dinner, Hermione sat at her usual table in the Library, listening to a soft song on her Concentus.

"Dream on, dream until your dreams come true..." she sang gently, as she turned the pages in her Transfiguration book. *~ I'm so excited about becoming an Animagi. It doesn't look that hard, except for that potion. But with Draco's help I'm sure I could do it, and he does have Snape's favour.~*

She looked up as Draco slung his books down on the table.

"Speak of the devil."

"What?" asked Malfoy, his brow crinkling.

"Nothing. Sit down..."

He complied.

"So what was in that letter that you got this morning?"

He sighed, "Nothing much. It was just a letter from home."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I just want to be somewhere quiet. The Slytherin common room is anything but."

Sharing a grin, they both started reading. However, Hermione could be heard singing softly.

"Sing it with me, if just for today, and maybe tomorrow the good lord will take you away..."

** And yet again she surprises me with her music. This is really pretty. I wonder what it is?**

"What's that?" Draco voiced his question.

"It's a Concentus," Hermione replied, turning the song off, "Someone gave it to me for Christmas."
"I've noticed your gifts. Very cute. What's the song you're listening to?"

"It's called Dream On by Aerosmith."

"What was the one you played the other day?"

"Orchids, by an American band called 'Stonesour'. There's another one of theirs that I feel like listening to at the moment. Want to listen?"
"Something kinda quiet, if possible." With a sad grin, Hermione activated the Concentus, and the soft sounds of Corey Taylor's guitar flowed out.

Hermione started slightly as tears began to shine in Draco's eyes. She moved closer, and held him tightly as he began to cry.

**Damn you, you bastard. Why are you doing this to me?**

**********

fin.