Chestnuts Roasting Over The Open Firewhiskey: A Hogwarts Christmas Tale

New Year's Eve - A New Slate

Draco had woken up early, carefully slipping out from under Granger's sleeping form and sneaking out to get Hermione breakfast before his surprise for today. He hummed happily as he sat down in the Great Hall, piling things that appeared at the table onto a plate for her. Draco couldn't believe that it was possible to feel as unencumbered as when he drank that potion just over a week ago. Yet, this week had been the best one he'd had in years. Consciously he knew his time with Hermione couldn't last, so he was adamant to make their final few days the best possible. Since it was New Years Eve, he planned to show her the best places in the castle and on the grounds. Then, they'd watch the fireworks together in the quidditch stands before starting the new year with a midnight kiss. Just as he'd finished compiling the plate, an owl dropped a letter off in front of him.

His humming abruptly cut off when he saw the handwriting on the letter. "Mother," Draco muttered aloud, dropping the plate with a loud clatter and snatching the letter. He tore it open to read, thankful to finally hear from her.

My dearest Draco,

All is well. I hope you had a good Christmas. My trip was lovely, though I missed you desperately. I hope your New Years is going well.

With love,

Mother

Draco sighed, wishing this was actually all she had to say. But magic hummed under his fingers, the true letter warded by blood magic. He stood quickly and ran to the nearest lavatory, locking the door with the flick of his wand. He pricked his finger with a spell and let his blood drop onto the letter. The words scattered and disappeared to show another message, written in a shakier hand.

My dearest Draco,

Your father and I are well, but are both worried about you. We will be hosting a guest when we return from this trip. Your actions concerning your assignment will dictate how the stay goes. Please do not delay - all I want is for you to be safe. Talk to Snape if you need help, he can be trusted. Be careful.

With love,

Mother

Draco read the message again before flipping the parchment over to see if she'd said anything else, desperate for more information. His mother's handwriting was a point of feminine pride and the messy scrawl from her underlined the gravity of her message. As he sprinted to the seventh floor, he thought about his mother's words with each heaving breath. The implication had been clear: if he didn't get back on task, the Dark Lord, now staying at his home, would make his parents pay for his delay. He tried to ask for the Room of Hidden things as he got to the right spot, but his mind was racing too much to think clearly and his mouth was dry with panic. Finally taking a few deep breaths, he was able to call up the room. As he diagnosed and tinkered with the cabinet, intrusive thoughts popped into his head. His mother bleeding out on the floor of Malfoy Manor's entryway. His father suffering under the Cruciatus curse. The cold embrace of death at Dumbledore's hand. But for the first time visions of Hermione popped into his head. Hermione being tortured by Greyback, Hermione's dead body at the feet of the Dark Lord, Hermione begging for her life before being snuffed out by a jet of green light. His stomach turned at every image that his brain invented and he hurried to work faster, cursing himself for recklessly adding another person to the list of people now in danger because of his actions.

Draco wasn't sure how long he'd been there when he heard a knock on the door. Sure he'd imagined it, he turned back to the cabinet. The knock came again a few seconds later, this time louder and more insistent. Draco debated his next course of action quickly, wondering if one of the professors saw him come in. He tried to still himself, reasoning that this room held many things and there was nothing suspicious about a cabinet on its own. He schooled his features as he he walked to the door.