Dramione: Forever & Always

Chapter 19: Secret Santas Aren't The Only Secrets This Year

I'm sorry please don't kill me. I did update!  Please comment as it motivates me to write more.  And as it's the hols I will have more time to write.

We're nearing the end of this mess of fanfiction.  Yes, we really are.  Five chapters.  Seven tops.

Then I'm going to go and fix the glaring potholes, repair some very lazy writing and spice things the hell up.

Credit to the maker for the lovely fanart!

The term was over, the students going home had left Hogwarts and the snow never stopped falling just as the secrets kept coming.  

Hermione had always wanted to play Secret Santa but she never had anyone to play it with.  In the muggle world, she was a bit of a social pariah and she knew that the Weasleys' probably wouldn't have the money to spare on a muggle game but now she had friends who were shoulder deep in riches, Merlin she was an heiress to the richest wizarding family in all of England.  

And the Gryffindors were still in the dark.

Dear Harry

Please read this alone, by yourself and don't tell anyone the details of this.  

Harry, I have something significant to divulge to you, but I need to tell you in person.  Only you, you're my brother and I'm not ready for anyone else to know so please, please keep it to yourself.  Don't tell even Ron and Ginny.  If you can't do that don't come.  

But if you can-I do hope you can tomorrow, 23 December apparate to the Leaky Cauldron at 11 o'clock and I will be waiting.  Send me your response with my owl, Archimedes. 

To confirm that it is me, Hermione, and not some assassin I will assure you by telling you that we brewed and took Polyjuice potion in our second year and it did not work out too well for me.  

Love, your sister always,

Hermione

After signing the parchment Hermione left it to dry before sealing it with shaking hands.  It would be so easy not to give the letter to her owl Archimedes and keep him in the dark.  But Harry had always been truthful to her and he had always had her back when she let him have it that was.  There were so many lies, so many secrets she hid.  

She had become a friend to lying and deception but up until a few months ago she could always see the light through her lies but now...now she was drowning in her lies.  

Blaise walked into the room where his sister lived and was watching Archimedes turn into a mere speck.  When Mrs Zabini learnt that her daughter did not have her own owl she was appalled and sent Hermione to Diagon Alley the first day of the holidays to purchase one.  

Mrs Zabini had been teaching Hermione about pureblood traditions and beginning to sort of raising her as a pureblood girl.  Hermione had of course noticed and decided to Blaise about it.  

"Hey, Blaisey can I talk to you for a couple of moments?"  Hermione asked when Blaise opened his bedroom door.  

"Of course come on in 'Ria," Blaise said using a nickname for her pureblood name, he usually preferred calling her Aria or 'Ria and it used to irk Hermione off until he explained why he did and she why she disliked it.  

ONE AND HALF MONTHS AGO, sponsored by Chronos (primordial of time as Kronos is dust thanks to Perce)   

"I feel like I would have made it up when we were little, it makes you feel more like my sister, the way you call me 'Blaisey' which is rather embarrassing."