Dramione - Fire and Ice

Chapter 11 (Draco)

"Fuck," grumbled Draco, crumpling another piece of parchment and throwing it into a bin.

He would be flooing to the Manor in a few hours for the Christmas holiday and he has yet to tell his mother about his relationship with Hermione. He'd thought it would be best to give his mother a bit of notice before arriving at the manor for the unavoidable discussion, but...

Draco checked his watch and decided to join Hermione and Weaselette in the library an hour earlier than planned. An unconscious smile tugged at his lips, thinking of his bookworm.

With her concussion, Granger wasn't able to study for a week, sending the Gryffindor into a panic to catch up with her studies and NEWTS before leaving Hogwarts. Draco's anxiety of another attack on his girlfriend lessened significantly due to being assigned an Auror to essentially be her shadow for the next few months until the perpetrators were caught.

Draco started making his way to the library, but was stopped by Blaise talking to other Slytherins in the corridor.

"Where's your damsel?" asked Blaise with a smirk, clapping him on the back. "Boxing Day still on, yeah?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, Zabini."

Pansy pouted next to Blaise, leaning against the wall next to his contracted future fiancé Astoria Greengrass. "You're still invited, Parkinson," said Draco offhand, and her eyes lit up. "But Hermione will be there." Her smirk turned into a scowl.

Astoria looked to be biting back a smile. Draco wasn't blind; she was a beautiful woman with long chocolate brown locks - not a hair out of place - with bright blue eyes and a petite figure... but neither wanted the other. He wasn't sure of her reasons, but he didn't care enough to ask.

"And you're sure she's okay with that?" asked Astoria with a perfectly arched brow.

Draco shrugged. "I haven't asked."

Theodore Nott, a quieter bloke Draco didn't interact with much at Hogwarts, snorted next to Astoria. He and Theo grew up together and were friends as children, but their interactions during Hogwarts were minimal; however, they saw each other during the holidays and when their fathers would meet with the Dark Lord at the manor.

"You really think the mud - muggleborn would even bloody talk to us? Does Narcissa know?"

"Mother will get over it," said Draco with a shrug, ignoring Theo's first question. "Don't be a bunch of bastards and bring plenty of firewhiskey."

Blaise smirked. "Sure, mate, no promises."

"The firewhiskey isn't optional," drawled Draco, walking away.

He felt guilty the night of the most recent attack connecting with his friends in the Slytherin common room, but Hermione insisted. And he was grudgingly grateful.

His Slytherin mates were changing - more apprehensive than their parents about the purity of blood and their prejudices - even Pansy much to his surprise, despite her disdain for Granger. They still considered themselves superior, but Draco believed this was more of a Slytherin characteristic than being of purer blood.

He walked confidently into the library, and caught sight immediately of the horrifyingly bright red hair and his Granger sitting across from her. Her personal Auror - Twinkle? - was sitting at a different table, thumbing casually through a pile of books.

Hermione was too busy looking over three different books when he approached, and Weaselette was reading Witch Weekly. Draco casually mussed up the red head's hair, and perched on the table.

"Ugh, bloody Weasel," griped Weaselette, running her fingers through her hair.

Hermione glanced up at him with her warm brown eyes and a soft smile.