Oneshots.

something extra under the tree (dramione)

she wants more than presents this year. she wants him.

+ + + + +

Hermione scowls at the stack of paperwork that has piled up on her desk. It's Christmas Day, and yet here she is, working on her latest case.

"Hermione, I really think you should go home."

"What do you mean? I can't go home now, I've nearly cracked it. I'm almost there if I can just - "

"Hermione." Janine says sternly. "Your case isn't going anywhere. You're always working. Don't you want to be with your family? It's Christmas." Janine's words are kind, her voice soft. Hermione smiles sweetly at her. "But what about you?"

"I'll be fine. Karmen is spending Christmas with her boyfriend. I would much rather be here than at home, watching movies all alone."

"Really? You don't have some handsome man waiting for you somewhere?"

Janine's laugh rings throughout the empty office. "No. Go home. I'm sure your parents will be disappointed if you're late."

Hermione repeatedly thanks her friend, then hesitantly leaves their office. She could apparate straight home, but something makes her decide to take the long way back. Besides, her parents are always startled when she bursts in by magic.

Lost in thought, she almost doesn't notice him, brooding on the street corner. He must have lost his mind, standing out in the cold. It's freezing outside, not to mention snowing like crazy. He just stands there, silently to himself, staring out at the empty world covered in white.

Draco Malfoy. Whose hair seems to match the weather, doesn't notice her. The cold flakes are dusted across every one of his features - in his hair and on his clothes. Despite how cruel he once was to her, a pang of remorse flooded through her. He doesn't have anyone to spend the holidays with. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had each been sentenced to a life in Azkaban.

And if it weren't for Hermione, who'd shown up to his trial on pure whim, he would be with them.

"Draco?" She says softly. She could've kept walking, waved her wand and disappeared into the cold, but she doesn't. Her kindness isn't returned, his silver eyes glisten when he sees her, but he only sneers coldly. He's as cold as the weather around him. "What is it?" He asks, disgust laced across his face.

"Nothing." She replies, almost hurt. She doesn't have false intentions, she only wanted to be nice. Maybe Draco doesn't know how to be nice. "Nothing. I was just..." She lets her voice fade away into the wind, but she quickly decides she isn't finished.

"You know, I really thought maybe you'd grown up, Draco. I thought that after everything maybe you could change. I guess I was wrong. I'm only trying to be nice, you're out here in the cold on Christmas Day. Nevermind, then. You're still the boy from Hogwarts, and I suppose I'm still the Mudblood." 

She begins to walk away briskly, allowing him to wallow in her words, hoping they might change something inside of him. Her heels click beind her, if they were any louder she might not've heard the soft mumble.

"Merry Christmas, Granger."

Hermione stops in her tracks. Did she hear him right? She turns around, and sure enough, he's looking straight at her. His hands are in his pockets, and he's looking up at her with eyes like a stray dog. A stray dog that's lost its way home. He looks so innocent, so harmless. So sad. 

She finally stops long enough to see that his eyes are rimmed with red. Nearly unnoticeable, but not to her. 

"M-merry Christmas, Malfoy," She whispers. He nods back at her, and she almost turns around. Almost walks away from him forever, to never look back.

Almost is a strong word.

"I'm sorry." 

The words sound so foreign on his lips. Should she check his pockets for polyjuice potion? This isn't the Draco she thought she knew. But there he is, leaning against the grey building with eyes like the moon. There's no one else on the street, no one else taking in the moment like the way the sky takes in the stars. 

"So am I." She says. "Do you... I mean... Do you, erm, have any plans tonight?" Maybe it's the cold that makes her say it, or the way he's looking at her like he's never seen her properly before.

His emotionless wall doesn't stay gone for long. "I don't need a charity case."

"I'm not offering a donation."

"You have family to get home to."

 "Muggles, you mean?"

"I don't, erm... I don't really care about that."

"Oh, really? As it so happens, neither do I. I think they'll get an owl later, saying the awful weather delayed me for a little bit. That is, if you want?"

He doesn't say anything. He stares off into the distance again.

"What do you want?" Hermione whispers, as confused as ever.

"You know, I want something extra under my tree this year, Granger."

She raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh? And whats that?"

"You."