Merry Christmas Mr. Malfoy (Book 1)

Chapter 25 : Merry Christmas, Mr. Malfoy

Merry Christmas, Mr. Malfoy

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Why?"

"Because…it's just weird…I mean, I feel like it's been forever and…so much has changed…"

"They don't have to know that. Honestly, Hermione, they're the same people as they were before the break."

Hermione stood just outside of the front gate of the Burrow, clad from head to toe in winter gear, shuffling her feet back and forth in a nervous manner. Luna stood beside her, dressed in the same manner – although her earmuffs were shaped like onions –, trying her hardest to get the brunette to just pass the gate.

"I know," she sighed, looking up to the cloudy sky. "But…what if I do something weird? What if they ask me a bunch of questions I can't answer? I just…even though they're the same; I'm not. I've changed, Luna and…it's too soon for them to know it."

"Then keep it a secret," the blonde sighed, ushering the girl towards the gate. "Don't let them know a thing."

"I suppose…I mean, it is Christmas Eve…we're supposed to have fun, right?" Hermione's eyes flashed with sudden determination. "Yes, we're supposed to have fun so I'm going to have fun."

"That's the spirit." Luna opened the door and called into the home. "Hi everyone!"

Molly's head popped out from the kitchen and her eyes widened with shock. "Hermione! Oh my, Hermione…I'm so glad to see you!" she cried, rushing out of the kitchen to take the poor girl into her arms. "We've all missed you so much. When you decided to stay…we were worried you didn't want to spend Christmas with us. I'm so glad you came."

Managing to reach out and lower her scarf, Hermione smiled at the older woman. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, Mrs. Weasley; I just had a lot of Heads' work to do that I just couldn't ignore. I'm glad I was able to come here today." She prayed that the older woman believed the lie; she knew exactly how Molly would react if she told her that she'd fallen in love with Draco Malfoy.

She would be disowned fifty times over and then beat to near death.

"I know all about that Heads' work, Harry told us all about it. I completely understand if you were so busy; I just Minerva could have given you a few more days off." Sighing heavily, the pulled away from the girl and smiled at her. "Everyone else is outside, playing in the snow. Arthur had to go to the Ministry to fix something up, but he'll be back by supper. Your parents are in the kitchen, I'll send them right out."

Hermione sent a silent prayer to Harry, thanking him for his kindness. He could have easily told them a variety of other lies, hell; he could have even told them that she was shagging Draco.

'Harry,' she thought, 'you may be a prat some times, but you really come through. Thank you.'

Luna smiled over to Hermione, taking off her boots. "I'll be outside with everyone else," she said before disappearing down the hallway.

Seconds after Molly had rushed away from the brunette, an older couple came down the hall. Hermione had to admit; she definitely had her father's eyes and mother's hair. Her mother was almost a spitting image of her with the exception of a few gray hairs and wrinkles here or there. Her father was tall and lean, with hair that was lighter in colour and a faint beard along his jaw.

"Hermione," her mother said, reaching out to embrace her daughter. "I'm so glad that you were able to make it."

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," she repeated, voice muffled by her mother's shoulder.