Everything Changes (A Dramione fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I'm going to miss you." Hermione whispered as she hugged her friends goodbye. "It's not too late Hermione...I'm sure you could pack your bags and Mrs. Weasley could pick you up by tomorrow." Harry tried. She smiled, "Thank you...but I am going to stay with my decision to remain at Hogwarts. I am going to be happy here. Just promise you'll write. Both of you." Hermione demanded. "Of course." Harry replied, Ron nodding in agreement beside him.

~

        Hermione collapsed into bed, deciding a nap would be lovely. She had stayed up quite late talking to Ron and Harry by the fire in the common room. They laughed and smiled together, just like old times before life got too crazy.  In a world of chaos, she knew she would always have her friends by her side, and she would miss them as she always did over winter break. However she had a feeling that she was going to have a great break nonetheless. She would just have to wait patiently. 

...

        Everyone was clearing out of the Slytherin common room, and Draco watched from the black, velvety chair in the corner. He sat quietly, thinking about his mother, pulling out his pocket watch every now and then to pretend and check the time, attempting to ignore the knot in his throat. If anyone approached him, he shot a look he supposed was "classic Draco Malfoy" and they quickly left him. He needed to get out for a while.

...

It was not a particularly long nap, but Hermione did feel quite rested upon waking up. The first thing she wished to take on was the library, to check out a great stack of books for her winter reading, something she looked forward to quite a bit. She tried putting a few in her school bag, and carrying the rest, but most of them were quite large and she was considering turning a few in, seeing as how she didn't know how she was going to get them all to her room. Even with magic it would be difficult not to bump into anyone with the giant stack. She was just about to get the librarians attention, when she heard a familiar voice from behind. "Granger, why am I not surprised." Hermione spun around to find Draco, smirking. "Well it is me, so you shouldn't be surprised. I however, should be very surprised. What are you doing here?" she replied. "Well I was on my way to the Room of Requirement, and I saw you going crazy among the shelves." "And decided to laugh at my habits?" she asked. "Maybe." he teased. "Well I'm glad you did, see I may have gotten one or two too many...and I uh..." Draco burst into laughter, earning himself an exasperated sigh and shush from the librarian. His laugh subside into a small chuckle and he replied, "Yes I can help you carry an extra book or two."

~

        It was more than a book or two, in fact Draco hardly let her hold any books at all. This was even after Hermione explained that she was defiantly used to several books, and holding them all at once truly was not a big deal. She carried only a few, as Draco quite easily held the majority of her stack. Thankfully, there was never many students in the hallways to see, since Hogwarts emptied out for the most part during the holidays. Draco continued to tease Hermione as they made their way down the hallways to the Gryffindor common room. "What do you plan on doing with so many books?" he asked. "Reading them of course!" she exclaimed. "Over what time period? I couldn't read this much in an entire lifetime!" he replied. "I always have a reading list for winter break." "This is how you're spending your winter break?" Draco asked, looking down to the books. "Yes." "That is unbelievable." he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You cannot stay cooped up inside a room reading books all winter break Hermione." "Oh really? Says who?" "Me." he replied simply. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I forbid you Hermione. I forbid you." he teased. "Well then you can go turn them all in yourself." she replied with a laugh. "Noooo thank you." 

...

"Magic Treble" Hermione said upon getting to the entrance of the common room. "What is he doing here?" demanded the lady on the portrait guarding the door. "He is helping me carry my books. Magic Treble." The lady gave the two a suspicious look, clearly noting the Slytherin scarf resting on Draco's shoulders, but let them in. "You can just set them there, I'll carry them up later." Hermione said gesturing to the couch in the common room, as she removed her light sweater. Draco insisted that he take them up for her, in truth, he didn't want to leave so soon...he wanted someone to talk to, he wanted anything but to be alone. "Okay." she said, shrugging as she led him up the stairs. She knocked a few times to check if any girls were in there, but of course there were not, so she opened the door. "I think I'm the only girl in this dorm who stayed." she said. "Yeah, quite a few of the Slytherin's left as well." he replied, setting them down on a bed. "How did you know that one was mine?" Hermione asked with a laugh. Draco looked at her with a smug expression, using one hand to lift her pillow, where a book was hidden. Hermione coudn't help but laugh. "And I'm willing to bet..." Draco added as he got closer to the side, he reached down, between the mattress and the head board and pulled out another two books. "Aha!" he exclaimed holding them out and swinging them in the air. Hermione's hands went to her reddening face. "You have a serious problem Hermione Granger." he said, chuckling. "Give them to me." "Oh no, I am not leaving another set of books for you to stay hidden away with during this winter break." he replied, now putting them behind his back, he was laughing now, his smile genuine. This was the first thing making him happy all day.  
...

Hermione moved forward in attempt to catch his arm and get her book, giggling as she did so. "Give me my books!" she exclaimed, her cheeks hurting now from the growing smile. "No, I think I'm going to hold on to these." Draco teased, and Hermione made one last grab for the books, when she realized...just how close she was standing to him.

I do hope you enjoyed that chapter as I enjoyed writing it so much! Thank you so much for reading...so close to four thousand readers...that is amazing! Please leave a comment letting me know what you thought! Thanks! -jazzyjstar*