Chestnuts Roasting Over The Open Firewhiskey: A Hogwarts Christmas Tale

Playing Games

"Well guess I'd kill Slughorn, marry MaGonnagall, and snog Snape?" Hermione laughed as she admitted the combination. This was the fifth round of the game Draco had introduced her to and he'd made the decision to move the options from the student body to professors. "Though that was a cruel combination you picked for me."

"You'd kill Slughorn? You must really hate not being first in the class in potions, love," Draco inelegantly gwaffed from his casual position on the table across from her. This open and relaxed Malfoy was a sight she still hadn't adjusted to, but rather liked.

"Hey! You picked those three!" she protested, the smile still on her face. After an hour or so of studying and quizzing each other on the new material, Malfoy started asking her questions about her other classes to get her talking. It evolved into discussions about their favorite books, a spirited debate about house elf rights, and stupid games the Slytherin boys played to pass the time. She was shocked that she could have so much fun, and so much in common, with this boy who went out of his way to torment her and her friends.

It wasn't all fun, though. Even as they laughed and teased each other, Hermione's mind kept returning to Malfoy's troubling statements from earlier. Though he was in an altered state, Malfoy refused to talk more about feeling scared and alone. It bothered her; she wondered if Harry was right that Malfoy had strayed further into the Dark. But unlike Harry, Hermione now wondered if it wasn't his choice. She suspected at a minimum his feelings were related to Lucius. Visions of the ruthless blond hunting her in the Department of Mysteries haunted her nightmares. She couldn't imagine what living with him was like, especially with the expectations he surely had. Hermione felt a pang of guilt that she'd never thought of Malfoy's situation like that. Instead, she'd been focused on hating him for his incessant bullying. " It has to stem from something ," she found herself thinking. She noted her suspicion in her mental index, planning to return to it when Harry came back to school.

"I can't believe you'd snog Severus, Hermione," Draco fake gagged while shaking his head. "Surely not."

"Severus? A little familiar with your head of house there, Draco," Hermione questioned, using the authoritative voice she reserved for her duties as a prefect.

"Yes, well, we are rather familiar I suppose. He's my godfather," he shrugged, looking at the ceiling above. Hermione revisited how leniently Snape treated Malfoy in class, a puzzle suddenly solved with this late night confession.

"No wonder you hardly get in trouble in his classes. I assumed it was a loyalty to your dear house. Instead it is an even more privileged reason," Hermione rolled her eyes before grinning at him.

"That certainly plays a role, beautiful," he conceded as he swung his legs over the table, back to looking at her. "But only one of us here would be kissing him. I never thought there'd be a day I was jealous of Severus. Let's move away from you kissing other men, minx. You can ask me one now, professors or students."

"No, you keep picking me to snog even though I am never offered up as an option. Do you have any other parlor games like this?" she asked, sitting back up to face him as well. She knew she'd at least introduce this to Ginny, who would eat the game up. "We don't play too many games like this in the Tower. Usually Exploding Snap or Truth or Dare."

"Truth or Dare? We could certainly try that," Draco smiled wolfishly at her. "I have a few dares in mind. But I like this game."

"Oh, we'll have to put a hold on any new games, I believe," she halted him, pointing down at the cauldron as a new color caught her eye. The liquid was finally pink. " Not a moment too soon, " she sighed internally, thankful she wouldn't have to play Truth or Dare with this Draco Malfoy.