the peculiarity of love // dramione

17

Hermione leaned against the window, pretending that she didn't see Draco staring at her. Her heart was beating loudly against her chest and she was afraid he'd hear it. She looked outside without really seeing; all that was going through her mind was grey. Grey with a touch of blue, that turned silver in the snow. The grey that watched her now. How did this happen? It was the most peculiar thing for her to fall for someone who was her once sworn enemy.
"Granger?"
Her head flew around, hoping for the words she wanted to hear so much.
"Goodnight." He visibly swallowed hard and walked swiftly up the stairs.
She bounced a little on her feet and giggled shakily. Am I in love? No! Just simply.... Experiencing amorous feelings. If she put it like that, it was easier to believe. Every moment with Ron seemed minuscule next to how she felt right now. She remembered how the redhead looked past her affection, even taking advantage of it at times. He had kissed her for the first time last year, and acted as if finally noticing her for the first time. She had cared about him so much yet he had hurt her more by pushing her aside for Lavender Brown. And even now, though Hermione barely interacted with him, he acted as if they were in a relationship. Hermione definitely still cared for him, but the deep devotion she had felt for six years was gone. He was too late.

                                                                     The next day, December 12th

"To the left! A little more! That's too much! Back, back!" Draco was ordering the students putting up the festive banners around the Great Hall. Though it could have easily been done magically, Dumbledore had always enjoyed putting decorations up the Muggle way, so the tradition stuck.
He barked out a few more instructions before the banners finally looked decent enough. He was about to take out a few more Father Christmas candles when a blue glowing otter swam though the air towards him. It reached him and the room hushed and seemed to slow down. It spoke in Hermione's voice.
Malfoy, I need you at Hogsmeade this instant. It's an emergency.
He immediately bolted out of the Great Hall, leaving the confused students behind. He pulled on a coat and near sprinted down the path. He finally reached the outer barrier of Hogwarts campus, so he apparated to the middle of Hogsmeade.
"Granger?! Granger?" He turned in a circle, expecting to see a bloody massacre. He ran around a corner and crashed straight into her, sending ornaments flying everywhere.
"Why are you in such a rush?! Goodness gracious!" She brushed herself off and magically collected the fallen decorations into a neat stack.
"Why am I in a rush? Why am I in a rush! You sent me a message as if you were about to be murdered by Voldemort and you expect me to react calmly? Are you fucking serious?!" He hollered at her, fuming.
"Calm down! Everything is fine! An emergency doesn't always mean that someone is about to di-"
"It damn well does! How many times do you think I've been too late to save someone from an 'emergency'?! I can't risk anything!"
She was dumbstruck, unaware of the string she had just snapped. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that my message would come across so... urgent."
Draco stared at the woman in front of him, confusion and concern in her expression. Shouldn't she of all people know what it is like to lose everything because there wasn't enough time? How could she just throw the word around like it was nothing?
"Honestly, Granger, why are you always in such a rush?" He thought about how she had woken him for the Quidditch match as if the building was on fire and the Patronus she sent minutes ago.
"I guess it's just built into my system to live like tomorrow won't arrive." She spoke gently, as if she was tending to a wounded animal. Hermione was wary of the wild look in his eyes, the same look that haunted them the night they fell asleep in the living room.
He took a deep breath to clear his mind. I'm taking it too harshly. She was perfectly clear.
"Alright, alright. What did you need me for?"
Hermione was relieved to see him in a calmer state. "I bought too many decorations."
"What? Are you ser-"
"No, listen! McGonagall said that she wanted the whole castle decorated, and it's a very large castle!"
"So you bought every single decoration in Hogsmeade."
"Maybe."
"FUCKING HELL."
She slapped his arm and picked up the stack of ornaments. "There's more in the store."
Draco shook his head, laughing a bit at her determination and the seven stacks of decoration piled in a tiny shop.
~
"I don't even know how we're supposed to put these all up." Draco stared up at the huge pine tree in the middle of the Great Hall.
"We'll need ladders." Hermione started handing out ornaments to every student willing to help.
"This is bloody impossible. What's the point in decorating a tree just to take it down later?"
"For the spirit! Haven't you ever had a proper Christmas, Malfoy?" She meant it as a joke, but he really hadn't before. His father didn't believe in Christmas and therefore banned the celebration in the Manor. His mother sometimes snuck him presents and sweets, but they had to be hidden from Lucius.
"No."
She was stunned. How can someone not celebrate Christmas? "Well, I hope this can be your first."