the peculiarity of love // dramione

21

Hermione scrunched up another piece of paper and tossed it over her shoulder. It landed among a pile of failed parchments that had met the same fate. She rubbed her temples, sighing. She was writing a final essay for Arithmancy, which was was difficult considering most of the lessons were taught in numbers.
Draco knocked gently on her doorway. "Good afternoon, my fair lady."
"If you call me 'lady' one more time..." She invited him in.
"What would you prefer? Darling, sweetheart, pumpkin?" He pretended to bow.
She rolled her eyes and plopped face down onto her bed.
"What's the matter?" Draco laid on his back next to her.
"Homework."
He guffawed loudly, earning him a dirty look from her.
"What?! You try taking 7th year Arithmancy! It's easier said than done!"
"I didn't say it was easy, just that you're brilliant enough to have finished all the classes by fourth year."
"And I would have, if they would've let me keep that Time Turner." She grumbled.
"The what?"
"Nothing."
She rolled over and accidentally shoved her elbow straight into Draco's cheekbone.
"OW! Damnit woman, control your limbs!"
"Oh, goodness! I'm so sorry; let me see, where did I hit you?" She gently touched his face. All traces of pain ebbed away as her soft hands stroked his face. He put his own hands over hers and leaned in.
"You still owe me that kiss."
And kiss they did.

                                                                     Hogsmeade, After supper-time

"Red or green?" Hermione held up two book covers in comparison.
"Definitely green." Draco chose his house color, obviously.
"Of course you would."
"And of course you'd be the only to get someone a book cover for Christmas." He cocked an eyebrow at her interesting choice in presents.
"Well, some of us would appreciate getting such for Christmas."
"No, I'm pretty sure it's just you."
She smacked his arm and kept scanning the aisles. She was wearing the horrible orange hat again, not that he'd dare tell her that it was horrible. He had only two items in the shopping basket; it wasn't like he had anyone to give a gift to. That is, only three people. He was buying his mum a new hair brooch, Blaise was getting a Slytherin paper weight with a snake in it that did your command, and Hermione was getting... something special. He had run out early that day and gotten her gift, knowing that she was planning on shopping after supper and not wanting her to see him pick it up.
"How much would I get scratched if I tried to put this collar on Crookshanks?" He gingerly picked up a glittery pink cat collar.
"He'd probably kill you."
He laughed and dropped it into the basket.
"Why are you buying that? It will go to waste!" Hermione took it back out and put it back on the rack.
"For the fun of it!" He grabbed it back from her.
"Are you joking? It's 5 Galleons!"
"That's hardly a problem." He realized that she was worried about it financially.
She just looked at him with an annoyed expression. "How could you just waste money like that? Do you even have to work for it?"
"I suppose not, but I hardly ever spend it on anything." It was true. He had all that he needed and despite his wealth, he tried to not use it for much.
She just shook her head and proceeded to take her items out of the basket to pay.
"Nope, nope, nope. I'm paying." He nudged her over.
"You can't pay for my items! That's the whole point of Christmas, so I can give my loved ones presents that I got specifically for them!" She pushed around him but he wasn't budging.
He quickly waved his wand and automatically paid for the items. "Beat you to it."
"DAMNIT, MALFOY."
He bagged the gifts and walked out of the store before she could object further.
"WHAT DID I TELL YOU?! That's it, you've just ruined Christmas. What's it like being the Grinch?" She stomped after him, arms on her hips.
"What the hell is a grinch?"
She sighed at him and promised to herself to educate him on Muggle culture. They walked slowly up the path back to the castle.
"I have too much money for one person, I might as well use it for someone else once in a while."
"Well, congratulations. You just bought presents for all the Weasleys, my family, and Harry."
"What?! I've just paid for something for Potty?!" Draco scrunched his face in disgust. "Now, don't you give me your 'told you so' face!"
"I told you so." She laughed at him, reminding herself to remember to pay him back for it.
"Fine! I'm just a spectacularly nice person; I might as well be the new Father Christmas." He stuck his chin up and pretended to stroke his imaginary beard.
"You'd make a pretty good Gryffindor." It was quite an odd way, buying someone else's presents to another, but she assumed it was his way of being nice.
"I have never been so offended!" He feigned shock and put a hand over his heart.
"Why, that should be the best of compliments!"
"Keep thinking that."
The doors to the school opened for them and they shook the snow from their cloths. They walked quietly so to not wake up the school. As they walked past a painting, a familiar voice spoke out.
Wandering the halls after curfew, I see.
Draco almost jumped five feet into the air at the voice of his old potions master.
"We were doing our rounds and they ran a little later than usual." Hermione lied to the painting of Severus Snape.
I know a lie when I hear one. It is quite an odd sight for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy to be walking hand in hand from Hogsmeade.
They quickly ripped their hands apart and stepped away from each other.
"Oh- it's not- really...."
I won't tell.
Draco nodded awkwardly and stared at him for a second, then grabbed Hermione and ran for the tower.
Severus watched them until they turned a corner.
Albus, you will not believe what I just saw.
Was it Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger? They're just the cutest, aren't they? Albus Dumbledore poked his head into Snape's painting, just missing what had happened.
It is..... peculiar, to say the least.