16A/N: So, Christmas. It's pretty much 2 days away. I meant to make this the last chapter, but I don't think it will be. Lol.
Draco led Hermione out onto the floor. She reveled in the feel of his warm, strong hand in hers. He escorted her through the mass of swirling bodies deeper and deeper. It was only when they were directly in the center of the floor that he stopped. He glanced at his watch and smile at Hermione as the song changed. She smiled back as he placed one hand gently on her waist. She rested her free hand on his shoulder.
His smile spread wider as the person in charge of music turned it up slightly. "The first time I heard this song, I thought of you. I hope you realize how much it's true."
Hermione unconsciously tilted her head to the side as she listened to the lyrics. Draco smiled slightly and turned slowly on the spot, remembering the words as the song progressed.
Looking back on childhood days
I can't believe my foolish ways
Thought that Christmas only came from a store
Had to know what was there for me
Underneath the Christmas tree
I didn't know that there could be so much more
But in all of the rush
I was missing so much
Girl you made me finally see
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till you came into my life
I was lost in the dark
'Till you opened my heart
Like an angel shining bright
I wished on a star
And girl here you are
Suddenly I realize
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till I looked into your eyes
Coming home for the holidays
Seeing friends from around away
There was always something missing for me
On a sleigh ride caroling
Didn't really mean anything
Without that someone who can make it complete
While the snows falling down
There was joy all around
'Cause girl your love has shown me the way
I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till you came into my life
I was lost in the dark
'Till you opened my heart
Like an angel shining bright
I wished on a star
And girl here you are
Suddenly I realize
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till I looked into your eyes
But in all of the rush
I was missing so much
Girl you made me finally see
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till you came into my life
I was lost in the dark
'Till you opened my heart
Like an angel shining bright
I wished on a star
And girl here you are
Suddenly I realize
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till I looked into you eyes
That I never knew the meaning of Christmas
'Till I looked into your eyes
The song faded out, and another slow song began, but Hermione barely noticed. "Is that true, Draco?"
He let out a small laugh. "Of course it is, Hermione. You were the first honestly good person I've ever known. You made me want to be better. And I knew that I had to try, if I wanted you to even look at me." He stepped nearer, closing the already small gap between them.
Hermione looked down, suddenly shy. "I always found you supremely fascinating."
She slowly looked back at him from under her lashes to find him staring at her. He blinked and smiled. "You want to get out of here?"
A smile spread across her face and she nodded. He dropped her waist, but kept her hand in his. She moved her hand to intertwine their fingers and he smiled down at her. He navigated away from the dance floor. They passed Ron and Lavender on their way. Ron motioned for Draco.
He looked at Hermione for a moment and squeezed her fingers. Lavender moved to stand beside Hermione as the boys moved away.
"What is he going to do?" Hermione whispered to Lavender.
Lavender hesitated. "I wish I knew."
The girls watched tensely as Ron and Draco moved out of earshot.
Draco stood still and waited. Ron swallowed.
"I loved her, you know that?" Ron murmured. Draco nodded once, curtly. Ron nodded. "I just… I don't want to see her hurting anymore."
"But there are differences between you and me, Ron. You loved her. Past tense. I do love her. Right now, this moment. You don't want her to hurt. But I can actually do something about it."
Ron closed his eyes and sighed. "She will always have a part of my heart."
Draco smiled sadly. "There's another difference. She will always have my entire heart."
Ron looked at Draco for a moment. "For the longest time, no one even knew you had a heart. And now, you've given it to my best friend… How do even know she loves you back?"
One side of Draco's mouth pulled up. "She doesn't. But she might soon."
Ron sighed again. "Okay. Good luck, mate."
Draco looked slightly surprised as Ron offered him his hand. They clasped hands for a few moments, squeezing slightly, an unspoken truce passing between them.
The boys walked back to the girls, who had watched them intently. Draco took Hermione's hand once again and led her through the double doors and onto the grounds.
"So… what was that about?"
Draco didn't answer immediately. "It was about you."
Hermione was quiet for a bit, her heels sinking into the ground. She stopped and pulled them off, one by one. Once barefoot, her dress dragged the ground slightly, so she picked up one side with the hand that held her shoes. Draco looked at her momentarily, a smile on his face.
She smiled back. "What?"
He chuckled slightly and took her hand again. "Nothing. It's just you, Darling."
They slowly approached the lake, moving instinctly towards the spot set up for students to lounge. "I've always loved watching the stars," Hermione commented, looking towards the sky.
Draco followed her gaze upward. "It never held my interest too much."
She looked at him, curiosity written on her face. "And why would that be?"
He turned his gaze to her. "Why would I want to watch something light-years away, when my life is down here, right in front of me?"
Hermione knew it was a rhetorical question, and he didn't mean that she was his life. But she blushed and looked away anyway. She decided to change the subject. "So have you had a good Christmas, Draco?"
"A good portion of it, yes." He was staring out onto the lake, not looking at Hermione. She looked at him for a moment, and then sat on the edge of the rock they were standing on.
"What about the rest of it?" Hermione asked. It was barely a whisper. She wondered if he'd even heard it at all.
Draco leaned down and picked up a smooth rock, looked at it for a moment, and said, "I got a letter from Mother this morning, asking if I wanted to come home soon. She wants me to drop out of school." He sent the rock bouncing across the water.
She looked at her dangling feet. The drop was three or four feet, she estimated. She thought about Draco and his mother, and how hard it would be not to do what she asked. "So, what do you think you'll do?"
Draco sighed and sat down beside her. "I honestly don't know, Hermione. I mean, on the one hand, there's Mother. She said she's got a job lined up for me at the Ministry as soon as I want it. But here's the thing: that's not what I envision myself doing."
Hermione nodded. "Parental expectations can be a bitch."
Draco raised his eyebrows at her, surprised. Hermione smiled. "Do continue."
Draco let out a small laugh and took Hermione's hand. "Alright, well, on the other hand, there's this place. Hogwarts was my only real home throughout my later childhood. There's my dream job, Professor of Potions at Hogwarts… But to get that, I have to take my NEWTs. I'd also have to intern under a current Professor of Potions."
His thumb slowly rubbed circles on her palm and he picked lint off of his pants. "There's you."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat. She kept her eyes trained on the water below her. "Me?"
Draco took a deep breath and looked at Hermione. "Yes, you, Hermione Jean Granger. You are one the reasons I don't want to go home to Mother. In fact, you're the biggest reason."
She couldn't tear her eyes from his. She could barely work her vocal chords. "But… why?"
His mouth melted into a small smile. "Because over the past year, I have fallen in love with you."
Her mouth had fallen slightly open. She blinked and looked back down at the water. She closed her mouth, swallowed, and pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Draco didn't move. He could sense that this moment was pivotal to the rest of his life.
A/N: hmm. Seems like a good place to stop for now. I'm not completely sure if the last chapter will be up by/ on Christmas. But I will do my absolute best to get it to you. We'll see how this is with my schedule being what it is…. :/