t w e n t y - n i n e

---

“Draco, we need to get back before they finish showering,” Hermione whispered excitedly with a giggle as she and Draco jogged through the empty corridors. “Where are we going? We better not be going fa—“ She stopped as she looked at the flight of stairs in front of her. “Why are we back here?” She asked as her lips lifted up into a smile.

“You’ll find out in a few seconds,” Draco reassured her as he intertwined their hands together, running up the stairs with Hermione following closely behind him. “I just want one minute alone with you—“ He told her as they reached the top of the stairs. He had brought them up to the Astronomy tower—for old time sakes. “I knew that I wouldn’t get to have you for myself since those two friends are sticking around with us today. I just need five minutes, just five minutes and then we’ll head back, I promise.”

Hermione laughed as she looked at him. “I was thinking the same thing,” She said as she looked at up with twinkling eyes. “We haven’t been up here in a while together . . .”

“And I’ve been dying to do this all day long—“ He quickly leaned down and captured her soft lips with his own. Hermione lightly grinned as she kissed him back, hooking her arms around his neck as Draco wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, bringing her closer to him. Their kiss lasted as fast as it had started.

“I didn’t bring you up here to snog all day with you – maybe another day.” Draco teased as he winked at her. “I wanted to give you your present right now . . . in case I didn’t have time to later.” He said as he pulled a long box wrapped tightly and neatly with a green gift wrapper out from his pockets.

Hermione looked over at him with a wide grin – no matter how hard she tried to conceal it, the smile shined brightly beneath the luminous moonlight in front of them, blinding even the moon’s light. She took the present from him and slowly unwrapped it, keeping her eyes on Draco. “This better not be a trick—“ She told him with suspicious eyes as she grinned.

“You better find out for yourself, then.” Draco replied back as he nervously waited for her to look inside of the box. His heart was about to burst any second due to the anxiety building up as Hermione started to open it up.  

Hermione looked down at the box as she finally lifted up the top half of it and lightly gasped as her eyes widened. “Wow . . .” She breathed it as she looked at the gorgeous necklace in front of her. “This is . . .” She knitted her eyebrows together as she shook her head softly. “I . . .”

“You don’t like it?” Draco asked with shock as he looked at her. “Is it the design? I knew it, I should’ve chosen the simple—“ He suddenly got cut off by a gorgeous tune coming out of Hermione—her laughter.

“Why are you so nervous? Is this your first time giving a present to someone?” She asked him as she laughed at him.

“My first . . .”

Hermione lifted both eyebrows in surprise as she gazed at Draco. “Really?” She asked and looked back at the necklace. The necklace was in the shape of a silver infinity sign with tiny diamond carats going across one half of the sign. “I absolutely love it, it’s beautiful, Draco Malfoy.” She breathed out with astonishment as she grazed her fingers across the cold silver necklace. “I, how, did you even get this kind of necklace?”

“I asked for that shape and . . . if you look at the back of the necklace, I mean –it’s really small and you can barely read it—“

“Today, tomorrow, forever,” Hermione read the small letters engraved into the back of the necklace and grinned from ear to ear. “I think you fell for me a little too hard.” She suddenly said as she looked at the necklace. “I didn’t get you anything nearly as gorgeous, extravagant, and expensive as this!”

“It’s just one way to show you how much I love you.” Draco replied with a sly grin as her suddenly took the necklace out of the box, lifting it up. “May I?”

“Of course,” Hermione turned around gathered up her hair into a ponytail as she lifted it up for Draco to put the necklace on for her. Before she knew it, she felt a cold spot on her chest and looked down to see the necklace glued to her skin. “Wow . . .” She lightly giggled and turned back around once Draco was done. “Well, this isn’t fair. I didn’t bring your present.”

“I guess it just shows who loves who more.”

“I’ll give it to you later, okay?” She asked and closed the now empty box as she held onto it tightly. “Thank you, Draco.”

“Merry Christmas, Hermione Granger.” Draco said sweetly as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Merry Christmas, Draco Malfoy.” She whispered to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I love you, Hermione Granger.” Draco told her in a low whisper as he pressed his lips onto hers once more.

---

“Where were you two?” Ginny asked indifferently as she bit into her biscuit. She was relieved Pansy Parkinson hadn’t gotten to them . . . or at least, it didn’t seem like it.

“We went out to get some fresh air—we just wanted to get away from you two for just one second.” Hermione joked as she smiled over at the uneasy duo. “What’s wrong with you two? You two seem really tense—“

“Tense? We aren’t tense. We were just worried you two left without . . .” Blaise replied quickly as he sighed. “We’re actually a bit sad to hear that you two weren’t happy to spend time with us today. It’s actually a bit disheartening to know that you two tried to ditch us—“

“We weren’t ditching anyone. We were just taking a break,” Hermione said and smiled. “After dinner, we head back to the dorm and open presents, how does that sound?”

“Excell . . . ent.” Ginny’s voice trailed off as her eyes widened at the sight of Harry and Ron. She nudged Blaise sharply as she cleared her throat. “I couldn’t find them on the map last time I checked, wha—how did they escape from Parkinson?” She suddenly whispered over to Blaise.

Hermione looked at the two being discreet and turned around, spotting Harry and Ron. She grinned at the sight of them and turned back to Draco. “Wait here, I’m just going to go talk to them for a little bit.” She told him with a warm grin as she got up, walking towards her old friends awkwardly and nervously.