[thirty]

"Look, if you two insist on staying here the entire break, you might as well help my mother and I with the renovations." Draco told Blaise and Pansy pointedly after he found them binging on snacks in the pool house

", what did you have in mind?" Pansy grinned "Are you changing the wallpapers?"

"We're changing the entire house." Draco said "It's being demolished."

Blaise choked on his juice ""

"You heard me." Draco answered "Besides, Zabini, isn't your mother looking for you?"

Blaise waved him off "Pansy and I will drop by on Christmas eve."

"Well then, I suppose the demolition will have to wait until after Christmas eve." Draco sighed "Come on, let's go over the designs with my mother."

It's been a week since he last saw Hermione. Based on her owl to him last night, she was busy helping her parents organize their clinic and install new machines. Her owl bewildered Draco so much that he ended up summoning a book to figure out what her words meant. When he can no longer fathom them, he just asked Hermione to kindly explain what they were to help his lack of imagination.

The three Slytherins met Narcissa in the living room, where she was carefully going over blueprints and mood boards. "Hello, you three. Draco, you didn't have to drag them into this mess."

"Mother, we need opinions." Draco said pointedly as he sat across her "Show them what we're looking at."

"Why are you taking the entire house down, Draco? Your entire family's history is imbedded in this place." Pansy frowned

"My father destroyed that brilliant history when he got us all into the Dark Lord's mess." Draco shook his head "Besides, the entire Malfoy line is filled with pureblood supremacists and fascists. For the first time in our history, a muggleborn will be marrying into the family and with her, the first half-blood heir. I think that, alone, is enough to warrant change."

Narcissa, though still trying the grasp the changes herself, nodded "Hermione will be the start of a new era for the Malfoy line. She may be a muggleborn, but she is a war hero and the brightest witch of the age. Even your ancestors can't turn on their graves for that reason."

Blaise beamed at Draco "Ladies and gents, I think we have ourselves a fully evolved and mature Draco Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smile that crept into his face "Are you going to help us decide or not?"

"Please, all you had to say is '' and I'm in." Pansy scoffed, getting her hands on the samples next to Narcissa

———

Hermione wasn't lying to Draco in her owls when she told him her parents needed her help installing new dental chairs in their clinic. However, she didn't exactly tell him everything she was up to.

For the past week, she's been sending her patronus over to Celine's estate, where Theo was working on the Veritaserum. Right now, they were nearing the end of the potion's brewing time. Besides her patronus, Hermione would sometimes pop up via projection through the fireplace, like Sirius had done to Harry before, to check if Cel and Theo were doing everything right.

"Theodore, like I said, I don't understand why you're so worried about brewing it incorrectly. You're one of the best in our year at potions. I, myself, don't doubt you one bit. Neither does Celine, I'm sure." Hermione had told him

But Theo just shook his head in frustration and rambled about how he had to make sure the recipients of the potion don't die in case it's wrong.

"Hermione, dear, I don't think your father and I can join you for the Weasley's dinner." Jean Granger frowned at her daughter "I'm not sure how we'll travel to the Burrow. It's in such a remote place. I'm sure only magic can get you there."

They weren't wrong. Since the war, the Weasley's made sure that the Burrow was built on a more secure land. Several protective spells surrounded the home, that you could only get to it through floo or other permitted modes of transport, all of which were magical. Hermione's parents have never been comfortable in traveling through the floo network or flying cars.

"But, mum, this is our first Christmas together after such a long time." Hermione said with sad eyes "I'm sure we can work something out."

Dan pressed a tender kiss on his daughter's temple "Sweetheart, you can spend Christmas with the Weasley's and New Year's with us. How about that?" He smiled "Your mother and I will be fine. Besides, the Weasley's have taken you under their wing like you're their own. It wouldn't be fair to them if you didn't spend at least one holiday celebration with their family."

"Yes, darling. Didn't you say Harry was proposing?" Jean asked

Hermione sighed "If you insist."

"We do. Though, don't forget to bring our gifts! We might not be able to come with you, but the Weasley's should know that we're celebrating Christmas and Ginny's engagement with them in spirit." Dan said happily

Hermione smiled at their parents "Molly and Arthur will appreciate that, dad. I'll make sure your greetings come through with much joy."

"It's settled then." Her mother smiled "Now, come help us set up the table for lunch before we shop for their gifts."

Hermione enjoyed the past few days she's had with her parents. She relished every second they spent eating together, watching movies and even simple tasks like doing chores or running errands. If Hermione could narrow down the times when she's felt the happiest, it would always be the ones she spent with family, which now included Ron, Harry and Draco.

"So, when are we meeting this Draco Malfoy?" Dan asked, a bit skeptical "I'm still surprised how you two are in love and...getting despite your history."

Hernione didn't really say they were in love, but what was she supposed to do? Deny, when she already told them they were supposed to get married?

"Are you sure about this, darling? You can still back out, right?" Jean asked worriedly, she only wanted what's best for her only daughter. With Hermione's past rants about her notorious bully, Draco, she wasn't so sure whether he was the right choice for her.

"Mum, dad, he's perfect. We've both grown so much since then." Hermione assured "I promise you'll meet him over the holidays. Maybe we can have him and his mother over for the New Year's."

"His mother? Wasn't she a , was it?" Dan asked worriedly

Hermione shook her head "Narcissa was never a Death Eater. You both really have nothing to worry about, you'll see."

"Aright." Jean said, letting it go for now.

They finished their meal quickly and in no time, they found themselves at the mall, picking out her parents' gifts for the Weasley's and Harry.

"Honestly, anything muggle-related will have Arthur crying tears of joy." Hermione giggled as they walked around. Her mother was in the baking section, looking for things for Molly whilst her father searched for building materials for Arthur. Hermione was just about to climb to the third floor, when she heard someone call her name "Hermione Granger?"