[thirty four]

The thing about the holidays is that days usually fly by very quickly. The next thing you know, you're packing your belongings for your New Year's plans.

It was December 29th, and Draco's heart has flown out of his chest since Christmas. He was going to meet Hermione's parents.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Elena were all returning to the Burrow and won't be arriving at the Granger's until the day of the party "Fleur's deciding on baby names. Mum said we ought to be there to help." Ginny said. Harry whispered something in her ear that made her blush as red as her hair. Draco didn't bother wondering what it was.

Elena still hasn't spoken to Hermione about what Draco had seen in her head. This made Draco annoyed, giving her the cold shoulder for the rest of their stay in the manor.

Blaise and Pansy were heading back to Blaise's manor to meet with his mother. They had, after all, just gotten engaged. They were bound to do some planning. "We won't be having a shotgun wedding, don't worry." Pansy assured Celine with a laugh that morning "You'll get the chance to plan the reception, Cel."

"Okay good. You better mean that, because I don't plan on spending the rest of my holidays angry." Celine huffed "Theo and I are going up to my parents' winter lodge until we have to come for Hermione's party."

"Send photos." Draco laughed, remembering the last time Theodore went skiing. That earned him a punch on the arm.

Just as they thought Astoria would be updating them of her plans with Viktor until New Year's eve, she came in the room with a worried frown "Something's happened."

"What?" Draco asked, the room's atmosphere suddenly turning cold and serious

"I just got an owl from Millicent. Goyle's gone missing." Astoria said, showing them the owl

Draco grabbed the letter, scanning the contents " days?" he frowned

"This can't be good." Pansy muttered "What happened the last time they were together? Couldn't he have just run away from her horridness?"

Astoria looked at Pansy pointedly "Well, they talking about the wedding."

"It's settled then, he'd just run away." Blaise scoffed "I'm sure he's fine. We'll send an owl his way this evening."

Draco looked up "I don't know."

"Draco, Goyle's done this before." Theo shrugged "He's fine, I'm sure. Millicent just freaked him over the wedding plans. You know Goyle and settling down."

Draco handed Astoria the letter back "If he doesn't respond to our owl tonight, we're going for a search."

"Okay, deal." Pansy nodded

"Uh, he hasn't been seen in ." Ginny pointed out again

"You don't know Goyle like we do." Draco shook his head

"Alright, then." Harry shrugged, he wasn't about to get into their business "We'll be going now. We'll see you on the morning of the 31st."

"Bring muggle clothes!" Hermione reminded "We're going shopping." she grinned as Ginny and Harry enveloped her in a group hug before punching Draco on the arm

Ron chuckled and gave Hermione a hug before they left through the floo

"Ivanova, watch yourself." Draco warned

"I—" Elena stopped herself and left with her head hung low

"Draco, I don't know what you saw, but you should really lay off her." Hermione scolded quietly

"She needs to know her place." Draco said, his voice laced with a tone of finality that made Hermione sigh and walk away to bid their other friends good bye

One by one, they left through the floo network, except for Celine and Theo who had a carriage waiting, leaving Draco and Hermione alone in the manor. Narcissa had left early that morning to work on the final arrangements for the manor's renovation, as well as the preparations for their temporary stay in London.

Hermione and Draco weren't set to leave for the Granger's until later that evening. "Well, we have the whole day and an entire manor to ourselves." Draco shrugged, looking at Hermione and hoping she'd let go of the Elena issue. The day was too good to waste on such sour moods.

"What did you have in mind?" Hermione asked, dropping the subject of Elena for now. There will be a better time to ask Draco, one where he'll be much too vulnerable to avoid her questions.

"I want to spend the day reading and relaxing in bed with my girl." he grinned at her before placing a soft kiss on her forehead "I must say, Granger, I'm rarely scared, but ever since you decided to introduce me to your parents I've been going out of my mind."

Hermione couldn't help her laugh "Relaxing it is." she took his hand and led him up the stairs towards his bedroom that had the perfect view of the snowy outdoors. It would be nice to have the drapes pushed away to let the natural light in for their reading.

Perhaps this was one of the things she loved about Draco. There wasn't a moment together that she felt bored. Hermione could spend the entire day reading with Draco and still feel like her heart was bursting from love. With Ron, she always felt like they had to be doing something to feel like they really were in a relationship. It was exhausting.

She climbed into bed with Draco, gently laying against his chest as they both flipped open the books they left on the nightstand. Draco was half-way through the book that Hermione had lent him. It was a novel written by a muggle. Draco had suprised Hermione the day she lent him the book by saying that it wasn't his first time reading a book written by a muggle.

Another surprising thing for her is that Narcissa lets them sleep in the same room together. "Malfoy, I hope you know that you're probably taking the couch in my house."

Draco almost choked ""

Hermione laughed "My parents will never let us sleep in one bed."

" but the ?" Draco frowned

His expression made Hermione laugh even more. Has this boy ever slept in anything less than a king-sized bed? If the world was different and he somehow ended up with them on their Horcrux hunt, he probably wouldn't have lasted a week "I'm kidding. There's a guest room, of course."

Draco looked at her with a face the could only mean relief. It made her laugh.

"You're messing with me." Draco narrowed his eyes at her as he shut his book. , Hermione thought.

"I most certainly am not!" Hermione protested, her own book cast aside to raise her hands in defense. Draco flipped them over, so that she was beneath him, pinning her down against his body

"I slept on a couch before, you know." Draco pointed out

"I didn't say you haven't." Hermione replied smugly