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Prompt for Hogwarts House Challenge - the Quidditch Pitch: Lake

A/N: A Christmas tale for you all - happy reading XD

Hermione held a small box wrapped in glistening green silk with a smooth satin bow. She chewed on her lip as she sat on the stone ledge in the hallway window deep in thought, her fingers absently running over the smooth material. The light glistened in through the window, warming her skin, as much as the weak winter sun could.

It was Saturday afternoon, and not just any Saturday afternoon: it was also Christmas Eve.

Hermione sighed as she relisted the pros and cons in her mind, trying to decide if she should actually give him the gift, or if he would hate her even more for the compassionate act.

She truly believed that everyone deserved a little love at Christmas. To know that they were thought of. To feel the warm balm of another person's companionship.

She had been watching him for months. Only vaguely noticing him at first, but after a while, a few points captured her attention and pulled her in. Enthralled her.

She had, of course, noticed on the first day back for her eighth year that he was regulated to the end of the table, the seats around him empty – not that that fact was surprising, there were many empty seats at the Slytherin table since the war; most having moved overseas to avoid the stigma. But those who remained, instead of banding together had decided that their best option was to isolate Malfoy, the ex-Death Eater, and show the rest of the school they wanted nothing to do with him or the beliefs his mark encapsulated.

No-one dared to test the ex-Death Eater by casting spells or taunting; the madness of the group members making even students aware of his probation cautious.

No, instead they turned their backs and offered only sneers. Shifted away and manoeuvred around him.

He was the only Slytherin eighth year – all others having either left the country or deciding to just sit the tests at the end of the year after private schooling; no doubt something Malfoy would have chosen if it weren't for the Wizengamot requirement of him completing eighth year at Hogwarts.

The second point of realisation was that his fellow Slytherins had also dropped him from the house Quidditch team. She had seen their new seeker – he was awful, even with her limited enjoyment from watching the sport, she knew that fact was clear as Veritaserum. The Slytherins had chosen to come last in the Quidditch Cup, rather than allow Malfoy to join their team.

The third niggle that caught her notice was that he always sat alone in class. This had taken a while to actually realise, as it was one month before the teachers had given up juggling two extra classes and decided that eighth year would be taught as one. No one ever sat next to him. No one ever joined him in the two person assignments. And the teachers never forced the point, allowing their students to avoid the silent blond by working in pairs and forcing the Slytherin to work alone. At that point, it had been clear to Hermione that he had absolutely no one to talk to in Hogwarts. And her heart had felt the first pangs of empathy – she knew that feeling of isolation all too well from when she was younger.

But, perhaps, it was the realisation that he never received any mail that was the worst. Nothing from friends abroad. Nothing from his remaining distant family. And, more significantly, nothing from his mother who was under house arrest at Malfoy Manor. Which meant no contact with anyone, ever.

And with this understanding, it occurred to her that he would also receive no wishes or token gifts at Christmas.

Hermione couldn't bear the thought of anyone she saw every day, shared every class with, or competed silently against, not having a single Christmas wishes message.

It was that disheartening thought that caused her to spontaneously buy a small gift for Malfoy during the last Hogsmeade trip. She hadn't really realised what she was doing until she held the small item in her hand and was standing at the counter, offering her Gringotts token as payment.

But now, she wasn't sure he wouldn't throw it back in her face.

She continued to stare out the window and over the enchanting grounds of Hogwarts. The grounds had been restored to their former glory, even more so in some cases. It looked so serene outside; the snowflakes drifting down gently swirling in the breeze, the lake frozen over with the exception of a small hole for the Giant Squid, and the green trees laden with soft white snow that were gently swaying in the wind.

Screw it. So what if he throws it in my face, I want to do this and it's the right action to take.

Hermione jumped off the ledge and clenched the gift tightly in her palm. She glanced left and right, up and down the long sandstone corridor, pursing her lips.

Where are you hiding out today, Malfoy?

Deciding that he would probably be in the depths of the darkest library corner, a desk she had stumbled over when searching for an obscure text, she swivelled left and strode swiftly down the corridor, skipping down the stairs as they obligingly aligned to take her on the fastest path towards the library and her target.

She stepped into the immense, deserted library. A calm settled over her as the smell of books and sound of peace overwhelmed the area. No students, obviously – it was Christmas Eve.

Undeterred, Hermione made her way to the back of the library. Her shoes padding softly on the stone floor as she walked.

She eventually wound her way to the darkened corner, just able to faintly hear the rustle of turning old parchment pages.

Reassured he was here, Hermione closed in on the desk.

She found Malfoy leaning over a thick, ancient text, reading the passages in the low light. She paused to watch him for a moment.

His long fingers rested on the edges of the book cover, head bent slightly with his hair falling into his eyes. Dark-purplish skin rested under his cold eyes. Eyes that were now watching her guardedly.

Hermione jumped in surprise, realising he had noticed her arrival and scrutiny.

'Malfoy,' she rushed out in a stiff greeting.

'Granger,' he drawled slowly, tone judging and perplexed.

Silence fell over them as she stood and he watched her impassively.

Eventually he broke the silence. 'What do you want?' he asked tonelessly.

'Why do you think I want something?'

'Clearly you were looking for me – unless you need this book, but given you are watching me and not it, I think it is the former.'

Hermione tilted her head in acknowledgement. Her hand drifting to her pocket to pull out the present she had slipped into the space while walking.

He tensed at the movement.

Does he think I'm going to curse him! Honestly, as if I would do such a thing, especially in the library!

'Oh relax, Malfoy,' she snapped, moving her hand faster and pulling out the wrapped item.

His brow furrowed as he looked at it, and then his gaze moved to her face. His eyebrow arching.

Hermione stepped forward and placed the gift on his desk, pushing it closer and then stepping backwards.

'Merry Christmas, Malfoy.'

'You bought me a gift?' he asked, bewilderment clear in his tone.

'Yes.'

He waited for her to say more, but she didn't.

'Why would you do that? Is it cursed?' he asked, still not touching it and now looking at it suspiciously.

'If I wanted to curse you, I would just flick my wand at you – no one would punish me; Head Girl, Gryffindor Princess, Brains of the Golden Trio,' she listed acerbically, not caring for any title except the first; and even that had lost some of its enthral since being on the run during the war.

Draco nodded in acceptance, but still waved his wand over the item to confirm. It, of course, came up as no danger.

'Anyway, I should let you get back to your study.'

'You never said why,' he half asked.

Hermione offered a compassionate smile. 'Everyone needs to be shown love, Draco – Merry Christmas.' With that, Hermione turned and left the area: Malfoy's considering eyes following her movements until she disappeared from view.

THE END

A/N: I hope you enjoy this Hermione one-shot. As always, if you see an Oxford English mistakes, please PM me so I can fix them up. If you have a few free moments, please click the review button and tell me your thoughts XD