Home for the Holidays

Disclaimer: These characters were created by J.K.R. I'm having a bit of fun with them though.

Thanks go to my original beta, Charmed Nay, and thanks also go to CocoaChristy for helping me dust this off and make it presentable.

Hermione was pacing the floor. Draco would be Apparating to her home at any moment. After having a long talk with her parents, they'd agreed that he could spend the remainder of the Christmas holidays with them, and being that she was an adult, she had talked them into letting them share a room instead of making him sleep on the couch. She had promised to leave the door open of course. She felt slightly guilty about lying to them about the amount of time she'd been seeing him and why they'd kept things a secret, but she and he had agreed that in case their parents talked, they needed to be on the same page.

Her mother smiled warmly. "Settle down, dear. He'll be along shortly."

She smiled back, but she couldn't help being nervous. What if he thought her home was small? What if he and her parents didn't get along? Bugger. It'll be fine. She hadn't seen him in nearly a week, and she missed him terribly.

There was a knock on the door. "Must be him," her father said.

Nervously, she went to the door. When she opened it, to her horror, Lucius Malfoy swept in, his fashionable robes swirling about him. He seemed so intimidating. His grey eyes rested on her briefly before he turned them on her parents and then their home's interior. Draco followed him in slowly, looking distraught and uncertain. He smiled shyly at Hermione. She felt much better when he winked and shrugged slightly. He hadn't told her that his father would be accompanying him.

"Well, Miss Granger, we meet again." Lucius drawled, drawing her attention back to him. He looked back to her parents and stared down at her father's extended hand. "I trust you are the Grangers. I am Lucius Malfoy." His lip curled up in a slight sneer before he nodded to Draco and said, "I felt the need to escort my son to a neighborhood such as this one."

Hermione saw her father recoil and retract his hand. They lived in one of the best neighborhoods outside of London. Her parents were very well off in the Muggle world, as they were both dentists. "If you'll not mind me pointing out, Mr. Malfoy, but there are worse neighborhoods than ours." Her father extended a hand to him once again. "John Granger. This is my wife, Jane."

"Yes, of course. You are certainly well off for Muggles." He looked around again. "That is a boon, but I was referring to this as being a non-magical community is all." He finally shook her father's hand, but she could see he had no pleasure doing so, withdrawing his hand quickly.

"Would you care for any tea, Mr. Malfoy?" her mother offered sweetly. She seemed not to notice his dislike for Muggles.

"No, thank you, but I won't be staying. I've business to attend to in London." He nodded curtly. "Draco, come meet your new in-laws, boy," he demanded, gesturing Draco forward with his cane. Hermione turned red with embarrassment when he said that, but Draco dutifully came forward and extended a hand to each. It was as if he hadn't heard what his father had said.

Draco seemed to relax when he received a warm welcome. "Nice to finally meet you," he said calmly. "Thanks for allowing me to stay here with Hermione."

"Er..." her father said. "In-laws, did you say?" His brow furrowed in confusion. "Why, as far as I know, there are no wedding plans in the works."

"Figure of speech, old boy, I suppose he's not truly asked her yet," Lucius said. "My son has chosen your daughter of course. Anyone in her position would agree. Therefore, I assume they will marry, especially with him buying such gifts for her." He placed a hand over his mouth. "Oh, I believe I nearly let slip something important." He smirked slightly. "I do believe spending the holidays with one's lover accounts for a very serious relationship, does it not?" His smile did not extend to his eyes, and his voice was tinged with sarcasm.

Her father cleared his throat. "Don't worry, Lucius. There'll be none of that while he stays here."

Lucius nodded, but his expression was politely incredulous. "Indeed." He turned to Draco. "Have a good holiday, son. I trust you have all that you need to get you back to school then?"

"Yes, Father, and thank you for escorting me," Draco replied immediately, voice even.

"Remember what your mother asked of you, and if you decide to come home for Christmas dinner... Miss Granger will be welcome." With that said, Lucius swept out the door, leaving it wide open.

Her mother closed it quickly so that the cold air didn't seep in. Draco shrugged at Hermione as if to say sorry, but her mother started talking. "Well, he didn't want any tea, but would you like some?"

"Yes, I would, thanks," Draco said gratefully. "It's cold out."

"Lovely. Come along," her mother replied, leading the way.

Once her father followed her mother, Hermione hugged him tightly. "I've missed you."

"Same here. I couldn't wait for today." He pulled back slightly and looked towards the kitchen quickly to gauge if there was time for a kiss. Deciding that there was, he quickly and chastely brought his lips to hers. "You look great."

"I don't think your father thought so."

"Don't worry about him. Come," he said reassuringly, entwining his fingers with hers.

They went into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table while her mother prepared their tea. She saw her father and mother pass a few glances between each other. She could only imagine what was going through their minds. Lucius was certainly an arrogant man. She could see how Draco had been raised to feel as he did, what with someone like that lecturing you on superiority all the time. She was glad that Draco had changed his views.

He seemed much more at ease now that his father was gone. He was making small talk with her father and asking questions about the dentistry. She liked that they were getting on so well after all, but she still felt strange. It was as if Lucius was trying to bait her father earlier, and she was wondering about his comments. Clearly, her family wasn't up to the Malfoy standard, being of dirty blood and having a home only half the size of their manor, but he did note that he was glad they were well off. At least that had bought points with him. She wondered how she would be treated if she went to their home. He'd said she'd be welcome, but was that just for show?

"There you are, Draco. I hope you like it." She saw Draco smile at her mother before he sipped his tea.

"Very much so," he replied. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Oh, he is so polite! I think that is grand." And the conversation went on like that until it was time for everyone to turn in.

"Er... Don't forget to leave the door open, Hermione," her father said sternly, but she could see that he trusted Draco. Draco had made quite an impression on them. She could see that in their eyes.

"Of course, Dad," she said, face heating. "Good night." She took Draco's hand and led him up the stairs to her room. Her room was at the rear of the house down the hall from her parents' room. Once they got in, she turned on the light.

Draco went straight to his trunk to pull out his sleeping attire. He looked around at her room. She had three bookcases filled with books. No doubt some of those mushy novels she had talked about were on the shelves. He smirked. "Like to read this much, eh?"

She threw a pillow at him. "It's my hobby."

He looked at her personal things, noting the pictures on the walls and the things on her desk. He sneered at a picture of his Hermione in the middle of Potter and Weasley. Hermione's home was very nice. It was much smaller than his home, yet it was still large enough to get around in without being cramped. Cozy. He had looked over all of their Muggle things, such as the television, the telephone, and the radio. It was fascinating. Muggles were not as desolate as he'd been led to believe. In fact, they got on pretty well without magic. "Where can I change?" he asked.

"In my bathroom, just there." She pointed to a closed door. He went in and closed the door behind him. She became extremely nervous. They'd not yet been alone since just after he'd had come. She was confident that he'd not try to make any moves on her even though they would be spending the next week in the same bed each night. He wouldn't likely want to upset her parents. The part of her that had been missing him terribly secretly hoped that he would touch her.

He came out of the bathroom after a few moments wearing silky underpants and a white undershirt. "You know that I usually don't wear a shirt to sleep in, but if they would come in, I wouldn't want them to think me improperly dressed," he said awkwardly.

She giggled inwardly, noting the flush upon his face, and made for her dresser. What would she wear? He seemed comfortable in his silky attire, so she hated to put on some plain, cotton nightgown. Then she saw it. A burgundy nightshirt she'd never worn before. It was made of satin. This would make her look sexy and comfortable at the same time. She pulled it out and found the matching knickers. Without looking at him, she went to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face.

Since she washed her hair that morning, she pulled it up in a ponytail before getting into her shower. She lathered herself as quickly as possible, not wanting to keep him waiting. When she dried off, she looked at herself in the mirror. What did he of all people see in her? She touched her breasts, remembering that his hands strayed there often. Would he think her sexy if he saw her completely naked? She wasn't overweight, but she was more on the healthy side than the thin one. That hadn't ever bothered her before. Would he think her fat? Draco was rich, handsome, and fit. She supposed her body was all right, but there was nothing striking about her. What had made him love her?

She shrugged. Oh, well, she thought. It doesn't matter why...just as long as he does. Hermione quickly pulled up the knickers and pulled on the nightshirt. She braced herself before opening her door. He was looking at a book with his back turned to her. She walked towards him slowly. "What have you got there?" she asked.

He jumped as if she had burned him. She saw him tuck the book under the table quickly. "Just checking out one of your books. I'm going to put it aside for later." She saw his eyes widen as he took in the sight of her. He was speechless.

She looked down at herself nervously. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Everything is right." He stood up and walked to her. "You are beautiful. I think I am quite lucky to have made that deal with you in the first place. If we hadn't been in similar situations, I'd be missing out on this." He slowly lowered his head.

Her breath caught in her throat. He was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes. She felt his lips touch hers softly. He nibbled on one lip and then the other. She opened her mouth and let him kiss her deeply. The feeling of their scantily dressed bodies touching added to the intensity of the kiss. It'd never been quite so... erotic. She felt her knees weaken, and he must have somehow sensed it. He picked her up and placed her upon the bed softly. He moved to lie next to her, never breaking their kiss as he did so. She kept her eyes shut tightly, but she instinctively raised a hand to stroke his face. She heard him groan slightly, and his kiss intensified.

As his lips left hers, Hermione opened her eyes and smiled. "I love you," she said, unable to stop the words. She felt so many sensations flowing through her mind that she felt she would burst.

"It's been too long since we've been able to be this way," he whispered. He traced her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. "Never forget that I love you."

In the next instant, he pounced on her again, renewing their kiss fervently, his body moving partially over hers. Don't stop. Don't ever stop, her mind screamed. She could feel something happening to her and didn't want it to end. However, she suddenly realized that she was cold about her waist. Air from the ceiling fan was hitting her skin...skin that should have been covered by her nightshirt.

Draco's mouth was now gliding across her throat. She opened her eyes and saw that her shirt had moved up almost to her breasts. His hand was moving down from one of her breasts over the chilled flesh of her soft stomach and was nearing the top of her knickers. She panicked slightly, her mind warring with allowing him to continue and asking him to stop. A slight noise in the hallway made her decision for her. "Dr-Draco? My mum and dad..." It was merely a whisper, but he heard her, stopping immediately.

He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. His eyes seemed clouded over. He pressed one soft kiss to her lips before moving away all together. She saw his eyes roam over her body before he turned and slid away to flick off the light switch on the wall near his side of the bed. She pushed over a bit so that he could have more room next to her. She felt the bed sag and a blanket being pulled up over her. "Good night, my Hermione," he whispered before pulling her to him possessively.

"Good night, Draco."

She couldn't go to sleep though. She was feeling a bit flustered. One simple kiss near her bed had led them to a mind-blowing snog and nearly had them shagging. If she hadn't asked him to stop, they would have. So much for him keeping his hands to himself, she thought, though she felt smug about his desiring her. Hermione was slightly surprised. He hadn't asked her to have sex like he'd done in the past with Pansy or any other girl he'd been with. Would things be different with them? She hoped so. She hated how he'd described his sexual experiences as if they were business arrangements.

She wanted spontaneity like what had happened just now between them. It reminded her of her mum's stories where some knight in shining armor swept the maiden away in passion and loved her completely. He asked me once why the man in my future couldn't be young and fair. I wonder if he'd been thinking of me in such a way even back then? She smiled, but it faded quickly as she thought of Lavender. That made her shudder. Would he expect her to do that? Just the thought of it made her feel dirty. It seemed wrong. She didn't know if she felt that it was wrong because she'd seen Lavender do it or not, but she hoped he didn't ask her to do that.

Draco was still awake, but when he heard her breathing even out, he thought she'd fallen asleep. He tightened his hold on her. He still couldn't believe it. He was lying next to Hermione in her family's home in her bed, and she was utterly his and would always be. When she'd exited the bathroom earlier, she had taken his breath away. He had been flipping through one of the silly romance books from her shelf. He had just gotten to the part where a beautiful, voluptuous woman with unruly, light brown hair began to make love to her handsome, dark-haired lover.

He smirked in the darkness. The beauty in his arms would never be with anyone but him. He'd be sure of that. Smugly, he realized that he'd changed what she'd once considered to be a perfect lover. Now, he was the one she'd dream of and fantasize about. He would make certain to read more of that little book as soon as he could. It had done something to him. He'd never read anything like it before. When he'd seen what she'd put on, he'd wanted to have her. He hadn't been thinking when he'd taken her in his arms or when he placed her upon the bed. It had happened so naturally. If her parents wouldn't be about... Damn! I can feel it pressing against her arse. I hope she doesn't wake and feel it. This would be a long week. He would love it, but each night would be torture.

Feeling a little guilty for not having explained his father's actions, he softly said, "Hermione, I'll have to explain what my father was on about in the morning. I wanted to tell you tonight, but I thought it best to get to know your parents first." To his surprise, she stirred and replied.

"What is it?"

She hadn't been sleeping after all. Shite! "Did you hear that rubbish he was telling your father?" He pulled her onto her back. "Not rubbish," he corrected. "Sorry."

"I don't follow."

"What I mean to say is that my father isn't pressuring me to marry Pansy any longer or threatening to take away my inheritance by being with you," he said calmly, knowing he should just blurt out what he needed to say.

"Well, that's good, isn't it? And he seems to approve... well, somewhat anyway."

"Hermione, they want us to marry."

She sat up and faced him, the moonlight outlining her disheveled hair and body, making him want to pull her to him. "What do you mean? When?"

"He requests it to be soon."

"But we've only just started seeing each other. Although I love you, it's rather sudden. We aren't even finished with school," she said, nervously pulling at her hair.

"We lied, remember? They think it's been over a year for us and feel that... that we should be ready for this step." He sighed and sat up, taking her hand. "I'm sorry, but he's on about saving the Malfoy name rubbish again. He thinks that I chose you because you are Harry Potter's best friend, and he now sees the advantage in such a union, thinking that it would help our standing further."

Hermione remained silent for a long while, and it worried him. He moved away from her and turned the light on. They both blinked rapidly. Draco sat back down on the bed. "I just wanted you to know what he's thinking and why he said those things. No pressure. All right?"

She nodded. "It's not that I don't want to, but it's still so new. I do love you, but..."

"I know," he said, smiling reassuringly.

"Thank you for being honest with me." She pulled him to her and hugged him tightly. "We'll work through things one day at a time, Draco. For now, let's make the most of our days alone and work to get to know each other better."

"Deal," he said lowering his lips to hers. What she said made sense, but he couldn't help but to feel slightly disappointed. He hadn't expected her to say anything differently than she had, but he still wouldn't mind staking a real claim on her. His face heated. If she hadn't taken to the idea, she wouldn't appreciate the gift he'd bought her for Christmas...the gift his father had helped him to pick out.

Southern's Notes: Lucius has found a way to twist things about. I can understand Hermione not wanting to rush into things. I wonder what her parents truly think on things. Guess we shall find out next, eh?

Christy's Notes: Right, Southern, and what I want to know is what is the gift? I loved Lucius being his usual better than you self. I hope they go to the Malfoys' for Christmas dinner!