All They Want For Christmas...

N.E.W.T.-ing

"Draco!" Hermione shrieked as she had to push him off of her. Again. "Let me study for my N.E.W.T.S. in peace!"

Draco, for his part, gave a very frustrated groan and at last willingly climbed off of his girlfriend that he had tackled into the couch in the Head's common room. Hermione ran her fingers through her hair and resumed leaning over the book that lay open in front of her on the table.

"Hermione," Draco argued from his now standing position, leaning against the fireplace, "you already know everything there is to know in the Wizarding World. You've read that book three times this school year and twice last summer. The last thing you need to do is study. You need to relax," he grinned, "like me."

Draco's words were met with daggers from Hermione's eyes. "Our tests are in a mere two weeks! We graduate the week after that, and you're telling me that I need to relax? We have to get jobs, Draco! Real jobs! I haven't finished filling out all my applications yet, half of them that I have already filled out will be useless if I don't do Outstanding on my N.E.W.T.S. this year, I haven't even started studying for Arithmancy, and you're telling me torelax?" Hermione's voice grew faster and higher with every word that she said. Needless to say, she no longer actually breathed when she talked anymore. She simply didn't have time.

On top of all of this stress hovered the burden of Draco's relationship with her friends. Needless to say, Draco and Ron kept as much distance as they could, but a strained relationship between Draco and Harry was forming. Neither Harry nor Draco found the task easy, but it made Hermione happy (and Ginny happy, on Harry's end) so they were both willing to try.

Draco knew that at this point there was no arguing with her. She would be as stressed out as she pleased. No one else would blame her. After all, she was taking N.E.W.T. level Potions, Charms, Arithmancy, Astrology, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts (not that she needed it). She'd wisely dropped Muggle Studies (honestly, as if that class could teach her anything!), History of Magic (she'd already read and practically memorized every book on the subject by her fifth year), and Care of Magical Creatures (Some of the animals frankly just creeped her out, and she'd gotten sick of theMonster's Book of Monsters eating all of her other books). However, Draco studied with her nearly every night, and every night she answered every question with the correct answer in every subject. He knew that anything she did now was simply superfluous and in every single way overachieving. It was also why he loved her. She never settled. Knowing that he could not persuade her to stop studying, he simply asked, "When are you coming to bed?"

"Late. And I'll probably sleep in my own bed tonight so I don't wake you."

"Oh. Okay." Draco responded a bit sullenly. She stayed up so late and woke up so early now. He cursed the N.E.W.T.S.; they were seriously diminishing cuddle time. Being able to be together during the day outside of their dorm helped make up for it, but because Hermione was running herself so thin with schoolwork they hadn't had any "real" time together. "Harry and I are going flying a bit later."

This got Hermione's attention. Her head snapped up from her book with a smile. "Really?" Draco nodded. "Oh, Draco..." she held out her hand and he moved from his position against the fireplace to move to the couch with her and take her hand. Hermione leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you. You know how much it means to me that you and Harry get along."

"I wouldn't do it if not for you." Draco mumbled. He and Harry's friendship was an uneasy one, but now that Quidditch was over the rivalry between them seemed less significant.

"I know. I love you." Hermione mumbled back against his arm. "I'm sorry I haven't been... present... lately."

"It's okay." Draco reassured her. "I know you've had a lot on your plate."