Christmas With a Malfoy

The Train Ride

Hermione's pov (it will still be third person, but will show her thoughts and such)-

Hermione sighed as she walked onto the Hogwarts Express alone. Her friends had opted not to return to finish their 7th year. Ginny and Harry were working towards getting married while Harry trained to be an Auror. After a mutual breakup, Ron had moved to becoming a professional quidditch player. Neville was working with his parents at St. Mungo's, trying to help them heal, while Luna was visiting France in search of bollywattles, as she called them.

So here Hermione was, alone for a year at Hogwarts. She was searching through the 8th years cab and found an empty compartment. She put her bag up on the shelves and sat, sighing. As much as it annoyed her, she wished Harry and Ron were there, just talking or bickering about something stupid as usual. To her it was normal, and she missed it. She sighed.

When the train began to move, the compartment door slid open, and a familiar, husky voice glided over her ears.

"Can I sit here?" Draco said quietly.

Hermione looked up. She sighed. At least it was someone.

"I guess." She said.

Draco sat across from her. He really had grown up in the two years since the war. His father had been killed, his mother was enjoying house arrest in her home at the coast, and he'd destroyed the Manor. His shoulders had broaden, and he'd grown taller. His eyes held a small bit of wisdom because of his past, and his platinum blonde hair was usually tossled or pushed out of his face.

After he'd been pardoned on the grounds of being abused and having no choice, he'd eagerly jumped into helping rebuild Hogwarts, stone by stone. As a result, he had gained quite a bit of muscle.

Hermione took all this in with the one glance she gave him. She couldn't deny that he was quite attractive. She blushed when his grey eyes came up to meet hers. She quickly looked away.

"You alright, Hermione?" His voice had deepened over time and it caused her to shiver at the silky sound of her name floating from his lips.

"Yes!" She squeaked weakly, quickly looking out the window.

Draco nodded, not quite believing her. He pulled out a book, and Hermione couldn't help but look.

"Romeo and Juliet? I didn't take you to like romance..." She said.

Draco looked up as he stretched out over the seat, leaning his back up against the wall. "I've grown to love Shakespeare. This is one of my favorites of his." He said smoothly.

Hermione looked over. "I haven't read it in a long time..."

"You want me to read it to you?" He asked. She nodded. She curled up on her seat, using her bag as a pillow as she listened to him begin to read it from the beginning.

"Two households, both alike in dignity,
in fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean..."

Dracos pov-

Draco kept reading until he heard small puffs of breath hit his ears. He looked up, seeing Hermione had fallen asleep to him reading. He transfigured a pillow into a blanket for her and levitated it over to her, smiling as it settled down over her. He'd only gotten halfway through act one.

He closed the book and laid his head back against the wall as her adorable little puffs of air, signaling she was sleeping, filled the room. He smiled and closed his eyes, letting himself sleep as well.

-time skip-

Draco woke to the sound of Hermione scrambling. The train had already stopped, and she was rushing to get her bag. As they were eighth years, they weren't required to wear the uniform of robes. He stood and calmly grabbed his stuff as she rushed off the train quickly. He chuckled under his breath before scolding himself.

Don't get attached. She just let you sit so she can make fun of you later.

Draco growled, shutting the pessimistic side of himself up. He walked off the train and to the carts. He stroked one of the thestral's sides before climbing up. People saw him climb on and immediately avoided the cart. He sighed. A year a Hogwarts alone.

Whoop de Doo.

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730 words