An Unbreakable Vow | dramione

17, Pt. II

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide

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Draco

Once I get to the manor, I check up on Echo, telling her that she's relieved of her duties for the rest of my Christmas vacation, and surprisingly, she doesn't argue too much.

As soon as she leaves, I start cleaning the dungeons, using my wand to make the space less dark and grimy, locking the door with a permanent spell once I'm finished. No one needs to be there ever again.

Then I start on the humongous library that no one's probably used for ages, using magic to clean the shelves. The manor's library practically holds every book written by wizards and witches, organized by subject and then by the first letter of the first word in the book's title.

After a few hours, the library's finally been swept clean of dust, the chairs and tables polished to shine, and any books that were lying around restored back to their rightful place.

I decide to work on the rest of the dozens of rooms left tomorrow, picking up one of my favorite books when I was younger and rereading it from cover to cover, still amazed by its contents as if I were reading it for the first time all over again.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.

Hermione

December 25th, 1999 - Yes, it jumped to Christmas Day, sorry.

I wake up slowly, and the first thing I see is white. I turn in my bed and look away from my window, my eyes not ready for the bright colours just yet.

A few more seconds, I drag myself out of bed and get dressed and do the rest of my morning routine before exiting my bedroom and going to the small kitchen to make breakfast.

"Merry Christmas," I mumble to myself, eying the stack of presents in a corner of my flat.

I make myself some tea to wake myself up more, glancing at the time to see that it's 9:15 AM. I suppose I'll go to the Burrow after I'm more awake.

Half an hour later, I prepare myself to Apparate, shifting the objects in my hands to balance them all, and miraculously, I eventually manage to.

I Disapparate, landing in the festively decorated Burrow, and Mrs. Weasley is with Ron and Harry, cleaning up tissue paper and bags around their living room.

"Hermione, dear!" Mrs. Weasley exclaims, rushing over to me and taking some of the gifts out of my hands, and Ron and Harry follow suit. "Merry Christmas! How are you? How's school been?"

"Merry Christmas, Hermione," Harry says, smiling, and Ron nods.

"Hi, I've missed all of you, and Merry Christmas!" I reply. "Where should I put these gifts?"

"Here," Mrs. Weasley says firmly, guiding all of us to an empty space in their living room.

We set them down, and then I finally get a good look around the room, which is filled with Christmas related objects and a few new objects that I assume Mr. and Mrs. Weasley received from Harry and their children.

"We all opened presents earlier, but we've still got gifts for you, Hermione," Harry explains. "Everyone's gone to visit their friends, but they'll be back for lunch."

"I'll be in the kitchen making lunch if you need me," Mrs. Weasley tells us, giving me a quick hug before exiting.

"So," Ron starts, finally speaking to me. "How have you been?"