December 23rd 1999
Winter

"Hey Potter, any plans for tomorrow and Christmas?" Joey asked and placed his coat on the coat rack.

Harry placed down his case file and nodded "tomorrow I'm going to visit my friends family with her then we got invited to a Christmas party but I'm not going to go" He stood up and told Joey he'd be right back.

The words of he wanst going to go stuck in Hermione's head since they had gotten an invitation. For a moment after reading she thought, How dare they invite them, but then she remembered Narcissa kindness to both Harry and Herself while the war was going on.

Hermione knew Harry couldn't go. She didn't want him to have to go through that pain of seeing him again.

Draco secretly hoped that Harry would show up even just for a brief moment just one. He needed to see him again. Even though he pretended he didn't.

Harry got home late once again. Now prepared for his three days off and he happily took them. He sat down his things and laid next to Hermione on the couch.

Harry sighed and looked over at the book she was reading. Hermione smiled at him and set down her book. "Long day?" He nodded and laid his head on her shoulder. "Anything interesting happens at the shop?"

Hermione held her hands together in her lap and sighed. "Well some women dropped five bottles of death on the floor and it stunk terribly, a little boy tried to steal a few books and-" she paused.

Harry looked at her and awaited her answer. He saw the struggle of her words and furrowed his brows.

"Ron walked in around my lunch break"

Harry sat up with wide eyes. "What?!"

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and nodded. She held her lip with her teeth like she always did and continued to nod. Harry sighed and patted her back.

"But anyway, are you sure you don't want to go to the Malfoy's Christmas party with me?" She asked once again.

He nodded. "I can't Hermione, I don't think I can. Physically...mentally. Emotionally. I'm already dreading seeing him at work. I can't be in the same hou- mansion with him" Harry spoke.

Hermione nodded and hugged him.

They wished each other a good night and headed off to bed.

Harry laid awake thinking of Draco, the party. He tried to think of any other option than going to that party. But deep down he knew. He needed to. Some force told him something was going to happen.