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FanfictionExchange Winter Fest 2023-2024
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Published:
2024-01-20
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2024-02-13
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Snow Surprise

Summary:

What happens when a wizard and a witch are stranded in the snow overnight without their wands? It's no surprise... (Well unless you are Draco or Hermione, then it's completely unexpected.)

Notes:

This fic was written in response to the Winterfest prompt snowfall on r/FanfictionExchange.

Chapter 1: Snowfall

Chapter Text

“Let me see that,” Granger snapped, slamming the brakes on so the car skidded to a stop at the side of the road. The road stretched out ahead of them, tire tracks etched into the settling snow.

“I know what I'm doing,” Draco sneered, holding the map up and out of her reach. “Just drive.”

“If you know what you are doing, why are you directing me round in circles?” Granger unclicked her seatbelt and reached across him, swatting at his arm.

“I'm not! We’re nearly there.” There being a small muggle bed and breakfast that they'd booked into that morning before setting out to meet with the centaur herd in the local forest. As per the agreement with the leader of the herd they had left their wands secured in their rooms, centaurs were incredibly suspicious of wizards and being granted an audience was an opportunity that couldn't be missed regardless of the conditions. 

Granger huffed out a breath, with an aggressive click she slammed her seatbelt closed and set off again with a loud rev of the engine. She was muttering curses and complaints under her breath just loud enough for Draco to hear, probably deliberately. “Stupid prick. Why did they have to pair me with such an arrogant git? Stuck up imbecile. Can't he be babysat by someone else? It's like they are punishing me too with his ridiculous probation conditions.”

Draco chose to ignore her, no good would come over arguing with his most infuriating colleague, ministry-mandated minder and increasingly frequent feature in his more risque daydreams. Fun though it often was to rile her up, she was radiant in her inevitable anger, he was eager to get back to his austere flat for his Christmas alone. Or at least, that's what he was telling himself - a good book and a glass of firewhisky, what more could a wizard desire?

He stared out of the passenger window, watching the snow falling. It was definitely getting heavier, collecting in drifts to either side of the winding road. Blanketing the world in a crisp coat of white paint. Astoundingly beautiful, romantic even.

“Next right,” Draco directed.

Granger turned the car. The road dipped. The car skidded, sliding sideways down the road. Draco's heart beat painfully in his chest. He gripped the seat and closed his eyes. Was this how he died? Ironic really, he'd survived being attacked by an irate hippogriff, fiendfyre, and a psychotic madman resident in his house. Was he to meet his end in something as mundane as a muggle car crash? His ancestors would be tutting in their portraits at the thought, not that they'd have the first clue as to what a car crash was.

“Fuck,” Granger muttered. He opened his eyes warily, his limbs still intact, he slowly let go of the seat. The car was making a worrisome clicking noise, but it was at least stationary. Draco peered across at her, she was shaking her head. “I think we're stuck,” she said, clearly frustrated. “Where are we?”

“What's that noise?”

“Hazard lights.” Granger made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “So where are we? Are we close enough to walk?” 

“Here." Draco pointed at the road on the map, no houses for miles.

“No, then,” Granger said, pulling her muggle device from her pocket. She peered at it. Then stretched it up in the air, pressing it to the roof. She sighed. “No signal. We’ll just have to wait it out. We can't be the only ones stranded.”

“Should we expect rescue from a crowd of blundering red heads?” Draco asked.

Granger turned and scowled at him. “No!”

“Really?” Draco continued. “Not even the lanky, human dustbin, with the table manners of a troll?”

“Be nice, he's been perfectly friendly towards you.” Draco was not and would not ever be anyone's mate, least of all a gangly Weasel who seemed to have decided he could torture Draco with kindness and an annoying obsession with referring to what he considered their friendship status to be. Seemingly completely oblivious to Draco's scowls.

“Stealing all my sweets,” he sneered. He'd taken to hiding his jar whenever the boy who lived to make Draco miserable’s sidekick was expected in their office.

“Not like you can't afford to buy more,” Granger scoffed. “Anyway, the whole family are all in Romania for Christmas visiting Charlie.”

“Not planning on joining your beloved?”

She laughed, her lips turning up at the corners. “I’m not dating a Weasley, Malfoy. Not sure why you thought I was.”

“The Daily Prophet…” They'd been dating for years, he was sure of it. The Weasel even had a standing lunch arrangement with her every Thursday.

“I thought you were supposed to be intelligent,” Granger interrupted. “Don't believe everything you read.” 

“But…”

“We are friends, Malfoy. Rita just likes her drama, apparently dating war heroes sells papers,” she sneered in a tone that his father would have been impressed with. “Particularly when she can then spin it that Ron has another woman on the side.” Granger huffed exasperatedly, gesticulating wildly as her hair crackled with magic. “He's been dating Katie for nearly a year.”

Oh, Draco was stunned. Did that mean Granger was unattached? “So what were your Christmas plans then?”

“Glass of red wine, a good book and a nice quiet day with Crookshanks.”

“The orange menace lives on?”

“He's lovely,” she said pointedly. “And yes he's got a lot of life in him yet. Comes with being part kneazle.”

“Vicious brute,” Draco muttered, he'd been on the receiving end of those claws in sixth year.

“Just protective, you should have been nicer to me.” He couldn't deny the truth in that statement. 

“So, no one wanted to spend Christmas with the golden girl? I'd have thought you'd have a mountain of invites.”

“Don’t use that ridiculous nickname, I'm not a trophy,” she chided, jabbing him hard in the arm. A not unpleasant jolt passed through him. “Harry invited me, but..”

“...you'd rather gouge out your own eyeballs then spend the day watching him and Theo eye fuck each other, or worse.”

Granger stared at him, her mouth open.

“I received the same invite, but from Theo.”

“I assumed you'd have plans with your mother.”

Draco shuddered. “She's in France, I told her I was busy with work.” He shrugged, adding, “Probation assignment, can't get out of it.”

“You volunteered for this assignment, Malfoy.”

“I know that, she doesn't. And I’d prefer to keep it that way.” Not that there was any danger of Granger tattling on him to his mother; that was a combination of witches best kept apart and not only due to their history. If they ever worked together… he gave an involuntary shudder at the thought.

“Why are you avoiding her?”

“I'm not avoiding her. I'm avoiding all the Christmas parties she's organised in France to set me up with a nice girl.” He didn't bother hiding the distaste in his tone.

“Not ready to settle down and produce your requisite perfect pureblood cherubs?”

Draco glared at her, he was not having this discussion. He'd agreed to this excursion in part to avoid those particular questions. He was twenty years old for Merlin's sake, far too young for his mother's scheming. “What's the plan?” He gestured at the snow.

Granger sighed. “We wait for rescue, safer in here than wandering through that. What wandless spells can you do?”

“If you'd let me secure my wand in this ridiculous contraption we wouldn't need wandless spells. Utterly stupid, what sort of mission is it if we can't even bring a wand? Out in the biting cold with no…”

Draco suddenly found his mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. Granger was watching him, a smug expression on her lips.

“If you are just going to complain then you can do so silently. You may feel wandless magic is beneath you, but you should be grateful that I have no such compulsions.” She waved her hand at him and he felt immediately warmer. “Not sure my other wandless spells will be that useful though. Although, I guess if you really annoy me binding you could help release some of my anger.”

That got a response Draco wasn't expecting from his body as his blood rushed south. Unprompted visions of a hand on his cheek, warm pink lips meeting his, her fingers brushing through his hair danced through his head. Left powerless by her magic, completely at her mercy. More fodder for his forbidden fantasies, best packaged away and stored until he was alone.

“Maybe I overdid it with the warming charm, you've gone a little pink,” Granger commented, holding his gaze with her warm chestnut eyes. “Anyway you know why we couldn't bring wands. And you can't deny it was successful. I'll credit you in my article for Magic.” 

 

 

“It's getting dark,” Draco said as he looked up from his book, the words disappearing into the page in the twilight. Granger had stowed several books in the glove box and offered him one to pass the time, a ragtag group going to trick a dragon - he doubted it would end well. He was immensely grateful for the occasional warming charm Granger kept throwing his way.

“Hmm, I think we might be spending the night here. I'll just…” Granger opened the door and a gust of icy wind rushed in. Draco pulled his jacket tighter around him. 

He heard the click of the boot and then a dull thud as it shut again. Granger clambered into the back seat of the car. 

“Right, I've got some blankets, food, water, no hot drinks though sadly.”

“My, my, quite the preparation.”

“Don't be so sarcastic,” she shot back at him. “If you want me to share, you'll just have to play nice.”

“You'd leave me to suffer?” Draco raised an eyebrow.

“Don't tempt me.” 

 

 

“Granger, I'm cold,” Draco whined from his position, slouched in the passenger seat, bundled up under the blankets she’d passed to him earlier.

“Stop complaining, so am I,” she snapped. 

He yelped as a jolt passed down his arm. “What was that?”

“Warming charm with added zap,” she said, giggling.

He rubbed his arm, soothing the stinging sensation the hex had left. Granger had cocooned herself in her blankets, but he could still see her shivering. He didn't want to freeze to death on some unnamed road in the Scottish Highlands. He could just picture the headlines 'Former Death Eater complicit in death of Wizarding's brightest prospect'.

A terrible, but also wonderful, idea struck him. He pushed it down, she would never agree. 

The snow was falling more heavily, it had drifted up across the windscreen. Encasing them in an icy tomb. He pulled the blanket tighter, tucking his feet up under him. Granger's teeth were chattering. 

He was so cold. What's the worst that could happen if he made his suggestion? He doubted she could actually seriously harm him without her wand, well she could slap him but at least then his cheek would be warm. “We could share,” he suggested. Granger looked across at him, she appeared puzzled rather than angry. “The blankets,” he explained.

“You want us to sleep together?” Granger said incredulously.

“Obviously, what a glorious setting for a midnight romp,” he said, gesturing at the back seat of the tatty muggle vehicle. Granger glared at him, he averted his eyes, adding quietly, “It'd just be warmer together.”

“Fine,” Granger said, her voice quiet and unsure.

He climbed onto the back seat, dragging his blankets with him. He held out an arm and Granger snuggled into his side, draping the blankets over them and tucking them in at the sides. He allowed his arm to relax, letting his hand fall onto her waist. 

Their shared warmth stilled his shivering. Her breathing settled into a regular pattern and he allowed it to lull him to sleep. 

 

 

A low rumble woke Draco. Granger had shifted in the night so she now lay across his lap with her knees tucked up, her head pressed against his chest. At some point they'd laced their fingers together and their joined hands rested on her stomach. His other hand supported her shoulder, hidden under her mass of curls. She looked so peaceful just lying there, serene and beautiful with her mane of bushy hair splayed out like a halo. Forgetting himself for a moment he landed a sleepy kiss in her hair.

“Draco?” she murmured. He froze, realising where he was and what he'd just done. She snuggled in closer, her hand snaking up under his shirt. He forced himself to remain still, afraid any movement would startle her. Indulging in the feeling of her fingers tracing his scars, they were incredibly sensitive so he had to fight not to squirm. He was sure to regret not stopping her when she hexed him later, but for now he could imagine she was his. His face was buried in her curls, his nostrils full of the delicate combination of jasmine and vanilla.

The rumbling was growing louder. Granger shifted in his arms craning her neck to look over his shoulder and out the back window. “It's a snow plough,” she said brightly, looking back at him. She made no move to release herself from his grasp.

“A what?”

“We’re being rescued, it'll push the snow out of the way,” she explained.

“Oh, that's… good then.” Draco's stomach churned, he glanced down at their fingers still laced together. “Have Christmas with me?” he murmured.

“At the Manor?” Granger’s grip tightened.

“Shit, no, sorry, that's a terrible idea. Forget it.” He closed his eyes and rested his head on the window, the rescue couldn't come soon enough. How could he be so stupid? Of course she wouldn't want to spend time with him, after what he'd done, what he'd not prevented.

“Draco?” Warm fingers brushed hair from his forehead. “Come to mine instead?”

“Really?” he said, opening his eyes to find her face inches from his. Her breath was warm on his lips.

“Yes.” She grinned. “And maybe we could pay Harry and Theo a visit…”

Draco snorted a laugh, imagining their faces if he and Granger arrived together. Then, the gap closed between them and he lost himself in the sensation of her soft lips caressing his.

Chapter 2: Christmas

Chapter Text

Draco paced in front of his floo, pulling on his cuffs. He took a deep breath, he could do this. She had invited him. Unbelievable as it may seem, she wanted to spend at least part of Christmas with him.

After they'd been rescued by the snow plough, Granger had gingerly driven them back to the Bed and Breakfast to retrieve their wands. They'd had a stilted conversation in the hallway, Granger's cheeks flushed a brilliant and beautiful pink. Draco’s heart had raced in his chest as she'd confirmed that he should floo to hers at 1pm on Christmas afternoon before they went to see Theo and Potter. He'd gathered his belongings and they'd parted company at the nearby apparition point, he'd risked planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. She'd flashed him a brilliant smile before twisting and disappearing from sight.

He'd spent Christmas Eve pondering what he could possibly give her as a present. Was jewellery too forward? He wasn't even sure what their status now was, were they friends, dating? He'd not been brave enough to ask. He'd settled on a first edition of a book on charms that he'd pilfered from the Manor library before moving into his flat and a potted poinsettia that his mother had grown in one of her greenhouses. 

He looked up at the clock as it chimed one o'clock. Granger valued punctuality. He grabbed a handful of floo powder, and before he could reconsider, threw it into the fireplace. The green flames swirled up into the chimney as he stepped in, calling, “Granger Cottage.”

He stepped into her lounge, dusting the floo powder from his crimson jumper. There was no sign of Granger, but her squashed-face orange kneazle eyed him warily from his position on the pale blue sofa. The cat stretched, pulling his claws along the fabric menacingly as his tail flicked from side to side.

“Granger,” he called, his voice a little unsteady. Had she changed her mind? Surely she would have closed her floo if he'd been uninvited. “Hermione?”

“Sorry,” she shouted back. “Be with you in a minute. Make yourself at home.”

He placed her presents on the coffee table and decided against braving the sofa and its irritable occupant. Instead he perused her bookshelves; she had a wide range of literature, living up to her bookworm reputation. He saw several books on charmwork grouped together, but thankfully not a copy of the one he'd chosen for her.

“Malfoy.” He turned to see her framed in the doorway, a shimmering emerald green dress clung to her curves. She'd pinned her hair up and interlaced it with tiny silver stars that flickered. She was stunningly beautiful. He stood, speechless. She stepped towards him. “Are you okay?”

He nodded mutely, warmth rising in his cheeks. She reached out a hand towards him, and gaining control over his body he grasped it and raised it to his lips. She giggled as he brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “You look ravishing,” he murmured.

“Thank you, you don't scrub up too badly yourself.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze dropping momentarily to his mouth. Her fingers were warm in his. “So, how are we playing this?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

She gestured between them. “Are we telling them? Or having some fun?” He felt like he was soaring as she confirmed they were something, more than friends at any rate.

“Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a Slytherin?” he asked, employing a little occlumency to avoid grinning like a lunatic 

“Just that little issue of my blood status,” she replied. Draco scowled, and Granger slipped her hand into his hair, using her thumb to smooth the creases out of his cheek. “It was a joke," she said softly. "I know you don't think like that anymore.”

“I wrote to Theo,” Draco offered, dropping her hand and turning away.

“What did he say?”

Draco handed her the piece of parchment from his pocket. The elegant cursive displayed in a shimmering silver ink. She read it out, in a good approximation of Theo's playful tone.

Draco, talk about leaving things to the last minute. We'll deign to endure your presence. Harry's invited Hermione and she's also coming. Be on your best behaviour! I don't want to end up sleeping on the sofa and you no doubt want your idiotic poncy hair to remain blonde. Theo

Granger laughed, “And are you going to be on your best behaviour?” She kissed the tip of his nose. “Anyway, I had a similar letter from Harry.” She passed him the scrawled note on the back of what appeared to be his shopping list.

Hermione, we'd love to see you at Christmas, no need to bring anything. Just so you know Theo invited the ferret and he's coming too. I’d appreciate it if you saved any hexes for outside of my house. Harry XX

“So no hexes,” she murmured. “But he didn't say anything about kisses.”

Draco swallowed as she stepped into him, she grazed his lips with her own. Far too quickly she stepped back.

“I got you something,” she said, looking down. She accioed a small red and gold wrapped package from on top of the bookcase and pressed it into his hand. She sat on the sofa, pulling the kneazle onto her lap and patting the seat next to her.

He sat down and slowly unwrapped the present. A selection of brightly coloured packets fell out.

“They are muggle sweets,” Granger explained. She pointed at them in turn. “Dairy milk chocolate, chocolate raisins, mints, and those are toffees. I didn't really know what to get you, but seeing as you keep complaining about my friend…” She shrugged.

“These are lovely,” Draco replied. “I'll just need to keep them away from that ginger thief.” He pointed at the presents on the coffee table. “I got you something as well.”

Granger positioned the plant on the mantlepiece with a wave of her wand. “Lovely and christmassy," she declared. Then, she unwrapped the book and gasped. “Oh, Draco, this is too much.” She tried to press it back into his hands.

“Rubbish, it was just collecting dust. I've got another anyway.”

“Ridiculous,” she muttered. But she leant to kiss his cheek. "Anyway, we best not be late. You go first, I'll follow in a minute.” She stood up.

Draco stepped through the green flames. Theo rose from the sofa. “Merry Christmas, Draco. Harry’s just putting the finishing touches to dinner.” 

The floo flared green again as Granger stepped through. Draco nodded stiffly at her, forcing his eyes to not travel the length of her elegant dress.

Theo held out an arm to her as he gave Draco a firm stare. “Looking lovely as always, Hermione.” He air kissed both her cheeks. “Happy Christmas.”

Theo ushered them into the dining room before disappearing along the corridor, a gaudily decorated tree sat in the corner and was flashing with bright red and green lights. Clashing silver and gold decorations included miniature lions and snakes. The table was set for four surrounding a large holly centrepiece containing three candles of differing heights.

Draco escorted Granger to her seat, pulling out the chair for her and pushing it in as she sat down.

Granger winked at him. “I see you've been indoctrinated with good manners.”

Draco glowered. “Being well-bred is hardly a crime.”

“Now, now, Draco, behave,” Theo chided as he reentered the room, levitating tureens laden with vegetables onto the table. Potter followed behind him, directing a turkey onto the table and then setting the knife to carve it.

“I am behaving,” Draco complained. “I'm being the perfect gentleman.”

Granger scoffed. Draco stilled as he felt something brush his calf; Granger was watching him carefully, her lip turned up at one side. 

“How's Narcissa?” Theo asked. “I'm surprised she allowed you to remain in England whilst she travelled.”

“I'm not a child,” Draco sneered. Something, possibly a foot, was rubbing up and down his leg; his heart beat a little faster.

“True,” Theo mused. “But surely you wanted to meet all those delightful witches she had arranged for you to become acquainted with in France.”

“How do you know about my mother's plans?” Draco snapped; those witches were not delightful - they were always insipid, galleon-diggers. Fingers dug into his thigh, hidden under the table, he stifled a groan as he struggled to not look across at Hermione. He thought they were keeping their new status a secret? Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her smiling. Well, two could play at that game.

“We have tea with her every week,” Potter interjected. Draco glared at him, why on earth was his mother taking tea with the boy wonder? Potter continued, “It started as part of her probation conditions. And then when I met Theo she insisted we continue coming.” Potter raised a hand to caress Theo's cheek, Theo’s tongue flicked out to moisten his lips as he gazed lovingly at Potter.

Draco cleared his throat and both men looked back at him.

“But I forgot,” Theo said. “You prefer your witches with a bit of bite. Ever since third…” 

“That's quite enough of that,” Draco interrupted Theo, glaring at him. He did not need Theo sharing secrets he'd spilled under veritarserum, he'd known that going to Theo's after being questioned at the ministry was a bad idea but he'd thought it less dangerous than speaking to his mother before the potion wore off.

“Hermione's always enjoyed a bit of danger,” Potter added. “She rode a dragon once.”

“We rode a dragon, Harry. And it was hardly through choice.” Draco used the opportunity of Granger's indignation at Potter to brush his fingers across the front of her dress, her muscles tensed under his touch.

“No,” Potter said with a laugh. “But I think that's why Molly tried to set you up with Charlie. All your talk of the poor mistreated dragon. You'd have been two kindred spirits.”

Granger grinned, lacing her fingers into his and pushing his hand lower. “We had a perfectly lovely time on our date, but I'm not exactly his type. Wrong anatomy.” She dropped his hand and gestured towards her breasts, the green fabric dipped in a tantalising v shape displaying a sliver of skin. The room was suddenly very warm. Granger’s hand slid back onto his thigh and he looked up from her chest; her eyes glinted mischievously.

Potter pulled a disgusted face. “There's no need for that, Hermione.”

“If you've got ‘em, flaunt them,” Theo said, now staring at Draco. Draco’s heart was trying to escape from his ribcage as Granger crept her hand ever up, drawing circles on his thigh. 

“She'd have had more luck setting you up with Charlie,” Granger said, looking at Potter, as her hand continued its upward trajectory.

“Don't give her ideas,” Potter muttered.

“No one is setting Harry up with anyone,” Theo growled, wrapping an arm possessively around his boyfriend's waist.

Granger laughed and they settled to enjoying the food. Potter really was an excellent chef, not that Draco would ever admit that out loud.

Full and sated, they sat sipping wine around the table after the meal. “We don't mind doing the washing up,” Granger offered. Draco looked down at his hands, these perfect fingernails were not made for menial labour. Didn't Potter and Theo own a house elf? “Do we?” Granger added pointedly, her hand was back on his leg, it inched further up his thigh.

"No, no, of course not.” His voice came out slightly strained as her hand edged higher still. 

“Excellent, come along then.” She jumped up from her seat and sauntered out of the door. Her dress clung to all of her curves, accentuating her hips.

Draco followed her into the kitchen, crowding her against the worktop with a hand on either side of her body. She leant back, looking up at him. 

“What was that?” he murmured into her ear, pushing his body against hers. It felt like she'd been taunting him for hours, he didn't attempt to hide his interest.

She giggled, her hand snaking around his waist and up under his jumper. “A ploy… to get you alone.” She definitely should have been in Slytherin. “Are you enjoying yourself, Draco?” She elongated the syllables of his name, sending a shudder through him.

“Witch,” he started, before Granger's lips closed on his, her hand curling in his hair pulling him down towards her. She tugged on his hair and he groaned, allowing her to slip her tongue into his mouth. He kissed her back ravenously, desperately. The last two hours of her teasing making this moment all the sweeter. Red wine mixed with cinnamon, she tasted of Christmas. Not breaking the kiss he lifted her onto the worktop, nudging her knees apart with his legs. 

“I knew it,” Theo's shocked voice broke their kiss. Draco was panting, Granger looked exquisite with kiss swollen lips and her hair even more untamed than usual.

“Knew what?” Potter appeared next to Theo, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Oh!” His eyes flickered from Draco to Granger, back to Draco.

“We can explain,” Draco started, taking a step away from Granger and twisting to hide the front of his trousers. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to smooth it down. His other hand dropped to his wand pocket, the cool wood reassuring in his fingers.

“What's there to explain? We are grown adults, we make are own choices.” She pointed at Potter, whose mouth was opening and closing like a gulping plimpy. “And you, don't say anything. You’ve got your own Slytherin, don't criticise mine.”

Potter held his hands up. Theo whispered something into his ear and he blushed quaffle red as they both disappeared from the doorway.

“Mine?” Draco murmured into her ear. She answered him with a resumption of their kiss. His hands tangled in her hair as she pressed him up against the wall.

“Mine,” she confirmed, meeting his lips once more.