Secret Smile. *Complete*

Merry Christmas

Hermione woke up the next morning, way way too early! She knew it, but it was another Christmas tradition that she wanted to keep.

She checked her watch to see that it was 5.35am. She turned to see Draco sleeping very peacefully next to her. She didn't dare wake him. A grumpy Draco was not what anyone wanted on Christmas morning.

She very quietly climbed out of bed and slid on her slippers before creeping to the door. She very quietly and carefully opened the door, slipped out, and closed it behind her. She was rather proud of the fact that she managed it without waking him or making him stir.

She crept to the top of the stairs.

"If only you could see how ridiculous you look right now," she heard a familiar voice behind her say. She spun around to see Blaise leaning against his bedroom door.

"Why are you up so early?" Hermione asked.

"Same as you. It's Christmas! I always get up early on Christmas." Blaise smirked. "I fancy some hot chocolate, fancy a cup?"

"That's exactly what my plan was," Hermione giggled as the twins made their way downstairs and into the kitchen.

It became obvious very quickly that Blaise was used to having someone at his beck and call 24/7 as he wasn't even sure where the milk was kept in the kitchen.

"You sit, and I will make it," she chuckled at her bother.

She added milk to the pan and lit the fire underneath and began to stir.

"Did you get up early in your adoptive parents' home?" Blaise asked, placing his hands on the counter he was sitting at.

"Yeah. My parents would sleep on, but I was always up early downstairs. I would read until they came . We had to open our presents together."

"Sometimes I can't believe the difference in our upbringings. I was brought up by our grandparents, and let me tell you, it was miserable. They were strict and didn't believe in affection or spending time as a family. It's no wonder our father ended up the way he did."

"What was he like? Father, I mean." She was shocked that she even asked it. She told herself when she found out she was a Zabini, that she was better off not knowing him. But now she found herself wondering what he was like.

Blaise sat up, giving her his full attention. "Well...to me he was...dad. He wasn't exactly affectionate, but I mean, neither were his parents. He didn't know how to deal with a baby, which is why I was left with our grandparents. He would come and see me every week to make sure I was behaving and working hard on my lessons. He was a tall man. I suppose he looks a little like me. Same eyes and hair. He was very well educated and always spoke verpropery ."

Hermione nodded.

"I don't know if he was necessarily evil Hermione. He was fascinated with power, which is what drew him to the Dark Lord. He was foolish. Thought he was invincible. Unstoppable. He had brains and money, which is what appealed to Ole Voldy. He always talked about how I would join his ranks someday. How I would become a Death Eater when I turned 16 years old. Spent my whole childhood preparing me for it. But when the time came, he didn't do it. He didn't make me join. I have no idea why. Maybe he didn't think I was good enough. Maybe he wanted to spare me from that life. I have no clue."

"Was he caught?" Hermione asked.

Blaise shook his head. "Turned himself in. I would say it was because he knew it was only a matter of time before they came looking for him."

"What about our grandparents?"

"Sharp as tacks the pair of them. But they always wanted the best for me. I had the best clothes, best tutors, and best broom. I got everything but their love. Grandfather died in August last summer, and Grandmother died three weeks later. The summer between 6th and 7th year, I cared for them both. I was late back to school last year because of their funerals. Snape came and took me to school."