Goodbye, Potter!

The castle's entrance hall was especially lively on the day the Christmas holidays began.

Students dragged trunks outside, owls flapped their wings in cages, and occasionally someone turned back toward the stairs to fetch something left in their dormitory.

Fine snow drifted outside, and several carriages stood in the courtyard, a shallow ring of white already gathering around their wheels.

Draco stood to one side of the entrance hall, her luggage neatly packed.

By all rights, she should have been very happy now.

Mum had said in her letter that the Christmas tree was already decorated at home. The present Dad had promised must surely have been waiting beneath it long ago, ready for her to come home and unwrap.

Yet the girl held her bag and lingered without stepping outside.

She glanced toward the stairs again.

That idiot hadn't run off to practise magic first thing again today, had he? What about his Christmas present...

"Miss, the carriage is ready," Goyle reminded her quietly. "Aren't we leaving yet?"

"I know."

Crabbe looked at her, then into the castle, and could not help asking, "But you've already looked that way several times..."

Draco slowly turned her head.

"Crabbe, have you been feeling rather empty-headed lately?"

Crabbe rubbed his head blankly. "No."

"Then stop talking nonsense!"

The two girls immediately shut their mouths. After a while, however, Goyle stole another glance at her.

"Miss, do you not want to go home?"

"How could that be!" Draco immediately withdrew her gaze. "I simply have a little unfinished business."

"What business?"

"None of yours." The girl folded her arms again, trying hard to maintain her dignity, but her gaze drifted toward the depths of the corridor once more.

Of course she wanted to go home.

It was just that, thinking of all those days ahead when she would not be unable to hear that idiot calling to her with a smile, she felt a little something she could not describe-

Pah, it was not being able to practise magic together!

Besides, with Potter staying at school, who knew what strange things he might discover again.

Weasley was here too?

What use was that? It would be good enough if he didn't join in the commotion!

Draco gave a soft huff and suppressed those rather inappropriate thoughts.

I'm only worried they'll cause Hogwarts more trouble.

It absolutely isn't because I can't bear to leave.

"Goyle, Crabbe, merry Christmas."

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind them.

All three turned at once. Harry was walking over from the stairs, carrying a paper bag of presents.

Draco's eyes widened slightly, and the corners of her tightly set mouth quietly relaxed a little.

At last.

But why had he greeted them first?!

Harry walked up to the two girls, took out two small boxes first, and handed one to each.

"Christmas presents for you."

Goyle took his instinctively, looked down at the box, then back up at him.

"For... us?"

"Yes." Harry nodded with a smile. "I've given you plenty of trouble, too. I hope you like them."

Crabbe held his box, momentarily forgetting to speak.

They had thought all they needed to do today was carry their mistress's luggage and wait with her until Potter arrived.

They had never expected presents of their own.

The boxes were small, containing two flavours of magical sweets, but the wrapping had been beautifully chosen.

Goyle carefully touched the ribbon on his, finally collected himself, and hurriedly thanked him.

Standing beside them, Draco looked at Harry, then at her two visibly delighted followers, and suddenly felt something rather subtle.

This fellow hadn't even left them out.

What a Two-Faced Ghost, so good at winning people over!

Harry did not think there was anything particularly special about it. He steadied the remaining presents and gestured outside with a smile.

"Er... why don't you take the luggage out first?"

Goyle and Crabbe exchanged a glance and nodded almost simultaneously.

"Yes, we still need to check the trunks!"

"Miss, we'll wait for you by the carriage!"

The words had barely left their mouths before the two were heading outside, clutching their presents and dragging the large trunks. They moved so quickly that Draco did not even have time to speak.

"Goyle! Crabbe!"

Unfortunately, the two girls were clearly busy already.

Harry could not help laughing, and the girl immediately turned to glare at him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." He suppressed his smile and took the box out of the paper bag. "Merry Christmas, Draco."

As the box was offered to her, Draco's gaze immediately stopped.

She had already received that Red String, but had not expected Potter to prepare another present as well.

"Hmph. At least you didn't forget."

The girl accepted the box and opened the clasp.

Soft fabric lined the inside, with a transparent Snow Globe resting quietly in the centre.

A Silver-White Forest surrounded a Christmas tree, with a tiny star set into its top.

The moment her fingertip touched the base, a soft golden glow shone from the Star Lantern, following the branches down toward the foot of the tree, little by little.

Then the snow moved.

Tiny white flecks rose from among the trees, brushed gently past silver bells, and drifted toward the top of the glass globe.

The snow outside the window was falling, but this snowfall in her palm slowly flew toward the sky, just as it had in her memories.

Four little figures stood beneath the tree.

One with black hair, one with red hair, one holding a book, and a little girl with long hair spilling down her back and her chin raised with particular pride.

Beside them, a House-elf wearing an oversized Christmas hat raised both hands, as though he would happily shout his own name the very next moment.

The girl lowered her head and looked carefully once more.

The lights shining again, the wind as the sleigh swept over the treetops, and everyone standing beneath the tree, looking up at her-all of it suddenly returned.

"Potter, did you... make this?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Over the last few days." Harry looked at her. "It turned out quite well."

Draco did not answer. She gently turned the base, looking at the black-haired boy with glasses beside the little blond figure. Only after a moment did she huff quietly:

"You have some taste, at least."

Harry had still been a little worried, but those words finally put him at ease.

Especially since, when the girl put the Snow Globe back in its box, she even straightened the soft fabric beneath it again.

That should mean she liked it, right?

"Oh, and these two."

Draco had just closed the lid when two more presents appeared before her. She looked up, finally somewhat surprised.

"Why did you prepare so many?"

"These two aren't from me," Harry explained with a smile. "Ron and Hermione asked me to bring them to you."

The girl's movements paused slightly.

Weasley, and Granger?

She set the Snow Globe on the nearby windowsill and opened Ron's box first.

Inside was a large bag of magical sweets, with a card in rather untidy handwriting resting on top.

[Merry Christmas, Miss Malfoy.]

[I picked these sweets. Don't get the wrong idea. I just thought that since we've been through an adventure together, there's no need to skip Christmas presents too.]

[-Ron.]

Draco read it, then read it again, almost able to picture that red-haired fellow frowning as he wrote the card.

"Hmph. Weasley isn't quite so annoying this time."

"I'll pass that on to him."

"I never told you to pass it on!"

Holding back a laugh, Harry watched her return the card to the sweet box before handing her the other present.

Hermione had given her a small book with an elegant cover, about making little magical objects.

Draco opened it and discovered that several interesting passages had already been marked with thin slips of paper.

A note was tucked against the title page.

[I thought you'd find these things interesting. Perhaps we can even study them together in the future]

[Merry Christmas!]

[-Hermione.]

The girl looked at that last sentence, her fingers resting at the edge of the page.

In the future, they could even study them together.

So Granger had already been thinking of these things when she chose the book.

She looked down at the boxes on the windowsill and suddenly felt that her earlier troubles about leaving school seemed to have grown a little greater.

In the end, Draco could only huff softly. "Those two aren't quite so bad, either."

Harry smiled without teasing her further.

The girl tucked the note back into place, then, as though suddenly remembering something, bent to open the bag beside her and took out two gift boxes that had long since been wrapped.

"And these. Deliver them for me."

"For them?"

"Of course." She raised her chin. "Do I look like someone who knows nothing of etiquette?"

Harry looked at the names already affixed to the boxes, and the corners of his mouth slowly rose.

"It looks like you've become friends."

"Who-who's friends with them!" The girl immediately shoved the boxes into his hands. "Since they gave me presents, naturally I can't be discourteous."

"The one on the left is Granger's, and the one on the right is Weasley's. Don't mix them up."

Both boxes were wrapped very neatly. Ron's, in particular, had even been specially tied with a pretty ribbon, making it look more carefully prepared than the other.

Harry could not help asking, "What's inside?"

Draco paused, and a little of that familiar smugness suddenly appeared at the corners of her lips.

"He'll know when he opens it."

Harry looked at her, then at the box, and suddenly felt a little worried for Ron.

Nearly all the students in the entrance hall had left.

Draco put the presents away one by one. She looked down for a moment and suddenly felt that she did not necessarily have to leave right now.

Home was wonderful, of course.

But...

The girl gripped her bag and straightened her back again, as though she had finally made an extremely important decision.

"Oh, very well, Potter."

Harry looked up. "What?"

"Since you're so pitiful, I suppose I'll reluctantly stay and spend Christmas with you!"

Once she had said it, Draco actually felt a little more at ease.

It had taken me so much effort to make this decision. That idiot ought to be happy, at least, shouldn't he?

But Harry looked at her, paused briefly, and finally shook his head gently.

"Go home, Malfoy."

The smile that had just appeared on the girl's lips immediately froze.

"...What did you say?"

"You should go home and spend Christmas with your family."

Draco's grip on her bag slowly tightened.

She had thought Potter would, at most, tease her a little. She had even worked out how she would retort when he did.

But he actually didn't want her to stay?

The sound of wheels rolling over snow came from outside, and the girl suddenly felt that she had spoken far too quickly just now.

Why did I have to open my mouth?!

"Who said I was staying to keep you company!" She lowered her head, took the last small box from her bag, and tossed it into Harry's arms. "Take it!"

Harry caught it instinctively. "What's this?"

"Christmas present!"

Draco's cheeks had already reddened, and she spoke faster than before.

"I simply thought that you wearing black all day was an absolute eyesore. It's practically a waste of that... that reasonably passable face!"

Harry opened the box, revealing a silver Feather Brooch.

A small green gemstone was set amid the delicate feather markings.

It was the very one she had picked up at the market that day and asked his opinion of.

So the paper parcel she had hastily hidden really had been for him.

Harry raised his head. The girl had already picked up her bag and turned toward the door.

"Draco."

She did not look back, but her steps slowed slightly.

Harry held the box steady, his voice a little more serious than before.

"If you really stayed, of course I'd be very happy."

The girl finally stopped.

He looked at her back, only then realizing that what he had just said seemed too simple.

But worrying about him should not make Draco's holiday into something that left her hesitating even to go home.

Especially when she clearly had family waiting for her.

"I just don't want you to miss spending the holidays with your parents," Harry said softly. "Your mum must have prepared lots of things. They miss you very much, too."

Draco lowered her head, her fingers slowly loosening their grip on the bag a little.

Potter said he'd be happy.

As those words ran through her mind again, the hurt weighing on her heart finally grew a little lighter.

"Besides, Ron and the others are here too. You don't need to worry." Harry paused, then smiled again. "Of course, going home for the holidays is no excuse to get out of our duel."

"When you come back, I won't go easy on you."

Draco finally turned around. There was still a trace of displeasure at the corners of her eyes, but her familiar air was slowly returning.

"Who wants you to go easy on me!"

"All right, I'll practice seriously."

"And I'm going home because I already had plans. It has nothing to do with you!"

Harry nodded, answering very obligingly.

"Of course. Miss Malfoy has always moved at her own pace."

The girl glared at him, but it had nowhere near the force it had before.

Her gaze fell on the box in his hands. It lingered for a moment before she could not help reminding him, "You must take good care of that brooch."

Harry glanced down and took it out with a smile.

"It's beautiful. I really like it."

Draco's cheeks immediately grew hotter.

"Of course it is. When has my taste ever been poor?"

Harry said nothing more, merely lowering his head to pin the brooch to the collar of his black robes.

The silver feather rested against the dark fabric, its green gemstone glinting faintly, perfectly mirroring his eyes as he looked up.

As the girl watched, she finally failed to keep the corners of her mouth from rising.

Just as I thought, an excellent choice.

Nothing less than I'd expect of myself.

She immediately turned around, afraid Harry would see the smile on her face.

"All right, goodbye!"

Outside, Goyle and Crabbe had already opened the carriage door for her.

Draco walked down the steps, keeping the bag securely protected in front of her.

Fine snow settled on her golden hair and quickly melted into a trace of dampness, but she did not get into the carriage immediately. Instead, she looked back again.

Harry stood beneath the porch, the silver feather on his chest still strikingly conspicuous.

The girl watched him for a while, then suddenly raised her hand.

"Goodbye! Potter!"

This time, her voice was much clearer and brighter than before.

Harry waved with a smile.

"Goodbye, Draco."

The carriage slowly left the courtyard, and the castle receded bit by bit outside the window.

Once Draco had settled into her seat, she took out the Snow Globe again.

Her fingertips brushed lightly over its base, and the Star Lantern lit up again. Fine snow rose from the Silver-White Forest, swirling around the four little figures beneath the tree.

The girl watched for quite some time before putting it back in its box.

Her cuff slipped back a little with the movement, revealing the thin Red String around her wrist.

She reached out and touched its knot, thinking again of how Potter had looked when he pinned on the brooch and raised his head to look at her.

Damn it, that idiot...

Draco kept the gifts protected and leaned toward the carriage window.

Was she mad? She was actually already starting to look forward to the days after the Christmas holidays ended...

I wonder whether any of you have ever had a moment like this.

Even though the holidays are wonderful, because there's someone at school you quietly care about, you start looking forward to the day the holidays end...

And, as always, thank you all for your comments, requests for updates, and gifts! Thank you so much!

If you like this book, I also hope you'll leave a positive review and give it five stars to show your support~

If the rating goes up, I'll post extra updates~

Finally, I wish all my readers a merry Christ... ahem, I mean, I hope you're happy every day!