A Thousand Miles from Yesterday

As November flew by, Draco was getting the hang of Muggle life at home, but was getting more and more restless. By mid December he was getting as moody as a Blast-Ended Skrewt. He missed flying; missed friends even if he didn't really have anyone left, missed the simple things like his mother's Yuletide decorations and sweets. And the fact that he hadn't been able to contact her at all during his time here was driving him over the edge. At dinner on the evening of seventeenth, John Granger had had enough and decided to contact Arthur Weasley to hear if Hermione, as Draco's lawyer, could ask the Chief Warlock permission for Draco to at least send a Christmas card to his mother and be allowed to receive Christmas presents from family and friends. Later that night he had used the floo-network to get a hold at Arthur "It is killing us to see him so heartbroken! And since Hermione left to join you at the Burrow, he hasn't had anybody to talk to while we are at work… Please, Arthur, isn't there away?"

"Well, John… I will talk to my boys to see if they have time to visit Draco… Know Fred and George have been asking about him… I will check with the Wizengamot myself, maybe if he writes the letters and someone else sends them?" And the two men, wizard and dentist, said goodnight. John hoped for the boy's sanity something could be arranged so he wouldn't be miserable all the time.

Draco was lying on his bed, listening to some cd's he had bought the last time in London. He knew it was unfair the way he treated John and Katie and for all the wrong reasons. He wasn't mad at them, he was mad with himself. When Hermione had told them that she was going to stay at the Burrow for Christmas and probably wouldn't be home before New Years day, he had felt a rush of mixed feels. He was relieved he didn't have to see her every day, but miserable at the exact same thing. He kept telling himself she was spoken for and that even if they got to that point it wouldn't ever work between them. She was his only same-age companion in the Muggle world so it looked like he would get extremely lonely, as Katie and John worked long shifts at the dentist-office. He thanked his mother for making him study Occlumency, as he wished Hermione a happy holiday with a fake smile and took his dishes to the sink then asked if it was alright for him to watch some TV and headed for the living room as John nodded.

Hermione had left next morning with a promise to call them to wish them a happy Christmas. The thought of it being very near Christmas made him gloomy, as it would be odd not to be able to wish his mother a happy Christmas. Simple thing… But as it dawned on him completely he had avoided the living room entirely, so not to be tempted to break the rules and call Narcissa through the floo-network. And that meant not being there when Hermione called home, but her giggles and laughter as she told them of all the fun she was having, reached him anyway. H felt utterly gutted by missing out on the Christmas fun. Katie tried her best to make it nice for him leaving healthy snacks like cinnamon apples in the kitchen for him as she left with John for work. But he missed his family, his friends… Hell, he even missed Pansy… Rising to look at himself in the mirror he shook his head, "You're sick Malfoy…!" Missing the sow that ratted out his mother's whereabouts to the ministry to save her own skin? "You're mental!"

A light tap on the door made him turn around. "Come in." Katie opened the door slightly, smiling with beaming eyes "Dear…you have a visitor." Frowning in wonder, he asked if that was allowed. He was rather curious as to who it was and tried to look around Katie. His jaw dropped as she stepped aside and let a hooded lady into the room. "Mother?!" Narcissa lowered the hood and sent a polite smile to Katie. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger," and Katie took the hint and closed the door.

Taking off her long gloves, she looked around the room with a look of mild disapproval and clicked her tongue, making Draco grin. "You're such a snob!" This made Narcissa widen her eyes in shock, but the burst out in low giggles. "Well, I am a Black by birth… How could I be anything else?!" Reaching her hands out to her son, she smiled as he took them and lifted them to his lips, then pulled her into his arms. "Oh, I thought I would lose my mind, not having the chance to see you before Christmas," he whispered into her hair then let go, leading her to sit on his bed, taking the place at her feet. She ran her eyes up and down him, again clicking her tongue in displeasure. "Muggle-clothing and a slave-band… It is horrid!" She sighed and shook her head as Draco declared his liking of these jeans and said he was turning Muggle, making her grin.

"How are things at home?" Draco asked and Narcissa sighed and said things were as well as could be expected. Lucius hadn't taken the idea of being without magic that well and had on more that one occasion threatened to commit suicide, but up until now he had been too much of a coward to do anything about his threats. She admitted she had thought about divorcing him at first, being furious that he refused to help his son at his trial. "But for some very strange reason I still care immensely for your father." She continued to tell of the ongoing and vast changes to the Manor making it Muggle friendly, so Lucius didn't have to ask the elves or his wife for help every time he needed something. Letting out a small childish giggle she told Draco of the first time he had to make himself some food. He hadn't realized you have to cook an egg before peeling it; the result… Egg whites dripping from his nose as the egg exploded, when he squeezed it a little too tight. Draco snickered, picturing his father's rage at the fact he would suck as a Muggle. The two Malfoy's talked for hours, only interrupted as Katie brought up some herbal tea and organic rice crackers.

When Narcissa left he had been updated with all the gossip of the Wizarding World. His trial had been on all the front-pages. The Daily Prophet had portrayed him as a whimpering mother's boy that would rather be in Azkaban with his parents, terrified to be out in the world alone. Rita Skeeter had wondered why anyone would defend him as she knew for a fact he couldn't be trusted. "And him saving the Weasley boy, I can only believe it was an accident. Maybe Draco Malfoy planned on using him as a shield, one will never know for sure!" Draco had just shaken his head and said people could think what they wanted, he didn't really care. "That is what shows you still are a Malfoy by heart, my sweety! You make me proud!"

As he went down the stairs for dinner, the gloomy mood had lifted enough for him to give a smile and make a gracious comment on the meal. As they finished he offered to do the dishes as thanks for pulling some strings. Katie came up behind him and gave him a hug, reminding him to keep the gauze dry and call her when he was done. "I'll change it for you before bedtime… You are a good boy, Draco," making John laugh and ask if he had to worry about Draco running of with his wife "Oh, John, don't be silly," Katie hissed and rolled her eyes, saying Draco was the son she never had and left with a offended grunt, leaving Draco leaning against the tabletop in laughter.

On the morning before Christmas Draco was watching the telly as Hermione's voice called from the fireplace. "Mom… Mom please are you there…" she sounded so distressed that Draco jumped up and took three steppes towards the fireplace before remembering he couldn't use the floo-network, with a growl of desperation he stopped. Hermione's voice changed, realizing he would be in trouble for answering her. "If anyone can hear this… Please make Katie Granger call me… fast!" A whoosh ended the connection. Draco took the stairs in four jumps and knocked a little hard on the master bedroom's door, apologizing for the rude awakening, but Hermione needed her mother… fast. A very confused and shaking Katie rushed by him and he could hear John rumble around in the room. "I'll… I'll be in my room… Door closed!" Draco murmured and walked backwards towards his room, his mind screaming in worry. What had Hermione so worked up?!

He stayed in his room till someone knocked on the door. "Ye…" John entered with a pissed off look on his face, asking if he could have a sit. Draco gestured towards the bed closing the door and leaning up against it. A few moments of complete silence followed, then John asked if Draco had heard Katie and Hermione's conversation. Draco shook his head feeling that there was something very wrong with this. Draco could hear the anger in John's voice as he spoke. "So… You don't know that seemingly… My daughter, my Hermione, is being harassed by hate mail… For defending you."

"WHAT!" Draco pushed of the door. John told that Rita Skeeter had asked every witch and wizard ever hurt by any Malfoy to write to the ministry demanding a new trial for Draco Malfoy, as the little know-it-all Hermione Granger only had defended him for him saving her friend and it should be considered a conflict of interest to have her defending him. "WHAT!" Draco couldn't believe his ears. John mentioned that someone had sent her a dead orange cat wrapped as a Christmas gift with a sign that said "Please open now – Draco" on it, which made Draco's fists open and shut rapidly and his normal light grey eyes go black.

"I see you are as… mad doesn't seem to be quite a strong enough word for it… as her mother and I am!" John said and nodded, "Good… Arthur Weasley is taking this to the Minister of Magic himself demanding the ministry to stop this… this… insanity." Standing up he placed both hands on Draco's shoulders telling him not to do anything stupid, but they though he had a right to know. As he walked out and closed the door, Draco turned and smashed his hand into the wall. With a growl of anger and pain he make a vow to get even with the one behind this once he was allowed to do magic again. "You messed with the wrong Wizard, Skeeter!" he hissed and hit the wall once more with such force it made his knuckles bleed.

The last day's event put something of a chill on the Christmas joy. Katie had made a fine Christmas dinner with tofu-turkey for her and John and a roasted duck for Draco, who ate about half although he wasn't that hungry. Later they opened the door for some carolers singing "Joy to the world," making Draco turn away laughing at the irony of it and just couldn't take it seriously. Sitting down in the settee and starring at the blank TV he wondered if he just should go to bed.

"Want to play a game or something, dear?" Katie said, in a trying-hard-to-be-cheerful voice. Draco sighed and said it might be a great idea to get their minds off stupid witches doing stupid things. And to his astonishment it did help a little as Katie placed a game called Blokus on the table. "It's a tactical game," Katie explained. "You have to get rid of all you piece before I do, but you must only connect your pieces by the corners… It is harder that it sounds."

John sat down by the fire with a book and couldn't help but smile as Draco got more and more into the game. "Nooo… I was planning to place MY piece there… Hmm… There!" And so an hour went by before Katie placed her final piece with a that-was-that giggle. "Tea anyone?" She fluttered out into the kitchen as Draco tried to figure out where he had lost the game. John laughed and said he had learned no one would beat his wife at that game. "I prefer chess, more a battle of minds that knowing where to put your piece to block the opponent." Draco sighed and smiled, saying he too preferred chess. He said he considered himself one of the best Hogwarts had seen, with a smirk and a lifting of his brow in a challenge John couldn't resist. "Think you can beat me, do you son…? Put some action where your words are, then."

Katie smiled at the sight that met her when she entered the living room. Two very serious looking men staring at a black and white board, one younger, one older, but both so concentrated they didn't notice her at all. And they looked very puzzled as they realized two cups of steaming hot tea and a bowl of Christmas cookies had appeared by itself next to them on the table. This made Katie giggle as she paused from her knitting; a habit she had acquired from the last seven years of knowing Mrs. Weasley. "Didn't you know I could do magic?" Winking to them she turned back to her work and continued knitting a top for Hermione.

The clock in the hall struck eleven before Draco smiled and knocked John's king down. "Checkmate… Still undefeated." Stretching and yawning he thanked them both for making it a fairly alright Christmas after all. "Goodnight!" He shook John's hand and gave Katie a hug then headed up the stairs yawning, longing for his bed and sleep.

The next morning he awoke to Christmas carols drifting in to his room. Smiling with still closed eyes he sent his mother a warm thought and laughed silently as his stomach roared when the sweet smell of newly baked bread reached his nostrils. Katie Granger sure could cook, bake and practically anything you could do in a kitchen. As he got dressed he wondered if they would like his presents and if there were any for him. Walking down the stairs he felt kind of childish, fearing there weren't any presents for him, but by the look of all the beautiful and creative wrapped gifts under the tree, he smiled, knowing some of them had to be to him.

"Merry Yule… or something." Katie and John stood in the kitchen door holding each other. "Here in our house we eat breakfast before opening any gifts… So in to the kitchen…March!" John grinned and held the door open for Draco, who looked at the glittering jewels under the tree one last time and with a great sigh and walked into the kitchen to the most over flowing morning table he had seen since Hogwarts. Sitting down he gave a crooked smile. "You're crazy Mrs. Granger! Just crazy… But man it looks nice!" Filling his plate with buttery toast, sausages and scrambled eggs, he thought that living like a Muggle wasn't that bad.

A loud ringing from the choker round his neck made him jump in his seat and murmur "What the hell…" He realized it didn't seem as tight as before. Looking puzzled at the Grangers, they all turned the heads to the living room door as a voice echoed from the other side of the door: "Congratulation, Draco Malfoy, on accepting that Muggles are people too! The ministry will from now on allow you access to the floo-network in the matters of calls to family and the Burrow. Yuletide blessings!" Turning his head slowly back, not sure he had heard right, he asked if that meant he would be able to call his mother and the Weasleys anytime he wanted? And when Katie nodded eyes shining, he beat a little drum roll on the table grinning. "Well… Do you need more presents today or was that enough?" John said pulling his wife close. "Well, now all those pretty parcels have been looking forward to be ripped apart… We shouldn't disappoint them… Shall we?" And they ran to the tree laughing like children.

Draco turned the silver pocket watch in his palm; it was beautifully decorated with an engraved serpent entwined in the letter M. It was clearly goblin made, but told time the Muggle way. It must have cost his parents a fortune. He smiled and past it to Katie who let out a sigh of awe. "It is so beautiful… A treasure!" she whispered and pasts it to John who nodded and gave it back to Draco.

"Open yours Katie, the one from me please?" Draco said with a smile and she looked at him with a funny smile "When did you…" She let out a little 'oh' as she realized he had bought her favourite perfume. "Thank you dear…So thoughtful of you… You didn't need to!" Draco just shook his head and looked as John un-wrapped a leather almanac with his initials embroidered in the cover; he took John's nod and smile as a sign it was the right gift.

From them he got the black denim jacket he had seen in Marks and Spencer and he had yelled in excitement. Fred and George had sent him a two-by-two box of books, candy, card games, pencils and other Muggle things and a note to write them soon! Harry had sent him a London-Guide to shows, musicals and events, Ron and Ginny had joined forces and sent him a CD with The Weird Sisters and their greeting recorded as first number. From the rest of the Weasley clan he got a card and a dark green jumper with a D on it. "Bloody Hell, I've gotten a Weasley-jumper!" He murmured as he held it high wrinkling his nose as Katie told him it was kind of nice.
As he picked up the last small parcel he realized it had to be from Hermione. Hands shaking slightly, thinking of the present he had sent her, he slipped a small woven band out of the envelope. "Ahhh, she made you a friendship-wristband… Green seems to be the chosen colour for you this year… What does it say?"

Draco turned it around and read out loud "Fate chooses your relations - You choose your friends" and smiled at the subtle way she said it. She hadn't forgotten his father's denial of his son and reminded him that she saw him as a friend now, merely a friend, but he could live with that. "Help me put it on, please?" When Katie asked what he had gotten Hermione, Draco grinned and said "Something similar to this," shaking his head as he looked at the cotton-band. He had bought her a thin gold wristband with a lightweight golden four clover charm engraved with the word 'Thanks.' "Something similar," he grinned.

Hermione sat playing with the small four clover charm on her wrist, staring out of the window, watching Ron, Harry, Ginny and the Twins playing Quidditch in the snow. Ron had looked so jealous when she lifted the fine gold bracelet from the velvet box, murmuring it was the kind of gift you gave a girlfriend not JUST a friend. This make Ginny slap him and said that it clearly was a thank-you gift, nothing more, so he should go hex himself for even thinking that. "She saved him from Azkaban, Ron… Wouldn't you be thankful…? And see… SEE it even say THANKS…! Imbecile…" Hermione smiled at Ron and said they were just friends, but her mind had been racing trying to determine if there was more behind the bracelet than a sign of friendship.

And sitting here playing with the charm, her mind played with the thought… Him, Draco Malfoy, being interested in her, Hermione Granger… It sounded farfetched and not likely… But…? "Get a grip on yourself, silly girl… It is only friendship!" She yelled at herself and grinned as Fred and George conjured a massive ball of snow and hurled it at Harry just as he was about to catch the snitch, sending him tumbling to the ground landing in a pile of snow.