Love Made Us Blind

When December arrived, Alice could have sworn that the fifth graders had more homework than the rest of the school combined. She remembered sixth graders complaining in Beauxbatons when they passed their OWLs equivalent and she now finally understood what they meant when the girls whined that teachers just won't give them a break. She was jealous that her friends in France had a whole year before worrying about the most important examination of their lives because in Beauxbatons, they passed them in their sixth year. Between all their homework and Draco's prefect duties the only Gryffindor-Slytherin couple barely had any time for each other except to do their homework. At least now Alice could work in the comfort of the Slytherin common room, joined often by Rachelle. It started to feel just like last year. When they did their homework, Alice and Draco did not fight and when they had a little free time they did not waste it by bickering. This busy schedule was just what both of them needed to forget about previous fights, bury them without resolving them. But it didn't bother either of them who were quite content with their flightless relationship. Alice was counting down the days until their Christmas holidays which she would spend with Draco and his parents even if she had to endure her mother being there too. She had barely seen her mother during the summer holiday because Alice refused to spend more than a week in France with her and didn't even want to step a foot in the Lestrange Residence. The times that her mother would come to the Malfoy Mansion, Alice convinced her beaux to spend the day outside the house, far away. Narcissa, who used to be very close with Christiane Voltaire had enough power to force the couple to stay at dinners when the French witch came to visit but didn't impose it on Marie-Adelaide. Narcissa had always wanted a daughter and even if she loved her son to death it killed her watching Christiane sabotage her relationship with her daughter by treating her so harshly. It worked out quite well for her because when the Frenchwoman wasn't around, Narcissa treated Alice like if she was her own daughter. She grew attached to Draco's best friend very quickly and had started thinking her as her daughter in law before she reached seven, wishing her son would fall for her. She was more worried about the couple's relationship a lot more than she led on as Alice believed that she was so interested because it would mean Draco married someone from a pure-blood line. Harry and Ron still didn't give up on the theory that they haven't broken up yet because they were holding on to that idea; pure-blood relationship even if the couple was going to celebrate their anniversary. Alice haven't even thought about it until Rachelle came bursting in the Great Hall at the end of November, showing off to everyone the adorable kitten Blaise got her for their first anniversary. Alice smiled and giggled with her but a knot formed in her stomach as she started thinking about Christmas Eve and how it would be their official one year mark. Alice allowed herself stop worrying during DA class about everything and she was a little disappointed that tonight would be their last class before Christmas. After tonight, she'd have a whole week to worry about homework and her upcoming anniversary. Alice loved the DA classes more than she thought. She had grown very fond of Neville and they sometimes even forgot about their parent's history. She was grateful nobody knew about it and could only imagine the looks she'd receive as they both laughed and had fun together. He got way better and thanked Alice for being so patient with him instead of finding a better partner.

"Don't be silly." Alice laughed as he told her this at the beginning of their last meeting before Christmas. "It's all you. All it took was a little confidence."

"Addie!" Harry raced towards her "You look so cold! How did it go?"

Today were the Quidditch tryouts that Alice had waited for weeks. It was cold outside and not even the warmest cloak had kept her warm.

"I'm on the team." She beamed. "Angelina wasn't too crazy about it but I pretty much out flew everyone."

"You must be really amazing! I mean if you were stronger to beat the other guys..."

"Never mind that now." Alice said as she saw Hermione and Ron arrive "Are the coins ready?"

It was getting tiring to follow the Slytherin Quidditch schedule since during the winter they didn't practice as much and often got cancelled because of the weather. So Hermione thought of a brilliant way for a better communication: every member was getting a fake Galleon on which the time and date would be changed. As soon there was a modification, the coin got hotter.

"This reminds me of the Death Eaters scars... Voldemort touches them, their scar gets hot and they know they have to join him." Harry commented

"That's where to I got the idea. But I wouldn't engrave anything in their skins that would be crazy. But then Addie's heart gave me another idea. Why not communicate with objects like she does with Malfoy?"

This class was mostly revision. Everyone seemed to master most of the spells and does that still had problems, were helped by those who were better. Alice kept a close look on Harry and noticed a lot of interaction with Cho: a smile there, a look over here. She beamed thinking they could maybe start dating soon enough. She knew how much he liked Cho, it was obvious and it seemed every class, Cho's feelings for Harry were more noticeable. When they were done, she noticed Cho dragging her feet after convincing her friend Marietta to go on before her.

"Hey let's go." She said to Hermione and Ron

"What about Harry, aren't we waiting for him?" Ron asked as they left the room

Alice gave them her theory: how Harry and Cho needed a little privacy to talk so something could happen between them. Hermione got really excited and started exchanging her thoughts about Harry and Cho together which bored Ron to deaths. Guys never seemed to be willing to talk about these things. The three of them entered the common room and sat in their favourite space, waiting for Harry so he could fill them in.

"There seems to be a lot of outer-house couples lately." Hermione said "You and Malfoy, your friend Rachelle and her boyfriend, Ginny and Michael..."

"How about you Hermione? Any boys since Victor Krum or are Hogwarts boys plain after an international Quidditch player?"

Ron seemed to have reacted pretty badly to the plain Hogwarts boys comment since he angrily shifted in his seat, looking away as Hermione blushed.

"I can't see how you have time to maintain a relationship with all this OWLs preparation" She said, which was a rather lame excuse to some but it hit Alice in the heart

Why was it that the OWLs preparation was keeping their relationship solid? Why was talking about school and making out as far as they went this month. She hoped the break would save them, bring them closer. But for now she decided for everyone's sake to change the subject. Harry finally arrived half an hour later.

"So, did you have fun with Cho?" Alice asked as soon as he sat with them

"What did she want?" Ron asked with a little mocking tone in his voice

"She..." Harry repeated his words two more times, a little embarrassed that he was being forced to share these details with them. He wanted to say that she just wanted a couple of pointers but wasn't able to go through with the lie

"Just say it!" Alice yelled impatiently "Did you kiss?"

Harry nodded as Alice clapped her hands,

"How was it?" Ron asked him, trying to remain serious. Harry stayed quiet for a moment before responding

"Wet." Both Alice and Ron made noises as they tried not to laugh "Because she was crying."

"Are you that bad at kissing? He asked as Harry started worrying that he really was

Hermione started telling them about Cho and her worries lately since the boys didn't understand why she's sad all the time. Addie couldn't imagine what Cho was going through. If Draco would die, she'd feel so guilty for liking another boy, especially if that one survived instead of the other. Addie was surprised the Ravenclaw didn't have a nervous breakdown already.

"You just have to be nice to her. You were weren't you?" Hermione asked

"Well, I patted her on the back." Alice didn't want to, but she couldn't help herself and started laughing.

"Oh, Harry you could have at least hugged her!"

"It could have been worse" Hermione defended him "Are you going to see her again?"

"I'll have to won't I? We have DA meetings" Alice hid her face in her hands laughing again. He was so clueless, it was cute. "I don't know, after we stopped kissing, we just said good-night and left." Hermione seemed discouraged but Alice smiled

"Listen to me Harry. I know how you hate being reminded that I'm dating Draco but if you pay attention I can help you. Draco did the same thing after our first kiss. A week before we started dating, he was walking me to my quarters and before saying goodnight he kissed me and left. We did not speak of it for the next week until we kissed again and well you were there." She said as both Ron and Harry cringed remembering that they caught them making out "If it wasn't for the Yule Ball, Merlin knows how long before something would have happened between us. Here's my advice. Next time you see her, tell her you like her, you'd love to see her more often. Go see her tomorrow morning because believe me, at this moment she is freaking out and thinking about everything that she could have done wrong."
Harry just nodded a little taken aback. But Alice was right. If he wanted to work things out with Cho, he needed advice because he didn't know the first thing about girls. He wished Addie's boyfriend would have been anyone but Malfoy. He could have asked tips from him. What could he be doing that has kept him this girl drawn to him for almost a year?

"Thanks..." He said smiling a little

"It sucks we won't be able to double date." She whined as everyone smiled at the thought
The conversation died out soon enough. The mood was so awkward between the four of them; they all retired moments later and went straight to bed.

The next morning was rather uneventful. They only had a couple of days left and the teachers seemed to be in a holiday mood since they didn't make them work as much as they did last week. They seemed to be agitated, nervous about something. But Addie didn't have time to think what could be making the teachers so uncomfortable. All her thoughts were concentrated on where Harry and Ron could be. She wanted to ask Ginny because Hermione didn't have the slightest clue either but Addie couldn't find her. All four Weasleys were missing.

"It's probably a family emergency. Harry has been spending so much time with Ron's family; I bet that's why they summoned him too." Hermione added as she saw her questioning look. The Lestrange heiress bought that story: if something would have happened to the Malfoys, she would want to be there for them too.

Alice was now comfortably sitting on a couch in the Gryffindor common room, watching the fire. Their Christmas holiday was in two days and she was as nervous as never. It had been too long since her and Draco had proper alone time and she was scared they were going to find something to argue about. She had Narcissa's letter on her laps in which she said that she was brining her shopping a day before Christmas Eve and was eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beams.

"How are you?" Hermione asked her friend as she sat next to her. She was carrying a large book and Alice wouldn't be surprised if it was magic a lot more advanced for a fifth year.

"I'm worried about a lot of things..." Alice started and by the look of her muggle-born friend she should elaborate. "I have no idea what to buy Draco for Christmas or our anniversary. Which happens to be only the day before. Want one?" Alice asked offering her some candy
Hermione took it with a smile and looked inside to see if she could pick a flavour she liked. But to her surprise she didn't find a big variety of flavours.

"There are only a couple of flavours in this one!" She said surprised

"Oh, yes... Well you see I only like a couple of them so Draco separates the ones that I like from the ones I don't."

"He must've been very happy to do that." Hermione couldn't help but to say. That must be long and boring

"I didn't ask!" Alice defended herself "I just mentioned once that I hated most of them, he made a list of the ones I like and been separating them ever since. He said he didn't mind."

The girls kept quiet for a little bit, Hermione trying to imagine Malfoy doing something so nice for another person. Sure she seen him kiss Addie so many times before but it seemed like he was doing it for himself and for the show. She never imagined how they were in private because Addie rarely talked about that to them.

"He really loves you, doesn't he?"

Those words coming from Hermione seemed a little strange but it also hit her: Draco loved her. Just because he held her hand less and less or because he didn't want to cuddle with her all time didn't mean he stopped. He still told her she was beautiful all the time, smiled when he'd see her and whispered I-love-yous. He did little things like separate the beams she liked and didn't like and little gestures to show her his love but she was too concerned about other insignificant things to realize it. It wasn't their fault they haven't had a good conversation for weeks now but their schedule and she was silly to worry about the upcoming break.

"I love him too."