Authors Note:

So don't kill me. But my laptop has been broken for this whole time. I was hoping once I got it fixed I could save my first version of chapter 20 but it wasn't here. So you get a brand new one; that I personally like better. Hope you enjoy =]

Dinner went by pleasantly, much to Dawn's delight. Draco was the perfect gentlemen, as Dawn was sure his mother raised him to be. She hadn't thought much about the fact that her blonde friend had grown up going to fancy dinner parties and Ministry Balls. There was something captivating about the way he graciously thanked Mrs. Weasley, as though her roasted chicken was the best thing he had ever tasted or the way he could easily transition from a heated debate with Remus and Charlie about the control of dragons to a hushed discussion with Hermione about the best way to brew certain restricted potions. Without even his own knowledge, Draco had been easily accepted into the ebb and flow of a traditional Weasley dinner. The person he obviously connected with the most was Sirius. Dawn couldn't have asked for anything more.

"Darling, you look very deep in thought," The boy she was currently thinking of whispered in her ear, leaning in close to her. His breath tickled her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Just amazed at how well you fit into the Weasley clan," She quipped, laughing at his distraught face.

"I'm going to be the laughing stock of the Slytherin house. I've already lost most of my respect hanging out with the likes of you," He answered, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Oh Draco, honey, you did not need my help for that. Plus, I'm a very respectable young lady. You should feel honored to be my friend," She said with a very straight face, before reducing to giggles.

"I'm well aware," He told her, smiling before turning back to his conversation with Tonks.

"Are Dawn and Draco dating?" Hermione whispered to Ron, watching the way Draco absentmindedly buttered an extra piece of bread for Dawn, and how she filled his cup with pumpkin juice before her own. The two were almost synchronized, never bumping elbows and flowing perfectly with each other. The only other person Hermione had seen Dawn act that way with was Harry, and she was sure nothing was going on there. Even if that was to the boy who lived's dismay.

"I don't think so. She hasn't mentioned it. Honestly, I think that's just how Dawn is with everyone," Ron laughed, shooting his new friend a wink from across the table. Hermione shook her head, her eyes moving towards Harry who was looking at Dawn like she killed his puppy then to Sirius who was beaming in pride. She narrowed her eyes, not really understanding what on earth was so special about Dawn Summers.

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"Dawn, I'd like to speak with you in private before I leave," Draco told her, his voice kept low so no prying ears could hear it. Even though they didn't know what he said, Fred and George's cat calls could probably be heard from the dungeons.

"No problem," Dawn smiled, looking around at the wrapping paper cluttered floor. They had just finished opening presents, and like her birthday, she really felt like everyone had outdone themselves. It amazed her that these people, who she didn't even know existed seven months prior, would go so out of their way to make her happy.

She had received, what seemed to be a time honored Weasley tradition, a purple sweater with a large D on the front and had giggled uncontrollably that Draco had received one as well, in bright Gryffindor red. Ginny had given her a pair of jeans she had made herself, that she assured Dawn would fit her like they did the Victoria Secret models in the muggle magazines that Dawn had owled to Hogwarts. Sirius gave her a keepsake box that had the same symbols on it as her locket and Tonks had given her a thick gorgeous cloak with the Gryffindor symbol stitched onto the front.

The thing that was much more enjoyable than opening her own gifts was watching everyone open the gives she had so carefully picked out for them. Even Hermione seemed delighted with the vintage copy of Oliver Twist that Dawn had had to special order from a muggle shop. There was one last present to be opened, and everyone seemed excited to watch Sirius open his gift from her. She had refused to tell anyone what she had gotten him, and had been waiting anxiously for him to reach for the oversized gold wrapped box.

"Dawn, you know you didn't have to get me anything," He laughed, not taking his hands off the box. He reminded Dawn of a little kid that way, saying thank you but refusing to even offer the gift back.

"Oh stop, just open it," She giggled, watching as he slowly took the top off.

"Oh wow," He whispered, peeking into the box. Everyone else was silent for perhaps the first time all night, waiting for him to reveal what he had gotten. He reached into the box and pulled out a black furry body.

"A puppy? You got Sirius a puppy?" Draco practically yelled, a laugh bubbling in his chest. Everyone stared at him, then to the small black dog, then to the grin that had quickly spread over both Sirius and Dawn's faces and joined into the laughter.

"Dawn this is amazing! What made you think of this?" Sirius asked her, moving himself and the puppy next to her on the couch. The puppy, who woke from his magic induced slumber when Sirius opened the box, opened his dark brown eyes and licked at Dawn's hand.

"I just figured it gets so lonely here when we're all at school and you could us your own Padfoot to keep you company," Dawn told him, smiling down at the puppy.

"Thank you, Dawn. So much," He leaned in and hug her tight, whispering that he loved her in her ear. Dawn didn't know much about what it felt like to have a father; but in that moment she felt it. She looked around at her amazing pseudo family. The holidays still left a definite sting in her heart, an ache for Buffy and Spike and the whole gang, but the pain had dulled. As she looked around, she realized that she would be just fine in this world.

"My bets on Draco," Harry said, laughing. The adults had gone to bed hours ago, leaving the fifth years to hang out in the Marauders Headquarters. Ron and Draco were in a heated match of chess, while Hermione poured over her winter break assignments, and Ginny tinkered with the muggle sewing machine her father had fixed and given her for Christmas. Dawn was curled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Harry had felt a little disconnected from her the whole night, and never realized how hard it would be to watch how easily she fell into Draco. It made him realize even more that he didn't want her to be like that with anyone but him. Her head was rested on his shoulder and her feet were tucked under her. Everyone but Draco had changed into their pajamas and a tray of hot chocolate sat on the table. The headquarters was peaceful this late at night. The pictures on the mantle were barely moving and the whole house was still.

"I dare say, Potter, you're starting to warm up to me," Draco snickered, shooting a wink at Dawn.

"Don't get your hopes up too high, Malfoy," Harry told him, running a hand through Dawn's messy curls. He watched Draco's eyes narrow slightly and smirked back at the blonde. Draco and Harry had competed for everything since they were eleven years old; competing for Dawn Summers affections would be no different.

"Dawn, sweetheart, would you bring me some more cocoa please?" Draco asked sweetly, purposely pushing Harry's buttons. Harry audibly sighed when Dawn nodded and jumped up. His glare intensified when Draco kissed Dawn on the cheek while thanking her.

"Checkmate," Ron bellowed, jumping up and down and pumping his fists in the air. Draco smiled and stuck out his hand, shaking Ron's and proposing a rematch when they all returned to Hogwarts.

"Well, I guess I best be getting home," He stated, standing up and moving to say goodbye to everyone. Both Harry and Ron got firm hand shakes, and Ginny and Hermione got a kiss on the back of their hands. "Please thank your mum again for everything," He told Ginny, turning around to Dawn.

"I'll walk you out," She told him, pulling her sweater tighter around her. "I'll see you all in the morning, okay?" She kissed Harry quickly on the cheek and allowed Draco to take her hand. They walked slowly down the halls, swinging their arms back and forth. "Thank you for coming,"

"I know I gave you a lot of trouble about this but thank you. I needed this," Dawn smiled up at him as they slowly made their way down the stairs.

"So you wanted to talk to me?"

"I wanted to give you your Christmas gift," Draco told her, squeezing her hand.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Dawn said, even though her smile spread wider.

"Dawn, stop, you know I had to. You're my best friend. So shut that pretty mouth of yours and take it," He passed her a jewelry box, wrapped in the daily prophet and with her name scrawled across it in purple ink. Dawn raised her eyebrows, letting go of his hand and slowly unwrapping it. She opened the box to reveal a silver charm bracelet, with two charms dangling from it. One was a small dragon with rubies for eyes and the other was a silver cross, an exact tiny replica of the cross that Angel and given her sister. She had told Draco how much she had envied it once, and was floored that he remembered.

"Draco, this is beautiful. I can't believe this. Would you put it on me?" She asked, holding out her wrist. He gently fastened it around, pulling her wrist up and kissing her pulse point gently.

"You were exquisite tonight," He whispered, smiling down at her. She felt her cheeks grow hot, and kept her eyes focused on her new bracelet. Her eyes moved up, looking over Draco's face to directly above him, where a sprig of mistletoe hung directly above them. The blonde's eyes followed her own, smiling when he saw what was above them. Before Dawn could even take in a breath, he pressed his lips on hers. His right hand cupped her cheek, while his left sat gently on her waist. He was tentative, careful, and gentle. Dawn had never seen Draco Malfoy nervous, but he kissed her cautiously, as though fearful she would haul off and slap him. What he didn't know what that slapping him was the farthest thing from her mind. The only experience Dawn had had with a kiss before was the awkward one her and Harry and shared many months prior. This was the kind of first kiss she'd always dreamed of. Her own lips moved against his, and she pressed herself closer to him.

Eventually, Draco slowly pulled back. Placing one small chaste kiss on her lips he smiled at her.

"Happy Christmas, Dawn," And he squeezed her hand one more time before walking out the door. Once the door closed, Dawn exhaled a breath, and leaned herself against the door.