===December 21 1992===
Harry sits on the train. Hermione as usual snuggled against him. As he sits there he thinks how it feels a bit weird to be leaving in the middle of the year like this.
Hermione had been borrowing Hedwig and writing to her parents the whole term. She claims that her parents have something special planned for them for winter break.
Harry wakes up Hermione as they approach the station. Hermione yawns. "I may just keep you as a pillow."
"I can deal with that." Harry laughs.
#####
The train comes to a stop and they wait their turn to get off. Once off the train they spot her parents waiting for them. "Use the loo now if you need it, we have a little drive ahead of us." Richard says.
Richard pulls the car to a secluded house, nestled in the woods. "Where are we?" Harry asks as he looks around in wonder. The sliver of light from the waning crescent moon reflects on the snow that sits both on the ground and on the bare tree branches. The only sign of civilization if the large two story house sits in the middle of the trees.
"You're going to get to meet my favorite person in the world." Hermione says as she gets out of the car.
"I thought I was your favorite person." Harry says as he steps out of the car, the snow crunching under his feet.
Hermione blushes slightly. "My favorite before you entered my life." She takes his hand.
"So there's something important about your life that you didn't share with me?" Harry asks, trying not to laugh.
Hermione chuckles. "Fair enough, I apologize. Now come on." She pulls him along.
They follow her parents into the house. "Mum, we're here!" Richard calls out.
"Richard! Helen!" A elderly but fit woman comes from the other room. Harry looks at her and smiles seeing the clear facial resemblance between her and Richard. The one thing he thought was odd was her gray eyes behind her glasses, he'd never seen grey eyes before.
"Grandmum!" Hermione shouts and hugs the woman, who hugs her back.
"Hermione my dear, it's so nice to see you again." Her grandmother says then looks at Harry. "And who do we have here?"
Hermione breaks the hug and clears her throat. "Harry, I'd like you to meet my grandmother Claira Jean Granger. Grandmother, I'd like to present to you Harry Potter, my boyfriend."
"How do you do ma'am?" Harry asks.
"I'm just fine. Now none of this ma'am business." Claira says. "If you're Hermione's boyfriend call me grandmum."
Harry blushes slightly. "If you're sure."
"Of course, now come hug me." Claira says.
Harry looks at Hermione. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Hermione says. "He has some issues touching people."
"Nonsense." Claira says as she goes over to him. Harry tenses as she hugs him, her hand rests on his back. She quickly lets him go but whispers. "I'm sorry."
Harry nods, not trusting himself to say anything.
"Hermione please show Harry to the guest room." Claira says. "Dinner will be in half an hour."
"Of course." Hermione says as she pulls Harry along. She leads him to a bedroom and they sit on the bed. "I'm sorry." She puts her hand on his.
Harry moves his hand so he can hold hers. "She doesn't know my problems." He says after a minute. "I should have hugged her back. I think I hurt her feelings."
"Why do you say that?"
"When she stopped hugging me she said she was sorry." Harry says.
"Oh Harry!" Hermione says as she quickly hugs him. "It'll be okay, I promise."
Harry hugs her back. "Thank you Mione."
"Now let's go have dinner." Hermione says as she breaks the hug and gets up.
===December 22 1992===
Harry walks into the kitchen and carefully examines the content of each one.
Claira walks into the kitchen. "Harry?"
Harry turns to her. "Yes ma...grandmum."
Claira smiles slightly. "What are you doing up?"
"I could ask you the same question." Harry fires back.
"I'm a light sleeper, I heard you in here." Claira says.
"I didn't mean to wake you." Harry says. "The truth is I couldn't sleep. I thought maybe I could make everyone breakfast."
"You know how to cook?"
"I did all the cooking at my uncle's house." Harry answers.
"There's some bacon in the fridge." Claira says as she heads to the cabinets. "You start with that, I'll make pancake batter."
"Sounds good." Harry says and does as told. Harry starts cooking, paying attention to it.
"You like cooking?" Claira asks as she gathers ingredients.
"I do now." Harry answers.
"You don't live with your uncle anymore do you?" Claira asks.
"No, I don't." Harry answers.
"Is he the reason you don't like being touched?"
"Yes." Harry answers.
"I thought as much when I felt you tense when I hugged you."
"I'm sorry about that." Harry says.
"Don't be, it shouldn't have happened in the first place." Claira says as she pushes the batter to Harry. "You don't have to talk about it."
Harry sighs relieved as he takes the batter and starts making pancakes. "Hermione saved me, she found a way for me to stay with her. So I don't have to set foot in my uncle's house again. I'll spend the rest of my life thanking her, if she'll let me."
"You can start with pancakes." Hermione says, standing at the kitchen door in her pajamas.
Harry pushes a plate of pancakes and bacon towards here. "Easy enough."
Hermione gets the syrup and some orange juice before sitting and eating.
===December 25 1992====
Hermione wakes up on Christmas morning and jumps out of bed. She puts on her pajamas and slips into Harry's room.
Harry's sitting reading when she comes in. "Well, good morning." He says as puts the book down.
"Merry Christmas." Hermione says as she climbs into bed and kisses him.
Harry kisses her back. "Are you my Christmas present?" He smirks. "Do I get to unwrap you?"
Hermione blushes heavily. "Not this year." She kisses his cheek. "After we marry I promise you can unwrap me anytime you want."
Harry nods. "Good, now go enjoy your Christmas. I'll be here when you're done."
"You're not joining us?" Hermione asks.
"Do you want me to?" Harry asks.
"Of course I do." Hermione says.
"Okay, I'll come down and sit in a corner." Harry says. "Since you want me to."
"Thank you." Hermione kisses him one more time before heading to wake everyone else.
#####
Harry sits in a chair in the corner of the room. He stares at the tree and presents. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Helen asks.
Harry nods. "Second time I've actually seen one with the presents under it."
"You didn't get presents on Christmas?" Helen asks.
"They would lock me in my room until they were done opening presents. Then they would let me out to cook their meal for them."
"You won't be cooking today." Helen says. "Leave it to us, you and Hermione just enjoy your first Christmas together."
Harry blushes. "Are you sure? I can help if you need it."
Helen thinks for a minute. "I'll let you know if I need help, deal?"
"Deal."
A few minutes later they are all gathered in the room. "It's time to hand out presents." Richard says. Hermione grins as she heads towards the tree. "Now wait a minute Hermione what are you doing?"
"I'm going to hand out presents like I always do." Hermione answers.
"Our tradition is that the youngest in the house hands out the presents." Richard says.
Everyone looks at Harry. "Me?" He squeaks.
"You are the youngest here." Helen says.
"Can I pass, please?" Harry asks. "Hermione looks so happy at the idea of handing out presents, and I'm fine with that."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asks.
Harry nods. "I'll consider it next year, deal?"
Hermione smiles. "Deal." She starts handing out presents.
"So next year huh?" Claira asks. "Already thinking long term Harry?"
Harry grins. "I don't want you to have to train a new grandson."
Everyone laughs as Hermione hands out presents. Much to Harry's surprise a few presents were for him. "You okay?" Hermione asks as she hands him his last present.
Harry nods. "This is just a lot, and I can't even give you your present. I ordered it while we were in school."
Hermione giggles. "You can give it to me, it's okay." He hands her a small badly wrapped box. She smiles as she takes the box and starts to open it.
"Hermione." Harry whispers.
Hermione points over to Claira who is carefully opening up a present. Claira holds up a book. Harry gasps as Claira runs her fingers over the book. "Grandmum's blind!"
Claira laughs. "You just figured it out?"
"But you've looked right at me." Harry says.
"I can see magical signatures." Claira admits. "Hermione you're bluish, Harry orange."
"You know about magic?" Hermione asks.
"Let me tell you the whole story. The year was 1940, I was 22 and working as a nurse for the Army. One day the bombs started dropping nearby. Within moments we had all the patients in the shelter, well all except one. I went back out and found the missing soldier, I had just pushed him into the shelter when a bomb hit nearby."
"They tell me I was lucky when I woke up two days later completely blind. No damage to my body otherwise so I was still pretty. They set up helping me learn how to adapt to my situation. However I couldn't live on my own yet. So the soldier I saved took me in. We were married within the next year."
"Then one day I'm outside putting up laundry when I stop. I see some color moving. I call out to my husband and point at it asking him what is there. A finely dressed man. He answers. I beg him to have the man come to the house."
"He does as I ask. We had him over for tea and I explain to him why I asked him to come over. He explains that he's a wizard and what I'm seeing is his magical signature. He makes the glasses for me so people wouldn't look at me strangely." Claira says as she takes off her glasses, now Harry sees a white film covering her eyes, making it very clear she's blind. She puts the glasses back on and her eyes once again look gray.
"I can't believe a wizard told you everything like that." Harry says. "You can get in serious trouble for telling a muggle about magic."
"Who would believe a blind woman?" Claira asks.
"Good point." Harry says.
"Now, I need to hear the story of how you two got together." Claira says.
"Actually," Helen says. "That's a story that goes back to 1981."