"Miss Granger! It's so pretty!" one exclaimed, tugging on her sleeve.
"Do you like it, Riley?" Hermione asked, her eyes sparkling with delight. "We're working hard to make it extra special this year!"
Watching from a few feet away, Lucius felt a sense of satisfaction he hadn't expected. Seeing Hermione's enthusiasm and the children's excitement warmed his chest. He continued to work quietly, even allowing a few students to help him by handing over ornaments and holding garlands.
As they moved further down the hallway, Lucius and Hermione paused to assess their work. The corridor was adorned with shimmering lights, sprigs of holly, and a beautiful wreath that Hermione had insisted they make together, complete with bits of ivy and small red ribbons.
"You have an eye for this," Hermione said, smiling as she added a few berries to the wreath.
Lucius's lips turned up in a half-smile. "And here I thought I'd lost my knack for⌠well, decorum."
"You? Never!" she teased, elbowing him slightly, the gentle teasing drawing a rare, genuine chuckle from him.
At that moment, a small voice from behind them piped, "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoyâlook up!"
Hermione and Lucius glanced up in unison, and there it wasâa sprig of mistletoe hung neatly above them in the doorway, courtesy of some mischievous little hands.
"Oh no," Hermione muttered, her cheeks pinkening as she looked down at the small crowd of grinning first-graders and a few sixth-graders passing by.
A chorus of giggles and whispers broke out, some students daring to egg them on. "You have to kiss!" one of the sixth-graders declared, pointing at the mistletoe with an exaggerated grin.
Lucius's eyes widened a fraction, but he quickly masked it with a smirk as he looked down at Hermione, who was now turning bright pink, trying not to laugh or give in to the children's gleeful demands.
Hermione cleared her throat, glancing up at Lucius with a hint of amusement mixed with embarrassment. "I think they're just a little invested in this decoration, don't you?"
"Indeed," Lucius murmured, his tone light but with a slight edge of nervousness. He leaned closer to her, just a whisper away, and murmured, "You know, for the children."
Hermione's eyes widened, her pulse quickening as she caught his gaze. In the back of her mind, she felt a flutter, realizing how strange it was to see this once-imposing man calm and playful.
Before she could overthink it, Lucius moved his head forward and brushed a light, warm kiss against her cheekâa gesture that felt both chaste and unexpectedly intimate. The children erupted into squeals and laughter.
"Alright, alright, settle down now," Hermione said, patting the air to calm them, her face slightly flushed. "It's just a bit of mistletoe, that's all."
"But you're under the mistletoe!" one little girl insisted, her eyes wide. "That means you're supposed to be together!"
Hermione and Lucius exchanged an amused glance. "Well," Lucius said, putting on a very teacher-like tone, "mistletoe is simply a tradition, nothing more. Though I appreciate your⌠enthusiasm."
One of the sixth-graders gave him a knowing look. "You're blushing, Mr. Malfoy!" he smirked.
"I am most certainly not," Lucius replied, lifting his chin in mock indignation, which only made Hermione laugh more.
They eventually managed to disperse the crowd of students, though a few first-graders lingered, looking back at them with barely restrained giggles. Once the hallway was quiet again, Hermione let out a small, bashful laugh.
"I have to admit, that's not how I imagined the morning going," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Lucius let out a soft chuckle. "Nor I. It's been a long time since anyone dared to tease me." He paused, looking at her with an appreciative glint. "I suppose I'll have to be on my guard from now on⌠if only to ensure we're not caught under more mistletoe."
Her heart did a small, unexpected flutter, but she kept her tone light, nodding toward the hallway. "Then we'd better finish up here. And perhaps be a bit more cautious with where we stand."