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Tuition Money	By : cpetnm Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 53031 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
A.N.- Sorry, sorry, sorry for taking so damn long to update! We moved into a new house last week and basically we were living in a chaos realm. I really don’t know how people can move all the time. I have high hopes that we’ll never have to move again!
Thank you to LadiePhoenix, Malfoy'sgirl , Trelweny , ilariasantaniello, Sherlocked17, Yoffee, HarryGinny4eva, General Crow, and staar for your reviews. You all rule!
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It was awkward.
“Your parents must be proud of your accomplishments,” Mrs. Malfoy said, examining the young woman before her. She knew the girl was nervous, but she was composed and courteous.
“They don’t know very much about my life as a witch,” Hermione said, looking down at her hands.
Narcissa nodded. She wouldn’t pretend to understand how a Muggle-born would explain her magical existence to her Muggle parents.
“Do you live near Draco?”
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile.
“Mother, we live together.” Draco knew it seriously violated pure-blood protocol to live with a woman before marriage, but he didn’t care.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you two were so serious.” Narcissa smoothed her hands over her blankets. “Son, could you possibly get me a cup of tea from the cafeteria?”
“Of course, Mother.”
Draco squeezed Hermione’s shoulder as he walked out of the room.
Narcissa gave Hermione a small smile. “I’m not against you being with my son.”
“No?”
“No. He’s earned the right to live how he so chooses.”
Hermione nodded. She still wasn’t convinced that she was a better match for Draco than a witch brought up in his stratum of society, but she wasn’t about to give him up yet.
“Your wrists aren’t healing as well as the rest of your skin,” Hermione said, scooting closer to Narcissa to examine her skin. “May I?” she said, indicating her desire to touch the other woman. She had spoken to Auror Gould about Narcissa Malfoy. He’d been reluctantly accommodating of her request to have the handcuffs removed, but Hermione knew he didn’t care about Narcissa Malfoy’s welfare.
“Go ahead.”
Hermione’s touch was cool and light against Narcissa’s inflamed, sensitive skin. The younger witch murmured an incantation and Mrs. Malfoy felt a soothing moisture settle against her wrists.
“The burn salve and the shackles the Aurors employed created a stasis that didn’t make your burns worse, but also didn’t allow your burns to heal. I did a bit of research after Draco told me you weren’t healing and, well, I created a spell to ease your discomfort and allow your skin to regenerate at a rate of twice that of the salve your Healer used.”
Oh. Draco’s love is as brilliant as everyone claims she is.
“I hope you don’t feel that was too forward, Mrs. Malfoy.”
“You must love my son a great deal to treat me with such kindness after how you were treated in my home.”
“He’d do the same for me.”
“Would he?”
“He would.”
Hermione knew she was being extremely honest with Draco’s mother, but she didn’t think she had anything to lose. She suspected Mrs. Malfoy had decided she liked her before this meeting, but she wasn’t sure why. Perhaps the witch understood the anger her son faced and was glad someone genuinely cared for him, despite his past.
The door opened and Draco came in with a cup of tea for his mother. Hermione stood.
“Mrs. Malfoy, it was a pleasure to visit with you this evening.”
Draco looked between the two women, but didn’t think anything seemed amiss. Narcissa beckoned Hermione closer, as if she wished to buss her cheek.
“Thank you for giving my son a chance,” the older witch whispered before pressing a kiss to Hermione’s cheek. The younger witch nodded, a feeling of longing for her own mother’s touch causing her throat to close up.
“I’ll be home in an hour,” Draco murmured as Hermione straightened. She squeezed his hand and left the dim room.
Draco sat in contemplation as his mother sipped her tea. Narcissa mulled over her brief meeting with Hermione Granger and the ingenuity and consideration the girl had offered her. Even amongst her “friends”, Narcissa couldn’t remember a time when someone had done something so thoughtful for her.
“You two are shockingly well-matched,” Narcissa said, her finger stroking the rim of the teacup. “How long have you wanted to pursue her romantically?”
“Years,” he admitted.
“I’ll work on your father,” Narcissa promised.
“Why? Father will never accept her. Do you want a Muggle-born as a daughter-in-law?”
“It’s headed in that direction, whether I approve or not. Despite her unfortunate birth, she transcends other witches in her abilities. And how could we object to someone who has made you happier than I have seen you since you were a little boy?”
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“It’s a fake!”
Narcissa Malfoy pointed her wand at Hermione, her cold blue eyes studying Hermione with disgust.
“You think me so stupid, Mudblood? Crucio!”
Hermione screamed, falling to the floor when her legs gave out. “Stop! Please!” She looked around frantically, hoping to see something or someone who would help her. She saw Malfoy sitting in the room and her eyes met his in a plea for assistance. He would help her, wouldn’t he?
Curled into the fetal position, Hermione felt at once as if her muscles were being torn apart and her nerves were on fire.
“This sword belongs to my sister, girl. Where did you get it?” Narcissa pushed Hermione’s face up with her boot when the young woman stayed silent. “Draco, I know you despise this rubbish. Would you like to finish off the Mudblood?”
Malfoy stood and grinned.
“No, Malfoy, no,” Hermione pleaded.
“It would be my pleasure, Mother.” He pointed his wand at the sweaty, frantic girl on the floor.
“Avada—“
Hermione heard screaming and felt herself being restrained.
“Let me go!” she screamed. The person restraining her pulled her against a naked chest.
“Hermione,” Draco murmured into her hair. “You had a nightmare. Are you with me?”
Tears were streaming down her face and her breathing was ragged. “Let go of me. Please.”
Draco released her and sat back against the headboard. He wanted to comfort her, but when she needed space and asked for it, he had to respect her wishes. When he pushed for her to do what he wanted instead, Hermione became distant and surly.
“I’m going to get you some water.”
Hermione nodded and continued to look down at her lap and wipe her wet eyes. Draco climbed out of bed and padded to the kitchen. The logical part of her mind knew her fear had been spurred on by the nightmare, but another part of her wouldn’t ever forget the horrors the Malfoys condoned in their home.
Draco came back into the room and handed Hermione a glass of water.
“Thank you.”
Very tentatively, Draco reached out a hand and stroked her back.
“It was the same nightmare, but you and your mother were…” Hermione shuddered, unable to finish her sentence. She looked so alone and vulnerable.
He would forever harbor guilt about witnessing her torture. “What can I do?”
“Nothing. It was just a bad dream. Can we go back to sleep?”
“Yeah, love, whatever you want.”
Hermione felt some residual resentment towards Draco about that night. She knew he cared for her, but part of her still thought he would lose interest in her once their deal came to an end. She’d be making her own decisions and wouldn’t have to consult Draco over employment or what she wanted to wear. She wondered if he would still want her when she no longer answered to him.
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“When does your expedition leave?”
Luna smiled. “In two days. Do you have everything Mr. Ollivander suggested, Harry?”
Hermione looked at the pair and felt relief that Luna had been able to get through to him.
“Yeah. I still need to exchange money at Gringotts and pick up an extendable rucksack.”
“I could charm your rucksack, if you’d like,” Hermione offered.
“Um, yeah, that would work. It’s at home, though.”
“Why don’t you meet Hermione at her flat?” Luna suggested.
Hermione nodded dumbly. “Sure. You can Floo over.”
Harry got up and gave the girls an awkward smile. “In about an hour?”
“See you then,” Hermione said and watched him walk out of the café. She turned to Luna. “What was that?”
“Whatever do you mean?” She owlishly blinked her big eyes and gave Hermione a dreamy smile.
“Luna, Harry intensely dislikes Draco! And Draco knows how mean Harry’s been to me over the past few months. He’s very…protective.”
“It will be good for Harry to see you with Draco. He needs to get used to the idea of you with someone else.”
“He doesn’t care that I’m with someone else, he hates that it’s Draco.”
“Harry doesn’t understand you two and he’s jealous. He feels like he’s lost your friendship to Draco.”
“It’s complicated.” Hermione sighed and swallowed the rest of her peppermint tea. “I’d better get to the flat before Harry shows up.”
“He alienated himself from you, from everyone, because he didn’t think he deserved what you’d done for him. He’d do anything for you and I know you’d do the same for him, even after how he behaved with you.”
She would do anything for Harry, had done so, in fact, but amazingly Draco had taught her not to discount her own feelings for fear of hurting someone else’s. She never would have imagined Draco Malfoy was so astute with discerning other people’s motives, but she supposed that was the strength of most Slytherins. But he was sensitive, at least to her, and had taught her how one person loving you made you stronger. Harry mattered to her and the loss of his friendship had weighed heavily on her mind and her heart. Draco and Ron had buried the hatchet, so maybe he and Harry could come to an understanding?
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“Et posuit in eo quod intus est omnium.”* Hermione waved her wand over Harry’s bag, a look of concentration on her face. Her wand swooped and flicked with every word of the Undetectable Extension Charm uttered.
“Here you go,” she said, handing Harry the bag.
“Well done, Hermione,” Harry said with a grin. Even after all the years he’d been practicing magic, it still amazed him what a wand could do.
“How have you been? I have to admit I’m jealous about your spot in Ollivander’s expedition.” She began to walk to the kitchen, Harry following behind her.
He sat at the kitchen island and watched Hermione pull food out of the icebox. “I’m okay. Better than I was a few months ago.”
“The end of the war wasn’t the end of our hardship. I never thought everything would get so difficult.”
“Hermione, I know your parents didn’t handle things well, but what else happened?”
Should I tell him? If I do, will he feel responsible? We used to tell each other everything. Will he be upset Draco helped me?
But, really, what did it matter if he didn’t like Draco’s involvement in her life? He had to accept what she’d done because it was her choice.
“Well, I was really isolated at Hogwarts that last year and my first few weeks at uni. And my book didn’t make as much money as I’d hoped, so I had a hard time paying my tuition.”
“You know I would have helped you.”
She nodded. “I do, but you don’t have to bail everyone out, Harry.”
“Is this about what happened between us when Ron left?”
Even when they had been sleeping together, the two of them didn’t talk about what happened between them at night.
“I didn’t ask anyone to help me, Harry.”
“But I’m like your brother.”
“No, you’re not like my brother! Siblings don’t sleep together. And brothers don’t call their sisters whores when they date someone they don’t like.”
Harry stared at her in shock. “Were you, um, hoping for a relationship with me?”
“No! I didn’t want to be your girlfriend, but I…I wasn’t ready to start having sex when we did. It didn’t feel right to me and left me feeling used. I felt even worse about the situation when you verbally attacked me at the Hogwarts gala.”
Harry grabbed Hermione and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, Hermione. I’ve been bloody miserable and I took it out on you.” She was stiff in his arms, but let him hold her. His scent reminded her of all their years of close contact. It wasn’t exactly comforting anymore, but it was familiar. He continued to murmur apologies and whispered how much she meant to him.
She finally pulled away and sat next to him. “Draco will be home for dinner before he goes to St. Mungo’s. Would you like to join us?”
“Malfoy won’t try to kill me?” he asked jokingly. Luna had told him about the dynamic between Hermione and Draco Malfoy and at first, Harry hadn’t believed her, but Ron corroborated what she’d said. Ron had told him that Malfoy was extremely considerate of Hermione’s needs, but more importantly, her well-being. Their feisty friend was more like the girl they had known at Hogwarts than she had been in the last three years.
“No, Harry, he won’t try to kill you. You two might get along,” she said with a shrug. “I never thought I’d see the day that Ron would be alright with Draco, but he is.”
Harry stood. “Can I call a rain check?”
“Alright, Harry,” Hermione said, standing to walk him to the Floo. “You’re going to have such an adventure.”
The Boy Who Lived examined his friend as they slowly made their way to the fireplace. She looked beautiful and at home in Malfoy’s flat. Harry had figured out Malfoy was helping Hermione, but he found it bothered him less the more he thought on it. She was safe and happy. He didn’t know what kind of strings Malfoy attached to his assistance, but Hermione seemed more than willing to accept the consequences. It was difficult for Harry to imagine Hermione with Malfoy for the long-term future, but Luna had claimed they were shonuachar. Harry had argued that soulmates didn’t treat each other like enemies, but Luna had pointed out that they had always been intensely drawn to each other. The end of the war had allowed both Draco and Hermione to deviate from the path society expected of them.
Harry looked at her one last time before he stepped into the green flames. “Thank you,” he said, his green eyes saying more than his words. He knew he didn’t deserve her forgiveness, but he wanted it all the same. He hoped in the future they could re-establish the friendship they’d forged over their childhood.
Hermione nodded and watched her friend swirl into the fire, a pressure she’d been carrying around for months relieved from her chest.
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“Potter was here, in my flat?”
Hermione put her book down and looked at Draco.
“Luna suggested he come over so I could help him with an Undetectable Extension Charm. They’re leaving in a couple of days.”
The sour look on his face took her aback. “How long was he here?”
“About half an hour, I suppose.”
Draco shook his head in disappointment. “He used you and said horrid things to you. All’s forgiven? That prick can do no wrong, can he, Hermione?”
“We talked and I told him he’d hurt me. Don’t you want me to have some sense of closure about that part of my life?”
“Yeah, sure. Glad you two could get some time alone in my home.”
She knew Draco harbored jealousy for Harry, which was made worse by the fact that she’d slept with him. But did he still consider her a guest in his flat? Twice he’d referred to the flat at his, not theirs. The flat was lovely, but she wasn’t represented in it. Her books were her most personal touch. Even the clothes in her closet had been chosen and purchased by Draco. She stood up and grabbed her pillow from the bed.
“I helped him with his rucksack and we talked while I made dinner for you. I didn’t realize you thought of me as a guest in your home, but in the future I won’t have anyone over unless I check with you first.”
Draco clasped the back of his neck in a gesture of frustration. “It’s your home, Hermione. You know that. I just don’t like Potter.”
“No, Malfoy, I don’t know that. I have my things here, but nothing in this flat is mine except my books. And can I remind you that you treated me like shit for years and I forgave you.”
He began to say something, but Hermione cut him off.
“Despite our history, I gave you a chance to earn my trust. I trust you, but I can see that trust isn’t reciprocated. Maybe my nightmare about you was my mind trying to tell me something I didn’t want to recognize.”
“That’s ridiculous! It was a fucking dream!”
“What’s ridiculous is that I was beginning to feel like your flat was my home, too. I’m not going to feel at home unless I create a place for myself and that won’t be here, will it?”
Draco watched her storm out of the room and heard the door to her office slam behind her.
Gods, Malfoy, you prize arsehole. He sat on the edge of the bed, feeling like the progress they’d made over the past months was beginning to erode.
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A warm body pressed against her in the transfigured office settee turned bed.
“I can’t sleep without you,” Draco whispered into Hermione’s hair.
He’d read, had a couple of glasses of Ogden’s, laid in bed staring at the firelight flickering on the ceiling. It was useless. Hermione was his home and he’d made her feel like he wasn’t hers. He had reverted to a spoiled, selfish boy when he thought about her and bloody Harry Potter alone in the flat. He knew Hermione didn’t have romantic feelings for the tosser, but who’s to say Potter didn’t harbor feelings for her? He’d certainly acted like a jealous twat when he’d found out about Draco and Hermione.
Hermione relaxed into his embrace. He smelled of firewhisky and the mint of his toothpaste. She wasn’t so much angry at Draco as she was disappointed. For some strange reason, her feeling of displacement had made her want to try to repair her relationship with her parents. Maybe the time she had spent away from them had given them the space they needed to reconsider letting her back into their lives.
“I’m going to go to Australia when we have a break next week.”
“What?”
“It’s up to me to repair the relationship with my parents.”
Draco stroked her belly just under her navel. “I’ll make the arrangements for us to leave on Monday.”
“No. I’ve got to do this on my own.”
He rolled her to face him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Draco gently cupped her face and stroked her cheek.
“I understand.” Please don’t run from us. Don’t leave me behind because I’m a jealous prick.
She turned away from him, but let him pull her into his embrace. For the first time in several months, Hermione found herself feeling depressed. Many things had improved for her, but happiness was once again becoming elusive.
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*Let the inside hold everything put in it.
- 13
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