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Pansy's Volcano	By : Bluemidget57 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 206382 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Pansy's Volcano
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 19-Nineteen
- 20-Twenty
- 21-Twenty one
- 22-Twenty Two
- 23-Twenty Three
- 24-Twenty Four
- 25-Twenty Five
- 26-Twnety Six
- 27-Twenty Seven
- 28-Twenty Eight
- 29-Twenty Nine
- 30-Thirty
- 31-Thirty one
- 32-Thirty Two
- 33-Thirty Three
- 34-Thirty Four
- 35-Thirty Five
- 36-Thirty Six
- 37-Thirty Seven
- 38-Thirty Eight
- 39-Thirty Nine
- 40-Forty
- 41-Forty One
- 42-Forty Two
- 43-Forty Three
- 44-Forty Four
- 45-Forty Five
- 46-Forty Six
- 47-Forty Seven
- 48-Forty Eight
- 49-Forty Nine
- 50-Fifty
- 51-Fifty One
- 52-52
- 53-53
- 54-54
- 55-55
- 49
- 50
- 51
Disclaimer: In accordance with the new guidelines on AFF, I state categorically that all the characters and places you recognise belong to JK Rowling, or otherwise as stated. The plot (what there is of one) is mine, and also any unfamiliar names. Such a shame.

50

Hermione ran down to greet her mother�s sister, feeling like a different person from the girl who had gone upstairs earlier that afternoon. In the space of little more than an hour her world seemed to have become a brighter place, not least because Draco was actually waiting in her bedroom to be introduced to her parents - no declarations yet, but even this was a huge step towards public acknowledgement.
She hugged her aunt and uncle, shook hands with the Morriseys, who lived next door, and then drew Margaret Granger aside to initiate her plan. �Mum,� she asked quietly. �One of my friends from school sent me an owl earlier and asked if he would be able to see me this afternoon; his mother got some bad news and had to leave him home alone. I thought it would be okay if he came to the party since there will be so many other people here anyway -� she trailed off, waiting for a reply
Mrs Granger had finally become used to the fact that her daughter seemed to have only made male friends at Hogwarts. For the first three years, she had worried considerably about the lack of female companionship, although Hermione and Julia still seemed as close as ever, but eventually Margaret had concluded that her daughter was quite sensible about all this male attention, and as her marks were consistently excellent and she didn�t seem to be getting romantically entangled with one boy after another, Mrs Granger had stopped worrying over the fact that Hermione spent all her time with boys.
She had long suspected Ron Weasley might be Hermione�s first romantic adventure, but it seemed that she had been mistaken in that department. That boy at the station -Anthony - had obviously been interested, but Hermione was harder to read. There had been two owls from him this week, both of which had - pardon the pun - ruffled her daughter�s feathers. Hermione masked it well, but Mrs Granger couldn�t help wondering if perhaps her irritation was related to their contents or their very existence.
�I�m sure he could get lost in the crowd,� she said calmly now. �Will he be comfortable with all us non-magic folk?�
Mrs Granger was quite surprised to see a particularly evil smirk spread across her daughter�s face. �Oh, I�m sure he won�t be,� Hermione announced gleefully. �But that�s why it will be so good for him.�
�My goodness,� Margaret said. �If you don�t particularly like this boy, why would either of you want to spend Christmas Day together? Do I know him?�
�Of him,� Hermione muttered, wondering if she had overacted her part. �It�s Draco Malfoy, and -�
�Good Lord! That nasty snobby little bully?� Mrs Granger said, startled. �I thought you couldn�t stand each other? He�s not going to start any of that racist name calling in my house, is he? Your father won�t stand for that nonsense, wand or no wand.�
�No - he�s improved a lot this year, since he was made Head Boy,� Hermione reassured, trying to capture exactly the right degree of disinterested amity. �He has been quite responsible, and pulled his weight with all the duties. We have got on a lot better than I had ever anticipated. But still, if Harry or Ron had been coming�� she let that thought trail off, and her mother nodded understandingly. �Look, I told him to Apparate into the garden by the potting shed - I should go out and wait for him -�
Mrs Granger smiled and rubbed Hermione�s arm affectionately. �You�re a good girl, Minnie,� she said proudly, �and you have such a generous heart. Make sure he doesn�t take advantage of you.�
�On my guard,� Hermione said jokingly. �Oh, and Mum - do not call me that in front of Dr- Malfoy!�
Mrs Granger grimaced slightly as her daughter slipped out the back door and into the gathering dusk. Although she would never say so, the very thought of people winking in and out of existence - here one second and gone the next - was the thing she found most disturbing about Hermione�s new life. There was simply nothing rational or natural about such an ability, and her medical mind could not feel comfortable with the concept.
She watched out of the kitchen window as Hermione stamped her feet and clapped her hands together in an effort to keep warm for she had not bothered to put a coat on, and then suddenly she was no longer alone; now, there was a blond boy standing beside her where moments earlier there had only been empty space. The boy darted an uncomfortable glance at the house, and they spoke briefly; Margaret was too far away to hear their words, but there didn�t seem to be any animosity in either of their stances.
Margaret turned away from her observation as they began to walk back towards the house; clearly she was curious but it was still not polite to be caught staring. The kitchen door opened accompanied by a flurry of cold air, and then they were inside.
�Mum, this is Draco Malfoy, who is this year�s Head Boy,� Hermione introduced them; she was nowhere near as calm as she projected on the outside. Even if her mother didn�t know it, she was being introduced to the most important man in her daughter�s life, and Hermione couldn�t help a very natural desire to have them like each other. �Draco, this is my mother, Margaret Granger.�
Draco held out his hand, not sure if it was a correct salutation to Muggles, but deciding that the Grangers� knowledge of his world was probably greater than his of theirs, and as such they were more likely to overlook any social gaffes because of his heritage. Mrs Granger seemed pleased by the action, however, and took his hand, smiling. �Thank you for letting me visit on such short notice, Mrs Granger,� he said diffidently.
�We�re pleased to have you,� Margaret replied. �No one should be alone at Christmas; I do hope it turns out to be noting too serious for your mother.�
�It�s kind of a recurring problem,� Draco said ambiguously. �My mother has learnt how to deal with it as best she can.�
Mrs Granger might have said more, but at that moment the doorbell rang and she had to leave the kitchen to answer its summons. Draco heaved a sigh of relief that the first hurdle was over. �Come on,� Hermione said, taking pity on him. �There�s more people in the living room. You can get lost in the crowd there. But just be careful of getting sucked into a conversation with my Uncle Frank, he does love asking questions.�
Draco followed her through the door her mother had used previously, and they saw that Mrs Granger was still standing in the hallway, taking coats from the newest arrivals. �That�s Jennifer and her husband,� Hermione whispered in an aside. �She�s the nurse at my parent�s practice,� Draco was grateful that she was trying to include him in the event, even though she might as well have been speaking Goblin for all the sense her words made.
They slipped through a low doorway and into a large room which was dominated by the inglenook fireplace on the far wall. There was a hearty fire glowing in the hearth, and Draco found himself brought to a halt by the realisation that he was totally surrounded by Muggles. He had never been in a place where there were so many Muggles gathered together at one time before, and despite the fact that two years with Professor DiBona had disabused him of the majority of his father�s prejudices, this was still not a situation he felt ready for.
Hermione, obviously thinking him to be close on her heels, had crossed the room to greet some guests, unaware that he had frozen up in the doorway. There were probably less than a dozen people in the room, but to Draco it seemed like hundreds. He almost jumped out of his skin when someone stopped behind him, and said politely, �I don�t believe we�ve been introduced, I�m Richard Granger - and who might you be?�

Ah Shit! Hermione�s father. Draco surreptitiously rubbed suddenly sweaty palms on the legs of his trousers, and turned to face the older man. He held out a hand as it seemed to have worked with Mrs Granger, and replied in the most confident voice he could muster, �Draco Malfoy, sir. I�m at school with Hermione, and -�
Mr Granger touched his fingers very briefly. �Indeed, I have heard all about you, young man,� he said thoughtfully. �However, nothing Hermione has told me would have ever lead me to expect I might find you in my living room on Christmas Day; would you care to explain -�
Fortunately, at this point Hermione seemed to realise that Draco was no longer following her, and she reappeared at his side with a small squeak of alarm. �Dad!� She interrupted hastily, �I was just looking for you, so that I could tell you why Draco is here.�
Mr Granger raised his eyebrows, and Draco swallowed uncomfortably; apparently the paternal Muggle was not as accepting as Hermione�s mother. �Well I would imagine this is another one of your charity crusades, Minnie,� her father said in exasperation. �Sweetie, when are you going to accept that you can�t reform the world. Some people just like being the way they are, even if it isn�t very pleasant. I am quite surprised however, that you think this boy will be able to fit in here.�

�Dad!� Hermione hissed with a scowl. �Draco and I have decided to make a new start and treat each other with more respect, as befits our position and responsibilities. He�s had a family crisis and we�ve - re-evaluated our past behaviour. And don�t use that name anymore,� she finished in a stage whisper between her teeth.
Draco felt it pertinent to add his own assurances at this point. �Yes, Mr Granger,� he added earnestly. �I�m afraid I can�t take back the first five years of our acquaintance, but I do think I�ve grown up in the past year and started to think for myself more than I used to, and I have come to realise that even one�s parents are not always right about everything. Hermione and I have worked together quite well this term, I think,� he let his eyes swing to Hermione for confirmation, and she nodded eagerly in agreement, �so I would appreciate the chance to meet her family with no pre-conceptions based on our childish past.�
Richard Granger looked at the young man in front of him thoughtfully. He was absolutely nothing like Harry Potter or Ron Weasley; his affluent upbringing was evident in every aspect of his demeanor. He carried himself with poise and certainty, as if he was used to having people deferring to him and expected no less. Hermione�s other friends lacked the self confidence and air of command exhibited by the blond. But the factor which convinced Mr Granger to give him a chance was the fact that he sounded like Hermione when he spoke.
�Very well, Draco,� he said. �You are right; everyone does deserve the chance to prove they�ve grown up and put foolish prejudices behind them. Merry Christmas then, and I hope that you have a nice time tonight. Make sure you try the sherry trifle; it�s my own father�s recipe, and it�s rather good, if I do say so myself.�
He moved away then to greet Jennifer and her husband who had only just made their way from the hall into the living room. Draco gave Hermione a strange look, and she anticipated some comment about her father doing his own cooking, but instead he asked slyly, �Your father calls you Minnie?�

�It�s a long story,� Hermione muttered, not liking the glint of intent she could see in his eyes. She stepped marginally closer to him, and whispered, �I like Mina better - it always reminds of when you first used it�� and Draco swallowed uneasily as the memory of that moment threatened to cause a reaction in certain other parts of his body. What was the world coming to when the Gryffindor lioness used his own Slytherin slyness against him?
�I need a drink,� he muttered, and Hermione studied him carefully for a moment before deciding that he probably would feel better if he had something to occupy his hands, and lead him back to the kitchen.
Hermione�s grandmother had come down from the guest room, and was slicing vegetables making a platter for dip, at the kitchen table when they entered; she smiled as Hermione moved over to place a kiss on her lined cheek. �This is a friend of mine from school, Gran,� she said, �His name is Draco Malfoy and he is the Head Boy this year, so we have to work together a lot. Draco, this is my Grandmother on my Dad�s side, Eleanor Granger.�
Mrs Granger senior swiped a few carrot sticks into the serving dish and studied Draco with narrowed eyes. �That�s a very unusual name, Minnie,� she said forthrightly, and Hermione winced anew. Draco wasn�t sure if it was because of her grandmother�s frankness or the continued usage of that irritating nickname. �Sometime I do wonder what kind of people attend that mysterious school of yours; I�ve never in all my years heard names the likes of which your new company seem to be given.�
�It�s an old family name; it means Dragon in Latin. I think my mother had been reading a history of past Malfoys in the library when she was expecting me, and the hormones made her do it,� Draco said respectfully. Hermione, who had been holding her breath ever since Eleanor Granger opened her mouth, let it out in a hiss.
Apparently, Draco really was serious about being able to schmooze her relatives despite their origins, and she began to relax the tension she had hardly been aware of feeling up until the moment it lessened. �What would you like to drink, Draco?� she asked, as she turned away to the counter beside the fridge where her parents had laid out the drinks. �Would you like another sherry, Gran?� It was quite possibly not the best idea to keep topping up Eleanor�s glass as she tended to get quite feisty when she had had a tipple, but not to offer would probably also bring on another tart commentary from the older woman.
�Yes, I would, and make sure it�s a proper serving - not like those thimblefuls your father always gives me.� Her grandmother answered, thrusting her glass at Hermione. She wrapped cling-film over the vegetable platter, and Draco tried to watch unobtrusively as he wondered what the purpose of the clear stretchy covering was. �So,� the elder Mrs Granger said, as soon as Hermione�s back was turned. �You�re the first person from that exclusive school that anyone has had the courtesy to introduce to me. My son and his wife tell us that our Minnie was offered a place because she�s an especially gifted child, but I say that the local grammar school was good enough for my Richard, and look how successful he is now. I don�t understand at all why they have to send poor Minnie off to the back of beyond, away from her family and everyone who loves her, to freeze her poor fanny off in the wilds of Scotland. So, Draco Malfoy - can you tell me why your school is so much more special than anything round here?�

�Gran!� Hermione finally managed to interrupt the flow, shoving an overfilled glass of spirits into her grandmother�s hand. �Leave Draco alone. It�s hardly his fault that you don�t see very much of me! You�re far too busy with all your clubs and trips to spare time for me anyway, so don�t be an old hypocrite.�
�I still don�t see why you can�t have the internet in your dorm,� Eleanor grumbled, marginally pacified by her sherry. �Then you could e mail me during the term. What kind of school for gifted children doesn�t utilise the internet - tell me that if you can.�
�Obviously the kind we go to, Gran,� Hermione said with an exasperated sigh. �Come on, let�s put the veggie dip in the living room, and find you someone else to pick on. Uncle Frank is here, you know. Perhaps you can wind him up for laughs.� She picked up the serving dish and held it out to Draco who took it, slightly alarmed. The Malfoys had house elves for the transportation of food from one room to another, and he had certainly never been expected to carry it himself. Hermione slipped her arm through Eleanor�s elbow and guided her back into the lounge. Draco followed carrying the plate, for really - what choice was there?
The room seemed to have filled up since they had been in the kitchen. Draco had to wind carefully though several bodies before reaching the linen covered table where he was directed to place the plate. Eleanor spotted Uncle Frank immediately, and broke away from Hermione, making a beeline for the younger man.
Hermione sniggered in a very Slytherin manner; Draco found himself to be quite unnerved by this evil side of his little Gryffindor. �You set them both up deliberately to get them off our backs,� he accused in a whisper.
�I did indeed,� Hermione replied without a trace of remorse. �They just can�t resist baiting each other; normally we try to keep them apart, but I certainly saw the benefits of having them both preoccupied this evening!�
Draco, whose experience of family gatherings had tended to revolve around his Aunt Bella getting tipsy on ButterRum and second guessing what plan the Dark Lord might require to be carried out next, was quite fascinated by this insight into the workings of an average family. He actually went as far as wondering if behavior was similar in regular wizarding families - oh, say maybe at the Weasleys home, for instance.
He spent the next forty minutes or so following Hermione at a discrete distance, trying to watch and learn acceptable behavior without seeming too out of place. He suffered a worrying ten minutes when he was cornered by Hermione�s cousin Mark, who was apparently in the Police, a career which as far as he could tell approximated to that of an Auror, before Hermione recognised the panicked expression on his face and rescued him by thrusting the vegetable platter at him and telling him to walk around offering it to the guests as if he were a house elf!

He was still recovering from this indignity when suddenly there was a flurry of loud barking and most conversation in the room died down while people turned to see the what the disturbance was. Hermione reappeared silently at his elbow and sighed, �I didn�t know you had a dog,� Draco asked curiously. �What about Crookshanks?�
�Oh, Berkley is quite horribly under Crooks� paw,� Hermione replied. �Could you possibly imagine anything else? Come on, I bet I know who�s arrived. Berkley never gets this stewed up over anyone else�� She grabbed his elbow and pulled him towards the entrance hall after her.
The contact, brief though it was, served to remind Draco why he was here suffering through this excess of Muggle exposure. He allowed his eyes to rest on his witch and really noticed for the first time since this ordeal started, how happy she looked to be here surrounded by people she knew and loved and understood. He was here because it was where she was, and that was enough, even if they were spending the evening presenting the appearance of casual friends.
It seemed that Hermione had been correct in her prediction of who had arrived, for as soon as they left the living room and entered the hall, she was greeted by a shout of, �Hermione, call this attack hound of yours off. He isn�t staying!�
Hermione laughed out loud and left Draco, rushing to the front door where the spaniel was yapping at the new arrivals, a young man and woman obviously close to their age. She pushed the agitated dog out of the way with her foot and told him to be quiet, then hugged the girl enthusiastically. �Happy Christmas, Jules,� she said. �Have you had a good day so far?�
The girl returned her embrace and nodded. �Oh, yeah! I�ve eaten too much turkey, I�ve been shut in the house with Ben all day, and Dad nearly set fire to the kitchen curtains with the Christmas pud, but otherwise it�s been great!� She turned to the young man accompanying her, and said snottily, �You can go now. Thanks for the lift.�
Her companion didn�t seem to be too bothered by her rudeness or her dismissal; a fact which led Draco to believe they were siblings. He ignored her and spoke instead to Hermione. �I�m obviously under-appreciated. Here I am, wasting my Christmas Day chauffeuring my ungrateful brat sister around, just because she�s failed her driving test three times��
�Ben!� His sister smacked him really hard around his left arm, and Draco winced in sympathy. This looked like another She-Weasel in the making. Hermione surely did know how to pick her girlfriends! �Just shut up and go away. Nobody wants you round here being obnoxious! You just can�t resist it, can you?�
�Happy Christmas, Ben,� Hermione said hurriedly - ever the tactful Gryffindor, trying to smooth a potential row. �Do you have plans for the rest of the evening -�
�Don�t, Hermione,� the girl interrupted immediately. �Don�t you dare let him guilt you into inviting him to stay. He�s off to the pub with some of his loser friends from school.�
Ben nodded, �Yes, Skinny Minnie,� he emphasized regretfully. �But if you like, I could give you a Christmas kiss to make up for the disappointment,� with these words he rolled his eyes upwards to rest on the mistletoe which Hermione had quite forgotten was hanging over the front door.
His sister�s appalled response quite drowned out anything Hermione had been about to say, and Draco�s instinctive reaching for his wand was halted by the girl grabbing her brother and forcefully pushing him towards the door, all the time exclaiming, �Eww, what a revolting thought. You�re disgusting, Ben. Hermione doesn�t want her lips anywhere near yours. She�s already got a very nice boyfriend, thank you.�
Draco was quite sure his heart leapt up into his throat; any intentions of hexing the young man, Ben, flew right out of his mind with the horrible implications of what the sister had said. Did Hermione have a boyfriend, a Muggle, about whom he knew nothing? He was so utterly paralysed with shock that he missed the two girls ushering Ben out into the chilly evening air, whilst attempting to silence Berkley who had started living up to his name, once again.
They both leaned back against the closed door, exchanged significant glances and collapsed into giggles. �He is such a jerk,� the sister - Jules, Hermione had called her, said exasperatedly and Hermione nodded.
�Yes, but he�s consistently a jerk,� she agreed. �It�s nice to know that some things never change.� At that moment she seemed to become aware of Draco�s tense presence, hovering in the door way to the living room, and her smile faded into a concerned and questioning look. She turned to her friend who was currently unbuttoning her thick winter jacket, and after helping her to hang it on the end of the stairs, she pulled the girl after her to stand in front of Draco.
�Julia,� she said tentatively. �This is someone from school. Draco, this is my friend, Julia -� Despite his alarm about Ben and the mystery boyfriend, Draco was quick to connect the girl in front of him with the purveyor of skimpy underwear, and was unable to prevent an appreciate smile from lifting the corners of his mouth.
Julia could not have been less like he expected her to be; smaller even than his witch, the girl was barely five foot in height, she had a small, pointed face and spiked blonde hair which was tipped with blue. She was dressed in jeans with rips on the knees, and a large expanse of bare flesh was showing between the studded belt around her hips and the tight tee shirt she was wearing which bore the legend So many boys, so little time. Her belly button, like Hermione�s, was also pierced and flashing jewels.
Despite her diminutive size, she was so glaringly, overwhelmingly Muggle in a way that none of the adult guests of the Grangers were, that Draco felt quite flustered; he almost missed Julia�s startled gasp, and by the time his brain caught up with his ears, she was staring at him with wide kohl-lined eyes and hissing to Hermione in a stage whisper. �This is really him? He�s here in your house? Wow, you go girl. How on earth did you manage that, and why didn�t you tell me he was coming? I�d have gotten here sooner!�
Hermione grinned. �I didn�t know, Jules. It was a last minute decision; he just popped in.� Draco was still processing the fact that this Muggle girl seemed to know who he was, which meant that Hermione must have told her, and the fact that both girls were talking about him as if he wasn�t there momentarily escaped him.
�How does someone just pop in from Wiltshire - that�s a good six hours drive from here, and on Christmas Day, too?� Julia asked practically.
�I flew,� Draco interjected, suddenly catching up with the conversation, and remembering a fact from Muggle Studies which stated that this was the fastest form of transport from one place to another outside of the wizarding world.
He was quite pleased with his ingenuity until Julia�s kohled eyes grew even rounder if possible, and Hermione winced at him behind her friend�s back. �Wow, I know you said he was rolling in it, Hermione, but he has his own plane?� Julia breathed, mesmerized. Draco was once again lost by the conversation, but this ceased to be important when Julia suddenly moved forwards and caught him in a tight hug. His mouth popped open and Hermione could positively see the years of propaganda competing with the new tolerance in his head at the undeniable fact that he was being touched by an actual Muggle.

�I�m - er - pleased to meet you, Julia,� he managed at last, speaking over the top of her head. �Hermione has mentioned you -�
�Oh, Hermione,� Julia interrupted and turned to grin at her friend, �he even lies prettily. You lucky thing!�
�I have so told him about you,� Hermione protested. �I told him where you work!�
�I bet you showed him samples, too,� Julia teased slyly, and the conversation may have degenerated into something quite suggestive had Hermione�s mother not picked that moment to stick her head out in the hallway and see who the latest arrival was.
�Oh, Julia, dear,� she said, moving out completely from the lounge. �I thought it must be you, what with all the barking going on. Has Ben left already?� Both girls nodded, looking slightly guilty, Draco noted, and Mrs Granger came over to give Julia a quick hug, then telling them all to come and get some of the sherry trifle before it vanished.
Julia�s arrival made Draco realise that they were actually the youngest people at the party. He had been so caught up in trying to blend in with these Muggles that he had overlooked the fact that most of them were at least ten years older than he and Hermione, and many were contemporaries of her parents.
As they walked to the kitchen to get a drink for the new arrival, Julia was teasing Hermione about her elegant party dress, and Draco wondered if his witch�s usual attire when out of the wizarding world was actually more like the outfit Julia herself was wearing. This conversation seemed to necessitate a strange mimicking of some famous Muggle personality unheard of by Draco, complete with hand gestures and face-pulling and capped off by lots of totally uncharacteristic giggling. If he hadn�t been able to see the flat screen plasma television in the corner of the room, Draco might have thought he had walked in on Pansy, Millie and Mary in one of their girl�s nights.
It was a side of Hermione he had never encountered before; she always seemed so serious and sensible at school - except when he had her in his bed, of course - but where he found the Slytherin girls silly and irritating when they giggled and squealed, the sight of Hermione having so much innocent fun with one of her girlfriends, just made him feel happier himself. God, he was such a sap!
Julia was itching to have a private word with Hermione now that she had actually met Draco, but the poor boy had hovered nearby looking somewhat overwhelmed ever since she arrived, leaving no opportunity for the dishing of dirt.
Finally, Hermione�s Mum seemed to discover her belated sense of hostess-ly conscience, coming over and separating Draco from the two girls, clearly intent on getting to know him better. Julia could not help but notice the flared nostrils and wide eyes as Draco watched her pull his girlfriend away from them, leaving him alone beside Mrs Granger to fend for himself.
�He seems a bit shy,� Julia whispered. �I would hardly be able to tell you guys were an item if you hadn�t told me. He�s very quiet.�
�Well, I guess he�s a bit overwhelmed with all my family inspecting him,� Hermione replied ambiguously. �No one from school has ever been to my house before - it just wasn�t practical with everyone living so far apart and none of us old enough to - drive yet. And it�s not as if we told anybody that we were a thing�.�
�Yes, and why is that?� Julia probed. �I could see it before, but now he�s come all this way, and met your family why would you not tell them about it?�
�That wouldn�t be a good idea. My folks think he�s just another of my school friends. I don�t think either of us is ready to go public just yet. And my parents do keep in touch with Ron�s folks you know, and I really don�t need anything to filter back to Ron and Harry so I end up having to spend the rest of the year mediating between the lot of them!�
Julia wrinkled her nose, �Don�t take this the wrong way, Minnie,� she muttered, �but he�s not at all like I expected him to be - I mean, he�s cute and all that - but really - this is the guy all the girls in your school are swooning over? He�s kind of pale and - I don�t know�..pointy?�.isn�t he? I think I expected him to be a lot more - self-confident? Arrogant? He seems really shy.�
Hermione was too stunned to be offended by Julia�s assessment, but realistically she knew that Draco�s caution and ingrained aversion to all things Muggle could very well be making him appear shy and nervous to a casual observer, whereas Hermione knew he was examining and absorbing any small detail he felt might be useful. And of course, it really was quite humorous if you considered it; as if Draco Malfoy could ever be anything other than confident of his own importance!
She laughed and hugged her friend, who seemed a little startled at this reaction. �I know,� she said, grinning. �But check out his arse when he escapes from my Mum Then you�ll understand!�
Draco was quite surprised to find that Hermione�s mother was a very pleasant person to talk to; she efficiently disposed of any awkwardness, and spoke to him as an adult, asking general questions about his life, but nothing offensive, and he found himself able to answer quite truthfully, if not in great depth to most of her questions.
Draco actually had little experience of adult Muggles; his interaction was mostly restricted to Hogwarts students from non-magic families. Any exposure to older Muggles unfortunately consisted of occasions such as the Quidditch World Cup in his 4^th year, when the less scrupulous of his race used the confused people for sport and amusement, which hardly showed the poor unfortunates to their best advantage, seeing as mostly they were dazed by hexes, or begging for mercy.
Draco was pleasantly surprised by Mrs Granger�s cultured voice and quick mind. Of course, Hermione was brilliant, but Draco supposed he hadn�t really wanted to believe that it could have come from the non-wizarding side of her genetics; that instead it was a phenomenon which had only manifested itself within the walls of Hogwarts.
In fact he was still talking to Mrs Granger when Hermione came over with a slice of Christmas cake on a plate, and told her mother that the Morriseys were planning to leave. Margaret looked at her watch and instantly exclaimed on how late it had become, before apologizing to him for monopolizing his evening, and rising hastily to say good night to her neighbors.
Hermione dropped into the seat vacated by her mother, pressing her thigh deliberately against his, and a wave of heat suffused his body, down to the tips of his fingers. He had been concentrating so hard on fitting in to this alien environment that he had largely managed to disregard the normally all-consuming proximity of his lover. Unfortunately with her so close to him, and the scent of her hair invading his senses, it would not take much for arousal to overwhelm him. The afternoon�s activities were hours past, the effects of Azkaban long overcome, and the prospect of a week in Greece surrounded by his mother�s idea of eligible females all combining to make him irritable and randy and unable to act upon it.
�I should go back,� he muttered, fidgeting to conceal his reaction to her. �I just want to jump you and fuck you into the sofa -� Hermione gasped; nothing about his behavior tonight had prepared her for him to make such a statement. �Granger - use the Portkey again, when they�ve all gone to bed. I need you again - before I go away and it�s another week apart. Please!�

Shocked but secretly thrilled by Draco�s words, Hermione wrestled with her conscience and her understandable caution about entering Malfoy Manor again. They had seemingly got away with it one time, but she wasn�t so sure they could keep testing their luck in that respect. �I don�t know, Draco,� she murmured. �What if we get caught� how could we ever explain it?�
�We won�t. Mina - can�t you feel it? Doesn�t it ache to wake up alone in the mornings? Isn�t it all you think about - getting back to school so that we can be in our own rooms again. I want you - now. Christ, I have to get out of here before I jump you in front of all your family.�
Hermione shivered at his words, feeling her own arousal unfurling at the thought of him so desperate to fuck her. She risked a glance at his fly and registered the swell of his erection. Everything working normally down there again, then. �Okay,� she squeaked in a high voice before she was even aware of opening her mouth.
�Come on then,� he growled and rose from the sofa, tugging her up by her hand. �I�ll Apparate straight back to my room from where I arrived earlier. Don�t make me wait too long, Granger. I�ll be naked on the bed playing with myself.�
Hermione gazed a around wildly, aghast in case anyone could overhear his words, but they were being largely ignored. Julia was flirting with her cousin Mark, even though he was eight years older than them, and her Grandma was still involved in a lively debate with Uncle Frank. Relieved to find that no one seemed to be paying them any particular attention, she let Draco guide her into the kitchen, where he paused to say a respectful good night and thanks to Margaret Granger who was washing some glasses by hand which would not fit into the dishwasher.
Hermione�s mother wiped her sudsy hands on a towel and reached out to give Draco a quick hug, which seemed to startle him. �I hope everything is well with your Mother�s friend,� she said in parting. �It was nice to meet another one of Hermione�s friends. Have a safe -� she paused here, seemingly unable to find a suitable word to apply to Draco�s method of transportation, �- er- Pop - home,� she concluded finally. �Happy New Year. I don�t suppose we�ll be seeing you before then.�
Hermione smiled weakly at her mother and followed Draco out into the garden again. Mrs Granger watched through the window again, as they walked into the shadows at the end of the garden, hoping that none of her guests would decide to enter the kitchen and see the blond boy disappear into thin air. She jumped in fright when a hand descended on her hip, and looked over her shoulder with alarm to find her husband behind her, watching their daughter and the strange young man as they engaged in a serious conversation beside the potting shed.
�Lovely party, Meg,� Richard complimented, as he dropped a kiss onto his wife�s shoulder. �Bit odd though, how that lad showed up instead of one of Minnie�s boys. I suppose he�s going to do that disappearing thing now. I imagine it must be a very useful way to travel. Just think about never having to deal with the M1 again, hmm?�
�Indeed,� his wife snorted. �It�s not natural, if you ask me.�
Richard sighed. � I know - but really, what is natural and rational about what has happened to our daughter�s life? Could we ever have expected this - planned for it? It�s all so far off the spectrum of scientific fact, that I can�t work out why you have such a problem with this one solitary aspect of it.�
�I know, and I can�t explain it,� Margaret replied, �that�s just how it is.�
Richard dropped a kiss on his wife�s cheek. �Well, I better go and make sure no one is watching out of the windows while the boy does his disappearing act,� he joked, and left her to resume her washing up, and keep one eye on her daughter.
Hermione and Draco were delaying the inevitable parting, doing little more than staring at each other as the prospect of another week apart weighed down on them. Draco finally ended it by growling, �I�ll be waiting. Hurry!� Before he shut his eyes and concentrated on his destination.
As soon as he disappeared, Hermione could feel herself deflating. She stayed in place with her head bowed, unmoving for several moments, trying to get herself in the correct frame of mind for jolly holiday cheer and tipsy relatives, before she returned to the bright and festive atmosphere of the house. With a final sigh and squaring of her shoulders, she turned back towards the house when from out of nowhere a hand descended on her shoulder.
Draco had Apparated directly into his bedroom to be confronted by the still rumpled bed and lingering scent of sex permeating the air. The wards he had placed around his room to give them their privacy were still unbreached, and he could imagine Dipti having heart failure at being unable to get in and clean her master�s room.
He stepped forward and ran his hand over the sheets, lifting one to his face and inhaling the scent of their combined release, and in the next second he was gone, back into Hermione�s garden, reappearing in the same spot he had vacated, less than a minute later.
Hermione was still there, but apparently on her way back into the house. He reached out and caught her shoulder, pulling her around to face him in the same movement. Her face bore a worried expression, until she saw who had hold of her, and the next second he was kissing her. The momentum of his lunge and her twist sent them stumbling sideways until they fell against the side of the potting shed, where Draco pinned her tight between his body and the wall.
There were no thoughts in either of their heads about being seen; just the urgency which came from hours of hiding their feelings and the dread of another week of the same. Hermione dug her hands into his hair, loosening the curls and rubbed herself frantically against the ridge of his erection. Draco obliged her by hoisting her upwards against the shed so that she could wrap her legs around his waist and position his arousal where it brought the most relief for both of them, thrusting helplessly against her whilst his tongue curled around hers in a poor simulation of what he really wished to be doing.
Mrs Granger dropped the glass she was washing and it shattered in the sink.
*************
Dear reader, I am sorry for the long wait in between chapters. For some reason, this one just did not want to flow nicely. So many of you had expectations of Draco�s meeting with the Grangers that I was pulled in many directions. However, this is what I came up with.
I am going back to England next month, so another delay is inevitable. However, when they get back to school, things will start falling apart as it becomes more and more difficult to keep their secret. Also up soon, Pansy�s detention.
I am also slowly trying to upload the whole of this story onto Coloured Grey, the Contraveritas archive. It is currently up to Ch 12.
And going totally off topic, If any of you care for Hermione/Snape pairings, I cannot recommend a couple of stories by Shiv highly enough. She is also on this site in the Hr/SS section. Go and read De-Minimus and Big Name Death Eater immediately. You will die laughing.
Happy Halloween

10.22.05

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