Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Always Mine	By : RynStar15 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 11545 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter world or characters which belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I intend no copyright infringement by using the characters therein.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
The days dragged into weeks, the weeks melted into months. I paid no attention to time as it no longer held meaning for me. My life had become a catacomb of licensed documents, family debts, estates and ledgers. It seemed my father had let his investments and assets fall to the wayside ever since his trouble at the ministry and the damage had been incalculable.
I spent nights pouring over poorly kept accounts trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong. I spent days dealing with lawyers and debt collectors, the owls flying in by the flock. My limited math skills were put to the test and I was never more grateful for the simple algebra Hermione had taught me, knowing I would never have gotten through all of this without it.
I ended up having to sell all of our properties just to pay off collectors and, with Remus's help, located a comfortable flat in a small wizarding dwelling in London, not far from the Ministry. I held an estate auction at the manor and used those earnings to start my own Gringotts vault, leaving the original Malfoy vault for only our most treasured possessions. The Malfoy name may be mud now, but centuries of wealth and prestige was not going to be lost to future generations by the mistakes of my father. However, I refused to use that money to help me now. I would earn my own way, as it was supposed to be.
I had attended the meeting at the Ministry the day after I'd left Hogwarts as the Minister had bade and received an Order of Merlin, First Class next to Potter. I had skivved out of the celebration afterwards and hid the award beneath my bed. Now it sat on my mantle, gleaming at me, reminding me that I had done something right in this world. Reminding me of what I could do, of what I could be. Of why I spent sleepless nights in agonizing loneliness.
I went to the mass funeral for all those lost in the war and sat at the very back, making sure she couldn't see me. I watched her from afar, my heart aching as she clutched others and swiped tears from her cheeks. But I kept my distance. Barely.
I was sent a letter giving me the location of the final resting place of my mother, in a secluded valley with the rest of the Death Eaters as I had requested. I had crumpled the parchment and tossed it into the fire without even glancing at the directions.
I kept in touch with Potter, owling him once a week or so. He always gave me news of Hermione, even though I never asked. She had stayed at school, of course, and seemed perfectly content. Potter assured me this was all a carefully constructed facade, though, and spared no detail in telling me about the tears he'd seen rolling down her face before she could dab them away behind her books or the hours she spent staring blankly out of the windows. He begged me to get in touch with her, but I couldn't. Not yet. It wasn't time.
I reluctantly took Remus's advice and spoke to Kingsley about a possible position at the Ministry. When he asked what I was interested in, I drew a blank. I'd honestly had no clue what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I'd spent so long just trying to live to the next day that I'd never really thought about where I wanted my life to go. We'd talked late into the night and we discussed my interests. Although I'd always had decent marks in school, nothing had really grabbed at my attention.
"So, what does?" Kingsley had asked.
It was then I remembered watching the one-armed Weasley riding that dragon on the night of the battle, remembered gazing up at them in awe as they dove between the giants. I recalled the jealousy that had burned through me seeing the Norwegian Ridgeback hatch in the gamekeeper's hut, remembered envying Potter's chance to fight one in the Triwizard Tournament. I thought of my dragon Patronus, now shared with Hermione…
When I informed him of this epiphany the large man had grinned and before I knew it, I was meeting the Weasley, Charlie, and he had whisked me off to Romania where a large contingent of dragons was kept for breeding and educational purposes. He explained that they were now beginning a whole new expedition on taming dragons for use and protection in the magical world. My fascination flared watching the magnificent creatures, seeing the way the wizards and witches dealt with them, learning the different kinds, understanding the diverse personalities they all had. They were like people; each one with their own quirks, their own strengths and weaknesses. I was offered a position as a paid intern and accepted it with an enthusiasm I'd never felt before. I quickly found out that I had an instinctive connection with the misunderstood creatures. I related with them as I never had to another human being.
Charlie and I rubbed along quite well and he was a fount of information on dragons. He lent me books on every aspect of the creatures and their care, the breeds and history. And the best part about Charlie was that he kept his promise in not telling his family about my whereabouts. The only people who knew about my new occupation were the Minister himself, Remus, and Potter. They had all sworn to secrecy and for this I was thankful. I had enough to worry about not being incinerated by an angry nesting mother without having to wonder if reporters were going to flock to Romania to get the latest scoop on the "fallen Malfoy."
And every single empty second was filled with thoughts of Hermione. There was a constant ache in me that I knew only she could fill. Her face haunted me at night. During the day, I could swear I caught whiffs of her. In every face I saw her, staring back at me, her sad eyes accusing. I knew I had hurt her unforgivably and I hated myself for it. But what could I do? I'd had nothing to offer her, nothing but pain and humiliation. And now look at me, living in a tent, my entire life centered around the most dangerous creatures our world had to offer. This was no life for her. She was better off without me.
A late June evening found me leaning against my favorite tree, just on the far side of the Horntail's paddock. I watched the red sun sink behind a grassy knoll, A History of Dragon Breeding of the Seventeenth Centurylaying forgotten across my legs as I gazed morosely into the impending night, wondering what Hermione was doing this very second. Finals would be over, the seventh years would be preparing for the graduation ceremony, the rest of the children enjoying their last nights splashing in the lake or racing each other on the Quidditch pitch. In a few days they would all board the Hogwarts Express and then…what? Where would she go? Back to Headquarters? Would she find her parents, give them their memories back? Would she rejoin the Muggle world? No, she would do something bigger than that. Maybe go to Kingsley, as I had, and speak to him about a position in the Ministry. Carry out S.P.E.W. or something. In all of his letters Potter had never told me what she might do…
"Thought I might find you here," Charlie said from behind me. I didn't turn, but heard him lean against the bark above me. "Beautiful here, isn't it?" I said nothing. He was used to my sullen attitude when I wasn't in the field. "Think you'll miss it?"
I looked up at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if we're going to start training these bad boys to be around wizards on a daily basis, it's not going to be out here in the middle of nowhere. We're thinking of setting up a new colony near London. Need a scout to go out and find a suitable spot. You up for it?"
I stood slowly, the book falling to the soft grass as I rose, watching the glimmer of amusement in his bright blue eyes. He knew as well as I what this would mean. I could be closer to Hermione…
"You're serious?"
"Completely. And, you know, once we get everything set up we'll need someone to take charge over there." He shrugged the shoulder of his missing arm. "It's all good and well dealing with our more trained dragons, but we're hoping to bring in a new batch out there in the spring and, well, it'll be a two-handed job. I've been given the position as over-seer and we'll need a new man to take my place. What say you?"
A bubble of excitement filled my chest. "I-I, yes, yes, of course, I mean…thank you, that's…"
"But you have to promise me one thing."
"Sure, yeah, of course," I stammered, still hardly believing my ears. The head of my own colony? I'd only been an intern for a few months!
"Come with me to my brother's graduation," he said, his eyes mischievous. "While you're there, why don't you try sucking up your pride? Worst thing she could do is say yes. Or hex you, I suppose. I've heard she can be rather volatile."
I felt numb. This wasn't happening. This was not just being handed to me…there had to be a catch…
"Why me?" I asked finally.
"You've earned it," he shrugged. "You already work better with those overgrown reptiles than half then men on my squad. It's intuitive, it's not just something you can learn out of a book and you seem to have a knack for it. I trust you. And she loves you."
I shook my head and turned away to where the sun had finally disappeared beyond the horizon, the weight of it all pressing in on me. "I'm no good for her."
"Why don't you let her decide that? She seems to be a pretty good judge of character." I didn't respond to this, but mulled it all over, letting the sounds of the approaching night surround me. "Be ready to leave at dawn."
...
I squinted up at the sun as I dismounted from my broom and looked around. Hogsmead looked as it had before the war, the tidy little shop windows glittering in the sunlight, window boxes overflowing with cheerful flowers, shoppers strolling leisurely down the cobblestone paths enjoying the warm spring afternoon, rejoicing the fact that they could take their time now that there was no curfew, no fear of returning home to the worst. There were no desperate vendors trying to hock talismans or fake potions to ward off Dementors, only smiling merchants shouting out that they had fresh Cauldron Cakes and cold pumpkin juice.
A nudge on the arm had me tearing my eyes away from the brilliantly mundane life that the world had become and I followed Charlie up the steep slope along with other witches and wizards who Apparated or flew in around us, chatting happily, greeting old friends. We all strolled through the wide-open gates onto the Hogwarts grounds, Hagrid standing to one side, but there was otherwise no guard preventing anyone from coming in. I thought this was a bit like tempting fate, but understood it only added to the joyful occasion to know that there was no longer reason to keep anyone from entering who wanted to.
I waited patiently while Charlie greeted the half-giant warmly and watched in mild amusement as his full-giant brother handed out programs. Hands dug in my pockets I surveyed the small stage that had been set up next to the lake, the hundreds of gold chairs lined the grassy lawn before it. Dumbledore's gleaming white casket was just visible beyond, watching over the happenings that carried on even after his untimely death.
It had eased my heart no small amount to read the letter Potter sent me a few months back explaining a memory Snape had left him which detailed his full reasoning for killing the headmaster. Dumbledore had been dying. He'd asked Snape to. It wasn't just to save me. I had asked Potter to keep the memory and he'd promised he would. Someday I would see it myself, when I was ready. His reassurances were enough for now.
I turned back to the people thronging in and saw a woman clutching onto her husband's arm, murmuring into his ear and though she smiled warmly at me when she passed, I could see how nervous she and her husband looked. Her husband whose eyes were a dark, chocolate brown…
I stared at the back of the two and noticed they did not wear robes over their Muggle clothing and the woman's hair…it was exactly the same bushy chestnut of…
"Mrs. Granger!" I shouted out on impulse, jogging up to them, my mind spinning. I had no idea what I would say to them, but I knew it was them and when the couple turned my mouth dried.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" she asked kindly, Mr. Granger clutching her arm protectively even as he pushed wire-rimmed glasses further up his nose.
"Er, no," I answered, pointedly ignoring the day in Flourish and Blotts when my father and I had sneered at their presence. I shifted my feet nervously. What did one say to Muggles? "But I-er-know your daughter, Hermione. We, well, we went to school and…know…each other…" I finished lamely.
Suddenly, the older woman's face brightened.
"Oh! You must be Draco! But of course, you look just like she said!" Mrs. Granger exclaimed, covering the two steps between us and hugging me. I was so shocked it took me several seconds to react before patting her awkwardly and she pulled me back, looking up at me, her eyes shining with admiration. "Sorry, I'm sure this isn't the normal way for, well, wizards to greet but I owe you so much. I can't tell you how grateful I am for all you've done for my baby girl. Roger? Roger, shake the boy's hand, where are your manners?"
Completely nonplussed, I took the hand the sandy haired man stuck out, feeling I had missed something. "Er, what exactly did Hermione say about me?"
"Oh, dear, she told us all about how you risked your life to help kill that bad man, what was his name again?" she turned to her husband.
"Voldemort," he answered, his dark eyes trained on me. It was quite clear that while his wife was all but smitten with me, he seemed to be reserving judgment.
"Yes, yes, him. I always forget the name. Oh, I'm just so…shocked, to say the least. Did she tell you she put a spell on her father and me? Sent us away to Australia! For our protection! She's always been so selfless. I'm just so proud of all of you, but it's like something out of a book, isn't it? It hardly seems real, all of this," she rambled, waving up at the castle. "I've always felt rather like I was sending her off into some fairytale every fall but actually being here…I'm at a complete loss for words!"
I decided to not mention that fact that she seemed to have plenty to say because I could see so much of Hermione in this pretty woman that my heart ached.
"Penny, I'm sure the boy has to get ready for the ceremony," her husband said with an apologetic smile.
"Oh, I'm not…er, I've already, er, left," I stated lamely. For some reason, I didn't want them to go. Looking at the Grangers was so…comforting. It was like having a piece of Hermione here with me. And I just couldn't wait to see her face when she found out I'd spoken with them.
"Left?" Penny asked. "I was under the impression you were in the same year?"
"I am, I was, I mean. But, er, after the war, the last battle, I didn't return. Some students who, er, helped, were allowed to leave early," I attempted to explain but found it rather difficult. I'd never actually spoken to a Muggle before and had no idea how much she would understand about our world.
"Is that right? Yes, I think I remember Hermione saying something about that," Penny said, looking up at her husband. "Remember when she told us about Ronald being difficult in getting him to stay?"
"Yes, I seem to recall something like that," Roger said. It was obvious he was used to his wife's incessant babble.
"Oh, but you must tell me what you've been doing since you left!" Penny went on. "Did you get a job? What kind of jobs do wizards have? We went to Diagon Alley once, didn't we, Roger? Oh, and it was wonderful! I was absolutely terrified the whole time but it was just delightful when I think back on it! Do you live there?"
"Penny, I'm sure he doesn't want to-"
"No, no," I said, grinning. The woman was most endearing. "I'd love to chat. Why don't we take a seat and I'll tell you all about dragon training."
Penny gasped and I had to fight to keep from laughing out loud at the expression on her face. Holding out my arm, I led her and her husband to the chairs and we sat and I talked on and on about everything I'd been up to since I had gotten the internship in Romania. Penny was a great audience and I found I enjoyed talking to her immensely and Roger even queued in with a few questions of his own. The seats slowly filled around us as the conversation moved to their practice in "dentistry" in which they cleaned and straightened teeth for a living. I recalled Hermione once being on the receiving end of a curse from me and her front teeth growing past her collar as I laughed uproariously. I pushed down the sickening thought which was overcome with another…if Hermione had told her parents about me helping in the war…had she told them about my harassment over the last six years? Was that why Roger watched me with a weary, hardened eye?
Eventually, McGonagall took the stage and began speaking about the class, about their hand in the war, their losses, their achievements. Portraits of those who had not made it through the year were sitting on easels behind her and each of them was discussed at length, the crowd growing somber, several witches drawing out handkerchiefs. But then the headmistress smiled and named off several students who had already left Hogwarts, myself included, who were "no less deserving of recognition" and we were given a round of applause, Mrs. Granger clapping happily beside me, patting my leg.
And then they filed out, my classmates, the group greatly diminished from the one which had sailed across the lake together that first night. All of them hardened, affected in some way by the war, and all of them grinning nervously as they lined up next to the stage, just as we had all done before we were sorted. One by one they were called up, their O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's admired as well as club involvement or Quidditch positions.
When Hermione was called up she stood calmly beside the headmistress, looking more beautiful than ever, her hair blowing slightly in the warm breeze. My heart clenched in my chest and when her eyes found mine they widened slightly and held. I couldn't breathe and my mind seemed to have been wiped blank but for the image of her standing there. Her mother waved beside me and she tore her gaze from me to smile at her as McGonagall droned on and on, her voice one of utter pride as she poured over Hermione's countless achievements. The only person whose speech was longer was Potter's, for obvious reasons. I snorted when puffs of purple smoke broke out as he took to the stage but my eyes stayed with Hermione who was now staring fixedly away from me to focus on her fellow classmates.
I was taken aback when everyone rose to their feet around me and I realized the ceremony was over. McGonagall's voice rose over the cheering crowd's to announce that refreshments would be served in the Great Hall where we could meet with the graduates. Without a word to the Grangers I struck out, winding between people, racing for the castle where the celebrating teens were now hurrying.
I caught up with her at the door and grabbed her elbow, dragging her, sputtering, from Ron and Harry. Ron made a move toward us but Harry held him back as I pulled Hermione to Firenze's old classroom. When I slammed the door shut she yanked her arm from my grasp, irate.
"What in the hell do you think you are doing?" she snapped, her eyes sparkling with fire. "What gives you the right to manhandle me like that?" I started to speak but she held up a hand. "No, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to know why you thought it necessary to ruin my graduation by showing up and sitting with my parents and throwing me into a classroom like a piece of garbage because I am rather busy at the moment and my parents are waiting for me so if you'll excuse me-"
She made to stride past me but I stepped in front of the door, blocking her path. She glared up at me lividly. "Malfoy, seriously, I am not in the mood to play games."
"Luckily, neither am I."
Then, without thinking, without planning, I grabbed her and kissed her. All I could think of was having her lips beneath mine, of tasting her, of reminding us both why I had come.
My tactless move was met with a crack of her hand against my cheek and she ripped out of my loosened hold.
"How dare you?" she snarled, backing away from me, her cheeks flaming with indignation. I was quickly realizing that I'd severely underestimated her wrath. "I don't know what you are playing at, Malfoy, but I'm not going to be your-your whore any longer! You have no right to come here, to do this to me! Now let me pass!"
"No."
"No? No? That's all you have to say? This is bloody ridiculous, I don't have time for this-"
I fought off her attempts to shove me from the doorframe, clinging to the wood like a lifeline. I couldn't think of anything but to make her stay, to force her to listen to me. "Just give me a few minutes, Hermione-"
"Oh, give you a few minutes?" she screeched, infuriated, shoving at me again. "You, who denied me at every turn, who left me after I risked everything for you? I should give you a few minutes?"
"Yes," I said. I couldn't think of any other response, I had to keep her here, I had to make her understand. Because I couldn't leave without telling her, without her finally knowing…
"I've given you more than enough of my time, Malfoy," she growled. I had never seen her so angry. Her lips were thin (reminding me vividly of Professor McGonagall) and her nostrils flared. Her eyes glinted in fury. "I've given you days, weeks, months. I waited for you to write, to visit, to get in touch any way for months! But I am tired of waiting. I'm tired of spending endless nights hoping for you to come to your senses. I'm tired of waiting for something that will never happen, of waiting on someone who didn't care enough about me to spare a single second for an explanation."
I watched the fight drain out of her, the rage seeping into pain and bitter disappointment, which was all the harder to bear. "I don't have any more time to give you. Now please, let me pass."
"Hermione, please, just let me explain-"
"Explain what? Why I haven't heard from you for half a year? Why you left me screaming for you in a hospital bed after I risked my life to save your sorry arse? Why you turned your back on me again?"
I had known this would be hard, I had steeled myself for this the entire flight back from Romania, but the reality of it was so much worse than I had imagined. The hatred etched in every line on her face cut into me deeper than Potter's curse in the sixth year.
"Yes."
She laughed bitterly, the sound slicing through me. "No. I won't let you explain. Not this time. It doesn't matter anymore. I have nothing left to give you. You've taken it all from me already. I don't know that kind of sick game you're playing, but I'm done. I'm tapped out. Now, please, stand aside and let me through."
"I can't do that."
"Then allow me to assist you!" she screeched, drawing her wand. Before I could even reach for mine I was flying across the room, cursing her mad dueling skills, crashing into tables and toppling to the floor. Scrambling to my feet, I watched her wrench open the door and fly out into the hall, taking my heart with her.
"Hermione!" I cried, leaping over upended tables. "Hermione, wait! Please!"
By the time I reached the hall she was swallowed up in the crowd. My eyes sailed over the horde of happy people, searching for her bushy hair, finally finding it clutched in the arms of her father. I started forward but a hand caught my shoulder.
"Step back, mate. Come on now, back it up. Give her some time to cool down," I heard Potter say as he pulled me away from the throng and I stopped struggling, my eyes still on her. "You'll never get anything through to her now, trust me. Let her spend some time with her folks so she can clear her head a bit. It wasn't easy for her to see you today. These last months have been rough on her."
I nodded and felt stupid. My actions had been brash. I hadn't planned on assaulting her to begin my plea for forgiveness. But seeing her, having her so close...it had been like something just snapped inside me and I couldn't control it. Luckily, Potter seemed to understand.
"Why don't we step outside, get some air?" he suggested. I nodded and we walked silently down to the lake where here and there parents strolled with their children, talking about their days at Hogwarts and discussing the future. When I tired of walking, I took a seat on a log next to the lake and Potter strolled the shore, finding a flat pebble and tossing to out onto the water where it skipped once and sank.
"It's not going to be easy, you know," he finally said as if continuing an on-going conversation. He chose another rock, threw it, and watched it bounce twice on the surface before being swallowed by the water. "She's been hurting a really long time."
"I know," I grated through clenched teeth. Did he not think I had suffered every single night as she had, tossing and turning, drowning in the repercussions of my choices?
"It's going to take a lot of persuasion on your part. She's finally just come to accept you weren't coming back. And now she's mostly angry. Really, really, angry."
"Surprisingly I got that."
"It was almost easier, you know? Seeing her angry. It was easier than the hurt, the betrayal."
"You could receive another Order of Merlin with your pep talks, Potter," I scowled.
He smiled sardonically and chose another rock. "Yeah, I was usually at the receiving end, I suppose. But I want you to know what you're getting yourself into. I love her, Malfoy. More than you can ever understand. She saved my life in more ways than you can imagine and more times than I can remember. She stood by me when no one else did. Even when I turned my back on her she was there for me, pushing me along, dragging me through the toughest times of my life. She's done more for me than I can even begin to fathom. For you, too."
He turned to me, fingering his chosen pebble, his face stern. "I'm telling you all this because I am not going to stand aside and see her hurt anymore. I understand where you're coming from, I honestly do. I know why you left. But she doesn't. I've seen what's between you two and though I don't understand it, I know that this…isn't working. You have to fix this. Because I can't stand one more night of holding her while she cries herself to sleep, not being able to tell her why the man she loves so much hates her."
"I don't-!"
"I know," Potter said, turning back to the lake and throwing the rock. "But like I said, she doesn't. All of this had been so unfair to her, even if it was necessary. She's not going to heal right away. So, whatever you decide to do, do it. Because she needs her life back. She can't move forward without some kind of closure."
"There won't be any," I said resolutely, my fists clenching with determination. "I can't live without her. These months…" I sighed, rubbing my chest where that lonely ache I'd spent every night with returned. "I can't stand it anymore. I have to be with her."
Abandoning his mass pebble homicide, Potter turned to me shoving his hands into the pockets of his dress robes. "She was awarded a position as an intern to the Chief Warlock himself at the Ministry. She's going to take it. She decided last night. Her life can't be on standstill forever and she has so much potential. I know you have a really great thing going for you there in Romania. I don't want to see you throw that away and I won't let you take this from Hermione. It's an amazing opportunity; she'll be the youngest intern the Wizengamot has ever had."
"I would never take that away from her," I snapped, trying to bite back the insinuated insult, knowing I deserved it while a small bubble of pride lodged itself in my chest. "I already have a place in London. It's not much, but it's close enough to the Ministry she could walk if she'd like."
Potter chewed this over. "So, you're just going to throw away everything you've worked for these past six months? The reason you've put Hermione through hell?"
"Of course not. As soon as Charlie and I settle on a sight for the new colony I'll be making enough to take care of her."
Potter's brows raised. "Explain?"
I couldn't help the smile that broke out on my face. "Charlie's promoted me. I'll be taking his place as the head of a colony just outside of London so we can begin the domestication process. We have a few eggs of a bunch of breeds, we'll be hatching them right there near to town, keeping them close to people so they can begin to trust them. Eventually we hope to be able to tame them enough to be ridden in times of need like at the battle in January. Who knows what else we can do? There's so much we can learn about them, they're amazing creatures. And I'll be close enough so if there is any problem I can get to work right away and we'll be right there by the Ministry. There shouldn't be any problem."
"Except that you're going to have to get her to forgive you first," he said, the left corner of his mouth raised in a smirk.
I sighed. "Yeah, still working on that one. But I don't care how long it takes. I love her. Even if I hadn't gotten this promotion I would figure out a way to make this work. I need her, you know?"
"Yeah. I do."
I looked up into cloud dotted sky, my mind whirling with a plan. I looked back at Potter and grinned.
"Mind helping a bloke out?"
...
SheWolf4025: Not the end yet! Shall we wait to see how much he fucks up again?? ;)

XOXO
RynStar15
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Always Mine