Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Love and Forgiveness	By : HarryGinny4eva Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 16331 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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
- 7
- 8
- 9
CHAPTER 22

The rest of the day was rather uneventful for them. They had talked a bit and
then Hermione left soon after to shop for a new set of dress robes for his
mother�s party. She was apprehensive to say the very least, but she wasn�t
about to look it. Draco had put more of his things away in her apartment and
settled back comfortably to listen to a Quidditch game on the radio, which
Hermione had charmed to get the Wizarding Network. He grabbed a book to get his
mind off Blaise and his problems. He knew there was little he could do and it
frustrated him to not be able to help his friend.

He was stretched out on the sofa reading when she returned looking harassed,
but triumphant.

�Done, finally!� she shouted.

He laughed and got up when she dropped her bags by the door, �Had that much
fun, did you?�

�I hate shopping,� she whined and slipped her shoes off. �Nothing should be
that hard.�

He kissed her quickly and laughed, �You�re the only woman I know who doesn�t
enjoy spending the day running from shop to shop.� He picked up her bags and
took them back over to the sofa, �So, how many books did you buy?�

She laughed that he knew her so well, �Only a few. And, I got you one or two.�

He laughed and started to rifle through the bags. But, when he got to the ones
from the dress shop, she jumped forward and slapped his hands away.

�What?�

She took the bags and stepped back from him with a grin, �No peeking. It�s a
surprise.�

�Oh really,� he smirked and advanced on her.

She nodded and sidestepped him, �Yes, really. Now, go find what I bought you.
I�ll be right back.�

�Fine,� he laughed. When she disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door
he chuckled to himself and went back to the bags. He pulled out a few books
that he knew surely weren�t for him and then came across one called, Magical
Crimes and Their Solutions, and smiled at her thoughtfulness. He flopped
back down on the sofa and started flipping through it. He quickly got caught up
in one of the stories.

�Um, Draco?� he heard from behind him.

His gaze flicked to his watch and he realized almost twenty minutes had passed
since she�d gone in the room.

�Yeah?� he asked as he put a mark in the book so he wouldn�t lose his place.

�Surprise number 1,� she laughed softly.

He turned to ask her what she was talking about and froze in shock. His eyes
traveled slowly over her from head to toe and he had to remind himself to
breathe.

Hermione giggled a bit at his look of shock and pure lust. She turned slowly,
feeling more powerful under his intense stare, than she ever had while wielding
her wand.

�I thought you�d like some green and silver, too,� she whispered.

Draco swallowed as his eyes drank in her in. She glowed in a short sheath of
dark green silk with silver strands running through it. Silver fur lined the
edges of the low cut top, drawing his eyes to the swell of her chest. And, when
she turned, the fur at the bottom skimmed along the backs of her well-toned
thighs and gave him a brief glimpse of a matching swath of silk covering her
butt.

Hermione stood and watched the shifting emotions cross his normally controlled
features and wondered what she should say or do next. When Ginny had suggested
she do this, she hadn�t given Hermione any real direction. She had implied that
Draco would take over pretty quickly. But, he seemed immobile. His silence was
a bit unnerving and she had to stop herself from fidgeting.

�Draco?� she asked softly.

Then she let out a startled squeak as that one word seemed to go through him
like a stunning spell and he swooped across the room to grab her.

�Gods, you�re beautiful,� he mumbled against her neck.

�Thanks,� she smiled as a shiver ran through her.

He pulled back and looked at her with a wicked smirk, �No, Mi. Thank you.�

She laughed out loud when he picked her up and ran to the bedroom. She was put
gently down on the bed and looked at him as he backed away.

He stood staring down at her for a moment and then he smiled wickedly at her.
�Hold on.�

With a flick of his wrist the lights lowered and the candles on the dresser and
window sill flared to life. She smiled softly at him and he closed his eyes
momentarily. She felt the bed under her change and looked down to see she was
now resting back against black silk sheets.

With a light laugh, she held out her hand to him, �You going to join me?�

He nodded and pulled off his clothes as quickly as possible as he moved to the
bed. When he stood naked and proud beside her she sighed happily. He grinned
wolfishly and leaned down over her as their lips met in a frenzied kiss. He
pushed her back and lifted his head to ask, �So, is this why I couldn�t see
what was in the bag?�

She nodded and smiled as her hand trailed down his shoulder, across his chest
and settled on his hip. �But, you still can�t see the rest until tomorrow.�

�Is there more like this in there,� he asked as he let his hands slide across
her body, shifting the soft fabric against her skin to reveal one breast to his
hungry gaze.

She purred and pressed herself into his strong hand, �Mmmm, maybe. You�ll have
to wait for tomorrow to find out.�

He leaned down, sniffed her unique scent and released a groan of desire and
pleasure. Then he nibbled and licked his way down to her chest as he teased,
�Well, I�m sure Father would find it intriguing party dress, but I don�t think
Mother would approve.�

She shivered slightly in revulsion, but forced a laugh and slapped his arm, �I
meant tomorrow night.�

He laughed and tugged on her nipple with his lips before answering, �Oh good,
because as much as I do love my father, I don�t think I fancy him seeing you
this way.�

Before she could answer, his lips found hers again and his tongue plunged in to
wipe any thought of speaking from her mind.

When he slid down her body, hands, lips, teeth and tongue devouring her as he
went, she sighed, �Dra,� and felt him quiver against her heated body.

She felt him slide the wisp of silk down her legs as her hands tangled in his
hair and she lifted her hips to assist him. Before she could lower herself
completely, he grasped her hips and made them one. A shudder of delight ran through
both of them as they lost themselves in each other.

All too soon she felt like she was flying and heard him chanting her name, as
he grasped her tighter to him and let go.

With a smile of contentment and completeness she thought, Thank you, Ginny!

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

�Too surreal,� she whispered to herself. �I can do this. I can do this.�

She and Draco had flooed to his parents� mansion and were standing in front of
the huge fireplace. He had helped her right herself and took a moment to
quickly clean them off, as she stood staring at the room in front of her.

Her eyes were round in her extremely pale face as she looked up at him. She saw
him look at her with concern and forced a joke, �Good Lord, Draco, my whole
apartment and half of your loft would fit in this one room!�

He saw how shallowly she was breathing and feared she would make herself sick,
�Mi, look at me.�

She turned toward him, but her eyes kept flicking back and forth, and while her
one hand held his in a crushing grip, her other kept straying to her wand
pocket. Her normally tanned face was almost as pale as his, and she was shaking
like she was freezing to death.

He took her chin in his hand and said again, �Mi? Mione? Hermione!�

Her eyes snapped to his and she flinched. His stomach clenched at the fear he
saw in her eyes. But he held her stare.

�Okay, love, breathe with me. In. Out. In. Out. Good.�

�I�m okay,� she mumbled. Then more to herself, �I�m okay.�

He laughed a little and brought her closer to hug her, �If you say so.�

She dropped her head against his chest and said, �I�m sorry. It�s just�I can�t
believe I�m really�I mean�okay, dammit, this is ridiculous. I�m stronger than
this. I can do this!�

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, �It�s going to be fine, I promise.
Just keep telling yourself, they�re more scared of you than you are of them.�

�Yeah, right,� she said more to herself than him.

�Seriously, they want this to work, Mi. So, straighten those Gryffindor
shoulders and strap on that famous bravery for me.�

Then she took a deep breath and looked at him a bit calmer than before, �Okay,
lead on Macduff.�

�What?�

His confusion steadied her a bit and she laughed, �Never mind, I�ll explain
later.�

He took up their one bag and led her across the expansive, brightly lit sitting
room. She took in the expensive furnishings, tapestries, and carpets and
quickly calculated how much this one room must have cost them.

�Where are they?� she whispered.

�They�re upstairs somewhere. Probably still getting ready.�

She nodded and continued forward, chin held high. But, when they stepped out of
the room and into the main foyer, her jaw dropped.

Above her head was a chandelier that could have graced Windsor Castle.
The huge, wide windows gave her a view of a long sloping lawn that looked as if
it could have graced the cover of the magazine Lifestyles of the Rich and
Famous. In her awe she forgot her nerves and dropped his hand to spin
slowly as she took it all in.

She had expected it to be dark, gloomy, and scary, like the images in her
memory, but she stood in the center of beautiful brilliance. The crystal shone,
the windows sparkled, and the carpet was so plush she wanted to sink into it.
Her eyes followed the beautiful marble of the grand staircase up to where it
split and she saw a painting of Draco and his family, each with a soft smile on
their faces. It was so lifelike that his eyes drew her closer. Without
realizing she had moved, she found herself in front of it. With a tiny smile
she stared up at the small boy she had despised, but still reached up to touch
the cheek of the younger version of the man she loved.

His chuckle, so close behind her, brought her back to herself and she spun to
smile at him.

He laughed down at her, �There�s a lot more. Come on.�

Now that she had relaxed fractionally she forced herself to enjoy his quick
tour. It was so different than what she had expected to see, that she forgot
where she was and just enjoyed each antique trinket, precious glass, and
beautifully kept treasure. In her slight daze, she realized, she couldn�t tell
which of the many rooms was �The One�.

Draco watched her enjoy his childhood home as he showed her the fifteen rooms
of the west wing. He explained that most of it had been reconstructed. The war
had been as hard on the house as the family in it. He told her how he barely
remembered what it had looked like then. Now, this was where they entertained;
where his parents showed off their wealth and status. His mother kept it
bright, well-kept, and welcoming. He mentioned that it hadn�t always been that
way, but that his mother had had several rooms destroyed completely and remade.
She�d even had walls removed and some rooms redone from the ground up. While he
told her the history of some of the items, and regaled her with stories of
items he�d broken as a child, he also worried about taking her to the east
wing. And, he had no plans to show her anything on the lower levels.

When they completed their tour of the one side and arrived back at the break in
the stairs, he stopped her.

�Now, this side is a bit different, just so you know. This is the side we
mostly lived on, and um, it�s uh, not the same as the other side. Father
refuses to�well, Mother hasn�t had a chance to really change much of it.�

His nervousness finally penetrated her happy bubble and trepidation filled her
voice as she asked, �What do you mean?�

�It�s not bad or anything, but, well, there�s more, um, dark stuff, I guess.
Not illegal or anything, I promise, but, well, I guess you�ll get to see more
of what you were expecting,� he sighed.

He looked so sad about it that she took his hand, mustered up a smile and said,
�Is your old bedroom this way?�

He blinked at her, but nodded, �Yeah, why?�

She leaned into him and teased, �Because I have always wanted to know what kind
of decorations that bad little boy had on his walls.�

He laughed a little and pulled her close as he said haughtily, �Nothing naughty
I assure you.�

She could still feel the tension in him and tilted her head back to look up at
him, �Honestly, Draco, it can�t be that bad. And, no matter what your parents
have in their house, it�s no reflection on you. I know you aren�t that boy
anymore and I promise to still love you when we leave tonight.�

He still looked doubtful, but those were the words he seemed to need. She
watched him close his eyes, nod and take a breath before he leaned down to kiss
her, �Thank you.�

With a soft smile she took his hand again and straightened. �Come on.�

She willed herself to not to act as startled as she felt by the vast contrast.
Where the other side had held paintings of landscapes and magical pictures of
rolling country sides, this one had pictures of his family; each darker and
more sinister looking than the last. None of them smiled and all seemed to be
barely holding back their outrage at her presence. A few simply glared at her
before they walked out of their frames. The rugs on this side were just as
plush, if a bit more worn, but gone were the light colors, replaced with only
black, dark blues and greens. The walls were darker shades of greys, browns and
blues. Even the air seemed colder. This was the manor from her memory.

At the end of the long hallway stood another family portrait; painted sometime
around their fourth or fifth year.

Hermione passed several rooms, with their doors tightly shut, without noticing,
as she walked slowly toward the image. The three stood in the same stances as
the first portrait, but were several years older. Narcissa was more brittle,
her eyes harder, her mouth tighter, showing more a grimace than a smile. Lucius
stood slightly behind the other two, unyielding, his gaze fierce, a sneer
across his lips. She recalled that same look from her childhood and felt a
frisson of the old fear. Last, she let her eyes rest on the teenager in the
middle. There was the proud, angry, hurtful boy she remembered. He wore the
same smirk, his eyes held the same contempt and hate. She could almost hear the
word, mudblood, sneered at her again as a shiver ran through her.

She was so lost in it that she jumped when his hands fell on her hips from
behind. She took a breath and closed her eyes to block it out when he asked
softly, �You okay?�

With a nod she turned and met his tortured eyes. She put her hand to his cheek
and smiled as he leaned into it.

�I�m fine. Really. Now, where�s that bedroom?�

His eyes sparked with laughter and appreciation for a moment before his anxiety
quickly wiped it away.

�Back here. But, really, there isn�t that much to see. The Ministry confiscated
quite a bit, and I never really had all that much in there anyway.�

She let him lead her back down the hall to the door closest to the stairs. She
was surprised to hear him go through five different charms, before he inserted
a key into the lock on the door and it finally opened. He gave her an
embarrassed shrug before allowing her into the room first.

She inhaled sharply at the starkness of the room and her heart broke a little
for him. He wouldn�t meet her eye as he put their clothing on the bed and moved
to open the curtains and let light into the room. She turned slowly and took in
the room. While his bedroom set was undeniably old, expensive and beautiful; it
was also dark and very scarred, its beauty almost haunting. Under her feet, a
dark green carpet, its tread worn from his many days of pacing. The walls were
a dark brown. Hermione stepped over to his bookcase and saw books whose names
made her shudder. On his desk, his Hogwarts prefect badge, a framed copy of his
admittance to the school, and a letter announcing to his parents his acceptance
into Slytherin. The rest of the room was bare, except for scars on the walls
that she recognized as missed hexes or curses. A tear escaped as she traced one
of the myriad of scars and thought of the horrors he must have lived through.

She turned to find him gazing out one of the windows, his hands in his pockets,
his back straight, his proud face troubled. Without a word she went to him and
hugged him from behind. He stiffened a little and seemed to hold his breath.
But, as she held on and tightened her grip she felt him relax a little. Trying
to express her sorrow for all he�d suffered, she placed a kiss between his
broad shoulders and waited.

Draco was swamped with feelings he could barely separate as they rapidly
assaulted him. Fear of her rejection. Shame at her seeing and being reminded of
who he had been. Anger at himself for allowing her to see it. Rejection of her
pity. Sadness and anger that there was so little to show for all his suffering,
fear and angst.

He felt her come up behind him and waited for her to express herself. He braced
himself for the onslaught of outrage or pity. But, when she remained silent he
finally understood that she was trying to give him support. The relief that she
didn�t immediately demand to leave, the house or him, allowed him to breathe a
bit easier and relax a little into her arms. The kiss almost buckled his knees.

Neither spoke, but he pulled her around in front of him and held on tight as he
continued to stare out the window. She could only guess at the memories he was
experiencing and the thoughts he had running through his head. But, she knew he
needed her to be okay, so that he could be.

�You�re home!�

They jumped apart and turned to see Narcissa striding elegantly across the
carpet towards them.

�You didn�t even announce yourself,� she chided and opened her arms to her son.

�Sorry, Mother,� he smiled and hugged her. He stepped back and took Hermione�s
hand, �I was showing Mione around.�

Hermione looked at the graceful, bejeweled woman in the shining silver robes
and was reminded of the picture in the first portrait. She looked younger,
healthier, and happier; her whole being lighter.

�Hello, Mrs. Malfoy,� she said softly, unsure of her reception.

Narcissa turned to her and smiled, �Welcome to our home, Ms. Granger. And,
please call me Narcissa or Cissa.�

Hermione couldn�t dredge up a full smile, but took the offered hand and
thinking of it as an olive branch answered, �Thank you for having me. And, it�s
Hermione. You look beautiful. Happy birthday.�

Hermione�s words were rushed and breathless, but Narcissa kept up her smile and
nodded happily as she thanked her. Hermione was a bit shocked and worried to
see that happiness reflected in her eyes.

She must be really happy to have Draco home. Yeah, that�s it. But why is she
smiling at me then? She can�t be happy to have me here. Oh shit, she must be
planning something really awful? No, stop that! His mother was the semi-good
parent, remember? And, breathe dammit!

Narcissa stepped back and laughed, �Well, I know two still have to change for
the party and such, but your father and I do want to spend some time with you
before the party. Will you join us in the green room for tea?�

Hermione nodded dumbly, but Draco answered for both of them, �Of course.�

For a moment no one spoke. Then Narcissa�s eyes rested on Hermione for a moment
and she seemed to come to a decision, �Draco, go find your father and ring for
tea for the four of us please? Hermione and I will be down shortly. I�d like
some girl time.�

�Mother, I�� he started only to be stopped by Hermione squeezing his hand.

�Draco,� she smiled at him, �Go, say hello to Malf�your father. I�m sure
Narcissa can show me the way.�

He held her eye for a moment before he nodded. Then he leaned down to give her
a kiss and squeezed her hand to show his support. He shot his mother a worried
glance, but turned and left them alone.

Hermione knew she looked as stiff as she felt, but she couldn�t make herself
relax; her memories melded with her general worry and anxiety. But, instead of
allowing them to crush her, she forced them to make her think more clearly, as
she had done in the war. Her back straight, chin high, and eyes alert, she
waited for the other woman to speak, her hand resting lightly on her wand
pocket.

Narcissa flicked a blue-eyed glance at Hermione before she moved past her to
the desk. She ran her hand over it and then rested there as she began to speak,
�I want you to know that I do love my son. More so than I think he really
understands. He is the best thing Lucius and I have ever done.�

When she stopped and seemed unsure of what to say next, Hermione offered
quietly, �He knows.�

The older woman still didn�t speak, but shook her head sadly and seemed lost in
her memories.

Finally, Hermione squared her shoulders and asked, �Mrs. Mal�Narcissa, you
wanted to speak to me alone. What is it you wanted to say?�

This brought those eyes back to Hermione as Narcissa turned to face her.

A soft smile lit her face as she took in Hermione�s almost fighting stance and
blazing eyes. �I know you don�t want to be here agai�you don�t want to be
here.�

�Well, I��

Narcissa smiled, �No, please don�t pretend to deny it. It�s okay, really, with
all that happened back when�well, I do understand. We do not know each other.
But, there are a few things I do know about you, Hermione. And, it is because
of those things I felt we should talk. Just you and me. Lucius was not made
aware of my intention to speak to you, and it is up to you if you share this
discussion with my son.�

�Okay,� Hermione answered. She didn�t know where Narcissa was going, but she
was willing to hear her out. She fingered her wand and bent her knees a bit to
be ready to run or dodge whatever hex could be thrown.

I have my wand and know the way out! Bring it on, Lady!

�From all I have heard, read and�even experienced first hand, the first thing I
know about you is that you are an exceptionally intelligent, very brave, young
witch. And, as such, I am sure you have spent the past few days wondering what
we might have planned that we would ask you here. So, let me assure you, since
you did have the backbone to come, the only ulterior motive I had in asking
Draco to bring you today was to get my son home for a little while for my
birthday.�

Hermione took note that Narcissa had said I, and not we, but held her tongue.

�That brings me to the second thing I know about you. I believe you to be a
very good person.�

When Hermione�s eyes widened, Narcissa laughed, �Never thought you�d hear that
from me, huh? But, there it is.� Then she tilted her head and added
thoughtfully, �My Draco is right, you do show your every thought quite clearly
on that lovely face of yours.�

She giggled like a young girl again at Hermione�s shock, �Yes, my dear, that
was a compliment. But, as my son has always had exquisite taste, that can�t be
much of a surprise to you. Now, back to my point, I know you are a good person
because over the past few weeks, I have gotten my child back. Not, the angry
young man he became, who he was turned into, but the happy boy I�ve missed so
much. So much. Only a person who knows forgiveness and how to love could have
brought that about. So, I thank you.�

�Well, I, uh, okay, um, you�re welcome, I guess,� Hermione sputtered. The
conversation had gone so far away from where Hermione had thought it would,
that she could scarcely think.

Narcissa walked over to stand in front of Hermione and took her hand. She felt
the younger woman stiffen, but admired her control as she didn�t pull away.
Control was something else Narcissa knew how to respect.

Hermione looked Narcissa in the eye and for a moment saw a bit of Draco�s. They
were softer, more blue, but the shape, intelligence, strength and admiration in
them, made her blink.

�And, finally, the last thing I know about you, Hermione, and hope to see
proven today. You are brave, strong, and will stand by your beliefs regardless
of the odds. You fight for what you believe in with all you are. I�I respect
and admire that.�

She paused and tilted her head a little in thought before she finished, �There
are many coming today who may challenge you; your friendships, your loyalties,
your�heritage, your past, your right to be with my son. And, you should know
that my husband may be included among them. I know he would not be as crass as
to be too forthright with you, but others might. There is little Draco, nor I,
can do to stop it. Lucius, I think, has accepted today as a kind of test. He
wants to see what you are made of and expects you to fail, of course. But, he
also has agreed to civility. He loves Draco in his own way and wants him happy.
And, of course, Lucius would never again embarrass the family.�

Hermione couldn�t hold her tongue, �So, he expects me to just take his verbal
abuse all day! And, that of his friends!�

�No,� Narcissa laughed softly and a bit bitterly, �he expects you to be pushed
anger. To leave. He expects you to act in a way that shows him you are not fit
to be with his son. I ask you to not let that happen. As your birthday present
to me, I ask that you show every one of them the woman my son loves and why.
Show them your intelligence, humor and strength. Be the person I believe you to
be.�

Hermione saw nothing but sincerity in Narcissa�s eyes and nodded.

�I will do my best,� she answered slowly. Then she added, �But, Mrs.
Ma�Narcissa, I will only take so much of their, pardon my wording, but crap.�

Narcissa laughed and squeezed her hand, �As expected. And, Draco tells me you
have a sharp tongue when needed, so I think you will be able to use it, along
with that large mind of yours, to put anyone who oversteps in their place. And,
it wouldn�t hurt if you could remind my son to do the same. I think he will be
pushed to his limits this evening as well.�

Hermione nodded and smiled a little at the mother of the man she saw her future
with. �Can I tell you a couple of things I know about you?�

Narcissa looked a bit surprised, but nodded as she asked, only half joking,
�Should I sit down for this?�

�No, unless you want to,� Hermione smiled at her.

�Go on.�

�Okay, the one thing I know about you is that you were a good mother, at least
for a time. I know that surprises you, as much as your compliments did me. But,
Draco wouldn�t be the man he is, one who knows how to respect, befriend and
love, if he hadn�t learned it from somewhere. From all he has told me, you were
more than just his mother; you were his first teacher, his first friend, his
support in his younger years. So, he must have learned it from you.�

Hermione looked away from the eyes that suddenly shone with tears as she
finished her thought, �I know he had a�rather harsh upbringing, that he changed
as he got older, but the foundation was there, and you gave it to him. He loves
you, and since I love him, I would like the chance to know you. To start again,
I suppose.�

�Thank you,� Narcissa whispered.

Hermione�s eyes met hers once again as she shook her head and smiled shyly. The
she surprised herself and added, �No, thank you.�

Hermione gave Narcissa a moment as the older woman looked away and blinked
rapidly to force back her tears. When it looked like she had herself under
control once again, Hermione continued.

�The second thing I know about you? You are a strong woman, too, Narcissa. I
can�t begin to comprehend all you have been through, the life you have led.
And, I won�t pretend to understand the choices you�ve made, but I know it takes
a very strong person to withstand all you have with such forbearance and
grace.�

�Thank you again,� Narcissa said, a bit stronger this time. �I do see what my
Draco sees in you.�

Hermione smiled and laughed a little to relieve some of her tension, �Well,
that and my cooking.�

�You know how to cook?� Narcissa asked in a bit of awe. �Well, there�s
something we could do together. If you wanted to that is�to maybe get to know
one another better. I mean, you could, if you wanted to that is, maybe teach me
a few things one day.�

�I would be happy to,� Hermione said. And, she surprised herself to realize it
was more than a little true.

Hermione watched as Narcissa straightened and once again became Mrs. Malfoy. As
often as she had seen Draco put on his fa�ade, she now recognized it for what
it was; their personal defense against the world.

Narcissa stepped closer and linked their arms as she led her from the room and
down the stairs, �Okay, enough of this. Today is a day of celebration. It�s my
birthday and I have my son and his lovely girlfriend home with me. Nothing else
but confidence, frivolity and smiles.�

Hermione felt the last was more an order than a statement, but found that she
didn�t bristle at it, as she would have only an hour ago. She understood.
Narcissa was assigning her her fa�ade. They walked in companionable silence to
the sitting room, but before they entered the room she heard Narcissa�s sharp
commanding whisper, �Stand tall and proud, Hermione. Remember, a Malfoy always
stands their ground.�

Wait! Did she just include me as a Mal�Okay, that�s it. I AM dreaming all of
this!

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

CHAPTER 23

Both men stood as they entered. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Draco�s
searching, worried ones as he approached her, but Lucius� clipped voice made
her quickly turn her attention to him.

�Ah, there you are. You look absolutely enchanting Cissa, darling.�

Hermione watched his eyes flicker with barely suppressed contempt before he
smiled at her, �We meet again Ms. Granger.�

�Mr. Malfoy,� she nodded with a tight smile.

�You have changed quite a bit from the child I remember,� he said as he turned
and led his wife to the seat beside him.

Hermione didn�t know quite how, but she knew she had been somehow insulted.
Before she could even try to come up with a reply, Draco took her hand and
shook it a little, forcing her to look at him.

She read the question in his eyes and knew he wanted to know what had
transpired upstairs. She smiled at him to let him know things were fine. Then,
partially to piss Lucius off, and partially because she just wanted to, she
went up on her toes to kiss him softly.

�I�ll tell you later,� she whispered against him.

He nodded and his face relaxed, as he put his hand on her back to lead her to
the sofa across from his parents.

No sooner had she sat down than two house elves appeared to wordlessly serve
their tea and scones. She was mildly surprised to hear Lucius thank them before
he dismissed them.

�So, Hermione, Draco tells us you are a primary school teacher,� Lucius said as
he stirred his tea.

�Yes, sir,� she replied and mimicked his actions. �I am as yet an assistant,
but will have my own class in September.�

He sat back and looked at her in challenge, �Not a professor at least? You
don�t see that as a waste of your well-lauded talents?�

Narcissa sighed as Draco sat forward to address his father, but smiled inwardly
when Hermione placed her hand on his knee. She watched as Hermione calmed him
instantly, but unobtrusively, even as she covered her action by leaning forward
to set down her cup gracefully.

Hermione held her polite smile as she answered, �I assure you, I have been
asked that question quite often, Mr. Malfoy and, my answer is this. While I
would have undoubtedly gotten along quite well in the many of the other fields
offered to me or suggested by my friends and family, I feel they would have
been the waste. By teaching the youngest of the next generation, I get to pass
along my hard-earned knowledge and experiences, and maybe help shape their
young minds to be more open, free-thinking and accepting in the future. We
wouldn�t want to repeat the horrors, prejudices, and mistakes of the past, now
would we?�

Hermione knew she had scored a direct hit when he simply looked at her and then
sipped his tea in silence.

Narcissa sat forward a bit with a genuine smile, �As you know, Draco was home
schooled, as were Lucius and myself. Please tell us more about your school and
lessons.�

Hermione briefly outlined her general lessons and the children she taught,
speaking directly to Narcissa, and only allowing her eyes to light on Lucius
often enough to be polite. He tolerated her and the conversation for a while
before changing the topic to Draco and his Law Enforcement training. As he
spoke, Draco unconsciously toyed with her hair where it lay across his hand on
the back of the sofa. And, Hermione found herself having to fight the childish
urge to poke her tongue out at his father, as his eyes followed his son�s
movements.

Draco then directed the conversation to other topics, which included bits of
their relationship and that of their friends. The older couple was surprised to
hear of Blaise�s marriage. But, while Narcissa was pleased that he had found
someone to �settle him down,� Lucius was angered.

�He MARRIED a damn muggle!�

After the last hour of his polite restraint, Hermione was taken aback by his
explosion.

She raised a brow at him and coolly replied, �Beth is a wonderful person and a
good friend. Blaise is lucky to have found her.�

He looked dumbfounded. She was unsure whether it was because she�d dared to
address him directly, or because he actually couldn�t comprehend such a thing.

Draco added, his voice laced with warning to his father, �Father, I assure you
B has definitely found his match. They�re perfect together. You will see it at
the wedding.�

Before Lucius could snap out a refusal to attend, Narcissa jumped in with a
smile, �Oh, we�re going to be invited? Isn�t that wonderful? I look forward to
it.�

Then she glanced at the clock in the corner and said, �Well, I know we all need
some time to get ready, so I suggest we retire for a bit.�

She stood and both men shot to their feet. Hermione followed suit and Narcissa
turned to walk from the room, her hand in her husband�s.

�Hermione, I will trust Draco to show you where everything is, but should you
need anything, please do not hesitate to ring for an elf.�

Hermione and Draco followed them out of the room and back to the staircase,
�Thank you, Narcissa. But, I�m sure I will be fine.�

When they reached the stairs, Narcissa leaned forward to receive a kiss on the
cheek from her son before she took Hermione�s hand for a brief moment. Hermione
was happy to see a glow of pride in the older woman�s eyes.

I guess I did okay.

�We will meet you here to greet our guests in two hours,� Lucius commanded.

Draco nodded and inclined his head a little to his father, before he turned to
Hermione, placed his hand on the small of her back and led the way up the
stairs. He took her back to his room and shut the door behind them. She looked
back over her shoulder to see him leaning back against the door with his eyes
closed.

�Hey, what�s wrong?� she asked as she went back to him. �All in all I thought
that went rather well.�

He laughed and put an arm around her shoulders as he walked back to his
windows, �Well, until you and Father were about to begin hexing each other.�

�It wasn�t that bad,� she mumbled around her little smile. �Yet.�

�No, it wasn�t,� he smiled down at her. �But, you didn�t see the flash in your
eyes when he insulted Beth. I honestly started planning his funeral.�

Because he laughed when he said it, she didn�t get offended and knew he wasn�t
too upset.

�Well, your mother and I got on well enough.�

�Yeah, about that. What happened up here with you two?�

She glanced back at the room and shivered involuntarily in revulsion at it. But
she brought her eyes back to his and answered him.

�She wanted to let me know how much she loves you. And, she expressed her
feelings about me.�

She felt him stiffen and stroked his chest as she smiled, �No worries. She
actually seems to want to like me. Whoda thunk it, huh?�

�That�s it? You were up here alone for thirteen minutes,� he asked.

�But who�s counting,� she joked. �No, Draco, we talked. She wanted me to know
she�s not against me, or us. And, she warned me, unnecessarily, that your
father is. And, she gave me a kind of pep talk on how to handle some of the
people coming tonight.�

He seemed to slowly take in her words as he nodded, �Okay.�

�She wants me to teach her to cook,� she laughed softly in memory. �Can you
just see that? Narcissa in her beautiful robes, dripping in jewels, sweating
over a hot stove.�

Draco laughed, �She�s always had a fascination with the kitchens. When I was
very young she used to sneak me down to them and we would watch the elves from
our hiding place. It was a game to me, but I remember her talking about someday
making me cookies.�

�I wonder why she never just tried it,� Hermione thought out loud.

He sighed and looked away, �A Malfoy doesn�t do manual labor.�

�Lucius law?�

He nodded and then shook away his thoughts. �Will you take a walk with me? I
have something I�ve always wanted to do.�

She glanced at her watch and calculated how long it would take her to get
ready, �As long as I still have time to get ready. I wouldn�t want to upset
your father�s delicate sensibilities by being late.�

�I think he would survive,� Draco laughed. �But, it won�t take long. Come on.�

He took her hand and led her back out and down the stairs. There, they turned
and went behind the stairs to enter the long ballroom. House elves moved about
quickly as they finished the final preparations for the party. But, Hermione
had little time to appreciate the beauty of the room, or the elves hard work,
as Draco hurried them towards one of the seven sets of double doors. He flung
the doors open and turned to walk down the long patio. But, he was jerked to a
stop when Hermione�s feet planted as she took in the sprawling lawn and
manicured gardens that seemed to go on forever.

�It�s beautiful,� she gripped his hand and whispered in awe.

He turned to look out and tried to see what she saw. �I guess it is.�

She leaned back against him and sighed, �I always thought�well, I just never
dreamed it would be so�lovely�romantic.�

He smiled that she had found some beauty in a place she had so feared and
retook her hand, �Come on. I have to get you back in time to get ready,
remember?�

Hermione let him lead her across the patio and out to the lawn. She knew he was
eager to show her something, but she couldn�t stop herself from craning to see
all she could. Beautiful statues dotted the gardens and flowers from everywhere
in the world bloomed magically together and blended into a natural beauty. For
a moment, as a light breeze carried the flower scent in the air, with her hand
in his, she could pretend they were the only two in the world. It was
breathtaking.

They crested a hill and he stopped and looked down at her.

He reddened a little, but said, �I know this may seem corny, but here goes.
Turn around.�

He heard her sharp intake of breath at the view and smiled against her hair.

His voice was soft as he said, �Once upon a time there was a little boy. He was
exceptionally smart and unbelievably gorgeous. And, he was obnoxiously rich. He
lived in a very large pretty house. He had a mother who loved him and a father
who would give him any object he desired. But, he was lonely. One day while out
walking by himself he found the most perfect spot on the whole grounds, the one
from which he could see everything and it looked inviting, not lonely or scary,
as it sometimes seemed. He made a promise to himself that day that he would
never again set foot on that spot. Not until he had the most perfect person to
share its beauty with. I kept that promise to myself and never again went to
that spot. Not until today.�

He paused and turned her to look at him, �Thank you for loving me, Hermione.�

Her smile was dazzling even as a tear slid down her cheek. �It�s beautiful.
Thank you for sharing it with me.�

For a moment neither moved as they shared the quiet beauty of the moment. Then
he brought her close for a kiss that fired their blood, but soothed their
souls. Turning her once again he began to point out his favorite places. He
didn�t have childhood haunts to share as she had. But, he could tell her about
some of the good times from his past, reveal his play spots with Blaise, and
show her his mother�s favorite picnic spots. He wanted her to know that it
hadn�t all been sad or bad for him.

When he pointed back at the sprawling mansion, she saw his window winking at
them and finally understood. �So, this is where you�ve been staring all day.�

He nodded as he gazed at the house, �Come on. We should head back.�

As they walked back, hand-in-hand they talked about his time alone with his
father, and she shared a little more about her talk with Narcissa. Neither
noticed that two sets of eyes that followed their progress. One pair, in a
corner window, released happy tears. The other, from a dark study, glared at
them, squinted and calculating.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Hermione stood uncomfortably by Draco as she participated in the greeting of
guests. She knew she looked the part, as he had spent a good amount of time
convincing her. When they had reached the older couple at the bottom of the
stairs, Narcissa had nodded her approval and complimented Hermione on her
choice of black and gold robes. Even Lucius had been forced to offer up his
version of a compliment.

�You�re hair isn�t nearly as unruly as I remember. A very wise use of your
magic, Ms. Granger.�

He had then turned and nodded to the house elf nearest the door to allow the
guests in, thereby ending the conversation. Hermione would have been offended
if Draco hadn�t laughed under his breath, and Narcissa hadn�t rolled her eyes
slightly behind her husband�s back.

She had then been forced to stand beside Draco and to the right of Lucius as
she did her best to look like she belonged. Narcissa stood closest to the door,
while Lucius took care of the initial greetings; introducing her as Draco�s
friend. Hermione got to meet people whose names she knew, but many of whose
faces had only been masks to her in the past. She had expected the looks of
shock, or at least startled surprise, and prepared herself for them. What she
had not expected were the ones, thankfully few in number, of blatant disgust or
dismissal. Her face hurt from her forced smile, but she held herself proudly as
each person looked at her with his or her own version of interest. There were
only two instances over the next twenty minutes where she felt the desire to
turn and run.

The first was when the Goyle family arrived. She nearly stepped back at the
matching looks of hatred on both the father and son�s faces. Draco�s hand on
her back and the slight lift of Narcissa�s chin, which she caught from the
corner of her eye, stopped her flight. She heard Narcissa�s words from earlier
in the day and fixed her smile to show them all she would not back down. Draco
barely acknowledged his old school friend and former bodyguard and then turned
away abruptly to greet the next guest.

The second occurrence came with the arrival of the Parkinson Family. The family
was announced and Hermione stopped her fidgeting instantly. Her eyes flicked to
Narcissa and she found herself mirroring the older woman�s regal stance. She
smiled a little to herself at the almost imperceptible nod of approval.
Hermione saw the dark swaying hair first, but when her parents moved a little
to the side, she looked into the face of Pansy Parkinson. All four members of
the family smiled at Narcissa and bowed slightly to Lucius as they thanked him
for having them. Then Narcissa said her name and Hermione found herself the
object of four matching, penetrating stares of hatred. Pansy lost some of her
control and actually let out a tiny shriek as she stamped her foot in anger.
Her parents both took an arm to remind her of her place, but their sneers told
everyone of their real feelings. Then, her younger brother, who Hermione had
never met as he had attended Durmstrang, stepped forward to stand in front of
her.

His voice was low as he hissed, �I never dreamed the Malfoys would allow such
mudblood trash to sully their home!�

Hermione blanched at the intensity of such hatred from a stranger as a quiet
fell across the crowd of people nearest them. It was shock only that made her
hold her ground and her tongue. Narcissa and the senior Parkinsons gasped. Even
Pansy lost her fighting stance as she stared in horror at her brother�s lack of
decorum. Draco growled low in his throat and would have launched himself at
younger man had his father�s oily hiss not stopped all movement in the
vicinity.

The sound was menacing as he said in a voice Hermione hadn�t heard since her
fifth year of school, �Young Master Parkinson, if you EVER malign my family in
such a way again, I will personally see that you pay for it. Dearly. Now, you
will apologize to Hermione and my son, before you and your family take your
leave!�

Hermione was surprised beyond her imagination to be on the other side of things
when Lucius was pushed to protect his family from any level of disrespect, even
if it meant protecting her, too. She saw the entire Parkinson family pale in
the face of his anger and watched their mouths move in apology, before they
backed out of the room. Her brain hadn�t registered their words, because it had
stopped working the minute Lucius had said her name with familiarity for the
first time. And, in her defense!

What? What! So, he can call me that horrible name, but no one else can?
Well, think it about me anyway. What the hell kind of twisted logic is that?
And, I thought he wanted me tested tonight. Well there was your friggin� test!
Did I pass, oh great one? You damn hypocrite! And, what was that? Now, I�m a
member of your family! What the�Okay, Twilight Zone!

Hermione was so lost in her private rant that she didn�t hear the names of the
next couple to step forward. She would have continued to stare dumbly at them
had Lucius not turned to look down his nose at her and take her arm in his icy
hand and repeat the couple�s name.

She risked a glance up at him and saw his answering look of warning. We will
have no further embarrassment tonight! Hermione looked away as she fixed
her smile and applied herself once again to the task of greeting.

So his anger and discomfiture with the Parkinsons outweighs even his hatred
of me? What? So now you don�t want to embarrass me in front of everyone?
Oookay. Pride before paybacks, I guess.

She would have continued her private shouting match had she not felt the
tension radiating from Draco. It dawned on her finally to stop thinking about
herself for a moment and think of how he felt. She quickly realized he would
have been hurt by Gregory Goyle�s dismissal, but enraged at the Parkinsons�
display. And, it hadn�t helped that he hadn�t been allowed to defend her
himself.

As the clock chimed the half hour, Narcissa signaled the musicians to change
the music and took Lucius� hand to leave the door and begin the dancing.
Hermione could finally turn to Draco.

When their eyes met, she saw his regret and sorrow. But, before he could open
his mouth, she shook her head. Stepping closer she lifted her hands to brush
imaginary dirt from his lapels as she lightly caressed his chest. She felt his
muscles bunch beneath her hand and saw his hands flex and release.

Since she knew everyone was watching them, she smiled brightly up at him as she
whispered, �Don�t you dare apologize for those sorry excuses for beings! Just
let it go. I have. It�s over, hon. And, don�t forget your father is watching us.�

Hearing that, he forced a smile back to his face and nodded as he whispered
back, �Do you want leave?�

She laughed softly, �Before our dance and that incredibly long, boring, but
delicious dinner? I think not.�

He laughed out loud at her joke and leaned down to give her a quick kiss,
�You�re amazing.�

She allowed the kiss to roll over her and then winked at him as she saw the
remaining tension leave his face, �Don�t I know it darling. Shall we?�

When they turned to the crowd, she saw several heads turn away so as to not be
caught staring. But, she met Narcissa�s eye and the woman�s simple smile and
nod, conveyed her approval of Hermione�s handling of the situation. When they
turned in a circle, Lucius� eyes met hers. And, while she still saw resentment,
gone were the outright hatred and contempt.

Draco and Hermione spoke to very few people for longer than a moment between
dancing and dinner, but she did get to spend some time getting to know Blaise�s
family. His father was a lot like Blaise and she found herself laughing quite a
bit in his presence. His mother, on the other hand, was exactly the woman
Hermione had expected Narcissa to be. She was cold, unbearably polite, very
pretty, and bowed to her husband�s every small demand. She was so fake Hermione
felt she was talking to a robot. His sister, Blythe, was seven years younger
than Blaise and in many ways reminded Hermione of herself at fifteen. She was
smart, a bit awkward, slightly uncomfortable in her skin, and spoke only of
school and how much she enjoyed her classes. Hermione was very surprised to
hear the girl say she had been placed in Gryffindor. And, she laughed in
delight when Blythe confessed quietly to admiring Hermione so much that she had
threatened to hit a girl who had challenged her for Hermione�s old bed.

Dinner was made more enjoyable because Narcissa had seen to it that Hermione
was sat to Draco�s left, while Blythe was put on her left. Their quiet
conversation all the way through dessert kept it from being abominably boring.

After dinner there was more dancing and the cake was served to a round of
polite applause. Then people began to take their leave. Hermione knew it was
mainly because they didn�t want to risk Lucius� wrath by offending Draco, but
she was still surprised by the number of people who sought them out to thank
them (mostly Draco) for a lovely evening and say goodnight.

Her face ached from smiling and her feet begged to be released from her shoes,
but she kept up her smile as she stood by his side, not too far from his
parents, and said good night to the last of the guests. Draco seemed to sense
her need and leaned down to whisper in her ear, �Only a few more minutes,
love.�

It took everything in her to not groan and fall against him when the front
doors finally shut. But, just as she let her back slump a little Narcissa and
Lucius walked back to them.

Narcissa�s smile was happy and real, as she took Hermione�s hand and laughed,
�We will be right back.�

Hermione allowed herself to be led to a powder room close by. Her mind raced to
figure out what Narcissa could possibly want of her for which they needed to be
alone.

Narcissa shut the door and smiled at her as she clasped her hands together in
joy, �You, my dear girl, were magnificent!�

�Oh!� Hermione�s mind blanked. Then, belatedly she stuttered, �Thank you.�

�No, thank you. Even Lucius commented on how much you surprised him tonight.
You have made me very proud of my son for finding you.�

Hermione nodded her thanks again and stared in wonder at the difference in
Narcissa. Throughout the evening she had been the consummate hostess. Now, she
was once again the giddy, loving mother from their earlier talk. The instant
dropping of her fa�ade was amazing.

Narcissa continued, �For the first time, I finally have someone to share my
final party traditions with. These are things I never could share with my son,
and since I never had a daughter of my own with whom I coul�well, I hope you
don�t mind me pulling you along.�

Hermione could only nod in agreement as she wondered what else she could
possibly have to do.

�Okay, first please remove your shoes.�

Hermione�s eyes widened and she thought she had heard wrong, �I�I�m sorry?�

�Come on my dear, off with them.� Narcissa was already working on the straps of
her second shoe when Hermione finally stooped down to remove her own.

When they both stood barefoot, Hermione followed Narcissa�s directions in a
shocked stupor as they scrunched and released their toes. When Narcissa started
explaining that she should roll her ankles and stretch her foot muscles, she
figured the woman had plain lost her mind. But, Hermione dutifully obeyed and
then, as directed, turned with her to face the mirror.

�Now, think of every single inane, silly, boring, or just plain stupid thing
you heard tonight.�

Hermione looked quickly at her and Narcissa explained, �It helps you frown,
sometimes when the company is bad enough, it happens quite quickly.�

Hermione felt unsure, waiting for the trick, but she let her face fall into a
frown. The release of her tightly held muscles hurt so baldy, she released a
soft groan.

�I know,� Narcissa frowned at her cheerfully, �but it feels positively
exquisite after a moment. Now, massage the muscles right behind your jaw. It
helps in the relaxation.�

Hermione found herself asking, �You do this after every party?�

�Oh yes,� Narcissa replied around her own massaging fingers, �if not, my face
aches for days after one of these soir�es. Now, the last step, and please don�t
try to be lady like on my behalf.�

To Hermione�s further surprise, Narcissa led her through a series of back bends
and rolls which helped stretch and relax her aching back. When they
straightened back up, and looked at each other in the mirror, they laughed
together at the redness of their faces. Narcissa leaned back against the
counter and fanned herself to cool her face.

�Where did you learn this?� Hermione asked and found her face no longer tight
when she smiled. �Why not use magic?�

Narcissa laughed, �Magic is too easy, too quick. This gives me a few minutes
alone. And, as for why, self-preservation. It took me a while to figure out
that while these events left me tense, tired and sore, they seemed to give
Lucius a surge of extra, uh, energy, so to speak. So as to not be worse off the
next day, I found a way to relax myself beforehand. He often doesn�t give me a
lot of time after the last guest leaves.�

Hermione was stunned at Narcissa�s forthright admission and felt her jaw drop a
little in shock.

Narcissa waited a beat to make sure Hermione understood her and then continued,
�As my son is in many ways very much like his father and a Malfoy through and
through, I would assume you will see what I mean for yourself later tonight.�

Hermione blushed to her roots and started to stammer a reply, but Narcissa
shushed her with a smirk much like her son�s, �No need to be embarrassed,
Hermione. I do know my son. Now, grab those lovely shoes and let�s go enjoy our
last glass of champagne together.�

Hermione could barely meet Narcissa�s eye as she nodded and followed the woman
from the room. The back of her brain barely registered the fact that she was
walking barefoot through Malfoy Manor as if it were a normal thing to do. They
entered the same sitting room she and Draco had arrived in earlier to find the
men in conversation and having a glass of firewhiskey. Hermione saw the name on
the bottle and realized why it was Draco�s favorite brand. She figured it must
have reminded him of home.

As the woman approached both men stood and extended their hands simultaneously.
Hermione perched on the edge of the sofa next to Draco, as Narcissa rang for
their glasses. When the elf arrived, Narcissa took one glass and handed
Hermione the other. Then she flashed a knowing smile at Hermione, which caused
the younger woman to blush once more, before she lifted her glass in a silent
toast and took a delicate sip. Draco and Narcissa kept the conversation going
as they discussed events from the evening, while Hermione contributed only when
necessary and tried to ignore Draco�s hand sliding up and down her waist,
getting closer and closer to her breast with each swipe.

Lucius seemed content to sip his drink and listen to his wife speak as he
looked indulgently at her. He didn�t look at Hermione at all, but she knew she
was on his mind and that he was probably quite upset with her. She had let him
down by not losing her control and acting like a child.

Conversely, she was quite proud of herself. She had survived the manor, his
parents, their friends, and the party with grace, dignity, and her pride.

Soon, Lucius� hand drifted to Narcissa�s knee and she shifted under his grasp.

Narcissa looked at the clock and said, �Well, we�ve kept you both long enough.
I know you need to go soon, so why don�t you go gather your things and come
back down to say goodbye.�

Hermione knew a dismissal when she heard one and rose to follow Draco�s lead
from the room.

When the door of his room shut behind them, she found herself pulled back
against him. He held her tightly and leaned down to nibble and lick her ear as
he sighed, �I can�t wait to get you home.�

He then pulled her hips back against him and rolled them together. He heard her
sigh of pleasure and slid his hands up to cover her breasts and squeeze them
through the fabric of her dress.

�You look amazing and smell delicious, Mi. I�ve been dying to peel this off and
bury myself in you all night.�

He then turned her around and lifted her to meet his lips. His arousal throbbed
against her stomach and he moaned in satisfaction against her lips. Her body
was suffused with sudden heat and she wanted nothing more than to demand he
follow his words with actions. But, not there. She was more than ready to
leave.

She pulled away with a soft sigh and said, �Come on. The sooner we get home the
sooner we can finish this.�

When he whined and reached for her again she laughed, �Remember the outfit from
last night?�

He stopped and smirked wickedly as he nodded.

�I got it in red and gold, too.�

She burst out laughing when he immediately grabbed his wand and flicked his
wrist. Their things were ready to go in less than five seconds.

Very shortly thereafter they were entering the sitting room again to say
goodbye to his parents. The couple sat together on the same sofa, but Narcissa
looked decidedly disheveled and Lucius� robes were open at his neck. This time
when Narcissa took her hand and leaned in to kiss her cheek, the knowing smile
was returned, albeit with a blush on Hermione�s part. Lucius shook his son�s
hand and expressed his desire to see him again soon. And, when he looked down
at Hermione with a small frown, he surprised her once again by refraining from
insulting her and simply nodding good night.

When they got back to Hermione�s apartment, Draco wasted no time in getting her
out of her clothes to see her second outfit. By the third time the earth
shifted out from under her, Hermione had to admit that Narcissa knew her son
very well.

I wonder what she would think of me if I owled her a thank you for the
warning. Ha ha ha. Or, maybe I should owl Lucius to thank him for passing on
this drive to his son. Bwah ha ha!

�Oh, sheesh, Draco. Again already?�

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

CHAPTER 24

(beep beep beeeeeeep beep beep beeeeeeep)

�Hello?� Hermione reached out and answered the phone without opening her eyes.

�Hey!� Ginny chirped.

�What? Gin? What time is it?� Hermione yawned and squinted over at the clock on
the bedside table.

�Oh crap! I�m sorry, Mione. I always forget about the time dif. It�s like seven
there. I�m so sorry. I can call back later.�

�Mmm, Mi, who is it?� Draco mumbled from behind her.

Hermione rolled over, �Gin, no it�s okay. Hold on, okay?�

Once Ginny gave her consent Hermione put the phone to her chest and rolled over
to look at Draco.

�Man, you�re cute when you�re asleep,� she smiled sleepily.

He didn�t open his eyes, but smirked, �I�m always cute.�

�And, oh so modest,� she teased. �Go back to sleep.�

She moved to get out of bed and his hand shot out to grab her wrist, �You
coming back?�

She leaned across the bed to kiss him lightly, �Yes. Now, go back to sleep. You
earned it.�

She watched the smug smile cross his face and giggled.

�Sorry, Gin. Hi. What�s up?� she said as she padded naked across the room to
get her robe.

�I�m sorry I woke you. But, I now know why you�re with Draco,� she laughed.

�What do you mean?�

�His voice was so sexy all gravelly and sleepy, I almost forgot who he was,�
she giggled.

Hermione glanced back at the bed and sighed with a smile before she shut the
door, �You should hear it during�oh my gods, I don�t believe I almost said
that!�

�Sounds to me that someone has found the joys of sex.�

�Well, uh, well he�s um, let�s just say I didn�t get a lot of sleep last
night.�

Ginny burst out laughing.

Blushing furiously Hermione said, �So, what�s up?�

�I want to know what happened at the Manor!�

�Oh!� Hermione collapsed on the sofa and with a wave of her hand, made the
coffee pot start up in the kitchen.

She told Ginny everything that had happened and Ginny exclaimed, oohed and ahhed
at all the appropriate moments. She even told her how different the manor was
from her memory and how they had changed it so much that she hadn�t been able
to figure out in what room her nightmares had come alive. When she got to the
part about the Parkinsons she had to stop, as Ginny went off for about five
minutes about how much she hated �that pug-faced, snot-nosed, bitch, Pansy.�

�Well, it gets better,� Hermione said and filled her in on Lucius� actions.

Ginny was flabbergasted, �So, wait! He defended you AND called you a part of
the family? Are little devils ice skating?�

Hermione laughed at Ginny�s reference to hell freezing over, �I know! I had the
same reaction. I mean, he wasn�t any warmer or anything after that, but he did
stop shooting me evil looks. And, before we left, he didn�t even insult me.�

�Okay, that�s just weird!�

Hermione remembered the end of the night and laughed a little, �Well, he did
have other things on his mind at the time.�

�Huh? What do you mean?� Ginny asked.

Hermione told Ginny about her end of the evening talk with Narcissa.

�There�s a visual I didn�t need,� Ginny groaned. �The Malfoys having sex.
Ewww.�

Hermione laughed as she reached her hand out to grab the coffee she was
floating toward her. �Well, their son sure came by it honestly.�

�Okay, another visual. Stop, stop, stop,� Ginny laughed. Then she sobered a
bit, �So, Mione do you seriously see yourself becoming, you know, friendly with
his mother?�

Hermione sighed tiredly, �I have no idea. If you had asked me yesterday at this
time I would have said hell no, but now, I don�t know. She�s not as bad as I
thought. And, she loves Draco.�

Ginny said, �That�s what Harry said about her, too. But, you said yourself, she
was like two different people. Sounds a bit crazy to me.�

�I know it sounds that way, but that�s not how she is. I mean, she�s learned to
deal, I guess. If you step back and look at her life, she�s kind of had it
rough. I mean, she didn�t know Malfoy when she married him, but she made the
best of it. She learned to love him. Then he turns out to be a power hungry
asshole, and she can�t turn away because she has a son. So, she figures out how
to keep her sanity and make do with her life. Then the war. And, you know how
Harry said she chose the right side at the last minute, well I believe that,
too, was her dealing. The only thing she knew and loved was, is, her family and
saving Harry would keep her family whole.�

Ginny jumped in, �That�s kind of sad. Can you imagine living your whole adult
life, just accepting everything and having no control of anything? But, I guess
it�s like that thing you always say, when life give you oranges, make juice.�

Hermione laughed, �That�s lemons and lemonade.�

�Whatever,� Ginny laughed, �But, maybe that�s why she�s so interested in
cooking.�

�Huh?� Hermione asked.

�Well, think about it. Why do you cook?� Ginny asked, but then she continued.
�It would be easier, faster, and a lot less messy to use magic, but you do it
by hand. And, she�s got like a bajillion house elves, so she sure doesn�t need
to do it. But, it�s a way of controlling things, Mione. When you cook, you get
to decide what to make, how to make it, you can do it your way, whenever you
want. You�re in control.�

Hermione laughed, �I never put that much thought into it.�

�Well, from what you�ve said, she�s never had any control. I mean she had to
sneak down with her son and hide to see her own damn kitchen! Maybe she sees
cooking as kind of rebellion and a freedom.�

�I�m sorry, may I speak to Ginny Potter, please?� Hermione laughed. �When did
you get so darn deep?�

�Ha ha ha,� Ginny commented dryly. �But, seriously, she gets to learn something
new, that�s she�s always wanted to learn. She gets to spend time with you and
get to actually know you. She gets to see her precious pureblood golden boy.
And, she gets to kind of thumb her nose at Malfoy without really causing any
trouble. I mean, we are talking about a muggle activity.�

Hermione laughed, �Wow. You gave that a lot of thought in only a few minutes.�

�Yeah, well, the whole cooking muggle style thing just seems to fit.� Ginny
then said, �So, tell me more about the party.�

They talked for another twenty minutes as Hermione told her about dinner,
dancing and the Zabinis. Ginny commented on how hard it must be for Blythe; the
first Gryffindor in their family; and her idol was, Hermione, the woman who
helped take down their idol.

When she was done Ginny filled her in on things back there. Ginny was in the
middle of a funny story about Jamie when Hermione heard the bedroom door open.
She glanced over her shoulder to see a sleepy Draco smile at her as he went
into the bathroom. She heard the shower turn on and had a realization.

As Ginny finished her story, Hermione asked, �Gin? Is it weird that we haven�t
talked about the fact that he moved in here?�

�What do you mean? You had to have talked about it.�

�No, we didn�t. It just kinda happened. With Beth moving in, he didn�t want to
hang with the newlyweds. And, I told him he could stay here that first night.
He just never left.�

Ginny hesitated and then asked, �Don�t you want him there?�

�Yes, I want him here. But, isn�t it too fast? Shouldn�t we have had some kind
of talk before we started living together? It�s only been about two months and
I don�t know, it�s just�is it weird? I read just a few weeks ago in Witches
Cosmo that you shouldn�t take drastic steps with a partner without really
talking it through and getting each other�s take on the idea.�

�Mione, do you love him?�

�Yes,� her answer was quick and sure.

�And, do you think he loves you?�

�I know he does, but it�s just so fast, Gin.�

�Not really. You guys have known each other forever. You might not have been
friends, but it�s not like most relationships. You might have only been
together as a couple for a couple of months, but that doesn�t mean it�s wrong.�

�Okay, but��

�Mione, does it feel weird? Or, wrong?�

Hermione thought back over the past two weeks and sighed, �No. That�s just it.
It feels right. Perfect. Like this is the way it should be.�

�And, that�s freaking you out,� Ginny laughed, knowing her friend well. �Stop
thinking about all those stupid relationship books and magazine you�ve read and
all those silly television shows. Sometimes right is just right. There�s no
time limit on it.�

�Okay. Thanks.�

Ginny was quiet for a moment, then she asked, �He�s the one, isn�t he?�

Hermione heard the shower shut off and got up to get the paper from the owl at
the window. Thinking about how easily they had fallen for each other and how
natural being with him felt, she nodded, but felt her stomach clench at the
thought. All of the feelings she had held in over the past few days crashed in
on her and she felt lightheaded.

�Oh gods.�

Ginny laughed, �Yeah, that�s how I felt when Harry finally asked me.�

�No. He hasn�t�we haven�t even talked about anything like that!�

�But, you can see it can�t you?�

Hermione closed her eyes to calm herself down, �Oh shit, Gin. I can.�

�And, do you want it?�

�I think, no, I know I�I do,� she whispered. �But, it�s just so soon!�

Ginny laughed at Hermione�s panic, �Calm down, hon. He hasn�t even asked you
yet.� Then, just because she could, she teased, �Besides, you still have to
befriend the mother and make the father not hate you. Plus, there�s the whole
getting the parents together for a dinner thing��

She stopped and laughed uproariously as Hermione wailed and groaned.

�Look, just relax, okay? When it�s right, it�s right, Mione, and you will know
it. Until then, focus on the now. Just enjoy it. And, if you really think it
needs a discussion, talk to him.�

Draco stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his lean hips. He leaned
against the doorframe and crooked his finger at her.

Hermione pushed back all of her thoughts and worries and smiled at him. Then
she said into the phone, �Thank, Gin. I will. But, uh, I gotta run, okay?�

�He�s there, right?�

�Yeah,� Hermione laughed.

�Well, you two go have fun. And, just a thought, you should talk to Blaise
about having his sister come to visit. Sounds to me like Blythe would die to
spend some time with you.�

Draco started to walk across the room slowly toward her and she said to Ginny,
�Good idea. Thanks. I�ll talk to you later, Gin.�

�Okay, I can take a hint. Tell him hello for me. I�ll talk to you later in the
week. Bye.�

�Bye.�

She hung up the phone just as his arms snaked around her, �Ginny says hello.�

�Mmm hmm,� he mumbled against her neck. Then he kissed his way up her neck
until he found her lips.

He kissed her softly, without a lot of heat, but with a lot of feeling. She
sighed at how right it felt and then remembered her conversation with Ginny and
everything rushed back in on her. He sensed her change of mood and pulled back
to look down at her, his blue grey eyes soft and warm.

�What�s wrong?�

She looked up at him, �Nothing bad, Draco, but we do need to talk.�

He took a step back and looked at her with his head tilted a bit, �Okay.�

She saw the worry in his eyes and leaned up to give him a quick peck on his
warm lips, �Seriously, hon, it�s not bad. Go put something on. I�ll make us
some breakfast.�

He still looked worried, but nodded and went silently back to the bedroom.

When he came into the kitchen five minutes later she put a cup of coffee on the
table for him and was scrambling eggs.

�Ginny thinks your mom needs some control in her life and that�s why she wants
to learn to cook,� she commented as he took a seat.

He took a sip and asked, �What else did Ginny say?�

She could hear the worry in his voice and hastened to alleviate it, �Nothing
much. I told her about our trip.�

He watched her turn the bacon over in silence and waited for her to get to the
point. He knew she didn�t like being pushed and he wasn�t about to upset her.
She had uttered the four words that struck fear in his, and every man�s, heart.
We need to talk. His mind was racing with questions.

Did I do something wrong? What could Ginny have said about me to upset her?
But, she doesn�t seem exactly upset. This is ridiculous! Just tell me already!

�And, she suggested that I should have Blaise bring Blythe over. She thinks I�m
her idol or something. I think it could be��

Okay, she�s laughing. It can�t be that bad, right? Maybe. What if she is
done with us? No! It CAN NOT be that. I love her. Doesn�t she get that? I am
not going to let her just end it, dammit! My feelings count too, you know! I
know she didn�t get along with Father all that well, but she said it wasn�t
awful. She said she had some fun. Okay, then why? She was fine last night.
Really fine. He he he Okay, then what is it dammit!

�So, I�m thinking maybe dessert, I mean, you said she wanted to bake cookies,
right?�

He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn�t heard a word she�d said.
He looked up at her and realized she was holding their plates and waiting for
an answer.

�Uh, my mother? Cookies? Yeah. She wanted to bake cookies,� he answered, hoping
that was the right answer.

It seemed it was when she nodded and put their plates down before taking her
seat.

�Good. Then I�m thinking I�ll owl her and see if she wants to come visit for a
day in a few weeks. Cookies aren�t all that hard. She should love it. But, what
about your father?�

Tell me what we need to talk about already!

�What about him? This tastes good, by the way. Thanks.�

Hermione smiled at his compliment and bit into her own bacon slice, �Well, he
won�t be happy that I have his son and his wife in my domain. And, I don�t
think I could handle having him here. Not yet.�

�Well, maybe I�ll go home that day. We can spend some time together while you
two are having your cooking fun.�

�Hmmmm,� she thought.

He stared at her and waited, but she didn�t seem to have anything else to say.
He couldn�t handle the suspense any longer.

�Mi? You, uh, said we needed to talk?�

She looked at him and her mouth opened, but she couldn�t seem to figure out
what to say.

When she had imitated a fish for a few seconds, he leaned back and looked at
her, �Just tell me, okay?�

�Well, um, I was wondering, I mean, it feels like we are already, but if you
don�t, uh, but I think we should at least discuss it, make it official or
something,� she said in a rush.

He looked at her for a few seconds and then shook his head, �I�m sorry. What?�

�What what?� she asked.

He laughed, �What are we talking about?�

�Living together,� she said as if it was the only thing that made sense.

That�s what this is all about? Well, sheesh. She almost had me worried.

�Oh, is that all?� he laughed.

�Huh? What do you mean all?� she half shouted. �It�s a big deal, Draco! It
shouldn�t be rushed into. And, you�re here already and we haven�t even talked
about it.�

�Okay, do you want me to leave?� he asked slowly.

�That is not what I said!�

�I�m not getting this. What�s the problem?� he asked as he reached for his
coffee.

�What�s the�Are you listening to me!�

�Mi, calm down. Yes, I�m listening. I just don�t get the problem. You want me
here. I want to be here. We love each other. What am I missing?�

She looked as if he�d smacked her. �You don�t�the problem is�ooooh!�

He watched in shock as she stormed out of the room.

What the hell? Must be PMS. Give her a few minutes to calm down. She�ll be
back to finish this.

Draco reached over and scooped the rest of her eggs onto his own plate and then
grabbed the paper. He finished his second cup of coffee and had read the first
page of the paper when he heard her stomp across the living room. He put the
paper down and readied himself for the rest of her talk.

His mouth fell open in shock when he heard the pop of her apparition.

�Mi,� he called as he hurried into the living room. When he saw no one there he
shouted, �Dammit woman!�

He looked around to see if she had at least left him a note. Nothing. With a
growl of frustration he threw himself on the sofa and replayed the conversation
in his head.

Okay, I�m lost. What just happened?

With another growl he picked up the phone.

��Sup buddy?� Blaise answered cheerfully.

�B, is she there?� Draco asked.

�Who?�

�Hermione. Is she there?�

�No, why? What happened?�

Draco sighed and told Blaise what had happened.

�Wow. Sorry D.�

�I just don�t get what she�s so upset about. I mean things were fine last
night. Then, bam! She wants to talk about living together and now she�s off, I
don�t know where, pissed. Damn that Potter!�

�What�s he got to do with it?�

�Not him, the Mrs.,� Draco sighed. �And, I have no idea. She woke us up this
morning and they talked. An hour later, I�m missing one ticked off girlfriend.�

�Hey, hold on a sec,� Blaise said. Then Draco heard his muffled voice and then
Beth�s in the background.

�Sorry. Beth says hello and, no, Mione didn�t call her.�

Draco growled in frustration, �Okay, look, I�m sorry. You two go do whatever it
is you were doing. I�m just going to sit here and be angry.�

Blaise held back his laugh, �Call me when you find her.�

�Yeah, thanks. Bye.�

Draco hung up and put his head in his hands. After fifteen minutes of waiting
he decided he needed to do something and went to change for a run. Before he
left he quickly wrote her a note in case she came back.

At least some people are considerate!

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
- 7
- 8
- 9
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Love and Forgiveness