A Malfoy Mother's Meddlings, a harry potter fanfic

A.N. So… I always got the feeling that, if not for Lucius and all the prejudice, Hermione and Narcissa would have got on very well. I see a lot of the good in Narcissa, I guess. A smart, beautiful woman who had incredible bravery through dark times. A lot like someone else we know.

And as you all know, I despise the other Mrs Malfoy. Astoria. Her name makes me want to puke. So, since I don't like her… Narcissa hates her, too. That's just the way it works, folks!

Please read and review!

DRACO POV

Granger,

No, that's far too formal. I've known her since I was eleven. I'm not writing to a stranger, for god's sake.

Dear Granger,

Actually, she's not even Granger anymore, is she? She married Weaselbee. Maybe she would find being called Granger insulting. And this is supposed to be confessing my true feelings.

Dear Weasley,

Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick. Just straight to the point Draco, come on. It's not like I'm ever going to send this.

Dear Hermione,

That's better.

It was good to see you at Kings Cross. How are you?

Oh, way to go, genius. She's really going to fall for that one, hey? Quite the charmer. You're losing it in old age, my friend.

I don't really know what to say, other than your beauty takes my breath away.

Bleurgh. Well, at least it was honest. Keep going.

I've loved you for all of my life. I fell for you the first time I saw your smile. It wasn't even aimed at me. We were just standing on Platform 9 3/4, waiting to get on the Hogwarts Express. You were surrounded by people, laughing your way towards the doors and find yourself a carriage. My mother had to hold me up straight before father noticed I was falling, quite literally.

I remember this. Tripping over my own robes at the sight of her face. If she had seen me, god, what would she have thought? Well, it couldn't be worse than the image she already has of you. You're doing good, keep going.

I fell for you again when I saw you angry for the first time. Weaselbee –

NO!

Ronald was making fun of you. Your hair was raising millimetres each second, your nostrils were flaring and your lips pressed together so hard they almost became invisible. But your eyes were the dramatic change. They are usually this smooth, honey brown. They started glinting, almost Gryffindor red. I vowed if I ever saw that look on your face to back to hell off. I guess I forgot that. I was stupid enough to put myself in a position where you could punch me, back in third year. And yes… that did hurt.

It didn't hurt as much as something else, though.

I remember when I saw you out in muggle London. I was with mother, who insisted on perusing the shops for muggle clothes, despite father's protests. We were maybe thirteen? I saw you across the road, and darted over.

"Granger! Am I glad to see you. Get me away from the crazy woman. Who are these, your parents?"

Your hair. Your nostrils. Your lips. And then, oh god, the eyes.

"Darling, who is this?"

Your lips suddenly changed, and slid into a smirk worthy of the purest Malfoy.

"I've never seen him before in my life, daddy."

And then you walked away, leaving me stood in the street like a fool. I realised then just how far I had gone. You hated me so much, that you refused to acknowledge my existence to your parents. I had pushed you away, out of my own silly pride. You had probably told them all about the mean Malfoy boy who called you names, and didn't want to admit to my presence in the street. I apologise for making you feel this way.

Oh good lord, its getting heartbreaking. Well, what did you expect genius, a happy-go-lucky letter? No. so shut your cake hole and keep writing.

You were always so mature, Hermione, whereas I was not. I am ashamed that my stupidity defied me from seeing every side of you that I could. I would have loved to be your shoulder to cry on, the strength in your vulnerability. I guess that can never happen.

Do you remember the Yule Ball? I had finally escaped Pansy and found you sobbing on the staircase. The Weasel-

CROSS THAT OUT!

Ron had upset you in some way. I'm still not sure what happened, but I imagine it was something to do with Viktor Krum. He always was the jealous type.

I watched you for a good while. When I thought you had calmed slightly, I came over. I had an overwhelming desire to comfort you. I don't know why I thought you would accept a hug. You leaped up straight away, and the strange look in your eyes as you backed away broke my heart. Eventually, we began to talk and then you turned to me, innocence blinding me.

"Draco, do I look pretty tonight?"

I was shocked at the use of my first name. I thought maybe, just maybe, I had started to undo all the pain I had caused you and we could become friends.

"Hermione, you look breathtakingly beautiful."

You scowled at me and slapped my arm ferociously.

"Sod off Malfoy, you swine! How dare you give me false hope when I'm already low! You will stop at nothing when it comes to making fun of the Mudblood, will you?"

False hope of what, my love? I suppose, now we are both married, that I shall never know.

I still held hope. But the next day, you blanked me, same as always. I think in my heart, that's when I began to give up. I still tried, but you never appreciated my efforts. Over time, I become more and more aggrieved by you and it changed me completely.

I know you probably block this from your memory, but every night I think of seeing you in Malfoy Manor.

No shit, Sherlock. That probably haunts her nightmares! Good thing you're not sending this.

I tried to buy you time, all of you. But I watched Bellatrix… everything that she did. When she carved that vicious word into your delicately crafted skin. Evil hag. I never stepped in to help. I could have killed her on the spot; she was so distracted with you. I think my reasoning was the Yule Ball, as you backed away from me when I first put my arm over your shoulders, you told me "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, ferret." You wanted to prove yourself, but I shouldn't have let you.

I remember the first time I saw you after the war. You sat at a table in a French restaurant, just waiting. I think you were waiting for your parents, clinging to the hope that they had regained their memories and were on their way to find you. I'm sorry that it never worked out. I hope you find them one day.

And the next time?

"Hello, Draco."

"Hello Gr-Hermione."

"Care to join me?"

"I thought you hated my guts?"

"Well… I changed my mind."

Of course I joined you straight away. I wouldn't pass up that opportunity. I never knew what it would lead to. 6 months of dating, ultimately ending in heartbreak? No, I never imagined that.

When I found you kissing that man, whom you chose to marry, I didn't quite know what to think. True, we hadn't become exclusive, and I had myself suggested we also date other people, purely to save face. I never saw anyone else whilst I dated you, Hermione. But you laughed, you didn't understand. My heart bled for a very long time.

You brought out the best in me, and also the worst. I'm not quite sure why. Perhaps that's what real love is. Both sides of people? I wouldn't know. What I experienced with you, I haven't come across with anyone else. No one has what we had. I feel bad for them.

I blame myself.

Well, duh, it's your fault.

I shouldn't have fallen in love with you.

Don't make the girl feel guilty!

Promise me something.

Promise me you will be frequently kind, and cruel when absolutely necessary. Do as you please and not what others decide. Be uptight and demanding and carefree and loving. Threaten and nurture.

Although by law you are a Weasley, please, for Merlin's sake, always remain Hermione Granger.

You soppy old tart.

All my love,

Draco Malfoy.

Wow. Who told me to write this? Blaise? I could kill him. He told me getting my feelings down on paper would heal me, but this is quite the opposite! I feel as through someone has ripped my heart out and thrown it on the ground. It made me sound like such a twit. Well, it's a good thing my love shall never read this. It's going away, and will never be thought of again.

NARCISSA POV

Silly little cow.

Does she honestly think she knows my own son better than I do? Who cares if she is his wife, I am his mother, and a damn nosy one at that!

Hence why I am currently stalking his old bedroom, here in Malfoy Manor. To prove a point. That stupid little girl has no idea what's coming to her. Why did I ever let my son marry a Greengrass? Merlin, forgive me. She's got to be the worst of the bunch. At least Scorpius has started Hogwarts now. He doesn't have to spend every day at home, subject to her caterwauling and pernickety habits. She is so very unworthy of being Mrs Malfoy.

I was honoured the day I received that title. Mrs Malfoy. My family were so proud the day I told them I was engaged. Of course, Lucius has made mistakes, and big ones at that. He has failed on almost every level of the vows he took on the day we became man and wife. However, I loved him once and I loved him still. True love never dies, no matter how much you may want it to. I take some comfort in my husband's current mind. He lost it completely in Azkaban. When he was granted release, I was happy to have him home, yet fearful. But as I studied him, he was like a child. He had to learn everything all over again, including his morals. He is now, thanks to me, under the impression that blood is equal, amongst many other new opinions that I have expertly crafted into his mind.

I remember my sons wedding day, boy do I. I warned him I was not approving of his marriage to Astoria, but he went ahead, claiming it was something he just "had to do". They are so oddly matched; it makes absolutely no sense to me. I would have preferred him with Miss Parkinson, and that is saying something! Ideally, I would have matched him with someone more like myself. A worthy Mrs Malfoy. Someone like that young lady he was at Hogwarts with. The one who was brought here with Harry Potter. What was her name again? Granger? I think it was.

She would have been perfect. Alas, it was not to be.

OUCCHHH! What on earth was that? Is that a floorboard I just stumbled on?

It is… what's this under it? Hermione? Wasn't that the Granger girl's name?

I shouldn't open it. However, I am a Malfoy, and a mother. It was inevitable.

My eyes scanned the page, and I smirked so widely my face almost split in two. Now, to come up with a plan to get Astoria out of the picture…

HERMIONE POV

I smiled adoringly as Hugo shovelled food into his mouth, and gently nudged his arm to take it easy. As my eyes scanned the table, they caught my husband doing the same and I couldn't hide the look of contempt on my face. He spotted me and cleared his throat.

"Hugo? Go upstairs, would you?"

"But I've not finished breakfast!"

"Then take it with you! I am your father, do as I say!"

I tutted as Hugo shuffled up the stairs, his bowl of cereal clasped tightly in his arms. My son was just beautiful. Shame his father was such a swine.

"We can't go on like this, Hermione! We have to tell them."

"Don't you dare! My children will know when I am good and ready to tell them."

"Oh, your children now? Well, they are my children too, unless you have forgotten. I can't go on living this charade, its putting me and the kids through hell. We have to tell them we are divorced."

I dropped my head into my hands. In my heart, I knew Ronald was right. I just couldn't bear the though of breaking Rosie's world when she had just started school, and Hugo having to join school from a broken home. We had been divorced over a year now, and we still hadn't breathed a word to anyone. Ronald had already met someone new. She was a lovely girl, a Healer. Callie Rae. I liked her a lot.

I just can't bear the thought of being alone. I had loved, many years ago, but settled for the familiar surroundings of family. We both knew this from the start.

An owl tapped away at the window. It held a parchment wrapped with a black ribbon. Ron took the parchment, fed the owl some treats and shooed it gently away. His hand froze over a crest imprinted on the ribbon.

"Malfoy."

I shot out of my seat so quickly I ended up on my backside on the floor. Ron giggled and helped me back to my chair, smiling sadly. He handed over the parchment as I read determinedly.

Mrs Weasley,

I found this in my son's bedroom. I believe it is addressed to you. I am also aware he did not mean for you to read this, but if I were the subject of such a letter, I would want to know.

I do not intend to ruin your marriage with this letter. I simply wanted to pass this on to you.

You would have made a marvellous Mrs Malfoy.

Regards,

Narcissa Malfoy.

Holy shit.

I read the following letter, a very heartfelt letter that Draco had written, clearly intended to be hidden. Meddling mothers are not to be underestimated.

Dear Hermione,

It was good to see you at Kings Cross. How are you?

I don't really know what to say, other than your beauty takes my breath away.

I fell for you again when I saw you angry for the first time. Ronald was making fun of you. Your hair was raising millimetres each second, your nostrils were flaring and your lips pressed together so hard they almost became invisible. But your eyes were the dramatic change. They are usually this smooth, honey brown. They started glinting, almost Gryffindor red. I vowed if I ever saw that look on your face to back to hell off. I guess I forgot that. I was stupid enough to put myself in a position where you could punch me, back in third year. And yes… that did hurt.

It didn't hurt as much as something else, though.

"Granger! Am I glad to see you. Get me away from the crazy woman. Who are these, your parents?"

Your hair. Your nostrils. Your lips. And then, oh god, the eyes.

"Darling, who is this?"

Your lips suddenly changed, and slid into a smirk worthy of the purest Malfoy.

"I've never seen him before in my life, daddy."

Do you remember the Yule Ball? I had finally escaped Pansy and found you sobbing on the staircase. Ron had upset you in some way. I'm still not sure what happened, but I imagine it was something to do with Viktor Krum. He always was the jealous type.

"Draco, do I look pretty tonight?"

I was shocked at the use of my first name. I thought maybe, just maybe, I had started to undo all the pain I had caused you and we could become friends.

"Hermione, you look breathtakingly beautiful."

You scowled at me and slapped my arm ferociously.

"Sod off Malfoy, you swine! How dare you give me false hope when i'm already low! You will stop at nothing when it comes to making fun of the Mudblood, will you?"

False hope of what, my love? I suppose, now we are both married, that I shall never know.

I know you probably block this from your memory, but every night I think of seeing you in Malfoy Manor.

I tried to buy you time, all of you. But I watched Bellatrix… everything that she did. When she carved that vicious word into your delicately crafted skin. Evil hag. I never stepped in to help. I could have killed her on the spot, she was so distracted with you. I think my reasoning was the Yule Ball, as you backed away from me when I first put my arm over your shoulders, you told me "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, ferret." You wanted to prove yourself, but I shouldn't have let you.

And the next time?

"Hello, Draco."

"Hello Gr-Hermione."

"Care to join me?"

"I thought you hated my guts?"

"Well… I changed my mind."

Of course I joined you straight away. I wouldn't pass up that opportunity. I never knew what it would lead to. 6 months of dating, ultimately ending in heartbreak? No, I never imagined that.

I blame myself.

I shouldn't have fallen in love with you.

Promise me something.

Promise me you will be frequently kind, and cruel when absolutely necessary. Do as you please and not what others decide. Be uptight and demanding and carefree and loving. Threaten and nurture.

Although by law you are a Weasley, please, for Merlin's sake, always remain Hermione Granger.

All my love,

Draco Malfoy.

Oh, Jesus. I think i'm going to faint.

Oh wait, I did faint, Ronald is helping me up.

"Christ Hermione, what does it say?"

I showed him the letter. He read it aloud. He knew the full extent of my feelings for Draco.

"Bloody hell. Well, you know what you have to do, don't you?"

I glanced at him, inquisitively. He had the answer? I didn't have a fricken clue.

"Callie and I will watch Hugo. You get over there and fight for your man."

"Ron, he's married!"

"But he loves you! Now do as I say, woman!"

I turned to see Hugo, hands on his hips, in the doorway. He had clearly been listening the whole time. I laughed until my stomach hurt.

"I'm going to have to knock that demanding attitude out of you, Mr Weasley."

With that, I apparated to Diagon Alley.

DRACO POV

The shop is very busy today. I can barely breathe, yet i've managed to serve so many customers already today. You would think it would quieten down, what with all the kids being back at school now. But no.

That's right, a few years ago I took ownership of Flourish and Blotts. Its still Flourish and Blotts, though. I couldn't change the name, despite Astoria's persistence. That woman was infuriating.

DING!

Oh, shit.

There she was.

Hermione Granger.

I mean Weasley, Hermione Weasley.

And she's marching straight up to me.

"Okay mister, listen up.

I'm good thank you, and yourself?

I did see you fall. I just though you were rather clumsy.

I'm glad that punch hurt, you bloody deserved it.

The reason I didn't tell my father who you were was not because I was ashamed of you. I wanted to protect you. If I turned round and said you were Draco Malfoy, you wouldn't have made it back across the road to your mother. You would be dead.

I didn't want to believe you, after the Yule Ball. Why believe to end up hurt when you laughed me away? I couldn't risk that.

You took care of me enough. You showed incredible bravery during the war. You helped a great deal.

I kissed Ron for the same reasons I pushed you away at the Yule Ball. Too much risk.

Now do you understand?"

No, I definitely didn't understand. Then I began to piece together what she was saying. It all corresponded with the letter I wrote a few weeks ago. But how?

"Your mother found it. Sent it to me this morning. Thank her, for that."

I shall. "Anything else?"

"Yes, I can't keep the promise you asked of me."

"I'm sorry?"

"I can't be who you want me to be, Draco. I can't be Hermione Granger. Because, I know you are married, but i'm giving you one shot to give that up. I want to be Hermione Malfoy. Take the risks I never took."

I shouted my assistant.

"JO! Owl Astoria, tell her I want a quickie divorce, she can take whatever she wants other than Scorpius."

Hermione's face changed from pleading to ecstasy. I leaped over the counter and swept up the love of my life in my arms and in that moment, I knew all of it was worth it. Every second.

1 YEAR LATER:

NARCISSA POV

Silly little moo.

She might be his wife, but I am his mother. I know his favourite breakfast cereal much better than she does, you just see if I don't.

Well, at least this one is the perfect Mrs Malfoy.

Just like me.

A.N. So! This didn't work out as planned. Personally, I think its better. What do you guys think? You know the protocol, be polite and leave a short review. Stay beautiful!