Prompt: There wasn't a stairwell in my suitcase this morning!
She awoke with a start, and wondered what her dream had been about for her to wake up sweating. It was unlike her to have nightmares anymore after all these years. But here she was, covered in sweat, and blankets strewn around like she had been fighting a beast. It was then she turned to her clock and realized it had only been 2 hours since she'd fallen asleep. 'Perhaps some hot cocoa would help settle me back down' she thought.
Climbing out of bed and slipping on her house coat and slippers, she walked the short distance from her bedroom to her small kitchen. Making herself some hot chocolate and also slicing a piece of pumpkin pie, she goes and sits on the couch. While eating and drinking quietly, she hears a sudden WHOMP! 'What the hell was that!' she thinks. Setting herself down quickly she goes and looks for the noise. THUMP! She hears the noise and stops to listen. 'What in the actual hell is happening!' She slowly makes her way to her closet and opens it. Aside from her work clothes hanging and some smart dress shoes, her suitcase from her recent work trip sits on the floor.
Deciding it's preposterous to think that sounds are coming from her suitcase, of all things, she closes the closet door, only to hear the loudest WUMP! 'Okay, perhaps it is my suitcase?' As she slowly opens the closet door again, she peeks at the suitcase, in case anything crazy jumps out. 'I'm a rational person. I'm a rational person.' She repeats to herself. Making a decision, she decided to open the suitcase. But first, precautions must be made. Grabbing her wand, Hermione takes a deep breath and opens her purple suitcase. Blinking, she realizes she's not looking at her clothes that were still inside but a stairwell. "That wasn't there before" she mutters out loud to herself. Making a rash decision, so unlike herself, she decides to explore her suitcase.
Walking down the suitcase stairwell, she discovers that it's lit with small purple spheres giving off just enough glow to light her way down the spiral stairwell. As she comes closer to the bottom, she realizes she has her wand and casts a Lumos spell which helps see much better. Pondering what could be at the end of stairwell, she stops suddenly. 'What am I doing? How foolish am I to go down an unknown stairwell. Harry and Ron will surely lecture me later. Unless I don't tell them.' Making her mind up, she comes to the end of the stairwell.
What Hermione sees is beyond her understanding. Why is he here of all people? Of all things that would be here, he was not even on the list.
"What, why…" Hermione tries to form a coherent question and stops. Staring at the boy, no man, before her. She can't help but wonder of all the people in the wizarding world, he was the one who she wanted but would never have and here he was, in her suitcase. 'Maybe, I'm still dreaming." She thinks.
"You're not dreaming, Hermione. I'm really here. At the bottom of the stairwell in your suitcase. Who has a purple suitcase anyways?" the man says.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" Hermione says raising her wand slightly.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here…I'm here to tell you a secret about me." The pale man says to her.
A secret. What the hell kind of secret could this man have to tell her? Why would she even care about what he has to say? They haven't seen each other in years. 5 years. Maybe 6. It doesn't matter really how many years, it just doesn't make sense.
"A secret? Do tell me, Draco. Why would I even care?" She says angrily. Raising her wand up even with his throat. "Tell me why I shouldn't curse you now?" Hermione's face is red with rage and she's shaking from all the pent up anger she's felt the last few months. Not knowing why, but having a slightly hazy memory of a dream…
"Hermione. Listen to me. 5 minutes. That's all I ask." Draco says in an almost defeated and sad voice.
"5 minutes then. Time starts now." Hermione says.
"I've thought about you every day for the last 6 years. I've wanted to tell you this since our 3rd year after that magnificent slap. Hermione, I know I'm not a good man but I could make you happy. If you could just give me a chance. I swear I will love you like you deserve. I love you, Hermione. I have for a long time now. I decided to just take a chance now. I want to be happy. I want you to be happy. And I know we can be happy together." Draco says earnestly.
Dragging his hands through his almost white hair, he looks at Hermione with a look so hopeful she just stands there not knowing what to say. How do you respond to such lovely words?
"I…Draco…" Hermione sighs, "I'm not saying no or yes, I'm just wondering why you thought 3am would be a good time to do this. At the end of stairwell in my suitcase. Why did it take you so long?"
"You're a scary witch, Hermione. How was I to know how you'd react?" Draco says, looking at her wand pointedly to emphasize his words. Dropping her wand and putting it in her house coat, she takes several steps forward until she's only inches from Draco.
"I'm always one for research. So I think I'll need to do some research first before making any decisions on the matter." Hermione says quietly.
Taking a breath and swallowing visibly, Draco says, "What k-kind of research?" Hermione smirks, a very Malfoy worthy smirk Draco admits to himself, and whispers, "The kind of research one can only expect in these situations." As she leans up on tip toe to kiss Draco.
Surprised, but happy that things went the right way, Draco kisses her back with all the passion and love he can muster. After a while they pull back and look at each other. Hermione steps away slightly and starts walking back to the stairwell. Turning she smiles at Draco, "Are you coming, Draco?" Draco smiles and follows after her on the stairwell back up into her room.
Realizing it's still early the morning, they decide to cuddle in Hermione's bed, both falling asleep in each other's arms.
A few hours later, Hermione and Draco are woken up by pounding on the door. Groggily, Hermione slips out of bed and walks to the door grumbling about being woken up from a great sleep, to find Harry and Ron at the door. 'Hell.' Hermione thinks. She lets them in and rushes back into the bedroom to close the door and tell Draco to get up quickly.
Hearing voices, Harry and Ron decide to investigate being the nosy best friends they are. Opening Hermione's bedroom door, they come face-to-face with a tall blonde. "Morning, Potter and Weasley." Draco says. Hermione is a shade of red not even a crayon could capture.
"What the bloody hell, Hermione!" Ron yells. "Why is the ferret in your room!"
"That is none of your business, Ronald!" Hermione screeches back. "Get out of my room."
Harry walks backwards out still gaping like an idiot grabbing Ron so he'll follow.
Once Draco and Hermione come out of the room, Harry and Ron are calmer but Ron's face still matches his hair color.
"Are we going to discuss this like adults? Or like a child?" Hermione asks looking pointedly at Ron.
"Just explain to us what is going on, Mione." Harry says calmly.
"Draco and I are dating." She says simply. "We talked and discovered that there were feelings between us that have been there a lot longer than either realized."
Harry and Ron both stare at her, like she's grown a second head. Or perhaps a third head like that beast, Fluffy, they encountered in school. Draco realizing this may be a long conversation, gets up, and makes tea for 4 and finds some scones for them also in Hermione's kitchen. After passing out breakfast, each one takes a sip and bite. Looking at each other, they stay in the silence.
Ron, knowing Hermione is waiting for them to say something, anything, speaks up first.
"If you hurt our sister, Draco, they won't find your body. Ever." He threatens and finishes his breakfast, waiting to see if anyone won't eat all their scone.
"I know you've changed. I've seen it. But, Hermione is my sister and best friend. I second what Ron said. Make her happy and love her. If anyone deserves love, it's our Mione." Harry states simply before finishing his tea and handing over the last half of his scone to Ron, who looks about to bust from starvation.
"Well, now that that's settled. Who wants eggs and bacon?" Hermione asks as she gets up and heads to the kitchen to prepare a breakfast she knows all three men would prefer.
"I just have one question, Mione" Harry says, as the three men make their way to the chairs in the kitchen watching Hermione make them breakfast. "How did you two get together?"
Hermione turns around and her eyes find Draco's silver eyes. "Well, Harry, we ran into each other one morning." Muttering to herself, "There wasn't a stairwell in my suitcase this morning, that's just crazy." Draco, the only one who heard, laughs out loud. Hermione just smiles at him and plates up four plates of breakfast and the four fall into a conversation about life, love, and quidditch.