As summer thunderstorms began fading to brilliant falling leaves, Hermione and Draco continued to meet every day. One day, Draco was approaching 'their' park and saw a figure lying on the ground. She was sprawled awkwardly with her face down. Curious, he slowly regarded the figure of the girl. As soon as he was close enough, he saw the bushy curls he could recognize anywhere. "Hermione!" Draco screamed.
Draco ran towards her, afraid something had happened. Sure enough, Hermione didn't respond to his shout. He felt the fear building in his stomach. What if something had happened to her? Draco knelt beside Hermione and shook her roughly. "'Mione? 'Mione are you alright? Hermione, wake up right now! Please, wake up!" But Hermione's eyes remained closed. "Hold on, Mimi." Draco hugged her to his chest and screamed from burning lungs, "Dobby!" A bat-like, wrinkled creature of a strange green hue with large eyes and ears appeared, as if summoned by magic. "Dobby! Help me- Hermione- something's wrong with her."
"M-master Draco, is this a muggle?" The house-elf shook violently at the shock of seeing the foreign girl.
"Dobby, that's not important now. Please, just help her!"
"Master Draco, Dobby shouldn't help this muggle girl. Dobby should tell Master Lucius. Dobby should-"
"Please Dobby, I don't care what he'll do to me, tell my father, I don't care, but help her!"
"This girl is important to Master Draco?"
"Yes, Dobby, the most important."
"Then, Dobby will help the girl and punish himself later."
Draco heaved a sigh of relief, still trembling. His palms were glistening with sweat as his heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Dobby! Don't punish yourself. Now's not the time, though. I don't know what's wrong with her. I know we're not supposed to do magic around muggles, but she's different. She can't tell anyway."
"Dobby will do anything he can, Master Draco."
"Please, Dobby." Dobby saw tears swimming in the young boy's eyes. -Dobby had never seen Draco cry, even through everything that had happened to him at the hand of his father. Draco shuffled backwards as Dobby began to work elf magic on Hermione. Suddenly, Hermione's eyes opened and she sprung upright. "Draco?" Hermione asked, sounding confused. Dobby quickly popped out of view, returning to the Manor.
"Oh, Mimi, you're ok! You scared me. What happened?" Hermione almost didn't notice his pale, shaken face and terrified eyes checking her for injuries.
"I must have fallen off the swing and hit my head, it hurts."
"You need to be more careful, Hermione," Draco scolded. However, this did nothing to conceal his obvious relief.
"Sorry, Draco. Thanks for helping me."
"Of course, 'Mione. Just please don't do it again. But we don't have a very long time anymore, let's play." Draco desperately wanted to forget this experience for a while.
A few weeks later, September was quickly approaching. Hermione's mother had just informed Hermione that soon, Hermione would have to go back to school. "But Mum! Then how will I see Draco?" Hermione asked, pouting.
"Oh, I don't know, dear. Are you sure his parents won't help you two meet during the year?" Lines of concern formed on Linda Granger's face. She still wasn't sure what to think of the boy Hermione was so close to. Though he seemed sweet, something seemed off.
"I told you, Mum. His parents sound awful. They don't even know Draco meets me, he would get in trouble if they did."
"That poor dear. He should really come over to our house more often. How about you invite him to an early dinner?"
"Yay! Thanks, Mum. I'll ask him today."
As usual, Hermione found Draco already waiting for her in the park. "Hey, Draco! My mum said I can invite you to have an early dinner with us. What do you think?"
"I don't know, 'Mione. What if my parents found out?" Draco sighed.
"We just have to make sure they don't find out then."
"Alright. I'll come home with you then." Draco surrendered with a slight smile.
As Mrs. Granger came to pick up her daughter, she asked Draco, "So, Draco, will you be joining us tonight?"
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
Spending time in the Grangers' home was a very strange experience for Draco. The Granger household was like an alternate universe. Richard Granger always greeted Draco warmly, with a handshake and Linda Granger was a hugger. That was one habit Hermione had definitely picked up as well, Draco knew.
Dinner was a simple affair, especially compared to the typical eccentric meals at Malfoy Manor. However, the familial atmosphere was something Draco felt was something he could easily adjust to.
Finally came the last day for the young boy and girl to spend their days together. There was a more solemn atmosphere than usual. Hermione interrupted the comfortable silence by asking, "Draco? My mum writes letters to her friends sometimes. Can I write to you?"
"I'm not sure if we can do that, 'Mione. My father might see the letters."
"What about your servant, Dobby? I've still never seen him, you know. Couldn't Dobby help deliver your letters? Dobby keeps your secret now, right?"
"Yeah, that might just work. I'll give them to Dobby and he can leave them at your house. Don't worry if I don't write sometimes, though. Sometimes Dobby isn't allowed to help me."
Hermione beamed at Draco, "I'll miss you so much!"
"I'll miss you too! So much! How will I survive without my best friend?"
"Oh, Draco, you'll be fine! Just don't forget me. When can I see you?"
"I'll never forget you, Hermione Jean Granger," Draco replied softly.
At this, Hermione seemed to give up refraining from hugging Draco and launched herself at him. "You never answered my question," she spoke softly in his ear. "Can I see you during Christmas?"
"My father makes us do something on Christmas. But I think I can manage Christmas Eve," Draco replied.
"Then I'll see you on Christmas Eve, Draco Malfoy."
"Good-bye Mimi," Draco whispered to her as he saw her mother approaching. "Goodbye Mrs. Granger, I'll see you on Christmas Eve,"
As her mother practically dragged her in the direction of home Hermione turned around and shouted with a wave, "Bye Draco!"
And as she was walking away he replied, "Bye 'Mione." The young Malfoy summoned Dobby to return him 'home,'- no, not home, simply to the Manor.
