I didn't dare tell anyone where I was going, just that I needed to walk. I was nineteen now so I could use magic freely now. I walked into an alley where I was sure no one was in, and apparated to the Malfoy Manor.
This was going to be rough, because no one there liked me because of my blood, so I tried to keep calm and just move foreward no matter how nervous I was. One step at a time, left right left right. I focused on small things to distract myself from what I was about to do. Birds chriping happily, getting ready for night, the bautiful sunset, the clouds, perfect white, fluffy clouds.
I finally arrived at the door, and grasped the large serpent knocker. It chimed twice, it chimed, not boomed, the wonders of magic, and I was greeted by a beautiful woman. Her hair was the same exact color as Draco's, and her eyes too.
"Yes?" she asked in a silky voice, that chilled me to the bone.
"Umm, I'm here to talk to Draco, to apologize." I told her. She looked at me with questioning eyes, and I immediately felt wind rush through my curls. I shivered, and she opened the door further.
"Draco isn't here right now, but he will be back soon, please, come in." she said, motioning with her hand. I stepped in the door cautiously, and stood in the doorway. She walked to the beautiful black silk couch as her heels clicked upon the black, torturous marble floor I remember so well.
"Please, sit down, I will get you a cup of tea." she told me. I just realized that this must be his mother, Narcissa Malfoy. Did she know I was muggleborn, or even a wizard? Maybe I should tell her, but maybe I shouldn't.
"Here you are, Hermione." she said, entering back into the room.
"You...you know who I am?" I asked her, in shock. She smiled, not the famous Malfoy sneer, nor a smirk. A smile, as if she were truly entertained.
"Of course, sweetie. I am really sorry for my...sister's...actions last year. It ruined me, I couldn't sleep that night. Nor many others, because of the other kids getting tortured. I really don't like speaking of this, but I would like you to know I am truly sorry." she told me. She was really something, different as could be from the others.
"It's okay, it wasn't your fault," I started but she interupted.
"No, I could have stopped her, controlled her. But I stood aside and watched." she whispered, looking down.
"No really, it made me stronger, realizing that other's had it far worse so I shouldn't complain. She could have hurt you too, but I did see pain in your eyes. I thought it might have been for someone else, but I saw it." I told her, and it was honest
I sipped my tea, and warmed up immediately. She looked at me in silence for a couple of minutes.
"It was you, and that Lovegoood girl who really made me see reason, you both are so innocent and are the last ones who deserve to be harmed for your actions. I cried myself to sleep, and my husband always knew my position. I never liked serving for Voldemort, but what choice did I have, I didn't have any of the famous Gryffindor bravery." she told me with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry." I told her, it really was sad that she cried for me and Luna every night.
"You have nothing to be sorry for dear." she told me. Just then, the door opened and a boy came in, soken wet. He looked at his mother, then at me, and away. He did a double-take and looked back at me.
"What are you doing here?" he asked me, not trying to be rude, but it came across as just that.
"I came to talk, and apologize." I told him. He walked slowly towards me, as if counting his every step, listening to the sliding of his Oxford shoes along the floor. His pant legs swishing against each other in the silence.
He garbbed my hand and pulled me up off the couch. I followed him into a room that appeared to be a large study. There were two dark-wooded desks on either side, I would guess one for Lucius, and one for Draco and his summer schoolwork, seeing as his old text books were piled up on it.
The walls were flooding with books, like a heaven to me. Draco's eyes met my curious brown ones, and questioned me silently.
"I'm sorry for being an...inconvieniece. I wanted to tell you something, but it isn't exactly a two minute chat." I told him.
"Oh, no inconvienience." he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he motioned to one of the three black, old-fashioned chairs. I slowly sat, and so did he.
"Okay, this may sound particularly odd, but I've been seeing you for the past couple of hours. Not really you, but a ghost-like entity. Then you, the fake you, told me that the only way to get rid of his haunting, is to talk to you." I told him, even though it hardly made sense to me.
"What kind of magic is that?" Draco asked rhetorically. He pondered in his thought for a couple of moments.
"I believe it's called a conscience." I told him with a smile on my face.
"Oh, you." he said smiling. I laughed and almost lost my train of thought.
"I want to be friends, Draco, if we live the rest of our lives having more feeling for each other, which may not be the case for you, but I won't be able to live a real life. Honestly, I want you in my life, but the Ministry told us, it was this or Azkaban." I said, drawing out my words to create affect rather than monotonous, boring voice.
"Me too, Hermione, I love you, but I know it really isn't an option. Heck, I wish there was another option, but we both know there isn't." he told me. I used to sit in Hogwarts, fantasizing about the day I would marry him. Now, that isn't an option, so I will have to live with Ron. I know it sounds like a bad thing, but it might not be such a bad thing after all.
"Well, now that we have that cleared up, I'm glad we can still be friends. That doesn't happen often. I think I'm going to leave, the others are probably worried sick." I said with a smile on my face. I got up, and he did too, and walked me outside the gates under and umbrella.
You couldn't apparate or disapparate inside of the gates. He hugged me, and I felt happy that we both accepted the fact we could only be friends.
"No, I can't marry him! You can't make me!" I heard a voice yelling. I saw a woman with two men dragging her to Azkaban. Poor lady. I quickly disapparated back to the house on the hill.
AN: I actually think this chapter turned out rather well. I hope you think so. Well in this chapter, she tied everything up with Draco, but next chapter she will have to face Ron. And worse, Ginny. Haha, thanks for sticking with me guys. Please review, they motivate and make me happy. It can be considered a birthday present. I have the same birthday as Ron Weasley :D
