A/N: In this chapter, I kind of brought the whole problem of Chapter 3 to light, because I was getting sked why Harry and Ginny didn't specify why Hermione was in danger. They were right it was a very poor chapter, sorry! But hopefully this chapter might help explain a bit?
Chapter 7.
Narcissa threw open the patio doors and pushed in a startled Draco before her, whilst she stood at the doors watching how the two interacted; she needed to prove she was right before she planned anything properly.
"Draco!" Hermione grinned and rushed to pull him into a hug which he gladly returned, marvelling that he could hold her again. The look on her son's face was all Narcissa needed to confirm her presumptions. Her son was falling in love. She had never seen him so tender and contented than he was just holding this girl. They must have been stood there hugging each other for a good 5 minutes befrore Narcissa sauntered off to plot her 'helping hands' with her son's love life.
"It's so good to see you Hermione," Draco whispered as they pulled away from each other. She simply beamed in reply, she felt on top of the world around him and she felt so safe in his arms.
"It is, it feels like coming home," Hermione sighed, a small smile pulling at her lips.
"Do you want a session or is this just a social visit?" Draco asked playfully.
"Um, sure if you're not too tired from work?"
"I'll be fine, don't you worry!" He smiled pulling her by the hand to the library where their previous sessions where held.
-x-
Everything in the room looked identical from the last time Hermione saw it; the same type of flowers in the vases and all the furniture was exactly the same which seemed a bit odd as they had travelled through the house, Hermione noticed a few changes in the decor. Draco steered her to the comfortable black chaise-lounge and helped her settle upon it before seating himself.
"So, just you start wherever you want from when you...left." Draco instructed, wavering slightly before returning his full attention back on Hermione. Hermione flinched at his words and the sad tone he spoke them in; she just nodded to his instructions.
"Erm, well, Harry and Ginny show no sympathy over my depression; and I never really rebuilt the bridges between us so I spent my days sulking around their house. Until Ginny blew her top, telling me I was wasting my life and then I took myself to 's and... and I saw you again." Hermione blushed, " I told them I had depression and I was going to have therapy with you; that really made them mad; because they're still holding on to their beliefs that I'll always be in danger just because of who you were not who you are now, they still believe all their prejudices about anyone that's a Malfoy. So I moved back into my flat, but I'm constantly on edge and...scared."
Hermione fiddled with her hands after her piece was finished, she didn't know how he would react to what she said. He was staring at her, it was nerve-racking she couldn't look him in the eye.
"Do... Do you think you're in danger when you're here?" Draco finally whispered, "Is that why you left?"
Hermione was astonished at his question,
"No! I don't feel like that at all! You saved me and took me in; you're my hero!"
He smiled a little before asking the one question Hermione didn't really have an answer for:
"Then, why did you go?"
"I-I felt like I was in your way. Harry sort of brought all the things my being here stopped you doing, like bringing girls home, being completely carefree not having somebody you feel you need to keep a watch on... I felt like I burdened you." She sighed, tears in her eyes at her confession.
Draco was sat with his mouth slightly agape and shaking his head in disbelief.
"Hermione, no. You were never in the way; I haven't brought a girl home in years, and it never stopped me being carefree because I already had my mother to keep watch on you didn't alter my attitude. You didn't burden me, I enjoyed your company very much, which is why I'm offering you the guest wing. Come back Hermione?"
Hermione now sat copying ever movement Draco had made moments ago before spluttering,
"I couldn't possibly intrude like that Draco!"
"But you said you were scared at home, and Mother and I would love you to stay."
Shit! Hermione thought angrily, why did I go and tell him that?
"I-I couldn't!" She spluttered again.
"I insist you do! I'd like to see you around the Manor again and at least you'd feel safe, right?" He countered easily. Hermione just nodded dumbly, how was she to counter that; she couldn't deny him because she just confessed it!
"Let's go tell Mother before we go collect your things." Draco suggested, smirking at his victory. She's finally coming home! He thought happily as they made their way through to Narcissa's study.
-x-
"Mother!" Draco called as they neared her study, in responce Narcissa flung open the door a mischievious smile on her pretty face and a golden eyebrow raised in anticipation.
"Hermione's staying here again! I've given her the guest wing, I thought you should know!" Draco continued excitedly, Narcissa's smile just grew. Having Hermione back around the Manor would only make her schemes to get them together easier.
"That is fantastic news! Your wing is next to mine, dear, which will be fantastic having another female around the house!" Narcissa smiled, gathering Hermione into a hug. Hermione just smiled in return, it would be nice to have some company that didn't have to pretend to like having her there.
"I hope it's not too much trouble, Draco insisted." Hermione whispered, still feeling slightly reluctant to move back in.
"Nonsence Hermione, we love you and love having you around!" Narcissa replied, smirking internally; And the schemes have begun, she thought.
"Well, Mother, we'll just be off to collect Hermione's things!" Draco grinned happily, Narcissa simply nodded before placing a kiss on each of their cheeks and returning to her study to hatch even more plans to get those two together once and for all.
-x-
"It's not much, but it was only to house me, so yeah here we are." Hermione explained whilst opening her front door, to reveal her little apartment.
"It's not too bad, where you lived doesn't change my opinion on you, y'know?" Draco teased whilst summoning boxes and several house-elves through her fireplace from the Manor.
"What's our plan of action?" Narcissa smiled stepping through the floo, "I know how about we each take a house-elf and a room each?"
Both Draco and Hermione were shocked to see Narcissa but nodded their heads nonetheless. Narcissa clapped her hands together and the 5 house-elves lined up in front of her.
"Okay then, Wheezy and Hermione, how about you take your bathroom, dear?" Narcissa suggested to which Hermione nodded and walked through a door with a small house-elf behind her.
"Now Pippin and Tilly, will you please pack up Hermione's kitchen?" Narcissa commanded politely and instantly the two litlle house-elves ran off towards Hermione's open plan kitchenette.
"Now Draco, you stay here and pack everything up okay? Ditzy can you help?" Narcissa asked, earning her two nods.
"What about you Mother?" Draco asked.
"Ivy and myself will take Hermione's bedroom, but I may need your help moving boxes as Ivy is only a small house-elf and we need everything gathered in here together to take through the floo." Narcissa answered. Step 1, complete. Step 2, underway, she thought as she turned to Hermione's bedroom.
-x-
It only took Draco and Ditzy an hour before everything was packed away in the boxes; all the photographs and trinkets, they even shrunk her furniture incase she'd rather have that in her wing!
"Draco!" Narcissa called from the bedroom.
"Now Ditzy, you go and help Pippin and Tilly with the kitchen." Draco instructed as he walked towards the bedroom. It was filled with boxes, all taped and labelled 'Bedroom'.
"Ah now Draco, I need to speed up the process of getting all of Hermione's clothes in a box; and I seemed to have left my wand so you'll need to shrink the furniture; but first just be a dear and place these in a box as I pass them to you?"
"Okay." He sighed.
Narcissa smirked as she threw open Hermione's underwear drawer. She rifled through the drawer and found a silky green negligee, bingo! Narcissa passed it back not turning from facing the drawer. Draco simply grabbed it roughly, already slightly embarrassed, before he even saw what he was holding!
"Remember to fold, please Draco!" Narcissa smirked.
Draco grasped the negligee by the straps and it suddenly became clear what he was holding. He turned beetroot red in embarrassment; well that's what he would have said, but part of his redness was to do with the thoughts running through his head. What would Hermione look like in this? He thought lustily, pictures of her laid on his bed in this fine Slytherin green lingerie. Part of his redness was due to his arousal, which he became fully aware of with the tightening of his pants.
Just to make sure he got flushed enough, Narcissa sent back a tiny red lace thong; smirking all the while. Draco's sex-starved mind was wreaking havoc at this new piece of underwear; his mind was flashing images of what he could do to Hermione, what he WANTED to do to Hermione. It was torturing, but it proved he definitely felt something for this girl, because he'd had had underwear thrown at him by obsessive gold-diggers before and it didn't affect him. Now as he held the matching red lace bra, he was brought to image Hermione's ample breasts. I gotta get outta here, before I blow! Draco's mind screamed.
"I'll...I'll be back in a few moments Mother!" Draco choked as he darted out of the room, hoping Hermione would lend him her shower.
"H-Hey H-Hermione, I got something all over my hair while I helped the house-elves in the kitchen; I don't suppose I could use the shower." Draco lied meekly. She just smiled and left a bottle of shampoo on the side and left with Wheezy.
Thank God! Draco thought as he stripped for a very cold, very long shower.
-x-
Well that went well, Narcissa smirked pulling out her wand and finished packing the bedroom instantly.
A/N: Review if you have the time please!