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Hermione was just putting things out on the table when her parents arrived.

"Mum!" She cried out, hugging her mother tightly when she walked through the door.

"Oh, it is cold out there!" Her mother said, "Fall is settling in,"

"Dad, how are you?"

"Good," He responded, it was short and typical.

"Come on in, sit down. Dinner is almost ready," She said before hearing a crack.

"Hello?" Draco called, walking in. He looked nice in slacks and a button down shirt.

"Draco, come on in and meet my parents," She said with a smile, "Mum and Dad this is my boyfriend, Draco,"

"Oh, we are so happy to meet you—I have heard so many great things," Hermione's mum said, gripping him in a tight hug, which surprised Draco. His expression made Hermione cover her mouth with her hand, "She failed to mention how handsome you are—

"Mum," Hermione said in embarrassment, only making Draco laugh.

"You are quite a handsome fellow, and she says you are smart too. Both my husband and I are dentists—which may not mean much to you—but we are smart in the muggle world,"

"Mr. Granger," Draco shook his hand, and all the elder man did was grunt.

"Are you anything like the last boy my daughter dated?"

"Dad!" Hermione cried out from the kitchen, moving the main dish over.

"I can honestly tell you I am nothing like him," Draco responded,

"Good, I like him, 'Mione," Mr. Granger said, making Hermione role her eyes.

"Can we please sit down for dinner?" She asked,

"That wasn't bad," Hermione said after her parents left,

"Says you. Your father didn't talk to you for an hour about cleaning teeth—muggles subject themselves to that? It sounds horrible," Draco cringed, and Hermione laughed

"And he loved you for listening,"

"And just wait, you will get to meet my parents,"

"I have met them before, they already love me," She joked, and even Draco gave a reluctant chuckle.

"We will have to wear our armor for that," He said,

"I like a challenge," She said, and he kissed her forehead,

"All too much," He replied,


"By all means, break my things. I have too many," Hermione said calmly,

"I'm sorry," Draco said, suddenly going from angry to very upset.

"Harry has broken those vases multiple times, Draco. You are not the first," Hermione told him, she was waiting at her kitchen table patiently. He was furious and she knew it was about his parents.

It had been a few days since he had met her parents, and Harry and the ministry had been told about their most recent development. He talked to his parents about her.

He took a deep breath and he was gripping her chair tightly. It alarmed Hermione when he started crying. She was up in an instant, her arms around him tightly. His entire body was shaking.

"Draco," She said softly, "Please, tell me what is wrong,"

She felt him take a deep breath.

"They want us to go there for lunch,"

"There meaning the Manor?" She asked, and he nodded against her shoulder and then pulled away from her, turning around.

"I can't—I hate that place. I don't know how they can live there knowing—knowing who died in that place. Charity Burbage, I can still hear her pleas for Snape to help her,"

"The muggle studies teacher," Hermione said, and he nodded though she didn't ask.

"I didn't do anything,"

"If you would have, you would have died next to her," Hermione told him,

"I couldn't stop shaking," He said, Hermione was watching him as his body shook, she didn't think he realized he was shaking then too, "And then when you guys escaped," He dragged off as if he suddenly realized what he was saying.

"Draco, what happened?" Hermione asked, and he shook his head, his body shaking more, "Draco," She said again.

"The Dark Lord is not a forgiving man. I—I screamed for a long time. The scars—the scars on my chest are from that night. I—It is how I know that the hex used by the murderer was used by the Dark Lord,"

"He used it on you," Hermione concluded, and he nodded,

"I think it was then that my parents realized it wasn't worth it. They could handle the pressure on themselves, but I was different,"

"They protected their son,"

"It took years, but they finally managed," His tone was bitter. She wrapped her arms around his waist, putting her head in the middle of his back, "I don't want you to go back there. My aunt—what she did to you," He shook his head, "And of course my parents demanded that they meet you there and no where else,"

"It is a challenge," Hermione said softly, "For me. They want to see if I will make you go, or if I will stay behind,"

"We do not have to accept," Draco turned around in her arms,

"Yes we do," She told him,

"I don't need their approval,"

"Of course you don't, but I am a brave Gryffindor and will rise to the challenge,"

"Why do you have to be a bloody Gryffindor?" He asked, though a reluctant smile came on his face,

"I promise we can do it,"

"They want us over there tomorrow,"

"Bring it on Lucius," She said, wrapping her arms around his neck,

"Can I say here tonight?"

"The pull out couch is all yours," She told him, but she couldn't help the smile that came out halfway through the sentence.

"I am not sleeping on that bloody couch,"

"There may be room in my bed—Harry was going to come over though," She giggled when he kissed her to be quiet.


"You look like you could kick ass," Harry assured her.

She was in her kick ass dress. Conservative, black, brave. It made her look fantastic, and scary. Another with Ginny purchase. She wore it the day she got her current job.

"I might have to kick ass," She said,

"Narcissa is tough, but deep down she cares about her son most," Harry told her, and she nodded. Harry had spoken at her trial saying she was the reason he was alive.

"What if I see that room and throw up?"

"Then Malfoy will hold back your hair,"

"Harry!" She called out, and he had a smile, "I feel like I need a game plan,"

"Hermione, when have your plans ever worked?" Harry asked, and she looked back at him with a grin.

"I love you," she told him

"I love you too," he said, "now, go," He kissed her forehead and she turned with Draco in the doorway.

"Ready?" Draco asked,

"As I will ever be,"

"You look great," He told her,

"And I bought lingerie that I am wearing under this as a reward to both of us after we get through this,"

"I like how you think," He kissed her head. It was quiet as they walked through the halls of the ministry, "You and Potter—watching you two move together is—it's creepy. You move so seamlessly it is like you already know what the other is thinking. I just—I don't know whether to be jealous or not," He confessed.

Hermione held his hand and squeezed it, "Harry and I have been through—many challenges together. I think I know him better than I know anyone. But I don't want him—not romantically, anyway. We both know each other at our very core, and know we will always be best friends. That is why he can depend on me, and I can depend on him and we know our friendship will be just as strong at the end of the day.

"Don't be jealous. We know we are just friends, and he is absolutely in love with Ginny,"

"Ok," Draco said, smiling.

"Just ok?" She asked,

"I trust you," He said

"Good," She replied, squeezing his hand again, "Now let's go see your parents,"

They were walking along the path to the manor, the big black gate looming over them.

"The last time I walked through here, I had just thrown a stinging jinx at Harry," Hermione said, Draco glared at her, "Sorry, not helping,"

"Master Draco and Ms. Granger, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy wait for you in the back tea room," A house elf said, greeting them in the foyer.

"Of course they do," Draco grumbled, he was shaking, "We have to walk all the way through the bloody house," He was moving back toward the door,

"Draco," She stopped him before he started ranting, and he looked to her, "Come on, we can be brave,"

"I am not a Gryffindor," he said,

"Neither was Cedric or Luna—or Snape,"

"We can do this,"

"I know we can"

He weaved his fingers in hers and pulled them up to his chest. Draco started off at a pace that was practically dragging Hermione along, but she pulled him back.

When they passed the main entrance where—where Hermione had been tortured and Draco had been—had been through a lot. They gripped each other tighter. Hermione stopped by the doorway, letting the panic set in. Her body could only take so much

"Come on," Draco said,

"Wait," She insisted, holding onto him, taking a deep breath, "Now we can leave,"

"Why wait?"

"Because I chose to walk away instead of run," She replied

"We did it," Draco whispered, outside the tearoom,

"Now all we have to do is battle your parents,"

"Is that it?" He asked, his tone exasperated, making Hermione giggle, "I will just think of all the sex we will have once we get back,"

"How you can even think of that right now—

"I am male," He said, making her smile again as he gripped her tighter before taking the step into the next room.

"You made it," Lucius greeted them about as warmly as Hermione would greet Bellatrix.

"Despite your best efforts," Hermione's tone was kind, but she wanted to show she wasn't oblivious to their technique. Clearly, the family wasn't used to being called out and both parents adjusted awkwardly. Draco squeezed her hand and she saw him hide a smile.

"Mum, Dad, I believe you have met Hermione," Draco introduced, sitting down at the tea table, Hermione sat down next to him.

"Ms. Granger, it is an honor to have someone of such renown at our home," Lucius said, his draw making her want to slap him. She resisted the urge. Narcissa gave a look to her husband.

"How did the two of you become reacquainted?" She asked,

"I have been doing work for P—Harry, I met Hermione there," Draco replied, she noticed his purposeful decision to use Harry's first name. It had a strong reaction with Lucius.

"He hung out at the Quidditch match with us, and then he offered to look over my centaur repeal laws," Hermione continued,

"Have you been seeing each other long?" Narcissa asked,

"No," Draco answered honestly, squeezing Hermione's hand,

"Or at least not as long as Skeeter has been implying," Hermione said, her tone clearly showing what she thought of Skeeter,

"Thank you for tipping us off about her," Narcissa said, "A beetle, it is quite fitting,"

"I kept her in a jar for weeks," Hermione confessed,

It was Lucius who chuckled, "A jar? I am impressed with you, Ms. Granger,"

"I bark and bite," She said, her eyebrow raised as she sat back in her chair, relaxing a bit.

"Was the article about the reporter breaking into Potter's office true?" Lucius asked,

"It didn't give her creative spell work justice," Draco responded,

"It is only a pity my spells on Wrakspur didn't make the news—now that was creative," Hermione said, a small smile on her face, she was still holding Draco's hand tightly.

"We have brought you here to express our—concern—about your relationship," Narcissa said. Hermione bristled, "We are concerned not for the reasons you may think," She said holding her hands up, "You are—well—one of the people who took down the Dark Lord. We are concerned that our son—that your friends, and perhaps even you, will think he doesn't measure up to you. He deserves to be held in every respect,"

Hermione could see this was a concern for Narcissa and not Lucius. Lucius looked like he wanted to role his eyes, but that Narcissa had insisted this topic be brought up.

"Mum, Hermione would never—

"I would like to hear from her, if you don't mind," Narcissa said, and Hermione nodded.

"I will tell you the same thing I told Draco. I was on the side that won, it doesn't mean me—or my friends—didn't do dark things to get there. There are many decisions I made that would be looked upon as questionably moral. There are many decisions my friends made that would be looked at the same way. My friends know what it is like to struggle with their past, and—and I think we could never look down on Draco without looking down on ourselves.

"I think it is good for Draco to hang out with us, I think it shows him how we all struggle. But I also think it is good for us for him to be there. We know someone who did terrible things for Voldemort,"

"You speak his name?" Lucius asked,

"I am not afraid of him," Hermione said strongly and then continued, "We know someone who did terrible things for Voldemort and did them for good reason. Death Eaters aren't a far off, evil monster. He is a real person, who struggled with every decision he made. He had choices forced upon him. He looked at two terrible options and took the lesser of an evil.

"We are struggling with our past. It's not easy being on opposite sides. But I don't ask him to be anything less or more than who he is," Hermione stopped speaking. She was already going over what she said in her head, hoping she said everything she wanted. Hoping everything came out right.

Both parents were silent.

Hermione looked to Draco. He had his eyes closed and he looked at her. He looked emotional. Pulling up her hand, he kissed her palm before holding it tightly.

Hermione was startled when someone kissed her head. It was Narcissa. She walked away without saying another word.

"Excuse us for a moment," Lucius said, standing up and leaving to find his wife.

"What did I say?" Hermione asked, but she barely got the sentence out before Draco kissed her. It was gentle, and Hermione felt that his cheeks were wet, "Draco?" She asked,

"Thank you," he said,

"Anytime," she replied, smiling. Draco still had his hand on her cheek.

"Sorry, we have to cut this short, but we do have a gift for both of you," Narcissa said, walking out, "We know you are Holyhead Harpies fans and these are tickets to the game this Friday in France. The portkey is already set up. You will leave and be back the same night,"

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione said, accepting them when Draco was silent.

"Thank you, Ms. Granger. I do hope to see you soon. Maybe tea in a place without so many bad memories," She said, a kind smile on her face.

"I would like that," Hermione said, surprised she believed it. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy left, Mr. Malfoy with a cold glare.

"Let's disaperate from here. I don't want to walk through that house again," Draco said. Hermione nodded her agreement and squeezed on the hand that hadn't let go since they arrived, "Your apartment or mine?"

"Surprise me," She said with a smile.

As soon as they apparated into her apartment, Draco pinned her against the wall.

"I want my prize," He said against her neck,

"Then unwrap it," she replied, pulling him closer.


"Draco?" Hermione called softly, and he turned to look at her. He was laying on her stomach that was covered in only a sheet.

"Hm?"

"Do you want to go to the game? We don't have to accept the tickets if you don't want to,"

"I want to go, I just don't like accepting things from them. My whole life they gave me everything I could ever want, but it was always at a cost,"

"I don't think your mother had a catch,"

Draco chuckled, "No, my mother loved you. I haven't seen my mom that emotional since she helped put pieces of me back together," Hermione took Draco's hand and kissed his knuckles.

"Hermione!" A yell came form the kitchen and she stiffened. It was Ron.

She rolled out of bed quickly, "I'm coming, give me a second," She called to him. He sounded pissed.

"Why is he here?" Draco asked,

"I have no idea," She replied, slipping into yoga pants and grabbing Draco's Slytherin sweatshirt that was lying on the ground. She grabbed her wand before walking out

"Ron?" She asked,

He balked at her, "It's true?" He asked her,

"What is true?" She was confused, pulling her hair up on her head.

"You are seeing Malfoy!" He accused,

"Yes, I am," She replied calmly. She knew this rage, and she knew whatever would come out of his mouth next he would regret.

"Why would you date a Death Eater?" He asked, she flinched and covered her ears. Draco took that opportunity to walk out of her bedroom, "You are sleeping with him?"

"And enjoying every second of it," Hermione retorted

"He is marked by He who must not be named,"

"For heavens sake Ronald, say his name! He has been dead for years!"

"Weasley, why don't you go home and you and Hermione can speak calmly about this tomorrow," Draco said, an edge to his voice that was condescending. Hermione knew as soon as he said it that Ron would take it terribly.

"He bullied you for years!" Ron yelled at her, "Am I the only one that remembers that?"

"Ron, please go home," Hermione pleaded.

"He watched you be tortured and did nothing," Ron yelled, and suddenly wands were out. Draco was glaring at him.

"Immobulus" Hermione said, freezing Ron, "Draco, please go get Harry,"

"But—

"Please," She said again, looking at him and he nodded before disapperating, "Ron, I know what he has done in his past, and he is working every day to make himself better. I am a better person when I am with him, and you no longer have any say in who I date," There was a crack, but she didn't hear it, "I am happy with him. Truly and honestly happy, and I haven't had that in a long time. So please, don't show up angry again,"

"Hermione?" Harry called,

"I want him out of here," She told Harry,

"Consider him gone," Harry said. He looked disheveled in his pajamas. Ron didn't say anything when he grabbed ahold of him and disapperated.

It was quiet with just Draco and Hermione in her apartment.

"I am sorry, Hermione," Draco whispered,

"It is not your fault he doesn't think before he speaks," She said, wiping tears from her eyes. His arms wrapped around her and Hermione leaned into his chest, her arms held to her own.

"I think a Quidditch game and seeing Ginny would make you feel better," He said rubbing her shoulders. She nodded weakly against him.

"And ice cream,"

He laughed, kissing her head, "That is always implied,"


The winter air whipped around Hermione as she chanted for Ginny. She was standing up next to Draco. He had a big fur hat pulled down over his ears, and she had made ruthless fun of him for it.

Night had fallen and she wrapped her arm around Draco for warmth.

"I am glad we came," She confessed to him, looking up.

"Me too," He replied, kissing her chastely before looking back at the game.

She felt a sharp pain before she blacked out.

When she woke up on the ground by her seat, she knew something was wrong. Her head was pounding and she couldn't find Draco.

"Draco!" She said, using the rails to pull herself up. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Rolling over to look around her box, she saw a man standing above Draco. He was older, she didn't recognize him.

Draco was yelling and she couldn't hear it.

He had been silenced.

Hermione didn't think before spells came out of her wand. Draco's jaw looked dislocated as she ran up to him, there was blood everywhere.

"Draco!" She screamed. She screamed so loudly that her voice was raw as she collapsed next to him when she was sure the man was out of her way. There was blood—so much blood. Her hands were covered in his blood. She had to get him to St. Mungo's. She apparated the both of them.

The rest was a blur.

She was yelling for help when healers came over, and she yelled when they pulled her away from him.

"Miss, please let us help him," She heard a soft voice say, "Miss, we need to look at you,"

"I'm fine—help him,"

"Miss, you are not fine, your head is bleeding," The healer said, and it was the first time. Hermione pulled her eyes away from Draco.

"I'm bleeding?" She asked.

"Miss, I need you to tell me what happened," The healer said,

"We—we were attacked by—by someone—I don't know who. Oh my god, where is Harry? Is Draco going to be okay?"

"He lost a significant amount of blood, the healers are working on him now,"

"I—I can't—I can't focus," Hermione said, her vision caving in.

"Miss?" A healer called as she regained conscious, "You need to take it easy" The healer said as Hermione sat up, "An auror is here to talk to you,"

"Harry!" She said,

"Hermione—thank goodness you are alright, you came in as a Jane Doe," He told her

"Where is Draco?"

"He is still being worked on," He said

"I saw him, Harry,"

"You are lucky you woke up and managed to stop him," Harry told her, and Hermione started crying.

"There was so much blood," She said, starting to sob,

"He is tough, Mione,"

"Can I go see him?" Hermione asked,

"Absolutely not," A healer snapped, and Hermione jumped at her tone, "You are not family and he is not awake to give special permission,"

"I brought him here!" Hermione yelled back, then felt woozy.

"I will go in and see him," Harry told her,

"You will not," The healer barked

"I am an auror," Harry growled at her, "His injuries need to be documented,"

"I am sorry, I forgot you were an auror," She said sheepishly, and Hermione wanted to role her eyes.

"The robes weren't clue enough?" Hermione asked,

"I am going to go take you and talk to the rest of Draco Malfoy's healers. He is going to have to have aurors around his door for protection, it might take a half hour or so for us to talk about it," Harry said, leading the healer out of the room.

She loved Harry Potter.

As soon as he left, she crawled out of her bed and began to make her way toward the main office. Conveniently all gone, Hermione waved her wand and had Draco's records come to her.

She found his room and began to make her way there.

When she saw him, tears came to her eyes. A huge cut was underneath his jaw line leading from his jaw to his collarbone one each side. He was out cold. Hermione walked up and grabbed his hand.

"You don't get to leave me," She told him strongly, "You don't. So you are going to be brave and fight this. I don't care that you are not a bloody Gryffindor. I will wear Slytherin colors for the next two—no—three months if you pull through this. Just picture me in green," She said, she had a smile on her face though tears were falling, "Please," She whispered as emotion caught up with her, "Please, I love you. I love you, so you are not allowed to leave me,"

"Miss, what are you doing in here?" A healer asked, and Hermione cursed under her breath,

"Please pull through,"

"Miss, you are not allowed in here!" Another healer said, and she was being pulled away.

"I want a picture of this," Mrs. Weasley said, walking into her room at St. Mungos. She had been magically handcuffed to her bed.

"Apparently sneaking around is frowned upon," She said, and she laughed,

"I am afraid Fred and George were a terrible influence on you,"

Hermione laughed despite herself, "Any news on Draco?"

"His parents are here, but he hasn't woken up yet," Mrs. Weasley told her, and Hermione nodded, trying to stop the tears.

"Hermione?" Harry called, walking into her room. He looked like he had not gotten sleep since she had gotten there. He waved his wand and unlocked her from her bed, "Draco is awake and asking for you,"

"He is awake?"

"Yes, he is going to be alright," Harry assured her, "And he also is not pressing charges for sneaking into his room," He joked, and Hermione was already out the door.

She took a deep breath outside of Draco's door before walking in. She started crying when she saw him sitting up.

"Hermione," He greeted, his smile not compete because of the pain. His voice was scratchy, barely above a whisper. Hermione couldn't respond before going to his outstretched hand that went to her face to wipe away tears. She pressed her forehead against his, not kissing him because she knew it would hurt. Her eyes closed as he held her close to his face, his thumbs on her cheeks.

"I love you," His voice was barely audible, but she heard him.

"I love you," She whispered back, more tears falling down her cheeks, "What is wrong with your voice?" She asked him, pulling away and wiping her tears.

"The attacker nicked his vocal box," Narcissa's voice made Hermione jump, she hadn't seen either parent in the room, "The healers say it will heal soon enough,"

"You will just have to keep your smart ass comments to yourself for a little while," Hermione told him, and he raised his eyebrow in a cocky way, making Hermione laugh, "I didn't say your smart ass looks," She compromised and he smiled, not letting go of her hand. Hermione sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"How are you doing, Ms. Granger?" Lucius asked, and Hermione was shocked he asked.

"I had a concussion from my head wound, but it is closed up now—the healers did a good job. I have to keep it easy for a bit, but I am fine," She said, "Did you talk to Harry?"

Draco nodded, "Rodolphus Lestrange," He told her, his voice barely audible.

"I thought I recognized him," Hermione said, sitting back and biting her lip.

"I am going to head back home, Ginny has been cooking non-stop so you are going to have tons of food for you when you get home," Harry said, standing in the doorway, "You have an auror outside this door until you are released tomorrow. Wards have been added to your apartment and Hermione's just in case. I have a plan to pull Rodolphus out into the open if you are open to hear it?" Harry asked, Hermione looked to Draco who nodded, "It has been all over the Profit that you and Hermione are teetering back and forth. Tomorrow, you two will make a statement saying you are not afraid of him and look forward to the Ministry Gala coming up this weekend and that he won't stop you from enjoying yourself,"

"So we are offering ourselves up as bate," Hermione said, and Harry nodded,

Draco shook his head, "Hermione," He said,

"Oh, please. You wouldn't be alive without me. And if you think I am going to sit at home and wait for news, you are wrong," She said strongly. Narcissa was smiling, and Harry chuckled.

When Draco looked at Harry for help, Harry shook his head, "I wouldn't have lasted five minutes searching for Horcruxes without her,"

Hermione patted Draco's hand, "You are stuck with me,"

He frowned and then squeezed her hand tightly.

"The full force of the auror office will be at the gala, and we will capture him then," Harry finished,

"Excellent," Hermione said,

"I am going to go, Hermione you are officially discharged from here—I signed your paperwork—so you can go home and change if you want," Harry said,

"What do my parents know?" She asked him,

"Everything, they are worried but Mrs. Weasley is talking to them," Hermione nodded before Harry left.

"Ms. Granger, you may go home if you wish, clean up and speak to your family. We can watch over Draco," Narcissa said.

"Draco?" Hermione asked, and he waved her along. She grabbed his hand and kissed it, "I'll come back soon," She promised.

Love and murder. Quickly becoming my favorite two things to put in the same chapter. Or attempted murder. So dramatic. Poor Draco, he is always the damsel in distress and Hermione to the rescue! Please review, as I love hearing from everyone. And I took Sunday off, but expect daily updates!