Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warning this chapter contains fluff!

but first lets try some review responses on the beginning of the chapter eh?

Ginny278: I'm working on those spelling errors. lol it's an uphill battle. Thanks for the review

sherrithewriter: You sound like my friend she nearly beat me in the name of Grammar when she found my stories. :) thanks for the review.

hopelesslydark: Not so soon but it's long? Does that work? Thanks for the review


The ban on muggle music has been lifted! After playing some classical Beethoven I was able to convince Draco to lift the ban on such muggle music. Anastasia upon hearing the news went a bit over board and ordered all sorts of records to listen to. You can't walk by her room without hearing various tunes playing from Mozart to the less classy McFly. I've already had Bridget come to my rooms a number of times to demand I tell Anastasia to turn the music down or at least cast a silencing charm over the room. I must admit it tickles me to see the two fight almost like we're just a normal family.


"See you just press down on this button here and tada!" claimed Hermione sending a bit of silly string streaming out of her can.

The two were sitting in the orchards of the Reddenhurst estate by a large number of rowed apple trees. Hermione sat cross legged and up straight while Draco sat opposite her a bemused look on his face.

This was the first time Hermione had thought of trying to introduce Draco to muggle culture and so far there had been no sneers or glares but only cautious curiosity. Draco watched and then fumbled with him own neon colored can trying to emulate the action.

"So... like... this!" he yelled spraying a glob of lime green at Hermione's face.

Hermione screamed and retaliated with a line of her own red string landing in the bend of Draco's neck. The two shot up from their relaxed poses and soon were running around, hiding behind trees and dodging the others attacks. Hermione's can began to empty and at the last moment as Draco charged at her she pulled out her wand and bewitched the can back to its full capacity. After a good fifteen minutes of this and after Draco was forced to learn that the gooey muggle contraption did not in fact taste good. The two surrendered and collapsed this time near a mossy pond.

Hermione was still laughing breathlessly at their own childish antics all thoughts of who she was enjoying this moment banished from her mind. Draco sighed catching his breath first and rolled over to face her.

"Isn't there a law against bewitching muggle things?" he taunted.

Hermione snorted and turned her head to rebut, "Yes, but I just happen to be good friends with the man who made that law." She grinned at his face. "I think I can call in a few favors."

They smiled at one another for a long moment before Draco leaned up and moved closer to her. Hermione stayed still paralyzed by curiosity. His form cast a small shadow over her face shortly before he bent down swiftly and nipped her lips waiting for her response.

Hermione's response was immediate. Her body all the way down to her finger tips tingled at the sensation of his lips on hers. She leaned up slowly moving her elbows behind her to prop her up, their lips still connected. Her lips joined his again and pulled back before meeting his again in an almost teasing manner. Draco took this as a good sign and leaned completely over her now and let his tongue slowly outline her sweet lips. She opened her mouth inviting his tongue in. Her mind was spinning as the kiss turned from sweet to something needier.

Draco sat up pulling her with him. His hands traveled slowly up and down her back sending shivers through her. He continued this moving lower until he had reached her hips and passed those to her legs. He pushed her forward onto his lap leaving almost not room between them.

Something snapped in Hermione and her eyes shot open. Her hands unlocked themselves from around his neck and pushed him back by his shoulders. The two paused at this and just stared at each other. Draco's grey irises were swirling like tornados. His lips seemed redder as was the skin on his face, flushed.

"What are we doing?"

Draco's hands traveled up and down her arms in a comforting gesture, "Nothing wrong."

Hermione jumped up at this untangling herself from him, "Nothing wrong!? Draco, everything about this is wrong!"

Draco's eyes narrowed at the loss of contact, "What exactly? We like each other it's as simple as that."

"I am Hermione Granger and you are Draco Malfoy isn't that enough!?" Hermione shrieked.

"Reddenhurst."

"What?"

Draco stood, "You are Hermione Reddenhurst and I am Draco Malfoy and there is nothing wrong with that."

Hermione shook her head and looked at him like he was crazy, "That doesn't change who I am! I'm a Gryffindor! I am one of Harry Potter's best friends! I campaign for House-Elf rights!"

Draco glared, "I failed to see how that's a problem."

"It's a huge problem!" Hermione yelled before taking a deep breath trying to calm herself, "It's just best if we don't get into all that."

"And why is that?"

Hermione snapped, "I can't be with you Draco. It causes too many problems."

"It could be worth it," Draco tried again.

"No," Hermione spoke coldly now, "It will end badly and I won't let it."

How could he not see it? She was the Gryffindor Golden Girl and he was the rumored Death Eater Slytherin. It'd be madness if they got together. It would never work their differences were too broad. They were from opposite sides. She turned and stalked back up toward the house up the worn stone steps and behind the doors. Leaving Draco to stand there beside their forgotten cans of silly string and bubble over with renewed determination.


Hermione sat once again in Elizabeth's secret study shuffling the tarot cards that used to be her mothers. Every now and again she would pull three cards out of the deck and study them. Mostly the reason that she wasn't outside, as she had been in the last few days, in the orchard or walking to the pond was the fact that it was raining. And Hermione absolutely could not stand rain.

Most girls hated rain for the most vain of reason. Their makeup would get messed up or the rising humidity would make their hair frizz but Hermione had a different reason. Hermione's main reason for hating rain could be attributed to the fact that after years of Muggle School she knew exactly what was in rain water and it wasn't pretty. Rain water was so very unclean that Hermione gagged at the idea of being covered in it. You could say that perhaps she was developing an obsessive compulsive disorder but either way there was no way in Hell or High Heaven that she was going to be caught outside on such a day.

Hermione's head shot up at the creaking sound of the door opening. Draco entered the room and smiled lightly. They'd spent the last few days tip toeing around one another, Hermione more so then Draco really but nonetheless she couldn't help but stiffen up when he entered. Remembering the look in his eyes when they had argued or the way it had felt to be so close to him. He eased closer to her corner of the room and sat opposite her before speaking.

"Hey," he greeted in a softer voice then normal almost as if he didn't want to spook her.

"Hello," she responded briefly.

They were silence as her looked over her, "You spend a lot of time in here."

"That I do," she answered shortly.

"I take it your memories have returned then?"

Hermione paused her shuffling, "A fair few... enough to paint a picture at least."

"You seem a great deal more comfortable."

Hermione's eyes finally flashed up to his, "Don't think I'm going soft Mal- Draco because if so you are sorely mistaken."

"Alright," Draco visibly backed off at the look in her eyes, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Hermione looked up when no response came from across the table and caught Draco's extremely annoyed look.

"They're Tarot cards," she sighed.

Draco's forehead wrinkled, "I thought you believed that stuff was rubbish?"

Hermione took her time answering, "They're my Mother's... I found them wrapped in a piece of silk."

"Every morning after breakfast my mother and I would come up here and she'd read my cards and tell me the importance of each one," Hermione fingered the corner of the cards lovingly for a moment a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Do you still remember all the meanings?" Hermione nodded, "It was always sort of there in the back of my mind. Finding the cards again just brought it out from the shadows."

"Are you any good?"

Hermione shrugged relaxing, "I don't know, I haven't had anyone to read yet."

Draco's eyebrows jumped, "Are you telling me you've just been sitting here for Merlin knows how long shuffling cards?"

Hermione glared at him half-heartedly which he ignored, "Read mine."

"Are you kidding?"

"What? Of course not, that's not very funny now is it? We can't have you wasting away in here just shuffling and I'm terribly bored," he drawled.

"Alright, your choice, separate this deck into three piles with your left hand," she ordered.

Draco nodded and complied, "Now pick three cards from each deck."

He did so and Hermione studied the cards briefly before grabbing back the cards and fanning out the cards in front of him again. He picked three more and gave them to Hermione smirking.

"There, no tell me my future, oh wise one."

Hermione set the cards back down before her in the order of Past, Present, and Future. The first card representing the past was the Knave of Swords. The second for the Present was the Eight of Wands and the last was the Tower.

The Knave card showed a young man wielding a sword with a sly look on his face; the painted little man smirked at Hermione. She held back a snort of course Draco would pick that card. Draco caught her smile and asked about the card.

She turned the card toward him to see, "That is the Knave of Swords he stands for inner conflict that creates problems. Usually he is represented by someone who has suffered injustice in his childhood which later on in life makes him manipulative, devious, and unpredictable. That stands for your past."

Draco dropped the card silently as Hermione turned the next to face him, "This one here is the Eight of Wands it stands for movement, speed and-"

"-the sudden arrows of love," Draco finished for her smugly eying her.

Hermione hesitated fearing she might blush but continued, "It means that this time is active for you do to sudden changes. It stands for the end of a period of calm or delay."

They both remained silent before Hermione finally moved onto the last card, "And this bad boy here is called The Tower."

On the card it had a picture of a circular tower from which flames were erupting and the occupants were running around in various states of panic.

"Well that looks pleasant," Draco snorted.

Hermione smiled and shook her head, "That card stands for disruption bringing about eventual happiness. A sudden change in life's pattern, an unexpected shock or catastrophe, selfish ambitions or illusions shattered-"

There was a sudden pop beside the table with caused the two to jump at the intrusion of there quiet conversation.

Paige appeared her wide eyes blinking up at the two with a small smile before speaking, "Miss! Master's returned home. I did just as Miss requested and he's waiting for you in his study!"

Hermione smiled and thanked Paige before pushing her chair back and walking briskly toward the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Draco jumped up from the table leaving the cards spread around on the table.

Hermione rolled her eyes as he followed her out the door, "I need to speak to my Father"

"About?" he prodded.

Hermione paused on her way down the stairs, "Although I fail to see how it concerns you... it's about Bill and Fleur's wedding."

"Fleur Delacour?" Draco spoke in shock, "She's marrying Weasley's older brother?"

Hermione almost stopped on her way down the stairs shocked at the absence of the word "Weasel" in the conversation and smiled.


"But Dad they've already ordered my dress and everything! If I don't go it will ruin the whole thing! That would make six brides maids instead of the lucky seven!" Hermione argued passionately before her Father's desk.

Draco was in the door way leaning on the door frame observing the scene closely. Nicholas sat on the other side of his desk and looked up at Hermione's outraged form.

"Hermione, my dear, you must understand the danger you are in," he answered simply in his defense shifting some papers on his desk.

"What danger!" Hermione shouted her temper getting the better of her where she stood.

Draco decided to cut in then smoothly moving up beside Hermione, "Sir, perhaps if I accompanied Hermione?"

Nicholas leaned back in his chair and studied the two skeptically. Hermione bubbled with rage at this intrusion in her business.

"Are you joking? No, I can handle myself!"

Nicholas leaned in again, "Alright, I agree to let you go but only if Draco comes with you."

"I can take care of myself! I've been doing so for the last seven years!" she exclaimed furiously.

Draco ignored her, "Thank you, Mr. Reddenhurst. We'll leave you to your work now."

Hermione head whipped around to him, her eyes on fire, "What!"

He gripped on Hermione's arm and let it lock around her wrist before pulling her from the room the door shutting behind them. Once around the corner from his office Hermione ripped her hand from his and pushed him from her.

"How dare you pull me around like that! I'm my own person! I am perfectly capable-"

Draco rolled his eyes at her ranting, "Hermione, do you want to go to that wedding?"

Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms, "Of course."

"Then shut up and act as if the thought of my accompanying you to the wedding is a dream come true."

Hermione stared at him before pulling him into a near by lounge and shutting the door behind her.

"A bit pushy aren't we?"

Hermione pushed him to the back of a plush couch, "Explain," she demanded.

"I guess I'm going to have to spell this out for you. Our parents have planned to have us together since we were five," he explained as if it was nothing.

Hermione's face paled as her heart sunk, she had been so sure, "We're betrothed?"

Draco nodded but added begrudgingly, "Practically, neither of our families will accept anything but us being together. Your Father's already spoken to me and tried to give him tips. There's even a trust put together for us when we marry."

Hermione was too upset to even notice his use of the word 'when' instead of 'if'.

"What!"

"Hermione, your parents didn't love each other few pure-blood couples do. They were really betrothed. Your Mother's unhappiness with her betrothal is the main reason we aren't really. She was set on it being more of a suggestion," he shrugged again as if this didn't really matter.

Hermione's mind worked processing this, "She didn't want the same fate for her daughter..."

"Your Father was a different story entirely. The man was over the moon for you Mum. Your Mother liked your Dad plenty they were always friendly to one another but not like that," Draco continued to explain watching Hermione's reactions to this very closely.

It made perfect sense of course she wasn't too fazed about the marriage without love part. There had been a part of her that had hoped otherwise but she was far more worried about how much Draco was holding back and how much of a suggestion it really was. He seemed just fine with the idea but why shouldn't he? He'd grown up with betrothals being the norm. Hermione however couldn't help but have a different picture. Just how far would their families go? With her Mother gone who would be her protector if their tactics became more then tips and gentle pushes?

What if she was staring at her enemy in more then one way?

She didn't want this! She already knew who she wanted and that particular person didn't have snow-like blond hair and a smirking smile but rather fiery red hair and a lop sided grin. She was in over her head. She needed help. She needed someone to pull her out of the trap she'd fallen into.

Draco reached forward and wrapped his arms around her soothingly. Far too soothing, too eager for contact, too willing to try and save the day, too impress. Without looking up from his shoulder she knew he was smiling. Her eyes dulled as the sound of rain pelting the windows seemed to grow.

"It's going to be just fine," he whispered in her ear his breath grazing her hair; "I will never leave you."


I hope you guys are starting to see the more calculative side of Draco. I really don't want him to seem so OOC.

3,000 words! boo ya! That's for you guys so sorry for the long no updating.

You've probably caught about a dozen or so typos and grammar errors by now so will someone please volunteer to BETA for me? I really need someone whose going to constant. I swear I've gone through like three Beta's just for this story. They never response to my e-mails or I won't update and they think I've stopped writing.

Oh yes almost forgot. I actually have a set of Tarot Cards and a nice little book explaining them all. It came in real handy so I wasn't making all that stuff up. But pay attention to the cards and their meaning and they will give you some serious insight to the story and where it's going.

Another thing! I found my old time line for this story so I was able to rediscover the rich back story for Elizabeth, Hermione mummy dearest! Woot! I'm going to have fun with that. Next the Burrow!

E

I want reviews! Seriously without them I lose steam to write. I'm not going to say how many reviews it will take me to update again but it's gonna need to be over ten.

So review!