A/N: Hey guys! So this chapter is a bit... hazy. I don't know if that makes sense. I just don't know what I'm typing, it's more of my gut feeling that pushed me to write this particular chapter. I don't know where this one will lead to, but I do know is that this is a Dramione fic, so they will end up together. Another A/N will be present after this so please don't skip that. Without further ado, I give you chapter 7.
Disclaimer: I don't own the wizarding world of Harry Potter. If I did Hermione would be Scorpius' mother.
Gryffindor common room. That's where Hermione found herself, just like what she said to Draco when in the confines of her dorm. Harry and Ron sat on the couch as if anticipating her arrival with Ginny off to the side doing her homework, but sitting rigidly.
"What? You guys waiting for me?" She joked awkwardly as she sat down opposite the two gentlemen, for the lack of better term.
"What's going on Hermione? And pray tell that you say only the truth." Harry pleaded immediately.
She sighed and cast a silencing spell around the four of them so that no one will hear the words that are about to come from her mouth. "Fine. I'll tell you everything."
The three nodded and tried their best to remain quiet while Hermione told her account.
"I was five years old when I found out I can do magic. That was the best day of my life because that was already something I can tell my mother and father for my visit to them. I was never home back then. I was sent in a muggle neighbourhood to live with my squib nanny who loved me dearly. I grew up with lavishness in my life. A life well hidden to everyone I know because I was a mistake. I was born out of wedlock. That alone was a crime in the Pureblood society. Even when my parents were married months after my birth, I was hidden. I didn't mind it the very least because I was never forced to live with expectations and etiquettes that everyone must have. Then it changed. By the time I was 10 years old, I was asked to go back to the manor to live with them. That time I already have two siblings, Adelaide and Edward. I was close with them yes, but I just never lived with them. Right now, no one still knows who I am, apart from Theo and the Greengrass sisters because they're family." The three stared at her. Just stared as if trying to grasp whatever it was she's saying.
"By age 11, I was sent to Hogwarts. By now you should have realised that for me to be the brightest witch of our age, I should have had access to thousand, millions even, of books. I have the brain capacity to absorb everything I learn you know. By age 12, Malfoy called me a mudblood. I cried not because it was true. Rather because it was a slap to my face that I can't live my true lineage. My true parentage. I got over it. It was my choice after all to stay hidden. I didn't want my family to be looked down on, especially my father whose family reestablished the wizarding world in America. You know the rest."
When she didn't continue, the three seemed to take this as a cue to fire her up with questions.
"That explained something, at least, but not the reason why Nott was with you. As well as the fact you lashed out on him." Harry began. "What's there to know, Mione?"
"It has something to do with my birth right. If I were to claim my place in Pureblood society, I will be betrothed."
"Of course you wouldn't want that! Your with me!" Ron exclaimed with a grin, but then it fell. "Unless of course you want to."
Hermione gave a soft, sad smile. "Right now? I don't really know what I want, Ron."
"So who is this guy you're supposed to get arranged to? Unless of course you decide to." Ginny gushed, adding the last part as an afterthought, more like a consideration for his brother.
"I don't know." She lied. "All I know is that he's a pureblood as well. Obviously."
"Can we all just stop and listen to ourselves. We're not holding Hermione against the whole pureblood thing." Ron said somewhat amusedly.
"Probably because you knew me before knowing who I really am. Not all people will be as accepting as you three are."
"You know we'll always be here for you, 'Mione, through ups and downs. We've been through a war together. We won't be going anywhere even if you want us too." Harry said making Hermione quite emotional.
"I just never thought you'll be so accepting, guys." Hermione said honestly as tears glistened in her eyes. "I won't blame you if you did lash out."
"It's just strange you know, that you were a Pureblood all along because you sure are far from one." Harry said honestly.
She could only smile fondly. "My father wasn't keen on Pureblood ideologies. He believes they are a waste of time and progress towards advancement in the magical world. It was , after all, the same virtue his family held on to as they reestablished the American wizarding world."
"You know, Mione. After hearing your story, at a part of it, I realised something." The three faced the redhead girl, waiting for her to continue. "Despite your real heritage, you are a real person deep down. No deceiving attitude, no snotty Pureblood girl, no bragging, no superiority. Even now that you told us the truth. You, Hermione Granger, are really one of a kind."
"Aww! Gin!" The two girls hugged as the older witch cried. The two boys looking at each other before joining them. She would have never expected this. For them to accept who she really is. For them to openly welcome the change that is about to hit them all. If she had known this sooner, she would have told them way back. Then again, maybe it's because of what the war did to them. There would be no point in pushing people away because they're all what each other has left. They're already a family. And as a family they will never be broken because of the strong bond they built.
Once they regained composure, Hermione removed the silencing spell placed around them and gave out a small smile. It was enough for them to know she was thanking them for understanding.
"That's what family is for, Mione." Ron smiled.
Although deep down, he was worried and a little bit heartbroken by the fact that Hermione may very well be betrothed to someone else. He loves her too much to see her get up and leave him. He would fight for her, yes! But when the time comes and she has to choose and is torn, he won't hesitate to let her go just so that she can be happy. He may be a sadist by doing so, but he has a heart, and he would rather suffer alone than bring the one girl he loves down with him. He can never be truly happy knowing that Hermione isn't. If that isn't love, then he won't know what it is.
After their... Confession? They all settled down and continued to catch up, specifically with things concerning Hermione's newfound status. Maybe once or twice, or maybe more, the brunette witch caught Ginny looking at her questioningly. From that alone, she knew. The identity of her possible betrothed is now at the top of Ginny's list of things that interest her, and she won't stop until she knew.
It was a little after curfew when Hermione bid her friends goodbye and went back to her own common room relieved. That's three down, about a thousand more. As she entered the dimly lit confines, she plopped down on the couch and curled up. Summoning a blanket and her recent read, Wuthering Heights. She's read the book maybe once or twice. It was great there were just many books that made up her most favourite list to even try and reread it again. It was worth a shot though.
A knock on the portrait hole interrupted her read. She marked the page and got of the couch to open the door. "Hi." The other person breathed out.
"Blaise. You're here." Hermione said in shock. It was after curfew and the Italian was there in front of her. "What's wrong?"
"Is Draco here?" He asked as soon as the witch let her in. "We were supposed to meet two hours ago but he never came."
"I was down at the Gryffindor common room all this time. The last I saw him was before supper." She replied. The wizard began pacing in front of her as soon as he left the blonde's room which happens to be empty.
"Where is he? He wasn't there during supper as well."
"Have you checked with Astoria?" There was a hint of bitterness, Blaise noticed by didn't comment on.
"I did." He replied with a shake of his head. "I'm going to look for him."
"I will too. Check with Theo. I'll send a patronus when I see him." The two agreed upon it and for what seemed to be the nth time, Hermione summoned her cloak and let the room with Blaise, separating by the Great Hall.
She searched outside knowing full well she can say she's doing nightly patrols when Filch or a professor catches her an hour and a half after curfew and deducts house points. She looked down by the Quidditch Pitch in hopes of finding the blonde zooming around in his broom. Then near the Forbidden Forest where he could have searched for a place of silence to think. It hit her. A place quiet. A place of solitude. Their tree down by the Black Lake.
She hurriedly went to the place, running as soon as she was in flat ground. There she found him. Both arms behind his head as he laid peacefully and contently with both eyes closed. The wind was cold as soon as it hit her face and the slight breeze made Draco's hair fly. She was doomed. The way he laid there, she knew. She was falling for the blonde.
"Stop staring, Granger. It's rude." He said, sensing her gaze on him.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she glared at him. "You git! You worried Blaise when you didn't show up at your meeting place!"
"Of course. That worrywart would run to you in hopes that you have the answer." He chuckled. "I went down here and fell asleep. I didn't realise it was night time until I woke up with your intense stare."
"Just so you know, it was a glare." Hermione sat down beside him, tucking some loose hair behind her ear.
"Yeah. Keep telling yourself that." He smirked at her. "So what were you doing this time when the git knocked on our door?"
"Reading. And just so you know it's a very nice novel!" She added when Draco started to laugh in disbelief.
"Well it took you long enough to locate me."
"Because I left and you weren't talking to me. Git! Now will you tell me what's bothering you?"
His smile faded as he remembered the reason why he was down there in the first place. Her. Her and the 'what could be but can't be' relationship they have. She was plaguing his thoughts constantly and Merlin forbid it to be illegal. It's unacceptable and truly devastating. She didn't even know he loves her for Merlin's sake! He shook his head and opened his eyes in time to see that the girl he loves pout and sigh.
"Fine." She said as she stood up. "We better get back inside. It's freezing." Then she was off. Once again away from him. Her heat left and he felt empty again. Curse the Pureblood society and its blood elitist beliefs! He sighed and brushed his clothes before following her in.
Days passed and the two heads began talking less. The girl was never in their common room except when it was night time and morning. But times in between, especially weekends, she was rarely there. The boy on the other hand began taking Quidditch seriously as he spent all his free time training rather than in the confines of their common room like before. No one knew why, but they were all baffled all the same. Despite the hatred people believed they still harbour towards each other, the two were seen interacting at times, but now, it was back to as if they don't acknowledge each other's existence.
"Fix this, Theo! They're not talking!" Blaise harshly whispered to his other best friend one Saturday morning as he discretely gestured to the two.
"The only way to fix this is if Draco comes clean about his feelings for her!" Theo whispered back. To others they seemed to plotting something, but in reality, they were arguing.
"Just call Edward and Adelaide already! They have to fix this!" And it comes out. It was after all Hermione's siblings that started it all. How? With Theodore Nott of course! They even tried to persuade Blaise into joining them, and he did. So much for being innocent all this time. Even the frantic searching will lead Hermione out of her common room to join Draco a few days ago was his idea.
"We're in this together, mate. They can't know." Theo hissed. "If we want them to end up together and for Hermione to be completely honest, we have to give them a little push.
"Then I guess it's time to resort to plan B. Separation and Jealousy." Blaise finally conceded. Theo smirked, his eyes glistening with malice and brilliance. This plan better work.
A/N: So I know it's not a common thing for people to so accepting of the situation your in. There would be hesitation and reluctance, and that's normal. The idea I'm trying to come across here is that after the war lead by a no nose half-blood about blood purity and the lives lost because of it, there would be no use in pushing someone you grew up with away just because you found out her real heritage. The lives lost would be for nothing if that blood discrimination continued. Sometimes, the bond form that created a family of different individuals is far more important than their heritage.
P.S I don't know if you guys noticed but I sometimes use 'realize' instead of 'realise'. That is because I grew up knowing and using American English but I do know words and spellings of British English. So I apologize for that and future mistakes like that. I just want the setting and vibe to be in Europe, but old habits die hard. Hahaha.
So now that I came across that, tell me what you think! Review. Favourite. Follow. See you next chapter!
~Sam
