Harry sat at his desk, fuming. He couldn't believe what Hermione had shown him. At the time, he was in shock and unable to do anything but stare. Now, far away from her, he was angry at Ron for doing something like that to the woman that had helped them through difficult times, and most importantly, the woman he claimed he loved. "Way to show how much you love her." He mumbled.
He sifted through the pictures, unable to believe the severity of the bruises, and these were healing. He could only imagine how bad they were after she received the bruises, the cause and reason behind them were currently unknown. He had to find out. But for now all he could do is lead a team of aurors on a search for his ex-best friend.
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Draco tiptoed to Hermione's room, not wishing to wake her up if she was asleep. Sure enough, she was fast asleep, looking incredibly peaceful. He closed the door carefully and walked down to his study. There, he owled the minister telling him that because of the circumstances, Hermione would be taking several days off. He knew the minister would not mind, but it was still common courtesy to inform him regardless.
"Draco?" Hermione called out, stepping into the study room where he was seated at his desk.
"Hermione, are you ok?" He asked in concern.
"I wish people would quit asking me if I'm ok. I'm fine. As fine as I can be at the moment." Hermione replied trying to sound convincing.
"Right. Sorry." Draco said not convinced, but he let the subject drop. "You aren't going to work today." He informed her.
She frowned, but reluctantly nodded. "Thank you." She muttered. She sat down on a comfy chair in front of his desk. "Draco?" She began hesitantly.
Draco looked at her curiously. "Hmm?"
"I want to visit your mother." She said looking at him, carefully assessing his reaction.
He looked at her curiously. "Oh? What ever for?" He asked her.
"She's perceptive. I need her advice." She replied simply. She looked at him expectantly.
"Sure. I was actually going to go visit her soon. I didn't know you took a liking to my mother." He said smirking.
"She was nice. Not at all from what I remembered. When I first met her she was a snob, but she was really kind when I interviewed her." Hermione said fondly.
Draco nodded. "Sure. When do you want to go?"
"Today?" Hermione replied uncertainly.
"Oh, ok." He looked at her curiously. He was dying to know why she wanted to see his mother. "We can go now if you'd like. I'm not going to work either."
"Are you taking a day off to babysit me?" She asked sarcastically.
"No. I'm taking a day off to help a friend." He corrected her. She couldn't help but smile at his words. She stood up and left the room. He remained seated, feeling confused. Did she leave without him?
She then returned with a cloak. She draped it on herself and looked at him expectantly. He stood up. "Ok let's go then." They apparated to St. Mungo's.
He walked over to the receptionist where the same lady as last time ogled at Hermione.
"Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, here to see Narcissa Malfoy." Draco said catching the receptionist's attention. She nodded and they both walked away from her. Hermione felt slightly awkward as people stared at her like the other time she was there to see Narcissa.
He put an arm around her shoulder in order to comfort her. She really appreciated his efforts. He has changed a lot.
Once they reached the room, Draco removed his arm from around her shoulder, causing Hermione to feel disappointed.
"I'm going to go in first to see if she's in a good mood, ok?" Draco told Hermione. She nodded.
He entered the room and closed the door behind him. Narcissa looked up and smiled warmly realizing that it was her son. "Draco, what a pleasant surprise. I thought it was going to be those bothersome healers again."
"Good morning mother." He said smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better actually. I haven't felt this good in a while, those new medications I'm on are helping." She said being honest.
"That's good to hear." Draco said happily. "Oh mum are you feeling good enough to speak to a visitor?" He asked her.
Her eyes lit up. "Is it who I think it is?" She asked knowingly.
"Geez. She is right, you are perceptive." He said shaking his head.
"Just let her in." She said rolling her eyes.
Draco walked to the door and opened it for Hermione. She stood up and walked inside. "Uhm Draco, do you mind if I were to speak to her I private?" She asked uncertainly.
He raised his eyebrows. "Er, sure. No problem, I'll just wait over here then." He said motioning to the seat Hermione just vacated.
"Thanks." She said giving him a smile. She watched as he left and closed the door behind him. "Good morning Narcissa." Hermione greeted the woman.
"Good morning Hermione. How great to see you." Narcissa replied. "What brings you here? Not the hospital food, surely." She joked.
Hermione smiled and shook her head. "I uhh..." She trailed off.
"Need some advice?" Narcissa offered.
"How did you know?" Hermione asked, still shocked at how right Narcissa can be.
"I'm perceptive, what can I say?" Narcissa said shrugging.
"You could easily replace that old bat, Trelawney if you weren't sick. You know that?" Hermione commented.
"If I wasn't sick, I wouldn't have developed this new perspective of the world around me." Narcissa disagreed.
"I guess you are right." Hermione conceeded.
"So something is troubling you. Want to elaborate?" Narcissa asked bluntly.
Hermione admired how straight forward this woman was. "Well I'm not sure if you know, but I'm currently living at your house."Hermione began. "Temporarily." She added mistaking Narcissa's expression of amusement for that of disgust.
"I was not aware of that, no." Narcissa replied. She looked at Hermione intently.
"Right. Well I can't go back to my flat. Not if that idiot is still there." Hermione said with a look of disgust, hurt, and sadness. Narcissa's heart began to beat rapidly, she smiled triumphantly upon hearing the news.
She wiped the smile off her face when Hermione looked back at Narcissa. "Husband troubles?" Narcissa asked hopefully.
"More like soon to be ex-husband." Hermione grumbled. Narcissa noted the watery eyed expression on Hermione's face, but she couldn't help but feel slightly glad. Now her son could comfort Hermione and win her trust and love. Then Narcissa could die a happy woman. The new medications given to her allowed her a month or two of extended life, at most. That was more than enough for her.
"Divorce?" She asked in mock surprise. Hermione did not notice anything unusual about Narcissa's reactions, and proceeded to explain her reasons for her divorce. "I know its unheard of in the wizarding community, but I have to. I don't feel right in that relationship anymore. My heart is leaning towards someone else." She confided in the woman.
"There's more to the story, am I right?" Narcissa whispered.
Hermione nodded tearfully.
"I know. You bear the same sad look on your face as I had when Lucius was still alive. He was a bad man. But I couldn't tell Draco, I had to protect him." Narcissa said in a soft voice. Hermione nodded slowly, remembering what Draco had told her a few days ago.
"I kept everything to myself. But as I told you when you interviewed me, if I could change anything, I would leave him while I still had the chance." Narcissa studied the girl sitting next to her. She bore emotional scars and a troubled past. There was more to the story than even she knew herself.
"Your mother went through similar experiences." Narcissa stated, not questioned. "But she stayed with your father, which is why you are afraid of your parents reactions when they find out you are divorcing, that along with your fear of what your husband will do."
"She did." Hermione replied in shock. She knew she had to prepare herself for anything Narcissa might perceive, however she was not expecting the woman to perceive that much. She had never even thought about her parents until Narcissa brought them up. She had reversed the memory charm she had placed on her parents shortly after winning the war, but they chose to remain in Australia. Slowly they drifted apart, they never bothered to contact her, and she never bothered to contact them in return. Hearing about her parents again gave her quite the shock. She had forgotten the ordeals her mother had gone through. Her mother too had been sexually abused by a spouse.
"Hermione." Narcissa said putting her hand on Hermione's. Hermione looked up. "She will be proud not disappointed." Narcissa reassured her.
Hermione felt her lungs contrict and her throat go dry as she thought of what Narcissa said to her.
"Don't cry." Narcissa said in concern. Hermione had not even realized that she was crying. Narcissa gave the girl a hug.
"I'm sorry, I've been doing so much crying that I've become oblivious to the fact that I am crying again." Hermione said wiping her tears. They sat in silence, deep in thought.
"Hermione, don't forget what I told you last time." Narcissa said after a while.
Hermione looked up. "Which bit?" She asked remembering several things that the older woman had told her.
"He can make you happy." She said simply.
Hermione nodded and looked down. "Perhaps. But does he feel the same way about me? Why am I confessing this to you, his mother?" She asked feeling embarassed.
"Because you know I'm right." Narcissa said smirking. "And as for does he feel the same way, why don't you find out yourself?"
"Perhaps so. I need to settle things first though. I can't pursue a relationship while I currently am in one. Oh and can you not tell Draco anything please?" She pleaded.
Narcissa put her hand over her heart. "I promise."
Hermione thanked her and stood up. "I'll go get Draco." She stepped out of the room and called Draco in. He walked in and closed the door behind him.
"Mum. I guess we best be leaving. The healers will come by soon and kick us out anyways." Draco said taking her hand in his.
"Ok. Draco, she's beginning to trust you." Narcissa told Draco. "But she's fragile. Be careful."
Draco raised an eyebrow in confusion. What did Hermione and his mother speak of? "I know. She's really frail right now, but she will come to trust me completely soon. I just want you to be happy. I want Hermione to be happy."
Narcissa smiled. Her son was slowly beginning to realize his feelings for the girl, slower than Narcissa would like, but still discovering his feeling nonetheless. "Take care of her. She's going to be very scared and sad when she divorces. Her mother was in a similar situation as she was, and she never left her husband. Hermione is scared to go against tradition." Narcissa warned him.
"She told you what happened to her?" Draco asked incredulously.
Narcissa frowned. "No. I can just tell that she has a chip on her shoulder, a particularly large one, that has been with her her whole life."
"Oh. Ok." Draco said pretending he understood. "I'll come visit you soon. I love you mother."
"I love you too Draco. Bring her next time." Narcissa said winking. Draco smirked and left the room.
"Hermione, shall we go back then?" Draco asked. Hermione stood up from he chair outside Narcissa's room.
"Actually Draco... Can we go get some ice cream?" She asked hopefully.
Thus concludes Chapter Ten. Next chapter up soon. Leave me some reviews, please. :) Oh and I'm not really sure how many chapters are left. I planned everything out, but the story is taking a different direction, so I'm not sure anymore. Maybe ten - fifteen. -Cadi