Before the Dawn - Chapter 12

Harry and Ron walked into the house slamming the door behind them and dropping flakes of snow on the floor. Immediately everyone in the room could sense the tension between the two friends who were not even looking at one another.

"You couldn't find him?" asked Ginny in a small voice.

"We found him alright," growled Ron throwing his jacket across the room knocking off a picture on the wall. His mother immediately scoffed at him, but he ignored it. "Prick wouldn't come."

"Because of you, you prat," snarled Harry taking a seat next to Ginny. Ron looked at him annoyed, his skin growing red.

"What does that mean?" asked Remus Lupin who appeared to have joined them after their departure.

"It means that because of Ron's fat mouth, Malfoy isn't coming back and I personally don't blame him."

"Okay Harry, I screwed up. It's not like Malfoy should be getting so worked up over that," hissed Ron taking a seat by the fire.

"Not get pissed off?! Do you have any idea what you did–"

Harry stopped short of finishing his sentence when a knock on the door came abruptly. Harry bit his tongue knowing it was best that he didn't finish that. He didn't need to spend the rest of the night physically fighting with Ron.

"Who could that be?" asked Ginny as she rose from her seat to the door opening it slowly. She stood their shocked for a moment before she nodded moving backward allowing the person behind the door to enter. The room fell silent as Draco walked through covered in snow. They all rose, but he put his hand up to tell them to sit down, taking off his jacket before Ron spoke.

"Look–"

"Shut up Weasley."

"Pardon?" asked Ron flabbergasted.

"I said shut up. For once shut that big mouth of yours and listen to someone else for a change. Personally I'm sick of hearing you speak."

Ron's face flushed red, but he kept his mouth shut, not without much physical force. He was, quite literally, biting his tongue. Ginny took her seat back next to Harry giving Draco the center of the room and all the attention that went along with it. He took in a deep breath.

"Taylor Nicole Malfoy is the one who changed me."

"There was never a record of any Taylor in the Malfoy family," said Tonks not to anyone in particular, but simply pointing it out.

"Well she was only a Malfoy through marriage."

"You married her?"

"Yes. Best decision of my life. You see Taylor changed me from the kid you all once knew into the man that I am now."

Hermione was walking down the stairs prepared to yell at Ron so much that it made his head spin. She was sick of him always feeling like he needed to protect her, like he had some claim over her. She knew in her heart that he had never gotten over her. He was still feeling more than friendship towards her and she had to make it clear that they could never be. He was her brother and nothing more.

It was Draco's voice that awoke her from her thoughts. She stopped on the stairs taking in everything that he was saying and deciding it best that she remained in her location. She felt devious listening in, as though eavesdropping, but it wasn't like she was about to hear anything that didn't already know. Right?

"Look I'll admit that I was bad. I know that. I was on the wrong path. When everything went down after Hogwarts and my friends got really involved in it, I wanted out. I didn't want to be a part of any of that."

"Why? You had it made in there. You'd be a God," said Ginny firmly.

"I'm well aware, but I saw the God my father was. I never wanted to be like him. I never wanted to end up the way that he did," said Draco with a voice full of contempt and bitterness. They nodded allowing him to proceed. "I did my last assignment. So you all don't hate me, I won't say what it was. I'll just say that I do everything that I say I'm going to do whether it be good or bad. So…I did it. I realized then that leaving was not going to be easy since I was so good at what I was doing. The Dark Lord didn't want to let me go..."

Draco went on to tell them the whole story about how he ran from his former master, how he met Taylor, their short life spent together, her death, and all the things which led up to him falling for Hermione. He did leave out certain details that he knew would have made Ron explode with madness and jealousy. While he didn't mind so much screwing with Ron, he did harbor his feelings for Hermione wherever he went and knew that she would probably not appreciate that sort of information getting out.

"Who did it?" asked Ginny who seemed to be the only one in the room, other than Harry and Ron, who did not have any trouble voicing an opinion or simply speaking. I always knew that little redhead had spunk. A little short, but full of courage. Damn Gryffindors (Once again, old habits die hard!).

"Ginny if I knew that then they'd be dead."

The room was once again quiet aside from the gentle sobs coming from a very distraught Molly Weasley. It didn't matter who it was, but if somebody felt pain, she felt as though she needed to take some of the pain as well. Perhaps the idea of lessening the burden would help the other person and she was all for helping others.

"Look I know none of you trust me except for Hermione and that's fine. The thing is that you should because I have nothing to do with them anymore. I want nothing more than to kill everyone involved with my wife's death. If you don't want my help, then that's fine. I can understand, but I still will do it. I'm going to get in there and go after the man that hurt Hermione. The one that broke her spirit. Seeing as I'm not that same little kid–"

"It's not a matter of us thinking you're a little kid anymore. We know that you're not," said Ron who no longer looked like a frying red onion, but slightly agitated with a red hue; the color of a strawberry. "We can see that you grew up. We see it in your face. We see it in your height. We see fine. It's what I can't see that worries me."

"You're determined to hate me, aren't you?" asked Draco looking through Ron rather than at him.

"We care about Hermione and the fact that we haven't seen her in years has made our worries about her grow. We want to make sure that what happened to her doesn't happen again. I don't trust you when it comes to Hermione."

"Weasley I've spent three years hating myself. I can't do it anymore. Hermione changed me and brought me back to life. She brought back the good part of me that died with Taylor, that was buried with her. I love her and I'm going to protect her whether that means from you or anyone else."

Molly's sobs had stopped on his words and a seriousness about the room took over preserving the tension for several moments. The tension was broke, ironically, from laughter. Ginny Weasley started to crack up which in turn made everyone else laugh.

"I just can't imagine you marrying a muggle. She must have been really pretty for you to marry her," she said through giggles.

"Well look at her and you can tell me," he said taking out the picture from his back pocket. Ginny's face lit up in shock as she stared at the raving beauty smiling back in the arms of a younger Draco. The pretty blonde was smiling at the camera knowing nothing of Draco's past nor of his future. She only knew that moment.

"Wow. She's gorgeous."

"Did you honestly think I would settle for anything less? I mean look at Hermione. She takes my breath away with a simple laugh." Hermione felt a flutter in her heart which seemed to suddenly be beating extremely loud. Had Draco not continued to speak, she was quite sure that he could have heard the thumping from her chest even with their distance apart.

"I always wondered what my life would have been like had I not met her. Maybe she'd be better off since she'd probably be alive. Hermione says that's wrong since she did have a good life with me. I was going to be a father. I mean she was already a month pregnant and looking more radiant then ever when they took her. I don't ever regret marrying her, but I wonder if maybe she has regrets about me."

"Malfoy any girl that could tolerate you must love you. That's all I can say," said Harry with a smile. Draco couldn't help, but smile back at them as though they had a silent understanding.

"Good sense of humor?" asked Charlie.

"The best."

"Smart?" asked Lupin.

"She was a doctor. Of course she was smart."

"Natural blonde?" asked Ginny with a mischievous grin.

"Well that I can't reveal."

They all started to laugh including Hermione who was still on the stairs. The laughter, none the less, did not stay and a seriousness crept over the crowd again.

"So…what about Hermione?" asked Ron, redness completely gone at that point.

"I love her," said Draco simply.

"You do?" asked Ron unconvinced.

"There will never be one day that goes by without me thinking about her. Taylor was my love and my life. I mean together we'll always have Germany and an upside down kiss."

"Upside down–"

"Don't ask," said Draco with a smile making all of them smile as well. "She will forever be my first love. But Hermione is my angel, my savior. She saved me from myself. I was on a path of self-destruction and a path where I was going to die had she not saved me. Hermione understands that I can love two girls for I cannot stop loving Taylor. She knows though that I also love her very much."

Arthur Weasley smiled looking down as he said, "I don't think she'll ever take away Taylor from you."

"Nobody can and even if she could, I don't think she'd want to," said Draco knowing full well that Hermione never would. It was not in her nature to be that way. Hermione was a woman of love and that was what he loved the most about her. Her ability to forgive.

Draco looked back to Ron who seemed to gain all the attention in the room. He looked frustrated and annoyed, but Draco was unsure whether that was bad or not. He finally sighed before saying, "I guess...look I'll try...if you try."

"What do you mean try?"

"I'll try to...well I'll try t-to...look do I have to say it? It would kill me to say it out loud?" Draco simply shook his head smiling down at that ground.

"I get it Weasley and thanks."

"Yeah, but if you hurt her so help me Merlin I will–"

"I won't hurt her Weasley. I can't."

All of the people in the room were drinking in everything, taking in all that had just happened. One could say that they practically witnessed a miracle. Molly Weasley was all for miracles.

Molly wobbled over to Draco and pulled him into an extremely tight, motherly hug. Draco, who had never really known a mother to a be a nurturing being, was caught off guard and gobsmacked. After a second to regain his composure, he reached around and placed his hands around her as well finishing the hug. She pulled back and smiled at him.

"Tonight is special and I'm sure that you and Hermione must be starving. I'm going to go make the Christmas dinner that everyone missed out on."

"You don't have too–"

"Bollocks! We all were worried about Hermione so none of us properly celebrated the holiday the other night. So tonight we will and I'm going to make a feast that nobody ever forgets. Oh Merlin–the time! I need to get started!" she screamed racing towards her magical stove leaving everyone in the living room to their laughter. Draco smiled at her. What a kind woman.


Snow flakes slithered throughout Hermione's long hair as she sat outside staring up at the stars. The wind was chilling her face, but she did not know any coldness. She was so enthralled by her own thoughts that she did not even feel her own body. She was scared and it had been Draco who scared her, unintentionally of course.

He smiled as he walked out to her rubbing his arms for warmth since he had not brought a jacket. He had only come out to alert her that dinner was ready so a jacket did not seem necessary. Without saying a word and barely causing any noise, she sensed him.

"It's cold."

"Precisely why you should come back inside, love," he said initially with a smile, but it faded after absorbing the tone of her voice. "Hermione what's bothering you?"

"What you said. That's what is bothering me."

"Hermione I'm not quite sure what you're talking about."

"I heard you when you came back and you told everyone. I heard what you said about Taylor and about me and about what you plan to do with Alan." She had whispered the last part which not only confused Draco, but it vexed him.

"Hermione when it comes to Alan...I mean if you don't want me to–"

"I hate him and you know that. Damn it I want him to suffer a cruel death, a death that could mimic all the pain I've been in. No, I don't care what you do to him."

"Then what's wrong? I don't understand what upset you."

He heard Hermione sob as her face leaned forward meaning that she was crying into her hands. He wanted so much to comfort her, told hold her, but he couldn't do that. Not yet at least, if he wanted to get anything more out of her. He had to understand what was going on in her head.

"You. You and what you plan to do are what upsets me. Damn it Draco," she cried into her hands still not looking up. "What are you not telling me?"

"Hermione I'm sorry, but I'm completely lost. You're not making any sense."

"I'm making perfect sense."

Draco sighed as he walked forward taking a seat next to Hermione. He wrapped his arm around her, but she did not react like she usually did. Before she would snuggle into the crook of his neck. She had done that since he found her, that need for comfort taking over. At that moment she simply kept her gaze forward, looking more confused than upset.

"Hermione talk to me. Stop saying little bits and pieces of what's going on and talk to me. Come on, love, I'm right here."

Hermione licked her lips looking down at her fingers which were practically turning blue from the cold. If someone who didn't know them, didn't know their situation, had walked by and taken in the sight of two people laying in the snow with nothing, but thin shirts on...well you get the idea.

"You um...you said that we're going to be staying here basically until you get back in there. Until you end the person that caused all of this, right?" He nodded at her. "Why? It doesn't make any sense?"

"What? Hermione it makes perfect sense. I can't stand knowing that somebody hurt you that way. That somebody–"

"I don't believe you. I'm calling you a liar right now," she hissed in a harsh voice that he did not recognize. Well he did, but the last time that he heard her spat out hurtful words like that was back when they were still in school and back when they still hated each other. What is bringing this on and how the fuck am I liar?!

"Draco you said that you never make the same mistake twice, right?" she asked rather rhetorically knowing that he was not going to answer her. "Then why aren't you just taking me away from here and from him?"

"On no..." he breathed understanding what she was getting at.

"You said that if you could go back then you would have done it differently. You would have taken Taylor away and not stayed there. Why aren't you doing the same for me? What are you not telling me?"

The once strong, independent girl's brown eyes were brimmed with tears threatening to spill over, but she would not let them. She fought them back as she looked at Draco. He had an ominous expression on his face as his cheeks grew pinker on his pale skin. She wasn't exactly sure whether that was because of the cold or because of something else.

"Hermione there is something about your marriage that you don't know. Something that most don't know since you did in fact marry a Death Eater," he mumbled in such a low voice that Hermione was barely able to hear.

"What...well what is it?" she asked not really sure if she even wanted to know.

"Look Hermione I knew from the start about this, but didn't say anything because I didn't...well I didn't want to put anything else on you. As a matter of fact, I still feel that way."

"Draco I'm not some little girl that needs to be protected. You tell me right now–"

"Not yet."

"What?! This concerns me Draco! You're hiding something from me and–"

"And I'm doing it for the sake of your sanity!" he bellowed muffling her voice. She looked wounded like a child that had just been denied an opportunity to sit on Santa's lap. He pulled her tighter to him making her bury her face into his chest. Her sobs nearly cracked every part of his heart as he placed his chin on top of her soft hair.

"I'm going to tell you, but not tonight. Not after you finally got better. Not when we have the chance to spend another night together away from all of this. I wanted to keep this from you for as long as possible."

"It's that b-bad?" she asked still leaning into his chest.

"It doesn't matter. Not tonight at least. Let us forget about all of this and spend Christmas together. Let's spend Christmas as you and me surrounded by people that love you. There is so much warmth and love in that house that it's practically palpable. Let's keep that for one more night," he whispered into her ear. She looked up meeting his blue eyes. "Before the dawn arrives, let's just be you and me for one last time."

And they were. They had dinner and laughed and joked as though nothing was wrong. Draco still felt the tension between him and Ron, but it seemed to be lighter at the table. Dinner was superb, but it was the company that really affected Draco. Not only had he been away from this for over three years, but the people surrounding him were people he once hated while they mutually hated him back. It was tremendous.


A/N: Okay so it basically blows that my story got deleted. I was so pissed when my computer crashed the way that it did. However, I was able to retrieve some of it and I've started rewriting the rest. It's turning out better than before I think so we'll see how it goes.

I would like to say a very special thank you to Sweetsacrifice. I dedicate this chapter to you. You have been an extremely faithful reviewer and I appreciate everything that you have had to say. It was actually your review from chapter 9 that made me alter some of my story—in a good way I assure you! Thank you very much hon!!!

mooglez- In regards to reviews, I think I have so little because people feel that they don't need to. Everyone knows based on my other story and this one that I'm pretty timely about updating. I don't tell people that I need 30 reviews or else I won't write. I don't think that's fair to the few people who actually read the story and enjoy it. All I can say is that it does matter. I'm still going to update, yes, but you guys may not realize that reviews do push and give motivation. Certain reviews can actually really encourage me to write and others simply make me smile. It's a push you guys so I'm glad to know that people are reading it whether they review it or not. Reviews do mean a lot though.

READ AND REVIEW!!! If you can read it, then you can review it.

Iris is a work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.