AN: This chapter was frustrating to write. I needed the scene between the Grangers and Draco, but it didn't take up the whole chapter. So I had to fit other things in, and no matter how I wrote it, it just didn't make me happy. This was the best draft I came up with so I said screw it, and went with this. The next chapters coming up are much better, including Christmas and the party! So if you're all patient and stick with me past this less than satisfying chapter, I will post tomorrow with a much better piece! Clumsy!

The train ride home for Christmas break was a lot of fun. Draco and Hermione were sitting with Ginny, Neville, Luna, Blaise, and Goyle. Hermione would have never guessed how funny this group of Slytherin boys could be! The entire group was going around and telling stories of when they first started showing their magic or when they had lost control of their magic, and laughing with each other.

"So there I was standing at the counter, and I wanted that toy fire truck so bad, and mother wouldn't buy it because I had misbehaved. So when we were checking out she handed it to the cashier saying she had changed her mind and didn't want it after all, and in my bad temper tantrum, I caused the hose to start shooting out this massive jet of water all over the poor girl. The sirens started going off, and the manager comes running over, apologizing to mother, who by the way was very angry. I wasn't allowed on my broomstick for a week!" Draco told them.

Hermione picked a story to share next. "Well there was this time in school when we were in gym class and three boys were teasing me about my dress, my hair, just pretty much teasing in general trying to make me cry. They obviously didn't know me well or they would have known I was much more likely to punch them than to cry." To which Draco covered his face in remembrance making most of them laugh thinking about when she had hit him in third year. She continued, "Well I started getting angrier and angrier, and I didn't know I was a witch yet. One minute they were laughing and teasing, and the next two of them were stuffed into basketball hoops at either end of the gym, and the third was in the rafters of the ceiling. The best part was I couldn't get in trouble, because no one saw me so much as lift a finger towards any of them." She finished with a satisfied smirk.

Luna piped up, "My dad had taken me to a museum in London, and it had this area for kids to play around, to burn off energy. He had turned away talking to some other adults, and these two girls took the gum right out of their mouths and stuck it in my long hair. I started crying because my mum liked my hair, before she died she would tell me how pretty it was. So when my temper exploded, all their hair fell out, and they got boils on their heads." She did have a way of making you feel uncomfortable, unless you were used to her. The Slytherin boys looked like they didn't know whether they were supposed to laugh or feel bad for her.

After Luna's story, the talk shifted to holiday plans. Draco was going to visit Hermione during the daytime until Christmas day. He and Narcissa were going to come Christmas morning and spend the day with Hermione's family and then she was going to spend the rest of break at the Manor with them, and attend the party. Both of them were going to visit at the Burrow a few times over the holiday, they just weren't sure when. Plus Hermione had sent a letter secretly to Harry and Ron asking them if they would invite Draco to do something over the break, so they could get closer. She wanted her boyfriend and her boys to be friends. Ginny, Luna and Hermione made plans to go Christmas shopping together the next day and spend some girl time to which all the boys rolled their eyes making the girls laugh.

When they reached Kings Cross station Hermione grabbed up Metis's cage and walked out with Draco who was bringing luggage out to find a cart. They spotted Narcissa easily and Hermione greeted her for a moment waiting for Draco. Then she and Draco followed Hermione through the barrier so that Narcissa could meet her parents. You need a wand to pass through the barrier, or be with someone carrying a wand, so they always had to pick Hermione up on the Muggle side.

It took a few minutes, but Hermione finally saw them through the crowd and ran into their arms. Once she could pull away she did, and turned and grabbed Draco's hand.

"Mum, Dad, I'm sure you remember Draco. This is his mother, Narcissa Malfoy." Hermione smiled. "Narcissa these are my parents, Richard and Jean Granger."

"It's a very great pleasure to finally meet Hermione's parents. You have a one of a kind daughter, such a beautiful soul to be sure." Narcissa said as she shook their hands, making Hermione blush.

The parents made small talk giving Draco and Hermione as much privacy as they could get in a very public train station to say their goodbyes. Draco wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Whispering in her ear, "I know it's just until the day after tomorrow, but it will be odd considering I am used to seeing you every day. But I am trying to be understanding that you need the girl time tomorrow. Plus I want you to have plenty of time to buy me all kinds of Christmas presents!" he teased her. She rolled her eyes, making him laugh so hard that the parents all turned around to smile at the young ones.

Draco kissed her cheek and then Hermione gave a final wave and walked out with her parents.

That night Zeus tapped on her window, and Hermione rushed to let him in from the cold. "Hey handsome guy, do you want to hang out while I read this, and warm up?" she spoke to the owl. Zeus leaned in and fluffed his feathers, then flew over to rest on the perch next to Metis. She took that for a yes and opened the letter….

Hermione love,

I received an interesting post not long ago. I somehow think you're involved in a scheme behind my back! How do I know this you might be wondering? Well I will tell you, you sneaky, underhanded witch! There is no other possible reason that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley would have invited me, Draco Malfoy, along for their day of shopping for gifts, and looking at the new Firebolt model just released. So since I knew you had to be involved I accepted with little grumbling, however; if I have to spend the day with Scarhead and Weasel, then you and the other girls are meeting us for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. Otherwise I will cancel, so what's it gonna be witch?

Love Always,

Draco

Hermione doubled up in laughter, she could just picture the look on his face when he realized he had to go. So she was still chuckling when she wrote her reply…..

Dearest Draco,

To your offer of lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, I will have to politely say no. How about the restaurant I took you to on our first date? The girls and I will be deeply entrenched in Muggle London at lunch time. And I'm not underhanded, just sneakily well intentioned!

Love Forever,

Hermione

She gave Zeus a treat and the reply and he flew off into the night. After closing the window she got in bed and went to sleep, it would be a long day tomorrow to be sure.

The next day it was snowing as the girls walked along the sidewalk outside shops in London. Hermione had already gotten Draco a few pairs of jeans, and pajama bottoms, and a nice book he had wanted. Now they were going to the music store, all three were weighed down in shopping bags. Hermione and the girls had each gotten their boyfriends cd players, and now were picking out cd's, and having a riot of a time doing so!

Once they were done they noticed it was time to meet the boys so they headed to the pizzeria for lunch. Hermione figured it was a good sign that they were all standing outside waiting on the girls when they arrived, and all in one piece. She walked right into Draco's arms and kissed his lips when she reached him.

"Did you miss me?" she asked.

"Of course! Now what is in those bags?" he asked, trying to get a good peak. She slapped his hand away laughing, and then went into the restaurant. The girls went to the restroom where they could pull out their wands and send their purchases home before heading back out to the guys.

They spent the next two hours at the restaurant talking, laughing and playing games. Then they decided since everyone was done with shopping that they would head over to Harry's place and just spend the afternoon hanging out together. When 5 o'clock came around Hermione needed to head home for dinner with her parents, so she said goodbye to her boys and the other girls, and Draco left with her.

When they got back to her house, he kissed her and promised to be back tomorrow before noon. He was just turning to leave when her parents pulled in the drive, so he politely waited so that he could say hello.

"Nice to see you again Draco," Jean Granger said. "Are you going to join us for dinner? You're welcome to if you'd like." Hermione smiled at him encouragingly.

"If you're sure it won't be a bother Mrs. Granger, I'd like to stay." Draco answered politely.

"Oh, it's no bother, and call me Jean, and call Hermione's dad Richard." She replied.

Dinner turned out to be a very uncomfortable kind of interesting, because it seemed her parents had an ulterior motive for inviting him to stay. Once the food was cooked and the table set, they all gathered and sat around the table, and that's when the questions began.

"So Draco, can you tell us about your experience during the war? We've talked to Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Also Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and their daughter Ginny. We get very little information out of any of them." Richard said.

Draco never saw that one coming! He stuttered, "Ummm, well you see, errrr, it's well, hmmm." He didn't know what he was supposed to say.

"You see, we wouldn't have to try to find out what happened, but our daughter erased our memories, and sent us away without asking." Jean said. Draco could see that this was a sore spot between the Grangers. Hermione hung her head in shame, and he saw a tear fall.

"Hermione, I think it would be easier for me to talk to your parents about this alone. I want to answer their questions, and you and I have made our peace. Can you give me a few minutes alone with them?" he asked her, trying to convey comfort with his eyes. She placed a charm on her food to keep it warm and went to her bedroom to read.

Once she was gone, he took out his wand and performed a silencing spell so she wouldn't overhear what he was saying to her parents. Once that was finished he turned to the Grangers.

"Alright, I will give you any answers I can, I will also tell you my part of the war. You need to know this, because I want your blessing to propose to Hermione at a party my mother is throwing. Before you give that blessing however it is only fair you know the whole story." He said. Her parents looked taken aback but nodded their heads in agreement.

"Okay, well to start off, your daughter saved both your lives with what she did. Your names were on the very top of the hit list of Muggles to be slaughtered, and because you were the parents of Hermione Granger, it would have been very bad for you. It wouldn't have been quick and easy. You were to be tortured for information." He said uncomfortably. "The reason I know this, I was in the meeting where it was ordered, since for most of the war I was on the opposing side. You see, without her doing what she did, you would not be here right now. It was a friend of mine's dad who was to kill you." He looked up into their shocked faces.

"Another thing you should know, she blames herself for your displeasure with her. She actually feels guilty for what she did, and as someone who loves her, I'm asking you to make peace with it, because it hurts her. She did nothing but save you, then spend a better part of a year on the run on a spine tingling mission to defeat the most vile, evil creature that has haunted our world. She and her friends turn back up emaciated, older, tired, and clothes so tattered they were beyond repair, they spend an entire battle fighting for their lives and the lives of so many witches and wizards and lost some special people that they loved. But she loved you enough to risk your hurt and anger to protect you. You're here because of what she did Richard and Jean, and she doesn't deserve to be made to feel guilty for it. She deserves your thanks and appreciation. I don't mean to disrespect in anyway, but I love her and I see what this is doing, so I thought if nobody had told you the truth to spare your feelings, maybe it was time someone protected her feelings instead." He finished to complete silence.

Jean grabbed Richards hand and squeezed as she cleared her throat and said, "It's just been made pretty clear that you love her a great deal Draco Malfoy. I think it is safe to say you not only have our blessing, but also our deepest gratitude for sharing the story with us." Richard reached across the table and shook Draco's hand and thanked him before Draco lifted the spell and went to find Hermione.

He sat on her bed next to her, and waited. When she still didn't look away from her book, he lifted her chin and was upset at the pain he saw there. He didn't say anything at first, just wrapped his arms around her and held her while she cried. She kept saying she was sorry, for what, he had no idea. After about quarter of an hour, she sniffed and pulled away and was about to say something when there was the sound of a throat clearing from the doorway.

"Do you mind if we come in?" Jean asked her daughter. Hermione shook her head and looked down at her hands.

Richard looked at his daughter and said, "Honey, we're so sorry 'Mione. We didn't know what the dangers were, we didn't understand. Draco cleared that up, and put us a bit in our place at the same time," he chuckled, only half teasing.

Jean said, "We promise, we're not going to bring it up anymore after tonight, but before the discussion is put away, 'Mione, we want to say thank you."

Hermione flew up off the bed and ran into her parents arms. Draco walked up to the family and just stood there with his fingers in Hermione's hair and one arm around Jean Granger. Grateful that he could help heal the fracture in this family and make life easier for all of them.