Okay, so I was rereading this story and I realized I messed up in a few places with the space that Hermione and Draco can have between them, so here's the final verdict: twenty feet. They can only be twenty feet apart at a time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Draco woke up bright and early, thanks to a knock on his door. He groaned and rolled over, but the knocking persisted.
A little hand reached up to tap his shoulder and he yelped. Tiny Hermione Granger jumped back.
Hand over his heart, Draco sat up. "What is it?"
"Someone is knocking." Baby Granger replied. "I thought you didn't hear."
"I heard." He grumbled. He got up and growled under his breath. It couldn't have been later than six o'clock.
"I'm glad someone's here. I was so bored waiting for you to wake up!" Granger clapped her hands. "I hope it's Pansy and Daphne! I love them!"
Luckily for Granger, when Draco pulled the door open, Pansy and Daphne beamed up at them.
"Hi there, Hermione!" Pansy cooed.
"We came to help you get ready for today! We figured Draco would want the help." Daphne explained, staring directly at him. He shrugged and let them in, secretly grateful that they'd thought ahead.
Granger squealed with excitement. She grabbed Daphne's hand and tugged her inside.
Draco shut the door and followed them into his room. While they all filed into the bathroom, he landed on the bed and closed his eyes.
Unfortunately, he couldn't sleep again. Between the incessant giggling from the bathroom and the anxieties over bringing a baby to breakfast, Draco felt like he was a nervous wreck.
Daphne and Pansy came out with a bright and bubby Hermione Granger about a half an hour later.
"What were you doing for all that time?" Draco groaned, dragging himself off the bed. "Drowning?"
Granger giggled furiously. "No!"
"That wasn't supposed to be funny." He grumbled, but she started laughing again.
Draco pushed into the bathroom and stomped around angrily, trying to get rid of the nervous tension pent up inside him. He desperately wanted to get on a broom and fly – flying always helped him clear his mind, even before his father had insisted he join the Quidditch team. He hadn't been in the air in what felt like weeks, since before he and Granger had gotten stuck together –
A knock on the door interrupted his thought process. Draco cursed softly and turned off the water. "Just a minute, okay!"
"Hurry up, this is important." Pansy snapped back.
He threw on his clothes hurriedly and did a couple quick charms to fix his hair and straighten everything out. Once he was sure he looked impeccable, he opened the door.
"What is it?" He growled.
Pansy held out a wand and spoke in a whisper. "This is Hermione's. Professor McGonagall gave it to me just now. Keep it safe and away from her until she'd old enough to handle it."
Draco rolled his eyes but took it anyway. While Daphne was busy distracting Granger, he stuffed it under his pillow. He figured he'd find a better hiding spot for it later.
Draco Malfoy took a very deep breath to prepare to deal with the rest of Hogwarts with a Baby Granger attached to his hip.
"We've got to get going. We'll see you at breakfast!" Daphne chirped. She glanced at Draco. "Also, Hermione's got a few questions for you."
With that, she and Pansy scampered out of the room.
Draco regarded Granger suspiciously. She smiled back brightly, obviously totally unaware of how she usually felt about him. He felt a little bad, just then. She was so completely, totally trusting. He could off her right now and she wouldn't even have a thought to stop him. She was kind and sweet and – and genuine, in the way little children always were.
He didn't really know how to talk to a child. He didn't have any brothers or sisters, and if any of his friends did, they weren't many years apart.
"What questions did you have for me?" He asked. He avoided eye contact, wondering if she could smell his uncertainty – wait no, that rule was for animals.
Granger smiled wider, if possible. "Well, do you remember yesterday when I first met you? There was a lady there who said that I was at a magical school called – er –"
"Hogwarts." Draco supplied.
"Yes, Hogwarts!" Granger beamed. "Can you do magic?"
"I can." Draco answered. "Perhaps sometime I will show you."
Granger brightened considerably. "Oh, please! That would be…that would be…perfect!"
"Was that your only question?" Draco glanced at the time.
"One more." Hermione promised. "How come Pansy said that everyone was going to be really surprised when they saw me? Who's everyone? And how come they're going to be surprised?"
Draco sighed heavily, suddenly wishing a painful hex on Pansy. "Er…well, this is a school. Do you go to school?"
"Yes!"
"Do you often see little, tiny babies at school?"
"No."
"Well, everyone here is eleven years or older. So they'll be a bit surprised to see a five-year-old. But don't worry. You'll be old news in a few days. Hogwarts is like that." At least, he desperately hoped so.
Granger nodded a little before taking a deep breath. "Okay. Last question."
"I thought you were done." Draco grumbled.
"Last one." She pleaded.
"Alright, alright."
"Will you hold my hand if I get scared?"
Draco stopped for a moment. Five-year-old Hermione Granger peered up at him, her big eyes filled with fear. She was asking him to make her feel better. Him.
"Yeah, Granger, I'll hold your hand."
She let out a sigh of relief and skipped over to him. "Why did you just call me Granger?"
"I'm pulling the no-more questions rule." Draco said quickly. He hurried her out into the hall. Might as well get it over with.
Granger reached up and gripped his hand as they walked down the silent hall together.
Thanks to her questions, they'd delayed breakfast. No one was in the halls while they walked – because everyone was in the Great Hall.
Draco stepped through the doors and headed for the Slytherin table, hoping no one would notice.
The Great Hall went dead silent.
Harry Potter leaped up to his feet, his redheaded minion right on his heels. They intercepted Draco before he could get to the safety of his table, cutting him off. Draco stood there, glaring, while they just stared at Granger.
He wanted to blast someone's head off when he felt Granger drop his hand and cower behind his robes.
"Her-Hermione?" Potter asked softly.
She peeked out slowly from behind Draco. "You said my name right."
Harry Potter knelt down on his knees and smiled goofily at Hermione Granger. "Did I?"
Granger nodded. Potter shifted and she hurried back into Malfoy's shadow.
"You know, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before." Potter continued. "Do you remember me? My name is Harry Potter."
Granger shook her head no.
"Well, I'd really like to get to know you. I feel like I do already. You like books, don't you? What's your favorite?"
Granger chewed her bottom lip. "Matilda."
Potter smiled. "I like that book, too. My favorite part is when Miss Honey and Matilda win and have a happy life together."
Granger emerged fully from behind Draco. "Me too! I like it when Matilda gets her powers! I wish I had powers. I think that would be the best thing ever."
"Did – er – did…your friend here tell you that this is a magic school? Just like Matilda?" Potter gestured toward Draco, who rolled his eyes.
"Yes!" Granger clapped her hands. "He said everyone could do magic!"
"Would you like to see some? And I can introduce you to some of my friends, too. I think you might like that a lot."
Granger whirled around to face Draco. She pouted up at him. "Oh, please, please, please, Draco! Could I go sit with Harry Potter?"
Draco squinted at Potter. "I don't think so."
Potter somehow seemed to recognize the underlying challenge. He didn't get up off his knees. "I'd really appreciate getting to know Hermione Granger some more. Would that be alright with you?"
Draco wasn't expecting his sudden and complete surrender. Potter wasn't even trying to fight back! Weasel, behind him, was turning red, but Potter stayed on his knees. He was literally begging Draco to spend some time with his friend.
Suddenly, Draco understood what everyone meant when they talked about Harry Potter's loyalty.
With the whole school watching, Draco Malfoy reached over, took Harry Potter's hand, and helped him up. "Alright, fine, but only after breakfast. And we're sitting at the Slytherin table."
"Oh, thank you!" Granger squealed. She threw her arms around his knees and then raced to the Slytherin table. Blaise caught her before she could go too far and helped her butter a piece of toast.
"Seriously, Malfoy, thank you." Potter added.
Draco shook his hand. "Just try not to irritate me too much, would you?"
Potter smiled. "We'll try. Come on, Ron, let's get some food before Hermione gets done."
Weasley took a deep breath, then shot a glare at Draco and followed Potter. "I really wish you'd thought that through, mate."
Draco rolled his eyes and joined Granger and his friends at the table. Whispers sprung up as they departed.
"I like him!" Granger chattered. "He knew about my favorite book! And he said he'll show me magic! I love him!"
"He's a little old for you." Theo joked.
"What do you mean?" Granger asked innocently. "I don't think you can ever be too old to be my friend! Plus he's not that old. Maybe seven."
Pansy choked on her drink. "You think Harry Potter is seven?"
"How old do you think I am?" Daphne asked.
Granger pouted while she thought. "Um…nine?"
"Close enough." Draco muttered. He handed her a pastry to distract her, which worked, and then shot a look at the others to dissuade them, which also worked.
As soon as she was done, Granger stood up at the bench and searched for her new friend.
Potter was by her side at an instant, the dumb lapdog. "Mind if I sit down?"
"Can you show me magic?" Granger begged. "Like Matilda?"
Potter pulled out his wand. "Accio, bread."
The plate of bread slid down the table, right in front of them.
Granger looked like she was about to pass out. "Ma-wh-you-magi-mati-wand-spe-bread!"
"Breathe, Hermione." Potter said calmly.
Granger took two quick deep breaths.
"Would you like to try?" Potter asked. He held out his wand.
Draco shook his head behind her ferociously. It was never a good idea to give a child your wand – especially if that child didn't know she could do magic.
Granger gripped Potter's wrist and Draco breathed out in relief. Potter wasn't that stupid, thank Merlin.
"Let's get that book, yeah? Say it with me."
"Accio, book." Hermione said clearly. Potter muttered it under his breath and a textbook from a third year came flying up the table. Potter caught it with his hand and held it out to Granger, who clutched it tightly.
She promptly burst into tears.
"Whoa, Hermione, it's okay." Potter touched her shoulder gently but she pushed the book into his hands.
"Magic is real and I can do it!" She wailed. "I'm Matilda!"
Draco froze. He wasn't good with crying girls his age, much less a five-year-old crying Gryffindor Princess. He tried to edge away, but it was like Granger felt him. She whirled around and threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shirt.
He tried to pry her off, but she clung to him tightly.
He sighed heavily. "I'm going up to Madame Pomfrey. She wants to check on Granger every day anyway. It'll give Granger some time to calm down, too."
Potter nodded, looking as confused as Draco felt. "I guess I'll go back to my table, then. Bye, Hermione."
Granger waved blindly, then grasped Draco again.
"Would you let go of me so we can go?" Draco asked quietly.
Granger just sobbed in response. Draco sighed loudly, but awkwardly put his arms around her and stood up. Without saying goodbye, he carried her out of the Great Hall.
At least that was over with.