Writers block has struck full force and after a few false starts I think I have overcome it.
Chapter 20
Hermione couldn't believe her luck this summer. Draco had extended an invitation to Hermione and her family as well as to his father's Aunt Pandora and Anna to spend the summer at their summer house in France. The two girls had made a day out of shopping for the trip and were now laying on the beach trying to get some color, and chatting about their school lives.
"How is Hogwarts? Are there any cute guys? Well other than my cousin obviously. Can you believe he invited grandmother and me here with his family?" Anna said without taking a breath.
"Anna breath please I would hate to lose one of my best friends because she suffocated while talking. As for your questions I would have to say I love Hogwarts. It is so full of information for me to soak up, and the teachers and classes are so interesting. I haven't really looked at the guys though to tell you if any of them are cute sorry." Anna let out a very unladylike snort, "hey just because some of us worry about our studies instead of trying to find a tonsil hockey partner doesn't mean I am a boring person." Hermione flipped over and looked at her dear friend. "Hey lets run inside and see if we can go to the village for some ice cream. We would have privacy there too to talk more."
Anna nodded and the two girls gathered there stuff before running to the house and getting permission to go to the little village together. After a quick change into summery dresses they headed out hand and hand giggling together about idle gossip. So they were in a booth enjoying sundaes.
"As for your cousin and his family I think they are trying to show themselves in a good light to me." Anna raised her eyebrow at this, "well you do know they approached my parents last summer about a marriage contract between Draco and I right?" Anna nodded, "well my parents told them that they did not plan on arranging a marriage for me and that I would marry for love just as they had done."
Anna burst out laughing, "you're kidding! Oh I wish I could have seen that. The Malfoys are use to getting whatever they want no matter what it is. You're like the last cookie that is being saved for someone else ya know? It does make sense though that they would try and put themselves in a good light with your family though. You do know that your blood line is one of the most powerful. I am curious though why you haven't had any more offers."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "my parents moved and changed our name so there wouldn't be a line up to try and get me while I was still young and unattached. The Malfoys wouldn't have noticed me at all if it hadn't been that Lucius noticed my mother when my parents came to get me after first year. Apparently he knew her grandfather and knew that she had married the LaGrange only heir. I swear there must be a book that says when a pure blood is born even if it is a squib birth."
The two girls laughed at that and then with twinkling eyes Anna spoke up again, "well on a different note Grandmother does believe in arranged marriages and she is currently trying to find me a few good suitors to choose from. Can you believe it we are barley 13 and the families are already talking marriage?"
Hermione nodded, "yea but at least you will have a say in your marriage think of poor Grace. Her engagement party is at the end of the summer and she is going to be marrying Kevin Gable. I can't wait to see those twos wedding. My mom told me they were getting married when they both turned 16. Can you imagine it?"
Anna shook her head sadly, "no thank goodness we will at least get to finish school before we are shanghaied into a white dress and dragged down an aisle to our 'futures' I swear sometimes that we are just thought of as birthing machines by some families."
The two girls finished in silence while they thought of what was in store for them in the next five or six years. Soon after they left they were met on the path by Draco.
"Hey uh Anna Pandora sent me to find you and tell you she needs you for something." Anna scurried up the path and Draco turned to Hermione with a smile. "Good afternoon Miss Granger. It is a nice day isn't it? Would you like to join me for a walk around the grounds?"
Hermione nodded and fell into step beside him.
XXXXXXXDMXXXXXXXX
Draco could not believe how pretty Hermione looked in her sundress with her wild hair falling out of the messy bun on top of her head. He was at a loss though to convince her that he didn't want to have a future with her just because it was his parents wish. He really had grown to care deeply for her. As they walked he glanced over at her and smiled to himself.
"So I heard you say that you wanted to think of a present for Potters birthday but you couldn't think of anything." Hermione nodded, "we'll have you thought of playing to his interest? I saw a selection of broomstick servicing kits in the village shop on high street. Would you like to go take a look at them?"
Hermione broke out in a bight grin and threw her arms around him. "Oh Draco you're a genius that would be the perfect gift for him please show me this store."
Draco turned bright red and he looked down at his shoes with a nod. As they made their way to high street he turned to her again, "Hermione have you though any about maybe giving me a chance for a future? I don't expect you to decide right now of course but I would like you to think about letting me court you properly."
Hermione laughed to herself, "Draco you despise my friends and if your friends found out they would pop a gasket. What would you say, 'oh yea I know I make fun of her for her blood heritage but I just can't resist?"
"No I would think of something who knows maybe I will come clean that you are the only heir to the LaGrange and LaStrange families. That would get their attention."
Hermione laughed, "Yea and also give you tons of competition for my sweet little hand as well."
They both laughed together and talked about different things as they walked around visiting different shops and picking out a gift for harry. On their way back down the street a newspaper headline caught Draco's attention and he pointed it out to Hermione. "Looks like the Weasleys came into a bit of money. Look they took a trip to Egypt. Well good for them. Do you miss your friends?"
Hermione nodded, "yea but we will be meeting up in Diagon Alley to get supplies I'm sure we always do."
Draco smiled at her, "well that will be good then. Are you excited about your new classes? I heard McGonagall say that you took almost every class Hogwarts offers."
Hermione laughed to herself and nodded before turning to him again. "Draco why do you do everything your parents tell you too? Don't you want to have a say in who you marry?"
Draco looked at the sweet faced young witch wishing he could pull her close and kiss her soft lips. Instead he opened his mouth and responded, "they are just trying to help me make the right decisions. I don't do everything they say though. If I did I would be forcing your hand in the whole marriage thing. Instead I am letting you make your own choices."
"I guess I am lucky my parents only want the best for me too. They don't believe in arranged marriages though. They both did have marriages arranged for them before they ran off together. I bet my grandparents were ticked. I've never met them ya know."
The two got to know each other better over the summer and Draco's heart hurt when they left France for the real world again. He did get to go to Diagon Alley with her but he didn't want to give up her company to her idiot friends who didn't see her as anything other than a brain who could help them with their homework. He saw her take compassion on one of the ugliest cats he had ever seen, but he did take time to get a selection of cat supplies as a present for her when he saw her at school. He did hope that they would have a lot of classes together so he could watch her and be secure in the knowledge that she wasn't being mistreated by anybody.
Soon the first of September rolled around and he was on the train looking for her. He found her through a window in a compartment with Potter, Weasley and an older gentleman. He walked on with a dejected heart to a compartment with a few other Slytherins. They were a motley crew laughing about their summers and who had changed over the summer. His interest was peaked when he overheard Knott though.
"My parents were telling me that they think they found the LaGranges finally. I can't wait till Christmas break because my parents are going to approach them about a match between their daughter and I. I just hope she isn't a complete dog ya know. Cause I don't know if I could spend my whole life married to a dragon faced harpy I don't care how much money they have or how powerful she will be."
"Oh I heard the heir is already being pursued by a different family you might have some competition for this girl ya know." Theo just rolled his eyes and changed the subject to something less marital. Draco zoned them out thinking about the sight of Hermione in her tiny bathing suit.