The next morning came and Hermione had slept barely two hours at a time. Draco had been true to his word and tried to be there for her. He had been making sure that there were glasses of water and cups of tea for her as well as water biscuits. They seemed to be helping more than anything else he tried. It had been shortly after dawn that she had finally fallen asleep in his arms, him watching her as she slept.

In his thoughts he tried to remember the plan he had made to introduce her to her parents without causing too much of a shock for her. He wasn't quite sure as to how to make contact without rousing suspicion. He could pretend to be at the Forest Commission on business. No, wouldn't work. Casually meeting her father over lunch? What, if he ate at his desk? Another one with too many possible pitfalls. Where were they staying again? He tried to remember, but the night had been too long for him and he fell asleep before his brains realised it.

Hermione woke with a strange feeling in her gut. She tried to wake up fully, but something seemed to be hell bent on keeping her in a dreamlike state. She saw herself in a town she didn't know, She stood on the right hand side pavement next to a busy road. The street followed a steep hill down. She walked down until she reached a street leading off the main road on the right. There was a large sign across the pavement in about ten feet height. She looked at it. It was a traffic sign. It mentioned Town centre, Bo'ness and Lanark. And there on the hillside in the garden at the corner was another sign with a coat of arms and the words "Royal Borough of Linlithgow". She had never been in this place. She didn't even know, if it was real or not. Then she was suddenly in a small restaurant. Draco was sitting across from her. She looked around and froze. Her parents were sitting at the table next to them. Her mother smiled at her.

Draco woke suddenly. Something had kicked him, hard. Had he heard somebody calling his name? He wasn't sure. As he tried to open his eyes he found them rather reluctant to obey him, when they finally did he could see the mother to his child sitting next to him. She was looking wide eyed at him. There was fear and excitement in her gaze. She had her hands firmly over her mouth as if trying to prevent herself from screaming.

"Hermione? What's happened?"

He sat up gently placing a hand on her back.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. Then she looked directly into his eyes.

"I know, where they are."

"What? Who?"

He was still far too asleep to understand what she was on about.

"My parents. I put a spell on them so that it would be really difficult to track them using magic."

For a moment he thought himself lucky that he had used the Muggle channels to find them. Or Potter had in any case.

"So how did you find them just now?"

"I dreamt about them."

He groaned and sunk back onto his pillow. How had she been able to keep awake long enough to have even one coherent thought with this kind of sleep deprivation? He was feeling like he hadn't slept for a week and she was all bright, awake and... His mind slipped away from reality.

Hermione looked at him. He had fallen asleep. He had actually fallen asleep before she had the chance to tell him about her dream.

"Draco?"

He shot up.

"What?"

She looked at him. His eyes were half closed and it seemed a strain for him to try and keep them open. He looked absolutely adorable. She slowly reached for his face.

"I know, where my parents are."

"So do I."

He hadn't intended to say that. He hadn't indented to say anything. It had just slipped out.

"You do?"

He sighed. Time to wake up and get that fuzzy brain of his into gear.

"Yes. I had Potter track them in Australia, but that is not where they are."

Her eyes widened in shock. Why were they not in Australia any more? She had sent them there in order to make sure, that they were as far away from Voldemort and his Death Eaters as possible. What had happened to them? Where were they? She had assumed, that the town she had seen had been somewhere Down Under. Then again... This when did they have Royal Boroughs in Australia?

"Where are they?" she whispered.

"In Scotland."

There was an unbelieving stare trained on him. He sighed and shuffled closer to her so that he could hold he in his arms. She willingly snuggled against him. His eyes were closed as he looked for words to tell her what he had discovered and what he had originally planned. It took quite a while, but Hermione seemed to be contend to just hold onto him.

"Can I tell you something about myself?"

She drew back to look at him. Confession time, was it?

"Sure. You can tell me anything."

His eyes told her she better meant that as what might be coming might not be would she wanted to hear. She waited. He sighed.

"I grew up with a lot of family traditions, like arranged marriages, separate bedrooms, the honour and pride to be a member of the Malfoy family, no inheriting children born out off wedlock..."

His eyes were surveying her face. No shock, no contempt, no misgiving was visible. She smiled at him. Did she realise what he wanted to tell her?

"Hermione, I have been doing a lot of thinking and even more dreaming about you during the last year. There have been thoughts about you wanting to be here with me. There have also been dreams about having a family with you. Though I wanted for you to get to know me first, before we started thinking about a family. I wanted to date you. Take you for long walks, surprise you with romantic diners and maybe be allowed to share your love for books. I wanted to do everything right with you, but school never allowed me to do any of these things. I was constantly watched by everybody. Suspicion was following me everywhere. If I had so much as tried to talk to you, Potter and Weasley would have been at my throat with their wands."

He sighed again.

"I had only that one evening with you, but it was the best evening of my life. I know you are suffering for it now not me. When you slept... I was making plans. I was so happy I forgot everything else around me. You were with me. A dream came true. Somewhere in my heart I was hoping that, if you were happy to make love to me, you might also be happy to... to..."

He couldn't say it. His courage left him. How could she not know, that he wanted her to be his wife?

Soft fingers were gently touching his face.

"Draco? I am more than happy to be with you. I was surprised when you found me. I was even more surprised when you kissed me. I have been doing a lot of thinking while I was at Harry's. I found myself wondering where it had all gone wrong with Ron. I kept seeing you with tussled hair and love filled eyes. You made me feel like I had never felt before."

Her thumb stroked over his cheek.

"There are still moments when I think, that this is all one big charade..."

Her fingers silenced him, before he could protest.

"I know it is not, but my heart is so wary. I care for you more than I ever cared for Ron. I want to really date you. It might just be a bit... I don't know. We are living together..."

"You want to move back to Harry?" His voice a strangled whisper.

"No. I want to be here with you. It's what feels right. You feel right. Can you understand, that I am a bit afraid of waking up and it was all just a dream?"

He nodded. It was a constant fear in his life.

"I have never really thought about what would happen to me and Ron after we graduated. It seemed all so predictable. We would share rooms at the Burrow, try to get close, make..."

She looked at him. The words were wrong. She would have never really made love to Ron. It would have been... She frowned. Sex? Probably. Intimate physical interaction, but never really making love. She made love to Draco. And Draco alone.

"Draco... I don't think, I'll ever be able to make love to any other man every again, even if I wanted to. You are my love. I can do it only with you."

She looked at him a bit shocked by her admission. He had a big grin on his face.

"It's the same for me, you know. Though there is..."

A -pop- interrupted him.

"Master! Master must come to gate!"

"Janas! What is going on?"

"Master must come to gate."

"Why!"

"Miss is trying to break it down."

"Who, Janas, who is trying to break down the gates?"

"Miss Pansy, Master."

He growled.

"This..."

He would have sworn quite colourful, but Hermione kissed him gently.

"Thanks." He muttered against her lips.

"I don't want our child hearing that kind of language."

He grinned.

"He can't hear yet."

"Are you sure?" She gave him a look daring him to contradict him. He just kissed her.

"Master?"

They let go of each other and Draco climbed out of bed. Hermione was glancing at his back. The pale skin looked as soft as she knew it was. His lean body radiated strength. His movements were flowing elegantly as he was putting a shirt on and then vanished into the bathroom.

Hermione leant back and wondered what the witch she knew close to nothing about wanted. Was she after Draco? He had said, she had been his Yule Ball date and that she had been the first girl that kissed him. He had also dumped her after a month. Her thoughts get stuck on the time line of Yule Ball and his first time. He had said, he had been fifteen, which meant it had happened during fifth year. The Yule Ball had been in fourth year... Pansy wasn't one of the girls he had slept with. Why was that a comforting thought? She didn't even really know the girl.

A soft hoot came from the window. Janas sped towards it before Hermione could even move. She opened the window and a large eagle owl swooped into the room. It landed on the backrest of the chair in front of his desk. The message was dispatched, the owl got some treats and then the little house elf bustled into the bathroom. Without knocking. The witch in Draco's bed smirked as he heard him yell in surprise.

The next moment he appeared and his face was sporting a scowling expression. He was now wearing trousers and shirt.

As he leant over to her on the bed he whispered, "Get dressed. When I get back we're leaving. No need to pack. Just be ready."

She nodded. He kissed her temple and was gone before she could ask him anything more.

Draco reached the gate and could see a lonely figure standing in front of it. The other noisy reporters seemed to have thought the better of harassing him any further after the ivy had swallowed a few of their colleagues.

The lone figure was throwing spell after spell at the gates. The century old guarding spells were alas for superior to anything the witch in front could muster. For a moment he was actually wondering, if his witch would be able to get through the defences. Might be worth a try just to see, if there were any weak spots.

"Pansy. What are you doing here?"

"Draco, dear! I have been wondering, why you didn't answer my letters. I was concerned for your safety and then dear Blaise has told me that some gold digger got her hands on you..."

"Stop it right there!"

He stood not three feet away from the witch he had shared a house with at school for years. She had grown into a quite nice looking young woman, but she wasn't his type. Too Slytherin. He smiled to himself. He would have never thought a girl too Slytherin in the past. Then again he wouldn't have had the possibility for comparison either.

"I have read the articles in the Prophet mentioning you as a source."

She had the decency to pretend and blush.

"Oh, Draco, that was just talk. You know, I would never do anything to seriously harm you."

"Oh, really? You shoved me in a corner and all but bit my lips off when I refused to kiss you at the Yule Ball. And remember that broom cupboard? You nearly got me expelled for doing something I wouldn't have dreamt of doing. Ever!"

This time the blush had a bit more realism to it. That incident had been somewhat of a total relationship killer between them.

"What are you after now, Pansy?"

"Blaise told me you got hooked on some girl. That you were actually serious." She laughed with contempt. "You and being serious about a girl. Laughable."

"I'm glad to be the source for your entertainment, because the girl you think of as a gold digger and probably worse is so far above you, that you'll never reach her. Regardless of what you might try."

He smirked at her faltering smile.

"The girl, that is in my bed at this very moment is going to be there today, tomorrow, the day after that and ever other day thereafter. Pansy, I have found somebody, that is not interested how powerful or rich I am. She is interested in me being happy with her. Not that you would understand that, but I am not going to get involved with you or any of your little schemes ever again. I'll found the one that is just right for me. And it isn't you, Pansy."

He coolly stared at her. Daring her to say something.

"Draco, we have always been so good for each other..."

"You have been a lot of things for my, good wasn't one of them."

"What has this slapper that I don't have? Tell me! Is there anything she would do for you, I wont do?"

"She already has done more for me than you ever would. Or even could."

She looked rather incensed. He smirked.

"Pansy, go home. Find yourself some stupid rich guy prepared to put up with you. And leave me alone!"

He turned and walked back to the Manor. He wasn't sure, if she would leave them alone, but he would do his utmost to make sure that Hermione was save from her. Even if that meant to move to Muggle Edinburgh permanently.

"You wanted to see me, Minister?"

Shaklebolt looked up.

"Yes, Harry, come in."

The young Auror did.

"Take a seat."

There was a long pause in which the dark skinned wizard was looking at his folded hands.

"Everything okay, Minister?"

"What? Oh, yes. No. We have had some disturbing news about Rita Skeeter. I had somebody do some discreet inquiries at the Prophet. I wanted to know who had been supplying the story about Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy."

Harry just kept quiet. He wanted more than anything to get his hands on who ever had been spreading that particular story.

"He has found out, that the story originated from somebody, that had been at the hospital when it happened and who had nothing better to do than to approach her sister, who is working for the Daily Prophet. I don't think the girl intended for it to end up in the paper, but somehow it did. We have spoken to the person at the Prophet responsible for passing on the news and there is something rather odd going on. We had her checked by some of our best Curse Breakers and they reckon, that she had been out under a spell, possibly the Imperius Curse. The traces indicated an on-off approach. Her being put under its influence when required and letting her loose and act herself at other times."

"Who was the woman, that you spoke to?"

"Parvati Patil."