Chapter Twenty Eight

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Disclaimer – I don't own the Harry Potter Universe but I do own Lana and bits that obviously don't belong to J.K. Rowling.

Draco sighed as he walked into Potter Mansion, removing his blue robes and hanging them on the hook Lana insisted that he use. This left him in his black suit trousers with shiny black shoes, a crisp white shirt and royal blue tie. He made his way across the elegant, marble foyer and up towards Lana's room, loosening and removing his tie and undoing the top two buttons of his shirt as he went. He'd received a frantic message from Hermione telling him that Lana had fainted. Draco was very aware of what must have happened to cause her to pass out and it was confirmed when he walked into Lana's bedroom and saw a terrified Sirius Black watching her still unconscious form. Draco grew surprised when Sirius simply glanced at him and then away with no venomous glare.

"Oh thank God," Hermione breathed as she entered the room behind him. He turned to see that her brown hair had frizzed out in an adorable fuzzy ball around her head and she was dressed in grey tracksuit bottoms with a purple tank top. Hermione threw herself into his arms and he reciprocated the hug, inhaling the scent of her mango shampoo.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked when they broke apart and turned her to face the other two in the room. Hermione looked slightly hysterical as she clung to him.

"She won't wake up and I feel awful! Maybe I should have just told her what I was doing, like you wanted and this wouldn't have happened!" she wailed, tears pooling in her eyes. Draco wrapped a secure arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. He couldn't say I told you so, it wasn't right for the situation.

"Hermione, it was always going to be a shock for her, ok? Do not beat yourself up over this," he pleaded in a way he would have been ashamed of in his earlier years of Hogwarts. But Hermione was distressed and that didn't sit right with him – he would try anything to calm her down.

"Fine, fine but that doesn't help with the fact that she won't wake up," Hermione pointed out, a distinct dent forming on her normally smooth forehead as she frowned worriedly. Draco reached his free hand up and smoothed out the line.

"She'll wake up in her own time," Sirius told them, speaking for the first time since Draco's arrival. The young Malfoy was rather nervous in Sirius' presence considering the rocky history between Sirius and all his relatives. Hermione was glancing between the pair thoughtfully and Draco could see an idea forming – one he wasn't sure he was going to like.

"I think you two should talk." Her statement received two incredulous glances and Draco was certain that Lana would have laughed if she had been awake, albeit quietly. Hermione shrugged easily, slipping out of Draco's grasp. "You'll find you have a lot more in common than you think. And Sirius, you might just get the answers you want, meaning you can spend time talking to Lana about more important things." She smiled encouragingly, pecked Draco's cheek and departed, closing the door with a soft 'click'.

"She hasn't changed," Draco heard Sirius mutter. The blonde frowned slightly as he sat on the opposite side of the bed to Sirius.

"Yes, she has." This made the older man look away from Lana properly and Draco felt like he was being analysed.

"How so?" Draco felt anger rise within him at the naive question.

"How so? Have you lost your mind? Even I can tell the difference between how she is now and how she was when she was fifteen and sixteen and you knew her! And we didn't spend any time together then." Sirius raised a challenging eyebrow and Draco instinctively knew what he was going to say.

"Yes, because you two hated each other and you made her life a misery. I don't see how we could have anything in common." Sirius' tone was mocking and Draco ground his teeth together as he tried not to murder the Black.

"Hermione and I have clearly moved on. I looked for forgiveness, earned it and she was gracious enough to accept my apology completely. But you are still holding on to a Hogwarts grudge – hypocrite." He felt slightly victorious.

"Which one would that be?" It seemed as though Sirius was genuinely confused and Draco was all too willing to provide the answer for him.

"You tormented Severus Snape for no good reason." Sirius' black eyebrows shot into his hairline and Draco smirked his infamous smirk.

"That's different."

"No, it's really not. I judged Hermione and many others on blood, appearance and various other aspects of personality. You bullied Snape because of his House, appearance and just because you could. The only difference is that you thought you were better than Snape but I never believed I was better than Hermione." Sirius glared harshly.

"What – you knew you were better than her?" he spat and Draco shook his head slowly.

"Nope, I knew she was better than me, always have and always will. She never showed weakness at my comments, at least in front of me, she excelled academically and she was and continues to be proud of who she is. Hermione Granger is strong and she's been changed by the war – we all have. If you can't see that then you really are thick." Draco moved his gaze away from the eyes that were so like his own and looked at Lana's slightly pale face.

"You love her." There was a slight accusation in Sirius' tone and Draco looked up to see him looking oddly defiant. Then Draco realised who he was talking about.

"Lana? Yeah, I love her like and aunt. She's done a lot for me and treated me more like family than my relatives could even think about. She saved me." Sirius' face morphed to a comforted expression.

"And Hermione?"

"I haven't said it properly to her yet, despite the truth behind the fact that I do. I'm not going to say it to you." Sirius snorted.

"How long have you been together?" Draco felt a cold dread at the question.

"Over a year," he admitted and Sirius shook his head.

"James told Lily he loved her every day for four years and that was before he got her to go out with him."

"We just haven't said it yet."

"But it's blatantly obvious you're head over heels for each other."

"I'm not taking relationship advice from you. The only serious relationship you've had is with Lana and you were in Azkaban for twelve years and dead for another four." Sirius glared at him again.

"Yeah, but at least I told her I loved her before the one year mark." Draco felt like his patience was being tried.

"Every couple is different. I am still learning how to be open about my emotions and Hermione is on the verge of a mental breakdown because she's been trying to save your arse."

"But-."

"Oh both of you shut up before I make you." Draco snapped his head around to see an irritable yet amused Lana staring between them. He glanced at Sirius to see him looking sheepish for some odd reason. Lana gave Draco a significant look.

"I'll go and find Hermione – tell her Sirius made me say 'I love you'." And he walked out of the door. His search didn't last long at all and he found Hermione snuggled up in the library with a nostalgic expression and 'Hogwarts: A History' perched on her legs. He sat beside her and she burrowed herself into his arms and planted her bottom on his lap – not that he minded, of course. He held her close and she looked up at him nervously. The last time she'd looked like that was when she told him that she was bringing Sirius back from beyond the Veil so he was apprehensive.

"I . . . um . . . eavesdropped on your conversation," she admitted slowly. Draco raised his blonde eyebrows.

"Did you now?"

"I love you too." Her endearing blush lit up her cheeks and Draco laughed lightly, kissing her flaming face adoringly.

"I love you," he said and felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and heart. Hermione beamed up at him and their lips locked.

XXX

Lana groggily pulled herself up into a sitting position, cursing herself for fainting at the most inopportune moments. Her body felt heavy and her head felt light. She rubbed her bleary eyes, hoping for some semblance of alertness to return to her. The room was less blurry when she opened her eyes so she turned to a slightly shaking Sirius. She smiled – a real, wide, teeth exposing smile that lit up her eyes like a Christmas tree and made her look and feel much younger. Sirius looked flabbergasted and she used his silence to analyse him. He looked only slightly older, maybe an extra year, than the last time she had seen him. Great. His black hair was slightly messy and his moustache was just plain stupid. She'd make him fix it soon enough. She also needed to fix his clothes – they were far too formal and velvety for both of their tastes. What had he been thinking? But her bright smile never left her face as she shifted herself closer to him. When she was at an acceptable distance, she leapt at him and straddled his lap, placing her arms around his neck. He looked even more bemused and she tilted her head to the side, letting her loose hair fall over her left shoulder.

"Did you expect a cold welcome?" she asked confusedly and Sirius looked helplessly at her.

"I don't know – I expected you to flip out slightly." Lana raised an eyebrow.

"I fainted and that was enough. I may get mad at Hermione later for keeping the secret from me. But I would never be angry or upset or unhappy that you are here, Scorch. I love you. I never stopped loving you and I never will. I am thrilled you are back with me, where you've been missed dearly," she assured him and he grinned. She felt slight discomfort, like she couldn't relax and be happy though.

"What's wrong, Lannie?" Sirius asked softly and Lana shook her head. He always knew.

"It's too good to be true. No way am I lucky enough to get you back." Sirius looked at her like she'd lost her mind (yet again).

"I think you've been through enough to constitute getting me back. I am, after all, an extra high reward." He'd stuck his foot in it there.

"A reward for what? For giving into my weakness and attempting suicide?" She could see he hadn't thought of that.

"No – a reward for being strong and facing up to your weaknesses." Lana opened her mouth to argue but Sirius shook his head. "I'm here, you're here and neither of us are leaving. I have a lot of time to make up and I'm starting now." So Lana smiled and conceded, knowing very well that he was right as they kissed for the first time in far too long.

Aww, family love. The next chapter will be up in three days, as usual. Remember – 100 reviews and make me the happiest person on Earth! Love Bianca :) x