A/N: Chapter written by avdubs, remember she is posting on her ao3 account too! Thanks for being patient with the upload time once more! Cover art credit: upthehillart on tumblr. Thank you all for your wonderful comments and reviews! Enjoy!
Hermione had been secretly having mixed feelings about the good days she and Draco had been having since she'd stopped hiding away in their bedroom. On one hand, she was grateful for the laughter and smiles that Draco had brought to her lips in the last few days; she needed it. They'd spent hours upon hours relaxing by the pond, sometimes reading, other times talking and skipping rocks. Draco had even started putting in a real effort at mealtimes; he started conversations with both his Aunt and Uncle, and was often the one to supply witty and sarcastic remarks that left the other three close to tears with laughter. Although on the other hand, she felt a little guilty... Harry was no doubt isolated at the Dursleys', and she had said goodbye to her parents almost a week ago. Not to mention Dumbledore had died just a few weeks previous, and there was a war raging outside their doors. It felt wrong to have a good time, to laugh and joke and smile.
She and Draco were currently wrapped up in their sheets, their clothes scattered across the floor. She pressed herself closer to his naked form and wrapped an arm over his waist. Draco had an arm around her shoulders, his hand resting on her side. Her body felt light and airy, her legs still shaking slightly, but her heart felt heavy and the internal war she had been waging for days was on the tip of her tongue. "Do you ever feel guilty for being happy?" she asked, the question pouring out of her mouth without any sort of preamble.
Draco hesitated for a moment before he said, "Honestly? Not really. Just because the world is shit doesn't mean I can't be happy for a bit."
Hermione, who had been expecting a different response, frowned. "I just know Harry's miserable. It's like the summer after the Triwizard Tournament all over again…"
She felt Draco's grip on her tighten. He sighed heavily, then said, "You know, people knock Slytherins on many things, but one thing they can't tear us down for, is that we just don't see the point in not allowing yourself to be happy because of what's going on. That's not a bad thing, you know. Taking care of yourself."
"Maybe you're right," she mumbled, running her fingers over the trail of blonde hairs from his belly button.
"Much as this may surprise you Granger, that is often the case," he chuckled before kissing the top of her head.
Hermione swatted at his stomach and rolled her eyes. "Think you're funny, do you?" she said, amused nonetheless.
They heard the sound of footsteps approaching fairly quick and both jumped out of bed quickly, scrambling frantically for their clothes. As Hermione slipped on her knickers and pyjama bottoms, she saw Draco glance at the door to ensure that it was locked. In his attempt, he'd fallen with a thud to floor, one leg still sticking out of his own pajama bottoms and Hermione giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth as she searched for her shirt.
A knock on the door sounded just as they both slipped their shirts back over their heads. Draco rushed to answer the door after hastily tidying his hair with one hand. Ted stood on the other side, his hair slightly tousled and his shirt wrinkled. "Morning," he greeted them with a yawn. "Hungry?"
Hermione's stomach gave a grumble loud enough for them all to hear. "I guess that answers that question," Ted said from the doorway.
Draco took her hand as they left their bedroom, trailing behind Ted. From the first landing of the stairs, Hermione could smell the waffles and sausage cooking in the kitchen. Her stomach grumbled again and this time, Ted stopped and turned around. "Work up an appetite already this morning?" he asked with a grin. He didn't bother waiting for a reply before continuing on to the kitchen.
Draco snorted in attempt to cover up his laughter as her cheeks burned. As a matter of fact, she had worked up an appetite. Only it consisted of her and Draco naked, entangled in their sheets. She settled for not answering Ted's comment and sat alongside Draco at the kitchen table. Ted was setting the table and Draco had gotten up to get the two of them a cup of coffee. Andromeda was humming to herself as she managed the sausages. "Hermione, dear, could you grab this stack of waffles please and set them down on the table?" she asked, casting a quick glance over her shoulder.
She obliged, happy for something to do and brought the plate of waffles to the table. After a few more minutes of the four of them bustling around the small kitchen, they were all finally seated at the table. Draco passed the jam to Hermione for her toast while Ted cut his waffles into pieces and said to Andromeda, "I think Kingsley is coming around for dinner tonight. It is Wednesday, right?"
Andromeda smiled to herself after taking a bite of her waffles and nodded. "Yes, dear, it is."
Draco stiffened beside her and when Hermione turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow, he leaned close to her and muttered, "Kingsley intimidates me a bit."
Hermione suppressed a giggle and took a sip of her coffee. "He's not so bad," she replied. "But I can understand that."
The rest of breakfast passed with easy conversation, sometimes the only sound was that of cutlery clinking and scraping against their plates. Andromeda filled them in on the plans Tonks had started to make for the small ceremony. "Hmm, I'll have to see what Tonks wants to do about your dress, Hermione. I'm not sure it would be wise for you to go into Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade…"
Ted shook his head adamantly as he piled dishes into the sink. "Absolutely not, it's already a risk for even you to go, Dromeda."
"I'm always careful," she said with a reassuring pat on his arm.
"Even still," he said.
"I'm sure we'll figure something out," Hermione said airily. Draco put a hand on the small of her back and thanked his Aunt for breakfast.
As they made their way back to their bedroom, Hermione said excitedly, "Ooh we'll have two weddings to look forward to!" When she turned to look at Draco, she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his lips and fondness etched in his features.
Hermione felt his breath tickle her neck, and his fingers trail lightly up her side, pulling the t-shirt she had borrowed from him with it. She could already feel his erection pressing against her bum, with only the fabric of their undergarments for barrier. They had laid down not that long ago to try and go to sleep, but Draco had thrown that idea out the window when he'd first cuddled up behind her and started peppering kisses down the back of her neck. Draco pushed the t-shirt up to her chin and his fingers traced down to her bare breasts. She shivered involuntarily at his gentle touch, his fingers slowly circling her nipple before pinching it softly. She inhaled sharply and pushed her bum against him, pressing her entire body against his as she did so. She could feel the trace of a smile on his lips as he trailed kisses down her neck. "Harder," she breathed, when the gentle pressure was no longer enough.
Draco chuckled in her ear and obliged, squeezing harder on her left nipple. "Better?" he asked, his voice vibrating against her skin. A chill shot down her spine, and she nodded earnestly. Her mind was starting to go blank; all her daily worries felt as though they were melting away. Draco's hand soon began to wander down her stomach, and he slid his hand beneath her knickers. She heard him chuckle again when his fingers slipped between her folds and felt the pool of liquid that had formed on her knickers. A soft moan escaped her lips as he ran his thumb over her clit, just barely touching the flesh. She pressed herself against him again, wanting more. He slipped a finger inside her and wriggled it before pulling out slowly. Hermione writhed under his ministrations; his thumb was circling her clit faster now while he pushed two fingers into her. Tension was already starting to build in her abdomen. She snaked a hand up and behind her, gripping tightly onto Draco's blonde locks. "M-more," she gasped as he pressed two fingers against her clit, rubbing it harder than he had before.
His fingers worked her over relentlessly, slipping in and out of her, his fingers wriggling inside her as her thighs clenched around his hand. She was panting now, gasping for breath as she clung to the pillow. She felt like she was going to explode...she couldn't take it much longer…
"Draco," she breathed. "I'm- I'm going to-" But she didn't get to finish her sentence as Draco pulled his hand out of her knickers. Hermione let out an involuntary whimper and turned her head to glare at him. He smirked at her as he pulled down his underwear before doing the same to her.
He settled back down next to her and slipped his hand between her thighs again. He brushed his thumb lightly over her swollen flesh, eliciting another moan from her parted lips. Her legs jolted at the touch. Draco nuzzled his head against hers, and she felt his lips brush against her ear. "Keep quiet Granger," he murmured. Hermione glanced at the door and cursed the house for its thin walls.
Slowly, he pushed his length into her. Her lips parted into an 'o' as she felt him slip into her. Godric, she'd missed him. A quick moment of panic overcame when she struggled to remember if she had taken her birth control pill that day, until the vivid memory of her taking it after breakfast flooded her mind; but with Draco now moving at a steady pace and the pleasure building inside her again, she was pulled from her thoughts, lost in the feel of him inside her. She bit on her lip as he continued to pump in and out of her, his grip tight on her hip. It was hard to keep quiet when she wanted to cry out. She was surely soaking by now, and Draco had since moved his other hand to between her thighs and rubbed her clit with his thumb.
When she let out a particularly loud whimper, Draco stopped and pulled out. Her lips went into a pout as she twisted her head to look at him. There was a mischievous glint in his eye as he removed his hand too and brought it up to her cheek, cradling her face. "Thought I told you to be quiet?" he whispered, brushing their noses together.
She clenched her thighs together at his words and let out a quiet moan. Draco kissed her slowly, still cradling her face and instead took his hand from her hip to push her thighs apart slightly. He slipped himself back inside her and picked up his pace once more. Hermione tilted her head into her pillow, to muffle her moans and whimpers. Draco's grip on her sides was tight, the pleasure that had been rising before was surfacing again. She bucked her hips backwards towards him and clenched her thighs tighter, hoping to bring herself some sort of release. She needed it, Merlin she needed it. "Don't stop, Draco…" she groaned, her fingers curled into the pillow and sheets. "Please."
He let out a low growl and picked up his speed, one of his hands once again darting to the swollen flesh in between her thighs. His fingers found her clit and he wasted no time in finding his rhythm, rubbing it in time with his thrusts. She couldn't stop moaning into her pillow, her knuckles had surely gone white and she could feel sweat trickling down her back and thighs.
It felt never-ending: the pressure mounting inside her and then ebbing away, before building all over again. Draco was panting heavily from behind her, and then finally, she exploded. Her legs twitched and her breath left her in a rush. She arched her back and buried her cry into the fabric of her pillow. Draco tightened his grip on her hips and bit into the skin of her shoulder. His movements slowed and she was able to catch her breath. Her body felt limp, weightless as they lay there, covered in sweat and panting. "I love you," Draco murmured in her ear.
Hermione rolled over to face him, a smile on her face. She kissed his nose and cupped his cheek with her hand. "I love you too, Draco."
The four of them had just tucked into breakfast when a knock sounded on the front door. Hermione exchanged a curious look with Draco who shrugged as Ted got up quickly. "Probably a Member of the Order," the older wizard said, but Hermione didn't miss him pulling his wand out of his pocket and holding it steady in front of him.
Hermione strained to hear who their visitor was, but the voices were muffled. Both Draco and Andromeda had gone stiff, ignoring their breakfast. Ever since they had received the news that Narcissa and Lucius would be questioned, they were on edge every time an Order member stopped by. Hermione couldn't blame them, not in the slightest. Footsteps grew louder and a moment later, Ted and Lupin entered the kitchen.
Remus nodded at Hermione before turning to Draco, his hands in his pockets. "We're interviewing your parents tomorrow."
Andromeda's fork clattered to her plate and Draco nearly choked on his tea. "Tomorrow?" he gasped as his coughing seized. Remus nodded, his features grim and tired. Andromeda and Draco exchanged glances, their mouths hanging open slightly. "When will we know?" Andromeda asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
A silence fell over the kitchen as they all awaited Lupin's answer. Ted was still standing in the doorway, his hands shoved in his pockets, his shabby and tattered robes hanging off his lanky frame. "One of us should be around later in the day tomorrow," he told them.
"Right then," muttered Andromeda, who pushed away her plate and stood up quickly from the table. "Thank you, Remus," she said before dismissing herself from the kitchen. Ted followed her, and Remus, who seemed to realize he was now alone with them, inhaled sharply and said, "I better get going then. Take care."
Hermione turned to look at Draco and found that he was staring out the window above the sink, his mouth still hanging open slightly. Hermione licked her lips and said, "Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you alright?" she asked, getting out of her chair now to stand by him. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Draco looked up at her, a dazed look on his face. He blinked, then frowned, lost in thought. "I'm a little nervous," he said quietly. "I want it to go well but what if it doesn't?"
She frowned as she brushed his fringe away from his eyes. "Don't let your optimism fade, Draco. Sometimes all you can do is hope for the best. There's no way of knowing how the interview is going to go, and there's no use worrying over something you can't control."
He nodded and tilted his head to look up at her. "Right," he muttered. "Of course."
She kissed the top of his head and ruffled his hair before sitting back down. "What do you say we finish our breakfast and then we can go out to the pond if you'd like? Go for a swim?" He agreed and picked up his fork again, digging into what was left of his breakfast.
They'd spent the rest of the previous day trying to keep themselves busy. For both of their sakes, they had tried to keep their optimism high. They hadn't seen much of Andromeda and Ted that day, but Hermione didn't mind this. She had a feeling this was something she didn't wish to discuss with either one of them. The day seemed to slip by quickly, and before Draco and Hermione knew it, night had fallen. They'd settled into bed and after lying next to one another for an hour, Draco had asked her if she was awake and when she told him she was, they went down to the living room, lit the fire and cuddled on the couch, talking about nothing and everything.
The morning had drifted by slowly. Even Andromeda seemed to be struggling to keep herself occupied. Ted had gone out for a few hours, and Draco had gone up to shower around midday. Hermione wandered down to the living room with the same book she had learned all her defensive spells from, when she saw Andromeda sitting on the couch staring blankly ahead. Hermione approached her hesitantly before sitting down next to her. "Are you alright?"
The older witch jumped, a hand on her chest. "Merlin, Hermione!" she gasped. "What did you- Oh yes, I'm fine." Then after a moment she said, "The interview could be happening right now."
Hermione grimaced and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. In truth, she was nervous about the interview with Draco's parents. If they both agreed to change their allegiance to the Order, there was a chance they would have to meet at some point. There wasn't an abundance of safe houses, so it was likely that Draco's parents could end up there with them. She wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of living under the same roof as Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy - especially when she was dating their son. "I'm sure it'll be fine," she said quietly, wringing her hands together. "But all we can do is wait."
Andromeda nodded and pressed her lips together in an attempt to stop their quivering. "She has a chance to make the right choice," she said after a moment of silence. "And I just hope she takes it."
"Narcissa is an intelligent woman," Hermione said firmly. "And she loves Draco very much. She has every reason to accept the Order's protection and change her alliance."
Andromeda looked at her sadly and placed her hand on top of Hermione's before giving it a tight squeeze. "You are a smart girl, Hermione. But some things are easier said than done."
Left a bit confused after her conversation with Andromeda, Hermione waited for Draco in their bedroom. She laid down on their bed with her head hanging off the edge. She stared up at the ceiling and heaved a heavy sigh. A few minutes later, she heard the door open and saw Draco enter the room. He'd put on a pair of dress pants and a dress shirt that Andromeda had bought him, and his hair was still slightly damp. When he spotted her on the bed, he stopped and cocked his head. "What are you doing?"
She didn't answer right away. She was still analyzing her conversation with Andromeda, trying to figure out why the older witch was so doubtful, but she didn't want to bring that up with Draco. She didn't want to dampen his spirits and give him reason to worry. "Just thinking about Harry," she said calmly. "His Aunt and Uncle are awful, you know." Draco sat down next to her and she lifted herself up to put her head in his lap. His fingers went right to her hair, combing them through her curly strands.
She saw one of Draco's eyebrows quirk up at her remark. "Really?" he said, sounding genuinely surprised.
Hermione nodded and laced her hands together on her chest. "He doesn't really talk about it much, and we don't really ask questions. But I've seen them before and they just… You can tell they're never happy to have him back. Now he has to spend all these weeks there, alone. I've just been hoping he's alright, you know?"
It was Draco's turn to nod and she could tell he was uncomfortable with the conversation topic. She sat up quickly and brushed away her hair from her face.
"Come on," she said abruptly. "Maybe we can help Andromeda with lunch or something."
They had just finished eating lunch when it happened. Andromeda was starting the dishes, Ted was wiping down the counters and putting the leftovers away and Hermione and Draco were clearing the table when there was a knock at the door. All four of them froze, each pair glancing at one another. Together, the four of them clambered into the living room and ambushed the front door. Andromeda's hand clasped around the knob and yanked open the door. To their surprise, Tonks stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
After a long moment of silence Tonks said jokingly, "Are you going to let me in or are you all just going to stand there?"
Andromeda and Ted shuffled aside, allowing Tonks to step over the threshold. Her mother rushed her to the living room, and Hermione, Ted and Draco followed the two. Draco found Hermione's hand as they walked side by side, and pulled her down onto the couch with him. Tonks sighed heavily and toyed with her wand. "So, there's some good news and some bad news…"
"Good news first," Draco blurted out. Hermione whipped her head around at him but he ignored her, his gaze fixed on Tonks. Andromeda and Ted had turned to look at him too.
"Alright then," Tonks breathed. "Erm… Narcissa has agreed to change her allegiance and was granted protection by the Order as well. They don't know where she'll be staying at yet, so for now she'll remain where she is."
Hermione's heart was already pounding in her chest at this news. It was...wonderful that Narcissa had accepted and joined their side. But she hadn't missed the absence of Lucius' name, and it was this little detail that sent her heart into a panic. What was the bad news then?
A muffled sob came from where Andromeda was sitting. When Hermione looked over, she saw Andromeda leaning forward with her hands clasped over her mouth. Ted was rubbing his hand up and down her back. Draco was stiff next to her, his hand gripping hers more firmly now. His jaw was set, and she watched the lump in his throat bob as he swallowed. "And my father?"
Tonks' face fell and she gave Draco an apologetic look. "He...said he wasn't ready to change his allegiance yet." Andromeda gave an audible gasp, and Ted looked anxiously back and forth between Draco and his daughter. Hermione felt the grip on her hand tighten, pain radiating up to her wrist.
"Draco..." she whispered.
He glanced down and let go of her hand immediately. His attention turned back to Tonks. "What's going to happen to him then?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I doubt you lot would just let him go crawling back to his dear old Master!"
Hermione winced as his voice rose towards the end. She laid a hand on his thigh and gave it a squeeze. "He's going to a different safe house. He'll be kept guard by members of the Order at all times," Tonks informed him.
The silence that settled over the five of them was suffocating. No one wanted to speak. Tonks was staring awkwardly around the room, still fiddling with her wand. Draco sat as still as a statue. Hermione mumbled about making tea and Ted followed her. She was thankful for his presence in the kitchen, as he was the only other neutral party in the ordeal. He stayed close to her and when they were waiting for the kettle to heat up, he placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Are you alright?"
She nodded, glancing out towards the living room. She could see Draco's blonde head from here, and Andromeda still in a state of shock in the armchair. "This isn't going to be easy for him," she said finally. "Why didn't his father make the same decision as his mum? Why couldn't Draco have just this one thing?" She was surprised at the amount of hurt and anger in her voice.
Ted stared at her with furrowed brows and a frown. "I wish I had an answer for you, Hermione. For Draco. But the only person who has the answer is his father." He was staring out at the living room now, where Draco, Andromeda and Tonks sat in silence. "But he'll be okay," he said quietly.
Hermione looked at him, perplexed. Draco's hopes were just crushed moments ago, and here Ted was, saying he would okay. After everything Draco had been through already, she didn't know how much he could take. "How do you know that?" she challenged.
Ted shook his head, chuckled to himself and smiled at her. "Because he has you," he said simply before picking up the tray of tea they had now prepared and returned to the living room.
Immediately upon her return to the living room, Draco had stood up and announced he needed some air. Hermione had followed him to the door and grabbed him by arm, spinning him around to face her. "Draco-"
"Just...give me a bit, please," he said quietly. His jaw was quivering and much as she wanted to refuse and go with him, she nodded and stepped back.
"I'll come out to check on you in a few hours, okay?" she said. He nodded and left through the front door with a soft click. Hermione sighed at the door and turned around to the other three. Andromeda still looked shocked, though some of the color was coming back to her face. Tonks and Ted were talking by the doorway to the kitchen. Hermione gave herself the task of cleaning up the untouched teacups, and brushed past father and daughter to deposit the dishes in the sink. She took out her wand, waved it over her mug of tea and watched as steam began to rise.
When she looked out the kitchen window, she could see Draco strolling towards the pond. She frowned at his retreating figure and brought the tea to her lips. The warm liquid slid down her throat, immediately soothing her nerves. A moment later, Ted came up beside her and watched Draco sit down by the bank. "When are you going to go and talk to him?" he said, nudging her in the arm.
"A few hours," she said hoarsely. "He's pretty angry right now; he doesn't listen very well when he's like this." She let out a small laugh and shook her head.
Ted looked concerned and glanced out the window for a moment longer before tearing away and saying, "I'm going to check on Dromeda. Just...keep an eye on Draco until you go out to talk to him, yeah?"
After Hermione had finished her tea, she went upstairs to her and Draco's bedroom to perch herself on their bed and watch him through the window. After several minutes had passed, and Draco was still sitting by the bank of the pond, she pulled out the book on defensive spells and jinxes and settled in for a refresher on the subject. As she flipped open to the first chapter, she made a point to remind herself to tell Draco she wanted to teach him some of the spells and jinxes in there. If he was going to stay with the Order, it'd be beneficial for them all if he had a wider range of defense.
She read on until she reached the end of the fourth chapter. She checked her watch. It was nearing dinner time. She shut the book, glanced out the window to find that Draco hadn't moved in the slightest, and slid off the bed. As she walked downstairs, the smell of roasting chicken filled her nostrils and her stomach grumbled. Andromeda was standing in the kitchen as expected, however Ted was nowhere in sight. "Do you need any help?" she asked upon her entrance.
Andromeda turned and looked at her; Hermione saw that her eyes were red-rimmed. The older witch turned away from her again. Hermione heard her sniffle. "Sure," she said. "Why don't you set the table? Dinner is nearly ready."
Hermione did as she was asked, retrieving three plates from the cabinet and cutlery from the drawer. She wanted to grab a fourth set, but she doubted Draco would be joining them. Andromeda seemed to have read her mind because she said, "I've asked Ted to go out and ask Draco if he's hungry."
"Right," Hermione said and went on about her business, setting the table and fetching their drinks. She prepped the salad while Andromeda monitored the vegetables. From the window over the sink, Hermione could see Ted crouching down to talk to Draco.
"So, erm, how are you...how do you feel about all this?" she asked, unable to hold her inquiry a second longer.
Andromeda paused, the wooden spoon hovering over the pan of sizzling vegetables. Her features looked conflicted as her mouth opened and closed several times, no words coming out. Finally, she looked up at Hermione and said, "I'm happy. Really, I am. It's...it's a step in the right direction for her. But I'm a bit scared... Do you understand?" she paused, bit her lip and gave Hermione an embarrassed sort of smile. "If she's placed here, we'll have our fair share of issues to overcome. And well...it's not a given that she'll want to."
Hermione didn't quite know what to say. She felt like she had exhausted the phrases, 'It'll be okay', 'Everything will work out', and 'It'll be fine'; they seemed to be losing their meaning quickly. So instead, she went for, "I can imagine." She stopped what she was doing, the tongs for the salad clutched in her hand. "I'm a bit nervous too. I mean, like you said, if she's placed here…"
Andromeda smiled sadly at her then looked out the window at Draco and Ted, both still sitting by the pond. Hermione watched with her, her heart heavy in her chest. She heard Andromeda breath in sharply before she said, "I feel bad for Draco, too. This can't be easy for him." She chuckled softly. "Well, I guess this is one of those times where you just have to take it one day at a time. But we'll manage."
"We really should stop doing this, you know," she said thoughtfully as she stood next to him as he sat in the grass. He looked up at her quizzically, then eyeing the blanket and basket she carried in her arms.
He stood up and said, "Doing what?"
"Pushing each other away at first," she said quietly, setting down the blanket and basket. "It never does us any good, does it?" Draco looked out towards the pond, staring at the setting sun beyond the hills. When he didn't answer, she continued, "I know you've sat out here for the last few hours torturing yourself with questions you don't have answers to."
When he still didn't answer, she took the blanket and unfolded it. Next she reached for the basket and pulled out, one by one, at least fifteen glass jars containing blue flames. She sat down and patted the space next to her. Draco followed suit, but was still refusing to look at her, or speak. Finally, after what felt like an eternity he said in a hollow sort of voice, "How do you know?"
"Because it's what I did after we sent my parents away." she murmured, her heart aching at the thought of them. "When you can't change something, we torture ourselves with trying to understand why. Why does Voldemort hate muggles so much? Why am I a muggle-born? Why did it have to be my parents who got sent away? Why did any of it happen and why couldn't it just be different?
"But you didn't have the answers. Nobody did. And it took me a few days to realize that. The point is, you may never know why something is the way it is, but life doesn't stop for you to figure it out. Your dad chose not to join the Order, and you have every right to be upset and angry, but your mum did choose to join the Order, and there's a very good chance she could end up staying here. And then of course, there's every obstacle this war is going to throw our way." She heaved a deep breath when she was finally done with her speech, and looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
"So what?" he snorted harshly. "I'm just supposed to accept that I'm not good enough for my father then?"
"Don't say that," she said, laying a hand on his arm. "You are-"
"Hermione, if I was a good enough reason to leave that...Gods, I don't know how one could call it a life, he would have agreed just like my mum did," he said vehemently. He sat next to her with his legs bent and his arms resting on his knees.
"Maybe your father will change his mind," she offered, though she knew it would do little to console him. She inhaled sharply before she said, "Don't push away your mum, Draco. Don't ignore that happiness because of your father's decision."
He nodded, and still he stared out at the pond and the setting sun. Hermione didn't bother to say anything more on the subject. Instead she scooted closer, looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. For a moment he remained stiff, then he let his body relax and he turned his head to kiss the top of hers. He buried his face in her hair and whispered, "I'm glad I have you."
"You always will," she replied.
They sat in silence for a while, watching the sun get lower and lower, closer to the horizon. The sky was starting to turn a dark blue, and the faintest hints of stars could be seen straight above. The chirping of bugs filled the air, and the warm summer breeze rustled through the grass. Draco let his head rest against hers, and slipped his free hand into hers. She had no idea how long they sat like that for, but it wasn't until long after the sun had gone down that she shivered and suggested they go inside. He helped her pack up the blanket and the jars of flames and with his hand in hers, they made their way back to the house.
Just as she and Draco walked back inside the house, they heard a knock at the front door. They exchanged perplexed glances and each grabbed their wands from their pockets. Draco stepped in front of her, to which Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped around him so they stood side-by-side. When they reached the front door, Draco peered through the peephole. He let out an audible gasp and leapt back. Hermione looked round at him in alarm. "Who is it?" she asked, sounding nervous.
Draco didn't answer her, however. Instead, he reached out for the doorknob and yanked it open. Hermione's jaw dropped and she almost lost her grip on her wand. Her breath seemed to escape her as she took in the figure of Narcissa Malfoy standing in the doorway, looking perfectly calm and collected. Not even a hair was out of the place.
"Hello, Draco," she said softly, her lips spreading into a thin smile.