A/N – A million thank-yous to everyone who has been reading, commenting, and kudoing this story. I love the interactions and excitement as the plot progresses!
The next chapter is titled The Return of Summer and will be posted 5/24
June
Year 6
Tick
Tick
Tick
Hermione's eyes fixed on the hand of the clock as the seconds ticked by. Each moment that passed felt like a drop of sand in an hourglass.
"I've heard back from my father." Draco's voice was barely audible. "It's any day now."
"Do you remember our first kiss?" she asked suddenly, still staring at the clock.
The back of Draco's hand traced her neck gently, a ripple of goosebumps forming beneath his touch.
"Our first kiss?" he mused, his voice light. "Barely." He gave her a half grin. "It's been a few years, after all."
Reaching up behind him, her fingers laced into his hair. "You're teasing me."
"Of course, I remember our first kiss," he scoffed. "I could never forget that night."
"I was so scared," she confessed, her wide eyes meeting his.
After a beat, he replied, "Me too."
"I didn't think you would kiss me."
"Me either."
An impish grin danced across her cheeks. "You didn't think you would kiss me?"
"Absolutely not," he stated firmly. "I was merely a victim of your beauty and charm that night."
"I'm glad you did."
Stroking her hair affectionately, he placed a kiss on her temple. "Me too."
They settled into the silence.
"After our kiss, I went right to Theo's room."
Her lips quirked. "What did he say?"
"He asked me how it felt."
"To kiss me?"
"Yes."
"And why would he ask that first?"
The faintest colouring set on his cheeks. "Theo and Blaise teased me mercilessly for years; the bond made me act out in the early days and it was a little more than obvious that I fancied you…even if I couldn't admit it to myself. I think Theo's exact words were 'so how did it feel to finally kiss your witch?'"
She could not resist asking, "What did you say?"
Draco's stormy grey eyes drifted across her. "Magic."
"You did not." She playfully swatted at him. "That's what I told you it felt like after our duel. You're just copying my story."
He looked at her seriously. "I swear to Merlin, that's what I said."
"Magic," she murmured.
"And then I told him I'd just had my last first kiss."
The words filled her chest, making her feel like she might burst.
"…and then I didn't sleep for a month," he laughed out. "I knew I would never be able to go back."
"Back?"
"I knew I would never be the same," he corrected himself, "And that was terrifying. It would've been much simpler if you had been a bad kisser."
"Not on your life." She angled her head down to meet his, kissing his lips. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her back against his chest, settling her between his thighs.
"My beautiful witch," he murmured against her neck, his hot breath causing her to curl her toes in response.
Hermione found herself watching the clock again, the seconds ticking by.
"Tell me a story," she prompted. "A happy story about a witch and a wizard who fall in love and…it all ends up okay."
He tucked his head against her shoulder, pressing his cheek to her as he took a moment to think.
"Once upon a time, there was a brilliant and beautiful witch. She was born to parents who wanted her and loved her more than anything else in the world. They always knew that she was special and gifted, so when a witch from Hogwarts arrived with a letter one day, they were hardly surprised."
"What the little witch didn't know was that over in Wiltshire, there was a young wizard reading the same letter. For his entire life, he had known that he had magic, but he always felt a Pull that he could not explain. He tried to act brave on his first train ride to Hogwarts, even though he had never been far from home."
Hermione smiled, snuggling herself further into him.
"When the door to his train compartment opened, he saw the little witch standing there, and he found the piece he never knew was missing. She was fearless and, even though she was smaller than him, she towered over the wizard. Everything about her left him breathless and desperate for more."
"It took years before the git—I mean, the young wizard," he continued as she laughed, "gathered the courage to kiss the little witch. From that moment on, he knew there would never be anyone else. She was it for him."
Draco's voice shifted, becoming low and soft. "They grew together; they laughed until their stomachs hurt, ate until they were rendered immobile, and loved until they thought they couldn't possibly love any more. One day, there came a time where they would have to part. It broke the wizard's heart to say goodbye, but he knew it would not be forever."
"Every second of every day and night, the wizard missed his witch, but they were not alone. They had the red string of fate tying them together, joining them as one. Whenever the little witch felt sad, she could tug on the string and know that he was there with her."
His fingers laced between hers as he raised her hand to his lips.
"When the world was right and the pain had left, they were finally reunited. The wizard knew he would never have to say goodbye to the witch again; they were finally safe. They made a home together and filled it with love and millions of happy moments."
She sighed against him, feeling the rumble of his voice against her back.
"They had a wedding in the spring with the ceremony in the gardens filled with camellias. No peacocks were invited—though one managed to sneak in due to unforeseen circumstances."
Hermione closed her eyes, imagining a white dress, a suit, and the Manor gardens.
"Their love grew and grew until it couldn't fit in just two people anymore, so it expanded into a family. They had little babies with brown hair and grey eyes, and curls that melted the wizard's heart. The day their Hogwarts letters came was bittersweet, for the witch and wizard were proud of their children but sad to let them go out on their own into the world."
Tears flooded her eyes and she tried to blink them away.
"Because of their sacrifices, they knew that they had left the world a better place for their children than it had been for them. Their babies grew up in a world where it was safe to learn and love. When the witch and wizard said goodbye to their children on the train platform, they knew that every sacrifice and difficult moment had been worth it because it brought them to their happily ever after."
Turning around, she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love that story," she replied, her voice breaking softly.
"Me too, love." Draco pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes. "And just think, we're almost to the best part."
Tick
Tick
Tick
"Harry's been looking into memories with Dumbledore."
Draco stilled, watching her carefully as she took a deep breath.
"I can't tell you much, but Voldemort's immortal. He ripped his soul into pieces."
The words rang in his ears; he was dumbstruck, unable to form words.
"It's dark magic." Her eyes shone with worry. "The darkest form. We need to destroy the pieces before he can die. I don't know what's going to happen at the end of this year but Draco…"—she took his hand in hers—"if Harry asks me to go with him, I'm going to go."
"Go where?" he croaked, his throat feeling like sandpaper.
"Anywhere." She stroked the top of his hand with her thumb, trying to comfort him. "Harry needs me."
"I need you." The phrase felt pathetic on his lips.
Her eyelids fluttered shut. "You have me. After…" She faltered; they avoided talking about the task directly as a form of distancing themselves. "After the end of this year, you'll be at the Manor. If he needs me, I have a bag prepared with supplies. I'm ready."
"A bag? You'll need more than a bag of supplies to defeat the Dark Lord." His brow creased with worry.
Giving him a small smile, Hermione said, "I found a spell in the pocketbook. It's not technically legal but it's an extension charm for my bag. It's practically the size of a room. I have packed clothes, healing potions, and plenty of supplies for us for months."
"Months…" he echoed as it settled into his chest. "You could be gone an entire year. What if you run out of supplies? What if you have to leave quickly and you can't take the bag?"
"We will have plenty. I have it with me all the time in case of emergency," she assured him.
He looked to her, his eyes shining with worry. "You have Pinky, anytime you need him. Please," Draco begged, "call him for anything. If there is anything that he can do to help you guys, just call him. He can find you anywhere. Elf magic isn't traceable like regular magic, so the risk is practically nonexistent."
Hermione gave him a gentle smile that did not reach her eyes. "If I need him, I'll call him. Thank you."
"What are we doing?" he asked helplessly, his shoulders sagging. "I'm assisting Death Eaters and you're chasing down and destroying fragments of a dark wizard's soul."
"What were Dumbledore's words?" she asked, her tone bitter. "Playing our part in something that has been in motion since before our conception."
"I want to leave."
The words were dangerous to speak aloud.
"Draco," she hesitated, her throat seizing.
"I want to leave and run away with you." His words were desperate, heartbreaking. "We can find somewhere to stay and never have to worry about this war or anyone else. I have access to my trust—we can drain the vault and run. We can be us without all of this."
"You know that we can't." Tears threatened to spill over. "The prophecies—"
"Fuck the prophecies!" Voice exploding in frustration, his hands gripped his hair. "I'm sick and tired of feeling like every decision is made for me and I'm just forced to accept it. I don't know how—"
His words caught in his throat at the look on her face.
"I'm sorry." As she blanched, she spoke, her voice barely audible. "You have a choice. You're not forced to accept me."
A look of horror ghosted across his face. "No, no, Hermione, that's not what I meant." He scrambled frantically. "I didn't mean you, never you. I mean the task, my parents, the Death Eaters, the Pureblood societal expectations. I didn't mean you."
"But the bond"—her voice cracked, thick with emotion—"it took away your choice."
Cupping her cheeks with his palms, he searched her eyes. "I didn't need the binding to tell me that you are my soulmate. It's something I just feel in every part of me." He quoted her words back softly, "In any life, I would want you. In any version of us, I would love you. In any reality, I would choose you."
Draco pulled her into his lap, and he wrapped himself around her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered over and over again. "I love you. I'm so sorry."
Tick
Tick
Tick
"It's midnight," Hermione murmured, pinning Draco to the bed beneath her. "No more trace for you. Happy birthday, love. This year is going to be your best year yet."
Letting out a sleepy groan, Draco hooked an arm around her waist and dropped a lazy kiss on her shoulder. "Are you my gift?"
She moved into his touch, pushing his hair out of his eyes; her hand rested on his cheek. "I must've forgotten my bow in Gryffindor Tower," she teased.
"I'd take it right off," he quipped. "No need for the frills."
"You're insatiable." She pushed against him playfully.
Shifting beneath her, he grasped her hips with his hands and flipped her, nudging himself between her thighs. "I don't know how much time we have left."
His honesty ached in her chest.
As he kissed her, she tasted his salty tears on her lips.
Tick
Tick
Tick
That Friday, when he entered the Room of Requirement—their place—the look on his face told her everything she needed to know before he said a single word. His cheeks were ashen, and his eyes were stained red.
Without another thought, Hermione pulled him into an embrace so tight she could barely breathe.
Inevitable.
The word drifted into her mind, and she felt a rush of anger course through her. They had been forced into an impossible situation, underequipped and underprepared for the realities of the task. No matter what, she would side with Draco.
He was as much a part of her as she was of him; their bond intertwined their souls and magic as one.
There was no guarantee that anything would go as planned. In fact, with his veiled comments and vague hints, Dumbledore had shared little information with the pair.
Only three things were certain. Tonight, Death Eaters would breach Hogwarts, Dumbledore would die, and Draco would be taken back to the Manor where Voldemort was stationed.
"I wish I could go with you," her voice cracked.
"No." Draco clutched a hand against the back of her head protectively, his head tucked against her neck. "That's the only good thing about this plan. That you'll be here." She felt him swallow. "Safe."
"I want you to be safe," she argued, her lips quivering as she fought back tears. "I want you to be here."
His breath heated her skin and she nuzzled into him further. "I'll be safe. I have my parents." He sounded unconvinced. "I'll have the journal—"
"No!" Hermione's voice was panicked. "You can't use the journal around them. We can use the rings but not the journal, if they found it—" Her breath hitched. "You would be in danger. They would know everything."
"I won't use it until it's safe," he promised, pressing a kiss to her neck. "I would never forgive myself if you were harmed."
"I love you." She felt small.
The words felt small.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you enough, but I love you. I would do anything for you."
The seconds ticked by; her tears fell freely as she committed each sensation to memory.
"I don't want to let go," she admitted, her voice strained as a wave of tears shuddered through her. "I don't want to say goodbye."
"If anything happens—"
Hermione's head shook quickly. "No," she sniffled, holding a finger up to his lips. "Nothing's going to happen."
"But if it does," his voice was barely a whisper. "I just want you to know that I'd do everything again, every moment of it." His fingers tucked into her hair. "I loved every moment of it."
She broke down, her chest racking with sobs as he held her.
"I can't do this. I don't know how to do this without you."
"You don't have to do this without me." Smiling with tear stained cheeks, he intertwined their fingers and placed a kiss to her heart. "I'm always with you."
Tick
Tick
Tick
Hermione could not recall the walk back to Gryffindor Tower or climbing into her bed. Her legs felt so unsteady that she marvelled how she was able to walk at all. The memory was hazy in her mind, clouded by the tears that refused to fall and all she could feel was numb.
"Love, you have to leave now." His voice was so quiet she nearly believed she imagined it. "They'll be here soon."
She kissed him with everything she had. All the love, frantic hope, darkest fear, and sweetest wish rushing out, uniting them one final time before he disappeared.
Their tears blended on their cheeks as the words died in her throat.
"I love you."
And when she felt she could hold on no longer, she let go.
Hermione's eyes unfocused as she stared blankly at the wall of her dorm room. The room was empty; somewhere in the back of her mind she considered that her dormmates must be at supper, though she had no concept of time outside of moments.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Any moment, in the Room of Hidden Things, Death Eaters would come through the cabinet.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Any moment, they would find Dumbledore patiently awaiting death in the Astronomy Tower.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Any moment, the Dark Mark would appear in the sky above Hogwarts.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Any moment, Draco would be swept from Hogwarts, back to the Manor where Voldemort would be waiting for him.
Though the room was warm with the summer air, she could not suppress the shivers that ran down her spine.
She hoped that when Draco found the Galleon she had slipped into his pocket, he would smile. The world seemed a brighter place when he smiled.
A flash of green shone from the window of her room as the Mark filled the sky. Her heartbeat flooded her eardrums as she forgot to breathe.
The pull faded in her chest, dulling her senses.
Draco had left Hogwarts.
The clock stopped.
"Did you know?" Harry's voice was dangerously low, his eyes hidden by his fringe as his head dipped.
"Harry, I—"
"Did. You. Know?"
Theo's eyes fluttered shut, his throat tight. "I'm so sorry."
His shoulders wilted. "So, this was the secret. You knew. You knew, and you didn't tell me. You didn't warn me."
"But—"
"I trusted Draco because of you, you know that, right? He helped me with Occlumency, and in the end, he was there too. He was with Snape when Snape—" He let out a sound resembling a laugh. "I can't believe I trusted him."
And you, the implication hung in the air.
"Harry, you have to understand, I couldn't—I didn't have a choice, I wanted to and—" Frantically, the words flooded out, desperate to explain.
Shaking his head slowly, he replied, "Theo, there's always a choice."
Theo's fingertips grazed Harry's cheek; Harry turned his head sharply away from the touch.
"Harry," Theo croaked, his throat scratched with the words. "Please look at me."
"I can't. Not when you—" Faltering, Harry's lower lip trembled. "I need time, Theo."
"Harry—"
"I can't."
"I love you." Theo's words broke, fracturing in the night air.
Harry's eyes grew cold. "Sometimes, love isn't enough," he muttered softly, pushing past Theo.
Following the echo of Harry's footsteps, Theo heard his heart crack just before he fell apart.
Hermione stared at the doorknob to her parents' house, her heart pounding so loudly it was all she could hear. After her last birthday, the trace was removed. With it, she was able to use magic at will, anywhere in the world. Technically, she could not use magic in front of Muggles; the standard procedure was to Obliviate the memory of magic from their mind to maintain the Statute of Secrecy.
Since she was planning on erasing her entire existence, there would be no need to Obliviate the moment from her parents' minds.
After spending an excruciating number of weeks fretting about how to keep them safe during the upcoming war, Hermione made the impossible decision to Obliviate them. It was the only way she could ensure they would not be found and tortured for information about her and Harry's whereabouts during their hunt for Horcruxes.
It was the worst thing she would ever have to do.
The thought of her parents forgetting her was crippling. Every moment, every memory, every bit of their lives together would be gone. Her first steps, the way she cried, the sound of her laugh, their traditions, her name… She closed her eyes, gathering the courage to turn the knob.
As an only child, Hermione spent her childhood loved and cherished by her parents. Truth be told, they may have spoiled her, allowing her to fill her room with books and anything toy her heart desired.
She reminisced on the day they received her Hogwarts letter from Professor McGonagall, the look of pride and relief in her parents' eyes when they realised that their daughter was a witch. Years of inexplicable situations and accidental magic explained in mere seconds.
After that first visit from Professor McGonagall, her parents took Hermione out for celebratory ice cream where she tried a new flavour, mocha, which became her new favourite. She forever connected the taste to pure happiness, to celebration, and to family.
That memory would be wiped from their minds, potentially forever.
Hermione was confident in her magical abilities in the classroom, but she had no experience with long-term effects of Obliviation on the mind. It was possible they might not be able to have their memories restored and would forever forget that they had a daughter. The thought of losing them permanently caused tears to burn in her eyes, filling her stomach with nausea.
She would be without Draco, without her parents, and the pain of that paralyzed her.
With a steadying breath, she turned the doorknob.
"Oh!" her mother exclaimed from across the room, hurrying over to pull her into a warm hug. "Hermione, love, you're home early! William, Hermione's home!"
From over her mother's shoulder, Hermione scanned the living room suspiciously; the wall-to-wall built-in bookcases were packed away into brown cardboard boxes, scattered around the room. The furniture was pushed up and away from its normal position, the blankets and pillows nowhere to be found.
"What's…what's going on?" she asked nervously, her pulse racing beneath her skin. "Why are you packing?"
"Hermione." Her father gave her a bright smile, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "We weren't expecting you until next week."
"There was a…" The words stuck in her throat. "They ended early this year, by a week. I figured I would surprise you."
Her parents shared a look, a habit developed after decades together, their own form of silent communication.
"We would have come to pick you up if we had known." Her mother placed her hands on her hips disapprovingly. "I know that you're an adult now but—"
"It's okay, Mum. I passed my Apparition exam; I didn't have to travel by motorway."
Jean and William Granger enveloped Hermione into a three-way hug. "I know that you had been nervous for your examination, but we never had a single doubt. We are so proud of you!" her father gushed. "You are really growing up."
Guilt itched at her relentlessly, crawling beneath her skin, reminding her of how this would soon be gone.
"Why are you packing?" She eyed the boxes, taking note of the pair of apprehensive looks on her parents' faces.
"We wanted to tell you earlier, but it's all happened so quickly," her father explained with a twist of his hands. "Your mother and I received this letter just last week. We talked about it and, after a long deliberation, we decided to take it. With you at Hogwarts during the year, there really is nothing keeping us here."
"Take…it?" she echoed in confusion.
A letter was thrust into her hands. "It's perfect timing, really," her mother insisted. "I can't believe our luck. I published a paper back in the day on dental care and techniques in rural communities and how the diets of those patients impact their recovery process and infection rate post-surgery. Apparently, the paper was archived and uncovered by this research corporation that has a generous fund." She continued, her excitement evident. "They offered to support the research. It's in another country. We aren't allowed to share the location until the data has been peer reviewed and published."
Hermione's head was swirling. "What?"
"All travel and relocation expenses are covered! They're paying a substantial stipend with great benefits, and your father and I will get to work on our passions in a new practice together. We didn't want to derail you at school, knowing your end of year exams were coming up," she explained, "but we won't go if you don't want us to leave."
Fiddling with the paper, she scanned the details. It was everything her mother had explained. Her eyes widened at the sums of pounds assigned for the project. At the bottom of the page, there was a name that caught her eye.
Etamin Research Corporation.
Her knees felt weak beneath her; Etamin was the brightest star in the constellation of Draco. As he had not warned her before leaving Hogwarts, it meant only one thing.
Narcissa Malfoy was protecting her parents.
Tears spilled over her lids, trailing down her cheeks as she took her mother in her arms, barely able to speak with gratitude.
She would not have to Obliviate her parents.
"Honey?" Her father's worried voice came from behind her as she squeezed her mother tighter.
"I'm so happy for you," Hermione pushed the words out, unable to process the magnitude of emotions that passed over her. "This is a perfect opportunity. You have to take it."
"We will be in the middle of nowhere," her mother emphasized. "There is no cellular or landline access. It will be completely off the grid for nearly a year, and we won't have the ability to come home for the holidays."
Relief flooded through her veins. "That's okay," she insisted. "We have a lifetime to spend together after this year. Like you said, I'll be safe at school next year."
William's lips spread into a wide smile. "That's our girl. We will be back in time to pick you up at the station from your last day at Hogwarts. We are so proud of you."
"I love you." The tears dried on her cheeks, chilling them. "I'm going to send a quick message to Harry about the good news, okay?"
Hermione had rented an owl for the day to send a message to Harry after Obliviating her parents. Instead, she used the owl for a different reason.
Scribbling quickly on a piece of parchment, she tied it to the owl's leg, "To Narcissa Malfoy at Malfoy Manor," she instructed. "No one else."
The owl hooted softly; it was a regular plain barn owl and would attract no attention on its journey.
It carried an unsigned message in the parchment—in simple script, it read, Thank you.