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CHAPTER THIRTY: 2002
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Hermione groaned when she felt a familiar nuzzling against her neck. She leaned into the touch, rubbing her cheek affectionately against the warmth right next to her. She smiled. He never failed to wake her up in the sweetest, gentlest way.
She reached a lazy arm up towards the source of her daily morning cuddles, threading her fingers through soft, fine tresses. Several quick kisses landed all over her face in response, making her giggle.
"Okay. Okay! I get it, Romeo… I'm up!"
She pushed herself up off the bed, rubbing her fingers under his chin, listening to him purr in context. "Good morning." She greeted the feline with a bop on his nose. "Oh, I mean good afternoon!" She chuckled when she caught sight of the clock. It was already half past two.
Hermione grabbed her wand off the bedside table, squinting at the sunlight streaming through her windows before heading out of her room. She yawned, stretching her arms up in the air as she stalked through the carpeted hallway. She rounded a corner, stepping down a set of stairs, only then realizing she'd forgotten her slippers. The cold marble floor made her wince.
Casting a quick warming charm on the soles of her feet, she made her way to the kitchen. She stopped by the living room, taking a moment to turn on the brand new stereo Ginny installed just the other day. She shook her head. Ever since she introduced the redhead to muggle technology, she made it a point to update herself with the latest gadgets, ceaselessly fascinated by them.
She turned the player on; surprised by the surround sound as it powered up. She glanced around, noticing several adjunct speakers positioned on each top corner of the room. She sighed. When did Ginny even find the time to do all this? She pressed the play button on the device, grinning at the familiar beat that reached her ears.
Lucy Liu
With my girl, Drew
Cameron D and Destiny
Charlie's Angels, come on
Hermione bopped her head to the music, singing along as she stepped into the kitchen to make tea.
Question, tell me what you think about me
I buy my own diamonds and I buy my own rings
Only ring your celly when I'm feelin' lonely
When it's all over please get up and leave
She fired up the kettle, swaying to the beat. She knew the lyrics by heart now with all the times Ginny had the song on repeat. She chuckled to herself.
Question, tell me how you feel about this
Try to control me, boy, you get dismissed
Pay my own fun, oh, and I pay my own bills
Always fifty-fifty in relationships
Hermione started dancing in earnest when her favorite part of the song started. She pointed towards her bare feet, her matching Winnie the Pooh pajamas, and her jewelry free fingers, doing her and Ginny's dance routine to the song.
The shoes on my feet, I bought it
The clothes I'm wearing, I bought it
The rock I'm rockin', I bought it
'Cause I depend on me if I want it
She laughed out loud at how silly she must have looked. She turned off the stove, moving towards the cupboards to grab a mug. She took out a packet of English breakfast tea, steeping it while she continued to sing out loud.
All the women, who independent
Throw your hands up at me
All the honeys, who making money
Throw your hands up at me
She walked to the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of milk to add a dash of it into her tea. She tapped the edge of her mug with her wand, making the liquid swirl.
All the mommas, who profit dollars
Throw your hands up at me
All the ladies, who truly feel me
Throw your hands up at me
She took it in her hands, blowing against the steam, testing the temperature with a quick sip. She hummed in approval, pulling out the tea bag to drop it in the trash when the doorbell rang. She sighed. This was one of the most annoying things about living in a muggle residential neighborhood. There were way too many door-to-door salespeople.
She placed her mug on the island, stashing her wand inside the pocket of her pajama pants as she made her way out the kitchen. She paused in her steps the moment she caught sight of Romeo clawing at the front door. "Hey…" She made her way to him, crouching down to scratch the back of his ear. "What's wrong?"
"Meow!"
She flinched when Romeo whirled towards her, kneading against her knees eagerly, looking up at her with wide, shinning eyes before leaning his paws back onto the wood once again. She furrowed her brows, standing up look into the peephole to check–
She drew herself back as if she'd been scalded, needing a minute to process what she think she saw on the other side of the door. She pressed her hands onto the wood, leaning forward slowly, holding her breath as she took another peek.
The back of a head.
A ponytail.
Platinum blonde locks.
Hermione held her breath. There was no way it was… She shook her head. There were plenty of people who had hair that shade of blonde. Bleaching was pretty common nowadays.
She looked down at Romeo, watching as he continuously purred and mewled at her; all the while scratching at the door impatiently. She recoiled at the ring of the doorbell once again, swallowing down the thunderous beating of her heart, shifting forward one more time to look through the–
Silver.
Her breath hitched as she spun around, placing a hand against her chest. She leaned back against the door gingerly to support herself, forgetting how to breathe entirely.
Those mercury orbs could only belong to one person.
I wanna thank you for giving me time to breathe
Like a rock, you waited so patiently
While I got it together, oh
While I figured it out
She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sound of Christina Aguilera's voice as she tried to make sense of what was happening exactly. There was no way he was standing right outside her door right this bloody moment. There was just no fucking way!
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for giving it to me
"Shut up, Christina!" She whispered in exasperation as she raised her free hand towards the direction of the stereo. She needed to think. She need to do something. She needed to– What the fuck was she supposed to do?! His last letter didn't mention anything about this!
They say if you love something, let it go
If it comes back it's yours
That's how you know
It's for keeps, yeah, it's for sure
And you're ready and willin' to give me more
Two consecutive rings of the doorbell snapped her out of her thoughts. She swallowed, still not knowing what to do. Why the hell was he here? Now. Without so much as a warning?
"Meow!"
Hermione flinched when Romeo bumped against her ankle, reaching a paw out to grab onto the hem of her pajamas, pulling at it. She ran her hands through her hair, hurriedly patting down her cheeks, just now realizing how ridiculous she must have looked at the moment.
Shit.
Shit this was happening.
Fuck!
Why couldn't he have given her a bloody signal for once?! A heads up would have been nice damn it! What the hell was going through that thick skull of his?! She huffed.
She should have known by now that it was impossible to try and read someone like Draco Malfoy.
Hermione took a deep breath in, steeling herself as much as she could, turning the locks on the door before holding onto the knob. She exhaled slowly, taking a few more seconds to prepare herself. Bloody hell she wasn't ready for this! Why did she choose now of all days to oversleep?!
She grit her teeth, mumbling the rest of her complaints under her breath, allowing herself to fidget in place one last time to let out her frustrations. She tightened her hold on the metal knob, bracing herself as she pulled the door open.
Words weren't enough to explain what his eyes did to her; especially in this light with the sun's rays reflecting against them, filling her with a warmth that seemed to reach all the way to the depths of her soul.
Draco's lips parted at the sight of her. Any and all apprehensions faded the moment his eyes landed on hers; unable to fight the smile that inched all the way up his face.
She was clad in matching yellow Winnie the Pooh pajamas, bare faced and bare footed, staring at him with wide brown eyes that looked more cinnamon under the afternoon light. Her curls were just up to her shoulders now, and were no longer as unruly as he remembered them to be.
"Hi." He breathed out; not sure if he wanted to explode into a million pieces or melt into a puddle on the floor. He just…
He's never felt so weak and high both at the same time.
Hermione blinked at the entirety of him; not quite able to find her voice. "Hi." She answered back, sounding more like an exhale than an actual word.
His hair was much longer now, probably reaching past his shoulders if it hadn't been tied. His skin wasn't as pale as it had been, sporting a healthy flush and a slight tan; all the more emphasizing his platinum locks. But the biggest change of all was his physique.
Where's all my soul sistas?
Lemme hear ya'll flow, sistas
Hey sista, go sista, soul sista, flow sista
He was wearing a denim jacket over a plain white shirt, and dark gray slacks; but she could tell he was no longer skinny. If the outline of his chest against the fabric of his shirt was any indication, she was willing to bet he'd gotten quite fit.
He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge
Struttin' her stuff on the street
She said, "Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?"
She knew he was tall, but had he always been this tall? And were his shoulders really that broad? She felt her mouth go dry as she blinked once. Twice. Taking him in. He was… He looked…
Holy mother of fuck.
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Draco pressed his lips together to stop himself from chuckling at the openmouthed expression on her face. "Uh… I apologize for dropping by without sending word first. I was-"
Hermione snapped out of her trance when she saw something pop out of the Louis Vuitton bag he carried in one hand. She blinked at the identical looking Tuxedo cat that rushed through the door, barreling into its twin. She turned towards Romeo and Juliet, watching as they excitedly but affectionately swiped at one another to celebrate their reunion.
"So that's why Romeo was so excited…" She whispered to herself.
"Juliet's been scratching at the leather of her bag the moment I stepped onto your lawn." Draco chuckled at the scene before him. "He's grown a lot." He jutted his chin at Romeo, grinning at the playful pair. "He looks good."
Hermione turned her head towards him, watching as he eyed the cats affectionately.
Yes.
He definitely looked good.
"I uh… I know I came by without notice, so if this is a bad time, I can just-"
"No!" She cleared her throat, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "No, it's… Now is fine." There was no way she was letting him walk away from her. She glanced down at his hands, just now noticing the packages he was holding on to. "What are…?" She gestured towards them, prompting him to reach the bags out towards her.
"I didn't want to come by empty handed." He grinned sheepishly, incapable of taking his eyes off her. He scanned her face as she inspected the things he offered her, letting out a breath at the sight of her.
How was it possible for her to get even more beautiful in just over a year? The pajamas she had on weren't helping either. She looked so adorable it was downright criminal.
Hermione blinked at the items in his hands, not knowing how to respond. Japanese food. Glazed doughnuts. A bottle of red wine from Blaise's vineyard. The Valrhona dark chocolate she loved that Theo always brought her. She glanced up at him, unsure of what to respond. "Why did you…?"
Draco looked down at the bags in his hands, unable to run a hand through his hair or scratch at his face to hide his discomfort. He brought them along in the small chance she might slam the door to his face for the sudden visit. Having something to give her was the perfect excuse to drop by after all. "I didn't know what to get you." He settled on instead. "I hope you still like these?"
She nodded, eying his gifts in silence.
"Then… Could you maybe take some of them?" He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his throat. "My arms are starting to cramp."
"Sorry!" She rushed to grab some of them off his hands, blushing when she realized he had them stretched out towards her for quite some time now. "Uh… Come in." She moved aside, allowing him passage.
He nodded his thanks as he stepped through the door, pausing to take off his jacket and hang it against the coat rack.
Hermione blinked at the shifting muscles of his back as he shed off the layer of clothing. He was left in a plain white jumper that emphasized his arms, giving him an incredibly unfair advantage. She swallowed.
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
She snapped her head towards the stereo, rushing towards it to turn it off. She huffed. She seriously didn't need any more ideas in her head.
"Lady Marmalade."
She blinked at him in surprise. "You know this song?"
"Yeah. Pansy and Theo always sing it on karaoke." He sighed in exasperation. Thank Merlin for silencing charms. He didn't think he could take more than an hour of their tone deaf voices without murdering them. "The movie was nice."
Hermione felt her lips part at the image of the Slytherins doing KTV. Did Draco do it, too? Was he a good singer? A part of her wished he was, but perhaps it was better if he wasn't. She probably wouldn't be able to handle it if he was.
"Make yourself at home." She called out to him, suddenly unable to look him in the eye as she dropped the parcels onto the coffee table. "I just need a minute to um… change…" She pointed towards the stairs, moving up quickly when she saw him nod his agreement.
Hermione rushed into her room, slamming the door shut, leaning against it with a hand over her thundering heart. She couldn't believe it.
He was here.
He was here.
She looked down at herself, silently cursing at her choice of sleepwear. She rushed towards her closet, rummaging through it haphazardly, looking for something nice to wear.
Draco looked around the living room, settling down onto the cream colored settee across the fireplace. He eyed the space around him curiously, trying his best to catalogue the items within the vicinity, looking for any indication of a male presence. There weren't any by the front door. All of the items by the coat and shoe racks were feminine.
He leaned back onto the couch, thinking of all the times he agonized over gossip articles linking her with other men over the past year.
If I hear one more fucking Air Supply song, I'm going to incinerate your damn speakers!
He blinked at the memory of Theo screaming profanities at him for all the times he had All Out of Love on loop. He snorted. As if he didn't have The Backstreet Boys on repeat day in and day out! Sure their songs were catchy as fuck, and he learned to love a couple of them; but hearing them over and over was just sickening.
His eyes continued to scan the living room, fighting the urge to wander around the house. He really didn't want to ruin their first meeting by snooping around and invading her privacy. He sighed.
Was Hermione seeing someone at the moment?
He wished she wasn't; but if she was, then he really didn't want to overstep. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable; but he'd be lying if he said he was going to give up that easily.
At the very least, he hoped they could stay friends.
Even though he knew without question that he wanted more.
The sound of rushing footsteps made him turn towards the stairs, seeing her head down into the living room in a white strappy dress with matching sandals. She had a pearl clip on one side of her hair, sweeping it away from her eyes; short curls bouncing off the tops of her shoulders. He blinked at the blush on her cheeks, and the sheen on her lips, unable to fight the smile that bloomed on his face.
Did she dress up… for him? The thought made his heart do weird things in his chest.
"Uh… Would you like some tea?" Hermione tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling self-conscious. She didn't overdo it, did she?
"Yes, please." He continued to stare at her; a wide, goofy grin plastered on his face.
Hermione nodded at this, finding it difficult to look him in the eye. He used to smile so sparingly before; but now, it was as if his lips were molded that way permanently. She sighed. Was he going to do that more often? Because if he was, she seriously needed to prepare her heart.
She went to the kitchen, glad to have some reprieve away from him while she composed herself. She took slow, calming breaths as she waited for the water to boil, trying her best to keep herself in check.
She seriously needed to calm the fuck down.
She sent the tea set to the living room with a wave of her wand the moment it finished steeping. She had half a mind to occlude a bit of her nervous energy away, but decided against it.
Not this time.
Not anymore.
From now on, she would face him head on.
She made her way back to the living room just in time to see him preparing their tea. She took a moment to just look at him, feeling a strange, palpable… lightness in his demeanor. There was a calm in him that wasn't there before – an air of certainty and stability made him seem so utterly… grounded. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, feeling her chest tighten at the sight of him.
He looked healthy.
He looked… happy.
"Do you still take yours with just a dash of milk?"
She nodded at the question, clearing her throat as she moved towards the couch opposite of his. She watched him prepare his tea, noticing he took his without milk, and a lot of honey. She winced at the amount she saw him put in. It seemed he was still every bit the sweet tooth.
She continued to watch him in silence, listing out everything he's told her in his letters. She wanted to get answers to so many questions she had, but she didn't want to overwhelm him.
"So… How've you been?" Draco looked up at her, offering her some tea.
"Good…" She took the steaming cup in her hand. "I've been good. You?"
"Better." He answered, feeling a small smile crawl up one side of his cheek. "I'm better." He reiterated once again, pursing his lips to fight the broad grin threatening to engulf half of his face.
He didn't think he would ever get tired of saying those words out loud.
"That's good to hear." Hermione could feel her lips start to curl up at the sight of the lopsided grin on his face. It made him look so boyish, so charming, and just downright adorable. "Do you still run?" She threw him a questioning glance, settling on small talk for now.
"Yes." He stirred his cup of tea; not quite knowing what to do with his hands. "Almost every day."
"Theo wouldn't stop complaining about it. He said you and Blaise would always drag him along early in the mornings before the sun was even up."
I can't! I can't do this… Anymore! You guys… Go on… Without me!
It's barely been five minutes, Theo! Stop being so dramatic, and get off your ass!
Draco chuckled at the memory of their first jog together. "Let's just say he prefers something less… aerobic." He shrugged. What had been most surprising of all, was the fact that despite his occasional bouts of chain smoking, Blaise had shockingly good lungs.
"I'd have to agree with him on that." She nodded. "Ginny drags me out once a week to run as well. She said she'd keep me healthy in exchange for helping her learn how to cook."
I wasn't doing anything weird! Everything just suddenly went up in flames! I swear I'm not making this up!
She shook her head, remembering all the times Ginny decided to do something unsupervised in the kitchen.
"Cooking is boring." Draco rolled his eyes playfully, earning him a snort from the Gryffindor in front of him. "Baking is way more fun."
She knew it was one of his hobbies. He's written about it a few times in his letters. She didn't quite believe it until Theo outright claimed he was an excellent patissier. To earn that compliment from the Nott heir, someone who was so picky about his food, told her Draco was exceptional.
"I know you're not fond of sweet things, but if there's something you'd like, let me know. I'll make it for you."
Hermione eyed the small smile he sent her, unable to look away. He was attractive enough as it is already. Why'd he have to be skilled at something culinary, too? That just made him a hundred times hotter damn it!
"Narcissa tells me you send her a lot of baked goods, and that it's messing with her diet."
Draco chuckled at this. "If she would share some to my aunt and cousin, she wouldn't have to finish them all!" He shook his head. He always made sure to send them desserts good for three people!
"Are you…" She paused, not sure if she should ask the question.
He smiled a little at her cautiousness. "I still visit the manor regularly. I was there just this morning actually. But I don't plan on living there anymore." He answered her unfinished question. "I have a place of my own." Now that his aunt and cousin moved in after his mother's house arrest ended, he wouldn't have to worry about her being lonely anymore.
"I heard Teddy loves it there." She smiled, recalling all the times the little boy had recounted stories about his adventures in 'The Palace', as he called it.
"Edward's excitement still hasn't died down despite being in the manor for a few months now." Draco shook his head. His cousin's energy really brightened up the place, and made Tobi much happier as well. The tiny elf would dote on him, and play with him as much as he wanted. He smiled a little to himself.
At least there was one child who would find happiness in that house growing up.
"You still call him Edward?" Hermione shook her head at him in amusement, recalling one particular letter of his dedicated to complaining about the little boy's nickname. He insisted it sounded incredibly generic, uninspired, and blah. She chuckled to herself.
"I absolutely refuse to call him the name of an overstuffed animal toy." He folded his arms across his chest, making her laugh at his choice of words.
"He seems to like you a lot."
Draco grinned at the statement, shrugging his shoulders haughtily. "How could he not?"
She rolled her eyes at this. She lost count of all the times Harry would burst through the floo, expressing his jealousy, which he absolutely refused to label as such, towards his godson's cousin.
I got him a toy broom, and you know what Malfoy got him?! He got him a treehouse! A bloody treehouse complete with an extension charm that made it look like a presidential hotel suite full of toys!
She sighed. Ever since Draco entered the picture, Harry had been demoted to Teddy's third favorite person.
"I heard from Andromeda that you've started teaching him how to play Quidditch, and that you should just leave that part to her since you suck at the game." Hermione chuckled at this. Every time she saw the older woman, she never failed to rant about the quality of players Hogwarts produced.
Did you know that my nephew was a seeker for the Slytherin team? I thought my sister was joking! Draco? The seeker? The supposed best player in the team? Ha! Could've fooled me!
"That woman is a demon." He snorted. No matter what he and Theo did, they could never beat her and Blaise. Sure his childhood best friend basically took every opportunity he could get to run away from the quaffle, but still! His Aunt was more than twice their age for crying out loud! Was smoking the secret to athletic prowess? He shook his head.
"I heard Andromeda's planning to host a friendly Quidditch game to celebrate Teddy's upcoming birthday." She eyed him curiously. "Ginny and Harry got their invites. Theo and Blaise as well. I heard Pansy's tagging along, too."
Draco sighed. He's already heard about it from his aunt, and wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. It was one thing to have all of them in one room; but it was another thing entirely to get them all to play a game together.
"Are you going?"
"Of course. It's Edward's fourth birthday." He folded his arms on his chest. "Besides, I already promised him that month's harvest."
"From your vegetable garden?"
He hummed in response. "I asked him what he wanted as a present, and he said he just wanted to pick out the vegetables with me." He sighed. He would teach him to aim higher next time. The sky was the limit when it came to his birthdays, so he wanted his cousin to at least have that luxury once a year as well.
Hermione found herself staring at the fond glint his eyes whenever he talked about his younger cousin. Was he good with kids? She sighed in exasperation, making a mental note to prepare herself for Teddy's birthday celebration.
"He doesn't care for any of my mother's flowers, but the moment he sees root vegetables he goes mental!" He laughed at the image of his cousin screaming in excitement every single time he pulled something out of the ground. "He thinks it's magic!"
If someone back at Hogwarts told her that one day Draco Malfoy would be talking to her about crops, she never would have believed it. She doubted her eyes at first when she read it in one of his letters, knowing for a fact that he absolutely hated insects; but when she asked Blaise about it, he confirmed it without hesitation.
He has this… I don't even know what words to use to describe his gear. All I can say is that he looks stupid.
Hermione chuckled at the Slytherin's words. "It must be nice though. Getting fresh food straight from your backyard, and into your kitchen. I heard from Theo that you guys cook together sometimes."
Why the hell did you slice the carrots that way? It says right there on the recipe that it needs to be a Julienne cut. Can't you read?
Draco blinked at the memory of Blaise going all anal on him and Theo for being incompetent in the kitchen. He scoffed. It wasn't their fault they were banned from the place growing up, and that neither of their parents bothered to teach them how to cook like his mother had.
Blaise was generally calm, quiet, and collected; but whenever he entered a kitchen, he transformed into a being Draco didn't want to get close to, or touch even with a ten-foot pole. He shook his head, wondering how all three of them survived more than a year of living under the same roof.
"We have. A few times. But in order to keep our friendship, we make sure to do so sparingly."
Hermione laughed out loud at this, shaking her head at the image of all three rich, spoiled, pureblood aristocrats trying to figure out house chores.
A comfortable silence fell between them as they finished the rest of their drink, eying one another from behind their cups.
Draco placed his tea back onto the table before smoothing a hand over the top of his hair. He placed his palms over his thighs as he took a deep breath in, steeling himself.
It was now or never.
"Actually, the reason I'm here is…" He fisted his hands, looking straight at her; not allowing himself to shy away. "I wanted to show you something."
Hermione placed her cup down next to his on the table, nodding wordlessly in response. She forgot how to breathe entirely when she saw him pull the sleeve off his left forearm to reveal unblemished, unmarked porcelain skin.
"We completed the potion a few weeks ago." He stuffed his right hand inside the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a corked vial filled with thick silver liquid. "It aids in cancelling out any and all forms of dark magic. The Libertas. Or so Damocles calls it." He chuckled a little to himself, finding the name just a tad bit trite. "The potion will be made public once The Ministry's perusal is over. It'll be accessible to all victims of the war. Free of charge." He looked up at her, feeling his heart clench at the sight of her teary eyes.
"Your scars…" Hermione whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from the flawless stretch of his skin.
"Ah…" He nodded a few times at this. "That scar paste you gave me was pretty impressive. I wonder who brewed it." He grinned.
Her eyes snapped up to his in disbelief. He'd used the one she'd given him back when they were at Malfoy manor? She glanced back down at the vial on the table, feeling an overwhelming sense of… pride.
He did it.
He finally did it.
He was now, more than ever, truly free.
Draco looked away from her heavy gaze. The amount of emotion in her eyes was making him feel… way too many things at the moment. "But enough about me." He cleared his throat. "I heard you've earned numerous grants for the promising direction of your research. It seems you've-" He paused when he saw her shake her head at him.
Hermione stood up from her couch, making her way towards him. She sat on his left, running her fingers through the space where his dark mark once was. "It's really gone." She whispered, shifting her left forearm to mimic the position of his, staring at their matching unmarred skin.
Draco's eyes widened at the implication of her actions. He reached towards her, running his fingers through her skin, checking for the presence of any glamour charms; but there weren't any. "You've…" He looked back at her, waiting for her to finish the rest of his sentiment.
"The scar paste I got was pretty impressive." She smiled up at him. "I wonder who brewed it."
"An incredibly talented potioneer, no doubt." He grinned, moving his fingers away from her forearm, just about to pull away when she caught his hand in hers.
His heart lost its rhythm; but without missing a beat, as if he'd already done the gesture countless times, he threaded his fingers through the spaces of hers. He glanced down at their intertwined hands, not believing how… familiar it all felt. As if somehow, someway…
He was right where he belonged.
"I…" He swallowed, suddenly finding it difficult to string together his words. He searched her eyes for any indication of discomfort, but all he could see was…
Warmth.
An endless, overwhelming amount of warmth that made him feel so irrevocably, so undeniably safe.
"There's something else…" He found himself saying as he reached his free hand towards the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his wallet to–
CLANK!
Hermione blinked at the item that flew into one of the empty tea cups. Her lips parted the moment she saw him take it out, stashing it back quickly into his pocket. "Was that… a car key?" She eyed him incredulously.
Draco sighed in exasperation, resisting the urge to slap his palm onto his face. "Yes." He muttered under his breath, annoyed at his clumsiness. That was supposed to be a surprise damn it!
He had a plan.
He was supposed to ask her out on a date, roll up her driveway to pick her up, then successfully impress her while he drove her around town. He groaned.
Hermione felt her jaw drop the moment she started picturing him lounging inside a vintage car. His hair was down, spilling over his shoulders; one hand gripping the steering wheel firmly. Long, lean fingers would move to tilt the aviator sunglasses down and away from his eyes, revealing a pair of burning mercury orbs that was enough to get the fabric of her knickers– She shook her head, mentally slapping herself.
Sweet Morgana's tits she was thirsty!
"You drive?" She cleared her throat when she heard the roughness of her voice, making her reach for her tea, downing what was left of it instantly.
"I do." He nodded, trying his best to get over his disappointment. Maybe he'd still be able to surprise her in one way or another. Perhaps with his excellent driving skills.
WE'RE GOING TO DIE! WE'RE ALL GOING TO FUCKING DIE!
GET OFF THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD YOU FUCKING IDIOT!
Draco swallowed, pushing aside the image of Theo and Blaise yelling bloody murder at him from their passenger seats. He rolled his eyes. He almost got them killed just that one time.
Hermione watched him fumble with his wallet using only one hand; not wanting to let go of hers. She pressed her lips together, trying to contain the growing giddiness in her chest. She pulled her fingers away from his, making him snap his head up towards her. "You need both hands." She pointed towards his wallet.
"Right…" He looked back down, clearing his throat to hide the heat he could feel on his cheeks.
Hermione scanned the sudden flush in his face, deciding right then and there that she liked seeing him blush. She watched him pull something out of his wallet before placing it back onto the coffee table; his fisted hand resting on his lap.
"I'm a year sober today."
Her breath stilled at the sight of the coin that lay in the middle of his palm. He held it out to her, making her reach for it wordlessly. She ran her fingers through the embossed words; eyes welling up in tears at the sight of them.
To thine own self be true
Unity Service Recovery
1 year
They never talked about his rehabilitation in his letters. She would always wait for him to mention it, not wanting to put pressure on him by asking; but he never did, so she never brought it up. "One year…" She found herself whispering, looking back at him through teary eyes.
"Yeah… I got it just this morning." He nodded at her. Everything still felt surreal. "Sorry I didn't tell you. I just… I didn't want to jinx it." He eyed her imploringly, hoping she wouldn't take offense. He's been wanting to let her know of his progress ever since they started exchanging letters; but he didn't want to risk it. He just…
He wanted to be absolutely sure.
"I'm a year sober today." He looked back down at the coin in her hand; a small chuckle escaping his throat at the reality of it all. "Can you believe it?"
Hermione nodded at the look of unbridled joy on his face. He looked so proud. "Congratulations…" She placed a hand over her heart; her chest overflowing with emotion.
"There's more." He grinned, taking back his wallet in his hand.
Hermione blinked at the things he spread out on his lap. A driver's license. A train card. A bus card. Credit cards. Debit cards. Membership cards. Rewards cards. Stamp cards. She let out a breath. He had so many.
"I don't have my passport with me right now, but I can show it to you some other time." He smirked at her smugly, relishing over his knowledge and experience living in the muggle world for over a year now.
Why do you keep showing off your cards every bloody time we enter a shop?! You're making the muggles think we're weird! Stop embarrassing us, and put them back!
He sneered at the memory of Pansy admonishing him at a shopping mall. It wasn't his fault! Theo and Blaise told him it was a prerequisite in entering muggle establishments. He shook his head. He lost count of all the times they pulled his leg over some muggle practice they insisted was real.
"Now I won't embarrass you in the muggle world anymore." He chuckled, tucking the cards back in his wallet. The smile on his face died down instantly when he realized she started crying. "Hey…" He held onto her elbow, running his hand up and down her arm to soothe her. "What's wrong?" He bent down towards her when he noticed her turn away.
Hermione hid her face in her hands, willing her tears to stop. She felt him pull her in – one hand on the back of her head, another around her waist. Her forehead landed on his chest, making her fist one hand against the fabric of his shirt.
"I… Sorry…" He found himself whispering in her ear, nuzzling his cheek against her temple; not knowing what else to say. "I'm sorry I took so long." He added, patting a hand against the back of her head gingerly.
Hermione shook her head, wanting to tell him he had nothing to apologize for; but she just couldn't find her voice at the moment.
She wanted him to know how proud she was of him – how unbelievably amazing his entire journey had been. She wanted him to understand that he didn't need to shower her with all these trinkets and trophies – that he didn't need to argue his worth, or prove himself to her because he…
He was enough.
He was already enough.
He was all she ever wanted. Just him and her.
"I don't… I'm really not expecting anything, but-" I'd like another chance to get to know you better, was what he intended to say; but her sudden embrace knocked the wind out of him.
"I'm glad you're back." She buried her face in the crook of his neck, fisting her hands against the back of his shirt. "I'm just-" She took a shaky breath in, finding herself drowning in his scent – sandalwood, bergamot, and roses. She sighed.
He smelled like home.
"Welcome back, Draco."
He felt his eyes prick as he threaded his fingers through the curls of her hair and the fabric of her dress, wanting to hold on to more of her. "I… I'm back…" He whispered, still in disbelief. It's been so long. It took him so long to finally make his way back to her. "I'm back, Hermione." He reiterated more firmly this time; the weight of those words reassuring him – grounding him.
He buried his face in her hair, drowning in the fragrance of chamomile and mint. He pressed his lips against her temple, feeling himself shrouded in an overwhelming sense of… security. He let out a breath.
She felt like home.
"I'm here." He whispered into her ear; both an assurance and a vow. "I'm here, Hermione." He held onto her tightly.
This time, he wasn't ever going to leave again.
"You're here." She nodded against him.
This time, there was no way she was ever letting go.
End of chapter 30!
SURPRISE! We're in 2002!
After all the weaving and unweaving I've done… After all the angst, the conflicts, and the pain… After all the hard work I've put into this…
Did you all seriously think I was going to give this story a sad ending?! OF COURSE NOT! XD
Announcements:
1. There will be one last update to this story, making it a total of 31 chapters (congratulations to those who assumed there would be an epilogue!)
2. This work is part of a series (kudos to those who guessed there would be more to this universe!) I'm sure you guys already know what the sequel is going to be about *ahemtimeskipahem* I've dropped a couple of Easter eggs in this chapter you guys can infer about. This story has been a jigsaw type of narrative since the very beginning, so I'm ending it in the exact same way :)
3. I've finished plotting this entire series all the way until the end, but because I've been living in my head for the past year ever since I started this WIP, I feel like a break is necessary. So I'll be taking some time off from this universe after finishing this work.
And there you have it! It's been quite the journey, hasn't it? I feel like for the first time in a long time, I can finally relax…
Thank you to all of you who've made it this far :)
P.S. The French line from the song Lady Marmalade means, 'Do you want to sleep with me tonight?' :p