AN: You're not going to be happy with this chapter if you find Lucius and Narcissa irredeemable. Just like you probably wouldn't have liked the last chapter if you found Draco irredeemable. However, I find many people redeemable, so I'm writing these. Also, I realize my chapter title is shitty this time, but I'll forever be proud of the title for the last chapter. :)

I have written two one-shots, one Ron-centric (Stars in the Sky) and one Ginny-centric (Tears to Cry). If you like this, please check out those, and if you have any one-shot recommendations, please recommend them!

U_U

~~AlicornEagle11

"Hermione?"

"Yes Draco?"

They lay in the Astronomy tower, gazing at the stars, like every night. It was their habit. Their tradition.

"Mother and Father… they want to meet you over Easter Break."

"They specifically requested to meet me, Hermione Granger?"

"Well, they asked for the girl I'm seeing. I don't know how they caught onto it."

"To be fair, the entirety of Hogwarts knows about our relationship."

"True."

"I'm free for the Easter holidays. Not like I've got much family to go back to. I would head back to my apartment, but that would require buying food and the horrors of washing dishes."

"I mean, you could always stay at the Manor."

Hermione tensed. "You don't even want to go back there. I'm quite content to only have to meet with your parents once, if at all. Besides…"

She didn't need to finish her words. They both knew what had occurred there, haunting her nightmares. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, and she smiled gratefully at him. It still surprised her how easily he could make her smile.

— || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

McGonagall came around with the sign-up sheet for those staying on Thursday. Hermione was the only Slytherin eighth-year staying. She would Floo to Malfoy Manor on Wednesday for dinner with the Malfoys.

On Saturday, the train left, with all her friends aboard it, and suddenly Hermione felt… alone. She used to cherish that feeling. Without friends, without family, that's how she lived her life before she came back to Hogwarts and found herself surrounded with love and a new family. She knew that it was just the holidays, and they weren't gone forever, but a part of her felt empty and hollow and told her otherwise. That part of her tried to convince her that they had left, just like the rest of the world, and wouldn't ever come back.

And then the other, hopeful part of her shushed them, and she found herself sitting in a tree in the courtyard Sunday morning, watching the sunrise. It was silent, and while silence usually meant going crazy inside her head, this one wasn't. It was a perfect serenity.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. In this instance, it was the arrival of Ron.

His hair was messy, as if he'd run his hands through it multiple times. The way he stood was awkward, and that was only assisted by the uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Uh… hey, Hermione."

She raised an eyebrow as she regarded him with a cool expression.

"Ron," she replied curtly. "It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?"

It was really a lot of fun making him uncomfortable.

"Uh, sure. Listen, I wanted to know…"

"You wanted to know… what?"

He made a smart decision and went the blunt route instead. "I wanted to know why you sent me a present for my birthday."

Ah. That. Hermione didn't really know what had prompted her. She knew that she had always sent him a present, and it was a habit now, and she didn't hate him, not really.

"I don't know," she informed him, sighing. "I've spent most of this year thinking and reminiscing, and I just — I didn't like how our last conversation went. I don't want to leave it just like that. And, yes, you — and Harry, too — have hurt me over the years, but I can't hate you." She felt like she was beginning to ramble. "Must be a personal flaw. I can only hate Bellatrix Lestrange and Umbridge, the pink bitch. And even then, I have to thank them for showing me the real world and the real me. But you, Ron, you're a part of my history, an enormous portion of my past. I don't want to just leave that in flames and ashes."

"Then don't."

"I'm sorry?"

"How about a fresh start? I mean, we didn't really have that great of one."

He rubbed the back of his neck, and she could see an inkling of shame in his eyes as they locked.

"I think I can do that. I can't promise that we'll just go to best friends in an hour —"

"I wouldn't want it to, Hermione. I want a fresh start, for us to go from not-even-acquaintances to at least somewhat-friends. I want to erase it all."

For someone who she had previously said had the emotional range of a teaspoon, he was being surprisingly compassionate in the entire situation.

"Well," she said, dropping down from the branch she was on. "Consider it erased."

They shook on it, until a thought struck Hermione.

"I'm going to have to deal with Harry, won't I?"

Ron's answering grin said it all, and she groaned.

— || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

After that, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sort of friends, to the bewilderment of the rest of the school. She would spend her mornings in a tree in the courtyard and occasionally, the two boys would join her and chat with her. Harry and Ginny were happily dating again, and Ron had gone out with Hannah Abbott a few times. Apparently, Neville and Luna had gotten together, oddly enough, and somehow Seamus and Dean had become a couple. She had missed out on the gossip. There was not nearly enough of it with her Slytherin friends.

Wednesday was quickly approaching. She had gone out to Hogsmeade to buy a dress for the dinner. Draco had informed her, in rather confusing terms, to dress "casually formal." She bought a loose, light pink dress that reached her knees, and white wedge sandals. That, along with nude lipstick and clear mascara, would have to suffice. She fully intended to leave her hair down normally with only a spell to keep it in place. That look seemed to fit what Draco had told her.

She almost felt bad for Harry and Ron. Now that her and Draco's relationship has reached the meet-the-parents stage, her actions and words would be watched and critiqued closely. Wednesday morning, she was a mess of nerves and butterflies, and the two boys were stuck with dealing with it and reassuring her. They did a pretty good job, though.

And so, on Wednesday evening, she stood in the Headmistress's office. Grabbing a pinch of Floo powder, she threw it into the fireplace, stated "Malfoy Manor!" as clearly as she could, and stepped into the emerald-green flames. She did her best to keep her balance as she felt a tumbling sensation, managing to step out of the Malfoy's fireplace with dignity and grace. Waiting for her was Lady Malfoy.

Hermione walked over to her and curtsied. Draco and Pansy had taught her the basics of pureblood etiquette before they left. Lady Malfoy curtsied back.

"Well met, Miss Granger."

"Well met, Lady Malfoy. Please, call me Hermione."

"Well then, Hermione, call me Narcissa. Now let us head to the family room, where my husband and my son are waiting."

Hermione followed Lady Malfoy to their family room and blinked when she saw it. How in the irks did it manage to be cozy and elegant at the same time?

She decided it was best not to concern herself with that when Lord Malfoy and Draco stood up from the couch they were sitting on. Draco looked rather dashing, If she did say so herself.

She curtsied to Lord Malfoy and extended a hand, which he bowed and kissed. There were two armchairs across from the armchair that Lord Malfoy and Draco sat on. She and Narcissa each claimed one.

"Well met, Miss Granger," Lord Malfoy said smoothly.

"Well met, Lord Malfoy, but please, call me Hermione."

"I must admit, Hermione, I did not expect you to be the woman Draco had decided to court."

"I have a tendency to be… unexpected."

His mouth quirked up into a half-smile. "Indeed. What are your plans for the future?"

She saw Draco stiffen and Lord Malfoy's eyes glance at her visible tattoos, a slight sneer on his face.

"Well, after graduating from Hogwarts, I intend to live in the muggle world as a tattoo artist."

Draco became even more tense and Narcissa was clearly watching intently to see her husband's reaction, but Lord Malfoy remained cool and relax. He merely raised an eyebrow.

"May I ask why?"

"Because it's simpler and more fulfilling to live in the muggle world. I won't have papers and owls trailing after my every move, I don't have to worry about a small population when I could be anywhere amongst billions of people. My roots are in the muggle world, and the only worthwhile thing uprooting them did was letting me see the true side of Draco this year. And I would enjoy being a tattoo artist. I believe enjoying my career is more important than the money or prestige it brings me."

"That's an interesting perspective. I would've thought you'd prefer to have a job in the Ministry, perhaps."

"Over the years, Lord Malfoy, I've learned it's better not to have expectations and make assumptions over every little thing. That way, you aren't disappointed."

And then, to the surprise of everyone there, he slowly smiled.

"Draco, you have found yourself a lovely woman."

Draco was clearly extremely relieved. But it seemed that Lord Malfoy wasn't quite done. It became clear a moment later, when a house-elf dressed in a black uniform with the Malfoy family crest on it.

"Dinner is ready, Masters and Mistress."

"Thank you, Tilley," said Lord Malfoy. The elf bowed and disappeared with a crack.

Hermione wasn't surprised by their employment of house-elves, and so she didn't comment. She seemed to pass the test, and Lord Malfoy rose from the couch.

"Call me Lucius, Hermione. Why don't we have dinner now?"

As they left the family room, Narcissa pulled Hermione aside.

"Hermione, I agree with Lucius's approval of you. You're a lovely woman, but to me, Draco is of most importance."

"I don't think I could ever have anything in my life that could mean more than Draco does to me, anymore."

"Good. I hope you don't mind lemon ricotta penne."

"Not at all."

After all, cheese equals heaven.