Hello again! I hope you all are enjoying this story! So in this chapter, I'm pretty sure I have the names of Hermione's parents correct, but if not, let me know =/
Also, let me know if I'm posting the chapters too fast. I've already written this story, so that's why I'm posting every day - the content is already there, just added to since I've made changes in various places.
Chapter 12
The gold glimmered in the torchlight as Draco walked out of the revolving staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office. The old wizard had just given him a small wooden plaque that had a gold plate on it that read "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Hero Award: Draco Malfoy."
He put the plaque into his black slacks pocket—it was Saturday, so he was out of his uniform. He was on his way back from dinner when he received an owl from the headmaster, and the owl had perched at a window he was walking passed. Honestly, he was happy to receive the little award, pridefully even, although he wasn't expecting to receive it. He just did what he needed to do, and that was save Hermione.
He walked down the corridor leading away from that revolving stairwell. A few students were walking around and some eyed him, knowing what he did. Of course, the whole school knows about what he did, and the more part of the student body was shocked, according to things he's hear people whispering, and what his Slytherin classmates have told him. Even some of the teachers were shocked. That grated on him, but what does he expect? He was a git when he was younger. He branded himself, basically, like the Dark Mark was branded on him.
He really wishes he was never mean to people, particularly Hermione. Maybe she would have fancied him instead of Weasley.
He huffed through his nose in frustration and jealousy and walked on, and passed more students, and some teachers. He stopped, though, when he caught sight of two adults, not teachers, in a corridor close to the Great Hall. People were eyeing them and pointing. The couple looked like simple folk, with the man wearing tan slacks, a white polo shirt and a dark blue sweater vest over it, and the woman wore a plain dull-green blouse and tweed skirt. The woman's hair confirmed the two's identity:
Hermione's parents. They were busy looking at portraits on the walls, and the people in them were talking back to them. They awed at it, and called it a "video." Whatever that was. He walked up closer to them, but stopped a few meters away. They were muggles, after all. He may be fine with Hermione, but the other muggle-borns and muggles still made him a tad uncomfortable. But this middle-aged man and woman were fascinating. He watched them as they the conversed with the old man in a portrait, a man Draco didn't recognize, and who wore clothing from the 1700s, along with a white wig.
"Oh my, this is extraordinary!" the woman gushed. "He just answered my question directly! I don't think this is a video. Maybe it's a window of some sort?"
"It's not, love," said the man, and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smile at his wife. "This is Hermione's magical world, and it's very real, as much as I'm still trying to believe it."
"Goodness me, after over five years of your daughter going to school here?" asked the man in a portrait.
"Yes. It's just a lot to take in, that's all. This school... it's magnificent."
"Indeed it is, Mr. Granger," said the portrait man. His glanced moved to Draco and his brows rose. "Oh my, why if it isn't Mr. Draco Malfoy, your daughter's savior!"
Draco wished he had just walked on, and he was about to do just that, when Hermione's parents looked over at him with wide eyes. He saw tears gather in the woman's eyes. She came up to him, and Draco forced himself to stay standing where he was. "You are Draco Malfoy, the boy who saved our daughter's life?"
Draco might as well go along with this. "Yes, ma'am."
More tears brimmed her hazel eyes, and Draco wasn't able to think another thought before he found himself in Mrs. Granger's embrace. Alarm shot through him at not only people seeing a muggle woman hug him, but the fact that a muggle woman was hugging him period. Should he discreetly get out of her hold?
"Thank you so much," she gushed into his shoulder and he felt her hair that was similar to Hermione's, and he noticed that she was as tall as her as well, going up to his chin. She also smelled of some type of flower, but different from Hermione's usual scent. "You saved her life. Thank you, thank you."
She hugged him tighter and he didn't really know what to do. He was ever-conscious about people ogling this encounter. Mr. Granger came up to them. "Darling, let the boy go. You're hugging the life out of him."
She let go of him and looked up at Draco with tearful eyes, her cheeks wet with those tears. "I'm sorry, I just... I'm so thankful that you looked out for our girl. She wrote home, telling us about how you rescued her more than once."
This was news to him! He couldn't help but blurt out, "She wrote about me?"
"Oh yes, she did. She has before, only the situations were... quite different."
Draco's chest pinched. Different, as in she told her parents about him bullying her and her friends, and calling her a foul name. What a reputation that he already has with this man and woman, and this is the first time they met! All he could do was nod to Mrs. Granger's revelation. Mr. Granger came up to him, his hand outstretched.
"Wendell Granger. It is so great to meet the boy who saved our Hermione. Thank you so very much, my boy."
Draco stared at the muggle man's hand for a moment, then took it, wanting to give off a better impression than what they have previously thought about him. "A pleasure. And... you're welcome."
"Monica Granger," said the woman and she shook his hand as well. He really fought the urge to wipe his hand on his pants, but he held out. Sadness overcame Mrs. Granger's eyes.
"So... those boys who hurt her... they were your friends?" she she asked, and Draco's chest pinched again.
"They were. They're not anymore. Honestly, I can't forgive them for what they did to her."
He felt his mouth pull into a frown, remembering again the image of a beaten Hermione in the broom closet. His eyes stung and he glared at the stone floor. His heart pulsed when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up through bleary eyes to see Mrs. Granger giving him a soft smile.
"You really care about her. Thank you for doing so."
Draco couldn't deny it, even to Hermione's parents, who seemed like decent people. He nodded, not wanting to speak due to the emotions running through him at the moment. Mrs. Granger squeezed his shoulder, and Draco actually found it comforting.
"We just came back from seeing her," Mr. Granger said. "She's fully awake, and has loads of friends surrounding her bed. I'm sure she would like to see you, too. You two seem pretty close now, according to what she has said."
"Close how?" he couldn't help but ask.
"She described it as finally getting along," Mrs. Granger said.
Draco nodded. Yes, finally getting along. He wanted more than to just 'get along' with her, though. The girl doesn't even know that he stole a kiss from her, and he's not planning on telling her. What would her reaction be if she found out? Sure he has saved her and they are getting along now, but they have a history. A history that he wished wouldn't have happened. Plus, he doesn't think that she fancies him. The blush she constantly has could be from embarrassment or annoyance. Maybe.
"Um..." he began and got their attention. "I just wanted to say this..."
"And what's that?" asked Mrs. Granger as her husband had an arm around her shoulders.
"I just wanted to apologize for what I made Hermione go through in the past. I was a spoiled rotten and troubled child who didn't know any better. I did things and told her things that I regret, that I'm sure you know about. I apologize for all of it."
Mr. Granger put his hand on Draco's shoulder this time and shook it a little. "Thank you. That means a lot. All of this does. I hope that you stay near to Hermione as much as possible. She can be so proud and independent and head strong, so she needs a boy like you by her side to keep her in place."
Heat suddenly rushed into Draco's cheeks, knowing what the man was getting at, and he and his wife definitely noticed. Mrs. Granger let out laughter and gave Draco a sly look. "I wasn't meaning just caring about her in a friendly way, you know. You are smitten with our Hermione. That's why you are so protective of her. And honestly, she may have different opinions about you as well. I hope the two of you can start something and our Hermione can stay safe and happy. I know that she has Harry and Ronald, but having a lover by her side will be incredibly beneficial."
Lover? Lover? Hermione's mother is asking him to be Hermione's... lover? He couldn't help but smirk at that, knowing all too well that he wants to be just that to her.
"Darling, let's not embarrass the boy," Mr. Granger said.
"I'm only stating how I feel, Wendell."
"I'll do my best to look after her," Draco said and the muggles met his serious gaze. "I promise, I'll watch over her the best I can. I don't know about being a lover, or something like that, but I can definitely make sure that she's safe."
Mrs. Granger beamed and embraced Draco again, and patted his back. "Thank you." She held him for a few seconds and let him go, then took her husband's arm. "We should be going. We have other places we would like to see before the night's over. It was great meeting you, Draco."
"Yes, it was a pleasure," said Mr. Granger. "We hope to meet with you again."
Draco nodded to that, and the two were off. He stood there for a moment, taking in the fact that he just conversed with muggles for the very first time, and was embraced twice by one. But it was worth it. This encounter—this whole situation—changed the view they had of him, and even caused them to have the desire for him to be in a romantic relationship with Hermione. He smiled. Annabelle may have been right again—the Wizarding World has changed. A Malfoy is being accepted by muggles, and he actually likes those muggles back. Well, they're the parents of the girl he loves, but still. And he made a good impression on them.
It's shocking how much has changed, and it's all thanks to Annabelle. If it weren't for her, Draco would still avoid Hermione and abhor anyone non-pureblood. That ghost really does have some kind of power.
Draco twirled Hermione's wand around with his fingers as he sat at dinner the day Hermione was released from the hospital wing, and her parents had left the castle. He has had it with him since he stole it from Goyle. In Draco's meeting with Dumbledore the day before, the old wizard requested that Draco give it back to Hermione as soon as possible. Apparently, as soon as possible hasn't happened yet. In a way, this was another punishment for her not being careful. He'll give her back her wand eventually.
He spotted Hermione as she was talking with her friends happily as she sat her first lunch after getting better. She was smiling and laughing with them. That made him happy, that she was happy and safe. She glanced over his way, and he quickly hid her wand. She stared at him for a good few seconds. His brow furrowed.
What? he mouthed at her.
She shook her head and got back to talking with Potter. Draco sat there for the rest of the lunch hour and twirled Hermione's wand around under the table. She's probably desperate for it, and wondering where it went to. She should know, though, that he confronted Crabbe and Goyle and stole her wand from them.
It was Sunday, which means no classes, so he couldn't just give her wand back to her in one of them. He should think of a clever way of giving it back to her.
He noticed movement from the Gryffindor table and looked over to see Hermione stand up. He pulled out his own wand and muttered the voice enhancing spell. He heard Hermione's voice:
"Well, I'm done, so who's going to come with me back to the common room?"
"I will," Weasley said and stood up. "Even though I haven't seen those two trolls for a few days, I still don't want anything to happen to you."
"Fine, Ron."
Draco would be happy that Hermione's taking this seriously now, but he still didn't like that Weasley was going with her. The boy fancies her, and has a lot longer than Draco has. And Hermione fancies the red-head as well. He should do something about this. He stood up and followed behind the two friends who fancy each other, still holding his wand out, the spell still going, and Hermione's wand tucked away in his back pocket—he had on his white button-down shirt and dark green sweater vest, and black trousers. He noticed Weasley stand a little too close to Hermione as they walked through a corridor. She looked over at him.
"Ron, you don't need to be so close."
"I'm not taking any chances, Hermione."
"Crabbe and Goyle are gone, so there's no need to worry."
Weasley took a step away, but still stayed close. It's true—Crabbe and Goyle are gone. Dumbledore told Draco in that same meeting that those two are off at a muggle school as punishment for what they did. Apparently, it was Mr. and Mrs. Granger's idea. They would be there for two months, no wands, no magic. Draco wanted to laugh at the thought of how horrified they must have been to receive that sentence. They hate muggles and non-purebloods, so this was definitely a fate worse than expulsion or prison for them, as Dumbledore had predicted.
Draco continued to follow Hermione and Weasley, and he couldn't help but stare at her legs and bottom as she walked in form-fitting jeans, and at her curvy waist under her deep blue sweater. He followed still, stopping the voice enhancing spell, but walked faster as to catch up to them. His long legs eventually brought him in front of them and they stopped in their tracks. Hermione's eyes widened.
"Hermione," Draco said, and tried not to smirk at the blush appearing on her cheeks.
She stood tall and dignified. "Hello, Draco."
"Happy to be out of the hospital wing?"
"Yes, I am. Now..." She held out her hand. "Give me back my wand. I know you have it."
He wanted to test her. "Do I?"
"I spoke with Dumbledore and he said that you have it. Now, give it to me, please."
Draco stood there for a moment, trying her, then pulled out the wand. "This, you mean?"
"Yes, that!" She tried to grab it, but he held it out of her reach. Weasley stepped in, holding out his own wand.
"Give it to her, Draco, or I'll force you to," he said, trying to be intimidating, but it wasn't working.
"I have every intention of giving it back, but on one condition—Hermione walks with me."
Weasley's features turned grim, and the two guys glared at one another, silently dueling over her. Draco could tell that Weasley knows of Draco's feelings for Hermione. Or at least suspects them. Many people probably do now. Oddly, that doesn't bother Draco that much, when it would have not a month before.
"Fine," Weasley spat. "Just promise nothing will happen to her."
"You think I would let something happen to after what she's already been through, Weasley?" he quipped. "I care about her safety just as much as you do."
Weasley pursed his lips at that, and he looked at Hermione. "Just be careful, alright?"
"I'll be fine, Ron. Go on. I'll meet you and Harry in the common room later."
Weasley made one look at Draco, daring something to happen to Hermione, and Draco saw the jealousy in his eyes. Yes, he definitely suspects that Draco has feelings for Hermione, but that didn't put Draco down. He actually felt a tinge of competitiveness, like he wanted to compete with Weasley for her.
"Let's go," he said and started walking. Hermione followed next to him.
"This isn't the way to the Gryffindor common room, you know."
"That's because we're not going there."
Her brows pushed together in confusion. "We're not? Then where are we going?"
He recalled where he decided to take her. "Somewhere."
She let out an agitated sigh. "Draco, please, can't you just give me back my wand?"
"I will.
"Like, now?"
"Nope. We're going to take a walk first."
"A walk?"
"Yes, a walk. Down by the lake."
He saw the confusion in her features, and hoped that this was a cleaver enough way of giving back to her a thing that is very precious. She didn't say anything as they left the school itself and walked down a path down to the lake's edge. It was a little cool outside, overcast, but not cool enough for it to be uncomfortable. Once they were at the lake's rocky shore, a fair distance from that giant Hagrid's hut, they stopped. Draco eyed the mountains surrounding the lake, and the clouds hovering above them.
"Okay," Hermione said, and he looked over and saw that her bushy hair was blowing in the breeze. "Now that we're here, please give me back my wand."
"We're not there yet."
"What?"
He started walking again, off of the rocky shore and onto the wide path leading into the forest. The scent of plants, wood and flora overcame him, and he walked on, knowing she was following. He came up to the lake's edge again, only this area was not a rocky shore, but more of an area where people could jump directly into the water from the grass since there was a slight drop. Above stood a few cottonwood trees that have long-since lost their cotton.
"Okay," he heard Hermione exasperate. "Draco, you're out of your mind, you know that, dragging me out here."
"You didn't have to follow me."
"I want my wand back! Now please, give it to me! My patience is pretty much gone."
He heard the desperation in her voice and saw it in her pretty hazel eyes. He took her wand out of his back pocket and held it out to her. Her features brightened, but the moment she grabbed for it, he flicked it away. "Not so fast." He sat down in the dry grass and faced the lake, his legs straight out, and crossed them. "I met your parents, by the way. Yesterday. They're not that bad... for muggles."
She sat down next to him on his right and crisscrossed her legs, her eyes wide with surprise as she looked at him. "You met my parents? And you were fine with being around them?"
"I already told you that they weren't that bad... as shocking at it is for me. They were on about how unbelievable the wizarding world is after conversing with some man in a painting. They spotted me and thanked me for everything that I've done for you, with your mother thanking me with hugs, which I wasn't expecting. Or wanting for that matter." And they said that he and Hermione should be a couple, but he's going to keep that to himself. Did they tell Hermione this? His heart pulsed. What if they did?!
"Well, mum's a hugger, that's for sure," Hermione said and looked out at the lake. Her tone softened. "And... they really are thankful for what you did. They know that it's because of you that I'm alive. Everyone does."
"And don't forget it. Always have a person with you whenever you go anywhere, and always keep your wand on you."
She shot him a glare. "Well I would if somebody would give it back to me."
He looked over and met her gaze, annoyance taking the whole of it. "Why the devil didn't you just have someone accio your wand for you when you realized it was gone?"
"Because I knew you had it, remember? Dumbledore told me yesterday."
"I mean before that, like after you first woke up."
"I wasn't focused on my wand when I was in bed, I was focused on healing. And now that I am healed, I want my wand back. Why did you bring me out here to give it to me, anyway?" He saw her pink cheeks and the impatience in her eyes. "Well?"
Blymee, she's pretty. "Because..."
His pulse rose as he stared at those hazel eyes. The desire to hold her overcame him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She let out a gasp, and she struggled to get out of his hold, but he brought his arm around her back to keep her against him, in an embrace. Her hair tickled his cheeks as her head landed near his shoulder.
"Hey! Draco...?!" she gasped, and tried to get out of his hold again, but he kept her to him, inhaling her flowery scent and loving how her dainty, curvy body felt against his arms.
"Will you stop moving around and let me hold you for a moment?" he quipped, and she stopped with the struggling. His hold tightened as he dug his face into her bushy hair, and he even caught hold of it with his hand and twisted some of it with his long fingers.
"Draco..." she mumbled into his shoulder quietly. He knew she was shocked at this, but in the moment, he didn't care. His eyes started to sting, and he took in and let out a shaky breath.
"Hermione... do you have any idea what I thought when I saw you a beaten mess in the broom closet? What I felt? That image will never leave me for the rest of my life."
He trembled, and he knew that she could feel it. "I'm... sorry. Just obliviate the memory."
"Then I wouldn't know what I did for you."
He loosened his hold around her and looked at her flushed face. Then at her mouth. Desire pulsed through his system at seeing those pink lips and wanting nothing more than to cover them with his own. He leaned in, but Hermione put a hand on his chest, near his collar bone.
"Draco... don't. I just... want my wand back."
She kept her gaze away from him, but he saw the bright red on her cheeks. Heart hammering inside of him, and his own cheeks feeling as if they were on fire, he took his hand out of her hair and took out her wand. He held it out in front of her. She stared at it for a moment, then grabbed it. But he didn't let go. She tugged at it, but to no avail.
"Draco," she protested.
"You know, Hermione. You know how I feel about you, don't you?"
Those cheeks of hers gained more color, as did the rest of her face. "Will you please give me back my wand?!" She tugged at it again, but he didn't let it go.
"Are you not going to answer me?"
She shook her head slightly. "No."
"Answer me, or you don't get your wand back."
Heavy breaths of frustration came in and left through her nose. She tugged on the wand, and tugged, but Draco didn't let her have it. She pulled hard on it this time, which brought her forward from the resistance of Draco keeping it from her, and the force was strong enough that it propelled her into him, knocking him onto his back.
And her on top of him.
Draco instantly noticed her whole body on him, and the feeling of her curves and her chest pressing against his. Hermione gasped, her eyes dilating, and she about rolled herself off of him, but he was quick to trap her there with his arm, keeping her to him. She struggled, but he kept his hold on her.
"Draco, let me go!"
Her hair again tickled his cheek, and he could feel her hot breath hitting his face. Her face was so close to his, their noses almost touched. Her wand was still clasped by both other their hands, which where sitting in the grass by his head.
"I'm not going to let you go," he muttered in a low tone. "I'm not letting you out of my sight again."
He touched his lips to hers. He felt her body go frigid, but that didn't stop him. He's wanted to do this, desperately. His lips moved on hers, and he felt their softness and warmth. His hands traveled up the curve of her back, which sent a pleasurable shiver up his spine and through his whole body. He has felt such feelings before, but not this intense. He isn't about to let it go away. He embraced her tighter as he gripped some of her sweater material on her back, and tried to pry her mouth open with his. He felt her free hand grip his right shoulder as his tongue touched her front teeth, and felt one of her legs in between both of his.
Feeling heated all over, his mouth moved on hers again, and suddenly, her body relaxed. She moved her mouth with his once, returning the gesture he was willingly giving to her. Elated that she actually responded to him, he held her torso even tighter to him and enveloped her soft, warm mouth, and took in every millimeter of it.
Hermione gasped through her nose and broke contact. She stared down at him with wide eyes for a moment, then immediately undid herself form his hold, snatched her wand out of his hand, and ran off into the forest.
"Hermione!" he called as he sat up, but she was already through the trees. He couldn't believe that just happened between them, and he couldn't believe just how desperate he wanted to do it. He wasn't even expecting to kiss her when he brought her out here, just playfully annoying her with her wand, and simply being in her company, just the two of them. He looked out at the murky, gray lake, and a his mouth stretched into a wide smile. "Apparently she fancied me also." He tasted his lips. "Ginger. She had ginger tea before this."