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Chapter 18

"I must say, you're looking very fine tonight." Draco winked over his glass of wine before finishing off the contents.

Hermione blushed and looked down at her clean plate. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"Did you enjoy the dinner? I hope I don't give you food poisoning ..." he added with playful concern.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she met his gaze. "You're so silly. It was delicious; I love lasagne."

Draco beamed. "Well, I'm glad. How long are Potter and the she-Weasel going to be away for?"

"Technically, you can't call them that now. And it's Ginny." Hermione scolded him. "Anyway, I think it's two and half weeks."
"Yeah, yeah, but they'll still be called that in my mind." He smirked and stood up from the table. "Join me in the living room, dear."

Hermione laughed as he put on a simpering tone, before taking his outstretched hand and letting him lead her to his sofa. She sat down next to him and snuggled up against his chest as his arms wrapped protectively around her body.

"Did you know, the last time you were here was when we got completely wrecked." Draco murmured thoughtfully.

"Really?" Hermione tried to think back to when that was. "Crikey, that was about six months ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Quite positive. It was before your mum's Christmas Ball." Hermione nodded to herself.

"Wow. Six months, eh. Gone in a flash." Draco sighed and looked down at the top of Hermione's head. He touched a hand to her soft, brown curls and began to gently fiddle with her hair.

"Draco, can I ask you something?" Hermione's voice sounded nervous.

"Well, you did just then but you can ask something else." He joked.

"You haven't had sex, have you?" she asked, quietly.

Draco was confused. Why was she suddenly asking this? He knew that she wanted to wait until she was married and he was happy to do that – what did he just say? Draco sat up, almost throwing Hermione to the floor.

"Draco!" She cried sitting up and watching him move away from her arms. That stung. "Draco, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

He rested his head against his hands whilst Hermione hesitantly moved next to him and rubbed his back. "It's fine." He managed to say, his voice wobbling slightly. Did he just think about marrying Hermione after only going out for three months? Was his mother right in saying they were going to end up married? Instead of feeling his stomach drop into the pits of hell, he felt weightless and excited. His stomach clenched nervously before turning to gaze at Hermione.

"Are you sure?" She murmured her eyes wide with concern.

He answered her with a passionate kiss and she responded with confusion and hesitation at first, but then pushed herself closer into Draco. He pulled away grinning and kissed her on the forehead. "In reply to your original question, no, I haven't had sex."

The relief which flooded through Hermione was so great that she almost fell of the sofa. She remembered Pansy telling her that Draco hadn't slept with anyone but she just wanted to be sure herself. "I-I'm glad."

"Me too," he smiled hesitantly. "I expect you thought I had slept with half the girls at Hogwarts by sixth year?"

"Something like that," She grinned, the earlier tension disappearing.

"Believe me, all the girls wanted to but I didn't. I'm not really sure why, I just didn't want to at the time." Draco smirked and then frowned. "Sixth year was very difficult."

"It must have been ... did your parents want you to, y'know, be a Death Eater?" Hermione asked cautiously, knowing that this was a very tender subject for Draco to discuss.

"I'm not quite sure, actually. I think my father wanted me to at the beginning but when he got locked away in Azkaban, he knew that Voldemort was just trying to punish him for failing to get the prophecy."

"And your mother?"

"She hated it. She hated the fact I had to be a Death Eater and kill Dumbledore ..." Draco swallowed and then let out a frustrated scream. "I hated it. I thought it was going to be the best part of my life ... what a fool I was. And Dumbledore – he was so right on top of the tower. He was so damn right." He finished with a choked sob and buried his head in his hands.

Hermione pulled him into her arms as he moaned to himself. She caressed the back of his soft hair, murmuring words of comfort.

"Draco, it's over now. It all happened six years ago just let it go." She whispered in his ear, kissing it lightly.

"I can never forgive myself." His voice was muffled as he spoke into his hands.

"Draco, you had no choice in the matter." Hermione carefully pulled his hands away from his face so she could look at him. "You were forced, remember? You and your parents would have been murdered."

He opened his mouth to reply but Hermione cut across him. "And don't say that you would be better off that way, because you wouldn't. Voldemort would have still killed Dumbledore in some way or another – he was dying anyway – and you did the only thing that every single person on this planet would do in that situation."

Draco gazed at Hermione with an unreadable expression on his face. "You're right."

"I know," She laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

He didn't smile but got up from the sofa. "Would you like some Firewhiskey?"

She shook her head. "Don't get drunk on me though – I won't let you. Besides, it's only half past eight."

"As if the time has ever stopped me from having a drink." He scoffed, disappearing and then coming back two minutes later with a glass and the bottle. "Do you know what; you should come to the Manor again for dinner."

"Your dad wouldn't like that." Hermione remembered what Narcissa had told her earlier about Lucius setting up girls around Draco to look like he had cheated.

"I don't care. He can bugger off." He scowled and gulped down his drink with a gasp of appreciation. He poured another and downed that.

"He loves you though." Hermione murmured. "And I would stop there with the Firewhiskey."

"Ah yes, mother seems to have that delusion too. You see, he has never ever respected my wishes. I don't think he even wanted me to become an Auror." He spat bitterly, his expression dark. Draco ignored Hermione's hand trying to take the bottle away and poured his third glass.

Hermione just stared at him, watching every emotion that whirled in his grey eyes; watching his hand raise the glass to his lips and see the amber liquid drain into his mouth.

He raised an eyebrow as she continued to look at him with a blank expression. "What!"

"You need to have a heart-to-heart with your mother, dear." She took the glass from his hand.

"No I don't." He snorted and snatched the glass back, taking another swig. "Anyway, come round on Saturday."

Hermione did not like the way Draco was talking to her. "No."

"What do you mean no?" He asked, frowning.

"What I said, Draco." She stood up from the sofa. "I am not going to sit here with you whilst you get pissed out of your head and demand I come over to your Manor on Saturday!"

"But I think it's a splendid idea," Draco grinned lopsidedly.

"See you later, Draco. Thanks for the dinner." She muttered angrily, grabbing her bag and Apparating back to her flat.

--

Hermione knew she was being childish in giving Draco the cold shoulder, but she was still seething at the way he spoke to her. At his flat, Hermione could plainly see the arrogance shining through his every orifice. Once or twice the following week, he had come into the shop to try and speak to her but she ignored him and disappeared into the back room.

Locking up the store that Friday evening, Hermione remembered with a grim smile that it was tomorrow that Draco wanted her to go to the Manor again. Well, he was going to have to get on his knees and beg. Not only did Lucius not want her there, Draco had been a right moron and at that very moment, she wanted nothing to do with his family.

Huffing to herself, Hermione was about to Apparate home when someone grabbed her arms from behind. She screamed and whirled round, pointing her wand in the person's throat.

"Oh, it's you." She said shortly. "I have half a mind not to lower my wand and curse you into next year."

Draco grimaced. "Please don't."

"And please don't get bloody drunk again and start acting like the bloody arrogant ponce you were like in school, because I know that you aren't bloody like that now." Hermione growled, a few sparks jumping out of her wand as she lowered it.

"Please don't swear – it is very unbecoming for a young, beautiful woman like you." Draco pouted slightly.

It was one of those times when Hermione really and truly wanted to be furious with the person she was conversing with, but they were annoyingly making her laugh.

"Oh, be quiet!" She tried to keep her voice strong and angry, but she couldn't help but let her laughter escape through her lips. "You are so irritating the way you do that!"

"I thought making people laugh was a good thing." Draco said innocently before breaking into a big smile. "I'm terribly sorry for what happened on Sunday. I shouldn't have responded that way, nor should I have taken to the bottle. I assure you that Monday morning made me pay severely."

"Good." She smiled sweetly before turning on the spot and Apparating home.

Draco stared at the spot where she disappeared for a moment, before grumbling and deciding to follow suit.

Hermione had just placed her bag down and was stretching her body when there was a loud crack and someone rugby tackled her onto the nearby sofa. Feeling the familiar arms around her waist, Hermione rolled her eyes and struggled to get up.

"Can you let go now, please?"

"Not until you accept my sincere apology." Draco said loudly from behind her back.

"Fine, I accept!" She tried to pull his arms apart but they would not budge. "I said I accept!"

There was a struggle and a lot of bouncing for Hermione until Draco finally managed to sit up without separating his hands. "And a kiss."

"Don't push your luck, mister." Hermione warned and began to tickle him until he let go. She quickly got up and ran into the kitchen where she began making a cup of tea.

"How very rude – you aren't offering me a drink." Draco had followed her quickly and now stood directly behind her.

"Would you like a drink? No? Okay." Hermione asked quickly and before he could speak, answered the question for him.

"Why are you being so mean?" He whined.

"Why are you such a jerk?" She retorted.

"I've apologised!" Draco protested, holding out his hands. "And you have supposedly accepted."

Hermione turned around with her finished tea in her hands. "Okay, okay. You are truly forgiven." She grinned mischievously.

He relaxed in front of her and rolled his eyes. "You are one feisty little Gryffindor aren't you?"

She poked out her tongue and took a sip of her tea. "Would you like one?"

"No, thank you." He hesitated before continuing. "I know I didn't ask you in the nicest of ways before, but would you like to come tomorrow?"

Hermione contemplated the invitation. A part of her wanted to be really spiteful and decline, but that would be ridiculously childish. She was nervous about meeting Lucius once again, as their previous meeting was at the Christmas Ball and that didn't go too well. "Okay, Draco, I'll go."

"Thank you." He beamed. "And I'm glad you said that because I've already told mother you're coming."

"Why, you sneaky little Slytherin!" She giggled and placed down her tea on the counter to hug him. "Sorry for being really mean towards you this week."

"Ah well, doesn't matter. And by the way, I did have that little heart-to-heart with mother which you suggested I should do."

She pulled back to look up at him with pride. "I'm so glad you did, Draco! What happened?"

He frowned and broke away from their embrace to sit down at Hermione's table. She joined him, immediately concerned, taking her tea with her.

"What? What did she say?"

"Just that my father was going set things up so it appeared that I was cheating on you." He looked up at her from the table. "Which I would never, ever do."

Hermione took his hand. "I know you wouldn't, Draco. And Narcissa told me that on Sunday."

"Really?" He sounded surprised. "And she also went on to say how my father was still a bit stuck in his old ways, and it would take time to get used to our relationship. She also said that he loved me very much." He added, his forehead creasing.

"See," Hermione said gently. "He does love you. Narcissa is right in everything she has said. Just be patient with Lucius and he'll come round."

"I should be the one saying that to you, really." He joked, laughing slightly. "I hope you're right, Hermione."

"Well, we'll see tomorrow won't we?" Hermione nodded her head once and then got up from the table. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

--

The next morning, Draco and Hermione both Apparated together to the Manor. After the meal the night before, Hermione had asked Draco if he would like to stay the night as they could travel together the next morning. Once again, she transfigured the sofa into a comfortable bed, but unlike the last time Draco had stayed, Hermione did not creep into his bed with him.

Draco felt Hermione's hand tense slightly as he knocked on the front door of the Manor before stepping inside. "It'll be fine. Mother adores you, anyway." He whispered in her ear before calling out a greeting.

"Draco, Hermione!" Narcissa beamed as she came out of the living room. She hugged her son and then kissed Hermione delicately on the cheek. "Please, come and join us in here." She led the way back into a grand, high ceilinged room with a huge, gold gilt mirror hanging over a fireplace. A portrait of Lucius, Narcissa and a young Draco hung on the beige coloured wallpaper on the left side. Elegant sofas sat opposite each other, framing a cream Persian rug. Overall, it was another beautifully decorated room in Malfoy Manor.

Lucius was already sitting, reading the Daily Prophet on the sofa opposite Hermione and Draco. He nodded to her as she sat down. I guess that's an improvement, Hermione thought drily.

"Would you like a drink? Anything to eat?" Narcissa offered.

Hermione shook her head but Draco asked for a coffee.

"Of course, dear. Tilly!" She called and a house-elf appeared with a bow.

"Yes, mistress?"

"A coffee please, and could you start on the lunch of a selection of salads and cold meats, please." Narcissa ordered with a small smile to the surprised elf. It disappeared with a loud crack after bowing once more.

"You shouldn't be so nice to them, Cissy." Lucius grumbled, frowning slightly at his wife who rolled her eyes.

"Why not?" Hermione blurted out angrily before she could stop herself. She heard Draco snigger beside her.

Clearly affronted, Lucius scowled deeply and opened his mouth to reply. "Because they don't deserve to be."

"How can you say that? They cook your meals, clean your house, look after you without any pay, and you say they don't deserve to be treated with some respect?" Hermione was incensed. How could he not see how much the house-elves did for them?

"If you are going to talk to me like that, Granger, leave right now." Lucius hissed, scrunching up the newspaper and storming out of the living room, just as the house elf arrived with the cup of coffee for Draco.

After the elf disappeared, Narcissa spoke, "Ignore him, Hermione. He didn't mean that. I think he likes you."

"He has a funny way of showing it," Draco mumbled, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face. "You do make me laugh the way you have your little outbursts, Hermione."

She only half-smiled at him before turning to Narcissa. "I hate making this so difficult, I'm so sorry."

"Nonsense! It's not you – it's Lucius. When he sees what a fine woman you are, he shall be the complete opposite as to what he is now." Narcissa smiled reassuringly and stood up, smoothing down her dress. "If you'll excuse me, I must go and find my husband. I will see you both at lunch."

Hermione turned to Draco once his mother had left and she leant on his shoulder as he embraced her gently. "I fear that your mum is deluded."

He laughed quietly. "Actually, quite the opposite. She is usually quite right when she describes my father - must be because she's been married to him for twenty eight years."

She kissed his shoulder. "I hope she's right, I really do."

--

Lunch was a fairly awkward affair to start with, but it soon relaxed after Lucius actually engaged Hermione in conversation, asking her stiffly about her bookshop. Draco nearly choked on his couscous when his father actually chuckled at something Hermione had said. His mother was a genius.

After the plates had been cleared and coffee been served, Narcissa suggested that he and Hermione take a spring walk through the grounds. "After all, she hasn't been here since the winter. It's so much nicer now."

Draco took Hermione's hand as they stepped out into the grounds, the afternoon sun streaming down onto the freshly mown green grass. Hermione vaguely remembered coming out here during the ball and Draco attempting to show her something.

"Draco," She began as they strolled along, hand in hand, towards a big oak towards the left side of the Manor. "Do you remember when you tried to show me something but you didn't in the end ... I think you ran away."

He burst into laughter, his eyes lighting up at the memory. "Ah yes, you got so furious with me. It was very funny."

Hermione pouted. "It wasn't nice ditching me on a cold night."

He laughed more and dragged her away from the tree and towards a slope where pine trees ran along the bottom. "It's down here."

Hermione squealed as Draco broke into a run down the hill and she still held onto his hand. "I'm going to fall!"

"Nah, you won't!" He called over his shoulder, grinning. He began to slow down once they reached the bottom and Hermione almost crashed into his shoulder. "Whoa!"

Hermione giggled. "That was fun, though I feel a little sick now after just eating."

Draco moved away, pulling a face. She rolled her eyes and looked down along the pine trees. "It goes a long way. What did you want to show me?"

Draco beamed and took her hand once again and began to lead her along the perimeter. "It's just along here," He murmured, the excitement evident in his voice despite him trying to hide it.

He stopped, looked at Hermione, and then pushed apart some branches in a small break in the pine trees. He crouched down and shuffled forward along the soft soil and then sat down against a trunk. "Come in!"

Hermione's face appeared to Draco, flushed and excited as she followed his footsteps and sat down opposite him against the next tree. "You've got a little den here!"

"It's where I used to come to play or think as a child. I still come here when I'm troubled. I haven't shown anyone this, though I think my mother knows. I have a feeling she asked a house-elf to look after me secretly just to check I was okay."

"Well, it's very cosy in here. It's lovely and a perfect place to go." Hermione admired, looking around at the enclosed space of the trees. "My father made me a tree house when I was six. I loved it – I once pleaded with my mother to let me sleep overnight in it once, but it got too cold and I went back inside after half an hour!"

Draco chuckled. "I can imagine you doing that. But, not meaning to sound stupid and I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but what is a tree house?"

"Basically, a wooden box-shaped 'house' in a tree. Then you can have a ladder which you can climb up to get in, or if you wanted to be really secretive, not have any ladder but you have to climb the branches." Hermione's eyes glittered excitedly. "They're such fun ... when you're a child, of course."

Draco sounded interested. "We should build one."

"What, for us? Or for our ki-" Hermione stopped in mid-sentence, swallowing nervously and turning as red as the sunset.

Draco raised an eyebrow and then smiled. "For our kids, were you going to say?"

Hermione seemed to be in a state of shock. She didn't move but only stared at the spot above Draco's left shoulder.

"Well, aren't you a little hasty? We haven't got married yet!" Draco exclaimed playfully.

That seemed to wake up Hermione as her eyes snapped to Draco's. "W-what?"

"We haven't got married yet." He repeated and smirked.

"You want to get married to me?" She whispered faintly.

"Do you want to get married to me?" He twisted the question and raised an eyebrow again.

Hermione didn't say anything at first. She opened her mouth a couple of times, but then closed it again. Finally, "What time is it?"

Draco exhaled a breath he didn't realise he had been holding. That was interesting. He wondered what Hermione was thinking just then? "Twenty to four," was his reply.

"What time shall I leave?" Hermione asked, fiddling with a couple of fallen pine needles.

Draco shrugged. "My parents wouldn't mind if you stayed for dinner. I'm sleeping here tonight, anyway."

"How come?" Hermione seemed to have relaxed from the heart-stopping moments of before.

"I usually do once or twice a month on a weekend." He eyed her carefully before continuing. "You could stay, too, if you wanted."

Hermione frowned slightly. "I ... thank you. I don't know though. I'd have to get up early for ..." She trailed off in mid-sentence and then cursed loudly. "I didn't tell Olivia I wasn't working today! Oh my gosh – I'm such a failure of a boss!"

She crawled out of the little den and began to walk up the hill, muttering to herself.

"Hermione, Hermione wait!" Draco cried after her, and scrambled to his feet before running to chase her. "Just send an owl, its fine don't worry!" He touched her arm gently and she jumped.

"No! She would have gone this morning and been left there all alone, with no clue! Oh, I feel so bad! I need to speak to her!" Hermione wailed hysterically and began walking more furiously up the hill.

"Calm down!" Draco turned her around to face him. "Listen, when you get back to the Manor, talk to her using the floo. If she's not there, owl her to floo my bedroom at five o'clock."

Hermione gazed at him before nodding and breathing in and out slowly. "Okay ... sorry."

Draco smirked and hugged her gently. "It's okay. Do you want to walk around the grounds a bit more, a go up now?"

"Let's go around the grounds." Hermione smiled and took his hand.

As they walked, Draco looked down at their clasped hands. He had an idea.

I know it's so much shorter than the other chapters, but I desperately wanted to update for you guys and I thought that was a good end to the chapter. I'm so sorry for the delay – I've had exams which have been prolonged by the snow, which creates more revision and therefore, less time to do this. Anyway, exams should be done by next Monday – YAY. Thank you so much everyone!!