As it had turned out, Tonks and Andromeda were over the moon about Hermione and Draco. Tonks had confirmed Draco's ideas about their soul bond, declaring that it was a naturally formed and well-developed bond that couldn't be faked and couldn't be denied. She had agreed to talk to Harry and Ron about it, but so far, the two had refused to engage.
Once the word was out throughout the house about Hermione and Draco, it was like instant relief. There were no more secrets, no more hiding. They were free to be together, spend time together, sleep together and just bask in the company of one another.+ Initially, Hermione felt that it might be difficult, given they hadn't ever spent great lengths of time together, but the more time she spent with Draco, the more time she wanted to spend with him. She couldn't imagine being away from him, she couldn't imagine sleeping apart from him. He was now her life raft and she clung to him like he may combust and vanish at any time.
Hermione had approached Harry and Ron, separately, over the course of the following week but always received the same response; 'it's too soon', it's too complicated', 'I can't forgive everything he's done'. She understood, to an extent. They had spent the past 6 years knowing that Draco was a horrible bully and then a portion of that knowing he was a death eater and had a hand in killing Dumbledore.
Hermione may have been clouded by her love for him, but she was able to forgive him, unconditionally.
The discussion during meetings, that Hermione and Draco were now both included in, centred on the Horcruxes and how to access Gringotts and Hogwarts. For Draco, it had seemed obvious. He would go to Gringotts, access his family's value, and take Hermione along, glamoured to look like a ditsy French girl he had picked up. Harry would accompany them, under the cover of the invisibility cloak in case something went wrong. Ron, and to a lesser extent, Harry, picked the plan to pieces, coming up with all kinds of ways that it could go all wrong.
By the end of the fourth meeting where Draco's every idea was condemned, Hermione got up and spun on her heel, to exit the room, declaring that they would follow the plan and if it went wrong then they'd work it out at the time.
"What am I going to do then? Wait around for something bad to happen?" Ron asked, following her down the hall.
"Well, maybe then you'll know how it feels. At least we'll come back and not stay out all night" Hermione said. "But then again, perhaps we may go somewhere for a night alone" she added with a smile.
"Uhh, do what you want, as long as I don't have to hear about the two of you" Ron said.
The next few days were spent practising different glamour charms on Hermione to see which look made her look most like a random bimbo. They settled on a look and planned the final move before they would go to Gringotts.
"I need to go home, to the Manor. Very briefly" he said two nights before they had planned to go.
"Home, to the place where you-know-who is currently living?" she asked him, panic setting in.
"I need to get my Gringotts key. I have no choice" he said.
"But… we need to be close to each other. 50 feet, remember? I can't… I mean… I don't know if I can…" she stammered.
"It will be fine. You already said you speak French, so if anyone speaks to you, just answer them in French, say something ditzy and hold onto me like your life depends on it" he said.
"Oh trust me, I don't think that will be an issue. I won't be letting you go… My concern, Draco, is what happens when you're seen, when people ask where you've been?" she asked.
"I'm 17. I've been out soiling my seeds all around Europe. After the year I had, I doubt anyone would have questions" he said.
"I don't like it" she said, snuggling up close to him for warmth.
"We don't have a choice" he said.
The following day, Draco cast some spells to turn Hermione into the vision of a Blonde Bimbo. She had long blonde ringlets, large fake boobs, white skin and a shapelier figure than Hermione had ever dreamt of. It all felt a bit odd to her, but when she saw the way he looked at her boobs, she thought it might be a nice addition to keep them. Or at least, part of them.
They stood in the living room of Grimmauld Place and hesitated.
"Remember, you're a blonde bimbo who speaks very little English. You giggle and nod but that's it…. I might get a little, mean, but remember, it's just all for show. Remember, I love you. Do not listen to a word I say today. Please. It's all for show. It's not me" he said.
"I know, its ok, I trust you" she said, holding his hand as he took some floo powder.
He kissed her temple as they stepped into the fireplace, and he called "Malfoy Manor Library". Before she knew it, they were whizzing through time and space, finally coming to a stop in what looked to be an enormous library, filled with books that she wouldn't have time to read in an entire lifetime.
"You're drooling, come on, you can't read" he said with a smirk, pulling her from the fireplace and towards the door.
Hermione held onto his hand and tried to keep up, wearing high heels that she shouldn't be able to walk in, if not for the balance charm Draco had placed on them. They walked down what felt like half a dozen hallways before coming to a room that was emblazoned with the initials DM.
She was beyond thankful that they hadn't come across anyone in the Manor so far, as she was concerned about her French and if it would be believable if she had to speak to anyone.
Draco fumbled around in little boxes and cupboards and eventually left with a knapsack full of various items and his Gringotts key in his hand.
"Here" he said, tucking the key into her voluptuous bosom.
"I may keep these" she said quietly.
"Maybe not these exact ones. Yours are more than perfect" he said.
She kissed him on the nose and completely forgot where she was until his bedroom door flew open.
"Draco?" came the voice of his mother.
"Mother" he muttered, standing upright and raising his chin.
"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, keeping her voice to a whisper.
"Mother, may I introduce to you… Celeste?" he asked.
"Not until you tell me where you have been?" Narcissa exclaimed.
"Mother, please. It was hard for me here, after the year that I had, I had to leave. I was spending time in Europe. France. That's where I met Celeste. She doesn't speak a word of English so she's perfect" he said.
"Celeste, c'est ma mère, Mrs Malfoy" he said in perfect French, introducing his mother.
"Ravi de vous rencontrer madame" (nice to meet you ma'am) Hermione said in her best French accent, and kissing her on both cheeks.
"pas du tout" (not at all) Narcissa said in perfect French.
Hermione almost felt welcomed, but she quickly remembered she wasn't actually a French girl named Celeste, but a muggle born witch who was Harry Potter's best friend and undesirable number 2.
"Now Draco, we must talk, we have important business to attend to. Can we be alone?" Narcissa asked. Hermione stood silently and looked at her nails.
"We can talk here. She doesn't understand a word" he said.
"What on Earth are you doing with her then, Draco?" she asked.
"Mother, please. She's a bit of fun. Purely physical" he said.
"Oh, Draco, please don't disappoint me" she said.
"With all due respect mother, father has provided enough disappointment for the both of us. If you were smart, you'd leave too" Draco said. Hermione sensed a hidden motive behind this conversation.
"There are things that are expected of you son, you need to hurry and get this, whatever it is, out of your system and come back here immediately" Narcissa said.
"Mother, please. I've done more than enough" he said.
"I don't disagree Draco, but questions are being asked about your whereabouts" she said, trying to pull him to sit in the sitting area of his room.
"Mother, please, I can't stay. I have things I need to be getting on with. Express my apologies to father for my absence" Draco said.
"When will you come back Draco? Something is coming Draco and I need to know you're safe. The Dark Lord, he's been calling for you and when you haven't responded, well… he is concerned something has happened" she said.
"What's coming mother? What do you know?" he asked a little too forcefully.
"Nothing… Nothing specific Draco, but he is gathering more and more followers" she said.
"A show of force, that's all. Just relax mother, everything will be perfectly fine. I'm just keeping my nose out of it, sowing my seeds before you choose a suitable wife for me, is all" he said.
"We shall see who that turns out to be" Narcissa said, looking Hermione up and down. "Where is she from? What family?" she asked.
"Oh mother, she is more than suitable for fun. We don't need to be concerned with the semantics of her heritage" Draco said.
"Don't tell your father" she said.
"I wasn't counting on running into him. I have to be going" he said.
"I wish you didn't have to go. I have been so worried" she said.
Draco took the arm that wasn't holding onto Hermione and pulled his mother into an embrace.
"I'm fine mother. I promise. I'm actually happy where I am" he said. "But I will return soon, if you insist" he said.
"Oh Draco, I don't want you to spoil your happiness, but I truly think that you ought to be home" she said.
"I'll return by next week. Let me have time to sort things out and I'll be back" he said, convincingly.
"Oh my sweet boy" she said, placing her hand on his cheek. It was clear that she loved him, as much as any mother loved their son, but there was something more behind her request. She was afraid.
"Now, how can we leave without being noticed by too many people? It was hard enough getting to my room" he said.
"My studio still has an open floo" she said.
Draco kissed his mother on the cheek and left the room.
Hermione looked around as they rushed around three hallways to a room that, from the outside, looked like every other room. They entered and Draco quickly shut the door, locking it from the inside.
"She was suspicious. We don't have much time" he said, hurrying across the beautifully lit room. It was like a ballet studio, with huge mirrors covering one entire wall, a fireplace on another and a few decorations on shelves, as well as a gramophone that Hermione longed to listen to.
Draco pulled her into the fireplace, calling "Grimmauld Place" as he dropped the powder, and Hermione felt the familiar spiral through the network. They were spat out on the familiar rug of Grimmauld place, where Hermione sat and caught her breath.
Draco immediately scooped her up, removed the glamour and kissed her fiercely on the lips, pulling her close and holding her tight.
"You're perfect. You're amazing. I love you so incredibly much" he said. She was so thrown, she didn't know how to respond, other than kiss him back and swoon at his words.
They eventually pulled apart when they heard someone clear their throat from behind. Hermione turned to see Harry, Ron, Tonks and Lupin gathered around, Tonks holding what appeared to be a bundle of blankets.
"Sorry" Hermione said, blushing at her public display of affection before putting her hands out to retrieve Tonk's baby, who had been born just a day after Hermione and Draco had revealed their relationship.
"So…?" Harry asked, looking from Hermione to Draco and back again.
Hermione reached into her bra and retrieved the key that fit much differently to how it did just moments ago.
"We have the key and we're ready to get the cup" she said, handing the key to Draco.
"You hold onto it… Safe keeping" he said, resulting in a surprised look from Ron.
"What's the matter Weasley, didn't think I'd be true to my word?" he asked.
"Just stunned is all" Ron said before leaving the room.
"You never kissed Ron like that" Harry said to Hermione.
"I never wanted to kiss Ron like that. I've told you Harry, Ron and I, our relationship wasn't like yours and Ginny's or what I have with Draco. We should never have been together" she said, rocking the tiny baby who was frowning at her as his hair was changing to brown curls.
"Tonks, Teddy's hair…" she began, looking up at the baby's mother in surprise.
"Yeah, he's like me. Started just yesterday. He's pretty fond of Harry's hair but he seems to like yours too" Tonks said.
"Here, Draco, see if he'll do it for you" Hermione said, holding the baby out for Draco.
"Oh… no, no I don't think so, babies don't generally…" before he could finish, Hermione deposited baby Teddy into Draco's awkward arms and stepped back, watching on with interest.
The group stood in silence watching to see if Teddy's hair would change to blonde. When nothing happened at first, Draco looked to Hermione with a pained expression.
"Come on, he clearly doesn't like me, just take him" he said, glancing at Tonks and Harry for some reprieve. Hermione just smiled and as she looked from Draco's face down to baby Teddy, her smile turned to a grin as he was now sporting some white-blonde locks.
"Well, I suppose he doesn't really know you then, does he?" said Ron from the hallway.
"Come off it Weasley" Draco said in calm voice, not turning to look at Ron, but keeping his gaze on the baby in his arms.
Teddy was looking up into Draco's face, studying him carefully and it appeared as though Draco was doing the same back.
When Ron had left and the group all relaxed into the lounge chairs, Draco eventually looked up from the now sleeping baby.
"We should have one of these one day" he said out of nowhere.
"Sure. One day, a very long time from now" Hermione responded, shocked beyond belief that he would even be considering the idea, let alone what it would mean for his family.
"You know what that would mean, right?" Harry asked.
"It would mean that Granger and me would have a child together?" he asked, frowning at Harry.
"It would mean that you would have a half blood Malfoy heir" Harry said.
"Merlin Potter, I'm glad you told me or I'd not have known" Draco said in mock surprise, ending with a smile.
"So… you're really ok with it. You've given it some thought and this…" Harry waved his arm between the two of them, "…isn't some fling?" Harry asked, as Draco handed a sleeping Teddy back to his mother.
"Potter, if I could marry this witch and have an heir with her tomorrow I would" Draco said, stunning Hermione at his brazen openness.
"Right, well… That's… That's good then" Harry said as he stood to leave. Before he did, he stopped in front of Draco and stared at him briefly before saying "good work today. It must have been hard to go home" then extending his hand. Hermione, stunned, watched on in silence as Draco looked at the hand, stood, nodded once to Harry and shook his hand. There were no words exchanged, just knowing looks and subtle smirks before Harry nodded once at Draco then at Hermione then left the room.
That night, around the table sat Hermione and Draco, Harry, Ron, Tonks, Lupin and Andromeda, all discussing the plans for the following day.
It was supposed to be simple, and Hermione was sure they could do it with very little problem. The debate became heated at various points, until Hermione produced her otter Patronus, a shield that no one could get through and send a stunner at the wall just behind Ron, all within a couple of seconds.
"I'm more than capable" she said as she got up, deposited her plate in the sink and left alone.
She had become so fed up with the boys, thinking she couldn't do it or wasn't capable to defend herself and fight back. She was stronger than any of them, and now, now that she had Draco to fight for, she had something to lose. Something worth fighting for, other than the whole world.
She slept soundly that night, in Draco's bed, as usual. There were no dreams of what was to come, no concerns, no worries. The plan was set and they would pull it off. They had to. There was no choice in the matter.
AN - Sorry for the short chapters.