A/N: We're coming to the end here.

Chapter Thirteen
(Public Awareness/The Reveal)

Draco insisted that he walk her to her common room after they left the kitchens. Hermione didn't object, not feeling very confident after what happened earlier. She was not only nervous about the reaction of people, but nervous about how the entire event may effect her. Hermione always considered herself brave, but she wasn't feel so brave that day. Even after she faced the Death Eaters at the Ministry the year before she hadn't been scared to walk down the corridors of the castle alone.

She supposed that with different kinds of attacks came different reactions.

He hugged her tight and she watched him turn the corner down the hall before taking a deep breath and walking into the common room. Not may people were still awake, but she saw Harry and Ron immediately. She went directly to them, wringing her hands as she did.

It wasn't a common habit of hers until today and, well, after what happened she was feeling a bit disturbed by the thought of the things she had done in the Slytherin common room and her hands had been the perpetrators in that. It was odd, wanting to twist your own fingers to make the memory come off of them. She shivered and tried to clear her thoughts. She was back with her friends – she was back in the Gryffindor common room and she was safe.

"Hermione! What happened!" Ron was the first one to walk up to her give her a once-over. "We've been hearing you were attacked, and people were saying you were in the Slytherin common room, and then rumors about hospital wing with Malfoy. We checked the map but we couldn't find you or Malfoy anywhere." He enveloped her in a hug and Hermione returned it gladly.

Hermione pulled away and sat down on the sofa heavily. Yes, she had been sitting around with Draco all day but she was still mentally exhausted from everything.

"Daphne used the Imperius curse on me," she explained with a sigh. "She… forced me to make a horrible speech in the Great Hall, and then she brought me to the Slytherin common room."

"What!?" Ron exclaimed, looking outraged. "Is she being expelled? She better be expelled – it's called an Unforgivable for a reason!"

"For now she's only suspended," Hermione said somberly. "Dumbledore basically told me I would have a say in her final punishment." She didn't truly know what she wanted to come of it, but she did know that Daphne deserved to be punished. Did she deserve Azkaban? Maybe mot. But Hermione definitely didn't want her near the school. Daphne was willing to curse her over jealousy… what if someone actually hurt the girl? Then what would she be willing to do?

Hermione twisted her hands in her lap, still uneasy. There were a few people sneaking looks at them from around the common room and despite knowing she was safe there, she had enough eyes on her for one day.

"Someone else said they saw you and Malfoy together," Harry said finally, giving her an imploring look.

"Yeah he… he got me out of the common room. He walked in and made them stop. Then he took me to the hospital wing and I suppose we've officially made up. We've been together all afternoon hiding out. I'm sure there are some rumors going around."

"Is that how it is going to be now? You and Malfoy?" Harry asked with a not-so-friendly look on his face. Hermione frowned.

"Yes. And he's decided to come out with it. His…" she looked around the common room to ensure they were not being overhead. While people may have been looking they were all a safe distance away. Still, she lowered her voice. "His mother had to be evacuated from their home because of this. She's staying with the Tonks. Andromeda, you know, is her sister."

Harry's eyes raised at that revelation.

"And that's not even the worst part. Apparently Voldemort has been living at Malfoy Manor," she said it so quietly the boys had to strain to hear. But hear, they did.

Ron's jaw dropped. "Did he know?"

"Of course not!" Hermione said, angry at the accusation. "His mother didn't tell him. Dumbledore told us. He's really shaken up about it. And when Narcissa doesn't come back and he hears about this it isn't going to be safe for him anymore.

"He chose me. Her son is a traitor and it puts them at risk, especially after what happened with his father. Apparently they weren't in his favor to begin with and now this. Draco's worried and rightfully so. But he chose to do this. He's doing the right thing even though its difficult. So, yes, this is how it's going to be now."

The boys sat in silence, both taking in the news that their long-time rival was not only switching sides but also dating their best friend. Hermione was going to be sticking up for him regularly now and, if she had anything to do with it, Draco would be around much more often. They would have to learn to be civil.

"How are you feeling? After everything that happened?" Harry asked this, surprising Hermione and causing her to soften.

"Oh, I don't know," she said with a slump of her shoulders. "It's all been a lot. I'm quite embarrassed."

She was wringing her hands again and she saw Harry's eyes flick down, noticing, and then return to her face.

"Well if you want to talk about it we'll listen." This time it was Ron who spoke, offering to lend support. Hermione's surprise must have been evident her face because Harry ended up laughing.

"C'mon we're not that bad. We care."

"Sometimes I forget you're not twelve-year-old boys anymore," Hermione laughed as well and shook her head.

"Thank you for the offer but I think I want to go to sleep now. It's been a long day and tomorrow is going to be even more taxing after me and Draco walk around the corridors together."

"You're really going to do it?" Harry said skeptically. But Hermione could only smile, because yes they were going to do it and she was very happy about it. Harry watched her smile and sighed resolutely.

"At this rate it'll be Ron and Parkinson next," Harry huffed and stood up, offering his hand to Hermione. She laughed and accepted, while Ron vehemently protested the prediction.

Hermione felt light and hopeful when she fell asleep, more reassured than she ever expected.

Draco didn't sit with her at breakfast, but he did wave to her across the Great Hall. She wasn't sure how many people saw but she didn't mind the lack of attention. A few people had already walked up to her and expressed their condolences about what happened to her and also for the now known knowledge of her parents' deaths.

It was strange, having people acknowledge something that she had been unable to talk about for years. It still surprised her when she could say certain things.

Hermione noticed that Draco was sitting with all of the boys from his year still. The girls were sitting a little further down in their own group, Daphne noticeably absent. Although she tried to avoid seeing him, she spotted Marcus Flint laughing with his friends non-nonchalantly. He had been punished with weekend detentions for the end of the year and was on probation for participating in the attack on her. Since he himself hadn't cast any spelled his punishment couldn't involve suspension or expulsion.

She grimaced and went back to her meal and the conversation. Harry was talking about Slughorn and the upcoming holiday Slug Club meeting. He was lamenting over not knowing who to take, although Hermione could see he was eyeing Ginny in the most obvious sense.

"I guess you're taking Malfoy, eh?" Ron elbowed her gently and sniggered. "This is going to take some getting used to."

"Yes, I suppose. We still need to talk about it but… yes," Hermione gave a half smile.

"Why would you take Malfoy?" Dean, who apparently had been listening to the conversation, chimed in with a very confused looked on his face.

"We're together now," Hermione answered plainly. Dean blinked a few times and then burst out laughing, hitting the table a few times, which actually gathered the attention of a few other students nearby.

"Good one, Hermione! You had me going for a minute there!" He was practically wiping tears from his eyes by the time he calmed down and Hermione was positively pink.

"Erm, well, you see, Dean, I'm not joking. As strange as it sounds Draco and I are together," Hermione repeated herself and the smile fell off of Dean's face.

"You and Malfoy?" he said incredulously and looked at Ron and Harry as if to say 'a little help here?'. Instead, the boys just shrugged.

"He's changed," Hermione offered with a little smile.

"Since when, yesterday?" Seamus interjected this time, snorting at the absurdity of it all. "Come off it, you're having one on us. Joke's over."

"She's not joking, mate," Ron said with a sigh and jerked his head at the Slytherin table. By now other people were listening and Hermione was feeling even more put on the spot.

"Did Daphne mess with your head, Granger? We've all heard the rumors but we didn't think you'd actually sell yourself off to some rich Slytherin blood purist," Cormac McLaggen piped in, his complete lack of filter on display. Hermione was getting increasingly embarrassed by the insinuations and staring.

"Oi!" Ron shouted. "Don't talk about her like that!"

"How else can you explain what she's saying? Why are you even okay with this? We all know you don't have the money to buy her off, but Malfoy?"

Hermione gasped and Ron growled, standing up and leaning forward as if to punch Cormac in the face. Luckily Harry held him back, causing a scene and a shuffle of people trying to dodge the potential fight breaking out. Hermione withdrew her wand and cast a separating charm on the two boys, making it impossible for them to get nearer to one another.

"You should be using that spell on Malfoy!" Cormac was on a roll, apparently.

"Here's one for you, McLaggen," Draco sneered and Hermione turned, finding him standing beside her now. He shot a trapping jinx and Cormac's head was suddenly in a metal box – his words silenced. He immediately started pulling at the box to try to escape.

"Draco! You'll get into trouble!" Hermione admonished and pushed his wand arm down, which was still extended and pointing to Cormac.

"Someone needed to shut him up," he shrugged but continued glaring at Cormac, who was still trying to get out of the box. They could all hear muffled yelling but the words were not distinguishable.

"I agree with Malfoy," Harry said with a grin, staring at Cormac. "We could have used that during quidditch practice. And tryouts. And any other time he's around."

"Just take it off of him and we can go!" Hermione said impatiently, her eyes shifting around the hall. She hated how many people were staring at them – everyone was staring at them. Her skin was crawling; it was just like the day before. "Please can we go?"

Draco looked over at her and frowned, seeing her beginning to panic, and he nodded. He quickly cast the counter-jinx and before Cormac could even balance himself Hermione and Draco were halfway out of the Hall, hand-in-hand, for everyone to see.

The volume of the chatter was rising and Hermione was very happy when the large door to the great hall closed behind them, silencing the gossip. They walked to side, away from the doors, and settled on a bench.

"Well, that's one way to show everyone," Draco said and Hermione huffed, not quite annoyed but still on edge from all of the attention.

"I'm just so tired of being stared at. First it was from Daphne's rumors, then when I had to make that speech yesterday, and then in the Slytherin common room; I'm sick of being a show for everyone's cruel amusement." Hermione felt her eyes beginning to water and Draco pulled her against him. Her head fell into his chest and she let out a long sigh, willing herself not to cry. She had been so weepy since they got together. She wished it was easier.

"It'll get better. Give it a few days, people will forget and it will become less of a novelty."

"Yeah, I know. Harry has been dealing with attention like this his entire life."

"Except he loves it," Draco shot out quickly.

"No he doesn't, he hates it. He just wants to be treated like everyone else," Hermione immediately defended Harry, she always would. Draco had the sense to not reply but she did see the roll of his eyes. She knew their animosity was far from gone, but she had hope.

"You were sitting with your friends this morning. So… they took the new well?" Hermione asked carefully, curious about how it went.

"Er, well I actually didn't have the chance to tell them last night," he admitted guiltily.

"And this morning?" Hermione pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Well, I mean, they saw what just happened," he said sheepishly, and ran a hand through his hair. Hermione sighed. He hadn't told them on his own.

"I thought you weren't ashamed."

"I'm not! I just stood up for you and walked out with you!" Draco defended himself. "I just… don't want to lose my friends."

Hermione frowned. Inside, she was thinking that those friends weren't really worth keeping if they were bigots, but she could tell that Draco was genuinely upset about the possible loss of friendship. She really, really hated that it had to be this way: me or them. It was a terrible position and she didn't want him resenting her for it.

"I understand," she said instead. "I don't want you to lose your friends either."

"But I don't want to be around people who would call you inferior just because of your blood. I don't want to go back to that, and I don't want to be around it either."

"I believe you," Hermione said again, trying to reassure him.

"Thank you. I just wanted one more morning with my friends, I guess…" he sighed and shrugged. Hermione nodded against him. That's what he got and now it was onward: together again.

"Let's head to class. People will be leaving soon," Hermione stood up and pulled Draco's hand to have him follow.

"What if I want them to see?" This time Draco pulled her towards him, and their chests collided.

"Well then you should probably start snogging me, it'll really gather everyone's attention," Hermione smiled and wiggled her brow.

"Don't tempt me, woman!" Draco smirked and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before stepping away. "We can make a spectacle of it when you're feeling up to it."

Hermione felt warm inside knowing he was respecting her feelings and listening to her.

"Deal," she said, and she meant it.

On the final Hogsmeade visit before the winter holiday the couple walked unashamed around the village. By now they were much less of novelty and people were use to them being together. Hermione was completely on edge as they approached a small but lively cafe where she was going to formally meet Narcissa. Dumbledore had arranged safe travel for her to the village after everything they'd been through and while it was still rather risky they agreed it was worth it.

When they walked into the parlor of the cafe Narcissa's blonde hair stood out among the patrons. Draco headed straight towards her, his pace increasing, and Hermione smiled a little – he was clearly excited to see her. When he made it to her her he hugged her tightly. She responded in kind and Hermione waited for the two to part before approaching the table as well.

Narcissa looked just as prim and snooty as ever, if Hermione were to be honest. Her head was inclined up slightly so she had to look down her nose at whomever she was addressing. Hermione tried to push past her preconceived notions of the woman; she really wanted this to go well for Draco's sake.

"Miss Granger," Narcissa said in a tight voice. Hermione smiled, determined not to show that she was put-off.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy, it's nice to officially meet you," Hermione gave a small bow of her head and took her seat that Draco had pulled out of her. She would have to remind him later that she was perfectly capable of withdrawing her own chair, but now was not the time for that kind of thing.

"I am interested to learn more about this," Narcissa responded with a neutral tone.

The three of them discussed everything. How the two of them met, how the contract effected Hermione's life, and how they were now dealing with the aftermath. Narcissa talked very vaguely of the time at Malfoy Manor before she was extracted, but considering how many people were around it wasn't a very long conversation.

"The best thing to come out of this (she gestured to the pair) was that it got me out of the house." Hermione and Draco both recognized the dig.

"While I'm glad you're out of there, I think there are many reasons this was the best decision I ever made. Hermione on the top of that list," Draco grabbed her hand under the table and looked over to her with a small smile. Hermione squeezed his hand and held their eye contact for a moment before looking away. Narcissa was watching their interaction closely.

"When I saw that contract I knew it wasn't a phase. My son does not fall into phases; he picks what he likes and he sticks by it. Merlin, his favorite color has been blue since he could say the word. Once he chose you it was decided. Stubbornness runs in the Black side of the family; the Malfoys were always much more fluid." Narcissa sighed and used a napkin to dab the side of her mouth. (Hermione suspected it was a polite way of stopping herself from saying something she'd regret.)

"And what are you stubborn about, Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione chanced asking, which was probably the most brash thing she'd said all afternoon. She was really trying to reign it in.

"I'm stubborn about my son's happiness," she replied so sharply Hermione knew there was more she wanted to say but was refraining.

"We luckily we have that in common," Hermione said boldly, honestly.

"Thank you both, and I want me to be happy too," Draco said with a lazy shrug, leaning back into his chair, grinning. "I'm very flattered to be the center of both of your attentions."

Narcissa and Hermione both tsk-ed at the same time and Hermione even rolled her eyes.

"Don't be boastful, Draco," Narcissa scolded him lightly.

When it came to discussing the future the conversation lulled. While they had discussed in depth what they wanted to do it, it was difficult to talk what would actually happen. He hadn't known Hermione Granger was the girl behind the letters, and the possibilities of the future were theirs to seize without obstacles. But Hermione Granger had responsibilities and would never betray them.

There was a war looming over them and it was not a secret that Hermione was best friend with the person at the forefront. The plans for her future would be put on hold if they needed and Draco was loath to agree that she would have to do anything dangerous.

Narcissa seemed to read the tension easily when the topic was brought up and, Hermione was happy to see, she diverted the conversation rather than clinging to it to make their meeting as unpleasant as possible.

"How is father?" Draco finally asked, almost reluctantly.

Narcissa pursed her lips and looked down at her tea before her eyes flickered to Hermione. "He is displeased."

She didn't say anything more. Draco's shoulders slumped and he looked disappointed. Hermione put a comforting hand on his upper arm, trying to give him some reassurance. Despite what a horrible man he was and how scared she had been last year in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione hated that Draco's father was estranged from him. He was still his father and she knew that Draco had harbored a small flicker of hope that he hadn't lost him, too.

By the end of the hour Hermione was more than ready to leave. It hadn't been bad, per say, but Narcissa hadn't smiled once. It could have gone worse.

Draco hugged his mother again and she held onto him a little longer, actually looking a little teary-eyed by the time they parted. She had to wait for her escort to bring her back to the apparition point and so Draco and Hermione left, promising to write.

"What did you think?" Draco asked as they walked through the village, shoulder to shoulder.

"She didn't smile," Hermione noted her observation from earlier.

"I'm sorry. I wish she could see what I see. I'll try to teach her," he said, giving her a sidelong glance. Hermione turned her head to look at him in return and they held eye contact for a second. The sweet little comments coming from Draco Malfoy were getting a lot more regular and a lot less surprising.

"I think she will come around. And maybe she can teach your father a few things," she said hopefully. She knew how much it was bothering him. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him as they walked.