This is the second part of "The many faces of darkness and light", the sequel to "Next to You". Here we're following Hermione and Draco in their new lives after completing their studies at Hogwarts. I'd like to start with welcoming my old readers back – I hope you'll like this one too! New readers are of course welcome too, but I really suggest that you read part one first, since there will be – naturally – a lot of references to what happened earlier. Anyway, I think a recap is in its place, just to refresh our memories. (If you plan to read Next To You, I strongly recommend you to stop reading here, there will be all kind of spoilers coming.)
When Hermione came back to Hogwarts after the war, to finish her education with a last year, she never knew that she would become a mentor, a kind of support teacher. Even less did she knew that she would have to work together with the hated Draco Malfoy, and least of all; that she was going to like it. A strong friendship grew between them, this was not popular with her other friends when they found out. Hermione already had a hard time with her boyfriend, Ron. Their relationship was clearly flawed in many ways, and as the months passed, she realised that the relationship wasn't what she wanted or needed, anymore. She broke up with him, and he did not take it well. The coming months she spent most of her time with Draco, studying in the mentors' office. Eventually they realised that they wanted more than friendship, and their life together begun, though they kept it very quiet. The relationship was nearly destroyed by Draco's best friend, Pansy, who played a nasty trick to keep him as her own. This was handled though, and instead they could start worrying about the next threat; the Ministry. Any given day Draco might be summoned for a supplementary trial, and the shadow of Azkaban was always lingering over their lives. However insignificant, any real or suggested offence of any imaginable sort, could be enough to give the Ministry an excuse. And the trial came. Thankfully he was more or less cleared, and this triggered two things: Firstly, Hermione showed, in front of a crowded Great Hall, that he was the one she loved, and that she was going to stand up for him. Secondly, Harry stated that he finally, though very tentatively, accepted Draco, and offered him his hand in front of the majority of Hogwarts inhabitants.
And that was where we left them. We will soon go on, just a few more words from me. Happy reading!
The dedication of this story originally goes to sweet Noot, my muse, but now I'd like to include Iris too, since she's the one supporting me in all the finishing work. Then I also want to direct my deepest thanks Arabellagaleotti, my excellent and hard-working beta reader. She's all you could ever ask for in a beta, and some more.
oOoOo
"They're not going to bite." Hermione Granger smiled affectionately at her boyfriend.
"I know." There was some irritation in Draco Malfoy's voice.
"Then why are you looking like that?" She rolled over in her bed, looking up at the walls of her childhood bedroom. Draco had arrived at her parents' house about an hour earlier, he was placed with his things in the guest room down the corridor, and now they had ended up in Hermione's room while they waited for tea. She had retreated to her favourite place among all the pillows at the head end of her bed, a place where she had made personal acquaintance with many, many books during the years.
He was walking around on the floor, looking out the window, at her desk or at her books, but never standing still for more than a moment.
"I wonder what you're suggesting that I look like," he snapped at her, but the dark look he gave her was diminished by the obvious strain on his face.
She laughed softly. "Come and sit down." She patted the duvet next to him, and shifted over to make room.
With a sigh and a suspicious face he sat down.
"I'm not going to bite either, I promise." She sat up on her knees, leaned in close and kissed him for a minute or two. Then she sat back down again, looking at her now much more composed boyfriend. "That was an improvement, feeling a bit better now?" she teased.
He rolled his eyes. "Yes. Just don't try that special way of calming me at the table, OK?"
"Um. Maybe not." She laughed at the thought of it, her parents would die. "How was it at home?"
"Well, as I told you, Mother was happy to have me home. She wasn't fond of the idea that I should go away again."
"But it's only for a week, well, not even that."
"Yeah, but she's been alone for a year now, can you blame her for wanting some company?" He seemed slightly defensive.
Hermione sighed. "No, I suppose not. But I want to see you too. And I believe that you want that too."
"We could have gone straight to the Manor instead of doing this detour."
"I don't think so. I need some time to prepare before I go back there." A small shudder ripped through her body.
"If it is any consolation, we're all a bit uneasy at the Manor, Mother too. You're not the only one with bad memories in that place."
She watched him closely for a moment, then she reached out and took his hand. "I know. And I don't want to downgrade your torments from the place, but you have good memories too. You were there, you know how my only memories looks."
"I'm so sorry." The guilt was clear on his face. "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." He pressed her hand hard. "And I know that nothing I say can make it good, but I am sorry."
"What are you talking about? You didn't do anything." Unconsciously she moved a bit closer.
"No, that's the problem. You were tortured in front of my eyes, and I did nothing to stop it." With a haunted expression he bowed down and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Keep your voice down, there are things my parents don't need to know." An outstretched hand stroke his cheek. "And it wasn't your fault. You didn't do it, and you couldn't do anything. It would only had placed you in the same situation, in the best case. You had your life on the line. I understand, I do."
"If it makes anything better I still have nightmares about it."
"Why would anything feel better for me because you are in pain? You have to try to let those parts of your life go. I'm here with you now, that is all that matters." She lifted her head up until her lips were on his.
In the same moment they could both hear the steps outside the door, and they quickly moved apart.
"Hermione, it's time for tea." Mr. Granger stood in the door opening. "Draco." He gave a polite nod before he turned and went back to his wife again.
"Let's go." Determinedly she started to push him off the bed.
"Your father doesn't like me."
"Don't be silly. He's just a bit protective. They haven't even got the chance to get to know you. Go now, I'll be right behind you."
They slowly went up and eventually ended up at the tea-table. Mrs. Granger made sure all got tea and accompaniments, and then it became a strained silence until Mr. Granger cleared his throat.
"So, Draco, I could ask you what subjects you have been taking, but I'm afraid it will be just as incomprehensible as when Hermione tries to explain hers." He sent his daughter an affective glance. "But there is one I know, it's the one about us. Muggle-studies it's called I believe? Did you take that?"
"No, I can't say I did." Keeping a neutral face had probably been much easier for him if it wasn't for Hermione's ironical smile.
"Oh. But I understand it that you're coming from an all wizard family, isn't that so?"
"That's correct."
"But then you really need that, how else would you know anything about the real world?"
"Well..." He glanced at his girlfriend in a quiet ask for help, but she remained silent. "You have to understand that for me the wizard world is the real world. Just as little as you need to know about wizards to go on with your life, the same do I need to know about Muggles to go on with my life. There just have been no need to interfere with the Muggle world for me." Looking around the table he decided to hastily add something. "All that is different now when I've met Hermione of course."
"Of course. But you're one of those clean-bloods, aren't you?"
"I am pure-blood, yes." The words had a faint trace of pride, it's hard to let go of years of supremacy.
"I just hope you don't look down on my daughter because of that." Some worried lines got added to his face.
"No, I would never." A small smile woke on his face. "If anything, I look up to her."
"Well, I won't beat about the bush. We have heard things about you during the years, and it hasn't been flattering. Do you care to explain how you ended up with my daughter now?"
"Dad! You promised not to talk about that." Hermione looked upset and glanced at her boyfriend. He was stony-faced and pale.
"I know." He looked a bit guilty. "But I need to know who it is that's important enough for you to take home."
"It is a legitimate question." The hard face was still in place, but his eyes were watchful and almost scared. "I wasn't nice to Hermione when we grew up, I can't change that no matter how much I want to. I only know that when we met last year something was different. At least I know that I had changed, and I was open to meet her in a way I haven't been before."
"And look at you two now, here you are together, even though all bad that has been between you." Mrs. Granger hurried to interrupt her husband. "Isn't it nice to see what love can do?"
The silence was filled with feelings; anxiety, irritation and embarrassment.
"Anyone wants some more tea?" Hermione's mother lifted the teapot and then put it back on the table. "I'm afraid that it has got a bit cold while we talked. I'm just going to..." She started to stand up.
"Mrs. Granger, let me." Without hesitation Draco draw his wand and tapped lightly on the pot. Some steam slowly rose from the spout. Seeing how both his girlfriend's parents looked at him he turned unsure. "Oh, were you going to use electricity? I can chill it down again if you want to."
"No, there's no need for that." She sat down again, observing him closely. "I would have made a new pot, but I suppose..."
"It's nothing wrong with it, I promise." A bit confused he turned to Hermione. "Don't you use magic at home?"
"Yes, but not for small things."
"What, saving yourselves for Stupefy and Expulso?" His face was incredulous and he raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Don't be silly. I'm just used to do things the Muggle way when I'm here."
He looked sceptical and a little unnerved. "I'm not that good at the Muggle way."
"Why am I not surprised?" A light push on the upper arm was accompanied by a mischievous smile. "And that's what you get for not taking Muggle Studies."
"Yeah, let's go back to third year, and you can tell thirteen years old me why I should take up Muggle Studies."
"I rather not. I'm not that fond of you at that age."
"Oh! I'm hurt." He laughed, feigning an insulted look.
Mr. Granger cleared his throat. "Well, it's not that strange since-"
"Dad! It was a joke!"
"Oh. I see."
"More tea?" Lifting the now once more warm teapot Mrs. Granger looked around. She served her husband and herself, but the other couple declined. After putting the teapot down she looked up at them again. "So, what are you planning to do today?"
"We thought we should take a walk before dinner. Maybe down to the square and then take the way around the new houses back home." Hermione finished her tea and sent a quick smile at her boyfriend.
"Well, be on your way then, you don't have to wait for us old people. If you're done with your tea, of course."
"Draco, are you done?" When he nodded she stood up and waited for him to do the same. "Thanks, for the tea, Mum."
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Granger, it was delicious." Draco made a very short and discreet bow.
Hermione took her boyfriend by the hand and left the room. "I'm just going to get my bag."
When they were ready to leave they could hear part of an isolated sentence float out from the tea table. "...but he has very good manners at least." What Mr. Granger answered was unclear.
"You see, they sure like you."
"Yeah, but I sure would have liked to hear what was before that 'but' though."
o O o
London showed itself from its best side. The sun was shining, but it wasn't uncomfortably hot, and a light breeze moved the air a little. Hermione and Draco walked slowly down the street, hand in hand, and amusing themselves with the new game 'Guess Electricity'.
"But what about that one?" He pointed at a lamp in a window they passed by.
"Yep, that uses electricity too."
"There's electricity in everything here. Don't you feel how your skin start to tingle of it all?"
The laugh was kind but amused. "No, not really."
"It's unnatural." With eyes narrowing he glared at the nearby lamppost.
"And magic isn't?"
"Let's talk about something else." He shook his head. "What about your friends, have you heard from them?"
"Well, I'm still not on Ron's top ten, so I don't expect to hear something from him. Nothing from Ginny either, but I'm not surprised, she's still a bit chilly when it comes to you. I have got a letter from Harry though." Her face lit up. "He invited us to come and visit him at Grimmauld Place some day, we have to do that."
"If you say so." There was a certain lack of enthusiasm.
"I'm almost blown away by all that joy." She gave him a little push on the arm with her shoulder.
"I still don't trust him, OK? He says all those things about giving me a chance, but I'm not so sure..." His eyes fixed on something far away. "I might have told you before, but that is one scary guy."
"And I don't understand it, I can't see why he should be so scary."
"Um, he defeated the Dark Lord? I'm fully aware how powerful the dark Lord was – what does that say about Potter?" He paused for a moment, with a curious face. "If that doesn't do the trick, he almost killed me two years ago. Not to talk about the strange little things you start to say about him all the time." With a shrug he looked back at her. "And he eats Death Eaters for breakfast. I've told you that already."
She shook her head. "I don't know what to say to get you to understand that Harry is a kind, caring and loving person."
"Who eats Death Eaters. Don't forget that detail. And if you missed that, I haven't really done anything through the years that would provoke any kindness and love for me from his side."
"You haven't really treated me good enough to provoke any love if you're looking at our upbringing, but... here we are."
"Yes, and it's still a mystery to me. How did I end up with the most fantastic girl there is, one who I treated so bad?"
"Maybe we just had to grow up before we were ready to see each other the right way?" With a soft smile she pressed his hand. "What about you, have you heard anything from your friends?"
There was a deep sigh. "I haven't had any contact with Theo, but I believe that we will stay in touch. I do have heard from Pansy though."
"And?"
"She's not happy. She had hoped that you and I would split up when school was over. Since we, as she put it, don't have a single bloody thing in common."
Hermione snorted. "That's so not true. We have a lot in common, that's what's so great about us."
"I have a feeling Pansy is thinking more pure-blood versus Mud- Muggle-born. Manor versus Muggle London. Dark Lord versus Potter. You see what I mean?"
"And do you buy it?" There was a hint of steel in her voice.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you really believe that the fact that both my parents are Muggles make me unable to love you? Or that your experiences in the war would prevent you from loving me?"
"No, but..." He looked unsure.
"But what? I can't believe that you're letting that white-rumped sandpiper manipulate you like that. Yes, we come from different lives, but that doesn't mean that this can't work. Because we can make it, I know we can. And I thought you did too."
"Hermione?" His face was totally unreadable. "Did you just call Pansy a… a white-rumped sandpiper?"
"Yes, so what?"
For a couple of seconds he just looked at her in silence, and then he threw his head back and laughed. "You are wonderful. Nothing in this world can stop me from loving you." He leaned over to her and gave her a quick kiss. "I hope there aren't any nosey neighbours who aren't allowed to see us together."
"No, no one cares about a young couple kissing here. We're totally anonymous. But don't do any magic whatever you do. The Ministry is pretty hard on the International Statute of Secrecy."
"I had no such plans, I'm not stupid you know." Suddenly he looked worried. "Because your parents don't count, do they? I mean, they already know. Even though they are Muggles."
"I have a very hard time believing that it will count. The Statute isn't about preventing people from using magic, it's about preventing exposure. And as you say, they already know. Otherwise the whole Diagon Alley would be guilty by now." She smiled at him and pressed his hand.
"So, to return to our friends. Weasel is still sulky over losing the best girl in the world, I can't blame him really, especially when it's to me. He still doesn't like to talk to you and he still wants to bash in my teeth. Am I right?"
"That's about it, yeah." The corner of her mouth was twitching.
"Girl Weasley is grumpy that you chose the big bad Death Eater for your partner, and maybe a bit because you ditched her brother, but she does talk to you if talked to, and it's not necessary for her to bash in my teeth." While winking at her he saw her try to hold back a smile.
"Potter is his old, jolly self. Happy, social and caring." Some unidentifiable feeling flew over his face. "Theo is his old self. Contemplating, unsocial and uninterested. Pansy..." He made a pause. "Pansy is cross because she wants me away from you, if she not can be my lover then at least my best friend. She will hopefully come around in a near future. I'd really like it if I didn't have to stop you two from hexing each other all the time."
"She's the one doing the hexing, I haven't threatened her. So far." A smile that wasn't exactly kind spread across his face "That can change."
First he hid his face in his free hand, but then he looked up at her again. "That's exactly what I mean."
"Then she better keep her paws off my boyfriend."
"She was my friend long before I met you." His face had a slightly self-exculpatory expression.
"Yes, but it was me you chose for your girlfriend. I don't really feel any need to stuff that fact down her throat, but I'll do it if necessary." There was an impatient noise. "I'm not trying to stop her from being your friend, I just want her to realize that I'm your girlfriend, I'm here to stay, and there's nothing she can do about it."
"I'll try to talk to her. If she understands that her position as BFF isn't threatened by you she might be more... well, not amiable, but less likely to hex you at least."
"It's a bit unfair though. My friends get angry with me for being in this relationship, but your friends just accept your actions."
"That's not really true though. Theo is a bit irritated with me over my choice of partner, I'm sorry to say that he doesn't really hold you in the highest regard. But he pretty much kept the approach that it's my life, my choices, and which chapters do I believe will be covered in today's Arithmancy?"
"Except from the Arithmancy it sounds more or less like Harry." She sighed. "I already miss him. It's so strange not living with him all of a sudden. And just to think that I never will again... Don't you miss your friends?"
"I do. But I've met Pansy already, she came over on my birthday."
A displeased sound was followed by a guilty face. "Now I feel like the worst girlfriend ever for not being with you on your birthday."
"But we decided that we should see each other now instead, and that's fine with me."
"She was there and I was not, Parkinson must have had a field day."
"And I tell you not to be bothered by that. I got your gift and your very special letter, and I appreciated them both a lot. That was the way we planned it, and it worked well in my opinion. You're here now, and she is definitely not."
"I sure hope so." She gave him a small smile and looked at her watch. "And we're getting late to dinner if we don't hurry up."
o O o
"Is the lamp in your eyes, Draco?" Mrs. Granger looked at him with a worried expression.
"What, no, absolutely not." He smiled politely.
"I can't help seeing that you look at it all the time, so I thought..."
Hermione giggled. "It's not the light, it's the electricity that bothers him."
"Maybe we should turn it off then?" Her face was still worried.
After sending an unamused glare at his girlfriend he turned to Mrs. Granger. "It's no problem, I assure you. It's just a question of getting used to it, and I will be shortly, I'm sure."
"Draco, I meant to ask you." Mr. Granger interrupted the discussion. "Hermione's going to apply for a job in the Department of control and... um... controlling magical creatures in your Ministry. Have you made any plans for your future?"
"I'm not sure yet, I have some different options. I'd like to work in the Ministry too, and mostly I'd like to end up in the Department of Mys-" He fell silent for a moment, and exchanged a quick glance with his girlfriend. "In one of the Departments. But I've also thought about the Department of Magical Education. I don't know if Hermione told you that we worked together as mentors this year?" When both of her parents nodded he went on. "I found something satisfactory in that, and I thought that maybe that area of expertise could be interesting."
"You had more options? What will you do if you don't get an employment in the Ministry?"
"I was very interested in Potions in school, the brewing of mixtures with different magical properties. I believe it could be interesting to do some more research, and I have a fairly good laboratory at home."
"But, who will employ you? Or how will you get financial support?"
"Oh, I'll be self-employed. After all, that will more or less be for fun." A wry smile appeared and then went away. "Actually, I suspect that I'll be doing that anyway, I just not will be able to put as much time in it if I have a job at the Ministry too."
"That Potions business, for fun as you say, will it give any good amount of payment?"
"Dad!"
"What, I want to know?"
"It will not give good, if any, payment. It will mostly be research for the thrill of finding new methods and results. If I'm lucky I can find a sponsor, but there will really be no need for that." He couldn't help giving Mr. Granger an ironic smile. "My family has a neat amount of money at our disposal, so I don't have to worry about the financial part."
"Oh." They could all see his eyes widen, and how he relaxed a bit. "But what about your parents, what do they work with?"
"My mother is not employed, she used to be in committees for charity and such, but the latest year she has mostly been at home." He squirmed discreetly on the chair and exchanged another glance with the witch next to him.
"Will there be any dessert?" Hermione talked clear and distinct, actively changing subject.
"Yes, I have a tart waiting for us, just as soon as we're all finished with the food." Her mother smiled at her daughter with some understanding in her eyes.
"What about your father? What does he do?" Mr. Granger didn't seem to notice the angry look his daughter gave him.
"He's not doing much at all at the moment."
"But that must be a very boring way of living, if you excuse me for saying it. He's not doing anything at all?"
"No." He sighed, gave Hermione a long look and seemed to search for confirmation before turning back. "He's in prison."
There was silence around the table. Mrs. Granger looked worried, her daughter irritated and her husband just shocked. It took some time before he recovered his power of speech.
"Why?" He seemed to have lost his inquisitorial approach, mostly looking worried and sad.
"It's... it's hard to explain. But thankfully he's in there for life, so you don't have to worry that your daughter will run into him."
"Thankfully..." Now his voice was weak and he looked almost disbelieving.
"He wasn't a very good dad and, as you might understand now, not a very good role model. Hermione is very happy to have two loving and caring parents." Another wry smile appeared. "You have met him by the way. Many years ago. He got into a fight with Weasel...y's father at a bookshop."
"I remember him." Hermione's mother looked upset. "I'm sorry to say, but that was not a nice man."
"Told you so." His voice was bitter and he suddenly looked older than his nineteen years. "I must admit that at that age I believed that he was a big man."
"You were only a child, and he was your father. It's not strange." Hermione looked almost angry. "And no one can blame you for the way your father chose to walk!"
Without a word Draco reached out a hand and took Hermione's in his. Then he slowly gave her a sad smile.
"What way was that?"
"Dad, we're not talking about this any more."
"I'm sorry, but I prefer not to talk about my father. I have already told you more than I'm comfortable with, but I felt that you had the right to know. From here, may we leave the subject?"
"Of course. If you're finished I can take your plates." Mrs. Granger stood up.
"Let us do it, Mum. You can get the tart." She and her boyfriend stood up too and started to clear the table. Soon they were all back at their places, and all of them had got some apple tart, which smelled lovely.
"Oh, but I almost forgot." Hermione's mother jumped up again. "There was an owl here for you when you were out. I put the parcel over here." Leaving the table she walked over to a chest of drawers next to the window and picked something up. "Here you are. Is it one of your friends from school that's sending you gifts?"
The package was square-shaped and approximately the size of a pencil case, carefully wrapped in a light brown paper. Her name and address was written in neat block letters but there was no sender. Hermione started to open it and had produced a plain, white paper box when Draco put a hand on hers.
"Maybe you should wait with that to after dinner?"
"Why?" She looked at him with a surprised face.
"It might be a joke of some kind, maybe better suited to open at your room." His expression was a little bit too serious to match his words.
"You think it's something unkind?"
"Let's just say that I have a funny feeling about it. It's probably nothing, but just in case."
"You think someone would send something bad to our daughter?" Mr. Granger looked affronted. "Why would anyone want to do that?"
"As I said, it's probably nothing at all. But people can be kind of different when it comes to deciding what is a fun joke, and there's nothing bad in being careful. Seeing as it wasn't any sender I just started to wonder why it was a secret." He reached out and took the box from her. "If you excuse me, I will just put this in Hermione's room." Quickly he stood up and disappeared through the door. Some muttering could be heard, including something sounding like 'protego', and then he came back. "I left it on your desk, we can look at it later. Now I suggest that we focus on this wonderful tart, it smells delicious." He smiled appreciatively at Mrs. Granger.
"It sure does." Mr. Granger smiled at his wife too. "So Draco, you're not from London I take it?"
"No, our manor is located in Wiltshire. It's very beautiful, and a good place to grow up."
"I see. Are there a lot of... your kind who live there?"
He shook his head. "No, it's just my family."
"Oh. Do you have a big family? Siblings? Other family members?"
"No, I'm an only child too. When I grew up it was only me and my parents who lived there. I had an aunt who lived there some years when I was at school, but we were never close." A slight bitterness could be heard in his voice.
"Wasn't that lonely to grow up like that? Because I believe that you didn't have any connections with... our kind, am I right?"
There was an amused smile. "No, we did not associate with Muggles, but to a wizard the nearest neighbour isn't further than the nearest fireplace. I take it you've never travelled with floo powder."
"No, but Hermione has tried to explain of course." Mrs. Granger smiled. "I think it sounds a bit risky though."
"It's nothing to worry about, it's perfectly safe. Those non magic buses you have though must be considered a bit questionable..."
"Say that to Harry." Hermione wore a wide smile.
"What did he do this time?" Her boyfriend looked partly tired, partly apprehensive.
"He coughed when he was going to Diagon Alley, and ended up in Knockturn Alley instead."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "He can win a war, but he can't manage to get through the floo straight. That man never ceases to amaze me."
"Oh, yes, the war." Mr. Granger looked up with a troubled expression. "Hermione has told us a little about it, but not much. It just feels so unreal, that a war was going on under our very noses and no one knew. Of course we believe her though, and I understand that she had a very hard time and had to live through a lot, especially during the last year of the war." He shook his head. "Were you personally involved in the war too?"
The silence stretched out, strained, and all eyes were on Draco, who was staring down at the table. Hermione started to say something a couple of times, but then stayed silent. Finally Draco heaved a deep sigh and looked up with a haunted expression.
"I...I don't like to talk about the war. I was just as involved as Hermione, but I don't like to talk about it."
"That's why your father is in prison, isn't it?" Mrs. Granger's voice was very soft.
"Yes." He stared down at the table again, like there were secrets hidden in the mahogany.
"So he..." With some hesitation Mr. Granger started to talk. "He was one of these, what do you call them, Death Eaters, right?"
"Yes." His eyes didn't leave the last spoonful of tart that was left on his plate.
"With the — the mark on the arm and all? The ones that only the worst of them had?"
"That's correct."
"I'm sorry, my boy, I understand that it must be very hard for you. To live with such a person in the inner family, and-"
"Draco." This time Mrs. Granger's voice was even softer, almost sad, as if she knew the answer already. "Would you please show us your left arm?
This time the silence was dense enough to slice with a knife, and then two things happened at once.
"But dear, you can't actually believe that our daughter..." He trailed off and his attention went back to Draco.
At the same time Draco slowly started to roll up his left sleeve. His face was perfectly neutral and stripped of all feelings.
"You don't have to do this." Hermione put a hand over his, freezing his movements.
"What does it matter now?" The voice was hoarse and uneven, as if all his hidden feelings were focused that way. Without even a shiver of hesitation, he pushed up the sleeve of the shirt, revealing his Dark Mark, capturing the eyes of all the people in the room.
"This is unacceptable!" Mr. Granger pushed out his chair, jumping up from the table. He turned to his daughter. "This is what you bring home?"
"Dad, wait, you have to hear him out first, he-"
"I don't have to hear anything! He is leaving this house immediately, and you are not going with him!"
Hermione jumped up too. "I'm a witch of age, you can't tell me what to do!"
"In that other world maybe, but now you're under my roof, and you're still my daughter!"
"And did you think that I would stay in this world for long? Don't you think I can disapparate out of here whenever I want?"
"I am your father-"
"Please, listen." Mrs. Granger's voice was low but cut through the argument. When she had her husband's attention she went on. "Let us hear what they have to say. I trust my daughter, I know she can see the difference between right and wrong. Sit down again and let's just listen to them."
They slowly sat down, but he was muttering something about 'seducing young, innocent women'.
"Draco, tell us about the war." The mother still spoke very softly.
"I... I did so many bad things. There is no forgiveness for what I did." He had pushed his sleeve back down, but his arm was still lying in front of him, shirt unbuttoned.
"Oh, stop that!" His girlfriend interjected him with a frown, turning to her parents. "He was forced to join under death threat. He had to accept or die. And when Voldemort wasn't sure that it would be enough, he brought his mother's life into it all. He had to comply or watch his mother die."
"Did you kill many of them? Of us?" Hermione's father sounded like he was going to be sick.
"No!" Draco's head snapped up. "I've never killed anyone. Never!"
"But he saved my life. He lied to save us. A lie he had to pay for." When she saw Draco's questioning face she smiled a sad smile. "Harry was linked to Voldemort, he could see your punishment after we escaped. With your wand. Wasn't it strange that you never put up a fight for it?"
"He... saved you, you say?" Her father looked a bit confused, and the anger seemed to have subsided.
"Yes. After all he had done just to survive he risked his own life to save mine." She was perfectly aware that this was to stretch the truth a far bit, but her father didn't have to know that.
"I see. Well, maybe I rushed ahead a bit..."
"Maybe you did." His wife gave Draco a small smile. "You are welcome in our home. If Hermione has chosen you she has chosen well, because that's what she does. Even if you have a dark and hard past."
"Thank you, Mrs. Granger. That means a lot to me."
"Dearest?" She looked at her husband.
He mumbled something before speaking up. "I'm sorry for judging you before listening to your story. I shouldn't have done that."
"Don't think about it. I would have done the same thing if it were my daughter."
"You don't have a daughter, do you?" There was some panic in his eyes.
"No, I definitely don't." The smile couldn't be stopped.
"Well, don't you have a package to open?" Mrs. Granger turned to her daughter. "Your father will help me clear the table, you two go and look at the mysterious mail now."
After thanking for the dinner both of them returned to Hermione's room. Draco sat down on the bed and pulled her with him down. There he put his arms around her and hid the face in her hair.
"That was an ordeal. I'm all shaky. Let's just sit here for a moment before we look at your mail."
"Just a second." She entangled herself, went up and closed the door. Then she sat down next to him again. "I know what use to calm you down." Resolutely she put her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
"You were right, now it feels much better." They pulled apart after some dedicated kissing, both with matching satisfied smiles on their lips. "Let's check that box, shall we?
Hermione jumped up and reached out for it when Draco stopped her.
"Wait." He took out his wand. "I did a quick check earlier, and there are no obvious curses on it, but maybe it had to be me opening it. I don't really have a funny feeling about it, I have a bad feeling."
"Oh, don't be silly. If it's bad, what does it matter if it's you or me who actually opens it?" She picked up the box and quickly opened it.
"Yeah... Just that I would rather have me injured than you. But it seemed fine, just don't touch the contents before..." With a frown he fell silent when she picked up a small ceramic vial with intricate symbols carved on the sides.
"Strange." She turned it around in her hands, and while listening to the sound of some liquid inside it she watched him lifting his wand and move it around while muttering to himself.
"I don't know what this is, but I do know that it is bad. I trust my instincts and I recognize the signs. This is Dark." He looked troubled and seemed prepared to take it off her hands by force.
"But why would someone send me a Dark potion of some kind?"
"That's the question, isn't it? There wasn't any note?" With a deep frown he picked up the box and took out a folded paper. He opened it and found a short message in an elegant script.
What is this?
(Be thorough.)
They both stared at the note, then at each other, and then back to the note.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Putting down the vial she reached out for the note. With a frown she turned it over, but there were only those five words.
"I think it means that you're supposed to carefully figure out what it is, but why... I have no idea."
"I'd like to know who is handing out instructions before I start following them. This is kind of absurd." She shook her head.
"We'll bring it to the Manor. I can check with some books and maybe find some more spells for analysing it. I don't think we should open it though. My father has... wait... I have a big library that contains a lot on Dark Magic. If there is an answer it is there."
"If you think so." Sitting down on the bed she looked up at him with a doubtful face. "I believe there is something fishy here. Why send it like this, with no sender and no warnings or anything... no, I wonder if it's better to just forget about it."
"Where is your sense of adventure? Don't you find it at least a bit exciting?"
Slowly a smile started to tug at the corner of her mouth. "Yes, but... I'm trying to be responsible here."
"And we can't just get rid of it of it without knowing what it is. What if it is something seriously bad? We can't just leave it out on the street where anyone could find it."
"OK, you've got me. We'll bring it to the Manor and check it out a bit there. Then we can decide how to go on with it." Her smile was big and warm, and very affectionate.
Draco sat down next to her. "Do you know that you are so beautiful that you are going to drive me insane?"
The answer was an amused giggle. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you, I just... there is something you have to hear." She stood up and went over to the bookshelf.
"What is that?" The pure-blood looked at the plastic disc in her hand.
"It's a kind of gramophone record." Her smile was highly amused. "I keep thinking of this song when it comes to us. I liked it a lot when I grew up." The soft woman's voice started to sing:
'Billie I wonder, why are we insane
Will we ever get better
Will we stay the same
Billie I'm worried'
After a while, a stray line floated up.
'Being in love is crazy, not alone that way'
Draco fought with a smile when the male singer declared their love.
'Millie our world's an asylum
And our minds like you say ain't that straight
But you know and I know our passion's
Not deformed it's true to say
We'll love our lifetime'
When the startling last verse ended with 'Guess love makes you do funny things' he laughed out loud. "What is it you are trying to say, that you want to get rid of Weasel?"
"No, that's not really the important part here." She sat down next to him again, pressing a soft kiss on his cheek. "But we're saying so often that we must be insane, so who knows, maybe we are. Living in our own world where everything makes sense."
"Being insane with you, I can live with that." His expression was still amused, but also showing a good deal of feelings. "And I promise, we're soon there. If you don't drive me insane with your beauty, a week in the Muggle world will definitely do it."