Ch. 20

Over the next couple months things had remained pretty much the same between the two of them except their relationship had gotten deeper. Draco's mom wrote him from time to time to check in, and his father did exactly as promised and hadn't spoken to him since.

Before they knew it time had sped forward and they were facing April. Flowers were in bloom and the grounds of Hogwarts and the rest of the country was full of life. It was the Friday before the Easter holiday the teachers and students were allowed to take the train back, but Draco and Hermione decided to pack light and just apparate from Hogsmead to her parent's house dressed as muggles.

When they arrived Friday evening her parents were delighted to welcome the two and looked forward to what promised to be a full weekend. They didn't get to see their daughter often enough and took advantage of their time together. Draco noticed that her parent's were very friendly and treated him with as much kindness as they did their own daughter.

Hermione's dad shook his hand when he saw him, "Glad you could accompany my little girl," he said as he tapped him on the back.

"It's my pleasure Mr. Granger," he offered.

"Please, I'm Wendell, my wife's name is Monica." He added as he steered them into the front room.

They all sat down and Hermione's mom brought in some tea.

"So Hermione," her mom began, "are you going to tell us how you guys met?"

Hermione started blushing "mom," she said in a slightly embarrassed way.

"It's okay Monica, we don't want to embarrass our Hermione, you're the first guy she's ever brought home," he added to Draco.

Draco looked at Hermione and smiled, "not even Weasley or Potter?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. Draco wasn't sure why he felt so elated at this news.

"We actually met when we were back at school together," he started. "But we were enemies then."

Her parents hadn't expected this and looked between Draco and Hermione.

"He's telling the truth, I didn't like him at all then. But when I went back to teach this year, I found out he was a teacher too." She told her parents.

"Yeah, and we still weren't getting along. After catching us fighting the headmistress forced us to work together and we actually got to know one another." Draco finished.

"The rest is kind of history," Hermione looked at her parents. That was basically the short version.

"Sounds like quite the story," her mother added. "Tell us a little about yourself Draco, what do your parents do?"

He glanced at Hermione before answering. "My father used to be a Governor for the school, but retired from that several years ago. My mother is an heiress, so they both don't need to work. They occupy most of their time with each other I suppose."

"Well it would be nice to have them join us for dinner one day," Wendell added while Monica nodded.

"Yes, we've met your mother, but you'll have to introduce us to your father someday." She smiled at Draco. "Hermione's written about you a few times, it's nice to have some time to meet you formally." Hermione started blushing again, getting even redder than before.

Her father noticed and planned to change the subject. "Hermione told us there are no dentists in the magic world, is that true?"

"No what?" He hadn't heard of the term before.

"My wife and I are dentists for a profession. We examine and fix people's teeth." He explained.

"Oh," he tried to picture that and it seemed odd to him. "If we have any issues we go to St. Mungo's to see a healer, even issues with teeth. If they're too big they shrink them, or if they aren't straight they do a spell to fix that too."

He spent the next half hour hearing about things called cavities, fillings and braces. Their profession sounded like a nightmare to him and he was starting to get uncomfortable. Muggles really had such a different world.

After a while Hermione's mom asked if she wanted to help make dinner together while the guys watched football on the television. Draco wasn't familiar with football, but the goals at either end of the field reminded him vaguely of quittich. He asked Wendell a lot of questions about how the game worked and even caught himself getting into it a few times.

The ladies brought dinner out to the table and the guys came to join them. They had prepared a type of food that Draco wasn't familiar with. He knew he would have to eat so that he didn't appear rude and took a bite of the sandwich in front of him. It was delicious.

"What's this called Hermione," he asked. "I've never had this before."

"You've never eaten a grilled cheese sandwich?" Hermione asked. She had never seen them served in the great hall, but they were one of her favorites.

"Nope," he said as he took another bite and began eating some of his fries too.

Hermione laughed and her parents talked about board games to play after dinner.

No matter what game they picked they were going to have to explain the rules to Draco since he had never seen these particular board games before. He knew how to play chess, but it looked like he knew a different version than what muggles played. Wendell saw him eying the chessboard.

"We can play when we get done, if you'd like."

When they were done Draco sat down to the board with her father while her and her mother played another type of game. Even though he had played wizards chess many times he wasn't used to doing family activities, but he did enjoy himself. He liked how close Hermione and her family were.

In the evening they told Hermione and Draco that her room was ready for them. He didn't expect that they would let him stay in the same room with her and thought he didn't hear them correctly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you correctly," he said to Monica, "where am I sleeping?"

"In the room with Hermione dear, you're both adults." She said as she walked away.

Hermione led him into her room and it was much different than her quarters at the school. She had posters up of different muggles and there were girl and kid things all over her room. He could see that she probably had this room her whole life.

She plopped down on the bed and wrapped up in the pink comforter that was covering the bed. She watched him as he took in her room and slowly walked around looking at her things.

"Who's this?" he asked, pointing to the poster.

"That's Madonna, she's a muggle singer," She smiled at him. "This is like a whole new world for you, isn't it?"

He nodded, there had been a lot to take in that day. "It's nice though," he said as he continued to look around her room. He saw she had a few books shelves and looked at the books she had. He hadn't heard of any of them. "Which one is your favorite," he asked her. She picked out about 12 books from her shelf and handed them to him.

"Of course," he added sarcastically as she deposited all the books in his hands.

"Oh," she walked across the room, "and this one," and she dropped one more onto the stack.

"I think you have a problem Hermione," he noticed all of them were thick. "Most people have one favorite…"

"Well I'm not most people," she replied.

"Fair enough," he smiled as he sat down on the bed and started flipping through one of the books that she gave him. "I'm going to read these," he said as he put his arm around her. So far, he was finding the muggle world fascinating. It was amazing to him that muggles had accomplished so much without using magic. He couldn't imagine the accomplished witch laying next to him being raised as a muggle.

The next day they woke up early and dressed as muggles again and set out with her parents to go sightseeing. Draco had never spent so much time riding in cars as he had that weekend. Muggles had it kind of hard and he was actually feeling sorry for them.

That night they had dinner at a restaurant that was Hermione's favorite. Draco watched her as she enjoyed her time with her family, she seemed so content and he was happy to be there with them.

In the evening when Hermione started to go upstairs she motioned him to go with her.

"I'll join you in a moment," he said as he turned around to talk to her dad. "Wendell, can I speak to you?"

"Sure," he said as he led Draco into the front room and they both sat down.

"What's on your mind Draco," he asked though he had a feeling.

"I know you don't know me, but I'd like to ask you for Hermione's hand in marriage," he began.

Wendell sat back in his chair. He didn't know the young man in front of him at all. He barely even saw his own daughter except a few times a year, but he could tell that she was herself around him and that she seemed happy with him.

"And you would promise to always be good to her and make her happy?" he asked.

"yes," Draco answered sincerely.

"I may not be a wizard, but I'm still her father. I never want to hear that you've hurt her, she's a good girl."

"I will do whatever I can to keep her happy, you have my word, sir."

He nodded at Draco, "when do you plan to propose?"

"I was thinking after she spends time with my family. By then I'll know if she will say yes or not."

"You think she might change her mind?" Her father eyed him.

"It's possible, they aren't like me." He added.

"How so?"

Draco realized he may have spoken too freely but didn't want to lie to her father. "My family believes magic is to be kept in pure blood wizarding families. They don't believe muggle…I mean non magic peoples should possess magic."

"What about people like Hermione, some people have no link to wizards and can still possess magic," Wendell threw in.

"Yeah, that's not unheard of in the wizarding world. But that's their ideology and they aren't likely to change that."

"So if they don't accept her then you might not propose?" He was starting to sound angry, wondering if this guy was just toying with his daughter's emotions.

"I plan to propose to matter what." Draco flatly reassured him. "I want spend my life with her regardless. It's just that my family isn't like yours," he added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked Draco rudely.

"your family is…close, mine isn't really like that."

Wendell's features softened. "Oh."

"I just want her to know what she's getting into if she says yes." He thought she already knew everything she needed to about his family.

"That sounds very well thought out actually," he extended his hand to Draco "Sorry for getting angry for a moment there. You seem to make her happy, so you have my blessing Draco."

Draco clasped his hand and shook it. "You reminded me of your daughter for a second," he said as they both laughed.

When he went back upstairs Hermione was already asleep, her candle was lit but almost gone. "I'll need to make another one of these…" he thought as he laid down in bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her.

"Draco," Hermione whispered.

"yeah," he answered as she exhaled. Then he realized she was still asleep and must be dreaming about him.