A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, follows and favorites. They make me so happy! :)
Disclaimer - I own none of the Harry Potter characters or reference to JKR's writing.
Italics mean the same thing they have for the whole story.
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I have two illustrations of a kneazle labeled A & B. Review or PM me and let me know which one you like the best for the carving on Hermione's Portum.
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Chapter 18
Draco's appointment with Healer Mentalist Gibbs was not as tough as he imagined. Gibbs was pleasantly surprised to hear about how he handled Smith and had approved of it. He actually laughed at how he dealt with his father's matchmaking but told Draco to not be so passive/aggressive in dealing with him in the future and gave him some suggestions about establishing better boundaries ahead of time. He was also encouraged to hear about how Draco and his mother had conversed. The hard part of the appointment came when he had to discuss Hermione and his disappointment. In fact, he wanted to see him again the next week to discuss her more thoroughly and Draco grudgingly agreed.
Hermione had made a similar attempt to see Draco on Wednesday night, but he didn't answer the door. She almost cast a spell to see if he was there but worried she would be too upset if he was home and ignoring her. After several minutes of knocking and calling for him, she dejectedly returned to her flat and opened a tub of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and ate it for supper.
Draco wanted to see her, but after writing about her rejection, he had not been able to lock away and compartmentalize his feelings for her as he had done for so long. He still was not ready to face her, so he ignored her knocks and pleas again, even though it hurt him to do it. It took much longer for him to fall asleep that night, and when he did, it wasn't restful. Hermione's screams from the night of Bellatrix's torture plagued him for the rest of the night. It was sunrise when he woke from his newest nightmare, so he decided to get up. He could not bear to see her again with that vacant stare, residing at St. Mungo's with the other victims of the Demented.
He scoffs at the thought, bloody hell now I'm using Potty's moniker. Potter had decided to call the unknown person responsible for the attacks in his case The Demented because he thought the victims have similar symptoms to those who have experienced the Dementor's Kiss. Draco scoffs. Sure it is somewhat similar, but Potter is off the mark. He shudders when he thinks back to his thankfully short stay in Azkaban before his trial. Barty Crouch, Jr was in an adjacent cell. He had been kissed during their fourth year at Hogwarts after the Triwizard Tournament. There was no hope for him, but maybe they can catch this guy and figure out the counter curse and the victims can go back to their lives.
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After getting home from the market on Thursday to get food and supplies for the next night, Hermione realized she had never told Draco the date of her housewarming party. She decided to write him a note about it and put it under his door, or hopefully hand it to him in person. It took Hermione several hours to come up with the two sentences in her note. Then another hour to work up the courage to go upstairs, hoping she would see him and be able to take his hand and tell him how much she wanted him to be there but hadn't been able to put those words down on paper. Hermione was so discouraged that she hadn't seen him since Sunday, she decided against taking Portum. She waited until a little later in the evening before climbing the stairs and hoped she had given him enough time to get home if he had been working late. She was sure she heard a noise after she knocked. She called out his name a couple of times and knocked again, hoping he would answer. When he didn't, she felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment. She let out a small whimper when she shoved the invitation under the door, before fleeing down the stairs and writing in her journal about how she would never understand men. She was beginning to think she had come to the wrong conclusion about Draco having any feelings for her.
Draco was concerned that she heard him. He didn't think she was coming since it had been over an hour later than the previous nights when she knocked and it startled him. He jumped up and the book he had been reading fell onto the floor. Then when he heard what sounded like a sob from Hermione, it had taken every ounce of his self-control not to jerk open the door and pull her to him. He had no idea what was wrong but knew his arms weren't the solution she wanted.
Several hours later when Draco is making his way to his bedroom he notices an envelope on the floor. Picking it up, he already knows it is from Hermione. He lifts the parchment, almost touching it to his nose breathing her scent in deeply. It still calms him, even though it makes his heart clench painfully as well.
His hands are shaking as he opens it, part of him hoping it is a declaration of love.
Draco,
I forgot to mention to you the date of my housewarming party, it is tomorrow night, Friday. It begins at 7:00 PM, but you can come by anytime.
Hermione
He swallows the lump that has developed in his throat, then folds the note back up and puts it in the envelope. He sighs, thinking it doesn't mean anything, assuming that is why she has been knocking on his door the last few nights. Anyway, he will be spending the evening with Nott and his mystery girl. Disappointment overwhelms him. He has no idea his actions are causing turmoil for them both. In a trance, he walks into his bedroom. With his wand, he opens the invisible drawer in his nightstand and places the note inside, next to her other letter, her lease, the receipt for her necklace and a vial of Amortentia. He closes it and flicks his wand to return the invisible glamor to the nightstand. Fighting the urge to drown in a bottle of fire whiskey, he forces himself to clear his mind under the hot water stream in his shower.
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It is Friday, several hours before the party begins and Ginny just arrived at Hermione's. She hugs her friend and Hermione gives her a smile that doesn't reach her eyes then says, "I think I've turned into your mother, come look in my kitchen." Ginny follows her and is surprised at all the food. Laughing she shakes her head and, slings her arm over her best friend's shoulders, pulling her close into sideways hug before saying, "You are definitely channelling Mum. Just don't get as overbearing, bossy and old-fashioned." Ginny lets her go and walks around the kitchen taste testing several dishes. She huffs then asks, "Can you believe she actually forbade me from staying at Harry's overnight?"
Smirking at Ginny, she replies, "Absolutely. Is she still hinting that you two should be getting married soon?"
Ginny rolls her eyes, "Hinting?" She scoffs, "She actually flat out asked when we were getting married." With another roll of her eyes, Ginny begins imitating her Mum, "You, young lady, will NOT be staying with Harry overnight. It is not proper until your wedding night. Speaking of, when are you getting married so you can settle down and become a wife and mother instead of being in a different city every day playing a game? You know Harry will take care of you so you don't ever have to travel again." Her voice had risen in volume and tone, no longer mocking Molly Weasley, and she huffed out the last few words. She even wiped away a few angry tears. "Then she had the gall to say he won't wait around on me forever."
Hermione hugs her friend tightly until she feels her relax. Then she pulls back, looks at her noticing tears still in her eyes and with concern asks, "You know that is absolute rubbish?" Her friends shrugs and looks away. Hermione places a hand on Ginny's arm and says earnestly, "Harry wants you to play! Remember his response when you told him you made the team? He picked you up and spun you around kissing you then ran around the Auror department telling our coworkers how proud he was to be dating a professional quidditch player! Then for the month after, he told everyone we ran into the same thing. For Merlin's sake it would be the same as you not wanting Harry to be an Auror!" Hermione shakes her head then hugs her again. It's rare for Ginny to feel insecure, but she still does at times concerning Harry. Releasing her, Hermione gives Ginny a Draco-like smirk, lifting her eyebrow, "Next time Molly comes to see us at the ministry I'll make sure she overhears how amazing and hot Harry thinks it is for the love of his life to be a Harpies player." This makes Ginny smile. "So, what was your reply to her ridiculous comment?"
Ginny smirks back, "I told her Harry and I have been shagging since the night after the final battle." Hermione knew it was the truth but never thought she would tell her Mum that. She can't figure out what to say so she keeps opening and shutting her mouth.
"Merlin Hermione!" Ginny says and starts to giggle. "I really had you going!"
Ginny dodges Hermione's smack to her arm with her quick quidditch reflexes and throws her head back laughing. Hermione smiles genuinely, she sometimes forgets that Ginny uses her somewhat sarcastic but hysterical sense of humor to deal with the majority of her conflicts. She wished Ron would have done that too. She lets out a big sigh then looks at the floor. Her stomach in knots now.
Ginny sees the change in Hermione's expression and knows she is thinking of her git brother. She bumps shoulders with her then says, "C'mon lets get to work." Hermione nods and Ginny follows her into the living room.
As they decorate for New Year's Eve, Hermione keeps looking at the door, and Ginny notices her laughter is somewhat forced. She seems a bit off today. When she asks how Hermione is doing, she replies, "Fine, just a little nervous about what people will think of my flat." Ginny knows she is lying, but lets it go for the moment. "You know they will love it! It feels like a home now, instead of a museum that reeked of pureblood extravagance."
Not even getting a chuckle from her friend, Ginny sits her down on the sofa and says, "I know something is going on, so spill."
With a sad look on her face, Hermione fills in Ginny on her realization about the necklace and trying to see Draco the last few nights. She leaves out the information about the Portum since she thinks Draco only gave it to her because she lost her half-kneazle familiar.
Ginny listens to Hermione's concerns but dismisses them. "We both know he likes you. He's probably just busy at work. Harry said they are working on a big case and he…"
Hermione momentarily forgets her woes upon hearing the word case and cuts Ginny off, "What case?"
Ginny rolls her eyes, and emphasizes her statement with a poke of her index finger to Hermione's shoulder, "Unlike you, I don't ask a million questions about Auror work. All I know is he's been working with Malfoy on it and won't speak to you about it tonight so you can just forget I said anything." Ginny gives her Molly's reproachful look and it makes Hermione laugh as she says, "Now look who's channeling Molly!" Ginny looks horrified which makes her laugh harder until tears form in her eyes. Hermione says, "This was your face." Then mimics Ginny causing both to break out in a giggling fit leaving them breathless. Finally, Ginny stops and says, "Let's get this finished so we can get ourselves ready."
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A little before 7:00 PM Draco hears his floo activate. He is speechless when Luna Lovegood steps out of his fireplace followed shortly by Theo Nott. He keeps looking at the couple with his mouth hanging open. Luna looks up at Theo and whispers, "Told you he has a nargle infestation." Theo gives her an adoring look and squeezes her hand before walking over and slapping Draco on the shoulder and motions for Luna to join him. "Draco, you remember Luna." She gives him a little curtsy which makes the pale yellow dress that matches the color of her hair shimmer in the light. Draco gives her a stiff nod, and turns to his friend jerking his head toward his kitchen and walks away. Theo kisses Luna's cheek and says, "I'll be right back."
Once behind the closed kitchen door, Draco's brows furrow when he addresses his lifelong friend, "What the hell man? Looney Lovegood?" Theo breaks out in a huge sheepish grin. "Luna's great. You'll like her once you get to know her. She's actually really intuitive. She's been traveling all over the world looking for undiscovered animals. She was actually on an island of cannibals last month and managed to get out unscathed."
Without saying anything, Draco hands Theo one of the bottles of champagne he picked up for tonight from the manor and walks back into the living room. Luna turns around and his eyes go wide when he sees she is holding something that looks like a shrunken head with fuzzy hair. He stops walking when he remembers Theo saying she wouldn't attend the party tonight without Draco. Luna walks over to the guys, holding out the head and says, "The portkey is about to go off." Theo reaches for it, but Draco is frozen in place. She mumbles, "nargles," and grabs Draco's hand placing it on the portkey and it activates. As Draco feels the pull behind his navel, all he can think is, Lovegood is taking me to the cannibals as a sacrifice.
A/N: The portkey is an old school troll doll and Luna is holding it so you only see the head. If you aren't familiar with them, there is a picture on the Pinterest board mentioned above.
I just realized who my headcanon has always been for Narcissa Malfoy - it's Miranda Richardson as she appeared in the movie Sleepy Hollow (1999). I have added her to the Pinterest board as well. I am in the process of adding to the author's notes of previous chapters that reference the other pictures that are included there. I also have a Dramione board of pictures or fan art of my favorite couple.
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