Hello, another slow update i'm afraid, and a bit of a filler chapter too! Promise there is some more action coming soon. Thanks for everyone who has and reviewed, hope you enjoy the story!
The next few days passed in the same manner; they would revise all morning, then spend the afternoons in bed. Draco hadn't thought that the sex could get any better, but with their newfound freedom to use any position they wished there was a definite change. He just couldn't get enough of her; he kept waiting to stop feeling the need to have her at every opportunity, but he certainly hadn't yet.
They always made sure that they were decent and downstairs by six 'o'clock so as not to scandalise her parents, and had only stayed late on Wednesday evening as the Pride and Prejudice movie was on the television and Hermione has insisted he see it.
He could see why Hermione identified with Lizzie Bennet, and the correlation between the story and how it had been between the two of them, but he wasn't captivated by it as she was. When it had finished he asked her why she loved it so much, and her answer surprised him;
"I love the manners!" she gushed. "I love how there is a protocol for everything, and the balls and the clothes!"
"But as a woman you would have no control over your life! I cannot imagine that you would enjoy that!" If Granger thought that lifestyle was good then she would fit in better with pureblood society better than his mother could have dreamed!
"Oh, don't spoil it for me!" she said, pouting. "I know that I wouldn't want it really, but the idea of being treated like I'm delicate and need protecting every once in a while is very appealing!"
"If that's what you want then you need to stop being so capable all the time." Draco teased.
"You mean I would have to stop being such an insufferable know-it-all?" she asked playfully.
"Yes." He replied. "And I really don't think that you could…" He reached out and took her hand, then brought it to his lips.
"However, if you would like me to be more chivalrous then I can do my best. Although I don't think that I can agree to be constantly chaperoned in your presence." He turned her hand over and nipped at her wrist with his teeth. He enjoyed this kind of banter with her; he couldn't remember having it with anyone else previously.
The week passed too quickly, and before he knew it, it was 5.30 on Friday and they were getting dressed after a very pleasurable afternoon in bed.
"I'm going to tell my mother about you tonight." He told her. "So if she is ok with it then she can see you on the platform on Sunday before we go back to Hogwarts." And if not then she doesn't have to come, he added in his head, whilst pulling up his boxers.
"Ok." Replied Hermione. "I can't say I'm optimistic about seeing her on Sunday, but I hope that she won't give you too hard a time over it."
"Don't worry," said Draco, far more confidently than he felt, "It will be a shock for her but she will come around."
"Good" said Hermione, brushing her hand down his back as she reached for her jeans. "I almost wish that we didn't have to go back to school," she sighed. "This has been a nice two weeks."
This was an understatement he felt; his two weeks had been fantastic.
"What are we going to do when we go back?" he asked, voicing one of the things that had been troubling him.
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up from pulling on her jumper.
"Well, are we going to tell people?" He asked; meaning her friends. "Are we going to snog in the hallways? Walk around holding hands?"
She laughed. "Most people think we have been seeing each other for ages anyway. I guess it's only our friends who know the truth, and if they ask, I think we should tell them. I'm not ashamed of anything we have done." She said this last bit forcefully, almost like she was daring him to contradict her.
"Ok." He said, nodding for her to continue.
"As for the other things; do you really want to be a public spectacle?"
"No," he said, "but I do want to be able to touch you when I feel like it. I don't want to have to sneak around." This was important to him; he didn't think he could maintain a polite distance from her for the next three months.
"That's fine." She said with a grin, "I just didn't expect you to be the type who walks around the castle attached to your girlfriend at all times! I mean I don't want to have to call you by a ridiculous pet name and carve HG loves DM into the desks!"
Draco laughed at the image the realised what she had said; H.G. LOVES D.M. Loves? Was she just being flippant or was this indicative of her actual feelings? What was happening to him? He was poring over 'feelings' like a total girl, if he was going to get through his exams and leave Hogwarts with top marks he needed to get it together and stop mooning around. Deciding in that moment that he would not complicate things between him and Hermione with talk of commitment or love until they had taken their exams, he tugged his shirt on over his head then followed Hermione back down the stairs.
He didn't stay until Mrs Granger got home as he usually did, thinking it would be adequate to thank the Grangers for their hospitality on Platform 9 ¾ when he saw them on Sunday morning. Granger wished him good luck at the door, and although Draco laughed, he knew that he would need it for the conversation that he was soon to have with his mother.
It was a miserable evening, and by the time he arrived home he was drenched by the clichéd April showers.
"You're soaked!" his mother cried when he got through the door. "Go and get changed before you catch cold. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour."
Draco did as he was bid, deciding to broach the subject of Granger over dinner. After he was warm and dry, he descended the stairs with trepidation, really hoping that his mother's reaction would not be as extreme as he was anticipating.
"That's better. Dinner is nearly ready; I made one of the recipes from the book you got me for Christmas!" Narcissa bustled through to the kitchen to fetch their dinner whilst Draco took a seat at the dining table. She returned shortly carrying two plates of a lumpy brownish looking stew, which he could not imagine featuring in any cookbook he had ever seen. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face, as Narcissa said;
"It doesn't look quite like the picture, but I'm sure it will taste just fine!" She set one of the plates down in front of him, and sat down opposite with her own.
"I'm sure it will be great mother," Draco lied smoothly picking up his fork. He took a mouthful and forced a smile to his face; this conversation was going to be hard enough without putting her back up beforehand by showing her how truly awful her cooking was.
"It's good." He managed to choke out, hastily swallowing the unidentifiable lumps. His mother smiled at him then took a bite herself, the smile slowly fading as she chewed.
"So," said Draco, eager to say his piece now he had made up his mind to tell her. "I spoke to her about meeting you."
His mother looked up from her plate quickly. "And?"
"She would be happy to meet you."
His mother's face lit up, but Draco continued before she could speak.
"But only if I tell you who she is first. I lied before; you do know her."
"That's wonderful!" his mother trilled. "I can start making arrangements as soon as you like…"
"You don't know who she is yet…" said Draco, seeing his mother's look of distraction and knowing she was already imagining planning an extravagant wedding.
"That doesn't matter; any of our acquaintances would be suitable. So, can she come tomorrow night?"
"Mother, you really do need to know who she is first…"
"You're right of course, and if I'm going to approach her parents then I need their names too! I'm so glad that you two are getting serious; I had begun to think I would have to find you someone regardless of our deal if you refused to make a commitment to her soon!" Narcissa was getting far too carried away for Draco's liking; he needed to put a stop to this before it went on too long.
"It's Hermione Granger." He blurted, braced for his mother's reaction.
"What?" said Narcissa uncomprehendingly, the colour draining from her face.
"I have been seeing Hermione Granger." He repeated, watching her carefully.
"Draco, you cannot be serious." She said, her voice with a pleading note to it. She was silent for a moment, then continued levelly; "I understand that you may feel that maybe we owe her something for her defence of us to the ministry, but you don't have to do something like this…"
Was his mother really suggesting that he was seeing Granger due to some sense of misguided duty? "It's not like that at all," he said thickly, trying not to show how absurd he felt that statement to be.
"Then what is it? I know this would look good, the deatheater proving he is reformed by dating a muggleborn, but you really don't have to! Like you told me before, we were found innocent and this will blow over. You have no need to sacrifice your future." She was still speaking in that reasonable tone and it was making Draco increasingly annoyed.
"It's nothing like that." He said, working hard to keep his voice even. "I want to be with her. She is an intelligent, brilliant witch and a genuine, nice person."
"Draco, please." Snapped Narcissa, shaking her head. "I'm sure she is very nice, and by all means spend time with her, but don't allow her to stop you from seeing the real issue here. She is a mudblood, and to contemplate tainting our family line with her blood is an insult to your ancestors!"
"I don't care!" Barked Draco, raising his voice now too. "How could I be tainting a family line which contains a monster like aunt Bellatrix? How could I be insulting my ancestors after some of the depraved things I witnessed dear Uncle Rabastan do? Not to mention father himself…"
"Don't you say anything about your father!" Narcissa shrieked, cutting him off. She took a deep breath, fighting for control, then continued calmly; "I understand what you are saying. But the truth remains that you are the heir of one of the last pureblood families left, you have a responsibility to keep this line pure. Like I said, feel free to enjoy the charms that Miss Granger allows you to sample where a well brought up pureblood girl would not, but do not forget that in the end that sort of thing really doesn't matter. She would never fit in with us; your family would be shunned, your children would be shunned!"
Draco was unsure which part of that tirade to address first. The insinuation that Hermione was a slut purely because of her heritage rankled, but wasn't as important as the rest of the argument. "How could we be shunned any further than we are now? How often have your pureblood friends been in contact? And as for keeping the bloodlines pure, look at where that has gotten us! After this latest war there are only twelve purebloods of breeding age left; if we all marry one another that means only six bloodlines continuing, there will be no one left soon! The insistence that blood purity is the most important quality in a partner is madness!"
"Come Draco, don't be naïve! It is not just the matter of blood purity, it is everything! Find a nice half-blood girl instead and that would be fine. A mudblood has not been brought up in our culture, knowing our ways. As integrated and informed as she seems, there will be great gaping holes in her knowledge of our customs. I mean, could you possibly imagine taking her to the Zabini's solstice ball? It would be humiliating!" His mother shook her head in contempt at the very idea.
Actually, thought Draco, Granger would love the Zabini's solstice ball and the idiotic facsimile of courtly manners. But now was not the time; he needed to focus on the bigger issue. "She is kind and good, and a brilliant witch as well. She would make a good mother to any children she had. What does it matter that she doesn't know all of our customs? She certainly has the capacity to learn."
Narcissa gave a small cry of frustration. "Draco! Why are you being so blind?! Even she knows that she is on the fringes of our world; why do you think she is ingratiating herself with someone who used to revile her? She is hoping that she will be given a place in wizarding society! Everyone thought that she was going to marry the Weasley boy, but that wouldn't really have gotten her much further up the ladder would it? So now she is reaching higher with you; she has ambition at least! Obviously she realises that if we still had our status and wealth from before you would never have looked at her twice, but in reduced circumstances she obviously feels it is worth a try. The name of Malfoy is still enough to elevate her status."
Draco sat in disbelief for a moment; he had the feeling his mother would say practically anything right now if she felt it would make him stop liking Granger. "Mother, do you hear yourself? Do you truly believe that she is trying to use me to get ahead? Merlin's Beard! It's more likely that I would use her! When she leaves Hogwarts with seven Outstanding NEWT's and the gratitude and interest of half the wizarding world she will be well placed to do anything she wants. I on the other hand will struggle to find a decent position almost entirely due to 'the name of Malfoy'!"
"Is that what she has told you?" asked his mother angrily, but Draco cut her off before she could say anymore.
"No, I managed to work it out for myself," he said sarcastically. "I also resent the fact that you seem to think I can't spot when I am being lied to and manipulated; after all I learnt all about lying and using people from the best." It was a low blow at his mother, but he was angry and fed up of trying to be reasonable.
Narcissa's eyes sparked in anger at his insinuation. "You need to grow up Draco." She snarled. "You are going to tell Hermione Granger that whatever arrangement you have made with her is finished and I am going to find you a suitable wife seeing as you cannot be trusted to do it yourself."
She was treating him as if he was a wayward child and he was sick of it! "I will do no such thing!" he said forcefully. "There is no 'arrangement' yet, as you put it, but when I have finished my NEWT's I will see if she will consent to be my wife, and you can be assured that I will be grateful to her everyday if she does!"
"Draco!" cried his mother, like he was saying something indecent.
"Yes mother, I am going to be selfish. I want to choose someone whom I love to marry regardless of their blood status. I have no regard for whatever is left of the family honour, and will certainly not condemn myself to a life of misery tied to some vapid conceited cow regardless of how pure her blood is!" He got up from the table as his mother sat apoplectic with rage.
"Draco," she choked out. "You cannot mean to do this… I'm not sure why you are behaving this way…" She took a few moments to compose herself. "I think we both need to calm down and discuss this rationally. I will overlook your rudeness on this occasion as I know emotions are running high, but in future you will not speak to me in such a tone." She had donned the mask of cold indifference that Draco remembered from his childhood when he had disappointed her in some way. He felt the usual creeping feeling of shame, but squashed it down; he was not a naughty little boy any longer.
"I am sorry if my tone this evening has offended you. However, I have told you how I feel and what I plan to do and further discussion is not going to change that." He used his most haughty manner; after all, he was his mother's son.
Narcissa looked at him coldly, although did not berate him further. "I think we both need to get a good night's sleep and think about what we have said tonight."
She remained seated as he left the room, ascending the stairs to his bedroom even though it had only just gone 7.30. It had been just as bad as he had thought it would be, but he had unwittingly been holding a sliver of hope that she would somehow be reasonable, would listen and consider what he was saying. He flopped onto his bed and pressed his hands against his temples; why did this have to be so difficult?
It was a fairly sleepless night for Draco; his thoughts formed a shapeless jumble vacillating between anger and despair. Was he truly doing the right thing alienating his mother for someone whose true feelings towards him he didn't know? Some of the things his mother had said kept popping into his head; why was Hermione interested in someone who used to be a complete shit towards her? He was also rather concerned about what it would be like at school. Whilst he and Hermione's relationship had been unfounded rumours neither one of them had really taken much flak, but when it became obvious that there genuinely was something going on between them would the other students, and possibly even teachers, reactions remain so benign?
Narcissa was already up and dressed by the time that Draco went down for breakfast. They were both uncomfortably polite, and Narcissa informed him that she was going out but refrained from saying where. Draco thought she was probably going off to sulk at Andromeda's to avoid having to be stuck in the house with him, which suited him fine.
He spent half the day reading, which is all he seemed to do at the moment, and then gathered up the few things that he had brought home from school for the holiday ready to take with him to the station the next day. His anger abated as the day wore on; after all his mother did only want the best for him. He resolved to make peace with her before he left in the morning, although the possibility of her coming to the station to meet Hermione was no longer an option.
Narcissa didn't return until past dinner time, and was politely distant with him. He didn't want to push her so refrained from mentioning anything about Hermione or their conversation of the previous evening. They sat together in the sitting room for a while listening to the wireless and making uncomfortable small talk.
"Are you all packed?" asked Narcissa blandly as they were going up the stairs to bed.
"Yes," replied Draco. "I didn't bring much back with me, just books mainly."
"Good." Said Narcissa. "We will talk further Draco about the situation discussed last night. I will write to you in the next couple of weeks. I think it may be easier that way; emotions seem to be running rather high."
This seemed like the best solution that Draco was going to get. "Yes mother. We do need to discuss this further, and I agree that writing will be easier."
"Well, I shall see you in the morning." She offered her cheek for him to kiss. "Goodnight Draco."
"Goodnight mother." He went into his room, sighing sadly. His mother loved him, he knew this, but she had a tendency to be so cold. He had thought it was largely due to the influence of his father seeing as how she had been more open with him since Lucius' death, but he now realised that whenever she was frightened or unsure she shut herself away behind that cold, indifferent mask. He got into bed and settled himself for sleep, feeling the little thrill that he always did at the thought of seeing Granger the next day.
Draco's journey to King's Cross the next morning was uneventful. He said a quick goodbye to his mother, who neither asked nor offered to accompany him to the station, and made it onto the platform in good time. There weren't many students there, and most that had arrived were already getting onto the train. Draco felt a sudden sense of nostalgia; this would be the last time he boarded the Hogwarts Express to school. He remembered the excitement of the first time he rode it; trying to act like it wasn't a big deal in front of his father when he was fit to burst inside.
He was still smiling to himself when he caught sight of Granger and her parents appearing through the barrier, and was halfway over to them before they noticed him.
"Draco!" Hermione's mother was the first to greet him. "How lovely to see you! Did your mother not come to see you off?" she looked around expectantly.
"No, she couldn't make it." He said brightly, Granger catching his eye and giving him a wry smile at this pronouncement. He gave an answering grin then turned back to her mother. "I would just like to say how nice it was to meet you both, and that I am grateful for your hospitality over the last week."
"Oh Draco!" her mother beamed. "Don't be silly, you are most welcome!"
Hermione's father just smiled in response, obviously not so easy to charm as his wife. Draco stepped away to allow the Grangers some privacy for their goodbyes, and he was joined a couple of minutes later by Hermione, who took his arm so they could find a compartment.
Once out of sight of her parents Hermione leaned up and gave him a quick kiss.
"So, she didn't take it well then?" she asked jovially.
"Um, no." replied Draco. "There was a lot of talk of preserving the bloodline and betraying my ancestors." He said it lightly but it still made her frown.
"Oh dear," said Hermione, shrugging out of her backpack, which Draco took and swung up onto the luggage rack for her. "Thanks. I think she is over-reacting rather; I mean we are just dating it's not like we're getting married!" She sank down into a window seat. "Are you ok though?"
"Yes, I'm fine." He said. "We have parted on civil terms, although I'm sure I will hear more about family honour and duty in her letters." He didn't want to address the statement about his mother over-reacting. Hermione's comment had shaken him a little; he had declared he was invested in her to his mother but had had no such conversation with her.
"I'm glad." She said. "I actually wanted to ask you about..."
But he didn't get to find out what she wanted to ask as Longbottom shoved his way into the compartment, followed by Lovegood.
"Hello Hermione. Malfoy." He said, chucking his bag up onto the luggage rack and taking the seat opposite Granger.
"Neville!" said Hermione cheerily, "How was your break?"
"It was good. Nice to see gran but I spent most of it revising. How about you?" He carefully ignored Malfoy, which was probably wise as Draco was seething with annoyance at the interruption; had Granger been going to reveal her feelings to him? He busied himself with taking a couple of books out of his bag then slid into the seat next to Granger.
"Yes, it was nice to see mum and dad although like you, I did a lot of revision. How about you Luna?" Hermione seemed perfectly congenial, like nothing of any import had been curtailed.
"Dad has been getting a lot of new submissions for the Quibbler, so we spent a lot of time going through them. Some were quite interesting…" Replied Luna dreamily, her protuberant but surprisingly shrewd eyes looking at each of them in turn.
"That's good." Said Hermione quickly, obviously not wanting to delve any deeper into possible content of the Quibbler.
"I'm looking forward to the final Quidditch match this year; Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Do you think we'll get the cup again?" said Neville conversationally to Hermione, but Draco couldn't help but butt in.
"Almost certainly, barring injury and illness. Urquhart is Slytherin captain this year and has chosen the team focussing on aggression rather than actual flying ability. Potter's team has a good mix of both; it should be an easy win as long as they use their heads."
Longbottom looked at him as if he had sprouted two heads; although whether it was due to what he was saying, or just the fact he was speaking pleasantly to him Draco was not sure.
"Why aren't you on the team this year?" asked Longbottom finally, tone slightly confrontational. He had changed so much over the past two years; he was no longer a fearful little fat boy. He had become leaner and more confident and his magical ability had improved tenfold. There would be no way Malfoy could bully him now, even if he were so inclined.
Draco gave a humourless laugh. "I didn't even bother to try out. No one would have wanted me in their team even if I could outfly every other member of it!" He realised that this sounded arrogant but it was true, the team this year really was appalling!
Longbottom raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. Hermione obviously sensed the awkwardness and rushed to fill it. "I know that Harry has high hopes this year. He says the team is performing consistently well, and he is pleased with the new chaser too."
"New chaser?" asked Draco. He hadn't been following the Quidditch tournament this year; it made him feel miserable that he couldn't take part so he stayed away from it.
"Yes, a little third year called Thomas Delaney. Apparently he is very 'natural on a broom' not that I really know what that looks like!" she finished with a rueful smile.
"Don't worry Granger, I haven't forgotten our conversation from the other day," Draco teased. "I will get you on a broom before this term is out, and you will enjoy it!"
"I said I would think about it!" Hermione protested, giving him a nudge with her elbow.
Draco noticed Longbottom watching this exchange with narrowed eyes, obviously coming to the conclusion that the rumours flying around before Easter had not been entirely unfounded.
"Did you finish the essay about the Imperius curse for Muldoon?" said Longbottom, obviously determined not to acknowledge what he had just witnessed.
"Yes," said Hermione. "In fact, Draco had some good insights on the strength of the curse in relation to how well the caster knows the subject. Professor Muldoon didn't mention it in class, but I thought it was interesting enough to put in anyway."
Yep, thought Draco, Professor Muldoon will love it. Information that only someone who had used or seen the Imperius curse used regularly could know. Professor Jonty Muldoon was a grizzled Scottish ex-auror who had taken the Defence Against the Dark Arts teaching post this year. He apparently knew McGonagall of old, causing much speculation amongst the students as to how they were acquainted. He was a decent teacher though, strict but fair, and he certainly knew his subject after many years out in the field.
They made small talk between them for the rest of the journey, Hermione careful to include both Draco and Neville. Luna however, was quite happy entertaining herself by reading, humming and occasionally interrupting with something completely irrelevant. Draco still felt a little like an outsider, but on the whole he felt optimistic about their return to Hogwarts.
