Author's note: Disclaimer. I want to thank everyone who favorited my story. This is a really long chapter. I hope you enjoy it. R&R please.

Chapter 18

Draco poured in the next memory and hoped that Hermione would understand the steps he took in this one. This memory contained his greatest shame and he hoped they could move on from it. With another deep breath they both submerged their heads in the bowl and allowed the past to envelop them.

Draco grinned as he admired the necklace laying across Hermione's neck settling perfectly between her breasts and although he much preferred how it had looked when she was wearing nothing but that necklace it still looked very comely on her. After receiving her presents Hermione had been very grateful and dinner had been completely forgotten and now they were enjoying a stone-cold lasagna but they both couldn't be happier in their little couple bubble and Draco reassured himself that he had stopped his father. Next month when they went to visit her family in Australia he would ask her to marry him after getting her father's permission, well asking for it at least.

The time just disappeared as Draco laughed at Hermione's not so subtle hints that she wanted to take the next step in their relationship and before he knew it they were leaving for Australia the next day.

"Are you sure Ron's not going to be mad at us for blowing off his rehearsal dinner? He seemed slightly put out when I told him we were leaving today," Hermione fretted as she refolded her clothes for the millionth time.

"He's just upset that you aren't more put out by him getting married. I mean the man is still in love with you and you'd have to be blind, deaf and stupid not to know that and you, my dear are none of those things. Look he is going to be happy with Lavender simply because she weights on him hand and foot. She wants a huge family and to have no real career of her own. He may not realize it now because he's still stung from the one that got away but he's going to realize you were never the girl for him. You were always meant to be with me." Draco quickly captured her lips to stop her response and sank into the sensation and almost lost his senses and took her against the wall. When he pushed her against the wall however she bumped the ring in his pocket against the chest and it was like he took an ice-cold shower. He was going to do this right. Just this once he wanted one forward step of their relationship to go according to plan.

"Look our portkey is in 3 hours if you're really that worried why don't you go surprise them and I will finish packing for you okay?" Draco offered as he reluctantly took a step back.

"You can't do that you wouldn't know what to pack," Hermione replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Well that's where your wrong I do know what to pack because I know what I like and so I'll just pack that," Draco fired back playfully.

"Oh yea, that would be wonderful. I can just see my parents faces as I flounce around in those short skirts and skin-tight shirts you love so much. No, I can pack everything myself." Hermione shook her head and focused back on her clothing.

"Alright Hermione you are going to do nothing but fret about how you insulted Ron the whole trip if you don't go visit him. I promise to pack with your parent's ideology of you in my mind now please go before you drive me insane and we don't make our portkey due to me dragging you back to bed and making you forget your own name." Draco threatened as he started stalking towards her. She let out a little squeal and jumped off the bed to avoid him.

"NO! I am not explaining our late arrival to my parents again! I'm leaving I swear." She darted towards the fireplace and Draco managed to catch her right before she grabbed the floo powder. He turned her around, so she was trapped against his chest.

"What if I changed my mind? I think we should forget packing and just throw a bag together last minute so I can full appreciate everything I know you're going to be covering up for our trip?" Draco asked as he started to nuzzle her neck.

"Draco no let me go! I love you but you are insatiable lately. I have to check on Ron and if you have my bag packed when I come back maybe, just maybe, we will have some time to enjoy each other." Hermione compromised as she tried to ignore the way Draco's mouth felt on her neck. He let out a pained groan and pulled away to look deep in her eyes.

"Fine. You can leave," But he refused to release his grip on her and after letting her struggle for a bit he continued, "After a kiss. If you still want to leave after that then be my guest."

Hermione eyed him carefully as she tried to figure a way out of his very enticing arms before she agreed to his terrible, but oh so tempting, idea. She placed her lips firmly against his and poured all her feelings into that one kiss. Draco let out a rumble of approval and lifted his arms to he could bury his hands in her curls. However, the second Hermione felt his arms move she quickly stepped out of his grasp and grabbed the floo powder. She blew him a kiss before she cried out Ron's address and disappeared in a flash of bright lime fire. Draco glared at the fireplace as he debated going after her and dragging her back but eventually he turned his focus on packing her bag.

After hastily packing her bag with all her favorite 'parent friendly' clothes he waited anxiously for her to reappear in the fireplace. An hour dragged by and Draco started pacing because he didn't trust Ron. Ron had been against their relationship since the second he found out and Draco hated how jealous he got when Hermione would have lunch with Ron to 'catch up'. Finally, unable to take it anymore Draco grabbed a handful of floo powder and used it to go to the weasel's flat.

He heard them arguing and moved closer so he could be able to assist Hermione if she needed him. Then he heard what she was saying.

"Ron look you are blowing this thing with Draco completely out of proportion. I mean you are driving yourself barmy. What Draco and I have is not something you need to worry about like this. Besides you're one to talk you're going off and marring Lavender. Do you think that makes me happy? Do you think seeing you with her makes me want to sing from the mountain tops? No of course not but there isn't anything we can do about that. Look I came here to apologize for not coming to your engagement party not to be driven crazy by questions and accusations." Hermione bellowed.

"Wait seeing me with Lavender doesn't make you happy? Are you jealous Hermione? Because I tried for an insane amount of time to make you realize we were meant to be and you're telling me all I had to do was make you jealous? Blimey that would've saved us both a lot of time." After Ron's words everything went silent and even though Draco knew he was going to regret it he had to see what was going on. He had to know. He peered around the corner covertly and his heart shattered in his chest.

There was Hermione and Ron wrapped in each other's arms and locked in a kiss. Hell, it even looked like Hermione was struggling to get closer to him. Draco couldn't take it anymore he bolted and went through the floo back to their apartment. He fell to his knees and struggled to comprehend what he had seen. Unable to reason the scene away he just kneeled on the floor unable to figure out what to do. He had to get out of there. He couldn't see her and hear her tell him that they were over. He didn't want to hear how it had always been Ron.

He left a note saying he had a business trip come up suddenly and couldn't go with her to her parents. He struggled to write that he was sorry he wouldn't be able to go so he just left that off. He left the apartment and headed to the closest tavern to get thoroughly trashed. He took shot after shot drink after drink until he was barely coherent and then Astoria appeared next to him. She struck up a conversation and honestly Draco couldn't have cared less about what she was saying but it was still a welcome distraction from the dark turmoil going on inside him.

The next thing he knew he was awoken by the harsh cruel light of the sun attacking his eyes. His head felt like Cornish pixies were beating him with a club. He removed the arm from around his naked waist and went to the bathroom to get water. He mused to himself as he drank some water wondering what he and Hermione got into that caused him to get so drunk.

Then icy realization settled over him as he recalled what had happened between Hermione and Ron. He raced back to the bathroom doorway and looked at the person occupying the other side of the bed. Astoria's pin straight blonde locks streaked around her sleeping face, but what caused bile to rise in his throat was the fact that all her shoulders were completely bare and all that seemed to be covering her was the bed sheet. Draco glanced down his own body and did actually vomit after he realized he too had no clothes on.

He had slept with Astoria. Merlin's balls what on earth had he been thinking although the amount of alcohol he even remembered ingesting had been to stop his thinking all together. He wiped his mouth and quickly cast a cleansing charm on it to remove the foul taste. He needed to fix this. His father could easily push the engagement through now. All Astoria had to do was claim to be a virgin and those stupid archaic bylaws would make it so Draco had to make an honest woman out of her.

Wait maybe Astoria had been drunk too! Maybe just maybe he could sneak out of here and she would never find out it was him. She'd just assume it was some drunken hookup that wants nothing else to do with her. Not like it was that out there. She'd been known for sleeping around in school. Feeling very secure in his plan Draco spelled his clothing and got dressed. He cast a silencing spell around Astoria so she wouldn't hear him sneaking out but as he opened the door it hit him how familiar the room was. He quickly evaluated the space around him and cursed under his breath because he was in his childhood bedroom.

This was bad. This was really extremely bad. If he left this room there is a good chance he would run into one of the house elves or worse one of his parents. He ran a hand over his face and through his hair as he tried to come up with something else. He cast another charm on Astoria and last night's dress appeared on her body. He rumpled his clothing and undid a few of the buttons of his shirt at random and forced himself to lay down on the bed.

After removing the silencing charm, he stretched and let out and over exaggerated and loud groan that he hoped would wake Astoria. His hope was in vain as she continued to sleep peacefully next to him. So he decided to try another tactic.

He shook her shoulder and grumbled in what he hoped sounded like a sleep addled tone, "Astoria? What are you doing in my flat?"

Astoria slapped sleepily at the hand that was shaking her as she opened her eyes.

"Oh, good morning. If you're looking for an encore last night really took it out of me. You really know how to wear a girl out Drakey." She stated in a sultry tone as she stretched making sure to rub her chest against his.

"What are you talking about?! Oh my head" Draco exclaimed in real pain as he clasped his hand over his eyes. "Look why are you at my flat Astoria? Hermione is…wait where's Hermione?"

"Drakey you brought me back to your place because you said you two were over. Did you lie to me?! Are you still with that bitch!" Astoria exclaimed in a voice that was way to high for someone suffering from a hangover.

"Look first of all please for the love of all magic lower your voice and secondly yes I am still with Hermione we had a fight and I'm guessing you tried to take advantage of my inebriated state but luckily I was too drunk and passed out." Draco shot back as he started to massage his temples.

"You're delusional I mean look at me I'm na-," She looked down and noticed that they were both fully clothed. "How are we both dressed? You made love to me for a good portion of the night there is no reason we should have clothes on right now. What did you do?!"

"Astoria please keep the shrieking down. Muphet!" Draco called for the family house elf who appeared with a small pop. "Please get me a hangover potion and when you return please escort Miss Greengrass home. Also be sure to remember the fact that when you arrived we were both fully clothed and I order you to only tell the truth on this matter no matter any other orders."

Muphet gave a slight nod and disappeared with another pop. After she left Draco turned back to Astoria and raised an eyebrow at her daring her to fight him on it.

"Draco you slept with me. You took my virginity if you think I'm going to stay quiet about this you are sadly mistaken. You need to make an honest woman out of me for all we know I could be pregnant right now. Do you really think your little mudblood is going to want to be with you after you just cheated on her?" Astoria fired of as she rose to her full height and stomped her foot like a five-year-old.

"Your little temper tantrums are very unappealing Tori and maybe that's why you have always had such a hard time holding on to a guy and give me a break if something happened between us which it clearly didn't it still wouldn't entitle you to anything because I know for a fact that you slept with the majority of the upper classman at Hogwarts." Draco snapped back.

She gasped in outrage but luckily her reply was cut off by Muphet's return. Draco gratefully downed the potion and was able to fully enjoy Muphet grabbing Astoria's arm and removing her from the premise before a single word could be uttered from her limp lips. Draco relaxed on his bed and focused on fixing the awful mess he had just found himself in.

Draco snuck downstairs and quickly moved towards the fireplace hoping against hope that he could get out of there before anything else happened.

"Draco! How lovely to see you this morning. Wait aren't you supposed to be off in Australia with Hermione visiting her parents?" His mother asked as she caught him just a few inches from freedom. He turned around and smiled warmly at his mother hoping she wouldn't notice his discomfort.

"Yes I am, however there was little hiccup in our plans so I am going to meet her there." Draco replied with practiced ease.

"Well you should have her come downstairs rather than pretending she wasn't the one you brought here last night. And just so you're aware silencing charms were invented so you wouldn't have to have these uncomfortable conversations with your parents." Narcissa pointed out slyly as she smirked at her son's obvious discomfort.

"She, uh, already left. I was just heading out so I could meet her and we could leave so if you would excuse me. Oh, and please don't mention anything to father you know how he gets about Hermione coming over here." Draco stated trying to cover his tracts hurriedly.

"Well he has to get used to it eventually. I assume the reason you're in such a hurry has to do with the fact that you picked up an engagement set yesterday?" She inquired moving to block his path to the fireplace.

"Yes, mother I am planning on asking Hermione to marry me alright is that what you want me to say?!" Draco announced loudly. His mother just shook her head at him in disgust.

"How about the truth Draco. You know I always assumed you were trying to get out of your father's shadow yet here you are stepping out on a girl who is crazy about you and lying to me about wanting to marry the same girl you just treated like dirt. That has Lucius written all over it. I am extremely ashamed to call you my son." Narcissa snapped as she tossed Astoria's purse at him and stalked away. Draco stormed over to one of the armchairs and sunk into it burying his face in his hands.

"You are actually going through with marring that little snit?" Lucius snarled as he sat down across from Draco.

"Yes, father I am going to ask Hermione to marry me. Now if she'll accept that's the real question." Draco admitted utterly emotionally exhausted after everything that happened last night and that morning.

"No. You are going to marry Astoria Draco. After your little fling last night, you don't have a choice. You can either marry Astoria or face the consequences I deem necessary." Lucius threatened.

"Father I am not marring Astoria and honestly I don't even care what you throw at us. I am now going to go grovel on my knees and pray on everything I hold dear that the woman I love more than anything else will forgive me." Draco rose to his feet again and strode towards the fireplace with a deep sense of dread and hopelessness settling around him.

"Just remember I gave you a chance and when you're ready to accept it you had better hope I am still in a good and accepting mood," and with those ominous prophetic words Draco disappeared in a blaze of fire.

Draco arrived in Australia later that day and knew he and Hermione were going to need time to talk privately so he decided to put off asking for permission and the discussion until after their trip. As he walked up to her parents' house he braced himself for a number of terrible situations most of them including a certain red headed imbecile. Before he even knocked on the door it flew open and Hermione threw her arms around him in exuberant joy.

"Draco! You're here. I have missed you so much. I'm so happy you managed to make it but I'm also mad at you for going off on a business trip and making me show up alone. You know how they attack me when you're not here." Hermione accused him still keeping her arms wrapped firmly around him.

"Well I'm all yours now. Sorry love I couldn't get out of it." Draco murmured in her ear as he relished her closeness.

The first few days of their trip flew by in a joyous spree and Draco just soaked it all in it. But with all good things their fun times too came to an end. After a wonderful day spent with Hermione's parents on a pontoon which allowed Draco to admire Hermione's curvaceous body covered in a skillfully sexy one-piece swimsuit the group was all sitting down for dinner when a loud pounding came from the front door. Draco offered to go see who it was and when he opened the door he was met with the face of Harry Potter who didn't even greet him as he pushed Draco out of the way.

"Sorry to interrupt your dinner but Hermione you need to come home now. Actually, all of you should come, my treat of course. Why don't you go pack some bags and we can all leave in a minute? Draco please go grab your guys' bags while I talk to Hermione in private." Harry asked in a rushed flurry of words. Everyone looked at Harry with the same confused stare.

"Look it's not safe here and you need to pack for at least a week until we can setup the proper protections around your resident. Now everyone except Hermione please leave!" Harry emphasized and the Grangers quickly headed off to pack bags. Draco went over to Hermione's side and gave Harry a look that clearly stated he wasn't going anywhere.

"Fine look Hermione we caught word of a hit being ordered on your parents. We don't know if it's legitimate, but they did state this very address. And if that wasn't enough we, as in you and me," Harry sent Draco a very pointed look to drive his point home that Draco still wasn't a member of the group, "need to stop by St. Mungol and sit with Ron. Lavender was attacked today by an anti-werewolf group. They aren't sure if she's going to make it."

Hermione's hand flew over her mouth to muffle her cry of despair for Ron. Draco fought the urge to state he deserved to be there with Hermione as he was her boyfriend. Then a shuddering memory flickered to life. His father's words echoed in his mind and Draco quickly left the room to get their things.

His father was actually doing it. He was going after everyone Hermione held dear that he could reach in non-incriminating ways. The Lupins! Draco rushed back into the dining room.

"Shit! I have to go Hermione someone just set Remus's house on fire. I have to check on them and make sure everyone's okay." Harry quickly thrust a pocketbook into Hermione's hands. "This is set to go off in 30 minutes and your parents are already cleared to use it. I'll see you at the hospital. I have to go get an emergency portkey."

Draco grabbed Harry's arm to stop him. "I'm going with you. They are my family after all and then I will just stay with them while you and Hermione sit with," Draco took a deep breath and forced the next word out, "Ron while he waits for results on Lavender."

Harry who was unwilling to delay any longer nodded. Draco turned to Hermione who looked like she was in total shock.

"Hermione please remember that I love you. More than anything else please always remember that," Draco stated pressing a quick but through kiss to her lips before disappearing into the night with Harry.

With those words still echoing in her ears Hermione was dragged out as the memory faded and she was once again sitting at her kitchen table. She opened her mouth to speak but Draco held up a hand and pulled the final memory from his pocket.

"Please there's just one more I need you to see, alright?" Draco pleaded. This memory showed the real reason he left her. Hermione nodded because she had agreed but her head was already spinning, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Author's note part two: 'ducks behind a couch and peers over at you' Please don't hate me. I tried to finish it all in one chapter, but it was ridiculously long like nearing the length of my first installation of this story. I promise I will completely finish it when we come back to them. Any thoughts? Any ideas? Let me know R&R please even if its just to say that I am an evil person.