Hermione enjoyed her summer. Ginny and Daphne visited her house, occasionally with Pansy in tow. "They seem close." Jean said to Hermione as they worked on dinner.
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Pansy and Daphne." Jean clarified, Hermione just chuckled. "What?"
"Mum, they are dating." Hermione told her mother. "Actually all of our friends have partnered up. Blaise and Luna are dating, Theo and Neville, as well as Ginny and Harry." Jean just stirred their dinner. "What?"
"What do their parents think? Are they safe?" Jean asked.
"I don't think their parents fully understand. Pretty sure they have the same thoughts as you." Hermione admitted.
"Well, if anyone needs an escape they are more than welcome to come here." Jean informed her daughter. "And you can tell them that. Speaking of, how's Draco? I half expected him here as often as the girls now that we went out and got your pills." Hermione blushed.
"He's okay, still getting used to the muggle world. We talk every night and I am going over after Ginny returns to The Burrow."
"Are you staying for a little while or for a day or so?" Jean asked.
"We haven't decided yet, it depends on what Tonks says, and father." Jean stopped and hugged her daughter.
"I am sure your father will trust your judgment."
"Thank you mum." Hermione said.
A week later found Hermione laying on her stomach asleep in Draco's bed, the blond watching her sleep. He reached out and started tracing his fingers along her bare back causing her to chuckle and roll over. "Why are you awake?" She asked with a yawn.
"I have not seen you since we left for summer, I am enjoying seeing you and trying to remember every inch of you." He said before bending down and kissing her.
"Yes, but we have to sleep too. You wore me out." Hermione told him as they rolled so she could lay on her back. Draco chuckled as he started kissing down her neck.
"I love you." Draco said, pausing with each kiss.
"If you love me then let me sleep." Hermione said. "I will have more energy for tomorrow."
"Fine, but I want to enjoy you in the morning." Draco told her as they adjusted so he was holding her in his chest.
"Thank you." Hermione yawned and returned to sleep.
The following day Draco and Hermione walked around the village Draco now lived in. He opened the door to the bookstore and followed Hermione around as she looked around. After spending a little while in the shop, they returned to Tonks' to have dinner with her. "Do you like the village?" Tonks asked.
"I like it, the bookstore is cute. I found some good books."
"Are you staying again tonight?"
"If it is ok, I need to return tomorrow regardless." Hermione told the other woman.
"Of course, just remember to use protection." Tonks chuckled as she got up. "I'll be in my room if you need me." Hermione and Draco blushed as Tonks winked at them and left. Draco took her hand and they got up and returned to his room.
"Should we continue what we started last night?" Draco asked, pulling her to his bed and onto his lap. Hermione hummed her agreement as she moved to kiss him. Draco ran his hands up and down her back, moving them under her shirt in the process. Hermione chuckled as she pushed him onto his back.
.
Hermione and Draco walked through the train station, finding their friends waiting for them at the train. "How was your summer?" Hermione asked them, hugging everyone.
"Good." Ginny said. "I was able to escape from Ron and his moaning by going over to Harry's and Daphne's."
"So he's still staying at home?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, he threw a fit when I got my letter but he's at home under the watchful eye of mum, dad, Bill, and now Fleur."
"Fleur?" Hermione asked. "The Beauxbaton champion?"
"Yeah, she's at Gringotts to work on her English. She and Bill are now engaged and she stays with us."
"Aw, how sweet." Daphne said. "I love weddings."
"We should board the train," Blaise said. "Before we give the ladies ideas." The girls glared at him as they all boarded the train.
Fairly quickly the group fell into their usual patterns, with slight adjustments. Ginny was now on the Gryffindor team and Draco was now Quidditch Captain. So their numbers were minimized on practice days and Hermione would sometimes surprise Draco in the locker room after practice. Most nights, even if they were not patrolling Hermione and Draco would sneak off to the Room of Requirement to be together, and if they did not go all the way there they would meet in the Prefect's bath. During the October Hogsmeade trip Hermione and Draco made their way into the village only to freeze. Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were waiting for them. "We wanted to talk." Narcissa told them.
"Only if Hermione comes with me." Draco said, tightening his hand holding hers.
"Very well." Lucius said and the two couples made their way into a private room in the Three Broomsticks. They sat in silence for a few moments.
"Well?" Draco asked.
"We have talked it over," Narcissa started. "And we want you to return to us." Draco and Hermione looked at each other. "I never really agreed with my family's reaction to Sirius and Andromeda. I have sent them letters expressing that."
"Your mother is now in regular contact with your aunt," Lucius informed Draco. "And Sirius is coming over next week to officially introduce us to his partner Remus."
"Remus and Sirius are together?" Draco asked Hermione who chuckled.
"So, the point of this outing," Narcissa continued. "Is to ask you for forgiveness and to see if you will return home." Draco and Hermione shared a look.
"I am not sure." Draco started. "I will have to think about it, and in the case of coming home. I enjoy staying with my cousin because I can use a…what was it my love?" Draco asked Hermione.
"A telephone." Hermione replied.
"Ah, a telephone to call and talk to Hermione anytime I want without waiting for an owl or dealing with Flo. And she can come over anytime she wants, and stay as long as she wants." Narcissa paled.
"Are you…" She trailed off.
"Are you being careful?" Lucius asked. "We do not want a bastard in the family." Draco and Hermione stood up.
"We will be leaving now." Hermione said.
"If you think, for one second," Draco said. "If Hermione became pregnant that I would not marry her, not because it is the right thing to do but because I love her, then you have your answer." Draco took Hermione's hand. "Let us go Princess." He said as they left the room, leaving a stunned Narcissa and Lucius sitting there.
"I can not believe them." Draco groaned, the group had moved from the library to the Room of Requirement for their meetings. Everyone was currently sitting in a group of couches, each couple curled up on their own couch and Draco had just finished telling them about his and Hermione's meeting with his parents. "I don't know." Hermione said, petting his hair. "I was kind of shocked when you said you would marry me if I became pregnant."
"I do not see why," Draco said. "You know I love you, and I am planning on proposing when we are a little older." Hermione smiled as she gave him a peck and the women of the group awed.
"Are you going to go back home?" Theo asked.
"That will depend on if Hermione can come over." Draco said.
"I'm sure my parents won't mind you coming over." Hermione told him. "You might have to 'stay' in the guest room but you can still come over."
"That just means more sneaking around." Draco whispered in her ear, making sure to breathe on her neck. Hermione gave him a playful slap.
"Anyway," Ginny said. "Before you two start anything, we need to figure out what you are going to do."
"I am going to talk to my parents about Hermione being able to stay." Draco said. "And she is going to talk to her parents about the same thing, and for now that is going to have to be it." The group thought for a moment.
"Fair enough." Blaise said.
"Well we have Quidditch practice." Harry said, getting up with Ginny. "We will see you later."
"We are going to go and take advantage of having our own room." Pansy winked as she and Daphne left the room.
"You know, I think we should all leave." Theo said. "I have a feeling Hermione wants to give Draco an early engagement gift." Hermione threw a pillow at him as he, Blaise, Luna, and Neville left the room.
"Was he right?" Draco asked, Hermione just smirked.
Hermione laid in the train compartment reading while Draco absent mindlessly played with her hair. "Are you going to talk to your parents?" Blaise asked Draco.
"Yeah, Tonks told me she will go with whatever I want, and I want her to see the Malfoy library." Draco nodded towards Hermione.
"Oh, she will love it." Theo smirked.
"Is it that good?" Hermione asked her Slytherin friends.
'You remember that movie you had us watch, with the beast?" Daphne asked. "It is sort of like that library."
"Seriously?" Hermione asked, sitting up.
"Yeah, I doubt anyone in that family has made even a dent in the books." Pansy said. "It is huge."
"Now I can't wait." Hermione teased. "Are you coming to the Malfoy's Christmas party?"
"Of course," Daphne said. "Narcissa hosts the best parties, as is expected of the Malfoys."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "Why do all the purebloods act like that with the Malfoys?"
"Because the Malfoys are the most powerful and rich family in the British Wizarding World." Daphne explained. Hermione just looked at Draco who was looking out the window.
"Really? Were you going to ever tell me?" Hermione asked him.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Draco said. "Oh look, it is time for us to patrol Neville." Neville just laughed as he followed the blond out of the compartment.
"Prat." Hermione said, adjusting now that her pillow had left.