An owl was waiting for her when she got home. It was flying in circles by the front window and she saw Emilia barking at it from inside. She took the two letters attached to it and waited until Draco pulled in her driveway, hopping out of the car with Theo and Ori. He was a gorgeous German shepherd. He stood tall and proud, until he saw her. He wagged his tail so fast his little bum wiggled around.
"He loves people." Draco said fondly.
"Hello, Ori! Aren't you so darn handsome? Do you want to meet Emilia? I bet you two will be best friends!"
She led the boys inside. Emilia perked up at the sight of Draco. She rubbed her head against him, then ignored Theo's stretched hand to inspect Ori. The two dogs looked at each other for a few seconds, then took off running around the sofa, nearly knocking Hermione over.
"Why don't we put them outside." She suggested. "Will Ori stay close?"
Draco nodded and she led the dogs to the back door where they took off. Emilia dove into the stream. Ori hesitated for only a second before joining her.
"That's the cutest thing I've ever seen." She giggled.
"We have to make sure to set up playdates now." Draco said grinning.
She thought she heard Theo whisper something like "For the dogs or you two?" When she turned, he was scowling at Draco, rubbing the back of his head.
"Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen." She offered before turning to her letters.
Hermione,
You've been gone a week and haven't reached out. I just want to make sure you're all settled in. Let me know if you need anything. Maybe I should finally break down and buy a mobile. Probably not. Get your floo set up so I can come see you. I miss you already. If I don't hear back by tomorrow, I'm sending a search party to make sure you're okay. Just kidding. Maybe.
Love you Always
Harry
P.S. Ron wouldn't stop bugging me about sending you a letter. I tried to tell him to bugger off but Ginny got involved. I told him I'd send you one letter and then he better leave you alone. Let me know if he's causing problems. I'll take care of him.
She opened the next letter and bile rose to her throat. Fucking Ron Weasley. She should have just burned it.
'Mione
No one has heard from you in weeks. It's sad that you ran away. The Hermione Granger I know would never run from anything. You need to come back. Where you belong. If I don't hear back from you, I'll come find you. I'm just worried about you. We let things go on pretty bad terms. But you know that you belong with me.
Come home and face this.
Ron
She quickly wrote back. To both of them.
Harry
I miss you too! I'm so used to seeing you every day! My floo is getting set up today. So come over tomorrow. Alone. I have a new friend for you to meet!
Hermione
Mr. Ronald Weasley
Leave me alone. Do not contact me again.
Miss. Hermione Granger.
"Everything okay?"
Merlin, she completely forgot about her guests for a second. She turned to Draco, his expression concerned. "Perfectly fine, just have to send these out."
She tied the letters to the owl and he was off without so much as a goodbye pat.
"So what would you two like to do? I'll be honest, I don't have much going on around here."
"We can just catch up."
Theo's phone rang, he walked out of the room and waved them off.
Hermione turned back to Draco. "Ok, Mr. Malfoy. I'm terribly curious. Tell me, how did you end up here? In this tiny little muggle town, wearing muggle clothes, and using a muggle phone."
He laughed. "It is quite shocking isn't it? It's not that crazy of a story though. After everything, I just needed to get away. I thought after the war, my parents would have learned something, you know? I was ready to find myself and learn more about the world and open my eyes. They just fell back into their pureblood roles, living the way they always have. They started pressuring me to marry and carry on the Malfoy line. They had a contract written up for Astoria Greengrass. I told them that I would go on a few dates with her, but that I wouldn't force it- I want to marry for love one day. But I did as promised. I started seeing Astoria and she was lovely at first. I really enjoyed spending time with her. I grew to care for her but after about three years together, the pressure to marry started coming again. This time from Astoria, too. The final straw was when she told me she wanted to get married as soon as possible so she could 'spit out the next Malfoy brat and start living her life.' Merlin, I was appalled. I want kids, badly. But not with someone who views them like that. I want them to know they're loved every second of every day. So, I broke it off. Mum and my Father went mad. It was a big fight. So, I just left. I went on a bit of a party streak, my way of telling my parents to fuck off, I guess. Anyway, Theo told me about this place and I've never looked back. Living here in the muggle world really helped me. It changed me into someone that I'm not ashamed of."
"That's incredible. I can't imagine how difficult it was for you though. To throw yourself into a completely different culture all by yourself? You should be very proud. Most wizards couldn't do it." She praised.
"I wasn't all alone. Willy helped me so much. I owe that man everything."
Theo popped back in the room then. "Hey Drake, can I take your car? Great, thanks! Bye!"
Draco pursed his lips. "Why do you need my car?"
"Sorry, mate. That was the fine, fine specimen from the coffee shop. So, gotta run. Hermione, love, it was spectacular to see you again. I'll see you tonight at dinner to truly catch up. Now you two crazy kids have fun. I have to go get my back blown out." And then he was gone.
"I'm so sorry about him." Draco groaned. "The fucking troll. Listen, I can go if you want. I know you invited us as a group, so if you're not comfortable…"
"Nonsense. It's no big deal. I would have invited you regardless." She assured him. "Hey, why don't we go out with the dogs and take a walk before lunch. There are some lovely trails in the hills."
They reached the lake that she found the day prior and she set out a blanket. Emilia and Ori pranced around the shore of the lake. Emmy was chasing fish.
"Why Ori? Did you name him?" She asked.
He nodded. "His name is actually Orion. Gotta stick with the stars, obviously. But I only call him that when he's in trouble. "
She giggled. "That's cute."
They sat in a peaceful silence for a few moments before she spoke again. "I'm sorry about what happened with your parents and Astoria. It's awful. How could anyone look at a child that way?"
"It hurt for a little bit. I didn't love Astoria, but I thought she was better than pureblood stereotypes we both came from. But it was for the best. I think I would have suffocated if I stayed there. I do want to go back eventually. But I'm perfectly happy right now."
"I understand that."
He cleared his throat, his face anxious. "Can I ask you something?"
She nodded. "Of course."
"Why didn't you respond to my letters? I mean, the first one I can understand. I asked you to meet me for tea. I'm not surprised at all you didn't answer. I wouldn't have answered if I were you either. But the rest I sent…I mean I knew I should have apologized in person. But…"
"Draco, wait…what letters?"
He didn't hear her, his rambling growing more frantic as his nerves grew. "After you didn't answer my invite for tea, I figured you didn't want to see me. So, I kind of gave up on seeing you in person. I should have just gone to your place or your office at the Ministry but I was so nervous and I knew I didn't deserve your kindness but I needed you to know, to see, how sorry I was for everything…"
"Draco-"
"Maybe that was selfish. But after you defended me so vehemently against the Wizengamot, it's like everything made sense. I wanted to try and become friends our last year at Hogwarts but I just couldn't. I didn't deserve your friendship, I knew that. I wasn't stupid. You were always so good, too good for the rest of us. I just wanted you know that you were the reason I wanted to be better-"
She grabbed hand, trying to stop him. "Draco!"
He froze.
"What letters? What are you talking about?"
"The letters I sent after eighth year? You mean…you mean you didn't get them?"
She shook her head. "No, I never got any letters from you. Where did you send them?"
"12 Grimmauld Place. Someone said you were staying there with Potter and Weasel."
"No, I got my own flat. Harry and Ron…no…"
Draco scowled. "One of them took my letters?"
She had an idea who did. "Come on, let's go. Emmy! Ori!"
The dogs came running back and they set off for the cottage. They didn't talk on the way back. Hermione was fuming. She hoped the floo worker would be there soon. She was going to pop over to London today.
Thankfully, right as they arrived home, there was a knock at the door. She let the wizard in and showed him to her fireplace. She got drinks for her and Draco and admitted something she never told anyone before.
"I'm sorry I never got them. I wish I would have. I noticed you a lot in eighth year, you know. You were different. I didn't know how different but I could tell. I saw you helping first year Hufflepuffs in the library one night. They were being so noisy and rambunctious, just awful. You just rolled your eyes and pushed the books back in their face, but I saw you smile at them. I saw you defending a muggleborn too. Goyle was taunting her, calling her a mudblood. I'd never seen you so angry. You shoved him against the wall and threatened him. I felt drawn to you, all year. But I didn't think you'd ever want me to approach you. I felt drawn to you a lot over the years, if I'm being honest. It's silly. But you stopped calling me a mudblood after I punched you in third year."
"You've got a wicked right hook." He laughed.
"Yes, you'd do well to remember that." She said with a wink. "I don't know what it was, but you just started to look at me differently. At first, I thought it was because I punched you, but I don't know, it didn't feel like it. Was I crazy?"
He shook his head and quietly said, "No, you weren't crazy. But I think that may be a conversation for another day. If you don't mind terribly?"
"Of course. You don't owe me anything. You don't have to answer anything I ask, Draco."
"Hermione, I owe you everything. Definitely more than some answers to a few questions."
The floo worker interrupted them then with papers to sign for payment. "You're all set, Miss. Granger. Floo powder is on the mantle. You can floo away."
"Thank you so much. Enjoy the rest of your day!" She turned to Draco. "I'll be right back. You stay here."
She grabbed a handful of floo powder and twisted into the flames, popping out at Grimmauld. "Harry Potter! Get your arse in here!"
She heard a thump and then footsteps coming downstairs. "Hermione? Are you okay? What's wrong?"
"Did you ever receive letters for me right after eighth year? Anything addressed to me?"
"Uhm, yeah. I think a few times a letter came for you. Ron took them to give to you. Why? What's going on?"
She wanted to scream. "He never gave me the letters Harry! He kept them or threw them away or something. And I want to go see him and demand to know why he thought he could take them! But I can't. I left to get away from him. I don't want to see him. But I want my letters."
"Who were they from? Were they important?"
"They were from Draco…erm...Malfoy, from Malfoy…"
His jaw dropped. "Draco?"
"Look, nevermind. I'll just forget about it."
"Wait, no Hermione. Look. After everything happened with you two, I kicked Ron out. You know that. But he never came back for any of his stuff. It's still boxed up in a spare room. If you want to take a look, you can. And when you're ready to tell me about Draco I'll be waiting."
She gave him a half hearted scowl and stomped upstairs to Ron's old room. She opened all the boxes and poked around before trying a summoning spell. He actually kept them. Three letters slipped out of a box and flew to her. She grabbed them, looking at the elegant writing on the front of the parchment. They were opened. He fucking read them.
"Find them?"
She nodded. "Yes. I'll be going now. I'm assuming your owl hasn't got back yet. So, I'll tell you now. My floo is hooked up, obviously. And I'll be expecting you for lunch, dinner, and movies tomorrow. Alone."
He grinned. "Perfect. I wouldn't bring Ginny anyway. Erm...that's a story for tomorrow though."
She raised a brow but let it go. "Ok, see you tomorrow then. Love you, prat!"
"Love you, swot!"
Draco was on the sofa with Emmy when she got back. Ori was sitting on the floor, staring at the pair intently.
"He can get up on the sofa too, Draco. It's hardly fair to keep him down."
"I tried calling him up but he's just staring. I think he's jealous. He's never seen me give attention to another dog before."
She chuckled, joining him. Her knee brushed his and she looked at the letters in her hand. "So, I got your letters."
He simply nodded, his attention suddenly on a loose thread on his denims.
"Do you mind if I read them?"
He stiffened beside her. "They're your letters. But maybe you could read them later…"
"Of course."
They sat in silence for a few minutes. She was almost regretting inviting him over. She wasn't used to entertaining someone, especially Draco Malfoy. She didn't want to bore him.
"Can I ask you something? Again." She said, "Sorry, I have so many questions. I just don't know anything about you anymore."
"Ask away."
She bit her lip, there was so much she wanted to ask. So many questions bouncing around inside of her. She settled for a safe option. "What made you start working with the shelter?"
He shrugged. "I needed something to do with my time. At first, I helped Willy at the bookshop. But there really wasn't much to do. After a while, he told me I needed to go do something else. He was practically holding my hand every time I stepped out into town. He promised me I was ready. I didn't feel ready at all. But I was walking down the main street and stumbled onto the shelter. They had a sign up for volunteers so I stepped in. It was strange at first. I never paid much attention to animals before, I never even had a pet. But it became a sanctuary. The animals were just genuinely happy to be around me. Besides Willy and my few friends, no one got happy when I walked into a room. But the dogs especially would get all excited and wag their little tails. It felt good. And the more time I spent around them, the more I fell in love with them. The first time a dog got adopted out while I was working there, it was this little terrier mix-an absolute devil-I cried. I was so sad to see him go. And I'll deny that until my dying breath if you tell anyone."
She was not successful in keeping down her giggle. "You know, Draco. They say that dogs are excellent judges of character."
"They? Who is they?"
"They. People."
He quirked a brow. "I think you're making that up."
"Absolutely not. I'm serious!"
"Okay, okay I'll believe you. But it's my turn. We can turn this into twenty questions or something. What made you leave the Ministry? Everyone was sure after your progress in DRCMC, you'd climb your way up to Minister."
She should have seen this coming. It was a fair question. "Oh, well. There were a few reasons. Some that I don't want to get into right now. But, erm. After some big life changes, I just started inspecting my life. I was debating moving from London. The only thing that kept me there was my job at that point, so I tried to really picture myself at the Ministry in the future. I mean my time at DRCMC was great. I accomplished what I set out to do. The house-elf rights and protection law, the werewolf rights law that prohibited discrimination and made wolfs-bane accessible, I got the centaurs their land back. I was so proud of what I did there. But I couldn't see myself moving up. It's what everyone expected. I'd tear the Ministry down and rebuild it and one day I'd be Minister. But why did it have to be me? Why did I have to fix everything? I don't know what I want to do right now, but I know that I don't want to be at the Ministry. Once I realized that, my decision was made and I packed up and left."
"It shouldn't be you. You've done enough for everyone in the world. Let them clean up their own messes for once. Besides, you were wasted talent at the ministry."
"What do you mean?"
He thought about his words for a moment. "The Ministry has restrictions and limits. It has rules. You can only do so much. But away from the Ministry? With your intelligence and passion I am 100% sure that you could do absolutely anything. You don't need to work a stuffy office job playing by the Ministries rules to change the world. "
She felt herself blush at his praise. "Thank you…"
"Your turn." He said.
She lost track of time as they sat trading questions and stories. It was so easy to talk to him, much easier than she would have thought. He was funny, thoughtful, and passionate. He was currently explaining some of his tattoos but she just watched his face as he spoke. He was so expressive. The mask of indifference from his youth nowhere to be seen.
It was her turn again. "Hmmm, what's your biggest regret in life?"
It was a mistake. It was a thoughtless question. She cursed herself. He turned green, eyes unfocused like he was reliving the moment right in front of her, his hands clenched to fists. They were saved by her front door swinging open.
"I'm baaaack!" Theo sang. "And very satisfied, I must say."
"Theodore, you're a menace." Draco grumbled.
The dark haired wizard winked at the pair. "You know you love me. I'm just in time by the way. Uncle Willy will be at your place shortly."
Draco nodded. "We should get going then. I'm actually fairly close, Hermione. You can follow us."
Theo stepped back out to the car while Hermione gathered her bag and hooked Emmy to her leash. She stepped past Draco to leave and he pulled her arm, turning her into him. He leaned in and for a brief moment she thought he was going to kiss her. He didn't. But he was so close his breath was mingling with hers. She felt the warmth from his body and fought the urge to step in closer. His eyes were squeezed shut. His grip on her was desperate.
"Easter holiday 1998. That's my biggest regret. It haunts me. I will never forgive myself for not stepping in. No matter what my mum said, my therapist, Theo…no matter what anyone says. Letting her do that to you and standing there doing nothing. It will always haunt me. I regret it every single day, Hermione. I will never stop regretting it."
His warmth was gone. He was out the door with Ori on his heels and climbing into his car. She let out a breath and felt a stray tear escape down her cheek. Emilia whined, nudging her towards the car. Draco waited patiently as she gathered herself and loaded Emmy. They were pulling out of the drive a few moments later.
His house was very close. Only a few minutes later she was following him into another cottage. Cottage wasn't the right word, it looked like a small castle. It was the Malfoy equivalent to a cottage she guessed. It was beautiful. She stepped out, Emmy following her closely. She was staring opened mouth. There were beautiful flower gardens hugging the walkway to the front door. Ivy and moss clung to the stone walls of the house, but it didn't look overgrown and forgotten. It looked magical.
"Close your mouth, Granger." Theo teased. "You'll catch flies."
"This place is gorgeous." She said.
Draco smirked. "Wait until you see the inside."
Her expectations were blown out of the water. The house was out of a magazine. Everything was perfectly in place and coordinated. The living room took her breath away. There were windows floor to ceiling looking out over more of Scotland's beautiful landscape.
"I don't even have words. Did you buy it like this or did you have the work done?"
"Everything was as is except the windows in the living room. Once I saw the backyard and the land out here, I had to have these windows put in."
Theo plopped on the sectional beside them. "New and improved he may be, but he's still a Malfoy. Couldn't get a normal house. The pretentious prat had to get a mini castle."
Draco, Theo, and Willy gathered together was an experience she would never forget. She laughed so hard, her cheeks and stomach ached. Willy was a crass old man but she couldn't be offended or upset. He was genuine and warm. Everyone needed a Willy in their life.
"Now, how about the time I hexed ole' Thoros?" He asked .
"Uncle Willy, you've told us this story at least three times before." Theo said.
Willy waved him off. "But our Hermione hasn't heard it. You've heard of Thoros Nott? Theo's father?"
Draco chuckled. "Heard of him? Hermione fought him when she was in fifth year. She incapacitated him. Left him unconscious in the Hall of Prophecies."
The older wizard cackled. "I knew I liked you, sweetheart."
"How did you hex him? What's the story?" She asked.
"More like cursed him." Theo laughed.
Willy winked at his nephew. "Thoros was a rotten boy. He was born bad. Well, once he turned 14, 15 he was just completely unbearable to be around. I wanted to smack the little shit every time I was around him. One day, he started rambling on about pureblood this and pureblood that. I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention. But by then I was sneaking around with my muggle girl so I didn't really care to hear it. So I tested out a new hex I was working on. You see, dear, it was supposed to make a person's tongue swell every time they said a certain word. But I really never was the brightest. I had no business trying to make up my own hex. But I cursed him-erm hexed him, so that every time he said the word mudblood, his tongue would swell. Just a little bit at a time. I wanted to be a long term thing, you know? At first I didn't think it worked. His tongue was fine. But a few weeks later the brat was taken to St. Mungos because one of his bollocks burst!"
She nearly choked on her drink laughing. "You're joking!"
"He's really not." Theo said. "Poor old Thoros didn't think he'd be able to have an heir. But the universe stepped in, knowing that the world would be a dark place without one Theodore Nott."
"I haven't had this much fun in ages." She admitted through a yawn. "You three are all menaces."
Draco smiled at her dazedly. He was drunk. Not sloppy drunk but Willy partied hard and both Draco and Theo had tried to keep up with him, to no avail. "You're tired. Are you drunk? Do you need to sleep here? I have a very comfortable bed. Guest bed! I have a bed for guests. Not my bed. But my bed is comfortable too. For me, I mean. Not for you. Well, not I wouldn't want-"
"Draco, stop mate." Theo said through his giggles. "Stop before you spill all your deep dark secrets."
"I'm not drunk. I'm perfectly fine to drive." Hermione cut in. She tried to ignore the fact that she was indeed interested in his bed.
Draco frowned. "Oh. Okay. I suppose you'll go home then."
She nodded. "Really, I should be going now. Harry is coming over tomorrow."
"I'll walk you out." He said.
She nodded, grabbing her coat and Emmy's leash. He walked her out to her car, leaning against the open door.
"Thank you for coming. I like spending time with you, Hermione Granger. I had a lot of fun today." His words were slurred slightly but his eyes were so genuine.
"Well, I had a lot of fun with you too, Draco Malfoy."
He grinned at her. "I'm going to call you Monday. Since Potter is stealing all your time tomorrow."
She bit her lip nervously, "Well. I'll look forward to your call."
"Goodnight, 'Mi."
"Goodnight."
'Mi. That was different. 'Mione was what half her friends called her. She didn't hate it, but she didn't love it. But 'Mi made her belly flip. She hoped he'd call her that again. She liked the idea of Draco having his own nickname for her.
Once home she only had one thing on her mind. His letters. She quickly got herself and Emilia ready for bed and grabbed his letters. Laying in bed with shaking hands, she unrolled the first piece of parchment.
Miss. Granger
Hermione
Granger
Hermione,
I hope you're well. Rumor has it you're working at the Ministry now, congratulations. I'm writing to invite you to tea at a little café I know in London. I know this is probably the last thing that you would expect from me, but there's a lot I didn't say in our last year at Hogwarts. A lot that I wish I had said. I understand that you owe me nothing. But if you would be willing to meet me, I would be extremely grateful. Please owl me your response as soon as possible at your convenience.
Draco Malfoy
Draco
DLM
Hermione,
I knew it was a long shot that you would want to meet for tea with me of all people. I understand why. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, so I will settle for a letter instead and hope that you can see the sincerity in my words.
I was an awful, prejudiced boy. There is no excuse for my behavior so I will not disrespect you by trying to make one. I was a foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach. You were right the day that you said that. I'm trying to be better now. I will be better. I'm trying to learn about the muggle world and broaden myself. The war taught me many things, but the biggest lesson that I learned was that you were never the inferior one. It was me. I was inferior, I was less, I was dirt. You taught me a lot too, without even realizing it. So, the first reason for this letter is to thank you.
Thank you for speaking at my trial when I didn't deserve it.
Thank you for punching me in third year because I think it actually knocked some sense into me.
Thank you for always proving my prejudice wrong.
Thank you for inspiring me to be a better man.
Thank you for saving me.
The next part of this letter is an apology. I owe you a thousand apologies, but that would take up too much parchment. So, here are the important ones that I can think of.
I apologize for every taunt about your hair. I was lying. It's not a frizzy mess.
I apologize for hexing your teeth.
I apologize for calling you a know-it-all.
I apologize for each and every time I threw a slur at you.
I apologize for each and every time I threw a slur at you.
I apologize for ever making you think you are anything other than an intelligent, beautiful, more than competent witch.
I apologize for standing by and doing nothing. That's what I'm most sorry for. I'll be sorry until the day I die. No one deserved what happened that day. But you least of all. I'm so sorry that I did nothing. I am so, so sorry.
DLM
Draco
Hermione,
I'm not expecting a response, so please don't feel pressured. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness. I'm not looking for it. But I still needed you to know how sorry I am. Maybe that's selfish on my part. Maybe I should let this go and let you live your life.
After this letter, if you don't respond I won't bother you anymore.
I'm actually seeking help. After Hogwarts, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I didn't want to sit on my family's money my whole life. And I finally found a passion. I found something that I think is really important to our world but I'm a little lost on how to do it.
I want to overhaul the muggle studies course at Hogwarts and I want to add a wizarding culture class. So many of our societal problems come from the differences and stereotypes of our worlds. As I learn more about the muggle world, I realize how pathetic the muggle studies course is. It doesn't teach anything of significance or substance. Wizards also expect muggleborns to come in at eleven years old and jump into magic like they've been around it forever. I want to try and close the gap between the two worlds. I want the next generations to be more educated and tolerant of each other. I don't want any more children to have to live for a war. If you have any insights on an improved muggle studies course, I would love to pick your brain.
Draco
She hated Ron even more as she read the letters. If she had received these letters, how different would things be? She would have forgiven him. She knew that. She also would have jumped at the chance to help him put together more successful cultural courses for the school. Would they have been friends?
She paced her bedroom before making a split decision. Clutching her letters, she threw the floo powder down and twisted away. She was mid-flames when she realized that she didn't know how Draco would react to her just popping over at two am. He was probably asleep. Or even more drunk with Willy and Theo. The fireplace spit her out and she stumbled. She noticed the dark marble floors first. This wasn't Draco's house. A house elf popped up in front of her. The little creature gasped and scurried away. She looked around her and felt her blood run cold. The double doors that would haunt her forever were just to her left. She remembered being dragged through them with Greyback breathing heavily in her ear, his hands gripping her painfully tight.
"Pippy, lock the floo before the intruder escapes." A cold voice sneered. "What do you think you are doing sneaking into my home? In the middle of the night, no less!"
If the drawing room doors didn't give it away, that awful voice would. She was at Malfoy Manor and Lucius Malfoy just locked her in.
"I'm so sorry." She stammered. "I came here by mistake."
She raised her wand slightly. She could send a patronus to Harry. Or Draco. Things could get ugly if Harry came.
"Expelliarmus!"
Her wand jerked out of her hands. Lucius caught it gracefully, raising his wand at her. Behind him, Narcissa Malfoy came into view, eyeing her curiously. The house elf looked at them all anxiously.
"What's going on, Lucius?" Narcissa asked.
"A certain Miss. Granger," He spat her name. "Came sneaking in through the floo."
She felt her heart beating faster. "I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I was looking for Draco. I thought I was going to his house."
Lucius continued sneering at her but Narcissa perked up. "Draco? You've been in contact with Draco?"
No one noticed the house elf popping away.
"I don't believe you. Draco wouldn't be in contact with you, of all people." Lucius said. "You're poking around for the Ministry aren't you?"
"No, I'm not. Truly. I'm not even employed with the Ministry anymore."
Malfoy didn't lower his wand, but Narcissa seemed interested in what she had to say.
"You've seen Draco? You know where he is?" She asked again.
The house elf popped back and a confused Draco turned frantic when he took in the scene before him, his father holding Hermione's wand. His own wand firmly on her.
"Put your wand down!" He snarled, putting himself in front of Hermione. "What the hell is going on here?"
"Redirect your anger." Lucius snapped. "She's the one that came barging into our home in the middle of the night."
Hermione inched closer to Draco, her hand reaching for his back. "I was trying to go to your house. I don't know how I ended up here."
"Give her wand back. Now."
"Lucius, listen to him." His wife said in a low voice.
Lucius didn't move, still eyeing Hermione with a cold hatred. Draco growled, stalking to his father and ripping both wands from his hands. He threw his fathers to the floor, handing Hermione's back to her.
"Draco," Narcissa started. "Please, wait. I'm so sorry the situation escalated. Don't leave like this again."
Draco ignored her, looking back to his father. "Put your wand to her again, Lucius. Give me a fucking reason to put you down."
He led Hermione outside, instead of the floo. He took her past the wards and apparated her home. She was taken by surprise as he apparated away in a cloud of black. He landed in her front yard and followed her in silence as she slipped inside.
"Are you okay?" He finally said. "Did he do anything?"
She shook her head. "No, he pulled his wand but only because I pulled mine first. I was going to send a patronus to you after he locked the floo. I think he thought I was going to start throwing curses."
He scoffed. "No, he's smart enough to know you wouldn't show up and start a duel. He was being cruel, as usual. What happened? How did you end up there?"
"I was trying to go to you. I hopped in the floo and called out to your house. But I ended up at the manor."
"Shit. That's my fault. I didn't even think to tell you that. I never switched my floo from the manor. When I moved here, I didn't have my fireplace set up to floo because I didn't want anyone just showing up. So, if you try to go to Draco Malfoy's house, it's still registered at the manor. I'm sorry. I should have mentioned that. I'll get it fixed right away." He promised
She shook her head. "Don't go through the trouble. I know now."
He nodded but she could tell he was going to fix it anyway. He leaned back against the island. "Why were you trying to come over at two am, if I may ask."
She took a shaky breath and showed him the letters still clutched in her hand.
"Oh. So, you read them then?"
"Yes." She said quietly, her throat bobbed.
They stared at each other. He tried to stay neutral but she saw his eyes widen slightly, his lip quivering the tiniest bit. She strode forward and threw herself against him. Her arms locked around his neck and she absently twirled the locks at the back of his neck. He hesitated before returning her embrace. The feeling of Draco Malfoy hugging her was everything she never knew she needed. His body enveloped hers. His arms snaked around her waist, almost painfully. And those arms, they would be the death of her. His arms were strong and secure. She felt safe. He buried his face in her curls, nuzzling her neck. He was whispering quietly against her skin, more apologies and thank you's. This felt like coming home.