Chapter Twenty-Three:

(A/N. Hello again! Wow, I'm almost up to 400 reviews! I'm so excited! *Does the snoopy dance.* Um, I just wanted to say that if you really think this story is bad, don't read it. You know who you are. As to EVERYONE who told me I put Mrs. Malfoy instead of Mrs. Granger, can you check the reviews before you say it that way I don't get a gazillion reviews saying the same thing? Okay well here's the long chapter that everyone has been waiting for! Yeah! Okay, READ AND REVIEW!)

Hermione awoke late the next morning. She lay in her bed wondering why she felt so tired an icky. She raised  hand to her sticky cheek and the night's events came crashing back to her. She sobbed into her pillow. Why had she admitted her feelings? Now Draco would be frightened and he wouldn't want to be with her anymore. She knew for a fact that strong feelings scared him. She sighed, her tears dried out. She stood up and went to the bathroom. She washed her face and brushed her hair. She was finishing putting on some make up when there was a knock on the door. She imagined it must be her mother coming to ask for an explanation.

"Come in." She said wearily from the bathroom. She heard the door open and then shut. She walked out and stiffened. Draco was leaning against the door, his arms crossed surveying her. She suddenly remembered she was wearing a T-shirt and small shorts. She sighed, it didn't matter anymore.

"What is it?" She asked. She had meant to sound mad or irritated but it sounded weak and pitiful. She blinked back tears. He looked so good-looking in his black trousers and a grey turtle neck sweater that brought out the shade of his eyes.

"I thought we could go out riding?" He said hesitantly a smile on his face. She smiled back slowly.

"Alright." She said. He grinned. "I'll meet you downstairs. I have to change." She said. He nodded and pushed himself off the door gracefully and walked out. She stared at the closed door. So he wasn't mad and he didn't hate her as she had originally thought his reaction to be. She wondered if he felt the same.

"If he does, it's going to take him a while to admit it." She muttered as she changed into her clothes. She grinned at her reflection. She would wait. She felt that if she waited patiently for his answer it would be very rewarding. She turned and hurried away.

Draco was waiting downstairs when Hermione walked down. She was wearing beige riding pants, black boots and a black sweater. Draco smiled at her and handed her a sausage roll. She accepted it and quickly ate it as they walked out back to the stables.

"How long have you been riding?" Draco asked Hermione. She laughed and he saw her relax slowly.

"Since as long as I can remember." She said. Then she glanced over at him. "Do you know how to ride?" She asked. He smirked.

"Of course. A Malfoy has to learn all the skills." He said. She laughed at his tone of voice and he guffawed with her.

"I'm going to ride Cloud. You can ride Brownie." She said. At the stables Draco followed her to the tack room. They got the tack and they led the horses out of their stalls, groomed them, tacked them and quickly mounted up. She led the way to a forest near Hermione's house and they walked through it talking quietly about the horses they had ridden in the past. They got to a field and Hermione cantered around once before going through the complicated jumps course. Draco followed her graceful movements, his silver eyes shining with happiness. Hermione's long brown curls streamed behind her and she looked like Artemis, sitting astride her beautiful grey horse. He sighed. He knew he cared for he but did he love her? He'd never loved anything in his life. He urged his brown gelding forward and joined Hermione as she cantered around the field once more. They slowed and talked some more. Draco had packed lunch for them so a few hours later they dismounted, let their horses to graze and spread out the food.

"Do you have everything you need from Diagon Alley?" Hermione said munching thoughtfully.

"No, I need a few more books and…and some other stuff." He said. She raised an eyebrow but he shook his head. She laughed and shrugged. They talked for a while longer before getting back on their horses and riding back to Hermione's house. Mrs. Granger seemed much calmer and she had cooked a pleasant meal for them.

"Go wash up and then come down for supper." She told them. They did as she asked and soon were seated on the small dinner table. Mr. Granger led the blessings and they started their meal.

"So what do you parents do, Draco?" Mr. Granger asked politely. Draco wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"My mother stays at home and runs the manor and my father…" He shot an amused look at Hermione. "He works in the Ministry of Magic." He said. Hermione's parents looked confused. Draco sighed.

"The Ministry of Magic is the governmental authority of the wizarding world in Britain. Basically the Ministry keeps Muggles, that's non-wizarding folk, from finding out about the wizarding world. The Ministry has seven departments. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the largest. Besides keeping what Witches and Wizards do hidden, the Ministry also handles commerce and international relations. The Ministry maintains order, enforces laws and regulations, deals with breaches of security, and operates Azkaban, the Wizard's Prison. It's a big deal." Draco explained. "My father used to work on the school board but he got fired."

"The Manor you speak of, is it big?" Mrs. Granger asked. Draco laughed, if only they knew that it was more than a mile large.

"It's huge!" Hermione exclaimed and set about giving a description of the few rooms she had been in.  Draco was pleased that she had liked his house so much.

"It's not as great as she makes it sound. It's usually really dark and lonely." He muttered. Hermione smiled and squeezed his hand comfortingly. He smiled back at her. The wonderful dinner soon came to a close and Hermione and Draco went outside to the small garden.

"Do you miss your home when your at school?" Hermione asked. Draco shook his head emphatically.

"No. I hate being at home. My father's always…well, you saw how he was. I think he beats my mother sometimes to make me mad so he can have an excuse to beat me. My mum, she makes me so mad sometimes. He's brainwashed her into thinking it's actually her fault that he hits her. I hate him so much." Draco whispered. Hermione wrapped her slender arms around him.

"Don't worry, Draco. I'm here." She said and he pulled her closer. She had such a comforting presence. After a while he felt Hermione pull away and look up at Draco. He was too deep in thought to say anything. He was wondering what he would do about his Death Eater initiation. She reached up and smoothed out his furrowed brow. He turned and looked at her. "Do you want to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" She asked. He nodded and she smiled. She lay her head din his lap and he played with her hair as dark thoughts filled his mind. Would he lose Hermione if he became a Death Eater? He doubted it. She was too filled with light to love a Death Eater. No, he would refuse the ceremony. He'd rather die fighting the darkness than give up to it willingly. Hermione had trusted him, he would not betray that trust. He realized Hermione had fallen asleep. He scooped her up easily, his muscles well trained from Quidditch, and carried her up the stairs. He removed her shoes and laid her down on her lacy, white bed. She looked like an angel when she was asleep. He kissed the crown of her head tenderly and walked out. He slowly closed the door. Mrs. Granger stared at him.

"She's a good girl, Draco. She's never had a boyfriend. Take good care of her. She really does love you. Don't hurt her." She said staring at the white door. Draco looked at the door a small smile on his lips.

"I have no intention to do so." He whispered. He turned and walked away. He didn't see the joyous smile that spread across Mrs. Granger's face.