Chapter 7
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
Upon seeing Harry, Draco and Hermione quickly released their hands. "Harry! What are you doing here?" Hermione exclaimed.
"What are you doing with him?" Harry said, his eyes bursting with fury.
"Relax, Harry, it's not what you think," Draco answered for Hermione.
"Am I talking to you, Malfoy?" Harry slowly approached the two of them, left hand over a clenched right fist.
"Harry, don't start," Hermione moved forward and blocked Draco from Harry. She looked straight into Harry's eyes telling him to control his temper. "I don't want any trouble."
"Then you shouldn't have come with him," Harry said, furiously staring at Draco over Hermione's shoulder.
"Draco, I think you should go," Hermione said as she turned around to face him. Careful for Harry not to see and hear, she whispered, "I'll be fine."
Draco looked one last time at Harry, then at Hermione, and then made his way to the street and out of sight.
Hermione then turned to Harry. "What's the problem with you? Don't you trust me?"
Harry dropped his hands and looked down. "I don't know what to trust anymore."
"You're right. You don't trust that we can carry on with our relationship even if I go to Harvard. You don't trust 'me.'"
Harry looked up to her. "Hermione, please don't say that. I do trust you. It's just hard for me to. to."
"To trust that I will not do anything stupid or irrational or downright disloyal to you when I'm away," Hermione cut him off. "Harry, do you love me?"
It took Harry a few seconds to realize what he's just been asked. "Of course I do." He moved towards Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist. But Hermione promptly detached herself from his embrace.
"Then have faith in me," she said as she walked past him towards the door. She opened the door, entered the house, and before she closed it, she turned around and said, "And Harry, never lose faith in me again."
Harry was left standing there, as the sun began to set and give way to the impending darkness. He was left there standing, as the trees and lampposts cast their shadows upon him, his future with Hermione definitely uncertain. ***
The next morning, Hermione woke up with a feeling of uncertainty. She didn't know what would happen with her relationship with Harry, if they would ever talk again. Actually, she didn't want to see him yet, for she would just be reminded that the man she loves doesn't even trust her. It hurt her a lot upon realizing that. Hermione smiled as she rolled over her bed and hugged her pillow tightly, resting the side of her head on it. She remembered that it was Draco who really opened her eyes to the truth, to where her relationship with Harry was going. But what hurts the most is that she is still most definitely in love with Harry, but she wasn't sure if Harry feels the same.
After dressing up, Hermione drooped down her chair in the dining room. She wasn't feeling very hungry this morning, though it was obvious that her strength has been drained.
"Hermione, you have to eat or else you'll lose weight, even your figure," her mom reminded her, passing her the eggs from across the table.
Hermione smirked. "That's new, losing your figure when you don't eat. mom, as far as I know, people lose their figure when they eat a lot"
"Well, Ms. Know-It-All, it's time for you to know that it's also unhealthy to not eat at all. The best thing to do is to eat fairly and reasonably," her father added as he emerged from the kitchen, carrying a plateful of pancakes.
"Fine, I'll eat. But I'm not going out today because I don't feel like it. I'll just read pocketbooks until it's dark again and I have to sleep," Hermione said, straightening up in her seat and reaching for the pancakes her dad had just set on the table.
"By the way, Harry just called," Mr. Granger said, looking over the newspaper he was reading.
"I don't --- care. Let him --- call as much --- as he wants. I'm not --- talking to him," Hermione answered in between chews.
"Honey, I think you should resolve this issue once and for all. Do you really want to be in none-speaking terms with him for the rest of your life? He's still your bestfriend," Mrs. Granger chimed in.
"Yah, but do bestfriends go around not trusting each other, ma?" Hermione responded.
"Maybe you just misinterpreted him," Mr. Granger added.
"Oh, I think I got the message pretty clear," Hermione replied, taking a long sip at her juice, then standing up from her chair.
"Where are you going?" her dad asked.
"To get some fresh air, I'm getting suffocated," Hermione said, leaving the dining room.
Mrs. Granger looked at her husband. "Maybe we should give her more time."
"I think you're right," he answered.
***
Hermione approached the balcony of their house and observed the scenery. It was a bright Tuesday morning, and the trees were waving smoothly, giving Hermione the fresh air she needed. Birds here and now flew to the railing and chirped at her. Hermione just stood there, leaning over, closing her eyes every once in a while, while taking more air.
"Feels good in here, doesn't it?" Hermione almost fell over the railing when she heard the voice. She turned around to see Draco standing there, watching her.
"You know, you should stop doing that. One day you'll end up murdering me," Hermione said, sitting at the bench that stood opposite the railing. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
Draco sat beside her. "Just checking if you and Harry are okay."
"Maybe you should ask him," Hermione replied.
"Maybe I will, after our date," Draco said, grinning.
"Date? What date?" Hermione was puzzled.
"I'm inviting you over to a date, Ms. Granger. Geesh, never figured you out for a romantically-naïve person," Draco uttered.
"Romantically naïve? Me? I have a boyfriend, Mr. Malfoy, while you, don't. I've been on date before and you---"
"Have had more than a dozen dates before," Draco said, finishing her sentence.
"Not exactly what I had in mind," Hermione muttered.
"But I bet you had the same idea," Draco joked.
"Okay, okay. Where are we going? A fancy restaurant with all the exotic food I've never tasted before?" Hermione asked.
"Not that fancy, but you'll like it there, and the food is great," Draco replied.
Hermione surveyed Draco's eyes and made sure he wasn't planning to do anything she wouldn't like. But funny how she felt it, she actually trusted Draco. "Don't even think of bringing me to a Quidditch field."
"Why, brings back memories of an old date?" Draco asked, beaming at her.
"Shut up!" Hermione cried, slapping him on the arm.
"Ouch! You better dress up, Ms. Granger," Draco said, holding his left arm where Hermione had just slapped her.
"What? Now? It's 10 in the morning!"
"Yah, and you woke up at 9 o'clock," Draco added.
"Well, I was tired, you know," Hermione said, standing up and moving towards the door. "You wait here."
"Wait, won't you even introduce me to your parents?" Draco stood up as well, following her.
Hermione sighed. "I was hoping you'd never ask."
***
"Mom, Dad, this is---"
"Draco Malfoy. We know him," Mr. Granger cut in. Hermione invited Draco inside her house to no avail. The second they saw him, her parents have had they eyebrows curled up to the high heavens, both their arms crossed over their chest. And they didn't even ask him to sit down.
*Wow, they like me a lot,* Draco thought to himself.
"Draco, why don't you take a seat? Mom, Dad, why don't you entertain him while I dress up," Hermione said, motioning for the couch. She had started to leave when she turned around and added, "And be nice to him."
Draco sat at the middle of the long couch while Hermione's parents settled themselves on either one of the side couches. They were both examining every part of him. Draco felt very uncomfortable but tried not to show it. He tried to amuse himself instead on the figurines that were placed on top of the shelves across him, and upon the baby pictures of Hermione that were lined on the side tables.
"Nice house, pretty cozy," he muttered to himself.
"So," Draco was almost startled by how deep the voice of Hermione's father was. "You want to date our only daughter?"
"Yes, sir." Draco looked straight to him and managed to answer without stuttering. He was trained in conversations like this as a Malfoy.
"Do you understand that Hermione currently has a boyfriend?" It was Hermione's mother that spoke next.
"I do, mam, but I understand that she is not in speaking terms with him," Draco said. But he almost slapped himself when he realized that wasn't a very favorable thing to say.
"So, that means you're using the situation to your advantage, am I right?" said Mr. Granger.
Draco felt insulted. He suddenly stood up and said, "I'm only trying to comfort your daughter, sir," with raised voice. Upon realizing what he had done, Draco wished he had never come. Mr. Granger stood up as well and towered over him.
"I just want to remind you that you are inside our house," declared Hermione's father.
"I'm sorry, sir, I just got carried away," Draco said, sitting down, feeling stupid and powerless at the same time.
"I understand that you're the one that has caused much pain in our daughter's life for the past seven years. And now you come here trying to make us believe that you want to comfort her. How fast can you change in one year?" said Mrs. Granger, her eyes locked on Draco's, full of wrath and disgust.
"What do you want with our daughter? You want to hurt her? We won't allow that. She been hurt for so long because of you. Do you know that every year when she comes home, she never fails to inform us about the insults you've thrown her, the things you did that hurt her and her friends? And after she relates everything, she cries," Mr. Granger said, tears evident in his eyes.
Draco never realized how much pain he had put Hermione through. He never wanted to make someone suffer so badly, well, maybe he used to. But not now. He hated himself for being such an evil person, and for making Hermione one of his victims. Now more than ever, he wants to make up for all the terrible things he had done to her. He finally understood why Hermione hesitated to accept the necklace when he tried to give it to her after their graduation, and how good hearted Hermione really is for believing he has changed, for accepting him as a friend. After all he put her through.
He wanted to tell all these to Hermione's parents, but he knew it would be of no use. Fortunately, Hermione arrived just in time to save him from further torment. He couldn't take more of his past trying to haunt him. As far as he knows, he is now a good person. And he'll do anything to prove that, especially to Hermione and her parents.
Hermione was wearing her usual shirt and jeans. But her blouse was green, which matched the necklace Draco gave her, one she wore with pride. Draco managed to smile upon seeing her, her long brown hair flowing gracefully down her back.
"Mom, Dad, we're going. We'll be back after noon," Hermione addressed her parents, who suddenly were very quiet. "Okay, I'll take that as a 'yes, and take care'."
As Draco and Hermione stepped out of the house and into the porch, Draco reached for Hermione's hand and turned to look her straight in the eyes. "Hermione, I'm sorry."
Hermione was confused. "Sorry for what?"
"For all the bad things I've done to you. I'm really sorry. Please let me make it up to you."
Hermione smiled at him. "You don't have to say sorry for what you did in the past, Draco. But if it makes you feel any better, I believe you regret every mistake you've done before. The only way you can make up for it is to make me happy now. And if you tell me that you won't keep feeling bad about yourself, I'll be happy. Is that okay?"
Draco was glad Hermione felt this way. He was more determined to make this day one she'll never forget.
Hermione dragged Draco outside and much to her surprise, his own car was parked there. It was an elegant Porshe. It was painted green, its sides were lined with silver, and its roof was moved back. *The color of Slytherin,* Hermione thought. "Wow! I like your car, Draco! Are we going to use this?" Hermione couldn't take her eyes off it.
"What else?" Draco opened the door of the passenger's seat and Hermione climbed in. Hermione was so excited that she kept on looking around inside the car. "I'm glad you like it," Draco said as he climbed at the driver's seat. "Let's go."
Hermione had never experienced riding a car like this before. Her parents never had their own car, and whenever he and Harry would go one dates, they always use a limousine, and it's always at night. This was the first time Hermione was able to ride a car with the morning wind on her face. Hermione stretched out her hands, enjoying the ride, imitating what she used to see on muggle movies about joy rides. Hermione glanced at Draco. "I'm glad I'm with you," she said, smiling. Draco felt exactly the same way.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
Upon seeing Harry, Draco and Hermione quickly released their hands. "Harry! What are you doing here?" Hermione exclaimed.
"What are you doing with him?" Harry said, his eyes bursting with fury.
"Relax, Harry, it's not what you think," Draco answered for Hermione.
"Am I talking to you, Malfoy?" Harry slowly approached the two of them, left hand over a clenched right fist.
"Harry, don't start," Hermione moved forward and blocked Draco from Harry. She looked straight into Harry's eyes telling him to control his temper. "I don't want any trouble."
"Then you shouldn't have come with him," Harry said, furiously staring at Draco over Hermione's shoulder.
"Draco, I think you should go," Hermione said as she turned around to face him. Careful for Harry not to see and hear, she whispered, "I'll be fine."
Draco looked one last time at Harry, then at Hermione, and then made his way to the street and out of sight.
Hermione then turned to Harry. "What's the problem with you? Don't you trust me?"
Harry dropped his hands and looked down. "I don't know what to trust anymore."
"You're right. You don't trust that we can carry on with our relationship even if I go to Harvard. You don't trust 'me.'"
Harry looked up to her. "Hermione, please don't say that. I do trust you. It's just hard for me to. to."
"To trust that I will not do anything stupid or irrational or downright disloyal to you when I'm away," Hermione cut him off. "Harry, do you love me?"
It took Harry a few seconds to realize what he's just been asked. "Of course I do." He moved towards Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist. But Hermione promptly detached herself from his embrace.
"Then have faith in me," she said as she walked past him towards the door. She opened the door, entered the house, and before she closed it, she turned around and said, "And Harry, never lose faith in me again."
Harry was left standing there, as the sun began to set and give way to the impending darkness. He was left there standing, as the trees and lampposts cast their shadows upon him, his future with Hermione definitely uncertain. ***
The next morning, Hermione woke up with a feeling of uncertainty. She didn't know what would happen with her relationship with Harry, if they would ever talk again. Actually, she didn't want to see him yet, for she would just be reminded that the man she loves doesn't even trust her. It hurt her a lot upon realizing that. Hermione smiled as she rolled over her bed and hugged her pillow tightly, resting the side of her head on it. She remembered that it was Draco who really opened her eyes to the truth, to where her relationship with Harry was going. But what hurts the most is that she is still most definitely in love with Harry, but she wasn't sure if Harry feels the same.
After dressing up, Hermione drooped down her chair in the dining room. She wasn't feeling very hungry this morning, though it was obvious that her strength has been drained.
"Hermione, you have to eat or else you'll lose weight, even your figure," her mom reminded her, passing her the eggs from across the table.
Hermione smirked. "That's new, losing your figure when you don't eat. mom, as far as I know, people lose their figure when they eat a lot"
"Well, Ms. Know-It-All, it's time for you to know that it's also unhealthy to not eat at all. The best thing to do is to eat fairly and reasonably," her father added as he emerged from the kitchen, carrying a plateful of pancakes.
"Fine, I'll eat. But I'm not going out today because I don't feel like it. I'll just read pocketbooks until it's dark again and I have to sleep," Hermione said, straightening up in her seat and reaching for the pancakes her dad had just set on the table.
"By the way, Harry just called," Mr. Granger said, looking over the newspaper he was reading.
"I don't --- care. Let him --- call as much --- as he wants. I'm not --- talking to him," Hermione answered in between chews.
"Honey, I think you should resolve this issue once and for all. Do you really want to be in none-speaking terms with him for the rest of your life? He's still your bestfriend," Mrs. Granger chimed in.
"Yah, but do bestfriends go around not trusting each other, ma?" Hermione responded.
"Maybe you just misinterpreted him," Mr. Granger added.
"Oh, I think I got the message pretty clear," Hermione replied, taking a long sip at her juice, then standing up from her chair.
"Where are you going?" her dad asked.
"To get some fresh air, I'm getting suffocated," Hermione said, leaving the dining room.
Mrs. Granger looked at her husband. "Maybe we should give her more time."
"I think you're right," he answered.
***
Hermione approached the balcony of their house and observed the scenery. It was a bright Tuesday morning, and the trees were waving smoothly, giving Hermione the fresh air she needed. Birds here and now flew to the railing and chirped at her. Hermione just stood there, leaning over, closing her eyes every once in a while, while taking more air.
"Feels good in here, doesn't it?" Hermione almost fell over the railing when she heard the voice. She turned around to see Draco standing there, watching her.
"You know, you should stop doing that. One day you'll end up murdering me," Hermione said, sitting at the bench that stood opposite the railing. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
Draco sat beside her. "Just checking if you and Harry are okay."
"Maybe you should ask him," Hermione replied.
"Maybe I will, after our date," Draco said, grinning.
"Date? What date?" Hermione was puzzled.
"I'm inviting you over to a date, Ms. Granger. Geesh, never figured you out for a romantically-naïve person," Draco uttered.
"Romantically naïve? Me? I have a boyfriend, Mr. Malfoy, while you, don't. I've been on date before and you---"
"Have had more than a dozen dates before," Draco said, finishing her sentence.
"Not exactly what I had in mind," Hermione muttered.
"But I bet you had the same idea," Draco joked.
"Okay, okay. Where are we going? A fancy restaurant with all the exotic food I've never tasted before?" Hermione asked.
"Not that fancy, but you'll like it there, and the food is great," Draco replied.
Hermione surveyed Draco's eyes and made sure he wasn't planning to do anything she wouldn't like. But funny how she felt it, she actually trusted Draco. "Don't even think of bringing me to a Quidditch field."
"Why, brings back memories of an old date?" Draco asked, beaming at her.
"Shut up!" Hermione cried, slapping him on the arm.
"Ouch! You better dress up, Ms. Granger," Draco said, holding his left arm where Hermione had just slapped her.
"What? Now? It's 10 in the morning!"
"Yah, and you woke up at 9 o'clock," Draco added.
"Well, I was tired, you know," Hermione said, standing up and moving towards the door. "You wait here."
"Wait, won't you even introduce me to your parents?" Draco stood up as well, following her.
Hermione sighed. "I was hoping you'd never ask."
***
"Mom, Dad, this is---"
"Draco Malfoy. We know him," Mr. Granger cut in. Hermione invited Draco inside her house to no avail. The second they saw him, her parents have had they eyebrows curled up to the high heavens, both their arms crossed over their chest. And they didn't even ask him to sit down.
*Wow, they like me a lot,* Draco thought to himself.
"Draco, why don't you take a seat? Mom, Dad, why don't you entertain him while I dress up," Hermione said, motioning for the couch. She had started to leave when she turned around and added, "And be nice to him."
Draco sat at the middle of the long couch while Hermione's parents settled themselves on either one of the side couches. They were both examining every part of him. Draco felt very uncomfortable but tried not to show it. He tried to amuse himself instead on the figurines that were placed on top of the shelves across him, and upon the baby pictures of Hermione that were lined on the side tables.
"Nice house, pretty cozy," he muttered to himself.
"So," Draco was almost startled by how deep the voice of Hermione's father was. "You want to date our only daughter?"
"Yes, sir." Draco looked straight to him and managed to answer without stuttering. He was trained in conversations like this as a Malfoy.
"Do you understand that Hermione currently has a boyfriend?" It was Hermione's mother that spoke next.
"I do, mam, but I understand that she is not in speaking terms with him," Draco said. But he almost slapped himself when he realized that wasn't a very favorable thing to say.
"So, that means you're using the situation to your advantage, am I right?" said Mr. Granger.
Draco felt insulted. He suddenly stood up and said, "I'm only trying to comfort your daughter, sir," with raised voice. Upon realizing what he had done, Draco wished he had never come. Mr. Granger stood up as well and towered over him.
"I just want to remind you that you are inside our house," declared Hermione's father.
"I'm sorry, sir, I just got carried away," Draco said, sitting down, feeling stupid and powerless at the same time.
"I understand that you're the one that has caused much pain in our daughter's life for the past seven years. And now you come here trying to make us believe that you want to comfort her. How fast can you change in one year?" said Mrs. Granger, her eyes locked on Draco's, full of wrath and disgust.
"What do you want with our daughter? You want to hurt her? We won't allow that. She been hurt for so long because of you. Do you know that every year when she comes home, she never fails to inform us about the insults you've thrown her, the things you did that hurt her and her friends? And after she relates everything, she cries," Mr. Granger said, tears evident in his eyes.
Draco never realized how much pain he had put Hermione through. He never wanted to make someone suffer so badly, well, maybe he used to. But not now. He hated himself for being such an evil person, and for making Hermione one of his victims. Now more than ever, he wants to make up for all the terrible things he had done to her. He finally understood why Hermione hesitated to accept the necklace when he tried to give it to her after their graduation, and how good hearted Hermione really is for believing he has changed, for accepting him as a friend. After all he put her through.
He wanted to tell all these to Hermione's parents, but he knew it would be of no use. Fortunately, Hermione arrived just in time to save him from further torment. He couldn't take more of his past trying to haunt him. As far as he knows, he is now a good person. And he'll do anything to prove that, especially to Hermione and her parents.
Hermione was wearing her usual shirt and jeans. But her blouse was green, which matched the necklace Draco gave her, one she wore with pride. Draco managed to smile upon seeing her, her long brown hair flowing gracefully down her back.
"Mom, Dad, we're going. We'll be back after noon," Hermione addressed her parents, who suddenly were very quiet. "Okay, I'll take that as a 'yes, and take care'."
As Draco and Hermione stepped out of the house and into the porch, Draco reached for Hermione's hand and turned to look her straight in the eyes. "Hermione, I'm sorry."
Hermione was confused. "Sorry for what?"
"For all the bad things I've done to you. I'm really sorry. Please let me make it up to you."
Hermione smiled at him. "You don't have to say sorry for what you did in the past, Draco. But if it makes you feel any better, I believe you regret every mistake you've done before. The only way you can make up for it is to make me happy now. And if you tell me that you won't keep feeling bad about yourself, I'll be happy. Is that okay?"
Draco was glad Hermione felt this way. He was more determined to make this day one she'll never forget.
Hermione dragged Draco outside and much to her surprise, his own car was parked there. It was an elegant Porshe. It was painted green, its sides were lined with silver, and its roof was moved back. *The color of Slytherin,* Hermione thought. "Wow! I like your car, Draco! Are we going to use this?" Hermione couldn't take her eyes off it.
"What else?" Draco opened the door of the passenger's seat and Hermione climbed in. Hermione was so excited that she kept on looking around inside the car. "I'm glad you like it," Draco said as he climbed at the driver's seat. "Let's go."
Hermione had never experienced riding a car like this before. Her parents never had their own car, and whenever he and Harry would go one dates, they always use a limousine, and it's always at night. This was the first time Hermione was able to ride a car with the morning wind on her face. Hermione stretched out her hands, enjoying the ride, imitating what she used to see on muggle movies about joy rides. Hermione glanced at Draco. "I'm glad I'm with you," she said, smiling. Draco felt exactly the same way.