Title: The Future Has a Past
Chapter: Chapter 4
Author name: Brittney
Author email: Babygyrll16@aol.com
Category: Romance
Sub Category: Drama
Keywords: Draco Harry Brothers Au D/Hr
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU One summer changes two peoples lives. The future Queen of Wizarding France and the very Powerful Draco Malfoy felt something one summer that never went away. *This summary has changed look at chapter One - Three for original* (Check my author note for more important info)
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author notes: *CHECK CHAPTER 1 - 3 AN'S FOR STORY BACKGROUND*
immédiatement - Immediately
assassiné - murdered
demain - tomorrow
Something Draco says is a Wizard twist to a Bible verse: "I will thank my God upon every remembrance of you," Philippians 1:3
"The Future Has a Past"
"As you move toward your future, look back and (if you have good sense) you will see your future has a past . . . because THE FUTURE HAS A PAST." - J. California Cooper *My favorite Writer* (In the Author's note of:) "The Future Has a Past"
Ch. 4
+Two Weeks Later+
Draco entered Hermione's room with a soft knock, not hearing a response he had decided to enter without permission. The weeks after the ball had brought a change to Hermione and Draco's new relationship so to say. They had become closer than even Harry and she. Hermione was teaching him French and she was teaching him to be more open about a new sibling.
However, that morning at Breakfast her mother had received an Owl that had sent all three Granger's to their quarters immediately, with only an 'excuse us' from Henry Granger. It had been several hours since breakfast and no one had seen Hermione except Lily. Draco was becoming anxious, Ginny and Bianco had begged to come see her first but he had raced out the room before either could agree on who.
"Hermione?" Draco whispered as he closed the door behind him. The room was his biological mother's old room, with everything in white it seemed to fit Hermione completely.
Hermione looked up, her eye's red and puffy, and her dress changed from blue to black, and a House Elf packing her clothes while she packed her hats. She stared at him a moment, trying to remember him as he was, just months away from his eighteenth birthday, she spoke softly and in broken tones, "Draco."
"What's wrong? What's going on?" he asked as the house-elf, who was one of the Granger's own, sniffed and pulled her dress robes out of the wardrobe.
"We have to return to France immédiatement," Hermione replied softly, letting her French slip into her speech.
"Why?" Draco asked as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.
"The Royal family has been assassiné," she sobbed, Draco pulled her to him in a comforting hug, he knew how much her cousin meant to her, Luc was like a brother.
Draco was learning enough about French to know that meant murdered, he pulled away as her sobs quieted a bit, "Will you be returning?"
Hermione turned away from him as a new onslaught of tears arrived, "No, I will become the Princess at a ceremony tomorrow afternoon, just after the funeral. I doubt I'll ever return here unless on short holiday or for political reasons."
He tried to mask the pain that shot through his heart when he spoke, "So you may never return to the Manor?"
"No," she whispered as she closed a hatbox softly, watching a tear land on the top with a soft thump.
"When shall you depart?" Draco asked trying his best to remain in a calm, cool, and collected state just as his father taught him.
"At four this evening," Hermione replied turning to look at the silver-eyed young man.
"Before dinner?" he asked, not really caring, just trying to show her that he didn't want her to leave.
"Yes, we have to get our affairs in order. Mother will be Queen demain," she replied halfheartedly, like she would give anything for it all to be a joke.
"You don't sound happy about it at all," Draco replied sitting on the side of the four-poster bed as the elf hurried around them.
"I'm not, but Luc was made for this role, not me. I wasn't born to be Queen in ten years, I was born to be part of the royal family, not to be the royal family," Hermione whispered as she sat beside him, wishing she could exclaim her feelings all over the place.
"You'll make a great Princess and an even better Queen," he smiled taking her hand, realizing that black was not her best color.
"Draco, I . . . I'll miss you," she said softly as her brown eyes met his silver and they spoke volumes.
"I'll miss you more," Draco replied holding her hand tighter, it was all he could say.
"I doubt that," Hermione mumbled, bringing the handkerchief back to her eyes.
"Who's going to teach me French?" he asked, sighing inwardly, he had to be aloof and it was killing him.
"I don't know but next time you see me I hope you will be semi-fluent," she replied with a small smile, sounding even sadder than she looked.
"I don't think so, I will see you see you soon," Draco said, trying to be positive even looking in the face of disappointment.
"No, you won't Draco and you know it," Hermione replied sternly, looking down at the elf who was still sniffling and bustling around the room muttering about French idiots.
Draco looked down at their hands before speaking, "I enjoyed meeting you Miss Granger."
Her eyes softened at his words, she was still turned toward him but her eyes were tracing his features as so never to forget. She replied softly, "No, the pleasure was all mine Draco."
He looked up and their eyes met, it was getting harder to keep the emotion out of his voice, let alone his words, "I will thank Merlin upon every remembrance of you."
"Miss Hermione?" the small House-elf asked, her blue gray eyes watering sadly.
"Yes, Milly," Hermione answered, happy that something kept her from trying to live up to his words.
"Milly wants to inform Miss Hermione that Mistress Granger said be ready at two, to give her regards to the Malfoy's and Weasley's. Milly suggests that you make you way to young Mister Potter and Weasley and Miss Malfoy. Milly will get your bags out to the carriage," Milly said using her magic to lift all of Hermione's bags and move them all out the room.
"I guess it's time to say my good-byes," she whispered shakily, standing to her feet, her hand still intertwined with his.
"Good-bye . . . what an ugly word," Draco whispered as they walked out her room without so much as a look back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am truly sorry for your loss," Lily said sadly to Abagail, as Lucius laid a comforting hand on her back.
"The Malfoy family wishes you well on your future endeavors and we extend our condolences on this tremendous loss. We hope that in your time at the Manor you felt welcome and we extend an invitation to you to return, soon," Lucius said in a tone not as hard as it was usually, this tone held a hint of true sincerity.
Harry, Bianco, and Draco stood behind their parents nodding at their father's well-meaning words while Henry nodded slowly, his wife was latched onto his arm sobbing softly as he spoke, "Thank you Lucius."
Arthur Weasely spoke softly, almost, as he extended his hand to Henry, "The Weasely's are very sorry for all of this. We believe this to be a big loss, not only to your family and the French people, but to the entire wizarding world."
"Thank you Arthur, we enjoyed meeting your lovely family," Henry replied, trying to comfort his wife as Hermione grabbed her mother's arm.
Ginny and Ron offered a small smile as they bid the Granger's good-bye. The Granger's walked toward the entrance, Henry was trying not to cry, Abagail was trying to calm down, and Hermione was quiet, deathly quiet, yet her mind was full of uncertain thoughts.
The Granger's stepped into the black carriage silently, Abagail and Henry sat on one side and Hermione sat in front of them, her handkerchief clutched tightly in her hand. Hermione stared longingly at the huge Castle like Manor as the carriage started, she couldn't help but feel like this was the last time she was see the place in a long time.
"Hermione, darling, are you all right?" Henry asked his only daughter as she stared out the window, watching the world below, seemingly, disappeared.
Hermione turned a well-trained eye to her father, the black making her brown eyes seem endless, "As well as could be expected."
Abagail looked at her child with a mother's eye, knowing that her daughter had something Royal women needed, poise in a dreadful situation, something she was struggling with, "Hermione, everything will be fine, I promise."
Hermione looked down at her mother's, still, flat stomach, then back into her eyes, speaking in a voice that was not exactly hers, "Somehow I hope you are right."
Henry watched his daughter with renewed interest, it was obvious his wife was speaking for her own comfort. But his daughter, he wasn't sure when she had grown-up and began to see through their words. Sitting there, staring out the window, in black robes, and her hair piled messily on her head she looked much older than seventeen. His wife pulled her black veil over her face and stared down at her hands, Henry knew where her thoughts were, she was the last of the great Charbon-Cheveux line, there were other cousins but their royal blood was distant.
Henry looked back at his daughter and knew that today would be the last time he would hear her be addressed as a Granger. The French people would request that their Future Queen use her Mother's family name, instead of her Father's none royal title, he sighed sadly, his daughter was no longer a Granger. Sure her mother would rule for years but his daughter was the countries newfound hope, just as John Luc le Tier had been.
"Father?" Hermione's voice broke his long train of thought.
"Yes," Henry answered looking up into his daughter's eyes, noticing the glint of childhood that still glowed there.
"We are all still Grangers, right?" she asked, her tone trying hide the emotion that lurked in her eyes.
"Of course darling," Abagail interrupted, as another tear treaded down her cheek.
Henry tried on a weak smile before speaking, "Listen to your Mother, Hermione."
"Can I tell you something?" Hermione asked, not making eye contact with her parents.
"Yes," Henry replied slowly, feeling his wife tense beside him, there was a lot to be said about a mother's intuition.
"I don't want this at all. I don't want to be a Princess, I don't want to be a Queen, I don't want to live in France, I don't want my Aunt and Uncle to be dead, and most of all I don't want Luc to be dead. Truth be told, I don't want any of this, and I'd do anything to bring my cousin back," she whispered angrily, bringing the white handkerchief back to her eyes.
Abagail knew they may never hear that much truth about the situation from their daughter ever again, "I understand darling."
"How could some French revolutionist idiot kill them thinking that it'd bring a change in the country? Couldn't they see that was a mistake by looking at the Muggles, they tried that once and it did them no good. How, in the world, could they kill someone so innocent as Luc? He barely understood the political turmoil, he had no part in it, and his only connection was his family name. That makes him no more guilty than Lucius Malfoy's children when he was a Death Eater. How could they kill my best friend? How could they kill my uncle and my aunt? How could they?" Hermione sobbed as she broke down for the first time that day, Abagail tried to control herself while watching her daughter's inevitable break down, while Henry switched seats.
Henry wrapped an arm around his daughter, trying his best to soothe her, "Oh, my pretty girl, it's going to be all right. One day you'll understand, one day soon, you'll understand that Luc can never leave you as long as you remember him. No one ever really dies as long as there as someone there to keep their memory alive."
Abagail began to rub her stomach as if trying to comfort the little body inside, "It's going to be fine, it's going to be fine, little one, I promise."
"I'll never return here father, never," Hermione cried into her father's chest, not elaborating on why she would never return to her native country.
But Abagail knew, she felt it, a mother often knows more than anyone could ever understand. She leaned over and sat a hand on her daughter's knee, "Darling, something's are for the best."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bianco watched her brother pick at his lunch silently and realized he wasn't going to get over it so easily, though he may never voice it. Draco hadn't looked up since they had all sat down for lunch, though they weren't all happy or peppy they were conversing, all except Draco. She had never seen her brother so downtrodden over a female and she had never wanted a relationship to workout more for him.
Lily looked over at her younger 'son,' who was just three months younger than Harry, and she knew what was going through his mind. She leaned over, laying a well-manicured hand on his forearm, and whispered, "Would you like to be excused darling?"
Draco looked up for the first time into the emerald eyes of the woman he adored most, "Yes, mother."
"Go on," she replied, trying on her best smile, noticing her daughter watch him as he nodded at his father and made his way up the stairs toward his room.
Lucius looked apologetically at the Weasely's then turned to Harry, "Harry."
Harry knew by Lucius' tone alone what was wanted from his 'father,' he stood and excused himself before following his brother up the stairs and finding him sitting on his own bed, staring out a window, looking forlorn.
"Draco," Harry whispered, announcing his presence to the blond, Draco only acknowledged his brother with a look.
"Draco, what has got you like this?" Harry tried again, sitting next to his brother on the four post bed, waiting patiently for Draco to open up.
Draco turned to him, a look in his eye that Harry had never seen before, "You have to ask?"
"Hermione?" Harry asked watching his brother do something he'd never done in front of him, look hopelessly lost.
"Of course," Draco sighed tiredly, he was confused, he'd only known the girl half the summer, so why was he feeling like he was going through the end of a ten-year romance?
Harry looked down at his perfect gray robes before speaking in a hushed tone, "You two were close."
Draco knew the girl was one of the best friends his brother ever had but she had stuck a cord even deeper with him, "Sometimes things are worse than you thought."
"How much worse?" Harry asked turning toward his brother again.
"A lot worse, so much worse that I wish I'd done something sooner," Draco replied, not really explaining himself much but knowing his brother understood.
"Draco you aren't saying . . . " Harry trailed off not wishing to voice what he knew to be true, he just wanted to Draco to admit it.
Draco straightened up quickly, his face containing no expression, and his voice sounding as cold as his father's, "Harry, I'm not going to ever say it and I would appreciate it if you just left me to myself for a moment."
"You know you won't ever find another girl like Hermione," Harry replied, as he stood and made his way over to the door.
Draco locked eyes with Harry, his voice mirroring the cold look in his eye, "I don't want another like Hermione."
"I'm going back downstairs," Harry answered quietly as he exited and closed the door softly behind him.
Draco sat there alone for a few more minutes looking down onto the Grounds that he had explored throughout his childhood. This summer his mother's gardens had become a special place for Hermione and him. They had spent countless nights after the Ball walking and talking about any and everything.
Just as his thoughts drifted off another knock came at the door and Bianco stepped in without so much as an answer, "You, OK?"
Draco knew just by looking at his fiery, spoiled, little sister that it wasn't going to be easy to get rid of her, "You want to know the truth?"
"Why else would I be here?" she asked, rolling her eyes and sat next to him.
"No, I'm not OK, I feel like I could sit here forever and never understand why," he replied watching her run her finger's through her long strawberry blond hair.
"Draco, admit it, Hermione meant a lot to you, now you are confused because you never got to explain it to her, and you believe you probably never will. So stop being a baby and just admit it to yourself, you fell for Hermione, there is nothing wrong with that," Bianco said a little loudly, as if he were irritating her, she hated when her brothers acted so clueless.
He glared at her, "Have some compassion Bianco."
"I have some but not for people who don't realize when someone else is feeling the same way," she replied, her eyes narrowing, almost mirroring the angry look in her brother's eye.
"What?" Draco asked glaring at her, wishing she could take a hint and leave.
"Hermione fell for you too, you blubbering idiot, it was rather obvious," Bianco exclaimed, throwing her hands up, she was becoming fed up with him.
"Must you be so blunt about everything?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows trying to figure out which parent she got that from.
Bianco gave him the smirk he had perfected, her voice smooth as silk, "It's one of the many things Ron likes about me."
Draco raised a well-sculpted eyebrow, "You better not elaborate on that comment."
"What?" she tried to ask innocently, batting her eyelashes.
"Ron better not like anything on you except your eyes," Draco warned both of his eyebrows had shot up and his lips turned up in a sneer that most of the Malfoy household, even Harry, had perfected.
"Oh, shut it Draco, this is not about me. This is about you and my dear friend," Bianco replied biting her lip, forcing herself not to sneer at him, Lily always complained about her tendency to look like her father.
"Dear friend? Since when my dear sister?" he mocked looking back out the window, wishing someone would save him.
"Since I discovered her and Harry talking. I know how she feels about you because she did tell Ginny and me. So maybe you could get up off your whiny arse and do something about it," she answered almost proudly, her voice was cold and crisp, a tone Lucius used when he didn't want to be questioned.
Draco looked at his sister wondering when she became the carbon copy of her parents. She was all-knowing and far to blunt at moments, like Lily, and hard, cool, calm, and forceful, like Lucius. Bianco may not look like the vindictive type but the girl could manipulate you without batting her eyelashes twice.
He sighed, the first half-blooded Malfoy had to be the most like Lucius, "I can do nothing, she told me she wouldn't be returning for a long time, and you know father hates going to France."
Bianco stood, a soft look in her eye, and laid a hand on his shoulder, "All right, mope around in here for the rest of the day but tomorrow I want you out and about and enjoying the rest of your summer."
Draco looked to consider his sister command before asking shakily, "Is she still going to write Harry?"
"Yes," she replied looking down at her small, nimble, hands.
"Fine, I'll do as you ask, now leave me," Draco answered, his voice hard and cold, as he turned to stare out the window.
Bianco looked at her brother again before strolling out of his room without so much as a 'good-day'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Ellie* - Girl I'm glad you are enjoying the story and now I am trying my best to keep Bianco from being a horrible Mary Sue!
*Leigha Eternal* - LOL I know I gave it away but you know what they say: "Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable." Plus I hate keeping surprises!
*Befuzzled* - Rightio! She will find herself in Paris ruling the country! I'm really happy you like the story and I do aim to please!
*Lea* - They really are the perfect couple!
*Sila-chan* - LOL I really didn't make it to hard!
*DM Angel* - Yep that was a long chapter but I guess I made it long because I knew it would be the last semi-fluffy chapter for a while.
***NOTICE*** My new PenName is DarkSenorita because I hate being known as Brittney2, that goes on enough with my friend Brittany and I.