A/N: ok I'm draggin it out haha. I hope you don't want this to end soon (
anyway I am getting great reviews which makes me smile lots. Thank you so
much for reading and reviewing, it makes my day. Anyway on with the story.
The next chappie is kinda short so I will be posting another shortly.
Enjoy!
Chapter 11
Hermione arrived at her home with her parents. It was a good feeling. There was no one here to judge her. No eyes would follow her every movement. There would be no whispers behind her back. But there were also no best friends. And worst of all, there was no Draco. She missed him already. She heaved her trunk up the stairs to begin unpacking. She opened her bedroom door and put her trunk on her bed. Immediately she saw an eagle owl perched on her window sill. 'What could that be?' ~*~*~*~*~* Draco was dreading going back to Malfoy Manner. He loved his mother and was excited to see her, but they would be all alone. His father was in Azkaban now. It would be just the two of them, and the staff of course. He didn't know if he could take all the silence and echoes. He missed Hermione already. She had been through such a terrible ordeal this year. He was used to not having any friends, but she needed her friends. She needed to be part of the Dream Team. He figured she would need him as he needed her. He never thought there would be a day when he would need a girl. He was dependent on her. He loved seeing her everyday, always waking beside her. He needed her. He walked down the large marble staircase to talk to his mother. She always knew what to say.
"Mother, can we talk?"
"Of course, we can always talk about anything. You know that."
"I know. . . it's just. . . there's this girl"
"Oh my son in love I presume?"
"Yes mother, but it's not with Pansy like I was told. Father will be most disappointed in me. Am I to be punished?" he was scared of his father. He had told him he was to marry Pansy. They must be a pureblood family.
"Draco, your father died in Azkaban. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't know how you would take it. I thought I would wait till you were home for the summer. I'm very sorry".
"Oh, well that helps the situation. I'm not in love with a pureblood, mother, actually she is of muggle parentage. Her name is Hermione Granger. She is wonderful. I can't live without her. I never thought I would ever feel like this. I thought I would have Pansy to show off and have pureblood children with. I'm confused. I love her. Love knows no bounds. I didn't think this would ever happen."
"Draco, wait here". With that she went up the grand staircase to her room. She returned a minute later with a small black box. "This is a Malfoy family heirloom. It's a wedding ring. I support your decision. Without your father, I am a new woman. I understand how you must feel, but you are a man now. You are to live your own life now that your father is gone. If you love her, give this to her. It can be bewitched to say anything you want inside." Inside was a diamond ring with two emeralds on the sides. "Now I assume you would like to be with her freely as you couldn't be at school. Go ahead. Don't worry about me, but maybe you could owl me every now and then and tell me how it goes".
"Oh mother, thank you so much. I appreciate this greatly!" he ran up to his room and began writing a letter to Hermione. He sent it out with his eagle owl and began to pack.
~*~*~*~*~*~* Hermione pulled the note from the owls talons and ripped it open.
Dearest Hermione,
I know you must need me as I need you. This summer will be unbearable without you, but it doesn't have to be. Do you want to see me? If you do, I suggest you answer the door.
Draco 'What could that---' her thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. She ran down the stairs and pulled the door open. There stood a tall blonde Slytherin. He offered her a single red rose.
"I missed you already".
"Oh Draco, I missed you too. Please come in."
"My mother said I could stay with you if that is ok with your parents. I don't want to leave you again".
"Well we will have to talk to them. I don't know if they will allow it. But we can at least ask". She had no choice but to explain everything to her parents. Everything about pureblood and mudblood, that she had held back for so long, was now coming out. She told them of the fight with her friends, and the way she and Draco were treated. After a lot of persuading her parents agreed to let Draco stay. Summer was saved for the couple. This would be even better than Hogwarts.
Draco held onto the ring that summer. He was waiting for the right time. Occasionally he would get it out and look at it, but he just didn't know when it would be time. But he did know he would marry her. He loved her, more than he knew he could love a person. She captured his heart somehow.
Everynight he would creep into her room and sleep in her bed. Her parents eventually caught on but said nothing. They saw the way the couple looked at each other. It was love. The Grangers had once looked at each other that way.
~*~*~*~*~ Meanwhile at the Burrow
"Ron I miss Hermione"
"Ginny, don't talk about her. She betrayed us."
"You miss her too don't you? I can tell. Why can't you just accept this?"
"No! She hurt us. Why couldn't she talk to us about this? No, she had to sneak around and keep secrets. That's not what friends do. And to do it with Malfoy, I can't forgive that". But truth be told, he missed her deeply. His heart ached. How had he so easily pushed one of his best friends away? "I have Lavender now. She loves me. We are going to be married. That's enough for me. I don't need Hermione anymore". But it was all a lie. He loved Lavender, but he still missed Hermione. But maybe if he told himself he didn't need her enough times, he might start to believe it.
"Fine! Be that way. Forget your best friend. You are so fucking stubborn. You guys need her. She's your best friend. What happened to the Golden Trio?"
"We are a duo now. Mind your own business." He missed her, but hadn't she brought this on all herself. Suddenly he couldn't remember just exactly what had happened. He had lost his temper, and lost a best friend. "How could she pick the amazing bouncing ferret, over us?" he asked sadly.
"Ron, you and Harry picked him for her. You pushed her away. She was nothing but honest."
"It doesn't matter. I have Lav, you have Harry. We are fine now. Consider Hermione replaced!" he was sad to say it, but he didn't know what to do. ~*~*~*~*~* the summer flew by quickly for Hermione and Draco. Hermione owled her friends, but was ignored. Only once did she receive anything back.
Herm, I just want to say I'm sorry about this whole situation. You must know that Ron and Lavender are engaged. They are good for each other. Me and Harry are getting quite serious now. I really love him. Ron is still upset, but he misses you dearly. Believe me. He will never admit it, but it's true. We all miss you. I will talk to you at school!"
Ginny 'Well at least she still cares about me' Hermione thought glumly. She was happy to hear all the good news, but missed her friends. Deep down she wondered if they would ever consider her a friend again.
"Draco, Ron and Lavender are engaged" she said in a slightly excited tone.
"Well good for them" he said barely looking up from the newspaper. "Bout time the Weasel got some action from a girl" he said with a smirk.
"Oh don't talk like that. I still love them and I miss them"
"Mione, they are treating you horribly. They don't deserve you. You don't deserve to be treated this way. It's terrible.
"I just never talked to them about this. Maybe they would understand."
"I tried. On the train. They weren't willing to make a truce with me, for you. I was honest and sincere. They refused to accept me. Maybe it was too soon. Just give them time. They will come around."
"God they are so stubborn. You are probably right." She still had Ginny. She knew this would all work out in the end. It had to.
On September first they once again boarded the scarlet steam engine and set off for Hogwarts. Hermione and Draco shared their own compartment, reserved for them as Head Boy and Girl. They were proud of this achievement. Now they had to live up to it. It was going to be a tough year in many ways, but they had to make it memorable. And Hermione had to end it with all her friends by her side. This seemed to be a harder task than studying for the N.E.W.T.s.
A/N: ok this chappie isn't too exciting. I know this. but no worries. The next one will be good I promise. I just kinda had to do this one. The next one should be up very soon as a consolation for this one being boring. Please read and review as always!
Chapter 11
Hermione arrived at her home with her parents. It was a good feeling. There was no one here to judge her. No eyes would follow her every movement. There would be no whispers behind her back. But there were also no best friends. And worst of all, there was no Draco. She missed him already. She heaved her trunk up the stairs to begin unpacking. She opened her bedroom door and put her trunk on her bed. Immediately she saw an eagle owl perched on her window sill. 'What could that be?' ~*~*~*~*~* Draco was dreading going back to Malfoy Manner. He loved his mother and was excited to see her, but they would be all alone. His father was in Azkaban now. It would be just the two of them, and the staff of course. He didn't know if he could take all the silence and echoes. He missed Hermione already. She had been through such a terrible ordeal this year. He was used to not having any friends, but she needed her friends. She needed to be part of the Dream Team. He figured she would need him as he needed her. He never thought there would be a day when he would need a girl. He was dependent on her. He loved seeing her everyday, always waking beside her. He needed her. He walked down the large marble staircase to talk to his mother. She always knew what to say.
"Mother, can we talk?"
"Of course, we can always talk about anything. You know that."
"I know. . . it's just. . . there's this girl"
"Oh my son in love I presume?"
"Yes mother, but it's not with Pansy like I was told. Father will be most disappointed in me. Am I to be punished?" he was scared of his father. He had told him he was to marry Pansy. They must be a pureblood family.
"Draco, your father died in Azkaban. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't know how you would take it. I thought I would wait till you were home for the summer. I'm very sorry".
"Oh, well that helps the situation. I'm not in love with a pureblood, mother, actually she is of muggle parentage. Her name is Hermione Granger. She is wonderful. I can't live without her. I never thought I would ever feel like this. I thought I would have Pansy to show off and have pureblood children with. I'm confused. I love her. Love knows no bounds. I didn't think this would ever happen."
"Draco, wait here". With that she went up the grand staircase to her room. She returned a minute later with a small black box. "This is a Malfoy family heirloom. It's a wedding ring. I support your decision. Without your father, I am a new woman. I understand how you must feel, but you are a man now. You are to live your own life now that your father is gone. If you love her, give this to her. It can be bewitched to say anything you want inside." Inside was a diamond ring with two emeralds on the sides. "Now I assume you would like to be with her freely as you couldn't be at school. Go ahead. Don't worry about me, but maybe you could owl me every now and then and tell me how it goes".
"Oh mother, thank you so much. I appreciate this greatly!" he ran up to his room and began writing a letter to Hermione. He sent it out with his eagle owl and began to pack.
~*~*~*~*~*~* Hermione pulled the note from the owls talons and ripped it open.
Dearest Hermione,
I know you must need me as I need you. This summer will be unbearable without you, but it doesn't have to be. Do you want to see me? If you do, I suggest you answer the door.
Draco 'What could that---' her thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. She ran down the stairs and pulled the door open. There stood a tall blonde Slytherin. He offered her a single red rose.
"I missed you already".
"Oh Draco, I missed you too. Please come in."
"My mother said I could stay with you if that is ok with your parents. I don't want to leave you again".
"Well we will have to talk to them. I don't know if they will allow it. But we can at least ask". She had no choice but to explain everything to her parents. Everything about pureblood and mudblood, that she had held back for so long, was now coming out. She told them of the fight with her friends, and the way she and Draco were treated. After a lot of persuading her parents agreed to let Draco stay. Summer was saved for the couple. This would be even better than Hogwarts.
Draco held onto the ring that summer. He was waiting for the right time. Occasionally he would get it out and look at it, but he just didn't know when it would be time. But he did know he would marry her. He loved her, more than he knew he could love a person. She captured his heart somehow.
Everynight he would creep into her room and sleep in her bed. Her parents eventually caught on but said nothing. They saw the way the couple looked at each other. It was love. The Grangers had once looked at each other that way.
~*~*~*~*~ Meanwhile at the Burrow
"Ron I miss Hermione"
"Ginny, don't talk about her. She betrayed us."
"You miss her too don't you? I can tell. Why can't you just accept this?"
"No! She hurt us. Why couldn't she talk to us about this? No, she had to sneak around and keep secrets. That's not what friends do. And to do it with Malfoy, I can't forgive that". But truth be told, he missed her deeply. His heart ached. How had he so easily pushed one of his best friends away? "I have Lavender now. She loves me. We are going to be married. That's enough for me. I don't need Hermione anymore". But it was all a lie. He loved Lavender, but he still missed Hermione. But maybe if he told himself he didn't need her enough times, he might start to believe it.
"Fine! Be that way. Forget your best friend. You are so fucking stubborn. You guys need her. She's your best friend. What happened to the Golden Trio?"
"We are a duo now. Mind your own business." He missed her, but hadn't she brought this on all herself. Suddenly he couldn't remember just exactly what had happened. He had lost his temper, and lost a best friend. "How could she pick the amazing bouncing ferret, over us?" he asked sadly.
"Ron, you and Harry picked him for her. You pushed her away. She was nothing but honest."
"It doesn't matter. I have Lav, you have Harry. We are fine now. Consider Hermione replaced!" he was sad to say it, but he didn't know what to do. ~*~*~*~*~* the summer flew by quickly for Hermione and Draco. Hermione owled her friends, but was ignored. Only once did she receive anything back.
Herm, I just want to say I'm sorry about this whole situation. You must know that Ron and Lavender are engaged. They are good for each other. Me and Harry are getting quite serious now. I really love him. Ron is still upset, but he misses you dearly. Believe me. He will never admit it, but it's true. We all miss you. I will talk to you at school!"
Ginny 'Well at least she still cares about me' Hermione thought glumly. She was happy to hear all the good news, but missed her friends. Deep down she wondered if they would ever consider her a friend again.
"Draco, Ron and Lavender are engaged" she said in a slightly excited tone.
"Well good for them" he said barely looking up from the newspaper. "Bout time the Weasel got some action from a girl" he said with a smirk.
"Oh don't talk like that. I still love them and I miss them"
"Mione, they are treating you horribly. They don't deserve you. You don't deserve to be treated this way. It's terrible.
"I just never talked to them about this. Maybe they would understand."
"I tried. On the train. They weren't willing to make a truce with me, for you. I was honest and sincere. They refused to accept me. Maybe it was too soon. Just give them time. They will come around."
"God they are so stubborn. You are probably right." She still had Ginny. She knew this would all work out in the end. It had to.
On September first they once again boarded the scarlet steam engine and set off for Hogwarts. Hermione and Draco shared their own compartment, reserved for them as Head Boy and Girl. They were proud of this achievement. Now they had to live up to it. It was going to be a tough year in many ways, but they had to make it memorable. And Hermione had to end it with all her friends by her side. This seemed to be a harder task than studying for the N.E.W.T.s.
A/N: ok this chappie isn't too exciting. I know this. but no worries. The next one will be good I promise. I just kinda had to do this one. The next one should be up very soon as a consolation for this one being boring. Please read and review as always!
