Hogwarts Reunion
Chapter 8 - Day Two - Confrontations and Quidditch
The next morning Draco woke up with the sun shining on his face and a smile that wouldn't go away. Whistling, he got out of bed and dressed quickly though, he still stopped five times to look at himself to make sure that he was looking his best in his loose fitting white wash jeans and a black Jag T-shirt (saw a guy wearing that today. yummy!). He decided against wearing robes, as they were not compulsory for adults, besides muggle clothing was much more comfortable.
Still whistling Draco walked the short distance to Hermione's room and knocked lightly on the portrait, the young girls were all looking at him curiously and giggling with one another, one batter her eyelashes at him and waved, Draco just laughed as the portrait was opened and Draco was shocked by what he saw.
"Good morning Draco," Hermione looked uncomfortable and instead of inviting him into her room she stepped out of the room and shut the door quickly behind her.
"Good morning Mione, you are looking beautiful this morning." Draco looked at her with shining eyes and Hermione blushed bright red before shaking her head.
"Um Draco, I had some visitors this morning, in fact they are still in my room." Draco looked confused.
"Who?"
"Harry and Ginny are in there with the kids. They were here last night, they came to talk to me, they saw. last night they saw us. well you know, you were there!"
"When we kissed?" Draco looked down at her, slightly annoyed that she was ashamed of the kiss that they had shared. "Was it that bad that you can not even name it?" Hermione's head snapped up and she looked at him with shock.
"No, of course not! I was just embarrassed that we were seen doing something that was private, it was between us." Hermione tilted her head to the side to see if he understood her. Draco gave a slight nod of his head to indicate that he did understand her.
"Mione, do you mind waiting out here, I want to talk to Ginny and Harry. You can take the kids down to breakfast and I will meet you there. Is that alright?"
"What are you going to say to them?" Hermione did not want a war to be waged between her best friends and her now fiancée.
"I just want to talk to them, I want to explain a few things."
"Are you going to tell them that we are only going to be married because of,"
"No one needs to know about that." Draco cut Hermione off and she just nodded at him. She turned, said the password and went into the room. A minute later she returned with the children all of who said hello or waved to him as they passed and Draco pressed a light kiss to Hermione's lips as she passed him and he went into her room to face Ginny and Harry.
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Half an hour later Draco swaggered into the Great Hall and casually walked over to Hermione who was once again seated at the Gryffindor table. He waved over at Blaise and Hannah who both got up from their seats and walked over to Draco and sat with him, Hermione and the children. Hermione was looking at Draco curiously but all he did was smile at her and say hello to Blaise.
"How are the both of you this fine morning?" Draco smiled his devastatingly handsome smile and more than one woman was blown away, needless to say so was Hermione. Blaise however was unaffected and wanted to know what had put Draco in unusually high spirits.
"It is far to early in the morning for you to have tortured someone, what are you so happy?" Blaise asked bluntly.
"Blaise you should know that it's never to early for a little torture." An evil predatory grin spread over Draco's face as Ginny and Harry walked into the Great Hall hand in hand, they skirted the area where Hermione and Draco were seated and went to the other end on the long table where Neville was sitting trying to clean the Pumpkin juice that he had spilled all over the table (see, some things never change!).
"What did you do to them?" Hermione demanded her face was flushed and there were frown lines on her forehead. Draco just laughed and patted her hand. Blaise looked interested and Hannah just looked between the two shaking her head, sometimes it was better not to ask questions! Hermione got up and heard Dumbledore announce that it was time for the children to be off, so she was momentarily distracted from finding out what it was that Draco had said.
"Bye guys, I will see you all later this afternoon ok?" They all smiled and waved and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall. Hermione walked over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting.
"Hello, I was wondering if we could have a quick chat before we have to go outside?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Gee, no Malfoy to protect you now? Why don't you run over to your lover boy and leave us alone." Harry said scathingly, he grabbed Ginny's hand and they walked out of the Great Hall. Hermione was shocked but Dumbledore announced that it was time fore the adults to go out to the Quidditch pitch and Hermione was pushed along by the crowd. Hermione walked out in a daze not paying attention to where she was going and she walked straight into George.
"Oh sorry George, I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going." Hermione looked up at the tall freckled man.
"Daydreaming about that blonde ferret were you?" George frowned down at her before walking off in the opposite direction. Hermione stopped and tears began to well up in her eyes but being a Gryffindor meant that you were brave. And, she told herself, that she should have realised that her friends weren't going to be happy with her choices, but she was all grown up now and it was time that she put herself first and her children.
Draco watched Hermione as she composed herself and walked towards the Quidditch pitch with her head held high. Draco walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders.
"Are you alright?"
"Never better. well that may be a lie but I will be fine. What did you say to Harry and Ginny? I have never known George to be like that."
"I just told them that we were in love and that we wanted to get married and that if they were your real friends then they would just have to deal with that." Hermione nodded and unconsciously snuggled closer to Draco.
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"The teams captains will be announced in a few moments. The decisions will be made by the Goblet of Fire, the name of the captain and the team name will be decided and then after that the captains will select their team." Madame Hooch said as she looked at the crowd gathered around her. "Once I have called you name come to the front. The teams are as follows, The Lightening Bolts with Harry Potter as the captain. The Dragons with Draco Malfoy as the captain. The Serpents with the captain Pansy Parkinson, Seekers 'n Snitches with Terry Boot as the captain. The Owls and Minister Neville Longbottom as the captain. The Fire Balls, Justin Finch-Fletchley you will be the captain. Drooble's Best Bubble Gum, Ernie Macmillan you will be the captain of that team. The Birds of Prey you will be lead by Eloise Midgeon. And finally we have The Eagles whose captain will be Lavender Brown. You will now have half an hour to choose your teams."
Harry was the first to choose his team with Fred and George as beaters, Ginny as a chaser, and the Patill twins as chasers as well and Seamus as the keeper.
Draco looked around and quickly picked his team, Hermione as the keeper, Blaise, Hannah and Susan Bones as the chasers and Dean Thomas and Bob Moon the beaters, Draco obviously being the seeker. (A/N: Moon is mentioned in the sorting ceremony in the first book, but no first name was given so I made one up, just incase you were wondering! Oh and I am not going to put in the names of the other people's teams, as quite frankly they don't matter!)
Each team spent the rest of the afternoon practicing together as tomorrow was going to be the launch of the Hogwarts Ex-Students Quidditch Competition.
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The rest of the day passed quickly and as a team the Dragons were good, very good but so were the Lightening Bolts Draco realised and of all of the teams they were going to give them the most competition.
"Draco I have decided that tonight I am going to meet with Harry, Ginny, Fred and George, I think that it is time that I sat with them and sort out this whole. mess. I don't want to fight with my friends, for such a long time they were all that I had and I can't risk that. I was wondering if you would come to my room early, that way we can talk to the kids first and tell them that we are thinking of getting married and then you could stay with them until I have had a chance to talk to the others?"
"I think that sounds like a plan, I will come up to your room straight for dinner that way we don't waste any time for you going to talk to Potter and the rest of them." Draco walked back to the castle with his arm around Hermione, and he stopped walking just before they reached the castle doors. The kiss that they had shared the previous evening had been playing through his mind all day and Draco couldn't contain himself any longer and lent down to kiss her. Hermione gave a start of surprise before relaxing and enjoying the feel of Draco's lips against hers and the slow insistent probing of his tongue. Hermione let herself just go with the good feeling of Draco's kiss. She had had an emotional day and she knew that it was only going to get more so. Draco backed Hermione up against the Castle wall leaning into her body. He had not meant for the kiss to last this long but once he had touched his lips to hers he couldn't seem to help himself. Finally he broke away and they were both gasping for breath, Hermione's cheeks were flushed and she tried desperately to regain her composure. Smiling at him slightly she took hold of his hand and led him into the great hall so that they could eat dinner.
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Hermione waited nervously for Draco to come to her rooms, she had already explained to the kids that she and Draco want to talk to them about something important, but she was waiting for him to come before she told the kids what was so important.
Draco had showered and changed into a clean pair of jeans and a loose fitting black shirt that made his pale skin and platinum hair stand out. Her realised that he was nervous, the reaction of the kids was the only thing between he and Hermione getting married. He knew that if even only one of them objected to his and Hermione getting married then Hermione would back out. Taking a deep breath he said the password and walked into Hermione's common room.
"Good evening all." Draco said cheerfully. The kids all shouted out hellos to him. They had all become used to his friendship with Hermione and since their first evening, except for once he ate with them. Draco looked at Hermione wanting to get his cue from her.
"Guys, I asked Draco here this evening because we have something to discuss with you. But when I have told you what Draco and I are planing remember one thing, you all have to agree with it, or it will not happen." She looked at them all to see if they understood. When she had decided that they understood what she was saying she took a deep breath and called on her Gryffindor bravery. A small part of her was hoping that even one child would disagree so that she could get out of marriage to Draco even though she was sure that marrying him was the right thing to do. "You all know that Draco and I have been friends for a long time and last night when Draco and I were having flying practice Draco asked me something, he asked me to marry him." Hermione looked at the children reading the surprise there and even confusion. "Before I give him my answer I have decided that if he does marry me I am a package deal, if he wants me to be his wife then he takes me with you all." Hermione looked at them again trying to gauge their reactions. "If you want to ask any questions, we will answer them for you." Jake was the oldest and perhaps the bravest of them children and she looked to him for the first question.
"What will happen to us?" Jake had a surly expression on his face and Hermione's heart went out to him, after he had lost his parents he had withdrawn into himself only really letting in his three little shadows.
"Nothing will happen to you, when Mione said that she was thinking of getting married and she had to ask you your thoughts she meant that she had to ask you because when she gets married you will still be living with her and you would have to like the man, in this case me and I would have to like all of you. I have to say that from Mione's letters I felt like I knew you all before I met you and then having met you all I realised that Mione hadn't done you justice, you are all wonderful people and it would be an honor to me if you all let me take over the role of father as you have let Mione take the role of mother." Hermione looked at Draco grateful that he had take charge, the kids would respect him more if he spoke up for himself.
"What happens when one of us gets adopted out then?" demanded Riles.
"If I get married to Draco it means that I will be able to adopt you all and none of you will have to go anywhere!" Hermione looked at them all and she saw Daphne visibly relax.
"So we wouldn't have to leave, not ever?" Asked Immy.
"No not ever, well you will only have to leave when you get your Hogwarts letters, because I think that when you get that you will want to go!" Hermione smiled at them all. "Now kids you don't' have to make your mind up now, in fact I would really like it if you all took some time to think it over and you can tell me by the end of the week ok?" when she received nod's all round she looked at Draco and smiled, when he smiled back she blushed and their earlier kisses came to mind. "Now if you all don't mind I am going to leave you here with Draco, I have to go visiting, so promise me that you will all behave for Draco while I am gone and I will be back to put you all in bed." After they all made their promises Hermione walked down the long corridors of Hogwarts and headed towards the Gryffindor tower where she knew that Harry and Ginny were staying. After a brief chat with the Fat Lady Hermione made her way around the corner and knocked on an old suit of armour that politely moved out of the way to reveal a door. Ginny opened it up and looked shocked at seeing Hermione standing there.
"Hello Ginny, I was wondering if I could come in and have a chat with you and Harry." Ginny moved aside but her face was far from friendly. Hermione walked in and was surprised to see both sets of twins on the couches that Harry and Ginny had in their common room. "Good evening all, I am glad that you are all here because I have something to tell you," Hermione paused and once again called for that braveness of hers, it was funny she had enough bravery when it came to standing up and fighting against the likes of Voldemort but when it came to her friends she became weak kneed and developed a stutter! "You all know that Draco and I have been friends for a long time and Draco has asked me to marry him."
"He what?" Harry exploded, "Your going to marry Malfoy? The guy that made, yours, mine and Ron's lives a living hell while we were at Hogwarts? Are you made woman?" Ginny had grabbed his arm to stop him leaping out of the chair.
"Draco asked me to marry him, and I said yes on the condition that the kids approve. I know what Draco was like when we were at Hogwarts and he has grown a lot since then, we all have Harry. I'm not asking for your approval but you are all my friends and really I shouldn't even have to ask." Hermione hung her head, her eye's scrunched up trying in vain to hold back the tears that threatened to spill past her eyelashes.
"For Merlin's sake Hermione, what about Ron?" Fred and George demanded at the same time. If it were any other time Hermione would have laughed.
"What about him? Ron is dead and nothing I say or do is going to bring him back, what would you have me do? Live the rest of my life a hermit with no one?" Hermione looked up at them not bothering to try and stop the tears that were freely falling down her cheeks. "I loved Ron with all my heart when he was alive and when he died it almost killed me. When he died I stopped living and now I'm trying to get back some of the life that I used to have and you want to deny me of that?" Hermione's anguish was evident and with shaking hands she angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Why Malfoy? Of all the wizards in the world, why him?"
"Why Draco, or why anyone? If it were someone else would you all be as angry at me as you are now? What if it were Neville would you be mad that in some way I was dishonoring Ron's memory?"
"Malfoy is a slimy ferret Hermione, you know that! Ron is probably turning over in his grave right now!"
"Of everyone here Ginny I thought that perhaps you would understand but I guess not. I love him, he has been my only true friend since the end of the war, the only one that really cared about how I was doing. I love him and with the blessings of my children I will marry him. As my friends I hope that you can all learn to accept that. If you can not then I will understand. Goodnight." With that Hermione turned and left the stunned faces of the people that she thought were her friends, nay the people that she thought were her family.
She walked blindly down the corridors towards her room, tears falling unbidden down her face and as she got to the portrait that concealed her door she fell to the ground, sobs racking her body. Draco ran to the door and when he saw her on the floor gently picked her up and with soothing words brought her into her room and sat in front of the fire comforting her as she cried.
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A/N: Hello all, I had written two pages of this story when my computer did something funny and I lost all of the stuff that I had written! I was not a happy camper, I can tell you! But I think that I like this version better. I know that I said that I was going to make my A/N's shorter but whenever I get a review, I try to reply to you all personally, and I got so many reviews (YOU GUY'S ROCK!) that I couldn't help myself. So sorry that this is sooooooo late! I know that I promised at least one a week, but computer trouble, the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers came out on DVD (gotta love Legolas!) and homework made me put it on hold, something that I never wanted to do I can tell you! But you have it at last! Hope that you all like! I have decided that I would like to reach 100 reviews, so if you would like to help me. Hehehe.
This chapter is dedicated to.
Carmen Willows - Thank you so much for reviewing my story! I am really loving yours at the moment and I am touched that you took the time to read mine. Thank you!!!
Hallie Walker - Hey, sorry about the delay! I hope that the chapter was good enough that it made up for the delay!
Blue-Dreamz - I hope that the reactions were good enough, I loved writing Pansy's reaction, that was soooooo much fun!
Danika - hey, glad that you liked the part about Peeves, was on a bit of a sugar high when I wrote that so I think it was reflected in my writing. You're right though a naked Peeves it yucky! Besides, it was my very pathetic attempt at humor.
Stormy Phoenix - Hello, I hope that you like the answers to your questions.
Demensha - I update as much as possible but because I am busy at the moment, one a week on average!
RE16 - In my story Ron has died, he was killed in the war against Voldemort. Sorry I thought that I put that in the beginning of the story! Thank you for the suggestions though.
Hallie Walker - I hate having to worry about grammar, so if you find them ignore them, because if you read on later you will see I hate proof reading my work! I will e-mail you.
Moonkeeper - Here you go.
Carly114 - Nothing is perfect, but thank you! You made me blush. :)
Jenny - Thanks to the help of many (hint hint! ;)) I have now decided on the names for the Quidditch teams I was having serious writers block concerning the names. Thanks again for that! You are a lifesaver!
Blackdragonofdeath13 - Thanks for reviewing.
Tom4eva - I update as soon as I can!
Islandgirl4 - The only reason that I thought you were from Australia was because of the time that I got your last review, I got it in the middle of the day here, so I thought that it was probably to late in America for you to be American, but then again, I don't know much about the different time zones but there you go! Draco and Hermione fic's are my fave as well, in case you couldn't tell.
Rachel - I have no idea when I will finish this, but I am going to write the whole thing, I hate when people stop half way through a fic that you are enjoying!
Flutechick - Glad that you like it.
Draco's Girl - Glad that you like it as well.
Meg - Thank you as usual! You never fail to make me smile with your reviews!
LovesBitch2 - I'm glad that I inspired you to be angry and Harry and Ginny, there is going to be more conflict about that, I mean the path to true love is full of potholes! And Ginny and Harry are twin holes, lol, that actually sounds really mean, but you get what I mean, right?
The Elfin Child - Your right about my punctuation, bit I hardly ever read over what I write, because for some reason even when I write essays to hand in, I can't read over them, it makes me feel ill, which is really quite bad but I will do better to read over things so them make complete sense! Ta for pointing it out to me. :)
Gamegirl3 - Hello! Look out for a review from me! I always try to review the stories of the people who review mine. I'm glad that you like it so much, I am getting better at the cliffies, but I hate reading them so I feel bad when I do that to people but you know. Thanks again for the names. And a big thank you for making me smile with your review! It was sweet.
Lady-Solarity - Hey! I am from Melbourne born and bred, since you left me such a lovely review I will not pick on you for being from Tassie! :) There are so few of us on ff.net! I wonder why? You are right though I do use to many !'s but I can't help it, it is such a bad habit! How did I do this chapter, was I good at not using as many !'s or did I fail and use more than usual??
Chapter 8 - Day Two - Confrontations and Quidditch
The next morning Draco woke up with the sun shining on his face and a smile that wouldn't go away. Whistling, he got out of bed and dressed quickly though, he still stopped five times to look at himself to make sure that he was looking his best in his loose fitting white wash jeans and a black Jag T-shirt (saw a guy wearing that today. yummy!). He decided against wearing robes, as they were not compulsory for adults, besides muggle clothing was much more comfortable.
Still whistling Draco walked the short distance to Hermione's room and knocked lightly on the portrait, the young girls were all looking at him curiously and giggling with one another, one batter her eyelashes at him and waved, Draco just laughed as the portrait was opened and Draco was shocked by what he saw.
"Good morning Draco," Hermione looked uncomfortable and instead of inviting him into her room she stepped out of the room and shut the door quickly behind her.
"Good morning Mione, you are looking beautiful this morning." Draco looked at her with shining eyes and Hermione blushed bright red before shaking her head.
"Um Draco, I had some visitors this morning, in fact they are still in my room." Draco looked confused.
"Who?"
"Harry and Ginny are in there with the kids. They were here last night, they came to talk to me, they saw. last night they saw us. well you know, you were there!"
"When we kissed?" Draco looked down at her, slightly annoyed that she was ashamed of the kiss that they had shared. "Was it that bad that you can not even name it?" Hermione's head snapped up and she looked at him with shock.
"No, of course not! I was just embarrassed that we were seen doing something that was private, it was between us." Hermione tilted her head to the side to see if he understood her. Draco gave a slight nod of his head to indicate that he did understand her.
"Mione, do you mind waiting out here, I want to talk to Ginny and Harry. You can take the kids down to breakfast and I will meet you there. Is that alright?"
"What are you going to say to them?" Hermione did not want a war to be waged between her best friends and her now fiancée.
"I just want to talk to them, I want to explain a few things."
"Are you going to tell them that we are only going to be married because of,"
"No one needs to know about that." Draco cut Hermione off and she just nodded at him. She turned, said the password and went into the room. A minute later she returned with the children all of who said hello or waved to him as they passed and Draco pressed a light kiss to Hermione's lips as she passed him and he went into her room to face Ginny and Harry.
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Half an hour later Draco swaggered into the Great Hall and casually walked over to Hermione who was once again seated at the Gryffindor table. He waved over at Blaise and Hannah who both got up from their seats and walked over to Draco and sat with him, Hermione and the children. Hermione was looking at Draco curiously but all he did was smile at her and say hello to Blaise.
"How are the both of you this fine morning?" Draco smiled his devastatingly handsome smile and more than one woman was blown away, needless to say so was Hermione. Blaise however was unaffected and wanted to know what had put Draco in unusually high spirits.
"It is far to early in the morning for you to have tortured someone, what are you so happy?" Blaise asked bluntly.
"Blaise you should know that it's never to early for a little torture." An evil predatory grin spread over Draco's face as Ginny and Harry walked into the Great Hall hand in hand, they skirted the area where Hermione and Draco were seated and went to the other end on the long table where Neville was sitting trying to clean the Pumpkin juice that he had spilled all over the table (see, some things never change!).
"What did you do to them?" Hermione demanded her face was flushed and there were frown lines on her forehead. Draco just laughed and patted her hand. Blaise looked interested and Hannah just looked between the two shaking her head, sometimes it was better not to ask questions! Hermione got up and heard Dumbledore announce that it was time for the children to be off, so she was momentarily distracted from finding out what it was that Draco had said.
"Bye guys, I will see you all later this afternoon ok?" They all smiled and waved and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall. Hermione walked over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting.
"Hello, I was wondering if we could have a quick chat before we have to go outside?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Gee, no Malfoy to protect you now? Why don't you run over to your lover boy and leave us alone." Harry said scathingly, he grabbed Ginny's hand and they walked out of the Great Hall. Hermione was shocked but Dumbledore announced that it was time fore the adults to go out to the Quidditch pitch and Hermione was pushed along by the crowd. Hermione walked out in a daze not paying attention to where she was going and she walked straight into George.
"Oh sorry George, I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going." Hermione looked up at the tall freckled man.
"Daydreaming about that blonde ferret were you?" George frowned down at her before walking off in the opposite direction. Hermione stopped and tears began to well up in her eyes but being a Gryffindor meant that you were brave. And, she told herself, that she should have realised that her friends weren't going to be happy with her choices, but she was all grown up now and it was time that she put herself first and her children.
Draco watched Hermione as she composed herself and walked towards the Quidditch pitch with her head held high. Draco walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders.
"Are you alright?"
"Never better. well that may be a lie but I will be fine. What did you say to Harry and Ginny? I have never known George to be like that."
"I just told them that we were in love and that we wanted to get married and that if they were your real friends then they would just have to deal with that." Hermione nodded and unconsciously snuggled closer to Draco.
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"The teams captains will be announced in a few moments. The decisions will be made by the Goblet of Fire, the name of the captain and the team name will be decided and then after that the captains will select their team." Madame Hooch said as she looked at the crowd gathered around her. "Once I have called you name come to the front. The teams are as follows, The Lightening Bolts with Harry Potter as the captain. The Dragons with Draco Malfoy as the captain. The Serpents with the captain Pansy Parkinson, Seekers 'n Snitches with Terry Boot as the captain. The Owls and Minister Neville Longbottom as the captain. The Fire Balls, Justin Finch-Fletchley you will be the captain. Drooble's Best Bubble Gum, Ernie Macmillan you will be the captain of that team. The Birds of Prey you will be lead by Eloise Midgeon. And finally we have The Eagles whose captain will be Lavender Brown. You will now have half an hour to choose your teams."
Harry was the first to choose his team with Fred and George as beaters, Ginny as a chaser, and the Patill twins as chasers as well and Seamus as the keeper.
Draco looked around and quickly picked his team, Hermione as the keeper, Blaise, Hannah and Susan Bones as the chasers and Dean Thomas and Bob Moon the beaters, Draco obviously being the seeker. (A/N: Moon is mentioned in the sorting ceremony in the first book, but no first name was given so I made one up, just incase you were wondering! Oh and I am not going to put in the names of the other people's teams, as quite frankly they don't matter!)
Each team spent the rest of the afternoon practicing together as tomorrow was going to be the launch of the Hogwarts Ex-Students Quidditch Competition.
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The rest of the day passed quickly and as a team the Dragons were good, very good but so were the Lightening Bolts Draco realised and of all of the teams they were going to give them the most competition.
"Draco I have decided that tonight I am going to meet with Harry, Ginny, Fred and George, I think that it is time that I sat with them and sort out this whole. mess. I don't want to fight with my friends, for such a long time they were all that I had and I can't risk that. I was wondering if you would come to my room early, that way we can talk to the kids first and tell them that we are thinking of getting married and then you could stay with them until I have had a chance to talk to the others?"
"I think that sounds like a plan, I will come up to your room straight for dinner that way we don't waste any time for you going to talk to Potter and the rest of them." Draco walked back to the castle with his arm around Hermione, and he stopped walking just before they reached the castle doors. The kiss that they had shared the previous evening had been playing through his mind all day and Draco couldn't contain himself any longer and lent down to kiss her. Hermione gave a start of surprise before relaxing and enjoying the feel of Draco's lips against hers and the slow insistent probing of his tongue. Hermione let herself just go with the good feeling of Draco's kiss. She had had an emotional day and she knew that it was only going to get more so. Draco backed Hermione up against the Castle wall leaning into her body. He had not meant for the kiss to last this long but once he had touched his lips to hers he couldn't seem to help himself. Finally he broke away and they were both gasping for breath, Hermione's cheeks were flushed and she tried desperately to regain her composure. Smiling at him slightly she took hold of his hand and led him into the great hall so that they could eat dinner.
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Hermione waited nervously for Draco to come to her rooms, she had already explained to the kids that she and Draco want to talk to them about something important, but she was waiting for him to come before she told the kids what was so important.
Draco had showered and changed into a clean pair of jeans and a loose fitting black shirt that made his pale skin and platinum hair stand out. Her realised that he was nervous, the reaction of the kids was the only thing between he and Hermione getting married. He knew that if even only one of them objected to his and Hermione getting married then Hermione would back out. Taking a deep breath he said the password and walked into Hermione's common room.
"Good evening all." Draco said cheerfully. The kids all shouted out hellos to him. They had all become used to his friendship with Hermione and since their first evening, except for once he ate with them. Draco looked at Hermione wanting to get his cue from her.
"Guys, I asked Draco here this evening because we have something to discuss with you. But when I have told you what Draco and I are planing remember one thing, you all have to agree with it, or it will not happen." She looked at them all to see if they understood. When she had decided that they understood what she was saying she took a deep breath and called on her Gryffindor bravery. A small part of her was hoping that even one child would disagree so that she could get out of marriage to Draco even though she was sure that marrying him was the right thing to do. "You all know that Draco and I have been friends for a long time and last night when Draco and I were having flying practice Draco asked me something, he asked me to marry him." Hermione looked at the children reading the surprise there and even confusion. "Before I give him my answer I have decided that if he does marry me I am a package deal, if he wants me to be his wife then he takes me with you all." Hermione looked at them again trying to gauge their reactions. "If you want to ask any questions, we will answer them for you." Jake was the oldest and perhaps the bravest of them children and she looked to him for the first question.
"What will happen to us?" Jake had a surly expression on his face and Hermione's heart went out to him, after he had lost his parents he had withdrawn into himself only really letting in his three little shadows.
"Nothing will happen to you, when Mione said that she was thinking of getting married and she had to ask you your thoughts she meant that she had to ask you because when she gets married you will still be living with her and you would have to like the man, in this case me and I would have to like all of you. I have to say that from Mione's letters I felt like I knew you all before I met you and then having met you all I realised that Mione hadn't done you justice, you are all wonderful people and it would be an honor to me if you all let me take over the role of father as you have let Mione take the role of mother." Hermione looked at Draco grateful that he had take charge, the kids would respect him more if he spoke up for himself.
"What happens when one of us gets adopted out then?" demanded Riles.
"If I get married to Draco it means that I will be able to adopt you all and none of you will have to go anywhere!" Hermione looked at them all and she saw Daphne visibly relax.
"So we wouldn't have to leave, not ever?" Asked Immy.
"No not ever, well you will only have to leave when you get your Hogwarts letters, because I think that when you get that you will want to go!" Hermione smiled at them all. "Now kids you don't' have to make your mind up now, in fact I would really like it if you all took some time to think it over and you can tell me by the end of the week ok?" when she received nod's all round she looked at Draco and smiled, when he smiled back she blushed and their earlier kisses came to mind. "Now if you all don't mind I am going to leave you here with Draco, I have to go visiting, so promise me that you will all behave for Draco while I am gone and I will be back to put you all in bed." After they all made their promises Hermione walked down the long corridors of Hogwarts and headed towards the Gryffindor tower where she knew that Harry and Ginny were staying. After a brief chat with the Fat Lady Hermione made her way around the corner and knocked on an old suit of armour that politely moved out of the way to reveal a door. Ginny opened it up and looked shocked at seeing Hermione standing there.
"Hello Ginny, I was wondering if I could come in and have a chat with you and Harry." Ginny moved aside but her face was far from friendly. Hermione walked in and was surprised to see both sets of twins on the couches that Harry and Ginny had in their common room. "Good evening all, I am glad that you are all here because I have something to tell you," Hermione paused and once again called for that braveness of hers, it was funny she had enough bravery when it came to standing up and fighting against the likes of Voldemort but when it came to her friends she became weak kneed and developed a stutter! "You all know that Draco and I have been friends for a long time and Draco has asked me to marry him."
"He what?" Harry exploded, "Your going to marry Malfoy? The guy that made, yours, mine and Ron's lives a living hell while we were at Hogwarts? Are you made woman?" Ginny had grabbed his arm to stop him leaping out of the chair.
"Draco asked me to marry him, and I said yes on the condition that the kids approve. I know what Draco was like when we were at Hogwarts and he has grown a lot since then, we all have Harry. I'm not asking for your approval but you are all my friends and really I shouldn't even have to ask." Hermione hung her head, her eye's scrunched up trying in vain to hold back the tears that threatened to spill past her eyelashes.
"For Merlin's sake Hermione, what about Ron?" Fred and George demanded at the same time. If it were any other time Hermione would have laughed.
"What about him? Ron is dead and nothing I say or do is going to bring him back, what would you have me do? Live the rest of my life a hermit with no one?" Hermione looked up at them not bothering to try and stop the tears that were freely falling down her cheeks. "I loved Ron with all my heart when he was alive and when he died it almost killed me. When he died I stopped living and now I'm trying to get back some of the life that I used to have and you want to deny me of that?" Hermione's anguish was evident and with shaking hands she angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Why Malfoy? Of all the wizards in the world, why him?"
"Why Draco, or why anyone? If it were someone else would you all be as angry at me as you are now? What if it were Neville would you be mad that in some way I was dishonoring Ron's memory?"
"Malfoy is a slimy ferret Hermione, you know that! Ron is probably turning over in his grave right now!"
"Of everyone here Ginny I thought that perhaps you would understand but I guess not. I love him, he has been my only true friend since the end of the war, the only one that really cared about how I was doing. I love him and with the blessings of my children I will marry him. As my friends I hope that you can all learn to accept that. If you can not then I will understand. Goodnight." With that Hermione turned and left the stunned faces of the people that she thought were her friends, nay the people that she thought were her family.
She walked blindly down the corridors towards her room, tears falling unbidden down her face and as she got to the portrait that concealed her door she fell to the ground, sobs racking her body. Draco ran to the door and when he saw her on the floor gently picked her up and with soothing words brought her into her room and sat in front of the fire comforting her as she cried.
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A/N: Hello all, I had written two pages of this story when my computer did something funny and I lost all of the stuff that I had written! I was not a happy camper, I can tell you! But I think that I like this version better. I know that I said that I was going to make my A/N's shorter but whenever I get a review, I try to reply to you all personally, and I got so many reviews (YOU GUY'S ROCK!) that I couldn't help myself. So sorry that this is sooooooo late! I know that I promised at least one a week, but computer trouble, the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers came out on DVD (gotta love Legolas!) and homework made me put it on hold, something that I never wanted to do I can tell you! But you have it at last! Hope that you all like! I have decided that I would like to reach 100 reviews, so if you would like to help me. Hehehe.
This chapter is dedicated to.
Carmen Willows - Thank you so much for reviewing my story! I am really loving yours at the moment and I am touched that you took the time to read mine. Thank you!!!
Hallie Walker - Hey, sorry about the delay! I hope that the chapter was good enough that it made up for the delay!
Blue-Dreamz - I hope that the reactions were good enough, I loved writing Pansy's reaction, that was soooooo much fun!
Danika - hey, glad that you liked the part about Peeves, was on a bit of a sugar high when I wrote that so I think it was reflected in my writing. You're right though a naked Peeves it yucky! Besides, it was my very pathetic attempt at humor.
Stormy Phoenix - Hello, I hope that you like the answers to your questions.
Demensha - I update as much as possible but because I am busy at the moment, one a week on average!
RE16 - In my story Ron has died, he was killed in the war against Voldemort. Sorry I thought that I put that in the beginning of the story! Thank you for the suggestions though.
Hallie Walker - I hate having to worry about grammar, so if you find them ignore them, because if you read on later you will see I hate proof reading my work! I will e-mail you.
Moonkeeper - Here you go.
Carly114 - Nothing is perfect, but thank you! You made me blush. :)
Jenny - Thanks to the help of many (hint hint! ;)) I have now decided on the names for the Quidditch teams I was having serious writers block concerning the names. Thanks again for that! You are a lifesaver!
Blackdragonofdeath13 - Thanks for reviewing.
Tom4eva - I update as soon as I can!
Islandgirl4 - The only reason that I thought you were from Australia was because of the time that I got your last review, I got it in the middle of the day here, so I thought that it was probably to late in America for you to be American, but then again, I don't know much about the different time zones but there you go! Draco and Hermione fic's are my fave as well, in case you couldn't tell.
Rachel - I have no idea when I will finish this, but I am going to write the whole thing, I hate when people stop half way through a fic that you are enjoying!
Flutechick - Glad that you like it.
Draco's Girl - Glad that you like it as well.
Meg - Thank you as usual! You never fail to make me smile with your reviews!
LovesBitch2 - I'm glad that I inspired you to be angry and Harry and Ginny, there is going to be more conflict about that, I mean the path to true love is full of potholes! And Ginny and Harry are twin holes, lol, that actually sounds really mean, but you get what I mean, right?
The Elfin Child - Your right about my punctuation, bit I hardly ever read over what I write, because for some reason even when I write essays to hand in, I can't read over them, it makes me feel ill, which is really quite bad but I will do better to read over things so them make complete sense! Ta for pointing it out to me. :)
Gamegirl3 - Hello! Look out for a review from me! I always try to review the stories of the people who review mine. I'm glad that you like it so much, I am getting better at the cliffies, but I hate reading them so I feel bad when I do that to people but you know. Thanks again for the names. And a big thank you for making me smile with your review! It was sweet.
Lady-Solarity - Hey! I am from Melbourne born and bred, since you left me such a lovely review I will not pick on you for being from Tassie! :) There are so few of us on ff.net! I wonder why? You are right though I do use to many !'s but I can't help it, it is such a bad habit! How did I do this chapter, was I good at not using as many !'s or did I fail and use more than usual??