Chapter 7: The past
Hermione was quiet for the first 20 minutes just staring at Draco. Ginny had wanted her to try and get along with him, but that seemed all next to impossible. He had been so cruel back in Hogwarts, which was the only thing that she remembered about him.
Sure he was tall and handsome of features but he was a monster inside. He had tormented her on her appearance and her ancestry. The fact that she was muggle born always haunted her when he had been around. Always calling her a Mudblood, the worst of all insults in the wizarding world. There was nothing inside him that could ever have loved her.
Yet here he was proclaiming his love for her. Telling her how much she meant to him. Draco Malfoy would never have been one to let his feelings come out into the open. Especially since she was muggle born. His father would have killed him on the spot. But he was standing here as alive as day.
"Ok, explain to me about your father. He was ok with this," she said gesturing to herself and Malfoy.
"Of course not." He saw the confusion on Hermione's face so went on. "At the end of our 6th year, I ran away from home, knowing that on my 17th birthday I was to join up with the Dark Lord and that was not on my to do list anymore. See since I had fallen in love with you I knew that I couldn't fight against you. My father was absolutely livid. I stayed with my muggle cousins. As appalling as that was, my father couldn't get to me there.
"I was pretty safe at school so I didn't have to worry about it there, plus there was you and I wasn't about to just leave you while I still had those feelings for you. Besides I knew my father wouldn't dare stand up to you without the rest of the death eaters."
Hermione couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. She wasn't that great was she? I mean she was only a 16... wait no she was 20 now. All those years she had missed out on. What else had she missed out on? How is it that she could be knocked unconscious and then wake up 4 years later? It seemed she had lived those days like she would any other. Had she somehow been transported into the future? This was making her head hurt.
"Can we talk about this later Malfoy... er... Draco," she wasn't used to calling him by his first name. Yet "Malfoy" didn't seem to fit anymore. It was a name of hatred and evil, so if she was going to honor her promise to Ginny then she had to call him by a name less associated, one she had hardly every used in school. Draco. "This is a lot to comprehend right now, and to tell you the truth it's giving me a headache."
"No problem," he leaned over and kissed her cheek hoping that this display of affection wasn't going to set her off. "I have something's that I need to do anyway. Would you like to accompany me to Diagon Alley?"
The thought of getting out of the manor was appealing. It would give her time to see how much it had changed and to contemplate the recent events. "Sure." So Hermione went into the bedroom to dress for the occasion.
Draco on the other hand seated himself on the couch. He wanted her to remember so much, but he couldn't push her any faster than she wanted to go. This all had to be her move or else it would only traumatize her more than she already was. Bringing back all the memories at once could overload her brain and it would cause a massive shut down.
The man of the manor had learned quite a bit about computers from his wife. It had been a technological advancement that added to the world of magic. Technology had actually been the downfall of Voldemort himself in a way. Hermione had taught Harry and them and the other people who had joined their cause how to run computers and since owls were not as secure, Hermione had set them all up with e-mail accounts so they could send word throughout the Internet super highway. It had taken a while but she had finally perfected their skills.
Maybe an over load had happened with Hermione, probably an emotional one seeing as her mind seemed to have unlimited amount of storage space for knowledge. Maybe just the emotional over haul just threw her over the edge.
He could think of hundreds of ways this could have affected Hermione but none of them made sense for her. She had always been the go-getter, the one who kept the group in check, and the one who tried to follow all the rules. Her emotions had never gotten to her like that before. Why would it suddenly just happen?
Now his head was starting to hurt. It was just too much to handle right then.
"So what do you have to do while we are out?" Hermione startled him.
"Some new brooms for the Hogwarts quidditch team. I'm coaching this coming year and I don't want to take the chance that any of the brooms has been tampered with."
'Smart boy,' Hermione thought. She was indeed impressed. How had the bloody ferret she had known in school changed into this? They flooed their way to Diagon alley and each split their different ways. Hermione decided to go off randomly in a direction. She wanted to see what had changed in the years she didn't remember.
Nothing much had though. All the same shops were there but they had slightly different look to them. Like they had been rebuilt. "Curious..." She had expected it to change dramatically. She came to the Broom Shop and found Draco inside deciding between two kinds of brooms for the team. "Good, Hermione, you're here. Which would you say is more important, speed or the balance of a broom?"
"You're the coach, shouldn't you know?" Hermione was a bit puzzled. "Both, you want a broom that is easy to control but has a great deal of speed. If it can turn rapidly but doesn't have much control it can be a greater liability because it will have to make a larger turn. In that time the quaffle could be lost to the other team."
"So you do remember that."
"Quidditch, of course. Who could forget that? I mean hello Harry was the best seeker since his father-" she stopped. She hadn't meant to bring that subject up, but her mind was still reeling over the death of her best friend. She still couldn't believe they were truly gone.
"Hermione? Are you all right luv?" Draco dropped the broom on the counter and turned to his wife. Enveloping her in his arms she began to sob silently again. 'Maybe I shouldn't have brought her here. This is way to hard on her.'
Draco paid for the brooms and took Hermione back to the manor. She passed out in his arms soon after they had left Diagon Alley. 'She is so peaceful when she sleeps,' Draco thought taking her back into the bedroom.
He lay down on the couch knowing it was still too soon for her to wake up next to him again though that's what he wanted more than anything right then. 'I'm so lucky to have her. After I had been such an ass its amazing that she had decided that I was worth her time and effort...'
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Draco was sitting in the hallway just outside the great hall. He had been sitting out there since he had told Hermione how he felt about her, which had been about a week. He had confessed everything to her and she had just walked away like nothing had been said. At first Draco had been hurt, but he had been a jerk. Hermione didn't bring the subject up after that. She just went about her day like nothing was different.
So he watched her from the hallway wishing with all of his heart that she was his girlfriend. Sure he had had girls before but they had always been dumb girls who were after him for his looks and attention that it brought him. Despite the rumors Draco was still chaste, though he had started many of the rumors himself, he was saving himself for that special someone. Someone like Hermione... But she wasn't interested with him even in the slightest.
Hermione sat in her usual seat at the end of the table with the rest of her fellow 7th years across from Harry and Ron. Thanks to a super sensory spell Draco could hear everything that was going on at the table.
"Is it just me or is Malfoy acting a bit strange lately? He doesn't even sit with his Slytherin buddies anymore."
"Ron's right, what has been going on? I saw you talking to him last week and now he has been avoiding us all week like we have the plague... What did you say to him 'Mione?"
"Nothing."
"Oh well. It's a lucky break for us anyway," he shrugged. "Catch ya later. I have work to do." And with that he left.
"Harry, can I confide in you?"
"Of course, 'Mione. What is it?"
She blushed slightly. "See, there's this guy that recently told me that he liked me, and I kind of like him too. But I'm afraid of what you guys will think..."
"Hermione, you have a good head on your shoulders. We wont think any less of you by whom you date-"
"You really might want to hear me out before you say that." Hermione interrupted.
"Actually before you tell me who this guy is, I have something to say," Harry took a deep breath. "Hermione, I really like you and I would like to ask you out if that's ok. We have become really close over the years and I have come to love you..."
"Harry, I love you too, "she hugged him across the table. "I love you like my brother though. You're my best friend and you always will be. I'm sorry but I just can't go out with you, it would just be weird for me... but Draco- "
"Draco!" Harry stood up abruptly. "Draco is the one that asked you out?!"
"Harry calm down, I haven't given him an answer yet." She grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "Don't you dare do anything Harry James Potter! I think I'm going to tell him yes."
"But why Hermione? After all the mean things he did to us I thought you'd hate him for the rest of his miserable little life."
"I thought so too, but you had to be there to see how hard it was for him to tell me how he felt. He never lets his feelings out ever and it was so sweet just to see him trying to. Harry his feelings are real and I think he deserves a chance." Hermione looked over to the entrance of the great hall and smiled at a very shocked Draco Malfoy.
"But Hermione..." Harry was interrupted by a kiss on his cheek. "I'm your best friend... doesn't that mean I get first dibs or something?"
"Harry, no matter what I will always be your best friend. There is no doubt in that what so ever."
"Promise me then that you will tell me if he ever mistreats you so I can come and be your knight in shining armor and beat the living daylights out of him ok? I know that you are a smart girl Hermione, but know that I will always love you."
"Thank you Harry." And she turned and walked towards the hall. Draco stood in absolute shock as Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Yes Draco."
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That day had changed his life completely and he knew that know. His life would have been worthless without her. His love for Hermione had saved his soul and his conscience.
"Thank you Hermione." He said softly before drifting off to sleep.
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A/N: Yeah I am so sorry it is taking so long for me to update. My computer is broken at home so I have to do it at school. It is soooooo hard for me to update and do my assignments. I have to say that school comes first always so fan fiction is taking the back seat. This summer though you will get a chapter every like three days if I get the dang thing fixed...
Meesah: sorry yeah I hate the fact that I cant update more often. But have no fear I aint going anywhere this summer so I can keep writing and get it finished. Its ok that burn didn't like the other one so much, it was the first fic that I wrote that is finished though so I was excited about that. That one has 88 reviews I was hoping to get it up to 100 but no big deal, this one is steadily on its way. 28 and only 6 chapters I'm impressed. Glad you like it and again sorry to keep you al waiting. I'll try and get the next chapter up sometime next week.
Draco_Fan: Yeah, Ginny doesn't fit in the movies... I expected her to look... well different, I'm not sure how to explain that but just different ya know. It's crazy. I liked the part I added in with Ginny. And the whole Harry still loving Hermione while with Ginny was such a reality though... There are a lot of people like that, and it has been happening in a lot of the books I have been reading... guess its just contagious I guess. Enjoy the story.
Sparkle3: Glad your enjoying it, hope you stay tuned for the rest.
Elle-poohbear: I know it's all emotional right now. I just want to cry cuz it's hurting Draco and he is just sooooooo fine... but... stay tuned for a happy scene coming up soon I hope. I get caught up in stuff and lose track of what I am going for sometimes...
Nikki nick: that was what I was going for. *wink wink* Thanks for reviewing.
Cruel-Intentions: it's ok that you ramble, we all do from time to time and it brings a smile to my face that you try so hard to give real constructive criticism, it means a lot to me that you are trying. Yeah, Draco had mentioned that Harry had loved her and she married Draco, but it wasn't explained until now. It's sad really, and I feel bad for Harry, but he ended up with someone he loved almost as much as Hermione so its all good... I hope... er... lol
Meesah and Burn: you two are trippy and I love it, you argue in the same review and I'm loving it. Nice to know there are people out there like me. Cant wait to hear what you guys have to say about this one. Its ok that y'all didn't review right away cuz I updated a lot in just a few days... it happens... but prolly won't again until my comp gets fixed again.
Jade Starr: well you do know this is a Hermione/Draco romance so it will have to happen eventually... just do what I do and keep telling yourself that it's only fanfiction and Hermione has nothing to do with Malfoy... (I kind of look like Hermione, so I can get away with picturing myself in her place... *wink wink*).
Mystic: yeah I know it its, he's almost as fine as Draco... but hot people always die in movies and books so it had to happen somewhere but Draco had to be the one who lived... he is just sooooooooooo hot! (have you seen the non-gel look in the previews for the third movies...)
Hermione was quiet for the first 20 minutes just staring at Draco. Ginny had wanted her to try and get along with him, but that seemed all next to impossible. He had been so cruel back in Hogwarts, which was the only thing that she remembered about him.
Sure he was tall and handsome of features but he was a monster inside. He had tormented her on her appearance and her ancestry. The fact that she was muggle born always haunted her when he had been around. Always calling her a Mudblood, the worst of all insults in the wizarding world. There was nothing inside him that could ever have loved her.
Yet here he was proclaiming his love for her. Telling her how much she meant to him. Draco Malfoy would never have been one to let his feelings come out into the open. Especially since she was muggle born. His father would have killed him on the spot. But he was standing here as alive as day.
"Ok, explain to me about your father. He was ok with this," she said gesturing to herself and Malfoy.
"Of course not." He saw the confusion on Hermione's face so went on. "At the end of our 6th year, I ran away from home, knowing that on my 17th birthday I was to join up with the Dark Lord and that was not on my to do list anymore. See since I had fallen in love with you I knew that I couldn't fight against you. My father was absolutely livid. I stayed with my muggle cousins. As appalling as that was, my father couldn't get to me there.
"I was pretty safe at school so I didn't have to worry about it there, plus there was you and I wasn't about to just leave you while I still had those feelings for you. Besides I knew my father wouldn't dare stand up to you without the rest of the death eaters."
Hermione couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. She wasn't that great was she? I mean she was only a 16... wait no she was 20 now. All those years she had missed out on. What else had she missed out on? How is it that she could be knocked unconscious and then wake up 4 years later? It seemed she had lived those days like she would any other. Had she somehow been transported into the future? This was making her head hurt.
"Can we talk about this later Malfoy... er... Draco," she wasn't used to calling him by his first name. Yet "Malfoy" didn't seem to fit anymore. It was a name of hatred and evil, so if she was going to honor her promise to Ginny then she had to call him by a name less associated, one she had hardly every used in school. Draco. "This is a lot to comprehend right now, and to tell you the truth it's giving me a headache."
"No problem," he leaned over and kissed her cheek hoping that this display of affection wasn't going to set her off. "I have something's that I need to do anyway. Would you like to accompany me to Diagon Alley?"
The thought of getting out of the manor was appealing. It would give her time to see how much it had changed and to contemplate the recent events. "Sure." So Hermione went into the bedroom to dress for the occasion.
Draco on the other hand seated himself on the couch. He wanted her to remember so much, but he couldn't push her any faster than she wanted to go. This all had to be her move or else it would only traumatize her more than she already was. Bringing back all the memories at once could overload her brain and it would cause a massive shut down.
The man of the manor had learned quite a bit about computers from his wife. It had been a technological advancement that added to the world of magic. Technology had actually been the downfall of Voldemort himself in a way. Hermione had taught Harry and them and the other people who had joined their cause how to run computers and since owls were not as secure, Hermione had set them all up with e-mail accounts so they could send word throughout the Internet super highway. It had taken a while but she had finally perfected their skills.
Maybe an over load had happened with Hermione, probably an emotional one seeing as her mind seemed to have unlimited amount of storage space for knowledge. Maybe just the emotional over haul just threw her over the edge.
He could think of hundreds of ways this could have affected Hermione but none of them made sense for her. She had always been the go-getter, the one who kept the group in check, and the one who tried to follow all the rules. Her emotions had never gotten to her like that before. Why would it suddenly just happen?
Now his head was starting to hurt. It was just too much to handle right then.
"So what do you have to do while we are out?" Hermione startled him.
"Some new brooms for the Hogwarts quidditch team. I'm coaching this coming year and I don't want to take the chance that any of the brooms has been tampered with."
'Smart boy,' Hermione thought. She was indeed impressed. How had the bloody ferret she had known in school changed into this? They flooed their way to Diagon alley and each split their different ways. Hermione decided to go off randomly in a direction. She wanted to see what had changed in the years she didn't remember.
Nothing much had though. All the same shops were there but they had slightly different look to them. Like they had been rebuilt. "Curious..." She had expected it to change dramatically. She came to the Broom Shop and found Draco inside deciding between two kinds of brooms for the team. "Good, Hermione, you're here. Which would you say is more important, speed or the balance of a broom?"
"You're the coach, shouldn't you know?" Hermione was a bit puzzled. "Both, you want a broom that is easy to control but has a great deal of speed. If it can turn rapidly but doesn't have much control it can be a greater liability because it will have to make a larger turn. In that time the quaffle could be lost to the other team."
"So you do remember that."
"Quidditch, of course. Who could forget that? I mean hello Harry was the best seeker since his father-" she stopped. She hadn't meant to bring that subject up, but her mind was still reeling over the death of her best friend. She still couldn't believe they were truly gone.
"Hermione? Are you all right luv?" Draco dropped the broom on the counter and turned to his wife. Enveloping her in his arms she began to sob silently again. 'Maybe I shouldn't have brought her here. This is way to hard on her.'
Draco paid for the brooms and took Hermione back to the manor. She passed out in his arms soon after they had left Diagon Alley. 'She is so peaceful when she sleeps,' Draco thought taking her back into the bedroom.
He lay down on the couch knowing it was still too soon for her to wake up next to him again though that's what he wanted more than anything right then. 'I'm so lucky to have her. After I had been such an ass its amazing that she had decided that I was worth her time and effort...'
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Draco was sitting in the hallway just outside the great hall. He had been sitting out there since he had told Hermione how he felt about her, which had been about a week. He had confessed everything to her and she had just walked away like nothing had been said. At first Draco had been hurt, but he had been a jerk. Hermione didn't bring the subject up after that. She just went about her day like nothing was different.
So he watched her from the hallway wishing with all of his heart that she was his girlfriend. Sure he had had girls before but they had always been dumb girls who were after him for his looks and attention that it brought him. Despite the rumors Draco was still chaste, though he had started many of the rumors himself, he was saving himself for that special someone. Someone like Hermione... But she wasn't interested with him even in the slightest.
Hermione sat in her usual seat at the end of the table with the rest of her fellow 7th years across from Harry and Ron. Thanks to a super sensory spell Draco could hear everything that was going on at the table.
"Is it just me or is Malfoy acting a bit strange lately? He doesn't even sit with his Slytherin buddies anymore."
"Ron's right, what has been going on? I saw you talking to him last week and now he has been avoiding us all week like we have the plague... What did you say to him 'Mione?"
"Nothing."
"Oh well. It's a lucky break for us anyway," he shrugged. "Catch ya later. I have work to do." And with that he left.
"Harry, can I confide in you?"
"Of course, 'Mione. What is it?"
She blushed slightly. "See, there's this guy that recently told me that he liked me, and I kind of like him too. But I'm afraid of what you guys will think..."
"Hermione, you have a good head on your shoulders. We wont think any less of you by whom you date-"
"You really might want to hear me out before you say that." Hermione interrupted.
"Actually before you tell me who this guy is, I have something to say," Harry took a deep breath. "Hermione, I really like you and I would like to ask you out if that's ok. We have become really close over the years and I have come to love you..."
"Harry, I love you too, "she hugged him across the table. "I love you like my brother though. You're my best friend and you always will be. I'm sorry but I just can't go out with you, it would just be weird for me... but Draco- "
"Draco!" Harry stood up abruptly. "Draco is the one that asked you out?!"
"Harry calm down, I haven't given him an answer yet." She grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "Don't you dare do anything Harry James Potter! I think I'm going to tell him yes."
"But why Hermione? After all the mean things he did to us I thought you'd hate him for the rest of his miserable little life."
"I thought so too, but you had to be there to see how hard it was for him to tell me how he felt. He never lets his feelings out ever and it was so sweet just to see him trying to. Harry his feelings are real and I think he deserves a chance." Hermione looked over to the entrance of the great hall and smiled at a very shocked Draco Malfoy.
"But Hermione..." Harry was interrupted by a kiss on his cheek. "I'm your best friend... doesn't that mean I get first dibs or something?"
"Harry, no matter what I will always be your best friend. There is no doubt in that what so ever."
"Promise me then that you will tell me if he ever mistreats you so I can come and be your knight in shining armor and beat the living daylights out of him ok? I know that you are a smart girl Hermione, but know that I will always love you."
"Thank you Harry." And she turned and walked towards the hall. Draco stood in absolute shock as Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Yes Draco."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That day had changed his life completely and he knew that know. His life would have been worthless without her. His love for Hermione had saved his soul and his conscience.
"Thank you Hermione." He said softly before drifting off to sleep.
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A/N: Yeah I am so sorry it is taking so long for me to update. My computer is broken at home so I have to do it at school. It is soooooo hard for me to update and do my assignments. I have to say that school comes first always so fan fiction is taking the back seat. This summer though you will get a chapter every like three days if I get the dang thing fixed...
Meesah: sorry yeah I hate the fact that I cant update more often. But have no fear I aint going anywhere this summer so I can keep writing and get it finished. Its ok that burn didn't like the other one so much, it was the first fic that I wrote that is finished though so I was excited about that. That one has 88 reviews I was hoping to get it up to 100 but no big deal, this one is steadily on its way. 28 and only 6 chapters I'm impressed. Glad you like it and again sorry to keep you al waiting. I'll try and get the next chapter up sometime next week.
Draco_Fan: Yeah, Ginny doesn't fit in the movies... I expected her to look... well different, I'm not sure how to explain that but just different ya know. It's crazy. I liked the part I added in with Ginny. And the whole Harry still loving Hermione while with Ginny was such a reality though... There are a lot of people like that, and it has been happening in a lot of the books I have been reading... guess its just contagious I guess. Enjoy the story.
Sparkle3: Glad your enjoying it, hope you stay tuned for the rest.
Elle-poohbear: I know it's all emotional right now. I just want to cry cuz it's hurting Draco and he is just sooooooo fine... but... stay tuned for a happy scene coming up soon I hope. I get caught up in stuff and lose track of what I am going for sometimes...
Nikki nick: that was what I was going for. *wink wink* Thanks for reviewing.
Cruel-Intentions: it's ok that you ramble, we all do from time to time and it brings a smile to my face that you try so hard to give real constructive criticism, it means a lot to me that you are trying. Yeah, Draco had mentioned that Harry had loved her and she married Draco, but it wasn't explained until now. It's sad really, and I feel bad for Harry, but he ended up with someone he loved almost as much as Hermione so its all good... I hope... er... lol
Meesah and Burn: you two are trippy and I love it, you argue in the same review and I'm loving it. Nice to know there are people out there like me. Cant wait to hear what you guys have to say about this one. Its ok that y'all didn't review right away cuz I updated a lot in just a few days... it happens... but prolly won't again until my comp gets fixed again.
Jade Starr: well you do know this is a Hermione/Draco romance so it will have to happen eventually... just do what I do and keep telling yourself that it's only fanfiction and Hermione has nothing to do with Malfoy... (I kind of look like Hermione, so I can get away with picturing myself in her place... *wink wink*).
Mystic: yeah I know it its, he's almost as fine as Draco... but hot people always die in movies and books so it had to happen somewhere but Draco had to be the one who lived... he is just sooooooooooo hot! (have you seen the non-gel look in the previews for the third movies...)