Word spread fast at Hogwarts, as usual. Lavender swore that she didn't tell anyone, but Hermione was positive Harry hadn't either. Students passed Draco and Hermione in the corridors and immediately began whispering.
"I can't believe Draco…"
"I can't believe Hermione…"
"I wonder if there's a love potion involved…Hermione did whip one up in fourth year…"
Hermione rolled her eyes at all of these comments, and Draco would look down his nose at someone with his icy cold stare, and they'd immediately stop talking. And in the case of some younger students, stop walking. Draco was a powerful person.
It was three days before the Halloween banquet, and Hermione was sitting in the common room searching through a book for every use of a dragon in potion making when she heard a tapping at the window. A barn owl was pecking, and Hermione let him into the common room. He dropped off an official-looking letter and flew back out the window. Hermione picked it up and saw Draco's name on it, so she walked to his door and knocked.
He opened the door, saw Hermione, and gave her a long kiss. "Do you need something?" he asked.
Hermione held out the letter for Draco, and he took it and opened it. As he read it, his expression became stone cold. Finally, he folded it back up, walked back to his bed, and sat on it, running his hands through his hair. Hermione turned to leave, but Draco held up a hand and said, "Stay."
Puzzled by what sort of news this letter could have brought, Hermione walked over and sat on his bed next to him. A single tear trickled down his cheek as he set the letter down on the bedside table. Instinctively, Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.
"Read it," he told her. Hermione reached across him and picked it up off the bedside table, unfolding it. At once, she recognized the Ministry of Magic stamp at the top.
To Mr. Draco Malfoy:
We regret to inform you that your father, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, passed away last night in the prison of Azkaban. The following morning, your mother, Narcissa Malfoy, passed away as well. We have informed the headmaster of these events, and you are to be excused from school for two days in order to attend the funeral and take care of other deals.
Alexander P. Gray, Department of Informants
Hermione looked up at Draco in shock. He wiped away a tear and looked her in the eye. "Why did mother have to die?" he asked her, much as a young child would. Hermione hugged him, wishing she could make the pain disappear. One parent's death was a lot for a person, but both parents? Sometimes the world was very cruel.
"I hated my father," he told her, the tears finally stopped. "I wish that he would just die sometimes. And I don't regret that he did. But my mother…she didn't deserve the way he treated her. He was a cruel man, and…my mother is dead," he said finally.
"I'm so sorry, Draco."
"It's not your fault. I need to pack."
Hermione got up, holding Draco on the bed. "No, you need to rest. You can leave in the morning, I'll pack for you," she said. He obliged, putting his head on a pillow and shutting his eyes. Hermione pulled the covers up over him and began to pack for him.
When she had finished and closed his suitcase up, she decided that she needed to take a walk. She went to her room and pulled on a blue sweater and put a pair of shoes on before leaving the common room. Her first instinct was to head up towards Gryffindor Tower, but instead she went down to the dungeons. However, she had only turned one corner when she ran into Ron.
"Hey, Ron," Hermione said awkwardly.
"Hey, Hermione." He acted as though nothing had ever happened.
"What are you doing out?" she asked. It was nine o'clock.
"Gone for a run on the Quidditch pitch," he said, pointing at his track shoes. "What about you?"
"I just needed a walk," she told him. "I'll see you around."
Hermione turned to walk away. "Wait!" Hermione spun on her heel and looked at Ron.
"Yes?"
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened in Hogsmeade," he said, chewing his lip.
Hermione really didn't want to forgive him, but she had no choice. He was her friend after all. "No worries, Ron. Just promise it'll never happen again."
"I swear to Merlin. I don't know…why I did it. Too many drinks, I suppose."
"Yeah."
"I'll see you around."
They went their separate ways and Hermione continued down towards the dungeons when she was met by Blaise Zabini.
"Granger, what're you doing around here?" he asked. The Slytherins were still less than friendly to her, but Malfoy, being a Slytherin prince, had control, so they were civil. And Blaise was Malfoy's best friend ever since Crabbe and Goyle nearly got themselves blown up and landed in St. Mungo's. He was the only Slytherin other than Draco that didn't treat her like she was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. And Hermione was glad to see him.
"Oh, Merlin knows," she said, fighting the urge to just collapse then and there.
Blaise seemed apprehensive. "Uh-oh, something's really wrong this time."
"Follow me," she told him, and she led the tall man all the way to the Room of Requirement.
"Granger!" he said, his eyebrows raised in an amused, excited manner.
"Oh, you prick, it's not that," she said, unaware of why he'd ever want to have sex with her. He was, after all, second in line for the Slytherin throne, and consequently every girl's second choice. Well, now their first choice, since Draco was taken.
They entered the room, which this time was small and barren, with a single couch in it. "That serious, huh?" said Blaise as he watched Hermione sit down on the couch. "Did you and Drake break up?"
"No!" Hermione said defensively. "It's just…I really don't know how to say this…but Draco's parents are dead."
Blaise's jaw dropped. "Oh Merlin. Poor Malfoy."
"And he has to leave tomorrow for the funeral."
"How long will he be gone?"
"Two days."
"He'll be back in time for the masquerade ball."
"But he'll be too depressed and stressed out to go!"
Blaise held up his hand. "Say no more, Granger. I am an expert on your dearest Drakie, and you can trust me on this one: he'll be fine. He recovers very quickly, and he was never fond of his father anyways. And never quite too close to his mother. I think it'd be safe to say that you're the closest thing he's ever had to a mother."
"Are you sure?"
"Can the ladies not resist my charms?"
Hermione cracked a smile for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I can."
"You don't count."
"Oh, am I not a girl, Zabini?"
"How should I know? Anyways, I can't try my charms on you. You're Draco's, and he'd murder me. Anyways, seriously, don't spaz about this at all. Your man'll be fine."
"Thanks, Blaise," Hermione said, giving him a hug.
The next two days were like torture for Hermione. There were stares following her everywhere, and people were trying to figure out where Draco was. To top it all off, every time she returned to her common room, she expected to see Draco sprawled lazily across a sofa, but it was always empty.
After her last class on Friday, Hermione sprinted up to her common room in hopes of catching Draco when he returned. However, the room was empty as usual, so she went into her room and changed into gray pants and a green off-the-shoulder sweater. When she left opened the door leading to the common room, she was met with the sight of her knight in shining armor, digging frantically through his bag.
"Draco!" she said, trying to contain her relief and happiness. She failed, however, and ran across the common room, jumping into his arms.
"Hermione, I missed you so much," he said, kissing her long and hard. Hermione melted in his embrace, and Draco finally pulled away reluctantly.
"Cover your eyes," said Draco as he began digging through his bag again. Hermione complied, but peeked through her fingers. He pulled out a red velvet box before telling her to open her eyes again.
As soon as she had removed her hands from her eyes, Draco whipped open the box, and an enormous ruby winked at her in the candlelight. Draco picked up the necklace and put it on her.
Hermione fingered the thin silver chain. "Oh Merlin," she said. "I'm speechless, Draco."
He put the box down and pulled her in close. "I'm alright with that."