Chapter 4: Long Overdo Talks and Suspicions Confirmed

Draco stood next to his mother's bed, steeling himself to look down at her battered body again.

"Three...two...one." The mediwitch counted down.

His mother stirred, and Draco's eyes snapped down to her. She looked slightly better. The infected cuts weren't as infected and some of the bruises were starting to heal. His mother opened her eyes slowly. She looked around, then up to her son. Slowly, wincing in pain, she raised her hand to caress his cheek.

"Draco." She said in wonder. The two sat looking at each other, taking in all they could.

"Mum." Draco said after a while, his voice cracking due to his emotions.

"Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I tried to be, but he wouldn't let me. I'm so sorry, baby Dragon."

Draco had forgotten his mother used to call him that, and bit back tears. "I know, mum. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that he did that to you...that he hurt you. That I couldn't stop him." He slowly sunk to his knees, holding her hand that was on his face.

"I'm sorry he did that to you too. But he's in Azkaban, right? He can't hurt us anymore. I never wanted you to follow in his footsteps, to become what he was. You have a destiny all you own. Something that you couldn't fulfill if you followed him. Oh, Dragon, you're meant to do so much." She smiled proudly up at her son. "Tell me, Draco, have you met anyone? A girl, perhaps?" she asked suddenly.

Draco nodded and told her about Hermione, about how mean he had been and how she forgave him. About how beautiful she was, how intelligent. Narcissa smiled, listening to her son.

"Tell me," she said, when her son had paused for breath, "is she pure blood or muggle born?"

Draco looked away. Narcissa, knowing the answer, looked up at him. "Draco, look at me." He did, and she continued. "Draco it doesn't matter to me what she is. I'm not your father. I wouldn't care if she was a hag, so long as she made my son happy. Though, I would wonder, why you picked a hag, if you did." She said on second thought.

Draco smiled through his tears. She hadn't lost her, humor he thought, happily. "I love you, mum."

Narcissa patted his cheek. "I love you too, Draco darling. Now," she said seriously, "I expect to meet the girl who stole my son's heart, as soon as I'm out of bed. Understood? Don't you let her go anywhere, Draco."

Draco smiled, "oh, you will meet her, mum. I don't plan on letting her go anytime soon."

Draco stood as the mediwitch walked over, carrying a goblet full of sparkling blue liquid.

Draco kissed his mother good bye, and had turned to the door, when his mother grabbed his arm. He turned as she said. "They may all stay."

He looked down at her, confused. "Who, mum?"

Narcissa smiled mysteriously. "You will know when the time comes. It's the answer to your question/"

"But I didn't ask a..."

"But you will, my son. I'm just giving you the answer in advance. Merlin knows, the house hasn't had guests in a long while."

Draco nodded, still perplexed. "Okay, mum."

Narcissa smiled and let go of his arm. "Good bye, baby dragon. I love you."

"I love you too, mum." Draco walked out and shut the door quietly behind him,, as his mother lifted the potion to her lips.

Hermione stared at her best friends, who glared back.

'How the bloody hell am I going to get out of this?'

"Um, hi guys." She said timidly. "What are you two doing here?"

"Oh, not much, Hermione." Ron said sarcastically. "we just thought we would visit our best friend last night. When we got there we heard her up stairs. So we went up and heard her say "Malfoy Manor" and when we opened the door the fire was flaring as if someone had just flooed. So we decided to stay because we were worried because she had just gone to our NUMBER ONE ENEMY'S HOUSE!!! So we stayed, being GOOD best friends, thinking she would come back at a DECENT time to tell us what was up. But she didn't come back till the NEXT bloody morning!!!"

"we just put his father in Azkaban, Hermione." Harry said, in a deadly calm voice. "and you just spent the whole night with his son. Tell me, Hermione, whose side are you on? You stay the night at Malfoy's, who's father was one of Voldemorts top supporters, yet your best friends are the ones trying to put them all away!"

"Draco's not how you think he is!!!" Hermione screamed.

"Oh, on first name basis already, eh, Hermione?" Ron screamed back. "What's next, calling him Drakie?!"

"Why the bloody hell would it matter to you what I call him, Ron hes not like you think!"

"Oh, really?" he retorted. "And how did you come to this conclusion? While you were snogging him?! No, wait, was it while you ere moaning his name? Or maybe..."

Hermione stomped up to him and smacked him hard across the cheek. She felt oddly happy to see a handprint being to appear.

Ron shrugged it off. "Well, Hermione?" said in the came deadly calm tone as Harry. "When did you decide he was different?"

"Maybe, just maybe it was when DUMBLEDORE sent me a letter telling me he was!!!" Hermione screamed.

Harry and Tons mouths dropped open.

"Dumbledore...?" Harry sputtered.

"Sent a letter?" said Ron.

"Saying he was different?!?" they said together.

"I don't believe it." Harry said, finally.

"Neither do I." said Ron.

"Well as of right now, I don't care what you think. When you find out what's really going on then you'll understand. Until that time, I expect you and your accusations to leave me alone. Now, if you would so kindly excuse me, I need to change." She brushed past the boys and headed up the stairs to her room.

Harry and Ron stared at each other, and then sunk into the couch.

"What d'ya reckon?" Ron asked after a few minutes. "Think she's telling the truth?"

"Hermione wouldn't lie, Ron."

"I know but the Hermione we know wouldn't stay the night at a guy's house, let alone Malfoy's."

"True, but if Dumbledore says he's different then...." Harry trailed off.

"I reckon she was telling the truth." Ron said.

Harry nodded. "We should probably go apologize." Ron nodded, and the two stood and made their way up the stairs.

After Hermione had changed in to super low rise dark blue flares and a white halter top, she sat down on the bed and began counting down. "Five...four... (She could hear the boys on the stairs.)...Three....two... (They were coming down the hallway.)...one." She heard a knock on her door. She smiled. They were so predictable.

She got up and opened the door, then turned and walked back over to sit on the bed.

Harry and Ron walked in and stood in the middle of the room awkwardly in front of her.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Harry spoke up. "Look Hermione, we're sorry. We shouldn't have yelled at you. we should of heard you out first. You probably have a very good reason to be going over there. I..WE'RE...sorry." he elbowed Ron to get his attention.

"Er, yea, sorry Hermione."

Hermione looked at her two best friends. "It's...its okay guys. I know it must have been confusing. But you see, you guys, don't know everything about me. Harry, do you know my favorite muggle song?"

Harry shook his head.

"Ron, do you know my favorite color?"

Ron shook his head.

"See, you don't know everything. You all think I'm this book worm. I'm not, entirely, at least. I like partying. Yesterday morning I had a killer hangover. Last night I was getting ready to go out to a club, when I got the letter from Dumbledore. Then you two showed up, and I knew you wouldn't like me going to get drunk, so I went to Malfoy's so you wouldn't see me."

Harry and Ron gapped at her. Ron shook his head.

"This is too much," he said sitting next to Hermione, "first you to Malfoy's, then stay the Whole night, then on top of it all you a party girl! Hermione, next time you need to tell us something, break it to us easy, and in small portions, okay?"

Hermione smiled and put her arm around him. "Deal."

Harry sat down, and Hermione put her arm around his also.

"Er, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yea?"

"Er...um...you and Draco...uh, how many times...how long have you two been together?"
Hermione smiled. She had known that would be coming. 'You guys, I've liked him since first year. No, we haven't been together that long, Ron," she said hastily, seeing Ron's face. "I don't even know if we are going out. And last might was the first night.

Harry and Ron nodded, digesting the information

Suddenly the fire flared and Draco stepped out.

"Oh, Merlin, Hermione," he began, but stopped short seeing the now standing Harry and Ron.

He looked at Hermione who was looking at him with pleading eyes.

He looked back to Harry and Ron and prepared himself for the fists he knew was coming. He walked up to Ron, and stuck out his hand. Ron looked at it, floored.

"Hello, Ron. How are you?" he asked sincerely.

Ron looked at him, astonished. He looked back at Hermione, then back to Draco. He shook his hand and muttered, "I'm fine, thanks."

Draco turned to Harry, and put his hand out. Harry shook it and said "hello, Draco. Nice seeing you."

It was Draco's turn to be floored.

Harry smiled and stepped out of his was so he could walk over to Hermione.

He walked over and Hermione stood, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him close. "How is she?" she asked quietly.

"As fine as she can be in her condition. She told me she wanted to meet you once she was out of bed. I told her there would be plenty of time. I don't plan on letting you go anytime soon."

Hermione smiled up at him, and standing on tiptoes, kissed him. Draco kissed her back, hungrily.

After a few minutes, Harry cleared his throat, not only to make them stop, but also because Ron looked like he was about to blow.

Draco looked down at Hermione. "At this rate we're not going to be able to snog as long as we want."

Hermione smiled, "that just leaves more for latter, huh?"

"Oh, you two go get a room!!!" Ron said disgusted.

Draco smirked. "This is a room, Weasley. Its not my fault you happen to be in it to."

Harry laughed, while Hermione elbowed Draco in the side.

"Ouch, Hermione!" Then he saw the look on her face, and he quailed under it. "Uh, er, Sorry wea-Ron. No hard feelings, eh?"

Ron stared at him, once again floored. He snapped out of it and looked over at Harry. "Did you hear that, Harry? Draco-the-ferret-boy-Malfoy, has just apologized." He turned back to Draco. "That'll go down in history books, that will."

Draco stared at him for a few seconds, and then started laughing.

"That's a good comeback, Ron. He said. "How cone you never told me he was like this, Hermione."

"Well you never gave us the time of day, did you Malfoy, unless it was to make fun of us." Ron retorted.

Draco stopped laughing and looked a bit awkward. "About that, I'm sorry. My father didn't want me to acquire friends that he didn't approve of. He didn't approve of you, Ron, because..." he blushed slightly. "Because of the fact...that...well, you didn't have much money. Also, the fact that your father loved mud- muggle borne and muggles. I guess I was jealous too. Of the fact you have a loving caring family, something I didn't have when he was around." He stopped, and his eyes clouded with emotion. Hermione slid her hand into his, silently telling him that she was there for him.

Draco looked down at her, thanking Merlin he had finally got her.

"I owe you an apology, too." Draco said looking at Harry. My father hated you and expected me to do the same. But, deep down, Harry, I secretly admire the fact that you go out of your way to save you friends and the lives of others. I admire the fact that you have stood up against Voldemort" (Ron shuddered and they all gave him an exasperated look.) "And the fact that you have helped put so many of his supporters away, including my father. Thank you, Harry. I owe you my life and my mothers well being."

Harry nodded. "It's all right, mate. I should apologize also, since we seem to be having a heart to heart conversation here. I apologize for being horrible to you, and I'm sorry that I didn't look behind your mask to see the real Draco Malfoy, not the one his father made."

Draco had a look of relief on his face, and said, "Thanks mate. I really needed to know that you forgave me. I was afraid that I would get a punch in the face."

Last of all he turned to Hermione, pulling her close. "I'm sorry to you, most of all, darling. I'm sorry for calling you horrible names. I'm sorry for making you angry, for making fun of you. I'm sorry that I didn't ignore all that had been drilled into me by my father to be with you sooner. I'm sorry, Hermione. I honestly don't deserve you." ("Got that straight." Ron muttered.) "But, you were there for me when I needed someone most. Dumbledore told you what had happened? Yes, I thought it was him. I guess I have him to thank for such a beautiful girl coming into my life. You know I've liked you since the first day I saw you? You asked me if I had seen some toad named Travis." ("Trevor." Ron muttered.) "You've got everything I want in a women, Hermione, brains, talent, and beauty. Just do me one favor? Let me win some arguments, okay? I want to feel smart around you sometimes."

Hermione nodded.

"Draco, you'll be the first one to win an argument against her, then, mate." Harry said, shaking his head jokingly. "Because, to be truthful, I don't think I have won one against her yet, in the all the five years that I've known her."

"Yea," Ron said. "Just make sure you win it where we can hear you. It would be great to see her lose." He smiled at Hermione wickedly.

Hermione shook her head. "I love you too, guys." She said sarcasticly.

She moved away from Draco to sit on the bed. Harry and Ron conjured up chairs to sit on, and the three began talking about what they had been doing over the summer. Draco listened for a little while, but soon began exploring Hermione's room. He opened up her closet, and looked through it, finding many revealing clothes he decided he wanted to see her in. He walked over to her window, where a black box was sitting on the ledge, with many buttons. Draco looked at it for a while, and then finally pressed a red button. Draco and Ron both jumped when loud, pounding music began blaring out of it. Harry and Hermione laughed at their shocked expressions, and the fact the two both had their wands pointing at it. Harry leaned over and turned it down, noticing that it was on CD and not radio.

"You like that song "Dip It Low" by that American girl Christina Milian?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, and the three went back to talking.

Draco, deciding that the box was evil, and would eat him in his sleep, wondered over to Hermione's bookcases to have a look. He tilted his head and began reading titles. The first shelve had all of Hermione's school books, so Draco skipped over that section, and looked at the other shelves. A Midsummer's Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing... is old stuff all she read??? Draco thought. at the very end of the row, Draco noticed a thick black book without a title. He pulled it out, and after making sure the box hadn't moved from the window, he leaned against the bookshelves and opened the book. Draco looked at the contents, and grinned mischievously. Draco had found her photo album. He flipped through the pages nonchalantly, so he wouldn't draw attention to himself, or the book he was holding. For some reason, most of the girls he knew never let him see pictures of them when they were younger, let alone any age, and he didn't want to take the chance if Hermione was one. Her slaps across the cheeks hurt like hell.

He flipped back to the first page to go through it slowly. The first picture was of Hermione at the beach, when she was younger, about four. She was looking at the photographer and smiling, but Draco noticed an odd, almost scared look in her eyes. In the next few pages all the pictures of her held that same haunted look, and Draco couldn't help but shiver slightly. It was unnerving. He turned to one of her parents and her, and judging by what the cake in front of the said, it was her sixth birthday. She was sitting in between her parents, and Draco was relieved to see that the look had almost disappeared. He looked down at her parents, trying to figure out who she took out the most. He noticed that she didn't seem to take after either of them. Where she had brown hair and brown eyes, her parents had blonde hair and blue eyes. Hmm..Weird. Draco thought, turning the page. He continued looking through it, until he was almost at the end, and stopped on a page with a close up of her parents. He stared at it. If I didn't know they were muggles, I would have said these were some of dad's friends. They look oddly familiar though. Where have I seen them before??? Draco flipped back through the book, and stopped at every page her parents were on, studying them.

He studied them, them realized something odd. He looked up at Hermione, trying to decide if he wanted to risk giving the book up or just ask the question and hope she was to busy with her conversation to notice it. He chose option two.

"Hermione," he said. "Where are your baby pictures?"

Hermione looked over and blushed at him. NO! Please don't take the book! Please, please, please...don't take it!

"I don't have any." Oh, thank Merlin! She didn't take it! What a minute...

"Why not?" he asked, confused. Don't all families take pictures of their kids when there younger? Like first steps, first birthdays.???

"Well mum says she was camera shy when she was pregnant with me."

"Well that's great and all. But why aren't there any of you between the ages of birth till about four?"

"I honestly don't know, Draco. Why are you asking?"

"Just struck me as funny I guess. You know, not having a picture of your first steps, your first birthday, you know, that kind of thing."

"Oh, okay then," Hermione said, turning back to continue her conversation with Harry and Ron.

"Hermione?" Draco asked again, after studying her parent's picture for a while. "Where are your parents right now?"

"Oh, they went to a dentist convention or something in the South of France."

"The South of Where?!" Draco shouted, everything suddenly clicking.

"France. Draco, are you okay?" Hermione looked at him worried. His face had paled and he was looking around Hermione's room like something was after him.

"Hermione, we need to get out of here, as soon as possible," he said, whipping out his wand.

Hermione looked at him, confusion written all over her face and the faces of Ron and Harry.

"I'll explain later. Right now, we need to get out of here as soon as possible. Ron, watch the fire, Harry the door. I'll watch the windows. Hermione get packed. If I'm right about this, I don't think you'll be coming back."

Hermione gaped at him.

"Now see here..." Ron began.

"Now!!!" Draco shouted.

Everyone scrambled to follow Draco's orders. They knew if Draco showed he was scared, then something was seriously wrong.

Hermione, desperately trying to get everything she would ever need out of her room. After a few minutes, she let out a frustrated cry, trying to fit everything into her trunk.

"Just shrink the bloody stuff, Granger!!!" Draco snapped, glancing over his shoulder, his wand still pointing at the windows.

Hermione nodded, realizing that was the most logical thing to do. I Guess Ron and Harry were right. I do tend to lose my cool in desperate situations. She thought. It took her ten minutes to get completely tear down her room, and get it all in her trunk. She turned toward the door.

"Where in the bloody blazes do you think going?" Draco hissed.

"I have to get Crookshanks." Hermione said, tears in her eyes.

"No! Harry, open the bloody door a crack and accio the damn thing, you're the best to do that spell!!! But be bloody careful!!"

Harry nodded and opened the door a crack. He concentrated his whole mind on Crookshanks, and then muttered "Accio, Crookshanks."

The cat came flying into the room, spitting and hissing at the boys.

"Come here Crookshanks." Hermione said, and the cat jumped into her arms.

"I'm done." She said to Draco.

"About bloody time!!!" Draco said. "Ron, throw in some floo powder. ("Its in the blue jar." Hermione said.) "then walk backwards toward the trunk and help me carry it in. Hermione, enlarge the fireplace."

Hermione fumbled for her wand. "Engorgio!" The fireplace swelled until it could fit all of them comfortably.

"Good." Draco and Ron grabbed the handles and began walking toward the fireplace, Draco still watching the window with his wand up. "Now, Hermione, I want you to stay between us and Harry. Harry, you're going to be covering us until we get in. Then we'll cover you."

Harry nodded and Draco, Ron, and Hermione began walking towards the fire place, Harry taking over watch on the window as well as the door."

Once they were all in, Draco said, "Draco's room, Malfoy Manor."

Hermione held Crookshanks tightly, not wanting to lose him. Draco slipped his wand into his cloak, and then wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist. When they slowed down, Harry threw his hands out to stop his fall and to stop everyone else from falling on him.

He and Hermione stepped out, (Crookshanks jumping out of her arms and streaking under the bed, where they assumed he would stay for the rest of the summer) followed by Draco and Ron, with the trunk. They set the trunk down in front of the fireplace and Ron, finally unable to hold it in for asked "what the bloody hell was going on back there?!?!"

"Not now," Draco said, walking over to a bookcase, "I need to check something, then I'll tell you."

he pulled out a thick emerald green book and flipped through it. He stopped at a page and stared at it for a while, then drew Hermione's book out of his pocket, opened it and looked between the two books. He sighed, pulled out his wand and tapped a knot in the wood with his wand. There was a loud noise, and a secret drawer was reveled on the bottom of the bookcase. He bent, ruffled through its contents and pulled out yet another book. He opened it and looked through the pages, his eyebrows furrowed together. He then straightened and began flipping through Hermione's book again, and looked between those two for awhile.

"Harry," Ron muttered, "I think he's gone mad."

"No, I haven't, Ron." Draco said gravely, closing the three books and walking over to them. "Though, I wish I was, now."

Hermione, sit down.." he said , nodding at a chair. She walked over and sat down, the three boys following her.

"Hermione," Draco asked, kneeling in front of her, "have you ever wondered why you have brown hari and brown eyes, if you parents have blonde hair and blue eyes?"

Hermione shook her head, wondering why on earth darco would ask her something like that. "mum says my grandma had brown hair and eyes. She suppose I got it fom her."

"Yes, but have you ever met that grandmother?"

"no, actually..."she trailed off. "why?"

"Because, Hermione, I have reason to believe that the people you call parents aren't your parents. I don't believe they are even related to you at all."

"What?" Hermione, Harry and Ron said together.

"Hermione, when I was looking at you picture book, I though I recognized you parents form one of dad parties, one he had when I was younger. I thought it might just be coincidence that they had muggles that looked a lot like them, but the more pictures I looked at of the two, the more I knew it wasn't a coincidence. Then I noticed you had no baby pictures. Something every parent usually has. Then when you told me that your parents were in Southern France, it all clicked.

He looked up at her, concern in his eyes. "Hermione, I don't know how exactly to tell you this, but... he trailed off. He placed her book on her lap, open to the close-up of her parents.

"Before my dad went to Azkaban, he told me that Voldemort" (Ron shuddered again, but everyone ignored him) "was in the South of France, regrouping his death eaters. He told me that one couple would be rewarded beyond their dreams. He didn't say why though, but I think I know."

He picked up the emerald green book, opened it, and placed it on her lap. Hermione, Harry and Ron all looked down at it, and gasped. Hermione's parents, though younger in the picture, were laughing and showing the photographer their Dark Marks. There was no way it couldn't be them.

"There's more." Draco said. "I want you to know the full truth, Hermione."

"About twelve years ago, my mother's best friend and her husband were found murdered in what remained of their home. They're four year old daughter was missing. My mum knew it was dad's friends who killed them. She tried desperately to find her best friends baby, but to no avail. She went to dad, who told her the girl was in another home, and to forget about her. But my mother couldn't. She used to cry at night, hoping the girl was all right. She never forgave my father for not helping her find the little girl. Hermione, I think that little girl was you."

he laid the final book in her lap. She, Harry and Ron leaned in to look. It was a picture of a family, all smiling happily into the camera, the wife holding a baby girl. there was no mistaking the little girl. it was Hermione.

Hermione looked up at Draco's worried face, and let out a small smile. Then she fainted dead away.