A/N: Yay! The edit/preview simple mode page is working again so the page breaks have returned! JeeJ! My concept of what the Malfoy Manor looks like is a beautiful stately home in England called Keddleston Hall, google it for more information or pictures. Thanks for all your reviews and encouragement. Enjoy...

Hermione clambered out of the fireplace in their basement and nearly shrieked in shock as she saw one of the house elves from the Manor stood, hands clasped behind her back. "Mistress Hermione?" The house elf looked concerned, which wasn't particularly surprising considering the state of Hermione.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Mistress Hermione should come to the Manor. Master Draco is in a bad state, he needs Mistress Hermione's help."

"Is he ill?" Hermione ran her hands through her already out of control hair.

"Not technically, but Miss should come quickly."

"Okay." Hermione turned to pick up more floo powder but was stopped by the house elf tugging on her sweater.

"Master Draco had shut down the floo connection. You can only apparate to the gates."

"The gates!" Hermione groaned in exasperation but disapparated with a crack, reappearing in front of the imposing wrought iron gates of the Malfoy Manor. She tapped the gates with her wand and they slid open, Hermione glanced up at the vast country house as she walked briskly up the long driveway. The house was beautiful, there was no denying it, the huge colonnaded section and the entirely symmetrical wings created a delightful image. Hermione ran up one of the sweeping stone staircases to find one of the house elves holding the high doors open for her.

"Where is Draco?" Hermione asked, slightly breathless from her run up to the house.

"Master Draco is in the main drawing room Mistress Hermione."

Hermione nodded and walked over to the doors, she placed one hand on it, composing herself slightly before pushing it open to reveal Draco curled up on the floor, shaking. The room was a complete mess, everything that could be smashed was smashed and as she got closer to her husband she could hear him muttering under his breath.

"Draco, Draco…its Hermione." She knelt beside him and placed a tender hand on his green polo shirt clad back. "Draco…"

Draco choked slightly. "What have I done Hermione? How can I live with myself? The Ministry knew this was going to happen didn't they…fucking bastards, they wanted this to happen. Kill two birds with one stone. But how can I…"

"Draco, quiet. I know this is hard, of course I do." Hermione moved round so that she was sat cross legged in front of Draco, his head fell in her lap and she stroked his hair tenderly. "Draco…you know in a way you did him a favour."

He looked livid. "You fucking bitch! How can you suggest that killing my own father is doing him a favour? You cold, callous, heartless…"

"Draco! If you hadn't killed him, where would he have ended his life? Stuck in Azkaban going slowly mad. At least he's not in pain anymore." Draco looked up and a look of dawning comprehension crossed his face. Hermione nodded and continued to speak. "Did you never wonder why your mother never seemed that upset?"

"Are you joking 'Mione? She was heartbroken…"

"Yes but she was anyway. After Lucius died she seemed more at peace. Of course she was heartbroken Draco; her son had to kill his father and her husband. If that's not enough to destroy someone then I don't know what is but she saw that Lucius wouldn't be suffering anymore."

"He told me that." Draco's voice cracked. "They let me speak to him before I…before I killed him. He understood, I didn't think he would. He never showed much compassion for me so I didn't think he would understand what I was prepared to do for my children. But he said he did understand. Azkaban had changed him, he said his only regret was that pride kept him from showing his love for me and that he'd never get to see the twins. He told me that I had to do it, to make up for everything he'd never given me or could give Alex and Lissy. He told me that I did the right think in marrying you. But 'Mione he didn't even know he was a grandfather or that I was married until that day but he gave me his blessing, and then he…he told me to do it, told me I was setting him free from the hell he'd created for himself. I killed him and he understood."

"Why did you never tell me this before?"

"I was in denial that what he had said wasn't true and honest, I thought maybe I was mad or he was. But now I understand and I'm free. I'll never be truly free but I suddenly understand what he died for and I need to free myself of the guilt to honour his memory."

"Ginny this is great…" Hermione smiled warmly at her friend as they sat eating dinner in Ginny and Harry's kitchen with Draco, Harry, Lily and Sirius. It was obvious that Hermione and Draco had come round for a reason so the atmosphere was slightly stiff and uncomfortable, in fact little conversation other than nervous small talk and the chatter of the children had been exchanged.

Hermione laid down her knife, looked at Draco and he nodded, his eyes showing nerves. "Guys, we didn't just come here to enjoy Ginny's cooking tonight. We have to tell you something, no one else knows except us and Narcissa."

"Its do with how Draco got free isn't it?" Harry took a sip of his wine and nodded. "Go on."

Ginny turned to the children and spoke quietly, knowing that what was about to be revealed was not for young ears. "Lily, take Sirius into the playroom, please. I'll bring some ice cream in for you in a bit." The young girl slid off her chair and took her brother's hand, leading him away from the adults.

Draco watched the door close firmly behind them before resting his hands on the table and beginning to speak, his voice low and dangerously quiet. "The Ministry didn't want to let me go once I'd given myself up. I spent three weeks locked in a cell before they decided to have some fun and torture me. It wasn't that bad, no worse than I suffered at the hands of Voldemort, but it was the situation. I didn't know if I'd ever see Hermione or Alex and Lissy again," Hermione gripped Draco's leg under the table. "I finally broke about a month later and told them I'd do anything, anything to see my family again. Of course, they'd had long enough to think up something horrific that would scar me for life." Draco took a deep breath and reached for Hermione's hand, his palms were sweaty as he relived the horrors of his past.

"They told me that to prove that I was truly no longer loyal to Voldemort and the Death Eater's I would have to kill my own father."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Harry and Ginny. "You killed Lucius Malfoy?"

Draco hung his head. "My family means everything to me, everything. I would do anything to protect the honour of my family name and that includes making sure my father died for a reason, he messed up his life but in death he saved mine."

"Malfoy pride." Harry breathed.

"Yes. The Ministry thought they'd beaten us, and for the last three years I thought they had too, but they haven't. The family has survived, and stronger than ever."

"I used to think you were weak," Ginny said quietly, blushing slightly. "I used to think you bullied us because you were weak, I never saw that you were just trying to protect your family name, that it was all you had been taught to do. I can see now, now that you are free from the Dark Lord, I can see that you are as strong as any of us."

"No, I'm not. I wasn't strong enough to stand up to my father."

"Yes but that was because you believe so strongly in your family pride."

"I suppose." Draco shrugged, he was shocked that Harry and Ginny had accepted so easily what he had done, he'd never met anyone who'd looked at the qualities in a horrific action before and their encouragement lifted so much weight off his chest that he felt like flying and suddenly he realized he could tell Blaise, Blaise who had always stood by him and understood the pressure he was under, Blaise who had known him better than anyone.

A/N: Well, I wonder how you'll all take that news - criticisms are welcome of course, I wasn't sure where to take the story just before this point and it took a lot of agonising in registration and tutor time, and much painful writing and rewriting on the flight back from Amsterdam for me to decide what to do. Now, opinion poll time, I was wondering do people want me to drag this story out or finish it hereand write a later installment, thus starting a "series" of some sorts. I feel at some point I would like to write Hermione and Draco getting together or the twins early years, or even more of their adventures at Hogwarts, so a series is probably inevitable but your input is always welcome after all you are my audience! Ciao xxx