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Then The Morning Comes
Chapter Nineteen

000

Truth be told, John and Jane Granger had almost expected to find their daughter in the position they found her in the morning after her party: in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

When they walked past Hermione's open bedroom door to find the room empty, there was only one obvious conclusion. Sure enough, when they opened the door of the guest room ever so quietly, they found her lying on her side, flush against Draco, holding him like she'd never let him go and sleeping more deeply then they'd ever know her to do.

And Draco was doing the same.

Any discomfort they may have felt at finding their teenage daughter in bed with a teenage boy was put to rest by the fact that both were fully clothed.

Actually that wasn't quite true. Although they were sure that Draco and Hermione hadn't had sex with each other, there was more to it that worried them. Hermione's parents knew exactly who Draco Malfoy was. They'd known since they'd run into his cruel father five years ago in Diagon Alley. And although they truly believed that Draco was not his father, there were other things that weren't so easy to look past.

They weren't fools; they knew the kind of life Draco had lived. They understood all to well the world in which he'd been raised. He'd been taught from early childhood that he was superior to everyone else. Hatred and arrogance had been drilled into him like simple arithmetic. Generations of wizards before him had led him to despise people like John and Jane.

In previous years Hermione had told them on more than one occasion the things that Draco had said about her. He'd called her a Mudblood, meaning her blood was dirty because she'd been born to non-magical parents. They automatically detested anyone who regarded their amazing child as unclean, unworthy of her place in the magical world. Again, they weren't stupid. Every parent is automatically protective and appreciative of their child, but they knew that Hermione was special – and not just speaking of her magical abilities. Hermione was brilliant, and kind, and true – she was the kind of person every parent dreams of siring.

Anyone who didn't see that was simply unworthy of their daughter. And they'd thought just that about Draco Malfoy until two things had caught them off guard.

The first was that the boy had saved Hermione's life. That alone was enough to forgive him of his prejudices. When they'd learned he was going to come home with Hermione, they had been willing and eager to accept them graciously into their household – partly because of what he'd done for Hermione and partly because they were just that classy.

Then the second thing happened, something unexpected. Draco had shown up and they'd seen it immediately. There was no mistaking the way he looked at Hermione. They had watched carefully and the more they watched, the more certain they became. Draco was in love with their daughter. Despite her 'dirty blood,' her inferiority, he loved her.

If they were being honest with themselves, this wasn't all that surprising. Who wouldn't love Hermione?

But then an even more surprising thing became clear to them; that Hermione was in love with Draco.

She looked at him the way he looked at her. It also became apparent to the Grangers that neither Draco nor Hermione was aware of the way the other felt. They could feel the uncertainty and misunderstanding in the air. The tension between them crackled in the air almost tangibly.

At first this was baffling, but after a while it made perfect sense. Both were blinded by prejudice and the surety that the prejudice of the other would prevent reciprocation of their feeling. In other words – in their minds, there was no way that someone who had claimed to hate them for years could ever love them.

In the beginning, the idea that two people who had hated each other from the moment they'd laid eyes on each other could suddenly be in love with each other had seemed unlikely, if not outright ridiculous, but then it occurred to them that this must have been a long time coming.

It was all John and Jane could do not to sit Draco and Hermione down in a room and smack their heads together until they understood. But wisdom and years stopped them. They knew that the two had to figure it out on their own – and figure in out they would.

They had watched silently the night before as Hermione almost broke from worry and pain over the boy she loved. They hadn't interfered, knowing that it would only exacerbate the situation, but it frightened them. They had seen in that moment that Hermione would move heaven and earth for him. If she had to make a choice between her heart and her mind, she would choose her heart. She would choose Draco.

But would he do the same? If it came down to it, would he forsake his pureblood world, ignore his traditions and give himself to Hermione?

John and Jane weren't so sure of this. They knew that Draco loved Hermione as much as he knew how – they could tell – but would it be enough? To put it plainly, Draco had a lot of baggage, especially for one so young. How could he not, considering the kind of father he'd had? And now his mother was dead.

Something dark was brewing in the wizarding world, and the Grangers couldn't help wondering if the attempt on Hermione's life and the murder of Draco's mother were somehow connected.

If they were, then both Draco and Hermione were in more danger than they realized, for anyone who would try to kill Hermione because she was Muggle-born – they assumed this was the reason for her attack – would most certainly hate her even more if they found out that one of their own precious pureblood sons had fallen in love with her.

And now as they watched the two cling to each other in their sleep, a fusion of hope and foreboding filled them.

The hope was that Draco would, through his love for Hermione, find his way from the darkness. The foreboding stemmed from their worry that Hermione, through her love for Draco, would fall into darkness.

Hermione and Draco were part of a world that her parents could never be a part of. It was incredibly hard for them to sit and watch from the sidelines as the storm raged. But they didn't have a choice. They were powerless.

In a world where someone could speak a single word (or two) to kill someone else, even love was dangerous.

And so they left the guest bedroom on the second floor of the home they'd built together in silence.

Something had to give, and soon.

They just hoped no one else ended up dead.

-

Hermione woke up to light pouring through the window of the guest bedroom. She didn't immediately recognize her surroundings, but it only took a split second for the memories of the night before to come back to her.

She felt Draco's arms around her. She could feel his chest rising and falling against hers. She could feel his heart thumping gently. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, allowing herself to smile. Then she opened her eyes and her let her sleepy gaze trace his exquisite features.

For one simple moment she was at peace. And then reality kicked in, like it always did after a moment like this with Draco.

She remembered every detail of the previous day and she remember the last thing she'd thought before she'd fallen asleep – that Draco wouldn't remember asking to hold her. It therefore became crucial that she extricate herself from his arms quickly.

But she didn't dare move. Part of her didn't want to let go, but an even more prevalent part of her was terrified that if she did he would wake up and wonder what the hell she was doing in his bed. She didn't even want to imagine look on his face.

But after several moments of painstaking deliberation, her instinct to protect herself took over and she held her breath as she began to disentangle herself from Draco.

But she didn't get far. Almost the moment she'd moved she felt his arms tighten around her, making it impossible to get away. She wondered if this was just an unconscious instinct of Draco's, but when he spoke to her she knew it wasn't.

"Don't go."

When she didn't answer, he opened his eyes and looked right into hers. She felt a lump rise in her throat as she realized that he knew exactly what was going on.

The truth was that Draco had been awake off and on through the night, quite aware of the fact that he was holding Hermione and enjoying it immensely.

She tried to pull away again and he didn't permit it.

"Um, good morning," she said awkwardly, not knowing what else to do.

"Mmm…" he replied groggily. "I feel like shit."

Hermione giggled softly. "You, er, had…quite a night last night."

"So did you. I never figured you for a party animal…" he replied through a scratchy throat.

"Oh!" she said in surprise. "I didn't think…"

"You didn't think I'd remember you bouncing around like a stray bludger?" There was a hint of smugness in his voice – "I'll never be that drunk…"

Hermione didn't know what to make of that comment so she didn't even try. "What else do you remember?" she asked nervously.

"Are you asking me if I know why you're in my bed?"

"Er…"

"That part is a little hazy," he said. He was lying, but she didn't know it.

"Oh," she said, feeling uneasy. This was not good. How was she going to explain this one away? It didn't help matters that her thoughts were clouded by the proximity of his puffy lips. She had a sudden urge to close the small distance and taste him, but she pushed it down, biting her lip instead.

His eyes automatically flickered down to her lips, then back to her eyes. He smiled knowingly at her and she felt herself blush.

He started to laugh at her and she stiffened immediately. But then her annoyance ended as quickly at it began as his face tensed up and he rolled away from her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, trying but failing to keep the worry out of her voice.

"What do you think is wrong, Granger?" he said, flashing her an incredulous look. "I drank enough to sink a small canoe. I feel like I've been hit by a train."

"Oh," she said. "That."

"Yes, that," he muttered. "Fucking hell, my head is killing me."

Hermione's heart leapt as she was oddly turned on by Draco's profanity. Where did that come from?

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, running his left hand through his morning hair. It was then that she remembered the condition of his right hand, which effectively drew her away from her treacherous thoughts.

"Draco, your hand – I think its broken-" she muttered, sitting up slightly as she leaned over to inspect his fractured fingers.

She didn't even notice that she'd called him by his first name, and if he did, he didn't say anything.

He snorted slightly. "Yeah," he said with an uncomfortable smirk. "That can happen when you…" Draco trailed off, knowing he's said too much.

Put your fist through a wall? She thought. It hit her very hard just then why Draco had been compelled to drink his weight in vodka. His mother had been murdered. She felt the pain she felt the night before as she gazed at his broken hand.

Sympathy welled up in her and she spoke without thinking. "I'm so sorry about your mother…"

She knew immediately she should have kept her mouth shut. Draco's calm demeanor disappeared at he stiffened. He turned a cold glare toward Hermione that made her wince slightly.

"What?" he said sharply.

Words failed Hermione as her wide eyes stared back into his icy silver ones. He could have no doubt now that she'd read the letter from the ministry and she honestly couldn't blame him for being angry.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have…I mean-"

"Get out."

"Draco!" she said painfully, needing to explain herself. "I'm really sorry…I didn't mean to-"

"I don't need your pity, Granger," he said harshly, "and I don't need your help."

Hermione became instantly angry. That's not what you said last night.

"You bastard!" she spat. She couldn't believe he could sit there say that after everything she'd done for him the night before.

"Excuse me?" he said, glaring at her.

All the peace and warmth she'd felt in his arms was gone as she opened fire on him.

"You passed out at my party and I apparated you home!" she snapped. She intended to tell him just how much he'd needed her help. "I apparated in front of my friends, Malfoy. They saw my put my arms around you and disappear. How am I going to explain that?"

He just stared coldly at her as she went on.

"I performed magic in front of muggles because you felt sorry for yourself and couldn't hold your liquor."

She knew she was being a little insensitive but she didn't care. This was exactly what she'd been afraid would happen.

"And since you are so blissfully ignorant of how I ended up in your bed, let me fill you in." She narrowed her eyes in anger. "I came in here to make sure you were still alive and then next thing I knew you were begging me to let you hold me."

She felt herself blushing again but she continued to glare defiantly at him.

"And I'm sure you remember the part where I tried to leave quietly and you wouldn't let go of me, since it was about five minutes ago."

He remained silent and it was starting to irk her. Surely he should have something to say! When he continued to glare vehemently at her she went on, though a little less sure of herself this time.

"And it's not like I went digging through your personal belongings to get information. You left that letter on the floor, Malfoy."

The moment she mentioned the letter, Draco became even more cold, if that was possible.

"Get out. Now."

Hermione set her jaw and nodded wordlessly. So this was how it was going to be. Fine. Part of the blame rested on her and she knew that. She known better but she'd let down her defenses. She should have walked away the moment he'd asked her to lie down next to him. Now she was screwed and there was no way out of it.

She left the room without a backward glance and closed the door behind her.

-

A very bitter Draco watched her go and didn't think twice.

He'd been drunk several times in his life and he'd never had a problem remembering the things that happened while he was wasted - it was an odd trait that was sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse. He remembered very well watching Hermione practically grind against her asshole friend. He remembered everything up until the moment he'd blacked out.

And then he remembered waking up in his current location in the middle of the night to find most of the pain in his limbs gone. He had still been quite inebriated at the time, but he clearly remember waking up again and feeling Hermione in the room. He'd asked her to stay with him. He hadn't thought about the consequences at the time, an unfortunate side effect of excessive alcohol consumption.

But she'd complied, for whatever reason. He hadn't questioned it at the time for obvious reasons. And in the morning he'd felt her stirring in his arms and instinct had made him hold on to her.

He'd pretended not to remember, partly because he wanted to find out what she thought about what he'd done, and partly because he didn't want to admit he'd been quite aware of asking her to basically wrap herself around him.

He could sense how unsure she'd been when she'd awakened to find him still holding her. The use of his first name was not lost on him either, but he'd chosen not to make a big deal of it. It seemed like the whole thing would pass without any unnecessary awkward feelings, but then she'd ruined it.

He didn't even want to think about the fact that his mother was dead, let alone that Hermione knew exactly why he'd been drinking – well, she didn't know all of it. There was of course that fact that it had driven him crazy to see her with another guy, but at the moment he didn't particularly want to think about that little detail.

He'd now lost his family. He was completely alone in the world. And as good as it had felt to have Hermione willingly in his arms, he didn't want her pity.

Hermione feeling sorry for him only reminded him of just how alone he was.

Several moments after she'd closed the door he felt a painful twinge, but he shoved it away quickly.

The last thing he needed was weakness.

000

A/N - You didn't think it would be that easy did you?
This is Draco and Hermione. It will never be easy.
But all is not lost, stay with me.

On that bright note, have a lovely day and keep reviewing:D

Amanda

PS – Some of you have commented that it is highly unlikely that Draco and Hermione could fall in love in only a week. I quite agree. I thought I'd covered that though. I meant to make it clear that though they've only realized it of late, they've had feeling for each other for a long time. Maybe I should go back through it…

Its probably true that JKR's Draco and Hermione might find it a little more difficult, but my Draco and Hermione have harbored an unrealized passion for each other for quite some time – that's the beauty of fan fiction. : )

PPS – It was all I could do not to include the longwinded rant I went on about my intentions for this story in these notes. I didn't want to burden the chapter with my issues. However, I did save it to my computer and it is rather awesome. If anyone would like to read it, let me know.

Thanks again, Shayeri, for your suggestions.

8-15-06

Updated 8-20-06-

I'm very sorry for the lateness of chapter 20, it will be up soon, hopefully within the next day or so. I haven't been on the computer at all for the last few days until now. I'd pain having terrible pain and I ended up in the ER yesterday for four hours until they diagnosed me with kidney stones and sent me home.

So although I could finish writing the chapter right now, I think you'll like the result better if I wait until I'm not so full of narcotics that I can't think straight. (Which is where I am right now)

Check back here for updates, I'll let you know when I'm almost there.