Hello lovelies!
It's crazy that there are almost 200 chapters in this story. CRAZY. Either way, as always, thank you for continuing to read my story x
I've also been updating my Remione story, A Dalliance In Time a lot lately, in case that interests anyone!
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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling, and only the story line and any OC's belong to me
Eventually, Jameson thawed Tottle. The man was belligerent and demanded that there be repercussions for what had transpired. Jameson chuckled and waved his hands around the room, asking if a crime had been committed. Aside from breaking the visitor's rule, the Pack and their companions had healed two of his patients. Jameson told the man he should be more grateful.
"They didn't use any unnecessary force either. I can't see any reason why I would need to file an official complaint," Jameson shrugged as he escorted them out.
Frank and Alice were exhausted and had barely enough energy to stay awake. Everyone aside from Neville and Augusta was asked to leave. Hermione knew she would see her friends soon, so she had no objections.
They parted with Jameson in the lobby. Hermione averted her gaze from the peeved receptionist, wanting to avoid further conflict where possible. Jameson assured them that whilst he would have to write up a report on the events, they would not suffer any punishments.
"If anything, by this time tomorrow, the Daily Prophet will have heard about what happened today and you will be all anyone will be talking about."
"I've been back for a week and managed to avoid the press. You've been back under twelve hours, and we're going to be on the front page of the Prophet in the morning. Trust you to make such an explosive return." Draco drawled, pressing a light kiss to Hermione's temple. She shrugged.
"Stunning finish," Hermione muttered so only Draco could hear, and he barked out a laugh.
Afterwards, the Pack returned to Potter Manor. The intention was for Harry and Ron to return to Hogwarts through the floo. Neither of them was eager to part from Hermione, but she hugged them fiercely and promised she wasn't going anywhere.
"I'll have to come and sort out everything at Hogwarts soon anyway," Hermione said. "Hermione Granger doesn't need to take her NEWTs anymore."
The boys kept delaying their departure with heaps of questions and they began to fill her in on what she had missed. Draco rolled his eyes and after ten minutes back and forth, he insisted the boys stay the night.
"You're lucky you don't have classes tomorrow," Draco grumbled. He stopped beside Hermione to kiss her soundly, and pressed their foreheads together for a few poignant moments. He didn't want to let her go yet, not after he'd just gotten her back.
"I'll be up soon, gorgeous," Hermione said, kissing him once more. Draco nodded, his eyes burning with molten silver. A shiver ran up her spine and reluctantly they parted. Draco retreated to his room, looking back at them once he reached the top of the staircase.
Thankfully, they didn't have to prepare sleeping arrangements because Ron and Harry were currently sharing one of the unclaimed rooms in their wing that was a couple doors down from Hermione.
Remus and Sirius followed Draco's example, both exhausted.
Sirius tugged Harry and Ron both into brief hugs, picked Hermione off her feet, swung her around and peppered her cheeks with kisses. Remus bid the boys a good night, and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Night, love."
"Please tell me I get to see Tonks soon," Hermione said, biting her bottom lip. Remus's eyes widened.
"Of course, but why do you look so worried?"
"You and I were in a relationship for years, I slept with her husband, knowing he would one day be her husband," Hermione rattled off, waving her hands around.
Remus avoided Harry and Ron's gaze. "Merlin I forgot how blunt you can be." Remus flushed bright red, from his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears.
Hermione smiled innocently as if she didn't understand what he meant.
"She is rather eager to see you again," Remus said, clearing his throat. Sirius was waiting on the stairs, grinning widely; wildly amused by the unfolding conversation.
"She knows that—"
"She understands, Hermione. Either way, we can deal with all that later. Right now I'm going to bed."
The two wizards went upstairs and left the Golden Trio in the Foyer. Part of Hermione wished to follow after them.
The trio ended up visiting the kitchen. Mipsy woke up with all the commotion and hastily made three cups of hot cocoa.
The House Elf had been beside herself with glee when she saw Hermione. Fat, joy-filled tears had sprung from her large, wide eyes for several minutes. She had kissed Hermione's cheeks thrice each in between wiping her eyes with her apron.
Mipsy dragged herself back to bed shortly after she finished making their drinks. Insistent that she and her daughter would need to rise early to prepare Breakfast for everyone on the morrow.
The trio retreated to the dining room adjacent to the kitchens. Hermione settled herself in her usual chair, drawing her knees to her chest and cradling the mug on top of her knee caps. She absently blew on the piping hot liquid as the boys took up seats opposite her.
"Sirius mentioned it's been a few months but he didn't get a chance to tell me what you do or don't know," Hermione said casually. She wasn't sure what to say, but figured that was a safe start. Both boys were watching her raptly.
Ron took a sip of his hot cocoa and cleared his throat. "We know most things. Sirius and Remus took me through some memories so I could get to know Draco better—"
"Memories?" Hermione said breathily. It was far more than she had expected, much less hoped for. On the other hand, she thought they would be back within days of leaving.
"They were mostly centred on Draco. Everyone kept talking about how different he was, I wanted to see for myself before he returned," Ron said carefully, nursing his drink.
"Did you get to see any memories?" Hermione addressed Harry.
Harry grimaced. "No, I finally agreed to view some when Draco got back." He sheepishly rubbed a hand through his hair and it stuck up in the back.
A ghost of James shimmered before her eyes for a brief moment, partaking in a similar action. Similar yet not.
Harry James Potter and James Galieus Potter were two entirely different people. She hadn't even been back twelve hours, yet the differences were glaringly obvious. Harry was not James.
Hermione didn't want Harry to be James. She did wish that she could have kept them both, but at that moment, she mostly wished to see her little brother. And this was too much.
"I…I can't do this," Hermione said quietly.
"Pardon?" Harry asked. She doubted he'd heard her. Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Maybe we should pick this up tomorrow, mate," Ron suggested. "It's been a long day." Hermione shot him a grateful smile, but it wasn't fully formed.
The boys bid her goodnight. Ron pressed a kiss to her temple. Harry bumped his nose against hers. She had to lean up to hug both of them, careful not to spill her drink.
Hermione was left alone in the candle-lit room with her treacherous thoughts.
"What am I supposed to do without you here?" Hermione asked, her voice tiny and unintelligible. She drained the rest of her drink; it's lukewarm.
Hermione placed the mug on the table and got up. Her legs buckled under her, and she caught herself on the edge of the table.
Hermione buried her face in her forearm and a sob choked out of her. How am I going to live in a world without you?
Hermione permitted herself to fall apart for a few moments, but then she drew in a shaky breath and stood up. She swiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands and shoved those thoughts into the deep recesses of her mind.
Hermione moved to the kitchen, washed her mug, placed it in the drying rack, and retired to her room.
Exhaustion tugged her limbs downwards as she trudged through the house. Eventually she reached Draco's room. The door was ajar. She entered as quietly as she could.
Draco's chest was bare, an arm was tucked under his head, the other resting on his abdomen and his lower half was covered by black, silk sheets. He's awake. His head lolled to the side and he stared at her.
Hermione closed the door and collapsed against it. Draco gave her an encouraging smile.
"I know," Draco said, and the genuine inflection in his tone melted away her fatigue. She didn't need to explain what she was feeling. He'd already endured it, except he'd been alone.
Hermione pushed off the door. She strode over to the bed, stripping off articles of clothing as she went until she was left in her knickers. She tossed her brassiere to the side.
Hermione reached the edge of the bed, and Draco lifted the sheets. She climbed onto the bed, ducked under the covers and laid out beside him.
Draco was incredibly warm as she pressed her cool skin against his. He hissed at the contact, but drew her close. Hermione stared deeply into his glittering grey eyes—almost black in the dark room.
Draco tilted his head and pressed a kiss to her hairline, and remained there, his lips brushing over her skin. "It's going to be okay, my love."
Draco's words released the latch on the thick, iron, mental door she'd erected. Hermione held onto him as she let her raging emotions gush forward; a dam burst. Draco murmured soft things to her, but she didn't hear any of it. Her body was shaking, her tears burned, she kept sniffling and she was having trouble breathing.
Her brother and sister were gone, and there wasn't anything that could be done about it. It wasn't a problem she could solve, something she could fix. Hermione wept and wept. Draco wiped away her tears. The wetness on her forehead told her that he was crying too.
Hermione cried until she had no tears left, until she was dry heaving and blubbering uncontrollably. She cried until she tired herself out and her eyes dropped unwittingly. She cried until she tumbled into unconsciousness.
Sunday, April 11th, 1999
Potter Manor
Hermione woke up in a quiet, peaceful fashion. She rubbed at her puffy eyes and stared at the side of Draco's face. She was eye level with his cheek and she stared at his stubble. She reached out and stroked the tip of her index finger over the scruff.
I should go see Minnie, Hermione thought. Her body was eager to move, she could feel the urge to be productive scrawling beneath her skin.
Hermione poked Draco's cheek. The wizard's eyes pried open and he peered at her sleepily. "Mm?"
"Morning gorgeous. I have to do something and I'll be back shortly."
"You just got back…and you're leaving me already?" Draco asked, nuzzling his face into her neck.
"I'm just going to see Minnie," Hermione said with a huffy laugh. "I just want to have a chat with her."
"She's not going anywhere, Hermione," Draco said carefully, pulling back to peer at her with a furrowed brow. "What could be so urgent?"
"We should talk to her about updating our records so they accurately represent our lives. Combine our records from the seventies and now," Hermione said.
Draco made a sound of acknowledgement. "I'm sure she's started that process already, and if not, it can wait."
"Has she taken our names off the list of students sitting their NEWTs this year?" Hermione wondered aloud.
"Don't know. Problem for another time," Draco said. He began placing open-mouthed kisses to her skin. Hermione's breath caught as he made his way down her neck, down to her collarbone, in between her breasts and ended above her navel.
Draco laid his head sideways on her stomach and carefully rested all his weight onto her.
"You are allowed to take a moment, to not be doing something," Draco said quietly, his breath tickling her skin. She threaded her hands into his hair and idly massaged his scalp. A low, approving hum rumbled in his throat.
"What do you propose we do instead? Stay in bed all day?"
Draco propped his chin gently on her abdomen and gazed up at her thoughtfully. "That sounds like a marvellous idea."
Hermione took a long drag of her jasmine tea and stared out her bedroom window.
She'd had a brief interaction with Harry and Ron around midday, but it was still too soon. There was an air of dejection hovering over them as they left. Guilt riddled her heart, but if she spent too much time in Harry's presence she might burst into tears, and there was no way she was going to tell him that.
Truthfully, the only person she'd really interacted with today was Draco. At his insistence, she put off her visit to Hogwarts, and they spent a quiet day wrapped up in one another, enjoying one another's presence. They hadn't talked much.
The warmth from her tea spread through her as she took another sip. With a sigh she placed her cup on the windowsill.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked, kneeling on the ground in front of his trunk. He'd enlarged their trunks earlier and placed them side-by-side at the foot of her bed. He'd been rifling through his for the past ten minutes.
"Just restless," Hermione replied, tugging at the cuffs of Draco's long-sleeved, pastel blue shirt.
"Want to talk about it?" He hadn't ceased his trip to the past. She could hear him moving things around and making various noises as he stumbled across different items; like a child opening presents on Christmas.
"About what?"
"Why you're feeling restless."
"I don't know why."
"Then I can talk."
"About?"
Hermione ducked her head so her chin was touching her chest. She closed her eyes. The sounds behind her ceased. She counted to ten. Warm arms wrapped around her shoulders, lips pressed a kiss to the side of her head. Draco didn't respond.
Hermione swallowed thickly. "What was it like…after I left?"
"It wasn't easy," Draco admitted hoarsely. Hermione clung to his forearms, and sagged backwards into his embrace. "I went to see them."
"Lily and James?"
There was a heady silence. Draco nodded. "I just meant to check on them, make sure they were alright…but Lily stunned me, and I ended up staying for a bit."
"She stunned you?"
"Just under two months away from giving birth. Heavily pregnant and she still scared me more than most."
Hermione could picture it, and her lips twitched upwards. I wish I could have seen it, Hermione thought as she pushed her mouth against his forearms and inhaled deeply. She wasn't angry that Draco went to see them before he left, if anything she was glad he got that extra time with them.
"It's a long story, but I ended up telling James everything."
Hermione stiffened. "What do you mean everything? The Vow—"
"Was null and void at that point. The spell we cast ensured that. It was technically a loophole. Anything I said wouldn't affect the future because he would forget in a couple days."
Hermione turned around in his arms, her fingers splayed on his chest as she stared up at him. "You told him everything?"
"A general outline. None of the specifics," Draco murmured.
Hermione's face crumpled. She sniffed harshly. Potent concern crushed Draco's face as tears snuck out the corners of her eyes. "Did he hate us? For not changing things? For not saving him?"
"No…no," Draco said hurriedly. "I can show you the memory if you want. From that afternoon and when we said goodbye. But he didn't hate us, Hermione."
Hermione didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded jerkily. Draco brushed away her tears and bent down to place kind kisses onto her cheekbones.
"We can talk about something else," Draco suggested.
It wasn't a 'perfect' moment, but talking about Lily and James reminded her how precious life was, how fleeting their time truly is. "Ask me again," Hermione whispered.
Draco's brow knitted together and he searched face imploringly, trying to decipher what she meant.
"Ask me again," Hermione repeated, a bit louder this time. She grasped his face firmly, and her eyes flicked down to his neck where a trio of necklaces laid.
The confusion hastily bled out of him. Draco's eyes were like mercury. "Hermione—"
"If you don't want to then you don't have to, but I'm done waiting. I love you, Draco and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and we finally don't have to worry who knows."
Draco grabbed hold of her left hand, turned his face into her palm and brushed his lips over her skin. "You're stealing my lines."
"Be quicker," Hermione said. Draco scoffed. He relinquished his hold on her, but didn't break eye contact as he removed the necklace holding Dorea's ring from around his neck. His eyes darted down as he slid the ring off the silver chain and it landed in his awaiting hand. He was careful so that the pendant didn't slip off with it.
Draco deftly refastened the necklace around his neck. Draco lowered himself onto one knee. He held the ring up between them. "You stole the words out of my mouth. Which is quite rude."
Hermione groaned and clasped her hands in front of her. "You are so dramatic."
"Wasn't finished, please wait until the end of the proposal to make your remarks and commentary," Draco drawled, a devilish glint in his eyes and a broad grin on his face.
Hermione rolled her eyes but complied. She made a gesture for him to continue.
"You are the most stubborn person I've ever met, you drive me mental on a good day." Hermione's eyes widened at his comments, but he was unfazed, he marched along.
"You also have a heart of gold and will do anything for the ones you love. Every day I am thankful that I am one of those people." A tear rolled down Draco's cheek, but he was still smiling.
"I can also be a vindictive bitch," Hermione murmured, Draco fixed her with a look and she clamped her lips shut. She'd promised to remain silent.
"We've faced numerous obstacles in our past, and I can't guarantee that we won't have hardships in the future, but there isn't anyone else I would want to weather those storms with."
I don't know, on a good day Tonks and I might have to worry about Remus stealing you away.
"I'm in love with you, Hermione. You've bloody stolen my heart, and I don't want it back. Would you do me the honour of marrying me?" Hope shimmered in his tear-filled eyes. Hermione dropped to her knees, and grasped his hands.
"Yes, Draco. You brilliant, infuriating man. Of course, I'll marry you." Hermione said, diving forward and knocking him onto his arse. Draco let out a groan. She'd winded him. She placed her hands on either side of him and pushed herself up so they met one another's eye.
In a swift movement, he pulled her to his chest, and flipped them over so she was trapped beneath him. He propped himself up on one forearm, and held the ring up to her with the other. It caught the dim light and glittered.
Hermione held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers expectantly. Draco shook his head at her antics. He slipped the ring onto her finger. The band thrummed with magic as it automatically resized itself to fit snugly on her finger.
"You are such a melt," Hermione murmured. She stared at the ring in wonder. "This was Mum's ring."
"Dad gave it to me, told me to hold onto it for when the time was right."
Hermione beamed and threw her arms around him. He ungracefully slid and fell onto her. She didn't seem to mind. She peppered his face with kisses. Draco chuckled lightly, and the joyous sound reverberated into her chest.
"I love you, Draco Potter."
"If you'd said no a second time then I would have had to seduce Moony and ask Tonks to share him."
A boisterous laugh built in her gut and bubbled out of her. "I would love to see you try. Mates can be very territorial."
"I'm aware, but I'm sure they would make an exception. Have you seen my arse?"
Hermione was cradling Draco's hips between her thighs, and she shifted so her bare foot slid up his leg and rested on the small of his back. She gently pressed the heel of her foot into his arse. "We've been acquainted."
"You are a wicked thing," Draco breathed.
"But you already knew that," Hermione said, gasping as he ground his hips down into hers. "And you still asked me to marry you."
"There's never been another option where you're concerned," Draco said softly against her lips. "No matter what, remember?" Hermione repeated the sentiment and she caught his lips in a searing kiss. No matter what, for the rest of their lives.