Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for my idea.
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Ghosts of the Past
October 2006
His hands were sweating, and he didn't like it. It was a sign of weakness. One his father had made sure to make him aware of at a young age. After all, the handshake was the first impression of someone, and if it was wet like his at the very moment that was not an impression a Malfoy wanted to make.
Draco could hear the voices from the entry area. They had just arrived by floo and Hermione had gone to greet them. He heard a bit of laughter and imagined her hugging them both. It must have been as weird for her to witness his stiff greeting of his mother as it was for him to imagine warm hugs.
"We are so excited to meet this new man in your life." The voices carried into the living space now, as Hermione opened the door.
"Obviously wished the marriage with Ron would have lasted…"
"Molly."
"I know. No such talk, dear, you know you are still our daughter and so we are excited to meet this young man."
"Ginny said you are quite smitten by him." He could see the first glimpse of red hair now.
"I have to say, I was concerned. There were rumors in the ministry that they had seen you with…" Arthur trailed off. "Oh, you wouldn't even believe it, dear."
All of that was said, without Hermione getting a word in and before they entered her large living area, revealing Draco. He was positively terrified and hoped that his face didn't show.
His eyes met those of Arthur Weasley and he knew immediately what rumors the other man didn't want to believe. Probably a result of his stunt at the garden party a few months back or even his joining her at the St. Clara's.
"Molly, Arthur, I would like to reintroduce Draco Malfoy." Hermione looked as terrified as he felt. "We are courting."
She never used that term, but someone she seemed to want to soften the blow from calling him her boyfriend as she had around a select few in the past. If he hadn't been so uncomfortable, he would have laughed at her inexperienced usage of the word.
The Weasleys shared a glance with each other before their eyes went from Hermione to him and back to Hermione. Maybe they were hoping for the Polyjuice to wear off if they just stood in silence for long enough. He swallowed and caught her eyes, which were trying to get him to do something about the awkwardness.
"It's good to meet you again." He made a step towards them but didn't offer his hand out of sheer fear of rejection. "I assure you my intentions are much better than they were in the past."
Of course, there were also his father's terrible intentions that needed to make up for, but that was another twenty years of bad feelings. He watched as Molly's hand tapping against her husband's side seemed to try to get him to show some sort of reaction.
"I'm assuming, I'm the rumor Hermione wouldn't even believe if she heard it?"
Arthur still stood without any sort of reaction, with Molly's eyes growing even wider, and Hermione's beginning to glitter dangerously with tears. He hated seeing her like this. It was the exact reason why he didn't want her to attend those stupid parties or hold her hand at Diagon Alley or why he did want to whisk her back to Italy, where nobody cares that they were an item.
"I should probably start with an apology for all the terrible things myself and especially my father have caused your family. I assure you that my mind has since then adopted a healthier view on the world and connections to my father are limited to mandatory Christmas visits." His hands were still so sweaty that he wouldn't even be able to hold a wand if he needed to protect himself from hexes.
"I know apologies don't take the past back or make it better, but I do sincerely regret my actions." Well maybe minus calling their son all those names, because truly he still didn't like him. He made another step forward, mainly to put one of his hands on Hermione's back to calm her if that was at all possible.
"We have food prepare, why don't you all sit down?" She squeaked, encouraged by his touch, before she hurried off toward the kitchen, leaving him to gesture toward the patio behind her house that they had charmed against the harsh weather conditions.
He truly felt like he was in the middle of the storm that was forming of the ocean. The dark clouds forming massive walls and for a moment he feared the Weasley's further reactions more than one of the crucios that his aunt had cast at him. He watched them sit, swallowing the comment that Hermione had intended for them to be seated on the opposite side. He followed suit.
The food appeared between them on the table, probably Roks' doing, as he had also offered to cook for them. Draco stood back up when Hermione appeared, pulling out her chair for her. He caught the Weasleys looking at each other but didn't say anything. While he had thought a few weeks ago that meeting the Grangers would be horrible it was nothing compared to these two. Perhaps that would change if he ever visited them on a day when they were fully aware who Draco Malfoy had been to their teenage daughter.
"This is lovely, dear." Molly offered a stiff smile towards Hermione.
"It was Draco's idea he also charmed the area to keep the rain and wind out." Heavy silence returned immediately. He could see her fidgeting with the napkin in her lap, barely touching her food. Her eyes roamed the older couple, before looking over their plates. Arthur just finished a long gulp of wine, leaving his glass empty.
"Let me get you some more." Hermione was just removing her napkin when he stopped her. While her intention of giving him alone time with the couple might have been not a bad idea, it hadn't gone very well the first time around. He assumed they had a lot more to say to her than to him.
"I'll take care of it." He reached for Arthur's glass and left the patio. He could almost feel the silencing charms go up, as he stepped into the house. He found Roks waiting with wide eyes, hurrying for the bottle as soon as he saw the glass.
"Take your time." He glanced over his shoulder, watching the hands and arms fly, as they obviously had an animated discussion about him.
"Is there anything else Master Draco needs?" He glanced at the elf, and really wanted to ask for fire whiskey, but a clouded mind would not earn him any favors tonight.
"No thank you." He walked slower than he needed to and hesitated before he stepped into the magically induced silence. His eyes caught Hermione's wave that undid the silencing charm. It was still quiet. She looked stiffer than before and kept her eyes on the food, she still wasn't touching.
Draco put the glass down before he sat. It was painful and they could all feel it. What he had hoped might resolve a thing or two, had filled everything with even more tension. He really wanted to take her hand but worried what the reactions of everyone would be. Including her, if he took her by surprise.
"What do you do these days?" While Molly's voice was sweet, he could hear that she forced herself to speak.
"I'm an architect, specialized in family homes." He would normally add his focus was on magical families but didn't want to push it.
"Is there a lot of business?"
"Generally, yes. I tend to work mostly internationally, Italy, a couple of projects in Spain." He took another bite and washed it down with some wine.
"He also designed and build the cottage."
"Yes, my first project here in England."
"What keeps you from working in your home country?" Molly looked innocent enough, but Hermione almost choked on her wine. He placed a calming hand on her back, carefully tapping before he responded.
"It's still difficult for people to look beyond what they know of the Malfoy name. My training and references count much less than my actions in the past." He removed his hand, placing it back on the table next to him. He was surprised to feel hers cover his.
When he looked back at Mrs. Weasley, he could see a slight blush to her cheeks. Apparently, it hadn't been her intention to call him out on his bad standing in society.
"How does Lucius feel about this?"
"Arthur!"
"It's an important question. He didn't get a life sentence. What is going to happen if he gets out and finds his grandchildren with their muggle-born mother in his house?"
"His current health doesn't indicate towards him living to leave Azkaban."
"Let's say he does."
Molly's hand curled up in her lap, as she stared out into nowhere, probably trying to find a way to smooth over her husband. Or maybe she did want to know the answer. Her eyes now settled on Hermione, who kept staring at her food again. Her hand had tightened on his and so he breathed in.
"I don't claim that I believed all that I was taught as a child was wrong, as soon as the war was over." Her eyes snapped to him. "Even spending a year in Azkaban would have not convinced me of that."
Arthur huffed into his wine.
"But thankfully, Hermione is of much better character than me. When I asked her to take care of my mother, I never actually expected her to do so." He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Why would she? Mother was just as guilty of watching her suffer in our house, as I was."
Draco was surprised to see Molly's face softened, or maybe he just imagined it.
"And then one day I received this letter, telling me about her visits. How she came back every time Potter showed up for his check-in." He could still feel the relief of knowing someone cared for Narcissa. "It might be hard to believe, but my mother's well-being was the one thing I still cared about, and knowing Hermione ensured that, kept me from going crazy in that cell. That was one of the things that had me reconsider the importance of blood and all my feelings I had towards her."
When he glanced at her, she looked away in embarrassment wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Anyway, I got out, we thought we undid the bind, and I went on with my life. I eventually realized that the bind wasn't lifted, but she was trying to start a family with your son, so I let it be. I figured bringing it up would cause even more chaos and I wasn't aware of all the side effects."
He really should have asked for that fire whiskey when he had a chance.
"I tried to build a different life, but the wizarding world here in England is split between those trying to rebuild what is clearly wrong and those tearing it down with all their might, and neither of them cares for anyone to have changed their attitude. Therefore, I usually end up taking jobs outside of the country."
Was this already considered a tangent? He felt it was relevant enough. "So, if my father ever gets out, I will do what I should have done years ago, protect my mother and Hermione from him and his craziness." He would add their children but considering how Hermione freaked out whenever he mentioned just marrying her, it probably wasn't the best idea. But Lucius wouldn't as much as lay eyes on his grandchildren. If Draco had anything to do with it, he wouldn't tell his father about them at all.
The Weasleys remained quiet, as all cleared their plates before Roks replaced them with dessert. Hermione's hand was still on his, which made it a little harder to eat with his left hand, but he didn't want to disrupt their connection.
The witch next to him ended up answering some questions about her research as well as asking about the Weasley grandchildren, Draco lost count, and as well as Arthurs work at the ministry. While the tension became less, he was still glad when the couple announced that they should turn in for the night. He trailed behind, as Hermione walked arm in arm with Molly towards the floo. He was surprised to find Arthur slowing down to talk to him.
"We have been having some issues with the structure of our home. After the war, we never had it fully looked at." Arthur seemed to almost choke on his next words. "Maybe you could take a look and advise us, what needs to be done to keep our family safe."
Draco nodded carefully. If this was the man's olive branch, he was going to take it.
"Of course, just send me an owl to let me know what time is best for you. I'm usually around on weekends."
"Yes, that would be a good way of doing it."
The man stared at each other until Hermione broke them up and hugged Arthur.
"Thank you for coming by."
"Of course." He smiled at her, before leading his wife to the fireplace and calling out his own home to disappear in the flames.
Draco could hear her breath leaving her lungs.
"What a horrible night."
"I think he tried to leave an olive branch."
"You better took it."
"Of course."
She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her head resting against his chest.
"How about I take you to Italy next weekend?"
"Running away from reality?"
"If you want to call it that."
"Sounds good."
He smiled into her hair, as he adjusted his arms around her to lead her back towards the sitting area. A glance out the window showed that Roks had already done the cleaning up.
"Nobody commented on the obvious house-elf work."
"Molly has always wanted one, not that she would tell me that."
He laughed.
"She hates ironing."
"Maybe I'll send her Roks to help with that."
"Don't you dare?"
He sat on her couch and pulled her on his lap. She didn't fight him tonight, but simply snuggled into him. Her breathing calmed and he was convinced she had fallen asleep, when her head moved, so she could look at him.
"Those things you said, about Azkaban, I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He nodded, meeting her eyes, but didn't respond. He had deserved it. None of his excuses of being young and scared really did it for him when it came to watching Hermione on that drawing-room floor. A year in a cell was the least he could do. Azkaban was the year of his life, he never wanted to talk about it again. It was over and done with and he had learned his lessons.
"It doesn't matter anymore, what you did or didn't do. I just need you to know that I love you."
Her eyes were warm and her smile contagious.
"I love you too."
So, this wasn't planned at all, but as I was writing this last scene, I decided to ignore my original plan of writing clear to the wedding and ending it here. It felt like they had closure at this point and while I could get into all the goods of the different Weasleys and the whole world reacting to this relationship, I just feel that it's not part of the story anymore.
I also decided that in lieu of an epilog you are going to get my collection of short chapters. Little bits and pieces of their future. Also if you want to see certain things, let me know. Also, I will close this story as completed at this point and add the short chapters as they come to me.
I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on the chapter and story as well.
