OBLIVIATE

Draco Malfoy

As he waited for Weasley to bring the Healer, Draco Malfoy felt his heart thumping like it had never before. During these ten years he would often place his palm on his chest to feel his heart beat, the sound soothed him. There were days when he laid awake at night, sitting on the armchair facing the window, gazing at the night sky with his palm on his chest as he listened to its beat. It always reminded him of Hermione, when they would just lay in the room of requirement, her head on his shoulder, hand on his chest just where his heart pounded from their post coital bliss. Sometimes he used his pensieve to relieve those moments with her. He knew it was damaging to often use a pensieve relive the past but he couldn't help. It always left him with a feeling of contentment but also a deep ache of sorrow. He had given away his heart to that witch, he had loved her so strongly that he let her go to keep her alive.

Now as he gazed down at her, Draco Malfoy felt hope. Hope for happiness, hope for a proper family and most of all hope for her love. He felt his eyes sting from tears which threatened to spill, they were tears of joy though. He had almost sobbed like a child when he held his Hermione again but Astoria's shriek had jolted him back. He knew he still loved her, if not more as he did when they were together ten years back. She looked as beautiful as she was before. He frowned when he noticed her hair. It was straighter, without its usual curls. He had always teased her bushy hair but he was also in love with it and she knew that. He loved when he ran his fingers through it when they made love. Perhaps it was good now that whoever she might have been with, never got to enjoy those curls. The thought of her with someone outraged him.

The floo roared drawing him out of his thoughts. Weasley and the Healer appeared.

"Malfoy this is Healer Stokes. Healer Stokes this is Draco Malfoy and Healer Matthew." He was surprised to see that Potter actually had manners.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy. We were all alarmed when Ms. Granger disappeared from St. Mungos. I see that she is with you." It looked like Healer Stokes was not much impressed with the Golden Girl's stunt.

"She fainted after a while she got here. I directly called Healer Matthew but he wanted your diagnostics before he gave her any potion as she was in a coma earlier." He informed the Healer.

"It was a wise decision Healer Matthew. Ms. Granger was indeed in a coma, though we have not the reason yet."

"She was obliviated when she was brought to Malfoy Manor. She came here to tell me that she remembered everything." He watched as Potter's eyes widened as he said this.

"Hermione was obliviated but when? Who did that to her, Malfoy?" Weasley bellowed.

"That is the story for later Weasley. I have given my word to Potter to show him my memory. Perhaps we should wake Hermione first." He did not have the strength to actually sneer at him, he was too much worried about Hermione to do that.

"I suspected as much. Ms. Granger has been coming to me for years complaining headache. It was this month that they got more frequent and intense. She is of a very rational mind. It was as if her mind knew that there was a hole in her memories and was fighting to bring them back." Healer Stokes told them as he performed his own diagnostic charms.

"There is not any reason for Ms. Granger to worry. Her body was fatigued from all the strain that's why she fainted. She would be as good as new when she wakes up. I suggest she takes a proper rest and good food and no work for at least a month. Make sure she stays with someone and not alone."

"That's alright. I will make sure she takes proper rest. She will be staying with me." Now that he had gotten her back, he would make damn sure to keep her fit.

"What do you mean, she will be staying with you, Malfoy? We will be taking her home where she belongs, with us." He could have as well hexed Weaselbee to for even suggesting to separate her from him. But then he thought that Hermione wouldn't be happy when she heard this. She had enough reasons to be displeased as it is.

He conjured a vial, extracted all the important memories and stored them in it. He handed the vial to Potter.

"I have all your answers here and Hermione will be staying with me, that is questionless. Perhaps after you see them, you would be more inclined." His tone was firm and left no room for any question.

"Mipsy, show Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to the pensieve." He ordered the elf, turned to Potter and continued, "I am taking Hermione to my wing, Mipsy will show you a way there if needed. If you get all the answers, I suggest that you make your way home. Don't bother with the formalities to say goodbye. Healer Matthews, Healer Stokes thank you for coming here. Tinkle will show you to the floo." He dismissed them and before any of them had a time to retort he gathered his witch in his arms and apparated to his bedroom.

He settled her on the left side of his bed, drew the blanket to her chin and charmed the hideous hospital gown to replace with his shirt. She looked like a princess as she settled in the green silk sheets, her hair fanning the pillow. She looked as if she belonged there. Draco realized that she was only women to occupy his bed. When he was married, Astoria had her own chambers where she was quite content. They had a schedule when he went to her chambers to perform what they had to do to produce an heir and then he would leave. The aristocrats in wizarding world had not gotten past the Victorian age of Muggles as Hermione would usually tease him. This was normal for the most the couples who had a contractual marriage and he preferred it this way. He had none whatsoever interest in Astoria, she was a pretentious harpy who loved to be the Malfoy mistress and the grandeur that came along with it. After Scorpius was born there was no reason to share a bed. He was always away on work to expand Malfoy industries and Astoria liked hosting parties and balls and enjoy the freedom.

But as he gazed down at Hermione, sleeping on his bed, he didn't think that he could ever imagine for someone to take her place. She had owned his heart since he was sixteen and she still owned it.

He took of his shoes and got up to settle beside her on the bed. He could only dream of having her in this room before and now that she really was here, Draco couldn't tell if his heart might burst out. But he also dreaded of the moment she would wake up. He didn't know what she would feel now that her memories have returned. Perhaps, she wanted nothing do with him now, after all he had watched his aunt torture her this very place. But he had no choice, he would've taken her place in a heartbeat if he could but if his aunt had known his affection for her. She would have killed them both. He dozed off with these thoughts.

He woke up to his grumbling stomach. It was two in the afternoon, so he had skipped his meal. He got up and called Tinkle to bring them their lunch. He thought he should wake up Hermione, most likely she had skipped her breakfast and had not eaten anything.

"Hermione, wake up, love. You have to eat." He shook her awake. She blinked her eyes before focusing on him. He watched as her big brown eyes widened and she shot up to sit.

"What am I doing here. Am I still in the Manor? I am so sorry to barge in here like this. I just remembered every thing and I was angry and sad. I just wanted to see." She rambled on. Her eyes widened further, "Oh my God! What must your wife think of me! I am so sorry; I did not want to cause any problems. I didn't realize that ten years had passed and you would be married." She covered her eyes with her hands.

"Stop apologizing. And I am not married. You must know that my father had signed a marriage contract since as soon I was born. It was a blood contract and couldn't be broken, until producing an heir, anyway. And I am very happy that you came to me straight away." He reassured her

"But if you are divorced what was she doing here? Not that you have to tell me. It isn't any of my business."

He took her chin and forced her to look at him, "It is your business, actually. And I will explain you everything but for now you must eat. You have not eaten anything since morning, if I am not wrong. Which, you know I never am." He winked cheekily at her and brought the lunch Tinkle had left on bedside table.

"Ten years and your ego is still larger than your head, I see." He just smirked.

"You wouldn't have me any other way. Now eat." He handed her a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches which he had asked Tinkle to make for her, she loved those and judging from her expression her taste hadn't change.

"Is this your room?" She asked as she looked around.

"It is."

"It is just like I imagined how your room would look like."

"Why Ms. Granger! Were you imagining yourself in it?" She just socked him in the stomach, hard enough to make him gasp.

"Ow! Woman. I thought we'd gotten past the stage where you hit me when I do something you don't like you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Just for the record we'll never be past that stage."

He shook his head, took her empty plate and called Tinkle to take them away.

He conjured the potion vials which Healer Stokes had left and handed them to her. "Alright now take these. Bottoms up, Granger."

She wrinkled her nose from the taste and her handed her the glass of juice.

"Now lie back down. You must strain yourself. You are still recovering." He pushed the pillows under her head.

"Tell me about you. I hardly know anything about you during these ten years except for maybe now you are a richest man in the wizarding world and the new inventions made by Malfoy apothecaries. I was impressed by those you know."

He sighed and laid back his head beside her. It felt natural to do so.

"After the war I was a broken shell. The aurors took me and my family in hours after the battle. We were not given a trial until after six months. I was sure we would be all thrown away in Azkaban anyway. Who would testify on my behalf? The only person who really knew me didn't remember anything. But then Potter and you actually came to testify not just for me but for my family too. I saw you that day for the first time since the battle. You were holding hands with Weasley, looking at him like used to look at me. I was almost sick to see that. Then you started speaking of how I didn't have choice, how I did that all just protect my family. It was good to hear that even if you didn't remember us, you still had faith in me. Me and my mother got off easily with six months of probation but Lucius was sentenced to House arrest with only communication to family for a lifetime. He should have been thrown to Azkaban if you ask me. I was passed the ownerships of all Malfoy Holdings. Years in service of you know who had lost all the faith people had in Malfoys. Nobody wanted to invest in the company. There was a whole lot of corruption. I gave all my time to the company and funding the research to reverse your spell. I had just turned nineteen when Lucius informed of the marriage contract. You must know that I did not know about it till then. I tried to find the loopholes to break it nut it was blood contract broken only with the death of either Astoria or me. I nearly hexed Lucius for this. I banished him from Malfoy Manor and sent him to live at Malfoy House. It is nearly thirty miles from here. I was done with him. I hated Astoria, the moment I met her. She was the opposite of you. She was not you." He met her eyes. She was looking at him with glistening eyes.

He continued. "She was a pretentious harpy. She was more interested in the Malfoy wealth than me. And I was okay with that. I married her just after a month. I was too busy with the business to think of her anyway. She took her chambers in the other wing. I was mostly away at the Malfoy Apothecaries which was opened in France. We had a schedule when I would go to her chambers to do what needed to be done to produce an heir."

"Lay back and think of England." Her voice stopped him.

"Pardon"

"That was what women were told in the past. I can't believe that there are still marriage contracts in the wizarding world. That's barbaric." She looked truly horrified after hearing this.

"I couldn't do any thing about it. She was pregnant with Scorpius within two months anyway. So, we didn't need to continue the schedule. By the time Malfoy holdings were gaining few investors and I stayed mostly in France. Theo and Daphne also had a contractual marriage a month after this. Scorpius was born just before I turned twenty. As the years passed, I was practically working day and night for the company. More people started investing especially the Malfoy apothecaries were huge success after. I don't remember spending time at Manor except for the Christmas day. I made the company my world. Astoria was happy with hosting all the balls. Scorpius was the only person I truly liked. But I did not exactly spend time with him until he was five. I did not what to do with children. He played with Mipsy and visited Nott Manor to play with Teddy. There was one loophole in the contract that the I could get a divorce eight years after producing the heir. So, I got one when Scorpius turned eight on May 25th, four months back. Astoria didn't have any say in it but she was not particularly happy with my decision, I guess. Divorce are rare in wizarding world, particularly among sacred twenty-eight and she didn't want to leave the grandeur of the manor but I was tired with this arrangement. I started visiting your department more in hopes to see you. You and that baboon Wood had ended things recently. I started donating to your projects in hopes to catch with you for a quick lunch or if you didn't hex me, maybe on a date. I felt happy in years after I got divorced. I thought if you could love me when I was conceited sixteen-year-old prat, you could surely agree on a date with a mature twenty-eight years old adult, now that I was more handsome and promoted werewolves right. A guy could hope." He smiled at her.

"You still wanted me after all this time." She asked warily.

"I will always want you, Granger. You don't have any idea how happy I felt when you told me you remembered everything. I was worried when I didn't see you in ministry for four days and then you stormed in my dining room in your glory, I could have as well passed away. I was overwhelmed."

"You know, I was surprised to see in my department. But I always felt a connection when I saw you. You supported our so many bills and even funded for the wolfsbane potion, I secretly admired you. I noticed you always stared at me but never came to talk except for work" She was shyly smiling at him.

"I never gather the courage to ask you out. I was afraid of the rejection, I guess." He raised turned toward her, his head supported by his elbows. "Did you say that you admired me?" He was smiling smugly at her.

"Wipe that smirk, Malfoy. I was not the one who stalked someone they loved." She retorted.

"Hmm that's true. But you love me now. Don't you." He nervously asked the last part.

"I was in love with you when you wiped my memories Draco. I know I made you promise me to do that if I ever get caught. My last memory of you was me closing my eyes and remembering all the moments we shared together and promising to love you no matter what. I know I still love you but I am still overwhelmed. I need some time."

"That's alright. That is actually more than alright. It is enough for me, for now. Take all the time, you want. There is something I wanted to tell you though and you have to promise me not to get to angry. There is a small liberty I have taken."

"What have done now, Malfoy." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"The Healer told me that you should not be living alone and taken proper care of, for at least a month. So, I may have told him that you would be living with me." He stated carefully.

"I more than capable of taking care of myself." She it seems was not particularly happy about it.

"It is not about your ability to take care of yourself. I want to do that. I had to watch the love of my life getting tortured in my house. Let me take care of you now. Besides, now that I have got you back, I don't want to be separated. Don't you want to spend time with me?"

"I don't want to impose, Draco. I may have just remembered our time together just now; it is like yesterday in my mind but that was ten years back for you."

"Nonsense! Didn't you hear me say that I still love you? And I remember every moment of our time just like it was yesterday. Thinking of those moments have kept me alive for these years. I will be the happiest man in the whole wizarding world if you agree to stay with me."

"Okay. I want to stay with you more than anything but shouldn't you ask your ex-wife."

"Why should I ask her. She doesn't stay here. She was here this morning to drop back Scorpius. He spends his Saturday at the Greengrass Manor."

"Oh! Okay then." She chewed her bottom lip and he had to restrain himself from kissing her. "So, can I meet you son?" She asked nervously.

"Of course, you can. I will introduce you to him at dinner. Should I ask Tinkle to bring your belongings here. You came in hospital gown here."

"Oh God! Your ex-wife must think of me a lunatic, running around in hospital gown. This is so embarrassing."

He took her hands covering her face. "Don't be. What she thinks doesn't matter. Personally, I found you quite fetching."

"You are biased Mr. Malfoy."

"Maybe, I am. Now do you want Tinkle to go and bring your clothes. And before you say anything, all my house elves are free and paid. So, you can stop with your spew nonsense." He smirked at her indignant expression.

"It is S.P.E.W not spew, Malfoy. And it is not nonsense. You can tell Tinkle to bring my clothes, whatever she feels necessary. Which room is mine?"

"This room is yours. We are sharing a room and just sleeping in it till you feel comfortable. And I know you don't feel uncomfortable here so don't bother to say it. This non-negotiable. You will love the bathroom. Go check it. I will inform Tinkle. I have to write a letter to my office to inform them that I am taking a holiday. And yes, Granger I am. I deserve a break. I will be in my study."

With that he left. He informed Tinkles of the plan and told the other elves that Hermione would be staying with them from here on. He went to his study and sent all the necessary letters.

It was almost five now. He could show Hermione the library. He went to his room to find her by the vanity brushing her hair. She had apparently showered and put on a gorgeous blue sundress. He leaned by the door frame and continued watching her. His heart was elated. This was what he was dreaming of. For her to be with him.

She finally noticed him at the door. "Enjoying the view, Malfoy."

"Very much, Granger." He went and bugged her from behind. Her head just below his chin, a perfect fit. "You look stunning, love." He kissed her hair.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." She teased him.

"Although I wonder what happed to your hair. My bushy haired lioness isn't bushy anymore. What did you do to your hair, Granger? I want those beautiful curls back." He was practically pouting now from his loss.

"I just straitened it. There are muggle salons where you can do that. But don't worry they will back in few weeks. You don't like it this way?"

"It looks good, I suppose. But I prefer you curls. They are old friend, in the morning particularly." He smirked as he saw her blush.

"I wanted to show you the library but there is no time for it now. Come we should get going for dinner. It will be served soon."

He took her hand stated guiding her towards the dining room.

"Do you think Scorpius would like me?" She asked tentatively.

He frowned. "I am sure he will. He is a well-mannered boy. And even if he doesn't, it won't matter, love. You need not worry." He assured her.

"He is your son Draco. Of course, I want him to like me. Are you two very close?"

"Well, not particularly. As I said I spent most of time in France or my office so I was rarely at manor. But I have made an effort to get to know since the divorce. I didn't want him to turn out like me when I was younger."

"So, what did he do when he was younger. Astoria doesn't seem like a loving mother. He must have been lonely."

"No Astoria was not a loving mother. She did her duty and that was it. I was not much better, now that I think. But I just didn't want to be in the manor with her and that by extension involved Scorpius. I was still healing from the war. The company became my new passion so I spent day and night working. By the end of the day I was so exhausted that sometimes I had the pleasure to go to sleep without any nightmares. Scorpius was mostly brought up by the elves. He has a governess to teach him."

They reached the dining room and Scorpius was standing by the door, waiting.

"Scorpius this Hermione Granger. Hermione this is Scorpius, my son." He introduced them, smiling warmly at his witch who was clearly nervous for apparently no reason.

"Ms. Granger. It is a pleasure to meet you." He laughed at Hermione's awestruck expression when Scorpius bowed and kissed her hand.

"It is also nice to meet you, Scorpius. I see you are a perfect gentleman unlike your father."

"I assure you, Granger. You will kick my arse and call me a pompous peacock if I behave more like gentleman."