Chapter 7: The Power of the Past part 2

And there's no time left for losing

When you stand they fall

Hermione was too shocked to speak and when Harry sat her down again she pushed him away with a look of fear and confusion on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked, looking from Harry to Draco and back again. "Did you bring him—you didn't go to work—you went to HIM!" Hermione cried pointing at Harry. Her face contorted into a mask of misery, hurt, rage and irrepressible sadness and she crumpled against the couch that helpfully sat behind her. "You've ruined everything, Draco!" she sobbed.

Neither of the men moved for a moment. Harry stood confused before his best friend, and Draco stood conflicted. Finally, before Harry could react, Draco was kneeling before the curly-haired girl. "You must understand why I did this." He murmured into her hair. "Hermione I would never hurt you—you have to know that—I never wanted you to have to face anything that you weren't ready for—but you have to do this for yourself. You have to do this to get your magic back. You understand that don't you?"

Harry was mildly shocked—though Draco had told him of his feelings for his friend, it was quite different to see the affection so blatantly displayed before him. It was almost like someone trying to hug the Whomping Willow.

Hermione sniffed and hiccupped but calmed down beneath Draco's soothing caresses. Harry had chosen a seat across the room in a high-backed leather chair in order to give her space and because it was a prime seat to watch the goings on between the two. "How will I explain everything?" Hermione murmured to Draco, looking up at him with watery chocolate eyes. "I had everything so perfectly planned—and now this."

"You can't think that they would have been fooled for the rest of our lives, Hermione." Draco murmured back to her.

"I was content for now." Hermione whimpered.

"You weren't happy. Not truly happy." Draco told her, and looked in her eyes where the confirmation of the truth was clearly visible. "Please let Harry help you. If my hunch is right, this could be exactly what you need in order to gain your powers again." Draco said softly. "I promise I'll be with you the entire time. I won't ever leave your side."

Hermione hesitated, considering. She looked down at the wand that was resting loosely in her hand in her lap. "Okay. I'll try." She whispered.

Draco smiled and kissed her forehead. "Good, now its time to reacquaint you with your past." Draco said, and turned to Harry, who was watching the two intently. Draco motioned him forward and he stood slowly and walked across the room. He sat beside Hermione and looked down at his hands, waiting for her to speak first.

"Hi." Hermione said tentatively.

"Hey." Harry said rather lamely.

Draco took a seat in front of them on the squatty coffee table and took Hermione's hand in his own as silent encouragement.

"I guess you want to know where I've been, huh?" Hermione asked, looking sideways at Harry, who smiled a little and nodded.

"That would be nice. Draco told me a bit—but I would like to hear your rendition." He said.

Hermione nodded, took a deep breath and began to recount memories she'd spent the better part of a year trying to forget.

--

Several hours passed since Harry had arrived at Malfoy Manor. Draco had arrived with Harry just after Lunchtime and it was now well after dinner.

The three had taken a simple dinner in the study provided by the elves. Hermione had told Harry everything, even things she'd neglected to tell Draco. She'd begun from the day she finalized her divorce from Ron and talked until she reached the day when she ran into Draco on the streets of Muggle Britain.

Draco had filled in parts from there on out—the butterfly house, the adventures in the West Wing, and their adventures in her rediscovery of magic. Harry found himself journeying through several different emotions as the night wore on. He was overwhelmed with sadness, disgust, self-loathing, happiness, excitement, dread, and, a bit shockingly, love. It was a strange feeling, but, once Hermione had let her defenses down, it was like a wall had been demolished between them, and he could feel her magic flowing out of her and into him.

Harry had told Hermione about Ginny and the baby—about how he'd fixed up his parents' house and how they were living in Godric's Hollow now, he told them that All of the Weasley's were married off to someone or other—even the twins to their Hogwarts School sweethearts (Angelina and Alicia)—though he didn't mention Ron directly, Hermione felt that Ron had indeed married Lavender. Hermione found, as she held Draco's hand, she cared less and less about whom Ron was with. By the end of the night, she found she was able to even be a little bit happy at the thought maybe Ron was finally happy with his chosen life. She found herself slowly able to let go of her past, and the feeling was more freeing that she would have thought possible.

Draco sensed on some deeper level that Hermione and Harry were exchanging more than just words, whether or not they realized it—and at one point, he picked up a book that lay beside him on the coffee table and began to flip through it. He found the passage he'd read to Hermione about her needing to find someone to connect emotionally with and then read forwards from where he'd left off:

'The affected may experience jolts of magical energy, bursts of magical energy which discharges on objects around him or her, and brief, empathic sensations between the affected and a chosen partner.' Draco thought this over, folding the corner of the page down and closing the book. He noticed that Hermione was watching him curiously, and he shook his head as if to tell her he would explain later, and she turned back to Harry.

The three talked until the moon was high in the sky and it was early morning before Harry stood and mentioned that Ginny would probably kill him if he didn't get home before dawn. Hermione hugged him and told him to come back—and to bring his wife, which he agreed to heartily. He shook Draco's hand, having found a new respect for the Blond ex-Slytherin, though he did not completely trust him, he had to have some respect for him for taking Hermione in and taking care of her for so long.

"If you wouldn't mind, Potter, since tomorrow's Sunday, would you floo back here so we could do a little experimenting with Hermione's magic, now that you and her have been reacquainted?" Draco held onto Harry's hand and waited for his answer.

"Sure. I'll be by in the afternoon." Harry nodded, and then apparated away.

--

That night, as Hermione walked into Draco's room from the one she now neglected to sleep in, she discarded her robe to reveal yellow cotton shorts and a white cotton tank top. As she crawled into what was quickly becoming her side of the bed, she looked over to Draco, who sat beside the fire, reading, "what did you look up tonight?"

Draco looked up at her. He'd already undressed, and was wearing a white cotton t-shirt and black cotton pants. "You remember when I first read that passage to you about how you needed to connect with another person to gain your powers back?" he asked her.

"Yes." Hermione asked, she slid her legs under the covers, but remained sitting up against the headboard.

"I looked up that passage again, and continued reading where I left off." Draco explained. "It went on to describe some of your symptoms. Actually, it described almost exactly what you've been going through. But it seems that rather than one person, you need a few. It also mentioned that you'd probably develop an empathic link between the person who will help you gain your powers back and yourself. You and Harry experienced that tonight, I noticed." Draco sighed and closed his book and set it down.

"That's what that was." Hermione murmured, her looked lost in thought. "It felt strange. Sort of like what I feel whenever you and I kiss—but not as strong." Hermione shivered and watched as Draco stood from his seat.

"As I said—it seems you must make a connection between a past…and whatever I am." His face fell a bit, whether in thought or uncertainty Hermione couldn't tell.

"My future." she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"I think…" he came to sit on the bed beside her, "I think we should tell your parents, too."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Oh, Draco, no! I couldn't bear to retell everything all over again! And what would they say—knowing that their only daughter had turned prostitute to keep herself alive! They would rather I be dead!" she put her face in her hands.

Draco took her hands in his and kissed them. "Hermione, they are your parents. And I don't know much about parents, as these things go, but I think they'll be happier to know that you're alive and well than thinking that their only daughter is dead and missing. I have a hunch that they love you very much. You can't keep people who love your out of your life, Hermione. It won't help you." Draco's voice was rational and soothing.

Hermione nodded. "Maybe we could invite them over for dinner or something."

Draco smirked at her.

"You've already done that haven't you?"

He nodded. "That's partially why I asked Harry back tomorrow. We'll be having a late lunch on the grounds. I sent King off with the letter this morning, after Mopsy left with the letter to Harry." Draco explained.

"So you told them already?"

"Not exactly. I told them that there was someone who knew Hermione that wanted to meet them. And that Harry and Ginny would be there as well." Draco smiled his Slytherin smile.

"I guess that sneaky Slytherin side of you never really leaves, does it?"

"Never." Draco grinned and kissed her fully on her mouth.

--

Draco and Hermione had fallen into a routine of falling asleep wrapped up in the other's embrace. Hermione was surprised that Draco never pressured her for anything more than kissing and she never felt uncomfortable sharing a bed with him. With ever passing night, Hermione felt herself more and more ready to take that step with Draco—it had been more than a month since she'd first come to stay at the Manor with him, and though she had never tested the waters, she knew that he would wait as long as she needed him to.

Draco, notorious Slytherin Sex God that he was, was surprised to find that he was perfectly content just being in the same room with Hermione. He found himself wanting to do things for her that he had never considered doing for other women. The idea of sex wasn't appealing unless he knew she was ready for it. He hadn't pushed for anything more than moderate snogging sessions, and he fond that Hermione willingly complied. He made up his mind early though, that when it came to what was important, he would let Hermione make the decisions.

--

The next day was Sunday. Hermione and Draco woke at the same time to the soft knock on the door. "Mopsy's way of waking us up." Draco said. "She's discreet—she knows me too well." He sort of laughed at himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione grumbled, and snuggled against his chest for warmth.

"When I was alone in the house, I used to sleep in the nude." Draco grinned when he felt her body stiffen against his.

"Oh." She replied and he chuckled.

"We probably need to get up if we're going to be ready by the time our company gets here." Draco responded, though he made no effort to move.

"Yeah." Hermione replied, though she stayed where she was as well. Several more moments passed in this fashion, before Draco resorted to tickling Hermione out of the bed.

--

That afternoon, sunroom was set up for a small group of people, and the elves had prepared grilled chicken and rack of lamb along with seasoned potatoes and other vegetables. There was mince pie and rolls and large bottles of wine… there was enough food for the entire Gryffindor House sitting on the table when Ginny and Harry arrived.

Hermione was in the Great Room when she heard voices in the Entry Hall. Draco had left a little while before to escort the Grangers via floo to the Manor, and Mopsy and a few other elves were playing butler and greeting their guests. Hermione wandered into the hallway to see Harry and his wife and smiled. "Hi Harry, Ginny." She said, looking a bit sheepishly at Ginny.

The redheaded girl, despite the fact that she was pregnant, almost leapt on Hermione engulfing her in an enormous hug. "Hermione! Harry told me everything last night! Oh I missed you! Are you all right? How is Malfoy treating you?" Ginny launched several more questions at Hermione and the girls both cried as they clung to each other.

"Look at you! Pregnant! Do you know what you're having?"

Harry stood back and smiled with mirth—women would never change.

--

Shortly after the Potters arrived, Hermione had them all seated in the Great Room where she knew Draco would arrive with her parents. She was secretly nervous, but she tried to hide it with conversation. Ginny did well keeping her talking about all the stuff she'd missed in the past year. Fred and George had been married at the same time—and as usual—had pulled a prank that nearly cost them both their brides. Fleur had a little girl. Mr. Weasley got a promotion at work and the family was no longer struggling to make ends meet…

Harry sensed Hermione's nerves and moved to sit beside her on the couch. They were discussing names for the baby when the fireplace came to life and Draco stepped through followed by Hermione's parents.

Hermione stood from her place on the couch, feeling a little light-headed. Harry stood beside her, holding on to her arm, whether for support or to keep from falling over from his own empathic light-headedness was unknown. "Hi mum, dad." She said. But she couldn't quite make herself smile at them.

Hermione's mum burst into tears and leaned against Draco, unable to hold herself. Draco thanked his seeker's reflexes as he caught the woman and walked her carefully to a chair and sat her down. Hermione's dad stood where he was, looking on disbelievingly.

"It's really me, dad." Hermione said, looking from her mum to him and back again. "I'm alright." She took a few steps toward her parents, and then ran into her father's arms.

Mr. Granger scooped his daughter up as if she were five and had just come running at him from a pile of presents on Christmas morning. "'Mione-child!" he cried into her hair, holding her tight before sitting her down and letting her walk to where her mother was.

Hermione hugged her mum and explained, albeit without the gory details what had happened with Ron and how she lost her magic. She told them about Draco finding her when she had nowhere else to go and taking her in. She also told them that it was Draco who was working so hard to help her get her powers back."

Mr. Granger kissed his daughter's hair and then turned to Draco, "Thank you, son, you have no idea what this means to us. We were devastated when we learned that she was missing."

Draco only nodded his head and then suggested that they all adjourn to the sunroom for lunch.

--

Over lunch, many things were worked out—Hermione explained why she'd chosen no to keep in touch with her family—and though they did not completely understand her logic, they understood that she was not in her right mind when she fled the world she knew. Draco and Hermione explained that they used to e enemies, and had forged a friendship—indeed a relationship over the past weeks they'd known one another. Hermione explained that it was Draco that had brought her magic back, though it didn't work very well, and it was Draco who had brought Harry to her, despite her vow never to speak to anyone from her old life again.

Draco explained that Hermione was helping him fix up parts of his home that he didn't have the courage to enter himself. He explained his past to Harry and Ginny as well as Hermione's parents, and told them in great detail about the goings on in the Manor during the war. He hoped this honesty would help the Potters to trust him, and help the Grangers to see that he was genuinely trying to help his daughter—and that he needed her just as much as she needed him.

When the meal was over, Draco asked Hermione if she was ready for another go at her magic. She hesitated, but nodded.

"Harry, this is where you come in. I think now that she's around her parents and you and Ginny she should have more control over her powers, but, to be safe, we'll start simple—the simplest of spells can be…interesting…when her powers don't work right." Draco said and looked at Hermione in silent apology.

"We got the ladle back, Draco!" Hermione stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips.

"Yes, love, but that book is still in four thousand pieces." Draco replied lovingly. The Grangers, Harry and Ginny raised their eyebrows in curious interest but said nothing that might incur the wrath of Hermione.

Harry, Draco and Hermione formed a triangle and placed a quaffle between them. "Ok Hermione, levitate that." Draco said, holding his wand at attention just in case.

Hermione said the spell and after quivering a moment, the ball rose into the air a few feet.

"Hah! Well done Hermione!" Ginny cried from the sidelines.

"Good on you Hermione!" Harry called, "Can you send it to me?"

She banished it from her in Harry's direction, and though it went a little harder than she'd intended, it made it to the raven-haired boy, nonetheless.
"I'm getting the hang of this!" Hermione smiled, feeling the magic in her whirring just beneath the surface. It was a familiar feeling.

"Take it back from him Hermione." Draco said.

"Accio Quaffle!" she called, and pointed her wand at Harry. The quaffle disappeared, and so did Harry's shirt. "Oh no! Why isn't it working!"

"It's alright, 'Mione, I didn't really like that shirt anyway." Harry laughed looking down at the undershirt he wore.

Draco changed tactics. "Conjure something." He told her, determined not to let her give up.

"Like what?"

"Something soft." Mr. Granger suggested and then shrugged his shoulders when his daughter glared at him.

"A Teddy Bear is a good idea." Harry interrupted, its simple.

Hermione nodded and focused, before flicking her wand. Rather than the stuffed animal, a very real floppy-eared rabbit appeared before them.

"Awww! Well its soft and fuzzy! She gets points for that at least! Ginny squealed. Harry rolled his eyes.

"This is hopeless…" Hermione whined. "I'm never going to get my powers back!"

"Nonsense!" Harry said shaking his head. "It just is gonna take a little more practice."

"A lot more, you mean." Hermione huffed picking the bunny up and setting in a cage Draco had conjured for it.

"Hermione, we'll figure it out, I promise." Draco said, for now, maybe we should just call it a day?"

The Grangers and Ginny agreed. They all shared a celebratory toast in honor of Hermione being alive and well and back in their lives again, and then the Grangers flooed home while the Potters apparated.

--

"Today wasn't a complete disaster." Draco said, as he found a comfortable spot on the couch in the Great Room.

"It could have been better." Hermione grumbled.

"You mean your magic." Draco said, patting the seat next to him, and when she sat, he drew her into his lap. "We'll work on it Hermione. It'll all work out. You can't tell me that it doesn't feel good to have your parents and Harry and Ginny back in your life?"

"No…it does. I have missed them terribly—I just expected so much more…" Hermione sniffled and curled into Draco's chest. "I thought it would all come back."

"Maybe that means you've still left something unresolved." Draco rationalized, running his fingers up and down her arms.

"I don't know what." Hermione grumbled.

"No?" Draco asked, "I can think of one thing."

"No. No. Draco a thousand times no." Hermione said, sitting up abruptly and shaking her head side to side. "I will not go and see Ronald. He will not come here. I don't want to see him."

"Do you really still have feelings for him?" Draco frowned a bit as he asked the question.

Hermione thought the question over, and, as she'd discovered, the answer was no. "Of course not. It's not whether or not I still care for him, Draco. He's the reason my powers went away in the first place!"

"Exactly." Draco pointed out, kissing her cheek gently. "The final step."

"I can't. I'm not ready." Hermione whimpered.

"Then let us sleep on it, Hermione, and we shall decide later." Draco said, scooping her up in his arms, and carrying her up to their room to sleep away the day's worries.

Author's Note:

Chapter 7! (I repeated the lyrics in this chappy because it's a "part 2")

That's right! Ronald's about to re-enter the picture!! Also, the M-rated scene we've all been waiting for. Stay tuned!