Chapter 4: Good Night, Good Morning, Good Afternoon
- Draco's POV -
I walk into the closet to get my pajamas. I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to be sleeping on the couch or the bed tonight but its definitely worth a shot. "Mia, were you serious about me sleeping on the couch earlier?"
"What are you talking about? I don't remember you having to sleep on the couch."
I jump onto the bed and start tickling her. "You cheeky witch. You told me that even if I behaved I'd be sleeping on the couch. Now why do I always believe you? And why do I let you?" I keep tickling her while planting kisses on her face. She's getting red in the face and breathing hard.
"Draco! Stop! Stop! I surrender! Please stop!"
I roll off her and grab her into my chest and just hold her. We get under the sheets and I inhale her scent. Its ridiculous how much I love this girl now.
"You know, it surprises me how much I love you. I let you kick me out of the bedroom and I still cook you breakfast in the morning!"
"I'm very lucky to have you. I told you that already didn't I?" She doesn't look very sure of herself. I wonder if she's questioning my love for her. I really hope not.
"Yes, and I recall saying you have me on a potion, but I don't think a potion could replicate how I feel about you. You know that right?"
"I think –"
"Mia, there is no thinking. I love you. I know I don't say it that much, but you have to know that I do. It's in my actions, I hope, but you mean the world to me, so please don't question how I feel about you."
"Yes, Draco, I know." And then she kisses me and kisses me more, and then the night ends on a very pleasant note.
-Hermione's POV-
"Class, please settle down. You guys really shouldn't be this energetic after I gave you the afternoon off yesterday. Please. I want to see if you guys made progress with your assignments. Does anyone have any questions or need any assistance?"
Iris is the first person to raise her hand and I'm dreading what venom will come out of her mouth. "Yes, Iris?"
"I'd like to know how to brew Amorentia, I'm sure you're an expert at it and all." The class snickers and I can't help but cringe a little at her insinuation.
"To be perfectly honest, I've only brewed it once. In sixth year, but let me guess, it was one of the many potions you were unable to create and part of the reason you're here now? I believe you can find information on the potion: theory, ingredients, and instructions on page 204 in your potions book. Why don't you try to study up on it?" I try not giving her equal venom back, but it is rather difficult but luckily my snide remark shuts up the class and they start working on their remedial work.
-Draco's POV-
"Dragon!" The little boy runs up to me and jumps into my arms with such a big smile I can't help the grin plastered on my face.
"James, you're getting heavy! I don't know if I can keep greeting you like this." The pout on his face is almost as adorable as the previous smile. I tickle him till Ginny, Potter, and Weasley reach us and I set the boy down.
"I swear he likes you more than me and I'm related to him!" Weasley exclaims.
"He no make Aunt Minnie cry. He good to Aunt Minnie. Me love Aunt Minnie." This little bugger is after my heart. It helps to have a little kid on your side when it comes to the Weasley's, especially when he professes what the adults, and most of the wizarding world, try not to see.
"If I haven't seen it myself, I'd think you've brainwashed my child. James, why don't you go play on the slide over there while the grown-ups talk about boring stuff. So did you get her to talk to you yesterday?"
"Yes and no. I'd like to hear what Ginny knows, but I'll say that she questions my love for her. But I hope that isn't the crux of the issue. I really hope it's not. Ginny, its not right?" I look at her pleading that I'm right.
"Umm, well. It partly is. I think it's the starting point of her problem. I'm not sure to be honest. Its all rather complicated. But mainly, she just doesn't think the life she's living right now is the life she's supposed to. She kept talking about expectations and how she should have done what was expected and then she wouldn't be dealing with anything that she is dealing with now. I'm not sure if that includes you or not, but she did mention the whole job thing and how she's not helping the world out at all."
"When I saw her again at University I asked her why she was there and not off gallivanting with you two as Aurors or married with the next Weasley on the way." I gesture at Potter and Weasley who look at me like I'm deranged. "What? It was what everyone thought. I figured she was going to marry Ron and all that. It's what everyone thought, but there she was, sitting in several of my classes. It took me so long to get her to just treat me like I wasn't the bane of her existence."
"Did she ever tell you why she went off to University?" Potter asked.
"Or why we didn't work out?" Weasley interjected.
"She went to University because her parents asked. After the whole Obliviate thing she was eager to please her parents. They wanted her to do something normal. That's why she left the wizarding world for those few years. She was trying to get a semblance of normalcy back with her home life. Her parents were not too pleased the first time she brought me home and realized I was a wizard, let me tell you."
"Are you sure it wasn't just because you're Draco Malfoy the 'bane of her existence'?" That cheeky witch. I swear these Gryffindor girls like to have some sharp wit. Wait, no that flower one isn't too bright. Well, I guess maybe just the two I like.
"Har-dee-har-har Gin. No, because then you three would have seen her too during her first year of Uni. And even till now her parents still have issues with magic. We don't ever use it when we're around them, and Mia hasn't really wanted to go over there for some time now. Actually, since the start of the summer as well. I wonder if that has something to do with this too."
"There is just so many things that happened at the beginning of this summer when her mood shifted. It can't be coincidence anymore." Potter, finally in Auror mode, comments.
We all sit at the picnic table contemplating what could be wrong with Hermione while watching James try to run up a slide. We start laughing and the mood shifts from the melancholy.
"Weasel, why didn't you two work out?" I couldn't help remembering this from earlier.
"I asked her to marry me shortly after we finished our eighth year. We were barely dating then but, you know, we all marry young in the wizarding world, so I asked her, and she sort of freaked out on me and then I didn't see her for a year and when she came back she was with you. I don't know if you were dating then, but you were friends, and I just couldn't talk to her. Plus, I was seeing Lavender at the time…" That was the daft bint's name. I guess I should thank her though, keeping Weasley's paws off Hermione before I was able to be with her.
"I remember that. The summer after graduation, she came up to our room at the Burrow in tears and just started packing all her things. She was raving about how now she's supposed to get married, how she has to quit the job she doesn't have yet, and start having babies. She was a fright! Oh my Ron. You set it off then!" If looks could kill the Weasel's autopsy would say 'died by death glare from sister'.
"She had a similar freak out when we finished school. She was being pulled in so many directions unsure of what to do…I wonder if something like that is happening now. I know that since the war she hasn't been able to handle expectations and being told what to do." I'm starting to really worry about her now. These freak outs are happening because of me. Deep down, I know its because she's with me. Oh bugger it all! I run my hands through my hair in frustration. "I don't know what to do…she knows I love her and I'll support anything she wants to do. I don't know why what some silly swot says makes her question the life she's leading now."
"Malfoy, don't you dare give up on her or I'll –"
"Oi Pothead, I didn't say I was doing that, now did I? No, I just need to show her how much I love her and make sure she understands that if she doesn't want to teach anymore it doesn't affect how I view her. I suggest you three do the same."
"Well, what about 'Plan: Cheer Hermione'?"
"Weasel, now you're talking."
-Hermione's POV-
After my little victory dance – in my head of course – from putting Iris in her place, the rest of the day went by in a breeze. I repeated Draco's mantra and it kept me from going crazy. I tried to remember why I loved teaching and thought of the six year olds I get to see again once Hogwarts started again. I was reviewing essays when it was time for class to end and the next time I looked up the room was mostly empty.
I start to get my things together so that I can get home and read a good book before Draco got back from the park when I heard voices in the hallway.
"You let that stupid mudblood talk to you like that?" I bet you this person is somehow related to Iris. It wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't Pansy herself slandering me.
"No mother, I simply conceded at the point in time. I'll simply have to revise my strategy." Was that Iris's voice? Strategy? What is she planning? Why is bringing me down so important? I don't understand.
The voices start to dissipate and when I walk into the hall there's no one there. I don't think I'll be reading when I get home. No sir, I'll be trying to figure out what in the name of Merlin the Parkinson's are trying to do with me.