Chapter Two:

Lukewarm Greetings

This chapter is for Kim. If we don't work together someday, I'll be damned.

Draco's stomach was churning from the moment he stepped off the scarlet Hogwarts Express till the second he spotted them.

The suitcases that he and Hermione had packed proved to be more difficult to handle without the aid of magic. After a few minutes of playing the gentleman, Draco heaved each of the four suitcases onto a free trolley and wheeled them over to his group of friends.

Hermione smiles when she saw him sweat beading on his brow.

"Not too much trouble, huh?" she shot to him over the buzzing of the platform. Draco grinned.

"Piece of cake." he replied as he folded his arms atop the trolley.

After a moment of waiting in silence, Hermione looked towards the brick wall before them, cloaking the muggles who scurried around Kings Cross Station.

"You ready?" she asked, her eyes darting back and forth to Draco's.

Draco nodded and prepared to push the trolley forward. Hermione stepped ahead of him and held out her hand to the wall as if she were going to lean against it. But as her hand touched the apparently solid bricks, they rippled out as if made of liquid and her hand sank into the wall.

"Well," she started as she looked over her shoulder at Draco. "See you on the other side."

With that, she stepped forward, becoming completely enveloped by the wall.

Now alone, Draco let out a sigh. This was it. As of now his life was about to change. He no longer had the glamour of his father's mansion to return home to and fears settled like a pool in his stomach. Fears about the world he was stepping into.

He knew perfectly well that Hermione's parents were muggles. This didn't bother him at all - people were people even though he had pretended to have a prejudice towards them when under his father's rule. But, the fact that he was going to be living in an all-muggle community was a bit daunting. How he could adapt was as big a mystery to him as what Hermione's parents would be like. He'd never met them before - except for the time his father had insulted them inside Flourish and Blotts.

Mustering up his courage, he pushed the trolley forward, having waited long enough to cross over. Gaining speed, he shoved the trolley into the liquefied wall and through to Kings Cross Station.

Draco showed up behind Hermione as she searched the crowds of people for her parents. She's been sure she'd sent them an owl telling them the time to be at the station. They were probably already there, just hidden among the throngs of trolleys being pushed by people.

Draco abandoned their trolley to stand beside her. His hand slid beside hers and she took it, lacing their fingers together. With a start she felt how cold his hands were. It was as though a glove of ice had been slipped on his smooth skin.

"You nervous?" she asked as she gave his hand a squeeze. He squeezed back, but his nerves were very much alive. He'd never been so anxious - not even before his first Quidditch game.

"Yeah," he muttered under his breath as Hermione looked up at him. "Yeah, I'm nervous."

Hermione smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek. This settled his stomach a bit.

"Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I'm sure my parents will love you."

Draco highly doubted this. He was sure they had heard all about him in the past. Sure they knew how terrible he had been. Sure they remembered how cruel he had been to their daughter. Now he felt ashamed more than ever for how he had treated Hermione in the past. Everything rushed back to his memory like a tide coming in, overwhelming. The blood slowly drained from his face and he felt dizzy.

"Draco, relax," Hermione said as she noticed his face. "You're really pale."

Putting his hands up to his cheeks, he rubbed them. Maybe that would bring some color back to them.

"Oh - look!" Hermione started in an excited tone. "There they are!"

Draco's head turned towards where she was pointing and felt his stomach shift. Oh man, this was it. The moment of truth…

Hermione waved to her parents in the crowd of people. Draco couldn't tell which ones they were, but they were somewhere in the crowd moving towards them.

Rushing ahead, Hermione opened her arms and leaped into an embrace with a tall man. The man let out a laugh very deep a baritone. As they hugged, he lifted her off the ground because of his tremendous height.

Finally parting, Hermione was set back on the ground as the woman with tied-back hair bushy hair standing beside the man hurried forward. Her face resembled that of Hermione's and her smile was warm as she embraced her daughter.

"Oh, Hermione!" her mother started. After a few moments, they parted to look at each other. "We've missed you so much! It seems like forever since September!"

Hermione smiled. "I'm just glad we have vacation for a while."

"So, how've you been, young lady?" her father asked with a grin. "Failing all your classes?"

This coaxed a laugh out of Hermione as she gave her father a playful shove.

"No, I'm doing fine in everything."

"Good. That's what I like to hear."

The picture of the family moved something deep inside Draco, an emotion he had never felt. This was the way he had always imagined coming home from school - daydreamed, actually. His own mother never hugged him out in the open and his father…well…that was another lost cause. They showed the least bit of compassion towards him. But if it was someone signing on with the dark side of the Ministry, his father would be all happy and chummy-chummy. When Draco got terrific grades, it was just a nod and a shove away.

Draco was rushed back to reality when he heard more of the conversation, taking place not ten feet in front of him. Hermione was smiling broadly.

"Mum, dad…I want you to meet someone."

Her father, Mr. Granger, smiled and started. "I thought we'd met all of your friends."

"No…this is someone new."

"Oh, Hermione! Is it a -" Mrs. Granger leaned forward to whisper this into Hermione's ear, but Draco could guess what it was, "boyfriend?"

Hermione chuckled.

"Actually, yes."

"My daughter and another boy?" Mr. Granger started, with a grin. "Never thought I'd see the day. Come on, who's the lucky bachelor?"

Hermione seemed to be stalling for time, but the time ran out and she had to point over through the throngs of people towards Draco. He felt his stomach sink as their eyes came to rest on him.

"He's over there."

Mrs. Granger didn't see him. She was still looking through the crowds.

"Who? Where?"

Mr. Granger pointed to Draco. "Him. Well, call him over here, Hermione. The poor boy looks like he's seen a ghost or something."

With that issued, Hermione motioned for Draco to start walking towards them. He did, pushing the trolley slowly ahead of him. His legs seemed to have turned into a thick jelly.

That walk was the longest walk he'd ever taken. It seemed like forever before he finally pushed the trolley to a stop beside the group. When Hermione's parents finally got a good look at him, Mr. Granger held out his hand.

"Well, lucky bachelor, nice to meet you…ah…what was your name?"

Draco avoided their eyes.

"Draco…Draco Malfoy."

Mr. Granger stopped, letting his hand drop back to his side as he heard the name. Mrs. Granger looked up at her husband with a questioning stare.

"What? Did you say…Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione looked into her father's eyes and nodded. Draco looked really out of place, so she stepped beside him and took his hand.

"Yeah…this is Draco. We've been going out for about a month now."

Mr. Granger seemed really confused.

"Malfoy…isn't that the name of that man who called us…"

"Yes - isn't it that man who worked for the Ministry of Magic and threatened Harry?" Mrs. Granger cut in, looking back and forth from Draco to Hermione. They seemed in a state of disbelief.

"Draco and I…have gotten to know each other over the past semester…" Hermione tried to start, but her voice was lost in the drum of the station.

"You're that little punk." Mr. Granger stated bluntly. "The one you've told us all about. The one with the dirty mouth."

Draco stepped back.

"You know what, Hermione," he started as he reached for his suitcase off the trolley. "I'm just going to find somewhere else to go. I think this was a mistake -"

"No, Draco -"

Mrs. Granger stepped in.

"Wait a minute, dear," she began, putting a hand on Draco's arm. Turning to her husband, she tried to calm him. "Honey, give them a minute to explain."

"Explain what? How they've turned from enemies to a couple in a matter of a month?"

"Dear…please…Hermione, you can continue before your father interrupts again."

Hermione smiled, though it seemed half-hearted.

"As I was saying," she started. "Draco and I have become friends and gotten over our…differences. Oh, this sounds really corny…but we wanted to date for a while. I said yes, and that's that. There's really not that much to tell."

"How come you didn't tell us all this in an owl?" Mr. Granger cut in.

"Because…" Hermione began. "I was a little embarrassed."

"As you should be. I cannot believe you agreed to go out with this - this - punk!"

"Dad, please stop calling him that."

"Well, that's what he is. Isn't he? Or have you changed your mind after five years of knowing him?"

"Dad - stop!" Hermione said with a loud voice almost a yell. This caught the attention of many people and caused Mr. Granger to waved them away apologetically. He looked back at Hermione, prepared to listen. "Thank-you! Now, I was going to tell you what's going on."

"What's going on? Hermione," Mrs. Granger started in a twittering voice. "You two haven't -"

"No - Mum! Just listen for a minute!"

They all stopped as Hermione began again for what seemed like the hundredth time. Draco was really uncomfortable as he just stood there. This was perhaps the most awkward thing that he'd ever done in his entire life. And it was almost exactly what he had expected from the two parents.

Hermione gave his hand a squeeze and tried to explain. Mr. Granger seemed repulsed.

"Draco and I have been going out for about a month," the explanation began. "We really like each other, and it's been going fine. But, Draco's father kind of…kicked him out of the house, so he can't go home for Christmas. I was wondering if…"

"Oh, no Hermione. No, no, no." Mr. Granger started, bringing his hand up to his face to massage the bridge of his nose. "Please be joking. This is all a joke, right?"

"No, Dad, it's not a joke. Mum, please. I was wondering if you'd be…willing to take Draco in for a week and let him spend the Holidays with us."

"Out of the question!" Mr. Granger said with an air of finality in his voice, turning and walking off. This left Hermione and her mother alone with Draco.

"Oh, Hermione…" Mrs. Granger started, a sympathetic look on her face. Her cheeks were flushed and she glanced from Draco to Hermione in equal intervals. "You can't be serious…"

"I am," Hermione said with sincerity in her tone. "Mum, please. Can't you make Dad see reason? Draco's got no place to stay!"

"What about the school?"

"Do you really think the school is that much fun, when you aren't getting presents from family because they've disowned you?"

"Disowned? What are you -"

"Mum, Draco's parents disowned Draco because he wanted to go out with me. If that says anything to you about how serious we are."

Mrs. Granger let this sink in, looking down at the floor as she tried to process it.

"You're really serious?"

Hermione nodded.

"You really want to bring this…this boy home with us?"

Hermione nodded again. "Oh, please, Mummy! He's not what you think at all! I mean, look at him!"

Draco jumped as Mrs. Granger and Hermione both stared heavily at him. Mrs. Granger seemed to be sizing him up, trying to make her own opinion devoid of the preconceptions she'd received from her daughter's stories over the years.

"Well," she started after a minute or two. "I suppose he can come home with us. But, it's just a week. There won't be any summer escapades, right?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I'm sure Draco will have a place to stay until then."

Mrs. Granger nodded and started over to the bags they had piled on top of the trolley.

"Well then, get your things. We have to get to the car. Traffic is deadly this time of day. Want to beat rush hour."

"But," Hermione interjected. "What about Dad?"

Mrs. Granger stopped and looked up at her daughter.

"I have my ways, dear."

And with a grin, she started walking towards her husband, bags beneath her arms with Draco and Hermione trailing closely behind.