Chapter 15: Devastation

The entire room fell silent. Hermione turned to Draco.

"You knew didn't you?" she asked quietly feeling incredibly betrayed.

"Hermione you don't…" he started.

"Don't what? Don't understand? Of course I don't understand! Why would you take me here if you knew that? I don't care if there was a chance I wouldn't remember! How can you honestly say that my relationship with him is good? I'm not the kind of person that would just sit back and take that. You lied," said Hermione.

"Hermione, please listen to us," said Narcissa. She reached out to touch Hermione's arm, but Hermione yanked it away.

"I don't think I can stand to be here. Why is it that I can only remember negative things surrounding you?" she asked, the tears were flowing down her cheeks now. She started to move outside into an apparition zone, having forgotten she had the name of Malfoy and could apparate directly in and out of the Manor.

Draco followed her and grabbed her arm before she could walk out.

"Don't leave. We need to talk about this," said Draco.

"Talk about what? Your father murdered my parents!" yelled Hermione.

"No! I mean well yes, he did, but you have to listen! Please! For me," said Draco.

"Let. Go. Of. Me," said Hermione sternly.

Draco felt a stab go through him as he heard the tone in her voice and saw the look in her eyes. He reluctantly let her go and watched as she ran outside and apparated away. Draco walked back to his parents. The silence was thick. No one knew what to say.

"Draco…" said Lucius.

Draco just looked at Lucius with an empty look in her eyes.

"Don't. It's ok. We'll work through this… again," said Draco.

"Just be patient with her. When she remembers everything she will come around," said Narcissa.

"What if she doesn't?" asked Draco, "I mean I can't blame you for your actions back then. I understand how it feels to be one of you. You didn't knowingly kill her parents, but that doesn't change the fact that it was you."

"I'm… s..sorry, son," said Lucius, the words choking out of his mouth. Malfoys didn't apologize. This was a serious matter.

"I know," said Draco.

"You can stay here if you need," said Narcissa.

"It's ok. She'll go where she always goes. I'll just give her time. At least Potter is on my side although he might not after this," said Draco.

"You can't help what she does and doesn't remember," said Lucius.

"It's true. It could have happened at any moment," said Narcissa.

"But it didn't. I messed up," said Draco, "Now she'll never trust me."

Draco felt horrible. Everything was getting better. He loved her so much and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, which he had probably just done. And it had been his fault for not being honest with her.

Of course it was raining. When things like this happened it was always raining. Hermione was had gotten soaked walking outside the Manor and now she was soaked pounding on Harry and Ginny's door. Harry answered.

"Hermione? What happened?" he asked as he rushed her in.

Hermione's emotions were controlling her. She couldn't talk. She just cried as Harry held her.

"Hermione!" said Ginny concerned as she came to see who was at the door.

Hermione stopped crying enough to talk.

"Draco took me to the Manor for dinner," said Hermione.

"Yeah… you normally enjoy that. What happened?" asked Harry.

"I had a flashback… and I remembered who killed my parents. It was Lucius," said Hermione. She started crying all over again.

"Oh, Hermione I'm so sorry," said Ginny.

"I'm sure it was bad enough not even remembering their deaths and then to remember that…" said Harry.

Hermione looked up and frowned, the tears slowing.

"That's it? I'm sorry?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah… what do you want us to say?" asked Harry.

"I don't know, but not that! He killed my parents!" said Hermione.

"Yeah and Lucius has paid his debt to society. Well, sort of. I'm still bitter about that, but he paid a very large amount of money and spend a year in Azkaban," said Harry.

"But if you really look at it, he had an evil disposition and he did attack us at some point, but then he spent the majority of the war in the Manor. He became useless after that - of course except that one last mission," said Ginny, "But your relationship was coming along nicely with them."

"What? How?" asked Hermione.

"Wait, what do you even remember?" asked Harry.

"What's there to remember? He killed them," said Hermione.

"Ok, well you don't know the whole story. You're right, he killed them, but he didn't knowingly kill your parents. They were just innocent bystanders that happened to be at the wrong spot at the wrong time," said Harry.

Hermione gave him a confused look.

"Yeah. Lucius took out a train with a bunch of muggles on it, your parents happened to be traveling that day," said Harry.

Hermione frowned and then looked away. She didn't know what to think now.

"Anyway, you forgave him. I can see how it would be different had he deliberately sought them out, but he didn't. And murder isn't anything to be proud of, of course, but he's changed. Just like Draco," said Ginny.

"Your relationship was strained for the longest time, but it's been within the last few months that you told me you were glad you forgave him and things were better," said Harry.

Hermione still sat there silently, not knowing what to say.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that when they said my parents were dead? Obviously I might have taken it in a similar fashion but it would have been better," said Hermione.

"Hermione. Really? You think it would be better? Are you insane? You had just woken up, you absolutely hated your husband and then for us to tell you his own father just happened to be the one to kill your parents. Yeah I'm sure that would have been so much better," said Ginny.

"Draco should have told me," said Hermione.

"Ohh no. You are not blaming this on Draco. Not now that your relationship is just about to pick up," said Ginny, "Do we really have to go through this again? I'll give you that same speech."

"You know Draco. He wants to protect you and he wouldn't hold something from you to hurt you. Honestly if I was in the same spot I might have done the same thing. Or you could even say that we did. We're sorry, but you can't take this back to square one," said Harry.

"Why not? When I left I asked why everything I remembered that had to do with him or his family was bad. Why is it that way?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know, and unfortunately we don't know a lot about Narcissa and Lucius, but we can give you tons of things that are good about Draco," said Harry.

"It's ok. I know you opinion of Draco. He's the greatest thing next to the sun," said Hermione sarcastically.

"Good! At least you know that!" said Ginny smiling at Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny and gave a hint of a smile.

"On a serious note I understand that it's hard to accept them and you don't have to right away. I can only imagine how you feel, but don't give up on them. Especially Narcissa. And they're not going to give up on you. It's not in their nature," said Ginny.

Hermione nodded again and said, "I should probably go. I just kind of left Draco. I probably owe him an apology. Although I'm surprised he hasn't shown up here."

"You miss him," said Ginny nudging Hermione.

Hermione couldn't help it. She smiled.

"And this is where it gets mushy and I leave," said Harry, "Just let us know if you need help again. We're always here."

"Thanks," said Hermione.

She gave him a hug and Harry left the to have 'girl talk.'

"Ok! Spill it," said Ginny.

"Spill what? You know more than I do!" said Hermione.

"Oh, you are so avoiding the subject! Sure I know what happened in the past, and by avoidance I'm guessing you kissed him," said Ginny.

"Well you're wrong there," said Hermione.

"What? I'm never wrong," said Ginny.

"He kissed me," said Hermione smiling.

"Good. Merlin, you almost scared me there. And… how do you feel about him?" she asked.

Hermione gave a happy sigh, "I'm not in love with him yet, but I'm on that path."

"Hermione I'm so excited for you!" said Ginny as she hugged her.

"I hate it when you guys are right. And you guys were right… I'm sure I married him for a reason," said Hermione.

"I won't say it but you know what I'm thinking," said Ginny.

"Yeah the I told you so," said Hermione.

"Hey I didn't say it," said Ginny holding up her hands in innocence.

"Right. Anyways as I said before. I left Draco and I owe him an explanation," she said standing up.

"And a kiss! A hot passionate one," said Ginny.

"I'm not even going to acknowledge that," said Hermione.

"Whatever. You'll be thinking it and you won't be able to resist. I mean come on. I'm married and love my husband but even I think Draco Malfoy is one of the sexiest man alive," said Ginny.

"You are ridiculous! I'm leaving," she said as she laughed.

"I'm sure I'll see you soon," said Ginny, "Just be nice to Draco. He loves you and it's not his fault."

They hugged and Hermione returned back to her own home.

So I'm not sure if I got more reviews that I normally do or maybe it just felt that way but I totally wasn't going to post until you guys and you're awesome reviews convinced me. Go you guys haha and thanks! Hopefully you liked this chapter.