Thanks again to all of you. Enjoy Chapter 13.
Hermione led Draco through wheat fields and flowers until finally she stopped.
"Hermione, where are we? I feel like we're miles from the house." But she didn't reply and when he looked at her she was staring out ahead. He looked to where she was looking and gasped at the sight.
In front of them was a small pond but it seemed to be glowing. It had a calming aura about it and was quite breathtaking. She released his hand and started walking into a large willow tree that was so thick you could barely see through it. He heard her giggle and he smiled. He too entered the jungle of willow.
"Hermione, where are you?" He only heard her giggle more and then a pair of hands scraped his back and made him jump. But when he turned around he saw her gracefully skipping away from him. He tried to follow her. He found the trunk of the tree and she popped out from the other side and kissed him. Every muscle in his body relaxed and he felt that the moment was perfect. "Where are we?"
She ran a branch through her fingers, "I found this place one summer when I used to come here before school started. I came here and I fell in love with this place. It was the only place I ever felt I could be myself. In fact," she rounded the trunk until she found what she was looking for. She reached her hand in the trunk and pulled something out which she handed to him, "it's my favorite book."
He turned it over and flipped through the pages. Something fell out and landed on the ground face down. She tried to pick it up quickly but he got to it first and turned it around. It was a picture of her and Ron. It was moving like most pictures in the wizarding world did. She was trying to get away but Ron had a firm grip around her waist and appeared to be tickling her. It appeared as though she was laughing hysterically. Draco noticed she had turned away from him.
"Do you still think about him, Ron?" At the name he saw her flinch. When he didn't get an answer he spoke again, "because I do."
She turned around shocked by his comment. She opened her mouth to speak but then grabbed something else out of the trunk and left the thick willow branches. He quickly followed her. By the time he got to her she was laying on a blanket on the ground. Her hands were folded on her stomach and her ankles were crossed. He went and laid down beside her, book and picture still in hand.
She took a deep breath, "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him."
He closed his eyes, slightly hurt, "It's understandable."
She half smirked. "Can we talk about something else, please?"
He nodded. "The moment you found me in that bathroom has been one of the greatest moments of my life."
She rolled her head to the right to look at him, "Our first kiss being the greatest right?"
They both burst out into laughter. "I can't believe we did that. I mean we snogged literally two feet away from Voldemort."
They laughed again remembering the moment. She took his hand in his. "I was for sure that was going to be the moment I died."
He looked her in the eye. "I would never let that happen." She smiled. There was complete silence for a few minutes as they gazed at the stars. "What's your favorite color?"
She giggled. "What?"
He sat up on his side. "What is your favorite color?"
"Um purple I guess. What is this all about?"
He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I want to know everything about you."
She smiled up at him again and they continued their question game until they decided they needed some sleep. They put the blanket and the book along with its picture back into the trunk and walked back to the Burrow hand in hand.
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A week later Ginny, Harry, and Hermione had everything packed and ready to move into Grimmauld Place.
Ginny was highly excited, "Oh I can't believe you decided to move in with us. It's going to be so much fun."
"You can thank me for that." Draco came around the corner. "Took a lot of convincing this one that's for sure." He kissed Hermione's temple.
She turned to him, "Are you sure you don't want anyone to come with you? I don't want you to have to go back to that place alone."
Draco was going back to Malfoy Manor to gather his clothes and whatever else he needed. "I told you, you never have to go back to that place." He saw her shudder at the mere thought.
"I could go with you." Harry spoke hesitantly.
Hermione looked at Draco pleadingly and he noticed. He rolled his eyes, "Fine. If it will make you feel that much better, Potter can come with me."
She smiled then started putting all the shrunken boxes into her small purple bag that had an undetectable extending charm on it.
"Oh I can't believe my baby is moving away. My youngest. My little girl." Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs with Mr. Weasley following closely behind.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Mum."
"Don't "mum" me. I have a right to be sad and worried."
"Oh Molly, she'll be fine." Mr. Weasley was trying to settle his wife down.
"Mrs. Weasley, she's in good hands. I promise I'll take care of her." Harry smiled at the people who have been like a family to him.
"Oh I know that darling. And if you need anything, any of you," she glanced at Draco, "do not hesitate to come knocking. And I want you all to come over for dinner once a week on Sundays when everyone else comes over. It's going to be mighty lonely here, Arthur, with Bill and Fleur at Shell Cottage, Charlie still in Romania, Percy working with the Ministry, and George living in the flat above his shop."
"Mum, its fine. We'll be back at least once a week. I promise." Ginny smiled and hugged both of her parents as did Hermione, Harry, and Draco and then they were off.
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"I really hate this place." Draco was in his room packing up clothes and other things into boxes as Harry shrank them. Hermione and Ginny were already at Grimmauld Place.
"It does bring back sore memories."
"Okay. I think that's everything?"
"You sure?"
Draco nodded.
"Draco?" A feminine voice called.
"Oh shit. I didn't think she would be home."
"Who?" Harry asked confused.
"My mum."
"Draco, I didn't know you were going to be here."
"I'm not here. I never was here." He said menacingly.
She noticed him stuffing small boxes into his pant pocket. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, I'm going to live with Hermione. You know Hermione? The girl you watched nearly get raped."
"Draco," his mother pleaded.
"Don't bother. Goodbye mother." He put his hand on Harry's shoulder and with a pop they were gone.
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"Home sweet home." Ginny said as her and Hermione arrived to Grimmauld Place.
"I think it's beautiful."
Ginny laughed. "Harry and I are taking the bedroom on the first floor. There are ya know like twelve more for you and Draco to choose from." They both giggled and walked towards the kitchen.
Hermione sat her bag on the table and leaned over on it. "It's really hot in here."
"Are you crazy? It's freezing." She looked at how pale her friend was, "Hermione, are you okay?"
At that moment Hermione pushed past her to the sink and vomited. Ginny rushed towards her to hold her hair back. "I don't know but I feel much better now."
"Here sit down and have some water." She pulled a glass out of the cabinet and with a wave of her wand it was filled with water. "What was that?"
"I'm not sure. It's probably just a bug."
They heard a loud pop in the other room and shortly after Draco and Harry walked in. Draco looked around. The place was kind of shabby and he knew he could afford something better.
Ginny hugged Harry, "How'd it go?"
Draco grunted so Harry spoke, "We had a run in with his mother."
Draco ignored his comment and sat next to Hermione. "Hermione, you look awfully pale."
"I'm fine. I'm just gonna go take a nap." She kissed him and left for a bedroom.
Draco slouched in his chair and Harry and Ginny sat down, "So now what?"
Harry sighed, "I guess it's time for a job hunt."
"What do you two have in mind?"
He saw Ginny's cheeks go red. Harry spoke first, "I'm going to train as an auror and Ginny here is going back to Hogwarts keeping up her Quidditch skills so she can go out for the Holyhead Harpies when schools done next year. "
Draco raised his eyebrows in amazement. "Ambitious."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "And what are you planning to do?"
He sighed. He hadn't really thought about much. Money really wasn't a problem for him. His parents had put half their money in a vault under his name. "I'm not sure."
Harry scoffed thinking of all the money in Draco's possession, "You could probably do anything you wanted."
"If only I knew what I wanted."
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"Hermione? Hermione?" Draco walked up the stair searching for Hermione. He finally found her in a small room with a single twin bed. He knelt down beside her. She was still sleeping. "Hermione? Wake up."
She groaned. "What?"
"Harry, Ginny, and I all would like to go out to eat. Ya know sort of a celebration of our moving in. So come on."
"Ok just let me brush up a little."
Draco stood as Hermione sung her legs to the edge of the bed. He noticed she looked pale again. "Are you okay?"
She didn't say anything. Instead she scurried into the bathroom across the hall slamming the door behind her.
Draco knocked on the door. "Hermione what's wrong?"
He heard the toilet flush and the sink go on and off. Then the door opened. "I um I think I just caught some kind of bug or something. But I think I'm gonna stay here tonight. You guys go ahead."
"I'll stay here with you." He stroked her hair.
"No please go. I want you to. I'll be fine I promise."
"Hermione," he pleaded.
"Please? Besides I'm probably just gonna go back to bed anyways."
He gave her a look that told her he was staying no matter what but he eventually just gave in, "Fine. But call me if you need anything."
She nodded her head and slowly made her way back to the bedroom.
Thanks for reading.