They sat together on the guest bed for a while as Hermione's parents finished off dinner.

"Did you grow up in this house?" Draco asked.

"We moved here when I was about three years old. My parents had just started up their own clinic before they had me and they worked really hard to get everything up and running. I think for the first few years of my life we lived in a small flat in the built up part of town. But they're good at their jobs and when they got enough money they built this place and we moved in. Nowhere else would really feel like home." She looked over at him and gave him a smile. "Except for Hogwarts."

Draco smiled back, but it was a hollow one. He wished he knew what it felt like to have such a strong feeling of safety and security enough to call somewhere home. He had felt it once, but the big mansion that he calls his house is very far from a home now.

"Have you always lived in the same place?" She looked over expectantly.

He shrugged. "It's the only place I remember."

"Do you not like to talk about anything Draco?"

He gave another shrug and looked away from her. "Why say anything when there is nothing important to say?"

"That's how you get to know someone. I'm sure people wouldn't know me half as well as they do if I didn't do a lot of my thinking aloud."

"Well my house is just that; a house. As far as I know I didn't live anywhere else."

"Okay." She put up her hand as if to stop him from continuing on to an angry state of being and looked away.

He sighed, but not with annoyance at her, with himself. He could see that all she was trying to do was get him to open up. He just couldn't quite force everything all at once. He knew that she understood but part of him was scared that one day she just wouldn't put up with it anymore. That was probably the one thing that made him try to open up.

"I would like to see the place you lived in. They say a person's room can tell you a lot about them. I mean, I would probably have to drink some polyjuice potion to even walk through the doors but still."

"The state they were in last time I saw them I wouldn't be surprised if you walked in and set of a whole box-load of stink bombs without their noticing." He still wasn't looking at her so she put a hand on his knee and leant her head against his shoulder.

"You'll have to promise to show me one day." She said.

He didn't reply.

"Dinner's ready sweetheart!" Mrs Granger called from downstairs.

Hermione stood up and put her hands in her jeans pockets. "We better get down there."

Draco stood up silently and followed her into the dining room where there were candles lit on the table and some light music playing on the radio.

"We thought we'd have a nice big meal, seeing as we didn't see you for Christmas." Mr Granger said as they took their seats around the rectangular table.

"You really should have come with us to Switzerland darling, it was just beautiful." Mrs Granger said.

"I told you, I wanted the two of you to have a nice vacation together, besides, I had a lot of study to do."

Her mother had made a roast chicken for dinner with three different kinds of potatoes, vegetables and salad, and even a Yorkshire pudding. As they helped themselves to the food in the centre Draco seemed to sit awkwardly without reaching for anything.

"Come now, eat up boy. You look like you could use a bit of stuffing in you!" Mr Granger chuckled.

"I know it's an odd mix but I know what my Hermione likes and I wanted her to have all of her favourites on her first night back home." Her mother gave Hermione a loving smile from across the table.

"You know you could have staggered it out over the week." She laughed.

As they filled their plates Draco slowly reached for a few bits and pieces.

"I know, but I wanted to do something special."

"She's spent all day in that kitchen, you wait until you see what's for desert. Don't fill yourself up too much!" Mr Granger chuckled.

As they settled in to eat Hermione began a conversation with her mother and Draco was left to converse with her dad.

"So tell me… What are you planning on doing when you finish school?" Mr Granger asked through mouthfuls.

"I… uh… well I guess I'm just hoping to pass my NEWTS." He said nervously.

Mr Granger nodded. "You remind me of me at your age. So many things to do and not enough time to think. Why, would you believe that I considered becoming a carpenter at one point? Fancy that, I can't imagine how different my life would have been. But I soon realised that dentistry was my passion. I wanted to help people. Most people ask me, 'why not a doctor? Or even a nurse?' and you know what I tell them?" Draco wasn't sure whether to say anything or not so he just tilted his head to the side a little. "I tell them that teeth are in a world of their own. You get one set of baby teeth and then the adults come pushing their way through but that's it. You can fix everything else… well, more or less… with medicines and surgeries and all the rest but working with teeth is working with something precious. You only have one shot to get it right. It's a fine art, dentistry. Really it is." He took another bit of his food before Mrs Granger piped up.

"Oh darling, you're not giving him the 'teeth are a gift' talk are you? I do apologize for my husband, he doesn't really know when to stop." She opened her eyes wide and shook her head with a smile so similar to her daughter's that it was almost strange.

Mr Granger waved his hand at her as he continued to eat.

"I don't mind, honestly, we don't really have anything like that in our world. It's quite interesting actually." Draco said.

Mr Granger seemed to sit up a little straighter and prouder with that and Mrs Granger merely gave Hermione a sly smile and took another bite of her food. Draco gulped.

After sitting through dinner and listening to Mr Granger detail some of his more interesting cases Mrs Granger cleared the table and went to fetch the dessert.

"Michael, Jimmy Smith's root canal can wait until later, would you come and give me a hand with these plates?" She called from around the corner.

Draco was almost glad because the story he was in the middle of made him clench his jaw at the thought of some of the things that can go wrong with your teeth. When they were alone Hermione reached over and put her hand over his.

"Thank you for humouring my dad, he enjoys telling his stories."

"Really, I don't mind. Though that last one is making me glad that I don't have to go to any dentist." He smiled nervously, his perfect white teeth sparkling in the candlelight.

"Something tells me that you wouldn't ever have to. Try not to show off those things in front of my dad, he'll insist on taking you down to the office for an examination." She shook her head but in an adoring kind of way.

Her father may be slightly obsessive when it comes to teeth and oral hygiene but she wouldn't have it any other way.

When they walked back in they were carrying a large dish of apple pie and a bowl of homemade ice-cream. By the time they finished they were so full that they could hardly move.

"That was beautiful sweetheart." Mr Granger smiled over at his wife.

"Thank you." Draco said.

"You are most welcome." She reached over and gave him a squeeze on the arm.

He used most of his willpower not to flinch away from her; he knew that probably wouldn't look so good for him. But she was kind and gentle and he understood now where Hermione had learned it all.

"So tomorrow we're taking the two of you out for dinner." Mr Granger beamed.

"Dad, you really don't need to go to any trouble." Hermione said.

"I insist, in fact I won't take no for an answer. And you just let us know if there's anything you want to do while we're back here." He grinned at the two of them.

"Well I think that for now it's time for bed. I'm rather exhausted really." Mrs Granger yawned slightly.

"Indeed it is." Mr Granger followed suit with a yawn of his own.

"Well let us clear the dishes away while you go to bed, I can show Draco the rest of the house after." Hermione said.

Her parents exchanged a glance and Draco felt himself getting a little uneasy.

"I'll help you take them into the kitchen dear." Mrs Granger started gathering some dishes with Hermione and Draco looked up with terrified eyes.

"You'll be fine." Hermione whispered to him as she took away their plates into the kitchen.

Draco turned slowly to Mr Granger who was sitting with his arms folded and his eyes glued to Draco. He gulped a little and felt like he may even start sweating.

"Just so we're clear…" He began, Draco's face becoming even paler – if that were possible. "There's to be no funny business while you're here. You may nearly be adults but this is my house and that's my little girl in there."

"Believe me sir I had no intention of… I mean, I wouldn't dream of it sir, honestly." He said, though now that he mentioned it he probably will dream of it, which was annoying.

He eyed Draco suspiciously. "Now you listen here… I told you to call me Michael, none of this 'sir' business." His face softened into a warm smile and he gave Draco a loud clap on the shoulder.

"Oh, I remember when I was your age, I had just started to date my first real girlfriend and she took me to meet her father. Let me tell you that I had never been so scared, and the man was ginormous. Must have been at least six and a half foot tall. And he followed me around that house with a stun gun for Christ's sake! A stun gun! I don't even know if that is legal, anyway, probably for the best that we ended on good terms, me and the girl, else I would have had to leave the country! Anyway after that I promised myself that if I ever had a daughter I wouldn't scare the pants off anyone she brought home… oh… wait that was probably a bad turn of phrase…" As he continued to spill everything that was coming to memory Hermione was in the kitchen having a similar talk with her mother.

"Mum, you really don't need to tell me all of this." She wished she could just leave the room at that moment, mostly to save Draco from the horrors that were most likely playing out in the next room.

"I know, you're such a responsible girl but I don't know if they teach you the same things that they taught us at our schools."

"Mum, really, I know anything that you're about to tell me so please spare us both the awkwardness." They both chuckled nervously.

"You are such a wonderful girl, did you know that? I can see that Draco thinks that way about you too. You should see the way he looks at you when he thinks no one's looking." Hermione's cheeks flushed and her mother pulled her into a hug. "You just be safe and don't feel like you have to do anything." She said quickly.

Hermione grumbled. "Mum!" She started laughing again and walked out into the dining room.

"… and I still don't think he likes me all that much, and the man is almost eighty. You'd think he would be able to let something go but he has held a grudge for twenty-three years now!" Draco actually managed to laugh at that last story.

"Oh you're not telling him about how my father gave you a good talking to are you?" Mrs Granger leaned over to Draco. "He will talk until the sun comes up if you let him so get out when you can." She winked and went to stand by her husband. "Come on Michael, time for bed I think. We'll leave them to finish the dishes, I'm sure it will only take them a moment."

Mr Granger stood up with a groan and started to follow his wife into their bedroom.

"You don't have to worry, I don't have a stun gun tucked away anywhere." He laughed. "Oh but don't get too cocky, I may not-"

"Michael! Will you give it a rest for one night?" Mrs Granger called out from the bedroom.

Mr Granger rolled his eyes and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek before waving at Draco and trudging off to the bedroom.

Hermione shook her head with a smile. "You know I think they're even more mental than before. I hope my dad didn't make it too awkward for you."

"Not really, it was a strange experience but I think I'll survive." Hermione walked over and sat down on his lap.

She gave him a kiss that made him forget everything around him and focus on only how it felt to have his arms around her. Their kiss deepened and he felt himself smiling through it because for the next three days they didn't need to hide from anyone. Her parents knew that they were together and welcomed him with open arms. They actually accepted him.

Not that they really knew him.

He pulled away and Hermione snuggled into him. "We should get the dishes done for your parents." He slipped out from under her and she just watched him for a moment as he walked into the kitchen.

She soon followed.

They took out their wands and soon enough the sponges were scrubbing plates and the dish towels were drying. Draco stood and watched as plates and cutlery whizzed about trying to get to the right draws and cupboards. He flinched a little when Hermione pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled her into him tighter and breathed in deeply.

She smelt so beautiful, even after a long day, she was still so perfect. He closed his eyes and just let himself melt in this moment with her. He swayed her gently and cupped the back of her head with his hand. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.

It didn't take long for the room to be clean and the dishes to clear themselves away so they headed upstairs. Draco gave Hermione a kiss goodnight and they headed into their rooms. She was going to show him around but he told her that he needed to have a good night's sleep.

His room was small but there was quite a pretty view of the street from his window. He walked over to the frame and gave it a little jiggle. He was able to open it slightly so that a small breeze came drifting through.

He stripped down and rummaged through his trunk for a shirt to sleep in and a pair of boxers. As he climbed into the bed he smiled a little to himself. It was nice to be somewhere different, somewhere that he wasn't just known as a Malfoy, or one of them.

Here, he was just Draco, the boyfriend of one of his classmates. It could almost have been normal, except he knew the truth. He sighed to himself.

He was starting to like being called by his name again; it made him feel warm when Hermione said it. It made him feel important. It made him feel like he meant something.

The door creaked and he sat up with a jolt.

"Relax, it's just me." Hermione's voice drifted through the door in a subtle whisper.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she slid in beside him.

"What do you think I'm doing?" She chuckled a little.

"I think you should just go back to your room."

"Are you scared of what my dad said?"

"No." He said defensively.

"I think you are."

"I'm not. I just don't think it's a good idea." He said as she wriggled closer and rested her head on his chest. "Really."

She sighed. "Alright, I'll leave if you want, but just let me lie here with you for a while?"

He wasn't going to argue with that. He could have fallen asleep then and there but he was sure to stay awake. He wanted to do the right thing by her parents. If they thought he was someone else then he was going to make sure he was that person because it wasn't just the person they thought he was, it was the person he wanted to be.