Chapter Twenty-Seven
Draco stood behind the portrait door, wavering slightly between walking out of the door and not. As far as he knew, nobody else from their little mini-House left for breakfast yet, but since they were all running on their own schedules, they all pretty much had a lie-in nearly every morning.
He thought about his breakfast with Hermione by the lake from a few days ago and was determined to have breakfast in the Great Hall amongst the Slytherins. She was right—what did it matter what the others thought about him? About her? He knew that he would still be angry if he heard the others speak ill of Hermione, but he knew that she was ultimately right.
He had to be okay in this castle again.
"Excuse me, Draco—"
"Parvati, can you do me a favor?"
Parvati looked at him and tossed her long hair over her shoulder. "What do you need? Then I'll decide if I'll do it."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Can you just run upstairs and get Hermione? I need to see her real quick. It's important."
Parvati squealed annoyingly. "Aw, that's so cute! You need her to see her to leave the common room."
"Just get her!"
"Of course. I'll never stand in the way of true love!"
Draco fumed, wanting to throw something at Parvati. But she turned and ran up the stairs, calling Hermione. Instead of Hermione coming down the stairs, Hannah and Padma walked down, followed by Parvati.
"Where is she?" he asked impatiently.
"She's coming, Draco, keep your pants on. She was still asleep."
"What is it, Draco?" Hermione asked, sleepily. She walked down the stairs, pulling on a cloak over her dressing gown.
He walked up to her and gave her a long kiss.
Hermione pushed him back. "Draco, I just woke up! I haven't even brushed my teeth yet! Nor have I washed my face!"
"I don't care." He stroked her face. "This is when you are most beautiful." Draco leaned down and gave her another kiss. He put his hands in her hair, pulling her face closer to his.
Parvati, Padma, and Hannah squealed, watching them. "You guys are so cute!" exclaimed Parvati. "I never thought you and Draco, Hermione—"
"Draco—what—" said Hermione, pulling away from Draco again.
"I just needed to borrow some of your Gryffindor courage, baby." He flashed a smile at her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you in the Great Hall." He turned and nearly ran out of the portrait door.
"If you needed some Gryffindor courage, I've got a whole lot for you, Malfoy," teased Parvati. She smooched her lips at him.
He didn't acknowledge her as he passed through the door, but chuckled upon hearing Hermione's response.
"If you even think of going anywhere near Malfoy with your lips, I will have your head!"
"I'm just kidding, Hermione. We all know he doesn't have eyes for anyone but you."
Right you are, Parvati, Draco thought, as the portrait door shut behind him. He began his seemingly long walk toward the Great Hall.
People were unaccustomed to seeing him in the halls. He could tell by the way the younger students murmured behind their little hands and whispers followed him.
"Ignore them, ignore them, ignore them," he repeated to himself.
"Why, good morning, Draco."
Draco turned around when he reached the entrance hall and saw a smiling face headed toward him.
"Hi Luna!" he said softly. "Good morning."
"How nice to see you, Draco! I don't usually see you around for breakfast. Or any meals, whatsoever. Do you still eat? You should, you know."
Draco smiled. He always liked talking to Luna. "I'm on my way into the Great Hall for breakfast."
"Me too. Shall we walk in together?"
"Sure." Draco held the door open for Luna and gestured her in.
"I'll be seeing you, Draco!" Luna bounced toward the Ravenclaw table and took a seat nearby Draco. She smiled at him from just one table over.
Draco took a deep breath and headed for the Slytherin table. He saw a few familiar faces sneer at him: Astoria Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Graham Pritchard and Malcom Baddock. They were students a year or two behind Draco.
"Why are you sitting here, blood traitor?" hissed Baddock as Draco took a seat in the spot that he had sat at for years.
"Shut up, Baddock."
"Shouldn't you be over there with your Mudblood lover?" asked Greengrass, pointing in the direction of the Gryffindor table.
"Just because you say you're a girl, Greengrass, doesn't mean I won't curse you," Draco said. He pulled up his left sleeve. The Dark Mark was faded, but clearly seen. "You do remember what this means, right? I have learned some things from the Dark Lord."
"Dark Lord? Is that what he is to you now? Aren't you one of the Order?" Baddock spat out the last word.
Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Baddock.
"You wouldn't dare," Baddock said harshly.
"Try me."
"I know what happened. They didn't want you in. If you mess up, you're kicked out of Hogwarts and where does that leave your Mudblood girlfriend?"
"Don't call her a Mudblood."
"Oh, I'm sorry, would you prefer that I call you a blood traitor?"
"Call me whatever the hell you want, but leave my girl's name out of your mouth."
"I would never say her dirty name, Malfoy. The Mudblood is nothing more than a filthy, little Mudblood to me. Damn dirty blood stealing magic from wizards. You don't know how much I wished the Dark Lord killed that Mudblood girl last year. Would do us all a favor if all the Mudbloods just magically died. Especially her. Damn know-it-all. How I wish I could do it."
A loud bang erupted from the end of Draco's wand and Baddock found himself stuck to the wall of the Great Hall. He gagged, finding himself choking on his own saliva. His cheeks grew red and he clutched at his throat.
Silence spread throughout the Great Hall. The teachers immediately headed for the Slytherin table.
Draco spoke in a low voice, but it echoed throughout the silent hall. "If you ever speak like that about my girlfriend again, I shall make sure it is the last thing that you ever do. And if the word, 'Mudblood,' is ever heard from your mouth, I think the Minister of Magic would very much be interested in your wish to kill the Muggle-borns at your hand." He released Baddock, who fell to the ground with a loud thud, and looked at the rest of the frightened faces from the Slytherin table. "And that goes for the rest of you. If I ever hear a word against my girlfriend or any other Muggle-borns here, you will have me to deal with."
"Mr. Malfoy!" scolded McGonagall.
Draco looked around and noticed that everyone's attention in the Great Hall was focused on him. He looked around, seeing frightened looks on the majority of the people there. Ginny Weasley gave him a small, encouraging smile from across the room. His blood was still boiling.
"Follow me, Mr. Malfoy!"
Draco turned to follow McGonagall and saw Hermione, Neville, and Padma standing at the doors to the Great Hall. From the looks on their faces, they heard every word and witnessed the entire thing. He couldn't decipher what they were thinking from their faces. He didn't say a word to any of them as he followed McGonagall up to the headmistress' office.
"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy."
"Baddock started it, Professor. He threatened Hermione."
"However gallant your actions were, your behavior was unacceptable. You knew the terms of your admittance for this year. I'm afraid I have no choice but to report this incident to the school governors."
Draco's heart sank. They would surely kick him out now. "But Baddock…can't you tell them that he—"
"It's out of my hands, Mr. Malfoy."
"Professor!" Hermione came running into the office, pulling Luna behind her. "Luna heard everything, everything that Baddock and the others said—"
Luna nodded serenely. "Baddock said that he wished all the Muggle-borns magically died. Though, I don't wish the same. Hermione's a Muggle-born and one of my best friends."
McGonagall nodded. "Ms. Granger, Ms. Lovegood, thank you. However, I shall have to report this to the school governors."
"Can't you just let it go, Professor?" asked Hermione. She placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, immediately calming him. "He—he, he was sticking up for us. All of the Muggle-borns here. Can't that speak for something?"
"I will include everything that I heard. And everything in Ms. Lovegood's account. I shall let you both know if anything changes."
"Anything changes, like I get kicked out?" Draco asked coldly.
McGonagall's lips thinned. "Ms. Lovegood, you may return to your breakfast."
"Oh, thank you! I was looking forward to my porridge this morning." She smiled and waved at all of them as she turned to walk out of the door. "Draco, you did a brave thing. Surely the school governors will see it also."
"Sit down, Ms. Granger."
Hermione reluctantly took a seat next to Draco. She took his hand and pulled it to her lap, squeezing it in fear. "Professor, they can't kick Draco out, can they? Baddock, he was—"
She fell silent at McGonagall raising a hand.
Draco was surprised to see tears in McGonagall's eyes. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if she wanted to say something, but could not.
"I can't say how…touched I am at seeing your display of affection toward Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy. As your headmistress, I must scold you and punish you for your actions against a fellow student. So consider yourself to have detention. To be served with Professor Sprout tonight. And no Hogsmeade visits for the rest of the week."
Draco exchanged a look with Hermione. Their makeshift eighth-year schedule already had them meeting with Professor Sprout that evening. And the schedule that Hermione made didn't allow for any Hogsmeade visits this week. He knew Hermione always made sure the schedule was approved by McGonagall. A small smile widened on Hermione's face. Draco was not really getting punished.
"Now, as your former teacher, who has known you since you were eleven years old, Mr. Malfoy, I must say that I am impressed by your growth from your first year until now. I—when I saw you at the end of the school year last year, I…I saw the two of you together. I, I honestly didn't think it would last."
Draco looked down. This was the most uncomfortable conversation that he'd ever have and that was including the "birds and the bees" talk he had with his mother over the summer when she feared that Draco and Hermione were getting too close. She had volunteered them to baby-sit Teddy often so they'd see firsthand how difficult it would be to raise a baby. How he wished he could go back to that day right now instead of sitting here in front of McGonagall.
"But, the pair of you remind me of a couple, another one. They shared a sense of humour, argued fiercely, but loved each other more than anything in the world. They were set on getting married. But he was a Muggle. Not even a Muggle-born wizard. He was a just a Muggle. And he wouldn't understand nor be accepted by our world. Her world. So she left him. She gave in to the Wizarding views even though she never agreed with them."
Draco stole a look at Hermione. She was looking glassy-eyed at McGonagall, clearly hanging onto her every word. Draco sighed and glanced at the headmistress.
"I can see how much you care for one another. How much you love each other. And the fact that you can lay aside all of your former prejudices and your upbringing, Mr. Malfoy, to defend your love against those that you have lived among, who shared your beliefs, speaks volumes. Do not do what the witch did in the story. No matter what, do not give in to the Wizarding views. Do not give any power to those who cannot live your life for you."
They were silent for a bit and McGonagall wiped her eyes quickly. Draco blushed, but stroked Hermione's hand. He cleared his throat. "Um…thank you?"
McGonagall gave him a small hint of a smile. "I apologize for…overstepping my boundaries as your teacher. I will report this incident to the school governors and the Minister of Magic because I have to, but I will do everything in my power to keep you here, Mr. Malfoy. You may go now."
Draco stood up and took Hermione's hand. They headed for the door to the stairs leading down from the office. Draco placed a hand on the doorknob and hesitated before turning it. He looked back at McGonagall, who already turned away from them. She seemed to be poring over a Penseive.
"Um, Professor?" he said. She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you." He cleared his throat. "And…I feel like I have to tell you this, and this is so weird to be telling my headmistress, but…I love Hermione. Especially when she argues with me, teases me, hell, even when she punches me. I love her. And…I love her more and more every day." He gave McGonagall a small smile before turning the doorknob.
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said, choking out a cry. "Again, I will do what I can to keep you here. And I am sure my fellow professors will do the same."
At the bottom of the stairs, Hermione pulled Draco into a kiss. "You keep saying such wonderful things about me, Mr. Malfoy. Almost seems like you want something."
"Just you." Draco smiled as he kissed her. "I seem to have…" he smirked at Hermione, "Granger danger."
Hermione rolled her eyes and lightly slapped his arm. "Why did you say that to her? You didn't have to, you know." They headed down the hallway back toward their common room.
"I don't know. I just I remembered that McGonagall was the one who was there for you after…after you jumped into the lake in first year. She's the closest thing you have to a mother in the Wizarding world."
Hermione thought about his words. "You're right. She is like a mother to me in the Wizarding world."
Draco nodded. "And I had to convince your actual mother that I love you. I suppose I had to show your 'Wizarding' mother, too."
"And…um, about Baddock…thank you for sticking up for me. I know it was hard. And thank you for going to the Great Hall. I know you didn't want to."
"But I know you wanted me to. And I'll do anything for you."
Hermione smiled. "Just don't lose yourself, Draco. You are your own person and that's what I love about you."
"But I'm not, Hermione. You've helped me find myself." He gave her another kiss before they walked back into the common room. "I don't care what they say anymore. I don't care what they think. I want you. I love you.
"From the time I was little, I always followed people. My father, obviously. He raised me to think like him. Then Bellatrix. And Voldemort. I was never my own person. The first decision I can really think that I ever made on my own was the day I accepted Dumbledore's help on the Astronomy Tower. But then I followed my mother. I followed Kingsley, Remus, Nymphadora, Aunt 'Dromeda, Uncle Ted. Then you, Harry, and Ron."
Hermione shook her head. "You chose to come with us. You wanted to come with Remus."
"Wait. But I still followed you. And that was when…that was when I started thinking for myself. Sticking up for Harry when you and Ron didn't believe him about the Horcrux being here, at Hogwarts, or going to Godric's Hollow. You were always slightly the more forceful personality. It would've been easier to follow you into not going to those places." He smiled at her warmly.
"But you…you helped me find myself. I don't exactly know how or when, but you changed me, Hermione. And for that, I thank you."
"You changed yourself."
"Because of you. My father thought I was a prisoner or that I was Confunded or whatever. But no, I left with you guys and when I did, I defied him and Bellatrix and Voldemort. And they knew it. And when we got to Hogwarts, I just wanted to protect you. I didn't follow you all around Hogwarts, hiding and sniveling behind your more powerful magic. I fought, too. I chose to fight against the Death Eaters, against Bellatrix, and against my father. Bellatrix nearly killed me. And Nymphadora died for me. She died protecting me. And then, you happened again…you helped me realize that I should forgive my father, but I didn't have to. I chose to forgive him, but I chose not to forget the things that he had done to me, the things that I went through with him.
"I made that choice. I didn't follow you in it."
He put his hands on her shoulders to properly look at her. He moved his hands up and down her face, wanting to feel and know every inch of her.
"And now, I'm here at Hogwarts. Because I want to be. I want to be a Healer like Uncle Ted. I liked the way it felt when something healed in front of me. When Ron got splinched and the dittany helped him, it was possibly one of the most amazing things I've witnessed."
Hermione chuckled. "I won't tell him."
Draco smiled. "The point is that I liked it. And you just encouraged me. You didn't even tell me what you thought I should do. And I came to that decision on my own.
"I think I get it now, Hermione. Our choices—that's what drives our life. Not the fact that we were Sorted into Gryffindor, into Slytherin…it doesn't dictate our life. We do."
"I have to thank you, too, Draco," she whispered. "You helped me live."
Hermione grinned and stood on her tiptoes. She enveloped Draco into the longest, steamiest kiss they've ever shared. She ran her fingers in his hair and moved them along the back of his neck. It gave him goosebumps and made the hair on his arms stick up. He slowly moved his hands up and down her sides and her back before resting them on her hips. His lips traced her jawline and he inhaled her vanilla scent. It reminded him of the time at Shell Cottage. He left a line of short kisses from her collarbone up to her lips and he pressed his tongue against her lips. She opened her mouth, pulling him closer, exploring him in greater detail. She pulled back suddenly.
"My miracle," she whispered. Tears shone in her eyes and she leaned up to kiss him again.
"My love."