I'm sorry for the short update. It just seemed an appropriate time to end the chapter.

Thank you all for your lovely words!

xxx

New World Order

A Dramione FanFiction

Chapter Ten

Hermione woke once again to the same dream of Ron dying in her arms. It had been almost four months since his death. Not that she expected to be over the loss, she had just hoped that the dreams would stop. It was hard to stop thinking about the experience when you keep reliving the dream every night.

"Same dream again?" Draco asked wrapping his arms around her. Hermione snuggled in against his warm skin.

"Mmhm." Hermione murmured nuzzling her nose on his chest.

"It's all going to get better. I promise."

Draco kissed her forehead and hoped that he could keep his promise. Things seemed to be looking up. The club had been disbanded, work was getting easier and Hermione seemed to be happy for the first time since he had taken her in. This pleased Draco the most. He let out a contented sigh, for once everything seemed ok.

Hermione sat in shock at the dining table.

"You've got to be kidding me." She said in horror dropping her fork.

"I'm sorry, but that's what he wants." Draco said quietly, his gaze gripped firmly on his meal.

"And you expect me to go?"

"It's compulsory. You have to."

"Nothing is compulsory." Hermione spat.

"It is in this world."

Hermione sat there for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

"So you expect me to go to a party thrown by Voldemort to celebrate Harry's defeat on the first year anniversary of Harry's death?"

Draco swallowed his food hard.

"Yes."

"This stinks."

Hermione threw down her napkin and left the room, storming up the stairs. Draco sat there for a moment taking everything in.

"Fuck… Fuck!"

Draco ran up the stairs after her.

"Hermione, don't, I just –"

Draco opened the door to her room to find her curled up in one of the corners, tears streaming down her face. In her hands, held tight, was a large book. Draco approached her slowly and sunk down against the wall beside her.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I wish there was another way, it's just, well, I'm scared."

Hermione looked up a Draco.

"Yeah, right." She sniffed.

"No, really, I am. Voldemort scares the living daylights out of me." He wiped the tears from her face, "If there was a choice, I wouldn't put you through something like that."

Hermione bit her lip and looked back down at the open book. Draco moved closer so he could see inside.

"This used to be Harry's." Hermione said quietly, "Hagrid made it for him. It's full of photos of Harry's parents. Ron's Mum, Molly, spent most of our last summer at Hogwarts finishing it off with pictures of us."

Hermione turned another page. There smiling up at her was a picture of her, Ron and Harry. It must have been from the first or second year. Tears fell down her cheeks again. Everything seemed so much easier then. Everything was an adventure and there were no consequences. Now, "adventures" were a matter of life and death and the consequences… well, Hermione had spent the last twelve months trying not to think about them.

"You know, I used to hate you so much in our first years." Draco said quietly, looking down at the picture. "You were such a bratty know-it-all. I used to complain to my father all the time about you. So much so that he suggested that I might have a crush."

Hermione looked up at him with surprise, her big brown eyes wide.

"I know." Draco smiled, "A crazed notion. In fact, the thought of it made me hate you more."

"You know, I wasn't exactly crazy about you either." Hermione reminded him, choking out a small laugh.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, everyone liked me." Draco said with a cheeky smile, "I think I the hate did soften momentarily in our fourth year."

"Oh really?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only momentarily… around the time you entered the room for the Yule Ball… Of course, one cannot help hormones."

"Whatever. You liked me! You had a crush on me!"

"I said the hate softened Granger! Jeez. Give you an inch and you take a mile."

Hermione's face broke out in a smile.

"I'm sorry for before. I do understand, really, it's just, well, I'd rather not be in that position is all. I had kind of hoped that I wouldn't have to do any duties like that again." Hermione sighed.

The two of them sat in silence.

"Hermione, I've had a thought."

"That's a bit dangerous."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh ha ha. How very droll."

"I thought so." Hermione replied smugly, the colour coming back to her cheeks. Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I've had a thought. What if, after the party, you, um, you sign up for the Muggle Born Registration?"

Hermione looked at him with shock.

"What?"

Draco looked down at his hands.

"I mean, you don't have to, I just thought, that if you wanted, you… could."

Silence filled the room. Draco was sure if it got any quieter Hermione would be able to hear how fast his heart was beating.

"Let me think about." Hermione said quietly.

"Oh, um, ok. Well, um, I might go to bed. Will you be coming?" Draco asked.

"Um, you know what? I might stay in here tonight. If that's ok?"

"Oh yeah, sure, whatever you want."

And with that Draco left the room, his heart breaking slightly. He couldn't believe himself! Getting all upset over a mudblood! His father would be furious.

He shut the door to his bedchamber and sat on the floor. Suddenly it dawned on him. What does it matter what his father thought? What was the worse he could do? Report him to Voldemort? Of course not. Imagine the shame of telling the Dark Lord his son was in love with a mudblood.

Draco smiled at the thought of him and Hermione together. He could see it all. They'd live in the country, where no one could bother them. Ever.

A dark thought crept in. What if Hermione decides she wants to go back to the muggle world?

"Don't be ridiculous." Draco told himself. Hermione wouldn't want to leave all this… Would she?