A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.
Thanks for the reviews everyone. I can't believe I've been going so long with this story. I still don't know how I want to end it. Oh, also at the end of this chapter they use apparition to get to the Malfoy Manor.. I forgot to mention, they are legal to do so.
Chapter Twenty-One: A Ride Home
It had been near a month since that morning Hermione found Draco at the tower crying for his father. That confessed to each other their love and he asked her to be his always. So she was; most the students at Hogwarts didn't understand the sudden change between them. They first began to notice when neither one shouted insults at one another, when they would have a civil conversation when they were being forced together, the glances they made when they thought others around them weren't looking. Either way, they were both finally happy with someone. Happier then most people around them.
Even though Draco had still not fully forgiven himself for calling Hermione a mudblood that one morning, he did anything special for her to make up for it. It started with Draco buying her a sun dress. She didn't argue about it since she adored the dress completely. It was a sky blue, with small ruffles on the bottom of it, with a few beads. It had spaghetti straps and the fabric was stunning. Then the following day he gave her a diamond necklace which she also loved, but knew it cost more then she would have been able to afford.
"Draco! Stop. I don't need this." she said when he put it on her neck. "Stop trying to spoil me." he smiled at her innocently.
They were walking down the trail to get to the train. They were finally on winter break. Hermione had made plans to spend a week with Draco, then the remainder of the break she would staying at The Burrow. She was still giving the winter break to her parents, so they could go somewhere with out her and have fun. Her parent's didn't completely agree with her not coming home, but they didn't budge. They also thought she was staying with the Weasley's the entire break too. ;]
Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny found a compartment near the end of the train together. Draco followed Hermione everywhere and for the most part, sat there without saying a word while Harry and Ron were talking. Ginny, Hermione and Draco sat on one side; as the two other boys were on the other. They didn't say anything to the blonde boy until they were on the topic of Quidditch.
"Are you alright?" asked Hermione quietly, when he stopped speaking and stared at the window.
"I guess. Just thinking about my mum." he answered, not looking to her. He was afraid to see her concern.
"She's fine though, right?"
"I don't know. Some of her letters she didn't seem like herself. If you know what I mean."
"Malfoy. Can we ask you a question?" asked Harry, as he had been listening to Hermione and him talking.
"What?" he asked bluntly.
"Is what the Daily Prophet says happened to your father, what really happened?"
"Harry!" said Hermione, not approving. "You shouldn't ask that." he shrugged his shoulders. He had always been used to answering questions for people when he didn't want too. She rolled her eyes, having known to what he was thinking.
"It's fine. I guess everyone is probably curious. I don't actually know. We probably wont ever know either since he's basically dead now. I don't think my father would have ever tried to escape Azkaban since Voldemort isn't around anymore. I don't think it adds up. In my opinion, I think someone was trying to get him out but they were caught. Then the Minister doesn't know what to do so he gave assigned that he is to get the Kiss. Then makes up a story about him wanting to come home. I know well enough he wouldn't try to escape to come home to My mother and me." he didn't say anything else.
"Like who?" asked Ron. They were all staring him, completely interested with the theory.
"It's just a theory I have. It doesn't matter."
"But what if you're right?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange." no one said anything. No one had actually known if she were dead or alive. As she had fled near the end of the war. A few other death eaters had managed to escape the battle field too, but no one ever considered them as much as a threat as they did with Bellatrix. "I'm probably completely wrong though. But I feel as if Bellatrix would have tried to do something like that. Maybe to round up Death Eaters and try and become powerful again." Draco went on.
"But they don't even have Voldemort. They won't have a leader." said Ginny, trying to understand.
"Yes, true. But Bellatrix is very powerful, don't let her ever fool you. Apart from my father, Voldemort would go to Bellatrix for everything else. I also think she would do anything in her power to have revenge." Hermione grabbed Draco's hand, not wanting to discuss what they were talking about any longer. She didn't want to think about it. None of them said anything but glanced over to Harry who just stared at Draco.
"You really think she would do that?" Harry finally asked. Draco nodded.
They talked quietly among themselves as they arrived to the platform to get off. Harry, Ginny and Ron not paying attention quietly left the compartment, desperate to finally be getting off the train. Hermione and Draco stared at each other and as Hermione had been reaching for her bags up on the shelve, she quickly dropped her arms and went to Draco to kiss him.
"No matter what happens.. I always want to be yours." she said quietly. He kissed her once more.
"You promise?" he asked, shyly. She blushed, but then nodded. "I love you, Hermione."
"As I love you." they grabbed their bags from the top shelf above their heads, getting everything they needed they left the compartment to exit the train, hand in hand.
"Oh, Hermione!" said Molly Weasley has she was waiting for all of her children to find her so they could leave.
"Mrs. Weasley!" said Hermione as the older lady pulled her into a hug. She looked at Draco, as kindly as she could. She had never had a liking to the Malfoy family. "I'm sorry to hear about your father, Draco." she said. Then she pulled him into a hug, which shocked Hermione and himself.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." he finally said, when she didn't pull away.
"Your with Hermione now and she is like another daughter to me, so treat her well. You're lucky to have her." she said as she pulled out of the hug.
He smiled to her. "Yes, I'm very lucky." Hermione could see the tears forming into Mrs. Weasley's eyes.
"Well! Where is my Ginny?" she asked, when she noticed she was the only one missing. Hermione coughed and Draco look in the same direction. He almost began to laugh when he saw Ginny standing there beside a wall, kissing Blaise. "Ginny Weasley! Come on!"
Ginny glanced up to see her mother standing there. With one last peck, she left Blaise and joined the crowd. Mrs, Weasley scowled at her direction but Ginny began to talk before her mum could say anything to her.
"Hermione, you're coming in a week right?" she asked.
She nodded. "Yes. I'll be with Draco."
"You behave." began Mrs. Weasley. Draco immediately knew what she meant which caused him to blush. "I'll see you in a week then." she kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Lets go, you lot!"
Separately each of them hugged Hermione. Ron and Harry shook hands with Draco to be polite for Hermione's sake and Ginny gave him a quick hug before chasing after the boys.
"Ready then?" asked Draco, grabbing his stuff once again. Hermione nodded and followed Draco to go apparite to the Malfoy Manor.
question for the day: Did you think that Bellatrix and Voldemort were secretly in love? haha, my sister asked me that today. Give me your thoughts!
