Draco sighed and then looked up at Hermione.
"I came to see Pansy and Blaise, then you were rude to me, then you apologised to we went for a walk, then you collapsed sort of so I brought you back here, then you fell asleep and I read some of Othello, and finally you woke up and bit your lips so I healed them, then you started to shake and just in time you wand started buzzing and I gave you the vial. I assume you don't need a run through of the last 30 seconds do you?" Draco smirked. His smirk was not full of malice, more like cockiness.
"Don't get smart with me Malfoy," Hermione snapped.
"Jeesh okay. Gr- Hermione I wanted you to be okay. I didn't want you to cry or bleed or shout or be scared I just wanted to be someone to turn to when Potter wasn't there,"
"Why wouldn't Harry be here?" Hermione snapped, and Draco couldn't help but wonder what the hell was going on. It was like she'd done a 180 turn around with her attitude and her eyes seemed more alive than ever as she argued at him.
"I don't know you tell me why Pot-head and the Weasel aren't here," Draco sneered. He was being mean, he knew he was, he had told her he changed and he had, but if acting like his old self would bring her back from whatever cold hell she was in, that's what he would do.
"Don't you dare bring Weasley into this?" Hermione snarled as she advanced on Draco drawing her wand. Draco smirked at her and raised his wand.
"I have a wand too, or did you forget I'm a wizard?" Draco sneered. He was purposefully not saying the word she expected to hear. He wasn't ever going to repeat that disgusting name again. Everyone's blood was red, whether they were pureblood, half-blood, muggleborn or a simple muggle; it was crazy for pureblood wizards to be so prejudiced.
"No of course not. I couldn't forget you're a wizard. What do you think I am, simple?" Hermione hissed. Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione as they stood wand to wand with each other. The girl hated him and all he wanted to do was apologise and say sorry for everything he'd done, he wanted to make amends and prove that in the year he had disappeared, he had truly changed and become his own man, not his father's idea of a perfect Malfoy heir.
"Wizards and witches aside. What's the Weasel done that's so bad to make you call him Weasley?" Draco smirked.
"Don't bring him up," Hermione sneered, her voice was gaining volume and as Draco contemplated his next words he wondered if what he was going to say next would cause her to punch him or scream at him.
"Ooh, so apparently all is not well in the perfect Golden trio. I mean if the "brains" is calling her best friend, supposed lover, by his last name and the "courage" or the "power" or whatever he's called nowadays has left his other best friend alone... Well what's a guy to think?" Draco drawled. Hermione's eyes sparked in a hatred that Draco knew all too well from his Hogwarts years and suddenly she had taken a step forwards and smacked him.
Draco stood there as a red palm began to appear on his cheek. Hermione was breathing heavily and as Draco didn't move, she did, and she began screaming insults at him as she beat her small fists on his chest. It was painful but not unbearably so like the cruciatus curses he had been subjected to for disobedience. So Draco shut down all emotion as she hit him, just as he had done when he had been under his father's wand.
"Hermione," Draco murmured quietly, but being in a rage she didn't hear him so he dropped his wand and brought his hands around her back to pull her against him so she couldn't move to hit him.
"Let go," Hermione struggled. She had started to cry now but Draco continued to hold her to him, refusing to let her go. "Let me go, please," Hermione then whispered. Draco still refused to let her go.
Shortly after her struggles stopped she began to cry and clung to him.
"The loss of a parent, even one as twisted as my father, is a pain greater than all others. You need to let it go. Stop bottling your emotions Hermione," Draco murmured onto the top of her head.
"What would you know," Hermione gasped into his chest.
"My father died a few months back, and I mourned him for a while, but got over it. My father was a twisted, evil man, but still one of my parents. Your parents were obviously good people and to lose them both… It must hurt," Draco whispered.
"How do you know they're…?" Hermione asked, unable to say the word that she knew was true.
"Blaise told me," Draco answered. Hermione dissolved into sobs and he held her tightly in his arms.
Just then Blaise rushed into the unlocked bedroom.
"What's going on? I heard shouting." Blaise said frantically then he gasped. "What the…?"
"We argued a bit," Draco said airily, with a shrug.
"Drake, I told you…" Blaise began but Draco cut him off with a glare.
"Don't call me that infernal name Blaise. And I know you told me, but it's me and Gr-Hermione, what do you expect would happen once she'd calmed down enough to notice me."
"Sorry mate, it's kinda rubbed off on me from Pansy, and I guess you're right… I was being too hopeful," Blaise smirked.
"What were you hoping for?" Draco asked quietly. Blaise simply shrugged and smiled. "Stop being so annoying Zabini," Draco then drawled. Blaise just laughed and then walked away.
"Why are you here Malfoy?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice.
"You asked me to stay," Draco explained quietly.
"I asked you to stay… Why ever would I do that?" Hermione muttered.
"You tell me, I was just as surprised as you are now," Draco chuckled.
"Oh," Hermione said inadequately. Draco then struck by a stroke of genius pulled back and away from her.
"You wouldn't…happen to…ehm…want to go for dinner with me…would you?" Draco asked nervously. Hermione looked at Draco with a confused frown on her face, and just for a second Draco saw a brief flash of feeling in her eyes, but when it faded, her eyes were warmer almost.
"Yes Malfoy, I would, however, not yet," Hermione said, holding a hand up to quench Draco's obvious enthusiasm.
"Why not?" Draco asked.
"Because look at me Malfoy," Hermione said with a gasp. She knew what she was like, but she couldn't speak the words.
"I am looking at you," Draco murmured.
"I'm a shell of who I was," Hermione whispered, and as she said it she closed her eyes a lone tear fell down her tear stained face. Draco brought his hand up to brush the tear away but thought better of it.
"Very well, when you are ready I shall find you," Draco said quietly. Then he stepped back from Hermione and disapparated.
"Mother!" Draco called as he apparated into the foyer of Malfoy Manor.
"Draco dear, whatever are you doing home already?" Narcissa asked as her son strode into the sitting room. Draco noted her company with a smart nod. Carlos Captonia, a pureblood wizard with his mother's last name had been courting his mother since his father's imprisonment before his death and so far Draco had no reason to dislike the man, and mother had every right to move on, yet when she married, Malfoy manor would no longer be home to her.
"Mother, how can you bring a woman back from whatever cold hell she is subjected to?" Draco asked quietly as he sat across from her.
"Draco, whatever do you mean?" Narcissa challenged. She watched as her son's eyes cut to the floor and then back up to his mother.
"I ran into Hermione Granger today," Draco said by way of explanation. Narcissa raised a hand to her mouth and then lowered it back to her lap and looked back at Carlos.
"Carlos. May we continue this another day?" Narcissa asked sweetly. Carlos smiled and he stood up before bowing to Narcissa, taking her raised hand as he did so and laying a soft kiss over her knuckles.
"Of course sweet Narcissa, how does a dinner tomorrow night sound?" Carlos asked smoothly. Draco watched his mother giggle like a school girl and rolled his eyes as he turned his head away.
When Draco heard the floo go off he turned back around to find his mother drinking tea and gazing at him over the top of his cup.
"Draco whatever is the matter?" Narcissa asked. Draco sat down heavily on the chair he stood by and his mother frowned at him.
"Hermione found out that her parents died on their way to where she sent them at the beginning of her 7th year when she ran off with Harry and Ron," Draco murmured. Narcissa was the only person on the planet who knew that Draco now referred to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger by their first names. At first she had been shocked, but after Draco explained that he owed them his life, she had gotten used to it.
"Where did she send them?" Narcissa asked.
"I don't know, but it was a muggle invention that killed them," Draco sighed heavily.
"And now she's what?" Narcissa asked.
"Practically dead, lifeless, cold, the sparkle in her eyes long since disappeared. I mean her eyes used to be warm when she was with her friends and used to spark with hate when she saw me, but today, there was nothing," Draco sighed again as he rested his head in his hands.
"Draco, do not take this the wrong way, but darling, since when have you ever cared?" Narcissa asked gently as she surveyed her son's slumped figure.
"Since that day she was dragged here. Mother her screams, they terrified me, I never wanted to see or hear her in that much pain ever again. I want to be the one to protect her, to hold her when she cries, to…" Draco cut off suddenly as he realised he had been about to blurt out his closest secret to his mother.
Narcissa watched as a faint pink colour appeared across her son's high cheekbones and she hid her smile with a delicate sip.
"You want to be her protector, her confident, her lover, her everything," Narcissa finished and when Draco looked up at her, she saw the faint pink blush had grown to his entire face.
"Mother I'm not sure I want that much," Draco said in a strangled whisper.
"Oh but you do my son. I know because I am your mother. Yes you may be all grown up now and soon 20, but you will be as easy to read as you were when you were crying for food as an infant. So back to the matter at hand, what are you going to do?" Narcissa stated plainly before drawing Draco's attention to his initial questions.
"I don't know what to do mother. I asked her if she would like to go for dinner and she said yes but not yet. Then went on to tell me she was a shell of who she was. She's on a prescribed calming draught at the minute and constantly seems on the edge of falling into a stupor unless you bellow her name." Draco rattled off quickly. As he finished he ran his hand through his messy platinum coloured hair and then smoothed it as he saw Narcissa's eyes follow his hand.
Slowly, with calmness Draco could only expect from his mother, she folded her hands in her lap having discarded her empty tea cup on a tray a house elf appeared with.
"It appears to me Draco, that you cannot be selfish here." Narcissa stated. Draco looked up at his mother and frowned.
"Selfish?" He then questioned, as if he had never heard the word before.
"Draco you must think of her and how she feels before you can even consider what you want. She admitted she was a shell of herself and you told me how she appeared. You need to help her find herself again, if you want anything to do with her," Narcissa explained as she stood up and began to pace in front of her son, swiftly moving from the left to the right of Draco's vision.
"Mother I don't know how to do that. That's why I came here," Draco sighed heavily.
"Has there been a point at which you've seen the old Hermione?" Narcissa asked.
"Yes, we were arguing. She looked a bit warmer afterwards, but I will not bring her back by being an arse to her Mother," Draco said quickly.
"Well then what else do you suggest. Find out what she likes, dislikes, talk to her, let her rant at you, about you, through you, to you. Be there for her Draco." Narcissa commanded as she stopped right in front of her son and stared into his eyes.
"Mother, she is pushing everyone away," Draco groaned.
"And?" Narcissa asked, raising an eyebrow in an expression Draco had inherited.
"And what?" Draco asked, confusion crossing his features. Narcissa's face softened and she walked over to her son and knelt in front of him, raising both her warm hands to place on her son's face.
"Exactly my son, and what?"
"So you're saying that no matter how many times she pushes me away, screams at me, has a general hissy fit, turn up again the next day with something new to grab her attention and get her through this?" Draco asked as if he was viewing the sun for the first time. Narcissa nodded with confidence and Draco smiled at his mother before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you mother."
"Darling I did nothing but push you in the direction you were already walking in," Narcissa smiled as she picked herself up off the floor and smoothed down her robes.
Narcissa looked into her son's face and smiled happily. He had come a long way since the end of the war, and as bad as it sounded Lucius's death and with it the end of their loveless marriage had done well for her and surprisingly, done well for Draco. When Lucius' will said that everything he owned was to be left to his son Draco, she, Narcissa, was not surprised. Their marriage held no love what so ever despite them being husband and wife for 20 years, so when he died she expected nothing.
"Son, what are you going to do for a job now?" Narcissa asked.
"I haven't considered it to be honest Mother. I mean I know I must work, I may just go entirely crazy if I do not, but either way I'm not sure. I'm debating many things," Draco said formerly.
"Draco, I am not your father. Please do not be so formal," Narcissa requested and Draco relaxed and smiled.
"Sorry Mother," Draco smiled, his voice sounding much more relaxed now.
"So what things have you been considering?" Narcissa asked as she herself relaxed a bit.
"A career as an Auror or a career as a wizarding and occasionally muggle lawyer. I'm leaning more towards the second, but I would need some help and possibly a fair few years of experience, maybe some training with the ministry," Draco debated lightly.
"Draco Malfoy, Wizarding/Muggle Lawyer. I can see it, you would fit the part I am sure, but it would take years of set up and training."
"I am sure it would mother but I would be dedicated to getting there. Whoever would have thought that the seventh Malfoy heir would turn the entire family in a completely different direction. We have been sunk into the dark arts for the previous 4 generations have we not," Draco asked and Narcissa's mouth twisted in a grimace as she nodded. "Well it's changing, right here, and right now," Draco finished with conviction.
Narcissa stared at her son and she felt a wild happy feeling rush up through her body as she stared at the man she had raised. He sat there and the eyes that were so very much like his fathers but completely different at the same time were sparkling with excitement and his mouth was curved up into a smile, not a sneer or half grimace, but a genuine smile. He was every bit the man she wished his father could have been.
"Son, if that is your desire then I promise I shall stand by you until you reach the very end. I also wish you well with Hermione." Narcissa smiled. Then she stepped up to hug her son, who rose fluidly and wrapped his mother in his arms in a tight embrace.
"I love you mother," Draco murmured against the top of her head.
"And I love you my son," Narcissa smiled. Then she released her son and watched as he flooed away. As she settled back to think about what she was going to do for the remainder of the day now Carlos was gone, Narcissa couldn't help but feel a sense of rightness in the steps she and her son were taking.
When Draco had apparated away Hermione had turned and faced the mirror, she was hopping mad and likely to jump down anyone's throats today, and with a quick jab she reset the glamour charm on herself and ran downstairs.
"Pans, I'm back," Hermione called out as she went behind the bar. Pansy looked up from her customers and saw Hermione, disguised as Cody, rush out from behind the bar towards some customers who had just seated themselves. As she passed, Pansy glimpsed the dangerous dark glint in her eyes, woe betide anyone who got on the wrong side of Hermione for the rest of the day.
Unfortunately for Hermione, she didn't recognise the customers who had just seated themselves until she was standing at the table and looking from Neville, past Luna, past Ginny to Harry. They all sat there staring expectantly and Hermione blinked a few times before tapping her wand against the side of her throat as if absentmindedly and placed a glamour charm on her voice.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm just a tad bit distracted today," Hermione murmured as she looked at Harry, noting her voice had become a tad bit higher and less husky.
"I'll say," Ginny whispered next to him and Hermione cut her gaze to the red-head. Then to throw off her quick movement she looked between around the group and faked her excitement.
"Oh Merlin. No way!" Hermione breathed.
"What?" Harry asked as he looked confusedly at the woman who had the name tag saying Cody.
"You're Harry Potter, and Ginny Weasley, and Neville and Luna Longbottom. Oh sweet Merlin and Morgana," Hermione gushed. Then she felt Pansy at her shoulder and she turned. "Oh Mrs Zabini, I'm so sorry, I-I-I, It's Harry Potter," Hermione gushed quietly. Pansy took her arm firmly.
"Yes Cody, it is Harry Potter and his friends, but I need you to control yourself, or I will ask Amanda to take over," Pansy said sternly, although with her back to her friends, the look on her face was one of entire amusement, even though she could clearly see the rage in Hermione's eyes.
"Sorry Miss. It won't happen again," Hermione murmured. Then she lowered her eyes to the quill in her hand and prayed that Harry would not recognise it, as it was the quill Harry had bought her for Christmas. "So what can I get you?"
"Firstly you can tell me where you got that quill as its one of a kind," Harry murmured.
"Sorry?" Hermione asked as if she didn't hear him.
"Nothing, erm, a firewhisky for me please, Gin?" Harry smiled
"Same as Harry please," Ginny ordered. Harry and Ginny then broke out into the expected "you shouldn't drink strong alcohol" argument that Harry always lost.
"Can I have a butterbeer please?" Luna's dreamy voice floated. Neville stroked Luna's hand as she ordered and then turned to Hermione.
"I'll have a firewhisky please," Neville grinned. Hermione found it hard to believe but Neville was considered a sex god nowadays, ever since he had grown up and killed Nagini, Neville had skyrocketed to the top of the "men we would fuck" list in Witch Weekly, "men we would fuck" being Hermione's name for that piece of drivel, as opposed to "hottest men going" as it was actually called. Neville had however, much to Hermione's pleasure, kept a cool head on his shoulders and started dating and eventually married Luna. As all this was going through Hermione's head she was smiling and telling them she will be right back with their orders.
When Hermione returned, she placed the drinks down and hurried away, making sure she didn't leave any obvious Hermione items on show.
"Merlin Blaise that was close," Hermione gasped as she was granted entrance into the office.
"What was close?" Blaise asked. Seemingly unaware.
"Well. Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna are all out there and I'm hoping mad because of Malfoy. I don't want to see them." Hermione hissed.
"Wait, those four are here?" Blaise grinned. Hermione's eyes sparked angrily as Blaise stood up and swept out his office, rearranging her features, she followed after Blaise.
"Harry, Neville, Ginny, Luna… How are you all?" Blaise grinned widely as he saw his close friends.
"We're all good to be honest Blaise. Nev and Luna are as always just dreamy and me and Gin are finally getting the wedding plans over and done with," Harry answered, but Blaise couldn't help but laugh at the way Harry's voice had turned acidic over the words wedding and plans.
"It will all be done soon and you'll have your wife ready and willing at the end of it," Blaise smirked. Luna then chose this moment to lean forwards and say something entirely inappropriate.
"You see Harry, once you get her home she'll be completely different in bed and so grateful for everything you've put up with. For example, take Neville, he never ever expected that I would bite him," Luna smiled. Neville choked on the butterbeer he was drinking, while Ginny's and Harry's jaws opened in shock. Blaise stared around the table and then broke into a loud fit of laughs.
"Leave it to Luna," Hermione breathed so Blaise and only Blaise could hear her.
"Oh dear, Harry and Ginny, I think the wrackspurts have got you," Luna muttered worriedly. Blaise's laughter intensified and he sat down next to Luna and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Man I love you Luna," Blaise snickered. Neville who recovered fast enough snickered into his hand.
"Don't let Pansy hear you say that," Neville warned.
"Don't let Pansy hear you say what honey?" Pansy asked a she stepped up beside Hermione.
"Don't let Pansy hear Blaisie say he loves dear Luna over there," Hermione laughed. Then she froze as 6 sets of eyes swivelled to her at the sound of her laugh.
"Mione?" Ginny questioned, but Hermione was gone running towards to back of the inn where the private rooms were located.
Ginny was up like a shot and ran after her. Hermione noticed Ginny running and as she ran through the door that led to the private hallway she locked it with a flick of her wand and continued running down to her bedroom which she flung open and locked behind her. With the practised precision she had adopted when looking for horcruxes, Hermione waved her wand in a circle and then flicked, watching her possessions pick up from around the room and zoom into her bag. There was a rattling noise from outside the room and Hermione disapparated as the door opened.
When she opened her eyes she was standing in the office next to Blaise and Harry.
"Mione," Harry breathed, as he turned his head to call the others Hermione lunged forwards and clapped a hand over his mouth.
"I will come back Harry I promise," Hermione murmured. Then Blaise handed Hermione the bag containing her calming draughts.
"Don't forget to turn up to your appointment tomorrow, you have enough medication to last only until then," Blaise whispered then he pulled her into a hug.
"I won't," Hermione murmured as she placed the calming draughts into her bag. Just then the door opened and Ginny burst in.
"Mione please don't go. I need you at my wedding, as my maid of honour," Ginny pleaded. Hermione felt her heart tug as she stared at her best friend.
"Gin, I need to go. I will try and be back for the wedding I promise, but I can't stay. I can't hack it," Hermione whispered. Ginny ran forwards and hugged Hermione tightly before she let her go and stepped back.
"Owl us?" Ginny asked quietly. Hermione nodded and then she took a step back and disapparated, going the only place she could think of. Back to her parents' house.
