Chapter 8 - Garden Talks
Hermione woke in her own bed, realizing she was in her somewhat assigned room with Ginny and Luna in the next two beds. Draco must have watched her fall asleep, and when she was deep into her dreams, carried her to her own bed so neither would be involved in issues of 'intimacy'.
She yawned, the other two girls obviously still fast asleep. Slipping off her own single-person bed, she quietly made her way to the door. Opening and closing it so softly as to make only the click of the handle, she could walk normally to the bathroom.
Washing her hands and meeting the hall once more, a blonde man stood in the closest door frame, smiling from ear-to-ear.
"Good morning, Miss Granger."
"What happened to referring to me as 'Hermione'?"
"You should know I'm only speaking formally, Hermione."
She folded her arms, but smirked, "Good morning, Mr. Malfoy."
"I wonder what is up Ronald's arse lately," she took a bite of her neatly peeled orange.
Draco stayed silent, lazily cutting his orange with a knife into peel-covered slices. His expression showed he definitely knew something. Hermione noticed his abnormal quiet.
"Draco."
He looked up, meaning to tell her silently he knew something, "Hermione." He bit his orange, also.
"You know what it is, don't you?" She gave him a sly look.
He gulped hard, choking slightly and sipping his whole milk. He sighed, "Never said I knew why."
"Don't play a word game with me," she demanded at a regular volume. "I asked you if you knew - it is written all over your face."
His stern eyes looked up at her, "Hermione, I can't-"
"Why!"
He flipped his arm over, revealing a well-known dark symbol. "Because, I am not allowed to say anything."
"Not allowed? You weren't allowed to do many things that you did, anyways."
"THIS," he started, nearly shouting the first word. "This is nothing like that. I meant not allowed to as in there is a spell cast to keep everyone with this," he referred to the marking with his eyes, "quiet. I would say if I could, Hermione, but I cannot even mouth it."
Hermione wanted to slam her fist against the wall behind her.
He scooted closer, locating her jaw with his hand and pulling her attention to his face. "Don't go near him, Hermione. He's not himself." His eyes let a worry take over, "Not his stupid git self anymore."
"Wait-"
"I'm lucky I could get that far."
She balanced her weight to roll forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, "okay, Draco. I'm sorry I pushed you like that."
"I forgive you completely."
She pulled away and took the last slice of her orange.
The entire household met in the kitchen, ready for the breakfast the Weasley Mother had conjured.
"Mum, it smells delicious," Ginny mentioned as her Father placed dish-after-dish onto the center table.
Hermione was forced to sit beside Harry and Luna, Ginny next to Draco. She was not very accepting of this arrangement, but no one seemed to catch on the new found relationship.
The family and friends began to eat in a silent manner, as usually dinner's were full of chatter, compliments, and happenings. With the war, everyone seemed to know the news of the day, the feelings, and things along. But the house seemed quite bare.
Hermione quickly ate her actual breakfast, and asked to be excused.
She sat in the indoor garden, it seemed to extend continuously with no end in sight. Allowing her hand to slide across the water of the fountain, pondering the world with her large mind.
"Hermione? What are you doing out here?"
Hermione recognized Harry's familiar voice, not looking up to see him. He allowed himself to drop on the ground next to her, watching her hand caress the water. Looking up at the sky outside the glass roofing, he sighed.
"I'm glad they added this addition onto the hiding, it was extremely boring being inside for so long."
Hermione nodded, still not looking up.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" He watched her still figure once more.
She didn't respond, until Harry opened his mouth to ask again. "Just thinking."
He coughed a snicker, "when are you not thinking, Hermione Granger?"
She looked up at him quickly, scanning his face with her aggitated eyes, but realizing he was right, looked away and nodded.
He sighed, also, but laid back on his arms in a position to relax.
Silence kept over the two for what felt like hours, but Harry became sick of the bare timing and had to say something.
"So," he began, "what is going on with you and Malfoy?" He tried his best to sound caring instead of insulting.
Hermione's eyes jolted to view him, "is it really any of your business, Harry?"
His eyes showed a small portion of sadness, "the last few years you have been my best friend, Hermione. What are we now? Strangers?"
She sighed, "I'm sorry." Taking a deep breath, "we will always be best friends. I just didn't think you would have noticed me and-" She couldn't continue, wanting to keep their relationship secret as much as possible.
"What? You can tell me. It wont change anything... actually, maybe it will make me be more accepting of him."
Hermione almost laughed.
"Alright, maybe not." He smiled.
"I don't know how to say it, Harry." She looked at him, "I don't want to ruin anything."
"I just told you it wont change anything!" He shifted forwards to sit only on his buttocks.
She breathed, taking a few moments to herself, "Draco and I are kind of the opposite of what we were years ago, Harry."
"Liiike?"
"Like," she stated, "Draco and I can be compared to you and Ginny..." Brushing her hair away from her face.
His face was now blank, unable to find the correct words to reply to her.
"You don't need to say anything, Harry." Hermione pulled the hair band from her wrist, attempting to brush her hair back to put it up, but stopped when the two were somewhat interrupted.
"No, he does not."
Hermione turned her head only slightly to see Draco to the side of her, causing her breath to catch.
Draco took the hair elastic away from her hand, brushing her hair back in a gently yet quicker manner than herself. It only took a moment for him to finish tying her hair in a general hair bun.
"Thanks, Draco." She replied to his successful hair styling.
He nodded and found Harry, "hello, Potter."
Harry could still not reply, still in shock with what she had told him.
"Yes, Potter, we are a couple now," he bent over and kissed Hermione's cheek, causing Harry's face to become agitated and to stand.
"No need to rub it in, Malfoy," he kept his hand over his wand's pocket.
Draco smirked, "that isn't what I was doing, more like trying to wake you from your frozen phase."
"Take GOOD care of her," he pointed at the blonde man, "or I will personally excuse myself and perform the unforgivable curse on YOU!"
"Then, I need not worry."
Harry continued to gaze at Draco, but walked away quickly.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
She immediately fell into his arms and embraced him closely and tightly. She felt his lips meet her forehead multiple times before she pulled away, allowing his hand to enter between them and reveal a red rose. All she could do was smile, but he sealed everything with one of his sweetest kisses.