THis chapter is dedicated to Sam Sutton ~ i'm sorry for being such a jurk!
Saturday the 14th started normally, shower, change, breakfast, then back up to Griffindor tower to grab her bag ready to met Draco in the courtyard. Dressed in a pair of neat jeans and a light dress shirt Hermione anxiously patted her hair, "Draco I'm not sure about this are you sure your mother will mind me being there today?" Hearing the doubt in her voice Draco turned to look at Hermione,
"Hermione please I'm telling you now my mother will be completely fine with you, I wrote to her on Monday to tell her that you would be here today so she's not going to be taken by surprise. So please don't worry." Seeing the sincerity in his eyes Hermione relaxed a little, but it didn't last long reaching Hogsmeade high street Hermione spotted the familiar blonde hair of Narcissa Malfoy, standing outside the Three Broomsticks. She was donned in a simple black robe with a silver linked belt hanging round her waist, her hair hung in a basic half up clasp, it's blondness reflecting the midday sun. Seeing the still impressive figure of Draco's mother made Hermione hang back a little, feeling her absence Draco looked round and gave her a reassuring smile, returning it as best she could Hermione gathered herself and walked towards Narcissa. "Mother how lovely to see you," placing a hand on the side of his mothers face Draco lent forward and kissed the other.
"And you too Draco, you look remarkably well, I see Hogwarts food has not suffered," Draco smiled at his mother then took her hand and steeped back
"Mother I'd like you to be formally reacquainted with Hermione Granger, she has become a dear friend of mine over these past few weeks." Hermione blushed a little at Draco's words but stepped forward and extended her hand,
"It's nice to meet you again Mrs Malfoy." Narcissa looked at the person in front of her, surely this couldn't be the same Hermione Granger that she had seen only a few months ago at the hearing of Lucius. She'd looked so scruffy and unkempt, not to mention young, but now here stood a young woman who had seen and experienced too much for her years. Taking the outstretched hand she shook it feeling the smooth skin beneath her own,
"Miss Granger, how lovely to see you again, you look well."
"As do you Mrs Malfoy and please call me Hermione," Narcissa gave a small sad smile it had been a while since a young person had genuinely shown her politeness instead of demanded fear and respect; it was almost refreshing.
"Of course Hermione, now Draco shall we go and have a drink while I make sure I've brought the right things you asked for. Hermione won't you join us?" Meeting Narcissa's cool blue eyes Hermione felt a heat flow through her body it was as though Narcissa could see right through her, embarrassment made the flash of heat burn down her back. Glancing back down at the floor Hermione mumbled
"I'd love to Mrs Malfoy,"
"Excellent, Hermione if you go with my mother I'll get the drinks." A feeling of slight horror took over Hermione as she followed Draco and Narcissa into the pub, feeling a few curious stairs on her back she glanced over her shoulder. A table full of fifth years had stopped nattering to watch the unlikely trio walk through the dimly lit room to a secluded area right at the back. Sitting down opposite Narcissa Hermione watched the witch through her eyelashes shift her robes into a more suitable position, Narcissa had clearly taken the past year the worst out of the people Hermione personally knew. Her hair although still beautifully blonde had lost it's shine and the blue eyes which use to flash with emotions now lay dormant in her flawless face. The most shocking change that she had noticed was when shaking Narcissa hand she'd clearly felt the bones pulling the skin taught. Time was a cruel thing Hermione thought,
"So Hermione what is it like to be back at Hogwarts?" Her eyes flicked up to meet Narcissi's the same sad smile curving her lips,
"It feels good to be back into a regime Mrs Malfoy but truthfully it feel slightly out of sorts. Like I shouldn't be back there, it almost feels as though my time is up." Placing her elbows on the table (a trait she had copied from Bellatrix) Narcissa observed Hermione over her crossed fingers,
"Why do you feel like you shouldn't be there?"
"Well, errr-" Hermione laughed nervously "I know this sounds a bit well conceited but I feel as though I've out grown school, I've been through so much in this past year and to lower myself back to a school level I feel is a bit of well-"
"An insult to your knowledge maybe?" Hermione flushed and looked down at her clasped hands,
"I know it sounds terrible, and although I love a structured day I already know everything I'm being taught at the moment. Do I sound horrifically conceited?" Narcissa smiled at the young woman being so ashamed at her knowledge,
"No I do not think you sound conceited Hermione in fact I marvel at the honesty you posses. I do not doubt you already feel as though you have out grown Hogwarts and only returning has shown you that. I agree that having structured day is a blessing it doesn't leave room for dwelling on things that really ought not to be dwelt on." Hermione nodded
"You're completely right, I like to fill my days with tasks so I don't stop and remember. I-" Feeling tears welling up behind her eyes Hermione looked away,
"I'm sorry Mrs Malfoy it's the first time I've spoken about everything since Fred Weasley's funeral, I errr, well errr I wonder what's taking Draco." Seeing the distress in Hermione a pang of guilt whipped through Narcissa not knowing what she was doing she reached forward and placed her hand on the young woman's shoulder, Hermione looked up tears shining in her eyes.
"Hermione I am so sorry for the pain my family have caused you and your friends over the past couple of years from the bottom of my heart I'm sorry. I know a simple apology can never cover it but seeing you now and seeing the way you have grown I now realise the extent of what we have caused and I-"
"Here we go two butter beers and a glass of firefly glaze for mother, how have you two been getting on?" Hermione quickly wiped away the tears and looked pleadingly at Narcissa who had withdrawn her hand and was now gently swilling the beautifully glittering liquid round the glass,
"We have been having a charming conversation Draco dear, Hermione was telling me how she likes to have a structured day." Draco smiled approvingly at his mother before sitting down next to Hermione,
"Hermione needs a structured day she would loose her head if the didn't have exacting timings, she takes so many lessons." Smiling at the sort of back handed compliment Hermione sipped the butter beer,
"Really well what subjects are you taking Hermione, I know Draco is only taking four how many are you taking?"
"I'm taking Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology and Defence against the Dark Arts, so five altogether. Draco is in three of mine but I don't know what the other subject he takes is."
"It's Astronomy, I know I didn't take it for O. but apparently I have the ability to take it for N.E. alone,"
"My goodness Hermione Draco wasn't exaggerating when he said you have a busy schedule, how do you cope?"
"I make sure I do all my homework the night I get it, and the timetable get fixed into my head so my lessons become almost second nature to me." Narcissa nodded,
"Draco likes to have control of his daily routine too, as do I. Which lessons do you have together?"
"Potions" they answered simultaneously Draco laughed
"Sorry Draco you answer I need to go and get a glass of water I'll be back in a minute." Getting up Hermione made her way towards the bar, Rosmerta was rubbing down a few tankards with a tea towel but looked up when she found the quivering woman waiting for her.
"Well Hermione my dear it's been too long, what can I get for you love?"
"Just a glass of water please Rosmerta I need something to to errr-"
"Cool you off? Yes I saw you enter with them, if you don't mind me saying Hermione they are slightly different company than you usually keep." Hermione looked back at the couple sitting at the back of the still crowded inn,
"Yes they are a little different than my usual friends but they actually seem quite nice people. Mrs Malfoy even apologized for the pain her family has caused me and my friends." Rosmerta snorted
"Really Hermione, you have more brains than anyone I've ever met and yet you think that the likes of 'them' are nice people?"
"Yes Rosmerta I do, they lost people too due to the war, they are human too. And the past is the past I am ready to forgive and forget." Rosmerta looked at the young woman before her, opened her mouth to say something but shut it when nothing came out; then opened it,
"If only there were more people like you in this messed up world Hermione. Here," she handed over a tall glass of water and another bottle of butter beer and small glass of firefly glaze. "It's on the house just you make sure you have a positive influence on those two ok?" Hermione gave a small smile thanked Rosmerta and headed back to where they were sitting.
Stepping out of the Three Broomstick two hours later Hermione was still just as nervous as she had been entering, Draco had a small bag of supplies he'd left at home and a rather full money bag clinking in his pocket, Narcissa had removed her cloak and was carrying it over her arm. Much like her hands her skin was stretched over her bones, shoulder blades pointed out from the back of her robe, while her collarbone jutted out giving her a skeletal look. They all walked silently for a few moments before Narcissa suddenly spoke up "Draco, I'm divorcing your father," they all stopped.
"What? When did you decide this?"
"The other day when I was away on business,"
"And what was this business mother?"
"Selling your fathers things to different porn shops across the world." Draco's jaw dropped, for a moment Hermione thought he was going to cry but instead Draco stepped forward and pulled Narcissa into a tight hug.
"Thank you mother, this is the best news I have had in a long time." Pulling back he placed a kiss on her forehead, Narcissa gave a relieved smile, turning to Hermione Draco said, "I'm sorry Hermione you didn't need to hear all that we should have spoken in privet."
"No don't worry it's fine I'm glad you both are so happy. Do you want me to walk ahead so you can have some privacy?"
"No, no Hermione there's no need I must head back home anyway I have to sort the paperwork out now that I have told Draco," smiling at them both she kissed Draco on the cheek. Hermione held out her hand but instead Narcissa embraced her awkwardly and whispered "Please forgive me"
"I already have" Hermione whispered back. Giving the older witch a shy smile Hermione averted her eyes "Goodbye Mrs Malfoy have a safe trip home and I look forward to meeting again some time in the future."
"As do I Hermione enjoy the rest of this term and if I don't see you before the holidays have a happy Christmas,"
"Bye mother I'll write to you soon I promise, keep safe."
"You too Draco, I love you,"
"I love you too," A final hug and kiss then Narcissa stepped back lifted her hand in a farewell gesture turned on the spot and was gone.
"So was that so bad?" Draco asked giving Hermione a sideways grin, rolling her eyes she grinned back
"No it wasn't bad at all, I will admit I was very nervous in the beginning but when I went to get my glass of water and spoke to Rosmerta I decided that everyone could just shove it."
"Really what did Rosmerta say to make you think that?"
"She said that I shouldn't be keeping company with the likes of you and your mother. That neither of you would change and that I'm a smart enough girl to realise this, but I said that I find you lovely people and I like you both." Draco stopped
"You like my mother, really?"
"Of course I've told you before your mother saved Harry's life I'm never not going to like her now am I?" Hermione looked at Draco, "Draco you are human same as me you feel pain and sorrow just the like me. Just because you were on the other side doesn't make you any less worthy of forgiveness; understand?"
"Hermione why have we never been friends?" she laughed and playfully punch Draco on the arm
"Because I hate to say it but you were an arrogant prat back when we were young and I think times have changed since then. Status isn't as important now, people are taking more notice in what people are like instead of their name, or money income, or bloodline. In a way I'm grateful for somethings and so angry for others. Why did innocent people have to die, on both sides not just my side but yours too, people were scared and felt like they needed protection and sort it through different means." Draco nodded
"You're right I mean I don't know what it was like for you but not everyone on my side believed we were going to win. Everyone was always on edge suspecting each other scared to death that at any minute we'd be found and dragged to Azkaban to rot to death or be sucked dry by the Dementors." He involuntary shivered at the memory of the skeletal figures, "I remember being stuck in my house day in and day out with no one to talk to about anything. I was scared almost every moment of the past two years, to begin with I thought I was part of this amazing army but by half way through the first year of me being a Death Eater I was beginning to doubt my actions. I had no doubt about the shear power of 'his' army but there for me seemed no method in the madness, and by the end that's what I could see it was; madness."
"Yes, 'he' was mad and even from our side there was never any method in 'his' actions. We just assumed he was so full of rage that he didn't care how he got to where he wanted so long as he got there." Hermione spoke with a monotone voice so as not to betray the complete hurt that came with talking about Voldemort, "Shall we get back because I don't know about you but I'm starving and I haven't eaten since breakfast neither have you I bet."
"No you're right I haven't and my stomach is having a go at me for not feeding it,"
"Well then shall we do our disappearing trick right to the front gates, it'll save time?"
"Yes I'll race you one, two… three GO!" turning on the spot the two figures disappeared only to reappear two seconds later in front of the wrought iron gates of Hogwarts.
Dinner was mash potato and sausages, the potato's were light and fluffy with plenty of butter mixed into them, the sausages were beautifully plump and to top it off the pees were bright green and set the whole meal off. By the time both Hermione and Draco had finished they felt as though they'd both eaten a trunk load of food, sitting in the Great Hall at the end of the Slytherin table giggling at their fullness. "Wow I've not felt this full since I ate the first night back at the Burrow,"
"The Burrow that's the Weasley's house isn't it?"
"Yes it's a very family orientated house, full of love and happiness,"
"I was always an only child, when I was younger I often wished I had a brother of sister but my father only wanted a son to continue the bloodline and my mother was unlucky enough to give birth to me first so he never felt the necessity to have any more children."
"I'm an only child too, but not because my family didn't want any more but purely because they just didn't have the time. They're Dentists and have quite busy schedules so of co-"
"what are Dentists?" Draco interrupted,
"Oh they are people who care for peoples teeth. They make sure that our teeth are healthy and don't fall out or get holes in etc,"
"Oh so is that an important job in the Muggle world?" Hermione smiled at Draco's curiosity
"It's not a really important job but it does pay a lot of money for what they have to do."
"So do they have a lot of time for you?" Hermione's smile faded a little it wasn't that her parents didn't have time for her, it was more that they felt she didn't need to be mollycoddled like a child anymore.
"Well no I suppose not, now that I am officially an adult by Muggle law as well as Wizarding law they don't take as much notice of what I do so long as I come home safe each night when I'm with them or that I check up with them when I'm at The Burrow. Then no they don't really have much time for me."
"That's not very fair, you work yourself to death while you're here and they don't even realise how clever you really arethen when you're at home they don't even care? That's really not fair in my words," Hermione laughed
"Well can you blame them Draco I mean they are Muggles and I gave up trying to explain about our way of life a long time ago all I got out of it was a headache. They know the basics but anything deeper than owl post and they loose it." Draco joined in the laughter "Although when everything went bad even they knew something was wrong, I have to hand it to them they are observant."
"my mother has always had time for me, no matter what even when we couldn't breathe for fear of being crucioed she was there for me." Hermione nodded in understanding, "My father on the other hand was only there as a figure to be respected, he brought me material things that would reflect our family name but besides that he was nothing more than a man whom I called father."
"Now if you don't mind me saying, that is not fair on you, although my parents aren't always around I know they love me for being their daughter not for my sex and what I will be."
"And I envy you for that Hermione I really do if I could have any other parents I wou-"
"No Draco you must never want any other parents because if your parents were different then you would be different and then maybe we really wouldn't be friends. And besides your mother is lovely so why would you want to change her?"
"Oh no not my mother I love her completely but if I could change my father I would."
"Well it looks as though you don't need to have anything to do with him anymore once these divorce papers come through,"
"You're right I wonder what name we will take after we are no longer tied to my fathers name."
"Black I would think don't you? I mean it's your mothers maternal name isn't it? I doubt she'll keep Malfoy."
"You're right, Black. Draco Black. I like it. It doesn't sound as … slimy as Malfoy does it?" Hermione giggled
"No it doesn't you're right, and I like it too." Draco's face suddenly broke into a genuine happy full on smile, it truly changed his features everything looked brighter and full of life, Hermione really did prefer this Draco to the one he used to be. Feeling the effects of the very eventful day and still full to bursting with mash potatoes and sausages Hermione yawned "Oh dear I think it's time we said goodnight I'm sorry Draco that was very rude of me."
"No, it's ok I agree it is time we said goodnight after all tomorrow is our lie in morning isn't it?"
"Yes it is, do you want to have breakfast tomorrow or would you prefer to have lunch considering you have tryouts tomorrow?"
"Oh Merlins beard I'd completely forgotten, well I really need to go to bed and can we have lunch after tryouts so I can not feel like I'm rushing?"
"Ok just so long as we don't have lunch in the hospital wing then I'm fine with that." And with that they walked to the Entrance Hall together turned and smiled,
"Well goodnight Hermione"
"Goodnight Draco" leaning forward she gave him a quick squeeze then rushed off to climb the stairs to Griffindor tower leaving Draco to watch her go.
So what do you think? i know it is abit draggish but that is so it fills in time and space etc!