Go i'm lazy i'm sorry i can't help it, i can only write if the mood strikes me.
The weeks dragged nothing changed between Ginny and herself, she and Draco were still just as close as they'd been before Christmas perhaps more so. Harry had been in contact one more than one occasion as had Ron merely inquiring after her health, more often than not the letters were no more than a few lines. Of course she'd replied but it was hard to maintain a friendship through paper. Lesson were increasing in standards more essays and homework was being set and with practice exams in a few weeks she was no the only one anxious to do well. She'd taken to spending every free period studying in-depth detail on topics that was expected to turn up in her paper, Draco would accompany her sometimes but he was generally on the Quidditch pitch training for the next match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. He'd asked her one evening what she found so enjoyable about learning she'd had to think for a moment before answering that it was knowing that you could never be too clever, he'd chuckled but the third weekend a Hogsmeade trip was scheduled of course Draco had asked if she wanted to go she'd said yes to which he'd smiled widely and dropped "oh good because Mother wants to spend the day with us." A sort of bubbly excitement had begun in the pit of her stomach and the slowly dying flame sprang to light again in her chest, the prospect of seeing his mother again effected her in a way she didn't understand. It was different. It worried her that for once she couldn't explain what something was, feeling or otherwise, and being around Draco with his blonde hair that reminded her so much of Narcissa made ever all the more worse.
On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip Hermione lay in bed debating how she should act around Narcissa, should she act affectionate toward the woman or stay polite and within her status? Probably stay polite and within her status, it made things easier to handle. Glancing out of the window she sighed the sun was weak, she wasn't surprised it was the beginning on February and the days were still filled with cold winds and a constant drizzle. "At least there is a little bit of sun though" she muttered pushing herself up onto her elbows, Ginny was still snoring softly in the bed next to hers. Ginger hair covered the white pillow while one leg stuck out from under the duvet and hung down almost touching the floor, Hermione smiled Ginny really did have a way of looking so much like Ron when she slept. Ron. The name made her stomach clench, she claimed that they were fine when in reality they were far from it. She hadn't meant to express her friendship with Draco as openly as she had, obviously she had wanted to show everyone that she was willing to befriend and give second chances but to annoy and hurt was not her intention.
Getting out of bed she made her way to the bathroom to wash and prepare herself for the day ahead. The water was a welcome relief to the surprising stiffness that she felt in her shoulders as though she had been tensing for a long while. Closing her eyes against the propelling water Hermione breathed out trying to relax herself, it was no use each time she tried to close her mind off to every external factor the image of Narcissa would pop back into her head making her stomach leap and her eyes spring open. Finally giving up on the warming water she left the shower room and got changed opting for nothing more than a pair of neat jeans and a pale blue shirt with a grey jumper to keep the cold wind out. Her hair did as she wished, it stayed in soft ringlets around her face, neck and shoulders no frizz no fly away strands it stayed obediently in the position she dried it in.
Draco waited patiently in the Entrance Hall scuffing his shoes hands deep in his pockets, if his mother saw him standing in this manner he would get a reprimanding, at least he thought he would nowadays he couldn't be sure if the rules he had been brought up by still applied in his new life. Still he righted his posture when Hermione came trotting down the staircase, a look of apprehension on her face. "What's the matter with you?" Draco asked raising an eyebrow questioningly,
"Nothing" Hermione said quickly fixing her expression and grabbing hold of Draco's wrist pulling him towards the door saying "come on we don't want to keep your mother waiting." Draco baffled at her sudden mood changed happily allowed himself to be pulled down the steps and across the damp grass towards the path that led to the gates. Finally Hermione slowed her pace and let go of his wrist they were almost at the gates,
"You sure you're ok Mione?" Draco asked again placing both hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes, Hermione blushed and shook him off.
"I'm fine Draco honestly come on" she started walking again leaving Draco staring after her.
"Hermione wait" he called after her
"What Draco?" she said hurling round to face him a look of annoyance plastered over her features.
"Something is clearly bothering you and I want to help so please tell me," sighing Hermione rubbed her temples and thought quickly of what she could possibly say that would sound like a good reason to be so snappy.
"I'm just" she began "I'm just confused about me and Ron that's all."
"Oh" Draco said a little spark of hopefulness igniting inside him "why are you confused?"
"I'm just not sure I feel the same way about him as I use to, and he doesn't treat me like I want to be treated" Hermione said folding her arms across her chest, the weak sun had disappeared and a chill wind had started up her grey jumper was not proving the best defence.
"So what you are saying is what exactly? You don't love him anymore?"
"No, no it's not that I still love him it's just" she stopped "I'm not in love with him. I thought I was after the war he seemed to me like my perfect man. Stupidly gullible, always caring, brave and most importantly my best friend. But I think I might be wrong, lately he has been showing the sides that I really don't like."
"Which are?" Draco pushed, beginning to walk again keeping close to Hermione,
"Well he's lazy and ungrateful, rude and piggish." Draco chuckled
"Piggish?" he questioned
"You know piggish, always eating" Hermione said Draco laughed loudly
"So you're telling me you don't like a man with a healthy appetite?"
"No I do it's just the way he eats, he has no table manners and it drives me mad" she emphasised the last word by throwing her arms up in the air.
"So if the cons out weigh the pros why are you still with him?" Asked Draco coming to a halt "Why are you still putting up with his gluttony when there is someone who thinks the world of you and would do anything to make you happy?" Hermione frowned
"Oh yes and who might that person be?" Draco swallowed should he tell her? He'd wanted to reveal his feelings to her for weeks now.
"Me Mione," he said looking intently at her, "I've liked you for a while now and although I would never jeopardise your relationship with Weasley I have to say that I would do anything to make you happy." Stepping forward he cupped Hermione's face with one hand and brushed his lips gently against hers.
Hermione gave a small gasp at the sudden feeling of Draco's mouth against her own. His lips weren't anything like Ron's chapped ones with an often bristly chin but soft and masculine with a smooth feeling of skin against hers. Giving him a little push Hermione removed Draco's body a deep blush coming over her cheeks, "Draco I- we can't do this" she muttered looking at the slushy pathway "It's wrong" a feeling like being thrown from a broom wavered through Draco, wrong? How could what just happened be wrong he though.
"Because of my past is that why it's wrong?" He questioned anger bubbling up
"No Draco no, I don't care about your past I've told you it's because I'm still with Ron I can't throw what me and him have gone through away just like that."
"Hermione I could make you so happy, I could give you what you want. I love you." Draco cried gripping her shoulders and looking deeply into her eyes
"You love me?" She stuttered stunned at the amount of emotion pooled into those three words,
"Yes, I do, I love you" Draco breathed heavily pulling her close into a hug,
"But Draco seven years you've known me and all this has only come about in the space of a term how can you possibly love me?" Hermione questioned in disbelief her cheek pressed against his thick green jumper a musty smell sparking something off in her mind.
"Because in that one term you allowed me to be me, and you were you. We didn't hold secrets from each other and above all you accepted me and mother as equals after everything we did and everything we were associated with. If you aren't perfection then I don't know what is Hermione."
"Oh Draco, you fool." She muttered wrapping her arms around his waist "I accepted you because I knew you were good deep down. You are a dear friend who I cannot risk loosing due to entering a relationship." Draco sighed resting his chin on top of her head the smell of sweetly scented shampoo wafting around his senses. "Even if you are a good kisser, I can't risk it" Hermione said then giggled into his chest,
"I'm a good kisser?" Draco asked smugly Hermione nodded against his jumper "Well you could have that every day if you just agreed to be mine." She looked up and grinned
"I do believe that was a little bit of Malfoy arrogance" Draco sniffed
"Malfoy, even the name makes me shudder now." He stared off into the distance then shook himself and smiled down at her "come on or we'll be late" taking her hand they continued down the sludgy path swinging their linked hands happily.
Narcissa watched the steadily approaching couple and felt her chest tighten at the sight of their linked fingers, plastering a smile of her face she lifted her hand and signalled to them that she was there. "Hello darling" she said smiling at Draco and pulling him into a hug
"Hello Mother how are you?" He asked planting a kiss somewhere in the blonde locks
"I'm very well thank you and how are you?"
"I'm fabulous" Draco said grinning as he withdrew from the hug. Hermione watched the greetings her heart suddenly beating very quickly in her chest she'd completely forgotten about Narcissa until she caught sight of the sun kissed hair and azure eyes under darkly coated lashes.
"Hermione how are you?" Narcissa asked smiling and facing the young woman her jaw was set and she was trying desperately hard to not let her hands shake.
"I'm very well thank you Ms Black and I'm glad to see you are too." Hermione smiled and avoided looking directly into Narcissa's eyes but took to staring at her mouth which was as ever painted in a red shade of lipstick, although her shade today was slightly darker than usual and more cherry like than crimson.
"It looks like it's going to rain shall we go and get a drink and a light lunch?" Narcissa asked gesturing at the 'Three Broomsticks' "I've booked us a table so we wont have to wait to grab a free one" Draco smiled at Hermione and took her hand again
"That would be great Mother thank you" Narcissa looked at her sons smiling face then at Hermione and allowed a thought to rise like a bubble to the surface of her mind, Draco had entered into a relationship with Hermione.
The Three Broomsticks was busy like always but Narcissa led the way through the laughing chatting student to a nice quiet table in the corner by the fire, Draco sat on one side with Hermione while Narcissa went to order a round of drinks before placing an order of food. "I'm sorry about what happened on the way down" Draco whispered close to her ear, Hermione smiled and turned her face towards him, his breath caressed her cheeks, his scent danced around her. Before she knew what was happening her lips had pressed themselves against his and she'd gripped his hand tightly.
Turning from the bar Narcissa let her jaw drop and tears prickle behind her eyes at the sight of her son kissing Hermione. She didn't want to admit it but they looked perfect, happy something she had never been with Lucius. She watched as Draco placed a hand against the side of Hermione's face and gently rub her cheek, a small tear dripped on her dark robe leaving a splodge in it's wake. "Your son is very lucky" a voice spoke from behind her, wiping away her tears quickly Narcissa turned to the voice. Rosmerta was pouring the Butter beer into tall pint glasses while directing her words at the blonde before her, "Having Hermione Granger as his girlfriend" she continued flicking her eyes up at Narcissa.
"I didn't even know they were in a relationship" Narcissa answered looking back at the couple who were whispering heads close together,
"As I said he is a very lucky young man" Rosmerta replied pushing the three drinks towards Narcissa "As far as I know Hermione is perfect." Narcissa nodded paid and walked back to the table Rosmerta's words echoing inside her head "Hermione is perfect" swallowing she plastered a smile over her face and placed the drinks down,
"Three Butter beers, is that ok to start with I'll get something else later after lunch." The pair looked at Narcissa surprised at her sudden appearance
"Thank you Mother and yes I think something a little stronger will be nice later as I think it's cause for celebration that I have the most beautiful and perfect girlfriend in the entire wizarding world." Draco said putting his arm around Hermione's shoulders, "Isn't it amazing Mother I honestly didn't think I'd ever be this happy again, but Hermione has just made me that happy." Narcissa gritted her teeth and forced a delighted look onto her face
"It is wonderful news darling I'm so happy for you. For the both of you" she said looking at Hermione who returned her look steadily.
The lunch was lovely but each mouthful tasted bland and inedible to Narcissa as she watched the smiling laughing duo in front of her Draco's eyes were shinning again like they had when he was a boy and Hermione's laugh was like a sirens song beautiful but deadly to Narcissa. To try to take her mind off the fact that her son was happy and she felt as though she had died inside, Narcissa resorted to people watching and wondered what sort of lives they led now the war was over, but after receiving some glares and dirty looks she gave up and returned to looking at the sickening sight of happiness in front of her. "Mother" Draco said suddenly addressing her "Is it possible for Hermione to stay at ours a weekend close to Valentines day so I can take her out for a meal?" The look of hopefulness he gave her made her speechless, all she could do was nod in reply. "Thank you so much Mother" Draco said reaching across and placing a kiss on her cheek, Narcissa's eyes locked with Hermione who blushed and looked down. Drawing back Draco glanced at a gold watch in his wrist "Oh Mother it's getting late I think we'd better be heading off" surprised at where the time went Narcissa glanced at her own watch and saw that it indeed had got late.
"Yes darling that's fine I don't want you to get into trouble because you were late back up to school," rising out of their seats the trio made their way out of the now quiet pub and into a light drizzle, the sky was an ominous grey. "Oh no you're both going to get soaking" Narcissa said looking up at the sky and letting the rain fall onto her face,
"It doesn't matter we're over the age restriction so I'll just cast a shield around us to protect us from the rain." Draco said smiling and drawing his wand
"Of course I keep forgetting you're not my little boy any more" Narcissa said still looking at the sky.
"I just need to go back inside I wont be a minute" Draco said pushing the door open and disappearing inside, a thick heavy silence fell between the two women broken only by the steadily falling rain.
"I thought you were in a deep relationship with Mr Weasley" Narcissa whispered looking at Hermione water droplets dripping from a few strands of blonde hair around her face,
"I was" Hermione said quietly "But Draco makes me happy and quite clearly I make him happy too so there is no reason for me and him not to enter a relationship." Silence "You asked me the night we slept together if I loved Draco and told you I did and I do"
"Please" Narcissa said closing her eyes and breathing shallowly "Please don't I can't think of you like you are my minor I am twice your age and I can't afford to remember that night." Opening her eyes again Hermione looked into the dull azure eyes shocked at how sad Narcissa looked, "Please just don't speak of it again" Hermione nodded.
As Draco and Hermione walked back up the now muddy path Hermione glanced back at the pub doorway and watched as Narcissa disappear in a swirl of blue robes and golden hair, a feeling of desperation filled her chest at the emptiness of the street, but no sooner had it appeared it was gone as Draco slipped his hand into her and brought it to his lips saying "Thank you"
"What for Draco?" She asked looking up at him
"For making me the happiest man alive."
So Draco's finally got his dream girl what will Ron think of this?