Author's Note:
So…this story is getting close to the end. Please keep reading and reviewing!
I would love reviews! I am trying to take into account where the readers want the story to go so please make suggestions! You can also check my original pieces on u/967214/p-m-e-black. My tumblr is .com. Feel free to message me. Thanks.
Chapter 21-
Hermione's mouth fell open as she watched his lithe frame walking down the hallway, his statuesque mother at his side. Ron must have known who she was looking at because his features became dark. Unconsciously Hermione's body began to move toward his departing silhouette.
"Oh...Hermione dear...that's the boy…" Her mother's voice was just a whisper in her ear. Draco must not have even noticed Hermione because he was staring straight ahead, his mother almost struggling to keep up with his long strides.
"Malfoy! MALFOY!" Hermione yelled as she began to jog toward him. Draco suddenly paused. Only his mother turned around, her hard cut features melting into a look of surprise. She slightly tugged on her son's black suited arm to get his attention but the blonde slytherin refused to turn.
"MALFOY!" Hermione finally screamed, almost breathless. Suddenly she felt the presence of her parents next to her.
"Dear...why...why are you running?!" It was her father this time as he caught up to her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to get her to delay. She looked at her father in confusion.
"Oh...there is the boy that helped us." He added as he pointed at Draco's tensed back. Hermione was so shocked now her mouth fell open.
"Wh...what?" Hermione asked, totally perplexed.
"We were in a little house about thirty kilometers south of Brisbane sweetheart when he came to our front door. He said that he was a friend of yours and that you had been looking for us. At first I had no idea who he was speaking of. According to that man in the courtroom, we were under a memory charm and didn't know you existed. That young man there convinced your mother and I to come to the Ministry." Hermione looked into her father's eyes. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Draco Malfoy had found her parents? He had brought them back for her? Suddenly she felt dizzy.
"Dear...are you alright?" Her mother's soft voice brought her back from her haze.
"Are...are you sure?" Hermione's whisper almost faltered.
"Quite sure. How could you miss that hair?" Her mother added and grinned at her daughter.
"Malfoy?" Hermione called. Apparently the slytherin had heard the conversation, his head low and his shoulders slumped. His mother looked at her wearily but slightly grinned. She tapped her son on the shoulder softly bading him to turn around.
When he finally turned to face her, Hermione caught her breath in her throat as his silver eyes locked onto hers. There was some unspoken connection between the two. She could feel her heart begin to beat rapidly as she stared at him. He looked lost and tired as if he had been battling something deep within himself.
"Did...did you…" Hermione began to stammer. He didn't reply just slowly nodded as his pale features creased in what looked to be embarrassment.
"I…"
"Don't." Draco replied stiffly. He visibly swallowed and glanced at his mother.
"We have to go." He added as he grabbed his mother's hand.
"Draco." His mother scolded, trying to keep him in place.
"We have to go mother." Draco almost hissed as he glared at the tall woman who looked so much like himself.
"You speak to this young woman Draco. Don't test me." She said haughtily, her chin raised as she looked down her delicate nose.
"Yes mother." He mumbled and sighed as she took a few steps away from the couple. Hermione nervously wrung her hands together. It was like the first day of school again. She didn't quite know how he was going to react to her. Everything she had ever known about Draco seemed different. He didn't seem cruel or pretentious. He had a sadness now. Something inside of her burned at the sight of him. She had the unyielding desire to touch his pale skin with her fingers just to make sure he was real. He must have sensed her eyes on him because he stared at her hard, his pale eyes like mercury.
"You found my parents." She stated as she chewed on her lower lip.
"Yes."
"Why?" She blurted, her brows furrowing. Now Draco was chewing on his mouth. He took a deep breath and looked down at his feet.
"Malfoy?" Hermione struggled to understand the silence.
"I...I can't do this." He muttered and began to turn again on his heel.
"Wait! You...you can't do what?" Hermione grabbed his hand, preventing him from fleeing from her.
"I CAN'T DO THIS! I...I can't look at you!" He bellowed, tears brimming in his eyes. Hermione was taken aback by the display of emotion on his face. She took a step back though her hand was still clasped around his. Tears streamed down his face as he held desperately to her hand.
"Let...let her go Malfoy!" It was Ron's voice cutting through as his tall body loomed over Hermione's. Hermione's hand suddenly felt cold and empty as Draco wrenched it away from her. He quickly wiped at his tears with his jacket sleeve.
"This...this is none of your business Weasley!" Draco rasped, his teeth clenched into a snarl.
"She is my girlfriend...of course it is!" The moment Ron said the word 'girlfriend', a cannon shot off in Hermione's head. She was his girlfriend...she was Ron's girlfriend...not Draco's...but.
"I'm not your girlfriend." Hermione said so quietly she wasn't sure she said it outloud or in her own head. Both men's fierce looks changed to disbelief as they peered at her, mouths agape.
"Wh...what?" Ron almost whimpered.
"I'm not your girlfriend...am I?" Hermione looked up at the the tall redhead. She searched his eyes, waiting for a response.
"I…" Ron stammered.
"We...we've been over for awhile...haven't we Ron?" Hermione said. It was more of a statement then a question.
"I...uh...I…" Hermione looked at her friend, her amber eyes soft and full of love.
"Yes. I'm...I'm sorry Hermione." Ron answered, his head dropping. Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder gently.
"Why...why didn't you tell me Ron?" She asked as she attempted to have him meet her gaze.
"You...you had come back...you didn't remember anything...I...I love you so much." He mumbled, fat tears rolling down his freckled face. Everything had become clear at that moment. She must have broken it off with Ron and because she had come back with her memory slightly missing, he had taken the opportunity not to reveal it to her. He wanted everything to go back the way it had been.
"I love you too Ron…" Hermione could see movement from the corner of her eye as Draco's frame started to pull back from her. She snapped her head toward him.
"I love you as a friend." She said as she looked back at Ron. Ron looked weak and dejected but understood.
"I'm...I'm sorry Hermione." He added.
"I'm sorry Ron." She sadly grinned. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and walked away from her toward his father. She turned her face back to the the tall blonde. Draco's features were now dark and stoic.
"Draco?" Did she just use his given name? Somehow it had felt so natural to call him that. His eyes softened as he looked at her carefully.
"Please...please tell me why?" Her voice was catching in her throat. He focused on her long and hard, his eyes searching hers.
"Because I love you." He answered, his voice so soft and and full of apprehension. His eyes were tender, rich with love and emotion.
Everything was crumbling in front of her. White noise screamed in her ears as everything else began to twist and turn to black. The only solid object in the room was the man in front of her.
"Hermione?" He mouthed, the world around her became deafening as she could feel her legs give out from beneath her. Everything went on a slant as she disintegrated. Then black.
When she came to, she was in a large office lying on a large brown leather settee. Her parents stood above her, a cool cloth to her head.
"Darling?" It was her mother's familiar voice that soothed her as her fingers swept back a few stray locks near Hermione's forehead.
"Mum?" Hermione asked looking at the concern etched in her parent's faces.
"Sweetheart, you passed out. Are you alright?" Her father asked as he peered down at his daughter.
"I...I think I am." Hermione said as she made to sit up, her hand to her forehead.
"Take it easy, you may still be a little faint." It was Kingsley's voice now. Hermione looked up to see the tall dark man in the corner of the room. She presumed it to be his office. Here she was, passed out in the middle of the Minister of Magic's office. She could feel the heat of embarrassment creep onto her face.
"Sir...I...I'm sorry…" She rattled on, a heated flush making an appearance on her chest.
"No worries Ms. Granger. As long as you alright. Would you like some water?" Kingsley asked.
"Yes...yes please." Hermione asked as she made to fix her hair. She gratefully accepted a glass of the clear liquid and slowly swallowed it, feeling refreshed as it slid down her throat.
Hermione almost choked when Draco's tall form entered the room. His eyes were wide and full of concern. The moment his eyes met hers everything came crashing in.