Author's Note:
Okay...so after this, only 1 more chapter then the epilogue. Please let me know what your thoughts are. I'm not sure if I'm going to write another full story, possibly a one shot...we'll see. ;-)
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 22-
She remembered everything. His long arm reaching for hers as the ink black mark stared her in the face, his body close to hers as he hid her from the snatchers, his lean muscular body lying close to her in the bed at shell cottage...their first kiss...his words…
Hermione let out a choked sob, burying her face in her hands. How could she have forgotten him? How could she not remember those beloved moments? Everyone in the room stood startled at her reaction at the slytherins presence. Draco immediately made to leave, afraid that he had upset her when Hermione launched herself from the settee and into his arms. The tall blonde was so thrown that he fell back into a nearby cabinet of drawers and slid down onto his rear, Hermione on top of him in a heap. She didn't care. She didn't feel any shame or embarrassment with her display. She held tight to him, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She weeped as she clung to him. Draco wrapped his lithe arms around her just as tightly, a choked cry escaping his own throat.
"You...you remember." He cried as he pulled her away just slightly to look her in the eyes. His mercury eyes were full of tears as his chin quivered. Hermione nodded, her curls bouncing freely around her face. Draco placed his hands on either side of her face, gently rubbing her skin with his fingertips.
"I'm so sorry I didn't. I...I…" Draco cut her off when his mouth crashed into hers. Hermione whimpered against his lips as he pulled her so close he would have inhaled her. He kissed her with desperation, with the intensity of loss but more so the intensity of finding that love again. His tears spilled down his pale face onto her lips, the saltiness reminding her of the salt air of shell cottage. Her brows knit together as she took him in. She never wanted to let him go. She wanted him to never stop kissing her, his mouth soft and gentle. As they finally broke for air, he pulled her into an embrace, his hands pushed into her mass of sunkissed waves.
"D-Draco." Hermione said against his throat. Draco allowed her to pull herself away from the embrace for a second, his pale mercury eyes drinking in her amber irises.
"I love you." Hermione whispered into his ear, her lips ever so softly pressing against his cheek. Draco allowed his eyes to close as a tear escaped his eye onto his pale jaw.
"Eh hem." The two broke apart when they remembered that there was an audience watching. Draco and Hermione scrambled to their feet as they stood in front of Hermione's parents and the Minister of Magic.
"Are we missing something?" Mr. Granger asked, his eyes wide and eyebrows raised. Mrs. Granger had a knowing look on her face but of course, why wouldn't she, she was Hermione's mother after all.
"I...Draco and I…" Hermione stammered.
"Everyone...come out here…" Harry's voice filtered through the crack of the Minister's door. Everyone looked up from their spots and headed toward the doorway.
Draco held tight to Hermione's hand as a a few robed aurors were leading a figure down the hallway.
"Lucius?" Narcissa's voice was a hushed whisper as she placed her hand to her mouth. Everyone stood silently as the tall blonde haired man began to be brought near the group. Draco began to grind his teeth at his father's appearance. Lucius some how looked different. No longer did his eyes appear wild nor did he seem crazed and unhinged. He hesitantly made his way to the group of onlookers.
"Perfect timing." Kingsley grinned as he walked toward the elder Malfoy. Draco and Hermione wrenched their heads in the minister's direction.
"Minister?" Ron piped in, just as confused as everyone else.
Kingsley walked toward Lucius and placed his hand on the tall blonde's shoulder.
"We do hope that you are feeling more...yourself." The dark man said and slightly squeezed Lucius' shoulder. Lucius refused to meet the rest of the groups stares. He looked apprehensive and nervous.
"Wh...why is he here…" Draco fought every nerve in his body from throwing himself at the man he once called father. If it had only been the two of them in that hallway, the elder Malfoy would surely be dead by his son's willing hands. Hermione squeezed his hand reassuringly and rubbed his knuckles with the pad of her thumb.
"That is a good question Draco, why don't you ask your father himself." Kingsley smiled and stood a little taller next to Lucius. Lucius glanced at Kingsley as almost a thank you for not leaving his side.
"WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" Draco yelled, spit flying from his mouth. Hermione struggled to keep him from propelling forward. Even Ron and Harry looked scared at the intensity of his rage.
"I...I have come to seek forgiveness." Lucius said matter of factly, his gray eyes locking onto his son's.
"Forgiveness?" Narcissa's voice whispered, her eyes large and terrified.
"Yes darling…" Lucius replied as he looked at his wife lovingly.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Now Draco was moving forward, Hermione unable to hold him back. Ron and Harry must have predicted Draco's inability to hold himself in control and pitched themselves forward to prevent him from pummeling the elder Malfoy. Harry held one arm while Ron took the other.
"LET ME GO!" Draco hissed as he attempted to struggled against the two other boys.
"Don't Malfoy...Don't...there is a reason he's here…" Harry tried to calm Draco down which of course only infuriated him more.
"GET OFF OF ME! IT'S A TRICK!" Draco screamed.
"Draco...please." Hermione walked over to him and gently placed her hand on his face. The slytherin looked at her, panic haunting his eyes.
"Please." She asked again. Lucius watched the exchange between the two, no expression flitting across his face.
"Mr. Malfoy...we have come to the understanding that your father...your father has been under the Imperius curse." Kingsley interrupted.
"What?" Draco shot a look of disbelief at the minister. His gray eyes became massively large, questions spilling into their irises.
"Your father has been under an Imperius curse for quite some time actually. We aren't sure for how long but the majority of his support for the Dark Lord was due to it. We apprehended him and a small group of deatheaters a few days ago." Kingsley said as he moved toward Draco, his hand on the younger man's shoulder. Draco shook his head.
"No...there's no way…" Draco's mouth went suddenly dry.
"It is true Mr. Malfoy." Kingsley remarked patting Draco's shoulder reassuringly. Ron and Harry slightly slackened their hold on the slytherin.
Draco's mercury eyes rested back on his father. Lucius kept his downcast to the floor. Before anyone knew what was happening, Draco had slipped out from Ron and Harry's grasp, his fist careening into the stubbled chin of his father. Lucius fell to the ground with a thud. Everyone's eyes fell on Draco as he stood over the elder man, his chest heaving and a vein visibly popping from his neck. Lucius didn't say anything, didn't dare move. Draco just ground his teeth as he looked at him splayed on the ground. Lucius spit out some blood and tried to adjust his jaw slightly with his hand. He looked up toward his son.
"I'm so sorry Draco." Lucius said, his gray eyes tearful as his brows knit together. Draco took a step back defensively. Everyone watched in shock at the two. Hermione rushed to Draco trying to steady him.
"You're sorry?" Draco questioned. His father had never once apologized to him. Lucius slowly pulled himself off of the floor with help of the two aurors. He attempted to straighten his bedraggled clothing and stood up as straight as possible.
"I am." Lucius took a step toward his son. Draco shifted his eyes between his mother and Hermione. Both women mirrored the same expression.
"You...you were cursed?" Draco asked as he took a step toward his father.
"After...after we left and were wandering in the forest...I had realized that everything we...I thought was wrong. I had made a terrible mistake. I put you and your mother in danger for my own selfish visions of power. When your mother and I were caught...I...I tried to find a way to at least save her. Knowing that you were still out there they cursed me repeatedly to get me to give them information. They wanted to get to Ms... . The snatchers said they had seen you with her. I wouldn't, I wouldn't tell them anything. It...It wasn't until they tried to…" Lucius began to falter.
"It's alright my love." Narcissa carefully made her way over to her husband, her fingers intertwining with his.
"It wasn't until they hurt your mother that I begged them to stop. Then...I don't remember anything else." Lucius added. He looked wearily at his wife who placed a pale hand on his stubbled cheek, tenderly wiping at the blood with her fingertips.
"And mother…" Draco rasped.
"I managed to get away one night while they slept. Your father had already been placed under the Imperius...there was nothing I could do for him." She cried as she leaned her head on her husband's shoulder.
"I...I thought he had...had died." Narcissa whispered, her husband gently patting her shoulder as she embraced him.
Hermione watched Draco's shocked expression.
"But...but you were here with your mother Draco?" Hermione asked, searching his face.
"I had received a letter from the ministry." Draco answered, his eyes unreadable.
"Yes...as a matter of fact young Mr. Malfoy did." Kingsley interjected. He quirked an eyebrow at Draco and then conjured the letter for Hermione. When Hermione opened it she was astonished.
"This...this is requesting that you give yourself over." Hermione announced. An audible gasp emanated from all the parties.
"Yes." Draco replied dryly, his eyes cast to the floor.
"You...you didn't…" Hermione could feel the tears building in her eyes, stinging terribly as she fought to keep them at bay.
"I did and I am." He answered. He finally took a deep sigh and looked at her squarely in the face.
"But...but…" Hermione couldn't do it any longer. The flood gates opened and fat tears rolled down her face in waves, her lip quivering uncontrollably. Draco moved himself in front of her, his hands seeking her shoulders. With his touch Hermione only sobbed more.
"Shh...listen. Do you remember when you and I were standing on the beach at the cottage?" Draco whispered quietly. Hermione nodded unable to speak from emotion.
"You told me that if I didn't make the right choice I would always just be a pathetic little bully…" Draco began to say. Hermione sobbed harder as she took her sleeve to her face.
"I...I don't want to be that anymore...I want to be the man you can be proud of. I want it for you...and I want it for me. Do you understand?" He said as he pulled her into an embrace. Hermione cried harder into his chest, soaking his dress shirt with her tears.
"But...but...Draco…" Hermione's muffled voice came out in rasps. Draco kissed her forehead tenderly and placed his hand on her face.
"I have to take responsibility for my actions." He replied and dipped his head low, his lips ever so gently feathered against hers.
The two broke apart, Hermione an emotional mess as Draco held tight to her.
"Well Mr. Malfoy. I am glad that we could get your mother here in time to before your hearing."
"Hearing? He gets a hearing?" Ron interrupted. He didn't say it in a mean way but more in shock.
"Of course Mr. Weasley. Every witch and wizard should have the right to defend themselves before their peers." Kingsley smiled. Everyone looked at the dark man in confusion.
"If you could all follow me." He grinned, his long cloak trailing behind him.