Title: Enough
Category: Books » Harry Potter
Author: Scorpio219
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M
Genre: Romance/General

Disclaimer: I am not and therefore never will be J.K. Rowling; and as such the story I shall post consists of my own plot, and borrowed Characters from J.K.

Previously:

"At least my son will have a lot more going for him than she will, he will be a pureblood just like me." Here Ron paused his anger blinding him from the pain his words were causing, "Just like his mother. Not like Rose's poor mud-"

Ron was stopped by a wand being pointed in his face, the tip touching his nose, Hermione shocked as she had begun to forget there were other people around glanced up the wand arm to the Malfoy at the other end of it…

Chapter 38:

Hermione was frozen as she realised the wand had an intricate silver snake's head at the handle and thus could only belong to the Malfoy patriarch, Lucius Malfoy.

"Finish that sentence, I beg of you. Just to give me a justified reason to hex your arse." Lucius snapped as he pushed his wand harder into Ron's nose.

Healers had appeared and were eager to whisk both Narcissa and Lavender away to their respective treatment wards before a duel broke out between the patients other halves. Hermione signalled for them to take the women as she stepped between the elder Malfoy and her irate ex-husband. Eying each man up she determined that Lucius was much more of a threat magically and physically- if what Narcissa had said about Lucius and Draco spending time training in hand to hand combat was anything to go by- thus she faced him first.

-20 minutes ago-

"It's okay I've got you Cissa" Lucius spoke quietly to his wife as he adjusted her weight more onto his shoulder.

They could hear the other occupants in the room discussing who would be accompanying them to the hospital.

"She loves him Lucius" Narcissa whispered, "Even knowing his faults she loves our son."

Glancing at his wife Lucius breathed deeply through his nose "She is a Muggleborn."

Narcissa nodded weakly "And he is our only son."

"We will talk about this later" he promised as they stepped into the hearth's flames, "My main focus right now is to make sure you are okay" he finished as they disappeared from view.

-Currently-

The healers had reached the two patients beginning to pull them each away to their respective treatment areas.

"Mr Malfoy" Hermione touched his arm flinching as he whipped around to face her his wand now poised in her direction. Staring into his narrowed eyes she swallowed her nerves, "Your wife needs you."

"Lucius?" Narcissa's frail voice spoke up from the doors the Healers had entered through as she was pushed away from the fray. Her meek voice seemed to snap the Malfoy patriarch's attention from Hermione as he turned towards his wife, who had a hand extended in his direction as if wanting him to return to her side.

Ever at his wife's command Lucius stepped forward before pausing mid-stride as he noticed his wife's eyebrows had rose. A message seemed to pass between the two before Lucius elegantly turned back around placing his wand back into his cane as he did so.

"You should know Mr Weasley" He put on his best haughtier, holier than thou voice, "This particular Muggleborn" He emphasised the title as he pointed towards Hermione, "Has given you the only worthwhile thing in your whole worthless existence- your lovely daughter Rose." And with that dressing down Lucius made his way to his wife's side before disappearing through a pair of double doors away from the foyer.

Ron stood looking lost his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Do keep your mouth closed Weasley, I'm sure no one- myself included- wishes to see what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner" Pansy said as a disgusted grimace gracing her face. "Now go catch up to your whore like the good little lap dog you are." She dismissed him in the direction of where the Healers had carted Lavender off to, before she stepped closer to Hermione.

Draco was much like a lost puppy, he was torn as to whether he should follow his family and make sure his mother was okay, or whether he should do what Pansy was doing. He looked towards Blaise who was near the hearth, and had clearly entered at some point either with or after Hermione, but the Italian man simply shrugged his shoulder, before using his right hand to point at the part of his chest with his heart encased below.

'Follow your heart' Draco could practically hear Blaise's voice speaking in his head.

Deciding his heart and his head were united for once where the brunette was concerned he stepped towards Hermione hearing Pansy slagging off the ginger git as he did so, "Honestly I do think you are better off without him." Pansy looked as if she was going to say something else before she noticed Draco in her peripheral vision.

"Granger?" He queried softly, able to just about make out the swarming of the tears waiting to fall from her eyes, "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head not trusting her voice to be able to withhold the quiver if she spoke.

Draco took another step towards her, "Hermione" he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she turned and buried her head into his chest. Her voice muffling as she attempted to say something. "What did you say?" Draco asked as he kissed the crown of her head before resting his chin on her curly mane.

Hermione leant further back, "I said you should go and check on your mother" she said as she wiped the tears that hadn't fallen from her eyes.

"I cannot do anything for her at the moment. However I can for you- if you want me to." Though he poised the final part of his sentence as a question it was in fact a statement of intent.

"I know Draco" Hermione pushed slightly away from his frame, "But your family need you, so go. I'll wait around here with Blaise and Pansy until you hear any news."

Draco nodded his head knowing she was no longer suggesting that he check on his mother, but rather telling him. Before he left Hermione in the foyer he used his thumb to remove some of the excess water that had already fell down her face in silent tears, before kissing her forehead and stepping away from her and walking towards the direction his parents had gone.

-HGHG-

Sometime later Draco returned to inform Hermione, Blaise and Pansy that his mother was to be kept in overnight for observation and that the healer treating her would be discussing potential causes with Healer Jenkins- his mother's physician- when the female healer came in the next morning.

As he glanced over at the trio who had been waiting for news he realised the hours were slowly dragging and that it was late in the evening, "You should all head back to the manor, there is not much else that can be done". It was at that point Daphne reappeared having been to check on Lavender, "You to Daph, if anything changes I shall let you know. It has been a long day and I am positive you would all like to get some sleep before tomorrow."

Knowing that their fellow Slytherin was not one to show emotion and would most likely wish to stay alone with his family at his mother's bedside, Pansy, Blaise and Daphne all nodded but Hermione continued to stare at Draco.

"Are you sure?" Hermione questioned as she stood up, "I don't mind staying" she said stepping closer to the blond man, reaching a comforting arm to him.

"I am sure" he replied attempting a small smile of gratitude towards the brunette. "You head back to the manor" he continued as he rubbed circles at the crook of her elbow.

"If you need to talk…" Hermione left her sentence to hang in the air as she knew Draco understood that she was there to listen just as she had when they had been in their final year of Hogwarts.

Draco nodded his head in gratitude, "I will walk you back to the entrance hall floo network, the manor should allow you entrance as the wards do not go up until midnight." Seconds after the quartet arrived near the floo the four non-Malfoy's were gone out of sight and Draco's shoulders slumped forward as he endured the lonely walk back to his mother's bedside.

-HGHG-

As the trio stepped through into the travelling room of the manor Theo was there to greet them, "How is she?"

"Narcissa's resting," Daphne announced, "The stress of prepping for the ball must have really taken it out of her." She paused glancing round at her friend, "However I think Draco is a bit out of sorts, we all know he has a lot on his plate at the moment, and he has always been closer to his mother than Lucius."

Hermione remained silent as she glanced at the floor, knowing that she was contributing a fair amount to his plate load.

"Don't take it personally Granger, Draco has a tendency to do what he wants, we know you have not asked him to do what he is doing." Pansy spoke with a soft voice that Hermione had not heard before.

"He doesn't even inform me of all the things going on, thus I couldn't stop him if I tried" Hermione glanced at the raven haired girl before glancing around the room, "I suppose everyone in this house knows more about what he has been doing than I do."

The ex-Slytherin's all glanced between themselves, as if sending secret messages, before Pansy spoke again, "What if we each told you what we know has happened and is going to happen?"

Ever the sceptic Hermione raised her eyebrow, "You would do that?"

Pansy nodded her head, "You mean something to him, so we want you to trust him" she summarised with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I do trust him" Hermione admitted, "But I didn't, and still don't want him to do what he is doing."

"You stood up for him all those years ago, now he is repaying you." Blaise spoke with a sincere expression on his face, "It was never Astoria- it was always you. He would do anything for you." Blaise signalled for Hermione to follow them into the sitting room everyone had been in earlier, "Come, sit, and let us share you into the loop."

Once everyone had made themselves comfortable, some nursing drinks, Blaise began; "I have been instrumental in Draco's scheming since the beginning, as you know Granger I am his financial advisor, his accountant, I know where all of his money is spent and squandered. We each" here he signalled around the room at the gathered Slytherin's, and their old professor "Happen to have our own uses to Draco, we have supplied our own intelligence to his cause."

"I am his eyes and ears in the media, and in general, there are enough gossipers who come into my store and whisper in hushed tones to get one very intrigued as to what they are so secretive about," Pansy smirked, "Never occurs to them that I have ears everywhere in there" She shook her head, "I have kept files on most people from Hogwarts of interest, though I had a special interest in the golden trio."

Pansy looked to Daphne as the other woman began speaking, "I let him know of anything happening of interest at St Mungo's, sometimes things are not released to the press, and he asks me for details." She paused slightly looking towards Hermione, "I keep my lips shut when it comes to private and confidential information. He has to ask me before I speak more often than not. But I am how he found out about Lavender's pregnancy" Daphne confirmed. She reached her hand out to rest on her husband's thigh "Terry got him involved in the poker match" she left the rest of the sentence to hang as her husband picked it up.

"Among the Quidditch players there are not many of us who like your ex, he talks big, squanders his money, and is a lousy gentlemen. We just enjoy taking his money. He is awful at poker, especially after a few rounds of drink. Our last poker match was to strip him of all of his money, Draco told us all that his money was going back to you" Hermione nodded her head, "Where he would be unable to get his grubby hands on it." Suddenly Terry began to laugh slightly, "Theo took great pleasure on taking himself down to the wire before suddenly tearing into your ex's winnings. He didn't know what had happened."

Theo shrugged as a few people turned towards him, "I couldn't not do, and he has a shocking tell. He cannot lie for shit!" Hermione bit her lip, as the realisation set in on what Theo was inadvertently was saying, she should have known when he was lying. Realising his misdemeanour Theo spoke again, "Granger listen I'm sorry I didn't mean you should have-"

Hermione held up her hand, "It is okay Theodore, I should have realised- I know that- sometimes you ignore things in the hopes they will improve on their own, or something will change it" at this point she looked at Daphne with a sad smile before turning back to Theo, "Now how are you involved in his plan?"

"Who says I am involved?" Theo looked affronted as he pointed to himself.

"Pull the other one Theo" Was Hermione's muggle phrased reply which made Theo who understand chuckle.

"Okay you got me. I work as an estate agent, Nott holdings is my business, and I have a love of architecture both Muggle and Wizarding. I keep Draco informed about any potential investments for his portfolio. Mandy told me you have had some information about your parents' old place. A few months ago the property came onto the market, but was only on for a day, last week it came on again, with a sizable price tag. I enquired with the Muggle land registry and found out that the name on the deeds was yours, however in the Wizarding world the documents were forged to name your husband as the sole owner of the land and property deeds." Theo seemed impressed with his investigative skills as he became more animated in his details of what had happened. "Draco sent me to do some recon of the property, and then sent me with Blaise to purchase the property from your husband paying half the requested price as a good will gesture for us not turning him into the authorities for fraud." He paused to catch his breath, "We are just waiting on confirmation of the transfer of registered name of property and will be filing the new deeds with the land registry in the Muggle world at some point during the week hopefully before your ex works out it was Draco who purchased the property."

As if summoned by the numerous uses of his given name Draco appeared at the doorway to the room. Partially covered in ash and soot from the fireplace as the speckles coated his tuxedo jacket and trousers, he looked pained as he entered the space his friends were all sitting in, bee lining for the strongest firewhiskey he could see.

"How is your mother?" Pansy was the first to acknowledge his presence.

Draco nodded his head, "She is resting, father sent me back here as he said I could not do anything there and I am more useful entertaining guests." He dropped back into a seat he had summoned from his office as he closed his eyes sipping quietly on his drink.

Pansy stood up and walked over to Draco, as Theo continued his story to Hermione. The latter of which could feel a hint of jealousy creeping into her mannerisms at watching the ease at which Pansy and Draco conversed as well as the sly touches the woman was using to distract the blond.

"Granger, Hermione?" Theo questioned when she hadn't drawn her gaze away from the two.

Hermione quickly snapped her attention to the spectacled man, smiling light, "Sorry Theo, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that your ex was daft to advertise the selling of your house in the Wizarding world when it is located in a Muggle community, with no wards around it. It made me think that he was not sure how the whole management of estates and selling of property worked in the Muggle world, or he had tried and failed to adjust the necessary paperwork in regards to making it legal there. Hence the forged Wizarding papers." He paused placing his fingers on his chin "I think I will discuss that with Draco tomorrow" he added as an afterthought.

Hermione nodded her head, "Why not take all this information to the ministry? And save yourself money from the deal as well."

Theo pointed towards his old friend, "Drake, he did not want word to get around so thought he would do a deal through other channels."

"I should have expected that" Hermione nodded her head.

Theo leant forward reaching a reassuring hand onto the brunette's thigh just above the knee, "He does these things because he cares." Hermione reached down to squeeze Theo's hand and remove it from the contact it had with her upper leg when he spoke again, "I cannot say I blame him. But I think you should take it as a compliment." He smiled as he looked over her shoulder, "I think you are the only one to have ever managed to maintain his interest. He cannot keep his eyes off you- speaking of which" he continues to stare over her shoulder, "I believe he is coming over to speak to you now, lest he manages to kill me with the look he is giving."

This statement caused Hermione to look over her shoulder towards Draco, who stood abruptly and began walking towards the pair. Hermione watched him with bated breath as he perched himself on the arm of the sofa between herself and Theo, his tense right arm resting over her shoulders as his fingers made patterns at the top of her right arm.

"What are you talking about?" Though it was a simple question from the blond Hermione could feel the tension across his forearm, and the shallow clipping of his words as he spoke.

Wondering if she could have the same effect that Pansy had on him she turned to her left, resting her hands on his thigh, similarly to what Theo had done minutes ago with her. She immediately felt his eyes snap from scrutinising Theo to looking at her, and the tension increase momentarily in his arm until she lifted gaze from her hands to his face. His steel irises softened somewhat and the tension left his arm, the movement of his fingers freezing as if in some form of limbo.

"Theo was just telling me about my parents' house" she finally answered, maintaining her gaze on him.

His mouth opened in a silent 'o' as he shifted his sight from her to Theo, who nodded in affirmation to confirm what she had said. "I thought Pansy was joking when she said everyone had told you what has been happening" he finally replied after a few moments. He laced his fingers over the top of hers that still remained in his lap, as he finally looked back at her golden speckled eyes that were staring at him. "You are not annoyed I had failed to tell you, are you?" He asked suddenly realising that she was explicit in her wanting to know everything he had been planning.

"I'm not annoyed. Well I am. But I'm more upset, no, disappointed that you failed to mention it" she withdrew her hands from underneath his swiftly.

Hermione was about to speak again when the clock suddenly chimed signalling one in the morning, followed by Pansy speaking over the top of everyone else, "Dear Merlin is that the time? I best be off to bed, it is not often you don't have to deal with trying to settle the children down to bed and getting to spend a quiet night in with your beau" she chanced a look at her husband whose eyebrows rose as he read the underlying thoughts of his wife.

There was a further chorus of similar needs for getting to bed, and after calling Tinie to take the guests to their necessary rooms for the evening, Draco and Hermione were left alone.

"I should head to bed as well" Hermione spoke as a silence enveloped them. Draco simply sat still as she stood from the seat she had been occupying, "Good night Draco".

She managed to make it to the doorway before the blond spoke again, "I am sorry Hermione" the sincerity made her pause. "It was not that I failed to mention it, I opted not to tell you. I weighed the pros and cons, and decided if you found out you would want to confront him, and I thought I would save you the hassle, and the emotional rollercoaster."

Hermione nodded her head, taking on all he had to say in his defence as any good member of the Wizengamot would do. "I suppose I should thank you then" she turned to face him and noticed he was a lot close than he had sounded, literally just behind her and she swayed slightly at his closeness causing him to reach forward and steady her. She glanced from her hands that had rested on his chest up to his face and noticed the same apprehensive face he had held earlier. "Like I said earlier- me seeing him doesn't change how I would feel about you." His eyebrows reached into his hairline, "You are not nearly as good at hiding your feelings anymore" she clarified, before reaching up to her tip toes and giving him a chaste kiss. "Now come it is time for us both to get some sleep. Your mother will want you to be looking your best when you go and see her tomorrow." Hermione held out her hand for him to take before pulling him behind her as she made her way up the stairs.

The blond and brunette paused outside the room Hermione had been using, an awkward silence having enveloped them. Draco had been in this position many times in the past. Usually he would be engaged in a lip lock by now and would barely remember stumbling over the threshold as clothes were strewn about, but his head was pausing him from currently initiating any such step.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he leant forward for another chaste kiss. "I took the liberty of telling Tinie to place a vial of sleeping drought on the bedside table each night" he finally broke the silence as he stood back to his full height.

"I didn't think I'd need it tonight" Hermione replied as she stared straight faced at the blond, "I thought I'd have company tonight."

"Have you been drinking?" Draco asked not used to the dare he say flirtatious woman in front of him.

Hermione nodded her curly mane, "If you are trying to suggest that I would not be this direct without some form of Dutch courage, you are correct. But I do know that I am speaking for my head, and I no longer want to spend the nights in a cold bed… Alone" As she finished her monologue she reached forward to pull him via the untied bowtie around his neck into her room.

Draco kicked the door closed as he followed his love interest into the room closer and closer to the bed. As she paused at the end of the bed he stopped her placing his hands on her hips. "I don't want to rush you" he relented, "We don't have to do anything, I will gladly make sure your bed is not a lonely place, but you have to tell me now if you don't want anything physical to happen."

He watched as a look overtook her glossy eyes and she began to nibble on her lower lip before her eyes dropped to the floor. Sighing he leant further back from her embrace kissing the top of her head before he walked away and into the adjoining bathroom.

-DMHG-

Inside the bathroom Draco poured some warm water into the sink before splashing it over his face, rubbing his hands roughly against his face as he did so. Sitting down on the covered toilet seat he began trying to calm his raging hormones when a timid knock sounded at the door.

"Just a second" he replied willing his situation away.

"Draco" her voice was slightly muffled but the eerie quietness of the house made it none too hard to hear what she was saying, "I never said no."

A/N: Congratulations to everyone that guessed/wanted it to be Lucius. Isn't he just such a star?
Thanks for reading this chapter :) Let me know what you think if you are so inclined.

p.s. I don't know if many of you will have read about the interview Emma Watson did with JK (I think it was for Wonderland), but it seems the author has admitted Hermione and Ron would not have been able to maintain a relationship, 'without counselling'. This made my week when I read it!