It was a known fact that going back in time by more than a few hours brings upon certain death. It changes the balance and order of things which can only be restored by the death of the travellers in the present.
Many great wizards had made such failed attempts and lost their lives. Even Dumbledore himself had told Hermione of the same when she had been given the Ministry issued Time-turner back in her third year. Dumbledore would always hint if something greater were possible, but even he knew that time was best left alone. And time-turners were not to be fiddled with.

What they had not realised was that it can affect their loved ones too. Draco had managed to drag himself to the coffin. The duo sat on the floor next to the opulent coffin on display. Draco had not uttered a single word or given any reaction after the initial. Hermione was starting to worry. She had her arms wrapped around him from behind, her head resting on his back and was murmuring assurances.

"It won't be okay dammit! I have lost the only person who actually cared about me! This cannot be!" he suddenly bellowed pushing her aside.

Hermione's shock was written all over her face. Despite his tempers, she could see he was broken and this was just the pieces of a broken soul that were trying to harm her sentiments. She steeled her determination and with all the Gryffindor courage that she had, she stood up next to him. She looked straight into his eyes, "No. You are wrong. There are so many that care for you."

"Oh really? They care because their livelihoods depend on me or some other twisted reason. They don't love me to care enough to turn up if I drop dead today Granger."

His already broken heart could not take the grief anymore. He was feeling as if someone had put a huge weight on his chest and he was suffocating under its weight, unable to breathe or feel the beat of his heart.

Hermione moved in closer, making sure he could see her.

"But I do."

Those three words calmed his temper and put a thousand question into his head about their meaning. What did she mean? That she loves him? That wasn't possible. She had clearly said how she believed all of it to be sham. She must have grown attached to him over the past few weeks. Anybody you live with for that long in a strange place was bound to be a bit important to you.

He tried to ignore the inner voice in his head and crushed any hope that had bubbled up within. Draco turned away without gracing her with any reaction or reply. It stung if she were, to be honest, but he had just lost his mother and she could hardly hold him accountable for anything he said or did at the moment.

The Manor was quiet like in the dead of the night. The only sounds were the sound of them breathing and the occasional breeze outside the windows.

Hermione Accioed an armchair and settled Draco in it. She grabbed a nearby futon and sat down. She had a million things to do, to find Harry, to meet everyone, to find out what day it was! But none were motivation enough to leave a shattered Draco Malfoy on the floor of the drawing room, where she was tortured by his aunt, next to his Mother's coffin.

She could not even find enough drive in her to at least run to the study and write a letter to inform Harry or Shacklebolt. Seeing Draco like this had changed something within her. She felt no joy in returning to their times. She just felt hollow and miserable at being helpless about Draco's situation. Could she have done anything to prevent this? Probably not, her rational side concurred. But, the human mind had to always blame someone of bad situations for peace of mind. Draco could hardly be blamed for Narcissa Malfoy's death. Hermione had grown fond of her in recent times, so she knew that the Wizarding world had lost a wonderful, albeit misunderstood witch. She decided that the only person she could blame was herself for not trying the alternative ways to return home any sooner. She should have tried harder or thought about the basic things sooner. She was so caught up in being a healer and Draco's pseudo-wife that the actual problem seemed to slip her mind most of the days. The fact that there was a problem, to begin with, was a fact she often forgot. She liked that life. She liked being a healer and being Draco's bride was not so bad she had to admit. He would make someone a great husband one day. All that he had managed as a pretend husband in a bygone era was more than what many husbands would do in a lifetime of opportunities.

Draco was now near the bar cabinet. He had taken out a bottle of the strongest Ogden's Firewhisky. He took out two glasses and poured one for himself without bothering with any ice. The next moment, he gulped down the entire shot. Hermione winced at the way his throat must have burnt. She wasn't fond of alcohol, she had never been. It made everybody think less and do things that were rarely acceptable to their sober selves. An occasional drink or two were fine, but the moment a person lost their senses, Hermione wanted to whack them sober.

Draco poured himself another shot and then filled the second glass. Without looking at her he asked, "Ice?"

"No. Uh..I mean I won't drink." She almost wanted to add 'neither should you.' but didn't want to risk another mood swing.

He poured it still and plopped two ice cubes by magic. He made his way across the large room, towards her, in the proud Malfoy manner and offered her the glass. "Drink it. We both need it. I want to see my Mother before I bury her. I must open the coffin and I doubt you are going anywhere."

It sounded like a peace offering more than a shot of courage from him. He needed that courage himself, what he offered her was an offer to stay a little longer in his life. He needed that support right now. He needed her beside him.

She took the glass and gulped it down, grimacing at the burning sensation. Maybe she could do with the shot of courage too.

Draco moved towards the coffin, with Hermione trailing behind. He carefully put away the flowers that were on or around it. Next, he removed the Malfoy crest from the pall. Finally, he took off the emerald pall. He put his hands on the oak wood coffin and grazed his hands on it. Contemplating whether or not to open it. He had to see his Mother one last time, that was not up for debate. What he wasn't sure of was whether he was ready to face the truth or not.

Just as he lifted the coffin's lid, the door to the drawing room opened behind him.

"Draco!"

The young Malfoy put down the lid as he turned to the sound of the voice that had helped him move through his miserable life. Hermione gasped as she turned to look at Draco for his reaction.

"Mother!" He ran towards the Malfoy Matriarch who stood at the door, her gaze not leaving her son for even a second, lest he gets lost again. Her eyes filled up with tears as she sobbed her only child's name once again. With that, he sprung into action and ran towards her. The moment he reached her, he swooped her into his arms and hugged her as if his life depended on it. The emotions were so charged that Hermione felt tears roll down her own cheeks.

Once Narcissa had held her son for long enough to believe that Draco was truly back, she opened her eyes and let go of him before turning towards Hermione and asking her for a hug too. Hermione stood stupefied before she managed to smile through her tears and walked to give Narcissa a tight hug.

"Welcome back my children! I am so glad to see you. But before I ask you where have you been, it's late. You must be hungry. Come, we'll talk over dinner."

She summoned an elf who was equally excited to see his Master and Miss Granger back and in perfect health. She ordered him to set up a table for three while they walked to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, as the elves served dinner, the questions swimming around in Hermione's head were killing her. "Hermione, you must write to Mr Potter soon. Right after dinner, I would suggest. You can call him over if you want to." Before Hermione could protest she continued, "I would like you both to spend the night here instead of your apartments. Give this old woman some respite, please."

"How long were we gone, Mother?"

"Twenty-four days. I counted. I waited each day for news from the Ministry, but when nothing turned up for a fortnight, they started to check the area for spells. The only trace of strong magic was a time spell that they found in a cottage. After trying to understand the spell for a while, they finally gave up after a week and since one can only go back a few hours in time without killing themselves, they thought you came across some form of botched up time spell and got killed, leaving absolutely no trace behind." She broke down into tears with that.

"But I am so glad you are back Draco. Both of you, in fact. Even you Hermione. Everybody was worried about the two of you. The entire Wizarding World. The news of you vanishing spread like wildfire and was talked about in not only the Prophet but also American newspapers like The Wizard to even India in Nabee. The world woke up to finding one-third of the Golden trio and the most famous redeemed Death Eater gone. You can imagine the chaos it created." Narcissa exclaimed all this with a hint of pride in her voice as if the fact that these two affected the entire world made her extremely proud of them.

"Harry flooed in almost every day to check on me. Such a sweet young man he is. Ginerva is expecting, yet she would pop in on the days Harry couldn't. Blaise was a dear too, he kept a check on your company and me while you were away. Even Pansy and Theo visited a few times. Two days back, you both were officially declared dead when they could find no trace of your magic or you. The entire Wizarding Britain is in mourning. Harry, Blaise, the Weasley's and I were the only ones who didn't agree but nevertheless decided to hold a state funeral as the Ministry suggested. We knew it in our hearts that two such brilliant individuals such as yourself would find your way back to us."

They decided it was best they owled Harry to join them before they explained what had happened. It would be rather exhausting to explain everything twice and Narcissa was simply content that they were back. She didn't let either of them wander away for even a few minutes. Dinner was a peaceful affair and it was decided that Narcissa would send the letters requesting Harry to come see her at the earliest, with Ginny and Ron if he could manage. She also owled Blaise at Hermione's insistence. A little surprise for Draco wouldn't hurt.

Now that they were seated in the study and waiting for all of them to arrive by half past ten, Draco and Hermione couldn't help but wonder where Silvius and Adelia were and whatever happened to their unborn child.

Exactly at half-past ten, green flames burst in the fireplace and in walked the Boy who lived, next to appear was the chaser of the Holyhead Harpies and the pregnant Mrs Potter née Weasley, Ginny. Hermione and Draco had a disillusionment charm cast on them so that they could reveal themselves once everyone had arrived. Next came in Ron, looking as sad and mournful as the former two. Finally walked in Blaise a little later.

"Why did you summon us so urgently Mrs Malfoy?" Harry asked. "I hope all's well?" Blaise asked with a look of concern.

"Have a seat. I feel you all should be sitting down for this." They all exchanged worried glances at Narcissa's strange request and found seats for themselves that were all made to face the fireplace. Narcissa took her seat next to the fireplace looking calm and composed and happy. Even though it was rather mean and rude, all four guests thought that she might have finally completely lost her sanity after the shock of losing Draco.

"I would like you all to meet someone." She announced.

They carefully came and stood in front of the fireplace and took off the disillusionment charm. As they wavered into view, the four stood up in surprise.

"Hermione! Draco!" They all said in unison, except Ron who had screamed a "Malfoy!" and Blaise who had said "Granger!".

The two were automatically pulled in all directions into tight hugs. Blaise was crushing Draco, while Harry was holding Hermione from one side and trying to hold Draco from the other. Hermione was squeezed between Ron and Ginny from the other side.

"Guys you are suffocating us." Hermione half laughed half cried. They all let go and at Draco's request, took their seat once again.

The next one hour was spent explaining all their findings and how they had stumbled upon some complex time spell that let you travel through centuries. It was decided to keep that fact confidential to avoid any crazy attempts. The lesser wizards knew that there was a spell to take you back years, the lesser destruction would be caused. Harry made it a point to send a team of Aurors to sweep the Marshlands and Forbidden Forest for any trace of lethifolds. Even though they were extinct in this time, Hermione believed that the Lethifolds had somehow managed to escape through the time portal set by the spell.

"Also, the unidentified bodies are probably lethifold victims that the brought along with them. Thus no signs of vampire bites, potions or spells on them. They are from a different century, no wonder we can't identify them. As for the rest, they were simply wanderers whom the lethifolds attacked in the present." Hermione finished.

"What about Adelia and Silvius? What about their child?" Ginny asked in a daze. They had all been listening to Hermione and Draco with rapt attention. Nobody could deny the change of chemistry between the two. They weren't kissing or even touching, but just the manner in which they seemed to read each other and completed each other's sentences said a lot. Even Ron could not deny it that something seemed to have changed between the two. Narcissa looked at them with keen interest and fond eyes. Her old eyes saw the future of the Malfoy family in front of her, only if the two would actually put aside their pride. She could see how much they respected each other, understood each other and even supported each other. But above all, how much they loved each other.

"What happened to those two is something we are yet to figure out. But we really hope whatever it was, was something great and they are one happy family wherever they are today at this moment." Draco finished.

After another hour of trying to process everything, Harry excused himself for an urgent meeting with the Minister. Ginny stayed behind to keep them company while Ron and Blaise left after midnight. Narcissa invited Ginny to stay over, knowing well that it would make things easier for Hermione.

By morning, the newspapers were told that Draco and Hermione were back but needed rest. The period of mourning was lifted much to everyone's delight. There was no mention of a time spell and it was told that lethifolds were involved which Draco and Hermione had taken care of. They had both lost their wands and some ancient magic had made them apparate away to the depths of the Forest of Dean from where they had to find their way back via muggle means without any contact to the wizarding world. The Heroine of the Golden Trio and the new found redeemed Hero was back, and that was all that mattered to the press. For a change, they did not question the Ministry's statement any further. The fact that Malfoy might have used his money and influence a little was a secret that Hermione was never to know about. Kingsley and Harry knew of course, but who were they to complain when Draco kept trouble away.

Ginny had slept in the room next to Hermione's allotted guest room and was still asleep when Hermione found her way to the kitchen at the Manor. "Wow you sure look..uhh.." She turned to find Draco smirking at her. So they were back to normal, she thought. A little happy that he sounded normal, but mostly hurt that he was acting as if nothing had happened.

"I just woke up Draco." she grumbled.

"You wake up looking like this? Oh yeah, you do, you did the same every day." He said leaning in a little.

Hermione tried to shake off her sleepy state and look and feel a little more human and less like a sloth. "Looking like what?"

Draco moved in and bent down. WIith his lips between her ears and neck, he whispered, "Like perfection."

With that, he gave her a smirk, turned and left. Leaving a very sleepy, confused and blushing Hermione at the door.

"Please tell me you did your wifely duties and shagged him mindless?" Ginny stood at the door of her guest room grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh shut up."

"You didn't?"

Hermione's silence encouraged her. "If I were you and Harry was half as charming as Malfoy was right now, I would make as many mini Potters with him in bed as he wanted. All day, all night. I would even break the law and create food with magic, so we never have to leave the bed. Ever."

"Ew. Shut up, I don't need the visuals, Ginevra Weasley Potter!"

"No, you don't. But you surely need Malfoy in your bed having his way with you if you haven't sinned with him already." With that, she beamed, turned around and shut the door to her room. While Hermione stood there feeling extremely puzzled with the sudden change in Draco. Somewhere in the Manor, Narcissa was walking for breakfast and hoping that the earful she gave to Draco last night was going to put some sense into his head and make him see the error of his ways with Hermione. Little did she know that nothing that the two did could ever be normal or lacking drama.

(A/N)

Hey!

Hope you all liked it till here, and no it does not end here. We have to learn what happened to Adelia and Silvius and their child. We also, have to see how Dramione overcome their inhibitions and reservations about each other. And yes many of you guessed/hoped it right that it was Draco's casket and not Narcissa's. Cheers guys!
So stay tuned and review! Long in-depth reviews really keep me motivated and happy! The last two reviews by caprubia and pgoodrichboggs motivated me to finish this chapter on a super busy day. I love knowing what all you like or even dislike about my story! So keep me posted everyone!

XOXO
Mili