Chapter seven; Writing notes all night, Luna's recovery and family sticking together.
Hermione walked into her room after getting changed out of her Slytherin green dress to find Draco's owl already waiting for her on her bedside table. Wondering what Draco could possibly have to write to her now, especially since it hadn't been that long since they'd said goodbye, Hermione took the letter from the owl and opened it with curiosity burning through her.
Hermione.
Thankyou for tonight's date, I enjoyed myself immensely, and you truly did look beautiful.
You may not have taken me seriously, but I really do want you to think about us. If you want to stay with me, you'll be stuck with me. If you don't, I'll disappear from your life forever. I promise you that.
Owl me your reply once you've thought it through, just don't rush through it. Don't want you regretting anything.
Forever sincerely,
Draco Malfoy.
Hermione folded the letter back up and pressed the heel of hands against her eyes.
What do I do? What do I say? What do I want? Hermione looked up at Draco's owl. Then she held her arm out so that she could take the owl through to her study. Once in the study Hermione gave the owl water and treats then sat down, lost in thought.
Next thing Hermione knew, she jerked awake still sitting at her desk with the owl in front of her. Yawning she rubbed her eyes and tried to remember why she and fallen asleep in her chair rather than in her comfortable bed. As she was stretching her eyes landed on Draco's note from last night, and she froze with her arms above her head.
What do I want? At that thought her stomach growled at her. Hermione shook her head at her stomach and went to stand up, but Draco's owl hooted and jumped across the table to peck her hand.
"You want a reply, don't you?" The owl looked at her with pleading eyes, almost seeming to mimic Draco's excellent and convincing puppy dog eyes, making Hermione roll her eyes and pull some parchment towards her before flopping down in her chair.
With her quill hovering over her parchment, Hermione waited for the words to come to her. She stayed so still for so long that Draco's owl started hooting at her again.
Finally, the words all came to her, seeming to run out of her quill as if they'd always been planned.
Mr Malfoy.
I enjoyed myself too, it was a wonderful night.
I didn't take you seriously until your letter, and now I'm replying with my serious answer.
Meet me tonight? Just outside the Leaky Cauldron at eight. What I have to say, I want to say to your face.
Hermione Granger.
Before she could lose her nerve Hermione gave the letter to the owl to hold in its beak and let it out the window.
"Now I can eat!" Hermione exclaimed to herself and almost ran out her study door.
"Ginny! Hey there little James!" Hermione had opened the door to find Ginny and James Potter standing on her front doorstep. Luna and Ron were both at work – Ron at the ministry, Luna to the official Quibbler office – and Hermione had been on her own in the big house until the two Potter's had shown up.
Once she had found James' small pile of toys she kept for him, she and Ginny sat down on the couch with a glass of Goblin made wine each. This was something they did once a month to catch up and indulge a little. These meetings had been hard for Hermione when she and Ron hadn't been happy together since she hadn't wanted to tell Ginny. Today was the first talk she'd get to have with Ginny and be properly relaxed and be herself.
"So, what's new? I know you and Ron aren't going out anymore, but you look far too happy for a single girl." Ginny wasn't accusing Hermione, she was stating a fact and trying to hide her worry for her friend.
"There's not much that's really new. Ron and Luna seem to be happy together, Luna cooks enough for five teenage boys to have thirds and keeps Ron in line. Um, I've been able to keep my study and my bedroom so I've enough room to have privacy and everything I need, as well as company at meal times. I've began thinking of writing another book to be published – romance rather than War and History and biography this time. AndI'mdatingDracoMalfoy." Hermione took a large gulp of her wine and looked away from Ginny to watch James fly around on the toy broomstick, laughing joyfully.
"Draco Malfoy? Hermione … are you sure?" Hermione took another sip from her glass as she faced Ginny.
"He's different Ginny. He's sweet and caring and honest, and he's given me the option to stay or leave. And he's told me the consequences of both choices. He's gone through a lot, and he's willing to let me in. I really like him, Ginny." Ginny gazed at Hermione for a long time, seemingly dumbstruck but seriously thinking it through.
Finally, after many minutes of anxious waiting, Ginny let out a huff of air.
"Well, I trust your judgement Hermione. I won't say that I like it, because I don't, he's still that slimy git from school to me. But he's got to remember, everyone – the Weasley's and the Potters - will be watching you, you're still our family, Hermione. If he hurts you, he's got all your family to deal with!" Hermione smiled and leant over to hug her friend.
"I know Ginny. And so does Draco."
"Oh, he's Draco already? I didn't realize how close you two were already." Hermione laughed at Ginny.
"Relax Ginny, we've only kissed, we haven't had sex or anything."
"Ohhhh, you've kissed him!" Ginny gave a slight shiver before saying, "Sorry, Hermione, but ewwww."
"Actually Ginny, he's a really good kisser." Hermione took the last mouthful of her wine as she watched Ginny's face scrunch up in disgust.
"Oh, Hermione. I don't like it, but I'm glad you're happy." Hermione smiled and poured more wine for herself and Ginny, but as they raised their glasses to take a mouthful each, the front door opened and Luna came in.
"Oh, Luna! You're home early. Is everything OK?" Hermione watched in horror as Luna sat in between her and Ginny, and burst into tears. Ginny immediately wrapped her arms around Luna. "Luna?! Luna what is it? What's wrong?"
It took many soothing words and a glass of wine before Luna calmed down enough to start talking, but just before she could start she was interrupted.
"Aunt Wuna?" Luna smiled down at little James, who had been startled by her tears and come over to give her a hug. Gratefully Luna picked him up and held him in a tight hug, his little arms going around her neck.
"Mummy awways says hugs hewp make hurts go away. And me and Daddy give the bestest get better hugs!" Luna laughed softly and kissed James softly on the top of his head. "Your mother is very right James, thank you." At that James snuggled down in Luna's lap and promptly fell asleep.
"So, Luna. Are you able to tell us what's going on, now that you're getting hugs from my son the self-proclaimed as one of the best get-better-soon huggers?" Luna smiled sadly at Ginny, but began her story.
"Well, I've been lying to everyone. Since I was … was raped, I haven't been dealing with anything as well as I wanted you to think. I've found out that I need to keep myself distracted so that I don't think about it. That's why I offered to cook, Hermione, so that I could keep myself busy with huge meals to cook and effectively have hours of just focusing on food. I've done well to keep myself busy with keeping the Quibbler up to date and cooking for you and Ronald." Luna took a deep breath and a mouthful of wine before continuing any further.
"But when I'm not keeping busy, which is usually when I'm lying down to sleep, all the thoughts of that night come back to me and overwhelm me with fear. When they do, I also remember all the bruises I had, and how beaten up I was. More than once I've tried to harm myself and re-create the bruises, cuts and, above all, the pain that was inflicted on me. But Ronald has helped me, every time I have begun to harm myself Ronald has caught me, and stopped me. He has helped me heal, mentally and physically. I haven't wanted to tell you, Hermione, because I've felt so weak." At this Luna turned to Hermione, her eyes wide and begging for forgiveness.
"I am sorry, I wanted to tell you, and Ronald did encourage me to tell you when I felt ready, but I didn't want to burden you with all of this. I've never felt so vulnerable since the war against Voldemort." Luna dropped her head and kissed James on the top of his head again, hugging him tight for a few moments. Hermione leant forward and placed one arm around Luna's small shoulders.
"Luna, it's OK. I'm sorry I didn't think to talk to you sooner, I should've realized you couldn't have been dealing with it as well as you appeared to be. You're not weak. You've been hurt, and really badly, next to no one would be able to simply brush it off. If you want I can start making you a sleeping draught?" Luna smiled gratefully and nodded. "That'd be great Hermione. I'd really appreciate that."
Hermione and Ginny smiled at their friend and both hugged her at the same time. Ron walked in the front door to find the three girls hugging and Luna still crying. After closing the door and seeming to assess the situation, Ron turned straight to Hermione, asking softly, "Did Luna tell you?" Hermione could only nod. Ron seemed to sigh in relief then he walked over to Luna to kneel in front of her.
"I'm proud of you, see, you are brave, you're not weak. You told Hermione and Ginny when you thought you wouldn't be able to!" Luna smiled and turned to hand over a still sleeping James to Ginny before looking back at Ron, sliding down off the couch to kneel in front of Ron and wrap her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Ronald. You've been so kind and patient with me. I really appreciate all you've done for me." Then Luna buried her face just under Ron's neck and burst into new tears.
Hermione sat up and gestured to Ron to sit on the couch where she'd just been sitting. Ron nodded once gratefully before easily picking up Luna and sitting on the couch, rearranging Luna so that she sat on his lap comfortably.
Ginny stood up too, still holding James, and mouthed a goodbye to her brother. Ron nodded and waved with one hand before placing that hand on Luna's back, rubbing it up and down soothingly and whispering sweet, calming words in her ear.
Hermione mouthed a quick, Bye, be back soon! Before she followed Ginny out the front door, with Ginny eyeing her curiously and asking the one question Hermione really wanted her to ask so that she could share a little more of her story with Draco. "Where are you going?"
Hermione smiled widely as she responded. "Well, Draco gave me a chance to choose if I wanted to keep seeing him or if I want to tell him I never want to see him again. I've made my choice and I'm leaving now so that I can tell him face to face." Ginny smiled at her friend.
"What are you going to tell him?" Hermione smiled and hugged Ginny. "I think you already know that, Ginny. Safe travels getting home, I'll see you soon." And she disapparated.
"Malfoy." Hermione nodded coolly as Draco approached her outside the Leaky Cauldron. Draco's eyes were wide and cautious, like he expected something bad to come out of this conversation. Hermione couldn't help but admire Draco in his muggle clothes, he wore dark, artfully ripped jeans and a button down shirt with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to just above his elbows, along with designer shoes.
"Come inside for a drink?" He offered, playing the gentlemanly role and dragging Hermione's eyes away from his body to his face. Hermione accepted his offer and found a table in the corner while Draco went up to the bar and bought their drinks.
Once they were both seated with a glass of Firewhisky each, Hermione cut right to the chase. "So, in your owl last night, you gave me a choice if I wanted to stay with you or not. And I have thought long and hard about what I want." Draco nodded with a slight trace of fear in his eyes. "What do you want, Hermione?" Hermione had to take a large mouthful of her Firewhisky before she could continue, but the burning liquid seemed to intensify the butterflies in her stomach rather than drown them like she wanted. Never the less, she found her Gryffindor pride and looked him straight in his scared grey eyes.
"I want you to stay. With me. I don't want to give us up. I don't want to give you up." Draco's mouth dropped open and he seemed to freeze in place for two seconds, before he threw his hands in the air and gave a great loud whoop, which caused all of the customers in the little pub to jump in their seats and stare at him. Draco jumped up from his seat and took two long strides around the table to pick up Hermione and twirl her around in the air. Finally her placed her down and gazed into her eyes, that smile that stunned Hermione every time was plastered on his face, hope now shining brightly in his grey eyes.
"Hermione Granger, you will do me the honour of being my girlfriend?" Hermione beamed at him and nodded, laughing. "Yes, I will Draco. I will be your girlfriend." Draco laughed and turned so that he was facing everyone in the pub – most people were still staring at the couple, including Tom the barkeeper who hadn't realized that the drink he'd been pouring was now full and overflowing onto the floor, and probably onto his shoes.
"Everyone, I am Draco Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger. And Hermione has just agreed to be my girlfriend!" with that Draco turned, placed a hand on either side of Hermione's face and kissed her in front of everyone.
Hermione threw her arms around Draco's neck and pulled him closer as everyone in the pub cheered and clapped for the new couple.
Hermione did vaguely hear Tom announce "Drinks all round! On the house!" But she was too busy kissing Draco Malfoy, the young man in front of her who was making her entire body tingly and warm.
For the first time in years, Hermione Granger was happy, her life felt whole, and complete.
The couple appeared with pop out the front of Hermione's house. They'd not stayed long after Draco had announced to the pub that they were dating, just long enough to accept a drink from Tom and congratulations from everyone in the pub.
Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and kissed her deeply, loving the feeling of Hermione's small hands gripping the top of his shirt to pull him closer.
Hermione was the one to pull away, but she only pulled far back enough to murmur against Draco's lips; "I need to get inside and check up on Luna." Draco nodded and kissed Hermione gently once more before, regretfully, letting her go and nudging her towards the front door.
"I'll come pick you up tomorrow for brunch, Hermione." Hermione turned and smiled. "OK. Is there a dress code this time?" Draco laughed and shook his head.
"Wear whatever you want. Although I wouldn't object to you wearing that dress again." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him before opening the door and taking a step into the house, but before she closed the door she stuck her head out and called back to Draco, trying to sound teasing.
"Don't worry Mr Malfoy, you'll see me in less appropriate outfits before you know it." Hermione closed the door softly then, laughing to herself at Draco's dumbstruck expression.
Walking to the living room couch, Hermione found out that Ron and Luna hadn't moved from their position on the couch. Ron's shirt was soaked through where Luna had cried into it, and was crumpled where she had held it in a death grip.
Gently Hermione woke up Ron and convinced him to carry Luna upstairs so that they could sleep in a bed.
"Ron, where has Luna been sleeping?" Hermione asked quietly as she walked ahead, opening doors for him.
"She always starts the night in the spare room we set up for her, but because she gets so scared she ends up in my room. But you don't need to worry I'm too scared to even hug her unless she asks me to, let alone anything else." Hermione smiled to herself, proud of Ron's restraint and the amount of care he'd taken to look after the fragile and broken young woman.
Hermione watched as Ron slowly and tenderly placed Luna on his bed. "Would you like me to stay with her tonight, Ron? Just in case." Ron looked down at Luna in his bed, then turned and sat on the couch against the wall.
"Nah. You go get some sleep Hermione. I'll yell out if I need your help. I promise." Hermione nodded.
"You know where to find me." As Hermione was leaving Ron called her back.
"Hermione. Where'd you go tonight?" Hermione smiled softly.
"I met up with Draco Malfoy at the Leaky Cauldron. To tell him that I've decided I want to be his girlfriend." Ron nodded, his eyes drooping with sleep. "He better know what he's in for."
"Don't worry Ron, he knows how big my family is and how protective they are." Ron sighed, his head nodding slowly down towards his chest. "It's always the slimy gits with all the money who get the girls, isn't it?"
"No, it's Ron. If I recall from our Hogwarts days as well as present day, you've scored a few girls in your own time." Ron's eyes snapped up to meet Hermione's, now wide awake and thoughtful. Then, slowly, a wide and goofy yet still very tired smile crept across Ron's face.
"You're right, 'Mione." Ron's head started dropping to his chest again. "You're always right." Ron gave a long and loud yawn at his chest, and seconds later he gave a loud snore, fast asleep.
Hermione smiled at her ex, then walked over to the end of Ron's bed where there was a chest of spare blankets. Hermione searched for one that wouldn't be too heavy and threw it over Ron, tucking it in around him.
I'm not in love with him anymore, but I love him as a friend. I still care for him.