Chapter Fifteen; Story telling, acceptance and leaving with peace.
Draco had spoken up first, turning and facing Hermione with nervous eyes. "If we're being forced to talk, would you like to start or should-" But Draco was cut off by a very angry Hermione, her voice dangerously low.
"You. Left. Why did you leave?" Hermione was glaring at Draco as he struggled to keep a calm façade while replying, "I had no choice."
Hermione herself fought hard to keep her building anger under control. But after a few short minutes of Draco not explaining himself any further and struggling with her temper, Hermione snapped.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, YOU HAD NO CHOICE?" Draco's sad, grey eyes met Hermione's angry, brown ones, but Hermione was too angry and hurt to stop now. "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOLD ME IF WE HAD SEX YOU WOULDN'T LET ME GO! WHAT THE HELL MALFOY? DID YOU FUCKING LIE TO MY FACE JUST TO GET ME INTO BED?!" Draco flinched at every word Hermione flung at him, like they were physically hurting him. He tried to speak but Hermione wasn't finished yet.
"TELLING ME YOU HAD NO CHOICE IN LEAVING ME JUST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH! YOU BETTER START FUCKING EXPLAINING!" Hermione stopped, glaring at Draco with her chest heaving.
She's so powerful, so strong and beautiful. Draco gazed down at the still sitting Hermione. He was standing over her and she was sitting in the love seat, but he had never felt smaller or more inferior in his life.
Draco took one step forward, intending to reach out and take Hermione's hand while he explained properly, but his legs gave way underneath him and he awkwardly fell into a kneel at Hermione's feet. He didn't bother moving, he just stayed there, kneeling at her feet with his head bowed, eyes averted and hands resting limply on his thighs.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." He finally muttered, tears filling his eyes. He was too ashamed to even bother wiping them away, he just let them fall onto his arms and thighs. "My father threatened your safety. He was going to have you killed if I didn't leave you. I left the note behind in my apartment because I hoped that you would find it and come find me, or try and contact me. When I did come home, father told me if I saw or contacted you ever again, he would disown me and take away my inheritance. I would've been completely cut off and sickle-less. It was a selfish, shallow reason to not go after you. I'm truly sorry. If you never want to see me again I'd understand." Draco explained with his voice breaking as he finished. Draco closed his eyes, squeezing out more tears, and waited for Hermione to either leave or continue yelling at him or beat him, but she did none of them, she surprised him when she spoke low, but her voice was full of sympathy.
"Oh, Draco." Hermione slid off the love seat to kneel in front of Draco and placed one finger under his chin to gently lift his head, making him look into her eyes. Hermione could feel her heart breaking a little at the sight of the lost and self-loathing young man in front of her.
"I can protect myself, you idiot. I helped Harry freaking Potter defeat Voldemort! You don't need to protect me, or worry about me!" Gently Hermione placed one hand on either side of Draco's face and used her thumbs to wipe away the tears on Draco's handsome face. But in doing this, Hermione only caused Draco to cry more, which brought tears to Hermione's eyes.
"I'm truly sorry, Hermione. You're just too good for me." Draco thought about standing up and telling her to find someone who is good enough for her – someone selfless and could look after her the way that she deserved. But Hermione stopped him by crawling into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, effectively crushing herself to him and burying her head into the crook of his neck.
"No, I'm not too good for you. I'm just right for you. Just please, stay with me and don't leave me again. Stay with me, Draco Malfoy, please." Hermione whispered pleadingly. Without thinking Draco wrapped his arms around her and buried his head into her neck.
For a long time they didn't move, they just held each other until their silent tears ran dry and even then they stayed still, simply enjoying the feeling of being close to each other.
Draco was the first to move. Gently he lifted Hermione's face until he could see her eyes. For a minute he found himself lost in the depths of her brown eyes, before he found the words he wanted to ask her.
"Do you really want to be with me, Hermione?" Draco thought he still sounded shaky, even to his own ears. He watched as Hermione lifted one of her delicate hands to trace his lips softly with one of her slender and gentle fingers. Almost automatically Draco kissed her finger, his eyes focused on hers while he waited for an answer.
"I want you to stop putting yourself down. Of course I want to be with you!" Hermione smiled as she watched Draco beam down at her, at her response.
Feeling slightly dizzy with happiness, Draco wrapped one arm around Hermione's waist, wrapped his other hand around the nape of her neck and pulled her close so that he could kiss her deeply. His happiness only heightened when Hermione pressed herself closer against him and responded to his kiss.
When they stopped kissing they pressed their foreheads together, gazing into each other's eyes until Draco regretfully pulled away and called Peggie.
"Yes Master Draco?" Peggie squeaked helpfully.
"Peggie, could you inform my mother that Miss Granger and I have finished talking, and we wish to be released." Peggie nodded and disapparated with an enthusiastic, "Yes Master Draco!" and a pop.
Draco gazed down at Hermione, love and joy clear in his eyes as he picked her up. Gently Draco settled himself on the chair with Hermione resting in his lap, where Hermione immediately curled herself up comfortably.
A few moments later the couple heard the door unlock and watched as Narcissa walked in. Upon seeing the young couple on the lounge, a huge smile broke across her face.
"Oh thank Merlin you two sorted yourselves out! I so hoped you would get back together!" Narcissa exclaimed as she sat down across from them. "Can I ask what happened?" She asked the pair. Meaning to ask him to explain, Hermione glanced up at Draco.
And lost her train of thought.
For a few moments the couple just gazed at each other, both smiling slightly and feeling as though their whole world was in the gorgeous pair of eyes right in front of them.
Narcissa didn't say anything, more than happy to quietly observe the couple she had worked to help get back together. Narcissa had never seen her son so blissfully, and obviously, happy before in his life. And she couldn't be prouder that the girl he chose was the most dedicated, down to earth and honest young lady she had ever met. Hermione Granger brought the best out of Draco.
As a mother, Narcissa could not be happier.
Finally Draco winked and kissed Hermione's forehead, making her blush a little. "Should I tell mother about our discussion?" Draco asked quietly. Hermione appeared to think about it for a moment, before nodding and settling herself down in Draco's arms.
Speaking quietly, Draco told his mother what had happened after Narcissa had locked the pair in. Outwardly, Narcissa was calm, under control and supportive mother, but inwardly, she was crying and jumping for joy.
Hermione Granger, you do not realize exactly how wonderful and amazing you are. Few people have seen Draco cry. He must trust you much, much more than even I realized. Please don't give up on him, keep looking after my boy!
Draco finished telling Narcissa what had happened and he was gazing happily at Hermione again. For a long time the three of them sat in companionable silence, until the silence was broken by someone knocking at the door.
"Enter." Narcissa spoke calmly, standing up and facing the door. Mr Malfoy walked in, followed by Mr Humphries, whose eyes immediately found Hermione curled up with Draco. Hermione watched with amusement as Mr Humphries expression fell at the sight of her with Draco.
Narcissa and Draco, on the other hand, were watching Lucius' reaction to Hermione curled up on the couch with Draco. Other than his eyes narrowing slightly, Lucius' did not react to the sight.
"Narcissa, may I speak you please?" Lucius asked his wife, his voice deathly quiet.
"Of course, please excuse us everyone, we will be back shortly." Narcissa replied, following her husband out the room.
Mr Humphries waited for the door to close behind Mr and Mrs Malfoy before he said anything, his eyes boring into Hermione's. "So, Miss Granger is this the reason you refused me before? I was not aware that the pair of you even remotely liked each other." Hermione was ready with a retort, but Draco beat her.
"Mr Humphries, you forget whom you are talking to. I am Draco Malfoy. Who wouldn't want to be with me? Miss Granger and I are a new couple, we had recently been in a dispute which has now been resolved. We are a new couple, and Miss Granger is mine, and mine alone." Draco's words were polite and formal, yet his voice was silky smooth and extremely low and dangerous.
Delicately, Hermione shivered at the sound of Draco's voice. I'm never getting on his bad side.
"My apologies, Mr Malfoy." Mr Humphries spoke after a slight pause. "I was not aware of how protective you are. I will leave Miss Granger alone." Mr Humphries gave the couple a small, stiff formal bow and turned his back to admire Narcissa's bookcase.
Just then Narcissa and Lucius re-entered the study, Narcissa with a smile on her face and Lucius appearing tired and weary.
"Draco, please walk your friend out. We need to talk as a family. Mr Humphries, please follow my wife, she will lead you to our floo fireplace." Mr Humphries and Narcissa left so quickly that Hermione had only just stood up when she heard the door close.
Draco stood up and stretched before taking Hermione's hand and leading her out of his mothers' study, but Lucius' voice stopped them at the door.
"Miss Granger?" Hermione turned in curiosity, watching as Lucius walked over to her. "Don't panic, I'm not going to hurt you." Lucius said as he pulled out his wand, making Draco stiffen next to Hermione.
"Father?" Lucius held a hand up to silence Draco and waved his wand over Hermione's head, muttering words that Hermione couldn't make out before stepping away again.
"There you are Miss Granger. Now next time you visit, you can walk right up to the front door, you won't need to screech at our gates all day." Lucius told her, sounding tired as he turned back into his wife's study. "I will see you around, Miss Granger. Draco please return here once you have taken her home."
"Thank you, father." Draco spoke quietly, but Hermione could hear the quiet glee in his voice.
Together Draco and Hermione walked out of Narcissa's study and down the hall. "What just happened?" Hermione asked Draco.
Turning to Hermione with a huge smile across his face, Draco wrapped his arms around her, picking her up and spinning her in a circle before setting her down and kissing her briefly, but deeply.
Pressing his forehead against hers, Draco finally told her; "Hermione Granger, you just won the acceptance of my father!"