Hermione held her breath as she stepped through the floo into the receiving parlour at Malfoy Manor.
Letting out a breath, Hermione turned to Draco and smiled.
"I made your mother a promise," she stared up at Draco, eyes shining with unshed tears, "and today I've fulfilled that promise."
The clicking of shoes announced Narcissa's approach, and when Hermione let go of Draco's hand and nudged him forward with an elbow to his ribs, he quickly crossed the room and gathered Narcissa into a hug. The action seemed to shock her still, as Narcissa took a moment to react before her arms wrapped around Draco in return.
"My Dragon, I missed you so much," Narcissa spoke softly.
"I missed you as well, Mother. I- thank you, for not giving up on me."
Hermione watched as Narcissa and Draco conversed in hushed whispers. Her words to Narcissa from months prior echoed in her mind.
"When I return to Malfoy Manor, Narcissa, it will be with Draco and Theodore Nott will be in Azkaban."
She hadn't imagined it would take nearly as long as it did to find Theo and free Draco. And in the end, she did not find Theo, Snape did. She also played nearly no part in freeing Draco. When she met with the DMLE after Draco was taken into custody, they believed her instantly. The issue was less about whether or not Draco saved her, but more about a contractual problem. The only way he could be freed from Ministry custody and not be punished magically by the contract was to capture and imprison the offending party in his stead.
So, Draco had to wait.
And, Hermione, as well. She first visited the Burrow. In her time with the Weasleys, she wrote to Narcissa and informed her of her plan to visit Snape once she returned to Hogwarts. Narcissa had cautioned Hermione against this, but she was adamant that Snape could help. In the meantime, Hermione enlisted Harry, Ron, and Ginny, in utilising their contacts to search out leads on Theo. Of course, Ron was of little assistance in that matter, but Harry and Ginny both received unusual replies, Ginny's from Neville and Luna, while Harry's response came from Andromeda.
Neville and Luna were visiting Neville's parents at St. Mungos when Neville spotted who appeared to be Theodore Nott lurking in the hall outside of the Mungo's brewing lab. That had been late on the same day Hermione 'awoke', Neville reported. Andromeda's response to Harry was the first real indication that Theo was on the run– it came shortly after the return to Hogwarts and was the catalyst to Hermione seeking help from Snape.
Andromeda wrote to Harry and insisted on a floo call to discuss the matter. She reported to Harry that a long-vacant Black family property on the outskirts of Nice, France, had an unrecognisable magical signature keyed into the wards. Andromeda explained that the property had been gifted to her as a teenager– before she was banished from the family and burned off the family tree– and therefore she was still the owner. She left the property vacant, as she had no desire to flee to France at any point in her life. She was notified of the property's condition once per year, via owl, by the magical caretaker she hired to look after the grounds in the stead of elves. Andromeda informed Harry that nearly three weeks after Draco was taken into Ministry custody, she received an odd letter from the caretaker, informing her that the wards had been altered, somehow, and it appeared someone had visited the property.
That in and of itself was of no concern to Harry at the time, until Andromeda informed him that the estate's wards were once keyed to allow entrance to Nott senior– Theo's father– who Andromeda was once betrothed to. Andromeda had quickly explained that the wards would need minimal effort on Theo's part to alter and allow him entry.
Then the race began.
Back at Hogwarts, Hermione implored Snape to assist. She'd run to his portrait, heaving breaths echoing in the dungeon hall as she informed him what had happened. Hermione expected him to resist, but beyond a brief flash of annoyance in his onyx eyes, Snape had acquiesced rather quickly to her request. They spoke briefly regarding the information from Andromeda, and Snape cursed, informing Hermione that he would need to visit two dozen properties and it would take time to observe and make the jumps from portrait to portrait. Snape had explained that not all magical portraits could be traversed. Instead, Snape was confined to only those that he had been painted into in life. He had also explained to Hermione that Dumbledore had greater access than he did.
However, they agreed together that it would be wise to leave the old headmaster out of it as he had a way of stirring up more trouble.
What Hermione had not counted on was just how Slytherin Theo truly was. It seemed he had considered nearly everything when he left and took Pansy with him. Snape had reported back on multiple occasions that he believed to have just missed them and was right on their tail. When his final message was delivered, in person in his portrait, Hermione and the Headmistress had run to her office to floo the DMLE.
Hermione had been rather surprised that Harry volunteered to apprehend Theo and Pansy, but he'd made it clear to her and Narcissa before departing that he wanted to bring Theo in and see justice for Hermione and Draco. Narcissa and Hermione had sat in silence in a conference room at the DMLE where they were to wait for news. And when it came, they had nearly collapsed in on one another with relief.
"You alright there, Granger?"
The voice pulled her from her memories, and Hermione smiled back at Draco, her eyes focusing once more on his face. She blinked several times to send the memories back where they were to reside. Once her mind felt re-sorted, she crossed the room to him and Narcissa.
"I am happy, beyond compare. I-" A memory burst into her mind, her parents smiling at her as they said goodbye, one last time.
Hermione took a deep breath, allowing the vision of the two Malfoy's in front of her to fill her with what she believed to be pure contentment. Though the Weasleys would always be family in a way, they could not give her the bond that she shared with her own blood. The Malfoy's however, the bond between her and Draco… of mind, of blood, of soul . Not a replacement, no– never. But something that she could call family again. A tear slipped from her lower lid and she felt the wet trail it left in its wake acutely.
"I am brilliant, Draco," Hermione stepped forward and stood on her toes, gripping Draco's forearm to kiss his jaw. "And Narcissa, you have both given me something back that I thought was once lost, forever, a bond that I will never be able to replicate with any other. A-" Hermione hesitated, reaching for Narcissa's hand to squeeze delicately in her own, "You've given me a family again."
Hermione looked from Narcissa's brilliant blue eyes to Draco's slate, watching as his gaze narrowed between the two women. He seemed uncertain about what had transpired while he was in ministry custody, but did not speak on it. Instead, Hermione was pulled to his side as he wrapped an arm around her middle. She felt his lips as he dropped a kiss to the crown of her head and mumbled something silently.
Narcissa cleared her throat and gave them a soft, but encouraging smile.
"I will leave you to get settled. I expect you both for dinner at seven. Hermione, I believe you will find all is how you left it," Narcissa nodded to her, eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips. As Narcissa retreated from the room and only the fading sound of her heels clicking could be heard, Draco finally spoke again.
"What does she mean, "all is how you left it?" ," Draco inquired, suspicion clearly clouding his gaze as he narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione took his hand and pulled away from him, guiding him out of the room and down the corridor that she recalled would lead to his wing.
"I- um, well I left in quite a hurry when you were taken. I also made quite some dramatic promises to your mother," Hermione chuckled under her breath and Draco motioned with his free hand for her to continue speaking, "I might have told her I would return to Malfoy Manor with you, and Theo would be in Azkaban."
Draco pulled her to a stop on the stairs leading up to his rooms, "I don't get it, you'll have to explain, Granger."
Hermione's lips quirked at the use of her last name.
"Well, I implied that when I came back I would have you with me, safe. So I just… didn't."
"You just… didn't?"
"Yes, today is my first time back at Malfoy Manor since you were taken, Draco," Hermione tried not to laugh. It was ridiculous, honestly. When she began to work on her occlumency and to process her thoughts and feelings more acutely, she realised just how utterly dramatic the entire scenario had been.
A laugh burst from Draco and the sound burrowed itself somewhere in her chest, nestled right next to where she could feel the faint thrumming of their bond, solidified only by the weakening power of the celestial bonding ceremony. She'd missed him so much, and as his laughter quieted and he looked at her, Hermione stepped into him and once again traced the lines of his face. It felt surreal to her, to finally have him back. The bond had reassured her numerous times that everything would work out. She felt it, in her very soul. But to have him here was close to pure brilliance.
"I missed you, terribly," She muttered as she smoothed the lines on his forehead.
"I don't know why, considering I was a complete arsehole the last time we spoke–"
"About that–" Hermione began, but was unable to finish speaking as approaching footsteps alerted them that they were no longer alone.
It felt like reliving the past to Hermione, to see Blaise running full force at them.
"Fucking Merlin, thank Salazar you're alright," Blaise shouted as he tackled Draco to the steps below them.
Hermione's fingers covered her mouth, stifling the laughter that wanted to escape at the brotherly display.
"Blaise, would you mind? Slept on a bloody cot for months, my back–" Draco drawled.
"Oh, right," Blaise stood and brushed the wrinkles out of his very muggle ensemble.
"And thank you, Blaise. For everything," Draco stated, pointedly referring to his ongoing friendship with Hermione. She smiled, despite her best efforts to remain focused on the topic they'd begun to discuss before Blaise's interruption.
"Hermione is a delight, Draco, no need to thank me for her friendship," Blaise scowled.
A pop alerted them to the arrival of a tiny house elf. Her eyes shone like sapphires and she looked immediately to Blaise, who softened immediately.
"Tulip, how may I help you?" Blaise addressed her.
"Master Zabini might first introduce Tulip to the other Master, Tulip knows the young miss already," She held her chin high and Blaise seemed to stifle a chuckle. Hermione looked to Draco, who seemed puzzled by the small elf.
"Tulip, this is Draco Malfoy," Blaise informed her quickly, and Tulip bowed low. The dress she wore today was a bright purple, Hermione noted fondly.
"Tulip is being sent by Mister Neville and Misses Luna to inform you that dinner will be served soon, and you can't miss it, misses Luna says you will be in trouble with Misses Pansy if you don't come soon–"
"Why aren't you all at Hogwarts?" Draco suddenly interrupted.
Blaise and Hermione, along with the little elf, looked at Draco, eyes wide, before they remembered he hadn't been present for the past several months.
"Well, we kind of– we convinced the Headmistress to allow us to end the term early so that we may study for our NEWTs and focus on, well, other matters," Hermione and Blaise shared a look, and Draco seemed to understand these would be longer explanations than the time currently allowed for. At Draco's nod, Blaise spoke a quick goodbye to them both before grabbing Tulips' small hand as she apparated them away.
Alone again, Hermione looked at Draco who seemed to be far away in thought.
"I missed a lot, huh," he said quietly, staring at a nearby painting. When he turned to look at her again, his lips pulled into a smirk. "Lovegood and Longbottom, and Blaise , eh?"
A sly smile spread across Hermione's face, but that was not news for her to discuss with him. She would let Blaise tell him all about how that relationship began.
"I'm sure Blaise will be more than happy to tell you all about it, Draco," Hermione turned to continue up the stairs. She felt his eyes boring into her as she continued to climb, fighting the urge to turn and look at him. When she heard his dragonhide boots on the steps behind her, she smiled.
They continued to walk in companionable silence till they reached Draco's room. With one shared look, Draco turned the knob and pushed the door open, finding the room precisely as they'd left it in December. The bed was still rumpled, books were knocked to the floor from the side table.
"I'll call Lilly to straighten up when we go down for dinner," Draco looked at her hesitantly, but when Hermione did not argue his shoulders relaxed and Hermione nearly laughed.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Hermione said as she moved to place the books back onto the side table.
The bond, what flowed in the magic between them, was also shared with Lilly as she was tied to the estate. Hermione had first felt this when Narcissa asked her to call Lilly if she needed anything. When she called Lilly the first time, the elf lit up in excitement. When Hermione had asked her to bring her Sanctissimus, Lilly had gone on and on about what an honour it was to bring "the young mistress" such a sacred text.
She turned to find Draco seated in one of the chairs by the fireplace, watching her with a fond smile on his face. Hermione walked to him slowly, knowing that she now wanted to remind him of another promise she intended to keep. When she reached him, Draco grabbed her arms and pulled her to sit on his lap. His nose brushed along her neck and he inhaled deeply. Hermione knew he was lavishing in her presence again, as she had done the same to him. She allowed herself a few moments of bliss, to let him hold her before she spoke again and burst the bubble they had created.
"In the dream– the last one– I told you that when you were free-"
"We will complete our bond, and you would not hear any arguments from me?" Draco asked, pulling back to look at her, one eyebrow arched high.
"Well, yes," she said, shocked that he recalled her words with such specificity.
"I never doubted you for a second, Granger. I allowed myself a few days to wallow, to drown in my own misery, until I pulled my head out of my arse and realised how fucking spot on you always are. Phillippe once told us this bond is a gift, right?" Hermione nodded eagerly, desperately wanting him to keep talking. Her hands had found their way to his collar and gripped it tightly. "I made a choice, Hermione. A choice to cherish this bond like the gift that it is, forever, if you'll have me," Draco's eyes watched her, intense on her own. The bond thrummed in excitement, and Hermione once again felt green sparks. No flame was to be found, as this moment seemed to satisfy another aspect of the bond.
"Yes, please– I want to bond with you, Draco," Her hands wound their way around his neck and into his hair, "I want this to be forever, I will not accept a moment less," Hermione felt as though she were begging. She had prepared herself for a fight, not for Draco to agree– and propose a bond– so quickly. She felt the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she nearly gasped for breath.
"Then it'll have to be forever, then, won't it? When the time comes, down the line, when we are ready, that is." Draco's grin grew nearly sinister, and Hermione laughed as the tears of relief flowed out of her, "I won't let you get away, my Sun." Hermione's surprise at the endearment was muffled by the grunt that left her as Draco's lips met hers in a desperate kiss. He teased her mouth open with his tongue and moaned when she tangled hers with his.
For what felt like an eternity, they sat, exchanging touches intended to impart what their words lacked, kisses to impart what the bond communicated so clearly now– acceptance of their intertwined fate.
When Lilly popped in at seven sharp to inform them that Narcissa awaited their company for dinner, Hermione blushed furiously. Her lips were no doubt swollen from Draco's attention, her hair long since tangled by Draco's grip, and her clothing askew from her perch on his lap. She stood on shaky legs and noted the persistent pulse of arousal in her centre. She winced as she shifted and her knickers slid wetly against her.
"Godric," She groaned and wandlessly cast a cleansing charm over herself.
Draco's laughter spurred her to action, and as they both quickly changed clothes and dressed for dinner with Narcissa, Hermione smiled in realisation that this could be it, her life with Draco, happy.
XXX
One week later:
"I'm going to need you to say that one more time, slowly, Granger, you did what ?" Draco nearly shouted across the Manor library when Hermione was in fact seated no more than a single stride away from him.
"I know how to bond, Draco. I– well, it took quite a bit of research, but Phillippe agrees-"
"Oh he does, does he? Fucking meddling old-"
"No, Draco, I went to him. Please don't think this was anything other than me, entirely desperate to bind myself to you," Draco watched as her eyes blazed back at him. He knew it was irrational to be this upset, but he had missed so much already that hearing she had solved the mystery of their bond all on her own had him feeling a bit left out of the loop.
"Who else knows? Mother? Blaise? Potter?" Draco spat viciously.
You're overreacting, don't be a dunce, he reminded himself.
He took several steadying breaths, focusing on the sound of the wind outside, screaming against the glass windows.
Hermione sat with her arms held defensively across her chest. Her brow was furrowed into a line of aggravation, Draco assumed, and he almost laughed at how cute she looked all riled up.
When they tried to speak about the bond after dinner last week, they'd become so distracted that they hadn't had a chance. Then, the visitors came, then a meeting with the Chief Warlock to officially end Draco's probation, then a visit to Hogwarts to speak with the Headmistress about his schooling, then a visit to the ministry to finalise a few loose ends for Hermione. It was all so tiring that when she insisted they use the Manor library tonight to speak, he'd not been expecting to be blindsided by the information she shared.
They could complete their bond as soon as Litha.
It had been over a hundred years since Midsummer had been celebrated on Manor grounds, but even in Draco's irrational outburst, he knew he would agree to it. A celebration of the holiday, and a sealing of their bond, together, sounded incredible. Perfect, he would go so far as to admit. In resignation, he let out a sigh and kneeled next to where Hermione sat. Draco took her hand in his and listened to the way his heart nearly beat out of his chest at the idea of sealing their bond. This was more than any other magical binding– this was beyond what a marriage bond would even look like.
This would be for eternity, and she was asking him to do it.
Heat filled his gaze as he watched her, intently. They had so much to talk about still– he had refused to share the details about Theo's interrogation until Pansy could consent. Hermione had likewise kept him from so much of what happened when he was locked away. He knew she was occluding, but he didn't know how. They had a lot to talk about, but right now he knew he needed to reassure her.
"If this is truly what you desire, Hermione," Draco's use of her given name never ceased to produce a shiver, gooseflesh erupting across her skin, "I will seal our bond. We will do it at Litha, here, on the estate. The ley lines that cross here are unparalleled, it will ensure our bond is strong." Draco raised a palm to rest on her throat, his thumb skimming her pulse point, "We will bond after the celebrations, the grounds will be closed to all visitors once the bonfire no longer burns, we will allow no others to assist this time."
Draco watched as Hermione's eyes clouded with need and fire in agreement that they should do this alone.
Best not to risk it.
XXX
"Yes," Hermione breathed, "that- that makes sense."
Hermione swallowed, and she was certain it was audible in the silent library. She got the fight she had prepared for, but what she hadn't prepared for was Draco's excitement– no, apparent arousal– at the details of the bond preparations.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, she watched as Draco stood from kneeling to sitting on the edge of the table in the Manor library where she sat. Books lay sprawled out before her on the table. Draco sat on the corner of a piece of parchment she'd scribbled notes on during one of her research sessions weeks ago. Hermione pulled the parchment free and cleared her throat, giving Draco an admonishing look.
Draco's responding grin made her roll her eyes in dismissal. Changing the subject, Hermione turned to something familiar– research, knowledge, questioning.
"I wasn't aware that Midsummer was celebrated in the magical world. It's really not celebrated much in most of the muggle world, anymore," she stated plainly, inviting Draco's response.
"It was– is– in most of the old families. Litha is the fight between darkness and light. If properly celebrated, tradition says that Litha honours love, and new life." Hermione's hands shook as she listened to Draco describe the celebration. "Many marriages are held on Litha, and the celebrations are usually quite lascivious ."
Hermione couldn't take it anymore, she felt as though she might explode. They had a little over a month to plan the celebration and the sealing of their bond. How could one reasonably expect her to wait that long?
It's what the sealing ceremony requires, you daft bint.
Hermione nearly groaned aloud. The realisation that Draco had accepted this and would willingly seal their bond still baffled her. She had expected resistance, and time to prepare for the ceremony and what it would entail. She thought realistically she would have at least a year to convince Draco that the bond was a good idea.
"What is going on inside that big brain of yours, Granger," Draco drawled. She watched, entranced, as his fingers drew lazy rune patterns on the table.
"Are you sure this is what you want, to wait–" she rushed out before Draco cut her off with a finger to her lips.
"Make no mistake, Granger, I want to seal our bond. You have no fucking idea how enticing it is to know just how I will seal myself to you, forever," Draco's voice was low, dripping with promise. Hermione's eyes widened at the implication, her pupils blown wide in anticipation. She knew he could feel her puffs of anticipatory breath against his finger.
"Y-you are okay w-with that?" Hermione squeaked out. Draco's finger moved to caress her cheek moving under her chin to tip her head back. She looked at him and was nearly startled by how intense his gaze was.
"Oh, my Sun. What's life without a little risk?" Draco smirked before swallowing her reply in a deep kiss. In private, he'd begun to use the endearment often. She was his sun, and he would take all of the light she had to offer him.
When they parted, he rested his forehead on hers before he spoke again, "Makes all of the wanting and waiting worth it, does it not?"