With a pop, Draco apparated close to the Burrow. He hadn't sent an owl before hand because he feared Hermione wouldn't agree to see him. He walked over to the main door and knocked.
Ron looked stumped at his unannounced arrival as he opened the door. Before he could say anything, Ron shouted "Harry!" and pulled Draco away from the house towards an old shed in the garden. Harry was right behind them. They pulled him in the shed and lit their wands.
"What's with the pleasantaries Golden boys?" Draco asked looking around the shed filled with muggle things.
"Why would you turn up here today? Do want to be beheaded Malfoy?" Ron was looking at him in bewilderment.
Draco looked at both of them and asked,"Why would you say that? Has she said something?"
Harry countered, "What would she say? Have you done something?"
Feeling ridiculous at this banter, Draco replied calmly, "Lets not get too worked up. I haven't done anything. She just left me stranded in Australia without even giving me the reason and we haven't spoken since. I thought we could work through whatever is bothering her and then go back and get her parents. That is why I came here today."
Ron couldn't help himself and laughed, "Work through? You have made the smartest girl I know doubt everything and stay silent for hours on end. It is quite an achievement on your part. How will you get her to work with you when she won't even agree to see you? And don't you have a big party coming up that you need to be preparing for instead of being here?"
Harry on his part, wanted them to solve this and get Hermione's parents back. So he said, "Its good of you Malfoy to come today. I will talk to Hermione and see if she will agree but till then you won't come out of this shed. Okay?"
Draco could see Harry's reasoning. This meant that she was either really upset or really angry. As long as she agreed to do this with him, he would wait here. He nodded and said, "I will wait while you go talk to her, but please explain I have her best interests at heart. And Weasley, that party has been cancelled. So I am free to do more useful things. But don't tell her yet, I want to tell her myself."
Ron and Harry looked at each other in surprise and relief. Maybe all was not lost for Hermione yet. But they didn't want to push her in any way so they agreed to Draco's request and went to get Hermione.
Hermione lay in her bed, wistfully looking at her parents' photograph. Since she could remember, all she had ever wanted was a love like theirs. With Ron, it had begun to feel more like a comfortable friendship. With Viktor, it had been just an exciting first time fling. And while she may be inexperienced, she had felt that passion igniting for Draco. She felt protective of him, possessive too.. and she wanted more with him. She couldn't stop from having these feelings that seemed to burn her for him, yearn for him. She felt silly, it wasn't like her to behave like a teenager madly in love.
There was a knock on her door and she got up to open it. Ron, Ginny and Harry all were standing in the doorway.
"Hi guys! I am fine really, in fact I was just coming down to see what you guys were upto", she even tried to sound cheerful.
Ginny knew she had to take the lead, so she said, "Good! Lets have a little chat first" saying this she went inside the room and sat down on her bed. Hermione went back and sat opposite to her and waited till Ron and Harry settled.
"Whats going on guys?" Hermione knew something was up, the way with which they kept looking at Ginny hoping that she would do the honors instead of them.
"Mione, we know you are in no mood to meet anyone or plan anything.. but we were really thinking that you should think of your parents as a priority above your ummm feelings..." Harry didn't know how to go further so he looked at Ginny and Ron.
Ron cleared his throat. "Look, you know.. err.. things can be less complicated if you gave them a chance and ... err... we could work together and maybe solved your problems along the way." He looked lamely around at Ginny and Harry.
Ginny was getting impatient with the boys. She knew they were just wasting time.
"Hermione, we understand you are upset and all of that. But I think you should try to form a truce with Draco and finish what you started. Why are you letting your feelings come between the more important task at hand? He is the only one who can help with your parents, get it done!"
Hermione knew they were right but she didn't want to face him or talk to him again. How could she go through with this without doing any of those things? And how would she control her heart and feelings if she did see him again?
"I know what you are saying is right, but I don't want to contact him or seek his help. If he had cared enough, he wouldv'e been honest with or atleast tried to contact me.."
Ginny cut her off with a wave of her hand. "You don't need to bother, he is already here waiting to talk to you."
Hermione gaped at the three of them, while they nodded and Harry just said, "In Mr. Weasley's Shed"
Draco looked around the crowded shelves in the shed which seemed to be filled with muggle artefacts. He recognised some, but didn't know most. There were also 3 television sets, only one with an intact screen. He wondered what the Weasleys did with all this junk? He found a small cube with colorful squares on all sides and wondered what's it use was. He tapped it with his wand, imploring it to open up. When it didn't, he twisted it and realized all the little squares could also move around. He was trying to figure out what this did when the door to the shed opened.
Hermione stared at Draco, looking in concentration at the toy in his hand and felt her stomach flip a little. How was she ever going to get over him?
He looked back at her, nervous and a little scared it seemed. "Hi" was all he said waiting for her to say something.
"Hi Draco. I didn't expect you here today." She wanted to keep it polite between them.
"I thought we were supposed to get back to Australia. We shouldn't delay this anymore Hermione.." He loved her name, how it felt on his lips.
"Yeah you are right. I'll ask Ron and Harry if they can come and then we can decide when to go. I hope you have time?" She inquired, willing him to say no.
Taking her by surprise, he nodded and looked back down at the cube he was holding. He started twisting it over and over again. She walked over to him and extended her hand. He looked at it for a moment before realizing what she meant and handed it to her. "This is a Rubik's cube." she whispered slowly, twisting it till the squares started aligning in same colors.
"My Father taught me how to solve it, it used to be his favorite past time." She smiled wistfully at the memories.
Draco watched impressed as she slowly solved it to form perfect colored squares on all sides. He loved watching her work, her eyes sparkled everytime she was answering questions even in class. He realized he had missed her since the short time that he hadn't seen her.
She looked up and caught him staring at her. But before she could ask him anything, he walked out in to the garden. Harry and Ron seemed to be hovering nearby, wondering whether to come talk or not. He waved them over as Hermione came to stand a few feet away from him. The distance was not lost on him and he thought he knew why.
"Harry, Ron, when do you think we can go back to my parents?"
Draco interrupted "I think now is a good time as any Potter. Like I said, we shouldn't waste anymore time."
Harry and Ron nodded. "We can do this tonight?" Ron asked.
"I'm in if you three are ready to leave."
Seeing as all the three boys were ready, Hermione agreed and left them there to go get her things.
Once she had her beaded bag and had bid farewell to Ginny, she came back out to find all three of them discussing Quidditch. Rolling her eyes, she went over and pulled out Harry's cloak out of her bag. Harry, I'll apparate you and Ron into the guestroom at my parents' house. It will be empty and dark so there is little risk of them finding you, then I will come back for Draco. We will use the cloak to be safe, I don't want to scare my parents."
Holding out her hands she waited as Harry pulled the cloak over them while Draco watched her disappear under the cloak and a pop but not before she whispered ''I'll be back" to thin air.
He was still watching the spot at which she had gone, when she was back again and pulling him under the cloak. "Hold on tight.." but her breath hitched in her throat at his close proximity.
There was that smell again, vanilla and apples. He didn't even give himself time to decide before bending towards her and capturing her mouth in his. He had to feel those lips again, had to experience the way his heart soared with every touch of hers.. he could feel her melting against him, under the cloak. How much he had longed for this and hadn't even realized. This was it, She was it. Draco knew now, there could be no more denial. He had fallen and fallen hard for Hermione Granger. And if he could let himself be hopeful, he could feel that same enthusiasm as she returned his kiss too... and suddenly he was being pushed tightly through a tube as he realized she had apparated them.
They broke apart as soon as they had appeared and looked around. It looked like they were in a forest, wild and overgrown. Draco turned to look at her questioningly.
"The Forest of Dean" she said simply, one hand over her swollen lips while the other clutched the cloak.
"Well its a good thing we didn't splinch ourselves, but why?"
"I don't know, I didn't intend to apparate but it happened so suddenly.. you caught me right when I had started apparition..." She trailed off, blushing pink all over.
Draco walked over to where she stood and pulled her close to him. He felt so drawn, he didn't even want to stop holding her, touching her. She was already pulling the invisibility cloak over them. She peeked up at him and asked, "Ready?"
He knew they should get going so he nodded and they apparated with a pop, this time to the right destination.