A/N: I do not own any character references by JK Rowling in the Harry Potter series or agree with her comments. This story is a product of my pure imagination.
If you wanted me dead, you should've just said.
Nothing makes me feel more alive.
So I leap from the gallows, and I levitate down your street,
Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream.
"Who's afraid of little old me?"
You should be.
The scandal was contained.
The bullet had just grazed.
At all costs, keep your good name.
You don't get to tell me you feel bad.
~ Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? By Taylor Swift
*~*~* April 12, 2005 *~*~*
What felt like days had only been hours later as Hermione sat beside Harry's bed. They had him under dreamless sleep while his leg repaired itself. Whatever spell Carrow had used on Harry had crushed the bones in his leg. Holding his hand, she felt it twitching, his nerves still under the effects of the Cruciatus curse. Eyeing the bandage around his middle, a scar from the Sectumsempra curse was beneath it. A tear fell from her eye at the thought that Harry wouldn't be here if Draco hadn't been there with Harry.
When Harry fell with the curse tearing through his stomach, Draco pulled him behind a wall and completed the counter-course that Snape had taught him. Without Draco, Harry would have bled out in the field. The idiot that her best friend was, after the counter curse had been cast, his skin and muscles sewn back together, he had jumped up and rejoined the fight. Weakened, he was taken down again with the curse to his leg and the Cruciatus.
Looking up as the door opened, Draco slipped in, "How is he?"
Hermione sighed, "Still sleeping." Hermione held Harry's hand in her palm as Harry's hand twitched, "How long was he under Cruciatus?"
Draco walked over and moved a chair to sit next to her, "Less than 30 seconds, but the doctors mentioned he had untreated damage from prior exposure."
"Probably from multiple exposures," Hermione sighed, "They have him under dreamless sleep for another hour. A dose of Skele-Gro, nerve potion, and pain potions in his system."
Rolling her neck to work out the kinks, Hermione laid her head on Draco's shoulder, "I hate this."
Draco put his arm around her shoulders, "I never had someone like you have Harry. I know you two are very close, so I am sorry you must see him go through this, but we are Aurors. It's not a safe field. Things like this might happen again."
Hermione sighed, "I understand, I do. It just still doesn't make it easy."
Draco leaned over and kissed her temple, "Do you want a coffee?"
"That sounds amazing," Hermione told him as he stood up, "I'll take-"
"Two creams and one sugar… you lunatic, how you get through life with barely any sugar," Draco said with a grin as he went out the door.
Hermione smiled and saw Harry looking at her, "Harry! You are awake. How are you feeling?"
"Like shit. Why do you insist on flaunting him in my face?" Harry asked.
Hermione frowned, "What do you mean flaunting?"
"I just… I can't understand what you see in him," Harry said, hissing, grabbing his leg.
"Don't. It's the Skele-Gro and the pain making you say these things," Hermione said, "Harry, I love Draco. That's what I see in him."
"He is an egotistical bastard half the time," Harry mumbled, "I don't like how close you two are getting."
Hermione huffed, "This is the pain medication talking. You are sounding jealous."
"Shut up, I am not jealous," Harry yelled.
Hermione stood up and breathed, "I don't deserve that, Harry. Now that you are awake, I'm going to go see when you are going to be released. I advise you to go back to sleep and wake up on the correct side of the bed, and when you wake up, apologize."
Leaving Harry's room, she met Draco walking to her.
"Everything okay?" Draco asked, handing her coffee to her.
"Harry woke up, and he can be a bit mean when he is in pain," Hermione told Draco as she blew on her coffee and then took a sip.
"This has happened before?" Draco asked.
"When we were on the run. Nagini attacked Harry. He was still in pain when he woke up and nearly bit my head off when he discovered his wand had been destroyed. He'll get over it," Hermione told him.
*~*~* March 1, 2008 *~*~*
"So, you didn't realize that he was jealous?" Luna asked.
Hermione frowned, "No, because there was no reason for it to me. He didn't remember it when he woke up again. Then, I felt… off for the rest of the week. It didn't help that Harry was stuck at home on leave for a week while he recovered, and they were looking for Carrow, so Draco wasn't put on desk duty. I barely talked to Draco that entire week. That's why we had our big fight later. He kept going quiet on me and not communicating when we weren't seeing each other. I understood he was working, but I knew through Harry that he wasn't on assignment the entire time."
******If you want to see the Draco and Hermione portion of the chapter, see Snow on the Beach- Cardigan pt.2 - April short for April 16th******
(Draco stands Hermione up at a gala)
*~*~* April 18, 2005 *~*~*
Today, Hermione felt a bit off. Harry had returned to the office today after a week off to heal, and with his return to work, she had been on edge all morning. Her thoughts raced with worry. All she could see was him lying in the St. Mungo's bed.
Opal entered Hermione's office to find her pacing, "Everything alright, ma'am?"
Hermione looked at her and saw her holding a folder in her hand. "I am fine. Sorry, just distracted. What do you need?"
"They just need your signature on this form, Ms. Granger," Opal said as she walked over to Hermione, handing her the folder. The spirit at the Dunster castle scared the new owner, and they are trying to kick him out."
Hermione skimmed over the summary paper. The case involved the removal of a particularly stubborn spirit who refused to leave his former home, as the new owners wanted him removed. The new family graciously told the spirit that he was free to roam upstairs and that as long as he didn't disturb them at night, he was free to roam the house other than their bedrooms.
Signing off on the agreement, Hermione handed the paper back without the folder. Realizing it, she grabbed the folder and gave it to her.
"Is everything alright, Ms. Granger?" Opal asked.
"Yes, yes, everything is fine," Hermione said, glancing at the clock. It's nearly 1 p.m. I'm going to take my lunch now."
Without waiting for a response, Hermione left her office and went to the Ministry Munchies canteen. The smell of freshly made sandwiches and cheddar soup filled the air. Ordering three sandwiches, three bags of crisps, and three bottles of water, Hermione took the bag and went up the lift to level two.
When the lift doors opened, she hurried to the Auror office doors. Slowing herself not to seem overly eager, she opened the doors. The Aurors were bustling around, and while the noise and energy were normal, it was causing her anxiety. She walked down to Harry and Draco's cubicles, where she found Harry seated at his desk, papers all over his desk as he was turned facing Draco's desk. He seemed to stare at the photographs pinned to Draco's cubicle's side. There were pictures of Draco with Narcissa, a new one of them and Teddy after taking him to the zoo, and one of her smiling.
Despite Harry looking toward Draco's cubicle, Harry seemed a million miles away, lost in thought.
"Harry," Hermione said softly, making him jump, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
Harry ran his hand over his face and gave her a small smile, "No, it's okay. I'm just trying to get back in the swing of things. What's up?"
Hermione held up the brown paper bag that she was carrying, "I brought you and Draco lunch."
Harry's eyes lit up, "Thanks, I'm starving."
Hermione opened the bag and pulled out a turkey sandwich, a pack of barbeque crisps, and a water bottle, setting them on his desk. Setting the same on Draco's desk, she closed the bag with her own lunch and held onto it, "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
Harry opened his sandwich and took a big bite. "I'm okay; I'm just tired and have the occasional spasm. Do you have lunch?"
Hermione nodded, showing him the bag, "I'll just go eat it in my office."
Harry scoffed, "Sit at Draco's desk. He just went into a raid meeting. No clue when he will be out."
Hermione sat down at Draco's desk with a smile and began to eat lunch with him.
Hermione told him about the spirit, and Harry told her about the new project that Ron hadn't had a chance to tell her about since he had been staying the night with Luna at her house to help her with the twins.
"Oh, did you see Teddy's hair this morning?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head, "No, I left before he woke up. What did he do?"
Hermione laughed, "Somehow, he figured out how to make it do a wave of colors. He thought it was awesome, but he has to concentrate on doing it."
As they laughed, neither noticed Draco return from his meeting. Leaning against his desk, he watched them with a smile. Hermione saw him and smiled at him, "I brought you lunch, honey."
Draco grabbed the sandwich, "Thank you."
"Any progress on the raid?" Harry asked.
Draco shook his head, "Nope, it's canceled. She went underground again."
Hermione glanced at her watch and stood up. She announced, "I need to get back to work."
Draco took her hand as she went to leave, "Thank you, love."
Hermione smiled back, then glanced at Harry, "I have to take care of my boys. You two don't get into trouble."
************If you want to see the Draco and Hermione portion of the chapter, see Snow on the Beach- Cardigan - April short for April 21st********************
(They take a romantic road trip)
*~*~* April 22, 2005 *~*~*
It was a gray day compared to the day before. Hermione couldn't help but be amazed at the change in weather. When yesterday was full of sunshine, warmth, and love, today was full of dreary, cold, and sadness, which fit the mood of the day as she stood on the cemetery grounds. Holding onto Draco's arm with one arm, Harry's hand with the other. They stood with Ron and Teddy, supporting Luna as she laid Rolf to rest in the Scamander family cemetery.
Luna's two-year-old twins were too young to understand. Lorcan and Lysander toddled around the cemetery grounds, blissfully unaware. As they chased birds flying in the air, their innocent laughter was bittersweet to the tears being shed. Luna stood near the casket with Newt, his wife Tina, and Rolf's parents, Jake and Amanda.
As the ceremony drew to a close, people gave their condolences and began to disperse, offering condolences to the family.
Luna glanced at them, and Ron turned to Harry and Hermione, "I'm going to head back with Luna. Make sure that she and the boys are okay," Ron told them.
Harry nodded, "Good idea, mate. She will need the support."
Ron called out, "Lorcan! Lysander! Come here, boys!"
The twins came running towards him, their little legs moving as fast as they could. Ron scooped them up effortlessly, one on each arm. Hermione watched with a smile as Ron caught up with the Scamander family, and Luna turned to Ron with a smile.
As the family walked away, Harry and Hermione shared a look. The sight of Ron stepping up like he did this week was a Ron thing to do. Deep down, Hermione wondered if there was more to it.
Harry looked at them and then back at her, and their eyes met.
"No way," Hermione said, shaking her head as she took Draco's hand.
Harry laughed when he realized she understood his thoughts without him having to voice them, "Just saying."
"You didn't say anything. I know how your brain works," Hermione said as she leaned into Draco, finding his comforting presence calming. Harry put his arm around Teddy, and they returned to her car.
Draco opened Hermione's door, "You know that is creepy, right? You both just had a conversation without saying anything."
Hermione looked at Harry as he fastened Teddy into the car, "Not really. We do it all the time."
**************If you want to see the Draco and Hermione portion of the chapter, see Snow on the Beach- Cardigan - April short for April 23rd-24th (Hermione goes to Australia with Draco and finds out that her patrons changed. Also Hermione's father's wedding) ****************
*~*~* March 1, 2008 *~*~*
"Your Patronus changed to a doe?!" Luna asked surprised, "When you were still with Draco?"
Hermione nodded, "It probably changed even before that. When Tonks was first in love with Remus, her patronus changed too. It made me start questioning things, but I felt this pull towards Draco. I thought it was compatibility, love. I felt happy, so why question it?"
*~*~* May 7, 2005 *~*~*
Another month, and Kingsley had asked her to go to another ball. This time, in his stead since Andromeda was still not 100%. She would have told him no if it wasn't the Wands for Warriors Charity Ball. To make matters worse, she had just received a fire call from Draco's assistant.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy regrets to inform you that he cannot attend the Ball tonight. He strongly advises you not to go without him for your safety. He has arranged a day at the spa for you, and here is his credit card to cover any expenses."
Hermione looked at the card handed to her through the floo. Setting it to the side, Hermione looked back at the mirror. Being explicitly told by him not to go, as if he owned her, was the final straw. Checking her makeup, she ran her hands down the corset top that Lavender and Pansy had made for her. A small bit of midriff was visible, but Pansy was going for the shock of her wearing a pantsuit again. It had been altered. Instead of the suit jacket on her upper body, it was around her waist, and the cummerbund was around her hips. The buttons hung down her legs with shortened sleeves, and the back of the jacket was lengthened into a train.
Hermione left her bedroom with a determined look and walked down the stairs where Ron sat with Teddy.
Ron glanced up at her, "Where are you going?"
"To the ball. Draco or not, I'm going," Hermione told him, determined.
Ron looked at her, "Look, Harry said there was a possibility of something big going on tonight. Just… be careful."
The new hotel in Hogsmeade was beautifully decorated for the event. Tonight would be the first event held within the hotel. It reminded her of the Ritz Carlton in New York as she entered the hotel. It was a revolutionary hotel in the wizarding world, powered by electricity. Solar energy. As Hermione entered the ballroom, the air glittered with magical lights.
Moving through the crowd, she engaged in various conversations, asking her questions about the final battle. She felt a growing sense of melancholy as people asked her about her memories and experiences. Most of Dumbledore's Army was not in attendance as the price per plate was so expensive. Hermione looked up at Rolf's large poster on the wall and sighed.
With Harry working tonight and Ron having to stay home, Ginny was invited but had a game. Luna was still in mourning, and Neville had been excluded as always. It was just Hermione, Anthony, and Lavender tonight.
Seeking a moment, she excused herself from the wizard she was talking to and headed to the refreshment table when she saw a familiar flash of blonde hair. Her heart skipped a beat. Was that Draco? What would he be doing here when he told her not to come?
She approached the man and the girl he had left the ballroom with. Careful to keep a safe distance, they led her down a dimly lit hallway toward the rooms. She rounded a corner and saw him enter a room with a woman. Pressing her ear against the door they had entered, she heard, "Oh, Mr. Malfoy, you surprise me."
Gasping, her back found the wall behind her as her mind raced. Who was this woman? Was the reason Draco didn't want her to attend that he was planning on bringing this woman tonight instead?
Betrayal stabbing her in the heart, Hermione hitched up the train of her outfit and went to the front desk. Trying to hold back her tears, she looked at the front desk witch, "Do you have a public floo?"
She nodded, pointing to the fireplace behind her.
"Thank you," Hermione said as she ran to it and threw powder into it, closing her eyes and saying, "Dragon's Lair."
Walking out of the floo, she looked around for a piece of parchment. Finding one, she scribbled out a note to leave for Draco.
Draco,
You CANNOT tell me what I can and cannot do. I refuse to be with a caveman. How dare you play me as a fool.
Hermione
Blippy stepped into the room, "Miss Granger!"
Hermione looked at him, "I'm sorry, Blippy. Make sure that Draco gets that note."
She picked floo powder and threw it into the fireplace, "Prongslet's Manor."
Ron looked up as she stepped out of the floo, "You're back early. Harry just got home."
"It wasn't a good night. I am heading to bed," Hermione told him as she walked up the stairs.
Harry poked his head out of his room as she reached the first floor, "You look amazing tonight." Harry leaned on his doorframe, "Hermione, why the tears?"
"Please tell me something so I don't murder Malfoy right now," Hermione told him.
"There are no books in Azkaban, Hermione," Harry stated, inviting her into his room.
Hermione sighed as she sat on his bed, "Thank you."
"Now, what did Draco do?" Harry asked.
"We were supposed to go to the ball tonight together. Instead, he slept with another woman," Hermione told him as the chime of the floo echoed through the house, and then Draco's voice shouted her name from downstairs. Hermione looked at him wide-eyed, "Don't let him know I'm here," she told him as she opened the door to his wardrobe and hid inside.
She heard Draco's voice from outside the wardrobe, asking Harry if he had seen her. Without thinking, as she felt one of Harry's sports jackets, she shed the pants on her suit and unzipped the corset. Putting the sports jacket on, she stepped out of his wardrobe.
"What the hell, Hermione?" Harry gasped, seeing her.
"Help me make him jealous," Hermione told him.
"You know he's never going to buy that," Harry told her.
Looking in the mirror, she unclipped her hair and ruffled it. Slapping her cheeks, she bit her lips to make them red.
Turning to him, Hermione looked at him wide-eyed, "Quick! Give me a hickey."
"What!? No!" Harry reeled back, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"Look, it's not a big deal. Just give me a hickey," Hermione said, looking at his door as she walked toward him.
Harry backed up, his back hitting the wall, "It's a very big deal, and I'm not-"
"Harry James Potter! Put your mouth on my neck right now!" Hermione told him.
"If Malfoy believes I would do that to you, he would…" He trailed off, swallowing hard, "He's my partner, Hermione!"
"Traitor," Hermione bit out as she walked over to his bed and rumpled his bedsheets.
"What are you doing?! He's not going to come back into my room," Harry told her, "What the hell happened between you two?"
She hurled a pillow at him as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs from her room, "Stop it, Harry!" She giggled as she faked a moan lying on his bed, "Oh!"
"Potter?" Draco questioned, throwing Harry's bedroom door open.
Sweeping her hair out of her eyes, "Oh! Draco! I can explain," Hermione said, pulling Harry's jacket closer.
Draco glared between her and Harry, "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Hermione said as Harry replied, "She's trying to make you jealous for some reason. I haven't exactly got the reason behind it yet."
Hermione glared at Harry, "So helpful."
"What the hell is this?!" Draco asked, holding up her note.
Harry held his hands up, "For some reason, she thinks you slept with someone else. I swear I didn't touch her."
"Harry!" Hermione cried, "How dare you lie."
Draco walked over to her, "Why would I cheat on you when I already have the most beautiful woman in this world?"
Hermione folded her arms over her chest, looking away from him, steeling her jaw.
"Come on, talk to me," Draco told her.
If looks could kill, Hermione's eyes would have struck Draco down as she glared at him, "I went to the ball tonight and saw you."
"Fuck," Harry said wide-eyed as he looked at Draco, "I thought you said you told her not to go!"
"No one is going to treat me like a second-class citizen. It's barbaric, and no one tells me where I can go," Hermione tiffed out.
Draco motioned to her with the note, "And that is what this is about?"
"I saw you. I saw you go into that room with her and heard her say your name through the door," Hermione spat out as she slapped him.
Harry opened his mouth, but Draco cut him off, "It was a mission, Hermione! She was a target. A black-market dealer that my father used to deal with. I got her hook, line, and sinker, then knocked her out of the room. Nothing happened."
"He's right," Harry told her, "I was there outside and didn't even see you come in. How did I miss you coming in?"
Draco approached her and touched her face, "It was only an assignment, love. You are the only one for me. There is no one else."
*INSPIRED BY A Tumblr prompt*
*~*~* May 14, 2005 *~*~*
Hermione found herself at girl's night with Ginny, Luna, and Hannah, each gathering around their pottery wheel. The instructor had just set a lump of clay in front of her, making her nose itch at the scent of the earth and clay.
As the instructor showed them how to start, Ginny glanced at Hannah, "This is harder than it looks," Ginny grumbled, nearly knocking her blob off the table as it spun too fast.
Hermione giggled as her hand made it into a creation that looked more like the male anatomy than the vase it was supposed to be, "I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing activity."
Luna completely ignored the instructor and made something of her own. "It's about the experience, not the result," she told them.
Hannah, who had the clearest vaselike object of their group, stopped spinning her wheel and wiped her hands on her apron, "I have something that I have to share with you all. I can't keep it in anymore."
The girls leaned in, interested, "What is it?" Ginny asked.
Hannah took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed as she looked at Luna, "Neville and I have started seeing each other."
"That's wonderful, Hannah," Luna said with a smile.
"How did it happen?" Hermione exclaimed.
Hannah grinned, "Neville has been coming into town for supplies for the greenhouses. He always would come to the bar afterward. We'd talk for hours. It started becoming so frequent that I finally questioned him. Neville confessed that he had enough supplies to last him over a year. He just loved talking to me."
The girls erupted into laughter.
"Oh, Neville. Always the romantic," Luna said, "I wish you a wonderful sexual relationship. He is very appealing in that sense."
"How will it work with him at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.
Hannah grinned, "I'm not a witch for no reason," She whispered, "I'll just enjoy my weekends with him. We'll make it work."
"Talking about making it work," Ginny said, looking at Hermione, "How are you and Draco?"
Hermione groaned, "I made a fool of myself. I thought Draco was cheating on me. I saw him with a woman at the Ball and jumped to conclusions. He told me not to go. He and Harry had a mission, and it had to go down there." Hermione put her hand into her vase, making it slightly floppy. "Then I made it worse when I tried to make Draco jealous by using Harry."
The girls gasped, "Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.
Susan laughed, "Of course Draco would be jealous of Harry."
Hermione turned to look at her, confused, "Why would Draco be jealous of Harry? It was all an act," Hermione frowned.
Susan rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on, Hermione. Everyone ignores it. Understandably, Ginny ignored it when they were together. The worst thing is that you and Harry ignore it. You and Harry have always had so much chemistry. It's almost criminal that you haven't at least tried anything between the two of you."
Hermione blushed, "No, Harry and I are just friends. Besides, I love Draco."
Ginny sighed, "Susan does have a point. I was always jealous of the way you and Harry connected."
Luna said, "You and Harry have a deeper bond than friendship."
Hermione swallowed hard as she felt her flat belly, "Harry and I are like brother and sister. That's all there is to it."
Hannah nudged her arm, "At least you know that Draco cares enough to get jealous."
"He didn't really," Hermione frowned, "He saw through it, but we worked things out."
*********************If you want to see the Draco and Hermione portion of the chapter, see Snow on the Beach- New Romantics- May short for May 21st**********************
(Daphne and Blaise's wedding)
******************If you want to see the Draco and Hermione portion of the chapter, see Snow on the Beach- New Romantics- May short for May 27th***********************
(Carrow wreaks havoc, making the Aurors have to go on a wild goose chase. Hermione goes to Malfoy Manor to explore the library and finds a book titled Hermione, with a ring inside)
*~*~* March 1, 2008 *~*~*
"So you go to a wedding, and then a week later, he proposes?" Luna asked, surprised.
Hermione nodded.
"And you said yes? Less than six months in?" Luna asked, confused.
Hermione ran her hand over her face, "I felt… compelled to. It just came out without thought. Honestly, I was more concerned about the book."
Luna snorted, "And you yelled at him first about destroying a book for his proposal instead of saying yes?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I wanted to read it, Luna! I didn't know there was a book titled with my name. He put all these wonderful notes about us from his journal in the beginning after rebinding it. By the time it was to the book's actual text, he had it hardened and cut out a space for the ring box to sit, and when I saw him, I'll admit all I thought of was the book I wanted to read. After he proposed, though, and the initial surprise wore off, I started to feel this… nagging feeling."
Luna shook her head, "Of course you did. So Narcissa had an appointment with you and your mother for tea. So, you had to tell your mother."
Hermione looked at her, "She and Dad both knew," Hermione rolled her eyes, "He did the proper thing and asked them for my hand. He told Dad his intentions when we were in Australia. Once he found the ring, he brought it to Mum."
"So, they knew, but did Harry and Ron?" Luna asked.
Hermione winced, "No, and I thought he told Harry at least."
*~*~* May 28, 2005 *~*~*
Stepping out of the floo, Hermione brushed the ash from her clothes. Draco followed close behind her and gave her a quick kiss, brushing her cheek. "You didn't have to follow me," Hermione told him.
"I know. I'll see you later, love," Draco said.
Hermione smiled, her heart fluttering. "I'm going to shower and change and then head over to my Mum's to tell her the news. I'll let you know if plans change, but if not, I'll see you around three."
Draco rubbed her arms, "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
Shaking her head, he nodded, "Alright, have a good time with your Mum."
He smiled at her as he stepped back into the floo, disappearing in a swirl of green flames. Hermione glanced at her hand and sighed. Feeling a surge of energy, she ran upstairs to her room. After a quick shower, she stepped out, found a nice dress, and applied light makeup charms.
Humming to herself, she descended the stairs. Hearing someone in the kitchen, she stepped inside and was surprised to see Harry making himself lunch.
"Harry, what are you doing here? I thought no one was home," She stated.
Harry turned around, "Ron took Teddy to Luna's to play with the boys. I slept in." He paused, "What are you so happy about?' He asked, grabbing his Butterbeer and his plate.
Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Hermione held up her left hand, showing her engagement ring, "He asked me!"
Harry's eyes widened with shock, the Butterbeer bottle slipping from his grasp, shattering on the floor. The noise made Hope, eating at her food bowl, screech and run out of the room. Hermione gasped, hand flying to her mouth as she realized, "He didn't tell you! I thought he would have told you!"
Harry's initial shock was worse, and his face quickly morphed into anger, "Are you out of your mind?!" He shouted, his face turning red. "This is insane, Hermione! You've only been together for six months!"
Hermione flinched back at his outburst, "Harry, I know it's fast, but-"
"Fast?! It's reckless! You are jumping into marriage without thinking this through!" Harry interrupted, "You barely know him, and now you are engaged!? Have you thought about what this means? Purebloods are going to put a death sentence on your head!"
Tears welled in her eyes, her happiness only moments ago overshadowed by Harry's words, "Harry, I love him. I am going to marry him, Mudblood or not."
Harry scoffed, "Is the sex really that good?"
Hermione didn't even think before she walked up to him and slapped him across his face, "How dare you!"
Turning, she stormed out into the backyard and disapparated to her mother's house.
She tried the back door, opened it, and stormed inside. Juliet was sitting at the kitchen table when Hermione saw her, and she burst into tears.
"Hermione! What's wrong?" Juliet asked as she came over and hugged her.
"He ruined it," Hermione sobbed, "Draco proposed, and he ruined it!"
Juliet took her face into her hands, "Who ruined it?"
"Harry, I thought Draco would have told him about wanting to propose, but he didn't know," Hermione sobbed.
Juliet ran over Hermione's hair and sighed, "Oh, Hermione. You reacted just as bad when you found out he proposed to Ginny."
Hermione sniffled, wiping her eyes, "That was different."
Juliet sighed, "Sit down, I'll make some tea."
Hermione wilted into the chair, "We are supposed to have tea with Narcissa. Are you available at three?"
"She already called me. Draco got her a phone, and she called me inviting me," Juliet told her, plugging the kettle in.
Hermione inhaled a shaky breath, "I just don't get why Harry reacted that way. I think I will stay with Draco for a couple of days. Maybe he will calm down." Putting her face in her hands, she sighed, "I need to go over to Luna's. Ron and Teddy are over there."
Juliet brought her a cup of tea and sat beside her. "Just drink your tea, calm down, and then you can do that before we meet Narcissa."
********I know that usually, Draco portions are in Snow on the Beach, but this is important to the story, so Harry's POV, then to Hermione's**************
Harry was sitting in the sitting room, the glass for the Firewhiskey long forgotten. He drank from the bottle as his floo lit green and Draco Malfoy himself stepped out.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry spat out, his voice slurred as he stood up.
"You upset Hermione," Draco stated.
Harry's fist shot out without warning, connecting with Draco's jaw. Harry watched as Draco stumbled back, not falling, and then touched his lip, feeling the blood coming from his mouth.
"What the hell is that about, Potter?" Draco asked.
"Is she just a trophy for you? Just another way to make your name better?" Harry bit out, his eyes blazing with fury.
Draco stared at him, "Is that really what you think of me? I thought we had moved past that, and you knew me better than that now."
Harry fired off more accusations, each one more hurtful than the last. His words were filled with bitterness and jealousy, fueled by alcohol that was coursing through him. When Harry swung again, Draco caught his fist, causing Harry to nearly lose his balance.
"Take a sober-up potion and calm the fuck down, Potter, before you lose her," Draco warned, his voice steady.
Harry scoffed, pushing Draco away, "I'm not going to lose her over you."
Draco looked at him, "I'll see you at the office, hopefully sober."
Draco stepped into the floo and saw Harry hurl the Firewhiskey bottle at the fireplace. The bottle shattered as the flames swept him away back home. Emerging from the fireplace on the other side, glass remnants crunched under his feet.
Hermione was walking past, and her eyes widened in shock at the sight of blood on his face and glass at his feet, "Draco, what happened?"
Draco shook his head, wiping blood from his fattening lip, "I went to talk to Potter." Draco sighed after giving her a rundown of what happened: "He's drunk and angry. I can't believe he asked me if you are just a trophy to me, another way to improve my name."
Hermione's gaze dropped to the floor, "I never thought he'd react like this."
Draco held her face, "Hermione, you are naïve if you think he just wants to be your friend. Potter has feelings for you. He always has."
Hermione looked at him in disbelief, "There is no way. He thinks of me like a sister. I've heard him say it myself." She sighed and fell into his arms, "I don't know what to do."
Draco kissed the top of her head, flinching at the pain in his lip, "You need to talk to him. Let him calm down first, but you need to be clear that you are with me, and that isn't going to change."
Hermione felt a sadness take over her heart and swallowed hard, "You're right."
. *~*~* May 31, 2005 *~*~*
Hermione was walking through Diagon Alley, which was alive with shoppers. It was the Spring Bank Holiday, and many people, including herself, were off work. Unfortunately, Draco and Harry had to work. After Harry's reaction to their announcement, she worried about how today would go for them. She had plenty to do as Pansy and Lavender expected her to be fitting for an engagement dress in thirty more minutes at the Phoenix Boutique.
Stopping at a paper stand, the paper boy smiled at her, "Congratulations, Miss Granger."
Hermione smiled as she picked up the copy of yesterday's paper, "Thank you."
Daily Prophet Editor Exclusive: A Union of Remarkable Minds
In a surprising yet joyous turn of events, Draco Lucius Malfoy has formally asked for Hermione Jean Granger's hand in marriage, and she has graciously accepted. This union marks a significant milestone in postwar life, bridging two prominent yet distinctly different legacies within the wizarding world.
Draco Malfoy, known for his steadfast dedication to his family and recent contributions to the magical community, has found a partner in Hermione Granger, whose brilliance and courage during and after the Second Wizarding War have earned her a place in history. Their engagement signifies a personal bond and a symbol of unity and progress in our society.
Details of the forthcoming wedding are yet to be disclosed. Still, it is anticipated to be a grand affair befitting the stature of the Malfoy family. The groom's mother, Narcissa Black Malfoy, has expressed her delight in welcoming Hermione to their family. In a heartfelt statement, Mrs. Malfoy said, "We are overjoyed at this wonderful news and eager to anticipate the happiness and harmony that this union will bring."
Stay tuned for more updates on this momentous occasion as the Daily Prophet will continue to bring you exclusive insights and coverage on the preparations and festivities leading up to what promises to be the wedding of the year.
Hermione shook her head, refolding the paper.
"So, will it be the wedding of the year?" The boy asked.
"It won't be this year," Hermione stated, glancing at today's paper covered in photos of her and Harry. Draco, she, Ron, and Victor were just below the fold, only the top of his head still showing.
She looked towards Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and decided to catch up with George and Ron with her remaining time. Before she could get much further, a rough hand grabbed her arm as she walked closer to the shop, yanking her into a narrow alleyway between stores.
Gasping as she saw who grabbed her, she went to grab her wand. "Nah, nah nah," Alecto Carrow said, holding her arm. "Well, well, if it isn't the future, Mrs. Malfoy," she sneered. "Quite the headline maker you are."
Hermione's heart raced as she looked around, hoping someone would notice them. Alecto's grip tightened on her arm, and her smile grew more menacing. "Lucius was not happy to hear your happy news," she hissed. "He thinks you need to be punished."
Hermione tried to pull away as Alecto leaned in closer, her breath hot on Hermione's ear, "I've been trying to get the Aurors all worked up to distract them. Lucius hasn't been happy with what he has heard about you and your mudblood ways dirtying up his son. So, I've been hoping that one of your boy toys would leave you alone," She smiled an evil teeth rotting grin, "Finally, it's just us girls."
Hermione's mind raced, and she pulled her arm away and attempted to disapparate. But nothing happened.
Alecto's laugh echoed off the walls of the small alley, "Oh, did I forget to mention? No Aurors will be helping. You aren't leaving. There is an apparition block on the alley today."
Hermione ran into the alley, and two wizards in Death Eater robes appeared out of Knockturn. Hermione's heart pounded as she realized she would have to fight her way out. Without hesitation, one of the wizards fired a stupefy at her, and she started casting spells, deflecting curses from the three of them, and firing back at her attackers.
Diagon Alley erupted into chaos as people screamed and ran for cover. Hermione fought, muscle memory kicking in from the years at war, taking on all three wizards at once. Carrow kept trying to grab her, taunting her all the while, "Lucius wants you dead. He'd pay a pretty Knut for your head."
Hermione dodged and countered their spells and was starting to feel slightly fatigued when she saw a familiar shock of red hair. Stunning and binding one of the Death Eaters, Ron ran to her.
"Ron!" Hermione called out, relieved as she blocked another spell.
He shouted, back-to-back with her, as they battled the remaining two, "Looks like you could use some help!"
Finally, Hermione sent a quick Everte Statum at the last Death Eater, making him stumble as Ron cast Ferula to bind the wizard. He fell, hitting his head and knocking him out.
Alecto finally attempted to grab Hermione, realizing her advantage was slipping away. Hermione quickly cast a slicing hex, and Carrow screamed in pain, blood flying on impact. Carrow must have lifted the disapparation block because she vanished with a loud crack and left behind a hand.
Breathing heavily, Hermione looked around. Ron put his hands on her shoulders and asked, "Are you alright?"
Hermione looked at herself as more pops echoed through the alley, and the Aurors appeared, yelling for them to get down. Their wands are at the ready.
"I'm Ron Weasley!" Ron yelled, "Carrow left!"
"Ron?! Oh my God, Hermione!" Harry's voice yelled, but Draco got to her first.
"Hermione, are you alright? What happened?" Draco asked frantically.
Harry was behind him, pale as he took in the scene, "Hermione, are you hurt?"
Hermione pushed them both away as they tried to grab onto her, "No, I'm not hurt. Yes, I am covered in blood, but that's not important right now," she said, her voice steady despite the fear she was feeling.
She looked at Draco, "Draco, Lucius put a hit out on me. That's what Alecto was trying to do. She's been trying to distract you two to get to me. Our engagement just gave her more reason."
Draco's face hardened, "Lucius did what?" He growled, his fists clenched.
Harry's eyes flashed with anger as his grip on his wand tightened, and it sparked, "We'll deal with Lucius, but first, we need to make sure you are safe, Hermione."
Draco glanced behind them, "Robards!"
A tall older wizard approached them, "Miss Granger, we meet at last. Mr. Weasley gave me his statement and said you were taking on three wizards by yourself when he arrived. Impressive, sure you don't want to be an Auror?"
"Positive, sir, Lucius Malfoy put out a hit on me. Alecto is trying to send the Aurors on a wild goose chase to get to me," Hermione informed him.
Robards' eyes narrowed, "That's impossible. Malfoy is in the high-security area of Azkaban. No one can talk to him."
Ron walked over, "I heard her say it myself. That Lucius would give a pretty knut for Hermione's head."
Harry turned to Robards, "Sir, I want to put Hermione under protective custody."
"No! I'm not running away, Harry. We need to make a plan. It won't stop her from coming after me. If she can't find me, she will go after Teddy or, heaven forbid, Mum," Hermione told him.
Ron looked at Harry, "You know she's right. We need to be proactive."
Draco sighed, watching the two Death Eaters be taken away to the Ministry, "What about my Aunt? That house has what? Ten rooms? It's unplottable. It is protected."
Robards looked at him, "Who is your Aunt?"
Draco grinned, "The Minister's girlfriend."
Robards shook his head, "That would work."
Ron looked at Hermione, "I'm going to get your Mum. Explain to her what happened. I'll have her pack a bag and, just in case, come to Andromeda's."
Hermione nodded, "Thank you." With a nod, Ron disapparated away.
Harry looked at her, "Let's get you cleaned up at the Ministry." Harry turned to Robards, "Talk to the Minister. He won't disagree, but we must go through the channels." Harry saw someone walking towards them, "Patterson, report."
"That's my job, Potter," Robards told him, "Patterson, report."
"We've secured the area, sir, and taken statements. The two Death Eaters have been taken into custody to be questioned at the Ministry. We will interrogate them and see what else we can find out," Patterson stated.
Draco grabbed Hermione's arm, causing her to gasp and pull away from him, "I can walk," Hermione stated.
With Draco and Harry flanking her, Harry looked at her, "I'm going to grab your arm now so that we can disapparate straight into the Aurors office."
Hermione nodded, and Harry grabbed her arm gently. Closing her eyes, they disapparated to the Ministry, and Draco appeared beside them.
One of the Death Eaters had woken up and was yelling. "Go," Draco told Harry, who nodded and ran off to help deal with him.
Draco bit his lip and cupped Hermione's cheek. "Hermione, you need to be careful. I can't lose you," he said.
Hermione swallowed hard, "I'll be careful, Draco, but I can't live in fear again. This time, I am facing this head-on."
Harry walked back over, "Dumbass just turned on Carrow. Everything Hermione and Ron said is true. Your Dad offered Carrow a lot of money to kidnap, torture, and then kill Hermione."
"Fuck!" Draco yelled, "Bloody Fucking Hell. Why can't he leave me in peace?"
"Draco, we will do this together. No one is going to take Hermione away from us, okay?" Harry said, looking between her and Draco, "Let's just get her cleaned up, make sure none of the blood is hers, and then we can plan our attack."
Draco sighed, "He has a mole inside. He has to."
"That's what we figure. Now, I'll watch the door to the Auror showers. Take her in there, clean her up, and check her out," Harry told him as he looked at Hermione, "I just hate this."
"I do, too," Hermione said as a tear fell down her cheek.
"It's like none of it was worth it. Everything we sacrificed, we thought it would end, but it was a lie. We are still getting hurt," Harry said.
Throwing her arms around Harry's neck, he pulled her to him, "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have said-"
"I'm fine, Harry. I'm okay, and you are still my best friend," Hermione said as she looked at Draco, "You have to be our best man, of course."
Harry looked at Draco, "Really?"
Draco scoffed, "She's the bride. What she says goes. I just make sure that I'm there on time."
The adrenaline of the fight was starting to wear off, and Hermione's limbs suddenly felt like they were turning to lead as the reality of the afternoon began to hit.
Harry gave Draco a look as he caught her sagging weight and picked her up, "We need to get her checked over now."
Draco nodded as they guided her towards the showers. Harry carried her inside as they entered the tiled room. Draco shut the door behind them as Harry entered a shower station and sat her down on the bench. Draco turned the water on, adjusting it until it was the perfect temperature.
Hermione's teeth were chattering, and she was not even wet yet as Harry assisted her in stepping under the water. "You are going to get wet," Hermione told him as he used a flannel to wipe down her face to clear the blood.
"That's what drying charms are for," Harry told her as he rinsed her face clear of blood, "Most of the cuts are superficial. I will stand in front of the door so no one comes in while Draco checks the rest of you over." Harry said, looking up at Draco, who nodded.
Hermione slowly nodded as he went to get up and leave them, but she had a tight grasp on his hand.
"Hermione, I don't think you want me or any of the Aurors to see you naked. I'm just going to be outside that door guarding it, okay?" Harry told her, touching her face.
"Okay," Hermione whispered, letting go of his hand so that he could leave the room.
Helping her stand, Draco began undressing her. Her clothes hit the wet tile of the shower and the water ran around them, making the water tinged with red, washing away the remnants of the battle. Still fully clothed, Draco tilted her head under the stream of water. Grabbing his personal shampoo, he scrubbed her head to cleanse the blood from her curls. His hands moved tenderly, massaging her scalp, checking for any cuts, and easing her tension.
Gently tilting her head back, he washed the shampoo from her hair, grabbed the flannel that Harry had set down, and wiped down her neck and arms. He continued to move down her body, cleaning her and checking her over for injuries. He found only bruises on her arms and a small cut on her cheek, and Hermione heard him sigh in relief.
"Is she okay?" Harry's voice echoed in the room, making Hermione jump.
"She's going into shock, I think, but other than bruises, she got lucky with just a small cut to her face. Dittany will clear it up," Draco responded.
As the warm water washed over her, Hermione's composure finally broke. She fell into Draco's arms, sobbing against his chest. Pulling her tightly, he kissed the top of her wet head, "I've got you. Don't worry, I won't let him get to you."
Turning the water off, he grabbed a towel and gently dried her off. Walking her towards the lockers, he had her sit, then pulled out a pair of his joggers and a sweatshirt. Helping her dress, he cupped her face and looked into her eyes, "Are you feeling better?"
Hermione nodded, "Yeah. I don't know what happened for a second."
"You started going into shock. You aren't alone in this, Hermione. We're in this together," Draco assured her as he grabbed her shoes.
Stepping out of the shower room, they found Harry standing guard now dry, waiting for them with a mixture of concern and relief on his face, "You, okay?"
Hermione nodded.
Harry glanced at Draco, "Kingsley says to take her straight to his house. Ron already has Mum there. He's going to our house and getting Crooks and Hope. It's going to be one big sleepover until we catch her. We won't let her slip away."
***********This was the most "romantic" part of Hermione/Draco in the story, but it was central to it.*************************************************
A/n: As stated on my Tumblr, one chapter remains with Hermione and Draco, and she breaks up with him in the next chapter. I know some people were upset with the brief Draco/Hermione relationship. Still, I wanted there to be an attack, and for someone to have serious motivation towards Hermione, it had to be Draco so Lucius could target her. It would not be a Harry Potter story without someone having the motivation to hunt someone down lol
Side note: We are nearing some big reveals. I've teased it on my Tumblr account siriuslyprincesssarah. The first big reveal is coming up in Chapter 35: Closure. The second big reveal (also a twisted reason for her to be with Draco now) is discovered in Chapter 36: Today Was a Fairytale, and finally, the biggest reveal, the Enchanted date and father of the baby, will be revealed in Chapter 37: Enchanted. I am currently working on Chapter 39 and editing 38. I'm excited for you guys to see what is coming up. I am having fun with it. There will be a rating change after Chapter 38 TBD title. :)
Thank you for the new followers: bluescorpio, agunimo, Starfyre63, What-Momma-dont-kno, fasyjr, etfonhome, ekwartler
TO the reviews!
Hudy Leak613: Here is the next one! Thanks for commenting!
Ero_neko-Hime: While you don't HAVE to read Snow on the Beach, I obviously would love for people to. I try my best to summarize key points in this story for those who don't want to. If it's not summarized here, it's not important to the larger story.
Alix33: I figured it was only fitting for the law to be named after Remus. Thanks for commenting!
Preview of Chapter 33: loml
As Pansy opened the door, the restrictive corset and many layers of skirts felt like a cage was around her. Walking to the mirrors, her chest tightened as she moved. Looking at herself in front of the mirrors, the girls' voices were drowned out by the ringing in her ears.
The woman seen in the mirror was not her. It was a fancy Pureblooded witch on a Mudblooded mannequin wearing her face. Having a brief out-of-body moment, instead of her face looking as horrified as she thought it should, the witch on the other side of the mirror tilted her neck. She smiled as she curtseyed in the huge dress with a corseted top and three-dimensional tulle flower bouquets, which seemed to move and grow, climbing up and constricting her chest even further.
In the far reaches of her mind, she heard Pansy yell for her to bend over, and as if under Imperius, she felt a hand on her back pushing her down into a bow.
Clawing at her chest as some of the weight came off her, she felt the stems grow into vines around her torso, "I can't breathe," She gasped out as her vision started narrowing.
Luna yelled, "Step back!" Suddenly, Hermione could breathe again as she crashed to her knees. Looking up, Luna had her wand in one hand and cut corset strings in the other. Pulling the corset from her body, she vomited all over the floor.
"I think we are done today. Nothing to see here. Everyone go home!" Luna yelled, taking charge.
And are you ready for it? BONUS PREVIEW! Because I know many are anticipating this, here is to prove it is, in fact, happening.
Luna walked over and sat on the bed beside her, "Sorry about that, but Hermione, it's girl's night! Remember you picked the museum after dark event at the British Museum?"
Hermione groaned, rubbing her temples, "I completely forgot. I'm not in the mood tonight."
Luna's expression softened, "What's wrong, Hermione? You haven't been yourself lately. Even Harry is worried about you."
Hermione laughed bitterly as tears began to fall from her eyes, "Draco and I broke up."
Luna gasped in surprise, "What happened?"
Hermione wiped her eyes, and her voice trembled, "A little of me, a lot of me. We both had too many secrets and not enough communication. The biggest thing, the nail in the head, I said Harry's name."