The year was 1999. The war had just been won, and Summer was fast approaching. Hermione sighed, finally finishing her packing as she locked her trunk, and she looked out of the window to see students, from all houses alike walking across the grounds, with solemn looks, but with a sense of peace around them. She looked around the dorm room she had shared with Lavender, Parvati and Ginny, and shed one final tear for the loss of Lavender Brown. A force to be reckoned with, a force that Fenrir Greyback took from the world far too soon.
She wondered if she would ever be able to set foot in the place without the memories flooding back to her. She wondered whether Hogwarts would still be home, or if this was another place tainted by the scent of war, one she could never return to. She sighed again, putting a feather weight charm onto her trunk so she could carry it down to the common room where the remaining elves would magic it onto the Hogwarts Express for her, and then she walked down to the Great Hall.
Walking into the Great Hall was.. an experience, to say the least. There were still scorch marks on the stone wall, still cracks in the tables that stood, and Dumbledore’s podium was still absent, but there was the buzz of happy chatter as students mingled, comparing war wounds and battle scars from the previous days. She noticed the 7th year Slytherins, the ones who were still here, of course, kind of.. awkwardly standing near their table. She locked eyes with Theo Nott, who raised a tentative eyebrow at her, looking away quickly but finding his nerve and looking back at her. She gave a soft, warm smile, and waved slightly, which caused his eyes to widen in surprise, before his face dimpled as he smiled back.
If she had known that smiling at Theo Nott would mean that he ended up being her go to confidant in the next coming years, she wouldn’t have changed a thing.
As she stepped onto the Hogwarts Express, she smiled, breathing deeply and taking in the old, dusty warm scent of the familiar train, and as she sat in a booth on her own, she looked out, finding the castle in the distance, and waved. She mentally thanked Hogwarts for being her home for the last 7 years, thanked it for bringing her her best friends, and her best memories. She could feel the magical pull reaching out to her, sad, and broken, and a tear slid down her cheek. She told Hogwarts not to be sad that she was leaving, and not to hold all of the blame in those stone walls. No one could have known. No one but Dumbledore, and it was Dumbledore’s job to keep Hogwarts safe. Dumbledore failed, not Hogwarts itself. As the train pulled out of Hogsmead Station, Hermione felt the magical bind snap, and it caused her to become breathless, like a string on her heart had just snapped, and she swore she could see the Gryffindor red line leave her chest as Hogwarts reclaimed what was once its own.
Pulled from her thoughts, there was a rapping on the glass window of the closed door. She turned from the view of the castle and made eye contact with Theo Nott again. She smiled, beckoning him to come in. When he moved to open the door, her mouth went dry at the sight of platinum blonde hair.
“Hello, Granger,” Theo said with a smile as he came into the compartment. “May we sit? All of the others are full.”
Hermione peeked behind him, an empty compartment. She raised a brow, and Theo just laughed sheepishly. “Okay, we wanted to see if we could sit with you, if that’s okay.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, sending a glance at Malfoy’s direction. “What game are you playing, Nott?” She asked, calmly.
“No game. Seriously, no game. Just.. thought you could use another two sidekicks since your original two went home after the battle.” Theo glanced at the sofa opposite her. “May we sit?”
She hesitated, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, before she sighed in resignation. “You may.” She gestured to the empty space and Theo scrambled for the window seat, leaving Malfoy to silently follow. He still wasn’t looking at her. They sat in an awkward silence for about ten minutes, and before Hermione had decided to pull out a book, she heard a hoarse voice croak out:
“Granger,”
Her eyes snapped up, meeting a cold, ice blue, but as she looked, she could see the colour slowly warming up, the ice was melting, the mask was falling. She nodded. “Malfoy,” and then she looked back down to her bag.
“Granger,” he coughed, and apologised. “I’m uh.. thank you.”
“You’re welcome?” She questioned, and Theo elbowed Draco in the ribs.
“That was not how it was supposed to go.” He chided, and Malfoy winced, which stunned Hermione. She had never seen anyone speak to Draco that way, and she suppressed a giggle. Draco sighed, and wrung his hands together before wiping them on his trousers. He opened his mouth as if to start again, but they were interrupted.
“Anything from the trolley, dears?” The train witch asked, a solemn look in her eyes as she glanced at the cut on Hermione’s lip, and Theo’s black eye and almost definitely broken nose. I have to heal that. Hermione thought. She looked at the two former Slytherins, and back at the trolley.
“I’ll take some sandwiches, if you have any of those. Some crisps, too, and some pumpkin pasties, and now that we’re of age, 6 bottles of butterbeer, please.” She smiled, and the witch smiled back.
As Hermione went back to her bag to pay, she noticed Draco had already dropped more than enough galleons into the witch's hand. “If you could come back in an hour or two and let us pick some sweets,” he whispered, his eyes soft. The witch smiled.
“Of course,” she placed her hand on Draco’s shoulder and he had to fight back a wince.
All of the food was laid out on the table in front of them, and before Theo or Draco could grab a sandwich, Hermione spoke.
“How many injuries do you both have?” The boys looked at one another, before looking back at her. She cocked her head to the side, and waved her hand in a rolling motion. “Well?”
“I uh,” Theo coughed, “I’m pretty sure my nose is broken, as is my rib, I think my knee is dislocated and Draco’s shoulder has definitely popped out of its socket.”
“Merlin’s left ball sack!” Hermione exclaimed. “Episkey!” She pointed at Theo’s nose with no warning, hearing a crack as it set back into place, causing him to groan out loud with pain. She lowered her wand and pointed at his rib cage. “Episkey.” She cast again, hearing another crack and making him then double over.
“Fuck, Granger, what are you doing to him!?” Draco cried. “Can’t you see we’ve been through enough?”
“Shut it!” She seethed, leaning over the table to grab his left arm, and pushing until she felt his shoulder pop back into the socket.
“Fuck,” Draco hissed, but whether that was from pain, or relief, she wasn’t currently sure. She looked back at Theo, who was sat up again, breathing deeply.
“Are you ready for round three?” She humoured, and his eyes went wide. “Try to move your leg enough so I can hold your foot, there, that’s it, breathe for me, Theo, this is going to really hurt.”
“Why didn’t I get that gentle treatment?” Draco snarked, rubbing his shoulder.
“Shut up, Malfoy.” Both Hermione and Theo said in unison, before Theo let out a deep groan as his knee made a loud pop and then swelled immediately.
“Right,” Hermione said, rubbing her hands together. “I think we’re all good to go.”
“Why.. why did you do that?” Draco asked after a moment of silence.
“What do you mean?” She asked around a mouth full of sandwich.
“No one would heal us, after..” Theo trailed off.
“You’re kidding.”
“No. Madam Pomfrey was too busy with the seriously wounded, and no one else who had been trained was from our house.” Theo answered, also taking a bite out of his sandwich.
“Plus, everyone had heard about the fire in the room of requirement, Goyle trying to kill Potter and what not.” Draco shrugged. “Which reminds me, thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
“For getting Blaise and I out.” He stared at her, and she stared right back.
“I didn’t do anything,” Hermione started, and Draco cut her off.
“You hate flying. You rode a broom. You banished the fiendfyre long enough for Potter to get us out. You did something, Granger. You saved my life.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself, and Theo nudged him again. “You did more than I even attempted to, at the Manor, and for that, I apologise.”
Hearing him mention the Manor sent a shiver down Hermione’s back, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn’t ready to revisit that, not yet, not so soon. She shot Malfoy a small smile, and said: “Bygones.” To which Theo grinned.
“These sandwiches really are fantastic, aren’t they?” He said, causing both Draco and Hermione to grin along with him, and they settled into a comfortable rapport.
The year was 2002. Theo was banging on Hermione’s door to her flat, demanding to be let in. She rolled her eyes as she scrunched her hair with a towel, swinging the door open. “What?” She said without even looking at him.
“It’s Draco,” he panted. “They’ve seized the Manor, Narcissa’s wand has been taken and they’re taking him to Azkaban right now!”
Hermione dropped the towel in shock. “What? They can’t! The hearing isn’t until tomorrow!”
“Something happened, he’s been sentenced, Granger,” Theo spoke, his jaw trembling. “He’s been sentenced to five years.”
Hermione made a choked noise, grabbing her wand to dry her hair instantly and summoning her shoes, pulling them on in less than 15 seconds. “Where’s Narcissa?”
“She’s at the Manor.”
“Grab my arm.”
“What?”
“ Now!” She yelled, and Theo reached out to grab her arm before she turned and disapperated them both on the spot. They landed outside of Malfoy Manor where the place was heaving with Aurora, young and old. Her eyes zeroed in on the one Auror she knew best. “Ron!” She screamed through the gate as Theo was trying to open the wards. Ron made eye contact with Hermione and smiled, whispering something and pointed his wand at the gate, opening it. They both ran towards him.
“Hey, ‘Mione, Theo.” He greeted them happily.
“What’s going on?” Theo demanded, feeling Hermione’s hand snake around his forearm and tightening her grip.
“There’s been a breakthrough in Ginny’s case with Malfoy,” Ron started. “Malfoy told her to look through the Manor’s dark artefacts, and what we found was a gold mine.”
Hermione couldn’t believe her ears, or her eyes, or her stomach. “Ron, you sentenced him.”
“We sentenced him because he won’t talk.”
“You took his mothers wand!” Theo yelled.
“You think she’s going to betray Lucius Malfoy?” Ron chuckled. “Of course she won’t. She’s staying on house arrest for a year.”
“There was supposed to be a trial! ” Hermione spat. “He saved your life! As did Narcissa! She saved Harry!”
Ron’s stare narrowed, and he looked at Theo, and then Hermione. “She didn’t save yours when Bellatrix was carving mudblood into your arm, did she? No. That was Dobby, Harry and I. Malfoy is getting what he deserves.”
Hermione watched as Ron walked away, and her legs wobbled. Luckily, Theo noticed and he caught her before she fell onto the pebbled driveway. She shook herself before pointing her chin in the air, and she took a deep breath. “We need to find Narcissa.”
Theo hummed in agreement, taking Hermione’s hand and apparating them into the Manor. Malfoy’s bedroom, to be exact. “How did you do that?” Hermione whispered.
“Back before the war, when Draco and I were children, Narcissa altered the wards to allow me to apparate into the manor should I ever need to.” He swallowed. “She taught me apparition from a young age, she shouldn’t have, but she did. She risked her license for it.”
Hermione stared on in wonder, before a small voice broke the moment. “I would do it again if it meant saving you from the cruel fate of your father.”
Theo turned and they both saw Narcissa, looking small instead of the powerful woman they knew. He sighed, going towards her to scoop her up in a bone crushing embrace. Hermione’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Narcissa,” her voice broke, and Narcissa pulled away from Theo, but still holding his forearms.
“Don’t you shed a single drop of magic for me, Miss Granger. I will be absolutely fine.” Her voice was strong, and welcoming. Hermione walked towards where Narcissa and Theo were standing and she got welcomed into the embrace. “We need to worry about him.” She whispered into both of them.
The year was 1993. Hermione stood, cradling her fist. She looked back to the rock where Malfoy was stood and winced. She punched him. She had called him a cockroach and punched him. She looked at the bruising knuckle, realising it was bleeding a little, and she went to pull out her wand to heal it - and she stopped herself. She found herself staring at the tiny cut, mesmerised at the colour of her own blood.
“It’s red.”
The voice pulled her out of her musings, and she looked to her left to see Draco Malfoy stood, his nose dripping scarlet, a bruise forming. She stood, moving her hand to place it on her hip and braced her wand again.
“What do you want, Malfoy?” She seethed.
“Your blood. It’s red.” He stated, looking dazed, and when he reached for her hand, she whipped back.
“Don’t touch me, Malfoy!”
“Your blood is red, Granger.” He repeated.
“Yes?”
“I thought it would be brown.” He blurted out, dumbly.
“Clearly you don’t know biology that well.” She turned to walk away. He grabbed her arm to stop her leaving and she ended up pressed against him with her wand tip digging into his Adam’s apple.
He stared down at her, bright ice meeting chocolate gold, and he opened his mouth to speak, but only breath came out. She raised an eyebrow, and tried to step back, but he held onto her tightly. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry for calling you a mudblood.” He released her and walked away from her, leaving her stood with her wand raised and her eyes wide.
She was stricken by it all day, Harry and Ron chirping away happily in her ear, before Ron got dragged away by the big black dog. She tried putting Malfoy’s weirdness behind her as she ran from her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but as she watched how Snape protected the three of them, she couldn’t help but think: are all Slytherin’s really that bad?
When she turned back time with Harry, and he witnessed the conversation, he turned to her, his mouth agape. All she did was nod, and they moved on. They didn’t speak about it, and she was happy that they didn’t. He looked as though he wanted to open his mouth and ask, but he decided against it at the last moment, and Hermione had to suppress a smile.
She thought of it when she was rescuing Sirius from Dumbledore’s office, and she thought of it when she went to sleep at night. She thought about how those ice blue eyes bore into hers, before he stole away with part of her that she didn’t even know existed.
The year was 2003. Hermione had been taken off of Draco’s visitors list, only Ginny was left. She spent most of her time with Harry, Ginny, Pansy and Theo these days, hanging onto Ginny’s every word as she ashed cigarette after cigarette into the bowl on their kitchen table, as Theo would pace back and forth. “What do you mean there’s no headway, Ginny?” He would ask, over and over, and Ginny would sigh, pulling at her hair.
“We’re no closer. I am trying , Theo.” Ginny would seethe, and Harry would step between them, trying to stop the couple from coming to vocal blows.
Pansy would sit with Hermione, smoking every now and then, and pouring wine glass after wine glass. She never seemed to get drunk, she never seemed to unwind. None of them did. Not whilst he was in there. They all sat in silence for five or so minutes, before Harry spoke up with an actual idea that wasn’t immediately binned off.
“How about I go and speak to him?” He blurted out, and then winced in anticipation of three female shrieks, but they never came. Instead, the girls all tilted their heads to the side, their eyes narrow and thinking, before Pansy opened her mouth.
“You’d have to write to him, first.” She stated. “He won’t let you just turn up.”
“Good luck for a response,” Hermione rolled her eyes. She had been in a relationship with Draco for a year and a half before the Ministry took him from her. He wouldn’t write her back, only telling Ginny to tell her that he was fine. “You may not get one.”
Harry just blew her a raspberry, stating something stupid like “Draco likes me better,” as he scrambled to find some parchment and a pen. Pansy was still confused as to why he would want to use a muggle pen when she had a collection of fancy quills, but Harry was set in his ways and preferred a biro.
“What are you going to write?” Ginny whispered, leaning over Harry’s shoulder, but he shielded her from the note.
“That’s for me to know.”
“You know, as his attorney, I will be reading this letter before it ends up in his hands.” She pouted, her hand on her hip, extending the other. “Give it.”
Harry groaned. “Fine,” he handed her the piece of parchment. “Don’t read it out.” He demanded.
Ginny rolled her eyes, taking the letter and everyone watched as her eyes scanned over the lines. Her brows furrowed, and her lip ended up between her teeth, and then her eyes widened in surprise, and welled up with tears. “Harry,” she breathed.
“Don’t read it out.” He repeated, fixing Ginny a warning glare. “Don’t tell anyone what it says.”
“I won’t!”
“Your word.” Harry’s eyes glinted, and instantly Theo was on his feet.
“Not a fucking chance, Potter.”
Harry blinked, Theo was stood tall above Harry and his eyes were blazing. “You are not making her swear on her magic for a fucking letter to Malfoy.”
“Theo, calm down.” Ginny tried to ease the situation, but Theo wouldn’t back down from Harry, who was now pressed against a wall.
Hermione sighed, standing up and walking towards Theo, putting a soft hand between his shoulder blades. “Hey, let’s go for a walk, okay? Come on.”
Theo ripped his gaze away from Harry for a split second and found Hermione staring at him, with her eyes like melted gold, and he softened. Hermione could always make Theo soften when he needed it. She was like ice to his fire, his entire right hand. How he got through 7 years of Hogwarts without her by his side, he doesn’t think he’ll ever understand. Hermione taught him that blood prejudice was absolute bollocks. Hermione taught him that there was good in everything he saw, and she taught him that even though flowers may die in the winter, they always come back in the spring. Hermione was his spring. He took a deep breath before pulling back from Harry, glowering at him before he stormed out of the kitchen, pulling Hermione by the wrist into the garden.
Once they were in the moonlight, Theo let out a loud yell, causing some owls to scatter away with offended squawks. Hermione held onto Theo’s hand with a strong grip, her fingers trembling from after effects of the overuse of cruciatus from Bellatrix. “What’s wrong, Theo?” She whispered softly. “Why did you explode at Harry that way?”
Theo groaned, settling himself on the ground, laying on the grass to stare at the stars. “You know, Draco is named after a constellation?” he spoke into the darkness.
“I did know that, yes.” Hermione laid next to Theo, leaning her head on his bicep as she looked up to the sky also.
“He’s my best friend,” Theo started, and then chuckled softly as he felt Hermione turn her head to glare at him. “You’re my best friend, too, but Draco? Since we were kids. Since we were so little that we didn’t understand what magic was, or war. We didn’t understand why our dads were so serious all the time, at least, I didn’t understand any different. Lucius was different.”
Hermione looked at Theo, urging him to continue, wondering where he was going with his story.
“Lucius was a hard man on the outside, he would sneer at those below him, throw his name around to make it clear that everyone in his vicinity knew exactly who he was. He did that to everyone, except his family. He loved his family more than any man ever could, he adored Narcissa. Would bring her flowers every Sunday morning along with a cup of tea without fail, and Draco? The second Draco showed interest in Quidditch, Narcissa had to stop Lucius from buying an entire team outright - as Draco and I were 6, we wouldn’t understand.”
Theo’s arm tightened his grip around Hermione as they laid on the floor together, both staring at the stars.
“The day Lucius saw me with a bloody nose, was the day I was then included in that love. They started holding meetings in the Manor, he held them late, so I would get the opportunity to stay over with Draco in his room, so that I didn’t have to go home and face my father after a few glasses of Elf Wine. Lucius made sure the meetings were held on Friday evenings, and he would tell my Father that it was pointless to wake me up after I had fallen asleep, and that I would be his concern through the weekend.”
Hermione didn’t realise she was crying until she felt her tears drip onto her neck, but she didn’t interrupt.
“I told Draco that I wanted to do Hogwarts on my own. I didn’t want to be attached to his name, I didn’t want his glory, and I didn’t share his distaste for Harry, all I wanted to do was learn magic and read books. I knew what our fathers were, and I thought that with distance from mine, and distance from Draco, I could hopefully avoid the inbound war. I was wrong. War took my father figure from me and locked him in a building that’s beyond cold, and beyond dark. War is over, but war has taken my best friend and put him in the same place where his father is, and all I have is Narcissa, you and Ginny. Pansy, sometimes, but truly, you, Narcissa and Ginny.” Theo took a deep breath, his body trembling before he continued.
“Harry threatened that. He threatened to take Ginny from me back in the kitchen. Realistically, I know he didn’t. I know he’s just scared, but.. she’s my heart. Narcissa is my head, you are my right hand, and Ginny is my heart. Pansy is probably my pinkie toe, cause you can’t balance without that, but.. I can’t lose Ginny. I can’t lose any of you, but I definitely cannot lose her.”
He turned to look at Hermione, who was still staring at the stars. He opened his mouth to speak, but she spoke first.
“Draco is my heart. I lost him. He got taken from me, too. What we both have to realise is that Ginny is taking a huge risk. She is the only one who is still able to see Draco, and this is a huge, scary moment. If Draco gets the wrong idea about Harry wanting to see him, he could cut us all off completely. I understand you’re scared, I am terrified, but we need to trust them both. Ginny has sworn on her magic for Harry before, and vice versa. There’s history there, and I know we all know it.” She turned to look at Theo. “Do you trust me, Theo?”
He put his hand on her cheek, and smiled softly. “More than you know.”
“Then please trust me, when I say Harry would never do anything that could cause any harm towards Ginny.”
Harry, Pansy and Ginny were stood at the door, watching the two as they laid on the grass. They couldn’t hear anything, as they assumed Hermione shot a muffliato around them when they first left the house. A tear slid down Ginny’s cheek, and Pansy wiped it away with a gentleness only ever shown to Ginny. “What’s wrong, Weasley?”
“I need him out. I need to get him out, Pansy.”
“We all need him out.” Harry agreed, and he put a hand on Ginny’s shoulder, squeezing lightly before he walked back into the house. Pansy and Ginny looked at each other and nodded, following suit.
Six months later. Draco was bored of the colour grey. He hated the colour of grey, in actual fact. He knew that his cell in Azkaban had 340 stones on the ceiling, and he knew that the floor had 782 scratches. The wall had scratches, too, except those were his own markings. One scratch a day, so that he could keep track of how many days he had been in there. 547 scratches, soon to be 548. His routine was nothing spectacular, he would fall asleep and be woken up by a steel cup clanging on the bars, indicating some form of breakfast schedule of a rotting apple, mouldy bread and some dirty water. After he ate, he tried exercising, sit ups, press ups, as many as his body could handle before he collapsed. He would then scratch a tally mark into the wall, before he counted them again.
That took up a few hours of his morning, before the steel cup was clanging again, informing him of lunch. Lunch wasn’t much better than breakfast, but it was hot. It was bland rice and some small pieces of flavourless chicken. He tried to tell himself not to scarf it down, but he never listened, for he was so cold, he needed something to keep him warm. Usually, around an hour after lunch, mail came. Mail that had already been opened and redacted before he could read it. He looked forward to Hermione's letters the most, even though she begged him to allow her back on his visitation list, but after Ginny had to heal his fractured brow last time, he knew he couldn’t allow Hermione to see him that way. He would die before he allowed his witch to see him injured again, and knowing she could do nothing about it - well that would just break his heart into small pieces.
When the mail came, he didn’t receive one from Hermione or Theo, surprisingly. It stung, a little, until he read the return to sender address. Harry Potter, 12 Grimmauld Place. He scoffed. Why on earth would Harry Potter be writing to him? He took the letters from the guard, who spat in his face before moving on, and then he went and nestled himself on his “bed”, so that he could read.
Dear Draco, the letter started.
I am writing to you in hopes you will read this.
I know we weren’t exactly close, but I’d like to think that after I did save your life after Goyle set the room of requirement on fire, you kind of owe me a life debt.
I don’t want to hear anything about how it was related in kind, after you didn’t identify me to Bellatrix, because, semantics. You owe me.
Draco scoffed at this, but continued reading.
Realistically, I need you to get your act together and add Theo and Hermione back onto your visitation list. Not because they’re driving me crazy, no, but because we need you to get out of there as soon as possible. I am asking you for help, here, and I can imagine you smirking to yourself, laughing at the fact I am practically on my knees, begging, but I have my reasons.
My reasoning is, Pansy is expecting. She’s expecting, and the only person she has expressed that she wants at the birth, is you. Other than me, of course. I mean, I don’t even know if you know that we’re together, but we are. We love each other, and I’m sorry I didn’t ask your permission beforehand, but you know.. you were kind of busy with other arrangements, so I hope you understand.
So I need you to get out of there within the next 9 months, and I need you to allow Ginny to work as hard as she can, and I need you to cooperate.
We all need you here, Malfoy. Hermione more than most.
Anyway, I’m sorry for rambling, but I hope you’ll consider a meeting with me, so I can show you the sonogram photos of your future god child.
Please write back.
Regards,
Harry Potter.
Draco was stunned speechless, albeit he never spoke all that often, he truly didn’t know what to say. His best friend was pregnant and he wasn’t going to be there for the birth, not the way the trial is going. He wondered if Hermione knew that Pansy was expecting, and then laughed to himself. Of course Hermione knew. Merlin, he missed her. He moved from his bed towards his stack of parchment and his quills, and penned out a response to Harry, and then asked the next passing guard if he could contact his attorney. It was time to face the fire cracker that he had been putting off for months.
It was time to really do this, and it was time to get out.
The year was 1995 . Cedric had died the year prior, and no one believed Harry that Voldemort was back, and the person who was getting most on Hermione’s nerves? Draco fucking Malfoy. He was sucking up to Dolores Umbridge more than anyone could even think possible. Joining the Inquisitorial Squad and trying to catch them during DA meetings? Hermione almost hexed him every time she saw him, but something in his eyes made her choose not to, right at the last second. It didn’t stop others from doing so, though.
She remembers laughing harder than she’d ever laughed before when one of the fireworks that Fred and George had charmed chased after him, almost exploding in his face. She had caught him in the library a few times, and whilst he never made an effort to converse with her, he didn’t sneer or give her any dirty looks, he just raised his eyebrow in her direction, causing her to roll her eyes and dig deeper into her book. He always stared, and she found it unnerving, so one day she decided to confront him. She walked into the library with purpose, seeing Draco sat at a table on his own, his aura radiating cockiness, and she was spurned to knock him down a peg.
“Malfoy.”
“Granger.” He didn't even look up from his book.
“Why do you stare at me all the time?” She huffed, slamming her bag onto the table, causing it to echo.
He looked up at that point, making eye contact, and his eyes narrowed. “I’m probably trying to figure out what you do to your hair to make it look that ghastly, why?”
She growled at him and he had to suppress a smile, turning it into a smirk. “Malfoy, why are you literally around every corner I turn? What exactly are you trying to catch us doing?”
That caught his attention. He took his feet off of the desk, and swung around to face her properly. “Why, are you afraid I will see what you and all of the other Gryffindorks are up to?” He leaned in, close enough to smell the scent of her shampoo. “Honestly, Granger, nothing that Potter does is of interest to me.”
She leaned away, and he caught a curl in his hand, pulling it right and letting it go, watching it spring back into its natural coiled state. “Nice talk,” he looked at her, and the book she had placed on the desk. “Good book.” He gathered his things and turned to leave, not before looking back at her for a second too long, leaving her bewildered, touching the strand of hair he had just had in his grasp.
As the year went on, and Dumbledore’s Army grew stronger, she grew more and more confused at Malfoy’s actions. He made it apparent he was definitely seeking Harry out to try and catch him, but every time he saw her disappear into the room of requirement, he essentially turned a blind eye. He would always be behind Umbridge, following her orders as if his life depended on it, and that night when they finally caught them - she knew something was different.
When Draco had his arms around her, pressed against her back as she struggled in the god awful pink office, she knew something was amiss, especially when Draco whispered into her ear.
“Stop struggling,” it came out of nowhere, and the sudden hot breath on her neck had her frozen for a second. “I’m not going to hurt you, stop struggling, Granger.”
She almost felt.. safe, until Umbridge ordered him to go fetch Snape, and then she was thrown into Gregory Goyle’s awaiting arms, where he pinned her tightly so that she couldn’t struggle. She felt cold, slightly mourning the loss of Draco’s gentle grip, comparing it to the harsh fingers digging into her biceps. She knew she was going to be left with bruises, and she watched the door tentatively, wondering what bringing Snape into the room would do.
It almost took Draco too long to bring Snape in, because Umbridge then thought she had the authority to slap Harry, which erupted gasps from the DA and the Slytherins alike. Even Goyle loosened his grip on Hermione at that point, and once Snape walked through the door, Hermione tried her hardest to plead with him through eye contact, but he refused to look at her. He was about to walk out of the room, when Harry finally got his attention.
“He’s got padfoot. He’s got padfoot at the place where it’s hidden.”
Hermione could’ve hexed him at that point. They weren’t sure whether they could trust Snape, and Harry could’ve blown the entire operation. Snape, at least played dumb, and said he had no idea what Harry was talking about, and it was at that point that Hermione knew they were running out of time, and she had to stall. So she opened her mouth, and as soon as she did, she saw Draco’s shoulders sag. It was fleeting, and she wasn’t sure if she had imagined it, but she was sure she saw him look to the ceiling and drop his shoulders for a moment. They made eye contact, and he furrowed his brow, before turning and walking away from the situation.
The year was 2000. Hermione had just bought her flat in Diagon Alley, down the road from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, next to Flourish and Blotts, and she finally felt like she had a home of her own. Decorating it with pieces of furniture from her parents house, she had the familiar sofa where they used to watch movies and spill popcorn, and she had her mothers glassware collection. She was about to sit down, and continue the Saturday night tradition of an old film with snacks, when someone knocked on the door. Not expecting any guests, she gripped her wand and walked to the door, opening it and finding Theo Nott stood in front of her.
“Hi.” Theo smiled.
Hermione held her wand to his chest. “What are you doing here, Nott?”
His smile faltered, before he held out the box in his hands. “I brought a housewarming gift for you.”
“How did you find my flat?” Her wand still held against his chest, she wasn’t about to let him in.
“I asked Potter,” he grinned, and just as he said that, a stag lit up the room, and Harry’s voice filled the air.
“Sorry, Hermione, Theo Nott may be arriving at your flat. He wouldn’t leave until I gave him the address, he’s pushy but he said you were friends. Of a sort. He has a box, I don’t know.” The stag finished the message, and rubbed its nose against Hermione’s hand before dissolving into nothingness.
Her attention snapped back to Theo. “What was the first thing you said to me on the Hogwarts Express?”
“Seriously?”
She raised an eyebrow and pressed her wand in deeper.
“Ouch, okay, I asked if we could sit with you because all of the other compartments were full. Can you stop digging your wand into my chest so I can come in?”
Hermione huffed before she moved aside to let Theo into her house, and then she cast her patronus. “Tell Harry he’s a prick.” she told her little otter, and her otter swam around her neck before bouncing out of the house.
“It’s cute, but it needs more green.” Theo said, plonking himself on the sofa and helping himself to some popcorn. “What’s that?” he pointed at the television.
Hermione shut the door, walking towards Theo and taking a seat. “It’s a television. Drink?”
“What’ve you got?”
“Whatever you want, I can conjure whatever.”
“Firewhiskey, please.” Theo smiled, looking back at the television. “It’s moving and making noise.”
“It does that.” Hermione smirked as she handed him the firewhiskey, and summoned a glass of wine for herself. “What’s in the box?”
“Just a present. Open it if you’d like,” he handed her the box, wrapped in emerald green paper with a silver bow. She raised an eyebrow at the wrapping and Theo held his hands up in surrender. “I didn't wrap it.”
Hermione scoffed, and opened the box. Inside was the most beautiful miniature bookshelf, with miniature books on it. She gasped, bringing the bookshelf out to hold in her hands. “It just needs an engorgio charm on there to bring it to full size.” Theo pointed out, and she placed it where she was going to set up her own bookcase. She watched it grow to full size, and her eyes welled up with tears. There were books of new and old on there, some looked like they’d been in families for generations, and they were books she would kill to get her hands on.
“Theo,” she breathed. “This is..”
“It’s nothing. All of the wards have been taken off the books, so they’re safe for you to touch. I made sure of it. They’re a mixture of the Nott and Malfoy library, Draco and I know how you like to read, and we thought there’s some books in there that are generational, but we would never read them so..” he trailed off, putting more popcorn into his mouth. “Happy housewarming, Granger.”
“Malfoy and Nott?” She questioned, pulling out a book she recognised the title of.
“Yep,” he popped the P, watching her. “That’s a first edition of-”
“Of Hogwarts: A History. This isn’t just a first edition, this is the first edition. This is the edited draft. This has her notes, Theo,”
“Malfoy wasn’t wrong when he said this was your favourite book, was he?”
“ Malfoy knew this?”
“That one was in Narcissa’s own personal collection, but she felt that she wasn’t reading it enough to warrant owning it. She helped pick out the books.” He finished his firewhiskey. “I suppose I shouldn’t impose,” he sighed dramatically. “I’ll leave you to your weird moving box and your book. Thank you for having me, Granger.”
Hermione walked towards Theo as he stood, and she threw her arms around his stomach. “Thank you, Theo.” She breathed into him, and he awkwardly laughed, patting her head.
“I suppose this means I can come around more often?”
“I’ll add you to the floo network.” She grinned, letting him go. “Thank you.”
“Happy housewarming, Granger.” He smiled at her before he walked to the door. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Once the door closed, Hermione dropped back onto the sofa, summoning a quill and some parchment. She couldn’t just thank Theo for the gift, she had to thank Malfoy, except she had no idea how. She spent the first ten minutes just doodling on the parchment until she had a clear idea of what she wanted to write.
Dear Malfoy,
I am just writing to thank you for the wonderful gift that you and Theo both put together, and also please extend my thanks to your mother.
I know I never got a chance to meet her properly, due to.. things, but I really appreciate her giving up her book for me.
I really appreciate it. It’s a really touching gift. Let me know when I can thank you both in person, please.
Yours,
Hermione Granger.
She sent the letter with Pidwidgeon, since Ron could afford an eagle owl after the war, he passed on his little owl to her. He flew away earnestly, his little wings flapping in the golden sky, causing Hermione to smile. She rubbed subconsciously at her forearm, feeling the raised letters and she straightened up, walking into the bathroom so that she could run her arm under some water to feel the word peel away, as she did every night. Watching the red tumble into the water, as she felt cleansed for the next day.
The year was 1996. Something was wrong with Draco Malfoy. Hermione didn’t know what, but something was wrong with him.
“He looks different, don’t you think? Draco?” She spoke to Harry as they were walking the halls. “Almost ill.”
She tried keeping an eye on him in classes, but he almost never looked at her, until Potions. He looked at her then. They were studying Amortentia and the properties in it. Professor Slughorn made the mistake of asking Hermione to smell the potion, and tell the class exactly what she smelt. Ron was watching her, waiting for her to say something like “Quidditch leather, broom polish, hot chocolate,” or something similar, but she didn’t.
“For example, I smell.. freshly mown grass, and new parchment.. and.. spearmint.. toothpaste.”
Malfoy looked at her then, and didn’t take his eyes off of her. She overheard Blaise whisper that it smells like him, and Malfoy shoved him. Blaise then asked what Malfoy smelt, and Hermione had to strain her ears to hear.
“Dusty books, lavender and honey shampoo, and vanilla.”
She grinned to herself, feeling his eyes boring into the back of her skull, she felt the burn but she didn’t turn around. She couldn’t, not with Harry whispering in her ear that he thought he was a death eater, not a chance. Ron was angry with her, he really thought that he would be the scent of her Amortentia, and he urged her to tell him who she smelt, and she refused. They argued a lot, and he broke her heart by snogging Lavender in front of her, not because she had feelings for him - not at all, but because he was using Lavender, and Lavender’s heart was pure. No ill intention behind it, just genuine feelings for Ron, and Ron was using that to hurt Hermione, and she never thought that Ron would ever be the type of person to ever do anything like that.
She urged Harry to get rid of the book. The book was going to ruin him, despite making him top in Potions, she knew the book was dangerous.
“Malfoy has been sneaking out of the castle,” Harry told her one night.
“Maybe the map’s wrong.” She didn’t know why she was defending him, she just felt something in her gut that she had to. Someone had to.
“The map is never wrong, Hermione, he’s up to something, I just know it.” Harry insisted, but she just rolled her eyes.
“Goodnight, Harry.”
Something in her broke the night that Dumbledore died, and it wasn’t because of the loss of her beloved headmaster, no, although that was sad enough on its own. It was because the Dark Lord himself had put the task into a 16 year old boy, who knew nothing other than pleasing his father. He was manipulated, and bullied into it, from what Harry had told her. After all, Harry was the one who attacked Draco in the bathroom with a spell from the cursed book, and only then after he almost killed the boy, did he listen to Hermione and finally get rid of the book. Her heart cried for Draco, being put in the awful position of “kill him or I’ll kill you.” no 16 year old should ever hear those words, regardless of who your family is, or your Hogwarts house.
Draco left Hogwarts shortly after that, shortly after Harry found out that Snape was the Halfblood Prince, and everyone knew that after Dumbledore’s death, things were going to change for the worst. Hermione knew war was inbound, yet all she seemed to focus on was:
What’s going to happen to Malfoy?
The year was 2002. Harry was on his first visit to Malfoy since he had been sentenced unfairly, and he went with Ginny. Ginny held onto his hand as they walked into the cold building, and she scanned her visitation card, speaking Harry’s name loud and clear, and they waited as he was given a visitors badge. The guards walked them down some winding halls, and sat them in a room with glass windows and a steel table, which had one chair opposite it.
“I’m nervous, Gin.” Harry whispered.
“Not as nervous as he will be, Harry.” Ginny squeezed his hand again as they heard the chains rattle, and the door opposite them was opened. In walked Draco, tall and lean, looking exhausted. Ginny let go of Harry’s hand and hugged Draco, gripping him tightly around the waist. He couldn’t hug her back, as his hands were shackled around his back, and Ginny scoffed. “Can you bloody undo these? I’ve told you repeatedly that Draco Malfoy is no threat to me. Take these off.”
The guards murmured, before one spoke up. “That will give him his magic back, Ms Weasley.”
“I am well aware. I need him to be cognitive for this meeting, and I need him to be able to eat, and I refuse to have him pressing his face into the plate like a dog.” Harry saw Draco grin into Ginny’s shoulder as the guards released him from his cuffs, and he stood back, rubbing his wrists before he enveloped Ginny into a proper hug.
Ginny waved her hand at the guards, telling them to leave them in privacy so they could talk about Draco’s case, and whilst they grumbled, they did so. The second they locked the door behind them, Ginny shot up some silencing wards, and immediately conjured a drink of apple juice and a sandwich for Draco, to which Harry saw his mouth water. Draco drank the juice almost instantly, and then pouted as his glass was empty. Ginny rolled her eyes and giggled, refilling the glass for him. Once he had eaten his sandwich, he stretched and put his hands behind his head, raising an eyebrow at Harry.
“So, you knocked up Pansy?” He smirked.
Harry spat out his water, and Ginny howled with laughter. “Obviously he was going to ask, Harry.”
Once Harry had composed himself, he looked back at Malfoy, and grinned. “I did. You’re going to be a godfather.”
“That seems like a lot of responsibility for a Death Eater currently locked up due to dark artefacts from my home. Looks like you’re playing a game of déjà vu here, Potter, what with Sirius and all.”
Harry tensed at the mention of his late godfather, and Ginny shot Malfoy a look. “Draco,” she chided. “You promised you’d be nice.”
Draco looked affronted at Ginny, his mouth open in shock. “I am being nice. I would’ve called him Scarhead instead of Potter if I wasn’t. ”
Harry watched the interaction, not sure whether he needed to intervene until Ginny doubled over with laughter. “We need to get you out, Malfoy. I can’t portray sarcasm as well as you spew it.”
“Speaking of getting me out, you said you had an update for me?” Draco nibbled his bottom lip, playing with the cuff of his sleeve.
Ginny smiled, reaching across the table to take his hand in hers. “Your trial is in two weeks. You’ve been in here for 684 days, do you think you can handle three more weeks without getting into any scuffles with the guards?”
“Two weeks?” He spoke softly, looking at Ginny with eyes that Harry had never seen before, deep, soft, ocean blue.
“Two weeks.” Ginny nodded, and Draco let out a deep breath through his nose, and he looked at Harry.
“I’ll be able to see my godchild be born,” he whispered. “Thank you, Potter. Without your letter, I would’ve never given Ginevra the information she needed,”
“What information was it? If you don’t mind me asking. I’m just curious, as neither Hermione or Theo were able to get it out of you.”
“Memories. All of them.” Draco looked away from both Ginny and Harry. “The memory they wanted the most was that night, to contest it against yours and Grangers. Weasel’s memory isn’t true, he modified it, to say I almost identified you, when that’s not what happened. Not at all.”
“They asked for the memory of March, 1998?” Harry whispered.
“Yeah.”
“ Fuck. ” Ginny and Harry both breathed together, looking at Malfoy, who wasn’t looking at them.
The year was 1998. Draco was locked in his house, unable to contact any of his friends, unable to speak freely or walk freely. He spent most of his time in his room, or in the library. Bellatrix never came into the library, she said reading was for those who never wanted to become enlightened with the truth of her Lord. Draco didn’t believe it at that point, after years of being tortured on his own dining room floor, whilst his mother and father had to watch on with stony faces, agony written into their eyes.
Every day, more snatchers would bring people to the Manor, trying to beat Harry Potter's location out of them, and when they wouldn’t speak, they’d be locked in the dungeons. Draco tried not to pay any attention to the people they brought, but the day Luna Lovegood was sporting a bloody lip in front of him, his heart broke. Luna Lovegood was someone that all of the Slytherin’s tried their hardest not to tease, because she was just so.. Luna. She was so kind to everyone, even if they teased her, and to see her bleeding onto his floor, he knew things had to change. He decided to take the lead to then take her and Olivander into the dungeons, apologising profusely under his breath. Luna slipped her hand into his, giving it a small squeeze before she stepped foot into the cell, helping a limping Olivander to sit down on the floor. Draco cast a cushioning charm on the chairs that were haphazardly placed, and he promised them both that he would be back with food and water for them both.
He walked back upstairs with a dazed look, and went to stand with his mother, who knew he felt queasy after seeing the Lovegood girl, and she gripped his arm, holding him up physically but also taking some weight off of him mentally. After Bellatrix dismissed them all, he went straight to his room, shortly followed by his mother, who immediately put up some privacy charms.
“Mother,” his voice broke as she sat on his bed.
“My dragon,” she stroked his arm.
“I can’t do this.”
“You must, Draco. You must pretend you can.”
“Luna is down there with a broken nose, with no food or water or comfort. I’m pretty sure she’s scared of the dark. She’s 16.”
“I will make sure you can go and see her, you can be the one to carry out the interrogation.”
“Mother, I can’t interrogate her, she’s.. she’s too innocent for this.”
“You need to occlude, Draco. I will go with you, I will ‘interrogate’, and keep an eye on you whilst you sneak the girl food.”
Draco locked eyes with his mother. “What do I do if she gets brought in?”
“You act.” His mother said with a final nod of her head. “You act, until you cannot any longer.”
Draco sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his head onto his mothers shoulder as she stroked his hair. “You can do this, my dragon. You will fight for her, without risking yourself. You will choose the correct side in the end.”
Narcissa thought Draco had fallen asleep after a few moments, but his voice broke the silence of the room. “If Bellatrix even touches her, I don’t think I could ever forgive.”
“I understand.”
“I’d have to see her end, Mother. I’d have to do it myself.”
“You cannot,” Narcissa started, and Draco opened his eyes.
“I cannot allow that woman to harm a hair on Hermione Granger’s head, mother. She would have to pay the ultimate price.”
Narcissa sighed, pushing Draco’s head back onto her shoulder as she continued running her fingers through his hair. “She will pay the ultimate price, my darling, but not at the expense of your own soul.” She hummed as she kept her fingers in a rhythmic motion. “Sleep, my love. We need you rested if you’re going to use your occlumency to your best abilities.”
Draco was awoken by wild screaming, and Bellatrix cackling, calling his name. He noticed his mother had also fallen asleep along with him, and he shook her shoulder gently to rouse her. “Mother, Bellatrix is calling me.”
His mother rubbed sleep from her eyes, “Oh, so she is. Let’s go and see what Aunt Bella is wanting you for, shall we?” she held out her hand for Draco, feeling him take it. They walked out of his room and down to the drawing room in silence, and Bellatrix greeted them at the doorway, grinning like a mad maniac.
“Draco,” she cooed, “we need you.” Bellatrix ripped his arm from his mother and pulled her to where a boy was crouching on the floor. “Is this him? Is this Harry Potter?”
Draco looked closely, he could tell it was Harry even though his face was all messed up, his bright green eyes shining with fear, but also determination. “I’m.. I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean you’re not sure!? We need to be 100% certain before we call the Dark Lord. What about the two he came with?” Bellatrix gripped the back of Draco’s neck, pulling on the hair at the bottom of it as she threw him towards Ron and Hermione.
Hermione.
“Look, isn’t that her? The mudblood?” Bellatrix hissed. Draco shook his head, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to look into her golden ones. He was sure Bella was about to torture him if he didn’t identify them, but she got distracted by a snatcher, who was holding a gleaming sword. “Where did you get that?”
“Found it in her bag. Reckon it’s mine now.” The snatcher grinned, and it was almost a blink and you’d miss it moment, but Bellatrix had him tied up and all of the other snatchers knocked out in one wand movement.
“Take the boys down to the dungeon. The mudblood and I are going to have a little chat. Girl to girl!”
Everything was then a blur, Draco was sure he could hear Ron and Harry screaming for Bellatrix to let Hermione go, but he was rooted to the spot. He couldn’t move, all he could do was watch. He watched as Bellatrix pinned Hermione to the floor, and watched as she screamed in her face, asking where Hermione got the sword from. Draco’s heart wrenched as Hermione sobbed in response.
“We didn’t take anything, please!”
Screams. Screams that would haunt him forever. Screams he was unable to stop. Screams he could stop if he just-
His mother touched his arm, stopping him from drawing his wand. He looked at her, and she shook her head. Occlude. He had to occlude. He had to put the mask on. He had to block it out.
He watched as Hermione writhed on the floor, as Bellatrix laughed, carving something into Hermione’s arm. He was going to throw up, he was going to throw up all over the floor, there was nothing stopping it. She was going to die. Bellatrix was going to kill her and there was nothing he could do. He felt helpless . He was about to throw up his lunch when all of a sudden, he heard the voices of Harry and Ron, and all of a sudden his wand was in his hand and they were duelling. He was running on autopilot until Harry disarmed him, and then he turned around to see Bellatrix with a knife to Hermione’s throat.
His blood ran cold, and she ordered everyone to drop their wands, and he silently begged Harry and Ron not to be the hero’s that they thought they were, and he pleaded with them to drop them. He saw as she dragged the knife ever so lightly against the soft skin of her neck, and how blood welled up, and his knees buckled, and he for sure thought he was going to collapse on the ground, but he felt two strong arms behind him. His mother and father. He heard a creaking noise and looked up, to see his old house elf, Dobby, swinging on the chandelier, unscrewing it. He made eye contact, and Dobby grinned, and Draco sighed in relief as the chandelier fell and Bellatrix threw Hermione into Ron’s awaiting arms.
Once he knew Hermione was safe, everything began to blur again, and he only really remembers Bellatrix throwing her knife into the elf apparition swirl, and everything went dark once the crack dissipated.
The year was 2000. Hermione was nervous, as she walked towards Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour and waited for the Malfoy’s to arrive. She was nervous to see Narcissa, as she hadn’t seen her since that night, but she really wanted to thank her in person for giving up her copy of Hogwarts: A History. She felt the wind around her ankles, a warm spring breeze. Her heart was pounding, but she was also quite excited, she was excited to see Draco again after writing back and forth with him for the past couple of months. She felt she had actually built a friendship with the man, and she was so excited to finally meet Narcissa. Hermione toyed with the small bouquet of flowers in her hands as the breeze whirled through her hair, and she heard the pop of apparition. She grinned, waving at the two Malfoy’s walking hand in hand towards her.
She wondered whether she should hug Draco and his mother or not, and whilst she was arguing with herself, he took the initiative and swallowed her into an embrace so warm, so cosy, she never wanted to let go. He smelt of freshly cut grass, new parchment and spearmint toothpaste, and suddenly.. everything made sense to her. She pulled back, her hands on his biceps as she grinned. “Hi.”
“Hello,” he laughed. “Mother, this is Granger- I mean Hermione, Hermione Granger. Granger, this is mum.”
Narcissa chuckled and it was like all of the birds sang when she laughed, and Hermione’s core melted. “Hello, Miss Granger, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Shall we go in? I’m desperate for a butterscotch ice cream on this beautiful day.”
Draco opened the door for them both, his hand on Hermione’s back as he guided her into the building. Narcissa led them to a table in the window where they all sat, and Hermione handed her the flowers. “I just wanted to say it now before I forget it and also because I’m a little bit nervous.” She giggled, before clamping her hand over her mouth and groaning. “Oh, Merlin.”
Narcissa and Draco exchanged smiles, and looked at her expectantly.
“I just wanted to say thank you, for the book and the bookshelf, and all of the time you put into it, choosing the different books. It really means a lot to me.”
“You know, you have thanked me repeatedly over the last couple of months,” Draco pointed out, which earned him a brief smack over the head from Narcissa. “Ow!”
“Be nice, Draco. You are very welcome, Miss Granger. The book is better in your possession than it ever has been in mine. I think, if I am completely honest, I have read Hogwarts: A History once, and that was only as a refresher before Draco got his letter.” Narcissa smiled at Hermione. “It really is so nice to properly meet you, especially as you’ve had my son smiling for the last 3 months.”
“I don’t smile.” Draco scowled, and Narcissa belly laughed.
“Oh, but you do.”
Hermione softened at the interaction, and stirred her tea. She was about to ask a question, but a patronus interrupted her. It was a tiny niffler that scuttled around the table before sitting and looking at Hermione. It hesitated before opening its mouth, and Theo Nott’s voice came booming out of it. “HAVE FUN ON YOUR DATE WITH THE MALFOYS, GRANGER. THEY’LL LOVE YOU.” causing everyone in the shop to look around at them, and Hermione flushed a bright red.
Draco was trying to hide a smirk, whilst Narcissa was openly giggling. “I love Theodore,” she sighed wistfully.
“I know, he’s the son you always wanted.” Draco rolled his eyes, and Narcissa looked at her wristwatch.
“My apologies that I must cut this little meeting short, but I have somewhere I need to be. Hermione, may I call you Hermione? It was an absolute pleasure to meet you, and I hope next time you can come to the Manor and we can show you the library.” She stood and Hermione followed suit, kissing Narcissa on the cheek before she left. Draco stood to hug her and Narcissa batted him away with her hand. “Don’t even think about messing up my hair, Draco, shoo.”
They both watched Narcissa leave, and then Draco sighed. “She likes you,” he smiled. “She never usually likes people. Only Theo, and sometimes she likes Pansy.”
“She’s really lovely.”
“She wants to meet Harry properly, as well. Considering, she did save his life.” Draco grinned, stirring his tea.
“How do you take your tea?” Hermione asked.
“Milk, 2 teaspoons of honey. Why?”
“..no reason.” Hermione’s heart fluttered, as it was finally confirmed how Draco took his tea, and she knew she had been copying it right throughout school. “So..”
“So..”
“I was wondering,” they both said in unison, and then laughed.
“You go ahead,” Draco urged.
“No, no, I insist.”
“Fine,” he sighed dramatically. “I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me? Properly? You can bring Theo if you want, as like, an ice breaker, but I really want to take you out.”
“That sounds incredible, but I have one request.”
“Anything.”
“We go out in muggle London.”
Draco grinned. “It’s like you read my mind.”
“I won’t bring Theo.”
“What if I bring Theo?”
“You won’t bring Theo.”
“I might. ”
The year was 2001. If Hermione had known that this was the year that Ron Weasley would be scorned, she probably would’ve approached it better. She was sitting in her apartment with Draco’s arm around her shoulder, and Ginny was sat on the floor leaning against the sofa Hermione was sat on, as Hermione plaited Ginny’s hair. The floo roared to life and Theo Nott sauntered in holding a bottle of firewhiskey in one hand and a bottle of red wine for the girls.
“Let movie night begin!” He announced to the room, and pulled all of the snacks out of Hermione’s bag that he had borrowed. “This undetectable extension charm is exquisite work, Hermione.”
“Thanks,” she grinned, summoning a packet of crisps and two glasses for the wine. Draco kissed her cheek and said he was going to the bathroom, and he left the living room, leaving Theo, Hermione and Ginny to sort everything out. Hermione was about to lock the floo, before Ron came through, furious.
“Why have I just bumped into Theodore Nott at the shop and he told me that he’s coming here for movie night with you, Ginny and Malfoy? ”
“Probably because he is?” Hermione laughed, unscrewing the wine bottle, catching Theo’s eye behind Ron.
“Are you sleeping with them?” He accused, his eyes wild.
“What? No! Ron, what are you doing here?”
He pulled flowers out from behind him. “I came to make things better, but I can see you’re already.. occupied.”
“Ron, don’t be an arse.” Ginny brushed past Theo and Ron’s eyes went dark.
“Don’t tell me you’re screwing a Death Eater, too.”
Ginny opened her mouth, but Theo got there first. “Death Eater’s son, actually, and honestly, whoever your sister is ‘screwing’, I’m sure it’s none of your concern.”
Ron’s face went a deep red, and he lunged towards Theo, but got stopped by Draco’s large frame. “What’s going on?”
“ Malfoy.” Ron growled.
“Weasley. You alright?”
“I need you to leave.” Ron seethed. “I need you all to leave, and I need to talk to Hermione alone.”
“Unfortunately, mate, I don’t really feel comfortable leaving my girl alone with you when you’re in this mood. How about you have a glass of whiskey and join us for the film, yeah?”
“YOUR GIRL? YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T SHAGGING HIM.” Ron roared.
“I’m not shagging him, Ron. We’ve just started seeing each other, not that it’s any of your concern. I really think you should go,” Hermione said, gripping a tea towel tightly. “I’m going to floo call Harry.”
“Yeah, call Harry, tell him you’re here with Malfoy and Ginny is cheating on him with Theo.”
“Ron, there’s a reason no one has told you anything, and it’s because you fly off the handle like this. Harry and I haven’t been together for a while, please go home.” Ginny begged.
“I’ll get you back, ‘Mione. He’ll get locked up and you’ll have no choice. I’ll lock him up myself. I finished my training today, I could arrest him this second.”
“Except you couldn’t, I’m working his case and there’s not enough evidence.”
Ron rolled his eyes. “I’ll find evidence. You’ll wish you were never born, Malfoy. Azkaban will eat you up, and you’ll rot in there.”
With that final sentence, Ron walked back through the floo and left the flat empty. Hermione was too angry to lock the floo, so Draco silently took her wand and did it for her, topping up everyone’s drinks and leading everyone back to the sitting area. “Let’s watch our stupid muggle film, alright?” He rubbed Hermione’s shoulders. “Let’s relax, my love. Let’s tease Theo and Ginny, you love doing that.”
“Yeah,” Hermione blew out air. “Only cause they’re dancing around one another with a mind numbingly borish mating ritual.”
Ginny threw a pillow at Hermione’s head. “Fuck off.” Which caused Draco to chuckle loudly, pressing another kiss to Hermione’s temple.
The year was 2002. Harry was pacing the room, watching the clock at St. Mungos. Draco was supposed to be here, he got out of Azkaban today and the stress and excitement sent Pansy into labour early. His hands were sweating and he kept watching the door. The nurses had sent him out because he was just irritating Pansy during her contractions, and he felt like he was just floating aimlessly.
All of a sudden, he saw a flash of flaming hair and before he could even focus, there was a blow to his chest as Ginny launched herself at him. “Congratulations, Harry.” She beamed. “He’s here. He had to shower and shave, but he’s here.” She stepped aside and Malfoy moved into view, and Harry felt like he could finally breathe.
Pulling Malfoy into a bone crushing hug, he walked the two of them back into the delivery room where Hermione and Theo were breathing along with Pansy, and the second Pansy laid eyes on Draco, she started crying. “You’re here. You didn’t miss it.”
“I wouldn’t miss the birth of my godchild for anything, Pans. I love you.” He held her hand and winced as she gripped it tightly, working through another contraction. There was nothing he wanted more than to bring his witch into his arms, but they both knew that there was something much more important than a reunion. He was brought out of his musings as Pansy started screaming.
“You’re crowning, my love, I can see the head.” Harry grinned.
“Get it out of me,” Pansy groaned. “I can’t do this, we can come back tomorrow.”
“One more big push, Pans, you can do this.” Draco encouraged Pansy. “Come on.”
A few seconds, or a few hours later, Draco wasn’t entirely sure, the softest baby cry broke the air, and everyone sobbed in relief, laughing.
“Miss Parkinson, you and Mr Potter have a beautiful, smiling baby girl.”
“Merlin, a baby girl.” Harry sniffled, and Pansy grinned.
“Give her to me, I need to see her,” Pansy smiled. “Oh look, her little nose. She has your eyelashes, Harry.”
“What’s she called?” Theo wiped sweat from his brow as he put his arm around Ginny.
“Nova Constantine Potter.” Pansy smiled. “Draco, meet Nova. She’s your goddaughter.”
Draco held the tiny bundle in his hands, and all of Azkaban was immediately forgotten. It was worth being locked up for this, and he’d go through it all again for Nova. He kissed his goddaughter on the forehead before handing her back to Pansy, and walked to Hermione, who was grinning.
“Welcome home, my love.” She smiled.
“Marry me, Hermione.” He whispered into her ear as he picked her up, wrapping her around him. “I don’t want to wait another second where you’re not promised to me forever.”
Hermione pulled back, looking at Draco in the eyes before she smiled widely and kissed him.
~ fin.