Chapter Text
Draco could still hear the slamming of the door ringing in his mind as he sat on the edge of his bed.
"This is not the man I raised you to be."
"No, Father, you didn't raise me to be a man."
The photograph on his nightstand smiled, eyes full of tender love and flickering concern. At least for a moment, until she stuck her tongue out at him again. She had always been spirited. It was one of the first things that had drawn him to her. And when she had punched him in the face, well, then he'd been hooked. When the door opened, Draco's head snapped up and his hand went to his wand, half expecting to have to hex his father out of the room to avoid yet another lecture about his duty as a pureblood and a Malfoy.
"My dear dragon, you never do things by half, do you?"
"Mother, I can't help how I feel."
"Nor would I ask you to. But, is this honest? Does she care for you as you care for her? Did you talk to her before you pulled that little stunt with your father?"
Draco looked down.
"I did, Mother. She said yes. And her parents approve, even knowing my past and...about Father and his part in the war."
She nodded, letting a smile play at her lips.
"Then, I think, that it is time for me to teach you how to handle your father, Draco."
Narcissa sat on the bed beside him and picked up the photograph of the Granger girl...no...Hermione. She would have to get used to using the girl's proper name if this was to go forward.
"In case it was not entirely clear, you have my blessing, dearest. From what I...overheard...from your conversation with your father, she is more than deserving of you, blood status or no."
He looked up, surprise showing in his grey eyes.
"Mother...you mean it?"
"Would I tell you such a thing if I didn't, my dragon? Never even think it. Now, I think the first thing we should do is get her friends on your side. Unless of course, you've already done that?"
"Potter certainly, Longbottom will take some convincing."
"And Weasley?"
Draco smiled slowly.
"She and the Weasel are no longer on speaking terms."
"Is that so? I hope you didn't do anything...questionable."
"Certainly not, Mother. I merely pointed Hermione towards several muggle books on the topic of abuse. It only seemed fair, at the time, as she had been helping me after the war."
Narcissa couldn't help but smile.
"And it was an added benefit that this enabled you to be the shoulder for the girl you've fancied since you were a boy."
Draco didn't respond with words, just a smile. Narcissa chuckled.
"The blood of the Blacks certainly flows in your veins, my son. As if there was any question... But yes, to the task at hand. Has she been in association with your friends?"
Draco's grin turned to a tender smile.
"She's actually out with Pansy tonight. Pans is helping her relax while she waits for news from me."
Hermione drummed her fingers on the table and Pansy rolled her eyes, flicking her fingers at the server for his attention.
"A G&T for my friend, if you would."
He nodded, giving Pansy a smile he clearly thought was flirtatious and she winced inwardly.
"But...what if he-?"
"Alright, Hermione, since we're clearly going to have this conversation again. I want you to picture Draco, your Draco, recent last couple of years Draco. Can you imagine him toadying along behind his father?"
"No..."
"And do you honestly think he's going to care if his father threatens to...I don't know, disown him or something?"
"I...I don't..." She paused, trying to arrange her scrambling thoughts and Pansy charged right ahead.
"He's mad for you, which honestly is something, because I would have sworn he was all set to take it from Potter any day now..."
"PANSY."
"But seriously, it doesn't matter a bit what good ol' Luscious has to say. If you and Draco want to get married and go run off to have terrifyingly smart kids who will probably take over the world, then that's exactly what you're going to do."
The server set the G&T in front of Hermione and tried to give her the same smile. She wasn't entirely sure how to react, but thankfully Pansy stepped in.
"She's taken." Pause. "Though...I might have a friend who'd like to meet you."
Several minutes later, with the server's name and number in hand and with Hermione significantly more relaxed thanks to her libations, the pair wandered out into the night.
"So...who are you subjecting him to?"
"Not subjecting...this time. Millie could use a date."
"Millie?"
"Bulstrode. You must remember her."
Hermione blanched and nodded.
"I remember...and her cat."
Draco apparated into the front entry of Hermione's flat and sat on the bench that was there to wait for her to get home, trying to figure out how he was going to explain what had happened, to explain the bitter rage and the tears on the his face, to explain the mad plan that was their best hope. After a moment, he stood and went to go at least wash his face so he would be presentable when she got home.
The last thing he had expected was for Hermione to be intoxicated. Though, on reflection he should have seen it coming.
"Its fine, Draco. I know exactly how to keep her from panicking."
Yes, this was definitely Pansy's doing. She could barely stand and it was taking all of Draco's will to keep from laughing as he helped her up to her bed.
"You are utterly sloshed, aren't you?"
"I am no such thing." She didn't notice the stress she was putting on the words, didn't notice the effort it was taking for her to keep her head upright.
"I certainly hope Pansy didn't let you walk home like this."
"She made me go side-along."
"Good, good. Remind me to thank her later."
He kissed her forehead and managed to navigate her into her room. It was times like this that he wished she had a house-elf. Chewing his lower lip, he spoke quietly.
"Mappy, a moment if you would."
His personal house-elf popped into the air beside him.
"Master Draco is needing Mappy?"
"Yes, please. Could you fetch some tea for Hermione? The kind I usually need after a night out with Pansy."
"Mappy is knowing which tea. Is Mistress Hermione liking food as well?"
"Just a light snack. And if it isn't too much trouble, could you fetch me a change of clothes for a morning? I'm going to stay here tonight."
Mappy fidgeted nervously.
"Master Lucius will not be pleased."
"I don't give a damn what my father thinks." He snapped and then immediately regretted it as Mappy flinched. "No, its alright, I'm not upset with you."
"Mappy will be right back with tea and snacks. Then clothes for Master Draco."
"Thank you, Mappy."
Morning dawned to find Draco with his arms around Hermione as she slept. His clean robes hung over a chair and the smell of breakfast wafted pleasantly through the house. Draco snuggled closer against her, ardently refusing to meet the day until he had to. Waking would mean talking and that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. Hermione woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes and sat up, confused and trying to remember what could possibly be going on. She was in her pajamas and she honestly wasn't sure when or how that had happened. Though, judging from the sleeping blond snuggled up against her, it had probably been his doing.
"Draco, dear, who's cooking?"
He snuggled closer, trying to pull her back down into the blankets.
"Mappy," was his only response.
"Draco!"
He sat up at that, hair mussed and still generally groggy.
"She likes to cook, you know that."
"Still..."
"Argue after we've had breakfast, love."
She only bristled for another moment before kissing him.
"You really spent the night?"
"Of course, Hermione. Did you think I would leave you in the straits Pansy left you in?"
She flushed and looked down.
"I was a mess, wasn't I?"
"You were out with Pansy Parkinson. If you had come home less than three sheets to the wind, I would have accused you of Banishing your drinks all night. I have only met a few people who can out drink Pansy and I'm honestly not sure that most of them count on the grounds of lycanthropy or giant blood."
He stretched and put an arm around her. She leaned against him, sighing comfortably. Then she looked up.
"Oh! Draco...what did your father say?"
He froze, tensing up on the spot and looked away.
"I'm...I'm working on it."
"You're...working....He said no." Her tone turned flat.
He looked up, alarmed, and quickly pulled her into his arms.
"Hermione Granger, don't you even think about giving up. You are the girl who took more classes than there are literally hours in the day for. You fought Death Eaters. You faced down my aunt . If you can do all that, you can do this. Mother is on our side and she has...well...an idea. A plan."