Dramione - Hate Is A Strong Word

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

~Draco's POV~

     The first week of the Easter holidays passed much more smoothly than I could have imagined; Hermione and mother got on really well. It was uncomfortable at first, but I could see mother was trying, and as the week continued she became friendlier and they grew closer together.

Hermione and I had just said our goodbyes to mother as we left the manor and walked, hand in hand, to the gate. We waved one last time to mother stood at the door, before the gates closed and the manor became invisible, once more, to all those outside its boundaries.

I held Hermione's hand tighter, she looked up at me, and then we closed our eyes and turned on the spot. I let Hermione guide me to the right destination. I felt my feet land firmly on hard ground, I slowly opened my eyes and took large gulps of fresh air. We had arrived in a small suburban town; thousands of symmetrical houses built in clustered rows. The street was quiet in the midday sun, no one was around, everyone out at work. The exception being one house, at the end of the cul-de-sac, whose occupants looked through the window every few seconds, as if expecting someone to appear from nowhere.

That we have. I thought as Hermione and I walked closer to the house.

As we approached the white front door, Hermione turned to me,

"Ready?" she smiled.

"Ready." I replied taking a deep breath. She knocked on the door.

The door flew open.

"Hermione!" A small woman screamed and enveloped Hermione into a crushing hug. I stepped back to allow Hermione's parents some space to welcome their daughter home. Once Hermione's mother released her, a kind, round faced man appeared, beaming and hugging Hermione.

"Mum, dad." Hermione said once the hugging was over, "This is Draco Malfoy."

"Hello Mr and Mrs Granger." I smiled, just as I'd practised. They appraised me once and smiled and Hermione's father spoke,

"It's wonderful to meet you Draco."

"Come in, come in." Hermione's mother urged, pushing us inside.

"Draco would you like some tea, or coffee?" Hermione's mother asked. I looked at Hermione for help. I had forgotten to ask about muggle drinks. I didn't know how to respond, why hadn't I prepared earlier, I should have read up on Muggle customs, oh dear oh-

-"He'll have a coffee, just like me." Hermione interrupted my internal monologue. "You'll love it, I promise." She whispered. I nodded and grinned in gratefulness.

Hermione and I settled into the couches in the small living room, waiting as her parents busied themselves making drinks. Hermione stroked the back of my hand with her thumb, to calm me down.

Hermione's parents handed us the coffee and sat down on the couch opposite ours.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione's mother asked us nervously, evidently referring to our wellbeing after our kidnap.

"We are fine, the magical hospital is brilliant, they fixed us up instantly." Hermione replied.

"And my father has been caught and sent to Azkaban, er, the prison, under extra security." I said seriously. "We are safe now, and I'm sorry that my father is the cause of your daughters suffering, I'm just glad it's over and she's safe." I pleaded to her parents.

Hermione squeezed my hand, "You're just as much the victim as I was, Draco." She reminded me.

Hermione's parents seemed more relaxed, at the reassurance of Hermione's safety.

We then moved off the horrible subject and talked in general, getting to know each other. We talked for a while, just small talk about the future and I told them more about myself, until they broached the topic of my past, uncertainly.

I hesitated, wondering how much they knew, and how much I wanted to talk about it.

Hermione put her hand on my arm, "You don't have to answer that Draco."

Hermione's father, or as she refers to him 'dad' asked me, "Draco, I need to know, for peace of mind and my daughters safety, that you are a good man and are no longer on the dark side." He said, clearly unsure what he was talking about, but his intent was all the same. I decided to tell them the truth, with much less detail.

"I understand Mr Granger. But I would like you both to know that I was brought up with a life in the Dark Arts, I didn't know any different. I know that doesn't make me inexcusable for my actions and not helping Hermione sooner, but I was under the threat of my family being murdered. I had no choice. But as soon as the war was over, I worked to try to be better and remove the hatred, because I have seen exactly how it ruins people. I got to know Hermione really well over the past year and she is the best person in my life, she makes me so happy and I can say that I, without a doubt, am in love with your daughter."

They looked at me in silence with their mouths slightly open. I guess they weren't expecting such a response. Hermione hugged me closer and I put my arm around her.

Then Hermione's father burst into tears and Hermione's mother handed him some tissues wiping the corners of her own eyes.

"Well then, welcome to the family Draco." Hermione's mother beamed.

The atmosphere was so much more relaxed after that, as though an invisible, suffocating bubble filled with tension and unasked questions had been popped, which then allowed us to talk as freely as old friends would. Hermione parents even allowed me to call them by their first names, Jean and Alfred, by the end of the night.

At midnight, it was declared bedtime, and I went to sleep on the sofa, swaddled in a large duvet, happy and content.

      Towards the end of the week, Hermione had become restless, demanding that we begin our more intense revision as exams were only two months away. Of course, she had been revising topics for the whole year, but she deemed the ending of the holidays as the time to get on with work. So I followed her lead and for the last few days at the Granger household, Hermione and I sat in the living room with our notes splayed across the coffee table, revising tirelessly, only pausing for meals.

My hand had already begun aching and I had weeks of endless work to continue. Nevertheless, the idea of the impending exams didn't affect me, because I was filled with happiness and love towards Hermione and being accepted by her family.

We said goodbye on the Sunday before school and disapperated quickly, before it became a teary departure. We arrived in Hogsmeade and began our trek up towards the castle, Hermione's arm linked with mine.

"Thank you." she said.

"No thank you." I smiled, as she looked up questioningly, "for the best holiday of my life."