Struggling Through New Beginnings

Chapter 27

Draco had watched Hermione and her parents as they trekked from table to table laughing with each group. He noticed the easy handshakes and light hugs given to his fellow students and wondered with a swallow what would happen when her family reached their table. He wasn't sure how much her parents knew about the war, their previous years together, or his family's part in it all, but he was fairly sure if Hermione had ever spoken of him, it wouldn't have been good. He got lost in his thoughts of ways to escape the introductions and before he knew it they were in front of him. He stood when his friends did and prepared himself for whatever was about to happen.

"Um, these are my parents, Jean and Herb Granger. Mom, Dad, this is Pansy."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," she answered softly, her cheeks red and her breathing shallow.

"And, what house are you in, Pansy?" Hermione's mother asked with a smile.

"Um, Slytherin, Ma'am," Pansy whispered, as if ashamed to admit it. Then her shoulders fell a bit as she rambled, "We all are. Well, except for Parvati, but I'm sure you already know that."

Her father actually stepped back a bit from them when he asked his daughter, "Isn't that the house that..."

Hermione talked hurriedly over him, "And, this is Greg, Theo, you know Parvati, Millie, and uh Malf...um, I mean, Draco."

The Grangers had nodded stiffly to each as they were introduced. But, when she said Draco's name, both of their forced smiles fell and their backs stiffened even more. In the hostile short silence, Draco cleared his throat and lifted his chin.

But, his voice was low and sincere when he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. "You've raised quite a young witch, uh, woman."

Her mother's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in confusion as she looked at him, but her intense dislike was clear. Draco noticed with an inner grin that she looked a lot like her daughter and even had the same smattering of freckles across her nose. Heck, she even looked at him the same way. Although, Hermione had stopped looking at him like that a while ago, he reminded himself. Her father, while not as similar to his daughter in appearance, had her personality and looked down his nose at Draco. And, he wondered once again how much they actually had heard about him. He stopped himself from stepping back from the bigger man's anger and kept his face impassive.

Herb Granger looked down at his daughter and demanded, "Am I correct in assuming that Malf is short for Malfoy?"

Hermione's father was a large man, his eyes level with Draco's, but his build more reminiscent of Greg's, and he looked quite formidable in his anger. Draco saw Hermione flinch at her father's tone as she gave a short nod and he braced himself.

Her father's mouth opened to let loose the string of things he'd always planned to say to the young jerk that had made his daughter's school days a misery, if he ever had the chance. But, before he got out the first word, Hermione jumped in again.

She pulled on his arm, "Uh, Dad, why don't we go get a drink?"

He wouldn't budge as he stared the younger man down, "Not until I say a few things to this..."

"Herbert!" her mother interrupted quietly. "Let's go."

He looked ready to argue and Draco wondered briefly if her father was about to start swinging. Finally, with a grunt and one last look of intense dislike at Draco, he allowed his wife to pull him away. As everyone around them relaxed back into quiet, nervous conversation, Hermione hovered between leaving and staying as she looked at the retreating backs of her parents. Finally, she turned to look up at Draco.