She's Been Busy - Dramione

Hermione

A/N I own none of the characters! Everything belongs to JK Rowling, and no profit is being made from this story. This is just for fun, leave me alone Joanne. Also trans rights are human rights and we do not welcome TERFs in this space <3

Hermione hadn't realised just how much she'd missed Draco. She'd compartmentalised to the point that she had almost forgotten she'd get him back at some point. She kept her mask in place all day, facing off with the most powerful wizards that sat on the Wizengamot, never faltering for a second, and then she'd come home, and shove her face into one of his shirts, inhaling his scent, and allow herself to fall apart just a little bit. She'd promised him on that last day that she'd move on and be happy, but she knew she was lying to him. He was the love of her life, the only one she'd ever want, he'd totally ruined her for anyone else. It had become everything in the last three years, fighting so hard to get him back, to reduce his frankly ridiculous sentence to something that was proportionate. She wasn't stupid, she knew he wasn't innocent, but he had been treated unfairly so that an example could be made of him, and she wasn't willing to let that slide. It unlocked a whole other side of her, a Hermione that took no shit from anyone, that wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in, a woman so confident in her own power that others were intimidated. She'd never been like that before Draco, but he was such an ardent and vocal supporter, that it was hard not to believe him. He had surprised Hermione. When she had seen who was going back for the eighth year, she was shocked to see Draco and Theo had elected to finish school, rather than serve out their time in the Ministry until their trial dates. It left them far more exposed to ridicule, but it was a choice she respected, as an academic herself. She had resolved to be civil, but wouldn't be actively seeking them out. Harry and Ron hadn't gone back, so she was alone, and intended to have a quiet but productive final year. That plan had blown away in the wind as soon as she saw the way the two slytherins were treated. She did not fight in a bloody war to end prejudice for those she fought alongside to then perpetuate that same prejudice, just reversed. She wouldn't allow it, she didn't have the energy. So she threw caution to the wind, and she sat with them. She knew that nobody would dare to hex either of the former death eaters with her in their presence, and so she decided to use her ridiculous new-found status to protect them. Draco had looked like his eyes were going to fall out of his head the first time she'd sat with them. Theo had also been surprised, but had introduced himself politely, and asked how her studies were going. She hadn't really spoken to Theo properly before that day, and she had enjoyed getting to know him immensely. He was quiet around strangers but very loud amongst those he trusted, kind, open-hearted, and had a dark, witty sense of humour that she loved. He was also very intelligent, and she found out that he had been third in their year before the war, behind herself and Malfoy. That was something that had bonded the three of them, as they started up a tentative study group in the early days, before it flourished into friendship. They didn't seem to trust her motives, but she wasn't discouraged. She found herself incredibly sympathetic to their situation, and found both the boys to be enjoyable company, so why shouldn't they be friends? As months passed, they became more comfortable around her, and people stopped staring at them as the three became less of a novelty, and slowly, she found herself having stronger feelings for Malfoy. He was very kind, honest, and loyal to those that mattered to him. Once she was included in that, it gave her a sense of security and steadiness she hadn't felt before. She could see how much the war had affected him, how he hadn't wanted to do any of the things he'd been forced to, and how he just wanted to make amends and continue his life as best he could. As she pictured that future, increasingly she imagined them together in it, and one day, drawing on every scrap of gryffindor courage she had, she told him how she felt. He'd laughed, a sound she'd hoped to hear often after that day, and told her he felt the same, and had for as long as he could remember, and they'd shared their first kiss, hidden among the shelves in the Hogwarts library. It was everything she'd always wanted. He'd looked at her like she meant the world to him, and it made her feel more loved than she ever had. He'd been there for her when she found out her parents had died in Australia, dying in a car accident before she could try to restore their memories. He'd grown to love Crookshanks as she did, only occasionally complaining about being covered in orange fur, and they'd both shed tears when the old cat had finally passed away, although Draco would always deny that. That was something else she hadn't expected about Draco Malfoy. He never hid his emotions from her. When they were alone, everything was painted on his face, as clear as day, and she loved that he trusted her like that. He wasn't afraid to cry, to be sensitive, to be honest with her. It was incredibly endearing. It hadn't taken her very long at all to realise she was in love with him. When they started to discuss his trial, he had been panicking about her being alone if he went to Azkaban, and she had reassured him that they'd be fine, after all, it was them. To her, it had always been simple. They'd both been through hell, and they were out the other side, having found each other. Nothing was taking him from her now, not really. The next day, he'd got down on one knee, the two of them hidden in the trees by the Black Lake, and he'd asked her to marry him. He'd barely got the question out before she'd tackled him, both of them dissolving into tears. She smiled over at the closed bathroom door, remembering his face that day. He'd been so nervous, and she had no idea why. She'd never been more sure of anything, he was her person. Draco had been almost comically bad at hiding their relationship. It was like he always had to be touching her somehow once he knew she was his. How Theo had no idea, it was truly beyond her. She'd spent a week crying once he was sentenced, sobbing into one of his shirts, all alone in the giant Manor she'd once been so scared of. It felt very empty without the Malfoys. Narcissa had always been polite to her, after she saw just how in love her son was, and how impossible it would have been to get him to change his mind, but neither of his parents had supported their relationship in the beginning. She wasn't the pureblood princess they'd been picturing, and the fact that she'd bled on their drawing room made the first few meetings more than a little awkward. Eventually, they came around to her. She'd been unsure of their tentative approval until one conversation she'd had with Lucius Malfoy, which had confirmed to her that they had accepted her as their daughter-in-law. Narcissa had asked Draco to assist her with lifting something in the gardens, leaving her alone with the Malfoy patriarch. She'd been a little nervous as to what he might say, but he'd blindsided her. He'd asked her if she had any advice as to how he would go about freeing his house elves. She'd almost burst into tears on the spot, but she'd held it together, and politely talked to him about his ideas for moving forward. She'd found he was deadly serious, and had ensured all the house elves that elected to stay were paid fair wages, with adequate time off. Hermione had never even mentioned the issue to them directly - she had grown in her understanding since her SPEW days, and saw the issue was more complex than she had ever imagined, and yet Lucius Malfoy was determined to follow through. Draco had almost fallen over when he asked her later what they'd discussed, and had held her close, also understanding what such a gesture meant. Neither of them had needed the approval of his parents, but it didn't mean that it was any less special that they had it. She smiled at the memory, and pulled the green quidditch shirt over her head. It was far too big for her, draping off her and ending half way down her thigh, but it was tradition at this point for her to wear it, and she wanted Draco to know that. She wanted him to know that not once in three years had she contemplated letting him go, that she never would have moved on without him. Nobody would ever love her so completely, not in the way that her husband did. They hadn't had a proper wedding, it was just them, Harry, and Narcissa in the Ministry, with the officiant sworn to secrecy with a vow and a hefty amount of galleons sent his way. She'd like to do it properly one day, the white dress, the party, all of it. The first time had been more about securing everyone's financial positions, if she was being honest, and so she'd like to have a wedding that wasn't overshadowed by her husband's imminent incarceration. Perhaps she'd ask Draco later, if he stopped crying long enough for her to get the words out. She chuckled.

A silver stag galloped into the room and relayed Harry's message that he'd be over as soon as he could, and was overjoyed to hear everyone was home. Harry and Theo's friendship was a unique one. Harry had been incredibly sceptical about Hermione's new friendships with the slytherins, which, she had reasoned, was fair enough. She had gone and befriended the only two Hogwarts students that carried the dark mark, some suspicion was expected. As soon as he'd met up with them, though, he'd seen what she had. Harry and Draco had taken far longer to become civil, but Theo had taken to Harry immediately. They spoke about quidditch, and school, and what the war had been like for each of them. When Harry had broken up with Ginny, he'd told Theo far more than he had Hermione, and she might have been jealous if it wasn't obvious how much that trust meant to the young slytherin. Theo's closest friend for as long as he could remember had been Draco, and even then, Draco had sort of abandoned him a little during school in favour of the more openly loyal Crabbe and Goyle. Theo hadn't wanted to draw that much attention, so had bled into the background. Even the fact that he had taken the mark hadn't been big news, entirely overshadowed by the great Draco Malfoy. She loved her husband, she really did, but, Merlin, did he love attention.

As if to prove her thoughts correct, at that moment her husband left the bathroom, wearing only a towel slung low around his hips and his famous smirk.

"That shirt suits you, you know." He said, eyeing her as he rubbed his hair with a second towel.

He'd lost weight in Azkaban, which wasn't a surprise, but how he'd managed to stay in that sort of shape was entirely beyond her. Another thing about her husband, he was incredibly attractive. He'd filled out after the war, growing into his features, and becoming a little broader. He had always been tall, especially compared to Hermione, and his large hands made her feel safe. She usually did her best not to fuel his already huge ego, but she couldn't help it. It had been three years apart, after all. She openly ogled his bare torso, still a bit wet, which she imagined was on purpose.

"My eyes are up here, Mrs Malfoy." He said, voice low.

"I know." She replied, her eyes not moving from where they were.

He chuckled, and moved to grab some clothes from his dresser. Hermione decided to leave at that point, otherwise they'd never make it out of the bedroom, and she did want to see Harry.

"I'll be downstairs, Harry should be here soon." She said, as Draco turned around, eyes sparkling. Merlin, it was unfair he could just look like that with no effort whatsoever.

"Alright, I won't be long." He replied, turning back around. She practically ran for the door before her resolve broke. It had been a long three years. She felt his eyes on her, and she knew he was beaming with pride at the MALFOY currently written across her back. Turning around, she confirmed her suspicions, and he waggled his eyebrows at her. Rolling her eyes, but a smile on her face, she closed the bedroom door behind her.