The Inevitable

Chapter 13 - A Mother Knows

Hermione's POV

I leaned against the counter in the bathroom hanging my head. Three days. Three full days I had been here with him. Three full days I had gotten to see the true Draco Malfoy. He was a gentleman. He was kindhearted underneath that strong man bravado. He hadn't opened up much, but I'm a smart girl. It didn't take much to see he was happier here...happier being away from everything. It's true I had come to the conclusion he was a death eater. That also didn't take much thinking. I truly hadn't wanted to believe it...but what could he have done? He's an eighteen year old man stuck in a family full of darkness. I undid the straps of my dress pulling it off my body. I grabbed ahold of the tshirt I had been wearing earlier that day and threw it on. Laying down on the bed, I went over everything that has happened in my head. We would have to break into the ministry at this point. There was no other way we could get a timeturner...

I turned over to my side letting my mind go wild. Since our little accident I have kissed my childhood bully, watched my best friend be in love with someone I never imagined she could, had my other best friend pretty much attack me...too much has been happening. I knew the first thing I would do when I got back was make sure Ron doesn't turn into...whatever he is now. I had never really seen him as more than a brother. I'm not sure he sees me that way yet, but I would make sure when the time came, he wouldn't spiral because of me. Next obstacle was Draco...maybe even my first. I would like to think we are friends now. Based off this future we are stuck in, we apparently fall in love. Could I love him? I'm not even sure if I see him that way. Sure he's handsome and can be kind...it's not like I haven't thought about that kiss ever since it happened...

"Ughhh," I groaned rolling onto my back again. My brain was going to explode. Do I even need to be thinking of possibilities with our relationship when a war is supposed to happen? He hadn't made an sign of thinking we could be more than friends. Too many thoughts and emotions swirled through my brain.

"Draco, darling!" A voice called causing me to jump from the bed. Moving quickly, I opened the door right as Draco opened his.

"What was that?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not sure it sounded like..."

"Hermione! Where are you two?" The voice spoke again.

"Mother!" Draco said excitedly running toward the stairs. I followed closely behind him. When we reached the top of the stairs, we looked down to see Narcissa Malfoy standing in the middle of the room below us. "Mother," Draco said with a smile on his face. He made his way down the stairs taking them two at a time. When he reached his mother, he took a second to look at her and then wrapped her in his arms.

"Darling are you alright?" Narcissa questioned as she hugged him back. When I reached them, she pulled away from Draco and surprisingly hugged me. I stood in shock as she squeezed me tight. "Hermione! Are you alright?"

"Um...I'm uh," I looked at Draco over her shoulder. He shrugged not really knowing what to do. "I'm fine Mrs. Malfoy." She pulled away giving me a strange look.

"Malfoy? Oh dear you know I went back to Black after Lucious died," she said scanning my face. "Also how many times do I have to tell you to call me cissy dear?"

"Oh right, yes of course," I said quickly. I wanted to smack myself.

"Mother," Draco spoke causing her to turn around to face him. "What are you doing here? It's late..." He looked happy yet conflicted at her presence. I could only assume his happiness was seeing she survived the supposed war. I did notice he didn't even flinch when she said his father had died....

"Oh I know, but Pansy gave me a floo call to tell me what that daft man did to Hermione! I just had to come check on you two. I know how much situations like that scare you both." She turned back to me and began checking over me as if I were child who had fallen off her bicycle. "I'm more mad at myself for not being there! I told myself I didn't need to go simply because I know how you kids can get a little wild at these to dos...oh Molly is going to strangle that boy! I shall offer my assistance...he needs a good beating." At her words, Draco's eyes almost popped out of his skull.

"What the fuck?" He asked. By the way he slammed his mouth shut, I can tell he didn't mean to say that out loud. Narcissa gasped and whirled back at her son.

"Draco Malfoy! You know how I feel about cursing!" At her scolding Draco seemed to shrink causing a smile to come to my face. "Come now, let's have some tea." She walked away from us in her regal fashion. When she disappeared behind the door leading to the kitchen, I walked up to Draco.

"What the hell do we do now?! Your mother is here and I already fucked up calling her Mrs. Malfoy! How the fuck are we supposed to handle this situation when we know nothing about ourselves?!" I whispered yelled. We were inches apart and I could feel the warmth of his body. When he moved to cross his arms they brushed against my chest causing a shiver to roll down my spine.

"I don't-" he stopped looking down at me. "Hermione?"

"What?"

"You have no pants on." I gasped looking down to see my naked legs. I squeaked pulling my shirt down as far as I could. It was one of future Hermione's so it fit me like a regular shirt...it didn't even cover my bum. I turned quickly to run up the stairs and grab some shorts. I turned to speak to Draco once again, but found his eyes were on my ass.

"Draco!" I snapped causing him to snap his eyes back to my face. He cleared his throat moving toward me.

"Let's get you something more appropriate to wear and then we can handle my mother...we will just have to be cautious about what we say and do...my mother is smart woman Hermione, she will know we are lying if we aren't careful. She will know we aren't who we say we are is we fuck up." He tried to move past me but I grabbed his arm.

"You were just staring at my ass," I said scolding him. All he did in return is give me his classic smirk.

"I couldn't help it...it was a nice view," he winked then proceeded to move up the stairs. Part of me wanted to slap him...the other part...well the other part wanted to swoon.

Back in the kitchen....

"Listen to me very carefully," she spoke quietly into the fireplace. "That man and woman is not my son or my daughter in law. You need to get here as fast as you can!"

"Cissy, I'm not sure I'm understanding you fully...you're not making much sense."

"Theodore you know better than to question me! Get Harry, Ginny, Pansy, and Blaise...bring your women if you must!"

"Have you been taking those shrooms Luna keeps giving everyone?" Theo asked through the floo call. Narcissa sighed as she shook her head.

"Theodore, I just heard this Hermione say 'how are we supposed to handle this situation if we know nothing of ourselves'"

"That doesn't exactly call for us to come in firing at will," he said moving around.

"Then how about the man pretending to be my boy said I would know they are not who they say they are? Explain that!"

"Okay, I'll admit, them saying those things is odd..." Another form appeared in the fireplace. Pansy stood next to Theo and looked sour.

"Pansy dear, that was fast," Narcissa said watching her figure.

"Ginny and I were already here. We were staying with Theo and Luna while Ginnys parents finish up on our house...they said it needed a few more things- that's besides the point! I believe Cissy," she said turning to Theo.

"I just agreed that the things they said were odd!" He said defensively.

"Well this is something else, how about the fact that Hermione's scar is nowhere to be seen?" At that, Narcissa gasped. She hadn't completely registered it at the time, but there was no scar on her arm. She had watched her decrepit sister carve that horrid word into Hermione's arm.

"We are on our way...we will get to the bottom of this." Theo nodded ending the floo call. Narcissa turned back to the door. She had seen the two imposters climb the stairs, so she knew they wouldn't hear what she was about to do. She raised her wand and began chanting. Waving her wand in the intricate patterns, she watched it glow. When it vibrated in her hands, she knew it was done. The old wards were back in place. No one could go out or come in unless she said so. These people would not be going anywhere until she found out where her son and daughter-in-law truly were.