The Right Choice

Chapter Seventeen

The next day Hermione awoke before everyone else in the house. She arose quietly so as not to wake Draco. They had been sharing a room since the house only contained three bedrooms. Draco offered to sleep on the couch to make her feel more comfortable but she had insisted that he take the extra bed.

The truth was Hermione was uncomfortable, but she would never let him see it. She wanted so badly to just go back to how they were before Draco shattered her heart. But she couldn't bring herself to dive right back in. He had saved her life and put his own on the line. He put her before his family. She couldn't understand why she couldn't let him back in.

She watched him sleep, wanting to enjoy the peace before everyone woke up. It was only a week until they would sneak into Hogwarts. She was sure that it would be their last act of defiance before Voldemort would strike. The school and the grounds would be crawling with dementors and Death Eaters.

Finally, she made herself leave her bed. She headed downstairs to the kitchen. She ensured the potion was still brewing and made herself a bowl of cereal for her breakfast. It was another hour before anyone else was awake.

After a while Harry joined her in the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hermione, you're up rather early. How long have you been down here?" he asked.

"About an hour." she replied. "No deaths reported."

She handed Harry the copy of the Daily Prophet that she had been reading.

"Of course not," Harry said, taking the paper from her, "they'll only report if someone of significance has been murdered."

He was not wrong. Voldemort had a hand in everything now, including the Daily Prophet. He would only acknowledge a death if it was of importance to him.

"How is it looking?" Harry asked, gesturing to the cauldron in front of Hermione.

"It's right on track, it will be ready in a week." she replied.

Harry took a good look at his friend. She had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She was tense in everything she did. Ever since Draco had been staying with them, she had been like this. And Harry knew why, he could see it whenever they were near each other.

"Hermione, if Ron and I can trust Draco, you can too." Harry said, afraid to look at her for fear she might snap at him.

Hermione was quiet. She had stopped what she was doing. If only to break the awkward silence, Harry continued on.

"He helped us escape. He was ready to kill his aunt before she could touch you again. The both of you would have been werewolf food without him. He killed someone for you, and I know he'd do it again. I could see it on his face. He did what he had to in order to protect you. Nobody can lie that well. He was just doing his best to keep you safe, he wasn't pretending to be in a relationship with you. Besides, he never did get any valuable information about us or our plans before he had to leave with the Death Eaters."

When Harry finished, Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I know, Harry. And I don't know why I can't convince myself. I want to believe him so badly but I just can't."

"You need to Hermione. It's not going to do you any good to keep it all bottled up. At least talk to him."

They both thought on what he had just said.

"I see the way he looks at you, you know." Harry stated. "When you're not looking, he stares at you. He wants to be close to you so badly. It's the same way I used to look at Ginny, according to you."

Hermione let out a small laugh, but she nodded. "Alright, I'll talk to him."

And with that, she marched back upstairs to the bedroom. But Draco was nowhere in sight when she entered. She looked around, puzzled. Before she could leave, he emerged from the bathroom with only a towel around his waist.

In truth, he looked fantastic. But Hermione tore her eyes away and turned around.

"Draco, I would like to talk to you." she said to the floor. "You know, whenever you're dressed."

"Okay." Draco said, regarding her curiously. She nodded and left him alone to dress.

"I'll be just outside the door whenever you're ready." She told him, closing the door behind her.

When he had finished, he called her back in and she entered. He was wearing muggle clothing, and it actually suited him.

"I know, Draco Malfoy in muggle clothes. Who would have thought." He said with a smile. "Fleur found them for me in the town nearby."

Hermione nodded and sat on her bed.

"Hermione," he said, sitting next to her, "what is it? Is something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head. "I've just been talking to Harry, and he's made a validated point. I've been shutting you out, and I'm sorry. It's been hindering the both of us and I know it."

Draco considered this, and dared to place a hand over hers. "I deserve it. I'm truly sorry, for everything. I just wanted to keep you safe. It killed me, but I knew you were better off with a broken heart than dead."

Hermione smiled. "You don't deserve it. You've made up for it ten times over. You lied to You-Know-Who and you stood between me and your aunt. You killed for me Draco. I should have realized the moment I was informed of all of this that I could trust you. I guess I'm just terrified of the emotional pain."

Draco squeezed her hand. "I'll never do it again. I'll find another way to keep you safe. You're a target right now to them, but I won't leave your side. I'll die for you."

Hermione took his hand in both of hers. "I know, because I would do the same for you."

Draco leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers, but he didn't dare kiss her. They would move at a pace that was comfortable to her. And she had not indicated that she was ready.

"Draco," she whispered. He could hear it in her voice. She was on the verge of tears. Whether happy or sad, he wasn't sure. He pulled away and brushed a tear off her cheek with his thumb.

"I can't just jump back in. It wouldn't bode well for either of us. We need to take our time."

Draco considered this. She was right of course, but that didn't stop him from wanting to wrap his arms around her and kiss her like he never had. He would resist the urge though, because she asked him to. And he would do anything for her.

"I agree." He said with a reassuring smile. Hermione returned it and kissed him on the cheek. It was enough to keep him going.