To a Better End

Chapter 27

December 30th 1944

Malfoy had barely spoken to her after the ball. Abraxas was a bit more chatty, here and there, but it was nothing drastic. And he certainly didn't expel any more information to Hermione. I know. The words repeated over and over.

He knew.

And now, Hermione was almost positive about who was the binder for Alphie and Malfoy.

Hermione and Malfoy had gone weeks without speaking to each other. If anything was said, it was usually a gruff "Granger" that would come out. Nothing more. It didn't count.

Until his birthday...

A few days prior to his fictitious birthday, the pink elf had quietly approached Hermione, asking if she would still like the Draco boy to get his lemon cake. Hermione smiled. She didn't hate Malfoy.

"Make sure that the boy named Draco always gets his lemon cake. Even when he comes back."

The elf looked at Hermione curiously but nodded before disappearing. And that was how Hermione ended up at one end of the table, smiling at a confused Malfoy when he still got his cake. He glanced in her direction and arched a brow. She merely shrugged before returning to her plate.

Malfoy was invited to go home with Abraxas for the holidays, and he took the opportunity to see his family home in its current state. Hermione would have been left entirely alone, but she had Tom and her two-way journal with Theo.

Her writings to Theo had been brief. Her conflict with her feelings kept tearing at her. She knew she loved Theo, but she couldn't deny that she was feeling similar feelings for another wizard. She began to understand what Theo wanted for her. Full love. And while she knew she loved Theo and he loved her back, there was always that feeling of something missing. She ignored it. She ignored it for years. She ignored it each time she crawled into his bed.

She loved Theo, but she was learning it was possible to fall in love more than once.

Theo, even though he hated it, had stayed in the manor, hiring outside elves to come and deliver essentials. Hermione and Draco had both confirmed that if Theo stayed in his home he wouldn't miss out on anything. Once they both returned to the manor and removed the charmed, it would still be May 23rd. He wouldn't miss any of the small details that he worried about. He just had to trust them.

It also meant that all the visits he made outside of the manor wouldn't have happened. But they didn't reiterate that to him. He seemed pleased with the minor task for any of his friends or for helping with Fred Jr.

It was a strange thought that Hermione had missed that birth. But she would still have the chance to be there for Angelina when they returned, right? Hermione couldn't help but let the uncertainty wash over her. She wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Even the one thing she wanted to be sure of was laced with apprehension. She tried to push the thoughts to the back of her mind as she sat in the common room, leg shaking, while she waited.

At the sight of Tom sauntering into the common, Hermione stood up abruptly.

"Ready?" she asked with a shaky breath.

"If you are, love."

She smiled, giving a light nod. They walked out of the castle together, hand in hand. While their fingers were laced together, Tom would occasionally stroke his thumb over Hermione's hand. An action that had become one of comfort.

He had no idea what plans she had for tonight. All he knew was that Hermione would be apparating them.

Once they got past the wards of the castle, Tom wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, his smile bright. It was already dark out, but the lights in the castle illuminated the couple.