Facing The Maze

Ten

We eat lunch downstairs in the pub, I can't bare being stuck in the room all day and night. Of course we must still be joined by Simon.

"I noticed you aren't wearing a wedding ring?" Draco points out to Harry. "Has something happened while I was-well, away?" he questions.

Harry looks at his wedding finger, "Well, I couldn't get married without one of my best men, could I?"

Draco looks a little surprised. "You postponed the wedding? Because of me?"

"Of course we did, that and the fact that it would have been a little insensitive to get married in front of Hermione when, well she had no idea what had happened to you." Replies Harry.

Draco looks down into his food, but I take his hand.

"Draco, it isn't your fault. None of it. I admit I was angry at first, but when nobody, not even your mother apparently, knew where you were, then the anger faded and turned into worry." I say.

He looks at me, "But because I was gone you forgot to live your life, I'm not stupid, I know you Hermione. And then Harry and Ginny didn't get married because I was gone. I've ruined a whole year of more than one person's life!"

"Did you honestly think I could just forget about you? You know how much I love you. How much everyone cares about you. How could I, we go on without you?" I reply.

"Draco, honestly mate, it isn't your fault. Fair enough yeah Hermione grieved for a year, but we just knew you would be back, hence why Ginny and I postponed our wedding. You're like family, we couldn't do something so big without you." Harry tries to reason.

"Yeah, and not everything stopped. Did Hermione tell you?" says Ron.

"Tell me what?" he replies looking at me.

"Emma and I, we're expecting a baby!" replies Ron as he shovels pasta down his throat.

"Honestly Ronald, you're revealing extremely big and exciting news, and you can't put a fork down for a second!" I scold.

"What? I'm hungry!" he says with his fork suspended in mid-air.

Classic Ron Weasley.

"Anyway, that's brilliant news Ron. Congratulations!" says Draco.

"Thanks mate, you should stop by some time." Replies Ron.

Throughout the rest of lunch, I get the feeling that Draco is hiding something from me, so once we have finished our meal, I ask the boys if there is a chance that Draco and I can have some time alone.

"Of course, besides, it's you that has to be protected, I need to see Ginny and Ron should really check in with Emma." Says Harry. The two of them go back to the Burrow and Draco and I return to the room.

Simon takes his position outside the bedroom door, and once the door is closed I lock it and place a charm on it so that nobody outside can hear what is going on inside. It's the first time I have felt free in 24 hours.

I feel Draco wrap his arms around my waist. A feeling I have longed for, for such a long time.

"We should be married by now." He murmurs in my ear. "I know, we will be, soon." I reply.

I turn so that I am facing him. "Draco, did you think, while you were away, that- that I wouldn't want you back whenever you got back?" I had gotten this vibe from him while we were talking downstairs.

He presses his forehead against mine. "I worried that- that you would think that I had just left you, to go back to the Death Eaters. I knew eventually you would track me down, and I was afraid that when you did that you would hate me. Every night I dreamt of you. Every dream started out normal, we were happy, and then we weren't. You would hate me, and tell me I was disgusting." he confesses.