Dramione and the Half Blood Prince.

25. First impressions

Draco thought for a long time about what Hermione meant by 'I've spent my life remembering you'... Of course, she only had memories that involve him – including both good and bad... The punch in their 3rd year being an immediate one that popped to mind.

"Hermione" he whispered and turned his head slightly to the beautiful girl next to him, they were sat on a block of chairs outside Alice and Franks room. She had fallen sound asleep in the time Draco had spent over thinking. He felt the sides of his mouth lift at the sight of her, he moved his right hand slowly to stroke some of her hair out of her face – she smiled in her sleep and sighed. Her involuntary actions always made his supposedly frozen heart melt.

He looked back into the Longbottom's room, Hermione was completely right when she said they still love each other. There they were – in two separate beds laid next to each other each looking at one another. They just stared, they had been put under the cruciatus curse for such a prolonged period that they had been permanently and mentally scared, but they still had enough understanding to know with whom they were next to – and to love them.

Draco turned his head as he noticed a man and a woman walk through the double doors at the end of the corridor, sadness and anxiousness played across their faces. The woman's eyes dropped to a sleeping Hermione and a smile creeped across her lips before a tear fell slowly down her cheek, her chin quaking slightly. Draco stood up slowly, making sure not to wake the girl next to him.

"Mr and Mrs Granger?" He asked quietly, walking towards them.

The man nodded and held out his hand for him to shake, Draco took it before continuing "Could we speak outside please? She's only just fallen asleep and I daren't wake her..." Draco asked politely.

"Of- of course" he nodded taking his wives hand. Draco lead them to the other side of the double doors, where a large glass water feature fell from ceiling to floor.

Draco stared at the mesmerising water before Mrs Granger placed her hand on Draco's arm "You're Draco... aren't you?" she asked as he turned and slowly nodded "Hermione wrote to tell us about you. About how in love she was with you – well... IS... in love with you..." another tear fell down her cheek.

"Mrs Granger, I'm so sorry" Draco shook his head, his eyebrows dipping at the pain he could see in her eyes "I can't even begin to imagine how this feels for you, if there is anything I can ever do for you-"

"there is actually," Mr Granger placed his arm round his wife to comfort her "Please, just know how important she is and never let her slip away – it's happened to us... and I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone."

"I can promise you, Mr Granger, I will never ever let that happen." Draco didn't know what else he could say, his heart was breaking at the sight of her distraught parents that she couldn't even remember. "I promise to look after your daughter Mr Granger, and I promise to try everything in my power to jog her memory." He looked up at the bewildered father who had tears brimming his eyes.

"She's chosen well in you young man" he smiled before rapping Draco in a tight embrace. Draco had no idea what to do so hugged him back in an attempt not to seem rude.

Mr Granger pulled back and sniffed, re-composing himself. "Thank you" he nodded at Draco before walking off, leaving his wife and Draco alone.

Mrs Granger started at Draco, tears brimming in her eyes and her mouth slightly agape, like she wanted to say something - but wasn't quite brave enough. "...Did I make the right choice? Sending her to that school all those years ago?" she looked at Draco with nothing but sadness and a longing for her daughter to return to her in her eyes. "Even though she has no idea who we are" she let tears roll down her cheeks as Draco tried to find the words to comfort her with.