The Marriage Decree

Chapter 12: Nature Picture?

Draco's still staring at his constellation when he hears soft snores coming from his side. He glances down at Hermione, whose head is still resting on his shoulder, to find her eyes shut and her mouth slightly agape as she sleeps. He isn't sure what he's supposed to do in this situation. Blaise fell asleep on his shoulder once on the way back to Hogwarts a few years back. A simple elbow to the ribs had soon sorted that out and ensured he's never done it again. He doubts Hermione will appreciate an elbow to her ribs.

Suddenly she shivers and he remembers that all she's wearing is his shirt so he wraps her cloak around her. With a sigh, he realises that his best option is going to be carrying her inside their house. He reaches back into his pocket for the house keys, then from his position on the floor, he reaches up and unlocks the door, shoving the keys back in his pocket. He wraps his left arm around Hermione's back to stop her falling backwards into the house when he opens the door. He throws the carrier bag in first then uses his right arm to scoop her into a bridal carry. She unconsciously wraps her arms around his neck which makes him smile slightly to know that she's feels comfortable in his arms, even if it is only when she's asleep.

With a struggle, he stands up, holding onto her tightly. He really doesn't want to drop her. He enters their house, careful not to bump her head off the door frame or the walls. He pushes the door shut with his back, toes off his shoes since he doesn't want Hermione to shout at him in the morning if he's dragged dirt or mud up the stairs, then he proceeds to carry her upstairs, one step at a time.

Since her head is resting against his left shoulder, he can only put her on the left side of their bed which he had claimed and his own. He didn't want to wake her though after he's gone through the trouble of carrying her all the way up to their bedroom. He places his knee on the side of the bed and gently sets her down in the middle of the bed, then he carefully rolls her over so she's closer to her side than his.

He gives a sigh of relief when she doesn't wake. Covering her with their quilt, he leaves the bedroom to fetch a glass of water from the kitchen. The fish and chips had left his mouth feeling greasy. He decides that he won't be eating them very often. He remembers to pick up the carrier bag with the rubbish in it in the bin then wash up his glass. Without thinking, he washes it up without using a charm but by hand. He's not really paying attention, instead staring out the kitchen window over their back garden. Well, that's what he tells himself rather than admitting Hermione is having an effect on him.

Once he's finished in the kitchen, he heads back upstairs to brush his teeth and get changed into a pair of pyjama trousers he unpacked earlier in the day. He glances over to Hermione, who's still facing her side of the bed, so he strips out of his clothes in the bedroom, quickly pulling his pyjama trousers on in case she wakes. When he's dressed he carefully peels the quilt back and climbs under trying not to wake her up. Thankfully, he's successful and within minutes, he's asleep.

Hermione is awoken early the next morning by the sun shining through the bedroom window. She turns her back on the window, swiftly drifting back off to sleep. She awoken a second time, mid-morning by shuffling in the bed next to her. She can see from behind her eyelids that it's bright in their bedroom. Too bright. She ponders for a moment why she didn't close the curtains last night before she got into bed but she can't even remember getting into bed. Last thing she remembers from last night was sitting on the doorstep with Draco, eating fish and chips and looking at the stars. She must have fallen asleep outside. Did Draco carry her to bed? He must have.

She squints her right eye open to check if Draco's awake only to find his a few inches away from hers. She freezes, eyes wide, not wanting to make any sudden movements that might wake him. Unfortunately, the lack of her movement must have woken him up as he opens his eyes with a yawn, only to gasp at how close she is. He jerks away from her but he's a lot closer to the edge of the bed then either of them realises since he falls straight off the bed. Instinctively, Hermione tries to grab his arm but it's too late. She hears him land on the floor.