The boy in the hammock

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Depressing, but true.
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They were all a bit nervous as they stepped up to the front door of 12 Grimmauld Place.

Harry and Ron were worried about the Order's reaction to Draco, Hermione was worried about Draco's reaction to his parent's, and Draco was only worried about one thing: what his parents would say when he told them he was in love with Hermione Granger, poster-girl for Muggle-borns, brightest witch of her age, and a member of the Golden Trio. Horcruxes could wait; he planned to tell them about his feelings before he did anything else. The sooner he made them realize he wouldn't be making them little pureblooded babies, the better. Besides, it might be a good test to see if their loyalties really had changed. If they murdered him in cold blood, well, at least his suspicions were correct. He really didn't know what to make of this defection nonsense.

"Look, Ron and I will go in and explain things to any of the Order members who are here. You two can stay in the sitting room for a bit, and when we're done explaining, Malfoy can go speak to his parents. Sound okay?" said Harry.

Hermione and Draco nodded mutely, and the foursome stepped inside the front door. Harry and Ron split off immediately to look for Order members, while Hermione turned to Draco. She had a knowing smile on her face.

"You're not going to wait for them, I imagine?" she said.

"How is it you know me so well?" Draco chuckled. "No, I have no intention of waiting. My parents don't play by the rules, and neither do I. That, and I sure as fuck don't take orders from Potter."

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure you'd understand if I stood outside the door and kept an ear out for you?"

"Of course. I pity my parents if they try and cross you. That was some scary shit you pulled on Potter."

"Yes, well, it's easy when you're not faking it," she said absent-mindedly. "Shall we go find them? There are quite a few rooms here."

Draco shook his head. "No need. See my signet ring?" He held up his hand to show her the gold band with a green "M" on it. "This will take me to them."

He tapped the ring with his wand, closed his eyes, and waited. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and smiled. "Only one floor up."

Hermione furrowed her brow as they started up the stairs. "Wait, couldn't they have used that to find you?"

"No, it's for short distances only. Handy little charm, though. Especially when you grow up in a house the size of the manor."

He reached the door that the ring was leading him to. Suddenly he felt incredibly nervous.

Turning to Hermione, he put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Listen, whatever happens in there, just know that I love you. Truly. I'm so glad I found you. Well, I guess technically you found me, but -"

"This isn't goodbye, Draco," she said, frowning. "I'm not letting anyone hurt you, parents or not."

"I know, and I'm grateful... I just... I'm going to tell them about you and I don't really know how they will react. If they say anything hurtful that you happen to hear, pay them no mind. I think it's too much to expect them to understand."

Instead of responding, Hermione leaned in and kissed him. His chest exploded with the same butterfly feeling he had when they kissed for the first time. He savoured the moment, letting himself absorb her taste, her scent, the feeling of her lips. He almost whimpered when she broke away, although he felt calmer and far less afraid than he had minutes earlier.

"You'll be okay. I'll be right here," she assured him. With a last peck on the lips, she pointed him towards the door, and he turned the knob.

His father was sitting at a writing desk, scribbling something down, while his mother was standing by the only window in the room, looking out with sad eyes. They looked very much the same as they always did in the manor, except in this strange house, their rigid posture, expensive clothes and stern expressions looked out of place. They both looked broken, their pride sucked away by the circumstances of the war.