The Marriage Decree

Chapter 30: I Thought You Said You Were Clever

Hermione wakes with a start in the early hours of Saturday morning. She's not sure why at first until she turns over to check on Draco to find that he's not there. His side of the bed is still made so he obviously hasn't made it to bed yet. She checks the time which tells her it is a few minutes to four o'clock. With a sigh, she climbs out of bed and tiptoes downstairs hoping that she's not going to find him still reading Dracula. He said he was just going to finish the chapter if he's still reading he'll be shattered the rest of the day, which is not a good idea when they're babysitting six-year-old twins all day.

She slowly pushes the living room door open, careful not to make a noise, she enters glancing around the room. For a moment, she doesn't see him but then she spots his feet dangling over the edge of the couch. She peers over the edge of the couch to find him lying contently, fast asleep, with a snoozing Athena on his chest. Hermione wishes she had a camera to document the moment, which is when she remembers that she's a witch and is rather advanced in the art of transfiguration.

She fetches her wand from her bedside table and her hairbrush before rushing quietly back downstairs, careful not to wake Draco or Athena before she can photograph the moment. In the hall, she transfigures her hairbrush into a camera, similar to the one Colin had in his first couple of years at Hogwarts. She tiptoes back into the living room, thankful that neither of them had moved in her absence. She leans over the back of the couch, angles the camera then presses the button to take a picture.

Unexpectedly, a bright flash goes off, lightening up the whole room. Draco jumps off the couch, glaring around the room for the sudden source of light as Athena flutters around angrily for being suddenly thrown from her slumber. Hermione quickly hides the camera behind her back but apparently not quickly enough as Draco narrows his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Is that a camera?" He asks, gesturing to her hands behind her back.

She plans on denying it but she can't stop a smile from spreading across her face so she brings her hands out to show him the device.

"Sorry for waking you, but you were both so adorable sleeping on the couch." She chuckles.

Draco sighs, running his hands through his hair. "What time's it?" He wonders, looking out the living room window.

"It'll be just after four o'clock now." She tells him, placing the camera on the coffee table next to Draco's Dracula book. "Come on, we might be able to get a few more hours sleep before we have to get up." She takes his hand, guiding him towards the stairs.

Athena follows them up into their bedroom. She perches on the headboard, where she settles back down to sleep. Hermione pulls Draco into bed with her. He falls almost instantly back to sleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. She lies on her own pillow for a few minutes just watching him sleep before shuffling carefully forward to wrap her arms around his waist in the hopes that he won't mind. Apparently, he doesn't as he subconsciously wraps an arm around her back, pulling her closer. With a smile on her face, she drifts off to sleep.

Draco wakes up early in the morning, or early considering he went to bed at four o'clock. Quarter past eight is quite late for him usually. He has pins and needles shooting up his left arm as he stretches from where Hermione must have been lying on it all night. He doesn't remember them cuddling last night or this morning, but she easily could snuggle closer once he's passed out or subconsciously in her sleep. Or maybe it had been him to pull her closer. He wouldn't be surprised, especially with the thoughts he's been having recently about how close he and Hermione have become.

Next to him, Hermione's still fast asleep, curled up against his side. He nudges her in the side, trying to wake her up. He can't remember what time they're supposed to be meeting her Godmother Sharon at her parent's house.