With you in my Arms

64. There will be the day

 The morning of Christmas Eve saw Hermione Granger sitting at the table in the small kitchen of James Mulligan's flat. The Head of the Auror Office had decided that it would be best, if she spent the holidays under auror protection and who better to have an eye on her than his life long friend. Here she would be under constant surveillance as well as having the opportunity to spend some time with her mother-in-law.

Narcissa Malfoy had been standing in the door frame for the best part of ten minutes now observing the young witch sipping her tea. She had been wondering how her daughter-in-law would be coping with the circumstances, to her surprise there hadn't been any tears or loud laments about. There hadn't been much of a reaction at all.

"Hermione?"

Sad brown eyes looked her way, eyes swimming with tears.

"How are you?" the older woman came slowly closer as if not to frighten her.

"I'm fine."

"We both know that that's not true. Nobody would fine when her, or his, spouse had just suddenly vanished without a trace." she sat at the opposite side of the table. "I know enough of my son's behaviour towards you and your friends as not to know that you must be wondering, if he has been lying to you all this time. I can assure he hasn't. When he was last home for the holidays in April I could already see that he had changed. He didn't say anything, but I knew that only a girl could have managed to achieve this transformation. He has been writing long letters, but I'm quite sure he's never sent them. He was humming to himself, something he has never done in the past."

"Where is he?" Hermione's voice was barely audible.

"I don't know. Though I do know that he will do whatever is in his power to come back to you."

A sigh was the only answer.

"Don't give up on him yet, dear. He'll come back to you."

"I haven't given up on him. Really." her voice sound more desperate then she had intended for it to sound.

"Meanwhile, "a large bundle of folded parchment held together with a wide, blue ribbon was placed on the table, "you might want to hold on to these."

Hermione looked at the letters. There were quite a few. She took them with trembling fingers."

"Thank you." her voice was also trembling.

"You're welcome. They were for you after all. He just hasn't found time to sending them yet."

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Sitting on her bed Hermione slow unwrapped Draco's letters. She wasn't absolutely sure that she should read them. If he had intended for her to read he would have send them, wouldn't he? But if he had written them during their last year at school together he might have not been sure, if she wouldn't hex him once she learnt of him being interested in her, seriously interested.

She unfolded the top most parchment, took a deep breath and then started reading.

Dear

There was a long gap underneath this one word. Seemingly he had to get his courage up to even write to her. The date was from January, after they had come back from the holidays.

I have been wanting to talk to you for quite some time now, but I wasn't sure, if you would want to talk to me.
I've been a prat. All the name calling all the pranks it was childish. I know we were children, but I should have known better. I always prided myself to be so grown up, but all I was was a conceited prat.
Sorry.

He hadn't signed the letter. She took the next one and started reading.

Dear Hermione,
I'm resigned to the fact that you think I'm totally insufferable, but I want you to know that I like you. I'm serious, Hermione. I really do. I would apologise to you personally, if your body guards weren't around you non-stop. Don't they ever do anything on their own?
Could you imagine me talking to you? In private I mean with nobody hovering and expecting me to do something horrible to you any minute. I would like to take you for a walk, just you and me.
Would you walk with me?
Draco

Tears were forming in her eyes. She read her way through several more letters until she reached one that stood out. All the others were very neat, his handwriting a beautiful flow. This one had ink blotches and smears all over it. She started reading.