Dramione

twenty one

Hermione and Draco arrived back at the castle shortly before dinner. They were still damp from there swim, which Hermione fixed with a spell.

"Dinner?" Draco asked heading towards the great hall.

"Yeah...I'm starving."

As they stepped into the hall Hermione scanned the tables landing on Harry. She noticed his stern face as he meet her eyes. She knew he had something to tell her...wondering if it was about their plan to meet tonight. She wished to head over and talk to him, but remembered Draco by her side. She shook her head at her friend as if to say 'not now'. He understood and looked back at his food.

Draco led Hermione over to the slytherin table, in which they ate their dinner contently. Draco looked at Hermione noticing her panicked expression throughout the meal occasionally asking if anything was wrong.

She would smile and reply everything was fine. He didn't bother ask further. "So...I've been thinking...." Draco started.

"What about?" Hermione asked looking up from her plate.

"Well Astoria Greengrass." He noticed Hermione tense as he mentioned her name.

"What about her?"

"Well my mother still thinks I am to marry her." He said afraid of what her reaction would be. She simply stared at him blankly.

"Which of coarse I'm not" he reassured his girlfriend.

"Is there a point to this Draco?" Hermione asked rather annoyed.

"Well I think I should visit my mother at the manor, and explain 'things'" Hermione noticed his eyes harden at the mention of the manor.

"What 'things'?" Hermione continued, now curious.

"The fact that we are dating."

"Well doesn't she already know of us.....I mean it's everywhere, it was on the front page of the prophet."

"My mother doesn't exactly stay in contact with the wizarding world. She shut herself away from society, well....with my father being locked up and all."

Hermione suddenly felt bad for Draco. He never really opened up about his family, and she could see sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry." she said calmly.

"You shouldn't be....the man deserves to be where he is." he replied coldly.

"But your mother....she seems so lonely."

"Mother was always like that. She thought she was better than everyone else. She wasn't liked much along our fellow people. They judged her for not being loyal to the dark lord, unlike my father. All she ever wanted was to maintain her reputation. She didn't care about me. She only cared that I resembled what a perfect Malfoy should be. But then once the war was over, she said she was trying to be a good mom, and that she just wanted what was best for me...and she said she tried to protect me from Voldemort. But honestly I think she was just a coward."

Hermione just stared at him appalled. He blamed his mother for what had happened to him, and she couldn't blame him.

"Anyways...I was planning on telling her that I'm not marrying Astoria before the holidays are over. I was hoping you could come with me...If you want."

"Yes." Hermione replied.

"Yes?"

"Yes....I will go with you." Hermione said.

"Well I was thinking we could go tonight."

"Tonight?" Hermione swallowed nervously, remembering her plans with Harry.