A Common Ground

Chapter 23 - Devistation - part 1

They'd walked for hours , talked even more so and it seemed that the minister did not want to say goodbye.
"Malfoy" She piped as they walked around Hogsmede . It was 10pm and she was making sure , that people could see them .
"Yes?" He sighed , looking through the glass , as the stopped at the quddich stores and the newest Nimbus caught his eye . She smiled and tugged his arm.
"Malfoy" She laughed , she wanted him to look him in the eyes for the next part . He turned his head to find that goofy grin he'd only seen tonight , on her face and her brown eyes sparkling in the lamp light of ill lit town . "Are you having fun tonight ?" His eyes scrunched confusedly and nodded .
"Of course I am , I'm with you aren't I ?" He teased and she moved her eyes to floor , giving Draco the signals she was about to say something important .

"Would you like to do it again ?" Her grin had disappeared and a look of hope , flicker of light hoping he would not put it out . 

Draco did hesitate , but not in the worrying sense . He hadn't ever seen her like this , usually she was strong and never this vulnerable , maybe Potter or weasel had seen her like this but not him .
"Did you know tomorrow is a year since you came to the manor ?" He stated , she looked at him disappointedly , but he looked right back at her . "Maybe you did , but , I bet you ten galleons " he lifted a hand and moving her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear . She froze to the spot . "That you didn't know , that I've wanted to do this since then "  He placed his both hands on her face and pulled her closer to him , kissing her . It hadn't been rash or rushed , or hesitant or awkward . It felt , normal , like he'd always done this and she'd always kissed him back . It felt normal , for him to pull her in closer and her to flush against his chest . It felt normal for her to put her hands through his hair . It felt normal for him to wrap his arms around her back and neck so their was no space between them and her hands to crawl up his back under his coat .

He could feel her smile against his lips , she was happy that he was here , happy of his answer , happy with him and that was different for everyone .

Neither had been kissed , like that anyway , in so long; if not ever . They'd been married , happily even . But through hurt and differences they lost them .
They were , in the greatest definition , broken people . Hermione's heart had been smashed and tested so many time she'd lost count , she had no parents , no one she could really turn to at anytime . No one to hold her hand ,to understand her but Draco knew her pain , as much as Harry and Ron did , he'd seen too many horrific things in his life and both had one thing in common; they never wanted their children to suffer what they did .

They had no choice .

She'd known Ron loved her , he still did . But back to the way they did when they were children , screeching about their pets trying to kill one another . But she'd never hated Ron , probably never will . But she did hate Draco , will ever fibre of her being at one point . But here she was , letting his hands hold her ,letting him kiss her; not just letting but wanting .

After losing Astoria , after losing the last piece of hope of a normality , he decided to give up on all hope of love again . If he even knew what love was .

But be had her here , in his arms , and he couldn't believe it . It was beyond comprehension , after the brutal childhood and lack of love he had , Draco Malfoy was believed heartless.

Nothing but black veins and ink stained skin . Even after the war it still defined him , rightly so he thought . He deserves every punch , every tease , every shove , everything . That last year of Hogwarts was what he had coming all those times he'd hurt someone . From Mudblood to threats; he'd put his five galleons worth , forced or not he still could've shut his mouth and that would haunt him forever and he was willing to carry that burden . But now ; after Wars , after Hogwarts , after arrange marriages , after abandonment , after nightmares . Draco Malfoy was happy .

He knew one thing however , he'd known it from the first moment he overheard the voice on the train , or the watched the bushy hair bustling down the hallway , or hid when she sneaked out of Snape's stock cupboard  then the finale nail in the coffin was watching her float down the steps with Krum on her arm .

Draco Malfoy loves Hermione Granger

Them kissing , in Hogsmede , in the middle of the street , with every eye of the wizarding community on them was anything but 'normal' .So  15 or so camera's with flashing bulbs and reporters with speeding quills burst into the scene . Their lips barely separated . Still in each other's arms , reporters screaming over each other , trying to get a good quote .
"Minster , minster !; does this mean you are together , are you dating !" Screeched a young reporter . Hermione looked to Draco with a smile and he wearing a matching one , his eyes still looking at her lips , dreaming of being with them again .
"You want to take the honours ?" She whispered to him . He raised an eyebrow and turned his head to the crowd that had now built around them, he grinned .
"Yes , yes does " the crowd went mental ;screaming for more answers .
"Now if you'll excuse us " Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and simply walked away , when reaching the end of the street with the press on their tails . With a loud crack , they vanished , leaving agitated and excited reporters.

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"Flash-back"

"Unusual names you picked for her ?" Blaise asked as Draco left for a breath of fresh air , out of the hospital .
"What you getting at ?" He said trying to breathe clearly as the memory burned in his brain and refused to leave .
"Just wondering why ?" Blaise asked and Draco thought of only one reason but he couldn't do it here , not outside the hospital were his wife had just bore his child .
" Blaise , stop it " his friend knew , most of them did . But only Blaise knew the full extent of it and only the one ballsy enough to try and ask about it.
"So you saw the daily prophet then ? Her and Weasel with their newest bundle of red curls " Malfoy lowered his gaze to the floor , his jaw clenched. He'd seen it and he burned it .
"Blaise enough " He said turning to go back in but Blaise grabbed his arm and threw him back .
"Why do you care ? About the paper , about the Weasel , why did you really befriend Potter ? " Malfoy glared at Blaise.
"I can't do this , I can't talk about this when my wife-" Blaine laughed .
"It was an arranged marriage , no love there " He'd just reminded Draco why he was put into Slytherin . Blaine Zambini did not circle around issues.
He never answered and Blaise spoke again . "Why , do , you care ?" Draco had enough and with his wand he hit the air and silently , blue light burst out of it . Like a wisp of smoke it grew and grew until an otter swam through the light , going around Blaise and disappeared again with Draco putting his wand back in his pocket .
"Hermione , you still-?"
"Always"

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As they walked back to Hermione's house , thinking about how the reporters faces must look like , they laughed .
"I want to ask you something , maybe it's a tad forward , I don't want you to feel forced " He said as they stood at her door way .
"Heavens sake Malfoy just ask "

"Scorpios parents , my cousin and his wife asked Mia and I to come over for Scorpios's birthday , it's in a few days , I think , it would be a good birthday present if the boy got to see Rose as well as Mia " he smiled loosely and continued " They live just about everywhere , but they're currently in Romania , were Atticus is helping Charlie with his 'newest find' so would you like to join us ?"

"I think Rose would love to see Scorpios again , I have Harry fill in for me "  She opened her front door and the light fell out on top of them . Hermione smirked then , a smirk that only a Malfoy could wear and Draco loved it . "Well can I ask you a question ?" Draco nodded ."I want to ask you something , maybe it's a tad forward , I don't want you to feel forced" she teased and he rolled his eyes with a scoff . She wrapped her arms around him . As she stood on the top step , he on the bottom . They were the same height and she found it amusing . "Would you " She drawled
"Mhmm" He crept nearer as he wrapped his arms around her frame . "Like to " Their faces were inches from each other . Noses brushing and eyes drained on each other's lips .
"Mhmm" he pressed a kiss on her mouth but moved quickly to her face , peppering them kisses .
"Have a cup of tea ?" She finished . His face moved back to hers . His lips ghosting hers .
"Love too" he picked her up with one arm , the other closing the door behind them .

To be continued ...