The Marriage Decree

Chapter 75: Maybe You Shouldn't Have Killed All Those People

Hermione wakes up early on the morning of the fifth of August, after setting her wand to wake her up at seven o'clock. Without waking Draco up, she dresses and makes her way downstairs to start on breakfast. She lets Athena out of her cage and chuckles when she chirps for her ball. Hermione finds it at the bottom of her cage and rolls it across the kitchen floor, watching in amusement as Athena chases the sound of the bell inside the ball and nudges it with her head.

This morning has been marked on Hermione's mental calendar as the day Draco will be most likely agree to anything Hermione asks due to the fact that today is the day Blaise returns from his long travels. She has been hoping for the past month that Draco will be in a good enough mood on this day that he will agree to visit his father in Azkaban. She has tried to ask him multiple times but she could tell his mind was busy with thoughts of Hyperion, Tiverton and the increase in Death Eater cases he's had to bear witness at recently. They're under the belief that the Minister is trying to get the cases over and done with so he can stop relying on Draco sooner.

Due to this, Hermione's not embarrassed to admit to herself that she's trying to butter Draco up by making him breakfast in bed and wear one of her best dresses that Draco had complimented a few times.

When Hermione wakes Draco up by sitting beside him on the edge of the bed and gently brushing his hair out of his face, she receives a loving smile in return.

"What a pleasant surprise." She tells her, rolling onto his back as he stretches.

"I know how busy you have been with the Ministry and Hyperion lately, you've barely had time to relax with so much on your mind, so I've brought you breakfast in bed." She smiles, standing up to collect the tray from their dressing table.

"You're too good for me." He sighs contently as he sits up in bed, ready for his breakfast.

"I was thinking," Hermione says as she sits back down on the edge of the bed. "Blaise and Luna most likely won't have time to go food shopping when they return tonight, so why don't we make them some dinner and take it round their house once they're back. It will give us all chance to catch up." She suggests.

Draco's face breaks into a massive smile. "I can't believe I completely forgot what day it is today. That sounds great, thank you Hermione." He squeezes her hand excitedly.

"Of course, we'll need to go shopping for some food, all we have in is canned soup." She reminds him.

"How can I forget, we bought enough soup to last us months and yet we never seem to eat dinner here." He shakes his head.

"It'll be different when we're back at Hogwarts in September. We won't have time to have dinner out with our family or friends." She points out. "We need to make the most of this summer."

"Of course, you're right." He smiles, going back to his breakfast.

"Speaking of being busy in September," She starts nervously, which is something Draco picks up.

"What is it?" He frowns concernedly.

"Well, we're both going to be focusing so much on our apprenticeship in September and won't have time to visit our family and friends as much as we want, or I want, so I thought, this morning we could-" She continues.

"You want to visit Lucius," Draco states, interrupting her.

"Yes, it's been nearly two months since I last saw him and with his state of mind, who knows how much of an effect that has had on him. Our agreement was that you would allow me to continue to visit him in order to help him, as long as you came with me. How am I helping him if I never see him?" Hermione rambles on in an attempt to convince him.