Afraid to Love You (A Dramione Story)

Bonus Chapter: In Which Draco Has A Question

January 2000

Draco took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door. He hesitated and let his arm fall to his side.

"It's not a big deal," he said encouraging himself. "Just knock."

He shook his head and knocked three times.

"Just a minute!" a man called from inside.

A moment later, the door swung open and there stood a surprised Harry Potter with a bottle of butterbeer in his hand. "Malfoy? What are you doing here?" he asked in disbelief.

"Can I have a word with you?" Draco asked. "It's about Hermione."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he ushered Draco inside. "What about Hermione? Is she okay?"

"As far as I know," Draco replied as he followed Harry into the drawing room.

"Have a seat," Harry offered awkwardly. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, thanks." Draco sat down opposite Harry and a painfully uncomfortable silence ensued.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about Hermione?"

"Right! Yes," Draco said. "I'm just trying to figure out where to begin."

Harry nodded and waited for Draco to continue speaking.

"You know that Hermione has been my closest friend for some years now and I'm very fond of her."

Harry nodded again.

"Well, I think that I have feelings for her that are beyond friendship."

Harry snorted. "A blind rabbit could see that."

Draco glared at him. "No need for sarcasm, Potter; This is already hard for me to do."

"What exactly are you doing? What do I have to do with your feelings for Hermione?"

"You're the closest person to her aside from her parents. She truly considers you to be her brother and I know you feel the same about her. Seeing as she's just reunited with her parents and I don't know them, it seemed rather inappropriate to approach them with this."

Draco took a deep breath and looked Harry in the eye. "I'm here because I want to ask your blessing to date Hermione."

"Wh, what?" Harry stammered in confusion. "Shouldn't you be asking her that? She doesn't need my permission to date you or anyone else for that matter."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I know that. She's an independent woman and all that. But I also know how much you mean to her; How much you and Weaselette and the entire Weasel family mean to her. I wouldn't want to put her in a position that would make her have to choose. So, I just thought I'd see what you thought about it."

Harry blew out a deep breath. "Wow. Well, that's certainly thoughtful of you. I can't pretend that I really like you but if you care about her and promise to treat her with the love and respect she deserves I have no right to--"

Harry was interrupted by the door to the drawing room slamming open. Ron was standing there glaring at Draco with hatred so intense you could almost feel it radiating from his body.

"Oh shit," Harry muttered. "I was so surprised to see you on my doorstep, I forgot Ron was here."

Draco nodded politely at Ron. "Hello, Weasley."

"Don't try to be nice to me, ferret!" Ron bellowed. "If you think you can waltz in here and take our Hermione from us, you've got another thing coming."

"No one said anything about taking her; She is not an object to be possessed," Draco replied calmly. "And why are you so concerned? Are you still in love with her? I thought you had a girlfriend. And a baby."

"She's still my best friend!"

"If that's true, don't you want her to be happy?" Draco countered.

"And you think you can make her happy?"

"I do."

"Well, I don't! Stay away from her!"

"Ron!" Harry interjected. "Hermione is an adult and she can take care of herself." He turned to Draco. "I appreciate that you were considerate in coming to talk to me about this but Hermione's the one you really need to talk to."

"Harry you can't seriously--"

"Oh shut it, Ron! Even if I did tell Hermione that I was opposed to their relationship, do you think that would change anything? When has she ever listened to us?"

"Good luck, either way, Malfoy," Harry said, leading him to the door.

*********************

"You wanted to see me?" Draco said, strolling into his father's office.

"Sit down Draco."

Draco sat down in the large armchair across from his father's desk and waited to be addressed.

"You've always been an insubordinate child, but this time you have gone too far. You turn down one of the few suitable pureblood witches for a mudblood?"

"Her name is Hermione," Draco said through his teeth. "And while she and I are friends, she has nothing to do with me not wanting to marry Astoria."

"Why are you so opposed to Miss Greengrass?"

"Watching paint dry is more interesting than a conversation with her. She's just dull. And we have absolutely nothing in common. I'm not attracted to her, she has nothing to offer me...should I go on?"

"You ungrateful brat!" Lucius thundered. "You would throw away our family's entire history because of a few inconveniences?!"

"I'm not marrying Astoria, father."

"What about her sister?"

"Daphne fancies Pansy. Are we done here? I've really got to get back to work."

Lucius sighed. "I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice." He stood up and towered over his son. "I want you to listen to me very carefully. I will accept that you don't want to marry Miss Greengrass for now. But if I find out that you have been in contact with the filthy mudblood, I will not hesitate to ruin lives. You know what I am capable of Draco. Do not test me."

"What do you mean--"

"DO NOT TEST ME DRACO!" Lucius roared. "Your little pet will be the one who will suffer for your insubordination if you disobey me. If you care for her at all, you will cease all communication with her immediately. Offer no explanation. I forbid you to speak to her. That goes for your friends as well. I have eyes and ears everywhere. It would serve you well to remember that."

And that's the end! Be on the lookout for Bonus Chapters in Delighted to love you and please check out some of my other books. I love you all and thank you for reading! <3