An Unlikely Relationship (A Dramione Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter One

It was the week after exams were over, the week after their final year at Hogwarts ended, that Hermione Granger realized her mistake. She never should have agreed to stay at Malfoy's 'summer home' while working on her applications and training requirements for the Ministry. If it hadn't been for his insistence on making up for, well, everything over the past seven years (he really hadn't been so bad during their re-do year), she would have turned him down immediately, denying any help from the Slytherin alumnus. He lived up to the traits of his house; that was for sure. The sneaky snake (or rather, ferret) had practically begged her to let him do this, claiming it was only fair and he didn't want to owe the 'Golden Trio' anything. Ridiculous, but she believed him.

Now, Hermione was sitting outside the gates to a large home, able to make out the admittedly well-kept lawn and the front drive complete with a fountain and sweeping steps. The gates were wrought-iron and warded. She didn't have a key. "That stupid snake! I should've known--"

"Should've known what, exactly, Granger?" Malfoy's amused, arrogant tone alerted her to his presence, and she turned towards him in annoyance, noticing that he'd flown on a broom rather than Apparated.

Hermione crossed her arms, fighting not to scowl too much. "Nothing."

"Oh?" Malfoy smirked, quirking his eyebrow. "If it's nothing, then I guess I'll be on my way. I had just stopped by to key you in with the wards, but..." He mounted his broom, kicking off to hover a few feet in the air, and Hermione did scowl. He was still smirking at her.

"Alright, alright!" Under her breath, she added, "I should've just stayed at the Burrow."

Malfoy, evidently, heard her. He laughed, setting back down and walking closer. "Please. Those Weasels would drive you crazy in days. Or less. That's only if they didn't kick you out first."

"And why would they? They're my friends, and Ron..." Hermione trailed off. She didn't know exactly what Ron was to her. Were they friends? Were they more than friends? Sure, their relationship was different than the one she had with Harry, and Ron got jealous when she took an interest in other guys... She shook her head. "The Weasleys are like family."

"How is your family, by the way?" Malfoy, for once, seemed relatively genuine. He wasn't smirking, and there was an honesty in his eyes that Hermione almost didn't recognize.

Caught off guard, she said, "They're fine. Still getting resettled, what with the, um, return of their memories."

Malfoy nodded. "Mother is still getting accustomed as well."

Although Lucius' sentencing to Azkaban was unavoidable, Narcissa was placed under supervision. She couldn't leave Malfoy Manor without notifying the Ministry in advance, and her Apparition license had been suspended. Even her Floo calls were monitored. Draco was under slightly looser restrictions as an 'impressionable and pressured minor.' As it was, Hermione felt that the decisions were just.

"Well, uh, I suppose I should thank you for letting me stay here," Hermione said at last. She scoffed a little, smiling. "There's something I never thought I'd say to you."

"Oh, please. Everyone knows you're thankful for my good looks, Granger." Malfoy struck a pose, grinning.

Hermione laughed a little, shaking her head at his antics. "Well, you've got to have something going for you, Malfoy."

"So you admit that I'm good looking? Why, Granger, the Weasel King would be scandalized!" Malfoy laughed as well. Hermione had to admit that she enjoyed his laugh, the real one. It didn't happen too often, and she'd certainly never heard it before their most recent year at Hogwarts. Their banter was enjoyable as well; she couldn't joke like this with most of her friends without worrying about offending them.

Soon enough, she was keyed to the wards, and Malfoy was off again. Probably back to his manor to be with his mother. Hermione made a mental note to visit her parents as well. She needed to let them know that she had a place to stay and that she was ok.