Aftermath

CHAPTER 21: THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A PATRONUS

During the whole afternoon cruising deeper onto the blue, Draco had charmed the yacht to follow such coordinates.

They sometimes chatted, bonded but most of the time minded their own business. They weren't kids anymore but sometimes they still are.

"Draco — all these precious lives on this boat, not knowing what's in it for them, I'm afraid." Hermione whispered to Draco. They were casually sitting on the couch, feeling the cold afternoon breeze. It's almost dusk in the carribean night sky. It was beautiful.

"Hey, they know what's in it for them. It's you. You are that precious to me, as well as to them." Draco answered comfortingly, he pushed back a few strands of Hermione's hair away from her face and he pinched her button nose.

"But your friends." Hermione frowned. "Well, those blokes signed up for an adventure, Hermione. They'd rather die today than sit on their office all day." Draco chuckled. Hermione smacked him.

"And I have another inquiry, what's going to happen between your deal with the Greengrass? Since — we never anticipated for us to be together." Hermione asked shyly, never wanting to be the nosy wife.

Wife? That sounds surreal.

"Well, for one, I anticipated this to happen." Draco started, earning a glare from Hermione. "And another, Astoria's my best friend. If we don't marry, we become business partners. She and Daphne are going to inherit their companies as well, they're obliged too, like we all are, even if they're women." He said surely.

"Is it hard?" Hermione asked. "To have a lot of people's, families rather, etched on your backs? I
mean you guys are barely on your thirties. You, Blaise and Theo, and even Astoria."

"It is but it's all just galleons, muggle currency and stakes, monthly gross and income. Just corporate things. Nothing compared to what we had on our backs when we received the dark mark from Voldemort." Draco grimly answered, remembering. Theo and Blaise got their dark marks after Draco did and it was excruciating to feel and to see his friends forced into something they were afraid of.

He saw the fear in Hermione's eyes, "And nothing compared the stress the Head Auror must have been receiving daily." He added, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione frowned.

"Not really, ever since the war, the world has been quiet. Just a couple of robberies here and there, not something an auror is really enjoying. Especially me but there are random murder cases that spikes us up." Hermione grimaced. "Don't get me wrong, I hate murderers murdering innocent but you know, it's something to think of at night, entertaining my mind. It had rested too long since the war but I'm never hoping one to come again."

Draco understood what she meant. The world was indeed peaceful after Voldemort. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and touched the mark.

"Why didn't you find a way to get rid of it?" She asked. "The same way you didn't." Draco answered as he eyed Hermione's mudblood scar which he'll never tire of asking for her forgiveness.

"I'm sorry." Draco blurted out again. "How many times do you have to say that? I forgive you already." Hermione scolded as she ran her fingers through his pale cheeks and met Draco's sad gaze.

"Reminders of our strength, these will be reminders of our strength." Hermione said and stretched to kiss Draco on the forehead.

***

Harry woke up from a thunder that bellowed and the yacht was pounding from many corners, rocking them real hard. He shot up on his feet and shivered as the floor was now flooded.