Narcissa wasn't wild about the request to have all of them living under the same roof, but understood Draco's, well, really Hermione's concerns about her and her recently found husband returning back to the cottage. The house was clearly large enough for them to all co-exist in and aside from the study, Hermione managed to transform the third floor into nearly separate living quarters for Narcissa and Lucius for the time being. When Narcissa asked Draco if this is what he wanted, all he could do was merely shrug and respond with, "It's what Hermione thinks is best." He didn't have a better answer. At least, he didn't have a better answer while in the presence of his father. He couldn't even bring himself to call him father. Any time he spoke to him, it was a straight remark without any kind of declarative as to whom he was directing his voice to. Though he didn't really need to declare who he was speaking to - Lucius was the only one who was spoken to with a tone of voice Hermione hadn't heard since they were children.
Every night, Hermione waited for the nightmares to permeate through her subconscious, but they were nowhere to be found. Not that she was complaining, but she did find it odd. She knew stress was a trigger, and having Lucius Malfoy in the house wasn't exactly the equivalent of frolicking through a field of sunshine and daisies. Hermione had no idea how Draco was getting any sleep with the death grip he held on her at night. It was as if he feared someone was going to steal her away in the middle of the night. For the past week and a half, Hermione woke up with most of Draco's body draped on top of her, his face buried in her neck.
Kingsley encouraged both of them to take some time off of work to readjust, but Draco wouldn't hear any of it. The sheer thought of being trapped in the house all day with his father was in his mind, a disaster waiting to happen. Hermione, on the other hand, was worried about leaving Narcissa alone in the house with Lucius without a buffer of some sorts, so she agreed to take an indefinite amount of time off of work to help get everyone settled. She hoped to use the time off to take care of some wedding planning as a way to keep both her and Narcissa busy as there was still plenty to finish before the big day.
There was still a tight lid on the return of Lucius Malfoy, and after several hot debates between Hermione and Draco, they finally came to the conclusion that a simple press conference within the safety of the Ministry would be best. The world was going to find out sooner or later, and as Hermione said, "it's better we control the information instead of press." Draco knew she was right - Hermione was always right - but it didn't make this situation less of a bitter pill to swallow. There were already rumors as to why Hermione had been absent from the Ministry throughout the week, despite Draco, Harry, and the Minister himself telling those inquiring that planning a wedding - a Malfoy wedding no less – which was in fact, a full time job right up to the big day.
Ginny spent her time at Draco and Hermione's during the day, helping Hermione and Narcissa with wedding things while her children spent time at the Burrow - much to her James' general dismay. They couldn't explain to James who Lucius was until some kind of formal statement was made - James wasn't exactly the world's best secret keeper and lived under the impression that everyone he met was his new friend. Hermione thought that was the beauty of being little, living with the notion that everyone was good because in James' world, he has no reason to believe otherwise.
Standing on the second to the last step in the foyer of the house, Hermione was at eye-level with Draco as he stood on the floor, lifting his head as Hermione cinched the knot of his tie before he had to head off to work. "Dashing," she said, grinning brilliantly as she smoothed her hand down the tie.
"Of course," Draco said with a chuckle.
"You think I lie?"
"No - I know you find me irresistible."
"Oh really?" Hermione replied, setting a hand on her hip. "What could possibly make you think that?"
He nodded. Grabbing her by the waist, he picked her up and spun her around so she was standing on the floor next to him. "The first time you kissed me and then blamed it on the ridiculous excuse of falling rings a bell."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly? You had to bring that up? That was completely embarrassing!"
"Yet it's my favorite story to tell," Draco teased.
Her eyes went wide. "You've told people about that!"
"Just Harry. And George. Blaise too. Ginny knows probably because Harry knows..." Draco trailed off, holding in a laugh as she stood before him looking incredibly unimpressed. "They all thought it was cute - stop making that face."
"I will not stop making this face! That is a humiliating story! I cannot believe you told people!"
Draco shook his head. He leaned and kissed her, her lips not puckering an inch. "When I tell that story - it reminds me how I fell in love with you."
Hermione sighed. "It's still embarrassing."
He kissed her again, her lips reluctantly participating this time. "You're ridiculous."
"You're ridiculous," Hermione countered. "Come eat some breakfast before you leave."
"I'm not hungry," Draco quickly replied.
She shook her head. "That's an unacceptable answer. You're eating breakfast."
He wanted to argue with her, but judging by the tone of her voice, he decided to keep his mouth shut. Grabbing his briefcase, he followed her into the kitchen. She was wearing her black yoga pants and one of his old Slytherin quidditch shirts she'd obviously charmed to fit her so that she wasn't swimming in it. Not that he was complaining. He'd prefer to see her in green over that burgundy and gold any day of the week. In the kitchen, Draco and Hermione found Narcissa and Lucius, sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee. In the week and a half that Lucius had been back, he was starting to appear less gaunt. This could also have to do with Narcissa cooking and shoveling food down his mouth against his will, but it wasn't like Lucius was in much of a position to argue with his wife.
"Good morning, Mother," Draco greeted, smiling before shifting his glance to a stare at his father.
"Good morning, darlings," Narcissa said to both Hermione and Draco. "Jori made us some breakfast - there's plenty left on the stove."
"I'm just going to grab an English muffin," Draco responded. Hermione already had the muffin bag opened, peeling the halves apart and popping them into the toaster for him. He preferred the toaster instead of using magic - he was convinced it came out crispier with the toaster, and that's exactly how he liked it. He leaned against the counter, taking the butter from Hermione as she rooted through the fridge. "If you're looking for that nasty creamer you use in your coffee - it's already out."
Hermione turned and spotted the French vanilla creamer on the counter next to Draco. "It's not nasty - it's delicious!"
"Lucius thinks it's delicious too, don't you?" Narcissa interjected.
He gave Hermione a stiff nod. "It is different. But I like it."
Hermione smiled politely at Lucius. "At least someone here has an appreciation for it other than myself."
Draco rolled his eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Hermione as she swatted her hand into his stomach. "With an attitude like that you can butter your own muffin."
"But I like it so much better when you do it, dear," Draco patronized. "Plus - you're the one who practically demanded that I eat breakfast."
She poured him a cup of black coffee and handed it over before pouring herself a cup. "Deal with it," she playfully jabbed, grabbing her creamer and taking a seat at the kitchen island. She saw Narcissa smirking, holding her cup of coffee up to her lips to disguise her amusement while Lucius looked a bit befuddled. "Mr. Malfoy - are you alright?"
"Don't mind him. He's just not used to seeing a woman backtalk the man of the house," Draco stated, retrieving a butter knife from the drawer in front of him.
Hermione smirked. "You might be the man of the house but you certainly aren't the one in charge."
"Yeah. No shit." He looked at her incredulously as she opened her mouth for a bite. "Seriously?"
She nodded. "It looks good."
"Wait. You tell me I have to eat breakfast and now you want to eat it. Unbelievable."
"Whatever," Hermione said, laughing as he reached across the island and gave her half of the muffin. She took a bite, smirking as she chewed. He rebuffed her efforts as she tried to hand it back. "I just wanted a bite," she said.
He shook his head. "Your germs are on it now. You have to eat it."
"My germs are on it?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to remember that later."
Draco stared at her mischievously, shaking his head slightly as he took a drink of his coffee. Narcissa laughed at the two of them as they verbally sparred with one another. Even Lucius managed to let out a quiet chuckle. Finishing his muffin, he washed it down with the rest of his coffee. "What are your plans today?"
"Addressing wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations, and Ginny is coming over so we can discuss the hen night."
"A hen night?"
"The female equivalent of a stag night," Hermione clarified. "From what I hear, Blaise already has your party covered."
"Merlin," Draco muttered. "If Blaise is in charge of the stag night, we'll be divorced before we're married."
Hermione laughed. "Doubtful." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "You better get going."
"Right." He grabbed his briefcase and walked around the counter. Approaching his mother, he kissed her cheek, staring at his father out of the corner of his eye.
When he got to Hermione, she held what was left of the half muffin he gave her in her hand. He leaned into kiss her, before tricking her and stealing the rest of the muffin back in one bite as she shrieked. "Draco Malfoy!" she scolded as he smirked, chewing the bite before swallowing. "You're wicked!"
"Whatever. You love it," he said. He stole a kiss as she pretended to push him away, laughing.
"Go to work!" she giggled. "And don't forget to figure out what time that bloody press conference is on Friday."
Draco gave Hermione a mock salute before heading towards the front door. Sighing contently, Hermione held her coffee in hand as she slipped off of the island stool and took a seat next to Narcissa at the kitchen table. Looking at Lucius, she held her coffee close as she crossed one leg over the other. "Is there anything in particular you need done today? I'm sure if you were interested in some new robes, we could take your measurements and send Jori on an errand run. I also think we should probably make an appointment for you to see a healer after the press announcement - just a check up of sorts."
Lucius cleared his throat, interrupting her as he fidgeted with his own coffee cup. "Miss Granger -"
"Hermione," she said, gently. "Get into the habit. My future children will be awfully confused if their grandfather goes around calling their mother Miss Granger."
"Miss Granger," Lucius repeated, his voice less hoarse than it had been in recent days. "Might I ask, why you care so much? About me, that is, when my own son won't even look at me?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "He's going to take awhile, and I certainly don't plan on rushing him. But in a few months, we're all going to be family. It will all sort itself out in the end."
Hermione felt Narcissa pat her knee lovingly. "See, Lucius," she said. "She is going to be a wonderful addition to our family."
Nodding, Lucius sipped his coffee. "That much is certainly clear, Cissa."
—————
Despite Hermione's various attempts, Narcissa swatted her away as she charmed the invitations to stuff themselves so she could begin addressing them. They debated back and forth about sending them out, but at the end of the day, they decided to do it all themselves so that nothing about the venue or the location was leaked. Invitations were to be delivered to the guests forty-eight hours before the party in an attempt to keep the wizard media and paparazzi at bay. Though with Lucius back in the picture, all of this effort could very well be wasted. She sat at the piano, her legs crossed underneath her on the bench as her fingers tickled the keys with a light an airy sonata. She watched Lucius as Narcissa handed him an invitation to view.
"We can have them changed so that your name is on them too," Hermione said, plucking the staccato chords while the melody fluttered through the air.
He shook his head no. "That would be too much trouble, Miss Granger."
"Alright," Hermione sang, continuing to play. "You should really call me Hermione, Mr. Malfoy."
"Tell you what," Lucius said. "I'll call you by your first name if you call me by mine."
Her tempo slowed considerable as she pondered his proposal. She didn't think about actually having to call him anything other than Mr. Malfoy. Any time she'd heard his first name, outside of Narcissa, she heard it spoken with venom and rage. His name bore a direct connotation to evil for her for her entire existence in the wizarding world. But she meant what she said earlier - they were all going to be family - one way or the other. "Fine...Lucius," she said with a hint of pride as she rose to the challenge.
"I honestly didn't think you would do it," Lucius replied.
Narcissa laughed. "Now would be an excellent time to learn that Hermione Granger is not one to underestimate, Lucius. "She is, after all, the brightest witch of her age."
"I believe I heard that once about you," Lucius commented. "Draco used to complain every year about how you beat him out for top marks in all the classes."
She continued to play, the music a bit softer as the conversation continued. "I studied a lot at Hogwarts...of course, between Ron, Harry, and I, someone had to spend some time in the library."
The floo popped in the next room, and the clumpy pitter-patter Hermione heard coming towards her was unquestionable. "Aunt Hermione!" he exclaimed, running towards her. She lifted him up onto the piano bench and stared at Ginny, shocked that she brought him.
"He refused to stay at the Burrow," Ginny replied. "So Harry had a talk with him...I think we're ok."
James placed his hands on the keys, mimicking Hermione. "Ok," Hermione replied. She looked at James, who was ready to play. "You didn't want to play with Grandma Molly today?"
He shook his head no. "Only babies go to babysitters and I'm not a baby. I'm four and a half."
Ginny sighed. "See what I have to work with? I blame Harry and Draco. If they treated him like a child instead of a miniature adult, I'd have less problems." She sat down next to Narcissa, who handed her the ink well and a quill to begin addressing the invitations. "These are gorgeous, Narcissa," she said. "Harry will be so pleased."
"Why will Harry be pleased?" Hermione asked.
"You haven't seen them?"
"I glanced at them - they're invitations."
Ginny got up and handed Hermione an invitation. "Harry actually took care of these too. The wording, anyway, didn't he, Narcissa?"
"I think Mr. Potter has a untapped skill for planning parties," Narcissa replied. "They're truly darling."
Her eyes scanned through the gold embossed calligraphy, a hand over her heart as she read.
With each believing
the other to be
a giver of love
a sharer of sorrow
a bringer of joy
and a reason for life
On behalf of
the late Doctors, Richard and Jean Granger
Mister Harry Potter
along with Miss Narcissa Malfoy
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Hermione Jean Granger
and
Draco Lucius Malfoy
Saturday, October 21st
Six o'clock in the Evening
The Buckleberry Hotel, Diagon Alley
Reception to Immediately Follow
"Aunt Hermione, are you crying?"
She quickly blinked her damp eyes to dry. "Of course not," she said, wrapping an arm around James. "Your daddy is just too sweet sometimes."
"I'm going to be just like him when I get bigger," James declared proudly.
"That's not a bad plan to have," Hermione replied as she handed the invitation back to Ginny. "Your husband is too sentimental for his own good some days."
She smiled. "I think he just wants the day to be as perfect for you as possible. I know your parents meant a great deal to him."
Hermione nodded. "They were incredibly fond of him."
Suddenly, she felt herself becoming incredibly choked up and on the verge of tears again. Not wanting to completely break down in front of everyone, she quietly excused herself, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room as she walked towards the front staircase, all but bolting down the hallway as she reached the top of the stairs. Shutting herself into the room, she leaned against the back of the door, slumping to the grown as her legs gave out from underneath her. It was there that she dissolved into a puddle of tears. She thought she'd made peace with the fact that her parents were gone, but seeing their name on the invitation they would never see and thinking about the day her parents were never going to experience was too much for Hermione. It was if her heart was breaking all over again, her chest stinging with every sharp breath as she sobbed. Hermione couldn't understand how a silly piece of paper could evoke such emotion - deliver such a sharp punch to her fragile soul - but it did, and she had no other way to respond but through sobs.
Hermione cried until there was nothing left in her, ignoring the soft pleas from the other side of the door. Two of them were from Ginny, one of them from Narcissa. She managed to crawl away from the door and into the armchair near the bed, curling up as she clutched a picture of her parents that she took from the nightstand. Cruel and illogical wanting surged through her veins as she cried. She wanted her parents to come back. Lucius came back. Her parents should get to come back. But Lucius pulled off a ruse. Hermione knew her parents were dead. The look on Harry's face when he came back from identifying their remains, which had been magically preserved until the war was over, was forever burned into her memory.
Eventually, Hermione ran out of tears, and her sobs lulled her into a deep sleep, still curled up in the chair. She didn't hear the door open, or know how long she'd been asleep. Hermione did feel the picture being pulled from her hands, which she tried to resist but was too tired. She began to cry again at the feeling of a pair of strong arms scooping her up and moving her to the bed. Cracking an eye open, she saw Draco brushing his hand over her hair. She tried to speak, but instead, her cries dissolved into sobs again. All he could do was curl up behind her and hold her until she was done.
"I - can't - stop - crying," Hermione choked between sobs.
"I can see that," Draco shushed soothingly, rubbing her leg with his hand. "I knew all of this was going to be too much for you."
"Your - father - has - nothing - to - do - with - this."
His hand traveled up her leg and under the Slytherin shirt she was still wearing, caressing her side. "It's not just my father. It's the situation, planning the wedding, the bloody press...all of it together - it's too much."
"It just - isn't - fair," Hermione wailed, clutching onto the arm Draco had wrapped around her.
"I know it isn't," he whispered.
Hermione tried inhaling slowly to calm her sobs down, closing her eyes as Draco's hand against her bare skin soothed her. Her sobs reducing to sniffles, she rolled onto her back, straining to look at Draco as her eyes were exhausted from her tears. "I just miss - my parents. I'm so happy - with everything - but they aren't - here to share - in any of it."
Draco brushed her tears away with his thumbs. He grabbed her hand and placed it over her chest. "They're right there," he promised. "No two parents could have created someone as wonderful, kind, patient, and caring without them being right in there - with you - forever."
She exhaled a heavy sigh, a hand toying with the tie around his neck. A wave of reality crashed over her as she suddenly snapped herself upright. "Draco - what are you even doing home? You should be at work! Your meetings -"
"It's five o'clock, dear," Draco calmly said. "Mother says you've been up there since before lunch."
"Oh my - Ginny - she came to help - we were going to get things planned today!"
"All of which can be done another day," he assured her. "I don't know why any of them downstairs didn't owl for me if you were this upset, but I'll deal with that later."
Hermione shook her head. "They tried to talk to me - I just ignored them...and I guess I fell asleep. Heavens! I'm so embarrassed!"
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Draco said. "But feel free to feel awful for scaring the hell out of me, because when I came home, I thought something horrible had happened by the look on my mother's face."
She laughed through a sniffle, hoping it was her final one as she felt her nerves finally calm in Draco's presence. Cuddling up next to him, she placed a hand on his face as he leaned in to kiss her. Slowly and passionately, Hermione felt his hands press into her as if he was trying to absorb all of her sorrow. She held onto him as if her life depended on it, thoroughly kissing him until both of them needed to breathe. "I'm exhausted from today," she confessed. "I'm sorry I scared you."
He tucked her short strands of hair back behind her ear. "Can I bring you some dinner?"
She shook her head. "I just...I just want to go back to sleep. Can I?"
Draco kissed her again before crawling off of the bed. He pulled back the blankets and held them open as Hermione crawled into them, stealing Draco's pillow to snuggle up with. "You know Granger, I'm going to want that back later."
"That's fine," she said, yawning. "I'll just use you instead."
He dropped a final kiss on her forehead. "I love you."
"Apologize to everyone downstairs for me?"
"Absolutely not. You have nothing to apologize for," he replied. "Go to sleep."
She nodded. "I love you."
—————
Dinner commenced with awkward silence between Draco and his parents. His mother made a batch of chicken soup, hoping it would serve as comfort food for Hermione if she woke up hungry later. Draco wasn't holding his breath on her waking up until tomorrow. He already sent word off to Kingsley that he would be out the remainder of the week, but would come in for the press conference on Friday afternoon. They had a discussion earlier in the day on how to handle the announcement, and after careful deliberation, Harry and Draco decided it would be more effective and less intrusive if Kingsley made a blanket statement on the situation, directed any and all questions to his office, and that the press instructed to respect both him and Hermione's privacy.
Lucius broke the awkward silence at dinner, speaking to Draco. "Your mother and I were discussing alternative arrangements today. I do not wish to impose on Miss Grang - er, Hermione. She seemed very distraught this afternoon and I do not wish to be the cause of it."
Draco waved his father off, shaking his head. "It wasn't you, and she will insist that you stay so don't bother." He absently stirred his spoon in his bowl of soup. "The wedding is in a little over three months - the closer we get to it, the more it hits her that her parents aren't here."
Narcissa grimaced sadly. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Like what, bring back the dead?" Draco sarcastically asked. "No, Mother, this isn't something either of you can fix. The one person who didn't deserve it paid the ultimate price during the war. Look at the pictures in this house of her parents and Hermione - you won't ever find two people who could adore a child more - especially her father. Listen to Harry talk about her father one day - it's simply extraordinary."
His mother reached a hand out to hold his arm. "Draco - I was only trying to -"
"I know," he said, cutting her off with a sigh. "And I don't mean to get upset with you. I just feel worthless when she is like this because I know I had a part in it." Draco looked at his father, waiting for the older man to make eye contact with him. "I hate hating you," he said. "It makes me ill because her parents are dead while both of you sit here." He looked directly at Lucius. "You. You're supposed to be dead and you aren't. I should feel lucky that you're alive and I don't. I hate you, Father, for making me feel that way. It's fucking maddening."
"Draco -"
"It's fine," Lucius said, cutting Narcissa off. "He's entitled. I spend my days knowing I created this mess. I deserve to hear Draco tell the truth."
Draco sighed. "It's not that I don't want to forgive you for everything. I do. But I'm not ready to, and I honestly don't know if that day is anytime soon."
"I don't expect forgiveness," Lucius stated. "I don't deserve it."
"You're right, you don't," Draco retorted. "But I can't expect forgiveness and acceptance from others if I can't give it to you. It's just going to take time."
Lucius kept his face straight, but Draco could see in his eyes that his father looked somewhat relieved. He felt his mother give a grateful squeeze with the hand on his arm before pulling it away. With some feelings out in the air, the three of them managed to finish dinner, the silence less deafening. After dinner, Draco cleaned up the kitchen and brewed a fresh pot of coffee for his parents when Hermione slinked down the stairs in a fresh pair of clothes with a light jacket over top.
Draco looked at her curiously as she made her way to him, slinging an arm around him. "I can't believe you're awake."
"Me neither," she said. "My eyes are tired, but nothing else is." She looked over at Narcissa and Lucius sitting at the table. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. Truly."
"I don't see anything to be sorry for," Lucius said rather plainly. "Do you, Narcissa?"
"Not at all," chimed Narcissa.
Draco pulled at her jacket a bit. "Going somewhere?" he asked. "At this hour?"
She nodded. "Will you...will you come with me?"
"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"
She shrugged. "Somewhere I should have gone eleven months ago."
He was still confused, but went to retrieve his coat anyway. Hermione waited for him in the kitchen, watching Lucius stand up with the aid of his cane and slowly meander out of the kitchen, only to return moment later with a thick cream-colored envelope in hand. He held the envelope at the corner, presenting it to her. "You might want to take one of those...for wherever it is you are going."
Before she could think twice, Hermione threw her arms around Lucius and hugged him. Draco stumbled upon the scene, stopping in the midst of fixing the collar on his jacket. He looked at his mother, who appeared to be tearing up a bit as she dabbed the corners of her eye with a napkin. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw his father reciprocate the hug - albeit incredibly awkward and one armed. "It's like I live in the fucking twilight zone," Draco commented.
Hermione laughed, sniffling quickly as she let go. She tucked the envelope away in her jacket and smiled at Lucius. "Thanks," she whispered. Retreating towards Draco, she grabbed his hand and looked at him. "Are you ready?"
As he nodded, Draco felt the uncomfortable tug as they disapperated out of the kitchen and apparated into unrecognizable alley. Still holding Hermione's hand, he followed her as they walked out of the alley and down the street. He could tell they were still in muggle London, but it wasn't until they came upon the Gunnersbury Cemetery that he realized what they were doing.
Squeezing her hand, the two walked through the open gates, Draco letting Hermione lead the way. The two of them walked through rows, glancing at the engraved names with the flowers setting nicely on the sides of the granite stones. Finally, towards the back, there was a glossy black stone with GRANGER etched in an elegant scrawl, underneath it the quote, it is not the length of life, but the depth of life.
Hermione pulled the envelope out of her jacket and carefully dropped to her knees, setting the envelop next to the flower bouquet that appeared to be a few days old by the bloom of the petals. "Hi Mum...Hi Dad," she said, her voice wavering a bit. "I'm probably the worst daughter seeing how long it's taken me to get here, but I can already tell you have a regular visitor."
Draco stood behind her, his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket as he listened to her talk about her new job and how sorry she was that she didn't come visit when she came back. It never occurred to him to ask her where her parents were buried, or if she'd paid a visit to their grave. Then again, before his own father reappeared, the last time he was near him was the day of his funeral.
"...and I'm getting married to a wonderful man, Draco Malfoy" he heard Hermione say. "I know what you're thinking - and yes, he's the same awful boy I used to complain about every summer but he's different now, and I love him very much. He even gave me your ring, Mum, as my engagement ring and he found out that my magic - it comes from your side. Your family ring is goblin made so when I put it on it fit perfectly! I'm sure if Dad were here he'd say of course she'd get it from you and he'd be secretly be jealous it didn't come from him. Draco even asked Harry for my hand properly. It was really quite sweet."
"Hey - I asked Arthur too," Draco interjected.
"He asked everyone," Hermione said directly to the stone, giggling. "He was really nervous."
"I wasn't that nervous," Draco replied.
"He was nervous," Hermione whispered. "But I have my dress and it's so gorgeous and I'd tell you more but Draco's standing here and well, it's bad luck. I'll be sure to do a better job of visiting though. I guess I wasn't ready until today. A horrible reason, really, but it's a reason. I'll be sure to bring flowers next time too - I kind of came out here on a whim." She stood up on her feet and brushed the dirt off of her knees. Linking an arm with Draco, she rested her head on his arm and sighed. "Well...it's almost dark out, so we should be going. I just...I love you both. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say that before I left."
Draco kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure they knew."
"I hope so," Hermione said, blinking tears back. "Goodness! I don't even know how there are any tears left in me after today." She stared at her parents' headstone for a final moment before turning away with Draco in tow.
The two of them walked in silence as dusk began to fall. Hermione's favorite part of summer was how long it took for night to fall. "That was a nice quote...on the stone," Draco remarked.
Hermione nodded. "It's by Ralph Waldo Emerson - he was a muggle poet. One of Dad's favorites."
"Waldo?" Draco snarked. "Granger, that was no muggle - that man was a wizard."
"I don't believe there's any evidence that says he's a wizard."
"Granger, his middle name is Waldo. You can only get away with a name that ridiculous if you're a wizard."
Laughing, she shook her head, untangling their arms so he could drape his arm around her shoulders. "Whatever you say, sweetheart."
They walked a few more blocks, enjoying the spring breeze together. "Do you have an idea who left the flowers?" asked Draco. "It seems a bit odd."
Hermione smirked. "It doesn't, really. Harry left them."
"Harry? How could you know?"
"Didn't you see the flowers?"
Draco nodded. "Yeah - but I don't get what that has to do with Harry."
"They were lilies."