They simply sat on the floor with their backs on the edge of the bed. They didn't say a word, simply just drank their sorrows and problems away. But finally, Narcissa opened her mouth after a few drinks in. "Why are you doing this, Hermione?" She asked softly, looking over at the girl beside her.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, staring down at her glass of firewhisky.
"After what I did to you, after what I said to you, after the way I treated you ..." Narcissa said, shooting Hermione a stare. "Why are you here offering to have a drink with me?"
Hermione took in a deep breath, gulping down the substance. "Because ... you're hurting, and you're alone, and you're pushing people away when you need them most." Hermione began, looking at her. "I know today is the day Lucius passed away. And I know that you're furious at him for leaving you behind. I know that you feel the most loneliest when this time comes around ... and Draco's defiance isn't really helping."
Narcissa's tears blurred her vision as she pressed her lips firmly together, and she looked down with a sigh.
"And I can't imagine the pain you're feeling right now ... and I'm not going to pretend like I do, because I don't." Hermione admitted with a deep sigh. "So all I can do for you ... is to be here for you. And have a drink with you because you need it."
"I don't want .... Draco to be like me. I don't want him to end up like me - like this. I don't want him to feel lonely every day of his life and .... I want the best for him, Hermione. And I know that making him marry Astoria might make him hate me, but it's something I'm willing to live with."
"Because he'll have someone ... he won't end up like you." Hermione finished as she poured herself and Narcissa another drink. "But he doesn't love her."
"I know."
"Don't you think he deserves to be with someone he loves?"
"You?" Narcissa asked, glancing over at her.
Hermione stared at Narcissa for the longest time before shaking her head. "You know, Draco does love you." She said, changing the subject. "And to be completely honest ... I know why he's been avoiding the topic of marriage. And I realize the real reason now."
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't want to leave you all alone. If he gets married, then he'll have to start living his own life and start taking care of his own family. And he knows you won't be apart of his life as much. And he's afraid to leave you because he knows how lonely you are. Don't you see? You two are trying to do what's best for each other, but it isn't really working."
"Is that what he told you?"
"He didn't have to tell me anything. From what I've learned so far about him ... he really does care for you. He doesn't want to leave you alone, Narcissa. Let him do what he wants to do. It isn't fair for him."
Narcissa gulped down the glass of firewhisky as she looked down at her hands. "I want to apologize for my behavior and actions towards you. I did things that I ... shouldn't have done. Astoria just made it seem like-"
"I know and I forgive you. I would've done the exact same thing." Hermione said and took in a deep breath. "So, do you trust her? Astoria?"
"No," Narcissa said, clenching her jaw as she shook her head. "I thought she was telling the truth ... or at least, I desperately wanted her to be telling her the truth because I just couldn't take any more lies."
"Then, why are you still making them get married? You already know she's lied to you and the whole Wizarding World. Why are you keeping her around?" Hermione asked with a frustrated sigh.
Narcissa stayed silent for a while before licking her lips. "When Draco first told me that he was in a relationship with you ... I was so happy, Hermione." She said, looking up at Hermione, completely changing the subject. "I was shocked but so happy that my son had found such a wonderful, talented, intelligent, and gorgeous girl like you. And I was so pleased to hear that my son was dating Hermione Granger."
"But then we ... well, we happened and you started to hate me."
"So much." Narcissa exclaimed as she shook her head. "I was so appalled by your attire and your makeup. The second you stepped into my house, I didn't want to hear a single word from you." Narcissa admitted, letting out a small chuckle. "You were so horrible. And I know that Draco made you into a person I'd hate most."
Hermione chuckled as she nodded. "I admit, we took it a bit too far."
"Oh, and I just kept asking myself ... what happened to Hermione Granger? You're every mother's dream daughter-in-law, you know that? I just wanted to brag to all my friends about how my son was dating you. But then you showed up like that and everything changed."
Hermione grinned as she bit her bottom lip. "So would you have ... accepted our relationship if I had shown up like myself? If we told you the truth? Would you have let us be together?"
"In a heartbeat." Narcissa said.
"Well, damn."
"It's not too late, you know." Narcissa poured Hermione another glass.
"Hm?" Hermione asked, arching up an eyebrow. "What?" Hermione asked slowly as she eyed Narcissa suspiciously.
"I think I've been extremely selfish lately. I was just so blinded by my own goals that I completely disregarded Draco. I've been concerned about his marriage and ... not letting him end up like me but I realize ... that what I'm doing to him now will do exactly what I never wanted to do. If he marries Astoria Greengrass then he'll end up just like me - bitter and alone. And I've been so selfish, Hermione. He can make his own choices and I need to let him do exactly that."
Hermione nodded slowly, looking down at her feet.
"Hermione,"
"Hm?" She looked up.
"Draco and Astoria's wedding is in two days."
"I know,"
"It's not tonight, it's not tomorrow ... "
"Yeah, I know ..." Hermione stated slowly, knitting her eyebrows together. "What are you ... what are you saying?"
"Some say that love is the strongest force in this world. And I agree completely." Narcissa stated and stopped, facing Hermione. She set her glass down and took Hermione's hand in hers. "I'm stepping away from Draco's life. I want him to marry the woman that he loves, so that he can be happy. And Hermione, I know love can be terrifying ... but you can't run away from it. Or you'll regret it for the rest of your life and you'll become even more bitter and lonelier than me. And you don't want that because that's ... that's not living."
"Narcissa, are you ..."
"Their wedding is in two days, Hermione. It's not tonight, it's not tomorrow ..."
"I-I need to go." Hermione quickly said as she got up. She fixed her shirt as she licked her dry lips.
"You best be on your way." Narcissa said with a small smile. "Thank you, Hermione. I really needed a drink."
Hermione smiled at Narcissa and quickly ran out the door and down the stairs. She opened the door and apparated away the second she left the house. Hermione found herself in front of Draco's flat and immediately began to knock on the door impatiently. "Draco!" She shouted, her knocks growing louder and louder as each second passed.
But no one came to the door. She continued to knock on the door feverishly, calling out his name. But still no one came. Was he out? Where was he?
Finally, a door behind her opened and she turned around to see an irate old woman. "What are you doing making such a loud ruckus?" She snapped at Hermione, glaring at her with her beady eyes.
"I, I'm so sorry." Hermione quickly apologized, feeling her cheeks flush as she pressed her lips together into a thin line.
"If you're looking for Malfoy, he's not here. He just left." The woman grumbled.
"Do-do you happen to know where he is?" Hermione asked softly, taking a step closer to the woman.
"Am I his mother? Why would I know?" The woman shouted angrily as she threw her hands up in the air. "He's not home so stop ruining other people's day with your commotion!" She rolled her eyes and slammed her door shut.
Hermione blinked several of times as she bit her bottom lip. "Oops," She muttered and sighed deeply, turning back around and staring at Draco's door. "Where could he have gone?" She asked herself softly under her breath as she resigned, walking away. How anticlimactic. She had hoped to tell Draco how she really felt but her timing seems to ruin things. Hermione walked
out of the flat building and began to make her way back to her own flat. "You lost your chance, Hermione." She muttered to herself as she continued to walk down the street when a group of girls caught her attention.
"Where are they?" A blonde chirped excitedly as she thrashed her head in all directions, obviously trying to figure out where a particular group was.
"I don't know, I just heard Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass are having a date somewhere tonight." A brunette spoke up, looking around.
Hermione's ears perked up as she stared at the group of girls. She slowly walked over to them and smiled."Hi, are you lost?" She asked with the sweetest smile she could muster in this current situation.
"No, we're just looking for ..." A raven haired girl's eyes widened as she gasped loudly. "Y, you're Hermione Granger. Bloody hell - I mean, oh my gosh."
Hermione nodded as she tried to get them to speak. "Who are you looking for?"
"Draco Malfoy and Asto-"
"Jess!" The brunette screeched, elbowing the blonde Jess, in the ribs.
"Ow, what the hell, Mary!" Jess yelled, rubbing her ribs obliviously.
"Sorry, w-we should really get going. We're late." The brunette, Mary, explained hurriedly as she ran away from Hermione, dragging her friends right behind her.
Hermione groaned as she cursed under her breath. "Damn, they didn't even help." She muttered and furrowed her eyebrows as she looked around. "They're out on a date?" Hermione sighed as she shook her head. "I think the universe is telling you to give up, Hermione." She muttered quietly. "It's just not meant to be." She said with a sigh of resignation.
She slowly made her way home once again. The skies darkened quickly and it soon began to pour without warning. Hermione groaned as she looked up at the dark sky. "I get it, I screwed up!" She shouted angrily as she kicked the ground. Could things get any worse?
She spoke too soon. A group of people ran past her in a hurry, pushing her down onto the ground. Hermione fell on the cold, wet pavement with a groan. "Oh, hell no." She sighed, getting up and noticing that her heel was broken. "Are you fuc-"
A series of loud screams and footsteps cut her off. Hermione shut her eyes, groaning with frustration. The screams wouldn't stop. She could hear the sound of the cameras shutting off with the flash blinding her eyes. What the hell was going on? Did reporters want to take pictures of her all dirty and miserable with her heel broken? Hermione angrily turned around, ready to yell when she suddenly saw Draco standing just a few feet away from her.
"Draco." Hermione whispered out, the air getting knocked out of her. Was the universe on her side?
Draco stared at Hermione with sad eyes as he held the umbrella tightly. He simply stood and stared for a good two minutes before he took one step closer to her.
Hermione did nothing but stay still. For once in her life, she didn't care about the people watching, the reporters taking their photo, and certainly not Astoria Greengrass staring her.
Draco took a few more steps closer until he was finally just a few centimeters away, holding the umbrella over the both of them. "What is it with you and rain?" He finally asked. "You're going to catch a cold again."
Hermione stared up at him as she got on her tippy toe on her right foot due to the broken heel. "Draco,"
"And what is this?" He asked, pointing to her broken shoe. "Damn it, Hermione Granger. You look like a complete mess-"
"I love you." Hermione quickly said as she stared up at him earnestly. "I love you Draco Malfoy and I'm so sorry I'm so late. I - I love you ... I love you so much and I've been an idiot running away. I've been such a coward but now I realize that I love you, Draco Malfoy, and I'm not going to run away - not anymore."
Everyone's eyes widened with jaws dropping everywhere as reporters took pictures and ferociously wrote in their journals.
A ghost of a smile lifted onto Draco's lips as he stared at Hermione. "You do know you're too late, right? I'm getting married to Greengrass in two days, if you haven't noticed."
Hermione nodded, placing her hand over his cold hands. "But you aren't getting married to her tonight ... or tomorrow ..." She said with a crack of a smile. "Or ever,"
"And why is that? Why do you think that is?" Draco asked sternly.
"Be with me," Hermione told him with a wide grin.
"Be with you? Hermione, I can't just-"
"Marry me," She quickly blurted out. "Marry me, Draco Malfoy. And I promise to make you the happiest man alive and I promise to love you forever."
Finally, Draco's face softened as he smirked. "Are you proposing to me, Hermione Granger?"
"I am,"
"I don't know why you think I'd just say yes. I have someone I'm going to marry,"
"Marry me." Hermione said again with a small chuckle. "If you have to marry someone, then marry me." She said, stepping closer towards him as she put snaked her arms around his neck.
"Hermione-"
"Just say yes, and I'm yours." Hermione whispered softly before crashing her lips onto his.
Draco's eyes widened but he was quick to react. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her back with just as much passion and longing. He dropped the umbrella and slid his hand behind the nape of her neck as she ran her fingers through his blonde locks.
The crowd circling around them cheered and exclaimed with joy. Reporters took endless amounts of pictures, pedestrians stopped by to see what was going on, and Astoria Greengrass watched the couple maliciously from the background.
After what seemed like an eternity, they reluctantly pulled away. Hermione smiled gently as she looked up him. Draco smiled as he caressed her cheek with the hand. "You drive me insane, Hermione Granger."
Hermione grinned from ear to ear. "Good, because you drive me crazy."
"And I love you," Draco whispered into her ear. He looked up and saw everyone watching their every move. He looked down at Hermione and gave her a look. One look, that was all it took for Hermione to nod her head, then kick off both of her shoes and start running away with Draco hand in hand.
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Yay, finally, am I right? huehuehuehue this story will be ending in 2-3 chapters. :( this fanfic is currently #503 in fanfiction, i can't even believe it. <33
xoxo Annie