Both Hermione and Draco are awoken the next morning by repeated banging on their front door. Draco reluctantly climbs out of bed with a groan, throwing on his dressing gown as he heads downstairs to answer the door. Hermione pulls their quilt up under her chin as she yawns.
"Oh, sorry, did I wake you up?" She hears Pansy loudly asks once Draco's opened the door.
She doesn't hear Draco's reply, which she assumes he muttered in his tired state.
"It's ten past nine. We were supposed to meet at nine o'clock." Pansy shouts.
"I don't mind as long as I get waffles at some point before I leave," Blaise admits as the front door slams.
"Get up those stairs, wake that wife of yours up and get dressed. You have five minutes." Pansy order Draco.
With a sigh, Hermione climbs out of bed and rummages through the wardrobe for something to wear. When Draco enters, he throws himself back on the bed.
"Whose idea was it to meet at nine o'clock?" He moans into the quilt.
"Who do you think?" She rhetorically asks, pulling a dress out. "You better get dressed before she comes up here to see what's taking so long." She warns him.
With another, overexaggerated groan, Draco rolls off the bed and searches through the wardrobe for something decent to wear. They make it downstairs with seconds to spare.
"Well, don't you both look cute." Pansy smiles, looking them up and down. "Here, an owl came for you, Draco." She hands him the envelope as she walks past them towards the front door.
Blaise gives them both thumbs up as he follows behind her. Hermione and Draco look at themselves then each other and realise they had unintentionally colour coordinated their outfit. Hermione had thrown on a dark blue flowery dress whilst Draco wore a dark blue shirt.
Draco quickly opens up the envelope to skim read the letter. He already knows what it's about, he just wants to know who it's about.
"Who's next?" Hermione asks, leaning over to read the letter.
"Jugson." He answers, replacing the letter in the envelope and throwing it down on the coffee table.
"Hey, can we go now?" Blaise sticks his head back through the door to ask.
"Yes, we're coming." Draco sighs, taking Hermione's hand and leading her out the door, which he locks behind them before they set off towards the gate.
"Are you looking forward to seeing Luna again?" Hermione asks as they sit down at a table for four inside Florean Fortescue's.
"Of course, I haven't seen her in ages." Blaise nods, shovelling waffle into his mouth.
"You remind me of my husband." Pansy scoffs, watching him in disgust.
Blaise stops in his chewing to glare at Pansy as he sits up straighter and begins to chew slower.
"It's only been a week Blaise." Draco reminds him.
"It feels like ages." Blaise shrugs, cutting up a smaller piece of waffle to place in his mouth.
"Well, I hope you have fun on this expedition." Hermione smiles, cutting up her pancake.
Pansy laughs. "Blaise. Camping. Not likely."
"Hey, I went camping for the Quidditch World Cup." Blaise defends himself.
"You slept in a bed, there was no camping involved. I saw the sleeping bag Luna was packing." Pansy points out before taking a bite of her waffle.
Blaise's face falls. "Well, I'll survive a couple of weeks." He states, looking unconvinced.
"Good luck. We'll think of you whilst we're sleeping in our four-poster king sized bed." Draco teases him.
"You got a new bed?" He asks.
"We're moving my bed from the Manor to our house. It's more comfortable than the one we've got now." Draco explains.
"You're right there. I think your bed is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in." Blaise sighs. "Do you think Luna and her father would be offended if I brought a bed with me?" He asks.
"Yes, they would be," Pansy tells him with a smirk.
"At least I get to see Luna again." He shrugs, trying to cheer himself up.
"Every cloud." Pansy laughs, finishing her waffle. Blaise glares at her as he finishes her own. "Have you two accepted McGonagall's apprenticeship offer yet?" She asks, looking over the table at Hermione and Draco.
"Not yet," Hermione admits, looking at Draco. "We've been quite busy." She adds.
"It'll take you five minutes so we're going after breakfast. The only reason I took accepted her offer was that you convinced me to. I'm not going to sit at the Professors' table on my own with Neville and Atkins because you two didn't meet the deadline." Pansy warns them with a glare.
"Fine, we'll go to Eeylops straight from here." Draco nods.
"Good, the deadline is Thursday." She reminds them.
"I'm starting to feel left out here." Blaise pouts, leaning back in his chair. "The three of you are going to be at Hogwarts, working together, being friends and forgetting all about poor Blaise."
"Shut up, Blaise. We're not allowed to live at Hogwarts so you'll see us all the time. Stop being so emotional." Pansy rolls her eyes.
"I'm just an emotional person." Blaise overdramatically pretends to wipe a tear from his eye.
Once they've all finished their breakfast, Blaise stands up, stretching his limbs out with an overexaggerated groan.
"I better be off." He states, pulling his jacket on. "It's ten o'clock and I haven't finished packing. I'll see you all when we get back on the fifteenth of July." He smiles sadly.
"Have fun, Blaise," Hermione tells him as she stands up out of the booth to give him a hug.
"What, no hug from you two?" He asks, arms open for either Draco or Pansy to hug him but neither move. "I'm hurt."
"Draco, you're not going to see our best friend for three weeks. The least you can do is hug him goodbye." Hermione chastises him.
"Yes, Draco. Listen to your wife and come here." Blaise opens his arms again.
"Oh, fine." Draco sighs, sliding out of the booth and giving his friend a quick hug goodbye.
"You smell great, Draco," Blaise mutters in his ear.
"This is why I don't hug you," Draco tells him as he pushes him away.
Blaise laughs as he turns to Pansy and quirks a questioning eyebrow.
"No chance, Zabini." She crosses her arms.
"Well, thanks for breakfast. I love you all but I really need to go now." He says as he backs away towards the door. "Goodbye." He salutes before leaving.
"Eeylops," Pansy announces, sliding out of her side of the booth and stalking out of the shop.
Hermione takes hold of Draco's hand as they follow their friend to the owl emporium.
"Didn't even take you three minutes?" Pansy points out as they leave Eeylops.
"Have you got any plans today, Pansy?" Hermione asks as they stroll down Diagon Alley.
"I have lunch with Mother and Father at one o'clock and then dinner with the Weasley's at seven o'clock once Papa Weasley is home from work." She says with a laugh.
"What do your parents think about you spending all this time with Molly and Arthur," Draco asks, quirking a knowing eyebrow.
"What they don't know can't hurt them?" She smirks. "Molly's cooking is seriously some of the best I've ever had. I would consider staying with Ronald just to eat her food one a week." She jokes. "Where are you two off too?" She asks them.
"Hermione's Uncle David seem to think we're close to finding a link that will lead us to Hyperion." Draco mentions.
"So, we're off to the library," Hermione tells her.
"You two and libraries." Pansy shakes her head. "I'm sure you'll have fun but I'm going. Goodbye." She nods before disapparating away.
Hermione squeezes Draco's hand. "Which library did David take you to?" She questions him.
"I'll take the lead. I don't know what it's called." Draco tells her, about to disapparate to the library when a voice calling his name stops him in his tracks.
"Draco!"
Both he and Hermione turn around to find Narcissa stood a few meters away from them. Draco steps slightly in front of Hermione, pulling her behind him by the hand.
"Mother." He greets her politely.
"Hermione, lovely to see you as always." Narcissa forces a smile as she glances around Draco at the other woman.
"I'm sure it is, Narcissa." Hermione glares at her Mother-in-law.
Narcissa suppresses a smirk as she steps closer to her son and daughter-in-law.
"We may have gotten off on the wrong foot. I would like to invite you both over for dinner tomorrow night at the Manor." Narcissa offers, looking hopeful. "We'll be having your favourite, Draco." She adds, in an attempt to persuade them.
Draco glances over his shoulder to Hermione who looks just as confused as he feels.
"Harry." Hermione mouths to him as a suggestion.
"Really?" He mouths questioningly in return. "She listened to him." He adds, turning to face her.
"Maybe we should," Hermione suggests.
"What? After everything she did?" Draco frowns.
"If she's serious about making amends, why not? It's only one dinner." Hermione mutters. "You can ask her about her true intentions and it'll give us the opportunity to look more in Hyperion's bedroom." She nods, eyes wide.
Draco thinks for a moment. "Are you sure, Hermione? He asks her seriously.
"Yes." She nods.
Draco turns back around to find his Mother watching them intently. "Okay, one dinner, tomorrow night, at the Manor." He agrees, letting go of Hermione's hand to step closer to her. "But I warn you," He hisses angrily. "If you have any ulterior motives, you will regret it." He threatens her.
"Son, I assure you, I don't want to lose you and if that means accepting her as my daughter-in-law, so be it." Narcissa smiles, lifting her hand up to stroke his cheek. "I've missed you, son." She adds.
Draco pushes her hand away. "We'll see you tomorrow night at six o'clock." He tells her before turning on his heel, taking hold of Hermione's hand and disapparating away.
When they enter the library, Draco doesn't recognise either of the librarians behind the desk. He smiles at them both as he walks up to them, leaning against the desk.
"Morning," He greets them. "Myself and a David Adair have been conducting research in your newspaper machine room."
One of them scoffs. "You mean the microfiche reader."
"Yes, he means the microfiche reader." Hermione steps up to the desk next to Draco. "My uncle is David Adair. He's a history teacher at St Gordon's Secondary School. He's conducting some research into the second world war and has asked us to help him out whilst he's at work. Could you let us in the room please?" Hermione smiles, looking at the two librarians.
"Oh, Mr Adair from St Gordon's. He brings his year ten classes here every September in preparation for their exams. Such a lovely man, isn't he, Sandra?" The elderly librarian nods as she grabs a key from under the desk. "Just this way, dears." She calls them as she sets off towards the microfiche reader room.
As soon as the librarian leaves, Draco shows Hermione over to the drawers where the microfiche newspapers are kept.
"David's looking at 1940. I've already started with 1942 so if you can look at 1943 we might be able to find something today." Draco suggests.
"Of course, but you're going to have to show me how to use this machine." She tells him looking at the microfiche reader.
After a quick tutorial on how to use the machine, they're both silently scrolling through the newspapers from their chosen year. Four hours later, Hermione has just finished looking through Friday 30th April 1943 and Draco is halfway through September 1942. Both of them were yet to find any mention of any Malfoy dying in the war.
Hermione had suggested stay for a couple more hours but Draco insisted they grab something to eat and head home for an early night. They have been so busy since the ceremony that they hadn't spent much time in the house the Ministry had so kindly forced them to live in.
They disapparated a few streets away from the supermarket they had visited a few weeks ago to pick up some food and drinks. Hermione decided she was going to try her hand at cooking a proper meal since they really weren't eating properly. The only time they did was when they were invited to someone else's house or they went out. If they were going to raise healthy children, they would need to start eating healthier themselves.
Draco pushed the trolley as Hermione grabbed whatever fruit and vegetables she thought they might need for the next few meals along with various types of meat and fish. As they're walking down the tin aisle, she decides that soup is both healthy and easy to cook if they get home late during the week, so she fills the trolley with multiple varieties.
"I don't think we need all this soup," Draco comments as she places four more tins of vegetable soup into the trolley.
"We need to eat healthier and since we've been so busy recently, this is the easiest way." She tells him, going back for some carrot and coriander.
Draco doesn't argue with her, he just continues to push the trolley, offering his opinion every now and then. When they reach the tills, over an hour later, Draco ends up paying just over a hundred pounds for their shopping.
"Those soups will last us for months," Hermione assures him as he hands over the notes.
"They better." He grumbles, making the cashier lady laugh.
"I'm starving, can we go home and not eat soup now?" He asks Hermione as they walk out of the supermarket carrying three bags of shopping each.
"Of course, we just need to find somewhere safe to make these lighter and disapparate." She whispers, glancing around the supermarket's car park. "There's a path over there. I think there's a field next to it fenced off by bushes" She tells him, guiding him over to the path in the furthest corner of the car park.
It turns out Hermione's right and there is a rather secluded field next to the path. Unfortunately, there were a group of young children playing football on it. Before she could suggest walking further down the path to find a deserted alleyway, Draco passes all the shopping bags into one hand, taking hold of Hermione's wrist with his free hand, disapparating them back to the estate.
"Draco! Someone could have seen us." She reprimands him.
"I checked, there was no one watching." He assures her as they set off back to their house.
Once home, Athena flies down the stairs to greet them as Draco helps unpack their shopping and Hermione starts to chop up some vegetable for their dinner.
"Hello, Athena!" Draco softly return her greeting, letting her land on his shoulder. "I wonder what you've been up to all day." He says as he continues to unpack their shopping bags. "How long should I expect dinner to be ready?" He asks Hermione, placing the last tin of soup in the cupboard.
"I don't know. It'll be ready when it's ready." She tells him.
"Would you like any help?" He offers, watching her scrap the chopped carrots into a pan of water.
"No thank you, this is something I'd like to do alone," Hermione tells him.
"I'll be in the living room if you need me." He mentions as he leaves with Athena, turning on the record player and picking a book from their bookshelf. He lowers himself down onto the couch and starts to read, hungrily waiting for Hermione to finish their dinner.
Over an hour and a half later, Athena has left him to return upstairs. Hermione calls him into the kitchen, his stomach growling in preparation for the meal he's about to eat. Draco stands up, throwing his book onto the coffee table as he heads into the kitchen to find dinner already served on the table with two glasses of wine and a lit candle.
Draco smiles fondly at Hermione, stood unsurely next to the table
"What's all this about?" He asks, walking over to her and kissing her cheek.
"I've been thinking about what you said last night. We've been married for twenty-six days and it shouldn't fall to you to do the wooing." She smiles, using his choice of words from the previous night. "So, this is my attempt at wining and dining you." She gestures to the table.
"It looks amazing." He tells her, pulling her into a quick kiss. "You didn't need to do this though." He adds, sitting down at the table.
"I wanted to." She admits, sitting opposite him.
"Well, thank you." Draco nods, picking up his glass of wine and holding it out to her. "To us and our future." He toasts.
"To us and our future," Hermione repeats with a soft blush as they clink their glasses and take a sip.
They eat in comfortable silence for a while until Draco pauses for a long moment, seemingly lost in thought.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asks him, placing her cutlery down.
"I'm going to cancel dinner tomorrow night." He states.
Hermione frowns. "What? Why would you do that? It gives an opportunity to search Hyperion's bedroom." She reminds him.
"I know, but I think Mother's hiding something and I don't want you to get hurt if this dinner's a trap." He tells her.
"Draco, I'll have my want within reaching distance this time and you'll be there too. I don't think Narcissa is going to do anything in front of you and risk losing you. You're all she's got now." Hermione says.
"You have a point but I still feel like we're missing something." He frowns.
"You can figure it out whilst I'm in Hyperion's bedroom. Question her about any ulterior motives she may have." Hermione smiles. "I think we should go." She tells him, reaching across the table for his hand a squeezing it.
"If you're sure?" He asks, unconvinced.
"I am." She nods.
Draco nods, "Alright, we'll go." Picking up his cutlery again to continue eating his dinner.
After dinner, Draco pushes Hermione into the living room and down onto the couch, telling her to relax as he clears the table and washes up. He uses his wand to send all the dishes into the sink, where he sets them off washing themselves, before tapping the table to scrub itself. Once everything is clean and it's the right cupboards, he joins Hermione in the living room on the couch.
"I wish you wouldn't use magic for everything." Hermione sighs, leaning her head against his shoulder.
Draco wraps his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "It's just so much easier and quicker." He tells her.
Hermione sighs again, making Draco laugh. "You know I'm right." He teases her.
"Of course, you're right, but just because something is easier and quicker, it doesn't mean you have to do it that way." She tells him.
"Doesn't it" He questions her.
"No, with some things, it's nice to do it the hard and longer way so you can savour the moment." She admits.
"Like what?" He frowns, trying to think of anything he would rather do the long hard way than the quick easy way.
"When I was coking your dinner tonight. If I'd used magic, it would have been ready within twenty minutes but I wanted to do it myself. I wanted you to know that I had taken my time to make sure everything was perfect. It might have taken longer, but it's the thought behind the act." She explains.
Draco's quiet for a moment as he thinks over what she's just told him. He can see her logic behind not using magic for some things. He smiles as he pulls her closer to him. "I must admit that you make a valid point and I appreciate the time and effort you put into wining and dining me." He kisses the top of her head.
Hermione rolls her eyes but leans closer into the embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and cuddling him closer. It's a while later when Draco speaks again, making Hermione jump since she thought he had fallen asleep.
"It's Sophie's birthday soon, isn't it?" He asks her.
"Yes, the seventh of July. Why?" She questions.
"I was thinking, we should give her a birthday party. We can make it magical since your whole family knows now." He suggests.
Hermione glances up at him in adoration. "You're amazing. Sophie would love that but Lauren and Craig don't know anything about magic." She reminds them.
Draco sighs. "They're young and imaginative. They thought the snitch was a robot. They'll come up with their own ideas and then they'll forget about it as they grow up. I can't remember much of anything from being four years old." He says. "Or we could just obliviate them after the party." He adds with a chuckle.
"We are not obliviating my cousins." She tells him sternly, leaning away to frown at him.
"I know, I was joking." He assures her, pulling her closer again.
"You can make the games room magical but the rest of the house has to be muggle. We should probably invite my godmother and Mark and Mia too. It'll be much harder to hide magic from Sharon." She points out.
"Then we muggle proof the door. They'll forget why they were going to open the door as soon as they touch the handle." He shrugs.
"We can specify it just for Sharon and possibly my grandparents too. They might know about the wizarding world and the Ministry but I don't think they've ever seen any magic being performed. I don't want to overwhelm them." She explains.
"So, that's a yes. We're throwing Sophie a magical birthday party." Draco smiles down at her.
"Yes," She smiles at Draco's excitement. "But we need to ask David first in case he has anything else planned for her seventh birthday." She adds.
"I'll call him tomorrow around lunchtime after Jugson's trial," Draco tells her. "Which reminds me, I need to be up at eight tomorrow morning to get to the Ministry in time. We should head to bed soon." He suggests.
"You head up now, I'm going to feed Athena then I'll join you." She tells him as he climbs off the couch and stretches before offering Draco a hand to help him up.
"I'll meet you up there then." He tells him, kissing the top of her head and heading upstairs.
Having heard her name, Athena had flown into the living room from somewhere upstairs. She excitedly followed Hermione into the kitchen where her food bowl was refilled and replaced in her cage. Hermione locks the cage door behind Athena, earning herself an annoying chirp.
"It's bedtime, Athena." She tells the owl who's ignoring her in favour of eating her food. "Goodnight." She adds as she closes the living room door and makes her way upstairs into their bedroom, where Draco is already wrapped up in bed. "Comfortable." She asks him teasingly as she collects her pyjamas.
"Very much so." He smiles, eyes closed.
Hermione goes into the bathroom to brush her teeth, the long hard way, and change into her pyjamas. By the time she returns to their bedroom, Draco's already half asleep, a soft snore emanating from his slightly open mouth. She climbs into bed, shuffling closer to her husband who instinctively wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer.
"Goodnight, darling." She whispers, closing her eyes and leaning into his warmth.
Draco scoffs. "Goodnight, my dear." He mutters, half asleep.
When Draco wakes up at eight o'clock the next morning, he quietly climbs out of bed, trying not to wake Hermione up. He picks himself out a pair of smart dress robes that he can wear to both the trial and to the Manor for dinner with his mother tonight. He doesn't know if Hermione has any plans for the afternoon but he wants to go back to the library to continue searching through the newspapers for the Malfoy's who dies during the war.
Heading to the bathroom, he gets dressed and brushes his teeth, the quick easy way. Hermione wouldn't be impressed. Downstairs, Draco lets Athena out of her cage, allowing her to stretch her wings as he goes about making a cup of coffee to wake himself up.
Today's trial is going to be harder than some of the others since Erik Jugson is the wizard who took the pleasure of murdering his Aunt Andromeda's Muggleborn husband. His Aunt, who he's never met or been introduced to, will be there watching him give his testimony against Jugson. If there was ever a case that needed Draco to slightly exaggerate on, it was this one. For the sake of his Aunt who lost not only her husband but also her daughter and was left to raise her grandson, who, with his name and metamorphmagus abilities, is a constant reminder of both of them.
Hermione's awoken by a chirping in her room, which she assumes is Athena.
"Good morning, Athena." She greets the owl with a sigh as she stretches and opens her eyes. "Did Draco let you out?" She questions, climbing out of bed.
Athena chirps in reply as Hermione pulls on her dressing gown and heads downstairs to find both the living room and the kitchen empty. She checks the clock in the living room.
"Half past eleven!" She exclaims, running back upstairs to get dressed.
She had wanted to meet Draco after the trail. Not knowing much about Erik Jugson, other than he was the one who killed Ted Tonks, she doesn't know how long the trial will last.
Hermione leaves the house as soon as she's ready, rushing down the streets towards the gate where she disapparates straight to the Ministry. By the time she reaches the same bench outside the courtroom, it's nearly twelve o'clock and it sounds like the trial is still going on. Having come without a book, she finds herself staring at the door, lost in her own thoughts. That is until Andromeda Tonks burst out the door in tears.
"Mrs Tonks?" Hermione stands up as the woman walks past her.
Andromeda stops, turning to look at who had called her. "Oh, Hermione. I didn't know you'd be here." She sobs, lowering herself onto the bench, beside Hermione.
"I'm waiting for Draco." She admits. "How's the trial going?" She asks.
"Oh, very well. Draco has been on the witness stand for nearly an hour describing in great detail the Death Eater's victims. He's just started on Ted." Andromeda cries.
"I'm sorry," Hermione places a comforting hand on her back. "Is it too much?" She asks sadly.
"It must be, Draco suggested I leave. He doesn't think I should hear what the Death Eater did to Ted and if Draco thinks that then it must be bad. I don't want to know that he suffered." She says.
"Draco's actually a very kind man once you get to know him," Hermione tells her.
"I tried to visit Narcissa and Draco after he was born but Lucius wouldn't even let me through the gates of the manor. I sent birthday and Christmas cards for the first five years but it became apparent he wasn't receiving them so I stopped. He's my only nephew." Andromeda admits.
"There's nothing stopping you now. I'm sure Draco would love to get to know you. He doesn't exactly have much family left with Lucius in Azkaban and Narcissa being distant since the partnership ceremony." Hermione tells her.
"I'm glad he got paired with you but you could have done better." She smiles sadly. "You're quite the influence on young Draco."
The courtroom door open and a man peers his head out. "Mrs Tonks. The witness has finished his testimony." He announces, disappearing back into the courtroom.
"It'll be time for the sentence." Mrs Tonks stands up abruptly.
"I, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, hereby sentence you, Mr Erik Jugson, to Azkaban for a total of fifty-five years effective immediately. This includes the remaining fifteen years from your first sentence, ten years for escaping Azkaban in 1996 and thirty years for your crime during the second war." The Minister announces to the courtroom before nodding to three Ministry Officials who release Jugson from the chair and take him down to the holding cells.
As the crowd of observers exit their seats, Draco's scans the room for his Aunt Andromeda, hoping for the opportunity to officially speak to her for the first time and apologise for what happened to her husband. He finds her sobbing into the sleeve of her dress, in the front row. Clearing his throat and straightening his robes, Draco walks over to the aisle and shuffles along until he's sitting beside her, offering her his own handkerchief.
Andromeda glances at the piece of cloth, following the arm up to his face and sitting a little straighter in his presence. She nods as she accepts the handkerchief and dabs at her eyes.
"Mrs Tonks, I am very sorry for the loss of your husband. I've heard from Hermione that he was a great man." Draco says, hands folded on his lap for a lack of anything else to do with them.
"He was the greatest man I've ever known." She sniffs, turning to look him in the face. She stares at him for a long moment. "You're as beautiful as your parents were at your age." She suddenly sighs. "How is Cissa?" She asks.
"Physically well." He nods.
"The war left many people, from both sides, mentally unwell and the only ones who know what's going on up there is the person themselves. All others can do is listen and try to understand." Andromeda glances away as she speaks from experience.
"She threatened my wife and future children, I find that difficult to understand," Draco admits with a frown.
Andromeda smiles. "She did the same to Ted when we were at Hogwarts. She was scared of losing her family so tried to scare my future one away. Obviously, it didn't work and she never carried out her threat but her biggest fear is losing her family. She already lost so much of it and you're all she has left. I think she's just trying to keep you safe, by her standards." Andromeda states.
"You know a lot about my mother." Draco points out as he lets her words sink in.
"Before she was your mother, she was my best friend and my sister. I miss her terribly." She says, looking out at the last few people leaving the courtroom.
Draco follows her gaze up to the Minister, who is watching them carefully. He stands up abruptly, making his Aunt rise to her feet also.
"I must get going, Draco. I hate to impose on Harry too much with Teddy, especially since he's got his own little one on the way now." She announces, straightening her bag on her arm.
"I'm sure he doesn't mind," Draco says.
"I'm sure he doesn't. I've heard about all the trouble he got up to with his own Godfather." She shakes her head fondly. "Thank you so much for what you've done today. I very much appreciate it and..." She pauses, seemingly trying to make a decision so Draco patiently waits. "Would you and Hermione care to join Teddy and me for dinner one night this week. I understand if you're busy." Andromeda starts to backtrack.
Draco places a gentle hand on her forearm. "We would love to, although we are rather busy at the moment. Actually, we're having dinner with Mother tonight, you should join us." He suggests.
"Oh no," She shakes her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I haven't spoken to Cissa in nearly thirty years. She wouldn't want to see me again. I'm a blood traitor, remember." Andromeda attempts to talk herself out of it but Draco can see the want in her eyes.
"You were her best friend and sister at one point, I'm sure that doesn't just disappear. Hermione and I will be there if she tries anything but I don't think she will. You said yourself that my mother's biggest fear is losing her family and I'm all she's got left, but I'm not. You're still alive, mother's still alive and if there's one thing I've learnt from surviving the war, it's to make amends and try to change." Draco tries to convince her.
Andromeda stares at him for a moment before sighing. "As long as you tell her this was your idea and I was bribed into attending, I'll come. Although, I'm not stepping foot through the door of that Manor of yours until she invites me in. If she doesn't want me there, I'm leaving." She says with the air of entitlement.
Draco nods, "We have ourselves a deal." He holds his hand out.
Andromeda shakes it once before pulling him into a hug. "Do you think you can call me, Aunt? I always wanted to be an aunt." She admits.
"Of course, Aunt Andromeda." He nods with a smile as they back away from their hug. "We'll meet you at the gate to the Manor at ten minutes to six." He tells her.
"I'm already regretting this." She sighs as they walk out of the row. "I need to have a few words with Kingsley. Goodbye, Draco." She smiles at him before walking over to the Minister.
Draco watches suspiciously for a few seconds before leaving the courtroom, where he finds Hermione sat looking very bored.
"How long have you been sat there?" He asks her as they walk down the corridor hand in hand.
"Since just before Andromeda came out. That was very kind of you, sparing her from the details." She tells him, squeezing his hand fondly.
"I only wish I could have spared myself in the first place, Jugson always was one for the dramatics." He sighs as they reach the lifts.
"Andromeda's coming for dinner with us tonight." He states as they step inside.
Hermione turns to face him in utter shock. "Have you completely lost your mind?" She rhetorically asks.
"I think it might all work out rather well," Draco admits.
"How are we supposed to search Hyperion's bedroom if we need to make sure your mother doesn't kill her sister," Hermione asks.
"Andromeda said she won't enter the Manor if Mother doesn't invite her in." He explains.
"I just want you to know that I do not agree with this." She mutters as they exit the lift on the disapparation floor. "To the library?" She asks and Draco nods, squeezing her hand as he apparates them to the library where they continue their search.