The year finally came to a close. Nostalgically, I strolled around the castle, reminiscing in the good in bad times. When I made it back to my room, I began to pack. To my surprise, at the bottom of my trunk, was a slightly torn Hufflepuff scarf. I pulled it from its place and shook out the dust, causing a picture to fall from it. It was the moving picture of Cedric and me at the Yule Ball. My eyes began to tear up as memories of me, and my first boyfriend flashed through my head. Finally, I rewrapped the picture into the scarf and placed it back into my trunk.
Cedric was gone. There was nothing I could do about it. But I had Draco, and he was all I needed.
I heard a knock on my door.
"Come in," I replied.
Draco walked in, ready to go. Pride hit me over him. He had earned redemption entirely in my heart
"You did it, Draco. Despite everything it took, and how hard it was, you pushed your boulder off the mountain."
He had no clue what I was talking about, but it didn't matter.
"You aren't your father's son. You've earned every inch of your redemption. And I'm... I'm really proud of you for that."
He continued to stare at me, with an unknowing look on his face scared me; it made me want to cry, hug him, and take a cautious step away at the same time.
I looked him in the eye long enough to let him know that I was completely serious and that I meant every word of it. Maybe it mattered to hear it from me, or perhaps it didn't mean a thing, but he should know. He had earned the right to hear it.
We made our way to Hogsmeade, the 8th years ahead of the mob of students. As we walked to the train, our eyes began to well with tears. This would be the last time our class was together taking classes. We were leaving Hogwarts, but this time we weren't returning for a new school year.
Together, the 8th years finally left Hogwarts, full of tears and goodbyes to classmates and favorited professors. Everything had come to close as the scarlet steam engine brought us back home.
. . .
A little after Hogwarts let out, the Malfoy's invited me over for dinner. This would be the first time I would go back to the Manor since the last school year as well as my first time without my dad accompanying me. This time, I would no longer just be a friend to Draco, I would be his girlfriend. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I was terrified. It was a special invitation from Draco's parents once they heard me and Draco started dating a few months ago. I got along with Narcissa fine; it was Lucius who was skeptical of our relationship.
As we entered the Malfoy Manor, my heart began to race. Old memories I had tried to forget came back as we passed through the gates. We made it to the front when I stopped. I didn't think I could handle going back to a place I had nightmares about.
Draco noticed this. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to, Love."
I shook my head. I wanted to do this.
Draco gave my hand he was holding a squeeze and together we walked into the Manor.
Narcissa greeted us with a very happy but worn down smile, and she led us into the dining room. I sat down next to Draco and across from Lucius and Narcissa. Lucius barely acknowledged my presence merely giving me a nod.
We are our food mostly in silence, and even though Draco and I were both legal adults, we still only spoke when spoken to. Once we finished our meal, the house elves took away the plates and left the four of us for a private chat.
"You look gorgeous, Hazel" Draco leaned over and whispered, intertwining our fingers under the table out of view of his parents.
"Hazel, dear, it's very lovely that you accepted our invitation to dinner. I know this place does not bring you the fondest memories" Narcissa said with an apologetic look on her face. "We thought it would take Draco another eight years until he would reveal his feelings for you"
"Mother!" Draco scolded. I giggled as my eyes darted between the two of them.
"8 years?" I asked. I turned to Draco. "You've liked me since we were ten?"
Draco's face was flushing scarlet causing Narcissa to laugh "I remember when the two of you met for the first time when you were 4 and Draco was 3. After you left, he kept telling me how pretty you looked!"
I smiled at Draco and his face seemed to be turning an even darker shade than before. He looked adorable when he was embarrassed.
"Mother, Please Stop!" Draco begged.
"But I haven't even gotten to the good parts yet!" Narcissa responded, ignoring Draco's voice pleading her to stop.
"Oh! When you two were around 7 or 8, Draco would always beg us to owl your parents to let you come over and play. It was absolutely adorable. Then when you made it to Hogwarts, his first letter home was not only to tell us that he made it into Slytherin but that you also made it too!"
I glanced over at Draco who had his face in his hand.
"And all the other times he would write to us it would be about how your hair was growing longer and always smelled like coconuts and how you were growing up into a beautiful young lady. He would write about the way your eyes would twinkle when he compliments you and how he loves the way your dimples would show when you smile. He was so jealous of the way boys looked at you in the third year." She gushed, her smile widening.
I always had a crush on Draco, but hearing about all the things he did without me ever knowing was the cutest ever. I laughed as I imagined Draco doing all of the things his mother said.
"I was 13!" Draco defended, but I couldn't stop laughing at the thought of young Draco doing all of these things.
"Sure, you were" I nodded, sarcastically.
"Then there was the collection," Lucius pointed out rolling his eyes, not entirely entering the conversation. Narcissa's eyes widened in realization.
Draco groaned and put his face in both of his hands.
"Oh yes! He also had a collection of you! It was filled with photos of you, quills that you lent him but he never gave back! Gift wrappers from Christmas and Birthdays, your old drawings. The list goes on and on. It was an absolute nightmare having to deal with his obsession over you." Narcissa continued.
"I thought you invited her to get to know her better" Draco muttered, annoyed by how his mother was making fun of him. I felt terrible for him, so I kissed him on his incredibly dark red cheek.
"It's cute, don't worry about it, Love," I told him.
"Are you two planning on getting married?" Lucius suddenly spat out.
I glanced up at him and noticed where his eyes were staring. They were looking at the promise ring on my finger.
"Well, not right now of course," Draco said. "In time, yes, I do think so."
There was a beat of silence.
"No, no, I won't allow it," Lucius replied.
"What?" Draco asked, his eyes turning a darker shade of gray.
"She's a Blood-Traitor, Draco, too Muggle-loving, friends with the Mudblood Granger—"
Draco began to rise from his seat. "Call Granger that one more time—"
"Don't raise your voice to me Draco," Lucius warned. "I am your father and while you are under my roof—"
"I AM NOT YOUR SON! I NEVER WAS, AND I NEVER WILL BE!"
"Draco," I tried to tug at his shirt.
Lucius stood up, causing the chair he was sat in to go flying back. "You are going to need a son, Draco! One to continue the Malfoy line and one that will not be raised by someone who believes Mudbloods are our equals!"
"Lucius!" Narcissa tried to calm him down.
"Well, I sure as hell am not raising my child to believe that you are apart of this family."
Draco grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the Manor. Once we were outside, he apparated us to the Rosewood Mansion. As we entered, it was empty, as my father was at the Ministry for work.
We entered my room and sat on the bed. Draco had his elbows on his knees and his arms supporting his head. He was bouncing his leg up and down, and I was afraid he was going to snap any minute.
"Draco..." I whispered. He looked at me, gray eyes filled with tears.
"Hazel, what if I become him? What if we have a child and I just become my father?"
He began to cry. I grabbed his face with my hands and made him look at me in the eye.
"Draco. You are not your father. You are better than him. A better person, a better man, and you will be a much better father than he ever was to you."
He nodded and nestled his head into my neck, and continued to sob. I held him, rocking gently back and forth. The time would come where Draco and I would be parents, and I knew for a fact that Draco would be a much better father than the one he grew up with.
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DO NOT WORRY. THIS IS NOT THE COMPLETE END. There will be an epilogue but I will also be adding a bonus chapter.
I have been writing Hazel's story for 3 years now, and I would like to finally let it come to a close. When I finish the book will go under major construction, and a few minor plot changes will be made.
Please let me know if you would like me to post the absolute ORIGINAL version of this story, before I go and edit everything.
And never think, I don't think about adding more to this story. I may have a burst of creativity and add more chapters to this book, even when it is complete.
Thank you for everyone who has read this story