Desperately seeking forgiveness

Chapter two


Draco didn\'t know how long he had been stood there, just staring at his reflection, when there was a knock on the door causing his head to snap around and his heart to leap up into his throat. \"Is everything ok? You\'ve been in there an awfully long time.\"

\"Yes, I\'m fine,\" he said. \"I\'ll be out in a minute\". Turning around to face himself again, he placed his hands on the sides of the sink and leaned closer.

\"Okay Malfoy,\" he told himself. \"Get a grip. You have to face her sometime, you can\'t stay in here forever. Anyway, you\'ve had a hot meal and the chance of a hot shower, what more do you want? If Hermione screams at you to get out, you have still gained not lost. Now get out there and thank her for her generosity.\"

Draco stood up straight and ran his long fingers through his damp hair. Removing the towel he picked up the jogging bottoms from the pile and held them up to him. They seemed to be the right length, but since when was he so picky. He sat on the side of the bath and pulled them on. Standing he tightened the cord at his waist so that they wouldn\'t fall down. Next he picked up the white cotton T-shirt and pulled it over his head.

Taking a deep breath he walked over to the door and placed his shaking hand on the handle. Fighting the urge to jump out of the window he slowly turned the handle and pulled the door towards himself. Peeking out he noticed that his clothes were gone from the floor.

Frozen to the spot Draco saw Hermione walking gracefully towards him with a mug of something hot and steaming. Hermione was concentrating so much on not spilling the coffee that she didn\'t see him at first.

\"Good, your out,\" she said. \"I thought you might like a mug of..........Draco\" She let the mug fall from her fingers as she stared at the occupant of her bathroom, hot coffee splashing up her legs.

A range of emotions swept over her before finally settling on concern, as she took in his appearance. He was so thin. The bags under his eyes made her wonder how long it had been since he\'d had a good nights sleep. Taking a step closer Hermione saw Draco\'s eyes widen as though he was afraid of what she would do.

With his heart thumping in his chest Draco saw Hermione take a step closer to him. (Say something,) he screamed at her silently. (Anything.) He couldn\'t move, his bare feet felt like they were glued to the floor. A prickle behind his eyes threatened to cloud his vision.

Hermione must have sensed how distressed he was, because she swiftly closed the gap between them and took him in her arms.

\"I\'m sorry, I\'m so sorry,\" he said into her shoulder. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as he felt the hot tears run down his face. It was the first time he had cried since he went on the run, and he didn\'t think he could stop.

Finally his legs gave way as his body was racked with sobs, taking Hermione down with him. She held him as she would a small child, stroking his hair and rocking him back and forth.

\"It\'s ok,\" she said. \"Let it out.\" She wasn\'t sure that he heard her properly but she didn\'t care, he needed comfort and that\'s what she would give him.

Looking down at him, Hermione couldn\'t get over how different he was. What had happened since graduation day? Why was he living on the streets? Muggle streets at that. Why couldn\'t he go home? Surely his father would help him. There were so many questions that were going through her head, questions that she hoped he would be able to answer.

Coming out of her train of thought she realised Draco had stopped crying and was looking at her intently.

\"You look tired,\" she said down to him, wiping the tears from his pale cheek with her thumb. His eyes looking quite red in comparison.

\"I should go,\" he said in reply, struggling to get to his feet. \"You are in danger as long as I stay here, I\'ve been here longer than I intended already\".

\"What are you talking about? Are you in some sort of trouble?\" Hermione asked.

\"Something like that\" he said. \"I really should go. Thank you so much for everything you\'ve done for me\". He bent slightly to kiss her cheek and took a hesitant step towards the door.

Hermione put her hand on his arm. \"You don\'t have to go, no one knows you\'re here. You look exhausted. Please, rest?\" Draco looked towards the door again. He looked anxious to leave. \"Come on,\" she said, gently tugging his arm, \"don\'t worry.\" Draco obediently followed Hermione into her bedroom and sat on the bed. \"Get some sleep, you\'ll feel better when you wake up.\" She kissed his forehead and smiled down at him one last time before leaving him alone.

Flopping down on the sofa she closed her eyes. She would leave him to sleep, and when he woke up she just hoped that he would be willing to answer all her questions.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laying in the bath, with bubbles all around her, Hermione closed her eyes. What was it Draco said? \"You are in danger as long as I stay here\". What kind of danger? She wondered, and who from? Voldemort was long gone, but she supposed there would always be someone out there ready and willing to take his place. Maybe that\'s what it is, some Dark Lord wannabe? She thought rubbing her temples. There was only one way to find out. Hermione prided herself on her ability to gain knowledge on anything, however stubborn the source. Draco would talk.

Hermione awoke sometime later still in the bath. Bubbles gone and the water cold. She got out and dried herself vigorously trying to fight off the goose bumps that were claiming her body. Pulling on her bathrobe, she headed for the living room, pausing to listen at her bedroom door. Silence. Softly she opened the door to find that Draco was laid, fully clothed under the sheets, fast asleep. She tiptoed over and moved a strand of hair that had fallen over his face. He looked so innocent. Looking at her alarm clock she saw that it was 20 past 9. I\'ve been in the bath for 2 hours, she thought in surprise. She picked up the clock and a change of clothes for the morning, and crept out of the room.

It was just after 1 the following afternoon when Draco\'s eyes shot open. His first thought, and biggest concern was to his whereabouts, and relaxed visibly as he remembered. He looked around for a clock but couldn\'t see one. He had had to sell his watch a long time ago for food.

Swinging his legs off the bed he stood, smoothed down the wrinkled T-shirt and walked through to the living room. There was no sign of Hermione. Looking around he found a note that had his name printed neatly at the top.

Draco,

Hope you slept okay. Help yourself to some breakfast. I\'m down in the shop. Just follow the stairs at the end of the hall and you will find me.
See you soon.

Hermione xx

Draco smiled. Taking the note with him he went into the kitchen. Dropping some bread into the toaster and flicking the kettle on he leant against the counter and re-read the note.

(Breakfast?) He thought with a chuckle, (more like lunch.) She really did have beautiful handwriting, she always did. The toast popped up startling him and he laughed at himself. He buttered the 4 slices and ate them while he waited for the tea to brew.

Carrying 2 mugs Draco followed the hallway and descended the stairs, emerging in the small office behind the shop. Walking through the beaded curtain he smiled as he saw Hermione, her back to him looking bored out of her mind. He cleared his throat to get her attention without frightening her and placed the mugs on the counter.

\"I thought you would like one,\" he said. \"I\'m afraid it probably isn\'t very good, I never did get the chance to make many cups of tea\".

\"I\'m sure it will be fine,\" Hermione replied picking up one of the mugs and blowing across the top. Taking a hesitant sip she looked at Draco out of the corner of her eye to see him smirking at her. \"See,\" she said, \"I\'m drinking it. It\'s lovely.\" His smile widened at her obvious pleasure.

\"Is there anything I can do?\" he asked looking around.

\"Yes\" Hermione replied. \"You can tell me what\'s going on with you\".

\"I can\'t do that. The less you know the better,\" he said, pleading with his eyes that she wouldn’t ask him any more questions.

\"But I don\'t know anything,\" she wailed. \"You haven\'t told me anything\".

\"It\'s better that way,\" Draco said quietly. \"It means you wont get hurt\".

\"By who? Who\'s after you Draco? You\'re not making any sense.\"

\"I can\'t tell you,\" he said a little more forcefully.

\"Why the hell not?\" Hermione demanded.

Draco spun round to face her. \"Because if I do\" he said breathing heavily. \"If I do he\'ll come after you too and I just can\'t do that. I wont. I\'ve said too much already.\"

\"Draco please, let me help you,\" she pleaded.

\"I\'m sorry,\" he said shaking his head, and he turned to go back upstairs. All Hermione could do was watch him leave.

The minute it turned 5 o\'clock she locked the door and ran up the stairs. Reaching the living room she was relieved to find Draco laid on the sofa, his blanket clutched in his hands.

\"Draco?\" Hermione said quietly as she approached him. \"Draco?\" He opened his eyes and propped himself up on one hand. Hermione sat down and lowered his head onto her lap. \"I\'m sorry,\" she said, \"I shouldn\'t have pushed.\" There were a few moments of silence between them before Draco spoke.

\"My father.\" He said.

\"What?\" Hermione said puzzled.

\"It\'s my father. He\'s the one\".

Suddenly Hermione thought back to something she had wondered before. (Why hadn\'t his father helped him?) Of course, she thought, his father couldn\'t help him because he\'s......

\"Your father?\" she asked him. \"I don\'t understand.\"

Draco pulled his knees up to his chest before speaking again. \"It was just after graduation when The Dark Lord was brought down. I was glad. No one knew that and I intended to keep it that way. A few months later my father found out that I myself had played a part in his downfall. From that moment on all he cared about was ending my life. He saw me as traitor, and traitors must be destroyed. I\'ve been hiding from him ever since.\"

\"But Draco, that\'s impossible. I still don\'t understand.\"

\"It\'s all true I assure you.\"

\"But Draco. Your father died a year and a half ago.\"

Draco sat up and Stared at Hermione intently. “What did you just say?” he asked.

“Your father,” she repeated. “He’s dead. He died a year and a half ago”.

Draco sat for a moment trying to take this new information in. “How did it happen?” He asked in a small voice.

“He was murdered. Your mother was thought to be the main suspect, but she had an alibi and no motive that they could think of, so they let her go. I guess she did have a motive after all. Protecting her son.”

As he sat, Hermione saw a tear slide down his cheek. “I’ve been hiding for nothing haven’t I?” he said. “I ran for nothing”.

“It wasn’t for nothing,” she said, close to tears herself. “You ran to save yourself.”

Draco stood up quickly. “Save myself? Save myself? I didn’t save myself. In running I destroyed myself. I left everything I knew and loved behind. My life, self-respect, dignity... my mother. I’m nothing but a coward.”

Hermione stood to face him. “That’s not true,” she said. “You may have run, but anyone would have, been placed in your situation”.

“But I’m a Malfoy,” he said. “Malfoy’s don’t run.”

Hermione took his hands in hers. “You may be a Malfoy, but you’re also Draco. You’re only human, and humans have an instinct to survive above all others. It’s that instinct that made you run, not cowardice.”

“Do you really think so?” He asked.

“Without question,” she replied simply.

He let go of her hands and pulled her to him, feeling the warmth of her body as she pressed against him. “Thank you,” he said.

“For what?” Hermione asked him. “I gave you food and let you take a shower”.

“You know what you did for me,” he said kissing the top of her head. “When I thought all was lost, you found my life and gave it back to me. I shall always be grateful for that. You did more for me than anyone ever has, except maybe my mother”.

She looked up into his face. “Speaking of your mother, don’t you think you should go and see her?”

Draco’s eyes widened at the thought. “Yes,” he said. “But first, I would like to ask you for just one more thing, if I may?”

“Of course,” Hermione answered him.

“Come with me,” he said. “I would like the woman who helped saved my life to meet the woman who found it.”

“I would be honoured,” she said.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Outside the Malfoy Manor, Draco gripped Hermione’s hand in his as he prepared to walk through the large gates. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted.

“You’ll be fine,” she said smiling up at him and giving his hand a little squeeze. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” he replied. And he led her through the gates and up to the front door.

As he rang the bell, he nervously moved from one foot to the other. He heard someone turn the handle a second before the heavy door swung inwards. A house elf was standing on the other side.

“Master Malfoy?” the little elf said, beckoning them in. “Why did you ring the bell?”

Draco just shrugged and held Hermione’s hand tighter. “Will you tell my mother I would like to speak with her?” He asked with an authority he barely remembered.

“Of course Master,” said the elf, and he ran off. It felt like a lifetime for Draco as he waited for his mother to come downstairs.

Suddenly he heard the swish of her skirts as she descended the stairs. He saw her hand appear as it followed the banister. Then came her arm, and finally his eyes rested on her face. He had forgotten how beautiful she was. Hermione let go of his hand and motioned him forwards as the woman reached the last step.

“Mother?” He said, his heart thudding in his chest.

“Draco? My son.” Came the response. And she gathered him up in her arms and held him tightly.

“Please forgive me,” he mumbled into her shoulder. “I just wanted to make things right”.

“There is nothing to forgive,” she said.

Holding her son at arms length, she caught sight of Hermione out of the corner of her eye. “And who is this?” she asked.

Draco turned around. “Mother, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, meet my mother”.

“I’m very pleased to meet you Mrs. Malfoy”. Hermione said her hand outstretched.

“Please, call me Narcissa,” the woman replied smiling, and took Hermione’s hand warmly in her own.

“Well,” Hermione said turning to Draco. “I really should leave now. The two of you have so much to catch up on.”

“Nonsense,” said Narcissa. “You must stay and join us for tea. Any friend of Draco’s is welcome in this house.”

“I don’t want to intrude.” Hermione said looking between Draco and his mother.

“I brought you here,” Draco said.” And I would like you to stay”.

“Okay,” she said. “I would like that very much.”

They took tea in the family room and Narcissa wanted to know everything. She asked where Draco had been, and was quite surprised to find he had been hiding out in the muggle world.

“It was the only place I knew my father would never dream of looking.” Draco said, and she nodded her head. Draco told his mother where he met Hermione and about when she took him in off the street. They also talked about things that Hermione felt she had no business listening to.

After a few hours Hermione realised how late it was. “I’m very sorry, but I think I’d better be on my way,” she said. “Mrs. Malfoy? Narcissa? Thank you for your hospitality”.

“The pleasure was all mine my dear,” Narcissa said smiling.

“I’ll walk you home,” said Draco.

“There’s really no need,” Hermione said.

“Oh but there is,” he replied with a grin, “I left my blanket there”.

Hermione thought for a moment. “You know what they say? If you leave something that important behind, it means you don’t really want to leave”.

“You don’t know how right they are,” he whispered. And he bent and kissed her.

Narcissa Malfoy looked at Draco and Hermione and thought how wonderful it felt to have found her family once again.
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The End.