A Thousand Miles from Yesterday

"…. and you are serious?" The look of disbelief in the eyes of the group of elder witches and wizards surrounding him, made Draco uncomfortable. He looked down, avoiding their stares, as he answered, "Yes, I am… I will not be bringing Dumbledore back!"



The room exploded in a wave of angry and inquiring voices, making Draco sigh and grimace as he once again cursed the first moment he saw the damn Wand of Faith. He began to feel trapped as the angry words kept raining down over him and a barely audible growl started in his throat. Finally he just screamed it out, "The man wanted to die, God Damn it!!!"



The room grew so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Draco hoarse breath was the only sound, as all the others were dumbstruck by the fact this young wizard dared to scream at them the high court of wizarding law. "Now, that\'s just silly boy!" a chubby little wizard said, giving Draco a hard look. "Albus Dumbledore loved life… Why would he want to…" The question was broken off by the door to the small chamber being slammed open and a group of furious looking people streamed in.



"You have no rights to summon Draco like this!" Hermione yelled pulling her wand followed by Harry, Narcissa, Ron, Ginny and the rest of the Weasley clan, all looking ready to curse, jinx or hex anyone standing in the way. "Come son!" Narcissa looked through narrow eyes, a striking resemblance to a mother cougar protecting her cub. With a sneer Draco rose from the chair and joined his friends and family. "Accio WAND!" he bellowed and the Wand of Faith shot from the hand of the slender witch that was holding it.



"Don\'t ever… again!" Draco hissed, looking livid, making the Elders grimace either with anger or out of embarrassment. "But that is a lie, Young Lord Malfoy… Albus Dumbledore wouldn\'t have wanted to die!" the chubby wizard said looking offended at the claim. "He was dying already!" Harry stepped out of the group looking full of grief. "He had been cursed by the Resurrection Stone and combined with drinking the potion in the cave leaving him even weaker… He BEGGED Severus Snape to kill him because he didn\'t want Draco to become a murderer!"



Fred came up to Draco whispering they better get out, but Draco shook his head; he wouldn\'t give them the satisfaction of saying he fled from the room. He would wait here till Chief Ogden joined them. Draco knew Chief Ogden would, since it must have been some sight to see his mother and Hermione Granger leading the Weasley clan through the Ministry of Magic in search of him. And Ogden didn\'t disappoint, moments later they heard excited voices coming down the corridor towards the small chamber and when Chief Warlock Ogden slowly walked in, the members of the Wizengamot looked very uneasy as they hadn\'t informed the Chief about their little meeting with Draco Malfoy.



"So… Lord Malfoy… Draco, mind if I call you that… No? Good… Draco what have I missed?" Ogden said without looking away from his colleagues, very infuriated that they had pulled this little stunt. If he didn\'t handle this in a perfect matter it wouldn\'t take more than one journalist to do damage to the reputation of the Wizengamot and ultimately him. As Draco retold how for the last 45 minutes the witches and wizards of the high court had begged, pleaded, threatened and even tried black-mailing him, the normal kind and gentle Ogden\'s face changed to a mask of revulsion.



"So, Draco… What you are telling me is that my dear colleagues summoned you with false notes and then tried to force your hand and wand to perform the ritual of bringing back the dead?" Ogden\'s voice was filled with anger and he didn\'t even wait for an answer. "So, my dear, dear associates… You think it smart to bring a young wizard into a room full of superiors and demand him to go against not only his will, but also the will of the departed?! And I think you by not informing me already know this isn\'t acceptable… Leave us!" At first the Wizengamot didn\'t move, frozen by guilt and fear, but then Apperated out in one blink.



Chief Warlock Ogden took a deep breath and then turned to look at the angry mob behind him. "I will have you know that I had nothing to do with this… this…" sighing Ogden looked defeated. "But I should have known what my fellow wizards and witches were up to, and I\'m truly sorry for my neglect. You are all entitled to bring this to the press and I will not stop you, I will gladly…"



"Chief Ogden… Stop." Narcissa walked up to the elderly wizard making him look slightly confused as he had a whole speech ready. "We will not be bringing this to the press… If you keep your dogs on a tighter leash from now on and if the wizarding world stops bothering MY FAMILY!" With this she turned on her heels and left the room in an aggressive stride. After a short nod the Weasleys followed her example until only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were in the room with Ogden. With a deep sigh Draco asked if he would ever be able to live a normal life. "I just want to take my N.E.W.Ts, get a job, have a family and to be left alone… First, I was the bad guy for being a junior Death Eater… Now I\'m the bad guy for not bringing a man back from the dead… What\'s next?!"



With a grimace he left the room with four sets of worried eyes following him. "Hear he has bought a flat in your home town, Miss Granger… Maybe it would be a good idea for him to have some company there and as you lot all are taking your N.E.W.Ts together…?" Harry nodded, but both Hermione and Ron looked a bit skeptical. Would it be a great idea to have all four living together considering their history? "I\'ll tell him we would like to rent the two spare rooms… I don\'t think he would mind!" Harry said with a nod to Ogden and didn\'t give Ron or Hermione a chance to reject the suggestion before he left the room. Looking at each other in slight panic, Ron and Hermione turned and ran after Harry, bombarding him with reasons this was a bad idea. Frowning Harry stopped and asked why they didn\'t say it before they agreed to the Chief Warlock\'s plea.



"You didn\'t give us a bloody chance to!" Ron yelled and turned to kick the wall. "So… You are telling me you two aren\'t willing to stay in the same building, even if it is to stop our friend, your boyfriend from doing something stupid?!" Harry asked with barely hidden wonder.



"What do you mean with him doing something stupid?" Ron asked and Hermione looked at Harry as he raised his shoulders and looked away. Harry had seen the look in Draco\'s eyes, a desperate look of pain and longing for recognition. Harry knew Draco realized it would take years before anyone would see him as more than a Malfoy. Harry hoped it wouldn\'t make Draco give up and just BE a Malfoy. With a look at his two best friends Harry shook his head and said he might just be looking for a place to get some privacy and said they better hurry or Molly would be worried.





The trio found Draco looking gloomy, staring into a goblet of Cornish elderflower wine at the Leaky Cauldron. "Hi… Can we sit?" Hermione asked as she gave him a peck on the cheek while Ron and Harry took a seat on the two stools next to Draco\'s. "Something\'s up… I can sense it… So?" Draco didn\'t look up but keep his eyes fixed on the light golden fluid in the goblet. Hermione began in a very shaky and fast voice, "I-have-mentioned-that-you-had -mentioned-that-it-might-be-a-possibility-for-Harry-to-move-in-to-the-apartment-and-we-Ron-Harry-and-me-talked-about-well-if-it-is-okay-if-Ron-moves-in-as-well."



Draco frowned and looked up rather confused. "Huh?" Making Hermione blush and Ron and Harry sigh. "What \'Mione tried to ask is if you have room for her ex-boyfriend at your new apartment… It would be rather practical as we all four are taking our N.E.W.Ts and therefore could help each other." Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head. "But it might not be a good idea… So forget it."



Raising one eyebrow Draco looked at the three to determine if they had gone crazy. "Naturally we would pay you rent for the rooms… what do you say to 600₤ per month?" Harry said ordering three mugs of butterbeer for the trio, as Ron\'s head snapped round; he couldn\'t afford that! Draco grinned and asked if they had gone mad. "The most likely thing that would happen is that we kill each other…" He shook his head laughing silently and was rather surprised when he realized the trio was staring him down. "You\'re serious… All three of you want to be my room-mates?!"



"It\'s a three bedroom flat right? So… you won\'t need them all, right…? We\'re use to sharing a room, Ron and I… So that leaves one for Hermione and one for you… You won\'t be alone and will be paid 200 quid for each of us… quid pro quo!" Harry put his hand forth to shake on the price making Draco frown again but nod and shake Harry\'s hand. "That\'s a deal, Roomie!" Hermione squealed in joy and Ron murmured he couldn\'t afford that as he stared down into his butterbeer.



"Well, guess we should get home then?" Draco said with a gentle smile to Hermione and emptied his goblet in one, before putting his arm around her shoulders as he started to walk over to the fireplace. Turning he asked if Harry and Ron were coming or not! And the four flooed to "The Malfoy Pied-à-Terre," making Ron state that Draco had to be kidding with that name as no one would be able to say it right! The others laughed and Draco ask what Ron would call it then. "Anything but Pie and Tart!" Ron grinned as they slowed down and stepped out into a grand entrée.





Hermione was taken aback as she entered the flat she planned to call her home for some time. She had never seen a more perfectly matched residence and Draco had to smile as she walked around the flat looking flabbergasted. When Ron and Harry joined them in the living room it was so hard for him not to break out in laughter, as the trio all looked like that had never seen a flat before. "So… Guess we should find out who get what room… Naturally I take the master bedroom so that leaves the one next to the kitchen and the one with exit to the small balcony!"



Hermione spun round declaring she wanted the one with the balcony and giggled like a small child as Draco nodded her in direction of the room. They soon heard her cry out in glee and the three boys laughed, then Draco asked if they found the flat too posh. "Umm, you do realize who you are talking to right… I lived under the stairs for the most part of my pre-Hogwarts life!" Harry said with a crocked smile. "And I lived at the Burrow… No privacy or chess-board tiles on the floor!" Ron said with a sigh. Draco grimaced and apologized for bringing that up.



"That\'s alright… Not all of us are born with a platinum spoon up our… well," Ron said with a wink and opened the door to the bigger of the two spare-bedrooms with a "Nice." He walked in and with a swoosh of his wand made the two single beds slide from the centre of the room to opposite walls, picked the one on the right and lay down with his hands behind his head. "It will be nice to stay over from time to time." He said as he closed his eyes not wanting to see their pitiful looks.



"Stay over…? You aren\'t moving in?" Draco said in a wondering voice and asked why he had asked then. "I can\'t pay you the 200 quid per month," Ron snapped. Harry realized he hadn\'t thought about that when he had offered Draco the money. "I will accept \'I-Own-U\'s\' from you till you have a job if that helps?" Draco said in a low voice, "It\'s not like I need the money." Ron slowly opened his eyes and looked at Draco with a "Why?" blazing in eyes.



"I\'ve been an arse to you and your family all through Hogwarts, see this as a request for forgiveness, a way to maybe make amends and, hell, as a payment for you not making a move on \'Mi!" Draco said in a natural voice and left the room to let the floo-network know they should connect the flat with the Burrow as well as the Manor. Harry and Ron looked a little mystified. "He thinks I would make a move on \'Mione… But I\'m dating Lavender???" Ron murmured and Harry just raised his shoulders as an answer.







All had been fine for a whole week before the first fight broke out, but now it was blasting so loud the glass door to the kitchen quivered.



"No way, Draco Malfoy…. I will never accept you having House Elves cleaning, making meals or otherwise being enslaved to work here at the flat!" Hermione screamed at Draco as she ran to her room and slammed the door. Draco gritted his teeth, sneered and left the room looking so malicious that Harry sent Ron a look of worry. "You better go talk to him; I\'ll check on \'Mione," Harry murmured and Ron nodded as he followed Draco out the room.



"Um… Malfoy… Are you okay?" Ron felt rather unsure how to handle this one, as he knocked on the door to the master bedroom from where the sound of glass splintering and trees breaking echoed. "Fine… Oh, I\'m just fine!" Draco bellowed from the other side of the door making Ron jump a little. "May I come in?" Ron didn\'t really want to enter into the Dragon\'s lair when he was in such bad mood, but as the room grew quiet he slowly opened the door. He was met by the sight of Draco sitting on the floor, his back against a four-poster, coiled up, hiding his head in his arms.



"Why is she so bloody stubborn?!" Draco\'s voice sounded low and hoarse and Ron knew he was fighting not to let the tears of anger flow. "Well… She is the founder of S.P.E.W. and isn\'t use to Elves doing housework in her house… So, to find a very young House elf in her room cleaning it… Um, well…" Ron felt so awkward being the one with the task of calming down Draco and at the same time defending Hermione. Draco rose his head just enough for his eyes to catch Ron\'s "So… I should sack the Elves or what?"



"Well… Um… No… You should set them free, if Hermione had her way," Ron said with an apologetic smile, making Draco scoff with contempt. "And if the Elves don\'t want to be free?" Ron didn\'t know how to answer so just stared out the window. "Oh… Fabulous!" Draco hissed leaning his head back onto the bed.



"\'Mione… Are you alright?" Harry knocked softly on the door to the bedroom, clearly hearing her heartbroken sobs from within. "Go away Harry… Please!" Hermione howled but Harry just opened the door. "\'Mione…" he whispered as he looked at the weeping girl on the bed. He walked up to her and sat down. "Oh, Harry… Why is he so relentless…? He knows I fight for the rights of the House Elves!" she sobbed as she sat up with tears running down her chin. Harry just smiled and said Draco had grown up in a Manor… So House Elves were a normal thing for him to have. Draco, when it came down to it, was a highborn wizard. "I\'m not saying it\'s alright to keep House Elves, but remember his upbringing." Harry wiped a tear from the eye of his only true friend of the opposite sex. "I love him so much Harry… But sometimes…" Hermione\'s eyes filled with tears again.





"Sometimes you think we aren\'t right for each other." They both turned their heads to the door and saw Draco standing leaned against the doorframe. He wasn\'t looking at them; his face was a grimace of misery and wrath. "What do you expect me to do, \'Mi? Let them all go, I guess… But not all of them want their freedom… Remember Crouch\'s elf… Windy or Winky or something… She didn\'t want her freedom and look at what she became!" Draco sighed and looked tired to the death. "I\'ll let the ones go that want to go… And offer the rest payment for their work…" With a grimace of defeat he turned away and left the room.



"He\'s right you know… Most Elves would see it as a punishment to be set free…" Harry murmured to himself more than to Hermione still staring at the door opening. As they heard the fireplace whoosh they leaped of the bed and hurried out only to see the flames fade away. "RON!" Hermione yelled out. Ron came darting out of Harry and his bedroom looking worried as Hermione fell to her knees in despair, terrified that she might have lost Draco\'s love by being so stubborn and unwilling to listen.





Draco wandered through the dark park, his head full of negative thoughts. He jumped as a warm hand grasped his shoulder. "Hey, Stranger… You look sad!" He turned, staring into bright blue eyes and smiled a sad smile. "Hey, Candice… We have to stop meeting this way."



Candice frowned when she saw her friend clearly had a brand new heartache. "What\'s up, Handsome!" she whispered and ran her finger down his nose. "Is it that Granger-girl?" And when he just nodded Candice sighed and slithered her arm round his waist. She began walking, at first dragging him with her, but then they found a pace and she told him to "Spill it!" and Draco did.



"So… Granger-girl freaked out as she found a servant cleaning her room, as she finds it an unworthy line of work?" Candice frowned then laughed. "Handsome… It is your flat and she\'s just the tenant… So let her pay for the cleaning!" Grinning Candice stated that even if Hermione wasn\'t from a poor family, she still was a middle-class girl while Draco was the top of the breed so it was only natural there would be conflicts from time to time. "You just have to decide if she is worth it!" With a quick peck on the cheek she said goodbye, but just before she was out of audible range she yelled that if she weren\'t gay she\'d bed him any day, no matter if he had servants or not!



Draco smirked at her little comment and thought he better get back to the flat to see if Hermione even wanted to speak to him. With a sigh he realized he had turned back to a real Malfoy faster that he had thought possible. His upbringing seemed to corrupt him, but he had to gain control of himself or he without a doubt would lose \'Mi within months.





"…and if a small fight like this is all it takes for Malfoy to scram he\'s not worthy of your tears!" Ron\'s voice sounded from the kitchen just as Draco flooed back into the hall, making Draco scoff, as he found it oh so funny that it was Ron comforting \'Mi, saying Draco wasn\'t worth the tears. "Well, at least he isn\'t cheating on \'Mione like her ex boyfriend, eh Ron!" Harry said in a harsh tone making Ron cough of embarrassment.



By the sound of mugs rattling Draco guessed they found comfort in self-made hot cocoa. Thinking it had been a bad idea for the four of them to move in together, Draco headed to his room, growling as he saw what his rage had done to it. It looked like an a-bomb had gone off inside: expensive furniture and pieces of the antique mirror lay scattered all over the room. Taken a mental note to never let his rage out on his room again Draco pulled out his wand and began fixing the mess. "Totus Reparo Cubiculum." and slowly the broken things became unbroken.



As he hung the mirror back on its place over the fireplace, he glanced at the vase with floo-powder. He was thinking he might ask his parents to take the six House Elves into the Manor when a small cough behind him let him know he wasn\'t alone. "Master, sir… Zita wants Master to know us all sorry for Hemimion not want us here… Zita has talk with Mistress Malfoy… All Elves go to Manor but Zita… I wonts leave Master!" Kneeling down to the young House Elf, Draco thanked her for her loyalty and for arranging the move back to the Manor. "I\'m embarrassed that Hermione reacted in such bad manner and I’m sad to send the other Elves away, please let them know."



Zita smiled, "Master don\'t worry… Zita tell them!" and she blinked away. Draco felt so humiliated by this… this overreaction from Hermione. Now it would be impossible to get a House Elf to work for him as long as Hermione lived in the same house, with a snarl he hit his hand hard on the wall crying out in pain as it hurt more than he had figured. "Um… Trying to break down a wall, Malfoy?" Draco spun round and was met with Harry\'s wondering green eyes. "Something like that!" Draco sneered and flexed his fingers with a grimace of pain.



"So…?" Harry tilted his head and looked straight at Draco. "So…what?" Draco replied walking over to the windows and starred out into the darkness. Harry sighed and walked up to his former nemesis and just stood next to him taking in the fantastic view over the night-covered town. "The Elves has left, well, all but one… Hermione hurt their feelings and they didn\'t want to stay in a place they weren\'t welcome," Draco said in a monotone voice. Harry sighed and said she hadn\'t meant to, but it was because it would be wrong for her to defend the House Elves\' rights and have them clean her room at the same time.



"I know all that…" Draco hissed, "But she could have reacted in a more mature fashion… Screaming at me isn\'t the right way to go about it! This just makes me…" Sneering and closing his eyes, Draco just wished he had never returned to being a wizard. With a hard scoff he remarked that it seemed that Hermione and he only worked if he was a Muggle. "When we are witch and wizard we are at each others throats!" Harry frowned and said that this was the first time he had seen them fighting and Draco shouldn\'t let one fight paint a picture of the future.





"May I come in?" Draco tensed up just by the sound of Hermione\'s voice and when Harry said he better go see what Ron was up to, Draco almost grabbed him so he wouldn\'t be alone with \'Mi. As Harry closed the door silence fell over the room as neither one wanted to be the one to start. Finally Draco sighed. "The House Elves has left… all but Zita, as she wouldn\'t," He could hear Hermione slowly walk closer and soon saw her reflection in the window. She looked sad and clearly had been crying, but he wouldn\'t let her off that easy. "What exactly do you want from me…? Shall I ask to become Muggle?" Draco\'s voice sounded so hard and cold he saw Hermione recoil as if he had hit her. It made his heart ache, but he was still too proud to give in.



"Was it too much to ask for you not to scream at me…? Couldn\'t you have asked to have a word in private instead?" Again it looked like his word caused her physical pain. "Please… Draco," her voice trembled as she began. "Please… I know it was wrong to scream at you… But please understand… I\'m against keeping House Elves, you know that… Why didn\'t you tell me they were here?" Draco hissed that it was because he didn\'t want a scene like this. "You knew perfectly well that we Malfoys keep House Elves… Remember Dobby? It shouldn\'t have come as a shock to you there were some here!"



Turning so fast Hermione jumped back he looked at her. "What the hell do you want from me?!" The look of despair on his face made Hermione whimper. "I would bring you the moon if you asked for it \'Mi… I love you, don\'t you know that… But I will not tolerate you screaming at me and most certainly not in front of others, no matter how upset you are!" He fought so very hard not to give in to the emotions forcing tears to form in his eyes. "If you had been more mature about this, we wouldn\'t have to fight… Now I will never be able to get a House Elf to work for me again and we… we… What are we, \'Mi? I want to make you my wife… But your uncertainties on whether we are right for each other…?"



The past year flashed before Hermione\'s eyes, how they had become friends, how he had been there for her and how they had fallen in love. She didn\'t want to lose him and realized she would have to be the one to ask for forgiveness and she likely was the one that was most to blame in this case. Taking a deep breath she slowly walked up to Draco as tears gently fell from her eyes. "I love you, Draco Malfoy… I know I probably overreacted… Please don\'t shut me out…" As she reached him and just stood there looking into his eyes with tears running from hers, he caved in and let out a cry of pain as the tears that had build up in his eyes started to flow and he pulled her into his arms.



"I would go through fire for you \'Mi… I have never loved before you… Don\'t you know that?!" Draco didn\'t care that he begged. He shivered as she ran her finger over his back and whimpered as she kissed him so gently and so passionate at the same time. Taking her into his arms he carried Hermione to the bed and softly lay her down, whispering he wanted to make love to her right here and now. "Accio wand," and with a flick of the wand he closed and locked the door, before he lost himself in Hermione\'s golden eyes.





Hermione was rather nervous as she checked her reflection with a critical look. Draco had invited their parents to a small pre-Christmas dinner as they would be spending Christmas apart; Hermione at her grandparents and Draco at the Manor. It seemed so formal to have dinner with both sets of parents and she was slightly worried that Draco was planning to ask her to marry him; it was just too soon! He had said he wanted her for his wife, and she would love to be, but first she wanted her N.E.W.Ts and then she wanted to launch a certified education as a lawyer. She hoped it was her imagination running away with her. With a final turn in front of the mirror she sighed and decided she looked okay. “Time to face your fears!” she whispered and left the room to join Draco in the living room.



Draco was pacing; he was worried about the reaction from ‘Mi and the two sets of parents. He knew it was rather soon, but he had to follow his heart and something like this that felt so right couldn’t be wrong, could it? As he turned and saw Hermione standing and looking at him with a warm smile on her face, he felt that it was the perfect day to do this, to tell their parents and ask ‘Mi what she thought about the offer. “You look so beautiful, Love… I’m a lucky man!” and he opened his arms as she walked up to him, and he frowned as he felt her little heart beating so fast against his chest. Did she know?



“I love you, Draco… You know that don’t you?” she said in a strange voice making him lift her head so they eyes very connected “Is there something wrong, ‘Mi?” he said in a worried tone of voice she just smiled and shook her head, saying she were a bit emotional today, but didn’t know why and Hermione were really relieved that it seemed to be accepted by Draco.



The whoosh from the fireplace told them that the first dinner guest had arrived and moments later Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy walked into the living room “Good Evening, Son… Hermione.” Narcissa said clearly glad to see her son again. “Mother… Father… Please come in and take a seat.” Draco gestured to a couch next to a small glass table laid with cups and cakes for tea and Draco sat down in a beige Winchester chair dragging Hermione down to sit on his lap. “Please take a cup of tea while we await the Grangers” Draco nodded at the tray of cups as he hugged Hermione and locked eyes with his father. He would be the one most likely to overreact later so Draco had to figure out what mood he was in.



Narcissa looked round the flat really wanting a full tour of her son’s pied-à-terre and was thankful when Hermione asked if she wanted to see the rest “The kitchen is amazing…Every amateur chef’s dream!” Hermione said as she guided Narcissa out of the room leaving the two men alone.



Lucius and Draco just looked at each other for awhile then Lucius coughed “Something’s up… I know you, so you might as well tell me… Are you marrying her?” Draco frowned then raised a brow saying he might someday, but that wasn’t why he had invited them for dinner and that Lucius had to wait until after dinner as Draco wanted all to hear it at once. “But you don’t mind me marrying ‘Mi?” Draco studied his father’s face as he awaited the answer. Lucius looked back in a uncaring way and said he didn’t have a say in that matter “She is one of the brightest witches your age so she’ll likely bear smart children… Her brains and your looks… The Malfoy name could use that mixture!” Lucius scoffed. Draco didn’t like the way his father talked about ‘Mi as she was nothing more than a breeding mare, but at least Lucius wouldn’t be planning against the marriage.

“Have you forgiven me, son?”



“Huh? Sorry my mind wandered of… What did you ask…? If I have forgiven you?” As Draco looked at his father he realized Lucius’ pride had suffered immensely when Draco had rejected having contact with him. “We have never been that close, father. You have been a big part of my youth; you have misled me, lied to me, hurt me and rejected me when I needed you the most.” Draco’s eyes locked with grey eyes as cold as his own “I will never forgive you for leading me into the Dark Lord’s service, but I will forgive you for the way you acted towards me at the trail… You were desperate I guess.” extending his hand to his father he was surprised as Lucius walk round the table and hugged him.



“I know I have been a terrible father to you… But you are my blood, my heir, my son no matter what you do or who you befriend or marry!” Lucius whispered as he embraced his son for the first time since Draco was a tiny baby leaving Draco in shock with eyes wide open, unsure of how to react and glad when Lucius let go. They looked at each other somewhat embarrassed and were relieved when the fireplace whooshed as John and Katie stumbled out, Katie laughing and stating she would never get use to flooing “It feels like a rollercoaster ride!” she grinned as she went over and hugged Draco and just gave Lucius a cold nod as John greeted Draco and asked for his daughter, that in the same moment came out from the kitchen laughing arm in arm with Narcissa, seemingly enjoying each other’s company.



“Mum… Dad… Perfect timing the dinner is ready!” Hermione smiled and signalled for them to take a seat at the table.





“Wonderful dinner, ‘Mione… The roast was cooked to perfection!” Narcissa raised her glass as a toast to the chef making Hermione blush and say it was nothing special, “Any witch could do it.” and to remove the focus at her, she asked what it was Draco found it necessary to invite both sets of parents to tell; feeling butterflies dancing in her tummy and then Draco coughed looking extremely nervous she felt her heart racing.



“You all know I’ve been allowed to take my N.E.W.Ts along with Potter, Weasley and Hermione… And I will be doing that, but… Chief Warlock Ogden was been pulling some strings and cashing in some favours and I’ve been offered to join the Auror Training Program… In about 1 month’s time…” Draco starred down into his glass as the room grew totally quiet “I accepted, for as Ogden said the good-side needs all the wizards they can get and me being the master of The Wand of Faith… They wanted me fighting on their team, instead of against them…” nothing except the sound of 5 people breathing was heard, so as Draco lifted his eyes and looked from person to person he finally begged, “Someone please say something!”



Lucius drank down his wine and then looked straight at his son “So… You’re going to hunt down my friends and sent them away to Azkaban…?” as Draco nodded Lucius started to laugh quietly to himself making the rest at the table look worried at him thinking he might do something crazy, and as he really started to laugh both Hermione and Draco placed a hand on their wands “Oh, this is precious… My son, Draco Malfoy, Pureblood Prince of Slytherin, is dating a Muggleborn, going to be an Auror and friends with ‘The Boy Who Lived’…!” filling his glass once more Lucius raised it and saluted his son in a slightly sarcastic voice “From Villain to Hero… Not usual for a Malfoy!” Narcissa looked stern at her husband and lift her glass as well “To the first Malfoy in many generations to choose his own fate!” and she was followed by the Grangers, Hermione beaming at him



Draco was overwhelmed by how well his new had been received and didn’t really worry about Lucius’ reaction; at least he hadn’t tried to kill his son with the bare hands. Draco knew he had a lot of hard work in front of him, but tonight he felt at peace with himself and his future. Draco smiled as he raised his glass to his family!



Draco lay in his four-poster thinking back on the way this year had turned out. To think it hadn’t been that long since the face off with the Wizengamot, from where he had been a junior Death Eater till now where he was working hard on his N.E.W.Ts and Auror trainer, helped by his girlfriend, who was none other than Hermione Granger. This wasn’t the way his path had been leading him prior to the death of Voldemort, but he didn’t complain on the new direction fate had shown him.



He had feared Christmas, as he in a blink of insanity had agreed to go back to his childhood home and celebrate the holiday and his fears had been real as he spent most of the evening in a screaming fight with his father and had left in a foul mood just before ten. Lucius had been rude and kept asking if Draco’s mare rode well, if Mudblood bitches were better and just kept pushing Draco’s buttons till he snapped and screamed that if Lucius could say anything nice and clearly despised everything Draco treasured and wanted in life, then why the bloody hell had he invited his son to spend the holiday with them. Draco had left hissing that if his mother wanted to see him, she had to come to the flat, as he would never set foot in the Manor until the son of a Banshee gave Hermione and himself a sincere apology.



He had spend Christmas night cursing his father and himself for being so stupid to think the Pure-blood bastard would be okay with his son’s chosen girlfriend. He fell asleep in the Winchester and was awakened by the sounds of someone tiptoeing cross the room. He had drawn his wand and shouted “Petrificus Totalus” at the unknown target and heard a small shriek as Zita the House Elf stumbled to the ground; not bound by the spell, but merely stumbling as it hit “Oh… Sorry, Zita… Didn’t mean to hurt you!” Draco jumped up the chair and over to the little House Elf, who stared back at him. “Zita didn’t want to wake Master… Zita has heard Master didn’t have a nice visit home… Zita wanted to make Christmas morning surprise to cheer Master up… Zita sorry!”



As Draco turned on the light he saw a Christmas decorated room worthy of The Snowqueen and had fallen to his knees at the sight of a stack so big of beautiful wrapped gifts next to the frosted tree “Zita… You have done this all by yourself?” Draco looked at the young Elf smiling shyly at him and had done something no Malfoy had ever done. He had thanked his House Elf and summoned a plate of pasties for her. “Thank you, dear Zita; for making my Christmas Morning a lot better that my Christmas Eve.”



And now on New Year’s Eve he was expected at the Weasley’s for a grand party alongside Hermione; a thing that, if he had been asked just 3 years ago, he would have cursed the daylight out of anyone just for asking. With a stretch he left for the party knowing he could not get drunk as he had Auror practice the next day. “Draco Malfoy – Dark Wizard Catcher!” Grinning he threw a handful of floo-powder into the flames and called for the Burrow.