A/N - Thank you so much for reading our little OS. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We are working on a full length fic inspired by this, so if you have any ideas please let us know in the reviews!
Disclaimer: We do not own anything you recognize, or profit from this story in any way. Our unending thanks goes to J.K. Rowling for giving us this world to play in.
Triggers: language, mild violence, discussion of death of a major cannon character, fluffy feels.
Cover art: by the wonderfully talented thewaterfalcon. Thank you so much, love!
Winner: Overall, Fan Favorite, Judge's Favorite, Best Plot, Best Character Development, Best Grammar, and Most Convincing Ship in the Wordsmith & Betas Dramione One Shot Competition.
Finding You
by PhoenixTwins
Draco sat on the hard, wooden bench. It was painted green, and was not forgiving in comfort. Watching Scorpius play with a little girl, he wondered what it would be to live a 'normal' life. His son was growing; he'd be turning five in a few months. Scorpius would grow up not knowing what he was missing; if he'd grown up like Draco, he would soon begin lessons with a tutor on foreign languages and magical history. Instead, Scorpius would understand that his magic must be kept secret, must not be shown. To do magic in the Muggle world was not only illegal, but could potentially bring unwanted attention.
He looked at his watch - five o'clock - it was time to get back to the tent. He walked towards the blonde boy in the sandbox. The little girl next to his son was watching him approach, bright eyes wide. She looked like she could see through him, to who and what he was. It was almost unnerving to have this red-headed girl be so observant.
"Scor, it's time to go, man," Draco said.
"NO! Not yet, I'm playing with Rose," Scorpius whined.
Draco looked over at the little girl. He noticed her red hair was frizzy, reminding him of someone, but not being able to place whom. She ignored him and continued to shovel sand into her bucket.
"Scor, it's time to go."
Draco's patience was thin. He wasn't in the mood to calm a tantrum before it even started. Scorpius was good at pushing to get what he wanted, and this was one of those times. Draco watched the boy meet his eyes while grabbing a handful of sand, and turned to the girl saying, "Look, Rose. Watch me."
He moved his fist upside down and slowly unfolded his fingers. The sand started to swirl, and spun faster into a small tornado no larger than the girl's bucket. Rose gaped at the tiny tornado, pure awe in her shining, butterscotch eyes.
Footsteps hurriedly approached them.
"ROSE! Honey, it's time for us to go home!" a woman shrieked as the sand tornado fell into Rose's bucket.
Shit, thought Draco. Damage control of the crazy, helicopter mom. She must've seen the tornado. What would she think? Damn, and we finally found a park that worked for us.
Draco couldn't see her face as she leaned forward towards her daughter. Somehow, this was different; this woman was used to magic. She wasn't surprised of the tornado, but wary of the caster. He knew that hair though. He knew those flustered curls, and frizzy ends. Suddenly, he was able to place his previous feeling of the little girl reminding him of someone.
"Granger?" he asked.
Draco was breathless. He was excited to know that someone he could relate to was within reaching distance. To know that someone he knew was still alive. Excitement gave way to fear, as he realized he couldn't trust Hermione Granger. That feeling of hope only lasted for a second, before it was stripped from him like ugly wallpaper from a decrepit home. Draco fisted his wand, still hidden in his pocket, till his knuckles grew white. He would do anything, ANYTHING, to protect his son.
With an air of authority he said, "Scorpius, it's time for us to go, now!"
Still staring at the back of Hermione's head, Draco didn't see Scorpius looking at his dad with tears building in his eyes. The hurt that he'd caused by being stern with him went unnoticed.
Hermione looked up from her crouched position, and realized the pale blonde boy's dad was Draco Malfoy. As a boy he called her Mudblood. This boy taunted her, and held the opinion that her blood was less. This boy let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, tried to kill Albus Dumbledore, and stood by while his crazy-ass aunt tortured her.
Rose looked at her, pleading. "Mummy, I'm not ready to go."
"Rose, darling, it's time for us to be leaving. We need to get back," Hermione answered.
Rose looked back at Scorpius who had a horrible expression of pain still painted on his face. She rose to her feet and brushed her skirt of sand and grabbed her mother's hand.
Hermione stood staring at Draco's grey eyes, noticing the hardness behind them. Feelings raced through her mind and body of more than fierce determination, but anger, mingled with fear. Why was Draco here? Where had he been for the past six years? Which side did he fight on? Her thoughts tilted towards the white-blonde headed boy that made a tornado from a handful of sand. She stared at the child that was playing kindly with her daughter. It warmed her heart to see Rose have someone her own age to connect with. She considered the moment she saw the tornado and knew it was magic; her heartbeat stuttered with excitement as she watched Rose's eyes glow bright. It scared her to realize that tiny bit of magic could be their saving grace, and simultaneously something she should run far away from. On that thought, she wondered about her school nemesis who was standing in front of her, with a son of his own. She knew she should leave. It was time to shove the burning need for company away; she wasn't going to find that in Draco Fucking Malfoy.
"We should be going, love," she said looking down at Rose. "Tell your new friend bye."
Hermione and Rose began walking towards the edge of woods that bordered the park. Seeing her daughter look over her shoulder, back towards the playground, she chanced a glance too. She watched as Draco took his hand from his pocket and let the breath he'd been holding out.
"Mum, did you know they know magic like you do? I want to see Scorpius again. Will he teach me his magic?"
"Love, I don't think we'll be seeing them again any time soon. It's not safe to be around people that know magic. Besides, your magic will come soon."
Hermione looked to see if anyone was watching before Disapparating them from the park when she noticed her palm was empty of what should be her daughter's dirt crusted fingers. She turned towards the park to see Rose's ginger hair streaking out behind her as she raced towards the sand box.
"Rose, stop!"
Draco didn't notice the darkened face across the park as he bent down to brush the sand off of his son. When he heard Hermione scream, he looked up to see a man striding quickly towards him, wand level with his heart.
"I know you're Draco Malfoy. You're supposed to be dead, you are!" The man grabbed Scorpius hard, pulling him away from Draco, his dirty nails digging into his cheek as he clamped the boy's mouth shut, preventing him from screaming.
Draco didn't say anything to the man, but was internally trying to figure how to get his son away from him without causing a scene that would bring more attention; even a wandless, nonverbal spell could be dangerous. Scorpius' eyes were wide with fear, and he was swinging his legs wildly trying to loosen his assailant's hold. Suddenly, Scorpius was dropped to the ground as the captor was flung backwards, falling into the sandbox, and hitting his head on the wooden edge. Rose stood next to Draco with her hand held out in front of her. He looked down at her realizing she had been the one to release the hold the man had on his son.
She glanced up at him with shocked eyes and whispered, "That man was very bad. I didn't like him hurting my friend."
Draco approached the now unconscious man, muttering a quick Incarcerous to bind him, before scooping his sobbing son into his arms. Hermione was grabbing Rose as the distinct crack of Apparation hit their ears. Shit, more people were coming! Not thinking twice about his decision, Draco gripped Hermione hard on the upper arm, meeting her scared eyes before Disapparating them all away.
Scorpius slept against his father's chest, choked sobs still racking his tiny body. Draco adjusted his seat on the ground as he leaned against a tree, staring into the flames of their fire.
Hermione swayed back and forth with Rose cradled in a makeshift sling, reminiscing in the old-familiar feeling of the soft rhythm of her daughter's breath on her chest.
"When Rose was little, the only way she would go to sleep was to be wrapped in a sling."
Draco looked up at her, but stayed silent. She didn't understand why she wanted to tell him any of this, but he seemed to be lonely like her. When he grabbed her and Disapparated, her first thought was fear, but after six years on the run, she learned how to deduce people's intentions quickly. Draco showed kindness to her and Rose in their quick escape, and his attentiveness to his son was reassuring of his maturity.
Needing to process the day's events with someone, she offered hesitantly, "Today was the first time Rose has shown her magic. I've been waiting for a while now. I figured it would happen when she was feeling a particularly strong emotion... but I never expected her to attack someone."
"Granger, she saved my son. I'm pretty sure her attacking someone was technically protecting someone. If she hadn't thrown that Snatcher off of him..." he trailed off, eyes watching as Hermione swayed. He liked watching her hold her daughter, and comfort her; it was something he sorely missed for Scorpius who no longer had a mother to soothe him.
She smiled sadly, meeting Draco's eyes. "What happened today?"
Sighing deeply, he asked, "Do you want to lay her down? I think he's out, and there is plenty of space in the tent for them."
"Yes, my shoulder is killing me. This used to be easier when she was a baby."
The tent inside was comfortable, furnished with dark wooden shelves, an oversized sofa, and ornamental rugs. It was surprisingly well kept for a bachelor on the run. She laid Rose down on the sofa and covered her with a blanket that was slung over the back.
Draco walked back from laying Scorpius down in the huge bed in the corner. "Firewhiskey?"
"Yes, that would be nice."
Handing her a glass of amber liquid, he started towards the tent flap, walking back out to the fire, and resuming his seat against the tree.
When she sat down across the fire, he began, "Those were Snatchers that were trying to catch me."
Smirking, Hermione quipped back, "Yeah, I kind of guessed that. Brightest witch of my age and all."
Draco smiled for the first time in a while. "Ok, Granger, let's start at square one. What happened to your side after the Final Battle?"
"Are you trying to avoid my question about today?"
"No, but if you want to understand, then we will need to start at the beginning. What happened to you six years ago when The Boy Who Lived died?"
She drained her glass of liquor, feeling the warm contents travel down to her belly, and gazed thoughtfully into the fire. Six years ago, she wouldn't have imagined Harry not being alive. Six years ago, she wouldn't have sat across from Draco Malfoy. Four years ago, she would have felt rage at the mention of the Final Battle. Now, she had seen too much, been through too much, felt too much.
Hermione finally spoke. "Well, you were there; you saw Harry as his curse connected with Voldemort's. We thought Harry's curse would out power his, but then it didn't. At the time I didn't know Voldemort died too… all I saw was Harry." Her eyes never left the flames as they flash-backed to the day when the magical world fell apart.
"The Death Eaters outnumbered us; we were fucking kids for god's sake. How were we supposed to win? … Especially when Harry died… He wasn't supposed to die." Shaking herself out of the memory, she looked up to see Draco staring into the fire the same way she had, remembering that awful scene.
"Well, anyway, some of us got pushed towards Hogsmeade, and we barely made it out," she finished lamely.
Silence overtook them as the night darkened. Draco threw another log on the fire and refilled both glasses. "I ran after the duel."
Hermione swirled her drink around in her cup, eyes back on the flames, and waited for him to continue.
"Without him leading those crazy fucks, they are all just murderers, rapists, and sociopaths. I knew we had to leave. We couldn't be a part of it."
"Who's we?" she asked quietly, knowing that Draco was alone now.
"Well, at first, it was Blaise and Theo. We saved Pansy and Astoria, but we couldn't find anyone else. I know my parents got out, but I don't know for how long. I've been on the run ever since."
Hermione emptied her second glass and rubbed her bare arms with her hands, hoping the friction along with the alcohol would help alleviate the bumps that ran up her arms. Draco noticed and asked, "Do you need a jumper?"
"No, I have one back at our place. Do you mind if we stay here for the night? We can leave first thing in the morning, but Apparating a sleeping four year old is not something I want to do."
He was surprised she even asked. In fact, now the danger had passed, and the day's events were calm, he wondered how he even came about having Hermione Granger across from him. Didn't they both look at each other as the enemy? He knew she didn't trust him, and he sure as hell didn't trust her, but somehow after sharing the fear of having their children in danger, there was an understanding met.
"No, I don't mind," he answered simply.
Standing, Hermione began walking towards the tent. "Malfoy? I don't know why today happened, and I don't mean the Snatcher part, but I am grateful for what you did getting Rose and I out of there. I can't thank you enough for keeping her safe."
He watched as she disappeared into the tent, not sure what she even meant. He didn't do anything. It was her little girl, her special little girl that saved his son. He should be thanking them.
"Watch me, Rose. I will show you how." Scorpius held his hand over the picture book they were looking at together as the page turned without his touch. "You try, now."
Hermione opened her eyes from her place on the couch. It was early in the morning still, and she could see the two children a little ways away from her lying on their bellies on the floor. She smiled, not getting to see Rose play often with children her own age, or even children period. Scorpius was a sweet child, and seemed to enjoy having someone around as much as Rose did. Rose's hand was held above the book, when suddenly the page lifted up and almost turned. She gasped, and Scorpius let out a loud chuckle of laughter that was filled with joy. Hermione couldn't help but laugh too.
"They seem to enjoy each other's company," Draco surprised her as he offered her a cup of coffee from behind the sofa.
Grateful for the caffeine, she didn't question his gesture, and took the mug. "Yes, they do, don't they?"
They both watched as Scorpius told Rose about the pig on the page, and why it was building a brick house.
"Muggle story book?" She raised a questioning brow to Draco.
"Times have changed, Granger," he answered.
Draco chose a spot on the floor near the couch, while he and Hermione sipped their coffee in companionable silence. She considered the previous day's events, replaying it over in her mind. She started to feel awkward about the vulnerability she displayed in last night's admissions. Swallowing the last of the brew, she stood abruptly.
"Rose, love, it's time for us to go. Can you…"
"Nooooo," Rose interrupted, eyes filling with tears.
"I know you're having a good time, but we can't intrude any longer on the Malfoy men's time."
"You don't have to leave," Draco said, the words tumbling out before thinking. It had been so long since he was able to be around someone. It was easy with Hermione for some reason, and he loved watching Scorpius have a playmate. Plus, there was something that he liked about the way she said, 'Malfoy men'.
Scorpius stood up and began jumping up and down, cheering, "Yay, Rose can stay forever!"
Hermione smiled fondly at the two children as they danced around the room. She didn't know if she wanted to stay. She also didn't understand why Malfoy offered, but when she turned to ask him, he was staring at his son with a happiness only a father could have while knowing his child was happy. She looked back at Rose, and felt the same way.
The words surprised her, as she heard herself whisper, "Okay, we don't have to leave."
Draco wanted to remain on the move. He never liked staying anywhere longer than four days, and since this was how Hermione and Rose lived also, the decision for a new campsite was reached quickly.
It was a swift cleanup, and Hermione was about to pack up the tent when she heard Rose screech. She ran outside to find her daughter three metres from the ground, her wild hair a halo around her beaming face. Hermione gasped as she fell, and Draco caught her.
"Again! Again!" she squealed at Draco. Laughing, he lifted her, and threw her up in the air again.
"My turn, Daddy! My turn, now!"
Smiling to herself, she turned her attention back to the tent. She disassembled it easily and folded the canvas with a couple flicks of her wand, the whole thing fitting neatly in her magically extended bag. Before she lowered the Wards, she watched the trio as Draco threw the two children into the air, one at a time, over and over again. How he was able to do it and not get tired was beyond her. Watching their faces light up each time made Hermione feel hope for the first time in a long time. Maybe it was not hopefulness for the kind of life she grew up having, knowing the world had changed so dramatically, but at least she could begin to envision a life where Rose could smile and laugh easily.
"Are you ready to go?" she urged, bringing the fun to a close. She didn't expect the smile she was met with as Draco to turned to her, nor the small flutter she felt in her stomach. It was flustering, even unnerving, but she hastily pushed the feeling aside, ignoring it with a practiced disinterest.
"Sure, let's go guys," Draco responded.
"I am not a guy," Rose corrected.
Chuckling, Draco agreed, "You're right, Rose. You are a lady, and ladies deserve to be treated so." He bent his leg, and held his hand out to Rose saying, "My lady."
Hermione giggled at Draco's play, and was a little shocked when Rose curtsied and placed her tiny hand in his. "I didn't see that coming," she remarked, smiling at Rose. Turning to Scorpius, she implored, "Am I to assume you will allow me to guide you to our new campsite, kind sir?"
Scorpius clenched his fingers around hers, and they were off to their new home for the next four days.
For five weeks, they moved camps every three to four days, sometimes wandering parts of Muggle towns, and sometimes staying hidden behind their wards. It was easier than being on their own as the kids had someone to play with. Hermione found herself enjoying the occasional peace to sit down and read, and luckily, Draco had quite a few books she hadn't read before. She appreciated the adult conversations, and was surprised to learn Draco was knowledgeable in most subjects. The foursome shared their meals together, chatting and laughing by the fire while they ate. Hermione and Draco took turns watching the kids while the other did chores, prepared meals, or made a run for supplies. They quickly fell into a rhythm that started to feel like a partnership. After nightfall, Hermione and Rose spent their time in their tent, while Draco and Scorpius stayed in theirs; respecting each other's privacy, and preserving their one-on-one family time.
Draco noticed an ease in being around Hermione. She was great with the kids, and he felt he could take a breath once in awhile without fear of what Scorpius would get into. She was constantly teaching them about something, subconsciously, he assumed. He found the trait endearing now, but as a kid he remembered it being irritating. He began to catch himself staring at her while she walked around the campsite with the kids on her heels, and when she looked back meeting his gaze, he held hers; something he hadn't done with anyone in nearly six years.
His eyes followed her over his shoulder, while he scrubbed the pans from breakfast, idly picking at the scorched egg. The sun was catching on her curls, turning the mousy brown to goldenrod for a few moments. It was mesmerizing, and he let his gaze linger there. He was taken aback at the thought of Hermione being beautiful, but she was, wasn't she? Not an obvious beauty, like so many purebred Slytherin girls, but she had a subtle, delicate allure. Lost in thought, he didn't notice her come up behind him. She reached around his side to grab a dish towel, and he felt the whisper of her breath on the nape of his neck. Frozen to the spot, he turned his head to steal a glance at her, their noses nearly touching, and cheeks grazing as she beamed a smile towards him. He let out a shaky breath that he'd been holding and locked his eyes on hers.
"Scorpius spilled orange juice all over his shirt," she explained with an eye roll, snatching up the towel, and skipping away towards the mess.
He called after her, "You know we have wands for that, don't you?"
She responded mockingly in an affected Draco-like accent, "Once a Muggle, always a Muggle."
He flicked dishwater in her direction, and turned back to the egg crusted pan, chuckling to himself. The smell of pears and jasmine lingered in the air, her shampoo he realized.
During dinner one evening, Scorpius asked, "Can we play games tonight?"
"Oh, can we Mum?" Rose chimed, eyes bright with hope.
Hermione looked at Draco, and when he smiled she replied, "I think that's a lovely idea, Scorpius."
"What do you want to play, 'Mione? My favorite is Snakes and Ladders, but we have Checkers, Pictionary, oh and Twister."
Smiling at the excitement in Scorpius' voice she answered, "I think Snakes and Ladders sounds fun."
Rose and Scorpius got a kick out of Draco landing on the snakes more than the ladders, and after three rounds of losses Draco retreated to make popcorn. Hermione helped the two kids make a huge bed of pillows and blankets on the floor where they sprawled out. Draco took up a spot on the edge of the sofa, while Hermione tucked herself into the corner opposite him. She began to read out loud to them. It wasn't long till the soft sounds of heavy breathing made it evident that Scorpius and Rose were fast asleep.
Nudging his foot against Hermione's knee, he interrupted her reading. "I guess this game night turned into a sleepover."
Looking up from her page, she verified his assessment. Scorpius was on his belly, one hand still in the popcorn bowl. Rose was curled up next to him, her long lashes lying gently on her cheeks. She smiled to herself. Sleeping Rose always made Hermione feel like falling asleep herself; it was a drug, and she wanted to soak it up.
"Do you want to start a fire outside?" Draco suggested.
"Sure, why not?"
Hermione transfigured a fallen log into a sofa and wrapped herself up with a blanket she had brought from the tent while Draco gathered the wood and set it alight with his wand. They sat in a comfortable stillness for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.
Hermione couldn't quite place her emotions, but with Draco less than a half metre away from her on the sofa, she noticed she hadn't felt this comfortable with another person for a long time. The past few weeks she enjoyed the routine that they'd created. She was grateful for Draco's presence, and couldn't help but watch him with intent curiosity as he interacted with not just Scorpius, but Rose too. He never let them see that the world had turned into a scary place. He never told them stories of what happened in the war, or of his own childhood that was so obviously different than his son's. He was patient and kind with them, showing them how to set a trap, which plants were poisonous, and how to identify edible mushrooms. She noticed when he would walk away from camp, leaving the safety of the Wards, how his shoulders tensed and his hand instinctively reached into his wand pocket - not out of fear but protection. There was a part of her that trusted Draco and his intentions; he had their best interests at heart, each of them… including herself.
It was a strange realization, but it was clear her sentiments towards him had started to change. She couldn't imagine a world in which Malfoy, her childhood adversary, was her accomplice on the run; and yet, that was the exact situation in which she found herself. Recently, he'd shown a softness - especially with Scorpius - she wouldn't have dreamed possible. Yes, the world was definitely different… When she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed this new version of Draco; the caretaker, the father, the kindhearted friend. She thought recently she noticed him looking at her differently, and fancied the feelings that bubbled up in her when he did. Instead of suppressing them, like the logical side of her wanted to do, she allowed herself to dwell in them and wonder if he had any familiar flutters too. A log cracked suddenly in the fire pulling her from her speculation.
"Draco?"
Jumping slightly at hearing his first-name, he turned to look at Hermione. "Yeah?"
"Will you let me tell you about Ron… about what happened to him?"
Caught off guard at her question, he wondered why she wanted to talk about Ron. He'd considered that she had avoided talking much about the painful things, and was reassured that she felt she wanted to tell him. "Yes, tell me about Ron. What happened to him?"
She didn't answer right away, but kept her eyes trained on the flames licking the wood in the grate.
"As we were running away from the battle, the Death Eaters were close, throwing hexes everywhere. I tripped and fell, and was hit by a Stinging Hex. Ron came back to help me… that's when a Death Eater, I don't know who, pointed his wand at me, and I saw the flash of green. I knew it was the Killing Curse, but I couldn't do anything except close my eyes… I didn't expect to open them again.
"Then there was a hand grabbing me and pulling me up. I thought it was Ron… but it wasn't... I opened my eyes to see it was George, Ron's brother. He was pulling me hard to the gates, and that's when I looked back to see Ron lying where I had been."
Draco stayed silent, knowing she wasn't finished.
After a moment, she turned towards him. She couldn't clearly see his face as her eyes were clouded with tears. She thought she'd stopped crying tears for Ron a long time ago, but here they were - fresh, raw, and painful. "Draco, he died for me. He stepped in front of a curse meant for me. He really, truly loved me, and I don't know if I will have a chance at that kind of love again. Sometimes, I feel as if everyone I've ever loved, everyone that has cared for me… is just... gone."
"That's not true, Hermione," Draco encouraged gently, uttering her given name for the first time. "You have a beautiful daughter, Rose. She looks at you like you're her whole world. I know she loves you." He wanted to add that Scorpius cared about her too, and admittedly even he did, but kept that to himself.
"I know," she replied quickly, averting her gaze again, embarrassed at her weak moment. She was surprised by his reply, assuming he'd make a witty remark about brave Gryffindors. Instead, he reminded her of her greatest strength, her daughter and her love. She didn't understand why she felt compelled to tell him about Ron. It wasn't something she could even talk about before, but maybe her confession was a way to let him go.
Draco watched her face as it turned from pained to thoughtful. He didn't want to dismiss her feelings, but he was curious and inquired, "So, is George Rose's father?"
Hermione wasn't expecting Draco to ask that, and giggled. Geez, my emotions are all over the place, she thought.
"Yes, he is. George and I were able to meet up with a few other survivors at a safe house designated for Order members. There was Ginny, Bill and Fleur, and about ten others from our year. After a day or two, more joined us; Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, Neville..."
Suddenly enraged, Draco demanded, "You mean the Order still exists? Why are you here then? Why don't you go to them?"
Shaking her head, Hermione answered, "I don't know if they are. I lost them."
"What do you mean you lost them? Granger, you're not making any sense." She noticed his obvious frustration as he ran his hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up a bit.
"Calm down, just let me back up a bit... After we met up in the safe house we didn't know what to do. Death Eaters had taken over. Like you've said, without Voldemort having them under his thumbnail, they went crazy. We couldn't safely fight back yet - half of us were still nursing wounds from the Final Battle. So we hid out. A few of us would leave to gather supplies, and we'd get gossip along the way. We found out who died, and who lived. We heard that Death Eaters were taking up the Ministry and anyone who got in their way was killed. It was one of those missions that George and I were spotted. We couldn't go back to the safe house and risk potentially leading the Death Eaters to the remaining Order, so we went on the run for a week. When we went back to the safe house, it was empty."
"They left you guys?"
"Well, yes, but no… They left clues for us to find them, but we chose not to follow them." With one look at Draco's face, Hermione continued defensively, "Look, we didn't want to fight anymore. We needed a break. You don't understand! I lost my two best friends. Both died to save me! George lost his twin brother, and he was a broken man. Being around the others made things more depressing. They either gave us looks of pity, or asked us to get over it and fight because that is what the dead would've wanted. We just couldn't… we wanted to run away and hide… so we did."
Looking down, she heaved a sigh. She hadn't admitted any of that out loud before. Her relationship with George was not one based in love, but comfort. They both drew to each other, because they shared the same pain. She knew there was nothing beyond that, though. Just two old friends, keeping each other warm through the otherwise lonely nights.
Draco didn't say anything. He desperately wanted there to be a hope of the Order coming back; to put things in its rightful place, but he also realized she hadn't been this vulnerable with him in the time they had shared. The significance of her willingly opening these painful wounds to him was certainly not lost on him. She was giving him something, sharing a piece of herself, and he wanted to give her something too. He knew exactly what she felt. He knew the urgency in fleeing and not looking back. He needed her to know she wasn't alone in her pain. He took a deep breath, and grabbed her hand, pulling it to him.
She looked down at their clasped hands, and was surprised at how natural, almost instinctive, it felt to have her fingers intertwined in his. She accepted his affection easily, and it took her unawares. Deciding to let the moment happen without over-thinking, she trained her eyes on his face. She pressed her knuckles against his and asked timidly, "What happened with you and… I mean, was it Pansy?"
Looking into the fire, he gathered his thoughts. He felt her squeeze his hand again, reassuring him. When he met her brown eyes he couldn't look away. "I already told you we fled. We actually got away easily as the Death Eaters thought we were chasing you lot down. Once we were in hiding, it became more difficult. They realized we turned traitors. They put traps on all of our homes. We travelled mainly at night, but it was no use; they always seemed to find us... Theo was killed when the barn we were sleeping in was raided." He paused, watching as a tear fell from her eye and ran down her cheek.
She wiped fiercely at her face with her free hand and nodded for him to continue. "We decided then, that sticking close to Muggle towns and camping was the safest way. We would Apparate to our camp sites and immediately put Wards up. Blaise got so good at setting the Wards, one time Snatchers were right next to us, and they never knew." He smiled remembering how proud Blaise was.
Glancing back down, he realized how much this hurt to relive. "When Astoria told me she was pregnant I felt like our world caved even more. She'd just turned seventeen, and I was going to be nineteen in a couple of months. I was scared. We were young, and being on the run left everything uncertain. Blaise and Pansy were understanding though. Pansy took care of Astoria, and made sure she had the proper diet. She snuck into Diagon Alley to get Astoria's potions and even stole some books about childbirth. She did amazing, considering she gave birth in a tent. I didn't want to raise my son this way, always on the run, so Astoria and I decided it would be best to fake our deaths..." he trailed off, lost in his own thoughts of the past. "Astoria died when Scorpius was one," he said, voice strained.
They both stared into the fire, neither needing to fill the silence. Their fingers clasped each other's tightly, communicating to the other the complete understanding, strength, and trust being shared. Draco looked up towards her face, the flame's glow reflecting in her amber eyes and illuminating her delicate cheeks. He reached out his hand to brush away a stray tear and she breathed into the motion, relaxing into his palm. He knew then that he needed her companionship, and would do anything to keep her. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her curls, his eyes returning to the simmering flames.
"Hermione?" Draco asked suddenly. "Did you feel that just now? The Wards…" he trailed off, standing and taking her with him. Shoving her behind him, he backed towards the tent. He could feel the Wards begin to break. "We have to leave now! Grab the kids!"
Not needing to be told twice, Hermione ran the short distance to the tent and barged in as she felt the wards go down completely. The sounds of at least half a dozen people running into their campsite reached her, and she heard people throwing random curses. Hermione reached the two kids, now fully awake and suddenly frightened. She grabbed each of their hands and stood waiting for Draco. He wasn't coming, and the voices were getting louder, closer. Hexes hit the tent, and she was grateful she cast a separate Protection Charm on the canvas.
When the tent flap was roughly pushed aside, Hermione stepped in front of the kids, gripping both of their wrists in her left hand as she clutched her wand tightly in her right. Seeing the familiar blonde man, she lowered her wand, but didn't weaken her defensive stance.
"We need to go NOW!" Draco bellowed, taking three long strides and grabbing Scorpius. Hermione picked up Rose, and he felt her grab his shoulder ready for him to Disapparate. Before he could, a blast knocked them apart sending pieces of broken glass, splintered wood, and blinding dust everywhere. Luckily, he was able to shield Scorpius from any harm, but he didn't see Hermione or Rose in the wreckage. "Granger!"
"Draco!" she screamed. He turned towards the voice seeing Hermione holding Rose, immediately noticing her eyes filled with fear. She was looking past him.
The whole scene seemed to slow as he looked from her face to the entrance of the tent. He recognized the form of a huge, masked Death Eater. He chanced one look back at Hermione, meeting her eyes for a split second. They both knew what they had to do. They couldn't fight. They had to run. He tilted his head a fraction, and she raised her wand turning on the spot. CRACK!
Raising his own wand, he seized his son and Disapparated away. Away from the Death Eaters. Away from their tent. Away from Hermione.
When she Apparated into the night, she subconsciously thought of the first campsite they shared together. The moment her feet hit the ground, she dropped to her knees holding Rose tightly, and cried.
Through her sobs, she wracked her brain. How could I have been so stupid? Something must've gone wrong. I was too comfortable with Draco there, let my guard down, got sloppy. Hermione didn't know what distressed her more, the thought of never feeling safe again, or never seeing Draco again. She would probably have to let both go now.
She didn't think of setting the Wards till she heard a loud crack nearby. Whipping around and pulling Rose behind her back, she held out her wand against the expected Death Eater.
She saw him, a dark shadow with blonde hair turned silver in the moonlight. The shadow began to move, and she noticed a smaller shadow next to him, following his steps in a circle. The tall man was raising Protective Wards. "Draco?" she whispered.
He stopped, wand still in the air, mid-charm, and turned in time to catch a sobbing Hermione in one arm as Rose leaped into the other. "How? How did you know? This place?" he asked breathlessly.
After a firm squeeze, he set Rose down. His arm dropped from around Hermione's shoulder to her waist as he offered her a handkerchief, embroidered with a silver M, from his pocket. She calmed her breathing while she discreetly wiped away the evidence of her sobs from her cheeks and nose. She confessed as she nestled into his chest, "I didn't know. This was just the first place I thought of."
With his arm still wrapped around her waist, Draco slid his other hand into Hermione's curls, and pulled her tight towards him. "I thought I would never find you again," he whispered into her hair. He clutched her tighter, their bodies fitting together, and she slid her hands around his waist and drew her chin level with his face. Her nose brushed his cheek for a moment, and without hesitation his mouth found hers. Hermione's lips were soft but firm in their insistence, returning his kiss eagerly. As far as first kisses go, this wasn't as sloppy or awkward as Draco had experienced in the past. Even with Astoria, he recalled bumped teeth and tangled tongues. No, this, this kiss was everything. Everything he wanted to say but didn't have words for. Every fear, every doubt, every insecurity, he gave it all to her.
Her lips parted slightly for him, and Draco tasted the lingering firewhisky, reminding him of their campfire. The heat of their kiss scorched his mouth, and his hunger for her burned deep in his core. Out of the flames was born a profound realization of his need for her, and it branded itself onto his heart. He wanted her more than he could ever remember wanting anything, more than he ever needed anything.
They both exhaled as she broke their lips apart, a deep rose flushing her cheeks as her lashes turned down and away from him. He tilted her chin up with his thumb, and butterscotch met steel grey, as he searched her eyes for regret or shame. He found the most brilliant look of desire there behind the gold flecks of her iris. His eyes betrayed his heart's conviction; she would be his undoing.
Hermione's arms flew around his neck, pulling him close once more, and she whispered, "I can't believe you're here."
He reassured her with a gentle brush of his fingers against her spine, "I will always find you, Hermione."
o0o0o
UPDATE: We have started the full length version of this one shot under the name 'Out of the Flames'. The link can be found under our profile. The story picks up at the end of the Final Battle, and will explore both Draco and Hermione's healing in the aftermath, their love, and eventual redemption for the Wizarding world. :)