FIC: Life Was Beginning Over Again With the Summer [Draco/Hermione]
Title: Life Was Beginning Over Again With the Summer
Author/Artist: articcat621
Prompt: #3: Sydney, Australia is in the grips of a particularly nasty heatwave when Hermione arrives to retrieve her parents, by ally_147
Pairing(s): Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Word Count/Art Medium: 3,304 words
Rating: T
Warning(s): Language
Disclaimer:Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to SweetTale4U, JenniseiBlack, and Gemini-Sister for being my lovely team of alphas and betas. I hope everyone enjoys this.
Summary: Traveling the Muggle way to Sydney to retrieve her parents with her Pureblood boyfriend was a formidable task. Add to the mix that Australia is in the middle of a heatwave, Hermione's now at her wit's end.
Hermione tightly gripped the handle of her luggage as she walked briskly through the airport. Draco trailed behind her, grumbling about her walking too fast; and anything else he could find to complain about. She pressed her eyes closed, wishing for more patience. The twenty-two hour flight, even with the stopover in Singapore, had left her with little tolerance for Draco's whining. When they landed, she had been shocked to hear the Sydney was suffering a heatwave complete with record high temperatures. On hearing this news, Draco had increased his whining, irritating her further.
"Hermione, slow down. It's hot enough out here, I don't need to sweat even more trying to catch up with you," Draco complain, struggling valiantly to keep up with the petite witch.
She huffed angrily, turning to face her boyfriend of four months. The two of them had gotten to know each other quite well while they helped to rebuild Hogwarts. When she had told him that she was going to Australia to retrieve her parents and restore their memories, he had offered to go with her. She had thought the gesture was sweet and had looked forward to their mini-vacation together.
Hermione sighed. She should have known better.
"Hermione?" Draco said lightly, breaking her from her thoughts. His cheeks were red now, but she couldn’t tell if it was from the heat or embarrassment. She arched a brow at him.
"I'm so sorry I've been complaining so much," he said, looking sheepish. "I hadn't realised that traveling the Muggle way was so, so… difficult." She noticed how he chose his words wisely, it would not do well to anger her further.
"It's all right," she said, reminding herself to be patient with him. "It's not your fault. I hadn't realised that it would be this hot either. When temperatures run high, people can get annoyed easily."
"Are you annoyed now?" Draco asked, completely oblivious to her frustrated persona.
Hermione closed her eyes. "Yes, Draco, I'm very annoyed. We just spent over twenty hours on a plane, and despite our stopover, I'm exhausted, and it's hotter than Merlin's saggy balls here. All I want to do is get to our hotel and have a lie-in, all right?
Draco frowned. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He reached out and took her hand. Immediately, their hands became instantly clammy but neither let go. "Let's find our hotel."
Hermione collapsed onto the bed, not even caring that the room was just as hot as the outdoors. The air conditioning unit was on, but it didn’t seem to be doing much good. She reckoned that it was broken as it was just blowing out hot air.
"It's bloody hot," Draco complained, plopping himself into a chair. "Is there anything we can do to make it cooler in here?"
"Cooling Charms?" Hermione suggested. "Although we'll have to constantly reapply them." She closed her eyes, feeling absolutely disgusting. She had sweat everywhere.
Draco waved his wand, casting a Cooling Charm. The room cooled slightly, causing Hermione to let out a small sigh of relief. He plopped down on the bed next to her, reaching out to brush her damp hair from her face.
"Let's just get some rest?" Hermione suggested, her eyes already closed. She fell asleep quickly, not even hearing Draco's response.
Hermione awoke during the night completely drenched with sweat. The Cooling Charm must have turned off because it was hotter than it had been earlier in the day. Grasping her wand from her bedside table, she cast a Cooling Charm. She closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.She awoke a few hours later to the sounds of Draco groaning. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore him. When he wouldn’t stop moaning, she sat up and recast the Cooling Charms. Draco had kicked off the covers and was writhing in bed, completely naked.
Her eyes widened and she flushed. She had seen Draco naked before, but she hadn't expected him to strip off his clothes completely. However, as she stared at him, she realised that it wasn’t that bad of an idea. She quickly divested herself of her own clothing and cast a Silencing Charm. She didn’t wish to hear him whine any longer."Hermione, you know, if I stay in the sun much longer, I may develop…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Wrinkles! Or worse, freckles! My perfect skin would be marred." He trailed behind her as they walked down the busy street.
She stopped, whirled around and backhanded him in the chest. She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously, poking him in the chest. "What is wrong with freckles, mister?"
Draco's eyes widened in realisation. "Sweetie," he said, trying to placate her.
"Don’t try to butter me up right now, Draco Malfoy. Yes, it's bloody hot out. Yes, we have to travel on foot as I'm not quite sure where on this street their home is located. And yes, the sun might give you wrinkles and freckles, but there's nothing wrong with either of them." Her chest heaved angrily and she felt as if she would burst into tears at any moment.
Draco stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. He hugged her tightly, ignoring the way her clothes were sticking to her body. No doubt they'd both be soaked with perspiration when they'd let go of the hug. "Hermione, I think your freckles are adorable." He lightly kissed her nose, where she had a spattering of freckles. "I didn’t mean to offend you."
She sighed, feeling tears pickle at the corner of both eyes from frustration. "This bloody heat has ruined everything," she said, sniffling.
"No," Draco said gently, hugging her tightly once more. "Yes, the heat is making us both a bit cross, but I'm still enjoying myself here with you."
"I feel like I've been so angry at you this entire trip that our relationship is ruined." Hermione looked to him, her face flushed. She fidgeted in his embrace, as if she was considering stepping out of it.
Draco snorted. "Hermione, love, it's going to take more than some heat and upsets to split us apart." He gently kissed her. "Now, let's stop in this café and see if they've got some iced tea or something cool for us to drink. We need to take a break." He took her hand and led her inside the small café.
Draco and Hermione walked hand in hand down the street, each feeling slightly better after cooling off. However, their relief did not last long as it soon grew too hot for their liking and they were perspiring once more.
"Are we-"
"Yes," Hermione snapped, cutting him off. "I think we're almost there." She peered up the street. "I think it's that yellow house."
"Thank Merlin," Draco groaned. "I don’t know how much more of this I could take." He fanned himself. "I'll certainly have a sunburn by the time we head home. For once, I can say that I actually miss the dreary English rain."
"As will I," Hermione responded. She took his sweaty hand and pulled him forward, hastening their pace. Within moments, they stood in front of a yellow house that had the name Wilkins written on the mailbox.
Draco wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He leant over and kissed her temple. "It'll be fine. I'm right here with you, all right?"
Hermione turned to him, tears threatening to spill over. "What if they don’t want to remember me? What if they hate me for what I did?"
"No, love," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "They may be angry with you, but I don’t think they'll be upset with you. You just need to explain to them; I'm sure they'll see reason." He kissed her temple once more. "I've got you, Hermione."
His words of encouragement erased any doubt that she had about their relationship in the past two days. Yes, the heat had been intolerable, but this was why she was glad Draco came to support her. From the start of their relationship, he had been encouraging and supportive no matter what decision she had made. He was her rock, and she knew that having him with her would make this whole ordeal better. She smiled at him lovingly. "Come on, then."
The two of them walked hand-in-hand down the path, stopping in front of the door. Hermione reached up, tentatively knocking. Moments later, the door swung open revealing a middle-aged woman who looked exactly like Hermione.
"You!" she cried, pointing her finger and taking a step back. "Harold!" she cried. "It's you."
Hermione's eyes widened in confusion. "Me?" she asked shakily, turning to Draco who looked just as confused as she did.
"You're real," she said shakily, looking as if she might faint. "Harold!" she shouted once more.
A large, burly man came around the corner. He froze when he saw them standing on the doorstep. "You."
"Yes," Hermione said warily. "My name is Hermione Granger." She looked at them carefully. "Do you know who I am?"
Her mother had stepped back towards her father. "Not your name, no, but your face. I can't recall your name, but I've dreamt of you before."
Dread pitted in Hermione's stomach. It seems that in her inexperience, she had incorrectly cast the Memory Charms. "Draco," she whispered, panicking.
Draco quickly reached over and took her hand. "Shh, don't worry," he said quietly, trying to soothe her.
"Who are you?" the man called Harold asked. "And why do you look so familiar to us?"
"As I said, my name is Hermione, and…" she paused, feeling Draco squeeze her hand encouragingly. "I'm...I’m...your daughter."
"Our daughter?" Hermione's mum asked. "I think we would know if we had a daughter."
"Jane, love, I think we should let her explain," Harold said, placing a gentle hand on his wife's arms. He turned to Draco and Hermione. "Please, come in and shut the door behind you. It's ghastly out."
"Do you have something to cool to drink?" Draco asked, earning a jab in the ribs from Hermione's elbow. "Sorry, it's just we've been walking and it's so hot out." His tone had become whiny once more.
"Of course," Jane said. "Hermione, may I get you something as well?"
"Do you have lavender lemonade? If so, I'd love some," Hermione asked with a smile.
Jane's eyes widened. "How did you know I made that?"
Hermione frowned, feeling herself grow teary eyed. "You made it every summer."
Jane and Harold exchanged looks. "Go get the pitcher and some glasses," Harold said. "Then Hermione can explain how she's our daughter." Jane bustled out of the room, leaving them alone. Harold gestured to the couch, where Hermione and Draco both sat. He narrowed his eyes at Draco. "If she's our daughter, then who are you?"
Draco shifted nervously under Harold's intense stare. "Her boyfriend. The name's Draco." He offered his hand and was surprised when Harold shook it. He watched Hermione's mum return with a tray of glasses and the pitcher of lavender lemonade.
"So, explain how you are our daughter?" Jane asked after pouring each of them a glass.
"I know it's going to sound insane, but please hear me out." Hermione looked at them pleadingly. "I… I'm a witch."
"What nonsense!" Jane cried, standing. "I won't sit here and listen to this." She went to leave, but Harold grasped her arm.
"Stay and listen to what she has to say," Harold said. "Maybe she is a witch. That would explain why we can remember her face but not that she's our daughter."
"Thanks, Dad," she said, smiling at him. "Right, well, I'm a witch and there was a magical war going on in my world." She paused. "Long story short, I had to modify your memories so you'd forget that you'd ever had a daughter. The two of you were in danger, so I did it to protect you." She sniffed, tears streaming down her face. "I never did it to hurt either of you." She sniffed once more. "I just couldn’t bear the thought of you two getting hurt because of me."
Draco rubbed her back in a soothing manner. "It's true," he said to them softly. "You were both in grave danger."
Jane frowned. "So you erased our memories? But then how can we recognise you?"
Hermione flushed, using a napkin to wipe the tears from her face. "It seems that in my nervousness and haste, I made a mistake. You shouldn’t have recognised me, yet you did. That means that I did not do a thorough job."
"Can you reverse it?" Jane asked, looking apprehensive.
"Do you want me to?" Hermione question. She fiddled with her hands in her lap. "I can try and return your memories, but I may have messed up badly when I did it in the first place. Of course, I'll only try if you want me to."
"Would you mind giving us a moment to discuss this in privacy?" Harold asked, standing. Jane stood as well.
"Take your time," Hermione said, her heart clenching painfully in her chest. "And thank you for allowing me to speak. I know this must sound insane, but it's true."
Harold nodded and he followed Jane out of the sitting room.
Hermione slumped against the back of the couch and sighed. "Was this a bad idea?"
"No," Draco said encouragingly. "Your father seems to really believe what you're saying. Your mum might need a bit of convincing, but I think they realise that your story matches why they recognise you but can't remember you."
"What if I can't restore their memories?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice. She turned to Draco, fear in her eyes.
"Then you'll make new ones," Draco said. "If they chose for you to restore their memories and you can't, then you'll make new ones. I'm sure they'll want to get to know you better."
"You think so?" she asked.
Draco smiled at her. "Of course, Hermione. I'm rarely wrong now, am I?"
She rolled her eyes as Draco's cocky personality returned. It seemed that being in the cool house with a cold drink had refreshed him back to his fiery, Pureblooded, pompous self.
Jane and Harold returned, sitting down across from them once more.
"We've decided that we'd like our memories back, please," Jane said, her voice shaking slightly. "I… I need to know. I need to truly know why you look so familiar."
Hermione pulled out her wand slowly. Harold and Jane both eyed it distrustfully, but she reassured them that it would be fine. Slowly, she began to undo her mother's memory charm first. The wand movements were complicated as she undid what she did previously. By the time she had finished, ten minutes had passed and Hermione was covered in sweat.
Jane stood shakily, her eyes wide.
"Mum?" Hermione asked, holding her breath.
"Hermione!" Jane cried, throwing her arms around her daughter and hugging her tightly. "Oh, Hermione, it's true! Harold, it's true! Hermione's our daughter." She hugged her even tighter. "I'm so annoyed at you for doing with this, but I'm so relieved. Oh, Hermione." She peppered kisses on her daughter's face.
"Mum," she said shakily, feeling as though the moment was almost too much. "I now need to reverse Dad's memory."
"Of course," Jane said, pulling away. She looked at Draco then narrowed her eyes. "Wait a moment, did you say your name was Draco? Aren't you that boy that bullied my daughter and teased her over her blood status?"
Draco froze, looking quite nervous. "Er, yes, but um… I…" He floundered, not quite sure what to say.
"I'll explain later, Mum," Hermione said. "Let me focus on Dad." Using her wand, she repeated the process.
Minutes later, Harold's eyes widened in recognition. "Hermione," he said.
Hermione smiled at him before the room went black. She slumped forward, Draco catching her unconscious body.
"Hermione," Harold said worriedly, quickly getting to his feet.
"She'll be fine," Draco said. "She's over-exerted herself undoing the Memory Charms. I know that they were intense as she developed them herself." He stood, scooping Hermione's lithe form into his arms. "Is there somewhere I can put her to sleep?"
"Right down the hall, the second door on the left," Jane answered quickly. "Are you sure she'll be all right?"
"Yes," Draco said firmly. "She'll probably wake up in an hour or so." He carried Hermione down the hall and into the room her mum had specified. He lay her on the bed, carefully brushing the hair from her face. "You did it, love." He smiled at her unconscious form. "I'm so proud of you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room.
Hermione hugged her parents tightly. After spending a few days in Sydney with them, both Draco and Hermione were returning to England.
"We'll see you soon," Jane promised. "As soon as someone buys our practice out here, we'll move back to England." She smiled at her daughter lovingly before hugging her again. "I just don’t want to let you go."
As the ladies were hugging, the men were speaking. "You better take good care of my daughter, Draco." Harold shook Draco's hand firmly.
"Don’t worry, sir," Draco replied. "I won't let her get herself into any trouble." He smiled jokingly, causing Harold to chuckle.
"She's always been a troublemaker magnet that one," Harold said wistfully, lost in memory. "But thank you for being there for her when we couldn’t be. Both Jane and I appreciate that."
"It was nothing," Draco responded. "I care for Hermione very much."
"Yes, well, I hope to see you when we return to England in a few months' time." Harold smiled at him. "Take care, Draco." He then turned his attention to Hermione, who was now crying. He hugged her tightly, promising that they'd write.
"Thank you, Draco," Jane said, giving him a hug as well. "Take care of Hermione, too. You mean a lot to her."
Draco flushed. "Er, thank you, Mrs. Granger. She means a lot to me as well." His palms were growing sweaty once more - from the heat or nerves, he couldn’t tell.
"Come on, Draco," Hermione said, appearing by his side and taking his hand. "Our flight will be boarding soon." She turned to her parents. "I love you both, and I'll see you soon."
"Have a safe flight," Jane said, smiling tearfully. "I love you, sweetie."
"Send us a letter when you get home," Harold said, smiling as well. "We'll see you soon."
They said their final good-byes before Hermione and Draco turned and entered the airport.
About an hour into their flight, Hermione spoke, breaking the comfortable silence. "I'm rather sad we're leaving."
"I'm not," Draco said, scoffing. "It was bloody hot there, and even with those air conditioner units Muggles have, it was bloody torture." He frowned, looking over his arms. "Look, I'm pink!" he exclaimed, scandalised.
"You'll be fine," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "I'll rub some aloe on you when we get home."
Draco smirked, looking at her with a devious expression. "I think I'm burned all over."
Hermione flushed, but nodded. "Er, I can apply it all over." She giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for coming with me, Draco."
"It was my pleasure," Draco responded. "Apart from the heat, of course. Next time we go on vacation, it'll be to the Alps or Greenland or Alaska maybe. Somewhere cold."
She laughed, causing Draco to chuckle as well. Eventually, the two grew quiet and Hermione fell asleep. They did have a long flight ahead of them.
At least the plane is air conditioned, Draco thought with a smirk before joining Hermione in sleep.
Author/Artist: articcat621
Prompt: #3: Sydney, Australia is in the grips of a particularly nasty heatwave when Hermione arrives to retrieve her parents, by ally_147
Pairing(s): Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Word Count/Art Medium: 3,304 words
Rating: T
Warning(s): Language
Disclaimer:Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to SweetTale4U, JenniseiBlack, and Gemini-Sister for being my lovely team of alphas and betas. I hope everyone enjoys this.
Summary: Traveling the Muggle way to Sydney to retrieve her parents with her Pureblood boyfriend was a formidable task. Add to the mix that Australia is in the middle of a heatwave, Hermione's now at her wit's end.
Hermione tightly gripped the handle of her luggage as she walked briskly through the airport. Draco trailed behind her, grumbling about her walking too fast; and anything else he could find to complain about. She pressed her eyes closed, wishing for more patience. The twenty-two hour flight, even with the stopover in Singapore, had left her with little tolerance for Draco's whining. When they landed, she had been shocked to hear the Sydney was suffering a heatwave complete with record high temperatures. On hearing this news, Draco had increased his whining, irritating her further.
"Hermione, slow down. It's hot enough out here, I don't need to sweat even more trying to catch up with you," Draco complain, struggling valiantly to keep up with the petite witch.
She huffed angrily, turning to face her boyfriend of four months. The two of them had gotten to know each other quite well while they helped to rebuild Hogwarts. When she had told him that she was going to Australia to retrieve her parents and restore their memories, he had offered to go with her. She had thought the gesture was sweet and had looked forward to their mini-vacation together.
Hermione sighed. She should have known better.
"Hermione?" Draco said lightly, breaking her from her thoughts. His cheeks were red now, but she couldn’t tell if it was from the heat or embarrassment. She arched a brow at him.
"I'm so sorry I've been complaining so much," he said, looking sheepish. "I hadn't realised that traveling the Muggle way was so, so… difficult." She noticed how he chose his words wisely, it would not do well to anger her further.
"It's all right," she said, reminding herself to be patient with him. "It's not your fault. I hadn't realised that it would be this hot either. When temperatures run high, people can get annoyed easily."
"Are you annoyed now?" Draco asked, completely oblivious to her frustrated persona.
Hermione closed her eyes. "Yes, Draco, I'm very annoyed. We just spent over twenty hours on a plane, and despite our stopover, I'm exhausted, and it's hotter than Merlin's saggy balls here. All I want to do is get to our hotel and have a lie-in, all right?
Draco frowned. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He reached out and took her hand. Immediately, their hands became instantly clammy but neither let go. "Let's find our hotel."
Hermione collapsed onto the bed, not even caring that the room was just as hot as the outdoors. The air conditioning unit was on, but it didn’t seem to be doing much good. She reckoned that it was broken as it was just blowing out hot air.
"It's bloody hot," Draco complained, plopping himself into a chair. "Is there anything we can do to make it cooler in here?"
"Cooling Charms?" Hermione suggested. "Although we'll have to constantly reapply them." She closed her eyes, feeling absolutely disgusting. She had sweat everywhere.
Draco waved his wand, casting a Cooling Charm. The room cooled slightly, causing Hermione to let out a small sigh of relief. He plopped down on the bed next to her, reaching out to brush her damp hair from her face.
"Let's just get some rest?" Hermione suggested, her eyes already closed. She fell asleep quickly, not even hearing Draco's response.
Hermione awoke during the night completely drenched with sweat. The Cooling Charm must have turned off because it was hotter than it had been earlier in the day. Grasping her wand from her bedside table, she cast a Cooling Charm. She closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.She awoke a few hours later to the sounds of Draco groaning. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore him. When he wouldn’t stop moaning, she sat up and recast the Cooling Charms. Draco had kicked off the covers and was writhing in bed, completely naked.
Her eyes widened and she flushed. She had seen Draco naked before, but she hadn't expected him to strip off his clothes completely. However, as she stared at him, she realised that it wasn’t that bad of an idea. She quickly divested herself of her own clothing and cast a Silencing Charm. She didn’t wish to hear him whine any longer."Hermione, you know, if I stay in the sun much longer, I may develop…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Wrinkles! Or worse, freckles! My perfect skin would be marred." He trailed behind her as they walked down the busy street.
She stopped, whirled around and backhanded him in the chest. She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously, poking him in the chest. "What is wrong with freckles, mister?"
Draco's eyes widened in realisation. "Sweetie," he said, trying to placate her.
"Don’t try to butter me up right now, Draco Malfoy. Yes, it's bloody hot out. Yes, we have to travel on foot as I'm not quite sure where on this street their home is located. And yes, the sun might give you wrinkles and freckles, but there's nothing wrong with either of them." Her chest heaved angrily and she felt as if she would burst into tears at any moment.
Draco stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. He hugged her tightly, ignoring the way her clothes were sticking to her body. No doubt they'd both be soaked with perspiration when they'd let go of the hug. "Hermione, I think your freckles are adorable." He lightly kissed her nose, where she had a spattering of freckles. "I didn’t mean to offend you."
She sighed, feeling tears pickle at the corner of both eyes from frustration. "This bloody heat has ruined everything," she said, sniffling.
"No," Draco said gently, hugging her tightly once more. "Yes, the heat is making us both a bit cross, but I'm still enjoying myself here with you."
"I feel like I've been so angry at you this entire trip that our relationship is ruined." Hermione looked to him, her face flushed. She fidgeted in his embrace, as if she was considering stepping out of it.
Draco snorted. "Hermione, love, it's going to take more than some heat and upsets to split us apart." He gently kissed her. "Now, let's stop in this café and see if they've got some iced tea or something cool for us to drink. We need to take a break." He took her hand and led her inside the small café.
Draco and Hermione walked hand in hand down the street, each feeling slightly better after cooling off. However, their relief did not last long as it soon grew too hot for their liking and they were perspiring once more.
"Are we-"
"Yes," Hermione snapped, cutting him off. "I think we're almost there." She peered up the street. "I think it's that yellow house."
"Thank Merlin," Draco groaned. "I don’t know how much more of this I could take." He fanned himself. "I'll certainly have a sunburn by the time we head home. For once, I can say that I actually miss the dreary English rain."
"As will I," Hermione responded. She took his sweaty hand and pulled him forward, hastening their pace. Within moments, they stood in front of a yellow house that had the name Wilkins written on the mailbox.
Draco wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He leant over and kissed her temple. "It'll be fine. I'm right here with you, all right?"
Hermione turned to him, tears threatening to spill over. "What if they don’t want to remember me? What if they hate me for what I did?"
"No, love," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "They may be angry with you, but I don’t think they'll be upset with you. You just need to explain to them; I'm sure they'll see reason." He kissed her temple once more. "I've got you, Hermione."
His words of encouragement erased any doubt that she had about their relationship in the past two days. Yes, the heat had been intolerable, but this was why she was glad Draco came to support her. From the start of their relationship, he had been encouraging and supportive no matter what decision she had made. He was her rock, and she knew that having him with her would make this whole ordeal better. She smiled at him lovingly. "Come on, then."
The two of them walked hand-in-hand down the path, stopping in front of the door. Hermione reached up, tentatively knocking. Moments later, the door swung open revealing a middle-aged woman who looked exactly like Hermione.
"You!" she cried, pointing her finger and taking a step back. "Harold!" she cried. "It's you."
Hermione's eyes widened in confusion. "Me?" she asked shakily, turning to Draco who looked just as confused as she did.
"You're real," she said shakily, looking as if she might faint. "Harold!" she shouted once more.
A large, burly man came around the corner. He froze when he saw them standing on the doorstep. "You."
"Yes," Hermione said warily. "My name is Hermione Granger." She looked at them carefully. "Do you know who I am?"
Her mother had stepped back towards her father. "Not your name, no, but your face. I can't recall your name, but I've dreamt of you before."
Dread pitted in Hermione's stomach. It seems that in her inexperience, she had incorrectly cast the Memory Charms. "Draco," she whispered, panicking.
Draco quickly reached over and took her hand. "Shh, don't worry," he said quietly, trying to soothe her.
"Who are you?" the man called Harold asked. "And why do you look so familiar to us?"
"As I said, my name is Hermione, and…" she paused, feeling Draco squeeze her hand encouragingly. "I'm...I’m...your daughter."
"Our daughter?" Hermione's mum asked. "I think we would know if we had a daughter."
"Jane, love, I think we should let her explain," Harold said, placing a gentle hand on his wife's arms. He turned to Draco and Hermione. "Please, come in and shut the door behind you. It's ghastly out."
"Do you have something to cool to drink?" Draco asked, earning a jab in the ribs from Hermione's elbow. "Sorry, it's just we've been walking and it's so hot out." His tone had become whiny once more.
"Of course," Jane said. "Hermione, may I get you something as well?"
"Do you have lavender lemonade? If so, I'd love some," Hermione asked with a smile.
Jane's eyes widened. "How did you know I made that?"
Hermione frowned, feeling herself grow teary eyed. "You made it every summer."
Jane and Harold exchanged looks. "Go get the pitcher and some glasses," Harold said. "Then Hermione can explain how she's our daughter." Jane bustled out of the room, leaving them alone. Harold gestured to the couch, where Hermione and Draco both sat. He narrowed his eyes at Draco. "If she's our daughter, then who are you?"
Draco shifted nervously under Harold's intense stare. "Her boyfriend. The name's Draco." He offered his hand and was surprised when Harold shook it. He watched Hermione's mum return with a tray of glasses and the pitcher of lavender lemonade.
"So, explain how you are our daughter?" Jane asked after pouring each of them a glass.
"I know it's going to sound insane, but please hear me out." Hermione looked at them pleadingly. "I… I'm a witch."
"What nonsense!" Jane cried, standing. "I won't sit here and listen to this." She went to leave, but Harold grasped her arm.
"Stay and listen to what she has to say," Harold said. "Maybe she is a witch. That would explain why we can remember her face but not that she's our daughter."
"Thanks, Dad," she said, smiling at him. "Right, well, I'm a witch and there was a magical war going on in my world." She paused. "Long story short, I had to modify your memories so you'd forget that you'd ever had a daughter. The two of you were in danger, so I did it to protect you." She sniffed, tears streaming down her face. "I never did it to hurt either of you." She sniffed once more. "I just couldn’t bear the thought of you two getting hurt because of me."
Draco rubbed her back in a soothing manner. "It's true," he said to them softly. "You were both in grave danger."
Jane frowned. "So you erased our memories? But then how can we recognise you?"
Hermione flushed, using a napkin to wipe the tears from her face. "It seems that in my nervousness and haste, I made a mistake. You shouldn’t have recognised me, yet you did. That means that I did not do a thorough job."
"Can you reverse it?" Jane asked, looking apprehensive.
"Do you want me to?" Hermione question. She fiddled with her hands in her lap. "I can try and return your memories, but I may have messed up badly when I did it in the first place. Of course, I'll only try if you want me to."
"Would you mind giving us a moment to discuss this in privacy?" Harold asked, standing. Jane stood as well.
"Take your time," Hermione said, her heart clenching painfully in her chest. "And thank you for allowing me to speak. I know this must sound insane, but it's true."
Harold nodded and he followed Jane out of the sitting room.
Hermione slumped against the back of the couch and sighed. "Was this a bad idea?"
"No," Draco said encouragingly. "Your father seems to really believe what you're saying. Your mum might need a bit of convincing, but I think they realise that your story matches why they recognise you but can't remember you."
"What if I can't restore their memories?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice. She turned to Draco, fear in her eyes.
"Then you'll make new ones," Draco said. "If they chose for you to restore their memories and you can't, then you'll make new ones. I'm sure they'll want to get to know you better."
"You think so?" she asked.
Draco smiled at her. "Of course, Hermione. I'm rarely wrong now, am I?"
She rolled her eyes as Draco's cocky personality returned. It seemed that being in the cool house with a cold drink had refreshed him back to his fiery, Pureblooded, pompous self.
Jane and Harold returned, sitting down across from them once more.
"We've decided that we'd like our memories back, please," Jane said, her voice shaking slightly. "I… I need to know. I need to truly know why you look so familiar."
Hermione pulled out her wand slowly. Harold and Jane both eyed it distrustfully, but she reassured them that it would be fine. Slowly, she began to undo her mother's memory charm first. The wand movements were complicated as she undid what she did previously. By the time she had finished, ten minutes had passed and Hermione was covered in sweat.
Jane stood shakily, her eyes wide.
"Mum?" Hermione asked, holding her breath.
"Hermione!" Jane cried, throwing her arms around her daughter and hugging her tightly. "Oh, Hermione, it's true! Harold, it's true! Hermione's our daughter." She hugged her even tighter. "I'm so annoyed at you for doing with this, but I'm so relieved. Oh, Hermione." She peppered kisses on her daughter's face.
"Mum," she said shakily, feeling as though the moment was almost too much. "I now need to reverse Dad's memory."
"Of course," Jane said, pulling away. She looked at Draco then narrowed her eyes. "Wait a moment, did you say your name was Draco? Aren't you that boy that bullied my daughter and teased her over her blood status?"
Draco froze, looking quite nervous. "Er, yes, but um… I…" He floundered, not quite sure what to say.
"I'll explain later, Mum," Hermione said. "Let me focus on Dad." Using her wand, she repeated the process.
Minutes later, Harold's eyes widened in recognition. "Hermione," he said.
Hermione smiled at him before the room went black. She slumped forward, Draco catching her unconscious body.
"Hermione," Harold said worriedly, quickly getting to his feet.
"She'll be fine," Draco said. "She's over-exerted herself undoing the Memory Charms. I know that they were intense as she developed them herself." He stood, scooping Hermione's lithe form into his arms. "Is there somewhere I can put her to sleep?"
"Right down the hall, the second door on the left," Jane answered quickly. "Are you sure she'll be all right?"
"Yes," Draco said firmly. "She'll probably wake up in an hour or so." He carried Hermione down the hall and into the room her mum had specified. He lay her on the bed, carefully brushing the hair from her face. "You did it, love." He smiled at her unconscious form. "I'm so proud of you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room.
Hermione hugged her parents tightly. After spending a few days in Sydney with them, both Draco and Hermione were returning to England.
"We'll see you soon," Jane promised. "As soon as someone buys our practice out here, we'll move back to England." She smiled at her daughter lovingly before hugging her again. "I just don’t want to let you go."
As the ladies were hugging, the men were speaking. "You better take good care of my daughter, Draco." Harold shook Draco's hand firmly.
"Don’t worry, sir," Draco replied. "I won't let her get herself into any trouble." He smiled jokingly, causing Harold to chuckle.
"She's always been a troublemaker magnet that one," Harold said wistfully, lost in memory. "But thank you for being there for her when we couldn’t be. Both Jane and I appreciate that."
"It was nothing," Draco responded. "I care for Hermione very much."
"Yes, well, I hope to see you when we return to England in a few months' time." Harold smiled at him. "Take care, Draco." He then turned his attention to Hermione, who was now crying. He hugged her tightly, promising that they'd write.
"Thank you, Draco," Jane said, giving him a hug as well. "Take care of Hermione, too. You mean a lot to her."
Draco flushed. "Er, thank you, Mrs. Granger. She means a lot to me as well." His palms were growing sweaty once more - from the heat or nerves, he couldn’t tell.
"Come on, Draco," Hermione said, appearing by his side and taking his hand. "Our flight will be boarding soon." She turned to her parents. "I love you both, and I'll see you soon."
"Have a safe flight," Jane said, smiling tearfully. "I love you, sweetie."
"Send us a letter when you get home," Harold said, smiling as well. "We'll see you soon."
They said their final good-byes before Hermione and Draco turned and entered the airport.
About an hour into their flight, Hermione spoke, breaking the comfortable silence. "I'm rather sad we're leaving."
"I'm not," Draco said, scoffing. "It was bloody hot there, and even with those air conditioner units Muggles have, it was bloody torture." He frowned, looking over his arms. "Look, I'm pink!" he exclaimed, scandalised.
"You'll be fine," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "I'll rub some aloe on you when we get home."
Draco smirked, looking at her with a devious expression. "I think I'm burned all over."
Hermione flushed, but nodded. "Er, I can apply it all over." She giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for coming with me, Draco."
"It was my pleasure," Draco responded. "Apart from the heat, of course. Next time we go on vacation, it'll be to the Alps or Greenland or Alaska maybe. Somewhere cold."
She laughed, causing Draco to chuckle as well. Eventually, the two grew quiet and Hermione fell asleep. They did have a long flight ahead of them.
At least the plane is air conditioned, Draco thought with a smirk before joining Hermione in sleep.