She looked at Harry Potter in disbelief as a spell hit her square on the belly. He actually hit her!!!
Hermione could feel something snapping in her heart as she defended herself in an autopilot mode. These were her boys... Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. The other half of her very own existence.
After the War, they were the only people left whom she actually considered family. Ofcourse there were Ginny and Molly and some other people. But Harry and Ron were just like the extension of her own self. With her mom and dad being obliviated and self unaware, all Hermione was left with were these people.
And Harry actually hit her.
She was just taking out her frustration on Ron. Harry shouldn't have intervened.
Hermione Granger was not a princess.
She was a warrior.
But even then, she could feel a tear slipping from her left eye.
She and Ron discussed the mudblood curse soon after their second kiss. On the day of the Battle of the Hogwarts, when they kissed, the pain didn't register, she was already paining everywhere from the aftermath of the battle.
She still couldn't believe an inconvenience as simple as this could ruin her life !!! She was almost there, the MUDBLOOD curse was not a deterrent to the brightest witch of the age. Why couldn't the moRon trust her?
Ron cheated, paparazzi stalked her, she had no one to talk to and now Harry too!!!
Hermione realized she will never be one of them. She would just remain a muggle with access to magic. May be they won't call her a mudblood on face but in everyone's heart, she will remain an outsider.
Hermione put aside the memory forcefully and looked at Draco Malfoy.
He getting better, much better than she expected.
And his intelligence never failed to mesmerize her. Today was no exception.
She smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.
Instead, she interwined the fingers even tighter.
"What gave me away?"
Now it was Draco's turn to smile.
"Legilimency".
" On Luna?"
Draco smiled ruefully. He would have liked to read Granger's mind. She was holding too much of information.
He was joining a few dots since he found out from ANGELS that none of his sperm sample was missing. How did she conceive then? The darkening of the mudblood mark could mean only one thing, she is either a former death eater or is doing something forbidden. It was a tough call, putting in that complex spell to check his suspicion, but Draco Malfoy liked complex things.
Perhaps that why he liked Hermione Granger too.
The most simply complex person he ever saw.
Hermione sighed.
She had been working alone for too long.
She needed a partner. And who could be better than Draco Malfoy?
"I am not going to let you in my mind. Hope you understand?"
Draco nodded. He liked her straightforward approach.
" You may not like the truth. Tell me what you want to know and I will show you the relevant memory Draco."
He shuddered.
First time in life she called her Draco. Not Malfoy. Not Ferret. But Draco. It sounded nice coming from her.
Suddenly he had the urge to kiss her.
Not for testing, not for claiming. Just for kissing.
Draco was clueless what compelled him to be that daring. But it came to him naturally.
He closed the gap and pinched her chin as he slowly lifted her face and looked at her eyes. Why did he feel he has done this before also?
Slowly, he bent down and captured her lips in his own.
She didn't protest.
Instead, she returned the kiss with vigor.
After a short making out session, they separated.
And then he noticed it.
She was no longer wearing the ring he made after three weeks of hard labour. The ring rested on the table next to them.
Out of impulse, he grabbed her hand.
The curving MUDBLOOD just looked normal.
He sighed.
She is was all along playing with them.
As if reading his mind again, Hermione dragged him by his tie, " Come on Mr. Malfoy, to be Mrs. Malfoy has lots to share...."