©Soulmates | Dramione

60. Promise

Hermione stumbled to the ground of the backyard of Grimmauld Place as she and Harry Apparated back from Ministry of Magic. Harry held out his hands and helped her to stand- she thanked him before brushing away the dirt on her outfit. She fixed Harry's glasses with an Oculus Reparo as she realized his glasses were broken again.

"Are those glasses from first year?"

"Well, uh. Not really. Fifth year as I remember"

"You need to change it, Harry. If ever I have close contact with optometrist, they will suggest you to change"

"Yes, Hermione. Whatever. Be quick"

Hermione didn't take another look back as she sped up into Grimmauld Place. She entered and saw Draco carrying Scorpius on his shoulders in the living room- she could hear familiar laughter of Narcissa and Andromeda as they watched Draco getting along with Scorpius. Teddy was playing some baby toys with James. Hermione felt her eyes became watery as she saw the view in front of her. Without waiting for Harry, she ran to the living room and hugged her husband tightly.

"Draco!" she ended up sobbing in his chest.

Draco froze as he realized the woman who was embracing him was his wife who he hadn't seen for so long. Scorpius looked confused as Draco put him down before returning to give Hermione a tighter hug. She was sobbing uncontrollably as she buried her face into his chest. He looked up at Harry who just entered the door- they smiled awkwardly at each other. Draco caressed Hermione's slightly tamed mane.

"Hermione" he muttered her name.

Hermione broke the hug. "Stupid! Stupid! Fucking stupid! You're so fucking stupid, Draco Malfoy!" she hit his chest hard.

Draco tried not to react but he couldn't help but to flinch painfully at Hermione's hard punch. It felt like Hogwarts third year all over again. He let her let go of her anger for a while before holding both her wrists. Hermione refused to look at him- he knew he was totally damned by this moment.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

"Sorry? That was all you could say? You left us just like that with a bloody letter and disappeared! You returned briefly and told us all to leave! You shoved us away and chose death! You were on a run and you thought by running away we would be fine?! Tell me, Draco Malfoy! Does it seem to you that we are all fine?!"

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I-"

"Even if you don't care about me, think of your mother, son, nephew and aunt! You think Narcissa will be fine with you leaving her with a bloody letter? You're so foolish, Draco! Every night I heard your mother screaming and crying in her room as she dreamt about you being tortured and killed and sent to Azkaban! Do you think she was fine? She was sick when you left! Why would you even take risk on your own? I told you, we're in this together! You promised me, but you lied! You fucking lied, Draco!"

Draco remained silent. Hermione's eyes were red and swollen from her tears- she still couldn't believe that it was Draco Malfoy standing in front of her. It felt like a dream to hold his hands and hug him again. It felt so surreal to have him standing in front of her again- to have the real him standing in front of her again. She froze as she felt his firm grip on her small shoulder. She looked up and saw a bit of tear rushing down his face.

Hermione's hand reached up to touch his alabaster face. Draco's face buried to her shoulder, crying as he hugged her tight. Hermione felt a sudden rush of guilt inside her as she heard him crying. Has she gone overboard? She has every right- she was angry and disappointed with him- she has every right to shout and hit him with all her might. She tightened the hug, ignoring everyone who was still in the same room as them.