Amor Semper Viam Inveniam

Flashback 34

"You know, I really have to get going," whispered Hermione breathlessly, as Draco continued his gentle assault on her neck, his fingers gripping her waist possessively- almost if she decided to vanish into thin air.

"No...." he whined, looking like a puppy being kicked by its owner. "Do you really have to?"

"Yes Draco," snapped Hermione exasperatedly, "I have to go to Hogsmeade with Ron and Padma, our apparition lessons are starting-"

"Bloody Weasels,"

"Draco!" glared Hermione, yet a small smile lingered on her lips. She pulled herself into a standing position and rewarded him with a quick chaste kiss on his forehead, smoothing her skirt while Draco helped her with her coat.

"Besides, I'm not going to be with Ron the entire time. I'll end class early and catch up with an old friend of mine, before I'll run into your arms again,"

"Oh? Should I be jealous?" he said, running his fingers down the length of her coat for extra reassurance.

She gave an airy laugh, before shaking her head. "It's actually your cousin Draco! I'm only meeting Tonks," she added brightly, but faltered slightly when Draco furrowed his eyebrows.

"Andromeda Tonks' daughter?" he asked suddenly, and Hermione gawked openly at him. It's not that she expected Draco to be ignorant to Andromeda's family, but she was very sure that his parents never mentioned it to him. The Blacks still held uptight prejudice after all, the permanent portrait of one Walburga Black ensured that legacy carried on.

Will that be the case for her and Draco?

That sudden realization made her spirits deflate, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's easy to differentiate her from Bellatrix," smirked Draco.

He had found his Aunt Andromeda's existence at the late age of seven. Young Draco seemed to have carried an air of naiveness and extreme curiosity, one which his father loathed and his mother doted on. As a child's adventure never ends, Draco took it upon himself to go up his parent's bedroom.

So, when Dobby had been too enthralled in burning his fingers in the fire, he sneakily went up his parent's wing, something his father had forbidden him from. Well, Lucius Malfoy was still stuck in a certain ministry meeting, so the limits had been stretched to the sky for him.

He first took his time on jumping on their bed, groaning loudly at how bigger it was than his. The normally pristine pillows were now slightly disheveled, but he continued on. He walked past his mother's excessive vanity table and wardrobes, glancing briefly at a funny-looking nightgown that looked extremely tiny and exposing. Was that supposed to be comfortable?

Draco hopped onto his father's desk, scanning the scattered papers and documents with a proud eye. Perhaps one day.

Scooting down to his knees, he leaned towards the nightstand and pulled out the drawers, shuffling the contents for something amusing or candy. He swore his mother kept chocolate frogs in here....

A single photograph was hidden behind all the items and trinkets covering the top drawer, and he eagerly pulled it out. He smiled when a younger-Narcissa waved happily from the frame, talking and babbling to the woman next to her. He furrowed his eyebrows when he scanned the person next to his mother. The woman looked strangely familiar, fine posture and some resemblance to his mother, but he had never seen-

"Draco!" his mother screamed, and he jumped with a squeak, before burrowing the photograph under his lap and facing his mother, who had tears brimming in her silver eyes.