Need [ dramione ]

Chapter 40

27 March 1999 - 4 Days Before the Full Moon

"Are you sure about this?" Hermione asks again, clenching his hand tighter. She had been asking the entire walk, but now as they approach the town, she's even more nervous. He kind of understands. He's not really certain about this.

But, he needs to be confident for her. He isn't really sure Madam Rosmerta will allow him entry, even after his apology the week before, but he's willing to try. For Hermione, he has to try.

But Hermione's concerns are not his. While Draco is worried about whether or not the townsfolk will allow him to enter their businesses, she's worried about something worse.

What if someone hexes him? What if someone tries to lash out? What if? What if...

Because how will she respond? What will she do?

Will she rip them apart, piece by piece, lashing out? Will she use her wand, hexing and destroying any in their path? Will she half shift, claws and teeth?

And suddenly, his concerns are the same as hers. He worries for her, not for himself. He's used to people hating him, but her? Her well-being and her protection are most important. Always her. Never him.

He has to be strong. They can't hide away forever. Particularly if they're going to be staying here, teaching here... While the town might hate him, and his family, they can't hate Hermione. Not after all she's done.

And yeah, maybe he's using her as a shield in that way, but, he had been into town the previous week, and no one had tried to kill him. One step at a time.

"Yes, I'm sure," he says, sounding far more confident than he feels. "I'm sure that I want to go on a date with you. I'm sure that I want people to see me with you. I'm sure that I want everyone to know that Hermione Granger is mine."

He's going to ignore the rest of her unspoken question.

They stay silent as they enter Hogsmeade, and he's glad for it. Her hand is still tightly wrapped in his, and he knows it's because she's nervous, but to everyone else... well, he can make a wild guess, seeing the other couples wandering around the village.

They likely look as though they're attached to one another, not wanting to let go. This isn't a first date, nor is it something new. They're holding onto one another because they want to. They look as though they're in a committed relationship.

Good.

"Everyone is looking at us," she says as he leads her to The Three Broomsticks. She's not wrong... sort of.

No Slytherin is looking their way. Enough of them have seen him carrying her through the Common Room before, and they know better than to ask questions. He also has a sneaking suspicion that Theo has been paying for their silence.

As for the Gryffindors, maybe a few are looking their way, but they look more on guard than anything else, like they're ready to defend Granger. After all, most of her house had seen him wrapped around her a week and a half earlier, ugly orange cat in tow. Since then, he had been up in the tower more than a few times.

It's everyone else... the Ravenclaws that think they know everything, and the Hufflepuffs that know absolutely nothing. It's also the townsfolk, the ones that know what he has done and have watched them grow.

They're all staring, but he forces himself to look away.

"Come on," he urges, tugging on her hand. "Let's find a table."

The last time they had been in Hogsmeade together had been what felt like years before, when they had met his Aunt Andromeda at Hog's Head Inn. He had more or less slipped into town, hidden, and hidden himself under his cloak as he left.