The Road

Home

"Are the bags already in the car?" Hermione yelled from the porch.

Harry replied with the sound of the trunk closing and said, "Yes, now come on we're going to be late!"

"Draco, come on!" she called into the house. When he didn't respond, she poked her head inside the door and called again, "Draco? It's time to leave." When he failed to respond again she went inside.

Hermione found him in his room, sitting on his bed with his hands held together in a tight grip. Surly he wasn't praying, because he had no God to believe in. But she knew that if there was a time to start believing in God, now would be a good time.

It would be the first time Draco would return to England in years. He was incredibly nervous, and rightfully so. Especially since he will have to face the Ministry.

"Hey," she spoke calmly.

He didn't look up but kept his eyes on the floor, "Hi."

"Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?"

Hermione took a seat next to him and said, "You'll get through this Draco."

"How do you know?" he snapped, "If this doesn't work, it's Azkaban for me."

"It will work," she reassured.

"But how can you be so bloody sure?"

"I...I don't know. But the Ministry has changed from the last time you were there. And if you can convince Harry and I of who you've become, then the Ministry won't be any more difficult."

Draco was silent again, but the tension in his hands diminished greatly. "You Gryffindors and your bloody courage," he muttered as he finally stood. She stood with him and looked up at him, "You've got more courage in you then you realize."

"I guess I just have to prove that."
_________

Draco recalled his last journey on a plane as one of the most frightful experiences of his life. Not only was he surrounded by sneezing muggles in a vehicle that filters air, he was also thousands of feet above the ground in a muggle contraption that's couldn't possibly be that reliable.

So when Hermione let him hold her hand he didn't bother letting go.

Hours passed and by the time they reached the country, she could sense an immediate change in Draco's nature. He wasn't as nervous and fidgety, in fact, it was like he was frozen. Hermione couldn't blame him from being paranoid. This was much more then just out of his comfort zone. He now ran the risk of being caught by Auror authorities and shipped off to Azkaban without any fair trial. They were in a muggle airport, but that didn't mean there could be wizards there who wouldn't recognize him.

All throughout the airport and on the way to the cab, she found Draco looking over his shoulder at various times, like someone was following them. Once they were in the cab, she heard him sigh in the relief and could finally let go of her hand.

"Maybe we should have disguised him," Harry whispered to her.

"It doesn't seem that necessary," she replied.

"I mean, for his own sanity..."
_______

Hermione charmed the windows to be extra tinted, so as to not see Draco's face from the outside. Meanwhile, inside the car, Draco looked out at the rest of the cars and passing buildings, and she would give anything to know what he was thinking. She placed her hand on top of his, holding back the question to see if he was okay.

Of course, he wasn't. She knew this was too much for him, and the risk was far greater than she let on to him. But Harry reassured her he would put a good word in it for him, and she trusted him.