The Eighth Year - Under Major Reconstruction

13 - Codswallop

Hermione had been freaking out all morning.

It was nearing the end of November. Which meant nearing the end of the semester. Which meant going to Draco's for the winter holiday.

She knew they were dating now and that things were moving pretty quickly, but she was worried meeting his parents might push them apart.

She was also worried about her grades. She hadn't been working as hard as usual because of the law. She may have missed a year because of the war, but she was still worried about her grades.

"Hey! Drake! Will your parents be at the manor for the winter holiday?" She asks him nervously

"My mother will be there. My father is in Azkaban...he won't be getting out for 20 years. I'm surprised you didn't know that. But I don't think my mother will be there all of the break. I believe she  is going to leave on Christmas Eve for our second manor in France." He tells her

"Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't know he was in Azkaban. Does your mother know about us?" She asks

"It's for the better. I don't want to be anywhere near that man for as long as possible. And no. She knows about the law and that I'm with someone, but I wanted to tell her in person. Don't worry about her, Otter. She'll come around. My mother is a lot more accepting than my father." He tells her

"She's going to take a lot of convincing. She hates muggle-borns."She was pacing now.

She was worried out of her wits.

"I'm not gonna tell you she'll immediately love you. Because she really won't. But my mother will come to love you. One day she will get over their blood prejudice, the same as I did. She will love you. One day. And don't worry about her not accepting this. We have to get married. Once she realizes we are going to give her a grandchild. She'll straighten right up." He smirks, pulling her into a hug

"You're so different than you used to be. Look at you! Showing emotions and hugging me! I like this Draco...Thanks for saying all that and making me feel better. I know it's going to be hard for a while. Promise me to stick by me during Christmas." She asks him softly

She was still worried. No matter what she told him.

"Of course, Otter."
"What's with the new name? I told you not to call me that!" She asks looking up at him

"I like it better. It's your Patronus. And Otters are adorable."

She found that she didn't mind the nickname much anymore

"Is it true that you can't produce a Patronus? I understand if you don't want to tell me."

"It's true. I can't. When in doubt, though, I have you when it's needed. Death Eaters can't really produce one at all. They're all pretty heartless and don't know what love is." He sighs, knowing what he said had included him

"Well. You're not like them. You obviously have feelings, I mean. You're dating me. And I've seen you cry." She admits

"When?! I don't believe you." He says, sitting down on his bed

"Sixth year. In the owlery, near the beginning of the year. I was going up to send a letter to my parents, you were in the corner, crying silently. I'm guessing it was about the vanishing cabinet and the dark mark. Everything must've been too much..." She sighs, sitting down on the bed next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder

"I remember that day. That day was particularly rubbish. I had just begun fixing the vanishing cabinet, and I could not for the life of me figure it out. I had so much pressure on me, and I just couldn't disappoint my parents again. I didn't even want to be a death eater - I refused the first time my father asked me...but he soon forced me into it. So, my dark mark was still pretty new and a bit touchy then. It had all just been too much for me that day, and I needed to cry it out, I guess. I didn't think anyone was up there...it was really late." He tells her, sighing deeply after getting that off his chest. He had never told anyone that before