The Stars will guide us Home

This could've been

QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER: You deserve to be happy not in the arms of someone who would keep you waiting, but in the arms of someone who would take you now, love you forever and leave you never - Unknown.

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SETTING: The Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, The Great Britain. 

The boy-who-lived, the Chosen One, the youngest seeker of the century, the most powerful wizard besides Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort, the Undesirable no 1 who is none other than the great Harry Potter found himself sitting in the floors of the cold dungeons in the Malfoy Manor, bound to the pillar securely with a sort of magical shackles that he has never seen before.

One of his best friends, the boy-who-supported, the Weasley King, the Undesirable no 3, Ronald Weasley was on the floors, just like him, and was bound to another pillar - just like him.

His other best friend and his only female best friend (Ginny is his girlfriend), the girl-who-knew, the Gryffindor resident bookworm, the Gryffindor Princess and Golden Girl, the Undesirable no 2, Hermione Granger was tied to another pillar.

The only difference between Harry, Ron and Hermione (aside from their genders, likes and dislikes) was that whilst the lads are conscious, the girl had been tortured into unconsciousness.

It's been 4 hours since she was tortured, and she still hasn't woken up or shown any sort of sign that would say that she was getting well. Their only comfort was her breathing, and the lads were grateful for it.

Harry didn't know whether that it was his luck or her luck that she was tortured. But, his musings came to a stop when he realised that it wasn't going to take them anywhere.

The other occupants of the Dungeons: Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas and Garrick Ollivander were all bound to pillars or walls with the help of magical shackles, looking hopeless.

Their clothes were all dirty, their hair were matted with dirt, sweat, blood and water, whilst their body ached terribly.

Adding to the mix was the need to escape from the hell and return to their homes. The exigency to escape the place had totally overshadowed their hungers, making them busy.

They didn't even know when they had had food before!

The Dungeons was located in the most lowest level of the Manor. It was readily ugly, disgusting and cold with the stench of blood, sweat, tears and stagnant water.

It was the place where the Death Eaters imprisoned their so-called-enemies *cough cough * Mud bloods, Blood traitors and filthy half bloods *cough cough*.

Since the Traditional Malfoy Manor posed to be the Death Eaters' personal Headquarters, the Dungeons posed to be their very own Azkaban prison, where the prisoners were treated to the personal Azkaban treatment.

The bigoted Pure bloods that visit the prisoners make sure that only fear is what the so-called-deserved feel.

Anyways, back to the bright side, is the fact that the golden Trio were going to meet Lord Voldemort the following morning.

The residents of the Manor had run to make arrangements for their Lord's visit, and dumped the trio in the Dungeons, forgetting them in their eagerness to please their Master.

Harry sniggered inside of his head at his musings, despite the ill-fated, delirious, gloomy atmosphere.

He felt the need to laugh out loud, roll on the ground and laugh like mad, but refrained himself from doing it as he didn't want any of them to assume him to have 'gone barmy', but his sarcastic side could NOT stop with its way of analysing things and continued to send funny  pictures of his future dead body into his mind.

Fighting a losing battle, Harry finally let out a snort of laughter, surprising and shocking the (other) conscious occupants of the jail.

"What has happened to you, mate?" Ron queried his best friend from his place, with a bewildered look on his face.

He couldn't understand why his best mate was laughing when they were stuck in a ugly place where their (well, Harry's) archenemy is about to kill them tomorrow.

All of a sudden, the door to the Dungeons creaked opened and a dishevelled looking Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy entered into the sight of the prisoners.

"What do you want Death Eater?!" Ron spat, not contemplating what the Lord Malfoy could do to him. Lucius, on the other hand merely ignored the outburst of the hot-headed redhaired teenager and rushed over to the Muggle born girl.

"Don't touch her!" Harry warned the old man, and the remaining 2/3rd of the Golden trio struggled against their respective shackles, wanting to escape from it, so that they could save their other 1/3rd.

"Keep your voices low, idiots!" Lucius sneered, before dropping to his knees in front of the girl he'd considered as his daughter and started removing the ropes that bound her.

The occupants could only watch the scene in confusion.

"Do NOT do anything to Hermione! I'm warning you, Malfoy!" Ron cried, surged forward trying to escape from the binds but failing in the process.

"Thank the wizards for silencing wards." Lucius muttered underneath his breath as he worked on the binds.

When the binds finally came off, he instantly caught the unconscious form of the girl that was about to collapse and leaned her against the pillar.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. I'm so very sorry, but you have to open your eyes, Mia." He pleaded as he cupped her cheek, and sent a never-heard-before spell at her body, hoping to wake the girl.

The on-lookers' jaws slackened at the words that released from the Malfoy Lord's lips and the sight that went on in front of them.

Hermione's body convulsed as she coughed and coughed, before finally opening her eyes after a long struggle.

"Thank Merlin, you're awake, Hermione!" Lucius cried as he hugged her petite body in his strong arms.

It took her a few minutes to finally realise what was happening and where she was. "What is happening?" She rasped in a voice that was totally NOT hers.

Realising the pain she would've been going through, Lucius held a conjured glass of cold water to her lips and helped her drink 3 full glasses before settling her against the pillar again.

Hermione winced as pain shot up from different directions in her body, but allowed the man that she considered like a second father to her, to comfort her.

"Bella is asleep. We're planning on going with the plan. They will be here soon." Lucius said.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat at his words, but she raised decided to check whether he was an imposter or not.

Even though the Malfoy Manor is the house of Lucius, and no one can really hurt him when he's inside the property or impose as him, but she wanted to make sure it was him before revealing any of their kept-in secrets.

"If cold heart is to the outside world, family to the inner world, warm heart to the so-called friends, then what is to the world?" Hermione riddled, her glowing brown eyes bore into Lucius' steely grey eyes, looking for any signs that would tell her that he was an imposter.

Harry, Ron, Luna, Dean and Ollivander had complete bewildered and puzzled look on their faces. They were still shocked at the sight of Lucius and Hermione HUGGING, that except for Harry no one really caught on the riddle.

"Dragon." Lucius said firmly without any hesitation, and Hermione released a breath she didn't know that she held.

They were interrupted when the door creaked again, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy were now walking towards the pair.

"Oh, darling! We're so sorry! Forgive us, Mia!" Narcissa cried as she hugged the young witch tightly shedding a few tears in the process.

Hermione winced under her breath at the pain that spread through her, but lost herself in the warmth and love that the older witch provided as she curled into her embrace, wanting to make full use of the hug.

Lucius rubbed his wife's shoulder lightly and glanced at his son, who looked as if though he was going to breakdown anytime sooner.

Draco's grey eyes were focussed only on the brunette witch, who was wrapped in a hug by his mother. The Slytherin Prince's eyes were full of longing, love, pain and relief that Lucius had to force his eyes away from his son, so as to not become emotional at this situation.

"It's not your fault, Narcissa. I'm okay." Hermione reassured the black haired lady once their hug broke. The Gryffindor witch felt a pair of warm lips press against her forehead at the comment.

Her gaze finally flew up from Narcissa to Draco. Her warm, brown eyes instantly caught the pair of steely, grey eyes in a smoldering contact.

"CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Ron yelled as an impending headache killed him figuratively.

"Oh shut up, boy. We're trying to help you and you are doing anything but assist us. If you are not willing to help us help you, then you can keep your bottomless pit of a mouth shut before I shut them for you! And I'll make sure that it would be painful." Narcissa snapped, making Lucius to smirk and the rest to gape (not including Draco and Hermione, who were still staring into each other's eyes).

Even though Harry knew that Ron's mouth is a bottomless pit and the fact that Narcissa Malfoy had vowed to shut them, he knew not to focus on it.

Ron, on the other hand, was not at all discouraged by the threat, as he started screaming even after the instructions to NOT raise the volume of their voices. "WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU HUGGING DEATH EATERS, HERMIONE?! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY DID TO YOU?!"

Hermione finally snapped at the 'Death Eaters' comment by Ron, instantly swivelled her head in his direction, and gave him her deadliest glare. "I'd advise you to stop talking s**t, Ronald. Do NOT test my patience."

Ron literally started shaking when she transfixed her glare on him. From past experiences, he'd learnt NOT to rile up Hermione, but he can surely say that he had never seen her so angry.

It looked like she was practically on fire.

"Ah, the pride to know that the Malfoy women are ready to tackle any situation." Lucius said proudly, with a hand on his heart, sending winks to Narcissa and Hermione.

Even though this was a life threatening situation, he couldn't help but feel proud of his family.

"Hermione, a Malfoy?" Dean whispered in disbelief.

"Are you the Daughter of Malfoy Sr?" Harry finally found his voice back and questioned his female best friend.

Instead of Hermione, Lucius answered the boy-who-lived's question whilst beaming with pride. "More than that. My daughter-in-law."

The occupants' eyes widened in shock and they stared at Hermione, who was now mysteriously wrapped in a tight hug with Draco and the pair were whispering to each other.

No one knew when the pair had embraced.

"You married the ferret?! You are a traitor!" Ron screamed, and the decibel was enough for the couple break their hug, but not enough to make the couple pull away.

Hermione looked up at the elder Malfoys and questioned them, as Draco settled his arms around his wife, holding her flush closer to him. "What is our plan?"

Even before Harry or Ron could object, Hermione turned to them and said. "Guys, let me just tell you a few things. I'm not a traitor and neither are the Malfoys. I'm not fraternising with the enemy and I'm not a Death Eater. Firstly, We're going to get away from here, trust me, and I'll tell you everything later on. Not now. We've already wasted enough time, and we have to get away soon." The faith in her voice, made Harry nod his head, but Ron wasn't convinced.

Hermione sighed deeply. "I, Hermione Jean Granger, daughter of Daniel Joseph Granger and Emma Sophia Granger née Olson, swear on my soul and magic that I am not lying. So mote it be."

There was a pin drop silence in the air.

"Mia! Do NOT take the Wizard's Oath just to prove yourself to Weasley!" Draco reprimanded his wife, with a pained look on his face, and hugged his wife to his body.

"Sorry love, but I had had to prove my loyalty to him, to avoid a headache and certain people storming away." Hermione soothed her husband, with a peck to his cheek.

"I've already lost you once, I'm not going to lose you again, love. Do NOT and I mean, do NOT do that again, okay?" Draco whispered into his wife's ears in a pained voice.

Hermione looked up at her husband with a sheepish smile on her face. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking properly. And, you're not going to lose me. Not again. I love you too much to leave you."

She was very sure that she wasn't thinking properly when she decided to take the Wizard's Oath. And, she clearly hadn't thought about the effect it would have on the people that she loved or the people that loved her.

Especially on Draco, her husband.

"I love you too, wife of mine." Draco whispered into her ears in a husky, possessive voice, that sent shivers up his wife's spine.

"My daughter-in-law is not burnt to the ground, is she, Weasley?" Lucius drawled, looking every bit bored as if though he had just witnessed Professor Binns lecturing on and on about the Goblin War.

Harry and everyone else, other than Ron, believed Hermione to be loyal to the Light Side, even though she was married into the Malfoy Family.

"But-but... I'm sure you've cheated!" Ron spluttered, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Even though there is no need for him to look guilty.

"There is no way, one could cheat the Wizard's Oath, Mr. Weasley. I'm very sure that Ms. I mean, Mrs. Malfoy is true to the Light Side and to Mr. Potter." Old and Wise Garrick Ollivander interrupted the boy, before the redhead could go on throwing accusations around.

"I'm still not sure of the Malfoys. And if something bad happens, and they betray us, I'll be the first one to say 'I told you so'." Ron grumbled and sunk lower onto the ground, ignoring everyone's eyes.

Especially Hermione's.

He's fancied the brunette haired witch for a while now, and it was NOT on his To-do list to see her already married to his archenemy.

After making sure that no one was about to disturb him, Lucius explained. "I don't think it will be feasible for the whole lot of us to travel. We'd first send Mr. Thomas, Ms. Lovegood and Mr. Ollivander to Hogwarts. The wards in the Manor are put down for the time being so, I can make a portkey."

Instantly Narcissa made a port key from her hairpiece. Using a never-hear-before spell. But, they noted that Hermione didn't look as surprised as the rest of them, so they concluded that the girl-who-knew was used to whatever is going to happen.

"How can we be sure that this Portkey will take us to Hogwarts?" Ollivander queried the brunette witch with uncertainty.

He trusts Hermione, but not the Malfoys especially when it comes to life-threatening situations like these.

Hermione elucidated with a firm yet gentle tone. "This is a two way portkey. If you've reached the wrong destination, you can return back here within 5 minutes. But if you have reached Hogwarts destroy it immediately. Here." And held the Portkey out to them, as Lucius and Draco released the three from their binds.

"Before that, give this to Minerva McGonagall when you see him. He'll understand." Draco interrupted them, as he removed the dragon crested ring from his right ring finger and handed it over to them.

"We've already sent a message to her. When you reach Hogwarts, you'll be most probably sent to her private quarters. Show the ring to her and tell her that the 'Malfoys have decided to come to light'. Do not jumble the words just tell her what I said and you'll be fine." Narcissa explained in the most calmest voice possible, but only the ones that knew her could see the panic that was underlying in her words.

Warily glancing at the Malfoys and the trio, Luna, Dean and Ollivander grab on to the Portkey and vanished into thin air.

When none of the three returned after 5 minutes, Lucius explained the rest of the plan to the four. "We can apparate only around 100 miles from here. Unfortunately, the snatchers have destroyed your hiding place and belongings, so the Forest of Dean isn't viable. But, I do have another place in my mind, we can apparate there." Harry and Ron's heads hung when they heard that their belongings were taken by the snatchers, but they immediately got over it when Lucius said that he had another idea.

Hermione asked. "But won't the snatchers or the werewolves be able to identify where we are with our scents?"

"When we get out, the Manor would block our scents so that they can't come back at us." Narcissa explained to her daughter-in-law, who nodded her head slowly with a contemplating look on her face.

"The Manor is taking care of Bella, who won't wake up for another 10 hours. The elves have all left to Hogwarts with the Portkey. The monies have all been transferred to the Vaults and protected tightly. The memoirs have all been packed off too. The rest of things have been destroyed leaving for the clothes. The Manor will lockdown at the crack of the dawn, and the only occupant a.k.a Bella won't be able to use any magic or physical force to get away from here. The only way she can escape is when the Manor is demolished that too from the outside, and she'll be nothing but lifeless when she will see the outside world. Again." Lucius completed, even Harry and Ron were impressed by the way that the blond wizard had thought of everything.

Even though Harry and Ron still didn't entirely believe or trust the Malfoys, but they had to agree that it was a good plan.

They didn't know whether the Malfoys previous hatred to them was true or their sudden affection towards Hermione was true, either way they concluded that the Malfoys are quite actors.

"Is there any way to trap He-who-must-not-be-named here and kill him here?" Ron questioned. Then, added hastily, when Harry made the motion to contradict the statement. "Aside from the Horcruxes."

"Never thought of it. The Prophecy itself states that only Potter can kill You-know-who. But, it can be done. I'm sure the Manor can take it." Lucius muttered, as a scrutinising look appeared on his face.

"I think it's a good idea!" Draco exclaimed in eureka. "The meeting will be for every Death Eater out there and if we the Manor is locked down during the meeting, then everyone will be stuck here!"

Hermione frowned. "It's a good idea, but do you think that the Manor can take the power of 500 at the same time, love?" Her mind assessing for various flaws in the plan.

Harry and Ron blanched at the 'love' from Hermione. She had never liked any form of nickname or endearment, but at the sight of her calling someone with a nickname had them grimacing. Hermione was never the one for endearment.

But now, they aren't very sure.

"We don't know as this had never happened before. I'm sure that the Manor's anti-magic wards are more powerful, there was a history that it managed to fend off around 800 at the same time." He reassured his wife and his parents. "But, you have to exclude Uncle Sev from there. We'll send him a message to resist the calling tomorrow, once we leave the place." The remaining Malfoys nodded their heads, once they realised that it was their go, even the boys complied as they knew how the Malfoys and their Potions Professor are close.

"Let me just change the Manor's orders and then we can leave." Lucius added and walked to one secluded corner of the Dungeons and started whispering things under his breath and waving his wand about.

Draco and Narcissa released Harry and Ron, who instantly jumped to their feet and stretched.

The Slytherin Prince then handed over their wands to them, surprising the duo who had assumed that they won't be able to get their wands again.

"I know you don't trust us, Potter, Weasley; but we are not planning on giving you away to him. Plus, we are not that heartless." The blond haired lad said, surprising the Golden duo much more, but they took their respective wands from him nevertheless.

"Do you think you can stand up, love?" He asked his wife, who was still sitting on the floors, looking quite uncomfortable.

"I think so." Hermione whispered, as she tried standing up with the help of her husband and her mother-in-law. She hissed, winced at the pain her body was enduring, and leaned heavily into Draco, who enveloped her petite body tightly in his strong arms.

"It's okay, don't stress yourself. I'll carry you." He lifted his wife bridal style and kissed her forehead firmly.

Draco could only be feeling extremely guilty for letting his Aunt hurt his wife. He'd always jump up if someone talks or even utters one bad thing about his Hermione, and the fact that he couldn't do anything whilst his sorry excuse of a Aunt tortured his wife, killed him.

"I'm sorry, love. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." He whispered into her ears, looking directly into her warm eyes that were now enveloped in a blanket of pain.

"Draco, you know that it's not your fault." She chastised her husband with a firm look on her face.

"And if you say otherwise, I'll have to hold off kisses for indefinite period. I know you're already starved, just think what will happen if I don't even kiss you anymore." Hermione mocked him.

Draco growled playfully, and locked lips with her in a intimate embrace.

Harry and Ron's jaw slackened at the sight of their best friend snogging their ex-enemy, Narcissa merely looked happy at seeing the couple finally together, whilst Lucius rolled his eyes at the pair.

"And, captain snogger strikes again." Lucius smirked, resulting him in getting swatted by his chuckling wife.

Ron's jealousy only flared at the sight, and he snarled thoughtlessly. "Let go of her Malfoy!"

"Do you think that will stop them, Weasley?" Lucius said with a smug look on his face.

He could obviously see that the Weasley boy had eyes for his daughter-in-law. Too bad for him. She's already claimed. That too, by a Malfoy.

"Do you know that one summer night, I've been standing at their bedroom door knocking for hours till dawn, until the pair finally noticed me?" Ron's face contorted into a nasty shade of red, competing with his natural flaming red hair, once he realised the underlying meaning in the sentence.

True to his words, the couple didn't pull away after Ron's comment. The pair didn't even pull away for breath, it seems as if though they were lost in their own world, completely forgetting the real world.

Only when Draco's hand slipped onto his wife's pert backside, Narcissa cleared her throat very hard, while Lucius hollered. "Hey lovebirds, we're in a very bad situation. You can tune the Honeymoon moments down a few notches. You've already been to your Honeymoon for Merlin's sakes!"

Harry and Ron's jaws hit the ground instinctively.

"Lucius!" Hermione chided her father-in-law, grinning widely.

Harry and Ron had expected her to be blushing at the innuendos, but instead, she was grinning. Actually, grinning. "You know Draco and I haven't had our Honeymoon yet."

Draco had a s**t-eating grin on his face, which had Lucius chuckling loudly and Narcissa smiling happily for him. The elder Malfoys were seeing a Draco, who was almost like a zombie for 3/4 of a year being away from his wife, and now watching him be happy, was a joy to them.

"I know you can't resist me, love, but do you really have to make it a public show?" Draco smirked, reprimanding his wife with a cheeky grin on his face along with the trademark Malfoy smirk.

Hermione merely raised a perfect eyebrow at her husband, and slipped her hand to his perfectly rounded backside, with the ulterior aim to pinch it.

Lucius scolded, which interrupted Hermione from her task. "Mia, everyone can see your hand inching towards my son's backside, and personally I think that you lot should keep your kinks limited to your bedroom."

"Can we get on with the plan?!" Ron yelled.

It was already nerve wracking to see Lucius Malfoy hollering and making s****l innuendoes, he need not be reminded that the antics of Hermione was the one that was making Lucius make s****l innuendos.

"Hold your hands together, kids. We're out from here!" Lucius said in a sing-song voice as the lot of them held their hands, before apparating with a loud pop.

The only occupant of the said huge manor, a.k.a. Bellatrix Lestrange, snored away carelessly in her sleep, lying on the king sized bed in the Guest room, unbeknownst to the happenings in the Manor.

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SETTING: 12 Grimmauld Place. HQ of the Order of the Phoenix.

When the Golden Trio and the Malfoys apparated into view, they found themselves standing in the front room of Number 12. The Golden duo, gasped out loud in surprise at the sight that greeted them.

"How-how did you-you.." Ron spluttered loudly, impersonating a fish that was just thrown out of water. Lucius and Draco merely smirked at the redhead.

"We're special, Weasley. Malfoys are always special." Draco drawled, looking every bit the spoilt brat he was when he had been in his younger childhood days.

Hermione pinched her husband's arm. "Ow, that hurt!"

"Play nice, kids." Lucius chided, much to the annoyance of the young Malfoy couple.

"How did you do this? I need to know what's happening." Harry said, almost burning from frustration.

Narcissa smiled warmly at the raven haired boy. "We'll explain it to you when we get ourselves comfortable. Come on everyone, I'm sure Sirius is waiting for us."

With that the Malfoys first entered the house, followed by Harry and Ron who wore identical bewildered expressions on their faces.

__________

At present, Harry and Ron found themselves seated on a comfortable couch in the living room of the Number 12, wearing fresh clothes and munching off on cookies and other home-made goodies.

When they reached the HQ, they were immediately surprised when they saw the remaining horcruxes lying on the dining table with the members of the Order standing around it.

One hour later saw the horcruxes being destroyed, and celebration ensued all around the place. With the Death Eaters and Horcruxes out of the equation, the Light side were sure that they were going to win the war.

Now the only enemy is Voldemort and his snake.

Opposite to the 2/3rd of the Golden Trio, sat Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy wearing casual clothes. The couple were cuddled together, drinking butter beers from their respective bottles, as they chatted away amicably to Sirius, McGonagall and other old Order members.

On one of the love seats sat Draco who had Hermione seated on his lap, was busy running his hand through his wife's soft hair, all the while whispering naughty things into her ear.

The living room of the Order HQ was filled with the Order members starting from Sirius to Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ron were surprised to know that almost half of the trusted Order members knew of the fact that the Malfoys were actually secret Order members.

And, they had questioned the teenage boys of how they hadn't picked up on the tension that Draco and Hermione emitted. Even from far, one could see the s****l tension simmering between the pair, and it was their own obliviousness that made Harry and Ron impossible to see it beforehand.

The two tried to be angry with the Order, but couldn't as they completely understood why the Malfoys and their connections to Hermione and the Order had to be kept in.

Now that they had no one to blame, they took to grumble and sulk off in a far corner.

Hermione unable to take the teasing further, finally caught the lips of her husband in a searing kiss. Draco enthusiastically responded to the kiss, by wrapping his arms around his wife and pressing her closer to his body.

Their kiss went on, on, on, and on, so did their hands that roamed each other's body trying to get the unnecessary fabrics away from their bodies so that their hands could finally touch and caress their skin, which they hadn't had the opportunity to do so for over a year.

Finally, the kiss broke as they pulled away from each other, greedily drinking in the much needed oxygen. Draco pressed his forehead against his wife's panting lightly.

"Merlin, that was hot." Hermione whispered.

Her face was flushed up, from the steamy embrace that the pair had just shared. Her lips were quite plump after the kiss, her hair messed up from Draco running his hands, her clothes were rumpled, exposing her shoulder as one of the sleeves had fallen/pushed down by Draco, her flat stomach was on the display as her top had ridden up, during their hot snogging session.

Draco grinned cheekily, as he brushed his lips against hers in a teasing manner. "You could say that again, love."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her cheeky husband, before cuddling up to him, by burying her face in his neck and wrapping her arms around his neck and waist respectively.

Draco sighed loudly and enveloping his arms around his wife, and settled his free hand on her waist under her shirt, drawing patterns on her soft cream skin.

"That was quite a show, lovebirds. You certainly have riled up Ron, who just puked his guts out in the loo." Sirius commented, drawing laughter from every corner of the room.

True to his words, the horrible retching of a person puking their guts out could be heard faintly, which drew another set of laughter.

"Who knew that a quick snog was all it took to rile up Weasley? If I had known of it, I would've done it long before." Draco drawled, again drawing laughter from everyone.

Even Professor Snape.

The Slytherin Prince quickly dipped his head to again engage his wife's lips in a hot, intimate kiss.

"That was quick? Then I'd hate to think what makes of the long snogging session." Tonks said with a shudder and a grimace on her face, leaving the Weasley twins and a few other young Order members to tee-hee at the innuendo.

"I'm sure I can guess-" Fred started with a cheeky grin on his face as he stood up from his place, making sure that his purple robes were bellowing behind him.

"-what makes of the long-" George followed the footsteps of his twin, by continuing with the words that his twin had wanted to say.

"-snogging session!" Fred and George yelled at the same time, making sure to dodge away from the pillows that Hermione threw at them.

"Less words-" Draco grinned and sent a thumbs up at the twins, who decided that they both would be yelling the last words together.

"-less clothes-" A few older Order Members and the nerve to blush as the young members, aside from the inexperienced ones, who too blushed at the words that were exiting from the Weasley twins.

"-and, more action!" Even Draco joined in with the hollers of the Weasley Twins, who sent dazzling smiles his way, as if though they had just met their long lost brother.

"Looks like someone had a sneak peek into my letters, huh?" Hermione sassed, looking at her nails in a obvious evil posture, looking every bit like the drama queens from chick flicks.

"Uh-huh, not good. Mission abort. Mission abort! Missile Hermione headed this way. Missile Hermione headed this way!" The twins jumped up and down the place yelling, and running all around before apparating with a pop.

"Letters, you say?" Sirius questioned his cousin's daughter-in-law with an eyebrow raised.

"You talk about s*x in your letters, huh? You've been corrupted very much, Hermione!" He had expected the Muggle-born witch to be abashed, but when she didn't, Sirius grinned.

"Now I've got a great weapon against Weasley. Whenever he's getting on my nerves, all I have to do is snog my wife or maybe even shag my wife to get back at him. Oh such pain." Draco dramatised once he realised his luck, making a few to burst out laughing, and a few others to blush.

Hermione merely rolled her eyes at her dramatic husband.

"As much as I hate to break this love feast, would someone please, please tell me what's going on? I feel like my head is going to explode." Harry grumbled.

"I'll do the honours." Hermione interjected, as she started on her history. "Draco and I have been friends since the First Year. I met him first before bumping into Harry and Ron. We spent the first 3 hours of the train ride, sitting in one of the empty compartments talking about Hogwarts and everything related to it." Many Young Order members rolled their eyes at the pair.

"Only when we talked about our parents, he realised that I was a Muggle born. Sure, he instantly stopped talking to me and left the compartment without another word."

Draco kissed his wife on her forehead and tightened his grip on her, as he mouthed a silent sorry into her ears.

"Only then, I met Neville. Then, everything happened. Draco and I didn't meet until a week after the sorting. We bumped into each other in the Library, where we had a small talk." Hermione smiled ruefully, as she reminisced the past.

"Our friendship bloomed from then. First, we started off meeting at the Library once in a week, which turned to twice, thrice and seven days per week. By the end of the year, we had become close friends. Neither of us had any close friends, heck, good friends before, and when we found each other, we were ecstatic. We promised to write to each other through the holidays which we did. And, that's the First Year." Hermione ended recollecting her last with a sigh and lazy smile on her face.

"Whoa!" Harry was the one that had commented.

"The next year," Draco started with a grin on his face, "was the year that we became best friends. When we finally met each other on September 1, we had thoroughly missed each other during the holidays even though we wrote to each other once a week. And, when Hermione got petrified I was so scared of losing her, that was when I realised that she was a large part of my life. A part that I didn't want to lose." Hermione pecked his cheek lingeringly and accepted the kiss that he placed on her forehead.

"It was the year that I confided in my parents that I had befriended a Muggle-born witch. They weren't very accepting at first, but then, it was the same with Hermione's parents. We persuaded them and we even had dinner together. Aside from the awkward beginning, our parents hit-off instantly as they compared the Muggle world to the Magical world. At the end of the day, both set of parents approved of our friendship." Draco concluded the end of the year with a light smile adorning his pale face.

The on-lookers could only gape.

Who knew that the Pureblood Malfoys would go on a family dinner with a Muggle-born girl's family? No one.

"The third year, I confided in Draco that McGonall had given me a time-turner. Even though it was practically very hard to find time, we made sure that at least 1 hour each day was spent with each other. We didn't have much of significant moments, but we realised that we were rapidly falling for each other. During the Christmas holidays, my parents and I visited the Manor where my parents stayed for a couple of days and I stayed for two weeks." Hermione said.

Many still found it hard to believe that the Malfoys dined with Muggles, now they are finding it much more hard to believe that the Malfoys let the Muggles stay at their Manor.

"During the summer holidays, the Malfoys visited us in the Muggle world where we spent two weeks out in the Muggle world of France. By then, the family ties had grown stronger. It was so strong that Lucius finally talked to the Order, and the Malfoys became secret Order members ever since." She concluded with a sigh.

Again, no one could believe that the Malfoys visited, heck, stayed in the Muggle world during holidays.

"Fourth year, showed us that we were in-like with each other, and we secretly started dating. Yule Ball was another distant memory, along with the tasks. At the end of the year, we again, bunked at each other's homes. Fifth year, nothing special happened, if you don't include the physical side of our relationship." Draco said, who then got elbowed by his wife for revealing personal details.

Harry gagged, whilst the rest Weasleys aside from Arthur and Molly hollered.

"Next year, I was given the opportunity to kill the Headmaster, which I deliberately failed as the old man was already broken. I proposed to Hermione at the start of the term and we got married by the end of the term. Then, all of this happened." Draco concluded his speech with a dramatic sigh, earning applause from a few occupants of the number 12.

"Your love story is quite good. In fact, it's better than Romeo and Juliet from the Muggle World." Tonks commented, which drew a few murmurs of agreement from the on-lookers.

"But why did you get married so soon? That too, you were just 16 by the time you got married to each other!" Molly berated them, with a disapproving look on her face.

"We didn't what to waste any of our time together. During war, nothing could be determined. We were already stuck on either sides in the war, so we didn't want to lose our precious time together. All we had was a small intimate wedding ceremony at the Manor during the holidays." Draco said, his eyes twinkling with love he had for his wife.

"So, you did all this because you respected the friendshipelationship that your son shared with a muggle born witch?" Harry questioned Lucius and Narcissa with an awed look on his face. Lucius nodded his head.

"The second my son came home talking about the brightest girl in his year already had risen red flags in my mind. The Malfoy men are known falling for the smartest witches of their ages. The second he came to me to talk about Hermione in secret, made me realise how much she meant to him. I wasn't going to break my son's heart by berating him for doing the forbidden. Wanting to make sure that my father rolled in his grave, I let my guards down and welcomed the Grangers who firmly took a place in my heart after everything they've done. And, yes, if I have to put it in simple words, I did this because I respected the friendshipelationship that my son shared with a muggle-born witch who meant the world to him." Lucius answered simply, smiling happily at the said couple who were now whispering into each other's ears. Yet again.

Almost everyone knew the importance of family to the Malfoys, but no one would've guessed that the Malfoys would go to the extent where they berated their upbringings itself and broke as many laws, rules, just so that their family could be happy and together.

No one would've guessed this to happen.

There is a quote/saying that says 'Always expect the unexpected', and maybe this was what it meant.

Maybe the situation that Voldemort would be (after losing all of his Death Eaters and Horcruxes) on the next morning, would also support the quote 'Expect the unexpected' quite favourably.

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