Here is my story: It's your usual Hermione + Draco love story, but this is of dark times after and during the war. In this story they go through terrible and rough times that will try their souls and tear at their hearts. Will they stay together through these times or will they give up to the fears of themselves?

Chapter One

It was nine in the morning and it was the day that Hermione was to return to Hogwarts School of Witchract and Wizardry. She had been waiting for this day all summer. In mid June, she had received her letter of acceptance and her letter recognizing her as this years Head Girl. She could not have been more excited. The moment she received it, she wrote to Ron and Harry telling them of her good news.

She walked to the bathroom and turned the shower on. She walked over to the sink and looked in the mirror. She had changed a lot since mid June. Before, she looked young and spirited without a care in the world, except school and her friends. Now, she was mature and had lost her joyous spirit she once posessed. She had bags under her eyes from no sleep and her once lit up, golden brown eyes were now glazed over and showed no trace of feeling, just malice. She used to tie her hair up and try to make it look descent, but she now found no point in doing so. She just left it down letting it frame her face in soft ringlets that hid her eyes.

She turned away from the sink, after grabbing a razor, striped and got in to the shower. She used to hurry in the shower not wanting to miss a second of the day, but now there was nothing to live for. So, she stood there in the shower, motionless, letting the water cascade down her tired body as she stared at the wall opposite her and became engrosed with her thoughts.

"Come on Hermione. We've got to go! They're advancing on us!"

"We can't just leave him, he'll die! He will die if we don't turn back!" She yelled in protest.

"He'll survive, he's strong-" he walked towards her grabbing her arm rougly and turning her to face him, "We've got to go" he stated firmly while dragging her limp body away.

She jumped suddenly when she heard someone banging on the front door of her flat. She turned the shower off, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around herself and left the steamy bathroom. She slowly walked to the door and looked through the peephole. It was the landlord. Realizing she was only in her towel, she smirked and opened the door to let him in anyway.

"Good morning. Oh, uh, should I come back later or, uh I can, uh, yeah, uh, I'll just come back lat-" he was cut off.

"Thomas, come in. I'll go change" she said while she tried not to smirk at his already tomatoe shaded face turning even redder.

"Right, I'll, uh, ok, sure" and he walked in the room and sat down at the kitchen table. Hermione walked to her bedroom, a smirk playing on her lips, and changed. She walked back out wearing jeans and a tight, black tanktop that clung to her flat, toned stomach. She turned the coffee pot on and made coffee. Thomas attempted to make small talk, but failed because of his discomfert.

She walked to the kitchen table with two mugs of coffee. She handed Thomas a mug: "Here, you look like you could use a cup or two" and he took it gratefully. She sat down next to him and sipped her coffee. Thomas looked at his coffee, afraid to meat her eyes: "You haven't paid rent this month, and you are another month behind from last year" she sighed and set her mug down. She looked at him daring him to look back. He oblighed, but turned back quickly after seeing the coldness they held.

She replied monotonesly, "I know. I'll get you the money tomrrow."

"Tomrrow's too late. I'm sorry, Hermione, but you either get it to me tonight by five, or, well, you will be evicted. I'm sorry, truly I am" and with that, he got up and walked out of the flat lightly closing the door behind him. She stared at the wall across from her.

"Ron, where are you taking me?" She asked laughing as she tripped over her feet. "Can't you at least take the blind fold off?" She inquired.

"No! It'll ruin the surprise!" He cried.

"What surprise?"

"This," he said pulling the blind fold off, "Happy birthday, 'Mione!" He said happily. She looked around and saw all her friends smiling and shouting 'Happy birtday Hermione!' to her. She smiled back just as excited.

She got up, poured the rest of her coffee out in to the sink, grabbed her coat and walked out the door.