Hello everyone! I'm doing this one shot because I love this song, and I thought it might make a good storyline for Hermione and Draco.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything affiliated with the Harry Potter World. Also, I do not own the wonderful music that is released by the very talented Katy Perry.
Story takes place in different time frames. All flashbacks are canon to the novel time lines.
Characters are OOC for the plot.
I'm driving around town in my mother's mini cooper convertible running some errands for her. She had asked me to do her some favours this morning before she left work, and since I was kind of freeloading off of her and my father right now, it was the least I could do.
However, I think the main reason that she asked me to run around town for her was because she wanted me to stop dwelling on the huge blowout I'd just had with Ron. After five years of being married to Ron, I just needed to get away for some time to myself.
I have the top down on the car since there is no way that I am passing up the warm sunshine that's beating down on me in the middle of September. It's very rare in England that we get a week straight of warm sunshine, and this is the sixth day in a row that we've had a day that is above twenty degrees.
I finish collecting mother's dry cleaning and decide that it's a perfect day to take a drive through the countryside. I turn the radio on as I head down the road towards the outskirts of town. A new song comes on that I've never heard, but as I begin to listen to the music I can't help but think about the one man that I wish things could be different with now.
Summer after high school, when we first met
Technically, we didn't meet after secondary school. We met at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We never got along at first, but I always remembered what my mother had told me about boys that picked on you.
"Hermione, just remember that if a boy teases you, it's because he likes you. He's just too chicken to say or do anything about it."
For my entire first year at Hogwarts, I thought this to be true. How naïve I was then. By the time we were in second year, I knew that he didn't like me. Too him, I was nothing more than a filthy Mudblood, and he reminded me of it every chance he got. In third year, I had had enough of his bullshit and punched him in the face. Although he never admitted it, I know that it made him cry. If nothing else, I can throw a good punch, thanks to my father.
Fourth year was much the same, although he focussed more on torturing Harry than me. Everyone knows that it was because he was jealous of Harry for being chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. I do have him to thank for Madam Pomfrey agreeing to change my teeth to a reasonable size, saving my parents thousands of pounds on braces, however. He did, after all, hex me to make my two front teeth grow ridiculously long.
Then in fifth year, everything changed. We had both been named house prefects and we were required to spend more time together than either of us really wanted. However, we both knew that it came with the territory of being a prefect, so we had agreed to set as many differences aside that we could and just get on with our lives as normally as possible.
We'd make out in your mustang to Radiohead
Not that he even knew what a Mustang was, but he did make me take many broom rides with him. That's sort of how it all really started. You see, about three months into fifth year, we had actually realized we had some similarities.
The first thing I realized we had in common was our thirst for knowledge. On more than one occasion I had caught him sitting in random places throughout the castle reading books that were not required for any classes, but that would still expand ones expertise in a particular subject.
The next one was that we both had a love for Muggle music. I had charmed my WalkMan to work inside the castle and I was in the library studying and listening to Take That when he'd come over and interrupted me. He hadn't seen my ear buds obviously because when I took them out he looked at me funny and asked if I had heard anything he had just said. Before I could reply however, he was sitting down opposite me and demanding to know how I'd gotten my music device to work in the castle. I explained what I had done to him and he asked me to wait here until he got back. I waited for about ten minutes before he'd returned with his own WalkMan in hand with a bunch of cassette tapes to go with it. I never pegged him for the type to listen to Eric Clapton.
After that day in the Library, we'd met a few nights in a row to hang out and discuss things other than our prefect duties. On the fifth night that we'd met, he took me up to the Astronomy Tower without giving an explanation. When we arrived I noticed his broomstick was there and he asked to take me for a ride. I never did like flying, but he promised that it would be worth it. I didn't give in right away but he eventually wore me down enough and before I knew it, I was soaring through the night sky holding on for dear life around his waist. True to his word, I loved every moment of it. The stars were closer than I'd ever seen them, the moon was brighter and to top it off, he'd dipped us down over the lake and we could see our reflection on the water that the moon was creating. It was by far one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life to date.
When we got back to the Astronomy Tower, he kissed me. I didn't expect it and I was in shock at first. It didn't take me long to get used to it though. His lips were soft and sweet, yet harsh and full of desire. My whole body felt like it was on fire the entire time we kissed.
And on my eighteenth birthday we got matching tattoos.
After that first night in the Astronomy Tower, we started seeing each other at least twice a week in secret. His father was pressuring him into following in his own evil footsteps and there was no way that Harry and Ron would have approved of our relationship.
As Christmas break grew closer, I realized I had begun to fall for him. I was so comfortable around him now that it was hard not to laugh and smile. Every time we kissed felt like the first time, it was like an addiction.
Apparently, he felt the same way because he was the one to bring up making plans for over the holidays. We set a date to meet in the Leaky Cauldron, but we didn't decide what to do right away, thinking it would be best to do something spontaneous. I was never really one for spontaneity, but I knew that if I was with him I would have fun even if we got mugged or arrested.
When we met that day over Christmas break, we noticed the Parkinson's entering Diagon Alley. Immediately we decided to venture into Muggle London. He had never been, but my parents and I had been just the day prior. We donned Muggle clothing and made our way onto the active streets of London.
We walked around laughing and joking about school, about Christmas with our families and how his father might have reacted if he had caught us right now. We were passing a tattoo and piercing shop when a picture in the window caught his eye. When I looked to see what it was, I was that he was eyeing up a tattoo sketch of a green snake.
I joked about him being a Slytherin to the bone and he retaliated that not even my Gryffindor courage and braveness was enough for me to allow someone to ink my body. Being the girl that I was then, I was not going to let myself be outdone. I told him if he had the balls, then I sure did. I walked into the shop and began to look at the different sketches.
He had come up behind me and put his arms around my waist. He whispered in my ear that if I allowed him to choose my tattoo I could choose his. That included where it went. I laughed and told him I wanted a big lion tattooed on his forehead. He retaliated and said he wanted a big green snake wrapping around my neck. In the end, I walked out of the shop with a small set of green dragon wings on my left ribcage and him with a rather comical image of a lion taunting a snake.
Used to steal your parents liquor and climb to the roof
Talk about our futures, like we had a clue
"What do you want after graduation?"
We were sitting in the Astronomy Tower in a comfortable silence, and he'd gone and broken it. I had been asking myself the same question since the beginning of second year. I had gone over so many different options. I had considered being a healer, but I didn't think I could deal with severed arms and legs and other body parts. I had then considered going full time with S.P.E.W., but Dobby had advised me that the elves in the Kitchens were not interested in any help, so that plan got shot. I then thought about working in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I told him this and he simply smiled and shook his head a bit.
He had never elaborated on why he had reacted like that. Instead, he distracted me with one of those kisses that made my mind go completely blank and make me feel like fireworks were exploding inside of me.
When we finally broke apart, I asked him what he wanted. He didn't hesitate, blink or react really. He had only said one word in response before getting up to go to class.
"You."
Never planned that one day, I'd be losing you.
From then on, it felt almost painful to be away from him for an extended period of time. We were still keeping things quiet between us because there seemed to be more and more activity from Voldemort's side and he didn't want to risk putting me in danger. At least, that's what he told me then.
We kept seeing each other as often as we could, giving more and more of ourselves to each other. We made plans for the summer, we promised to owl as often as possible and the night before summer holidays I gave him my virginity.
Two days after I arrived home, I received an owl from him telling me not to owl him. He was sorry and would explain when he could, but for now, there could be no contact between us at all.
I was determined to not be a walking cliché so I kept myself busy that summer. I did extra chores around the house; I took up playing the piano again and at the end of July, went to spend the rest of my summer with Harry, Ron and the rest of the Order.
In another life, I would be your girl,
We'd keep all our promises, It'd be us against the world
In another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away.
Even with my friends and family around me, I felt like something was missing. I knew what it was but I wouldn't let myself say it out loud. I spent my nights wishing that he was there with me. I dreamed almost every night that he came to be with me and if he tried to leave, I did everything in my power to make him stay. Sometimes he stayed and sometimes he didn't.
I hated myself for it. I hated for being so caught up in a fairy tale like this that I cried. I cried because I missed him, I cried because he wasn't there and I cried and punished myself for being such a whiny little bitch.
I was June and you were my Johnny Cash,
Never one without the other, we made a pact.
Sitting on the Hogwarts Express the day before my sixth year started, I had regained my confidence. I knew that things were difficult with our relationship and that we were going to have to make sacrifices if we wanted it to work.
I was doing my prefect rounds when I was pulled into a dark empty compartment. Someone had grabbed my arm and pulled me in. Before I could say anything or allow my eyes to adjust to the difference in lighting I was being kissed with a ferocity I'd never know before. He rubbed his hands sensually all over my body and my body reacted immediately.
I don't know how long we were in that compartment for, but it sure was not long enough for my liking. We were interrupted by a girly high pitched voice asking for him. He groaned in disappointment as I pulled away. He tried to pull me back, but then he heard Parkinson calling his name as well. He asked me to meet him in the Astronomy Tower at midnight and left after I agreed.
Just before midnight I made it to the tower after nearly being caught by Peeves. The only reason I'd survived is because the Bloody Baron came along. I had a feeling that he'd arranged that for my protection.
I walked over to the railing to look over the edge and look up at the stars. After a minute or two, a pair of arms slid around my waist from behind and soft, warm kisses had begun to be placed on my neck. I stayed like that for a moment before turning to look at him.
As I stared into his silver eyes, all of the emotions from this summer came back to me. The anger, the rejection, the loneliness, all of it. I wanted to say something but instead I kissed him and let my lips and tongue express my emotions. We started to pull and tug at each other's clothing in between kisses while we told the other how much we missed them and how it was so much better to be with each other now.
I pulled his shirt off and stopped, noticing a dark black spot on his left inner forearm. I stood frozen as he tried to cover it up. I took a couple of steps back from him.
"You're the enemy now. It's official."
He got angry then. He told me that I didn't know what I was talking about and needed to give him a chance to explain himself to me. I didn't want to know. I knew what I needed too. He'd given himself to Voldemort, mind, body and soul. I didn't know what to say so I kept my mouth shut, shook my head furiously and closed my eyes in hopes of keeping back the tears.
Of course, that hadn't worked and I had felt myself being lead into a shadow and laid down on the floor being wrapped in the comfort of his arms. I was confused. I didn't want to be wrapped in the arms of the enemy, but being held in his strong arms felt so right at the same time.
He didn't say anything at first, he just held me as my hot, silent tears rolled down my cheeks. After a while, he slowly began to tell me about how he was threatened into it after his Father had been sent to Azkaban after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. He told me how he didn't have a choice if he wanted to live. I nodded my head in understanding and instinctively curled closer to him. Deep down, I knew he was the person that I had grown to love whether he had that disgusting tattoo on his arm or not.
We made love three times that night. Neither of us got any sleep, and when we watched the sun rise he told me he loved me for the first time. He also said that he didn't want to spend a day without me.
Sometimes when I miss you, I put those records on.
Over the next couple of months, things had gotten harder between us. I had begun to study for N.E.W.T's the next year and he was trying to complete the assignments given to him by Voldemort. He began to explain one of his tasks to me one night at the beginning of term because he wanted me to know what he was up too. I silenced him immediately. I didn't want to know. I wanted him to be safe, and if doing stupid things is what was going to help him do that, then so be it. Just don't involve me in them, I said to him.
We were seeing less and less of each other at this point and it was hard. I would listen to my WalkMan and play some of the cassettes that I borrowed from him last year but had never returned.
It got more and more awkward every time we met. I knew he wanted me to know what he was doing, but I couldn't allow myself to know. If I knew then I had an advantage for the Order, I knew that. I knew that it could help us, but I didn't want to know because I didn't want to change my opinion about him. As far as I was concerned right now, he was being forced to do tasks that will save his life. He loved me and I loved him, and that's all that mattered.
Someone said you had your tattoo removed,
I saw you downtown, singing the blues,
it's time to face the music, I'm no longer your muse.
Before I knew it, there was two weeks left of school. I was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room with Ron and Ginny. Harry was off with Professor Dumbledore searching for a horcrux and we were sat here waiting.
I hadn't spoken to him in days. I hated it, but at the same time I was relieved. I know that's a weird thing to say, but I wasn't sure how things would ever get better between us now. When we saw each other, we hardly spoke any more. We craved physical contact and that was it. We no longer had an emotional relationship.
I knew that his tattoo was still there because I saw it when we were together last time. Actually, both of them were still there, but I didn't know if that first one meant anything to him anymore.
The last time we'd actually had a conversation was around Saint Valentine's Day, but even then, he seemed distracted. I was worried about him, really. There were dark bags that stood out on his light skin that drowned out his gorgeous eyes, and I could tell that he hadn't been eating properly. I had tried to mention it, but he just said to me that I wasn't the boss and to mind my own business.
He got up and left without another word after that.
In another life, I would be your girl,
We'd keep all our promises, It'd be us against the world
In another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away.
I had discovered what his task was. Harry told me. I really didn't know who he was anymore. Harry did say that he hadn't actually gone through with it and that it was Snape who killed our beloved Headmaster in the end, but that didn't change the fact that he had the intention to.
I didn't know what to do. I tried to be strong for Harry, but I was a terrible mess on the inside. I felt as if he had betrayed me in a way that no one else could. I didn't sleep that night. Nor did I sleep the next night.
On the third night after his disappearance and Professor Dumbledore's death, I had finally exhausted myself into a slumber. Unfortunately, it didn't last long because he invaded my dreams. Every single one of my dreams, actually, for the next eight months eight months.
I was finally beginning to sleep normally again. Harry, Ron and I were our hunting for horcruxes. We had found one also, and destroyed it. We then were trying to find another one and in the process we had been caught by Snatchers. In an attempt to throw them off, I hexed Harry's face and lied about my name. Unfortunately it hadn't worked. We were lead to a huge house with gates in front of it. Bellatrix Lestrange was there to meet us and she had instantly told someone to fetch him. I knew right away this was going to be awkward.
When I saw him in the room, I did everything I could to avoid eye contact. My heart betrayed me however, and forced me to look at him. To my surprise, he was staring at me with an emotion in his eyes that I had not seen before.
My attention was drawn away as Bellatrix screamed and before I knew it I was being tortured and humiliated because we had found the Sword of Gryffindor. The most painful part was that I knew he was standing there watching as his aunt defiled my arm by putting that nasty word on there.
That was the end. I knew that things were over between us.
I guess money can't buy me a time machine
I don't even think I could get a Time-Turner anymore. I think that they had all been destroyed during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Can't replace you with a million rings
Nothing will ever replace what I feel for him. No one will ever be him.
I should have told you what you meant to me
I can't help but wonder if things would be different if I had listened to that first task he'd been assigned in 1996.
'Cause now I'm payin' the price
The price is that I know that nothing will ever live up to the one great love that I got to experience at such a young age.
In another life, I would be your girl,
We'd keep all our promises, It'd be us against the world
In another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away.
I park the car by a small field. I don't know why I stop here, but it just feels right. I look around and notice movement from the other side of the meadow. As I continue to watch, I see a blonde figure emerge from the wooded area. A tall man with light skin, light blonde hair, broad shoulders and a lean build stops in his tracks and looks directly at me. Neither of us moves. We simply sit there, starring each other down.
I debate whether or not to move. I'm unsure how to react in this scenario. I could leave and be a coward, or I can get out of the car and be the brave Gryffindor that I am meant to be.
Slowly, I unfasten my seatbelt and open the car door. As I do this, I watch as he begins to take slow steps towards me. I stand outside of the car and wait for him get within talking distance. He stops about five feet away from me, his liquid silver orbs looking into my soul. I can't take it anymore, I'm about to break the silence but he beats me to it.
"I can't believe it's you," he says in a raspy voice.
"Draco Malfoy," I start. "What a coincidence."
He raises an eyebrow at me, "I could say the same."
It's only then that I realize that he's got one headphone in his right ear that leads to something in his pocket, presumably some iPod or music device.
"Oh?" I ask.
He smiles but says nothing. I wish he would say something but he just keeps smiling, and it's having an effect on my body that it shouldn't have.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, trying to ignore my increasing heart rate and dry mouth.
"I could ask you the same."
"I grew up in this town. Your turn."
"I was taking a walk," he replies, shrugging as if it was not a big deal.
"In the middle of a Muggle suburb?" I counter, crossing my arms defensively.
He shrugs again and runs a hand through his hair. "Thanks, by the way."
I give him a confused look.
"For saving my ass in the room of requirement," he explained to me slowly.
I widen my eyes for a moment, remembering the last time I saw him. Harry and Ron had gone back to save him after me telling them that we can't just leave him to burn. It is my turn to shrug. "Not everyone just stands by and watches people they used to care for get tortured or hurt."
I watch as a pained expression crosses his face. "I deserve that. But you should know, I've never hurt so much in my life. I thought letting you go would be the best thing to do. But now I realize that I should have just asked this really amazing girl I knew for help instead of pushing her away."
I don't know what to say to that. I think back to the song that was just on the radio.
In a different life, I would make you stay
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I made a lot of mistakes back then; in fact I still make mistakes. But I want you to know that if I could change them, I would."
I nod. I wish he'd stop talking. I notice myself licking my lips before I can stop it because I'm thinking of the kisses that come from those lips.
He takes a small step towards me. He's been sweating and the perspiration makes his white muscle top somewhat see through. Distinctly through his shirt on his right side, I can see the think outline of a lion and a snake.
I look back up at him. "You still have it."
He nods, "I wouldn't get rid of it for the world."
I smile slightly as he takes another small step towards me. Without realizing what I'm doing I take a step towards him. We stare into each other's eyes for what seems like eternity. I hear a crack behind me signalling that someone has just apparated into the meadow.
Reluctantly I turn around and see my husband has just appeared. Ron gives me a funny look.
"Hermione, what are you doing here?"
"Ron!" I'm shocked; he is the last person I expected to see. "It's not what it looks like!" I immediately defend.
Another funny look. "It looks like you're standin' on your own in a field watching clouds go by."
Now I'm confused. Did he not just see Draco Malfoy and me exchanging an intimate moment? I turn to find the field empty. There's not even crushed grass and flowers where he walked.
I look back at my husband. "Hah, yeah, sorry. Just doing some thinking."
Ron nods, "Fair enough. Look, I know you wanted time to think, but Rose has been asking about you," he informs me, referring to our five year old daughter.
I smile at him as best I can. It's difficult but I don't really know why. "I'll just take my mom's car back and then I'll be back."
Ron gives me a stiff nod before he cracks away again.
I take a deep breath and look around once more before getting into the car. I notice a thick parchment envelope on the drivers sear. Funny, I hadn't seen it earlier. Oh, well.
I open the envelope and pull out the letter inside and read:
Hermione,
Let me start by apologizing for my Aunt. Not even an hour ago I watched you be tortured by her. I don't know what to make of myself now. I am an absolute monster for allowing her to degrade you in the manner she did.
I want you to know that I've been beating myself up for it.
I wish that things were different. I wish we were safe and together. I would make love to you as many times as you would allow me to each and every day. The thought of your smile is what keeps me going through this whole mess. So even if you don't believe it, thank you.
I love you, Hermione Jean Granger. Always will.
Forever yours,
Draco Malfoy
I turned the page over to read the post script. It was in a different colour ink and much fresher.
Congratulations on you and Weasley. If you're happy, I'm happy.
You truly are the one that got away.
In another life, you would be my girl
We would have kept our promises and it would be us against the world.
In another life, I would make you stay,
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away.
Well, hope you all liked that. I know it's not a particularly happy ending, but it almost always never really is.
Please review and give me feedback.