This was requested months ago by my lovely follower Neko-chan2604 after I released "Moments". This is the long-awaited sequel to said story, and I spent soooo much time on this! I really hope everyone likes it! It's probably the best thing I've written yet! Love you all! Enjoy and remember to R&R! Ciao!
Eight years.
Eight years since the Battle of Hogwarts. Eight years since it all came to a head. Eight years since they lost the ones they loved, but gained a new hope for this world. Eight years since the fights, the lives, the deaths, the loves, the losses. Eight years since the last time they crossed paths. Eight years away from one another. Eight long years apart.
Hermione was behind in life. Well, that's the way she thought of it anyways. Albeit, she had a prominent position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and at Harry's insistence, she had just recently moved into the quaint house they used during the war on Grimmauld Place. She'd had it fixed up to just how she liked.
But even if she lived a happy, satisfying life; it wasn't enough, it was never enough. She had no husband nor children. She had no one to come home to, to hold, to love, to look forward to seeing.
Harry and Ginny were married now. Harry the accomplished Auror, Ginny the Quidditch champion, they were successful and happy; especially with two year old James and another baby on the way.
Luna had become a wizarding naturalist and Neville was the new Herbology professor at Hogwarts. They had announced their long-awaited engagement the other week.
Hermione had been a bridesmaid at Dean and Parvati's wedding last month, and Parvati had recently found out she was having twins.
She and Ron had four split years ago, he worked as an Auror also, and he had finally found himself love in another Auror named Astrid Beckett.
Hermione's own parents had celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last year.
Hermione only sat by and watched all of her friends fall in love, marry, and have children. She watched careers blossoms and lives flourish, while she felt as if her time was slipping by. She'd had dates over the years, of course. But, when they seemed to be going somewhere, Hermione never let it happen. A few nice Muggle men had tried in vain to please her, and no Wizard could level up to her standard. There was only one man whom she could ever see herself progressing in life with. Problem was, she didn't know whether they could ever face one another.
Draco had come a long way since the Final Battle. He'd made his amends with most everyone in the Wizarding World. His father long gone to Azkaban and his mother had been spiraling, lost without the fear, death, or the Dark Lord's fury. Draco had their mansion destroyed and set her up in a little house out in Falmouth, by the sea with a garden. Her damaged heart became whole again with the serenity of her new life. His heart could rest a bit easier knowing she was going to be alright.
Draco was a Healer at St. Mungo's, the best of his league. He made nurses swoon, fellow healers jealous, and his patients beam. He was good at it too. No one seemed to mind who he was. When they saw how good-natured and calm with patients, they never gave it a second thought. Draco bought a small flat in London, a few blocks from St. Mungo's. But, despite his new life, Draco's heart could never be fully repaired. He lived in a small flat, shared with his best friend Blaise. He had no steady girlfriends, rarely dated, and had given up hope he would marry. He knew where his heart lay, but he thought that their time had come to pass. But he still couldn't let her go.
It was one fateful Spring day in 2006 that finally brought them back together. With Luna in Ireland for two months, trying to find Dabberblimps and Umgubular Slashkilters, Neville had asked Hermione if she would accompany him to visit his parents at St. Mungo's. She readily agreed, as it wasn't the first time she'd gone with him. She loved Neville as if he were her brother, she enjoyed spending time with him; and when Luna couldn't be his pillar of support with the heart-wrenching visits, she would always come along. His father Frank had taken a liking to Hermione over the years. Neville consistently brought up the instance where Frank had grabbed Hermione's hand as they were leaving, looked her dead in the eyes, asking "Soon?" It gave Neville hope that his parents might still have a chance to come around, even if it was only slightly.
They were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, taking in tea and coffee, when a familiar face strolled in. Blaise Zabini, dressed in his Wizengamot robes and carrying a satchel, strolled into the Leaky Cauldron. The girl at the bar this morning, a short, pixie-like girl with dark blonde hair and a round, pale face; came around the counter soon after, clutching a cup of tea. Her loose blonde plait swung as she walked, causing Blaise to stand as she set the cup down, wrapping his arms around her small waist and kissing her face repeatedly. Hermione averted her eyes as they talked lovingly for a moment before she hurried back behind the counter.
"It appears Blaise has met someone." Hermione commented offhandedly, steeping and lifting her bag of breakfast tea repeatedly. Neville watched her with some concern. He took a quick glance back to see the girl blow a kiss to Blaise, to which he smiled as she turned her back to work.
"Her name's Maria Grigoryan, she's from Armenia. Blaise met her two years ago when she came here to work." Neville smiled slightly as Blaise magically folded a paper heart and made it fly onto the bar. Maria turned to see it, and beamed brightly when she read what was inside.
"What's so wonderful about love anyway?" Hermione asked, dropping her spoon onto her tea plate. Blaise turned his head and saw the two looking his way. He stood and made his way over.
Hello Granger, Longbottom." Blaise gave the pair simultaneous curt nods. Hermione gave him a tight-lipped smile and Neville shook his hand. "Might I sit a moment?"
"Yes, of course." Neville stood to courteously allow Blaise to slide into the rounded booth. Suddenly, a large owl perched on the ledge of the window that faced into Diagon Ally. Maria hurried to it and examined the small scroll attached to its foot.
"A Longbottom?" Maria called over her shoulder. "It appears your owl was sent from a Luna?"
"Yes, that's my owl. Please excuse me, 'Mione, Blaise." Neville stood hurriedly and ran to the owl and stepped out the back door.
"Wonder what that could be about?" Blaise inquired, accio-ing his tea from his former table.
"Oh, it's just Luna. She's in Ireland for work currently, so she may have found one of two things: a Dabberblimp or a wedding venue for them." Hermione said with a smirk, squeezing the excess tea from her teabag. Blaise's mouth hardened and his face changed suddenly, looking a bit more serious.
"He still loves you, Hermione." The statement cause Hermione to jump, sloshing a small wave of tea onto the table. She gently set down her spoon and teabag and scourgified the spill.
"I don't know what you mean." Hermione said flatly, taking a long sip of the tea.
"Yes, you do. You know who I mean." Blaise replied, leaning back in the booth. His hands lay at the edge of the table, lightly clasped. He stared at her, she shifted uncomfortably, a long pause ensued. He finally spoke. "He dreams of you. I hear him in his room at night, screaming 'Hermione, please, Hermione, don't go yet. Don't leave me yet.' I'll go in when I think he'll die in his sleep and he'll be there, tossing and turning and writhing and sweating. I wake him and he sits up, screaming your name. Then he'll just cry in front of me."
Hermione sucked in a hard breath. Before moving to Grimmauld Place, when she lived with Ginny and Luna, she found herself waking to similar dreams. Draco would be leaving, either at his own will or by someone else's; and she'd call out to him, trying to get him to come back. Luna and Ginny took turns waking her and calming her, every night for years. She still had those dreams, except now they were more vivid and detailed. Voldemort would kill him, his father would attack him, or he'd kill himself. The worst of these dreams was one where he would hold her in his arms and cry, believing her dead. But she stood over her open-eyed, still body in his arms, screaming for him to hear her. Now Blaise sat before her, telling her that Draco felt the same way. After all this time. It was almost too much too bear.
"Don't let him go, Hermione. He needs you in his life again." Hermione began shaking and choked down the rest of her breakfast tea. Neville returned from the alley and attached a new parchment scroll to his owl's foot and sent it off.
"There's Neville, I've got to go." Hermione snatched up her waistcoat and bag and started towards Neville when Blaise caught her wrist.
"Believe me when I say, I know you are suffering as much as he is." Hermione looked hard at his hand, realizing what Blaise had just done. He'd actually touched her, a mudblood. She looked into his face, his dark eyes soft with sincerity. She turned to face him and he took her delicate hand in his two large, gentle hands. "I can see it in your face that something weighs on your mind, day and night. I saw the way you looked at me and my Maria. You're missing something in your life." Hermione shuddered and nodded a bit. She glanced up to see Neville talking distractedly to Hannah Abbott, their old school mate and the landlady of the Cauldron. His eyes darted between her and Hannah, who was standing at the foot of the stairs.
"For his sake, yours, and mine as well; find him again?" Blaise said, in an almost pleading manner. He gave her a light kiss on the back of her hand and pressed it to his forehead.
"I will, Blaise. Thank you." Hermione said quietly. Blaise released her hand as they were rejoined by Neville.
"Ready to head out?" Neville asked anxiously, flicking his curl of bangs out of his eyes.
"Uhh, yes, of course. Let me just-" Hermione reached over and grabbed Neville's coat from the bench. She tossed a galleon onto the table for good measure and turned towards the door.
"'Twas good seeing you, mate." Blaise declared, extending a hand to Neville, who promptly shook it.
"I agree. Is she alright?" Neville inquired, quickly slinging on his coat.
"Yeah, I think so now. Just had a chat is all." Neville narrowed his eyes briefly but soon heard his name.
"Hurry Neville, we shouldn't wait much longer!" Hermione called as she was propping the bar door open, half in half out with one foot on the threshold.
"Coming!" Neville called and started for the door. "See you around, Blaise." Neville turned over his shoulder and gave a slight nod, while swiping a finger on the side of his nose into a point at Blaise. Blaise reciprocated the gesture as Neville and Hermione left the Leaky Cauldron.
"Malfoy, we have a case of vanishing leg bones in a 13-year old girl down the hall and a six-year old boy has jelly fingers up that way." A older mediwitch by the name of Lara ordered at Malfoy, as the second floor wing for Magical Bugs and Diseases of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was overswamped with patients.
"We must be having another epidemic!" Malfoy called with a sarcastic chuckle. Lara rolled her eyes and smirked.
"Draco Malfoy, don't scare the patients!" Lara scolded with a sarcastic tone, then headed off to the opposite end of the hall. Draco headed down to the girl with no bones in her leg. She sat on the bed, crying her eyes out until Draco walked in. Her mother and the girl immediately straightened up and tried to smile.
"Hello Miss... Clarissa, it is?" Draco asked, turning to the girl.
"Yes, it is." Clarissa replied with a teary smile.
"My name is Draco, I'll be your mediwizard for the day."
"Pleasure." Clarissa said flatly, but became upset again once her rubbery leg slid off the table.
"Now now, Clarissa, don't fret. You'll be better in no time." Draco smiled earnestly and tilted the girl's head up to him. He turned to her mother. "How did this happen, madame?"
"Her brother and her got into a duel in our yard." Clarissa's mother said begrudgingly. "He dodged a Stupefy and sent an Ossio Dispersimus at her-"
"Mum, Jacan used the wrong spell. It was an accident, I-" Clarissa attempted to defend her brother.
"He is almost 16, Clare. He should know what spells do what."
"Ladies, ladies, it appears this is an honest accident. Clarissa, I will have to admit you to the Spell Damage ward overnight, because we'll have to regrow your bones." Clarissa looked petrified. "Please, don't fear. It will hurt but only for a little while and then you'll be right as rain. Alright?"Clarissa nodded and smiled. Draco picked up the girl in his arms and apparated to the fourth floor.
"What do we have here?" A mediwizard inquired as he walked towards Draco and Clarissa. Draco passed the girl off.
"Duelling accident, Albert. She's lost the bones in her right leg." Draco replied. Clarissa's mother apparated behind them.
"Nothing we can't fix. Come along dear!" Albert crooned as he headed for a room, still carrying Clarissa.
"Thank you!" Clarissa said cheerily and smiled and waved to Draco. Draco returned the wave and shook her mother's hand.
"Thank you very much, Draco." Clarissa's mother said, beaming at him. Draco examined her face a moment. She had no signs of age or stress lines. She couldn't be more than 35. She also smiled in a manner that Draco was a little too familiar with.
"It was no issue, Mrs..."
"MISS Weatherby. But you may call me Daniele." Daniele said in a flirtatious tone. Draco smiled uneasily and released her hand. "Would you like to grab a coffee after you've finished working?" Daniele asked.
"Um, well, you see-" Draco stumbled over his words before smiling politely. "I do appreciate the offer, but I am terribly busy and I prefer not to become personally involved with patients and family." Daniele nodded politely and bid him a farewell. Draco hurriedly apparated down to his floor, where he quickly distracted himself with the six year old boy whose fingers were jelly.
Hermione and Neville entered St. Mungo's shortly after their conversation with Blaise. Nothing was said or discussed regarding the manner, but the pair did walk swiftly up to the fourth floor to the Janus Thickey Ward.
"Oh, Mr. Longbottom!" Miriam Strout cried, hurrying from the side of a patient's bed. "So wonderful to see you!" She embraced him tightly, grabbed his face, and gave him a hard kiss on the cheek. Neville looked half bashful half distressed.
"Hello Madam Strout." Neville said when she finally released his face. She then noticed Hermione standing quietly to his left.
"Why hello Miss Granger! Miss Luna couldn't join today?" Madam Strout asked.
"No, she's in Ireland for work." Neville said with a cheery smile.
"Have you asked her to marry you yet?" Madam Strout inquired with a wink. Neville grinned devilishly and Madam Strout clapped her hands with delight. "Oh how wonderful! Let me take you to your parents. They will be delighted to know." Neville's face suddenly fell sullen. Hermione gently took his hand and they followed Madam Strout into the ward. Neville's mother Alice was wandering around the corridor, while his father Frank sat in a chair by his bed, staring at the wall. Neville's hand shook in Hermione's as they walked towards Alice. She stopped, turned, saw them, and rushed forward.
"Hello!" Alice said cheerily. She reached out to grab Neville's hand and dropped a Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper into his palm. Neville gave a slight smile and pocketed the wrapper.
"Thank you mum." Suddenly, Hermione's free hand was grabbed by someone. She turned to see Frank. "Hello dad." Neville said quietly.
"Hello." Frank reached out to touch his son's face, but then drew his attentions back to Hermione. "Are you my daughter?"
"No, Frank. I'm not." Hermione said politely. Frank's face dropped and he turned back to Neville.
"Look!" Frank hurried to is bedside table and pulled out a piece of paper. He held it in his hands and stared at it hard. Suddenly, it sprang up and took the shape of a bird. "See, see!" Frank cried with excitement, rocking on his heels. Neville went to his father and sat on the bed, looking at the paper bird with an intense concentration. Frank then blew behind the bird and it took flight. Alice stopped and smiled widely as it did circles and loops around the four of them before coming to rest at Hermione's feet. She scooped it up and placed it on Frank's bed. Frank stared at her hard.
"Yes, Frank?" Hermione ask, perching on the edge of the bed next to Neville.
"You are so very pretty." Frank commented, beaming.
"Dad, I don't know if you can understand me, but I am getting married." Neville said with a bit of pride. Frank looked at him blankly but smiled a bit. Alice turned her head and stared at Neville, then suddenly smiled. She hurried over to hand him a second wrapper. Neville stood and hugged his mother, who wriggled out of the hug but smiled nonetheless.
Suddenly, Frank clutched his head and began screaming. "NO, STOP! NO, NO!" Hermione jumped off the bed and backed into Neville. Madam Strout came rushing over and calmed Frank down with a potion. Neville bent his head to hide in Hermione's shoulder.
"I don't know how much longer I can stay, 'Mione." Neville whispered in her ear.
"It's ok, we'll leave when you're ready to." Hermione whispered, patting his cheek. Suddenly, Alice patted Neville's back. He stood up quickly and turned to her.
"I quite like you." Alice said, then placed another wrapper in his hand. Neville bent down and gave his mother a peck on the cheek. She looked at his quizzically but then beamed and wandered off.
"'Mione, Luna owled me earlier about a wedding venue in Ireland. She wants me to meet her out there to check it out but-"
"Neville, don't worry. We'll come back again." Hermione replied, patting Neville's arm. Neville nodded and quickly gave her a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for always being there." Hermione smiled. As they headed out the ward, Hermione felt her hand being taken again.
"Soon?" Frank asked. Hermione looked to Neville, whose misty eyes spoke volumes.
"Soon."
"Now Damian, you can't be touching your mother's potions equipment without her there. Alright?" Draco told the little boy with the jelly fingers, as the potion treatment fixed the fingers. The boy nodded vigorously and his father picked him up.
"Thank you Draco." Damian's father shook his hand and exited the room. Seconds later, in walked a very pregnant Ginny Weasley, totting her toddler son on her hip.
"Ginny! What brings you here?"
"Hello Draco! I knew I went to the right room!" Ginny gave Draco a friendly, awkward hug. Draco glanced from James to her belly.
"You must be at least five months now." Draco said in a friendly but flirty manner. Ginny slapped his arm.
"Don't be daft man! I'm due in three weeks!" Ginny grinned wickedly and laughed along with Draco. But, the laughter was cut short by James' cries of discomfort. "That's why I'm here." Ginny gestured to a rash around the circumference of her infant son's neck. Draco took the child from her and sset him on the exam table.
"Jamie, can you go 'ah' for Uncle Draco?" James did his best, but soon began crying.
"Looks like someone's got a throat bug." Draco said. He went to a potions table and opened a potions book. He ground up and tossed some ingredients into the cauldron and placed it over a flame. "It shouldn't be long until the potion is ready."
Ginny perched on the table next to her son and stroked his hair. "So, do you know whether it's a boy or girl? And have you decided on a name for eith-" Draco began asking when Ginny interrupted him.
"She's here." Ginny stated flatly. Draco sat up a bit but remained stoic.
"Who is?" He asked, pretending to watch the potion bubble. Ginny smirked and cuddled James into her side.
"You know who I'm referring to. She's here today. She came with Neville to visit his parents." Ginny's eyes blazed with intensity. Draco shifted and tried to look away. Ginny stood off the table and reached out to him. He reluctantly shifted towards her. She took his hands. "Draco, I know you still love her to this day. I can see it in your face. You miss her and have missed her since you last spoke. She misses you too. She dreams of you, mostly nightmares. She calls out to you in her sleep. She cries at night. She can never quite seem to let you go." Draco's mind went blank, but he pulled out of her grip when he heard a fizzling noise. He ran to the potion and put out the flame.
"Oh god." Draco leaned against the wall. He put his hands over his eyes and grimaced. He had dreamed of her always. Blaise knew of the nightmares. He would wake him from sleep every night, and every night, he'd cry for his long lost love. He'd always missed her. He had missed her since their last kiss. He wanted her back again.
"It's not too late." Ginny whispered in his ear. Draco stopped for moment, then stood erect. He transferred the potion to a cup and handed it to Ginny. "She'll be leaving the Janus Thickey Ward now. You still have time." Draco embraced Ginny and kissed her cheek. He ran from the room, past a highly confused Lara, and out the doors to the stairwell. He ran up both flights and darted through the door that led to the hallway. He arrived just as Neville disapparated away.
"Goodbye Neville, and give Luna my regards!" Hermione said cheerily, quickly embracing Neville. Neville beamed down at her.
"Thank you again, 'Mione. You're a wonderful friend. We'll be around later this week to discuss wedding plans!" Neville kissed her cheek a final time before apparating from the hospital. Hermione sighed quietly. Suddenly, there was a loud bang of a door. Hermione jumped and turned. Someone she wished both to see and not all at once came bursting through the door at the end of the corridor.
"Draco." She breathed.
"Hermione." He whispered. His feet and knees locked in place. Her legs went numb. They were barely 10 feet apart but the distance was almost was unbearable. They just stood there, unable to speak, unable to move. They just stood there.
Hermione watched him. He was so grown up now. His blonde hair still slicked back off his face and his silvery eyes still more beautiful than ever. He was still tall and lean, but she could see his gauntness in his face, the protruding cheekbones and dark-ringed eyes. He hadn't been sleeping, or eating as of late. He was still Draco, though. Still her Draco, all healer robes and his Malfoy glory.
Draco gazed at her. She was still stunning. Her bushy hair was tame now and her big brown eyes still the prettiest thing on her. She was pale and thin, but she wasn't so sickly thin like himself. She looked lovely in her Minsitry robes. He'd read all the articles about her in The Daily Prophet, how successful she'd become. Hermione Granger, his Hermione. She was so different, but still the same.
She regained feeling in her legs. She clutched the portfolio Neville had given her regarding wedding details to her chest. She put her head down. She couldn't stay here. She'd convinced herself a long time ago that what they had had come to pass. As she started down the hallway to the stair doors, he caught her wrist. She didn't look back. Neither did he. He held onto her with gentle desperation. She so badly wanted him to let her go, but she knew deep down he wouldn't.
"Draco, please-" she began.
"Don't make me more sorry than I've ever been twice now." He muttered. He felt tears in his eyes. He grimaced, letting a sob free. Her free hand clamped over her mouth as her own crying began. Finally, she turned around to face him. They stood a moment, his hand in hers.
"Oh Draco!" Hermione cried, throwing herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his around her waist. They both began to cry as they embrace for the first time in eight years. He lifted her off the ground and held her tightly, taking her in. It had been so long since he'd held her, but never had he forgotten how much he loved the feeling. She breathed in his scent, one she'd been deprived of for eight long years. He put her done and pull away to look at her face.
"God, I missed you." He said, smiling wider than ever.
"I missed you more." She said, laughing through tears. He laughed too, wiping those tears free of her face. At last, after eight years of time, Hermione leaned forward and stole a kiss from his beautiful lips. His fingers flew to her hair and deepened the kiss. He dipped her back ever so slightly and she entwined her fingers in his hair and held his shirt.
"I love you." He whispered after releasing the kiss. Hermione grinned wildly.
"I love you too." He dipped her again and lifted her off the ground, spinning her as they kissed again. At last, after eight long years, Draco and Hermione were once again joined in a moment.
From around the corner of the fourth floor corridor, a certain fire-haired woman with a sleeping toddler and swollen stomach was smiling to herself. She hurried from the hallway out and down into an isolated hallway. She drew her wand and cast her horse Patronus. She spoke into it "Neville, Luna, Blaise: We have mission accomplished. Spread word. See you soon." And with that, her Patronus galloped away to tell her friends the good news.
A/N: I own none of the characters mentioned above, except for Lara, Clarissa, Damian, and Daniele Weatherby. This is the sole property of J.K. Rowling and I have only used this material for creative reasoning and fandom.