Summary: If you go back in history and change one thing by reason alone everything else must change as well. That's what happens here. Draco saves Fred's life, Hermione's parents have been murdered and a series of letters between Draco and Hermione opens up a world of possibilities. Story begins at the final battle.
Disclaimer: The Story and the characters involved all belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing them. I have also taken actual text from the books and those will be italicized, in quotation and bold" This is my first story so please be kind.
LETTERS
"Hello, Minister!" bellowed Percy, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. "Did I mention I'm resigning?" "You're joking, Perce!" shouted Fred as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee. "You actually are joking, Perce. . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were —" The air exploded. They had been grouped together, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and Percy, the two Death Eaters at their feet, one Stunned, the other Transfigured; and in that fragment of a moment, when danger seemed temporarily at bay, the world was rent apart"...
STOP —This is the moment. This is the moment when we change what is, what was and what shall be. This is the moment when we take speculation and fantasy and turn it into fact. This is the moment when we save a life. Before we resume, it is imperative that we remember when going back and changing history, Fate will demand compensation. In order to save one life we must take two.
BEGIN—Ancient stone rushes towards the Weasley twin. Intent on burying his lean body beneath its enormous weight. Without thought or meaning; out of pure instinctual terror, Draco Malfoy raises his wand. From his unwilling mouth, a voice that he will forever dispute was his own shouts "PROTEGO!" Suddenly an invisible wall of protection erects itself between the heavy stone and Fred's petrified form. Draco's shield felt larger then any he had ever produced before, but the blast from the exploding rock seemed stronger. It was enough to force all those around to drop to their knees.
The sudden change in position causes Draco to lose focus and the shield to falter slightly. Fear begins to contort the expression on Fred's face as he seems to realize that he might be unable to escape. Draco watches as Fred shuts his eyes and prepares for the shield to fall and his life to suddenly end.
Unbeknownst to him the Fates have already decided that on this day his death shall not come to pass.
Fred's acceptance of his demise reaffirms the Slytherin's determination to save at least one life in this devastating war. Willing every ounce of magical energy into his wand, Draco repeatedly shouts "Protego! Protego! Protego!" Afraid that if he were to stop not only would Fred die but his one chance of redemption would as well. He could feel beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead as he put everything he had into forcing the shield to last. If any of the others present were thinking to offer assistance it was no longer needed. After only a few more moments the blast finally begins to subside, leaving only a few harmless stones tumbling to the ground.
The group collectively exhales a sigh of relief as everyone realized that for now the danger was kept at bay. Excluding Fred, who was still stunned by his near death experience the small ground turned to stare at Draco. Shock and confusion was evident on all those present including Draco himself, who took this moment to gape down at his hand. Which was still tightly clutching his wand. "You- you…." stammered Percy struggling to come to his feet. "You saved him." At this, Draco jerks his head up and prepares to deny his heroic moment. He chances a glance at Fred Weasley who had finally reopened his eyes. Clutching his chest the once wayward Weasley takes in a deep shuddered breath…and then another.
Previous history shall tell us that at this moment the final two breaths of Fred Fabain Weasley should have been forced from his cold, dead body. Instead, Fate has done the jovial ginger a kindness and granted him the final two of Wendall and Monica Wilkins. Who at this very moment were struck down by the Killing Curse. The wizard responsible for this was none other then Rodolphus Lestrange, who with an unnatural delight ended the lives of two innocents. This great sin was done on behave of his criminally insane wife Bellatrix, who relayed to him the story of the Mudblood that caused the family to lose favor with the Dark Lord. Satisfied with his extracted revenge he closes the back door of the Wilkins residence and begins to laugh. His jackal-like howl goes unheard by the Wilkins' neighbors who have yet to rise for the day. Shooting his wand upward Rodolphus covers the patch of sky above the Wilkins' home with the mark of a Death Eater and turns to flee. Leaving in his wake a stream of carnage and despair.
Hours passed and the war ended. Harry Potter, the boy who lived has finally defeated He Who Must Not Be Named. Relief for the end of a darkness as well as a sadness for those who have perished has begun to spread throughout the Great Hall where Draco is now seated with his Mother and Father. They feel neither relief nor disappointment. The three are huddled alone in a corner; too broken to speak. And as too much has come to pass for any of them to meet the other's gaze confidently they coincide to sit in silence.
Having finally noticed the pointed and suspicious looks thrown in their direction Narcissa Malfoy suddenly rises from the table. With her hand out she speaks "Come". Her one word command is directed to Draco who looks up and takes his mother's extended palm. They began to walk hand in hand from the Great Hall. His Father instep behind them follows as his mother leads them down the long hall, through the gaping hole where the entrance doors once proudly stood and out the castle "We are going home Lucius, if we are to be arrested they will have to come to us. We will not give them the pleasure of humiliating the Malfoys with the whole of Wizengard watching."
Up until this moment Draco had been walking with his head down in shame, his mother's hand still clasped in his, guiding him. But after hearing her statement he turns to look in her direction. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears. She no longer spoke with the haughty tone women of prestige naturally have. He could sense the fear in her voice. She knew very soon she would lose her husband and son to Azkaban; her struggle to remain strong was evident.
Turning away once more Draco resumed watching his feet as they put distance between them and Hogwarts. He had long ago shed the naïve belief that he was untouchable. They would be coming, of that he was very aware. He would not fight the truth, he had caused too much damaged to avoid persecution. Accepting it had not made the reality any easier to swallow; there was just nothing to do to stop what was to come. Vanishing into thin air they Disapparated from Scotland to Wiltshire, where Malfoy Manor was waiting.
Draco and his family received two weeks of peace before the Auror's arrived. His father resisted. Draco did not. His outward appearance showed that he was calm and resolute. However inside he was disheartened. "You must never reveal your true feelings unless there is something to gain from doing so." This had been a lesson drilled in him by his Father long before he began Hogwarts and he would not abandon it now. Some lessons were valuable. They were informed by a burly Auror with a large scar that ran down his right eye, that they would remain captives until official sentencing, which was not scheduled until the 4th of August. It was the only the 16th of May. At hearing this his mother sobbed, his father swore loudly and Draco proceeded to roll his eyes. He was unbothered by the news, his spirit could sink no lower.