A/N: This is in a way, something I wrote because Draco and Hermione were the introduction to my obsession with fanfiction, and also the first couple that I wrote fanfiction about. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or the characters. I just like to indulge in fantasies about them.

Some things are not meant to be

It has been a long time coming. You know that as much as I do. That doesn't mean it has to hurt any less. Sometimes, knowing is the thing that hurts the most. Knowing that despite what you do in the present, you can't change the outcome.

Everything that we did led us to this moment.

Some may not understand. They might say that if only we had fought harder to stay together, this wouldn't have happened. But we did fight. We fought until we could barely stand, string any coherent thoughts together; we fought until the very end and it wasn't enough.

This thing that we had, it wasn't meant to last. And when I say 'this thing', I don't mean to make it sound like it didn't matter, any of it. For it did. It meant the world, and I am crying as these words come together.

When I first met you, it was like an explosion. A ginormous, life-changing explosion that burned everything in its path and for a while it blinded me.

It might sound like it, but it wasn't love at first sight.

We can laugh at it know, but at the time, my soul was burning with an all-compassing hatred towards you. It was the first time I felt anything stronger than dislike, and it surprised me, how I could have these strong emotions of hate within me. And how it could grow stronger for every day; so much that I could barely keep calm whenever you were in my presence.

But you know all of this as does every other person that went to school with us, and probably everyone else as well.

Then the war was upon us. And we had no time to act upon these petty feelings of hatred. We had no time to act like children in a world where death was knocking on our front door.

You and I had to put our differences aside, and look out for the people dearest to our hearts. For you, it meant staying at his side. For me, it meant standing up next to my best friends and fight.

Do you think it was the war that did it?

It says that war changes people in the most drastic ways, and perhaps there would have been no us, if we hadn't had such a huge part in it? Maybe we would have held on to that anger and not have been able to forgive one another?

But when you see people you love die, and people you don't know lose meaning, you realise that things like hate are what causes these things to happen. You know it, deep inside you even before horrid things happen, but when you are face-to-face with it, it really hits you.

Maybe that's why we were able to come to this stage, where we have done everything in our power to try and stay together?

I said that our first meeting was like an explosion; at first like two charged bombs waiting to blow everything up and reduce it all into ashes. But when we did collide, it was so much more than that. It felt so right, like two broken parts melding back together.

Together we found happiness in a world that was aching with sorrow and trying to build itself back up.

Your existence changed my life, changed the very purpose of my entire being.

I'm sorry if it's getting hard to read, but it's so difficult to write this. For each word that I pen down, it feels like my chest is too tight, and it's a bit too hard to breathe. I don't know why I felt the need to write to you, but I knew that after I came home today, I would never see you again.

It would just be too hard to let you go, if I knew that our next meeting would be a good-bye.

Good-bye Draco. It was a privilege to love you, and be loved by you.

With all my love, and forever yours,

Hermione

"To all of you gathered here today, I would like to introduce to you, the newly-wedded Draco and Astoria Malfoy. We are all pleased that you would take the time of your day to celebrate this happy union with us, and we wish that they can have their own little happily ever after."

Narcissa beamed proudly as her only son descended the stairs with his beautiful bride at his side; her eyes gleaming and hands fisted tightly around her embroidered handkerchief. She glanced sideways at Lucius, who stood stoically and stone-faced, but for the twist of his lips. She gently took hold of his hand, the one not resting on his cane, a few tears rolling down her cheeks as he turned his face down to look at her.

"I'm so happy for him." said Narcissa, lips trembling as she beheld the sight of Draco swirling a blushing Astoria across the dance floor. "I hope he can find happiness with her."

Lucius inclined his head, but made no further move to reply. His eyes were following the movements of the new husband and wife, brow furrowed and lips pulled tautly in a thin line. Narcissa had no idea what caused her husband to be so tense, and on such a joyous occasion, but she pegged it down to his usual moodiness. She hummed along with the music as she swayed on the spot; reminiscing about her own wedding day, though not the happiest, still brought so much to her.

She might not have loved Lucius at that time, but as she looked at him now, fondness swept her in a well-cared for blanket that made her heart swell.

Draco pulled at his tie, his usually slicked back hair falling down over his eyes and he irritably flicked them back, but a few seconds later they were plastered to his forehead again. A pounding head-ache had slowly crept upon him as the night wore on, and when the last of the guests had left, he had hurriedly escaped his wife to at least have a few moments to himself, before they would have to consummate their marriage.

He let himself fall down on the unmade bed in his – or rather, his old – bedroom, a hand covering his eyes from the dim lights that kept the room from being thrown into complete darkness.

Despite having prepared for this day, it still came as a shock to see his bride walk down the aisle, and see light-brown hair in a sleek bun, as opposed to the wild curls that his dreams envisioned for him every night. The familiar dull ache had reared its ugly head and he had almost reached out to rub his chest, but he managed to stop himself just in time.

But it had brought back so many feelings that he fought to keep in its own little box; feelings he foolishly thought had waned over time. Instead, today they had seemed stronger than ever; beating their own little tattoo on his chest.

If only everything had been different. Perhaps today would have been their day. Or perhaps not. Some things just were not meant to be.

A hesitant knock alerted him that someone was at the other side of his door, and by the soft exhale he could guess who it was.

"You can come in." he said, sitting upright as Astoria stepped in, body wrapped in a silky, white robe. Her face was scrunched up, lips puckered as she looked him over, deep in thought.

"Is everything okay?" she asked softly, taking small steps until she reached his side.

He took a moment to consider her question, and for a moment he entertained the thought of answering her honestly, and telling her about the other woman who she could never be.

Instead, he chose not to say anything.

But as he led her out the door, his fingers reached for his left-side breast-pocket, the slightly stiff material that indicated that it wasn't empty, despite how it may look to others.

Even if they couldn't be together, he would always have her in his heart.

End note: I hope it wasn't too confusing, and that even though Draco and Hermione couldn't get their own happy little ending, you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.