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There was something wrong with Hermoine Granger.
He'd noticed that on Monday morning, when she'd walked into their shared office. She'd walked in, much like she normally did, but there was an air of inexplicable sadness about her. Nobody, as far as he could tell, had noticed, except him. She didnt know he'd noticed, of course. She couldnt know. It would ruin him.
She'd slowly got worse as the week went on.
Now it was friday, and it should have been obvious to anyone that soemthing was wrong. Instead of walking with her head held high and her back straight, like she would normally do, she walked hunched over, her arms clasped to her chest like she used to do in first year. She'd forgotten to straigten her hair, which she had started to do towards the end of their seventh year. She had become so beautiful. And now, in front of everyone, she was breaking.
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The war was over.
Fred, Luna and Neville to name a few had died.
The light, had, obviously won.
And, right at the begining, Draco Malfoy had switched sides.
He'd turned up one night at The Order Of The Phoenix headquarters. He was ill, he'd been on the run from Voldemort for months. When Hermoine had opened the door, he had just sat there, weeping.
Later that week, he had made the unbreakable vow. He had sworn to fight Voldemort, to help the light.
And he had.
And now, working as a auror for the new Minister for Magic (Harry Potter, Order of Merlin, first class. Married to Ginny Weasly, and three times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile award), living in the new Malfoy estate, after selling the old one, saying the old one held too many bad memories. He lived an average, working wizards life. Sure, he didnt have to work. He had plenty of money. But he liked his work. Though he never admitted it to anyone. And another thing he liked about his work was a brown haired, mini skirt wearing, muggle born witch that worked in the same office has him.
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On Friday, it was obvious.
Normally she wore, fitted robes to show her now curvaceous figure,sometimes even muggle skirts or tight trousers.
On Friday, she wore a billowing black robe.
When they where sent somewhere to do work, she was always the first on the scene, doing everything right, her spellwork perfect.
Not on Friday.
On Friday, she came in late. They where sent out, and she nearly got lost. Her spellwork was clumsy, and she forgot what he was doing halfway through doing it.
Something was definatly wrong with Hermoine Granger
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Draco Malfoy remembered how she had saved him.
How she had helped him fight for the Light.
How she had believed in him. How she had comforted him when he learnt of his mothers death.
She had helped him so much. And now, right in front of his eyes, she was breaking.
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It was obvious when he reminded her of the Ministry party that night. She obivously had forgotton all about it. She had gone red and mumbled something incoherant, leading Draco to believe that she was embarrassed about forgetting.
He had asked what was wrong.
She had said nothing.
He had left her alone. Got on with his work.
So had she. The wizarding world had gone about its buisness, not knowing, or not caring about the torment in Hermoine Grangers head
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That night was the night of the masquarade ball, to celebrate both christmas and two whole years without Voldemort. Of course Dark Wizards where still about but they had no leader, and for now remained quiet, just on the light side.
It was a grand affair, a huge hall having been built entirely for its purpose. Inside was decorated white and silver. As it was officially the christmas party, white christmas trees stood in each corner, decorated n silver and gold. At one end stood the stage upon which the band they had hired was to play. In front was a huge space cleared for a dance floor.Small round tables where grouped on one side of the hall, the other side being the bar.
Half and hour before the ball was to begin to start, Hermoine Granger stood in the centre of the hall, smiling at her own handiwork.
'Perfect' she thought. There was a small pop and she disapeard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was five minuites before the ball was to begin and at the Malfoy estate Draco Malfoy looked at his relfection and smiled slightly. His new black dress robes outlined his toned body ever-so-slightly and he was damned if she could resist him when he looked this good. Her. The girl who was too good for him. The girl who deserved everything in the world, just for being her. Hermoine Granger. The girl of his dreams.
It was five minuites before the ball was to begin and at Hermoine Grangers house, there was a dilemma. She had chosen her dress, got her mask,but now couldnt decide what necklace to wear. her blue sapphire necklace or her pink one? Damn. It'd have to be the pink one. It went best with her gorgeous pink strapless dress, the skirt created with three layers of pink tulle and built in crinoline 'garenteed to flow through any dance sequence' as madame Malkain had said. Glancing at the time she checked her hair and make up one last time, picked up her mask and apparated to the ball.
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She had known that coming to the ball was a bad idea.
It was an hour in, and though she had only sat down for one dance, she hadnt been asked to dance by HIM. The only person she wanted to dance with had his hands quite full with little miss Witch weekly model.
It could have been he couldnt recognise her for the pink mask she had. But she doubted that.
As he danced with another superficial idiot model, he tried to pluck up the courage to ask her for the next dance. But no, she already had a partner. Maybe the next one. Yes that was it, he'd ask her for the next dance
The next dance. He started to make his way toward were she was standing thanking her partner for the dance. She looked towards him as he approched, but then, as fate would have it he was accosted by none other than his hogwarts girlfriend Pansy Parkinson. Who liked him. Alot. Still.(and who had followed him when he joined the light.)
"Drakey!!!! How are you???????" she shrilled in his ear.
"Im great, you?" He muttered trying to wrench himself out of her grasp to make his way towards who he knew to be Hermoine. Knew by the confident way she stood. Knew by the chocolate brown eyes he could see from behind their shroud of the pink mask she held to her face. But Pansy thought his asking how she was an invitation to continue talking for what felt like an hour, and by the time he had thought of some polite excuse to go, the next song had started and Hermoine was dancing with an exceptionaly handsome looking man, who was evidently very interested in her.
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The ball was drawing to a close. They had but one song left. Just one more song, by Hermoine's estimation and sure enough, no sooner than she'd thought that than the singer was yelling "This is the last song of the night everyone, so grab that special someone, coz this is your last chance!!!!" into the mic.
As there was a rush to start to dance, Draco Malfoy stood by the bar and watched her dance with some random junior undersecertary to someone or other. His cold grey eyes surrounded by their black mask followed her graceful figure as she danced. By God, she was beautiful. By God she was perfect.
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The ball was over. Hermoine Granger was exhausted. She had danced with every man in the room. Except him. Except Draco.
She had stood by the door saying goodbye to each person, wishing them a happy christmas and burshing away their praise of the decorations.
Everyone had gone now. She stood alone in the gorgeously decorated hall, except for a lone figure in the shadow of one of the trees.
He thought she would sweep away the decorations and go home.
But she didnt.
She stood in the middle of the hall, in her beautiful pink dress. And she broke. Abondoning her mask to one side, she sat on the floor and she simply wept.
He was in shock. She was their in front of him, crying her eyes out. A sight that should and was meant to be private.
Her mascara was running but she didnt care. Let it.
Why didnt he do something? 'go comfort her, help her!' his mind was saying but his feet didnt move. He stood their, in the shadow of a white christmas tree, watching the girl of his dreams break.
How knows how long she sat their, sobbing her heart out. Every emotion, every thought was in those tears. It could have been five minuites, five hours, five days. But eventually she stopped and she stood up, taking her hair out of the clips as she did so, letting it tumble into waves at her shoulders. She picked up her mask and was about to sweep away the decorations when a voice from the shadows made her jump,
"Hermoine."
' Oh fantastic,' Hermoine thought, now he's seen me cry.
"What?" She snapped. He didnt say anything. She turned to face him
"what?"
"I just forgot to say, you look beautful." Hermoine stared at him in shock "Dance with me?" He asked nervously
"What?" She found her voice at last
"Can I have the last dance?" Sensing Draco's total seriousness she looked at him straight in the eye and replied
"No. You can have the first. The first one that means anything"
And then they danced. In the silent hall. Together.
And as they danced Draco realised that he loved her
And as they danced she realised that she loved him.
But they didnt say anything. They just danced in silence.
That was the Friday that everything changed.
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After that Friday, everything changed.
Draco and Hermoine started dating.
Ron and Pansy Parkinson eventually got married and had a son they named Fred, after the brother Ron lost in the war.
Hagrid continued his fetish for insanly dangerous animals and now lives happily with Olympe, his new wife.
George, incredably saddend by his twins death, shut up shop and can now be found most afternoons at Ron and Pansy's house.
Years after Draco proposed to a delighted Hermoine who gladly said yes.
The two now live at the Malfoy estate with their two year old daughter Roxanne.
Everything had changed.
