She had bumped into periodically in the years following the war; usually in Diagon Alley, sometimes in Hogsmeade and a couple of times at the Ministry. They were polite early on but after a year, they found themselves grabbing a cup of coffee to catch up.
And then there was that one time when she and Ron had a row and she just happened to run into him. She still remembered the smell of him, the rhythm of his hips and the way his lips felt against her collar bone. It never seemed to affect him afterward, so she played it cool too, ignoring the pang in her heart. Their run-ins went back to coffee and chatting.
But this time was different.
She could feel it.
"I heard the news. Congratulations" he said flatly.
"Thank you." The ring felt heavy on her finger.
She felt his need to say something; it was thick in the air.
"Can I tell you something?"
"Sure." She leaned in.
"Don't say anything about it and don't ever mention it again after I tell you this." He leaned in too.
"Um, okay?"
There was an audible gulp, "I love you…" He stared at her face, "I always have and I always will. But I know it can never be and I'm okay with that. I just wanted to say it to you once." He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it ever so slightly.
"That's not fair. Why would you do this to me?" She jerked her hand away from his grasp.
"I just…I wanted to tell you."
"Why? So I would keep it somewhere in the back of my mind? That Draco Malfoy, the pure blood is in love with me! How dare you!" She started to turn but he caught her arm.
"Why are you getting so upset?"
Her eyebrows knitted together in a hurtful expression but she shook her head, refusing to answer the question.
"Please…tell me…Mione, please." His hands met her face and cradled them there.
She jerked away again, "Do not call me that!"
"Hermione…" Eagerness and concern were etched on his face. She looked away from him and then back again.
The words tumbled from her mouth faster than she could catch them, "Because I love you too." As quickly as she said it, she clapped her hands over her mouth.
"You do?" Draco smirked but only for a second or two, her small hand slapping against his cheek knocked it out of him.
"Don't you dare smirk!"
"But when? Why? How come…"
"It doesn't matter…"
"Then come away with me, Mione. Let's be together."
"It's too late…I could never hurt Ron. I won't hurt Ron." She turned on the spot and was gone with a loud pop.
/*/*/*/*/*/*/
"…with this being declared, do you Ronald Billius Weasley take this woman to be your wife?"
Ron hesitated with a smile and then said, "I do."
When the clergyman started the identical speech of loving and caring, for better, for worse, she felt her eyes drift to him for a second, just one second in the fourth row back. He looked torn.
"…with this being declared, do you Hermione Jean Granger take this man to be your husband." The words drifted through her and she took a deep breath, but she had to think of the words. The audience seemed to lean forward a bit.
"I do."
And that was how Hermione Granger shattered Draco Malfoy's heart.