A/N: Just a short one-shot I've been playing around with. There will be another multi-chapter eventually. Much love!
There were very few places where Draco Malfoy could be at peace, and today he was at one of them. He sat alone on a bench in an empty park with a book in his hand: Hogwarts: A History to be exact. It was cold enough out that when he exhaled he could see his breath in the air and when he inhaled it stung his nose down his throat. He didn't mind too much.
This place was always deserted, especially at this time of year and this time of night. The park used to be bustling, but the newer common that was built down the street had left this place in its shadows. All that was left behind was a few empty benches and some trees.
He hitched his Slytherin scarf up higher on his neck. It had been almost ten years since he had graduated school, but he still had some of his green and silver things. He lived in Muggle London, it wasn't like anyone would see him and recognized him based on his scarf.
Glancing around briefly, he looked back down at his tattered book. He had had it since his first year at Hogwarts, and couldn't bear to get rid of it. He was halfway through it for the hundredth time. The binding was tearing, pages had fallen out and had been pushed back where they belonged, corners were dog-eared, edges were ripped, the cover nearly detached. It didn't matter to him though.
"Draco?" his heart froze and he looked up, staring blankly at the source of the voice. She was looking at him in awe, wearing her running gear and removing a pair of headphones from her ears. Her curly hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore a small headband. It was a face he hadn't seen in two years, but he could never forget it: Small nose, full lips, rosy cheeks, thick lashes and those deep, brown, caramel eyes. He couldn't breath.
"Hermione." He said emotionlessly. She smiled at him with relief.
"I thought that was you. I was afraid you had forgotten who I was," she joked lightly, moving to sit down beside him. I could never forget you, he thought resentfully, forcing out a small smile.
"How have you been, Draco? I haven't talked to you in awhile." Two years to be exact, he mused. Draco shrugged and said nothing, glancing down at his book again before carefully closing it.
"I've been fine." Was all he could come up with. Hermione either didn't hear or ignored the bitter tinge in his words.
"What have you been doing?" she pressed, taking her headband out and pulling the ponytail from her hair, shaking it gently.
"I've been running my enterprise. What have you been doing?" she seemed to pick up on his inflection and frowned slightly before answering.
"I was promoted to lead Healer in the children's ward at St. Mungo's." she beamed. Draco knew it had always been her dream job and he could tell by the way she talked how proud she was.
"That's wonderful," he said softly, refusing to meet her gaze. There was a ringing sound and Hermione jumped slightly, reaching for her cellphone in her pocket.
"I'm sorry, hold on," she said apologetically as she answered, "Hey you… Yes, I'll be home soon… Yep… Love you too." Draco could have sworn he felt his heart tear into small shreds. She looked up at him and he quickly wiped all emotion off his face, meeting her gaze with the same coolness he had throughout their school years. She blinked and collected herself.
"Sorry that was Ron… You probably knew that." Draco said nothing for a few moments.
"Yes, I gathered. Still seeing him?" Hermione smiled and nodded, looking at the ground.
"Yeah, I am… We actually recently got engaged." Draco glanced down to her ring finger. How had he not seen it before? Probably because it's nearly non-existent, he thought darkly. She deserves much more than that crumb on her finger.
"That's…" he couldn't think of the words. "Good. I'm happy for you." He internally cringed at how very obvious it was that he was, in fact, not happy for her.
"Thanks," she mumbled, standing. "I should go. It was nice to see you, Draco." Draco nodded numbly and she pulled her hair back up and jogged off, putting in her headphones as she went.
Draco walked into his apartment and stood still in the entryway. Shortly after the war he had moved out of the Manor and into a nice penthouse, leaving his mother and father to their own devices. He had enjoyed the freedom and being alone.
At that exact moment, he absolutely hated it.
In the silence he felt the depression he had fought so hard for two years hit him like a ton of bricks. His chest tightened and his eyes filled with tears, panic smashing into him like a wave. Draco stumbled to his bathroom and opened his medicine cabinet, looking for the potion for panic he had been prescribed. He downed it and then crumpled to the bathroom floor, leaning against the vanity, letting the sobs wrack his body, trying not to hyperventilate. He paused for a moment and tried to gather how he was feeling.
"Calm down, Draco," he spoke to himself aloud, trying to fill the crushing silence, "How are you feeling?" he paused for a moment, already knowing the answer to his own question.
It had been six months since he was off his antidepressant potions, six months since he had felt like he wanted to do something incredibly stupid.
Currently, Draco Malfoy wanted nothing more than to die, and the realization that he was thinking that way again was scary.
Draco pulled out his cellphone and paused before dialing. There were very few people he would allow to see him in a moment of duress, but was this emergency enough to call?
He felt another wave of sadness roll into him and he dialed the number, trying to calm his breathing enough to talk.
"Hey Malfoy," Blaise answered, always sounding cheerful.
"Blaise," Draco responded shakily. There was a pause and what sounded like the rustling of fabric.
"What's wrong, Draco?" Draco took a deep breath to calm himself again, trying to fight that panic that was threatening to return and to staunch the flow of tears from his steel eyes.
"Would you mind coming over? Before I do something I may regret?" there was some more rustling.
"Of course. I'll Floo in shortly."
"Thank you Blaise." Draco clicked his phone shut and walked into the sitting room, waiting.
Blaise stumbled through his fireplace moments later, looking disheveled and barely awake. Draco managed to crack a small smile as he wiped his eyes quickly.
"Your shirt is inside out," Draco noted. Blaise looked down and frowned, flicking his wand and righting his shirt.
"You look like shit, Malfoy."
"You don't say. Thank you for coming." Blaise walked over and clapped Draco on the shoulder before sitting down.
"What happened? Did you drink again?" Draco shook his head sharply. He used to have a drinking problem, one that he had kicked 11 months ago after a year of absolute misery and torture.
"No, but I did have to take one of the potions." Zabini nodded knowingly. He had been Draco's closest friend through his battles with alcoholism and depression over the last few years.
"What happened?" he finally asked. Draco looked up from where he was staring at the floor.
"I never really did tell you what fucked me up so badly, did I?" Blaise shook his head. Of course he was more than curious, but he figured if Draco wanted him to know, Draco would tell him.
"I suppose you have a right to know. Maybe it will help me to talk about it," Draco mused sullenly. Blaise remained silent.
"Do you want to know?" Draco asked. His friend nodded slowly. Draco sighed and leaned back, directing his gaze to the ceiling.
"I suppose the Pensieve would be would be best then." Draco stood and motioned for Blaise to follow him. He kept his Pensieve in a small room attached to his bedroom, and he and Blaise barely had enough room to gather around it. Blaise looked at Malfoy, who forced a sort of half-hearted sneer before using his wand to pull the pearly violet string of memories from his temple and deposited them into the small bowl.
Blaise and Draco took a breath and leaned into the Pensieve. They tumbled down and landed in the same park Draco had been in earlier, except it was warm out and the park was packed with people.
"Where are we?" Blaise asked, brushing some dirt off his cardigan.
"That park a few minutes away from here. This was before they built the new one." Draco looked around for where he was sitting on the bench.
"I'm over there. Come on." Blaise and Draco walked over and stood beside the bench, waiting.
"You're reading that book?" Blaise raised an eyebrow at him and Draco sneered.
"Shut up. It's a decent book." Blaise punched him jokingly on the shoulder and they were silent.
"Hey, is that Granger?" Draco looked to where Blaise was gazing and nodded grimly.
"Yes, that's Granger," he murmured. He watched her approach his past self and noticed how much younger he looked then. He was only two years older now, but he looked like his father; haggard and sallow with cheekbones more prominent then they should have been. Hermione looked much like she had looked when they had ran into each other that afternoon.
"Granger?" past Malfoy looked up from the book and stared at Hermione. She stopped walking with a skid and jumped a bit, not expecting someone to call out to her.
"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" Draco sneered at her and gestured to the busy park.
"This is a public place. Am I not allowed to read a book at a park?" Hermione frowned and put her hands on her hips.
Blaise looked to current Draco and raised an eyebrow. "You were kind of a dick, mate." Current Draco grimaced and nodded, directing the attention back to his past self.
"Bit of a risky book to read in front of Muggles, don't you think?" Hermione asked. Past Draco shrugged and set his copy of Hogwarts: A History down on the bench beside him, being careful not to let it fall off the edge.
"I don't see why. Sit, Granger." Hermione glanced around uncertainly and sat on the edge of the bench.
"How have you been?" he asked the Golden Girl. He hadn't heard or seen any word of her for nearly six years. After the buzz from the War had died down, the Golden Trio had disappeared from the media lights, and that was the last Draco had seen of Mudblood, Potty and Weasel.
"I've been fine. Working at St. Mungo's." He sighed dramatically.
"Always the do-gooder, Granger." She frowned, and Blaise looked at current Draco, shaking his head.
"I'm not going to stay here if you're going to insult me, Ferret." Past Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm not insulting you. Merely stating a fact. So are you still dating Weaselbee then?" her frown deepened. Blaise looked to current Draco and frowned.
"Why were you such a git to her, Draco?" current Draco had to stop himself from punching Blaise.
"I have no idea, Blaise. I never did have a clue why I was." Blaise nodded stiffly and continued watching his best friend's memories.
"No. Ronald and I never did date." Past Hermione answered. Past Draco cocked one of his blonde eyebrows at her.
"The Golden Girl never got her man?" Hermione's cheeks reddened in anger and she stood haughtily. Blaise chuckled at her outburst.
"I'm not going to sit here and let you tear me down, Malfoy. Now if you have anything of consequence to say, say it now. If not, I'll be off." She began to walk away.
"You got burned, man," Blaise noted blithely. Current Draco scowled.
"I'm sorry." Past Hermione froze and Blaise looked at current Draco in shock.
"You never apologize, Malfoy." Current Draco nodded and shushed Blaise.
"What?" Past Hermione asked with shock.
Past Draco sighed and repeated, "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for." Hermione sat back down slowly.
"What do you want, precisely?" past Draco shrugged at her question.
"To catch up perhaps? It's been what… Six years?" Hermione nodded curtly.
"Yes, six years. I suppose you haven't done anything productive." Past Draco's eyes darkened and current Draco chuckled, surprised with himself. He had forgotten how rude she had been that day. Blaise laughed at the hurt expression on past Draco's face.
"She was your match. She could always outsmart you," he said to current Draco. He frowned again and shoved Blaise slightly with his elbow. He feigned being in pain and they both snapped back to attention as past Draco answered venomously, "If you must know, my enterprises are the largest in the Wizarding world. So yes, I have been productive." Draco spat out at her. She rolled her eyes.
"I retract my last statement, then." She said sarcastically, grinning. He looked at her. She had grown up quite a bit… Still a know-it-all, but a very hot one.
"Would you care to get dinner with me tonight?" past Draco asked. Blaise looked at current Draco with shock.
"Excuse me?" she asked, flabbergasted.
"Honestly Granger, don't make me repeat myself." Past Draco sneered.
"Sure, then." She said. Past Malfoy gaped.
"Are you serious?" he spluttered, making an utter fool of himself. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, Malfoy… Don't make me repeat myself." The memory fuzzed out and left Blaise and Draco standing in a sort of limbo between that memory and the next. Blaise looked at Draco.
"Draco… You never told me you asked Granger out." He said quietly. Draco nodded sadly.
"I never told you a lot of things, mate. Shall we continue?" Blaise nodded and said nothing, studying his friend's face. He had started crying again.
Draco closed his eyes and when he opened them, a French restaurant had constructed itself, and they were standing by a table at which past Hermione and past Draco sat.
"This is ridiculous, Malfoy," past Hermione was saying, "We could have just gone to a coffee shop or something." Current Draco smiled, remembering how upset she had been when she had found out how much all of it was costing.
"Only the best for my date," past Malfoy returned smarmily. Past Hermione stifled a smile.
"Date?" she asked cautiously. Past Draco looked up from his meal to smirk at her. Current Draco's heart lurched with sadness.
"Yes, date." Past Draco confirmed with a wink. Blaise looked to current Draco.
"Date? Draco what the hell." Blaise had been under the firm impression that Draco still despised Hermione Granger, even though they had graduated a decade ago. Current Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"As I said, Blaise… There is a lot you don't know."
"Apparently," Blaise huffed.
Past Hermione was talking again.
"Why'd you ask me out, Malfoy?" Past Draco rolled his eyes.
"Honestly must you call me that?" past Hermione cocked an eyebrow and shrugged.
"I don't think I've ever used your first name." past Hermione admitted sheepishly. Past Draco frowned.
"Try it out," he said sarcastically.
"Draco." Past Hermione said simply. Current Draco tried to stop himself from crying like a Hufflepuff again.
Past Draco and Hermione stared at each other. Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she flushed from her chest to her hairline. Blaise did not miss past Draco's less than concealed glance at Hermione's chest.
"Is this going to get awkward for me, Draco?" he asked current Malfoy. He shrugged and chuckled darkly.
"I'll skip the naked parts," current Draco responded.
Past Draco's hand shot up in the air and flagged a waiter down.
"Check. Now." He demanded. The restaurant faded around them and they reappeared in Draco's apartment.
"Are we back?" Blaise asked. Draco shook his head and pointed towards the door, which promptly flew open. Past Hermione had her legs wrapped around past Draco, who was backing them into a room. He slammed Hermione into a wall and she literally ripped the buttons off his shirt.
"D-Draco," she stuttered out as past Draco kissed her neck, "Bedroom." Past Draco growled and carried her down the room, slamming the door shut after her.
Blaise looked at current Draco, who was staring at the shut bedroom door. For a while neither of them said anything.
"Draco… How long did you date her?" Draco said nothing and kept staring at the door. Blaise snapped his fingers.
"Malfoy!" Draco looked at him sharply.
"What?" he asked stupidly. Blaise sighed.
"How. Long. Did. You. Date. Her." He enunciated each of the words. Draco looked slightly past Blaise and shrugged.
"Two years." Blaise gaped.
"And you never fucking told me?" Draco nodded. The room dissolved around them and they were back in the small Pensieve room.
"Why did you say anything?" Blaise demanded. Draco shrugged.
"It was tricky. The only person she told was Ginny Weasley, and she took eight months to warm up to the fact. I didn't think you'd understand." Draco answered truthfully. Blaise rolled his eyes.
"Honestly if you didn't think I'd understand, we obviously need to reevaluate this friendship," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. Draco looked at him and offered a pathetic half smile.
"So what happens next?" Blaise asked, gesturing back to the Pensieve.
Draco shook his head and said, "Everything was great for a year and a couple of months. Fantastic. We spent every single day together, Blaise." Blaise nodded. That made sense. Draco had been oddly absent from everyone's lives for a good two years and when he had returned, he had been a complete wreck.
"And I… I loved her." Draco started crying softly again. Blaise grabbed his shoulders and hugged him. It felt odd to see someone as grounded as Draco Malfoy falling to pieces in front of him. He didn't like it.
"And what happened?" Blaise finally asked. Draco sighed and pointed at the Pensieve again.
The apartment materialized in front of them again. Past Draco was pacing outside the bathroom door, a look of slight panic on his face. Blaise looked to current Draco.
"What's going on?" current Draco said nothing. The next few memories would be painful for him.
"'Mione, come on. Please come out," past Draco said to the door. There was a muffled, "No!" followed by the toilet flushing and the sink running. Finally the door flew open and a blotchy-faced Hermione stood in the doorway, clutching something in her hands. Past Draco looked to her hands and then at her. He put both hands on the sides of her face and looked at her earnestly.
"Well?" he finally asked. Past Hermione burst into tears and nodded. Neither of them moved.
"You're pregnant." Past Draco finally said. Hermione nodded and tried to pull away from him, but past Draco pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair, gripping her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Draco," past Hermione bawled. Past and current Draco stiffened.
"Hermione. Don't be sorry. I'm happy. I am so happy," past Draco's eyes misted over as he spoke.
"But my friends, Draco. Oh my god your parents! The blood status-," past Draco pressed his lips against past Hermione's.
"Forget the blood, Hermione. I love you and I love our child." The scene faded away and they were in limbo again. Blaise looked at Draco, who was openly crying again.
"Draco… You have a child?" Draco shook his head and wiped his eyes, straightening his clothes and trying to pull himself together.
"No, Blaise. I don't." There was silence. Blaise was surprised when he felt tears spring up in his own eyes. He blinked them away.
"What happened to the baby, Draco?" Malfoy said nothing. St. Mungo's hospital assembled itself around them and past Draco and Hermione were there. Hermione was sitting on a hospital bed with one arm wrapped around her midsection. Past Draco was standing beside her, holding her free hand. Neither of them spoke, only stared at the door.
A Healer walked in and looked at them both. There was a sort of unspoken communication in the room and Hermione's head dropped, tears spilling into her lap. Past Draco sat down shakily.
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger and Master Malfoy," the Healer said quietly, Draco pulled Hermione against him and shushed her, rocking her as she sobbed. Past Draco's tears fell into her hair.
Blaise Zabini turned to current Draco, crying. The scene fizzled away. Draco turned to look at Blaise, eyes red and swollen.
"She was five months along. It was a girl." Draco said quietly. Blaise choked out a sob and pulled his best friend into yet another hug.
"God Draco. I'm so sorry," was all he could manage.
"One more memory, Blaise," Draco whispered. Blaise nodded and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco took a deep breath.
They were back in Draco's living room. Past Hermione was standing by the door; past Draco was standing by the couch.
"Hermione, you don't have to leave," past Draco was saying, trying to repress tears. Past Hermione was already crying.
"I do," she cried, "I can't do this anymore, Draco." Past Draco stepped forward and Hermione held her wand out.
"Why?" he begged, holding his hands up.
"I can't take this sneaking thing, Draco. It's like you're ashamed of me," she sobbed, clutching at the doorknob.
"Never, Hermione. I'd never be ashamed of you." Hermione stopped crying and flushed.
"Then why haven't you told anyone about us?" she demanded, anger now apparent in her demeanor.
Past Draco said nothing. Blaise looked to current Draco, who was watching the scene intently, no longer crying. His expression was pained.
"Exactly." Past Hermione spat, throwing the door open. Past Draco ran out the door after her and current Draco and Blaise followed into the hallway.
"Hermione, wait! I love you!" past Draco called, grabbing onto her arm to stop her. Hermione swung around and slapped him.
"Don't you dare touch me Draco Malfoy!" she paused, chest heaving. Draco clutched his face, crying, still hanging onto Hermione's arm.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were happy about losing her," Hermione said quietly. Past Draco looked at with shock.
"Why would you even say that," he whispered, angry. Hermione gave him a glare that could rival his own.
"Because now you can pretend we never happened," she said lowly, yanking her arm from his grasp and apparating away. Past Draco sank to the hallway floor, and the scene disappeared.
"Jesus Christ, Draco," was all Blaise could say. They were both crying again. Blaise led Draco out to the living room and they both sat down.
"What happened after?" Blaise asked. Draco shook his head and raked his fingers through his hair.
"She moved out of London, and I didn't hear from her again… Until this morning, when she was at the park where I was." Blaise nodded. It made sense that it would upset Draco.
"But after she left… Well you were there for that part. The drinking, the depression," Blaise nodded again.
"Where is she now?" Blaise asked. Draco leaned into the couch.
"Engaged to Weasley. Oh Merlin, Blaise. The reunion is in four days. I have to see them both," Draco yelped, suddenly remembering the Hogwarts reunion.
"I'll stick by you, Draco. I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't." Draco smiled weakly.
Blaise left that night after making sure Draco went to bed. He checked all of his cupboards for any alcohol, searched his rooms for any sign of a drink. When he was satisfied there was nothing, he apparated back to his house and walked into his office.
"Hermione,"
"Hello, this is Blaise Zabini. I was wondering if you would like to meet for coffee on Thursday morning at 9. There's a small café just in town. Owl me back with your response."
"Take this to Hermione Granger," he said to his owl. It nipped him affectionately and flew out the open window.
When Blaise was done with his shower, his owl was waiting with a piece of parchment.
"Blaise, it's nice to hear from you. I'd be delighted to meet you. See you a few days." Blaise sighed and cracked his knuckles, hoping he wasn't about to make a mistake and hurt Draco further.
Thursday was bitterly cold, and Blaise was more than pleased to get his hot coffee. He was there five minutes early, and Hermione arrived at nine exactly. He had not seen Granger in person since Hogwarts, but she still looked like she had then… Just a bit more matured.
"Blaise, it's good to see you." She said uncertainly. Blaise stood and pulled out her chair for her.
"Likewise, Miss Granger." She frowned.
"Please, call me Hermione." Blaise smiled lightly and waved down the waiter.
Hermione ordered her drink and then looked to Blaise.
"Blaise, I know why you're here." She said softly. He raised an eyebrow.
"Do you?" he challenged. She smiled sadly and stirred her drink around, trying to form words.
"It has something to do with Draco, correct?" Blaise nodded and took a drink of his coffee.
"Yes it does. He showed me his memories." She stiffened and dropped her spoon. It clattered to the table and bounced onto the floor.
"Everything?" she whispered. Blaise nodded. "Even the baby?" Blaise paused before nodding again, slower this time. She sniffed and pushed her hair back from her face.
"Why'd you leave?" he finally asked. Hermione sighed and looked at him irritably.
"He was ashamed of me. He didn't even tell you until two years after we broke up. It has been two years, Blaise. He didn't even try to contact me. I left and to him it was like I never existed." She slammed her hands down on the table, drawing the attention of a few patrons. Blaise sighed and looked around.
"Do you even know what he went through in those two years, Hermione?" she shook her head indignantly.
"He started drinking. Heavily. He got depressed. He tried to kill himself." He emphasized his last sentence, waiting to see her reaction. She paled and shook slightly.
"When you left, it ripped him apart, and I watched him for two years fall to pieces and build himself back up again without knowing why. Do you have any idea what that was like for me? For him?" Hermione shook her head blankly. Blaise regained control of his temper and took a deep breath.
"You're engaged to Weasley." It was not a question. He waited for her reaction.
"No," she whispered. Blaise blinked.
"Draco said-," Hermione held up her hand.
"I broke it off. We broke it off. It didn't feel right. I felt like he was my brother. It would have been like marrying Harry." Blaise said nothing. He was shocked.
"When?" the Italian asked. Hermione shrugged.
"The day after I ran into Draco. Ron has a thing for Lavendar Brown and we were only engaged because Molly wanted it so badly…" she trailed off and met Blaise's scrutinizing stare.
"So you're single." He said. Hermione nodded and then froze, realizing what he was hinting at.
"No, Blaise. I will not talk to Draco again. If he just got his life together, I refuse to uproot it." Blaise sighed and leaned his head back. This girl was absolutely infuriating.
"You still feel for him, Hermione. I know you do." Hermione furiously blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Of course I do, Blaise. I wouldn't have a heart if I didn't. But after the baby… It was like he didn't even want me," she did cry now, one tear sliding down her cheek. She wiped it away irritably.
"He did. He loved you, Hermione. He was crushed after your miscarriage." More tears fell from Hermione's eyes as he spoke. She shook her head and wiped her eyes.
"I should go, Blaise. Will you be at the reunion?" Blaise nodded absently. Hermione sniffled and stood, Blaise following. He kissed her cheek and walked her to the door.
"Best of luck to you, Hermione." She smiled weakly.
"You, too. Thank you, Blaise." With a snap she apparated away, leaving Blaise standing alone in the cold.
"I can't do this, Blaise," Draco muttered as they approached the main gates of Hogwarts. They were both dressed in suits with ties, opting for the Muggle formalwear instead of the traditional wizarding robes.
"Yes you can. It's only a few hours. No one will be trying to kill us," Blaise joked lightly. Draco cracked a smile.
"My god, Filch is still alive?" Draco whispered. Filch was crossing off names from a list. He looked up and smiled toothlessly at them.
"Hello boys," he said, crossing their names off the list. Draco cringed and nodded. Blaise shook his hand.
They entered the Great Hall and were surprised by the sheer number of people that were there. It seemed like all of the living members of their year had shown up for the reunion. He could see Pansy Parkinson and Astoria Greengrass gossiping together, Neville Longbottom with his wife Luna standing off to the side together, and Professor McGonagall was walking around greeting people. She nodded curtly at Blaise and Malfoy. Draco saw a flash of read hair and recognized it as Ginny Weasley's hair. He supposed she was Ginny Potter, now though. Harry was standing next to her, arm around her waist.
"Harry!" he picked her voice out over the din. It was Hermione without a doubt. Ron was with her, but they weren't touching. They weren't even looking at each other. In fact, Hermione was completely ignoring him.
"Trouble in paradise?" Blaise asked, following his gaze. Draco shrugged and turned away.
"Blaise, if you'll excuse me." Blaise waved him off and Draco climbed the set up stairs and approached the headmaster's office.
"Uh… I don't know the password. I wanted to see Snape's portrait." He said lamely. To his surprise, the stairs opened for him and he walked quickly up them, bursting into the office. McGonagall was headmaster of Hogwarts now, and behind her chair hung a portrait of Albus Dumbledore, and next to it a blank frame. Draco looked at it. Dumbledore was sleeping in his chair, but stirred as Draco entered.
"Hello Professor," Draco said softly. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"Good evening, Draco!" he said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to speak to Severus," Draco began, "But also, I wanted to apologize to you." Dumbledore waved a painted hand.
"All is well, Draco." Draco gave Dumbledore a small smile.
"Apologizing? Hmm, Draco, you have changed." Snape's leering image appeared in the frame beside Dumbledore's.
"Hello, Snape." Snape nodded to Draco.
"What do you want?" Snape demanded, irritable as always. Draco frowned.
"Advice." Snape rolled his eyes.
"Make it quick. I have things to do, you know." Draco raised an eyebrow at him.
"You're a painting." Draco pointed out, humor in his voice. Snape said nothing, only crossed his arms and waited.
"I'm in love with Hermione Granger." Snape sighed and pushed a greasy lock of hair back from his face.
"I knew that, insolent boy. I know everything that happened. The portraits in your house talk." Draco was mildly surprised.
"What do I do?" he finally asked.
"Don't make the same mistake I did," was all Snape said. Draco looked at him and nodded, his heart rate speeding up.
"Thank you," he said earnestly, and then he turned on his heels and sped out of the office. He ran down the staircases and through the hallways, skidding to a stop before he entered the Hall. As calmly as possible, he rounded the corner and strode in, looking for Hermione through the crowd of people. It took him a few seconds to locate her, standing beside Neville and Luna. She laughed and smiled before turning to walk away.
Their eyes met.
Slowly, like it was a dream, Draco approached her. He could almost feel her anticipating his arrival. She froze like a deer in headlights, unblinking. Finally Draco stopped before her. He raised a quivering hand and stroked her cheek, from the corner of her mouth to her ear. She leaned into.
"Hi." She said meekly.
"Hello," Draco answered, equally as weak. She raised a hand and gripped his wrist, and then Draco pulled her in and kissed her. When they pulled apart she looked at him and they smiled at each other, laughing.
"I'm not engaged," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. He grabbed her waist gently.
"I know. I love you." Draco waited with baited breath.
"I love you." He breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her, holding her against him, relishing the feeling of her small frame in his arms again.
"I'm so sorry for leaving," she choked out. He stroked her hair.
"It's not your fault, love, it was never your fault," he whispered to her.
"I regret it all. I ruined everything," she looked up at him.
"Hermione, would you like to go to dinner with me?" he asked, anxious to leave the crowded area.
"Draco Malfoy, you don't have to ask me twice."