Disclaimer: All was Queen Jo's and hers alone. The song was Miley's. Plot was mine.
Together. Finally.
"What was he like?" he asked turning his head from his children to look at his mother. He stared at his mother's wrinkly face due to the longevity of her life. There was a heavy silence after he asked that question. It's probably because his mother was trying to find where to start telling.
"Git. He was a git. The biggest git I've ever known my entire life. The foul loathsome evil little cockroach." There was a hint of smile in her voice.
"But you love him so much."
"That I do." She smiled and looked at him. "You look so much like him. You both have blonde hair, grey eyes and pointy face. You walk and talk like him. You have his grace, and the way he put up his façade. Exactly the same."
"But you always know what's going on in our mind."
"Through your eyes. Your eyes couldn't hide anything from me."
"I guess so." He smiled remembering how he could not hide anything from her.
"Every time I miss him, I just have to look at you. If I didn't know better, I would've mistaken you for him."
"Tell me more about him."
~0~
"You arrogant prick!" Hermione whisper-yelled at him for intentionally knocking her arm while she was trying to measure the right amount of powdered root of asphodel resulting in a mess on their table. He smirked knowing that he successfully annoyed Hermione after trying for more than an hour now.
"Oops." He said innocently waving his wand to undo the damage.
"I freaking hate you!" she continued.
"Feelings mutual, Granger." He stirred the potion according to the text book. Frankly, he loved annoying Hermione to the extent where her hair became bushier (if possible) and her face became all red and her eyebrows furrowed, muttering under her breath about how unlucky she was this year for being partnered with him all year long in all classes.
He has been in love with her since forever. But due to their life situation now, he had to conceal his feelings and not risk her life. Once, he dreamt about her. How she was making pancakes in the kitchen. A child in his arm, and another clutched at her leg but not a bit that annoyed her. She looked beautiful in that dream. Her chestnut hair was unruly but still manageable unlike in her school years but better. She had put on few pounds from pregnancy, he was sure. But still beautiful. The smile and sparkle in her eyes when she saw him. He really wanted to experience it now, but he cannot. He just cannot.
But that changed after the war. He was a depressed young man after his sixth year. Seventh year gone to the wrath of the Dark Lord. Eighth year came, he was shunned. Even by his own housemates. He was once a worshipped idol of his fellow Slytherins. But now, he was an outcast. Why? Because he helped him. The boy-who-lived. He was a blood traitor. He was a shame to the Pureblood society.
From the moment school started, he was alone. Sitting by himself at the very end of the Slytherin table. Constantly stared at like he's some magical beast that has just been discovered by Newt Scamander. From the end of the table, he saw the Golden Trio. How they were celebrated. He felt jealous. Not of the attention they got but the friendship they have. Not once he saw the trio separated when any of them were in trouble. He would like that. But he was never going to get that. Never in his life.
"The Head Girl for this year is Miss Hermione Granger." Everyone applauded like there's no tomorrow. But the moment the Headmistress announced the Head Boy, there was an eerie silence enveloping the Great Hall.
"The Head Boy for this year is Mister Draco Malfoy. Both of you please meet me after the dinner is over." If you dropped a pin, the sound will deafen everybody in the hall.
But Hermione, being the compassionate person that she was, she clapped her hand with a smile towards Draco. He nodded at her proceeded to stare at his food again. She even forced her friends to clap which they did, but maybe for only one or two clap. He did not blame them though. He was a git through and through to them during their earlier school years.
~0~
"I remembered what the Headmistress told us that night after dinner and my reaction to it."
"I bet you freaked out and pleaded her to reconsider."
"You bet. I was stupefied. I was about to share a common room with my former enemy. There'll be a lot of awkwardness. But to rethink of it, I could mend what has been damaged. If there's anything that has been damaged. Or maybe form a new bond. So I was stupefied for a few moments but said nothing. On the other hand, Draco just stood there with and emotion I couldn't quite understand at that time. He was, unbearably calms and collected. But his eyes told a different story."
"Even when you're not in love with him, you still know what his eyes told, eh?"
"Yeah. That night when we're settled in our own bedroom, I found him in the common room, staring at the fireplace. I ignored him and I doubted that he even noticed my presence."
~0~
It's been two weeks since the school started; Hermione had not spoken to him. She was afraid to start a conversation with him. Afraid that he just might ignore her and tell her to go away.
But today, she will talk to him. Like a civilized person. They're roommates after all. Basically. They shared a common room.
A hectic Friday finally came to an end. After dinner, Hermione saw Draco walked away to their common room she was sure. She stalled for a few minutes before claiming to her friends that she was tired and wanted to call it a night. She forced herself to be calm as she walked towards the door and it broke to a run once she was out of sight from her friends. Once she arrived in front of her common room portrait, she whispered the password and entered after calming herself down.
There he was. He's been spending his time there for the past two weeks. She walked silently towards the other end of the sofa and sat down gingerly. He did not budge. She was too stiff for a normal relaxing human but she could not help it. She turned her head slowly to look at Draco.
"What are you doing here, Granger?" suddenly he asked.
"Uh – uh. I'm – this is my common room too. So I have the right to be here too."
"Okay." He got up and started to walk towards his bedroom.
"Um – Draco, wait."
"What?" he turned around and faced Hermione.
"I would like to be friends with you. If that's okay with you."
"Why?"
"We literally lived together so I'd like to be friends with someone I lived with."
"Not strong enough."
"I want to be friends with you because I want to put the past behind, and start afresh. But if you decline, I understand. So, I'm Hermione Granger." She held up her hand, waiting to be shook by Draco.
He stared unbelievably at her hands and then her face. He shook his head and caught her hand.
"Draco. Draco Malfoy."
"There. It's not that hard is it?" Hermione smiled. And the sparkle in her eyes when she looked at him, reminded him of the dream he had years ago. And that quirked his lips a little.
"Is that a smile I see?"
"Don't push it, Granger." He put on his façade and sat back down at his former place.
"Sorry. But don't you think you should call me by my name?"
"I suppose so." There was a comfortable silence but it was unbearable by Hermione.
"I'll call it a night. Good night, Draco." she walked towards her bedroom.
"Good night. Hermione. Thank you."
"For what, exactly?"
"The day you clapped like crazy for me. And today."
"No problem. It's what friends do." She smiled her beautiful smile and he fell in love all over again.
Weeks passed and they became really good friends. Hermione started to see the real Draco and Draco, Hermione. She found out that Draco was simply easy going. And he rivaled her in studies. When he laughed for the first time, Hermione felt her heart flutter. And she did not know what it was at that time because she never felt it before.
~0~
"It was his laugh that made you fell in love with him?"
"Oddly, yeah. Or maybe, I just realize it then. I didn't felt anything I felt with Draco while I had my eyes on your Uncle Ron you know."
"Eww, mom. No. Don't tell me about your infatuation with Uncle Ron. I can't see you two together." They laughed.
"Don't worry. I'm not fit to marry your Uncle Ron right now." they laughed again.
~0~
It was one particular night, the storm was bad. Hermione heard screaming. It was loud. She got out of her bed, wrapping herself in her comforter before heading upstairs to the common room. He saw Draco screaming in front of the fireplace. Crying of pain. When she walked closer, she saw that Draco had put the ember on his dark mark. She gasped and pulled his hand away. She pulled him to the couch and sat him there. Comforter forgotten, she ran to her bedroom and ran back out with a vial in her hand.
She pulled Draco's left hand gently, and out it in her lap. She dropped a few drops of the essence of dittany to his hand healing it, and then the dark mark reappeared. Draco sobbed the whole process and it became harder as that happened. She could not help it but flung her arms around Draco and hugged him tight. He did not return it but continued to sob until every feeling was poured out.
Once he was done, he recomposed himself and covered his face with his hands.
"I'm embarrassed. My dignity has been buried six feet down below. I couldn't live like this. I'm ashamed." He mumbled into his hands.
Hermione heard every bit of it and started to laugh. Clutching her now hurt from laughing stomach, she continued to laugh. Unaware of her less modest self, she continued laughing. Draco lifted his face slowly from his hand to look at Hermione. Smiling a bit. He had an idea.
He positioned himself and started to tickle Hermione and she screamed her loudest scream. Hermione tried to wiggle from his grasp but failed and continued to suffer from his tickles until she started to cry from too much laughing. They were now lying on the floor in front of the fire place where the ember which Draco used to get rid of his mark can be seen as it was left on the floor. Luckily not on the carpet.
"Don't do that again, Draco. You scared me." She said seriously.
"You don't have a reason to be scared, Mi." he said, not looking at her, but knew what she meant.
"I do. And losing you was one of It." There. Finally.
"What?"
"Uh – nothing." She smiled sheepishly. "Oh. My. God. Draco why didn't you tell me I'm not modest?" she half asked, half screamed. She got up quickly and reached for her forgotten comforter wrapping it around herself.
"Don't try and change the topic, Hermione. By the way, you look good not modest." He smirked.
"Shut up. I'm going to bed. Thank God tomorrow's Saturday." She mumbled the last sentence.
"Hermione, wait."
"What?" she stopped and turned.
"Stay with me." He asked. She hesitated. "Please?"
"Fine. But I prefer the bed. So yours or mine? Oh God that sounds wrong." She face-palmed and rephrase, "so, are we going to just sleep on your bed, or just sleep on my bed?" she emphasized the word just, twice. Draco smiled his ungodly dazzling smile and shook his head.
"Yours. Mine is quite like a – let's just say you don't want to see it."
"Fine."
He followed her into her room and it was quite a sight. It wasn't red. It was purple. And the scent of her was quite strong once he entered her bedroom.
"You're the first boy I've ever had entering my bedroom."
"I'm flattered." He smiled and put his hand on his heart. His sleeves now pulled down hiding his faded mark.
"Whatever, Malfoy. Sleep, Malfoy. Good night, Malfoy." She crawled under her comforter and scooted to the right side, her favorite side. Patting on her left gesturing for Draco to sleep there. And for the first time in few months, their sleep was dreamless.
"Good night, Mi. Thank you. I love you." he whispered the last sentence thinking Hermione did not hear it, but, guess what? She did.
~0~
"That was the first time you ever heard that sentence?"
"I heard it plenty of time from my parents, excuse you."
"I mean from a boy."
"Harry and Ron said it multiple times. When I was done saving their arses."
"You know very well what I meant, mom." He rolled his eyes and stared at his mother from the corner of his eyes.
"I'm just kidding, sweetheart. You reacted just like him when you're annoyed. And I love annoying him just to see that look."
"You can annoy me every day, mom." She chuckled at that.
~0~
'When you say you love me,
Know I love you more,
When you say you need me,
Know I need you more,
Boy I adore,
You.'
She sang quietly while trying to clean the common room next morning. She woke up to a heavy burden on her back. For a moment she thought she was paralyzed but then she remembered that Draco was on her bed. With her. She immediately blushed. To add some more to it, Draco's hand was currently on her back while the other below her head.
She slowly moved to avoid waking him up and successfully escaped from the trap. She got dressed and started what she was doing now. Letting Draco get some more sleep after what happened last night. She was truly scared seeing Draco broke down like that.
'I love lying next to you
I could do this for eternity
You and me
We're meant to be in a holy matrimony
God know exactly what he was doing
When he lead me to you.'
"Really?" she heard his voice and jumped and almost tripped.
"You scared me! What are you talking about?"
"That you loved lying next to me?"
"I was only singing."
"They say people sing what they feel. Do you adore me, Hermione?" he walked closer to Hermione, slowly. Like a predator cornering its prey. "Do you?"
"I – I," she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "I do. In fact, I like you so much that what happened last night, scared me to death. Hearing you scream like the world's ending, I couldn't bear it. I just, I couldn't."
Draco was taken aback. Initially, he was just teasing her. He did not expect her to pour out her feelings for him.
"I'm not good for you, Hermione."
"Then why did you say it last night?"
"You heard it?" Draco pinched his nose bridge.
"I get to decide what's good for me, what's bad for me, Draco. Not you. So if you didn't really mean what you said last night, I suggest that we pretend like last night and today never hap–"
He kissed her. Successfully shutting her up.
"You talk too much, Mi." it was her turn to pull him down to kiss him passionately. Only when their need for air occurred then they let go of each other's faces. She blushed.
"I'm sorry."
"No, don't. I'm not sorry."
"Is this where the part you ask me to be your girlfriend?"
"Will you be my girlfriend, Mi?"
"I will!" she shouted and kissed him back before ushering him to go have a shower before they went down for breakfast together. Draco laughed and went to do as told.
~0~
"Your first kiss?"
"Definitely. It was, magical. Pun intended."
"Mom, you loved him so much did you?"
"More than my own life, son. More than my own life."
~0~
"He loves me and he makes me happy. So I suggest you accept my choices as any good friends will do or forget that you even know me. I'm not throwing away my friends for a boy. I just wanted to keep what makes me happy and get rid of what doesn't. I hope you understand."
Harry red face turned to its normal color. He inhaled deeply before shaking his head. He then looked straight at Draco and said the most cliché thing ever,
"If you hurt her, I'll break your neck?"
"I'm not going to hurt her. Are you serious?"
"No, I'm Harry. And mark my words." He said and turned around and walk away.
"He's still angry at me." Hermione whined, landing her forehead on Draco's shoulder.
"At least he approved of us. The Weasel just stormed off as soon as he saw us holding hands."
"You're right. They'll come around. Ahh – I can't wait the day where Draco would call the Scarhead, Harry and Harry will call the ferret, Draco."
"Not going to happen, heart. Not going to happen." Hermione laughed as she imagined that.
~0~
"Ron finally accepted us few weeks later. And Harry started to talk to me again few days after we confronted him."
"They loved you, mom. I'd do the same if my best friend dated the enemy."
"Ron used to call it 'fraternizing with the enemy' when I dated Viktor for the Yule ball during our fourth year. Harry was competing for the Triwizard tournament as the fourth champion."
"I bet it was hard for him. To have constantly coming problems during his childhood."
"It was. Until Voldemort was defeated."
"And you. You found your love and got married right after school."
"Not school you silly. I passed my medical school with flying colors both muggle and wizarding world. Then I got married."
~0~
"Hey, love. Will you marry me?" they were lying on the grass field his mother kept neat and trimmed every now and then. Hermione head was on his bicep, she was playing with his fingers, and he felt that that was the perfect moment to propose to her. When she less expected it, and he clearly knew that she preferred a private moment for something like this rather than fancy dinner followed by the public and cliché down on one knee proposal. And he was right.
"What?" she looked up to him. He then looked into her eyes and asked the question again,
"Will you, Hermione Jean Granger, marry me? Be my wife?"
She sat up, her hand on his chest, his hand on her hand. She stared at him with a serious face. She felt that his heart beat was getting quicker.
"YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!" she didn't kiss him like every woman would do; instead she laughed heartily at him.
"This is the part where you kiss me. Not laugh like a maniac."
"Your heart beat." She laughed. "It got quicker when I stared at you before saying yes." And she laughed again.
"You're trying to make me nervous are you?"
"Uhuh. You look so calm. Any men would be really nervous before proposing."
"But I'm not just any men, sweet. I'm your man. No, I'm a Malfoy man. I don't get nervous."
"But you did just now. And it was hilarious."
"That is not nice, Hermione." he said as if he was talking to a three year old.
Hermione smiled and lay back down. Draco rummaged his pockets to produce a red velvet box. He pulled Hermione's finger and slid the ring to her ring finger. She put up her hands and examine the intricate design of her engagement ring.
"It's beautiful. I loved it." She pulled Draco down and kissed him.
~0~
"Way to go, dad. Not a typical proposal."
"Your dad was a unique man. Unique in his own ways. Always full of surprises."
"I'm shocked my racist grandfather accepted you, though."
"He wasn't after the war. He was trying to protect his family. If they were killed by Voldemort, I wouldn't fall in love with your father."
"And you wouldn't have me as your son."
"True."
~0~
"I do."
"I do."
"You may now kiss your bride."
And with the kiss, the magical bond of marriage was sealed and only can be broken when one of the spouses fell out of love.
The song for their first dance as husband and wife was Adore You. The song that Hermione sang when she first confessed her love for him.
'Baby, baby, yeah, are you listening?
Wondering where you've been all my life,
I just started living,
Oh, baby, are you listening?
When you say you love me,
Know I love you more,
And when you say you need me,
Know I need you more,
Boy, I adore you,
I adore you
Baby, can you hear me?
When I'm crying out, for you,
I'm scared oh, so scared,
But when you're near me,
I feel like I'm standing with an army,
Of men armed with weapons, hey, oh
When you say you love me,
Know I love you more,
And when you say you need me,
Know I need you more,
Boy, I adore you,
I adore you
I love lying next to you,
I could do this for eternity,
You and me – we're meant to be,
In a holy matrimony,
God knew exactly what He was doing,
When he lead me to you
When you say you love me,
Know I love you more,
And when you say you need me,
Know I need you more,
Boy, I adore you,
I adore you
When you say you love me,
Know I love you more,
And when you say you need me,
Know I need you more,
Boy, I adore you,
I adore you'
Hermione sang along with the record as they dance slowly to the music as she stared at her husband's eyes, letting him know that she meant every word she sang for him. And as the song ended, he kissed her. Letting the love he felt for her pour in that kiss. And just one kiss will never be enough.
Few months later, Draco was jolted up from his deep sleep by a screaming Hermione. He scrambled through his tangled sheets and ran to the bathroom.
"What? What is it? Are you hurt?" he held Hermione's shoulder, eyes raking through her half naked body checking for injuries.
"No I'm fine."
"Then, why are you screaming for?" he groaned and rubbed his eyes to chase away the remaining of sleep left.
"I'm pregnant."
"What?" he stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at Hermione with a confused face.
"You're going to be a father."
"Are you serious?"
"I'm Hermione. I'm just kidding. Yes. You're going to be a father!"
"Merlin's beard! Are you serious?" he hugged Hermione tight.
"No I'm –"
"Shut up. I'm going to be a dad!" he held Hermione at arm length. His eyes watered. Hermione wiped the tears before it fell to his cheeks and kissed him.
"You're going to be a great dad."
~0~
"Eight months later, you were born. Along with your twin Cassie. His dream came true."
"What dream?"
"Of me, you and Cassie. I was making breakfast with you clinging to my legs, begging for attention I guess, and him holding Cassie on his hips. And in that dream, I look at him with a smile and a sparkle in my eyes. He vowed to himself to make it come true. And it did. Not literally though. But he had us three. And that was enough."
~0~
"Please hold on, love. Please don't leave me yet. Don't leave us." Hermione was sobbing beside her dying husband. He was on the hospital bed in a muggle hospital as St. Mungo's could not do anything to cure him.
"Listen closely, love. I love you with all my heart. I love you, more than my own life. I love you and no one could change that. I love you and nothing could separate us, except death. I'm sorry I have to go this early. I love you. I love Scorps and Cassie. Take care of yourself, and take care of our babies. I have to go. I'm sorry." With his dying breath, he poured all love he had left for Hermione and their children.
After seeing his kids, parents and friends, he requested to see Hermione alone. Tears were trickling down both of their faces, until Draco exhaled his last breath. Along with it, his last tears trickled down his face. His weak grip on Hermione's hand loosen and all the strength it had left, gone.
Hermione screamed and beg for him to wake up. Hoping that this was a joke. A prank that somebody pulled. He struggled for a few months now and finally he rest in peace. Scorpius and Cassie didn't even get to know him. They didn't even get to call him 'Dada'. They only recognize him, but soon, they will forget him. After all, their memories could not hold such image at their young age.
With all the strength she had left, she wiped clean her husband's face with a wet towel, she arranged his hair just the way he loved it. She sprayed his favorite cologne on his wrist and his neck and tidied the bed before she composed herself and went to fetch her children.
With Narcissa help, she brought them to meet their father for the last time. As soon as they were beside the bed, Narcissa quietly wept her son's death while holding Scorpius in her arms.
"Dada!" they both said at the same time. And once more, Hermione sobbed. Draco did not even get to hear his children first word. It was their first word, and it was 'Dada'. And Draco did not get to hear it.
Seeing Hermione broke down, Lucius took Cassie from her and hugged her with another free arm. She sobbed on his chest for a long time before she was exhausted. Hermione brought her in-laws to her home to pack the twins things before packing her own to live in the manor until she could fend for herself and her children.
Years came by and Hermione still had not remarried as she did not found love in another man. And she was content with it. She had moved to the manor permanently after her in-laws death several years later. Scorpius and Cassiopeia grew up in the manor not even once forgotten about their father.
Hermione began showing them his pictures every night before they go to bed to have them always remember him. She always told them stories about their father and every time they asked about him, she will answer truthfully. The twin grew up adoring their father just like their mother did.
~0~
"I know I never met him, but I miss him terribly."
"I know. Me too. Where's Cassie? I thought she should've arrived here by now." the sound of floo crashing was heard.
"Speak of the devil, there they are."
"Grandma!" Little Carina ran up to Hermione as soon as she arrived. Cassie hugged her mom and brother before settling down beside her mom with her husband beside her.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Oh you know. Stories about dad."
"Your dad was the pompous little git, who only knew how to annoy me to death. He was an arrogant prick who torment me my whole six years of school life and a jerk who kept 'accidentally' knock my hands so I dropped everything I was holding. A prat who loved me with all his heart, who loved his children unconditionally and he was a git I missed every day and I can't wait to go be with him."
"Oh, mom. Don't say that. We may not fully understand how you missed him, but we do miss him too." Cassie hugged her mother. Scorpius squeezed his mother's hand.
"Cassie's here, let's go have our thanksgiving dinner."
The dinner went on well. Hermione couldn't be more grateful as she gets to see her children grow up, graduated, get married and have children. She felt all joy as long as she was with her family but she longed for Draco.
That night, Hermione Jean Malfoy passed away peacefully in her sleep, leaving her twins with their spouses, and six grandchildren.
"Scorps! Scorps come here!"
"What is it, sis?"
"Mom, she's gone."
"What?" Scorpius ran and checked for his mother's pulse. Cassie already sobbed on their mother's body. Cassie felt something pricked her from under her mother's hand. It was her wedding picture. It shows the smiling couple where Hermione grinned widely as Draco's lips touched her cheeks and they look at each other with love and the picture started again.
"They're together, finally."
FIN
A/N: Hey! It's been a long day, without you my friend. Kidding! I told you before in the Excerpt of the Diary of Draco Malfoy (I think) that I was working on a story that was inspired by my own heartbreak. Guess what? I'm not done yet. I'm on chapter 19 and I am lazy to continue. So, about this one. I was inspired by a few fanfiction I couldn't remember the title but it's about death of someone you loved. I haven't had any experience with that unless you count cats as someone you loved. So I have, several times. I cried like hell. Seeing as I haven't cried in a long time since my break up last March (unless I suddenly remembered all the things about him, and the things we did together), I didn't cry while writing this one. My heart, it's gone. I hope you cry reading this one. And don't forget to review, give some ideas or request whatever, I can try. All the mistakes were unintentionally made, and correction will be appreciated. Thank you and much love XX