Pomona Sprout looked out onto the grounds of Hogwarts, as she awaited the arrival of the students of the night. The Guests of Honor. The Fifth to Seventh years of the year when the Hogwarts Battle took place were returning to the castle tonight for their reunion. McGonagall and Flitwick were organizing the Great Hall. That hall was a truly historical place. It had been repaired, but one still saw the ghosts of the evil, and those who fell out of the corner of one's eye. They would never be truly free of them. Luckily with every year of fresh minds to train, these memories were pushed to the back of one's mind. Pomona suddenly thought of how the Jackson boy had vomited exactly where Bellatrix had been killed, and couldn't help but snort in amusement.
It was a starlit night. The Black Lake was completely calm. All the ghosts had also assembled. The wind stood still. The Forbidden Forest was silent and dark. Hagrid's hut could be seen in the distance. There was no smoke. Hagrid had left after the war. The hut still stood, for sentimental reasons. Hagrid still came for every reunion though. He was part of the family.
The time had come.
As the Clock struck 7, adult witches and wizards began portkeying straight into the grounds. Pops could be heard spread over the courtyard. They moved towards the doors at which Professor Sprout stood, awaiting permission to enter. In the meanwhile, they caught up with each other and exchanged stories about their work and livelihood. The last ones, who were portkeying internationally, finally arrived. Once they had collected themselves, Professor Sprout smiled at the students and led them into the Great Hall, where the festivities would begin.
Draco's POV
Draco had not wanted to return. This was a holy place, one he did not deserve to place foot in ever again. He had made peace with what he had done He had turned during the war. His father disowned him, and he had had to kill his Mother himself in these very walls. The only reason that he had survived with any property was because the moment the Ministry had declared the conflict as a war, all those who died, their normal wills were declared redundant in case they had made specific wartime wills. His parents had written him out their normal wills. Their existing wills from the previous war were still in his favor, and the reason that he was able to fend for himself. He walked solemnly into the school. For him it would forever remain a battlefield. He looked around and saw all the happy faces. There was friendship and comradery everywhere. He would never feel truly excepted ever again.
He had not wanted to return. These walls only reminded him of his youth and his follies during that time. His actions and emotions. They still affected him.
He saw Hermione Granger. One of the few who deserved to be here. She took down twenty four Death Eaters, saved countless students and saved seven wizards who were under the Imperius. This was all by herself.
He had fallen in love with her slowly, long before all of this. She had remained something forbidden, unattainable for a long time. Then he realized that he didn't want to die in the war. He wanted to survive and see his future with his free will. He wanted to be taking his own decisions. He had lost all belief in the ideologies of the crazed old fool.
He didn't want to follow the Dark Lord. So he turned, spied alongside Snape and brought down three safe houses before the battle. His actions took out all the Death Eaters who were Werewolves. He trapped a hundred Inferni in the Mulciber grounds. This was enough to guarantee his freedom, if they won. He didn't need to do more. He had destroyed a large portion of the Dark Lord's reinforcements. Still, he went to war against the dark regime. He had killed. He had done it all for her.
He walked through to the Hall, up to the front. He was obligated to speak for a few minutes as one of the Head Boys present. He would also need to stay till the entertainment was underway. Then he would leave. He couldn't bare to face her in these halls, where his emotions were threatening to spin out of control. He had mastered them over the years, but when did the heart listen to the mind? Despite that, she would be standing beside him today. This wasn't going to be a good evening for him.
He stood alone. He wasn't ashamed, or alienated. It was just that none of his friends were here. Most who had survived the war had left the country. There were others, but they were not part of the years invited. Few wished to interact with him.
It was then that he saw her. Hermione Granger. She had come with Susan Bones, as expected. His heartache just increased.. For some reason, all his life he had tried to move on, but never could. His heart had let go a long time ago, accepting that he couldn't have her. It didn't stop him from wanting her.
He had been the first to know of course. Why she would never love him. Why he could never have her. He had tried to get together with her, using all the tricks al 17 year old knows to woo the fairer sex. He then faced a reality that he had in all his time at Hogwarts never had to deal with. She didn't reject him, because of his nature or because she didn't want a one night stand.
Hermione Granger, the Smartest Witch of her Age, explained to Draco why she could never truly love Draco. He said he understood and that he would support her. She had smiled and taken his word for it. Little did she know what she truly did.
He had never been the same since. The rejection had hurt. The worst part was that the crush didn't leave. It stayed there forever. So he was forced to be with her in any way he could, hovering, hoping. He never hated her for it, no. One doesn't choose where their heart goes after all.
Hermione had come to accept it. Draco watched over her, her best friend and confidant. When Ron confessed his feeling one night over a Weasley dinner, she didn't love him that way. Molly couldn't take the thought of her son not being with Hermione. She was hysterical. Ron had exploded, demanding to know why she had led him on. She had had to promptly set the family straight.
From then on, she went on Order missions only with Draco, sneaking through the dark. Draco accepted her when no one else would. He stood by her.
For Hermine didn't love men. She never had.
Then they rescued Hermione's the One-to-be. Draco watched and guided them both together, once he came to know the feelings were mutual. If he would not get the opportunity to make her happy, he would damn well make sure that he could do his very best to ensure it. He was sure he was turning into a masochist.
They went on to win The War. The time for the survivors to grieve the fallen. After that came the time celebration.
And Marriages.
Draco gave Hermione away, dressed in pastel, on her wedding day. It broke his heart, but it was the day he accepted that he could truly never have her. So he remained by her side. Till Death takes you from my sight, he had vowed to himself, I will watch over you and all that you care for.
He had kept his word. Twice he had saved her and her beloved from haters, pure blood supremacists. The day she was about to give birth, he had been there at St. Mungo's . He had ensured, from the shadows and with some string pulling, that the press didn't get wind of it. She was visited only by friends, with no press to hound her. The moment the press got word of it, was when he went and registered the baby for them, at their request. He was the Godfather to a beautiful baby boy. He stood by her.
That night he cried, alone in his Manor. He cried for he had felt jealousy, hatred and rage that he had been denied the future he saw unfolding. That he was not the one standing by her side during this time. He cried because he would never see have those experiences.
The next morning he remembered his personal vow. That afternoon he re-made his will and left everything he owned, or would own upon his death, to one Scorpius Tom Granger. The boy wouldn't know till Draco died. Hermione wouldn't either. He preferred it that way.
This way he ensured that if it ever came to the point that he was to die before Hermione, she would never want for anything. In her lifetime at least. He had not interfered with her life at all, but had been there to help if she needed it, without her even asking. He would ensure that it remained so.
The day Scorpius had been sorted, he had cried again. Scorpius had been sorted to Slytherin. He had written a letter that day to Draco. He had said that he was going to aim to be like the best Slytherin he knew. Like him. His Dearest Uncle Draco. Draco had shown that letter to Hermione, who had been proud. He had that framed up in his office, across the room from his desk.
He had followed Scorpius to his first muggle bar, and taken him home, plastered, when he had fought with his parents and stormed off.
Today he stood beside Hermione at the podium, and said his piece. He danced the first dance with Hermione, alongside the other Head Students. He then gave her hand to Susan, and left. He said his goodbyes and walked away.
Hermione had come to now over time that Draco would always be there for her. He had never left and never would. She never addressed this for she knew Draco would not take kindly to being called out. She never told Scorpius either.
He would always be there for her. Even if it broke his heart, because he knew, till he died he would love her.
And he did.
Fin.
A/N:-This will remain a one-shot unless I get enough reviews asking for a continuation. While reviewing, leave any ideas you have as to where the story can go, or what you want me to add.