DISCLAIMER- I don't own Harry Potter, or any of it's characters. That honour goes to J.K.
It was a particularly cold autumn day. Nine o'clock. curfew was nearing. She couldn't be caught, the scandal of Hogwart's best student caught in the astronomy tower after hours was simply too unbearable.
So why was she there?
The answer was swiftly approaching her as she stood at the railing overlooking the grounds. She heard the door click softly as it closed.
She turned, a smirk crept across her face.
"Ferret." She acknowledged the boy in front of her curtly.
"Mudblood." He replied coldly.
"Aren't we past the silly names by now Draco?" Hermione asked him staring into his liquid silver eyes.
"Hey, you started it, I just ran with it." Draco defended as a smile erupted on his face.
"Well I had to make sure you weren't an impostor didn't I?" She teased the blonde.
"You did a horrible job then didn't you? Everyone in this school knows I call you a Mudblood. I could have been anyone and you let your guard down like that-" He snapped his fingers in front of him.
"But why would they know I was here waiting for you? Only Blaise would have known and you know how much he hates saying that word." Hermione cringed slightly.
"As do I, it just slipped out." Draco told her hastily, grin faltering abit.
"Its okay, I understand six years doesn't just disappear over night. It'll take time for you to completely stop letting the word slip, I understand that." She reassured him. Draco frowned slightly.
"I know, its just I… I wish I could change it all, take back the past six years. I didn't ever realise how wrong I could be until Voldemort came along. Now he's here I don't really know what I believe anymore." He bit down on his lip to stop himself talking.
"Draco, how many times do I have to tell you that your forgiven? I understood what you meant when you first told me all of this, and I believed you the second you drank the veritaserum. You don't have to keep trying to explain it all to me."
He nodded, showing he understood but said no more. He simply came to stand beside her at the railing looking at the lake.
"Do you really think you can win the war Hermione? Do you really think we can beat him?" He asked her quietly.
"If what we're doing goes to plan, then yes, I think he doesn't stand a chance against 'The golden trio.'" She smiled weakly.
"I'm glad, it might not seem it, but I really am. I don't want to keep hiding away whenever I want to have a conversation with my girlfriend. Or throw insults at muggle borns and muggles and I certainly don't want to keep letting pug-face off the hook when she throws herself at me. I want it over with." He told her as he ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. She took his hand and held it tight.
"You listen to me, Malfoy, you will do anything it takes to stay under the radar. You cant let anyone think your 'converting' to our side. Especially the slytherins. If they even got a whiff of what we're up too then the death eaters would execute you the next time you walked inside the manor. You cant let them think anything is different, if it means throwing a few nasty names around then- then so be it! You have to stay safe Draco. If not for yourself, then for me. Just like Blaise is for Ginny. Its not like your alone in this, you can talk to him, or me even Ginny said she wouldn't mind." She said in hushed tones.
"Weaslette can sling her hook, I'm sorry Mya, but no. After what I've done I cant expect her to let me unload all my personal drama on her. Its just not fair. Blaise, yeah I can do whatever toward him even if I just need to scream, we owe each other a lot after allowing each other to sneak around with Gryffindors all year." He shuddered dramatically then winked at her.
She slapped his arm playfully, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. Hermione put her free arm around his neck and Draco wrapped his around her waist.
"Promise me, that when this all comes out with the war, you'll never leave me. I'm going to loose a lot when this comes out, but what'd hurt me the most would be to loose you. Promise me, you'll always be my Hermione?" He whispered softly in her began to form in her eyes.
"I promise. Oh I promise Draco, even when this war happens and we come out and Ron and Harry refuse to talk to me for weeks I'll never leave you! I'll always be yours, for as long as you'll have me, I'll be here." She gushed, tears freefalling down her face. He released her wrist and wiped the tears from her cheeks, making quiet soothing noises as he did.
"It's okay Princess, its okay. Its all going to work out and even if that slight possibility that it doesn't turns out to be true, we'll get through it together. I love you." He pulled her chin up so her could stare into her honey brown eyes that sparkled from he cry.
"Always together. I love you too." she whispered. Then he pressed his lips softly to hers, sealing their future together with a simple, but powerful kiss.