Dramione – Silence.

After Hermione punched him, Draco stood and watched her walk back up to the castle, not looking at him. For this, he was glad. As the owls in the owlry fluffed their wings, Draco sighed.

If only…

No. it would never happen.

Hermione sighed as she lay in the girls' dorm that night. Sleep would not come to her, so she got up and did what she did best by the light of her "Lumos" ignited wand.

Hermione didn't need to write drafts – at least not with this. She had been drafting and re-drafting this for so long, so often that she had it all planned out already. Hermione licked her lips as she sat down at her writing desk. She pulled out some parchment, dipped her quill in the pot of ink and started to write.

When Draco went up to the owlry on 23rd April, the bruise where Hermione had punched him was blue – just like Draco himself. He was surprised to find his owl missing. Presuming that it had just been on a late night hunt, Draco went down to the great hall where Crabbe and Goyle were waiting for him. The look on Draco's face was enough to tell them not to ask questions. Silently, the trio walked through he double doors and sat down at the Slytherin table.

As Draco picked at his toast, he watched Hermione laugh and talk with Harry and Ron. Ron looked up and saw Draco. Their eyes met and all Draco saw in Ron's eyes was contempt. Draco saw Ron's lips move, saying "Malfoy's staring at you Hermione."

Draco waited, stupidly, to see if she would look back, look around, look at him. Even if the look she gave him was one of disgust, pity hate... She would look at him. He could see her face. And little did Hermione know the way she looked at him, that morning, in the great hall, would change his life.

But the look she gave him was not one of disgust, pity, or hate, but a tender one, full of love. And she silently said sorry.

And of course, he forgave her. Forever.

Hermione looked back to Ron and Harry, and said "Not any more"

The exchange between her and Draco took less than 15 seconds before they both looked away.

There was a great noise of wings and squawking as the owls flew in, carrying parcels, packets and letters.

This was it. Hermione excused herself from the table and walked, alone, out of the great hall.

Draco felt his eyes widen as he saw his owl in the sea of feathers, beaks and packages.

Draco knew he hadn't sent anything to himself, and didn't know who would want to or why someone would send him something via his own owl.

He caught the letter off his owl, and gave her instructions to go back to the owlry. Wanting some peace and quiet, and some reprieve from the glares coming from the Gryffindor table, Draco headed there too, reading the letter as he went.

Hermione stood looking out the window. Looking, but not really seeing. Just… stood. As the door creaked open, Hermione could feel his presence. Draco walked over to her and circled his arms around her waist, pulling her closer into his body, resting his chin on her shoulder. Hermione gently reached up to his face, stroking the bruise she had made.

They stood there, in silence, at peace, for so long, it felt like years. In reality, minutes passed, but to them, this was perfection itself. Neither of them wanting to break the "spell" both of them turned in silent agreement at the same time, to face each other, confident their privacy would not be disturbed. The smell of peppermint from Draco pulled Hermione closer and her allure was almost too much.

Slowly, she looked up at his eyes, to see them gently, tenderly looking back down at her.

Their lips met – slowly, softly, silently.

Then harder, more passionate, faster. And the wonderful feeling of both their bodies pressed together was too much.

Draco sat on the floor of the owlry, Hermione in his lap. That 30 minutes in the owlry was something they would remember for the rest of their lives. This was their marriage and their divorce…

For the next hour, Draco and Hermione sat like that quietly talking about anything and everything. Opposites – Gryffindor; Slytherin. "Mud-blood"; Pure-blood. Love held them together, but their lives forbade it.

Draco lifted Hermione up, smiling at her. She smiled back, showing him that she knew it would have to end, and that she knew that now was right.

Draco and Hermione embraced one last time, kissed and walked hand in hand to the door. Hermione turned around to face Draco. She opened her mouth to say something, but Draco put his fingers to her lips, stopping her speaking. She kissed his fingers, lightly, and he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her right ear, smiled held her face in his hands, and left.