Say You'll Remember Me

A/N: So this oneshot was inspired by the Taylor Swift song 'Wildest Dreams'. In particular the lyrics, 'He said let's get out of this town, drive out of the city, away from the crowds'. I made a video, to that song which you can check out on my youtube channel! Here;

watch?v=eAH45rpWCt8&feature= (if the link doesn't work my youtube is harryhermionefan64/Holly Grubb), and the video is called 'Draco & Hermione - Wildest Dreams'.

Hope you enjoy the fic! :D

The war was supposed to bring them together. The victory was supposed to save them. It wasn't supposed to break them, it wasn't supposed to tear them apart. But it had.

Hermione had known deep down that as much as they pretended they couldn't go back to normal. None of them could, she and Harry couldn't forgive Ron, not really. They couldn't let go of the fact he had left them in their darkest hour. They were supposed to stick together, and Ron had left them. As much as they tried to stitch that wound shut it was eventually going to rip open again, and Hermione knew that.

She knew she couldn't go back to normal. She couldn't go back to school, and studying, and her love/hate relationship with Ron. She knew Harry couldn't run back into Ginny's arms and expect everything to be the same, even if he didn't know that himself yet. She knew when no one else did that pretending was never going to work. Pretending the war had done nothing was foolish, but still they did it, all of them, her included.

She forgave Ron, at least as much as she could and like everyone expected she said yes when he asked her out. But it wasn't the way it should have been, the way she had imagined it to be. Ron wasn't the slightly annoying, but attractively goofy redhead she had fallen in love with at Hogwarts. He was a former soldier riddled with regrets and so bitter about the death of his brother. But he pretended he was fine, he smiled and he laughed and he put on the façade for everyone. It came down though, mostly when he and Hermione were alone together, she had seen the walls in his flat, riddled with holes he had punched in them. She knew he drank, but she didn't know quite how much until she found the bottles under the bed while she cleaned his filthy flat one day a couple of weeks after the final battle.

Something snapped then, and she couldn't pretend anymore. She knew they couldn't all hide from their problems, they had to face them. So she had confronted Ron, and she had woken up a few hours later with a severely sore head, she didn't remember it but the only conclusion she had come to was that he had lost control of his magic and had thrown her against the wall.

Harry didn't want to hear anything about it, he was too busy playing pretend families with Ginny and baby Teddy, The poor little orphaned child of Remus and Tonks. He knew Hermione wasn't making it up, deep down he knew as much as she did how volatile Ron was but he didn't want to deal with it. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend everything was the same. She didn't blame him, if Harry had to face the fact that every single thing in his life was different now it would probably drive him mad.

But what was driving Hermione mad was the fact that everyone was pretending and lying. She had to get away from it all, but she didn't know how to leave this world. She couldn't go back to the Muggle world, not after all she knew of this one now. But she didn't know where to go either.

So she was left with one solution really, she was going to get on a train. She had always known there were other wizarding train stations within Kings Cross but she had never had reason to visit them before. But now she did have a reason, so here she was sitting on a bench at Platform 2 1/3rd waiting on a midnight train that would take her away from here.

'Odd place to spend a Saturday night, Granger,' a smooth, and very familiar voice said.

Hermione wanted to scream. She was trying to run from everything, and someone from the past she was running from had just sat down on the bench next to her. Someone who had stood by and watch her get tortured at that.

'What are you doing here Malfoy?' Hermione asked calmly.

'The same thing as you I expect, running,' Draco Malfoy said from her right side.

'What makes you think I'm running? Maybe I'm just getting on a train,' Hermione said irritably as she turned to look at the blonde next to her. He had changed in the month since the final battle. His hair was no longer slicked back but instead shaggy and longer than she remembered, he had the beginnings of stubble on his face too. Hermione thought it suited him far more than his usually clean-shaven look. Although he did look very much like a man on the run.

'Three types of people get the midnight train out of the UK,' Draco said in amusement, 'Fugitives, pregnant women running in shame and people trying to escape their lives.'

'Three guesses which one you are,' Hermione muttered as her eyes glimpsed the clock ticking to 11:56pm.

'I think figuring out which one you are is more interesting,' Draco said smoothly, 'are you trying to escape or are you running from something else?'

'I'm not pregnant Malfoy,' Hermione said with a sigh.

'No, I didn't think so. Running from your life then,' Draco said matter of factly, 'that's odd, aren't you the golden girl?'

'Golden girl,' Hermione scoffed, 'that's a joke. I'm not running from my life, I just want to get away from everyone right now. I'm sick of everyone pretending that the war didn't happen, I'm sick of everyone pretending things are the same. Nothing is the same.'

'No, it isn't,' Draco agreed thoughtfully.

11.58pm.

'I'm not pretending everything's the same,' he added, 'I know I stood by and watched you get tortured. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't, but I'm not going to lie and say I didn't help either.'

Hermione frowned as she looked at him properly, 'What?'

'I wanted to help you Granger,' Draco said again, 'why do you think I sent my old house elf to create a distraction so that you could escape?'

Hermione's brain tried to process this. Harry hadn't actually told her what had happened with Dobby, she had just known that he had appeared and had saved the day. She knew he suspected it had something to do with his mirror, and in the end she had thought it was Aberforth Dumbledore who had sent Dobby.

'Aberforth Dumbledore did that,' Hermione said firmly, she had found her voice once more.

'No he didn't, I asked him to say that he had helped you. It was good for him, and it meant that it didn't get traced to me,' Draco said calmly, 'I didn't fancy getting my insides ripped out by the Dark Lord very much.'

'But…I…what…'

'Well, I've never seen you speechless before Granger,' Draco said in amusement as he pushed himself to his feet.

Hermione was still trying to comprehend what he had just told her when a large steam train trundled into the station and came to a halt in front of them.

'Are you running or staying then Granger?' Draco asked as he stood by one of the train doors.

'I don't know,' Hermione admitted.

'Come on,' Draco said with a boyish grin, 'I'll show you the memory, I'll prove it was me. We can both stop pretending and face what happened in the war.'

The idea was ludicrous, but also incredibly appealing. Hermione was frozen, apparently incapable of making a decision. The train sounded its last whistle.

'Come on Granger, let go and take an adventure with me,' Draco said as he jumped onto the train and held out his hand to her.

Something snapped then, just like it had with Ron earlier. She convinced herself she still had a concussion as she darted towards the train and grabbed Draco's hand. He smirked as he pulled her onto the train and closed the door seconds before it began to pull out of the station.

'Good choice,' He said as they stood close together in the hallway of the train.

'You're a wanted fugitive,' Hermione breathed, 'and I just got on a train with you.'

'Well they do say the good girls are the worst when they go bad,' Draco said in amusement, 'come with me, I'll show the best spot to sit on this train.'

His hand was still in hers and when he began to walk and pull her behind him she followed blindly. Yep, she definitely had a concussion.

It took Hermione a moment to figure out where he was taking her, but she knew something wasn't right when she smelled coal.

'Where are we going?' Hermione hissed.

Draco held his finger to his lips and led her towards the main engine pulling the train.

'Up here,' he whispered, pointing to a ladder leading to a closed hatch atop the train.

'What?' Hermione asked in disbelief.

'Don't you trust me Granger?' Draco asked, that smirk back again.

'No, why the hell would I trust you?' Hermione asked in an agitated whisper.

Draco was still smirking as he climbed the ladder and pushed the hatch open. He glanced down at her and grinned, 'Are you a Gryffindor or not?' he asked as he disappeared.

Hermione stood there for a moment trying to figure out if she should follow him. After a minute or two she groaned in annoyance at herself, and climbed the ladder. She emerged on the roof of the train where Draco grabbed her arm and pushed the hatch down. The train was moving fast and the wind was crazy up here despite the fact it was June.

With a wave of Draco's wand they were encased in a bubble that protected them from the wind which meant that they could enjoy the warmth of the summer night.

'Down here,' Draco said, pulling her down so that she was lying on her stomach next to him on top of the train.

'You are insane,' Hermione said a little breathlessly as she lay in the darkness, 'you can't even see anything from up here.'

'Not yet,' Draco agreed, 'but that's because we're still in the tunnel.'

'What tunnel?' Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

'I didn't think you knew how most wizarding trains worked,' Draco grinned, 'I'll leave it as a surprise.'

'We're only up here because you didn't buy a ticket, aren't we?' Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

'No, we're up here because you will get an amazing view in about 5 minutes time,' Draco said, 'but I didn't buy a ticket, that's true.'

'Of course you didn't, how can a wanted fugitive just walk onto a train,' Hermione muttered to herself.

'Hey, you are on the run with that wanted fugitive,' Draco said in amusement.

'I am not,' Hermione said hotly, 'and I can always say you kidnapped me if they find us.'

'Which they'll be able to investigate and therefore find out that's a lie and that you came with me willingly,' Draco said matter of factly.

'Well I'll blame it on my concussion then,' Hermione said, forgetting that Draco didn't actually know about said concussion. She didn't actually know herself if she had one, really.

He frowned, 'What?'

'Nothing,' Hermione said quickly.

Draco was still frowning at her and then he muttered, 'vicissim obstrepat'.

Hermione didn't know what the charm did at first, but she figured it out when his eyes went to the side of her head where she had a large red bump. She had had the beginnings of a black eye when she had cast the glamour charm earlier, she imagined that it looked far worse now too.

'What the fuck Granger?' Draco hissed, 'is this what you're running from?'

'No, I told you, I just want to get away,' Hermione said, feeling very embarrassed all of a sudden, 'it's not as bad as it looks.'

'Really? Because it looks bad,' Draco said as he touched the bump on her head and she tried not to wince.

'Since when are you a healer?' Hermione asked irritably.

'Since I had to self-heal wounds caused by the cruciatus curse,' Draco said darkly as he mumbled a few charms under his breath.

'Who used the cruciatus curse on you?' Hermione asked quietly.

'Who do you think?'

'You're Father?'

'You don't have a concussion, just a pretty bad knock to the head. So you can't blame your poor decisions to run away with me on a head injury.'

Hermione actually smiled at that, 'Maybe I do just want to escape,' she admitted.

'Well escape in this,' Draco said, 'keep your eyes ahead.'

Hermione frowned in confusion but did as he said. She didn't know what the big deal was at first, but then she saw the end of the tunnel lit up by the train's headlights. They emerged and at first she thought that the train was running on water instead of tracks until it began to climb.

Hermione's eyes widened, 'We're flying?'

Draco nodded, 'Over the North Sea to France. Pretty cool, right? Granger?'

'Is now a bad time to tell you I'm terrified of heights?'

'You're kidding, right?'

Hermione shook her head, frozen to the spot.

'Well here I am trying to show you something cool,' Draco said, casting a concealment charm around them so it seemed like they were in a small tent, rather than in the open air, 'and it backfires in my face. Most girls would have found that romantic, you know.'

'Malfoy, when have I ever been like most girls?' Hermione asked, breathing a bit easier now that the open air was gone.

Draco smiled at her, 'That's true, I always liked that about you actually. You were never selfish, or vain and shallow like the other girls.'

'Jesus, what is going on with you tonight?' Hermione asked in disbelief, 'first you drop the bomb that it was you who saved my life in Malfoy Manor, and now you're telling me you liked me at school when you treated me like shit for 7 years?'

'I'm in a reflective mood, and what the heck is a bomb?'

Hermione actually laughed, despite it all, 'it's a Muggle weapon, you drop it and it explodes. It's pretty horrible, actually.'

'In that case, I don't like that analogy,' Draco commented.

Hermione rolled her eyes, 'I'm serious Malfoy. Are you going to murder me or something? Are you actually a serial killer?'

'Merlin's balls Granger, what did I do to you to make you think so lowly of me?' Draco asked in disbelief, 'a serial killer, really?'

'Well you're acting like a different person,' Hermione said with a frown.

'I'm acting like myself, you've just never known me,' Draco said in amusement, 'have we ever had a proper conversation before tonight?'

Hermione's frown deepened as she thought about that for a moment, '…No.'

'Exactly,' Draco said, 'I'm not as bad a person as you seem to think I am. I was a bully, that much is true but I don't believe in everything you think I do. I'm not a Pureblood enthusiast, that was my Father.'

'So why did you pretend for all those years?'

'Because I was terrified of him,' Draco admitted, 'even when I knew what the dark lord did to traitors I was still more scared of my Father. I was sick of pretending too, so I don't anymore.'

'So this is really you?'

'This is really me.'

'And it was you who sent Dobby?' Hermione asked.

'I swear, it was me,' Draco said, 'I'll show you the memory when we get to France. Where are we jumping off, Calais, Amiens or are we going all the way to Paris?'

'You really want me to go on the run with you?' Hermione asked in disbelief, 'we hardly know each other Malfoy.'

'I know a lot about you-'

'That's not creepy at all,' Hermione said sarcastically.

'I'm serious Granger, I know you love books and reading, and history. I also now know you hate heights so I swear I won't make you go near the Eiffel tower. I bet you love museums, and what if I told you I knew of a giant wizarding library in Paris?'

Hermione smiled, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and run away with him. But she couldn't, not rationally, 'How about we go to Paris together and then part ways?'

'I'll agree to that if you promise to have dinner with me first,' Draco said, 'I know the best Chinese takeaway and the nicest of all the dodgy hotels.'

'You make it sound so appealing,' Hermione joked.

'Well I am a wanted fugitive, otherwise it would be much classier,' Draco said, and Hermione couldn't stop herself from laughing.

'Alright, Paris, dinner and then we go our separate ways,' Hermione said, holding out her hand to him.

Draco took it and shook it, 'Deal,' he said, but as their hands dropped he didn't let go of hers, and she didn't make him.

When the train pulled into Paris Draco and Hermione jumped off and ran from the station, still hand in hand. Hermione found herself laughing, despite all the laws she was breaking. She had broken a whole lot of laws that year anyway, while on the run with Harry and Ron.

She and Draco didn't stop running until they were in the back alleys of Paris at which point Hermione subconsciously tightened her grip in his hand. He didn't seem to mind as they walked slowly, catching their breath from the jog.

'Ah, here's my favourite takeaway,' Draco said happily, pulling her into a small Chinese takeaway and taking the liberty of guessing what she would like and ordering for her when he found out she'd never had a Chinese before.

'I can't believe you've never had a Chinese,' Draco said with a shake of his head as he led her to his apparent nicest of dodgy hotels with their dinner in a paper bag.

'I'm sorry, I didn't realise that made me uncultured,' Hermione said in amusement, 'back home we have fish and chips.'

'Well so do we, but we also have Chinese, and Italian,' Draco remarked.

'Wizarding takeaways?' Hermione asked.

Draco nodded, 'You clearly haven't explored Diagon Alley thoroughly enough Granger. I'll need to show you sometime, they deliver by floo you know.'

'Hmm,' Hermione hummed as they walked in the dim streetlight, it was the middle of the night but neither of them were tired, they were both however starving and the smell of their dinner wasn't helping.

'Here we are,' Draco said, as they stood outside a dingy looking hotel with a flashing neon sign.

'This is where you're staying?' Hermione asked, cocking her head at him.

'Well I don't have much choice, and I'm trying to lay low so yes,' Draco shrugged as they walked towards the check in desk, 'we'll have to give fake names.'

Hermione nodded numbly, this all felt incredibly illegal which was the most foreign concept ever to her.

'Do you have a room?' Draco asked when they reached the desk.

The elderly woman behind it nodded and spoke with a thick French accent, 'One left, what are ze names?'

'Heath Whitecliff and Catherine Earnshaw.'

The woman wrote the names down in the book and thrust a key at them. Draco thanked her and took Hermione's hand, leading her up the stairs to the top floor and to room number 16a. They didn't talk until they were in the tiny room, and even then not a word was said until Draco had cast security charms and locked the door. Hermione knew she could help, but as much as she wanted to she couldn't bring herself to do it. Aiding a fugitive was definitely against the law and she really didn't want time in prison.

'Wuthering Heights, really?' Hermione asked finally when the charms were complete.

Draco shrugged, 'There is a small amount of Muggle literature in the Manor back home. It makes for interesting reading.'

'That's very interesting,' Hermione remarked as she cast cleaning charms on the room which consisted of a double bed with two bedside tables. There was also an adjoining bathroom with a toilet, sink and tiny shower.

'That I read Muggle literature?' Draco asked, opening the paper bag and handing Hermione a plastic tub and a fork.

Hermione nodded and took a bite, 'This is not the gourmet dinner I imagined Draco Malfoy buying me.'

'You imagined me buying you dinner?' Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

A blush rose in Hermione's cheeks, 'No…I…that came out wrong. I phrased it badly.'

Draco just grinned, and they made small talk, mostly about Muggle literature as they ate. Draco had bought cheap, terrible wine at the Chinese and when they had finished eating he opened it and they passed the bottle back and forth. It was the complete opposite of the way she imagined Draco to be. If she had ever thought of going on a date with him she would have expected a fancy restaurant, expensive food, and expensive wine. She would have worn an expensive dress and he would have worn a suit. If she'd ever imagined it, of course.

But here they were, Hermione in jeans and a jumper, and Draco in jeans and a shirt drinking cheap wine and eating Chinese in a dodgy hotel with false identities. Despite all of that, it was perfect.

'Well Granger, I must say I'm glad to confirm what I always knew,' Draco said, lying back on the bed after the bottle of wine had been drained.

'What's that?' Hermione asked curiously.

'I always knew you had a thing for me,' Draco said, his trademark cocky smirk back on his face.

Hermione scoffed, 'A thing for you? Please Malfoy, we're barely even friends.'

'Do you often go to Paris and end up in a dodgy hotel with someone you're not even friends with then?' Draco grinned.

Hermione swung to hit him, she didn't want to hit him hard, just a playful slap, but she didn't get the chance. Draco caught her arm and pulled her down to lie next to him. She didn't see any point in moving but she did narrow her eyes at him.

'No, I don't, and I really don't know what's gotten into me night,' Hermione admitted.

'I do,' Draco said honestly, 'you want to escape, and I want to escape and we're the only two people in this whole fucking world who aren't pretending. Fuck Granger, we're messed up, we're broken into a million pieces. But we're being honest with each other, we're not pretending things are like they were because they aren't. If they were we wouldn't be having this conversation.'

'I know,' Hermione said thoughtfully, 'I know everything's different. I'm scared of everything these days Malfoy, I jump at the slightest thing.'

'I can't stand someone pointing a wand at me,' Draco admitted, 'I'm terrified they'll cast the cruciatus curse on me. I can't…I can't forget the pain of it.'

'Neither can I,' Hermione said, shutting her eyes tightly, 'when it was over I felt like I would never be able to move again.'

'My Father and the dark lord used it on me 8 times in one night,' Draco said darkly, 'I thought I was paralysed for life. I couldn't move for hours after.'

Hermione opened her eyes and caught his, 'I can't stand to hide it, Malfoy. I can't pretend I'm fine anymore.'

'You don't have to, not with me anyway,' Draco said, 'you can be as fucked up as you want.'

'Well I don't want to be fucked up at all,' Hermione admitted, 'but that doesn't change the fact that I am.'

'Hey we've both got our scars,' Draco said gently, 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours.'

Hermione frowned, not entirely sure of the ambiguous nature of that statement, 'You first then.'

Draco unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. It was the only way to show her the state of his right arm. Hermione actually gasped when she saw it and she had seen some pretty brutal things. It was ripped to pieces, there were hundreds of long thin scars, it looked like he had been attacked by something.

'What did that?'

'I did,' Draco replied calmly, 'with that handy 'Sectumsempra' curse of Potter's.'

'Didn't it hurt?' Hermione asked as he chewed her lip.

'Like hell, and part of me wishes I hadn't done it but the dark mark…it wasn't fading and I was terrified that it never would, that part of my punishment would be to bear it forever so I tried to get rid of it,' Draco said darkly.

'And you were left with a hundred more scars,' Hermione whispered.

Draco nodded and caught her eye, 'Your turn.'

Hermione sighed, she couldn't show him the scar without taking her jumper off. The sleeves were too tight, she wouldn't be able to pull them up as far as her elbow. She could have said no, but the bottle of wine combined with the events of the long day made her throw caution to the wind. She pulled her jumper over her head and discarded it next to her, she didn't miss Draco's smirk at the colour of her bra, Gryffindor scarlet red.

'There,' Hermione said, thrusting her right arm out. The word was still clear, the scars hadn't faded to white yet. They were still red and angry, and her arm often hurt. The healers called it a scar cursed by dark magic which meant it would never entirely heal and it would always twinge slightly.

'You aren't.'

'What?'

'A mudblood,' Draco said, his grey eyes finding hers, 'you are a beautiful, talented, amazing witch. Don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise.'

'That's rich coming from you,' Hermione said.

'I mean it Granger,' Draco said, reaching out and gripping her hand, 'You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. If I could go back and take all of the pain for you, take the scar for you, I would.'

Hermione didn't know what told her that he was telling the truth, but something did. Maybe it was the raw emotion in his voice, or the fact he looked close to tears, or maybe it was his hand gripping hers tightly. Either way the sincerity of his words combined with the cheap wine all added up to one thing.

Their lips crashed together almost violently. It wasn't a slow, sloppy kiss, or a drunken kiss like the ones she had shared with Ron on the odd night they had spent together. It was fast, it was hard, it was all teeth and biting and Hermione was fairly sure one of them had drawn blood but they didn't care.

Hermione didn't try and forget or pretend as she moved to straddle Draco and pin him beneath her. She wasn't going to pretend he hadn't hurt her, because he had but she had a new way to channel it, and it was far more enjoyable than punching him in the face.

'Fuck Granger,' Draco said breathlessly as they broke for air and pulled the remaining clothes off of the other, 'when the good girls go bad they go really bad.'

'Shut up Malfoy,' Hermione muttered, capturing his lips once more.

They were supposed to go their separate ways. Paris, dinner and then they would part. That was their deal, that was what they had agreed. It hadn't happened. Hermione had to face that fact when she woke up being spooned by Draco in the dingy hotel room with the sunlight streaming through the window.

She sighed, now not only was she on the run with a known fugitive, she was also sleeping with him.

'Morning Granger,' Draco mumbled, his lips against her neck, Hermione shivered, and she felt him smile.

'So much for parting ways after dinner.'

'I had a feeling that wouldn't happen,' Draco admitted as he stretched and let her turn to face him.

'What happened last night Malfoy…I…'

Draco shook his head, 'I enjoyed it Granger, so whatever you were going to say, just don't say it.'

'Okay,' Hermione said simply, 'but I really do think we should part ways now and-'

'Give me a week,' Draco cut in, 'a week in Paris.'

'Okay,' Hermione agreed, surprising both herself and Draco.

He grinned and leant in to kiss her, 'I think we should start this week by staying in bed just a little longer. The French get up so late anyway.'

'Uh-huh,' Hermione said with the hint of a smile as she let him kiss her once more.

She gave him the week in Paris. They did a lot that week, they visited every art gallery and museum that Draco could think of. They spent a whole day in the biggest wizarding library in Europe. Draco managed to drag Hermione to the top of the Eiffel tower, and her price was dinner, done properly. So he broke his cover and took her to a nice restaurant, and she wore a pretty dress and it was like a proper date. But they left after the main course because it wasn't anywhere near as good as the Chinese with the cheap wine in the hotel room. They went for long walks, they sat on top of the hotel roof and watched the sunset. And they spent every night, and most of the morning in bed together. It was the perfect week, and the most terrible thing had happened during it.

As much as she told herself not to she had fallen in love with Draco Malfoy. She knew from the beginning that this, whatever it was, would never last. Even if he wasn't on the run they wouldn't stand a chance. They were Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger for crying out loud, they had been kidding themselves all week that this could be anything. But it had been perfect, so Hermione found she didn't mind much.

When the week was coming to its end Hermione finally spoke to Draco about the elephant in the room. It was their last night together, and then they would part ways as agreed. They were lying in bed, with Hermione's head on Draco's chest when she said, 'why are you on the run?'

'Because I'm a criminal.'

'I know, but what are they charging with you if they catch you?' Hermione asked gently.

'War crimes,' Draco replied honestly.

'What war crimes Draco?' Hermione asked, craning her head to look up at him.

'Murder, torture, and blackmail.'

'Are they all true?' Hermione asked, her blood running cold as she feared the answer.

'Yes, Hermione,' Draco said, shutting her eyes, 'they are all true.'

Hermione didn't say anything at first, she didn't even move her head from his chest. She just sighed, 'So it's true then, you have to kill a Muggle to become a Death Eater.'

'Yes.'

'And you did that.'

'Yes.'

'Do you regret it?' Hermione asked.

'Every day of my life,' Draco admitted, 'I picked a bad one, as if it would help morally. But it didn't.'

'What do you mean a 'bad' one?' Hermione asked with a frown.

'A Muggle who had been convicted of some pretty horrible crimes, like murder and rape,' Draco said, 'I thought if I killed a bad Muggle then it made me some kind of vigilante, but it didn't change the fact that it made me a murderer.'

Hermione was silent, unsure how to respond to that and unsure how she felt about that moral quandary. They were silent for a good while, and Draco thought Hermione had fallen asleep when she asked, 'What happens if they catch you?'

'Azkaban, for life,' Draco replied.

Hermione sighed, 'Then go tonight, get a head start. I don't want you to get caught.'

'I want to spend tonight with you,' Draco said, not moving an inch.

'Please, Draco,' Hermione said, a little desperately, 'people recognised you at that restaurant today. They'll find you soon, leave tonight.'

Draco looked in her eye and nodded when he saw the sincerity there. He got up and dressed silently then knelt on the edge of the bed, 'I'll never forget this week Hermione,' he promised, kissing her lightly on the lips.

'Neither will I, now go before the Aurors show up,' Hermione said softly.

Draco nodded, slinging his bag over his back and leaving, shutting the door with a snap behind him. The whole place felt cold and lonely all of a sudden with him gone, and Hermione decided to leave too. She still had enough time to make the midnight train if she got her things together, so she packed and left, weaving through the alleys of Paris with ease after the week she had spent there. She got to the station, bought her ticket and boarded the train back to the UK. It wasn't until she sat down in a compartment and lay her head against the window as the train left Paris that she allowed herself to cry.

The week seemed so perfect that she wondered for a moment if it had even been real or if this was just an elaborate dream. But she knew it wasn't, it had happened, as surreal and fantastic as it had been. Hermione could only close her eyes and think of that night with the Chinese and the cheap wine as the train sped her miles and miles away from Draco.

Nothing had changed when Hermione got back home. Everyone was still pretending, although Ron had disappeared not long after Hermione and from the cryptic answers his family gave them Hermione and Harry could only make the assumption he was in the rehabilitation ward in St. Mungo's now that his alcohol habits had come to the fore.

Nobody had asked where she had been that week, nobody apart from Harry who she had lied to. Well, partially anyway, she had told him she went to Paris because she needed to get away. She just didn't tell him who she went to Paris with. Hermione tried to move on, she took a job in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and she tried to forget about Draco and throw herself into her work. It worked for a while.

But then she had woken up on a cold September morning, the frost was really beginning to settle in now that the summers warmth had evaporated. She went about her usual business in her small flat, and the shock came when she sat down to read her morning newspaper. Emblazoned on the front page were pictures of Draco getting arrested, and of him in a striped Azkaban jumpsuit. Her heart faltered as she skimmed the article. He had been arrested in Russia after a local tip off, he was currently in holding in the lower cells of the Ministry until his trial which would be tomorrow.

Hermione knew that if it went to trial he would be convicted, and his life in Azkaban prediction would become reality. She couldn't let that happen, she couldn't watch him rot in Azkaban. He had done bad things, but he wasn't a bad person, if the world knew that maybe he would get a more lenient sentence. Hermione was desperate, and she only knew of one person who could help so she found herself at that person's front door.

'Hermione! What are you doing here so early?' Ginny asked as she answered the door with Teddy in her arms and a bottle in her hand.

'Is Harry here? I really have to talk to him,' Hermione said urgently.

Ginny frowned, 'Yeah, he's just in the kitchen. Is everything okay?'

'No,' Hermione said as she walked through the flat into the kitchen where Harry was making coffee.

'Hermione!'

'Harry, have you seen the paper?' Hermione asked.

'Yeah, I've been expecting it for a while. He couldn't evade the Aurors forever,' Harry said casually as he glanced at the paper.

'You have to put in a good word for him Harry, you have to vouch for him. He doesn't deserve life in Azkaban, you must know that,' Hermione said frantically.

Harry frowned, 'Hermione, what the hell? Since when did you care so much about Malfoy?'

'When I went to Paris that week Harry, I went with him,' Hermione admitted.

'With Malfoy?' Harry asked in disbelief.

'It wasn't planned, it just sort of…happened. But the point is he's a good person, well he's a little screwed up from the war but then aren't we all,' Hermione rambled, 'but they're going to give him life Harry, please don't let that happen.'

'Merlin Hermione, what was this? A fling? Because it sounds like you care about him,' Harry said, now pacing the kitchen in shock.

'I started to fall in love with him,' Hermione said honestly, 'but he was on the run, and I had to come back…it was never going to last.'

'Harry, is there anything you can do?' Ginny's voice asked from the doorway.

'I don't know, I'm only a junior Auror,' Harry admitted.

'But you must have some sway, you're the chosen one, the bloody saviour of our world and Draco's charges are war crimes.'

'Are they true Hermione, the charges?' Harry asked calmly.

Hermione nodded, 'You have to murder a Muggle to become a Death Eater. He killed a convicted murder and rapist, he thought he would be able to deal with the regret that way. But he couldn't.'

'Jesus Christ,' Harry muttered, 'murder? I don't know how much sway I have, but I know it's not that much.'

'Harry, can you do anything?' Hermione asked desperately.

'I'll try,' Harry promised, 'but I can't guarantee anything Hermione.'

Hermione nodded, gripping Harry in a tight hug, 'That's enough. Thank you Harry, thank you so much.'

Harry nodded, 'You're welcome, but if this comes off well I want a full bloody explanation.'

Hermione smiled weakly and nodded, 'I promise you'll have one.'

That day dragged on, as did the day after that. Hermione was waiting for Harry to appear on her doorstep with the news of the trial. She had barely slept and she hadn't eaten. She was pacing the living room when Harry knocked on the door and then let himself in.

He looked tired, and the moment that he caught Hermione's eye she knew the news was bad.

'H…Harry?'

Harry shook his head, 'They transport him to Azkaban tonight.'

'For life?' Hermione asked, her voice fading away.

'No,' Harry sighed, 'I told you I had some sway, but not enough to make a huge difference. They charged him with a year for blackmail, two for torture and they reduced the charge of murder to manslaughter which he has to serve 5 years for. That's 8 years in prison Hermione.'

'I know Harry, I can count,' Hermione snapped.

'Sorry,' Harry muttered.

'No, I'm sorry. You helped, you really did,' Hermione promised, 'it's just…'

'It's still not a great outcome,' Harry finished for her, sitting down heavily on her sofa.

'Now, this explanation that you owe me. Since I just shaved a lot of time off of my arch-enemies prison sentence, I think now is the time to hear it.'

Hermione nodded and sat down next to him, ready to tell him the entire story.

Draco wasn't allowed visitors until he had been in Azkaban for three months. Hermione found herself to be somewhere between nervous and terrified as she stepped off of the boat at the foot of the prison. It wasn't the same, there were no dementors and visitors were now allowed but it was still a brutal prison on an island in the middle of nowhere at the end of the day.

Hermione had to go through security and hand over all of her possessions before she could be shown into a small room with 5 tables each with a chair on either side. She spotted Draco right away, now wearing his blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, her stomach lurched at the familiarity of it. He looked far too much like his Father, if she hadn't been forced to leave her wand she would have cut it off. His stubble had transformed into the beginnings of a beard now and his face lit up when he saw her enter the room.

'Hey,' Hermione said softly as she sat down across from him.

'Hey,' Draco echoed, 'I didn't expect to see you again.'

'I wasn't going to come,' Hermione admitted, 'but I couldn't leave it where it was.'

Draco nodded, 'I'm glad you came. I hear I have you to thank, apparently Potter was the one who got my sentence reduced and I'm guessing that had a lot to do with you.'

'I'm ashamed to say I begged him to vouch for you,' Hermione sighed, 'and then had to tell him the full story, about Paris.'

'Wonderful,' Draco said sarcastically, 'but thank you. 8 years is an improvement on life.'

'It must seem like a long time right now,' Hermione said.

'It does,' Draco said with a nod, 'so don't feel you have to wait for me or anything stupid like that. Paris was-'

'Paris was perfect,' Hermione said, 'let's leave it at that.'

'Good idea,' Draco said, looking quite lost, 'I expect you'll be married, probably with a troop of kids by the time I get out of here anyway.'

'Maybe,' Hermione said thoughtfully, 'but I never wanted to have kids until I was 30, and that's over 10 years away. So maybe I'll just focus on my career for the next 8 years. You never know, I might be head of the DMLE by the time you get out of here.'

Draco smiled slightly, 'So there is some hope for us yet then.'

'Yeah,' Hermione said gently, taking his hand in her own.

'Who knows, maybe we can go back to Paris one day and stay in that sleazy hotel,' Draco said softly.

'We could even drink cheap wine and eat Chinese,' Hermione smiled.

Draco's eyes sparkled a little at that, and Hermione was glad to see some life in them again, 'Will you visit me?'

Hermione shook her head, 'No, I think it's best we leave it here,' she said as she got to her feet.

The light faded from his eyes and it broke her heart, but she knew it wasn't fair to drag this out.

'I understand,' Draco said.

'I'm glad,' Hermione said softly, 'but Draco, when you get out of here, meet me in Paris?'

Draco's smiled returned, 'Okay,' he said.

Hermione smiled back at him, 'Goodbye for now, Draco Malfoy.'

'Goodbye for now, Hermione Granger,' Draco echoed as Hermione walked out of the prison, and boarded the boat. Once more leaving Draco miles and miles behind her.

Hermione had seen in the papers that Draco had been released from Azkaban, and she had gotten away from work as fast as she could. It had been two days since his release when she walked into the dodgy looking hotel in the back alleys of Paris with its neon sign. She smiled fondly at it and walked up the desk where a young man was sitting.

'Is there a man booked in here as Heath Whitecliff?' Hermione asked nervously.

He glanced at his books and nodded, 'Are you the Catherine Earnshaw he requested a spare key for?'

Hermione nodded, and the man handed her a key, telling her to go on up. She couldn't believe it when she read the number on the key fob, 16a. Just like the last time. She smiled slightly as she took a deep breath and let herself into the room.

She saw him straight away. He was standing by the window watching the sun set behind the Eiffel tower.

'I brought Chinese,' Hermione said, and Draco spun around in shock.

She smiled, 'There's even some cheap wine in there. Can you believe they're still open?'

Draco smiled at the normalcy of it all, he looked much the same. His hair was short again, his stubble back, but his beard gone. He was older, he had more lines. And he was thinner than Hermione remembered but he was much the same. She hadn't changed much either, her hair was less bushy, she had grown into a woman a little more. But they were still the same.

'You look good.'

'So do you.'

'I've missed you.'

'I've missed you too Draco,' Hermione said, shutting the door behind her and sitting down on the bed.

'So, are you married?'

'No.'

'Engaged?'

'Once, but not anymore.'

'Who to?'

'Terry Boot.'

'Why didn't you marry him?'

'We were talking about wedding ideas, and he wanted to get married in Paris,' Hermione admitted, 'I said no, Paris is our city, I'd never come back here with another man. He didn't take well to the news that I had spent a week here on the run with a man who was then in jail.'

'Ravenclaws,' Draco scoffed, 'such goody goodies.'

Hermione smiled fondly, 'I had a feeling you might say that.'

'Any kids?'

'I'm not 30 yet, so no,' Hermione replied, 'are you finished with your questions yet because I'd really like to eat Chinese food, get drunk on cheap wine and catch up with you, if you catch my drift.'

Draco grinned, 'Hermione, I've been in prison for 8 years. What say we forgo the food and wine and jump straight to the catching up part?'

Hermione mirrored his grin, 'You haven't changed one single bit Draco Malfoy.'

'Is that a yes?' Draco asked, joining her on the bed.

'Yes,' Hermione laughed, capturing his lips in a kiss once more. Despite it all, despite everything, it all felt okay again. As wrong as it was and as much as logic dictated it would never work they were Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, they were in Paris and after all of this time apart they were still in love with each other. They had denied that for too long, they had been pretending and neither of them wanted to pretend anymore.

The End! :)

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! :D