Draco Malfoy snuck inside the infirmary that night. He was careful not to get caught by Filch or that nasty cat of his, Mrs. Norris on his way up from the dungeons. It didn't take much for him to be free of Crabbe and Goyle's company, too. He just waggled pie in front of them and they immediately forgot about him. Looking around at the beds with occupants, he soon spotted the one he was looking for.
"Come on, Granger." He said with an angry look painted on his face. "You were supposed to be smarter than this."
He looked around to see if anyone was looking and then gingerly stroked the arm that was extended in front of her, holding a mirror.
"I warned you. I called you a 'mudblood'. You were supposed to know that you could be targeted." He sighed looking into her brown, unmoving, unknowing eyes. "Now look at you, frozen, petrified, turned into stone."
He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath.
Slowly, he leaned closer to her, almost touching his lips to her ear. "Please… Please wake up soon."
And then he stood up straight, gave her one last look and walked away.
Hermione Granger pulled off the invisibility cloak over her head. It was way past midnight. She had to wait until everyone in the Gryffindor was in the deepest REM of sleep before moving. She stole Harry's cloak from his trunk – thankful that boys were such sound sleepers to have not heard the thump of the trunk closing shut. She was in the infirmary now and there he was – the lone occupant, the one she wanted to see.
She walked up to him and sat on the chair next to him. She stared at him for what seemed like forever and finally spoke.
"What are you up to, Malfoy?" She whispered, her eyes taking in his sleeping, peaceful form. "I see you sneak around all the time. You never listen in class. You're barely there when you are. You don't even shove me aside anymore or call me insulting names."
She reached for his hand and carefully grazed it with her two fingers.
"You're always in the seventh floor corridor. I see you enter the Room of Requirement and come out angry, confused and… afraid." She sighed. "Damn it, Malfoy. Just… just stop it – whatever it is. You're not an idiot, even though you act like one at times. Just stop and for once in your life please, please choose to do the right thing."
She stood up, leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I'm so sorry about what Harry did. I'm just glad Snape found you in time." And then she gave him the faintest and softest kiss on his cheek before slipping the cloak over her head and walking away.
"Hello Malfoy." Hermione said, standing on the empty spot next to where Draco was.
"Granger." Draco said, acknowledging her presence.
"It's Weasley."
"Where?" he asked, looking around.
"No, I meant, it's not Granger. It's Weasley." She corrected.
"Huh."
"Huh?"
"I knew that. You'll always be Granger though, Granger."
She sighed, "If you say so."
Silence.
"He's yours, I bet." Hermione said, pointing to the baby on the second row, right in front of him.
"Surely the blonde hair gave him away." He replied.
"That and his snobbish, aristocratic nose." She joked.
He glared at her and she laughed some more.
"His name?"
"Scorpius."
"Feisty." She commented and he merely nodded.
Silence.
"No doubt that one's yours." He said pointing to the little girl next to his son.
"Surely the red hair gave him away." She said, copying his words.
"That and her bossy, know-it-all, turned-up nose." He joked, mimicking her.
This time, she was the one who glared.
"Her name?"
"Rose."
"How… precious." He said cringing at his use of the word. She glared but laughed anyway.
"Well, I think I should go back to my room now. I only went down to check up on Rose." She smiled again, looking proudly at her daughter.
"Mhmmm…"
"See you around, Malfoy."
He merely gave a curt nod.
Right when she turned to leave he called out, "Granger?"
She turned back around, "Yes?"
"Are you happy?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just that… Are you happy?"
She paused for a while then said, "I am."
"Everything going according to your liking?"
"Well, yes."
"Good."
She gave her a confused look and when it was obvious he wasn't saying anything anymore she turned to go. After taking three steps she turned around though and asked, "Are YOU happy?"
He looked up at her, then at Scorpius and paused for a moment. "You know what, I think I will be."
She smiled. "Good."
Silence.
"Well then, I'll see you. I hope you have a really good life, Malfoy." She said softly and walked away.
"Have a good life too, Granger." He called after her.
When he saw her round the corner, he turned to Scorpius and whispered, "I really wanted her to be your mommy." then turned to Rose and chuckled, "No offense, little Weaslette." Then, he turned to the opposite side where Hermione went and walked off to find his wife.
Around the other corner though, Hermione Granger heard everything Draco Malfoy said when she meant to go back to give Rose one more look. She sighed and let a tear she didn't know was there slide down her cheek. Turning to watch his retreating form she whispered, "I did too."
A/N: Thus ends the tale of a literally secret love. Sorry for the lack of a happy ending. If you really think about it though, they both had happy enough endings. Anyway, this was just something that popped in my head last night. I hope you enjoyed!
I am not J.K. Therefore, I do not own Harry Potter.