A/N: This is a really old oneshot I wrote based on the song "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt. All Characters and Locations belong to the lovely JK Rowling.
He walked into the crowded ministry, ready for his promotion. He had to get promoted. He had been working way too hard to not get promoted. If he got promoted he would become head of the department and Astoria would love him even more. He had an amazing life. Plenty of money, a gorgeous girlfriend, and a great job that he loved. But he always had this nagging at the back of his mind, like he had some unfinished business.
So maybe he wasn't in love with Astoria. He was sure it would come with time. His parents approved of her and she was a pureblood. What more could he want. But maybe he wanted someone his parents didn't approve of. His parents had gotten him in a lot of trouble because of their views and with Voldemort. He disliked pureblood women really. They were raised to be elegant and proper. This usually also made them cold and uncaring. Every once in a while Astoria seemed to care. Every once in a while she smiled.
He was walking by the fountain when he saw her. She had curly brown hair that was swept up into a clip and a beautiful face. She was wearing a skirt that showed off her long legs and a red and gold striped blouse that showed off her house. He had seen her before but he couldn't place her. She was sitting by the fountain and was looking for someone. She smiled and waved at someone. Draco turned to see who it was and saw the famous red hair. He knew immediately that it was Ron Weasley, the weasel. That would make the amazing girl Hermione Granger. He had always liked Hermione for her mind. She was the only one who he had to work to keep up with in school. He never liked her looks though…until now. She had grown into an amazing woman. He thought about the time at school when she had walked in on him in the girl's bathroom once. They were in their sixth year and he was in there crying about the pressure he was under. She had comforted him and he never forgot that. He had to fight to control himself when they showed up at the manor the next year and his aunt tortured her. He had fallen in love with her then and made himself forget about her. Seeing her now made him realize that the feelings he had for her in his heart would never go away.
Ron walked over to her and placed a kiss on her lips and sat down with her by the fountain. Draco was filled with jealousy. He wished he was the one next to her. Eating lunch with her. Kissing her soft and beautiful lips. Staring into those heart melting eyes of hers. Yeah he had Astoria, but she was a prize to be won. Hermione was a gift to be treasured. He had to work hard to get Astoria and she always made him feel like he didn't deserve her. Hermione was different, he could tell. The way she cared for her friends so much. She would take care of him and comfort him. If he wanted to quit his job she would support his decision. Astoria would leave him for that decision. She was determined not to have to work for the rest of her life. Hermione had a job and, knowing how ambitious and headstrong she is, she probably was already close to the top and would never give that up.
She grabbed Ron's hand and began to walk towards the elevators. As she passed Draco she caught his eye. His blonde hair was longer and hanged in his eyes. His eyes were like a stormy ocean. She remembered back in Hogwarts. Although she would never admit, she always found Draco attractive. She often wondered how being a seeker affected his body. She had seen Harry shirtless a thousand times and she wondered if Draco had the same built chest. But it wasn't just looks. She loved how smart he was and that he never was behind in his studies. He had always hurt her with words though. It cut like glass when he used to insult her.
She noticed in sixth year though how he had fallen behind and that he didn't insult her as often. One day he ran past her in the hallways. She was determined to find out what was wrong, so she followed him. She walked into the bathroom he had run into and saw him crying. She didn't know why but she felt the need to help him. She comforted him and to her surprise he let her. She understood why he was crying after what Harry had told her about the night on the astronomy tower. She was happy Draco couldn't go through with it. It showed that there was still good in him, still hope. After the battle she went looking for him, but couldn't find him. She wanted to tell him she understood what he went through and that she would always be there for him. She decided to help him at his trial. She gave a testimony anomalously. It was her way of being there for him and to give him a second chance.
He saw a look of want mixed with need in her eyes when she looked at him. Or maybe he just imagined that was what was in her eyes. What he wanted to see in her eyes. After the battle at Hogwarts he went to go find her but his mother found him first and they apparated back to the manor. The ministry was waiting for them and they were forced to go to Azkaban to await the trial. They got off due to Harry and some other unknown testimony of the good him and his mother did.
His mother paired him up with Astoria as soon as he was back. A week later he read in the prophet that Hermione and the weasel were seeing each other. He now knew what was nagging him at the back of his mind because know it was walking by him and holding the hand of a red headed idiot. He wanted her. But he knew he could never have her.