A/N: This one-shot came out of me in… one-shot… on a Saturday afternoon. I couldn't type fast enough to even keep up with it, and wrote it almost entirely on my phone before switching to computer. Sometimes little stories just insist on being birthed. This one is so sweet, I adore it and I hope you do too!
* Year 1 *
[Sometime in the days after Quirrell died, but before Harry was conscious again.]
"Are you the side-kick or the damsel in distress, Granger?"
Hermione was exiting the library when she heard his obnoxious drawl cascading down the corridor. She turned to see Draco Malfoy striding towards her, flanked as always by his two cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Feeling even more brazen than usual after their successful trip through the trap door, she merely raised an eyebrow in response.
"I've been working out a theory, you see. If Potter is the hero than that only leaves two other roles for you and the Weasel. I was hoping you could confirm your side-kick status, so I could carry on taking the piss out of Weasley for being the damsel."
"Malfoy, you are a tiresome little prat. Do trot along, I'm already bored of this conversation."
Then she turned on her heel as he shouted after her.
"Hey! You get back here when I am speaking to you, Granger! Granger!"
As she turned the corner she heard the shrieking tones of Madame Pince who had come all the way from her desk in the library to chew Malfoy out for making such a commotion just outside the library doors.
She smirked to herself, a slight skip in her step as she made her way to the hospital wing to sit with Harry for a while.
* Year 2 *
[Shortly before the end of year feast.]
Hermione awoke to the singular cheer of Madame Pomfrey who had just administered the mandrake draft, awakening Hermione from her state of petrification.
"There's a basilisk!" We're the first words to shoot out of her mouth.
"Correction my dear, there WAS a Basilisk! Thanks to your excellent note taking skills, however, Mr. Potter was alerted to the threat and has since neutralized it."
"He… what?!"
"Lie down, girl. I'm sure you'll hear the story more thrillingly told than I could possibly manage, but I need you to keep calm so that I can run some tests and release you from this wing, otherwise you will miss the leaving feast!"
Hermione protested a bit, but ultimately gave in, remaining silent until she was free to go. She rushed down the corridor on her way to the great hall, when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
"So you're alive, then?"
She spun around. He was alone this time.
"Yes, so sorry to disappoint you, Malfoy," she said acidly.
He merely stared at her. "That was a foolish thing you did, wandering around the corridors at night. I thought you had some sense in you, Granger."
She scoffed. "And why would you care what I do? You were the one wishing my death-"
"When have I ever-"
"To Ron and Harry when you thought they were Crabbe and Goyle."
His eyes widened in shock. "Excuse me?"
She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows triumphantly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It's even sweeter that you never figured it out."
"But," he began, sputtering, "how did they get their grubby hands on polyjuice potion? As if either of them have the galleons to-"
"I brewed it, you twit," she said through gritted teeth.
He stared back at her, mouth agape.
"You brewed the polyjuice potion?" He croaked, "...successfully?"
She gave a haughty nod in reply.
"But, I've tried that two summers in a row, it's extremely difficult."
"And I did it in a stall in an out of use girl's lavatory, not some fancy potions lab my Daddy gave me."
She was rarely a braggart, but this was far too good of an opportunity to pass up.
He looked at her, nonplussed. After a long moment, he screwed up his face and said, "that's illegal. Why are you even telling me? You know I could have you expelled. My Father is on the board of Governors, and-"
She laughed. "Oh Malfoy, I have a feeling that this is one achievement of mine that your Father will not be hearing about."
Then she did something she'd never done before, truly fueled by the adrenaline of the moment, she blew him a kiss paired with a wink before hurrying off down the corridor and out of his line of sight.
* Year 3 *
[Sometime between Sirius Black's escape and the end of term]
Hermione exited Professor McGonnagal's office. She'd just gone to hand in her time turner and to drop Muggle Studies for the following school year.
She couldn't imagine what sort of state she would be in if she tried to keep up with the same course load a second time. Feeling a weight lifted, she trotted happily through the airy, sunlit castle.
Somehow, when a snide voice interrupted her blissful solitude, she was not altogether surprised. This had become something of a tradition for them.
"I know you know where the hippogriff is, Granger."
She was rolling her eyes even before she had turned to look at him.
"Prove it," she said, crossing her arms as she usually did in his presence.
"You know very well I have no concrete evidence."
She stepped up closer to him, closer than was comfortable for her, and she grinned inwardly when he seemed thrown off by her proximity.
"Then stop running your mouth, will you? If I didn't know better, I'd assume you liked being hit across the face. It's almost like you're begging me to."
They scowled at one another for a long moment, and she was determined not to be the first the break eye contact.
Then, for a fraction of a second, she caught Malfoy's eyes flitting down to her lips and back up. It had been almost imperceptible. She blinked, not sure if she'd imagined it or-
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you step away from one another before I have to endure another howler from Lucius about keeping his son out of harm's way."
"Of course, Professor," they chorused in unison, then turned to scowl at one another before turning and walking in opposite directions.
* Year 4 *
[Just after breakfast, the morning after the third task.]
Hermione and Ron exited the Great Hall together, just having listened to Dumbledore giving a small speech and asking them all not to bother Harry with a lot of questions.
"Well, I hope that excludes us. I'm dying to know the details."
"Ron we probably shouldn't press him yet. I doubt he has the emotional energy to-"
"Well I'm at least gonna go sit with him, he can tell me what he wants. You gonna come, Mione?"
"No, I need to get to the library."
Ron scoffed. "Really? Today?"
She nodded. "Yes, especially today, Ronald."
"Fine, see you in the common room later."
"See you," she muttered, slightly annoyed because she knew Ron would not be able to withhold his questions from Harry.
As she rounded the corner to the next corridor on her way to the library, she collided with someone and staggered backward with a howl of pain.
"Granger," he growled.
"Watch where you're going, Malfoy!"
"I think you're the one that needs to be watching where you're going."
She had been brushing off her robes to rid herself of whatever grime may have transferred from his surely greasy Slytherin robes to hers, but she stilled when he spoke.
Glaring up at him she said, "is that a threat?"
He shook his head quickly. "It's a fact. You and I both know the Dark Lord has returned. It's only a matter of time before muggle-borns are being rounded up and-"
She stared at him quizzically and he stopped mid-sentence when he realized why.
"Mudbloods. I meant Mudbloods," he said, suddenly looking panic stricken.
She gasped at him, trying to discern what exactly was happening inside of his head.
When she didn't make any sort of reply, he scoffed. "Look just stay out of my way, Granger, just... just keep out of the way."
And with that, he pushed past her, their shoulders grazing in a non-aggressive manner as he passed.
* Year 5 *
[The middle of the night in the hospital wing, shortly after the showdown at the Ministry of Magic]
Hermione was stirred from sleep by a disturbance in the room. She had been taking ten different potions a day to recover from Dolohov's curse, and the night time ones had made her particularly disorientated.
She began to drift back to sleep when she felt a soft pair of fingers brush a stray curl off her face. In that space between waking and sleeping, however, she couldn't place what was happening in reality vs in her dream world. Dimly, she registered that someone was holding her hand. Then they were placing their forehead on hers.
"I'm so sorry, Granger," a voice whispered in her ear.
When she awoke the next morning, she did not tell anyone about her dream. If it had indeed been a dream. It had to have been a dream.
None of her friends at Hogwarts ever called her Granger...
* Year 6 *
[Just before Harry Leaves with Dumbledore to find the locket horcrux]
Harry had just shoved a pair of socks into Rons hand and insisted that they round up the D.A. and watch for Malfoy on the Marauder's map.
Hermione grabbed the tiny bottle of Felix and tried to give it back to him, but he was adamant that he wanted to know they'd be okay.
They followed his instructions and within 15 minutes Ron, Ginny and Neville were on the seventh floor waiting for Malfoy to come out of the Room of Requirement, while Hermione was outside of Snape's office with Luna.
"You know what Luna? I'm going to go up and see if anything is happening. I can't stand not knowing if they're alright. Do you think you could manage here alone?"
"I understand, Hermione. Do what you need to do," she said with a serene smile.
"Thank you, Luna!" she whispered, hurting away. She did not get far, however, before a door she'd never noticed opened on her right and she was dragged inside of a dark room.
"Granger, what the fuck are you doing? What is it with you and the corridors at night?"
"M-Malfoy? But how-"
"I do not have time to explain. You need to get back to Gryffindor tower, and take whatever idiot friends of yours are prowling the castle as well. I can't be responsible for what happens to them."
"Malfoy what in the world are you-"
He grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her against the cold stone wall. "Listen to me Granger, okay? You need to get yourself out of harm's way. Just- withhold your fucking Gryffindor bravery for one night and just go! Just hide! Please."
He was begging. She had never heard him beg before.
"I have Harry's Felix potion; I think I'll be able to handle myself."
He scoffed and drew away from her. He seemed to be pacing, but she couldn't see him clearly.
"Fuck!" he yelled suddenly. "Fuck, I am so fucked."
"Malfoy!" she shouted, but he kept pacing.
"Malfoy!"
He was mumbling to himself.
"Draco!"
He stopped and turned to face her. She thought she saw him draw his wand, and she tensed, tightening her grip around her own.
Rather than attack her, though, he cast a silent lumos and flicked his wand up so that an orb of light floated over their heads. He walked up to her and placed both arms on either side of her head, essentially pinning her in place.
He looked so tired. So strained. But above all, he looked... intense. He was always rather intense, but something about him was different. He seemed almost desperate.
"What are you doing?" she asked, clearly frightened.
"You take that fucking potion then, Granger, do you hear me?"
His face was very close to hers and his voice was gravely. It sent shivers up her spine.
"You don't give it to Lovegood or Longbottom because you think you do faster wand-work or anything like that, you make sure you have some, understand?"
She'd never noticed how good he smelled before. Had never been that close...
"Draco why are you doing this? Why does it matter to you what happens to me?"
He looked pleadingly into her eyes and shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I had hours to convince you, and as it is I only have minutes, so this will have to do."
Without warning he leaned in and captured her lips with his. She kissed him back without knowing why she was doing it.
Somehow, whatever had been lying dormant in him all these years had its counterpart in her, and both were coming alive at the same moment.
He was like electrified ice, and she felt shocks at every point their bodies touched, while also being imbued with a sense of sorrow... of dread... of goodbye.
When he pulled back, she let out a small moan of protest, and he placed his forehead on hers.
"I'm so sorry, Granger. For everything. Everything I've done, and everything I'm about to do. Please, I need you to know that. Even if you don't believe it, I need you to know it."
She couldn't quite process his entire statement, because the first bit had sparked a forgotten memory.
"It was you. In the hospital wing. Last year."
He nodded.
Her hands had been around his waist, but she brought them up to rest on his cheeks, searching his eyes for understanding.
"I think I knew, but I... didn't want to acknowledge it?"
He let out a low laugh. "Welcome to the last six years of my life."
She gasped, but he was already pulling back.
"Come on, let's get on with our miserable lives. If I stay here another moment I will never leave."
"Well why don't you, then?"
"Trust me I've considered it."
"And?"
"And what? My family will be dead by sunrise if I don't carry out my task, it's too late. It was too late far too long ago, Granger."
She stepped closer to him. "I disagree."
"Well unfortunately it's not up to you. Now go save your stupid friends."
With that, he grabbed her and pulled her in for one last kiss. It was frantic and desperate yet filled with purpose and meaning.
Then he released her, and she staggered backward, suddenly realizing that he had moved her to the door and pushed her through, sealing it quickly behind him so that all that remained in front of her was the dark stone wall.
She slammed her hands against it.
"No! Wait! Draco!"
The Room of Requirement could create exits in other parts of the castle. She knew the door wouldn't reappear, and yet she stood there for another minute with her hands pressed against the wall, confused tears flowing down her cheeks. Finally, she remembered that there was something very important that she needed to do, and she charged down the corridor, intent on finding Ron, Ginny and Neville straight away, the bottle of Felix clutched tightly in her hand.
* Year 8 *
[At the start of the next Hogwarts school year, after the final battle.]
Hermione said a bittersweet goodbye to Ron and Harry on the platform and boarded the Hogwarts express, feeling an equal mixture of confidence and trepidation. Going back to finish school had always been in her plan, while the boys were content to just get started out in the world.
She didn't resent them for it, but now that the reality of going back to Hogwarts without them was tangible, she felt a pang of nerves and began to wonder if this had been the wrong decision.
Though McGonnagal had given her first choice, she had declined Prefect/Head Girl appointments. For this year, she rather felt that she could do with a touch less responsibility than usual.
Staring out the window of her compartment, she wondered idly what the year would hold in store for her. Oh, how strange it would be to have a quiet term at Hogwarts. Even as she embarked upon the trip, she could not quite fathom it. Most of her classmates were opting for home study, or else finding jobs out in the world and potentially planning to return at a later date to finish their studies. It was understandable, as the castle held so many emotional memories for everyone.
Obviously, it was quite emotional for her as well, but N.E.W.T's were more important to her than emotional self-preservation, and so there she was. Poised. Composed. Ready to meet whatever the day, month, or year had to throw at her.
At least that's what she'd kept telling herself.
Suddenly, the door to her compartment swung open and a tall blonde stood there with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Do you mind? Everywhere else is full," he said.
A grin spread slowly over Hermione's face as she replied, "No."
He recoiled, taking a step backward before she said, "I meant no I don't mind, Draco. Please, do come in."
He exhaled, clearly relieved, and took the seat opposite her. For a while they said nothing at all, but they were certainly looking into one another's eyes quite intently.
"I wasn't sure you'd come," she said.
He nodded. "I wasn't going to."
She raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"
He shook his head.
"What swayed your decision then?" she asked, coyly.
"You," he said, matter-of-factly. She let out a small gasp at his directness.
"Merlin, Granger, I thought…" he said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his face screwed up in contemplation. "I really thought I'd lost you, when… when I never really even had you."
She got up from her seat and positioned herself closely next to him, coiling her arm with his.
"Well go on then, tell me everything. Tell me the half of the story I don't know, and then I'll tell you mine, and then maybe we'll snog for a while."
He looked down at her. "Maybe?"
She smirked. "If the story is good, yeah. Now go on," she said, nudging him playfully.
He grinned, and she could feel the contentment… the warmth, pulsing between them.
"Alright then," he said, in an upbeat tone she had never heard him use before. She grinned stupidly, suddenly certain that she had made the perfect decision in coming back to Hogwarts.
"Once there was an obnoxious, greasy haired little prat who met a beautiful, annoying little swot who he couldn't have, and it drove him mad beyond all reason…"
The End.