For Destiny, aka, Serendipity-Saga Happy late birthday!

Spoilers: I mention Romeo and Juliet, so if you don't know who they are then don't read.

He was alone. Completely and one hundred percent alone. He sat down in front of the grave. Draco Malfoy was not one to cry...well okay, he's not one to cry in public which is why he triple checked to make sure no one was watching. When he finally knew he was alone, he started to cry like he had during the war. He cried for everything bad he had done, and cried for anyone he had hurt. He hated who he became because of how his parents were and tonight, he came to apologize to Dumbledore's grave.

He had been crying for about ten minutes when he heard the soft sounds of someone slowly walking up to where he was sitting. He froze, wiped away his tears, stood up and pulled his wand out. He learned after the war not to trust anyone who says they're your friend. The Death Eaters shot spells at him even though his father was on their side.

"Put it away, Malfoy, I'm not attacking you," she said in a tone that made him fear for his life.

"Granger?" He squinted his eyes just as the clouds released their hold over the moon. She stood before him wearing her wizard robes. Her head was covered by her hood. She took off her hood and stared at him. He had not seen her in five years.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"I can tell by your voice and no one stinks more than you. You have a Muggle smell to you." He sniffed the air like a rat sniffs for food.

"Say it again, Malfoy, and you're going to be punched again just like third year." She glared at him as if the memory was fresh in her mind, as if it had happened yesterday.

Her attitude was bitter. The only thing he wanted to do right now was get rid of her. Can't a bloke mourn and feel sorry for himself in peace? He had wanted to apologize to Dumbledore, felt guilty for ever betraying him. Draco came back five years later after the war. He snuck onto the grounds, not wanting to be seen, not wanting to talk to anyone, but his plan did not work as well as he thought it would.

They glared at each other, hating each other by the second as they stood there circling each other.

"Why are YOU here tonight?" she quizzed him.

"I'm allowed to come here if I want to, Granger," he snapped. They circled each other before Dumbledore's grave each with a wand out.

"You of all people come to the greatest Headmaster's grave, right when you were ordered to kill him? " She snorted and came to a halt. He stopped circling too.

"How did you know that?" he snarled spitting as the words came out. She moved in a half circle, he did the same.

"Harry tells me everything. Not to mention after the war was over, secrets were spilled about you that many people did not know." She moved right, he moved right. She grew tired of the games.

"Copying my every move, Malfoy? I always knew you were a copy cat. You always wanted to be like Harry, played the same sport, down to the very same position knowing he's a better player than you."

"And look where that got him. I'm a famous Quidditch player doing his dream job and he's just an Auror."

She moved slightly to the left. He followed her. She raised her wand, he did the same.

"See?" she said with a hiss.

"I'm not copying you. I'm defending myself."

"From what?"

"The smell of a Muggle." He knew he'd get it, but couldn't help himself as he gritted his teeth.

Hermione crossed the 'circle' stopping him in his path. She then went straight up to him so they were face to face.

"How do I smell now?" she hissed. She waited while he stood there dumbfounded because of her actions.

"Nice," he said. He surprised himself and surprised her. She took a few steps back. This time, he followed her.

"Excuse me?" she said shaking her head in disbelief.

"I said you smell nice. Did you not hear me?" Draco was so confused. First, he started teasing her, then she threw a question at her he didn't understand.

It dawned on Draco. He was in love with her. Madly in love with her. She was the one his mind thought of whenever he first thought of Hogwarts. She was the one he tried saving during the war without her knowing, and she was the one who never left his dreams at night.

As the moon dipped behind a cloud again Draco inched forward. Their faces were so close together he could feel her breathing. His heart raced. What on earth was he doing out here late at night with Hermione Granger.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered so only she could hear it.

She nodded her head. "Just ask me."

"I did ask already, please, Hermione," he begged. He grasped her hand and entertained it with his. He played with that hand till she trembled and caved to his feelings for her.

"Don't," she stated throwing him a look of confusion in which he returned.

"Don't what?" he questioned as he brought her closer.

"Don't stop saying my name like it was meant for you to say."

"Hermione," he whispered feeling her tremble more as he said her name.

"Draco, I don't know if I can do this," she confessed.

"You need to dare to love. I dare you to trust me," he stated.

"Dare to love? It sounds easy, but it shouldn't be easy. You're so wrong for me, but yet everything feels so right."

"Then let it feel right. You love me or you wouldn't allow me to be this close to you." He breathed in and out. She looked up at him, her eyes no longer frightened, but glaring.

"Don't you dare put words into my mouth that I have not spoken," she said angrily.

"Don't hide it anymore, Hermione, I can feel it. Your heart's racing. Your mind is so confused, but yet all you want to do is be here with me. You're free to go whenever you want. I'm not stopping you." He released her hands and stepped back turning to face the castle. She took his hand back, pulled him close, and made him face her.

"Kiss me," she ordered as she dared to love him.

He could feel her heart beat racing. He smiled down at her. He didn't know why he wanted to kiss her all of a sudden. At the start of the evening, he hated her, half way through he realized he loved everything about her he said he hated he really loved. He was quiet for a moment stunned again by her words. He wondered what she was doing out here in the dark, and why she chose tonight of all nights to come here. It was as though fate had forced them together after all these years.

"Please, kiss me," she begged. She didn't know what was coming over her.

"You're allowing me to kiss you? After all these years? Why are you out here, Hermione? Why of all nights are you out here? Fate brought us together," he whispered softly.

"I came to grieve, but when I saw you, I automatically thought you were coming to harm the grave. Red flags flew up in my mind, automatically causing me to go into defensive mode. Would you just kiss me already so I can stop imagining what it would be like and taste your lips for real please?" she begged again.

He brushed her lips gently with the touch of his lips. She placed her arms around him as he did the same, copying her. He kissed her softly again, this time tasting the flavour of her strawberry lip gloss he hadn't noticed the smell before, but loved it on her. He broke apart momentarily when she didn't return the kiss.

"What?" he questioned as he tried to examine her expressions. He couldn't read it at all.

"Do that again and I'll copy you this time." She smiled.

"I'll be glad to let you copy me," he whispered.

Again he leaned in and kissed her. This time he forced a kiss on her, hungry for more. He stopped a second, he didn't want to be too rough, but when she forced entry in his mouth he continued to kiss her savouring the moment. As the clouds danced across the moon, their tongues danced in their mouths each wanting to win the dance of love. They broke apart a few minutes later panting.

"Now will you say it?" he begged as he caught his breath.

"What happened to the mean Draco? The one who teased me all the time?" She answered calmly.

"I was doing that to cover up my feelings for you. Hermione, I know we will have a history of being mean to each other, but everyone has a history. We can start fresh tonight, just you and me. I knew I loved you when you punched me, as soon as you glared at me, and punched me my mind was racing. I hid those feelings so it wouldn't show and used the teasing to hide my true feelings. It wasn't until tonight when I saw you glaring at me, those feelings came back to me."

"I knew you did. I felt it then too after I saw pain in your eyes, I realized I wanted to apologize, but couldn't. I had to cover my feelings in front of Harry and Ron" she responded.

"Damn pride, always getting in the way. You just wanted me to say it first, didn't you?" A nod was his only answer. He gripped her hand tighter for a second, and then let go.

"I knew you loved me as much as I love you," she said, she paused. The look of fear came back.

"But?" he said for her.

"But, this can't work," she said sadly as she released his hand.

"Why?" He tried grabbing it, but she refused and looked toward the Castle.

"Because of who we are. You're Draco Malfoy and I'm Hermione Granger. We're not suppose to be together. It's like Romeo and Juliet," she said sadly.

"Who?"

"A Muggle author named William Shakespeare wrote a love story about two people who couldn't be together. In the end she pretends to poison herself, and he sees her dead, then kills himself with a dagger and she wakes up. She sees him, and kills herself with a dagger. because they couldn't bare to be apart. They were together for a short time,"

"That doesn't sound like a good story." He frowned.

"Oh, but it's beautifully written. The story of us is just like the story of them. Draco, you're for evil I'm for good."

"You of all people should know the war's over. There are no more sides. Hell, even when they were they still fired spells my way. You and Potter and Weasley(he cringed when he said Ron's name) saved my life three times that night." All Draco wanted was for her to be his. Not like the Romeo and Juliet story.

"I don't know if I can. How are we suppose to act around each other?"

"The same as we acted before," he replied.

"But I can't do that without hiding my love for you," she confessed again.

"I feel the same, but we have to."

"Come visit me, we can go on a Holiday together, no one will know but us," he begged.

"I can't. I can't just up and leave my job here as Headmistress," She sighed.

"Headmistress?"

"Damn it Draco, ever since I've been with you tonight I've been saying stuff I shouldn't say. I was offered a job as a Headmistress, due to the other one retiring starting immediately"

"Like what."

"Like how I'm now Headmistress, and how I love you," she gasped as it slipped out for a third time.

"I knew you did. I love you too, Hermione. Since you can't come visit, then write to me. Use a special pen name so no one wouldn't figure it out."

"Draco," she interrupted.

"We have to do something. I can't stand knowing we were on different sides. I finally can change, At least you had a right I never did. That's why I came tonight, to apologize to Dumbledore." He turned to face the grave. As he did so, the moon peeked through shining on him. His pale yellow hair almost looked as white as the moon.

"Draco," she said again staring deep into his grey eyes.

"What?" he said turning back to her, he noticed her hair was gently pulled back, all except for one curl that fell down in front of her face.

"Kiss me again. One last time before we go our separate ways."

"I'm so sorry for how things worked out. I'm sorry for not saying anything in front of my Father. Know I acted how I acted on his behalf. I was ordered to hate you and Harry or I'd face the consequences." He trembled with fear of a memory of the past, as it showed in his eyes, fear returned to hers.

"Oh Merlin, I didn't think of that before. He put you through all of that?" she said as he nodded.

"One more kiss," he begged. He pulled her close again, as he did so he gently moved a curl behind her ear, letting his hand feel her soft skin of the back of her neck.

"Say my name one more time. Tell me you love me for a third time so I can remember it forever."

"Hermione, I love you, kiss me." This time, instead of her asking him, he asked her.

They kissed as if their life depended on it. Once they broke apart they each knew it was time to go their separate ways.

"I never want to lose you." He said as he gave her a hug, pulling her as close to him as he could.

"We can be together, we just have to hide it from everyone, but one day it will come out. What will we do then?" she said letting go completely of him.

"Come find me when the school year's over. It's better that way. Don't end up like Romeo and Juliet. I'll be all over the world with Quidditch, but the owls will find me. Just call me Romeo and whisper to them that I'm Draco Malfoy. Only the owls will know. Write to me, letters from the heart in a name I only will know." he stated to say as she nodded, and started to walk away, she turned back and smiled at him.

"You're my Romeo, and I'm your Juliet. I'll sign the letters with a "J" and you will know it's me. I hate that we can't be together now, but we can once the year is over," She said softly.

He wanted to say her name one more time, wanted to tell her he loved her one more time but she was gone and he was alone again lost in his memory.

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed it. Special thanks to Slytherin Head for a fast edit. I'll miss you in July as a beta, but I know you need a break.