(A/N: I do not own anything other than my ideas.)
Draco looked across the dance floor. He had been watching her for most of the evening; her dress sparkled a deep emerald as she floated across the dance floor with each Gryffindor warrior that asked her to dance. He could tell that her heart wasn't in the step as she danced with Ronald Weasley. She moved like an angel and Draco felt like a coward.
He had, like many other Slytherins, played the role of spy during the war. His mentor, Severus, had taught him well and though he mourned his mentor after he fell, Draco felt he was nowhere near the caliber of Severus Snape. Since the day he arrived at Hogwarts he had played his role as a spy to gain a foothold, and he had been there within the room that night that Dumbledore made the pact with Snape. He had been there the day that Voldemort captured and held them prisoner. His heart broke to watch her being tormented, and he was glad he had been able to shed the mantle of spy at the last battle and help defeat Lord Voldemort.
"All those battles and nights and you can't even muster up the courage to ask her to dance, can you?" Blaise Zabini asked his longtime friend.
"How can I?" Draco said with a sigh as he turned his face away and towards the wall. "How can I face her after I tormented her all those years? All those years pushing her away and calling her all those foul names. If she only knew…" Draco trailed off, his gaze drawn to the large mullioned window and up to the full moon. His heart seemed to break after he watched her accept a dance from yet another man.
"She doesn't know how you spent countless nights in the attendance of Professor Snape hearing how much you wanted to hold her and how much she affected you, does she?" Blaise asked with more than a hint of regret in his voice. "Look, Draco, she needs to know how much she means to you. I won't tell her, nor will any other Slytherin who was part of Snape's Spies. Dumbledore had his Gryffindor warriors, but they will never know our sacrifice and that is how it should be. But this isn't how it should be with you two. Go to her, Draco. You are not a coward. You are like Severus: one of the bravest people I know."
"I don't know. I mean, she is surrounded by warriors who walked the light and fought hard. We were in the shadows the entire time," Draco said with a pause as he turned to look at the brown eyes that haunted his dreams every night. He remembered the tears and his inability to stifle them. Turning away, he could no longer bear them, so he looked back towards the moon.
"Draco, remember that night outside Cambridge when we stopped those death eaters from killing that family? We ambushed and killed them before they even knew that was happening. It's true, a Slytherin doesn't walk the way of the warrior like a Gryffindor, but we keep to Salazar Slytherin's hidden mantra, as we are the serpent who strikes from the unknown to protect those we care about. And Draco, just because you keep to the shadow doesn't mean you can't step into the light for her. Now quit being an ass and seek her out. She's going out onto the balcony and you should go there as well," Blaise said he went over to Luna and gave a tender kiss.
Draco overheard him whispering to Luna and calling her his moon was still not moving when a soft wind blew through the room. It was barely a breeze, but Draco heard Severus's voice clear as day. "Go to her, Dragon." The voice departed with the slow breeze and Draco walked with a purpose towards the balcony and entered silently behind. "Hermione?" Draco said quietly to the woman in front of him. "I've wanted to come to you, for a long time now. First let me apologize for the horrible awful things I've said to you over the years—"
"Draco," Hermione said. As she turned around she appeared like a hidden jewel in the moonlight, the beams reflecting and capturing her beauty in a way that the sunlight never could. "I know now what you and Blaise and Pansy did. The several other Slytherins that did something none of Dumbledore's Army could do you, you all worked within to take him down. You don't have to apologize. I know that wasn't the real you."
Draco smiled as he held out his hand. "Hermione, there is so much I want to say to you that I've been holding back all these years. I wish Voldemort never existed, and I want to start over and show the real me." Draco then stepped closer. "Ma'am, my name is Draco Malfoy and I wish to have this dance," he said with a bow as he made the first effort to start things anew. This dance was his chance. He heard the slow music of a waltz starting behind him and he held his bow and his breath as he waited for her answer.
"Mr. Malfoy. My name is Hermione Granger and I would love to dance with you," Hermione said as the light began to reveal a sparkle within her eyes that threatened tears. "I've been waiting all night for you to ask me," Hermione said in a whisper as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She began to dance slowly. A smile lit her face as Draco wrapped his arms around her waist.
Draco heard an upturn in tempo as he took her hand and spun her around, her back coming to rest against his chest. "I've been waiting all my life to ask you," Draco whispered into her ear as he spun her away again and placed his hand upon her hip. They danced across the balcony. Her beauty radiated against his dark clothing and caused him to falter back into the shadow. But Draco knew this was how it was to be, and he would gladly go into any shadow to protect her.
Hermione danced. Her feet felt as though she could fly as Draco danced with her, her grace allowing her to match him step for step as the two became one upon the marble dance floor. "Draco," Hermione said as the tears started to go down her face. The hurt of all the years came forward. "I want to believe, I really do, but how do I know this isn't some sick dream that I'm caught in?" Hermione asked as she released Draco and gripped the railing encompassing the balcony.
"If anyone is dreaming tonight, Hermione, it's me. For I have been dreaming of dancing with you ever since that Yule Ball during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Severus said we had to keep up appearances, but how I longed to dance with you that night and I tell you this now. You are not dreaming, Hermione." Draco wrapped his arms around her from behind. He rested his chin upon her shoulders as he whispered into her ear, "Let me prove to you that this isn't a dream." Draco then turned her around, his arms still wrapped around her and tilted his head. He let his lips come to meet hers, softly at first as one might taste a forbidden fruit, tenderly pressing against hers almost as if he was fearful that she would vanish and it would be a dream if he pressed too hard.
Hermione felt her breath catch as she found Draco kissing her and then she knew it to be no dream. She could feel the timidness and the fear within her kiss She also felt the love that he gave through the kiss, and she then returned it, letting her mouth part slightly open as she intensified the kiss. Then the passion came forth from him like a flood, but it was neither rushed nor was it controlled. It was a kiss that she knew he had been holding for seven years and she knew that she, too, had been wanting to kiss him but could not.
Draco broke the kiss as he silently cursed the need of oxygen. "This is no dream, Hermione."
"But it is a dream come true." Hermione finished for him as she then kissed him in the moonlight.