Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter and all that jazz…
A/N: Okay, I know I have not written Hermione/Draco for a while, so please forgive me if my ability to write this coupling is not that good. If any of you read any of my other Harry Potter stories, you know I usually write MM/AD stuff, so please bear with me on this one.
Please Remember Me…
Everyone in the Great Hall cheered when Professor Dumbledore stood up and announced the fall of Lord Voldemort. It was undoubtedly Harry Potter's crowning moment. He had finally achieved the respect and love he so much longed for, and which he deserved so much. Everyone was proud of him, especially his best friends, Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger. They were right there next to him as he called the final spell which caused the horrible wizard to fall.
"Congratulations, Harry," Hermione said as they sat there at the Gryffindor table. She hugged him for was must have been the hundredth time since the final battle. "You did a fantastic job!"
"Thanks, 'Mione," he said with a boyish grin. Ron, who was sitting right across from them, reached his hand across the table and shook his friend's hand.
"Yup, you certainly did a bang up job, mate," he said with a huge grin on his face. Harry's grin grew even broader at his friend's choice of words.
"And you two didn't do too bad yourselves," he said, looking at both his friends. "I couldn't have done it without either one of you." A few students came up behind him and congratulated him on his great triumph, patting him on the back. He turned and smiled at them, then turned back to his friends.
"Glad to help, Harry," replied Ron. "Right Hermione? Hermione?" Harry and Ron looked to Hermione, who was staring across the Great Hall. "Hermione!" called Ron, snapping his fingers in front of her face. She snapped out of it.
"What?" she asked. She looked at Harry and Ron, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"I was just telling Harry here how we were glad to help him with Voldemort," Ron replied.
"Oh, yeah, definitely," Hermione said. Though she had a smile on her face, it was clear to both of her male companions that she was clearly distracted.
"What were you staring at just now?" asked Harry, looking across the Great Hall. Ron looked behind him as well, but all either one of them could see was a crowded room full of joyous students, and even a few glum Slytherins. Ron turned to Harry and shrugged.
"Nothing," said Hermione, looking back across the room. Then, she stood abruptly and picked up her bag. "Well, I hate to cut this celebration short, but I just remembered some things I need to do before we leave for home tomorrow. I need to send an owl to my parents, telling them about your great triumph," patting Harry on the arm, "and that I look forward to seeing them. Then, I need to finish packing. I'll see you guys later." And without further explanation, or even finishing her dinner, she left the Great Hall, leaving two confused friends in her wake.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked, looking across the table. Ron just shrugged.
"Females are too bloody crazy for anyone to know why they do what they do," was all that he could think to say. Neither one of them saw a Slytherin boy get up from his table, as well, and walk out the double doors, trailing Hermione by a mere twenty feet.
Ooooooooooo
Hermione made her way, swiftly and silently, to the Room of Requirement. After following all the necessary procedures to enter, she did so and stayed there until she heard the door click open once again. She looked up and smiled when she saw him enter. He was ten minutes late, but she didn't care right now. He looked so handsome, with his blond hair slicked back, his robes as straight and neat as ever. She ran to him and threw her arms around him.
"There you are," she smiled in his ear. "I wondered why you were, and I wondered if you would even come." She pulled back and smiled up at him.
"Me? Draco Malfoy, not come? Never," Draco teased. His eyes grew sad as he cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry, but Pansy found me in the hall, and I was having a terrible time trying to get rid of her." Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Not her again," she said in disgust. She walked to the couch which was there and sat down. "Why can't she just leave you alone?" Draco sat next to her.
"You know how much my mother and father want us to marry," he said. He held her hand in his. "But you know I would never marry Pansy. I'd have to be drunk, stupid, and absolutely desperate to even think about it." Hermione chuckled at the thought of Draco any one, or all, of the three things he had just mentioned. Draco leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Don't worry about a thing," he said to her comfortingly. Hermione sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"I'd feel so much better if we could just tell everyone about us," she said. Draco stroked her hair.
"I know, Hermione, I know," he sighed. "I know. I wish that as well. But you know how my parents will react, especially my father." Their hand intertwined. "Not to mention, there will be many of your friends who won't be too happy about it." Though he said 'many', they both knew he really meant Harry and Ron. Hermione looked up at him.
"If they really are my friends, then they would accept it, even if they didn't care too much about you," she said, though she knew he was probably right. Draco smiled.
"I suppose," he said. They were interrupted when Dobby the house elf entered the room. He was the only one who knew of what was going on between Draco and Hermione, and that was only because he had accidentally walked in on them on evening when they were meeting. He kept their secret, for he respected them both too much to betray them. He respected Hermione for her attempt to free all the other house elves, and he respected Draco for being able to put aside his pride to follow his heart with Hermione, who, according to his father, was not good enough to be in the presence of a Malfoy.
"Pardon Dobby for intruding, but Dobby has a letter for Mr. Malfoy," he said. Draco stood and, walking over to Dobby, took the letter from him.
"Is it very important?" he inquired, curious as to know if he had to read it immediately or not.
"Dobby does not know, sir," Dobby replied. "He was given specific instructions not to read it, sir." Draco eyed him warily, then shrugged and opened the letter. It was better to be safe than sorry, he figured, so he opened it and read it. He immediately recognized the handwriting to be that of his father's, so he knew it must be important. Lucius Malfoy rarely wrote to his son while he was at school, so it must have been urgent enough.
'Dear Son,
'It is my pleasure to tell you that, after many years of trying, the Malfoy's have been able to form an alliance with the Parkinson's through your marriage with their daughter, Pansy. Even now, preparations for the wedding are being made, for we have no time to lose. Congratulations, son. You will bring your family honor.
'Your loving father, Lucius.'
Draco wrinkled up the paper and, letting out a loud cry of exasperation, threw it against the wall. This frightened Hermione a great deal. She stood and placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"What is it, Draco?" she asked in a soft voice. He looked at her, feeling a sense of betrayal. He loved her, and now he was going to lose her.
"Hermione," he started in a weak voice. He took both of her hands. "I hate to say this, but my father had arranged a match for me. I am being forced to marry another."
Hermione could not believe what she was hearing. She shook her head and backed away, not wanting to trust her ears. She didn't want to believe that Draco was marrying another.
"Please tell me you are joking," she said. Draco shook his head.
"That would be a horrible joke," he said. Tears were in his eyes, and were now spilling from hers.
"Who?" was all she could afford to ask, not trusting her voice. Draco looked down at his feet, hating the way his father had sprung this on him.
"Pansy Parkinson," he said through gritted teeth. Hermione closed her eyes and turned from him.
"No," she whispered. Then, more loudly, "NO!"
All our tears have reached the sea
Part of you will live in me
Way down deep inside my heart
The days keep coming without fail
New wind is gonna find your sail
That's where your journey starts
Draco placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I can't bear it either," he said, turning her towards him. "But what hurts me even more than marrying her is seeing you so sad. I love you, and hate my father for doing this."
"Then why are you letting him do this, Draco? Why?" Hermione looked at him with her huge, sad eyes, wishing more than anything that this were not happening.
"You know my git of a father," he said, pulling her into a hug. "All he cares about is power, saving himself, and family honor. He cares for no one but himself. I have no choice." Hermione was now sobbing into his robes. "That was why he did not go down with Voldemort. When he saw that they were going to lose, he ran away, his tail between his legs, like some mangy mutt.
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
"You don't have to do it," Hermione said abruptly, pulling from him. "We can run away somewhere together, just you and me. We don't have to tell anyone where we are. Well, maybe those we can trust to keep our secret." Draco sadly shook his head.
"My father is way too influential," he said. "You've seen what he is capable of. He would find us for sure." Hermione knew all too well what Lucius Malfoy was capable of. She had seen what he was able to do during Voldemort's reign. "Even if we could get married, he would make our lives miserable." Hermione nodded.
"That does nothing for my breaking heart, however," she whispered. Draco nodded and rested his forehead against hers.
"I know, 'Mione," he said. "I know." With that, he leaned in and kissed her rather passionately.
Just like the waves down by the shore
You're gonna keep on comin' back for more
Cuz we don't ever wanna stop
Out in this brave new world you see
On the valley and the peaks
And I can't see you on the top
That night, they fell asleep in the Room of Requirement, neither one wanting to leave the other one. And when they awoke the next morning, the tears commenced. They stood just inside the doorway of the room, finding it very hard to say their good-byes.
"I love you, Hermione," he said, cupping her cheek. "And don't you ever forget that." Hermione looked at him, the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I love you too, Draco," she whispered. She kissed his cheek and hugged him. "Promise me you'll think of me?"
"Every minute of every day," he replied, pulling back. "There won't be a day that won't go by that I won't think of you. Will you please remember me?" Hermione nodded and smiled.
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
"Now, before I go, I leave you with this wish. I wish you well, and that you may find someone to truly love you, the way you deserve to be loved. And may he be worthy of your time. I may be bound to marry someone I despise, but at least there is a glimmer of hope for you to be happy. And I won't be able to hurt you anymore. Though, I am sure I have done plenty of that within the past twelve hours."
"You will always be in my heart, no matter what," whispered Hermione. She was no longer able to control herself anymore. She tore away from everything: the room, the place where it happened, and from Draco. It seemed, however, that the only thing she could not run from was the pain. It was with her wherever she was.
Remember me when you're out walking
When snow falls high outside your door
Late at night, when you're not sleeping
And moonlight falls across your floor
And I can't hurt you anymore
Draco felt horrible for what he had done, and he resented his father deeply for making him do it. He didn't think he would ever forgive him for what had happened. True, he had no knowledge of his son already romancing another, but he would have made Draco do it anyway. He was so full of his pride of being apart of a pure blood family that he would never have let their romance to proceed further.
And to make matters worse, he was forcing Draco to marry someone he absolutely no feelings for whatsoever. He had never really loved Pansy, nor had he ever really cared for her, despite what he let others think. And as he watched Hermione run down the hallway, he felt his heart being devoured by some unknown monster. How was he ever going to manage marrying Pansy when the one he loved was running away? He only hoped that whoever Hermione married was good to her, though he felt no man ever deserved her. Not even he felt like he deserved her.
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
Please remember me
Ooooooooooo
Hermione slammed the compartment to the train closed behind her. All she wanted was some privacy, some time to think. However, she wasn't about to get any, for now Harry and Ron entered.
"There you are, Hermione," said Ron as he sat down next to her. "We'd wondered where you'd gone." Hermione just stared out the window.
"Well, you've found me," she said flatly. Ron and Harry exchanged worried glances with one another.
"What's the matter, 'Mione?" Harry asked, genuinely worried about her. Hermione shook her head.
"I don't wish to discuss it," she whispered. Ron draped his arm around her.
"Come on, you can tell us whatever it is," he assured her. Hermione just looked at him and smiled sadly.
"Perhaps, someday, I will tell you about it," she whispered. "But not right now." Ron brought his arm back from around her, shrugged at Harry, who shrugged back at him, and settled himself for the long ride home. Perhaps Hermione would tell them in time, but for now, they would have to content themselves with just wondering.
Coming soon, Part II of the trilogy…
A/N2: Well, I hope you liked that. Let me know what you think. Like it says in the summary, this is part one of a three part story. The rest will come eventually. Ironically, the first idea I had was for part two of this story, and then I thought of part one, then part three. So it didn't exactly go in order. Hehe! The next one will be called "She Ain't You", a song which was sung by Garth Brooks. Yes, in case you don't know by now, I listen to country music, and a lot of it! LOL! Please let me know what you think! Always Hopeful