AN: Picking up from the final chapter of the deathly hallows excluding the Epilogue.

Narcissa cried out as she finally saw her son, the son for whom she had defied Voldemort. She and her husband ran through the Great Hall towards their only son, Draco Malfoy and with a relief that can only come from a family finally reunited, they flung themselves into a tight embrace. They surfaced minutes later and looking around realized that they would be less than welcome…to their surprise nobody paid them any attention and they 'huddled together as though unsure whether or not they were supposed to be there.' Draco watched as he saw Harry approach Ron and Hermione minutes later and felt a twinge of something that surprised him, something he barely recognised…it may have been regret.

* * *

Prologue

It was a year later and Harry, Ron and Hermione had finally graduated from Hogwarts. Harry and Ron had done reasonably well, but as was expected they didn't deliver anything spectacular. It was Hermione who had made headlines in the Daily Prophet now run by Aberforth Dumbledore; the headline read: Brilliant young witch integral in the fall of Voldemort receives highest N.E.W.T results since the graduation of former headmaster

Hermione Jean Granger of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry recently graduated with the highest N.E.W.T results since those of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts. As one part of the brave trio made up of Harry Potter and Ronald Bilius Weasley, Miss Granger has become a worldwide hero, made no less admirable by the release of her recent results. It was with great pride that first post-war Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt presented Miss Granger with the most prestigious Flamel award for Intelligence, Intellect and Astonishing Bravery. Mr Shacklebolt also proudly announced Granger's appointment as Deputy Head of Muggle Relations under the newly appointed Head of department, Arthur Weasley.

Harry threw down the paper and instead threw his arms around Hermione,

'Well done 'Mione, I knew you would do well but this is fantastic!'

'Yeah', said Ron giving Harry a dirty look and shoving him aside to put his own arms around Hermione, 'this is really great 'Mione!'

Hermione glowed with all the affection she was getting from her dear friends and basked happily in the moment. Harry and Ron beamed at her until they noticed a sudden and unnerving shift in her features.

'What's wrong Hermione?' the two men asked almost in union.

'I just realised,' she whispered, 'that the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts is next week. Oh how could I have forgotten!' she remonstrated herself.

'Oh Merlin you're right' sighed Harry, 'I can't believe we've only just remembered'.

'Yeah' agreed Ron, 'I can't believe it's already been a year since you killed Voldemort Harry. It's a year since Lupin, Tonks, Fred…' he choked to a stop.

'It's ok Ronald' Hermione gently hushed him as she pulled him into a protective embrace, 'we all miss them but this will be a wonderful chance for us to remember them and their bravery.'

'I know' Ron whispered, reddening, 'I know.'

The day of the one year Anniversary drew steadily nearer and it was showing on everyone's faces. Kingsley had announced a week long holiday on the date of Voldemort's death so that people could commemorate the brave battle that had been fought and remember the people who had died for freedom. Everyone was at the Burrow except Ron's brother Charlie who would be returning from Romania the next day. Bill and Fleur had arrived from Shell Cottage, Hermione had come in from the Ministry and George had just arrived from the shop he was now sole owner of in Diagon Alley. Some changes had been made to the Burrow since the war and Ron and Bill had added a whole new section onto the back so that there was now more than enough room for everyone. With Bill working at Gringotts, the success of George's shop and Mr Weasleys' promotion at the Ministry the Weasleys were much better off financially and it showed; Mrs Weasley looked less harried than she had done in a long time, although that was mostly due to the ending of the war.

Everyone was huddled around the fire in the now large but still cosy living room which Hermione had magically enlarged. There were several conversations overlapping and a calming buzz hung over the homely space. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat together in a corner talking and joking quietly amongst themselves. Harry and Ginny had gotten back together a month after the defeat of Voldemort and were inseparable. It had taken a long time for Ron to get used to Harry and his sister being together officially but it was his relationship with Hermione that was really bothering him. Hermione and Ron had tried dating for about two months but they were both consumed with grief. They had all been defined by the war and it was hard trying to keep up a relationship whilst trying to figure out who they were without the imminent threat of Voldemort looming at every turn. It had been a rough two months but Ron remembered clearly the day everything had come to a head.

'Ronald I will leave this house without your supervision, I'm NOT a child!' Hermione screamed her exasperation at him.

'Hermione don't leave, I'm just worried about you going about by yourself. I know Voldy's dead but…' Ron was cut off by Hermione's cuttingly derisive tone;

'Ron I didn't accept you treating me like a china doll when Voldemort was alive so I certainly will not accept it now. If you want to control someone get a new pet because it's not going to be me!'

'Hermione I lost Fred and I just couldn't bear it if I lost anyone else…'

'Ron how many more times are you going to use that line on me?'

'Hermione I…'

'Ron,' Hermione said in gentler tones, 'I know what you're going through and I know that you're scared but I really can't carry on like this. I'm only eighteen and I want to get out there and experience things I couldn't when the world was more dangerous. I'm sorry but I can't do this anymore. I love you but I need to find myself and I can't do that if I'm always trying to walk on eggshells.'

'Hermione don't leave me…'

'I'm sorry Ron…'

'Ron! Ron?? Have you heard a word I've said in the last five minutes?' a bemused Harry asked his best friend.

'Erm, something about Crumple Horned Snorkracks wasn't it?' Ron asked in a lame attempt at humour.

They all gave him a funny look but Ginny saved him by remarking that he wasn't so different from Luna after all.

'Oh sod off the lot of you, Luna's completely loony…'

'No she isn't Ronald!' retorted a laughing Ginny.

At this point in the conversation George joined them and the conversation veered onto a different course.

* * *

Miles across the country in a cold and lonely Manor another family was also uncomfortably awaiting the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Well, you could barely call them a family any longer, thought a bitter young man. He was sitting in an ornate bay window looking out onto grounds that had once been carefully and beautifully manicured, but which was now almost choked with weeds and wildflowers. He somberly compared it with his own life. Much like the garden his life had been perfectly manicured; Draco had been the golden boy of pureblood society, first in line to inherit the Malfoy legacy and budding Death Eater. It was Voldemort and that war that changed everything but Draco had to say that he rather preferred the overgrown garden to the perfectly preserved one; he liked the wild flowers and the beautiful sprays of colour they presented to his pleased eye. His life, however, had not become so much a neglected and overrun garden as a barren wasteland.

That final day in the castle had changed his life forever. As he and his family huddled together Draco soon noticed that his father had another agenda. When the Golden bloody Trio had returned to the Great Hall he had seen his father's eyes following them, especially that Granger filth. He saw his father drawing his wand and unthinkingly mirrored his movements. As his father aimed at the mudblood Draco remembered her compassion in the Room of Requirement. He leaped up and everyone's eyes followed as Draco challenged his father.

'Touch her and I will kill you father.' Draco's words, although cold and calculated shook as he attempted to reign in his emotions.

'You dare to question me now Draco? And for a dirty mudblood?' His father' voice shook with rage, 'you will never learn! CRUC-'

'Avada Kedavra.'

Draco had spoken the words so softly that at first nobody realised that he had uttered them but as Narcissa cried out people realised what had happened. Lucius Malfoy fell to the ground just as Voldemort had done with a reverberating finality, the evil of his last attempted deed etched across his face in a drunken leer. There had been enough pent-up rage in Draco's almost silent words to kill his father and render the rest of the Great Hall completely silent. Draco stared silently at the body of his father before slowly training his tear-stained gaze upon Hermione. He had just killed his father for a mudblood.