10 Years
A/N: I AM SOOOO SORRY. But I couldn't resist! I LOVED Zoey 101, I literally grew up on it and I was sooo addicted. So I did this, I actually went there...someone seriously needs to write a Harry/Hermione version too though. That would be epic, I decided to go down the Dramione route though! It's just a wee bit of fun, so I hope you enjoy it!
"Astoria. I know that this was to be an arranged marriage," Draco said as he looked at the dark haired woman sitting across from him in the swanky London restaurant he had brought her to.
Her large blue eyes widened, and she nodded slightly.
Draco continued, "But over the last few years that we have courted, I have grown very fond of you. In fact I do believe that I may have fallen in love with you."
Astoria smiled slightly, "The feeling is mutual, Draco."
Draco got up and walked to the other side of the table, kneeling before her, "So Astoria Lareina Greengrass-"
"Draco!"
Draco pulled himself to his feet and spun around in surprise, "Theo?"
Theodore Nott grinned broadly at his best friend from their Hogwarts days, "Hey, you look good Draco! Man, the years have treated you well."
Draco momentarily forgot about his soon-to-be fiancé who was looking thoroughly miffed as she glared at the two men, "You look great! It's been years, I thought you were living in America!"
"I am," Theo said, "But it's been 10 years Draco."
"And?" Draco asked with a frown, "10 years since what?"
"10 years since we buried those time capsules at Hogwarts after the war," Theo said eagerly.
Draco's eyes widened, "Theo...you haven't..."
Theo grinned and pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket.
"Is that..." Draco trailed off as he stared at the scroll.
Theo nodded, "It's her feelings for you. Remember that Hermione said that she wasn't ready to face it all yet, but that one day she would let you read it?"
Astoria shook her head irritably, "Who the hell is Hermione?"
Theo scoffed, but ignored Astoria, "Are you going to read it or what?"
Draco sighed, "I don't know if I should without her permission. She was adamant that it get buried without me knowing how she felt...maybe it would have been better buried."
"Theodore, I don't know what the hell you are playing at, but Draco was seconds away from proposing to me," Astoria hissed.
"Well he won't be when he reads that scroll," Theo said a little smugly.
"You read it?" Draco asked in disbelief.
Theo smirked, "Draco, I heard you whine about Hermione Granger every day for 7 years. I think I had a right to read it. Go on, read it."
"No, finish proposing to me!" Astoria exclaimed.
Draco shot a guilty glance back at her, and turned to Theo, "She really wouldn't want me to read it Theo."
"She gave you permission to read it Draco!" Theo said, "Don't you remember? You were sitting by the lake and she came up and sat next to you..."
"Hey Malfoy."
"Granger."
"What did you put in your time capsule?"
Draco shrugged, "Nothing significant."
Hermione smiled slightly, "Do you remember how you asked me earlier what I wrote in that note?"
Draco turned to her, "Yes."
"I wrote something about you, but I won't tell you what just yet. I think we both need time to cool off after all of the fighting...I think the world needs time to get back to normal."
"When are you going to tell me then, Granger?"
"Well we aren't supposed to open those time capsules for 20 years, but I think that's a bit harsh. So let's say 10."
"10 years," Draco asked in disbelief.
"10 years," Hermione confirmed, getting to her feet with a smile. She glanced behind her to the spot where Harry and Ron were waiting, and watching with narrowed eyes, "See you around Malfoy."
"...So she gave you permission, and you have got to read it Draco!"
Draco glanced down at the parchment anxiously and undid the ribbon on the scroll. He unrolled it and read it, almost warily.
"My thoughts on those I spent my Hogwarts days with:
Harry; I love Harry like the brother I never had. All of the romantic rumours that flew around never had any hold, apart from maybe the tiniest crush I had on him when we were both really young. He's just the sweetest, most clueless guy I have ever met and I bet he will be married to Ginny when this time capsule is opened in 20 years time. Probably with a whole brood of kids.
Ron; He is the most annoying pain in the arse! I used to think that there was something there, something between us. But he left during the war, he left Harry and I alone in the middle of that war and I really struggle to forgive him for that. The whole business with Lavender made me wonder whether I was looking down the entirely wrong route there anyway...But maybe we will give things a try anyway, who knows?"
Draco scanned over the notes about Ginny, Luna and Neville until his eyes finally found his own name.
"And finally, Draco Malfoy. What can I say about Draco Malfoy? I hated him when I first met him, I thought he was an arrogant little shit who had been spoiled rotten by his rich pure-blood mummy and daddy. Honestly, he was that! But he is more than that too, he is just like Harry in many ways. He was forced into so many things, forced into becoming a Death Eater, forced into fighting on the wrong side of this war. And it was all to punish his Father, all because of his Father's mistakes. And why should the sons suffer for the sins of the Fathers? I have seen Draco in a whole new light ever since 6th year, and then throughout the war. I don't know how he feels about me, I have never known if he called my names and 'pulled at my pigtails' because he liked me or because he really did just hate me. Sometimes I really did think he had a bit of a crush on me though-"
"She knew?"
"Everybody knew!" Theo exclaimed.
"Everybody knew what?" Astoria asked angrily.
"That I'm in love with Hermione Granger!"
Theo grinned as Draco's cheeks reddened, "I knew it! God, Daphne called it so early! She got it in 3rd year, I bloody well knew it!"
"My sister knew about this?" Astoria fumed.
"Everybody knew about it," Theo replied, "Weren't you there when he talked about her, and stared at her, and cursed the living daylights out of Viktor Krum for dating her?"
"No," Astoria frowned,
"Merlin Astoria, you're only two years younger than us. Where the hell where you when this was happening?" Theo asked in disbelief.
"Ugh!" Astoria exclaimed, "I am leaving and my Father will be cancelling that marriage contract, Draco!"
Draco glanced at her guiltily, "Astoria, I am so sorry-"
"Oh save it for Hermione fucking Granger!" Astoria snapped, stalking from the restaurant in her high heels and flipping her long hair over her shoulder.
Theo took her vacated seat and drank from her half empty wine glass, "You have to read the rest."
Draco looked away from Astoria and glanced down.
"But the truth is, I had a little bit of a crush on him too. He is very handsome after all, and I got into the habit of liking our battles of wit. He gave me a challenge, and I liked that. I think if something had happened between us he would have kept me on my toes. I think we could have read books together, and discussed potions principles, and part of me wonders if maybe he was my soulmate."
"Soulmate."
Theo nodded with a wide grin.
"I have to go and find her, don't I?"
"Oh yeah," Theo smirked, "She didn't marry the Weasel, and she is working in the DMLE so she's an easy find..."
Draco grinned at Theo, "Thank you Theo, thank you so much!" he said as he rushed out of the restaurant.
"Granger."
Hermione jumped at the silky, smooth, and very familiar voice. She spun around and saw him, leaning in the doorway, his blonde hair longer than she remembered and not slicked back and covered in gel.
"Malfoy," Hermione uttered in surprise.
Draco took a step into the office, "Do you have a moment?"
Hermione glanced at the fireplace and bit her lip, "I'm supposed to be babysitting for Harry and Ginny so it will have to be quick."
"Why didn't you marry Weasley?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "That's none of your business."
"Maybe," Draco agreed, "But I want to know."
"Malfoy, you disappeared off of the face of the earth for about 10 years! I mean I know that you're a potions brewer, but I have not seen you apart from to say hello to in the street every 3 years or so! You can't just come back here and ask why I didn't marry Ron!"
"I can," Draco said with a slight smile, "You don't have to answer, but I can ask."
Hermione crossed her arms and stared at him, "Because I got bored, alright? I was sick of Quidditch and I was sick of the lack of intelligent conversation, and I was sick of being teased for enjoying reading. If you must know!"
Draco smiled slightly as he pulled the scroll from his pocket, "You said 10 years."
Hermione's eyes widened, "You...you read that?"
Draco nodded, his grey eyes meeting her surprised brown eyes.
Hermione leant against her desk in surprise, "And?"
"And I wondered if you would come out for dinner with me?" Draco said with a slightly smug smile, "Because if you think we might be soulmates, well I would quite like to test that."
Hermione's cheeks became pink, and it made Draco smile all the wider, "I can't believe you actually dug it up..."
"I didn't," Draco admitted, "Theo did."
Hermione laughed weakly, "And suddenly everything makes sense."
"So, about that dinner?" Draco asked, feeling a little cautious that she would say no.
However, Hermione smiled and nodded, "Yes, dinner would be lovely."
Draco's smile was genuine, and it widened at her words. He gave her a small nod in return, "Saturday at 7pm, I will pick you up, of course."
"Aren't you engaged, Draco?"
Draco looked a little sheepish, "I was in an arranged marriage, but Cygnus Greengrass nullified that contract this morning and fined me a great deal in the process."
"Why?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at the former Slytherin.
"Because Theodore Nott burst into the restaurant moments before I proposed to Astoria," Draco said, his own cheeks a little pink, "And gave me this scroll of parchment."
Hermione bit her lip in a way that had always made Draco want to kiss her, "I am so sorry."
Draco shook his head very slightly, "Saturday?"
"Saturday," Hermione agreed with a soft smile.
THE END :)