A/N Soo this is my first story. I've had a really good plot idea bouncing around in my head for awhile now but I couldn't ever get it started. Then I decided to maybe start on it a few weeks ago. Instead this kind of just fell out of my head, I just started writing and three hours later I had this. So, by all means please leave feedback, it would be much appreciated!

I remember the first time I saw you again, on that brisk November day. You had your face buried in your scarf but the tip of your nose was so pink. You tried to contain it in a hat, but I recognized that massive amount of hair from a block away... I almost turned around, but I suppose I was feeling brave that day. You glanced up at me and I could see the surprise on your face while I walked by. I can't blame you, it had been 5 years since I'd seen anyone I recognized. We both kept walking but I waited for days for my mother or anyone really, to show up looking for me. They never came. I'm still not sure if I was thankful or disappointed.

I didn't see you again until my birthday. I was at my favorite bakery getting chocolate scones, my tradition for the past 5 years. You were getting poppy seed muffins. You started to walk past me and I thought maybe you hadn't seen me. Until you said, "she misses you, you know," and then you just kept walking. I wrote 34 letters addressed to my mother that night. I never sent one... I always was a coward.

It was a Thursday in September, I was in my usual coffee shop reading the paper when you sat down in front of me. I lowered the paper with a raised eyebrow, unsure of what tongue lashing I was about to be dealt from the Swottiest Gryffindor Princess to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts.

"I always thought you must have been hiding out in muggle London all these years.

"Oh fancy that, the Golden Girl has spared me a thought, how kind of you."

"I see living a lonely life around the very type of people you once wanted dead hasn't helped your demeanor. "

"Whoever said I was lonely?"

"I'm sorry to assume. Do your biting words and sarcasm tend to make you friends? No? I thought not. "

"Why are you here Granger? Shouldn't you be off feeding the hoard of Weasley children you've surely birthed by now?"

"Not that it's any of your business but Ronald and I are not together"

"My, my I really have missed important events since I've left. "

"Why did you leave?"

"Ah. Nothing really has changed, you still think you're entitled to know everything. Sorry Granger, I think I'll go now. I'd say see you later, but I really hope I don't."

I thought I'd have more time to ensure I avoided you. I had already decided not to return to the coffee shop, but when I stepped out of my flat building two days later, there you were.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you stalking is frowned upon, Granger?"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that deserting your mother in hard times is frowned upon Malfoy?"

"What could you POSSIBLY know about my mother, Granger?"

"Plenty considering I meet with her four times a week for tea."

"Oh please. We both know that's a load of shite."

"Really? Well if I don't meet her for tea, then surely she's never shown me the photo of you feeding the albino peacocks au natur-"

"Okay so you have tea with my mother. What has that got to do with you stalking me?"

"You need to go home, Malfoy."

"The only thing I need is for you to leave me alone."

"She's miserable without you! Honestly, if she didn't have Harry, Blaise, Pansy and myself coming around I think your mother probably would have died from a broken heart."

"My mother sees Potter?"

"Yes. Don't change the subject."

"Look, I don't know why you thought you of all people could convince me to go back, but I won't. My mother is better off without me. There's nothing left for me in the Wizarding World."

"If you say so."

Then you were there everyday. Everyday for 24 days I listened to you drag on and on about how I needed to go home. Honestly, if it were possible to nag someone to death, I would have dropped dead on the third day.

We apparated to the Manor on the 25th day. I moved back in three days later...

I'll admit it was great to see Mother, Blaise and Pansy again. But by Gods, I was ready to murder you and Potter. I thought I'd washed my hands of your company when I came home, but I should have known I couldn't get that lucky. Aside from the few occasions I managed to escape, I was always sitting in that bloody tea room with you.

I suppose I shouldn't speak so poorly of the tea room. There were a lot of firsts in that room. The first time we had a full conversation without getting into a fight, the first time I made you laugh... We were even in the Tea Room when I asked you to dinner the first time. I thought for sure after that disaster of a date you were never going to want to see me again. We missed our reservation, and ended up having dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, looking far too overdressed. I thought I'd be romantic and take you on a moonlit walk afterwards but it started pouring half way through. But you were incredible. You wouldn't let me use a drying charm on either of us...

"No, Draco! I want to feel the rain and cool air. I never want to miss out on the things that make me feel alive."

"Getting wetter than the Giant Squid makes you feel alive? I've always thought you were barmy but no one ever listened to me!"

"Draco. Close your eyes. Oh just do it. And just breathe. Tell me that doesn't make you feel alive. The rain falling on you, the cool wind, the smell of the earth being cleaned. Just take a moment and really feel, that's what I think it means to feel alive. I don't want to feel invincible all the time. Sometimes I just want to be rained on."

And that was when we had our first kiss, out in the bloody rain like those idiots on those Muggle movies you and mother liked to watched. Then I kissed you again when we got back to your flat... and again, and again and again.

I remember our first fight, when you threw a bottle of Ogden's at my head. I did deserve that though. Weasley finally agreed to have dinner with us, you two hadn't talked for months but he was finally willing to attempt civility. After the initial awkwardness you two were getting along like you always had, and spent the night reminiscing. I felt so left out and I think we both know I'm a bit insecure. Once we returned to your flat you asked what was wrong, I told you that if you found the ginger idiot so interesting you should have gone home with him... Gods that was a long night.

Our fifth fight was much better though, in my opinion... quite possibly the most memorable fight we've ever had.

We were at one of Mother's parties and Astoria Greengrass had approached me. She kept talking a load of gibberish about her father's business plans. I was too busy looking for you. Until I felt her lips near my ear,

"Draco, we once were arranged to be wed, how about we find out what that would have been like," she pressed a kiss to my neck before I could push her away but there you were. Looking straight at us, I'd never seen you look so hurt before. We both ran, me following you, out into the gardens.

"Granger, stop! That's not what it looked like in there! I was pushing her off!"

"Oh right, because I'm sure every other man who gets caught in that situation doesn't say the exact same thing!"

"Granger, really, I wouldn't do that to you! Even if we weren't together I wouldn't be doing anything with her!"

"No, Malfoy let's be honest. When we started seeing each other it was because you were mostly secluded from the rest of the Wizarding World. B-but now your family is back on top, and there's more options out there! I get it! Why would the Malfoy heir choose the simple bookworm when he could have a glamorous pureblood princess?"

"Because I love that simple bookworm. Because she is anything but simple. Why would I want a pureblood princess who thinks picking tablecloth patterns are fascinating when I could have a woman who I think is fascinating all by herself?"

"What did you just say?"

"I said a fair bit, would you like me to repeat the whole thing again?"

"No. No... just - just that first part again.."

"I said I love that simple bookworm. I love you Hermione Granger."

"Oh."

"Well that's not what every bloke wants to hear but I suppose I'll take it."

"Oh god. I'm such an idiot! Oh I love you too Draco."

Funny though, Astoria never did bother me again. I can't help but think you had something to do with that.

Shortly after that, I remember all the fussing Potter did while I carried the engagement ring around with me for months. I just couldn't think of the right time to do it, I wasn't scared of rejection... Alright, maybe I was. Who can blame me though? I was going to propose to the brightest witch of our age, what if you wised up and said no? I did figure it out though.

On our two year anniversary I took you to The Leaky, I had rented it out so we could have it to ourselves. We sat at the same table as we had on our first date. After dinner, I got down on one knee and said,

"Granger, you have been the most spectacular thing I've ever had in my life. You teach me how to be a better person everyday. You were the ray of sunshine on my darkest of days. If you hadn't followed me around Muggle London like a proper stalker, who knows where I'd be today. I love you more than I thought I was capable of and I desperately want to wake up to your rabid hair everyday, for the rest of my life. So, Hermione, will you marry me?"

I remember your oh-so-kind response that included calling me an idiot...

We married on the Second of December in 2006 in the gardens of the manor. If someone had told 11 year old me that Harry Potter would be one of my groomsmen, they would have been hexed into the next century. We danced until our feet were deserving of a proper burial while Pans and the She-Weasley fought over who actually caught the bouquet all night. Mother was beside herself with excitement for hosting so many people. I suppose I owe you belated thanks for allowing her to turn the small wedding you requested into a 300 attendee event.

We honeymooned in America because you wanted to visit Ilvermony. However, that was all we got to see. Sorry love, I was enjoying the sight-seeing from our bed. At that point, I thought there was no way I could love you more than I did... Until you told me that we were going to have a baby.

You were getting sick everyday for two months, and I've never loved you more. I remember lying in bed with you when we felt the baby kick for the first time. We both cried because it really seemed to sink in that we were going to be parents. We argued for weeks on whether we wanted to know the gender. I've never been a patient man, but I would do anything for you... Even if that meant buying only gender neutral items for the nursery.

You went in to labor during Sunday dinner with Mother. I thank Salazar for that because if she hadn't been there, there's a good chance I'd still be frozen in that seat.

Our son, Scorpius Hyperion Granger-Malfoy was born in February 13, 2007 at 2:37 am after 31 hours of labor. You've always been the strong one Granger, but I'll never understand how you did that for 31 hours. I'd never been happier than when I laid with you and our son the moment he was born, my life finally felt perfect.

But you were so pale and tired and then the healer asked me to leave the room. Voldemort lived in my home, we were in a war, but none of that felt scarier than what could be happening to my wife in that room. What seemed like hours later, but could have only been minutes the healer came out. I could tell by the look on his face... I'd lost you.

How can that happen? How did I lose the love of my life on what should have been one of the happiest days of our lives? The war is over! We're not supposed to lose people that fast anymore! How— how do I live without you, Granger? How am I supposed to raise our son without you, when I don't even know how to live without you?

It's been a week since the funeral... I feel so empty by myself. Scorpius is missing you too. Sometimes he just cries for no reason, and I think that's him grieving your loss just like I am.

We were supposed to have more children and watch them grow up, and see our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We were supposed to argue about which houses they'd be sorted into when they went to Hogwarts. Damnit Granger! We were supposed to grow old together! And then it was supposed to be me before you. It should have been me. You've always been the strong one. You can - could - do so much without me. But I- I don't know how to do any of this without you.

I'm so angry. I'm angry at you for leaving me. I'm angry at magic for failing me. I'm bloody angry at everyone for looking at me like I'm about to break... but maybe I am.

B-but I promise you love, Scorp will know everything about his mother. I'll make Potter tell him all the best stories from Hogwarts, and I'll tell him his mother saved me from myself. I'll tell him how she helped save the Wizarding World. Then I'll tell how swotty you were. I'll tell him that you were the brightest witch of our age, but you couldn't fly a broom to save your life. I'll tell him that my favorite thing about you was your wild head of hair. Then I'll tell him about the time his mother hit me in the face, and how deep down, I should have known she'd be it for me.

I promise I'll read him Hogwarts: A History every night before bed. I promise to make sure there's enough Gryffindor and Slytherin in him, so he will be righteously cunning. And I promise to tell him how loved and missed his mother is.

I love you, darling.