A/N: I have had this story on my mind for months, and after exhausting hours of planning it out, it has finally come together! (At least, I hope it has.) That will be up to you to let me know :)

The reason this is rated M, is because there is abuse and violence in this story. And, I'm paranoid. If you think it's ok for the rating to go down, well let me know and it will ease my conscience. ;)

This first chapter takes place two years after the Battle of Hogwarts, and it is slightly AU. I have done my very best to keep everyone in character, but if you think I'm totally off, please let me know.

My beta and co-writer is my very best friend and twin who looks nothing like me and is 3 years younger than me is BekaLynne22. She's given me ideas and suggestions for this story, and I think they have really brought this story together well. Okay, so enough of my rambling. I hope you enjoy this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, places, spells, etc. Only the plot belongs to me. The incredible world of Harry Potter belongs to the one and only, J.K. Rowling. (This disclaimer is for the entire story. I'm only posting it this once because I will forget to do it throughout the story).

Chapter 1:

"Draco! Do we really have to go to this party?"

Draco rubbed his temples, and groaned. He had heard the same thing all week and it was grating on his nerves. "Yes, for the hundredth time, we are going to this party."

It had been two years since the Battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort was defeated. Despite changing to the Light side, Draco was still despised by most people, but he felt it was mostly because he was a Malfoy. After Voldemort was killed, the Death Eaters were rounded up, including his father, and were sentenced to life in Azkaban. His mother had to appear in a hearing, but thanks to Harry Potter, she was released with no charges of being a Death Eater. Draco was indebted to Potter for saving his mother. Draco knew she would not have survived in Azkaban.

He was also indebted to Potter for helping him get his current job. When Draco had gone to the Ministry to sign up for Auror training, they were hesitant on letting him join. As luck would have it, Potter was there at the same time and stepped in for Draco, demanding they let him join, stating that without him, Potter would be dead, and the world would be a lot different.

Once a year on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, the Ministry held a gala in remembrance of all the lives lost during the First and Second wars. The first year was the hardest for everyone. Draco hadn't lost anyone close to him, but he had lost someone who had become a good friend to him after he had switched to the Light side. Fred and George Weasley had been two of the four people who had trusted Draco once he had switched sides. He had not really known the twins in school, but after watching them and listening to them, he realized how brilliant and funny they were. With his snarky comments, and their witty, funny comebacks, they got along splendidly. When he had found out that Fred had been crushed by a wall, he had had to leave the Great Hall so no one would see the tears fall from his eyes. Fred was one of the closest people to Draco that he had ever lost, and it hurt him deeply. But it hadn't seemed fair for him to feel so hurt when George had just lost his twin, and the Weasley's their son and brother. He had only told one person how he truly felt about it, and that was only because she was the one who had found him crying. She was another who had trusted him when he switched sides, and she seemed to know what he was feeling from Fred's death.

Draco sighed and shook his head from his thoughts. He went to his closet and grabbed a silk maroon tie and wrapped it around his white button up shirt. He grabbed his black jacket and shut the closet doors behind him. While putting his jacket on, he looked up and saw his girlfriend coming out of the bathroom. He had met Theresa a year ago at the anniversary gala, and they had been dating since. They fought often, sometimes, Draco thought too often. He wasn't sure if he loved her, but he did have feelings for her, despite her feelings towards his choice of friends and career.

Her brother had been an Auror who had been killed during the war, and she continuously told Draco this, trying to deter him from continuing as an Auror. As for his choice of friends, she despised the Weasleys and Hermione Granger. She thought the Weasleys were below her. As for Hermione Granger, she thought she was after Draco, so she despised her. Draco had tried telling Theresa numerous times that Hermione Granger and him were just friends. There was no possibility whatsoever that Granger had feelings for him, or vice versa. But Theresa was adamant, and refused to believe him. Sometimes though, Draco didn't believe himself on that matter.

He shook his head again, not wanting to go down that path at the moment when he and Theresa are already on thin ice. He smiled at Theresa and asked, "Are you ready?"

She smiled and walked over to him, giving him a peck on the lips. "Yes darling, all though, I can't understand why you want to wear that god-awful tie! It clashes with my pearl dress!" She complained.

"Theresa, I've worn this tie for the past two years to the gala, and I will continue to do so, in honor of my fallen friend. I told you this before you went shopping for your dress," he said, while he finished tying his tie. The twins had worn maroon a lot during the war, and it clashed horribly with their red hair, but Draco had found it amusing. He had asked Fred and George about it once and they said, 'It makes us stand out. Now people will know the amazing Weasley twins are coming!'

"Well, I still think it's horrible, but you do what you will. Merlin knows I can't talk any sense into you," she said, while walking out of the room with Draco behind her. "Do you know who all will be there?"

"I'm sure the same people who were there the last two years." He knew what was coming, and he really didn't want to go into it with Theresa; especially not tonight.

"Ah yes, well, just make sure you stay with me tonight, and then I won't have to spend the entire night making sure you don't do something foolish."

"What exactly would I do?" Here it comes.

"Well for one, mingling with those disgusting Weasleys! They have no class whatsoever and I think they just want attention."

"They lost their son! They are going to the gala just like everyone else who played a part in the war and who lost someone they loved! How is that seeking attention?"

"Oh please, they have, what—10 children? What's it to them if they lose one? They have plenty that can replace him," she said nonchalantly.

Draco clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white. "Theresa, watch what you say!" He warned.

She looked at him and gave him a small smile. "Of course, dear. Let's go shall we? We don't want to be late." She walked to the floo and yelled 'Ministry of Magic' before disappearing in the green flames.

Draco took a deep breath and unclenched his fists. It was going to be a long night.

oOo~oOo~oOo

Draco arrived at the Ministry of Magic and saw Theresa standing in the atrium waiting for him. He held out his arm and she took it. Neither said a word as they walked into the ballroom the Ministry had constructed shortly after the war, in order to hold the gala. It was just as it had been the past two years; a stage at the front for people to make speeches on the war won and the loved ones we lost, a bar to the side, tables all over in front of the stage, and off the side the dance floor. Draco led Theresa to a group of their friends.

"Draco! Theresa! I'm so glad to see you here! I wasn't sure you'd show," Astoria Greengrass exclaimed.

"Oh yes, well Draco didn't really want to come, but after telling him how important it was to be here, he finally conceded and came," Theresa informed them. Draco had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson looked at Draco with their eyebrows raised. Draco simply shrugged and left it at that. He didn't want to get into a fight here of all places.

"So Draco, how come I haven't seen you at any of my matches?" Blaise asked. Blaise had become a professional Quidditch player for Puddlemere United shortly after the war. He had been on the Light side from the beginning and had no trouble being accused for being a possible Death Eater.

"Well Blaise, I'm not a fan of Puddlemere, as I know you know," he replied.

"Yes well if you would come to a match and actually watch us, I think we'd change your opinion on us," Blaise smiled.

"It could be worse. You could be playing for the Chudley Cannons like Ron Weasley," Pansy replied. Pansy had switched to the Light side along with Draco. She didn't have as much trouble as Draco did after the war, but she was still treated with disgust by some.

"Yeah, but I hear that the Cannons are actually winning some because of Weasley. That's a feat in it itself," Draco replied.

"Yes well, with a wife like he has, I'd want to be gone to Quidditch matches and practices all the time as well," Pansy said.

"Oh that's right! He married that Luna Lovegood, right?" Theresa asked, even though she knew perfectly well who he was married to. "I just find it laughable that he chose her over that frizzy haired book freak."

And there it was. He knew it wouldn't take long for her to bring up Hermione. He sighed heavily before replying. "Theresa, I've asked you not to call her that."

"Oh I know! And why is that Draco?" She asked before starting on her second glass of champagne.

"Because she is my friend, and I will not have you talking about her like that."

She didn't reply but gave him a glare and went back to talking to Astoria. Draco shook his head and looked around the room. There were a lot of people there, as usual. He caught Professor McGonagall's eye and she gave him a small smile and a nod before turning back to speaking to Minister Shacklebolt. He continued to look around the room when he saw her. She was speaking to Harry and Ginny, and Draco couldn't help but gape at her. She was wearing a full length, deep sky blue silk dress, with one strap and a strip of glitter across the strap and the chest. Her hair was hanging down in soft silky curls and it went down to her waist, with a few jeweled pins in her hair. She was absolutely breathtaking, and Draco couldn't take his eyes off of her. She suddenly looked up and saw him. She gave him a smile and a small wave before saying something to Harry and Ginny. Draco looked away before he could be entranced again.

"Oh look, here comes the little bookworm now," Theresa said. Draco's head shot up and he saw Hermione walking towards them.

"Hello everyone!" She greeted. "How are you all?"

"Why Hermione! Beautiful as always I see, and no poor sap hanging on your arm. Please tell me you didn't come by yourself, because you could have been my lovely date tonight," Blaise said, winking at her.

She giggled, and said, "Oh Blaise, always the charmer. Actually I do have a date tonight, but he went to get us drinks."

"Ah, alas, I have lost you again my dear," Blaise mocked hurt.

She laughed softly and looked at Draco. "Hello Draco. How are you?"

"I'm doing well Hermione. How are you?"

"I'm good. Staying busy with my healer training."

"When do you finish with that?" Pansy asked.

"I have three months left. I'll be glad when I finish. The training is absolutely exhausting."

"Finally found something that you aren't good at, have you?" Theresa asked.

Everyone looked at her, and back at Hermione. "Quite the contrary, Theresa. I'm the top of my class. It's just very demanding, hard work. Something I'm sure you quite familiar with," she answered with a smirk.

Drack fought back a laugh, while Blaise was laughing silently. Pansy was hiding a smile while Astoria and Theresa looked insulted.

Before Theresa could reply, a man walked up to Hermione. "Here you are. Sorry it took so long, the line at the bar was quite long. Ah, hello, I don't believe we've met."

"Toby, this is Draco Malfoy, Theresa Henningson, Astoria Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini. Everyone, this is Toby Lennox."

"The Draco Malfoy? I remember you in school," Toby said.

"Lennox you said? I don't think I remember you," Draco replied.

"I was in Ravenclaw a year ahead of you lot."

After an awkward silence, Blaise said, "So you're the one who snagged this beauty for the night, are you?"

"Oh, well, Ginny actually introduced us, and Hermione said she wasn't going with anyone tonight, and neither was I, so it sort of, worked out."

"Hm, so it's a one night kind of deal, is it Hermione?" Theresa asked. Draco could have strangled her if he wasn't such a gentleman.

"Well, it's been lovely chatting. We'll see you around," Hermione replied, as if she hadn't heard what Theresa had said. Draco could read through Hermione like a book though, and he saw the flash of hurt go through her eyes.

After Hermione and Toby walked away, Draco turned to Theresa. "Theresa, that was uncalled for!"

"What? She deserved it after that snide comment she made about me. Besides, she wouldn't stop staring at you, and I thought it was time she left."

"You had no right! She is our friend, and you treated her like dirt!"

"Because she is dirt! She's a mudblood, and other than being friends with Harry Potter, I don't think she deserves to be here."

Draco grabbed her arm and dragged her out into the hallway, ignoring the stares of everyone. He hated what he was going to do, but that had been the last straw.

oOo~oOo~oOo

Hermione watched Draco drag Theresa out into the hallway, and she couldn't help but smile. Draco deserved a lot better than Theresa. Secretly and deep down she wished it could be her, but she knew it would never happen. She didn't stand a chance with him, even with their close friendship. They still had their arguments, but they didn't leave her in tears like they had while they were in school.

Since Draco had changed sides, she had seen a new side to him. He had saved her life during an attack in Diagon Alley, and she had instantly trusted him after that. That was when he had switched sides. He had been trying to get to Diagon Alley before the Death Eaters to warn the Order. He informed them, but the Order refused to believe him, until the Death Eaters attacked. Dolohov had sent a curse at Hermione, and when she had ducked, it hit the building behind her, sending it down on top of her. If it hadn't been for Draco, she would have been crushed to death. She owed her life to him, and had convinced the Order to accept him.

"Hermione, we should find our seats," Toby said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Actually, I'm not feeling well. All those nights studying, I'm afraid I haven't gotten much sleep. I'm just going to go home," she said before walking towards the exit. It had been 20 minutes since Draco had left with Theresa, and she was starting to get concerned.

"Would you like me to take you home?" he asked with concern.

"Oh no. I'll be fine. Enjoy the rest of your night, and let Harry and Ginny know I left," she said before walking out.

She walked into the hallway and saw Draco standing there alone. Walking over, she laid her hand on his shoulder. "Is everything all right, Draco?"

He sighed, and said, "Yeah, it's great." He stopped speaking for a minute then said, "I ended it with Theresa."

"You did?" Hermione was inwardly jumping up and down.

"Don't sound so upset about it, Granger. I know you're thrilled," he smirked at her. He could always read her clearly.

"Well, I never did think she was right for you," Hermione said, crossing her arms.

"Is that so? Tell me Granger, who do you think is right for me?" He said, inching closer to her.

Hermione's heart started beating erratically as he drew closer to her. She back up slowly until she hit the wall. "What makes you think you'll accept my opinion?" She breathed.

He put his hands on both sides of her head on the wall. He leaned close and said, "Why wouldn't I?"

Before she could respond, he closed the distance with his lips. Hermione couldn't think, she couldn't register the fact that Draco Malfoy was kissing her.

They broke apart, both breathless. He said softly, "Let's get out of here."

All Hermione could do was nod. He grabbed her hand and they walked to the floo, flooing to her one bedroom apartment.