Author's Notes: I have a bunch of one-shots and drabbles floating around in the fandom and thought to collect them all and post them here. I know you're all eagerly waiting the next update of HWY and have resolved myself to go back to it soon. I've unfortunately been busy writing fics for another fandom (gasp!), but have not forgotten about my favourite couple :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters within. I do not own the song "I Believe" by Bon Jovi.

Summary: Hermione and Draco had been together for two years in secret. DH compliant, EWE. Written for dmhgficexchange 2008 on LJ.

Enjoy!

I believe, I believe
With every breath that I breathe
You and me can turn a whisper to a scream

***

"I'm tired of us meeting like this."

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she slowly slid back into her jeans and buttoned them up.

"I know," she answered, pretending not to understand his meaning, "but next week Ginny is going away to Ireland with Harry so I'll have the flat to myself. I guess you can come around there instead if you're careful."

She slipped on her summer blouse, sitting back down on the soft bed of the Muggle hotel room she had booked for the night. Her suggestion had done nothing to appease the pale skinned man lying beside her.

"I'm serious Granger," he continued, propping himself up on an elbow. "We're not doing anything wrong. You're not married or anything and the Ministry's finally getting off my back – maybe it's finally time that we -"

"That we what, exactly?" Hermione abruptly interrupted, turning around to face him. "Go public? Tell everybody that we're dating? You know that can't happen, the press would have a field day – I can already see the Daily Prophet's headline: Hermione Granger dates Malfoy, scum of the wizarding world!"

"You know what?" Draco said icily, throwing the blankets away as he stood out of bed. "If you're going to be like this, just forget I said anything!"

"Like what?" Hermione retorted, standing up herself. "I'm just being realistic. What's wrong with you? You know exactly what would happen, it'd be just like in seventh year!"

Draco's eyes turned cold and Hermione suddenly regretted her words. They had both returned to Hogwarts for their final year after Voldemort's defeat, but while Hermione had been welcomed back with open arms, Draco had been kept under a watchful supervision by the Ministry and hated by most of the students.

He had spent most of his seventh year avoiding Gryffindors and Slytherins alike, all out for revenge on him for what his father and fellow Death Eaters had done in the past. He was the only son of the Death Eater to have returned to Hogwarts after the war and as such he had suffered the consequences. Hermione had been the only one who he had had contact with over the year since she was Head Girl and had after seeing Malfoy being ostracised in such a way, she had taken pity on him. After all, she was there the night Voldemort had come to Hogwarts and she had seen what Draco had done for her and Ron in the Room of Requirement. She had felt compelled to make an effort with Draco during her final year at Hogwarts and although at first he had behaved just as infuriatingly as ever, his attitude soon changed when he realised she was the only one there for him.

Their brief encounters turned into friendship, which by the end of the school year had turned into something more. After the Hogwarts' graduation ceremony, they had finally admitted their true feelings to each other and started dating in secret ever since.

Hermione breathed in deeply, trying not to think about the past. "I'm sorry, but please – please don't be like this."

She felt Draco tense at her words before he began picking up his own clothes strewn across the floor.

"You heard the news as well as I did Granger," he said calmly. "Lisa Turpin and Theodore Nott are getting married. If an Auror and the son of a convicted murderer can do it then why can't we?"

"It's not the same," she began, but stopped herself as he whipped around and she noticed the anger etched on his face.

"No, I suppose it isn't. After all, I doubt Turpin has two blundering idiots to worry about."

"Oh for God's sake, as if it was only about Harry and Ron!" Hermione shouted back, walking over to him. "You've got everything to lose Draco. Need I remind you that the Ministry has only just given you clearance to your family vault and access to Malfoy Manor after three freaking years! If you do anything to displease them now they'll take it all away from you again and you can kiss your job at Gringott's goodbye as well!"

Picking up her jacket, she quickly slipped into her shoes fuming with anger, but at the same time hoping Draco would say something – anything to break the silence and make things better.

Why was he being so unreasonable? He had always been so adamant about keeping their relationship secret before, repeating several times over that no one would understand them and only seek to separate them. The wizarding world had changed after the war. They hadn't brought on peaceful harmony among wizards and witches as Harry had promised, but instead hatred had broken out between pure-blooded families and victims of the Death Eaters. The families of the fallen ones had taken vengeance into their own hands and relatives of Death Eaters had become the scapegoats of the wizarding world. They were hated and anyone who associated with them were instantly outcast as well. The Ministry had done nothing to prevent it and Hermione preferred not to think what would happen to Draco if people discovered their relationship.

Finally grabbing her leather bag lying at the foot of the bed, Hermione turned to leave the room, barely looking back at Draco, who was staring out of the window, fully dressed.

"I don't care," he spoke up as she opened the bedroom door. "I don't care about the Ministry and what they can do to me. They already took everything I had once and if they do it again, then so be it."

He turned around, his soft blond hair framing his face as Hermione stood frozen in the doorway.

"The only thing I'm scared of losing - is you."

She opened her mouth to respond but he beat her to it. "I love you and I want to be with you and if the wizarding world has a problem with that then there's really no hope for any of us at all. As long as we stick together, they can't break us."

He walked towards her until his hands reached her waist, pulling her in. Hot breath on her skin as his fingers slithered up her back.

"What do you say?"

She looked up into eyes and her own doubts seemed to vanish. Could they really take the risk? Did he really have so much faith in them to believe this could work? Her mind buzzed with a million questions, but she felt mesmerised by the longing look on his face, the feel of his arms around her and his overpowering scent, all suddenly causing her to push him away.

"Don't," she told him, taking a step back. "Don't try to kiss me and think everything's going to be fine. I need to think about this. I'll see you tomorrow."

Walking out of the room, she wondered at what point their relationship had become so complicated and quickly decided to put it out of her mind instead.

*

***

*

Several hours later, Hermione was sitting in the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade where she had agreed to meet Harry and Ron for drinks. The two Aurors had been living together in the village ever since they had left Hogwarts and had become regular customers at the pub.

"So I was thinking," Harry began in a nervous tone, "that maybe after I take her to Killarney National Park, I'd take her out to the restaurant and eventually ask her – er -"

"Hang on a minute!" Ron hastily put down his pint causing it to spill. "You're going to propose to Ginny? To my sister?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, Ron," he answered, a small appearing on his lips. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Well congratulations, mate!" Ron told him, slapping him on the back. "Mum's going to be thrilled."

"Hermione?" Harry asked, turning towards her. "Aren't you pleased for me?"

Hermione had barely listened to a word all evening as Draco's words replayed over and over again in her mind. All evening she had been making a list of the pros and cons of revealing their relationship to their friends and it had only caused her to get a headache.

"I'm sorry Harry," she told him, trying to focus on her friend's conversation. "Yes, of course I'm pleased. I hope you guys will be happy together."

However, her tone of voice sounded anything but pleased. She was so distracted with Draco that she had barely noticed the quizzical looks her friends were giving her.

"I have to tell you something," she exclaimed, finally facing them.

Harry slowly raised an eyebrow. "Okay, is something wrong?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," she answered, gulping down the rest of her wine. "I just – it's just something I've kept from you guys for the past couple of years and – er – I don't know how to tell you."

Harry put his hand on hers and gave her a smile. "Hermione, after everything we've been through, you know you can tell us anything you want, right? We're here for you no matter what."

"Yeah, Hermione," Ron told her, laughing softly.

"I've been dating Draco Malfoy ever since I left Hogwarts," she blurted out, barely able to look them in the eye. She held her breath waiting for their reaction, but noticing her blank looks, she just kept on going.

"We've been dating ever since we left Hogwarts and we've kept it secret for obvious reasons, but now I think we've both had enough of sneaking around and want to go public."

"Oh God!" Harry finally spoke up. "And I thought I had the biggest piece of news tonight."

"Draco fucking Malfoy?" Rom exclaimed, slamming his pint down on the table again. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Hermione said, trying to put on a brave face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"Hermione, we always suspected there was someone," Harry began, looking around them nervously as if someone might be listening in, "but we never thought it would be -"

"Malfoy!" Ron cried out.

"Ron, please, keep it down!" Hermione told him, hoping no one had heard him. "Yes, I'm dating Draco - and I love him. And I know all this is sudden and I should have told you two before, but what I need to know right now is that if the whole wizarding world suddenly found out about us; would you two back me up? Will you be there for me?"

She was really testing their friendship this time and she knew it. Harry and Ron had much to lose as well by helping her, but without them – she didn't know if she could go through with it.

Harry and Ron shared a quick glance, before Harry finally nodded and a smile appeared on his face again. "Hermione, you're our friend no matter what. We're here for you."

Hermione smiled in return and felt an immense relief wash over her as she heard his words. She felt so lucky to have such great friends that tears suddenly welled in her eyes.

"Oh Merlin, you're not going to cry, are you?" Ron exclaimed, finishing his pint. "Come on, I'll order us another round. We have an engagement to celebrate and after hearing about Malfoy, I definitely need another drink!"

*

***

*

That same night, Hermione apparated to the Muggle flat Draco had been renting in London until he could move back into Malfoy Manor. She had had more than a few drinks with Harry and Ron after telling them about Draco and had finally conceded into telling them the whole story to their relationship. Talking about the past two years she had spent with Draco made her realise that she was making the right decision.

It was time to stop hiding and face the consequences.

"I told Harry and Ron!" she cried out, as soon as he opened the door.

He smirked at her. "Well, Merlin be damned! So what did Potter and Weasley have to say? Please tell me they finally let you go and that I never have to see those two idiots again!"

"Oh quite the contrary, you're going to have to endure their company for a while longer."

She laughed softly as she spoke and grinned as his hands cupped her face and he kissed her hard.

"Draco," she whispered, pulling away slightly. "We can do this right? I mean, I love you and I believe in us, but still - we're not about to make a huge mistake by telling everyone, are we?"

His devilish smile appeared once more on his handsome face. "Oh, ye of little faith!"