Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the rights to these characters. I just gave them another story.

War changed people, that much he knew. What was once important no longer held any value. The people he once thought beneath him, he realized might possible better than he. He supposed his new friends, had rubbed off on him.

Well Granger had at any rate. He the arrogant young Malfoy was bettered by the muggle born Gryffindor, but it was something he prided himself on. So when Weasley, was caught red handed with the Brown girl making whoopy he had to restrain himself.

Though they had been come friends of sorts, he consider himself closer to Granger, and if it came to picking sides, he would pick her's hands down. She had grown on him the way only beautiful and smart women could.

So the day he caught Weasley pouring is dumb heart out to anyone who would listen he snapped.

"Weasley forgive me for saying this, but you didn't love her." Ron looked outraged at this and ready to argue but Draco held his hand up to stop him. "you just didn't want to be alone, or maybe she was good for your ego, maybe she just made you feel better about your miserable life. But you didn't love her, because you don't destroy the people you love."

"Malfoy you don't know what the hell you are talking about." Ron said angrily.

"I know more than you think," and without another word he walked away.

...

Draco walked into his shared office space, Granger was already there sorting through files that had been dropped on her desk. It seemed that Harry was benching them from any real cases until Hermione got her head on straight again. Which of course enraged her even more.

"That prat," she muttered as she pulled at a rather old looking file. "He is trying to distract me, with this? Like I don't already know that everyone in this office has tried and failed to find where he is hiding his money"

"Granger, he is just looking out for you." She raised her gaze to look at him and glare.

"I do not need protection," she snarled back at him.

"I know that, I told him that. But you are the family he never really had. And if you were to get hurt on a mission because you are distracted by someone or something he would never forgive himself,"

"Oh so you are in his side? I suppose you are on Ron's as well?" She snapped back, the moment the words had left her mouth she wanted to take them back. The look on his face.

"No I am not! Weasley though my sort of friend is a right old Prat who could use a lesson or two,"

"I heard what you said to him," she said in a small voice. "Thank you,"

"No thanks required. You are my friend who deserve better than a two timing loser, you are beautiful and smart and have a very bright future ahead of you that does not involve that Weasel. And you are going to find a man, who makes you happy and who will love you like there is no tomorrow everyday."

...

He was sitting with Ginny Potter, they were suppose to be meeting Hermione for lunch, or at least that was what Ginny had told him when she had called and made the plans. However it was thirty five minutes after Granger was suppose to be there. She was never late.

"Ginny, where is Granger?" Ginny looked guilty. "She isn't coming is she?"

"No,"

"Then why would you tell me we were all having lunch,"

"Well though we have been friendly for awhile now, mainly because of Hermione. I thought it could be a little weird if I asked you to lunch."

"So why did you want to have lunch with me, Potter not keepingyou happy," he asked jokingly.

Ginny smiled "I think we both know why," the look she was giving him unnerved him. It reminded him of his mother. "So you don't want to talk about it, that's ok I'll talk. You are in love with that girl. And everyone can see it. Harry told me about the mission last month. You nearly got killed because you were to busy worried about Hermione."

He looked a little out raged. "I would gladly lay my life down for her. She is my partner."

"Yes, but you love her too," he didn't say anything. "Look I know what she has said about not needing anyone and being done with men for except the occasional shag. But I know she loves you too. You should have seen her when you dated Padma over Christmas She went crazy all the while pretending it doesn't affect her."

"What if it ruins everything and we go back to hating each other. "

Ginny smiled warmly "and living like this is better,"

"It means I won't loose her."

"And if she were to find someone, because they pushed her a little to over look the past. What then? Will you sit back and watch her be happy with someone who isn't you,"

"It is what I did when she was with your brother,"

"And how did it feel,"

"Horrible."

...

"Ginny have you heard from Draco?" Hermione asked as she walked into the kitchen at the burrow.

"No, haven't you?"

"Not since work the other day, we decided to take a few days off from work, bit of a holiday. But we haven't talked, it's not like us," she looked thoughtful of a moment. "You don't think he met someone do you?"

Ginny looked annoyed at her friend "and if he has?"

"Well, then I guess good for him," Ginny looked ready kill her.

"Good for him, good for him Hermione. Come on, you are both madly in love with each other why won't you just admit it?"

Hermione looked taken back slightly, "Well he could say something to you know,"

"You are joking right," Ginny asked.

"No, why does it have to be me?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because you are the one always going on and on about how you don't need a man. How you are just fine on your own. Why would he tell you when you, say these things on a regular bases."

"I do not," she stopped though at the look on Ginny's face. "Ok so maybe I do,"

...

She had been knocking on the door for what felt like ages. It had been two days since she had her talk with Ginny at the burrow and still hadn't heard from him. They had been partners for five years and this was the longest they had gone without talking,

She knocked again. "Draco I know you are in there!" She yelled through the door. "Come on open the door, please." Nothing. "So help me god I will break this door down" she paused but no sound came. "1 2 3," the door swung open to reveal a very disheveled looking Draco

"Merlin what is so blood damn important, we are on holiday, couldn't it have waited," he said angrily.

"No, it couldn't,"

"Well, on with it, I have company."

Her heart sank, she had waited to long to tell him and now he had moved on, "oh,"

"Granger,"

"Yes,"

"Why are you here?"

"I love you," she stared at him wide eyed. She watched him closely as what she had just said sunk in.

"Hermione,"

"No, wait. I have something I want to say, I love you. And I have loved you for only Merlin knows how long. And I know what I have said, but I lied. Because I love the way we fight and banter still sometimes, and I love how you get me without me having to say anything. And how you can hold an actual conversation with me. And I would love to be able to wake up next to you every day, cause I am pretty sure that it would be absolutely amazing," he had a smile on his face before she stopped talking.

"Blaise,"he called over his shoulder without breaking eye contact with her.

"Yes," she heard him answer from somewhere in the house.

"You need to leave, Hermione is here,"

They heard footsteps approaching from the back hall "I don't see why that means I have to leave," he stopped and look between them before smirking. "See you later mate,"

Blaise slipped past them out the door before Draco wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It took you long enough," he murmured into her hair.

"Better late than never," she said moving to look up at him before he claimed her lips with his.

After a few moment's he pulled away "You know what this means don't you?" He asked.

"We won't be partner's anymore," the Ministry has very strict rules about inter office dating in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement office.

"Yeah,"

"I think I can live with that, as long as I get to come home to you every night"

"Well we will just have to see what we can do about that," he murmured.

"Yes we will," she said before leaning up to kiss him again. A little late is better than never indeed.

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