Remembrance

Hermione was trapped in her own mind racing through all the suffering Draco was going through. Was this all because she asked him to fight, was it because she asked him not to leave her? All logic and rationale were missing right now. All she knew was he was suffering and there was nothing that she could do. Hermione felt the strange feeling of being pulled along within the floo network. She walked into her living room and not even realized that Ginny didn't take her to the manor, but to her small little flat she still had above an abandoned store in diagon alley. She started thinking back to this is where it all began, it's where Draco re-entered her life two years ago. He had been looking at the store down below to open up a small apothecary, but was upset that the flat upstairs had already been rented out and was talking to the real estate agent about possibly meeting with the witch or wizard upstairs to get them to move. She remembered how Draco told the story so vibrantly to her after they got together. She had been on her way home from a long day at the ministry where she had been trying to convince the minister that a lab would be able to free up the Aurora's and allow them to focus on the facts and be more objective, if she could lead a department to focus on the information they collected and run the tests that took time away.

She came home to head up the outside stairs and failed to notice the lights on in the downstairs shop. "Oh, Ms. Granger, It's pleasant to see you again. I was just showing Mr. Malfoy here the shop downstairs from your flat." The witch stated nonchalantly to catch Draco off guard. Hermione had turned around just as Draco looked up from the list of shops on his parchment. Their eyes had met and instantly there was a spark between them. "Ms Granger, It's been far too long."

"Mr Malfoy, please call me Hermione. We have far too much history, good and bad, behind us to keep the formalities." She saw in his smile that it was genuine and the specks of silver and blue in his grey eyes shined brightly. She remembered how they stood outside talking about almost everything and didn't remember the real estate agent leaving or it getting so late. "Wow, I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I should probably let you go home to your family." Hermione sheepishly stated, brushing a piece of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear nervously. "Actually, would you like to go grab some dinner with me? There is a nice muggle restaurant not far outside diagon alley." He smiled as his hard exterior displayed anxiousness.

"Ok, sure, let me go put my work down and I will be right back." She quickly went up the stairs and opened the door quickly checking her appearance in the mirror in the hallway. Upon agreeing she was presentable and briefly stopping herself to wonder when she had cared if she was presentable for Malfoy, she walked down the stairs to her flat and there at the bottom of the stairs was Draco waiting for her. "Well let's go and get some good food in good company." He smiled at her and then she felt the strange pull of apparition and then they were in an alley around the corner from the restaurant that they were going to visit. They walked to the small Italian cafe around the corner where they had ordered dinner and a bottle of wine and sat there talking about everything and anything till the owner of the small establishment came up letting them know that it was closing time. Both laughed in embarrassment and Draco paid the check as they walked out into the cold. Neither one of them was even sleepy and Draco spoke first. "It's been great catching up with you tonight Hermione. I really enjoyed myself. I wish tonight didn't have to end…" Hermione hesitantly answered back. "It was great, Draco." The one thing all night neither one had mentioned was if there was someone significant in either of their lives. "The girl who caught you is one lucky witch." Her smile faded as Draco was taken back by her comment. "Hermione, I am not seeing anyone. I would have figured I was the one getting in the way of you and your lucky wizard or even you and Weasley." Hermione laughed a true and gut filled laugh confusing Draco immensely. "Draco, I'm sorry I just thought everyone knew Ron and I never worked out. It fizzed out before it went anywhere. I work too much to find anyone serious and they are only after the fame coming with dating one third of the Golden trio. I can't believe out of everything we talked about we never mentioned if we were seeing anyone."

Draco let out a deep laugh. "Well how would you like to go out with me tomorrow then, if you're not too busy." "I never know what time I will get out of the MInistry. It could be at a normal time or it could be extremely late depending on when evidence is dropped off or if there is a late crime that occurs." She let a frown emerge on her face, the first one Draco had seen all night and it pained him to see her sad. "Well I have to finish up business with the realestate witch tomorrow and then afterwards I can come by the Ministry of Magic and check in on you to see how it's going."

Hermione smiled, "That sounds wonderful, I look forward to it." Draco had later told her how that smile right then told him everything he needed to know and he fell in love with her that moment. A tear fell down her cheek as she remembered.

Her thoughts continued to remember the next day. She was elbows deep in cases and evidence most of the day, so she didn't even realize that time was flying by. She had skipped lunch because she worked through her lunch break and then as people left for the day she was still staring into the microscope trying to identify the sample of the potion that was all over the inside of a victims coat. She heard someone from her staff lean into the lab. "Granger, there is someone here to see you." Hermione was shocked by the voice of Theodore Nott and looked up from what she was doing. "Oh for Merlin's sake please tell the Aurors just to log it in and I will get to it."

"If it was that simple I would, but there is this wanker here that says you and him have some sort of appointment at the end of the day. I think he used the word date, but come on Dr. Hermione Granger doesn't have time for dates nor would she date a snake like this one." He smirked as Hermione started to get flustered.

"Mr. Nott, I would beg you to bite your tongue. Good evening Theo, I will see you tomorrow." She was shocked that her own staff felt this way about her. Theo stood there shocked for a little while till she repeated herself. "Mr. Nott if you have nothing else you may go and enjoy your evening." Theo shook his head and turned to walk out. Theo mouthed to Draco as he passed "Good luck." Draco smiled his classic smile and waited by the door. Before the door shut Hermione called out, "I'll be there in a second Draco. I need to lock up this evidence before I go." She got up from her microscope and took the slide and put it back in the locked chilling station to stop the potion from mutating.

She looked around making sure she didn't forget anything before turning around and casting nox on the lab. Draco waited patiently outside as she finished her work and when she came out he flashed her a truly happy smile. " Hello, I am not stopping you from anything important am I?" He didn't want to start their date off wrong by making her stop her work in the middle of something important.

"No, no I had been looking at the same slide for the last few hours trying to figure out what it is. I was at a good enough stopping point now as I would be in an hour or maybe even two hours ago." She smiled at Draco and nervously tucked a stray piece of her curly hair behind her ear. "Well then let's get going while the night is young and I want to know do you want French or Italian?" Draco had an idea for both and wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself out tonight. At that moment Hermione's stomach made a very unladylike growl where she then bit her lip and looked away ashamed. "I'm sorry that is so rude of me. I skipped lunch today because I worked through lunch when I lost track of time. I'm thinking Italian if that is ok with you?" Draco only chuckled thinking how cute she was when she blushed. "Italian is great." As they walked out of the ministry to the apparition point they continued to talk about their day. When they got to the restaurant that was when Draco decided to ask the one thing he was surprised he hadn't heard anything about. "So how come Theo called you Doctor Granger, but the realestate witch said Miss Granger?" Hermione looked like she was caught with her hand in a cookie jar. She set down her wine glass and looked at Draco. She licked her lips thinking how to answer his question."Well I went to university and was able to test out of many of my classes so I was able to get my degrees quickly. I was able to get my doctorate in forensic science though if I would have continued another year I could have started healer training. I saw a need for the magical law enforcement office to have a forensics department. So yes I'm a doctor, but I don't use the title. My department uses it to remind me that I know what I am doing, that I am their boss, not the only one working there, and well everyone else I just omit it from conversation." She sat there with her hands in her lap hoping that he understood her though not many people did including her friends.

"I'm shocked that you don't want everyone to know you are that educated." Draco regretted it the moment those words came out.

'Well I am not the same person trying to prove themselves anymore. The only one I need to be happy with is myself. Mr. Malfoy. I thought after all the conversation we had last night that you would have realized that I am not that same teenage girl I was at Hogwarts. I only gain knowledge for myself and for the use in my job." Hermione's pleasant expression had changed to one of annoyance and distaste.

"I'm sorry it came out wrong. I know we all changed. I was just surprised you wouldn't want the world to know you are still the brightest witch of her age. Because I am shocked by what you accomplished. If only I had accomplished even half of that I would be proud, but alas I am only an apothecary owner in a sub department of Malfoy industries. I wanted to train to be a potions master but after the war I couldn't find many people willing to teach me. So I learned what I could from who I could and it made me have enough knowledge to run apothecaries." Draco was sincere in his apology and Hermione was taken back by it. Draco once again apologized for something he had done. He really had changed. That had changed the mood of their evening and put it back on track for a pleasant event; which is exactly what they had.

When the date came to an end that night they were outside Hermione's flat talking when Draco leaned in and his lips met hers. At first she froze not expecting it. When her brain caught up with what was going on she kissed him back. When they separated for air Hermione was going to invite him up to her flat, but before she could say anything He leaned back in and gave her a chaste kiss on her lips "Good Night Dr. Granger, I hope to repeat this evening soon. I'll send you an e-owl tomorrow." He took a couple steps back and watched as Hermione looked disappointed. "Good night Mr. Malfoy. She turned and headed up the stairs to her flat the whole time biting her lower lip. When she got inside she leaned against the door. What did she do wrong? She thought it had gone well, but he went back to such formalities.

That whole night she tossed and turned, unable to get the thought of that kiss out of her mind and did not feel the same thing she did from it. She had downed a bottle of wine hoping it would help her sleep, but alas it didn't. She groaned and rolled over, throwing her pillow over her head as her alarm went off. Getting up she went and showered and had to cast a few glamour charms to hide her lack of sleep and her hangover. She took one last look in the mirror after she got ready and headed to work.

"Good morning Hermione." She turned to see Harry and Ron approaching her with a box of something. "Harry Potter please tell me that is not a box of evidence you didn't log last night." Hermione groaned inwardly at it.

"Then he won't tell you, I will." Ron gave her that Weasley smile. "Just take it to my lab. I need to go get some coffee from the cafe." She walked towards the small Cafe inside the ministry and both boys looked at her in surprise. Hermione never acted this way early in the morning. "I think she was working late last night." Ron mumbled to Harry. "Nah she wasn't here when I went down there to drop this off." Harry just shrugged and the two boys headed down to Hermione's department.

Hermione made it down to her department finding Theo talking to her two friends and as she got closer Theo started shhhh-ing the Gryffindors. "Having a good gossip session Theo? I'm pretty sure I pay you to work here, not gossip." She walked past them and headed to her office before anyone could respond to her.

"Sorry Doctor." Theo yelled after her. "Sorry the wanker was so horrible to shag." Theo started laughing. Next thing Theo knew he had been hit with a horrible stinging hex and her office door slammed shut. She turned on her computer to look at the logs of evidence that needed to get processed today and then checked her e-owls. Just requests for updates on information on the various cases. She spent her morning answering owls and signing off on reports when she heard the ping on her computer. She looked up from the report she was double checking when she saw an owl from Draco. She clicked on it, expecting it to be one of those it's me not you, but it was fun hanging out, maybe we should be friends type notes.

Hermione,

I enjoyed spending dinner with you and would love to see you again. If you feel the same just let me know.

-Draco

Hermione was slightly shocked that it was a good note. She quickly replied.

Draco,

I enjoyed last night as well. I would love to see you again. When are you free?

-Hermione

She sent her response and went back to her work hoping to get a few more reports done before she could go to lunch. She was just finishing her last report before she was going to go to lunch when there was a knock on the door. "Come in" Hermione didn't even look up from her report as her door opened and her computer pinged a new message. She held up her hand to whoever entered her office as she clicked on the new message.

How about now? Look up.

-Draco

She looked up confused and saw Draco standing in her doorway holding a bag of takeaway. "Draco, I didn't expect you." Hermione looked around the mess of papers on her desk and knew her hair had to be a mess by now considering how many times she had been messing with it. "I know, I thought I would surprise you with lunch. I mean if its a bad time I can leave." Draco just smiled at her hoping he wasn't intruding. "Now is a great time." She smiled at him as he sat down at the small couch and table in her office and Hermione came to join him.

This had become a ritual they did almost every day since then. It only changed if one of them had a meeting or were out of town. Hermione loved how they found one another and how they just clicked. For two years they had been together and he never left her and she would never leave him.