Greetings everyone. This is my second Dramione oneshot, hope you will enjoy.

Id like to thank everyone who reviewed on my last story. About making a second part of "Obliviate", Im not sure. It was supposed to be a oneshot so, I ain't sure if Im gonna write another part. But if I get any ideas, I may post. And also, I will be posting an update to "The Affiance" soon. And now, with no further rambling, let's get right into the story.

"The renaissance of us"

By grangerandmalfoy

One particularly chilly gush of wind swept Hermiones hair away from her face, and she shivered slightly . Odd as it was, the cold made her feel comfortable . Unlike warmth, that made her feel unsafe and insecure, cold kept her at peace. She felt it was like life, cold and cruel but real. No any facade just a reality.

Four months prior the war, her mind still wasn't at peace. slightest shuffle was enough to wake her up and lose the rest night's sleep. Smallest movement in the dark corridors sent her hands to her wand, gripping it tightly. And today it was impossible that she would sleep. Her hopes of having a normal life had gone downhill that morning when a very worried looking McGonagall broke the news about the new law passed by the Ministry.

A marriage law.

Hermione was beyond furious , she was livid.

On top of all the aftermath of the war, now they had to partcipate in a marriage law.

The ministry was sure losing its sanity, they were all eighteen for Merlin's sake. They had all gone through enough, they had suffered for a lifetime and she felt they deserved some peace.

But of course, when has the Ministry ever been worried about them?

All that it mattered to them was re establishing the magical population of Britain that was decreased due to the horrible war. And they wanted to use the young students, forcing them into marriage and parenthood when they weren't even ready.

She had spent her day in the library, consulting old books to see and find out smallest loophole in the law, but finally had admitted her defeat when none was found. She found no way to escape the rape that Ministry was enforcing them into.

Now all she could do was sit and wait for the Ministry's owls that were to come tonight, with the pairs the Ministry thought were the most compatible.

She and Ron, after realizing they were never meant to be couples, had broken up shortly after the war. She loved him, yes, but she decided the love was for her best friend, never romantic . People expected them to end up together, like Harry and Ginny. Harry and Ginny were meant to be, she and Ron, not.

She knew the parchment arriving today wouldn't carry Rons name as her future Husband, she would be glad if it did, She at least knew him properly, but she could be paired with anyone.

She didn't know what shed do if she got McLaggen or worse someone from Slytherin. She grimaced at that. Whomever it was, she knew she had no choice but to accept it. She hated being so hopeless. She couldn't bear that she didn't know a way around the law. It drove her insane.

Few minutes ago she had seen the flock of barn ministry owls soaring inside the great hall, carrying what she knew were their letters. Her already anxious mind and thumping heart told her to just lay it off while she could, shed read hers later. She needed some alone time.

"Couldn't sleep?"

In matter of seconds, her head had snapped back, her wand aloft, pointing at the person who had spoken.

When she did see the person, her brown orbs widened slightly but she she drew a breath of relief at the same time.

Standing in front of her, with his hands up in the air, was Draco Malfoy.

His platinum blonde locks were being reflected white in the moon light and his pale face was illuminated, his gray eyes blank and void of emotions, masking any emotions from her.

"Its just me" he spoke in his usual cold voice, but there was a difference today. She figured out as much. His voice didn't carry the usual sneer, or cruelness, it was simply empty, it was like ice that had lost its chill, but its cold exterior was still intact.

She lowered her wand, slowly, never breaking the eye contact and he stared back, his steely gaze boring into hers with such intensity that at last, she looked away. It was too intense.

As she broke her gaze, she gazed down at the grounds, the black lake was still, its sparkling water not making a slightest ripple.

She felt him stand besides her, she felt how tall he was, far more taller than her.

"What brings you here?" She asked at last, after contemplating if she should speak or let the thick silence rule the night.

"I could ask you the same thing" he said and sighed. "I figured I needed some alone time"

She looked at him, for a mere second before looking away again.

"You saw the letter?"

He looked at her, she knew he was looking at her, steadily. She didn't turn, she wasn't ready for another eye contact, not yet.

"No" he answered . "No I didn't. I- I decided I'd save it for letter. I'm not getting any sleep anyways. Not since the-"

He stopped mid sentence and he didn't need to say it for her to understand . She already knew what he meant. He too, couldn't sleep since the horror they faced four months ago. Hell, who could?

It intrigued her in the slightest that why was he, Draco Malfoy willingly telling her that the war had affected him like it did to everybody . She never thought he could do that, she thought he considered it a weakness, revealing his feelings to others.

"I can't either" she said.

She didn't know why, but telling him this didn't feel wrong. Not even a bit wrong. She was surprised at herself, this was Draco Malfoy in front of her, alone at the tallest tower, and she wasn't getting even a bit defensive.

He remained silent. She did too. And it stretched, like ink spreads on a piece of sponge, and she relished the feeling of calm she felt. It wasnt supposed to happen, this sense of peace was supposed to disappear when she was with her former "enemy", but it didn't. This frightened her, her guts were calm, they werent screaming her to leave, it felt okay, peaceful. She didnt know why.

Somewhere inside the black lake the giant squid moved its tentacles, making the inky water of the lake to ripple. She stared at them, stared untill they were still again. Completely still and she felt she needed to speak, she wanted to speak.

"How do you feel about the law?" She asked him out of genuine curiosity .

He shrugged.

"I don't know acually"

"How can you not know? I mean Im completely disgusted by this." She said interrupting him.

He smiled, just the slightest tugging of his lips.

"Im a pureblood Granger, the "scared twenty eight" as they say". Their was the lack of his usual pride when he said that. He was no more the proud pureblood he once was. She could tell that by his tone. "Arranged marriages, betrothals, these are common in the pureblood societies.Even if this bloody law hadn't passed, I would be married to some pureblood lady soon, my mother is desperate to pass the family heirloom to someone"

His bitter tone softened when he mentioned his mother. It was clear how much respect and affection he had for his mother. Hermione didn't know how she felt about the lady Malfoy, she had done them a favor, lied to Voldemort about Harry, she clearly loved her son. Hermione had last seen her in her trials, at the Wizengamot, her usual grace was missing, sure she was dressed the perfect, as always, but her face was a whole different story. Hermione, Ron and Harry had given testimony for their release, and the look Narcissa passed Hermione when she stood before the older lady testifying for her, was definitely not one of hate. She looked ashamed, grateful and biggest of all remorseful.

"You don't get to have a say in the marriage ?" Hermione asked.

"Not always, the groom maybe, but the bride usually are supposed to shut up and marry whomever daddy chooses, its how it works."

"Well its awful!" She commented and he laughed.

The soud surprised her, it was something different, different than anything she had heard. She had only seen his smirk, the cruel one, but his laugh, it was...beautiful .

"Knew you would say that. I know its awful, most marriages are so unfair that my blood boils just thinking about it, they marry a seventeen year old to a sixty year old Granger, and the brides can't do anything except accept the life they've been given" He said.

"Dont they ever raise their voice? Its their life that's on stake and they don't even stand up for themselves ?" She questioned , feeling outraged.

It was mallicious. Being forced into a marriage with someone you didn't even know. But that was what was happening to them. They were being forced and they could do nothing. Now it truly hit her,how hopeless they were.

"Thats how things work Granger. The exterior pride of us Purebloods is just a facade. I bet half of us have once at their life , wished that they'd rather be a halfblood than to oblige to pureblood rules."

She looked at him, and his face morphed into an expression of remorse. She didn't have to wait long to decipher the reason.

"Granger I- I apologise "

The unexpected words made her brows hike upwards and she turned towards him.

Upon seeing her surprised look he sighed,

"I know the way Ive treated you was shit, I was nothing but an arrogant asshole, and all those behavior was actuated by my fathers teaching. I was taught that Muggleborns were scum, that their place was below us. I carried that mentality all the way to Hogwarts only to be beat by a muggleborn, you." He turned his steely gaze to her, and looked her directly in her honey orbs.

"You don't know how bewildered I was when you continued to beat me in every single subject, every year. You were this brilliant muggleborn, and I was left confused because all my life Ive been taught that muggleborns were good for nothing. I started to question my beliefs in my fifth year, and then my father was arrested. And that was enough to fuel the sense of revenge in me and I found myself standing in front of the dark lord, this sick, sadistic madman and got my skin tainted." He said bitterly, she couldn't help but glance at his eyes, trying to trace any kind of emotion but it was black, void.

"I was horrible Granger, there is no excuse for my behaviour, I am truly sorry for that and I know forgiving me is not easy, but I apologise, sincerely." He finished, he was still staring at her, intensely and she couldn't turn away.

After a long staring-match, she looked away with a sigh.

"I've forgiven you Malfoy, I have, a long time ago. But its not forgiving that is hard, forgetting is. It will take a while, it will take some time for us to forget and put behind our past, but eventually we all will be able to move on, will be able to speak about the war without flinching."

Draco sighed. Hope.

She hoped.

He never had it in him, the ability to hope. It seemed futile to him, stupid, worthless.

"I don't believe that Granger. I dont think I will be able to look at the war without horrible memories flowing through my veins. I don't think I will be capable of that."

He didn't know what on the earth was wrong with him. He was saying it all, that the war had damaged him, he wasn't bothering to hide his true thoughts from her, he wasn't able to keep it from her. He wondered what was the reason, searched his mind for the answer of why was he opening up to Hermione Granger in this cold night, with no reason whatsoever. But this didn't feel wrong and for once, he decided to listen to his heart.

And Merlin, her gaze. It was thrilling, fiery like fire, and he wanted to test her. Test just how much fire Hermione Granger had in her.

"You are being pessimistic Malfoy, it doesn't harm to be a little optimistic once in a while. Im not saying to put on hopes for something impossible, this is possible, anything is, if you have enough will for it." She said smiling feebly.

He liked it. Her smile. It was beautiful, untainted by the war, inncoent, pure. His lips curved up slightly seeing hers, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He wasn't ready to unmask his emotions, not yet.

She watched him. Watched as his lips tugged up for a mere moment before his face went back to blank. He felt like a puzzle, one that she had difficult solving. His skin gleamed, in the soft sapphire light of the moon, his eyes had dark circles around them, indicating his lack of sleep. She looked at his sharp jawline, and his neck peeking from under the robes he wore.

He was attractive, she couldnt deny that. He was built up, lean not too muscly but fit. Her eyes went back to his face and met his eyes which were looking at her.

She blushed, being caught checking him out.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, and gazed down at the grounds. The silence started again, she wondered just when she became able to share a comfortable silence with Draco Malfoy. She could hear faint chatter down in the great hall, by now everyone must have opened their letters. She was anxious, she wanted to lay it off, but she knew she had to open it. She sighed.

He couldn't help but smirk when he caught her eyeing his body. He was quite proud of his physique, a whole month at the manor in house arrest, he had spent most of his time flying or working out and the result was fruitful.

He was still looking at her when she sighed. His mind was quick to decipher that it was a concluding sigh. She was going to leave. A foreign feeling invaded him, scaring him.

He didn't want her to leave.

He was shocked when he realised just how much he was relishing this peaceful company.

"I think I should now leave" she said turning to him, he was proud of the fact that he still was able to keep his mask on.

Inside, he was having a turmoil .

Dont go.

Stay.

Just a little more.

"Yes, I think I should too"

I don't want to.

He didn't know what had she done to her. She had him craving for her company. Craving for just some more time with her.

She nodded, frowning at the feeling of disappointment that washed over her.

Holy Merlin, what was wrong with her!!

She wanted to stay, she wanted him to want to stay. What was wrong with her?

Sighing, she made her way towards the door, walked past him, and when she reached the stairs, she felt him follow her. She was walking ahead, a bit ahead, and after a short while, he caught up with her. They walked in silence, side by side, walked as they passed the familiar corridors of Hogwarts. When they reached the dimly lit Great hall, both of them halted in their tracks.

He cleared his throat. She looked at him before speaking,

"I take my leave Malfoy, talking to you was..nice"

He looked at her, and for the first time smiled, let her see him smile.

"Likewise, Goodnight Granger" he said whilst not taking his eyes off her.

He watched, watched as she nodded.

"Goodnight Malfoy."

He watched as she walked away, watched untill she disappeared turning a corner. He stared at the hallway and finally looked away with a sigh.

He didn't know what tomorrow would bring. He didn't know if they will be able to have a proper conversation like today. He didn't know what her reaction would be when she found out who her Betrothed was. He knew whom he was paired to afterall. Maybe todays conversation would be the renaissance of them. He just hoped that she wouldn't think his apology was actuated by the fact that they were going to have marry each other.

And that's the end. Hope you liked it, please review, that inspires me a lot.

Xx

grangerandmalfoy