A/n A new fic that I thought of. I don't exactly know where it is going yet, but I'll get and idea soon. Feel free to leave ideas, they really help me ^-^. ---= Present ---=past Draco and Hermione have been nice to each other since 6th year in this story.
Hermione's Years After Chapter 1Sitting inside the café, her eyes glued to her book, she pressed a hand to her head. She tried to press the headache that she had been feeling since seven years ago, when she was seventeen and was in her last year at school. Closing her eyes, she could once again see the colorful graduation gowns. She gazed out across the sea of red, green, blue, and yellow hats to see a tall boy. He was wearing his green graduation gown and was looking back at her. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and a shiver of hope rush to the pit of her stomach. He turned slowly away after staring for a few seconds, and strutted to the front as his name was called. "And last, Mr. Draco Malfoy." Everyone clapped like they did for everyone else. "Yes, Yes. Congratulations Slytherins. On to the Ravenclaws, then the Griffindors." Professor Dumbledor turned to the blue crowd, and started calling names. Finally, the Griffindors began to be called. "Miss Hermione Granger." She jumped when she heard her name called, and slowly started to the front. She shook the headmaster's hand, along with her other professors, and went back to her seat. She waited for the rest of it to be over.
The evening began with a graduation dance. She took one last look in the mirror and slowly emerged from her Head Girl dorm and walked even slower to the Great hall. Her silver heels clicked and clacked against the stone floor, and her v-necked red tank dress floated a good 3 inches above her knees. Her short brown hair was cut about shoulder length and hung straight and down, getting into her eyes every so often. Her stomach did a flip-flop as she approached the slytherin's dungeon entrance but tumbled back down when she saw him emerge, with Pansy Parkinson. She decided to ignore the fact that he was right there, and continued on to the hall. They passed and she could clearly hear Draco say, "Get off me Parkinson, you do know that father made me go with you." Pansy squealed. "But Drakie Drakie!!" He shrugged her clinging hand off of his shoulder and walked into the bathroom. Pansy started to sob and pounded on the door. "DRAKIE I LOVE YOU THOUGH!!" Hermione, still walking, watched pansy go into hysterics and charge back down into her common room. Draco poked his head outside the door and looked at Hermione. "Is it safe??" he whispered. She nodded and he walked out and to her side. "You know, if your going to walk that slow your going to miss the whole thing." He took her arm and started to walk even quicker to the hall, dragging Hermione.
Draco had been clobbered by a pack of screaming Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as soon as he entered the room, and was being dragged by about five in all different directions. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat in the chair in the darkest corner. "Girls." She muttered, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. She sat like that for a good five minutes when a Harry Potter and Ron Weasley sat down with Parvati and Lavender in tow. "Hey Herms." Potter said. "Hi Mione." "Hey girl!" Lavender merely nodded. Hermione smiled slowly. Another song started up and Lavender jumped to her feet. "C'mon Ronnie!! Let's go dance!" she dragged him off. Harry waved and was dragged by a giggling Parvati. Hermione sighed and tilted back again, dozing.
Some two hours later a tap came to Hermione's shoulder, jerking her out of her daze. Draco Malfoy was standing face to face with her. He extended his hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked. It was clearly the last song, judging by the groups of people dancing together. Pansy was running out of the room, sobbing again, and Crabbe was dancing with Goyal, and actually looking, ahm… comfortable? Hermione looked up at Draco, and smiled. She took his hand. "Of course." He led her to the center of the hall and put his arms around her waist while hers circled his neck. They both smiled. "I guess that I wanted to apologize for the way I was back then, you know… before everything." Hermione nodded, and pulled him to a hug. "I know how hard it's been. I knew that you were not like that either." He smiled. "Friends?" "Friends."
Hermione smiled, remembering the days that were her past. Sighing, she took a sip of her now cold coffee. "I wish now could be like they used to be." She ordered another coffee and looked out the window of the muggle coffeehouse. The sun was starting to set and it looked about five thirty. Sipping her coffee and staring blankly, she saw someone that she didn't expect to be there. Draco Malfoy was walking down the street. Hermione gasped and dropped her coffee. It clanged loudly and smashed into small dust pieces on the ground. Draco never heard it and was looking down at his feet. Hermione slammed her fist on the glass, making him jump a mile high. "What the-!" The owner of the coffee house started, but Hermione tossed a ten onto the table and ran out the door. She practically leapt into his arms in a hug. "Hermione??" "Draco??" he hugged her back and she felt warm tears hit her shoulder. "Hermione, it's been so long!" he smiled. Some muggles gave them strange looks as they danced across the sidewalk hugging and crying. "People these days…" a passing woman said. "Draco, we have so much to catch up on! Where were you these past few years?" He nodded. "Lets go get a coffee?" Draco asked hopefully. Hermione shook her head. "I just downed three and smashed a cup. I don't think that they will want me in there anytime soon." Draco pointed to the corner. "Dinner? At the Tree Broomsticks?" Hermione grinned. "You bet!" pulling out their wands they apparated to just outside of the three broomsticks. "I haven't been here since I was in my seventh year!!" Draco started, turning to Hermione. She nodded. "Same with me."
They were standing on Platform 9 ¾. The steam on the Hogwarts Express was starting to thin by now. The voice of the conductor shouted out over all of those that remained, which happened to be only Draco and Hermione. "You kids better get a move on it!! The barrier closes for the year in ten minutes!" Draco nodded and they walked to the other side. "You'll be in touch, won't you?" Hermione asked, her eyes starting to blur and her head growing heavier. "Of course, Mione." She smiled, but a tear rolled out and down her cheek. "Mione, don't. We'll see each other in no time!" She cried and gave him a hug. "I know, Draco. I know. But with the dark side gaining power, I don't know… I'm just so worried." Holding her hands, Draco gave her a soft kiss on her lips. "Don't. I'll ow- ehm… Write you soon. Promise." A group of teenaged muggles passed by them and gave them weird looks. Hermione's parents drove around the corner, followed closely by a black limo. Hermione sighed. "I'm going to miss you so much, Draco…" she started to cry again. "Love you…" she climbed into her car and blew him a kiss. He smiled, and got into the limo. That was the last time that she heard to saw of him for seven years.
Sitting at a table, eating Italian food, Hermione and Draco conversed for over an hour. "Where have you been, Draco? You promised that you would write." He choked a little, and his face pinked a little. "I was supposed to be dead. I was thought of to be, but I was really in hiding. Father sent Voldemort on me because he found out that I loved you…" Hermione smiled and sniffed a little.
Dark clouds billowed around him. He felt cold breezes and a whipping sound. Steps coming closer, and closer. The steps would swallow him. Flashing lights and screams of terror followed him everywhere. The wizard world was being stained blood red for the years to come. But if only he could stop the clouds. His father with the hoods, all-coming for him. His own wand hand pointed to his own heart. "Avada Kedav-" He stopped. Her face with it's own glow when she laughed and her smile. The warmth that she had brought to his cold heart in sixth year. Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Quickly, he aparated to a street corner in London. He saw her exiting a café, coffee in hand. He tried to run to her, but his feet couldn't move. Ropes were being wrapped around him again. "You will join us, or you will die………" they started. He had to get away, but the world darkened and he fainted.
Draco looked into her eyes. "Hermione, It's been rough, but I survived. Four or Five years ago I saw you leave a café, and I tried to get to you, but I couldn't He didn't let me. You know, I came about two feet from you when the ropes got me." Hermione looked at her half eaten plate of food. "Draco, this is so overwhelming. I need to sleep. I am not working tomorrow, but I have to sleep." Draco nodded. "Let's go. Do you want to sleep at my house? Mother can have the house elves make up one of the spare rooms." Hermione nodded. "I don't exactly want to go home. Yeah, that would be great." Draco nodded back, and threw some floo into the fireplace at the Three Broomsticks. "The Malfoy Manor!" he shouted. Hermione followed, and both were back at the manor in five minutes. Hermione followed Draco through the halls and into a light blue room. She immediately crashed on the bed and fell asleep, not even bothering to do anything. Draco smiled and crashed next to her. His arm on her waist, he fell asleep too.
Hermione opened her eyes the next day, tucked into a fluffy white bed. Sitting up, she exclaimed, "Where am I?!" Draco popped his head into the room. "Hey sleepyhead." She sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room, his face a little grim. "Draco, whose room is this?" He looked sideways at her. "My little sister's." he said softly. Hermione looked at him confused. "Your sister?" He went out of the room, leaving Hermione dazed. Snapping out of it she went in the bathroom and took her morning shower. 20 minutes later, when she came out dry and dressed, Draco was sitting on the bed again, looking at a photo album. He opened it and they looked at the pictures of a little girl who looked about four, her arm around a first year Draco at the train station. Draco had a big smile and the girl had a sad smile. Every few seconds the girl would wipe a tear or two away. She watched Draco wave at the camera and give the girl a hug. "Her name is Jackie. She was… murdered. Just before Christmas during First Year." Hermione nodded and took his hand. "I'm sorry…" He had a tear on his cheek, and Hermione reached up to brush it away. "I do have another sister though. But she is seven years older than me and is currently in America with her husband. It's almost time for lunch. Want to go downstairs now?" Hermione nodded and stood up. "One thing. You might want to wear warm clothes. It's really cold here this time of year and the manor's halls are cold." He conjunctured up a sweatshirt and jeans to take the place of Hermione's knee lengthed skirt and sleeveless shirt. "Thanks," she said as Draco went out of the room for her to change.
Coming out of the room she walked with Draco down the hall to the stairs. The kitchen was on the very bottom floor and they were bombarded with about ten house elves. They had doughnuts and pumpkin juice in paper cups, and were practically shoving them at the duo. After getting a few things to eat and drink, they went out of the house and to the small lake. The lake was on the other end of the manor's property, so it was about two miles away. They were busy throwing rocks in the water and eating that they didn't realize that it was going to rain. "Ugh!" Hermione yelled, running under a tree. Draco laughed at her and ran under with her. They laughed at the Gnomes who were running around and running into trees. "I guess they don't like water." Hermione shrugged. "Guess not." Draco smiled. They sat down and waited for it to stop raining.