A/N: This, my friends, is the end. *sniffs* It came sooner than I'd
originally planned since I am already starting school tomorrow. But I had
so much fun doing this and I hope it goes the same for all of you out
there. I love your reviews and would still love to get more! Also, I
prepared a tricky song for you guys to figure out at the end. Who is the
song for, huh? Huh, huh?? Take a good guess and tell me!!! Thanks for
reading!!!
Disclaimer: All of this belongs to J.K. Rowling except for the plot, which is mine!!
Chapter 15 -The Beginning
After Draco's handing over of Lucius, the League was able to find out all about the Dark Lord's whereabouts and of his fellow Death Eaters. The Veritaserum (the truth charm) made sure of it. And after the confession, they did not waste time bickering on who would take on the Dark Lord. Everyone stuck up together and decided for themselves that if they wanted the terrible murders to stop, they had to be united. And so they all went, Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts League, Fudge's own defense team, the Giants (led by Hagrid and ahem, Madame Maxime), the professors of the three Wizarding schools, and of course, Harry, Hermione and Draco.
Harry could still recall the frightful duel that the Dark Lord and Professor Dumbledore engaged in. The latter, although quite old, was not by any means worn-out. Harry thought he was as powerful as he was years or so ago. And Voldemort, possessing a mere half-life, had a dose of his own medicine and expired fleetingly on his own. The Death Eaters were all caught and thrown in Azkaban where a handful of highly skilled and trained wizards guarded them day and night. The Memory Charm was hardly of any use to them since they had lost all strands of hope of the Dark side's return to power. With Voldemort's final death, it was as if the first eight dark months, never happened at all. Everything went back to normal in the Ministry and in Hogwarts except for one minor detail: a Welcome Back Ball was held in the end of the year instead of the traditional Parting Ball. It was Professor McGonagal's idea to honor the League members who greatly contributed to the Dark Lord's Fall. And so far, the evening was going along well for Harry who was just too happy to be back.
"Hey, Harry,what's with the glazed look?" Ron asked, waving a hand in his face. Harry grinned at him broadly and started in a serious tone,
"I was just thinking if you would care to dance with me 'cause I missed you an awful lot.." He faked a teary expression.
"You prat! I see the League wasn't able to stuff much sense in you. Honestly, Harry, you're h-o-p-e-1-e-s-s!" Ron mocked and they all burst into laughter-just like the old times.
"How about you then, Ms. Granger? Care to dance with me?" Harry asked after they had settled down. Hermione looked pleased.
"Well, all right. But not if Ron doesn't dance with me next..." she added, beaming slightly at Ron.
Ron faked a horrified look.
"What? Me dancing with a Buck-toothed er-girl like you? You're dreaming!"
"Still not in your Priority Friends List, Ron?" Hermione inquired jokingly. But she could see that Ron took it rather hard.
"I am really sorry about that, Hermione. It was stupid of me to think that I would rather be with those stuck-ups than with the two top ass-kicking wizards of the League." Ron was still saying when Hermione cut him looking enraged,
"So you did have that list! I thought you were only kidding!" Hermione was now standing with both hands on the table. People peered curiously at them.
"I said I'm sorry." Ron told her in a meek voice.
"Oh, never mind! I guess we should all leave it to the past." Hermione told him after some hard thinking. Harry nudged at her side to remind her of their dance. She followed him to the dance floor happily. They were having so much fun that they didn't notice that they had already danced two songs in a row. And if Ron hadn't barged on Harry in time, they would have danced their third. After muttering 'sorry' to Ron, Harry took his place at their table and watched.
"I really missed the both of you a lot Hermione..." Ron told her just before the dance ended.
"I know, Ron. That's why I'm just too happy to be back." Hermione replied. But before she could notice where Ron was steering her, he started speaking again,
"Umm, Hermione. I wish I could dance with you longer but I think someone should have a chance with you first."
"What?" Hermione asked lost when Ron took her by the shoulders and spun her around.
Hermione stared in shock. Standing right in front of her with one hand held out was Draco Malfoy.
"Draco?"
"Hermione, please dance with me." He told her shyly. She could see that it was difficult for him to look her in the eye. But when he did, Hermione saw that the pale gray eyes Draco wore before were glinting very blue tonight. And noticing that he still has his hand out, Hermione reluctantly took it.
Draco led her to the center of the floor. By now, all eyes were on them, most wide with shock and the rest, greatly amused.
*You give your hand to me
And then you say hello*
The song was a familiar Muggle song and Hermione found out in time that she was quite stiff from all the attention boring on them. But when Draco stirred her to the song, she forgot about everyone.
*And I can hardly speak
My heart is beating so*
"Hermione, are you still mad at me?"
"Nm."
"I take that as a yes."
*And anyone can tell
You think you know me well But you don't know me*
"No, I'm not mad, Draco." she told him hastily. Draco stared at her surprised. Then she added, "Actually, to take in account that you almost betrayed us, it is pretty amusing that I'm not a bit mad at you, don't you think?" Draco just smiled at her looking amused.
*No you don't know the one
Who dreams of you at night*
"What?"
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
"I believe you had."
"When you're mad?"
*And longs to kiss your lips
Longs to hold you tight*
"No, actually. But the last time you did, you also said I was a Muggle."
"Oh, then Muggles must be really enchanting. I think I should keep my eyes on them, don't you reckon?" Draco told her playfully. Hermione could guess where this was leading.
*Oh, I am just a friend
That's all I've ever been
Cause you don't know me*
"But Draco Malfoy, you hate Muggles!"
"Before, Granger, before. And all except one."
At this, Hermione felt her cheeks burn. She didn't want to make her reconciliation with Draco an easy one but her emotions were being very hard to subdue. And without thinking, she blurted out,
*I never knew the art of making love
Now my heart aches with love for you*
"I try not to look at people through a looking glass anymore..."
It was plain to see that Draco was caught off guard-for a while, his grayish-blue eyes flickered with uncertainty.
*Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance that you might love me too*
"But I'm still trying to know you." Hermione whispered, slipping her arms around Draco's neck. She darted her gaze at Draco who looked deeply moved.
*You give your hand to me
And then you say goodbye*
"And I'm still trying to know how to love you. But don't shriek now, I don't think they'll like that very much."
Hermione darted her gaze at Draco who was now fuddling with her hair. She then let her eyes wander at the stunned crowd of Gryffindors and smiled,
"I promise I won't if you won't take that back like you did before." she snapped shrewdly at Draco who just smiled.
*I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy*
The crowd around them murmured excitedly. Some were even clapping. Professor Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling, Snape was looking ghostly white, and Mcgonagall was crying. Only one person had a different expression on his face-Harry who was staring quietly at the pair.
*Oh you will never know
The one who loves you so
Well you don't know me*
The crowd's attention was only turned away from the two when Fleur Delacour ushered Professor Lupin to the dance floor. The two were now officially engaged (the story says that Fleur offered to take Snape's Wolfsbane potion to Remus herself one night. The latter was just too surprised to gag on something solid in the drink. The thing turned out to be Fleur's golden ring. And whether Lupin indeed learned to like Fleur or was just too ashamed to turn down such a gracious offer, no one knew.) As for Draco and Hermione, the song had just ended but their story was just being spun.
Disclaimer: All of this belongs to J.K. Rowling except for the plot, which is mine!!
Chapter 15 -The Beginning
After Draco's handing over of Lucius, the League was able to find out all about the Dark Lord's whereabouts and of his fellow Death Eaters. The Veritaserum (the truth charm) made sure of it. And after the confession, they did not waste time bickering on who would take on the Dark Lord. Everyone stuck up together and decided for themselves that if they wanted the terrible murders to stop, they had to be united. And so they all went, Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts League, Fudge's own defense team, the Giants (led by Hagrid and ahem, Madame Maxime), the professors of the three Wizarding schools, and of course, Harry, Hermione and Draco.
Harry could still recall the frightful duel that the Dark Lord and Professor Dumbledore engaged in. The latter, although quite old, was not by any means worn-out. Harry thought he was as powerful as he was years or so ago. And Voldemort, possessing a mere half-life, had a dose of his own medicine and expired fleetingly on his own. The Death Eaters were all caught and thrown in Azkaban where a handful of highly skilled and trained wizards guarded them day and night. The Memory Charm was hardly of any use to them since they had lost all strands of hope of the Dark side's return to power. With Voldemort's final death, it was as if the first eight dark months, never happened at all. Everything went back to normal in the Ministry and in Hogwarts except for one minor detail: a Welcome Back Ball was held in the end of the year instead of the traditional Parting Ball. It was Professor McGonagal's idea to honor the League members who greatly contributed to the Dark Lord's Fall. And so far, the evening was going along well for Harry who was just too happy to be back.
"Hey, Harry,what's with the glazed look?" Ron asked, waving a hand in his face. Harry grinned at him broadly and started in a serious tone,
"I was just thinking if you would care to dance with me 'cause I missed you an awful lot.." He faked a teary expression.
"You prat! I see the League wasn't able to stuff much sense in you. Honestly, Harry, you're h-o-p-e-1-e-s-s!" Ron mocked and they all burst into laughter-just like the old times.
"How about you then, Ms. Granger? Care to dance with me?" Harry asked after they had settled down. Hermione looked pleased.
"Well, all right. But not if Ron doesn't dance with me next..." she added, beaming slightly at Ron.
Ron faked a horrified look.
"What? Me dancing with a Buck-toothed er-girl like you? You're dreaming!"
"Still not in your Priority Friends List, Ron?" Hermione inquired jokingly. But she could see that Ron took it rather hard.
"I am really sorry about that, Hermione. It was stupid of me to think that I would rather be with those stuck-ups than with the two top ass-kicking wizards of the League." Ron was still saying when Hermione cut him looking enraged,
"So you did have that list! I thought you were only kidding!" Hermione was now standing with both hands on the table. People peered curiously at them.
"I said I'm sorry." Ron told her in a meek voice.
"Oh, never mind! I guess we should all leave it to the past." Hermione told him after some hard thinking. Harry nudged at her side to remind her of their dance. She followed him to the dance floor happily. They were having so much fun that they didn't notice that they had already danced two songs in a row. And if Ron hadn't barged on Harry in time, they would have danced their third. After muttering 'sorry' to Ron, Harry took his place at their table and watched.
"I really missed the both of you a lot Hermione..." Ron told her just before the dance ended.
"I know, Ron. That's why I'm just too happy to be back." Hermione replied. But before she could notice where Ron was steering her, he started speaking again,
"Umm, Hermione. I wish I could dance with you longer but I think someone should have a chance with you first."
"What?" Hermione asked lost when Ron took her by the shoulders and spun her around.
Hermione stared in shock. Standing right in front of her with one hand held out was Draco Malfoy.
"Draco?"
"Hermione, please dance with me." He told her shyly. She could see that it was difficult for him to look her in the eye. But when he did, Hermione saw that the pale gray eyes Draco wore before were glinting very blue tonight. And noticing that he still has his hand out, Hermione reluctantly took it.
Draco led her to the center of the floor. By now, all eyes were on them, most wide with shock and the rest, greatly amused.
*You give your hand to me
And then you say hello*
The song was a familiar Muggle song and Hermione found out in time that she was quite stiff from all the attention boring on them. But when Draco stirred her to the song, she forgot about everyone.
*And I can hardly speak
My heart is beating so*
"Hermione, are you still mad at me?"
"Nm."
"I take that as a yes."
*And anyone can tell
You think you know me well But you don't know me*
"No, I'm not mad, Draco." she told him hastily. Draco stared at her surprised. Then she added, "Actually, to take in account that you almost betrayed us, it is pretty amusing that I'm not a bit mad at you, don't you think?" Draco just smiled at her looking amused.
*No you don't know the one
Who dreams of you at night*
"What?"
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
"I believe you had."
"When you're mad?"
*And longs to kiss your lips
Longs to hold you tight*
"No, actually. But the last time you did, you also said I was a Muggle."
"Oh, then Muggles must be really enchanting. I think I should keep my eyes on them, don't you reckon?" Draco told her playfully. Hermione could guess where this was leading.
*Oh, I am just a friend
That's all I've ever been
Cause you don't know me*
"But Draco Malfoy, you hate Muggles!"
"Before, Granger, before. And all except one."
At this, Hermione felt her cheeks burn. She didn't want to make her reconciliation with Draco an easy one but her emotions were being very hard to subdue. And without thinking, she blurted out,
*I never knew the art of making love
Now my heart aches with love for you*
"I try not to look at people through a looking glass anymore..."
It was plain to see that Draco was caught off guard-for a while, his grayish-blue eyes flickered with uncertainty.
*Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance that you might love me too*
"But I'm still trying to know you." Hermione whispered, slipping her arms around Draco's neck. She darted her gaze at Draco who looked deeply moved.
*You give your hand to me
And then you say goodbye*
"And I'm still trying to know how to love you. But don't shriek now, I don't think they'll like that very much."
Hermione darted her gaze at Draco who was now fuddling with her hair. She then let her eyes wander at the stunned crowd of Gryffindors and smiled,
"I promise I won't if you won't take that back like you did before." she snapped shrewdly at Draco who just smiled.
*I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy*
The crowd around them murmured excitedly. Some were even clapping. Professor Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling, Snape was looking ghostly white, and Mcgonagall was crying. Only one person had a different expression on his face-Harry who was staring quietly at the pair.
*Oh you will never know
The one who loves you so
Well you don't know me*
The crowd's attention was only turned away from the two when Fleur Delacour ushered Professor Lupin to the dance floor. The two were now officially engaged (the story says that Fleur offered to take Snape's Wolfsbane potion to Remus herself one night. The latter was just too surprised to gag on something solid in the drink. The thing turned out to be Fleur's golden ring. And whether Lupin indeed learned to like Fleur or was just too ashamed to turn down such a gracious offer, no one knew.) As for Draco and Hermione, the song had just ended but their story was just being spun.