Blessed

Summary- It has been about eight months and no one has heard from Hermione, and it seems as though no one misses her.  Harry and Ron have each been married since school let out and they still bear a grudge for their old friend.  Hermione is leading another life, away from the man who used her and broke her heart, and has a terrible secret.  Draco Malfoy is the present heir to the Malfoy fortune and is unhappily married to Pansy Parkinson Malfoy.  He still has haunting dreams of another love.  Around eight months after graduation, Pansy and Draco come across something extraordinary, which links them to the last person they had in mind.

Pairing- Ron Wesley and Lavender Brown Weasley, Harry Potter and Parvati Patil Potter, and at the beginning- Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson Malfoy, but subject to change.

Spoilers-

 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone,

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,   

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Disclaimer- I do not claim to own any of the characters from the Harry Potter series.  They all belong to Ms. Rowling.  Don't sue, I have a disclaimer and I'm not afraid to use it!

Previously-"We could be a family, Hermione."  Draco said forcefully.  "We could be a family if you let it."

Hermione stared at the two blonde people in front of her.  "I wouldn't want anything more, Draco."  Hermione said.  "We had something beautiful, we did.  We had three years of each other, and it wasn't enough.  I want to be happy again Draco, can you do it?" 

Draco fixed his eyes on Hermione.  "I can try."

~*~

When I think, how life used to be
Always walking in the shadows
Then I look, at what you've given me
I feel like dancing on my tiptoes

I must say everyday I pray
When realize you're by my side
I know I'm truly

Blessed for everything you've given me
Blessed for all the tenderness you show
Do my best with every breath that's in me
Blessed to make sure you never go

There are times, that I test your
Faith, til you think you might surrender
Baby I'm, I'm not ashamed to say, that my
Hopes will grow in splendor

You walked by in the nick of time
Looking like an answered prayer
You know I'm truly

Blessed for everything you've given me
Blessed for all the tenderness you show
Do my best with every breath that's in me
Blessed to make sure you never go

Blessed with love and understanding
Blessed when I hear you call my name
Do my best with faith that's never-ending
Blessed to make sure you feel the same

Deep inside you fill me with your tender touch
You know I'm truly

Blessed for everything you've given me
Blessed for all the tenderness you show
Do my best with every breath that's in me
Blessed to make sure you never go

-Christina A-Blessed

~*~

Draco and Hermione stood there for a few moments; taking in what all was said.  She said she wanted a family, he did too, but could the honestly do it?  Could they really look one another in the eyes and say 'yes, we can do this'?  Could they?  Well, they were.

"We have a lot of work to do, Draco."  Hermione said softly.  "A lot of years to make up, and yet, it seems like our daughter has a better grasp on all of this then we do, it's as if she knew it was coming, and is welcoming it."

"Kids are like that."  Draco said.  "She's terribly clever, almost for her own good, but she also knows right from wrong, I made sure of that."

""You're right and wrong?"  Hermione said, folding her arms over her chest and smirking.  "Dear dear, I do have some work to do then."

Draco laughed and soon she joined too, there was just something so refreshing about being comfortable with one another again.  They both needed to let off some of that steam.

"So where do we go from here?"  Hermione asked him after relishing in the joyful moment they shared.  "What happens now?"

"Well."  Draco said thoughtfully, taking her hand.  "We could announce our engagement."

~*~

Heir of Malfoy fortune to wed

Rita Skeeter-Special correspondence

Today is indeed a joyous day in the Malfoy residence.  Draco Malfoy, son and heir to the late Lucius Malfoy, has announced his engagement to Hermione Granger, Professor of transfiguration of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Sources say that  Draco Malfoy, who recently lost his wife of eleven years, Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy, had a keen interest in the muggle born girl when they themselves where students at Hogwarts school, although Mr. Malfoy nor Ms. Granger will confirm it, they have not denied it either.  Could the newly discovered adoptive child, Juliet Malfoy, be a 'souvenir' of the duo's sweetheart days?  This reporter will keep you posted.

Hermione laughed a little at the article in the Daily Prophet.  Rita Skeeter was at it again, but although she was still trying to cause trouble, she had lost her edge.  She was trying to cause mayhem for the Malfoy family, but in fact, everyone knew that nothing could hurt a Malfoy, especially not an old fraud who couldn't dress worth a knut.

"Hello love, sleep well?"  Draco Malfoy entered the sunroom of the Malfoy mansion, where Hermione was eating breakfast.  It was the last day before she had to return to Hogwarts, and she was enjoying every bit of it.

The sunroom itself was a well lit, heated room that had glass on three sides, looking out into the vast Malfoy gardens, which were covered with a soft blanket of snow at the moment.  Small diamonds seemed to be woven in the gorgeous snow.  Hermione sat at a small breakfast table, maybe allowing four at the most to sit there, and Draco took a seat right beside her, putting a loving arm around her small frame.

"Very well."  Hermione answered, smiling brightly.  She had stayed at the manor since they day they talked, Juliet, of course, were with them as well, but Hermione occupied one of the many guestrooms, not yet sleeping with Draco.

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and showed him the newspaper.  "It seems we've made the front page."  She said, smiling.

He skimmed thought the article, picking up the jest of it.  "Ah yes, she has done her homework, that Skeeter woman."  He said.  "And if she tries to pry anymore into our personal business, I'll be sure she gets a rather large, red F on it too.

Hermione giggled and leaned against him, watching the sun hit the snow, making it glitter even more.

It has been a week since they left The Potter residence and came here; ready to catch up on everything they missed.  Hermione told Draco about her life as a muggle, Dumbledore's letter and coming back to Hogwarts.  She even told him about how hard it was, teaching who she thought was his and Pansy's child, all the way up to making up with Harry and Ron and seeing him at the quiddich pitch….everything.

"I can't believe you never got married."  He admitted.  "I mean, eleven years is a long time to be lonely."

"It is a long time."  She said.  "And it was dreadfully lonely, but I couldn't bring myself to it, I just never could.  Every man I looked at I compared to you, criticized against you, there just wasn't anyone enough to fill the hole, and you're on in a million Draco Malfoy."

He grinned cockily, "I know."  He said, his voice shadowed that of an eleven year old she used to know. 

Hermione laughed and smacked him playfully.  "Of course you do, Draco Malfoy."  She said in a fake-stern voice.  "You know everything." 

"I thought you were the know-it-all, Granger?"  He asked her, pretending to look confused.

Hermione stopped for a moment and looked into his bright silver eyes,  "I thought I knew everything too."  She managed to get out.  "You've taught me a lot Draco."

He looked down at his former lover, entranced by her eyes.  He couldn't believe he lived without her; to him she felt like oxygen, he needed it to breath again, to live.

Harry and Ron had been very supportive, of course.  Hermione and Draco walked out of Hermione's room and announced to a waiting room of Harry, Ron, and Juliet that they decided to try again.  Harry and Ron knew they loved each other, because they knew their friend.  Of course they were weary of Draco….who wouldn't be? But they smiled and shook his hand like they where all old friends, they owed Hermione that much.

Juliet, of course, had been beside herself. She loved her father as much as an eleven year old could love anything, and she had always loved her mother, even if she never knew her.  It was like a magical bond that kept them together after all those years, something so deep then it could never be penetrated.

Hermione nuzzled her head into Draco's chest and stayed there for a moment, savoring every moment.   

"Daddy?" A small voice could be heard behind them.

"Good mourning darling."  Draco said in a kind voice.  "Did you sleep well?" 

Juliet went over and hugged her parents.  Her father and her newly discovered mom.  "I slept very well, Daddy."  She said.  "Knowing you're happy now, and now that things are happy around here.  We should repaint the house, Daddy."  She said in an innocent child-like ramble.  "All these blacks and greens are drab, aren't they? What If we put up more silver and gold?  And took down those heavy curtains that Grandpa Lucius always had closed.  What do you think mother?"

Hermione smiled brightly at her child.  "I think that is an absolutely splendid idea, Julie, Don't you Draco?  Perhaps we can cheer this place up a bit, make it more family friendly?"  She snuggled closer to Draco at the word family.

Draco smiled at Hermione and Juliet.  "Excellent idea."  He said.  "I'll call the decorator tomorrow.  How do gold silk curtains sound?  And Juliet, you must come up with a design for your room, what would you like in it?"

Juliet stopped for a moment, then said, "I want gold and red!"  she said firmly.

Hermione laughed.  "Now that's my girl."  She smiled brightly.  "A true Gryffindor, through and through!"

"Yes, well."  Draco said in a serious voice.  "Don't expect our room to be Gryffindor-ized.  How does silver and white sound?"

Hermione thought over it a moment, then said.  "Yes, that will look spectacular."  She smiled at Draco.  "Absolutely perfect."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and smiled and her.  "I'll be sure to call him tomorrow.

~*~

"So everything is working out, Albus?"  Minerva McGonagall asked the headmaster. 

"Yes, it does seem that our idea worked, Minerva."  He said, his eyes sparkling. "Everything we hoped for…it all came together."

"It was nice to have such a vacation."  Minerva said.  "I actually spent most of my time in Maine, America, with my brother. They have lovely beaches there, not sand, but stones that are so smooth, you would think they had all been individually polished."

"Sounds wonderful."  Albus said kindly.  "Are you sure you want to come back to work then?"

"Oh of course!"  Minerva exclaimed.  "I took the year off for Hermione to teach just this year, and everything turned out the way we had hoped.  She recognized Potter and Weasley's kids, and of course we have them to thank for that.  I never knew I would be saying this, but I'm glad they put a few toes on the line, especially for their friend.  They are all just like thier parents, arnt they?"

Dumbledore chuckled.  "Yes, I must say they are.  Rather unnerving isn't it?  James, Harry, James, I'm going to get so confused if this James decides to name his boy Harry.  They all look so alike."

"Hermione Malfoy."  Minerva said quietly.  "You never would have imagined it, would you?"  She asked the wise headmaster.  "Such enemies, and then, something happened along the way.  Albus, what did happen?  How can such strong emotions turn someone like that?  Especially Draco Malfoy?  Hermione I can understand, she is much like you, in the sense that she is very forgiving, and such a believer in second chances.  But we all thought Draco was beyond our help, remember?  We all thought we couldn't save him."

"He was beyond our help, Minerva."  Dumbledore said.  "And we didn't save him.  Hermione did.  What is on the other side of hate, but love?  It's a wonderful story, Minerva, I'm surprised I never told you before."

Flash Back

Hermione walked soundlessly through the dark, abandoned library.  She knew the layout by heart, of course, but she was still careful, incase some careless first year left out a chair she could trod over. 

"Ah."  Hermione said, finding her familiar work corner.  "Now I can finally get some work done!" 

Hermione had been trying to accomplish a very hard magical healing charm for about a week now, but she couldn't get the hang of it.  Taken, it was very advanced magic, seventh years had trouble learning it, so not many bothered, but she wanted to be an auror, and a good one, so her Gryffindor pride and embarrassment of not being able to accomplish a spell drove her to these midnight trips to the library, learning the history of the spell, the mechanics, the words…everything. 

She held in her hand a training charm that Professor McGonagall had given her, in congratulations for being appointed a prefect.  The charm was used in practicing magic such as the spell she was learning, instead of an actual human or living being.  When the charm was ready to use, it would glow a deep green, and if the spell worked correctly, it would then glow gold.  So far Hermione had only been able to get a rather ugly yellow-orange color.

"Septimolus!"  Hermione said, flicking he wand at the charm, but the green just gave way to a yellow color, and Hermione groaned. "I'm never going to get this right, I'm never going to become an auror, I'm a failure." Hermione had strong emotions, and of course she was distraught over her inability to complete the charm.

Hermione looked around the dark room.  She had a charm on her vision to enable her to see a bit better in the dark, not significantly better, but better all the same.

Her eyes swept over the librarians desk, and over the vast shelves upon shelves of different books.  Books of every size, shape, color, and sometimes, books of various levels of evil.

She looked over at the restricted section.  The only place in Hogwarts where you could come in contact with dark magic, as far as she knew, at least.  There was something amiss though, what was it?

Hermione got up out of her still library chair and walked over into the rows of dark, sinister looking books. Many had very peculiar looking markings on them, not words at all, and many, many appeared to have blood on them.

Hermione made her way though the rows of dark books, but then one caught her eye.  It was dark green in color, and had the emblem of Slytherin on it.  It was jutted out of the shelf in a way that reminded Hermione strongly of muggle movies where old houses would have secret passageways behind book cases.  But that was impossible, because this was a double sided case, there was no place for a room to be.

Hermione reached up, to better inspect the book, and was met with a surprise. As soon as she touched the book, it dropped from the shelve, and a glowing essence penetrated from where the book formally was.  Soon the books surrounding it fell too, to uncover a very brightly lit room.

"How in the world?"  Hermione asked, gripping her wand tightly.  "How can their be a room here?" 

But a room it was.  At first Hermione was taken with how bright it was, white walls, but no windows.  There where a few candles, but nothing that could make it be this bright, it must have been a lumos charm.  Hermione crept into the room, careful to not set off any magical whatever, and keeping a close eye out for any sort of movement.  The room was furnished with white leather chairs, a fireplace that was burning blue fire, and a long, comfortable looking leather couch….which was occupied.

Hermione stopped where she was and almost forgot to start breathing again.  The figure was lying down on the couch.  Hermione's eyes widened when she saw who it was.  It was a very tearstained, but very asleep, Draco Malfoy.

Hermione had never been more unsure of what to do in her entire life, and she didn't like it one bit.  Here was Draco Malfoy, her sworn enemy, in a strange room in the library, looking like he had just sobbed himself to sleep.

Hermione looked around and sighed.  Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and even in his sleep Malfoy looked pained, like he was having nightmares not even Harry could relate to.

"Malfoy?"  Hermione said gently, stepping closer to the white couch.  "Malfoy, are you alright?"  She asked cautiously.  He didn't stir.  "Malfoy?"  She asked louder, this time touching him lightly on his shoulder.

"AURGH!"  He yelled and jumped up, causing Hermione to go flying backwards in surprise."

"Who the HELL?" She looked down at a moment and stopped.  "Granger?  What the Hell are you doing here? How did you get in?" He looked livid, but also genuinely surprised, which she supposed he would be, this was a very peculiar room.

"I'm not real sure how I got here."  Hermione said slowly.  "There was a weird book that opened up a door here, and now it closed again."  She said, glancing over her shoulder at her only escape route.  "I saw you on the couch, and wanted to make sure you where OK, you looked…" She searched for a tactful word. "Distraught."  She finished.

"I'm fine."  He said.  "Now leave."

"Why?"  Hermione asked, suddenly curious and annoyed.  "You're in the library, technically, and I have a right to be here as much as you do….where is 'here' exactly?"

Draco smirked.  "'here' is one of many secret rooms of Hogwarts, know-it-all, and I have claimed it."

"Its not yours to claim, Malfoy."  Hermione said, rather angry.  "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"No one else knows about it."  Malfoy said, shrugging.  "It's nice to get out of the Slytherin common room and actually be able to hear myself think."

Hermione almost smiled, "And why would big bad Draco Malfoy want to be alone?  To think up some new plots to kill Harry?  Christmas gift for Voldemort?"

Hermione was startled to see Draco look angrily sad; it was the weirdest mix of emotions she had ever seen, like he was conflicted to keep himself from crying.

"Malfoy?" She said uncertainly.

"For a know-it-all, Granger."  Draco said, his voice filled with contempt, "You sure are fucking ignorant."

This really unhinged Hermione, what the hell did he mean?

"Care to enlighten me, then?"  She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Why?"  Draco said. "Why would you possible want to hear what I have to say, why do you care at all?"

"Well."  Hermione said thoughtfully.  "I come across this brilliant room, empty except for the sleeping, tearstained figure of Draco Malfoy laying on a couch, and then he basically tells me that he doesn't hate Harry as much as he lets people believe, and that he seems to hate Voldemort more."

"Nice synopses, Granger."  He said.  "But I don't feel like spilling my heart out to my enemy today, come again later, wait, don't."

"Why am I your enemy, Malfoy?"  Hermione asked him, truly curious.  "I never did anything to you, your family, any of your friends, except for the time I turned Pansy into a pug, but you couldn't really tell the difference."

Draco actually smiled at that.  "You're a mudblood, Granger, you are inferior."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.  "Then you must be a real disappointment, as I am besting you in every single class."

"You don't know shit about me, Granger."  Draco said angrily.  "So don't pretend you do."

"You won't let me, that's why."  Hermione answered truthfully.  "In all honesty, I wouldn't mind getting to know you, if you weren't such a conceded bastard.

Draco looked at her for a moment, looking ready to throw another comment back, but he instead looked away, and stared into the bright blue flames in the fireplace.

"No one ever said that."  He answered, almost sadly.  "They just assume, you know? Because I'm a Malfoy, I am bad, I have to be bad, and sure, I'm not exactly an upstanding citizen, but try living with my father for a day, you'll think I'm a saint."

Hermione sat down on the other side of the white couch.  "You could tell me about it."  She suggested cautiously.

He scoffed.  "Why?"

"Well."  Hermione grinned.  "I'm curious as to what goes on inside that blonde head, and I don't think I'm going to be getting to sleep anytime soon, we have a lot of time to kill, and it sounds like you need to get some stuff of your chest."

Draco sighed. "Alright, but this doesn't make us friends, Granger, you're still a Mudblood, and I'm still a Malfoy.  This is a one time only thing, and only because if I don't tell anyone, I'm going to explode."

Hermione grimaced at the derogatory term but stayed where she was.  Draco started talking, and Hermione listening with rapt attention, never interjecting or making fun of anything, and soon by morning, they were laughing like old friends, the bright blue fire crackling in the background.

End Flashback

"That's such a beautiful story, Albus."  Minerva said, tears in her eyes.  "And it happened just like that?"

"Yes."  Dumbledore said.  "The walls of this castle have both eyes and ears, that's how I know.  Hermione did what no one else had ever done for Draco, she gave him a real chance."

"That's all there really is, isn't it Albus?"  McGonagall said.  "I finally see why you gave all those people another chance…Severus, Black, Draco, you truly are the greatest wizard of our time."

All Dumbledore could do was blush.

~*~

"Goodbye Julie!  Be good for Harry and behave yourself!"  Hermione shouted from the limousine.  "Goodbye mum!"  "Bye Mione! Have a fantastic time!"

Hermione waved until she couldn't see the wedding party anymore, and sat back comfortable into the leather interior, and Draco's arms.

Hermione gave a small sigh of content and snuggled closer to her new husband.  "We did it."  She whispered.

"You did it, darling."  Draco said into her soft hair.  "You gave me a chance all those years ago, when no one else would, and now you've blessed me again, I love you Hermione."

"I love you Draco."  She replied, smiling.  "We're going to have a beautiful life together, we are truly blessed."

~*~

(A/N) 

And there, everyone, is the final chapter to Love is worth forgiving for I really hope you enjoyed it, and yes, I'm making a follow up chapter, so I guess technically this is the second-to-final chapter :D Please review!