AN: thanks for the reviews I would love more. It's the part you've been waiting for. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own harry potter.

Chapter 12

Draco found himself in a situation he was eight years before. Hermione had disappeared again. He hadn't seen her since Lucius's execution, which was four months ago. He searched everywhere the leaky cauldron, ministry and Diagon alley and as far as everyone else was concerned they hadn't seen her either.

Draco sat on a chair next to his bed and looked towards the fire. He decided to do a little bit of work at the ministry and apperated away.

"What is the spell used to turn a snake in to a bird?" Hermione asked her 3rd year class

"Serpentranfos" the class murmured

"Great! 10 points each." The bell rang through the school and everyone began to pack their stuff. Hermione called to the retreating backs of her students "remember to have finished that 1 foot essay about the law against illegal animagus!"

Hermione missed dinner and took a short walk around the school like the one her and Draco would take when they where head boy and girl. Soon Hermione got a bit bored and decided to go back to her room.

"Iris" Hermione murmured to the picture of Salazar slytherin.

"It's been four months miss granger and I thought I told you to think about what I told you. I see you everyday you want to go I can tell you just don't. You're not going to live forever! Draco might not be here by next week, you never know and if the worst should happen to him you'll regret it for the rest of your life. If I were you, I would go see him today. Now infact you have nothing to do "

"What are you on about?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about miss granger I think that it's time that you grew out of this stupid game of yours. Goodnight!" he opened the portrait and let Hermione through.

Hermione walked in and looked in the mirror "I guess he's right again!"

"I agree with him my dear." Replied the mirror peacefully.

"You would wouldn't you? Fine! I'll go!" Hermione cleaned her clothes and walked out of her room. And down to the third corridor of the charms tower.

"Dissendium." Hermione whispered at the one eyed witch. She came to life and made enough room for Hermione to walk through.

After what felt like an hour she made it to the cellar of the sweet shop honeydukes. Hermione apperated out of the shop and walked down the road for a little while. "What am I gonna say hey Draco long time no see. I need a drink I'll go to the three broomsticks before I go see him."

Hermione walked into the warm welcoming pub and sat at the bar." A beer Madame Rosemerta"

"A beer?! Miss granger?!" exclaimed the ever young bar landlord.

"Yea I really need one"

" What ever for dear?"

"I'm going to speak to the man who I thought had broke my heart at the age of 18 after eight years. I finally found out that the only reason he did was to save me from his father's hatred and I feel so guilty because I have treated him like so much crap. I feel so guilty!"

"Don't worry my dear I'm sure he'll forgive you if he really loves you."

"Thank you." Hermione gulped down a whole lot of beer.

"I think you don't need a drink to help you through that. Scorfiggy." The beer disappeared. "You go to him dear. He'll forgive you if he really loves you."

"Thanks." Hermione reached into her pocket to pay for the beer.

"Don't pay for the drink love it's on the house."

"Thanks again." Hermione hugged Rosemerta and apperated away to the ministry.

Hermione smiled at the house elf at the reception.

"What can poppy do for you miss?"

"I'm looking for Mr. Draco Malfoy."

"What department does he work for miss?"

".Um I really don't know"

"That's ok I'll go find him with the information that I have."

Draco sat at his desk doing a load of boring work. He stared writing up a new case when he heard someone come in and stand in front of his desk. Draco looked up and saw one of the ministry elves standing there looking at him. He carried on with his work. When he looked up again and it was still there.

"WHAT!?"

"A Hermione granger is waiting at the reception for you Mr. Malfoy shall I send her in?"

"Yes! Now! Go on what are you waiting for!" the ministry elf apperated away with a crack.

" Oh god what am I gonna say. What if she feels like slapping someone? What if she thinks I have stolen something from her ahhh god god god." There then came a knock at the door. "Oh shyt!"

The person opened the door. "Draco! You in?" Hermione's voice echoed round the office.

"Yes I'm over here." Hermione restrained herself from running to the voice

"Well show yourself then!" Draco stood up.

"Why are you here?"

"To get some answers."

"To what?"

"What do you think!" Hermione's voice oozing with sarcasm

Draco beckoned her over. He sat down while she stood. "Sit down then" Hermione sat. They sat there in silence for about ten minutes "Well?"

Hermione looked at him." Why did you do that to me? Eight years ago infront of your father?"

"To save you. Don't you get it he would have killed you!" Draco cried out "I didn't want you dead. I broke my own heart so you could live. But you didn't see through the act did you? No you didn't and you left and hurt everyone else and what did you achieve nothing!"

Hermione looked at him sadly. " I didn't kn-"

"That my dear is obvious and you still didn't listen! What made this sudden change anyway?"

"The portrait of Salazar slytherin."

Draco raised an eyebrow "slytherin?" Draco smiled finally after eight years the slytherin prince finally got back his princess.

Hermione looked in Draco's eyes and saw the happiness she saw in his eyes when they were younger not the sad lonely person she saw in the daily prophet.

"So you work in the control of magical creatures department."

"Yea it's a crap job but I manage. What about you? Where do you work since I made you lose your old one?"

"Hogwarts. I am head of griffindor house and transfiguration teacher."

He grinned widely; " I can imagine you as a teacher. What happened to McGonagal?"

"She left her post for a year so I'm taking over for her."

"Oh ok." Draco gave Hermione a hard look and then asked, " you wanna go have some dinner?"

"Yea sure"

"Great theirs a great restaurant called Park Royal I'm sure you'll like it."

"Ok"

"Here take my hand." Hermione smiled and took it gratefully "Park Royal!" and they apperated away together.

Hermione walked inside and her jaw hit the ground. The restaurant was massive with a beautiful view of the lake and the look of the Ritz hotel. "Mr. Malfoy do you want your normal seat by the riverside?"

"Yes please. But this time can you make it a table for two?"

"Certainly sir. Let me take your coats and come this way." Hermione and Draco followed the Chinese waiter and sat at their table.

"Here you are madam, sir;" he gave them the menu " all you have to do madam is call for what meal you want and the meal will automatically come on the plate."

"Thank you," the waiter then walked away.

"Have you ever tasted lamb steak with mint sauce?"

"Yea that is so lush!"

"When did you taste that?"

"When I went to penbridge with Ginny weasley"

"Oh" Draco replied. "When do you need to be at school again?"

"Anytime before 9:30 tomorrow morning."

"Two lamb steaks and mint sauce." The food magically appeared on their plates.

"Butterbeer." Draco looked at Hermione "and you?"

"Archers"

Draco looked at Hermione straight in the eye "why did you run away from us?"

Hermione looked straight back "I loved you even when you told your father those things. I tried to leave all of my past behind me."

"I'm glad you didn't."

Hermione smiled at him. "How was your marriage with pansy?"

Draco looked at her with a sad smile, "I didn't love her I only cared for her like a sister." Tears stung his eyes. " She suffered the same way that I did, trained to become a deatheater, beaten from a young age. She never had a good memory or felt love before. That was the only difference between us I felt love, I was once happy. She had an unfair life full of hatred and greed but now she's a free spirit and I hope she's happy."

Hermione let a lone tear fall down her face. Pansy had more reason to run than she did. Pansy stayed strong and stayed to her path of life until the day she died. Now she thought it Hermione finally realised that a few people wouldn't talk to her but people still loved her. She became distressed and thought how pathetic she had been.

"Hermione? You said that you loved me. Does that mean you don't love me anymore?"

Hermione stared Draco right in the eye and whispered "never," their faces were inches apart when they finally noticed and carried on eating in silence.

When they finished dinner they walked out the restaurant and smiled at each other; "well it's time for me to return to the school," Said Hermione.

"Yea." Draco looked a bit disappointed. "Umm I hope you enjoyed yourself."

"Yea I did thank you." They were silent again.

She pulled out her wand before Hermione could apperate Draco shouted "WAIT!" he grabbed onto her arm as if scared she would run away.

"You wanna go out tomorrow night?"

"Sure! Tomorrow night it is then." They looked at each other uncomfortably for about a minute.

Before Hermione could stop herself Hermione she closed the gap and gave Draco a passionate kiss filled with the emotion of eight years.

Finally getting over his shock Draco kissed backed with all the love he could muster.

To Draco's disappointment Hermione stepped out of the kiss with a gorgeous smile on her face. "Goodnight" she whispered and apperated away.

Draco looked at the place that she apperated from smiled and apperated himself back home.

Both Hermione and Draco lay in their beds thinking of that night. They both switched off their lamps and had dreams of those happy days when they were back at hogwarts together. Now they knew they were happy but finally content.

AN: Thanks to everyone who reviews this story can I please get more of your views. TBC