Disclaimer: I own nothing that deals with Harry Potter and so on and so forth.

A/N: Sorry I have not been updating as much as I had hoped. I've been really busy with schoolwork and such so I'll update as many times as I possibly can. I promise.

After the trial, Lucius Malfoy was sent to Azkaban. He was to receive the Dementors kiss for his help in the Dark Lord's plotting against the wizarding world. Even when the Wizengambot had offered to cut him a deal, Lucius refused to give them any information regaurding the whereabouts or the plans that would lead anyone to the Lord's lair. So he is now on his way to Azkaban to await the dementors kiss in approximately six months.

Now, I am sitting near the lake, staring at the letter I just received from my parents. I read it over and over again, wondering about it's contents. I received it earlier today at breakfast while I was speaking with Ron and Harry about my encounter with Lucius in the hall a few weeks ago. I swear, I've told them at least a hundred times since then what had happened and they still insist on hearing about it.

I looked down at the letter in my hand. I think I should send a letter back to them. Re-reading it for the millionth time, I wonder what I'll say:

"Dear Hermione,

"You're father and I have been talking a lot since we've seen you last. And we have finally come to the conclusion that we just can't pretend any longer and that we are going to seperate. Just remember that we both still love you with all our hearts, and even though we are seperating, we still have all those precious memories. The one thing that I can thank your father for is that now I am more independant from your Granny and now she shall not be ruining our lives any longer. Your father and I have discussed the possibility of marraige counseling, but we figure, what's the point? There is still way too much tension in the air for us to remain together. I am telling you this because we both feel that you are old enough and can handle my bluntness, as your father puts it. We love you, Hermione, and we both want you to know how proud we are of you.

"When you get home in a few months, we will discuss with you on your living arrangments and such. You can choose to stay with whomever you feel is the right person to be with at this point in time. Niether of us will blame you or harbor any bad feelings towards that decision. We look forward to hearing from you. We both love you and hope that you can forgive us for this choice. You have done nothing wrong and we hope that you know that. Love, Mum and Dad."

What can I tell them? I can't just tell them that I am okay with them seperating and possibly even a divorce? I mean, not many people I know would actually be glad about their parents getting a divorce. So what do I do? I suppose the first thing that I can do is just stop crying.

"Hermione, are you crying?" asked Draco from behind me. I tried vainly to wipe the tears away from my eyes, but I knew it was no use.

"It's nothing, Draco," I whispered. I stood to leave, but he caught me by the wrist.

"Come on, Hermione, talk to me," he said. His grip was firm and powerful, but gentle and loving at the same time. I looked at him, tears still in my eyes. "I wanna help you, Hermione. Please." He walked up to me and brushed my cheek with his hand.

"Draco," I whispered. "I'm sorry, I just.... don't want to burden you with my problems."

"You won't burden me with anything," he said. He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips. It was barely a brush, so light that if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would have doubted that it even happened. I looked up at those eyes of his. Blast it all, why did he have to be so hot? I turned around, so I wouldn't have to look at him.

"Draco, I am going through a lot right now, and I don't want you to pity me in any way," I said. "If you did that out of pity, please don't do it again."

"I didn't do anything out of pity, Hermione," I heard him say. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder, his mouth near my ear. "I stood up for you in front of my father because I care deeply for you. And now, I want to help you in any way I possibly can. Even if you don't have feelings for me, I want you to know that I am, and always will be, here for you." He turned me around and looked deeply into my eyes.

"My parents are seperating," I said, new tears falling down my face. "I don't know what to do, nothing like this has ever happened to me before and I am scared." Draco wiped my tears away with his thumbs before resting one of them on my lips.

"I'm so sorry Hermione," he said. I pulled back quickly and wiped my eyes again.

"No, no, it is I who am sorry," I said, turning away once more. "At least I still have both my parents, who love me. Your father just went to Azkaban to receive the dementors kiss and your mother is dead."

"Their fates are regrettable, yes," said Draco, looking at the ground. "But, it is as you say. They do not love me, nor have they ever loved me. Why do you think I have acted so cruelly to you and the others? I've just been trying to get my parents attentions and love. And even when I knew that both were hopeless, I continued to do so anyway because I knew that that would be the only way for me to hide any emotions I feel."

"That is so sad, Draco," I said. I turned to face him this time. Now, I feel like I understand him better. I told him so.

"Talking will do that, or so I'm told," he smiled. "Is it too bold of me to ask what your feelings for me are?" he asked. I didn't say a word. Instead, I rushed up to him and threw my arms around him, placing a kiss on his cheek. He chuckled slightly.

"I guess that answers my question," he said. We both smiled, kissed, and then headed for the castle.

(Fifteen years later)

"....And that is the story of how your father and I were brought together," said Hermione, looking down at her five year old daughter, Maria Katherine Malfoy. Her daughter looked up at her, wide eyed. Her poofy brown hair lay sprawled across her pillow, her green eyes filled with excitement.

"And then, five years later, you were married, right?" Maria asked. Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Yes, then we were married," she replied, showing Maria her engagement ring.

"Yay!" Maria cheered, clapping. Hermione chuckled, hugged her daughter, kissed her on the forehead, and headed for the door. "Good night mummy!"

"Good night, sweetheart," smiled Hermione, turning off the light.

"Mummy," Maria yawned. "I hope that when I get older and go to Hogwarts, I can meet someone I will marry. Someone a lot like daddy." Hermione smiled.

"I'm sure you will, honey. Good night." She walked out of the room, closed the door silently, and then smiled as two strong arms wrapped around her.

"I love it when you tell our story," Draco smiled. He kissed her neck, turned her around, and then kissed her squarely on the lips.

"I'm sure when our son is born, he'll enjoy listening to it to," she smiled, placing her hand onto her rather large stomach.

Finite

A/N2: Well, that is the end of that. I hope you all enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun writing it, that's for sure. Later much, peoples.