Even through the sea of people crowded around her, Hermione Granger never felt more alone. Soft music played, and couples danced around her; happy smiles on their faces.
'They should be happy,' she thought. Though not everyone was happy, as like her, they'd lost they're friends, family, girlfriends or boyfriends in the recent and final war with Voldemort.
She stood right in the middle, all alone; she felt completely out of place. In her mind, her graduation would not have been like that, she would have been happy, with Draco. Traditionally opening the graduation ceremony, but since there was no head boy, the tradition was omitted for this year. Draco.
'If only he hadn't done that,' she thought. As she did, tears came once more threatening to fall. 'No,' she scolded herself mentally. 'I said I'm not gonna cry, and I won't' she whispered to herself.
She stood there a while longer, before she couldn't take it, she made a swift turn, a sea of red trailing after her from her dress and marched out the great hall. Subconsciously, she just walked in a zombie like fashion, till she got hit by a cool blast of air, did she realize where she was headed. Her eyes became glassy once more, but she swallowed her tears.
'Why here?' she moaned softly to herself. Nevertheless, she walked on, till she reached a secluded spot by the lake, guarded by the willow trees.
Quickly spotting a comfortable spot, she charged for it and sat down, her head leaning against the rough bark of a tree; she gazed up through the thick coverage of leaves and branches, seeing a single bright star high over the pitch black backdrop; along with a bright full moon accompanying it. The night sky always has a calming effect on her, as she slumped down in a relaxed form from her previously tensed one.
Night, it seemed could mimic or symbolize any emotion. She closed her eyes, just losing herself with the rhythmic droppings of water hitting the lakes surface; causing ripples every few feet. Owls hooting, crickets chirped, the trees lightly swaying to the winds' direction rustling as they did, it was just peaceful. Breaking out of her trance, she opened her eyes, looking around for a moment. Where she was, was where one of the most ironic cases ever took place.
'Both my happiest and worst memories reside here,' she thought. 'Oh the irony,' she mused.
Closing her eyes again, darkness engulfed her for a minute, before a scene, a memory came to mind.
She was standing and waiting nervously by the stairs to then entrance to the great hall. Standing there, nervous and fidgety, she began to fiddle with her honey brown hair that for the night was set in lovely soft ringlets that framed her face perfectly.
'Waiting around is really killing me,' she thought.
She was nervous because of her date tonight.
Draco Malfoy.
A guy, no one in the school would believe would ever turn up with her. Yet he was. Completely on his own free will, as he and Hermione had fallen for each other since the beginning of the year.
Looking at her watch again, she sighed, they were suppose to come down from the heads' tower together but he had told her to go on, as he needed something.
'Draco Malfoy, where in hell are you,' she whispered in frustration.
'Somebody holler my name? ' came a whisper.
Hermione gave a small shrieked.
Draco snickered.
'Don't do that,' she scolded.
'Sorry mother, merry Christmas,' he said in an annoying child like voice.
She smiled at his silly-ness; in return getting a smile from Draco. 'Merry Christmas,' she replied, then continued, 'what are you smiling at?' she asked.
'You, my dear,' he stated simply, looking at her floor length velvet champagne colour dress with bell shaped sleeves and a square neck line.
She blushed at the comment, but didn't say anything. 'So should we go?' she said and gestured to the door.
'Yeah, but wait, I want to give you your Christmas present first.'
'But I don't have yours with me now,' she replied.
'Doesn't matter,' he replied. With that, he pulled out a small black box from the pocket of his black pants.
Handing it to her, she took it with slightly trembling hands, popping the box opened, she immediately gasped.
'It's beautiful Draco!' she exclaimed. 'I love it!'
In the box was a lovely silver heart shaped locket, rimmed with diamonds on the edge, and in the middle were the words 'Draco & Hermione' engraved in a cursive print.
'Open it,' he prompted.
Pulling the locket lose from its holding, she opened it without trouble and gasped again. The inside apparently was a beautiful and intricate as the outside. On one side plated in gold lining, had emeralds on the edge in alternate spaces. The other, was silver plated has rubies on the edge also in alternate spaces.
She didn't have anything to say, she just hugged him, and gave a quick kiss. He then took it from her, helping her put it on, as he did he explained that the necklace would protect her from harm, and was also infused with pensive silver so the wearer could store memories in it. When he was done, she looked down on it, turning it round, catching a single word on the back, 'destiny'.
'So ready to go?' he asked giving an escorting gesture. They pushed opened the doors, and headed inside, too mesmerised with each other to now care bout anyone else.
At first nobody paid any attention to them, but at that moment, it didn't matter. The whole school could think what they wanted, and it didn't matter. All that did was that she loved Draco, and he loved her. Smiling, they headed to the dance floor and from then on ignored everyone else. People around who noticed, gave looks of shock and jealousy, some looked really murderous, some like Professor Dumbledore, mildly surprised, but happy for the couple just smiled. Fortunately, people were too shocked or too angry to really do anything, so the couple was left alone.
After 3 hours, close to midnight, Draco whispered, 'Lets go, I have a surprise for you.'
Hermione just nodded, and they marched out. By then the looks had mostly subsided.
After leading her out, he whispered 'close your eyes.'
Hermione replied with no comment. He led her first to a pair of tall wooden doors that led to the Hogwarts' grounds. Before opening then, he cast a warming spell on her. He led her outside, through the snow. As he led her on, he admired her face under the mood light. It was illuminated with an odd glow making her look like the angel she was.
She was his angel.
'She's perfect,' he thought.
When he reached, a secured part of the grounds, where the lake was situated, and was guarded by willow trees, he checked the surroundings. The lake was frosted, but not frozen, icicles hung off bare tree branches, the snow was untouched and white, and stars filled the sky, with the moon by its side.
Thinking that he could not ask for a better setting, he said, gently as he bent down, 'open your eyes.'
She did. She was blown away by the beauty.
Looking around, Draco wasn't there, 'down here, he said.'
She looked down, and the sight she met with was so unexpected, she had no idea what to say.
The love of her life was down on one knee, with a diamond engagement ring in one hand. 'Are you… You're…' she stuttered.
'Hermione,' he began, 'you're perfect, you befriended me when I was a complete self conceited arse, saved me for my intended future, and stuck by me through everything, and I know if I don't do this, my life will never be complete, you, Hermione complete me, so please, would you marry me?' he said in one breath, looking expectantly at her.
She was so shocked she just dropped to her knees and hugged him, and chocked out the word 'yes.' He placed the ring on her finger and kissed her immediately. Then the perfect scene changed.
The scene dissolved into a chaotic and terrifying one. People ran everywhere. Screaming was heard every minute or so, either in torture or screaming incantations and spells. Others were throwing potion vials. Basically fight for the side they believed in. Hermione stood feeling so helpless, as she fought off another death eater, but seeing another order member die before her eyes.
Quickly letting the feeling pass, she quickly ran as she didn't want to a solitary target, killing or stopping a few death eaters along the way, seeing more deaths, familiar faces, and pain that continuously swept through. The last straw was when she saw, Charlie Weasley lying motion-less on the ground; eyes devoid of life. She didn't believe it.
'Oh dear mudblood, don't you just think my cause to extinct all Weasels are great?' Hermione knew that voice.
She stood up slowly, filled with rage boiling within. Lucius Malfoy.
'Don't you ever call me that again,' she said in a deadly whisper with pure hatred.
'Well unfortunately, you are in no position to debate,' he said with an added trademark smirk.
Without missing a beat, she cast a disarming spell on him. Losing his wand, she was about to avada his bloody arse back to hell, when… a voice screamed.
She turned around, and was shocked, to see Ron Weasley's body lying motionless on the ground, Harry, refusing to accept it, trying to shake him awake.
'RON!' she screamed continuously. But no reply came. 'He's not dead!' she screamed more to convince herself, as she rushed to his side, but it wasn't working. He was dead, there was no denying it.
Suddenly, she broke down and just sobbed. She forgot about the war, she just cried for her best friend. Then, she felt a rough hand grab her neck.
'You'll pay for that mudblood,' Lucius sneered.
'I want to see you try,' she snapped in return.
Lucius began, 'Avada… but never quite finished as Draco pushed him aside.
'So, you decided to be a traitor to your blood for filth, if so, you will be treated like filth boy…!' he screamed. 'Crucio,' he said filled with anger and hatred.
Draco twitched in pain on the ground, but did not scream.
Lucius smiled. 'And now, you get the first row pleasure of watching your precious mudblood die.' 'Avada...'
Hermione breath was ragged as she realized what he was about to do. Nobody was around, and she stood helpless, closing her eyes, she just waited for the pain, the freedom to death, but it never came. Opening her eyes, she saw what she never wanted to see.
Draco had taken the spell for her. This time she didn't feel like crying. She was boiling with rage, taking advantage of a laughing Lucius Malfoy, she stood, with all her remaining strength left, aimed her wand straight at him, and whispered, 'Avada Kedavra.' Before he knew it, he was hit square in the chest with the irreversible killing curse. The last thing he saw was a flash of green and the smug face of Hermione Granger.
Hermione then bent down, looking at Draco's motionless form, and sobbed. He was gone. Gone because of her. If she hadn't challenged him, this wouldn't have happen. Draco would be alive… Dammit. She just collapsed to the ground. Slamming her fist continuously on it, ignoring everything, pain, emotion, so much so, she didn't even heard the blast when Voldemort was destroyed. She just sobbed until she was dragged inside with Harry. That night, Harry and Hermione mourned together; for their best friend, family and everyone else.
Opening her eyes, Hermione didn't realize she had been silently crying. Wiping her tears away, she just stared into the open air.
'Why, why did you do that,' she sobbed to herself.
'We were meant to be.' Then she heard and unmistakable whisper in the wind- I'll always be there for you, Hermione.
She turned around.
'Draco?'
A sudden glow near her neck distracted her, realizing it was her locket, she picked it up, and there was nothing different about it, except, as she turned the locket around, there, instead of the word 'destiny', were engraved two simple words...
'Together Forever.'