Title: And She Will Be Loved

Author Name: Melissa Spitfire

Author email: Romance

Sub Category: Angst

Keywords: Draco Malfoy Hermione Granger Auror

Rating: R

Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, a little HBP there but I won't tell where

Summary: She never ever felt that she really belonged; never ever felt that she was really wanted. She is nothing but a shadow. But he is the ground where the shadow was cast, and it is in his deepest desires to make her see herself otherwise.

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/n: Highly inspired by Maroon Five's "She Will Be Loved." So I don't suppose I should say that this is a songfic? Anyways... My first ever attempt on a Harry Potter fic, so please take this easy on me:grins sheepishly:

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Just to let you know, I'll be editing this again (again, if you're interested, that is) and I''ll be removing the song lyrics because I don't want this to be REMOVED from the site without even the administrators REMINDING me… It happened to a lot of people already, and I wouldn't want to be an unfortunate victim, so… There.

Oh, and before anything else, the review responses: (Skip the others if it isn't you, skip the whole thing if you haven't reviewed, but thanks anyway if you read this without even reviewing… )

DracoDraconis – here it is! Thanks for being diligent in reviewing, we all know it's what gets the authors writing.

Venus725 – 'word usage… great…' thank you! I was afraid that Draco would be a tad talkative than what I intended him to be, but, well, he is talkative in the first place. As to my one shot, well, I haven't finished it yet. In fact I haven't TOUCHED it because work, school and RL demands a lot from me! It's depressing, really, because I thought I could finish that before my birthday, and yet it's already mid-May, and it hasn't even progressed! And also because I'm participating in the Spring Forward with Draco and Hermione Fic Exchange at lj dot com, I have a lot of things in my mind… And believe me, I was about to use that snippet in the fic but I decided not to.

Swtdohtee – bruha ka rin! I'm guessing you're furious that it took another month for me to update? Well, see… RL is such a drag. And to think I'm already neglecting my social life just to be able to juggle all my responsibilities…! Neweiz, yep, been touring the country these past months. It's my course requirement, and I've been to the mountains and the hills and everywhere, and Hong Kong night bazaars, and of course, I had such a great time. But my parents didn't, because I spent more or less fifty thousand already just for that. And well, given the fiscal crisis here… I reckon I'd be reduced to writing using paper and pen again, because I have not enough money to have my PDA repaired.

… Such a drag, noh? But still, that's life, and I have to continue living so I could go to London and study at Oxford… Bleh. Like, that's so impossible. I don't even know what would become of me after graduation! All I had planned for my life is to get out of the country after graduating and going on tou around the world and of course, going to London; and I'm going to study Fisheries there because I want to meet Tom Felton in person. Talk about obsessed…

Blah. I just babbled. Ignore me. But still, thanks for sticking with me on this one!

xOxOkIsSmYaSsXoXo – I think this is a better ending than my first draft so I hope I meet your expectations… thanks!

Breanna Senese – again, I'm flattered. That's an achievement for me! As for the one-shot, I guess I'll finish that after I'm done with the fic request I got in the dmhgficexchange. But I'd definitely get back on that one, because I thought it was good, too.

HogwartzBoizRHottiez – here's the drama! … Err, I think…

Kace08 – well, this is it. Thank you for being such a sweet reviewer, even if I feel threatened by your reviews sometimes… But all the same… Thankies!

Folinswit10 – I'll try to complete that snippet before summer in the temperate zones begin. It's summer here right now, and it's damn hot, so… I don't see the connection to the fic, did you see one? ; Sorry, I'm really very bothered by this hotter-than-usual temp here right now… Thanks again!

Sunny June 46 – no, I really don't think that Harry and Ron are selfish, that's why I wrote this last bit. And yes, I really do think this is how Hermione feels, and these feelings, sad to say, is what JKR fails to show us. But I understand that the HP series is about Harry, not Hermione, or Dumbledore, but his adventures… Or misadventures… Yep, I just saw Anastasia the other night in Disney channel but I know now that it's not a Disney flick. Though I'm still wondering why they aired it on Disney Channel… Nonetheless, thank you for being honest about this fic, and I assure you that I'm eternally grateful to you because you took time to review.

ToniMarie – where from the Philippines? Malay mo magkakilala pala tayo di lang natin alam.

Sunflower18 – here it is! ;;;;;;;;;

Bellacarestia – 'Draco… somehow odd but somewhat in character…' lol. I liked it too, though I think I made him too fickle-minded about it. But oh well, I'm human, he's human (supposed to be) and humans are, by nature, fickle and selfish so…

Ginny – hala! Hala! Hala!

Clarine Dreamweaver – hah! I know you! And that was my former email add:sniggers slightly: Galing ko ba? Hey, I can't seem to contact you, you have to do your kastigador duties to my dmhgficexchange request! And I already have another draft, you have to check it out.

GoThiCrAvEn15 – no, Ginny's real name is Ginevra, I'm quite sure. It's Ginevra Molly Weasley, just to let you know…. Thanks for taking time to review and notice this! At least I have proof that you really have read through it!


Finale Part 2: Dare to Move

Her eyes widened when Draco's lips met hers. Why, the nerve of him! Did he think that kissing her would make her stop hating him? Hermione looked at Draco, and somehow she wasn't surprised to see him staring intensely at her. His eyes were hypnotizing, and she couldn't help but be drawn into those deep mercury orbs...

Her eyelids fluttered close as she leaned in and her body succumbed to his kiss.

Draco couldn't help but smile against her lips as he pulled her closer and closed his eyes. So maybe after everything that happened, he finally found his happiness... Maybe somebody above loves him despite being a sodding prick towards her all these years...

"Mmmmmph!" Hermione pulled away from the kiss, her nerves frazzled. She could feel her body shivering, and she just hoped it was because of the snow around them. 'What the...' She thought, and without preamble, she pulled out of his arms and turned to climb the carriage. She heard Draco whisper her name when she extricated herself from his grasp, but she didn't turn or do anything to show him that she heard. She was still wrapped up about the kiss.

That kiss... How could it just make her world tilt like it was the most normal thing to happen? And why does it suddenly feel very cold, much colder than when she was outside?

It wasn't something she wanted to dwell upon for a long time, because frankly there are still many things she had to think about. So she settled on removing her blasted stilettos and placing it on the floor of the vehicle. Double payback for Pansy, for setting them up :and: for making her wear such a goddamned pair of shoes.

Draco blinked rapidly and almost groaned at the loss of contact. "Hermione..." He whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. How can a kiss be that exhilarating? But of course, it wasn't just a kiss. It was Hermione. And everything Hermione would not just be mediocre, no sir. She was his...

His eyebrows creased as Hermione pulled away. What did he do wrong this time? "Hermione?" He whispered. His eyes followed her movements and he couldn't help but smile when she climbed into his waiting carriage. He shook his head good-naturedly, before getting in himself.


Blaise and Pansy stepped into the ballroom and were immediately greeted by Vincent Crabbe, who somehow felt relieved to see them after getting away from a sickly sweet Millicent and Gregory, and so did the rest of the former Slytherins. The usual greetings and talks about their latest goings-on and activities ensued, and how they all fared after Hogwarts, and all the plans they were to do in the future.

Not long into the beginning of the conversation, when they were talking about their Hogwarts days, Blaise caught a certain pair of pale blue eyes watching them, and its owner slowly making his way towards their group, stopping occasionally to greet people but never removing his stare on them. He nudged his date discretely and whispered. "Pansy..."

"I saw him, Blaise." Pansy retorted with the same smile directed to Avery Nott as he retold the Quidditch match they had against Ravenclaw in Sixth year. "I can practically smell the smoke coming from his nose."

"Really?" Blaise replied from behind his goblet as he tightened his left arm around her waist. "Good thing Daphne and Tracey are here, at least someone would look over your Father's apoplexy." He downed the wine in his goblet and slammed it down the table behind him.

"Don't you think we should, you know, have a little mercy? He is, after all, my Father." Pansy glanced at Vincent out of the corner of her eye for a moment, and then darted around to look for her Mother. She only saw Raphael Zabini smirking in their direction, and she offered him a faint smile before fixing her eyes somewhere else.

Blaise shrugged. "Let's just settle for seizures, then."

"Fine, as long as it wouldn't kill-- Blaise!" She squeaked his name as Blaise dipped her, his arms supporting her as he hovered above her.

"Showtime." He whispered when his face was just inches from hers, his mischievous emerald green eyes dancing and prodding her sapphire orbs, before crushing his lips against hers.

The whole ballroom that earlier suffered a surprise when Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy walked in burst into another fit of gasps and clattering utensils and became dead silent afterwards.

Francis Parkinson got acquainted with the marble floor.


The ride to the Ministry was silent, save for the occasional sighs of Hermione and Draco's clearing of throat. Other than that, no other words were exchanged between them.

Hermione still couldn't believe the fact that Blaise Zabini, famous Slytherin bastard next to Draco Malfoy, just played her in his hands. After all the hospitality and friendship she offered him, he would just willingly play the lurid role of a matchmaker along with Pansy Parkinson?

And Pansy, that evil, little tart... She led her to believe that she was only helping her like a... A girl friend... Bringing along Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy in her Christmas Eve celebration, accompanying her in Hogsmeade and helping her choose her attire that would set her differently from the usual Hermione Granger... And all the while she was trying to hook her up with Draco Malfoy!

Well truthfully, bringing Draco along that Christmas Eve was an underlying message in her postscript, because he was such an enigma that her curious mind wanted to figure out. And the Hogsmeade trip... She just thought that maybe Draco would come along... And the clothes, well, she did want to look different not just for a change, but for him to notice... And besides, there're certain feelings that just spring to life whenever he was around, or when there were things around that had something to do with him...

So it wasn't really a bad thing, now was it?

But still...

The carriage slowed and she was brought out of her musings when Draco moved from his comfortable recline. Well, surely the Ministry and the whole of Wizarding London would be having a coronary when they see this, and Rita Skeeter would be making a big fuzz about their arrival. Oh well...

Her eyes widened when she felt Draco's lips brush ever so softly against hers, and before she could even react, he already drew back, smirking. It was infuriating, but amazingly she couldn't move.

"A kiss for good luck... Although I reckon I don't need it." He drawled out, his thumb grazing her lips, and then his hand curled slightly as it brushed her cheek, then traced her jaw, crawling down her neck. Upon encountering the sliver of silver on her clavicle, he used his fingers to follow the necklace down to her pendant that hung dangerously low, nestled just at her cleavage. When he held it, he lifted it and kissed it, before dropping it back and stepping out of the vehicle.

A vein throbbed uncontrollably on Hermione's temple.


Draco stepped out into the night and onto the red carpet, the patented Malfoy smirk on his face. He was sure that the press would be using up most of the rolls of their film with his arrival that was never optional then. All the more reasons now that his companion -- he still couldn't call her his date for the Ball -- was someone never in their lives would they all imagine be turning up with him. Surely everyone was expecting Pansy Parkinson to be his date, but with the scheming twit and the bloody sodding git's plan, everyone would go bonkers. He silently congratulated himself for it. Why, the Malfoy Ancestors would be proud when they hear of this!

... Or not so much, since their most dashing and good-looking heir (if they'd ever get over the fact that he is the most handsome of them all) was with a filthy little mud-muggleborn that they loathed. But really, that rhetoric had been abused as an excuse for centuries and it was something of the old school.

His head turned back to his carriage and he held out his hand to help Hermione out of the vehicle. Yes, the perfect gentleman. Just like she wanted.

But all he got were an angry shove and a thoroughly pissed Hermione climbing out of the vehicle on her own.

A vein popped out ominously at his temple and a pale eyebrow twitched when he heard an audible gasp from one of the members of the meddling press.

"Granger!" Draco grabbed her arm and hissed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oh nothing. Just :you:." Hermione glared at him and wriggled out of his grasp before striding away.

"Granger! Hermione!" He called her, shouting amidst the snaps and flashing lights and microphones being held out to them.

She merely strode down the red carpet, unmindful of the press and a very furious Draco Malfoy behind her. Why, the insufferable prat was overconfident! One kiss didn't make things right! He didn't even ask permission! And he never even said what she wanted to hear!

"Granger! Hermione! Wait a bloody minute!" He was fighting the urge to 'Stupefy' her, but she wouldn't stop! "What the hell is wrong with you!" He repeated as he pushed the glass doors of the Ministry as it closed in at him.

"Bloody arsehole... Sodding git... Insufferable prat... Insensitive prick..." Hermione muttered angrily as she simply walked on, her strides not wavering as she pushed open doors after doors that would eventually lead them to the ballroom.

The wizarding press was hot on the heels of the two, clicking away and rushing madly to follow them.

"What did I do wrong this time, huh?" He continued. "Is this about earlier this evening? Haven't I apologized? Haven't I made it clear that it was not intentional? Hermione? Hermione!" He looked around as he lost her, but then he saw a swish of black turn a corner and he soon followed. She should just cut the chase because they have to settle this:this, like the adults they were, the press and everyone else could go fuck off a lamp post, the bloody wankers that they are, damned and be damned. "You're acting like a... Hermione, if you wanted your bloody wand you could have just... Fine!"

Hermione stopped when she reached the double doors of the ballroom and turned when she heard the finality in his voice. "Fine what?"

"Damn it, woman!" Draco shouted, his voice rebounding through the walls. He could vaguely hear the sound of merriment just beyond the door and the ecstatic press behind them. "I have no idea why you're suddenly acting like a... Stop making those bloody clicking noises!" He shouted venomously at the nearest photographer, who shook visibly in fright, before turning his attention to Hermione again. "One time you're asking me to be a gentleman and help you and now that I :am: acting like one, you go act like a twit! Don't I at least deserve something much more better than that!" He was red from anger. His patience had long snapped; it wasn't even his virtue even when he was still young. "What else do I have to tell you, huh? Can't you at least use your quick-witted brain to analyze something as simple as..." He stopped. Surely something this intense wasn't plain and simple. It took him three bloody years to realize it.

But was it really that hard to figure out? Surely someone as smart as Hermione would be able to decipher something so profound... But don't the smart ones go nutters when...

Well, so much for that. It was immaterial to the subject... "Can you not understand, Granger? I didn't plot revenge for you when you slapped me in third year, I warned you in the World Cup our fourth year, made peace with you in sixth year and joined the DA to help your cause, I stopped calling you mud... That disgusting name!

"I've followed you since we went out of Hogwarts, acted like Sherlock Holmes and sneaked around just to make sure you're doing fine, succumbed into my unbidden desires when I helped you, I readily gave up my position in the company because I wanted to fix this... This..." He gestured between them, suddenly at a loss of words. "... Situation between us, and now that Blaise and Pansy schemed a very lowly Slytherin scheme, you just make their efforts go into dumps? Fuck, Hermione! Weren't you the one who lived to make people happy? Wasn't it in your noble objective to make the people around you experience and feel what happiness is all about? Now I'm giving you a chance to be happy yet you're still into your stupidly altruistic deeds? Where in seven bloody hells did all that self-sacrificial part of yours go now, huh?" Draco stopped and ran a gloved hand through his fringes. "Damn it, what else do you want me to do?"

Hermione stared. And stared. And stared... Was it possible for Draco to go rambling like that...? And his deeds, she couldn't... Was it really possible...?'Too much information, too much information!' Her mind felt like exploding.

"I think I'm going to resort to something drastic, Hermione. I'm sick and tired of doing everything! I thought you were smart enough to understand this, but no, you just tend to brush it all away and act like bloody nothing happened because you think you're being unfair to your friends, your family, and everyone around you! Well if you care about other people so much, why don't you consider now how :I: am feeling!"

Hermione felt for the doorknob behind her and turned around when she heard it click, and then rushed in to the bright ballroom.

"Hermione, fuck it, woman! Get back here! No one walks away from a Malfoy when he speaks!"


The sound of the orchestra droned on and about but it didn't prevent the occupants of the room from noticing as some of them stopped and a few of the people dressed in elegant dress robes stared at the two people who just entered.

Ron turned to meet Harry's eyes as he heard a masculine voice shout their friend's name. Why, that voice sounds awfully familiar... The two walked towards the sound of the commotion and courteously made their way towards it, and what they saw before their eyes made them blink a few times.

"H-Hermione?" Harry cried out when he saw Hermione, her arms being held roughly by... Malfoy?

"Harry! Harry?" Hermione asked. "Ron! Why are you two here?"

"Don't touch her!" Ron immediately pushed Draco and flung his body in between Hermione and Draco. "Leave her alone!"

"This isn't you business, Weasel."

"The hell it is! Hermione's our friend, so go shag a podium and leave her alone!"

Collective gasp.

Draco's eyebrow shot up. "Leave her alone? Why, would the two of you protect her against me?"

"Sod off, Malfoy." Came Harry's stony voice.

"Oh, yes. Potter and Weasley. I can say you two still haven't changed a bit."

"Same as you. Still the bloody annoying and poncy git you are." Ron retorted as he brandished out his wand.

"Any brighter insults, freckle-face? They're running tired..." Draco smirked, which irritated Ron and Harry all the more.

Harry drew out his wand from his wand pocket, their present for Hermione grasped cautiously on his left as he stepped up beside Hermione. "GO AWAY, MALFOY."

"Ron, Harry, stop it..." Hermione protested. The telltale red ears of Ron and the all-caps-locky voice of Harry were always synonymous to nothing good.

"No way, Hermione. He's... He's harassing you!" Ron reasoned, gripping his wand tighter.

"I can handle this."

"No you can't, Hermione! We'll take care of this-"

"I said, I can handle this." Hermione gritted while squeezing Ron's arm unpleasantly, before she stepped away from behind Ron and stood face to face, or face to chest, with Draco. Why was she so small again all of a sudden? Just back at Niveus Estage she reached up to his neck at least...

"But Hermione..." Harry intercepted.

"Shush, Harry!" She looked over her shoulder at her two best friends and glared, before turning to face the blonde, condescending and slightly hovering figure of the bane of her existence... :Former: bane. Why did he have to be so tall all of a sudden...?

And as if reading her mind, or pointing out the obvious, Harry spoke. "But you're bare-footed, Hermione."

"What? Oh." She looked down at her feet and true enough, she was bare-footed, with her stilettos dangling, one each, from her hands.


"And so goes the animosity of those four." Daphne Greengrass commented dryly as she waved her hand in the air exasperatedly.

"Yeah. Only we aren't with Draco." Vincent mumbled as he met Gregory's eyes.

"Honestly, we've all grown up, but they're still acting like the prats they were." Millicent added.

"We can't blame them, though. Malfoy and Gryffindors just don't mix." Gregory asserted from beside Millicent.

He didn't see Pansy snort into her wine glass.

"Interesting... Hmmm... Ten galleons into Weasley getting a black eye after this evening." Theodore Nott placed his glass on the table behind him and eyed what was transpiring at the other side of the room.

"Twenty-five for Malfoy and Weasley and Potter hurtling hexes and jinxes at each other and ending up in the Ministry temporary cells later." Adrian Pucey challenged.

Blaise sniggered silently beside Pansy, who avidly watched the four.

"I say fifty galleons for Weasley, Potter and Malfoy to end up shagging like a threesome later," Marcus Flint laughed out boisterously.

Pansy laughed along, her high-pitched voice floating like Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode's and Tracey Davis', and so did the other Slytherins.

"I say a hundred," Blaise broke the chuckle of his former housemates, "that Weasley would get a dose of that deadly stiletto on Granger's hand, Potter would wave his wand and throw a spell towards not Malfoy but Weasley, and Granger would kiss Malfoy." He smirked as he raised his goblet to his mouth. He could see the skeptical expressions on his housemates' faces. "Well?"

"You're on!"


Remus Lupin made his way to the small group of people gathering near the door, and somehow he wasn't perturbed when he saw Harry, Ron and Malfoy having a confrontation. It seemed like the most normal thing to happen whenever they crossed paths.

"Good to see things back to normal, isn't it?" A voice said beside him, and he turned to meet a violently fixed and colored hair just beside him.

He acknowledged the younger Auror. "Nymphadora." At the growl of displeasure, Remus amended. "Tonks. Psychedelic Pink again? Glad to see the Black wealth not affecting your tastes."

Tonks shrugged. "Orange was rather tiring, not to mention I look like Arthur Weasley's illegitimate daughter with it." She smiled good-naturedly. "I see Draco Malfoy's being the same sodding git again. Remembered when I was training those kids in the DA. Those boys were always involved in squabbles."

Remus looked over at them and saw Hermione glaring over her shoulder at Harry and Ron. "Well, I think it's not just Draco who's at the bad side of Hermione."

"So it is. Do you think it's time we intervene? Wands have been drawn, well, Ron and Harry have."

"I say no. They wouldn't do something as foolish as that here." Remus smiled slightly.

"Hmmm... True. Not Hermione at least." Tonks' lips quivered as she suppressed a smirk. "Though I'm wondering why Hermione went in with my cousin in tow." Tonks mused out loud.

"Really?" He asked incredulously.

"Really." A third voice joined in the conversation.

"Shacklebolt." Remus nodded at the bald man. "I thought you were in Burkina Faso."

"Minister Bones sent Moody instead. Said she had other things for me to do."

"I reckon she'll be having you help the troops in France with Jones." Tonks piped in. "And you'll be surprised who from the Aurors she had planned to send with you." She smiled when she saw Hermione staring at her feet.

"Who?"

"The newest recruit and the young woman who walked in with the newest recruit."

"What?" Remus and Kingsley both asked the still-smiling Tonks.


Hermione stared at her feet that greatly contrasted the ebony marble of the ballroom floor. So that's why she felt so little when she looked at Draco!

"Hermione, leave this to us." She heard Ron insisting behind her, and she couldn't help but get furious at him. And Harry. Did they think that it was that easy for them to go back when a stinking pillock muddled everything she had planned out? Why, had they been here in the first place, she would not have encountered Malfoy! He may have just continued following her without her knowledge and should have grown tired after that...

"Reduc—"

"I said leave it to me!" Hermione was so angry that she threw the nearest object she could reach for, or rather, the object in her hand.

The stiletto went flying in the air, hurtling so fast that it hit Ron squarely on the face. "Ow!" He bellowed when the heel of the shoe hit his nose, making him bring up his hands to his abnormally red nose that put his fringes into shame, gasping audibly in the process.

"Ron!" Shouted Harry, who, at Hermione's sudden response, momentarily forgot that he was one of the greatest wizards to ever live. He approached the redhead and lifted his wand to do a healing charm on his friend's nose.

Hermione smirked when she heard her shoe fall down on the carpet with a buffed thunk, satisfied that she hit her target. That will keep Ron and Harry from interfering with her business.

"Mate," Harry whispered as he did the spells. "You should know better not to get into Hermione's bad side! I think it's that time of the month... Or not." He immediately amended when he saw the former Head Girl glaring ominously at him, lifting her other hand that held the other half of the pair.

She glowered at Harry, hand poised to throw the offending and injury-causing shoe. In the back of her mind, she reminded herself to thank Pansy who forced her into wearing the goddamned shoes, but her quick eyes caught the man in front of her sniggering with delight. Her mind suddenly alerted her that she should handle the situation before her.

"And as for you, Malfoy," Her eyes flashed violently when she turned her gaze to him, and her hands that previously intended harm to someone behind her came to point the deadly weapon shoe at Draco. "You bloody wanker, you have no right whatsoever to tell me what to do!

"You really think you know me well, don't you? Well bloody no! Nobody… Not Harry, not Ron, not my parents, or friends... Nobody understands!" Hermione gritted through clenched teeth. "I did not ask for you to act chivalrous, I did not ask for you to stop taunting me. I did not ask you to follow me, hell, I never asked you to give up anything for my sake! I am not :dumb, Draco. And I definitely would not let this opportunity to go to waste!

"You think you're the only one getting tired of this... This situation? I am too! You think it is damn easy to brush off everything that happened between us? You think it's that easy to ignore those... Feelings you evoked from me? It's difficult to struggle between doing what you want and what others want because doing what I want means disappointing everyone around me! Easy for you to say because you've always had that liberty to do as you please." Her hand that held the shoe recoiled slowly before settling on her side and dropping her stiletto on the floor.

The crowd that formed around them stared expectantly at the two of them.

"But..." Hermione started. "Harry, my shoe please." She turned to her best friend.

Harry, who was absorbed and still processing what his closest female friend just said, just looked at Ron quizzically before picking it up and handing Hermione her shoe back.

"Thank you." Hermione smiled. She thought it was about time that she finally admit to something she had long kept from admitting. Hermione Granger have lied a few dozen times in Hogwarts, and to everyone else, too, and did illegal things that would most likely warrant her more than a life sentence in Azkaban, but most of all, she had long been lying to herself. For years, she had told herself that her loved ones' happiness was her happiness; that just the whole world out of the megalomaniacal threat made her feel complete.

However, ever since Draco reentered her life, she learned how to value herself. She learned not to always think of others and what they would say because in the end she would just end up pleasing nobody. She learned that she needed to give herself more credit, to live like a normal human being who craved for someone's caress and affection, something she had had a taste of before care of him, and bloody hell, she could not get enough of. She could feel blood course through her cold veins with his touches and caresses, felt her world tilt on a very non-mediocre axis whenever he spoke, and threw all her prim, straight and tedious ways just like that, without the slightest inhibitions, with his mere presence.

And most of all, he made her feel that she was the most beautiful girl-- no, woman, in the world, even with her muggle background. All because one pureblood Draco Malfoy made her, Hermione Granger above all others, felt loved... An emotion with such intensity that she had never ever, in her whole life experienced and received.

To hell with Voldemort and his Death Eaters, with the Wizarding Press' watchful eye, with Harry and Ron's violent reactions, Neville's traumatizing experiences, Ginny and Luna's and Lavender and Parvati's girl talks, and to hell with everything that restricted her. Their happiness always hindered hers, and it was time she stop leading herself blindly to a faux happiness through others'.

And ultimately, it was time that she think of her happiness and no one else's.

She looked at Draco sharply and took a step towards him, using her toes to drag the stilettos with her. "But..." Her voice dropped in volume. "I think it's time I give myself a shot on true happiness." Hermione smiled shyly as she stood on tiptoes, reached up to pull Draco's face and crushed her lips into his.


Blaise smirked like there was no tomorrow. "So… When shall I be expecting 300 galleons more in my Gringotts vault, then?" He spoke, referring to Adrian, Marcus and Theodore.

"You knew all along!" Theodore exclaimed.

"Well you :did: start it." Daphne interjected smilingly.

"Draco Malfoy...? Hermione Granger…?" Gregory mumbled. "Blimey..."

Pansy batted her eyelashes at Blaise. "But Blaise, dear. Shouldn't half of it go into my vault?"

"Oh, but my vault would soon be yours, Pans. Very soon, I believe. But for now," He plucked two goblets from the passing server. "A toast for our success, love." He said as he handed the glass to Pansy.


Ron stood there, slack-jawed, shocked at what was happening before him. "H-Harry... Malfoy's snogging Hermione...! Aren't we supposed to do something?"

"No, Ron. Hermione's snogging Malfoy." Harry replied faintly.

"A-And he's groping her!" Ron stuttered when he saw Draco's arms circle Hermione's waist and lift her. "A-And she's loving it!" He continued when Hermione's hand ran through Draco's hair.

Harry stared. Maybe they did neglect her so much. Maybe the Wizarding world did expect too much from her. Knowing her, she'd try to do everything in her powers to meet those expectations, even if it meant sacrificing her own wants. He somehow understood her, since it was what he used to feel when Voldemort was still lurking around when he was the hero; when he :had: to be the hero.

She was there for him and helped him through those times when he felt his angst getting the better off him; when everyone just wouldn't understand, she understood. She stood by him through all the hardships and even the near-death situations, in his silly infatuation with Cho even when she was infatuated with him, and until she finally made him realize how there are many other people who appreciated him and saw him not as Boy-Who-Lived, not as the boy who survived the Avada Kedavra and ended Voldemort's terrorism, but as Harry Potter.

He looked down at his and Ron's present for Hermione and smiled. 'If this makes our Hermione happy, then so be it.' He brought out his wand and tapped the globe in his hand gently, and added a fourth animal in it. 'But Malfoy's still an annoying prat.' He added semi-darkly. "Hermione's happy, Ron. Let's just try to be happy for her."

"I agree." A deep voice seconded the motion.

Harry and Ron turned their heads to see Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt coming up behind them. "Professor... Professors."

"You know, I almost wanted to petrify my cousin just to try to settle everything. It's a good thing Lupin stopped me, Hermione might have been furious and might have hexed me into oblivion." Tonks looked on.

"But I didn't expect that to happen." Remus laughed as he pointed at the two oblivious people.

Ron scowled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Malfoy has got Hermione under a spell. The git's probably using the last ounce of his magic to get her if that's the case. Bloody arsehole…"

"Ah, but he is using a spell." Remus snickered when he saw Draco pull away from Hermione to gasp for air.

"He is!" Ron turned red, his body growing tense. "Why that—"

"Ron," Tonks approached the ill-tempered Weasley and held him back with the help of Harry. "He's speaking of something else. To quote Albus Dumbledore, 'Love is the last magic everyone can use.'"

Harry smiled at this, remembering the greatest sacrifice his mother did for him— protect him from Voldemort's radical fury—, before releasing a visibly relaxing Ron. "She's happy, Ron. And you've got to give her credit for supporting us all those times. I thought maybe we could start reciprocating that now. And besides, we don't really have to like Mal— RON!"

The redhead walked — more like stalked — towards the two, who were busy making goo-goo eyes at each other and without warning, grabbed an unknowing Malfoy's sleeve, hurled him away from Hermione and dragged him to a corner.

"RON!"

"RON!"

Both Harry and Hermione shouted vehemently, before quickly following their ill-tempered friend.

"Let him go, Ron!" Hermione shouted, suddenly aware that they were attracting unwanted attention from the others in the ballroom. She lowered her voice once she reached them. "Ron! Let him go or I'll hex you…" She trailed off, suddenly realizing that her wand was still in Draco's possession.

"Mate, calm down! We don't have to like him; we just have to be civil wi—"

"Shut it, mate!" Ron spat out over his shoulder, and then turned his stare at Draco. "Malfoy." He growled.

"Weasley." Draco answered testily, his leather-gloved right hand creeping inside his coat and feeling for his wand inconspicuously. "… I know you'd be disappointed by my proclamation, but sadly, I don't swing both sides. Though if I did, I doubt I would even consider you. Redheads aren't really my type." He drawled out, even at the face of threats and impending danger, causing the few people who heard it snicker silently and a certain redhead turn a brighter hue of his hair. Of course, he would not let the muggle-loving Weasel get away with ruining his perfect evening. 'Muggle-loving… Oh, the irony of it all.' He thought sarcastically.

Peeved, Ron grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the walls of the Ministry ballroom violently, before wielding his wand and poking the ash-colored tip near his Adam's apple. "You git! Who gave you the right to touch our Herm—"

"Ron! Stop it!" Hermione grasped Ron's upper arm none too gently, prying his obviously bigger frame than hers away from Draco.

"But Hermione…!"

Ron's eyes flickered for a moment to look at his long-time best friend, which gave the perfect opportunity for Draco to draw out his wand and hit Ron's wand, slightly averting it as he pointed his wand to his face. "Don't take it too hard, Weasel. Loony's waiting for you in Hogwarts, and is a year and a term away from graduating, if I remember correctly. Hmmm… Wait. I think that's a term away… Yes, yes. I pride myself in my keen senses and photographic memory. I remember you two practically draped with each other since sixth year… OH!" Draco feigned a scandalized expression, his eyebrows disappearing under the platinum fringes that fell boyishly near his eyes and covered his forehead slightly, his mercurial eyes widening and his mouth gaping slightly. "… Or did you ditch Loony for Potter?"

Even Remus Lupin had to restrain Harry from jumping at Draco.

(a/n: Too many homosexual innuendos, I know, but I can't help it! Deep inside, I'm a fan of slash! XP)

"Draco!" Hermione hissed angrily, and with reflexes so swift and fluid and so unlike her, used her toes to lift the cursed yet not-so-cursed pair of shoes and, a stiletto in each hand, pointed at the two male creatures before her who couldn't get their raging testosterones and jarring personalities from clashing. "You two stop bickering like kids or I'll… I'll shove these bloody heels into your nostrils so bad you'll be screaming bloody murder!" She lifted the stilettos shakily and slightly, emphasizing her point.

From her peripheral she saw Draco's eyes twinkle in amusement, and one of his eyebrows rise in what she, as his arch-nemesis and childhood rival for so long, could identify as skeptical, taunting, downright telling her that she wasn't serious and challenging her to carry on with it look. "… And I'm not afraid to use these shoes so better worry your life out, Draco. Wouldn't want your oh-so-perfect and aristocratic nose ruined now, would you?"

Draco frowned. "Touché…" He whispered.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly when he heard him whisper, but she saw the beginnings of a smug look on Ron's face and before it could manifest and get a rise out of Draco, she turned to him and snarled. "And you too, Ronald! I'm not hesitant to jostle this bloody heel into your flaring and freckled nose!"

Ron spoke from her left, not in the least bit threatened. "You wouldn't really do that to one of your best friends, right, Hermione?"

Hermione glared at him. Seeing as the two didn't even seem the least intimidated, she steadied her grasp and lifted the shoes to have the heels dangerously close to their nostrils. "Oh you bet I would!"

"Herms… That's quite enough…" Harry placed a hand on her shoulder, and marveled at how frigid and tense her body was under his touch.

"Stay away, Harry. I need to do this, even if these two are our friends." Hermione growled.

'You mean :your: friends.' Harry amended silently. The idea of being friends with Malfoy because of Hermione was still hovering in his mind, and he still couldn't absorb the fact quite properly. Honestly, who wouldn't be surprised? Hermione and Malfoy, of all the people who could hook up?

"But Hermione…?" Ron whined.

"Shut up!"

"But—"

"Shut. UP! And put your wands down!"

This time, Draco butted… Literally.

"But—"

"But—"

"No buts!" She growled menacingly.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"… Fine! But make him withdraw his wand first!" Draco acceded reluctantly, but still stubborn to not let go of his weapon.

"No way:You: go first!" Ron retaliated.

"No you!"

"No you!"

"You!"

"Yo—"

"Ron," Hermione gritted out, finally squeezing herself in between the two quarreling guys. She turned to Ron and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I want to ask you something and I want you to answer truthfully."

Ron nodded tightly, his eyes never leaving the now-sneering face of Draco Malfoy behind Hermione, and his tense shoulders relaxing slowly as he moved his arm that brandished the wand.

Hermione's hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek, and then to his slightly tousled hair and she brushed them away from his face. She was fascinated at how his deep blue and Harry's emerald green eyes always revealed what they were feeling, a great contrast to Draco's silver-grey ones that always had barriers. She could drown in his eyes, just like how she could drown in Harry's. She loved the emotions that flashed in them. She loved everything about the two blokes.

She loved her friends, her :best: friends dearly, so much that it scared her as to what lengths she could go just for the two. But then, she had to know something first.

"Ron, do you love me?"


Foreheads leaning against each other, both Hermione and Draco laughed. Both knew what just happened was foolish and childish — and in front of many people too!—, but they couldn't care less.

After the episode with Ron, to which she asked a question that completely and absolutely threw him off-guard, and to which he answered Is that a rhetorical question?, her eyes brimmed considerably. Her actions made Harry approach and embrace her tightly, all the while murmuring how sorry he was that he never did exert extra effort to let her know that she was appreciated. Ron also joined in the embrace, his longer, lanky arms scooping them both, and apparently, Draco pried them away from her, mumbling something that sounded like too much affection and about bloody time.

The most amazing thing, however, was that Ron was the first to stick his hand out to Draco and form some sort of truce. She was more expecting it to be Harry, since among the three, he would be most inclined to peacemaking, but it shocked her that Ron, of the three took the first step to putting those eight years of rivalry behind them. But of course, Ron couldn't help but drop threats about bloody gits, hurting, crying and touching, something that she didn't quite understand in her somewhat distraught, emotional state, and to which Draco only smirked evilly.

The two walked slowly, Hermione now wearing her stilettos, to the dance floor, unperturbed by the fact that dancing pairs all parted to make way for them. She reached up to him and placed her arms on his shoulders, while Draco slipped his arms around her waist, his hands dipping dangerously low and pulling her flush against him. From a distance she could see Ron's eyes glaring at Draco's back.

"Ron's trying to kill you with his glare, did you know?" Hermione whispered into his ear, without removing her gaze at the redhead.

"I know. Probably jealous or sommat. Not that I care." Draco retorted, his fingers making slow circles at the small of her back.

Hermione smiled slightly when she saw Harry wink at her, tap Ron on the shoulder and pull him to the refreshments table. "Really now… Hey, that tickles, Draco."

"Hmmm?" He asked, his fingers still making small circles while his hand crept up her back to rest on her outer shoulder blade so his arm would encircle her shoulders. "I reckon Weasley's at the refreshments table and consequently forgot about playing big brother to you. The bloody git could easily trade you for his bottomless appetite."

"How did you know?" She drew back slightly, far enough to see his face.

Draco merely flashed her that irritating yet charming smirk. "I can't feel his eyes boring holes into my head anymore. Now I wonder, how in Merlin's name did you last seven years being treated like that?"

She shook her head smilingly, her actions portraying her emotions, and she just placed her head on his shoulder. How she managed to go through seven years like that she didn't know; only she knew that she loved her best friends more than herself that sometimes it hurt.

She nuzzled her nose into his neck, inhaling his scent. And how come she couldn't get enough of him?

If asked weeks ago, she couldn't have answered that; but now that everything fell into place, she knew her response, and would gladly give it immediately… Just like how she could easily answer when asked what the ingredients to the Polyjuice Potion are. It's simple, really. It was all because she—

"Hermione..." Draco breathed moments later. "Are you certain you're willing to..."

Hermione drew back ever so slightly, gazed at him lovingly and nodded, her forehead bumping Draco's lightly several times in the process. "I'm sure… Draco Malfoy, I love you."

"Of course you do." Draco said matter-of-factly, smirking that trademark Malfoy smirk all over again. "Everyone does."

She slapped him lightly on the arm. "Git."

"An irresistible git at that." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Hmmm... True." Hermione conceded. "And I wouldn't have you any other way." She smirked before pulling him in for another mind-blowing and heady kiss.

She knew the answer, all right. And she wished that the feeling wouldn't go away (not that she suspected it would, but still…), because it took her almost forever to learn an answer to something so precious that she couldn't possibly live without when in school she could effortlessly find the answers to all the useless questions of her instructors in seconds.

She could hear Lavender's shrilly voice back then in their dormitories when they were in fifth year, when she had sobbed silently and closed her drapes to protect herself from the other girls' eyes, when Parvati asked Lavender what was wrong with her.

'Parvati, wise people go bonkers when they're…'

"I love you…" Draco whispered against her lips, his breath mingling with hers. "I love you, Hermione."

He loved her, and he made her feel loved, like no else can and will ever do. And that was her answer.

finis

»Some Additional Notes«

'Love is the last magic everyone can use.' - from Juusangatsu no Shukumei, or Destiny of the Thirteenth Month, Opening Theme of El Hazard, the Alternative World. It's my rough translation (and maybe others' too) of this line: Ai ha daremo ha tsukaeru saigo no mahou.

Well, that was it. Hope I made your day… or not. Hehe. That was so assuming of me. I think Ron and Raco were childish, but then again, they are whenever they're around each other.

But I want to thank you all for sticking with me here; it's going to be my baby forever. If you still want to hang out and know more about what I'm going to qrite next, just check out http / www . livejournal . com / user / mudlbloodslyth . Just remove the spaces since scerws up a bit too much.

Kangsa hamnida! Merci beaucoup! Domo arigatou! Danke! Grazie! Thank you very much!

Melissa Spitfire