She stared out the window of her office, the weather outside, drastically different from the true weather, made it seem as if it were raining cats and dogs. It was a joke with them, and most of them put it in their memos during the day letting everyone know what the real weather is like outside. The custodial staff loved making it winter outside when it was summer and visa versa.
Hermione twirled a piece of hair around her finger, her thoughts on one single person and one single person alone: Draco. When would he come get her? When would she see him again? And, the most important question of all…
Did he have the same feelings for her as she did for him?
She had thought about this all day long…what did he think of her? Did he think they would be just friends, or did he want to restart the relationship?
In fact…she was thinking about this as well…they really didn't have a true relationship, per say. Draco had never kissed her, never held her hand, never wrapped his arm around her waist when she was cold…
He was one of those types who never really understood what it meant to have a girlfriend…but, then again, neither did she.
Hermione sighed, fishing in her mind for more memories to keep her occupied.
But this time…she brought back a memory that would stick to her heart forever…but it wasn't the most wonderful memory.
'I know…I know…but this is what I want to do…' She gently grasped his hand, the tears falling down her cheeks. 'You were the one who told me to become whoever I wanted to be…because I could.'
'I just don't want to loose you…' He was crying as well, but he made an attempt to wipe her tears away.
'Oh, Draco…I will miss you….'
Draco looked into her eyes, then he softly whispered, 'You won't forget me, will you?'
'Me, forget? Never…I have a memory like an elephant…I never forget anything.'
The two of them laughed, then they embraced each other for the first and last time. 'I love you, Hermione…'
'I love you too, Draco…and I will never forget you…'
Hermione looked at her door once again, noticing that there was a shadow upon the blinds of the window that rested beside her door.
Getting to her feet, she carefully crossed the room, lifted the blinds, and felt her heart leap.
It was Draco himself.
She carefully opened the door to reveal him standing there with a smile on his face. "Can I come in?" He whispered to her.
"Of course!" She whispered back, then moved aside and let him sneak into the room unnoticed.
"Phew…I was so worried someone would come over and ask me who I was…I was sitting there for about three minutes, you know."
Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Oh my…three minutes! Send me to Azkaban, I let you sit out there all on your own for three whole minutes!"
"Oh, shut up." Draco giggled. "I always liked that about you…you used to do that to me all the time."
"I love doing that to people…it makes them so mad…"
"Well, it used to annoy me when I first met you, but now…I lov-I'm used to it."
Hermione grinned. "What were you going to say before you stopped yourself?"
"Nothing…it wouldn't have made any sense anyway."
"Come on…what time is it?"
Draco looked at his watch. "Midnight exactly. Aren't I good?"
"Of course you are…" Hermione threw her cloak about her shoulders, buttoning it carefully. "Are you ready to go?"
"I've been ready to go since I walked into the room."
"Good…we have to act fast. Don't want anyone to see us sneaking out together, you know…you're a "dangerous Death Eater", you know…if I was walking down the corridors casually with you, I could be killed."
The two of them covered their faces with their cloaks and ran out of the Ministry faster than they had ever ran in their entire lives. But the most amazing thing, as they stood outside the door panting, was that they realized that they had not hit anything, knocked anything over, or even ran into anyone.
"Wow…that was really awesome…" Hermione smiled at Draco. "How do you know about stealth?"
"A lot of sneaking around…being a Death Eater is no easy task."
"I bet it isn't…"
The two of them stared at each other, then they both said exactly at once, "Let's take a walk…"
Hermione smiled. "I just want to tell you something…that's why I want to take a walk."
"So do I."
"Let's start walking…and you can go first."
Draco turned to her. "Can we go right over there?" He pointed to the walk beside the Thames River. It was so beautiful…the water rippled just right, and the trees were bent over the walkway just enough so someone could walk right beneath them and not get stuck.
"That's so…beautiful…romantic…"
"Perfect for what I want to tell you."
Hermione smiled. "Shall we then?"
He smiled, then gently grabbed her hand and walked across the street.
"Hermione?" Draco turned to her when they were beneath the large willow tree.
"Yes?"
"You know…how we were so…close when we were in our seventh year at Hogwarts?"
Hermione nodded. "We were in love…"
"Yeah…well…I was recently thinking about that and…"
"Yes?"
Draco swallowed. "I…I still love you, Hermione."
Hermione looked at Draco with eyes bigger than the moon. "You do?"
"Yeah…"
"I still love you, too…"
"You do?" Draco grinned.
"Yeah…"
Hermione and Draco looked at one another, smiling.
It was Hermione who was the first one to speak…she felt so silly, but she giggled and softly muttered, "It's a bit cold out here…"
"Yeah, it is…" Draco stared at her for a single moment longer, then he slowly walked toward her. "Will this help?"
"What—" Her words were cut off by Draco's gentle kiss. It was the most peaceful, wonderful feeling she had ever felt in her entire life. His lips tasted so fresh, so clean, so wonderful…this was the moment she had been waiting for the last four years.
He broke away, but she went back to him, kissing him once more. She gently let her tongue caress the top of his mouth, tasting every inch of his mouth. It was the most amazing sensation, and she wanted to make the best of it.
Her quick and rapid movements within the kiss took Draco aback, but he felt compelled to at least attempt to do what she was doing. His tongue slowly caressed her lips, but the taste of her skin and her beauty made him want more.
They stood there for quite some time, their senses on fire. This was the moment the two of them had wanted for so long, and now…now that they were back together once more…they were truly in love once more.
"Draco…" Hermione pulled away from the kiss, smiling wider than she had ever smiled in her entire life.
"That was amazing…"
"That was my first kiss…well, my first French kiss, if you want to call it by its proper name."
Draco grinned. "That was a French kiss?"
"You didn't know that?"
"No…how did you know?"
Hermione blushed. "Well…I've seen others doing it before, and I was just so caught up in the moment that I just had to try it."
"Did you like it?"
"Loved it is more like it."
Hermione smiled at Draco, who smiled right back.
"Shall we take a seat beneath this beautiful willow tree?" Draco gestured to a soft spot upon the ground.
"I shall if you won't…I feel as thought I will pass out if I don't take a seat!"
Draco smirked, then plopped down right beside her. The two of them were silent for a moment, watching the water.
Hermione noticed that Draco was drifting off to sleep, so she began to sing a soft lullaby to calm his heart and let him sleep peacefully.
"Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go…you have made my life complete, and I love you so…"