Intoxicating Obsession

by bellgirl

It starts off as an obsession, then turns into something more. How will it all end?

33. The Heirs

Chapter 33

The Heirs

It had been another six months since that snowy day before Christmas. Draco had been trying for months to gain the courage to stand up for himself. Had he done so, he could have had the perfect life with Hermione, and his mother could still be alive. It had been a few months since Lucius had told his son of his mother's death. Narcissa could no longer stand the Death Eaters and what they had done to her son so she had left them and had gone into hiding. Lord Voldemort had decreed that she should die and Draco hadn't the nerve to challenge him though he secretly hoped that she would remain safe.

About three months after her disappearance, Lucius casually delivered the news to Draco over breakfast. Draco felt a stone drop in his stomach as it turned with sorrow and hatred. The father who once had listened to everything Draco had to say and had spoiled him as a child was now even colder than he ever was. He did not even speak to him now unless it involved the Dark Lord. His father never looked up from his paper and kept slurping his morning coffee as if he had relayed the weather report.

"The Dark Lord has no patience for those who waver from his cause..." Lucius had said icily.

Lucius had become more fanatical than ever and it showed in his appearance. His eyes were sunken and there were dark circles around them. It seemed that the life had gone from out of them and the only time Draco saw him show interest in anything was when he was talking about his crusade against those that opposed Voldemort. Draco was sure that he would kill him too if he dared leave the Death Eaters. He had grown increasingly agitated with Draco over his mediocre participation in the group and lamented over the fact that his own son hadn't even killed so much as a bug let alone a muggle yet.

Draco had finally had enough and resolved to do what had been nagging at him for more than a year now. Alone in his room, he drew out a bit of parchment and began writing a letter. He asked for a meeting and asked for a time, a place that would be suitable and needed it to be before that next night. He called for his owl.

"Take this to Albus Dumbledore." He instructed his owl as he secured the letter to its leg and released the bird into the night. He lay on his bed and waited.

Hermione awoke the next morning before her alarm went off. She still had ten minutes before she had to wake. She rolled over and buried her face into Draco's former pillow and smelled it. Even though his sent had long since been gone her mind still remembered, making it seem like if he had just gotten out of bed.

An owl tapping on her bedroom chamber's window interrupted her. Realizing that this was one of the owls that the order used in emergencies she jumped up and ran to the window to let the owl in.

She removed the letter and the bird flew over to a place she had set up for her owl and the other owls that came to deliver mail to her. She opened the letter.

It was from Dumbledore informing her to meet him and the rest of the order that evening at six o'clock sharp at the headquarters. It also said that it was something that she should find highly of interest. This made her very curious.

She grabbed a small piece of parchment and pointed her wand to it and made a mark that was used in response to show the receiver had received the orders that were given or asked of. It was a phoenix surrounded with fire with a circle around it that had her code name 'Head Lioness' right above the phoenix in the circle.

She taped it twice and it folded up. She called the owl over to her and attached the letter to its the leg. Hermione petted the bird on the head and with a gentle nip it was on it's way. She turned to get ready and hoped that it had something to do with Voldemort and his followers. She had dove herself deeper into bringing them down more than ever before. For taking away everything she could have had and making her try to move on, and for what they had taken from others and what they had taken from the ones she loved. She was more than ready and more than willing to fight. In fact she wanted a fight, although not nearly as much as Harry.

That same morning Draco was awakened by something falling on his face and a rustle of feathers. He opened his eyes and saw that his owl had returned and that it had brought with it an envelope. Draco opened it and a letter and a small old key fell out of it. He opened the letter and read the response form Dumbledore. The instructions revealed that the key was a portkey that had been enchanted to only work for him and that he should use it today at sunset. The letter burst into flames and Draco threw it into the fireplace. He then hid the key and waited. He had a little bit of fear and a little bit of apprehension in him now. If he were found out in what he was about to do he would be killed. Even if his own father found him he was facing certain death. Yet, he was firm in his resolve and he was finally ready to make his stand.

Draco watched as the suns final rays gasped over the horizon and grabbed hold of the key. He felt the familiar tugging behind his naval as he was drawn rapidly through the portkey and transported to his meeting with Dumbledore. He landed with a thud in a clearing in the woods and stood shakily to look around. There was still a little light out and he could see a dark form approaching him slowly.

"You wanted a conference with me, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore said.

Draco felt instantly at ease. "Yes sir. I have something to tell you concerning the activities of the Death Eaters, and their plans for tonight." He replied as Dumbledore looked at him straight in the eyes. Draco felt as if something was searching through him, through his thoughts and even his intentions. He couldn't move or speak or do anything other than stare back into Dumbledore's plain stare. He didn't feel threatened or harmed but he had no reservations left either. Dumbledore blinked and looked down and Draco's faculties returned to him.

"I believe you." Dumbledore answered. Draco then knew that Dumbledore had been reading his mind and testing him. "Please, let me hear this news that you bring."

"The Dark Lord and the Death Eaters are moving against a muggle city tonight. They aim to start the war tonight and kill everyone there." Draco cut himself off thinking of how they had described their plans and had relished in the blood they would spill. A few of them had bets on how many muggles they could kill. Draco resumed his informing. "I know exactly what time, what place they intend to strike, and the route they will be taking. Sir, I believe that we could head them off and stop them. That is, if you have anyone who is brave enough to help us. I know most in the wizarding world are terrified to stand up to Voldemort." It was the first time that Draco had used his name in public. He noticed that Dumbledore hadn't shuddered, blinked, or even took notice of the name as all others did when hearing it. All others that is, except for Harry and Hermione. She had said that 'fear of the name only increases the fear of the person.'

"Let me introduce you Mr. Malfoy, to those who have the courage to stand between Voldemort and his desires. They have been secretly about the business of thwarting his plans since his return and have been my most loyal friends. Will you all please step forward?" He called into the woods. Draco strained his eyes to see numerous individuals moving in the shadows and saw them approaching where he stood. He was surprised that there were so many of them. "Draco Malfoy, meet the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore said.

They stepped into the clearing and Draco instantly recognized several of them. They were clad in dark robes and held their wands tightly in their hands at their sides ready for anything as the walked towards him. As he turned around the clearing admiring them all Dumbledore had another surprise for him. "I would also like to introduce three of the most powerful and disciplined Aurors of their time, or of any time at that." And with that the trio stepped into the clearing and Draco's jaw dropped.

"Hermione! You are in this Order of the Phoenix thing?" He asked half exasperated half elated.

"Oh yes. All three of us have been part of the Order for the last four years." She smiled. "It's good to see you." She grinned.

"Not only a part of it, these three are now the leaders in the Order, besides my self of course." Dumbledore clarified.

"What a minute. We were together a little over a year ago. So you are telling me you were a part of this the whole time? You knew about me. I should have known about you." He said a bit angrily, not caring if he had just revealed their relationship onto unknowing ears and not understanding how he didn't know on his own before since he had followed her quite a bit.

"We never really discussed what you were if you recall." She answered. "We were on opposite sides. It wasn't like I didn't trust you, it just wasn't safe for you to know."

Draco was about to ask if she had ratted him out to the Order when Ron interrupted.

"You knew Malfoy was a Death Eater and you didn't tell any of us?" Ron questioned Hermione.

Draco felt reassured at this.

"I didn't mention it because I figured that Snape would have known since he was warning me about being with and around him a good amount of the time. With us being heads and all. I knew that Snape would have told the Order and that I didn't need to tell anyone else because they would have already known."

"Whoa whoa wait a minute…" Draco jumped back in. "Snape is in the Order too?"

"Yes Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore clarified.

"Well I guess that explains why the Death Eaters consider him a traitor. I thought it was because he married a non-supporter."

"I think it is time for you to meet the rest of the Order and time for us to see how we will respond to the information that you have brought us." Dumbledore stated.

"Yes, I think that's a brilliant idea." Hermione added with a smile.

They all exited the woods with Draco and headed to Grimmauld Place. As they entered, Draco saw Professor Snape and they exchanged an awkward hello. Just a few moments ago, Draco had believed Snape missing and presumably killed for marrying Jasmine Jackson. Now there he was, sitting in the house of the Order of the Phoenix.

Hermione walked around the table walking past a very pregnant Jasmine now Mrs. Snape and the now Kiara Weasley that he assumed was also pregnant by the way she was rubbing her still very small tummy and saying how exciting it was for her to become a mother. Hermione gave them both hugs as she passed onto the next person as she made her way down the table. It was then when he first noticed the now Pansy Diano and she was also pregnant. It shocked him how friendly they were to each other and how comforted Pansy looked as Hermione rubbed her hair then lent down and kissed her on the head, Pansy looked big, tired and a bit paler than normal. Hermione then moved to Alexander. He said something that made her laugh. Hermione still laughing patted his shoulder and moved down the table to greet the rest. They all seemed like one big family. He suddenly felt sad for many reasons. Draco was so amazed by all of it he didn't see Hermione come back over to him.

Hermione grabbed him by the arm and started to pull him out of the room. However before he left the room with her Jameson Jackson walked in stirring up all kinds of unforgotten anger and jealousy in Draco. Hermione and Jameson said hello and exchanged a hug. Jameson pulled away and kissed her on the cheek then smiled. He then said a hello to Draco not noticing the rage that Draco was feeling. Draco was about to pound his fist in Jameson's face when Hermione spoke.

"Come here," she said softly. "There is someone who I want you to see."

Hermione lead Draco to the next room and with the anger quickly being replaced with shock and joy, his eyes welled up with tears as he saw his mother. Narcissa Malfoy noticed him come into the room and practically bolted up from her sitting chair. They sobbed as they hugged each other and Hermione cried too. She cried with tears of happiness and sadness. Happiness for their reunion and sadness for the pain he had been through at believing his mother was dead, right after they had finally became close, and her not being able to tell him the truth. After a few moments of holding each other they separated.

"But how?" Draco asked. "Father said that you were dead."

"And he would have been right if it had not been for this girl." She said gesturing towards Hermione.

"I don't understand." Draco said as he looked at Hermione.

"Well I am not stupid you know. You had told me that you had a romance with a girl at school and that you were still and always would be madly in love with. You told me many stories over those few months that I was still there. However, when you wouldn't reveal her name I knew that it had to be someone that your father would not approve of. As I put the pieces together it all made sense. Head Boy, Head Girl, although you never told me who she was mind you, being so close together, she's a muggle-born… it all added up!"

"Yes, but how are you still alive?" Draco pleaded.

"Oh yes that. Well after I had left your father and the rest of the Death Eaters I tried to hide in a muggle city. One day as I was walking I passed this familiar girl looking at a photo album and I saw how upset she was and how she looked like she longed for the boy in the picture. I couldn't help but sneak a glimpse at her moving photos and saw they were of you. I found myself walking past her building a lot over the next few days until late one evening after I had passed her as she was about to head into her building I then had rounded the corner. The Dark Lord's assassins approached me. I tried to run but one of them hit me with the leg-locking curse to keep me from moving as the other tried to use the killing curse, but missed and hit the wall. Idiots that they were they did not notice so I tipped myself over and fell to the ground and lay motionless as they stood over me debating what to do with my body. They thought that they had been successful in their attempt but were about to use the curse again just for good measure when this young lady here came to my rescue. She disarmed them and they fled and I have been here ever since. We could not contact you for fear of revealing my location to the Dark Lord. I hope you can understand."

"It doesn't matter. Just as long as you are alive." Draco smiled. "Thank you Hermione."

"You're welcome." She smiled back.

Draco and his mother spent a few moments catching up as Hermione leaned against the doorframe and watched. She was glad that he could have this relationship with at least one of his parents. She herself had gotten pretty close with Narcissa over last few months. She knew that it would be difficult if not impossible for him to reach out to his father. Draco stood up and turned to Hermione.

"We haven't got much time. We should start preparing."

They returned to the dining room and Draco saw that the number of the Order had more than doubled. Ron stood at the head of the table and was laying out the strategy for their attack. Draco smiled to himself and realized that Ron fit the role perfectly as he was very good at strategizing as evidenced by his Wizard's chess skills.

Dumbledore turned to Hermione and Draco.

"If you would not mind Mr. Malfoy, would you please give Miss Granger a full detail of what Voldemort has been up to and discuss some things with us. After of course you let the young Mr. Weasley here know where the Death Eaters will be meeting and where they will be traveling so he is in full knowledge of how he can further instruct the Order." Dumbledore said.

"Of course Sir." Draco said as he slightly nodded his head. He then proceeded to tell Ron everything he needed to know about the path that the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters were to take.

After he was finished he and Hermione headed off to another room. On their way there Draco noticed a wall with nothing but photographs all over it. He saw many pictures with Hermione in them. Hermione had noticed him look at the pictures and stopped with him.

One had Hermione, Ron, and Harry standing side by side with professional expressions on their faces as they looked to the camera then to each other then back again with their robes flaring behind them because of the breeze. They looked ready to take anything on. The next one he looked at almost made him laugh it was everyone whom he had seen in the kitchen that he had gone to school with all acting extremely silly making faces, acting like animals and wrestling around for the camera. You could see Seamus with a tie around his head and it looked like he was clucking like a chicken at Hermione. She swatted his arm then was sent into a fit of giggles, laughing very hard shaking her head while gripping onto his arm. Seamus smiled. Draco raised his eyebrow. The next sent him sweltering when he saw Hermione with a bunch of the people in the picture before, but what had bothered him was that Jameson was giving Hermione a hug and then swung her around with her laughing. He looked at the picture and could have kicked himself. He shouldn't have stopped following her and should not have returned the photo album. He thought she must have moved on with Jameson. With how he greeted her and the way they looked in the picture, they had to be together. He had to look away to another picture in fear of his feelings pouring out right there. He moved on to another picture with Hermione in it but in this one his mum was the only other person in it. It was Christmas time and they posed in front of the Christmas tree. He looked at them in the picture and noticed his mum's arm was around Hermione's shoulder. They had their heads against each other's and were smiling with Hermione looking down at her right hand. Draco looked hard at her hand praying it wasn't a ring from Jameson. It sort of looked like a ring that his grandmother had given his mother. The next picture had everyone who was in the house plus some others and assumed it was the Order of the Phoenix group shot. He then noticed an older picture with people that he recognized but much younger.

"That's the original Order of the Phoenix." Hermione said pointing to the latest picture that he was looking at. He looked at her confused. She continued, "See the Order was formed during the first time Voldemort was trying to come into power. This group here was trying to stop him, it also helped that some of them were Aurors. At first we, Harry, Ron and I, thought that was why Voldemort went after Harry's parents. Because they wouldn't join him and were a part of the Order. See those two right there are James and Lily Potter, Harry's parents." Hermione pointed to two people in the picture, "That was until we heard the prophecy, all of it, that night at the ministry of magic where the other Death Eaters were there to retrieve it. "

"I don't know much about the prophecy. Only that it involves The Dark Lord and Potter. I wasn't really told much about it." Said Draco.

"Well Voldemort didn't go to Godric's Hollow that night to kill James and Lily, they only got in the way. His real target was Harry. You see, Voldemort had heard about a prophecy that involved him and child who was to be born in the seventh month, but he did not get the whole prophecy that contained the most important part." Hermione started as she led them into the room they were heading to. She shut the door behind them. They both leaned against a table as she continued. "It had said that the only one who could defeat him was this child, a child that has been marked to be his equal. His only problem at the time was there were two to choose from. Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter. But he felt that it was Harry Potter who was the real threat, in which he chose correctly. But what Voldemort did not know at the time was that by him going after Harry and trying to kill him that it was only then that he marked him as his equal and that mark is Harry's scar. See Harry was already destined to be among the greatest wizards but now Voldemort had marked him to be the only one able to defeat him. No one can kill Voldemort except for Harry. That's why when Voldemort used the killing curse on Harry he nearly killed himself and made himself too weak to carry on in full body. That was until Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew helped him. But that much I am sure you already know. But strangely enough it was Harry who brought him back fully, unwillingly of course. But now it works better for Harry because now Voldemort is fully human again and is now able to be killed, for good. That's basically the short version of it."

Draco sat in silence for a bit looking at the floor.

"I really feel like a real jerk. I mean I knew that he was attacked when he was just a baby. But I didn't know the whole story not that it justifies anything. That scar is like a constant reminder of that night and every time he looks in the mirror he's reminded of something he probably can't really even remember and something that because of him he lost. Maybe to everyone else he won that night but really… he lost." Draco said as he shook his head at it all.

"Yeah, but he's strong and he's been able to move on through it. He has so much to live for and he knows that. All of us here are a family, his family. By the way why were you so hard on him?" Hermione asked.

"Well I was told that there was a possibility that the famous Harry Potter would be attending Hogwarts and was to try to make friends with him. I thought it would be fun to have someone famous as a friend and it would do loads for my image. So when I extended my hand of friendship he rejected me in front of everyone. I didn't take that very well."

"Oh yes, I remember that. What did you expect? You insulted his first real friend there and the way you came across… wow. I didn't blame him for not taking your hand." Hermione said with a smile.

"Now I guess looking back on it I don't either." Draco said able to laugh at himself. "But wow, being part of a prophecy would be quite interesting."

"Well that's not the only one."

"What do you mean?"

"Well don't get upset with me, but do you remember that one night when I saw you with that girl and got the wrong idea?" Hermione said hoping he didn't get upset for not telling him about the passageway she had found.

"Yeah you did. Okay so…" Draco said as he waited for her to continue and he started to get a little nervous to what she was about to tell him.

"Well after I used the silencing charm on the room so I couldn't hear you and so you couldn't hear me, I went into my closet to change out of my clothes. I stayed in there and cried. I was so upset and aggravated that I kicked my trunk. I then heard a sound, like a stone moving across the floor. I bent down to see what it was and noticed that part of the wall was pushed in so I pushed it some more until I was able crawl though. It wasn't very small and you just could walk through it standing up. Well that's when I discovered this passageway. I thought I knew about every passageway there was at Hogwarts, by the way if you are wondering about how I disappeared that night after running from you it was one of many passages there that Harry, Ron and I often took or explored." She paused and Draco nodded his head now knowing what had happened to her. She then continued.

"Anyway I was too tired that night to explore so I did it the next evening before dinner. It led me to this window above the great hall. It was either magically covered so no one was able to see it or it blended with the enchanted ceiling, never really figured that one out. I continued on and it led me to more glass only it belonged to a mirror in a secret room. Apparently Salazar wasn't the only one who had a secret room. It makes me wonder if they all had one. Well in the very dusty room I found this massive book that was written by the four founders and the journal of Godric Gryffindor. I had decided to get Harry and Dumbledore and show them my discovery. And true to my suspicions no one had known of this room, even the passageway leading to it or the many other entrances around the castle that opened to the passageway. Well in this book there was this section in Godric's section that was very jumbled up. Dumbledore had found something mentioned in Godric's journal that only the correct password could unscramble the mysterious section. After some time of reading and searching Dumbledore had Harry, Ron and I look at it and with the four of us we figured out what he was saying. It had said in there that he had given something of high importance to his Daughter Evelyn. The way it was put in there seemed like it was casually said but you had to look closer to how he had wrote it. It also said that he wanted her to pass it along to two people who were trustworthy and symbolized what it had stood for. He said that it had to be to ones who would forever remain on the walls of the castle. Meaning it had to be given to a portrait and really the only thing you could give a portrait is words nothing physical. So we thought about what paintings have been there for that long that had two people that matched the description in his journal. The only ones we had come up with was the portrait that confined the former living quarters of Godric himself. Apparently our Heads living quarters were of the same. Dumbledore had changed the Heads living quarters to there knowing this and felt that it was a good place to put the two of us, with the portrait symbolizing peace and unity, which happened to be the password, between Gryffindor and Slytherin. My room was his and that is where the passageway was. Your room was his personal office. Well anyway, Dumbledore went up to the portrait that contained the Albany's. He had asked them about knowing anything about what we had discovered. They had told him something they had not mentioned to anyone since that encounter many years before. They said that they were told a word that they were to give to the one who asked about it for no one other than they would be worthy enough to tell it to. Also in the journal it had said that the only way to get into the hidden room was someone who was pure of heart. Anyway moving on, the Albany's said they knew nothing of the secret passage and that they believed that Godric's daughter also did not know about it for when she had given them the word to remember she had apologized for she did not know much and said that all she knew was what her father had told her to do those many years before that. She was an aged woman then and they had known her from when they were students there and had since become heads and teachers later on. She told them that her father gave her this word to give to two people in a portrait that matched the description of them and to ensure that the word would be used when needed. He also instructed her to make sure that that portrait remained at the entrance to his former chambers. She said that they would have to remember the word forever and that they would know when to tell it and until then to keep it a secret and tell no one of it or of their conversation. After all a portrait will live forever and a person does not. Well the password was 'Unity'. Dumbledore then pointed his wand at the book and said the password. The letters and words came together and started to make sense. It was a prophecy stating that the heir of Gryffindor and the heir of Slytherin will rise and fight many times and it will all end in the final war. The heads of different sides, one of good and one of evil, neither side fights alone. With the help of one's Ancestor his side will have no one that will parish and the other few will die. It also said that the light will shine through and the Darkness will be no more. I took it as Harry is the light and Voldemort as the darkness and the ones who will not die would be us and the only reason they'll lose few is because we aren't quick to kill. And we also believed the ancestor was Gryffindor, for he came up with a few spells that should protect us tonight that we have to cast on ourselves before we go to fight. Apparently it protects from the Unforgivable Curses except that the killing curse is not affected by it. Also, there is another spell that marks someone and another spell to gather together those that have been marked. Only we really don't know if they work or not so here's hoping. At first we did not know what he had meant when he wrote the heir of Gryffindor. We of course had a feeling but were not entirely sure. Dumbledore did some more research and did some searching with the descendants of Godric Gryffindor. His Daughter Evelyn had married and had children of her own like her other siblings but from her came a long line of descendants that include James Potter and his son Harry Potter. So Harry is the Heir of Godric Gryffindor and Tom Riddle is the Heir of Salizar Slytherin. So what had begun over a century ago will end tonight." She finally finished.

"Wow… I mean… wow…" He said in awe.

"Yeah, I know." Hermione said then smiled at him. He then noticed the ring on her right hand that he had seen in the picture and took it into his own, his touch made them both tingle.

"This looks so much like the ring that my mother has." He stated rubbing his finger along it.

"That's because it is. She gave it to me on Christmas. She said even though we really haven't known each other that long I already felt like the daughter she never had. And since the way you were heading she didn't see any future wife or children for you. She said that she figured since you had loved me so dearly and she already loved me that that was close enough for her. I am supposed to give it to my daughter or granddaughter, in which she will be grandmother number three. You know it's funny how close we have become, I would have never thought it and she says the same thing. She says she knows better now and is sorry for the way she had been." She said as Draco let go of her hand because it was starting to make him slightly dizzy from desire.

"Well that makes the two of us. I am sorry it took so long for me to… to well, come onto the side I really belong to. Not that I was ever really on that side." He said as he ran his hand trough his hair.

"It's okay, better late than never. But," She began and put her hand on his face and he leaned into it. "I'm glad you did, I would hate to have had to kicked your ass."

They both laughed as he tickled her as his revenge.

"So um… I guess that you and Jameson are together now." Draco said after he had stopped.

"What? NO, that's silly. Why would you think that!" Hermione asked kind of shocked he would think that but then again he always was jealous of him, which made her silently laugh.

"Well I mean you two seem awful friendly with each other." He said as he scratched his head not sure if he wanted to make eye contact.

She thought for a second and mused.

"We are just good friends nothing more, okay?" She said looking at him trying to hold back a smile.

"Sure, so then is there anyone else?" He asked trying to sound casual. She knew better, but played along.

"No not really, although Ginny tried to set Seamus and I up last summer. There just wasn't anything there enough for me to try to move on when I was not ready to. Besides me being an Auror and being in the Order kind of took up all my time so it was a good excuse not to. That and after I told them the truth about us they left me alone and didn't bother me about needing to get a boyfriend. You?" She asked although she pretty much already knew the answer but wanted to hear it anyway.

"No wonder it was hard to follow you around, and no, no one. No one would be able to compare. I don't want anyone else." Draco said, as the fire inside them both was about to become unbearable.

"I know the feeling." She smiled up at him and licked her lips as he did the same.

They became quiet trying their best to calm their bodies and their breathing. The other noticed that the other was doing the same. Not being able to control himself any longer Draco took a step closer to her and she a step closer to him. She slid her right hand up his chest up to his shoulder. And her other hand rested on his arm that was now moving around her waist along with his other. They shivered at the contact. They looked into each other's clouded eyes. "Just one little kiss should be fine." The both thought.

They slowly moved their mouths together. Their lips touched softly at first then they suddenly become hungry for more. Their kisses had fire and passion put into every movement. Their hands were all over. Grabbing and touching everything they could. They began pulling and tugging at each other's clothes basically ripped them off of each other while chaotically tossing them around. He picked her up, her legs went around his waist and slammed into the wall still frantically kissing the other.

"Table!" Was all Hermione managed to get out.

Draco flung them around and they both started to knock everything off of the table with one of their hands sending all sorts of things to the floor, while still trying to kiss. A few things banged and some shattered on the other side of the table. As soon as it was clear he quickly but gently laid her down and they began what they have been longing to do since the last time they had been with each other. He moaned first then she followed.

"Wow Hermione this feels like the first time." He laughed between moans.

"Well it has been a little over a year." She also laughed between moans.

After a few more seconds of kissing feverishly he was done and lay breathing heavily on top of her.

"Wow Draco that was fast." She laughed between her heavy breathing. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Well it has been a little over a year." He laughed between his heavy breathing. She smiled at him and rubbed her hand though his hair as he laid his head back down on her.

Meanwhile…

Ron was on his way looking for Hermione and Draco since they had been gone for a while and he still needed to let them know what was going on. As he made his way through the house he met up with Mrs. Malfoy, Kiara, Pansy and Jasmine. They left the room because they were not going to fight and they really didn't want to hear the details of what their loved ones were about to do.

"Hey have you seen Hermione and Draco I really need to fill them in on what we are doing before we leave?" Ron had asked them. They all shook their heads no.

Ron had already passed the room that Hermione and Draco were in and was now on his way back and had just passed it again when he had heard some bagging, crashing and breaking sounds. He turned around and was about to investigate when he heard a deep moan followed by a higher one. He knew well what those kind of sounds were. The group of women just pushed the confused Ron back away from the door.

"Is that…are they?" Was all Ron managed to say in a whispered tone.

"Yes dear, now let them be." Kiara whispered.

"Well that didn't take long." Jasmine also whispered and smiled.

"I've always known that there was something between them all through growing up even if they didn't know it." Pansy said and laughed.

"Well, I suppose I don't have to worry about not having any grandchildren or not having a daughter in law." Mrs. Malfoy said in a half embarrassed tone because she heard her own son in the throw of passion and the other half was relieved that those two were finally going to be happy together as long as they both survived the night.

The group just continued on to the kitchen.

Draco finally was able to pull himself up off of Hermione kissing her before he completely got up.

"We really should be getting out there to find out what is going on." Draco said as if he was reminding not just her. Hermione nodded and with his help got off the table.

They gathered their clothing that was well scattered throughout the room and got dressed.

With a flick of their wands the stuff that had been lying shattered or broken on the floor was now put back to it's original state on the table once again.

They kissed a few times more and exchanged heartfelt 'I love you's' then headed out the door to join everyone else, with big smiles neither could suppress.

Hermione walked into the room where most of the order had been before but were no longer there. They were now scattered throughout the house saying good-bye to those who where not to join that night. Ron, Harry, Ginny, Kiara and a few others had remained in the room.

Ron saw the two of them walk in and nodded with a knowing smile. They noticed so did Harry, Ginny and Kiara.

"Wow Hermione I haven't seen you smile this big since well… most of seventh year… oh." He started off just teasing then realized why those smiles had been on her face then. He then remembered a time when she had come into the Great Hall right after class at lunch. "Wait a minute that time in the Great Hall when you were eating… well, eating like me. You were sweating and you were smiling just like that… I mean how it was right after class there is no way you had time to go back to your rooms… unless, oh… oh bloody hell I don't want to know, I just don't want to know… bloody hell." He continued while he cringed and shuddered. Instead of teasing her he grossed himself out.

Everyone except for Hermione and Ron laughed and they both kind of got red in the cheeks. However after a minute they were able to let out a couple of chuckles themselves.

After Ron filled Hermione and Draco in about the plan of intervention for that night Draco started to talk to Pansy while Hermione talked and joked with the others, keeping up their spirits.

"Strange how everyone seems to be calm and not quiet and scared." Pansy said to Draco as they both watched the group.

"Yes it is, but they do have the upper hand and they know it. Also what is strange is you and Hermione, not to mention you and here." Draco said.

"Yes I suppose it is isn't it." Pansy laughed then continued. "Alex doesn't support You-know-who and I never really have myself. We ended up here shortly after school was out. We had run into Hermione in Diagon Alley. The subject came up about how we felt on it and wanted to do what we could to help. So here we are. Hermione and I have been on good terms since basically the beginning of seventh year. We had just become closer since. We live here now because Harry insists that we do, since I am with child, until times are safe again. We are very thankful for that, Jasmine and Snape live here as well. Snape had to take the rest of the year off after he and Jasmine found out that they were expecting, for their safety. He-who-must-not-be-named found out that Snape had married a non-supporter and got even angrier when he told him she would not join them. He couldn't spy for the Order any longer. So long story short here they are. Although my family has condemned me the Order has become my family. Hermione's parents are often here and you know for muggles they aren't so bad. Pretty wonderful actually." She laughed shaking her head.

"Yes, actually I have never had the pleasure of meeting them." Draco said sadly.

"Well they know all about you, Hermione told them. She had to they would stop pestering her about finding a boyfriend. They keep saying, "Well that Seamus fellow seems pretty nice." Since he obviously had feelings for her." Pansy paused as she and Draco noticed Seamus tell a joke that practically made Hermione double over in laughter and had to brace herself on his arm, but they were at arms length. "You know you don't have to worry about him. He hasn't made a move and she just isn't interested. They are just friends, have been for years. If something was going to happen it would have already." Pansy reassured him.

"I know, he's not the one I worry about." Draco simply said as he looked over to Jameson, who now was standing very close to Hermione laughing. Before Pansy could question he had moved toward Hermione. It did make him a little jealous over Seamus but he got like that with every guy, except for Harry and Ron.

"So when will we be ready to go?" Draco asked when he reached Hermione.

"Well we just sent Neville off to the Ministry to fetch them to take the prisoners." Ron replied.

"Did you tell him to give Harry enough time to Defeat Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

"Well no, I didn't think about that. He will need time before they come won't he?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded annoyed that he forgot a detail like that. "Well we still have enough time for you to go after him and let him know. He didn't leave to long ago so he wouldn't be that far." Hermione nodded and headed to the front door and walked out, Draco followed.

"Hermione why don't we just apparate there?" Draco said as they started to walk down the street.

"Because Neville refuses to take the test for it, therefore he can't. And before you ask he hates portkeys, flew powder, and brooms. So we have to catch up with him and we don't have the time to wait for him to arrive at the ministry. He's a slow walker so when we reach him we will apparate back." Hermione answered. Draco nodded and he was not surprised. Neville wouldn't have passed the test since he barely passed Hogwarts. He wondered if that was why they had him do this job, because they feared that if he would have fought he might have been killed. He just might have.

After a few minutes a guy bumped into them. Hermione looked at him and instantly recognized him from two years before. He looked at her then looked at Draco and started to get really nervous.

"Um… I am so sorry… mate I… I didn't mean… mean to bump into her it… it… it was an accident, I'm not… I not even looking at her… I'm going." It was the guy from the nightclub that had disappeared the first night she saw him when he tried to force her out on the dance floor. When she saw him again a few weeks later he was looking like he'd had the crap beat out of him and he also fled when he saw her.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot after the guy had run off. She then turned and looked up at Draco.

"Would you like to tell me what that was all about?" She asked with curiosity as she raised one eyebrow.

" Well… I … you see, that one night I saw him touch you … and he then got rough… I just taught him a lesson… he touched you and then wasn't nice about it. So when you turned around I quickly grabbed him so you wouldn't see me." Draco confessed as they had started to walk at a fast pace once again.

"Draco, I don't even know what to say. Thanks I suppose, you big jealous body guard of mine." Hermione had started off serious and scolding but then softened.

"I will always be there and protect you, no matter what. I should have never let us walk out of each other's lives." He said as he grabbed her hand and caressed it with his thumb.

"I know. Me too. So I guess when you dropped off the photo book that was the last time you followed me. I knew it was you when you bumped into me no one could have made my body tingle like that."

"Yes it was and I knew you would. I dropped it off. Ran and never looked back. I couldn't." He replied. She nodded.

Finally they had caught up with Neville and they were half way there. They told him to give them a bit of time so Harry could do what he needed to do. After they gave him the instructions Hermione and Draco apparated back just in time to leave for the final battle, so they all hoped.

They all did the temporary protecting spell which should last them long enough and then said one last goodbye before they headed out. The ones staying behind tried to fight back their tears. Hermione noticed Molly Weasley was looking quite distraught. She had good reason to be. Two of her brothers had been killed in a previous battle against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. So naturally she was scared for all of her children and her husband would be out there fighting.

"Ginny dear, are you sure that you want to do this and not stay here." Mrs. Weasley said trying one last time to keep at least one of her children with her, even Percy was going out there.

"Mum, yes I have to do this. I have to be there for them and for Harry." Ginny said with a smile.

"Yes, yes. I know dear. I can't blame you, I would do the same for your father." They hugged once more before Mrs. Weasley went down the line of the children turned adults of hers including Harry and Hermione telling them to be safe and that she loved them and then they said they loved her in return. She even went up to Draco and brought him into a hug telling him to be careful and that she couldn't wait to get to know him and love him like she does Hermione. This moved him and he told her he would.

"Well off you go then." Mrs. Weasley said as she patted him on his way.

Finally they all had left the house and started to make their way through the woods heading to the planned spot for intervention.

They were running now at a decent pace through the dark woods. Night had fallen and the forest was darkened. Hermione was breathing harder as they pressed on. Draco was by her side and she felt nervous but calm at the same time. She was glad that he was by her side but it also made him a liability. The Death Eaters would fight him with a hate that they reserved for few people and they would viciously kill him if they got the chance. Harry, Lupin, Snape, and Dumbledore were leading the charge. Dumbledore simply glided along the forest floor on his slippered feet. He appeared to be walking at his usual pace but he kept up with the rest of them no matter how fast they went. Hagrid was in the back behind the group due to his size. He needed not to be seen. Hermione saw a clearing approaching and the advance group stopped and ducked behind the foliage and motioned for the rest of the Order to join them.

"Here is the place that we'll ambush them." Ron clarified. He was no longer the unsure child from Hogwarts but a confident Auror with a strategic ability that hadn't been seen in years.

The Order spread themselves out and Draco stuck close to Hermione. She looked at him and gave a nervous smile. She noticed Dumbledore looking at her from behind Draco and saw him wink with that familiar twinkle in his eye. She felt a renewal of confidence and scanned the wood line for a sign of the approaching battle.

At first Hermione thought that she was watching the shadows move as the darkness in the forest crept towards them. Gradually she began to make out the familiar hooded forms walking towards them in single file. The trail the Death Eaters were on would take them directly past their hiding place giving them a perfect flanking position on them. They had the element of surprise on their side. The Death Eaters had Voldemort, but the Order had Harry and Dumbledore.

"Wait for my signal." Ron whispered.

Harry had taken in a silent sharp breath as he put his fingertips to his scar.

Hermione could feel her heart beating in her ears and she was sure that some of the Death Eaters could hear it too. She could make out a great deal of them now. They were getting ever so closer by the second. She looked down at her wand and saw that it was shaking a little. Not because of fear, but because of the adrenaline coursing through her veins. This is what she had trained for and had been molded for since she had first received her letter from Hogwarts. She looked along the column of dark figures searching for Voldemort. She wanted to be sure of where he was and sure that he would not escape on this night. With any luck, this war could be over as soon as it was getting started. Over before her children, or her children's children had to fight it. She held her breath as the first Death Eater passed her hidden location. She was located at about the middle of the front line with Draco on her left and Harry, Dumbledore, and Ron on her right. Three more passed and the column was progressing rapidly towards to town that was just a little over a mile away. She saw Ron turn around and saw him draw in his breath to yell. She closed her eyes and let out her breath and was as calm as a summer's morning.

"NOW!" Ron screamed.

The yell startled the Death Eaters as much as the blistering bolts of the spells zipping into them. Several of them fell in the initial volley fired by the Order as they rose from their concealment.

"STUPEFY!" Hermione yelled as she launched herself forward catching a Death Eater square in the chest and knocking him flat on his back.

"KILL THEM ALL!" she heard a voice hiss. She instantly recognized who had spoken the command.

The woods became as bright as noonday with the various spells whirling about. The Order was primarily using the stupefy spell and marcaramus spell to mark the Death Eaters while they were using the unforgivable curses. Hermione felt relieved that they were protected from the cruciatus curse and the imperio curse. She could hear the Death Eaters casting them however, and she hoped that the old book's protective spells still worked. She turned and saw the Death Eaters merge with the Order as they engaged in hand-to-hand combat and it became hard to distinguish who was friend and who was foe. Spells whizzed from wands in every direction and Hermione ran to find a better location out of the crossfire. She rounded a tree and was face to face with a particularly ugly Death Eater.

"Crucio!" He yelled through his rotten teeth.

Hermione winced and closed her eyes as the bright light hit her. She felt it quickly rebound and heard the Death Eater scream. She opened her eyes and saw him writhing on the ground in pain. "Not only does it protect, it's a knock back jinx as well!" She thought to herself. She could hear the screams of other Death Eaters echoing through the woods as they were gaining this knowledge as well. From the light of the spells zipping through the air she could see that they were starting to gain the upper hand. The first round had taken a lot of their number out of action. The Order continued their strategy of knocking their opponents out of action and marking them. None would escape tonight Hermione vowed to herself as she continued with her own duels and markings.

Hermione looked over to see Hagrid with two Death Eaters dangling in each of his fists and then bang them together. He let them fall unconsciously to the ground then picked up his not too recently returned wand and cast hexes at other passing Death Eaters that seamed a little more timid of him then they were to begin with.

Draco was fighting by Ron, and Hermione could see a good bit of bodies lying around the two of them. Draco would quickly duck and cast another spell and dodge the incoming ones with the quick reflexes that Hermione had seen him demonstrate in quidditch matches. She saw two Death Eaters rounding the bushes behind Draco and hit them both with the maracramus spell. They jumped back and checked themselves for damage. After finding nothing wrong they smiled at each other and advanced on Hermione. A bright red light hit them both in the back and they fell face forward. Hermione saw Ginny smiling at her from a few yards away. Hermione smiled back and saw a very large explosion light up the woods behind Ginny. Both girls turned and saw three Death Eaters blinking and rubbing their eyes as they stumbled blindly along the trail. Then she saw Fred and George leap up and stupefy all of them.

"Sun in a can!" Fred explained.

"It was Fred's idea see," continued George. "It's got the brightness of 100 flashbulbs at once! Takes hours before they can see properly. "

"Incoming." Fred said as he tapped George on the shoulder and motioned to two more charging Death Eaters.

The twins ducked as spells sped by them and then rose to continue talking without missing a beat. Hermione saw Fred pull out a long silver rod and load something into it.

"Ah, this here is a new one." Fred said.

"A wheeze winger." George continued.

"Let's you launch a wheeze and remain at a safe distance away."

"Also let's you watch the fun!"

Fred whipped the rod at the Death Eaters and Hermione saw two vials filled with a familiar putrid green liquid launch out and catch both Death Eaters in the face. From their reaction it was the twins favorite and first wheeze, stink pellets.

"Concentrated those are." George smiled.

"We can pack the stink of 20 of em' into one now!" Fred continued.

Percy soon joined the twins and the boys started unpacking more gadgets and assorted things from their bags as Hermione turned back toward Ginny smiling.

Then it happened.

He rounded a tree so suddenly that Hermione had not the time to think. Ginny saw the smile fall off Hermione's face. Voldemort drew has arm back and backhanded Ginny as she turned around. She flew through the air and landed on her back. The Dark Lord smiled as he drew his wand out and pointed it at her.

"Hello silly little girl." He chuckled. "Ah yes, we meet again. Ginny Weasley isn't it? Only your not so little any more, are you? I can see why Harry Potter fancies you. You're to be his bride are you not?" He chuckled again then turned his voice into a dark slur. "Sorry to let you down but he won't be able to make it."

"He has defeated you more than once and he will do it again, for good!" Ginny screamed grabbing Harry's attention.

"Why you, you should have died!" Voldemort hissed, as he drew his wand beck to use a curse on her.

In a quick flash of light Dumbledore appeared between them and grabbed Ginny and together they popped back out of sight. They reappeared behind Hermione as Harry was at a full sprint at Voldemort approaching from his back. Voldemort whirled on his heels and the two met and cast their curses. Both grazed the others cheek as the foretold battle between the lion and the snake began. Both the Order and the Death Eaters that were not incapacitated stood fixed as they watched the duel. Voldemort's face was twisted in angry and frustration as he tried to kill Harry. Harry's eyes blazed with vengeance and justice as he used all his skills and lightning quick reflexes that bested even Draco's. Snape started to run toward them but was stopped by Dumbledore who simply gazed at him. Snape lowered his wand and watched agonizingly at the blazing whirling duel. It took all of Hagrid's strength not to run over to Harry as well.

"It has been foretold as such and it is up to Harry now." Dumbledore said.

Voldemort narrowly missed Harry's chest with his curse and lunged at him. Harry side stepped him and landed a right hook on Voldemort's face bloodying his lip. He spat out the blood and smiled at Harry with his blood-coated teeth.

"Ready to meet you mudblood mother Harry?" He oozed as he slapped Harry across the face with his wand.

Harry fell and rolled out of the way as Voldemort cast more curses. He rose and the two joined their wand tips. Instantly they locked fast together. Harry felt the handle of his wand vibrate to the point that he could no longer hold it. From his expression, Voldemort felt the same thing. It became too difficult to hold as both wands flew from their owner's hands and landed on the forest floor. Voldemort kicked Harry in the chest knocking him on his back. The wands reverberated loudly and it seemed that they too were battling for control of the other. Harry's wand seemed to be gaining the upper hand as Voldemort rushed forward to grab his wand's handle. He shouted in pain and threw them back down. The wands repelled each other as they hit the ground and shot apart.

Harry hit the ground and searched for his wand as Voldemort found his. Harry saw his wand on the ground.

"Accio wand!" He yelled.

He felt the handle rest in his hand as he heard Hermione scream his name.

It seemed like time moved at a quarter of its normal speed as Harry turned around. He whirled to raise his wand and felt Voldemort's wand tip hit his throat and heard the words "Avada Kedavra!" Ginny screamed as the sickening green light washed over Harry and blinded him as he fell to his knees and slumped over.

"HARRY!" Ron yelled.

The Order stood shocked as Voldemort's sticky laugh boomed in the woods.

"It was a long time coming boy. You should have died that night and saved yourself the knowledge that your friends will share the same fate."

Tears streamed down Hagrid and Hermione's faces as she looked at Dumbledore who himself had been holding his breath in disbelief. She saw him begin to slowly draw out his wand and Hagrid was balling his fists about to charge. She looked back to see Voldemort yelling to his Death Eaters to finish them off. She looked back at Dumbledore and saw him grinning as he winked again at her. She looked again to Voldemort and her heart jumped.

Harry was rising to his feet behind Voldemort to the audible gasps of the witnesses. Voldemort's smile faded as he slowly turned. Harry just stared at him with a look of determination in his eyes. Voldemort raised his wand again and cast the killing curse again to no effect. A look of horrible confusion crossed his face along with a break in the skin. He dropped his wand and grabbed his face.

"GET HIM!" He screamed to his Death Eaters in pain as another slash appeared on his arm.

The Death Eaters charged Harry and so did the Order as more rips cut through Voldemort. When both groups were within 10 meters of them Harry clenched his fists and Voldemort grabbed him. A pulse of brilliant white light erupted in a globe of energy emanating from the two. It sent out another larger pulse and violently knocked the advancing combatants through the air. Hermione was thrown through the air and into a tree and her wand flew out of her hand as she landed by Draco who had been knocked into the tree just a few inches behind him. Voldemort's curdled scream shattered the night as all the light and energy in the area was rapidly drawn towards Harry and erupted in an enormous shock wave the knocked everyone down and even felled the closest trees. The noise of the explosion was fantastic as Voldemort burst into oblivion.

The light quickly faded and Hermione tried to find her wand as she looked at Draco who was conscious but in rough shape. She pushed herself up with one hand as she propped herself up. She continued to search for her wand and found it about three feet away from her. She was about to reach for it when she heard another familiar voice.

"Well at least the night won't be a complete waste," he said. "I will just have to kill all of the mudbloods instead. You can be the first." Lucius Malfoy sneered. He drew has wand back as Hermione cringed.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

She waited, but nothing happened to her. She heard a thud and opened her eyes to see Lucius's dead body with a surprised look on his face. She turned and saw Draco standing with his wand pointed at his fallen father and breathing very rapidly.

Hermione was at a loss for words. She remained in the same spot staring at him not knowing if she should thank him, comfort him or both. She was shocked he had killed his own father for her, to protect her. She glanced back over at the still body that had once belonged to one of the most feared of wizards. She then returned her gaze back to Draco who was still looking at the body of his dead father.

Hermione was confused as to what his face read. It was a mix of shock, most likely from killing his own father, and sadness, probably from his father being dead. Then there was a relief that wiped away the previous looks. He looked at her and their eyes met.

"Hermione! It's done we have to gather them!" They heard Ron's voice a short distance away. Hermione looked towards Ron's direction then looked back at Draco.

"Hurry" Draco said as he motioned for her to go.

Hermione grabbed her wand and gave Draco one last look. Then it dawned on her that it was done. A broad smile rose on her face as she ran to the direction of Ron's voice still calling her. Voldemort was gone and Harry had won.

Hermione reached Ron as she could see Harry walking towards them. When he reached them they all beamed at each other then threw their arms with their wands extended in the air.

"Arrumato Desmarcados" The three of them commanded at once. No sooner than said the Death Eaters that had been marked by the marcaramus spell, started to lift off the ground and began to drift through the air unable to move. Soon they were all gathered and the three held them up waiting for the Ministry of Magic and the Aurors that Neville was bringing.

It was only been a matter of minutes before they arrived. Soon all of the Death Eaters had been stripped of their wands and put into an enchanted carriage that was impossible to be opened from the inside. For good measure the Minister put a group-binding spell that would last for hours to ensure no problems. Healers and Medi-Witches roamed the woods for anyone who had been hurt or killed as others set up lights around the surrounding area. Thankfully no one on the light side had been killed although a few had been seriously hurt however. There had only been a few dead Death Eaters including Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort.

"So what happened with your wands back there Harry?" Ron asked.

"Proiri Incantatem." Dumbledore explained. "Harry and Voldemort's wand both posses a tail feather from the same phoenix. Brother wands cannot fight against each other and serve to conquer the other. They become locked in a struggle until one overpowers the other and forces a reverse spell effect. The spells cast by the wand will play in reverse chronological order. From the looks of it Voldemort had chosen the Cruciatus curse as the previous one and some of the pain of that evil still resided in the image of the curse. For it to work properly, the wizard casting the curse must want to cause physical pain to the person they are casting it on.

"But how did I not die when he hit me with the Killing Curse?" Harry asked. "I mean, I felt like I wanted to die, it was extremely painful. But I felt my parents there urging me to keep going. So I just sort of didn't let myself go. Then I felt a power in me that I can't explain and I seemed to be able to will Voldemort away. Does that make any sense?"

"Harry, there are many mysteries in this world that I have yet to understand, but one thing that I know for certain is that there is no bond like the love of a mother for her child. That Harry, is stronger than any dark magic. You have survived the curse twice now and have felt no ill effects save the scar on your forehead. Whereas no other person in history has survived it except Voldemort himself, and even he was reduced to a near dead state. Although he didn't get the full effect of the curse either. You have something remarkable about you Harry and it seems that that something has served us all well tonight. Also Harry, you chose not to die. With that evidence, it is clear that you have the power to do extraordinary things"

"I 'new yah always 'ad it in ya Harry." Hagrid beamed proudly at Harry.

With that Dumbledore smiled and winked and set off with Hagrid to meet the approaching Aurors and the ministry officials.

As everyone was helping with the clean up two cloaked figures emerged from the thicker part of the woods. Almost everyone had drawn out his or her wand. The two shaking figures that had been holding each other pulled down their hoods reveling Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. They looked around.

"Is… is it over?" Crabbe asked shakily. Goyle was shaking just as bad.

"Yes, it is over." Dumbledore replied. The two of them seemed to have relief rush over them as they slightly relaxed.

"Where have you guys been?" Draco asked them. They shot looks at him and began to shake again.

"You…" Goyle began but was not able to finish most likely from confusion.

"I'm on the light side." Draco answered not really knowing if that was what he was asking about.

"So it's okay if…if we didn't fight?" Goyle asked Draco.

"If you would have what side would you have been on?" Neville asked.

"Not for that bloody mental wizard. We… we trying to figure out how to get out of the attack on the muggle city as we walked behind everyone else walking slower and slower and tried to lose them." Crabbe began.

"We did lose them and we were about to head back home planning on using the excuse that we had gotten lost, since after all we are "bloody idiots", when we heard the war begin we ducked down and waited for quiet." Goyle finished.

"Well then you won't mind coming down to the Ministry and answering some questions?" Tonks asked the nervous two. They nodded and followed behind her and flashed Draco a smile, a genuine smile.

"Wow you Slytherins are just full of surprises aren't you?" Ron said half jokingly towards Draco. Draco just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Ron.

Hermione stood there and watched the scene. The cool early morning air flowed though her hair lifting the now fully fallen hair off of her shoulder.

"Are you all right"? Draco asked her as he walked up to her.

"Yes, but I should be asking you that question." Hermione replied as Draco put his hands on her jaw caressing it.

"Never been better." He said as he leaned down and embraced her in a loving kiss. They were pulled out of it by the voice of Ginny.

"Harry I am so glad that you are alright." She said as she pulled him into a tight hug.

"There was NO way I was going to miss our wedding night… I mean our wedding. Which I might add will be very, very soon." Harry said making Ginny giggle.

"Well your Mum will be pleased to hear it." Arthur Weasley said as he patted Harry on the back with mix between being proud that Harry was to be officially part of the family and proud of the fact that he was gentleman enough to wait for the wedding night to "be" with his daughter. Harry turned slightly red as this sent the twins in a fit of laughter which earned them a Mrs. Weasley whack to the back of the head by Ginny. Finding no better of time Hermione and Ron ran over to Harry.

"You've done it mate!" Ron exclaimed.

"We've done it!" Harry happily exclaimed back.

"Oh Harry." Hermione added as the three of them embraced each other in a hug.

"Way to go Potter." Draco said as he extended his hand out to Harry after the hug was over.

"Thanks Malfoy." Harry said as he shook Draco's hand and both shared a smile.

Hermione smiled knowing that this was the beginning of something great.

Ginny came back over to Harry and they put their arms around each other as the group moved towards the carriages.

Jameson came up to the lot of them.

"Great job you guys, you did it!" Jameson said.

"Thanks Jameson, but you did your fair share, we all did." Harry said as he looked over at Draco.

"Thanks Harry." Jameson began then turned to Hermione and Draco. "I couldn't help but notice, so you and Malfoy huh?"

"Yes." Hermione said as Draco's pride puffed up.

Jameson smiled then looked Draco up and down.

"Lucky girl!" Jameson said as he smiled at Hermione and winked at Draco then walked away. Draco's pride went straight to confusion and horror. Hermione noticed and couldn't help but laugh.

"But, but I thought…is he, but he said he liked Pansy!" Draco said in quiet shock. Hermione realized that Draco must have overheard that part in one of their conversations that she and Jameson had about him liking Pansy.

"Yes, that is true he did like Pansy a long time ago. When he liked both, but now he goes for strictly guys, has for a few of years now." Hermione said, as she loved the situation. She knew that he had had this huge jealously thing over Jameson and she had known he was gay the whole time. Not many people knew about him after all.

"Well I feel a little foolish." Draco said scratching the back of his head then went into guilt. "Oh no, the bludger"

"Yeah the bludger, you're lucky he still thinks it was an accident. Poor guy didn't even deserve it, well either way he didn't. And you should feel foolish, you know there was and always will only be you." Hermione said as they both smiled at each other.

"So you knew it was me that caused that incident the whole time? And you knew he was… were you ever going to tell me?" Draco asked.

"Yeah I knew he was and I knew it was you who hit it at him. It was nice to stick it to you when you asked if we were still going to go to the ball together. And I was going to tell you eventually that he was. But I was having so much fun watching you be all jealous over him. It was very amusing." Hermione replied laughter in her voice.

"I bet you did…so," Draco began as he put his arm around Hermione. "You do know that you are still completely intoxicating? My little intoxicating obsession."

Hermione looked up at him and smiled as she pulled him closer as she lay her head down on his chest as he held her protecting her even if it wasn't from the cold at least from the world.

A/N: Told you it was long lol. One more chapter (The Epilogue) then we are done! And if you are reading this then my Internet is finally working I have been having problems getting on to it, yay! Well thank you guys for reviewing! I will answer questions in the next chapter. REVIEW! And nothing negative! You didn't like it don't review, you liked it review! Simple. Thanks again! Love you!