A/N: Dracos-sexy-bitch here, sorry this took so long you guys, I got a bit caught up in the new book… ;-) Hehe. It was… fantastic, just to clarify… amazing… I'm still in quite a bit of shock from it! But no matter, you're here to read the story, not listen to me chatter on about anything else. :-) So here you are, and I do hope you enjoy:-)
Flashback
I've been waiting
for so long
Now I've finally found someone
To stand by me
"It's bloody ridiculous, Blaise," Draco was saying in the Slytherin common room. He had just escaped from yet another disastrous attempt at a relationship with Pansy Parkinson, and he was not entirely happy about the outcome. "She doesn't understand me, no one does… all I am to her is an object."
"Draco, mate," Blaise said with a grin. "Why is that a problem? Isn't that what you wanted in the first place? When you were shagging Millicent last month you kept going on about how you wish she'd stop treating you like her boyfriend and just put out. I don't really understand the switch…"
"Yeah I don't know what's wrong with me anymore," Draco sighed. "I'm going to go take a walk. I'll see you later."
Draco made his way down to the lake and sat beside a large tree, his favorite place to go and think. He didn't fully understand himself why it bothered him so much that Pansy didn't really care about him. They had gone out off and on throughout their years at Hogwarts together, and it had never bothered him until recently.
He didn't know exactly what it is that he wanted. He wanted someone to love, he supposed, but even as he thought this he wondered if he were even capable of that emotion. He had never really loved anyone, except perhaps his mother. But that was an entirely different type of love. He was almost positive that he would never fall in love with any of the girls at the school, they were all either too self centered or unattractive.
He was shaken out of his thoughts by a familiar voice shouting at someone. "Ron I've told you a dozen times, you're like a brother to me!" Draco recognized the voice as Hermione's and smirked to himself at the thought of overhearing her put him in his place. As much as he disliked the mudblood, he disliked the Weasel more, so to see the two of them in a fight always made his day.
There was more shouting that he couldn't understand, and after a moment he saw a tall redhead storming up to the castle angrily. He still couldn't see Hermione, he assumed she was standing somewhere behind a tree. He was startled when he heard a little sniffle, very close to him. She was behind his tree… she must have moved when the Weasel left. He glanced around the tree to get a glimpse of her.
She was leaning against the tree, framed by the moonlight, her face buried in her hands, and a curtain of her hair disguising her features from view. Draco felt a fluttering in his stomach at the sight of her. She certainly is beautiful, a voice inside him said. He grimaced to himself, disgusted that he could have thought that.
She noticed him then, and jumped back a few feet, drawing her wand. "Were you spying on me, Malfoy?" she demanded, pointing her wand at his chest.
"Don't flatter yourself, mudblood," Draco said, turning around to face the lake again. Hermione walked around the other side of the tree so that she was facing him again. "Things not going well with the Weasel?" he asked, mockingly.
"It's none of your business, Draco," Hermione said quietly, turning away and staring off into the distance. As if forgetting Draco was still there she murmured to herself, "He just doesn't understand me…"
Draco's head jerked up and he stared at her. Was it possible that Granger could be going through the same things he was? He stared at her seeing her in a completely new light. Mudblood or not she was no different from him. They seemed to be having similar problems, and Draco knew she was a smart girl… maybe she could help him find a way out of his confusion.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, knowing that using her first name would effectively get her attention. He was right, she turned around and stared at him, her mouth open slightly. He took a step closer to her. "Perhaps we could… help each other," he said quietly, causing her to take a step forward so that she could hear him better.
"How?" Hermione asked softly. She couldn't understand why she was so close to Draco, the man who had made her life a living hell for her entire time at Hogwarts, but something about it just seemed right. He took another step. They were so close now that they were almost touching.
Draco didn't answer. He reached his hand up and touched her cheek gently. They stared into each other's eyes, neither understanding fully what they were doing. Two enemies standing close enough to be lovers and neither protesting about it.
End Flashback
Hermione took a deep breath as the doors opened for her to enter the chapel. She caught Draco's eye as he stood by the altar. She smiled when she saw that he was as nervous as she was. She winked at him absurdly as she walked down the aisle, and was pleased to see him smile and try to fight back laughter.
Only Hermione, he thought to himself, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. That was one of the things he loved about her. She would always be herself and was not afraid of what other people would think. Only Hermione, he thought again, this time in quite a different way. Yes, it was only Hermione, for the rest of his life, and he couldn't be happier about it. She was his match in every way, he loved her more than he had loved anyone or anything in his entire life. He was amazed at how lucky he was to be marrying her today.
"If anyone has an objection to the union of this couple, speak now, or forever hold your peace," Hermione's head jerked up as she heard these words. She waited, and felt Draco's hand tighten against hers as they waited to see if anyone would speak…
A/n: Oooooooops sorry guysss I bet you just love cliffies though, we all do, we just won't admit it. :-) Hehe. Sorry. Ok, but read and review, let us know how we're doing! Moon Doll's up next for chapter three!
