Disclaimer: It's all been said before.. I don't own Harry Potter.

It was a month since that fateful day, which had been highlighted with shattering glass and perhaps the shattering of a few other things.

Are you wondering who the victor was? If so, then I must ask you this: Does there always need to be a winner? Sometimes, don't both people lose? And even more rare, both win?

Which of the two prevailed that day will be revealed, but in its own time. After all, there's more to this story than a simple win or loss.

There's the girl. The girl who lost so much and yet found a way to function; even though she has yet to be who she once was.

She's where this story began; well, at least in a letter to her, and with her we continue:

My first semester of teaching was over. I had no idea as a student that the professors looked toward the winter holidays with as much anticipation as the students. Not that I had been one of those students, but that was truly beside the point; I was one of those professors now. And it was certainly time for a break.

Remus and Tonks had owled me, asking me to stay with them for the break a few weeks earlier and I found myself accepting their invitation without a moments hesitation.

Once I reached my quarters I threw on my traveling cloak, having long since packed up a select few of my belongings into my trunk. I hastily placed a levitating charm on it and started back toward the door of my chambers, planning on walking to an apparation point just beyond Hogwarts' boundaries.

I was startled to see someone standing in the shadows just outside of my door. I forgot to keep the levitating charm going and my trunk fell rather violently to the floor with a resounding thud.

The shadowed figure stepped underneath the doorjamb. It, of course, was Malfoy. He stood there expressionless with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his black robes; eyes seemingly trained on the contents of my trunk which were now strewn out around it.

I should've known he would come around before I left on holiday.

The difference in him became more and more apparent in him every time I found myself in his presence. I had no idea what had changed him, but a change certainly couldn't be denied any longer.

I began gently, "Malfoy?"

Seemingly startled out of his reverie, his head jerked up and silver eyes met mine at once.

I did my best to suppress a frown. Slightly worried, I moved across the expanse of the room toward him and questioned, "Are you feeling quite all right? You don't look well at all..."

An expression that can only be described as pained overtook his features and soon he was moving a step closer to me. And before I knew what was happening I found myself wrapped up in his arms.

Draco Malfoy was hugging me. Only in a sort of platonic way I hadn't known since Harry, a lifetime ago.

I was too shocked to do anything at all at first, but slowly I found myself embracing him as well.

It was all so surreal. If something like this had happened during our years of schooling I would've been sure it was some sort of trap, but now I couldn't be sure what it was at all.

As we stood there for what seemed an eternity my mind raced with questions.

Finally I quietly inquired, "What changed?"

He pulled away slightly, catching my eyes, hands still resting on my back. I watched his Adam's apple bob up and down a few times before he answered me, "I did." his voice cracked slightly, "Nobody thought it possible, least of all me." He brought a hand up to stroke my hair and then continued, "It's all because of you."

I moved back out of his hold, deciding some space was precisely what the conversation needed. None of it made any sense. I hadn't changed Draco Malfoy, I hadn't even tried to. He was the textbook version of a Lost Cause.

I cleared my throat, "I -- I don't understand..."

He cut me off with soft laughter and spoke in a hushed tone, "But you will, Hermione."

I briefly calculated the quickest route from my chambers to the infirmary, because that was obviously where he needed to be. Deciding on a course, I now only had to figure out a way to get him there.

I forced a smile, "All right then."

He stared at me with a knowing glance and commented, "I'm not ill, you know. I'm better than I've ever been. Soon you will be too."

This was getting slightly frightening.

My eyes darted around my room, any excuse not to look into his eyes as I feigned remembrance and exclaimed, "Oh, I've just remembered something I've left behind in my classroom that I'll be needing for the break. Would you care to join me in fetching it?"

He simply smiled at me and replied, "There's nothing in your classroom you need; I'm not going to the infirmary."

My false smile melted right off my features, leaving only an expression of slight panic.

He smiled genuinely as he pulled out his wand and whispered a spell that caused all my strewn belongings to fly back into my trunk, lid shutting moments later.

He nodded his head as if affirming his actions, then turned his attention back to me, "Now, Hermione, you'd best be going. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful holiday."

I watched rather dumbfounded as he turned, exited from my chambers, and disappeared down the hall.

I slowly turned from the door. Yes, leaving the castle as soon as possible sounded more appealing than ever before. I quickly levitated my trunk once again and left my chambers, whispering a locking spell as I briskly walked down the halls to the exit.

o o o

I arrived just outside Grimmauld Place; unsurprisingly it looked just as it always had. I walked up the path to the front door, pulling my trunk behind me and knocked at the front door.

I was instantly greeted by Tonks, whose hair was a festive shade of red and had seemingly opted for elfish ears for the occasion as well.

She pulled me into a quick hug before calling over her shoulder, "Remus, dear! Hermione has arrived! Come and say hello!"

She turned back to me and smiled, "Oh, come on in from the cold."

As she drug my trunk in from the step she questioned, "Would you like anything to eat?"

She huffed as she slid it to halt just beside the umbrella rack before continuing, "Merlin knows we've got simply loads. I just couldn't convince Remus it would all be too much; after all, it's not like we're expecting a crowd of people or anything. He wouldn't hear any of it though and just kept placing orders with the bakery and the butcher like food was going out of style."

I smiled at Tonks, it was good to see her so happy.

I followed her into the kitchen, where we found Lupin looking rather pleased with himself as he admired a gingerbread house he was constructing on the kitchen counter.

He beamed brightly at me, looking better than I had, well, ever seen him look. He wiped his frosting-covered hands on a nearby towel and came over to greet me with a hug.

"Hermione, dear, it's been too long. You have no idea how glad Nymphadora and I are to have you here with us to share the holidays!"

I smiled, returning his hug and responding, "I'm happy I could make it. I've missed the two of you."

The rest of the afternoon was filled with the three of us catching up; I learned the two of them were planning on being married in late July. This, of course, led to many lively conversations with Tonks about a myriad of wedding things. And even though I was happy for her I couldn't help the slight pang of jealousy that had flared inside of me. Times like those I couldn't help but think of... well, you know.

Despite that, the rest of the week leading up to Christmas simply flew by, full of cookie decorating, tree trimming, and present wrapping.

And then it was finally Christmas Eve.

Everything was picturesque, really. The snow was falling softly outside, illuminated by the corner streetlamp. The tree in the sitting room was alight with dozens of miniature candles as the fireplace in the far corner of the room emitted heat. Remus was busily scanning through a book, looking for a spell to bewitch the piano to play Christmas music while Tonks and I were sitting on the couch nearest the tree, drinking warm pumpkin juice as we waited for him to come join us so we could begin opening the presents. I had decided to spend my time reading a book I'd picked out of the upstairs library.

Just as I heard the piano begin to tinkle out the first few notes of an unfamiliar song I also thought I heard a soft knock at the front door.

I turned to ask Tonks if she'd heard it too, but she and Remus seemed to have disappeared from the room. Despite my finding their sudden absence slightly odd, I rose from the couch and made my way to the front door, not wanting to bother them wherever it was they had gotten off to.

Just as I had almost reached the door I heard Tonks' muffled voice call out, "Oh, Hermione, you wouldn't mind getting that, would you?"

I amusedly rolled my eyes and yelled back, "No problem at all!"

I heard a muffled "Thanks" and then I reached for the knob and opened the door. I was instantly met with a rush of cold air and a considerable amount of snow to my face. I reflexively moved away from the door, wiping the wetness from my face.

Snow was still swirling around the open door, obstructing my view of the visitor. Smiling I asked, "Come in, won't you? I'll get Remus--"

The rest of what I was about to say died on my lips as the visitor moved in out of the cold, shutting the door behind himself and stepping into the light of the foyer -- light that reflected brilliantly off the snowflakes which were melting in fiery red hair.

My entire body seemed to go numb instantly. I knew my mouth had fallen open. This couldn't be... it just couldn't... He was dead. Dead. Everyone had told me so. So what if no one had seen him die? Dozens of people had never been found.

He was smiling down at me; a smile he had always reserved for only me.

He made no attempt to move and I wouldn't have been able to move if I had wanted to. I simply stood there taking every inch of him in:

There was no denying he was older. And his hair was shorter and slightly lighter than it once had been. The freckles on his face seemed more apparent, as if he'd spent an extensive amount of time outside under the sun. His nose looked as if it had once been broken and had mended itself crooked. But his eyes were the same, still twinkling as if he was in on some fabulous secret. Which, I suppose this time, he had been.

I finally found my voice and managed to whisper, "Fred..."

I was in his arms mere seconds later, he was holding me tighter than I'd ever been held before. I buried my head into the muggle coat he was wearing, melted snowflakes mixing with my own salty tears. He kissed the top of my head and I looked up to meet his gaze.

Tears were glittering in tracks down his cheeks as he whispered, "I've found you... and I'm never letting you go again."

"But... Where? How...?" I stammered.

He quietly shushed me, pressing his index finger to my lips and then let his hand trace its way down my neck.

He murmured, "I'll tell you everything soon. I just need to do one thing first."

Searching his eyes, wondering what he could possibly have to do, I quietly questioned, "What?"

He answered me by bringing his lips down to meet mine, his tongue coaxing my mouth open to deepen the first kiss we'd had in such a long time.

After a moment or so he pulled away and kissed my forehead, whispering, "I promised you forever and always, Hermione. And forever and always is exactly what you're going to get."

THE END!

A/N: Oh, fabulous readers, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this was the last chapter earlier. You would've known something like this was going to happen then! Though I do feel this is a rather abrupt ending.-- Is it true? Did I really write this fluff? I surprise myself once in awhile. :)

Oh my... I am so happy. I don't suppose anyone was surprised it was Fred, hm? It could've been Ron. Stop laughing, it really could've. ...Okay, so it couldn't have been Ron. We like Fred better anyway. ;)

So, the only question I've left is: Should I write an epilogue? I think there could be room for one... Give me your opinions!

To my reviewers who were with me the (almost the) whole time (well, for the important parts, anyway ;)):

Astrianna Glaze: Your reviews always made me smile, and I want to thank you again for taking the time to drop me a line on over half of my chapters, it just meant so SO much:)

screwtheperfectlife: Oh? What's this? Now you get to know who Sir Amnesiac is! Your hope was not misplaced after all! Thank you so much for reviewing on a good chunk of my chapters! It's good to get feedback from the readers and I just appreciate it so much!