Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Never did and never will.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. It's just that…things came up and I was in no condition to write… and classes for me just started up again. REALLY really sorry you guys. THANKS to all those who reviewed. You guys are so good! I hope you'll still read this one and keep on sending me those reviews!


Chapter 2

"Grandmere said we're going to the Aquarium today!" Alex said.

"But didn't you go there last week?" Hermione said as she opened the door of their car--- a silver Jaguar S-Type.

"But the big man said the baby seal was taking a nap last week. And I wanna see the baby seal!" he jumped off the car. Hermione smiled, took Alex's hand and rang the door bell of her parents' house.

A minute later the housekeeper opened the door. They entered the ever familiar elegant yet simple house Hermione grew up at. "Hello, where's mum?" asked Hermione.

"Good afternoon miss, your mother is at the dining room." said the housekeeper as she led them down the dining room.

"Hello grandmere!"

"Hello dearies," greeted Elizabeth Granger, a tall slim woman around fifties. "Hermione, how's the café doing?" she turned to her daughter.

"Oh, it's doing well." Hermione said. "And I gotta go now mum. I'm getting new shipments of books in an hour." She turned to Alex who was helping himself with the chocolate cake the housekeeper served. "I'll just pick up you up around five thirty. And be good. Don't get grandmere to chase you around all day, okay?" she said as kissed him goodbye.

"Thanks again mum. Bye."

"You're welcome honey and it's Saturday, don't stay up at the store too late."

Hermione couldn't help but smile sadly as she drove off. She was very grateful to her mum. She has had a lot of help from her. Her mum may have not been very happy when she told her that she was pregnant, but no matter how angry she was at her she was still there for her daughter. Her mother helped her put up a business, a bookstore with a café, which paid the bills and was doing really good.

But ever since what happened five years ago… ever since her dad was murdered her mum changed a lot. There wasn't as much life as there was in her eyes before. She would sometimes stare into space and suddenly cry. Hermione knew what it was her mum would be thinking whenever that happened, but it was a matter that the two of them would never speak of. Her dad's death was part of the many reasons why she left in the first place.

Hermione was just as hurt as her mum was when she found out the night before the war that her dad was murdered. What hurts even more was that the man she thought she loved was there, along with his Death Eater friends, during the muggle attack.Her father was among the many muggles that was tortured to death by the Death Eaters. How she hated them all. She hated the Death Eaters. She hated Voldemort. She hated the Ministry. She hated the Aurors for not being there right away. She hated him for being one of them. She hated them all. Hell, she even hated herself for not being able to protect her parents and her loved ones.

She hated that world.

She was hurt more deeply than anyone would ever realize, but she learned not to show it. She learned not to cry. She learned not to think about it anymore.


Draco Malfoy, one of the wealthiest and most wanted bachelor in the Wizarding world, was not having a good day.

He just ran into the two most hateful people in the world: Potty and Weasel (at Diagon Alley). This was the first time since after the war that they met again. Things still didn't change since they left Hogwarts, except that Hermione wasn't tagging along with them anymore like she always does…

Seeing the Potter and Weasley opened up old wounds again. They were the living reminder of what he once had and lost. What he chose to give up. They reminded him of her and how she made him know what it felt like to actually live once. And for that, he hated them more than he ever did before, if that was even possible. Damn how he hated them…

Hermione's body was never recovered though. She just disappeared with no trace of her existence but only the memory of her was left. The Ministry had declared her to be dead like the rest of all the unrecovered bodies.

'She's not dead.'Draco thought as he reached the Floo station.

'But if she's not dead, where is she then? Then why didn't she come running back into Potter and Weasley's arm?' Another voice in his head said. 'Why would she make them suffer by letting them think that she's dead if she's not? She's DEAD Draco.'

The pieces didn't fit together, something was amiss. Her suppose death didn't make any sense. Draco frowned as he flooed back to the Malfoy Manor with unsettled questions.

Once stepped out of the fireplace of his study went to the patio. He saw his mother conversing with Pansy Parkinson. She had a straight long black hair and a pretty face. She carried herself with elegance and poise. This was the typical pureblood woman who you would want you're son to get married to. Their parents have been working on getting them together since they were still at Hogwarts. Everyone thought and knew they two of them were bound together.

Narcissa Malfoy noticed her son's entrance and looked up at him. "Oh Draco, you're here early. Pansy and I were just having an afternoon tea."

Draco approached them kissed her mother's cheeks and turned to Pansy, "Hello Pansy" he nodded. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I just got back from Italy this morning."

"Draco, I just talked to the Parkisons' this morning and it's settled. Your engagement will be announced next week to the press," Narcissa said. "But until then, we don't want word to leak out."

Draco just shrugged in response. He didn't care anymore whatever will happen. Because truth be told, he stopped caring and living the world for a long time now. Nothing really matters to him now, because the only thing that ever did matter to him was long gone.


A/N: VERY short chapter. I'm really sorry again. This month has not been good for me lately. And I know this chapter sucked but I'll try to make it up to you guys.

Truth be told, I'm having a hard time deciding where to lead this story really into. So need all the help I can get. Give me more ideas coz school is draining me out fast.

PLEASE REVIEW!