Word Count: 582
The chaos has finally ended. The war is over.
Hermione walks through the ruined corridors of the school, tears clinging to her lashes. She is finally away from the crowded Great Hall, but she can't quite bring herself to break down. Not yet. She wonders if she will ever be able to escape from these thoughts that haunt her.
She slips into one of the Transfiguration classrooms. It's empty, of course. No one can really bring themselves to leave the Great Hall just yet. Safety in numbers, maybe. All Hermione knows is she wants to be alone.
That peace and quiet doesn't last long. The door opens. "Your family needs you now. After Fred…" She looks up, surprised to see Draco there. "You're not Ron."
Draco chuckles, but the sound is dry and hollow. This is no place for genuine laughter. "Very observant, Granger." He says her surname with a clear note of affection, changing it into a loving nickname. "I brought you this. The house-elves hadn't returned to the kitchens yet, but I didn't have to cook it."
He sets a bowl of chocolate pudding on the table. It's a kind gesture, a peace offering.
She closes her eyes and shakes her head. It isn't enough; she doubts it could ever be enough. "You really hurt me, Draco," she says, opening her eyes again. "You should have come to me the moment they targeted you to become a Death Eater."
"I was scared, okay?" he snaps. "I was bloody terrified. I'm not a Gryffindor like you, Granger. I'm not brave."
Her heart breaks a little. Hermione nods, swallowing dryly. She sits at the table and sighs heavily. It isn't Draco's fault; she shouldn't be upset with him.
"It's been a wild year," she says.
He nods, taking a seat beside her. "It's only going to get wilder from here. My family will have to stand trial. There's no way around that."
It isn't surprising. Even if the Malfoys had second thoughts in the end, they still broke the law. The wizarding world will cry out for justice against all the Death Eaters. They won't see differences. Everyone will have to answer for their crimes.
"What do you need from me?" she asks softly.
Maybe she isn't like Harry. Her name doesn't carry the same weight, but she knows they will be talking about her soon enough. Her face will appear across magical media, and she will be called a hero. That sort of status has to mean something; there has to be something she can do. Given her rocky history with Draco in the early days, she may not be the best character witness, but she doesn't care. "I'll do whatever it takes."
He laughs, and the sound is more genuine this time. "Just be there for me," he says. "That's all I ask."
"I can do that."
He moves closer before pressing a quick, chaste kiss to her lips. When he pulls away, he's smiling. This is the boy she loves. He is far too pale, and the dark circles under his eyes are frightening, but it doesn't matter. This is her Draco. Things are chaotic, and maybe the won't settle down for a long time, but they will get through this.
There is no other option.
"If you don't eat the pudding," he tells her with a grin, "I will."
Hermione smiles. The world is still mending but here they are. For one brief moment, they can be normal.