A/n: I don't plan for an epilogue. I like how the ending goes... open ended. Enjoy! I like how it went, and I hope you readers do too. Thanks for reading! And to my great beta, JDeppIsMyLovely!
Requested by: 23Nelly. Well, what do you think?
Bambi: Thank you for the double... different reviews! I'm certain it was just a mistake, but thanks nonetheless.
not one to mince words: Lol I'm glad you did!
Oh No, No No . . .I'm Gonna Make A Change
It's Gonna Feel Real Good! Come On! (Change . . .)
Just Lift Yourself You Know You've Got To Stop It Yourself!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!) I've Got To Make That Change,
Today! Hoo! (Man In The Mirror) You Got To
You Got To Not Let Yourself . . .Brother . . .
Hoo! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) You Know-I've Got To Get
That Man, That Man . . .(Man In The Mirror) You've Got To
You've Got To Move! Come On! Come On!
You Got To . . .Stand Up! Stand Up! Stand Up! (Yeah-Make That Change)
Stand Up And Lift Yourself, Now! (Man In The Mirror)
You Know It! You Know It! You Know It!
You Know . . . (Change . . .)
Make That Change.
Four days Later:
She didn't even bother turning to look to see if he had come. She refused to turn whenever Pansy would walk down the isle either. All she wanted to do was get out of that place before the idea of having him so near again suffocated her.
He left her in Vegas; did he expect some sort of calm conversation to mull that over? No they wouldn't be talking in Italy! He used her the same way he used everyone else; and she had fallen for it. Her sights were on other things, and that had blinded her into falling for the man she was certain she could hate again now.
Well, almost hate.
It was really hot, and Hermione was thankful that she could wear a light dress instead of dark dress robes or muggle tuxedoes like the gentlemen. She was certain she would simply melt in that attire.
She already knew which form of clothing Malfoy was wearing, and she didn't care to turn and see just how great he probably looked. He could completely ignore her again for all she cared; in fact, it would just make it easier if all she had to do was bid goodbye to the happy couple with warm wishes, and apparate away.
Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, keeping the brown locks off of her neck and shoulders. Yes, brown. She had died it back recently while in London, maybe just because her time with black hair hadn't made her feel any better, just less like Hermione Granger. Reflecting, it was a preposterous idea to begin with.
Ginny sat down beside her then, her pretty dress robes around her. "Malfoy just arrived," she said in a low voice, knowing that the pair had embarked on a dangerous path together in Vegas. She knew how miffed her friend was about the outcome, and Ginny herself had pestered Blaise into speaking with Malfoy every time she saw him. How dare he depart her friend like that!
Granted, she still had absolutely no idea what the actual note said.
She squared her shoulders. "Good for him."
"Hermione," she cautioned, glancing around. Blaise had taken a seat with Draco on the opposite side of the hall, just as she had said would probably be best, and it kept the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's perfectly divided. Apparently, time didn't erase everything, even simple house rivalries. "You should talk to him. I'm sure he has a good reason for-"
"He walked out on me like all the other women he uses," she snapped quietly. "I should've known this would be the outcome with him. He was charming for the time needed, and I bet he is back to being a pompous git again."
Her friend sighed. "You don't know that. I just talked to him a few minutes ago when he and Blaise walked in, and he seemed happy at the idea of talking to you today. But when I told him you were angry-"
"Of course I am angry Gin," she cut in, looking at the ginger now. "He will never change."
The girl gave her an odd look. "Why does it matter so much to you if he changes or not? It's Malfoy; he won't change overnight. He probably won't change anytime soon either. He is just stuck in his ways Hermione, and it'll take time to make the worse parts of him disappear. But don't you dare start telling me that you couldn't care less anymore, because I know it's a lie, just like it was a lie yesterday. You care about Malfoy, probably for more reason then one."
"That's ridiculous-"
"Hey," she said, holding up her hands, "I'm telling you what I see. The obvious emotions between the two of you go deeper than just a one-night-stand, don't you think?"
"Obvious emotions?"
Ginny glared. "I do have eyes Hermione; I notice interactions too. You two have been clinging to each other every possible minute you are around one another these last few months, and everyone can see that there's something there, no matter how strange it is. If you keep denying it because you want to change him, or you have this made up anger at him, then you are just pushing yourself into the ground to be buried with your unhappiness."
"I will not be buried with my unhappiness," she seethed, standing up.
The girl just shook her head and tugged her down. "Quit being so hard headed. You weren't like this a week ago! A week ago you were spending more time with Malfoy than with me, and you seemed okay with that." She stood and smoothed out her dress. "But there's nothing else I can say to you. You have to be the one to make the final choice, and me pestering won't do any good. I'll just go make sure Ron actually has his dress clothes on. He was trying to hide them on Thursday." She turned and left, not waiting for any pleasant goodbyes.
The brunette, again, glared after her. So what if people thought there was something between her and Malfoy? That was none of their concern! She wasn't even sure what was between her and the arrogant blond, just that they had not departed on the best of terms. Waiting for her to wake up would have been the kind thing to do, but he had not been very kind to her for a very long amount of time. Maybe if he had waited around, things would've been awkward when they were faced with the after effects.
Her head hurt.
She leaned back in her chair as Lavender took up Ginny's old seat, claiming that the giddy redhead would join them in a moment, since the ceremony was about to begin.
She slumped in the chair. Malfoy was obviously behind her someplace, and she was thankful that she wouldn't have to catch his eye through this whole thing. She needed to collect her apparently scattered thoughts.
On the one hand, she was angry that he didn't wait up for her. Of course, there had never been an agreement or anything that said he had to, but still, it was the thought that counts. He could have waited around for her to at least wake up. It could've smashed down some of the things she still thought about him, like how he used women. She refused to become another girl in his long standing list, and if he thought that was where this had gone, he was completely mistaken. He would receive a good few hexes for that idiocy.
On the other, it had been a very passionate night, and she had felt very comfortable in his grasp, but maybe that was just part of his usual charm to get his way. She sighed, remembering how nice he was, up until he was sure that she was alright, and then he became this master 'Sex God' she positively hated. 'Sex God' is such a plastered name for someone who has been ignoring women for ages now. She would know; Ginny told her too often about how Blaise thought he was nuts for her.
What a bunch of loons. Didn't those two have something better to do with their time than watch her and Malfoy's non-existent relationship.
She glanced at Harry, who had finally come to stand at the front, again, after disappearing a good while ago, before she even knew Draco had arrived. He looked so handsome in his dress robes.
Granger took a breath, not looking back as the music began to play, and decided she would have to have a word with Malfoy after the ceremony, no matter how bad it would probably go.
From the moment he walked into the small hall, his eyes zeroed in on her head. He had been about to head over to her, and sit with her so they could talk before the ceremony, breaking the divided houses of all things.
A little Weaselette stopped him. "I wouldn't go over there," she said gently, leaning over to give Blaise a chaste kiss.
He frowned, not at all interested in listening to Blaise's girlfriend talk. "And why not?"
She shrugged. "Hermione is angry with you. She told me something about you leaving her in her room after 'ravishing' her, and that seems to have severely pissed her off-"
"I left because I needed to get ready for a meeting," he defended, glaring now. "I didn't mean anything by it, but my family's business had things to deal with, and the girl can sleep for years."
She rolled her eyes. "I don't need to be the one to hear all of that, she does." Ginny put a hand on his chest to stop him from walking over there. The ginger was still unsure what to make of everything between the two. "Wait until after the wedding Malfoy; its not your day to ruin."
He scoffed. "Weaselette, listen here-"
"Why don't you go see Granger," Blaise cut in, interrupting the pending argument between his best mate and his girlfriend. She gave him an irritated look, and promised to come see him after the wedding was over. He nodded, and she left.
"Refrain from calling my girlfriend names please," he advised, rubbing his head as they found two seats. Draco chose an isle seat, two rows behind Granger who was now talking to Ginny on one side of her, one seat in from the isle. He couldn't fathom why she was angry; he thought the note was satisfying, and more then he had ever bothered to leave as reason for his departure.
Leave it to Granger to twist this around.
He glared at the back of her head, and nearly broke the intense look to smile when it finally clicked that she had brown hair again. It looked like Granger, not the dark haired girl he had slept with in Vegas. They were the exact same, but the brunette was Granger, not the black hair. He couldn't even explain it; the black hair just didn't let the real her shine through.
But he had seen the real her beneath the dark tresses, in a bright room under him as he made her moan. The carefree girl that threw her head back when she was in the throws of passion and couldn't even think. It wasn't the act of sex that he saw; but the girl she could be when she was very comfortable and not acting so very uptight.
He wanted to will her to turn around, to just look at him. If the girl had any facts in her little talk with him, then he would be speaking with a temperamental girl after all of this. For a moment, he envied Potter. At least he had Pansy, who would be too happy to be mad, and he wouldn't lose her, because they were truthful with each other. Hell, if they weren't truthful, then they wouldn't be getting married.
That Lavender girl sat down beside Granger, and he sighed, completely ignoring whatever comment his friend had about his behavior. He had thought things might be different now that they had been like that, that maybe they could talk civilly. She needed to let go of trying to save everyone, and he still needed to learn to 'change' apparently, for the better.
What a match they made.
It's another few minutes before Potter moves to the front again, and Weasley's annoying sister sits down next to Hermione. The wedding is going to begin, and he couldn't be more distracted. Whatever is about to happen during this, he is certain he will miss it.
It's not even until after the first people have walked to the front that he even notices the music playing. Merlin, he is distracted by her. The pretty dress she chose to wear is just visible on her back; a pretty purple with a low back, but not low enough to be immodest.
He rolls his eyes as he notices Ginny beside Granger, mouthing something to Blaise. Oh, if he only hadn't just lip-read what she said. Now, he would have an unfortunate picture of them in his head all night. Oh goodie.
The progression continued, and he only rose from his chair when the bride came down the isle because he noticed everyone else was standing. Otherwise, he would've probably completely missed it. Watching one of his best friends walking by in her wedding dress, he gave her a grin that she rolled her eyes at. Pansy looked good in her sweetheart dress.
It was directly after she had walked past them that Draco caught the Gryffindor's eye. She looked torn, even confused, about how she was feeling, and quickly turned her head away from him, looking elsewhere.
He would have to do something about that once this wedding was through. And besides, if Pansy thought he wasn't listening, then she would probably beat him up with her flowers before she threw them. After repairing them with her wand, of course.
The reception was in the next room over, and Draco made sure to catch Hermione at the door. Her expression was stony, and he took that as a bad sign.
"Can we talk," he asked her lightly, his hand resting on her arm.
She nodded, but didn't respond verbally. Wanting to get away from everyone, he moved them out the door and down the hall to a separate dining hall that the newly wed couple hadn't bothered with; the giant reception hall was more then enough for them, once Harry convinced Pansy of it. His hand remained on the small of her back until they got there and the door was shut.
"What is it Malfoy," she asked tightly, hands over her chest.
He beckoned to a nearby chair, which she refused, so he took it. "I want to know why I am being shunned. Your ginger friend informed me earlier that I have apparently pissed you off for leaving you back in Italy."
Her eyes widened. "Of course you did Malfoy! Do you know how many times I tried to convince myself since we met up back in winter that you could be different? That was dashed when I woke up alone, just like every other poor girl you've been with.
Draco tightened his jaw, but didn't yell in return. What good would that do? Then she would still think he was the same person, and she would walk out of there and never speak to him again.
Come to think of it, why was it so important to him that she didn't leave? It's not like they are committed.
But she was already rambling, and he was missing it. "...pompous git, who thinks that's the way to end things well! I was right before Malfoy; you have to want to change, and you obviously don't want to."
"I beg to differ," he interrupted. "If I were the same sniveling boy from school I would never have even touched you, and I certainly wouldn't hear your bloody words in my head all the time."
Hermione tilted her head at that, finally seeming to be ready to listen to him. "My words?"
"Yes your words," he snapped, losing his patience. "Your whole 'just look at yourself in the mirror' shit. I hear that all the time now. Do you know how annoying it is to hear that while I'm doing my hair or something? I get completely distracted and have to start all over again!"
She looked to be in awe. "You actually remember that," she asked, an eyebrow slowly raising.
He frowned. "Well, yes. Is that a surprise or something?"
Hermione moved from her standing position, finally sitting beside him. "Do you know why I say that?" He shook his head once, and she took that as the cue to continue. "If you look at yourself in the mirror, its not literal. It simply means you have to reflect on yourself, accept your imperfections, and find a way to make them better. It's not about your hair," she joked.
He titled his head. Interesting little statement. He figured he had been doing that for a while now, but it rotated a lot more around what was happening between him and Hermione, instead of just himself. "As I said before, Granger, I have changed. Merlin, I stopped in the bloody cold and waited for you to move for some absurd reason, I kept you company in Vegas when I could've been out doing anything I wanted, fuck; I even let you stay in my bloody hotel room in Tokyo. Had I been a few years younger I probably would've stolen your key and slammed the door."
She rolled her eyes. "I could just open it again you know."
"You get my point though," he said, shrugging.
"I suppose," she started slowly, still looking unsure. "You have changed your general thoughts maybe, but you would still leave a confused man in the cold to die, and you would still leave a woman in a room alone to wake up, no matter her feelings. When I decided to change you Malfoy, I decided you should learn to treat women better. I can't make you treat that old man better, but I can try and help whoever ends up with you next."
He wasn't quite sure why, but her statement made his heart tug a bit. I can try and help whoever ends up with you next. Merlin, she may as well of been saying, I pity who the next girl is, simply because I know you will not treat her right either. It hurt a bit, for some unknown reason to him, that she thought so little of him.
Folding his arms in a defiant manner, he glared. "Well, I'm sorry I don't meet your standards."
She blinked, surprised by the bitterness in his voice. "What?"
He leaned away from her a bit, still glaring. "I'm sorry that my attitude in my past has completely blinded you from even considering seeing me again."
"Of course I will see you-"
"Not like that Granger," he interrupted, "and you know it. I don't mean to just sleep with you again either. I mean hell, I don't know what I want. But I think outwardly saying you can't even consider something with me is a filthy lie; you are no actress, and you did not fake those emotions in Vegas, or that dark look in your eye in Japan. Please, try to tell me I am wrong, and if you can prove you were not feeling something for me I will back off right this moment."
He waited for what felt like an eternity, but she didn't speak. She held his gaze, it she did not answer him. He was becoming frustrated, waiting for a reply from her. When he was about to stand up and leave her entirely, she spoke.
"I don't want to answer Malfoy; I don't like saying things when I don't understand their meaning."
"So now the bookworm is confused," he snapped, still annoyed. Her cool look instantly shushed him.
"See? This is what I mean; everything with you is on the flipside. One moment you are sweet, then next your the mean little boy from school that used to make me feel bad for being who I am."
"I am by no means making fun of you. I'm irritated because every single time we have talked, you're emotions have flipped to something different. You hated me, then you were playing games with me, then you talked and slept with me, and now you are angry that I can't change when you seem to every twenty minutes. What is that?"
She spun away from him. "It's you! You're confusing, and I don't know what to expect. I let myself go to you and you walked away-"
"I went to deal with a fucking meeting for my company-"
"And despite that, it still makes me uncertain of you. I don't love you Malfoy, let's get that straight."
"And I don't love you. I hardly know you as a real person; love would be pushing it a bit." He chuckled. "Did you expect that I drug you in here to confess my undying love for you that has been bothering me since I saw you in the cold winter, and grew hotter when we slept together? Hardly Granger! I don't think I've even used your first name yet."
She shrugged, having turned back to look at him, a gleam in her eye after she heard his insane tirade about 'loving her' in such a short time. Now that would be stupid; to fall for someone so very fast.
"I think I may have some sort of feelings for you Granger - that are different from the ones I used to harbor," he said, before she could cut in again. "I'm not even about to become a Hufflepuff on you and be a sap, but there's some sort of feeling there that I have never felt before, and I was hoping to explore it."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, that finally matched her hair. "Perhaps. I guess if you began acting like a Hufflepuff, it would be too much of a change. Although, you were kind of a wimp when it came to the war."
He swatted her lightly on the arm. "I dare you to call me a wimp again," he said, smiling a little inside, letting it show through his eyes. This was kind of nice. "I'll show you I'm not."
"I'm sure you will," she responded, rolling her eyes. She patted him twice on the thigh, and then silence descended on them again.
Wow. For two people having a very important talk, they weren't getting very far. They had joked, argued, and come to the conclusion that neither was in love with the other. These emotions of 'friendliness' towards each other were too new to be that.
"So what do we do now," she eventually asked. "We don't love each other, but we both agree there is something there-"
"So you agree too Granger?"
Hermione frowned and continued without answering him. "-something there that we can't quite name yet. Do we go with it, or part ways now?"
He raised an eyebrow and leaned forwards, daring to take her hand. "I think I'd like to hear you say my name at least before I give. I'm not promising you anything Granger, so don't expect it. But I will stay around you and see what happens."
She nodded her agreement. "And when we return to London, we can hear all about what a match made in hell we are."
Draco shrugged. "You can't tell me you care what the press says after all this time."
She shrugged. "Of course not. It just gets old after a while."
"Everything does."
She smiled, and kept a hold of his hand. There was a pause before he spoke again. "So how much am I required to change? Because I will tell you now Granger, my hair is not turning black."
Hermione laughed, actually laughed, and it relieved some of the tension between the two. She couldn't help it; the idea of Malfoy dying his beloved hair was quite comical to her. She could just see him staring in the mirror, proclaiming that he was hideous now that his trademark hair was gone.
Mirror.
She looked back up into his eyes. "If we try anything you have to try to change-"
"-we already went over this-"
"-but not completely, just donate a bit-"
"I think not - donate?" He cut himself off, one eyebrow raised.
"Yes donate." she replied. "It's not that hard. ?Try to help some Malfoy; I know for a fact your company has never contributed to anything, whatever that reason is."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You're pushing it Granger."
"I know." She stood and held her hand out to him. He took it, and stood as well. "We should be getting back. People may start wondering what happened."
"Sure," he replied, "let's go hold hands in the middle of a group of people who we can't explain anything to, because all we are doing is trying this out."
She removed her hand as they exited the room. "Perhaps we should hold off making anything obvious then, at least until after the reception. Pansy is sweet, but she will kill us if we outshine her on her wedding day, just because we are 'trying this out'."
He raised an eyebrow. "And Potter wouldn't be mad either?"
She laughed. "Harry is going to have a heart attack before he calms down. We don't need the groom heading off to see a Healer today, do we?"
Malfoy sighed. "No, I guess that's rather mean."
"Thanks for coming," Pansy said to the pair, Harry at her side. Half the people had left by then; it was nearly eleven, and Hermione had let it slip to Harry that she had something to deal with. The girl smiled pleasantly, and she smiled back at his wife.
"My pleasure," Draco drawled from her side. The pair had been receiving odd looks all night, despite keeping a distance between each other. Apparently the simple fact that they were walking together was enough to make people talk.
Potter rolled his eyes. "I believe she was talking to Hermione."
Hermione smiled lightly and spoke before Draco could again. "Thanks for having me. It was a beautiful ceremony." Truth was, she had paid basically no attention to the wedding, having been distracted, but didn't want to appear rude.
A few more words were exchanged, before a lot of confused people watched the duo depart together, including Ron Weasley. He considered going after her and asking what was wrong with her, what was she thinking? But the feel of Lavender against his body as she talked to an old friend from school, his arm around her waist, kept him in place. He had realized back before Vegas, that he had another person to be with now, and he couldn't always chase broken dreams.
He would see where life took him from there, because that's all you can ever do.
Draco placed his hand in Hermione's once they got outside. "Where are you staying," he asked, hoping she wouldn't shut him out just because of how things went last time.
There was barely a moment's hesitation. "This little hotel by the beach. It's calming." She nodded to their hands. "Shall I take us there?" He inclined his head once, and they were off.
The two appeared in a muggle hotel, pretty if not a bit cramped. It was smaller then the rooms in Vegas, and there was no desk. He sat on one side of her bed, and she took the other, keeping a bit of space between them.
He inclined an eyebrow. "So does this mean you pick the time I leave tonight?"
She shrugged and linked their hands again. "I can," she said, looking down, "or you can stay with me."
"Rushing things aren't we Granger? I thought we agreed to see where things go." He wanted to stay, but he assumed she was afraid she would find him gone again tomorrow. And the idea of staying with her, without the prospect of sex, was traumatizing. He had never done that before, for anyone, and they didn't even know where they were going, or what they planned to be. Maybe they would date, maybe they would just be close friends. Whatever it was, they wouldn't go back to the way things had to be.
She smiled. "Don't make things difficult Malfoy; it's just us getting to actually know each other a bit, nothing like last time." She squeezed his hand, and his eyebrow shot higher. "Besides, if you are nice to me tonight, I can forgive you for last time."
"Really," he asked, completely thrown. "You were screaming at me about that a few hours ago."
Hermione nodded. "I want to forget about it tonight. I don't want to ruin whatever we are doing. I just want to talk; I want to get to know you."
He chuckled. "Even without my donating arse helping charities first?"
"I never said they needed to be charities."
"That's what I'm donating to."
She shook her head. "Fine, I'll still talk to the Malfoy who hasn't changed for the light completely yet, but I will make him donate to those charities one way or another."
"Of course you will," he mocked, shaking his head. The girl would throw that in. What a strange day this had become indeed. They talked for a few more minutes, before she stood and decided to change into her pajamas. She left for the bathroom, giving him a moment of air.
Oh goodie, let's see Granger in her pajamas. That will help this predicament. Seriously, what is she playing at? Am I supposed to stay and play with her, or be respectable an boring? Maybe she will just decide for me...
Oh, and I don't have anything to bloody change into so I'm not in these damned trousers anymore.
Hermione appeared a moment later, in a knee-length nightgown of pale orange. It reminded him of a sunset, and that was bothersome. He did not want to be looking at her and think about the bloody sun.
"Orange," he asked, and she rolled her eyes.
"I knew you would say something about it; don't insult my nightgown Malfoy. It's my favorite, thank you."
"Right," he replied, looking her over. She at least didn't become embarrassed and cover herself as she sat back down, but she didn't start trying anything provocative either. Actually, her only reaction was to raise an eyebrow.
"Having fun studying me?"
Draco smirked. "I'm just thinking about how much better that gown looks against your brown hair; the highlights really stick out. I'm guessing you used magic to change it back to its proper color? I doubt it looked half as good."
She frowned. "Why not?"
He ran a hand through her curls. "Because this is you, I always picture dear Granger with a head of brown curls."
"Dear Granger?"
He shrugged. "It works."
Hermione chuckled and laid down on the bed, on top of the covers. She patted the spot beside her. "Lay with me."
He obliged happily, his fingers skimming hers. "So when do you kick me out Granger," he asked again, only half joking. He was waiting for then night to be over, whenever she decided the night was over. He just had a sickening feeling this would end soon.
She sighed and sat up, leaning over him so he had to look up into her eyes. "I don't want you to leave, alright Malfoy? Just stay with me tonight, because sleeping next to you was the best night of rest I ever got."
Draco smirked. "Really now?"
She leaned down and brushed her lips lightly over his. "Really."
I see where this is going. He rolled them so that she was on her back, him leaning over her, and kissed her deeper. "So Granger," he said against her lips, "I would love to see that tattoo again."
She smiled up at him. "We'll see. If you are still around in the morning, I'll show it to you."
He rolled his eyes. "h, I see how this works Granger."
"Well, I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I think if you don't run out tonight, things will go well for at least a while."
"How do you see that?"
Hermione smiled up at him. "Because you have to take each day one day at a time."
~FIN~