A/n: Because I got a few reviews asking me to continue this I will try. I don't know if I'll write much more than this epilogue for this particular story, but the suggestion of a related but different story was made and I liked the idea. I can't say when I will be able to write it, or if it will be updated frequently (honestly I know there are a lot of busy college student writers on here but I am an incredibly fast paced and difficult program, I barely have time to eat let alone write, and when I do have time I'm usually to brain dead to be creative they way I'd like to be) – Sorry about the rant -. But I think I will try to write a connected story. Again idk, I could get really inspired by what I write here and just continue this story. – Thanks for listening to my rant.
The great hall looked grander today than it had during their fourth year at the Triwizard's Christmas ball. That was the last time the hall had been so decorated and it had been rebuild, along with most of the castle in the months that followed the Battle at Hogwarts. This day marked the anniversary of the battle that ended Lord Voldemort's reign of terror. All those present on that day were there now, remembering those that fought and died so that this would be possible and celebrating the official reopening of the school. Of course Headmistress McGonagall had allowed students to finish their seventh year, without the vicious teaching of the Carrow siblings.
The hall must have been expanded, Draco thought to himself. He couldn't remember a time when this many people had fit. The last time he'd been in this room the tables had been upturned, the silverware smashed by his tyrannical and crazed Aunt, and every inch of the floor taken up by either wounded or the dead from the battle. It had been a chaotic time and it was the sight of the repaired room that made him confident that this horrible nightmare was behind them all.
Draco had found himself standing before the wall that was covered in photos of those that died during the first and second war. He could easily pick out most. Lavender Brown, the giggling fool he'd always taken her for had more than proved her right to Gryffindor house. Colin Creevey, the boy was too young, he shouldn't have been fighting. Fred Weasley, Draco had never gotten the chance to really know the twins when they were together, he remembered the blurry, instance when two became one. Instantly he was back there; spell flew through the air, it was impossible to know who was casting them, though he suspected none of his Gryffindor classmates were familiar with the ancient dark spells he could hear being muttered around him. The air was thick with flashes of green and red, the dust from the rubble, and cries from both sides. He'd heard the spell being cast, how he'd ended up fighting back to back with the Weasley twins he wasn't exactly sure. But the second later it didn't matter. The wall came down and only one Weasley was close enough to be protected by his shielding charm.
"You okay mate?" Draco was jolted out of his thoughts, turning he found his old school friend and recent business partner Blaise Zabini. The dark-skinned man had been among the children of Death Eaters like himself. For whatever reason they all began to question the hate and ignorance they'd been spoon-fed since birth. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy hadn't been as lucky; the three were never leaders, he couldn't help feel for them, they were all just mislead and manipulated.
"I… I just… there are just too many memories, too many faces on this wall." He tried to explain, both of their eyes falling on the cocky grin of one particular photograph. Blaise and Draco hadn't been terrible close in school, though they shared a childhood friend. Theo. Theodore Nott, the small scrawled handwriting read just below his photo. Their troubled friend had never been one to believe all the crap their parents had spouted off, anything his father said was immediately contradicted. He'd been one of the first to 'defect' to the other side. His body had been found once the Death Eaters had retreated under Voldemort's orders. It was clear he'd been after his father, Draco and Blaise knew he would do something stupid to get revenge. They never did get a clear answer but there were so many people near dying or missing for them to do more than carry his body to the Great Hall and lay him to rest in the days that followed.
Neither dared look, they knew they wouldn't see the ice sculpture or table of elegant foods, they'd see the bloodied bodies lined up, and the survivors huddled around their lost ones. Only four had huddled around his body, Draco, Hermione, Blaise, and Luna. Hermione hadn't known Theo well, but knew that Draco needed her support, and Luna, she insisted that he'd always had a troubled soul, but never evil. Blaise found comfort in her way of seeing things.
After a few moments of shared silence in respect for their fallen friend they spoke again.
"Where's Granger?" Blaise asked, knowing something was up with Draco and that it probably had something to do with the brilliant brunette. Draco nodded his head towards where she stood with McGonagall, the witches speaking with ease.
"I hear she was offered a chance to write the next edition of Hogwarts: A History. She must be thrilled."
"She is, though she insists that there are others much more qualified to do so. Which is rubbish, if anyone knows what really happened during the battle, it's her." Draco shoved his hand in the pocket of his robe, fingertips grazing the satiny box that seemed weigh heavier that it had previously.
"What are you fumbling with Malfoy?" Blaise was always watching people's actions, that's what made him good at making business deals.
"Why does it have to be so bloody difficult? For the love of Merlin, you did it just fine, and you had fucking Lovegood. I swear you're the only one who can understand that girl, and even that's rare."
"Ahh, well than your nervous twitching makes perfect sense." Blaise teased, he was only slightly teasing, and anyone who could read body language knew that Draco was anxious about something.
"Shut it, git." Draco muttered, hating that Blaise could see through him so easily. "Got any advice." The words burned on his tongue, he hadn't changed so much that asking of help didn't make him feel physically ill. But he'd never been nervous like this before.
Grey eyes followed the way Blaise twisted the gold band on his finger, still not used to its constant presence.
"Honestly, it's Granger. If I can see that you're nervous, certainly she can. She just doesn't know what you're nervous about. Knowing her overactive brain she's probably convinced herself it's something terrible. The second you ask she'll be relieved." There was a long silence before he spoke again, Draco hadn't said anything and that was troubling him, "So, are you going to do it or what?"
Their conversation was cut short. Kingsley was on the stage and this was only the start of the speeches that would come. Hermione, had been helping Ron and Harry write their speeches for the past month, while her's had been flawlessly written in its first draft. Blaise and Draco were able to contain their smirks and chuckling through Weasley's slightly stuttered speech, and Potter's overly dramaticness. Neither of them dared speak when McGonagall and Hermione spoke, all too aware of what those witches could do and still very fearful that they would act.
The speeches ended and dinner served. Draco and Blaise rejoined Luna and Hermione, sitting at the 'star studded' table, included Harry and Ginny Potter, Nevil Longbottom, Hannah Abbot, and Ron Weasley and his date. While Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom had accepted Blaise and Draco's relationships with the girls they weren't exactly friendly. Draco and Ron still bickered like children before Hermione would scold them, Draco and Potter actually kept a healthy banter that was more joking than hostile. Ginny and Blaise had a particularly entertaining continual debate. They actually got along quite well.
After dinner Draco was nearly losing it with his nerves. Blaise helped him get Hermione alone, distracting the others now that the dancing aspect of the ball had begun. Hermione followed him outside the castle, believing his claim to 'need some air'. Once they were outside Draco grabbed her around the waist, his disinterested mask slipping away now that they were away from prying eyes.
Sometimes Hermione wished Draco was like this when others were around, but then she loved that he was so much himself when they were alone. He lifted her off her feet, their lips coming together instinctually. She cupped his face in her hands, sliding them behind his neck as he lowered her to the ground.
"Are you alright Draco? You seemed a bit off earlier." She tilted her head slightly to the side, curls bouncing while keeping their shape.
"I was just thinking about Theo, and some of the others." He admitted, feeling safe to confide in her, knowing she wouldn't think less of him. She nodded, smiling softly as her hands slid over his shoulders.
"Me too. But they wouldn't want us to be miserable, Theo is probably making some dumb joke about you going soft, with all these feelings." She teased him a bit, bringing up one of their first civil discussions about feelings and Draco's apparent lack of feelings. They shared a few silent heartbeats, looking into her eyes he knew he needed to ask her.
"I have a question for you Granger." He started, stopping when she rolled her eyes at him, playful smirk on her face. "What?"
"You've said it before," she shook her head, "'you'll always be Granger until you're Malfoy' but it's getting a bit ridiculous at this point Draco. I'm not sure you'll ever stop calling me Granger." She smiled, teasing him as she chewed her bottom lip and waited for his response.
"Well I guess that depends on your answer." He smirked when she was suddenly very curious in what he had to say.
"Granger… er, Hermione," he began, hand slipping into his pocked as the other held hers, he slid down to his knee, "will you marry me?" He popped open the lid of the satin box, revealing a very old but recently repaired ring, and heirloom his mother had given him.
Hermione stared down at the ring for a split second, taking in the sparkling silver band with several small pale blue stones surrounding a beautiful diamond. Mostly she studied Draco, his eyes filled with uncertainty and anxiety. It was rare to see him so nervous about anything, the fact that he thought she would say no baffled her, how could she, why would she. Draco was everything she'd ever wanted, more than she dared hope for, and the furthest thing from what she'd expected.
"Hermione…" his voice wavered, so strikingly out of character it make her laugh softly. And then she was nodding, dampness in the corner of her eyes as he slipped the ring on her finger. He stood up, wiping the fallen tears away with the pad of his thumb before kissing her. She clung to him, happiness welling up and threatening to burst from her. When the kiss ended they stayed close, her head tucked under his chin.
"Thank you." She whispered against his neck, he didn't know what she was thanking him for but he just let it go.
"I told you a long time ago, I will not live without you." He kissed her forehead and tucked a stray curl behind her ear.
The next day the prophet's front page story had been swapped from the original overview of the event, instead it now read "Draco Malfoy Changing Tradition: Reconciled Son of a Death Eater Proposes to the Golden Girl of Gryffindor, and she Says Yes"
They woke up to Ginny's owl tapping against their bedroom window with a copy of the prophet for them. Written in Ginny's sloppy script besides the circled headline read a simple note: I call maid of honor!
A/n: kinda love/hate this ending. But I think it's cute, light, and fluffy. Sometimes Dramione fics just need to be light, they can't all be doom and gloom and conflict and arguments. Sometimes I just want them to be like a normal silly couple with jokes between them. Hope you enjoyed it, if anyone has suggestions for a sequel to this I would be open to it, right now I just don't know what a sequel would be about.