A/N: Ok, so I'm not really sure where this came from, but I kind of like it. It may be a bit confusing. But after awhile it should be less confusing. I know I said i would update once a week, but i feel like it's a good story to tell. Hope you enjoy it! Thank you to all the reviewers, you made me want to continue writing.

Hope For A New Life

Draco sat at the table, watching his family enjoy dinner. They were talking and laughing, passing food back and forth. He saw his granddaughter giggling and feeding her baby girl as his eldest son took the last of the bread. Everyone was talking about previous Christmas dinners, giggling about things relatives had done in the past. What they had gotten for Christmas earlier that day, friends they couldn't wait to see back at school or work.

Draco had created a name for himself, and settled down with a nice woman and started a family. He had made sure his parents legacy as Death Eaters was behind him. He brought his children into a world where Malfoys were respected for their hard work and kindness. He had created a name for his family, for his children and their children. Draco looked at all that he had created, the family gathered around his table. His four grown children who all had children and spouses of their own. And two great grandchildren whose lives had just begun.

He smiled looking at his family. His wife, Astoria, had passed away many years ago, he was just barely holding onto life. He didn't expect to see another Christmas. He was glad that he could spend this one with his entire family. He loved his grandchildren and his children. He enjoyed knowing that he had given them a life worth much more than his had been worth.

"Grandpa! Tell us the story of how you made life better for us!" Draco smiled as he remembered the story himself. As he began to retell the story, it was like he was reliving the memory again. He could feel the cold wind on his face, the hoot of the owls nearby. The story starts out on the day of his graduation from Hogwarts. Even though he hadn't really attended Hogwarts that last year, the Headmistress took his participation in battle, albeit on the wrong side, and allowed him to graduate as with the rest of his classmates who had fought in the battle.

Years ago he had imagined the expressions on his classmate's faces as they all received their diplomas in turn. He imagined most of them would be extremely happy that they were done with school. Especially Granger. After First year, they all knew she would be the Valedictorian. Draco always imagined she'd be all giggly and jumpy during her speech. That she would nearly scream with excitement when she received her diploma. But on the actual day, she stood there weakly, trying not to cry.

"There are people who should have been here today, but aren't. There are memories we shouldn't have, things that we've done that we want to forget. Our lives are very different because of this last year. We may never get over the nightmares of this year, we might never forget what life once was before the war. But we should at least try. Think of those we lost during the war, of our loved ones we'll never see alive again. They would want us to live our lives, to move on. We'll try. Most of us won't succeed. But we should at least try." Granger said before quickly walking off the stage.

The entire ceremony was sad, with not much happiness. When Draco got his diploma he was excited to start over. This diploma set him above anything he could have hoped for. He could get a job. Even as a clerk, it was better than nothing. Draco had hope for the future. After the graduation, everyone stuck around sharing drinks and condolences of the lost ones.

Draco was standing alone on the edge of the lake. Thinking of what future he could make for himself. He decided that maybe a job as a teacher would eventually be a good idea. He loved Hogwarts. Deep down it was a truly happy place. He would enjoy coming back to teach other students. Or he could try working in the Ministry. That would be a worth while career. Draco, lost in thoughts, barely noticed Granger standing beside him.

"Malfoy? You doing ok?" The voice brought him out of his thoughts of the future.

"Yes. I'm fine. Thinking of where I go from here." Draco said not looking away from the horizon of the lake.

"I know. I'm having the same problem." She said folding her arms over her chest.

"You have the ability to do anything you want. Any job you desire is yours. Me, on the other hand, I'll have trouble getting a job." Draco said, turning his head slightly to look at her. She was looking up at him, concern in her eyes.

"I can get you a job. Just a small job, you might not like it. Stay there for a while, and you might be able to get a better job. It'll help you get started, get you some money, gain work experience. It's not much, but it'll get you started." Granger said now completely facing him.

"Why would you do this for me?" It was a simple question, he wasn't about to turn her down or anything, but he wanted an answer.

"Because you deserve to have a good life. You turned your back on Voldemort, you chose our side. I see the way you've acted since the end of the war. You've changed, Draco Malfoy. I want to make sure you can live the life you should. The best way to forget the war, to forget the damage done is to start over. To make a new world, and some new lives for ourselves. I'm pretty sure that's what I want to do. I want to help people get their lives back on track." Granger said glancing back over the lake.

"You want people to forget this war happened?" Draco asked, shocked that Granger would suggest such a thing.

"No. We should never forget what happened. But we should try to move on. Move away from the memories. It's not like we could ever forget. It's ingrained in our minds now. It always will be. But if we can start over, start a new chapter, that would be good enough. Wouldn't it?" Granger turned to look at Draco. He looked back at her, his lips curving up into a slight smile.

"Yes. It would be."

"Alright. How are you getting home? Where would you even call home?" Granger asked, her chestnut eyes concerned.

"I don't know. I'll probably sell anything that is expensive. Anything that connects the Malfoy name to bad memories, and bad people. I don't know what I want out of life, but I do know, that I will untarnish my name." Draco said wringing his hands. He had no place to stay, no where to go now. He couldn't stay at the Manor. He had no idea what secrets lay in there. He couldn't afford to be put in jail for being a Death Eater. He didn't even have the Mark.

"That's a good idea. Recreate the reputation for the Malfoy name. That might work. Instead of standing for whatever it does now, you could make it mean so much more." Granger said smiling up at Draco. She seemed to be really glad that he was planning on changing his future.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you have a whole future to recreate for yourself. Your parents will no longer tell you what path to take, what road to go down. You can create your own future. So you can recreate your name to have a better meaning. For your children, grandchildren, and all their descendants, the Malfoy name could stand for hard work and reliability. You can change things so that when people hear your name, they associate it with kindness, and hard work, and anything else you want it to be. Your future could be very, very bright, Draco." She had said his first name. She had never said his first name before.

Draco liked the way it rolled off her tongue. And he was glad she had talked to him, instead of hating him like everyone else would.

"That sounds like a good future. I'll take the job you offered earlier." Draco said, a full smile gracing his lips. Granger, smiled back. No, her name was Hermione. He would call her Hermione from now on. Maybe she was also in his future. Maybe, maybe.

"Until you can pay for your own place to stay, you can stay with me. Don't worry. It's a house, so we won't be rubbing elbows all the time. And it's very lonely, I don't think I could stand to be alone." Hermione said quietly. She was looking down towards the ground, and Draco could see tears running down her cheeks. Hermione saw him looking at her, and she knew she had to tell him anyways.

"Just before I left with Ron and Harry to search for Horcruxes, I took away my parents' memories of me. They up and left to Australia, leaving their house behind. I have been unable to find them in Australia. So the house is mine to do with as I please. Trust me, I don't want to stay there alone."

"What's going on between you and Ron?"

Hermione seemed shock at the question, as if it was not what she expected.

"We are exploring a relationship. But, I was raised right. He will not be coming anywhere near the house."

"But you're letting me stay?"

"Yes. We will be living as room mates, with the assumption that each others rooms are off limits and we maintain certain boundaries. Of course, I'm not willing to tell Ron or Harry about these arrangements. They will not be very understanding." Draco nodded, understanding the predicament entirely.

The next few months were spent in happiness, on Draco's part. The job Hermione had promised him was better than he could ever have expected. He worked days, and sometimes weekends. He got to know Hermione for a great and intelligent woman who had grown up a bit too soon. He was attracted to her in a way he would never be able to describe to another person.

Eventually he was able to pay for a place of his own. But he never had any pressure to move out. Until Hermione told him that she was going to move in with Ron. Draco asked if he could keep the house. She agreed, as long as he would allow her to come stay whenever she needed to. Those nights were common. Nights when Ron was unbearable to deal with, nights when he wouldn't be see reason and logic. She would stay at the house, and talk with Draco. Or they would watch movies until they both passed out.

Time passed, and they grew older. Hermione, against Draco's better judgement, married Ron. Draco never told her his feelings for her. He married Astoria shortly after, and started his own family. But as his name and family grew, Draco never forgot the woman who helped him when no one else would. He remembered her kindness, when she should have hated him above all others. His aunt had tortured her, his Lord hunted her, and his parents had taught him to despise her. But he would never be able to despise her.

He saw her with Ron, right as he was wishing his eldest son good luck at Hogwarts. He wanted to walk up to her and tell her how much she meant to him. How much she changed his life. But he couldn't. He couldn't ruin her life like that. He had no idea how she would take it, how she would react to it. They were just friends. They kept in constant contact, enjoying each other's confidence every now and then. By now, Ron knew of their friendship, and though he didn't like it, it made his wife happy.

Draco saw her every year. Receiving and saying good bye to her children, as he did the same with his. But Draco would always look for her in the crowd. Draco's youngest was barely old enough to walk before Astoria passed away from a terrible disease. It wasn't genetic, so none of his children would share his fate. He lived out his years, alone in his house during the school year. Allowing his work to take over his life during those months, gave him proper leave to take off the summer months.

When her youngest finally graduated from Hogwarts, that was the last Draco saw of Hermione for years. After all these years, he still loved her greatly. He always would. His life would forever be in her debt.

But one day, when Draco was old and withering away, he saw her. Walking with what appeared to be a great grandchild of her own. Draco walked up to her as they stopped at an ice cream shoppe, and stared at her for a while before she noticed.

"Sir, will you stop staring?" She asked kindly in a weak voice.

"Are you Hermione Granger?" He asked quietly, hoping she would say yes. She nodded, that beautiful smile gracing her old lips.

"It's me, Draco. Draco Malfoy." He said when she nodded.

"Oh! Draco! It's so good to see you again. How are your children?" She asked. She knew Astoria was long dead, just as he knew that Ron was dead almost as long. He had died in a fire caused by a Muggle. However, he and Hermione had been separated for a few years when it happened.

"They're good. I have two great grandchildren. Orion and Cassiopeia. My granddaughter Celia always adored the family tradition of constellation and stars for names." He said smiling as he thought about his two young ones at home. Hermione smiled and patted her own young one.

"This is Orsa. My granddaughter. I have no great grandchildren yet. Her twin brother is Draco. I asked their mother Rose to name them after Constellations. She picked yours because of the respect you have in the world. You've achieved what you wanted, Draco. I'm so proud of you." Hermione said grinning.

"Grandma! This is Draco Malfoy? THE Draco Malfoy?" Orsa said pulling on her grandma's sleeve.

"Yes, sweet pea. This is Draco Malfoy. He is one of my greatest friends. We've known each other for a while." Hermione said, her eyes never leaving Draco's face. The happiness showed on his face as he realized that the little girl was looking up at him with admiration. But she quickly hid behind Hermione when she saw him looking at her. Hermione mouthed that she was shy.

His last encounter with Hermione before she died nearly two weeks after wards. Draco, realizing he had finished his story but still had one more line to say, looked up at the children watching him. His children, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. They were the legacy he was leaving behind. They were the world he would leave soon.

"I made lemonade out of the lemons I was given. But there is one woman, who we should never forget for our fortune. Miss Hermione Granger. She believed in me when no one else would. She gave me a job, and a place to stay. And was one of my greatest friends. The last time I told this story, she was still alive. She died a few days ago. Scorpius, Orion, please send roses to her remaining family in condolence." Draco said as he took the last bite of his dessert.

"Father, why won't you be doing it?" Scorpius asked, concerned with his father's words.

"Because, I will not make it through the night. You have all heard my story many times. And you will pass it on from generation to generation. Remember it always. This is where our family started. I have made this legacy for you, and I have created it from the hell it was for me. Never forget that our name now stands for kindness and hard work. Never forget that. It is my time to leave this world. Please remember the flowers for Hermione. Without her, maybe none of you would be here. I certainly wouldn't."

Draco Malfoy passed away that night, as the wind blew cold and the snow fell. But as he passed from this world to the next, it was not St. Peter who greeted him. And it was no Devil who met him. It was Hermione, waiting for him at the edge of the lake. She was as he would always see her, that beautiful, strong woman who had offered him a job and a place to stay. And hope. She had given him hope for a new life.