November, 2006

"I knew it." Hermione said after swallowing a mouthful of pancakes Draco had had a house elf make for them. "I should've bet money."

Draco cocked a brow in the air. "Bet money on what?"

Hermione raised five fingers to him and smiled. "We haven't seen each other in five months. Humph, 'we'll still see each other' my arse."

Draco laughed. "Okay, so it's been a while. But you have me now, don't you?"

Hermione let her eyes fall to her meal as she felt the reddening of her cheeks. "Yeah, I do. So, come on, out with it." She said eagerly as she returned her eyes to his. "We've got a lot of time to catch up on. How's married life treating you?"

"Married life, shmarried life," Draco rolled his eyes. "It's just like dating except that it's legal and a name change is involved."

"You've got to be kidding." Hermione shook her head. "You make being married sound so boring."

"What did you want me to say about it?" He asked. "That it's a glorious experience and you're going to be walking on clouds when it's your turn?"

Hermione shrugged. She let her gaze fall back to her breakfast as she began to poke at it rather than eat it. "Maybe not clouds, but something like that, yes."

Draco stopped eating and stared at her. He always knew when something was wrong with his Hermione, and he placed a gentle hand over hers. "You have nothing to be nervous about."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked him. She stared at her left hand that was partially covered by Draco's and sighed. It was covered in a way that still let her engagement ring shine between his fingers. "Don't get me wrong, I want to marry Ron. There's no doubt in my mind about that; I love him. But I just… Weren't you scared, Draco? Did it ever cross your mind that things between you and Astoria would change?"

"…I'd be liar to say that the thought didn't pass through my mind." Draco admitted. "I never told you this, but I had Astoria's engagement ring in my pocket for three months before finally giving it to her. I didn't want to feel like I was making a decision that I couldn't take back, you know? Didn't help that I found a couple of photos of my parents either. It was before they got married. They looked…ten times happier than they are now. Definitely wasn't comforting."

"What changed then?" Hermione pressed. "What gave you the push to actually propose?"

"Because I'm not my parents." Draco said nonchalantly. "Just because they're living out their days in separate wings of Malfoy Manor, doesn't mean that Astoria and I are doomed. You and Weasley are going to be fine. Don't think so much."

"Fine," Hermione conceded as she began digging into her breakfast again. Draco went back to his food as well, intermittently looking up at his friend with a guilty conscience.

More or less he had told Hermione the truth, but he had also hid what he felt on the subject of marriage. Marriage was, in essence, the last stop. The love you had for someone went no higher, and your expectations for your life didn't go much further. Simply put, soon after saying I do you realized that there was nothing else to do. Draco's honeymoon with Astoria was an ultimate high that he wouldn't take back for the world. They had had a new outlook on life. They were excited for their plans together. But when they had come home, Draco had realized that their plans were quickly met. They were rich, so no quest for riches there. They had a beautiful home, so nothing to accomplish in that arena. The only striving they had to do was to keep each other happy. It was a shame to say that a bulk of what made each other happy were activities that didn't involve each other. For Draco, it was a night out on the town, or a good book, or his favorite, an exciting debate. For Astoria it was stereotypically filled with shopping which Draco had always loathed. She also enjoyed a night out as he did, but how did you surprise and make novel an experience to a woman who had lived lavishly all her life?

Draco hadn't expected such an unusual burden of marriage. The heaviest of them all concerned the woman who was sitting in front of him. Draco couldn't escape the guilt that overwhelmed him when he wanted to see Hermione. If good news came to him, she was the first person that he wanted to tell. If he was bored, she was the person that he wanted to see. It should be his wife, shouldn't it? Draco had justified his urges many times with the argument that Hermione was his best friend. Even while dating Astoria, Hermione had secretly been his number one. But now that he was married, putting any woman before Astoria seemed wrong. It was wrong.

But unfortunately, Hermione was and would always be his number one girl.

…

August 2007

From the moment Hermione had gotten engaged, she had been completely opposed to being thrown a bachelorette party. Ginny, on the other hand, had been completely opposed to her opposition. Because of that, on the night before her wedding Hermione's bridesmaids and other friends were sitting in a questionable restaurant that made Hermione blush furiously.

"It's much better than what I originally wanted to do for you." Ginny told her, which made Hermione utterly grateful if this was what turned out to be the calmer choice. Three hours later, drunken friends, and a loud, laugh-filled walk back to the hotel they were spending the night in, Hermione was laying in her oversized bed. They had been back for about two hours now and everyone else had fallen asleep wherever they had found themselves. Only Hermione was wide awake. The notorious cold feet had never once hit her nor were they currently here. What she was pleasurably suffering from at the moment was butterflies. In just a matter of hours she was going to be marrying one of her closest friends. What more could she ask for?

Hermione sighed happily and finally closed her eyes. Just as she was drifting off into a deep enough sleep it became disturbed with the intermittent sound of something hitting her window. She tried to ignore it. Unfortunately it proved to be an impossible task. She eventually found herself getting out of bed and heading towards the source of the noise. At her window Hermione began to smile. She shouldn't have been surprised to find Draco outside, using his wand to mimic the sound of pebbles against the window.

Hermione put on a pair of jeans and slipped on a shirt and a pair of shoes. She didn't have to try very hard to sneak out of the hotel suite and away from her friends. They were so out of it that she wondered if they would wake up on time in the morning. She shook her head amusingly at them and left the suite. When the elevator made it downstairs Draco was already waiting outside of it. He grinned, gently pushed her back into the elevator and stepped inside.

"Only you would crash someone's bachelorette party." Hermione said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco laughed and hugged her.

"You didn't think I could let you celebrate the last night before you're officially off the market without me, did you?" Draco shook his head as the elevator continued to climb. It went all the way up to the penthouse suite and it took Hermione's breath away once Draco opened the doors.

"This is amazing!" Hermione said with glee. She literally ran into the middle of the grand living room and spun as though she were a child. She stopped and stared at Draco's joyous face. "You spoil me, you know."

Draco shrugged humbly and walked towards her. "You deserve it. Come on, let's celebrate before your friends wake up and notice that you're gone."

They both sat themselves down on the plush cream sofa as Draco summoned a bucket of ice, two bottles of champagne, and two glasses from another room in the suite. Hermione stared at him curiously as he opened one of the bottles and began to pour.

"Draco," She began. "Not that I'm not happy about what you're doing for me, but how is it that you're here? I'm sure Astoria will notice that you're missing."

"Eh, she's too pissed at me to notice or care at the moment." Draco replied, his smile faltering just this once. "Kicked me out of the house tonight. Can you believe that?" He sighed and handed Hermione one of the glasses. "I needed somewhere to sleep and I also wanted to see you. A win-win situation, if I don't say so myself. And so," He raised his glass and replaced his sudden sullenness with a smile. "Let's drink."

And drink they did. Hermione had internally berated her friends on their drinking habits that night, but here she was, quickly catching up to them. She would regret this later, but as of right now she was simply living in the moment. This was the most time she'd spent with Draco in ages and she wasn't going to waste it.

"Damn," Draco mumbled as he tilted the second champagne bottle. "Empty,"

"Good," Hermione giggled for no reason. "Neither one of us should be drinking anymore. Especially me. Merlin, I'm going to look bloody awful tomorrow."

"Oh, no you won't." Draco shook his head. "You'll look just as beautiful as you always do. No, not just as. More…"

Hermione leaned her head slightly and searched his face. The corners of her lips twisted upwards and she suddenly hugged him, burying her head into his neck. "You know," She breathed onto him. "In all our years together you've never called me beautiful before."

"Figured you already knew and I didn't have to say it." Draco chuckled as he snaked his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "But that's what you women like, isn't it? To be told, right? Fine." Draco slowly eased away from her but kept his arms around her waist. "You're my best friend, Hermione, and you're absolutely wonderful. You're pretty, you're smart, and most importantly, you're mine."

At that Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion. "Yours?" She repeated. Draco nodded and rested his forehead on hers.

"No matter who you marry. No matter who I've married. You'll always be mine, and I'll always be yours. You have to know that. You need to know that."

Somehow one of Draco's hands had managed to make it to the back of her neck and rested there. Little did Hermione realize that one of her hands had gravitated to his neck too. Essentially they were both locked in place; their free hands holding onto each other for dear life. Draco wanted to kiss her and Hermione knew it. His mouth was close enough that she could see the cherry stains of the champagne they had been drinking.

Hermione caressed his neck and his eyes closed as she did so. She felt weak with him. They belonged to each other despite who they loved and despite what kept them apart. Years upon years of emotion were bubbling up inside of her, but her brain wasn't as clouded as the rest of her body was. Draco moved in for a forbidden touch of their lips, but Hermione released her grip on his waist and placed two fingers over his lips. Draco's eyes opened and they looked sorry.

"...You have a wife." Hermione said softly. Draco kissed her fingers as he slowly nodded.

"...And you have a fiancé."

Hermione swallowed deeply and sighed bitterly. "Go home, Draco. I know that Astoria kicked you out, but I know how women think. She didn't mean it. Do go home."

"Do you really want me to?"

Hermione stared at Draco's pleading face and frowned. "...It's not about what I want. You know that."

Draco bit his inner jaw, quickly kissed Hermione's cheek, and then he reluctantly let her go. He ran a hand through his hair once and produced a guttural moan. He looked at her, shook his head, and smiled. "We're never allowed to drink champagne together ever again."

Hermione chuckled and then agreed. "…Thank you for seeing me tonight, Draco."

Draco took Hermione's hand and kissed it as a gentleman would; only letting go after a long pause. "It was my pleasure."

…..

Author's note: I have so many favorite chapters and this is definitely one of them. I love how Draco and Hermione are so "untouchable." Thanks for reading!

-WP