AN: Characters are not mine :(

Here's the aftermath and I guess the start of Draco and Hermione...

Chapter 5 - The Aftermath

It was a few weeks later when the members of the Order found themselves sat around the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. This dinner was sort of a celebratory gathering, now that they finally had time to get together and reflect on the past couple of weeks.

Mad Eye and Charlie Weasley had been killed during the battle, along with many others. This had lead to a solemn and jubilant feel around the house, and around the kitchen table.

Those who worked at the Ministry had been busy in the aftermath, with rounding up Death Eaters, prosecuting those they caught, and explaining the whole situation to the wizarding world.

The teachers of Hogwarts had been busy rebuilding the school, having sent all students home early and postponing all exams. Harry Potter had even been forced to do a press conference, much to his displeasure, meaning today was the first time that most of the Order had been back together again.

The Weasleys had previously started rebuilding the Burrow and we almost ready to move back in, having already buried Charlie, near the Burrow. The family had been spending lots of time together, grieving together, and coming to terms with it all. Charlie had died while dualing with Yaxley and McNair, after running to his mother's aid when the pair had set upon her.

Harry had decided to rebuild his parents house at Godric Hollow. He wanted to be somewhere close to them, but right now he just wanted to get away for some peace and quiet, as the whole wizarding world currently wanted a piece of him.

Draco and Snape had been staying at Grimmauld Place after the war, as neither had wanted to return home and neither knew if it was safe. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione had been there also. It had made peace and quiet hard to come by.

As the kitchen filled up, members of the Order took seats at the table. Dumbledore then stood and coughed to get everyone's attention.

"Before we being this meal I would just like to propose a toast to those that were lost, especially to Alastor Moody and Charlie Weasley who would have been joining us here tonight, had things been different."

A sob could be heard from Molly Weasley as Arthur comforted her.

"I would also like to thank you all for all that you did. By standing up, fighting and being brave you, and all those that fought, have saved countless lives and untold pain and suffering, and for that you should be proud. I know Charlie and Alastor would be proud of us and truly believed in the cause they were fighting for."

"Charlie and Alastor" said Kingsley, standing to join Dumbledore. The rest of the Order stood and toasted "Charlie and Alastor".

The next morning the house was slowly emptying. The Weasley's were moving home, Tonks and Lupin were going to pick up Teddy from Andromeda before heading home, and Neville was returning to his grandmother's after visiting his parents. Harry was heading overseas for some time out and Snape was returning to Hogwarts to help with the rebuilding.

By early evening only Hermione and Draco were left. Ron hadn't been happy at leaving Hermione with Draco but she had convinced him she would be fine and that he should spend time with his family. Even Ginny was spending a few days with them before joining Harry on holiday.

Hermione spent the evening in the library reading while Draco was reading in the living room. Neither really acknowledged that the other was there. This pattern continued for a week or so, with each acting as if they were the only one in the house.

It was the night that Hermione returned from dinner with the Weasley's that it all changed. Draco was sitting in the living room when he heard a noise downstairs, followed by Mrs Black's screaming "Fithey mudblood, staying in my house. Who do you think you are? Stupid mudblood should learn her place".

"Shut up you silly old cow" came Hermione's response as she managed to close the curtains.

There was something in her voice that caught his attention. He was wondering if he should go look for her when he heard the door open. Hermione entered the room not noticing Draco straight away. It was only once she had sat down on the sofa that she realised she wasn't alone.

Draco could tell that she was upset, he'd heard it in her voice as she yelled as Mrs Black's portrait, but now he could see it in her face. He wasn't sure if he should say anything, after all he was pretty sure they were still enemies, despite the last few months.

"How do you do it" she asked quietly

"Do what?" Draco asked

"Stay so cold and unemotional".

Draco looked at her, and studied her face, as she was looking down avoiding his gaze. He could see the tear stains on her face, and he realised he may as well be honest. It wasn't like he had anything to loose.

"Years of practice" he replied "Malfoy's don't show emotion, father always said it was a sign of weakness".

Hermione raised her head to look at him, "don't you ever just want to yell and scream or jump up and down in frustration, or cry, or something" she asked, making eye contact for the first time.

"I used to, I guess, now I just don't really know how".

They stayed silent for a short time, neither really knowing what to say. This was the most they had ever talked and it was a fairly deep and meaningful conversation.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked, deciding he may as well try to get an answer to the question that had been bugging him. He'd expected her to leave when everyone else had, go home, see her family, but she'd stayed. She hadn't even gone to the Weaselys even through he knew she'd been invited. He'd heard Weasel yelling at her, telling her it wasn't safe for her to stay and that she must come with him. He also heard her response assuring Weasel that she could look after herself.

"I don't know where else to go" Hermione replied quietly. She raised her head to see Draco's confused face, and then he suddenly went paler, which to be honest she didn't think was possible.

"Are...are your parents dead?" he asked, trying to remember if any of the muggles he had heard discussed were her parents. He knew there had been talk about going after her parents, but all he could remember was that the Dark Lord has said to wait. He also knew that didn't mean someone hadn't gone out and done it to try and gain good favour with the Dark Lord.

Hermione shook her head, "no...I don't think so" she replied, looking at him, "its just I don't know where they are." as the tears started to fall from her eyes again.

Gaining some composure Hermione looked at Draco and she could see he was confused, so she decided to explain.

"During the summer I performed a memory charm on them so they have no recollection of me. I also used the charm to convince them that they had always wanted to emigrate to Australia. I then left for the Weasley's and when I went back to check on them, they had gone, so I presume they did emigrate."

Her tears were falling freely now. What she had done hurt, the fact that she couldn't go running to her parents for comfort hurt, but saying it out loud hurt more. It was admitting her deepest darkest secret, to her enemy no less, and it made it all the more real, and it sounded horrible.

It took Draco a few minutes to process what Hermione had said. She'd sacrificed her relationship with her parents to save them, to protect them. His father had virtually offered up his soul to the most evil wizard of all time, and Hermione had erased herself from her parents life to protect them. Wow, father really was a bastard he thought.

"Have you thought about trying to find them?" he asked

She nodded, "I'm scared" she whispered "how do I explain it, what do I say, what if they are happy?"

He waited until she looked up again and caught his eye, before he said "I don't know what your family life was like Granger, but it can't have been anywhere near as screwed up as mine. Despite that if there was any way that I could have my mother back in my life I would take it. I'd move heaven and earth to have her in my life again."

It was Hermione's turn to look confused.

"She's dead Granger" he said, and she could see the sorrow in his eyes. "He killed her, she'd be crucio'd and cursed that many times that she it was just too much. It killed her."

Hermione wasn't sure if the he was Voldemort or Lucius, but looking at Draco she realised it wasn't the time to ask.

"So you think I should find them?"

Draco nodded, "You'll always wonder if you don't, besides aren't Gryffindor's supposed to be courageous?"

Hermione gave a little smile, "yes we are".

"Then use that courage" Draco replied.

Silence fell on the room again as Hermione thought about finding her parents. It was something she had been thinking about since the end of the war. She'd wanted to talk about it with Harry and Ron but there'd never been the time. She looked at Draco who was staring at his book, but she could tell he wasn't reading it. Maybe he's not so bad after all she thought.

AN: Let me know what you think...