"I'm not happy with your progress, Draco."

"I know, sir."

"I'm considering having you taking off this case."

Draco froze, his voice failing him. He couldn't lose his job. He'd worked so hard to make himself a respected person in society. Years of trying to prove himself, wasted. His parents would be so disappointed. What else could he do as a career? This had been his only option. If he hadn't of been offered this job he would have just travelled aimlessly from one place to another until his death, never truly accomplishing anything.

Was he really going to let all that go because of one girl? Especially now that she'd said she loved him? No one had ever really loved Draco before aside from his parents and even then they weren't an outwardly affectionate family. They had never needed to reassure each other of these things. They had just known. Hermione loved him. She didn't need to love him, but she did.

But it wasn't Hermione. Not yet.

"I'm returning her memories to her either tonight or tomorrow. I have plans to meet Harry and Ron today to collect some memories for the spell."

"See to it that you do, Draco. If she is not back by the end of the week then you will be fired."

"I take it I'm not longer in the running for Head Auror." Draco muttered.

"I have already offered the position to Harry."

Draco closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath. He was already too late. The role he'd dreamt of these past few months was no longer in reach. Draco had no idea what to do now. That was what he had wanted. What did he want now? What was the purpose of his life? To be remembered as an ex death eater? Reformed death eater? Boyfriend to Hermione Granger?

But he was all these things already. He had seen death; he had committed murder and nearly been on the receiving end of the killing curse several times. But Draco had made a name for himself now, one that upheld honour instead of instilling fear and he was after the affections of a brilliant brunette and, unbelievably enough, she returned those feelings.

But not yet not yet. Not really.

What more did he want? Why did he still feel unfulfilled? Would he continue to feel this way for the rest of his life? He had felt so together at sixteen. Draco had known what his purpose was at sixteen. He had no clue what he was doing now.

"I will bring Hermione back tomorrow and then I will resign from this case. I have let you down and I apologise for that. I let my personal life get in the way."

"Yes I agree. Draco you're one of my best Auror's. I don't know what's going on in your head but you're unfocused. When you get back you'll be doing paperwork for a very long time."

A small spark of hope lit up inside him. He'd still have his job, at least. "Yes sir." He responded and then hung up the phone.

The day after Hermione had cooked for Draco he was approached by Harry again, telling him to meet at his and Ron's hotel. Draco was dreading it. The last thing he wanted was to be lectured by the duo about his involvement with Hermione. Draco knew how stubborn Ron could be and how he usually shouted before he really thought through any situation. Needless to say, Draco was not looking forward to a single aspect of it.

Unfortunately Draco arrived at their hotel a lot sooner than he'd hoped. He glowered at how frustrating the two were. Ever since they had arrived in Australia his time with Hermione had started to dwindle. The wizarding world wanted her back. Her friends wanted her back. It was the beginning of the end for their so-called relationship. Maybe if they hadn't shown up yet he could have had more time with her. He could have explained everything before returning her memories to her. Maybe, she'd understand.

But Draco was not an idiot. He knew that when he returned Hermione's memories that she would explain that the person who loved him had not really been her. And, because he cared for her, he would leave politely and without a fight.

It was very noble of him, he had decided. Very Gryffindor.

"Malfoy," Harry had called once Draco had stepped into the foyer, "You're here. Follow me. Ron's still in our suite."

"How cosy," Draco retorted, "The two of you sharing a room together. Here on your honeymoon?" Harry did not respond and Draco rolled his eyes, "Merlin, it was a joke."

Still, Harry remained silent on the journey to his room. Draco dragged his heels for as long as possible trying to delay the confrontation but it did not halt their arrival. Harry opened the door to room seventy-two and gestured for Draco to enter. Draco did not show his uneasiness of having someone follow in after him. He knew Harry suffered with the same thing. Most people who fought in the war did. He decided, just this once, to let it slide and walked in the room in front of Harry who closed the door behind them.

Ron stood in the center of the room, a cold glare on his face. Draco matched his stance and his stare, preparing himself for the worst. Harry joined his friend opposite the blonde and the three of them took each other in. Draco noticed at some point that Harry was speaking to Ron but their voices were too hushed for him to decipher their conversation.

Ron's shoulders tensed as he listened to what Harry was saying. His gaze flickered from his friend back over to Draco. Ron rolled his shoulders, attempting to relax himself, and opened his mouth to speak.

"I am not going to pretend I'm okay with any of this. I am glad you're finally bringing Hermione back to us. I just want to make a few things clear." He spoke, his voice low. Draco simply nodded waiting for him to continue. Slytherin's didn't rush in to fight until they needed to. Draco would wait for Ron to finish babbling and then construct his counter argument.

"I love Hermione," Ron continued, "I have loved her for several years. We have a lot of history. I want to marry her one day. I know we've gotten together and broken up many times and that during those times we weren't together I have seen other people but deep down I know that she is the one for me. Whatever is going on now, this little relationship you're having with her, it will end when her memories return. I expect you to walk away. I don't want to fight with you over her Malfoy, because I will win."

"What makes you so sure, Weasley?" Draco responded coolly, his arms crossed against his chest. He made sure to appear contained. Ron wore his feelings for everyone to see. Draco wanted to appear aloof. It was harder for people to read him that way. Years of training from his parents had taught him to remain outwardly cold and blank.

Ron's eyes narrowed and the tips of his ears flushed red with anger, "We have history." He repeated, "She loves me. She's told me enough times. I know that she wants to be with me and I want to be with her. We just had a lot of disagreements, but that happens."

"Does it?" Draco responded, "From observing my parents I have a different view of love. One does not have to continually force their affections to prove to the other how they feel. My parents never argued. They were a unit. Their strength came from each other. I know they love each other completely, despite their outward appearances coming across otherwise."

"You really think Hermione loves you?" Ron spat. Harry reached out to grab Ron's arm warningly. Draco kept his eyes trained on him but was unsure of how to reply. Yes, Hermione loved him. But the question was, would she continue to?

"She might have mentioned it," He replied, "But let's get back to the matter at hand. I'm aware you both wish to give me some memories to show her."

"Yes," Harry said, "Hang on a minute." He glanced at Ron with a worried expression on his face before leaving the room.

Ron walked over to Draco then. Neither drew their wand or attempted to threaten the other with their posture or movements. They were just two men who desperately wanted the love of one girl. Ron was surprised that Draco hadn't raised his voice or attacked him. Harry had told him about his confrontation with Draco, expressing how passionately he had defended his actions and feelings for Hermione. Ron thought that Draco looked defeated. Where was the passion that Harry had spoken of?

"Look, Weasley, I am well aware that when Hermione gets her memories back I will no longer be a part of her life." Ron smiled softly to himself in victory. Draco narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows before continuing, "However, if she does remember this past month and decides she wants me I will expect you to let her return to me."

The two boys glared at each other for a moment longer before nodding stiffly. Harry entered the room then, holding vials in his hands. Each contained a silvery strand. A new spell had been constructed recently allowing people to view memories without using a pensieve. Each memory was sucked into the tip of the wand and contained in the wood for safe keeping and then ejected into someone's mind by pressing it to their temple. It wasn't a hugely popular way of transferring memories yet, as once the memories were inside the wand one couldn't perform a spell until they were shown. Since Draco didn't think Hermione in her muggle form would appreciate being told to climb into a shallow bowl of silvery water, he had decided this was the best way to go about it.

The process of transferring the memories into Draco's wand only took a few moments. The three men acknowledged each other warily after, not quite knowing what to do now. Draco turned and made his way to the door.

"Malfoy," It was Harry's voice this time that reached out to him, "I know how you feel about Hermione and I'm sorry."

Draco froze. "Sorry for what, Potter?"

Ron glared at his friend and gestured for him to continue, "Yes Harry what are you sorry for?" He said accusingly.

"Sorry to tell you that when we've returned someone's memories they haven't remembered their time as a muggle."

Ron smirked triumphantly. Harry stared at Draco with pity. Draco refused to let his pain show. Not yet. On the inside his mind was tearing itself apart. All the time they had spent together. Buying Boo. The ice cream. The sweet kisses. The picnic. All the books they had spoken about. Her wise words of support when he had felt so lost about who he was.

It would all be gone to her. She would have no idea. And yet, because of her, he had become a better person.

Draco did not turn to face Harry. He didn't even reply. He simply walked out, shutting the door behind him and heading to the book shop to spend his last evening with Hermione.

Tonight he would restore her memories.

Back in the hotel room, Harry turned to face Ron. He rolled his eyes at his friends grin and pushed his glasses back up his nose, "What are you going to do if she chooses Malfoy?" He questioned.

Ron's grin didn't falter, "Didn't you hear him? Sounds like he's given up already. He pretty much said I'll get her when she's back to normal. Piece of cake. We'll date for a while, I'll propose, we'll get married, she'll become minister of magic, we'll have kids, easy-peasy."

"And what if her memories come back and she doesn't want to be with you?"

Ron's smile faded from his face in an instant, "You really think she'd choose that ferret over me?"

"No," Harry replied, "What if she doesn't choose either of you? Don't you think that if you and Hermione were meant to be together that you would have been?"

"Blimey Harry, do you want her to be with Malfoy?!" Ron exclaimed, his face flushing with anger.

"I just want her to be happy. I want what's best for her. Whatever that is. But it's her choice. Don't push her into a relationship she might not want."

And with that Harry walked out of their hotel room to get some fresh air, hoping that Ron was taking his words into consideration. The last thing he wanted was for Hermione to feel pressured into anything when she got her memories back. Malfoy clearly cared about her. Maybe he even loved her and while Harry had been uncertain to begin with, he wasn't as against it now. Granted he wasn't exactly jumping for joy about it, but it was Hermione's decision.

As long as Hermione was happy, that was all that mattered.

A/N: Hello! Planning on updating again tonight as I've been super busy recently and don't want to leave you waiting ages until the next one. I already have half of it written already! It will be the big reveal! Woo! This one is pretty short too. You all deserve another update!

t: Yes Hermione did see her Mother with another little girl also called Hermione and Draco also saw this! In the chapter after the next there will be a flashback to before all this which will explain that scene. You aren't the only person to ask about it. Someone said it was unrealistic for Hermione to bump into her mother but I have my reasons for it happening.

Big thank you to Honoria Granger for leaving a few reviews to explain where I'm going wrong with my writing, so thank you. I hope it's improving!

Big chapter coming up next! I hope you enjoy it. It's the first thing I wrote when writing this story, so I hope it comes across as well as I want it to!