CHAPTER 7

A/N: First of all I would like to once again thank those that have favorited/followed my story! Also thank you to my reviewers! Nikki Pond: I can't give too much away about Harry and Draco, but I hope you will enjoy what happens! Patty Cake Rocks: Thanks for the love! There will be more about the money in the next chapter, and it will be a common trend throughout the whole fic!

Draco had been given the okay to publicly give money to a number of charities and anonymously to Hermione Granger. He had not been allowed to participate in any of the transactions, he had given legal permission to Chaz, and Chaz had handled everything. Draco felt like he was on cloud nine. He finally felt like he was doing something worthwhile. Chaz had given him a number of pamphlets that explained where his money was helping in each charity. Chaz had even arranged for a one of the charities to be a muggle charity. Draco couldn't be happier, but if he was honest with himself, he was happiest with helping Hermione. He felt that he owed the witch for all that she had done for him. He had so much to make up for.

There were the years of torture that he had subjected her to in school, there was what his family had done to her both mentally and physically, and there was the fact that she was the reason he was not rotting away in Azkaban. Her and Potter.

He had thought about contacting them both, but something held him back. He was allowed to have contact with them; it was not against his probation rules, but a feeling kept him from reaching out. He felt like he wasn't good enough to talk to them. He needed to atone for all that he had done before he could see them or even owl them. Draco promised himself that as soon as his two years were up he could contact both of them. He would thank them for what they had done for him.

The next day Draco went to work as usual. He filed all day, returned home that night, and read until he fell asleep. For the next week, his pattern was the same. Chaz visited one night to check up on him and make sure everything was running smoothly. On the eighth day, something happened.

Draco was at work like usually, filing away reports, but when he heard a name he recognized, all thoughts of work flew out the window. Janella was speaking in quiet tone with her friend, who always stopped in around this time on Tuesday.

"So, I had lunch with Hermione a few days ago," Janella was telling her friend.

"Oh, how is she doing? I heard about her parents. So sad," her friend was simpering, flashing pitying eyes around.

"She doesn't talk about it. I haven't brought it up to her. I don't want to hurt her, you know? But anyway, that's not what I wanted to tell you about. Remember when we were talking about the Orphanage that she couldn't get the funds for?"

Janella's friend nodded her head, looking interested. Apparently, this girl thrived on gossip.

"Well…I guess she got some kind of anonymous donation. Nobody knows from whom, not even her boss, but it was a lot of money. I mean a lot! The crazy thing is, I don't know very many people that even knew about this project to begin with. Did you tell anyone other than me?"

Draco watched as the friend shook her head. He ducked his quickly as she looked around and though waiting for someone to pop out from behind a door and confess the sending the money.

"You are the only person that I told. Did you ask Hermione?"

"Yes, after she told me, I asked her. She told me she had no idea who would ever donate that much money to such an obscure project! Especially one for, you know, werewolves."

Draco's head snapped back up at this. The orphanage had been for werewolves? What was Hermione into that she was working with werewolves? He had to confess that he didn't know what part of the ministry she was working it, but decided that it was time to figure it out. He would have to ask Chaz next time the man popped in for a checkup.

"Yea, but it is so nice that she is trying to help all those children that have been displaced just because they were infected."

Draco tuned out the rest of the conversation and continued on with his work day. He felt proud of himself for helping Hermione accomplish her goals. It was the least he could do.

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Hermione was over the moon! She had been called into her bosses office a few days before and been informed that her orphanage had been funded. No one could tell her were the money was coming from, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She had been so upset when she thought she was going to have to tell Sam Trinkly that she could not help him with the children. She had been putting off talking to him because she was worried, but now she had nothing to worry about.

She owled him right away, asking him to meet her for dinner the following night. That had been their normal for the months since they had first met over lunch. She had dinner with Harry in a few hours and was excited to tell him. He had been away for the last week on a top secret assignment and had not been able to owl. Months back they had started a weekly tradition of meeting once a week for dinner. This allowed them to live their busy work schedules, but still keep in touch and see each other.

Hermione arrived first at the French restaurant and followed the host back to their reserved table. She didn't have to wait very long, Harry was only a few minutes behind her. They hugged and said hello.

"I can tell something good must have happened. I haven't seen you this excited in a long time."

Hermione smiled at him, knowing that he could read her like a book. It was something that was a newer attribute to their relationship. Harry had always been a bit oblivious growing up, but it seemed that his relationship with Ginny had helped to hone his emotion radar skills.

"Yes! Something great happened! Remember the orphanage that Sam was asking for?"

Harry had met Sam a time or two, and the two men had hit it off right away.

"Of course I remember, it was all you talked about for days, but you weren't able to get the funding. Which is complete dragon dung if you ask me."

Hermione smiled at the support that Harry was giving her. He was always so great at knowing what she needed to hear. "Well I got some good news while you were gone. Someone donated the money that I need to start and run the orphanage!"

"Hermione that is great! Who donated it?"

"That I don't know. No one knows, actually. It was anonymous and no one I have talked to has any clue. But, honestly, I don't care! I am just over the moon about this project. It just feels so rewarding. I mean, not only am I building an orphanage for children, but it is for children who literally have no were else to go! Outcasts. And this orphanage will give them love and hope. I am personally choosing every single worker, mentor, and teacher who will be placed in the school. Most of them are from the werewolf community, but there are some that feel like me and want to help. I just feel like I am doing something great!"

Harry smiled and grabbed Hermione's hand giving it a squeeze when she took a breath. "This is amazing Hermione, but don't you think it is a bit weird that you got such a large donation and you don't know where it came from?"

"It is a bit strange I suppose. To be honest, I thought it might have been you. But after seeing the look on your face, I can tell that it wasn't."

Harry laughed, "If you had asked me, you know I would have given the money to you!"

"I know you would have, Harry."

The two talked and speculated about whom the money could have come from long into dinner. Hermione felt so at ease sitting in comfortable conversation with Harry. He was great company and she was sorry when they finished dinner.

She and Harry walked out the front of the restaurant. Hermione turned to him, expecting their normal hug and goodbye, but she was surprised to see the pensive look on his face.

"I need a bit of help," Harry admitted.

Hermione's eyebrows rose high. Harry hadn't asked her for help in a long time. She was worried that something might be really wrong. He was looking very nervous and she noticed that his eyes were shifting around.

"What's going on Harry? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"I don't think so."

Hermione was confused. She gave him a look that she knew told him she needed more information.

"I am going to ask Ginny to marry me."

"Oh Harry! That is so great! She will be so happy! What is the problem?"

Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her farther away from the front of the restaurant. He pulled her down onto a bench that faced the street.

"I am lost. I can't think of a way to propose that she will just love! I need it to be perfect. I need her to understand how much I love her and need her."

"Harry, no matter what you do, she will know that. Just look into your heart and do what you think is best. She will love it no matter what."

Harry nodded his head and looked distracted. He pulled Hermione into their normal goodbye hug. Thanking her and making her promise to attend the dinner that weekend at the Weasley's Sunday dinner.

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She had promised to attend the Weasley family get together. She had been trying to make it to as many as she could, but it was hard sometimes. It had been almost a year since the end of the war, but the pain was still new. Everyone tried to be happy and excited to be together, but it was hard not to notice the pain in everyone's eyes. It made Harry happy that she went, so she went mostly for him.

Since the news of her parents had been spread around, it was even harder for her to be happy at the get-togethers. Molly was always trying to hug her and assure her that she still had family. Everyone else looked at her with pity, and the more time she spent there, the more she missed her parents. She had located them last month, but there was nothing to do. There was no reversing the memory charm she had used on them. They were happy at least. That was a bit of consolation for Hermione, but it still felt like she had lost her family. She would never sit and have dinner with them. She would never get a hug from her mother. She would never get advice from her father.

Harry seemed to be the only one who truly understood. He had hugged her, said he was sorry for her loss, asked her if she wanted to talk about it, and then he held her tightly as she cried. When it was all over, he didn't mention it again. If she wanted to talk about it, then she would bring it up and he would listen.

Hermione decided to take a walk after dinner. There was a park near her flat that was always peaceful and had a beautiful pond. She always walked there when she needed to clear her head or think about something. She was just as puzzled as Harry was over the sudden donation that had been anonymously left for her. But try as she might, she couldn't think of a single person who could have given her the money. Soon she found herself at her favorite bench. Taking a seat, Hermione stared out over the pond. The sun was slowly setting and the view was amazing.

A/N: please drop me a review and let me know what you think so far!