a/n:
thank u for those of u who have read the first chapter. a special thank u to those who have followed and favorited the story. it really helps boost moral, especially in the short time that the story has been posted.
rereading the first version makes me realize just how ooc i made the two of them and kinda just how cringy it was. nothing flowed great so i'm really happy that i decided to rewrite this.
the smut won't start for a few chapters yet, but i'll put a warning at the chapter that it starts at and all the ones that have smut in them.
here's the second chapter! it's a little longer and i hope u enjoy it.
hogwarts castle - may 6, 1998
hermione laid in her cot, her blanket pulled up to her chin. her mind ran wild with thoughts of the blonde haired man who had reappeared into her life.
he looked relatively the same as when he had left. the only thing that had really changed about his appearance was the way he held himself. his confidence seemed to seep through him like water through paper. he was no longer the long, lanky boy that had tormented her for seven years. he looked like he actually filled his long frame now, and his hair looked healthier, as well as his face. almost unmarked from the battle, he looked so much healthier than when he had reached his low at hogwarts before the war.
even though she knew she should hate him, and turn him in to the ministry, he seemed like he had changed. learning the things that he had so openly shared about death eaters and being a follower of voldemort had changed much of the way she saw him. he seemed relaxed, maybe even at peace.
she had felt relaxed around him too; maybe more than she should have. she had felt the initial hesitation of trusting him, but eventually she had settled into the rhythm of their banter. even harry and ron knew nothing about her wiping her parents memories - but she hadn't felt any reservation about telling draco about them.
she wanted to see him again, and badly.
rochester, new york - may 7, 1998
draco felt good, really good. it was almost as though he had a spring in his step after seeing hermione and talking with her about his life and his choices, especially the ones that had been ripped from him.
she had trusted him with the knowledge that she had erased her parents memories of her, even though that must have been such a hard thing to talk about. he had no idea why, even after all he had put her through, she hadn't turned him in right then and there - nonetheless confide in him.
but he was happy, truly, that she had.
it showed him that even the people with the firmest beliefs could change for even just an instant. but he believed that hermione would keep these new beliefs. just like hearing her advocate for house elves during their years at hogwarts, he had no doubt in her mind that she would advocate for the women - and men - who had their choices stripped from them by voldemort. she was well read and smarter than some gave her credit for, including himself.
he would see her again today, he was sure of it.
brockdale bridge - may 7, 1998
hermione and draco stood in their same places as the previous day, watching the sun set behind the clouds with their arms braced on the wooden railing.
the sky was bathed in a watercolor mixture of oranges, pinks and blues, creating something so majestic it was almost supernatural.
hermione bathed in the orange lighting. it made her hair look darker and her eyes almost glowed golden in the sunlight. draco noticed her eyes while she was staring at the setting sun. his own grey ones momentarily got lost in her golden eyes, the color of them more beautiful than the sunset itself.
he pulled himself back together and ran a hand through his hair, having vanished his hat when he had found hermione waiting for him on the bridge.
"what are you thinking about?" draco asked softly, not taking his eyes off the sliver of sun left in the sky.
it took a moment to get a response. "this."
"this?"
"this moment."
"okay; what about this moment?"
"we've come so far from where we were at the beginning - and the end - of the war." hermione turned to slide down the railing of the bridge, landing on her butt and folding her legs to her chest. "if we were living this exact moment only a month ago, i would've turned you in to the ministry or the order the second i saw you apparate here."
"war changes people," he said with a shrug.
draco turned around and managed a graceful sit onto the wooden boards underneath him.
"i miss the way hogwarts - and life - was before the war. everything was kind and simple. hogwarts hadn't collapsed, the ministry hadn't fallen, people hadn't died, etc."
"maybe so, but war was bound to happen. neither voldemort nor harry could live in a world with the other."
"see! right there; you didn't call harry "potter", you called him harry."
"a post-war world is no place for hatred - especially that which thrived between children."
"you've grown up, haven't you?"
"i would hope that would've been evident in this conversation and yesterdays."
"no, it has been evident. you aren't the boy who left hogwarts - you're more of a grown man now."
"seeing the war and the way it decimated everything that we had known changed all of us. not one of us is the same person that came to hogwarts seven years ago."
"i wouldn't want to stretch the theory too far, but i believe even ron has grown from the boy he once was."
draco nodded with a chuckle and leaned his head back to rest against the wooden railing. one of his arms rested upon his bent knee, the other flat against his leg.
"have you ever thought of what our lives would've been like if the battle never happened?" hermione asked.
"i have."
"and?"
"i don't think that it would be much of a life worth living. there was so much anger and fighting even without the war. the only thing that would've changed is when the war happened - even if the battle did or didn't happen."
"are you suggesting that the war would've happened no matter what variable we took away?"
"i believe so; yes."
"i think that i might agree with you. the battle was one variable in the larger picture. without the battle, there would've been some other fight further along that would've determined either the same or a slightly changed outcome." she nodded as she spoke, her voice growing firmer with conviction the more she spoke. "if the battle hadn't occurred, then the order of the phoenix would've discovered another time to strike. the only difference would be that maybe voldemorts side would've won without the help of hogwarts."
"you're smarter than i gave you credit for."
"your opinion of me has always been that i'm a dirty muggleborn, has it not been?"
this gave draco a reason to pause and draw in a sharp breath.
"i'm sorry."
"no, you're quite right." draco rolled his eyes at his next sentences: "i was raised by a family obsessed with blood purity. you had to be either pureborn or muggleborn, or a half-breed. either of the latter options weren't very well accepted by my family on account of their blood."
"but honestly, what does blood really have to do with the qualities of a wizard?"
"well nothing much, to be quite honest with you. it's always been believed that the purer your blood, the more powerful you'll be as a wizard. but in all honesty, it really hadn't ever been proved that your blood legitimately affects the amount of magic you're able to preform. which has been proved ten times over in your case."
"i'm glad i could prove your family wrong then."
"you seem content with proving most of the beliefs my family installed in me wrong."
"aren't most of them centuries old?"
"yes."
"then i don't think it's necessarily me proving them wrong - it's just that you finally stopped and looked around, and i just happen to be the someone you're looking at."
draco nodded and continued staring above the opposite railing at the darkening sky. his mind whirled with blank thoughts of nothingness, but thoughts nonetheless.
"have you ever thought about what life would've been like if we hadn't ever gone to hogwarts?" hermione asked.
"no," draco answered simply.
"and why not?"
"because there was no other option for me."
"you could've-"
"been born without magic? impossible."
"why? just because you're a pureblood?"
"yes."
"couldn't you still be born without magic?"
"are you suggesting a malfoy be born a squib?"
"don't even tell me it's not possible; there must've been someone in your family lineage who was born a squib."
"as far as i know, the only disgraces to our family name were blood-traitors."
"seriously?"
"yes," draco nodded with this statement. he was firm in his belief that his family had been one filled with witches and wizards.
hermione scoffed.
"what? you doubt that an entire family could be born magical?" draco asked incredulously.
"in fact, i do!"
"and why, pray tell, is that?"
"because, if two muggle parents can produce a witch, two magical parents can - and will - produce a squib."
"your point is valid, i'll give you that much."
"thank y-"
"but," draco cut her off, "that doesn't mean that it must happen in every case."
"well, no, that's not what i'm saying. all i'm saying is that in such a long line of pureblooded wizards, there must've been at least one squib."
"if there was - which i'm in no way, shape or form verifying - they would've been disowned and forgone the family name."
"why? just because they're non-magical?"
"yes, exactly why."
"how can that possibly make sense?"
"because being a squib is disgraceful. there's no reason that an entire family line of magical beings should produce one that isn't magical."
"so that gives the family the immediate right to blacklist this human being - who did not ask to be non-magical - from the family?"
"i don't see why not."
"and i thought you had changed," hermione said, shaking her head while getting up and brushing off her butt and the back of her thighs. she began to take steps away from draco before he caught her wrist in one hand and swung her around to face him when he jumped up from the ground.
"hermione, wait."
she looked down at the wrist he had caught between his fingers before he dropped it like he had realized he was holding the sharp end of a sword.
"my parents had these beliefs drilled into me from a young age. you must understand how that feels; to have beliefs so fundamental to your parents that they become a part of you too."
"my parents didn't teach me that someone could be worth any less just because of how they were born. in fact, i was raised to embrace and accept these people, instead of push them away like they were worth less than me."
"i understand."
"do you? because from where i'm standing, you've always been worth so much more than everyone else."
"i deserve that." draco looked down at his feet, shifting his weight to evenly distribute it.
"i'm sorry, that was uncalled for of me." hermione apologized, her own eyes downcast.
"no, you're right. i've always thought i was so much more than people just because of my blood status, but you've shown me otherwise."
"i'm glad that i could've helped you see sense."
with a chuckle, draco managed a nod in response. "i'm sorry if i offended you."
"no, it's me who should be sorry; i'm sorry for overreacting. you can't control what your parents forced onto you."
"maybe not, but i'm speaking to the same witch who i shamed for seven years because of her blood."
"you were a pretty ruthless child."
"i'm sorry, hermione, for all i put you through."
"thank you," hermione said with a small smile.
hogwarts castle - may 7, 1998
hermione walked back into the hall and stepped onto the staircase, her lips tilted into a small smile as her hand ghosted around the same wrist draco had caught in his hand.
she was coming to love the conversations between her and the former death eater. he seemed to occupy her thoughts now, no matter what she did to try to rid herself of the thought of him.
"hermione!" minevera mcgonagall called out from on one of the moving staircases above the one hermione was currently taking.
"one moment!" hermione called before apparating up to where her old professor was currently standing.
"i was wondering if you would care to assist me in rebuilding one of the walls in the eastern corridor? it seemed to have crumbled during the battle, and i just now noticed it on my rounds."
"of course i would."
the two waited until the staircase finished shifting to allow them to move onto the landing of the fifth floor. they walked down the corridor together, relishing in the companionable silence instead of engaging in small talk.
getting to the eastern corridor, hermione could already see the crumbled remains of the wall that mcgonagall was talking about.
together, they levitated parts of the remains and sealed the wall into a solid shape that would hold up for many years to come.
"where do you keep wandering out to after dinner?" mcgonagall asked softly, not wanting to disturb the levitation charm that hermione was working on.
"i've been seeing an old acquaintance from school on the bridge." hermione ventured cautiously, her focus torn in two between the headmistress and the wall.
"would this acquaintance happen to be a certain blonde-haired individual?"
hermione yelped as her concentration shattered and the rubble she had been lifting came crashing down with a resounding thud on the rocky floor. her eyes shifted between the pile and mcgonagall quickly.
"i-"
"no, don't say anything that would require me to take action. i think the situation remains within hypotheticals for now."
composing herself within the bounds of trust her old professor was placing in her, hermione spoke quickly, "hypothetically, this old acquaintance of mine might have proven to me in our conversations that he has renounced the old ways and is currently working towards embracing the kinder side of himself."
"i see, i see." mcgonagall murmured to herself, lost in her recollection of what both snape and dumbledore had confided in her about the young boy. "i suppose this hypothetical man could be considered for sanctuary in the school, if the need was ever to arise."
hermiones head swung once more towards her friend, her eyes taking in the old woman with a new light. she saw the lines grief and war had etched onto her face, but also the strength in her nimble frame. she no longer saw the old woman consumed by grief for the families affected during the war; instead seeing the strength one woman could offer to an entire school of children and adults alike.
"i think he would appreciate the offer if it was handed to him."
"then, if you were ever to engage in another conversation with our hypothetical young man, be sure to offer my condolences on the situation his mother has found herself, but also the offer of sanctuary, should he ever need a place to hide. there are many - hypothetical - rooms in this castle that could support a young man of his stature, should he come to need a place to stay."
"thank you, from the both of us."
rochester, new york - may 9, 1998
draco swept through the house, his unbuttoned shirt billowing around him. hermione had informed him of the truce mcgonagall had proposed between him and his past. he had been shocked, to say the least. he knew that mcgonagall was a wonderful woman, and an even better headmistress, but he didn't know the depths of her compassion reached former death eaters as well.
he didn't know what to do.
on one hand, he was tired of being holed up in this house. it had long since faded from a home to a house to him, and he had no doubt that it would never become a home ever again. he had no chance of raising a family with anyone in the magical community since he had been placed on the ministry's most wanted list along with the rest of the death eaters. even now, the mark shown dark on his forearm as a reminder of all of the pain and suffering he had induced on the castle and the rest of the students at hogwarts.
on the other hand, he couldn't seriously go back to the castle. for all he knew, the second he stepped foot in the castle potter and weasley would kill him. or, even worse, hermione or mcgonagall - or any of the other students or teachers assisting in the rebuild - would turn him in to the aurors of the ministry and he would face the same fate as the rest of the death eaters.
he couldn't go to azkaban, that would ruin his life further. he would cease to exist in any capacity of the phrase. the other death eaters would praise him for how long he had held out before being captured, but he had no doubt that he would be given nothing less than the dementor's kiss for his resiliance.
but hermione had shown him true kindness these past three days; kindness that no one else had in a very, very long time.
he knew what he had to do.
brockdale bridge - may 10, 1998
draco was waiting for hermione when she appeared opposite him on the edge of the bridge. he dangled his legs off the edge of the side of the bridge that had been collapsed by neville and ginny weasley. his hands rested in his lap, but his hat remained on his head today.
"the thinking man is more powerful than the thoughtless, or my father once said." hermione noted while remaining at a distance opposite to him.
"your father sounds like a smart man," draco said while looking up to meet her eyes. there was a strength behind them that he hadn't noticed before.
"he was."
draco stood and apparated to her side in a quick heartbeat.
"i've been thinking about mcgonagall's offer." he said in a firm voice.
"have you come to a decision?"
"i've decided that i'd like to embrace hogwarts as my temporary safe haven until i can find a less imposing place of housing."
"i'm glad to hear that," hermione paused, part of his revelation catching her off guard. "where have you been staying?"
"at an old summer home of my family's."
"do you need to collect any belongings before you find lodging within the castle?"
"there's nothing there that i want anymore."
"not even clothing? i'd assume with your rather expensive taste in clothing that you would wish to bring some from home?"
"i've brought it all with me; shrinking charms work wonders."
"again, your repertoire surprises me."
"what? you don't think a malfoy could master a simple shrinking charm?"
"i have no doubt that at one time or another you've used it, but remembering it is quite the different thing."
"i suppose you're right," draco said with pause. "now, should we walk on?"
"we may have to side-along to where you would be lodging. i wouldn't fancy risking attention from certain students."
"i suspected as much."
"i'm sorry, draco." hermione's eyes glinted with remorse. "some people aren't as ready to embrace change, even when it stares them straight in the eyes and says hello."
"i made a great deal of mistakes throughout my time at hogwarts; i don't expect people to forgive me so easily, if at all."
"oh, i suspect that forgiveness resides in your future. it's just going to take time to gain acceptance from the majority."
"i suppose you must be right."
"shall we get on?"
draco nodded as hermione grasped his hand, their fingers intertwining out of comfort rather than necessity. neither made a move to pull their fingers away, so hermione closed her eyes and thought of the corridor her and mcgonagall had repaired yesterday with draco in mind. they snapped away easily.
sixth floor northern corridor, hogwarts castle - may 10, 1998
the two landed with a soft thud on their feet, hands intertwined together still. hermione was the first to let go before showing draco through to the classroom in the corner that they had transformed into a living space.
there had been enough room to include a full bedroom set up, along with a commons area that had a fireplace and a small table for wizards chess or any other things that you could want. there was a queen sized bed, a nightstand, and a trunk at the foot of the bed. in the room that had once been the teachers office resided the bathroom, with its floor to ceiling shower, toilet, and double sink with a mirror the length of both sinks. the walls were a pleasant beige color that didn't seem too brass or too bland.
"you're free to dress up or dress down anything, along with transforming any of the colors or furniture to your liking, as long as nothing would result or warrent your reporting to the ministry." hermione told him, standing in the doorway as he looked around. "the house elves have been informed of your arrival and will deliver meals to your room should you want them. is there anything else that you need before i head off?"
"where are you and the other students staying?" draco asked, coming out of the bathroom after finding it agreeable.
"we sleep in the great hall, dine there, and spend most of the day doing repair work in various areas of the castle. not to worry though, the northern corridor on this floor has been repaired and the structural integrity was checked by yours truly, so no one should be along to bother you during your stay."
"thank you, hermione. and please express my gratitude to the new headmistress."
"i'll do that."
when hermione had made it out of the doorway and made to shut the door, draco got in one last question,
"if i need you, where can i find you?"
"i'm not sure. you can always call whichever house elf delivers your morning meal and ask; they're aware of each of our whereabouts during the day and night."
"my gratitude, again. this is very kind of you to do; i know how much this puts you and the rest of the castle's occupants at risk with the ministry."
"i'm helping out a... friend." hermione said. "there's no need to thank me."
draco nodded and hermione shut the door before both released breaths that they hadn't known they were holding.