This chapter is dedicated to all my reviewers. I love all of you!
Hermione and Draco stood in their graduation robes by the lake. Fireworks exploded and other students cheered in the background, but the two of them were completely unaware of anything in their surroundings.
"Where was it you said you were going to?" Hermione asked.
"I'm going to London to work for the Ministry of Magic. Hopefully as far away from my father as possible," Draco responded.
"How are you going to manage that? Won't he be watching everything you do?"
"Possibly, but don't worry, I can deal with him." He said this with a smile - how alike Hermione it was to worry about him in everything he did.
"I'm going to miss you so much, Draco. I...I don't know what I'll do without you. I feel like I'm losing a part of me." Tears glimmered on Hermione's cheeks as she said this in a choked whisper.
"Maybe..." Draco started to say, but was cut off by one of his friends approaching and tapping him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Malfoy, come on they're going to set off the final firework. You've gotta see this one."
"Yeah, one sec," he replied. "I'm busy here, Jayl." His friend took the hint, and ran off. Draco chuckled as he turned back to Hermione. "Sorry about that," he said.
"It's okay," she answered, smiling at him. "What were you going to say?"
"Hermione...I've been thinking about this for a few months now. You know that I love you more than anything."
In the background, the chant of voices could be heard, counting down to the set-off of the last firework. "Three!" they screamed.
"I know, Draco. It's how I feel about you too."
"I wouldn't be able to stand not being with you either. So I've come up with a way for us to be together after today..."
"Two!"
"What is it?" Hermione asked, her voice barely audible. She looked up at Draco, and the expression on her face showed that she knew what he was about to say next.
"Hermione Granger," said Draco as he got down on one knee, "Will you marry me?"
"ONE!!!"
Fireworks exploded in the distance, forming the Hogwarts crest in brilliant, sparkling lights. Hermione fell onto the ground in front of Draco and started weeping into his shoulder. "Yes," she said, her voice trembling with happiness. "Yes I will."
Her heart filled with love as she looked up at him and saw that tears were glimmering in his eyes too. Looking around, she tried to engrave everything from this moment into her soul forever: every image, every sound, every emotion. It was all so perfect, and she never wanted to forget it. Ever.
"What will your father say?" she asked as the fireworks finally died down.
"It doesn't matter, Hermione. He can't affect me anymore. Nothing can. What will your parents say, though?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't think they'll be too happy about me going into such a commitment so early in my life, but they'll..." she swallowed, knowing the next words might touch a nerve of Draco's, "...support me nonetheless."
She saw a streak of wistfulness flit across his face at her response, but it was gone in a split second. He smiled at her in a rather forced way, and said, "That's good." Then, as if not wanting to carry the conversation on, he added, "Come on, lets go inside and get our stuff."
Hermione nodded, also glad for the excuse to stop discussing it. This was their moment and she didn't want a stupid comment of her's to ruin it. She quietly slipped her hand into Draco's, and the two of them walked back to the castle and to their dormitory in silence.
An hour later, all of their belongings were gathered and packed into two suitcases which now lay by the portrait, ready to go. "I don't want to leave," Hermione said, looking around at her room. She would miss Hogwarts more than anything; it had been her home for 7 years and she couldn't imagine a life without it.
Draco walked over to where she stood by her bed. "I know," he said quietly. "It was the place I came to escape from my father."
Hermione sighed and turned to him. "I think it was everyone's sanctuary. Everyone had something they wanted to leave behind, and Hogwarts gave them the comfort and protection they craved. It was great, but there's another more dominant reason why I'll miss it so much."
"What's that?" he asked.
"It's where I first met you. I've spent some of the best moments of my life here with you. Becase of that, Hogwarts will always have a special place in my heart."
He smiled down at her and kissed her. "Me too."
Moving closer to him, Hermione pressed her lips against his again. The passion and intensity of their kiss mounted as Draco ran his tongue along Hermione's bottom lip, silently begging for entrance to her mouth. She complied, and parted her lips slightly. He ran his hands down her sides and firmly brought her down onto the bed beside him, holding the kiss the entire time.
Eventually, the kiss faded into tiny, loving pecks every few seconds. At last, Hermione mustered up the willpower to pull away She scooted back and curled up on the bed, then gestured for Draco to lie down next to her. He complied by lying down and wrapping his arms loosely around her. Smiling sleepily, Hermione let the comfort and feeling of protection she got from being held by Draco, combined with fatigue from the day's events, take over her and carry her to the land of dreams.
Draco smiled slightly when he felt heard Hermione's breathing become deeper and more rhythmic. He quietly pulled himself up, resting his weight on one elbow, and looked down at her sleeping face. She's so perfect, he thought as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. My beautiful white rose.
The next morning, Hermione woke up to the glare of the sun on her face. Before opening her eyes, she searched her mind, trying to remember what had happened the previous night. A faint rustling beside her brought the memories back to her, and she opened her eyes at last. Shifting her position so that she was facing Draco, a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. Something about the serenity of his facial expression brought back the memory of the time she had stood in his doorway, gazing at his sleeping form. He had looked like an angel, just as he did now - her angel.
"Hermione?" came his sleepy voice, interrupting her thoughts.
"Good morning," she whispered, snuggling against him and resting her cheek against his chest.
He nodded, and yawned. Sitting up, he smiled down at her. "Thanks for staying here with me last night," he murmured.
"You too," she responded. Her eyes twinkled as she looked up at him. "You might want to fix your robes."
Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Draco looked down at himself and blushed. His robes were wrinkled and tangled around his body from sleeping the whole night through in them, as were his school tie and blouse. "Oh the shame," he said playfully, trying to readjust and smooth out his garments as best as he could. "Take one good look, Granger, this is the only time you'll see me like this."
Hermione laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "We'll see about that, Malfoy."
"Anyway, we should probably be going now," he remarked, making no move to get out of bed. "The train is leaving this afternoon and we have to say good-bye to everyone."
"Probably," Hermione said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But I suppose we can stay here a few minutes longer..."
"Of course," he agreed. Lying back down on the bed, he pulled Hermione close to him and breathed in the scent of her hair. "I think I can get used to waking up beside you every morning."
Two months later, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were married by the shore of the lake.
They were found dead in their living room, lying side by side on the ground. Surprisingly enough, their faces weren't even marked with terror - only by calmness and serenity, as if they had known what was coming. Hermione's hand lay over her breast where a letter written to her by Draco in their 7th year was found. Knowing her, she probably carried that around next to her heart the entire four years of their marriage.
Even five years after their death, the world still mourns for them. Draco sacrificed his very life, and that of his wife, in an attempt to alert everyone of the evil that lay among us. It was their deaths that sparked the beginning of the second war. Enraged by the murders of two innocent people, the Ministry finally realized that the only way to end this was if they rose up against the dark powers. I fought alongside them for good, yes; but mainly, I fought for Hermione and Draco. After ten long months of war, I finally killed Voldemort, and it was for Hermione and Draco.
My biggest regret is that I never got to apologize to either of them before they were attacked. The last time I ever talked to her was that night in 7th year when we were in the Gryffindor common room - I didn't even look at her at the masquerade ball or our graduation ceremony. I guess it was just jealousy. I was jealous of Draco for taking her away from Ron and I. And I never got the chance to tell her that I cared for her and to thank her for giving me so much support through my toughest years. Not only that, I never told Draco that I was sorry for all those years we bickered like little kids. When I reflect back on all that I lost because of my stupidity and boyish stubborness, tears come to my eyes - and I'm hardly one to cry.
Everyone says I was the hero of the second war. Only those who truly knew of the love Hermione and Draco had would disagree. Unfortunately, no one ever did. The divisions in our houses prevented everyone from accepting their relationship. The truth is, we all admired it, although we would never admit it. They went against everything that had been set in stone about Gryffindor and Slytherin, two opposing houses. Their love was tried to the limit, and even then, they still held onto it and each other. I knew; everytime I saw Hermione with him back in our last year at Hogwarts, I saw only the purest devotion in her eyes.
Their only son, Nathan Malfoy, is now in my care. He is the only reminder the world has of the strongest love it has ever known. Someday, little Nathan will live my life - never knowing just how amazing his parents were, never truly understanding the history behind his fame, and never receiving the love he can only get from his birth parents. I'm determined to make a difference, though. I will give him all that I can to ensure him the life his father never had. And hopefully someday when he grows up, he will have all the glory his parents never achieved in life.
Once, a reporter asked me to summarize the relationship Hermione and Draco had in three words. I told her they were meant to be. - Harry Potter, June 23, 2006
[A/N: I can't end this without a few last words of thanks to my reviewers. I love you guys soo much and each of your reviews inspired me to keep writing and posting. Reading your comments always made my day. Once again, thank you all for reading, and make sure to check out my other fics every once in a while :)]