Disclaimer: I don’t, and never will, own Harry Potter.

          The camp was dark and humid, yet there was still the feeling of the chilling wind. The war was over, as it had been for months, but the wizarding world had yet still to rebuild. It had been a long several months for everyone involved, but mostly for one; Hermione Granger. 

     The young heroine had no place to go since she sold her parent's home after clearing their memories. So in the camp she sat reading book after book, watching family after family leave when their home had been rebuilt and relocated. Yet there she sat, with no news, and no friends. 

     Harry and Ron were at the camp, but they rarely talked to Hermione. She knew that Harry was busy with the reporters that came almost every day still, but Hermione also knew Harry was catching up for lost time with Ginny. 

     As for Ron, he was busy too. He had become the camp storyteller... one on one with anybody pretty enough. Not that Hermione cared. Maybe she cared just a little. Scratch that, she was top level, fuming, red faced jealous. However Ron seemed to think he could do much better that bookworm muggleborn Granger. 

     It was a humid day in August when the newly elected Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, came to visit the camp. A reporter had just recently gone up to Ron to ‘talk’. The reporter listened, along with Hermione, to Ron bragging about finding the basilisk and opening the chamber, and all events before and after. Hermione got tired of it all, and left. She headed to the familiar woods nearby. 

     Unfortunately, she came across Harry and Ginny, which was quite an unpleasant view, and Hermione quickly walked deeper into the woods. After fifteen minutes at least of walking, Hermione heard the voice that she had been wanting to avoid since second year. 

     "Yes, well my mother is very excited to have another woman to talk to, ever since her sister died in the war." Came the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. "Of course, it would have been nice to have a pureblood..."

     "Now Draco, that is the talk we have been wanting to avoid since the end of the wizarding war. You should know how much blood purity has affected our outlook on certain wizards." Hermione recognized the calm voice immediately. It was the voice of Kingsley Shacklbolt, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. 

     Hermione ducked behind a tree as they passed, so preoccupied in hiding that she did not notice the appearance of Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. Hermione also failed to notice that the conversion had changed, and they were talking about WFPS, or Wizards in Favor of Pureblood Supremacy, and how past Death Eaters had formed it. They were talking about the dangers that Hermione, Harry, and other war veterans and heroes were in. 

    Hermione returned to camp, and by the time she had arrived, night had fallen. The mosquitoes were being held back by a spell and unfortunately the spell did not reach the forest. Hermione became uncomfortable from all the bites. 

    Kingsley was pacing when Hermione entered the magically expanded tent where she temporarily lived. Air coming from the vents blew Hermione's hair in every direction. She stopped in the middle of her stride. Draco was leaning on her bed post wearing olive green muggle jeans and a tight black muscle shirt. She didn’t even see Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini standing near him. 

     Hermione tensed, her heart racing. Why did her eyes continue wandering to Draco over and over? Why couldn't she direct her stare at Kingsley and keep it there? 

     “There you are Hermione.”  Said Kingsley in a calm, yet obviously relieved voice. Hermione’s eyes snapped to Kingsley. “Will you please go get Harry and Ron?”

     “What’s going on?” Hermione demanded. “Why are you all here?”

     Draco rolled his eyes. "Granger, I though you were supposed to be smart. When Voldemort died, many death eaters escaped. Including my father." At the last sentence Draco's demeanor changed. His haughty stance seamed to fall for a second, as if it were rammed down by a flood of memories of his family before the rise of the Dark Lord. 

     But then the protective wall that Draco built to shelter himself from the hate that surrounded him on all sides rose up again, as if he had realized he had let down his perfect pureblood stance, and he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. 

     "Gosh Granger, for a war hero you do know little about the world around you" he snarled. He stalked off to the other end of the tent where Pansy and Blaise were talking lightly. 

     The minister turned to Hermione. "Though Mr. Malfoy stated it rather rudely, the idea is correct. There are still over seven original Death Eaters from Voldemort's inner circle that are missing and our sources say that the number of followers they are gaining are growing." Hermione frowned. "Please go get Harry and Ron. Thank you. "

     Hermione turned slowly, her mind reeling with the new information provided by the minister. She turned slowly, and took a slow, wobbling, unsure step out the tent door. She was thinking too much about the new information that she didn't watch where she was going. She snagged her foot on the tent ropes and sprawled do the ground. As she looked upward she saw the faces of the three Slytherins, but all the faces were blurred but one; Draco's. His stone grey eyes looked not cold, but warm and smiling, but he faked a laugh to please his fellow Slytherins. Hermione realized she had never looked at Draco closely and realized how she pitied him. 

     His father joined the Dark Lord, and all his mother wanted to do was keep the family together. His aunt was a deranged murderer who loved physical violence. His family life seemed....

     "What you staring at, mudblood?" Sneered Draco as Hermione scrambled to stand. The Slytherins laughed. 

    "Pathetic!" Giggled Pansy. Hermione was flushing a deep fuchsia when she crawled to her knees outside the tent. She went searching for Ron first, deciding she should get the worst over with first, and so that Harry could not see her embarrassment as she came upon  Ron, whatever he was doing. 

     She sighed. "Hermione?!" Came the annoying French voice Hermione had been lucky enough not to hear often since the Delacour-Weasley wedding. Gabrielle. "Hermione!" She repeated. "Have you zeen ze Weasley boy? I 'ave been looking for quite a while."

     "Funny you should say that" Hermione said through her teeth. "So was I. "

     "You? " Asked Gabrielle, smiling as though she didn't think Hermione could ever attract the attention of anyone. "Take me with you." she said briskly after thinking for a moment. 

     Hermione responded a short moment later. "I think I know where he is." She realized that the only way to make Gabrielle truly mad was to show her where Ron was, and give her the entire truth. With her head bowed to hide her small smile, she headed to where she had seen Ron last. Her intuition was correct. 

     "Ron!" Gabrielle squealed. Ron quickly untangled himself from his latest reporter, and jumped to stand up. He ran a hand though his messed up hair, and gave his most charming smile. Nope. Gabrielle still looked like she just smelled something horrible. 

     "I 'ad come to zee 'ou Ronald." She said coldly. "But I zee 'oi ar busy." While she was talking, her stance grew more confident, yet cold. She pivoted on a single rose gold heel. 

      "Wait! Gabrielle!" Ron broke into a jog, ignoring Hermione who was trying in vain to get his attention. He was thrown back and landed at Hermione's feet at a flick of Gabrielle's wand. 

      "Wait!" Ron said weakly, but desperately. He had obviously had the wind knocked out of him. "Wait!!!" Hermione was about to aim a sharp kick at his head, but thought better of it since it would be hard to explain to the minister. 

      Hermione kneeled gently next to Ron and whispered "She told me she came to tell you she's engaged." As soon as the words came from her mouth, she regretted it. A slow tear tricked down his face he wiped it away quickly, but she still noticed. He finally regained his breath and stood up. 

      "What is it, Hermione?"

      "What?" Asked Hermione, disoriented for a minute. 

      "You were looking for me. Why?" 

      "Oh! Right. Of course. Um the minister needs to see you know. And Harry too. Like, now." A depressed Ron and guilty Hermione trudged across the camp site to find Harry. Together, the golden trio went up to the Minister of Magic. 

     "Ferret." Ron said sharply to Draco. 

     "Weasel, Potter." Sneered Draco. Harry nodded. 

      The griffindor boys both greeted the minister. 

     "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I trust you are well? It is time to get to the point of this sudden, and hopefully brief, meeting. Harry, you killed Voldemort, a very brave act indeed. However, 7 death eaters from his inner circle are loose. They are abroad gaining followers. You are to be sent to safe houses." The minister informed the male 2 of the golden trio. "What is it Mr. Weasley?" Ron had rudely interrupted the second before. 

      "Why are they here?" Ron asked indignantly.  

      "They are to be your hosts." The minister said, without expression. The golden three stood identically, with their mouths gaping open. 

     "Our hosts? You mean who we have to live with?" Harry gasped. 

     "Oi! What do you think we are? Saints? We'll kill each other! Bloody hell!"

     "Mr. Weasley, please calm yourself. It is but temporary." The minister looked as though he had expected the reaction. "Mr. Potter, you are going to the Zambini household. Ronald, you were going to go to the Malfoy home, however you two have a bit of a 'history', so your host will be the Parkinson's. "

     "But that leaves..." Ron's face was scrunched up in thought. 

     “Yes, Weasel. Me.”

Disclaimer: Still don’t own Hp... sorry...

 "But that leaves..." Ron's face was scrunched up in thought.

     “Yes, Weasel. Me.”

     Hermione’s heart skipped a beat. She was staying with him. With mixed feelings, she turned to see the reaction of those that had been her friends since 1st year. She saw Harry’s shocked face, filled with disbelief, and for a second, Hermione thought Ron wasn’t there, but she looked down and saw Ron had tackled Draco, and was attempting to punch him in the face. With aparent ease, Draco rolled over, and pinned a still fighting Ron to the ground. When Ron stoped wriggling, Draco whipered something in him ear that no one else heard. This made Ron more mad, and he tried fighting again, but with no prevail. When he calmed down, Draco let him up. Though Ron was panting, Draco hadn’t even broken a sweat, Hermione noticed. She cursed at herself, and looked away.

     “Minister, this is Hermione we’re talking about here.” Said Ron, still gasping for breath.

     “Brawling wouldnt have gotten you anywhere, Mr. Weasley.” Kingsley said calmly. “Our plans are still the same. Mr. Zabini, please lead Mr. Potter to the edge of the forest to apparate to your home.” Harry and Blaise left. The minister checked his watch. “In one minute Mr. Weasley and Ms. Parkinson will leave as well. Oh, and Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley told me to inform you she is safe in another Slytherin’s home, and will visit soon. Mr. Weasley, Ms. Parkinson, you may go to the edge of the forest and apparate from there. Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, are you ready to leave in 52 seconds?”

     Both Draco and Hermione nodded. After a very awkward and long 5/6 of a minute, Draco and Hermione leave to the edge of the forest. Draco stops outside the boundaries and Hermione comes up to his side. They stand awkwardly for a second, until Draco breaks the silence. “You’ll need to grab my arm now Granger.” He smirked. She reached out, not looking him in the eye, and quickly grabbed his arm. With a crack, they left for Malfoy Manor.

     They landed sharply on the stone walkway, and walking to the gate. Hermione realizes she is still holding Draco’s arm, and quickly lets go. They both blush a deep crimson, and then, the awe inspiring Malfoy Manor is seen by Hermione. It is dark, but much less so then the last time she had been there. The aura of it had completely changed to a less foreboding style. They walked together to the gate, and Draco said “Draco Malfoy delivering Hermione Granger to the residency.” The gate opened, and they walked to the door. Hermione walked through the door first, and was enveloped in some thing as soon as she crossed the threshhold. A trap?! she though, but then Narcissa Malfoy stopped hugging her and held her an arm’s length away.

      “Hermione! You are even more beautiful than Dra... than last time I saw you!” Hermione didn’t notice the slip up but Draco stared daggers at his mother. Looking a little shocked at the warm welcome, she thanked Narcissa. “Come on in! We can have a drink. Coffee or tea?”

     “Tea please.” Hermione answered automatically, as she was staring at the room she was in. Light was streaming through the now open windows, landing on the hardwood floors. The walls had been painted a delicate, not dark, green, and the room looked welcoming.

      “I’ve taken up redoing the inside of the manor since my Lucius left.” said Narcisaa. She looked at Hermione’s face, trying to read her expression. Bursting out in a grin, Hermione told her it was wonderful, and asked for a tour. As Narcissa and Hermione walked away talking, Draco smiled bitter sweetly, and closed the front door. He felt forgotten, and he walked toward the fireplace.

      “Hermione dear, I do hope you’ll enjoy your stay. Your room is right though here.” Narcissa threw open a door, and Hermione stepped in. Two walls were lined with bookshelve, floor to ceiling. The third wall was painted red, and there was her bed, with Griffindor hanging above the head of the bed. on the fourth wall was a fireplace, large enough to lie down in. Surrounding it was a loveseat and two sofas, with a table covered in books in the middle.

     Awestruc, Hermione hugged Narcissa, and ran to read the titles of the nearest books. “Draco designed is specially” Narcissa cocked her head to the side. “Do you hear voices?” Hermione said she did, and the two walked downstairs. Hermione, still pondering the designer of her room, didn’t notice Ginny until she was hugging her.

     “We have so much to talk about!” Ginny gushed.

     “Ive missed you so Ginny!” Ginny had left some months ago to help with the rebuilding efforts. Leading Ginny to her room, Hermione asked Ginny when she showed up.

     “Well, Draco invited Theo, and said I may as well come along and see you!” Hermione smiled confusedly. Draco invited her? She didn’t have much time to think it over, because Ginny had already started taking at high speeds. Tuning her out, Hermione thought about Draco, their past, and current events.

1st Year

   “Anyway, we’d better go and look for Neville’s toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon.”

     Neville and Hermione left Ron and Harry in their compartment. Crabbe and Goyou left the next compartment over, looking pleased with themselves  Hermione almost passed by the compartment they had exited, but then she say the blond, pale, nervouse looking boy inside. Neville muttered something about going to change into his robes, and left. Hermione, however, knocked, and entered.

        “Hermione. Hermione Granger. What can I call you?” She asked Draco, all in one breath. 

         Smiling shyly, Draco introduced himself. “Personall, I hope I’m in Griffindor.” Hermione said. “And you?”

         “My whole family’s been in Slytherin.” Said Draco looking glum.

         “I hope you break the tradition Draco. What’s your favorite chapter in Hogwarts: A history?”

Great Hall: Sorting

“Malfoy, Draco! Slytherin!” Draco walked sadly to his seat, and sneaked a glance at Hermione. Sitting next to Harry Potter. Jealousy gurgled up inside him and he decided he hated Harry and Ron. She laughed, throwing back her head, so her curls bounced. He punched the table.

Library: First Year

     “Gryffindor? Why, Hermione?” Draco yelled. Madam Pince glared at him. “And Potter?” 

      “Draco! Please don’t be mad!” Said Hermione, tears welling up in her eyes. 

      “I have ever right! Didn’t you care at all?” Draco asked, his eyes equally tear-filled. 

         “We‘ll still see each other!”

         “Maybe we shouldn’t.”

Owlery: Second Year

     “They think it’s you, Draco. They think you’re the heir of Slytherin.”

       “Why’d you come then? To find out?” Draco said accusingly.

      “No! Just to say... I believe it isn’t you.” Hermione looked down at her lap.

Year 4: The Room of Requirement

         “Draco, things are happening, and you can’t deny it!”

         “Then maybe... we shouldn’t... to be safe...”

         ”Bye Draco.”

      It had been 6 weeks since Hermione Granger moved into Malfoy Manor, and all it had done was bring back memories. His father finding out about him talking to Hermione, threatening to kill her. It had brought back the nightmares he hadn’t had in months. He tried to take out all his feelings by making those 6 weeks hell for Hermione. Bullying her, teasing her. 

      It had been 6 weeks since Hermione Granger moved into Malfoy Manor, and all it had done was remind her what a bully Draco Malfoy could be. At least Narcissa Malfoy was like a mother to her, taking care of her, and helping her. It had brought back the nightmares she hadn’t had in months. She buried her anger and made it her strength, becoming a stronger, smarter witch.

         He missed her. She missed him. They missed first year, when they were friends, when there was no war, no blood on their hands, and they were innocent. He missed when he could look into her deep brown eyes and see things other that pure hatred. She missed when she could look into his perfect grey eyes and see things other than mocking looks.

         Fed up by those feelings, he took up residence in the dungeon. Lacewing flies and Bicorn Horn went missing, and a month later, so did the hair from a muggle in the town near by.

        Hermione was sitting on a couch reading, when she heard a knock. “Come in?” She said uncertainly. 

      Draco entere, only he didn’t look like Draco. He was 3 inches shorter, with raven colored hair and kind, blue eyes. “Hello. I’m Lennon, Lennon Anagnus. The minister sent me here because the Death Eaters are after me.”

     “Oh, you too?” Said Hermione sympathetically. “The same with me. I’ve been trapped here 10 weeks.”

     “I’ve been searching for a way to find Death Eaters and their supporter. I want to create a new spell.” This was not a lie. He had been trying since he was 14, but he had told no one. 

      “That’s amazing! Can I help? I’m Hermione Granger. They killed my friends, so I want to help.”

     “The library’s great here, have you seen it?”

     “Library? Where?!”

     “Through here.” Draco alais Lennon ran from the room.

     “Wait!” Hermione giggled, running after him. She caught him, grabbing his arm, and he ran off. They were dashing through the halls, hand in hand, laughing. Draco stopped quickly at the library. Hermione looked up and gasped. A three story high ladder reached to the top shelf. It was a maze of bookcases, and a rainbow of books. “This is amazing!” She ran to the nearest shelf searching the titles.

2 years later

     It was Hermione’s 24th birthday. During her vacation, Narcissa had fallen in love and gotten married with a muggleborn wizard, and moved to live in a small home near her sister. Hermione thought Draco had gone with her, and Narcissa thought Draco was home with Hermione. 

     Aftr breakfast in bed, made by Draco, still under the name Lennon, Hermione had called Ginny for a girl’s day out. It was night, and they were sitting eating a dinner by candlelight in the library, their favorite room.

     They got up, done eating and Draco was about to go get the cake when Hermione stopped him. “I can’t wait anymore, Lennon. Your name means love, and I love you. Today, I went to St. Mungo’s. Babe, I’m pregnant.” As if he had apparate to her side, he was there in a flash, wrapping his arms around her, lifting her off the floor and kissing her. She ran her hand though his raven hair, only the black color was slowly turning blond, and he grew three inches. She opened her eyes, expecting to see blue, but instead, she saw grey. 

     She screamed, letting go of him and leaping back. “What have you done to him?” She yelled, throwing everything within her reach at him, though she didn’t aim well through her tears. Not noticing his transformation, he took a step toward her. “Don’t come a step closer, Malfoy,” she spat. He looked in the mirror to his left, and saw his mistake. It had been over an hour since he last drank the potion. He was Draco Malfoy once more.

     “I can explain, Hermione!”