A/N – Thanks for all the great support for this story, which was always just intended to be a fun, fluffy story.
I also just want to remind people about my series of outtakes and added extra's I'm planning on starting soon. So if there's anything mentioned in this story or any of my others that you want to read more about, just let me know and I'll add them to my list of things to work on.
Sunday came round all too quickly for Draco and Hermione's liking and before they knew it they were preparing to return to school. After one last dinner at the Manor, the pair got their bags from Draco's room and headed back to the front room.
"It was lovely meeting you, Hermione." Narcissa smiled at the Gryffindor once she had said goodbye to her son. "Although I'm sure this visit won't be your last."
"Thank you very much for having me, Mrs Malfoy." Hermione said, after agreeing she would probably be back for another visit one day. "I've had a lovely time."
"Come on you two, it's time to go." Lucius said, activating the floo network.
Lucius stepped into the flames first, followed by Draco then Hermione. When they arrived at Hogwarts, they emerged into Dumbledore's office where the Headmaster was waiting for them, alongside Professor Flitwick.
"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, it's nice to have you back." Dumbledore smiled at the two students. "And of course, it's nice to have you back to normal."
"Thanks to me." Lucius muttered.
"Yes, thank you Lucius. We greatly appreciate your help in the matter." Dumbledore nodded at the blond man before turning back to the two teenagers. "Your belongings have already been returned to your normal rooms, so things will go back to normal from now on."
"Of course." Hermione nodded, already wishing her and Draco were about to head off to their own private rooms.
"I think it's time you two went back to your common rooms. I'm sure you both want to catch up with your friends." Dumbledore said to the pair. "And Lucius, could you fill Filius and myself in on how you broke the spell?" He added, turning to the older Malfoy.
Lucius nodded and settled down to explain to Dumbledore and Flitwick how he achieved something they couldn't manage to do. Leaving the adults to talk, Hermione and Draco left Dumbledore's office and made their way down into the school. The couple meandered slowly through the corridors, until they came to a stop outside the Gryffindor common room.
"It looks like it's back to normal now." Draco sighed.
"I guess so." Hermione replied. "I'm really going to miss sleeping next to you."
"Me too." Draco said, dropping his bag onto the floor and wrapping his arms around Hermione. "I wish we were still in our own private little dorm."
"So do I, but we just have to make the best of the situation we have now." Hermione replied. "I'm sure we can find somewhere to go to be alone."
"I'm sure we can." Draco grinned before leaning down and pressing his lips against Hermione's.
Hermione and Draco stood kissing for several minutes before the portrait of The Fat Lady made her presence felt. Reluctantly parting Draco picked up his bag and said goodbye to Hermione. As Draco headed off to the dungeons, Hermione turned to The Fat Lady, who was grinning at her.
"I never thought I would see you kissing a Slytherin." The Fat Lady remarked.
"Well you better get used to it, because it will be happening a lot more now." Hermione smiled. "Now can you open up and let me in."
"I need the password." The Fat Lady said.
"I don't have the password." Hermione said, suddenly worrying that she would be locked out all night. "Please, you know who I am. You know I'm a Gryffindor."
"Rules are rules." The Fat Lady replied. "Sorry, but no password, no entry."
Hermione was just about to begin panicking when suddenly the portrait opened and Neville Longbottom emerged.
"Neville, I could hug you." Hermione said, rushing forward and darting into the common room.
The second Hermione stepped into the Gryffindor common room she was surrounded by her friends. After giving them all a hug, Hermione extradited herself from their clutches.
"It's good to see you guys, I've missed you." Hermione said with a smile.
"We've missed you too." Harry replied.
"Yeah, I can't believe you had to stay with Malfoy for a few extra weeks. It must have been terrible for you." Ron added.
"Actually it wasn't." Hermione said. "I had a great time at the Manor and I'm looking forward to going back."
"Back? Why would you go back?" Ron queried.
"To see Draco and spend some time with him." Hermione answered.
"Does that mean you're a couple now?" Ginny asked excitedly. "Was I right?"
"Yeah, you were right Gin." Hermione laughed. "Draco and I are together."
"That's great." Ginny declared, hugging Hermione. "Isn't that great, guys." She said, staring at Harry and Ron in a way that let them know they weren't to cause trouble.
"It's odd." Harry said to Hermione. "But if you're happy, then I'm pleased for you."
"Thanks Harry." Hermione smiled at her friend before turning to Ron. "Ron, do you have anything to say?"
"Malfoy? You're dating Malfoy?" Ron shook his head as though he was having trouble understanding what was happening. "That's so weird."
"You're not going to cause trouble are you?" Hermione asked, unsure how Ron was taking the news.
"No, I'm not going to cause trouble." Ron reassured Hermione. "It'll take some getting used to and I think your choice of boyfriend is weird, but I'll get used to it I suppose."
Hermione smiled at her friends, before asking about their holidays and what they had been up to since returning to school a few weeks earlier. After talking with her friends for another hour Hermione headed off to bed. Sleeping back up in Gryffindor Tower felt strange and it took her an eternity to fall asleep without the comforting presence of Draco next to her.
The next morning over breakfast both Draco's friends and Hermione's friends noticed how distracted the couple were. Neither had been particularly talkative back in their respective dorms but the minute they set eyes on one another in The Great Hall they only had eyes for each other. By the end of the meal both sets of friends had taken to ignoring Draco and Hermione as they were getting very little response.
As the students began leaving the hall the Gryffindors and Slytherins reached the doors together. After greeting Daphne with a hug and a promise to meet up later, Hermione turned to Draco as the couple said hello. Draco then slung his arm around Hermione as the group proceeded to head to their first class of the day.
"It looks like we're going to be spending a lot more time together because of those two." Blaise commented, gesturing to the whispering couple in the lead.
"Yeah, how about we call a truce and learn to get along." Theo said to Harry and Ron.
Harry and Ron shared a look before accepting the offer from Blaise and Theo. Stopping briefly to shake hands on their agreement, the boys then carried on following Draco and Hermione down to Potions. When the group entered the Potions classroom, Draco and Hermione automatically settled down at the table they had been sharing in the weeks leading up to Christmas break.
"Are thing not going back to normal?" Ron asked, looking at the couple.
"This is normal now." Hermione shrugged.
"So you two are going to carry on sitting together in every class?" Theo asked.
"Yes." Draco nodded. "Is that a problem?"
"No problem." Theo replied. "I just thought you might be sick of each other by now."
"Well we're not." Draco retorted.
"We'll let you know if it happens, but I doubt it will." Hermione added.
"Ugh, look at the pair of them, it's nauseating." Ron crinkled his nose at the couple, who had tuned their friends out and whispering quietly to each other again.
"I think it's sweet." Daphne said. "Young love is so nice to see."
"Love?" Ron choked out. "They love each other?"
"Maybe not yet but give them time." Daphne replied. "It's coming, I can tell."
Harry and Ron settled down to ponder Daphne's words as the Slytherins headed off to their own seats. All lesson the two Gryffindors watched Hermione and Draco interact and by the end of class they admitted Daphne was right, the unlikely couple in front of them had the potential to have a lasting relationship full of love.
Hermione and Draco continued to sit together in all their classes that morning and by lunchtime Harry and Ron were looking forward to getting their friend back for an hour or so. Unfortunately that hope was shattered when Hermione announced she had plans for lunchtime.
"How can you have plans?" Ron asked as the Gryffindors and Slytherins came to a halt outside The Great Hall. "You've spent all morning with Malfoy."
"The plans aren't with him." Hermione answered.
"What?" Draco asked, totally confused. When Hermione had told her friends she had plans for lunch he had figured they were with him and he had been hoping they could sneak off somewhere private for a while.
"I'm having lunch with Daphne." Hermione said, moving over to the Slytherin girl and linking arms with her. "And Ginny if she's up for it."
"We're going to have a girly gossip." Daphne said. "No boys allowed."
"We'll see you this afternoon." Hermione said, smiling at her stunned boyfriend and friends. "Have fun."
Hermione and Daphne then disappeared into The Great Hall, before emerging a few minutes later with Ginny. The three girls then headed off down the corridor, leaving the boys staring after them.
"Well I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving." Blaise said.
"Me too." Theo agreed. "Let's go grab some food. Draco, are you coming?"
"Go on ahead, I'll be there in a minute. I just want to speak to Weasley." Draco said, as his friends disappeared into The Great Hall.
"What do you want?" Ron asked, wondering if the blond was going to cause trouble now Hermione wasn't around.
"I want to thank you."
"Thank me?" Ron looked at the Slytherin in bewilderment. "What for?"
"For being a complete and utter idiot and sticking Hermione and I together." Draco responded. "If you hadn't have done that then I don't know if I ever would have plucked up the courage to approach her. So thanks for giving me a chance with the girl I'd fancied for years."
Ron's mouth dropped open as Draco's words sank in, it had never occurred to him that he was responsible for bringing the pair of them together. Draco couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Ron's face before he turned and entered The Great Hall. Sauntering over to the Slytherin table he settled down with his friends.
"What on earth did you say to Weasley?" Blaise asked when a still stunned Ron and an amused looking Harry entered the room and sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"I just thanked him for getting me together with Hermione." Draco answered, as his friends chuckled at Ron's dopey expression. "I think he's just realising that we wouldn't be together if it weren't for him."
"Poor Weasley." Blaise laughed.
"Yeah, that's got to annoy him. Knowing he's the reason his best friend is dating a Slytherin." Theo added.
As his friends continued to laugh and joke around, Draco tuned out and turned his attention back to Hermione. While he may never had approached her without Weasley's help the fact remained that they were now together and he wasn't planning on letting her go anytime soon. They may not have been stuck together any longer but he didn't plan on letting Hermione get too far away from him ever again. Now Draco had Hermione he was planning on keeping her and if it was all Weasley's doing then so be it, he wouldn't change what had happened for anything. Being stuck with Hermione was the best thing that had ever happened to him and it had given him the only thing he had ever truly desired, Hermione Granger.
The End.