Surreal…

That's how everything feels when they slip in the back row with Harry.

Like this has just all been one too long nightmare…

She hopes she could just wake up and this would all be over… and he'd be next to her.

Harry takes her hand.

"You're shaking." He whispers.

And she has no answer… because yes, she does and no, she doesn't have any way to stop it.

The High wizard stands up.

She closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath…

"Draco Lucius Malfoy. The jury has made its decision. Once the sentence has been declared, it's final. Is there some final words you would like to say for yourself Mr. Malfoy?"

She opens her eyes to see him shake his head.

She hopes he would look up... but he doesn't…

And the High wizard goes on: "Based on the statements from you and witnesses here today, the Wizengemont has decided that you are, in fact, guilty of most charges placed upon you. However, we take into consideration that you were a minor during most of these events, and that you were forced to act under pressure from the Dark Lord, who threatened to kill your family. Since he made those threats when you were still legally a child, the Wizengamont believes you saw yourself in a situation where you had no other choice than to follow commands."

She's holding her breath…

"The jury also wanted to take into account your recent acts to stop the Dark Lord and help Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, risking your own life while doing so. Mrs. Bones?"

A woman from the jury table stands up.

"The jury has decided, that even when Draco Malfoy can be found guilty for most of the charges placed upon him, he doesn't deserve life in prison. Taking into consideration all recent events we sentence Draco Lucius Malfoy six months of house arrest, in a house of his choosing. After that Mr. Malfoy will be in constant surveillance from the ministry for two years. If, during that time, he shows no signs of dark arts we consider him free of all charges."

She breathes in and collapses her head to her knees.

That's it!

This is finally it!

And he got away with house arrest!

She wants to run to him, but she feels like all the energy has been sucked out of her.

All this time… and now he's finally… well, not free literally… but as good as!

"Hermione, I can't feel my fingers!" Harry whispers.

"Sorry!" She mumbles and let's go of his hand.

"Maybe you should go to him?" Harry shrugs.

That's about the only thing she knows she should do!

The only thing she wants to do…

Other than that it's all a bit blurry...

"Thank you, Harry!" She hugs him close and then walks out of the courtroom, with a step, much lighter than in months!

.

.

.

House arrest… for the next six months.

That's his final sentence.

And it feels completely surreal.

He gets to even choose which house he's going to live in from now on.

And he tells them, in his mother's cottage, if it's still standing.

Now he's standing outside the ministry, sunshine hitting his eyes… feeling all unreal.

He's tired… and hungry… and dehydrated…and dirty… and the sun already burns his skin.

But he's not going back to Azkaban!

And it's all thanks to her and Potter.

She isn't here now… like he hoped she would be.

He's not even sure if she was there to hear the final decision.

Not that he would blame her… she has already endured too much because of him.

If she doesn't want anything to do with him… he understands that too.

Doesn't like it… but understands.

People passing him are staring… and he supposes he looks like shit.

Only the thought of apparating now feels exhausting… He's not sure if he should even try that…

Maybe he should try to contact Blaise or Theo… But how?

It's like his mind isn't working completely… like the month in Azkaban has dulled his brain.

"Master is FREE!"

Suddenly there is are small hands around his legs.

"Dipsy, how did you get here?!"

The elf looks up with watery eyes and a big smile, "Dipsy came to get master home! Come, come!"

The cottage stands on the edge of the meadow, just like before.

No one has blown it to pieces.

A little further a lake glisters in August sunshine.

It looks tranquil and calling.

But he knows already it's not the same… because she's not there.

He's not sure if she'll ever be again… and he misses her already.

All the lonely days and nights in Azkaban… he endured them… because of her.

Just imagining her face, as she stood in the stony room, reaching for him… and her desperate cry for her love, when he was dragged away… it was enough.

It kept him sane.

But she wasn't his to keep… like he had always known…

So, the memory of her has to be enough.

The door creaks as he opens it… and steps into the memories.

There's someone here… He feels it the moment the door closes.

No sounds… but the feeling that he's not alone.

So, he pulls out his wand… and tip-toes around the corner to the kitchen.

For a moment he's almost certain this is a dream.

She's wearing a flowing summer dress… her hair is up in a messy knot and she's smiling at him, so brightly he thinks she can outshine the sun.

"Hey." She says and he lets his wand clatter to the ground as he reaches for her.

After what feels like ages… after the horror and death and darkness and war… she's the salvation!

And she's here.

She didn't leave!

She stayed!

On second thought, he's not sure why he thought she wouldn't…

Suddenly it feels worth it! Worth all the pain and suffering! Because she's here in his arms and she's alive and real… and whole!

She's here, with her memories! Because she wants to be here!

"I'm here…" She whispers against his neck, "I'm here and I remember..."

She leans a bit further to look him in the eyes.

"And this me, this who remembers! This me loves you!"

And he thinks his heart has never felt lighter as he answers: "And I… I've loved you all along!"

Then he leans down and kisses her with all he's got.

.

.

.

Who would have thought that six months of house arrest could be the best thing that ever happened to him?

But they are! Because she stays with him.

And no one is after them… and the war is over… so even with the house arrest, they're free.

Free, unlike they've ever been before.

The late summer days they spent in the yard, or by the lake.

The sunshine glistering in her hair and eyes…And he thinks he can live a lifetime just looking at her, wild curls bouncing as she runs barefoot in the meadow.

Sometimes he thinks that maybe they both died, and this is the afterlife.

Because surely real life can't be this good.

But it is…

They invite Blaise and Theo over and spend long days bickering and playing games and joking around… they read and cook… and she even gets the whole set of Hogwarts seventh year-books and makes them all study with her.

As the fall comes, she makes plans to get to Australia to get her parents when his house arrest ends, and he couldn't agree more. And maybe they'll go meet his mother too… when the time is right…

"I want to travel the world, Draco!" She tells him.

"So, let's!" He answers.

Because what's stopping them?

They are young and wealthy and most of all free to do what they want!

And they've done more than their fair share for the Wizarding world… for now, at least…Probably it can manage a while on its own!

She tries to fix her relationship with Ron and the other Weasley's, but it's hard, he can see it.

Harry and Ginny visit them a few times though, and even when it's award at first, he finds it surprisingly easy not to tease Potter in every chance he gets.

After the six months arrest, he can reluctantly say that even if he and Potter will never be the best of friends, they are now somehow acquaintances at least.

It seems to make her happy, so he'll take that.

.

.

.

She has never been happier… never this free… never this content.

But there's one thing that doesn't seem to leave her alone.

Death…

Was she really dead? How could she come back? What really happened? What if this is not real at all?

She voices her worries to him… but he knows as little as she does… so all he can tell her is not to worry.

And she tries not to…

And she's so happy!

But it weights her… and in her nightmares, she dies over and over again…

Stands on the platform in the mist and is forced to board the train.

After months and months Draco finally gets tired of her worrying and tells her that, maybe just sometimes there are things, she can't find answers to. Maybe there are things she should just accept and move on. That she can't let the unknown bother her life forever.

They fight about it… badly.

She yells at him, that he can't possibly know what she's going through!

And finally leaves banging the door shut behind her.

Of course, she comes back… of course, she apologizes… and to her surprise, so does he.

But after that fight she finally let's go of it.

Maybe someday she'll find the answer… but for now, things are good. So why ruin them with worrying?

.

.

.

Then he's arrest finally ends and she makes him board an airplane and laughs brightly to his distress.

So brightly he almost forgets what he's worried about.

And as the plane takes off it's all ahead of them.

He gave her another life… and in a way, she did the same for him…

And now, they'll live!

A/N: And that's it! Thank you so much for reading my story! I hope you liked it! Kisses!