Harry had been alive. Hermione couldn't believe it when she had seen it, the happiest moment of her life as Harry had fallen from Hagrid's arms, wand at ready. She had stayed by his side after he defeated Voldermort, as he explained how the elder wand had really worked, that it belonged to Draco for disarming Dumbledore, instead of Snape who held Dumbledore's blood on his hands. Days passed after the war as Harry went forward, explaining that Severus Snape was in fact a hero instead of just a Death Eater. Weeks began to pass as Ron comforted his family, helping them deal with the loss of Fred.

Hermione had to find other things to preoccupy her time as both of her best friends did what they had to. Just because the war was over, their work wasn't done. Hermione was at a loss with nothing that she needed to do post-war. Instead, she focused on the trials. Anytime something was in the Daily Prophet about Draco and his family, Hermione cut it out, keeping up vigorously with the trials as Draco finally fought for the freedom he was never given.

Pictures were cut out of Draco standing next to his mother, pictures of the Aurors raiding the Manor, dragging out numerous dark items, most which Hermione had seen at Borgin and Burkes. She kept articles where Draco claimed his innocence, swearing he had switched sides in the end. Each newspaper article, each black and white photo, had it's own place on the wall in Hermione's new flat. Books lay across her coffee table, legal books containing wizarding laws, each one bookmarked in numerous places to spot where a law was flawed, where their innocence could be proven. This was her latest obsession.

As the one month anniversary of The Battle Of Hogwarts was rolling around, Hermione sat on her couch, nose-deep in her latest wizarding law book, when she heard a knock on the door. Stopping what she was doing, Hermione put the book down and walked over, opening the door.

"Hey," Ginny said, working her way past Hermione into the room. "Do you know what today is?" She asked with a smile.

"The second?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"June second," Ginny answers, "It's been a month since we won." She said happily. "Seamus said they are throwing a party at the Hogs Head to celebrate. You should go Hermione, you need to get out of this flat for a while." She said, looking over at the extensive collage Hermione had built up on her wall over the past month with concern.

"No thanks," Hermione whispered, looking down at the book she had been reading. "I really don't feel like being social."

"Hermione, all you do is sit in this flat and read, and cut out pictures of Malfoy, and then read some more. It's not healthy. You lived through the war, you need to go out and live." She said, standing up.

"I really don't want to Ginny," Hermione whispers again as Ginny sees how deep the depression had gotten.

Softly, she sighs. "Fine, I don't know what your obsession is with Malfoy, but he will be there." She said, hoping that would be enough as she started to head out of the flat door.

"WAIT!" Hermione said, grabbing Ginny's arm. "Draco's going to be there?" She asked in shock.

"Hermione, right now everyone but you is going to be there." Ginny answered, knowing she had hit a nerve. "Unless you change your mind of course." She added as she watched Hermione leave the room without saying a word. Ginny tried to hide her smile.

Hermione walked into the crowded pub wearing the same red dress she had worn to Bill's wedding with the necklace her and Draco had bought from Borgin and Burkes. Looking around, she didn't see Draco's face. Immediately her heart broke in disappointment.

Sitting down, she watched from a quiet corner as Neville, Ron, and Harry laughed. She watched as Ginny danced with Luna, the two of them showing how thankful they were just to be alive. Dean and Seamus sat up at the bar, taking turns taking shots of Firewhiskey until Seamus tried to get up and fell flat on his arse to the amusement of everyone including himself.

Feeling more like a wall decoration at the pub than a member of the party, Hermione watched with an empty sadness. She wanted to be happy, to celebrate the victory they had accomplished. She wanted to celebrate the fact that she had survived, but it felt impossible as she sensed she was more dead than ever. The music blared, filling the small pub with an overwhelmingly boistorous noise until it slipped through the building walls, evaporating outside to the cobblestone road.

"Dance with us Hermione," Luna said with a smile, tilting her head to the side as she rushed back to the table momentarily, only stopping long enough to take another drink of her butterbeer. "It's fun."

Hermione shook her head, fighting back the tears building up in her eyes as the door to the pub opened once more, causing Hermione to turn her head quickly, hoping to see the sanguine look on Draco's stern, sharp featured face, only to see the gorilla-like face of Gregory Goyle entering the pub with Milicent Bulstrode. With a look of dismay on her face, Hermione looked back down at the table. "No thanks," She answered, her heart breaking once more.

"Okay," Luna answers with a carefree look on her face. "We will be over there if you change your mind."

Around her, Hermione heard the laughter, she heard the music and the joy in everyone's voices. She was a hero of the party, but truthfully all she wanted was to be alone. Quietly, she walked outside feeling like she needed fresh air, that maybe that would help her see things more clearly.

The night air was cool as Hermione heard the soft beat of the music through the brick walls. Leaning against the wall, Hermione took a few deep breaths of the calming air, feeling the dampness of the mist in the air almost as if the dew were sitting on her own skin. It was a calming feeling, almost relaxing to be away from the chaos for a while and just be able to collect her thoughts. Draco wasn't coming. She knew this now. Maybe it was time for her to move on, to accept the lingering fact that she had been nothing more than another notch on his belt, one to be used for a while and then to be forgotten once the time came for him to move on.

Allowing her legs to collapse underneath her, Hermione fell to the ground and once again allowed herself to cry for a man whose embrace she would never again feel. She didn't notice the people moving past her as the tears flooded her eyes, as the heavy sobs dominated her breathing, causing her to gasp for air in between as she felt her heart crumble.

"Hold on Flint," A familiar voice said as Hermione heard the repetitive footsteps in front of her come to a halt. "I'll be right inside, I'm going to check something first." Hermione then heard the pub door open and close once more before a soft, warm hand rested on her shoulder. "Hermione?" A calming voice asked with concern.

Hermione wiped her tears away from her face, fighting back the sobs before looking up. For a second, she thought she must be hallucinating. There was no way that the grey eyes that now held concern, that the white furrowed brows that shown nothing less than devotion. It felt surreal as Hermione stared at the man she thought for the past month that she would never talk to again.

"Draco?" Hermione asked through her cracked voice, her eyes glazing over as she stared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Draco answers, "Then again, I could ask you where you got the necklace, but I have a feeling we both already know the answer to that." He said, looking down in shame.

"So what are you going to do then? Obliviate me again? Make me forget the nights we shared, the beautiful words you spoke? Is it easier to love them and leave them when they can't remember loving you at all?" Hermione bit viciously, fury in her eyes.

"Hermione, it was nothing like that." Draco tried to explain before being interupted.

"Don't call me that!" Hermione snapped with rage. "We both know the only time you called me that, it's Granger remember? That never happened, it was a blink in time! You obliviated me!"

"Shut up Granger." Draco said calmly, his eyes holding the same alluring look they had held years ago when he had said the same statement, leaving Hermione once again speechless. "I did what I had to to protect you. I knew before we ever left that I would have to take the Dark Mark. That's what Dumbledore meant when he said he could protect my mother. He protected her by not fighting back when I went up there to kill him. I still have nightmares about what I did, and...and what I didn't do. I regret the fact that I never had the courage to stand up to the Dark Lord, that I could never stand up to my father and tell him that I loved a muggle born. You think those two years weren't hell on me? How shallow do you think I am? Granger, Hermione.." He said, lifting Hermione's chin so that she was looking into his eyes. "I will never hurt you like that again. I love you."

Draco kissed Hermione like he had never kissed a woman before, gently pressing his lips against hers with utter fragility, closing his eyes into the kiss as he felt the softest touch imaginable. A flutter of butterflies returned to Hermione's stomach, dancing as a light that had once been diminished inside of her reappeared, filling her with the familiar warmth that she feared she would never feel again.

As Draco slowly pulled away he looked into her eyes which were once again tear-filled, but for the first time since they had returned to 1995, with joy. He smiled, feeling the warmth return to his own heart, finally thankful to be with his true love once more.