Chapter Text
December 31, 2007 - Ministry Lobby - New Year’s Eve Gala
The Ministry lobby had been transformed into a veritable Winter wonderland. Snow cascaded down and tiny fairy lights had been charmed to hang all around creating an artificial night sky. She sipped from the champagne glass charmed to refill itself. She could kill Harry and Ginny for leaving her alone.
She’d already avoided one wizard from Magical Games and Sports who close-talked her at every event, and a Ravenclaw former classmate, who'd been convinced they “had a moment” in fifth year.
“Ugh,” she huffed to herself. Why was she even here? This was ridiculous and she was ridiculous. She allowed Ginny to do her hair and make-up and her red dress seemed entirely too Black-tie Muggle for this crowd. The slit up the side had garnered more than one side-eye.
She found Ginny leaning against a pillar and walked over.
“I’m leaving.”
“Don’t leave. It’s almost midnight.”
“I’m leaving.” Hermione chugged her champagne.
“Hermione. Just stay for the countdown. Go get a different cocktail and... ”
She huffed and turned toward the bar. “Fine!” She muttered to herself. She ordered a Firewhiskey. May as well start drowning my sorrows now. At least she left a hangover potion by her bedside table.
She drank it down quickly and ordered another one. She could kill Harry for guilt-tripping her into coming to this. “Oh, Hermione, they’ll expect us. Don’t leave me to do this alone,” she parodied him in her head. Meanwhile she’d been the one fending off sycophants all night.
“Thanks a lot, Harry.” Hermione mumbled into her tumbler.
“Do you always talk to your Firewhiskey, Granger?” She heard a familiar drawl from behind her.
She turned slowly as chills swept over her body. She'd missed him. She'd missed him so much she could barely breathe.
“Malfoy, hi.” He looked exquisite in a Muggle suit and dragon leather shoes. He took her breath away. “What are you doing here?”
“Well I am still a Ministry employee.” He said cheekily.
“Right, of course. I just thought you’d be at Nott Manor. Pansy said the snakes were congregating there tonight."
“Ah, so you did know I was coming?” He looked at her expectantly.
“Not exactly,” she hedged. Her skin was on fire and she had no idea how to operate or who was looking at them now.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, Hermione.”
“Thank you.” She blushed and wanted to reach for him but there was a line and neither of them had crossed it yet.
“Draco, what are you doing here?” She almost whispered.
He closed the distance between them and reached into his suit pocket to take out a folded piece of paper. It was worn and tattered and Hermione stayed frozen.
He opened it and handed it to her. It was not a piece of paper. It was a photograph. It was the picture of the two of them on their last day at the Jeronimos Monastery.
Her breath caught and she stared at the two people in the picture. They looked happy and in love. She must have been an idiot to not have seen it before.
“I’m still this guy. Are you still this girl?” He looked at her with so much hope that her lungs felt like they may burst.
She didn’t say anything, she just looked him in the eyes and nodded a slow yes. He moved to reach for her but she turned to the bar and took a pen from her bag. She scribbled something on the back of the photo, handed it back to him, and walked away.
She wanted nothing more than to jump him. She wanted him to scoop her up and spin her and kiss her and scream from the roof that she loved him. But she was nothing if not pragmatic. It was the bloody Ministry Gala. The Daily Prophet already followed her like a hawk. The last thing she wanted was for Wizarding London to learn about her business before breakfast.
She spun in place and scanned the crowd. She found Harry and Ginny. “Ok, now I am leaving. Don’t stop me. I’ll owl you tomorrow. I love you both. Happy New Year.” She kissed both their cheeks and squeezed Ginny's hand. Ginny gave her a quick wink.
She walked calmly but purposefully towards the visiting exit of the ministry.
Meet me on Whitehall in 5 minutes.
She had so much more to say but there was time. Hermione cast a warming charm as she waited. The alcohol started to hit now and she felt her heartbeat rapidly increase.
She felt two strong hands come around her and pull her back into the shadows of a nearby building.
“You’re lucky I didn’t hex you,” she whispered.
“Come on, you knew it was me,” he smirked.
She stared at him. She waited. She had so much to say but he needed to go first. He needed to explain why he was here.
She knew he could read her life a book. “You’re wondering why I’m here? It shouldn't be a surprise. I missed you, Hermione. They told me I could take two days and I jumped at it. I haven’t stopped working. We’re making so much progress. I can’t share it all yet. You should know though, surely, you know I’ve thought about you everyday.”
She looked up at him through her eyelashes and held out her hand. These weren’t all the answers yet, but more would come. He’d be home soon. He’d be home soon and he’d be all hers. He waited for her.
She, in turn, could wait for him. Give him the time it would take to love him properly.
She knew he loved her. He’d told her in a million tiny ways already.
“We should go home. I’m a little too drunk to side-along. Should we get a cab?” She reached her hand out to him.
“Hermione, you want to get a cab to your flat? Remember what happened the last time we took a cab together?” He smiled.
The wind picked up. The street light above them buzzed. In the distance there were the faint sounds of fireworks.
She looked up at him and flashed her brightest smile, “You mean the night I started to fall in love with you?”
Fin.