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[her0-ic]

Harry Potter Fanfiction: Homecoming

Summary: The Granger family is reunited, one of which is accompanied by someone unexpected. AU. COMPLETE.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is © J.K. Rowling and various publishers including, but not limited to, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

HOMECOMING

Hermione Granger frowned as she caught sight of her mother peering through the blinds of the front window for the third time in as many minutes.

"Mum, is everything alright?"

"I think someone's watching the house," Mrs. Granger murmured.

Mr. Granger's brow furrowed at the reply. He sat the newspaper he had been reading aside and joined his wife at the window. "Hrm. I believe you're correct, darling."

Hermione and her parents had returned from Australia less than a week ago. After regaining their memories and learning the reason behind their being obliviated, her parents' paranoia was understandable. Who wouldn't feel that way upon being told they had been targeted by a fanatical group of magical supremacists? She knew there would be an adjustment period, that they wouldn't be able to resume to their normal lives without consequence.

"I'm sure it's nothing," she soothed. "Remember, there are protective enchantments surrounding the house. Unless accompanied by someone that actually resides here, the house will go unnoticed."

"You certain about that, poppet?" her father dubiously asked.

This was followed by an exclamation from her mother. "Oh, he's heading up the walk!"

At hearing this, Hermione's eyes widened in shock. Skepticism was forgotten as she sprang into action, withdrawing her wand and hurrying to the entryway. She braced herself for a confrontation while attempting to make sense of the situation. How could someone be approaching their home? This should not be possible. As far as she could tell, her wards had not been breached.

"He's alone?" she questioned.

"Yes." Mr. Granger squinted, taking in the stranger's appearance. "Tall, slender bloke with pale skin and dark hair. A bit grim in the face."

"Sweetheart, maybe you should call for backup," her mother anxiously suggested. "Harry, perhaps? Or Ron?"

Harry was currently staying at the Burrow. If she called Harry, Ron would undoubtedly find out and tag along. And, she really did not want to deal with Ron. He was probably still in a snit regarding her refusal to enter a serious relationship. A logical decision, in her opinion, considering they had just fought a war and were mourning the deaths of numerous friends and loved ones. Shared trauma was not conducive to a healthy relationship, after all.

Fact is, there was not enough time for help to arrive anyway.

"It's fine, mum," Hermione said as she leveled her wand at the door. She would not allow any threat pass the threshold of her home.

"He's carrying something. What's he carrying?"

"My word, could that be...?"

Hermione wondered at what had captured her parents' attention, but dared not shift her focus from the door. Wartime instincts at the fore, she was prepared to fight. The intruder would reach them in a matter of seconds. She began to silently count. One one thousand... two one thousand... three one thousand... four one thousand... then, instead of the anticipated assault, there was a polite knock.

It was at this point that she saw her parents had vacated their post at the window and made their way to the entry as well. She noted that they seemed to have done an about-face, their apprehension replaced by an inexplicable calm. A small, secretive smile even played on her mother's lips.

Another knock resounded.

"You going to answer that, poppet?" Mr. Granger had a twinkle in his eyes that would have put Professor Dumbledore to shame.

Hermione was very confused. "Mum? Dad?"

"Don't you trust your own spellcasting? You did say that the house wouldn't be noticed by anyone that wasn't in the company of a resident, if you recall."

She stated the obvious. "But, we're all here..."

"Are we?" Mrs. Granger prodded.

When there was yet another knock, Hermione kept her wand poised and cautiously advanced. Her heart beat rapidly as she neared the door. She now grasped her mother's meaning, though she could not accept what was hinted at to be true. She had been devastated by the loss of him...

She warily looked into the peephole and was startled at the identity of the person standing outside her home. A gasp escaped her.

"Quit dilly-dallying, Hermione," Mrs. Granger teasingly reprimanded. "It's bad manners to make a guest wait on the stoop!"

Lowering her wand, she used her free hand to unsteadily release the latch. She timidly eased the door open, struggling to control her nerves in the process. Then, for the first time in almost a year, she met the dark, soulful gaze of Viktor Krum.

Relief stole across his austere features upon seeing her. She registered how his entire demeanor softened in her presence, his usual rigidity dissipating, and a wave of nostalgia struck. How often had she witnessed this same reaction during her fourth year at Hogwarts?

"Hermy-own-ninny," he breathlessly greeted.

"Viktor," she responded in kind.

"I apologize for visiting your home vithout an invitation," he prefaced.

"You're always welcome," she countered in a rush.

There was movement in the cradle of Viktor's arms. Breaking eye contact, Hermione glanced down and had to blink away tears. Her beloved half-Kneazle was in the midst of wresting himself loose from Viktor's hold. Once his task had been accomplished, the feline leaped at her.

Hermione came close to buckling from the weight of the large, ginger familiar. Maintaining her balance, she hugged him tight. "Oh, Crooks! You're okay! I thought the worst!"

Crookshanks purred.

"I tried to bring him sooner," Viktor divulged. "However, you ver not here. Potter said you ver out of the country."

"You spoke with Harry?"

"And Ronald, ven I stopped by the Veasleys'," he elaborated. "I fear Ronald vos upset ven Crookshanks objected to being left there, preferring to remain vith me in Bulgaria until you got home."

"Neither of them mentioned it," Hermione muttered.

Viktor's mouth curved upwards. "The blame lies vith me. I vonted to surprise you."

"I'm definitely surprised," she acknowledged. "Grateful, too."

He dismissed her gratitude. "There's no need. Crookshanks has been a good companion these past months."

"Months?"

"He's been vith me since the Delacour-Veasley nuptials," Viktor admitted. "I spotted him ven the Burrow vos under attack. Ve apparated to safety together."

Hermione affectionately kissed the top of Crookshanks' squashed head. "In all that chaos, you went out of your way to save him..."

"Of course," he declared. "You luff him, I couldn't leave him behind."

"You're absolutely wonderful," she praised.

"As are you," he reciprocated with complete sincerity. "I've missed you, Hermy-own-ninny."

Her cheeks reddened. "And I you, Viktor. I promise to be a better correspondent in the future."

"I realize you couldn't write due to the danger. I'm just glad the danger has passed and you're unharmed." His forehead creased in concern and he gave her a careful onceover. "You are unharmed?"

"I'm mending," she honestly revealed. "Plenty suffered more than me, so I can't complain."

"Who suffered more isn't relevant," Viktor gently rebuked. "If you have complaints... if you vont to share vith someone... you should do so. Don't keep it to yourself. And, not to be forward, but I'm at your disposal should you vish it."

Crookshanks mewed in agreement.

He unabashedly continued, "Votever you decide, I'm eager to restart our correspondence ven you're ready. Your letters are special to me."

Hermione sent him a warm smile. "Thank you, Viktor. I may take you up on that offer."

"Ven you've sufficiently recovered, I may even press my luck and ask you to dinner," he jested with an underlying seriousness. "Clearly this vill merely be a ruse so that I can visit vith Crookshanks, as I vill hate to be separated from him for too long."

Her blush reemerged, not believing his ruse in the least. "Clearly."

Mrs. Granger, who had apparently been eavesdropping, chose that moment to interrupt. "Hermione, where are your manners? Invite your friend inside. Ask him to dinner."

Mr. Granger chimed in. "We insist. Crookshanks is quite discerning, so we want to meet the chap he found suitable enough to bring home."

"I'm fairly positive Viktor brought Crookshanks home, not the other way around," she dryly remarked.

"You underestimate Crookshanks," Mr. Granger lightly scolded, as if their present circumstance was owed to the machinations of her familiar.

Hermione's eyes briefly shut in embarrassment.

The half-Kneazle proceeded to jump from her arms and enter the house, intent on reuniting with her parents now that he had heard them. His bottlebrush tail haughtily swayed back and forth as he went.

"Forgive my rudeness, Mr. Krum. Would you like to come in and join Crookshanks... and the rest of us... for dinner?" Hermione inquired.

Viktor grinned broadly. "If it isn't an imposition then yes, Miss Granger, I vould like to join you all for dinner. Especially Crookshanks."

THE END

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Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

"Vorrying about you has become second nature," Viktor confided. He gave a despairing laugh. "How could it not? I'm in love vith a girl that hunts and destroys Horcruxes, fights in battles against seasoned Vitches and Vizards, and plots to overthrow the darkest Vizard of our age."

Hermione inhaled sharply at his words. He immediately recognized the reason for her surprise. That had been the first instance he had so blatantly professed his feelings. Of course, she was aware that he felt strongly for her, yet he had never been quite that direct.

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Summary: Hermione Granger is missing and the investigation into her current whereabouts has led to a bevy of suspects except, interestingly enough, the usual one - Draco Malfoy. EWE. Warning: Dark Malfoy, OOC. Non-Con. COMPLETE.

Excerpt:

Spectators of the altercation contend that Miss Granger gave Mr. Weasley a verbal setdown, throwing around such insulting phrases as "you live in a constant state of Stupefication," "perhaps I should Reducio your oversized head to fit your pea-sized brain" and my personal favorite, "you're slower than a troll and sometimes as foul-smelling as one too." Thereafter, she left him slack-jawed on the doorstep of The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and was not to be seen or heard from again. This embarrassing altercation led Mr. Weasley to be the first in a long line of suspects in regard to Miss Granger's mysterious disappearance.

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Summary: Post-war antics of Team Kakashi. AU. COMPLETE.

Excerpt:

"If you think I'm healing either of you, you're sadly mistaken."

Naruto scratched his head, a good-natured grin brightening his features. "Aww, Sakura-chan, don't be like that. Sasuke, the crybaby, won't make it out of bed tomorrow if you don't tend his boo-boos."

This earned a glower from Sasuke.

Sakura jeered, "By the time I get finished, neither of you will make it out of bed for a week."

[her0-ic]

Your writing will always feel awkward to you, because you wrote it.

Your plot twists will always feel predictable, because you created them.

Your stories will always feel a bit boring to you, because you read them a million times.

They won't feel like that for your reader.

[her0-ic]

Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

Hermione may as well have been using that old, rusty spoon to cut out his heart.

"They were more than my friends. Harry was a brother to me, and Ron... Ron..." she floundered.

In all honesty, Viktor was thankful that she did not finish the sentence. He really did not want to hear what Weasley meant to her. His assumption about their relationship was sufficiently painful, for it to be substantiated as fact would be excruciating.

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[her0-ic]

Summary: Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger maintain contact following the events of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Their relationship flourishes before being tested by distance, time and other love during the Second Wizarding War. AU. COMPLETE.

Excerpt:

Viktor’s countenance darkened as he spied of a copy of The Daily Prophet that had been abandoned at a nearby booth. SPECIAL EDITION was printed at the top followed by a photograph of Potter with the lead story:

The Boy Who Lived Lives Again, Survives Second Killing Curse and Defeats He Who Must Not Be Named

It was a smaller front page story, however, that captured his attention and was the root of his upset:

Weasley and Granger: Love Triumphs in Second Wizarding War

The article had a photograph of Hermione and Weasley hugging and was captioned, “Ronald Weasley (Pure-blood) and Hermione Granger (Muggle-born), best friends of Harry Potter, tenderly embrace in the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts.”

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Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

"Remorse can repair the soul, thereby removing a soul fragment from a Horcrux. I don't see that being the case here, obviously. Dolohov doesn't strike me as the remorseful type."

"No," Viktor grimly acknowledged. "He doesn't."

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Harry Potter Fanfiction: All Will Be Well

Summary: Narcissa Malfoy plots in the wake of the Battle of Hogwarts. hpfanfictionprompts #2: From the perspective of one of the Malfoys, write about sitting in the Great Hall after the Final Battle. COMPLETE.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is (c) J.K. Rowling and various publishers including, but not limited to, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

ALL WILL BE WELL

Narcissa Malfoy may have the heart of a Hufflepuff when it comes to her son, but in every other way that matters she is the consummate Slytherin – ambitious, clever, determined, and resourceful. The battle had concluded only a short while ago and her cunning mind was already running through a gamut of scenarios on how best to protect and elevate her family in the aftermath of the Dark Lord's demise. To protect and elevate them in this brave new Wizarding World where their Pure-blood ancestry was going to be of little-to-no consequence.

Her family was currently seated in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. The loyal Death Eaters that had been captured were in the custody of Magical Law Enforcement, which was being led by Kingsley Shacklebolt. No one had yet to approach the Malfoys with any charges, though she knew this was imminent. There would be repercussions from having aligned with the Dark Lord, even if they had rebelled in the eleventh hour.

Lucius, more bedraggled and frail than Narcissa had ever seen him, sent her an uneasy glance. She gathered he wanted to leave, but that was out of the question. Leaving and retreating were the same from her perspective, and to retreat implied defeat. In this instance, the defeated were judged guilty and en route to Azkaban. Hence, the Malfoys simply could not leave.

Narcissa took hold of Draco's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He did not react. Her darling son's head remained bowed as he unseeingly stared at the aged, wooden surface of the table they occupied. She was worried about him, very worried. It was as if he had completely shut down.

Her focus was reluctantly drawn to the entrance of the Great Hall. The acting Head of the MLE, Shacklebolt, and a couple of Aurors marched into the room. When they began to move in the Malfoys' direction, she deduced that their time was up. Prepared defenses were on the tip of her tongue, the most prominent being that she had saved Harry Potter's life in the Forbidden Forest; her decision to lie to the Dark Lord had been instrumental in turning the tide of battle in favor of the Order.

Narcissa tightened her hold on Draco's hand and braced herself for the upcoming confrontation.

"Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Shacklebolt," a vaguely familiar voice suddenly called. It did not take long to pinpoint the owner, as the Mud... Muggle-born, Hermione Granger, was purposefully making her way toward the group of Aurors. The exhausted and disheveled girl had an unyielding grip on the arm of the Chosen One, dragging him behind. A surly ginger-haired boy, obviously a Weasley, grudgingly trailed in their wake.

In a show of deference, Auror Shacklebolt paused in carrying out his duties and offered the young witch his undivided attention. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

Narcissa paled at the interception, certain the Muggle-born was going to demand the Malfoys immediate arrest. That she was going to impart how they had been willing spectators to her Unforgivable torture and interrogation by Bellatrix Lestrange, the Dark Lord's most cruel and vicious disciple. How they had stood by and done nothing while a degrading slur had been carved into her arm. How they should be found guilty by association.

Miss Granger instead surprised her by declaring, "The Malfoys helped us, sir. We thought you should know. Mrs. Malfoy saved Harry's life today. And, when we were caught by Snatchers back in March, Mal... Draco pretended not to recognize us so that we wouldn't be delivered to Voldemort."

Narcissa saw Lucius wince at how casually Miss Granger spoke the Dark Lord's name. And, at the mention of his own given name by the Muggle-born, Draco actually roused from his stupor and looked up at the girl. The Malfoy matriarch's eyes narrowed with contemplation.

"Tell him, Harry," Miss Granger insisted as she pulled at her friend.

"Uh, yeah," Mr. Potter awkwardly conceded. "What Hermione said..."

Mr. Weasley glowered at Narcissa and her family. He was definitely put out that the female member of their trio was petitioning the MLE on behalf of the Malfoys.

"See, Auror Shacklebolt?" Miss Granger pressed.

"That may be, Miss Granger," the dark-skinned wizard responded, "but the Malfoys still have much to answer for. And the elder Malfoy's a fugitive from justice. He escaped from Azkaban, if you recall."

"Of course, sir," Miss Granger relented. "We wanted to make sure you had all the facts though. In the end, Mrs. Malfoy and Draco did the right thing. Like the rest of us, we think they were making the best out of a really bad situation."

At the second mention of his given name by the Muggle-born, Draco's hand clenched in Narcissa's grasp. Was he upset from the liberty taken? Or was his reaction attributable to something else?

"We'll take Mr. Potter and your statements into consideration," Auror Shacklebolt pledged.

Miss Granger gave him a tired smile. "Thank you, sir."

As the three friends pivoted to walk away, Narcissa observed Mr. Weasley muttering under his breath. It was too low, too indistinct, for her to hear what was said, but not Miss Granger. Whatever had been shared was not to the girl's liking and elicited a fierce glare followed by a verbal setdown.

"Don't be a prat, Ronald! No one asked you to vouch for the Malfoys. You tagged along of your own volition. Merlin forbid anyone expect you to turn the other cheek, let bygones be bygones."

"Hermione-"

"Oh, hush," Miss Granger interrupted. "I'm not deluded, as you offensively suggested. I get that the Malfoys didn't merely help us out of the goodness of their hearts, that it was motivated by a lot of self-interest on their part. However, after the horrific day... no, year... we've all endured, I just want to believe there was a smidgen of good intention as well. Believe that people like the Malfoys... who utterly despise people like me... have the ability to change for the better, if only a bit." Her voice cracked. "Can't you let me have that?"

Mr. Weasley's shoulders sagged, sullenness dissipating in the face of Miss Granger's distress. He proceeded to tug her into a conciliatory hug. "Yeah, you can have that."

Next to Narcissa, displeasure emanated from Draco upon witnessing the contact. So, something else it was then...

Draco had never been fond of Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley and, taking into account how incessantly he had complained about Miss Granger in the past, Narcissa had assumed she fell into the same category of disdain. A foolish assumption. Brightest witch in their year, Draco had grumbled. Prefect despite constantly breaking school rules, he had whined. Accused him of buying a spot on the Slytherin Quidditch team, he had fumed. Mocked him for being transformed into a ferret, he had cried. Attended the Yule Ball with Viktor-bloody-Krum, he had ranted. On and on it had went.

Is this why Draco had been hesitant to identify his schoolmates at Malfoy Manor? Had he developed a tendre for the Muggle-born? Had he been trying to shield her from his Aunt Bellatrix and, ultimately, the Dark Lord?

Studying Miss Granger with fresh eyes, Narcissa noted how everyone seemed to fall in line when it came to the girl. Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley. Even Auror Shacklebolt to an extent. Mr. Potter was undeniably the hero of the story, but Miss Granger was not to be written off. She had been Undesirable No. 2, the notorious Mud-blood that went on the run with The Boy Who Lived. She had been at Mr. Potter's side every step of the way. And Narcissa strongly suspected she had been essential to his success.

Miss Granger could also be useful to the Malfoys was the startling realization. Although her blood status was distasteful, it would now be gauche to dwell on such things. Tomorrow she, in addition to Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, would be headlining all the news outlets. She would be lauded as courageous and righteous. She would be idolized throughout the Wizarding World.

For the Malfoys to acquire Miss Granger would be quite the coup. It would demonstrate to all and sundry that they had let go of old prejudices and were embracing the future. That they had cast their Pure-blood ideology to the wayside by accepting the most famous of Muggle-borns into their fold. That she would make Draco happy was not to be overlooked either.

Narcissa frowned when Mr. Weasley brushed his lips against Miss Granger's forehead, the discord from a moment ago forgotten. Mr. Potter uncomfortably rubbed at the back of his neck, relegated to the role of third wheel. Their behavior made it apparent that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley's relationship had evolved beyond friendship... and that would not do.

Securing Miss Granger's affection for Draco was imperative, Narcissa had decided. Mr. Weasley could be a serious hindrance in achieving this aim, thus he was an obstacle that needed to be eliminated.

Draco's scowl indicated that he was of a similar opinion regarding Miss Granger's beau.

"Calm yourself," Narcissa murmured to her son as the Aurors loomed.

Narcissa had a plan. A plan that required ambition, cleverness, determination, and resourcefulness, qualities she had in abundance. A plan that would abet in the protection and elevation her family. A plan that would prevail because failure was not an option. Miss Granger was pivotal to that plan.

The Malfoys would have Miss Granger, by any means necessary.

"All will be well."

THE END

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If you attack my son again, I shall ensure that it is the last thing you ever do.

FEMALE AWESOME MEME » [3/3] mother characters: Narcissa Malfoy

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Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

"A voodland fairy," he explained. "Any man who gazes upon a Samodiva instantly falls in love. They are said to become infatuated and incapable of thinking of anything else, forever seeking and relentlessly chasing after the Samodiva, their unrequited love..."

Hermione's brows knit. "That sounds like a horrible fate."

Viktor was discomfited by the sudden kinship he felt to these lovelorn men. With a shake of the head, he feigned a smile. "Yes."

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Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

“Hello, brother.”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed at the salutation. “Ve aren’t brothers.”

Dolohov smirked. “That mark on your arm suggests otherwise.”

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Summary: Harry Potter falls during the Battle of Hogwarts. For Viktor Krum, no sacrifice is too great to ensure Hermione Granger’s safety in the aftermath. Warning: Character deaths. Drabble series. WIP.  

Excerpt:

Viktor is an exceptional Seeker. He recognizes that patience is needed when seeking the elusive Snitch. And, in his experience, the only thing more exhilarating than glimpsing and pursuing the Snitch is when it is finally within his grasp.

To him, Hermione is as elusive as any Snitch.

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Harry Potter Ficlet: The Bitter Spoils

Summary: Even victory can bring defeat. Alternate universe. Warning: Dark, character death. COMPLETE.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is (c) J.K. Rowling and various publishers including, but not limited to, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

THE BITTER SPOILS

There was a distinct chill in the air, the temperature so biting that Draco Malfoy did not think he would ever be warm again. He was uncertain whether to credit the brutal cold to Azkaban's foul guard, hooded wraith-like beings that fed on the remnants of happiness and only offered despair in return, or to the fact that it was mid-winter in the North Sea and such a climate was simply to be expected. It was possibly a combination of both.

As if the guard and frigidity were not bad enough, the prison was steeped in filth and carried an overpowering stench that seemed to bleed into his very pores. There was not a single, pleasurable aspect to be found within the nigh impenetrable complex, which forebodingly swayed in concert with the gales from a presently raging storm. His stomach felt as though it was about to pitch at the discomfiting sensory overload.

"It's time," a calm voice broke through his concentrated unease.

Draco peered between the cell bars at the solemn and fragile form of Hermione Granger. The war had not been kind to her, he grimly noted. She was pale, gaunt and sallow-eyed. Her distinctively bushy hair was no more, having been haphazardly shaven for the sake of convenience, and a jagged scar now marred the right side of her once moderately pretty face. She was almost unrecognizable.

Indeed, the war had not been kind to his previous schoolmate. In truth, it had not been kind to any of them; the victorious or the vanquished.

Draco took a fortifying breath in preparation for what was to come. He was determined to not shame himself in front of Granger during these final moments. She had seen him play the fool on one too many occasions for his liking. He would not let her last memory of him, however fleeting, be that of a coward filled with regret. He had made his choices, wrong though they might have been, and he would stand by them until the bitter end.

"Yes," he quietly acknowledged, throat unreasonably tight.

With a groan of protest, the iron rod door gave way. He then witnessed Granger proudly rise, barefooted and in tattered garb, to steadily approach. Though weak from neglect, she did not waver. Her bearing was of unimaginable courage and strength. Even in appalling dishabille and confronted by insurmountable odds, she demonstrated a rare grace that the purest of witches would have committed an unforgivable to possess.

The enviable comport was wasted on someone with such dirty blood, his inner supremacist decried.

"Take care, Draco," she said with a wan, albeit sincere, smile when passing...

…and therein lie his defeat.

He could do nothing but cravenly look away as the girl he had grown up with, capable of showing charity in the face of cruelty, bravely moved forward to meet her fate. One that was sealed with a kiss.

THE END

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“Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and evil. You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life.”