Look In the Mirror

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter.

Summary: A Mardi Gras themed Draco/Hermione one-shot.

Bellatrix Lestrange had performed countless acts of evil before Molly Weasley permanently banished her from this world, but perhaps the worst act she had committed was towards Hermione Granger. If it wasn't bad enough that she had carved the foul word "mudblood" on Hermione's arm, she had also cursed her with something else.

Hermione was hit with a face disfiguring curse by the evil woman only a few moments before she died. The curse had left Hermione with purple and red splotches around her eyes and cheeks. She didn't know what had happened until the war was over. She knew she was disheveled and filthy after the battle that had been fought, and she thought that was why everyone was staring at her. Imagine her shock upon seeing her image in a mirror and realizing she had been cursed.

After the war, Hermione went to every wizard/witch curse breaker she could find, but no one was able to help her. This was a nasty dark spell that could not be undone. Hermione had to come to terms that there was a good possibility that she would live with this for the rest of her life. She used Glamour charms, but they only lasted for a certain amount of time and were unreliable.

During that time, her boyfriend Ronald Weasley supported her. But that soon came to an end. It was too much for Ron to take. He loved Hermione, but it was getting more and more difficult for him to face her each day. He wanted the lovely girl he had fallen in love with. It was shallow and Ron hated this part of himself, but he just couldn't bear to look at Hermione any longer.

Hermione had held onto a small shred of hope that Ron would be able to look past her disfigurement, but she couldn't blame him for bailing on her. After Ron had left, she went into the bathroom of her small apartment. As she stared in the mirror over the lavatory, tears ran down her face. You're hideous, what man in his right mind would want you, she thought as her fist smashed into the mirror, shattering it into a mass of shiny shards.

Not long after this, Hermione was in Diagon Alley looking at books at a kiosk. She hadn't noticed that her Glamour charm had worn off. It wasn't until a small child loudly asked his mother what was wrong with the lady's face that Hermione realized he was talking about her. This caught the attention of other shoppers in the area and they all looked at her with pitying glances, then quickly looked away. She put down the book she had been looking at and pulled the hood on her sweatshirt up so she could cover her face. Before she could leave, she caught the eye of Draco Malfoy. Hot, angry tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Of all people to meet up with, Bellatrix Lestrange's nephew and the bane of her existence at Hogwarts. She braced herself for a cruel remark from him, but like the others, Draco only looked at her with pity. For some reason, this bothered her more than if he would've taunted her with an unkind comment. To have someone as awful as Draco Malfoy feel sorry for her was truly the last straw.

After that day, Hermione made a decision. She had to get away from this environment and make a new start. Preferably somewhere far from wizarding London. She thought that this was going to be difficult to do, but it wasn't. With the help of the current Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebot, she was able to secure a job in the States. The Minister was sorry to lose Hermione, for she was one of the most talented and intelligent witches he had ever known, but he understood what she was going through.

Hermione's friends and parents were sad that she was leaving, but like the Minister, they understood why. This was all so unfortunate; they all hoped that one day someone would develop an antidote to break the evil curse Bellatrix had cast onto her.

It took some getting used to, but Hermione adjusted to life in New Orleans, Louisiana, and working for the Ministry located there. She had found a Glamour charm that lasted for approximately 8 hours, so this worked out well. After about a year of working and living in New Orleans, Hermione started to feel more comfortable, making friends, and even going on a few dates. The dates never went very far, because Hermione couldn't relax around any man, especially if they'd discover what she really looked like.

Working late one Friday evening, and thinking everyone had left the office, Hermione didn't worry about casting a Glamour charm. That was why she was so startled when the door of her office opened, and one of the witches she worked with, Miriam, poked her head in.

"I noticed your lights were still on─," she started to say and gasped when she saw Hermione's face.

Hermione looked at her and put her head down, hoping her hair covered her face. How could she have been so careless? Now Miriam was going to tell everyone and it would be just like it was at home. Just when she was thinking that she was going to be able to make it.

Miriam closed the door behind her and walked towards Hermione's desk. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "I'm sorry if I intruded on you. I just wanted to check to see if you needed help with anything before I left. Hermione, dear, what happened?" she asked.

Hermione was prepared to lash out and tell the older witch to leave her alone and to mind her own business, but when she looked up at Miriam, she saw such a look of concern and compassion on her face, that she thought before speaking. It was at that moment that she realized Miriam actually cared and wasn't asking out of curiosity.

As she told what had happened to her, Miriam listened and didn't interrupt her. When she was done, Miriam grabbed Hermione's hands. "You are such an amazing and brave young woman, Hermione. I can't believe you've been living with this all this time. I want you to know that this will not leave this room. I will never betray your confidence."

"I appreciate that, Miriam. You know, it actually feels good that I was able to talk to you. Thank you for not pitying me. I don't think I could've taken it," Hermione replied.

"You're welcome dear. You know, after what you've told me, I'm reminded of a story my grandmother used to tell me and my siblings when we were kids. Do you want to hear it?" Miriam asked.

"Sure, I'm always up for a good story," Hermione said and smiled.

Miriam relayed the tale of a young woman who had been cursed like Hermione, only this woman did not have the luxury of Glamour charms. She had to go through life always hiding her face, and facing the taunts of children and mean-spirited adults. One day, a stranger passed through the small town where she lived. The young woman, named Lydia, was a painter, and some of her work was hanging in a storefront's window. The stranger was immediately drawn to the paintings and wanted to know the artist. He asked the shopkeeper and noticed the man was hesitant before telling him that the artist was Lydia. The stranger, named Charlie, received directions to Lydia's home and headed there. He had to know who created such beautiful works of art.

When Charlie arrived at Lydia's home, he knocked a few times. No one came to the door, so he turned to leave. Just as he was about to go, the door opened. Lydia was in the bathroom, applying a daily facial treatment. It was supposed to alleviate the red and purple splotches on her face, but Lydia wondered if this was an old wives tale. The treatment was a deep blue color and covered her entire face. When she heard someone at her door, she wasn't worried about someone seeing her like this because it was probably one of her neighbors. Imagine her shock to see such a handsome man at her doorstep.

Charlie apologized for intruding on her but he let her know that he just had to meet the artist of the amazing paintings he had seen in town. He asked her if she had any other work, and although she had just met him, Lydia felt that Charlie had such an easygoing manner, that it put her at ease too. She let him in and showed him her small studio. Charlie smiled and shook his head in disbelief as he looked over her paintings. He did find it a bit strange that Lydia hadn't excused herself to wash the blue cream off of her face, but he didn't comment on it. Having been the only boy raised with three sisters, he understood women had certain beauty rituals. He and Lydia spent about an hour talking, when Lydia felt that the cream on her face was hardening and beginning to crack. She excused herself and told Charlie she was going to wash her face. He nodded and smiled as he continued to admire her work.

Lydia walked slowly to the bathroom. She had really enjoyed talking to Charlie, but now the moment of truth had arrived. When she arrived in her bathroom, she took her time washing the blue cream off of her face. She patted her face dry and sighed. Lydia didn't bother looking in the mirror because she knew that a monster would stare back at her. Taking a deep breath, she walked back to her studio. She braced herself for Charlie's reaction and wondered what excuse he would come up with so he could make a clean getaway.

When she walked into the studio, Charlie turned towards her and smiled. The smile quickly faded and his breath caught. Lydia looked down and waited. Any second now, as soon as he got over the shock, he would make an excuse. This was why she was completely unprepared for what happened next.

"I didn't think it was possible. Lydia, forgive me for speaking out of turn and this is probably going to sound incredibly corny, but I didn't think it was possible for you to be even more gorgeous than your paintings," Charlie said in an awestruck voice.

Lydia looked at Charlie, wondering if this was some sort of cruel joke, but Charlie said this as if he meant it. Either he was blind or a very good actor, she thought and waited for a disparaging remark, but none came. She touched her face.

"Don't you see my face? I understand that you like my paintings, but you don't have to lie about my looks," Lydia said.

Charlie shook his head. "What are you talking about? Lydia, you are one of the loveliest women I have ever laid eyes upon."

Suddenly Lydia walked out of the studio, and headed back to the bathroom. Shutting the door behind her, she flipped on the lights and headed to the mirror. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened them slowly. As she looked at her reflection, Lydia gasped. Her disfigurement was gone! Her face had returned to normal. She stared back at her blue eyes, slightly pink-tinged cheeks, and lips. She pulled her blonde hair back and shook her head. The curse she had lived with since childhood was gone!

After this, Lydia left with Charlie. They were soon married and she continued painting, becoming a famous artist. Miriam's grandmother said that because Charlie saw Lydia's true beauty and soul, the curse was lifted. As most stories go, Lydia and Charlie lived happily ever after.

Hermione smiled at Miriam. "That's a lovely story Miriam, but I seriously doubt anything like that is ever going to happen to me. It would take a rare man to be able to see past this," she said and pointed to her face.

"I think you'll find that man one day Hermione. You'll find someone who'll look past what you see in the mirror," Miriam replied.

The two women spoke for a few more moments as Hermione tidied up her work area. After casting another Glamour charm, she and Miriam left the office together. After that night, she and Miriam became the best of friends. They were an unlikely pair; Hermione was young and unmarried, while Miriam had been married for almost 30 years, with three children and five grandchildren. This age different meant nothing. Hermione was so grateful to find someone she could be true self with and Miriam never told anyone her secret.

The next few months flew by and it was the Mardi Gras season. Like she did the year before, Hermione planned on staying in her apartment, and watching the parades and revelers from there. Miriam had other plans for her.

It was Lundi Gras, the Monday before Fat Tuesday. The Ministry had declared that their employees could take the afternoon off, and the next day was a holiday. Miriam approached Hermione's desk a few minutes before they were leaving at noon.

"So, what are your big plans this evening?" Miriam asked and smiled.

"My big plans? Well, they include the latest novel by my favorite author and maybe a few glasses of wine," Hermione replied and laughed. "I have no intention of going out into those crowded streets."

Miriam shook her head. "Hermione, I think you are too young to be cooped up in that apartment. You need to go out and have a good time!"

"I'm fine. I think I'm finally coming to terms that I'll spend the rest of my life alone," Hermione said with a small smile.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I have something for you," Miriam said as she opened her handbag. She pulled out something wrapped in tissue paper and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione took it and gave Miriam a questioning look as she unwrapped it. Her breath caught when she saw that it was an elaborate mask. It was embossed with the Mardi Gras colors: gold, green, and purple, and was polished to a high sheen. There were also iridescent feathers in the same colors surrounding the mask.

"Miriam, what is this for? This is gorgeous," Hermione said as she turned the mask over in her hands.

"This is for you to go out and enjoy Mardi Gras. Try the mask on," Miriam urged.

Hermione sighed and put the mask on, not that she had any intention of going out, but to make Miriam happy. "There, I have it on," she laughed but stopped when Miriam held a mirror to her face.

Her Glamour charm was still in place, but Hermione could tell that the mask covered all of the areas of her face that was marred by the curse. The only features that showed were the bottom half of her face. She smiled at her reflection and for a few moments it felt as if she looked normal. She now understood what Miriam was trying to show her. This would be the perfect opportunity for her to go out and have fun without worrying about casting a Glamour charm. There were many people in masks and costumes for Mardi Gras. She could blend in with the crowd, and no one would look twice at her mask.

Miriam smiled at her and winked, saying "You're welcome and have fun!" Before Hermione could answer, she had left the office. Hermione had to chuckle and again was amazed at how wonderful Miriam was.

As she was leaving the office, she was stopped by a group of young women who worked in the same department. They asked if she wanted to go out with them. They were going to catch a few parades and hit a few bars. Hermione told them yes and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were happy that she was going. They agreed on a time and place to meet. As they left the Ministry, Hermione showed them the mask and they oohed and ahhed over it. She was glad to hear that they were all dressing up too.

For the first time in what seemed like eons, Hermione was excited about going out. When she got home, she looked through her closet. Pushed all the way to the back, was a black and purple dress. She had bought the dress on a whim a few months ago when she was out shopping with Miriam. It had never been worn, but tonight seemed like the perfect opportunity to wear it and it went perfectly with the mask. It was a form-fitting satin dress and hugged her curves. The hem hit right above her knees, so it wasn't too short, but it was one of the most daring outfits Hermione had ever worn. The back of the dress was open and showed off her back, where thankfully her skin was smooth and had no imperfections.

When it was time to meet the group, Hermione put the mask on and took a long, hard look in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She had to admit that she didn't look half-bad. The black pumps with 3-inch heels made her legs look longer and the dress fit perfectly. Taking one last look, Hermione smiled and left her apartment.

She met with the other young women at a bar on Bourbon Street. They had a few drinks and then went to watch a parade. Hermione was relieved to see that they were all dressed in a similar fashion. Everyone loved her outfit and told her that she should dress up more often. She was definitely going to have to buy lunch for Miriam for urging her to go out for the holiday. Hermione was actually having fun and didn't worry about her face.

After the parade, they went to another bar where a rock/Top 40 band was playing. There were people dancing and it was interesting to see the different costumes. They found places at the bar and ordered drinks. It wasn't long before they were approached by men and asked to dance. Hermione watched the girls as they were led to the dance floor. No one asked her to dance, but she was having such a good time that this didn't bother her. As she sipped her drink, she was surprised when she felt someone lightly touch her arm. She turned and saw that it was a raven-haired masked gentleman with a gorgeous smile.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked with an American accent.

"Sure," Hermione said and let him lead her to the dance floor. It was a fast song, and she was uncomfortable at first, but as it continued, she started to get into the music and it made her realize how much she missed dancing. She saw one of the girls from her group, Delaney, give her a thumbs up as she checked out the man Hermione was dancing with. Hermione just grinned and continued to dance. She had never felt so free.

"My name is Alex," the gentleman shouted over the music.

"I'm Hermione," she shouted back and laughed.

"Hermione, that's a lovely name," Alex said and grinned. "You're a good dancer."

Hermione was taken aback by this compliment, but she thanked him.

When the song was over, she and Alex walked back to the bar. They talked and Hermione found out that he had just moved to New Orleans. When he asked what she did for a living, she told him that she worked for a business located near the Superdome. It was a white lie, but she had no idea if Alex was a wizard or a muggle. It really didn't matter because it wasn't like she was going to see him again.

As the night wore on, Hermione's group decided that they were tired of this bar and were going to another one. Hermione was about to go with them, but as she looked at Alex, something held her back. Was it possible that he was interested in her? Against her better judgment, she decided to take a chance and see what would happen. She told the girls that she was probably soon going to call it a night and was probably going to head home. They told her goodnight and said that they would see her at work. They also let her know that they were glad that she had come out with them and that they should do it again.

As they left, Delaney turned and winked at her. Hermione smiled and gave her a little wave. It felt so good to feel like she belonged somewhere and wasn't some freak that had to hide behind a Glamour charm.

She and Alex ended up talking and dancing for a few more hours. When the bar began to shut down, they walked out.

"Do you live far from here? I'd like to walk you home or we can grab a taxi," Alex said.

"I live a few blocks from here. Alex, I had a wonderful time. Thanks again. You don't have to walk me home. It was really nice meeting you," Hermione said and started to walk away.

"Wait! Hermione, I'm not ready for this night to end. I've never met anyone like you," Alex said as he stood close to her and looked at her.

Hermione stared back at him and held her breath because he looked like he wanted to kiss her. As she looked up at him, his head tilted and his lips met hers. It was a gentle, soft kiss and Hermione felt as if she could melt in his arms. There had been a few pecks here and there with the few dates she'd had, but this was different. There was something so sweet and natural about Alex.

Alex pulled away. "I've wanted to that all night. I hope you don't think I'm too forward."

Hermione shook her head. "Not at all. It was a nice kiss."

Alex chuckled. "It was nice? How about earth shattering?"

Laughing, Hermione smiled at him. "Let's not get carried away."

"Let me walk you home," Alex said.

"Okay," Hermione replied and nodded. She let Alex take her hand and they began to walk towards her apartment. As they made their way there, they talked about books they had read. She was surprised to find out that they liked the same muggle authors. The more they talked, the more relaxed Hermione felt with Alex. When they were almost at her apartment, she made a decision. She was going to invite Alex in and see what would happen. It was crazy, but this whole night was unlike anything she'd experienced before. This might be her only chance to be with a man. This was not the way she imagined losing her virginity, but considering her options, this might be the only opportunity she'd ever have. Yes, Alex was virtually a stranger to her, but maybe it was better this way.

They arrived at her apartment. Alex held both of her hands in his and smiled at her. It was a bit strange, seeing that they were both wearing their masks. She smiled back at him as he began to speak.

"I guess this is where we call it a night. Look, I'd love to see you again, without the masks of course," he laughed as he reached into the navy jacket he was wearing. He pulled out a business card. "This is my contact information. Do you have a card?" he asked.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Alex, would you like to come in?" she asked and hoped that he wouldn't sense how nervous she was. This was so unlike anything she'd ever done before.

Alex looked surprised, but then he composed himself and nodded. "I'd like that."

Hermione unlocked the door to her apartment and they walked in. No words were spoken as she and Alex reached for each other and kissed. This wasn't the tender kiss they'd shared earlier. This kiss was filled with want and longing as their tongues danced lightly around each other. Alex pulled her tightly against him and she wanted to sigh with pleasure as his hands caressed her bare back. It had been so long since she had been touched like that.

They made it to Hermione's bedroom. She let Alex unzip her dress and pull it over her head. She kicked her shoes off, and stood in front of him. Alex stared at her for a few moments. "Do you have any idea of how beautiful you are? I can't believe we're doing this, but I'm glad," he said as he removed his jacket. Hermione, feeling daring, helped him unbutton his shirt. She gasped when she saw his chiseled abs and muscular arms. Alex was a very fit man. He removed his pants and pulled her back to him and they began to kiss again. Alex began to kiss her neck and her collarbone. She closed her eyes as she felt his featherweight kisses on her exposed skin.

It was so senseless at how quickly things were moving, but Hermione didn't want it to stop. They moved to her bed. She got in first and Alex climbed in after her. They lay beside each other and continued to kiss. It wasn't long before Alex removed her bra and began to lavish her breasts with soft kisses, and light sucking on her nipples. After a few moments, Alex lifted his head and was about to remove his mask, but Hermione stopped him.

"No, let's keep them on," she said softly and waited to see his reaction.

Alex thought about it for a few moments, and then he shrugged. "This is a bit bizarre, but this whole night has been like that, so we'll leave the masks on. Where were we?" he asked softly as he went back to her breasts.

Hermione could feel his erection pushing into her leg and it made her nervous because Alex had a large cock. Since this was going to be her first time she wondered if it was going to fit. As she thought about this, Alex removed his boxers. She gulped when she saw how big he was and the precum glistening on the head.

Looking at her, Alex slowly removed her panties and tossed them near his boxers on the floor. He moved over her and they began to kiss again, laughing softly as their masks bumped against each other. Hermione felt him nudge her legs apart with one of his knees. He reached down with one hand and positioned his cock at her entrance. She caught her breath as he parted her folds with it. When he found her opening, he began to push, but was met with resistance. Alex stopped pushing and sat up.

"Hermione, has it been some time since you've done this?" he asked hesitantly.

Hermione bit her lip and felt like she wanted to crawl under a rock. "I've never done this before. This is my first time," she said softly.

Alex sighed deeply. "Oh man. Hermione, as much as I want to, this is nuts. Your first time shouldn't be like this," he started to say, but Hermione stopped him.

"I don't want to stop, Alex. I have my reasons for doing this. Please," Hermione replied and hoped she didn't sound too pathetic.

"You are so beautiful. Are you sure you want to do this?" Alex asked softly.

Hermione nodded and pulled him back towards her. No more words were spoken as they resumed their lovemaking. Alex was gentle as he broke through her barrier, kissing her pain away as he began to lightly thrust. As they moved together, Hermione silently cast a Contraceptive charm.

When the pain ebbed, Hermione was able to relax a bit and enjoy the sensation of having Alex inside of her. She noticed how his breath started to come out in short bursts and she knew that he was close. Alex buried his face in her neck and groaned as he reached his climax. After a few moments, he pulled out from her and rolled over so that he was on the other side of the bed.

"That was so intense. Are you okay? I hope I didn't hurt you," Alex said.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied.

Alex grabbed her hand that was close to him and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. "Thank you for such an amazing evening."

"You're welcome," Hermione said and all of a sudden, she felt so tired. She heard Alex say something, but her eyes fluttered and she fell asleep.

Alex smiled and walked out of the bed. He switched off the lights and removed his mask, placing it on the top of a chest of drawers. He walked back to the bed and removed Hermione's mask, taking care not to wake her. Alex placed it next to his. He climbed back into the bed, pulling Hermione to him, so that her back was against his chest. This had worked out perfectly, better than he could've ever imagined.

The next morning, Hermione woke up to an empty bed. It took a few moments, but she remembered what had taken place the night before. It was then that she realized she wasn't wearing her mask. Alarmed, she looked around her room and saw it on top of the chest of drawers. It was next to the mask Alex had worn. Tears began to roll down Hermione's face. Alex had removed the mask and saw her face. He must've been so disgusted to know he had slept with a freak. What did she expect? She wiped the tears away. It was done. At least she would have one good memory of what her life should have been.

Pulling on her robe, Hermione walked out of her bedroom and was about to go to the bathroom, when she heard noises coming from her kitchen. She crept slowly through the hall and peeked around the corner. She couldn't believe what she saw.

There was Draco Malfoy in her kitchen, fixing breakfast. So shocked at seeing him, Hermione forgot that she was dressed only in a robe and the fact that her face was exposed. She stomped into the kitchen.

"I don't know what in Merlin's name is going on, but what the hell are you doing in my apartment?" she shrieked.

Draco was very calm as he turned towards her. "Oh good, you're up. How do you like your eggs?"

"Are you insane? What are you doing here? What happened to Alex?" Hermione asked.

Draco nodded. "Ah yes, Alex. Well, Alex had a wonderful evening but he had to go. I'm here to take his place."

Hermione was so confused. Was she dreaming? "Did you do something to him? I swear, Draco Malfoy, I will hex you to bits if you hurt him!"

"Calm down, Hermione. You might want to sit down before I tell you about Alex," Draco replied in the same annoyingly soothing tone.

Hermione sat and listened as Draco explained. It turned out that "Alex" was Draco's Glamour charm. She had been with Draco Malfoy all evening. She had given herself to the last man on earth she'd ever imagine being with.

"Is this some sick joke? What, do you get some kind of perverse excitement from sleeping with freaks? Oh, it must've made your night when you found out I had never slept with anyone before. Go on, tell me how much it disgusts you to look at me. I just want to know. Why?" Hermione asked sadly.

"Hermione, it had to be this way. I'm not disgusted by you. I made up Alex because I knew there was no way you'd have anything to do with me. I had to show you how beautiful and amazing you are," Draco said.

"How can you say that? Look at me! I can't get rid of this. I'll have to spend the rest of my life using Glamour charms so I can go out in public. Just go away, please. This is so humiliating," Hermione said as tears rolled down her face.

Draco knelt next to her chair. Taking a deep breath, he brushed the tears away from her face. Hermione pushed his hand away. "Don't!"

"Why don't you go look in the mirror and maybe you'll see what I see," Draco said softly.

Hermione shook her head and stood up. "You need to go," she said as she walked out of the kitchen. She went to the bathroom and shut the door. She walked towards the mirror over the lavatory and braced herself. It was bad enough that she had to look at this every morning, but just knowing how awful she must've looked to Draco Malfoy, was almost too much to bear. She finally looked at her reflection and couldn't believe it. Her face looked normal again! There were no traces of the purple and red splotches.

Hermione tentatively touched her skin, still not quite believing this was happening. She wondered if this was some powerful Glamour charm, but she could tell that it wasn't. This was her own face, she looked like Hermione again. She heard the door opening and she turned towards it. Draco walked in and gave her a small smile.

"Do you believe me now? It just took someone to see and know who you really are Hermione. That's what got rid of the curse. I knew there had to be a way, but it wasn't until my Aunt Miriam approached me about the story of my great-grandmother Lydia. I had no idea if this would've worked but I'm so glad it did," Draco said as he walked towards her.

"Wait a second. Miriam, my friend, is your aunt?" Hermione asked.

Draco nodded. "Please don't hate her. She wanted to help you and when I told her that I had always had feelings for you, we came up with this plan. The mask she gave you was made by Lydia."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "This is too much. Draco, did you mean everything we talked about last night? Was that "Alex" or you?"

"It was me, Hermione. Last night was beyond anything I've ever experienced. I'm willing to see where we go with this. I want to start over with you Hermione," Draco said as he took her hands in his and looked at her.

"I'm willing to see where this goes. You just can't imagine what the last few years have been like. How can I ever thank you, Miriam, and Lydia! I have my life back," Hermione said happily.

Draco pulled her into his arms. "You just had to look in the mirror."

I know it's been ages since I've posted anything. This one was slightly bizarre, but hope you enjoyed it! Happy Mardi Gras!