A/N: Last chapter, people. Get ready. I'll start back up "Undesirable Feelings" this month. Thanks everyone for reading this story.
Chap. 31 Solace and Fulfillment
'Hermione Granger was an amazing woman. She was loyal, brave, strong, beautiful, and, of course, had an intelligence that no one could compare, or dare to. I am honored to have been Headmaster at Hogwarts while she graced the school. I dare say some people would not be here today, if it was not for Miss Granger. She was one of a kind, a generous soul that will never be gone. She will remain in all our hearts forever. People will read about her and know, not only how great a witch she was, but also, how wonderful of a person she was. She will always be looking down on us, trying to help us anyway she can… because that is what kind of a girl she was. She will be remembered forever.' Spoke Dumbledore solemnly.
He then stepped down from the podium in the heavily flowered graveyard and placed a lily and phoenix feather on a small headstone.
He turned to Draco, whose face was pale and tear-streaked, and nodded.
Draco slowly stepped up to the podium.
He looked out at all the many sad faces, some of which tears were falling freely, and did everything in his power not to cry himself.
He took a breath and began.
'Hermione saved my life. She gave me what no one else could, not even myself. She gave me hope, she gave me love, and she gave me a reason for living.
Hermione's face flashed in his mind, and he had to pause to gain composure once more.
'She was there for me when no one else was, when I shut everyone out, she pushed through. She was the greatest person I have ever known. There are so many times, so many days I wish I could go back and change the way I acted towards her in school. She didn't deserve any of it. I didn't deserve her love. And she didn't deserve to die. I would give anything to have her back here, with us today.'
Draco then collapsed onto the podium in tears.
Harry quickly rushed up onto the platform, but Draco lifted his head and wiped his eyes.
'I'm okay.' He told Harry.
Harry moved to the side, but did not go and sit back down. Draco continued slowly.
'I only hope Hermione died knowing how many love her, how many people look up to her and honor her. She deserves all the honor in the world, she was never selfish and I know she would do anything she could to help a stranger. So we are here to honor a woman who died too young. A woman who was steadfast and strong. A woman who will never be replaced in my heart, I will love Hermione Anne Granger for the rest of my life.'
Draco subtly grabbed something hanging from his neck and kissed it. He then placed a bouquet of pink lilies at the foot of her headstone and ran away from the funeral.
The funeral awkwardly continued without him. No one ran after him; they knew he needed space. Space that Draco knew could never be filled again.
He found solace in the church, not too far from the graveyard.
He walked slowed to a walk as he neared the old, stone church. It was cold, but he for some reason found comfort it that. It was like the old building knew how he was feeling and did not try to change him. He did not want to change. He didn't want anyone telling him it was going to be okay. Because it wasn't. He was never going to be the same again. He had his love, and she was taken from him. She was taken by the same people who took his mother.
Draco felt himself tighten in anger and sadness. He was about to lose it again. He quickly darted into the first room he saw.
He leaned against the wall of the pitch black room and cried. He let the pain out through his tears. He didn't care if he was not being masculine and strong. He was hurting and nothing could help him now.
He took hold of the small object hanging from his neck.
'I was supposed to marry you,' he said aloud to himself. 'I loved you so much, Hermione.'
He looked down into his hand.
A silver diamond ring on a long chain sat there.
Draco brought his knees up, rested his arms on them, and hung his head between them. He felt as if his heart was going to rip from his chest from the pain. Not even a Cruciatus could inflict the feeling. He wanted to die. He wanted to be with his fiancée again.
Light came through from crevices in the doorway.
Draco didn't care. He didn't want anyone. He didn't want comfort.
The door slowly opened.
'There you are. I'll leave you alone, but I just wanted to make sure you're okay,' said a very red-eyed Giselle Sparrow.
Draco didn't respond.
'We all miss Hermione, but you aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?'
'I just want to be left alone.' He grit through his teeth, fighting back tears.
Giselle then softly shut the door. The room went dark again as he heard her walk away.
When she let light in, he realized he was inside a large closet. It wasn't Sunday, so he figured he would be left alone.
Sunday. Church. Wedding. Words that meant nothing to Draco now.
'Why did you have to go?' Draco asked aloud, referring to Hermione leaving Hogwarts to see her parents. 'You were always so stubborn.'
A smile formed on his pale face as he gave himself into nostalgia.
He then remembered when she was determined to help him, even though he was supposed to be possessed. She never wanted to leave his side. His eyes closed tightly, trying to forget the pain.
'And now you're gone forever.'
Light began to fill the room once more.
'Leave me alone!' He cried.
It was a dimmer light however.
'Draco,'
Draco began to cry angrily. He didn't want to remember anymore memories. They were too painful. Her voice, his Hermione, was filling his head.
'Draco,'
'Stop it.' He shouted angrily at himself.
'I'm sorry.'
He opened his eyes and saw the carpeted floor.
He heard her voice again.
'I'm sorry, Draco.'
He slowly lifted his head.
She was there.
His Hermione.
She stood there in perfect form, save for she was pearly-white. Semi-transparent…
But she was there.
'Hermione,' He breathed in awe.
'I'm so sorry, Draco.'
Tears leaked from his eyes faster than before.
'Oh Hermione.' He gasped as he struggled to stand before her.
He rushed forward to hold her, but walked right through.
He turned and saw her looking back at him sadly.
'You're a ghost.' He spoke softly.
Tears choked his voice.
'I never wanted to leave you.' She told him.
'I need you, I want to hold you. Why did you leave? Why—
He paused to catch his breath. His voice was betraying him. He couldn't form words. Sadness had overtaken him.
'Why did you have to go? I love you so much, Hermione. I need you.'
Hermione reached out, her smoky hand grazing his face. She felt nothing. He felt a chill.
A translucent tear fell down her cheek.
'I died without completion.'
Draco couldn't look at her. He turned away, his head in his hands.
'I tried to save you.' He choked, 'I tried. Harry and I both. I don't want you to haunt me, I love you so much. I couldn't bear it.'
He then heard her begin to weep.
'I know you tried, Draco. It's not your fault. Not yours or Harry's. I didn't want to leave you, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left Hogwarts. I love you, but I'm here to fulfill my life, not to haunt you.'
Draco dropped his hands and looked at his deceased fiancée, who was hovering before him.
'What do you mean?'
'I didn't fulfill my destiny.'
'Which was?'
'To be your wife. I was so happy when you proposed to me, Draco. Nothing, nobody ever made me feel the way you did. I was meant to be yours forever; it wasn't supposed to end up this way.'
Draco wiped his eyes and reached for his silver chain. He pulled it from his shirt and held the ring up.
'I bought this for you. After Harry and I brought you back to Hogwarts, I went out and bought it. It was the ring I had picked out for you earlier, but didn't know when to buy. I bought it to bury with you…but I couldn't bear to. I needed a part of you, I needed it to remember my fiancée.'
'Draco,' she whispered as she looked down at the ring in his trembling hand.
'You were my reason for everything now, Hermione. What am I supposed to do now?' He pleaded. 'Come back to me, come back!'
His tears pained Hermione. She didn't understand how she was dead, but could still feel her heart breaking.
'I can't, Draco. I want to come back and be with you, be your wife and by your side forever but I can't. I'm trapped here though. I need help, Draco.'
'I don't know what to do!' He sobbed, 'Just stay with me!'
'I can't.'
Draco then tore the chain from his neck.
'I don't want this!' He cried dangling the ring in front of her, 'I want you!'
He dropped it at her clear feet, but when it did the ring bounced then fell to the carpet.
He noticed and bent down to pick it up.
'Hermione, hold out your hand.'
He took the ring from the chain and reached for her hand.
He felt her. He could not feel warm skin, but he could feel her.
'Hermione,' he whispered, 'please take this ring as a token of my love for you. My love that will last forever, even after death.'
She smiled as the ring slid onto her ghostly finger.
'I'm yours.' She told him.
Suddenly her body solidified.
'You're alive,' Draco stated quickly.
'No, fulfilled, Draco. I have to go back now.'
He grasped her warm body in his arms.
'I won't lose you again!'
He leaned down and kissed her, streams of tears from the couple mixed.
She gasped in heartache.
'I'll never feel that again.' She spoke. 'I'll always love you, Draco Malfoy.'
She began to disintegrate from his arms.
'No!' He shouted as he watched her slowly disappear. 'NO!'
He leaned forward into her evaporating body, but fell through.
He turned and no trace of Hermione was left.
She was gone forever.
Memories was all he had left.
'No. I wouldn't want to die right this second. I am with you and you are the only happiness in my life right now.'
Hermione smiled brightly, causing tears to leak from her eyes.
'That's all it should take, Draco. You love and are loved in return. I love you, too, Draco…'
"Goodbye, goodbye Hollywood, Goodbye,
please don't cry for me, when I'm gone for good,
so goodbye, goodbye Hollywood, please don't cry
for me, when I'm gone for good..."