So sorry! I've been out of town on work. Hope you like it!

Draco's arm tightened around Hermione's waist drawing her back as against his chest, as their feet hit the ground. "You can open your eyes now, love. We've arrived." he whispered, his lips grazing the outer edge of her ear.

"Mmmm, opening my eyes might ruin the moment" she whispered back, relaxing against his chest, lacing her hands with his.

"I'm open to returning to the Manor for the rest of the evening," he teased, moving his lips to her cheek. Ever so slowly, his free hand moved over the curves of her breasts and her flat stomach. His touch igniting fire against her body. Hermione closed her eyes, trying to stifle her fears of his impending anger and feelings of betrayal she was sure to face in the coming hours.

"I suppose we could though I do not think your mother would approve." Laughter apparent in her tone.

"You are right, as always," he admitted though reluctantly. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life, alone with her. To reaquiant himself with her body. To memorize every curve once again. And her dress wasn't helping his control. It only kept reminding him how easy it would be to slid his hand inside it and gently cup her breast.

His arms loosened around her, though he still kept her body against his own. Afraid that if for a moment he let her go, she'd disappear into the night. "Shall we join the party, darling?" he said with a cheeky grin. She couldn't help but laugh at his boyhood grin. Taking his arm, he led them towards the carriages taking guests from Hogsmeade to the castle.

Draco guided her through the small crowd towards his mother's carriage. Approaching the carriage, he noticed that his mother was not alone. She sat conversing with his childhood friend and his lovely blonde Ravenclaw fiancé.

"Hello, Blaise. Luna. Fancy seeing you here." He smiled helping Hermione into the carriage and joined her, sitting next to his mother.

"Draco. Hermione." Blaise replied, his arm tightening around Luna.

"Looking handsome as usual, Blaise." Hermione noted with a small smile that had Draco raising his eyebrows. Hermione winked back rather than answer the question in the air. "Luna, your dress is stunning." Luna had chosen to wear one of Ginny's green dresses for the occasion. The dress was rather tame compared to Luna's rather odd style choices when they were back in school.

Luna blushed. "Thank you, I decided tonight was the perfect opportunity to support Blaise and his House and how far they have come in the last five years." A soft smile gracing her lips.

"And she wears my House's colors beautifully." Blaise placed a quick kiss on her lips. The occupants of the carriage conversed amongst themselves, all except Hermione. She was oddly quiet as her memory brought her back to the last time she'd been at Hogwarts. It had been run down and destroyed, exactly how she had.

Hermione had missed Hogwarts. A place filled where she had learned so much. She had learned magic spells, potions, and more but most importantly she had learned about friendship and love. The sound of wind passing through the trees pulled her from her memories as she realized that Luna was talking to her.

"Hermione, you won't want to miss this. Your first view of the castle restored." She smiled her thanks towards the woman. She wasn't surprised that Luna had picked up on her thoughts. She had always had the ability to say what someone needed to say and to know what plagued their mind.

She felt Draco tighten his arm around hers, as their carriage turned around the last bend. And then she found the castle in front of her. Her home. Her refuge. Gone was the evidence of death, fear, and destruction. Rather it now held a message of peace, beauty, and strength. It was as if she were a first year, her emotions overwhelming her.

"Are you alright?" Hermione turned her head towards Draco's voice. He stood on the ground, his hand stretched out towards her. She hadn't felt the carriage pull to a stop or Narcissa, Blaise, or Luna exiting the carriage.

"Of course, it's beautiful. The pictures Pansy sent me don't do it justice," slipping her small hand into his, she joined him on the ground. She stared at the image of the retreating carriage, unsure if she could really do this.

"Draco, I don't know if I can do this." When had she become such a coward? She wanted to run-away. To recede into the quiet. Running it seemed was her natural disposition lately. Some Gyffindor she was. Her house-mates would be appalled. Truth be told, she was appalled.

"Of course you can," Draco sent a small nod in the direction of his mother and friends, indicating that they should proceed into the Great Hall. "You are Hermione Granger, soon to be Hermione Malfoy. You are the brightest witch of our age, 1/3 of the Golden Trio. You can do anything and everything."

"You're right of course, but don't let that go to your head" she answered quickly.

"I would never, love." His boyhood smirk making a second appearance as humor laced his words. "Shall we head in Ms. Granger?" He offered her his arm.

Hermione placed her arm around his. "Let's, Mr. Malfoy."

"Your mother and her committee went all out," she observed as she paused taking in the elegance that had taken over the Great Hall. Draco simply nodded as he watched her take in the glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling as the music of the string quartet filled the room. Everywhere she looked, she found familiar faces and she felt the familiar pain of guilt at those who were not.

The next half hour was spent in a flurry of emotional reunions with her friends and previous professors. Hagrid, particularly happy to see Hermione again, lifted her high in the air as he hugged her. And her ever controlled Head of House, greeted her with a hug and a few tears.

"Pansy, you're huge!" Draco exclaimed pulling his old friend in for a hug.

"I hadn't noticed, Draco" she replied with nothing but love in her voice as she rolled her eyes at the obvious comment.

Hermione marveled at how far the Wizarding World had come since she had left, as she watched the couples in front of her. Her friends. The Marriage Law hadn't created quite a protest as she had thought it would. It seemed that just like the Sorting Hat knew which House to place a student, it also knew which witch and wizard should be together.

"How are you doing, Hermione?" She recognized the voice as they slid into Draco's empty seat, pulling her eyes from the dance floor where Draco was dancing with his mother.

"I'm having a great time, Ron. What about you and Daphne?"

"There's our Hermione, always worried about others and forgetting herself." Ron leaned over and gentle held her hands. "How are you really doing?" his cerulean blue eyes fixed on hers.

"I'm barely holding it in, truth be told." She answered realizing that he was asking about how she was doing with the whole Kamilla/Draco situation.

"I'm so scared, Ronald. More scared than I ever was running from snatchers, Death Eaters, and that blasted snake. I've come back and yet, by tonight's end I'll be alone again."

Hermione felt Ron's warm fingers, lift her chin. "Hermione, you are not alone. You have all of us who love and care for you. And Draco loves you too. He might be angry but a few hexes from Ginny and he'll get over it. It will all work out."

"Draco, dear. Stop watching Hermione like a hawk. She is merely talking her friend." Narcissa advised as she caught her son's eyes fixated on the table to their left.

"I know, Mother. I'm just worried, that's all. Her return is bringing up so many emotions. I know she is hiding something from me and I think Weasley knows what it is." His voice sounded distant and broke his mother's heart. The poor girl had a secret and Narcissa had taken an oath not to tell her son about it but what was a mother to do?

"He is her friend. They are probably catching up. Talking about Gryffindor nonsense or something," she added hoping to lighten her only son's mind.

"I guess you are right. She hasn't had much time to talk with Ron or Harry since she has been back."

"No she hasn't." The music stopped. "It will be alright son." She whispered as she pulled her son into a hug.

Hermione's attention flew back to the dance floor as the song ended. She could tell that Draco was concerned about what she and Ron were talking about as he escorted his mother back to the table. "I hope you are right,"

"Of course, I am. I'm Ronald Weasley. Now I'm going to find my minx of fiancé." He stood with a quick kiss to her cheek, "It will work out just fine. Just get it over with." She blinked as her vision filled with the image of a blonde.

"Everything alright, love?" His hand taking one of hers, both of them needed the contact.

"Of course. I'm having a great time. Though there is one thing that would make it better," she replied.

"Oh, and what would that be?" His interest hooked by the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Some fresh air. Care to join me in the courtyard?"

He didn't know what to say, so instead he kissed her. Hermione moaned in bliss. This man knew how to use his tongue to his advantage. She could kiss him all day.

His hands cupped her head as he ravished her mouth, starving for her; trying to quench his thirst from the last 5 years. His lips trailed a hot path from her lips to her ear "I would love nothing more."

"Remember how we use to meet here late at night back in 6th year?" Draco asked as he pulled Hermione into the courtyard lit by the pale moonlight.

"Yes, I've missed it," she whispered into the night. Letting Draco's voice enfold her

"Mmm…me too," he automatically replied his attention solely on the exploration of his hands.

"No, I mean just you and me. Your arms around me. The feeling of safety. Protection." She explained, pulling his arms around her tighter. Her essence sinking into his body, protected by his strength. Everyone in the Wizarding World thought she was strong, but they were wrong. Draco was much stronger than she. He had survived years in hell while she had only experienced for a short while. He held true strength.

Here it was again, her fear. Something was making her afraid. Was it him? "You belong in my arms, love. Forever and always, they will keep you safe. I will not allow anything to harm you," his smooth voice filled with gentleness.

"Draco, I have something that I need to tell you." Turning in his arms, she looked into his eyes. She stared at his eyes memorizing the look of his desire and love for her. She would need it to make it through the tumultuous storm about to rage.

He said nothing as he returned her stare.

She closed her eyes and lowered her head, unable to keep his gaze. "When I left 5 years ago, I left for more reasons than you know. The day before the Daily Prophet announced your engagement. I found out something, something that meant I couldn't stay here. I found out I was pregnant with your child."

At first he didn't think he'd heard her correctly. She couldn't have been pregnant. He studied her intently, and then he knew it was true. Her eyes couldn't lie to him.

"You left because you were pregnant?" His mind struggled with her news. No wonder she had left. But why hadn't she returned when she had been told about the potion. "Why didn't you return when you were told about the potion?"

"I don't know, I was scared. Scared that you would be angry with me?" Water began to fill her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn't use tears against him.

"So, what you planned to never return? You planned to keep my child from me forever?" he shouted. His voice getting louder with each word.

"No! I just didn't know how to fix everything. Then the Marriage Law hap…."

Draco cut her off, his body seething with anger. "The Marriage Law? That's the reason you came back? Not because you loved me or so that I could see my child but because the law required you to."

"I'm so sorry. Please, I am so sorry! I didn't want to hurt you, ask Pansy." She begged, reaching for his hands.

"Pansy knows? You confided in Pansy. What am I saying? Of course you confided in Pansy. She's your new best friend, isn't she? Tell me Hermione, do your other best friends know? Do Harry and Ron know?" He sneered, his hands closed painfully around her delicate arms. She'd have bruises in the morning but right now, he didn't give a damn.

Her eyes looked down as she tightened her lips turning her face away. She couldn't stop the silent tears from falling, not when face with his anguish at the hand of her betrayal

Ice slid into his heart. Draco was numb as the realization hit him in his stomach. "Weasley knows?! You told Weasley before you told me? You told your oaf of a best friend about MY CHILD? Always running off to him, aren't you? Seems like he is the one you need not me." He hissed, his eyes alive with pain and fury.

She fought out of his grip, reaching for him. Needing to feel he was still there. Still real. That he was still hers.

"Don't touch me! Don't you DARE touch me. Not after what you've done." He roared, pushing her hands from him.

Hermione closed her eyes as she fell. She heard the sound of her dress ripping, her skin scraping the harsh ground, and the destruction of her heart. Her tears fell as guilt and remorse engulfed her in the silence of the courtyard.