Fanfic: What Might Have Been, Harry Potter

What Might Have Been…

Hermione Potter and her husband, Harry, were getting ready for the Hogwarts Reunion Dinner and Ball that evening. It had been ten long years since they had finally graduated from Hogwarts and Harry had defeated Voldemort. She and Harry had dated on and off for about six years following, until one day four years ago when he finally asked Hermione to marry him. It had been a grand ceremony, the Weasley's had pulled out all the stops for the occasion, seeing as they still considered Hermione and Harry as adopted children.

Now she was sitting at her vanity, putting on her jewelry for the event when her eyes settled on a rare emerald and silver ring at the back of her jewelry box. Hermione picked it up from the box slowly, her mind traveling back to her seventh year as she stared at the sparkling emerald.

Sure I think about you now and then

But it's been a long, long time

I've got a good life now, I've moved on

So when you cross my mind…

FLASHBACK

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight aren't they?" a voice sounded from behind Hermione as she sat on the edge of the astronomy tower, gazing at the stars above, lost in her own thoughts.

She whipped her head around, grasping a hold of the edge so she didn't fall from the startling voice. Hermione smiled lightly as she saw who was there, leaning against the tower doorway.

"Draco! Don't sneak up on me like that! You realize I could've fallen, right?" Hermione said in mock anger, a smirk playing on her fair lips.

Draco smirked at her as he approached the edge where she was. "I'd catch you." He said, sitting beside her and pulling her into his arms.

Hermione laid her head on his chest and smiled happily, breathing in his scent. They stayed that way for what felt like hours, just holding on to each other and staring out at the night…until Draco broke the silence by quietly speaking.

"Hermione," He began, taking a hand from around her shoulder and reaching into his cloak pocket. "This year has been more than I ever expected it to be and I just want to thank you for showing me that my life could be more than it was."

He opened the box in front of her and she gasped at the beautiful emerald and silver ring embedded inside.

"No matter what the year after this brings, or the years to come," He said softly. "I want you to remember that I love you and no matter what happens between us in the future, I always will."

"Oh Draco, I love you too." Hermione said, letting draco slide the ring onto her finger and tilting her head to look at him.

She slid her hand up his arm and to his cheek, pulling him in for an earth-shattering kiss.

END FLASHBACK

Hermione snapped out of her memories as Harry's voice came drifting into their bedroom, telling her that it was time to go. Taking a deep breath, she slipped the ring on to her finger and headed out the door and downstairs to Floo with Harry to Hogwarts, trying not to think about the blond ex-Slytherin that would more than likely be there tonight.

And try not to think about what might have been

Coz that was then

And we have taken different roads

We cant go back again…There's no use giving in

And there's no way to know

What might have been…

Hermione and Harry landed in the fireplaces that had been added off the side of the Great Hall. They looked around and immediately began to spot old friends and schoolmates that were milling around the Entrance Hall. Harry looked at her and smiled, taking her hand in his as they submerged themselves into the crowd forming. They immediately spotted Ron and Ginny, who were waiting for them by the Great Hall doors with their significant others (Ron was dating a newly single Lavender Brown-again, while Ginny was engaged to Dean Thomas). Hermione put on her best face and smiled at her best friends, waving at them as she and Ron crossed the hall to them. As Ron and Harry talked, even though they still saw each other almost every day, Hermione allowed her eyes to shift across the crowd, subconsciously searching for the blonde hair that she could sense was here somewhere.

She had not seen Draco since graduation, and she had wondered from time to (especially for the first couple years) where he was and what he was doing. Not that she didn't love Harry, she really did, but there was just a part of her heart that she knew would always belong to the Slytherin. Draco had really proven to everyone their last year that he was NOT an exact replica of his father by helping Harry and the Order bring down Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He had gained the respect of Harry and Ron, as well as the other Gryffindors (and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, too), not to mention the entire wizarding world.

She had almost given up hope on seeing him when suddenly, almost as if Merlin himself interfered, the crowd parted and she spotted him-looking right back through the crowd at her. Hermione's breath seemed to catch in her throat and her right hand immediately went up to cover her mouth as the shock hit. She felt her heart flutter as she saw his eyes staring right back at her, and they seemed to widen a bit before a small smile appeared on his stern lips. The crowd around them seemed to vanish as they locked eyes for what felt like an eternity before…

"Hermione, honey? Come on, everyone is going inside." Harry said, snapping her from her reverie and she grabbed onto his arm, smiling.

She walked with Harry into the Great Hall, glancing backwards every so often, trying to catch another glimpse of her former love. Her heart was beating so quickly and loudly that she kept glancing at Harry to make sure he couldn't hear it too.

They danced and laughed and talked with old friends for the next few hours. Smiling and hugging and laughter filled the Hall. After about three and a half hours, Hermione needed to get some fresh air and clear her head of all the rollercoaster thoughts flowing through it, so she kissed harry on the cheek lovingly and excused herself. She walked the familiar corridors, glistening in the memories of her childhood as her feet traced the still familiar steps to the astronomy tower.

Once she reached the tower, she took a deep, cleansing breath, clearing her mind. She stepped to the old familiar ledge and, pulling her long skirt up a bit to allow her legs to move easier, eased herself onto the ledge and allowed her legs to hang over the side. She had always been thankful that the ledge happened to be wide enough to accommodate someone sitting on it without having to worry about slipping off. Hermione sat there, staring off into the night sky for a few moments before an all-too-familiar voice rang out quietly behind her.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight, aren't they?" Hermione turned her head quickly to see an older, much more handsome, Draco Malfoy leaning on the tower doorway and was overwhelmed with an enormous sense of deja-vu.

We could sit and talk about this all night long

Wonder why we didn't last

Yes they might be the best days we will ever know

We'll have to leave them in the past

"Draco…" Hermione breathed as she stared at the pale eyes staring back at her from the shadow around the doorway.

She turned around on the ledge and lowered herself to stand on the tower floor again. The two former lovers stared at each other, neither speaking, for what felt like an eternity before Hermione lost her willpower and flung herself across the tower in a matter of a couple steps and right into Draco's arms. They held onto each other like each one was the other's lifeline for what felt like an eternity. When they finally broke apart, Draco kissed her gently on the cheek whispering in her ear:

"I missed you, Hermione."

For the next two long hours, the former couple sat on the astronomy tower, talking and laughing about the past and what they'd both been up to for the past few years. Hermione learned that after Draco's father was killed in the final days of the war, the estate passed to him and he had spent several years simply trying to put everything back into order after the chaos that Lucius and Voldemort had caused. She also found out that for the past five years he had been traveling the country, helping out where he could with those who had lost everything in the war and were still trying to rebuild their lives. Hermione was slightly in shock at that but felt immensely proud of what her former lover had accomplished with his life.

Hermione told him all about her training at the Ministry and her work in the Department of Mysteries, how she'd been made the youngest Unspeakable in a century. She told him about her travels and how many of her goals she'd achieved, pretty much everything except about her marriage. For some reason, she couldn't bare to speak about Harry to Draco. Sure, Draco knew she was married to Harry. It had, after all, been all over the papers five years ago. The Boy Who Lived getting married was front page news to those down at the Daily Prophet of course.

Finally, Hermione glanced at her watch and saw that she had been 'taking a walk' for a little over two hours now and she really should get back. After all, Harry would probably be worried by now if he, Ron, and Ginny hadn't started looking for her. So, she and Draco climbed reluctantly to their feet from their seat on one of the stone benches on the tower. They talked for a couple more minutes until there was a very awkward silence between the two of them. Part of her longed to stay right there, with him. The other part, however, the logical part, knew that it was impossible. They had been apart too long and they both had their own lives to get back to. But when she stared up at those piercing blue-gray eyes, she saw that they were filled with the same longing and love that she had seen in them back in school when they were together.

That same old look in your eyes, It's a beautiful sight

I'm so tempted to stay..

But too much time has gone by, We should just say good night

And turn and walk away…

Hermione jerked herself out of her reverie and turned away from Draco, moving towards the door. Draco simply stood there, unable to say anything, unable to move, unable to stop the one person he loved more than anything get away from him yet again.

Three hours later, the reunion was breaking up and everyone was going their separate ways. Many were crying over memories and hugging their long lost friends. Others were promising to keep in contact. Hermione hadn't spoken very much since she had returned from her walk, her mind was set on Draco and the moment they shared atop the Astronomy Tower. As she and Harry said goodbye to the friends and loved ones and headed towards the line for the Floo connection, Harry stopped and brought her chin up to meet her eyes and smiled lovingly at her.

"I love you Hermione. Being here tonight, back in our old school, reminded me of just how lucky I am to have you in my life." Harry told her, his striking emerald eyes staring deeply into her own honey brown ones.

Hermione sighed deeply and gave Harry a warm smile, the warmest smile she'd given him all night. She'd finally realized, after those two long hours spent with Draco just a short while ago, that this is where she truly belonged. Right here, with her husband who loved her very deeply and she loved just as much. No matter how much love she would always have deep down for her first love, Draco, he was her past and Harry was her future. As they neared their turn to Floo, a sudden hand on her shoulder caused her to twirl around tensely.

"Thought you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?" Draco said warmly, smiling down at Hermione.

"Oi, Malfoy. Where did you come from?" Harry asked, turning around to see who had caught his wife's attention. When he saw Draco, he immediately raised his hand to shake his former enemy's. "I was starting to wonder if you had even showed up tonight."

"Nah, Potter. Like I could turn down a chance to mingle with all you annoying people." Draco replied, a smirk gracing his lips and took Harry's hand. "Besides, you should've known I'd want to see you and Hermione after everything we went through in school."

Draco winked at Hermione slyly and she smiled back. Harry wrapped his arm casually around her waist as the two former enemies talked about the past and what they'd been up to. Hermione felt a warmth spread over her as her former lover and her husband talked so casually without any trace of jealousy or malice. She had definitely made the right decision when she married Harry, she knew that without a doubt now.

The three said goodbye, Draco shaking hands with Harry again and kissing Hermione sweetly on the cheek, whispering in her ear…

"Keep in touch this time, please? Don't forget me." Draco whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek gently and pulling away. Hermione nodded her head and smiled warmly at him before turning with her husband to step into the green flames that were awaiting to return them to their home.