A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you guys liked the last chapter. I know, I know, Draco was being a jerk, and the chapter was an angsty one. But please don't stop reading, everything will be cleared soon, and Draco will confess his feelings. Have a little faith in him. Read the A/N at the end to find out when the next chapter will be out. On with the chapter! 

"What?" Astoria gasped. "You knew? You knew that I had wanted to hide that curse from you yet you yelled at her?"

Draco had just told her that he had known it wasn't Hermione's fault, that it wasn't her choice to hide the blood curse from him.

But if he had known that fact before they kissed, then why had he reacted in that way? What was wrong with him?

"Got that right." Draco muttered.

"But why? I-I don't understand. Why would you yell at her, accuse her of being a killer and then act cold towards her afterwards?"

"Remember what I told you when I said that I had betrayed you?" He asked her. "What I had said when you said that Granger would never hate me?"

"Then I will make her." Draco told her. "I will make her hate me. I will act like I always did in Hogwarts towards her, be the same old prat, and then I don't see how she will still love me."

Astoria frowned for a moment, and then nodded. That was the day she had decided that she would help Draco get his happiness with Hermione, even if he didn't want that.

Because even though she loved him, she knew he had to move on. He might have told her that he had moved on and all of that, but she knew he hadn't.

Draco still thought that him being with Hermione would be a betrayal to Astoria, to her memories, to their memories. And she knew it couldn't go on like that.

The pain he had felt when Hermione had first left had left him in a very bad state. And if she left again, that too without knowing that Draco loved her, Astoria knew that it would break Draco.

Because he would never be able to tell the ex Gryffindor that he was head over heels for her, has been for a long time now, in fact, and would regret the decision of letting her go once again. Forever.

So she had decided that she would do the opposite of what Draco had asked her to do. She would not support him trying to make Hermione hate him. Because neither of them deserved this. They didn't deserve to get hurt and be miserable just because they fell in love with each other.

And as Astoria had thought that time, Draco underestimated the power of love. She would do anything for him. And she knew Narcissa would too.

That's why, when the Malfoy matriarch would be coming here soon, as according to what Hermione had told her, Astoria will ask for her help. And she hoped, no, she knew that Narcissa would side with her. 

"Are you still going through with that stupid plan, Draco?" Astoria groaned. "I told you that day to not do that, and I am telling you now as well. Please listen to me." 

"Astoria......" He sighed and lent forward so that his forehead rested on top of where her hands were in the portrait. "You have always supported me, haven't you? And I have been forever grateful for that, you know it really well. And so I am asking you to support me again. Just please let go of your noble thinking this time, and support me in this? I am begging you, Tori."

When she didn't say anything, Draco continued, "It is for the best, you know.

"The best?" She exclaimed. "How is it for the best, Draco? We both know how much it is hurting you to hurt her. I can literally see it in your eyes. How is doing something which is obviously paining you for the best? How is doing something which you would always regret for the best?"

"Astoria-" He tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen to him. 

"Tell me, Draco. How is ruining your happiness for the best? How is making everyone sad for the best? Why are you doing this, Draco? Is it because you are feeling too guilty because of what you did to be with her? Or is it because you think that your heart will get broken once again and so instead of being with her, you chose to make her hate you, because in that way you won't get your heart broken again, according to you. But what you don't know, Draco, is that not telling her about your feelings will pain you even more-"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled. "Just shut up, okay Astoria? You don't know what I have been through. You don't know what's going on in my mind. You don't know anything! So don't try to act as if you are some genius or someone who wants everyone to be with their love. It is not that easy as it sounds, alright?"

"I don't know what you have been through, really Draco?" Astoria whispered.

"Tori, I am sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you or said those words-"

"But you did it anyway, didn't you? You do things that you don't want to do, Draco, and you keep forgetting that those things hurt other people too." Her voice cracked. "You so casually said that I don't know anything. Who was by your side when you wanted to push Hermione away? Who wanted you to drop that plan and instead confess your feelings to her? Who supported and comforted you when Hermione left? Did you ever wonder how I felt when I saw the wizard I was in love with thinking about her all day?"

"Tori....." Draco swallowed. "I know. I know you have been there for me every time. I  know that you were so patient, so caring for me. I would talk to you for hours about Hermione yet you didn't say anything no matter how much that hurt you. And Tori..... that was when I had fallen for you, even if it took me months to summon the courage to tell you about my feelings and ask you to be with me for real. And to answer your question, yes, I am afraid of getting my heart broken again. But do you know what I am afraid of more? That I will see a look of sadness on your face every time I pass by this room or if you see me with Granger. I don't want you to feel that I have moved on from you, Tori. I don't want you to feel that you don't matter to me anymore."

"And what if I wouldn't feel like that? What then, Draco?"

"You can't guarantee that, Tori-"

"I can." She insisted. "And you know why? Because I know you, Draco. I know that you will never forget me. That you will never think that I am not important to you anymore. I know that I will always have a place in your heart and life, Draco. Am I right?"

"You are right, just like always." He allowed a small smile to make its way to his face. "No matter what happens, Tori, you will always have a place in my heart and my life as well. I will always love you, and nobody can take your place. I promise you that. And I swear that I will never forget our memories, I will never forget 'us'. You were the one for me, Tori, and you will always be the one for me."

"See? That's how I can guarantee that I will never feel that." Astoria smiled back at him. "I care about you, Draco, and that's why I want you to be happy. And I know you aren't."

"We are having this conversation for what, the umpteenth time, and yet, my answer remains the same. I am happy Tori-"

"You aren't." She cut him off. "Yes, you are happy, but not in a complete sense. If you were happy, Draco, then you wouldn't have cried after you had that fight with Hermione."

"How do you even know about that-"

"Contrary to what you must think, nobody told me. I saw the tear streaks on your face when you came here the next day. Your voice was hoarse too. You may fool the rest of the world, but you can never fool me, Draco Lucius Malfoy. If you were happy then I wouldn't have noticed pain in your eyes whenever Hermione is mentioned."

"That doesn't mean I want to be with her. Yes, I-I love her but I can't be with her. End of story." 

Astoria sighed. She had to do something. She knew he wouldn't listen to her like this. "Can you do something for me?"

"Of course Tori, you don't even need to ask. You know I will do anything for you." Draco told her.

Perfect.

"Then I want you to move on."

There was silence.

And then, "What?" His eyes widened.

"You heard me." She shrugged. "You said you will do anything for me, then I want you to move on. I want you to move on and apologise to Hermione. I want you to stop torturing yourself and be with her."

"Tori..... you don't know what you are asking me to do-"

"I know. And I also know that there is a part of you that wants to be with her. And I want you to listen to that part. Please Draco, you said that you were acting like this because of me, right? Then I am telling you to listen to me and move on."

When he didn't say anything, she added, "Or you won't be allowed to enter this room. This is a portrait room so if I don't want someone to enter, it will listen to me and won't allow that person to enter here."

"That's cheating." Draco gasped. "You can't do that."

"Watch me."

"You are evil, my dear Astoria. Really evil. I swear, my mother had a really bad influence on you."

"Oh please, your mother is an amazing person. And I enjoyed her company very well. So now either you listen to me, or you won't be able to meet me."

"Why are you doing this, Tori?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know this is hurting you as well."

"I am doing this because it is hurting me to see you like this. It is hurting me to see you torturing yourself. You have gone through so much, Draco, and you deserve happiness. You deserve so much, my love, even if you don't believe it. Please, Draco. Do this for me?"

He gulped and looked down at his feet. "I am not promising anything, but I-I will try."

The smile she gave him when he looked up at her made him feel as if he was the luckiest person in this world, who, despite doing so many wrong things, still got the chance to love and to be loved.

And he knew he was lucky.

"So will you drop that stupid plan of yours to make Hermione hate you?"

"I-I will."

She beamed at him. "I am so proud of you, Draco, and I am so happy right now. I love you so, so much."

Draco smiled softly at her and leaned in to kiss her forehead. For a second, he felt as if he was really kissing her forehead, and not just her portrait.

She gasped as she felt his lips touch her portrait, because she too felt as if he was really in front of her and was kissing her forehead like he had done for infinite times before.

"Did you feel that?" She asked when he pulled away.

"I did." He grinned at her. "Magic is a weird and also an amazing thing, my love."

"And so is love." Astoria smiled, tears glistening in her eyes.

Draco slowly brought up his hand and touched her cheek. "I love you so much, Tori. Forever and Ever."

"The feeling is mutual, Malfoy." She chuckled. "I love you so much, more than you can ever imagine."

He was still smiling when he pulled back and left the room, his eyes never leaving hers.

It was only when he left the room, that Draco realised that he was crying. He chuckled and wiped his tears.

Magic- it was really a weird and an amazing thing. 

--------

By the time he came back to the living room, Lucius had already entered his house through the floo. Draco nodded at his father as his mother entered behind him.

As expected, Narcissa first greeted Hermione.

Then Athy.

"Oh Draco." Finally she greeted him. 

"Yes, Mother, it's me." He rolled his eyes and hugged her, Lucius laughing in the background. "I had thought that you had forgotten about me, which is weird because this is my house. I was almost about to take you to the Ministry and tell Potter that you were an imposter."

"Oh hush, my whiny Dragon-"

"Why do you have to add adjectives, Mother? Being called Dragon after I have said not to call me that in public is already enough."

"It is hardly public if everyone present here knows that I call you Dragon." Narcissa smiled widely at him. "Well except for Athy, but I will tell her that when she grows up. Just like I will tell her all those embarrassing stories of yours."

"That is a really stupid plan and I forbid you from telling her." Draco crossed his arms in front of him.

"Firstly, you can't do that. And secondly, I am sure your dear friend Harry-"

"Potter is lucky enough that I tolerate him, Mother. He is hardly my friend."

 "-will love to tell those stories, specially the one in which you became a ferret-"

"I will kill him if he does that. Besides I will tell Junior Potter No.1 all the shenanigans that his father did."

"Do not interrupt me, Draco Malfoy." Narcissa told him sternly. "And what will it take for you to call them by their names? It's Harry, not Potter. And Junior Potter, really? Albus is a Potter too, in case you forgot."

"That's why I said Junior Potter No. 1, Mother." Draco rolled his eyes again. "Albus is Junior Potter No. 2. And when Potterette gives birth in a few months, then it will be Junior Potterette."

"You really like Albus, don't you? I have seen you call him by his name." Narcissa commented. 

"I don't call him Albus that much. I call him Sev more, because that kid will be a Slytherin, Mother, and I can't wait to see Potter's face when that happens."

"You don't know for sure that he will be in Slytherin, my Dragon-"

"Oh please, Mother." Draco snorted. "If you spend even five minutes around him, you will know that he is a future Slytherin. Imagine the headlines when the sorting actually happens. 'Chosen One's child in Slytherin- Nobody can believe this!' I might as well start writing that article now."

"You sound so certain right now." Narcissa shook her head. "Don't come and whine if that doesn't happen."

"Oh Mother, I am not that naive. We literally have a bet going on about which kid will end in which house, and I never lose."

"You seem to have lost many Quidditch matches in Hogwarts-"

"I won it in eighth year, catching the snitch from right under Potter's nose. And thus, making Slytherin win the Quidditch Cup-"

"That hardly matters, my sweet Dragon-"

"And I have beat him in the Quidditch matches which have been going on. The score is literally Draco-15 and Potter-9. That's is really amazing and-"

"I told you not to interrupt me, Draco." Narcissa pulled his ear.

"Ow woman!" He hissed in pain. "Honestly woman, stay away from the Weasleys. You are becoming more and more like Molly."

"Oh please, they are a lovely family. That reminds me, I need to visit Molly soon, we have been talking about a recipe. Would you like to join us, Hermione-"

This time it was Lucius who interrupted Narcissa.

"Are you two done?" Lucius asked as he gestured between Narcissa and Draco. Then he turned towards Hermione. "I swear, these two will never change. They have to start arguing on stupid topics and the others get bored. I am literally starving right now and they can't stop arguing."

"Oh hush." Narcissa told him. "I swear, Hermione, Malfoy men are so dramatic. Draco takes after Lucius in his dramatics. You should see their photos, oh and listen to those stories. They not only take hours to do their hair-"

"And who is the dramatic one now, Mother?" Draco smirked at her. "You tell us we are so dramatic, and then you start your dramatic ranting. Seriously, you should have been an actress in those shows which come on the teely vision-"

"What's is a teely vision?" Lucius asked him.

"Oh well." Draco scratched the back of his neck. How was he supposed to explain this to him? "You see, it is a box like thing. And you can see people in it-"

"There are people inside it?" Lucius gasped. "Isn't that barbaric? And how do people even fit in it?"

"Salazar, you two are the worst, I swear." Narcissa sighed. "It's not teely vision, Draco, it is called a television. And Lucius, don't ask Draco for any explanation. He himself is still lost about muggle things-"

"Hey, you can't just insult your extremely intelligent and talented son like that, Mother." Draco protested. "It is-"

He was cut off when Hermione suddenly started laughing. Really loudly.

Draco was about to glare at her when his breath caught in his throat. She was looking adorable.

She was wearing those muggle pants and a loose t shirt.

Her hair was a bird's nest.

And she was looking beautiful.

Yes, it was official.

Draco Malfoy was going mad.

This is not the time to think about those kind of stuff, Draco reminded himself. Yes, Granger is beautiful but right now I am trying to ignore her.

I thought you had given up on that stupid plan, his mind asked.

No, I had given up on the plan of making Granger hate me as Tori asked me to. There was never any mention about me not ignoring her anymore, Draco answered.

You are a cunning idiot, his mind rolled his eyes, if that was even possible.

I am a Slytherin, Draco internally smirked.

"You three....." Hermione said between her laughter. "Are just so cute together. And don't even get me started on your banter."

"Malfoys aren't cute." Draco and Lucius said in unison, though the former was looking at his mother who was smirking at them. "They are extremely handsome."

"But this little Malfoy is extremely adorable and cute, isn't she?" Narcissa asked as she cooed at Athy who was in her arms. The little witch had an angry pout on her face. "And she is starving. Oh look, you delayed the lunch, Draco, and now your daughter is angry."

"My little Slytherin is starving, huh?" Draco smiled and took his daughter from his mother's arms. "Don't worry, princess, Daddy will feed you now."

"Just because she is wearing a green dress, it doesn't mean she will be in Slytherin, Draco." Narcissa shook her head as they made their way to the dining table. "She could be a Hufflepuff for all we know."

"Oh please, Mother." Draco snorted. "Believe me when I say that she will be a Slytherin. And I am never wrong."

The five people ate in silence, except for the occasional mutterings of Athy. As they started eating the desert, Narcissa finally broke the silence. "So care to tell me why are you two ignoring each other?"

Draco sat in silence until he realised that his mother was pointing at him and Hermione.

"I don't know what you are talking about." They said in unison and then glared at each other.

Narcissa knew they were lying. 

Obviously.

She looked at her husband for help. "You handle this drama. I am staying out of this. Besides, I think it is Draco's fault. You know how childish and stubborn he can be." Lucius told her.

"You can't just insult your son, Father." Draco told him.

"So what did you do, Draco?" Narcissa asked him.

"Why do you have to assume it is my fault. Granger isn't completely innocent here." Draco scowled.

"You father just said why it would be your fault." Narcissa said simply.

Draco just rolled his eyes.

"Why do you even think we are ignoring each other?" Hermione asked them.

"Well no offence to you, Hermione, but you two are really awful at acting." Narcissa answered. "Specially Draco here. He is the worst-"

"Oh please, Mother, I am the best and we all know it-"

His mother glared at him, which was enough to shut him up. "As I was saying, my dear Dragon-"

Draco rolled his eyes, but didn't dare say anything.

He was scared of his mother's wrath of course.

"Is the worst at acting. You should have seen him trying to act out different roles of fairytales when he was younger." Narcissa smiled dreamily. "I still might have those photos somewhere. Anyways, I noticed the little details."

"Pretty observant, aren't you Mother?" Draco muttered.

Narcissa ignored him.

She continued, "You two always argue in front of us, about so many things. And also, you two are never quite while eating. You just have to say something, whether it is about a friend of yours, or just something either of you did. And you two haven't done anything like that so far and we have almost finished dinner."

"Have you ever thought that maybe we don't want to argue? Maybe we were tired of it." Draco suggested.

"Oh please, you two not wanting to argue? That would never happen." Lucius commented. "It has been going on for years, and I don't think it will ever stop, no matter how irritating it is."

"And also," Narcissa added, "You have been avoiding looking at each other except to glare at each other. And, your friends have told me that you two have been acting strangely. So, I am asking you again, what has happened?"

"Nothing." Draco answered and stood up. "Now if you don't mind, I need to clean myself and also wash my princess' face properly." He picked up Athy whose face was covered in chocolate syrup.

Athy hated eating peas. And Draco had told her unless she ate them, she would not get the dessert.

So, to express her anger, she had splashed her hand in the bowl which contained the chocolate syrup, and had not only put it on her face, but on Draco's shirt as well.

And Narcissa had taken a photo of that.

And when the blond wizard narrowed his eyes at his daughter, she made her best puppy dog eyes at him. After which of course, Draco couldn't scold her.

Little Athy was a Malfoy through and through.

And Draco felt bad for McGonagall. Athy was only two, and she was already creating troubles. No doubt that habit would only increase as she became older.

And it would be worse if James continued to be her best friend. They were a pair of troublemakers.

Imagine if they got the Marauders' Map or the Invisibility cloak.

"He could have used magic instead of leaving the room to clean the mess." Narcissa commented. "But don't you just adore Athy? She is a little mischievous princess, no doubt inheriting Draco's habit of causing mischiefs."

When they finally finished eating dessert, Narcissa asked Hermione, "So will you tell me what has happened? Because Draco is not going to."

"Um I-I-" Hermione hesitated and at that point Draco entered the kitchen. "We will talk about this later." She hastily grabbed the plates and went towards the sink.

"Can you stop being nosy?" Draco asked as he sat back down. "You should have been an interrogator for Salazar's sake."

---------

A few hours later......

"So will the spell which will tell us when Hermione was obliviated ready?" Harry asked as soon as Alexander Norwin entered his office.

"Yes." He answered. "I have been working on that only for the past two weeks. The spell is finally ready to be used." 

Ever since Alexander had asked Harry if he knew that Hermione had been obliviated once, that had been the only thing on The Boy Who Lived's mind. 

The ex Gryffindor hadn't even asked Hermione about that, or even Draco, who was the only person who had spend most of the time with Hermione during the year in which she had been obliviated, before she had left, of course. 

When Harry had answered in the negative to Alexander's question, the latter had told him that there were a few spells which could tell the exact date and place of obliviation. 

But the downside was that the spells took two weeks to get ready. So they had no choice but to wait to get their answers. 

Finally, when Alexander had come to the Ministry that day, he had immediately checked the spells and they were ready to be used. 

"Okay then. Cast the spell now." Harry nodded for him to begin and cleared out his desk so that Alexander could place the file and list on it.

Alexander took a deep breath and pointed his wand on top of the file, muttering the spell under his breath. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Harry, Alexander finished casting the spell.

The two watched in silence as slowly, a date appeared along side the place Obliviate was written in Hermione's file. The date was:

28th April 1999, Wednesday

"28th April 1999?" Harry muttered. "Then it means that Hermione was obliviated during our eighth year."

"I can also tell you the time, if you want." Alexander told him. "It will help you to determine whether she was obliviated at Hogwarts or somewhere else, like Hogsmeade."

Harry once again nodded at him to continue. Five minutes later, Alexander finished casting another spell. Slowly, a time appeared along side the date.

7 am

"There you go, you have as much details as the spells can provide now." Alexander said. "Hermione Granger was obliviated on Wednesday, 28th April 1999 at 7 o'clock in the morning."

"Then it means that she was obliviated at Hogwarts." Harry gasped. "And she had to be in the Heads' Dormitory at that early in the morning. Who would obliviate her, and why?"

There was only person Harry could think of now, a certain blond wizard. But he couldn't understand why he would do that, so he shook his head to get rid of that thought.

"Um..... I can help you there. At least I think I can." Alexander suggested.

"Oh how I could hug you right now, Alex, seriously." He exclaimed. "Please help me in this."

"I am not sure if it will help you to know who has done that, but recently, I found a memory spell while reading a book. Using that spell, I can extract your memory of a particular day, and it doesn't matter if you remember it clearly or not. I just have to say the date and it will work."

"Perfect." Harry clapped his hands together and accioed the pensieve the Aurors used to his office. "Do it quickly."

"A-are you sure? I haven't ever performed it before-"

"I am sure, Alex." Harry cut him off. "I trust you."

"Okay." Alexander nervously pointed his wand at the Chosen One's head and muttered the spell and then the date. 

He waited for the spell to capture the memory. Merlin, he was really nervous right now, people would kill him if anything happened to their Chosen One.

Eventually, his wand vibrated, signaling that the spell has captured the memory. Alexander put the memory in the pensieve and gestured for Harry to view it.

Harry took a deep breath, and slowly entered the memory. Few minutes later, he came out of it with an angry scowl on his face.

Without saying a word to Alexander, he ran towards the floo network.

The ex Gryffindor knew where he was right now, thanks to having called him a few minutes back.

He yelled out Blaise's address as he dropped the floo powder after stepping inside the fireplace.

As soon as he reached there, he pushed Blaise aside who had come to see who had entered his house.

The Boy Who Lived walked towards where a certain blond wizard was sitting, pulled him up by his collars and slammed him against the wall.

"Did you obliviate Hermione, Malfoy?" Harry yelled as he shook Draco and slammed him once again against the wall.

----------

"Hermione...... Please stop crying." Astoria whispered. "You have not done anything wrong."

"But I am going to do that anyways, ain't I?" Hermione looked down at her feet. "You asked me to take care of Athy and Draco. You trusted me to do that! And look what I am planning to do? Running away from everything like I did all those years ago."

"You are not running away, Hermione. It's not running away if you have been waiting for that job offer for years and now you have finally gotten it so you have to go back to Australia."

"We both know that's not the complete truth, Astoria." She shook her head. "Before that fight with Draco, I didn't want to accept that offer, because I couldn't imagine leaving him again. But after that....... It had not even been a day since that happened that I sent the owl to the Australian Ministry of Magic with my answer. You don't have to hold back from saying the truth, Astoria. Let's face it, I am a coward." 

"Hermione, if I could smack your head right now, believe me, I really will." Astoria threatened her. "Or perhaps I will use Ginny's famous hex. What was it called again? I had only seen it once when she used it on Blaise but it was wonderful."

"Bat bogey hex." Hermione weakly chuckled as she remembered the day Ginny had used that hex on Blaise.

He had not bothered her for a day after that.

Though that hadn't stopped Draco from calling her Red, and unfortunately, he was too quick for Ginny to hex him as well.

"Right. I'll really tell Ginny to use it on now if you say you're a coward once again. Hermione, you are one of the bravest people I have ever met. How can you possibly be a coward?"

"Astoria...... I have done what I did eighth years ago. That time, I chose to run away instead of solving that, and this time too, I am choosing to run away instead of having a proper talk about what had happened with Draco. I know he doesn't reciprocate my feelings, and that's fine, I didn't expect him to do so. But what hurts is how distant we have become. And so, I know that the longer I stay here, the worse our friendship will become. It is just better that I go back to Australia."

"Hermione, you don't know what you are saying. Half of what you know, or what you think you know, is a lie." Astoria stated. 

She mentally apologised to Draco, for she was going to do the opposite of what he had told her to do. But she knew that she had to do this, she had to betray Draco's trust to make Hermione stay, because she knew that if Hermione went to Australia again, she wasn't going to come back to England ever again.

The ex Slytherin continued, "Hermione, Draco knows everything. He knows that I had forbidden you from telling him about-"

Just then, Hermione's phone rang.

"Excuse me." The Brightest Witch of Her Age muttered as she saw who had called her. "Hello- Theo! Yes, yes,  I am free. Where are you- at Blaise's house? Okay. Yeah- I know where that file is. Oh no problem, I will get it. Okay, bye."

She put the phone back in her pocket and turned back to Astroia's portrait. "I am so sorry, Astoria, but I need to go now. Theo just called me, and he has forgotten an interview file in the DMLE floor, and I need to give it to his boss because he is too lazy to do so himself." Before Astoria could say anything, Hermione left the room.

"I hope you tell Hermione everything soon, Draco. Really soon." Astoria whispered. "Only you can make her stay. So stop being a stubborn prat and please don't let her go."

--------

"W-what are you doing, Potter?" Draco snarled. "Get off me."

"Malfoy, I asked you one question and you have to answer it truthfully right now-"

"What in Salazar's pink polka dots pajamas is going on here?" Theo asked them as he came out of the bathroom. "I leave you three for one minute and you start acting like children. Honestly, I am so disappointed in you all right now."

He said the last part in Hermione's voice. Which, he thought, the witch would appreciate if she was here.

"Your awful sense of humour is not appreciated right now, Nott." Blaise glared at him as he tried to pull Harry away from Draco.

"So I am Nott now, huh?" Theo rolled his eyes. "I swear, you all are such ungrateful gits. Only Luna is the one who appreciates my wonderful sense of humour. I need to go on a date with her anyways-"

"Nott, I swear if you don't shut up right now, I will kill you. And nobody will be able to stop me." Draco shouted and pushed Harry away from him.

The Chosen One almost stumbled backwards but Blaise stopped him from falling down. 

"The hell is wrong with you, Potter?" Draco glared at him. "Are you drunk or something? How dare you do this?" 

"Fine." Harry nodded. "You won't answer then? No problem. I will just go and tell Hermione. You will answer her question, won't you?"

"As if Granger would ever believe you-" Draco started.

"She will if I show her the file which says that she was Obliviated on 28th April 1999, at seven o'clock in the morning." Harry cut him off. "And I can show her my memory of that day, or even view hers. I am sure it will be foggy, considering you obliviated her."

"I swear Potter, if you don't drop this right now-"

"Draco." This time it was Blaise who interrupted him. "Is it true? Is what Potter saying true? Tell us, Draco!"

The blond wizard closed his eyes and sighed. "What if it was?"

"The hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?" Harry screamed. "How dare you do that? And in 1999? That was when those Death Eaters had attacked Hogsmeade, right? Don't tell me the obliviation was related to that."

"It was." Draco whispered.

"YOU-" Before Harry could grab him again, Blaise cast a stupefy on him.

"Don't be so quick to judge, Potter." Blaise told him. "We all want an explanation, but that doesn't mean you will harm, Draco. Either sit down quietly or leave. My house, my rules."

Draco gulped when he heard that. He had just admitted, in an indirect way, that he had obliviated Hermione, and it was related to the Death Eaters' attack, yet Blaise was trying to protect him.

And Theo came and stood next to Draco. He patted his shoulder, and gestured for him to sit down, non verbally using a soothing spell on the blonde's back.

Figures. Slytherins might be self preserving, but they were loyal to the end.

And Draco knew how lucky he was to have Blaise and Theo as his best friends.

Even if he didn't like giving them the apple pies Narcissa made.

Harry continued to glare at Draco when Blaise removed the spell from him. He sat down, and waited for Draco to start.

"I-I obliviated Hermione, on the exact date and time you mentioned, Potter." Draco began in a low voice.

Blaise and Theo sighed when Draco called Hermione by her first name, they knew he only did that when he was feeling really vulnerable.

Harry, on the other hand, had his jaw dropped. He couldn't remember the last time Draco had called her Hermione.

Draco continued, "It's better if I show you all what all had happened, I won't be able to explain my actions properly otherwise." 

The other three nodded and Blaise accioed his pensieve to the living room.

Draco took a deep breath and used his wand to capture the memories and put them in the pensieve.

He nodded for the others to go inside the memories, and once they had done that, he joined them.

It was time to face the memories which had once become his nightmares.

The first one, was of the day they had met a month after the Battle of Hogwarts had taken place, when the two had come to help rebuild Hogwarts.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked as she saw him coming towards her, where she was standing in front of the Charms classroom.

"Was in Azkaban." Draco muttered. "Kingsley asked the Aurors to let me do some community work for a few hours per day. I decided to help you all rebuild Hogwarts. After all, I was one of the reasons it was destroyed in the first place."

"Look, if you want to work, then you are welcome to." She sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I don't think you are evil, but we didn't exactly have a good history. Don't try to cause any trouble."

"I understand." He nodded. "So what can I help with?"

Hermione smiled at him, a gesture which threw his off guard. That was the beginning of their journey.

The next few memories were similar to it. Them celebrating Draco's birthday by taking a walk in Hogsmeade.

Hermione defending him when a few people protested to him being there.

Draco breaking down when the Healers told him that Narcissa had to be admitted to St Mungo's because she was becoming a shell of her former self, and Draco was not allowed to leave Azkaban except for a few hours.

Hermione trying to make the Aurors let Draco go to St Mungo's. Her holding him when he collapsed afterwards.

The next memory was of August, the day of Draco's trial. When Harry and Hermione had testified in his favor, and she had shared a secret smile at him when the shackles around his wrists and ankles had been removed.

"I am so happy for you." Hermione exclaimed, jumping in his arms the second he arrived at Hogwarts after leaving the Ministry.

"I can't thank you enough, Granger." Draco grinned at her and twirled her around. "Though you didn't have to do that, I know that I deserved to be in Azkaban-"

She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "You say this every time, and yet my answer remains the same. You, Draco Malfoy, are a good man. And you deserve happiness."

He chuckled and nodded. "Want to meet my mother?"

Next memory was of them having their first kiss, a few months after their eighth year started.

Next, of Draco asking Hermione to be his girlfriend on October 27th, 1998. 

Few minutes later, the four wizards came out Draco's memory. "So you two were in a relationship." Blaise started. "But then why did you obliviate Hermione a few months later?" 

-------

Draco's mind was on the conversation he had with Harry and his two best friends when he came back home that day. The memories, his friends' words, and everything else just kept making a whirlwind in his mind.

He was so engrossed in the memories that he didn't notice Hermione calling his name.

It wasn't until he reached the stairs and that she grabbed his arm that he snapped out of it. "What?" He asked, his tone conveying that he wanted to be left alone at that moment.

After all, his former enemy and now friend, Harry, had just discovered his deepest secret, a regret that he had been successfully hiding for years now.

"What's wrong with you?" Hermione furrowed his brows. "You have been ignoring me ever since your parents went back to their house, and you haven't stopped doing that now as well."

She was a bit on the edge too, for she had been going through the photo album of their eighth year while packing the stuff she had from Hogwarts, and the thought of leaving all of them behind, of leaving her blond best friend behind, had been enough to make her cry.

"Look, Granger, it's not what you think it is." He sighed. "I am not in the mood to talk right now, so I would appreciate it if you leave me alone."

"No." She crossed her arms in front of her. "Enough is enough. I need to tell you something important and I want you to listen to me. You can continue ignoring me after that if you want."

"What will it take for you to understand what I said and let me go?" Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am not in the state to think clearly or even do anything else, so please leave my hand."

"Did anything happen?" She immediately became concerned for him. "You were at Blaise's house, weren't you? Did something happen there?"

Yeah just that they discovered that I had obliviated you, to make you forget our relationship. Nothing special.

He shook his head. Not the time to think about that stuff.

"None of your business. If you want to talk, we will talk later." Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed her hand and removed it from his arm.

"Can you please stop this, Draco? You have been acting like this, ever since we kissed." She took a deep breath and continued, "You had made it very clear that night that you didn't feel anything for me and I assure you, it's completely okay with me. But I don't want to lose you, or our friendship because of a simple, stupid kiss. I want my best friend back."

I am sorry, Astoria, Draco apologised mentally. And I am sorry, Hermione, but I really can't be with you right now.

"You should have thought that before you decided to hide the fact that Astoria had a blood curse from me. I am not even sure if you are my best friend now." He said and before she could stop him, he climbed up the stairs.

"Well," Hermione said to herself, "Then at least you won't miss me when I go back to Australia."

She shook her head and apparated to the Potters' house.

Hopefully Ginny would be able to take her mind off things, one of them being Draco.

Upstairs, in his room, Draco was sitting on his bed, his hands clutching his head as he tried to block out the memories.

I love you, Draco. I don't care what the others would think or say.

I know you won't ever do anything wrong, Draco, I trust you.

You know, I may have made many mistakes in my life, but loving you would never be one of them, Granger.

Will you fake date me, Astoria?

I didn't know you liked Astoria, Draco. You should have told me, I am your best friend after all.

"SHUT UP!" He screamed, pulling his hair tightly when he felt himself on the verge of a breakdown.

Thankfully, he was able to control himself by occluding his emotions and feelings at the last moment.

Talking about what he had done in front of his best friends and Harry had been hard enough.

But thinking about those memories? The pain was worse than what he had felt when he had been crucioed.

Because nothing was worse than feeling guilty knowing that he had betrayed Hermione. He had taken something which was very precious from her.

He had robbed her of a future which he knew she would have loved, if what she said was true, all because Hermione had been in danger at that time.

And even if the motive behind obliviating her had been noble, it didn't ease the pain and guilt he felt every time he saw her, and remembered their time together.

Had he really done so many wrong things, tormented so many people, that he deserved to suffer like this?

That's why he wasn't getting together with Hermione, in spite of his heart telling him to do so every time she looked at him.

If the pain was unbearable when he was just her best friend, he didn't want to imagine what would happen if he was involved with her romantically.

And worse, if Hermione ever found out about it, he knew she would never forgive him.

And the thought of her hating him, the thought of her ever regretting giving him a second chance or loving him, was enough to make Draco keep his feelings to himself. 

He was brought out from his memories when the door of his bedroom opened. "Daddy?"

"What happened, Athy?" He asked and walked towards her.

"Can I draw here?" She looked at him with her silver grey eyes, so identical to his, and he couldn't find it in himself to say no to her.

"Of course." He smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "Get your colours and drawing notebook, and I will clear my desk for you, okay?" 

Athy immediately nodded and walked out of his room. She tried searching for her drawing notebook in her room, but to no avail.

Suddenly, she remembered that she had been drawing in Hermione's room earlier that day, and she must have left the notebook there.

Athy went to Hermione's room, and saw a few papers lying on top of the bed on top of her drawing notebook.

Thinking that she had gotten more pages to draw, she picked them up and went back to her father's room.

"Oh colours!" Athy exclaimed as she handed the papers and notebook to her father and went to get the colours.

As Draco was keeping the papers on his desk, his eyes widened as he saw the paper kept on top.

He couldn't believe what he was reading.

It was a copy of the permanent job offer that the Australian Ministry of Magic had sent to Hermione and in the bottom was her signature, confirming that she had taken the job. 

A/N: That's it for this chapter. It was 7500+ words. Hope you guys liked it. I love writing Narcissa and Draco's banter, did you like it? And also, Draco has promised Astoria that he won't try to make Hermione hate him. So Harry finally found out who had obliviated Hermione, did you think Draco would have done that? And also, it was revealed that Hermione and Draco were in a relationship, were you expecting that? And Draco gets to know about the job offer, what do you think he will do? Random question: Do you like Ginny Weasley? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you!

Next chapter on 21/2/21(Sunday). 

Until next time.