A/N: Hey guys! Hope you all liked the last chapter. And I actually wanted Hermione to go on a date with someone, who isn't Draco, in this story, so I chose Oliver Wood. He's one of my favourite characters, and honestly, I think he and Hermione make a better pair than Romione. That's just my opinion, and you don't have to agree with it. Read the A/N at the end to know when the next chapter will be out. On with the chapter! 

This time it was Draco who was avoiding her. 

And he didn't even want to do that, but he knew he had to. 

He had to control the situation, and this was the only solution he could come up with. Oh well, aside from talking to her, of course. 

It's not like he could just go and ask her. First of all, it would have been awkward, and secondly, Draco was afraid that he might say something he would regret later. 

He didn't know what he would do when she would find out what he did, and would hate him forever. 

Okay, well maybe she would kill him first. 

Or maybe she would punch him. 

Again, his inner voice said. 

"Do you need to remind me that everytime? Why can't I just ignore that she punched me? It's been years." Draco groaned. 

It's not like you didn't deserve it, though. You had it coming, it said. 

"Why can't you just agree with me for once?" 

Because I, as well as everyone else know that you are wrong. You were a prat, and still are. 

"I feel so alone." Draco mumbled. 

But even he knew that he was a prat, not that he would ever admit it out loud, of course. But even after that, she still found a way to forgive him for all he did. 

There you go, he was thinking about her. Again. 

"You know, I haven't even told my favorite best friend how much I love you, Draco."

"And who's your favorite best friend?" He raised his eyebrows at her. 

"You."

 He smirked at her, muttering something along the lines of, "Of course, I am your favorite. I am the freaking best person ever. 

He sighed. If he wanted to continue avoiding her, he would have to stop thinking about her, and specially those moments. 

It's not like those moments still affected him, of course. They had stopped doing that a few months after she had left. 

But in moments like this, he would allow himself to think about that time. When he would be thinking about the moments he allowed himself to be vulnerable, and not cold towards her, he would wonder what could have happened if he hadn't done that. 

Of course, he didn't know much, but he was sure about one thing. 

Hermione might not have been alive now if Draco hadn't done that five years ago.

And for this particular reason, he would never completely regret doing it. That didn't mean he wouldn't regret some parts of it, he would. But whenever that thought would come in his mind, be would dismiss it, because he knew that he had to do it. 

There was no other option, even if Hermione would have thought that. But it's not like she did, because she never knew. 

At least, she never knew about the whole thing. 

He never told her, and had no intention of doing so in the future. 

And since nobody else knew, he was sure that Hermione would never find out about it. And according to him, it was for her own good. 

But of course, it is not like Draco Malfoy's always right, is it? 

---------

"Draco is avoiding me." Hermione said as soon as she entered Harry's office, not even bothering to knock on the door before coming in. 

Harry groaned. "Weren't you just avoiding him a few days ago?" 

"Yeah, and now he is avoiding me." 

"Why can't the two of you just act like normal best friends for once, instead of avoiding each other? I swear, you don't even act like best friends." Harry shook his head. 

"Oh really? Then what, according to you, we act like?" Hermione raised her eyebrows at him.

"Couples." Harry said. "You two fight like couples all the time. How come you two aren't one yet?" 

"He's married, remember? And I don't like him like that anymore." 

"Fine. What did you do now to make him avoid you?" Harry asked her. 

"Why do you think I have done something? Not like I have done something, of course. I don't even know what happened. One moment we are fine, and the next? He is avoiding me. It has been a week since he is acting like that." 

"A week? And you are telling me this now?" 

"Oh well... I didn't realise he was avoiding me." She answered sheepishly. "You see, he is not avoiding me like I did to him. He has been distant all week, and even when I told him that I would buy him an apple pie for lunch, he said he was busy and that I shouldn't disturb him." 

"Hmm... Draco Malfoy saying no to anything related to apples? That's very suspicious." Harry nodded. "Did anything else happen?" 

"He didn't talk to me, aside from when we were talking about the case. I think the last time we talked properly was before we came to your office to discuss the case." 

"Do you think he heard what we were talking about?" 

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. But we were joking, and I even said that I was happy for him, and that Astoria is a wonderful girl." 

"Remember the 'thud' we heard? It was just after I said that I hated Snape, and before that I asked if you had a crush on him. And I even saw an Auror near the corner. Besides, Draco had forgotten his wand here. He may have come to my office to take it." 

"If he did, then he would have asked me about that. He knows that we are just best friends, and need I remind you that he is one of the most impatient people? He would have asked me, and I would have said that no, I didn't have a crush on him." 

"Oh Hermione." Harry shook his head. "Need I remind you that when it comes to the matter of feelings, Draco Ferret Malfoy is one of the most oblivious, stupid and clueless people?" 

"What do you mean by that?" 

"You know, Draco told me that he was waiting for the right time to tell Astoria that he loved her, a few months after they started dating. And, it took him weeks to muster up the courage to tell her that." 

"Harry..." She narrowed her eyes at him. 

But he didn't pay attention to that. "He didn't sleep for days when he wanted to propose to her, and wanted me to help him. I don't even know why you liked him before, he is crazy." When he saw that she was glaring at him, he added, "Sorry. But my point is that if he acts like this around the woman he loves, what do you think he will do when he gets to know that his best friend has a crush on him? Do you think he will just come and ask you about that?" 

"But I don't have a crush on him." She exclaimed. 

"I know that, you know that. But does Draco know that? No. Because he didn't hear what we talked about afterwards." 

"How do you even know that it was Draco who heard our talk? It may have been any other Ministry worker, right?" 

"I mean, I don't have a proof that it was him, I just think that he could have been eavesdropping. Tell me one thing, how did he act like when you went back to your office to give him his wand?" 

Flashback

Just as Hermione was about to enter the joint office, she heard someone, probably Draco, saying something.

Unfortunately, his voice wasn't loud enough for her to hear what exactly he was saying. Shaking her head, Hermione opened the door.

"Y-you are...back." Draco panted.

"Why are you panting?" She asked him as she sat down in her chair. "You look like you just ran very fast. Did you?"

"Uhh...well, I just ran to Karlen's office to give her a file. The meeting was just about to start, and she would have killed me if I hadn't given her the file on time, so I ran very fast, and came back here a few seconds before you did."

"Okay. Anyways, here is your wand." She placed his wand on his desk. "You forgot it in Harry's office."

"Really? I didn't even realize it was missing. Thanks for bringing it back. You know I hate it when Potter uses my wand. He did that enough during the battle."

"Can you be nice to him for once?" Hermione asked, even though she knew what his answer would be. "Listen, should we go to the new cafe for lunch?"

"Well, yeah about that... I am afraid I won't be able to go. I am working on a very important case."

"But you said that you didn't have any more cases to work on before we went to Harry's office?" She asked him.

"Uhh..." He scratched the back of his neck. "I forgot about it. When I came back from his office, I saw the file lying on the floor."

"Okay then. But will you come with me to the cafe after we finish today's work? Harry's coming too, but he will be a little late as he has to go to the Burrow as well."

"I am sorry, I won't be able to come. Astoria and I are going to her parents' house today." Draco told her. 

"What? But when I talked with her yesterday, she said that she and Daphne would go to Diagon Alley for some shopping today."

"Change of plans." He shrugged. Before she could say anything, he added, "Look, Granger, can we please talk afterwards? I need to work on the case."

Flashback over

"I think he was definitely the one who heard our conversation. And from what you have told me, his answers were weird and he was acting strangely." Harry said. 

"Last I checked, you always think that he acts strangely. Remember our sixth year? You were literally obsessed with him." Hermione rolled her eyes. 

Harry looked sheepishly at her. "Well I certainly had a reason to check what he was getting up to. Anyways, I don't remember Robards assigning him a new case. But I will ask him when I see him again, probably when I will submit the report to him." 

"Whatever. But thanks for that. I just hope Draco will stop avoiding me now. I know I avoided him as well, but I apologised for it afterwards. And I am not saying that I want him to apologise, no. I just want us to clear that misunderstanding, and return back to our usual selves."

"I know. But you know Draco can be stubborn. Though I think he will stop avoiding you soon. You are his best friend after all, and his partner as well." He smiled at her. "So, when will you talk with him?" 

"You mean about that?" He nodded, and she continued, "Never. Don't you think it will be strange if I just go and say that I don't have a crush on him? I think I'll let him be the one to start that conversation." 

"As if he would ever do that." Harry rolled his eyes. "Anyways, are you coming to the Burrow tomorrow?" 

"I am afraid I won't be able to come there. I have a date tomorrow." She grinned at him. 

"Date? Who is it? Did he go to Hogwarts? Does he treat you with respect? Do you love him? Have you met his parents? Did he ever insult you? Do I need to have a talk with him? Does he work-" Harry started, but Hermione cut him off. 

"Honestly, Harry, shut up." Hermione shook her head. "It's just a date, I am not getting married to him. And we are not going to have a question answer session now, I am busy and I need to go back to my office."

"Okay, but what is his name? And do I-" 

"Harry." She glared at him. "Do you even work here? Or do you just come here to gossip? You are literally like Ginny." 

Before he could say anything, Hermione stood up and walked towards the door. "Oh and please don't tell Ginny about the date. I don't want her to interrogate me about it just like you did. I think I will use a silencing charm on her when I will tell her about it, maybe tomorrow." 

---------

"Tori? Where are you?" 

Astoria looked up as her husband walked past the library, looking around for her. "I am in the library, Draco." 

Seconds later, he entered the library they had in their home. His wife was sitting in her favourite spot, on the bay window near the left end of the room. She was surrounded by books, and one of them was lying open on her lap. 

"You are seriously like Granger, you know. I don't even know why you two love the libraries so much and can spend the whole day here." Draco chuckled and sat down next to him. 

She merely smiled at him, which confused him. Usually she would tease him, or say that Hermione was way better than him, but today, she didn't do any of that. 

"Is everything okay, Astoria?" 

"Of course." She said. "Why would you ask that?" 

"Tori..." Draco sighed. "Please don't lie to me. I have known you since we were children, and I think I know you pretty well to know when you are lying, and when you are not." 

Astoria looked away from him, but he placed his hand on her cheek, and turned her face towards him. "What happened, love?" 

"Do you still love her, Draco?" 

Even though he knew whom she was talking about, he asked her, "Who?" 

"Don't feign innocence, Draco. You know perfectly well whom I am talking about. Just answer my question, do you still love her?" 

He answered without any hesitation. "No. I do not love her." 

"Do you love me? And please answer honestly, Draco. I don't care if your answer is no, I just want to know your honest answer." 

Draco stood up from his seat, and knelt down in front of her. Taking her hand in his, he kissed her knuckles and said, "I love you. Even when you throw things at me, and even when you are angry at me. I will always love you, Tori, please don't forget that ever." 

"And... Do you regret doing what you did five years ago?" 

If someone had asked him this question a few days ago, his answer would have been, "I don't know." But today, when she asked him this question, he knew that even if someone gave him Veritaserum, his answer would be, "No." And so that's what he told her. 

"I saw you looking at those photos yesterday. I didn't know you still had them." Astoria said, looking at their hands. 

"Do you know why I was looking at them?" She shook her head, and he continued, "I won't deny that I didn't enjoy those moments, I did. And I think they are important, and that's because if it hadn't been for those moments, we wouldn't be here, Tori." 

"I told you why I asked you out that day in front of others. But believe me, love, that reason changed a few months later. I would have left when she did, but do you know why I didn't? It's because you gave me a reason to stay, Tori." Draco smiled at her. 

He stood up and took his wand out. "Do you want to know the moment I realised I had feelings for you?" 

She stood up, and he led her to the pensieve, and used his wand to put his memory in it. Together, they went inside the memory. 

Astoria remembered that day clearly. It was the day he had told her what he did, a few months after Hermione had left. 

When he they came back, Draco held her hands, and said, "I thought you will leave me when I told you what I did. Instead, you stayed and comforted me when I broke down. If I had been in your place then, I would have surely left. But you didn't. I used you, and you were there for me that time, Tori. You should have been angry, and mad at me for using you. But you understood why I was doing that, even when I didn't exactly tell you why I had to do that. You are brilliant, amazing and most importantly, selfless, Astoria. You are the reason I stayed here all those years ago, and you will be my love for the rest of my life. I love you, even when you steal my apples, even when you call me a ferret. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you forever, Tori, no matter what." 

She was in tears by the time he finished. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, resting her head on his chest. "I am sorry for making you prove that you love me. I know you do, and I.... I am so sorry, Draco." 

He shook her head, and cupped her cheek, making her look at him. "With the way we started dating, you have the right to doubt my feelings for you. I don't blame you, Astoria. But believe me when I say I really love you, even if I had been a git to you in the starting."

She smiled and kissed him. "I love you, Draco, I love you so much, even if you were a git to me." He laughed at that, and she continued, "I never doubted your love for me, but I just heard something at Hermione's birthday party, and it made me think what if you regretted doing that, and didn't want to be with me." 

When he asked her what made her think like that, she told him the conversation she had heard between his mother and Jean Granger. 

"Well..." Draco sighed. "You know what Mother said was true, I did have a crush on her. Although it was more than a crush, but you know what I mean. And as for Granger..." He hesitated for a second and said, "I don't know whether or not she has a crush on me." 

"What if she did?" 

"I don't care. I am with you, and I don't regret even a second of it. Though I can't believe she might have a crush on me. We are just best friends, nothing less, and nothing more." 

"I am sorry for doubting you, Draco. I should have believed you, and I do. But that conversation just..." She sighed. "I am sorry." 

"Don't be." He kissed her forehead. "You know Mother loves embarassing me. And-wait," He looked back at the bay window where they were sitting, and saw an album lying there. 

"Were you looking at my photos, Astoria?" He scowled at her. 

She laughed and accioed the album towards her. "You were so cute, Draco. I am glad Narcissa put a charm on it so you won't be able to destroy it." 

As they exited the library, he muttered, "Malfoys aren't cute." 

--------

The next day...

"What are you doing here?" Draco's jaw dropped as he entered the living room. He looked at his wife, who was sitting on the couch, and his mother who was sitting next to Hermione on the armchair.

"Did you invite Granger here?" He asked his mother. 

"Both Astoria and I did. Why? Do you have a problem with it?" Narcissa asked her son. 

Instead of answering her, he turned towards Hermione, and asked, "Don't you have any cases to work on?" 

"You don't have to be so rude, Draco. Hermione is your best friend, and she can come here whenever she wants." Astoria told him.

"It's okay, Astoria. And yes, I do have cases to work on, Draco. But I don't have to do that until Monday. Harry told me if he wanted to look at the files before I work on them, and so he is looking at the cases today." 

"And so, we invited Hermione here." Narcissa said. "We were just talking about some things, and looking at your photos." 

Draco groaned. "Do you have to do that every time? I am sure Granger is bored of looking at them now." 

"Oh no, I like looking at them quite a lot. It is a lot of fun, and I love listening to some baby stories as well. You were quite a handful when you were a child." 

"Oh please, I was a really good child. And didn't do any mischiefs." Draco rolled his eyes. "Anyways, Granger, can I talk to you? Alone? It's urgent." 

They went to the library, and before she could leave him for reading books, he grabbed her hand. "I am sure you want to know why I have been avoiding you." 

A/N: That's it for this chapter. It was 3500+ words. Hope you guys liked it. If the ending was weird, that's because I didn't know how to end this chapter nicely. So I am sorry for that. And I know you all want Dramione to happen, and it will happen soon. Although I like the talk between Astoria and Draco in this chapter. And no, I do not ship Drastoria. I love Dramione. Random question: What was you first impression of Draco, or what did you think about him at first? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you! 

Next chapter on 13/9/20(Sunday). 

Until next time.