"Hi Granger" Draco smiled as she arrived in his house. The brunette forced a smile.
"Hi Malfoy" He looked confused.
"Granger what's wrong?" He asked, he seemed genuinely concerned. Hermione sighed and sat down next to him.
"Ron ended it" Hermione told him. He put his arm around her, the brunette shivered.
"I am going to kill him" He scowled, Hermione shot up and glared at him. "Not literally" he rolled his eyes, Hermione laughed and let her head fall on his shoulder. Somehow they'd become fast friends. If someone had told her last week she'd be sitting down being comforted by Draco Malfoy she would've checked them into St Mungos for fear they'd gone mad. But now it was happening and she didn't hate it.
"Draco?" Narcissa asked coming down, she smiled as she saw the two. She'd always secretly wished they'd end up together. The two looked up at her, neither moved. "I'll leave you two be" she stifled a giggle before walking off. Hermione and Draco blushed before bursting out laughing.

"How did we become friends so fast?" Draco asked her as they walked into Hermione's office. She shrugged and sat down. He sat down opposite her, he smiled after a second. Hermione smiled back.
"So what do you have in store for today?" He asked, playing with a quill on her desk. The brunette rolled her eyes before taking out a piece of paper.
"You have your first counselling session, then I was thinking you wanted to get a new wand and after that maybe stop for lunch somewhere"
"I'd like that very much, even though you should've left me there" he sighed, Hermione scowled.
"Draco, you didn't deserve it. You were merely a bully. Not a Death Eater. And anyway, you're not even really a bully anymore. She smiled at him, he smiled too. Although he seemed to not want to.
"Let's just get on with today" he paused for a moment. "Thank you Hermione"
"For what?" She replied grabbing her bag.
"Everything, I know it was you that night in the library"

Hermione rubbed her eyes as she woke up, she'd fallen asleep whilst studying again. The brunette shook her head before getting up, suddenly she heard someone crying in the Restricted Section. Slowly she walked towards it, Draco was sat there, his hands running through his hair.
"Who's there!" He called out as Hermione knocked a book over. "Whoever you are please leave! I'm an awful person who needs to be alone!"
"You're not an awful person Malfoy" Hermione responded, not showing her face. She could see Draco smile lightly, but after a split second he was crying again.
"Yes I am! Pans, Astoria. Whichever one it is you know I have to kill him. I just wish I didn't have to. Everyone's going to be broken"
"Kill who?" Hermione responded.
"Dumbledore, haven't you been paying attention" Hermione gasped lightly.
"Draco, you're not awful, you're being forced to do it"
"He said he'd kill me and my family and, and, someone I really like, but they don't like me. If I didn't kill him"
"Draco, who'd they'd say they'd kill?"
"Asty this isn't you is it?"
"No"
"Well Granger... I mean I've always wanted to be friends with her. After all she's smart and kind. But she's Muggle-Born so father wouldn't let me. He found out I wished I was friends with her and so did the Dark Lord, if I don't do this he'll kill her as well as my mother" Hermione gasped.
"Draco... you're not a bad person, I'm sorry I have to go" Draco looked up to see a flash of brown curls walking away.
The next day Hermione had told Dumbledore everything, but he'd said he already knew and she mustn't tell anybody.

"You know that was me?" She replied, confused.
"Yeah after I saw your hair, why were you so nice to me? You hated me back then?" Hermione sighed and walked over to him.
"Look, yes I hated you but you were upset. And I don't like seeing anyone upset. But I thought you hated be back then too?" She smirked, Draco blushed.
"Hey, who could blame me for wanting to be friends with you, I'm surprised you didn't tell Potter"
"I told Dumbledore, he made me promise not to tell anyone. He knew Draco."
"What?"
"He knew" Draco looked confused. But sighed.
"Let's not talk about that, let's just get the visit to the shrink over" he pouted, Hermione laughed.
"It really helps, trust me" she smiled up at him. He nodded, not like he thought he needed it. All he wanted was to receive the kiss.
"Draco, don't think like that" Hermione said as she grabbed his hand, he looked down at his hand in hers and blushed. "Before you say anything anybody could tell what you were thinking about based on the look on your face" she smiled up at him, he smiled back, but Hermione could tell he forced it.
"Let's just get to the shrink" he said, the smile disappearing off his face.
"Come on then" their hands were still interlocked as Hermione apparated them into St.Mungos.
"Hey Hermione, how can I help you?" Cho smiled as the two walked over to the desk.
"Hey Cho, yes we're here to see Mandy for Draco" Hermione smiled back, Cho blushed as Draco looked at her. She'd always been a player, Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes I'll take him through now"
"No, I'll take him through, same room as usual?" Cho nodded and watched the two walk off hand in hand. She scowled before going back to her work.
"Chang?" Draco asked looking at Hermione, she nodded and a look of disgust formed on his face.
"Don't you like her? All the boys seemed to like her back in school?" Draco rolled his eyes, and shook his head.
"No I never liked her" Hermione smiled lightly and a small blush escaped her cheeks.

"Hello Hermione, are you here for your biannual session?" Claire asked smiling from behind the desk.
"No, that's not for another two weeks. I'm actually to drop off Draco for his first session with Mandy" Claire nodded and smiled.
"Mandy will come get you in ten minutes Mister Malfoy, until then could you and Hermione please fill out these forms" The two nodded and sat down and began to fill them out.
"You still need counselling?" Draco asked, Hermione looked up at him.
"Yes, Harry needs it more than I do though. Ron goes once a year. I go twice a year. Harry goes four times a year. It's just so they can see how we're getting on, after hunting for horcruxes and nearly dying multiple times we were pretty messed up. Harry just struggles with the fact so many people died for him. He lost so many people, like Remus, Sirius and his parents. The people he loved the most. But anyway. Let's continue filling these out" Draco nodded and looked down at Hermione, her eyes were brimming with tears.
"Hermione, I'm sorry"
"It's not your fault Draco, none of it was" She smiled and grabbed his hand.
"Mister Malfoy, please come with me" Mandy smiled, she had emerald eyes and wavy brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Glasses perched on her nose, she seemed about forty seven. A look of worry showed on Dracos face, Hermione smiled back at him reassuringly before letting his hand go and watching him walk off.

"How was he?" Hermione asked Mandy as Draco went into the bathroom.
"You know I can't tell you much, but I can say he still thinks he deserves the kiss. He hates himself for hurting you and so many others, Hermione it's going to take a lot of work from myself and you to make him believe he is worth being given a second chance and that he deserves to live" Hermione nodded, "he's in the private bathroom by there go check on him" Hermione nodded and went in.
"DRACO!" She shouted, worry filling her voice. The blonde was standing there clutching a piece of broken glass and looking at cuts covering his arm, where his mark was, now only a scar of it remained. Hermione ran towards him and healed the cuts before hugging him tight. Tears began to spill out of his eyes. "Don't ever do that again, you hear me?" She whispered in his ear, he nodded but continued crying into her shoulder.

After a while the two emerged and Hermione took Draco to Ollivanders.
"Miss Granger, lovely to see you again and Mister Malfoy, what can I do for you two?" Garrick Ollivander asked as they entered.
"We're here to get Draco a new wand" Hermione smiled, grabbing Draco's hand. Ollivander nodded and helped him find a new one. Eventually they'd found the perfect one.
"So where do you want to go for lunch?" Hermione asked as they walked through the streets.
"I don't know, the Leaky Cauldron?" Draco responded, Hermione nodded and took his hand in hers as they walked there.

As they entered many people looked scared at the sight of Draco Malfoy, but relaxed slightly as Hermione walked in next to him.

"Hey 'Mione what can I do for you?" Pavarti asked smiling, she practically owned the Leaky Cauldron now.
"Hey Pavarti could you surprise us with the mystery lunch?" Hermione smiled, the girl nodded and walked into the kitchen.

"Maybe we should go, I'm clearly making people uncomfortable" Draco said, Hermione smiled and pulled him down at a table. The sadness on Dracos face became a smile as the brunette smiled back at him.

"Stay, if they don't like it then they can leave" he blushed as she smiled at him. A heavy blush escaped onto Hermione's face as she bit her lip.

"Here you go" Pavarti smiled and placed the food down infront of them.
"Thanks Pavarti" Hermione smiled, Pavarti smiled too.
"No problem" Pavarti told them before walking off.

After a delicious lunch Hermione had to go visit Fred and George. Although reluctant to Draco agreed to come along.

"Mione!" Fred smiled as the girl walked in, she smiled too and hugged him. He'd always been like an older brother to her, always looking out for her. George walked around and hugged her too. As the brunette pulled out off George's chest out of the corner of her eye she could see Fred glaring at someone.
"What's Ferret doing here?" George asked, now glaring too.
"He's with me, didn't Ron tell you?" She asked them, they looked at her.
"He told us he broke up with you" Fred started.
"Which he got a lecture from" George continued.
"Us"
"Charlie"
"Bill, Fleur"
"Ginny"
"And mum and dad for"
"They told him he's never going to find someone else like you" They finished, Hermione smiled at them.
"But that still doesn't explain why he's here" they replied, glaring at Draco.
"Well, he's been released with a full pardon and he has to have a Ministry Official with him at all times, and it happens to be me" She answered, they still scowled at the blonde but nodded.
"Well the two of you pick anything you want for free" Fred smiled. Hermione smiled back at him and mouthed a thank you before taking Dracos hand hers and showing him around the shop. For the first time in a while a genuine smile formed on the blondes face. He was enjoying himself. Having a good time. Even if he wouldn't admit it.

A few hours later they were back in Malfoy Manor having a cup of tea.
"Hermione, can you think the Weasel twins for me?" He asked her, running his hand through his platinum blonde hair.
"Of course, I've got to get going. Think if you want to do anything tomorrow and if so tell me" she smiled and flooed out.

Smiling Hermione went back to the joke shop.
"Hey 'Mione, back so soon?" Fred smiled back at her, George came around the corner too.
"Draco asked me to thank you for him" she told them.
"That doesn't sound like him" Fred said.
"Are you someone isn't using polyjuice potion?" George asked.
"I'm sure, so just thanks you two" she smiled and apparated home.