A/N: Hey everyone! I said that I would be back with another Dramione story, and so here it is. While it may not be a full length one, I hope you guys will still enjoy it. Read the A/N at the end to find out when the next part will be out. On with the chapter!

Month One: June 1999

Draco hissed as he scratched his hand on the wall as the guards threw him inside the cell, or what was going to be his cell for eleven months now.

"Better make yourself comfortable, blondie." One of the guards, named Oscar, smirked at him. "This is your home now, after all." 

Before the ex Slytherin wizard could reply, the guards closed the door and walked away, leaving him in complete silence, surrounded by nothing but darkness.

Or perhaps, he thought, that the cell would soon be filled with those memories, regrets, nightmares, guilt and cries.

Draco could only hope that the guards won't torture him much, or perhaps if they did, then they would leave him there just like that. That they wouldn't heal him just to torture him again.

Maybe he could persuade them, or the other prisoners to beat him as much as they could, so that he could become numb

Or maybe he could somehow take a knife from anyone and bring it here discreetly, so that he wouldn't have to look at his dark mark anymore.

Because there was no way that Draco would be able to survive eleven months in Azkaban without going insane with nothing to accompany him other than the ugly thing on his arm.

But since when has there even been a moment, since he started Hogwarts, that Hermione Granger hadn't proven him wrong?

Sure enough, just as he had finished thinking that he would be completely alone for the next few months because the Wizengamot had decided that he was not going to get any visits or even letters from his family or friends, he heard someone tap the wall next to his cell.

Draco frowned when the guard threw a letter inside. There was no way the Wizengamot had allowed his family or friends to send him a letter. 

"You never know when an ex death eater, no matter their age, decides to start another war with the help of their closed ones." Had been their exact words.

And he was pretty sure that no one else would spare him a thought, let alone write a letter to him.

He scoffed when he saw who the letter was from.

Of course Hermione freaking Granger, who else?

Malfoy,

I know perfectly well that you weren't expecting this letter from me-

Well he sure as hell wasn't. After all, they weren't even friends. Sure, they had called a truce in their eighth year after Draco had apologised for how he had treated her, and Hermione had thanked him for saving her and her friends, but that was that.

Even though they had been the Head Boy and Girl, and had shared a dormitory for nine months, they hadn't become best friends or something. They were just, well, acquaintances

-and I am glad to have shocked you, but that's besides the matter. Look, Malfoy, I swear I tried as much as I could to save you from going to Azkaban, even persuaded Harry to testify for you but the Wizengamot didn't listen to us. They said that in the trial you had before you started your eighth year at Hogwarts, they had made it perfectly clear that you will be serving your sentence after you complete your education.

And you should probably thank McGonagall for that.

Anyways, they said that they couldn't change it due to the laws, which is complete rubbish. I swear, we fought a war on prejudice, and yet some members of the Wizengamot haven't learned from that yet. 

Though I promise, I will do everything in my power to get you out from here. I have already started working on reducing your sentence (Hopefully they will listen to the 'War Heroine' this time).

You don't deserve this, Malfoy. You deserve a second chance, just like everyone else, because I know that you are a good person.

Please don't give up.

Your friend

Hermione J. Granger

Draco frowned. Friend?

They weren't friends, not at all.

They were just ex enemies and acquaintances at best. 

Still, he couldn't help but feel a little hopeful after reading her letter. Maybe there was a way after all, of him surviving this place. 

Maybe he won't have to use the knife anymore.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to lose his sanity.

Or lose himself. 

If he still had a soul anyway, because he was pretty sure that he had lost himself in his sixth year only.

Granger, Draco thought as he laid down on the floor hours later, because death eaters weren't supposed to have cots, I hope you will save me before it is too late.

Next morning, he was proven wrong.

In a good way though.

Draco had thought that he didn't have anything to look forward to in this place, nothing to smile about.

But Hermione proved him wrong, he thought when the guard threw another letter at him, which was once again written by her.

Malfoy,

Today, I am not writing this letter to you to inform you about the situation of your case, because I don't want to worry you.

Rather, I am writing this letter as a friend, who hopes that her friend will at least smile a little while reading this.

I am going to consider this as a normal correspondence friends have, like the way they send letters to each other. And even though you can't write me back, I hope you will at least read it.

I know you don't have anything to do in Azkab- I mean, in that place, so I hope that at least my letters will be something for you to hold on to.

For something to look forward to, which would give you strength and will to not give up.

Right, before I make this letter completely awkward, I should talk about something else. Hmm..... Well I have been staying at my parents' house since the battle. Crookshanks, my cat, likes staying here too, and thanks to magic, I can repair the wallpapers he has been scratching since day one.

And I am feeling like taking a break, sitting down on the bay window one of these days and reading a book or two. Can you believe that I haven't read a book since months?

Well there was a war, then we had our eighth year (but I am not counting the books I read then), so it is understandable, but still. Every day I come back from the Ministry around midnight, and I feel so bad when I see the books just lying there on the table. I wish I could have taken them with me to Australia, but well, I had other things on my mind then.

I am sorry to end this letter abruptly but I need to go now. Ministry calls.

It was nice writing this letter to you, even if I have no idea that you will be reading it, but I at least want to do something for you, after all I owe you for saving my life. 

Until next letter, my dear friend

Hermione 

This time, though Draco did frown while reading her letter, it was because of confusion as to why she was doing this from him.

Even if she owed him for saving her, as she said, trying to reduce his sentence was enough. She didn't have to spend minutes writing this letter to him just because she wanted him to have something to look forward to.

But, the ex Slytherin decided, if Hermione was doing this much for him, the least he could do was listen to her and not give up on himself.

Draco owed her that much.

But still, they weren't friends, according to him, and they would never be.

Though the letters he received from her every day, made Draco think twice about his statement of what they were, being an awfully stubborn person, he didn't change it.

On the fourth day since he had come, no, been thrown into Azkaban, he cried.

Draco Malfoy cried as he read Hermione's letter, and for the first time, he truly wished he could write her back to let her know how grateful he was.

For Hermione had visited St Mungo's to see his mother, and had decided to help her with the recovery from the torture Narcissa had suffered when Voldemort had been living in their house.

All thanks to her sister, Bellatrix, who had taken to punish Narcissa every time Draco or Lucius committed a mistake, or seemed hesitant to do something.

And due to being a criminal according to the Wizengamot, Draco had not been allowed to stay with his mother during his eighth year on the weekends.

The last time he had seen his mother was on the Battle, after which he and his father had been taken to the Ministry.

Draco shed tears every time he read that letter, and kept it safely tucked in his pocket, away from the other letters that he had stored in a small box which he had nicked from the kitchen. 

The letters were his only way of survival now, and so there was no way he was going to allow anyone else to even look at them.

If it wasn't for the letters, then Draco wouldn't have known how much time he had spent in this dark place, as thankfully Hermione wrote the dates on the front.

So at the end of the month, as Draco eagerly waited for the letter to arrive as he did every day, not that he would ever admit it of course, he was quite surprised when the guards informed him that he had a visitor.

He was so shocked that the guards had to pull him up and drag him towards the visitors' room.

Who would visit him?

It couldn't be his family or friends because of the rules, and the only person who cared to talk with him aside from them was Hermione, because the Ministry didn't know that they had become friends.

Wait, they weren't friends. They were just being civil.

But still, who the hell decided to visit him in this godforsaken place?

Draco got his answer when he saw a brunette witch, with brown eyes and a kind smile, standing inside the room.

"Why the hell are you, Granger?" The blond wizard exclaimed as the guards left them alone but not before putting shackles around his wrist and attaching them with the table so that he won't be able to run away.

"Hello, Draco." Hermione sheepishly smiled at him as she sat down on the chair across his and fiddled with her fingers.

Draco.

She had called him by his name, and it took everything that Draco had in him to not react to her calling him by his first name.

He had always been Malfoy to her, even in the letters. So why was she calling him Draco now?

Draco wasn't even sure if she knew his first name.

Absurd, yes. But Draco was being Draco.

"So, how are you?" She nervously asked him.

And only received a scoff in reply.

"Right, sorry. It was a stupid question. Shouldn't have asked that. How are people in this place? Not a good answer, of course." Hermione muttered. "Well so what have you been up to today?"

Draco only rolled his eyes.

"Why am I acting like this?" She groaned. "You know what, I can't do this. Small talk is not my thing. I should go."

Just as she was about to get up, Draco exclaimed, "Wait- Ah!" 

He had forgotten for a moment that he had shackles around his wrist, and so when he tried to move his hand to grab her arm, the shackles tightened even more around his hand, and so he screamed from the pain he felt.

"Oh my- I am so sorry." Hermione gasped and crouched down next to him. She took her wand out, and quickly muttered the healing and soothing spells on his hands. "I shouldn't have tried to leave, I am so sorry-"

"Granger," He cut her off, "I am fine. It is nothing that I don't deserve and well I have suffered much worse than this."

She frowned and returned back to her. Tucking a strand of hair behind her hair, she spoke, "I know my visit's as unexpecting as my letter was, if not more, but you have to understand that I wanted to do this. I needed to do this. I can't just stand by and let you be by yourself in this place-"

"About that," Draco sighed, "I should thank you for that. You didn't have to send those letters to make sure that I didn't feel alone, or that I found the courage to wake up every day, but still you did, and for that I am grateful."

"Oh well you don't have to thank me." She fiddled with her fingers. "I did what I thought was right. And after all, we are friends, right?"

"Are we though?" He frowned. "I don't recall us ever having a friendly conversation before eighth year, and even then, I avoided you as much as I could. So why do you think that we are friends, Granger?"

Hermione frowned. "Draco, if I didn't consider you my friend, do you really think I would willingly come to this depressing place? Sure, I would still help with your case, but coming here? You will find that I would only do these things for people I care about you. And you are my friend, Draco, and I care about you."

Before she could say anything else, the guard informed them that visiting time was up.

"I will ask for more time for Kingsley for the next visit." Hermione muttered as she got up. She walked towards Draco and squeezed his hand. "I promise I will do everything I can to help you. And besides from working on reducing your sentence, I am also working on the trial you will have after you have finished spending time here. Just hold on for me, okay?"

Not giving him a chance to reply, Hermione turned around and left the room.

It was only when Draco went back to his cell that he realised that while healing his hands, Hermione had discreetly put two chocolate frog packets inside his pocket.

Draco had told her about his favorite sweet months ago and she still remembered. 

He grinned and removed one of the cards, saving the sweets for later. Minerva McGonagall's face with a stern expression looked at it from the card.

Draco was looking forward to the end of the month, when she would hopefully visit.

And it was not just because of the chocolate frogs.

-------

Month Four: September 1999

"We meet again, Granger." Draco said as a way of greeting as he entered the visitor's room and saw her standing there.

For the fourth time now.

"Well someone is in a good mood." She teased and sat down in front of him. "And mind telling me why?"

"I only need two more cards to complete my collection of the chocolate frog cards." Draco said in a low voice. "I have got nine, and so if I get the remaining two cards, then it would be the fifth time I have completed the collection. And I hope you have brought the chocolate frogs for me."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She had been giving him the chocolate frogs, two at a time, each time she visited, but on her third visit, she had given him a bunch of them, as Kingsley had visited with her and so by the time the Minister of Magic talked with the guards, Hermione put the sweets in a corner in Draco's cell.

"Well I have two chocolate frogs for you today, and I will give them to you when the time is over." She informed him. "Aside from that, how have you been? I hope the sweets have helped in a way."

"They did, somewhat, I mean." He answered. "Though the only time I am happy is when I eat them, and unfortunately, the dementors can detect that, so I have no choice but to eat them as soon as I can, before the other prisoners get to know about that.

What he left unsaid was that Hermione's letters and visits made him equally happy, if not more.

And he wasn't interested in dealing with those feelings right now. 

"I wish the Ministry had removed the dementors from around the ex death eaters' cells, just like they had done with other prisoners' cells." Hermione sighed. "But well, they are so prejudiced, so I don't expect anything else. Have the other prisoners been treating you nicely?"

"As nice as they could considering I am a death eater-"

"Ex death eater-"

"But I just got to know that the prisoners next to my cell have finished their sentence, and in place of them, they will be putting some ex death eaters there." Draco ignored her interruption. "

"As if dealing with nightmares and all other things wasn't enough," He continued, "I would have to deal with them now as well. Honestly, I am scared to go to even the bathrooms now, not that I have to go more than once a week due to the rules, but still. I remember the threats I had received just after the war had ended and......"

"I hope I could get you out from here, Draco." She squeezed his hand gently. "You are a good man-"

"I am not a good man, Granger!" He exclaimed. 

"You are. You are a good man and you saved me, and helped Harry win the war-"

"That doesn't excuse the way I treated you all these years. I bullied you for Salazar's sake. You should hate me, Granger. You should loathe me. In fact, you should ask the Wizengamot to increase my punishment because that's what I deserve-"

"You don't!" She snapped at him. "Stop doing this, Draco, because I am not going to hate you. You weren't born hating muggle borns, you were taught to do that, but you did grow up and helped us when it mattered the most. I care about you-"

"I don't want you to care about me." He cut her off. "I don't deserve that. And I don't want you working on my case, because I am not worth it, Granger. I am not worth any of your effort. If it were up to me I would just cut my dark mark right now-"

"SHUT UP!" Hermione yelled as tears glistened in her eyes. But she refused to lower her voice, and instead, got up from her seat and walked until she stood next to him. He needed to understand what she was saying, but before that, she did put two chocolate frog packets inside his pocket. "Just shut up! You don't understand, do you? How easily you said that you will cut your dark mark. Doesn't it matter to you that you hurting yourself will hurt others as well? It will hurt your parents, your friends and..... me as well. I don't spent almost all my day at the Ministry just for you to give up so easily. Yes, I understand that this is hard, but Draco, there is hope. I am still fighting for you and I won't stop until I get you out-"

"Why do you want me to get out, huh Granger?" Draco snarled. "Why do you care about what happens to me? And don't give me that being friends crap. Because we both know that I am not your friend. So why, Granger?"

"Because I like you!" Hermione exclaimed. "You get that? I like you. I have fallen for you, and I don't know when that happened but I don't regret that at all. You have become important to me and so I will fight for you."

"You don't like me." Draco stated, despite the happiness he felt at knowing that. But there was no way he was going to allow her to like an ex death eater scum like him. "You don't like me, Granger, I am just a pity case for you. A project even, because you just love helping poor creatures, don't you? Like that spew. Well Granger, I don't need your pity. And I certainly don't need you to pretend that you like me-"

He got cut off when Hermione abruptly kissed him.

And despite whatever he said a few seconds back, he kissed her back as she cupped his cheeks and whispered his name.

She pulled away with wide eyes, but still rested her forehead on his. "I am so sorry, Draco-"

"I am not." Draco replied before he leaned forward and kissed her again, feeling Hermione smile a little against his lips.

Their kiss ended when the guard pulled away Hermione from him. "What's going on here?"

"I-I," Hermione stuttered, "Nothing! We were just-"

"What spell did you use on her?" The guard turned towards Draco. "There is no way that a girl like her would willingly kiss a scum like you? Tell me, blondie, what did you do?"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Draco glared at him. "I am literally tied here. I don't have my wand with me. How the hell am I supposed to do anything to her?"

"Don't play smart with me, Malfoy." The guard hissed as he removed the shackles and pulled Draco up. He wrapped his hand around the blond wizard's neck and squeezed it. "Though I suppose it is time we shift you to another cell. The one surrounded by a group of dementors."

Draco could hear Hermione's protests and the guards stopping her as he was dragged away from there.

And as the dementors surrounded his cell, he realised that even the chocolate frogs wouldn't be able to help him now. 

Salazar, he thought, the only happy thought he now had was that Hermione liked him, but perhaps he had even manage to mess that up.

And even though Draco didn't want her to like him, as she deserved better than him, a tear still escaped his eyes when he thought of the girl whom he had fallen for ages ago looking at him with nothing except disgust in her eyes.

---------

Trigger warning: self harm

Month Five: October 1999

Hermione rushed through the corridors of St Mungo's as she tried to find in which room the man she had fallen for was.

She had just apparated to the Ministry when Harry told her that Robards had told him that Draco had been attacked by other prisoners in Azkaban.

And later, Draco had tried to cut his dark mark off when instead of healing him, the guards had placed a spell so that the Dementors stayed outside his cell and the ex Slytherin prince couldn't deal with the memories, which he had saw because of them, of people suffering and him doing nothing.

The main ones being Dumbledore being killed and his aunt Bellatrix torturing Hermione.

Ever since he had been placed in that cell, it had become worse and worse for him day by day. Even Hermione's letters and thoughts of her visiting him at the end of the month hadn't been able to help him survive the dementors and the memories, and drove him to trying to kill himself.

"Excuse me," Hermione stopped a healer, "Is this Draco Malfoy's room?" When the healer nodded, she continued, "How is he?"

"He is fine now." Healer Kate said. "When he was brought in, he was in a pretty bad shape, with all the injuries because of the other prisoners, and the cut in his arm was very deep. But he is alright now."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "Is he awake now? Can I meet him?"

The healer smiled at her and nodded. The ex Gryffindor witch took a deep breath and entered the room.

Grey eyes looked at her, filled with self hatred, guilt, regret, disappointment and tiny bit of happiness. That was enough for Hermione to immediately walk towards him and wrapped her arms around him. 

"You idiot." She buried her face in the crook of his neck. She felt his arms go around her as her tears fell on his shoulder. "You scared me so much, Draco."

Draco squeezed her lightly, not minding the pain he felt from the way she was clutching him tightly. "I am sorry, Granger. I promise, I tried not to do that, but I failed. Like I always do."

She pulled away from him and cupped his cheeks. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare call yourself a failure. Because you are an amazing person, and I am proud of you."

"Don't cry." He simply said and wiped her tears. But he didn't move his hand away from her cheek. "I am not worth it."

"You are worth so much, Draco." She whispered. "I wish you would believe that."

"You know how awfully stubborn I am." Draco commented. He finally removed his hand from his cheek, took her hand in his and squeezed it. "And well, you used to call me a stubborn git in our eighth year."

"I recall calling you worse names as well." Hermione weakly chuckled. She adjusted the blanket on his bed and sat down next to him. "Remember twitchy little ferret?"

"I really don't know why you can't just refer to me as a wizard. I mean, first a cockroach-"

"A foul loathsome evil little cockroach, to be specific, Draco-"

"-And then a ferret. What am I? A zoo or something?" He shook his head, ignoring her interruption. But he smiled when she laughed at that.

Salazar, it felt good to make her laugh. 

Draco would never get tired of hearing that beautiful laugh of hers. Oh, he started talking like a sappy idiot as well, which he was not.

They sat silently for a few minutes until Hermione asked, "How are you, Draco? I know the healer said that you are fine, but I just want to know how you are feeling."

"I am fine." When she frowned, Draco added, "If not, then I will be fine. You needn't worry about me, Granger."

"Feelings don't listen to us, Draco. If they want me to fall for someone, then I will. Regardless of whether I want that or not. And if they want me to care or worry about someone, then I will. It is as simple as that."

Before he could say something, Healer Kate knocked on the door to inform Hermione that Draco should be resting now, and she could come back afterwards. 

The ex Gryffindor nodded and stood up. After kissing Draco's forehead, she whispered, "Rest now, my dear ferret. And I will go and get the chocolate frogs for you."

She could hear his laugh as she exited the room and smiled.

She loved hearing the beautiful sound of his laugh.

-------------

Month Nine: February 2000

Today, Draco was woken up, not because of a nightmare, but because of a memory of his eighth year. 

When he and Hermione had gotten drunk in a party, and had talked about their roles in the war, and later, to lighten the mood, about their crushes.

Hermione admitted on having a crush on her best friend, Ron, but that's what it was. A crush. It never turned to love. She supposed it would have, had she and Ron gotten together in sixth year, but actually, it was then that she started doubting her feelings.

Did she really like a guy who got together with a girl he barely talked with, just because she gave him some attention instead of his best friend whom he had feelings for her, as Ron later admitted?

Even though she didn't like Lavender, she didn't deserved to be treated like that, just dumped in a cruel way because Ron didn't like her despite the fact that he happily dated her.

Why would Ron date someone else whom he didn't even like?

And later, when Ron had left during the horcrux hunt, Hermione finally realised that her and Ron were just better off as friends. Yes, he was under the influence of a horcrux, but he still doubted that she and Harry were going behind his back, didn't he?

If he actually loved her, then he wouldn't have doubted that Hermione was with Harry, and believed her when she said so. After all, they were best friends, and he couldn't even trust her word?

Relationships don't work without trust.

And when they kissed during the Battle, Hermione didn't feel anything. She didn't feel giddy that she had just kissed the boy she once liked. 

No.

If anything, the kiss only seemed like a spur of the moment to her, and she admitted that much to Ron as well after the battle.

When he insisted that he liked her, and everyone wanted them to get together, Hermione said that she had done enough for others, and now it was time that she did something for herself.

She had done enough waiting. It was time she stopped being a last resort. 

If Ron wanted to be with her, he would have asked her to the Yule Ball in fourth year, and not waited until he got rejected and asked her as a last resort that too in an insulting way.

He would have asked her out in sixth year as well, instead of dating Lavender.

And if Ron truly loved her, then he would have been happy for her, instead of ruining her night of the Yule Ball, and acting cold towards her in sixth year.

When Draco asked Hermione if she still liked Ron, despite whatever she said, Hermione immediately said no, and was happy that she didn't feel sadness or regret while saying that.

As for Draco, while he admitted going out with a Beauxbatons' girl, and later Pansy, but he also said that there was a witch he had fallen for.

But he didn't tell her name even though Hermione asked multiple times.

And as Draco walked towards the visitors' room, as the end of the month, that day, he thought that Hermione must have realised whom he liked, because he did kiss her back that day.

Ah, their kiss.

Well the two didn't talk about it after that, but thankfully, their talks weren't awkward either, eve if they didn't get to talk that much.

"I have a surprise for you." Hermione said in lieu of greeting as she hugged Draco as soon as he entered the room.

The two ignored the guards, who couldn't do anything except glare at them, as Hermione had told Kingsley what had happened, and he had taken strict actions.

"And what is this surprise that you are talking about?" Draco asked as they sat down, the shackles still there around his hands.

"Remember how I said at New Year that I was trying to make muggle things like telephones and mobiles work in places having heavy magic?" She asked, and he nodded.

How could he forget whatever she had told him at New Year? He had almost kissed her when she told him that she would spend that day with him, and has asked permission from Kingsley so that she could stay for a few more hours in the visitors' room.

And Draco had no doubt that if she had stayed until midnight, he would have kissed her.

But well Harry had sent a patronus before that, asking her to come to the Burrow where everyone else was, including her parents, and so she had to go.

Freaking Potter, he couldn't have waited until just a few minutes after midnight, could he?

Draco was brought back from his memories when Hermione said, "So I just found a spell that would make muggle objects work in places of heavy magic, like the Ministry and this place too."

When she took her mobile out, he frowned. "Why are you showing me that felly tone?"

She rolled her eyes, got up from her chair, walked towards him and handed him her mobile after clicking on some options in it. "It is called a telephone, Draco, not felly tone. And anyways, this is a mobile."

"What should I do with it, Granger? Play Quidditch?"

Hermione sighed and leaned forward to click on an option. "Just wait and watch."

Slowly, the screen which earlier showed something Draco didn't understand, except that it was showing Harry's name, and making a ringing sound, now showed Harry's face.

Before Draco could say something, Harry shifted the camera so that now a witch was visible in it.

Draco gasped as soon as he saw her face.

The witch was none other than his mother.

Narcissa Malfoy let out a sob as she saw her son after nearly two years. "My dragon."

He was too shocked too do anything. It was only when Hermione shook his shoulder that he closed his eyes and allowed him to broke down. As he cried, the ex Gryffindor witch wrapped one arm around him.

Finally, after a few minutes, he composed himself and talked with his mother. They talked about a lot of topics, from his eighth year to his sentence in Azkaban.

"Potter." Draco nodded at him. "Still having messy as hell hair, I see."

"Still being a git, Malfoy huh?" Harry retorted. "But I suppose it is better than acting like a ferret, or a cockroach even-"

"Though I guess Granger's hair is worse than yours." The blond wizard ignored his comment. "I wonder how many brushes you have broken, Granger, while trying to tame that bird nest of yours."

Before Hermione could say something, Narcissa narrowed her eyes at her son. "Behave, Draco. Haven't I taught you any manners, my stupid dragon? Insulting a girl like that? Smack his arm for me, Hermione."

"Of course." The ex Gryffindor witch grinned and smacked the arm of the wizard she had fallen for. "There you go, Narcissa."

"Oww....." Draco rubbed his arm. "Teaming up with my mother already, Granger? I will let you know that my mother didn't mean it literally, so you had no right to smack my arm."

"I did mean it literally, my clueless dragon." Narcissa nodded. "If it were up to me, I would have even made you sleep in the garden. You would have had a great time being chased around by peacocks, given how scared you are of them."

"Not this again, Mother." Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Now they will never let me live that down, you know?"

"Peacocks? How come I didn't know that?" Hermione frowned. "Oh Narcissa, will you please tell me why Draco is scared of them?"

"And me too." Harry added. "I can't wait to tell everyone that Malfoy is scared of peacocks. Narcissa, will you tell us why?"

"Surely." Narcissa smirked as Draco groaned. "You see, Draco was very mischievous when he was younger, well he still is, but he loved to annoy my precious peacocks as well. And well, one day when he was poking them with a stick, the peacocks decided that they finally had enough and chased him around the garden for hours. My poor dragon even got a few scratches because of that, but it was his fault, really."

As his mother continued telling the story, the ex Slytherin Prince sighed. As if telling his best friends hadn't been enough, she had to tell these Gryffindors as well.

If it were up to her, Draco had no doubt, that she would tell the whole wizarding world as well.

But maybe Draco would be able to convince her otherwise.

Or maybe Lucius would.

Well, his father was scared of his mother's wrath, so he didn't know.

And later, as Draco and Harry argued about Quidditch, Narcissa looked at Hermione and mouthed thank you.

Hermione simply smiled and blushed when Narcissa pointed towards Draco with a smirk on her face.

Godric, it was like she knew everything, including that the brunette witch liked her son.

But the Brightest Witch of her Age thought that the Malfoy heir didn't like her back, despite the fact that he had kissed her back.

But Narcissa knew the truth.

Not only she could see the way Draco looked at Hermione, like she was his whole world and he would do anything for her.

But also, the Malfoy matriarch had read the letters that Draco had written to Hermione but never found the courage to send them.

They ended the call after a few hours, when Hermione told Narcissa that she would ask Kingsley if Lucius, who was serving a sentence as well, could talk with his wife through the video call.

And when Hermione explained Draco how she had researched about this spell on the holidays, Draco nearly told her that he loved her.

But before he could do so, Hermione sighed and told him, "I know I promised you that you wouldn't have to complete your full sentence, and I even convinced Kingsley, but Draco, I am so sorry but the Wizengamot didn't listen to us."

He knew what that meant.

Draco would have to spend another two months in this dark and dreary place.

-----------

Month Eleven: April 2000

If Draco was being honest, he didn't think he could survive another two months in Azkaban.

And he could have always used that knife one more time.

But no, he didn't.

Because he had promised Hermione that he wouldn't give up. And seeing how his mother broke down just by looking at him, Draco didn't want to use that knife.

Because just like Hermione had said all those months ago, his life, wasn't just his. So many people cared for him, loved him, and he didn't want to cause them sadness.

So Draco tolerated everything that came his way.

Insults, nightmares, torture, slurs, beatings, dark thoughts, memories and what not.

But Draco never once gave up. 

And he didn't even realise that his time in Azkaban was up. It was only when he was taken to a different room than the visitors' one at the end of the month, and saw Hermione standing there with a big grin on her face, some clothes and his wand kept on a table nearby that he realised what it meant.

Draco Malfoy was finally free.

He didn't even get the chance to say something, because Hermione ran towards him as soon as she saw him, and jumped on him, arms wrapping around his neck, and legs around his waist.

And Draco immediately clutched her tight and nuzzled her neck.

Salazar, he loved this witch.

The two were so caught up in their happiness of him being free, that they forgot that they weren't the only ones in the room.

It was only when Harry awkwardly cleared his throat, his eyes downcast that they pulled away from each other and Draco sat Hermione down.

The Chosen One had no desire to watch his best friend with his ex enemy.

After Draco had changed his clothes in the bathroom, they left the prison, and went to the Ministry, where the blond wizard was finally given his wand.

Hermione and Draco head to the Malfoy Manor when Harry informed him that Narcissa had recovered and was back in her home. The ex Slytherin told his friend that she didn't have to come with him, after all the place held bad memories for her.

But being the stubborn witch she was, Hermione shook her head. Not only she wanted to be there for him, but also, she wanted to meet Narcissa.

Draco hugged his mother as soon as he entered his house, and didn't even protest when she kept calling him 'My Dragon'.

With adjectives like adorable, clueless of course.

"Hermione, did you know that Draco loves yellow colour?" Narcissa asked her after a few minutes. 

"Mother please, I am begging you, don't tell her-"

"Yellow?" Hermione frowned. "But Draco's room was full of green coloured things in our eighth year-"

"Yes that's right, end of topic. I love green, now does anyone want tea? Mother-"

"Oh hush, my stupid dragon." Narcissa tutted at him. "Stop changing the topic. So yes, as I was saying, Draco absolutely loves yellow. In fact, you should see his room, Hermione."

"I never thought Draco would love yellow." Hermione chuckled when the said wizard's cheeks turned pink.

"I don't love yellow, okay?" Draco grumbled. "And now, are you two done embarrassing me-"

"Silencio." Narcissa pointed her wand at her son but not before taking his wand. "This is what you get for interrupting us, my dear dragon. And now we can talk in peace, Hermione."

Draco watched in horror as Narcissa told Hermione his childhood stories, but of course, he wasn't able to do anything.

Narcissa would have even showed her his photo albums, but couldn't, as Andromeda had taken them to show Teddy his cousin's photos.

But as Draco saw Hermione and Narcissa talking happily, he couldn't help but smile at the thought of the two most important witches in his life bonding.

Now only if his father started liking muggleborns.

But perhaps, Narcissa would be able to convince Lucius, seeing how she clearly loved the muggleborn witch, and Lucius won't be able to say no to his wife.

They stayed at the Manor until late night, not realising how the time flew while they talked. Draco had forgotten all about the fact that he had nowhere to go, because he couldn't stay at the Manor due to the conditions of his release, nor that he wanted to live in that place anymore because of what he had suffered there.

Narcissa suggested that he could live with Andromeda, she knew her sister wanted to meet her nephew as she had reconnected with her sister a while back.

But Draco didn't want to bother her, as she was already looking after his cousin, Teddy. Besides, he wasn't sure if Andromeda wanted to meet an ex death eater.

And just when Draco was about to say that he would live in the Ministry cell until he found a house, or until the Ministry allowed him to stay at one of his friends' house, Hermione stopped him.

She told him that he could live at the flat she had recently bought, and didn't listen to his protests.

Narcissa knowingly smiled  as she saw Hermione dragging Draco towards the fireplace, an yelling her address.

Her son had found a great witch to be with, and she loved Hermione so much.

Despite how Draco was protesting, he was grateful for Hermione to ask, no tell, him to live at her place.

And he made sure she knew how grateful he was.

He even learned about various muggle objects, and allowed Hermione to persuade him to learn to cook.

Draco even met Hermione's parents, not intentionally, of course, while staying there. 

It would have been, completely fine, because he was just her friend staying with her in her flat. 

Friends who liked each other and have kissed, but weren't together yet. But that's besides the point.

Except that her parents thought Draco was her boyfriend.

And the reason why?

Well Draco had just come out of Hermione's room, with nothing except sweatpants on, and was shouting, "Granger, where is my shirt that you were wearing last night?"

Hermione, who was sitting in the living room with her parents, groaned and excused herself. She came back a few minutes later, followed by Draco, who was this time, not only wearing a shirt with sweatpants, but also a sheepish smile on his face.

Before her parents could interrogate her friend-

Wait, was he still her friend?

What do you call people who are friends, and have kissed, and like each other but don't want to get together anyways?

Whatever. So before her parents could interrogate Draco, Hermione told them that he was staying with her as he didn't have anywhere else to live.

While her parents, Jean and Robert, didn't actually have a problem with Draco living there, as they had met him during his eighth year and he had not only been the one to help Hermione research the spells, but also apologised to them for the way he treated their daughter.

They were actually thrilled that Hermione was dating Draco.

They were just upset that she didn't tell them about it. 

Hermione's jaw dropped when Jean exclaimed that she would love to have Draco as her son in law, and Robert told Draco that the blond wizard would regret it if he ever broke Hermione's heart.

The ex Gryffindor witch, seeing as how shocked Draco was, immediately said that they were friends.

Just friends, nothing more.

When asked why then Draco was exiting her room, shirtless, and asking for his shirt that Hermione wore, Draco replied that it was his favorite shirt and he wanted to wear it that day, and because he couldn't find it, he went to Hermione's room to find it. 

That's why he was shirtless.

And as for why Hermione was wearing it, she replied that she had put all her tops in laundry, and had dropped sauce on the one she was wearing.

So, being the ever gentleman he was, Draco gave her one of his shirts to wear.

Even though they had made it perfectly clear that they weren't dating, Jean still told Hermione how much she liked Draco when the two went to the kitchen, and wouldn't mind it if they started dating.

Jean even asked if they could meet Draco's parents.

And in the living room, Robert still interrogated Draco and even threatened him. 

Godric, Hermione thought, why was everyone thinking that they were dating when they actually weren't?

And Draco thought, Even if they had kissed, and he liked her, he wasn't sure if Hermione still liked him, and if she did, then she was clearly oblivious because she couldn't realise that he liked her as well.

A few weeks later, his friends organised a party for him. 

"Oh look who has finally graced us with his presence." Blaise commented as Draco entered the pub with Hermione by his side.

"Shut it, Blaise." Theo shook his head. "Don't you know how hard it was for Draco to leave Hermione's house? I bet he even forgot about this party."

"Don't make me hex you two in front of everyone, idiots." The blond wizard warned. "I swear I will use the worst hex I can think of-"

"So Draco Malfoy can think as well." Blaise nodded to himself. "This is news."

"I suppose being with his girlfriend has changed him." Theo smirked at his best friend. "Don't you see how lovely she is? And she looks gorgeous in that dress."

"Hermione is not my girlfriend." Draco gritted his teeth and quickly looked behind him to see Hermione talking with her raven haired best friend. "And watch how you are talking about her, Nott, I told you I won't hesitate in hexing you."

"He never said Hermione was your girlfriend, Draco." Blaise rolled his eyes. "Did you, Theo? I don't think I caught that."

"I think with the way he was talking, it was pretty clear whom he was talking about. I am not an idiot, you know?" Draco stated. 

Theo grinned at that. "So you do think that she looks gorgeous-"

"I stand by my statement that I will hex you two right now, specially you, Theo." Draco placed his arm on top of his other arm's sleeve, under which his wand was tucked in the holster. 

"Actually you won't be able to hex us." Blaise smirked at him. "Did you forget that we are in a muggle pub, Draco? Oh how could you, dear dragon?"

"You have no right to call me that, Zabini-"

"Oh come on." Theo whined. "We are your best friends, Draco. Besides, I don't think we should blame him, Blaise. I mean, he arrived with Hermione, and has been looking at her ever since."

The two looked away from each other to see that Draco was indeed gazing at Hermione, a smile subconsciously playing at his lips.

"Well, Draco if you want to go and join your love of the life, we won't stop you, you know?" Blaise offered. "I mean, you are literally looking like a love sick fool right now."

"Besides, we will just go and tell Narcissa what exactly is going on in this party." Theo shrugged. 

At that, Draco's head whipped around and stared with wide eyes at his best friend. "What the hell, Theo? I thought my mother was at Andromeda's? And why are you talking about telling her this?"

"Not our fault if your mother wants to know how you are behaving around Hermione, okay?" Blaise said.

"And both her and Andromeda wants to know if you and Hermione will get together today." Theo answered.

"Well at least she believes that me and Granger are not dating." Draco sighed in relief.

"Oh you are getting it totally wrong." Blaise tutted. "We all know that you two are secretly dating. We just want to know when you will go public."

"Oh really?" Draco raised his eyebrows. "Even I didn't know that we were dating. And for Salazar's sake, stop spying for my mother, Theo. You don't have to tell her everything."

"But I want to." Theo simply said. "Besides, do you even know how many people have put bets on you and Hermione? There is us, of course. Then Potter, and his girlfriend Red, Pansy, Andromeda, Narcissa-"

"Hey guys." Hermione greeted as she came and stood next to Draco. "What are you all talking about?"

"Oh nothing special, Hermione." Blaise said as he and Theo gave her a side hug.

"Excuse me?" Draco narrowed his eyes at them. "Since when are you on first name basis with her? And didn't that hug look a little too friendly?"

"Don't get jealous, Draco." Theo smiled at him. "We don't like Hermione in that way, she is all yours. And I have a crush on someone anyways."

"Oh is that someone a blond Ravenclaw perhaps whose favorite creatures are nargles?" Hermione asked. "And if yes, then for your information, she is near the tables there. So you can go talk with her."

"Thanks, Hermione." Theo gave her a mock salute. "You are the best. And honestly Draco, do learn something from your witch. This is how you be a perfect best friend."

As Theo left, Blaise said, "And as for what we were talking about, Hermione, well we were just saying how long Draco will take to ask you to be his girlfriend-"

Draco kicked his shin.

"Don't you want to dance with your girlfriend, Blaise?" The blond wizard asked. "See, Pansy is calling you."

"Alright, I will leave you two lovebirds alone." Blaise grinned at them and walked towards his girlfriend.

"Are you okay, Draco?" Hermione asked Draco. "I suggested a muggle pub because I know you don't want to face the Wizarding public. It isn't too much, right?"

Draco shook his head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "It  is perfect."

You are perfect, he thought, but didn't say it out aloud.

"Come on, let us greet others, it is your party after all, Draco." She grabbed his hand which was resting on her shoulder, and dragged him towards the entrance. "Also, I will video call Andromeda later, so that she and Narcissa can talk with you as well."

And as Draco saw Hermione dancing with Harry later that night, he decided he couldn't wait any longer to tell him how he felt.

So he told her. 

"Hermione-I," Draco smiled nervously at her, "I -I know how I acted when you told me that you liked me in Azkaban, and I apologise for that. But Hermione, you don't know how grateful I am that you told me that, because you have no idea how long I have lo-liked you for."

He wasn't ready to say 'love' now, so like would have to suffice.

"You like me?" Hermione asked him. "Really, Draco? I thought after the way you had acted "

Draco sighed. "Never mind. I knew I shouldn't have said that. Surely you don't like me anymore with the way I have acted and-"

He was cut off when Hermione pulled his collar and kissed him.

Again.

And of course, Draco kissed her back, this time wrapping his arms around her waist, and squeezing her gently.

"Did you get your answer now?" She asked when she pulled away.

Shocked, he nodded.

"Well then, dear Draco, I hope you want to date me, because Merlin knows how long I have wanted to do that. And if it were up to me, then I hope you are by my side in the future for a very very long time." Hermione smiled cheekily at him and walked away, but not before giving him another kiss.

Draco grinned as he touched his lips with his finger.

He would be lying if he said he didn't want to be with her, and so, shouting her name, he ran after her.

Draco couldn't wait to find out what it felt to be with her, but one thing was for sure. 

He wasn't going to let her go. 

Draco would stay with Hermione as long as she wanted him to. 

And if possible, till eternity.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. It was 8500+ words. Hope you guys liked it. This one was a bit hard for me to write, because I had to make it dark, as Draco is in Azkaban, but at the same time, not too dark because I didn't want to make any of you comfortable. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the little fluff in the end. Random question: Do you think Draco and Lucius deserved to be in Azkaban? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you!

Next chapter on 30/4/21(Friday)

Until next time.