To Me, From Me // DHr ✔️

E P I L O G U E

2005

Hermione was sitting cross-legged on the couch with a photo album on her lap. Dozens and dozens of photos all tucked inside the plastic sleeves (some in between pages even), of her and Draco's relationship since they graduated. She was supposed to be taking them out to put into boxes, along with everything else that crowded their tiny living room, but she couldn't resist flicking through the pages, the memories, of the now-previous chapter in her life.

"Working hard, I see."

She looked up to see Draco casually leaning against the wall. "I got distracted."

He walked to where she was and kissed the top of her head. "Haven't seen this in a while."

"That's what happens when you're off busy working all the time." She said, with only a touch of pettiness in her voice.

"Are we talking about me or you, Healer of the Year?" He winked.

As soon as their NEWTs were done, there was a period of time where Hermione didn't know what she wanted to do because there was so much that she could. Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt offered her and Draco a guaranteed spot in the summer Auror program but while Draco agreed without skipping a beat, she declined; chasing down more Dark wizards and witches did not sound appealing to her at all. Headmistress McGonagall also expressed her interest in having Hermione work for Hogwarts as the new Charms professor, again, she refused. She thought about pursuing a career in research with Luna, but she found that she wasn't as passionate as her when it came with discovering for magical creatures.

It was actually Draco who suggested she take up Healing – after a drunken episode that involved him, Harry, Ron, brooms, and a beater bat that ended with Hermione stitching all three of  them up. She had thrived in her profession for the last five years, being recognized left and right due to her major accomplishments in revolutionizing the medical field among wizards and witches by incorporating Muggle technology with magic.

They went back to packing away the rest of their belongings in their flat. It was a tiny apartment in the heart of Muggle London. It was leased under Hermione's name because originally, she was supposed to be living by herself where she was closer to her parents in hopes of reconnecting with them, but Draco stayed over so often that even the neighbors knew him. It took him a while to adjust to Muggle living but after discovering television, football, and movies, he couldn't get enough of it.

When they've finished stripping the place bare, Hermione paused for a moment, looking around the empty living room that held so many great times. She remembered her falling asleep on the couch with a book on the floor because she wanted to wait for Draco to come home, she remembered the fireplace and the laughter she and their friends have shared while gathering near the fire, she remembered Draco spilling wine on the carpet in an attempt to calm Hermione down after a fight they had, she remembered the bay window that Draco would be sipping his tea in every Saturday and Sunday morning when he doesn't have to go into the office, she remembered everything.

"Ready to make new memories?" Draco asked as he held Hermione's hand.

"As long as they're with you." She smiled.

The house that they were moving into was technically not a house – a mansion would more aptly describe it. It was an estate from the Black side of Draco's family and was given to them by Narcissa Malfoy herself when the two announced publically that they were together, which was a week after the Yule Ball back in their eighth year. Hermione almost fainted when she received an owl from her inviting her and Draco over for dinner, and actually choked on her food when Narcissa gave them the deed to one of the Black Manors. Both of them politely declined taking the deed of land at such an early stage of their relationship, but now that they've established that neither will be going anytime soon, they figured it was about time they did.

"You actually did it all in one day. I owe Luna five galleons." Ginny stated with a frown as she and Harry apparated directly into the garden where Hermione and Draco had finished setting up the food.

"Harry, here," She said as she handed him her Polaroid. "Take a photo of us, would you?"

The first couple of times that she's gotten a photo with Draco, she practically had to force him to. Over the years, he's learned to not get in the way between Hermione and her love for photographing the moments.

It was a simple enough pose where they were side by side surrounded by the beauty of autumn, and she was all smiles for the camera especially when Draco slid an arm around her. As soon as the camera snapped, it also clicked to her that they were living the future that was in the photograph all those years ago.

One look at Draco and she knew that he's thought of the same thing.

"Accio photo album."

She swiftly went to a specific page of the album she was looking at earlier and took out the photo that was hidden in it and compared it with the photo that had just finished printing out of Hermione's camera.

It was exactly the same.

Draco was quick to affectionately caress the side of Hermione's face, and she, in turn, lifted her head to meet Draco's eyes before he dipped low to place a chaste kiss on her lips that she felt had set off a thousand firecrackers within her. It was the same feeling she got the instant their hands touched five years ago, and every other moment of connection after that without fail.

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth as soon as Draco dropped to one knee.

"In this world or any other, I promise you that it will always be just us. Will you marry me?"

Tears streamed down her face as hoots and cheers erupted from around them – she hadn't realized that all of their friends have arrived just in time to see Draco propose.

"Yes, yes, Draco Malfoy, I will marry you!" She cried as she reached down to pull him back up by his coat's collar and crush him in a kiss far deeper than the one he gave.

"In this world or any other, I promise that you'll never be alone."