Anchor and Rose | Dramione

Ten.

Hermione ran into the Great-Hall a bright smile on her features.

She looked just as she did last year. Round cheeks and bright eyes. No hollow cheeks. No black hair.

The Great-Hall was coated in yellow lights stringing against the columns. The tables were full of students, all smiling, all cheering, all celebrating.

She kept running until her feet landed on the edge of the Gryffindor table.

Without thinking, she had wrapped her arms around Cho Chang's shoulders, then Ron's, Harry's, Ginny's, Seamus'.

And then, she had wrapped her arms around Draco.

He didn't look how he did last year. He looked as he did two years ago. Before he got the mark. Before Dark Magic sucked his soul away. His blonde hair was longer than it was now, cusping his ears. It was boyish. It was beautiful. His lips were plump and red, full of life. Full of happiness.

He looked like a painting.

"Well Done, Hermione!" Ginny gasped. "We all knew you would pass with O's!"

Hermione was gripping three sheets of white parchment in her hands. Year 7 Exam results. It was her biggest goal. To graduate from Hogwarts with flying colours, surrounded by all of her greatest friends in the Great-Hall.

Right now, she was living her biggest dream.

"Much better than me, Hermione." Ron scoffed. His cheeks were chubby, his hair long and fiery, hanging over his ears the way Hermione liked it. "We are so proud of you."

Then Draco spoke with a soft voice, his eyes dancing over her skin. "I told you that you would do exceptional, Mione."

She felt her heart patter inside of her chest. He was smiling. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Draco Malfoy's smile.

Then, Draco leaned towards her. He grasped her face in his hands.

He had kissed her.

Hermione woke with a bouncing heart. It took her a few moments to realise that she had been dreaming.

Dreaming about normal life. A life with no War. No Voldemort. No Death Eaters. No Dark magic. Not only did she feel sad, she felt confused. Sad because it wasn't real. There would be no graduation from Hogwarts this year and she knew that. She would not get exam results. She knew that. She would not be able to hug all of her friends and congratulate them. She knew that.

Confused because she would not be kissing Draco Malfoy. That seemed absurd. It seemed feeble. She wanted to laugh at herself and her stupid brain for putting such an image in her head. She also wanted to laugh at her heart for lathering over the thought.

When she sat up, grasping her chest in her hands, she found a scrap of parchment lying on the coffee table in-front of her.

It was clear what it was. Clear as day, shining underneath the dim light from the living room chandelier. It had been a while.

The drawing did not shock her. It confused her even more.

A sketch of her lying in a grave. A small rose clasped between her thin fingers. It was accompanied by writing like always;

Nobody knew Hermione Granger died. They believed it was Rose Waterlily. Nobody knew Hermione died while Anchor Smith watched. He could not save her. She was too proud to accept help.

-

The thought of leaving the refuge of the Southwark safe-house anytime soon had been something whimsical in Hermione's mind.