Meet Your Match

25. First And Last

Barely a few months later

Hermione was floating. They’d been making consistent progress, but the bigger pieces were finally starting to fall into place. Kingsley had been willing to grant her favour of adding Draco’s acceptance of the Malfoy House seat to the next Wizengamot full session vote. Draco had spent several weeks quietly campaigning amongst the old families, and the simple majority he needed to take the position had come easily. There was something darkly delicious about using his unfair pureblood privilege to further her Muggleborn designs.

Theo, for his part, had been putting out feelers around the DMLE. While their bill wouldn’t directly interface with Law Enforcement, the close connection of the Department to the court only amplified the potential power of any allies. Other than Ron and Harry, of course, he’d been able to drum up support from several pureblood colleagues and another mixed blood status couple who were interested in participating.

She and Draco had worked on countless drafts of the legislation and although they still had the long and arduous process of getting it through the court, her Department Head had sent her an advance copy of the first round revisions as a Christmas present. She and Draco had both been overjoyed to find that they were already prepared to address nearly all of the comments and critiques. When they received the official copy next week, they would be more than ready to get to work.

Hermione still had no idea how Draco managed all of it. He was on track to finish his program with nearly twelve months to spare, and he kept up with his writing on top of working on their bill. His newest piece on how propagandist language gets incorporated into legal doctrine was his best work yet, in her opinion.

She felt him slide his hand into hers, and she squeezed it as she smiled. His warmth was a welcome reprieve against the chill of the air.

“It’s almost time,” he said.

“I know,” she replied. “I’m just basking.”

He nodded and followed her gaze as she looked out over the party. She couldn’t help but think of how different things had been only a year ago. She had never expected to be this close to enacting a plan she’d had for nearly a decade. Nor that she would spend Christmas day with her parents and Narcissa Malfoy of all people. She had also never expected to be seeing a mind healer. Even though she should have known better, it had taken Draco to convince her. Not to convince her that she needed help, but rather that she deserved it if she wanted it. She would be forever indebted to him for that. Of course, without it, she wouldn’t be doing the other things she had never expected. Namely, returning to the Manor and visiting Lucius Malfoy in Azkaban.

As the countdown started, she closed her eyes. More than anything else, she had never expected to fall in love. She’d always thought that she would someday, when she was ready, but it had happened now, ready or not. When the clock struck midnight, and the crowd cheered around them, she opened her eyes and turned to the only person in the world she wanted to share the moment with.

But he was gone.

It only took her a second to spot him, but the surprise of his momentary disappearance was enough to distract the rational part of her brain from registering the fact that he was down on one knee.

“Hermione,” he said, taking her hand in both of his. “When you kissed me on this night one year ago, neither of us could have predicted the path that it would set us on, but I’ve never been more thankful for a surprise in my entire life. Somewhere between chance and circumstance, there was you.”