Forever and Always<3

Prologue

"Remind me why I'm going to do this again," Hermione Granger, age twenty-five, said, pacing back and forth in front of Dr. Hayden Nobleman's office door.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Draco Malfoy exclaimed, arms above his head in frustration. "We've talked about this for the umpteenth time, Granger. Do I have to repeat it again?"

Hermione's face contorted into an indistinguishable look. "Is it even necessary? I mean, look at me from head to toe. I look healthy, don't I?"

Draco tapped a finger thoughtfully against his chin as he surveyed her from head to toe. "Yes, yes, Granger, absolutely healthy." His eyes lingered on her head and then, a small smirk grew on his face. "But on second thought… I think you have a… hmmm, what's it called? Oh, yes, a mental disorder."

The brunette scowled and playfully hit his right arm. "Draco, I'm being serious here!" she exclaimed, now nervously wringing her wrist.

"All right, Hermione, I'm going to explain it to you again," the blond said, crossing his arms against his chest. "You are a bloody Auror, one of the greatest in fact. And, Aurors are supposed to be healthy. No sickness whatsoever. The Ministry is just making sure that you are healthy and all. Though" – he frowned – "I don't quite understand it why, of all places in the whole wide world, you chose to have your check-up here in a bloody Muggle Hospital. You can just choose St. Mungo's Hermione. You'll even have a discount because you're best friend to the son of the owner."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, for your information, all Aurors were given the order to have their own check-ups and so, there are a lot of Aurors waiting for their turn to have their check-up plus those who have their own reasons to visit St. Mungo's and so basically, it's bloody crowded and I don't want to waste my time in a Wizard Hospital." Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust, glaring at Dr. Nobleman's (the doctor who was supposed to give Hermione her check-up). "I'm not really fond of hospitals, Muggle or Wizard, you know."

"Fine, fine, whatever, Beaver," Draco said. 'Beaver' was what he fondly called her (since she wouldn't stop calling him 'Ferret'). Actually, she didn't look like a beaver at all. Her teeth were perfect and pearly-white, no hint that her two front teeth were once abnormally large. He had called her 'Beaver' too because of this particular incident in their fourth year when he was still the Slytherin badass and cursed her two front teeth to grow larger.

"For heavens' sake, Ferret, stop calling me 'Beaver'!" she exclaimed. "You don't have to remind me about my teeth's imperfection when I was still young."

"Only if you stop calling me 'Ferret'," he said, eyebrows lifted challengingly. "Because you know, you also don't have to remind me of my past doom when Barty Crouch Jr. a.k.a. fake Moody turned me into a disgusting creature, of all animals!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and faced the door again. "All right, we're coming in," she said, shifting her eyes away from the door towards her watch. "I'm already five minutes late, you know." Taking a deep breath, she muttered repeatedly under her breath, "I'm coming in. I'm coming in. I'm coming in. I'm coming in…" Every sentence, she took a step.

The blond looked at her in amusement, thinking that she looked like a broken record… though, strangely endearing.

"I'm coming in" – one step – "I'm coming in" – another step – "I'm coming in" – and another – "I'm coming in." Hermione made an abrupt stop, face now a few inches away from the door. She took another deep breath. Instead of turning the doorknob open, she swiveled around. A look of fright was seen on her face, left hand wringing her wrist again. "I can't do this, Draco. I really can't."