Forever -Dramione

Ch 19

A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you guys liked the last chapter. Now originally, I hadn't planned to write this chapter, because Hermione wasn't supposed to have a criminal report in the draft, but as I became more and more engrossed in this story, I realised that those crimes could be related to the fourth and final mystery of this book (four mysteries, isn't that crazy?) So far, three of them have been revealed, or ended on cliffhangers, but will be answered soon. So do you remember those mysteries? Maybe you will get the answer to one of them in this chapter. Read the A/N at the end of the chapter to find out when the next chapter will be out. On with the chapter!

Almost two weeks later....

"Hey there."

Draco looked up from the floor to see a pretty, young witch smiling at him from her portrait, beckoning him to come towards her.

"I-I am sorry it took me so long to come here, to face you. I just wasn't able to find the courage to do so." He confessed.

She kept smiling at him. "It really doesn't matter, Draco, at least not to me. Yes, I had been upset when you didn't come here, even if the others did. And even if every time that door opened, I had expected to see you standing there, but was left with disappointment when it turned out to be someone else. But you are here now, and better late than never, right?"

He couldn't understand how she couldn't be mad at him. She was too forgiving, maybe it was her strength or her weakness. Perhaps it was her beauty.

But whatever it was, didn't matter to Draco. Because it was one of those many things that had made him fall in love with her. 

And maybe if she hadn't been too forgiving, then he wouldn't have been standing there, in front of her portrait, in the first place. 

He wouldn't have been able to live such a good life if it weren't for that quality of hers.

"What? Cat got your tongue, huh?" She teased him, just like she always did. "I mean, a certain someone once told me that cats do get along with ferrets quite well."

At this, he let out a chuckle. "You are never going to forget that are you? And I am pretty sure neither you, nor anyone else will ever let me forget this awful memory."

She shook her head. "Of course not, it is quite memorable. And it may have been awful for you, but the others enjoyed it quite a lot. There is a problem though. I only wish I would have been able to watch that."

He too shook his head, but smiled at her nevertheless. "You are damn amazing, you know that right? You are so strong, and just.... Just perfect, Astoria."

She grinned at him. "Nothing and nobody is perfect, you said so yourself a while back, remember?"

"But you are." He insisted. 

"So am I nothing? And nobody as well?" She mock glared at him. 

"I-" His eyes widened. "I didn't mean to say that, I promise. I was just saying that you are perfect, despite your flaws. Wait, I mean you don't really have any flaws. And you are one of kind, not an odd person though. I think more like-" Draco started rambling.

Astoria cut him off by her laughter. "Relax, Draco. I know what you meant. I was just messing with you. Although I do admit that it's quite good to see you like this."

"What? Me rambling because of being nervous?"

"No," She said, "Like this, Laughing, smiling, just being your real self, you know? And not that 'miserable and blaming yourself'."

Draco sighed. "Granger told you about that, didn't she?"

Astoria nodded. "Did you expect her not to? I may have been gone, but she is still my close friend. And I am glad she did, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten to know how you are torturing yourself."