Weathered: My Sacrifice
By Misha

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling and is not mine, however much I might wish differently. I don't own the songs either, sorry, they all belong to Creed. However, I am not making any money off of this, so please do not sue me!

Author's Notes- I decided to do something different-write a collection of song fics, each one set to a different song from the same album. Each story is completely seperate from the next, none of them coincide. In fact, I use a variety of pairings and ratings throughout the series. There's everything from Harry/Hermione to Harry/Draco to Ginny/Sirius and everything in between. One of the few pairings that I don't have in here is Ron/Hermione, 'cause I just can't bring myself to write it. Sorry. Anyway, this just one of the stories in the series. I hope you enjoy it and choose to read the others.

Pairing- Draco/Hermione, minor Harry/Hermione

Summery- He saw her again, years later, and was reminded of the sacrifice he had made.

Rating- PG

Hello my friend we meet again
It's been a while where should we begin...feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
I remember

He saw her across the crowded restaurant. For a moment he wasn't sure it was her and then he knew.

There was no mistaking hair that was as bushy as it had been when they were in school together. Or the presence that always had a way of making itself known.

Before he could think about it, he crossed the room and approached her. She turned and looked at him, her eyes widening with shock.

"Draco?" She whispered his name and he nodded.

"Hermione." He replied warmly.

She smiled and invited him to sit down and eat with her and as he did, he couldn't help but remember.

It had been such a long time since they had said goodbye, but he had never forgotten her nor all that she had given him. She had offered him her pure and innocent love and it had given him strength.

He had become a better man because of her.

When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice

Draco had felt so good when they had been together.

So free of the constraints that had always reigned him in before.

When he was with her, he believed that they could do anything. That the world was at their feet and that life was full of endless possibilities.

Yet in the end, he had given her up.

The thought made him want to cry. The sacrifice that he had made for her safety.

To keep her safe, he had let Hermione go.

We've seen our share of ups and downs
Oh how quickly life can turn around in an instant
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let's find peace there

It felt so good to see her again.

To talk to her and just to look into the most beautiful face that he had ever seen.

He knew better than anyone how life could change in an instant.

The fact that they had come together in the first place had been a shock, after all they had been enemies for years. Her friends hated his guts and he was supposed to hate hers.

Not exactly a match made in heaven.

But they had made it work for a while. She had just been one of the better twists and turns that his life had taken, and so was the fact that he was here with her now, after all this time.

"How have you been?" He asked her after they sat down with their food.

She smiled and began talking about her life. Mainly about how she had gotten a job working for the Ministry of Magic, just like she had always wanted.

He smiled and told her that he was glad that she was happy.

She smiled again and said that she was, then she paused for a minute, looking deep into his eyes.

When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice

As their eyes met, he was reminded of all the good times that they had had. Of how young and love they had once been.

Then, Hermione raised her left hand and he saw the gold band that rested there.

He understood instantly what it meant. She was married.

The girl he had loved had grown up to become another man's wife.

For a second, the realization was painful then he smiled.

"I'm happy for you." He told her sincerely. "Who's the lucky man?"

Her entire face relaxed, it was obvious that she had been afraid that he would be upset.

He wasn't, not really. What they had shared was a long time ago.

He would always love her, but it had been a long time since their lives had been intertwined.

Still he was curious as to who she had ended up with. He wondered if Ron had gotten his wish, because he remembered how devoted to her the red-head had once been.

Hermione blushed slightly as he asked about her husband and then smiled.

"Harry." She told him softly, her smile lighting up her features. "We got married about three years ago."

I just want to say hello again
I just want to say hello again

Draco nodded. Harry, it made sense.

He had been Hermione's best friend and they had always been close. Draco supposed it was natural that that friendship had blossomed into love again and he was glad, because Harry was a good man and Draco knew that he would do his best to make Hermione happy.

After a moment he smiled. "I hope you two are happy together."

"We are." She assured him. He smiled again. "I'm glad."

And he was. He hadn't walked over to her in any attempt of reigniting a past flame, he had just wanted to talk to her moment, make sure that her life was going well.

He had said goodbye a long time ago and he had just wanted to say hello again.

When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice

She inquired about his life.

He told her about it with a smile.

Then lunch came to an end and Hermione stood up.

"It was nice to see you again." She told him warmly. "It's been too long."

"It has." He said, thinking about how wonderful it was to see her smile. It was a much better than image than the last one he had had of her, with tears staining her cheeks.

"Don't become a stranger again." She told him sternly.

"I won't." He promised.

Hermione beamed and informed him that she expected him to come over for dinner some time, that Harry would want to see him too.

Draco hid a laugh at that one. He and Harry had become allies, but never friends.

As Hermione prepared to leave, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Bye." She whispered before walking away.

He watched her go with a smile.

I just want to say hello again
I just want to say hello again
My sacrifice

"Not goodbye, Hermione." He corrected with a smile after she was gone.

"Hello."

It was true. This was just the beginning.

She was the best person he had ever known and now she was back in his life.

Oh, not the way she had been. That had been a long time ago.

But even as just a friend, Hermione Granger-Potter brought a light and joy into his life that no one else ever had.

He sometimes wondered what would have happened had he not given her up so long ago, but that was not to be.

And his sacrifice had turned out well for both of them.

So, with a smile on his face, Draco turned and left the restaurant.

Things had worked out for the best.

The End