Hello, my loves, and welcome to the chapter of Draconian. Enjoy this chapter and this current cover while it lasts. This was one of the most iconic covers back in 2016, and I think it brings back some pretty nostalgic vibes, don't you think? How many of you remember it? It's been four years and counting, and I'm glad you're still here.

(Don't forget to read the really important note at the end.)

x Noelle

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Mends broken objects.

Dim light bathed the room in a soft glow. The nightmare had been terrifying tonight - the Peverells, glinting Death-Eater masks and a never-ending loop of Crucios. So vivid she could feel her body alight with fresh agony. And Draco's voice had been an echo as he searched for her... And she - lost forever to him.

Hermione pulled herself up and hugged her knees to her chest. "The war's over," she whispered. "It's over. I'm safe."

These words were her mantra now. It was everyone's mantra after the war. In the aftermath, all of 17-65 had moved in after Andromeda cleared out the rooms. Though Draco and Theo had complained, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the ten of them:

17-65 had fought the war together.

Now they were going to face the aftermath together.

So in the days that followed, it wasn't an uncommon sight to see each of them facing their fears in different ways. Neville breaking down in a fit of silent tears as he rocked Teddy to sleep. Luna sitting on the front steps staring blankly at the night sky. Theo with a bottle of Firewhisky in his hand as he paced the porch. Pansy's werewolf form howling up at the moon. Blaise whipping up batch after batch of potions just to keep his mind active. Ginny's screams that could practically wake the whole neighbourhood. Ron working off his frustration by casting hex after hex on a dummy. Harry's extended bouts of silence where he locked himself in a room for hours on end.

There were nights when Draco awoke with the beginnings of the killing curse at the tip of his tongue, and there were other nights when she awoke with his arm so tightly wound around her waist she could barely breathe. There were mornings when she found him by the Pensieve, and there were other mornings when he joined her in the shower. Sometimes, in the haze of their post-orgasmic bliss, she couldn't be sure if the streaks across his cheeks were rivulets of water or tears.

The war was over, but the ghosts were still haunting.

And Hermione thought that they would never quite fade away.

The door opened just then as Draco stepped in. Under the dim light, she saw his expression soften and he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "Nightmares?"

She swallowed hard and nodded. He lowered his head to kiss her chastely, simply. Soft nips on her bottom lip; a gentle, teasing slide of his tongue across. She closed her eyes and understood what he was saying without words.

It's okay. I'm here now.

and kissed him back when he captured her lips. His tongue delved into her mouth with ease, slick and thrilling and comforting all at once. His thumb came up to brush the wayward teardrop that had slid down her cheek, and she let out a throaty whimper, sliding her fingers into his soft blonde hair.

"The Peverells," she mumbled, after he pulled back from her.

He sponged gentle kisses down the bridge of her nose. "They're gone now."

"I know."

"You're safe."

"We're safe," she corrected, lifting her palm to his cheek. "Did you use the Pensieve?" Pain flashed in his eyes and she knew that he'd seen her memories. The memories from the phial Pansy had made a long time ago, containing all the details of Hermione's years in captivity. Draco had heard it all, but seeing it was a different matter altogether. "How were they?"

"Painful," he said. "You're the strongest person I know."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Thank you for finding me."

"Thank you for not giving up on me," he returned quietly, before pulling her back down onto the bed with him, his arms looping lazily around her waist. "Sleep, Granger."

She turned off the light with a wave of her hand and shut her eyes, lacing her fingers tight through his.

"Goodnight, Draco."

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The Great Hall was a flurry of dust and grime, a result of the repair work that had been going on for the past few days. Hermione watched as people, strangers and familiar faces alike, cleared out the filth from the place, swept out the collected rubble and cemented the dilapidated walls.

Andromeda was across the hall with McGonagall, three other professors, and several other people, their heads bent in deep discussion, while Arthur Weasley was giving out orders in a calm voice. The remaining members of the D.A. sat on the ground in a huddled circle, with Teddy on Cho Chang's lap as she cuddled the happy toddler.

Ginny stepped up next to Hermione. "Feels like a lifetime ago since I last stepped into this Hall."

Hermione nodded in agreement, before glancing over at Draco and Theo. They were already striding down the hall in an arrogant fashion, before proceeding to search amidst the arbitrary pile or rubble and overturned tables.

"What the hell are they looking for?" Ron asked in curiosity, as he watched the two blast a pile of rubble away, rummaging through broken pieces of furniture beneath it.

"The Slytherin table," Hermione replied, an amused smile curving her lips.

"Are you serious? How are they even going to find it? There are about a dozen tables here!"

Blaise chuckled. "Draco had our table marked. The usual bunch of us always hogged the same table – no other Slytherin could sit there without his permission."

"Bloody Malfoy always wanting his bloody way," Ron mumbled beneath his breath, as the rest of them laughed when they overheard him.

After awhile, Draco was dragging Theo back, a look of utter dismay on the latter's face as they headed back to the group. "It's gone!" The expression on Theo's face was so mournful that Hermione badly wanted to break out in another fit of giggles. "Our table's gone!"

She patted him on the back, despite the fact that her lips were twitching. Hagrid came in at that moment, lugging a huge rectangular table under his arm. He grinned when he spotted the group. "Have yer tried sittin' at this new one?"

"Who's it for, Hagrid?" asked Harry.

"For everyone, o' course. McGonagall's new rule. No house separation, an' anyone can sit anywhere they like."

He marched off happily, leaving a surprised silence in his wake. "No!" Theo gaped after him, an appalled look on his face. Draco, Hermione noticed, didn't look too happy either, but was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. "Are you saying that if there aren't enough seats to go round, I might find myself stuck with a Hufflepuff – or worse, a Gryffindor?"

"Hey!" Ginny scowled. "Five out of ten of us are Gryffindors!"

"Actually – " Pansy began wickedly, only to have Theo shoot a frosty glare in her direction as he clearly recalled the Sorting Hat putting him into Gryffindor the second time he wore it.

"Come on, Theo," Luna said cheerfully, when the group slowly began to head towards the table that Hagrid had placed in the middle of the hall, leaving behind Theo, who refused to budge. "Maybe you can mark this table."

Theo was immediately convinced, and quickly went along with her. The table was still sandy with dust and Blaise performed a quick Scourgify on it before everyone took a seat. Hermione automatically sat herself down next to Draco, with Theo on his other side, and Pansy and Blaise on her side. Harry was directly opposite her, with Ginny and Neville on his right, Ron and Luna on his left.

"I think this is great." Neville gazed around the hall with satisfaction. "Maybe there'll be far less house rivalry from now on."

"Don't count on it, Longbottom," Draco deadpanned. "If I could scrape together a Slytherin Quidditch team, we'd be wiping the floor with your Gryffindor arses before you can even spell Quidditch."

"Is that a challenge, Malfoy?" Harry's eyes had lit at the mention of Quidditch. "Because you're most definitely on."

"Deal. Granger, shake Potter's hand for me."

The group laughed as Hermione rolled her eyes and grasped Harry's hand. They were still laughing when a shadow fell upon the table.

"Professor!" Hermione jumped up to hug McGonagall.

The new Headmistress of Hogwarts was startled but pleased, and returned the hug. "It's lovely to see all of you getting along so well." McGonagall smiled, ignoring the doubtful coughs from Ron and Theo. "But I've come to talk to you about a separate matter – regarding the reopening of Hogwarts."

"What is it, Professor?" Ginny asked.

"Well, as you know, Hogwarts will have a new influx of students for the new term. I've been more than impressed with all of your skills and I'd be more than happy to have some of you on board as teachers for the new cohort."

Her words were met with stunned silence. "Really?" Blaise said at last, a frown creasing his forehead. "But none of us have taken our NEWTS."

"I understand that. And if any of you would be interested in sitting for your NEWTS, the doors of Hogwarts will always be open to you. But when it comes to hiring new staff, Albus had never used grade qualifications as a yardstick, and I intend to do the same. You've all proved your abilities on the battlefield, and that's already a good-enough indicator."

Blaise nodded. But the sudden flicker of intrigue in his eyes was telling, and McGonagall smiled when she saw that the look on Pansy's face matched his.

"Mr Zabini, I see that you and Ms Parkinson are expressing some level of interest in it. If you'd like to take me up on my offer, do feel free to Owl me. Hogwarts is acceptable of anyone and everyone, even lycanthropes," she added intuitively.

Pansy's stoic expression crumpled, and she gazed at McGonagall with gratitude. "Professor – "

"One of the best Professors Hogwarts ever had was a lycanthrope. I have no doubt you will be a wonderful teacher too," she smiled at Pansy, gently reaching over to pat the girl on the arm, before pulling back and nodding at Blaise. "You too, Mr Zabini."

McGonagall left soon after, and Blaise glanced at the others. "Are the rest of you going to take McGonagall up on her offer?"

"I'm afraid not," Harry shook his head. "Remember how Shacklebolt approached us the other day about the Auror programme at the new Ministry? Ron and I were considering saying yes."

"Yeah, me too," Neville chimed in.

"Same here," Theo added, before scowling at the looks of surprise at his unexpected response. "What, I can't be an Auror?"

"Of course you can," Luna was the first to chime in her support.

"You're going to be a great Auror," Hermione nodded in agreement, followed by the rest at the table. It was true – Theo didn't have the same strict moral compass that Harry, Ron and Neville possessed. But she knew that this was what would make him different, in the best way possible. She knew he would uphold his own brand of justice, risk his life for the people and things that mattered.

Draco was the only one who didn't say a word, but the brief pat on Theo's back spoke louder than anything he could say, and Theo knew that very well. "By the way," Draco added, with a lazy smirk, "you do know that you can't shag the people you're assigned cases to, right, Theo?"

"Are you fucking serious?" Theo yelped, eyes rounding in obvious distress. He clearly hadn't heard of this, but one look around the table and he was relenting. "Fine." He mumbled in resignation, before nudging the blonde-haired witch sitting opposite him. "What about you, Luna? What're you planning to do after this?"

"I don't know," Luna said breezily, absentmindedly playing with her Dirigible plum-earrings. "I'm thinking I might go on a quest to find the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"What the fuck is that?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm going to find it." Theo's eyebrows knitted, but when he wisely kept his mouth shut, she smiled warmly at him before turning to the red-head witch sitting several spots away from her. "What about you, Ginny?"

Ginny grinned. "Quidditch, probably. I've always had an interest in that. But I'm keeping my options open."

"That's good," Draco replied smoothly, a wicked gleam in his eye. "You should keep them open when you're considering Potter as a relationship partner as well."

Unfazed, Harry shot him a calm smile. "Hermione should do the same too."

Hermione burst out laughing, hastily slapping a hand over her mouth when Draco turned to narrow his eyes at her. Harry's words had made her laugh, but there was no second-guessing her choice or her relationship with Draco. He was going nowhere, and neither was she.

"By the way, Hermione," Neville's voice drew her back into the conversation. "What're you and Malfoy planning to do?"

"Are you going to Australia to find your parents?" Ron asked.

"That's – one of the things," she hedged, feeling Draco lace his fingers through hers under the table. His touch calmed her skittish nerves. "Mostly, I just want to see them. I want to know if they're well, and I want to try to remember them. And maybe, once I see them, I'll know what to do next."

The others nodded in silent understanding, before Pansy spoke. "And you, Draco?"

His grip tightened on Hermione's instinctively, and he paused, feeling her fingers curl round his encouragingly. "I might go back to Malfoy Manor," he said at last, his voice quiet. "See if I can salvage anything. Maybe put together two graves for my parents."

"And I'm going with him," Hermione said, noticing the way her friends visibly jolted in surprise. Harry and Ron, in particular, were stunned that she'd want to set foot back in Malfoy Manor. But what they didn't know was that she'd willingly follow Draco to the ends of the earth if she had to. "We're also thinking of fixing the old apartment," she added.

"If it's still there," Draco added, "and if it can be fixed."

"You'd better have a room for your old Aunt and Teddy," Andromeda's voice made them whirl around in surprise. Her face was bright, eyes twinkling as she swept past with Molly Weasley. "After imposing on me for so long and staying in my house, I think the favour should be reciprocated."

"'Dromeda." Draco's tone was serious, without a trace of his usual sarcasm. "You and Teddy can stay with us for as long as you want. Permanently, even."

"We'd love to have you, 'Dromeda," Hermione added, with a smile.

"What about me?" demanded Theo, looking excited about the prospect of returning to the old house. "Am I going to have a room at the apartment too?"

"For Salazar's sake," Draco swore under his breath, as Pansy and Blaise chimed in with similar demands. Chuckling, Andromeda swept off with Molly, her vivacious laughter echoing down the Hall.

"It would be lovely," Luna agreed merrily, "we could drink hot chocolate at night – "

"Hot chocolate – " Draco's features crumpled in disgust, "what the fuck, Lovegood – "

"And have pancakes for breakfast together in the morning!" Ginny clapped her hands, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she noticed Draco's reaction. "Brilliant idea, Luna! I'm in."

"Weaselette, I swear – "

"If my girlfriend's in, I'm bunking with her," Harry said determinedly, a mischievous grin on his face as he watched Draco slowly lose control of the situation. "Ron? Neville? You guys want a room too?"

Neville chuckled. "Count me in."

"I think I'll bring George and Perce along with me," Ron added smoothly, trying to smother his laughter at Draco's growing irritation. "And maybe even Bill and Fleur and Charles – "

"No!" Draco growled, his patience finally snapping. "We are not populating the apartment with the entire fucking generation of Weasleys! I'm drawing the line there – apart from you and your Weaselette sister, no other Weasel can step foot in my apartment!"

His explosion was met with stifled laughter from the rest. Hermione smiled at him. "So are you saying that Ron and Ginny can stay with us if they wanted to?"

"No, Granger, I'm not saying that at all. But I have a feeling that they and the rest of these gits are going to show up at our doorstep regardless of whether we have a room for them or not."

Ron sniggered. "Is this your way of saying yes, Malfoy?"

Draco glared and dragged out a lengthy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose with irritation, even though his lips were twitching. "It's going to be a bloody full-house again, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," Neville agreed, and the rest quickly chimed in.

The conversation diffused into a medley of excited exchanges and overall merriment, with Theo's repeated interjections that he called dibs on his old room, and Pansy and Blaise's hurried exclamations that they didn't want their room to be next to Theo's.

Hermione smiled as she gazed around the table, feeling a warm glow of contentment settling within her. Yes, things were going well. They were all moving on together.

Someday – not today, but someday, they were all going to be okay.

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"Thestrals."

Hermione's voice was a quiet whisper in the wind as she tugged at Draco. Bracing his arms over the low wall of the Viaduct, he followed the direction of her finger, where it was pointed to something in the far distance. Amidst the misty winds and lush greenery, he could make out a flock of black-winged horses galloping across the moors. Their bodies were skeletal, with reptilian features and gaunt limbs, but despite the grotesqueness of their figures, they somehow looked magnificent.

"We can see them now," Hermione continued, her voice so soft he had to strain his ears to hear her. "Because we've seen death."

Draco silently kept his gaze fixed on the Thestrals, clenching his jaw as he thought about all the deaths he'd seen and all the deaths he'd caused. The guilt was never going to go away and he had long since resigned himself to the fact. He was never going to be a good person, no matter what Hermione believed.

But he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could be a better one.

The sound of shoes scraping against gravel broke the silence, and Draco felt two people step up next to them. Harry didn't seem at all surprised to see the Thestrals, and Draco realised that he'd probably seen them before. Ron, on the other hand, looked almost awed to see the creatures, his blue eyes wide as he studied them intently.

"Frightening, isn't it?" Ron remarked at last, shaking his head. "That we can see them? I bet everyone who's been in this war can."

"What's more frightening is that the war's over and I still have to see your ugly faces," Draco muttered, his lips curling up in a smirk when Hermione elbowed him. But really, it was Potter and the Weasel. Insults were second nature when it came to them.

Ron huffed. "Feeling's mutual, ferret."