Past Sins

Past Sins

Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

Authors Note: Past Sins is neither HBP or DH compatible. Please refrain yourself from commenting on how unlikely the pairing is. If you do not like it don’t read it. Everyone else enjoy!

Summary: The war is over, Hermione Granger has left the wizarding world. Draco Malfoy has been released from Azkaban and is looking for forgiveness for his past sins. A small letter with many words could have an unexpected outcome.

Chapter One - Correspondence


Hermione Granger sat in the wooden rocking chair in her small sea side cottage. The night was dark and cold, she listened to the constant pitter patter of rain bouncing off the roof. The fireplace emitted a soft glow and warmed the small room. She was lost in thought and memories of the past years.

The war was over. The light prevailed, with much difficulty and many casualties. The emotional strain was lifted off the Golden Trio and they soon found that after the many years they had together, they all just wanted a break from one another.

Harry married Ginny Weasley and they bought a small home just outside of Hogsmead. Harry went to work for the ministry in the Auror department and Ginny went back to Hogwarts and became the assistant medi-witch, studying underneath Madam Pomphry.

Ron Weasley the second member of the Golden Trio married his long time school girlfriend Lavender Brown. Ron also went to work at the Ministry in the Auror’s department but he and Harry rarely had missions together but seen each other outside of work at the Burrow for family dinners and get together’s.

Hermione herself had decided that she wanted a break from the magical world. A place were no one recognized her as a war heroine and tried to offer her hand outs. She receive a large donation from the Ministry from her part in the war and was quite content with taking a few years off before seeking out a career.

Her little Sea side cottage was located in Canada, on the Vancouver Island in a quaint little town called Tofino. It is a small fishing community, thriving with artists and surfers with whale watching by the plenty and all the fresh air and peace she needed to put her life back together. She could walk through the rain forest or along the beach. Everyone left her alone, but everyone had an inviting, friendly warm smile.

A soft tapping took Hermione away from her thoughts. The soft tapping was almost foreign to her. She had stopped replying to Harry and Ron’s owls urging her to go back to London and be closer to them, so in return they had stopped asking, letting her come to her decision on her own. They knew how stubborn she could be and would be on this. Owls came every once in a while to inform her of a wedding or some important event that she was invited to.


Hermione opened the window and let the beautiful white Owl in. She unfastened the green velvet ribbon from the owls foot and retrieved the letter. She patted the Owl who cooed at her touch, grabbed a treat off the fire mantel and fed it to the owl which then ruffled its feathers and flew out the window into the rain filled night.

The owl was unfamiliar and so was the scrawl on the parchment. She unrolled it and began to read. Her breath hitching in her throat as she went.

Hermione Granger.

I hope this letter find you in good health. Please Read this whole letter before you rip it up and throw it in the fire.

Hermione, I have recently spent a year in Azkaban, and part of my release and probation is to meet with a councillor that re habilitates me into the magical world. Upon his insistence I am writing to you to apologize for all the foul things I have said and done to you.

I am sorry for the numerous times I have called you a “Mudblood” or any other derogatory term referring to your blood status. I am sorry for taunting you the many years we spent at Hogwarts and for making life harder on you then it already was.

I am sorry for the time I gave you buck teeth. Or made you cry and feel lower then me. In all actuality you are braver and stronger willed then I will ever be. I am a spoilt brat that was brought up to believe that things like blood and status mattered.

I want to honestly admit that you are a very smart and talented witch, You have proven yourself in the war and prevailed as a war heroine and I do not deserve your forgiveness, I just want you to know that I am sorry for all the pain and suffering I know I have caused you throughout the years.

I hope you are healthy, happy and well.
Please do not feel obligated to respond.

Cordially
Draco A Malfoy.


Hermione rolled up the parchment and placed it on top of the fire mantel. She wanted to read it again. But right now it was time for her to go for her evening jog. She finally had one thing in her life that was consistent and that was her routine.

She walked into her bedroom and pulled out her black jogging suite. After zipping up her sweater and pulling on her shoes she stretched in her small kitchen then opened the door and stepped out onto the soft wet sand. Taking off down the beach at a steady pace, her mind wandered back to Draco Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy was tall, blonde and handsome. She would have never admitted this to her two best friends, but he was very, very good looking. As was his father before him. But he was so arrogant, self assured and had a thing about blood status. Not that it was his fault, it was the way he was raised and he had, had a change of heart during the final battle and took to standing on the side lines, throwing curses, body binds and even the death curse at Death Eaters. People of his own kind.

She had never known how hard his life was until she sat in the dark corner of the Ministry, listening to his trial. He had grown up being taught the difference between blood, being taught how a pureblood acts and how everyone of a lesser blood status was below him.

He explained how once he started going to Hogwarts he met many people of different blood statuses, and started to question his fathers beliefs. He remembered the first time he asked his father what was so wrong about a person with two non magical parents. He would never forget the unimaginable pain that racked through his body as his own father turned his wand on him and yelled crucio. And was told never to question his up bringing again.

He talked of how he still had doubts about his fathers beliefs but was too scared to say anything. He watched his father go to prison for his acts of hate, and for following a half blooded lunatic. He did what his father told him, and continued to keep his confusion to himself. When the war broke out he admitted he did not care who won at first. Then later on he realized no one should grow up the way he had and wanted Harry Potter to prevail and change the wizarding world and the old ways of blood and status. That was when he stepped forward and started fighting against everything he had been brought up to believe.

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts she never seen the two dark skinned men she ran past, or heard one of them ask the other if that was Hermione Granger who had just ran past them.

Hermione made it to the end of the bay and started back along the beach. She made it back to her little cottage and started stretching outside under the little car port, out of the rain. She looked out across the ocean. The waves rolling in and crashing off of the shore, washing away any marks in the sand.

“Hermione Granger?” a soft voice spoke from behind her.

She was startled, No one knew he last name out here. They all just knew her as Hermione. She turned around and faced the man who had spoken her name.

“It really is you.” He said as he walked closer. “Do you know how many people would kill to know where you are right now?” he asked.

This man, tall, dark and handsome was walking towards her with a smile on his face. He stopped a few feet away from her looking at her as she clutched at her sides. “You don’t look happy to see me” he said again as he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms.

“No Blaise, Im just shocked” she said and wrapped her arms around the familiar man. “What are you doing all the way up here in Canada?” she asked pulling out of his embrace.

“My Old Man and I go on a fishing trip somewhere around the world every year. This year we decided to come to Canada, you know get out of the lime light for a week or two” Blaise Zabini said with a smile “How bazaar it is to run into you way out here!” he continued again. “My father and I were walking along the beach as you ran past us, he was the one that noticed you, I decided to follow you and see how you were”

“Isn’t it just beautiful out here?” She asked, it was nice to have someone familiar to talk to. She had not noticed how lonely she was after she left the wizarding world.

“Ay, it is” Blaise said as he sat himself down in one of the chairs close to the fire. “So how have you been Hermione?” he asked with genuine concern,

“Oh Blaise! I’ve been great! I have had the peace and quiet I have needed and deserved. I have not been pestered by Harry and Ron to try and find a man to settle down with, I’ve just been enjoying the sunshine, the rain, the beach and my freedom!” She said as she went into the kitchen to put on some hot water for tea.

Blaise had been one of the few Slytherins who came to Hermione while still in Hogwarts wanting to align himself with The Order of the Phoenix, ever since then, Hermione and Blaise had a great friendship. He stood beside her when Ron and Harry disagreed with her notions and comforted her when Dean fell in the final battle.

“Tea?” she asked poking her head out of the kitchen.

“Sure.” Blaise said from the chair he was occupying.

They had a nice conversation. Hermione invited him and his father for dinner the following night. After Blaise graciously accepted, they bid fair well. Hermione was left to her thoughts for the remainder of the night.

She could have had a relationship with Blaise. She almost wanted one. But he was a Prince and she had, had enough fame for one life time, so she could not see herself having a relationship which would put her right back into that little lime light she had tried to avoid for the past three years.

Blaise understood this and he stepped back, respecting her wishes. They remained friends, sent letters every few months but they came less and less after her move, she never told anyone where she went. Not even her two best friends.

XxXxX

Hermione woke up the next morning. She showered and dressed then grabbed her bike from under the car port and peddled into town to do some shopping. She went down to the docks and picked up a large fresh Chinook Salmon from one of the fish stands .

She then went to the local market where she bought fresh vegetables and other various ingredients for dinner. She also got a fresh bottle of wine and a strawberry shortcake for dessert.

She peddled back to her little cottage and prepared the salmon and put it in the oven on low, prepared the vegetables and left them in the fridge then found herself with nothing else to do for the remainder of the day.