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An Unexpected Love

By Alison

D/C: I don't own anything except the plot. JK Rowling, Scholastic, and people who are luckier than me own everything else.

~*~*~

"Look at these schedules!" said Ron. "We double up with the Slytherins in Divination this year!"

"Another good reason to take Arithmancy," said Hermione.

"I wouldn't mind switching over to that," said Harry, groaning. The three Gryffindors were looking over their seventh year schedules on the second day of school.

"This really stinks," said Ron. "I bet Vector isn't all weird like Trelawney is, either."

"Oh, he isn't," said Hermione. "He's a really wonderful teacher, he knows almost all there is to know about arithmancy, it's a really amazing cla…"

"Yeah, whatever," said Ron. "Just as long as Malfoy's not in that class." Hermione pouted a bit, until she noticed something strange.

"Speaking of Professor Vector, where is he?" The three turned their heads to the Head Table where all the Professor's ate at. One seat was empty.

"That's strange," said Harry. "Was he here yesterday?"

"I didn't notice," said Hermione. Professor Dumbledore stood up. The Hall went silent.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" he said. The students cheered. "Now, before you go off to fill your heads with knowledge, Professor Vector has been caught up in some family business, so he won't be here for a couple of weeks. The students who are in his classes may do as they wish during the time that they would normally have his class, provided that they are not breaking school rules. Enjoy!"

Ron's mouth dropped open. "Now, that isn't fair!" he said. "Hermione, you're the smartest person in this school! If anyone should get a class off to study, it should be me!"

Hermione giggled. "Oh, come on, you don't think I'm going to take a free period to study, do you?" She grinned at Ron's face.

"Why don't you come to Divination with us?" said Harry.

Hermione looked disgusted. "No thanks, I'll find better things to do with my time than to sit in a room in a tower with an absent-minded professor, especially if there are going to be Slytherins there."

"It'll be fun!" said Ron. "It'll be like third year, and we can make jokes and stuff about how crazy Trelawney is."

"That's sweet," said Hermione. "You stopped making jokes after I left?"

"If it will get you to come with us, then yes," said Ron. Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Fine, I'll come to this class," she said. "But if you think I'm going to be doing your homework for you, think again."

"Drat," said Harry and Ron.

~*~*~*~

"Well, this place hasn't really changed much, has it?" asked Hermione, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

"Same as always," said Harry. They sat down next to each other at the same table. "I just hope that she doesn't accuse me of dying fifty times this year."

"Harry, if she didn't accuse you of dying at least twice a day, I'd be worried about her health," said Ron. The three giggled. Just then Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle strutted in.

"And let the fun begin," said Hermione under her breath.

Professor Trelawney appeared in the classroom just then. "Welcome, class," she said in her usual dreamy self. "Welcome to Divination." She looked around, and her eyes landed on Hermione. "What are you doing here?" she said, abandoning her usually wispy voice.

"I came here because my Arithmancy class was canceled," Hermione said, a sarcastic smile on her face. "I just can't wait to start class, though."

"Yes, well then," she said, slightly flustered. "Just don't make a ruckus like you did in third year."

"Granger, making a ruckus?" Malfoy said. "Did I hear that right? Hermione Granger actually talked out of turn in class?"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Ron, growing angry.

"Yeah, it's getting really old," said Harry. Malfoy gave them one of his trademark sneers and faced the front again.

"Today we will be learning about the fine art of mind-reading," said Professor Trelawney.

"Mind-reading?" said Lavender. "I thought they said that you couldn't teach mind-reading here."

"Well, it's not something that can be taught. You have to be born with it. But I'm going to teach you a little bit about the basics," she said. "Nothing that you could go down the street and read anybody's mind you want to. Very few people are able to do this. I would be extremely surprised if one of you could mind-read at all. Even fewer people are able to talk telepathically. That's being able to talk to someone else through your mind. There was an old legend that said that only people who were in true love could do this."

Hermione scoffed. "Why did I let you talk me into this?" she whispered to Ron.

"Now, I will divide you up into pairs," she said. She went around the class, putting her favorites with who they wanted to be with, like Lavender and Parvati. When she came to Hermione, she frowned, and said, "Please go with Mr. Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" said Hermione. "You've got to be kidding me!" Draco had on the same look of loathing.

"You heard me, go with Malfoy," said Professor Trelawney, her patience wearing thin. Hermione glared at Ron as she left. He shrugged as an apology for asking her to come with.

"Well, well, well," said Malfoy. "Are the little lovebirds mad at each other?"

"Jealous?" she said, barely being able to put up with his remarks this year. Malfoy looked taken aback at this comment. "Not that we are little 'lovebirds.'"

"Granger, why would I be jealous of a Mudblood going out with a poor boy?" he said quietly, so that Professor Trelawney wouldn't hear him.

"Don't ask me to figure out how your mind works, Malfoy."

"Now, sit across from you partner so that you are facing him or her. Then, stare deeply into their eyes and try to decipher what they're thinking," explained Professor Trelawney.

"You have got to be kidding me," said Hermione. Like she would be caught dead staring into Draco Malfoy's eyes!

"Do it, or I'll give you a zero for this lesson," said Professor Trelawney sternly.

"You can't give me a zero!" said Hermione. "I'm not even supposed to be in this class!"

"But you are in this class. And while you're in my class, you will do as I say," said the Professor. Hermione was thinking quickly. 'I can't get a zero! I've never gotten a zero before! Not only that, Harry and Ron will tease me endlessly.'

"Fine. Whatever," she said.

"Anytime, Granger," said Malfoy. They stared into each other's eyes. Hermione had never really noticed his eyes before. She had always thought that they were a hard, cold gray. But, as she gazed at them now, she realized that they weren't as hard as she thought. In fact, they were a pretty color.

'Snap out of it,' she told herself. 'You must've had a memory lapse. This is Malfoy, the one who's called you a Mudblood for the past seven years.' But as she kept on looking at him, she could almost see his whole life. She saw the fear he had to put up with living with his father, and all the pressure to become something he really wasn't: a death eater.

*Hermione? Can you hear me?* she heard in her head. She almost jumped out of her skin. That was Malfoy's voice!

"Did you say something?" she asked out loud, breaking the silence. Malfoy looked confused for a second, then went back to his cruel reputation.

"Is Granger hearing voices in her head?" he said, getting snickers from the Slytherins. Professor Trelawney looked interested.

"Nothing, it was nothing," said Hermione. The class settled down and went back to gazing. Could it be possible that Professor Trelawney was right? Could Malfoy be talking to her in her mind? 'That's crazy,' she thought. 'Malfoy isn't my…true love.'

Still, she couldn't help but wonder if she was right. She decided to try to read Malfoy's mind. Trying to clear her head like Trelawney told her to, she stared into his eyes again.

What she found out astounded her. She could feel his pain and suffering. She could feel all his emotions. She almost felt like she was Malfoy.

*Are you reading my mind?* she heard again in her head. She didn't jump this time. She actually felt very relaxed.

*Depends on if you're reading mine or not,* she thought out to him. She laughed internally as she saw his eyes widen fearfully. *What's the matter, got something to hide in that mind of yours?* she asked, deciding to have a little fun with this.

*You just…you just read my mind!*

*All hail the prince of obvious.*

*That can't be true though!* He looked positively frantic now.

*Relax, Malfoy,* she thought. *I haven't come across anything too personal yet.* But she had to eat her words. For a split second, she saw a horrifying, gruesome picture. It was Mr. Malfoy beating Draco with a stick. Her eyes widened about as much as his did.

*Your dad…beats you?* she asked carefully, not wanting to make him mad. He closed his eyes, breaking the connection for a moment. But he opened them back up.

*Yes,* he thought, with such a remorseful voice Hermione felt sorry for him. *He…he wants me to be just like him. I'm the Malfoy heir, you know. I'm the only child. So, if I do something wrong, especially something that would threaten my father's power, he beats me.*

They were both silent for a moment. Hermione broke it. *I'm sorry.*

He seemed to turn back into his normal self. *Yeah, right. You're sorry. How am I supposed to believe that?*

*See, that's your problem,* she thought. *You don't give other people the chance to trust you. That's why all you've got is your mindless drones, Crabbe and Goyle. Not to mention Pansy.*

*Ugh, don't mention her,* he thought.

*I thought you liked her.*

*Obviously you haven't done enough exploring through my mind to know that I hate her guts.*

*Then how come you went to the Yule Ball with her?* Hermione asked, not really believing that she was having a civil…conversation, if you can call it that, with Draco Malfoy.

*Father,* he thought simply. *I'm supposed to marry Pansy when I grow up. A happy little family of Death Eaters.* He shuddered.

"Hermione!" she heard a voice shouting in her ear. She snapped back to the reality. She rubbed her ear, and turned to see Harry standing behind her. "Snap out of it, the bell rang."

"It did?" she said, rubbing her temples. "Shoot, I'm going to be late for Charms!" She started to pack her books in her book bag frantically.

"Actually, could I see Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger?" asked Professor Trelawney. "I'd like to have a word with them. Go on, you two can leave or you'll be late." Harry and Ron reluctantly left the room, Ron giving Malfoy a glare as he went out.

"You heard it, didn't you," said Professor Trelawney.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"My mother and father could do what I was trying to teach to you today," she went on to explain. "They could communicate telepathically. I often watched them as a child, and they looked much like you and Mr. Malfoy did today."

"So, we can talk to each other through our minds," said Malfoy. "So what?"

"So what?" said Professor Trelawney. "There are extremely few people who can do this! You two are the only one's who are alive!"

"What about your mum and dad?" said Hermione, instantly regretting that she had said anything.

"They passed away when I was ten," she said.

"I'm sorry," Hermione apologized.

"It's all right, dear," she said. Her attitude towards Hermione sure had changed from today's class. "But you know what this means, right?" They shook their heads. "You two are to be together."

Wait a minute," Malfoy said. "Be together, as in get married?"

"We couldn't do that," said Hermione.

"Why not?" the Professor asked.

"Because! He's a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor. It just doesn't happen," said Hermione.

"But haven't your feelings changed for each other over the years?" said Professor Trelawney. They were silent at that. "All right, you may go now," she said. "But think about what I've said. You may need it."

They walked out of the room. "She's crazy," said Malfoy breaking the silence.

"Yeah," said Hermione. There was an awkward silence.

"How much of my mind did you read?" he asked.

"Not much," she said. "Just about your father, and the Death Eaters and stuff."

"Oh, that's all?"

"Pretty much." She paused. "Why?"

"No reason, really." They reached a crossing. "Well, 'bye," he said.

"'Bye," she said, as she went right and he went left. 'That was weird,' she thought. 'I don't know why he's being all nice to me all of a sudden. I hope he doesn't believe in all that marriage crap Professor Trelawney was talking about.' But she felt a warm feeling inside of her whenever she thought of him, even though she couldn't explain it. She entered the Charms room, told Professor Flitwick why she was so late, and took a seat next to Harry.

"What'd she want to talk to you about?" Harry asked her.

"Oh…nothing really," she said. "Just wanted to know about our experiences, that sort of thing."

"You two looked really weird," said Ron. "Your eyes were glazed over, and you didn't even hear the bell ring."

"Yeah," said Harry. "Were you two actually reading each others mind?"

"Right, Harry," said Ron. "If they were reading each other's minds, that would mean that they're destined to be together." The two laughed, and Hermione weakly joined in.

"I won't blame you if you don't want to come to Divination tomorrow," said Harry.

"No, I'll come," said Hermione quickly. Her best friends looked at her a little strange. "I mean, you two need help with your homework, look at this sloppy work," she said, looking over Harry's homework from Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Fine," said Ron, sighing. "You can help us with our homework, I'm not going to stop you." The three laughed again. Hermione thought that maybe everything was back to normal again, except she couldn't get Draco out of her mind. 'That is really strange,' she thought.

~*~*~

Hermione went to Divination again that day, much to Harry's and Ron's confusion ("Why would you want to?!" they asked). Professor Trelawney started class earlier, since she didn't have to explain mind-reading again. "Everyone, get with the partners you had yesterday. We'll spend the whole class time trying to mind-read."

"I thought you said that we'd be working on tarot cards today," said Parvati.

"There's been a change in plans," said Professor Trelawney, glancing over at Malfoy and Hermione. Everyone shuffled around to their partners.

*Hi,* thought Hermione.

*Hi,* thought Draco back.

*I have one question for you,* thought Hermione. *Why are you mean to me for so long, and then yesterday you start being friendly?*

Draco paused before he answered. *I guess it's because you know the truth about me now. The fact that I hate Slytherin, I hate Death Eaters, I hate Voldemort, and I hate my father. You're the first person to find that out, you know.*

*What about Crabbe and Goyle?* she thought back.

Draco rolled his eyes. *Those two prats? Come on, they can barely tell a spellbook from a Chocolate Frog.* Hermione smiled. *I mostly keep them around me so I can look like Mr. Macho.*

*So they're basically your bodyguards.*

*Pretty much.*

*Haven't you ever had any real friends?* she asked him.

*Like how you are with Potter and Weasley?* She nodded. *Nah. My father always taught me that friends always turn their back on you, and that the only reason that they would want to be friends with a Malfoy is for the power.*

*And you listened to him?* thought Hermione. Draco sighed.

*Yeah, that was stupid of me, wasn't it?* he thought. *My father is a good-for-nothing bastard. All he wants is to take over when Voldemort either loses his power, or dies. And he'd do anything to get it, even killing me.*

That took Hermione by surprise. *Wha…he'd kill you? You can't be serious.*

He laughed a cruel laugh that echoed throughout Hermione's mind. *I've never been more serious in my life. He keeps on telling me that I might have to sacrifice myself for the good of the Malfoy's. I would never do that, though. I'd kill myself before I die with Voldemort as my murderer.*

They were silent for a minute. Hermione took the opportunity to read Draco's mind. She felt bad doing it, like she was stripping him of his privacy, but she had to find something out, how he felt about her. She couldn't explain exactly how she could read his mind, but it came naturally to her. Draco's mind was like a whole library of information just waiting to be read.

She finally found out what she was searching for. As she read, she fell deeper into shock. According to this, Draco Malfoy…loved her! He's loved her ever since they first met on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione sat there in astonishment.

'But you've loved him too, haven't you?' said her conscience. As Hermione looked back throughout the years, she had realized that, despite the name-calling and all the mean things he did to her, she had loved him, now that she knew the reason for these evil acts.

*Hermione? Are you still there?* she heard him ask.

*Um…yeah. I'm still here,* she thought, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. She loved Draco Malfoy, and he loved her back. But it was time to test it out. *I have another question for you.*

*What?*

*Do you believe what Professor Trelawney said? About since we can communicate telepathically, we must be in love?* His face turned a little red.

*I don't…really know,* he stuttered. *I mean, she's been wrong on…some things before, but she is the…the divination teacher, she probably knows more than we do…*

*Oh, stop babbling, Draco,* she thought.

*Did…did you just call me…Draco?* He looked astonished. *Nobody's ever called me…by my first name before…except Pansy…*

*She doesn't count,* Hermione thought. *Anyway, I have a confession to make.*

*Oh, yeah?* he thought. *And what's that?*

*I'm in love with you, Draco Malfoy,* she thought. His eyes turned as wide as saucer plates, and his cheeks got a little redder. His jaw almost dropped to the ground.

*You…you…you love me?* he thought, stuttering again.

"Yes, I do," said Hermione out loud. "And in case you haven't noticed, the bell rang." He looked around the room. Indeed, the room was empty except for Professor Trelawney, who smiled at the two of them.

"I see you thought about what I said," she said. Hermione smiled.

"Yes, I did for once." They both laughed. She turned back to Draco.

"So…do you have anything to say back to me?" she asked.

"I love you too," he said, blushing from head to toe.

"I'll leave," said Professor Trelawney. "I'll tell the teachers that you're excused from your next class."

"Thank you," they said. She disappeared.

"How does she do that?" said Draco. They both laughed nervously. "How are we going to do this?" he asked, in a more serious tone. "I mean, I'm a Slytherin and you're a…"

"Gryffindor, I know," she said. "If people find out about us, it'll be really bad."

" 'If' is the key word in that sentence," said Draco. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Ooh," she said, grinning. "A secret relationship, how romantic."

"We could pull it off, though," he said. "We could meet in empty classrooms, or other places after dark, or stay at the castle when everyone else is at Hogsmeade. It could work."

Hermione thought this over. "You know what? You're right, it could. And in public, we could go back to being our usual mean selves."

"I apologize in advance for anything mean I might say to you in public," he said.

"Me, too," she said. "Just as long as you don't mean it for real."

"I would never mean it for real." They both blushed. "The only reason I said those things to you for all those years is because I had always loved you, I just didn't know how to tell you."

"Well, this will work," said Hermione, smiling. "No one will ever find out about us."

"So, where do you want to meet tonight?" he asked her.

"How about the Muggle Studies classroom?" she said. "Right after dinner. It's empty then."

"Sounds great," he said. "I'll see you then." They walked out of the room and went off to their separate classes.

~*~*~

"What's got you so excited, Hermione?" asked Ron during dinner. "You've been fidgeting all day. What's up?"

When Hermione was too lost in her daydreaming to answer, Harry said, "She probably just found a book in the library that she hasn't read yet." Ron laughed.

"She has been reading a lot lately, hasn't she?" he said. "I'm surprised she hasn't asked me to play her in chess yet, she said she would practice over the summer. She's getting pretty good, you know.'

"Be careful, or she might actually beat you, Ron," said Harry.

"Which is more that I can say about you," said Ron. Harry laughed. It was true, he did stink at chess.

"Hey, are you going to try out for keeper this year?" Harry asked Ron. "Since Wood's gone, you could try out." Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I don't know," he said. "I'm too scared that I might not make it."

"What are you talking about?" said Harry. "You're a great keeper, I'm sure you'll make it." Ron still seemed uncomfortable talking about it, so Harry changed the subject. "Hermione, wake up," he said, snapping his fingers in front of her face. Hermione finally snapped out of it.

"What?" she said, annoyed.

"What is with you?" said Ron. "You've been acting really weird all day."

"I have not," said Hermione, eating her stew.

"Yes, you have," said Harry. "Like in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Zellewager asked you a question and you couldn't answer it. That has never happened before."

"Yeah, it's a good thing Malfoy wasn't there," said Ron. "He'd tease you mercilessly about it." Harry laughed, but Hermione wanted to punch him in the nose. Ron stopped laughing. "All right, something is wrong, you're not even laughing at my jokes anymore."

"Ron," she said in her most calm voice, "nothing is wrong with me. I'm better than I have been in a long time." Then she got up and left. Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged.

"Girls," they said together, and went on to argue whether the Chudley Cannons were a good team or not.

~*~*~

Hermione walked slowly up to the Muggle Studies classroom because she was a bit early. To her surprise, Draco was already there. They both got a big smile when they saw each other.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she said, a little nervously. She sat down next to him on the couch. "I guess we have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah, I guess we do," said Draco. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Is something wrong?" asked Hermione, a little bit concerned.

"No, I'm just nervous, that's all," he said. "I've never been in a relationship with anyone before." He chuckled nervously.

"Do you really hate Harry and Ron?" Hermione blurted out, before she could stop herself.

"I don't hate them," said Draco. "I mean, I'm not friends with them or anything, and I'm jealous of Potter because he's a better Quidditch player, but I don't hate them." Hermione nodded. "I'm sorry," he said suddenly.

"About what?" said Hermione, confused.

"For hurting you," he said. Before she could protest, he said, "Hear me out. I know I haven't been at all nice to you these past years, and I know that it's my father's words coming out of my mouth. But I hated myself for it, I hated myself for calling you those things. I loved you ever since I first met you, but I didn't want you to know. I was so scared of rejection, that I called you all those names. I just…I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want you to never speak to me again if you knew the truth because…I couldn't bear it if I never saw you again." Hermione tentatively put her arm around his shoulders, encouraging him to go on. "But I didn't want anyone to know about how I was in love with a Gryffindor. Father would…he would…I don't even want to know what he would do to me. I've had such a rough life, and you're the only thing that's ever kept me sane."

Hermione held him there for awhile, cradling him in her arms. Eventually, he began to cry. As he sobbed into her shoulder, it made Hermione sad, too. 'Why does he have to have such a bad life?' she wondered. 'It's not fair.'

"Thank you for rescuing me," he said, sniffling.

She kissed his forehead. "What about you? You might have saved my life at the Quidditch World Cup. You warned me about how they were snatching the Muggles, and how I might have been in danger. You looked out for me. You always have." He smiled through his crying.

"I was wondering if you looked too deeply into that," he said. "I was worried that you knew right after I said that." His face turned dark. "Hermione, listen to me. We can't tell my father about us. I wouldn't care if he hurt me, but I couldn't stand it if he ever hurt you. I just…I don't want you to be hurt…" He started shivering, as if a cold breeze had just swept the room.

Hermione pulled him to her, now starting to cry herself. "Shh," she said comfortingly. "Shh, it'll be all right, nothing's going to hurt me…" Eventually they fell asleep in each others arms, already running into obstacles of love.

~*~*~

Draco woke up the next morning, well-rested. He turned around and smiled as he saw Hermione still sleeping peacefully. 'She looks so beautiful,' he thought, brushing a piece of hair away from her face. He sighed. Love was so difficult. 'What will Father say if he finds out about us?' he thought. 'What will he do? He's extremely powerful, he can do anything he wants. And Voldemort,' thought Draco, his face turning white. 'He could do even more powerful things if he knew that the next in line to take over his throne was in love with a Muggle-born.' Draco shuddered again. 'Why is love so hard?' was his last thought before he dozed off again.

~*~*~

He woke up again to find himself alone. He panicked. 'Where is she?' he thought frantically. He settled down when he saw a note with 'Draco' written on it in Hermione's familiar script. He sighed with relief as he picked it up.

"Geez, you scared me, Hermione," he said, unfolding the note and reading it.

Dear Draco,

Good morning! I woke up pretty early today for all my classes, but I didn't have the heart to wake you up. You look so sweet when you sleep!

Anyway, about this whole telepathic thing. Have you realized that with the power to do it, we'll never truly be apart? It sounds so romantic! I don't know how far we can go away and still have it work, though.

It's a Hogsmeade weekend two weeks from now. What do you want to do about that? I was thinking we could stay here and…just hang out. What do you say?

With love,

Hermione

Draco smiled as he read her letter. Like any other teenager boy who was going through adolescence, he was thinking about something that he probably shouldn't have been thinking about when she said 'hang out.' But he knew that they weren't ready for that yet. No, not by a long shot.

Getting up and stretching, he looked at his watch. "Shit!" he said. He was already five minutes late to one of his classes.

Smoothing out his robe and hair, he picked up all his books and fled to transfiguration class. He took a seat and glanced at his watch again. It was ten minutes after the period had started.

"Well, well, well," said Professor McGonagall. "Look who finally decided to join us today. Draco Malfoy." She started pacing around by his chair. "See me after class, Malfoy. I'm afraid we have something to discuss."

Draco could barely keep his mind on the lesson. All his thoughts were on Hermione and how he was going to try and see her again that night.

The bell rang, bringing him out of his trance. "Class dismissed," said Professor McGonagall, ushering them out of the room. Except for Draco. "You get to come with me."

He stood awkwardly in front of her desk. She was working on some papers and didn't look up at him. "So," she said. "Why do you think that you can just strut in here, ten minutes after class starts, and think you can get away with it?"

"With no offense meant, ma'am," Draco said, "I didn't exactly strut, I kind of just lumbered in."

McGonagall's eyes flashed. "Ten points from Slytherin. And let that be a lesson to you."

"Please, Professor," said Draco, "there's a reason why I got up late."

"And that reason is…"

"I'm in love," he said quietly. "With one of your students."

"Hermione Granger, I'm assuming," she said, still not looking up at him.

"How'd you know…" he asked, astonished.

"Oh, please," she said, looking up from her papers for the first time that conversation. "Do you think I don't see the way that you two look at each other? Going all starry-eyes and red? And then when I saw Hermione in the common room, her robes all wrinkly, too, I knew that you two had finally admitted it." She gave Draco a very rare smile. "I'm not stupid, Mr. Malfoy. And I have two things to tell you."

"What?" asked Draco, ready to listen for the first time ever in her classroom.

"First, your secret's safe with me." Professor McGonagall sighed. "Unfortunately, there are still people who think that Slytherins and Gryffindors don't mix. If they heard of the two of you together, especially a Malfoy and a Muggle-born, people will be angry."

"I know what that's like," said Draco, thinking of how his father would react if he ever would find out. Which he wouldn't.

Draco got up. "Thanks, Professor," he said. He was about to walk out when he remembered something. "Professor, you said you had two things to tell me. You only told me one. What's the other one?"

Professor McGonagall smiled. "This room's open every night but Wednesday after dinner."

Draco smiled back. "Thanks, Professor!"

He left the room, wanting to tell Hermione the good news right away.

~*~*~

He didn't get to until Care Of Magical Creatures later on that day. Draco walked past Hermione, bumping into her and secretly passing her a note.

"Hey!" said Ron and Harry, ready to jump on him.

"It's fine, you guys," said Hermione. "Lay off of him, and he won't bother you."

"I'd like to see that," muttered Harry.

As Hagrid started to explain about the creature they'd be dealing with today ("Now this 'ere's a streeler! Careful now, his trail's a bit venomous, be wise not to go near it…"), Hermione unfolded the note from Malfoy.

Hermione~

I talked to McGonagall. She knows. About us, I mean. Anyway, she said we can use her room after dinner if we ever wanted to meet. Every day except Wednesday. Don't know what she has against Wednesday's…

So, will you meet me there tonight? Around 7:00? If you can, look at me right now and nod.

~Draco

Hermione looked up and caught Draco's eye. She nodded at him. His face broke out into such a big smile, it lit up the whole field.

She smiled back, and quickly turned away. Not that she wanted to. But she had to protect her cover.

If love was supposed to be so great, why was it so hard?

~*~*~

After another awkward dinner ("What has got you so excited?" Ron and Harry kept on asking her), Hermione sped to the Transfiguration room. Like the night before, Draco was waiting for her there.

"Hey," he said, motioning for her to sit down next to him.

"Hi," she said, smiling, and sat down.

"I want to stay here with you during Hogsmeade," he said.

"Really?"

"Yes," he said. "I don't want to spend the time away from you when I could be spending it with you."

Hermione smiled. "Me, neither," she said. Draco's head was drawing nearer to hers. Their lips met in their first kiss.

Hermione felt a strange, tingling feeling. She didn't want it to stop. Draco pulled away and his eyes widened.

"I…I'm sorry," he said. "I should've asked first."

"Don't," said Hermione. She kissed him again, and she could feel him smiling against her lips.

*I love you,* she heard his voice say in her head.

*I love you, too,* she said. *Don't go away from me.*

*I never will.*

~*~*~

The next day, Draco almost blew their cover. Him and Hermione were walking toward each other in the hallway between classes, but they didn't see each other until it was too late.

"Ow!" said Hermione as he bumped into her. She turned and saw him. Her eyes went up wide, and she probably would've smiled.

If only Harry and Ron weren't right next to her.

"Hey!" said Ron. "You did that on purpose!"

Draco's eyebrows went up for a slight second before he resumed his sneer that Hermione barely ever saw anymore. "Right, Weasley," he said, scoffing. "Like I'd want to touch a Mu…Mud…Mu…" he stuttered.

Hermione's eyes flashed. *I can't do it,* she heard his voice say in her head frantically. *I can't call you that anymore.*

"Come on," said Hermione, dragging Ron and Harry who looked ready to attack Draco if he called her a Mudblood. "Let's go."

"What's the matter, Malfoy?" said Ron. "Turning into a ferret again?" Harry snickered.

"Come ON!" said Hermione, tugging on their robes as hard as she could. She stole one last glance at Draco.

*I'm sorry,* he thought.

*It's OK,* she thought back. *Just as long as our cover isn't blown. I love you.*

*Love you, too.*

When they sat in Transfiguration, Harry and Ron looked at her strangely.

"What is UP with you?!" exclaimed Harry.

"Malfoy's acting odder than Hermione is," said Ron. "Did you see that? It was as if he couldn't insult her!"

"Why didn't you stand up to him, Hermione?" Harry demanded. "You're too good of a person to let him walk all over you like that. Why have you just pulled us away?"

"Because," said Hermione, thinking quickly. "Fighting's against the rules. That and we were going to be late for class."

"Well, I'm convinced the old Hermione's back," said Ron. "Now, Malfoy's still acting weird though. I mean, what made the last few weeks so different? Maybe he's having problems at home or something, his father…"

Hermione stopped listening to Ron. She turned to Harry. He was looking at her, also ignoring Ron's banter. She quickly looked away. Harry had never looked at her that way before. It was…weird. Like he was trying to look in her soul. 'Probably just to see if I was lying or not,' she thought, putting the look in his eyes out of her mind.

"Am I right?" asked Ron. Hermione and Harry snapped out of it.

"Yeah," said Hermione.

"Sure," agreed Harry, quieter than usual.

As Ron was digging in his bag for a spare quill, Harry bent over to Hermione and whispered, "Hermione, if you ever want to talk about anything, you can always tell me."

He was looking at her that way again. Hermione plastered a smile on her face and nodded. "I know, Harry. It's nothing."

Harry looked at her a split second more before nodding and going back to his work. Hermione sighed. Now this relationship was beginning to have bad effects on her friends, too.

~*~*~

Hermione and Draco met in the Transfiguration room after dinner that night. They kissed each other in greeting. "I'm so sorry about this afternoon," said Draco.

"It's fine," she said. "I managed to convince Ron and Harry it was nothing."

"So they were convinced there was something?" asked Draco worriedly.

"It's all smoothed over," she said, leading him over to a couch and sitting down. "Don't worry."

"Good," he said, smiling. "So…What do you want for Christmas?"

Hermione slapped her forehead. "The holidays! I almost forgot they were coming!" She smiled. "That was pretty stupid of me, wasn't it?"

"Nothing is stupid about you," he said, kissing her eyelids. "You're perfect."

Hermione smiled. "Well, if I could have one thing in the world…it would be that you and I don't have to hide anymore. But that's pretty impossible, isn't it?"

"I wish it wasn't," said Draco. "But if there was a way, I'd do it for you."

"I don't know…You know me pretty well, just pick me up something in Hogsmeade. What about you?"

"Well, I want the same as your first wish," said Draco, smiling. "But candy would do just fine, too. By the way, what color is your Yule Ball dress?"

"Silver," said Hermione. "Why?"

"Just curious what the prettiest girl there will be wearing," he said.

"I'm going to it with Ron," she said. "I hope you don't mind."

Draco cringed. "Of course not," he said stiffly.

Hermione stroked his hair. "I'm sorry," she said. "But he asked me, and since it's nearly impossible for us to go, I couldn't say no to him…"

"Just don't fall in love with him," he said.

Hermione smiled. "I promise."

~*~*~

A week before the Yule Ball in Potions, a new professor walked into their Potions class.

"Where's Professor Snape?" asked Pansy Parkinson.

"Away on family business, I'm afraid," said the new professor. "I'm Professor Light, and I'll be your Potions instructor for about a week."

She went into an explanation about the days potion. Hermione was copying everything down intently before something happened that almost made her jump a mile out of her skin.

*So, what'd you get me in Hogsmeade this weekend?*

Hermione didn't jump a mile out of her skin. Instead, she dropped her quill on the floor, leaving a big ink mark down her page. Harry and Ron looked at her strangely again.

'Sorry,' she mouthed to them.

*Don't do that!* she yelled to Draco in her mind. *You scared me half to death!*

*Sorry,* he thought. She could detect a hint of laughter in his thought-voice.

*You should be.*

*So what did you get me?*

*Wait for one more week,* she said. *What'd you get me?*

*If I have to wait a week, so do you.*

*Well, that's not…Draco, look out!* she thought frantically.

"Well, well, well," said Professor Light, looking at Draco's potion. "This is not what I would call acceptable." She walked around the room, looking in everyone's potion. She stopped by Hermione's. "Now, this is a good potion!" she said, smiling. "Grade A work!" In spite of everything, Hermione fought back a smile. "You," she said, pointing to Draco. "What's your name?"

"Draco," he said. "Draco Malfoy."

"And you?" she asked Hermione.

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione, a little nervous. What was she going to do?

"Very well," said Professor Light. "Hermione, you will tutor Draco here."

"What?!"

Ron's jaw dropped. "Professor, I don't think that's the best idea in the world," he said tentatively.

"Your tutoring sessions may be whenever you like them, but you need at least four during the course of my stay here," Professor Light said, acting as if Ron had never spoken. "Miss Granger, you will write detailed progress reports. Everyone, back to your potions."

"She must be crazy!" said Ron. "Pairing you up with Malfoy!"

"She obviously doesn't realize the house relationships here," said Harry.

"He'll beat you to a pulp before you can tell him the main ingredients of a Truthfulness Potion!" said Ron.

"Maybe we should go with you," said Harry. "You know, for support…"

"No!" said Hermione quickly. Too quickly. And they noticed. "I mean," she said, trying to keep her cover, "what makes you think we're actually going to meet? I'll make up the stupid progress reports."

"Good idea," said Ron.

They went back to their potions. *So, would tonight at eight in the Charms room be good for a "tutoring session"?* asked Draco teasingly in her mind.

Hermione smiled quickly. *Sure. Although try to improve, will you? I want to look good on the progress reports.*

She took a quick glance at him. He was smiling.

~*~*~

True to her word, Hermione left at a quarter to eight to go meet him. Giving Harry and Ron a hurried explanation about how she was going to the library, she got her bag and ran to the Charms room. Draco was already there. Once he saw her, he gathered her into the longest kiss they ever had.

"Whoa," she said, smiling. "What's the occasion?"

"I get to spend time with you in public now," he said. "Four times."

Hermione sighed. "I wish it were more."

"Me too," said Draco. He kissed her again.

They stayed like that for quite a while. Until…

"Don't you dare hurt her, Malfoy, or I swear, I'll…"

Hermione and Draco jerked up.

To their surprise, Ron and Harry were standing there.

Jaws open.

"Hermione?" asked Harry quietly.

"How'd you find us?" she asked them, standing up.

"Well, the library was closed early today, remember?" said Ron. "Madame Pince needed to organize the books in the Restricted Section. So when you were out too long, Harry got his Maur…" he stopped, looking at Draco. "A map."

"We saw you two in here and we thought he might be hurting you, Hermione," said Harry. "You know, for getting him in trouble in Potions today."

"I wasn't hurting her," Draco snarled.

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry icily.

"Come on, Hermione," said Ron, turning to leave.

"No," she said. He turned back. "I love him," she said quietly.

Harry and Ron paused, then burst out laughing.

"I'm serious."

They stopped.

"Hermione, you've got to be crazy," said Harry. "He's a…a Slytherin! And a Malfoy at that!"

"You were wondering why he wouldn't insult me," she said. "That one day in the hall? It was because he couldn't. He loves me, too."

"You are crazy," said Ron in an awed voice.

"She's not," said Draco, standing up beside her. "I love her. She's telling the truth."

"That Divination experiment on the first day of classes, when Draco and I got paired together, we could read each others minds and talk to each other telepathically."

"I need to sit down," said Harry. Ron followed him.

"You have to swear not to tell anybody," said Hermione threateningly. "We were keeping it a secret because there are people here who would take it much worse than you."

"People who might kill her," said Draco. Harry got up.

"What are you talking about?" he said coldly.

"My father," said Draco. "If he found out I was in a romantic relationship with someone other than Pansy Parkinson, he'd kill her. He'd probably kill me, too."

"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" asked Hermione.

After a silent moment, both Harry and Ron said, "I promise."

"Let's go, Hermione," said Ron. He led her out of the room after Hermione kissed Draco goodbye.

After they left, Harry faced Draco. "If you hurt her in any way," he said, "I will make it my vow to kill you."

"I would never hurt her," said Draco.

Harry glared at him as he left. He went back up to the common room. "Where's Hermione?" he asked, sitting next to Ron on a couch near the fire.

"She went up to bed," said Ron. "Funny, isn't it? Funny how people turn out."

"He had better not hurt her," said Harry. Ron glanced at him.

"Hermione's a smart girl. She'd get out of it if she wasn't totally convinced he was a changed man."

"I know," said Harry, "but it's Malfoy. I still don't think he's as changed as everyone else thinks he is."

"Well, I'm going up to bed. Don't stay up too late."

He left Harry staring into the fire, trying to comprehend all the events of the evening.

~*~*~

Hermione got a note from Draco on Christmas morning. It read:

Hermione~

Meet me in the Charms room fifteen minutes before the Yule Ball. I want to give you your present.

Cheers!

~Draco

Hermione told Ron about this. Ron grinned.

"That's all right," he said.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Hermione suspiciously.

"I know what he got you," he teased.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"I'm not telling," said Ron. "Let's just say if I were in your position, it's what I would want the most in the world."

"A new book?" asked Hermione sarcastically.

"You'll see," said Ron.

Hermione hurried down to the Charms room as Draco told her. He was already there waiting.

"We have to hurry," said Hermione. "Ron's waiting for me upstairs."

"It's OK," said Draco, kissing her hello. "I already worked it out with him."

"Yeah, you told him what you were getting me," said Hermione. "Why'd you do that?"

"You'll understand in a little while," said Draco.

"Here," said Hermione, handing him a gift. "Merry Christmas."

"Ooh," said Draco, grinning as he took it from her. "What is it?"

"Open it and see," she said. "I hope you like it."

Draco opened it carefully. "Wow," he said, taking it out. It was a men's ring. He put it on.

"Look at the inside of the band," she said.

He took it off and examined it like she told him to. "'To Draco, With Love From Hermione'." He looked up at her anxious face.

"Do you like it?" she asked him, worried.

He slipped it on his finger. "How could I not? It was from you." He leaned in and kissed her. "Here's yours," he said, giving her a present.

She opened it and gasped. "Draco…" It was a silver Y-necklace with diamonds on it. "It's beautiful."

He helped her put it on. "You really like it?"

"How could I not?" she said, smiling. "It was from you." Then she kissed him. "I'd better get back upstairs, Ron's waiting…"

"Wait," said Draco. "That was only part of it."

"There's more? You shouldn't have."

"Rethink that in a couple minutes," he said. He took out his wand.

"You're not going to curse me, are you?" she asked, giggling.

"No," said Draco, smiling. "I'm going to put a spell on you so you can't see anything. I didn't wrap this present."

"But it wears off, right?" said Hermione, joking.

"Don't worry, you won't be blind for long," said Draco. He muttered a spell under his breath. Suddenly the room went black to Hermione.

"This works really well," she said. "I can't see a thing."

"OK, let me lead you to where it is," he said.

Hermione started to get worried. "What are you doing?" she asked him. His lips came onto hers and she stopped worrying.

"Don't worry," he said. "Just trust me."

He led her down lots of hallways until they finally came to the room he was looking for. "Smile, Hermione," he said.

He said the counter-spell. Hermione could see again.

She saw the whole school's eyes pasted on her and Draco.

He had led her to the Yule Ball as his partner.

Everyone except for two people had a shocked expression on their face: Ron Weasley and Headmaster Dumbledore.

Hermione was speechless. She had gotten her wish. Her and Draco didn't have to hide anymore.

She wished the whole room wasn't silent, though.

Her and Draco walked into the Great Hall. Suddenly, the silence was broken by clapping.

Hermione turned. Ron was the one who was applauding, a big smile on his face. Dumbledore joined him, and eventually, everyone but a few Slytherins had joined in.

Hermione smiled, and the music started up again. She turned to Draco. "Thank you so much," she said.

"You're welcome," he said, kissing her on the head. "May I have this dance?"

"Of course," she said. "It would look silly if I said no."

And for the first time, she didn't care about what anyone else thought of their secret. She was too comfortable in his arms, too glad that they didn't have to hide anymore.

That was probably why she didn't notice a camera taking pictures of her and Draco dancing the whole night.

~*~*~

A couple weeks later, Draco was sitting with the Gryffindors at their table during breakfast. At first, not many people accepted him, but after he stayed by Hermione, they realized he wasn't the same person.

The owl post came right when Ron was telling them about the latest Weasley prank. It seemed that somehow they bewitched some candy so that when you ate it, you'd do perfect gymnastics for five minutes.

Draco's owl landed next to his orange juice. His face went white when he looked at the letter. "What is it?" asked Hermione, concerned.

Draco couldn't answer. He turned the letter towards Hermione. She recognized the design on it at once. It was the Malfoy family crest.

"Oh, no," she said.

"I'm going to open this in private," he said, getting up. He kissed Hermione. "I'll see you in Potions."

"What was it?" asked Ron, not seeing what the big deal was about.

"It's from his father," said Hermione.

"So? I get letters from my mum and dad all the time…"

"His father's not a good man," said Hermione. "Whatever's in that letter, it can't be good."

"Maybe he's just wishing him good luck on that Transfiguration test today," said Ron.

"I'm going to go see," said Hermione. She got up and left the table.

Harry sighed. "What is it?" asked Ron.

"She never talks to us anymore," said Harry. "She's always hanging out with Malfoy."

"He's her boyfriend, Harry," said Ron. "She's supposed to be with him a lot. What, are you jealous?" he teased.

"Yes," said Harry sadly. Ron's eyes widened. That wasn't the answer he was expecting to hear in a million years.

"What?!" exclaimed Ron.

"Keep your voice down," Harry said, trying to shush him. "I don't need the whole school finding out."

"You fancy Hermione?!" Ron whispered, not able to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"I love her," said Harry. "That's why I hate Malfoy so much."

"You love Hermione?!"

"Oh, would you stop?!" Harry said. "It's not that big a deal, it'll wear off in a month or two."

"Do you honestly believe that?" asked Ron.

Harry buried his face in his hands. "No."

"Then tell her," said Ron. "At least get that weight off your chest."

"I can't tell her, she's with Malfoy right now, if you haven't noticed by all the little kissy faces they've been making at each other lately."

"OK," said Ron, not wanting to get into it. "Have it your way."

~*~*~

Meanwhile, Hermione was trying to get to Draco. 'Wait!' she thought. 'How stupid am I?' She tried a different approach. *Draco?* she thought out. *Where are you?*

*I'm in the Defense Against The Dark Arts room,* he thought.

Hermione found the room quickly. Draco was kneeling on the floor, hitting his head softly on the floor tiles and crying.

Hermione went over by him. "Draco?" she asked quietly. When he didn't answer, she went over to him and placed her arms over him and put her head on his back.

They stayed like that for awhile. "He wants me to visit this weekend," Draco managed to choke out. "He's never done that before."

Hermione stroked his back. "You don't know that he means any harm," she said, trying to comfort him.

"We both know that's not true," said Draco.

Hermione desperately wanted to be his rock, she wanted to be strong for him. But she couldn't.

"He might've found out about us," said Draco.

"How could he have?" asked Hermione. "There's no way, unless he was at the Yule Ball. And if he was, he'd probably break us up on the spot."

"I don't want him to break us up," said Draco, getting up. His face was matted with tears. "I don't want to go away from you."

Hermione pulled out a handkerchief and wiped off his tears. "You won't," she said. "We'll escape or something, go somewhere where they can't find us."

Draco smiled. "Yeah." Hermione took out her wand. "What are you doing, Hermione?" he asked.

"Making you look like you haven't been crying," she said. She muttered a spell under her breath and his face looked like normal again.

Except for that deep emptiness in his eyes.

~*~*~

That afternoon, Hermione went with Draco to the train. "Be careful," she said.

"I'll try," he said. He brought his hand up to her face. They exchanged a kiss. "Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm so scared."

"Me too," she said, hugging him and praying that she would get to hold him again.

~*~*~

The train ride to Platform 9 ¾ was long and lonely. Not a good combination for someone who was scared for his life. But he didn't want to get off of it and walk into the unknown world of Lucius.

But eventually the train ride ended and he had to get off it. He was met with cold gray eyes. "Hello, Draco," said Lucius.

Draco looked up at him, but didn't say anything.

"Come with me," said Lucius. Draco followed him out to the parking lot. Lucius picked up a pop can. "Touch it," he ordered. Draco obediently followed suit.

The pop can was a Portkey, and in moments they found themselves at the Malfoy Manor. Lucius led Draco into his study. Draco groaned inwardly. His worst punishments always came from inside this room.

"I think you know why I called you here," said Lucius.

"To ask how I'm doing?" Draco sneered. Lucius slapped him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't ask for your cheek!" he said. He walked over to his desk and looked in it for something. He found it and showed it to Draco.

Draco's eyes flashed.

It was a picture of him and Hermione dancing at the Yule Ball.

"Your good friend Crabbe managed to take this for me," said Lucius, keeping his voice calm. "Who's the pretty girl, Draco?"

"Why the hell would you care?" That earned him another slap.

"I've done my checking, and I don't need you to answer that question for me," said Lucius. "Hermione Granger, a current student at Hogwarts in the house Gryffindor," he spat the word out like he had just eaten something he didn't like, "and has two Muggle parents." He took a deep breath. "You danced with a Mudblood, a Gryffindor, a little whore…"

He had gone too far. Draco took Lucius by the neck and slammed him against the wall. Lucius was stunned for a moment. He hadn't expected him to fight back.

"Don't you dare call her that!" yelled Draco, filled with rage. "She's not a Mudblood or a whore! She's beautiful and I love her!"

That was the wrong thing to say. Lucius said something under his breath, and Draco flew off of him and slammed into the wall opposite of him. Draco crumbled to the floor.

"You love her?" asked Lucius softly. Like Snape, he had the ability to make every word quiet, but clear. "Well, why didn't you say so? Crucio," he said, aiming his wand at Draco. He started to shake with pain.

"Please," said Draco. "Please…stop…"

"Oh, does that hurt?" said Lucius, laughing cruelly. "Very well, then." He whispered the counter curse under his breath. Draco flattened himself against the wall, still shaking slightly. "You are to never see her again. Do you understand me?"

"You can't stop us," said Draco with as much bravery as he could muster.

"You will stop seeing her," repeated Lucius, "or I'll kill her."

Draco looked at his father was so much hate that Lucius backed down a little. "You wouldn't."

"You know I would. Go to your room."

Draco carefully got up and made his way to his room. He knew he had to end it with Hermione. He just didn't want to. But he would rather kill himself a thousand times over than see her hurt.

He would end it with her when he got back to school.

~*~*~

He decided write her a note. He sent it off before the train left, knowing it would get to her before he did.

Hermione~

I'm about to get back on the train after my hellish weekend at "home." I can't wait to see your beautiful face again.

But Hermione, I can't. My father…Lucius…he found out about us. Someone took a picture of us at the Yule Ball and sent it to him. I can't see you anymore, Hermione. I still love you and I hope that you'll understand. Maybe one day we'll be together again, but we can't for now. I'm so sorry you fell in love with me. But please, for both of our sakes, forget about me. Forget that you ever fell in love with me. Go and find someone that loves you and that you're safe with. It's all for the best…

~Draco

He chose not to tell her the part about Lucius killing her if he ever spoke to her again. No need to worry her even more.

A tear came down his cheek as he sent off his owl. For the first time since he had met Hermione, he felt empty.

~*~*~

Tears came down Hermione's cheeks as she read the letter. She was just about to go out and meet him at the train station. "No," she whispered. This couldn't be. Her worst fear came true. He was gone from her life.

"Hermione?" she heard Harry say. She turned to him and he saw her tears. "Hermione, what happened?"

"It's over," she said, not wanting to give him the details. "We're over."

She didn't have to go on for him to understand. He sat down next to her and held her. His heart was breaking for her. He knew that she had loved him. And he wanted to kill him for hurting her.

"Why?" asked Harry. "Why did he suddenly end it with you?"

"His father found out about us," said Hermione, her head buried in his chest. "It's not safe for us to see each other anymore."

Harry held her like that for an hour, stroking her hair and trying to subdue her sobs. And he knew he could never tell her how he felt, not when she obviously had all these feelings for someone else.

Suddenly, Hermione heard a voice in her head. *Hermione?* she heard Draco think. *Hermione, I'm so sorry.*

*Maybe it would be better if we didn't speak to each other at all, not even like this,* she thought.

Draco paused before answering. *Maybe you're right.*

*So this is goodbye.*

*Yeah, I guess,* said Hermione. *Goodbye, Draco.*

*Goodbye, Hermione. I still love you.*

Hermione sighed in her mind and didn't answer. It caused her too much pain.

~*~*~

The following weeks were some of the hardest in Hermione's and Draco's lives. They passed each other in the halls constantly and saw each other in classes. It took an incredible amount of self-control for Draco not to leap over to her and kiss her and hold her. 'Remember what Lucius said,' he kept reminding himself sternly. 'This is for Hermione's life. And that's worth everything to you.'

But something happened that would change their lives. It was the last Quidditch match of the year: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup. Draco knew that Hermione wouldn't be cheering for him, though.

Maybe that's why his concentration was so bad that game. "Malfoy!" yelled Montague, one of the Slytherin Chasers. "Come on! At least pretend like you're playing!"

Draco saw Harry smirk out of the corner of his eye. He glared at him. Then he went back to trying to find the Snitch. He made the mistake of looking in the stands. He found Hermione. She looked at him with such a sad look he wanted to die.

He paid for his lack of concentration. A very well-aimed Bludger hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

He doubled over, gasping for air, then fell off his broom.

He fell to the ground and landed hard. There was a collective gasp from the audience. Madam Hooch blew her whistle to stop the game and ran over.

"Oh, no, oh, no," she said, checking him. He was unconscious.

Madam Pomfrey came rushing out onto the field. Her face was pale. "I need to get him up to the hospital wing," she said. She said a spell and a stretcher formed out of thin air. She said another spell and Draco floated up to it, not unlike Harry in his third year.

By that time, more people had streamed out onto the field. Hermione was in the front. "What's wrong with him?" she was trying to ask Madam Pomfrey.

"Move aside, move aside, this boy needs to get to the hospital wing," said Madam Pomfrey, trying to make a path through the crowd.

"Everyone move, please," said Dumbledore. Everyone moved at his quiet command. All they could do was watch as Draco was being floated to the tower.

~*~*~

Draco woke up a few days later. His vision was blurred for a second, but his eyes adjusted and he realized he was in the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey came bustling in. She went to work at once on his legs. "It's a good thing you finally woke up, Mr. Malfoy," she said. "I was getting worried."

The memories came flashing back to Draco. "What's wrong with me?" he asked.

"Well, I managed to fix most of your wounds while you were knocked out, but you should stay in here tonight to heal. After that, you'll be ready to go back to class."

"Great," said Draco sarcastically.

Madam Pomfrey either didn't notice his tone, or just didn't want to mention it. "Why did you ever break up with that Hermione girl?" she asked.

Draco frowned at her. "What business is it of yours?" he snapped without thinking.

Madam Pomfrey glared at him. "You realize I can give you back your two broken legs and your broken arm, right?"

"Sorry," Draco apologized. "We just…It didn't work out."

"You two always seemed so happy together, though," she said. "It was the first time I ever saw you smile at the Yule Ball when you were dancing with her."

Draco sighed. "Things got complicated."

"Well, she's here to see you."

"What?!"

"She's been waiting here ever since you got injured."

Draco's mind spun. "Madam Pomfrey, please don't let her in here, her life depends on it!"

Madam Pomfrey chuckled. "None of your injuries are contagious, dear, don't worry. I'll go and get her."

Since Draco had no feeling in his legs, he couldn't do anything but throw his head back down on his pillow.

A few moments later, Hermione came in. "Draco?" she asked cautiously.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be in here," he said, pleading with her to leave.

"I don't care what your father says, I'm going to see how you're doing."

"Hermione, please…"

"What's he going to do?" Hermione demanded to know. "I'm going out of my mind not talking to you, Draco."

"Hermione…" Draco took a deep breath. "You need to know the truth. My father, he…he didn't just say that he would throw a hissy fit if we talked to each other again. He said he'd…kill you."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "What?"

"He said he'd kill you if he ever caught us again. I'm sorry."

"You're right, I'd better leave," said Hermione.

"Wait," said Draco. "Look in my bag. There should be a note with your name on it. Read it later."

Hermione found the note. "I still love you," she said.

His eyes filled with tears. "I love you, too," he said.

She went over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving. Draco leaned back. This was going to be a long night.

~*~*~

Hermione went back up to the common room and took out the note that Draco gave her. Her eyes filled with tears as she read it.

Hermione~

I know I said that we should never talk again, but I had to write this note. Call me selfish, but I had to get my last words in to you.

These past few months…They've been the best in my life, Hermione. You've made them the best. You always had. Even when I was in love with you before we started to go out, I looked forward to seeing you in classes. I took the long way to History of Magic in our third year just so then I could see you in the halls.

But I treated you so badly. I hated myself for it. You always said that you forgave me for it, but that horrible feeling never goes away. I only wish I had taken our time together and cherished it.

Hermione, I'm a horrible person. I never should have said those things to you. But you forgave me. You kept on forgiving me for all the bad things that happened. You don't deserve to have to go through all of that.

And now my father's found out. I want to kill Crabbe for telling him. And he's threatening to kill you if we ever speak again.

I can't let him carry through on that threat. I can't, Hermione, you mean too much to me. You still do. Even if we aren't allowed to meet in the Transfiguration room every day but Wednesday and stay at Hogwarts during Hogsmeade trips. Because if you die, I die too. There's nothing left for me. Like I said, you keep me sane. You're the one who gives me the strength to get up in the mornings. I can't have you die, Hermione. And I'll protect you to the very end.

But, Hermione, please, take to heart what I wrote in my last letter. I do want you to find someone else. I want you to live a happy life. I want you to forget that you ever fell in love with a Malfoy. We're all the same, when it gets down to what matters. Go live with Weasley or Potter. Please.

I still love you. But it doesn't matter now. Nothing matters…

~Draco

Hermione cried for a long time. Crookshanks came up to her.

"Oh, Crookshanks," she said. "I thought love was supposed to be like the movies, where everyone turns out happy in the end. Why isn't this like a movie?"

She reached down to pet him. The instant her hand touched his fur, an odd sensation came over her, like she was just about to travel by a Portkey.

Within moments, she found herself in front of a huge mansion. There was a gate in front of her with a big engraved M on it.

"Well, hello, Miss Granger," said a dark voice behind her. "I was hoping you would join me today."

Hermione turned around. The man was in the shadows, but there was no mistaking those cold, hard eyes.

"Lucius," she said, fear escaping into her voice.

"You know my name? I'm flattered!" he said, grinning. "Come on, girl. You get to come with me." He grabbed her arm and roughly dragged her inside.

"Let me go!" cried Hermione, even though she knew it wasn't for any use.

"No, that would defeat the purpose of me kidnapping you," said Lucius, stopping. His face leaned close down to hers. "Do you want to see if my son is brave enough to stand up to me? Want to see if your worth more than all the pain he has to endure here?"

Hermione looked into his cold eyes, then spit in his face. Lucius straightened up and calmly wiped off her saliva from his face. "You shouldn't have done that," he said, dragging her along some more. He finally got to where he wanted to go. "Here's your dungeon," he said, throwing her in. "Enjoy your stay."

He locked the door behind her. Hermione huddled against the cold, damp wall, trying to get some heat out of it. 'What am I going to do?' she thought to herself. She hated to do it, but there was only one solution.

*Draco?* she thought, hoping that he would somehow hear her, hoping she wasn't too far away.

*Hermione?* she heard him say back, although it was very faint. *Hermione, where are you? What's wrong?*

*Draco, I'm in one of your dungeons,* she said.

*What?!*

*Your father somehow bewitched Crookshanks into being a Portkey to your manor,* she continued. *Please, Draco, please send help.*

*I'm going to kill him,* he thought. *I will kill him!*

*Can you get help?*

*It wouldn't do any use,* thought Draco. *I'm the only one who can get in. Hermione, I'm coming for you, just hold on!*

*Wait, Draco! Get Dumbledore or someone to help you…*

But it was no use. He was gone.

~*~*~

"I'm going to kill that bastard son-of-a-bitch," said Draco furiously, running up to the Gryffindor common room. "I'm going to kill him in cold blood. Toad's legs!" he yelled, the password for the common room. He walked in. Luckily no one was there. "Crookshanks," he called out. "Crookshanks, it's Draco…He's got a kitty treat for you…There you are," he said, spotting him behind a big red chair. "Come here, Crookshanks." He held out his hand like Hermione taught him to, and Crookshanks came up to it and sniffed him cautiously. Draco seized the opportunity and roughly put his hand on Crookshanks back. Crookshanks, taken by surprise, hissed and tried to move away, but Draco was already gone.

"Here I come."

~*~*~

He landed on cool ground hard. Wiping mud off the front of his robes, he walked up to the gate. He waved his hand across the M that was engraved there, and the gates opened, giving him entry to the manor.

*Hermione?* he thought out. *Hermione, where are you?*

*I'm in one of the dungeons,* she thought. *I don't know which one.*

*I'm coming for you,* thought Draco, pulling out his hand in case Lucius decided to show up. *Just hold on.*

*Be careful.*

*I'll try,* Draco thought grimly. He cautiously walked through the front door. He made it all the way to the dungeons with no problems. "Hermione?" he asked.

"Draco!" she said. Draco followed her voice to the last dungeon.

"Alohomora," he said, moving his wand over the lock. It opened easily.

Hermione flew onto him. "Thank you so much," she kept on saying over and over.

Draco held her. "Hermione, you're freezing," he said, trying to get her warmed up again. "OK, let's get out of here."

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione. "Something's wrong, I can tell."

Draco sighed. "It was too easy," he said. "Just walking in here, rescuing you, then getting back out without a scratch?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, so much for trying to be optimistic."

"Just keep up your guard, all right?"

Hermione nodded and she followed him as he walked out of the dungeon area. They made it all the way outside. "How are we going to get back to the castle?" asked Hermione.

"Try and find a Portkey Station, I guess," said Draco. "Using Floo Powder is too dangerous, Lucius might…"

He turned around and his face went white. "Shit."

"Why, hello there!" said Lucius. "Please, come join our little party!"

He was surrounded by over two dozen Death Eaters. There was no escape.

Draco tried to block Hermione's body with his. "Stay away from her," Draco snarled. "It's me you want, don't you dare hurt her."

"I don't think you have a say in this," said Lucius with a fire in his eyes that Draco had never seen before.

"You'll pay for this, Lucius!" yelled Draco as the Death Eaters started to advance on them. "You can't win this war!" Half of the Death Eaters captured Draco and the other half captured Hermione.

"Draco!" Hermione cried out, even though she knew he was helpless to save her. He reached his hand out and she touched it for a split second, only to have the Death Eaters rip them apart.

"Hermione!" he called out. "Don't hurt her, please…" his voice got drowned out by a sudden downpour of rain.

Ten minutes later, they found themselves tied to a pole, cold, wet, and scared for their lives. Lucius was pacing around them, deciding what was the best way to kill them. "I don't want to waste a lot of time on this," he said to the Death Eaters. "A simple Avada Kedavra will do." He sounded as if he was ordering from a menu.

He went to Draco. Draco stared at him with such hate and rage that Lucius almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

He backed away. "Any last words? How about we start with the Mudblood?"

"Shut up!" yelled Draco.

"Sorry," said Lucius, who was grinning cruelly. "How about we start with Hermione?"

"I still love you, Draco," she whispered so only he could hear it. "In spite of everything, I still love you. And I always will."

"I don't deserve you," he said. "Any other girl would've left me months ago. I love you." He looked at her sad face. "Perk up," he said, smiling. "Where we're going is a lot better than this place. Where's that smile?"

Hermione managed to get out a small smile. "Draco, I have to tell you something," she said. "Draco…"

But whatever she had to tell him, he never got to hear. Lucius lost all his patience.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The green light hit them, and they never dealt with Lucius Malfoy again.

~*~*~

Harry and Ron got the news the next day. Dumbledore had somehow found out and called them to his office.

"No," was the only word Harry could manage to get out. "No."

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Dumbledore, whose eyes also weren't dry. "There was nothing any of us could do. Draco was the only one who could have saved her and we didn't know the Death Eaters were gathering at the Malfoy's." There was a slight pause. "Seeing as there is only two days left of classes, you two are excused from them. And I do hope you feel better soon."

Harry and Ron left the office and slowly went up to the common room. "I can't believe it," said Ron, breaking the silence. "She's…gone."

"I should've done something," said Harry. "I should've gone with Malfoy."

"He got the news from Hermione first, he didn't have time to go find you," said Ron.

Harry sat with his head buried in his hands. They sat there for a long time, not going up to bed, not being able to fall asleep.

The next day at dinner, the Great Hall was decorated in black like it was when Cedric Diggory was killed in their fourth year. All the students had been hoping that they would never have to see those black banners again.

Dumbledore got up and raised his glass. "Two of my finest students were murdered two days ago," he started. "Murdered in cold blood. Why? Few of us know the whole story.

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were killed because they dared to go against a powerful man. They dared to go against his threats. They dared to love each other. Love is a magic higher than anything you will learn here. It makes you do crazy things. It makes you feel like you can do anything.

"I'm telling you this because we need to stop the prejudice. If you learn one thing at this school, it's that prejudice gets you nowhere. It's what causes many of the problems in the world today, and it has to be stopped. Will it start with you? Please, take Hermione and Draco's example. Learn something from them. And I hope that all of you fall in love with someone half as much as they loved each other.

"So here's a toast! A toast to Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Two people who went against the odds and dared to love. This is to them."

Everyone in Great Hall stood up, most with a tear in their eye. "This is to them," said Dumbledore. "May they always be remembered."

~*~*~

Harry sat up in the common room that night, staring into the fire. The common room was empty. Suddenly, Ron came through the portrait hole.

"Hey," he said, walking over to Harry.

"I never told her," said Harry. "I never told her I loved her."

Ron sighed. "You pretty much killed her, though," he said.

Harry turned to him. "What are you talking about?!" he asked.

"If you weren't friends with her, the Death Eaters wouldn't have been so eager to kill her," said Ron. "They probably would've let her go."

"What's wrong with you, Ron…"

"You killed her, Harry!" yelled Ron. "I can't ever forgive you for that. Just…never speak to me again, all right?"

And with that, he ran up to his dormitory.

Harry sat on the couch, unable to move. Ron's words were caught in his mind. "I killed her…" he whispered. "I loved her, but I killed her…" He knew there was only one more thing to do.

He took out his wand and fingered it. "I killed her," he whispered one last time. "I'll see you soon, Hermione.

"Avada Kedavra."

"Harry! Harry!" shouted Ron, running through the portrait hole.

But it was too late.

"Harry, wake up! The Death Eaters, they used that Polyjuice Potion! Oh, no, Harry," he said sadly. "What did they tell you? Why did you listen to them?"

Ron stood up. The Gryffindor Dream Team was now down to one.

And The Boy Who Lived was now dead. The Death Eaters had succeeded in their seventeen year task. Ron would get them back. Somehow, someday.

But for now, he cried.

~*~*~

FIN

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