Well, this is my first Dramione fic ever, and, as I don't exactly ship them together, it's a tragedy. Fun times. It's probably set sometime after the battle, though of course Hermione never kissed Ron. In fact, as I think about it, it occurs to me that Voldemort probably never came back. And, up until recently, Hermione's been dating Victor Krum (He's the first 'he' Draco refers to). So, yes, it's very AU and not in cannon at all. Whatevs.

Disclaimer: All things HP belong to JK Rowling, not me.

EDIT: Formerly Couldn't Love You If I Tried, I've edited this little puppy and it's less bad. Um. Hopefully.

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"Draco!" Hermione cried as she saw him from across the street. She ran towards him, and threw herself into his waiting arms. He planted a soft kiss on her mouth. "I love you." She said softly, pulling away. Draco caught his breath, and suddenly looked nervous. Hermione laughed, and said "I believe the correct response is 'I love you too." She told him.

His misty gray eyes turned stony, and her breath caught in her chest. She stepped out of his arms and backed away. "You… you do love me, don't you Draco?" she asked softly. He avoided her gaze. "Draco?" she whispered.

"Hermione, you know I'd love you if I could." Draco finally said softly, "I've tried. But we aren't meant to be like that. I tried to love you simply because he wasn't loving you right, and I knew you deserved better. I hoped that I could be the better you deserved. Not because I think I'm better, but because I see how special you really are. But I couldn't, and I can't. I can't love you Hermione, I won't love you, and I'm going to stop trying."

"Why?" asked Hermione, shocked, confused and hurt, "Is there someone else?

"Where you even listening to anything I just said?" Draco asked, a tad incredulous.

"Draco, you should by know that the 'it isn't you, it's me' excuse isn't going to work." Hermione told him, "So who is she?"

Draco sighed, and said "Hermione, I think you know perfectly well who she is. But she's not the only reason. Ron loves you. He doesn't know it yet, but he does, and he can. He can love you the way you deserve to be loved. He can love you better than I can. He will love you better than I can."

"But I don't want him!" Hermione exclaimed, tears gathering in her eyes, "I don't want him to love me!"

"No, but maybe you need him to. And besides, don't you want me to be in a happy relationship?" asked Draco, speaking softly again.

"I thought we had a happy relationship." Hermione told him bitterly.

"Perhaps it was a happy one, on your side at least, but it wasn't a healthy one." Draco said, "I can't love you that way. He can. Goodbye, Hermione."

"You're saying goodbye?" Asked Hermione, as her tears began to fall.

"Yes," Draco said, a mournful look in his eyes. "We weren't meant to love. We weren't meant to be friends. We weren't meant to be anything at all. Goodbye."

"…Goodbye Draco." Hermione murmured softly, as he disappeared into the evening fog.