Last Chance-One Shot
30th of June 1997
Draco let out a long groan, as he strolled towards the castle, making sure to stick to the shade of the tall trees.
He gazed up towards one of the highest towers, were Dumbledore was probably sat in that large oak chair, with no idea of what was to come. Who was Draco kidding, of course Dumbledore probably knew something. Even though it pained Draco to say it, his old headmaster was a great wizard and he wasn't a fool, Dumbledore knew Voldemort was returning and that he would be first on his list to die, so that he would get a better chance of killing Potter.
Draco carefully pulled up the sleeve of his black, tailored jacket. It was woven using black silk and mermaid hair, to give it a slight shimmer, only the best for my son his mother had purred, when she first saw him standing in it at the private tailors dressing room. He turned up the cuffs, admiring the Viper tooth buttons running along the edge.
As more and more of his pale arm was exposed, his heart began to sink. The dark mark leered at him, the hollow eyes of the skull, burrowing into his mind. It still made him feel sick, watching and feeling it writhing around under his skin, like it was alive.
He had never wanted to take the dark mark, well he might have during his first few years of school. When Voldemort hadn't been at large and taking the mark was more a symbol of power, then a brand of being a slave to the dark lord. Draco knew now the consequences of being a death eater, after watching his own farther be hauled away off to Azkaban, his face covering every wizard news paper, like a disease.
It had been partly because of his fathers absence, that Draco had been forced to join the group. It was also mainly because Voldemort had seen it was useful, to have a clever, young member already inside Hogwarts walls, to infiltrate it and never be suspected. The Lord didn't want a repeat of what happened with Barty Crouch Jr.
Crabbe and Goyle weren't even considered for the job, being too dumb to do it without getting caught. Even if they were desperate to take the mark, practically flashing their fore arms every time they saw a death eater. Draco let out a dark chuckle as he thought about his two, kind of friends. Did he consider them friends? Before they had just been fellow house mates that he sought after to do his bidding, since his family name and superior knowledge gave him power over them. Draco wondered if the rest of his Slytherin year would join. Probably not, most of them would try to avoid it at all cost. Not many of them would be forced into, like he was.
Draco pulled down the his coat sleeve and then pulled out his fob watch. Running his thumb along the body of the small golden snake on the front. It had been in his family for years, passed down through from father to son. Draco hoped one day he would be able to give it to his son, that he wouldn't die in this poxy war, that had nothing to do with him! He didn't have a choice, he was bound to it by blood.
He let go off the catch and looked down at the mother of pearl face of the clock. Nine Thirty , he had just over an hour before he would have to kill Dumbledore, but there was one thing he wanted to do before then.
Draco put the watch back into his pocket and then reached for the inside of his coat, latching his fingers around the small velvet box, that he had kept for so long. He pulled it out and just held it, stroking his fingers across it. This is crazy he thought to himself, she'll never feel the same way, she'll never accept it, after tonight she'll hate me for all eternity, but he had to see her.
Draco placed the box back inside his jacket and set back off again, striding across the grass, feeling the light damp at the bottom of his legs, as the dew swiped across the material.
Inside the castle, he took all the back routes to get to the Slytherin Common room, making sure he aimed for the Dungeons, underneath the black lake. Once there he found the right spot on the dark stone wall and whispered the password "anima pura". The wall gave a shudder and then slipped away, revealing the dark corridor, where Draco had pounced on so many first years and stolen their possessions for fun. He could still hear their stifling cries as he ripped at their school books and pulled the feathers of their quills.
The outside air and the chill of the common room where very alike, Draco noticed as he quickly walked through to his dormitory, ignoring Pansy's whiney pleas for him to come and sit with her. Just because he had fooled around a bit with her during sixth year and once on the first day back this year, didn't mean he wanted a relationship with her. If anything Pansy really infuriated him, the way she clung to him like a bitchy goo, that he just couldn't wipe off. He preferred his girls with a bit more fire, a girl that knew who she was and didn't back down to anyone, that was his kind of girl. A lion hearted girl.
Draco opened up the door of his dormitory to find Crabbe sitting at the window, stuffing his face with chocolate. "Get out" Draco growled, "why?" Crabbe asked, continuing to smear most of the chocolate around his disgusting slug like lips, "I don't have to give you a reason" Draco pointed his wand suddenly at Crabbe's face, "get out now!" Finally Crabbe hobbled out, holding his sweets to his chest.
Draco let out a long sigh and then dropped beside his bed, pulling out his broom, he quickly slipped it into his coat pocket, next to the fob watch and his wand, once again thanking his mother for showing him how to perform the undetectable extension charm. This year it had definitely come in handy, sneaking the poison in to SlugHorn's party, without being detected. Draco then put some of his clothes in the pocket, as well as a few personal items and then closed the door to his dormitory, un sure whether he would ever return after tonight.
"Drakey, come sit with us, pleeease. If you do, I'll stroke your hair again" Pansy simpered, sauntering over to him. She literally threw herself against him, pressing her breasts against his chest, while wrapping her arms around his neck. "Not now Pansy" Draco said coldly, trying to pry the princess of Slytherin off him, but Pansy held on. She leant slightly in and whispered in his ear "Would you rather I come into your room. We haven't fucked in a while, why don't I show you all the fun you've been missing" she was purring in his ear, gyrating her hips gently against his, trying to arouse him. Even her tongue snaked out of her small mean mouth and licked his ear naughtily, as she continued to whisper all the things they had done together. Draco tried not to remember, but as she reminded him of their last romp in the potions closet, the images just slipped into his head. Draco thought about the way Pansy's pale body had been pressed against the door, creating red scratches up and down her back and arse. He had thrust into her, gripping onto her thighs, thrusting his face between her breasts, biting down hard so that she screamed. He was enjoying the way she gripped around him so tightly, but also trying to get it over and done with as soon as possible, so as not to get caught. Pansy had moaned constantly, screaming his name, telling him how great he was, begging for him to call her name as well, but Draco wanted to call only one name and he couldn't in front of her. So he just shouted it in his head, over and over again, as he pounded into Pansy roughly, until his orgasm erupted. He didn't even wait for her to achieve her own pleasure, he just pulled out and got dressed, leaving her to clean up the mess. Draco remembered how dirty he had felt, it had been a normal thing between the two of them since fifth year and he knew Pansy whored herself around to all the best boys in Slytherin, but after that time it had just felt wrong. Because he hadn't wanted her, he hadn't wanted it to be like that. For once he had wanted it to be passionate and loving, to see the girl as something more then just a good time.
Draco pushed Pansy away and walked off, leaving her to feel sorry for herself for a couple minutes, before moving on to see if Blaise would satisfy her instead.
He made his way back through the corridor, towards the stairs that would lead him to the right tower. Draco checked his watch again, it was almost ten o'clock, that thing with Pansy had really slowed him down. He need to do something drastic, otherwise he would be too late.
Suddenly he knew what he would have to do. Draco left the corridor through a large door, that lead out to the grounds again. Once outside, he pulled out his broom from his pocket and mounted it, pushing himself off slightly with his toes. He was in the air immediately, soaring towards the tower, making sure never to go close to any of the windows. Right now he wished he had a invisibility cloak, like the one Potter had used to spy on him on the train. Why hadn't he taken it from him right there and then? It would have made this whole operation so much easier.
Finally, after quick darts around in the air, he found the right window. Draco gazed in at the dark girls dormitory, searching for the right bed. He spotted the golden brown curls quickly enough and his breathe almost left him. The sight of Hermione Granger sleeping so peacefully in her bed, near the window, made his heart soar into his throat. He wanted to be next to her, to see her face properly, inhale her soft perfume.
'Alohamora' Draco said in his mind, flicking his wrist in the direction of the window. Slowly the old iron lock came undone and the glass panels flew open. Letting the cool summer air into the dormitory. Draco then mumbled "Accio Hermione's wand" and held out his hand so that the slightly olive coloured wood wouldn't fall to the ground as it flew out of the window. He then pointed his wand at Hermione and mentally told her how sorry he was to have to do this to her, as he knew she wouldn't agree, although Hermione probably wouldn't agree with anything he was doing right now or had ever done. 'Silencio' he thought and the small white blast of light fell from his wand onto Hermione's glowing peachy skin. Lastly Draco held his arm steady and kept his wand pointed at Hermione, "Wingardium Leviosa" he whispered and watched as her body ever so gently levitated above the bed, the duvet slipping away. God she was beautiful he thought, as he gazed at her bared legs in their small shorts. He also thought what heavy sleeper she was, since she still hadn't woken up, not even as he gently brought her towards him, through the window and out in the air. Draco finally rested her on the broom in front of him, so that he had one arm wrapped around her waist to keep her steady and one hand holding onto the broom, which he angled towards the lake.
As they came down to the edge of the lake, where they would be shrouded by the trees from nosey, questioning eyes. Draco looked down once again at Hermione as he set her down on the ground, slipping a blanket that he had taken from his room earlier on, underneath her legs so that she wouldn't get dirty or catch a cold.
When they were both firmly on the ground and Draco had put his broom away, but still held onto both of their wands, he finally took a good look at her. By Salazaar's beard she had grown up so much since their first year, when she had just been a annoying, know it all muggle, with a round face and bushy hair that reminded him of a fur ball. Now she was gorgeous. Her hair was still curly, but was tamer now and she had tied back in a pony tail, little tendrils had broken free though while she had been a sleep and they draped ever so gently down her face. Draco let his gaze wonder down, over her chest, with the perfectly ample breasts, how he wish he could see them, just once, but to peek now would be a foul thing to do. He looked at her soft slender arms and dainty fingers, perfect for holding a wand and casting the most elegant and intricate of spells. Draco then took in her legs, that she had hidden away for so long, in tights and jeans, if he had known long ago that they were this nice, he probably would have spent all his time just watching her walk. They were just the right shape he thought and a lovely colour, slightly pale, but not as parchment white as his skin or Pansy's, they looked like they had had just the right amount of sun on them during the summer.
Draco longed to hold her, to feel her skin against his, he wanted to be inside her, god he yearned for it and knowing that she would never let that happen, made it even more tantalizing, as well as crushing his heart into pieces. He couldn't just sit here and look at her any longer, he needed to talk to her.
Draco leant over and shook her arm slightly, just enough to stir her from her deep slumber. He watched as she batted her eyes lashes and yawned, finally opening those big dark eyes, that reminded him of warm chocolate. But as soon as Hermione caught sight of him she tried to scream. When she realised that no sound was coming out, due to the charm Draco had placed on her, she tried to scrabble away, but Draco grabbed onto her arms and pinned them against the tree behind. This meant he had to straddle Hermione's legs, which made her even more angry, her cheeks going positively red as she struggled to get free. "Please, I just want to talk. I'm not going to hurt you" Draco pleaded, trying to stare her straight in the eye so that she could see he wasn't lying. Hermione mouthed something that looked like 'bullshit', how could he prove this too her. "I promise you, I just want to talk." Hermione tried to kick her leg up between Draco's, aiming for his crotch, but Draco pressed down harder, putting all his weight on her legs. "I'll make the unbreakable vow with you. If I hurt you, touch you, or hold you against your will after I've told you everything I want to tell you, then I will die. If I do that will you stay and hear me out? I beg you Hermione." Suddenly Hermione's face went white and she gazed up into Draco's eyes, obviously shocked by him using her first name for once and by his proposition of the vow. Hermione paused for a second and then nodded, she tried to say something again and looked thoroughly pissed off when she couldn't speak. Draco pointed his wand at her Hermione and she immediately flinched, but as he muttered "Sonorus", getting rid of the silencing charm for good, she seemed to calm down.
"We need a third person to cast the vow. Neither one of us can do it." Hermione mumbled, still not comfortable with the situation she was in. It wasn't every day she was kidnapped by one of her enemies, specially not slicker then slick, whiter then white, prince of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, specially when he was being so…gentle with her and promising to form an unbreakable vow with her, just so that he could talk.
"I'll just call on Dobby" Draco said, "but isn't he no longer under your services?" Hermione inquired, "no he's not, but I pleaded with him earlier on, under the promise that I wouldn't harm a hair on your head, as well as giving him one galleon. The last one I offered him. He didn't ask for it." Just as he said that, Dobby appeared before them, looking a little nervous when he saw the two together, "He hasn't hurt you, has he miss?" The house elf asked protectively, stepping forward, "no dobby, he hasn't. Thank you for coming." Dobby beamed and did a slight curtsey, which Hermione found so cute. "My pleasure Miss. Now what is required of me here?" Draco pulled out his wand and handed it to Dobby, "do you know how to cast the Unbreakable Vow?" Dobby nodded and took the wand carefully.
Draco quickly got off Hermione and sat in front of her, taking her hand in his. "Thank you for giving me this chance" he whispered, causing her eyes to go even wider then before, he watched as she gulped and nodded, trying to regain her strong demeanor that she usually carried. "I'm only doing this because your taking on the vow, otherwise I wouldn't be able to trust you" she said coldly, Draco nodded sadly "I know" he mumbled, his actions for the past six years had never been kind to her, so there was no wonder that she didn't trust him.
Draco glanced at Dobby and gave him the sign to get started. Dobby pressed the tip of Draco's wand against their entwined hands, initiating the spell and casting a small sliver of white, to lock around them, binding their hands together. There was no turning back. "Draco Malfoy" Dobby said calmly "Swear to never hurt Hermione in anyway, ever." Draco looked deep in Hermione's eyes "I will", he watched as Hermione's eyes fluttered as the power of the bond became stronger as the spell commenced. "Promise to not hold her against her will at any point." Draco realised that meant she could leave after he had finished the vow and he would never get to speak to her again. He hoped she would take courage in his promise to her and stay. "I will." Hermione bit her lip and in that single action he knew it was all worth it, just to be here with her, for a few fleeting moments. "Swear to tell Hermione Granger all of the truth" Draco glanced at Dobby and he panicked for a second. He had told the house elf what the three points of the vow were and that hadn't been the way he had put the last one. Draco had told Dobby to say 'swear to tell Hermione Granger all of the truth about your feelings for her' now he would have to answer any of her questions, potentially ruining everything. Was Hermione worth it? Draco gazed into her soft brown eyes and he knew the answer immediately, "I will." The soft white light of the magic died away and Hermione pulled her hand swiftly away from Draco's, ending the closet contact they had ever had. Well apart from when she punched him on the nose during third year.
"Thank you Dobby, you can go back now" Draco said as kindly as he could, he was glad that Dobby had assisted, but pissed off with him for changing the last vow, even though he knew Dobby had done it for Hermione's sake. The house elf looked at Hermione and she glanced slightly at Draco, before turning back to Dobby and gave him a warm smile "yes, thank you Dobby. I hope to see you again." Dobby beamed and curtseyed again "good night miss Granger, good night mr Malfoy." With that he disappeared into thin air, leaving Hermione and Draco alone at last, in the dark.
It had gotten quite cold Draco had noticed, so he waved his wand and cast a heat charm around them. He then looked at Hermione and pulled at her wand from behind him. "I only took it so that you didn't hex me as soon as I took you, never giving me the chance to explain myself, but I have no reason to keep it now" he said calmly, handing it over to her. Hermione snatched it straight away and pointed it straight at his face "any funny business and I will hex your arse off" she growled. Draco nodded and placed his wand by his side, so as to pose as less of a threat to her. This was going to be just as hard as Draco had expected.
"I'm sticking to my word Hermione, I just want to talk." Hermione lowered her arm slightly and rested it on her knee so that it pointed straight at Draco's cock, with one quick flick she could set it on fire, or send birds pecking away at it. "Well get talking then and quick, I want to get back to my bed." Hermione's voice was full of anger and suspicion, Draco wondered what would be the best way to go about this. If she was a Slytherin, he would skirt around the subject or lie. If she were a Hufflepuff, he would have to be gentle and patient, leading up to it gradually. If she were a Ravenclaw, he would have to make her see the facts of his story so that she would best believe it. But she wasn't any of those. Hermione was strong, proud Gryffindor, where they value truth and loyalty.
"I love you." Draco said, starring straight at Hermione, locking her eyes into his gaze, so that she couldn't look away. So that she could see the feeling in his usually cold grey eyes.
Hermione blinked, as what he had just said, seeped into her mind, then she jumped back, pressing her spine against the tree, her breathe accelerating. "Your lying" she hissed, gripping at her wand "this is some trick isn't? Some sort of sick game!" He couldn't help, but look at her sadly, wishing she would just believe him. "I promised to tell you the truth. If I had been lying about loving you, then the unbreakable vow would kill me, right now." He watched as the logic ran through that fantastic brain of hers, her eyes closing in once again on his, as she slumped back down. She knew he was right and that scared her, never had she been told something so deep and so bluntly like that and certainly not from Malfoy, what was he doing it for?
"Why?" She mummered, keeping her eyes on his pale pointy face. "Your incredibly smart, something I appreciate. Your beautiful, I..I love your eyes. Again I do like a good looking girl. Also I like a girl with fire, your strong Hermione and most of the people I'm surrounded by, including myself, aren't strong and loyal to the end. Everyones like snakes in the grass, always trying to get what they want, no matter who they hurt and who they leave behind, but not you." He was pouring his heart out here, admitting thoughts and feelings towards her, that he had only just admitted to himself, after years of denial. "I never thought you would see me that way" she gasped, her nails digging into her bare legs, marking the supple skin. "How long have you felt like this towards me?"
"I guess, first time I saw you as anything other then Potter's mud blood friend. Sorry! Habit" he held up his hands in defense at what he had just called her "it..it was in third year, after you punched me on the nose. I hated you at first, wanted to punish you for what you had done to me, but part of me slightly respected you for standing up to me, even though I despised it. Then in fourth year, when I saw you at the yule ball, in that amazing dress. You looked fucking gorgeous in that and it killed me the way Victor Krum had his hands all over you, practically melting at your touch. I suddenly wanted to be where he was. I must admit part of it was also because you were the most magnificent girl at the dance, even better then that Fleur girl and I wanted to have the best girl on my arm. But mostly it was just seeing you so happy and so lovely, I saw you as a proper lady and I wanted you so badly. I tried to say it was just teenage lust, that it was stupid of me to think that way about a muggle, that you were just another girl." Draco couldn't help leaning forwards slightly "but your not Hermione, your never just some girl, specially not to me." He gently stroked a lock of her hair that hung in front of her face and for a second she let him, but as soon as she realised what he had done, she lunged back, creating a larger gap between them.
Draco sighed, he knew he would never have the physical connection with Hermione that he would love to have, she would never accept him that way. "So yeah, I've had a crush on you ever since. Took me ages to accept, but when I did, I couldn't stop. Every day I would hope that I would just get a glance of you smiling, even if it was you smiling at somebody else, it would still be magical. I couldn't help myself and when I saw you at SlugHorn's party this year, hiding away from that joke McLaggen, I wanted to run over and keep you safe from him. I was in love with you, crazy, I don't know how it happened, love." He stopped there, staring down at his nails, so that she could have some more time to process all that he had said. If she reacted well, then he would be over the moon. If she took it badly and ran off, then his heart would be torn to shreds.
Suddenly he heard Hermione's weirdly meek voice, as if she was scared of what she was about to say. "Draco..I've never been spoken to me like that. You're the first boy to tell me, you loved me." He looked up at her and saw she was biting at her lip fiercely. How he wanted to kiss those lips, kiss them till he was dizzy, his heart was pounding away in his ears and his lips feeling perfectly sore. "You know I don't love you" she finally said, breaking the long silence. "I know" he croaked, trying to pull back the tears. "Why are you telling me all this Draco?" God, he loved it when she said his name, it made his whole body go on fire. "Because this is probably my last chance to ever see you again and I didn't want to go on, never telling you how I felt."
"Why is this your last chance?" Now he had to try and work out away to tell her enough, without telling her the full truth "I'm leaving tonight, my mother's pulling me out. It's not safe anymore for me, not with my father gone and Voldemort…" Draco didn't know how to finnish his sentence. He knew Hermione was going to get the truth out of him some how, best he do it now.
Ever so slowly, Draco lifted up his coat sleeve again, baring inch by inch of skin, until the black serpents tail was on show, wriggling away, taunting him about the fate he was being handed.
He didn't need to show anymore, from the scared gasp from Hermione, he knew that she had guessed what was on his arm, who he was. "I took it save my parents lives, as well as my own. If I hadn't, the Dark Lord would have killed us all." Draco felt the smallest tear slip down the side of his nose and off his chin, landing on his exposed wrist. He yanked back down the coat and shuffled his body, trying to stop himself from crying in front of her. But when he looked up, she was crying as well.
It broke his heart to see Hermione like that, with tears running down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking un controllably. He wanted to soothe her, but had no idea whether she would allow him or run off. Finally she looked up at him and sobbed "Oh Draco." His heart wrenched for her and he couldn't help, but climb over and wrap his arms around her, rocking her body against his.
To his surprise, Hermione leaned fully against him, resting her head on his shoulder, still crying away. "If things had been different" Draco whispered, touching her hair with his cheek gently, inhaling her enticing cherry perfume. "If I hadn't been forced to take the dark mark, I would have done this properly. I would have slowly earnt back your trust, made you see that I wasn't the cold bastard I had acted like in past. Then I would have waited, until you were ready, to see me as something special in your life. I don't care how many years it took, I would have kept on working at it. Hoping for the day I could show you how much I loved you." Draco looked down at Hermione and saw in her eyes, the great future she had ahead, a future with out him. "But I can't change things. I love you so much Hermione, that although it breaks my heart that you don't love me back, knowing that there is someone out there, who will care for you and make sure your safe, is good enough for me." Hermione twisted her head and gazed at Draco, a small genuine smile playing on those sweet lips. "If I was to give you a present, would you accept it?" Draco asked, pushing the hair away from her face so that he could see her better, making sure that he didn't touch her skin. Hermione didn't flinch, but she did look nervous.
Slowly, Draco reached into his inner pocket and pulled out the small jewelery box. "I saw these during the summer holidays. They reminded me of you and I had to get them, hoping that I would get a chance to give them to you at some point." With a flick of his thumb, he opened the box and revealed his gift to her.
Hermione gasped and pulled her head from Draco's shoulder, her hands reaching out to grab the box. Inside were two perfect, heart studs, that shone like the embers of a fire. But Hermione pulled her hands away suddenly "have you bewitched them?" She questioned harshly. For a second Draco felt hurt and then he realised she had remembered what had happened to the girl with the necklace, she was right to be cautious. "No, they're from a wizard jewelery shop, most of the jewelery is normal, but can be bewitched for a extra cost. I thought it best not to though. They are completely safe. They're real rubies and that's 18kt gold. I thought they would remind you of your house colours." He paused for a second, deciding on whether to ask or not, in case she didn't and then that would just make the whole thing depressing. "Do you like them?" He finally asked, picking one out so that she could see it was safe and so that the moon light was caught in the crimson surface of the jewel.
Hermione reached out and elegantly touched the earring left in the box with her ring finger. "They're beautiful" she sighed "Draco I couldn't accept such a expensive gift"
Draco placed the earring back in the box and held it out to her "please do, I bought them with you in mind Hermione. Ruby hearts for the lion hearted girl, who, who stole my own heart."
Suddenly Hermione had pressed her lips against his, her hands gripping onto his shoulders. Draco jumped into the moment, taking the box, placing it on the ground for safety. While his lips moved as if his life depended on it. Never had he kissed with such passion, he adored the way her lips slid across and pulled at his. Draco brought his hands around her waist and pulled Hermione's body against his. She scooted them down, until he was lying on top of her, still kissing her with all the love he had in his body. Hermione's leg wrapped around him and she moaned into the kiss, slipping her tongue between his lips. Wow, she tasted amazing Draco thought. Like fresh mint and he loved the way her tongue danced around his, twirling and caressing it. "Hermione" Draco moaned, pressing his whole body against hers, relishing in the way she pushed back, rubbing her chest against his. Hermione slid her nails across his scalp, moaning "Draco" and then she stopped.
With a great amount of strength, Hermione pushed Draco off her and sat back against the tree, her chest heaving up and down as she looked around wildly. "I..I don't know what happened. Oh god, I love Ron! Draco I wish I had known this side of you before, but it's too sudden, all of this is too quick!" She cried.
Draco sighed, the moment had been quick, but it had been better then he had ever dreamed, he now knew some element of pure happiness and Hermione had given him a small amount of passion, that had not been forced, it had been her own actions and that meant the world to him.
"I'll take you back to you room" he said quietly, standing up and reaching for his broom. Hermione nodded and stood up as well, handing him back his blanket which he tucked into his pocket. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her pick up the earrings and place them in the pockets of her shorts. He could die happy.
They flew back in silence. Neither of them wanting to say anything to upset or tempt the other. When they got to the still open window of the girls dormitory, Draco flew in close enough so that Hermione could slip in safely.
"Thank you Hermione, thanks for giving me the chance to talk to you, to spend time with you. That's all I could have ever dreamed for." Draco whispered, making sure not to wake up the other Gryffindors.
Hermione smiled at him, a pure honest smile and whispered "thank you for giving me the chance to see the good side in you, that's a real gift. Hope you live well Draco." With that she closed the window and climbed back into bed.
Draco stayed a moment, going over what had just happened in his head, "I love you" he sighed and then flew off to the Head Master tower, dreading the rest of his life.