It is a beautiful day and I decide to take a walk around the Hogwarts campus. I put on a comfortable sundress, brush my hair and leave the Gryffindor dorms. When I get down to the common room, I find Harry and Ron lounging about on arm chairs. "Hey, 'Mione. What are you up to?" I sweep a strand of hair behind my ear. "Just going for a walk around campus. You should join me - it's a lovely day." Both boys sigh heavily. "No, thanks, Hermione. I've got to get caught up on my studying," replies Ron. I laugh. "You, studying? You're kidding, right?" Ron glares at me. "No, I am completely serious." "Well, if you would study when you're supposed to, you wouldn't have to study on days off." He waves me off. "Yea, yea. Stop lecturing me, I get it." I laugh heartily. "What about you, Harry?" He shakes his head with a small smile. "I'm going to see Ginny in a few minutes, then she and I are going down to Hagrid's." I smile, happy for him. "Oh, alright. Tell her I said hi, will you?" He nods and I smile a thank you. "Alright, well, I'll see you two later, then." "Bye, 'Mione," the two boys reply. I wave as I go out the portrait-hole and then run down the steps to the Great Hall for a bite to eat before leaving. As I eat, I notice Draco Malfoy staring at me. I scrunch my eyebrows together as I ponder the reason for this, but I come up empty. I leave the Great Hall after eating toast and poached eggs; I stand inside the entrance hall and breathe in the warm May air, enjoying the smell of grass and flowers. I smile happily as I step out into the courtyard and walk around the grounds, fresh morning dew cooling my bare feet. I stretch and touch my toes, then greet the sun with a sun salutation; after I've fully woken up, I continue my stroll. I stop ten feet from the Womping Willow and admire it while keeping myself safe from its branches. "Got a death wish, Granger?" I spin, startled, to see Draco smirking at me. I roll my eyes and turn away from him, continuing my walk in the opposite direction of the Womping Willow. "Hey, wait a minute. Don't walk away from me." I ignore Draco and keep walking until he grasps my wrist. I spin around to face him, pulling out my wand and freeing myself in one swift motion. "Don't touch me," I growl. He puts his hands up in surrender. "Hey, don't get so defensive. I'm sorry." I lower my wand, shocked. Draco Malfoy, apologizing? Unheard of. "What do you want, Malfoy?" He eyes my wand warily. "Just to talk, that's all." "Draco Malfoy talking to a "mudblood"? Right. What do you really want?" A slight frown appears on his face but he says nothing. "Come on, spit it out. You're interrupting my walk." He smirks - not his signature smirk, but more like a playful smirk. He grasps my wrist again and pulls me towards him swiftly, stopping me no less than half an inch from his body. "Malfoy, wha-" Before I can finish, his lips are on mine; my eyes widen in shock but then close in surprised pleasure. I've never told anyone, but I'm in love with Draco. I can't tell Harry or Ron because he's "the enemy" and telling Ginny would be suicide because she would tell Harry - not on purpose, but things slip with her. A moment later, he pulls away from me and I frown a little. "What was that for?" I ask, still dazed from the kiss. Draco blushes. "I love you, Hermione." My knees go weak when he says my name, but Harry walks up and I lose it. "I could never love someone as cruel and vile as you, Malfoy!" I spit out viciously. The pained look that crosses his face kills me but I don't let it show. He lowers his head. "Well, if that's how you really feel, then I'm sorry to have wasted your time." Tears build up in my eyes as he walks away, hearbroken. I turn to Harry and he wraps an arm around me. "Nice, Hermione. Defeating the enemy." I smile half-heartedly and shrug. Harry walks away and I run for the Gryffindor dorms and my bed where I cry until I fall asleep. When I wake up, Ginny is dressed for bed and just about to crawl under her blankets. "Gin?" She pauses. "Hey, 'Mione. I didn't want to wake you. You were finally getting enough sleep." I smile appreciatively. "Thanks, Gin. I think I'll go down the common room and read. I've got to study for the term essay in Potions anyway." Ginny shakes her head with a smile and I step into my slippers, grabbing a Potions book on the way out the door. I set the Potions book down in a chair next to the fire and sneak quietly out the portrait-hole. I make my way to the Astronomy Tower and stare up at the stars, pondering life and all things in it. After about a half hour, I walk down to the first floor and wander around the courtyard, stopping at the spot just under the Astronomy Tower lookout. Looking up, I see a figure standing on the edge and I panic. I run up to the tower and as I get there, the person turns to me. I see a flash of blonde hair and grey eyes, and then he vanishes. I dart to the edge. "DRACO!" I scream, seeing his broken body at the bottom of the tower. I sprint down the stairs to his side and lift his head up into my lap. "Draco? Draco wake up, answer me!" His eyelids open slightly, enough for me to see his stormy eyes, and tears drip down my cheeks. "Her-Hermione?" I nod, sobs starting to escape my lips. He reaches up a hand and touches my face, smiling sadly. "Don't cry. Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't ever have to cry." "Draco, why? Why would you do this?" He drops his hand limply. "For you, love, for you. Because living without you would be too much to handle." I clench my fist, gripping his hair in my hand. "You can't die..." He laughs, which turns into a coughing fit. "Apparently I can," he replies, trying to be humurous. "You can't...please, you can't die. It isn't fair." "Life isn't fair, love." Another sob tears from my throat. "But I love you!" His eyes widen in shock. "You-you love me?" I smile sadly. "Of course I do. I've loved you always. Didn't you notice, whenever I looked at you? Or whenever I fought with you, I was holding back? I couldn't hurt you...I love you, Draco. Always and forever." A tired smile crosses his face. "At least now I know..." He sighs and closes his eyes, a smile forever frozen on his lips. I kiss them gently and cradle him to my chest, screaming my despair into the night.
The next day, the rest of Hogwarts learns of Draco's demise, but no-one is as devastated as I am. I sit next to Ginny and she holds my hand, running her thumb soothingly along my knuckles as I try to contain my sobs at his memorial. Afterwards, I pack my belongings and go home, refusing to stay at Hogwarts a second longer. I spend two months moping around the house, not practicing magic or contacting anyone at Hogwarts. Over the two months, I lose fifty pounds and my complexion becomes sallow. I eat very little and I appear unkempt, along with any space that I go into. After two months have passed, I can't stand it any longer and I Avada Kedavra myself, knowing I will see Draco on the other side...
