Sitting down on the lush green grass on the edge of the still lake, Hermione took of her shoes and placed them beside her. Removing her socks also she proceeded to dangle her feet in the water whilst laying back down upon the soft summers grass.

She let her tired hazel eyes close and slowly drifted off into a shallow restless sleep, still with the cool water lapping up gently against her smooth legs.

Hermione suddenly found herself standing in the middle of no where, it was completely barren and she was totally alone. There was absolutely no wind to speak of and not a cloud in the sky. It was, she thought the most bizarre place she had ever seen. Suddenly images started whirling around her, friends, loved ones, her parents all covered head to toe in blood, standing there in front of her bleeding to death. She tried to run towards them, but she was stuck. She tried again, and again, yet she wasn't getting anyway. Hermione started to panic, she screamed for them to hear her, she was desperate to help them. Tears streamed down from her enchanting hazel eyes and fell onto the dry ground, which sucked them up ferociously, desperate for some moisture. She was now screaming at the top her her lungs, but it was no use, they could not hear her. Then slowly one by one, they fell. They fell slowly, as if in slow motion, at her feet. She was now standing in pool on blood as she saw her parents fall. Now all of them where laying at her feet, she collapsed, finally able to move. But it was too late, they were already gone. All of a sudden the bodies began disappear until it was only Lupin alone left laying on the floor, however he still had some life left in him. She heard him ease out his last ounce of breath to form a couple of words before he too left her alone in this vast, nothingness of land, "Hermione, you promised you'd help us." That was it Hermione looked down at ground, now only a pool of blood left behind, she fell to the ground and sobbed. How could she just let them all fade away, how was it possible that she could not help them. Hearing a stir in the non existent wind she looked up, only to be faced with two red, raw gleaming eyes baring down at her. She quickly forced her head back down, trying to will those eyes away. "There is nothing you can do to protect them you silly mudblood, and there is nothing you can do to protect yourself." Glancing up at the rasping voice, she suddenly wished she hadn't, before she knew what was happening he had whipped out his wand and sent a jet of green light towards her.

"Granger, Granger, oi Granger wake up already!" Hermione's eyes sprang open and suddenly realising that someone had been shaking her awake. Her vision was slightly blured and she could not make out who the person was, all she knew was that she was shaking like crazy and never wanted to fall asleep again. She had been having those dreams for a week now, and refused to sleep, which is why she could often now be found drifting off into a daze at all times of the day.

As her vision came into focus she looked up into the eyes of the person who had taken pity on her wretched state.

"Malfoy? Wait, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked, very confused as to why he would be helping her. She looking into his icy blue eyes and saw that they were vacant of almost any expression.

He shrugged in reply and said, "Well Granger, it looked as though you were having some sort of seizure and you were screaming out all sorts of things in your sleep."

Hermione's mouth formed a small 'oh' but suddenly looked quite confused.

"But Malfoy, why did you help me? I mean I am Granger, Mudblood. Plus I am sure someone else would have helped me eventually."

Once again Draco shrugged in return to her question, then answering with, "Honestly Granger you act as if I am some big monster or something, honestly I am hurt that you don't think better of me," he smirked, Hermione snorted at that. He continued, "Oh and if you hadn't noticed that there is no one else around, in case you hadn't noticed it is 10pm Granger, past curfew, so of course no one would be outside just watching, waiting to see if you'll get into trouble. Hate to break it to you but you aren't the Minister of Magic, you don't have a personal guard. What are you doing out here anyway? Isn't being out past curfew as bad as committing murder for you, I mean oh my God, you broke a school rule. You miss goody goody Grffindor Princess! Tsk tsk Granger, I may just have to report you to a teacher and get you your first detention," Draco raved on and on, for some reason being in a very talkative mood. Hermione just sat there, looking at him with a very confused expression until she couldn't take it any longer.

"Malfoy! Will you just, shut up, please? God, and you thought I was annoying, take a look at yourself," looking around her however she realised that it had too become quite dark and they were now the only two left outside on this warm summers night. "Oh and just because I don't exploit my rule breaking doesn't mean I don't do it."

"Whatever Granger, it's not like you have to explain yourself or anything. You're forgetting that I don't give two hoots about you or what you get up to with wonder boy or weasel."

"Yes, and you proved that tonight didn't you, by shaking me awake and everything, you really cannot stand me can you Malfoy?" Hermione replied sarcasm seeping through her words, Draco smirked back at her.

"Just because I woke you from your screaming nightmare does not mean I cannot stand you any less. I just didn't want you to accidentally drown yourself in the lake. Very noble of myself in I must say," Draco chuckled at himself. Hermione let a small laugh escape her lips at the sight of this boy, no, man in front of her. Suddenly his arrogance didn't seem so completely unattractive.

"Well, thank you, anyway. I really appreciate being woken from that...dream, nightmare, whatever," she told him honestly.

"Whatever Granger, so what happened in your head that got you screaming anyway?" Draco asked, suddenly intrigued by this beautiful brunette in front of him. Hermione shrugged at him.

"The war, I guess," Hermione had no idea why she was telling him this, but it just seemed to be, coming out. Draco nodded, as if saying he understood and for her to go on.

"I saw everyone around me, bleeding to death, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Everyone I loved was dying, and it was all my fault. Well they all said it was all my fault," she stopped for a moment again and looked over at Draco to see whether he was in fact listening or not. She saw him gazing at her seriously, as if he was actually interested and she continued, "I looked up as they all fell at my feet dead, and I saw two slithered red eyes peering down at me and they told me I couldn't protect them, non of us were safe," she finished quickly suddenly embarrassed that she had told him, Malfoy. Hoping silently to herself he would tease or torment her about this she stole a quick glace at him and noticed her was sitting their silently just watching her.

"Granger, the wars over, we graduate tomorrow. Why does this still haunt you?" Draco was quite confused as to the reason she was being haunted by this.

"I don't know Malfoy, maybe I'm just afraid that it isn't finished for good, maybe I am secretly scared that he isn't really gone, or maybe it is just an after affect, I mean I lost so many people in battle," Hermione pondered trying to answer his question, he just shrugged in reply.

"Do you think it'll go away? Soon I mean, or do you reckon I'll continue to be haunted by those I loved who were lost in the battle?" She asked him, hoping he would hold all the answers.

"I dunno', maybe. Then again maybe you're just holding onto something that you should just let go. Let it go and maybe they'll leave you. Granger, these hauntings aren't your loved ones, they're in your head, tell them to leave and mean it, then I think you will find yourself free of haunted sleeps," Draco told her, he was now sitting down next to her on the edge of the lake, pants rolled up and legs hanging in the cool water.

Hermione turned her head and looked at him and quickly looked back out over the still lake.

"Why are you helping me Malfoy?"

Once again Malfoy shrugged in reply.

"Guess the battle gave me a change in heart Granger, I never belonged on that side. I was here, all along. You just never saw it."

The two sat in silence for a while, not an awkward silence, but just a, silence, until Draco broke it once again.

"I had them as well you know," he spoke up running a hand through his almost silver hair.

"Had what?"

"The hauntings, nightmares, I saw all the deaths I could have prevented, all of the things I could have done, but I didn't. The guilt ate away at me until I realised there was nothing I could do to take it back, I had to let it go. When I did, they left."

Hermione turned to stare at him, how had she not noticed, how had she not noticed how different he was now. He really had changed and she found herself almost liking this new Malfoy.

At the same time he turned his head to look at her, their eyes locked. Blue to hazel met and they were being drawn together.

Draco tilted his head slightly and Hermione leaned forward not believing what she was doing. She couldn't stop herself though, his lips were so captivating, he was the only one throughout this all who had been able to make her forget, forget about everything. Within the space of a few seconds she had no awareness of anything around her, only of the man sitting right in front of her, slowly inching towards her, getting closer and closer.

He reached out and put his hand on the back of her neck and drew her into him. Their lips met and they both felt a shock run through their veins. Hermione leaned further into the kiss and put her hands on the sides of his face and deepened the kiss.

Draco kissed her back with all he had. This is exactly what he had been longing for, he hadn't realised it before, how could have he? But now he knew, his solution to this whole atrocity was Hermione and Hermione alone.

Little did he know, running through Hermione's mind at that exact moment were his exact same thoughts, Draco seemed to be her medicine, her fix. He was what could mend her, starting now.

Breaking away from the kiss they were both breathing deeply.

Draco looked into her eyes and for the first time in who knows how long he smile, a real genuine smile. Looking back at him, Hermione too smiled and leaned in again for another mind blowing passionate kiss.

As they broke apart for the second time, Hermione lent her forehead against the beautiful blonde man's forehead and whispered, "Draco..."

At the sound of his name rolling so freely off her tongue the man lent back and looked at her. Gently he took her chin in his hand and swivelled her head to look him in the eyes.

"Don't ever call me Malfoy again, my name sounds too beautiful when you say it to be kept hidden," he smiled looking down at her. She look quizzically back up at him, she had been sure that in a few moments he would get up, and walk away, never to think about this day again. Turns out, she thought wrong.

"But what about your reputation?"

"What reputation?" He asked her, kissing her forehead and pulling her in close to his body. She wrapped her arms around him and embraced the hug.

After a couple of minutes Draco pulled back and began to stand up.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked peering up at his tall stature.

"Well, Hermione," he paused for a second, thinking about how that sounded coming from his mouth. Hermione let out a giggle at his confused expression and let him continue, "If you hadn't realised it is well after twelve, and I must get my beauty sleep for graduation tomorrow."

Laughing at his arrogance she took his hands and let him help her to his feet.

"Don't ever call me Granger again, my names sounds too beautiful when you say it to be kept hidden," Hermione mimicked his earlier words. Draco just laughed in response as the two teenagers made their way back up to the grand castle, enjoying their first moments of graduation.

Hermione looked at the man beside her, who would have thought that a few hours ago this would be the man that could bring her back to life. In return Draco too looked at the girl beside him wondering the exact same thing.

Pushing open the large oak doors the two confused teens walked through for the last time ever, yet for the first time as something other then enemies.