She was heartbroken. She slid down the wall of the library. It was a Saturday morning, and no one was going to interupt her. She clutched her stomach tightly, trying to hold herself together. It wasn't working. She felt the salty tears slide down her face and she shook gently.

Hermione Granger knew many things. She knew how to do just about everything in her lessons. She was proud of it, she worked hard for her knowledge and she deserved her grades. Hermione knew about stuff outside the magical world, she had a bright mind and a lot of common sense. That's who she was. She was sensible. She was head girl after all. Yes, Hermione knew a lot, but there was one thing she had no idea how to handle.

Heartbreak.

It wasn't fair. She sat at the Gryfindor table, nibbling on her toast. Every now and then she would risk a glance over at him. Sometimes she felt his grey eyes on hers, but she dropped her eyes before he could see the tears. How could he sit there and act as though nothing had ever happened? How could he let Pansy drape over him when it had only been a day... Hermione's eyes automatically flickered towards the table where the love of her life was laughing.

Draco Malfoy sat in all his perfection.

She let her best friends talk to her, chatting about trivial things like Quidditch. Ginny was the only one who knew something was wrong. Hermione left the table early, making the excuse of needing to go to the bathroom before Charms. Ginny followed as she left the Great Hall.

"Hermione, are you okay?" She asked timidly.

"Fine, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap Hermione. I'm worried about you. Please, I want to help you."

Hermione waited a moment before replying. "Have you ever, had a broken heart?"

Ginny's mouth dropped open and she gasped. "Oh. Well, no. I've got Harry. It's not... Ron, is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. It's not Ron but I don't know what-" She broke off. At that moment she forget everything because Draco Malfoy had walked out of the Great Hall. Their eyes locked and for a moment she was sure she saw pain, she knew those eyes so well after all, but in the next second he had looked away and some blonde girl was on his arm. When she looked back at Ginny she knew her secret was out, because the look on Ginny's face said everything.

"Malfoy?"

Hermione didn't answer. Harry and Ron and come out too and Harry had wrapped his arms around Ginny and kissed her. Hermione used this to escape, and she turned on her heel and ran. Her classes dragged and she spent them worrying about seeing Malfoy again. If she was like this after a day she didn't know how she could go on forever. Her mind drifted to the previous evening...

The footsteps behind her grew louder and she turned to see Draco strolling towards her. She jumped up and kissed him like usual, wrapping her arms around his muscular shape. "Hey." She smiled.

He grabbed her hand in his and pulled her tight taking in every essence of her he could. "I love you."

She pulled back, she couldn't have heard him right. He was too amazing to love her, she didn't deserve it surely, yet she knew in her heart it was true. She stroked his cheek "I love you too." They had finally spoken how they truly felt. They walked hand in hand down the corridors yet she noticed his hand was stiff and he avoided her gaze. He was acting weird, but she didn't take much notice of it. After all, he loved her. Three more hours passed as they talked about their lives and the future.

"Uh, wow, it's nearly midnight!" Draco said.

"Do you want to go to the Room of Requirement?" She asked in what she hoped was a sexy voice. He pulled his hand out of hers and she looked up confused.

Draco was staring down at her and his eyes were watering. "Hermione, we can't do this. We are too different. We're not supposed to be together, this has all been a mistake. Sorry." He looked one last time into her eyes and then stalked off.

She fell to the ground right then. Sorry? He was sorry? He told her he loved her and dumped her on the same night and he was sorry? She didn't know she could feel this bad...

The ringing bell brought her back to present time. Hermione wondered what he was doing at the moment.

*

"Yeah, maybe some other time..." Draco sighed as another girl asked him out.

"Way to go, Malfoy!" Crabbe grinned. Goyle grinned stupidly after the girls.

"Yeah." Malfoy replied. He wondered why he wasted his time with these two, but his dad had encouraged him to make sure he had a large group of Slytherin friends. Then again, his dad controlled just about everything. "I'm going to the library, I have Potions homework to catch up on and I need refrences. See you later." Malfoy rushed off before they could follow him. He went to the library and scanned the shelves. It was empty as everyone else would be at dinner; Malfoy didn't feel like eating. He didn't feel like doing anything at the moment. He slumped at the nearest table with his books and quill spread out in a messy pile. He dipped his quill into the ink and began to make notes. He'd only filled half a piece of parchment when he threw down his quill and dropped his head into his arms.

He was hurting too much.

Draco could hear the cheery voices from the grounds and he wondered if he would ever feel happy again. "Get over it, you're a Malfoy." He told himself. He was about to start writing again when he heard the voice.

"Please, Madam Pince, I have a note from Professor Flitwick to get a book from the restricted section." He would know that voice anywhere. He would do anything for that voice. Sure enough, when he turned his head, Hermione Granger stood there. She was as beautiful as ever, though she looked thoroughly distracted. She turned round and caught sight of him, before her eyebrows creased and her lip trembled. She grabbed her book and went, glancing back enough to let Draco see her tears.

I'm sorry.

It would never be good enough, and he could never explain to her. It wouldn't be safe for her. His father had shown him that. His father was very worried about his mother when he was around the Dark Lord, and Draco knew that a slip up from Lucius would put Narcissa in danger. Draco couldn't put Hermione in danger, and he was bound too. It would be impossible for them to be together. Draco's father would soon force him into the Dark Arts, somewhere he did not want to go. Sure, once upon a time he had agreed with the You-Know-Who's ways, but that changed when he got to know Hermione. She wasn't just a useless mudblood, she was everything. His mind changed completley, Hermione was so pure-minded that she made Draco change from being someone soulless to someone brilliant. He became aware of other people's feelings and how easily their lives could be ruined by the Dark Lord. He even felt a bit of pity for Potter. Hermione was the smartest witch he knew, and she deserved to be in Hogwarts and she deserved her magic. He couldn't let that be taken away from her; he couldn't let her die for nothing. Surely, once his family found out he was in love with a Mudblood they would dispose of her, and if they didn't, the Death Eaters would.

Breaking up with her was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He regretted telling her that he loved her because it had only hurt her more. At the time he knew he had to say it before it was too late. He hadn't really planned to break up with her, although his father had expressed his views on Draco's future earlier that afternoon. It wasn't that which had made up his mind: it was Hermione talking about her future. Talking about her hopes for helping house-elves, and maybe working for the ministry doing something useful! She wanted children, of course, and Draco could imagine a child who had features of both his and hers.

He couldn't take it away from her. Her future, her dreams, her life.

He was just glad, that she told him she loved him one last time, and that they kissed one last time, before he broke both their hearts.

*

Hermione lay in bed trying to fall asleep. She couldn't. It had been hard in the library. He was able to act so naturally about everything, she realized he never cared. She also realized that she could probably never love like that again. She just wanted to be loved and feel safe. Untouchable. She didn't know how, because Draco Malfoy had somehow captured her heart, soul and mind, and he didn't want or care about it.

If only she knew how he was breaking down too, that Lord Voldemort was keeping them apart, that he was terrifed for himself, and her, if anyone found out. If only they both knew how heartbroken the other was.


:'( sad, yes? I have a bit of a thing for the heartbreaking ones with these two. I think all of mine are... huh. I should probably try and do a happy one next time. I don't even know how to do that haha! I'll try. Reviews would make these two get together!