Discalimer: As always I own ABSOLOUTLEY nothing. It all belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. And whoever else helped with the books/films.

Summary: Just another one-shot. Written before HB-P even though it relates slightly to it. HG/DM! You have been warned!

Authors Note: WARNING - Extremely long Authors Note at the bottom but it explains 'the message' so it's worth reading.

Barriers

The wind skimmed the surface of the murky lake. The wide expanse of water had an eerie glow due to the full silver orb of moonlight half hiding behind the towering stretch of dark green forest.

Stars seemed to dance in the reflection of the almost still water. Threes appeared to bend as they were hit by the slow rhythm of the wind.

It was here, by the foot of the lake, Hermione Granger sat. With her back to the grand castle, staring into the shadpwy distance of trees with salty drops of water gradually falling from her usually lively dark brown eyes.

Now her spark had gone. She no longer possessed that natural spring in her step which told any passser by that she was on her way to the library, to no doubt add more knowledge to her eager mind. Now though Hermione would rarely be seen at the library. If she wasn't deep in thought she was by the lake wishing her sorrows away.

Remarkably, she had ceased to be the first with her hand swinging enthusuastically in the air when she had an answer. She let her mind drift off in class and instead of furiously taking notes on something she already knew, she would stare absently at the parchment, letting her quill makes it's own path on the surface.

Her friends tried to help her, tried to bring back the old Hermione. 'Typical,' she thought Why couldn't they just leave her alone? She didn't want to hear, or rather see, their animated catches and saves during Quidditch practice. She wanted to be alone. She needed to think. How could she do that with their consistent ramblings?

'God,' she thought. 'When did I start to sound so bitter?'

'When that certain blonde haired Slytherin ran off to become a Death Eater. He left you alone, just like you were before' another voice rang through her mind.

She gave a shaky sigh, now she was hearing voices. Brilliant.

What had she gotten herself into? She hardly spoke, hardly ate. She hadn't picked up a book in a week. This wasn't Hermione Granger. This wasn't the bookish, eager eyed young girl that almost every teacher and pupil admired.

She had noticed how her friends gave her concerned looks. They would see her pain filled eyes glance longingly at the empty chair across the classroom. She would deny their accusations, avoid their questions. She would too often lie about going to the library to escape those pititfil glances they would continually send her. Instead of making that familiar route to the refuge of books she would turn, run, fall onto the grassy bank that surounded the lake.

There she would break down, her hard exterior falling. She was unprotected. Enjoying the rain when it would blend with her tears, welcoming sun when its warm rays clouded her cold eyes, relishing the snow as it covered her with a soft blanket of white. It was her sanctuary, here she could remember those times. The secrets they shared. She would tell him that when she needed to escape she would come to this spot. When she couldn't bear to be around anyone else she would lie to her friends, and sit by the lake watching as the trees danced to the sound of the wind-

'Why does it hurt so much?'

'Because you let your barriers fall. You were weak, you fell in love.'

She let her head fall in deafeat, lowering her gaze from the forest to the weedy grass. She closed her eyes, letting images of stone grey eyes rush in front of her eyelids. There was nowhere to escape she thought of him every moment, his scowl, smirk, laugh: as rare as it was, and the times when he broke down. The moments he let his barriers fall.

She could still picture his eyes filling with tears. She saw his angry expression that he had let someone in. Let someone see him. The real Draco Malfoy. Not some shadow of his father.

He confessed everything. Angry tears falling from his eyes as he cursed his father. Pain coursed through his eyes as he recounted the torture. He said he didn't want to be a Death Eater. Said that his father bullied him into every decision. As a child he accepted it, begged of his father to tell him about the glory of the Dark Lord. His achivements, now he realised that murder, stealing someones life, it wasn't glory. It was evil

And she had believed him. 'How could I be so stupid! I took in every word, wiped away every tear, let myself fall in love with someone how had tortured me for five years. I thought he had changed, or wanted too. How could that speech about not wanting to steal someone's future be a lie? You can't make up emotions!'

For once that knowing voice stayed quiet, because only he knew the answer to that and the next time Hermione would see him would probably be on a battlefield. In a war were they must be separated, a war in which one side would lose.

"How can love cause so much pain?" she whispered.

'Maybe, I'm just destined to be alone. Destined to be in pain for the rest of my life. Love can't have a happy ending for everyone. Can it?'

She swept away another tear before it fell ont her cheek. Squezzing her eyes shut in pain and frustration. She needed to scream, she had to escape from this abyss of depression. She had to heal her throbbing heart that love had so carelessly damaged.

Shaking, she got to her feet. Ready to turn back to the castle, she had Head Girl duties to fulfil. Sighing, she brushed down her long, sensible skirt and straightened her tie. Securing her top button.

Just as she turned to leave something caught her eye. Something she had somehow never noticed before. There carved into a tree she had been staring at for hours on end was a message.

Her eyes grew wide as she read aloud the writing. Some spark appeared to flicker in her dark brown eyes as one last tear she had forgotten to wipe away fel into the lake.

" 'Love dosen't cause pain - people do.

D.M' "

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Authors Note: For those of you who don't undertsand the message it's from Drcao and it basically means:

1. He knew Hermione, he listened to what she said and the only way to ease her pain and help her understand was to give her a message which would mean more to her than anyone else.

2. The message is kind of a code I suppose. He's not going to announce their secret affair on the base of a tree where anyone could read it so he puts it in words that Hermione will understand. Basically what he means is that somtimes people have to give up on love. Sometimes people need to make choices that can hurt someone else. Love takes you on a journey but you control what happens, not love. D'you get me? Basically Draco sacrificed his own life and their love because if he didn't they'd both be in danger and hurt more people. He gave up his future for hers and well I just think it's quite sweet. Also he knew what Hermione would think she only said two things ut loud. The secind was the message and the first tells you how much Draco knew Hermione. He also listened to where she went to think hence where he carved the message.

Sorry if you don't understand that but it's the best I can explain it. Anyway! Remember this is a one-shot -- I had an idea for a sequel where we have a better ending (and it's not a one-shot it's a story!) but I don't know about continuing.

Anyway, read and review people! I love to hear (or I suppose read) what you think and if you have any suggestions for improvement, again let me know!

THANKS FOR READING:)

P.S. -- If you have any fics you recomend or that you have written let me know! I always have time to read them. Oh and sorry for the extra long Authors Note.