I only own the plot. Rowling is the genius, not me.

Draco lay in his bed hearing her last words repeat in his head: "You know what you did." He could not figure out what he did.

Knowing he would be unable to sleep, he got out of bed, collected his wand, and put on some plain robes. He quietly snuck out into the common room and taking a pinch of floo powder out of the little jar near the fireplace he whispered fiercely, "The Manor" and threw the powder into the dying flames.

Stepping into a handsome dining room with a table built to seat forty, Draco brushed some soot off his robes before starting his search.

He found his father in the library, going through some paperwork that dealt with some major investments he had made.

"Father, we need to talk."

Lucius looked up from his work with a small look of surprise on his face. He quickly composed himself before speaking.

"How was your first day back, Draco?"

"It was fine, Father. Enough small talk please. I am here to talk to you about Hermione."

Lucius grimaced as he remembered Draco telling him about being in love with the mudblood saint.

"What about her Draco? Did something happen? You look terrible."

Draco shrugged in defeat, "Of course I look terrible. I am bloody miserable. She broke up with me! I have no idea why!"

"She's a mudblood and she probably realized that she wasn't good enough for you. Smart girl she is."

Draco snarled, "Do you hear yourself Father? Blood! You think that she has dirty blood? Well I have seen her bleed and the blood that runs through her veins is just as red as mine! Maybe it's even redder! And you know what, Father?" he spat venomously. "I am going to marry her in the future and we will have a family! The next Malfoy will be a half blood!"

Lucius smirked, "She won't marry you Draco."

"She loves me."

"She told you that she hated you."

Draco narrowed his eyes, "I didn't tell you that. How did you know?"

"I have my ways."

"What did you do to her?"

"I instructed her to break it off and she agreed to it."

"Oh and why is that? What did you do to her?"

"I just mentioned that her family is out there unprotected and vulnerable." He said casually, looking down at his nails as if bored.

Draco quickly pulled his wand out and pointed it at his father, "I love her. If you harm her or her family in any way, I will kill you."

"Kill your own father, Draco? Surely you wouldn't."

"You would hurt your own family." He said accusingly.

"No Draco. I would never hurt my own family. We Malfoys are proud and though feelings are for the weak, your mother taught me how to love and I wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt my own family." Lucius said angrily.

"You already tried to hurt your family. You threatened your future daughter-in-law. That's family." He said putting emphasis on daughter-in-law.

"You won't marry her, Draco. You are too shallow. There will be someone prettier. Someone smarter. Someone better, always. You claim you love her but when you leave her for some other ninny and you break her heart how will you feel then?"

Draco looked at his father and thought about what he said. He carefully weighed his words, and then after a long silence he spoke.

"You are right Father. There will always be someone prettier, smarter, better. But to me Hermione is the prettiest girl in the world. I see girls at school that I used to think were 'hot' and they are ugly in comparison. She's glowing. She's beautiful. She is the smartest girl in the world. She's clever and witty and she can think under pressure and she can solve problems. And as for better? Maybe, maybe there is someone out there better than Hermione. But not for me, no, Hermione is perfect for me. She is everything and yes, Father, I fell in love with a MUDBLOOD."

"Draco you sound like a fool. I don't want to hear a little lovesick speech about a girl who loathes you."

"She doesn't loathe me. I can see it in her eyes. She loves me. You threatened her, that's why she said those things. Leave her and her family alone."

Lucius rubbed his eyes, he had a lot of work to do and he needed to get some sleep before meeting with the Minister of Magic tomorrow morning.

"I forbid you to see that girl." He sighed. "Draco, leave. I have work to do." With an air of finality, he gestured Draco out and continued going through his work papers.

Draco stomped out and when he arrived back in his room, he flopped down on his bed with an oddly victorious smile on his face. He knew the fight with his father was just beginning but he felt so happy that Hermione didn't hate him. He fell into a serene sleep where he dreamt of holding her in his arms.