Their conversation was interrupted by their headmistress announcing that she would be leaving the Great Hall. "I know," McGonnagal said calmly with her wand to her throat, "that you can settle this without me. I believe that you will be able to create a compromise that will resolve this problem. You are all adults now and should be able to act as such." With that, the headmistress walked briskly out of the Great Hall, leaving behind a bunch of angry Slytherins and Gryffindors, a complacent Harry Potter, a purple Ron Weasley, a hyperventilating Hermione Granger, a serious Blaise Zabini and a very, very confused Draco Malfoy.

Blaise Zabini had been an acquaintance of Draco's since they'd started at Hogwarts. But after the battle last year, when Crabbe had been killed in the Room of Requirement, he'd been the one other person besides Goyle who understood him. Watching his friend turn right back into the haughty and secretly insecure kid he'd been a year before had been harder on Blaise than anyone. He'd seen the real Draco Malfoy in those few months after Voldemort had been killed. The real Draco Malfoy didn't care about being a pure blood. The real Draco Malfoy wished he'd been in Gryffindor, so he could have an excuse for being a good person. The real Draco Malfoy cried himself to sleep for months after the battle, after losing one of his best friends and thinking he'd never be allowed to finish at Hogwarts.

The real Draco Malfoy was scared.

Scared that he'd never be allowed a normal life because of his past relationships with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Scared that the mark on his arm would never go away. Scared, especially, that no one besides his mother would ever love him.

And so Blaise Zabini saw the transformation of Draco Malfoy. From a stupid, insolent child, to a frightened-into-submission Death Eater, to an insecure and scared teenager, and now, to a stupid and insolent man. He was tired of it.

"So." The word tore everyone from the trance-like state they'd been in since McGonnagal had left the room and turned towards Blaise. "Anyone have a better idea than mine?"

Draco stared at Zabini and leaned towards him. "What the hell," he hissed, "are you doing?"

Zabini smirked and whispered, "I'm saving your arse, Malfoy. This isn't who you are, and you know it. You need this."

"What?" Draco screamed at a whisper. "I don't need to go kissing some filthy Mud-"

"Stop it right there Draco. I know you hate that word. You only use it to sound powerful, and you know good and well I don't need to hear it." Blaise grabbed Malfoy by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "I know you, Draco Malfoy, and I know that you need to do something to get these people to forgive you. They've accepted you back at this school you never thought you'd be allowed back to. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley stuck up for you when everyone kept calling you a Death Eater and avoiding you. They might not be your friends, Draco, but they're the closest things besides me and Goyle that you've got. And you just ruined your relationship with both of them, just because you felt like going on a power trip? Seriously, Draco, you need to do something. And Hermione…" Blaise felt Draco stiffen in his grasp. "Well Hermione…she's special isn't she?" Draco wrenched away from him.

"Shut up."

Meanwhile, the Great Hall had gone into an uproar again. Students were whispering excitedly among themselves, wondering what Malfoy would have to do, shocked that McGonnagal had just walked out on them. Neville Longbottom had been cornered by an admiring fourth year Slytherin, who had heard about his involvement in ridding the world of Voldemort, and was flirting ferociously with him. Harry and Ron were discussing feverishly if Draco had been faking all along, wondering if he really was a supporter of Voldemort. And Hermione Granger was still on the floor, wondering what in the world was going on around her.

"FINE!" Draco had pointed his wand to his throat so his voice could be heard.

The hall went quiet.

"I'll kiss the freaking Mud-…Muggle."

The other students were shocked. Many sat with their mouths open, one first year girl actually screamed, and the older students looked grim. Hermione buried her face in her hands. Harry and Ron's eyes got even wider. Zabini grinned. "Alright then. Let's see it."

"Hold on a minute, there!" Harry stood up angrily. "You can't just volunteer Hermione for this! She didn't do anything!"

"Yeah!" Ron shouted. "She…yeah, she didn't do anything!" His face went pink. "She doesn't even like him!"

Zabini started to reply, but Malfoy touched his shoulder to stop him and turned towards the pair of Gryffindors with guilt in his eyes. "Look, if it takes this to say I'm sorry, then I'll do it." He stepped closer. "I know we're not friends, but I really want to put all of the junk that happened before behind us. And I can't do that if I'm still insulting your friends and being a downright arse. So…" He looked down and realized he was almost standing on Hermione. She looked up at him with frightened tears in her eyes. He offered her his hand, and she took it. Finally standing, Hermione looked at Harry and Ron. Draco leaned towards her, and she stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut. To her surprise, he whispered in her ear: "You don't have to, you know. Harry and Ron are right. Just say the word, and I'll figure something else out." Hermione's eyes popped open just as he was pulling away. The Great Hall was completely silent. All eyes were on Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, the brilliant witch and wizard, one Muggle, one pureblood.

Draco's eyes met hers, and to his shock, he saw, not anger, not fear, and not disgust. He saw…was it really…?

Hermione leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I know."

And with that, Draco tucked her hair behind her ear, closed his eyes, and kissed Hermione Granger.

And she kissed him back.

Very unsatisfying ending, I know. I just wanted to finish it. Let me know if you have any better ideas and I'll try to revise it…