A/N: This is a contest entry for the Dracolov challenge! If you would like to enter you must e-mail Dracolov, her e-mail is in her profile. The last day to enter is 12/1/04. Please R & R (read and review) and thank you for reading my story.

Disclaimer: I have two words for you—I wish.

"Honestly, does she think that she can just say that and expect me to leave her alone?"

"Draco, you keep bugging her about it. You have to give her space."

"Two bloody months ago she told me that she still loved me and she wants me to leave her alone."

"I thought that you understood that she just needs some time."

"Two months, Noah. That is time."

"Dude, you need to get over it. GIVE HER TIME!"

"I HAVE given her time."

Noah jumped up on the back of the couch that Draco was standing behind. He put his snout right against Draco's nose and grabbed Draco's face with his paws.

"Just let her be and she will come around. I don't know when, but she will."

Draco fell back into his chair and put his head in one of his hands.

"Noah, I know. You keep saying that, but when? When?"

Then Draco Malfoy did something that Noah had never seen him do. He cried.


Hermione was humming as she graded her papers. She was happy. She had made up her mind. He was right. She knew it. She needed to either be with him or to just tell him no and get it over with. She remembered that night two weeks ago when he just went over the edge.

Flashback

"Draco, I told you. I need time."

"Hermione, you have had a month at least now. How much more time do you need. I am waiting I told you I would, but I don't know how long I can wait."

"Draco, I realize how hard this is on you, but I waited ten years. I am sure that you can wait a little bit longer."

"Hermione, I told you about why I was gone. And anyways, it isn't even about how long I have to wait. You told me that you still loved me and then walked off. You kissed me then left. You can't do that."

Hermione looked down at the floor. Draco kept going.

"I need you to be with me, or I need you to not. One or the other. I need to know which one. I can't go on doing this. I am sorry but I can't. I know I said that I would wait for you, and I will, only if you tell me that you will be with me. I am not going to wait if in a year you are going to tell me that you can't be with me."

Hermione remained looking at the ground and when she looked up he was gone. She needed to think.

End Flashback

Anyways, Hermione decided what she was going to do and everything had to be perfect. She finished her last paper and picked up a spare piece of parchment. She scribbled on it and whistled for her owl, Athena.

Athena was a beautiful black owl with bright blue eyes. She was an amazing creature. Much like Noah, she could talk, but was not a human at one time. She was supposed to talk. She was a gift from a wizard king in Egypt.

"Honestly, do you have to whistle at me?"

"Sorry. Forgot. Since you were gone for, um what was it, oh yeah, five months, I had to use regular owls who respond to whistles."

Hermione gave her a cheeky grin and tied the letter to her leg.

"Take this to Draco Malfoy. Then go McGonagall's office. You can stay there with Fawkes tonight."

Athena rolled her eyes and flew off. Hermione just sat back in her chair and smiled to herself. Then she jumped up and ran off to her room. She had to get ready.


Tap. Tap. Tap.

Noah looked up from where he was taking his nap. He saw a black owl out side his window. It had a letter tied to its leg. He yawned and stretched and got up to go get it. When he opened the window the bird flew in and landed on the back of Draco's chair.

"Finally. I have been watching you sleep for a good fifteen minutes, trying to get you attention."

"Hey now, I'm the talking animal around here. Who do you think you are?"

"My name is not important. I need to get this to Draco Malfoy. Is that you?"

"Why yes my good owl...."

"I am Draco."

Noah turned around, saw Draco and finished, "I know where he is."

Athena gave him a look of disgust and then stretched her leg out to Draco. He took the letter off of her leg and she flew out the window. Noah got up to shut the window, muttering something that sounded a lot like, "Stupid owls. So rude."

Draco opened up the letter and a large smile spread on his face.

"Noah, don't worry about watching Hermione tonight. You are to stay here."

He grabbed his coat and started out the door leaving a speechless Noah behind.


Draco went to the third floor to the door that he was instructed to and said the password, "Now or never."

The door opened to reveal a huge ball room. It was decorated in dark burgandy's and silvers. In the middle of the room was a table set for two. There was light music playing in the background. He was in awe.

No one was there yet so he went over to a little couch that was in the corner in front of a fire place and picked up one of the books that were on it. He leaned against the mantle and started to read, outloud,

"Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow-

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet, if Hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it, therefore, the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream."

For the second verse another voice joined him and startled him. When he turned and saw her, he let her finish it from memory

"I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of golden sand-

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep- while I weep!

O God! can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?"

Draco smiled at her. She looked radiant. He hadn't seen her like this since the party for Harry and Pansy's wedding. She had on a long dress that reached the floor. It seemed to be made of some translucent material. Her hair was left down and her curls bounced with ever move she made. The only make up she wore was some lip gloss and mascara. That was all she needed. He was so entranced by her beauty that was a little startled when she spoke.

"'A Dream Within a Dream' , by Edgar Allen Poe. Interesting choice."

"Well, seeing as you were late I had to keep myself occupied somehow." He said with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes and a smirk donning his lips.

"I think not, good sir. I set up this little meeting, therefore, I can not be late. You were just early."

Draco shook his head and laughed.

"Would you like to eat, good sir?"

"Very much so, dear lady."

Hermione led the way to the table and sat down; Draco did the same.

"What are we eating tonight?"

"Italian."

Draco looked at her quizzically and nodded to his plate. What had been an empty plate two seconds ago was now filled with Italian food. There was a little fettuccini Alfredo, spaghetti, lasagna, and bread.

"Your three favorite Italian foods. Hope that you like them."

Draco smiled up at her and started to eat. Hermione chuckled and started to eat her salad.

Throughout the dinner they did a lot of catching up. Draco told her about what he had to do while he was gone, and she told him about how she got the job as a teacher. It was a perfect night.

After they finished eating they just sat there as their plates disappeared and talked some more. Then a song started to play a bit louder then the rest. Hermione smiled up at Draco and he stood up holding his hand out to her. She gladly accepted and he led her to the middle of the floor and they started to dance.

So you say your love's about to end
You say you can't take no more
She's out the door
And your looking for a friend

It was perfect. They just danced there holding each other, like they had not been able to do in a long time. The only sound you could hear was the music and him occasionally telling her how much he loved her.

Who am I to tell you why
But I'm just curious, were you furious
Or did you swallow your pride
And look her in the eye and

Draco pulled back and looked into her amber eyes. In those eyes he could see the promise of love forever. He had missed that look and was so happy to see it back. He leaned down to kiss her and she pulled back, smirked and lead him over to the bed, a trick she used to pull quite frequently.


Tell her that you love her
Tell her that you need her
Tell her that you want her to stay
Reassure her with a kiss

As they kissed they shed their clothing, slowly. They were in no hurry. They wanted to be able to memorize, once more, how the other looked, felt, smelled, sounded. They wanted to memorize every contour and dip and imperfection. They wanted that night to last forever.

She may never know unless you
Show her what your feeling
Tell her you're believing
Even though it's hard to say
'Cause she needs to know you're thinking of her
So open up and tell her that you love her

"Hermione, I love you"

"I love you too Draco."


Brother I've been right where you are now
And my heart was broke
'Cause I never spoke
Those healing words out loud
But I've learned my lesson well
And now every night
Before I close my eyes
I look at my woman and
I ask myself did you

Tell her that you love her
Tell her that you need her
Tell her that you want her to stay
Reassure her with a kiss
She may never know unless you
Show her what your feeling
Tell her you're believing
Even though it's hard to say
'Cause she needs to know you're thinking of her
So open up and tell her that you love her

Tell her that you love her

Tell her that you love her
Tell her that you need her
Tell her that you want her to stay
Reassure her with a kiss
She may never know unless you
Show her what your feeling
Tell her you're believing
Even though it's hard to say
'Cause she needs to know you're thinking of her
So open up and tell her that you love her
Tell her that you love her
.

That night as they both found nirvana, they yelled out each other names, and for the first time in ten years they were both truly happy. Nothing could take their paradise away from them. Not that night. That night was theirs. Only they didn't know exactly how much happiness that one night would bring them. Oh, if they only knew.

There you go. Hope that you liked it. Here is the definition for the nirvana that I used- an ultimate experience of some pleasurable emotion such as harmony or joy.

Ok, just to clear up all you technical folk. The song was like their song, if you didn't catch that. I was trying to just hint towards that without saying it. Yes, the last line is a hint, and if any of you can figure out what I have planned, you are smart, and I will give you a cookie. A BIG cookie. So review please, you will make me happy!

Toodles

Chocolate hugs and Cherry kisses

Nikki