A/N: Sorry for the very late upload, AGAIN. My laptop was sick so I had to bring it to the doctor. But now it's functioning well again. Then another problem came, I don't have internet connection. So it took some time for me to upload this chapter. I can't save this as pdf, dunno why. Anyway, I read some of my chapters and noticed some wrong grammars and typo errors. I usually don't re-read them as I type because I just write non-stop. I just go with the flow and I want to upload it asap. Don't want to keep you guys waiting. Haha. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and PLEASE review again. I was inspired by some songs and I'll mention the title later and they are in italic bold. REVIEW! Thanks.
Chapter 9
Hermione was staring at her ceiling, deep in thought. For almost over a year she always asked herself 'Why?' And now, she finally had an answer.
She turned to face her side, pulling the covers closer to her.
Was his answer enough?
He said that he realized he couldn't live without her. He said he was just a coward. Once those words were out of his mouth, she felt like a needle was pulled out of her heart. But does that mean she has forgiven him? Just like that, and everything he did was forgotten?
Sorry doesn't change the past nor does it heal a broken heart. It doesn't fix anything. What's good in sorry?
Maybe Harry was right. Pretending to have amnesia was a bad idea. But then again, if she didn't pretend, he wouldn't say anything to her. She would never get the answer she wanted to hear.
Now she's all tangled up. She's torn between forgiving him or not. Forgetting and letting go. Maybe it's time to finally move on. Maybe she just needed to hear his side of the story so she would finally have peace in her heart. Yes, maybe it is just for closure.
She tried to close her eyes to sleep but the events that had happened in the park kept repeating in her mind.
oOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO
The next day Hermione was feeling restless. She wasn't able to sleep fully because a man with platinum blonde hair and grey eyes were haunting her dreams. She dragged herself away from her bed and went to the bathroom to get ready for another ordinary day.
She went down to the kitchen and saw Ginny eating some pancakes at the breakfast bar. She looked around checking if someone else in the room.
Ginny sipped on her cup of coffee. "I'm the only one here."
"What?" Hermione scoffed. "You think I'm expecting someone else?"
Ginny just rolled her eyes and took one last bite of her pancake. Once she was finished, she cleaned her plate and cup in the sink. Hermione helped herself with her own coffee and some bagel. She sat on the breakfast bar Ginny vacated and started to eat.
Ginny was drying her hand with the kitchen towel when she turned to face Hermione. "I'm off. So much work to do." She gave Hermione a 'you-know-why-I-have-so-a-lot-of-work' look.
Hermione grinned and waved her hand to send her off. She continued to eat her bagel and can't help the feeling of disappointment that Draco isn't around. She should be happy that he's finally gone and won't be bugging her every minute of every day. She also did have the chance to tell him what she really felt and what had happened after he left (all were true except the part of the accident). She should be at ease now.
After her last sip of coffee, she started to clean the kitchen. It would help her distract herself of thoughts about her conversation with Draco in the park and since Ginny would do most of her work, she could take her time to do other things and just go to the studio for some shoots from walk-in clients.
She was on her way to work and still can't take her mind off of Draco. She turned the radio on and heard a beautiful song starting to surround her. There was a soft strumming of the guitar and then a female voice began to sing. Her lips curved a little because it fitted perfectly with her feelings right now.
''Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way.'
Yes, now it has finally ended, right? They finally had the closure they needed. Now that they've heard each side, it's finally over.
'And we know it's never simple never easy.'
But why does she have a feeling like she doesn't want it to be over? She feels like she can't let him go. Has she always felt that way and was just too stubborn to admit it? Was it the reason why no guy could ever be good enough for her? She had a perfect guy once, scratch that, he wasn't perfect. He was a coward. How can she be sure that this time he won't do the same thing again? She gave out a loud sigh.
Why do I have to think about these things? This is just a waste of time. He's finally gone, Hermione. Now is the time to move on. You should be celebrating right now. She thought to herself.
The music still filled her car.
'People are people and sometimes it doesn't work out. Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fallout.'
Yes, it's time to finally close the book with Draco. Maybe this happened because they weren't meant to be together. She felt a pang on her chest with that thought. But it was the truth; fate proved them that they were just two different people that can never be together for the rest of their lives.
And yet… she stepped on the break in time with the stop light. 'I can't breathe without you but I have to.'
Draco brought the spark in her world. Being with him made her feel alive and when he left, she felt like she was lost in darkness. She felt lonely and cold. She tried her very best to forget, doing a lot of work to keep herself busy… but at night, when she was about to sleep, memories of Draco still haunted her dreams.
The feeling she had when she saw him again in Flourish and Blotts after almost sixteen months was indescribable. It was a mixture of surprised, fear, anger, hurt, anxiousness, sadness and love.
She stepped on the gas again when the light turned green. She has to stop thinking now. She's like Eve being tempted by the serpent to eat the apple. Draco the serpent and the apple is…love?
She's too hurt to know if it's love she's feeling. Maybe she's just in love with the idea of being with Draco but not really love, like she loves Draco or something. Her feelings towards him were still too complicated for her to understand.
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"I'm so sorry Draco." She whispered. "I think I'm not ready to love you again."
She felt a tear flow down her cheek. She wiped it immediately with her hand because she just reached the building were her studio is located. She took a deep breath and checked herself in the mirror. "No more, Hermione Granger. You've cried enough." She whispered.
oOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o
She opened the door and saw Elena smiling at her like she always does. "Good morning, Hermione."
"Good morning, Elena."
"Ginny left already for a birthday shoot."
Hermione nodded. She waited for a while incase Elena would say anything about Draco dropping by or leaving a message but nothing came.
She strutted her way to her office. She opened the door and saw it was full of tulips with different colors. Yellow, blue, red, pink, you name it. She craned her neck around and noticed it doesn't have her favorite color. She walked to the middle of her office, tracing her fingers in each tulip in her way. They are real!
She was beside her desk when she noticed an envelope on top of it. It has her name on it, written in an elegant script with golden ink. She tore it open and there was a card inside.
It read:
I've once known a girl who has a very odd taste in color. Though, right now, I don't know if she still likes that color so I'll give her all colors that exist in this world. I hope she would pick one and I hope she would give me a chance to get to know her more.
She knew who owned that hand writing. She smiled and took one yellow tulip.
"So I guess yellow is your favorite color?" She heard a voice behind her.
She turned around and saw Draco smirking. She blushed and placed the tulip back to where it was originally placed.
"So I guess you did all of this?" She replied, trying to keep a flat voice.
Draco nodded and looked down. "I knew you didn't like the Calla Lilies I gave you yesterday so you threw it away – and before, you used to like tulips. I was hoping you still like them." He glanced back at her.
Hermione silently gasped. She can't believe he remembered that her favorite flower is tulips. She looked around once more to see if her favorite color was there but failed to see one. Maybe he didn't remember that part.
"I took all the tulips I could find, of course some were colored magically." A slight blush formed his cheek. "I don't know what color you like, but here –"he took a step closer to her and took out a single white tulip from his back. It has a silver and green ribbon on its stem. "- I hope you like this one."
Hermione blushed. He does remember her favorite color.
She took the tulip from his grasp. "Thanks." She whispered and placed the tulip near her nose. She smiled. "White. My favorite color."
Draco grinned. "I thought so."
She gazed at the flower and glanced at him. "Why did you do this?"
Draco ran his hand through his hair. "I want to start all over again. I mean, I want to get to know you, I want you to get to know me, all those stuff."
Hermione looked at the white tulip in awe. "It would be nice to have a friend like you." She lied.
Draco clenched his jaw. He was hoping to be more than that, but he doesn't want to scare her by rushing things. He would accept friendship…for now.
"Yes, as friends." He said in a soft voice.
Hermione gave a small smile. Honestly, she may want to work things out with him but she wasn't sure. She might just be too happy to think that way. She should decide when she was in a normal state and probably alone in her office. She's between wanting more or none at all.
She cleared her throat. "No work today Malfoy?"
He smiled sheepishly. "Nope." He pointed at himself. "Boss."
She smiled and shook her head. "I'm a boss too but still work my arse off."
Draco smirked. "Yeah, I heard Ginny would do your work for a month."
Hermione gaped at him. "Well – it's because she owes me."
Draco raised his brow. "May I ask why Ginny owes you one?"
She bit her lip and looked away from his gaze. She can't tell him it was because of the wedding/family photo shoot and the fact that he was there.
Time to use that big brain of yours Miss Granger. She thought.
Draco was still gazing at her, waiting for her reply.
Hermione carefully placed the white tulip on her desk. "It's none of your business, Malfoy. If you're not busy, then go to your friends and don't disturb a person who works for a living."
He smirked. "But I want my photo taken today."
She cocked her head to the side. "Really? What for?"
"For a special girl, my girlfriend." He said as a-matter-of-factly.
She stiffened. She didn't know he had a girlfriend. "Oh. I see. Let's go."
She passed by him and headed towards the studio. He followed.
Why are you affected, Hermione? You should be happy that Draco won't be bugging you anymore because he's finally moved on. You should do the same courtesy as him.
She took her camera and magically turned the background black. She conjured a white modern chair in the middle. "Sit there." She ordered, without looking at him.
He did as he was told and sat down.
She took her camera and peeked through the eyepiece. She could see his beautiful face and those striking grey eyes. She adjusted the lens to zoom in further and to have a clearer view. He still has this great jaw line. His lips were still soft looking. She blushed. "So, who is this girlfriend?" Her eyes grew wide. She didn't mean to ask it out loud.
It seems like Draco was surprised as well at her bluntness. "Erm- actually, she's not yet my girlfriend."
She clicked the button and looked at the small monitor of the camera. "Oh? Why call her your girlfriend then?"
He shifted at his seat. "Because I want to think that she's already mine."
Hermione looked up to face him and frowned. "That's very stupid of you Draco. What if she doesn't want to be yours? You'll end up waiting for nothing and just hurt yourself when you could just find another one." Or be with me again. She mentally smacked her head from that absurd thought. Shut up already, Hermione.
Draco gave a sad smile. "I know. But that's a risk I would gladly take. I would accept all the pain for her."
Hermione looked back at the camera again and took another shot. "You would do that for a girl?"
She can't explain why she was jealous and failed to hide the bitterness in her tone.
Draco nodded. "Yes, I would do anything for her. I did wrong things in my past relationship. I don't want to do the same mistakes again. I've learned. I've grown. I know that this girl is the one for me."
Hermione clicked her camera again and looked at the monitor. Damn, he's photogenic. She walked to where the light stand was and shakily adjusted it. It slipped through her finger and fell on the floor. Draco stood and helped her.
"Let me help you." He muttered. She stepped aside and went back to where she was standing a minute ago. She didn't want to argue with him right now, she's too confused already with her emotions right now. Why was she feeling hurt? Can't she just be happy for him?
"So, who is this girl?" She was really curious.
Draco finished fixing the light and turned to face her. "You don't know her. She's someone I knew before."
"What's her name?"
He smirked and began to open his mouth when he heard his phone ring. He took his phone from his pocket. He excused himself and walked to the corner of the studio.
Hermione pursed her lips and played with her camera. She was switching from foot to foot and can't help but steal glances at Draco. She took a photo of him while he was talking on his phone.
He began to smile, she clicked again. He chuckled, click. He was now facing her so she stopped and placed her camera down. She turned around and sat on the chair Draco vacated.
Maybe he was talking to his new girl. She frowned. She's starting to get annoyed with her thoughts.
She was pulled out from her reverie when she heard his footsteps come closer.
"Sorry, Hermione, but I have to go. I'll come back for the photos."
She shrugged. "Sure. I'll tell Elena to call you if it's ready."
Draco held his hand. "Thank you."
She gazed at his hand then up at his face. "For what?"
He smirked. "For the photos."
She blushed and took his hand, giving it a single shake. "No problem."
He gave her hand one last squeeze and finally let go. "Have a great day Hermione." He turned on his heel and left.
Hermione's eyes followed him as he slowly left her studio. He's been acting strange, and when she meant with strange, she meant like he's okay…like nothing happened yesterday. She couldn't help but feel a tad bit of disappointment which made her even more confused.
Maybe she assumed that now that he heard her side, he would open up to her and tell her that he was the groom. Maybe she also expected that he would do grand gestures to show her how truly sorry he was.
She took her camera and saw his face on the monitor. He was looking at her. Those grey eyes that used to gaze at her every day. Those eyes that used to love her and, sometimes, glare at her for her clumsiness. She pressed the button to turn her camera off. She'll just let Elena develop his pictures for her.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooo
Her office was cleared now, all the tulips were magically transferred to Molly Weasley's garden. She only kept the white tulip, which she placed in a small vase.
There was a tap on her window. It was Errol, the Weasley's clumsy but adorable owl. She opened the window to let him in and he flew right to her desk. She gave him some seeds and noticed a note tied to its leg. She took it, it was from Molly.
Hermione, darling, thank you for the flowers. They are absolutely lovely. Make sure to visit the Burrow soon.
Love, Molly
She took a small parchment and wrote a reply.
You're very much welcome. Will visit soon.
Love, Hermione
She placed the note on Errol's leg and he started to fly away.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooo
She bid good bye to Elena. It was nearly six in the evening. She walked out the studio and saw Draco standing outside causing her to stop mid-way on her steps. "Why are you here?"
Draco grinned. "I took the photos. They are very good."
Hermione folded her arms. "You could give it to this special girl then." She bit her tongue. Can't she just shut up?
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "I can't give it to her yet. I don't even know if I could give it to her."
She cocked her head to the side. "Why not?"
Draco's lips curved. "Are you busy tonight? Let's have dinner."
She blinked a few times due to his sudden change of subject. Well, he sure doesn't want to talk about his relationship with her. Why would he? And besides, it would be very awkward. She should put her nose out of his business.
Before she could say 'no' he led her to his car.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooo
It was silent all on their way to their destination. Hermione took quick glances at him and she could see from the corner of her eye that he was doing the same thing. He was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.
She cleared her throat. "This is kidnapping, you know?"
He chuckled. "Kidnapping? What's that? Such a funny word."
She giggled. "Never mind."
Draco glanced at her then back at the road. He smiled "Want some music?'
She shrugged.
He pressed the button on his radio and a song started to surround them. She recognized the song and began to tap her fingers along the beat.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
Draco turned the steering wheel to the right. "It's a surprise."
She formed a small 'o' on her lips and glanced back at the window. She could see some people walking and others were inside small bistros, drinking wine and having a comfortable conversation with their company.
Her mind started to wander way back when she and Draco were dating. It would always be like this, he would collect her from work and they would eat dinner at a fine dining restaurant. He would also have some surprises, big or small, on his sleeve. She smiled sadly at those memories.
What if – no, Hermione, don't even go there. Enough with the 'What if we did get married?' and all those questions. It's just a waste of time. It would never happen. Stop thinking already.
She heard the woman sing. 'Let the love love love begin…'
She was quiet the whole time, so was Draco. She kept staring at the window that she didn't notice that they stopped.
He opened the door for her and held out his hand. She took it and stepped out of the car.
Hermione looked around. It was dark and only a street light and some small Christmas lights illuminated the way. There was a small iron gate which was covered with vines.
He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her inside. They were walking through a small path with tall bushes surrounding them. They turned left and then after a few steps, right. It was as if they were in a labyrinth. By the time they turned left again, she spotted a small, but elegant restaurant.
They both entered and were greeted by a raven haired girl. She thanked Merlin she was wearing a skirt today so she wouldn't seem under-dressed.
The girl was blushing the whole time while talking to Draco. Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. Oh, who wouldn't forget the girls who fawn over Draco?
They were led to an almost secluded area where they had the most excellent view of the garden outside. There were two chairs and a table covered with white cloth. A small candle light in the middle which was surrounded by tulips. She smiled.
Draco pulled out the chair for her. She thanked him and sat down. Once they were both settled, Hermione looked anywhere but him. From the large window, she could see the beautiful night sky which was blanketed with stars and the thing that outstands is the bright full moon.
Looking down, she saw the labyrinth they walked into and the garden on the other side. There was a huge fountain and a lot of flowers, different flowers surrounding it. She started to hear soft music around them.
Draco was gazing at her. Her beauty was still the same as ever. She really is a beautiful woman. He was glad she came with him tonight. He was glad his plans were working.
"I ordered for the both of us already, if that's okay with you. We could just order again if you won't like it." He muttered.
Hermione glanced at him. "Okay."
Their food came and they were both quiet the whole time. The food was really delicious. Most of them were her favorite dishes. He remembers what she likes, and when the waiter suggested a certain dish, Draco refused because he knew she was allergic to it. She was smiling inside, in awe that he still knew her that well and yet she avoided any eye contact with him. She could feel his gaze at her the whole time.
Dessert came and when she took her last bite of chocolate cake she placed her fork down and took a sip of her champagne. Draco too, was finished with his cake and sipped from his glass, still gazing at the woman in front of him.
She was feeling very uncomfortable with his gaze. It's as if he is trying to read his mind and would know she was just faking her amnesia. They heard the band started to play inside. She could see a young man standing in front of the small stage and started to sing. They could hear the song from their area.
Draco stood and held out his hand. "Dance with me."
She hesitated at first but finally gave in. She stood and felt his hand on her back, leading her a few steps away from their table.
He pulled her closer. She could smell him. It was still the same smell he had. That musk, sexy Draco smell he always had. She gently placed her hand on his arm and felt his muscles. She glanced up at him and saw he was looking at her.
"You look lovely, Hermione." His voice was soft.
She felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. She bit her lip and looked away. "This girl of yours might be looking for you already. We should go."
He held her closer. "Let's not talk about her. And besides, she isn't looking for me. It might be the other way around."
She perked her head up to look at him and frowned. "What do you mean?"
Draco smiled. "Let's just enjoy this night."
She hates it when he changes the topic but chose to ignore it…for now. They continued to dance until there was a change in music. She thought they would stop dancing but he held her closer.
She was stiff for a moment, not knowing whether she should pull away or wrap her arms around him. She began to listen to the lyrics. She haven't heard this song, nor does she know who sang it, but the message it brought really touched her
'I may havemay have run out of songs to sing
I may have run out of words to say
but all that I want you to know is what I feel for you:'
And to her surprise, Draco was singing along but in a very soft voice, barely audible.
'I love you' She heard him whisper.
She looked back up at him and he was still gazing at her.
'As endless as forever… Our love will stay together… You're all I need to be here with forevermore.'
He was still singing along, gazing right into her eyes.
He pulled her closer and swayed to the song. The song fits perfectly to what he felt for her. He specifically requested it tonight, hoping that she would notice the lyrics. That's what he wanted to tell her, but he can't do it right now. He has to wait. He has to look for the Hermione that was lost because of him. He has to bring her back.
She was really a dream that came true. He hoped that she would be his again someday. He would do anything for her, no matter what, no matter where or when.
She started to relax and rested her head on his chest. She could hear his steady heartbeat. She could feel the softness of his shirt. She remembered she always loved laying her head on his chest. It always reminded her that she changed the heart of this man, that she showed him that he was capable of love She felt tears prickling her eyes. No, I can't cry now.
'I just can't compare you with anything in this world…'
She really can't. Though she hates to admit it, he was a perfect guy, coward or not. There is no other Draco Malfoy that exists in this world. No one could compare to him, no one could replace him in her stubborn heart.
She has to go. She can't take it any longer. She's tired of crying in front of him, tired of crying because of him. She pulled away, which surprised him, and turned away, her back facing him. "I have to go. Thanks for dinner." She apparated and was gone in a second, leaving Draco standing there staring at the cold empty space she once stood.
He closed his eyes and sighed. Patience, Draco. Patience. In time she'll open her heart to you. She's not the same Hermione you used to know.
He opened his eyes once again and walked to the large window looking at the garden below.
He has a plan, a plan to get Hermione back. After their conversation in the park, he was lost. He did say what he felt during their wedding day but he didn't know what he would do next after opening that up to her. He saw how broken she was after he left.
He was driving all the way until he stopped, surprised that he was in the Manor of his parents.
Flashback (in the Manor after his conversation with Hermione)
"I'm a very bad person. I've put Hermione through a lot of things. I don't deserve her." He muttered and drank on his glass of fire whisky.
Lucius was silent the whole time while Draco told him what happened. He, too, was drinking a glass of fire whisky. "Son, if you're a bad person, then what more am I?"
Draco snorted. "Then it makes the both of us."
Lucius poured another round of whisky to their glass. "You're not a bad person, Draco. Things just happen in life. There will always come a time when you make a mistake and a time for you to make things right. Don't blame yourself with what had happened to her. Miss Granger's accident wasn't your fault. It was the lunatic driver's fault."
Draco clenched his jaw. "If I didn't leave her, she wouldn't be in an accident."
Lucius sighed. "But your marriage wouldn't last. You would just hurt her even more. I knew how you felt. You felt like you were losing yourself. You were used to being the Draco Malfoy and the thought of sharing your life with someone for the rest of your life puts a great pressure on you. Miss Granger is too good for you and you were afraid that you wouldn't be good enough for her. You were afraid you wouldn't make her happy."
Draco glanced at his father. "How did you know that's how I felt?"
Lucius pursed his lips. "Because the same thing happened to me and your mother."
He frowned. "You left mother in the aisle too?"
Lucius chuckled. "Of course not. I was the bad guy. Let's just say I left your mother the night we got married for two months. I wandered around and tried to find myself. Being in an arranged marriage does put you to a lot of pressure. I didn't know if I really loved your mother nor am I even capable of love. When I left, that's when I realized that I needed her more than I needed anyone. I finally realized how much she loves me and I felt the same for her, that's why I came back."
Draco frowned and drank on his glass. "I didn't know that."
The old man smirked. "Why should we tell you? It's in the past. We should never dwell on the past because what matters is now."
Draco looked at the glass he was holding. "What could I do for Hermione?"
His father shrugged. "I know nothing about Miss Granger, except her brightness and excellence in spells, you should know what to do. You're a Malfoy."
Narcissa came inside the parlor they were staying. She was listening to their conversation the whole time. "Draco, dear, a woman just needs time. Like you said, she's been through a lot. She may still be hurt right now and the idea of loving someone might scare her. She can't remember the guy who broke her heart so she may be finding a hard time to trust anyone. You just need to take one step at a time. Let her know the real you, know her as well." She smiled. "Don't force her to fall in love with you. Let her be the one to do that."
He frowned. "I'm confused."
"Love is really confusing. Just offer her your friendship, gain her trust. She needs to know she could trust you and you should trust yourself that you would never hurt her again." Narcissa sat beside Lucius and held his hand. "Love - takes time."
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooo
'As endless as forever…Our love will stay together…You're all I need to be her with forevermore."
Draco sighed. His folks were right, and yet, he still can't understand. He asked his friends and even Pansy, still they said the same thing. Their relationship began so fast during that speed dating event. They loved each other from that day, why can't it be the same again?
Blaise even called him when Hermione was taking pictures of him. He suggested some weird ways to Draco and that a small problem occurred in his company.
Draco told her the pictures were for his girlfriend. He didn't know why he said that. He just wanted to spend time with her and honestly, he wanted to push his luck and see if she would be jealous. But, she didn't care.
She was the girlfriend he was talking about. He's the one looking for her. He's looking for that Hermione, but if he can't find the old Hermione, he would embrace the new one and love her as much as he did before…even more if that's possible.
I'll do anything to get her back, whether she cares or not. I'll do anything to prove her how much I love her even if it takes me forever.
A/N: Okay? This is the longest I've ever written. It's two in the morning. Anyway, please oh please review. It keeps me inspired to write some more. Haha. First song is 'Breathe – Taylor Swift'. Next 'Everybody – Ingrid Michaelson' then the last is a 'Forevermore (new version)' – Side A Band. Review guys! Thanks. Have a rough draft of Chapter ten and eleven. By the way, this isn't the same as the movie. I had to add some things because if I do the same as the movie I would've finished this fic already and it would be too fast. I want Dramaione to develop their relationship in a quite realistic way. :D Sorry if there are grammatical errors, cause I'm too tired and too excited to post this. I don't want to keep you guys waiting. Again, review. :D
