They lay in silence for what seemed like hours just soaking in each others presence in peace. Draco had his arms lovingly around Hermione who had her head resting on his chest.

"You know" Hermione said, breaking the silence, "You still haven't answered my question yet"

"Oh? And what question might that be?"

"Why do you care about me so much?"

"oh…um……it's complicated Hermione……."

"like how?"

"….It's just……can we talk about something else?"

Hermione sat up, " Why do you keep avoiding this question?"

"….I'm not….it just……-"

"Look Draco I don't need any of your bull crap right now, so answer my question, it's not that complicated"

"IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE EITHER"

"I'm leaving" Hermione tried to stand up but Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her back down next to him.

"I'm not avoiding the question, I just don't know how to answer you in a way that will make you understand…all I have is a memory." He was starring at her with such a fixed intensity that she was lost in his eyes for a moment – just a moment, then she looked away and stood up.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy, if that's the best answer you can give me at this time, I'll just be leaving"

As Hermione turned away Draco yelled to her retreating figure, " I was 6"

She turned back around, confused, " Exscuse me?"

" I ran away one summer, my parents thought that I was staying at Blaise's house, but I only stayed there when I wanted to sleep. I went to the beach everyday, there was a little girl there that I met. I can barely remember her, I wrote a song about her once. But it was one of the best summers and memories I have, I vowed to find that girl" He looked into her eyes, it was silent for awhile.

"But what does this have to do with me?" Hermione said, " I'm not that girl"

" I know, but when I first saw you, you looked so much like her, I kinda got my hopes up. I don't know why but I always felt this connection with you. I think it started that one day in first year when you, me, blaise, weasley and potter had to swim in the lake and get that one plant, remember? We had to do that for detention."

Hermione cracked a smile, " yah, I remember, you were making fun of Harry cause he almost drowned. But I still don't see what this has to do with me. I think you're just stalling again."

"I just don't want you to get mad"

"Why would I get mad?" she became skeptical

" When you got out of the water, right before you put your cloak back on, the spell must have worn off. I saw a scar on your shoulder, I've got one just like it on my leg. A belt, right?"

Hermione nodded slowly, " So you knew, this whole time?"

"No, not really. I only saw the one scar, that could have been a one time thing from a time when you really screwed up. I didn't know you're dad was abusive of anything. But I knew that you knew pain, pain like my pain, and I always just felt connected."

Hermione went a sat back down next to Draco, he smiled at her.

"Or it could have been that time in third year when you slapped me across the face and threatened to hex me like crazy. You scared the crap outta Crabbe and Goyle, it was hilarious" she smiled at him.

"Just Crabbe and Goyle?" her smile widened

"…well, ok, you scared me a little too."

"I thought so." Hermione thought for a moment., " Sing me the song"

"huh?"

"you said you wrote a song about the little girl from the beach, I wanna hear it."

"ok, on one condition"

"and what might that be?"

"don't laugh"

Hermione cracked a smile, " I wouldn't do that"

Draco pulled his wand out of his pocket and with a lazy flick his guitar appeared. Re-pocketing his wand he then pulled a black pick out of his pocket. He held the guitar and gave a strum before clearing his throat.

Little girl was down by the waterside
The sun so hot and the roses so red where she lie
As little boys sit and watch as she twirls all around
Sunny smiles not a raincloud could bring that girl down
But now...

What's behind those big brown eyes
Do you dream at night
Without your lullaby

Little boy sits alone as he sings in the dark
Wondering if his own dreams had pulled them apart
He sings a song of tomorrow he never can see
Mostly sings of a lost little girl's memory
And Now...

As his dreams go flashing by
He begins to hear
A lonely lullaby

Well now
We used to sing
And we used to cry
Through everything
In our children's lullaby

Little girl on the street with nobody around
Has her head in the air dirty feet on the ground
She shuts her eyes and she wonders is this a mistake
Now she's gone from the warmth of her little boy days
And still...

She believes that she'll get by
On her own without
Her little boy's lullaby

Little boy prays to God to answer his song
To hold her hand when everyone else's are gone
Time goes by and the wounds slowly turn into scars
So he makes his final wish on the midnight stars
And he screams...

Little girl won't you hear my cry
Won't you come back home
To your lover's lullaby

Little girl down by the waterside
Goodbye

Hermione stared at him as he sang, transfixed, and as he finished the last note hung in the air.

"That's not a very happy song, not the ending anyway"

" It's not supposed to"

Hermione looked up from her hands to Draco's face, " What happened to her?"

"………………she drowned."

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be…it was along time ago"

After they went back to their common room they meant to spend more time talking, however, Draco was summoned by Blaise who said Pansy was having a nervous break down because she said Draco was ignoring her – which was true. He didn't want to go, but Hermione said he should , so they could 'keep a low profile'.

She hadn't expected him to be gone this long. It had almost been half an hour. Hermione didn't like being left alone, it always got her depressed and as she sat on the chair by the window, watching the snow dance through the sky; she began to rethink todays events.

What if today had been a mistake?
should I have kissed him?

We practically made-out!

What if he's telling everyone in the Slytherin common room right now!

O crap

..no, no, he wouldn't do that…

Or would he?

Was today just one big joke for him?

Oh I've been such a fool!

No, calm down, deep breath

It's quite confusing when you start to argue with yourself , Hermione didn't know where to go or who to turn to. Yet, suddenly an idea popped in her head and she mentally slapped herself for not thinking of it sooner.

"….harry…."

(AN: MERRY CHRISTMAS )