Hermione's words tore at his heart. How was he supposed to answer that? As Draco gazed at her, at her questioning and confused eyes, and at the sadness within them, he knew that there was no turning back.

Draco knew he had tried his best to bring back Hermione's memory after taking it away, because he told himself that Hermione would be happier with him than without. He had started everything, and everything had gone so wrong because of him, and it was his responsibility to Hermione to try to make everything better.

Memories...to bring back Hermione's memories, he could take her into his memories, Draco thought suddenly. A pensieve, I need a pensieve, he thought urgently, and one appeared in front of them. The stone basin seemed to stand expectantly, and trembling slightly, Draco brought his wand to his head and a long silver thread of memory came away from his head, clinging to the wand tip. Longer and longer the memories stretched until it broke and swung, silvery bright, from the wand. Hermione stared in wonder at the silvery gas. She knew what it was. Draco lowered the silvery gas into the waiting stone baisin, and taking Hermione's hand, he whispered, "I'll show you the truth." Clutching Draco's hand tightly, she suddenly felt frightened, but the presence of Draco reassured her. Simlutaneously, they plunged their heads into the swirling substance, and fell headfirst into blinding sunlight.

"Is that me, Draco?" Hermione called out in shock. Besides her, Draco nodded. With a start, she recognised the scene from her first year, the time she had saved a boy from the whomping willow. The boy...who was it? Hermione whipped her head around and squinting her eyes, stared at the tree. She saw herself running towards the trunk, and pressing the knot as the Whomping Willow thrashed about furiously with the boy on one of its branches. The boy...she saw he come down from the branch, shaking and stumbling a little. He was Draco. Thank you, Hermione heard him say to her year one self, and she vaguely recalled how happy she had felt with Draco smiling at her.

The scene dissolved and in the distance she saw her year three self faced with a hippogriff. That disastrous Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Hermione thought to herself. The hippogriff had very nearly attacked her. She saw herself slowly backing away...but the hippogriff was gradually advancing on her, it's ugly head rearing inches away from hers. Even though she knew nothing could hurt her in the memory, Hermione still shuddered slightly at the sight of the ferocious beast. "Don't worry," Draco murmered besides her comfortingly, "you're safe." And just as he said that, the thirteen year old Draco ran to the aid of the thirteen year old Hermione. Even in the distance, Hermione could make out the distinct shape of Draco rushing to her as she stood rooted to the spot with fright. He grabbed her and pulled her to the side just as the hippogriff's beak made a slashing motion for her arm. Thank you, Hermione said softly.

The scene reformed and she realised she was at the Yule Ball, in her fourth year. Looking around, Hermione realised with a jolt that she was dancing with Draco. The people surrounding them were shooting them disapproving glances, but they danced on, looking as though they did not have a care in the world. Hermione remembered how she felt, as she got lost in the warm grey eyes of Draco. They had been so...happy. And she knew where the picture she had picked up from among Draco's belongings had come from. "I don't care what everyone else thinks," the fourteen year old Draco was saying urgently. "I love you." And over the din of the music, Hermione could hear herself admitting that she loved him too.

The scene of the Yule Ball disappeared and they were watching Draco staring sleeplessly into the fire of the Slytherin common room. He had just returned to Hogwarts from the Easter break in his fifth year, only to be informed by his parents that the dark lord required him to follow in his parents' footsteps and become a death eater. His first thought had been of Hermione, and how it would affect her. The dormitory was deserted in the early hours of the morning yet Draco continued sitting still as stone, wondering how he would protect Hermione. And after weeks of thought, Draco had decided that the only way to protect her would be to make him forget about him.

The restlessness and anguish in Draco pained Hermione as she stared at him pacing up and down the corridor. The corridor outside the room they were now in. Draco had asked her to meet him there for something, and what that something was she soon saw.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I love you, but I have to do this, I have to protect you."

"Draco, what do you mean?"

"Obliviate."

Hermione saw her eyes slide out of focus, and as she saw herself slowly turn away from Draco and stumble back to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione realised that there were tears in Draco's eyes.

The scene seemed to fly away and they rose out of the pensieve. Finally, the truth. Hermione's head felt much clearer and lighter, and her sadness had miraculously vanished. She glanced at Draco, and recognised him immediately from the time they were first years.

They gazed shyly at each other and Hermione found the words to express her innermost thoughts. "Better with you and in constant danger than safe but without you." And under the high ceilings in the now silent room, their lips met.