A/N I"M SO SORRY! I know its been forever and i really have no excuse and i just want to let you know that there will be two more chapters after this and an epilogue. Just so you know. Oh and i do NOT own anything!

"I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

Bill Weasley kissed his new bride, Fleur at the head of the aisle and she tilted her head up towards him. Draco applauded along with everyone else.

"Hey, you crying?" He teased his girlfriend softly.

"No!" She snapped. He laughed gently and she scowled.

The chairs were cleared up and replaced with a dance floor. Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him to the middle of the floor. He twirled her around the room and she laughed gleefully. Bill and Fleur passed them whispering to each other and calling each other Mr and Mrs Weasley. Hermione pretended to gag.

The song ended and everyone applauded. Luna came up to them and said, "Hello Hermione, hello Draco!"

"Luna! How did you know who I am?" Draco asked, panicked. He had taken polyjuice potion to disguise himself. No one knew it was really him except for the Weaslys and Hermione and Harry.

"Just the expression on your face, I guess." She said nonchalantly. Another song came on and Draco said to the blonde, "Do you want to dance?"

They danced around the room as friends. He didn't think of Luna that way, but she was surprisingly always kind to him. Whenever she saw him in the hallways she would say hello to him. He usually mocked her, but it was a nice gesture.

"You love Hermione." Luna said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Draco said surprised, he had never told Luna that he and Hermione were going out. "But how did you know?"

"Just the way you look at her. My mom used to look at my dad that way." Her usual airy smile slipped and her eyes filled with pain.

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

She shrugged and her cheerfulness was back, "I think you should marry her."

"Wh-what?" Draco cried.

"Well, there is a war coming and you love her, right? Marry her. You don't know what could happen in the war." Draco knew that Luna was implying that Hermione might die in the war and he scowled.

"Don't say things like that!" He said icily.

The song ended and he pushed away from the starry eyed girl. He dropped himself into a chair and scowled at the table until he heard a familiar voice say, "What happened?"

"Nothing." He said shortly to Hermione.

"Uh-huh. You suck at lying."

"Don't leave!" He suddenly burst out.

"What do you mean?" She said, confused.

"I mean, I know you're planning on going away with Potter and Weasley and I don't want you to! Stay here with me! I can't go back to Hogwarts and the house will be so empty! You'll be safer if you stay!" He said desperately. He never was so open about his true feelings but he felt so strongly about Hermione leaving, that it all just came out.

She looked away from him, "Draco, you know I have to go. Voldemort has to be stopped. I'm so sorry."

"Fine." He glared at her and stomped off.

His mother was swaying by herself in the corner wearing a pretty silver dress with her blonde hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head.

"Hello Draco." She said kindly.

He just nodded at her.

"What's wrong?" She frowned.

"Hermione's leaving to fight Voldemort." He said bitterly.

"Oh, dear." Narcissa's face visibly paled.

"It's too dangerous! She'll get killed!"

"Draco I know you're very scared but she has to do this! This war must end! Be supportive and just treasure the time you have left with her." Narcissa said wisely.

Draco didn't want to treasure the time left with her because he didn't want her to go! But instead of throwing a hissy-fit, he trudged back to her and tried to smile.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier." He said stiffly.

"It's fine." She said softly.

"No it's not. Hermione, I really love you and I'm so scared for you. If I could I would tie you up and lock you in the house until this war is over. But I know it'll never be over until someone does something about it. And even know it kills me to say this – I know you can do this and I know you're going to come back to me safe and sound." He said seriously to her. She looked at him for a second then promptly burst into tears.

"What did you say to her?" Ron asked sharply, running over to them with Harry following behind him.

"I-I don't know!" Draco said, panicked.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry said.

"Oh God Draco! I'm so sorry! I love you so much no matter what happens!" She cried.

He didn't know what to say or do so he just held her until she stopped crying. She sniffled and whispered to him, "Why don't we take a walk?"

The night had fallen and there was fairy lights twinkling around the dancers. The moon was full and cast its light on the couple as they held hands and wandered across the field. Like always they ended up at their rose garden. He lit the candles in the hanging jam jars and lost his breath when he looked at her. She was so beautiful in her knee-length scarlet coloured dress. Her chestnut curls were like a curtain surrounding her heart shaped face.

"You know, we didn't get to dance much tonight." He said to her slyly.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

He bowed dramatically and extended his hand, "May I have this dance, Ms. Granger?"

She suppressed a giggle and answered solemnly, "You may."

He waltzed with her around the white flowers. He hummed under his breath for music. They didn't speak; they didn't need words to express their happiness and comfort. He kissed her gently. She wrapped her arms around him and he ran his hand up her back.

"Want to go swimming?" She murmured to him. She led him to the pond and stood beside its black glass surface.

"We don't have bathing suits." He said. She smirked at him. Then, hesitantly pulled off her dress. She stood before him in her underwear. Beige strapless bra and white underwear. He smiled. She looked slightly nervous so he took off his button-down pants and dress shirt until he stood beside her in his boxers.

He stepped into the water and she followed. She still looked tense so he splashed her. She gasped and splashed him back. He sent a tidal wave towards her and shoved it back. It was an all-out water war. He kissed her wet lips and touched her dripping locks. The kissed got deeper. He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, asking her a question only she could answer. She nodded and he smiled.

They went out deeper in the water, until Draco's toes could barely touch the bottom. Soon, they were rolling around under the water, only coming up for air when they felt like they would die. They both lost their innocence in that secret pond. They gave each other all they had and were now bonded. A little while later, they gathered their clothes and held hands back to the mansion. The guests were gone and the field was dark and empty. He kissed her goodnight in front of her door and went back into his own room. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He loved Hermione so much and now she was his and he was hers.

The next morning he knocked on Hermione's door to bring her to breakfast but she didn't answer. Frowning, he pushed open the door and gasped at the sight of the empty bed. Ice filled his lungs and his legs became lead. He stumbled over to his bedside table and in the place of Hermione's favourite book, The Secret Garden, was a simple note in her swirling writing:

I'm so sorry. I love you.

A/N ooh oooooh! Hermione left! Stay tuned for the next chapter ad for Gods sake: REVIEW! I hardly get reviews and thank you for adding my story to your favourites but come on! I need to know what you think! and the more reviews i get, the faster i update so there you go.