The next morning the two turned up in the great hall for breakfast, Draco leaning on a walking stick, Hermione by his side to help him. All were silent as they went to sit down with their friends, who were all too glad to see Draco and Hermione together. Soon the noise in the great hall crescendo-ed back to its normal decibel level and the friends were caught up in conversation. No one asked Draco about what happened. Only Luna mentioned the scar on Draco's face.
"It's dangerous," she said, in a way that made Draco blush with embarrassment and Blaise clench his fist. The others just smirked and failed to suppressed giggles, which immediately cooled down the tension.
"Pass the jam, would you, Hermione?" Hermione passed the jar of gooey red conserve, and then stopped, just before he could take it.
"You just called me Hermione." She said, weary. Ginny had tears was about to start up again with the giggling. Harry thought it was worth joining in.
"That is your name, isn't it Granger?" Draco snatched the jam and spooned a huge amount of jam onto his toast. That was all it took for everyone to shake with laughter. Hermione couldn't understand what was so funny, but she was sure it was to do with the feeling she had that that had happened before.
"Besides," he whispered, only so she could hear, "Surely we should be on a first name basis, after yesterday." She nodded, and he winked. "Meet me out by the lake, after first lessons?" She smiled widely and nodded.

….

Draco was sitting; leaning against the tree trunk, like the first time they met there, his walking stick beside him was the only difference. They sat in silence for a while, watching the lake's wave's splash against the bank.

"The prince is meant to save the princess, not the other way around. You didn't have to save me." He said, it was a teasing comment, but said in a sullen tone. Hermione was determined to be cheerful and so she said.
"I had to save you, boys are useless, and they can't do anything for themselves. They need help." "That's not true-" he started.
"Yes it is. Why do you think I stayed with Harry and Ron all those years? The would have been dead in three seconds flat without moi." She said, matter-of-factly, pointing at herself.
"Fair point," Draco admitted defeat.
"Anyway, I did want to."

Hermione's hand had drifted up to the locket. When she touched it, a tingling sensation passed down her fingertips through her arm, straight to her head. It was a memory.
Then he took her hand off his shoulder got up and left with four short words "I did want to." She shook her head.
"What's wrong?"
"That's happened before." He smirked.
"I thought so too."

…

Hermione sat in her room, writing down the lyrics to a song.

No scientists, or biology
It's obvious, when he's holding me
It's only natural that I'm so affected

And my heart won't beat again
If I can't feel him holding me
No need to question, I already know

It's in his DNA
And he just takes my breath away
I feel it every day,
Not hard to understand
Perfect in every way
I see it in his face
Nothing more to say

It's the blue in his eyes that helps me see the future
Fingerprints that leave me covered for days,
Now I don't have any first degree
But I know, what he does to me
No need to work it out, it's so familiar

And my heart won't beat again
If I can't feel him in my veins
No need to question, I already know
It's in his DNA

And he just takes my breath away
I feel it every day, and that's what makes a man
Not hard to understand
Perfect in every way
I see it in his face
Nothing more to say

She stuck it up on the wall next to a blank piece of parchment. She couldn't remember why she had them up there, but she couldn't bear to take them down. It was like the pictures. There was one picture, taken with a magical camera. She, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Pansy, Luna and Blaise were smiling and laughing, and her photo-self was staring into a blank space every now and again, with an expression of love filling her smile. No one was looking at her returning the look. The space looked like a person should be there, and she couldn't remember who. Noticing the time, she got up and left for patrols.

Draco snuck into the room and left a note on her pillow.