Disclaimer: I do not own a slither on Harry Potter.

Authors note: I am aware how horrible my grammar/sentence structure is and I promise you I am trying to improve. I will take extra care writing this next chapter and re-read over it many a time before posting.

I just really want to thank every single person who has commented. Every time I look back through the comments it fills me with an unmeasurable amount of happiness and inspiration for me to continue. You're all absolutely wonderful people and I wish only to make you all as happy as you make me feel. Please please please write more reviews!

Love, Georgiana.

Chapter 21

Hermione (pensive)

"Well, how was that?" Hermione's voice barley was heard over the booming streets of London. A smirk attempted to cross my face but I managed to restrain it, keeping my natural hard composure.

"Fine, I suppose." I noticed my voice was instinctively icy. For a moment I daren't glance at Hermione's face. I did not wish to know what confusion or hurt impeded her brilliant mind. I kept my winter-cold eyes ahead of me, focusing on avoiding all contact with the oblivious Londoners. A frustrated sigh rippled from the girl's lips beside him. Draco's strides quickened to an almost unbearable pace for Hermione to keep up with.

An unexpected vice like grip pulled on my elbow. I felt my piercing eyes whip around onto her angry angelic face. My eyebrows pulled towards each other into a glare of confusion. I yanked my ensnared arm, attempting to release the heated grasp with no luck. Her complexion never faltered, other than the red of her cheeks now positively glowing from frustration.

"What?" my voice sounded even colder than before when the words snapped from my lips. Her eye brows shot to her head in a bewildered rage.

"What?!" she fumed. "Are you serious?" the sarcasm dripped with lividness. "Ever since we sat down you've reverted back to your intolerable 11-year-old-self. So what is it?" She demanded as her pace halted in the middle of the bustling streets. The occasional passer-by glaring in our direction for blocking their path. My gaze never failing to break from hers. I took a deep breath and felt the familiar distancing expression cross my face as my eyes hardened. I purposely straightened my back taking a calculated step backwards away from her.

"I must return to the Manor," the flat tone of my voice giving nothing of the true conflict within myself. A few long seconds past as he waited for her response. Unknowingly to his own beliefs, she actually turned a brighter red than before and took an aggressively swift step towards me and extended a hand towards my arm- thankfully my quick seeker reactions caught her off guard as my own hand came into contact with her own. A millisecond of shock seemed to perplex her as she froze suddenly. I looked down towards our own hands with the confusion evident on my face. The familiar voltage ran through my body as I looked down, her petite slender hand engulfed by my own. The tension hung heavy in the air. My gaze slowly returned to her face, now smirking. Shit.

The familiar feeling of being squeezed through an incredibly small tube returned to my body. The odd sensation of hurling churning in my stomach as the unforeseen side-along disapperation bewildered me. The feeling dissipated quickly enough for my steady feet found it's new grounding in another alley.

"Why did you do that?!" my voice was harsh and rough rippling through my throat. "Do you know how dangerous that is? I could've been splinched?! We could've been seen- we we're in the complete open- surrounded by muggles?!" the disgust in my voice belonged to the surprise at her actions and pure recklessness. I received no answer other than a rather over exaggerated eye roll.

"Granger?!" I snapped again following her out of the alley way as she quickly took off around the corner. Caught up in my own anger, I felt a sudden pull at my hand as Hermione turned into yet another unknown muggle shop. I looked down and realised my hand remained in hers with a rather tight grasp. I suddenly jerked my hand away from hers and found she didn't even flinch. I took a deep breath in attempt to calm my frustration and found the sweet nutty sensual smell of coffee filling my nose as my sense erupted. I felt my mouth being to salivate.

"Two hot chocolates, please." I was returned from my euphoria to see Hermione speaking to a woman dressed in all black with an apron tied around her waist. A polite smile lighting her face.

"Would you like cream on your hot chocolates?" the rather nasal voice of the barista intrigued me.

"No cream on mine, but If I may, could I have marshmallows? The mini ones- not the large ones and for his hot choc-

"As much cream as you can fit- if you may." I interrupted finding myself as close to the counter as I could be without realising I had even taken a step. The barista took a sharp breath and momentarily froze as she looked up at me almost overfilling the jug of frothy milk.

"Two hot chocolates, one without cream and with mini marshmallows and the other with as much cream as I can possibly fit." The rather plain muggle woman began to bat her eyelashes at me as she spoke. "Would you like any cake or biscuits with your hot chocolate?" she asked me directly, not even glancing at Hermione.

"Nothing." I snipped attempting to end the conversation.

"Are you sure nothing you see interests you even a little?" I felt my familiar face of disgust envelope my face. This muggle was openly hitting on me; it wasn't even because she was a muggle that I was disgusted-

"I would love some of your triple chocolate fudge cake, warmed up if you can please." Hermione's polite voice interrupted my thoughts as I glanced down at her monitoring her reactions, she didn't notice anything unusual. Maybe that's how all muggles treat each other?

"Coming up." The woman's nasal voice took a tone of displeasure answering to Hermione. I watched as her polite smile slowly fell from her face into a frown. Her eyes flashed with something similar to anger or maybe even jealously. I could hardly contain the smirk that teased the corner of my lips. She slammed a piece of muggle paper money onto the surface near the till and stormed towards the back of the coffee shop weaving in and out of the many cramped tables, her head held high. I found a soft chuckle escaping my lips as I cupped my mouth with my hand and shook my head. Her grumpy walking would make it hard for anyone to keep up with. Within the next second, in my opinion, the now rather sour looking woman placed two hot chocolates on a black circular tray with a delicious melted triple chocolate fudge cake that smelled like heaven. She looked up at me expectantly and I hesitated as I took the tray. She slipped a piece of paper with random numbers inscribed onto the tray just as I headed towards Granger.

I eventually found her in the back room filled with sofa leather looking settees and comfy large chairs. There in the corner she was huddled gazing furiously out of the window at the dark night's sky. The blinding street lamps lit her up like an angle in God's light. I almost made me spill our drinks as I watched her. She had her knees pulled up into her arms as she fiddled with her hands gnawing her bottom lip.

"I didn't expect to have to carry my own beverages." I snipped as I approached her. She jumped at the sound of my voice. She took a deep breath as if inhaling the deliciousness on the tray and her body physically relaxed as I placed it on the coffee table in front of her before taking a seat in a rather comfy leather chesterfield chair opposite her.

"Thanks." She mumbled into her hot chocolate as she took a long sip and her eyes closed as a mouth water groan escaped from her lips sending my blood racing. I cleared my throat as I took my own hot chocolate glancing quickly around before taking a rather large and rather undignified slurp of my own drink. Her face turned onto mine and a giggle escaped her lips before she covered her mouth with her free hand.

"What?" I enquired quickly.

"You lip" she gestured, wiping her own upper lip with her thumb. "You have cream on your lip." Her beatific laughter chimed around me. I took a second to listen to her as her eyes locked onto my own before she glanced down to my lips. I was taking this opportunity.

I seductively ran my tongue along my upper lip licking away any of the cream that was previously on my lips. Her breathing hitched as I watched her swallow hard. A slight smirk rose on my face as her mouth parted slightly. She coughed lightly and returned to her drink staring outside.

"So it was you who freed that over sized chicken?" I suddenly found myself making conversation filling the tense air. Her head snapped up as a divine smile grew on her face. "I should've known. Of course it would be goody-two-shoes Granger." I snipped mockingly. Anything to hear that laugh again. And I was greatly rewarded as her laughter filled me with more warmth than even a hot chocolate could.

"Yeah- that was me" she giggled. "And Harry." For some reason her smile faltered and she glanced up to me. If confusion stuck me I didn't show it.

"Of course it would've been Potter also." I smirked at her, thankfully her smile returning.

"Oh I just love this song," Hermione breathed effortlessly closing her eyes and listening intently to the music filling the air as she took a dignified sip of her hot chocolate.

"What is it?" Suddenly intrigued by muggle music.

"The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood." She almost whispered without opening her eyes totally engrossed.

"Where is Hollywood? Who is going? I don't understand." I announced bashfully. I felt my eyebrows knit together and another giggle escaped her lips as her maple eyes set onto my cold ones.

"No, no one is going to Hollywood." She laughed. "The name of the band is called "Frankie Goes to Hollywood". And Hollywood is a place where lots of famous muggle actors play in films." She added.

"I still don't understand. What is a film?" I stated again with confusion. I watched her cinnamon eyes roll over as a deep sigh escaped her lungs.

"Of course you wouldn't. Idiot" She breathed.

"I'm not an idiot." I announced unflinching by the offence caused.

"Not you silly- I was speaking to myself." She replied smiling up to me almost apologetically.

"I always knew you were mad, Granger." I smirked at her almost finished my hot chocolate leaving the vile last bit in the bottom. I set my large tea cup and saucer on the coffee table and leant forward onto my knees watching her as she gazed out of the window. She smiled as she watched the scene of London unavailing before us.

"We're all mad here." She beamed now right at me. My breathing hitched in my throat and my mouth became so very dry. I swallowed hard before even contemplating what she had said.

"It's a quote- from a book." She said as her cheeks flushed a pretty red. "A muggle book." I could barely even consider what she was saying still trying to breath from my last ordeal. Get a grip Draco.

"You should show me this muggle book of madness." I declared after recovering, mirth playing on the words. Her eyes shone with awe before they dropped back to her empty cup in her hands.

"What're we doing?" she breathed as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. No- not this.

"What do you mean 'what're we doing'?" trying to avoid the question.

"Don't do that" she pleaded, not looking to meet my intense gaze. It shocked me, she was always so fiery and full of absolution and pride. It was as if I had extinguished her soul.

"Don't do what?" to this her head snapped up and her eyes met mine. The fire beginning to burn in her eyes.

"Avoid the question." She alleged.

"What question?" I asked.

"Draco!" she cried and people started looking in our direction and she tried to relax herself after the slight embarrassment and rage burned her cheeks. "Please- just answer." She demanded impatiently now.

"Fine- we should do nothing." A frown pulled down on her face as mine remained stoic. I watched as her eyes glassed over and quivering in her hands almost drew my eyes down.

"You… You don't want this?" she asked, the hurt evident in her words. I felt an unfamiliar pull in my chest watching her flinch in such emotional agony.

"It's not a question of what I want." I stated flatly. My eyes boring into hers.

"What do you- eh- want?" she asked nervously as she bit her bottom lip. My blood boiled and my fists clenched until my knuckles tightened into a deathly white shade. I swallowed hard. How could I be so attracted to her? She was so beautiful but even looking so hurt she could make my mind wonder. Her eyes darted downwards.

"You're biting your lip." The words fell out of my mouth before I could think and I mentally cursed myself. Her head snapped up returning to my gaze with bright cheeks. "I don't know what I want." I announced dully before she had time to respond to my error. "Are you going to eat your cake slice?" I asked attempting to change the subject. All I got was a shrug of her small framed shoulders for a few moments.

"You're welcome to help yourself, though." She declared faintly. I felt my own face pull into a frown and a tsk escaped her lips before she scooped some of her triple chocolate fudge cake onto her fork and held it into my direction. My eyes widened.

"I refuse to let you subdue me into feeding me." I gripped the arm of the sofa and received an eye roll.

"Just take the fork Malfoy! For goodness sake." She whispered the last sentence. I cautiously took the fork before instinctually sniffing the cake. The delightful scent of the chocolate intoxicated my senses.

"I didn't poison it, just try it." She snipped, sounding offended. So I did- I placed the fork in my mouth and withdrew it leaving the cake in my mouth. And merlin it was luscious. Like nothing I had ever tasted- not even at the manor. I felt my own eyes widen as the cake melted onto my tongue leaving a puddle of scrumptious molten chocolate in my mouth.

"Since when did you ever do anything I told you to do?" she laughed watching my reaction. "It's good isn't it? It's the best coffee shop around in my opinion." I regretfully swallowed the last of the cake.

"Since I realised how frightening you can be," I smirked. "And I'm starting to agree with you there."

"Poor Draco Malfoy, Slythering former death eater scared by a mere little Gryffindor girl" she laughed before realising her words. I felt my solemn misery harden my face. Her face dropped.

"Malfoy- I'm so sor-

"Well this mere little Gryffindor girl is quite terrifying especially with the right hook she can give." I attempted to cover up my distress and a genuine single chuckle escaped my lips in memory of the time she punched me. Thankfully she didn't mention another word.

"Would you like to leave?" she asked politely. I gave a curt nod without meeting her eyes and rose to my feet.

The warm summer evening hit me as I left the coffee shop. The wonderful light warm breeze flowing carefully over my skin. I took a deep breath before leaving the shop. I heard her follow me out, the streets were less packed now, with only a few muggles in the street. I turned inevitably down to her. She was only a meter or so away with a down glint in her eyes.

"Well that was a great last date, Malfoy- thanks." She teased with some truth to her words.

"Last? When was our first?" I humoured a small smile playing on my lips.

"I guess it was also our first." She sighed.

"Well what is the verdict?" I asked, she looked up puzzled. "How would the date qualify?" I asked almost jokingly but desperately wanted to know if she enjoyed herself.

"Well- I guess, well… how do you think it went? Comparing to other first dates?" she asked shyly as we ambled down the street lit path towards a small park in the centre of a square, lit by may small bulbs handing on a wire.

"Well, this isn't like any date I've been on before." I chuckled to myself.

"Why? What're your first dates normally like?" she asked almost sounding intrigued.

"Let's just say they consist of a lot less clothing and a thank you note at the end." I smirked.

"Really?!" she blurted out cheeks burning, before she could restrain herself completely and utterly embarrassed.

"No Granger, of course not. I'm not sad enough to actually leave a thank you note." I teased smirking as we sat down on a simple wooden bench underneath a string of bulbs in the middle of the small park.

"Oh, har-har Malfoy." She drawled sarcastically. "You're hilarious."

"I know," our legs grazing against each other as both our gazes looked up quickly locking onto each other. "What did I tell you about sarcasm?" I teased a mirthful smirk playing on my face.

"And what did I reply, Malfoy?" she laughed beautifully.

"Actually I think you owe me an apology there, Granger." I insisted.

"Excuse me?!" she raised her voice in surprise, "And for what do I owe an apology for?" she demanded.

"Prepare yourself, and I quote directly 'As if I would waste good wit on someone of the likes of you- a low life death eater'" I actually laughed out loud remembering our previous conversation.

"Well excuse me but I believe you deserved that after calling me a Mudblood." She grinned but her words bought back a painful feeling and I felt my jaw tighten. Her smile faded into a confused frown.

"You shouldn't use that word," I frowned ahead of me avoiding her eyes jaw still tense.

"What?" the surprise in her voice was painfully obvious.

"I'm sure that your hearing didn't fail you, and I refuse to repeat myself." I snipped flatly.

"Sorry, I'm just used to hearing it from you I suppose…" she looked ahead of herself now, lost in thoughts or memories. "You were quite the bully Malfoy," she laughed so light heartedly, her pureness almost excruciating.

"What's to say I have changed?" I mocked finding myself almost smiling.

"Why did you change Malfoy?" she asked genuinely now, almost like she couldn't help it. She looked embarrassed when I looked up to her, she looked as if she shouldn't have said it, but I guess I owed her of all people an explanation. I gazed at her head hanging down, fiddling with her hands. Before I knew what I was doing I found my index finger lifting her face up to look at me. Her eyes wide with an unknown fear lurking in her eyes. I found my self moving closer to her body, sliding over on the wooden bench to her. I released her face and glanced down to her left forearm. Her pretty sleeveless light blue chiffon summer dress leaving her scar exposed. A painful frown crossed my face as I reached out and carefully picked up her arm as if she were so brittle she'd break with any force. I didn't look up to her face but her whole body tensed as she tried to jerk her arm away covering up her scar. Yet I again took her petite arm in my hands tenderly. I looked at the words carved maliciously into her otherwise unblemished porcelain skin. I slowly bought my head down and brushed my lips against her imperfect skin.

Her sharp intake of breath alerted me to my deep thoughts before I looked up to her face now, so confused. So tormented. I could see everything in her eyes now. All her pain. I bought my right hand and compassionately cupped her warm cheek in my hand before I bought my lips agonizingly close to her own. I heard her own breathing hitch before my heart beat sped up. I tenderly stroked my thumb on her face whilst holding her scarred arm in my other hand.

"That's why, Hermione." Her name melted off of my tongue, the temptation to crush my lips against hers almost too overpowering as I bore into her eyes. Swirling with so much emotion. I leant forward ever so slightly and rested my head on hers and closed my eyes. My breath deepened as I contemplated my thoughts.

"That day, that day has haunted me Granger," I whispered. "Every hour I'm awake, and every hour I'm asleep. All I see is you, writhing on my floor. From my Aunt. And I was too much of a coward to do anything. I didn't do anything Hermione!" my eyes were open now, alerted and in pain. My hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head, entwined with her soft honey hair. Bracing her head against mine. "I didn't do anything! I just watched!" the anger in myself shown powerfully in my quaking voice. Her eyes filled with tears now, my heart clenching at her pain. A single tear slid down her rosy cheeks.

I let out a sigh and removed my head from hers and subtracted my hands from her person. I ran my own hands through my hair frustrated and immensely betrayed by myself. The haunting images filling my mind.

"I will never forgive myself, I will never let myself forgive myself." I breathed. "I can't, I will never be that coward ever again." I spoke the full truth. "I will never let something as pathetic as blood prejudice dictate my life and how I live it. Never again." I was barely speaking to her now, rather confirming it with myself.

Minutes passed in a comfortable silence, I didn't look at her. I couldn't bring myself too after I had opened up to her so much. I had never told anyone that before, but I supposed if I was going to; it probably should've been Granger.

"Come," I spoke as I rose to my feet and held out my had, looking down to her honey halo framing her angelic face. "Let's walk."

She gave a weak smile and rose to her own feet, sliding her slender hand into mind. Her fingers wrapping themselves in mine; fitting perfectly. A warm whole feeling pulsed through my chest into the remainder of my body. This really was a perfect last date.

A few hours passed as we wondered aimlessly around the muggle streets, a perfect comfortable silence between us. Light smiles given now and again when our eyes locked. It wasn't lust that I felt that time. I was almost a painful feeling. I didn't know how much I cared for her- but knowing it could never ben hurt. Eventually she turned to me.

"I guess I should be getting home, it's late." She sighed avoiding my eyes. With out another word I wrapped my arms protectively around her and her head shot up only an inch away from my face. For a moment I simply gazed into her beautiful maple eyes. Filled with so much wonder, fire, intelligence, wit, beauty.

*Pop!*

The familiar feel of being sucked through a tube struck for mere seconds before we landed on a dimly lit street full of muggle houses that all looked similar other than one covered by pink roses climbing the walls. I released her from my arms after holding her steady for a minute after the unexpected disapperation.

"Malfoy! We were in an open area! What if muggles had seen us?!" she suddenly cried after regaining some sort of composure after we apperated. A smile crept on my face.

"It's almost like de ja vu, but this time I'm the reckless one." Her head snapped up at my comment and I gave a her a wink before holding out my hand. She eventually gave into her stubbornness and took it as I lead her up to her front door. We turned to each other just as we reached the white door. Our eyes speaking a thousand things. But we remained silent for a while. The melancholy building slowly in my veins affecting all of my body.

"Hermione…" I breathed slowly. This had to be the last time I saw her. This was the last time I could see her looking at me like that.

"How did you remember?" she asked suddenly, a frown tugging on her pretty face. "How did you remember where my house was?" she repeated.

"I don't know, I guess It just stuck in my mind," I gave her my most genuinely kind smile I could before I broke my own heart. "Granger, I need to say this." She let out a sigh as if she knew what was coming. A painful frown forming on her face, as if she was holding back tears. I found my hand rising to her cheek, rubbing her soft skin tenderly. "Hermione I- I really care about you. More than you know. Unknowingly you've changed my in so many ways, I am the man I am today because of you." I breathed. "You walked into my world when I turned 11 and tipped the whole thing on its head." I laughed, because if I didn't I felt I might cry. An unfamiliar lump forming in my throat. A soft smile played on her lips as tears built in her eyes, threatening to release.

"We may not have gotten along then, or maybe not ever- but there was defiantly a spark the first time I looked into your eyes Miss. Granger." I quipped, the full extent of my emotions shaking my voice as my own eyes welled up with tears, hers now falling. I took my other hand also, and placed it on her other cheek, caressing both now. A soft muffled sob escaped her precious lips.

"For some reason- you've made me question why I suddenly hate the idea of being free," I laughed through my own tears. My own heart felt as if it was disintegrating each word I spoke. I didn't know how to say what I needed to tell her, all I could think of is how purely beautiful she was.

"Why does it always feel like a good-bye Hermione?" I sighed. She remained silent biting her bottom lip to prevent a sob escaping, boring into my thunderstorm eyes. "You're the most important person in my life since you stepped into it, with out realising that is. You test me, you make me a better person. You call me out on my faults and make me stronger once I get back up. You've changed me, improved me in everyway I could be improved. And I will always cherish you for that. But I can't let myself give into this. I can't."

"Draco…" She whispered, her voice weak and racked with emotion as tears streamed down her face.

"No Hermione, I can't. I can't put you in danger because I, I- I care about you. I just can't. To protect you, I mustn't see you." A few seconds passed of utter silence contemplating that this is our good-bye.

"I'm falling for you; I can feel it. And I'm afraid if I continue this, I won't have the strength to do what is right. You don't deserve me; you deserve so much better. No- Don't give me that look you know I'm right. I will never be able to forgive myself for everything in my past and I can't ask you to try either." We were both openly crying now. I almost laughed at how pathetic we looked, but I'd never been this openly vulnerable to someone before, it was a strange foreign feeling. "So I guess this is it, love." I brushed my lips on her forehead, my tears falling onto her. I placed a long tender kiss and glanced back down to her big beautiful eyes and gave her a famous Malfoy smirk.

"This was a great first date Granger," I winked and a tear slid down my face. A sobbing chuckle escaped her own lips as she bought her hands to cover her face briefly, my own hands releasing her face. A cold feeling engulfed me as the contact disconnected. "I might even leave you a thank-you note," she was almost hysterically crying and laughing at the same time. My own self chuckling with tears freely flowing down my face. I didn't care though. This is what is right. It's what she deserves after I've already let her down immensely. She suddenly threw her arms around my neck and tightly embraced me sobbing into the curve of my neck. I found my arms automatically wrapping around her petite frame burying my own face into her shoulder firmly hugging her. A few moments passed before she slumped out of my arms. She held my hand briefly and placed a quick peck on my cheek before looking into me eyes.

"See you around- Malfoy," giving me one of her best smiles. Her sweet voice cracked and was full of raw emotion. I took a 4 steps away from the door- away from her and looked back to find her staring at me, a despairing pull on her perfect face.

"Live well- Granger." I smiled. "And never look back. Ok?"

I took my own advice and kept walking. Never looking back. Not knowing if I would have the strength to leave if I did.

And soon, the familiar pop filled my ears as I apperated.