AN: Hey everyone!

So here it is, the last chapter of 'Jar of Hearts'.

Please let me know what you think of it in a review :).

Now I will stop talking and let you enjoy the chapter! :)

Chapter twenty one

After the battle the whole castle was quiet, so quiet that you could hear a needle; dropping on the wooden floors. It seemed as if dark clouds had gathered around Hogwarts, as if the sudden grief that had struck them had been manifested.

While Hermione was walking along the crashed statues and wreckages she felt sad and lost. There was so much damage done and she was sure that it would only take a day or two to clean it all up magically.

But the shock that had been experienced by all the students would stay with them for years and years.

It would be known as one of the darker events in the history of Hogwarts.

When she entered the Great Hall her eyes were wandering from one heavily injured student to another. Some of the bodies were covered with a black cloth, clearly some lives were lost, but as far as she could see it wasn't anyone from her circle of friends.

However she had to suppress a sob when she took in the smaller, covered up bodies; those were definitely first years.

A tear rolled down her cheek and she swallowed hard.

Then two healers of St. Mungo's passed her, carrying a pallet on which someone was kicking fiercely and lashing out at them. Hermione frowned and took in the person that was lying upon it. It was a girl. Her eyebrows rose immediately when she recognised the girl's face.

Pansy Parkinson was being carried away while screaming loudly:

'don't let them take me! I'm telling you! There are snakes and spiders all over the place! I swear! Don't take me away!'

Wow, someone had used a really strong piece of magic on her. And Hermione had to admit that she almost smiled. Her lips were about to curve but she stopped immediately when she remembered the state Lucius Malfoy had been in when those healers had carried him off.

She remembered the pain in Draco's eyes, the stab he had felt in his heart when he saw his father like that.

Hermione swallowed and continued walking.

Then she saw her friends; all sitting together at the only long table that was left. When she approached them she saw that they were quiet, not talking to each other. They were just sitting there, heads down and eyes on the floor; as if they were in some kind of trance.

When they all looked up, she saw that their eyes were rimmed with red.

Ginny was even wiping the last tears away from her cheeks and gave her a watery smile.

She tried to smile back, but something cracked inside her and before she could even stop them, the tears came rolling down her face.

Luna was the first to get up and give her a hug. Harry, Ron and the others followed.

But when they were all hugging her she realised that at this moment she really wanted to feel the arms of someone else around her.

But Draco had been taken, by Professor Dumbledore, to the Headmaster's office.

Before he followed Draco's grey eyes had told her to stay strong for a little while and that he would be back. He had even given her a quick kiss before following the Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore wanted to tell him something important.

She wondered what that could be.

The Headmaster's office had to be the room that was least damaged by the chaos that had been going on downstairs.

The silver instruments were still puffing quietly and light snores of the portraits filled up the circular room.

Draco was hesitating by the doorway until Dumbledore gestured him to come inside. He did, and was immediately directed to the smaller chair in front of the heavy desk.

He sat down at the edge of the chair, still restless of the battle and still feeling bad about leaving Hermione alone, even if it was just for a few minutes.

The Headmaster sat opposite of him and was waiting until he had calmed down a little. Draco knew that Professor Dumbledore had taken him to his office because of the threats Voldemort had made and it appeared that he wanted to give him some advice.

But somewhere deep inside his heart Draco knew that whatever they would talk about; it wouldn't be good.

He looked up when Dumbledore spoke:

'Draco, I'm sorry to take you away from Miss Granger. I know you two should be together downstairs, comforting each other, but this really couldn't wait. You'll return to her soon enough.'

Draco nodded and swallowed; waiting for the Headmaster to continue:

'I'm also sorry about your father, but he knew that I was going to protect him when he saved you and Miss Granger and he knew that there could be consequences.'

The Slytherin's Prefect's eyes widened; he had a feeling that his father had known what would happen, that feeling had now been confirmed.

'But in time Lucius Malfoy will be alright again, I talked to the healers of St. Mungo's and they said that he will have his memory back very soon.'

'How soon?'

'They couldn't tell me exactly, but it would at least take four months until he'll be fully recovered.'

'Four months?'

'Yes, your father has been lucky that the side effect of the spell only caused the smallest case of memory lost.'

Draco saw something else in the Headmaster's blue eyes, but he didn't continue.

'But that is not the only reason why you wanted to talk to me?'

'Indeed, it isn't. Your mother is still captured and Lord Voldemort won't rest until he… until he has captured you too. You are in grave danger.'

Draco's eyes focused themselves on the wooden floor when he nodded:

'Yes, sir.'

'From this moment on he will hunt you down until he has finally found you. You'll have to do something.'

'Yes, professor.'

Then Draco buried his head in his hands and tried to shake that reminder off. But deep down, he knew that it wouldn't go away with one single shrug.

Deep down he knew he had to do something… something he wouldn't have imagined doing a couple of hours ago.

Yes, this certainly wasn't good.

It was weird how a battle could have such an influence on a person's decisions.

Hermione was sitting down on a chair in the Great Hall.

Here and there students were still being carried away by St. Mungo healers or to the Hospital Wing.

When she looked up she saw a blond head entering the Great Hall. She squinted her eyes and immediately got up when she saw that it was Draco. Without looking back she ran towards him and put her arms around his neck.

He hugged her back, tightly, and Hermione was so glad he was back. She was glad she could hold him again.

Then they slowly pulled back and they kept looking at each other.

'How did it go? What did Professor Dumbledore tell you?'

He swallowed:

'what we already know. That Voldemort will be back for me.'

She flinched at those words and her eyes wandered to the floor.

Then she looked up again and said:

'well, we can't let that happen…we'll figure something out for sure.'

'About that… can I talk to you? You know,' he looked around the Hall, which was filled with students and teachers, 'somewhere more private?'

Hermione's eyebrows lifted up; surprised to hear him say those words, but nodded. He took her hand and led her out of the crowded room to the quiet entrance hall.

They came to a halt in front of a large window.

Hermione looked through the big, glassed window and could see that dawn was approaching; for the sky was turning from black to indigo.

Then she looked back at Draco and saw concern, written in those grey eyes. She had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach; he wanted to tell her something, something bad.

And before she could hide her fear she asked in a high -pitched voice:

'what's going on?'

'Hermione, I don't know how to say this…' he hesitated for a second, his eyes not meeting hers.

He took a deep breath and continued:

'Voldemort is not going to stop until he finds me…so I'll have to keep low profile during these future months… and my mom is still captured… so I can't stay here… I…'

She interrupted him quickly:

'I know… your mother has to be saved. We can always move around... I'm sure that with dozens of protective charms nobody will find us. It'll be all right, we will be alright.'

Hermione caressed his cheek and kept looking at him.

He shook his head:

'no, you don't understand. As long as you are around me you'll be in great danger. I can't risk that, I won't risk that. I think I have to leave, alone.'

Hermione stopped caressing his cheek and her hand fell abruptly next to her. She was confused:

'no… no! I want to come with you! I can protect myself!'

'No Hermione, I don't want to put your life on the line because of my mistakes.'

'Your mistakes? Your mistakes! You haven't done anything wrong! It's him. Voldemort is the problem. You are not to blame.'

He just shrugged at those words:

'Still… I can't let you come with me. I have to do this alone.'

Right at that moment the fear she had been feeling deep down came true, she felt herself panicking; he couldn't do that! She just got him back and now she had to lose him again?

No way in the world was that going to happen!

Her fear became worse and worse and she could even feel a tinge of anger coming through the surface:

'so what? You are just going to leave me here behind?'

At that moment a memory of him turning his back on her came to mind. She had been though that before; the night of their break-up. But she didn't want to feel like that again. She didn't want to be parted from him again.

Panic appeared in Draco's eyes:

'no! I'm not "just leaving you behind". Can't you see? I'm trying to protect you!'

'Protect me? Protect me! Believe me, this is not the way to do that!'

He sighed:

'what do you want me to do then? Do you think I want to go? Do you think I want to leave you? Because you are completely wrong if that's what you think. I wish I could stay here, be with you. I never want to be parted from you again!'

She felt sorry for her sudden outburst and she slowly calmed down again. When she spoke her voice was nothing more than a whisper:

'then don't go. Don't leave me here.'

Tears were forming in his eyes and he took her hands in his:

'I can't. You'll be safer if I'm not around.'

Hermione really wished those words hadn't to be spoken. But deep down she knew that what he was saying made some kind of sense. She shook her head fiercely and he pulled her closer; so that her head was leaning against his soft chest.

All sorts of feelings were swirling around inside her. She felt as if somebody had stabbed her right through the heart. She had never experienced such sadness before and while they were standing there, she couldn't hold back the tears. They were running freely down her cheeks and she knew that Draco was also trembling from top to toe.

She didn't know how long they had been standing there; their bodies entangled and holding each other tight.

Then Draco pulled away; his eyes still filled with tears. He lifted his hand and lightly stroked her hair while saying:

'I think I have to go…'

'What? You mean right now?'

He nodded:

'I think it's for the best…'

'It isn't…'

But she still nodded anyway.

He kissed her; sweetly at first and then more passionately.

Their heads were resting against each other and he whispered:

'please remember that I love you, I will always love you.'

'I'll always remember that. I love you too.'

He lifted his wand and said:

'Accio broomstick.'

A whooshing sound neared them and the broomstick was floating in the air. He jumped onto it and before he could go she took hold of his hand:

'please , don't let this be goodbye.'

He shook his head:

' no , of course not. We will see each other again, someday.'

'Don't forget me.'

'I will never forget you.'

He leaned towards her and gave her one final kiss. Hermione could feel some kind of electricity and she knew that they were meant to be… that from this moment on they would always be connected.

He pulled away and before he went he whispered those three little words again:

'I love you.'

And one second later he was gone and she was standing in front of the window, all alone.

Sadness overwhelmed her once more.

And while she could see him flying away into the sunrise she couldn't help but cry.

While the tears were rolling down her cheeks she felt as if she had lost the love she loved the most.

= To be continued… =

AN: so this was the last chapter of 'Jar of Hearts'.

Please don't shoot me because the story doesn't have a happy end.

Because as it is said above: this story will be continued, there will be a sequel.

The sequel will be named " A race for love" and in it I will guarantee a Dramione happy end! :D

So please, let me know what you thought of the story in a review :).

Now I would like to thank all of you for reading the story, for putting it on your "favourite story" list and "Favourite author" list.

I also would like to thank Lingo10, Ollie, loveroffelton, DracoMalfoyLover1997, AlasEarwax317, Faith, wereinslytherin, EmoPrincess21 and bluebell1992 for their reviews!

I would also like to say that I will also post two Draco and Hermione oneshots ( one on the evening before Christmas Eve!).

So to conclude I would like to say 'thank you' to all of you!

And I will see you again in 'A race for love'. :)