A/N: Wow, everyone, I'm stoked at how many people still want me to continue this! :D thank you all... So, again, I'm super sorry about the break, but I just had NO time to do anything! Many thanks for the many reviews on the last chapter... My work of art is winding down to a close now :( Thank you to everyone who has stuck by me! Oh, and I apologise in advance about my writing... I may be a little rusty! Oh, and Happy Easter! I hope the Easter Bunny bought you much chocolate :)

Chapter 23

He was just sitting there, in stony silence. "I cannot believe you are scolding me. Get off your high horse, Hermione, and look at this situation from my point of view for a minute. I have lost everyone I loved, one at a time. So forgive me if I reacted a little strongly to nearly losing you too!" his voice had raised considerably by the time he had finished speaking, and he had stood up.

A healer rushed in. "Excuse me sir, I must ask you to keep your voice down, this patient needs her rest."

Draco scowled. "Fine. I'm leaving anyway." And without a backwards glance at Hermione, he left.

Hermione sat in her hospital bed, completely astounded. Draco had stormed out.

The healer left, feeling very awkward, closing the door behind him. As soon as it closed, the door crashed open again, revealing an angry Draco.

"You know what, Hermione? I don't think I can do this. Harry said that you were concerned about me leaving, right? Worried that I was becoming the old me? Well guess what, this whole relationship was a lie. I never full cared for you. I don't love you. Sure, I don't believe in blood superiority, but that doesn't mean my opinion of you has change."

Hermione sat in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"I don't believe that, Draco." She said softly.

He scoffed. "What, you think I'm being noble and trying to keep you safe? I'm not some bloody Gryffindor. I'm a Slytherin, to the core. Got it? There is no relationship. I'm out. Finished. It's over." And then, he left again.

Draco had left.

What did this mean? Were they over? Did he not care for her anymore? Was everything he said true? She didn't believe it.

With her mind whirring a million different thoughts, Hermione didn't notice Harry enter her room until he cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable.

"Er, I just saw Draco leave... Is everything okay?" He asked.

Hermione took one look at her brother-in-everything-but-blood-'s concerned face and burst into tears.

"I have no idea what the hell just happened!"

Harry sat next to her on the bed, and wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. He didn't say anything until she had calmed down, and hiccoughed an apology.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Hermione. What happened?" Harry said quietly.

"I don't know! Draco came storming in here, going on about how I sent you to talk to him, he was all pissed off. But then he rushes back in and starts spouting some shit about how our entire relationship was a lie! How he doesn't actually love me –"Hermione broke off, and started sobbing again, clutching her still throbbing ribs.

"C'mon, Hermione, you need to calm down. This isn't healthy." Harry said soothingly. "I'm sure Draco was just upset and didn't mean any of that. I'll talk to him, okay? Better yet, I think I might punch his face. Merlin, if he isn't lying, he's going to wish he's never been born!"

Suddenly, Harry stood up, his face furious. "I'll be back later. I'll send Ginny in."

And Harry left too.

As soon as Draco left Hermione's room the second time, he put his head in his hands, tugging his hair angrily. He spun around swiftly, and punched the wall, before storming off to the Floo, passing a confused Harry on the way.

Back at the Burrow, Draco was a whirlwind. He was hurrying through the house, packing everything that was his. When he was finished, he sat on his bed, looking around the room he felt so at home in. Remembering the look on Hermione's face as he broke her heart, he groaned, falling backwards onto his pillow. What compelled him to say that? Everything he said to her was a lie. Of course he cared, he loved her! And he was going all bloody Gryffindor; hoping that if he left, it would be better for Hermione. Not that he would ever admit that to anybody.

While he was busy hating himself for causing so much pain, Harry had just left Hermione's hospital, gathered reinforcements, and apparated to the Burrow.

Draco looked at his doorway and groaned.

The cavalry had arrived.

Harry, Ron (who had been pulled from Katie's side), Blaise, Fred and George all stood there, wearing identical threatening faces. All stood with their arms crossed against their chests, with defensive stances.

Draco sighed and stood up. "Can I help you?" he sneered, while hating himself even more.

Ron took a deep breath, impressing Draco as he held his temper. The other men shifted angrily.

"Listen Malfoy –"Ah, so it was back to the surname, he was in the shit – "what you did to Hermione was inexcusable. Even if what you said to her was a lie, which she hopes, it was uncalled for. She forgave you for everything you did to her, and Ron and me, and hell, everyone, in the past, and she loves you. She felt that you saved each other, or some romantic crap. Then you go and drop this bombshell and say everything was a lie? Just how sick are you, Malfoy? She's in the hospital, and you go and say this. When I left, she was clutching her ribs while she sobbed. She was crying so hard it literally hurt her! Does that mean nothing to you?" Harry raged.

Draco flinched. He hadn't realised she loved him that much. He decided then that he had to be honest with the men he counted as his closest friends.

"Look, I lied, okay? What I said to her was a lie. Happy? I've hung around you bloody Gryffindors for too long and you nobility has rubbed off. But it was also self preservation. Sure, I love her. I really do! But after what happened..." Draco sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "After what happened, I realised I was in deep. I nearly lost Hermione. And I was terrified. So I did the only thing I knew how to do properly: which was to be a Slytherin, a coward, and run. I don't know why the hell I said what I did, maybe it was to make sure she hated me enough not to change my mind, I dunno. But I'm leaving now, and I won't contact her. Tell her I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to you guys too." Draco took a deep breath and stared at the astonished men in front of him.

He didn't know how, but somehow, he managed to miss the fist that flew into his face.

"Ouch! Fuck, damnit!" Draco held his nose, while bent over. "Yeah, I deserved that." He admitted.

He looked up and was surprised to see that is was Fred who had punched him. Hmm, he thought it would have been of the Golden Trio. Ah, but Ron and Harry were being held back. That explained it.

"You are a git, you know that?" Fred spat.

Draco only nodded.

Harry sighed. "You aren't gonna back down from this, are you?" When Draco shook his head, Harry muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "stubborn prat".

"Well, after my show at Mungo's, do you honestly expect me to go back and say 'hey babe, yeah when I said our relationship was a lie, I lied'? I don't think she will be very accepting. And I'm mainly doing this for her! So, just leave me alone! I'm leaving." Draco turned and picked up his trunk.

When he turned around again, another fist hit his face. "For fuck's sake! Merlin's saggy pants! I know, I know, I deserve it." He looked up to see Blaise this time cradling his hand.

Harry smirked. "You bloody Gryffindor. Swallow your pride, mate, and go to her!"

Draco looked at his friends sadly. "I can't." He whispered, then promptly disapparated.

Hermione was sitting on her bed, with Ginny next to her, also under the covers. The fiery red head had been muttering dangerous threats to Draco under her breath for the past half an hour, furious at Hermione's love.

"C'mon Hermione, cheer up! The healer's said you could get out of here in a few days! We still have a week of our break left, what would you like to do?" Ginny said as a distraction.

Although Hermione was grateful, she was not in the mood for pretending. "I just want to forget everything that has happened over the last couple of months. I want everything to be the same as it was at the beginning of September. I wish I never helped him against those Gryffindors. Hell, I wish I could go back and hex him myself, and save me this pain."

Ginny was speechless. What could she say to that? But before she could say anything, the door to Hermione's room opened and Harry, Ron, Blaise, Fred and George entered. Hermione looked up expectantly, hoping desperately that Draco was with them, saying that he didn't mean it and that he loved her. Hell, she would even forgive him if he said he lied about lying! But there was no platinum blonde anywhere to be seen. She must have visibly deflated, because Harry stepped forward and took her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. He's gone."

A/N: OK! Two choices: next chapter, or sequel? This was totally not how I saw this story going, but hey! Things change... So, leave me a review and let me know if you want me to go do a sequel, or not bother and carry on this story... Thank you for reading, and your patience! :)

Love, KaylaKay

xx