A/N: Can I even begin to explain where I've been? If only I could. I hope people still care for this story. I love and missed you all dearly, if that helps.

Be a Doll

Chapter 29: Be a Doll (Again)

Ron came barreling through the portrait hole of the Gryffindor Common Room, searching desperately for a place to hide. It was well past curfew, but the red-head knew the common room couldn't be entirely deserted.

He dashed over to the chairs by the fireplace, where he and Harry often played chess. Sure enough, he could hear heavy breathing coming from Harry's favorite chair. His friend's disembodied feet dangling over the arm of the seat only confirmed his assumption. Thus, he wasted no time in whipping the invisibility cloak off of Harry and Ginny's entwined bodies.

Harry shrieked in fright, throwing Ginny to the floor as he scrambled under the nearest table for protection. "We were just talking, I swear!"

Ron's annoyed voice answered from behind a nearby couch. "Oh, who cares if you two were snogging, just help me!" the top half of his body suddenly reappeared, and he ran to a half-empty bookcase. "Yes, this is much better, she won't think to look here."

"Who?" asked Ginny, pulling herself up into an armchair. Harry joined her, though he still eyed Ron warily.

But the other boy was busy tucking himself into the last shelf of the bookcase. When he was done, he covered up completely with the cloak. "You know who I'm talking about." the empty shelf grumbled. "Know a certain tall, dark, and crazy?"

"Hermione?"

Ron uncovered his head. "Don't be thick, mate. It's - " he looked around cautiously before mouthing. "Parvati. Although, speaking of Hermione" He turned to his sister. "I did hear something strange that you might be able to explain."

Ginny frowned. "I can't say I've seen much of Hermione lately, but go ahead."

"Well, when she," his eye twitched, "was chasing me, we somehow wound up all the way by Dumbledore's office. I almost outran her, but then I heard the sliding staircase come down, and we panicked and both ducked into an empty classroom."

Harry smirked. "And? Did you two do anything in particular?"

Ron flushed crimson, mumbling, "I tried to keep her off of me…" his ears burned he continued, "Anyway, then we heard Dumbledore talking to people, I think it was Snape and McGonagal, and he was saying something about Hermione. Like 'I don't see what you're so upset about Minerva. Simply because I allowed Miss Granger to give up everything doesn't mean she's giving up everything. It is merely an option.'

And then Snape was all, 'Complete shame of giving up her position will do wonders for her overinflated ego, after all'."

"Giving up her position?" Harry asked sharply, "You mean she's stepping down as Head Girl?"

"What else could they be referring to? McGonagal seemed pretty mad. I think she did something to Snape after that because there were a bunch of really bright flashes and then I heard Dumbledore laughing as he told her it's not nice to take out your anger through transfiguration."

"Oh, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding Ron." Ginny scoffed, "Hermione wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. Besides, you were a little…preoccupied at the time, weren't you?" she finished, giggling.

Ron looked lovely in red.

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She had been packing for a while now.

Draco sat on the coffee table, his body leaning towards the crackling fireplace. Though he could hear her moving behind him, he would not turn around, nor acknowledge her presence. When she had returned from Dumbledore's office (for certainly that is where she had gone), the girl said only two words.

"I'm leaving."

He was numb, unfeeling, disconnected in the worst way. He could not bring himself to face the reality of the situation, even as her possessions slowly began to disappear from their common room, even as the night grew darker and colder, even as it became evident that the next time she left, she would not come back.

Even as he cried.

It was odd. Draco had expected her to call him on his lie, the way she had so many times before. The hateful words had felt strange the moment he felt them on his mouth – did they not sound wrong to her ears? Never had to she taken his anger so seriously. In fact, he had almost come to depend on her to calm him when he got that way. But this time she had run away and suddenly it didn't seem like a good idea to go after her. If he could pain her that much on accident, he would not, could not, risk it anymore.

Draco had caused her enough grief to last a lifetime, after all, much more when they were friends than when they were enemies. She cared too much for her friends. Years of being with Potter had done that to her, making her a nervous wreck if the slightest of maladies fell upon one of her fellows. What happened with Draco seemed to go deeper than that, however. Though he had never risked himself to save the wizarding world, or gone with her through any rough time…she would ruin her life for him. She would hold herself back if it meant they could be together.

So he did not cry (and cry he continued to do, though he could not feel the hot tears as they dripped steadily from his eyes) because he loved her and she would not have him. He cried because he knew she loved him back.

There came the definitive sound of a school trunk being locked, and a dragging noise as she pulled the trunk towards the stairs. And then there was a series of loud bangs and crashes as the entire thing came tumbling down the stairs, spilling its carefully-packed contents as it went.

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Hermione nearly cursed out loud when she saw her trunk burst open and plunge to the foot of the stairs. But no – she would not give him the satisfaction hearing her angry and embarrassed. Never again.

So she bit her tongue and began to pick up her things, not bothering to organize it this time. She would just have to unpack it all once she was back in Gryffindor tower anyway.

That's when she saw it. It was among her bath things, in the bag with her hairpins. For a moment she wondered why she had taken it in the first place before remembering that it was hardly big enough to notice. Of course, since she had no use for it….

On impulse, Hermione picked up the object and strode over to the coffee table near the fire. She placed it on the table, and, seeing he had no intention of turning around, slid it over to him.

It was her comb – no, his comb. The small black plastic one she had given to him many months ago.

"I can't use it now. You keep it." she said simply, shrugging slightly. She waited for almost a minute for his response, but it did not come. She turned back to her packing.

"Thank you."

She stopped dead in her tracks. "What?"

He cleared his throat. "I said 'Thank you'."

"Oh." Silence. "You're welcome - "

"No!" He sat up straight, his tone firm and pressing. "That's what I said to you. That day."

That day…it rushed back to her so quickly she was surprised it hadn't occurred to her before. He had been acting so strangely…she burst into his room using the bathroom door…brushed his hair for him, sneaking a glance at his ice blue eyes…then he thanked her and left…or so she thought.

"Malfoy," Hermione began slowly, "You - "

" – never cease to amaze me." He finished with her.

Her heart ached and swooned at the same time. What did he mean by bringing that up?

Draco picked up the little comb, running his fingers along the teeth. She wished he would turn around so she could see his face, but he leaned further away still while he spoke. "I meant it, you know."

It took all her willpower to answer calmly. "It doesn't matter, Malfoy."

"Draco." He corrected, "You've been calling me that for months."

She ignored him, forcing herself to go back to her packing. He stayed quiet, but she should have known he could only shut up for so long.

"What do you think you're doing, anyway?" he asked frankly, "Do you really think this is going to fix anything?"

"Nothing needs to be fixed. That would imply that something is broken."

Draco laughed at that. "Fine. Let's say something needed fixing and that's the reason you're going. What if I told you that I could fix it?" Behind him, Hermione froze. He ploughed on. "What if I told you that even though I was going to let you take the job to somebody else, I could do it? What if I - "

"Stop it! Just stop it!" she cried suddenly. "I'm done, Draco! I'm done wondering 'what if' and 'maybe'. I'm done going around in circles trying to figure out what you want from me. I'm done - "

"What if I wouldn't let you leave? What if I told you that you couldn't leave?!" he shouted. "What if I told you that I'm done, too?

"What if I told you I loved you?"

He turned and then he was looking at her and she was looking at him, and they both gasped slightly at the sight of the other's tear-stained face. Her gaze did not disconnect from his as she spoke, surprised at how clearly her voice suddenly sounded.

"I would tell you that you're a liar."

"What if I told you that I knew you loved me back?"

"I would tell you that you're a liar."

"What if I told you that I had been ready to let you walk right out that door? What if I told you that I couldn't because I had to make sure you knew?"

"I would tell you that you're a liar."

"What if I told you that as long as you were around, I wouldn't even care if I were two inches tall?"

"I would tell you that you're a liar."

He took a deep breath, and she saw something strange flicker behind his eyes. "And what if I told you I was sorry?"

"I would tell you that…wait, what?"

"I'm sorry." Draco said, sounding very business-like now, "If I were to tell you that I was sorry."

Hermione quickly went through every encounter she had with Draco since they had entered Hogwarts, and not once could she find a time when he had shown sincere remorse, much less uttered the words 'I'm sorry' without obvious sarcasm. Yet he was saying it now. He was saying it – if only just to stop her from leaving.

"I would tell you that it doesn't matter." She answered in her previous monotone.

His face fell.

"Well," Hermione smiled widely, unable to contain herself, "This is all hypothetical, isn't it?"

Draco grinned as well. "Of course it is."

It would've been quite romantic if he hadn't been struck by lightning at the exact same moment.

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It could be said that it was a bolt from the blue, but in actuality it was purple. The streak of lightning did appear out of no where, however, hitting Draco right between the shoulder blades. Hermione gave a shriek of fright and lunged forward to shield him from another strike, only to find that her diminutive love was no longer there.

Then she saw him, hovering high in the air, surrounded by a faint violet glow. She could not see the expression on his face, but she knew something strange was going on. He seemed to be changing right before her very eyes, but in a way she could not comprehend…his body was contorting, yet perfectly still, his features becoming unrecognizable and yet more familiar…

He hit the ground with a thud, falling well across the room. Again, Hermione screamed and tripping over her own feet as she dashed over. "Draco! Draco, are you alright? What - "

She stopped.

Draco lay flat on the floor, massaging his neck. "Merlin, what the hell was that? And just when things were getting romantic…" He looked up and saw the expression on Hermione's face. "What's the matter with you? Did you change your mind or something?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She shook her head to indicate that this was not the problem.

"Well, then what is it? Help me up, would you?" When she shook her head again he became annoyed, "Fine, I'll just stay down here - "

He stood up and realized why Hermione had been struck dumb.

Draco, of course, was skeptical. He took a step back and examined himself. He waved one hand, then the other. He skipped around in a circle. He kicked himself a couple of times.

He was finally convinced when he reached out and pulled Hermione into his arms. Because you can't do that when you're three inches tall.

When they realized what he had just done, both of their knees gave way and they landed in a heap on the floor, hugging each other violently as they began to sob once more. This only went on for a moment before they pulled away, holding the other at arm's length.

"It was you!" Hermione gasped, laughing, "'Hermione, I'm back'!"

"And you!" Draco said incredulously, "'You never left'!"

Hermione grinned slyly, "Well, if you don't mind, I'd rather we spare the corny lines."

"I couldn't agree more."

He kissed her and, at long last, everything was the way it was supposed to be.

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In a room not too far away, a tall figure leaned over a large cauldron, whose image was just disappearing.

"Interesting," he chuckled, "I would've settled for friendship. But this works just as well."

He turned to exit the room, but at that moment the door was thrown open.

"Professor Dumbledore, I will not stand for this a moment longer! Either explain to me what's going on or I will - "

Dumbledore took Professor McGonagal by the arm and led her down the spiral staircase. "Come now, Minerva, there's some business we have to attend to. I believe there might be six months of suppressed hormones being unleashed in the Head dormitory and I want to get there before things get out of hand."

"Suppressed hormones in the Head Dorms? What does that mean?"

The old headmaster merely smiled. "It just means that, at long last, everything is the way it's supposed to be."

A/N: I hope this was at least sorta kinda worth waiting for. Only the epilouge left. Please review!