Chapter 7

Hermione's point of view

Now that I had come to terms with how I felt about Draco I dreaded seeing him. I wasn't scared that I liked him- that wasn't fueling the dread- the dread was there because if he knew how I felt then there was a high possibility that he might not feel the same way. It was strange to me, by normal standards we should have fallen in love before getting married but we were having to do it the other way around. The doubt in my mind corrupted my new found feelings and sent my heart hammering. What if he didn't like me like that? What if all he wanted was to be friends? Maybe I just wanted to like him because it would make everything easier.

"Rubbish." Whoops I'd said that out loud. "Hermione, liking him makes everything much harder because you can be hurt now. You like Draco because he has changed and is nice to you, now go tell him how you feel."

"I don't think I can do that Gin." I was scared of rejection. So scared, I had already been rejected by Ron and that had been excruciating:

The battle of Hogwarts had just finished, Voldemort was dead and we were all left to pick up the pieces. I headed inside, not realising that a certain ginger was following me. With a sigh I sank onto a piece of rubble and began to contemplate everything that had happened- there was so much to process.

It was over. It was finally over.

He kneeled down in front of me, face already red. I thought he was going to confess his love for me like I had wanted to ever since I realised how I felt about him. Who knew that Lavender Brown would show me my true feelings towards Ron. But what came out of his mouth wasn't a confession of love, it was him saying that he viewed me as a sister and that he would never see me in a romantic way. Ever. He said he was sorry for doing that to me, he said that he didn't mean to kiss me. He said that it meant nothing to him.

After all of the pain over the past year, Ron had been stupid enough to tear out what was left of my heart and to crush it in his bloody fists. I wasn't lying when I said he had an emotional range of a teaspoon- I just thought that it applied to everyone else... not me.

All Summer I grappled with my broken heart and how to process what had happened to me. Despite all of the deaths Ron's confession had hurt worst of all. But I learnt to ignore every single pain I felt until I woke up one day, looked around my room and realised that I was okay. That Ron was my friend and that was okay because at least I still had him. Just not in the way I had wanted.

I just didn't want to be hurt again. I didn't notice Ginny getting up but her words pulled me back to the present.

"If he doesn't like you Hermione then he's stupid. You have to be brave and tell Draco how you feel because there is a possibility that he like you back. I wouldn't be here if he doesn't care. I need to go and find Harry, I'll see you in the Great Hall for tea."

"Bye."

I was alone with my busy mind. I looked at the assignment and decided to leave it. I'd never get it done today. I packed my books away back into my bulging bag and headed outside to get a breath of fresh air- hopefully that could clear my mind somewhat.

Draco's point of view

I had taken a long walk around the grounds to get to the lake, I liked to go there when I wanted space to think. When I got there I took in the cool blue waves that rippled silently under the golden sun and I felt relaxed, well as relaxed as I could be. I was worried about Hermione, what if she'd remembered all the terrible things I did to her and had decided to hate me all over again?

"Draco?" I spun around and Hermione stood there, unease and surprise evident in her eyes.

"Hermione." I said in acknowledgment. She looked around hesitantly then seemed to make her mind up about something.

"May I sit with you?"

"Of course." I was sitting by the shore of the lake between two boulders, I moved over so that she could slide in next to me. She sat down gracefully and began to take off her shoes. I watched, curiously, as she dipped her small feet into the clear water.

"That's so good, you should do it." I looked at her face, she had tipped her head back to catch the glow of the sun and her eyes were closed. Hermione was relaxed. I decided to follow her advice. Taking my shoes and socks off was difficult in the confined space but the minute that I dipped my feet into the water I couldn't complain. It was like the water had embraced me and was slowly lulling me asleep. I was in a dream state and I had never been more relaxed and at peace with myself. I glanced over at Hermione again. In the evening sun her freckles seemed darker and her hair seemed to glow as if it were enchanted. Before too long I realised that I was staring right into her round hazel orbs. She was staring back, her gaze intense.

Suddenly, I became aware of how close we were. Our bodies touched from shoulder to knee and every place where her skin touched mine felt alive with an indescribable warmth. We were still staring and our faces seemed to get closer and closer. So close that I could smell her shampoo. Up this close I could see that her eyes were more brown than green and had warm honey tones woven throughout the emerald highlights. God she was so beautiful.

"Draco I..." She bit her chapped pink lips and smiled sheepishly, "I have to go. Ginny is expecting me in the Great Hall. Bye." She left so abruptly, her back cloak swirling behind her as she made her way back to the castle. The trance had been broken but I felt that she had come back to me- somehow the distance had been breached. Somehow I was falling for her way more then I ever thought possible.

Hermione's point of view

I was going to tell him. I mean I had to but the minute I opened my mouth to speak. Well... I froze. I couldn't do it, I just couldn't do it. Just sitting by him had me falling into a deep abyss. When I looked at my watch a whole hour had gone by but it had merely felt like seconds. I was being consumed by his presence and I liked it more than I felt I should.

His grey eyes, no I'd had a good look at them, they weren't grey. They were an icy blue, almost as cool as the lake we had sat by. But they weren't that icy. They...they were warm with emotion. What emotions I could not say but they were so warm and I wanted to fall head first into their depths. Bad right? My excuse was so lame, dinner wasn't for another half an hour. Ugh, why am I like this? Why is the world like this?

I pushed it all out of my mind when I saw Harry and Ron.

"Hermione!"

"Harry! Ron! I feel like we haven't spoken in ages how are you both?" They both smiled happily. Harry spoke first his eyes full of light, it was good to see him this happy.

"Oh Hermione, I can't believe that I actually got to marry Ginny. It's the best luck and we can play Quidditch together..." He trailed off, "I'm sorry 'Mione I know you haven't had the best luck."

"Yeah. It must be awful with the Ferret 'Mione. it's kinda gross if you ask me." Ron started to laugh at what he just said. I didn't find it as funny.

"It's actually not that bad actually Ronald. And he sure has been a lot nicer. He hasn't called you, or me for that matter, a name once. Just grow up." I felt bad the minute I said it, both Harry and Ron were taken aback by my words. They had been quite powerful.

"Why are you sticking up for him?" Ron argued, "He has been so horrible to all of us for years and It seems like you've forgiven him in a second. Is it because you're fucking him now?"

I felt myself going red with anger and then I slapped him around the face with all my might. "How DARE you say that to me. It's not like I had a choice in the matter but Draco has apologised and not said one mean thing to me. He's actually been quite nice. Clearly he knows how to GROW UP!" With that I stormed off. How could he say that to me? HOW?!

I was so angry that I decided to skip dinner altogether- I couldn't face him until I'd calmed down. Instead I headed to the kitchens and got food from the extremely helpful house elves. They fussed over me as if was the best thing that a student had come to visit them, I knew that they wanted to be here but some small part of me still felt sorry for them. Before his death, Dumbledore had assured me that they were all free and were here by choice. I still tried to help them in little ways by stripping my bed for them and putting all my washing in a hamper. It still didn't feel like enough.

With my heavy plate I climbed up to the portrait and muttered the password to the kissing couple. I expected Draco to be down at the feast so I was most surprised when I saw him sitting on one of the sofas reading a book.

Draco's point of view

"I thought you were meeting Ginny."

"Change of plans." Hermione looked angrier than usual, clearly something had happened after she had left me sitting by the lake.

"Are you okay?" I got up and headed to where she was sitting on the window seat. I reassuringly placed my hand on her arm.

"I'm okay." I looked at her and she sighed, obviously seeing that I wasn't leaving without an answer she continued to speak, "Sometimes Ron can be very hurtful." Tears started to form in her eyes, one swelled and escaped down her face. With the pad of my thumb I gently wiped it away.

"What did he say?" She gulped and looked at me sadly.

"He said that I was sticking up for you because we were... fucking." She cringed as she said it and looked down at her hands embarrassed. I hated the Weasel more than ever, how could he say something like that to this dear sweet and innocent girl. She had done nothing wrong and from the sounds of things she stuck up for me, I was the cause of the Weasel's fury but he took it out on Hermione in one of the most hurtful ways. He basically called her a slut and that made me very angry. Hermione was nothing like that. He was an idiot for saying that, I knew Hermione would forgive him but she would always carry that label with her now.

"Do you want me to do anything?"

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course." I picked up the plate from the coffee table and we both ate off it. We sat like that until the sun had sunk behind the hills in the distance. Silently, we went to bed and under the covers Hermione cried. I held her until her tears ceased and we fell asleep in each others arms.

A/N: Please review, hope you like this chapter x.