I was on my way to a revision lesson with McGonagall for our Transfiguration exam tomorrow. I saw a familiar hand reach out into the corridor and pull me into a dusty alcove.

"Draco, I'm going to be late." I whispered as he pushed me against the wall.

He loosened his tie, "I just wanted to show you something." He said as he unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it down a bit so that I could see his chest.

"Oh!" I saw the bite mark and reached out to run my fingers over it, "Did I do that?" He chuckled and buttoned up his shirt.

"Yes, and now I get to return the favour." He fixed his tie and bent down to kiss my neck.

I wriggled in his arms, "No place visible to the public." I reminded him.

"Ah yes, you're right." He said pulling away. He leaned back to check and make sure no one was coming before stepping back into the corridor. "I'll pick my place and let you know." He winked and walked away in long strides.

xxx

I peaked my head around the corner of the stone wall I was pressed against. Blaise and Pansy stepped forward to look as well. The events that had transpired over the last several days made it clear that Granger and I were in for an even more complicated ride then we had probably ever thought of. The Weasley Twins started it off by abruptly leaving school. Apparently they are starting some sort of joke shop. Well let's hope they do something to help that family. All of Umbridge's decrees had been blown to smithereens by their firework display and that is when we all started to rebel. I mean the rules weren't hanging up anymore so obviously they ceased to exist.

Just a few hours ago Potter and his friends were caught in Umbridge's office. Honestly what is wrong with Granger and the rest of the Gryffindors? There is going to be a time when they will just have to stay quiet and accept what is happening. The Inquisitorial Squad was called in. Snape was there, apparently out of Veritaserum again. All of a sudden Granger spoke up. "Tell her Harry! Tell her about Dumbledore's secret weapon." What in Merlin's name? I stared at her, trying to figure out what she was talking about, hoping she would give me some kind of a signal. I guess this was the problem with the 'no talking about our personal lives rule.'

"Well if you don't show her, then I will." She said defiantly. Was she really selling out that old oaf and Potter at the same time? No, the cunning look in her eye told me that she was up to something. She should have been in Slytherin. Umbridge left with Potter and Granger, leaving the rest of us behind. I tried to go with them, as an assistant to Umbridge, but she insisted that it was not the place for children. Children who were currently pointing wands at their fellow students in a horrifically pink office filled with plates with moving cats on them.

The rest I am less clear on as Wealette hexed us and when we woke up both Weasleys, Loony and Longbottom were gone, Umbrigde had yet to come back and Snape had locked his office door.

Now Blaise, Pansy and I watched as Weaslette, Weasel, Loony, Longbottom and Granger walked with McGonagall, Kingsley, Lupin and some witch with pink hair through the school. They looked awful. Clothes were torn, they all had blood all over them. Granger had a gash on her face and was gripping her wand tightly.

"I heard they were in the Department of Mysteries." Blaise whispered.

"How could you have possibly heard that?" I scowled at him, turning away from Granger and her posse.

Blaise just shrugged. I rolled my eyes and looked back, they were headed towards the Hospital Wing.

"Let's go." I said and led the way back to the dungeons. There was no way I could talk to her with all of those people around. I would try sending another signal via the galleon. I sent one earlier, when apparently she was breaking into the Ministry, but I didn't get a response.

xxx

I knew I should be in bed, especially given all that happened today. It is that exact reason why I decided to sit beside the lake. The air was cold but it was welcome and the stillness of the water allowed my mind to process all that unfolded just a few hours ago.

He was back. Voldemort. Not that I didn't believe Harry. I just hoped that it wasn't true. I cannot even begin to think about what was going through my head when I saw the face of Lucius Malfoy. I am by far the daftest girl. How could I think that I could carry on this little tryst with Malfoy and that everything would just work out peachy. I still could not explain my infatuation with him. How could I trust him? How could I kiss him? How could I have any feelings other than disdain towards him?

"Granger?" Malfoy's voice broke me out of my trance. I turned my head away from the hypnotising waters of the lake to see platinum blonde hair and sharp facial features. The same qualities I had seen tonight in a more menacing manor.

"I can't Malfoy." I muttered and turned away.

"We're back to Malfoy again I see." That haughty little voice of his said.

I abruptly stood and whipped around to face him, clutching my wand tightly, making sure he could see the cut across my face in the soft glow of the castle lights. "Yes. And it shall remain Malfoy. I...do you have any idea what happened tonight?"

"I've heard rumours." He took a step towards me, I gripped my wand tighter.

"I, along with my friends, were at the Ministry tonight. Voldemort lured us there under false pretenses and then much to our surprise Death Eaters appeared in the Department of Mysteries that is apparently filled with prophecy orbs!" Malfoy stood in place, a hardened look passed over his face as he stared at me. Waiting for me to continue. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you who the Death Eater's were."

He continued to stare, daring me to say it.

"Your father, Malfoy. Your father was there. Your father charged at us. Your father threw hexes and curses in our direction. Your father tried to kill us."

"Stop! Stop talking about my father!" He bursted, his emotion showing everywhere, in his face, his hands that were clenched. He stalked closer to me.

"It's true! Are you really going to deny it!" I shouted at him, planting my feet firmly in the ground.

"I don't want to hear any more." He said inches from my face. "I...I can't hear any more."

"I didn't grab the names of anyone else, except for Bellatrix Lestrange, who is no longer a missing prisoner." He flinched at the name. "What?" I asked.

"Shut up Granger!"

"Is she a friend of yours? Did she stop by your house for tea on her way to terrorize children and murder Sirius Black!"

"I said SHUT UP GRANGER!" He screamed in my face trying to get me to back down.

"Do not tell me what to do, Malfoy. Do you honestly think you can intimidate me? Because let me tell you your father doesn't intimidate me, his cronies don't and you can bet your galleons that you don't intimidate me either." I pushed past him to walk back to the castle before I was the one to start throwing hexes again.

He grabbed my arm. "If you want to keep that hand Malfoy, I suggest you let go."

"Granger." He said, trying to steady his voice. "I-"

"Oh just save it. I honestly don't care." I ripped my hard from his grasp and stomped away.

"I'm sorry." He said so quietly that I almost didn't catch it.

I stopped and turned, "What now?"

"I am sorry Granger. I know what you must think but, I'm not like that. I don't want to be that." His voice hitched on the last word and he backed up till his back hit a tree. He sank to the ground and put his head down. "My father. He's going to Azkaban now isn't he."

In that moment he no longer looked like the son of Lucius Malfoy, the Death Eater, but like Draco, a 16 year old boy whose entire world just fractured. I took a step closer to him and slowly knelt in front. "I imagine there will be a trial. He wasn't the only one caught. I don't remember their names though."

"Granger," He looked up at me, his eyes watery, "I am sorry for calling you a mudblood. I am sorry for teasing you about your looks, for hexing you, for causing you pain. I am sorry I have made you lie to your friends and I am sorry you had to fight a battle tonight. I don't need you to forgive me, I...I just need you to believe me when I say that I am sorry."

I stayed quiet, but nodded.

"Bellatrix Lestrange is my aunt. My mother's sister. I have never met her. Mother doesn't talk about her. Sirius Black was my cousin, on my mother's side as well. I had never met him either and well, only my father talked about him when he had escaped Azkaban. My family, the Malfoys and the Blacks have a long history of being supporters of those who want a pureblood supremacy magical society. Most of them joined the Dark Lord's cause in the last war. Most of them were either thrown into Azkaban or killed."

"But you're saying you don't subscribe to the same set of beliefs?"

"I did. I am sure I still have some prejudices. I know that I no longer believe that Muggles are dirty or should be treated like house elves. But I still love my family."

I nodded again. He took my hands in his and pulled me closer. He kissed the backs of my hands where my detention scars still showed.

"This summer will not be as fun as I had hoped it would be." He said, offering a small smile.

"No, I imagine it won't be."

"Will you write to me?" he asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please. You can send them to Blaise and he will get them to me."

"Malfoy-"

"Hermione. At this moment, I am certain of only one thing. I like you. More than I want to admit right now. I can't explain it, but I do. And I know you feel the same. I know this all seems ridiculous and it can only get worse from here but I want you in my life. I want to know that when I am going mad I can write to you and you will write back to me."

"I guess letters are okay. I think we should still leave out the personal details though. We should have boundaries."

"Whatever you want."

"Fine. Well, I should be going now. We both should go to bed." I stood up and pulled him up with me. We walked back to the castle together holding hands lightly. He kissed my cheek as we came up to the doors before we went our separate ways.

This summer would change our world as we knew it. That is what I knew for certain.

xxx

And that is the end of 5th year Draco and Hermione. We will be moving on to the 6th year in the next chapter. Leave any comments or things you would like to see transpire between these two. I will also take this moment to give a warning. The first chapter of this story was quite mature, they were both 18, however in the 6th year they are not quite adults in the Wizarding World, but there will be some mature scenes. Just as a heads up.