Disclaimer: ::screams in heavy rock way; like Limp Bizkit:: Flames is not mine! I don't own Draco! JK is a freak! With copy...rights!

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CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN: A Promise of Tomorrow

"So, Draco, what's your first most prized possession?" Hermione asked as she flounced into the common room and plopped next to him on the couch.

"What?" he asked back with an amused laughed. He had declared that his room was satisfactory (in fact it was practically spotless) and was reading in the common room. Hermione smiled; she was still wearing his shirt and her shorts, but had now tied a knot just below the dragon, allowing the fabric to hold tight to her waist.

"You told me that your hair was your second most prized possession. What's your first?" she repeated, crawling close, and Draco laughed.

"Where did that come from?" Hermione looked thoughtful.

"I don't know, but tell me; I'm curious," she begged and Draco paused a moment before swiftly moving close to her, his lips an inch from her ear.

"You," he whispered and kissed her lobe. Hermione smiled and moved her hands to his shoulders.

"I was hoping you might say that," she said happily and Draco smiled. Hermione pulled back and gave him a hard kiss. "I'm going to bed," she said and he nodded. "Just thought I'd tell you," she whispered, kissed him quickly again, and jumped from the couch, practically skipping toward their room. Draco watched her go, smiling silently at her excessive happiness. She closed the door half way after she passed through and Draco sighed as she moved out of his view. He turned back to his book, determined to know and understand all the components of Goblin Masquerade before allowing himself to join her.

Draco quietly crept into his room an hour and a half later, wishing he had come in sooner. Hermione was asleep, still wearing his t-shirt, arms crossed under her head and over a book. Draco smiled and crept slowly into bed, so as not to disturb her. He pulled the book gently from beneath her head, bring it close and inspecting the cover. With a look of disgust, Draco reached over his sleeping lover and placed the book on the night table. Candelabra Cortex.

Paying close attention to the sleeping girl beneath him, Draco leaned to blow out her candle, filling the room with an almost claming darkness. He relaxed back with a quiet sigh, lying on his back. Draco turned his head to Hermione with a smile. She was still asleep, but had moved a little in her repositioning. She still held one arm curled under her head, but the other had moved; she had placed her hand near her face and her fingertip against her teeth, looking innocent and adorable. Draco turned just enough to plant a feather-light kiss on her forehead, then relaxed again, taking one last look at Hermione before closing his eyes.

"Draco..." she said in a dreamy trance just moments later and Draco opened one eye, seeing that her lids still hid her honey brown orbs and her fingertip still rested childishly against her bottom lip.

"Shh, Hermione. Go back to sleep, love," he said soothingly and Hermione seemed to comply for a moment, then reached the tooth touching hand toward him.

"No, I'm not tired... I want to play," she said, still sounding sleepy. "Romeo and... Paris... Juliet," she said, voice dying down as she fell back into slumber.

"Tomorrow," Draco whispered, taking the offered hand and placing it to his chest, covering it lovingly with his own hands. He sighed and closed his eyes again. "Tomorrow."

* * * * * * * * * *

Draco woke alone the next day and silently cursed himself for ever agreeing to let her get up before him. It was disappointing not to wake up to her smiling and pretty face. Sighing, he closed his eyes again. The door to his room was partially open, letting the hushed sound of flowing water enter Draco's hearing system. **She's in the shower,** he concluded. **She hasn't been up long. I'll just wait here a few more minutes...** Draco thought, relaxing. After only a few minutes, he heard the fixtures squeak and the water stop, then the clicking of the frosted shower door as Hermione opened it. Draco smiled, imagining the scene in his head. Initially, his first thought was to smack himself, but Draco did no such thing. He folded his arms behind his head, crossed his ankles below the bed-sheets, and smirked. **She's my girlfriend; I can fantasize about her all I want. And, oh Merlin do I want...**

The dirty thoughts of the head Slytherin were interrupted as the girl of his daydreams slipped back into the room. Draco remained still, pretending to be asleep as Hermione walked around to her side of the bed and began busying herself with some clothing that lie there.

"Oh, please. Draco, you're even worse at faking than I am," she said with an amused smile and Draco grinned.

"How do you know that? Have you ever seen a visual comparison of yourself asleep and yourself pretending to be asleep?"

"No, but who cares. You're really bad, just so you know. When you're asleep, all the arrogance and worry leaves your face; you just look angelic and innocent. If you're faking, you look like you were time-frozen mid- blink," she said and Draco laughed, then opened his eyes. His chuckling stopped abruptly and he swallowed when he saw her. Hermione stood smiling before him, once again dressed in a towel, her damp hair birthing water streams down her shoulders and chest. "Is the gawking really necessary?" Hermione asked amusedly, smiling. Draco shook himself and grinning sheepishly.

"Sorry, but when I wake up to the hottest girl in school standing in front of me wearing only a towel, I tend to get a little oggly," Draco said and Hermione laughed.

"I would take that as a compliment, but considering the fact that the only other women in the school at the moment are McGonagall, Pomfrey, Sprout, Trelawney, Pince, and various owls... I'll have to think about it. And, sorry to disappoint you Ace, but I am in fact wearing everything I would normally wear, with the exception of a shirt. Reason? I left it in here," she said, picking up the crisp, wrinkle-free, red dragon t-shirt.

"You're going to wear that again?" Draco asked and Hermione smiled, then shrugged.

"I washed it," she informed him and Draco smiled.

"Did I SAY you could wear my shirt?" he asked with a smile and raised an eyebrow.

"Nope," Hermione said, slipping the shirt over her head and wiggling out of her towel, displaying black flared jeans. "But that doesn't seem to be stopping me, does it?" she said smartly as she tied the bottom of her pilfered t-shirt in a knot as she had the day before. Draco smiled.

"Evidently not," he agreed and Hermione giggled and crawled up onto the bed.

"Good morning," she purred and Draco smiled as she came closer.

"Good morning," he said back, but didn't move. Hermione happily glared and he laughed, then she leaned in for a good morning kiss.

"I'm glad you're awake. You should get up soon anyway; it's after noon and I think we should go see Dumbledore before everyone gets here," she said, smiling at him, then moved to get back out of bed, but Draco pulled her back down. Hermione giggled and he locked his arms around her so she couldn't get away. "What are you doing?" she asked happily, but Draco said nothing and held her tight as he began to smother her with kisses. Hermione continued to giggle and gratefully let Draco continue. Soon, his lips returned to hers and the laughter ceased, being replaced by brief and happy moans. The kiss had hardly finished when Draco pulled back, grinning.

"What were you saying?" he asked smartly and Hermione smiled.

"I asked what you were doing, but I guess I got my answer, didn't I?" she said, smiling broadly as Draco moved close again.

"I'm just making the best of our last few minutes of alone time, Mia. That's all," he whispered and kissed her forehead, causing Hermione to smile and close her eyes.

"I love this," she said truthfully and Draco smiled.

"Me too," he agreed and gave her another quick kiss. "So, what's this about Dumbledore?"

"He didn't tell us to, but I think it would be responsible and, well, nice of us to see if we can help with anything. You know; get on his good side... then we might not get detention for slipping the first years," she explained with a smirk and Draco laughed.

"Hermione, you she-devil. I was honestly kidding about that," he said and she shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"I wasn't; I thought it was a good idea, but if you don't want to, we won't. You chicken," she said, then giggled.

"What? How dare you call me chicken?!"

"The same way you dare to call me she-devil, I suppose. Now, if it's not too much trouble, could I maybe breathe again?" Draco's face fell and he quickly pulled back, afraid he was hurting her. Hermione smiled and sat up, then Draco knitted his brows and looked at her.

"I was barely touching you, Mia," he said and Hermione smiled before leaning close and bringing a hand to his hair.

"I know, but it got you off me, didn't it?" she asked smartly and smirked before kissing him. Surprisingly, Draco pulled away, looking a tad bit hurt and angry. Hermione looked confused.

"Yes," he agreed sourly. "That it did," he said and quickly moved to get out of bed and head to the bathroom. Hermione bit her lip, wondering where she had gone wrong. Nothing she said was meant to be offensive; she had been innocently teasing as she always had. Flopping back on the bed, she decided to wait for him to take a shower and hopefully cool off before she tried talking with him. Hermione sighed; this was not how she wanted this last day to play out.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Are you coming, love?" Draco asked from the doorway, not smiling as he normally would, but not looking particularly upset either. He had showered and dressed and now was quite ready for whatever Dumbledore asked. Hermione still lay on the bed, listening to his moving around the common room, planning on waiting for him to leave, then chasing after. His question surprised her, but she nodded and got out of bed, following Draco to the portrait hole.

"Draco, are you mad at me?" she asked quietly as they walked down the hall.

"A little," he replied and Hermione looked sadly to the floor.

"Then why did you call me..."

"Love? Mia, just because I'm slightly upset with you, it doesn't mean I don't still love you," he told her and Hermione looked relieved. She couldn't think of a more prefect thing for him to have said. If he had brushed it off as habit, she would have turned around and ran back to her room, locking the door behind her.

"Why are you mad?" she asked sadly, crossing her arms and hugging the red dragon.

"I don't know, exactly. It has something to do with all these little tests you put me through without my knowing. You lead me in one direction, knowing exactly what I'm thinking, then spin it totally around and tell me the truth. SO far I've said the right things, but someday my malignity will shine through and I'll say something totally opposite of what you want, and you'll be disappointed. Do you realize how mad I should have been when you practically spelled out b-a-b-y, then waited for me to pledge my undying servitude before informing me that you were in fact not pregnant? I was too damned relieved to do much of anything but thank God I hadn't done that to you.

"This little argument we just had wasn't much, I'll admit, and would in itself have been brushed off, had it not reminded me of that previous conversation. I just want you to ASK me all these things and trust that I'll give you the most honest answer I can, which I will. When you trick me into being honest, it's like you don't trust me to do so otherwise, and that hurts... a little," Draco said and Hermione nodded sadly at the floor, closing her eyes and hugging her dragon tight.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking a tiny fraction.

"Don't cry, Mia; I'm not that angry. I don't want to make you cry," he said urgently and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"No. I didn't even realize... you're absolutely right. I can't believe I didn't even notice how cruel I was being. I'm sorry, Ace... honestly, I am. I won't do it again, I won't," she promised, looking up at him. Draco smiled and gently kissed her.

"I know. That's enough of this; get all happy again before someone suspects that I've been torturing you or something." Hermione laughed and nodded, wiping her eyes. "I love you," Draco whispered and Hermione smiled.

"I love you too," she mouthed, but the words were inaudible. Draco heard.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Professor Dumbledore!" Draco called after a few moments of silence and looked down at Hermione. "Come on," he said and they ran after the professor, who had stopped and was waiting for them outside the great hall doors.

"Yes? Can I help you with something?" he asked kindly with a smile, Hermione smiled too.

"Actually, Professor, we were hoping we could help you with something," she told him and the old man grinned proudly.

"Why thank you, children. Actually, I could use a little help; I need someone to retrieve the sorting hat and stool form my office, and later sort the students; Minerva isn't feeling well this morning and will be staying in bed until at least tomorrow afternoon. No need to worry; she will be quite all right.

"Also, it would be helpful if someone would meet the train and assure that everyone makes it successfully into a carriage. Hagrid will take care of the first years. Thank you, children. Your help is greatly appreciated," he told them and quickly made his way down the hall once more. Hermione and Draco looked at each other, then Draco sighed.

"Why don't you meet your friends at the station, Mia? I'll sort everyone and you can have a few minutes to talk with them before Dumbledore makes you come sit next to me," Draco suggested and Hermione smiled.

"You say that as if it's punishment," she said and he shrugged.

"Isn't it?" She kissed him quickly.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to meet everybody?"

"You're my everybody and I'll get to meet you soon enough. Just go have fun without me and stop arguing," Draco said and Hermione laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'll see you later then?" she asked and he smiled.

"Of course," Draco said and kissed her softly. Hermione enjoyed this while it lasted, then looked down.

"I'm sorry," she said again, but he stopped her.

"Go, Mia. Forget about this," he said, kissed her once more, and sped off toward Dumbledore's office.

Hermione sighed and happily turned toward the main doors. She threw them open and stepped outside, smiling as a very cold burst of air tossed her hair. She seemed to have forgotten that it was mid-winter, but didn't act like she cared. Hermione took a breath, then shot off down the great stone steps and onto the path to Hogsmeade, for the first time in a month without Draco. She ran as fast as her white sneakers would carry her over the icy path and didn't stop until she reached the gates to the town. Breathing hard, Hermione held a hand to her stomach and walked slowly to the train station.

The express wasn't due for at least another hour, there was no need to run, but Hermione felt better doing so. She walked slowly into the station, noting that the carriages were already waiting, and stopped as she made it to the platform near the tracks. Looking around, Hermione noticed a large brown lump with legs seated at one of the benches, a tangled mass of dark brown hair on his head and a waterfall sprouting from below his chubby cheeks. There was only one identity that could belong to this thumb twiddling man; Hermione would know him anywhere.

"Hagrid!" she shouted happily and the man turned to her in slight surprise.

"'Ermione?" he asked and she nodded excitedly. "Oh! Come 'ere, you!" Hagrid called with a grin, opening his arms to her. Hermione giggled and threw herself into the embrace, receiving a tight bear hug. "I 'aven't seen you in weeks, Miss 'ead Girl," Hagrid said and released her. Hermione sad down and began to explain.

"Sorry, Hagrid, but I've been quite busy. We've been studying for the big exam, running errands for Dumbledore, hording off evil..." Hermione listed, but her burly friend cut her off.

"Kissin' on brooms?" he asked suspiciously, lifting his eyebrows. Hermione turned scarlet.

"You saw that? I forget that your hut faces the pitch," she said, obviously embarrassed. Hagrid narrowed his eyes at nothing and nodded.

"I don' trust that boyfriend of yours, 'Ermione. Malfoy means trouble," he warned and Hermione laughed.

"Oh, Hagrid, you're just still sore about the baby Norbert incident. Draco's different now," she said and the teacher nodded.

"Which is plenty reason ta be sore. People like that never change," he said disgustedly. Hermione shook her head.

"Of course they do. Harry and Ron are giving hi a second chance; they're practically friends," she argued softly and Hagrid shook his head.

"'Arry and Ron? Friends with Malfoy? Never," he said, but didn't look entirely unconvinced.

"You'd be surprised. I think I remember someone saying 'Hermione? In love with Malfoy? Never.' And we see how that prophecy played out." Hagrid scowled.

"Yer not in love, 'Ermione. Lust, maybe, but not love. There is no such ting'," he told her and Hermione looked surprised.

"Hagrid, how can you say such a thing? You can't possibly believe that," she said disbelievingly and the giant's eyes softened.

"No, yer right... I don'. But you do not love Malfoy and he does not love you. He is incapable of such feelins. This will only end in pain." Hermione looked to the ground.

"There wa a time when I thought the same way... but he's so different now, Hagrid." The large man shook his head. "No, he is. Think about it. Draco's done so many things we would never have thought him capable of. He saved my life, more than once in my opinion. That is one of the most un-Malfoy like things anyone could possibly do, and he did it," she told him, and Hagrid suddenly looked grave.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mione. I 'eard about Percy," he said and Hermione leaned back on the bench and closed her eyes.

"It's okay, Hagrid. That was quite a while ago; I'm fine. A lot has happened since then," she said quietly, then paused before speaking up. "Did you hear about Snape?"

"Ay," Hagrid said, glaring ahead. "Never did trust that man, much."

"Did anyone," Hermione asked sarcastically and Hagrid nodded.

"Dumbledore did. Surprising, though; 'e's usually such a good judge of character. He believed me, after all," he said and Hermione nodded.

"And he believes Draco," she said.

"It doesn't matter. You are not in love, 'Arry and Ron 'aven't befriended 'im, and Malfoy 'asn't changed," the large Professor insisted and Hermione groaned.

"Oh, Hagrid, why is this so hard to come to terms with? You'll see when the boys get here; they really are friends. You should have seen them when Harry snuck into the castle; him and Draco were laughing and joking about Snape, and poking fun at me just like Harry does with Ron. It was like they were meant to be that way from square one.

"And when we're alone, he's so different. He cares about me; what I'm feeling and what I think. If something's wrong, he just knows; I don't have to straight out tell him. No matter what he's doing, Draco will stop right in the middle and listen if I need to talk. I've told him things I could never tell anyone else, and I know he won't tell... and he'll try to help and comfort me if he can. He makes me feel... special, like I deserve to be looked after and protected, and he does that. He loves me, Hagrid. You're wrong. I know he does, and I love him more than anything. I can't even explain it... I just... know. It's so perfect..." Hermione said to the stalwart Care of Magical Creatures Professor, who simply stared at her as she spoke. Thinking about Draco, Hermione smiled and hugged the red dragon. "Listen to me, babbling on. I'm sure you don't care about any of this. I'm sorry, I've just never said all that out loud before..." Not knowing what to say in such a delicate situation, Hagrid changed the subject.

"Are you cold, Mione? Do you want my jacket?" he asked politely and Hermione smiled, but shook her head.

"I am cold, but I've got it," she said, holding up her hand and waiting for her coat. It took a little longer because she was so far from the castle. "Oh," she said as it appeared. "This is Draco's... I hope he wasn't wearing it," she said and draped the cloak around her shoulders, Slytherin crest showing proudly.

"'Ermione! How in bloody blazes did you do that?" Hermione paled.

"Oops... I didn't use my wand, did I?" Hagrid shook his head. "No, of course not. I don't even have my wand... I'm not even 100% sure where my wand is. Oh, please don't tell anyone, Hagrid! I promised Draco it'd be just between us," she begged and Hagrid looked surprised.

"Malfoy can do that too?!" She nodded.

"He taught me, sort of. We learned it together. It's come in handy a few times," she explained and Hagrid looked stern.

"I should tell Dumbledore," he said and Hermione looked scared. "But I won't. You've kept my 'wandless' magic a secret; I'll keep yours." Hermione squealed.

"Oh, thank you, Hagrid!" she cried and kissed his rosy cheek, which then became rosier. Happy, warm, and satisfied, Hermione settled back down on the bench and pulled her arms through the sleeves of Draco's cloak.

"Yer not really going to wear that, are you?" Hagrid asked in a whisper, although there was no one else there, and Hermione looked up at him with knitted brows.

"Why not?"

"It's a SLYTHERIN cloak... what will the Gryffindor think?"

" 'Oh how lucky is she to be wearing Draco Malfoy's cloak'?" Hermione suggested, but Hagrid didn't look phased. "Everyone already knows, Hagrid. Draco and I went to Gulden's Park on New Year's Eve and were caught by the gling man at midnight. The Patil's are a pretty well to do wizarding family. This means Padma and Parvarti know, they owl Lavender Brown, poof, all of Gryffindor knows. Slowly it spreads through Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, then seeps into Slytherin simply because a story like this will be begging to be retold. The only thing I'm worried about is that, because this rumor will be modified, half the school will think we're engaged, expecting, being black-mailed, god knows what else... Over vacation is the worst time to start a rumor," she explained, hugging the dragon again.

"Yes, that's quite possible, isn't it?" Hagrid asked, laughing and Hermione joined in. she shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes, but even if that happens, I don't really care. Let them think what they want," she told him just as the train whistle sounded. Both Hermione and Hagrid looked down the tracks to see the large scarlet train make it around the last bed and onto the straight route to the station. Hermione stood up and squealed. "They're here! I've never been on this side of a train arrival before!" she said, giggling and excited.

"Calm down, there, 'Ermione! It'll still be there in ten minutes," Hagrid laughed and Hermione continued her giggles.

"I'm just so excited!"

The train took hit's time coming into the station, much to the disappointment of Hermione, who had sat down and was tapping her feet impatiently. When the train finally did stop and the doors opened, she jumped up and hurried to the end of the train, assuming her two friends would ride in their usual compartment. The boys stepped off the train, talking and laughing, not even noticing the hyperactive head girl who was looking straight at them.