A/N: Here's chapters 23 and 24 to you people. So just to make it all clear: 24 is the end. So Pure Love is now completed…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. I own this story though!

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CHAPTER XXIII – Surprises

A week passed. Hermione didn't have a permission to see Draco. No one had. Draco even had his own room where to heal without any interruptions. Hermione didn't know how he was. She was sure he wasn't dead yet because otherwise Dumbledore would've said something.

Once in a while Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy came to see Draco. They were the only ones how were let in. Hermione wanted so badly to know how Draco was that she even considered to go and ask Lucius and Narcissa about his condition. But she knew she couldn't. They would've just come too suspicious. After all she was a mudblood to them, just scum.

Hermione had seen Pansy crying her eyes out in the library one evening. Hermione felt terrible. In a way she felt sorry for Pansy. But Hermione knew that IF Draco got cured, Pansy would immediately throw herself to Draco and they would live happily ever after. But that would be just IF Draco woke up…

Hermione had realized that she really needed Draco when she saw him lying on a bed in the hospital wing. He looked so…not there... There – at the hospital wing - she also had told him what she felt for him. But he hadn't heard. He was in a some sort of a coma. So he still didn't know the truth.

It hurt Hermione every time Ron said how happy he was about the fact that Draco was nearly dead. Those times she was about to cry but she held it. Though it was hard. How could Ron…of all people, be so cruel?!

"Lavender, could we talk?" Ginny asked.

"yeah, sure."

"umm…in privat…I don't want Harry and Ron to hear", Ginny said glancing at Ron and Harry who were playing wizard's chess.

Lavender and Ginny stepped out of the Gryffindor common room to the hallway.

"what is it Ginny?" Lavender asked.

"I can't…keep this inside of me any longer, Lavender. It's killing me to know something like this and not tell anyone", Ginny explained.

"what is it?" Lavender repeated.

"I think – no, I know – Hermione is…in love with…"

"Draco Malfoy, yes I knew that", Lavender said.

Ginny was in shock. She thought she was the only one who knew.

"h-how did you…you know?" Ginny stammered.

"Hermione told me. How did you find out?" Lavender asked.

"well…a week ago I was looking for her and I found her in the hospital wing… I saw her sitting on Malfoy's bed crying…", Ginny said, "She- She told him that she- she loved…him."

"yeah…", Lavender sighed, "but it's better if you don't tell anyone about this…especially not to Ron or Harry."

"but Lavender…I think it's fair if they knew –"

"Ginny! Stop it! It's Hermione who should tell them. And she will tell them when she's ready", Lavender said frowning.

"yeah but…she's kind of …cheating them."

Lavender laughed to Ginny's statement.

"don't be stupid Ginny. She's not cheating anyone. And besides, Hermione has been very depressed after Draco's accident so she needs people being friendly to her. Ron and Harry yelling at her won't make her feel better. Do you understand Ginny?"

Ginny nodded though she would've wanted to tell Ron and Harry all the things that she had heard Hermione say.

"it might be best if Hermione told them", Lavender added.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"did the potion work?" Dumbledore asked madame Pomfrey.

"how is he?" Snape added.

Madame Pomfrey lead Snape and Dumbledore to Draco's bed.

"see for yourself", she said and opened the curtains.

"oh my…", Dumbledore said smiling, "How are you feeling Mr Malfoy?"

"better", Draco laughed.

"he has been very perky all morning", madame Pomfrey said.

"that's good", Dumbledore laughed and looked how Draco ate his soup.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I guess", he mumbled.

"but he says that the last thing he rememberes is when he fell off his broom", madame Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore.

"oh… Mr Malfoy…", Dumbledore said sitting on Draco's bed. "You understand that you hurted yourself very bad and there was a little possibility that…you might have not woken up."

"yeah… She told me", Draco said pointing to madame Pomfrey.

"yes… I'm glad that the potion professor Snape and I did worked", Dumbledore said.

"yes, me too", madame Pomfrey added, "and I'm sure you can go now."

"I can?"

"yes."

"I guess your friends have been very anxious to see you", Dumbledore laughed.

"I doubt it", Draco muttered.

"miss Parkinson sure has been here more than one time", Snape said smirking.

"yeah…", Draco said like he couldn't care less.

"and miss Granger too", Dumbledore winked.

Snape rolled his eyes again and he looked somewhat disgusted.

"yes…indeed… Ms Granger has been like a ghost these passed weeks", Snape muttered.

"I think you have a little fanclub", Dumbledore laughed.

"oh well, I better go now", Snape cleared his voice and everybody turned to look at him, "but I'm glad to see you feel better."

And so Snape left.

"er…you said that Her- I mean Granger came to see me?" Draco asked.

'I hope I didn't sound too obvious.'

"yes. Actually quite many times. I'm sure she has been very worried."

The expression that was on Dumbledore's face made Draco blush.

"yeah…", Draco said feeling little embarrassed.

It was eleven o'clock and Hermione was sitting in her and Draco's common room reading a book. It took her a while to notice she was holding the book upside down. Though it seemed like she was reading that book she was actually thinking about Draco and her future.

Draco had been isolated and that meant just only thing: he would die soon.

'what am I going to do without him? Draco's so young! He can't die! He just can't die!' She thought.

She burst into tears.

'it's so unfair!! How can I ever continue my life after Draco's passed away?!How can I ever fall in love with someone else but Draco?!'

Hermione sobbed. She had waited for weeks to see Draco wake up. No one had said anything. Not Dumbledore, not madame Pomfrey…no one.

"what are you crying Granger?" she heard a familiar sneer behind her.

She quickly turned to see who it was who had said that.

She faced smirking Draco standing near the portrait hole.

"Draco!!!" she cried.

She jumped off the couch and ran into Draco's arms. Tears filled her eyes. She hugged him like she would never let go.

"you're alive!!! Oh Draco!!!" she cried against his chest.

Draco laughed a bit.

"yeah. I'm alive. I didn't know you missed me that much" he laughed.

"of course I did", Hermione sobbed.

"hey, I'm ok now", Draco said smoothing Hermione's hair.

"Snape said you have been like a dead person these passed weeks", Draco said.

"I've been so worried…and depressed", Hermione said still sobbing against Draco's chest.

"because of me?"

"yes. How– how –"

"how did I get better?"

"yes. How?"

"Dumbledore had made a potion with Snape and madame Pomfrey. They weren't sure if it was going to help me but they wanted to try it and now I'm here!" Draco said happily.

Finally Hermione let go of Draco and they sat down on a couch in front of the fireplace.

"I came to see you as many times as possible but at some point they took you to a different room and no one was allowed to see you except your parents…" Hermione said sadly. "I thought I would…lose you", she whispered.

"well now I'm here" he comforted her and took her hand. "And I'm not going anywhere."

"good…", Hermione said and looked Draco into the eyes.

His eyes were full of love and Hermione could see that. It felt so simple…to love somebody. She almost forgot that he was Draco Malfoy, one of the bad guys.

Draco leaned down. His lips brushed delicately her's. Hermione felt Draco's breath on her lips. Hermione leaned more closer to Draco.

They broke quickly apart when someone knocked the portrait. Actually it was more like loud banging. Draco looked at Hermione like he didn't want to open the door and wanted to continue where they had left. But Draco still stood up and walked to the portrait hole and opened it.

"Draco! I heard you came from the hospital wing just few minutes ago! Are you alright?!" Pansy cried throwing herself into Draco's arms.

Draco didn't hug back though.

"I'm ok Pansy. It's ok" Draco said.

Hermione looked how Draco and Pansy were hugging and felt somehow jealous, and most of all… sad. She should be in Draco's arms right now, not Pansy! Hermione was the one who really loved him! But did he love her? If he loved Pansy instead of Hermione… NO! He had almost kissed her just few seconds ago! He must've felt something for her…

Hermione stood up and left to her room. She tried to prevent her sobs. It was useless…she was already in tears.

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A/N: Just read chapter 24…