Thanks again ... Three more reviews! Yeah!!
Mrs. Malfoy – Thank you very much
Trillium- I like D/H too. It's my favorite pairing. I like G/D too.
Miss Confidante - Thank you very much! I did mean for the 360 degree turn with Draco, maybe I just didn't build enough. I wanted to show that Draco is sick of being a Malfoy and sick of his reputation and being like his father. I kind of wanted the whole 'being in love' thing to kind of overrule any nasty things that might creep in. But I do see your point and thank you for the constructive criticism. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story….it's gonna be a tearjerker.. J
Once again, entire thing is in Draco's POV.
Oh, and I'm rating this chapter R just for some sexual content. I don't know if I really need to do this or not, but please don't read if you're not old enough.
Chapter 3
The Ball
The leaves began to fall from the trees, which meant that Halloween would be here soon. There was always a ball on Halloween.
This year, I had a date.
Hermione was the most beautiful woman there. She had a long gown, the color of emeralds. Her hair was in a soft bun, and there were a few wispy tendrils that hung around her face. She had no make up or jewelry on, but she didn't need it. She was absolutely breathtaking. I saw Harry and Ron both swallow hard when she walked into the Great Hall. She turned several heads, but she too only had eyes for me.
We danced and laughed and had a perfect time. Near the end of the night during one of the slower dances she put her head on my shoulder. We were both the right height and her head rested perfectly right in that little nook. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hermione?" I managed to blurt out.
"Yes Draco?" She answered, after I couldn't finish my sentence. She pulled her head away from that spot on my shoulder and looked into my eyes.
That was it. That is what did it. I looked into her eyes and I was done for. Hook, line and sinker I was head over heels.
"Hermione," I tried again. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
She smiled. "I was wondering how long it would take you to say something."
We both laughed. "You knew?" I asked. "How long have you known?"
"Well, I didn't know until tonight. I've suspected it for a while now. I'm glad you said something. I didn't know how much longer I would have been able to keep it from you."
I thought about what she just said, and looked deep into her eyes. As crazy as it sounds, I saw the same feelings that I felt for her reflected there.
Our faces moved closer together, and our lips met. It was everything that a first kiss should be. It was warm, soft and gentle. It only lasted a few seconds but it seemed like hours. We spoke volumes with that kiss.
I looked into her eyes again. They were sparkling. She was smiling at me and I noticed we both had our arms around each other. I glanced around the hall. No one had really been paying attention to us, but I wanted some privacy anyway. I took her hand and led her over to a small bench along side one of the walls.
"There is something I do need to tell you. I know I've told you about my life and my childhood and my father, but I want to make sure you understand what all of it means." I paused, squeezed her hand and then continued. "My father fully expects me to come home and be a Death Eater when I graduate Hogwarts. He isn't going to understand any of this. He won't care what I feel for you. He won't care what we mean to each other. All he will care is that I've disobeyed him. You need to understand this because it could put your life in danger. He could and most likely will try to kill both of us. I want you to understand that being with me could kill you."
She smiled, letting out a small laugh. "Draco, I've been facing death since the first day I came to Hogwarts and met Harry and Ron. Those two have almost gotten me killed a dozen times or more, and I'm doing just fine. I'm not letting you go that easy." I put my hand to her face, caressing her cheek. I slowly pulled her chin towards mine, and kissed her. This one was longer, but just as passionate. She pulled away from me, and smiled. "C'mon." She said, grabbing my hand. "Let's go tell Harry and Ron."
The rest of the school year flew by from that point. The classes had impossible amounts of homework, and the four of us spent a lot of time in the library pouring over books. This is really the place where the four of us all began to understand each other and become even better friends. Harry and Ron had been a little surprised when Hermione and I told them that we were a couple, but when they saw how happy we both made each other they gradually warmed to the idea. Harry came around after a few weeks and we were both able to get along. Ron would talk to me politely, but he wouldn't go out of his way to be friends. It just got better with time.
Hermione and I still managed to find sometime to spend together, just the two of us. Sometimes she would sneak me into the Gryffindor common room after everyone else had gone to bed and we would lie in front of the fireplace and talk. When the weather wasn't too cold we would walk around the grounds. There had even been a few times where we had found our way to the astronomy tower. We would look at the stars and talk about our future.
Valentines Day was the turning point in our relationship. We were in the Gryffindor common room. Like most nights we were laying on a pile of pillows in front of the fire. We had both been quiet for a while, just enjoying each others company. I was lying on my side, one arm propped up under my head. She was lying on her back in front of me. I had my other arm around her waist. I looked down at her. She was staring at me.
"What?" I asked her.
"If someone would have told me when I started Hogwarts that my last year would have ended like this, I never would have believed them. Draco, these last few months have been so incredible that I almost can't believe it myself." She told me, looking in my eyes.
"Hermione, I love you. I'll do my best to make sure that you feel that incredible every day for the rest of your life." She smiled at me, and I smiled down at her. I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed me back and the kiss deepened. It wasn't very long before the two of us had removed each others clothes and explored places we had never been before. We both looked into each other eyes as our bodies joined. It was earth-shattering, for both of us. It was the first time that I ever let Hermione see me cry. That was our private joke from that point on.
As the school year went on, I knew I was running out of time. I knew I would have to tell my father that I would not be following him any longer. I knew that Voldemort would be furious, but that would be nothing compared to the anger that my father would feel. I knew he wouldn't understand, and I knew he wouldn't be happy. I knew that he'd probably come to school to find out why. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to tell him. I was so afraid of losing Hermione, and I knew that if he found out about her it would put her life at great risk.
Fate stepped in, in late May. Year end exams were only days away, and most of the students were on edge because of it. The four of us were sitting at the Gryffindor table, nibbling at some breakfast and quizzing each other on what we thought might be in our Potions exam. The three of them had started getting less crap from Snape as soon as he had seen that we were friends but Snape was notorious for his impossible exams.
An owl flew overhead, and dropped Hermione's copy of the Daily Prophet in her lap. She opened up the front page, and after only a few minutes, let out a gasp. We all looked at her as she dropped the paper onto the table. Her face had gone pale and her eyes were huge.
"Hermione, what is it?" We all asked.
"It's started." She pointed at the headline of the paper, and we all strained to read it. The words screamed out the title "Voldemort's return to power." Below the headline was a picture of an obviously bloody battle. Cloaked figures were standing in a village, aiming their wands at anything that moved. There were bodies lying everywhere.
Hermione started to read the article out loud. "It seems that the inevitable has finally happened. The Dark Lord has returned. He-who-must-not-be-named to some, Lord Voldemort to others. However he is known, he has returned. He destroyed a small village about 20 miles outside of London. The village was occupied largely by elder witches and wizards, but there were several muggle families living among them. There were no found survivors. It is unknown why the Dark Lord had chosen this small village, and why he chose to kill everyone, but the Ministry of Magic assures the Daily Prophet and its readers that it will have answers soon."
Hermione looked around at all of us, stopping when they came to rest on mine. I knew that we had only been together for a short time, but I also knew she could read me by my eyes. "We need to hide you, don't we?"
Ron shot Hermione a quizzical look. I responded for her. "My father thinks I'm going to join him and Voldemort in the destruction of life as we know it. I haven't told him that I don't want to join the 'family business'. So, yeah I guess I need someplace to go."
"Well, I'd have to write Mum and Dad and ask them but I don't think they'll mind. I'll have to explain it all first, but we've got plenty of room at the Burrow." Ron suggested.
I looked at the three of them and nodded my head. "That will work. If its ok with them that is."
We all smiled at each other, and somehow we all knew that nothing would ever be the same.
Thanks to my four reviewers. You have encouraged me to keep it up. Next chappie shouldn't be too much longer.